The Statue

Trailer: The Statue

The Statue, the story of a monument to the greatest Philadelphian who never lived, from WHYY Digital Studios. Coming in 2023.

Patron Saint of the Underdog

An estimated 4 million people visit the Rocky Statue every year. That’s more than double the amount that go to the Liberty Bell. Surprising for a monument that the city once rejected as merely a movie prop. We speak to people who wait in line to snap a picture or run up the Art Museum steps to find out what motivates this pilgrimage. Their surprising answers take us across the globe and range from quirky to deep. Show Notes Laura Holzman’s book Contested Image: Defining Philadelphia for the Twenty-First Century. 6ABC News clips from the Temple University Libraries Digital Collections. Website for Steadicam inventor Garrett Brown. Learn more about Haseeb Payab’s journey from Afghanistan to Philly in this article from the Philadelphia Inquirer. Visiting the Rocky Statue and Art Museum Steps. The official Rocky Statue website.

Life Imitates Art

We go down the Rocky rabbit hole to understand how the fictional fighter grew from one man’s rough sketch into a global icon. Exploring Stallone’s Instagram art history lessons, interviews about his paintings with Oprah, and a limited-edition art book worth thousands of dollars, we learn that hiding behind the macho action star is a man who longs to be understood as a thoughtful artist. Show Notes Sly Stallone meets Rocky Balboa Official website for filmmaker André Robert Lee Sylvester Stallone, Rocky. The Complete Films Sylvester Stallone, The Official Rocky Scrapbook Stallone on the Oprah Winfrey Show Stallone giving a tour of his painting exhibition, 2011

“A Real Fighter”

Ask the average person who’s the most famous boxer from Philadelphia and they’re likely to reply with “Rocky Balboa.” In fact, it was the real-life heavyweight champion Joe Frazier who ran up the Art Museum steps and boxed raw meat sides at a slaughterhouse. We examine who is remembered when we build monuments to our heroes, and who gets left out — and visit the places around Philadelphia where Smokin’ Joe’s legacy lives on. Show Notes The Fight of the Century Mark Kram Jr., Smokin’ Joe: The Life of Joe Frazier Official Joe Frazier website Brent Leggs and the National Trust for Historic Preservation James Shuler Memorial Boxing Gym Joe Frazier and the Knockouts on the Ed Sullivan Show

Rocky’s Stoop

In a city that has seen dramatic change since Rocky’s time, why do so many still identify with this movie character? We tour the neighborhoods where Rocky lived to understand their modern-day challenges, like development, violence and addiction. Along the way, we meet courageous advocates and public artists who fight every day to bring hope and opportunity to their communities. Show Notes Rocky, original screenplay Michelle Angela Ortiz, Our Market Project Operation Save Our City, Roz Pichardo FB Page Learn more about “Mama Sunshine” Kensington Corridor Trust website Learn to administer Narcan