30 Unusual Wills - mental_floss on YouTube (Ep.226)

TL;DR

Explore the strange and eccentric last wishes of individuals, from leaving money for bizarre purposes to arranging marriages for their pets.

Transcript

hi I'm John Green welcome to my salon this is Mental Floss on YouTube and one of my favorite pieces of writing of all time is John Keats's will it's one line of perfect iambic pentameter my chest of books divided amongst my friends that's the first of many unique wills that I'm going to share with you today in the hopes that when your time comes yo... Read More

Key Insights

• 🍃 Some individuals leave eccentric and unconventional requests in their wills, showcasing their unique personalities and sense of humor.
• 🧑 Wills can reflect a person's desires, showcasing their values, desires, and relationships.
• 🤑 Strange bequests can range from spiteful acts, like leaving minimal sums of money to loved ones, to whimsical acts, such as requesting specific burial arrangements or post-cremation rituals.
• 🧡 The content highlights both the self-serving and selfless actions taken by individuals in their wills, showcasing the wide range of human nature.
• ❓ Many famous individuals, including Charles Dickens and Shakespeare, made unusual requests or included unique stipulations in their wills.
• 🤑 Pets are not exempt from unusual bequests; some owners have left significant sums of money or arranged marriages for their beloved animals.
• 👻 The concept of wills and last wishes provides insight into the desires and values of individuals, allowing for a deeper understanding of their character and beliefs.

Questions & Answers

Q: What were some examples of selfish bequests?

TM Zink left no money to his wife and only $5 to his daughter, while Samuel Brad left his wife a large sum but required her to smoke five cigars daily for life.

Q: Can you provide more details about the unique library mentioned?

TM Zink wanted to create the Zink Womanless Library, which excluded literature, art, furniture, and women. It was a bizarre testament to his apparent dislike for women.

Q: Did anyone request strange post-cremation arrangements?

Yes, Frederick J Bower had his ashes buried in a Pringles can, Mark Grunwald requested his ashes mixed with ink for comic book printing, and Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry had his ashes launched into space.

Q: Were there any interesting celebrity wills?

Janis Joplin left money for a party so her friends could "get blasted," and Audrey Nowak left her money to actor Charles Bronson out of admiration, though the actual recipient remains uncertain.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• The video highlights various unusual wills and last wishes, ranging from comedic and sweet to selfish and bizarre.

• Examples include leaving money for a no-books-by-women library, demanding specific funeral attire, and gifting roses to a spouse every day after death.

• The content also covers peculiar post-cremation requests, such as having ashes buried in a Pringles can and mixing ashes with ink for comic book printing.