Last Meals of the Rich, Famous and Nefarious
Apr 6, 2022 22:02:31 GMT -5
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Post by Graveyardbride on Apr 6, 2022 22:02:31 GMT -5
Last Meals of the Rich, Famous and Nefarious
Men and women scheduled for execution know when they’re going to die and most states allow these condemned individuals to choose their final meals. The rest of us – with the exception of those who take their own lives – usually have no idea when we’re going to shuffle off this mortal coil, however, those suffering from terminal illnesses are better able to gauge their departures. Some, like former French President François Mitterrand, plan grand feasts and go out in style, while others embark on their last journey on nothing more than a bowl of soup or grilled cheese sandwich. And let’s not forget the two convicted killers who leave us wondering why on Earth anyone on his/her way to the death chamber would order a Diet Coke!
John Belushi. Prior to his fatal drug overdose on the night of March 5, 1982, the comedian had a bowl of lentil soup at the Rainbow Bar in Los Angeles.
Napoleon Bonaparte. The former “Emperor of France” (death mask above) died May 5, 1821, allegedly of stomach cancer. However, because he enjoyed a hearty meal of liver and bacon chops, sautéed kidneys, shirred eggs and garlic toast with roasted tomatoes shortly before his death, many question the official cause of death.
Ted Bundy. The infamous serial killer, electrocuted on the morning of January 24, 1989, refused a breakfast of steak and eggs, but the previous afternoon, he ate two burritos.
John Candy. Following completion of the film Wagons East in Mexico, the 43-year-old Canadian comedian cooked a spaghetti dinner for his assistants. The next morning (March 4, 1994), he was found dead in bed of a heart attack.
Julia Child. The last meal of the famous chef, who died August 13, 2004, was a bowl of French onion soup.
Cleopatra. The Egyptian queen ate a basket of figs before committing suicide in 30 BC.
Kurt Cobain. Before taking his own life on April 5, 1994, in the greenhouse above the garage of his Seattle home, the 27-year-old Nirvana singer drank root beer and smoked cigarettes.
George Armstrong Custer. Prior to the Little Bighorn disaster of June 25, 1876, General Custer feasted on roast buffalo steaks, prairie hen, beans with molasses and roasted wild corn.
James Dean. Shortly before his fatal car crash on September 30, 1955, the 24-year-old actor had a slice of warm apple pie and glass of cold milk at Tip’s Coffee Shop outside Santa Clarita, California.
Diana, Princess of Wales. Prior to the fatal automobile crash in Paris on the evening of August 31, 1997, Diana and Dodi Fayed feasted on scrambled eggs with wild mushrooms and asparagus, sole tempura, baked turbot with white summer truffles and wild Scottish salmon accompanied by a $425 bottle of Tattinger champagne.
Mama Cass Elliot. On July 29, 1974, the singer (above) was discovered dead in her London flat and because there was a half-eaten sandwich at the scene, it was rumored she had choked to death on a ham sandwich. Her cause of death was actually a heart attack; nonetheless, it’s safe to say the sandwich was her last meal.
Elvis. On the night before his girlfriend Ginger Alden found him dead on the bathroom floor (August 16, 1977), The King had four scoops of ice cream and six chocolate chip cookies.
John Wayne Gacy. On May 10, 1993, the “Killer Clown” was executed by lethal injection after enjoying a bucket of KFC’s original recipe chicken, a dozen deep-friend shrimp, french fries, a pound of strawberries and a Diet Coke.
Mahatma Gandhi. Known for his infamous hunger strike, before his assassination on January 30, 1948, Gandhi feasted on a meal of vegetables, goat’s milk, oranges and a drink consisting of ginger, sour lemons, strained butter and aloe juice.
James Gandolfini. For his last meal, the Sopranos actor, who died June 19, 2013, had fried king prawns, foie gras and eight alcoholic drinks.
Ronnie Lee Gardner. Prior to his execution by a Utah firing squad on June 18, 2010, the convicted killer had a final meal of steak, lobster tail, apple pie with vanilla ice cream and 7-Up.
Sam Giancana. On the evening of June 19, 1975, the 67-year-old mobster, who some suspect was involved in the assassination of President John F. Kennedy and attempted assassination of President Fidel Castro of Cuba, was cooking Italian sausage with chili peppers when someone he had invited into his home shot him in the back of the head. Although he was preparing the sausage at the time of his death and didn’t live to eat his late supper, it is presumed Giancana, like all good cooks, tasted the dish during preparation, making it his last meal.
Ernest Hemingway. Before he shot himself on July 2, 1961, at his home in Ketchum, Idaho, the 61-year-old novelist had a New York strip steak, baked potato, Caesar salad and wine.
Jimi Hendrix. On September 18, 1970, the famous musician ate a tuna fish sandwich prior to washing down nine sleeping pills with alcohol and asphyxiating on his own vomit at the age of 27.
Adolf Hitler and Eva Braun. Before committing suicide on April 30, 1945, the Führer and his wife had a last meal of spaghetti with red sauce.
Philip Seymour Hoffman. Prior to his death of a drug overdose on February 2, 2014, the actor ate a hamburger at a nearby burger joint.
Whitney Houston. Before she was found dead in the bathtub at the Beverly Hills Hotel on February 11, 2012, the singer ordered a hamburger, fries, a turkey sandwich and jalapeno peppers. There also was evidence she drank champagne and Heineken beer.
Saddam Hussein. The former president of Iraq ate a meal of boiled chicken and rice and drank several cups of hot water with honey prior to his execution by hanging on December 30, 2006.
Michael Jackson. Before he died of a heart attack brought on by an apparent lethal combination of drugs on June 25, 2009, the King of Pop (above) consumed a meal of chicken breasts and spinach salad.
President John F. Kennedy. On November 22, 1963, the day of his assassination in Dallas, President Kennedy attended a Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce Breakfast, where he had two boiled eggs, toast with marmalade, orange juice and coffee.
John Lennon. A few hours before he was shot on the evening of December 8, 1980, the famous Beatle ate a corned beef sandwich.
Liberace. The renowned pianist had a bowl of Cream of Wheat cereal with Half-and-Half and brown sugar prior to his death on February 4, 1987.
Abraham Lincoln. Before he was shot at Ford’s Theatre on the night of April 14, 1865, Lincoln dined on mock turtle soup, roast Virginia fowl with chestnut stuffing, baked yams and cauliflower with cheese sauce.
Timothy McVeigh. The Oklahoma City bomber had two pints of mint chocolate chip ice cream preceding his June 11, 2001, execution by lethal injection.
Marie Antoinette. The last French queen was widely condemned for her uncaring attitude toward the poor, allegedly saying at one point, “If they have no bread, let them eat cake.” While awaiting her appointment with the guillotine, the lady had been unable to eat either bread or cake and on October 16, 1793, the day she lost her head, she had only a few spoonfuls of bouillon.
François Mitterrand. Even though the former French president was suffering from terminal prostate cancer and the Grim Reaper was knocking at the door, he was still able to go out in style, as it were, by creating one final fabulous feast. The menu included Marennes oysters, foie gras with fresh crusty bread, capon and “a large platter of tiny, cooked ortolans* (above),” accompanied by a sweet sauternes and other wines. Following the royal New Year’s Eve bash, the 79-year-old politician took to his bed and was fed intravenously until his death eight days later on January 8, 1996.
Marilyn Monroe. According to Eunice Murray, Marilyn’s housekeeper, the actress ate a hamburger (without the bun) the day before her death in the early morning hours of August 4, 1962. It also has been reported she drank a great deal of champagne, as was her habit.
Keith Moon. Before he died of a drug overdose on September 7, 1978, The Who drummer had a breakfast of steak and eggs.
Jim Morrison. The 27-year-old Doors frontman ate a meal of sweet and sour chicken washed down by beer before he was found dead in the bathtub on July 3, 1971.
Brittany Murphy. The 32-year-old actress ate leftover Thai food and noodles and drank Gatorade and tea with lemon the evening before her December 20, 2009, death.
Grigori Rasputin. Prior to his assassination on December 30, 1916, the Russian mystic consumed a meal consisting of appetizers, honeyed cakes, black bread and Madeira wine.
Frank Sinatra. Before his death of a heart attack on May 14, 1998, the legendary singer ate a grilled cheese sandwich.
Aileen Wuornos. Prior to her October 9, 2002, execution by lethal injection, the Florida serial killer had a hamburger and Diet Coke.
Sources: Brent Furdyk, "This Was the Last Thing These Celebs Ate Before They Died," Mashed, September 2, 2021; Michael Paterniti, "The Last Meal," Esquire, June 27, 2008; Meilan Solly, "Ortolans, Songbirds Enjoyed as French Delicacy, Are Being Eaten Into Extinction," Smithsonian Magazine, May 23, 2019; Kate Wright, "14 Famous Last Meals and The Stories Behind Them," The Cake Library, October 28, 2020; "11 Last Meals of the Rich and Famous," June 27, 2017; Fine Dining Lovers; The Guardian; The Serial Killer Cookbook by Ashley Lecker; So Yummy; Star Insider; and TMZ.
*Ortolans are small French songbirds that have been hunted and eaten almost to extinction. The delicacy is prepared by capturing the birds alive, confining them in the dark and feeding them constantly until they become very fat. The birds are then drowned in a vat of Armagnac brandy, plucked and cooked with their internal organs, including intestines, intact – all parts of the bird are eaten except the beak and feet. Diners veil their faces with a napkin in order to take full advantage of the aroma of the crunchy, fried birds and keep others from having to watch them spit out larger bones. In 1999, it became illegal to hunt and eat the little creatures in France, but some are willing to risk being charged with a crime just to experience the tasty treat.