02-27-25 - Gene Hackman Along w/Wife And Dog Found Dead And We Remember His Greatness - Brady Tries To Somehow Connect The French Connection To A Bakery In Phoenix

Summary

Holmberg's Morning Sickness - Arizona: Episode Summary (02-27-25)

Episode Title: Gene Hackman Along w/Wife And Dog Found Dead And We Remember His Greatness - Brady Tries To Somehow Connect The French Connection To A Bakery In Phoenix
Release Date: February 27, 2025
Host: John Holmberg
Co-Hosts: Brady Bogan, Bret Vesley, Dick Toledo

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1. Introduction and Current Events

The episode opens with the hosts briefly touching upon a measles outbreak, reflecting societal fears surrounding vaccinations and public health. John Holmberg sets the tone by referencing the heightened anxiety about measles, noting its sporadic occurrences and the media's role in amplifying fears.

John Holmberg [00:33]: "There is no measles yet here in the town. [...] Good luck. If you've got a dot on your face right now and you're hypochondriac because it's measles and you're gonna die from it."

2. Gene Hackman's Death and Legacy

The primary focus of the episode centers around the shocking news of renowned actor Gene Hackman's death. The hosts delve into Hackman's illustrious career, highlighting his versatility and authenticity as an actor who never relied on props or heavy makeup to portray his characters.

John Holmberg [04:08]: "What a great evil man that just looked like everyone else. Best thing about Hackman to me was, and I like admired everything he did."

They reminisce about Hackman's memorable roles in classics like The French Connection, Unforgiven, and The Birdcage, emphasizing his ability to embody characters purely through his performance.

John Holmberg [06:00]: "If you want to study acting, that's the guy to do it. [...] It was the greatest expressive expression on a fairly expressionless face."

3. Speculations Surrounding the Tragic Event

The conversation takes a speculative turn as the hosts discuss the circumstances of Hackman's death alongside his wife and dog. John Holmberg theorizes potential causes, ranging from natural death due to age to more sinister possibilities like poisoning or accidental carbon monoxide exposure.

John Holmberg [03:20]: "Maybe that's what killed Gene Hackman. Maybe it was the measles. [...] One of the greatest iconic actors of the last 60 years... found dead in his house with his wife and his dog."

The hosts debate whether it was a peaceful passing or a result of foul play, considering factors like Hackman's age (95) and the lack of immediate signs of violence.

Bret Vesley [04:50]: "And I also heard carbon monoxide too."

4. The French Connection Bakery Conspiracy

Brady Bogan introduces a subplot attempting to connect The French Connection—a film starring Hackman—to a local Phoenix bakery bearing the same name. This segment blends humor with conspiracy, as the hosts jest about the possibility of the bakery's name being a tribute to Hackman's role or a nod to the infamous criminal case depicted in the movie.

Brady Bogan [07:45]: "The Connection goes here in Phoenix on Central and Camelback. There was a bakery called the French Connection."

John Holmberg playfully critiques this theory, comparing it to other fictional conspiracies and emphasizing the lack of concrete evidence.

John Holmberg [25:00]: "Maybe Brady's French Connection restaurant... just make up stuff about a restaurant when you're talking about something completely different."

5. Reflections on Aging and Celebrity Culture

The hosts transition into a broader discussion about aging actors and their inevitable decline, mentioning contemporaries like Clint Eastwood, Robert De Niro, and Al Pacino. They reflect on the loss of iconic figures and the gaps they leave in the cinematic world.

John Holmberg [28:54]: "They're all gonna start dropping like flies. Yeah, it's a ton of them. So Hackman is 95. First one. Really kind of. That was a."

6. Light-Hearted Banter and Closing Remarks

Throughout the episode, the hosts engage in light-hearted banter, interspersed with humor and occasional tangents. They joke about hypothetical scenarios involving the deceased actors and their legacies, maintaining an entertaining yet respectful tone.

Bret Vesley [19:00]: "Whore. And your father, what is he. What do they have in common? What do they talk about?"

As the episode concludes, the hosts wrap up the discussions with a mix of humor and admiration for the celebrated actor, leaving listeners with both reflections on Hackman's impact and amusement from their spirited interactions.

John Holmberg [35:30]: "Gene Hackman, Legend."

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Notable Quotes with Timestamps

• John Holmberg [00:33]: "There is no measles yet here in the town. [...] Good luck. If you've got a dot on your face right now and you're hypochondriac because it's measles and you're gonna die from it."

• John Holmberg [04:08]: "What a great evil man that just looked like everyone else. Best thing about Hackman to me was, and I like admired everything he did."

• John Holmberg [06:00]: "If you want to study acting, that's the guy to do it. [...] It was the greatest expressive expression on a fairly expressionless face."

• Bret Vesley [04:50]: "And I also heard carbon monoxide too."

• John Holmberg [25:00]: "Maybe Brady's French Connection restaurant... just make up stuff about a restaurant when you're talking about something completely different."

• John Holmberg [28:54]: "They're all gonna start dropping like flies. Yeah, it's a ton of them. So Hackman is 95. First one. Really kind of. That was a."

• John Holmberg [35:30]: "Gene Hackman, Legend."

---

Conclusion

This episode of Holmberg's Morning Sickness weaves together discussions on public health fears, the untimely death of a beloved actor, and speculative connections to local businesses. Through engaging dialogue and humorous speculation, the hosts honor Gene Hackman's legacy while entertaining their audience with lively conversations and memorable quotes.

Transcript

[Dick Toledo]

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[John Holmberg]

Morning sickness. The old method of treatment for a person in this condition was to throw him in jail. Good morning, everybody. Hello there. Welcome to Thursday. It's 5:45. This is the morning sickness. My name's John Holmberg. There's Brady Bogan. There's Brett Vesley. There's big Dick Toledo. This show is intact. We're ready to go for yet another day in paradise. Enjoy yourselves. Embrace it. I'll tell you that every day. It will be a constant reminder. Embrace it. You're in paradise. There is no measles yet here in the town. None. Boy, is that fear tactic running wild. Good luck. If you've got a dot on your face right now and you're hypochondriac because it's measles and you're gonna die from it.

[Brady Bogan]

It's coming.

[John Holmberg]

And all these unvaccinated people are gonna die from stuff.

[Brett Vesley]

Okay, I'm waiting for the KTAR bu.

[John Holmberg]

Oh, God. Not a bumper.

[Brett Vesley]

They go so crazy with that measles.

[John Holmberg]

2025, the outbreak and KTN News is there. I'm Ladonna Hervey. Oh, no, she's not. That's not a bumper. It's just her. Woke up with something on my face this morning. Sharp. I think I might have the m. Anyway, it's driving everybody nuts. Now. It's a talking point for everybody to lose their minds over one thing or the other. And the damn measles. I'm not getting vaccinated again, and that's what I wonder. I don't have to get another shot. Do it. If this goes wild, I don't have to read measle.

[Brett Vesley]

I'm not sure.

[Brady Bogan]

Yeah, I think.

[John Holmberg]

I think once you measled. I don't remember if I had the measles as a kid. I know I had the mumps and the chickenpox and all that.

[Brett Vesley]

You had the Mumps.

[John Holmberg]

Then when I was a kid.

[Brett Vesley]

Oh, no kidding.

[John Holmberg]

Mumps went around as a chicken box. Sister had it terrible. Or she was just fat. I don't remember.

[Brady Bogan]

Oh, I thought you meant you weren't sure if you got the measles shot.

[John Holmberg]

No, I know I got the shot. I got loaded up as a kid. I was full out loaded with the stuff. I've got it all. They went. They got the premium package with me. They shoot them again. I got it all. I don't. I don't remember if I actually had like a measles thing. I remember measles. We had measles cases in Indiana. I mean, you're getting measles, somebody's getting measles. There's too many hillbillies around not to. I mean, they were their ideas of, you know, vaccination worth. Like pissing a bucket. Put your feet in it, you know, drink your. Drink your mom's spit. Like they thought that would keep things away. Always one kid running around, jug license, measles and drinking whiskey at school. Everybody's like, that's all right.

[Brady Bogan]

So after that, then it was pretty much eradicated. It sounds like. Yeah, they sound for a while.

[John Holmberg]

It used to be massive. But I mean, measles pops up here and there. I just don't know what's going on with the thing in Texas, and I just know that the news loves it and they're making everybody afraid. There's like 130 cases and they're like, oh, my God, it's in eight states. And I don't know what it means. I don't know if that means we're all going to get measles. I don't think so. I'm pretty sure we won't. But I just love that it's a fear thing. Maybe that's what killed Gene Hackman. Maybe it was the measles. That's right next door to Texas. What a story that is. One of the greatest iconic actors of. Of the last 60 years. The guy's amazing. His story is incredible. He's 95. They found him dead in his house with his wife and his dog. They're all dead. So one of them died naturally, probably, and then the other two ended it because she's only 62. Nice job, Pac Man. No, I think they're 32 years different.

[Brett Vesley]

He's killed Buddy.

[John Holmberg]

Nice. You killed twice. You killed her when you married her 30 years ago, and she was 30 and you were 60 something, and then you killed her again because she couldn't live without your 95 year old corpse. That's amazing. My guess is the Hackman died. She just couldn't go on. So she, she poisoned the dog and herself. But they didn't do. The initial reports are there's like, it's not gunshots or, you know, there's no. My thoughts will be, as the forensic evidence is revealed, it's all poisoned because evidently it's a non foul play looking thing like visibly like, okay, there's no gunshots. This isn't a murder. They'd have said murder, suicide.

[Brett Vesley]

And I also heard carbon monoxide too.

[John Holmberg]

That's. Well, that's the thing I would have wondered too, is that they just turned on the. They did this to them or a leak.

[Brady Bogan]

You can, you can also inject it.

[John Holmberg]

Yeah, I'd like to be more romantic than that. I don't want it to be a leak or an accident. He's 95. I want him to die. Romeo and Juliet, I want him to die. And I want her to look at him and go, the dog and I can't go on. And then she. That's a good wife right there. That's a, that's a woman who. Till death do us part. She just can't do it as Romeo and Juliet. I won't, I can't live another day without you. That's the beautiful and women will be. You know, that's a. They love that stuff in stories. Do they love it in real life? No. Or they do it more often. You watch those stories where a woman, or if a woman dies especially, and the man can't go on, he kills himself. They're crying like it's a beautiful thing in a movie. But in real life, no, they're just moving on. And that's the way probably most of them should healthily think. But I like Hackman's wife saying, gene's gone. They were married for like 20 something years. So he got her when she was, what was she, in her 40s? Early late 30s? Early 40s, that meant he was almost 70.

[Brett Vesley]

Nice, nice kill, kid.

[John Holmberg]

Come on, hack man, let's give it to him. Nobody will forget you as, oh, that horrible character he played in Unforgiven, that miserable Bill, that son of a. What a great evil man that just looked like everyone else. Best thing about Hackman to me was, and I like admired everything he did. Like every time he was on screen, he never wore like crazy prosthetics or outfits that made you go, oh, he's the bad guy. Everything Gene Hackman did was acting with his face and his words, it was him. He could be the great guy. He could be a dummy. He could be, you know, the French Connection, where he's kind of like a. Not necessarily mobster, but like a, you know, good guy, bad guy, not a great guy. Popeye Doyle is a crooked kind of thing, but he was. It was always Hackman. Every time you saw him, it was like, no, this just. I'll do it, and you'll know exactly who I am by my actions. If you want to study acting, that's the guy to do it. Because nary a prop in his life which made him so amazing in birdcage, when he dressed up like a woman at the end and wore it as the most uncomfortable thing you could ever see. Like when he's being paraded out of the. Out of the birdcage at the end and he's dressed as a woman and he's trying to play along. He wore it on his face. It was the greatest expressive expression on a fairly expressionless face. That this dude could do anything without having any help. I mean, some of that. Think about all the actors that have to have, oh, I wore a prosthetic nose. I lost 50 pounds. I. They have to change everything about themselves to become. His was just a eyes. Just eyes and face. He was unreal.

[Brett Vesley]

Lex Luthor and Superman.

[John Holmberg]

Superman, too.

[Brett Vesley]

Yeah.

[John Holmberg]

He was the evil guy. Nothing he didn't need. He just wore black turtleneck. It was. That's all you need. I got this. The guy was.

[Brady Bogan]

Made it look effortless.

[John Holmberg]

It was. It was so, you know, he should have been admired a lot more than he was. And then in 2004, he does what everybody would love to do in life. I'm done.

[Brady Bogan]

Yep.

[John Holmberg]

And you're not going to hear a word from me again. He did welcome to Moose Port with Ray Romano. He was the Lowe's voice. He did a couple of voiceover things, and when he said, I'm done, he cut all of it. No more Lowe's commercials. Like you don't even run my voice anymore. It's over. And he disappeared.

[Brady Bogan]

Santa Fe.

[John Holmberg]

Yeah. Just disappeared out of Santa Fe. I'm hoping deep down that I'm right, that it's a hackman. Died at 95 in bed. Wife couldn't go on, you know, because she's been taking that Hackman bone since she was 40 something. She knows she ain't getting any better, even though she probably hasn't seen an erection for 20 something years. And then she kills the dog and herself. That, that, that's romance. What I don't hope for is that the Hackman and his wife had found a bunch of meth in Santa Fe because it's prevalent there, and they just went nuts. It's a drug overdose. Like, the most surprising part of it all would be, you know, fentanyl. Oh, no. And they got a little on their hands.

[Brady Bogan]

Finished.

[John Holmberg]

Yeah. And they dropped it. And the dog ate because it's delicious fentanyl and. And then everybody's dead.

[Brady Bogan]

But he did get into a painting and art up there in Santa Fe.

[John Holmberg]

He's an old man. He just did whatever he wanted. It was. It's an admirable life. He lived too long. 95 is way too long. There's no reason to be 95 at all.

[Brett Vesley]

Him. Him and Duvall were kind of along the same lines.

[John Holmberg]

Yeah.

[Brett Vesley]

Just those great actors and never needed the prosthetics, like you're saying.

[John Holmberg]

No. Just showed up and you knew who. I mean, you watched that. They were acting. They were roommates together. They lived together before they were famous. That's odd that the two. You know, the two of them and that's a hell of a pairing there. Yeah. He's another one. He's gonna die soon. And you look at him as the Great Santini and the Godfather and. Oh, my God. Yeah, he's Charlie.

[Brady Bogan]

Dope stuff.

[John Holmberg]

He could be. So. Yeah. Apocalypse Now. The dude was all over the map, screaming and yelling. And one as calm as, you know, as Hayden and the Godfather. He was the st. Steadying force. That's another one. He'll die soon, too. Maybe he won't be able to handle this. His old roommate and acting buddy Gene Hackman died. And maybe Duvall will do some fentanyl and die too. And then his wife will take her life. I think that's beautiful. In fact, I. I know our listener Als Matt, who's going through the. He would love his wife to kill herself. I'm. Not necessarily. Because he's dying just because of her taking all that superfluous pipe over at the Texas. I know Matt's laughing. Matt's laughing right now. If he still can. And he's enjoying himself.

[Brett Vesley]

I forgot Mississippi Burning, too. He was great in that, too.

[John Holmberg]

Countless amount of movies. When you start going back to the Hackman stuff. And I've said that for a few years. People are saying it is. Oh, no, it's. A lot of people said first thoughts are carbon monoxide. Haynes just texted. I thought car. And that's probably true, but it seems to be sort of a you know, 95 year olds in carbon monoxide. If the dog's dead and there's no, like holes in anybody, probably a leak or poison, but, you know, Hackman won't have poison in him. He'll just have been dead.

[Brett Vesley]

He was in Young Frankenstein.

[John Holmberg]

Mm. A little tiny role. I don't remember if he was at the castle or not. I think he was the one that drove Terry Garr to the castle.

[Brett Vesley]

Man, I don't remember that.

[John Holmberg]

If I remember right. Yeah, he's. He was everywhere. He was everywhere. So think about that, ladies. Look over at that husband of yours and say, do I love him like Gene Hackman's wife loved Gene? Would I eat poison? For the simple thought of living another day without him is impossible. And the answer is no. Most of you would look over at the deadbeat who's farting on you at night and going, can't wait for him to die. They fantasize about it quite a bit, I think, what life would be like. And you try to ask them those questions you ask a woman that they got no problem with setting you up with those terrible questions.

[LaDonna Hervey]

I lost my legs. Would you stay?

[John Holmberg]

No. But you have to lie and act like everything you ask them the same thing. It's like. You ever fantasize about my death? Like what you do with.

[LaDonna Hervey]

Oh, my God. That's just never. You're so stupid.

[John Holmberg]

Of course you do. Of course. Every day. Of course you do. That's all what you do. Constantly fantasize about what life would be like if. If I were to drop dead.

[Brett Vesley]

You mean today or in the last 10 minutes, right?

[John Holmberg]

Well, yeah. What's the cutoff? When the last time I. I can't.

[LaDonna Hervey]

Remember the last time I did it. Today.

[John Holmberg]

There's something. Something. Check out Hornberg's morning sickness [e-mail] Holmberg's Morning Sickness. Fantasize about her death. And none of you, absolutely none of you, have the. The love in your heart to ice yourself the way Hackman's wife does. Now that's what I'm rooting for. If it's carbon monoxide poisoning, it's kind of a lame way for a 95 year old man to die. Like him to go out on his own sword. You don't want it to be some sort of a goof in the AC system or the gas leak or, say, carbon monoxide. No, the Hackman deserves better than that. But it would be weird. Like, I obviously don't know if Gene was in the hallway dead, like you'd think you'd think people would have. Maybe they were all asleep. I guess maybe it was the overnight. But they got found this morning early. So someone was in the house, found them.

[LaDonna Hervey]

Yeah.

[Brett Vesley]

Who's on there at three in the morning?

[John Holmberg]

Right. So who's there?

[Brady Bogan]

Wellness check. So someone that's.

[John Holmberg]

Maybe they hadn't heard from him for a while. No, that could be. But then, yeah, maybe they just asleep in the house. Carbon monoxide got him at night. That would make sense instead. Otherwise you'd have like Hackman sleeping in the living room, the lady fell in the kitchen. You'd think that carbon monoxide in the house knock everybody out at a different time and somebody would notice something. And they don't have a doggy door. The dog should have run outside once he started to see everybody dropping dead.

[Brett Vesley]

Maybe Hackman and his wife, maybe his heart gave out. We'll make it love. That's what I'm going with.

[John Holmberg]

That young little spinner.

[Brett Vesley]

Yes.

[John Holmberg]

Flopping around on that 95 year old thing that he's. Whatever that snail is, he's got between his legs. Maybe took some Viagra and they banged it out. That's. That's the dream death of a man who deserves. He deserves it.

[Brady Bogan]

And they could have been there for a while too. They're not really saying that.

[John Holmberg]

Yeah, it might have been croaked out for a few weeks because I mean, who visits a 95 year old? Nobody wants to go over to that house. And plus he's got that six year old wife, the kids. I don't know if he had kids with his first marriage. He was married to the first lady for 30 plus years. Probably had a couple of kids that hated her because they're the same age.

[Brett Vesley]

Oh man, that's right.

[John Holmberg]

Yeah. So his kids are probably in their 60s or early 70s.

[Brett Vesley]

They did, they talked about his youngest kid's 59 and one of them's in their 60s, so.

[John Holmberg]

Yeah. So they hated her like she, she rolled up and so they're celebrating. The Hackman kids are. They're thrilled.

[Brett Vesley]

Yeah.

[LaDonna Hervey]

Is she dead too?

[John Holmberg]

It's all ours. Everything are dead. Yeah. The Hackman talentless Hackman family gets all the money. Because now I'd look into the kids. They started to realize dad's not long for the world and they didn't want this, this young whore in her 60s to steal all of the Hackman fortune, so they killed everybody. Now there's, there's the story right there. And who would you get to play Hackman? Who's better? It should have been Hackman. I mean, he'd have been great at playing that. But that's the story. I. That. Now that's a new one. The kids who've been angry at this young lady that came into her father's life go in there and poison everybody and then leave them for dead, knowing that nobody's gonna visit Santa Fe residence for a long time. Oh, that's good stuff. Oh, I hope that. I hope for that. That's a good. Because that makes a great movie. Ooh.

[Brady Bogan]

You know the net worth estimated to be 60 mil.

[John Holmberg]

60?

[Brady Bogan]

Yeah.

[John Holmberg]

You throw your hands up like that's nothing. No, that's pretty amazing. So last thing you want, whatever the.

[Brady Bogan]

Celebrity net worth and how accurate that look, if you're.

[John Holmberg]

If my dad was worth $60 million and I've done all right for myself and he's 95, but 30 years ago he hooked up with some, you know, 30 year old hussy. I'd be like, good for you. But what happens when you die? Is she gonna get a lot of. And now, you know, she's. Now you start getting the fights with her because we're the same age. And the next thing you know, your old man's on the deathbed and you're looking at her going, you're gonna get all of this. And you showed up real late to the party. I mean, she only married to him for 25 years. He's been out of the game for 20. So he was only. The only movies he did while she was in his life were Mooseport and some Lowe's, you know, video. And he wrote a couple of books, which nobody writes.

[Brady Bogan]

It just popped up. It just went up to 80 mil.

[John Holmberg]

Well, I don't know how accurate any of those things are, but I mean, let's just say it's 40 or 50 million dollars. That's pretty amazing. And she was there for the retirement. She gravy trained. That's freeloading right there if you ask me. She was. She was a musician or something. If I remember right, she was 64.

[Brett Vesley]

His oldest kid, 65, hates her.

[John Holmberg]

There's no kid on the planet 62 and 59 that can handle when dad brings home someone younger.

[Brett Vesley]

Oh, so when his kid was a senior in high school, this one, his wife was a junior.

[John Holmberg]

Yep. Nice. And here. Excellent way to put it, Brett. And the other thing is, they got to listen to the. Their mother, his ex wife, go, Typical.

[LaDonna Hervey]

Of your stupid father. He's always eyeballing those young women he saw. He always. Midlife crisis for 45 years.

[John Holmberg]

So they had to kind of have a little hate sewn into them by the ex. The mom who just felt really bad about him leaving because one of the reasons they got divorced, probably, she was starting to show.

[LaDonna Hervey]

Starting to show it.

[John Holmberg]

Yes, Hackman, you know, vaginal dryness. It didn't look like there was going to be an upswing there anytime soon. Not saying that that's a right thing to do. I'm saying that that's, you know.

[Brett Vesley]

But you understand very.

[John Holmberg]

Oh, yeah, Very possible. Women are. I like to play on the fears of women as they age. There's commercials that. Come on. Are you in your 50s, post menopausal and experiencing vaginal dryness? And like, they get commercials for it. This needs to be a discussion quietly amongst each other. That's an embarrassing thing. You shouldn't let us know. Like, that happens. Oh, Jesus Christ. Starting looking around.

[Brady Bogan]

Don't you talk about that on walking on the beach.

[John Holmberg]

Yeah, no, keep that to yourselves. There's no reason for TV commercials to pop up and let us know. Last thing you want to do is put that in the back of our brains. Same way Hackman's ex wife told his kids.

[LaDonna Hervey]

You know, she's just gonna. She's gonna steal from you guys. That's why she's around. That's what she's just gravy training your dad's career.

[Brett Vesley]

You know, that happened.

[LaDonna Hervey]

Whore. And your father, what is he. What do they have in common? What do they talk about?

[John Holmberg]

That's why your second wife is better than your first wife is, because she's the one, you realize. Oh, talking. That's what got us in trouble the first time. Does she like to bone? Like, do fun stuff, not talk that much? Is that what you're after again, that horrible phrase that older women.

[LaDonna Hervey]

You don't want a woman who challenges you.

[John Holmberg]

No, I don't want anybody to challenge me. I don't like that. I don't mind a spirited discussion, but challenging me and that's what you feel like is an attractive part of you? No, it's awful.

[Brady Bogan]

What kind of challenge?

[John Holmberg]

If I like that, wouldn't I like that all the time? Wouldn't I like to, like, go to Fry's and have the checkout person ask me a few questions that may or may not challenge me? I hate it. I don't want. That's a lot of work challenged by somebody. I want somebody to get along with. Yeah. The last thing I want is to say, wow, that wife of mine, she's challenging, like that doesn't sound like a positive. No. You want them to want to bone all the time and occasionally just go.

[LaDonna Hervey]

Let'S just not talk for a week. I'm marrying you.

[Brett Vesley]

I'm threatening you at a good time.

[LaDonna Hervey]

Just watch TV and do a whole lot of nothing.

[John Holmberg]

Yeah.

[LaDonna Hervey]

Not every once in a while.

[John Holmberg]

Bone. Good Christmas. This is amazing. So if that's what you're looking for, and that transcends age. Any woman who understands that can be. She'd be a hundred still attractive.

[LaDonna Hervey]

Last thing I want to do is make your day more challenging.

[John Holmberg]

Let's say that's my, that's the goal in life for all of us, I think. Look at Hackman's wife. I, I, My finger's starting to swing over here in a Jussie Smollett moment. One of them kids killed the Hackmans. I think that might be a real thing. My aunt married a guy 20 something, 26, seven years younger than her and he died before her. But the kids, like the oldest son didn't. It wasn't a. It took a long time for everybody to kind of grab hold of that. But I think it was different with a woman for some reason. Because your thoughts. What's wrong with the guy? You know when you see a guy and a young woman, you say, what's wrong with. What's wrong with that? Guy's got something wrong with him that he wants to be with a young woman. What do they have to talk about? And that's the point. It's like he's done talking. Like most of the times, I'm like, we're having a great time doing whatever it is we're doing. It's like this.

[Brady Bogan]

I checked everything I was looking for.

[John Holmberg]

Sure. And she had her own deal. She was like an accomplished musician. Hackman's wife. So what's her name? Harikawa or something. She's pretty too. I saw the picture of. Anyway, Gene Hackman. Legend.

[Brady Bogan]

Betsy Legend is her first name.

[John Holmberg]

It's like Harakawa. I don't remember. And the guy everybody's firing off there, remember him as the Red Ass and Chrisman Tide. Crimson Tide. Sorry I say charisma because Crimson Tide, we've been saying that for a week. XO has the calm. And I have no idea why. I haven't seen the movie in forever. But every time I switch to give the mic to Larry, XO has the calm. Maybe I felt the presence in the force that Hackman was dead because I just started that last week. Maybe he's been dead for a few Days.

[Brett Vesley]

Him and Denzel.

[John Holmberg]

Oh, what a. That's.

[Brady Bogan]

You see that immediately? No.

[John Holmberg]

Oh, Exo has the calm.

[Brady Bogan]

I did it two days ago.

[John Holmberg]

You've swiped it away from me.

[Brady Bogan]

Yeah, it's contagious.

[John Holmberg]

The other day, and we're like, it's contagious that. The Hackman in the air. XO has to come. Everybody just goes right into the submarine. Everybody's right there. Who. Exo has the comm. I remember Crimson Tide. That's a great movie. I might have to do a Hackman.

[Brady Bogan]

That's what the immediate response was.

[John Holmberg]

Great movie, great movie. And that's not even like a. A reasonable quote. It's just the way Hackman did it. All right? Exo has to come. And he'd leave, and then Denzel would have to say it too. Oh, that might be one to watch this weekend. He's been in some great stuff. I never liked the French Connection, but it was because I'd seen so many car chases since Slow. Well, because what you don't know or remember, that was the first one. That was the first real super car chase. They had car speedy things. That was a design with a fender camera, right? Oh, yeah. They had it on front of the cars. The choreography through a city. It was long.

[Brett Vesley]

No cgi?

[John Holmberg]

None.

[Brett Vesley]

It just.

[John Holmberg]

And it. All the crashes had to happen just right. I mean, it was a long car chase. And from there it birthed all the other car chases. I mean, Fast and furious. Probably a 10 year delay on that. A French Connection doesn't come out. And I'm not saying that's Hackman's thing, but he was in it. So you remember him in there? I never. French Connection was such a huge visual thing when it came out, but the movie itself is sort of boring.

[Brady Bogan]

And then the actual family.

[John Holmberg]

The Popeye Doyle people. Yeah.

[Brady Bogan]

The Connection goes here in Phoenix on Central and Camelback. There was a bakery called the French Connection.

[John Holmberg]

Oh, was it related to them?

[Brady Bogan]

I think it was the grandson or the. Look at him.

[John Holmberg]

How'd he do that? How did he turn this into food? You're amazing. You're truly amazing.

[LaDonna Hervey]

I remember a bakery with that name. I don't want to talk about this stupid movie anymore.

[John Holmberg]

And you think that that was tied together? Just wasn't them stealing the name. Yeah, something, something. Check out Homework's morning sickness [e-mail]'s Morning Sickness. You know for sure. Are you making.

[Brady Bogan]

I'm pretty sure, yeah.

[John Holmberg]

That sounds like you're reaching for your phone.

[Brady Bogan]

No, the. The.

[John Holmberg]

No, you can. You can do it.

[Brady Bogan]

The other one I was thinking was, isn't Popeyes the chicken? Popeye Doyle?

[John Holmberg]

I don't know you. That was. This is what you were thinking about the whole time when Gene Hackman died. Not one of his roles. Popeye.

[Brady Bogan]

I'm claiming him, like, all right, yeah, he's one of ours.

[LaDonna Hervey]

Popeye Doyle that started the Popeyes franchise.

[John Holmberg]

Maybe. I don't know if anybody's gonna. I'm gonna leave. I don't like how often you keep reaching for and putting your phone down as if your brain has to be placed into your hand real quick. Find out if you're. If you're just spewing Brady facts or real ones. The French Connection thing, maybe don't question.

[Brett Vesley]

Him on a bakery.

[John Holmberg]

No, no, no. I know. I know he knew where it was, but I also know that he could get blinded. He romanticizes bakeries a little bit.

[LaDonna Hervey]

This is just like the movie. They must be related.

[John Holmberg]

That's where I think you like.

[Brady Bogan]

Yeah, that could be.

[John Holmberg]

As you were eating that delicious croissant, you thought to yourself, these guys must.

[LaDonna Hervey]

Be related to the family and the movie, the French Connection. I'm going to cement that in my brain as fact for a while someday. Hopefully it doesn't embarrass me on the radio.

[John Holmberg]

Maybe you're right.

[Brett Vesley]

Trying to find it. I can't find anything on it.

[John Holmberg]

I don't know what the French Connection family did to make a move to Phoenix, pop open a bakery, but that didn't last long, evidently, either. You know who I am jealous of right now because of this conversation? Gene Hackman and his wife. This conversation went away. I didn't feel like going, here's some facts about Popeyes, because this is the way this goddamn show always ends up. We're trying to talk about something human, and it ends up with Brady's, you know, Cloudy Facts. So we gotta start Popeye's Louisiana Kitchen. Started as a small restaurant in New Orleans in 1972. Al Copeland wanted to compete with Kentucky Fried Chicken. It was originally called Chicken on the Run. It struggled to attract customers. He reopened at Popeyes. Mighty Good Chicken changed to how he prepared the chicken for spicier options. I don't see anything about Popeye Doyle. Yep. Correct. Well, don't yep me. You brought it up and made me look.

[LaDonna Hervey]

Do you hear him?

[John Holmberg]

Yep me on that.

[LaDonna Hervey]

Yep, yep. Like I was saying, has nothing to do. I just wanted to talk about chicken.

[John Holmberg]

So we got to be careful with that. Is there a place called Little Bills that we need to know about Brady. That.

[Brett Vesley]

About Lex Luthor's.

[LaDonna Hervey]

I remember when we did Unforgiven, we had craft services called Little Bills, and Brady was there every day even though he wasn't on the set.

[Brett Vesley]

That probably sounds good.

[John Holmberg]

Now, remember Jay Moore told a story about. He was talking to. He was talking to Clint Eastwood. I forget what. I don't know if he was a director of a movie that Jay was doing, but Jay Moore said Clint Eastwood was talking to him about.

[LaDonna Hervey]

So you.

[John Holmberg]

They were drinking. Everybody was drinking. And Jay said, I don't drink.

[LaDonna Hervey]

You haven't had any drinks. Was the last time he had drugs or alcohol in your system, Jay?

[John Holmberg]

And he goes, it's been since 98. Which I questioned. And then Clint Eastwood said, yeah, I.

[LaDonna Hervey]

Never really had an issue with that. My problem was P, U, double S, Y.

[John Holmberg]

And if you look, there's a babies with just about everybody you touched.

[Brett Vesley]

But yeah, the original Nick Cannon.

[John Holmberg]

Oh, here we go, big time.

[Brett Vesley]

Laying it down.

[John Holmberg]

Look on his Wikipedia page where it says children, it says indeterminate. That's real or undetermined. I don't know. They can't.

[LaDonna Hervey]

Undetermined.

[John Holmberg]

Yeah. They can't decide. You know, we're not even gonna put a number on it. We're not even gonna put like 11 to 15. It's like, we don't know. It can't be determined how many kids he has.

[LaDonna Hervey]

That's what I was telling Jay. He get P, U, double S, y, and he got kids flying all over. I just know checks leave, which is.

[John Holmberg]

Why I'm 90 and I just did.

[LaDonna Hervey]

Another movie called the Juror Number Two.

[John Holmberg]

It's pretty good, but, yeah, it's. So Gene Hagman goes, Clint's gonna go soon. We're gonna lose Nicholson soon. I've been saying this for a long time. The silver screen exploded in our lifetime. Guys our age, we were. We were the transitional period from the single movie screen, you know, theater to the multiplex. That was us. That happened in the 80s when we were kids. And. Or Brady wasn't all, but we were kids. Brady was at Popeyes.

[LaDonna Hervey]

So who owns this dump? What are the origins of the name?

[John Holmberg]

Sir, please, there's a line if you'd like to move. Just take your chicken and your beans and leave.

[LaDonna Hervey]

Just named after Gene Hackman.

[John Holmberg]

I don't know who that is, man. But the multiplex. So we got exposed to a lot more celebrities than any other generation. First, our parents got the first of celebrities. We got the explosion of it. And they're all gonna start Dying soon. Loads of them don't say that. That's true. De Niro, Pesci, Nicholson, Pacino. Pacino. They're all in their 80s now. They're gonna start dropping like flies. Yeah, it's a ton of them. So Hackman is 95. First one. Really kind of. That was a. What an unbelievable story. And I'm hoping I'm right about that. Now, Hackman's kids did this. They sat in a room, maybe at a Popeyes. Brady. Ironic. Maybe they sat at a Popeyes and said, dad's on his last legs. It doesn't look good. We need to do something about this. So that doesn't get all the dad's Popeye money. Because he started this franchise, According to Brady.

[LaDonna Hervey]

Yeah, Gene Hackman started that. You didn't know that?

[John Holmberg]

And then they come up with this devious plan, and then one of them, if it was me in this thing, I'd be like, I'm all for killing everybody, but what about the dog? Like, we can't kill the dog, can we? It's like, if it's an accident for the dog, has to be collateral damage. Otherwise it looks fishy. The dog's still alive. That means somebody helped the dog. Dog wouldn't survive it either. And then they check their computers immediately. The Hackman kids for carbon monoxide poisoning. How does it happen? I wouldn't be surprised. Pretty good story right there. Heavy speculation, but at least it makes sense. Unlike Brady's French Connection restaurant, He's still looking up on his phone. Did you find anything?

[Brady Bogan]

Not yet. I text the guy that.

[John Holmberg]

Oh, Jesus Christ. At six in the morning? Poor bastard.

[Brady Bogan]

Open.

[Brett Vesley]

He's up.

[John Holmberg]

Oh, for Christ's sake. So you knew the owner of the French Connection so much you had his number.

[Brady Bogan]

I didn't know the. Oh, I knew a person that had a place in that center and that.

[John Holmberg]

I was told that the French Connection is related to the bakery there is.

[Brady Bogan]

Owned by a family member, a relative of the person that did the actual.

[John Holmberg]

Heist that was in the French Connection.

[Brady Bogan]

Yeah.

[John Holmberg]

So it's a family member celebrating the crime committed in the French Connection by calling a bakery the French Connection, which was his family's biggest blot on society.

[Brady Bogan]

Yeah.

[John Holmberg]

That made sense to you?

[Brady Bogan]

I don't know about that making sense.

[John Holmberg]

Wouldn't that be similar to Justin and Sydney Simpson opening up Bundy Bakery?

[Brady Bogan]

Pretty close.

[John Holmberg]

Just saying. The family is like, you know, we're most known for our father slaughtering those people. We should call it returning your sunglasses. It's a sunglass Shop. I don't know. Maybe you're right. Maybe you're right.

[Brett Vesley]

It was a restaurateur, huh?

[John Holmberg]

Yeah. Evidently, Hackman's last words were, brady, tell my tale. I've told no one these stories.

[Brett Vesley]

So Crimson Tide croissants and Crimson Tide feminine hygiene.

[John Holmberg]

The Crimson Tide feminine hygiene products that Hackman was big on. Welcome to Moose Port was the original. It was a cry to Ozempic to help these people. Of course, then again, that's not food, is it? I guess I'm being fun. I'm not thinking about the restaurant anyway. The Birdcage probably be a chicken restaurant. We could get one of those going.

[LaDonna Hervey]

That's true. LA casual, that used to be a place.

[John Holmberg]

Anyway, I hope you find you've given up on research. You got to wait for the text back. Yeah, wouldn't that be something you could look up the French Connection Bakery. Like, wouldn't they have done stories on that?

[Brady Bogan]

That was called the French Connection Bakery or. But it was a bakery on Central. And I'm gonna Camelback. That is owned by one of the relatives that were.

[John Holmberg]

Oh, they said it was called French Connection.

[Brady Bogan]

I'm thinking it was, but.

[John Holmberg]

But it may not be. Yeah, look, I don't even so worthy of bringing into the story was this ambiguous unknown. Your one connection back was a delicious meal. You're insane. He's insane.

[Brady Bogan]

I won't commit to it.

[John Holmberg]

Do you know about Durant? Did you hear about Durant?

[Brett Vesley]

Oh, man.

[John Holmberg]

I know of Durant, you know. Did you hear what happened to Durant? No, just yesterday. That's shocking.

[Brett Vesley]

Breaking news.

[John Holmberg]

I figured this would have been on your feed first. The people who own steak in Ocean 44 purchase durants, and they're going to. Exactly. They're going to keep the place the same. They're bringing the food to the level. The last time I went to Durant's, I'm like, oh, yeah, the steaks and the. This isn't as good as the other new steakhouses in this town. It used to be the one place to go. Durant's with Steak44's food.

[Brady Bogan]

That's good news.

[John Holmberg]

Oh, that's good news. All right. Oh, and you know, stake 44, as I understand it, Reggie Jackson, he's behind that.

[Brett Vesley]

Really?

[John Holmberg]

Yeah. Number 44.

[Brady Bogan]

Oh, it was Leroy Kelly for the Cleveland Browns.

[John Holmberg]

Was he number 44 as well? Yeah. All right, sure. Leroy Kelly made enough money with the Browns back in the day. Yeah.

[Brett Vesley]

One good thing.

[John Holmberg]

He came out of Cleveland, the 44s got together. It was Reggie and Leroy Kelly and then Sean Riggins. Yeah. Chuck Foreman and a few of the older guys. Hey, we all wore 44 have steak on that. And they put it on the grill there. And the next thing you know. And they said, you know, this is a pretty good steak. They're 44s. And then they said, well, let's do Club 44.

[Brett Vesley]

Hank Aaron.

[John Holmberg]

Hank Aaron was in this mix. Jerry West. Jerry west was also part of that man conglomerate.

[Brett Vesley]

Willie McCovey.

[John Holmberg]

Oh, yeah, I forgot he was there. And Brady.

[Brady Bogan]

We had the McCovey filet.

[John Holmberg]

In Brady's most annoying fantasy world where he just make up stuff about a restaurant when you're talking about something completely different. Floyd Little. Floyd Little was 44, man. What a group, that. They should just call it HOF 44.

[Brett Vesley]

Ernie Davis. John Wallace.

[John Holmberg]

But they didn't want to be obvious.

[Brett Vesley]

George Gervin.

[Brady Bogan]

Yeah.

[John Holmberg]

Also, yeah, they called it the French Connection. For a little while. It didn't take. Hackman was involved. Well, good luck with your story, Brady. I hope that investigative report that you're doing.

[Brady Bogan]

I'll find out.

[John Holmberg]

Six in the morning with some guy who hasn't heard from you for 25 years.

[LaDonna Hervey]

Hey, it's Brady. Remember the French Connection Bakery?

[John Holmberg]

No.

[LaDonna Hervey]

Anyway, let me explain.

[John Holmberg]

Oh, Christ.

[Brett Vesley]

6:15.

[John Holmberg]

What do you want? Is there an emergency? Yeah.

[LaDonna Hervey]

Gene Hackman's dead. I need to know who owned that bakery.

[John Holmberg]

There's no logic to this. There's no string theory that brings me from here to that. He thought of a bakery. It's fun because it's weird. And nobody else has this. Let's get a wake up song, shall we? A good one. And we'll scream it together. It's 98 KUPD.

[LaDonna Hervey]

Wake up.

[John Holmberg]

It's not weird. It's pretty cool, actually. No membership fee. I have heard enough of this.