The Bizarre Life (and Death) of "Mr. Organic"

New Republic ^ | August 8, 2014 | Maria McGrath

[Scoutmaster]

J.I. Rodale, the godfather of the locavore trend, was a paranoid anti-vaxxer, too

On June 7, 1971, Jerome Irving Rodale appeared on "The Dick Cavett Show." The elder statesman of a growing organic food trend, he gushed about the health benefits of his diet, boasting that he “never felt better” and that he “decided to live to a hundred.” But after a commercial break, as Cavett interviewed his second guest, what sounded like a loud snore rose from Rodale’s end of the couch. The audience twittered, thinking that he was pulling a prank. But Cavett knew. When he looked over at Rodale’s bloodless pallor and gaping mouth his suspicion was confirmed—America’s most famous natural-health figure was dead of a heart attack at 72.

It was almost as if, having sought fame for decades, finally achieving it was too much for Rodale's heart to bear. [snip]

[Scoutmaster]

Simply because I chuckled.

[Dawgreg]

Shouldn’t chuckle but it IS kinda funny.....lol

[Calvin Locke]

The Cavett epi never ran, although Cavett’s talked about it in interviews. There was an RN in audience.

My octogenarian father still subscribes to Prevention.

[LibWhacker]

But Cavett knew.

Hmmm, I used to watch the good Dr. Cavett (smirk) back in those days, but I have no memory of this incident.

[x]

Old-timers may remember natural food enthusiast Euell Gibbons of the famous "Ever eat a pine tree? Many parts are edible" commercial for Grape Nuts.

Late night comedians -- and I guess it was only Johnny Carson back then -- had a field day with the commercial for what seemed like years.

In fact, Gibbons died a year after the commercial came out, and though it all seems so fresh in my mind, all that happened about forty years ago.

Rodale was 72 when he died -- a pretty long life actually. Rodale Books and Rodale Inc. are still around and going strong.

[miss marmelstein]

I remember when this happened. It made all the papers and every smoker across the fruited plain had a laugh at Rodale’s expense. And those were the days before Prevention got good-looking. In those days, it looked like a Stalinist tract.

[LibWhacker]

That answers my question, thanks.

[Impala64ssa]

Euell Gibbons, I remember, also some other “healthy” lifestyle advocates died suddenly, at relatively young ages, long distance runner Jim Fixx and pro wrestler and health foods advocate Antonino Rocca among others.

[Grampa Dave]

Jim Fixx, a running fanatic died while running at the age of 52.

Jim Fixx - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jim_Fixx
Wikipedia

Jump to Death - Death[edit]. On July 20, 1984, Fixx died at age 52 of a fulminant heart attack, after his daily run on Vermont Route 15 in Hardwick.

[dfwgator]

Think about it, Keith Richards has outlived them all.

[x]

Then there’s Jack Lalanne who lived to be 96.

[PghBaldy]

Wikipedia:

According to others, Cavett asked, "Are we boring you, Mr. Rodale?". Cavett himself said that he "emphatically" did not recall saying this

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jerome_Irving_Rodale

[Scoutmaster]

The autopsy showed that Fixx had suffered multiple smaller heart attacks in the days leading up to the fatal one, but Fixx simply ignored them. Fixx refused his wife's request to take exercise stress tests or to see a physician although he often complained about pains in his chest when running.

Turns out he had a grossly enlarged heart and atherosclerosis. One coronary artery was blocked 95%.

[jocon307]

I remember watching a show that was shot, I think, shortly after that. I forget who the guest was, some old drunken raconteur, I really forget who it was.

Anyway, this guy keeps saying: I feel awful, I feel like I could drop dead, blah blah, etc. (and he looked it, truly)

And Cavett’s saying to him: don’t say that, that exact thing happened a few days ago.

But you know, the old guy was really full of himself and he wouldn’t lay off it, Cavett was kind of freaking out, not that I blamed him! Once is enough and that’s too much as a great gal used to say.

[JPG]

proof of life after death

[bubbacluck]

Foster Brooks?

[RedMDer]

FReepers! Let's go!
Every donation counts!



FReepathon day 39.

Two percent a day keeps the 404 away.

[BeadCounter]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u7ktyu-vyHQ

Joe Rollino is the king, died on his morning walk at 105 years old. Got hit by a van actually.

“He fought in the Pacific during World War II, and was awarded a Silver Star, a Bronze Star Medal, and three Purple Hearts.[2] “He saw that his men were really hurting, getting injured during a battle”, Pete Spanakos said, “so he ran onto the field, grabbed two men under one arm, two under another, and brought them back behind the lines. And he did this several times.”[ “

Strong Man, oh, and I guess he was a vegetarian.

[BeadCounter]

Paul Bragg of course, another illuminary, influenced Lalanne.

Michael Savage has a pretty good handle on herbs. I will keep up with him. Haven’t read his book though on herbs.

[KarlInOhio]

The audience twittered, thinking that he was pulling a prank.

Twitter back then? Did they have to mail in a punch card or two for each message?