Yeet the Rich
If a billionaire donates money to a good cause, does that make them a good person? Hosts Emily Walsh and Daniel Moss are two married millennials who learned about financial crises by living through them, and now they’re diving into the wild world of the uber rich. They discuss financial crimes, the breakdown of the American dream, and why funding a museum doesn’t necessarily make you a good person. They get into the old timey rich, like the Rockafeller family, and current events, like why you might not want to shop at Walmart. Each week they’ll dive into a new wealthy person, give you the rundown on their lives, whatever “good things” they’ve done in the past, and why they might be a bummer.
Yeet the Rich
P.T. Barnum Part Three- Failed Rebrand of The Mermaid Man
Week Three of the P.T. Barnum saga. This week we talk about Barnum's attempts to rehabilitate his relationship with his family and his reputation with the world.
Though it seems like he did some real work on his marriage it seems like his reputation as a dishonest humbug man would be set in stone.
We talk about the real relationship between him and Jenny Lind "The Swedish Nightingale" and Barnum's failed attempt to rebrand himself as a purveyor of high brow entertainment.
Then we get into Barnum as an investor with a spotty track record and a shady real-estate deal that would eventually lead to his complete bankruptcy.
Eventually Barnum drags himself back out of debt and tries his hand at Politics becoming a representative to the Connecticut State Legislature. Serving for two terms, promoting his abolitionist and temperance beliefs.
Then his life is riddled with fires from the destruction of Iranistan to the American Museum Burning down twice within a couple years.
Barnum would never own a major museum again but this may have given him the push to create his famous circus which we will talk about next week.
Enjoy!
Sources:
“Barnum: An American Life” by Robert Wilson(2020)
“Topsy: The Startling Story of the Crooked Tailed Elephant, PT Barnum, and the American Wizard, Thomas Edison” By Michael Daly(2013)
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