The Shady Side Of Colonel Sanders
Colonel Harland Sanders was onto something when he came up with his fried chicken recipe and introduced the world to KFC. But while it's hard to argue that the brand has become a force to reckon with over the years, there are plenty of things about its founder that have either been overlooked or glossed over. According to a report by Entrepreneur, the Colonel has often been misrepresented over the years, and many aspects of his true personality have either been distorted or not revealed.
For example, Colonel Sanders wasn't skilled when it came to making business decisions. He ended up experimenting with several roles, such as a stint as a lawyer, a lamp sales professional, and even as a salesman who sold tires. His business decisions often led to conflict, and more often than not, he was let go from the job. Fortunately for him, this didn't stop him from becoming a successful entrepreneur later in life.
What's also worth noting is that the brand has seemingly tried to hide what Sanders really was like. For example, he was known for being rather unfaithful to his wife. What else was often hidden from public view?
Colonel Sanders supposedly didn't hold himself back
Colonel Sanders was apparently unkind in his words about women, to say the least. His public persona hid that side, though. According to a New Yorker profile, Sanders would often attract attention from the ladies who felt indebted to him for coming up with KFC and providing them with a dinner alternative on tiring nights. The Colonel would interact with these fans, sign autographs, and even get photos clicked with his admirers.
He'd be charming in person to those women, but under his breath, he reportedly judged others without missing a beat and would say things like, "Umm, that gal's let herself go... Look at the size of that one... I don't know when I've seen so many fat ones... Lord, look at 'em waddle." Again, it wasn't obvious because Sanders knew how to stay charming and please his admirers in public. It was difficult for them to detect what he was actually thinking about.
The Colonel despised KFC's evolution
After Colonel Sanders decided to sell KFC in the 1960s, he remained the brand's mascot, but grew increasingly bitter about its evolution over the years. While years after he passed away, the brand tried to portray the Colonel as a jolly, likable person, it ignored the fact that the chef thought the brand's quality had seriously declined.
In fact, he was so salty about the way things were that he once tried to sue KFC for $122 million. According to Business Insider, Sanders was angry that KFC didn't let him come up with antebellum-themed eatery that sold chicken. This happened, of course, after Sanders sold his brand back in 1964. Yikes!
The lawsuit was taken care of after the brand agreed to pay $1 million to Sanders. There was another condition: Sanders would stop bad-mouthing KFC. No, he didn't honor it. In fact, Sanders was so annoyed that he once sampled the brand's gravy and spit out a harsh comment (via The New Yorker). To be precise, he said the food "ain't fit for my dogs."