Podcast Summary: Meet The Menjous – "Strange Bequests"

Podcast: Harold's Old Time Radio
Date: September 18, 2025
Episode: Meet The Menjous 49xxxx 0151
Main Theme:
This episode features Barrites Del Monjou and Adolphe Monjou in a lively, thoughtful discussion about the peculiar world of unusual bequests and legacies left in wills, blending humorous anecdotes with broader reflections on inheritance, human nature, and a segue into the heritage of music—particularly the evolution of jazz, blues, and related genres.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Curious Case of Strange Bequests

• Recent Trends:
  As Barrites observes, “It seems to me, Adolf, that there have been a lot of stories in the papers recently about people who have left rather large amounts of money to their pet animals.” [00:01]

  • Both express amusement at the trend of wealthy pets and discuss the legal absurdities, such as how to tax pets who inherit fortunes.

• Noteworthy Examples:

  • Englishwoman leaving 200 pounds/year (circa $20/week) to a pet parrot—prompting laughter over “what could a parrot do with $20 a week?” [00:42]
  • Mrs. Lewis Oldham of Oklahoma bequeathing her “Sunny disposition and my sense of fairness” to her daughters (“Now you try to execute that one.”) [01:17]
  • Darker legacy: Francis Reginald, Lord of Australia, left his widow “1 shilling for tramfare to any place where she could go drown herself,” an example both hosts disapprove of for its cruelty. [01:17--01:34]

• Contrast in Human Nature:
  They also note positive legacies, like Gouverneur Morris who doubled his wife's inheritance if she remarried—contrasting with those who penalize remarriage.

  “Why should anyone want to be that unkind or that cruel... I don't understand such selfishness.” – Barrites [01:59]
  “They do it and it happens every day.” – Adolphe [02:16]

2. Legal & Moral Complexity of Wills

• Enforceability and Contesting Wills:

  • The hosts discuss how odd or heartfelt wishes can be overridden in court, especially when relatives contest the will, sometimes against the deceased’s intent.
  • Example: The problem with relatives “suddenly appear[ing] from nowhere... and they can contest the will.” [04:14–04:53]
  • Barrites underscores the importance of clear, legal “properly executed” wills—even for those with meager resources. [02:29]

• Amusing and Heartwarming Bequests:

  • Robert Louis Stevenson “willed his birthday to a friend who complained that hers fell on Christmas Day,” adding if not used properly it would pass “to the President of the United States.” [02:53]
  • Charitable or thoughtful legacies, like millionaire Andrew Freeman's home for “poor millionaires” (“It is much worse to have been rich once and then to be poor.”) and Percy Williams' home for destitute actors—including funds for good cigars and theater trips. [05:09–05:54]

3. Legacy Beyond Money: Art, Literature, and Music

• Wider Heritage:
  “Some of the greatest legacies…haven't even been mentioned in a will... great paintings, great literature, great music.” – Adolphe [06:02]
  Barrites agrees: “They are left to all people. Like inspiring music. They live forever.” [06:06]

• Questioning the Value of Modern Music:
  Adolphe wonders, “What about jazz and swing and bebop? Do you imagine future generations will consider these a great heritage?” [06:14]
  They note that all forms have a place, though taste and reputation evolve.

Transition: From Inheritance to the Jazz Legacy

4. Personal Takes on Jazz, Blues, and Modern Music

• What the Hosts Enjoy:

  • Adolphe enjoys “Beale Street Blues,” “Basin Street Blues,” “Limehouse Blues,” “Way Down Yonder in New Orleans,” “St. Louis Blues,” “Frankie and Johnny,” and “Sweet Georgia Brown,” preferring melodic jazz or ragtime to boogie or bebop. [07:06]
  • Barrites admits, “I don’t know much about the music, but I know what I like and I know what I don’t like.” [06:38]

• The Birth and Evolution of Blues & Jazz:
  The blues’ origins are credited to Southern African Americans, initially as unaccompanied expressions of feeling that evolved with the addition of simple instruments:

  “...it was simply the Negro’s feeling of putting his words and his emotions into his song.” – Barrites [07:31–08:35]

  • Memorable moment describing witnessing a group of young Black musicians in Richmond, VA, playing with a dishpan, spoon, and washboard: “They have so much rhythm and spirit.” [08:35–08:44]

• Europe’s Embrace of American Music:
  Host marvels that “Europeans, particularly the French, appreciated our Dixieland... before we did, and even now they appreciate our bebop more than we do here.” [08:44–08:59]

• Jazz as a Living Art: Interpretation Over Time:

  • “It really amounts to interpretation more than anything else... if you get some very good musicians together and they have a jam session, ...it’ll just be how they feel in the moment.” – Barrites [09:02–09:49]
  • Adolphe notes his preference for melody and rhythm, finding himself “awfully tired” of boogie woogie’s repetitiveness. [09:49]
  • Discussion of changing styles from early jazz in the 1920s to contemporary forms, and how musicians like Lombardo reinterpret pieces, changing not the song but its “feeling.” [10:11–10:54]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

On wills and generosity:

• “Why should anyone want to be that unkind or that cruel... I don’t understand such selfishness.” – Barrites [01:59]

On legal pitfalls of inheritance:

• “You have the case...where the blood relatives can suddenly appear from nowhere...and they can contest the will.” – Barrites [04:14]

On bequests with heart:

• “It is much worse to have been rich once and then to be poor.” – Barrites, quoting Andrew Freeman [05:15]
• “I think that is a wonderful…” – Adolphe, on Percy Williams' legacy for indigent actors [05:54]

On the timelessness of art:

• “Great paintings, great literature, great music...they live forever.” – Barrites [06:06]

On the spirit of jazz and blues:

• “They have so much rhythm and spirit.” – Barrites, describing young blues performers [08:44]

On jazz’s evolution:

• “It really amounts to interpretation more than anything else… it’ll just be how they feel in the moment.” – Barrites [09:49]

Timestamps for Important Segments

• Strange Bequests & Animal Inheritances: 00:01 – 01:17
• Cruel & Unusual Legacies: 01:17 – 01:34
• Positive Will Provisions: 01:34 – 01:59
• Contestability & Enforceability of Wills: 02:29 – 05:09
• Philanthropic and Artistic Legacies: 05:09 – 06:14
• What is Heritage? Artistic & Musical Legacy: 06:02 – 07:06
• Personal Reflections on Jazz & Blues: 07:06 – 09:49
• Jazz as Living Tradition: 09:49 – 10:54

Overall Tone and Closing

The conversation is witty yet warm, balancing humor with contemplation. The hosts’ banter maintains a lighthearted, slightly nostalgic tone throughout, while philosophical asides about charity, art, and music deepen the episode’s impact.

Episode ends with:
“This is Adolphe Monjou speaking from Beverly Hills.”
“This is Barrites Del Monjou thanking you for inviting us into your home…hoping we may call again soon.” [11:30]

This summary captures both the show’s comedic examination of odd bequests and its more affectionate, thoughtful musings on legacy—both financial and cultural. Perfect for listeners interested in vintage wit, classic radio, and the ongoing power of music and generosity.