1 00:00:00,200 --> 00:00:28,560 Speaker 1: Ridiculous Histories, a production of iHeartRadio. Fellow Ridiculous Historians, thank you, 2 00:00:28,600 --> 00:00:32,360 Speaker 1: as always so much for tuning in. This is part 3 00:00:32,440 --> 00:00:36,280 Speaker 1: two of a two part series on the bizarre saga 4 00:00:36,400 --> 00:00:39,480 Speaker 1: of Elvis Presley. So with a shout out to our 5 00:00:39,600 --> 00:00:45,479 Speaker 1: super producer, mister Max Williams, you gotta listen to part one, folks. 6 00:00:45,280 --> 00:00:47,400 Speaker 2: Oh you must. And now that you're done with that, 7 00:00:47,440 --> 00:00:50,600 Speaker 2: why don't you just dive on in headlong in media 8 00:00:50,680 --> 00:00:55,040 Speaker 2: arrests or in media three in two Part two. 9 00:01:00,480 --> 00:01:05,119 Speaker 1: Did Elvis Presley h pay his entourage because it seems 10 00:01:05,160 --> 00:01:07,240 Speaker 1: like it was it was similar to what we would 11 00:01:07,319 --> 00:01:11,120 Speaker 1: later see with the entourages of say Little Wade or 12 00:01:11,160 --> 00:01:12,800 Speaker 1: most famously mc hammer. 13 00:01:12,920 --> 00:01:16,759 Speaker 2: Whether they drew a salary or not, he supported their existence. 14 00:01:16,880 --> 00:01:19,679 Speaker 1: Yeah, that's the question, Like did he pay them a 15 00:01:19,760 --> 00:01:22,280 Speaker 1: salary or were they just hangers on? 16 00:01:22,640 --> 00:01:25,760 Speaker 3: They would on the payroll as it were, right, He 17 00:01:25,840 --> 00:01:29,360 Speaker 3: had a lot of cousins and step brothers and things 18 00:01:29,400 --> 00:01:33,520 Speaker 3: like extended family who absolutely were on some form of payroll. 19 00:01:33,600 --> 00:01:35,760 Speaker 3: I think there were other and and then other close 20 00:01:35,800 --> 00:01:38,440 Speaker 3: friends and stuff too. I think there were definitely people 21 00:01:38,520 --> 00:01:40,440 Speaker 3: that were more on the fringe that were just kind 22 00:01:40,480 --> 00:01:42,680 Speaker 3: of there for handouts and and got hangers on you. 23 00:01:42,880 --> 00:01:46,920 Speaker 1: Yeah, yeah, what what's up with the Hamburger guy? Was 24 00:01:46,920 --> 00:01:48,240 Speaker 1: he part of Memphis Mafia? 25 00:01:48,800 --> 00:01:52,320 Speaker 2: He was basically like the Snoop Dogg blunt Roller equivalent 26 00:01:52,680 --> 00:01:55,480 Speaker 2: or day or he was just there providing hamburger. 27 00:01:55,520 --> 00:01:58,560 Speaker 1: I think it was uh Lil Wade. I met some 28 00:01:58,640 --> 00:02:01,320 Speaker 1: of his entourage and he had a guy called Snacks 29 00:02:01,760 --> 00:02:04,760 Speaker 1: and his job was just to get snacks for Wayne. 30 00:02:04,920 --> 00:02:08,280 Speaker 2: And was this cat grilling them up to order? Was 31 00:02:08,280 --> 00:02:11,720 Speaker 2: he just going out and fetching hamburgers? Was other food involved? 32 00:02:11,720 --> 00:02:14,200 Speaker 1: See hamburger cook or hamburger fetch. 33 00:02:14,120 --> 00:02:16,800 Speaker 3: It's it's my it's my understanding that it was. He 34 00:02:16,919 --> 00:02:20,120 Speaker 3: was responsible for the production. 35 00:02:19,919 --> 00:02:25,799 Speaker 4: Of the delivery s VP of Hamburgers. Okay, so this 36 00:02:25,880 --> 00:02:27,920 Speaker 4: man I actually don't know his real name. He was 37 00:02:27,919 --> 00:02:31,040 Speaker 4: only referred to as Hamburger James, and I have not 38 00:02:31,240 --> 00:02:34,000 Speaker 4: seen I have not seen his real name, which is 39 00:02:34,080 --> 00:02:37,280 Speaker 4: perhaps makes sense when you learn the second half of 40 00:02:37,320 --> 00:02:41,440 Speaker 4: this story. H Hamburger James's relationship with Elvis unraveled when 41 00:02:41,440 --> 00:02:45,440 Speaker 4: Elvis became convinced that Hamburger James had stolen both money 42 00:02:45,520 --> 00:02:49,880 Speaker 4: and private photos. Shall we say of his wife, Priscilla. Uh. 43 00:02:49,919 --> 00:02:53,040 Speaker 3: And when Elvis learned of this, Elvis he had a temper. 44 00:02:53,440 --> 00:02:56,600 Speaker 3: He he learned of this when Hamburger James was about 45 00:02:56,600 --> 00:03:01,480 Speaker 3: to leave Memphis on a public airplane. And so Elvis, 46 00:03:02,000 --> 00:03:06,200 Speaker 3: you know, jetted to the Memphis airport. Somehow convinced the 47 00:03:06,240 --> 00:03:07,960 Speaker 3: airline to hold. 48 00:03:07,760 --> 00:03:14,040 Speaker 1: Up the flight. He boarded the flight and walk for anybody, I. 49 00:03:13,960 --> 00:03:18,320 Speaker 3: Mean yeah, no, and he somehow he finds this guy 50 00:03:18,520 --> 00:03:22,399 Speaker 3: on the plane. And this is an interview that Elvis's 51 00:03:22,400 --> 00:03:25,359 Speaker 3: stepbrother Rick Stanley, gave the People magazine in nineteen eighty nine. 52 00:03:25,400 --> 00:03:27,400 Speaker 3: I want to read this part because it's so it 53 00:03:27,480 --> 00:03:31,480 Speaker 3: really paints a picture. Okay, Elvis reaches over while Hamburger 54 00:03:31,560 --> 00:03:34,120 Speaker 3: James is looking straight at him, scared to death, and 55 00:03:34,160 --> 00:03:37,280 Speaker 3: slaps him twice like in the movies, a slap and 56 00:03:37,320 --> 00:03:40,920 Speaker 3: then a backhand pow and then pow again. Then the 57 00:03:40,920 --> 00:03:44,480 Speaker 3: most amazing thing happened. Hamburger James got a funny look 58 00:03:44,480 --> 00:03:47,560 Speaker 3: on his face and wilted like a baby. He cried 59 00:03:47,680 --> 00:03:50,480 Speaker 3: and cried like his heart was broken. He said he 60 00:03:50,600 --> 00:03:53,080 Speaker 3: was sorry he stole, and he would give it all back. 61 00:03:53,280 --> 00:03:55,040 Speaker 3: And he knew that he had done something that he 62 00:03:55,080 --> 00:03:56,880 Speaker 3: couldn't ever be forgiven for. 63 00:03:57,360 --> 00:04:00,480 Speaker 1: Okay, Lesson learned a bit of a parable. Did he 64 00:04:00,560 --> 00:04:03,440 Speaker 1: continue to supply Hamburger's I. 65 00:04:03,360 --> 00:04:05,000 Speaker 3: Don't think so. I mean, that's the thing. It's definitely 66 00:04:05,040 --> 00:04:06,440 Speaker 3: was like a you know, in the court of the 67 00:04:06,520 --> 00:04:11,680 Speaker 3: king kind of deal where people's favor rose and fill depends. 68 00:04:11,720 --> 00:04:14,440 Speaker 2: But Elvis wasn't a vindictive guy right like he would. 69 00:04:14,560 --> 00:04:14,680 Speaker 1: Uh. 70 00:04:15,960 --> 00:04:19,520 Speaker 2: I mean, maybe i'm you know, oversimplifying, But did he 71 00:04:19,720 --> 00:04:22,479 Speaker 2: give Hamburger James another chance or did he cut him loose? 72 00:04:22,760 --> 00:04:24,520 Speaker 3: You know that. I don't know. I don't think he did. 73 00:04:25,360 --> 00:04:25,880 Speaker 2: Uh. 74 00:04:25,920 --> 00:04:29,680 Speaker 1: Well, yeah, it's kind of one of those Crossby wants things, 75 00:04:29,680 --> 00:04:32,880 Speaker 1: as you said, an absolute monarchy. And he doesn't seem 76 00:04:32,960 --> 00:04:36,360 Speaker 1: vindictive necessarily. I don't want to sound like a jerk 77 00:04:36,400 --> 00:04:39,840 Speaker 1: with this. He sounds reactive and perhaps impulsive, but he 78 00:04:39,880 --> 00:04:43,760 Speaker 1: doesn't sound as though he has these spider like machinations 79 00:04:43,839 --> 00:04:46,839 Speaker 1: that take generations or years to come to fruition. 80 00:04:47,279 --> 00:04:50,440 Speaker 2: Well, we certainly know that at the end of his 81 00:04:50,480 --> 00:04:53,760 Speaker 2: life his impulse control problems became quite apparent. 82 00:04:54,279 --> 00:04:54,719 Speaker 1: Uh. 83 00:04:54,839 --> 00:04:58,120 Speaker 2: And and She's Burgers also would play a role in 84 00:04:58,160 --> 00:05:01,919 Speaker 2: his demise. Sadly, I'm notlaughing. It's really quite tragic, you know. 85 00:05:01,960 --> 00:05:03,279 Speaker 2: And he was one of those people that was just 86 00:05:03,320 --> 00:05:06,320 Speaker 2: so surrounded by yes people and people that were taking 87 00:05:06,360 --> 00:05:08,760 Speaker 2: advantage of him. And at the end of his life 88 00:05:08,760 --> 00:05:11,800 Speaker 2: he literally was like held hostage by the colonel and 89 00:05:11,920 --> 00:05:15,159 Speaker 2: forced to be trotted out on stage like a dancing, 90 00:05:15,640 --> 00:05:19,240 Speaker 2: you know, circus animal. And he was not well and 91 00:05:19,320 --> 00:05:21,440 Speaker 2: people were not looking after him in that respect, and 92 00:05:21,480 --> 00:05:23,120 Speaker 2: he certainly wasn't looking after himself. 93 00:05:23,400 --> 00:05:28,520 Speaker 1: They were definitely letting him eat some egregious things. That's 94 00:05:28,520 --> 00:05:30,720 Speaker 1: something that you know, we have to mention while we're 95 00:05:30,760 --> 00:05:35,080 Speaker 1: on airplanes and food, right gold low airplanes. Yes, the 96 00:05:35,160 --> 00:05:40,280 Speaker 1: fool's gold loaf, eight thousand calories per sandwich. All right, 97 00:05:40,360 --> 00:05:42,080 Speaker 1: describe it, GEORGI, you have to please. 98 00:05:42,200 --> 00:05:44,880 Speaker 3: Okay, it's actually I believe I have. I want to. 99 00:05:45,839 --> 00:05:47,680 Speaker 3: I'll describe it, but I also need to describe it. 100 00:05:47,760 --> 00:05:49,719 Speaker 2: Is this a regional delicacy? Why do you have to 101 00:05:49,760 --> 00:05:50,640 Speaker 2: fly to Denver. 102 00:05:50,960 --> 00:05:53,560 Speaker 1: Colorado by the Colorado Mine Company? Yes? 103 00:05:54,080 --> 00:05:57,920 Speaker 3: So, okay, you take a loaf of French white bread 104 00:05:58,240 --> 00:06:00,120 Speaker 3: and you bake it until golden brown. 105 00:06:00,160 --> 00:06:00,800 Speaker 2: Like a baguette. 106 00:06:00,800 --> 00:06:02,680 Speaker 1: So you're talking about why a little. 107 00:06:02,440 --> 00:06:06,280 Speaker 3: Fluffier, a little fluffier and you hollow it out. You 108 00:06:06,320 --> 00:06:09,800 Speaker 3: take an entire jar of creamy peanut butter, an entire 109 00:06:10,000 --> 00:06:13,480 Speaker 3: jar of grape jam jelly, and then a pound of 110 00:06:13,560 --> 00:06:16,279 Speaker 3: fried bacon which is fried until crispy, and layer that 111 00:06:16,520 --> 00:06:18,640 Speaker 3: on top, put the top part of the bread on it, 112 00:06:19,200 --> 00:06:21,560 Speaker 3: and then they go. He'd bj and bacon in a 113 00:06:21,640 --> 00:06:22,920 Speaker 3: hollowed out loaf. 114 00:06:23,440 --> 00:06:25,000 Speaker 2: Would you slice it to order? 115 00:06:25,200 --> 00:06:25,840 Speaker 1: Or would. 116 00:06:27,520 --> 00:06:30,440 Speaker 3: It's like a sub or like it's like you go 117 00:06:30,480 --> 00:06:32,159 Speaker 3: for the foot, Maybe you cut it in half, but 118 00:06:33,040 --> 00:06:34,880 Speaker 3: from what I've seen, it's like about a foot long. 119 00:06:35,520 --> 00:06:39,720 Speaker 1: And so he would he beat. Elvis would fly with 120 00:06:39,839 --> 00:06:43,080 Speaker 1: his entourage and maybe for a time with his hamburger 121 00:06:43,120 --> 00:06:45,400 Speaker 1: guy James out to Denver. 122 00:06:46,279 --> 00:06:49,880 Speaker 3: To sorry, man, I only do hamburgers, and my expertise 123 00:06:50,400 --> 00:06:52,400 Speaker 3: did slap it backslap. 124 00:06:53,440 --> 00:06:53,600 Speaker 1: One? 125 00:06:53,720 --> 00:06:56,320 Speaker 3: I think they were. Elvis famously didn't sleep like he 126 00:06:56,360 --> 00:06:58,400 Speaker 3: would just be up all night like he was kind 127 00:06:58,400 --> 00:06:59,440 Speaker 3: of a nocturnal guy. 128 00:06:59,839 --> 00:07:02,920 Speaker 2: He was also one of those classic rock star stories 129 00:07:02,960 --> 00:07:05,800 Speaker 2: of like a pill to get up, a pill to 130 00:07:05,839 --> 00:07:09,600 Speaker 2: the mellow out, uppill to you know whatever, go to sleep. 131 00:07:10,000 --> 00:07:14,440 Speaker 2: You know. He was constantly on a cocktail of uppers, downers, booze, 132 00:07:14,720 --> 00:07:15,480 Speaker 2: and sandwiches. 133 00:07:15,640 --> 00:07:18,400 Speaker 3: So he existed in this real twilight time of day. 134 00:07:18,480 --> 00:07:20,880 Speaker 3: So he in his entourage were hanging out at some 135 00:07:21,000 --> 00:07:22,920 Speaker 3: on godly hour, and he got a hanker and for 136 00:07:22,960 --> 00:07:25,800 Speaker 3: this fool's gold loaf, which as you said, was really 137 00:07:25,800 --> 00:07:28,720 Speaker 3: only obtainable, or at least the proper the official one 138 00:07:28,760 --> 00:07:32,280 Speaker 3: was only obtainable, and the Denver Mining Co Establishment in Denver. 139 00:07:32,680 --> 00:07:36,320 Speaker 3: And so they trek down the road to the little 140 00:07:36,320 --> 00:07:41,960 Speaker 3: airstrip where his private airplane was and they flew I believe, 141 00:07:42,000 --> 00:07:43,640 Speaker 3: I forget how many. I think it was like fifteen 142 00:07:43,680 --> 00:07:46,520 Speaker 3: of them or something out to Denver right on the spot, 143 00:07:47,400 --> 00:07:51,920 Speaker 3: went to the airplane hangar, thirty sandwiches were delivered, and 144 00:07:51,960 --> 00:07:56,280 Speaker 3: then they just crushed them with champagne and then flew 145 00:07:56,520 --> 00:08:01,960 Speaker 3: back to back to Emphis. And I crunched the numbers 146 00:08:02,000 --> 00:08:04,320 Speaker 3: on this. I believe those thirty sandwiches had a quarter 147 00:08:04,360 --> 00:08:05,600 Speaker 3: million calories in them. 148 00:08:06,400 --> 00:08:09,960 Speaker 1: Wow, and they were they were what like fifty bucks 149 00:08:10,000 --> 00:08:11,400 Speaker 1: at pop back then. 150 00:08:11,800 --> 00:08:15,040 Speaker 3: I know, well, in fact, you're in the cost of transport. 151 00:08:15,280 --> 00:08:17,520 Speaker 1: Oh yeah, yeah, also the gas and the plane and 152 00:08:17,560 --> 00:08:20,520 Speaker 1: the pilot. And I get to ask this some more 153 00:08:20,600 --> 00:08:26,200 Speaker 1: abstract question for us, but do you think that Elvis 154 00:08:26,240 --> 00:08:30,800 Speaker 1: Presley was happy during this time. I know, it's a 155 00:08:30,840 --> 00:08:31,640 Speaker 1: tough one to call. 156 00:08:32,120 --> 00:08:36,920 Speaker 3: I I mean there's two answers to that. He this 157 00:08:37,000 --> 00:08:38,720 Speaker 3: is gonna come out wrong, and I mean this in 158 00:08:38,760 --> 00:08:43,320 Speaker 3: the nicest way. He he enjoyed simple things and it 159 00:08:43,400 --> 00:08:45,440 Speaker 3: made him really happy. I mean he loved and he 160 00:08:45,520 --> 00:08:48,080 Speaker 3: was like he was a goofball. He loved like Monty Python, 161 00:08:48,160 --> 00:08:50,559 Speaker 3: he loved like Peter Sellers and the Pink Panther movies 162 00:08:50,600 --> 00:08:53,720 Speaker 3: and Slapstick like same. Well, yeah, exactly, like he kind 163 00:08:53,720 --> 00:08:55,840 Speaker 3: of like there was there's some things are awesome, yeah, 164 00:08:55,920 --> 00:08:58,199 Speaker 3: like you like go karts and stuff, and he would 165 00:08:58,240 --> 00:09:00,080 Speaker 3: rent out like amusements, big. 166 00:09:00,320 --> 00:09:01,040 Speaker 1: Kid, right right. 167 00:09:01,120 --> 00:09:03,560 Speaker 2: Yeah, he was almost at a state of arrested development. 168 00:09:03,600 --> 00:09:05,240 Speaker 2: I mean yeah, And he got to wonder if any 169 00:09:05,280 --> 00:09:07,160 Speaker 2: of that had to do with the loss of his 170 00:09:07,520 --> 00:09:11,160 Speaker 2: twin brother and the fact that his mother was such 171 00:09:11,200 --> 00:09:15,680 Speaker 2: a struggled with that loss throughout his childhood, and he 172 00:09:15,800 --> 00:09:19,160 Speaker 2: probably wanted to relive that childhood and have a brother 173 00:09:19,240 --> 00:09:23,600 Speaker 2: and have be surrounded by you know, brother like friends 174 00:09:23,679 --> 00:09:23,959 Speaker 2: kind of. 175 00:09:24,000 --> 00:09:26,240 Speaker 3: I don't know, there's a lot of parallels between I 176 00:09:26,240 --> 00:09:28,120 Speaker 3: was gonna say, yeah with Michael Jackson, Yeah, which is 177 00:09:28,160 --> 00:09:32,080 Speaker 3: so weird that his Elvis's daughter, Lisa Marie married Michael Jackson, 178 00:09:32,640 --> 00:09:34,600 Speaker 3: and you know, and everybody was like, what, that's a 179 00:09:34,640 --> 00:09:37,040 Speaker 3: strange pairing, But in a way, it almost makes sense. 180 00:09:37,280 --> 00:09:42,200 Speaker 1: He would she would be familiar with perhaps certain personality traits. 181 00:09:42,280 --> 00:09:47,920 Speaker 2: Yeah. Yeah, But I. 182 00:09:46,360 --> 00:09:51,480 Speaker 3: I think that his world was very He was not 183 00:09:51,600 --> 00:09:53,560 Speaker 3: in control, and I think he knew that, and so 184 00:09:53,720 --> 00:09:55,800 Speaker 3: he made his world when he wasn't forced to be 185 00:09:55,840 --> 00:09:59,520 Speaker 3: on stage very small. He really for the most of 186 00:09:59,520 --> 00:10:02,480 Speaker 3: the day life hours and most of the evening hours too, 187 00:10:02,480 --> 00:10:06,520 Speaker 3: he stayed in his the upstairs. The ground floor at 188 00:10:06,520 --> 00:10:09,160 Speaker 3: Graceland was like the communal party zone. There was the 189 00:10:09,200 --> 00:10:12,120 Speaker 3: media room, the pool room, there was you know, places 190 00:10:12,160 --> 00:10:16,000 Speaker 3: wherebody could hang out. But upstairs was famously extremely off limits, 191 00:10:16,000 --> 00:10:16,240 Speaker 3: and that. 192 00:10:16,240 --> 00:10:18,560 Speaker 2: Was it was only for the family. 193 00:10:18,760 --> 00:10:19,000 Speaker 3: Yeah. 194 00:10:19,280 --> 00:10:21,120 Speaker 2: They mentioned that in the episode of Paradise that I 195 00:10:21,160 --> 00:10:21,600 Speaker 2: was right. 196 00:10:21,679 --> 00:10:24,760 Speaker 3: Yeah, I mean, like to this day, there's no photos 197 00:10:24,880 --> 00:10:26,960 Speaker 3: that have been taken up there since after he died, 198 00:10:27,000 --> 00:10:28,960 Speaker 3: and the ones that the few photos that do exist 199 00:10:29,120 --> 00:10:31,600 Speaker 3: up there are just like, you know, maybe half a 200 00:10:31,600 --> 00:10:34,280 Speaker 3: dozen of them. It was extremely private, and he had 201 00:10:35,120 --> 00:10:38,719 Speaker 3: his private quarters up there, and he mostly stayed up 202 00:10:38,760 --> 00:10:43,679 Speaker 3: there and watched movies in bed and hung out. He 203 00:10:43,720 --> 00:10:46,640 Speaker 3: had an office up there too, And but yeah, him 204 00:10:46,679 --> 00:10:49,520 Speaker 3: and Lisa Marie, or not Lisa Marie, he and his 205 00:10:49,559 --> 00:10:52,600 Speaker 3: wife Priscilla, and then later when when they left, he 206 00:10:52,640 --> 00:10:56,520 Speaker 3: had a few girlfriends, Linda Thompson and a few others. 207 00:10:57,920 --> 00:11:03,080 Speaker 3: They recall him mostly kind of keeping to himself up there, 208 00:11:03,120 --> 00:11:05,439 Speaker 3: I think because it was the only place he probably 209 00:11:05,440 --> 00:11:07,960 Speaker 3: felt in control. I think in there he was probably 210 00:11:08,000 --> 00:11:10,120 Speaker 3: happy because I don't think it took much to make 211 00:11:10,200 --> 00:11:13,600 Speaker 3: him happy. But I think feeling the responsibility he mentioned, 212 00:11:13,640 --> 00:11:15,160 Speaker 3: you know, the Memphis Mafia and all the people on 213 00:11:15,200 --> 00:11:17,440 Speaker 3: the payroll, he was very aware that he had a 214 00:11:17,480 --> 00:11:21,559 Speaker 3: small business to support just by being himself, and if 215 00:11:21,559 --> 00:11:23,400 Speaker 3: he didn't get out there and do it and hit 216 00:11:23,440 --> 00:11:25,720 Speaker 3: his marks, it would all stop. And it wasn't just 217 00:11:25,760 --> 00:11:28,480 Speaker 3: people depending on him, it was family depending on him. 218 00:11:28,960 --> 00:11:32,640 Speaker 1: Yeah, that's a great point. Also, one other point you 219 00:11:32,760 --> 00:11:36,120 Speaker 1: hit there, Jordan, that might be familiar to a lot 220 00:11:36,120 --> 00:11:39,120 Speaker 1: of folks in the audience is when you're at that 221 00:11:39,280 --> 00:11:44,000 Speaker 1: level of the public, public imagery, or being a public figure, 222 00:11:44,520 --> 00:11:48,360 Speaker 1: one of the most precious and finite resources you will 223 00:11:48,400 --> 00:11:51,880 Speaker 1: ever have is solitude. Is just being alone so I 224 00:11:51,920 --> 00:11:56,320 Speaker 1: could totally see him, you know, I could see him 225 00:11:56,440 --> 00:11:59,959 Speaker 1: kicking it in front of the TV with a banana, 226 00:12:00,120 --> 00:12:04,120 Speaker 1: peanut butter or sandwich and watch and seeing the phone ring, 227 00:12:04,920 --> 00:12:08,560 Speaker 1: and then just turning up the television just for like 228 00:12:08,760 --> 00:12:12,439 Speaker 1: a night, right, just to get away. There's something scary 229 00:12:12,480 --> 00:12:16,560 Speaker 1: about that, because again I think the Michael Jackson Elvis 230 00:12:16,600 --> 00:12:21,680 Speaker 1: Presley comparison is spot on. I was not aware until 231 00:12:21,760 --> 00:12:24,920 Speaker 1: we started looking at some of your research together that 232 00:12:25,200 --> 00:12:31,000 Speaker 1: just like Michael Jackson, Elvis Presley bonded with another primate. 233 00:12:32,240 --> 00:12:34,680 Speaker 1: Could you tell us a little bit about what's this 234 00:12:34,720 --> 00:12:38,960 Speaker 1: guy's name? Scattered? Scattered? Scatter? Okay, this is a true story. 235 00:12:45,640 --> 00:12:47,680 Speaker 3: This is a true story, and a pet champanzee named 236 00:12:47,720 --> 00:12:54,360 Speaker 3: Scatter who reportedly drank alcohol, destroyed hotel rooms, bit unsuspecting people. 237 00:12:54,520 --> 00:12:56,520 Speaker 1: So that's our Keith Moon, Yeah right, yes. 238 00:12:56,600 --> 00:12:59,319 Speaker 3: And he also had a habit of yanking down women's skirts, 239 00:12:59,360 --> 00:13:01,679 Speaker 3: which with sure Elvis was was charmed by. 240 00:13:02,040 --> 00:13:03,120 Speaker 1: H fit right in. 241 00:13:03,160 --> 00:13:05,760 Speaker 3: But Elvis is you know, the Memphis Mafia, and Scatter 242 00:13:05,800 --> 00:13:08,480 Speaker 3: he would he would announce himself with an ear splitting 243 00:13:08,600 --> 00:13:11,920 Speaker 3: woo whenever he walked into rooms, and he would just 244 00:13:12,120 --> 00:13:17,040 Speaker 3: terrorize visitors with these unpredictable, violent outbursts. And probably the 245 00:13:17,080 --> 00:13:22,120 Speaker 3: most famous incident was Scattered was when he escaped and 246 00:13:22,760 --> 00:13:25,160 Speaker 3: found his way into he was. I guess it was 247 00:13:25,400 --> 00:13:27,920 Speaker 3: in Elvis's movie period in the sixties when he was 248 00:13:27,920 --> 00:13:30,680 Speaker 3: making a lot of movies in Hollywood, and he wandered 249 00:13:30,720 --> 00:13:34,360 Speaker 3: into the office of legendary film producer Samuel Goldwyn at 250 00:13:34,480 --> 00:13:35,560 Speaker 3: MGM and. 251 00:13:35,600 --> 00:13:37,280 Speaker 1: Just tore the office apart. 252 00:13:37,800 --> 00:13:41,480 Speaker 3: That's like wandering into like Steven Spielberg's office like that insane, 253 00:13:41,640 --> 00:13:43,880 Speaker 3: like of all the rooms to and I guess security 254 00:13:43,920 --> 00:13:47,280 Speaker 3: interviewed and escorted him out. But yeah, Elvis, he treated 255 00:13:47,360 --> 00:13:50,960 Speaker 3: him less like a pet and more like a mischievous roommate. 256 00:13:51,040 --> 00:13:54,199 Speaker 1: He referred to him here, I don't know, I love 257 00:13:54,280 --> 00:13:54,760 Speaker 1: this so much. 258 00:13:54,760 --> 00:13:57,840 Speaker 3: He referred to him as a quote coconut headed little 259 00:13:57,920 --> 00:14:04,760 Speaker 3: motherfucker since which is beautiful. And but nobody else at 260 00:14:04,880 --> 00:14:08,160 Speaker 3: the house. Both the entourage and the staff of Graceland 261 00:14:08,679 --> 00:14:13,160 Speaker 3: appreciated Scatters antics uh. Everybody else hated him, yes, and 262 00:14:13,200 --> 00:14:16,520 Speaker 3: they eventually they banished him to the outside. Elvis had 263 00:14:16,559 --> 00:14:19,680 Speaker 3: to build a special little climate controlled building where Scatter 264 00:14:19,840 --> 00:14:22,080 Speaker 3: was kept. And Elvis he loved hanging out with him. 265 00:14:22,240 --> 00:14:25,000 Speaker 3: He liked to dress Elvis. He Elvis liked to dress 266 00:14:25,240 --> 00:14:29,400 Speaker 3: the chimp in human style outfits, and then he like 267 00:14:29,480 --> 00:14:31,040 Speaker 3: he had you, would do this prank where he would 268 00:14:31,080 --> 00:14:34,040 Speaker 3: stop at traffic lights and duck and make it appear 269 00:14:34,120 --> 00:14:37,400 Speaker 3: that Scattered the monkey was driving this car by himself, 270 00:14:37,640 --> 00:14:40,160 Speaker 3: and he just thought it was. He was endlessly entertained 271 00:14:40,160 --> 00:14:40,560 Speaker 3: by this. 272 00:14:41,040 --> 00:14:44,200 Speaker 2: But make me think of that that Monkey Trucker movie. 273 00:14:44,360 --> 00:14:49,720 Speaker 2: Every which way at least with that. Yeah, yeah, there's 274 00:14:49,760 --> 00:14:54,000 Speaker 2: a golden time for pet primates and weird Michael Jackson, 275 00:14:54,360 --> 00:14:56,880 Speaker 2: also primate owner. 276 00:14:57,520 --> 00:15:00,440 Speaker 3: You're right, though, this staff really did not like Scatter, 277 00:15:00,600 --> 00:15:06,080 Speaker 3: and Scatter's life ended under mysterious circumstances. According to multiple 278 00:15:06,160 --> 00:15:11,080 Speaker 3: stories from Elvis insiders, there's a belief that the chimp 279 00:15:11,240 --> 00:15:14,520 Speaker 3: was poisoned after biting a Graceland made. 280 00:15:14,640 --> 00:15:17,560 Speaker 1: Oh another conspiracy. 281 00:15:18,120 --> 00:15:21,000 Speaker 3: Elvis's cousin Billy Smith, later said, we always thought she 282 00:15:21,120 --> 00:15:23,760 Speaker 3: poisoned him, and it wouldn't surprise me because not long 283 00:15:23,840 --> 00:15:27,320 Speaker 3: after that, after this attack, the monkey came up dead. 284 00:15:27,560 --> 00:15:31,520 Speaker 1: And we've got oh man, we've got to also talk 285 00:15:31,560 --> 00:15:37,080 Speaker 1: about the high drama that Elvis, Elvis almost got involved 286 00:15:37,280 --> 00:15:42,120 Speaker 1: with the man himself is now known as being a 287 00:15:42,160 --> 00:15:46,560 Speaker 1: phenomenal pop icon. But Jordan, as you were telling us 288 00:15:46,600 --> 00:15:51,640 Speaker 1: earlier off air, Elvis Presley almost became a star of 289 00:15:51,920 --> 00:15:53,160 Speaker 1: musicals as well. 290 00:15:53,720 --> 00:15:55,560 Speaker 2: Yeah, he a lot of. 291 00:15:55,520 --> 00:15:59,560 Speaker 3: Film projects got filtered through the Colonel, and the Colonel, 292 00:15:59,600 --> 00:16:03,080 Speaker 3: as we said earlier, had questionable taste. And they initially 293 00:16:03,280 --> 00:16:06,960 Speaker 3: went to Elvis to play the role of Tony in 294 00:16:07,040 --> 00:16:10,720 Speaker 3: West Side Story, and they ended up turning it down. 295 00:16:11,840 --> 00:16:16,760 Speaker 3: And then years later Barbara streisand really really wanted him 296 00:16:16,800 --> 00:16:18,920 Speaker 3: to be the lead in her version of A Star. 297 00:16:18,800 --> 00:16:23,480 Speaker 1: Is Born Barbara streisand yeah, of Yentl. 298 00:16:23,600 --> 00:16:28,320 Speaker 3: The one and only, And yeah, once again, I think 299 00:16:28,360 --> 00:16:30,920 Speaker 3: he was just sort of talked out of doing it. 300 00:16:30,440 --> 00:16:34,560 Speaker 1: By the Colonel, who was a baby Wow. Okay, so 301 00:16:33,840 --> 00:16:39,120 Speaker 1: we know that he could have been in more better movies. 302 00:16:39,280 --> 00:16:41,000 Speaker 3: He was in thirty one movies. And they're all bad. 303 00:16:41,520 --> 00:16:45,440 Speaker 1: Okay, wait, wait, wait, what's the worst one in your opinion? 304 00:16:45,520 --> 00:16:47,600 Speaker 1: In your opinion and we will quote this later. 305 00:16:48,160 --> 00:16:50,600 Speaker 3: I mean I haven't seen them all because I'm not 306 00:16:50,680 --> 00:16:52,720 Speaker 3: that much of a masochist. I mean this one called 307 00:16:52,760 --> 00:16:54,600 Speaker 3: Kissing Cousins, which is pretty bad. 308 00:16:55,880 --> 00:16:58,920 Speaker 1: Wait, thirty one and they're seriously, they're all clunkers. 309 00:16:59,320 --> 00:17:02,200 Speaker 3: Some of the early one's like King Creole's okay, Blue 310 00:17:02,240 --> 00:17:06,600 Speaker 3: Hawaii's okay. There's one where he's a race car driver, 311 00:17:06,760 --> 00:17:11,800 Speaker 3: which like kind of sucks. Let's see one called clam Bake, 312 00:17:11,840 --> 00:17:15,800 Speaker 3: which is really I mean just the names alone. Let's 313 00:17:15,800 --> 00:17:17,720 Speaker 3: sell the one where Elvis he there's one called I 314 00:17:17,720 --> 00:17:20,439 Speaker 3: think it's called Stay Away Joe where he plays a 315 00:17:20,520 --> 00:17:23,120 Speaker 3: Navajo man in brown face. That's pretty bad. 316 00:17:23,240 --> 00:17:28,280 Speaker 1: Oh dear, that's great. That's not great, Elvis. We also 317 00:17:28,800 --> 00:17:33,320 Speaker 1: we can dispel one common myth about Elvis while we're 318 00:17:33,359 --> 00:17:34,840 Speaker 1: while we're looking into this stuff. 319 00:17:35,119 --> 00:17:35,320 Speaker 2: Uh. 320 00:17:35,520 --> 00:17:40,760 Speaker 1: Similar to characters like Abraham Lincoln, Elvis has often been 321 00:17:41,680 --> 00:17:45,760 Speaker 1: alleged to be a malungeon. Uh. And that's just something 322 00:17:46,080 --> 00:17:49,480 Speaker 1: that's a trib racial isolate out at Tennessee, and it's 323 00:17:49,520 --> 00:17:54,280 Speaker 1: something that pops up inevitably when people talk about his genealogy. 324 00:17:54,359 --> 00:17:58,080 Speaker 1: But as we know, there's not really any proof of that, right, Jordan, 325 00:17:58,240 --> 00:18:01,399 Speaker 1: I'm not that I'm aware of. Oh okay, okay, just 326 00:18:01,440 --> 00:18:05,240 Speaker 1: dispelling that one while we're while we're on the way. 327 00:18:05,560 --> 00:18:07,800 Speaker 1: We've got to get talked about the cars eventually, but 328 00:18:07,920 --> 00:18:11,439 Speaker 1: before we do eddy of that, we should emphasize that 329 00:18:11,560 --> 00:18:15,400 Speaker 1: Elvis also saw himself as a fan of law and order. 330 00:18:15,720 --> 00:18:21,000 Speaker 1: Despite his chaotic shenanigans, he really wanted to work for 331 00:18:21,040 --> 00:18:22,520 Speaker 1: the feds, right, Yeah. 332 00:18:22,600 --> 00:18:26,800 Speaker 3: He he had like an almost childlike interest in like 333 00:18:27,240 --> 00:18:31,680 Speaker 3: law enforcement, and because he liked the badges. Like like 334 00:18:31,680 --> 00:18:33,479 Speaker 3: when I was a kid, I wanted to join boy Scouts, 335 00:18:33,520 --> 00:18:35,280 Speaker 3: not because I gave a shit about like camping, but 336 00:18:35,320 --> 00:18:39,200 Speaker 3: because I like the uniform. That's basically Elvis's whole take 337 00:18:39,560 --> 00:18:42,520 Speaker 3: on cops. Like he loved cops. Wherever he went. He 338 00:18:42,520 --> 00:18:45,320 Speaker 3: would like, you know, the security guards and stuff. He 339 00:18:45,320 --> 00:18:48,080 Speaker 3: would talk to them. He would give you know, all 340 00:18:48,119 --> 00:18:52,560 Speaker 3: the cops in Memphis, like huge bonuses every year, and 341 00:18:53,400 --> 00:18:57,640 Speaker 3: he made a habit of like collecting just badges from 342 00:18:57,680 --> 00:19:02,560 Speaker 3: different police precincts whenever he was on tour and this 343 00:19:02,560 --> 00:19:03,440 Speaker 3: this hobby eats. 344 00:19:03,880 --> 00:19:04,160 Speaker 1: Yeah. 345 00:19:04,200 --> 00:19:06,400 Speaker 2: He was a really blue Lives Matter kind of kid. 346 00:19:06,640 --> 00:19:07,320 Speaker 1: Yeah. 347 00:19:07,400 --> 00:19:11,239 Speaker 3: Yeah, but it came from definitely like a like, oh 348 00:19:11,320 --> 00:19:13,080 Speaker 3: they were the good guys, like kind of right, that's 349 00:19:13,080 --> 00:19:14,200 Speaker 3: what I'm melistic. 350 00:19:14,440 --> 00:19:16,000 Speaker 1: Yeah, it was a law enforcement yea. 351 00:19:16,040 --> 00:19:19,040 Speaker 2: Yeah, No, I'm only bringing that up as a as 352 00:19:19,080 --> 00:19:21,639 Speaker 2: a more you know, modern touch point for that kind 353 00:19:21,680 --> 00:19:25,480 Speaker 2: of thing. But he certainly wasn't about a pression or 354 00:19:25,520 --> 00:19:28,840 Speaker 2: any kind of negative aspects of law enforcement. He just 355 00:19:29,080 --> 00:19:33,960 Speaker 2: he just thought the policemen were like like eternal. 356 00:19:33,560 --> 00:19:36,960 Speaker 1: Career day kid getting excited when the fire truck comes 357 00:19:37,000 --> 00:19:39,520 Speaker 1: to the school, yes, right, clapping his hands. 358 00:19:39,680 --> 00:19:44,480 Speaker 3: Yeah, And so this this kind of escalated to you know, 359 00:19:44,600 --> 00:19:49,760 Speaker 3: it's a logical conclusion. By in nineteen seventy when he 360 00:19:49,840 --> 00:19:54,480 Speaker 3: met then President Richard Nixon in the Oval Office and H. L. 361 00:19:55,200 --> 00:20:01,280 Speaker 3: Nixon gave him a sort of semi fictitious narcotics badge. 362 00:20:01,800 --> 00:20:03,679 Speaker 2: That's what I'm thinking. Yeah, I remember that that was 363 00:20:03,720 --> 00:20:06,160 Speaker 2: sort of a bit of a pr stunt. 364 00:20:06,280 --> 00:20:08,720 Speaker 3: Oh, but it is the most requested image in the 365 00:20:08,840 --> 00:20:12,760 Speaker 3: National Archives. Did you know that of Elvis and Nixon 366 00:20:12,840 --> 00:20:15,479 Speaker 3: shaking hands. It is one of the most sere I mean, 367 00:20:15,520 --> 00:20:18,120 Speaker 3: I understandably, so it's one of the most surreal images 368 00:20:18,160 --> 00:20:21,480 Speaker 3: I've ever seen. And Elvis took the opportunity, which always 369 00:20:21,520 --> 00:20:24,119 Speaker 3: made me really sad as a Beatles fan, to he 370 00:20:24,240 --> 00:20:26,080 Speaker 3: talks to Nixon about, you know, you got to do 371 00:20:26,119 --> 00:20:28,400 Speaker 3: something about those Beatles. They're bad for the American youth. 372 00:20:28,560 --> 00:20:33,040 Speaker 3: They're taking drugs and which well when when those because 373 00:20:33,119 --> 00:20:36,080 Speaker 3: you know, Nixon quite famously had everything in the Oval 374 00:20:36,080 --> 00:20:38,639 Speaker 3: office taped, and when those tapes came out and the 375 00:20:38,680 --> 00:20:41,159 Speaker 3: Beatles heard it, they were really hurt because they were 376 00:20:41,240 --> 00:20:46,240 Speaker 3: huge Elvis fans. But uh, yeah, there was a movie 377 00:20:46,280 --> 00:20:48,560 Speaker 3: made a couple of years ago with Michael Shannon as 378 00:20:48,640 --> 00:20:51,440 Speaker 3: Elvis and I forget who played Nixon. But about this 379 00:20:51,880 --> 00:20:53,720 Speaker 3: truly bizarre meeting at the White. 380 00:20:53,480 --> 00:20:58,040 Speaker 1: House, right, Yeah, it's like a mockumentary style. Yeah, correct, Yeah, 381 00:20:58,240 --> 00:21:01,080 Speaker 1: I think a lot of us have been fascinated by 382 00:21:01,240 --> 00:21:05,200 Speaker 1: the Elvis meets Nixon's story. Like you said, I did 383 00:21:05,200 --> 00:21:07,920 Speaker 1: not know it was the most requested image in the archives, 384 00:21:07,960 --> 00:21:12,400 Speaker 1: but it seems like it's his I Love your Boy 385 00:21:12,440 --> 00:21:15,439 Speaker 1: Scout comparison, because it seems like it's the ultimate merit 386 00:21:15,480 --> 00:21:19,200 Speaker 1: badge for him. He wanted to be the he wanted 387 00:21:19,200 --> 00:21:22,240 Speaker 1: to be in the Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs, 388 00:21:22,640 --> 00:21:25,560 Speaker 1: but he didn't really seem to understand what that meant. 389 00:21:26,119 --> 00:21:29,159 Speaker 3: Yeah or maybe yeah, maybe he just thought that he 390 00:21:29,200 --> 00:21:30,560 Speaker 3: could get free drugs from doing that. 391 00:21:30,600 --> 00:21:31,000 Speaker 2: I don't know. 392 00:21:31,080 --> 00:21:32,720 Speaker 3: I yeah, it was truly a. 393 00:21:33,119 --> 00:21:35,800 Speaker 2: That is kind of funny. How hot for law enforcement. 394 00:21:35,880 --> 00:21:39,639 Speaker 2: He was considering what an illicit drug user he was. 395 00:21:41,119 --> 00:21:44,280 Speaker 1: I'm just I'm looking at this great Smithsonian article from 396 00:21:44,320 --> 00:21:48,440 Speaker 1: a while back by the journalist Peter Carlson, who who 397 00:21:48,560 --> 00:21:53,160 Speaker 1: outlines sort of the the way the meeting came together 398 00:21:53,560 --> 00:21:58,400 Speaker 1: and the idea that Priscilla Presley in her memoir Elvis 399 00:21:58,400 --> 00:22:02,920 Speaker 1: and Me says, Elvis thought that if he got this 400 00:22:03,320 --> 00:22:08,200 Speaker 1: titular badge, he could legally enter any country with guns 401 00:22:08,280 --> 00:22:10,119 Speaker 1: and carrying any drugs he wished. 402 00:22:11,880 --> 00:22:13,880 Speaker 2: I didn't realize that immunity. 403 00:22:14,520 --> 00:22:17,159 Speaker 1: I did not know that was part of the rational 404 00:22:17,320 --> 00:22:19,600 Speaker 1: abstracted you know what I mean. 405 00:22:20,640 --> 00:22:25,920 Speaker 2: That's hilarious. That makes a lot of sense. Honest, I 406 00:22:25,960 --> 00:22:28,480 Speaker 2: would have thought that his naivety would have stood in 407 00:22:28,480 --> 00:22:30,120 Speaker 2: the way making that kind of connection. 408 00:22:30,600 --> 00:22:33,920 Speaker 1: So that's it's bizarre. But it is also, I think 409 00:22:34,080 --> 00:22:38,119 Speaker 1: telling that the president of the United States at that 410 00:22:38,160 --> 00:22:41,360 Speaker 1: point in history, the most dangerous guy on the planet, 411 00:22:41,760 --> 00:22:45,000 Speaker 1: was was like, oh, well, I don't work for the 412 00:22:45,160 --> 00:22:49,080 Speaker 1: good of marriage. What what do we got? What we 413 00:22:49,160 --> 00:22:51,840 Speaker 1: what do we got? And we could give this one. 414 00:22:57,400 --> 00:23:01,479 Speaker 1: I don't know if we still have musicians who were 415 00:23:01,640 --> 00:23:08,120 Speaker 1: at that level of impact right or of influence, but. 416 00:23:09,000 --> 00:23:11,280 Speaker 2: Well, we certainly have heard stories of even like Snoop 417 00:23:11,280 --> 00:23:13,640 Speaker 2: Dogg getting in trouble for having weed in the netherwise, 418 00:23:13,720 --> 00:23:17,080 Speaker 2: you know, I mean, like definitely, yeah, I couldn't. I 419 00:23:17,080 --> 00:23:18,960 Speaker 2: couldn't name one. I mean, he's about as big of 420 00:23:18,960 --> 00:23:19,840 Speaker 2: a star as they come. 421 00:23:20,800 --> 00:23:22,320 Speaker 1: Snoo I didn't have the badge. 422 00:23:22,480 --> 00:23:25,080 Speaker 2: He didn't have the badge, that's true. I would love 423 00:23:25,160 --> 00:23:28,320 Speaker 2: to pivot really quickly to a piece of news that 424 00:23:28,400 --> 00:23:30,960 Speaker 2: came out recently that we actually talked about on our 425 00:23:30,960 --> 00:23:34,720 Speaker 2: sister show Stuff They Don't Want you to Know. Elvis 426 00:23:34,880 --> 00:23:40,400 Speaker 2: in the seventies had this dude named Jay Orberg customize 427 00:23:40,440 --> 00:23:42,480 Speaker 2: a Cadillac for him to make it look like a 428 00:23:42,560 --> 00:23:48,159 Speaker 2: giant rolling guitar and the most non functional, kind of 429 00:23:48,240 --> 00:23:51,359 Speaker 2: absurd sort of custom job you could imagine, and that 430 00:23:51,480 --> 00:23:57,119 Speaker 2: has recently made its way back to the States in 431 00:23:57,480 --> 00:24:01,119 Speaker 2: Desertland Park, Orlando. It's going to under that unveil the 432 00:24:01,160 --> 00:24:06,080 Speaker 2: car recently for public consumption or for public viewing before 433 00:24:06,400 --> 00:24:10,520 Speaker 2: undertaking a massive restoration project that guests are going to 434 00:24:10,560 --> 00:24:14,080 Speaker 2: be able to actually watch unfold inside of the Orlando 435 00:24:14,240 --> 00:24:17,480 Speaker 2: Auto Museum. Do you know about this? This bizarre vehicle 436 00:24:18,080 --> 00:24:20,359 Speaker 2: looks more like a parade float than a car you drive. 437 00:24:20,720 --> 00:24:23,120 Speaker 3: I didn't until just this moment and I just googled 438 00:24:23,119 --> 00:24:26,520 Speaker 3: it and it's forty one feet walls its. 439 00:24:28,160 --> 00:24:30,440 Speaker 1: World is this? This is crazy? 440 00:24:31,600 --> 00:24:34,120 Speaker 3: I know, how how would you drive this? 441 00:24:34,200 --> 00:24:37,200 Speaker 2: Because guess the thing? Yeah, it's it's it's literally something 442 00:24:37,200 --> 00:24:41,080 Speaker 2: I think he would drive around Graceland like as a like, 443 00:24:41,200 --> 00:24:43,560 Speaker 2: look at me kind of situation. But I don't know 444 00:24:43,600 --> 00:24:46,560 Speaker 2: that it was particularly practical to take, you know, to 445 00:24:46,600 --> 00:24:51,560 Speaker 2: take on road trips. But it is valued currently, even 446 00:24:51,560 --> 00:24:54,760 Speaker 2: in its current state, at more than two hundred million 447 00:24:54,840 --> 00:24:58,960 Speaker 2: dollars in this company. Yeah, this museum. I think it's 448 00:24:59,080 --> 00:25:03,600 Speaker 2: the most valuable piece in their collection that includes cars 449 00:25:04,040 --> 00:25:06,679 Speaker 2: from like James Bond films and Batman and like you 450 00:25:06,720 --> 00:25:09,160 Speaker 2: know film franchises like The Fast and the Furious. 451 00:25:09,800 --> 00:25:13,760 Speaker 3: That's wild. I mean, if for no other reason that 452 00:25:14,440 --> 00:25:17,320 Speaker 3: I don't know it as being a particularly special part 453 00:25:17,359 --> 00:25:19,399 Speaker 3: of Elvis lore. I mean because he's you know, the 454 00:25:19,440 --> 00:25:21,080 Speaker 3: whole pink Cadillac thing is. 455 00:25:21,000 --> 00:25:23,119 Speaker 1: A big part of his shooting cars. 456 00:25:23,480 --> 00:25:26,040 Speaker 3: Shooting cars. Yeah, there's a story where he was having 457 00:25:26,040 --> 00:25:28,160 Speaker 3: a fight with his girlfriend at the time, Linda Thompson, 458 00:25:28,600 --> 00:25:31,560 Speaker 3: and he wanted to get in his car and dramatically 459 00:25:31,600 --> 00:25:34,880 Speaker 3: like peel out but it's stalled out in the out 460 00:25:34,960 --> 00:25:37,560 Speaker 3: of her and he was so mad that he just 461 00:25:37,600 --> 00:25:38,440 Speaker 3: shot the car. 462 00:25:39,680 --> 00:25:43,040 Speaker 1: That reminds me of Mitch Hedberg's joke where he got 463 00:25:43,080 --> 00:25:46,000 Speaker 1: mad at his girlfriend while they were camping. He was 464 00:25:46,040 --> 00:25:47,960 Speaker 1: in a tent and he was trying to figure out 465 00:25:47,960 --> 00:25:50,440 Speaker 1: how to zip it up angrily, you know what I mean. 466 00:25:50,960 --> 00:25:56,439 Speaker 1: So eventually, Okay, So Elvis, who was always strapped apparently 467 00:25:56,640 --> 00:26:02,240 Speaker 1: like Danny DeVito and always Sonny, he made to shoot 468 00:26:02,280 --> 00:26:05,440 Speaker 1: his car. He never he never got arrested for any 469 00:26:05,840 --> 00:26:10,000 Speaker 1: firearm related offenses that I don't believe. 470 00:26:10,240 --> 00:26:13,959 Speaker 3: I know Elvis in cars, he had a special relationship 471 00:26:13,960 --> 00:26:16,800 Speaker 3: with cars he bought. I believe in the Graceland records 472 00:26:18,400 --> 00:26:20,920 Speaker 3: they indicate that he purchased over two hundred of them 473 00:26:20,960 --> 00:26:23,399 Speaker 3: in his lifetime, and he gave most of them away 474 00:26:24,440 --> 00:26:28,439 Speaker 3: because I think for him it was the ultimate status symbol. 475 00:26:28,520 --> 00:26:30,640 Speaker 3: And there was a story it's really kind of sad, 476 00:26:30,720 --> 00:26:33,320 Speaker 3: like he was a truck driver in Tupelo, Mississippi, and 477 00:26:34,480 --> 00:26:36,520 Speaker 3: he'd pass all these shiny cars when he was driving 478 00:26:36,560 --> 00:26:39,359 Speaker 3: these big rigs, and he would, you know, dream about getting, 479 00:26:39,800 --> 00:26:41,879 Speaker 3: you know, a nice car. And when he first got 480 00:26:41,920 --> 00:26:43,440 Speaker 3: a little bit of money when he was on Sun 481 00:26:43,560 --> 00:26:46,400 Speaker 3: Records prior to going to RCA. When he was first 482 00:26:46,400 --> 00:26:48,680 Speaker 3: starting out, one of the first big purchase he made 483 00:26:48,840 --> 00:26:51,879 Speaker 3: was his car, and it was was secondhand, but he 484 00:26:52,040 --> 00:26:54,000 Speaker 3: really loved it, and he parked it outside of the 485 00:26:54,040 --> 00:26:56,280 Speaker 3: hotel he was in when he was on tour and 486 00:26:56,400 --> 00:26:58,760 Speaker 3: he just stared at it all night. He loved this thing. 487 00:26:59,280 --> 00:27:01,680 Speaker 3: And then the next caught fire and burned up on 488 00:27:01,800 --> 00:27:02,160 Speaker 3: the road. 489 00:27:02,480 --> 00:27:03,479 Speaker 2: Oh that's terrible. 490 00:27:03,600 --> 00:27:05,280 Speaker 3: And he later said, I got a lot of cars, 491 00:27:05,359 --> 00:27:07,440 Speaker 3: when none will ever take the place of that first one. 492 00:27:07,560 --> 00:27:10,240 Speaker 1: Which of the one car you can't get despite the 493 00:27:10,320 --> 00:27:11,280 Speaker 1: amount of money you have. 494 00:27:11,560 --> 00:27:13,920 Speaker 2: Yeah, well yeah, And as we're wrapping up, I'd love 495 00:27:14,000 --> 00:27:16,879 Speaker 2: to kind of maybe go back to his roots and 496 00:27:17,440 --> 00:27:20,720 Speaker 2: then trace back to his end, the end of his life. 497 00:27:21,520 --> 00:27:25,080 Speaker 2: You know, he he did grow up in poverty, He 498 00:27:25,800 --> 00:27:28,639 Speaker 2: did grow up around all these incredible black musicians that 499 00:27:28,640 --> 00:27:31,160 Speaker 2: he was influenced by. He got his first guitar as 500 00:27:31,200 --> 00:27:35,119 Speaker 2: a gift when he was very very young, and he 501 00:27:37,320 --> 00:27:42,440 Speaker 2: didn't pass away with a particularly high net worth, which 502 00:27:42,560 --> 00:27:45,680 Speaker 2: is interesting considering all of the stuff that you're talking about, 503 00:27:45,720 --> 00:27:48,000 Speaker 2: all the spending behavior, which is also very similar to 504 00:27:48,040 --> 00:27:53,000 Speaker 2: Michael Jackson's story. He was a voracious spender and he 505 00:27:53,359 --> 00:27:55,959 Speaker 2: died passed away in nineteen seventy seven with a net 506 00:27:56,040 --> 00:27:59,600 Speaker 2: worth only around five million dollars. And that was because 507 00:27:59,640 --> 00:28:03,080 Speaker 2: the eight was considered mega mega cash poor. It was 508 00:28:03,200 --> 00:28:07,560 Speaker 2: falling apart. He made all these really bad deals, specifically 509 00:28:07,600 --> 00:28:11,199 Speaker 2: and unfavorable fifty percent commission deal with the Colonel who 510 00:28:11,280 --> 00:28:15,480 Speaker 2: we've been talking about all this time, really really nuts normal, Yeah, yeah, 511 00:28:15,680 --> 00:28:20,840 Speaker 2: fifty percent, that's unheard of. With inflation adjustment, that would 512 00:28:20,840 --> 00:28:23,159 Speaker 2: put him in around twenty to twenty seven million in 513 00:28:23,160 --> 00:28:27,199 Speaker 2: today's standards. But this guy is like legendary, I mean, 514 00:28:27,240 --> 00:28:30,080 Speaker 2: probably one of the most famous musicians to ever live. 515 00:28:30,800 --> 00:28:34,240 Speaker 2: That's just seems absurd, unheard of to have to pass 516 00:28:34,240 --> 00:28:36,720 Speaker 2: away with that little And apparently a lot of it 517 00:28:36,800 --> 00:28:38,400 Speaker 2: too had to do with the fact that the estate 518 00:28:38,520 --> 00:28:42,800 Speaker 2: was crumbling physically and they were paying incredibly high taxes, 519 00:28:43,240 --> 00:28:46,360 Speaker 2: over seventy percent of the value going towards all these 520 00:28:46,440 --> 00:28:51,480 Speaker 2: taxes and fees. However, Priscilla did turn it around and 521 00:28:51,600 --> 00:28:54,960 Speaker 2: turn it into Graceland that we know and you know, 522 00:28:55,320 --> 00:28:58,320 Speaker 2: quite a popular attraction, and that was that a necessity. 523 00:28:58,360 --> 00:28:59,920 Speaker 1: I mean, they were going to lose that necessity. 524 00:29:00,120 --> 00:29:02,840 Speaker 3: It was their family home and they're still at certain 525 00:29:02,880 --> 00:29:05,960 Speaker 3: times a year, I think around Christmas, and they take 526 00:29:06,000 --> 00:29:08,200 Speaker 3: the plexiglass down, they take the vevelt ropes down, and 527 00:29:08,280 --> 00:29:10,960 Speaker 3: it becomes a family home again. And that's like and 528 00:29:11,080 --> 00:29:14,360 Speaker 3: the one spot and this has always fascinated me. The 529 00:29:14,480 --> 00:29:18,600 Speaker 3: downstairs museum, you know great tours, That was the public 530 00:29:18,720 --> 00:29:21,680 Speaker 3: part of the house where when Elvis was alive, that 531 00:29:21,800 --> 00:29:24,440 Speaker 3: was where people would hang out. The upstairs is. 532 00:29:24,560 --> 00:29:25,800 Speaker 1: Like a bank vault. 533 00:29:26,280 --> 00:29:27,080 Speaker 4: No one like. 534 00:29:27,200 --> 00:29:29,880 Speaker 3: It's truly like a really wonka like nobody ever goes in, 535 00:29:30,000 --> 00:29:33,400 Speaker 3: nobody ever goes out. And the story that the curators 536 00:29:33,440 --> 00:29:36,080 Speaker 3: say is that it is left exactly as it was 537 00:29:36,200 --> 00:29:39,120 Speaker 3: the day Elvis died. There's a styrofoam cup on a 538 00:29:39,200 --> 00:29:41,640 Speaker 3: counter where he left it. The record on his turntable 539 00:29:41,680 --> 00:29:43,680 Speaker 3: in his bedroom is the one he was listening to 540 00:29:44,040 --> 00:29:44,720 Speaker 3: when he died. 541 00:29:45,320 --> 00:29:46,600 Speaker 2: Is truly. 542 00:29:47,560 --> 00:29:50,320 Speaker 1: I wonder if they left any of his guns there. 543 00:29:50,640 --> 00:29:53,640 Speaker 1: Oh I'm sure no. Really, they go clean it. 544 00:29:53,680 --> 00:29:56,400 Speaker 3: And like the chalk in the pool table, like in 545 00:29:56,440 --> 00:29:58,440 Speaker 3: the little draw on the pool table, is the chalk 546 00:29:58,560 --> 00:30:01,960 Speaker 3: that was there when Elvis was live. They they were 547 00:30:02,160 --> 00:30:05,400 Speaker 3: cleaning some credenza or something in the jungle room. And 548 00:30:05,440 --> 00:30:07,440 Speaker 3: I want to say they found like a knife or something, 549 00:30:07,480 --> 00:30:10,520 Speaker 3: they found something strange in there, and they put it back. 550 00:30:11,120 --> 00:30:11,240 Speaker 4: You know. 551 00:30:11,360 --> 00:30:16,600 Speaker 3: Yeah, everything is left truly untouched. And they're like, no 552 00:30:16,720 --> 00:30:19,360 Speaker 3: one is allowed up there. They've had visiting dignitaries, they've 553 00:30:19,360 --> 00:30:21,880 Speaker 3: had presidents, they've had you know, foreign leaders, and of 554 00:30:21,920 --> 00:30:24,960 Speaker 3: course everyone wants to see, you know, Elvis's private course. 555 00:30:25,280 --> 00:30:28,000 Speaker 3: Nobody is allowed up that. The only person who was 556 00:30:28,080 --> 00:30:30,960 Speaker 3: not a member of Elvis's immediate family who did was 557 00:30:31,080 --> 00:30:33,920 Speaker 3: Nicholas Cage, who took the novel approach of marrying Lisa 558 00:30:33,960 --> 00:30:37,560 Speaker 3: Marie Presley few thousands and so he apparently went up 559 00:30:37,600 --> 00:30:39,840 Speaker 3: there and tried on one of Elvis's leather jackets and 560 00:30:40,080 --> 00:30:41,040 Speaker 3: sat at Elvis's bed. 561 00:30:41,360 --> 00:30:43,720 Speaker 2: Yeah, and it served as a symbol of his individuality 562 00:30:43,760 --> 00:30:47,000 Speaker 2: and his belief in personal freedom. Danny wild at heart 563 00:30:47,040 --> 00:30:50,640 Speaker 2: fans out there, that's what's yeah, Marry Elvis Codd in 564 00:30:50,680 --> 00:30:52,440 Speaker 2: that movie clearly was a big fan of the guy. 565 00:30:52,760 --> 00:30:57,040 Speaker 1: And this guy, Elvis Presley, lived such a life. He 566 00:30:57,160 --> 00:31:00,320 Speaker 1: did more in his forty two years than any other 567 00:31:00,400 --> 00:31:04,240 Speaker 1: people would do in one hundred or ninety one, depending 568 00:31:04,280 --> 00:31:07,320 Speaker 1: on what Elvis is up to today bringing that conspiracy back. 569 00:31:07,400 --> 00:31:09,360 Speaker 3: Maybe that's why they don't allow anyone up there. Maybe 570 00:31:09,400 --> 00:31:13,040 Speaker 3: he's still up there watching money Python and yeah, we've 571 00:31:13,040 --> 00:31:13,920 Speaker 3: got gold loaves. 572 00:31:14,240 --> 00:31:16,360 Speaker 1: We've got to follow the money. We've got to do 573 00:31:16,560 --> 00:31:20,080 Speaker 1: the numbers on the Colorado Mind Company and see how 574 00:31:20,120 --> 00:31:22,200 Speaker 1: their orders are spiking on Fool's Loaf. 575 00:31:22,600 --> 00:31:24,960 Speaker 2: And I mentioned the use of Graceland as a kind 576 00:31:25,000 --> 00:31:27,720 Speaker 2: of set piece in this series Paradise. I want to 577 00:31:27,720 --> 00:31:29,640 Speaker 2: spoil anything about the show, but all of the things 578 00:31:29,680 --> 00:31:32,000 Speaker 2: that you're talking about, ben those questions that you're asking about, 579 00:31:32,520 --> 00:31:34,880 Speaker 2: were their guns still remaining in the house, that record 580 00:31:35,000 --> 00:31:39,840 Speaker 2: still on the record player, the off limits upstairs, the cars, 581 00:31:40,680 --> 00:31:42,720 Speaker 2: all of those things play into it because if you 582 00:31:42,760 --> 00:31:44,960 Speaker 2: think about it's kind of a genius plot device, like 583 00:31:45,280 --> 00:31:48,200 Speaker 2: think of roving marauders and all of a sudden coming 584 00:31:48,320 --> 00:31:52,080 Speaker 2: upon this house that's left in the state you know 585 00:31:52,200 --> 00:31:54,840 Speaker 2: that it was when the man died, and all this 586 00:31:55,040 --> 00:31:58,400 Speaker 2: have this absolute fleet of crazy cars that they could, 587 00:31:58,520 --> 00:32:00,960 Speaker 2: you know, hijack. It's very very cool the way it's used. 588 00:32:01,760 --> 00:32:06,040 Speaker 1: Yeah, because now we have seen a musician rise from 589 00:32:06,200 --> 00:32:11,520 Speaker 1: humble origins in Tupelo to become a global symbol like 590 00:32:11,640 --> 00:32:15,160 Speaker 1: more than a man. This is now a stand in 591 00:32:15,720 --> 00:32:19,560 Speaker 1: or atonomy for the idea of American culture in general. 592 00:32:19,760 --> 00:32:21,640 Speaker 1: The guns play a huge part of that. Just I 593 00:32:21,760 --> 00:32:25,120 Speaker 1: think we forgot to mention he bought guns as presents 594 00:32:25,200 --> 00:32:28,040 Speaker 1: for people all the time. In nineteen seventy alone, he 595 00:32:28,160 --> 00:32:31,040 Speaker 1: bought more than thirty two guns just to give out, 596 00:32:31,080 --> 00:32:34,000 Speaker 1: maybe to his mafia buddies, maybe to people he saw 597 00:32:34,080 --> 00:32:36,760 Speaker 1: on the street, maybe at a show. And get this, 598 00:32:37,440 --> 00:32:43,040 Speaker 1: I we forgot to mention this. When he had his 599 00:32:44,040 --> 00:32:49,360 Speaker 1: interactions with President Richard Nixon in nineteen seventy, he gave 600 00:32:49,840 --> 00:32:53,520 Speaker 1: Nixon a forty five as a president, which I don't 601 00:32:53,720 --> 00:32:56,280 Speaker 1: I didn't know you could do that with presidents. That 602 00:32:56,400 --> 00:32:57,320 Speaker 1: seems like a threat. 603 00:32:57,600 --> 00:32:59,480 Speaker 2: Wasn't this also like sort of when I was mentioning 604 00:32:59,520 --> 00:33:02,360 Speaker 2: the pr stunt of all of that in that photo op, 605 00:33:02,920 --> 00:33:05,080 Speaker 2: wasn't that Nixon kind of trying to like look cool 606 00:33:05,280 --> 00:33:07,200 Speaker 2: and like be like kind of like I'm hip, I'm 607 00:33:07,240 --> 00:33:09,320 Speaker 2: with it. I get what the youth are into. But 608 00:33:09,440 --> 00:33:11,960 Speaker 2: by that point Elvis wasn't cool with the youth. He 609 00:33:12,120 --> 00:33:14,280 Speaker 2: was such a symbol of like the old guard and 610 00:33:14,440 --> 00:33:16,520 Speaker 2: like the square set and like the kind of music 611 00:33:16,560 --> 00:33:17,560 Speaker 2: your parents would have been into. 612 00:33:17,960 --> 00:33:21,080 Speaker 3: Yeah, Elvis definitely had his own reasons for agreeing to 613 00:33:21,120 --> 00:33:23,160 Speaker 3: all this. Yeah, No, there was something that it was 614 00:33:23,200 --> 00:33:25,320 Speaker 3: definitely because this was the era I think when he 615 00:33:26,520 --> 00:33:29,360 Speaker 3: when Nixon went out to the to the mall and 616 00:33:29,640 --> 00:33:33,040 Speaker 3: started talking to like anti war protesters at like four 617 00:33:33,120 --> 00:33:35,360 Speaker 3: in the morning, and like he was in a bad way. 618 00:33:35,520 --> 00:33:41,360 Speaker 3: Nixon was in this era trying to desperately recover the 619 00:33:42,400 --> 00:33:43,640 Speaker 3: cool factor that he never. 620 00:33:43,640 --> 00:33:48,080 Speaker 1: Had, exactly, Yeah, searching for something he didn't have. What 621 00:33:48,280 --> 00:33:51,160 Speaker 1: we had here is a phenomenal time. I don't know 622 00:33:51,200 --> 00:33:54,880 Speaker 1: about everybody else, but even from being from Tennessee, I've 623 00:33:55,000 --> 00:33:57,920 Speaker 1: learned a lot of stuff about mister Presley that I 624 00:33:58,200 --> 00:34:01,320 Speaker 1: did not know. And Jordan, we cannot thank you enough 625 00:34:01,640 --> 00:34:05,200 Speaker 1: for joining us on this special two part series about 626 00:34:05,360 --> 00:34:08,880 Speaker 1: Elvis Presley. Dude, where can people learn more about you? 627 00:34:08,960 --> 00:34:10,640 Speaker 1: Where can they learn more about your work? 628 00:34:11,200 --> 00:34:14,040 Speaker 3: Oh? Man, Well let's see follow me on Twitter and 629 00:34:14,440 --> 00:34:17,040 Speaker 3: uh yeah, give a listen to post most of the 630 00:34:17,040 --> 00:34:19,359 Speaker 3: shows I'm working on there, and yeah, give a listen 631 00:34:19,400 --> 00:34:21,320 Speaker 3: to too much information that's more. If you like this 632 00:34:21,480 --> 00:34:25,520 Speaker 3: kind of you know, grab bag of facts from my 633 00:34:26,400 --> 00:34:30,600 Speaker 3: hoarder's attic of a mind, of trivia facts. Go there. 634 00:34:30,600 --> 00:34:33,719 Speaker 2: I think you'll enjoy that credible two parter, maybe even 635 00:34:33,840 --> 00:34:36,560 Speaker 2: four partner. Jordan on the type the history of the 636 00:34:36,680 --> 00:34:37,520 Speaker 2: movie Titanic. 637 00:34:37,719 --> 00:34:41,120 Speaker 3: Oh, yes, that was It is twice as long as 638 00:34:41,200 --> 00:34:43,400 Speaker 3: the three hour movie, So strap in, folks. 639 00:34:44,400 --> 00:34:49,240 Speaker 1: Also also another thing we forgot to bit you on here, Jordan. 640 00:34:49,480 --> 00:34:53,359 Speaker 1: One of the most fun parts about researching this, as 641 00:34:53,480 --> 00:34:56,480 Speaker 1: with so many other topics and music history, is that 642 00:34:57,160 --> 00:35:00,400 Speaker 1: I would I would run into a sort and I 643 00:35:00,440 --> 00:35:02,880 Speaker 1: would think, huh, this is pretty good, and then I 644 00:35:02,920 --> 00:35:05,600 Speaker 1: would see it said something like People magazine. I would 645 00:35:05,600 --> 00:35:08,200 Speaker 1: go hang on, wait a second, and you wrote it. 646 00:35:09,160 --> 00:35:11,960 Speaker 1: You wrote the stuff I was looking up thinking Jordan 647 00:35:12,080 --> 00:35:13,240 Speaker 1: might think this is interesting. 648 00:35:13,719 --> 00:35:14,960 Speaker 2: Oh, that's so funny. 649 00:35:15,239 --> 00:35:16,600 Speaker 3: Oh man, that's nice to hear. 650 00:35:17,040 --> 00:35:20,320 Speaker 1: Well, Jordan, thank you so much for joining us. We 651 00:35:20,520 --> 00:35:22,719 Speaker 1: can't wait to have you on in the future for 652 00:35:22,840 --> 00:35:26,840 Speaker 1: more strange music history and perhaps a deep dive at 653 00:35:26,880 --> 00:35:30,040 Speaker 1: the Titanic. Oh. That wording was rough and accidental, but 654 00:35:30,200 --> 00:35:32,600 Speaker 1: we'll keep it. Yeah, we'll keep it. Shout out to 655 00:35:32,680 --> 00:35:36,320 Speaker 1: Cameron Big Big thanks to our super producer mister Max Williams. 656 00:35:36,400 --> 00:35:39,239 Speaker 1: Big thanks to our composer Alex Williams. Nol who else, 657 00:35:39,239 --> 00:35:39,960 Speaker 1: who else, who else? 658 00:35:40,160 --> 00:35:42,520 Speaker 2: Well, of course Alex Williams, who composed of this theme, 659 00:35:42,719 --> 00:35:46,880 Speaker 2: Jonathan Strickland, the Quizzer, A J. Bahamas, Jacobs, the Puzzler, 660 00:35:47,400 --> 00:35:47,960 Speaker 2: Big Big. 661 00:35:47,880 --> 00:35:51,560 Speaker 1: Thanks to Rachel Doctor Big Spinach Lance even Bigger, Huger 662 00:35:52,040 --> 00:35:55,200 Speaker 1: Foolslow thanks to the Room Dudes of Ridiculous Crime. If 663 00:35:55,280 --> 00:35:58,800 Speaker 1: you dig us, you will love them. That's it for today, folks. 664 00:35:59,040 --> 00:36:03,200 Speaker 1: Tune in next week. We're getting even weirder with it. 665 00:36:03,480 --> 00:36:04,640 Speaker 3: We'll see you next time, folks. 666 00:36:11,600 --> 00:36:15,360 Speaker 2: For more podcasts from iHeartRadio, visit the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, 667 00:36:15,480 --> 00:36:17,560 Speaker 2: or wherever you listen to your favorite shows.