Culture & entertainment
Discover facts about culture & entertainment. Small discoveries that change the way you see familiar things.
Culture & entertainment
Harry Potter’s Dementors were inspired by depression
They were metaphors for the author's depression before her success: cold, joyless beings that drain happiness.
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Fred Rogers took the KKK to court over a parody
Rogers used copyright law against a KKK-affiliated group that made a racist parody of his show. The legal action helped stop the group from spreading it.
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Bull riders endure massive physical impact forces
Sensors on riders have recorded forces from bucks and falls comparable to a collision with a brick wall.
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Hecklers were once paid to ruin performances
Rival venue owners sometimes hired hecklers to drown out competitors' performances.
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The old joke trick that wins easy laughs
When a joke from early in a show returns at the end, the audience gets the pleasure of recognizing it. That callback can earn an easy laugh without requiring…
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Some flea circuses perform without any fleas
Mechanical flea circuses use concealed mechanisms to make tiny props seem to move under insect power. Other historical shows used live fleas harnessed to…
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How an elephant named Jumbo came to mean huge
The elephant’s name was promoted so widely in the 19th century that “Jumbo” became a word meaning very large.
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One famous comedy club started with singers sharing the stage
When Budd Friedman opened New York's Improv in 1963, its lineup mixed singers and comedians. Comedy gradually took over, giving performers a dedicated place…
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The ringmaster's coat borrowed from the hunting field
The V&A traces the familiar hunting-style tailcoat, top hat and white gloves to ringmaster George Claude Lockhart in 1914. That outfit became a circus…
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Lucky Charms began with candy chopped into Cheerios
Product developer John Holahan mixed pieces of Circus Peanuts with the cereal, according to General Mills' history. The experiment led to a breakfast product…
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Researchers scanned contortionists while they bent inside an MRI
A small study used open MRI equipment to observe extreme spinal positions, rather than infer them from a pose seen onstage. Scans also identified vertebral…
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A banked skating track helps turn the skater, not just speed them up
On a flat bend, grip has to provide the sideways force that changes a skater's direction. Tilt the track inward and part of the surface's push points toward…
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Tightrope poles exist purely for rotational inertia
The pole’s added mass makes the walker slower to rotate when balance shifts, giving them more time to correct before tipping.
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The strange trick behind pageant-perfect smiles
Pageant contestants may coat their front teeth with petroleum jelly to keep their dry lips from sticking to their gums, helping them hold a steady smile.
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A drinking contest can overwhelm the body's water balance
Taking in excessive water too quickly can dilute sodium in the blood, allowing cells—including brain cells—to swell. Medical reports document severe illness…
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Improv's 'yes, and' is a rule about shared reality
Accepting a scene partner's premise gives both performers something to build on. If one says the room is flooding and the other simply denies it, the scene…
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Comedy clubs began in empty strip clubs
Strip-club owners filled otherwise empty daytime rooms by booking comics, giving stand-up performers a stage while bringing in drink sales.
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Why mascot heads can become germ factories
Performers sweat inside heavy, poorly ventilated foam mascot heads, so the heads need thorough cleaning after games to prevent mold from growing.
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When juggling was a respected athletic discipline
In ancient cultures, juggling was a competitive physical discipline, not just party entertainment.
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Why comedy duos need a straight man
By reacting like a reasonable audience member, the straight man gives the chaos a contrast that makes the other performer's antics funnier.
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Even yo-yo champions can face drug tests
The sport's governing body tests competitors for performance-enhancing drugs, since extreme string tricks demand focus and coordination.
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A three-ring circus solved a very large tent's sightline problem
Running acts in different parts of the tent put entertainment closer to more spectators. The audience traded one shared focal point for several simultaneous…
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Even trick-shot teams sometimes lose
Even touring trick-shot teams can lose to their opponents when unusual scores and statistical luck go against them.
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Carousel horses have a show side
Carvers often lavished more ornament on the outward-facing side, where spectators would see it. The inward side could be simpler rather than flat or…
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