The Secret History of Viagra

In fact, it’s a miracle that it ever came to be at all. In addition to the people within Pfizer who were in an uproar over the “dick pill,” four major groups began rallying against it before its launch: the Catholic church (which thought it was immoral), medical experts (who insisted patients would be too embarrassed to ask for the pill), business execs (who thought it would make Pfizer a laughingstock), and legislators (who lobbied against the pill for the same reason as the church). It was the job of two unlikely guys at Pfizer to overcome them all: Rooney Nelson, a young Jamaican marketing whiz, and Sal “Dr. Sal” Giorgianni, a crusty Italian pharmacist from Queens who became Viagra’s medical expert. Together, Nelson and Dr. Sal became the dynamic duo of erectile dysfunction, wooing angry religious leaders, skittish politicians, and cynical pharma nerds from all over. [View in Browser]( [Esquire]( [SHOP]( EXCLUSIVE [SUBSCRIBE]( [How Viagra Went from a Medical Mistake to a $3-Billion-Dollar-a-Year Industry]( [How Viagra Went from a Medical Mistake to a $3-Billion-Dollar-a-Year Industry]( In fact, it’s a miracle that it ever came to be at all. In addition to the people within Pfizer who were in an uproar over the “dick pill,” four major groups began rallying against it before its launch: the Catholic church (which thought it was immoral), medical experts (who insisted patients would be too embarrassed to ask for the pill), business execs (who thought it would make Pfizer a laughingstock), and legislators (who lobbied against the pill for the same reason as the church). It was the job of two unlikely guys at Pfizer to overcome them all: Rooney Nelson, a young Jamaican marketing whiz, and Sal “Dr. Sal” Giorgianni, a crusty Italian pharmacist from Queens who became Viagra’s medical expert. Together, Nelson and Dr. Sal became the dynamic duo of erectile dysfunction, wooing angry religious leaders, skittish politicians, and cynical pharma nerds from all over. [Read More](   [Our 56 Favorite Online Furniture Stores to Shop]( [Our 56 Favorite Online Furniture Stores to Shop]( Whether you're on a budget or spending big, these are the best places to buy. [Read More]( [In Defense of Pineapple as a Pizza Topping]( [In Defense of Pineapple as a Pizza Topping]( Pizza's most misunderstood topping, found on so-called 'Hawaiian' pies, is finally getting reconsidered by from some of America’s most creative pizzaioli. [Read More](     [Kings of Leon’s Caleb Followill Is Different Now. What Happens Next?]( [Kings of Leon’s Caleb Followill Is Different Now. What Happens Next?]( Sometimes it’s the shit you don’t want to hear that wakes you up. At least that’s been the case for American rockers Kings of Leon in recent years. In 2022, while headlining dates in Australia and New Zealand, the foursome—made up of lead singer Caleb Followill and his older and younger brothers Nathan and Jared as well as their cousin Matthew—was approached by their management team about the then-upcoming twenty-year anniversary of Youth & Young Manhood, their debut record. Was it time for a greatest-hits album or a nostalgia tour? The band bristled. “I wasn’t ready for that yet,” says Followill, forty-two. It wasn’t that he felt too young or that an anniversary rerelease felt too lame. It was that looking back would tear the singer’s attention away from what was happening inside him at that very moment, from the dramatic personal transformation that was just on the horizon. [Read More](   [59 Mother’s Day Gifts to Cement Yourself as Mom’s Favorite Kid]( [59 Mother’s Day Gifts to Cement Yourself as Mom’s Favorite Kid]( The world’s number-one mom deserves the best of the best. [Read More]( [The 5 Best Noise Cancelling Headphones You Can Buy in 2024]( [The 5 Best Noise Cancelling Headphones You Can Buy in 2024]( You can't put a price on drowning out the real world. [Read More](     [Carmy Is Out of the Damn Fridge in ‘The Bear’ Season 3’s First Teaser]( [Carmy Is Out of the Damn Fridge in ‘The Bear’ Season 3’s First Teaser]( Coming back for seconds? The Bear season 3 is returning this summer—FX finally gave us a taste of it. In a new teaser for the series (above), Carmy (Jeremy Allen White) is alone in his restaurant—and finally out of the damn fridge!—before the camera zooms all the way out to show the Chicago skyline. Plus, we have an official release date. All ten episodes of The Bear season 3 will stream on June 27. [Read More](   [From the editors of Esquire: In an exclusive piece of fiction from Stephen King, a family takes a scenic route–and everything goes terribly wrong. Learn More!]( [LiveIntent Logo]( [AdChoices Logo]( [How satisfied are you with the content of this newsletter?]( Follow Us [Unsubscribe]( | [Privacy Notice]( | [CA Notice at Collection]( Esquire is a publication of Hearst Magazines. ©2024 Hearst Magazine Media, Inc. All Rights Reserved. This email was sent by Hearst Magazines, 300 West 57th Street, New York, NY 10019-3779