He Ain't Heavy....Wait, yes he is Quiz

Answer: William Howard Taft

A true political heavyweight at 350 pounds, William Howard Taft was the 27th US president. He was elected in 1908 and served one term. He was the only president to also serve as Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. As president, his first soak in a giant custom-installed bathtub was on the ship carrying him to inspect the Panama Canal just after his election.

The tub was over seven feet long and weighed a ton, literally. Large tubs were installed for him in the White House and other residences he frequented.

The story that he got stuck in the White House tub is probably a myth.

Answer: Elvis Presley

Elvis Presley burst on the American consciousness in the 1950s. His prodigious vocal talent, uncanny natural flair as an entertainer, and raw, genuine sex appeal spearheaded a transformation in American popular music and culture. Given the scope of his influence, and the sheer joy of seeing his performances in his heyday, it was difficult and sad to see his struggles with prescription drugs, and the physical deterioration and weight gain which played out later in his career. Elvis's love of food was legendary, and labeling him a food addict is not a stretch.

His favorite was the "Fool's Gold Loaf." A restaurant in Denver, Colorado dreamed up this concoction, which consisted of a warmed, hollowed out loaf of Italian bread stuffed with a pound of peanut butter, the contents of a full jar of grape jelly, and a pound of bacon. According to legend, Elvis once chartered a plane, recruited some of his buddies, and flew them to Denver where they spent two days consuming thirty of these monstrosities and drinking champagne. Whew! The phrase "Elvis has left the building" was first used by public address announcers at the end of his concerts to disperse enthusiastic crowds who refused to leave, believing there was another encore coming.

Answer: Henry Knox

If you saw the iconic early James Bond movie "Goldfinger," you'd probably remember that Fort Knox, Kentucky is the location of the depository for the major portion of the US government's gold reserves. Fort Knox itself is a 100,000 acre military base covering parts of three Kentucky counties.

It was named after Henry Knox, Chief of Artillery during the Revolutionary War and second US Secretary of War. He was appointed to this latter post in 1785, and, according to David McCuullough's biography of John Adams, was described at the time as being "of immense girth, weighing over 300 pounds and standing 6 foot three inches." The city of Knoxville, Tennessee is also name after Henry Knox.

Answer: Daniel Lambert

Although probably unknown to most Americans, Daniel Lambert was famous throughout the UK and Europe, in his time, for his extraordinary size. He was probably the first person to earn a living because of his weight. Born in Leicester in 1770, he was larger and more powerful than all the other children, and despite his claims that he ate moderately, he gained poundage steadily throughout his lifetime, eventually maxing out at 52 stone (330 kilograms/728 pounds). What made this even more remarkable was that he was also known as an avid sportsman and animal handler, and was athletic and agile as well.

His father was the keeper of the Leicester gaol (prison), a position Daniel inherited in 1788 and held for 17 years. When the jail closed, money became tight and Daniel moved to London where he, reluctantly at first due to his shyness, began charging people for the privilege of seeing and conversing with him. London society was fascinated by this intelligent and unusual man, and the endeavor successfully reinvigorated Daniel's financial situation, allowing him to return to Leicester in 1806, where he bred sporting dogs and occasionally toured to augment his income.

He died rather suddenly in Stamford in 1809. Despite wheels on his coffin, It took twenty men half an hour to drag it to the burial site and get it into the trench.

Answer: "Haystacks" Calhoun

William Dee Calhoun, born 1934 in McKinley, Texas, was an American professional wrestler, and therefore an entertainer. (Spoiler alert for hardcore fans: Pro wrestling in America, despite real competitive action and violence in the ring, was and is a scripted theatrical endeavor).

His professional name referenced his huge and rotund body, which was billed at 601 pounds, and an early career appearance on Art Linkletter's TV show when he threw large bales of hay into a loft to demonstrate his strength. One of his signature moves was laying out an opponent with a swat of his massive paw, then climbing the ring ropes, jumping on the helpless victim and pinning him flat. "Haystacks" struggled with diet and weight control his whole life, especially after retiring, and he eventually succumbed to diabetes in 1989 at 55 years old. To enhance his "country" ring personality, he often wore a horseshoe on a heavy link chain around his neck, along with his trademark overalls and white T-shirt.

Answer: Jackie Gleason

"To the moon, Alice, but I can't go because I might not fit in the space capsule." The original seven space pilots chosen by NASA had strict maximum limits of 5'11" height and 180 pounds weight, so Jackie Gleason, who fluctuated between 250 and 300 pounds, was out. That didn't stop him from a successful acting career in film and television.

He's probably best known for his dead on, hilarious portrayal of New York bus driver Ralph Kramden in "The Honeymooners." This initially popular and now classic US television show was discontinued in 1956 after a brief run of only 39 original episodes.

However, it continues to attract a loyal cult following in syndication. On the show, after making a fool of himself in front of his wife Alice once again, he would often deliver empty threats of violence, which fortunately were never carried out. Whatever absurd situation Ralph got himself into, somehow his weight would come up for ridicule. Gleason showed his versatility as a dramatic actor with his role in the 1961 movie "The Hustler." Here he portrays Minnesota Fats, the established old pro pool player challenged by "Fast" Eddie Felson, the young hotshot played by Paul Newman.

The film takes a hard and unsparing look at the seamy world of pool hustling, and how gambling brings out character flaws and ruins lives. It garnered many awards, including a best supporting actor Oscar nomination for Gleason.

Answer: Orson Welles

Actor/director Orson Welles crafted the movie "Citizen Kane," cited on many lists as the greatest film of all time. "Rosebud" was the mystery word that kept popping up in the movie, and was finally revealed to be the name of a sled from the main character's childhood. Welles made his mark on the New York theater scene early in his career, and gained more acclaim for his innovative radio programs, including a reenactment of H.G. Wells's "War of the Worlds" in 1938, a dramatization so real it caused panic among listeners who thought that Martians were actually attacking earth.

In Hollywood during the '40s and '50s, he operated outside the studio system, often struggling for financing, but still able to make many unusual films, mostly on his own terms.

As is the case with a number of actors, Welles ballooned in weight as he aged. From 1978-1981 he was a spokesperson for Paul Masson, a California wine producer. He stared into the camera and delivered the signature line of the ad campaign with an emotional gravitas to match the size of his body and his ego. "Paul Masson will sell no wine before its time." Wells died on October 10th, 1985 at seventy years of age.

Answer: Chris Christie

Chris Christie was the governor of New jersey from 2010 through 2018. At one point, he tipped the scales at over 400 pounds. He had gastric band surgery in 2013, and slimmed down considerably afterward, but has had trouble keeping the weight off. He earned early plaudits for fiscal restructuring and for his bi-partisan work with the Obama administration on Hurricane Sandy relief issues.

As a Republican, these successes gained him some traction as a possible vice presidential candidate on Donald Trump's ticket.

His star plummeted, however, when the George Washington Bridge scandal came to light. Evidently, several of his aides conspired to punish the mayor of Fort Lee--a Democrat who had refused to support Christie--by closing access lanes to the bridge from the town, in order to create traffic jams.

This they did, resulting in massive snarls and huge delays. The aides were exposed by a series of foolishly gloating emails which eventually earned them convictions and jail time. Christie himself was not indicted, but his denials of any knowledge of the scheme rang hollow for emergency vehicle drivers and thousands of angry motorists of every political stripe who were inconvenienced. To add insult to injury, not only did Trump distance himself from Christie, he also advised him to lose weight.

Answer: William Perry

William "The Refrigerator" Perry played defensive tackle for the Chicago Bears football team from 1985-1993, and as a rookie, he was 'big' cog on their 1985 Super Bowl winning squad. His Super Bowl ring was a size 25, the largest ever made for any player (average men's ring size is 10-12).

He finished his NFL career in Philadelphia with the Eagles in 1994. He achieved notoriety for his out-sized personality as well as the massive bulk which earned him his nickname. His size at first augmented his considerable athletic prowess, then threatened to compromise it when his weight got out of hand. Check out the Bears "Super Bowl Shuffle" video to see a bunch of really large men, including Mr. Perry, acting like kids and having a great time.

Answer: Antoine Domino

Antoine "Fats" Domino, the hugely popular mid 20th century musician/entertainer, was one of the pioneers of American Rock & Roll music. The nickname was bestowed on him by band leader Billy Diamond, who gave Fats his first steady job as the band's piano player in 1947. Diamond said that Domino, only 19 years old at the time, reminded him of legendary piano man Fats Waller. Domino came to prominence in the 1950s, playing an easygoing, melodious, rolling piano style which mixed perfectly with his rich vocals and friendly on stage persona.

He never called his music Rock & Roll, terming it "the same rhythm and blues I always played in New Orleans." Fats stayed active on the music scene well into the 21st century, always spending lots of time in his native New Orleans.

His home, with his priceless collection of instruments and memorabilia, was flooded and largely destroyed by Hurricane Katrina in 2005. He was feared dead, according to early press reports, but he had been rescued by helicopter.

In response, friends and fellow musicians recorded a tribute album which raised funds for repairing his home, and legions of fans sent money for new instruments. Fats Domino died on October 24, 2017 at age 89.