What I'm looking for is where someone does a few shots of tequila and knows who shot Kennedy.
July 5, 2011 11:56 AM Subscribe
I'm looking for references - fictional and non-fictional - where someone becomes more psychic when drunk. Not high. Not drugged. Drunk.
Based on some recent personal experiences I'm looking for any kind of references from fiction or non-fiction where a character develops any kind of psychic abilities when they're drunk. It might be a knowledge of things they don't possess sober. Or an unusual and effective instinct. Just something that they didn't have before the booze but do have after it.
I'm NOT looking for Castaneda tales of peyote or LSD astral projection. Just cases where hooch meets ESP in some way.
Based on some recent personal experiences I'm looking for any kind of references from fiction or non-fiction where a character develops any kind of psychic abilities when they're drunk. It might be a knowledge of things they don't possess sober. Or an unusual and effective instinct. Just something that they didn't have before the booze but do have after it.
I'm NOT looking for Castaneda tales of peyote or LSD astral projection. Just cases where hooch meets ESP in some way.
This happens in Last Call, which is also a great read.
posted by Jorus at 12:03 PM on July 5, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by Jorus at 12:03 PM on July 5, 2011 [1 favorite]
The Family Guy episode "Wasted Talent" has Peter miraculously playing the piano expertly after getting drunk (drinking Pawtucket Pat's). He is unable to play at all when sober.
posted by MustardTent at 12:04 PM on July 5, 2011
posted by MustardTent at 12:04 PM on July 5, 2011
Not quite psychic, but in the spirit of what you're looking for: when Johnny Fever drinks, his reflexes improve dramatically.
posted by jbickers at 12:22 PM on July 5, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by jbickers at 12:22 PM on July 5, 2011 [1 favorite]
In the Talisman by Stephen King and Peter Straub, the main character is able to travel to the alternate reality world by drinking nasty grape wine. Though I think he takes a gulp of it, but doesn't actually get drunk as far as I can recall.
posted by jeff-o-matic at 12:44 PM on July 5, 2011
posted by jeff-o-matic at 12:44 PM on July 5, 2011
What about everybody's favorite Libertarian, Jim DiGriz from The Stainless Steel Rat .
posted by Sphinx at 12:46 PM on July 5, 2011
posted by Sphinx at 12:46 PM on July 5, 2011
Yay, the Stainless Steel Rat!
How about the Spider Robinson stories that are set in Callahan's Crosstime Saloon? There's a LOT of fan material around Callahan's. I seem to recall one such story taking place there, so perhaps a fan's wiki would provide the best answer. (Sorry I don't have the definitive answer in front of me: a lead is all I can offer now.)
posted by wenestvedt at 12:53 PM on July 5, 2011
How about the Spider Robinson stories that are set in Callahan's Crosstime Saloon? There's a LOT of fan material around Callahan's. I seem to recall one such story taking place there, so perhaps a fan's wiki would provide the best answer. (Sorry I don't have the definitive answer in front of me: a lead is all I can offer now.)
posted by wenestvedt at 12:53 PM on July 5, 2011
Henry Kuttner's "Gallegher" stories feature an inventor who can only invent while drunk. And once sober, can never recall how his inventions work. Or what they were meant to do. But they do work.
posted by bigbigdog at 12:57 PM on July 5, 2011
posted by bigbigdog at 12:57 PM on July 5, 2011
TvTropes: Drunken Master, people's abilities being increased with alochol intake
posted by The Whelk at 1:05 PM on July 5, 2011
posted by The Whelk at 1:05 PM on July 5, 2011
the only time i've ever skateboarded without falling down is when drunk.
posted by radiosilents at 1:26 PM on July 5, 2011
posted by radiosilents at 1:26 PM on July 5, 2011
Exactly the opposite of what you're looking for: The Hitchhiker's Guide to The Galaxy briefly mentions a drinking game in which the players attempt to pour an alcoholic beverage into the other's glass using telekinesis. This beverage makes psychic powers weaker rather than stronger.
posted by justkevin at 1:30 PM on July 5, 2011
posted by justkevin at 1:30 PM on July 5, 2011
Not a very good example I fear, but Madame Arcati in Blithe Spirit enjoys a dry martini before the seance at which she summons the late Elvira Condomine, which is pretty much the summit of her spiritualist abilities in the play. (Afterwards, when she's presumably cold sober, she's rather a dud.)
posted by La Cieca at 2:03 PM on July 5, 2011
posted by La Cieca at 2:03 PM on July 5, 2011
If you believe it, the Ballmer Peak suggests that people program better drunk.
posted by segfault at 2:05 PM on July 5, 2011
posted by segfault at 2:05 PM on July 5, 2011
In Doorways in the Sand by Roger Zelazny, the protagonist gets psychically contacted after getting drunk. It's a great read.
posted by tachikoma_robot at 6:38 PM on July 5, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by tachikoma_robot at 6:38 PM on July 5, 2011 [1 favorite]
Hazel in the webcomic Girls with Slingshots; when she is drunk, she can hear and speak to her Irish-Mexican cactus, McPedro.
posted by His thoughts were red thoughts at 9:46 PM on July 5, 2011
posted by His thoughts were red thoughts at 9:46 PM on July 5, 2011
Dirk Gently in Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency. He gave the impression (while carefully denying it verbally) that he had supernatural powers that increased in proportion to the quality of food and drink he consumed. This may have been a scam.
posted by AndrewStephens at 10:47 PM on July 5, 2011
posted by AndrewStephens at 10:47 PM on July 5, 2011
In Unforgiven, Clint Eastwood's character shoots better drunk...
posted by Mister Moofoo at 3:28 AM on July 6, 2011
posted by Mister Moofoo at 3:28 AM on July 6, 2011
This happens in the movie Beerfest. One of the characters is only able to remember the path to the secret tournament because he is drunk:
Steve "Fink" Finklestein: Drunken recall. I gave my subjects massive quantities of alcohol and then I taught them things while they were blacked out. When they woke up the next morning, they couldn't remember anything. But when I got them drunk again, they remembered everything that I taught them the night before. I got it published.
Landfill: Where?
Steve "Fink" Finklestein: In Maxim Magazine under the tile of "E=MC Hammered".
Also in the Family Guy episode "Wasted Talent" Peter learns that he can play the piano when he is drunk.
posted by sambosambo at 4:51 AM on July 6, 2011
Steve "Fink" Finklestein: Drunken recall. I gave my subjects massive quantities of alcohol and then I taught them things while they were blacked out. When they woke up the next morning, they couldn't remember anything. But when I got them drunk again, they remembered everything that I taught them the night before. I got it published.
Landfill: Where?
Steve "Fink" Finklestein: In Maxim Magazine under the tile of "E=MC Hammered".
Also in the Family Guy episode "Wasted Talent" Peter learns that he can play the piano when he is drunk.
posted by sambosambo at 4:51 AM on July 6, 2011
It's not exactly psychic powers, but Dr. McNinja discovered time travel while drunk.
posted by Dr. Eigenvariable at 6:49 AM on July 6, 2011
posted by Dr. Eigenvariable at 6:49 AM on July 6, 2011
If you beleive that there are no such things as coincidences then I may assist. I become "tipsy" and by what feels like instinct, I "adivse" people of certain things. I am almost "pulled" to certain people like there is a duty I have in assisting them and while we may be simply relaxing and having a good time, we met for a reason on that day, at that moment in time. The OVERWHELMING feeling I suddenly get is that something is "pressing on their mind" and to me, they seem to be "waiting" for something to help them with this. The "advise" is ALWAYS through unselfishness and I'm a HUGE belevier in INTENTION. Most people know the difference between right and wrong. If they don't then they need to be taught and ignorance is seldom an excuse for breaking these "laws of the universe." The "nerve" I hit is always through "goodness" and in what I call, "within the laws of the universe." The reaction is ALWAYS the same: they are always thankful and know that somehow they have been "helped." I want to make one thing clear: it is not important to me if you beleive me or not. I have never responded to this type of "thing" before and it doesn't matter how I was "lead" to your question. This is the "real thing." There is so much I haven't said. Simply keep in mind that this is an unselfish and pure answer.
posted by SamuelV at 4:51 PM on July 10, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by SamuelV at 4:51 PM on July 10, 2011 [1 favorite]
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posted by TheNewWazoo at 12:03 PM on July 5, 2011