94: Untamed pt.1: Down to Eartha

Grant Thomas
Feb 26
2 min read

Updated: Aug 14

The voice of Yzma from The Emperor's New Groove, a velvet-toned singer, passionate civil-rights crusader, and—per Orson Welles—“the most exciting woman in the world,” Eartha Kitt took a childhood of neglect and spun it into a life of adventure and advocacy. Fall in love all over again with this indomitable talent as Grant and Maia track her rise from share-cropper’s daughter to Catwoman, disco diva, and fearless anti-war firebrand who once made Lady Bird Johnson cry in the White House. Oh, and did we mention CIA surveillance? It’s all Down to Eartha!

Chapters/Key takeaways to listen for

[00:00:00] Catch-Up: Grant and Maia chat about current events, teaching, and life's quirks
[00:11:32] Down to Eartha: Introducing the fabulous Eartha Kitt, her unique background, and her rise to stardom
[00:16:12] Early Life: Eartha's challenging childhood as a mixed-race girl in the segregated South and her journey to becoming a performer
[00:37:41] Becoming Cat Woman: Eartha's breakthrough roles and her iconic Catwoman portrayal
[00:52:01] Lady Bird Johnson: The infamous White House incident where Eartha boldly criticized the Vietnam War, leading to her blacklisting
[01:17:46] Later Career: Eartha's comeback, music, and continued success in entertainment
[01:27:27] Activism: Her work supporting youth, LGBTQ+ rights, and social causes
[01:34:46] Passing On & Final Thoughts: Reflections on Eartha's life, legacy, and her relationship with her daughter in her final days

Videos Referenced:

Yzma from the movie Emperor's New Groove — *Yzma, voiced by Eartha Kitt in the 2000 move,* Emperor's New Groove

Videos Referenced:

Wogan - Eartha Kitt (1986) - courtesy of RobsOldVideos via YouTube

Eartha Kitt speaks on relationships: Compromise for what? - courtesy of h2TVonline via YouTube

Quotes:

“We're living in a capitalist hellscape. Every day seems worse than the last.” - Maia Warner
"The federal government failed to deliver its promise of economic salvation for formerly enslaved Americans after the Civil War." - Grant Thomas

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