If Objects Could Talk: Bastille Day (and Season 2) Coming Soon!

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[Door opens and chair is dragged across floor]

Purrquoise: It’s an honor to be here talking to all of you today. Truly, honored. Thank you for thinking of me.

I mean... I would not say I was surprised when you asked me. [laughs] I don’t mean to brag, but I imagine you’ve seen my face plastered all over this museum. Purquoise scarves, Purquoise Christmas ornaments [bells ring], Purquoise stickers, even a teeny tiny replica of me, Purrquoise, to bring home with you. [chimes twinkle] So if you said I was an inspiration to museum lovers everywhere, well, I wouldn’t correct you.

Still, I am honored, really, that you big Hollywood producers took this meeting with me.

Ok, let’s get down to it. Part thrilling adventure movie, part period drama—and I lived it!

[Low, dramatic violin music begins]

Picture it: Paris at dawn. The city is quiet, eerie even. Smoke still rises.

The date? July 15, 1789. That’s right! The day after the most important day in French history: the day Parisians stormed the Bastille! [cheering and sounds of revolution] The day ordinary people threw off the yoke of tyrannical monarchs and began the glorious French revolution! [triumphant music plays]

Well, at least, that’s how the movie version would go.

Zoe Goldman: Uh Purrquoise... I think you mixed up your meetings. We’re podcast producers. We didn’t ask you here to talk about your screenplay.

Purrquoise: What? But this is an incredible story! [sighs] It could be a podcast too, I suppose. An adventure tale for the ages! [triumphant music plays]

Maybe you just don’t understand the drama of the storming of the Bastille. The anniversary is this week, you know. They call it le quatorze Juillet—the 14th of July—but I think you here call it Bastille Day? It’s sort of like your Independence Day, the 4th of July. [people chatter] They have fireworks and parades and parties and celebrate their country! Come to think of it, a lot of countries have national holidays like that.

Goldman: [clears throat] Uh, Purrquoise…

Purrquoise: [crowd yelling] Anyway, I was there, in 1789, the event that started it all! I had already seen so much.

[Water spashing]

I’d traveled by ship from China 50 or so years prior. My beloved owner, Madame de Pompadour, had been dead 35 years already, but I was made to roam. [adventurous music] Around this time, I was bouncing from mansion to mansion. Traveling across the city, I was learning so much about France, my adopted home. Such diversity! Such energy!

Then BAM! The city in turmoil.

Well, in truth, the city was already in turmoil. [crowds angrily shout] The price of bread had been rising for months, anger at the king and monarchy had been growing. And the Bastille was a symbol of the terror of the regime.

Imagine a medieval fortress in the center of Paris: drawbridges and iron grates and massive stone walls. Frightful! Looming! It had been turned into a prison under King Louis the 14th but… [gets cut off]

Goldman: Purqouise, that is very exciting, really, but we thought you’d be talking about our podcast, If Objects Could Talk, not pitching your own. Remember? Season 2 is coming…? You’re one of the stars...?

Purrquoise: Ah, of course! Season 2! Sorry, yes, yes, yes. How’s this:

[Theme music begins]

The year? 2026. The place? Well, anywhere you are!

In Season 2 of If Objects Could Talk, you’ll hear stories from ten amazing, brave, and charming objects from the Getty Museum—including yours truly. Ten of our most daring adventures, our most shocking twists, and maybe even a few bloopers! Subscribe to If Objects Could Talk now to be the first to hear new episodes. Coming to a podcast app near you soon!

[Music cuts off]

Goldman: Oh wow. That was great, actually. No notes. You really pulled that off! Thanks, Purrquoise!

[Theme music continues]

Listen to the cat and subscribe to If Objects Could Talk today! And for more information and activities about Bastille Day, visit our website at Getty dot edu slash podcasts.

[theme fades out]

Purrquoise: Yeah of course, and if this podcast thing doesn’t work out, maybe we could do that movie. I mean I know we’re close to Hollywood…do you know anyone?