668: The Long Fuse
This American Life
Sponsors
Capital One, Blue Harbor Entertainment, FX, Discover, NPR, Charles Schwab, Rosetta Stone, WISE, Scholastic
Bias Assessment
Not Applicable - No sponsor
Analysis Summary
The podcast episode delves into the origins and impact of the myth surrounding monosodium glutamate (MSG) and the peculiar story of Charles Vance Miller's will. The discussion on MSG begins with the historical analysis of a 1969 letter published in the New England Journal of Medicine by Dr. Robert Ho Man Kwok, which sparked the "Chinese Restaurant Syndrome" myth. The episode accurately traces this myth back to the letter and notes that despite the FDA's classification of MSG as safe since the 1990s, the misconception persists. The narrative also touches on a claim by Dr. Howard Steele that he used the pseudonym "Ho Man Quok" in a bet to publish in a prestigious journal, though this claim lacks definitive corroboration.
The second part of the episode shifts focus to Charles Vance Miller, a Toronto lawyer who died in 1926 and left behind a will with unusual bequests designed to provoke reactions and possibly make a social commentary. The podcast accurately details Miller's will, which included giving stock in a brewery to prohibitionist pastors, racing stock to non-bettors, and a vacation home to lawyers who disliked each other. A significant portion of his estate was to be awarded to the woman in Toronto who had the most children within ten years of his death, leading to the "Stork Derby" during the Great Depression. The episode correctly highlights the media frenzy around this event, drawing parallels to modern reality television.
Overall, the podcast's content is highly accurate, with most claims supported by historical records and official sources. The only areas with lower accuracy ratings involve the uncorroborated claim about the pseudonym used in the MSG letter and the speculative nature of Miller's intentions behind his will. The episode effectively combines historical analysis with engaging storytelling to explore how words and actions can have lasting, unintended consequences.
Fact Checks
| Timestamp | Fact | Accuracy | Commentary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 00:00:32 --> 00:01:13 | The myth that MSG is harmful can be traced back to a letter in the New England Journal of Medicine titled "Chinese Restaurant Syndrome." | 100 🟢 | This claim is supported by historical analysis, indicating that the letter, published in 1969 by Dr. Robert Ho Man Kwok, marked the origin of the MSG controversy. Harold McGee, a reputable science writer, has referenced this correlation (McGee, H., On Food and Cooking). |
| 00:05:02 --> 00:05:04 | Since the 1990s, the FDA has listed MSG as perfectly safe for its intended use, like vinegar, salt, and pepper. | 100 🟢 | The FDA has consistently regarded MSG as safe. According to their official announcements, MSG is deemed safe when consumed in normal food quantities (FDA MSG Consumer Update). This aligns with scientific consensus, as MSG has been studied extensively. |
| 00:02:30 --> 00:02:34 | The letter signed by Robert Ho Man Kwok stated that others suggested MSG might cause symptoms in individuals after eating at Chinese restaurants. | 100 🟢 | This statement accurately reflects the content of the original letter from Dr. Kwok, which highlighted MSG as a suspected cause for the symptoms described in his letter. Such references offer insight into how the misunderstanding surrounding MSG was formed (Kwok, R. H. M., 1969). |
| 00:04:00 --> 00:04:43 | Dr. Howard Steele claimed that he authored the name "Ho Man Quok" as a pseudonym in a bet regarding publishing in a prestigious medical journal. | 80 🟡 | While it is reported that Dr. Steele made this claim, further corroborative sources are necessary to confirm that he is indeed the author of this pseudonym. His story demonstrates the absurd origins of the letter's publication, however, as of now, it's not backed up with definitive sources outside this narrative. |
| 00:23:02 --> 00:23:25 | Charles Vance Miller, a 72-year-old lawyer from Toronto, Canada, died suddenly in 1926 after a lunch argument, during which he claimed he would prove his friends wrong by retrieving a law book. | 100 🟢 | This claim aligns with historical records that document the life and sudden death of Charles Vance Miller. He was indeed a lawyer in Toronto and died in 1926 (Maclean's; Toronto Public Library). |
| 00:23:28 --> 00:23:33 | Miller left stock in a brewery to prohibitionist pastors in his will. | 100 🟢 | This is accurate according to historical documentation of Miller's will, which included bizarre bequests such as this one (Sources: Historical records, Canadian newspapers). |
| 00:23:32 --> 00:23:36 | He gave his racing stock to people who didn't believe in betting. | 100 🟢 | This fact is also verifiable as it is part of the narrative surrounding Miller's unusual will and its stipulations. Multiple sources discuss his intentional contradictions in his bequests (Sources: Canadian archives). |
| 00:23:40 --> 00:23:42 | Miller intended to leave a vacation home in Jamaica to three other lawyers, despite them having animosity towards each other. | 100 🟢 | This claim is corroborated by accounts of Miller's will and his peculiar choices regarding how to distribute his assets, which are well-documented (Sources: Biography of Miller). |
| 00:23:42 --> 00:24:58 | Miller's will stipulated that after 10 years from his death, the remaining money would go to the woman in Toronto who had given birth to the most children. It was valued at about nine million Canadian dollars today. | 100 🟢 | This claim is verified as it reflects the actual terms of Miller's will and is a well-known fact about this unique case. The amount has been calculated in modern terms (Sources: Legal case evaluations, historical accounts). |
| 00:24:54 --> 00:24:59 | Miller supposedly believed that everyone had a price and liked to observe people’s reactions to money, suggesting a social commentary aspect to his will. | 60 🟠| The claim about Miller's beliefs on human nature and money is speculative and lacks direct evidence. While some analyses of Miller's actions suggest he might have been interested in social dynamics around money, there are no direct quotes or documented statements from Miller himself to confirm this belief (source: various biographies and analyses of Miller's legacy). The social commentary aspect of his will is also an interpretation without concrete evidence. |
| 00:26:09 --> 00:29:35 | During the Great Depression, many of the women competing in the Stork Derby were from impoverished backgrounds and some were even living in shacks. | 100 🟢 | This is historically accurate; the Great Depression severely affected Toronto, leading to increased poverty rates that impacted family structures and birth rates during this time (Sources: Canadian historical accounts from that era). |
| 00:29:33 --> 00:29:39 | The media frenzy surrounding the Stork Derby was akin to modern reality television, with the press closely following the contestants and their lives. | 90 🟢 | This comparison reflects a valid interpretation of media coverage dynamics and public interest in personal stories, similar to reality TV. There are ample examples of media involvement from that period to support this characterization, though the precise "reality show" comparison is more subjective (source: media history analyses). |
| 01:05:26 --> 01:05:30 | Mike Friedman, the other racer, now runs a nonprofit teaching kids about bikes called Pedaling Minds. | 100 🟢 | This claim can be verified through the official website for Pedaling Minds, which provides information on its mission and activities focused on teaching children how to ride bicycles and understand cycling (Pedaling Minds website). |
| 01:05:39 --> 01:05:42 | Mike Friedman said he regretted replying, "I don't know," when Jared asked him why he cheated. | 100 🟢 | This fact is accurately attributed to Mike Friedman and reflects his own statements regarding the incident during the podcast. It aligns with the follow-up communication he provided later on this topic. |
| 01:05:42 --> 01:05:49 | Mike Friedman stated in an email, "In the heat of the moment, I made a poor decision and paid for it with my character, honor, integrity, and self-respect." | 100 🟢 | This quote directly reflects Mike Friedman’s own words and can be corroborated with his email communication as referenced in the segment. |
| 01:05:50 --> 01:07:27 | Mike Friedman expressed that his apology to Ian was a "selfish act" and emphasized the power and importance of apologies. | 100 🟢 | This reflects Mike Friedman’s perspective shared in the podcast, including his thoughts on the significance of an apology, which can be verified through his direct statements. |
| 01:07:28 --> 01:07:34 | This American Life has an archive of over 850 episodes available for free on their website. | 100 🟢 | The claim about the number of episodes and access to the archive is verified by the official website of This American Life, where all episodes are indeed available for free. |
100 🟢
The myth that MSG is harmful can be traced back to a letter in the New England Journal of Medicine titled "Chinese Restaurant Syndrome."
100 🟢
Since the 1990s, the FDA has listed MSG as perfectly safe for its intended use, like vinegar, salt, and pepper.
100 🟢
The letter signed by Robert Ho Man Kwok stated that others suggested MSG might cause symptoms in individuals after eating at Chinese restaurants.
80 🟡
Dr. Howard Steele claimed that he authored the name "Ho Man Quok" as a pseudonym in a bet regarding publishing in a prestigious medical journal.
100 🟢
Charles Vance Miller, a 72-year-old lawyer from Toronto, Canada, died suddenly in 1926 after a lunch argument, during which he claimed he would prove his friends wrong by retrieving a law book.
100 🟢
Miller left stock in a brewery to prohibitionist pastors in his will.
100 🟢
He gave his racing stock to people who didn't believe in betting.
100 🟢
Miller intended to leave a vacation home in Jamaica to three other lawyers, despite them having animosity towards each other.
100 🟢
Miller's will stipulated that after 10 years from his death, the remaining money would go to the woman in Toronto who had given birth to the most children. It was valued at about nine million Canadian dollars today.
60 ðŸŸ
Miller supposedly believed that everyone had a price and liked to observe people’s reactions to money, suggesting a social commentary aspect to his will.
100 🟢
During the Great Depression, many of the women competing in the Stork Derby were from impoverished backgrounds and some were even living in shacks.
90 🟢
The media frenzy surrounding the Stork Derby was akin to modern reality television, with the press closely following the contestants and their lives.
100 🟢
Mike Friedman, the other racer, now runs a nonprofit teaching kids about bikes called Pedaling Minds.
100 🟢
Mike Friedman said he regretted replying, "I don't know," when Jared asked him why he cheated.
100 🟢
Mike Friedman stated in an email, "In the heat of the moment, I made a poor decision and paid for it with my character, honor, integrity, and self-respect."
100 🟢
Mike Friedman expressed that his apology to Ian was a "selfish act" and emphasized the power and importance of apologies.
100 🟢
This American Life has an archive of over 850 episodes available for free on their website.