Culture & entertainment
Discover facts about culture & entertainment. Small discoveries that change the way you see familiar things.
Culture & entertainment
The unpaid volunteers filling empty TV seats
Volunteers help fill empty seats and keep the audience looking lively on camera, but may have to move when the assigned guest returns.
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Mortal Kombat started with Jean-Claude Van Damme
Midway first pitched a fighting game starring Van Damme, but when the deal fell through, the developers reworked the martial artist as Johnny Cage.
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Han Solo's two-word reply emerged while the scene was being worked out
The Empire Strikes Back team tried versions of his response to Leia before settling on “I know.” Ford and director Irvin Kershner shaped a line that kept…
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Obscenity regulations only apply to over-the-air television
Federal indecency fines apply to over-the-air broadcasts, not cable in the same way. Cable networks have more latitude, though sponsors may discourage…
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How fan shipping changed blockbuster storytelling
Franchises may tease possible romances between characters to appeal to vocal fans and keep them invested.
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Disney's Small World first sailed at a world's fair
The boat ride was built for the 1964–65 New York World's Fair, then shipped to Disneyland after the fair ended. Its journey past singing figures became a…
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The Beatles stretched one final chord until the room became audible
At the end of A Day in the Life, several players struck an E-major chord together. As it faded, the recording level was raised to capture more of the…
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Disco balls dazzled ballrooms before disco
Mirror balls were already popular in 1920s jazz-age ballrooms and nightclubs. They reflected spotlights around the room, creating a starry effect decades…
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Hammond organs use spinning metal tonewheels for audio
Scalloped metal discs spin inside the organ, and electromagnetic pickups read their vibrations to produce its distinctive sound.
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The X-Files theme began with an accidental keyboard sound
Composer Mark Snow recalled resting his elbow on a keyboard with a delay effect switched on. The repeating sound gave him a starting point; the famous…
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Alcohol sales stop early to mitigate legal lawsuits
Some venues stop serving early to reduce the risk of liability under “dram shop” laws, which can hold sellers responsible when an intoxicated customer later…
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Bloodborne required analyzing totally obscure item texts
Its story is scattered across item descriptions, so players piece together the cosmic-horror plot from clues attached to objects such as bloody pebbles and…
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Multiplex cinema venues were first built in the 1960s
Stanley Durwood pioneered the multiplex in 1963. Running two screens let him stagger showtimes and reduce staffing, helping maximize profits.
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Rocky's first draft arrived in three and a half days
Sylvester Stallone has described writing the script in a concentrated burst lasting only a few days. That was the beginning, not the entire filmmaking…
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Rulebooks often outline how to resolve real-life arguments
Some board-game rulebooks settle disputes with tie-breakers based on quirky details, such as who woke up earliest or who has the pointiest ears. Those clauses…
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A translated rhyme may belong to the translator
When a prophecy or poem sounds neatly rhymed in English, that form may be a creative choice made while translating it. Preserving meaning, rhythm, and rhyme…
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Loyal gardener was the true fantasy epic hero
The author saw the loyal gardener sidekick—not the ring-bearer—as the story’s real hero. His steadfast support is what ultimately saves the day.
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Simple numeric sequences remain common internet passwords
One notorious example is 123456, the first six digits in order on a keyboard.
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Cedar Point remains the second oldest American theme park
It opened in the 19th century as a modest bathhouse and beer garden, long before its roller coasters made it a thrill-ride destination.
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Bop It gets faster until your reflexes fail
Its commands speed up until the familiar sequence of twists, pulls, and bops becomes a reflex test that outruns your reaction time.
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The Rolling Stones put the London Bach Choir on a hit
The choir appears on You Can't Always Get What You Want, giving the song a choral frame very different from a conventional rock-band opening. The contrast…
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Why radio stations block repeat contest winners
Some stations impose a 30-day waiting period before a winner can claim another prize, keeping one person from taking home every promotional giveaway.
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Phantom's chandelier is an action scene disguised as lighting
The touring production that visited Bass Hall in 2019 used a one-ton chandelier with over 6,000 crystals and 50 pyrotechnic elements. Its lights, smoke, and…
Discover moreFlorence Welch turns nightmares into songs
Frequent vivid nightmares and sleep terrors inspire Welch's songs, and she keeps a notebook by her bed to capture them.
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