1 00:00:01,000 --> 00:00:04,480 Speaker 1: Welcome to Stuff you Should Know from House Stuff Works 2 00:00:04,480 --> 00:00:13,640 Speaker 1: dot com. Hey, and welcome to the podcast. I'm Josh Clark, 3 00:00:13,680 --> 00:00:17,800 Speaker 1: the Charles W. Chuck Bryant, and there's Jerry the Stuff 4 00:00:17,840 --> 00:00:23,000 Speaker 1: you Should Know herb. Have you ever heard a tupper 5 00:00:23,000 --> 00:00:26,799 Speaker 1: Warrior burp? Yeah, sort of, I mean it, you know, 6 00:00:26,800 --> 00:00:29,400 Speaker 1: it doesn't sound like a burb. It's just sort of like, 7 00:00:29,480 --> 00:00:32,279 Speaker 1: can you emulate one? Well, it's just like a like 8 00:00:32,360 --> 00:00:34,960 Speaker 1: air just sort of it's like a burb. It sounds 9 00:00:35,000 --> 00:00:38,320 Speaker 1: like a dude, yeah, something different. Yeah, but I don't 10 00:00:38,320 --> 00:00:41,479 Speaker 1: think you could call it a Tupperware bart because it 11 00:00:41,520 --> 00:00:44,360 Speaker 1: probably wouldn't sell us. Well, even a burp is a 12 00:00:44,400 --> 00:00:47,080 Speaker 1: little you know. Okay, So I guess I have heard 13 00:00:47,120 --> 00:00:49,240 Speaker 1: one before when I was a kid, but I thought 14 00:00:49,320 --> 00:00:51,239 Speaker 1: like there was like a burb or something like that, 15 00:00:51,360 --> 00:00:54,640 Speaker 1: or do you remember that cartoon. It might have been like, 16 00:00:54,840 --> 00:00:57,360 Speaker 1: h what was the Droopy I think it might have 17 00:00:57,360 --> 00:01:02,160 Speaker 1: been a droopy cartoon, So some sort of cartoon where 18 00:01:02,160 --> 00:01:06,560 Speaker 1: like they had a machine that burped radishes. But I 19 00:01:06,600 --> 00:01:07,880 Speaker 1: like it. It was a great I think it was 20 00:01:07,920 --> 00:01:12,360 Speaker 1: like the Kitchen of the Future, one great cartoon. Bert. 21 00:01:13,360 --> 00:01:15,720 Speaker 1: That's what I assumed the Tupperware thing was like, yeah, 22 00:01:15,760 --> 00:01:17,200 Speaker 1: that was a big droopy fans I thought I was 23 00:01:17,200 --> 00:01:21,280 Speaker 1: missing out. Nope, no, it's just a little air being expelled. 24 00:01:21,560 --> 00:01:25,840 Speaker 1: But it was a very very important bit of air, 25 00:01:26,560 --> 00:01:30,880 Speaker 1: because Chuck. At the time that Tupperware came out, women 26 00:01:30,920 --> 00:01:36,160 Speaker 1: were using like basically a pot that they cooked something in, 27 00:01:36,319 --> 00:01:40,400 Speaker 1: maybe a bowl, and putting a shower cap over it 28 00:01:40,560 --> 00:01:42,880 Speaker 1: and storing it in the ice box. You know what 29 00:01:42,920 --> 00:01:47,440 Speaker 1: they call that primitive? That's primitive food storage. It sounds 30 00:01:47,480 --> 00:01:49,400 Speaker 1: like a tuk tuk would have done something like that, 31 00:01:50,040 --> 00:01:54,000 Speaker 1: not men and women in the nineteen forties, except he 32 00:01:54,040 --> 00:01:58,560 Speaker 1: would have used like some sort of Madagascar type animal 33 00:01:58,680 --> 00:02:02,840 Speaker 1: pelt sure them from the movie Madagascar. No, not Madagascar. 34 00:02:03,000 --> 00:02:06,560 Speaker 1: I say, that's what I'm thinking of. I say, I 35 00:02:06,600 --> 00:02:08,400 Speaker 1: haven't seen it one. So they're very similar. It is 36 00:02:08,560 --> 00:02:11,880 Speaker 1: setting like different climbs in different time periods. I've never 37 00:02:11,880 --> 00:02:14,600 Speaker 1: seen me either, different animal protagonists. I just I can 38 00:02:14,680 --> 00:02:19,880 Speaker 1: get a lot from commercials. Yeah, uh so, yeah, Tupperware, 39 00:02:19,960 --> 00:02:22,239 Speaker 1: let's let's talk about it. Um, the original patent. I 40 00:02:22,320 --> 00:02:24,880 Speaker 1: love the name of this thing, and you know it 41 00:02:25,000 --> 00:02:27,560 Speaker 1: was created. You want to drop this cool little fact 42 00:02:28,360 --> 00:02:30,880 Speaker 1: by the name the name of the guy Earl Tupper. 43 00:02:31,080 --> 00:02:34,520 Speaker 1: Yeah I never knew that. Yeah, I guess I didn't either. 44 00:02:34,919 --> 00:02:36,680 Speaker 1: I didn't didn't think about it. No, you think of 45 00:02:36,680 --> 00:02:38,880 Speaker 1: tupper war is nothing but tupper ware, and there's no 46 00:02:39,080 --> 00:02:42,320 Speaker 1: Tupper who invented It's crazy talk, right, Yeah, No, there 47 00:02:42,400 --> 00:02:46,440 Speaker 1: was a tupper named Earl and that tupper tup tupperware. Yes, 48 00:02:46,560 --> 00:02:49,360 Speaker 1: the Earl of Tupper he Uh he has a patent 49 00:02:49,560 --> 00:02:52,280 Speaker 1: um call it. Well had he didn't have it anymore. Uh. 50 00:02:52,320 --> 00:02:55,760 Speaker 1: The e s tupper open mouth container and non snap 51 00:02:55,840 --> 00:03:00,160 Speaker 1: type of closure. Therefore this by the way, Yeah, that's 52 00:03:00,160 --> 00:03:02,799 Speaker 1: why I read it like that. But I was explaining 53 00:03:02,840 --> 00:03:06,040 Speaker 1: that to the everybody else. Do they know me? This 54 00:03:06,120 --> 00:03:10,639 Speaker 1: is going poorly? No, it's not so. Um. Let's you 55 00:03:10,680 --> 00:03:13,600 Speaker 1: want to talk a little bit about Tupper himself. Yeah. 56 00:03:14,080 --> 00:03:17,960 Speaker 1: He Um was a bit of a reclusive figure, as 57 00:03:18,000 --> 00:03:21,280 Speaker 1: we'll find, but he was also like a he was 58 00:03:21,320 --> 00:03:24,280 Speaker 1: a pretty sharp guy. I A grouch, I think is 59 00:03:24,280 --> 00:03:27,640 Speaker 1: a possible way to describe him. Maybe a bit of 60 00:03:28,200 --> 00:03:32,840 Speaker 1: a mad, smart, tinkering grouch. Um. He disliked his father 61 00:03:32,919 --> 00:03:35,160 Speaker 1: because he felt his father lacked ambition. And this is 62 00:03:35,160 --> 00:03:38,200 Speaker 1: when he was like ten. Right, Um, all you do 63 00:03:38,280 --> 00:03:40,560 Speaker 1: is just go to the races and lay around het. Well, 64 00:03:40,840 --> 00:03:42,920 Speaker 1: his parents owned a like a farm of sorts, but 65 00:03:42,960 --> 00:03:44,720 Speaker 1: I think I get the idea. It was like kind 66 00:03:44,720 --> 00:03:47,840 Speaker 1: of a harvest your own farm. And this kid, little 67 00:03:47,840 --> 00:03:50,880 Speaker 1: Earl Tupper, when he was like ten twelve, he was 68 00:03:50,920 --> 00:03:53,840 Speaker 1: like pitching the idea to to build like a children's 69 00:03:53,840 --> 00:03:56,720 Speaker 1: playground on the grounds of his pick your own farm 70 00:03:57,240 --> 00:03:59,720 Speaker 1: for you know, to at track tourists and stuff. And 71 00:03:59,720 --> 00:04:03,119 Speaker 1: his I was like, it sounds like a lot of work, totally, 72 00:04:03,440 --> 00:04:05,840 Speaker 1: just go to school or something. Get out of my hair. 73 00:04:06,640 --> 00:04:10,480 Speaker 1: And Arrow was like, you're gonna pay for ignoring me. 74 00:04:11,160 --> 00:04:14,360 Speaker 1: But he he was of sharp contrast to his father, 75 00:04:14,400 --> 00:04:17,000 Speaker 1: is what I'm trying to say. He was very ambitious. 76 00:04:17,480 --> 00:04:20,360 Speaker 1: Big Tinker came up with a lot of different patent 77 00:04:20,400 --> 00:04:23,800 Speaker 1: ideas and apparently patents too. Yeah he Uh he had 78 00:04:23,839 --> 00:04:27,160 Speaker 1: a book of inventions. Uh. There was a better stocking guarter, 79 00:04:28,000 --> 00:04:31,360 Speaker 1: which is a very sexy thing for a child to admit, right. Um, 80 00:04:32,040 --> 00:04:35,720 Speaker 1: A better way to remove a burst appendix. Yeah, yeah, 81 00:04:35,920 --> 00:04:38,919 Speaker 1: that's for real. Um, a dagger shaped comb to be 82 00:04:38,960 --> 00:04:43,400 Speaker 1: clipped to the belt. Um pants that wouldn't lose their crease. Um. 83 00:04:43,480 --> 00:04:47,039 Speaker 1: This one of great import. Yeah, the customized cigarettes, I 84 00:04:47,040 --> 00:04:49,760 Speaker 1: can't believe that didn't catch on, like for real, you 85 00:04:49,760 --> 00:04:52,800 Speaker 1: know how Coca Cola does this stupid cans and bottles 86 00:04:52,800 --> 00:04:55,640 Speaker 1: now with names. Oh now I understand. Yeah, there were 87 00:04:55,680 --> 00:04:59,320 Speaker 1: cigarettes that said like Sporty or the collegiate on the cigarette, 88 00:04:59,800 --> 00:05:03,560 Speaker 1: so it would have like your sports team like emblazoned 89 00:05:03,600 --> 00:05:06,960 Speaker 1: on the side. Maybe the problem is none of these 90 00:05:07,000 --> 00:05:12,279 Speaker 1: inventions took off. Now this guy literally well he could 91 00:05:12,279 --> 00:05:16,800 Speaker 1: give his inventions away, but like he almost literally couldn't 92 00:05:16,839 --> 00:05:19,600 Speaker 1: give him give them away. He he ended up manufacturing 93 00:05:19,640 --> 00:05:22,479 Speaker 1: these things and giving them away is like premiums for 94 00:05:22,520 --> 00:05:25,760 Speaker 1: other stuff like cigarettes and things like that. Yeah. So, um, 95 00:05:25,839 --> 00:05:30,359 Speaker 1: he starts a tree uh doctor business, Tupper Tree Doctors 96 00:05:31,000 --> 00:05:35,679 Speaker 1: that um failed after um the depression, people were cutting 97 00:05:35,720 --> 00:05:38,760 Speaker 1: back on things like tree doctoring. So he went out 98 00:05:38,760 --> 00:05:42,880 Speaker 1: of business and in a very fortuitous move, went and 99 00:05:42,920 --> 00:05:47,360 Speaker 1: worked um for Visca Lloyd Plant, which is a division 100 00:05:47,400 --> 00:05:51,240 Speaker 1: of DuPont making plastics. Right, and this is where things 101 00:05:51,279 --> 00:05:56,800 Speaker 1: kind of started taking shape. Yes, yes, yes, so basically 102 00:05:56,839 --> 00:06:01,120 Speaker 1: he gets into plastics and this town in Massachusetts that 103 00:06:01,200 --> 00:06:04,359 Speaker 1: he ended up in where the Vistalloid plant was, he 104 00:06:04,400 --> 00:06:06,960 Speaker 1: was all over New England basically growing up right, this 105 00:06:07,040 --> 00:06:11,320 Speaker 1: particular town was kind of like a mad scientists mecca 106 00:06:11,360 --> 00:06:14,479 Speaker 1: where like all of this stuff is going on in plastics, 107 00:06:14,800 --> 00:06:18,440 Speaker 1: all these little tiny plastic manufacturing outfits are, you know, 108 00:06:18,560 --> 00:06:21,240 Speaker 1: start It's like a startup town for plastics in like 109 00:06:21,279 --> 00:06:23,480 Speaker 1: the thirties or forties. They're like, we have this new thing, 110 00:06:23,600 --> 00:06:25,520 Speaker 1: Like what all can we do with it? Yeah? And which, 111 00:06:25,560 --> 00:06:30,200 Speaker 1: by the way, plastic, especially polyethylene. Polyethylene was invented by accident, 112 00:06:31,600 --> 00:06:35,640 Speaker 1: and by the forties they had still kind of they 113 00:06:35,760 --> 00:06:39,440 Speaker 1: perfected the polyethylene or had come out perfect, but they 114 00:06:39,560 --> 00:06:41,760 Speaker 1: hadn't figured out quite how to use it. And Earl 115 00:06:41,800 --> 00:06:44,000 Speaker 1: Tupper was one of those guys in the forties on 116 00:06:44,080 --> 00:06:46,800 Speaker 1: the cutting edge of taking plastics and figuring out how 117 00:06:46,839 --> 00:06:48,680 Speaker 1: to mold them in the right shape, how to keep 118 00:06:48,760 --> 00:06:52,240 Speaker 1: him from being oily or sticky or falling apart when 119 00:06:52,240 --> 00:06:54,600 Speaker 1: they were sitting out in the sunlight or all this stuff. 120 00:06:54,640 --> 00:06:57,520 Speaker 1: This guy is doing all these tests and he ends 121 00:06:57,600 --> 00:07:00,200 Speaker 1: up coming up thanks to getting a block of this 122 00:07:00,360 --> 00:07:03,760 Speaker 1: pure polyethylene from DuPont, the good stuff, the good stuff, 123 00:07:04,000 --> 00:07:07,520 Speaker 1: uncut stuff, um, and he figures out how to make 124 00:07:07,560 --> 00:07:11,320 Speaker 1: this bowl, A wonder lier bowl is what he calls it. Yeah, 125 00:07:11,400 --> 00:07:14,000 Speaker 1: and um DuPont at the time didn't think that they 126 00:07:14,040 --> 00:07:16,840 Speaker 1: could even mold plastic. Like he was smarter than their 127 00:07:16,880 --> 00:07:20,360 Speaker 1: guys because he figured out how to do it. And 128 00:07:20,520 --> 00:07:24,840 Speaker 1: Um then along with the design the the patented U 129 00:07:25,000 --> 00:07:29,400 Speaker 1: tupperware seal that made it so useful and famous, that 130 00:07:29,520 --> 00:07:32,600 Speaker 1: made the what sound that made the like the burping 131 00:07:32,680 --> 00:07:37,280 Speaker 1: sound or tooting sound. Um he originally got that idea 132 00:07:37,320 --> 00:07:40,200 Speaker 1: for the seal from paint cans, apparently, the fact that 133 00:07:40,200 --> 00:07:41,960 Speaker 1: you could turn a paint can upside down and it 134 00:07:42,120 --> 00:07:44,760 Speaker 1: wouldn't leak paint out all over the place. And he said, 135 00:07:44,760 --> 00:07:48,320 Speaker 1: I guess we can do this with food, you know, Yeah, 136 00:07:48,440 --> 00:07:51,480 Speaker 1: like put food in here. It's sealed. Look at the demonstration. 137 00:07:51,520 --> 00:07:53,920 Speaker 1: It's upside down and I'm shaking it and there's none 138 00:07:53,960 --> 00:07:56,400 Speaker 1: of that gravy coming out. What right, the grave is 139 00:07:56,400 --> 00:07:58,680 Speaker 1: not coming out. I can drop this bowl and it's 140 00:07:58,680 --> 00:08:03,320 Speaker 1: not gonna break because everyone knows how clumsy housewives are 141 00:08:03,720 --> 00:08:07,040 Speaker 1: breaking stuff all over And the fact that it, um 142 00:08:07,520 --> 00:08:12,440 Speaker 1: is that you burp it right, and it makes that sound, 143 00:08:12,720 --> 00:08:16,760 Speaker 1: and you're basically preserving the food for many many days 144 00:08:16,800 --> 00:08:19,560 Speaker 1: to come which was huge because a lot of the 145 00:08:19,640 --> 00:08:23,840 Speaker 1: people who were um homemakers in the forties and fifties, 146 00:08:24,320 --> 00:08:27,360 Speaker 1: they had lived through the depression and they remembered exactly 147 00:08:27,400 --> 00:08:29,440 Speaker 1: what it was like. So preserving food was a big deal. 148 00:08:30,240 --> 00:08:33,680 Speaker 1: And so this thing was like it's really easy to 149 00:08:33,720 --> 00:08:36,640 Speaker 1: take for granted these days, but it was very cutting 150 00:08:36,720 --> 00:08:40,520 Speaker 1: edge technology. Well, these days they have all those terrible 151 00:08:40,720 --> 00:08:43,760 Speaker 1: cheap oh uh, I was gonna say knockoffs are not 152 00:08:43,840 --> 00:08:46,680 Speaker 1: knockoffs are major brands. But you know those little cheap 153 00:08:46,679 --> 00:08:50,320 Speaker 1: plastic containers that are sold, they're they're not nearly the 154 00:08:50,400 --> 00:08:53,400 Speaker 1: quality of Tupperware. No tupper Warres started all that. Yeah, 155 00:08:53,559 --> 00:08:57,360 Speaker 1: and this stuff is garbage. The lids don't fit right ever, 156 00:08:57,920 --> 00:09:00,280 Speaker 1: they break, they don't, they don't do any thing that 157 00:09:00,360 --> 00:09:03,240 Speaker 1: Tupperware did. Like I have a Wonder bowl from the 158 00:09:03,320 --> 00:09:08,240 Speaker 1: nineteen seventies that's still like perfect. I mean it's a 159 00:09:08,240 --> 00:09:11,440 Speaker 1: little worn down, but it's still like functions perfectly right. Well, 160 00:09:11,440 --> 00:09:15,440 Speaker 1: it's a testament to and that other garbage that stuff, 161 00:09:15,559 --> 00:09:18,280 Speaker 1: like I don't have anything from last year. Well, it's 162 00:09:18,360 --> 00:09:22,280 Speaker 1: made and it was made during a time of much 163 00:09:22,320 --> 00:09:26,920 Speaker 1: more disposable thinking. You know, at the time it was like, 164 00:09:27,120 --> 00:09:29,240 Speaker 1: we're gonna make something now will last forever. Yeah, and 165 00:09:29,240 --> 00:09:33,960 Speaker 1: I think they still have a lifetime guarantees on everything. Yeah. 166 00:09:33,960 --> 00:09:35,840 Speaker 1: Like you could send in a tupperware piece from the 167 00:09:35,880 --> 00:09:39,719 Speaker 1: sixties and they'll, you know, if it's broken and it 168 00:09:39,760 --> 00:09:42,240 Speaker 1: meets the requirements, like you know, you didn't smash it 169 00:09:42,280 --> 00:09:45,880 Speaker 1: with a hammer or something. Um, because they can't prove you, 170 00:09:46,240 --> 00:09:48,599 Speaker 1: they'll give you like credits or the equivalent of what 171 00:09:48,640 --> 00:09:50,920 Speaker 1: you could get today or something. It's like, well, you 172 00:09:50,960 --> 00:09:54,040 Speaker 1: paid for that, but like, let's see what the West 173 00:09:54,040 --> 00:09:57,199 Speaker 1: Aid currency calculator has to say about that. So, um, 174 00:09:57,200 --> 00:10:02,000 Speaker 1: he formed Upper Plastics. Uh. Thing did not take off though, 175 00:10:02,200 --> 00:10:03,720 Speaker 1: um like he thought they would. He put him in 176 00:10:03,760 --> 00:10:08,760 Speaker 1: department stores and hardware stores for some reason, not a 177 00:10:08,800 --> 00:10:11,800 Speaker 1: good place to sell your tupperware. Yeah. I mean nowadays 178 00:10:11,840 --> 00:10:14,280 Speaker 1: I can see that, but back then you probably just 179 00:10:14,320 --> 00:10:17,000 Speaker 1: went to hardware stores for nails and hammers and stuff. Yeah, 180 00:10:17,040 --> 00:10:18,880 Speaker 1: I'm sure there are home goods and stuff too. It 181 00:10:18,960 --> 00:10:21,760 Speaker 1: was probably closer to a general store in the hardware 182 00:10:21,800 --> 00:10:24,520 Speaker 1: stores today, but even still, they weren't flying off the 183 00:10:24,520 --> 00:10:27,880 Speaker 1: shelves at the point. They were not. Um. So what 184 00:10:27,920 --> 00:10:31,000 Speaker 1: he did was there was another timeline going on at 185 00:10:31,040 --> 00:10:35,840 Speaker 1: the same time. UM Stanley Home Products was this, uh 186 00:10:36,280 --> 00:10:41,559 Speaker 1: basically pioneered the non door to door sales in favor 187 00:10:41,679 --> 00:10:45,400 Speaker 1: of hosting a party for lack of a better word, 188 00:10:45,960 --> 00:10:49,280 Speaker 1: in home demonstrations where you would gather people together. And 189 00:10:49,320 --> 00:10:53,680 Speaker 1: it was a guy named Norman Squires had um garnered 190 00:10:53,679 --> 00:10:55,720 Speaker 1: a lot of profits in this kind of sales, and 191 00:10:56,080 --> 00:10:59,200 Speaker 1: they had working for them a woman named Brownie Wise 192 00:11:00,480 --> 00:11:03,000 Speaker 1: and she was selling all kinds of stuff for Stanley 193 00:11:03,040 --> 00:11:06,400 Speaker 1: Home Products and uh they called it the hostess group 194 00:11:06,520 --> 00:11:11,040 Speaker 1: demonstration plan and she was a great, great salesperson. Yeah. 195 00:11:11,080 --> 00:11:16,040 Speaker 1: So these people at Stanley Home Products basically found tupperware 196 00:11:16,120 --> 00:11:20,560 Speaker 1: on their own and started selling it at these hostess parties. Right. Yeah, 197 00:11:20,559 --> 00:11:25,040 Speaker 1: she formed her own company called Tupperware Patio Parties. Oh 198 00:11:25,080 --> 00:11:28,160 Speaker 1: did she yea before she was hired. Before she was hired, 199 00:11:28,480 --> 00:11:31,320 Speaker 1: And she was selling so much of it that Earl 200 00:11:31,320 --> 00:11:33,560 Speaker 1: Tupper got in touch with her and was like, I 201 00:11:33,600 --> 00:11:36,560 Speaker 1: can't sell this stuff in stores like you're beating like 202 00:11:36,720 --> 00:11:40,480 Speaker 1: department stores in New York City sales records, and she yeah, 203 00:11:40,559 --> 00:11:42,400 Speaker 1: she really was. She had a lot of charms. She 204 00:11:42,440 --> 00:11:47,480 Speaker 1: had um she figured out that this burp thing that 205 00:11:47,600 --> 00:11:53,800 Speaker 1: was so essential and made this product so revolutionary, right that, Um, 206 00:11:53,880 --> 00:11:57,320 Speaker 1: it wasn't like intuitive, you didn't just understand how to 207 00:11:57,400 --> 00:12:00,480 Speaker 1: work it, and so it wasn't helping sale, which again 208 00:12:00,520 --> 00:12:03,720 Speaker 1: seems weird today, but back then people like, what is 209 00:12:03,760 --> 00:12:08,200 Speaker 1: this weird colored thing? Just go together? And they're just 210 00:12:08,240 --> 00:12:12,480 Speaker 1: banging them together in the isle of a hardware store crying. Um. 211 00:12:12,600 --> 00:12:16,400 Speaker 1: They She figured out that if you demonstrate this to people, 212 00:12:16,880 --> 00:12:20,319 Speaker 1: especially in like somebody's house or whatever and they've had 213 00:12:20,360 --> 00:12:23,440 Speaker 1: a couple of martinis and there's or Derv's, people are 214 00:12:23,520 --> 00:12:25,680 Speaker 1: apt to buy these things. And yeah, like you said, 215 00:12:25,720 --> 00:12:30,600 Speaker 1: she started out selling department stores hardware stores obviously, um, 216 00:12:30,679 --> 00:12:33,360 Speaker 1: and she got hired on by Earl Tupper. She was 217 00:12:33,400 --> 00:12:35,800 Speaker 1: in Detroit at the time. I think I think she'd 218 00:12:35,800 --> 00:12:39,120 Speaker 1: moved down to Orlando when she was hired. Oh really 219 00:12:39,160 --> 00:12:42,080 Speaker 1: by that point. Yeah, she was from Beauford, Georgia originally. Yeah, 220 00:12:42,120 --> 00:12:45,199 Speaker 1: she was from Earl Georgia. And U ended up, um 221 00:12:45,240 --> 00:12:48,000 Speaker 1: being married and divorced, which was pretty unusual at the time. 222 00:12:48,080 --> 00:12:50,520 Speaker 1: And she was a single mom. Yep, the little Jerry 223 00:12:50,520 --> 00:12:54,760 Speaker 1: Wise that's right. She unfortunately her husband was a violent 224 00:12:54,840 --> 00:12:57,920 Speaker 1: drunk that too, so that's not saying that. That's PBS 225 00:12:58,000 --> 00:13:00,360 Speaker 1: taken the fall for that. So she was re married 226 00:13:00,480 --> 00:13:03,720 Speaker 1: him for about six years and then it was basically like, 227 00:13:03,760 --> 00:13:05,600 Speaker 1: I'm gonna make my own way. He only had an 228 00:13:05,600 --> 00:13:08,719 Speaker 1: eighth grade education, and she was killing it on the 229 00:13:08,760 --> 00:13:11,800 Speaker 1: sales front. Yeah, she she really was. So it took 230 00:13:11,840 --> 00:13:16,000 Speaker 1: before we get any further about Brownie Wise. Great name name, yeah, 231 00:13:16,200 --> 00:13:18,680 Speaker 1: maybe not a band name, but a great name. The 232 00:13:18,760 --> 00:13:21,240 Speaker 1: brown the Brownie Wise would be a good name, or 233 00:13:21,360 --> 00:13:25,640 Speaker 1: the the Brownie Wise massacre Yeah sure, yeah, there you go, 234 00:13:26,000 --> 00:13:30,520 Speaker 1: or Brownie Wise over Drive. Both of those anyway for 235 00:13:30,559 --> 00:13:33,120 Speaker 1: one another. I guess the point that I'm trying to 236 00:13:33,160 --> 00:13:50,640 Speaker 1: get to his Let's take your break, Okay. So Brownie 237 00:13:50,720 --> 00:13:54,720 Speaker 1: Wise has her tupper Wear Patio Parties company out selling stores. 238 00:13:55,240 --> 00:13:59,000 Speaker 1: She gets hired on UM. They literally divide the company 239 00:13:59,040 --> 00:14:03,760 Speaker 1: into uh two sides, the Tupperware manufacturing up in Massachusetts 240 00:14:03,920 --> 00:14:07,920 Speaker 1: and then Tupperware Home Parties down in Orlando. Down in Orlando, yeah, 241 00:14:07,960 --> 00:14:11,400 Speaker 1: where she lives. Basically, Earl Tupper comes to her in 242 00:14:11,800 --> 00:14:14,920 Speaker 1: n and says, hey, how would you like to be 243 00:14:14,960 --> 00:14:18,320 Speaker 1: one of like three female high level executives in the 244 00:14:18,400 --> 00:14:21,600 Speaker 1: United States in the world I would guess, and she said, 245 00:14:21,840 --> 00:14:24,840 Speaker 1: that's sure, why not, I'll do you a favor. And 246 00:14:25,080 --> 00:14:27,800 Speaker 1: I said she was a very interesting woman. If I didn't, 247 00:14:27,840 --> 00:14:29,400 Speaker 1: I did in my head and meant to say it, 248 00:14:29,880 --> 00:14:33,280 Speaker 1: but she, Um, there's apparently a movie coming out about 249 00:14:33,320 --> 00:14:36,360 Speaker 1: her life, starring Sandra Bullock. You did not say that, 250 00:14:36,400 --> 00:14:39,320 Speaker 1: and I did see that, So there you go. I 251 00:14:39,360 --> 00:14:42,160 Speaker 1: couldn't find any information on except that I think it's 252 00:14:42,200 --> 00:14:45,640 Speaker 1: in uh in pre uh pre production right now. Oh, 253 00:14:45,720 --> 00:14:48,480 Speaker 1: I see, I think it's going to happen. But um, yeah, 254 00:14:48,520 --> 00:14:52,200 Speaker 1: I mean she she's one of the great uh woman 255 00:14:52,440 --> 00:14:54,560 Speaker 1: entrepreneurs that this country has ever seen, the world has 256 00:14:54,600 --> 00:14:57,440 Speaker 1: ever seen. Really yea, because she took this tupperware, which 257 00:14:57,600 --> 00:15:02,960 Speaker 1: everyone except the American public agreed was great. In ninety seven, 258 00:15:02,960 --> 00:15:06,880 Speaker 1: the year that Tupper invented this stuff, Time named it 259 00:15:07,120 --> 00:15:11,240 Speaker 1: this amazing thing. It won design Awards. Yeah, she was 260 00:15:11,240 --> 00:15:13,760 Speaker 1: on the first woman on the cover of Business Week magazine, 261 00:15:13,920 --> 00:15:16,920 Speaker 1: right right. But even before she came along, everybody, especially 262 00:15:17,000 --> 00:15:20,160 Speaker 1: in the art world, in the design world, um said this, this, 263 00:15:20,200 --> 00:15:22,680 Speaker 1: this stuff is great. But it was just sitting there languishing, 264 00:15:23,120 --> 00:15:26,640 Speaker 1: and then then Brownie Wise comes along and just turns 265 00:15:26,640 --> 00:15:29,120 Speaker 1: it into a blockbuster, like turns it into it an 266 00:15:29,120 --> 00:15:32,560 Speaker 1: American iconic brand, which it still is today. Yeah. And 267 00:15:32,600 --> 00:15:35,960 Speaker 1: what she realized, which is uh was a stroke of genius, 268 00:15:36,160 --> 00:15:41,240 Speaker 1: was it's the nineteen fifties. The suburbs are happening post 269 00:15:41,240 --> 00:15:44,120 Speaker 1: World War two in a big way. Um, there's a 270 00:15:44,120 --> 00:15:47,920 Speaker 1: lot of women that are that are homemakers, that are 271 00:15:49,000 --> 00:15:51,280 Speaker 1: I guess we could just say they were bored and 272 00:15:51,320 --> 00:15:54,720 Speaker 1: looking for something to do well. Plus also they had 273 00:15:54,840 --> 00:15:59,560 Speaker 1: very um, they had very real constrictions on their time 274 00:16:00,200 --> 00:16:04,000 Speaker 1: where like they're basically freedom of movement. They didn't have cars, 275 00:16:04,040 --> 00:16:06,240 Speaker 1: they didn't have things like this, they didn't have a 276 00:16:06,240 --> 00:16:08,400 Speaker 1: lot of ways to make money. Yeah. Well, and again 277 00:16:08,400 --> 00:16:09,960 Speaker 1: they were out in the suburbs for the first time. 278 00:16:10,000 --> 00:16:12,960 Speaker 1: It's not like many of these were connected by subway 279 00:16:13,040 --> 00:16:15,280 Speaker 1: or anything. That was still an inner city deal. Right. So, 280 00:16:15,400 --> 00:16:18,200 Speaker 1: But rather than view these places as fast like waste 281 00:16:18,240 --> 00:16:21,800 Speaker 1: lands of isolation, Brownie Wise said, no, these are like 282 00:16:21,880 --> 00:16:25,560 Speaker 1: little tiny social networks where people know and trust one 283 00:16:25,600 --> 00:16:28,800 Speaker 1: another and they're board out of their skulls and they're 284 00:16:28,800 --> 00:16:31,240 Speaker 1: looking for ways to make money. Like so, not only 285 00:16:31,240 --> 00:16:34,360 Speaker 1: do you have a really great market to sell this to, 286 00:16:34,720 --> 00:16:37,240 Speaker 1: you have a really great workforce that's just sitting there, idol. 287 00:16:37,720 --> 00:16:40,640 Speaker 1: And she said, how would you gals like to sell tupperware? 288 00:16:41,040 --> 00:16:43,920 Speaker 1: And they went, let's do this, that's right. And what 289 00:16:44,000 --> 00:16:46,080 Speaker 1: she did was came up with a system where and 290 00:16:46,280 --> 00:16:50,440 Speaker 1: you could work your way up the chain, um, from 291 00:16:50,480 --> 00:16:52,760 Speaker 1: sales all the way. Well, let's let's just detail it. 292 00:16:53,520 --> 00:16:56,840 Speaker 1: What you are is your consultant at first, which is 293 00:16:57,040 --> 00:16:59,840 Speaker 1: out there, you know, holding the parties, hosting these parties. 294 00:17:00,080 --> 00:17:04,000 Speaker 1: Talk about everybody's till yeah, and then you can work 295 00:17:04,000 --> 00:17:06,840 Speaker 1: your up to manager if you organize a certain number 296 00:17:06,880 --> 00:17:13,600 Speaker 1: of parties, and then managers, uh, we're eventually recruiting other women. 297 00:17:14,240 --> 00:17:17,320 Speaker 1: So if you recruit enough women and increased sales, then 298 00:17:17,440 --> 00:17:20,600 Speaker 1: you could rise to distributor. And that was the highest 299 00:17:20,680 --> 00:17:23,520 Speaker 1: level you could attain at that point. Yes, you could 300 00:17:23,520 --> 00:17:25,320 Speaker 1: be a distributor. You have your own office, you have 301 00:17:25,359 --> 00:17:28,399 Speaker 1: your network of managers, and then they managed the consultants 302 00:17:28,480 --> 00:17:33,399 Speaker 1: or the party throwers, party hosts, and um. Basically she 303 00:17:33,560 --> 00:17:38,240 Speaker 1: started her own army of salespeople. Yeah, so incentibized salespeople. 304 00:17:38,400 --> 00:17:44,000 Speaker 1: Right now, there are two point nine million people in 305 00:17:44,040 --> 00:17:48,040 Speaker 1: the world. Every three seconds there's another top waur party. 306 00:17:48,160 --> 00:17:50,720 Speaker 1: But we're getting ahead of ourselves, right, So she she 307 00:17:50,840 --> 00:17:53,280 Speaker 1: put together this workforce and again it was UM, this 308 00:17:53,320 --> 00:17:55,879 Speaker 1: guy named Norman Squires who came up with this idea 309 00:17:56,359 --> 00:18:01,439 Speaker 1: that led to UM being a huge, huge hip for tupperware, 310 00:18:01,640 --> 00:18:07,239 Speaker 1: but also later on avon Um and Mary Kay and 311 00:18:07,320 --> 00:18:10,200 Speaker 1: Pampered Chef and like all of these, all of these 312 00:18:10,240 --> 00:18:15,360 Speaker 1: brands that like are sold through hostess parties basically get 313 00:18:15,359 --> 00:18:19,960 Speaker 1: you in our house and get you drunk and just 314 00:18:20,160 --> 00:18:24,120 Speaker 1: leave me a blank Checkly, but the it wasn't invented 315 00:18:24,119 --> 00:18:27,520 Speaker 1: by Brownie wise, but she definitely perfected it for sure. 316 00:18:27,880 --> 00:18:30,399 Speaker 1: So UM she tapped this workforce. And one of the 317 00:18:30,440 --> 00:18:33,800 Speaker 1: ways that she kept people excited and loyal not just 318 00:18:33,840 --> 00:18:38,040 Speaker 1: the fact that they could rise throughout this hierarchy UM 319 00:18:38,080 --> 00:18:41,320 Speaker 1: in the tupperware industry, but there there was also like 320 00:18:41,400 --> 00:18:44,640 Speaker 1: this thing that she created called the Jubilee every year 321 00:18:44,680 --> 00:18:47,679 Speaker 1: down Orlando. It was a big company party it was, 322 00:18:47,760 --> 00:18:50,399 Speaker 1: and they would just pull out all the stops like 323 00:18:50,480 --> 00:18:55,120 Speaker 1: they would bury fur coats. They were bury blenders. One 324 00:18:55,119 --> 00:18:57,160 Speaker 1: of the buyers once said that he bought a hundred 325 00:18:57,200 --> 00:19:00,800 Speaker 1: thousand blenders once for this jubilee. They just bring all 326 00:19:00,880 --> 00:19:04,239 Speaker 1: these tupperware sales associates and just basically throw them a 327 00:19:04,240 --> 00:19:06,520 Speaker 1: party for a few days and let them just win 328 00:19:06,760 --> 00:19:08,959 Speaker 1: free stuff and have a great time. Yeah. And when 329 00:19:09,000 --> 00:19:11,040 Speaker 1: you say, Barry, I think we should explains that sounds 330 00:19:11,040 --> 00:19:14,480 Speaker 1: really weird. They would bury these prizes and people would 331 00:19:14,520 --> 00:19:17,480 Speaker 1: go and dig them up. Right. It wasn't like you 332 00:19:17,560 --> 00:19:19,360 Speaker 1: can't have this. Look at what you can't have, we're 333 00:19:19,400 --> 00:19:21,280 Speaker 1: burying it. They just sounded fun. You're like, they bury 334 00:19:21,280 --> 00:19:24,240 Speaker 1: for coats, they bury anything that moves. Yeah, thank you. Yeah, 335 00:19:24,320 --> 00:19:26,440 Speaker 1: but it was all part of the fun. Apparently they 336 00:19:26,480 --> 00:19:30,240 Speaker 1: lost a lot of them too. Yeah. Years later, Um, 337 00:19:30,359 --> 00:19:33,479 Speaker 1: at the at the Tupperware headquarters in ORLEANSO, they went 338 00:19:33,560 --> 00:19:35,840 Speaker 1: to dig a pond and they found a bunch of 339 00:19:35,880 --> 00:19:38,760 Speaker 1: the prizes that had never been found. Yes, some say 340 00:19:38,800 --> 00:19:46,080 Speaker 1: there's still for coats buried all over Orlando by the illuminati. Right. So, um, 341 00:19:46,119 --> 00:19:48,359 Speaker 1: those are the big jubilee parties, the big company parties. 342 00:19:48,480 --> 00:19:53,480 Speaker 1: Great for morale. Um. The hostess uh themselves or the 343 00:19:53,520 --> 00:19:58,560 Speaker 1: consultants would um, they would make percentage. Uh, they basically 344 00:19:58,640 --> 00:20:00,920 Speaker 1: make a cut what they were able to sell as 345 00:20:00,960 --> 00:20:04,959 Speaker 1: well as get prizes. Um, like these really neat prizes 346 00:20:04,960 --> 00:20:06,800 Speaker 1: and the more parties you hosted, the better the prizes 347 00:20:06,840 --> 00:20:11,040 Speaker 1: would get. So it's like it's like the Wild West. 348 00:20:11,080 --> 00:20:13,600 Speaker 1: It's the Heyday for these women. They're like earning their 349 00:20:13,600 --> 00:20:16,520 Speaker 1: own money for a change. They're getting these great prizes. 350 00:20:16,600 --> 00:20:19,560 Speaker 1: They're feeling great about themselves. They're not bored any longer. 351 00:20:20,119 --> 00:20:22,120 Speaker 1: And their husbands were like, WHOA, what's going on here? 352 00:20:22,760 --> 00:20:26,040 Speaker 1: Give me that money you made? Yeah, exactly. And things 353 00:20:26,040 --> 00:20:29,200 Speaker 1: were so successful with this model that that was their 354 00:20:29,200 --> 00:20:32,239 Speaker 1: only sales model up until the late nineteen eighties. Right, 355 00:20:32,280 --> 00:20:34,000 Speaker 1: You couldn't even buy the stuff in stores. No, he 356 00:20:34,160 --> 00:20:36,879 Speaker 1: just stopped. It wasn't even worth the money or effort 357 00:20:36,880 --> 00:20:39,640 Speaker 1: to distribute it. The stories. They just did it through 358 00:20:39,800 --> 00:20:44,119 Speaker 1: parties and home parties. Thank you, Brownie Wise all right, So, um, 359 00:20:44,200 --> 00:20:48,240 Speaker 1: and like you said in they started selling it through 360 00:20:48,680 --> 00:20:54,720 Speaker 1: um catalogs, I guess, uh, yeah, I think they. I've 361 00:20:54,720 --> 00:20:57,480 Speaker 1: seen like older catalogs from like the fifties and sixties, 362 00:20:57,480 --> 00:20:59,119 Speaker 1: So I don't know what that means. Maybe over the 363 00:20:59,160 --> 00:21:03,520 Speaker 1: phone you saw Tupperware one. Yeah, it's on our it's 364 00:21:03,560 --> 00:21:05,720 Speaker 1: on the podcast pitch for this episode. There's a link 365 00:21:05,800 --> 00:21:09,000 Speaker 1: to this kind of design layout and it has some catalogs. 366 00:21:09,040 --> 00:21:11,640 Speaker 1: So it must have been like ordered by phone. Oh yeah, 367 00:21:11,640 --> 00:21:15,480 Speaker 1: maybe so. And then just about ten years later, Tupperware 368 00:21:15,520 --> 00:21:19,960 Speaker 1: had their first website, which e commerce in that was 369 00:21:20,160 --> 00:21:23,879 Speaker 1: fairly forward thinking. Yeah that's true, you know. Yeah, um, 370 00:21:24,040 --> 00:21:29,520 Speaker 1: so this caught like wildfire today you can it's not 371 00:21:29,600 --> 00:21:33,280 Speaker 1: just like an American institution. There are Tupperware parties, like 372 00:21:33,320 --> 00:21:36,200 Speaker 1: we said, at the rate of one every three seconds, 373 00:21:36,240 --> 00:21:39,280 Speaker 1: and more than a hundred countries around the world. I 374 00:21:39,280 --> 00:21:41,560 Speaker 1: had no idea that Tupperware was that popular in like 375 00:21:41,600 --> 00:21:45,880 Speaker 1: Asia and India, And they said half a million, more 376 00:21:45,920 --> 00:21:48,920 Speaker 1: than half a million every year in France alone. Yeah, 377 00:21:50,040 --> 00:21:53,720 Speaker 1: of Tupperware sales are outside of the US these days. Yeah, 378 00:21:53,840 --> 00:21:56,159 Speaker 1: and it's a I mean, like it's got it moving 379 00:21:56,200 --> 00:21:58,320 Speaker 1: like gangbusters. Last I saw, I was trading at like 380 00:21:58,359 --> 00:22:00,919 Speaker 1: sixty three dollars a share, which is down from like 381 00:22:00,960 --> 00:22:05,280 Speaker 1: a hundred in December. Maybe. Um, Like it's it's a 382 00:22:05,359 --> 00:22:09,119 Speaker 1: really set company again these days, Like it's been able 383 00:22:09,160 --> 00:22:12,840 Speaker 1: to just be on the brink of utter irrelevance when 384 00:22:12,840 --> 00:22:15,560 Speaker 1: it finds a new market, when it figures out a 385 00:22:15,600 --> 00:22:18,200 Speaker 1: new way to do to sell, when it figures out 386 00:22:18,200 --> 00:22:22,040 Speaker 1: a new product, like currently right now in China. Um, 387 00:22:23,359 --> 00:22:26,080 Speaker 1: Tupperware is making tons of cash selling a thousand dollar 388 00:22:26,119 --> 00:22:28,960 Speaker 1: water filter, and they're doing it by traveling from town 389 00:22:29,000 --> 00:22:32,560 Speaker 1: to town and setting up these in home demonstrations or 390 00:22:32,640 --> 00:22:35,480 Speaker 1: public demonstrations and showing how to do it. So they're 391 00:22:35,520 --> 00:22:38,280 Speaker 1: like taking the Tupperware model that Brownie Wise like really 392 00:22:38,280 --> 00:22:41,359 Speaker 1: perfected and and figuring out how it best works and 393 00:22:41,400 --> 00:22:44,560 Speaker 1: cultures around the world. Yeah, I know. They make um also, 394 00:22:44,680 --> 00:22:47,560 Speaker 1: like uh, depending on your country and what they eat, 395 00:22:47,720 --> 00:22:51,879 Speaker 1: like certain shaped um containers, right like round bread containers 396 00:22:51,920 --> 00:22:55,840 Speaker 1: for non in India. How about that? So what happened 397 00:22:55,880 --> 00:22:59,280 Speaker 1: to Brownie Wise? I guess she retired, was thanked, carried 398 00:22:59,280 --> 00:23:03,679 Speaker 1: out on everyone shoulders, and lived a great fulfilled life 399 00:23:04,160 --> 00:23:07,000 Speaker 1: until her death. Right. Well, we're gonna tell you right 400 00:23:07,000 --> 00:23:30,639 Speaker 1: after this break, all right, Josh, let's fast forward to um. 401 00:23:30,680 --> 00:23:36,000 Speaker 1: The Tupperware business is booming, Brownie Wise is a bit 402 00:23:36,040 --> 00:23:40,520 Speaker 1: of a celebrity. The twist is going like Gangbusters? Was it? 403 00:23:40,800 --> 00:23:44,320 Speaker 1: Probably okay? People are still twisting the night away? Yeah? 404 00:23:44,720 --> 00:23:47,840 Speaker 1: I mean what was that like? Probably started three years? 405 00:23:47,840 --> 00:23:51,800 Speaker 1: Sure there was some squares still twisting. Yeah, they weren't 406 00:23:51,800 --> 00:23:54,080 Speaker 1: doing the mashed potato yet. No, I think that was 407 00:23:54,119 --> 00:23:57,920 Speaker 1: a little later, Okay, Um, so business is booming, Brownie 408 00:23:57,960 --> 00:24:01,240 Speaker 1: Wise is killing it. She's a celebrity. Earl Tupper um 409 00:24:01,480 --> 00:24:03,520 Speaker 1: starts to get little jealous over the years. It's as 410 00:24:03,560 --> 00:24:07,000 Speaker 1: simple as that. Yeah. As much as he like didn't 411 00:24:07,200 --> 00:24:09,760 Speaker 1: seek or want the limelight, he was still jealous that 412 00:24:10,200 --> 00:24:14,240 Speaker 1: Brownie Wise people thought that she was Tupperware and that 413 00:24:14,359 --> 00:24:17,960 Speaker 1: she started the company um and started selling like I 414 00:24:17,960 --> 00:24:20,920 Speaker 1: can sell anything like this. So she didn't say that 415 00:24:21,760 --> 00:24:23,919 Speaker 1: him in the media said she could. She could have 416 00:24:24,000 --> 00:24:27,160 Speaker 1: done this with any brand. She's that great, and Earl 417 00:24:27,200 --> 00:24:29,520 Speaker 1: Tupper wanted to be like, well, no, I mean my 418 00:24:29,600 --> 00:24:33,080 Speaker 1: product that I invented is you know a big part 419 00:24:33,119 --> 00:24:36,280 Speaker 1: of this, if not the thing, Earl Tupper right, so 420 00:24:36,440 --> 00:24:40,720 Speaker 1: he um he apparently also she stopped kind of cow 421 00:24:40,800 --> 00:24:43,760 Speaker 1: towing to him quite as much. Um, but I got 422 00:24:43,800 --> 00:24:46,920 Speaker 1: on great for a while. Yeah. And again he had 423 00:24:47,040 --> 00:24:51,960 Speaker 1: said to their PR department and to any media interviewer like, yes, 424 00:24:52,080 --> 00:24:55,560 Speaker 1: this lady is the face of Tupperware. Treater is such, promoter, 425 00:24:55,720 --> 00:24:58,639 Speaker 1: is such, And he, just like you said, ended up 426 00:24:58,680 --> 00:25:01,760 Speaker 1: getting jealous. Didn't like that she wasn't cows outing to 427 00:25:01,800 --> 00:25:05,600 Speaker 1: him any longer, and in night said, you're fired. Yeah. 428 00:25:05,800 --> 00:25:08,680 Speaker 1: He The story I read was that he wanted to 429 00:25:08,680 --> 00:25:12,000 Speaker 1: sell the company and cash in, and that he didn't 430 00:25:12,040 --> 00:25:15,040 Speaker 1: think and was advised that it would be really hard 431 00:25:15,080 --> 00:25:17,720 Speaker 1: to sell a company with a woman in such a 432 00:25:17,720 --> 00:25:21,399 Speaker 1: prominent position on the board. And so he, uh, like 433 00:25:21,480 --> 00:25:24,600 Speaker 1: you said, just unceremoniously get rid of her, gave her 434 00:25:24,680 --> 00:25:27,879 Speaker 1: one year salary. It was like thirty grands zero stock 435 00:25:29,240 --> 00:25:32,320 Speaker 1: that she had built almost from the ground up. Yeah, 436 00:25:32,480 --> 00:25:35,760 Speaker 1: or help build at least. And I gotta say that 437 00:25:35,840 --> 00:25:38,920 Speaker 1: was her you know, that was her mistake. She should 438 00:25:38,920 --> 00:25:41,000 Speaker 1: have gotten some stock along the way. Yeah, I guess. 439 00:25:41,280 --> 00:25:44,920 Speaker 1: You know, she's too busy selling And yeah, I mean exactly. 440 00:25:45,080 --> 00:25:47,320 Speaker 1: She was imagined thirty five grand a year was a 441 00:25:47,320 --> 00:25:50,439 Speaker 1: pretty good salary at the point. You want me to 442 00:25:50,480 --> 00:25:53,760 Speaker 1: look it up, I will, you can. So she got 443 00:25:53,760 --> 00:25:56,679 Speaker 1: that small pay out. She went UM and what he 444 00:25:56,960 --> 00:25:59,920 Speaker 1: said to her was is that there were some accounting 445 00:26:00,080 --> 00:26:03,679 Speaker 1: errors in the previous year. She wouldn't come to Massachusetts 446 00:26:03,680 --> 00:26:05,800 Speaker 1: to talk to him about it, and sort of dug 447 00:26:05,800 --> 00:26:08,520 Speaker 1: In says that she said that she had gotten sicker, 448 00:26:08,560 --> 00:26:11,240 Speaker 1: injured and couldn't leave Florida. He finally went down to 449 00:26:11,320 --> 00:26:15,560 Speaker 1: Florida UM and basically said that, you know, these jubilees 450 00:26:15,600 --> 00:26:19,200 Speaker 1: are too expensive. The landscaping you've done here in Florida, 451 00:26:19,600 --> 00:26:22,960 Speaker 1: the company headquarters is too expensive. You're spending too much 452 00:26:22,960 --> 00:26:25,720 Speaker 1: money on clothes. Uh. And we own all that stuff, 453 00:26:25,760 --> 00:26:28,840 Speaker 1: We own all your clothing. What well, I mean that's 454 00:26:28,840 --> 00:26:30,240 Speaker 1: I don't know if he actually took it, but he 455 00:26:30,320 --> 00:26:32,399 Speaker 1: basically was like, you know, she paid for all that 456 00:26:32,440 --> 00:26:35,760 Speaker 1: stuff through the company, as she should have, you know, 457 00:26:35,840 --> 00:26:39,320 Speaker 1: to keep up appearances. But um, yeah, that was it 458 00:26:39,359 --> 00:26:43,000 Speaker 1: for her. She started a small company called Cinderella Cosmetics 459 00:26:43,040 --> 00:26:46,800 Speaker 1: that folded after a year and sort of faded into obscurity. 460 00:26:47,680 --> 00:26:53,320 Speaker 1: Then um earl tupper Uh sold out that the next 461 00:26:53,400 --> 00:26:56,720 Speaker 1: year I think sixteen million. Yeah, he sells out for 462 00:26:56,960 --> 00:27:01,080 Speaker 1: sixteen million dollars. Nice cash. She wrecked all drug company, 463 00:27:01,520 --> 00:27:04,879 Speaker 1: which was eventually absorbed by Kraft, who apparently now owns Tupperware. 464 00:27:06,000 --> 00:27:10,160 Speaker 1: I think maybe it's the parent company. Um and yeah, 465 00:27:10,280 --> 00:27:13,000 Speaker 1: sixteen million in nineteen fifty eight. It's not too bad 466 00:27:13,080 --> 00:27:14,880 Speaker 1: for a boy who couldn't get his parents to build 467 00:27:14,880 --> 00:27:17,680 Speaker 1: a playground on the family pick your own whatever farm. 468 00:27:18,200 --> 00:27:20,679 Speaker 1: Did you find out if she thirty five grand was 469 00:27:20,680 --> 00:27:22,560 Speaker 1: a good salary? Yeah? It wasn't bad. It was like 470 00:27:23,119 --> 00:27:29,400 Speaker 1: two hundred and I think thirty two thousand dollars back then. Yeah, 471 00:27:29,480 --> 00:27:35,480 Speaker 1: that's good. It's not bad. I mean especially for a executive. Yeah. Um. 472 00:27:35,600 --> 00:27:37,960 Speaker 1: But he sold the whole thing for sixteen million, gave 473 00:27:37,960 --> 00:27:42,280 Speaker 1: her one year salary, moved to Costa Rica, bought an island, 474 00:27:42,600 --> 00:27:44,640 Speaker 1: announced as US citizenships so they didn't have to pay 475 00:27:44,640 --> 00:27:48,679 Speaker 1: any taxes on that. Got divorced. Yeah right, and uh 476 00:27:48,760 --> 00:27:52,360 Speaker 1: said Siona, everybody, I'm going to Costa Rica to buy 477 00:27:52,359 --> 00:27:55,160 Speaker 1: an island and keep a note pad in my pocket. 478 00:27:55,400 --> 00:27:59,320 Speaker 1: So anytime an idea for a new invention hits, I'll 479 00:27:59,359 --> 00:28:03,240 Speaker 1: have it. Yeah. And just like probably you know, eight 480 00:28:03,280 --> 00:28:07,399 Speaker 1: pineapples on his island. Yeah. He died in three in 481 00:28:07,480 --> 00:28:11,280 Speaker 1: Costa Rica, Uh, seventy six, and she died in nineteen 482 00:28:12,920 --> 00:28:16,480 Speaker 1: and Um, tupperware has not gone out of fashion. It's 483 00:28:16,680 --> 00:28:21,080 Speaker 1: it's been featured uh starting in what year was it, 484 00:28:21,200 --> 00:28:22,959 Speaker 1: I guess when they first came out at the Museum 485 00:28:23,000 --> 00:28:25,720 Speaker 1: of Modern Art, and then again in two thousand eleven. 486 00:28:25,720 --> 00:28:28,640 Speaker 1: I think I even saw this exhibit. In fact, I'm 487 00:28:28,640 --> 00:28:31,560 Speaker 1: almost positive I did, because it was about just industrial 488 00:28:31,600 --> 00:28:35,439 Speaker 1: design and things, and there's Tupperware all over again because 489 00:28:35,440 --> 00:28:38,760 Speaker 1: of its gorgeous of course, now you know that fifties 490 00:28:39,120 --> 00:28:46,040 Speaker 1: era design. The original line that tupper released is called 491 00:28:46,080 --> 00:28:50,480 Speaker 1: the Millionaire line, and it came in six colors, five 492 00:28:50,520 --> 00:28:54,520 Speaker 1: pastels and one white, right, yellow, blue, green, orange, and pink. 493 00:28:54,640 --> 00:28:56,480 Speaker 1: And they're really pretty. Like if you look at a 494 00:28:56,520 --> 00:28:59,360 Speaker 1: set of these things in a good, good condition, they're gorgeous. 495 00:28:59,440 --> 00:29:03,520 Speaker 1: He went on to the Plastics Hall of Fame. Um 496 00:29:03,600 --> 00:29:06,360 Speaker 1: and now like this stuff from the fifties and sixties, 497 00:29:06,400 --> 00:29:09,080 Speaker 1: you can get some decent money on eBay for that stuff, 498 00:29:10,200 --> 00:29:12,800 Speaker 1: you know, because it still works and people love that 499 00:29:12,920 --> 00:29:18,160 Speaker 1: retro look. Did you know that he refused refused to 500 00:29:18,680 --> 00:29:22,520 Speaker 1: have any um any pet bowls designed. He thought it 501 00:29:22,600 --> 00:29:25,600 Speaker 1: was Tupperware was too good for pets to eat out of. 502 00:29:25,840 --> 00:29:28,960 Speaker 1: What a jerk. See, I was all on board until that. 503 00:29:30,160 --> 00:29:32,040 Speaker 1: Actually I wasn't on board. I was off board when 504 00:29:32,040 --> 00:29:34,760 Speaker 1: I found out that he fired Brownie Wise. Yeah he 505 00:29:34,920 --> 00:29:36,920 Speaker 1: and then was like, okay, I've got some money. See 506 00:29:36,920 --> 00:29:40,520 Speaker 1: a later family. Yeah, moved to Costa Rica. Would you 507 00:29:40,640 --> 00:29:42,400 Speaker 1: be funny if he went down and started a cult 508 00:29:42,720 --> 00:29:47,480 Speaker 1: with the slinky guy. Um? So Tupperware stayed pretty much 509 00:29:47,520 --> 00:29:53,880 Speaker 1: the same until when they designer named Morrison Cousins basically 510 00:29:53,920 --> 00:29:57,600 Speaker 1: kind of redesigned for for the new era. Yeah he 511 00:29:57,600 --> 00:30:01,080 Speaker 1: he was UM already a VP I guess that Tupperware 512 00:30:01,520 --> 00:30:05,080 Speaker 1: and he was. He decided that it was a little difficult. 513 00:30:05,080 --> 00:30:07,520 Speaker 1: He had an eighty two or eighty one year old 514 00:30:07,520 --> 00:30:10,080 Speaker 1: mother at the time eighty seven year old mother at 515 00:30:10,080 --> 00:30:14,480 Speaker 1: the time when he was charged with redesigning the Tupperware line, 516 00:30:14,840 --> 00:30:18,360 Speaker 1: and UM he from that viewpoint, he redesigned it to 517 00:30:18,400 --> 00:30:21,520 Speaker 1: make it easier for UM the aged to use. Right, 518 00:30:21,960 --> 00:30:25,239 Speaker 1: So like that burping lid that you had to like 519 00:30:25,320 --> 00:30:27,960 Speaker 1: really kind of have some decent hand strength to put on. 520 00:30:28,560 --> 00:30:31,520 Speaker 1: He figured out a way around it by UM using 521 00:30:31,640 --> 00:30:35,520 Speaker 1: flaps that opened and closed to release the air. Didn't 522 00:30:35,720 --> 00:30:38,960 Speaker 1: require quite as much hand strength. UM. The lids were 523 00:30:39,000 --> 00:30:41,600 Speaker 1: made in contrast and closure to the bowls, so if 524 00:30:41,600 --> 00:30:47,000 Speaker 1: you had a low visibility low vision not visibility, that's 525 00:30:47,080 --> 00:30:50,600 Speaker 1: totally different. If you were wearing all camouflage at the time, 526 00:30:50,960 --> 00:30:53,320 Speaker 1: you'd be able to find the lid and the bowl 527 00:30:53,760 --> 00:30:56,840 Speaker 1: that go together pretty easy. So he yea, he made 528 00:30:56,880 --> 00:30:59,520 Speaker 1: them easier for old books, yep. And he was the 529 00:30:59,520 --> 00:31:02,560 Speaker 1: guy who UM brought it online. He did a lot 530 00:31:02,600 --> 00:31:07,320 Speaker 1: of good stuff. Apparently with it, he also took the brand. 531 00:31:08,040 --> 00:31:09,840 Speaker 1: I thought this is cool, and I would love to 532 00:31:09,880 --> 00:31:13,880 Speaker 1: see this on video because I'll bet it's just so 533 00:31:14,000 --> 00:31:17,800 Speaker 1: bizarre and surreal to watch. They broadcast a series of 534 00:31:17,840 --> 00:31:21,440 Speaker 1: live Tupperware parties on some home shopping channel in the 535 00:31:21,440 --> 00:31:25,240 Speaker 1: early nineties. That was probably the first home shopping experience. 536 00:31:25,880 --> 00:31:27,720 Speaker 1: I think those were around in the eighties. I think 537 00:31:27,800 --> 00:31:30,479 Speaker 1: home shopping was already established. When did they do this 538 00:31:30,840 --> 00:31:32,960 Speaker 1: early nineties? Oh? I thought you said he did it 539 00:31:33,040 --> 00:31:35,760 Speaker 1: like in the sixties. No, no, no, got no, we 540 00:31:35,800 --> 00:31:37,960 Speaker 1: should do one on home shopping. I'll bet that has 541 00:31:37,960 --> 00:31:44,000 Speaker 1: an interesting, weird history. You think I'll look into you know? Okay, 542 00:31:44,400 --> 00:31:47,000 Speaker 1: my mom's into it, man. QBC. So did we talk 543 00:31:47,040 --> 00:31:50,840 Speaker 1: about how to throw a tupperware party? We did? We 544 00:31:50,920 --> 00:31:55,360 Speaker 1: sure did. Okay, did we talk about tupperware drag parties? 545 00:31:56,040 --> 00:31:59,880 Speaker 1: We did not. We should because there's more than one. 546 00:32:00,120 --> 00:32:02,640 Speaker 1: There's well, there's one person in particular, a guy named 547 00:32:03,320 --> 00:32:08,840 Speaker 1: Chris Anderson, who performs in drag as Dixie Longate and 548 00:32:09,080 --> 00:32:12,560 Speaker 1: um sells like a million dollars worth of tupperware in 549 00:32:12,600 --> 00:32:15,920 Speaker 1: the process. Like he gets paid to perform like you 550 00:32:15,960 --> 00:32:19,800 Speaker 1: gotta pay forty bucks just to a person just to 551 00:32:20,240 --> 00:32:22,360 Speaker 1: have I guess he stole does house parties, but he 552 00:32:22,400 --> 00:32:25,400 Speaker 1: literally does like tours and does like off Broadway shows 553 00:32:25,400 --> 00:32:27,240 Speaker 1: and stuff now right, But the whole thing is I 554 00:32:27,240 --> 00:32:30,800 Speaker 1: mean real tupperware party where like you can buy tupperware, 555 00:32:30,840 --> 00:32:34,520 Speaker 1: and like he's demonstrating the tupperware. He's kind of giving 556 00:32:34,520 --> 00:32:37,360 Speaker 1: his own take on what it's useful for. But he's 557 00:32:37,400 --> 00:32:41,760 Speaker 1: not the only um drag show in the country selling tupperware, 558 00:32:41,840 --> 00:32:45,640 Speaker 1: of course, not apparently. Uh. A drag queen named Aunt 559 00:32:45,640 --> 00:32:49,200 Speaker 1: Barbara up in Long Island is was at least in 560 00:32:49,240 --> 00:32:53,480 Speaker 1: two twelve the number one salesperson in North America for tupperware. 561 00:32:53,880 --> 00:32:55,640 Speaker 1: It all makes sense when you think about it. So 562 00:32:55,800 --> 00:32:58,760 Speaker 1: two d and fifty grand worth of tupperware in one year. 563 00:32:58,920 --> 00:33:01,400 Speaker 1: Like the kitch of the drag show the kitch of 564 00:33:01,480 --> 00:33:05,360 Speaker 1: tupperware parties, it all sort of goes hand in hand. Yes, 565 00:33:05,000 --> 00:33:07,760 Speaker 1: it does. And um I went to the website of 566 00:33:07,800 --> 00:33:13,240 Speaker 1: Dixie Longate and he has a pretty interesting bio. I 567 00:33:13,320 --> 00:33:19,200 Speaker 1: have three kids, Winona, Dwayne and Absorbing Junior. It's all 568 00:33:19,240 --> 00:33:22,280 Speaker 1: made up, I think, I think maybe, although you never know, 569 00:33:22,400 --> 00:33:26,160 Speaker 1: but yeah, now he has solo stand up shows, um 570 00:33:26,200 --> 00:33:29,800 Speaker 1: and a recent theatrical show called Never Wear a Tube 571 00:33:29,800 --> 00:33:33,440 Speaker 1: Top while Riding a Mechanical bowl and sixteen other things 572 00:33:33,520 --> 00:33:36,840 Speaker 1: I learned while I was drinking last Thursday. And apparently 573 00:33:36,920 --> 00:33:41,360 Speaker 1: that is selling out venues. It's basically that's selling out venues. 574 00:33:41,400 --> 00:33:44,880 Speaker 1: We're not, but that is don't be better. We will 575 00:33:44,920 --> 00:33:47,800 Speaker 1: one day if we didn't dragging. Probably. Well, no, that's 576 00:33:47,840 --> 00:33:53,080 Speaker 1: not true either, one day chuck. Yeah. Uh wow, that's 577 00:33:53,080 --> 00:33:56,760 Speaker 1: a weird way to end us. Yeah, I think it's perfect. Um. 578 00:33:56,960 --> 00:33:59,400 Speaker 1: I thought I had something else, but I guess I don't. Oh, 579 00:33:59,480 --> 00:34:02,720 Speaker 1: yes I do. PBS did a great documentary called Tupperware 580 00:34:03,080 --> 00:34:06,360 Speaker 1: with an exclamation point. It's got a whole website on 581 00:34:06,360 --> 00:34:09,400 Speaker 1: online and you can watch parts of the documentary, if 582 00:34:09,400 --> 00:34:11,680 Speaker 1: not the whole thing. Yeah, and look for the Sandra 583 00:34:11,760 --> 00:34:14,839 Speaker 1: Bullock the Brownie Wise story coming to a theater near 584 00:34:14,880 --> 00:34:17,600 Speaker 1: you in a couple of years. Nice job, you said 585 00:34:17,600 --> 00:34:20,439 Speaker 1: a theater near you. A theater you just said coming 586 00:34:20,480 --> 00:34:24,400 Speaker 1: to a theater near you. That's like, Wow, did you 587 00:34:24,400 --> 00:34:27,040 Speaker 1: ever think you would grow up to say that like 588 00:34:27,520 --> 00:34:31,839 Speaker 1: in public? Sure? Okay, Well, if you want to know 589 00:34:31,880 --> 00:34:33,920 Speaker 1: more about tupper war. You can type that one word 590 00:34:33,960 --> 00:34:36,880 Speaker 1: and the search part how stuff works dot com? And uh, 591 00:34:37,080 --> 00:34:41,400 Speaker 1: since I said search parts time for listener mail. And 592 00:34:41,520 --> 00:34:43,520 Speaker 1: they call this the Strisand effect. Have you ever heard 593 00:34:43,520 --> 00:34:47,760 Speaker 1: of this? No, Hello, Josh, Chuck and Jerry really enjoyed 594 00:34:47,760 --> 00:34:51,680 Speaker 1: the podcast on Internet censorship, although I was disturbed that 595 00:34:51,960 --> 00:34:55,800 Speaker 1: s OP three oh three exists. Sure, one thing not 596 00:34:55,920 --> 00:34:58,360 Speaker 1: mentioned that I thought was relevant is when individuals attempt 597 00:34:58,360 --> 00:35:01,400 Speaker 1: to censor specific things from their own life and the 598 00:35:01,480 --> 00:35:04,560 Speaker 1: resulting fallout that occurs. In two thousand three, and I 599 00:35:04,640 --> 00:35:07,759 Speaker 1: remember what was happening. Actually, a picture of Barbra Streisand's 600 00:35:07,800 --> 00:35:11,400 Speaker 1: home in Malibu appeared in a publicly available collection of 601 00:35:11,600 --> 00:35:16,040 Speaker 1: over twelve thousand photos of California coastline. The collection was 602 00:35:16,120 --> 00:35:20,080 Speaker 1: documenting coastal erosion and not related to news paparazzi or 603 00:35:20,080 --> 00:35:23,799 Speaker 1: tabloids or anything like that. But Streisand's lawyers filed a 604 00:35:23,920 --> 00:35:27,640 Speaker 1: fifty million dollar lawsuit against the photographer, asking the picture 605 00:35:27,640 --> 00:35:31,440 Speaker 1: to be taken down for privacy reasons. Before stories of 606 00:35:31,480 --> 00:35:33,439 Speaker 1: the lawsuit hit the press, the photo of the home 607 00:35:33,800 --> 00:35:36,560 Speaker 1: had only been downloaded six times, two of which were 608 00:35:36,600 --> 00:35:39,920 Speaker 1: by her attorneys. During the following month. After the whole 609 00:35:39,920 --> 00:35:42,320 Speaker 1: thing became a news story. More than four hundred thousand 610 00:35:42,360 --> 00:35:46,160 Speaker 1: people visited the website. Uh, they even coined the term 611 00:35:46,320 --> 00:35:50,440 Speaker 1: the streisand effect were an attempt to hand for her. 612 00:35:50,520 --> 00:35:52,720 Speaker 1: Yeah it did. I remember this blew up in her face. 613 00:35:53,040 --> 00:35:55,880 Speaker 1: An attempt at censoring or removing something from the Internet 614 00:35:55,960 --> 00:35:58,239 Speaker 1: results and said thing being seen and reported on much 615 00:35:58,239 --> 00:36:00,600 Speaker 1: more than if the person requesting it be removed it 616 00:36:00,680 --> 00:36:03,960 Speaker 1: simply let it fade into obscurity. Thanks for the podcast. 617 00:36:04,160 --> 00:36:07,440 Speaker 1: Also possibly a shout out to my wife Emily, who 618 00:36:07,560 --> 00:36:09,520 Speaker 1: is nearly as addicted to stuff you should know as 619 00:36:09,560 --> 00:36:13,000 Speaker 1: I am nearly And that is from Brinton Krausse in 620 00:36:13,239 --> 00:36:17,279 Speaker 1: uh mid Hudson Valley, New York, USA. So Emily and 621 00:36:18,120 --> 00:36:21,959 Speaker 1: get on it so you're equally as addicted. And thank 622 00:36:21,960 --> 00:36:25,920 Speaker 1: you Britton for being fully addicted. Yeah to the brim. 623 00:36:25,960 --> 00:36:29,239 Speaker 1: I guess Uh. If you want to get in touch 624 00:36:29,239 --> 00:36:34,040 Speaker 1: with us and talk to us about tupperware or um whatever, 625 00:36:34,760 --> 00:36:37,960 Speaker 1: you can tweet to us right at s y s 626 00:36:38,000 --> 00:36:41,319 Speaker 1: K podcast. Josh's manning that station. You can go on 627 00:36:41,400 --> 00:36:45,920 Speaker 1: to our awesome Facebook page courtesy of Chuckers Facebook dot 628 00:36:45,920 --> 00:36:47,840 Speaker 1: com slash stuff you should know You can send us 629 00:36:47,840 --> 00:36:50,880 Speaker 1: an email. We both get those become direct to us 630 00:36:51,520 --> 00:36:54,719 Speaker 1: to uh stuff podcast at how stuff works dot com, 631 00:36:54,800 --> 00:36:56,520 Speaker 1: and hang out with us at our home on the 632 00:36:56,560 --> 00:37:04,040 Speaker 1: web Stuff you Should Know dot com. For more on 633 00:37:04,120 --> 00:37:06,839 Speaker 1: this and thousands of other topics, visit how stuff Works 634 00:37:06,880 --> 00:37:12,719 Speaker 1: dot com. M