On every episode we choose a celebrity who died between 1 and 10 years ago. We then go through a series of structured categories. We start by rating the first line of their NYT obituary on a scale of 1–10. We then look at their life stats, we speculate on their inner lives, and we ultimately answer the question "Would I want that life?" Each category helps weigh the desirability of a given life. Our approach is that of an empathetic biography. Our dead celebrities cross many categories of fame, including film, TV, sports, music, politics, literature, and more. Our goal is to make serious topics fun.
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episode 71: Defiant One
In 2009, he was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Although often simmering with repressed anger, his characters responded to injustice with quiet determination. He once wrote “I felt very much as if I were representing 18 million people with every move I made.” In a departure from acting, he directed the 1980 comedy “Stir Crazy,” starring Gene Wilder and Richard Pryor. He was the first black performer to win the Academy Award for Best Actor. His acting credits include “Blackboard Jungle,” “The Defiant Ones,” and “Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner.” Today’s dead celebrity is Sidney Poitier.
Famous & Gravy is created and co-hosted by Amit Kapoor and Michael Osborne. This episode was produced by Jacob Weiss. Play our mobile quiz game at deadoraliveapp.com and sign up for our newsletter at famousandgravy.com
If you enjoyed this episode, you may also like Episode 43 “Poetic Justice” (Maya Angelou) and Episode 31 “The Greatest” (Muhammad Ali).
Links:
Transcript of this episode
New York Times Obituary for Sidney Poitier
Trailer for ‘The Defiant Ones’
“How many African Americans have won an Oscar in all of history”
“Level 5 Leadership: The Triumph of Fierce Resolve”
“When Sidney Poitier Risked His Life For Civil Rights”
Famous & Gravy official website
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Dead or Alive Quiz Game
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