The Janitor as Deus Ex Machina (and Actual Genius)

HOST: Welcome back to AuthorOnAir! I'm Eleanor Bright, and today we're looking at the janitor as a deus ex machina and actual genius in the novel "Squat!". Joining me to discuss this is Bo Bennett, PhD. Bo, welcome to the show. You know, Jan Itor is such a compelling character. Why did you decide to place the smartest, most morally centered person in the book in that particular position? GUEST: Because it was unexpected. I think it's a kind of a a trope to put the smart guy as the professor or um business executive, somebody that most people would expect. But that's what adds the humor to it. Make the smartest guy in the room, who's always in the room, uh the janitor. Not that uh janitors can't be smart, it's just not expected. Again, we're talking about stereotypes. Most people adhere to stereotypes and expect stereotypes, and this breaks a stereotype. Uh and that's what I was going for. HOST: That subversion is definitely effective. You mentioned humor there, and even with a silly name like Jan Itor, he feels like more than just a joke. How much of Jan was meant to be satirical versus really painting a sincere picture of someone who's overlooked by society? GUEST: Uh honestly, I I would like to say that I was going for some kind of social message there, but I wasn't. Uh He He was just a really funny character. And uh that's what I was going for. I was going for a kind of like the the straight man of the uh of the comedy duo. You know, you've you've got the the straight guy, and I'm not talking about uh you know, sexuality. I'm talking about uh one guy always plays it straight. And the other guy's kind of the goofball. The the one that's cracking all the jokes or or or or um messing up or whatever. And that's what um that's what the janitor is. He is he's that straight guy that um that makes this comedy package work extremely well. HOST: So, he's kind of the grounding force for all the other chaotic characters around him. Because he never seems to get rattled. The more outlandish things get, the more placid he remains. Can you talk about designing him as this unflappable presence? GUEST: Again, I was trying to break the typical stereotypes or or trying to capture something that really doesn't exist very often in real life. So, it's somebody who is incredibly calm, cool, and collected in the most craziest of situations. Um, and and that again is a surprise, and there's a a believe it or not, a very large comedic element to that kind of character in those kind of positions. When you're expecting something, but you don't get it. HOST: It definitely functions that way. For listeners just joining us, I'm speaking with Bo Bennett, PhD about the book "Squat!" — discussing the janitor as deus ex machina and actual genius. Now, late in the book, we learn all this backstory — MIT professor, crime novelist, survival with a Kyrgyzstani mob... did you know all of that was coming or did it unfold as you wrote it? GUEST: Uh no, I didn't. Um it was one episode at a time and I I guess I had some ideas of what was going to happen at the end, but pretty much by the fifth episode out of 10, I I I've fixed that whole back story. Um and again, we don't want to give away too many spoilers, but uh I put the whole back story together of the janitor. And everything just came together beautifully. And that's why the uh the the final episode of the the season uh just exposes everything in in a a very poetic way. HOST: It's a lot to take in. With all that background, I wonder... is Jan just a wish-fulfillment fantasy of the wise mentor who always has the answers, or are you trying to say something about how we overlook the people we consider "lowly"? That we might not recognize when the smartest person is right in front of us? GUEST: Yeah, again, I um it would be great to say that I was really thinking socially and trying to make a statement, but I I wasn't. Uh it was a lot more of just uh having this character who who I could kind of talk through. Again, Squad has a lot of critical thinking, reason, science in there, but delivered in a very humorous way. Um and I needed a character to to deliver the content um the in a serious way. At least some of the serious content that was presented in a humorous way through multiple characters. So, he was the voice of reason. He was the voice of of the science and the philosophy. Um but it wasn't like being preached to. It wasn't a lesson because it worked extremely well in the comedic situation with the other characters. HOST: So, he could deliver those deeper truths without slowing down the humor or the plot. Before we go, where can listeners find "Squat!" — and where can they find more of your work? GUEST: The best place to to find Squat, well you could get the book anywhere um e-books are sold. But go on YouTube and you you could type Squat uh Squat Spot Fitness. That's the name of the gym in the sitcom squatspotfitness.com. And actually that domain will take you right there and you could watch the 10 episodes. HOST: Sounds great. Thank you so much for joining us, Bo. And thanks to all of you for listening. I'm Eleanor Bright, and this has been AuthorOnAir, signing off.