{"id":11720,"date":"2018-12-10T15:46:24","date_gmt":"2018-12-10T21:46:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.thebozho.com\/?p=11720"},"modified":"2019-12-10T14:26:21","modified_gmt":"2019-12-10T20:26:21","slug":"drunk-history-otis-redding-jake-johnson","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thebozho.com\/drunk-history-otis-redding-jake-johnson\/","title":{"rendered":"How a story about Otis Redding’s plane crash inspired Drunk History<\/em>"},"content":{"rendered":"

On Dec. 9, Tom Whitcomb had exactly one beer and then discussed an historical event.<\/em><\/span>\n

While Madison has almost certainly made drunk history before<\/a>, there\u2019s only one instance in which it kinda sorta helped to create Drunk History<\/em>.<\/p>\n

Today, December 10, marks the 51st anniversary<\/a> of the Lake Monona plane crash that killed 26-year-old soul singer Otis Redding. Though the event itself is a terrible tragedy, the legend surrounding it is fascinating. So fascinating that one drunken night circa 2004-05, actor Jake Johnson decided to tell his buddy Derek Waters all about it.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis was before you could check things on the internet,\u201d Johnson recalled to Larry King<\/a> in 2016. \u201cSo a great story in a bar was just fact. And if you could tell a great story, then that was the truth.\u201d<\/p>\n

While getting wasted on Miller Lite, Johnson says, the future New Girl <\/em>actor proceeded to tell his friend Waters a long-winded tale set around Redding\u2019s Madison plane crash.\u00a0(\u201cIt\u2019s probably got two minutes of content… it took me 45 minutes…\u201d)<\/p>\n

At the core of the story was the last conversation between Redding and his beloved wife Zelma. As Johnson tells it<\/a>:<\/p>\n

\u201cHe gets on the plane, they kiss goodbye, he gets off the plane, comes off, goes in (the) car and says, \u2018Promise me, no matter what happens, you will be good, you will be true to yourself.\u2019<\/p>\n

\u201cShe says, \u2018Otis you\u2019re crazy. Get on the plane.\u2019 He says, \u2018I\u2019m not getting on the plane until you promise me.\u2019 She says, \u2018OK, I promise.\u2019 They give each other a kiss, he gets on the plane, the plane crashes and he dies.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\u201cJake was so passionate about trying to convince me that Otis knew he was going to die when he got on that plane,\u201d Waters told the New York Times<\/em><\/a> in 2013. \u201cBut because he\u2019d had a couple drinks, he was messing up the story. I thought it would be cool to re-enact that.\u201d<\/p>\n

So Waters asked Johnson to get drunk and tell his Madison-adjacent story again. Waters would record it and use celebrity actor friends to re-enact and call bullshit. Because for however entertaining as Johnson\u2019s story may have been, it was<\/em> bullshit. For one thing, Zelma Redding wasn\u2019t touring with Otis and his band; she was at home in Macon, Georgia<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Johnson declined the offer to make Drunk History <\/em>history, but the idea stuck. And from its web series beginnings, the Derek Waters co-created Drunk History <\/em>is now an Emmy-winning television program currently in its sixth season on Comedy Central.<\/p>\n

Unfortunately, Drunk History <\/em>has never featured a story set in Wisconsin, let alone Madison. That said, Madison-born actors Bradley Whitford and Kevin \u201cBrother of Chris<\/a>\u201d Farley have each appeared on the show, playing orator William Jennings Bryan and lexicographer James Murray, respectively.<\/p>\n