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March 23, 2022 28 mins

Two kid contestants square off to find out who knows more about radical painter Frida Kahlo and entertainment mogul Walt Disney! Our host Elliott is blown away by the sound effects our musician Eric creates!

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Episode Transcript

Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Hey, Elliott II Bee, are you excited for today's show
on Frieda Carlo and Walt Disney? Oh? Definitely two artists.
One used art to plumb the depths of their very
soul and the other used it to launch a career
that became successful enough that they could buy the Star
Wars franchise. Oh, I didn't know, freed to call? Oh
bought the Star Wars franchise. No, be, Star Wars is
part of Disney now. H Well, maybe he should have said,

(00:22):
when you wish upon a Star Wars, your dreams come true.
But you know, I think Frieda is ultimately the bigger
success story here. Her image is known throughout the world
and she never compromised on her artistic principles. Two very
different paths, but I guess it goes to show you
there's no wrong way to be an artist. Who trust me,
there is, and I've done it. Oh boy, before we

(00:43):
hear that story, take it away, Eric, what do you
think you know about this? And broke up because it's
signed to place the podcast because it's time to live

(01:10):
from tongue Bland or is so called so Cow Los Angeles?
Welcome to who was the history quitional? It gives contestants
the chance to win mega prizes and podcast glory. I
am b your announcer who always brings her a game.
And here's your host, the man who stays young at
heart while the rest of his body rapidly approaches middle age.

(01:32):
It's Ellie Kaylin. Thank you be for that reminder of
my age. And thank you to Eric on the ones
and twos and the threes and the force. There's a
lot of great numbers there, and Eric is on all
of them. And welcome everyone to the Who Was Podcast,
the show that it's kind of like Jeopardy, only with
surprise guests, silly games, and frankly better outfits. We've got

(01:54):
some very well dressed contestants today. Now, our contestants were
sent who Was books about too great figures from history.
Now they're here to show off their knowledge and the
hopes of winning fantastic prizes. And I hope that you're
all ears because today we'll be talking about the man
who invented mouse ears. Well, Disney, is that why you're
wearing a Mickey Mouse hat today? No, I was called

(02:16):
and it's the only clean hat that I own. And
you may have noticed that I gussied up my unit
brow in honor of our first famous person, one of
the most successful painters of all time, creatively, the Mexican
artist frieda Callo. But before we learn more about her,
let's meet our contestants. Yes, first up, let's meet Watkins. Hello,

(02:37):
I am Watkins, and from fact about myself as I've
memorized the entire Hamilton's soundtrack. What was it about the
Hamilton's soundtrack that said to you, Watkins, memorize me right now. Well,
because it involves rapping a very famous potion. And Len Manuel,

(02:58):
who I really like him. And next up we have Louisa. Louisa,
please introduce yourself and give us a fun fact. I'm
Luisa and I've tried to French horn. It's a really
cool instrument and it's fun to play. Yes, and I
also had it's very difficult to play. So I bet
Louisa is a great musician. We've got two very talented

(03:18):
contestants today. So that's who is. Let's find out who
was frieda Callo with four fast facts. Prospects one of
the most important painters of the twentieth century, overcape injuries
and childhood illness, and used both as subjects in her
art created dreamlike images in a realistic style. The first
twentieth century Mexican artists to be featured in the Louver

(03:41):
Museum in France Prospects. A painting of Frieda Colle is
just sold for a record thirty four point nine million
dollars at auction. Yes, I mean by my spreadsheet that
I'm always keeping of art auctions and whatnot. That smashes
the previous record held by a Latin American artist, Frieda's husband,

(04:02):
the painter Diego Rivera Oo Drama. Though Diego and Frieda
were known for their explosive relationship, so it fits. In fact,
the gossip columns at the time referred to them as
free Ago. Okay, that's not true, but it's But I
think Freego is a really cool name if you're looking
to name something, Uh, Louisa, is there anything you'd like
to name free Ago? Yeah? Like, maybe if you had

(04:22):
a pet, what kind of pet would you name free Ago?
Like a bird? Oh? I like that. I could see
a parrot being named Freego, or a budgee or a parakeet. Yeah,
some kind of small bird or an ostrich, a large bird,
an ostrich named Freego maybe it lives in your backyard.
I don't know. And Watkins, let's say you are going

(04:42):
to name something free Ago. Would it be an animal
or perhaps a new way to cook French fries? I
would say if I had to name something Friego, it
would be a pan that can cook anything. All that's
I mean, it's not just a great name, it's a
product that we need right now. So Watkins, get working

(05:05):
on that. But first, hold on, let's do the show first.
Let's play the game one thing at a time. In fact,
let's get to know a little bit more about Frida
with our first game. That's right, it's true and or false?
True or false? A false? A false is a true?
True is false false? That it was true or true?

(05:26):
True or false? Thank you, Eric. I'm a big fan
of a true or false song. It's a great song
for this game. Okay, here are the rules. Our friend
b you've met her. We'll read a statement you well,
then let us know if that statement is true or false.
Take it away. Be thank you, all right, Louisa, this
first question is for you. True or false. The pop

(05:48):
singer Pink named herself Pink after she was inspired by
a visit to Frida Carllo's childhood home, which was painted
a flamingo shade of pink. Is that statement true or false?
That's right, it is false. Frida Callo's home in the
koyak in the neighborhood of Mexico City, which she lived

(06:10):
most of her life, and was painted blue, not pink.
It was called Lacasa Azul, which means the blue House.
Not that imaginative. I would have named the house free
a go. Next question be okay, Watkins, This question is
for you. True or false. Before Frieda could speak, she
indicated that she wanted to be an artist by using
a paintbrush as a pacifier. False. That's right, it was false.

(06:34):
Frieda didn't want to be an artist when she was
a kid. Frida wanted to be a doctor when she
was younger. Disclaimer this is just for all the parents
out there. Do not give babies paint brushions. The last
time that happened, we ended up with the Impressionists, so
be careful. It's a modern artist every way anyway. Next question,
be alright, Louisa, This one is for you. True or false.
Frieda Callo is best known for herself portraits. Is that

(06:59):
true or false? Louisa, that's true. True, You're right. She
didn't invent the self portrait, but Freda Carlo took it
to the next level. Yeah. I like to think that
Frieda had the original selfie stick, which was her paint brush.
Very well said her. Portraits like wounded Deer roots or
self portrait with thorn necklace on hummingbird are masterpieces. And

(07:20):
that painting we mentioned earlier, estimated at thirty million dollars,
Diego EO is also a self portrait. We'd show you
what they look like, but this is a podcast. We
cannot show you things. There's nothing to look at. Do
yourself a favor. Google some of those paintings. They're beautiful.
Oh yeah, true, true, true. And that's the end of
the first game. Oh, this game is amazing. And producer

(07:43):
Jane will tell you the scores right after this short
breaking Welcome back to the Who Was? Podcast? Everyone, Jane?
Are you ready with those scores? Unbolievable? What is has?
One point? Louisa? I had too. Everybody is doing great though.

(08:07):
We had no wrong answers in that round, right, Okay,
so we're gonna have more chances, more questions. It's still
anybody's game. Well, technically it's Freda Carlo's game. You know.
It's like fred to Callo once said, you know what,
you don't need me to tell you what Frida said.
We've got her here to say it for herself. Thank you,
Thank you, Elliott. Yes it's me, Freda Carlo. I believe

(08:30):
the quote you were looking for is nothing is absolute.
Everything changes, everything moves, everything revolves, everything flies and goes away.
That was exactly the quote I was thinking of. You
got it. If you're at home wondering how we got
in touch with Frieda Callo, well the answer is simple.
It's all thanks to the who was app? Who was

(08:52):
you want? Oh? I don't know how it works, and
I'm not interested in learning. The closest thing we have
to magic is the who was Up? And I'm so excited,
or as close to as excited as I can get,
because I'd like to talk about something I've created specifically

(09:16):
for kids. Kids. Do you have an artistic soul rambling
around inside you, but are scared to pursue your passion?
Let your Tia Frida help you with a Frieda Calo
Activity book? Did you say the Frieda Calo Activity Book?
See the Frieda Color Activity Book is a fun picture

(09:37):
field guide to smashing through self in post barriers on
the way to living your future. Frida, I'd like to
be an artist, but art classes are hard. What advice
do you have for me? Turn to page for Elliott
turning to the page and it says wow, it says
I Frieda Calo learned to draw well in a full
body cast after a trolley tried to kill me. Now

(09:59):
my painting from in the loop. Don't talk to me
about hard. And then there's a paint by number of
an open wound. Thanks Freda, my pleasure. Hey, Frieda, I
want to be an artist, but what if my family
won't support my decision? Turn to page seven B. This
says my husband Diego betrayed me many times and fell
in love with my sister. Familiar betrayal is a tuesday

(10:22):
for me. Forget them, get painting. And then there's a
step by step instruction on how to throw your picture
with a mirror for the inevitable moment when you end
up alone. Oh grasses, Frieda Elliott. Okay, okay, it says
here it is I lived through polio for crying out loud.

(10:44):
Stop making excuses there's a paper doll skeleton with accessories,
so it's beautiful. Yes, the Fall activity book for when
you need a good, sweet kick in the pants to
remind you to leave your dreaming. Wow. Thank you, Freda.
That was both enlightening and extremely intimidating. That's my brand, well, Freda,
thank you so much for joining us and talking to

(11:06):
our contestoms today. Yes, and thanks again. Who what's up? Ah?
That was great. I love talking to dead people from
the past. To who was that button? Now let's get
to know more about our other who was star of today?
The man behind the mouse? Eric? Yeah, give us a

(11:28):
little sleeping beauty. Waltz Music Disney is now one of
the largest entertainment companies in the world. But once upon
a time, walt Disney wasn't a company. It was a
person who was just a rambunctious kid with a knack
for drawing. His career path was less than magical, Yet
despite personal and professional setbacks, you brought fresh ideas to cartoons, movies, TV,

(11:49):
amusement parks, and at all in the end worked out.
Even if he had that strange signature where the D
looks like a G, which is a weird way to
write your name. It really is. Yeah, but it's memorable.
I guess Watkins, when you think about Disney, what comes
to your mind? Do you also think his signature looks
a little weird? What are your thoughts about de pault Disney? Yeah, well,
I think his signature definitely looks weird. That D definitely

(12:12):
looks like a G. Thank you. I've been saying it
for years years. Yeah, I know. And Louisa, Okay, I
say the name Walt Disney. What is the first thing
that comes into your mind? Or maybe the second thing
if you like the second thing more like all the
Disney movies, like the old movies, like like the Disney

(12:33):
Princess movies. Are all those other Disney movies? Okay? Now, um,
this is my question for both of you. Do you
have a Disney plus log in? And would you share
the log in with me? Okay, let don't answer that question.
That's not a question you should answer. Think about it. Okay,
I see answering that question. Thank you logins. Don't let

(12:54):
me take advantage of your Yeah, but you could share
the you you have a job, you can afford Disney.
Come on, I've got a Netflix that I could trade
it's it's my grandmother's. But I don't think that shoul
I think mind it watches just the same. I don't
share it with with her. You gotta we gotta teach
her a lesson about about proprietary rights. All right, you guys,

(13:16):
well we'll talk later. We'll talk later. Well, thank you
both for sharing those Walt Disney thoughts and also agreeing
with me about his signature. But now listen up. We've
got four fast facts about Walt Disney. Pots created and
gave voice to the beloved cartoon character Mickey Mouse. Groundbreaking
animator and filmmaker with Academy Awards. He has more oscars

(13:37):
than anyone else ever, built Disneyland, disney World, and designed
Epcot pskos. Now, let's get to know even more about
him with our second game, which is called Walt Did Not.
Here's how the game's gonna work be. We'll read three

(13:59):
things that Walt Disney did throughout his life. However, one
of them is not true. It's like a multiple choice
type thing. You will have to guess which one of
the answers is Walt does not true? Take it away
being okay, Watkins, This first question is for you, which
one of these answers, is Walt did not? True? As

(14:21):
a child, Walt Disney dressed up as this A Peter
Pan B. Taylor Swift. See Abraham Lincoln, Um, what's your name?
The nimble B. You're right, B. Taylor Swift. Taylor Swift,

(14:42):
of course, the famous pop star whose name sounds like
a president from the nineteenth century. When what was a kid,
he dressed up as Abraham Lincoln and recited the Gettysburg
Address for his school, and he was also Peter Pan
in a school of play. It just goes to show
the silly stuff that you do as a kid that
could become your job. I know it is mine, and
I love it because when I was a kid, I
said jokes that people do and always like next question B.

(15:02):
And so much has changed since then. All right, Louisa,
this one is for you. Which one of these is
did not? An original cartoon character by Walt Disney A
Oswald the Lucky Rabbit, be Leonard the Frightened Lion, or
see Mickey Mouse Leonard the Frightened I forget his name.

(15:26):
If you don't even need to know the rest, because
you got it right, that's all right. No reason to remembered,
It's not true. The answer is be Leonard the Frightened Lion.
Everyone knows Mickey Mouse, but before Mickey, Walt and his
partner of Eye Works. Also the great name of a
cartoon character if you want created Oswald the Lucky Rabbit.
So next of I mean, next up is a question
for Watkins. All right, Watkins? Which one of these was

(15:49):
did not inspiration for Disneyland, the theme park Walt Disney
opened in California in a the carousel at Griffith Park,
where he took his daughter's b Walt's personal collection of trains,
or see the jungle cruise he and his wife Lillian
took on their honeymoon, Which one of those answers is

(16:12):
did not true the quiz the jungle cruise. Yeah, you're right,
that was the correct answer. See maybe they took a cruise.
I don't know. It didn't inspire anything Walt and his wife,
they didn't have based anything on their honeymoon. Instead, he
cites the carouselic Griffith Park as the inspiration for building

(16:32):
a place where families could spend quality time together. And yes,
he did have a train in his backyard that you
could ride around that's true, Jane said, yeah, human sized
train set. Amazing. And that's the end of that game. Jane, Jane,
what's the score? You won't believe this, Elliott. It is
tied at three? Al right at three? Ch okay Watkins Louisa.

(16:57):
This is a tight game. Everything is on the line.
But let me just say that I feel like Disney
and fred to Carlo were both incredibly interesting artists. But
what else do they have in common? Elliott? We'll find
out after the break? Play us out, Eric, Hey, who

(17:20):
was hers? I want to share a fun fact we missed.
Tell us who to call on the Who Was? App?
Maybe tell us what you think? Abraham Lincoln smelled like
what I'm trying to say is we want to hear
from you, So send us an email or voice memo
at the Who Was Podcast at gmail dot com. Welcome
back to the Who Was Podcast. When we left off,

(17:43):
our two contestants, Watkins and Louisa were tied. Wonderful, amazing.
But there's more to our contestants than just these scores.
Before we head into our next round, I figured let's
take a moment to learn a little more about Watkins
and Louisa. So freed to Hollow's signature look was to
wear flowers in her hair as a nod to her
Mexican heritage. Do you have a signature look? Where are

(18:06):
you working on them? Louisa? What would be your signature look?
What's your iconic signature look? My hair? I guess like
might I always keep my hair down most of the
good time? You keep your hair down most this y
it looks fantastic, very healthy and conditioned, gorgeous. You could
be in a shampoo commercial right now. Absolutely, now, Watkins,

(18:27):
you are already very snappily dressed. You're wearing a suit
for us now. But what's your signature look? Is that
it kind of like a men's business casual wear or
something else? Um No, not usually. Usually a signature look
is BedHead. I mean I usually have BedHead, so also
hair related, all right? I like it sort of the

(18:49):
opposite of Louise's answer, yeah, and and sort of opposite
of your look today. I must say you look like
the youngest Brooks brother right now. Thanks. Okay, Now it's
on to our next and final game. This one is
called sound effect Safari fect Stufari sound effects. To the foger,

(19:13):
there's a lot of sounds, and there's gonna be even
more after that. In this game, we're gonna play a
sound effect inspired by something important from the life of
either Walt Disney or Frieda Carlo. You, our contestants, will
tell us what the sound is and whose life it
comes from, and if you want to give us an explanation,
that's great. Don't feel like you have to, but that

(19:34):
would be great. So Louisa, you are up first. Let's
hear the first sound for Louisa. Lisa, do you know
what that is? What does that sound? You want to
hear it one more time? Okay, one more time. It's

(19:58):
an ambulance, It's great. And whose life was related to ambulances?
Freda Cola. That's right, you got it, Frida Colo. She
was often in the hospital, most notably after that trolley
accident we were talking about, but her spirit was unbreakable
and she found a way to keep painting. That was great. Okay, Watkins.

(20:18):
This next sound effect is for you. Let us know
what is the sound and whose life is it related to.
Do you feel like you know what it is? Do
you want to hear it again? Yeah? One more time? Okay?

(20:45):
Is that the sound of Dumbo? You know what, I'll
take it. That's good. Yes, that was an elephant sound?
And who would Umbo be related to? What Didney? That's right,

(21:05):
Realt Disney's film Dumbo, which was about an elephant. Although
to be honest, that was a little bit of trick.
We also could have accepted free to Callo because her husband,
Diego Rivera was nicknamed the elephant. They were called the
elephant and the dove. Free ago next sound, but we
would have accepted either. It was, but that was great.
The next sound is for Louisa. Let's hear that sound. Okay?

(21:32):
Can you identify that sound and who it might be
related to? Let us know if you need to hear
it again. I think I need to hear it again.
O here a second time. Any ideas? Feel free to
guess if you're if you're having trouble, I don't know

(21:55):
what it is. You don't know what it is? Okay?
All right? Oh? Is like a heartbeat? That's right, it's
a heartbeat. And who do you think would be related
to heartbeats? I mean, everybody has a has a heart,
but in this case there are a bunch of hearts.
And free to colors paintings, So I think it's from her. Yes,

(22:16):
exactly right, Yes, so free to callos. Art often includes hearts,
like real, realistic looking hearts outside of her body. They
represent her connection with her emotional life and also how
important it is to keep your heart inside your body.
It's better there inside. Yeah. The last sound effect is
for Watkins. Watkins, you have one more sound effect to hear.
Get ready, get those ears open and let's hear that

(22:38):
sound effect. Okay, what is that sound? And whose life
is it connected to the train? What Disney's life? Yes,

(22:58):
a brain And as we know, Walt Disney had a
love of trains. There's trains all over his work, in
his house at Disneyland. Can't get enough of trains. He
loves trains. He's always about trains. Every time I talk
to him, he's like, trains, trains, trains, And I'm like, well, Disney,
enough with the trains. Yeah, trains, train. Oh, you can't
get enough of those trains. That's right, He's on the

(23:21):
train train, that's for sure. Well you both did great.
That was sound effect Safari. I just want to make
sure everyone knows all those sounds were done by our
own eric musician extraordinaire and sound effect master weird. How
did you do those sounds? How did you make up happen?
Believe it or not? I made him all up with

(23:43):
my mouth. We'll have Jane tally the scores and announced
the winner in just a moment. You could cut the
tension with a knife right now, or you could paint
a knife in a room representing tension like Frieda would. Now.
This has been a great show. You've been great contestants,
Louisa and Watkins. I have a question for you that's
not a quiz question, It's just a question question. Before

(24:05):
we find out who won today's game. Is there something
that you thought was really really cool and really exciting
about our historical figures today that you wanted to share
that we didn't get to talk about. Watkins, who would
you want to talk about and is there something really
cool you want to share about them? Yeah? I want
to talk about um what Disney and something really cool

(24:26):
that I thought It was really cool about him that
like he tried to start businesses. He had a lot
of moves, which was probably tough, and at some points
he used down the dumps, but he rose from one
of the lowest points to one of the highest points Yeah,
it's amazing, isn't it? Isn't it inspiring? Uh? And Louisa,

(24:49):
is there someone that you wanted to say something about? Also,
who would you like to talk about? I think I'd
like to talk about free to call. Oh, that would
be great. What's what's the coolest thing about or what's
something cool? Doesn't that be the coolest thing? But something
that stuck out to you that she, like, I was
able to paint even though she was like in the
hospital for a long time and had a bunch of injuries.

(25:11):
And signify, Yeah, Art finds a way. Oh sorry, I
mean that about Art, but also my uncle Art, who
always seems to get lost and then you know, shows
up twenty minutes late, but but he gets there. Yeah,
he finds. So it's not always the best way to
get there, but he finds. Oh wow, you guys, thank
you so much for sharing that. I think that's so

(25:31):
wonderful that those are the things you took away from
Frida and Walt. And now, without further ado, we will
find out who today's winner is. Today's winner is, drum
roll please, the winner is Louisa and Watkins. It's a

(25:51):
time a time amazing. Congratulations to both of you. You
both did great and look at those smiling faces. Is
this is exciting? I like ties because everybody wins. Uh.
Both one a collection of who Was books for your
school library and for you, and now each of you
is going to get about five seconds for shoutouts and thanks.
Thank whoever you want to take it away. Uh Louisa yay,

(26:15):
Thank you to my parents and my dog yay and Watkins.
Who would you like to thank real quick or just
say hi to? I would like to thank maya total
for getting me into this. Also, Happy Birthday talks her
birthday today. That's fantastic, Happy birthday, big. Thanks to both
of our contestants are playing. You did great. It was

(26:36):
an amazing game. Thank you for everyone who's listening to
this right now. If you're not listening to this right now,
I do not thank you. Join us. Next week we're
gonna find out who the next two exciting historical figures
are in the Who Was Podcast? Until then, this is
Elliott call Oh. I mean I'm sorry Elliott Calin saying
where history? Good by everybody, Thank you, cool cool out

(27:00):
a question for any of our famous figures. Send us
a voice memo at who Was podcast at gmail dot com.
It might just end up on the show. Who Was
Podcast is produced by Radio Point, I Heart Media and
Penguin Workshop, based on the best selling who h Q
series published by Penguin. Who Was Podcast is hosted by
Elliot Klin with co host Megan O'Neill as b also

(27:21):
starring Jane Baker as Producer, Jane, Eric Shackney as Eric,
and Natasha Elias as Frieda Callo. The executive producers are
Richard Corson, Alex Bach, Elliott Klin, Megan O'Neil, Daniel Powell,
and Houston Snyder. The executive producer for Penguin Workshop is
Francesco Sadita. The executive producer for iHeart Media is Lindsay Hoffman.
This episode was written by Megan O'Neil, Elliot Caylin, Zach Timpson,

(27:43):
and Jane Baker. This podcast was produced by Bernie Kaminski.
Our talent producer is Jane Baker. The theme song and
music were composed and performed by Eric Shackney, edited and
mixed by Bree Mattan, recorded by Joanna Samuels. Special thanks
to Zach Timpson, Charlotte Dianda, Daniel Goodman and Michael Lewis Howard,
who was podcast was recorded at the I Heart Studios

(28:04):
in Los Angeles, California. Sound services were provided by Great
City Posts Podcast because it's standard Fly
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