1 00:00:24,079 --> 00:00:26,440 Speaker 1: Oh man, oh man, oh man. It's been a while. 2 00:00:26,720 --> 00:00:31,240 Speaker 1: We are finally cool enough cats that we can have 3 00:00:31,600 --> 00:00:46,840 Speaker 1: a little bit of intro music for today's episode, Friends 4 00:00:46,840 --> 00:00:51,680 Speaker 1: and Neighbors. That was Muggles. That's performed by Louis Armstrong 5 00:00:51,840 --> 00:00:54,560 Speaker 1: and co Hi. My name is Ben, my name is no. 6 00:00:54,880 --> 00:01:00,640 Speaker 1: So we're doing a Harry Potter episode today, right one 7 00:01:00,720 --> 00:01:04,440 Speaker 1: one would think, one would think, but in fact, we 8 00:01:04,520 --> 00:01:08,880 Speaker 1: are doing something that involves what some people would call magic. Yeah, 9 00:01:08,959 --> 00:01:14,520 Speaker 1: we're talking about the reefer left, the jazz cigarette, the gauge, 10 00:01:14,800 --> 00:01:22,679 Speaker 1: the gauge which was Mr Armstrong's personal favorite slang for marijuana. 11 00:01:23,040 --> 00:01:26,800 Speaker 1: And we were we have had so much fun researching 12 00:01:27,400 --> 00:01:32,400 Speaker 1: this legend that we were worried our you know, our 13 00:01:32,520 --> 00:01:38,240 Speaker 1: better third and saving grace. Superproducer Casey Pegram might actually 14 00:01:38,240 --> 00:01:42,360 Speaker 1: get tired of us. But while we while we have 15 00:01:42,440 --> 00:01:45,039 Speaker 1: them in the studios still, we are going to take 16 00:01:45,080 --> 00:01:47,960 Speaker 1: advantage of that precious time. It's really cloudy and it's like, 17 00:01:48,240 --> 00:01:56,040 Speaker 1: should we open a door. Kiddy, don't don't engage with drugs. Kids, 18 00:01:56,080 --> 00:02:00,320 Speaker 1: don't engage with the gauge. Yes, don't gauge, don't get 19 00:02:00,360 --> 00:02:03,160 Speaker 1: you got there, Yeah, we got it. We're here. Oh, man, 20 00:02:03,320 --> 00:02:08,280 Speaker 1: but our research was strictly academic for this absolutely. Um. 21 00:02:08,280 --> 00:02:10,000 Speaker 1: But man, this is a cool story. There's a lot 22 00:02:10,040 --> 00:02:12,120 Speaker 1: wrapped up in a and uh, part of it is 23 00:02:12,160 --> 00:02:16,040 Speaker 1: a bit of a kind of an urban legend, apocryphal. Yeah. 24 00:02:16,080 --> 00:02:19,400 Speaker 1: So we are exploring the life and times of one 25 00:02:19,600 --> 00:02:22,880 Speaker 1: of the jazz greats, someone that I really enjoy and 26 00:02:23,040 --> 00:02:26,600 Speaker 1: I think you do as well. Know that is Louis Armstrong. 27 00:02:26,720 --> 00:02:32,200 Speaker 1: Pops Yes, sat Statch Mountain and Louis Armstrong is known 28 00:02:32,360 --> 00:02:35,359 Speaker 1: and loved the world over. He is one of those 29 00:02:35,360 --> 00:02:39,680 Speaker 1: people you could rightly call an icon. That's right. Born 30 00:02:39,720 --> 00:02:43,600 Speaker 1: in nineteen hundred August four, to be precise, in New Orleans. 31 00:02:44,160 --> 00:02:47,359 Speaker 1: He lied about his age though too. He's a He's 32 00:02:47,400 --> 00:02:50,680 Speaker 1: a very layered man, very much so cloaked in mystery. 33 00:02:50,919 --> 00:02:52,960 Speaker 1: But one thing we do know is true. He grew 34 00:02:53,000 --> 00:02:55,320 Speaker 1: up in a very tough neighborhood in New Orleans called 35 00:02:55,360 --> 00:02:58,800 Speaker 1: the Battlefield. His father left the family when he was 36 00:02:58,880 --> 00:03:01,400 Speaker 1: just a little boy, and he kind of had defend 37 00:03:01,480 --> 00:03:05,160 Speaker 1: for himself, taking on jobs. His mother apparently was only 38 00:03:05,200 --> 00:03:08,960 Speaker 1: able to pay the bills through sex work. Um. And 39 00:03:09,520 --> 00:03:12,920 Speaker 1: he had kind of a wild upbringing in the course 40 00:03:12,960 --> 00:03:16,440 Speaker 1: sort of seed underbelly of New Orleans included dance clubs 41 00:03:16,480 --> 00:03:20,160 Speaker 1: and Women of the Evening, and of course a lot 42 00:03:20,200 --> 00:03:27,720 Speaker 1: of jazz musicians right right. His first exposure to music 43 00:03:27,919 --> 00:03:31,480 Speaker 1: in a learning environment was at the Fisc School for 44 00:03:31,760 --> 00:03:34,640 Speaker 1: Boys when he was about six years old. But he 45 00:03:34,760 --> 00:03:36,840 Speaker 1: ended up putting in his time when it came to 46 00:03:37,320 --> 00:03:41,040 Speaker 1: listening to music at brothels and dance halls, because he 47 00:03:41,080 --> 00:03:44,680 Speaker 1: had a gig selling coal for a nickel per bucket 48 00:03:45,280 --> 00:03:47,920 Speaker 1: in these you know, in these houses of prostitution in 49 00:03:47,920 --> 00:03:51,600 Speaker 1: an area called Storyville. And then as he was as 50 00:03:51,640 --> 00:03:55,280 Speaker 1: he was making his rounds delivering coal, he ran into 51 00:03:55,360 --> 00:04:00,560 Speaker 1: these house musicians and he ran into something called spasm band. Well, 52 00:04:00,680 --> 00:04:03,400 Speaker 1: I don't know about spasm bands. Tell me more. I'm 53 00:04:03,440 --> 00:04:06,600 Speaker 1: so glad you asked. A spasm band is a musical 54 00:04:06,640 --> 00:04:12,000 Speaker 1: group that plays dixieland traditional jazz, jug band or skiffle music. 55 00:04:12,400 --> 00:04:14,920 Speaker 1: Skiffle like that's sort of what the Beatles were considered. 56 00:04:14,920 --> 00:04:17,600 Speaker 1: They were part of the skiffle scene. Apparently in the 57 00:04:17,680 --> 00:04:20,400 Speaker 1: UK the skiffle was sort of like a folk pop 58 00:04:20,560 --> 00:04:24,400 Speaker 1: kind of form of music. Right, nailed it, nailed it. Jazz, blues, 59 00:04:24,560 --> 00:04:29,760 Speaker 1: folk and uh American folk known for some improvised instruments. 60 00:04:29,839 --> 00:04:33,360 Speaker 1: So he, as as you said, began hanging out there, 61 00:04:33,480 --> 00:04:38,720 Speaker 1: spending serious time in these halls. And it was pretty 62 00:04:38,760 --> 00:04:44,000 Speaker 1: apparent early on that he had a gift, a calling, 63 00:04:44,360 --> 00:04:48,600 Speaker 1: a compulsion to play music, to sing, and to play 64 00:04:48,640 --> 00:04:51,479 Speaker 1: the horn. And he was taken under the wing of 65 00:04:51,520 --> 00:04:56,120 Speaker 1: a professor Peter Davis, who taught Armstrong to play the cornet, 66 00:04:56,120 --> 00:04:58,880 Speaker 1: which I believe is kind of a like a smaller trumpet. 67 00:04:59,080 --> 00:05:01,560 Speaker 1: A trumpet is a a little bit longer and more 68 00:05:01,680 --> 00:05:05,839 Speaker 1: slender than a cornet, but in reality they both played 69 00:05:05,880 --> 00:05:07,880 Speaker 1: the same notes and they sound more or less the same, 70 00:05:08,480 --> 00:05:10,960 Speaker 1: So easy one to one transition from the cornet to 71 00:05:11,000 --> 00:05:13,159 Speaker 1: a trumpet if you want to get nerdy about it. 72 00:05:14,120 --> 00:05:17,359 Speaker 1: The difference is, uh, mainly the way the tubing of 73 00:05:17,440 --> 00:05:21,039 Speaker 1: the instrument flares. A cornet is more cone shaped or 74 00:05:21,120 --> 00:05:23,600 Speaker 1: conical than a trumpet, so as a cornett kind of 75 00:05:23,760 --> 00:05:26,680 Speaker 1: considered more bite sized portable. I don't know, I don't 76 00:05:26,680 --> 00:05:28,840 Speaker 1: see the point. Yeah, let us know we are not 77 00:05:29,440 --> 00:05:35,360 Speaker 1: cornetitiansu um. But I am fond of some hot jazz. Ah, yes, 78 00:05:35,560 --> 00:05:39,440 Speaker 1: hot jazz, which in its day would be considered often 79 00:05:39,560 --> 00:05:45,640 Speaker 1: as controversial perhaps as the use of drugs and Louis 80 00:05:45,839 --> 00:05:51,280 Speaker 1: Armstrong's jazz career is worthy of not just an episode, 81 00:05:51,320 --> 00:05:54,760 Speaker 1: but an entire podcast. We could spend exploring this guy 82 00:05:55,120 --> 00:05:59,279 Speaker 1: and exploring the personal struggles that he endured. I have 83 00:05:59,360 --> 00:06:02,479 Speaker 1: some great Louis Armstrong facts at the end of this 84 00:06:03,320 --> 00:06:07,520 Speaker 1: But before you and I go too far down the 85 00:06:07,880 --> 00:06:11,720 Speaker 1: fam boy rabbit hole, should we set the scene for 86 00:06:11,760 --> 00:06:14,640 Speaker 1: today's encounter? I think we should, Ben, I think we 87 00:06:14,680 --> 00:06:21,000 Speaker 1: should please do the honors. Today's episode centers around an 88 00:06:21,000 --> 00:06:23,800 Speaker 1: apocryphal tale. I believe you weren't used that word earlier. 89 00:06:23,800 --> 00:06:28,640 Speaker 1: Been um, a pot crow full tale. Not not good. 90 00:06:28,640 --> 00:06:32,400 Speaker 1: It's fine, We're keeping it. Yeah. Where so Louis Armstrong 91 00:06:32,560 --> 00:06:36,520 Speaker 1: during the Cold War he was made a US ambassador, 92 00:06:36,880 --> 00:06:40,760 Speaker 1: a goodwill ambassador. Excuse me, he was sent abroad, as 93 00:06:40,760 --> 00:06:46,400 Speaker 1: were many African American musicians and actors and writers. Um, 94 00:06:46,440 --> 00:06:49,680 Speaker 1: I don't know, to preach equality. I guess during the 95 00:06:49,800 --> 00:06:53,480 Speaker 1: era of integration. Well, yes, so a good will ambassador 96 00:06:53,640 --> 00:06:57,120 Speaker 1: isn't just relegated to this period in time, like Angelina 97 00:06:57,240 --> 00:06:59,680 Speaker 1: Jolie is a good will ambassador. That's right, that's right. 98 00:06:59,760 --> 00:07:04,359 Speaker 1: They're a person who advocates for their person who advocates, 99 00:07:04,360 --> 00:07:07,880 Speaker 1: typically for a country or maybe for a specific cause, 100 00:07:08,360 --> 00:07:10,840 Speaker 1: based on the fact that everyone knows who they are. 101 00:07:10,960 --> 00:07:14,040 Speaker 1: That's right. So Louis Armstrong had this distinction straight from 102 00:07:14,080 --> 00:07:17,640 Speaker 1: the U. S. State Department, who actually also paid for 103 00:07:17,960 --> 00:07:21,320 Speaker 1: or or in part financed a tour that he did 104 00:07:21,600 --> 00:07:24,680 Speaker 1: in Europe and Asia. And while there are a few 105 00:07:24,800 --> 00:07:27,760 Speaker 1: versions of this story that sort of change where he 106 00:07:27,840 --> 00:07:31,800 Speaker 1: was coming from, uh, the one common little thread is 107 00:07:31,800 --> 00:07:35,880 Speaker 1: that Louis Armstrong was at the airport on after getting 108 00:07:35,880 --> 00:07:38,760 Speaker 1: off a plane from from one of these trips um 109 00:07:38,760 --> 00:07:43,240 Speaker 1: and he was led um out of line into a 110 00:07:43,320 --> 00:07:46,840 Speaker 1: customs line, which was unusual for him because, according to 111 00:07:46,880 --> 00:07:50,160 Speaker 1: the story, as a good will ambassador, he was traveling 112 00:07:50,240 --> 00:07:54,040 Speaker 1: to different areas of the world and never having to 113 00:07:54,200 --> 00:07:56,880 Speaker 1: enter custom They waved him on through. Sure, but he 114 00:07:56,920 --> 00:08:00,120 Speaker 1: was supposedly coming back from Japan. Um. That's that's the 115 00:08:00,120 --> 00:08:02,720 Speaker 1: most consistent version of the story that I've read. And so, yeah, 116 00:08:02,760 --> 00:08:06,480 Speaker 1: he's in this line and he starts to sweat. Why 117 00:08:06,560 --> 00:08:08,560 Speaker 1: is he sweating? He's not. He's not sweating because of 118 00:08:08,600 --> 00:08:11,240 Speaker 1: the because of the sound of a hot trumpet, right, 119 00:08:11,360 --> 00:08:14,440 Speaker 1: He's not sweating because of the heat in the airport. 120 00:08:14,800 --> 00:08:19,960 Speaker 1: He is sweating because his trumpet case contains more than 121 00:08:20,040 --> 00:08:24,520 Speaker 1: a beautiful musical instrument. He is, in our parlance today, 122 00:08:24,760 --> 00:08:30,320 Speaker 1: riding dirty, riding dirty. Packing. Yeah, he has gauge on him. Yep, 123 00:08:30,480 --> 00:08:34,280 Speaker 1: he's gauged up. He's got he's got his muggles, uh 124 00:08:34,360 --> 00:08:37,679 Speaker 1: slang for marijuana. At the time, his left hand cigarettes 125 00:08:38,160 --> 00:08:42,640 Speaker 1: in a pretty substantial amount three pounds. Right, that's what 126 00:08:42,760 --> 00:08:45,400 Speaker 1: we hear with the story. And there's something important we 127 00:08:45,440 --> 00:08:47,840 Speaker 1: want want you to be aware of. As we're telling 128 00:08:47,880 --> 00:08:52,079 Speaker 1: this story. You may hear us switching between different versions 129 00:08:52,080 --> 00:08:56,679 Speaker 1: and different sources. Again, quite apocryphal, bordering on urban legend, 130 00:08:57,080 --> 00:08:59,760 Speaker 1: very hard to confirm or deny the story, but there 131 00:08:59,760 --> 00:09:04,080 Speaker 1: are several versions in Louis armstrong biographies that are floating 132 00:09:04,080 --> 00:09:06,000 Speaker 1: out there. So we'll we'll give you, we'll give you 133 00:09:06,040 --> 00:09:09,320 Speaker 1: the kind of the bare bones version. So we got 134 00:09:09,360 --> 00:09:15,160 Speaker 1: off the first class flight, he's going into a customs line, 135 00:09:15,559 --> 00:09:19,960 Speaker 1: and then who does he see but Richard Nixon, who 136 00:09:20,040 --> 00:09:22,480 Speaker 1: was either on the way to becoming president or serving 137 00:09:22,520 --> 00:09:26,360 Speaker 1: as a vice president. Tricky dicky yep, himself uh, the 138 00:09:26,400 --> 00:09:28,920 Speaker 1: one of the men who would go on to become 139 00:09:29,280 --> 00:09:32,120 Speaker 1: a huge advocate of what we call the drug war. Yes, 140 00:09:32,280 --> 00:09:35,520 Speaker 1: the war on drugs, the war on drugs, and so 141 00:09:35,720 --> 00:09:40,200 Speaker 1: in a panic and thinking quickly Louis Armstrong, who is 142 00:09:40,320 --> 00:09:42,640 Speaker 1: talking with Nixon, who turns out to be a huge 143 00:09:42,640 --> 00:09:44,480 Speaker 1: fan of well the way I've read it too, and 144 00:09:44,520 --> 00:09:48,360 Speaker 1: there's a couple of versions. But Nixon sees Louis and 145 00:09:48,600 --> 00:09:51,360 Speaker 1: comes running at him with open arms. Think he's gonna 146 00:09:51,400 --> 00:09:55,080 Speaker 1: get a sweet press photo, right Armstrong statch Molly says. 147 00:09:55,080 --> 00:10:02,960 Speaker 1: He says, sharts shrosh mall, mall are you doing so? 148 00:10:03,760 --> 00:10:10,280 Speaker 1: Louis Armstrong thinks this is a sign, and Nixon's like, oh, 149 00:10:10,440 --> 00:10:16,439 Speaker 1: you know, one more help you? And he says, actually, yes, 150 00:10:16,679 --> 00:10:20,160 Speaker 1: you see, I'm I'm old and this trumpet is heavy. 151 00:10:20,200 --> 00:10:21,920 Speaker 1: Do you think you could carry it for me? Give 152 00:10:21,960 --> 00:10:24,480 Speaker 1: me a hand. That was an amazing Louis Armstrong impression. 153 00:10:24,559 --> 00:10:27,080 Speaker 1: I feel like it would be racist for either of 154 00:10:27,160 --> 00:10:33,080 Speaker 1: us to attempt. Yes, but next yeah, we could do 155 00:10:33,200 --> 00:10:36,680 Speaker 1: we could do our muppet level. Nixon's back and forth 156 00:10:37,040 --> 00:10:38,600 Speaker 1: right in and let us know if you want us 157 00:10:38,600 --> 00:10:40,720 Speaker 1: to do a show where both of us are Richard Nixon. 158 00:10:40,880 --> 00:10:44,160 Speaker 1: We're ridiculous at how stuff works. Dot com, oh Man, 159 00:10:44,240 --> 00:10:46,679 Speaker 1: what if people write in we'll do it if only 160 00:10:46,720 --> 00:10:50,280 Speaker 1: if the episode has nothing to do with Richard Dixon. 161 00:10:50,400 --> 00:10:53,480 Speaker 1: That's fine, Okay, you're you're agreed to this, sure, all right, 162 00:10:53,600 --> 00:10:57,360 Speaker 1: So what what happens when Armstrong asked him to give 163 00:10:57,440 --> 00:10:59,920 Speaker 1: him a hand Well, first of all, one version one 164 00:11:00,120 --> 00:11:03,960 Speaker 1: one difference in various accounts is whether he was carrying 165 00:11:05,040 --> 00:11:07,400 Speaker 1: one case or two cases. That he would make the 166 00:11:07,440 --> 00:11:09,480 Speaker 1: most sense for him to have been carrying two cases, 167 00:11:09,520 --> 00:11:12,280 Speaker 1: because three pounds of weed is not going to fit 168 00:11:12,360 --> 00:11:16,199 Speaker 1: into a single trumpet case, right, And then also asking 169 00:11:16,280 --> 00:11:18,880 Speaker 1: someone to carry something for you when you have nothing 170 00:11:18,920 --> 00:11:22,480 Speaker 1: else to carry seems shady. Again, several versions. The one 171 00:11:22,520 --> 00:11:24,839 Speaker 1: that we're kind of talking about here is Nixon demands 172 00:11:25,400 --> 00:11:27,760 Speaker 1: that he hand him his cases because he says, a 173 00:11:27,800 --> 00:11:30,959 Speaker 1: good world ambassador doesn't have to go through customs, and 174 00:11:31,240 --> 00:11:34,920 Speaker 1: the vice president of the United States will carry your suitcases. 175 00:11:35,160 --> 00:11:40,040 Speaker 1: Satch mall and then again, this story, depending on when 176 00:11:40,080 --> 00:11:43,960 Speaker 1: you hear it, describes a different point in Richard Nixon's career. 177 00:11:44,360 --> 00:11:47,800 Speaker 1: But according to the story, according to the legendent, what 178 00:11:47,960 --> 00:11:51,560 Speaker 1: happens is with the maybe not the best of intentions, 179 00:11:51,559 --> 00:11:54,720 Speaker 1: because he clearly wanted the photo the man who would 180 00:11:54,800 --> 00:12:00,640 Speaker 1: later become Richard Nixon, a very anti drug president, carries 181 00:12:00,679 --> 00:12:06,400 Speaker 1: marijuana through customs for Louis Armstrong, hands hands it back 182 00:12:06,440 --> 00:12:09,720 Speaker 1: to Louis Armstrong, who somehow must have been keeping a 183 00:12:09,800 --> 00:12:15,280 Speaker 1: straight face through the whole thing. Uh. And later Louis 184 00:12:15,520 --> 00:12:20,120 Speaker 1: and some of his accompanists will swear by this story. 185 00:12:20,200 --> 00:12:22,600 Speaker 1: But the thing is, depending on who you ask, the 186 00:12:22,720 --> 00:12:28,880 Speaker 1: story differs in a multitude of ways. Right. First off, 187 00:12:29,320 --> 00:12:34,800 Speaker 1: Armstrong was only about twelve years older than Nixon. Because 188 00:12:34,840 --> 00:12:37,600 Speaker 1: he got his he would tell people he was born 189 00:12:37,640 --> 00:12:41,000 Speaker 1: on August four, nine hundred, but it was more like 190 00:12:41,160 --> 00:12:44,000 Speaker 1: nineteen o one because it was a thirteen month or 191 00:12:44,000 --> 00:12:48,040 Speaker 1: so difference. Yeah, man, and that particular account is credited. Uh, 192 00:12:48,360 --> 00:12:52,360 Speaker 1: this is getting in a murky territory. Here's someone named Miles, 193 00:12:52,440 --> 00:12:57,200 Speaker 1: So Miles Davis. I don't know, it's hard to say, 194 00:12:57,360 --> 00:13:00,280 Speaker 1: but yeah. As it turns out, though, that keyboardist that's 195 00:13:00,280 --> 00:13:02,720 Speaker 1: mentioned in that version of the story never played with 196 00:13:02,800 --> 00:13:06,480 Speaker 1: Louis Armstrong. So yeah, there's shock full of holes that 197 00:13:06,559 --> 00:13:10,079 Speaker 1: there's no record of any session where they played together. 198 00:13:10,800 --> 00:13:16,199 Speaker 1: And so in that version, he Armstrong was not necessarily 199 00:13:16,280 --> 00:13:18,959 Speaker 1: an ambassador. He was just on a good Will tour 200 00:13:19,679 --> 00:13:23,120 Speaker 1: and he was going to I think they were all 201 00:13:23,120 --> 00:13:25,920 Speaker 1: on the same plane and they were headed to Moscow 202 00:13:26,360 --> 00:13:30,240 Speaker 1: in this thing, So the the directions and the locations change, 203 00:13:30,280 --> 00:13:31,960 Speaker 1: that's right. And this is in what what year are 204 00:13:31,960 --> 00:13:35,880 Speaker 1: we talking here? Uh? This particular, the Moscow story would 205 00:13:35,920 --> 00:13:38,040 Speaker 1: date it to nineteen fifty nine, and that has its 206 00:13:38,080 --> 00:13:40,199 Speaker 1: problems as well, right, but in general, like, if we're 207 00:13:40,200 --> 00:13:42,959 Speaker 1: looking at a rough estimate for when this meeting was 208 00:13:42,960 --> 00:13:44,760 Speaker 1: supposed to take place, it would have been late fifties, 209 00:13:44,760 --> 00:13:48,680 Speaker 1: early sixties, right, yeah, that's about right, yeah, exactly. So 210 00:13:48,880 --> 00:13:52,320 Speaker 1: the good will tours, I think that part of it 211 00:13:52,360 --> 00:13:54,960 Speaker 1: was about integration because a lot of the people they 212 00:13:54,960 --> 00:13:58,560 Speaker 1: sent on these tours were African American luminaries, um. And 213 00:13:58,600 --> 00:14:01,720 Speaker 1: it was meant, I think, to show, hey, we're we're 214 00:14:01,720 --> 00:14:04,960 Speaker 1: doing good work. Well, because one of the tenants of 215 00:14:05,040 --> 00:14:10,120 Speaker 1: the Soviet ideology at the time was that communism provides 216 00:14:10,240 --> 00:14:14,320 Speaker 1: much more equality than capitalism. So this is sort of 217 00:14:14,360 --> 00:14:17,560 Speaker 1: a foray against exactly. And so it's also tied to 218 00:14:18,240 --> 00:14:22,040 Speaker 1: the Cold War as well, right yeah, yeah, yeah, absolutely, 219 00:14:22,080 --> 00:14:29,960 Speaker 1: at least ideologically. And so this this story continues through 220 00:14:30,040 --> 00:14:33,640 Speaker 1: some other iterations, right that the problem with the idea 221 00:14:33,800 --> 00:14:37,560 Speaker 1: of the vice President of the US taking a flight 222 00:14:37,720 --> 00:14:41,880 Speaker 1: on official business to Moscow in nine is that there 223 00:14:41,880 --> 00:14:44,160 Speaker 1: would be some sort of record of it. Right. Well, 224 00:14:44,920 --> 00:14:47,560 Speaker 1: although it is true that apparently in those days the 225 00:14:47,640 --> 00:14:50,800 Speaker 1: vice president would have taken commercial flights, which I thought 226 00:14:50,840 --> 00:14:55,920 Speaker 1: was fascinating big time. I had no idea. Well, what 227 00:14:56,040 --> 00:14:58,960 Speaker 1: a kick in the pants man. Seriously, man, it's the 228 00:14:59,040 --> 00:15:02,840 Speaker 1: president hops on air Force one and what what do 229 00:15:02,920 --> 00:15:04,840 Speaker 1: you just fist bump and then say all right, I 230 00:15:04,840 --> 00:15:09,840 Speaker 1: gotta go get in line catch my flight. And customs, 231 00:15:09,840 --> 00:15:13,280 Speaker 1: of course, was a lot easier in those days. Everything 232 00:15:13,400 --> 00:15:16,280 Speaker 1: I mean, yeah, yeah, guys, it's going to the airport 233 00:15:16,360 --> 00:15:20,520 Speaker 1: today just stresses me out so much it's not fun. Furthermore, 234 00:15:20,560 --> 00:15:24,200 Speaker 1: there had only been three trips by jazz musicians to 235 00:15:24,320 --> 00:15:30,360 Speaker 1: Russia by nine at least that are documented, and Louis 236 00:15:30,480 --> 00:15:33,200 Speaker 1: Armstrong was not one of those constitutions. So I'm leaning 237 00:15:33,240 --> 00:15:37,200 Speaker 1: towards if this is if this did happen, probably coming 238 00:15:37,240 --> 00:15:39,840 Speaker 1: back from his uh I've seen this version of the 239 00:15:39,880 --> 00:15:43,120 Speaker 1: story enough times that it seems to stick. Coming back 240 00:15:43,160 --> 00:15:46,640 Speaker 1: from one of his tours in Asia in Japan. Yes, 241 00:15:52,600 --> 00:15:55,200 Speaker 1: this is one of those stories though, where it's it's 242 00:15:55,320 --> 00:15:57,520 Speaker 1: you want to believe it because it's just so so 243 00:15:57,600 --> 00:15:59,880 Speaker 1: funny to think that Sachemo kind of put one over 244 00:16:00,040 --> 00:16:02,440 Speaker 1: on tricky Dick Nixon before he was even well known 245 00:16:02,480 --> 00:16:07,240 Speaker 1: as being such a vehement uh anti drug force. You know. Um, 246 00:16:07,240 --> 00:16:09,400 Speaker 1: but can we talk a little bit about satch Mo's 247 00:16:10,320 --> 00:16:13,400 Speaker 1: lifelong love of of of the Mary Jane. Yeah, let's 248 00:16:13,400 --> 00:16:15,240 Speaker 1: set it up with a clip. What do you say? Yea? 249 00:16:15,280 --> 00:16:19,320 Speaker 1: So this is a clip from Louis Armstrong on um 250 00:16:19,440 --> 00:16:21,520 Speaker 1: some sort of television appearance. Looks like an interview show. 251 00:16:21,560 --> 00:16:23,200 Speaker 1: At first, I thought it was like Steve Allen or something, 252 00:16:23,200 --> 00:16:25,160 Speaker 1: but the guy's name play says Mr Daley, and I 253 00:16:25,160 --> 00:16:29,880 Speaker 1: couldn't figure out what show it was. But from that's right, Yes, 254 00:16:29,960 --> 00:16:33,360 Speaker 1: so let's give that a listen. Actually, I haven't had 255 00:16:33,360 --> 00:16:37,080 Speaker 1: a chance to talk to for the show, but we 256 00:16:37,200 --> 00:16:39,040 Speaker 1: had a great discussion about it, and I just asked 257 00:16:39,080 --> 00:16:41,640 Speaker 1: one of the folks on the show, Bob Backers, well, 258 00:16:41,680 --> 00:16:43,400 Speaker 1: what is it? What is Louis Armstrong going to do? 259 00:16:43,600 --> 00:16:45,480 Speaker 1: How is he going to discuss farce? It's always going 260 00:16:45,560 --> 00:16:53,600 Speaker 1: way up the way he sings? Is that the highest good? Well, 261 00:16:53,760 --> 00:17:02,640 Speaker 1: I don't know what I'm saying it was high for you. 262 00:17:02,920 --> 00:17:16,840 Speaker 1: But oh uh, this is worth looking up on YouTube 263 00:17:17,320 --> 00:17:22,639 Speaker 1: because without being um, without being like experts in assessing 264 00:17:22,840 --> 00:17:28,240 Speaker 1: someone's mental condition or their level of intoxication, Louis Armstrong 265 00:17:28,440 --> 00:17:32,920 Speaker 1: looks like he is mildly amused by this guy, or 266 00:17:33,160 --> 00:17:36,399 Speaker 1: maybe smoked some pot before the show. Yeah, the gauge, 267 00:17:36,760 --> 00:17:39,200 Speaker 1: the gauge what he called it. In fact, this clip 268 00:17:39,359 --> 00:17:44,320 Speaker 1: is called Pops Loves His Pot because Pops was another nickname, 269 00:17:44,520 --> 00:17:48,120 Speaker 1: and apparently also Louis Armstrong called everybody else Pops, which 270 00:17:48,200 --> 00:17:50,479 Speaker 1: is kind of neat. Yeah, I think that's cool. If 271 00:17:50,480 --> 00:17:53,000 Speaker 1: I started calling everybody by my own nickname, that'd be 272 00:17:53,359 --> 00:17:57,480 Speaker 1: pretty presumptuous. Also kind of badass. Well, he probably started 273 00:17:57,560 --> 00:18:00,720 Speaker 1: it before it was his nickname and people gave him 274 00:18:00,800 --> 00:18:02,800 Speaker 1: that nickname. That's a good point. That's a good point. 275 00:18:02,920 --> 00:18:04,920 Speaker 1: But you know, I don't think that's a way to 276 00:18:05,000 --> 00:18:07,200 Speaker 1: get ahead in life. You've gotta be a Louis Armstrong 277 00:18:07,320 --> 00:18:08,840 Speaker 1: for that to work. Did you get a sense that 278 00:18:08,960 --> 00:18:13,440 Speaker 1: this uh, very white host being a little bit of 279 00:18:13,480 --> 00:18:15,920 Speaker 1: a dick? You know, as we were watching a lot 280 00:18:16,000 --> 00:18:19,040 Speaker 1: of these interviews. One thing that bothered me and that 281 00:18:19,160 --> 00:18:22,240 Speaker 1: we talked a little bit about off air is that 282 00:18:22,960 --> 00:18:26,280 Speaker 1: in this time, many of the interviews that he has, 283 00:18:26,480 --> 00:18:33,440 Speaker 1: especially with white interviewers, are exercises in condescension, and they're 284 00:18:33,560 --> 00:18:38,520 Speaker 1: consistently talking over him and talking too much. It's strange, 285 00:18:38,920 --> 00:18:41,000 Speaker 1: it's not cool, it's gross because the thing like, Okay, 286 00:18:41,040 --> 00:18:45,400 Speaker 1: so in the company of Louis Armstrong, as African American 287 00:18:45,560 --> 00:18:50,080 Speaker 1: artists who had crossover appeal, you know, to a largely 288 00:18:50,160 --> 00:18:55,399 Speaker 1: white audience, where people like Cab Callaway and Fats Waller, 289 00:18:55,480 --> 00:18:59,520 Speaker 1: for example, they all kind of had in common that 290 00:18:59,600 --> 00:19:03,160 Speaker 1: they came him from this kind of underground scene, Um, 291 00:19:03,640 --> 00:19:05,720 Speaker 1: Louis Armstrong in New Orleans, like we talked about the 292 00:19:05,760 --> 00:19:09,400 Speaker 1: top of the show, but they managed to break through 293 00:19:09,960 --> 00:19:12,960 Speaker 1: and be very successful with white audiences. But that also 294 00:19:13,680 --> 00:19:16,359 Speaker 1: they kind of had to like that's the word I'm 295 00:19:16,400 --> 00:19:18,439 Speaker 1: looking for. I don't know that I felt like they 296 00:19:18,480 --> 00:19:21,399 Speaker 1: had They had to play by their rules a little bit. 297 00:19:21,560 --> 00:19:24,479 Speaker 1: They had to sort of bow and scrape a little bit. 298 00:19:24,760 --> 00:19:29,600 Speaker 1: And while this may have given them um success or 299 00:19:29,720 --> 00:19:34,560 Speaker 1: maybe even to some degree sanitized them or made them 300 00:19:34,720 --> 00:19:38,639 Speaker 1: less dangerous to the very racist white community, it was 301 00:19:38,760 --> 00:19:42,960 Speaker 1: contentious and considered offensive in the black community in the States. 302 00:19:43,040 --> 00:19:46,400 Speaker 1: At the time, and this is something we know now 303 00:19:46,800 --> 00:19:51,560 Speaker 1: deeply troubled many of these artists, Louis Armstrong included, because 304 00:19:51,640 --> 00:19:56,760 Speaker 1: he would have he would have people in the movement, 305 00:19:56,840 --> 00:20:01,160 Speaker 1: the civil rights movement accused him of being and Uncle Tom. 306 00:20:01,840 --> 00:20:04,800 Speaker 1: The idea be that he was selling out his own 307 00:20:04,920 --> 00:20:09,280 Speaker 1: identity for some measure of personal profit from people who 308 00:20:09,320 --> 00:20:12,840 Speaker 1: would never respect him, which which is which is a 309 00:20:12,920 --> 00:20:18,040 Speaker 1: shame because once you see his his letters and his correspondence, 310 00:20:18,080 --> 00:20:20,960 Speaker 1: he did have a public persona for sure, that's true. 311 00:20:21,040 --> 00:20:23,200 Speaker 1: Everybody does, no no, no, no doubt about him. But 312 00:20:23,280 --> 00:20:27,200 Speaker 1: he was an activist. Uh, he came to activism. In 313 00:20:27,400 --> 00:20:31,960 Speaker 1: his letters, you can see him angry, ferociously angry and 314 00:20:32,800 --> 00:20:36,360 Speaker 1: righteously fed up with the state of race relations in America, 315 00:20:36,760 --> 00:20:42,320 Speaker 1: as well as the policies towards marijuana. His wife actually 316 00:20:42,400 --> 00:20:47,720 Speaker 1: got arrested one time in nineteen fifty four for carrying 317 00:20:48,240 --> 00:20:51,280 Speaker 1: marijuana that was allegedly his. Yeah, it was like something 318 00:20:51,280 --> 00:20:55,000 Speaker 1: in the neighborhood of like fourteen Grahams. It was like 319 00:20:55,240 --> 00:20:59,600 Speaker 1: a rolled up marijuana cigarette. Yeah it was. It sounds 320 00:20:59,600 --> 00:21:03,479 Speaker 1: like a pot, a joint it. It was in an 321 00:21:03,520 --> 00:21:09,280 Speaker 1: eyeglass case and a couple of roaches. Yeah, the half 322 00:21:09,520 --> 00:21:13,520 Speaker 1: smoked joint. And we have an excerpt because he wrote 323 00:21:13,560 --> 00:21:17,560 Speaker 1: a letter about this. He almost got banned from Hawaii 324 00:21:17,680 --> 00:21:20,600 Speaker 1: for life. Yeah, because that was just on Waikiki. Yeah, 325 00:21:20,840 --> 00:21:23,280 Speaker 1: and this is a letter to his then manager, who 326 00:21:23,320 --> 00:21:26,600 Speaker 1: also I believe had uh ties to the al Capone 327 00:21:27,119 --> 00:21:31,320 Speaker 1: crime syndicate. Yeah. Yeah, that's a very strange part of it. 328 00:21:31,920 --> 00:21:36,719 Speaker 1: Uh So Joe glass Or it was his manager at 329 00:21:36,760 --> 00:21:43,280 Speaker 1: the time. And because he was so incensed about about 330 00:21:43,320 --> 00:21:47,000 Speaker 1: this huge what he called Rigga maru regard. I love 331 00:21:47,080 --> 00:21:51,119 Speaker 1: that rigamarole, mind you Riga maru rigor maru. Because he 332 00:21:51,240 --> 00:21:54,120 Speaker 1: was so angry about this, he wrote to his manager 333 00:21:54,359 --> 00:21:57,480 Speaker 1: Joe And we won't read the whole letter, but we 334 00:21:57,560 --> 00:22:01,640 Speaker 1: have some choice excerpts here, and one of our favorites 335 00:22:01,880 --> 00:22:05,160 Speaker 1: was when he said, straight out, Mr Glasser, you must 336 00:22:05,160 --> 00:22:07,240 Speaker 1: see to it that I have special permission to smoke 337 00:22:07,359 --> 00:22:09,720 Speaker 1: all the reefers that I want to when I want, 338 00:22:10,040 --> 00:22:11,960 Speaker 1: or I will just have to put this horn down. 339 00:22:12,400 --> 00:22:15,440 Speaker 1: That is all. That is all. He refers to the 340 00:22:15,560 --> 00:22:18,480 Speaker 1: gauge um as more of a medicine than a dope, 341 00:22:18,840 --> 00:22:21,520 Speaker 1: he says, but he's just fed up with the penalty 342 00:22:21,600 --> 00:22:23,760 Speaker 1: surrounding it, and this was not his first run in 343 00:22:24,160 --> 00:22:27,119 Speaker 1: with the law. He's actually kind of credited as the 344 00:22:27,200 --> 00:22:29,000 Speaker 1: right word, but as being I've seen it written as 345 00:22:29,280 --> 00:22:33,960 Speaker 1: the first celebrity arrested for marijuana possession, right, and he 346 00:22:34,320 --> 00:22:39,879 Speaker 1: you know, he did have his addictions. I believe he 347 00:22:40,080 --> 00:22:46,840 Speaker 1: smoked three cigar sized blunts a day day and that's 348 00:22:47,000 --> 00:22:51,159 Speaker 1: that sounds like just a maintenance thing. You know, he 349 00:22:51,280 --> 00:22:54,119 Speaker 1: never had a drinking problem. Yeah, he says he smoked 350 00:22:54,160 --> 00:22:58,440 Speaker 1: the reefers um instead because he said there was no hangover, 351 00:22:58,560 --> 00:23:00,000 Speaker 1: and you know he had he had a lot of reasons. 352 00:23:00,040 --> 00:23:02,719 Speaker 1: He had a lot of feelings about this stuff, right, 353 00:23:02,840 --> 00:23:04,520 Speaker 1: and he was very open and about about it in 354 00:23:04,600 --> 00:23:06,800 Speaker 1: a way that you would not expect one to be. 355 00:23:07,000 --> 00:23:08,600 Speaker 1: But I guess even in those days, if you get 356 00:23:08,640 --> 00:23:12,480 Speaker 1: to a level of that kind of sacred status, you know, 357 00:23:12,680 --> 00:23:15,400 Speaker 1: as an American treasure, you can probably say what you want. 358 00:23:15,560 --> 00:23:18,160 Speaker 1: I mean, this is like Snoop Dogg Willie Nelson level, 359 00:23:18,840 --> 00:23:22,840 Speaker 1: and those are those are two very prominent advocates of 360 00:23:23,080 --> 00:23:26,800 Speaker 1: marijuana today. So that first running was in nineteen thirty 361 00:23:27,359 --> 00:23:29,639 Speaker 1: where he was hanging out with his drummer, a guy 362 00:23:29,720 --> 00:23:32,359 Speaker 1: by the name of Vic Burton outside the Cotton Club 363 00:23:32,480 --> 00:23:36,760 Speaker 1: in Culver City, California. And Lordie, Lordie, Lordie, this quote 364 00:23:37,000 --> 00:23:41,000 Speaker 1: is a delight. I'm gonna read this again. Not not 365 00:23:41,040 --> 00:23:44,320 Speaker 1: gonna do uh. Louis Armstrong boys, he says, Vic and 366 00:23:44,400 --> 00:23:46,920 Speaker 1: I were blasting this joint, having lots of laughs and 367 00:23:47,080 --> 00:23:50,600 Speaker 1: feeling good, enjoying each other's company. Just then two big 368 00:23:50,720 --> 00:23:53,920 Speaker 1: healthy dicks that means detectives came from behind a car, 369 00:23:54,080 --> 00:23:57,920 Speaker 1: nonchalantley and said to us, we'll take the roach boys. Yep, 370 00:23:58,400 --> 00:24:04,560 Speaker 1: and that is that is a true statement. But as 371 00:24:04,680 --> 00:24:09,280 Speaker 1: we have seen, it did not discourage him what one bit. 372 00:24:09,400 --> 00:24:12,760 Speaker 1: Because one thing Louis Armstrong had was dry. That's true. Um. 373 00:24:12,840 --> 00:24:15,200 Speaker 1: He did get put away for a handful of days. 374 00:24:15,320 --> 00:24:18,520 Speaker 1: He could have gotten six months. Um. He and the drummer, 375 00:24:18,560 --> 00:24:21,520 Speaker 1: Where I think find a thousand dollars a piece in 376 00:24:21,720 --> 00:24:25,680 Speaker 1: nineteen thirty which is insane? Shall we inflation calculator that 377 00:24:25,760 --> 00:24:31,439 Speaker 1: bad boy? Yes, let's one thousand dollars in nineteen thirty 378 00:24:31,800 --> 00:24:38,280 Speaker 1: is worth in twenty eighteen approximately. May have a drum roll, please, Casey, 379 00:24:38,680 --> 00:24:47,840 Speaker 1: it's gonna be It's gonna be crazy. Fourteen thousand, five 380 00:24:47,920 --> 00:24:54,359 Speaker 1: hundred ninety three dollars, and whenever I read a fine 381 00:24:54,840 --> 00:24:57,600 Speaker 1: of that sort. You know what always drives my gears 382 00:24:57,680 --> 00:25:01,080 Speaker 1: the most. It's the it's the change. Come on, insult 383 00:25:01,160 --> 00:25:04,760 Speaker 1: to injury, just add twenty cents, right, Why are you doing? 384 00:25:05,200 --> 00:25:07,880 Speaker 1: It's it's it's it's it's ridiculous. But like you said, 385 00:25:07,880 --> 00:25:11,160 Speaker 1: it did not diminish his love of the herb Um. 386 00:25:11,400 --> 00:25:14,320 Speaker 1: He A lot of these quotes are coming from excerpts 387 00:25:14,400 --> 00:25:18,960 Speaker 1: from a biography that I believe, Correct me if I'm wrong, 388 00:25:19,040 --> 00:25:22,119 Speaker 1: but I believe there was one biography where he talked 389 00:25:22,280 --> 00:25:26,440 Speaker 1: very openly about his his love of marijuana and you know, 390 00:25:26,520 --> 00:25:30,960 Speaker 1: his belief in marijuana law reform very openly. But this manager, 391 00:25:31,160 --> 00:25:33,680 Speaker 1: that manager we talked about with with the mob ties, 392 00:25:34,240 --> 00:25:37,240 Speaker 1: UM had a lot of that stuff redacted pulled out 393 00:25:37,880 --> 00:25:39,920 Speaker 1: UM because he thought it would be a bad book, 394 00:25:40,160 --> 00:25:43,840 Speaker 1: I guess for his client. UM and Louis arms Armstrong 395 00:25:44,040 --> 00:25:47,600 Speaker 1: swore that he would have a sequel released that only 396 00:25:47,680 --> 00:25:52,360 Speaker 1: contained the stuff about his beloved gauge UM. But yeah, 397 00:25:52,440 --> 00:25:55,040 Speaker 1: so he got out. UM. They pulled some strings. Some 398 00:25:55,160 --> 00:25:57,879 Speaker 1: of the club owners I guess in in California in 399 00:25:57,920 --> 00:26:00,720 Speaker 1: the Los Angeles area got him out. He returned to 400 00:26:01,040 --> 00:26:04,440 Speaker 1: the bandstand post haste, and then he said when he 401 00:26:04,560 --> 00:26:08,040 Speaker 1: was performing on the bandstand as a quote where he says, 402 00:26:08,080 --> 00:26:10,439 Speaker 1: I laughed real hard when several movie stars came up 403 00:26:10,480 --> 00:26:12,840 Speaker 1: to the bandstand while we played a dance set and 404 00:26:12,960 --> 00:26:15,680 Speaker 1: told me when they heard about me getting caught with marijuana, 405 00:26:15,920 --> 00:26:19,000 Speaker 1: they thought marijuana was a chick. Well boy, that really 406 00:26:19,080 --> 00:26:23,840 Speaker 1: fractured me. Yes. Uh, this is strange because you will 407 00:26:23,920 --> 00:26:27,399 Speaker 1: hear a lot of marijuana advocates today and in more 408 00:26:27,480 --> 00:26:31,720 Speaker 1: recent years describe Louis Armstrong as one of the first 409 00:26:32,280 --> 00:26:37,119 Speaker 1: public policy advocates for marijuana, and granted, a lot of 410 00:26:37,200 --> 00:26:39,680 Speaker 1: these outfits will be a little biased, like you can 411 00:26:40,040 --> 00:26:43,040 Speaker 1: read an article that takes this stent on a website 412 00:26:43,080 --> 00:26:47,520 Speaker 1: called Guess what Noel Marijuana dot com by someone had 413 00:26:47,560 --> 00:26:51,040 Speaker 1: to snap up that you r o right. And what 414 00:26:51,200 --> 00:26:53,240 Speaker 1: we also found in what we would be remiss not 415 00:26:53,400 --> 00:26:58,960 Speaker 1: to mention is that later in life Armstrong developed significant 416 00:26:59,359 --> 00:27:02,280 Speaker 1: lung problem plums and he died before he even reached 417 00:27:02,320 --> 00:27:05,080 Speaker 1: his seventieth birthday. You can find this in uh, Louis 418 00:27:05,200 --> 00:27:09,160 Speaker 1: Armstrong Genius and Drugs by Stanton Peel, a PhD. Writing 419 00:27:09,200 --> 00:27:12,879 Speaker 1: for Psychology Today. The marijuana used had to have something 420 00:27:12,960 --> 00:27:15,040 Speaker 1: to do it, of course. Yeah, no, no, no, no, no, 421 00:27:15,119 --> 00:27:17,080 Speaker 1: no question about it. And I want to be clear, 422 00:27:17,160 --> 00:27:21,239 Speaker 1: we are certainly not advocating the use of marijuana. Uh. 423 00:27:21,600 --> 00:27:23,479 Speaker 1: This is is such an interesting story and it's it's 424 00:27:23,520 --> 00:27:27,320 Speaker 1: obviously part of the culture and especially when it comes 425 00:27:27,400 --> 00:27:32,960 Speaker 1: to you know, creative types and musicians. And clearly Louis 426 00:27:33,040 --> 00:27:38,480 Speaker 1: Armstrong was a highly functional, successful creative person. Uh. And 427 00:27:38,600 --> 00:27:41,520 Speaker 1: this was something he chose to do. And you can't 428 00:27:41,600 --> 00:27:44,600 Speaker 1: deny that it may have had an impact on um 429 00:27:44,880 --> 00:27:48,000 Speaker 1: the music that he made. Absolutely, Yeah, there was this 430 00:27:48,200 --> 00:27:55,119 Speaker 1: idea that uh, it opened up people's improvisational chops. And Armstrong, 431 00:27:55,359 --> 00:27:58,520 Speaker 1: when he writes about it, also mentions that there was 432 00:27:58,560 --> 00:28:00,920 Speaker 1: a bit of escapism, you know, and it made it 433 00:28:01,040 --> 00:28:06,080 Speaker 1: easier to um not feel like you lived in a 434 00:28:06,200 --> 00:28:08,600 Speaker 1: country that was constantly kicking the crap out of you. 435 00:28:09,560 --> 00:28:12,960 Speaker 1: And we and we can say one of the reasons 436 00:28:13,280 --> 00:28:16,959 Speaker 1: we're laughing so much about this is because Louis Armstrong's 437 00:28:17,040 --> 00:28:23,560 Speaker 1: personality shines through so vibrantly and at times comedically in 438 00:28:23,840 --> 00:28:28,480 Speaker 1: the interviews, in the in his written works. And we 439 00:28:28,600 --> 00:28:34,159 Speaker 1: didn't even mention the cartoonish anti marijuana propaganda that was 440 00:28:34,240 --> 00:28:37,439 Speaker 1: around in the twenties and thirties, right well, a lot 441 00:28:37,520 --> 00:28:43,160 Speaker 1: of it which was race based, primarily discriminating against people 442 00:28:43,360 --> 00:28:49,480 Speaker 1: of color. So is rebelling against an authoritarian effort, which 443 00:28:50,160 --> 00:28:58,960 Speaker 1: in principle is admirable. And I'm just to clarify that 444 00:28:59,120 --> 00:29:01,520 Speaker 1: some of those quotes of of Louis Armstrong talking about 445 00:29:02,080 --> 00:29:05,920 Speaker 1: his experiences with uh with weed Um, we're not from 446 00:29:05,960 --> 00:29:08,320 Speaker 1: that original book which came out in nineteen fifty four 447 00:29:08,360 --> 00:29:11,160 Speaker 1: called Satchmo My Life in New Orleans, because he did 448 00:29:11,240 --> 00:29:14,640 Speaker 1: talk about it in those sessions, but his manager did 449 00:29:14,720 --> 00:29:16,719 Speaker 1: have those pulled out and that you cannot find them. 450 00:29:17,120 --> 00:29:20,000 Speaker 1: But it was near the end of his life. In 451 00:29:20,160 --> 00:29:23,960 Speaker 1: nineteen seventy one he sat down with two biographers, Max 452 00:29:24,080 --> 00:29:28,000 Speaker 1: Jones and John Chilton Um where he decided he was 453 00:29:28,080 --> 00:29:30,640 Speaker 1: going to quote tell it like it was. And this 454 00:29:30,760 --> 00:29:33,840 Speaker 1: comes from a fantastic article by Lisa Ruff from Leafley 455 00:29:33,920 --> 00:29:38,240 Speaker 1: called Louis Armstrong and Cannabis the Jazz Legends lifelong love 456 00:29:38,400 --> 00:29:41,600 Speaker 1: of the gauge. And when he sat down with these biographers, 457 00:29:42,000 --> 00:29:46,160 Speaker 1: he admitted that he did eventually have to put down 458 00:29:47,080 --> 00:29:51,000 Speaker 1: the Mary Jane right because the penalties were just too 459 00:29:51,280 --> 00:29:53,680 Speaker 1: steep for him to deal with. You know, he talks 460 00:29:53,680 --> 00:29:55,800 Speaker 1: about as it's a young man's game. You know you're 461 00:29:55,840 --> 00:29:58,160 Speaker 1: gonna skirt the law and live life on the edge. 462 00:29:58,200 --> 00:30:02,920 Speaker 1: But you get older and it's just just stops being functional. Yeah, 463 00:30:03,160 --> 00:30:05,920 Speaker 1: and he's still. My favorite part about that quote is 464 00:30:06,040 --> 00:30:09,640 Speaker 1: that he's still found a playful way to refer to 465 00:30:09,760 --> 00:30:12,160 Speaker 1: the substance. Do you want to read this system? It's 466 00:30:12,160 --> 00:30:15,160 Speaker 1: a delight, Sure would be an honor. Well that was 467 00:30:15,280 --> 00:30:19,040 Speaker 1: my life and I don't feel ashamed at all. Mary Warner, Honey, 468 00:30:19,280 --> 00:30:21,360 Speaker 1: you're sure it was good and I enjoyed you heap much, 469 00:30:21,680 --> 00:30:24,000 Speaker 1: but the price got a little too high to pay. 470 00:30:24,400 --> 00:30:27,080 Speaker 1: At first, you was a misdemeanor, but as the years 471 00:30:27,200 --> 00:30:30,560 Speaker 1: rolled on, you lost your misdo and got meaner and meaner. 472 00:30:31,000 --> 00:30:34,280 Speaker 1: Jail house Lee speaking, So bye bye, I'll have to 473 00:30:34,360 --> 00:30:37,760 Speaker 1: put you down, dearest beautiful. Do you feel sad all 474 00:30:37,840 --> 00:30:41,600 Speaker 1: at once? It's like Kurt Vonnegut kind of writing. Uh, 475 00:30:41,680 --> 00:30:44,680 Speaker 1: There's there's one other thing I do want to point out. 476 00:30:44,720 --> 00:30:48,360 Speaker 1: I thought you would enjoy this snoll. It has little 477 00:30:48,480 --> 00:30:51,600 Speaker 1: to do with It has little to do with Barre Watta, 478 00:30:51,680 --> 00:30:55,800 Speaker 1: but a lot to do with Louis Armstrong. He was 479 00:30:56,440 --> 00:31:02,040 Speaker 1: an amazing trumpet player, right, and he was an amazing singer. 480 00:31:02,280 --> 00:31:09,040 Speaker 1: He was uh, forthright advocate for marijuana. He was also 481 00:31:10,280 --> 00:31:16,040 Speaker 1: a laxative advocate. I'm sorry, a laxative advocate. Okay, yeah, 482 00:31:16,240 --> 00:31:18,760 Speaker 1: sort of like a like a John Harvey Kellogg kind 483 00:31:18,800 --> 00:31:23,920 Speaker 1: of guy. Uh, kind of hopefully not not that into 484 00:31:24,120 --> 00:31:29,120 Speaker 1: uh animals. But he was an advocate of losing weight 485 00:31:29,200 --> 00:31:32,960 Speaker 1: through laxatives, which is tremendously unhealthy. Nobody do it, but 486 00:31:33,240 --> 00:31:35,440 Speaker 1: he was such a proponent of it. People would ask 487 00:31:35,560 --> 00:31:38,440 Speaker 1: him how he lost so much weight because his weight 488 00:31:38,440 --> 00:31:41,400 Speaker 1: would fluctuate, and he was very open about it. He 489 00:31:41,560 --> 00:31:44,960 Speaker 1: was like, I use laxatives, and he would name a 490 00:31:45,040 --> 00:31:47,800 Speaker 1: brand of it. Uh. He even wrote a book called 491 00:31:47,880 --> 00:31:51,400 Speaker 1: Lose Weight the Satchmo Way, was he sponsored? Did he have? Was? 492 00:31:51,560 --> 00:31:54,640 Speaker 1: Was he sponsored by what's the popular laxative x lax 493 00:31:55,560 --> 00:32:01,000 Speaker 1: that's like a legacy brand? Well, his initial favorite laxative 494 00:32:01,160 --> 00:32:05,480 Speaker 1: was something called Pluto water God, and it was banned 495 00:32:05,520 --> 00:32:09,520 Speaker 1: in nineteen seventy one because it contained lithium. Boy, so 496 00:32:09,800 --> 00:32:11,520 Speaker 1: not only did it make you poop your brains out, 497 00:32:11,560 --> 00:32:15,680 Speaker 1: it probably made you feel real mellow. Yes, he was 498 00:32:15,800 --> 00:32:20,600 Speaker 1: so convinced that laxatives were a great curative thing that 499 00:32:20,760 --> 00:32:23,600 Speaker 1: he gave bottles of them to his friends his presence, 500 00:32:24,040 --> 00:32:29,040 Speaker 1: and he also, you know, he produced flyers that depicted 501 00:32:29,120 --> 00:32:34,160 Speaker 1: him sitting on a toilet smiling. He told the British 502 00:32:34,240 --> 00:32:37,680 Speaker 1: family when he met them during the nine Great Britain 503 00:32:37,760 --> 00:32:43,680 Speaker 1: Tour about how awesome laxatives were. True story. That's uh, 504 00:32:43,800 --> 00:32:47,560 Speaker 1: that's pretty fascinating. But I, I just I wanted to 505 00:32:47,800 --> 00:32:53,120 Speaker 1: end on something a little little upbeat, because it is 506 00:32:53,200 --> 00:32:57,480 Speaker 1: a shame that he was driven, you know, to to 507 00:32:57,600 --> 00:33:00,320 Speaker 1: say goodbye to things that he loved. It's true. Um. 508 00:33:00,360 --> 00:33:04,760 Speaker 1: And speaking of saying goodbye, uh, Richard Nixon himself, whether 509 00:33:04,880 --> 00:33:07,800 Speaker 1: or not he served as Sachem's drug mule, he did 510 00:33:07,920 --> 00:33:10,400 Speaker 1: have some very kind words to share on the day 511 00:33:10,440 --> 00:33:14,880 Speaker 1: of his passing, that was July sixe UM. He says, 512 00:33:15,120 --> 00:33:17,640 Speaker 1: Mrs Nixon and I share the sorrow of millions of 513 00:33:17,680 --> 00:33:20,080 Speaker 1: Americans at the death of Louis Armstrong, one of the 514 00:33:20,160 --> 00:33:23,560 Speaker 1: architects of an American art form, a free and individual spirit, 515 00:33:23,600 --> 00:33:26,720 Speaker 1: and an artist of worldwide fame. His great talents and 516 00:33:26,800 --> 00:33:30,560 Speaker 1: magnificent spirit added richness and pleasure to all our lives 517 00:33:30,960 --> 00:33:33,840 Speaker 1: and and to steal a line from this really cool 518 00:33:34,280 --> 00:33:36,920 Speaker 1: um but but by far the most off the mark 519 00:33:37,120 --> 00:33:39,680 Speaker 1: version of the story. But it's animated in this series 520 00:33:39,720 --> 00:33:43,080 Speaker 1: called Drawn and Recorded, Uh Louis Armstrong, SACHEMO and Nixon 521 00:33:43,080 --> 00:33:45,120 Speaker 1: you can check out on Spotify. At the very end, 522 00:33:45,440 --> 00:33:48,280 Speaker 1: it quotes this um this statement from Nixon as well 523 00:33:48,640 --> 00:33:53,160 Speaker 1: and ends by saying that Richard Nixon also added richness 524 00:33:53,200 --> 00:33:56,360 Speaker 1: and pleasure to Louis Armstrong's life by smuggle and his 525 00:33:57,080 --> 00:34:02,840 Speaker 1: his gage stash. And and this is just touching on 526 00:34:03,120 --> 00:34:08,120 Speaker 1: a single anecdote from the strange and rich history of 527 00:34:08,680 --> 00:34:12,520 Speaker 1: drugs and public policy in the United States. Uh. You know, 528 00:34:12,640 --> 00:34:14,759 Speaker 1: we can also recommend, if you'd like to learn more 529 00:34:14,800 --> 00:34:17,800 Speaker 1: about the history of marijuana, specifically in the United States, 530 00:34:18,320 --> 00:34:20,680 Speaker 1: that you check out our friends over at Stuff you 531 00:34:20,719 --> 00:34:24,360 Speaker 1: Should Know and check out the article from NPR The 532 00:34:24,440 --> 00:34:29,799 Speaker 1: Mysterious History of Marijuana by Matt Thompson, which comes via 533 00:34:29,960 --> 00:34:33,960 Speaker 1: code Switch. That's a that's a great show, and that's 534 00:34:34,080 --> 00:34:37,760 Speaker 1: all for today, folks. Thank you so much for giving 535 00:34:37,920 --> 00:34:40,919 Speaker 1: us a listen. As always, thanks to Casey Pegram, our 536 00:34:41,040 --> 00:34:45,000 Speaker 1: super producer. Big thanks. Maybe the first time we mentioned 537 00:34:45,080 --> 00:34:50,400 Speaker 1: on the show to Christopher hascy otis this guy is 538 00:34:50,640 --> 00:34:53,640 Speaker 1: our this. This guy is a top notch researcher has 539 00:34:53,680 --> 00:34:56,399 Speaker 1: been working with us and we're hoping that one day 540 00:34:56,520 --> 00:35:00,440 Speaker 1: we can cajole him or you know, sweet talk him 541 00:35:00,680 --> 00:35:03,080 Speaker 1: into peering on the show. He seemed game, but yeah, 542 00:35:03,080 --> 00:35:06,920 Speaker 1: we're collaborating with him um on research for new episodes 543 00:35:07,280 --> 00:35:10,160 Speaker 1: from here on out, which is really exciting. So look 544 00:35:10,200 --> 00:35:13,120 Speaker 1: for some really cool fun topics coming up, one of 545 00:35:13,160 --> 00:35:15,640 Speaker 1: which is coming up next where we talk about how 546 00:35:16,000 --> 00:35:21,480 Speaker 1: a James Bond film essentially created a Da Della s 547 00:35:21,560 --> 00:35:27,000 Speaker 1: Muertos tradition um parade event festival in a city where 548 00:35:27,120 --> 00:35:29,520 Speaker 1: that wasn't a thing. So tune in and check it out. Yes, 549 00:35:29,600 --> 00:35:31,960 Speaker 1: and in the meantime, you can find us on Instagram, 550 00:35:32,080 --> 00:35:34,680 Speaker 1: you can find us on Facebook, you can find us 551 00:35:34,760 --> 00:35:37,800 Speaker 1: on Twitter. We'd love to hear from you. Also dropped 552 00:35:37,840 --> 00:35:41,839 Speaker 1: by ridiculous Historians. I don't know if it'll be up 553 00:35:41,880 --> 00:35:45,279 Speaker 1: by the time this this comes out, but based on 554 00:35:45,520 --> 00:35:49,800 Speaker 1: a previous episode, uh, one of you dear listeners started 555 00:35:49,880 --> 00:35:52,640 Speaker 1: a poll and the people have spoken, so I'm gonna 556 00:35:52,640 --> 00:35:55,600 Speaker 1: have to post that opuland picture. Oh cool. I hope 557 00:35:55,640 --> 00:35:58,799 Speaker 1: it's not underwhelming. It's it's from far away then how 558 00:35:58,880 --> 00:36:01,080 Speaker 1: could it be? You may we see a tiny a 559 00:36:01,200 --> 00:36:05,160 Speaker 1: tiny boy, a gigantic cat, but it'll be spoilers. Yeah, 560 00:36:05,160 --> 00:36:06,640 Speaker 1: I can't wait to see it that. That's gonna be 561 00:36:06,719 --> 00:36:09,640 Speaker 1: really exciting. Um, did we thank Alex Williams who composed 562 00:36:09,640 --> 00:36:11,560 Speaker 1: our theme? You know what, even if we did, let's 563 00:36:11,560 --> 00:36:14,000 Speaker 1: thank and again, right he deserves it. Thanks Alex Williams 564 00:36:14,000 --> 00:36:16,120 Speaker 1: who composed our theme, and most poorly, thanks to you 565 00:36:16,239 --> 00:36:18,239 Speaker 1: for listening to another episode of Ridiculous History. I can't 566 00:36:18,239 --> 00:36:19,080 Speaker 1: wait to see you next time.