1 00:00:00,120 --> 00:00:00,760 Speaker 1: Guess what will? 2 00:00:00,840 --> 00:00:01,200 Speaker 2: What's that? 3 00:00:01,240 --> 00:00:03,840 Speaker 1: Mango? So have you seen this trailer for the movie Tag. 4 00:00:04,040 --> 00:00:07,160 Speaker 1: It's about these brothers who play an epic game of tag. 5 00:00:07,240 --> 00:00:10,680 Speaker 1: I think John Ham's in it, and maybe Ed Helms. 6 00:00:10,800 --> 00:00:12,360 Speaker 2: Yeah, I was gonna say. I saw Ed Helms was 7 00:00:12,360 --> 00:00:14,280 Speaker 2: in it. I saw a couple of articles about it. 8 00:00:14,280 --> 00:00:16,639 Speaker 3: It looks pretty funny, and actually I saw it's based 9 00:00:16,680 --> 00:00:17,880 Speaker 3: on a real story, right. 10 00:00:17,960 --> 00:00:20,160 Speaker 1: Yeah, So when I heard that, I was actually a 11 00:00:20,160 --> 00:00:22,680 Speaker 1: little confused because I'd heard this other great story about 12 00:00:22,720 --> 00:00:25,520 Speaker 1: brothers playing tag and this from a while back. So 13 00:00:25,600 --> 00:00:28,479 Speaker 1: this guy, Richard Mellon was actually like a captain of industry, 14 00:00:28,560 --> 00:00:30,680 Speaker 1: I want to say. He came from Pittsburgh and he 15 00:00:30,720 --> 00:00:33,080 Speaker 1: and his younger brother Andrew had this game of tag 16 00:00:33,120 --> 00:00:37,120 Speaker 1: that they'd play, and apparently the game lasted for seven decades. 17 00:00:38,200 --> 00:00:40,760 Speaker 1: It's nuts. But but here's the craziest part, right, So, 18 00:00:40,840 --> 00:00:43,520 Speaker 1: when Richard was on his deathbed, he summoned his brother 19 00:00:43,560 --> 00:00:45,440 Speaker 1: Andrew over to him, and he pulled him close and 20 00:00:45,479 --> 00:00:48,519 Speaker 1: then he just whispered into his ear last Tag and 21 00:00:48,560 --> 00:00:49,120 Speaker 1: then he died. 22 00:00:49,880 --> 00:00:50,680 Speaker 2: Oh I love that. 23 00:00:50,800 --> 00:00:53,000 Speaker 3: It's such like a just kind of like a big 24 00:00:53,040 --> 00:00:56,400 Speaker 3: brother thing to do. But so were those actually his 25 00:00:56,480 --> 00:00:57,160 Speaker 3: last words. 26 00:00:57,240 --> 00:00:59,600 Speaker 1: Yeah, and apparently Andrew had to stay it for four 27 00:00:59,600 --> 00:01:03,200 Speaker 1: more years until he passed away. But that story made 28 00:01:03,200 --> 00:01:05,200 Speaker 1: me think we should do today's nine Things about epic 29 00:01:05,240 --> 00:01:06,640 Speaker 1: last words. Let's dive in. 30 00:01:28,000 --> 00:01:30,520 Speaker 3: Hey, their podcast listeners, Welcome to Part Time Genius. I'm 31 00:01:30,520 --> 00:01:32,600 Speaker 3: Will Pearson and as always I'm joined by my good 32 00:01:32,600 --> 00:01:35,800 Speaker 3: friend Manges Shot Ticketer and behind the soundproof glass just 33 00:01:35,959 --> 00:01:38,520 Speaker 3: chugging this big jug of V eight as he works 34 00:01:38,520 --> 00:01:39,120 Speaker 3: from there. 35 00:01:40,120 --> 00:01:42,160 Speaker 1: I feel like he thinks, if he drinks enough V eight, 36 00:01:42,240 --> 00:01:44,240 Speaker 1: he's just never gonna have to think about his last words. 37 00:01:44,800 --> 00:01:46,720 Speaker 3: Well, you just never know. I mean, he's a really 38 00:01:46,760 --> 00:01:49,600 Speaker 3: smart guy. But that's our friend and producer Tristan McNeil. 39 00:01:50,040 --> 00:01:52,080 Speaker 3: All right, Mango, So I know last words are a 40 00:01:52,120 --> 00:01:54,600 Speaker 3: little bit of a morbid topic, but I still find 41 00:01:54,600 --> 00:01:55,840 Speaker 3: them pretty fascinating. 42 00:01:55,880 --> 00:01:56,920 Speaker 2: I just can't help it. 43 00:01:57,000 --> 00:01:58,960 Speaker 3: And I know John Green when he used to work 44 00:01:58,960 --> 00:02:01,520 Speaker 3: at Mental Flaws, he was completely obsessed with these. 45 00:02:01,800 --> 00:02:04,480 Speaker 1: Yeah, I remember showing us like pages of this, and 46 00:02:05,000 --> 00:02:07,240 Speaker 1: a lot of that found its way into Looking for Alaska. 47 00:02:07,360 --> 00:02:10,000 Speaker 1: But uh, one of the things I remember it was 48 00:02:10,040 --> 00:02:11,919 Speaker 1: like that was the first time I heard that Dylan 49 00:02:11,960 --> 00:02:15,080 Speaker 1: Thomas quote about eighteen straight whiskies. I think that's the 50 00:02:15,160 --> 00:02:18,560 Speaker 1: record which were his last words, horrible last words, and 51 00:02:18,680 --> 00:02:22,600 Speaker 1: also Henry Ward Beacher's one about uh now comes the Mystery, 52 00:02:22,639 --> 00:02:24,080 Speaker 1: which is way more poetic. 53 00:02:24,639 --> 00:02:26,040 Speaker 3: You know, I think the part of what's so great 54 00:02:26,040 --> 00:02:29,040 Speaker 3: about last words is when somebody who already consider a 55 00:02:29,080 --> 00:02:33,520 Speaker 3: genius says something funny or just meaningful, or even exactly 56 00:02:33,639 --> 00:02:35,360 Speaker 3: is the character you want them to be. 57 00:02:35,480 --> 00:02:37,640 Speaker 2: There's something so satisfying about that. 58 00:02:37,800 --> 00:02:40,240 Speaker 1: No, I definitely agree. So I kicked this off with 59 00:02:40,280 --> 00:02:43,480 Speaker 1: the tag story, But I'm curious, what's your first last 60 00:02:43,480 --> 00:02:45,799 Speaker 1: word gonna be? All right? 61 00:02:45,840 --> 00:02:47,520 Speaker 3: Well, I think I'm going to kick this off with 62 00:02:47,600 --> 00:02:51,040 Speaker 3: a smart alec who didn't disappoint, and that's Voltaire. Now, 63 00:02:51,080 --> 00:02:53,280 Speaker 3: I know you and I have plenty of great facts 64 00:02:53,320 --> 00:02:54,000 Speaker 3: about Voltaire. 65 00:02:54,040 --> 00:02:56,680 Speaker 2: I know that pull up line. 66 00:02:56,880 --> 00:02:59,600 Speaker 3: Yeah, I got so many Voltaire effects up in here. 67 00:02:59,600 --> 00:03:01,680 Speaker 3: But anyway, you know, there was the one that he 68 00:03:01,760 --> 00:03:04,480 Speaker 3: was pinpals with Catherine the Great, or that he supposedly 69 00:03:04,560 --> 00:03:07,280 Speaker 3: drank forty cups of coffee a day. They may have 70 00:03:07,280 --> 00:03:10,160 Speaker 3: been tiny cups, but still it's pretty impressive. 71 00:03:09,800 --> 00:03:12,640 Speaker 1: I know. And supposedly he was such a fiend for coffee. 72 00:03:12,680 --> 00:03:15,760 Speaker 1: That he actually imported these luxury beans because he couldn't 73 00:03:15,800 --> 00:03:17,000 Speaker 1: just drink plain coffee. 74 00:03:17,600 --> 00:03:20,200 Speaker 3: Really, I actually didn't know that about the luxury beans. Well, 75 00:03:20,240 --> 00:03:22,520 Speaker 3: my favorite story about Voltaire is what he told his 76 00:03:22,560 --> 00:03:25,320 Speaker 3: priest on his deathbed. And as the story goes, the 77 00:03:25,360 --> 00:03:27,720 Speaker 3: priest knew Voltaire was close to death, so he was 78 00:03:27,800 --> 00:03:30,600 Speaker 3: encouraging him to use his last words to secure his 79 00:03:30,680 --> 00:03:33,240 Speaker 3: place in heaven, just kind of pressing him on it 80 00:03:33,280 --> 00:03:36,440 Speaker 3: over and over to renounce Satan. And you know, of course, Voltaire, 81 00:03:36,480 --> 00:03:39,400 Speaker 3: being a legendary smart Alec just says to him, now, 82 00:03:39,440 --> 00:03:41,960 Speaker 3: my good man, this is no time for making enemies, 83 00:03:42,080 --> 00:03:43,080 Speaker 3: and then he passed away. 84 00:03:44,040 --> 00:03:47,400 Speaker 1: That's pretty great. So here's a weird one i'd heard 85 00:03:47,440 --> 00:03:50,160 Speaker 1: that I just thought was an urban legend. But did 86 00:03:50,200 --> 00:03:52,400 Speaker 1: you know that the Nike slogan just Do It is 87 00:03:52,440 --> 00:03:55,920 Speaker 1: based on a phrase from death Row. No, seriously, Yeah, 88 00:03:55,960 --> 00:03:59,680 Speaker 1: it's so grim. But apparently, you know Dan Widen, he's 89 00:03:59,760 --> 00:04:02,680 Speaker 1: like from that legendary ad firm Widen and Kennedy. He 90 00:04:03,920 --> 00:04:05,680 Speaker 1: was trying to come up with some sort of slogan 91 00:04:05,800 --> 00:04:08,800 Speaker 1: to tie all of Nike's advertisements together. And this is 92 00:04:08,800 --> 00:04:11,320 Speaker 1: a totally separate and weird thing. I actually read that 93 00:04:12,000 --> 00:04:15,240 Speaker 1: Phil Knight, the CEO of Nike, thought TV advertising was 94 00:04:15,440 --> 00:04:17,640 Speaker 1: like a mistake for the brand and just a big 95 00:04:17,680 --> 00:04:20,360 Speaker 1: waste of time. And Widen actually had to really convince 96 00:04:20,400 --> 00:04:22,040 Speaker 1: him to do it, and he needed to convince him 97 00:04:22,040 --> 00:04:24,240 Speaker 1: to trust them and whatever. But anyway, he was trying 98 00:04:24,240 --> 00:04:26,280 Speaker 1: to figure a way to tie all these ads together, 99 00:04:26,720 --> 00:04:29,920 Speaker 1: and he remembered the last words of this murderer from Portland, 100 00:04:30,360 --> 00:04:33,599 Speaker 1: this guy named Gary Gilmour, who in the late seventies 101 00:04:33,680 --> 00:04:36,680 Speaker 1: was put in front of a firing squad and before 102 00:04:36,720 --> 00:04:40,560 Speaker 1: they shot, he just shouted, let's do it. And wow, 103 00:04:40,800 --> 00:04:43,560 Speaker 1: I guess Widen edited out the phrase lets and inserted 104 00:04:43,560 --> 00:04:45,520 Speaker 1: to just And that's how just do it came to be. 105 00:04:46,360 --> 00:04:47,320 Speaker 2: That's so strange. 106 00:04:47,360 --> 00:04:51,240 Speaker 3: It's also so strange to imagine in the seventies firing squad. 107 00:04:51,400 --> 00:04:53,840 Speaker 3: I know, just such a bizarre thing. 108 00:04:53,920 --> 00:04:54,680 Speaker 2: But I don't know. 109 00:04:54,720 --> 00:04:57,600 Speaker 3: What's weirder is that I'd actually written down the story 110 00:04:57,640 --> 00:04:59,960 Speaker 3: of Nike as a last word, and so I think 111 00:05:00,040 --> 00:05:02,360 Speaker 3: I'm going to use that one next. So the reason 112 00:05:02,360 --> 00:05:05,760 Speaker 3: we run marathons, or that people run marathons, is to 113 00:05:05,800 --> 00:05:08,520 Speaker 3: honor a messenger from four to nine DBC. And we've 114 00:05:08,520 --> 00:05:10,839 Speaker 3: heard this story before, but it's still pretty fascinating. But 115 00:05:11,160 --> 00:05:13,120 Speaker 3: according to the myth, he raced from the city of 116 00:05:13,120 --> 00:05:16,599 Speaker 3: Marathon to Athens after the Athenian army had won a battle, 117 00:05:17,000 --> 00:05:19,320 Speaker 3: and supposedly it was incredibly hot that day and he 118 00:05:19,400 --> 00:05:22,280 Speaker 3: raised the twenty six miles between the cities, and when 119 00:05:22,320 --> 00:05:26,760 Speaker 3: he got there he uttered that one glorious word for victory, Nike, 120 00:05:27,000 --> 00:05:27,960 Speaker 3: and then he passed out. 121 00:05:28,680 --> 00:05:31,159 Speaker 1: Yeah, and now the goddess has a shoe company named 122 00:05:31,120 --> 00:05:32,680 Speaker 1: for her, which is great. 123 00:05:32,960 --> 00:05:34,920 Speaker 2: So yeah, it's all worth it. 124 00:05:36,040 --> 00:05:38,600 Speaker 1: So one thing I love about last words, and I 125 00:05:38,600 --> 00:05:41,679 Speaker 1: feel like I couldn't find enough of this was people 126 00:05:41,920 --> 00:05:45,080 Speaker 1: using their deathbed as a soapbox to really complain about 127 00:05:45,080 --> 00:05:46,000 Speaker 1: someone they detested. 128 00:05:47,520 --> 00:05:49,359 Speaker 3: I kind of like Festivus, you know, the airing of 129 00:05:49,360 --> 00:05:50,520 Speaker 3: grievances exactly. 130 00:05:50,600 --> 00:05:53,680 Speaker 1: So these are like words that are worthy of Frank Constanzas. 131 00:05:53,760 --> 00:05:57,320 Speaker 1: And so this one is actually one that Chris Higgins, 132 00:05:57,320 --> 00:06:00,080 Speaker 1: our friend, found on Mental Floss, and I just love it. 133 00:06:00,160 --> 00:06:04,040 Speaker 1: So apparently there was this pickpocket named Thomas B. Moran 134 00:06:04,440 --> 00:06:07,559 Speaker 1: who was nicknamed Butterfingers. I'd never heard this story before, 135 00:06:07,640 --> 00:06:10,480 Speaker 1: but you know, you think of butterfingers as someone who 136 00:06:10,560 --> 00:06:12,840 Speaker 1: drops balls in the outfield and not someone who's like 137 00:06:12,880 --> 00:06:16,760 Speaker 1: a silky smooth pickpocket. But by all accounts Moran was, 138 00:06:17,120 --> 00:06:20,680 Speaker 1: and he had stolen over fifty thousand wallets over the 139 00:06:20,720 --> 00:06:23,640 Speaker 1: course of his career. Right amazing. But these are his 140 00:06:23,720 --> 00:06:27,800 Speaker 1: last words quote, I've never forgiven that smart Alexi reporter 141 00:06:27,839 --> 00:06:31,200 Speaker 1: who named me butterfingers to me, it's not funny. And 142 00:06:31,240 --> 00:06:32,000 Speaker 1: then he died. 143 00:06:33,760 --> 00:06:36,159 Speaker 3: He'd really been wrong and feels so sorry for the guy. 144 00:06:37,160 --> 00:06:39,880 Speaker 3: I know, but I know it was probably a relief 145 00:06:39,920 --> 00:06:42,520 Speaker 3: that he finally got to admit that. But all right, 146 00:06:42,560 --> 00:06:44,440 Speaker 3: well here's what I really liked, because it kind of 147 00:06:44,440 --> 00:06:48,400 Speaker 3: shows someone's true spirit. So Marie Antoinette obviously got a 148 00:06:48,440 --> 00:06:51,040 Speaker 3: bad rap for the whole let them have cake comment, 149 00:06:51,200 --> 00:06:53,560 Speaker 3: which of course she didn't even say. But you know 150 00:06:53,600 --> 00:06:56,479 Speaker 3: that public perception of her was clearly as this out 151 00:06:56,520 --> 00:06:59,280 Speaker 3: of touch royal who didn't really care for others. But 152 00:06:59,480 --> 00:07:01,320 Speaker 3: you know what, you look at her last words, it 153 00:07:01,640 --> 00:07:04,120 Speaker 3: kind of paints a different picture. So as she was 154 00:07:04,160 --> 00:07:08,000 Speaker 3: walking to the guillotine, she accidentally steps on the executioner's foot, 155 00:07:08,400 --> 00:07:11,880 Speaker 3: so her last words supposedly were, pardon me, sir, I 156 00:07:11,960 --> 00:07:12,800 Speaker 3: meant not to do it. 157 00:07:13,200 --> 00:07:13,440 Speaker 2: Huh. 158 00:07:13,480 --> 00:07:15,440 Speaker 1: So that actually makes me like her a lot more 159 00:07:15,520 --> 00:07:17,560 Speaker 1: like when you're on your way to be executed, you 160 00:07:17,680 --> 00:07:19,960 Speaker 1: normally have like tons of things on your mind. But 161 00:07:20,680 --> 00:07:23,360 Speaker 1: I like that she decided to use her manners and 162 00:07:23,480 --> 00:07:27,040 Speaker 1: was considerate of others. Yeah. Yeah, anyway, so we've got 163 00:07:27,080 --> 00:07:28,640 Speaker 1: a couple more of these before we settle on a 164 00:07:28,680 --> 00:07:41,800 Speaker 1: winter but let's do those after a quick break. 165 00:07:44,440 --> 00:07:46,520 Speaker 3: Welcome back to Part Time Genius, where we're talking about 166 00:07:46,600 --> 00:07:49,320 Speaker 3: famous last words, and we got a couple more stories 167 00:07:49,320 --> 00:07:51,560 Speaker 3: to tell, Mango, so you know what's funny. 168 00:07:51,560 --> 00:07:53,840 Speaker 1: And I realized this is a little off topic, but 169 00:07:54,040 --> 00:07:56,720 Speaker 1: every time I hear the phrase famous last words, I 170 00:07:56,760 --> 00:07:58,960 Speaker 1: think about my study of broad trip in college. So 171 00:07:59,680 --> 00:08:01,800 Speaker 1: before I went, like the group had sent out this 172 00:08:01,840 --> 00:08:04,080 Speaker 1: packing list of supplies he should have and part of 173 00:08:04,080 --> 00:08:06,640 Speaker 1: our trip was at the foothills of Everest essentially, so 174 00:08:06,920 --> 00:08:09,680 Speaker 1: it was through Nepal and Tibet, but there were these 175 00:08:09,720 --> 00:08:13,120 Speaker 1: places and elevations that were really really cold. So my 176 00:08:13,240 --> 00:08:15,880 Speaker 1: mom took me to this Army Navy surplus store to 177 00:08:15,880 --> 00:08:17,960 Speaker 1: get like a really good sleeping bag and some of 178 00:08:17,960 --> 00:08:21,720 Speaker 1: the other things, and the shop was totally empty, like 179 00:08:22,040 --> 00:08:24,080 Speaker 1: everything was dusty, and they had a lot of these 180 00:08:24,080 --> 00:08:26,440 Speaker 1: goods just stacked up, and it seemed like people hadn't 181 00:08:26,440 --> 00:08:29,160 Speaker 1: really gone there in a while. And the shop keep 182 00:08:29,440 --> 00:08:32,440 Speaker 1: he just seemed like this grizzled old veteran. But I 183 00:08:32,440 --> 00:08:34,400 Speaker 1: think he spotted my mom and realized there was a 184 00:08:34,440 --> 00:08:37,120 Speaker 1: sale to be made here. So, like every time my 185 00:08:37,160 --> 00:08:39,400 Speaker 1: mom took out this list and she'd look at it 186 00:08:39,440 --> 00:08:41,720 Speaker 1: and she'd say things like it says two pairs of 187 00:08:41,800 --> 00:08:44,319 Speaker 1: extra thick socks, he just looked at her and he'd 188 00:08:44,320 --> 00:08:48,200 Speaker 1: say famous last words, just like grumble it to her, 189 00:08:48,320 --> 00:08:50,400 Speaker 1: and then she'd be like, three pairs this, three pairs, right, 190 00:08:50,440 --> 00:08:55,280 Speaker 1: four pairs, We'll take six pairs like everything. I feel 191 00:08:55,280 --> 00:08:56,640 Speaker 1: like by the end of this trip we had this 192 00:08:56,679 --> 00:08:59,320 Speaker 1: station wagon full of things we didn't need. It was crazy. 193 00:08:59,400 --> 00:09:02,600 Speaker 3: I oh picture that, But that's pretty great. Well, speaking 194 00:09:02,640 --> 00:09:04,400 Speaker 3: of famous last words, what are you going to use is. 195 00:09:04,400 --> 00:09:06,480 Speaker 2: Your last last words of the day? 196 00:09:07,320 --> 00:09:09,840 Speaker 1: So initially I was thinking it aim for something funny, right, 197 00:09:09,880 --> 00:09:13,000 Speaker 1: because there are tons of those. There's a Groucho Marx 198 00:09:13,400 --> 00:09:17,080 Speaker 1: who said this is no way to live, or Richard Feynman, 199 00:09:17,240 --> 00:09:20,000 Speaker 1: who you know is that physicist who said this dying 200 00:09:20,120 --> 00:09:22,920 Speaker 1: is boring. But I'm actually gonna go with something a 201 00:09:22,960 --> 00:09:26,160 Speaker 1: little bit sweeter. And this is Arthur Conan Doyle, who 202 00:09:26,280 --> 00:09:28,680 Speaker 1: you know, we know from Sherlock Holmes stories. And he 203 00:09:28,840 --> 00:09:31,160 Speaker 1: was in his garden, which I imagine is this beautiful 204 00:09:31,240 --> 00:09:34,520 Speaker 1: English garden, and just before he died, he clutched his chest, 205 00:09:34,760 --> 00:09:37,680 Speaker 1: turned to his wife and said, you are wonderful, and 206 00:09:37,720 --> 00:09:38,560 Speaker 1: then he passed away. 207 00:09:39,280 --> 00:09:41,280 Speaker 2: Oh wow, that sweet and romantic. 208 00:09:41,280 --> 00:09:43,880 Speaker 3: But actually, Mango, I feel like I may have one 209 00:09:43,960 --> 00:09:45,040 Speaker 3: even better for you. 210 00:09:45,400 --> 00:09:47,160 Speaker 2: And he's come from Harriet Tubman. 211 00:09:47,280 --> 00:09:50,880 Speaker 1: Oh no, the Harriet Tubman card. So I feel like 212 00:09:50,920 --> 00:09:53,480 Speaker 1: we've done lots of stories about Harriet Tubman over the years, 213 00:09:53,480 --> 00:09:55,160 Speaker 1: but I actually know nothing about her death. 214 00:09:55,559 --> 00:09:55,800 Speaker 2: Yeah. 215 00:09:55,840 --> 00:09:58,000 Speaker 3: So sadly she died of pneumonia, and there are a 216 00:09:58,040 --> 00:10:01,000 Speaker 3: few accounts of how she left. There's there's one that said, 217 00:10:01,040 --> 00:10:03,600 Speaker 3: you know, she told some clergyman, give my love to 218 00:10:03,640 --> 00:10:06,720 Speaker 3: all the churches, and then she quoted a biblical passage 219 00:10:06,800 --> 00:10:09,360 Speaker 3: and that passage was I go away to prepare a 220 00:10:09,400 --> 00:10:12,200 Speaker 3: place for you. But I think the version I like 221 00:10:12,280 --> 00:10:14,960 Speaker 3: more is that after she made her statement, her family, 222 00:10:15,200 --> 00:10:17,360 Speaker 3: you know, kind of sensing that the end was near, 223 00:10:17,840 --> 00:10:21,520 Speaker 3: they gathered around her and sang together. So The last 224 00:10:21,559 --> 00:10:24,800 Speaker 3: words of hers were actually, swing low, sweet chariot. 225 00:10:24,840 --> 00:10:27,160 Speaker 1: That's really lovely. I think you've got to take this round. 226 00:10:27,480 --> 00:10:29,240 Speaker 1: That's it for today's nine Things. We're going to be 227 00:10:29,280 --> 00:10:31,360 Speaker 1: back tomorrow with a full length episode, but thank you 228 00:10:31,400 --> 00:10:45,480 Speaker 1: so much for listening.