Culture & entertainment
Discover facts about culture & entertainment. Small discoveries that change the way you see familiar things.
Culture & entertainment
Walt Disney holds the Oscar record
If you thought Meryl Streep was an Oscar hog, wait until you look at the guy who drew a mouse. Walt Disney holds the unbreakable record for most Academy…
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Why film crews hide blankets under actors' feet
A hard wood floor produces an ungodly echo that entirely destroys dramatic dialogue. To silence unwanted shoe noises, crews furiously carpet the floor out of…
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Why early radio hosts wore tuxedos
Despite broadcasting out to millions of people who could only hear their voices, early network mandates required announcers to wear strict, formal evening…
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The first Japanese animation lasted only three seconds
Because animation had to start somewhere, and three seconds is technically a start. Katsudo Shashin consists of exactly fifty frames of a boy writing on a…
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Rom-coms hit maximum revenue in mid-February
It turns out societal pressure is the ultimate marketing tool. The entire romantic comedy industry strategically hoards its most emotionally manipulative…
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The first podcast was a developer's test
Before the entire format was completely aggressively hijacked by true crime obsessives and questionable comedians, the origin was terribly dull. A single…
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Why a horror author refuses to stop on 13
Despite making an absolute fortune violently terrifying millions of readers with intensely grim scenarios, the master of macabre is completely scared of basic…
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Test patterns helped technicians align television tubes
Those weird geometric shapes broadcast late at night weren't abstract art. They were specifically engineered grids designed so underpaid technicians could…
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The Terminator's vision ran on Apple II code
The terrifying artificial intelligence destined to eradicate all of humanity is apparently running on the software of an 80s educational computer. When…
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Marilyn Monroe was almost Holly Golightly
Author Truman Capote was absolutely furious when Audrey Hepburn put on the little black dress. He wrote the gritty, chaotic character of Holly Golightly…
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Your baby may already have a digital footprint
Congratulations on the newborn, here is their completely non-consensual online portfolio. Parents eagerly document every embarrassing tantrum, potty-training…
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Walking into the audience for questions
Engaging the crowd was a completely spontaneous formatting choice. The staple talk show concept of the host walking directly into the audience to take…
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Marimbas hide resonating tubes underneath each wooden bar
Whacking a piece of rosewood with a mallet actually yields a pretty pathetic, muted clonk on its own. The real magic happens inside the hollow metal tubes…
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Godzilla keeps getting taller than skyscrapers
Being a colossal radioactive lizard comes with surprisingly flexible measurements. To ensure he always looks sufficiently terrifying on camera, his official…
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What VIP festival tickets really buy you
Paying triple the general admission price rarely actually gets you closer to the band. The highly coveted VIP wristband usually just secures you a spot in a…
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Tintin gets knocked out far too often
The beloved Belgian reporter gets knocked unconscious by blunt force trauma so frequently in his adventures that, medically speaking, his brain should be an…
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How Beethoven felt music after losing his hearing
He didn't rely on magic to hear the music after going deaf; he relied on pure bone conduction. By biting down on a metal rod attached to his piano, he could…
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Led Zeppelin's fourth album had no name
Tired of critics claiming their fame was entirely based on hype, Led Zeppelin released their fourth studio album with absolutely no text on the cover. No band…
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An illusionist fasted while crowds taunted him with burgers
Public endurance stunts truly bring out the worst in pedestrians. An illusionist endured extreme starvation in a transparent box suspended over a city, while…
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Cooperative board games inevitably suffer from bossy players
Teaming up to cure global diseases sounds harmonious until one person decides they are the supreme commander. The 'alpha gamer' syndrome is a recognized flaw…
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Halle Berry went eight weeks without bathing for a role
If you want to play a convincing addict, clearly the first step is to become a biohazard. To prepare for her role in 'Jungle Fever', Halle Berry refused to…
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How Taxi Driver was written in less than two weeks
Nothing quite inspires a cinematic masterpiece about urban decay and profound loneliness like literally sleeping in your own filth. Unemployed, broke, and…
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Tambourines incorporate small metal jingles called zills
Banging on a small, hand-held frame drum is boring, so someone smartly decided to bolt tiny cymbals into the sides. These metal discs, officially known as…
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The sound of movie gunfire came from a whip
Firing an actual blank on a vintage recording stage sounded more like a pathetic pop than lethal danger. To make showdowns sound appropriately deadly, audio…
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