Episode 125- Fran Capo, the World’s Fastest Talking Woman

Life is full of seemingly great mysteries. How were ancient pyramids built? How did Two and a Half Men get such a sweet syndication deal? Is Jurassic Park showing somewhere on cable at all times? Why are mice impossible to get out of your house? And why don’t we talk about Luke’s personal life on the show as much as we do Heidi’s?

The truth is, there’s a reasonable explanation for most mysteries if you take the time to really delve deep. There are plenty of great history books out there that will tell you about the pyramids. (And A&E specials that will contradict said history books.) Jurassic Park IS on cable constantly, but that’s because dinosaurs are awesome and we’re in the middle of a Jeff Goldblumaissance. Mice will outwit you every time. And Luke edits out all personal stories of himself to remain elusive. As for Two and a Half Men, that mystery remains.

One of the biggest mysteries of all is how to make what you want happen. This week’s guest just might provide enough motivation to help you figure it out. Fran Capo is the world’s fastest talking woman, but she’s so much more than that. She’s also a stand-up comic, a motivational speaker, an author of 22 books, and she holds nine Guinness World Records. She has appeared on hundreds of TV shows and commercials, and thousands of radio shows. Where to even begin?

First things first — we could listen to Fran all day. Her fascinating stories are the main reason, of course, but her New York accent and turns of phrase are close seconds. She divulged how she got into fast talking and as with all of her other accomplishments, it involves responding to questions, seeing opportunities, and taking action.

Fran walked us through how doing a Mae West impression at her radio station job led to her setting a world record for fast talking on Larry King Live. And after hearing her describe the sequence of actions that got her there, we couldn’t imagine it not happening. Fran explained to us that if you’re presented with an opportunity you want, take it and figure out the particulars later. And if the opportunity isn’t presented, don’t be afraid to ask questions in order to try and make it happen. Fran emphasized that things don’t always work out, but even the stuff that falls flat is useful. If she succeeds, she uses it in her motivational speaking. And if she fails, she uses it in her stand-up comedy. Makes sense to us!

Amongst her many accomplishments, Fran hold the record for book signing at the highest point in the world and at the wreck of the Titanic. She shared some great stories with us about both experiences, including how she raised the money and got corporate sponsorships to climb the world’s largest freestanding mountain — and how her son felt about being taken along for the journey. Fran also gave us the inside scoop on the three things that get you immediately disqualified from taking a submersible down to the wreck of the Titanic. Let’s just say that “silent, but deadly” has now taken on an entirely new meaning for us.

If you’re in a January rut, this week’s episode might just motivate you to start something new. There’s more of our conversation with Fran over on our YouTube page, where we talked even more in depth about her visit to the Titanic and she shared footage of her journey. It’s fascinating, funny, touching, and eerie. We’d say that what Fran shared for this episode is just the tip of the iceberg in terms of her accomplishments and stories, but that would be in extremely poor taste. So we’ll just direct you to her website, and to her social media presence on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.  

We’re off to see what world records we can break with our podcast. If in the near future we sound like we’re recording underwater or the episode goes on for a week straight, you’ll know why!