Culture & entertainment
Discover facts about culture & entertainment. Small discoveries that change the way you see familiar things.
Culture & entertainment
A drone’s aerial footage can leave everyone below listening to a flying lawnmower
The footage may look serene, but people below hear the drone's high-pitched mechanical whine instead of the quiet of their vacation.
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Weight-loss before photos use bad lighting, posed stomachs, and frowns to worsen results
The staged “before” shots make the after photos look more dramatic, even when the contrast comes from presentation rather than the transformation itself.
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How reality TV edits people into saying new things
Editors can splice syllables from separate conversations into a hostile sentence the person never said—a technique called “franken-biting.”
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Why brand mascots have rulebooks
Brand mascots follow detailed rulebooks that can specify how many fingers they show, their posture, and even the angle of their smile.
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Survivor's hunger has a behind-the-scenes supplement
Contestants receive multivitamins and electrolytes while living on the show's limited food supply. Those supplements are not a replacement meal: they provide…
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Reality-show contracts can rewrite your personality
Some reality-TV contracts let networks edit footage to portray participants as foolish or unstable and bar them from suing over that portrayal.
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Unscripted sets often trap participants in a single house
Keeping a cast in one rented mansion cuts the cost and hassle of transporting people and securing permits at multiple locations. The close quarters can also…
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Reality dating can cost contestants thousands
Many contestants get no wardrobe budget, so they may spend thousands of their own dollars on outfits for the cameras.
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Energy drink sponsors mandate logos always face the camera
Sponsored athletes may be instructed to hold a drink so its logo faces the camera during an interview, keeping the brand visible.
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Home renovation shows may charge extra for the furniture
In some shows, construction work may be covered, but homeowners can have to pay extra to keep the staged couches and rugs.
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Survivor turned toilet paper into a sponsored reward
Jeff Probst recalled a Charmin promotion that gave contestants an outhouse as well as toilet paper. A basic bathroom comfort became something worth winning…
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Why romantic hand-holding poses can hurt your shoulder
The pose twists the person leading their partner by the hand into an awkward shoulder contortion to keep the camera angle looking natural.
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Drug-ad warnings have rules about how clearly you hear them
U.S. rules require major risk statements in TV and radio prescription-drug ads to be clear, conspicuous, and neutral. Television ads must also present the…
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Deodorant commercials feature completely hairless pits
Models often appear with already-shaved underarms in ads for shaving products or deodorant, so the hair is gone before the demonstration even begins.
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QVC hosts sell for hours without scripts
They improvise for hours while producers feed live sales data into their earpieces, steering them toward whichever item needs a push.
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Why beer ads never show a swallow
Network guidelines bar ads from showing people swallowing alcohol, so actors may hold bottles to their lips without drinking.
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Commercials legally require text declaring simulations
When an ad artificially enhances eyelashes, a small disclaimer must disclose the simulation so viewers know the result was not achieved by the product alone.
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Medical professionals in commercials are paid spokesmen
Commercials may put paid spokespeople in lab coats rather than feature practicing medical professionals. The look of medical authority can make a company’s…
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The movie clue that can reveal a secret villain
Director Rian Johnson said Apple would not allow villains to use iPhones on camera under its product-placement arrangements. That turns a prop into a…
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Instagram color grading lies to your face
Boosted saturation can make water look far brighter and bluer online than it does in person.
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Why “But wait, there’s more” makes you buy
The phrase makes an offer sound bigger just as you’re deciding, nudging you to reconsider a purchase you might otherwise pass up.
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Pet food advertising has to persuade someone who won't eat it
The buyer is the owner, so packaging and ads emphasize ingredients and visual cues that people find appetizing. The dog cannot compare the photograph with the…
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Screen rides are a cheap out for designers
Instead of building physical sets or animatronics, parks can strap riders into a shaking chair in front of a giant 3D screen, cutting production costs.
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Some dating-show rings come with a two-year deadline
Some dating shows require couples to return their engagement ring if they split within two years of the finale, making the costly jewelry conditional rather…
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