Serious XM Podcasts.

Hey everyone, it's Dan here with another sportful reheat for you, and this is one of those

episodes we did years ago, and I still think about it all the time. Certain episodes just

stay with you like that. It's a mysterious

story. It's a mystery of sorts. And unraveling it touches on themes of American history, sexism,

medicine, food, dynasties, wealth passed down from one generation to another. And it all centers on one family's

complicated relationship with Jello. This story was originally reported by Dan Bobcough for Business

Insider. I think you're really going to like it. Now remember, there's a Sporkful episode you want us to

pull out of the deep freezer. Drop me a line. Send me an email or voice memo to hello at sporkful.com. Tell me your first name,

location, what episode you want us to reheat and why. Thanks so much and enjoy.

Please note this episode deals with eating disorders.

My sort of odd and tangential claim to fame here is that my great, great, great uncle

by marriage, uh, order Francis Woodward bought the patent to Jello from its inventor in

1890 for $450 and then sold it for $67 million in 1920s.

This is the Sporkful. It's not for foodies. It's for eaters. I'm Dan Pashman. Each week on

our show, we obsess about food to learn more about people. Alliebottom is an heir to the Jello fortune.

That $67 million that her great, great, great uncle made back in the 1920s, it's worth nearly

a billion dollars today.

That money has filtered down through Ali's sprawling family over generations.

And lately, Ali's become obsessed with Jello, how Jello has shaped America with messages like this. What's for dessert? When a spouse needs cheer? The men in my life swear by it. Ask any little girl. When it comes to entertaining, there's nothing quite like Jello. There's always room for Jello.

Allie's also been thinking about how that Jello money shaped her family.

Jello funded Allie's grandmother and mother, and now it's funding Allie.

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