1 00:00:03,160 --> 00:00:06,559 Speaker 1: You're listening to part Time Genius, the production of Kaleidoscope 2 00:00:06,680 --> 00:00:12,640 Speaker 1: and iHeartRadio. Guess what will? 3 00:00:12,880 --> 00:00:13,600 Speaker 2: What's that Mango? 4 00:00:14,160 --> 00:00:16,919 Speaker 1: So I was looking up TikTok trends and I ended 5 00:00:17,000 --> 00:00:18,759 Speaker 1: up on this channel from Mississippi. 6 00:00:18,800 --> 00:00:19,160 Speaker 2: Mema. 7 00:00:19,320 --> 00:00:20,320 Speaker 1: Do you do you know her? 8 00:00:20,920 --> 00:00:22,479 Speaker 2: So? You think because I live in the South, I 9 00:00:22,520 --> 00:00:23,720 Speaker 2: know just all the mems. 10 00:00:23,760 --> 00:00:28,400 Speaker 1: I guess No, I just thought you might know the channel. Also, 11 00:00:28,520 --> 00:00:31,000 Speaker 1: she has a great accent, so you should know her. 12 00:00:31,120 --> 00:00:34,120 Speaker 1: But in the video, she pulls up to a Sonic 13 00:00:34,280 --> 00:00:37,800 Speaker 1: and she orders a doctor pepper with pickles, which apparently 14 00:00:37,880 --> 00:00:40,400 Speaker 1: is the drink of the Summer. It's called a pickled 15 00:00:40,479 --> 00:00:41,519 Speaker 1: doctor pepper. 16 00:00:41,600 --> 00:00:43,360 Speaker 2: The drink of the summer. Is like this, is this 17 00:00:43,440 --> 00:00:45,040 Speaker 2: an official drink at Sonic? 18 00:00:46,120 --> 00:00:48,239 Speaker 1: I mean, I don't think it's official. I think it's 19 00:00:48,280 --> 00:00:50,560 Speaker 1: more like a secret menu item. You know, it gets 20 00:00:50,600 --> 00:00:53,480 Speaker 1: requested enough that the woman who took the order wasn't 21 00:00:53,520 --> 00:00:54,960 Speaker 1: surprised by it at all. 22 00:00:55,520 --> 00:00:58,480 Speaker 2: So what is in it? You said? It's called a 23 00:00:58,640 --> 00:00:59,800 Speaker 2: pickled doctor pepper? 24 00:01:00,120 --> 00:01:02,480 Speaker 1: Mm hm, Yeah, it's really complicated to make. Basically, you 25 00:01:02,480 --> 00:01:05,080 Speaker 1: take it a giant doctor pepper, you put ice in it, 26 00:01:05,280 --> 00:01:08,160 Speaker 1: and then you add five or six pickle slices or 27 00:01:08,240 --> 00:01:11,760 Speaker 1: some pickle juice and that's it, and people go crazy 28 00:01:11,800 --> 00:01:12,160 Speaker 1: for it. 29 00:01:12,520 --> 00:01:15,600 Speaker 2: Oh man. I mean, I know about the kool Aid pickles, 30 00:01:15,680 --> 00:01:18,240 Speaker 2: and I'm obviously a Doctor Pepper fan. It's a good drink, 31 00:01:18,240 --> 00:01:21,560 Speaker 2: but I don't know anyone who's drinking pickled peppers. 32 00:01:21,720 --> 00:01:25,560 Speaker 1: This is new to me, well me either, but I 33 00:01:25,800 --> 00:01:27,440 Speaker 1: knew I had to try it. So I went out 34 00:01:27,440 --> 00:01:31,080 Speaker 1: and I bought a Doctor Pepper, And honestly, it felt 35 00:01:31,080 --> 00:01:33,200 Speaker 1: too ridiculous to like slice up a pickle and put 36 00:01:33,200 --> 00:01:35,600 Speaker 1: it inside, So I just ate a few bites of 37 00:01:35,600 --> 00:01:37,880 Speaker 1: a pickle and then I washed it down with a 38 00:01:37,959 --> 00:01:38,759 Speaker 1: doctor Pepper. 39 00:01:38,880 --> 00:01:41,640 Speaker 2: Oh man, this is a real experiment. You are dedicated 40 00:01:41,680 --> 00:01:43,560 Speaker 2: to the job, and so what what did it tastes like? 41 00:01:44,080 --> 00:01:45,800 Speaker 1: It tastes like you're eating a pickle and washing it 42 00:01:45,840 --> 00:01:46,760 Speaker 1: down with doctor Pepper. 43 00:01:46,920 --> 00:01:48,000 Speaker 2: Oh oh that's big. 44 00:01:48,240 --> 00:01:51,400 Speaker 1: Okay, all right, it did not change my life, but 45 00:01:51,880 --> 00:01:54,760 Speaker 1: you know, it is the drink of the summer. Also, 46 00:01:54,880 --> 00:01:57,000 Speaker 1: I wanted to celebrate Doctor Pepper because they've had a 47 00:01:57,040 --> 00:01:59,200 Speaker 1: great year. Do you know that Doctor Pepper just tied 48 00:01:59,200 --> 00:02:02,480 Speaker 1: Pepsi to be the second best selling soda in America? 49 00:02:02,640 --> 00:02:04,200 Speaker 2: Oh wow, that is huge. 50 00:02:04,480 --> 00:02:05,880 Speaker 1: Yeah, I know, I feel like we should be high 51 00:02:05,880 --> 00:02:09,560 Speaker 1: fiving over it. But Coke is still firmly in first place. 52 00:02:09,560 --> 00:02:12,400 Speaker 1: But according to The Wall Street Journal and Fox, part 53 00:02:12,440 --> 00:02:14,760 Speaker 1: of the reason is because Doctor Pepper keeps experimenting with 54 00:02:14,840 --> 00:02:17,880 Speaker 1: new flavors, all of which appeal to gen Z. Plus, 55 00:02:17,960 --> 00:02:20,840 Speaker 1: this pickled Dr Pepper trend has apparently been contributing to 56 00:02:20,880 --> 00:02:24,520 Speaker 1: their popularity. Anyway, That's just the first of nine strange 57 00:02:24,560 --> 00:02:27,080 Speaker 1: facts everyone should know about Dr Pepper. 58 00:02:27,400 --> 00:02:41,200 Speaker 3: Let's dive in. 59 00:02:49,639 --> 00:02:52,240 Speaker 2: Hey their podcast listeners, Welcome to part time Genius. I'm 60 00:02:52,240 --> 00:02:54,360 Speaker 2: Will and as always I'm here with my good pal 61 00:02:54,440 --> 00:02:56,880 Speaker 2: Mango and sitting there behind that big booth. I know 62 00:02:57,000 --> 00:02:59,440 Speaker 2: everyone's curious what he's doing today because he's always up 63 00:02:59,480 --> 00:03:02,880 Speaker 2: to something interesting. But it's our good friend Dylan. He's 64 00:03:02,919 --> 00:03:05,480 Speaker 2: not in a great mood that he's actually angrily waving 65 00:03:05,520 --> 00:03:08,000 Speaker 2: a picket sign and it says, oh, I'm trying to read. 66 00:03:08,040 --> 00:03:11,880 Speaker 2: It says no Pepper, no period, look at him, go Mango. 67 00:03:11,919 --> 00:03:13,000 Speaker 2: It's just it's just wild. 68 00:03:13,480 --> 00:03:15,280 Speaker 1: Yeah. I actually talked to him before the show and 69 00:03:15,280 --> 00:03:18,640 Speaker 1: he said, as someone who's really passionate about grammar, he's 70 00:03:18,720 --> 00:03:21,440 Speaker 1: protesting Doctor Pepper until they put the period back in 71 00:03:21,480 --> 00:03:24,720 Speaker 1: the name. I guess the doctor in the soda used 72 00:03:24,760 --> 00:03:26,720 Speaker 1: to have a period after the R until the nineteen 73 00:03:26,760 --> 00:03:29,519 Speaker 1: fifties and then they're with the fun It looked weird, 74 00:03:29,600 --> 00:03:32,080 Speaker 1: and so you know, I'm not going to join Dylan's 75 00:03:32,120 --> 00:03:34,800 Speaker 1: grammar protest, but I do agree with him in spirit. 76 00:03:35,120 --> 00:03:37,440 Speaker 2: Yeah, yeah, I mean he's always right when you think 77 00:03:37,480 --> 00:03:41,360 Speaker 2: about it. Well, speaking of the doctor, why don't we 78 00:03:41,360 --> 00:03:43,880 Speaker 2: talk a little bit about the doctor in Doctor Pepper? 79 00:03:44,040 --> 00:03:46,520 Speaker 2: Like it's always been kind of a mystery who this 80 00:03:46,680 --> 00:03:49,520 Speaker 2: Doctor Pepper is? And Doctor Pepper is actually one of 81 00:03:49,560 --> 00:03:54,160 Speaker 2: America's oldest sodas, first formulated in eighteen eighty five. It's 82 00:03:54,160 --> 00:03:56,960 Speaker 2: a year older than coke, eight years older than Pepsi, 83 00:03:57,480 --> 00:04:01,320 Speaker 2: and practically speaking, it's from Waco Tech Now. According to 84 00:04:01,320 --> 00:04:04,320 Speaker 2: the Doctor Pepper Museum in Waco, it was invented by 85 00:04:04,360 --> 00:04:07,760 Speaker 2: a pharmacist named Charles Alderton, and in fact, in the 86 00:04:07,800 --> 00:04:09,920 Speaker 2: early years of the drink, people used to call the 87 00:04:10,040 --> 00:04:12,640 Speaker 2: drink a Waco, which is kind of fun, and they 88 00:04:12,680 --> 00:04:14,760 Speaker 2: call for the drink at the counter by saying, shoot 89 00:04:14,800 --> 00:04:18,120 Speaker 2: me a Waco. But according to some its real origins 90 00:04:18,200 --> 00:04:21,640 Speaker 2: are actually from Virginia. The way Texas Monthly tells it 91 00:04:21,720 --> 00:04:25,240 Speaker 2: a young drugstore clerk perfected a tasty formula of twenty 92 00:04:25,240 --> 00:04:28,520 Speaker 2: plus ingredients that you could add to soda water, and 93 00:04:28,560 --> 00:04:31,560 Speaker 2: then sold it to a chemist on one condition that 94 00:04:31,640 --> 00:04:35,080 Speaker 2: he would name the beverage after the clerk's father in law. Now, 95 00:04:35,120 --> 00:04:38,559 Speaker 2: this was a physician named doctor Pepper, so he takes 96 00:04:38,560 --> 00:04:41,719 Speaker 2: the drink with him to Texas starts this soda empire. 97 00:04:42,240 --> 00:04:45,000 Speaker 2: Now all of this is a little apocryphal, but what 98 00:04:45,040 --> 00:04:47,799 Speaker 2: we do know is that, like most of these early sodas, 99 00:04:47,839 --> 00:04:51,359 Speaker 2: doctor Pepper was originally sold as a curel, which is 100 00:04:51,520 --> 00:04:54,280 Speaker 2: likely why they added doctor to the title of the drink. 101 00:04:54,560 --> 00:04:57,080 Speaker 2: But by nineteen seventy three, the CEO of Doctor Pepper 102 00:04:57,160 --> 00:05:00,840 Speaker 2: was clarifying that quote, A spoonful of doctor Pepper will 103 00:05:00,839 --> 00:05:07,600 Speaker 2: not relieve constipation, hives, excessive acidity, morbidity, sterility, bile, eczema, hysteria, bronchitis, 104 00:05:08,040 --> 00:05:11,239 Speaker 2: or what ails you in general. And while folks still 105 00:05:11,279 --> 00:05:14,640 Speaker 2: splash it on and some rub it on, I guess 106 00:05:14,680 --> 00:05:17,159 Speaker 2: the only claim we make is that doctor Pepper is 107 00:05:17,240 --> 00:05:21,440 Speaker 2: soothing to youngsters suffering post Ton selectomies. So that's what 108 00:05:21,520 --> 00:05:23,599 Speaker 2: he clarified, didn't do any of the other stuff, but 109 00:05:23,720 --> 00:05:27,080 Speaker 2: it will help youngsters suffering from post Ton selectomies. So 110 00:05:27,120 --> 00:05:27,960 Speaker 2: there you have it, mango. 111 00:05:28,360 --> 00:05:30,839 Speaker 1: I love the idea of people rubbing Doctor Pepper on 112 00:05:30,920 --> 00:05:34,360 Speaker 1: like it's a colone. Just lastly, hearing this smell kind 113 00:05:34,400 --> 00:05:37,000 Speaker 1: of good. I wonder why it was so important to 114 00:05:37,040 --> 00:05:39,080 Speaker 1: the kid that the drink being named for his father 115 00:05:39,080 --> 00:05:39,839 Speaker 1: in law, though. 116 00:05:40,080 --> 00:05:41,800 Speaker 2: You know, of course, like so many of these stories, 117 00:05:41,839 --> 00:05:44,279 Speaker 2: there's a lot of lore behind it. But another claim 118 00:05:44,360 --> 00:05:47,320 Speaker 2: is that the doctor is doctor Charles T. Pepper, who 119 00:05:47,360 --> 00:05:50,680 Speaker 2: is a Confederate physician. It's hard to tell what's true though, 120 00:05:50,720 --> 00:05:53,920 Speaker 2: Like supposedly, the Doctor Pepper Museum has like a dozen 121 00:05:53,960 --> 00:05:57,359 Speaker 2: different origin stories that they've tried to fact check. Not 122 00:05:57,440 --> 00:05:58,960 Speaker 2: a whole lot of luck so far, though. 123 00:06:00,200 --> 00:06:01,800 Speaker 1: Well, I know one of the things that Doctor Pepper 124 00:06:01,800 --> 00:06:04,120 Speaker 1: has always pried itself on is the fact that it's 125 00:06:04,160 --> 00:06:06,919 Speaker 1: an original flavor, right that no one knows what the 126 00:06:06,920 --> 00:06:10,360 Speaker 1: twenty three ingredients are, et cetera. And I always laugh 127 00:06:10,440 --> 00:06:13,640 Speaker 1: looking at those lists of Doctor Pepper knockoffs, like the 128 00:06:13,720 --> 00:06:17,400 Speaker 1: Soda Lover's wiki has one hundred different budget variations, from 129 00:06:17,760 --> 00:06:21,880 Speaker 1: Doctor Shasta to Doctor Bob, Doctor Topper, doctor Good Guy, 130 00:06:22,120 --> 00:06:28,320 Speaker 1: Doctor Gulpster, Doctor Sparkles, Doctor Wham, Doctor Slam, Doctor A Plus, 131 00:06:28,360 --> 00:06:30,480 Speaker 1: and Professor fizz I, Like you just. 132 00:06:30,480 --> 00:06:32,000 Speaker 2: Make it a few of these out, but that's a 133 00:06:32,000 --> 00:06:32,839 Speaker 2: fun list. 134 00:06:33,839 --> 00:06:37,159 Speaker 1: Just scratching the surface here. And there's some misters on 135 00:06:37,200 --> 00:06:38,840 Speaker 1: there as well, because some of the sodas didn't make 136 00:06:38,880 --> 00:06:41,640 Speaker 1: it through grad school, which does make me wonder about 137 00:06:41,640 --> 00:06:42,840 Speaker 1: the origins of mister. 138 00:06:42,640 --> 00:06:44,160 Speaker 2: Pib and so so what did you learn? 139 00:06:44,520 --> 00:06:47,760 Speaker 1: Basically that sodas were very much a regional delicacy for 140 00:06:47,800 --> 00:06:50,240 Speaker 1: a very long time. So aside from Coke and Pepsi, 141 00:06:50,320 --> 00:06:53,039 Speaker 1: who are bottling their product nationally, you have things like 142 00:06:53,080 --> 00:06:56,400 Speaker 1: Werners from Michigan or Moxie, which is from Maine, right, 143 00:06:56,440 --> 00:07:00,160 Speaker 1: and Doctor Pepper was really considered a Southern drink. When 144 00:07:00,200 --> 00:07:03,000 Speaker 1: Doctor Pepper started making a push to go wider, Coke 145 00:07:03,160 --> 00:07:06,240 Speaker 1: was threatened, so they decided to introduce a competitor, and 146 00:07:06,360 --> 00:07:09,360 Speaker 1: they tried a few times. According to Texas Monthly, Coke 147 00:07:09,440 --> 00:07:11,680 Speaker 1: did some small scale tests of two drinks in the 148 00:07:11,760 --> 00:07:15,640 Speaker 1: nineteen sixties. One was called Texas Stepper and another one 149 00:07:15,680 --> 00:07:18,800 Speaker 1: was called Chime. But in nineteen seventy two they rolled 150 00:07:18,800 --> 00:07:21,800 Speaker 1: out a drink called Peppo which obviously was a little 151 00:07:21,800 --> 00:07:24,760 Speaker 1: close in name to Dr Pepper, So Dr Pepper sued them, 152 00:07:25,000 --> 00:07:27,640 Speaker 1: and then they changed the name to Mister PIB. But 153 00:07:27,920 --> 00:07:30,880 Speaker 1: what's really funny is that this entire time, Coke denied 154 00:07:30,920 --> 00:07:33,080 Speaker 1: that they were trying to make a Doctor Pepper knock off. 155 00:07:33,360 --> 00:07:37,520 Speaker 1: Like a Coke spokesperson told Texas Monthly quote, I haven't 156 00:07:37,560 --> 00:07:40,360 Speaker 1: tasted Dr Pepper myself, so I wouldn't know how similar 157 00:07:40,400 --> 00:07:43,040 Speaker 1: it is to mister Pip. He goes on. I don't 158 00:07:43,080 --> 00:07:45,240 Speaker 1: think it was meant to compete with Doctor Pepper as 159 00:07:45,280 --> 00:07:47,160 Speaker 1: far as I know, Coke just felt there was a 160 00:07:47,200 --> 00:07:52,040 Speaker 1: market for this kind of soft drink. It's ludicrous, especially 161 00:07:52,080 --> 00:07:54,600 Speaker 1: knowing the name change. But the other part that's really 162 00:07:54,640 --> 00:07:57,600 Speaker 1: funny is that Texas Monthly looked a little closer and 163 00:07:57,640 --> 00:07:59,720 Speaker 1: found that even though mister PIB had no relation to 164 00:07:59,720 --> 00:08:03,200 Speaker 1: Doctor Pepper, and even though Coke wasn't trying to imitate 165 00:08:03,240 --> 00:08:06,200 Speaker 1: the flavors, the places where they decided to test market 166 00:08:06,280 --> 00:08:09,120 Speaker 1: Mister PIB were Waco, Texas, which is the birthplace of 167 00:08:09,200 --> 00:08:12,040 Speaker 1: Doctor Pepper, and the other towns in the South that 168 00:08:12,120 --> 00:08:16,880 Speaker 1: were strongholds of Dr Pepper. Yeah, yeah, it's super coincidence. 169 00:08:16,960 --> 00:08:19,760 Speaker 1: But there's actually one other funny thing about the cover up. 170 00:08:20,040 --> 00:08:23,360 Speaker 1: When mister pib first debuted, the color was brown, but 171 00:08:23,520 --> 00:08:26,920 Speaker 1: Coca Cola quickly changed it to red, and according to mash, 172 00:08:27,080 --> 00:08:30,120 Speaker 1: it's because Quote Coke was worried people would think it 173 00:08:30,160 --> 00:08:33,040 Speaker 1: was a Rupier rip off instead of a Dr Pepper ripper. 174 00:08:33,160 --> 00:08:36,360 Speaker 2: Ah, I see, yeah. 175 00:08:35,440 --> 00:08:38,400 Speaker 1: Which is so funny to me. But what do you 176 00:08:38,400 --> 00:08:40,000 Speaker 1: wanna what do you wanna talk about next? 177 00:08:40,720 --> 00:08:43,200 Speaker 2: All right, well, all your talk of pickled Doctor Pepper 178 00:08:43,200 --> 00:08:46,000 Speaker 2: made me think about the original Doctor Pepper hack, which 179 00:08:46,080 --> 00:08:48,400 Speaker 2: was to heat it up on the stove. Have you 180 00:08:48,400 --> 00:08:48,960 Speaker 2: heard about this? 181 00:08:49,760 --> 00:08:52,160 Speaker 1: Yeah? Nothing like a piping hot Doctor Pepper on a 182 00:08:52,160 --> 00:08:55,760 Speaker 1: hot day. But uh, do you know how how that 183 00:08:55,800 --> 00:08:56,680 Speaker 1: hack got started? 184 00:08:57,120 --> 00:08:59,599 Speaker 2: Apparently this goes right to the top, like like the 185 00:08:59,679 --> 00:09:03,640 Speaker 2: drink was invented by Doctor Pepper's former company president, this 186 00:09:03,679 --> 00:09:07,000 Speaker 2: guy Wesby R. Parker, who was irritated that his sales 187 00:09:07,000 --> 00:09:09,559 Speaker 2: basically dropped to zero in the winter, so he was 188 00:09:09,600 --> 00:09:11,160 Speaker 2: trying to figure out what to do with this. This 189 00:09:11,320 --> 00:09:14,839 Speaker 2: was back in the nineteen fifties, so Parker started experimenting 190 00:09:14,840 --> 00:09:17,400 Speaker 2: with different variations at home, just trying to make a 191 00:09:17,480 --> 00:09:20,400 Speaker 2: winter mocktail. Of sorts, and he realized that when you 192 00:09:20,480 --> 00:09:24,320 Speaker 2: heated doctor Pepper on a stovetop, it actually retained its flavor, 193 00:09:24,720 --> 00:09:26,880 Speaker 2: and if you added a slice of lemon to it, 194 00:09:26,880 --> 00:09:30,040 Speaker 2: it was really delicious. Now, the funny thing is Parker 195 00:09:30,120 --> 00:09:32,640 Speaker 2: actually did a comparison and warmed up a bunch of 196 00:09:32,679 --> 00:09:36,040 Speaker 2: different sodas, and his belief was that because Doctor Pepper 197 00:09:36,120 --> 00:09:39,520 Speaker 2: was made with natural fruit flavors instead of artificial ones, 198 00:09:39,840 --> 00:09:42,240 Speaker 2: he'd actually retained the flavor in a way that other 199 00:09:42,400 --> 00:09:45,640 Speaker 2: sodas didn't. Anyway, the company started pushing the drink, and 200 00:09:45,679 --> 00:09:48,240 Speaker 2: for a while, hot Doctor Pepper was served at the 201 00:09:48,280 --> 00:09:52,040 Speaker 2: Cotton Bowl and other Southern regional football games in the winter. 202 00:09:52,160 --> 00:09:53,760 Speaker 2: I'd not heard about this before. 203 00:09:54,160 --> 00:09:56,800 Speaker 1: Yeah, I'd never seen that. It's also kind of funny 204 00:09:56,840 --> 00:10:01,480 Speaker 1: that all the variations are like pickle. Doctor Pepper tastes 205 00:10:01,559 --> 00:10:04,600 Speaker 1: like doctor Pepper with pickle, he did, Doctor Pepper still 206 00:10:04,600 --> 00:10:05,640 Speaker 1: tastes like Doctor Pepper. 207 00:10:05,760 --> 00:10:08,840 Speaker 2: Just hot. Yeah, it's just just hot doctor Pepper. But 208 00:10:09,000 --> 00:10:10,880 Speaker 2: you know, the company really tried to make it a 209 00:10:10,920 --> 00:10:13,559 Speaker 2: thing for a while, and they pushed it the holidays 210 00:10:13,600 --> 00:10:16,280 Speaker 2: as kind of a warm punch. And the next president 211 00:10:16,280 --> 00:10:18,040 Speaker 2: of the company said he used to have it in 212 00:10:18,080 --> 00:10:21,240 Speaker 2: place of coffee. Even told journalists that he'd have three 213 00:10:21,320 --> 00:10:23,960 Speaker 2: or four hot doctor Peppers in the morning and then 214 00:10:23,960 --> 00:10:26,439 Speaker 2: a bunch of cold ones in the afternoon, but obviously 215 00:10:26,480 --> 00:10:27,680 Speaker 2: it never really took off. 216 00:10:28,679 --> 00:10:31,080 Speaker 1: Yeah, but I also kind of want to try that same. 217 00:10:32,920 --> 00:10:34,920 Speaker 1: We should do another episode where we just test all 218 00:10:34,920 --> 00:10:37,360 Speaker 1: these sodas from Like, I feel like there's so many 219 00:10:37,360 --> 00:10:41,520 Speaker 1: hacks online from like coke with peanuts. That's a Doctor pepperoni, 220 00:10:41,559 --> 00:10:43,760 Speaker 1: which is doctor Pepper with pepperoni. 221 00:10:43,240 --> 00:10:45,679 Speaker 2: In it, like Doctor Pepper with a screamer. 222 00:10:46,040 --> 00:10:51,480 Speaker 1: Oh, it's gonna be terrible. I really can't wait. Also, 223 00:10:51,679 --> 00:10:54,280 Speaker 1: I didn't mention this, but earlier when I had that 224 00:10:54,320 --> 00:10:57,000 Speaker 1: Doctor Pepper, like, I'd eaten the pickle separately, and then 225 00:10:57,000 --> 00:10:59,360 Speaker 1: I just left the Doctor Pepper in the bottle on 226 00:10:59,400 --> 00:11:01,920 Speaker 1: the counter, and Henry walks over and he puts some 227 00:11:02,000 --> 00:11:04,680 Speaker 1: mentos in it, and then down's the rest of it. 228 00:11:04,679 --> 00:11:06,640 Speaker 1: It's like, why can't you just drink the Doctor Pepper? 229 00:11:07,000 --> 00:11:10,400 Speaker 2: Yes, seriously, come on, Henry, that's a different drink you're 230 00:11:10,400 --> 00:11:11,240 Speaker 2: supposed to do with. 231 00:11:11,480 --> 00:11:14,599 Speaker 1: So what fact do you want to run with next? 232 00:11:15,280 --> 00:11:18,400 Speaker 1: Here's a fun one. The Dallas NBC station went to 233 00:11:18,440 --> 00:11:20,560 Speaker 1: the Doctor Pepper Lab to see if they could get 234 00:11:20,600 --> 00:11:22,959 Speaker 1: some tips on what those twenty three flavors and Doctor 235 00:11:22,960 --> 00:11:25,560 Speaker 1: Pepper are, and of course they didn't have any luck. 236 00:11:25,600 --> 00:11:27,600 Speaker 1: They were told the formula has been a secret since 237 00:11:27,640 --> 00:11:30,360 Speaker 1: eighteen eighty five and that it's kept under lock and 238 00:11:30,400 --> 00:11:33,720 Speaker 1: kena safe for sometimes even talked about being in two saves, 239 00:11:33,720 --> 00:11:36,000 Speaker 1: with half the Recipian one and half the Rusipi another. 240 00:11:36,080 --> 00:11:38,560 Speaker 1: But one thing they did find out is that when 241 00:11:38,600 --> 00:11:41,720 Speaker 1: new flavors are sampled at the Doctor Pepper Labs, they're 242 00:11:41,760 --> 00:11:44,760 Speaker 1: all done under a blue light so that the tasters 243 00:11:44,760 --> 00:11:47,400 Speaker 1: can't see the color of the beverage. Apparently the color 244 00:11:47,440 --> 00:11:48,920 Speaker 1: of a drink can have a real impact on the 245 00:11:48,960 --> 00:11:51,280 Speaker 1: way you perceive a drink, and the blue light keeps 246 00:11:51,320 --> 00:11:52,520 Speaker 1: tasters honest. 247 00:11:52,720 --> 00:11:54,720 Speaker 2: Which is great, But do you know what any of 248 00:11:54,720 --> 00:11:57,200 Speaker 2: those twenty three flavors are? Like, I'm actually pretty curious 249 00:11:57,200 --> 00:11:57,840 Speaker 2: about this now. 250 00:11:58,360 --> 00:11:58,600 Speaker 3: Yeah. 251 00:11:58,840 --> 00:12:00,720 Speaker 1: I look that up as well, and there's a whole 252 00:12:00,720 --> 00:12:03,360 Speaker 1: community of super fans online who've tried to figure it out. 253 00:12:03,760 --> 00:12:10,000 Speaker 1: And according to Mashed, people think the main flavors are amaretto, almond, BlackBerry, 254 00:12:10,120 --> 00:12:18,640 Speaker 1: black licorice, caramel, carrot, clove, cherry, ginger, juniper, lemon, molasses, nutmeg, orange, plum, pepper, 255 00:12:18,800 --> 00:12:24,520 Speaker 1: root beer, rum, raspberry, vanilla, and most surprising to me, tomato. 256 00:12:25,559 --> 00:12:29,520 Speaker 1: Incredibly Yeah, I guess if you blend all those things 257 00:12:29,600 --> 00:12:31,920 Speaker 1: up and you add some seltzer, you've got a house 258 00:12:32,000 --> 00:12:34,600 Speaker 1: formula for your own. Doctor Will or mister Will or 259 00:12:34,600 --> 00:12:37,160 Speaker 1: whatever you want to call it. But one thing that 260 00:12:37,240 --> 00:12:39,480 Speaker 1: Doctor Pepper is adamant about, and they say this all 261 00:12:39,480 --> 00:12:41,760 Speaker 1: over the place, is that there are no prunes in 262 00:12:41,840 --> 00:12:46,000 Speaker 1: Doctor Pepper. According to Doctor Pepper's faq online. They've got 263 00:12:46,040 --> 00:12:49,720 Speaker 1: a question, does Doctor Pepper contain prune juice? The answer 264 00:12:49,800 --> 00:12:52,720 Speaker 1: is no, Doctor Pepper does not contain prune juice. 265 00:12:52,880 --> 00:12:55,160 Speaker 2: That is that is very good to know. I will 266 00:12:55,160 --> 00:12:58,040 Speaker 2: put fewer prunes and more tomatoes in my homemade Doctor 267 00:12:58,080 --> 00:13:00,719 Speaker 2: Pepper from now on. But we'll got a few more 268 00:13:00,760 --> 00:13:02,200 Speaker 2: facts to go. But why don't we take a quick 269 00:13:02,200 --> 00:13:03,120 Speaker 2: break first. 270 00:13:18,400 --> 00:13:20,640 Speaker 1: Welcome back to part time genius. When we're talking all 271 00:13:20,679 --> 00:13:23,839 Speaker 1: things Doctor Pepper. So Will, where do you want to 272 00:13:23,840 --> 00:13:24,440 Speaker 1: take it from here? 273 00:13:24,920 --> 00:13:27,640 Speaker 2: All right, we've only got a few facts left. So 274 00:13:28,160 --> 00:13:30,360 Speaker 2: you know, one of the things that's always interesting to 275 00:13:30,400 --> 00:13:33,240 Speaker 2: me is the advertising over the years for all sorts 276 00:13:33,280 --> 00:13:36,280 Speaker 2: of products, but especially sodas and foods and drinks like this. 277 00:13:36,440 --> 00:13:38,760 Speaker 2: So in the early years they advertised Doctor Pepper for 278 00:13:38,960 --> 00:13:42,160 Speaker 2: quote them vigor and vitality. You see what they did 279 00:13:42,200 --> 00:13:46,000 Speaker 2: that did alliteration there, and they called it liquid Sunlight. 280 00:13:46,400 --> 00:13:48,800 Speaker 2: But according to The Daily Meal, in the nineteen twenties, 281 00:13:48,840 --> 00:13:51,880 Speaker 2: there was a study from Columbia University that showed that 282 00:13:51,960 --> 00:13:55,400 Speaker 2: blood sugar tends to dip at ten am, two pm, 283 00:13:55,600 --> 00:13:58,840 Speaker 2: and four pm. So Doctor Pepper decided to capitalize on 284 00:13:58,920 --> 00:14:01,800 Speaker 2: this with the slogan drink a bite to eat at 285 00:14:01,880 --> 00:14:04,000 Speaker 2: ten two and four. I had to read that a 286 00:14:04,000 --> 00:14:06,440 Speaker 2: couple of times because just drink drink a bite to 287 00:14:06,480 --> 00:14:09,640 Speaker 2: eat at ten two and four. And basically they were 288 00:14:09,640 --> 00:14:12,800 Speaker 2: pitching Doctor Pepper as three tiny square meals to give 289 00:14:12,840 --> 00:14:15,880 Speaker 2: you this kick of sugar between your bigger square meals. 290 00:14:16,280 --> 00:14:18,560 Speaker 2: And I guess according to The Daily Meal, the ads 291 00:14:18,600 --> 00:14:21,640 Speaker 2: worked because wartime laborers kind of thought of it as 292 00:14:21,680 --> 00:14:24,760 Speaker 2: their like their red bull or something, and so later 293 00:14:24,800 --> 00:14:27,480 Speaker 2: in the fifties they continued that marketing line with the 294 00:14:27,480 --> 00:14:32,600 Speaker 2: phrase the friendly Pepper Upper. These are all such confusing phrases, 295 00:14:33,000 --> 00:14:36,280 Speaker 2: and it was actually used on Dick Clark's bandstand But 296 00:14:36,440 --> 00:14:38,160 Speaker 2: back to the whole drink a bite to eat thing 297 00:14:38,240 --> 00:14:40,920 Speaker 2: for a second. Oddly, that ad is the only time 298 00:14:41,000 --> 00:14:44,440 Speaker 2: Doctor Pepper decided to use a doctor mascot to sell 299 00:14:44,520 --> 00:14:47,240 Speaker 2: the brand. They supposedly wanted to use a picture of 300 00:14:47,280 --> 00:14:51,000 Speaker 2: a typical country doctor, but the cartoon image is of 301 00:14:51,080 --> 00:14:53,680 Speaker 2: this guy with like this top hat and these glasses 302 00:14:53,760 --> 00:14:57,160 Speaker 2: and a glass soda bottle. He kind of looks like 303 00:14:57,160 --> 00:15:00,360 Speaker 2: like a human version of mister Peanut. And for some reason, 304 00:15:00,440 --> 00:15:03,920 Speaker 2: under him there's a second slogan that reads join the club, 305 00:15:03,960 --> 00:15:06,479 Speaker 2: which is a little more clear, Like it's not very exciting, 306 00:15:06,560 --> 00:15:08,080 Speaker 2: but just like you know what they mean by that. 307 00:15:08,120 --> 00:15:11,120 Speaker 1: At least, I feel like they're so good at mixing 308 00:15:11,680 --> 00:15:15,040 Speaker 1: wrong ingredients and so bad at mixing wrong words. 309 00:15:15,200 --> 00:15:19,080 Speaker 2: Yeah, yeah, yeah, Pepper the bite me so. Yeah, it's 310 00:15:19,200 --> 00:15:20,600 Speaker 2: really good stuff. 311 00:15:21,560 --> 00:15:24,840 Speaker 1: Yeah, it's not all confusing. But one thing I hadn't 312 00:15:24,880 --> 00:15:28,120 Speaker 1: realized is how important it's been to Doctor Pepper's growth 313 00:15:28,120 --> 00:15:31,360 Speaker 1: that the drink is not a cola. So, as we've 314 00:15:31,360 --> 00:15:34,200 Speaker 1: mentioned before here, Coca Cola and Pepsi were well ahead 315 00:15:34,240 --> 00:15:36,680 Speaker 1: in the soda game right like. By the nineteen sixties, 316 00:15:37,000 --> 00:15:39,560 Speaker 1: Doctor Pepper was in fifth place in the soda wars, 317 00:15:39,720 --> 00:15:42,680 Speaker 1: and it wasn't even a competition. And that's partially because 318 00:15:42,720 --> 00:15:45,280 Speaker 1: Pepsi and Coke had done a really clever thing. They'd 319 00:15:45,320 --> 00:15:48,440 Speaker 1: each gone into markets to work with bottling companies and 320 00:15:48,520 --> 00:15:51,400 Speaker 1: made them sign agreements that they had to be exclusive 321 00:15:51,480 --> 00:15:54,760 Speaker 1: to their cola. But in nineteen sixty three, doctor Pepper 322 00:15:54,800 --> 00:15:57,680 Speaker 1: got a federal court to rule that because no cola 323 00:15:57,760 --> 00:16:00,880 Speaker 1: nut extract is in the drink, it is not actually 324 00:16:00,920 --> 00:16:04,080 Speaker 1: a cola. And because of that loophole, they got bottlers 325 00:16:04,120 --> 00:16:06,800 Speaker 1: around the nation to start making the drink for them. 326 00:16:06,920 --> 00:16:09,240 Speaker 1: So now if you're a bottler, you can like bottle 327 00:16:09,280 --> 00:16:12,240 Speaker 1: Pepsi and Doctor Pepper, or Coke and Doctor Pepper without 328 00:16:12,280 --> 00:16:15,720 Speaker 1: any conflict of interest. And if you remember, that's basically 329 00:16:15,800 --> 00:16:18,200 Speaker 1: the point at which Coca Cola decides to accelerate the 330 00:16:18,200 --> 00:16:21,680 Speaker 1: development of their Mister pib concoction. It's basically so that 331 00:16:21,720 --> 00:16:23,880 Speaker 1: they can offer these companies their own version of the 332 00:16:23,960 --> 00:16:27,360 Speaker 1: drink and cut Doctor Pepper out. Anyway. According to the 333 00:16:27,440 --> 00:16:30,400 Speaker 1: Motley Fool, the company went from doing about fifteen million 334 00:16:30,440 --> 00:16:33,720 Speaker 1: dollars of sales annually to two hundred and twenty seven 335 00:16:33,760 --> 00:16:36,600 Speaker 1: million dollars of sales in nineteen seventy seven, and it 336 00:16:36,720 --> 00:16:39,840 Speaker 1: changed the company's perception of just being this regional drink. 337 00:16:40,480 --> 00:16:42,440 Speaker 1: And actually, just to bring this poem for a second, 338 00:16:42,480 --> 00:16:44,880 Speaker 1: when Dr Pepper entered the New York market in nineteen 339 00:16:44,920 --> 00:16:48,640 Speaker 1: seventy there was this Dallas born journalist named David de Vos, 340 00:16:48,960 --> 00:16:51,480 Speaker 1: and he told Texas Monthly about how he entered a 341 00:16:51,520 --> 00:16:55,680 Speaker 1: Manhattan delicatessen and he ordered a kosher salami on rye 342 00:16:55,760 --> 00:16:59,400 Speaker 1: with a cold and sparkling Doctor Pepper. And it was 343 00:16:59,440 --> 00:17:02,200 Speaker 1: this thing that it was unimaginable to him prior to that, right, 344 00:17:02,200 --> 00:17:04,320 Speaker 1: like it was this taste of home. And as he 345 00:17:04,400 --> 00:17:07,639 Speaker 1: wrote quote, it simply blew my mind. It was like 346 00:17:07,680 --> 00:17:10,840 Speaker 1: the merging of two great cultures. Munching on a big 347 00:17:10,920 --> 00:17:13,840 Speaker 1: kosher pickle and washing it down with my Doctor Pepper 348 00:17:14,160 --> 00:17:19,280 Speaker 1: almost brought tears of joy. The two complimented each other 349 00:17:19,400 --> 00:17:22,920 Speaker 1: like wine and cheese. All right, I guess means people 350 00:17:22,920 --> 00:17:25,200 Speaker 1: have been pairing Doctor Pepper with pickles for a very 351 00:17:25,280 --> 00:17:26,040 Speaker 1: long time. 352 00:17:25,880 --> 00:17:29,240 Speaker 2: Now, apparently. So that is a great fact, and it's 353 00:17:29,320 --> 00:17:31,600 Speaker 2: gonna be hard to top, but I think I have 354 00:17:31,720 --> 00:17:35,360 Speaker 2: one that'll do it, because Mango, I remember that when 355 00:17:35,359 --> 00:17:38,960 Speaker 2: you were younger you were a huge Guns n' Roses fan. Well, actually, 356 00:17:38,960 --> 00:17:40,800 Speaker 2: I may have just made that up, but either way, 357 00:17:41,119 --> 00:17:42,960 Speaker 2: it's a good fact. Did you know that Guns and 358 00:17:43,040 --> 00:17:45,400 Speaker 2: Roses once sued Dr Pepper? 359 00:17:46,240 --> 00:17:48,280 Speaker 1: No? But uh, but now I'm very curious. 360 00:17:48,640 --> 00:17:50,560 Speaker 2: Well, I don't know if you remember this, but Chinese 361 00:17:50,560 --> 00:17:53,679 Speaker 2: Democracy was an album that came out in two thousand 362 00:17:53,680 --> 00:17:56,919 Speaker 2: and eight and it had taken forever to create. 363 00:17:57,080 --> 00:17:58,800 Speaker 1: Yeah, I remember, it was like one of the most 364 00:17:58,840 --> 00:18:01,280 Speaker 1: expensive albums of all time, and they're always talking about 365 00:18:01,320 --> 00:18:02,400 Speaker 1: what it was going to come out. 366 00:18:02,680 --> 00:18:06,080 Speaker 2: That's exactly right. And Guns n' Rowse's last original music 367 00:18:06,160 --> 00:18:09,439 Speaker 2: before that had been the Use Your Illusion one and 368 00:18:09,600 --> 00:18:12,760 Speaker 2: two albums from nineteen ninety one, and trying to get 369 00:18:12,800 --> 00:18:15,560 Speaker 2: their new album, Chinese Democracy off the ground had just 370 00:18:15,600 --> 00:18:18,960 Speaker 2: been this nightmare, of course, and apparently they'd recorded like 371 00:18:19,040 --> 00:18:23,119 Speaker 2: over fifty tracks. Slash left the band, the guitarist Buckethead 372 00:18:23,200 --> 00:18:26,199 Speaker 2: left the band, lots of others left the band, and 373 00:18:26,640 --> 00:18:29,280 Speaker 2: tons of creative differences in all this drama. And to 374 00:18:29,320 --> 00:18:33,400 Speaker 2: your point, Axel Rose, he'd spent like thirteen million dollars 375 00:18:33,400 --> 00:18:36,280 Speaker 2: of David Geffen's money in the studio to that point. 376 00:18:36,560 --> 00:18:39,320 Speaker 2: Then Dr Pepper for some reason stepped into the fray 377 00:18:39,720 --> 00:18:43,119 Speaker 2: and offered a free Doctor Pepper to everyone in America 378 00:18:43,160 --> 00:18:47,560 Speaker 2: except for Buckethead and Slash if the band just put 379 00:18:47,640 --> 00:18:50,920 Speaker 2: out the album. The copy from the offer is incredible. 380 00:18:50,960 --> 00:18:52,879 Speaker 2: I'm just going to read it here. It says, we 381 00:18:52,960 --> 00:18:57,480 Speaker 2: completely understand and empathize with Axel's request for perfection. We 382 00:18:57,600 --> 00:18:59,800 Speaker 2: know once it's released people will refer to it as 383 00:19:00,000 --> 00:19:02,880 Speaker 2: Doctor Pepper for the Ears because it will be such 384 00:19:02,920 --> 00:19:07,080 Speaker 2: a refreshing blend of rich bold sounds, an instant classic. 385 00:19:07,200 --> 00:19:10,199 Speaker 2: I just love this so weirdly. Axel Rose said that 386 00:19:10,240 --> 00:19:13,080 Speaker 2: he appreciated the support, said he'd share his drink with 387 00:19:13,119 --> 00:19:16,000 Speaker 2: Bucketheads since he played on the album, and then later 388 00:19:16,040 --> 00:19:18,719 Speaker 2: announced that the album would be coming out some months 389 00:19:18,800 --> 00:19:21,880 Speaker 2: later and Doctor Pepper kept their promise, which is all 390 00:19:21,920 --> 00:19:26,080 Speaker 2: really cool, except the rollout was poorly executed. The details 391 00:19:26,119 --> 00:19:28,480 Speaker 2: are too much to go through here, but trying to 392 00:19:28,520 --> 00:19:31,760 Speaker 2: get free drinks to three hundred and five million Americans 393 00:19:31,960 --> 00:19:34,680 Speaker 2: turns out to be easier said than done. And it's 394 00:19:34,800 --> 00:19:37,800 Speaker 2: not clear whether Doctor Pepper actually believed that the album 395 00:19:37,920 --> 00:19:40,600 Speaker 2: is going to come out as promised or not, since 396 00:19:40,640 --> 00:19:43,680 Speaker 2: it had been like fourteen years in the making anyway. 397 00:19:43,800 --> 00:19:47,560 Speaker 2: People were pissed. Axel's lawyers threatened a lawsuit and called 398 00:19:47,560 --> 00:19:51,240 Speaker 2: the whole thing this unmitigated disaster, and they said, quote 399 00:19:51,440 --> 00:19:54,960 Speaker 2: in the eyes of vocal fans, doctor Pepper ruined Chinese 400 00:19:54,960 --> 00:19:59,920 Speaker 2: democracy's release. They also demanded full page apologies from doctor 401 00:20:00,000 --> 00:20:02,520 Speaker 2: Pepper in all the major newspapers at the time, from 402 00:20:02,600 --> 00:20:05,520 Speaker 2: USA Today to Wall Street Journal to the New York Times. 403 00:20:05,680 --> 00:20:07,800 Speaker 2: So it was a whole thing for a minute until 404 00:20:07,840 --> 00:20:11,879 Speaker 2: Axelrose told his lawyers this isn't really an issue, and 405 00:20:11,920 --> 00:20:13,280 Speaker 2: they dropped the whole thing. 406 00:20:14,240 --> 00:20:17,440 Speaker 1: That is so good, crazy and I love the idea 407 00:20:17,480 --> 00:20:20,280 Speaker 1: of Slash, just like watching the whole thing go in flames, 408 00:20:20,400 --> 00:20:22,800 Speaker 1: like with his feet up on his stool, smoking a cigarette, 409 00:20:22,920 --> 00:20:27,960 Speaker 1: drinking at doctor Pepper. It just feels perfect. I think 410 00:20:27,960 --> 00:20:29,119 Speaker 1: you definitely win this one. 411 00:20:29,600 --> 00:20:32,240 Speaker 2: I'll take it. That's awesome. I appreciate that. And that's 412 00:20:32,280 --> 00:20:34,639 Speaker 2: it for this week's episode. Thank you so much for listening, 413 00:20:34,680 --> 00:20:37,639 Speaker 2: and remember we love hearing from you, whether that writing 414 00:20:37,640 --> 00:20:40,000 Speaker 2: a review for the show or writing to our moms 415 00:20:40,040 --> 00:20:44,360 Speaker 2: don't forget at pt genius Moms at gmail dot com. 416 00:20:44,400 --> 00:20:46,399 Speaker 2: We heard from a lot of you. We'd love to 417 00:20:46,400 --> 00:20:48,960 Speaker 2: hear from many more of you, PT Genius Moms at 418 00:20:49,000 --> 00:20:53,160 Speaker 2: gmail dot com. Seriously, that is the email address. Lalita 419 00:20:53,200 --> 00:20:56,200 Speaker 2: and Paulette are waiting to hear from you. We'll see 420 00:20:56,240 --> 00:20:56,720 Speaker 2: you next time. 421 00:21:09,800 --> 00:21:13,080 Speaker 1: Part Time Genius is a production of Kaleidoscope and iHeartRadio. 422 00:21:13,600 --> 00:21:17,600 Speaker 1: This show is hosted by Will Pearson and me Mongashtikler 423 00:21:17,960 --> 00:21:21,920 Speaker 1: and research by our good pal Mary Philip Sandy. Today's 424 00:21:21,960 --> 00:21:25,320 Speaker 1: episode was engineered and produced by the wonderful Dylan Fagan 425 00:21:25,400 --> 00:21:29,000 Speaker 1: with support from Tyler Klang. The show is executive produced 426 00:21:29,000 --> 00:21:32,520 Speaker 1: for iHeart by Katrina Norvell and Ali Perry, with social 427 00:21:32,600 --> 00:21:37,000 Speaker 1: media support from Sasha Gay, trustee Dara Potts and Viney Shorey. 428 00:21:37,640 --> 00:21:42,159 Speaker 1: For more podcasts from Kaleidoscope and iHeartRadio, visit the iHeartRadio app, 429 00:21:42,320 --> 00:22:05,800 Speaker 1: Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows.