Famous Last Words: Dr.Jane Goodall

I came to this interview expecting some timeless wisdom-insights about living in harmony with animals and nature, and reflections on how life is more than just material possessions. But that depth never really surfaced. After a while, I found myself wondering: at her age, is she virtue signaling? That thought lingered, and then came the familiar wave of messaging, and at that point, I had to switch it off.

First off, I have to admire anyone who sits down and prepares for the interview to start with a sip of whiskey, "to keep her throat clear." And the very last shot we see is Jane finishing off the shot glass.

My sister is 91 and mostly bed-ridden, Jane Goodall just passed away at 91. Realizing that parallel helps me put this in a proper perspective. This Netflix film was made with her knowledge that it would not be shown until after her passing and as such she could be as unfiltered as she wanted and she is unfiltered. Refreshingly so.

While I, at age 79, and also a scientist, clearly knew who Jane Goodall was and of her studies of Chimps in Africa I never took enough interest to explore in any depth what all she did and found. Still, I find this a great and fascinating punctuation to her life lived well.

(The only thing that bothered me was the camera on the host's face too long while Jane was speaking. I always wanted to see her face, not his.)

Asked what message she wanted to leave the world, it is essentially that everyone of us has a role in keeping our planet a great place to live and that a billion people doing very small things can make a great difference. Conservation of our planet and keeping peace among those who have different insights.

Godspeed Jane.

Jane Goodall lived 91 good years on Earth - beyond the average life expectancy of a British woman, yet still a mere blink in the timeline of humankind, let alone the age of the planet. Like Attenborough, she has borne witness to the slow undoing of our only home through corporate greed, mindless consumption, and unchecked population growth. And yet, in Famous Last Words, she refuses to surrender to despair. Hope, for Goodall, is not naïveté but rebellion.

She speaks plainly about her distaste for figures like Trump and Musk, quipping that she'd be glad to see them board one of Musk's rockets on a one-way flight. Regardless of one's reverence or resentment for these men, their legacies stand in stark contrast to hers. Goodall's is one of stewardship; theirs, of spectacle.

In one of the film's most revealing moments, she draws a line between the behaviour of chimpanzees and the rise of populist movements like MAGA. "We're born with the tendency to become aggressive, just as chimps are," she says. "Chimps see a stranger... and they get all excited... faces of anger and fear... and the others catch that feeling, and they all become aggressive. It's contagious. They're protecting their territory or fighting for dominance."

It's a haunting reminder that for all our progress, the distance between us and our primate cousins remains slimmer than we care to admit. What separates Goodall is not intellect but intention - her lifelong refusal to turn away. If legacy is the echo we leave behind, hers rings with quiet urgency: that empathy, not dominance, will decide whether our species deserves to stay.

Brad Falchuk - co-creator of "Glee", "American Horror Story" and "Pose" - has created a Netflix series wherein he interviews notable individuals who understand that the interview will air after they die. The first episode of "Famous Last Words" features Jane Goodall. You probably already knew this, but she was one of the most fascinating and benevolent people to have ever lived. In addition to the work that she did raising our consciousness of chimpanzees, I also liked what she said about a rocket getting launched into space. Great woman. I look forward to future episodes.

Netflix's new series "Famous Last Words" is so far unrateable, unreviewable, and in this first episode, completely unimpeachable. The premiere features the final testament of the inestimable Dr. Jane Goodall, filmed just months before her recent passing. Watching her reflect on life and legacy felt almost mystical and I thin she deserves sainthood as much as anyone canonized by the Roman Catholic Church. I rewatched that famous clip of her releasing a chimp back into the wild and how he lingered and hugged her tightly. Thanks to her, we understand our kinship with chimps, sharing over 97% of our DNA. For an hour I sat on the edge of my seat, hanging on her every word. The concept is a little macabre, but in this case it's profoundly moving. Even if you're unfamiliar with her legacy, watch this beautiful program. We all should strive to make small changes for a better world and if enough of us hold onto hope, maybe we really can save the only planet we've got, the one she dedicated her life to.