What does it take to blow glass? How an offbeat artform became a Netflix hit

The first casting of the 200" Hale telescope mirror. It sits at the heart of the Innovation Galleries.
The first casting of the 200" Hale telescope mirror. It sits at the heart of the Innovation Galleries. Photo credit Courtesy of the Corning Museum of Glass.

Glass has been around for more than 35 centuries, but the process to make it can still boggle our minds. Humans use their own lungs to breathe life into glass pieces such as those seen on the Netflix show “Blown Away”.

The fourth season of the show just premiered, and a collection of the pieces featured on the program are on display at the Corning Museum of Glass.

“Something Offbeat” host Mike Rogers talked with Eric Meek – the senior manager of hot glass programs at the museum and is a longtime glassblower – about what makes glassblowing such an offbeat art. He gave us a peek into what it’s like to brave the heat.

“When glass is hot, it’s really, really, really soft. You know – it’s easier than blowing a bubble gum,” he explained. “But when you’re first starting, it’s really difficult to control hot glass.”

Each week, “Something Offbeat” takes a deeper look at an unusual headline. If you have suggestions for stories the podcast should cover, send them to us at somethingoffbeat@audacy.com.

Featured Image Photo Credit: Courtesy of the Corning Museum of Glass.