Box Office GROSS: The Top 50 Hit Films of 2006

Brian Schmid

Revisiting the top 50 highest-grossing films of 2006 with the hindsight of twenty years, looking into the mostly-forgotten films that made the most money, why they were hits in their moment, and why they did or (more likely) did not endure in the popular culture.

  1. 1d ago

    2006, Ep. 36: "BORAT" (with Shaun Swayne!)

    FOLKS! Our beloved associate producer Shaun Swayne returns to discuss Sasha Baron Cohen in the overwhelming cultural, critical and commercial sensation that is BORAT! We get into Cohen's impressive history as a television improviser, his incredible ability to key in on people's multi-tiered ignorance, the satirical limits of Ali G vs. the more wide-ranging Borat, the fascinatingly pervasive vernacular experience of "My wife", the reaction from Kazakhstani public offices, and the film actually affecting the way the country engaged with the worldwide public on a political and cultural stage, and ultimately whether or not this incendiary film holds up in 2026. We are always happy to have our beloved third member of BOG Industries make appearances on our show, and we had a great time discussing what is, inexplicably, an extremely important film for several different reasons. Check it out! Brian's Bluesky: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bsky.app/profile/schmanthonyp.bsky.social⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Rob’s Bluesky: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bsky.app/profile/wormsgreenrealm.bsky.social⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Rob’s Linktree: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://linktr.ee/ROBDUNSON⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ SHAUN CAN ONLY BE CONTACTED THROUGH CARRIER PIGEON Theme Song: "Any Day Can Be Bicycle Day" by Ether Driver ( ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://etherdiver.bandcamp.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ )

    2006, Ep. 36: "BORAT" (with Shaun Swayne!)
  2. Sep 28

    2006, Ep. 35: "THE DEPARTED" (with Scout Tafoya!)

    FOLKS! THIS AIN'T REALITY TV!!! The great Scout Tafoya returns to our show, and between his exciting feature-film debut and his new collection on the films of Christophe Gans, he finds time to sit with us and discuss the Academy Award Winner for Best Motion Picture of 2006, Martin Scorsese's THE DEPARTED! We discuss this chaotic, epic expansion of Hong Kong classic INFERNAL AFFAIRS, its place in the career of its legendary director, its iconic needledrops and its colorful cast, from the raw, subtle work by leads DiCaprio and Damon, the vulgar, able support from costars like Alec Baldwin or Mark Wahlberg, in orbit around a towering Jack Nicholson, who comes off simultaneously scenery eating maniac and shrouded metaphysical creature; a film's captivating plot, its emanating narrative dread, and its overwhelming climax as we cruise to what very well be the best film we cover all year! Other topics include vacations at Revere Beach, the rancid charm of Boston SURVIVOR contestants, Ray Winstone's fundamentally unknowable accent, flip phone mastery, 2006-era porn theaters, Joe Mazzula's watch habits, the curse of Dane Cook, beating Xerxes for an MTV Movie Award, missing "the good eighth" of SNAKES ON A PLANE, and love being the hardest job to hold. Scout is one of our closest pals and we were thrilled to have him and thrilled to hear about his successes. CHECK IT OUT!!! Brian's Bluesky: ⁠⁠⁠https://bsky.app/profile/schmanthonyp.bsky.social⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Rob’s Bluesky: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bsky.app/profile/wormsgreenrealm.bsky.social⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Rob’s Linktree: ⁠⁠⁠https://linktr.ee/ROBDUNSON⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Scout's Bluesky: ⁠https://bsky.app/profile/honorszombie.bsky.social The Otherworld: The Mythic Dimensions of Christophe Gans: https://honors-zombie-books.myshopify.com/products/the-otherworld-the-mythic-dimensions-of-christophe-gans?variant=47922054430950 Theme Song: "Any Day Can Be Bicycle Day" by Ether Driver ( ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://etherdiver.bandcamp.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ )

    2006, Ep. 35: "THE DEPARTED" (with Scout Tafoya!)
  3. Sep 21

    2006, Ep. 34: "OPEN SEASON" (with Dr. Benjamín Schultz-Figueroa!)

    We call upon the insanely overqualified film professor and author Benjamín Schultz-Figueroa to help us overanalyze and sift through yet another godforsaken CGI film about talking animals: OPEN SEASON! We delve into the degradation of children's media from the Golden Age, to 2006, to today, as we suffer through this soulless Shrek descendant. We discuss its muddled tone, its lifeless, banal plot, its ugly, bland animation, its stars' downsloping careers, its inexplicable Paul Westernberg original musical score, a film barely even justifying its existence as an incremental tech demo used to sell merchandise. We discuss its careless, lazy story, its potential to present a more intriguing satirical pitch on cultural Othering, its potential to value indigenous social leaders, its potential as a cautionary tale about anthropomorphizing bears in the wake of Grizzly Man, its potential relationship to Another 48 Hours(?!), and all the ways that it just falters and fails to do anything interesting with its material. We had a lot of fun working with Dr. Benjamin to find anything to talk about here and I think we succeeded ably. Check it out! ALSO PLAY HANDHELD GAMES AND WATCH JOHN SAYLES MOVIES! Brian's Bluesky: ⁠⁠https://bsky.app/profile/schmanthonyp.bsky.social⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Rob’s Bluesky: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bsky.app/profile/wormsgreenrealm.bsky.social⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Rob’s Linktree: ⁠⁠https://linktr.ee/ROBDUNSON⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Dr. Benjamin's Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/benjaminschultzfig.bsky.social The Celluloid Specimen: https://www.ucpress.edu/books/the-celluloid-specimen/paper Theme Song: "Any Day Can Be Bicycle Day" by Ether Driver ( ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://etherdiver.bandcamp.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ )

    2006, Ep. 34: "OPEN SEASON" (with Dr. Benjamín Schultz-Figueroa!)
  4. Sep 14

    2006, Ep. 33: "JACKASS NUMBER TWO" (with Doug Tilley, Kevin Gray and Steve Carlson!)

    Today we're putting the GROSS in Box Office Gross: we have our first TRIPLE-GUEST episode, featuring three beloved BOG legends: Doug Tilley, Kevin Gray AND Steve Carlson, to cover JACKASS NUMBER TWO!!! We go super deep on this sprawling, maniacal series, its list of iconic contributors, its fascinatingly complicated metatextual commentary on masculinity and camaraderie through violence and trauma, and we delve into my personal metatextual trauma, how I was bizarrely and fascinatingly triggered finally putting myself through Jackass: The Movie after decades of avoidance. We discuss Jackass's unlikely ascendance to pop cultural stardom, and even more unlikely legacy artistic respect, as we situate this merry band of pranksters and monsters in the influential milieu of Eric Andre, Nathan Fielder, Nirvanna the Band the Show, Tim Robinson and nihilistic YouTube monsters of all stripes. We also discuss their infectious, cartoonish glee, contrasted to the actual cartoons of Coyote vs. Acme, we discuss their potential attendance to and violation of kayfabe, contrasted to a lengthy love letter to the actual kayfabe of AEW All In 2026, we discuss its relationship to the transgressive underground cinema of the past, including Vienese Actionist cinema and Amos Vogel's Film as a Subversive Art, and so much more. This was an absolute, resolute, in-depth blast with three of our favorite people returning to the show, and I'm so thrilled that we did this, this was unexpectedly one of the most edifying episodes of this show we've done, check it out! Brian's Bluesky: ⁠https://bsky.app/profile/schmanthonyp.bsky.social⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Rob’s Bluesky: ⁠⁠⁠https://bsky.app/profile/wormsgreenrealm.bsky.social⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Rob’s Linktree: ⁠https://linktr.ee/ROBDUNSON⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Doug's Bluesky: ⁠⁠⁠https://bsky.app/profile/dougtilley.bsky.social⁠⁠⁠ Cinema Smorgasbord: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.cinemasmorgasbord.com/⁠⁠ Kevin's Twitter: ⁠⁠https://x.com/notoriouskpg⁠⁠ Kevin's Bluesky: ⁠https://bsky.app/profile/notorious-kpg.bsky.social Steve's Bluesky: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bsky.app/profile/lcosgrove.bsky.social⁠⁠Film as a Subversive Art by Amos Vogel on the Internet Archivehttps://archive.org/details/filmassubversive0000vogeJackass the podcast with Johnny Knoxville and Jeff Tremainehttps://www.youtube.com/@jackassthepodcastIn particular Rob recommends "the history of jackass":part 1 https://youtu.be/Dmv_8Gseiwg?si=lx0nQGVnLyyFQeY-part 2 https://youtu.be/fzaBsiDg_FQ?si=5zqg5QFt8BIaWbgsJackass 0.5, a YouTube playlist of the some of the Jackass crew's pre-Jackass workhttps://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLDTYDXc-OlME&si=gmGYltNO3LFUgUwVThe Dreamcast Files: Tony Hawk's Pro Skaterhttps://youtu.be/7WlQ9YFOmxw?si=XcHCVbe_D5MS2hGWThe books Steve reads passages from:a jackass reader: from the makers of screen slatehttps://shop.screenslate.com/products/a-jackass-reader-from-the-makers-of-screen-slateWhich as You Know Means Violence by Philippa Snowhttps://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/716136/which-as-you-know-means-violence-by-philippa-snow/Theme Song: "Any Day Can Be Bicycle Day" by Ether Driver ( ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://etherdiver.bandcamp.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ )

    2006, Ep. 33: "JACKASS NUMBER TWO" (with Doug Tilley, Kevin Gray and Steve Carlson!)
  5. Sep 7

    2006, Ep. 32: "STEP UP" (with Mattie Lubchansky!)

    The great Mattie Lubchansky (Boys Weekend, Simplicity) joins us to CELEBRATE MY 18TH BIRTHDAY in style, as we discuss the teen dance drama STEP UP. We discuss its charming young cast, the true breakout and weird mouthfeel of Channing Tatum, the film's evocation of its Baltimore setting, its electric (and too-sparse) dance scenes, its threadbare attempts at "hood" drama, its loose relationship to education and community service, its incredibly of-its-moment style, its threadbare attempts at "hood" drama, and the film's sprawling legacy entirely outpacing its original influence. Other topics include the dissonant dystopia of The Masked Singer, the dangers of DJ PJ, the dichotomy of the Breakin' series, comparing mass shootings, beating rhythm games with controllers, loving Institutions, and the IMPOSSIBLE task of finding a better dancer anywhere. This was one of my favorites that we've done in ages, and Mattie was a delightful and hilarious guest, we had so much fun, check it out!!! Brian's Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/schmanthonyp.bsky.social⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Rob’s Bluesky: ⁠⁠https://bsky.app/profile/wormsgreenrealm.bsky.social⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Rob’s Linktree: https://linktr.ee/ROBDUNSON⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Mattie's Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/mattielubchansky.com https://mattielubchansky.com/ https://www.patreon.com/TemporalCultureWar No Gods No Mayors: https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:jp5c27vmcsk6eqx5j4ktwnst Happy New Year (2014) trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SrJhqxYRJBU Girl Walk//All Day (2014): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UYStHmyoAsw boylookahere: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TeLYZWI960w Theme Song: "Any Day Can Be Bicycle Day" by Ether Driver ( ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://etherdiver.bandcamp.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ )

    2006, Ep. 32: "STEP UP" (with Mattie Lubchansky!)
  6. Aug 31

    2006, Ep. 31: "WORLD TRADE CENTER" (with Jesse Hawken!)

    The great Jesse Hawken (Junk Filter) makes his triumphant return for Oliver Stone's WORLD TRADE CENTER, another film, after The Interpreter last year, that exist in nonexistent, politically nebulous places in popular culture. We discuss provocateur Stone's strangely tepid, anonymous work here, its tedious TV-movie structure, the draconic restrictions laid at the feet of respectability and its misguided attempt to be "apolitical" about the most political event in any of our lifetimes, in a way that makes everything here ring even more hollow and offensive. BUT, we also go into our experiences and memories of that day, the fallout from the events themselves in popular culture, and the overwhelming nonfiction works we experienced as a result of having to discuss this nothing movie, so the discourse here is phenomenal and Jesse is always always a wonderful, brilliant guest and this is an tremendous conversation that I hope you check out! Rob's Nine Eleven Recommendations - YouTube Brian's Bluesky: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bsky.app/profile/schmanthonyp.bsky.social⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Rob’s Bluesky: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bsky.app/profile/wormsgreenrealm.bsky.social⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Rob’s Linktree: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://linktr.ee/ROBDUNSON⁠⁠⁠⁠ Jesse's Twitter: ⁠https://x.com/jessehawken⁠ Jesse's Bluesky: ⁠⁠https://bsky.app/profile/jessehawken.bsky.social⁠ JUNK FILTER: ⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/7LYHMg6qGRIM8D2vDUQlzf⁠ Theme Song: "Any Day Can Be Bicycle Day" by Ether Driver ( ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://etherdiver.bandcamp.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ )

    2006, Ep. 31: "WORLD TRADE CENTER" (with Jesse Hawken!)
  7. Aug 24

    2006, Ep. 30: "BARNYARD" (with Joe Gibson and Steve Carlson!)

    We welcome back two brilliant, hilarious return guests as Joe Gibson (The Ring Two) and Steve Carlson (The Shaggy Dog) help us with an absolute doozy, Steve Oedekerk's strange, grotesque animal cartoon Barnyard: The Original Party Animals! We go WAY DEEP into Oedekerk's bizarre auteurist career, from his early days with Jim Carrey through his Thumb films, to sorta-mainstream success with Kung Pow and Jimmy Neutron, unpiling all his work to attempt to figure out how we ended up at this demented cartoon about androgynous CGI cows. We discuss the film's baffling tonal imbalance, slogging through endless weirdo riffs on generic mid-00s animated comedy while occasionally stopping to delve into some graphic death scenes and ultra-somber meditations on grief (Joe has a story about the context in which he saw this film that absolutely floored me) We had so much fun barreling through this maniacal work, and I know you'll enjoy yourselves too! Check it out! Steve Oedekerk 101: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLbXuSRAI78jk&si=Ix_o4MQ1BQKgxEWE Brian's Bluesky: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bsky.app/profile/schmanthonyp.bsky.social⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Rob’s Bluesky: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bsky.app/profile/wormsgreenrealm.bsky.social⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Rob’s Linktree: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://linktr.ee/ROBDUNSON⁠⁠⁠⁠ Steve's Bluesky: ⁠⁠⁠https://bsky.app/profile/lcosgrove.bsky.social⁠⁠ Joe's Bluesky: ⁠https://bsky.app/profile/joelastname.bsky.socialTheme Song: "Any Day Can Be Bicycle Day" by Ether Driver ( ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://etherdiver.bandcamp.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ )

    2006, Ep. 30: "BARNYARD" (with Joe Gibson and Steve Carlson!)
  8. Aug 17

    2006, Ep. 29: "TALLADEGA NIGHTS: THE BALLAD OF RICKY BOBBY" (with Willow Catelyn Maclay!)

    BOOGITY BOOGITY BOOGITY folks, let's go podcasting! Our wonderful transportation maven Willow Catelyn Maclay returns to provide us her NASCAR expertise for the film that won the Academy Award for Best Movie Ever Made, Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby! We discuss Will Ferrell's first true blank check post-superstardom, and the powerful shadows of Tony Scott and Dale Earnhardt hanging over the proceedings, as well as the comedic dominance of John C. Reilly and the interesting balance of gentle, goofball humor and the cataclysmic mortality of NASCAR as a television experience, as well as the wide imbalance of montage vs. riffing. We also get into the fascinating place this film occupies in an LGBTQ context, since it's a film with a lot of gay jokes but also a film with a provocational intimacy that drew boos from audiences in NASCAR country, pulling at traditional queer stereotypes in a way that, rare for the era, is not aggressively mean-spirited. Other topics include the nightmare of DVD-era extended cuts, Clickhole garbage sons, George W. Bush cardboard cutouts, invisible fire, putting that evil on me, the greatest of Gary Cole, Amy Adams' Oscar speech, the fundamental ridiculousness of America, NASCAR Thunder 2004 and the BEST NAMES IN NASCAR HISTORY. There's some DOOZIES. We love Willow, and it was a thrill to have her back again, check it out! The 2001 Pepsi 400 -Freakazoid: "Bounjour Lobey": Brian's Bluesky: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bsky.app/profile/schmanthonyp.bsky.social⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Rob’s Bluesky: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bsky.app/profile/wormsgreenrealm.bsky.social⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Rob’s Linktree: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://linktr.ee/ROBDUNSON⁠⁠⁠⁠ Willow's Bluesky: ⁠https://bsky.app/profile/willowcatelyn.bsky.social⁠ Willow's Patreon: ⁠https://www.patreon.com/willowcatelynmaclay⁠ ⁠⁠Corpses, Fools and Monsters: The History and Future of Transness in Cinema by ⁠⁠Willow Maclay⁠⁠ (Author), ⁠⁠Caden Gardner⁠⁠ (Author) - ⁠⁠https://www.amazon.com/Corpses-Fools-Monsters-Examination-Images/dp/1914420586⁠ Theme Song: "Any Day Can Be Bicycle Day" by Ether Driver ( ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://etherdiver.bandcamp.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ )

    2006, Ep. 29: "TALLADEGA NIGHTS: THE BALLAD OF RICKY BOBBY" (with Willow Catelyn Maclay!)
4.3
out of 5
12 Ratings

About

Revisiting the top 50 highest-grossing films of 2006 with the hindsight of twenty years, looking into the mostly-forgotten films that made the most money, why they were hits in their moment, and why they did or (more likely) did not endure in the popular culture.

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