Aretha Franklin & Stan Lee

Aretha's number one hits like respect and think. That's the song where the choruses like freedom, freedom, freedom, freedom, freedom, yeah freedom, Well film snap boom, Let's start the show. What do you think you know about the greatest The game is on. To get some energy and buckle up your brain because it's time to play the bost podcast. Because it's time to flavoos who live from Tom galand or so called SoCal Los Angeles. Welcome to Who Was?

The History quiz show that gives contestants the chance to win mega prizes and podcast glory. I'm your announcer, be the tool Man Taylor, and here's your host. He came in fifth and an Elliott Calin lookalike contests. It's Elliot Kalin. Thank you be. I'm gonna try again next year and see if I can get higher up in the rankings of Looking like Myself and welcome everyone to the Who Was Podcast. This show is a lot like Jeopardy, only with surprise guests, silly games, and more ghosts in the studio.

Thank you that was one of the ghosts. Our contestants were sent who Was books about two great figures from history. Now they're here to show off their knowledge in the hopes of winning fantastic prizes R. S B E. C. T. Today's subjects are a Wreatha, Franklin, and stan Lee. But before we get to know them, let's get to know our contestants. First up, we have Molly. Molly, go ahead and introduce yourself. Hello, I'm Molly. I do gymnastics. I started when I was four, and I have two scars.

Are the scars from gymnastics? Where were you like wrestling dinosaurs and things like that. No, I got like one on my right here when I was one, and then I got one right year when I was four and I was trying to help me the teacher, and I felt, oh wow, look, no good deed goes unpunished. Truly, That's that's what we've learned. Well, thank you so much for joining us. Uh, well, try not to give you any more scars during the game. Yeah, emotionally or physically, right,

but I can't promise you. It's it's an exciting game. Who knows what's gonna happen. Thanks Molly. And then up next we have Mattie. Mattie, please tell us more about yourself. So whoa I am, Maddie. I'm eleven and a half ish, I really white. Kiss me. I know. I mean even my mom says I know more than most adults too, So um yeah, that's pretty much how I am. And I have deep dark shower thoughts. So if you want to know some, contact me and I'll give you some.

It's good that you know a lot about history because that's the subject of our show today. History. Did you know that we're gonna talk about history today? Oh my god, I didn't know that. Alright, I get the sarcasm. Okay, thanks Maddie, I get it. Okay. Now I know that these are some tough customers that we're gonna be dealing with today. We've got scars and dark showered thoughts. Were ready. Scars and sarcasm, that's what that's what we've got coming

at us today. Alright, so okay, that's our band. It's called Scar Scasm and U We're probably a metal band. We'll figure it out later. Thank you both of you for being on the show, and thank you to Eric a musician, for providing that lovely Meet the Contestants music as well as all the music here. On today's show, we learned who is? Now let's find out who was? Aretha Franklin with four fast f Aretha Franklin was known as the Queen of Soul. She is the winner of

eighteen Grammys. She was the first woman inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. She pioneered mixing gospel and pop music for the civil and women's rights movements. And that's for fast facts. Those facts were fast, and there was four of them. Aretha also has an asteroid named after her. Two five one s Aretha move over eight six seven, five three oh nine. Jenny, thank you be for that reference to Tommy two tones, one hit wonder song. Kind of strange he had two tones but

only one hit. Aretha Franklinton, Hello, everyone, it's Nate A Fregnan. I came hear five way of the Who was Eric? In the key of d please h well, Aretha Queen, the song is in the key you get Eric, I haven't asked named after me? Plenty okay, twelve four six? Who was you want? Who was? Who was that? Wow? That was amazing. I never knew there was so much emotion in the who was app jingle? Yes, So, Aretha, I understand that legally you can't sing any of your

previously recorded songs for us today on the show. That's right, there's a lot of legal red tape there. But I thought you could help us out by singing some questions in our next game. What do you say? Will you? My handbag is on the table. That means let's do this and let's move on to our first game. It's called B sides size. So, speaking of history, back before we were all streaming music on our phones and computers and stuff, people listen to music on records which had

two sides. The A side usually had the hit song on it, and the B side was another song that was less well known. But the record had two sides. You gotta put a song on there. We found some of Aretha's unrecorded lyrics, two songs she was writing. In this game. You need to listen to the lyrics and tell us who from her life Aretha is singing about. All right, you guys both got it? Yeah, okay, good because Molly you are up first. It's just sangs and a beautiful just a hat on the grounds, and said

she threw her church at on the ground. Was Aretha talking about a Clara Ward? Be Carmen san Diego or see Billie Holiday. See that's close. It's another famous singer. But unfortunately the answer is a Clara Ward. She was a gospel sing or that Aretha got to know through her church, and she was an early inspiration for Aretha as a young singer. But nice, try, Maddie, you're up next. Let's hear another song. If my father needs my hip, I will longways go to sing for civil right. It's

an honor if my father needs my help. As a key phrase there with the lyrics in this B side about a Ted White, B C. L. Franklin or ce Smokey Robinson. Cel Franklin, you're right, it's C. L. Franklin. Now's Aretha's father. He was known for his million dollar voice. He was a minister of the New Bethel Baptist Church in Detroit. Michigan was very active in the civil rights movement. Okay, the next question is for Molly. Molly, let's listen carefully.

He said that girl don't stole my song. He was right. Oh the Lord, beautiful, beautiful? Who is Aretha quoting? There? Who said that Aretha stole his song? Was it a Otis Redding? B Marvin Gaye or see Clive Davis? A that's wrong? You got it, Molly, you got it? Yeah, The answers A Otis Redding. He wrote and was the first person to record the song. Respect that Aretha's version became a civil rights and women's liberation anthem. It won two Grammys. The Library of Congress added it to the

National Recording Registry. She made that song her own. Sorry, Otis, it is not your song anymore. It's Aretha's. Now, I stole it from Otis. Thank you, miss Molly. You got a correct girl. Good job. And the final question in the round is for Maddie. Let's hear one more beautiful song from the Queen of Soul. I said, what time s on a specially bimious man? So stirring makes me, it makes me want to salute the flag. Who was she singing about in this song, Who's inauguration? Did Aretha

sing it? Was it a George Bush, be Bill Clinton? Or c Barack Obama? Um, I'm gonna say Clinton. Yep, she did. That's right, and you know what, it was kind of a trick question. She also sang it Barack Obama is also, but she's sang it Clinton's first, and she's sang it Jimmy Carter's inauguration. She's one of those rare performers who has performed at multiple presidential inaugurations? B how many presidential inaugurations have you? Have you sung at?

Have I sung at? Officially? Zero? Unofficially twelve? Don't worry about how old I am and how that math of you know, but you like to just show up in the crowd and sing at things. Alright, The needle has left the record. Thus ends B sides. That was a great round everybody, and we got to hear such amazing music. Nice work, and producer Jane will tell you the scores right after this short break. Welcome back to the who Is podcast. Gene, will you please give us those scores?

Maddie is ahead by double the points that Molly has. That sounds bad. But it's not. Maddie has two points, Molly has one. This is anybody's game. Jane. You put me in such amazing suspense with the way you just described that score. That was astounding. Thank you, Elliott. I have an idea. Please go ahead and read with any idea you have. I want to hear me too. I sang about respect R E S P E c T because it was something very important to me. I always

tried to live by that word. I'm wondering if the contestants can share a word that means a lot to them, and maybe we can improvise a song with Eric. Oh guys, what do you think? Contestants? Would you mind sharing something that's important to you so you can hear the Aretha Franklin sing about it sounds good, Maddie, what's like a word that means a lot to you? That maybe Aretha and Eric can build a song around history? History. If you don't know where you've been, how you're gonna know

where you're going? It's all the Batchel history and you better be no wh I know, Maddie said. Maddon knows a lot about history, says that he knows moth you with me and that's okay. I guess I'm gonna go pray and go and read a book about some historian you may. Oh my god, oh my goodness, Wow, you gotta be amazing. Oh wow. You know, physics used to be my favorite subject in school, but now I think

it's history. Molly, what about you? Do you have a word or phrase that means a lot to you that maybe we could have Eric and Aretha improvise a song about family. Family fantastic. I love my family, I love my family, I love my mama, if I love my daddy, I love all my cousins and my aunties because they're bottom family. Yeah. If you need a kidney, yeah, when you can't always appear on family Megan, Oh gosh, thank you areta amazing, amazing, amazing, astounding. I do need a kidney,

so I will be hitting your family up. Call call us. We are all universal, So come off, come to Detroit. We got the Franklins are very generous with their organs. That way. Those were such beautiful songs and such great words that you suggested. If I was asked that question and someone said, what's a special word for you? I would have been like, uh, soup, I don't know. And then soup, soup, soup, We love soup, soup. We can think about anything. I'll be here nowhere about it. You

would love soup. Put in a boat, give me a spot. Soup love soup, We love soup. Up in him. And I'm gonna thank Molly and Maddie for giving me such great words, and I can make songs about Thank you all so much. Y'all are amazing, beautiful children. Aretha loves the children. Aretha, thank you so much because it's been so inspiring. I'm now hungry for zou. I love history, and I appreciate my family. Oh well, good than you are for having me. And thank you again. Who love Flicky? Amazing?

Oh wow, that was astounding. That app is fantastic, isn't it? It truly truly is wow. Okay, well, uh, Maddie is in the lead at the moment, but it's still anyone's game. And now let's look at our other great figure from the past. That's right, Stanley. Here's four fast facts. Stanley was the head of Marvel Comics. He's in the Will Eisner Hall of Fame for Comic book Writers. He co created many characters, including Spiderman, Black Panther, and Iron Man.

And he was instrumental in bringing comic books to the big screens. And that's four fast facts. Okay, contestants, You know how superheroes always have a catchphrase, like Spider Man's like it's your friendly neighborhood Spiderman, and the Hulk is like Hulk smash, and Captain America doesn't really have one. I guess, he says Avengers Assembled sometimes be of what I'm saying, I'm wondering, if you were superhero, what would

your catchphrase be? Uh? Maybe it could incorporate the word you just talked about with Aretha, but it it doesn't have to. Uh, Molly, what would your catch phrase be as a superhero? If I had to choose one, that will be like never give up? Like if I was saving the world or something that's great, that's fantastic, so you would you would leap in gymnastically and say never give up. And Maddie, what about you? If you were a superhero, what would your catchphrase be? What would you

shout as you leapt into the phray? Um, I would say nothing personal, kiddo, nothing personal, kiddo. Okay, all right, I like that you're keeping it professional. Is a superhero. You don't want anyone's feelings to be hurt. This is just the way the game is played. Here's another question. So, Spider Man, one of Stanley's greatest co creations, was bitten by a radio active spider. That's how he got his powers. If you were bitten by a radioactive animal, what would

it be? What kind of radio active animal would you want to be bitten by and it would give you their powers? Um? I would say probably like a monkey, so like I could gain the knowledge vactuae enjoying bananas. Okay, you don't like bananas? Now you would like to enjoy them, and that radioactive monkey would give you the power to enjoy bananas. Yes, Molly, if you were bitten by radioactive animal, what would you want it to be? Well, what came in my mind when you asked the question was a

chip monk? Okay? And then maybe because like then I can run fast because I always see them like running up trees and stuff. I like that they're very fast. Yeah, you have the the amazing proportional speed of a human sized chipmunk. I would say a ladybug. Okay? And why is that they seem super chill and um, you know, I I'm just always I'm I'm a lot of energy. So I would like to chill out a little bit and understand how to just you know, pass some time

in the garden. Yeah, what about you, Elliott? I think I would like to be bitten by a radioactive squid so that if anyone's bothering me, I can just throw ink in their face and run away. That's great. I guess I could do that now now that I think about it. I was just I was like, whenever I see you're never without your ink, well for exactly that reason. So now I know, Elliott, this is especially exciting for you because you have actually written comic books. That's true.

I have written books and stories for the Black Panther, for Spider Man, for Wolverine. You know, I think it's great that you're talented enough to write comic books and come and co host my show. The I'm the host of the show, says, who says you when you announced me as the host at the top of every episode. Okay, we'll see about that. We'll see what my agent has to say about that. Morty, if you're listening, give me a call. I still got the landline. Now can we

get onto the next game? Please? Yes, please? Okay. This game is called True Believer, True Face Front True Believer for low another awe inspiring game. Come with your way. This is it, folks, the one you've been waiting for. Um what the Stanley was known for his dramatic, bombastic writing style. Everything was amazing, incredible, uncanny and absolutely alliterative

in the mighty marvel manner. So in our next segment, True Believer, I will describe his life in the same senses shattering style, and our contestants will tell us if what we're saying is terrifically true or feloniously false. Okay, to clarify this is true or false with some really fun flourishy words. You can always ask for clarification because honestly, it would help me out. Elliott, take it away, Maddie.

Stanley made his epic entrance into the world with the majestic moniker stan Worth Marvelton Lee for the third eldest son to a billionaire inventor true or false false? You are correct, that is all. So. Stan was born Stanley Martin Lieber to poor Romainian immigrants, Jack and Celia Lieber. Next question is for Molly Molly. Young Stanley commenced his iconic career in the comics cosmos as the electrifying errand boy for a good man, the uncle with the power

to publish pulse pounding periodicals. True or false False, So that was actually true. He was only sixteen when he began working for his uncle at the company that he would someday run as Marvel Comics. Next question is for Maddie Maddie and Low. There came a cataclysmic clash of countries World War Two in which Soldier Stand was one of an elite team of wild and wooly Wordsmith's deeded the dynamic designation playwright. True or false True That is

correct true. Stan was one of only eight people to be an official U. S. Army playwright. Another one was Dr Seuss. Next question Molly Molly. In his bibliophilic boyhood that means he likes books, smiling, Stand learned that the stories with the most powerful prose, delicious drama, and memorable morals were those told with complete super seriousness and no humor at all. True or false? I no, no, okay, So basically this question is asking, did Stanley right only

very serious comics? Oh? False? That is correct. So he learned stories he loved most had jokes in them, and as an adult, the humor and his work would help set his stories apart as something special true And that my engaging, elegant, excitable, educated, erudite adversaries is the end of that game. There are a lot of words in that game, were there? Let's get some numbers instead, Jane, what are the scores? Well, nothing personal, kiddo, But Maddy has four points and Molly has two for the game?

Is still anyone to win? Amazing? I can't wait to find out more about Stanley and Aretha Frank Lynn and what they have in common. Well, you're in luck because that's up after the break. M Hey, who was Ours? Want to make a shout out to your own favorite person history, famous or unfamous? Do you think your sour dough recipe is better than ours? Would you like to tell us your craziest dream? 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. Our farmers Arter, Welcome back to the Who Was? Podcast? Today's episode is all about the Queen of Soul, or Aretha Franklin, and Marvel Comics founder Stand the Man Leave. Before the break, Molly had two points and Maddie had four points. Back to you, Elliott, thank you be, and many thanks to our special guest Aretha Franklin. If you didn't hear it earlier, you simply

must go back and listen. It was life changing. The acoustics from the Afterlife are surprisingly astounding beautiful, Molly, Maddie, before we get to our final game, how would you describe Aretha's singing earlier? It was good. It was like he held the notes long. I know, it was amazing. And Maddie, what about you? Even though not my type of music, actually I actually liked it. It's pretty good.

What is your type of music? You'd be surprised. I really like military emotion music like a John Philip Sousa fan, Susan Stan. I don't know that one. Well, I'll sing you some John Phillip Susan use. I think I remember the lyrics and but up up up up, Yeah, I mean I don't remember all the words, but that's uh. I think you'd like it. Now it's time for our final game, everybody where we see how Aretha Franklin and Stanley these two talented titans tied together. Awesome elateration, Elliott,

thank you. I think it's time for converge of the greatness. In this multiple choice game, B, we'll read questions where are two historical figures overlap? Pick the best multiple choice option as your answer. Take it away, be Molly. The name Muscle Shoals refers to a character Stanley created whose superpower was turning into a large school of strong fish. B Aretha's favorite dish that was required to be in

her dressing room after every show. Or see the town known for its distinctive sound where Areata recorded the song I Never Loved a Man. I know this is wrong, but I'm just going with see. Uh, incorrect is not wrong, It is right. The answer is c't right if you were right with the answer and wrong about being wrong about the answer. Muscle Shoals is a town in Alabama where Aretha took a big risk and changing her sound

that it paid off with one of her biggest singles ever. Although, to be honest, Muscle Shoals also sounds like a great seafood dish. I would eat thought about. Next question be Maddie. Both Aretha and Stanley had very early starts to their careers. Aretha was singing for her church as early as ten years old. But how old was stan Lee when he became an editor at timely Comics? Is it a twelve years old? Be twenty years old, or see eighteen years old.

I'm gonna have to go with a I'm so sorry the answers actually see, Stanley was just eighteen years old when two of his co workers quit and he was promoted to editor while still having to perform his gopher duties around the office. He went from delivering sandwiches to editing books and delivering sandwiches, next question being Molly. Stanley's stories took on real world issues like racism and pollution,

usually by having heroes punch bad guys. Aretha also took on real life issues in the lyrics of her songs you know, but with more subtlety. Her song respect is about a woman singing to her partner, but it could

also be about a women everywhere wanting equal rights. Be black people demanding equal respect in society, or see using a coaster during meals to show respect for the furniture thinking be you're right, we would have actually accepted either A or B. They're both readings of respect that are totally valid, though I guess in some houses C would also be appropriate. People get very fanicky about their furniture.

Next question, be Maddie. Aretha and Stanley both had cameos or small roles in hit movies which one of the fall owen was not a role. Either of them played a soul food cafe owner in The Blues Brothers, be a maleman in Fantastic Four, or see the voice of Group in Guardians of the Galaxy. I'm going to say the voice of group, You're right. The answers see Group was of course voiced by the famous actor Vincenzo Dizarelli. Aretha played the cafe owner in Blues Brothers, and Stanley

had many, many, many roles in Marvel movies. Oh wow, I wonder what his audition process was like. I don't think he had to audition for small roles in movies made by his own movie studio. All right, well, don't count on it, Okay. Hollywood is an unforgiving business, Babe. They always keep saying to me, don't take it personal, kiddo. Yes, but sometimes you gotta take it personal, kiddo. Sometimes that's what it is. Well, we wait for Jane to tell

you the points I'd love to hear from our contestants. Now, contestants, was there anything that you were surprised to learn about areto stand or that particularly stuck with you that you thought was particularly cool or amazing? Molly, why don't we start with you? It was really cool when like she was really young and her dad was like really popular, and I like remember reading all of the famous people like Duke Ellington could have been in her living room

because her dad like sometimes have after our parties. It's very true. Yeah, her dad would would have parties in this house where visiting musicians and some of the most famous names in music at the time would come and spend time there. And it really inspired Aretha to make a career in a life in music. And she was so talented from such a young age, isn't it amazing? Well that's great, Maddie. Is there something about either Aretha or Stanley that that struck you the same way where

you were like surprised or amazed or terrified. We'll not terrified, but we thought it was neat Um, I'm as about Franklin and you think I didn't even know she existed before that book. I'm not even joking really, Yea. Had you ever heard her music before though, and then been like, oh, that's who that was? Nope? Well, I've got to tell you I love military marching music, but you've got a lot of really cool music to listen to. I'm so glad that you were able to learn about her through

researching for the show. Jane, it's time for the big moment. Could you please announce our winner? I sure, Ken Elliott and you may think this is bananas, but I'm going to tell you that Molly and Maddie were tied at four until Maddie went ahead and one with five points, So the final score is Maddie five Molly four. Correct. Wow, great game from both of you should both be super proud. Maddie, congratulations on your win. You have ten seconds for shoutouts. Thanks.

Who would you like to thank for this victory? Go for it. I want to think my liveloan was because she recommended me to podcasts, and I wanna, um thank my brain who coming up with being infected by a radioactive monkey, so I could literally the powers of like and bananas. Those are both great. Thanks. You clearly have a very wonderful and talented librarian and a very wonderful

and talented brain when it comes to radioactive animals. Our winner, of course, and their library of choice will be receiving a set of Who Was books. And I'm going to give a shout out right now to our intern Zac, to Jane, to Eric, to Lekendra Tooks for being our Aretha and of course to be and a big thank you to both of our contestants who played a fantastic game today, and of course thanks above all to you

at home for listening to this. Join us next week We're going to find out who the next two exciting historical figures are in the Who Was Podcast. Until then, this is Elliott Muscle shoals Kalin saying where history got 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 starring Jane Baker as Producer Jane, Eric Shackney as Eric, and Leakendra Tooks as Aretha Franklin. 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, Elliott Calin, Zach Timpson, 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

in Los Angeles, California. Sound services were provided by Great City Post txtbook Past Podcast because It's Stidard Playbooks Das