Harry Houdini & PT Barnum

And second of all, it's not empty. The mouse is hiding under the cedar shavings. See oh no, where the mouse go? It's on your foot. That mouse is a Houdini level escape artist. Okay, be very calm. Don't let the elephants see the mouse, otherwise it might cause a seed. Maybe that the music will suthe them. Play us on what do you think you know about? The rates for the game is on. Get some energy and brookle up

your brain because it's time to play THET podcast. Because it's time to play who Live from Tom Baland or so called so Call Los Angeles. Welcome to Who Was the history quiz show that gives contestants the chance to win mega prizes and podcast. Glorie, I'm your announcer, b and my birthday is always belated. And here's your host. He's the Lazy to my cagnet. It's Elliott Kaylin. Thank you be and shout out to star of Stage and screen Time Daily, Who Was Time Daily? A superstar? And

welcome everyone to the Who Was? Podcast? This show is like Jeopardy only with surprise guests, silly games, and more network notes. Unfortunately, our contestants were sent Who Was books about two great figures from history. Now they're here to show off their knowledge and the hope sub winning fantastic prizes. Prizes. Pers today be prepared for the greatest show on Earth when we find out about escape artist Harry Houdini and the man who inspired the movie The Greatest Showman P. T. Barnum.

But enough about them, let's meet our contestants, all right. First up, we have Declin. Declin, please introduce yourself, Um nine years old. I love comics. I vite them a lot. Yeah, I really liked Who Was? Books. Oh that's so good to hear. So Decline, if you write comics. Do you have a comic character that you have in a bunch of series. Yeah, but he's a little off a bad guy than a good guy. We love that. Could you share this bad guy's name with us? Zombieople? He's just

like this guy video? So I'm pretty yeah, and you know, um Decline Elliott also writes comics. Alright, I write comic books. Also, what about a bad guy who's kind of the zombie? So I guess I stole your idea? Sorry about that, Okay, okay, thanks, I appreciate that. Thank you, Techling. Alright, and we also have Josie on the show today. Josie, please introduce yourself. Hi. I'm Josie. I'm ten years old. Um, and I have a lot of hobbies. My weekend is awful. I have

no three days. Well, okay, let's tell us about some of these hobbies we got, maybe which which ones are keepers? On Mondays, I have ballets, ballet on Tuesdays, I have piano on Wednesday, I have ballet on Thursday. I have ballet on Friday. I have tap. On Saturday, I have ballet and tap. I'm in a musical so it has my rehearsals on those days. Oh my goodness, this is a packed schedule. Yeah, and on Sunday, I have UM ballet well, Josie UM. We are so thankful you managed

to fit us into your very packed schedule. Thank you, We really appreciate it. Yeah. I feel honored that that we were able to take you away from I assume seven different ballet rehearsals that that you had to do today. Today was the ballet you know, there's I'll say this, I'm impressed you're learning all that I wish I could dance. And if I could dance, I would give up everything else I can do, but I can't, So I'm very

impressed that you can do it. I think that sounds like a good idea for a comic book, Elliott, the story of a forty year old man who gives up everything for the dancing compility, just for the ability to dance, and not even just even since I could just dance for a couple of nights, it would be so amazing. And depending on how you dance, you would be the villain or the hero of that story. M that's a very good point. I'll have to talk to Decline about what if I'm the bad guy? Maybe decinly can do

the comic about me as a dancer. Well, thank you both for inspiring us with your artistic pursuits, and thank you to Eric, our musician, for providing that lovely live Meet the Contestants music and all the music on the show today. So that's who is. Now Let's find out who was Harry Houdini with four fast facts guys. Harry Houdini lived from eighteen seventy four to nineteen twenty six. Harry was born in Budapest and emigrated with his family

to Wisconsin in eighteen seventy eight. He broke barriers by being the world's first Jewish celebrity magician. He spent the later part of his career debunking phony spiritualists who claims they could talk to ghosts. All right, so this is a fun subject because we're, you know, talking about magic and escape artists. I'm wondering if Josie and Declan have ever seen a magician and if they have a memorable trick that the magician did. Josie, have you ever seen

a magician? Um? I have And this is like not a big check, but um, when we were on virtual School, we had a magician and he was like gonna do a perform mints. And I only remember one of his tricks, but it was like he had a special balloon and he had a big nail and he put the nail right through the balloon and it didn't pop. Oh my god, and it didn't pop the balloon. Wow, some kind of magic balloon. Amazing. I love that, Decklan. What about you. Have you ever seen a magician in real life? Yeah,

a couple of times. The magician also made my sister flying the what that's amazing? How high up did she fly? Okay, so it wasn't like she she was went up into the sky and you never saw her again. Yeah, I mean it was inside anyway. Okay. So that so this

is the roof what he kept in. I once saw a magic trick that was so amazing where a magician had a big pad of paper and he drew a bowling ball on it and he wrote the words bowling ball, and then he closed the pad and a bowling ball fell out of it, and they opened up the pad again and it said bowling ball, but the drawing was gone. It had turned into a real bowling ball. That was the same night that I went. It was a very late night magic show, and I met should have said,

look at this card. This is your card, remember it? And he did a whole bunch of tricks and he said, is this your card? And I had forgotten what card was mine and I ruined the trick. So I always pay attention if you're in a magic trick. I guess it's the lesson from that one. Yeah, exactly. That's why you have not been hired. Is that magician's assistant yet? Elliott? You know I've been trying so hard, and I have

all the costumes. Anyway, we're talking a lot about magic, but we should clarify that Harry Houdini considered himself an escape artist. That is correct, Harry, how'd you get here? I will never reveal my techniques. Uh? You used the who was app right? I used the who was? That was that way? Yes, everybody's favorite encrypted messaging service to famous folks from the past, the who was app Well, I heard you were learning all about me today, so I came to perform one of my defying escapes for you.

Behold as I Erry Houdini escaped from handcuffs wrapped in chains covered in glue, put in a straight jacket made out of cement while wearing a bow tie. Is the bow tie also a lock? No, it just looks cool. Here I go, Mr Houdini. This is very entertaining, but we kind of have our next game to get too, so, so you'd like me to read the questions while holding my breath? Got it? I don't think that sounds like a good idea. Hey, when has that ever stopped us? Eric?

Plea the true or false intro? Please? True? False? It's a false? Is a true? It's the truth that it has false? Is it false that it was true? Or true? True? Poor? False? For this game, Houdini will read you a statement and then you will then let us know if that statement is true or you guessed it false. Declan europe first. True or false. My father was known as the King of Handcuffs in Hungary, which is why before I took his title, I called myself the Prince of the Air. Um.

Now that's true. It's false. I mean that's right, it's false. That's well, you know what I mean. You got it right. Harry's father was a rabbi, not the King of handcuffs. Harry made up the name the Prince of the Air for one backyard circus he put on when he was nine years old. Later in life, he fibbed and told reporters he performed in many circuses as a child. He was all, now, this is a story all about how my life got flipped turned upside down. I'd like to

take a manage to sit right there. I'll tell you how I'd bear in the name of the Prince of the Air. Next question is for Josie. True or false. When I was only thirteen, my father made me promise to always take care of my mother and on like chains and locks. I never broke that promise. That's right, it's true. Sadly, Harry's father passed away when Harry was young and made him promise to take care of his mother, Cecilia.

Harry and his mother were extremely close, and he even missed performing for the King of Sweden so he could go see her when she fell ill. Next question is for Declan True or false. Everyone knows that I was the number one enemy of straight jackets, but did you also know that during a big stunt in London, I also became the destroyer of coats. False? No, that's true.

Don't worry. It's okay, don't. During one of Harry's big shows, where he was put in the impossible to escape mirror cuffs, he tore his coat off on stage, only moments before he escaped from the handcuffs. This helped him become an even bigger celebrity in Europe, except, of course, with Taylor's They don't like it when you rip up their coats. Next question is for Josie that Taylor was very upset

with me. True or false. While I made many escapes in my day, the one thing I couldn't escape was all the praise I got for being an incredible actor once I crossed over to making movies. I'm sorry that's false. Judini did make movies, and the early ones were successful, but he was never considered a good actor. Critics said he was a terrific escape artist who couldn't act at all. I'm free. I didn't perfectly timed because that's the end of the game. True, true, true, King of the Handcuffs

has done it again. What was my time? Oh? I didn't realize I was supposed to be timing you. But isn't time and illusion? No, No, it's not. It's a very real thing that I was counting on to impress your listeners. Udini, we heard that you had a phrase that you were going to share with your beloved wife Bess to let her know that it was actually you communicating with her from beyond the grave. I'm dying, Pun intended to know. Yeah, thank you, I'm dying to know again,

Pun intended. What was the phrase? It was abra abra cadabra, I want to reach out and grab y'all. Thank you, Really, that's what it was. No, No, it was not that. I'm not telling you that phrase. It was meant for best and best alone. Geez, what an annoying question, Houdini. I have more annoying questions for you, So if you wouldn't mind, of course, sure sure. Oh hey, what's that over there? Where a major look? Magic? Houdini out peace? Thanks again? Who was app who was? By? Wow? The

old major look? He truly was the greatest escape artist of all time? But hey, where are the scores? We'll check in with producer Jane to find out exactly that after we escape to a short break. Eric, please play us some Houdini music. I'm hugging myself. Welcome back to the Hulas podcast. Today we're talking about who was Harry Houdini and who was Pete Barnum? And now back to your host, Elliott Kaylin. Thank you be. Our two fierce competitors are off to a great start, and let's check

in with producer Jane for the scores. Oh yeah, we are all tied up. Both contestants have one point. It's a close game, as close as any game can get. Let's see what happens as the show goes on, because the show must go on. That's what shows do. So let's find out who was Pete Barnum with four fast facts fool pays Phineas Taylor. Barnum lived from eighteen ten to His museum featured America's first aquarium. He was early to use promotion and advertising to create the world's first celebrities.

Many people credit Barnum with the saying there's a sucker born every minute pass as well discuss p. T. Barnham did many things in his life, but his name these days is mostly associated with the circus. I wonder if either of our contestants have ever seen a circus. What's your familiarity with circuses? I have when I was a little. Um, I went to a circus, but we were high up so I couldn't see much. But what I could see it was really fun. And um, there was like a

bounce house that I got to go on. And at the end we got a choice to either ride an elephant or a camel. What um. And it was a too hump camel, so I felt the camel so I could go with my mom. Okay, that's very sweet. If it had been a one hump camel, you think you would have gone for the elephant. Yeah, elephants are really cool. Yeah, elephants are very cool. Yeah, fantastic animals. We wouldn't say that even if we had Geraldine, our resident elephant, here

with us. Oh yeah, there she goes. Yeah, you're great, Geraldine, And we should say if there are any camels listening, camels are also great. We're not saying that you're not great to camels. Who just to imagine all the A letters we might have gotten from camels if if we had let that out and decline. Have you ever been to the circus? No, you've never been to the circuits. Have you ever seen like a circus act on television

or a film? No? No? Wow? But I had seen like bounced houses that look like circus is a little that's true, Okay, that's fair. Have you ever been inside of a circle? Yeah, a couple of times, like a hula who was something? Okay that fat counts. That's good enough. Yeah, that's close enough to being in the in the center ring of a circus. I like that. Now, listeners may be surprised to find out they know more about P. T. Barnum than they realized. If you watched the movie The

Greatest Showman, it is incredably loosely based on PT. Barnum's life, though it's not very historically accurate. It's very dramatic. Also, it's very dramatic. I don't think pet Barnum's sang as much as he did in that movie. Also, but again it's not historically accurate. For one thing, h Jackman is way dreamier than Pete Barnum ever was, that's for sure. PT started out his career with his Barnum's American Museum m but this wasn't like a history or an art

museum as we know them today. His museum was more about entertainment than reality. Maybe we'll find some objects from there in our next game. It's called Backpack from the Past. From the best we have here a backpack that contains some of P. T. Barnum's personal objects. Will describe those objects for our contestants and for the listeners at home. Contestants, you will choose which multiple choice answer best describes it. Since this is our second game, each question is worth

two big points. Josie, this first object is for you. I found a d to some land. It says, this land, known as Ivy Island, now belongs to my grandson, Phineas Taylor Barnum. What is this about? Is it a prank pts grandfather played on him? Or be codes for how to get to a secret island on the third level of Super Mario Brothers three D World. What do you think, Josie us A, that's right. The answer is a A

young PT. Barnham learned a lesson in building up anticipation in a hubb for an event when, at an early age, his grandfather got the whole town of Bethel, Connecticut to tell pet that he was going to inherit a beautiful island, but it turned out to be a dry, tiny piece of land. Got your grandson, Okay? The next object is for declan, Oh wow, it's a cool old sign that says this way to the egress. He might find a sign like this in t g I Fridays today. But

what did PT use it for? Was it a a trick he played so customers would buy two tickets to his museum? Or b Egress is the neighborhood he lived in in New York City known as the Eighth Borough. Um, you're right, The answer is a egress is just a fancy word for exit, and it sounds like the name of like a cool bird or something. Pet used this to get customers to leave his museum when they didn't realize they were looking for the exit, and then charge

them for another ticket to get them back in. I guess that's how he got his nick aim the King of the Humbugs. Pet was not above duping anyone. Now, let's see if this next object will dupe Josie. This object smells pretty terrible and oh my, it's really gnarly looking. It's like the head of a monkey with some kind of fish tail. What is this object? Is it a Pet's favorite lunch, the monk fish, which he first tasted in Europe? Or be the Fiji mermaid. Um, be the

Fiji mermaid. That's right. The answer is be the fabled Fiji mermaid. This was not a real mermaid, but he advertised and ran stories about mermaids to build up excitement so people would buy tickets to see it. Yes, long before bieber fever ever existed, pet created mermaid fever and made a celebrity out of this, as he put it, dried up old thing. Oh my apologies, Fiji Mermaid. I didn't realize you were listening or alive. Okay, declin, This next object is for you. Oh everybody, look out, get

out of the way. There's a trade a barreling straight out of this backpack. Oh boy, is everyone okay? Josie declan, you're right, Yeah, you're okay, okay, good Oh my goodness. Well this backpack is pretty strong to hold a train. But why is there a train in P. T. Barnum's backpack? Is it a from the traveling he did while campaigning for president or b it's the train he used to move the circus, making transporting the circus easier than the old horse and wagons that used to be used. That's correct.

The answer is b having circuses. Travel by train was just one way PT revolutionized circuses. The other way is by expanding the one ring circus into three rings, which is still in use today unless you mean circus, which everyone knows happens in the middle of Celine Dion's biggest shows. We love you, Selene backpack from The Best Baby. That groovy music means the game is over. We're having an amazing show here today and we're gonna find out where

the scores stand. Right to this break, Eric, play us some circus music. Please the magic feather? Hey, who was her? 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. Welcome back to the Who Was? Podcast?

Are two magically smart contestants are testing their knowledge of who was Harry Houdini and who was P? T. Barnum? And now here's your host, Elliott Kaylin. Thank you be. Now let's check in with producer Jane for the magical scores. Helloiott. Neither of our contestants can escape the other. They are both tied up to five points. M h wow, a tie game. This is something even Houdini might have trouble breaking his way at. That's true, I think about it.

There's a lot about these two men that's hard to believe. Well, that's fitting neither Houdini nor Barnum. We're too concerned with the truth. But we are. And that's why we're going to play our next game. Two truths and a law truth just good. In this game, b will read three statements about one of our historical figures. Two of them are truths and one is a lie tell us which one is the lie? To earn three points. And this is the third game. Declin Europe first, alright, declin. Both

Pete and Houdini loved entertaining crowds. Pete had no problems deceiving the public, but Houdini drew some lines for his performances, which one of the three following is not something he decided to keep doing in his act. Is it a hiding on land when the audience thought he was holding his breath under water? Be talking to the dead or see freeing himself from handcuffs provided by the local police.

That's right. The answer is be. Early on in his career he pretended to be able to speak with those on the other side. They're researching deceased people in the town he was visiting, but he soon quit this. He said he felt guilty tricking people. It was different than magic, where the audience knew there was some kind of trick or illusion being used. Next question, Josie. Both Pete and Harry Houdini had some pretty famous friends, which one of

the following was not one of them. A Sherlock Holmes author, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, be Sigfeed and Roy or see Queen Victoria. Uh see, I'm sorry. The answer is be Sigrid Roy circus career started long after Pete Barnam had passed away. Houdini and Arthur Conan Doyle though we're good friends, but a well documented falling out over spiritualism. Conan Doyle

feverishly insisted that Hudini had magic powers. Rudini knew this wasn't true because he was faking his magic tricks, and he kept telling his friend, no, I don't have magic powers he refused to lie to his friend. Oh what a mention. His mother, Cecilia would have been so proud. The next question is for declin Pt and Houdini. Both had acts that featured a Jenny. Which one of the following choices is the lie that was not an actual name of one of the Jenny's that they worked with.

Is it a Jenny sofa and convertible, a set of talking love seats, b Jenny Lynde the Swedish Nightingale, or see Jenny the Disappearing Elephant. That's right, The answer is a. There is no talking love seat or talking furniture of any kind in either of their acts. Jenny the Elephant started in one of Pudini's biggest stunts when he made an elephant disappear, and Jenny Lynde was a Swedish singer that Pete Barnum promoted and took on tour all over

the United States. Pet helped elevate her profile me a huge star in the US. And the last question is for Josie. Houdini and Barnum both showed support for the armed forces through their performances. Name which one of these was not one of those ways a Houdini donating proceeds from his show to soldiers in World War One. B Barnum showing pro union anti slavery plays at his American

museum during Civil War. Or see Houdini teaching soldiers how to hold their breath underwater for up to an hour to help blow up enemy ships before submarines were invented. That's right, The answer is cee. Though Houdini did teach soldiers how to escape from handcuffs should it be taken behind enemy lines, he never worked with them on holding their breaths for long periods of time. Certainly not an hour. Nobody can hold their breast for that long? Or can

they can? They can? They probably not though, And that's the end of the game. What a truly death defying game. It was a hard fought competition between those two competitors, and as we wait for producer Jane to reveal the scores, I'd love to hear from these hard fought competitors. Let's stop being competitors for a moment and just be friends. What's something that you were may be surprised to learn about Harry Hudini and Pete Barnum. Josie is there anything

about them that really stuck out to you. Um, I had no idea that PC Barnum did politics when I watched the movie, like it was only about his circus or year. Yeah, he was very dedicated to his home state of Connecticut through his politics with some which is something that I didn't know about. Yeah, when I think of P. T. Barnum, I don't usually automatically think of the Nutmeg State. But I guess you can take the man out of the Nutmeg State, but you can't take

the nutmeg out of the man. That's Connecticut. Just think of the nutmegic and Declan, what what stuck at to you about either one of our historical figures? Well, what really stuck out to me about And that's the thing about pet Fobum was that actually he got tricked by the one and sixty one year old lady Like I actually thought she was that Oh yeah, me too, me too. Yeah. And how did you feel when you found out that she was not a hundred and sixty one years old?

I was like, you were shocked. For the listeners at home, you couldn't see the look of shock on Declin's face. It was real and it was intense and I felt the same way when I found out. Well, that is great. Thank you both. I'm excited that you were thinking so much about these people and their lives and just the things that surprise you about it. And now it is time for the big moment. The trick is about to be revealed. This is the prestige. If you will, Jane,

please announce our winner. Well, an incredibly close game, and I hope we don't shock Declin when we tell him that he won with eleven points. Nice, nice job, great job, Declin, and a great job Josie. You played a great game. This was a close one. So now Declan as our winner. You have ten seconds for shoutouts. Who would you like to thank? Go for it, my family and my friends, lovely so Sainton to the point wonderful. I love it.

And I'm also gonna piggyback on that and just shout out that when Josie saw that Declan, when she gave him a round of applause, and we love that here on the Who Was Podcast? We love a good sportsmanship, So thank you, Josie. Josie did pretty good too, Thank you. I agree you both did great and you should both be really proud of how you did on the show.

Today our winner and their library of choice. We're receiving a selection of Who Was books, and I'm going to give a shout out myself to intern Zach Timpson for being our Houdini, to Jane, Eric and b and a big thank you to both of our contestants who played a fantastic game. Thank you to you at home or wherever you are for listening to our show. Join us next week as we find out who Was. Two more amazing figures from history. Until then, this is Elliott the

Fiji Mermaid Calin saying we are history. You see you later. Goodbye. Folks. Got a question for any of our famous figures, send us a voice memo at the Who Was Podcast at gmail dot com. It might just end up on the show. The Who Was Podcast is produced by a Radio Point I Heart Media and Penguin Workshop and is based on the best selling h h Q series published by Penguin.

This show was hosted by Elliot Klin with co host Megan O'Neill and is being also starring Jane Baker as Producer, Jane, Eric Shackney as Eric, and Zach Timpson as Harry MUDDI executive producers are Richard Corson, Alex Foch, Elliott Kleen, Megan O'Neil, Daniel Powell, and Houston Snider. Our executive producer for Penguin Workshop is Francesco Sadita, and our executive producer for iHeart

Media is Lindsay Hoffman. The show was written by Elliott Klin, Megan O'Neill, Kennis Mowbley and Jane Baker, produced by Bernie Kaminsky and Taylor Kowalski. Our talent producer is Jane Baker, and the theme song of music are composed and performed by Eric Schack, edited and mixed by Brimatan and Kate Moldenhoward, recorded by Joanna Samuels. Special thanks to Zach Timpson, Charlotte Danda and Michael Louise Howard. Sound services provided by Great City Posts Donaber