[music playing] OK, Matt.

I've had some fun in this playlist so far, but I don't know if I've experienced what you'd call a thrill.

And it's pretty late at this point, so I think we're done with me doing anything thrilling.

Well, you're in luck, Craig.

The "Good Stuff" crew has decided to make you jump out of an airplane.

Yeah, I'm never going to jump out of a plane.

That's just not gonna happen.

Nope.

Nu-uh.

Nah.

No way.

So here I am at Skydive Chicago, because the "Good Stuff" crew is forcing me to jump out of a plane.

So I'm going to do it.

Let's go.

Oh yeah, and my friend Rob Scallon's going to jump with me.

Come on, Craig!

Let's go!

OK, this is the plane?

This isn't the plane.

[music playing] Why am I standing next to an airplane?

And I'm super nervous.

Yeah, well you should be.

We're here at Skydive Chicago, and we're about to throw you out of an airplane.

CRAIG BENZINE: This is Rook Nelson, the director of Skydive Chicago.

He's jumped out of a plane, oh, 22,000 times and managed to not die every single one of those times.

And just a few months ago, Rook and Skydive Chicago organized a new skydiving world record, where 164 people fell head first in formation at the same time.

Why should I be nervous?

Well, jumping out of the airplane isn't normal.

To some of the guys out here, it is normal, It's their day-to-day job, so you're in good hands.

Even at 22,000 jumps, every jump is exciting and nervous to me, and that doesn't go away.

Well, that's good, I guess?

Yeah, it is.

It keeps you alive.

Yeah, so you've done 22,000 jumps.

22,000 jumps.

Wow.

Yeah When was the first jump?

I did actually jump when I was four years old in 1984, and then I started solo in '94 at the age of 14 and then just couldn't stop me from being in that airplane.

I love it.

CRAIG BENZINE: Wow.

But you get nervous.

What makes you nervous when you jump?

It's exciting.

Jumping out of an airplane isn't normal.

You're looking down 2 and 1/2 miles, and just the thrill of it all and it's fun.

This whole episode's about thrill seeking, and so we're trying to explore-- Sure.

--like what is it.

Why do people do this?

I mean, I think it runs the gamut of reasons why.

I mean, some people have it on their bucket list.

We have people in their 90s coming out and jump.

We have 18-year-olds, recent graduate who come out and jump.

It's the thrill of it.

It's the fear of the unknown.

Like, you don't know what jumping out of an airplane is like, and some people want to conquer that.

They want to put a check mark next to it.

Some people fall in love with this sport and they want to jump every day.

Some people-- they jump, they land, they say that was amazing and I'll never do it again, but I'm glad I did it.

Yeah, my suspicion is I'll be in that last one.

That last camp.

You never know, though.

[chuckles] It's my first time jumping.

I'm super nervous.

What-- any pointers?

The most important thing is to have fun.

The guys here are gonna take care of you.

We're actually going to put you in a class.

We're gonna kind of explain everything that's going to happen from the equipment that we use, how to be in the airplane, what free fall is life.

And unlike the movies, you're not going to be able to talk to each other in the free fall.

It's pretty loud.

How do you like that, Johnny?

It's amazing!

But just trust the guys behind you.

We have good people working here and they'll take good care of you.

ENZO AMITRANO: So questions, concerns, last requests?

[laughing] You'll realize on your first jump, guys-- I mean, it's gonna by in a flash.

The term we have for it is called sensory overload.

Of a 60 second free fall, if you guys remember more than 30 seconds, I'm gonna be impressed.

[chuckles] You guys are gonna have videotapes, big smiles for the camera.

Smiling's important.

It keeps your cheeks from flapping.

It'll actually look like you.

[laughing] I do want to tell you guys, being in the door is that moment of truth, OK?

Everybody gets nervous.

Little old ladies swear like truck drivers and atheists find religion.

The best thing that you could do, breathe, OK?

It helps a lot.

Take a nice deep breath and let it out slow.

CAMERAMAN: So what do you think, Craig?

[exhales] I can't believe you guys are making me do this.

[laughs] Nah, I got this.

Just pull on the cord, parachutes opens.

Simple, right?

You can't fight the air.

CAMERAMAN: Just relax.

Can't fight the air.

CAMERAMAN: Just let it happen.

I'm nervous.

I've been nervous for like a week, since I knew that we were going to do this.

Nervous is normal, OK?

Nerves fuel adrenaline.

Everyone gets nervous in the door.

I promise you.

The second we leave, it's gone, OK?

OK. Adrenaline completely takes over.

We're going to breathe through the nervous part.

Once we're out, it's nothing but fun, OK.

So we have a main parachute.

It was being packed by a man who's done this for over 30 years, so we're in very good hands.

If that doesn't work, then we've got a reserve parachute, which we open up, inspect, and repack every six months.

On top of that, in case I have a heart attack or get knocked out when I leave the airplane, there's also what's called an automatic activation device.

In the unlikely event of that happening, it would automatically open up a parachute for us.

How good's your heart?

I don't know.

Let's find out.

[chuckles] CAMERAMAN: So Rob, you all suited up?

You ready?

Yeah, I'm ready to go.

CAMERAMAN: Yeah.

Awesome.

How do you feel?

I'm nervous.

CAMERAMAN: Your nervous?

It's his first time.

CAMERAMAN: Is this your first time?

Yes.

CAMERAMAN: Yeah.

Nice deep breath with me, let it out slow.

When I say ready, set, arch, we only move one thing and that is your hips go forward.

When your brain checks out in the door, you love practicing so much you're gonna nail it.

OK. Really exaggerate that head back.

Do not jump.

I will push you.

On ready, I rock you forward.

On set, I rock you back.

On arch, we rock out, hips forward, chin up.

OK.

When I tap you, open up.

CAMERAMAN: Craig, is this making you feel any less nervous?

I feel the same nervous.

The same.

[exhales] Can I get an Instagram?

ENZO AMITRANO: Ready to board?

Let's go, Wanna hear a good joke?

Two skydivers walk into a bar, and the third guy [inaudible].

[chuckles] CRAIG BENZINE: All right.

Big smiles, here we go.

All right.

ENZO AMITRANO: About a 20 minute ride up.

CAMERAMAN: Craig, how you doing?

Uh.

I'm nervous.

CAMERAMAN: Nervous?

OK. Good.

ENZO AMITRANO: Nervous is why we're here.

[plane engine starting] [music playing] Camera here, oh.

Yeah, baby.

Woo.

[music playing] I'm trying to stay calm.

[chuckles] OK, I'm excited.

MAN: There's one, there's two, there's three, and four.

And Craig, we're almost ready to jump out of an airplane.

Let's go skydive.

See you don't die.

I'm terrified.

CAMERAMAN: Smile for the camera.

Have fun, man.

You got this.

[music playing] All the way back, really exaggerate it.

Nice deep breath, let it out slow.

[inaudible] [screaming] [music playing] [screaming] [whooping] ENZO AMITRANO: What did you think about that?

CRAIG BENZINE: That was amazing.

Such a weird feeling.

Wow.

ENZO AMITRANO: Nothing like it, man.

I got the best job on the planet.

CRAIG BENZINE: There's my crew.

ENZO AMITRANO: Yep, and that's where I"m gonna put you.

[chuckles] Put your feet all the way up, nice and high.

Perfect man, I'm gonna slide this in.

CRAIG BENZINE: OK. ENZO AMITRANO: And 1, 2, 3.

Welcome back to earth.

MAN: Yeah, buddy.

Woo.

That was bizarre.

That was wild.

Oh, my god.

CAMERAMAN: You looked like you were having fun.

Nice job.

What was the best part?

The free fall.

The first-- the fall, I think.

CAMERAMAN: Perfect.

Yeah.

CAMERAMAN: That usually tells us that you're ready to go again.

Yeah, I think-- maybe.

Well, I'll wait-- I'll wait a little while.

But yeah, I'll go again.

I could go again.

Craig, put it here man.

Excellent job.

Thank you.

You rocked it, buddy.

Thanks for keeping me alive.

It was amazing.

The first-- that free fall, I asked him how long it was after we pulled the chute.

He said it was a minute.

It felt like about 15 seconds.

Like, I completely forgot.

Completely.

CAMERAMAN: Really?

OK, I thought time would have slowed down because you would have been terrified.

But were you just having fun the whole time?

Totally.

Like it was-- as soon we were falling, it was like fear was gone.

You get out and you're like, all right, this is incredible.

And the next thing you know, it's done.

If I could [inaudible].

Nice.

CAMERAMAN: Rob, would you go again?

I'm going to buy another one.

MAN: I'll go with you guys.

Like, before we leave.

CAMERAMAN: OK awesome.

What was the scariest part then, would you say?

CRAIG BENZINE: Just right before we got to the edge of the plane.

Like, even once we got to the edge of the plane, I was like-- I wasn't even afraid.

I was just focusing on what I was supposed to do.

Like, OK, I have to do something, and I forgot about the fear.

So it was like approaching, I think.

CAMERAMAN: But even looking down seeing the earth below, you weren't afraid at that point?

No, it was like-- it was just like abstract.

You didn't feel like you were falling.

You were like approach-- like you were even going to approach it, it was just so far away.

You don't even feel it until the parachute opens, and then you start to realize what just happened.

Pretty awesome.

CAMERAMAN: Yeah.

So you do you think you understand why people do this kind of thing now?

Yeah, totally.

CAMERAMAN: How did Craig do?

Great.

Absolutely.

CAMERAMAN: Really?

MAN: Don't-- be honest.

He got of the airplane.

Man, you did a great job.

He arched, looked like he had fun.

A lot going on up there.

It's a testament to you.

You're in that nervous situation.

It's that fight or flight, right?

Thanks for not fighting the air and flying with me.

CRAIG BENZINE: Yeah.

You did a great job.

CRAIG BENZINE: I just tried to follow instructions.

Well, we're still here so he couldn't have done that bad.

CAMERAMAN: All right.

Would you go again?

Yeah, I would.

I'd go again.

And I may want to take a little break, but I'll go again.

So that's the thrill seeking playlist.

What do you guys think?

Did you have fun?

Have we made thrill seekers out of you?

If we have, what thrills are you going to seek?

Or have we instilled a lifelong debilitating phobia of beards?

Let us know in the comments.

I don't know how anyone can be afraid of that beard, Matt.

I know.

It's attractive.

It's an attraction, like a roller coaster.

Thanks for watching.

If you like the "Good Stuff" and you want the show to continue, check out our Patreon page and become a supporter.

And last week, we asked you to share your deepest, darkest phobias.

Many of you did, and thankfully we don't have a phobia for responding.

No, we've got a philia.

We're respondophiles.

Can't stop.

It's all we think about.

OK. Denumerablyinfinite says they're also afraid of heights and fire, but they didn't have any traumatic events in their past, like Sam.

What could be other causes of phobias?

Well, pretty much anything.

Humans are predisposed to be more afraid of certain things.

A fear of loud noises, snakes, a fear of spiders, and heights are all pretty common and seem to be a result of natural selection.

Still, not everyone experiences these fears the same way.

Phobias can develop if you experience a traumatic event, but they can also be learned indirectly.

This is called vicarious fear acquisition.

Just by listening to other people's stories, or reading, or through television, or YouTube, you can develop a healthy phobia too.

But fear is a unique experience and there could be a lot of possible causes for a phobia.

It's not always rational, and it can be hard to pinpoint a direct cause.

Katrina Eames, Frigginboom, and a couple others wanted to know what happened to the other construction guys after Sam went to the hospital.

I'll answer this one, Craig.

So while I was driving my car to the hospital, they were inside renewing their insurance so that they wouldn't have to pay a ton of money for my hospital bills.

I did end up seeing Jerry afterwards, but that was when I was in my hospital room.

I was at a ton of morphine and watching Star Wars, so I don't really remember it other than he started crying and returned my tool belt to me.

And the last time I saw Jerry or any of those other guys ever again.

John Carthew wrote about a time where he also fell two stories.

You can read about it down there.

John, thanks for sharing your story.

It makes me feel both good and bad that someone has also fallen from that height.

I do have a couple questions for you.

Why were you up that high and how did you fall?

As John pointed out, it makes it even worse with this vertigo sensation, because there's like this invisible force that seems to be pulling you towards the ledge instead of away from it, which is exactly the opposite of what you'd expect.

What is that?

Does anyone know?

That's quite the story as well.

Maybe we could get together sometime and talk about it, though not on a rooftop bar.

Nicktk1 asked if we consulted a medical professional before conducting exposure therapy on Sam.

Nope, we sure didn't.

But that's a good point.

You should always consult a professional before doing things like this.

We didn't consult a professional because Sam has made progress over the past 10 years, and we all felt, including him, that his fear wasn't so extreme that he needed a medical professional before doing this.

But be careful out there, guys.

Thanks again for watching.

Just FYI, the next video will be in two weeks.

Humans versus nature.

Beginning of a new playlist.

In one corner, humans.

In the other corner, nature.

Versus.

It's a battle royale.

Or something.

[music playing]