1 00:00:05,120 --> 00:00:07,480 Speaker 1: Hey, this is Anny and Samantha and Welcome to Stuff 2 00:00:07,480 --> 00:00:19,040 Speaker 1: I Never Told You Protection by Heart Radio. I don't 3 00:00:19,079 --> 00:00:21,599 Speaker 1: know if you feel this way, Samantha, And maybe I'm 4 00:00:21,680 --> 00:00:26,079 Speaker 1: just I don't know, I'm getting older, but I feel 5 00:00:26,120 --> 00:00:30,280 Speaker 1: like we lost a lot of people in two, like 6 00:00:30,400 --> 00:00:34,080 Speaker 1: especially towards the end of Yeah, at the end of 7 00:00:34,159 --> 00:00:37,440 Speaker 1: the beginning, I feel like a lot of death for 8 00:00:37,600 --> 00:00:41,040 Speaker 1: being announced and I was like, oh no, yeah, yeah, 9 00:00:41,080 --> 00:00:46,200 Speaker 1: like big iconic figures. So unfortunately, we have a couple 10 00:00:46,240 --> 00:00:49,199 Speaker 1: of classics coming up about some of those people. But 11 00:00:49,240 --> 00:00:51,720 Speaker 1: we're going to start with Barbara Walters, who died at 12 00:00:51,720 --> 00:00:56,080 Speaker 1: the end of two and just like with most people 13 00:00:56,120 --> 00:00:59,200 Speaker 1: we talked about, that's sort of a you know, looking back, 14 00:00:59,720 --> 00:01:02,080 Speaker 1: some things we can talk about that we're problematic for sure, 15 00:01:02,680 --> 00:01:07,720 Speaker 1: but was an icon and was a trailblazer in terms 16 00:01:07,720 --> 00:01:11,960 Speaker 1: of journalism. Uh, kind of that soft focus journalism is 17 00:01:12,000 --> 00:01:15,479 Speaker 1: still a thing that people reference. But yeah, we wanted 18 00:01:15,520 --> 00:01:19,560 Speaker 1: to bring back this classic episode about Barbara Walters and 19 00:01:19,560 --> 00:01:24,360 Speaker 1: and all the things that she did, so please enjoy. 20 00:01:25,840 --> 00:01:28,920 Speaker 1: Welcome to Stuff Mom Never Told You. From House toff 21 00:01:28,920 --> 00:01:36,039 Speaker 1: Works dot Com. Hello, and welcome to the podcast. I'm 22 00:01:36,120 --> 00:01:39,160 Speaker 1: Kristen and I'm Caroline, and today we are devoting our 23 00:01:39,440 --> 00:01:49,560 Speaker 1: episode to Barbara Walters, legendary news anchor and soft news personality. 24 00:01:49,600 --> 00:01:53,080 Speaker 1: How do you describe Barbara Walters, host, current host of 25 00:01:53,120 --> 00:01:58,440 Speaker 1: The View. I guess she's a personality journalism extraordinaire. That 26 00:01:58,600 --> 00:02:01,160 Speaker 1: is a great title for her. I will I will 27 00:02:01,200 --> 00:02:04,320 Speaker 1: air brush her a T shirt that on it if 28 00:02:04,360 --> 00:02:06,400 Speaker 1: you want nice and I hope that her face on 29 00:02:06,440 --> 00:02:09,560 Speaker 1: it would have that air brushed soft look as it 30 00:02:09,600 --> 00:02:15,160 Speaker 1: does now. Yes. Um, yeah, Barbara Walters recently announced that 31 00:02:15,240 --> 00:02:21,200 Speaker 1: she is retiring, not just from the View but from journalism, 32 00:02:21,240 --> 00:02:25,880 Speaker 1: from TV, etcetera. And she's eighty three years old, which 33 00:02:25,960 --> 00:02:28,560 Speaker 1: makes it even more awesome that she initially made the 34 00:02:28,560 --> 00:02:32,799 Speaker 1: announcement via Twitter, right yeah. And and she's no dummy, 35 00:02:32,800 --> 00:02:35,400 Speaker 1: that Barbara Walters. She's she's pretty media savvy, as one 36 00:02:35,400 --> 00:02:38,120 Speaker 1: would expect from somebody who's been in the industry for 37 00:02:38,160 --> 00:02:40,440 Speaker 1: as long as she has. But she made this Twitter 38 00:02:40,480 --> 00:02:44,919 Speaker 1: announcement uh the night before her a big official announcement 39 00:02:44,960 --> 00:02:49,359 Speaker 1: on the View on May thirteen, and coincidentally or not, 40 00:02:50,200 --> 00:02:54,320 Speaker 1: it's during sweeps week, right, And so she says she's 41 00:02:54,320 --> 00:03:00,520 Speaker 1: gonna retire in and she's been on television continuously for 42 00:03:00,720 --> 00:03:06,600 Speaker 1: over fifty years in different capacities, mostly on ABC and NBC, 43 00:03:07,040 --> 00:03:10,079 Speaker 1: and we wanted to take an episode to talk about 44 00:03:10,080 --> 00:03:15,600 Speaker 1: her because she was such a groundbreaking woman in broadcast 45 00:03:16,080 --> 00:03:20,560 Speaker 1: television and now with her legacy, there's there's a little 46 00:03:20,560 --> 00:03:22,639 Speaker 1: bit of controversy, but we wanted to take a take 47 00:03:22,639 --> 00:03:26,560 Speaker 1: a moment to talk about her highlights and why Barbara 48 00:03:26,600 --> 00:03:30,720 Speaker 1: Walters really does matter. Yeah, she's had some pretty significant firsts, 49 00:03:30,760 --> 00:03:32,799 Speaker 1: and two that go hand in hand are the fact 50 00:03:32,880 --> 00:03:36,560 Speaker 1: that she was the first female co host over on 51 00:03:36,680 --> 00:03:40,960 Speaker 1: ABC News. She co hosted with Harry Reasoner, who really 52 00:03:41,680 --> 00:03:44,280 Speaker 1: sounds like a jerk. And when she was offered this 53 00:03:44,280 --> 00:03:46,920 Speaker 1: co hosting position, she became the first female anchor to 54 00:03:47,040 --> 00:03:50,600 Speaker 1: make a million bucks. Yeah, and before that, she had 55 00:03:50,600 --> 00:03:53,360 Speaker 1: become the first female co host of The Today Show 56 00:03:53,800 --> 00:03:57,640 Speaker 1: as well, which was where she really got her start. Um. 57 00:03:57,680 --> 00:03:59,840 Speaker 1: And before that, when she went to work for in 58 00:04:00,080 --> 00:04:02,960 Speaker 1: BC in the early sixties, she started out as a 59 00:04:03,040 --> 00:04:06,640 Speaker 1: secretary and then quickly worked her way up the ranks, 60 00:04:06,760 --> 00:04:09,920 Speaker 1: and from nineteen sixty one to nineteen seventy four she 61 00:04:10,000 --> 00:04:13,280 Speaker 1: was a reporter, a writer, and a panel member for 62 00:04:13,480 --> 00:04:17,080 Speaker 1: The Today Show and at that time that when she 63 00:04:17,200 --> 00:04:20,080 Speaker 1: was on the show, they had a token female on 64 00:04:20,120 --> 00:04:24,040 Speaker 1: there called the Today Girl, who was usually a model 65 00:04:24,160 --> 00:04:28,880 Speaker 1: or an actress. So when Walters was tapped to become 66 00:04:29,279 --> 00:04:32,240 Speaker 1: a new Today Girl, it was a big deal because 67 00:04:32,279 --> 00:04:35,480 Speaker 1: she said, I wasn't beautiful, and I had trouble pronouncing 68 00:04:35,520 --> 00:04:39,159 Speaker 1: my rs, and I had no idea that they would 69 00:04:39,160 --> 00:04:42,520 Speaker 1: want me for this, but of course she jumped on it, right, 70 00:04:42,560 --> 00:04:45,159 Speaker 1: And the Today Girl slot was usually filled by models, 71 00:04:45,160 --> 00:04:49,880 Speaker 1: her actresses, women who basically covered light, fluffy lifestyle pieces 72 00:04:50,240 --> 00:04:52,440 Speaker 1: because at the time, she said, you know, nobody was 73 00:04:52,480 --> 00:04:55,520 Speaker 1: going to take a woman seriously reading the news, and 74 00:04:55,560 --> 00:04:58,520 Speaker 1: so they kind of were relegated to the background doing 75 00:04:58,560 --> 00:05:01,320 Speaker 1: fluffier pieces. Didn't you call it something like the tea 76 00:05:01,360 --> 00:05:06,200 Speaker 1: pouring stories? Right? Yeah? And this maker's video that that 77 00:05:06,320 --> 00:05:08,839 Speaker 1: was produced by PBS and a O L. She she 78 00:05:08,880 --> 00:05:11,599 Speaker 1: did call them tea pouring interviews. She said that for years, 79 00:05:12,040 --> 00:05:14,359 Speaker 1: but Today show had one female writer out of something 80 00:05:14,400 --> 00:05:16,839 Speaker 1: like seven and the only way basically that you could 81 00:05:16,839 --> 00:05:19,080 Speaker 1: get the job is off another female writer got married 82 00:05:19,200 --> 00:05:22,719 Speaker 1: or died, and then they would hire literally one other 83 00:05:23,040 --> 00:05:26,600 Speaker 1: female writer to do the quote unquote female pieces, which 84 00:05:26,640 --> 00:05:30,200 Speaker 1: she called you know, the fashion shows, the celebrity interviews. 85 00:05:30,320 --> 00:05:32,680 Speaker 1: Uh So she ended up doing that because it was 86 00:05:32,680 --> 00:05:34,960 Speaker 1: all she could do. And I didn't realize this, but 87 00:05:35,000 --> 00:05:38,480 Speaker 1: in nineteen seventy Barbara Walters published her first book, which 88 00:05:38,520 --> 00:05:41,560 Speaker 1: was called How To Talk with Practically Anybody About Practically Anything. 89 00:05:41,760 --> 00:05:44,520 Speaker 1: Because she made a name for herself pretty much off 90 00:05:44,560 --> 00:05:48,520 Speaker 1: the bat with her interviewing style. She was always able 91 00:05:48,560 --> 00:05:52,080 Speaker 1: to get notable interviews as well talk about a little 92 00:05:52,120 --> 00:05:57,080 Speaker 1: bit more and kind of developed a signature style. And 93 00:05:57,240 --> 00:06:01,279 Speaker 1: in nineteen seventy two, as sings, NBC are really starting 94 00:06:01,320 --> 00:06:03,840 Speaker 1: to pick up for her. Just to give you a snapshot, 95 00:06:04,040 --> 00:06:08,080 Speaker 1: Barbara Walters told Time Magazine in nineteen quote, the only 96 00:06:08,120 --> 00:06:10,640 Speaker 1: woman with a daily network show is Dinah Shore, and 97 00:06:10,720 --> 00:06:14,040 Speaker 1: she sings, I'd like to do evening news specials like 98 00:06:14,120 --> 00:06:17,480 Speaker 1: the men do. A female anchor woman on the nightly 99 00:06:17,560 --> 00:06:22,040 Speaker 1: news hasn't happened yet either. It's like she knew what 100 00:06:22,120 --> 00:06:25,360 Speaker 1: was going to happen. And that proved to be a 101 00:06:25,480 --> 00:06:30,480 Speaker 1: very preseent quote, because she broke those barriers. She did 102 00:06:30,520 --> 00:06:34,920 Speaker 1: that stuff. But first, in nineteen seventy four to nineteen 103 00:06:34,920 --> 00:06:38,559 Speaker 1: seventy six, she became the co host on the Today Show. 104 00:06:38,839 --> 00:06:42,000 Speaker 1: But it took the death of this guy named Frank 105 00:06:42,080 --> 00:06:44,719 Speaker 1: McGhee who was one of the host for her to 106 00:06:44,760 --> 00:06:48,479 Speaker 1: actually be named co host because when she was on 107 00:06:48,480 --> 00:06:52,760 Speaker 1: the Today Show, Frank McGee was so opposed to a 108 00:06:52,760 --> 00:06:56,000 Speaker 1: woman being at an equal level of him because it 109 00:06:56,080 --> 00:06:59,719 Speaker 1: just was unheard of at the time that it wasn't 110 00:06:59,720 --> 00:07:02,000 Speaker 1: into he died that she was able to step in 111 00:07:02,400 --> 00:07:04,839 Speaker 1: and tell her bosses, hey, you know what, according to 112 00:07:04,839 --> 00:07:07,200 Speaker 1: my contract, I am a co host and you need 113 00:07:07,200 --> 00:07:10,200 Speaker 1: to call me a co host. And then in nineteen 114 00:07:10,320 --> 00:07:13,600 Speaker 1: seventy five, she snagged her first Daytime Emmy, which was 115 00:07:13,720 --> 00:07:17,520 Speaker 1: not for the Today Show, but for this show called 116 00:07:17,600 --> 00:07:20,480 Speaker 1: Not for Women Only that she hosted that I believe 117 00:07:20,600 --> 00:07:23,040 Speaker 1: was based in New York. It might have just been 118 00:07:23,120 --> 00:07:27,680 Speaker 1: on New York channels, but it was kind of thing 119 00:07:27,720 --> 00:07:30,800 Speaker 1: where she would invite women on to talk about what 120 00:07:30,840 --> 00:07:33,559 Speaker 1: they were doing. It was a little bit feminist, um, 121 00:07:33,560 --> 00:07:36,760 Speaker 1: and that's where she kind of first semi well, you know, 122 00:07:36,880 --> 00:07:40,440 Speaker 1: she has known for her interviewing style and she developed 123 00:07:40,480 --> 00:07:44,880 Speaker 1: it out of sheer scrappiness. This woman was pushed aside 124 00:07:44,960 --> 00:07:47,560 Speaker 1: so often that she often had to go outside of 125 00:07:47,680 --> 00:07:51,360 Speaker 1: normal methods of interviewing people. If she wanted an interview 126 00:07:51,360 --> 00:07:53,560 Speaker 1: in those days that she was co hosting and kind 127 00:07:53,600 --> 00:07:57,080 Speaker 1: of relegated to just the woman's stories, if she wanted 128 00:07:57,120 --> 00:07:59,080 Speaker 1: one that was totally her, she had to literally go 129 00:07:59,240 --> 00:08:01,720 Speaker 1: outside of the studios so that she wouldn't have to 130 00:08:01,760 --> 00:08:04,920 Speaker 1: wait for the men to ask the interview questions. Because 131 00:08:05,600 --> 00:08:08,360 Speaker 1: when after she had become a staple on the Today 132 00:08:08,400 --> 00:08:11,960 Speaker 1: Show alongside people like Hugh Downs and Frank McGee, uh, 133 00:08:12,200 --> 00:08:15,520 Speaker 1: she was restricted from asking questions of the show's quote 134 00:08:15,560 --> 00:08:18,960 Speaker 1: unquote serious guests until the male co host had had 135 00:08:19,040 --> 00:08:21,920 Speaker 1: asked his. That was an actual role that the dude 136 00:08:21,920 --> 00:08:24,520 Speaker 1: had come up with, and so she had to clear 137 00:08:24,560 --> 00:08:27,960 Speaker 1: her own paths. She said, Uh, they became mine, the 138 00:08:28,000 --> 00:08:31,000 Speaker 1: interviews that she did outside of the studio, which she said, 139 00:08:31,080 --> 00:08:33,360 Speaker 1: is how she got her reputation as an interviewer and 140 00:08:33,440 --> 00:08:39,400 Speaker 1: a pushy cookie. A pushy cookie indeed, But in April twenty, 141 00:08:39,760 --> 00:08:42,040 Speaker 1: nineteen seventy six, not only was she a pushy cookie, 142 00:08:42,200 --> 00:08:45,480 Speaker 1: but Barbara Walters was a self described lonely cookie. Because 143 00:08:45,760 --> 00:08:49,840 Speaker 1: when that was when she got that groundbreaking co anchor 144 00:08:49,960 --> 00:08:56,480 Speaker 1: job on ABC World News Tonight, and she was at 145 00:08:56,480 --> 00:08:59,240 Speaker 1: the top of her game at the time, but also 146 00:08:59,559 --> 00:09:03,480 Speaker 1: comple lately despairing and almost depressed about it because whenever 147 00:09:03,559 --> 00:09:05,680 Speaker 1: she would walk into the studio and this was from 148 00:09:05,720 --> 00:09:09,920 Speaker 1: that maker's interview on PBS, she talks about how no 149 00:09:09,960 --> 00:09:13,920 Speaker 1: one wanted to talk to her. The mostly male staff 150 00:09:14,400 --> 00:09:17,120 Speaker 1: and Harry reason and her co host, wanted absolutely nothing 151 00:09:17,120 --> 00:09:18,960 Speaker 1: to do with her. They would make jokes about her 152 00:09:18,960 --> 00:09:21,800 Speaker 1: because they thought it was ludicrous that a woman was 153 00:09:21,960 --> 00:09:25,040 Speaker 1: co anchoring, can you believe it? But the funny thing 154 00:09:25,080 --> 00:09:27,679 Speaker 1: is though she was making more than Harry Reasoner when 155 00:09:27,720 --> 00:09:30,400 Speaker 1: she first got in there. She snagged that record one 156 00:09:30,440 --> 00:09:33,520 Speaker 1: million dollar contract, and half a million was for the 157 00:09:33,559 --> 00:09:36,240 Speaker 1: co anchoring job, and half a million was for her 158 00:09:36,280 --> 00:09:40,920 Speaker 1: interview specials, which was really more so than that job 159 00:09:40,960 --> 00:09:45,200 Speaker 1: at ABC World News Tonight. It was her interview specials 160 00:09:45,480 --> 00:09:50,000 Speaker 1: that became her hallmark. Right. But you know what, just 161 00:09:50,080 --> 00:09:52,720 Speaker 1: like Harry Reasoner didn't accept her, viewers didn't either, and 162 00:09:52,800 --> 00:09:55,320 Speaker 1: journalists called her a flop. And she even says that, 163 00:09:55,360 --> 00:09:59,120 Speaker 1: you know, she was so hurt, and she actually asked 164 00:09:59,120 --> 00:10:00,920 Speaker 1: the journalist who write the story, you know you called 165 00:10:00,920 --> 00:10:02,679 Speaker 1: me a flop? What why why did you do that? 166 00:10:02,720 --> 00:10:06,080 Speaker 1: And he said, well, you are and within two years 167 00:10:06,160 --> 00:10:08,480 Speaker 1: of becoming the co anchor with Harry Reasoner, she was 168 00:10:08,520 --> 00:10:12,000 Speaker 1: reassigned to do specials and Reasoner was actually let out 169 00:10:12,000 --> 00:10:14,320 Speaker 1: of his contract to go to another network. And Barbara said, 170 00:10:14,559 --> 00:10:16,240 Speaker 1: you know, they could have kept him, but they bet 171 00:10:16,280 --> 00:10:18,400 Speaker 1: on me. And she said it was during this time 172 00:10:18,960 --> 00:10:21,640 Speaker 1: that she worked the hardest and did probably the best 173 00:10:21,679 --> 00:10:25,440 Speaker 1: interviews of her life, which included people like Fidel Castro 174 00:10:25,520 --> 00:10:28,640 Speaker 1: in the very famous joint interview with Manacum Bagan and 175 00:10:28,800 --> 00:10:32,160 Speaker 1: and Arsadat. And quickly going back to that short stint 176 00:10:32,160 --> 00:10:34,600 Speaker 1: that she had at ABC World News tonight, when I 177 00:10:34,640 --> 00:10:40,520 Speaker 1: was reading about her struggle managing all of the criticism, 178 00:10:40,559 --> 00:10:43,320 Speaker 1: it gave me a little bit of perspective for if 179 00:10:43,360 --> 00:10:47,520 Speaker 1: I have a bad day, if someone sends us Carolina 180 00:10:47,840 --> 00:10:51,480 Speaker 1: maybe not so nice email, I need to remember Barbara 181 00:10:51,520 --> 00:10:54,120 Speaker 1: Walters and all of the flak that she was getting 182 00:10:54,120 --> 00:10:57,679 Speaker 1: at the time. For instance, Larry Flint offered her a 183 00:10:57,720 --> 00:11:01,959 Speaker 1: million dollars to pose for Hustler whatever. But then in 184 00:11:02,120 --> 00:11:05,400 Speaker 1: nineteen seventies six Time magazine called her the quote unquote 185 00:11:05,480 --> 00:11:10,520 Speaker 1: most appalling argument for feminism. Uh, there was Guilder Radner's 186 00:11:10,640 --> 00:11:14,080 Speaker 1: famous Saturday Night Live impression of her baba wah wah, 187 00:11:14,559 --> 00:11:18,360 Speaker 1: which she was. She knew that it was a joke, 188 00:11:18,440 --> 00:11:21,760 Speaker 1: but it was also offensive because everyone was making fun 189 00:11:21,840 --> 00:11:24,760 Speaker 1: of how she spoke, right. She really did not like it. 190 00:11:24,800 --> 00:11:26,679 Speaker 1: And she even said in that video that she caught 191 00:11:26,720 --> 00:11:30,520 Speaker 1: her daughter watching the Impression on TV and said, what 192 00:11:30,559 --> 00:11:32,120 Speaker 1: are you doing? Why are you watching that stuff? And 193 00:11:32,160 --> 00:11:34,000 Speaker 1: her ten year old turns around and says, home, mom, 194 00:11:34,080 --> 00:11:36,520 Speaker 1: have a sense of humor. And she said, Okay, I 195 00:11:36,559 --> 00:11:38,480 Speaker 1: get it. But even then it was still so hard 196 00:11:38,520 --> 00:11:42,080 Speaker 1: to accept, right. And and even later on Barbara Walters 197 00:11:42,160 --> 00:11:44,920 Speaker 1: ended up meeting Gilda Radner and she was very friendly 198 00:11:45,440 --> 00:11:48,320 Speaker 1: and all of that, but can you imagine being a 199 00:11:48,480 --> 00:11:52,600 Speaker 1: national punch line when at the same time you're at 200 00:11:52,640 --> 00:11:56,520 Speaker 1: the top of your game? Right? Well, what she said 201 00:11:56,640 --> 00:11:59,360 Speaker 1: saved her during that really dark time was letters from 202 00:11:59,400 --> 00:12:03,280 Speaker 1: women that came pouring in, things like if you can 203 00:12:03,320 --> 00:12:05,280 Speaker 1: do it, we can do it. Hang in there, We're 204 00:12:05,280 --> 00:12:08,559 Speaker 1: having the same problems. And she said, I really realized 205 00:12:08,600 --> 00:12:11,160 Speaker 1: that women from all walks of life understood what I 206 00:12:11,200 --> 00:12:14,000 Speaker 1: was going through and they were with me. Yeah. And 207 00:12:14,080 --> 00:12:18,560 Speaker 1: so even though today when we think about Barbara Walters 208 00:12:18,559 --> 00:12:21,959 Speaker 1: and we think about the view and it isn't exactly 209 00:12:22,080 --> 00:12:26,920 Speaker 1: hard hitting news. It might not have the brainiest reputation, 210 00:12:27,400 --> 00:12:31,120 Speaker 1: but looking at this snapshot of her early career, and 211 00:12:31,160 --> 00:12:33,000 Speaker 1: not even that early. She was forty five years old 212 00:12:33,040 --> 00:12:36,360 Speaker 1: when she got that job at ABC World News Tonight, Um, 213 00:12:36,400 --> 00:12:39,839 Speaker 1: it still speaks so much to the ambition and tenacity 214 00:12:39,880 --> 00:12:42,600 Speaker 1: that she had, and when she was struggling with these 215 00:12:42,920 --> 00:12:45,720 Speaker 1: these networks, she said that a lot of times she 216 00:12:45,880 --> 00:12:49,319 Speaker 1: wasn't one to elbow her way into a vice president's 217 00:12:49,360 --> 00:12:53,079 Speaker 1: office and demand things. She said that I just wanted 218 00:12:53,120 --> 00:12:55,120 Speaker 1: to do the work. And that was the way that 219 00:12:55,160 --> 00:12:58,320 Speaker 1: she snagged all of those interviews, those famous interviews like 220 00:12:58,320 --> 00:13:00,640 Speaker 1: the ones that you mentioned, and also the that she 221 00:13:00,760 --> 00:13:04,720 Speaker 1: interviewed in Richard Nixon and has interviewed every single sitting 222 00:13:04,760 --> 00:13:10,040 Speaker 1: president since then. She had that famous interview with Monica Lewinsky, 223 00:13:10,040 --> 00:13:14,160 Speaker 1: which is still the most watched interview in television history. 224 00:13:14,640 --> 00:13:17,560 Speaker 1: And it's incredible to think that she was still able 225 00:13:17,600 --> 00:13:19,280 Speaker 1: to do all this stuff, still able to keep all 226 00:13:19,320 --> 00:13:23,720 Speaker 1: this momentum, even when you know, major media outlets are 227 00:13:23,760 --> 00:13:34,960 Speaker 1: basically telling her to go home already. Yeah, well, so 228 00:13:35,440 --> 00:13:38,840 Speaker 1: what sparked this drive? I mean, obviously she has incredible drive, 229 00:13:38,880 --> 00:13:41,319 Speaker 1: and like you said, this tenacity to keep pressing on 230 00:13:41,360 --> 00:13:45,560 Speaker 1: in the face of oh everyone, And she credits not 231 00:13:45,600 --> 00:13:49,960 Speaker 1: necessarily her parents supporting her, but her parents not directly 232 00:13:49,960 --> 00:13:52,360 Speaker 1: supporting her. She said, you know, I didn't have parents 233 00:13:52,400 --> 00:13:55,000 Speaker 1: who said you can do everything you want. What I 234 00:13:55,000 --> 00:13:57,160 Speaker 1: did have was a father who was in show business 235 00:13:57,160 --> 00:13:59,160 Speaker 1: and my fear that it could all be gone tomorrow. 236 00:13:59,200 --> 00:14:02,080 Speaker 1: And then I had to work. If the job was grubby. 237 00:14:02,120 --> 00:14:03,960 Speaker 1: I could not say I'm going to leave it and 238 00:14:03,960 --> 00:14:06,240 Speaker 1: get married because I wasn't very good at that and 239 00:14:06,280 --> 00:14:08,520 Speaker 1: I didn't want to have that as my safety net. 240 00:14:08,600 --> 00:14:12,160 Speaker 1: I had to work. And Barbara Walters was married three times, 241 00:14:12,800 --> 00:14:16,079 Speaker 1: four times if you count the second time she remarried 242 00:14:16,080 --> 00:14:20,480 Speaker 1: her third husband and carry the one. But um, you know, 243 00:14:20,880 --> 00:14:23,520 Speaker 1: as far as like that tenacity and that that not 244 00:14:23,640 --> 00:14:26,360 Speaker 1: giving up and having to work being a woman in 245 00:14:26,360 --> 00:14:28,880 Speaker 1: that era who is like, no, I'm gonna work, Screw you, 246 00:14:28,920 --> 00:14:30,560 Speaker 1: I'm not going to fall back on marriage. I mean, 247 00:14:30,840 --> 00:14:33,360 Speaker 1: it's interesting in the perspective of is she a feminist? 248 00:14:33,400 --> 00:14:36,120 Speaker 1: What did she do for the women's movement? Because she 249 00:14:36,320 --> 00:14:39,000 Speaker 1: did want to help other women, and she did want 250 00:14:39,000 --> 00:14:42,280 Speaker 1: to put a focus in the news on the women's movement, 251 00:14:42,360 --> 00:14:45,280 Speaker 1: but there was a bit of a pushback she had 252 00:14:45,320 --> 00:14:47,720 Speaker 1: sent when she worked very early in her career at NBC. 253 00:14:47,760 --> 00:14:50,040 Speaker 1: She had sent a memo to the NBC president asking 254 00:14:50,200 --> 00:14:53,080 Speaker 1: shouldn't we do something on this whole this whole little 255 00:14:53,080 --> 00:14:55,440 Speaker 1: trend going on right now, the women's movement, and his 256 00:14:55,520 --> 00:14:58,360 Speaker 1: response scrawled on the top of the memo, was not 257 00:14:58,880 --> 00:15:04,280 Speaker 1: enough in tryst. And nevertheless, so she you know, she 258 00:15:04,400 --> 00:15:06,440 Speaker 1: still made such a big impact. There was a blog 259 00:15:06,440 --> 00:15:09,640 Speaker 1: post over at A A r P by Laurie Lynch 260 00:15:09,800 --> 00:15:13,000 Speaker 1: and she said it was her ceiling shattering move to 261 00:15:13,040 --> 00:15:16,000 Speaker 1: ABC in nineteen seventies six to co host and nightly 262 00:15:16,080 --> 00:15:19,440 Speaker 1: news that really made young women sit up and take notice. 263 00:15:19,840 --> 00:15:22,560 Speaker 1: Those of us aspiring to big careers in journalism were 264 00:15:22,600 --> 00:15:25,440 Speaker 1: being told by mentors and mothers that we two could 265 00:15:25,440 --> 00:15:30,000 Speaker 1: be another Barbara Walters. And I mean, from that perspective, 266 00:15:30,640 --> 00:15:33,520 Speaker 1: that's pretty incredible. I think probably for you and I. 267 00:15:33,640 --> 00:15:37,880 Speaker 1: We both went to journalism school, and I don't think 268 00:15:37,920 --> 00:15:41,160 Speaker 1: that Barbara Walters was ever mentioned really in any of 269 00:15:41,200 --> 00:15:44,520 Speaker 1: the classes we took, because by that time, you know, 270 00:15:44,560 --> 00:15:46,440 Speaker 1: maybe we just sort of take her for granted, as 271 00:15:46,640 --> 00:15:49,480 Speaker 1: you know, popping up on and having the view. I 272 00:15:49,480 --> 00:15:52,400 Speaker 1: mean she start I didn't realize this, but she launched 273 00:15:52,480 --> 00:15:57,800 Speaker 1: her famous ten Most Fascinating People special in n and 274 00:15:57,920 --> 00:16:01,160 Speaker 1: the view launched when she was V and D. Yeah, 275 00:16:02,400 --> 00:16:04,360 Speaker 1: I just like that kind of blew my mind because 276 00:16:04,400 --> 00:16:06,400 Speaker 1: I guess I just think of the view as having 277 00:16:06,440 --> 00:16:10,600 Speaker 1: started when I was much older. Apparently not. But I mean, 278 00:16:10,640 --> 00:16:13,880 Speaker 1: as far as you know, the women's movement, she might 279 00:16:13,920 --> 00:16:18,320 Speaker 1: not have directly associated with it or with feminism, but 280 00:16:18,600 --> 00:16:20,840 Speaker 1: she certainly didn't turn her back on it, which you know, 281 00:16:20,960 --> 00:16:24,120 Speaker 1: is what Patricia Bradley said in her book Mass Media 282 00:16:24,120 --> 00:16:27,000 Speaker 1: and the Shaping of American Feminism, where she actually talked 283 00:16:27,000 --> 00:16:29,240 Speaker 1: to a lot of other female journalists from this era 284 00:16:29,280 --> 00:16:31,640 Speaker 1: who said, you know, I remember Barbara being like so 285 00:16:31,760 --> 00:16:34,080 Speaker 1: friendly and always offering a hand and wanting to help, 286 00:16:34,920 --> 00:16:38,600 Speaker 1: which is something that Barbara herself confirmed in that maker's video. 287 00:16:38,640 --> 00:16:40,720 Speaker 1: You know, she said, I tried to be very supportive 288 00:16:40,720 --> 00:16:43,200 Speaker 1: of women because I know what I went through and 289 00:16:43,240 --> 00:16:45,840 Speaker 1: women do need that help. And it is still a 290 00:16:45,880 --> 00:16:49,080 Speaker 1: little difficult for men to understand it. The fact that 291 00:16:49,200 --> 00:16:51,960 Speaker 1: we still have the same poll between the career and 292 00:16:52,000 --> 00:16:55,000 Speaker 1: the child and the marriage. Yes, she said, men do 293 00:16:55,200 --> 00:16:59,000 Speaker 1: to a degree, but not the same way that women do. Yeah. 294 00:16:59,040 --> 00:17:02,960 Speaker 1: And in two thousand twelve, she definitely raised some hackles 295 00:17:03,000 --> 00:17:07,080 Speaker 1: among feminists and just viewers in general who were kind 296 00:17:07,080 --> 00:17:12,000 Speaker 1: of confused when she, on the View publicly sided with 297 00:17:12,520 --> 00:17:17,600 Speaker 1: conservative Rick Santorum's comment that quote unquote, radical feminism was 298 00:17:17,760 --> 00:17:21,879 Speaker 1: ruining the traditional family. And let's not even waste the 299 00:17:21,920 --> 00:17:26,760 Speaker 1: time like diving into that assertion. Um. But on the view, 300 00:17:27,359 --> 00:17:30,960 Speaker 1: she I mean, she really made people a bit angry 301 00:17:31,000 --> 00:17:33,600 Speaker 1: because she said, quote, there was a time when feminists 302 00:17:33,640 --> 00:17:36,720 Speaker 1: made the woman who stayed home and had children feel inferior. 303 00:17:36,800 --> 00:17:40,040 Speaker 1: I think we are finally changing so that we realized 304 00:17:40,080 --> 00:17:42,160 Speaker 1: younger ones you can make a choice. So I don't 305 00:17:42,280 --> 00:17:45,560 Speaker 1: think that what he said is so terribly off the point. 306 00:17:46,320 --> 00:17:49,879 Speaker 1: And that's a strong move to say, hey, you know 307 00:17:49,960 --> 00:17:52,760 Speaker 1: what I'm gonna I'm gonna side with you, Rick santorm 308 00:17:52,840 --> 00:17:56,840 Speaker 1: especially if you might be more associated with slightly more 309 00:17:57,000 --> 00:18:02,919 Speaker 1: liberal politics. But that really isn't different from what she 310 00:18:03,080 --> 00:18:06,800 Speaker 1: was saying during the height of second wave feminism. Um. 311 00:18:06,920 --> 00:18:10,159 Speaker 1: For instance, in there's a nineteen four book, I Found 312 00:18:10,440 --> 00:18:13,760 Speaker 1: the New Feminist Movement, and she was quoted as saying 313 00:18:13,760 --> 00:18:16,239 Speaker 1: that second wave feminist quote have given women who want 314 00:18:16,280 --> 00:18:21,040 Speaker 1: to stay home a national inferiority complex, And thinking about that, 315 00:18:21,080 --> 00:18:24,080 Speaker 1: I understand what she's saying in terms of it shouldn't 316 00:18:24,119 --> 00:18:27,359 Speaker 1: be demonizing women who want to stay home. It should 317 00:18:27,400 --> 00:18:30,280 Speaker 1: be more about the choice. Perhaps in two thousand twelve 318 00:18:30,320 --> 00:18:32,520 Speaker 1: of the way that she said it and the person 319 00:18:32,560 --> 00:18:36,719 Speaker 1: that she was supporting as she was saying that was 320 00:18:36,760 --> 00:18:41,000 Speaker 1: really more of the problem for people, right. But I mean, 321 00:18:41,040 --> 00:18:44,399 Speaker 1: I think it's interesting and I think it's I don't know, 322 00:18:44,480 --> 00:18:47,640 Speaker 1: just coming that statement coming from a woman who obviously 323 00:18:48,240 --> 00:18:50,080 Speaker 1: did make the choice and felt like she had to 324 00:18:50,119 --> 00:18:53,000 Speaker 1: make the choice, Like she said, I had to work. 325 00:18:53,040 --> 00:18:54,960 Speaker 1: I didn't want to fall back on marriage or any 326 00:18:55,000 --> 00:18:57,399 Speaker 1: kind of safety net, you know, because her father had 327 00:18:57,400 --> 00:18:59,520 Speaker 1: been in show business, he was a nightclub owner. It 328 00:18:59,600 --> 00:19:01,600 Speaker 1: all it be gone in a second, and she knew that, 329 00:19:01,640 --> 00:19:04,080 Speaker 1: and so she wanted to keep working, you know, keep 330 00:19:04,200 --> 00:19:07,480 Speaker 1: being as successful as possible, make her contribution. And so 331 00:19:08,080 --> 00:19:10,480 Speaker 1: the fact that she's the one coming forward and saying, 332 00:19:10,800 --> 00:19:13,239 Speaker 1: you feminists are giving women who want to stay at 333 00:19:13,240 --> 00:19:15,760 Speaker 1: home and raise babies and inferiority complex, I mean, I 334 00:19:15,800 --> 00:19:18,679 Speaker 1: think that gives it maybe some extra weight. Yeah, And 335 00:19:18,720 --> 00:19:22,400 Speaker 1: I wonder if that speaks to pressure that she had 336 00:19:22,440 --> 00:19:24,440 Speaker 1: felt it points during her career that maybe she should 337 00:19:24,480 --> 00:19:27,720 Speaker 1: stay home with her adoptive daughter at least stepped back 338 00:19:27,720 --> 00:19:30,879 Speaker 1: a little bit. How um, you could keep Barbara walters 339 00:19:31,320 --> 00:19:35,600 Speaker 1: intense schedule and also, uh, you know, be a full 340 00:19:35,640 --> 00:19:39,439 Speaker 1: time mom, but that just seems pretty impossible. Um. But 341 00:19:39,840 --> 00:19:45,119 Speaker 1: you know, Barbara certainly has not been without her controversy. 342 00:19:45,160 --> 00:19:51,880 Speaker 1: Once she announced her retirement in May, everybody came out with, 343 00:19:52,520 --> 00:19:55,280 Speaker 1: you know, a blog post or an article or something 344 00:19:55,800 --> 00:19:59,880 Speaker 1: on Barbara saying good riddance or oh Barbara well ms 345 00:20:00,480 --> 00:20:03,399 Speaker 1: and Alex s Perrine, for instance, over at Salon was 346 00:20:03,560 --> 00:20:06,480 Speaker 1: one of the people who said good riddance because he 347 00:20:06,560 --> 00:20:10,040 Speaker 1: said she's fine for infotainment, but she has no journalistic 348 00:20:10,040 --> 00:20:15,000 Speaker 1: scruples whatsoever because of her very close he thinks, two 349 00:20:15,000 --> 00:20:19,120 Speaker 1: close relationships over the years with sources, some of whom 350 00:20:19,240 --> 00:20:23,640 Speaker 1: were just a tad corrupt, such as most recently Syrian 351 00:20:23,680 --> 00:20:28,560 Speaker 1: President Bashar al Assa, who um she had on I 352 00:20:28,600 --> 00:20:30,560 Speaker 1: had I can't remember if it was on twenty, but 353 00:20:30,600 --> 00:20:33,640 Speaker 1: she had one of the first interviews with him, and 354 00:20:33,760 --> 00:20:36,080 Speaker 1: Marene was talking about how well, of course you got 355 00:20:36,080 --> 00:20:38,840 Speaker 1: the interview because she's actually good friends with him and 356 00:20:38,920 --> 00:20:42,399 Speaker 1: his wife, and and talking about other um usually actually 357 00:20:42,480 --> 00:20:44,879 Speaker 1: men for the most part, that she had been friends 358 00:20:44,880 --> 00:20:50,880 Speaker 1: with but also would interview or use as as sources. Yeah, 359 00:20:50,920 --> 00:20:53,440 Speaker 1: and one thing I read was talking about how maybe 360 00:20:53,480 --> 00:20:58,960 Speaker 1: that that comfort with extremely famous or infamous people, that 361 00:20:58,960 --> 00:21:01,760 Speaker 1: that ease of interviewing all sorts of people from all 362 00:21:01,800 --> 00:21:04,000 Speaker 1: different walks of life comes from her upbringing because her 363 00:21:04,040 --> 00:21:06,960 Speaker 1: father was in show business, and because she had been 364 00:21:07,080 --> 00:21:09,920 Speaker 1: in some form of journalism for so long. And Yeah, 365 00:21:09,960 --> 00:21:13,840 Speaker 1: she has walked that infotainment tightrope for decades. You know, 366 00:21:13,920 --> 00:21:16,359 Speaker 1: she's able to jump between interviews with heads of state 367 00:21:16,680 --> 00:21:19,359 Speaker 1: and celebrities like the you know, the Kardashians, or that 368 00:21:19,440 --> 00:21:23,600 Speaker 1: infamous Ricky Martin interview where she was basically like demanding 369 00:21:23,640 --> 00:21:25,560 Speaker 1: that he come out of the closet on her show 370 00:21:25,560 --> 00:21:27,520 Speaker 1: and he's like, look, I don't want to talk about it. 371 00:21:27,880 --> 00:21:31,080 Speaker 1: I mean, she was pretty vilified for for that at 372 00:21:31,080 --> 00:21:35,040 Speaker 1: the time. Yeah, And also on Salon she just kind 373 00:21:35,040 --> 00:21:38,919 Speaker 1: of on the flip side of the controversy. TV critic 374 00:21:39,280 --> 00:21:42,880 Speaker 1: Mary Elizabeth Williams said, you know what I am all 375 00:21:42,920 --> 00:21:46,080 Speaker 1: about some Barbara Walters. She says that, yeah, Okay, she's 376 00:21:46,080 --> 00:21:48,800 Speaker 1: got the soft focus, she's got the entottainment spin and 377 00:21:48,800 --> 00:21:51,320 Speaker 1: all of that quote, but what she leaves behind is 378 00:21:51,320 --> 00:21:56,320 Speaker 1: a ferociously powerful, maddening, lee unduplicated example. She's a woman 379 00:21:56,320 --> 00:21:59,560 Speaker 1: who out earned many of her male counterparts and has 380 00:21:59,600 --> 00:22:05,120 Speaker 1: been ashamed and unapologetic about her aspirations. Yeah and uh 381 00:22:05,480 --> 00:22:08,160 Speaker 1: over at the Cut from New York Magazine, they wrote 382 00:22:08,160 --> 00:22:10,520 Speaker 1: that Barbara has served as a bridge between an era 383 00:22:10,600 --> 00:22:13,359 Speaker 1: when the news was defined by a small, homogeneous group 384 00:22:13,359 --> 00:22:17,240 Speaker 1: of experts to a time when discussion and conversation rain. 385 00:22:17,600 --> 00:22:20,760 Speaker 1: And I think her career has totally mirrored that trajectory 386 00:22:20,800 --> 00:22:23,600 Speaker 1: as far as like starting out wanting to be in 387 00:22:23,680 --> 00:22:26,760 Speaker 1: hard news talking to heads of state, whereas now she's 388 00:22:26,800 --> 00:22:30,280 Speaker 1: hosting a talk show basically right. And that's not to 389 00:22:30,320 --> 00:22:36,359 Speaker 1: say that the View never touches on political stories, harder news, 390 00:22:36,600 --> 00:22:42,560 Speaker 1: bigger societal issues. Um, but you know it's still it's 391 00:22:42,560 --> 00:22:45,600 Speaker 1: definitely it's not c SPAN. Yeah sure, I mean yeah, 392 00:22:45,680 --> 00:22:49,200 Speaker 1: I mean she's not just sitting there talking like Brian 393 00:22:49,240 --> 00:22:51,640 Speaker 1: Williams delivering the news at night. You know, it's it's 394 00:22:51,720 --> 00:22:53,879 Speaker 1: four four or five or however many people are on 395 00:22:53,920 --> 00:22:57,080 Speaker 1: the View sitting around on a couch talking versus the 396 00:22:57,119 --> 00:23:00,360 Speaker 1: more serious like Walter Cronkite. Who do you think will 397 00:23:00,359 --> 00:23:04,159 Speaker 1: replace her? Anybody? Do you think they'll do? You think 398 00:23:04,160 --> 00:23:07,159 Speaker 1: they'll pull in a replacement. Who's somebody with some gravitas? 399 00:23:07,560 --> 00:23:10,280 Speaker 1: Martha Stewart. She's looking for a new gig right All 400 00:23:10,320 --> 00:23:12,720 Speaker 1: she's doing is dating on match dot com right now. 401 00:23:13,520 --> 00:23:16,080 Speaker 1: And yeah, I'm getting into trouble for selling her spatchel 402 00:23:16,119 --> 00:23:21,399 Speaker 1: as at different stories Martha, No spatialists now. Maybe, um, 403 00:23:22,280 --> 00:23:26,000 Speaker 1: let's make our prediction. The person who will take over 404 00:23:26,119 --> 00:23:30,800 Speaker 1: for Barbara Walters in two thousand fourteen won't be Katie 405 00:23:30,840 --> 00:23:34,080 Speaker 1: Currect because after she got the shaft, she she has 406 00:23:34,080 --> 00:23:36,159 Speaker 1: her own talk show now and it's successful. And I 407 00:23:36,240 --> 00:23:40,760 Speaker 1: don't think that it would be Diane Sawyer maybe and Curry. 408 00:23:40,960 --> 00:23:43,280 Speaker 1: I don't think it would be and Curry. I don't 409 00:23:43,280 --> 00:23:44,720 Speaker 1: think it would be and Curry. But you know what 410 00:23:44,760 --> 00:23:47,119 Speaker 1: if it were and Curry, I might watch the view 411 00:23:48,880 --> 00:23:53,359 Speaker 1: because of her unceremonious exit from the Today Show. Uh So. 412 00:23:53,720 --> 00:23:55,800 Speaker 1: But just to sign off, though, should we toss out 413 00:23:55,840 --> 00:24:00,240 Speaker 1: some final accolades that Barbara Walters has received over the years. 414 00:24:00,320 --> 00:24:05,160 Speaker 1: Listen to this nominated for seven Daytime Emmy Awards, she's 415 00:24:05,160 --> 00:24:08,880 Speaker 1: won four times, nominated for twenty News and Documentary Emmy 416 00:24:08,920 --> 00:24:12,480 Speaker 1: Awards and won eight times, and then nominated for twelve 417 00:24:12,760 --> 00:24:16,200 Speaker 1: Prime Time Emmy's and one one time. So let me 418 00:24:16,240 --> 00:24:20,359 Speaker 1: look at this maths on everything thirteen Emmy's not bad, 419 00:24:20,640 --> 00:24:23,240 Speaker 1: not bad, not bad, Babs. I wonder if she has 420 00:24:23,240 --> 00:24:27,200 Speaker 1: a cabinet, an Emmy cabinet, or maybe she just sprinkles 421 00:24:27,200 --> 00:24:30,239 Speaker 1: them around. You know, she puts one in each of 422 00:24:30,280 --> 00:24:34,600 Speaker 1: her thirteen bathrooms in her home. Yeah, one in each shower. Yes, 423 00:24:35,480 --> 00:24:39,320 Speaker 1: So that's it, Barbara Walters. Hats off for you too, 424 00:24:40,119 --> 00:24:44,280 Speaker 1: um really never giving up and also still though I 425 00:24:44,960 --> 00:24:49,080 Speaker 1: want to say that lover her hater. What a great example, though, 426 00:24:49,240 --> 00:24:54,439 Speaker 1: of a woman who is well beyond retirement age, who 427 00:24:54,720 --> 00:24:57,960 Speaker 1: never stopped working now and and I do like what 428 00:24:58,040 --> 00:24:59,600 Speaker 1: she said when she retired. You know, I just I 429 00:24:59,600 --> 00:25:02,439 Speaker 1: just want to it on a hill and watch everything happen, 430 00:25:02,680 --> 00:25:05,160 Speaker 1: you know, just watch it go by. I mean, after 431 00:25:05,400 --> 00:25:08,560 Speaker 1: after being on television for over fifty years, I think 432 00:25:09,160 --> 00:25:12,320 Speaker 1: she deserves a vacation. Yeah, you wonder if her attitude 433 00:25:12,359 --> 00:25:14,400 Speaker 1: is still the same today as it was then. As 434 00:25:14,400 --> 00:25:17,120 Speaker 1: far as I have to work because obviously, I mean, 435 00:25:17,200 --> 00:25:21,000 Speaker 1: she's been pretty consistently successful for decades now, like I 436 00:25:21,000 --> 00:25:23,679 Speaker 1: think she's set. Yeah, I mean, Barbara Walters is as 437 00:25:23,760 --> 00:25:29,000 Speaker 1: much of a celebrity and an a lister as most 438 00:25:29,040 --> 00:25:31,840 Speaker 1: of the people that she talks to at this point. 439 00:25:32,520 --> 00:25:36,320 Speaker 1: So let's hear from folks, Barbara Walters, what do you 440 00:25:36,359 --> 00:25:40,160 Speaker 1: think any predictions for who will take over at the View? 441 00:25:40,240 --> 00:25:42,280 Speaker 1: I know it's kind of a silly question, but it's 442 00:25:42,280 --> 00:25:45,159 Speaker 1: a fun one. So right to us mom Stuff at 443 00:25:45,200 --> 00:25:48,560 Speaker 1: Discovery dot com, or you can tweet us set mom 444 00:25:48,600 --> 00:25:53,840 Speaker 1: Stuff podcasts, or send us a little message on Facebook 445 00:25:53,880 --> 00:25:56,719 Speaker 1: and like us while you're at it. And we are 446 00:25:56,760 --> 00:25:58,960 Speaker 1: going to read a couple of letters that we have 447 00:25:59,160 --> 00:26:01,119 Speaker 1: from past episode. But before we do, let's take a 448 00:26:01,200 --> 00:26:07,840 Speaker 1: quick break and then we'll get right back. And now 449 00:26:08,000 --> 00:26:11,160 Speaker 1: that to our letters, and we've got a couple here 450 00:26:11,240 --> 00:26:14,399 Speaker 1: about our episode on Glass of Stereotypes, which we got 451 00:26:14,480 --> 00:26:19,000 Speaker 1: a ton of letters from. And this one to kick 452 00:26:19,040 --> 00:26:22,080 Speaker 1: off from Carmen is a little bit sad. Her subject 453 00:26:22,119 --> 00:26:25,600 Speaker 1: line is how I learned glasses are bad? She says, 454 00:26:25,600 --> 00:26:28,080 Speaker 1: when I was in elementary school, I wore glasses because 455 00:26:28,080 --> 00:26:30,280 Speaker 1: I was scared of putting things in my eyes. But 456 00:26:30,359 --> 00:26:32,440 Speaker 1: in the sixth grade, I was at school one day 457 00:26:32,440 --> 00:26:34,200 Speaker 1: and two girls on the other side of the classroom 458 00:26:34,200 --> 00:26:37,200 Speaker 1: we're talking about me. One of them said, that's Carmen 459 00:26:37,280 --> 00:26:40,520 Speaker 1: over there, the ugly one with the glasses. I found 460 00:26:40,520 --> 00:26:43,000 Speaker 1: out about this conversation because the girl who said that 461 00:26:43,080 --> 00:26:46,160 Speaker 1: was one of my closest friends, and she simply told 462 00:26:46,200 --> 00:26:48,159 Speaker 1: me what she had said, as if she saw no 463 00:26:48,240 --> 00:26:50,439 Speaker 1: problem with calling me ugly. I told my mom I 464 00:26:50,440 --> 00:26:52,680 Speaker 1: wanted context as soon as I got home that day. 465 00:26:53,040 --> 00:26:55,040 Speaker 1: At the end of that school year, at my middle school, 466 00:26:55,160 --> 00:26:58,080 Speaker 1: boyfriend saw my yearbook picture, which had been taken before 467 00:26:58,080 --> 00:27:01,080 Speaker 1: I got context, and he immediately told me, I like 468 00:27:01,240 --> 00:27:06,640 Speaker 1: you better with contacts. Middle school's worse. I'm probably old 469 00:27:06,720 --> 00:27:08,400 Speaker 1: enough now that no one would ever call me ugly 470 00:27:08,440 --> 00:27:10,600 Speaker 1: to my face, but I still hate the idea of 471 00:27:10,640 --> 00:27:13,199 Speaker 1: wearing glasses. I'll soon be leaving to work in a 472 00:27:13,240 --> 00:27:15,359 Speaker 1: developing country for two years, and did not want to 473 00:27:15,359 --> 00:27:18,160 Speaker 1: deal with the hassle bringing eight parents of daily contacts 474 00:27:18,160 --> 00:27:20,280 Speaker 1: with me, or being in a situation where I'm spending 475 00:27:20,280 --> 00:27:21,879 Speaker 1: a night in a village without a sink for me 476 00:27:21,920 --> 00:27:24,399 Speaker 1: to change my contacts. So in two days, I'll beating 477 00:27:24,520 --> 00:27:27,480 Speaker 1: lay six surgery after four years of wearing glasses and 478 00:27:27,560 --> 00:27:30,400 Speaker 1: eleven years were in contacts. It's possible that I would 479 00:27:30,400 --> 00:27:33,000 Speaker 1: have gotten the surgery anyway, because both glasses and contacts 480 00:27:33,000 --> 00:27:37,280 Speaker 1: can be incredibly inconvenient times. But certainly the negative stereotypes 481 00:27:37,400 --> 00:27:41,040 Speaker 1: contributed a great deal to my enthusiasm for having lasers 482 00:27:41,040 --> 00:27:43,800 Speaker 1: shot into my eyes and the name of eliminating my 483 00:27:43,920 --> 00:27:47,679 Speaker 1: need for corrective lenses. Yeah. I have friends have done 484 00:27:47,720 --> 00:27:51,240 Speaker 1: life second, they love it. I'm I'm too scared. I'm 485 00:27:51,320 --> 00:27:54,600 Speaker 1: too scared period. Okay, Well, I have a letter here 486 00:27:54,640 --> 00:27:57,560 Speaker 1: from Chelsea. She says, I've been wearing glasses for twenty 487 00:27:57,560 --> 00:28:00,720 Speaker 1: one years since I was six, and you. I wear 488 00:28:00,720 --> 00:28:04,720 Speaker 1: my contact of the time. I have exceptionally awful vision, 489 00:28:04,720 --> 00:28:07,080 Speaker 1: and I've been legally blind since an early age. I 490 00:28:07,119 --> 00:28:10,359 Speaker 1: definitely played into the stereotype of the dorky girl in school, 491 00:28:10,440 --> 00:28:12,600 Speaker 1: which was reflected in my lack of a dating life 492 00:28:12,640 --> 00:28:15,160 Speaker 1: until college. So I was not surprised to hear your 493 00:28:15,160 --> 00:28:18,240 Speaker 1: findings in the podcast. I was surprised, however, that nothing 494 00:28:18,320 --> 00:28:22,000 Speaker 1: was mentioned about being genetically inferior. I always assumed that 495 00:28:22,000 --> 00:28:25,320 Speaker 1: people with glasses were subconsciously found less attractive because of 496 00:28:25,359 --> 00:28:29,840 Speaker 1: some primeval knowledge that poor eyesight equates death. I always 497 00:28:29,840 --> 00:28:31,840 Speaker 1: assumed I would have died early on if I was 498 00:28:31,880 --> 00:28:35,960 Speaker 1: born before eyeglasses were invented, Much like with my lack 499 00:28:36,000 --> 00:28:38,560 Speaker 1: of child bearing hips and bountiful breasts. I would also 500 00:28:38,600 --> 00:28:40,840 Speaker 1: assume that people would not want to breed with someone 501 00:28:40,880 --> 00:28:43,000 Speaker 1: who is likely to pass on their poor eyesight to 502 00:28:43,040 --> 00:28:46,680 Speaker 1: their offspring. Did you find anything relating to that in 503 00:28:46,800 --> 00:28:51,560 Speaker 1: your research? We did not uncover anything like that, But 504 00:28:52,840 --> 00:28:58,280 Speaker 1: I don't know. Yeah, I on a slightly related note 505 00:28:58,320 --> 00:29:01,120 Speaker 1: that doesn't answer your question at all. So I recently 506 00:29:01,160 --> 00:29:05,400 Speaker 1: found this book, uh, that was a compilation of my 507 00:29:05,600 --> 00:29:09,160 Speaker 1: great great great great great great uncle's letters to his family, 508 00:29:09,160 --> 00:29:11,960 Speaker 1: because he went went to Dartmouth, went to law school, 509 00:29:12,000 --> 00:29:13,560 Speaker 1: and ended up dying in the Civil War. Like at 510 00:29:13,560 --> 00:29:15,959 Speaker 1: the very end in anyway, his beloved sister compiled all 511 00:29:16,000 --> 00:29:17,719 Speaker 1: his letters, and in so many of his letters when 512 00:29:17,720 --> 00:29:19,600 Speaker 1: he's off at college, he's writing home and he's like 513 00:29:20,240 --> 00:29:22,800 Speaker 1: mother and father. I can barely see as I write 514 00:29:22,840 --> 00:29:25,360 Speaker 1: you this letter, my eyes. And he's always concerned about 515 00:29:25,360 --> 00:29:27,920 Speaker 1: his eyes. And he's always looking forward to Christmas break 516 00:29:28,000 --> 00:29:30,800 Speaker 1: and summer breaks off, so that he can rest his 517 00:29:30,880 --> 00:29:33,400 Speaker 1: eyes because he's like, I'm afraid I will need glasses 518 00:29:33,680 --> 00:29:38,760 Speaker 1: oh mine. And he was also very skinny, so that 519 00:29:38,880 --> 00:29:42,240 Speaker 1: means nothing. But it's very interesting to read a firsthand 520 00:29:42,240 --> 00:29:46,880 Speaker 1: account of someone in the eighteen when was that college. 521 00:29:46,880 --> 00:29:49,120 Speaker 1: I don't know for him, but who was scared of 522 00:29:49,120 --> 00:29:53,640 Speaker 1: getting glasses? And if only if only Warby Parker existed 523 00:29:53,680 --> 00:29:56,480 Speaker 1: back then, he'd be the most stylish chap at dot 524 00:29:56,760 --> 00:29:59,400 Speaker 1: I mean he had to killer mustache. There you go, Wow, 525 00:29:59,520 --> 00:30:03,160 Speaker 1: he's he had everything he needed just right there. He 526 00:30:03,280 --> 00:30:07,240 Speaker 1: just needed some some thick frames. Well. Thanks to everyone 527 00:30:07,280 --> 00:30:09,560 Speaker 1: who has written into us. Mom Stuff at discovery dot 528 00:30:09,600 --> 00:30:11,560 Speaker 1: com is where you can send your letters. You can 529 00:30:11,600 --> 00:30:15,080 Speaker 1: also follow us on Twitter at mom Stuff Podcasts, and 530 00:30:15,240 --> 00:30:17,560 Speaker 1: we're on Facebook as well. Don't forget to check us 531 00:30:17,600 --> 00:30:20,040 Speaker 1: out there and see what we're doing, and follow us 532 00:30:20,040 --> 00:30:23,160 Speaker 1: on Tumbler at stuff mom Never Told You dot tumbler 533 00:30:23,640 --> 00:30:27,200 Speaker 1: dot com, and don't forget to watch us as well. 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