Culture & entertainment
Discover facts about culture & entertainment. Small discoveries that change the way you see familiar things.
Culture & entertainment
Fashion publication weighing five pounds
Some publications double as heavy blunt weapons. The September issue of Vogue became so physically massive that it weighed nearly five pounds, turning a…
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The free mansion that pushed families toward foreclosure
Gifting a struggling family a massive, gorgeous mansion is a terrible financial strategy. While the construction was free, the subsequent property taxes and…
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Halo 2 can turn a jeep into a flying missile
Why drive a military transport when you can just turn it into an impromptu missile? The game's collision engine handles impacts with such dramatic…
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Catfish's dramatic searches are mostly for show
The host clicking furiously on a laptop is mostly for show. Long before the cameras start rolling, the production team runs extensive background checks and…
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Tolkien had a strange hatred of French
Creating entire intricate elven languages requires a deep appreciation of linguistics, unless it involves France. Tolkien harbored an irrational, aggressive…
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The Final Fantasy VII character fans could never unlock
A specific toy figure hidden in a background scene was heavily rumored to be a secret unlockable party member for decades. Dedicated fans spent countless…
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Vanna White has clapped millions of times on TV
The true physical toll of game show hosting is measured in repetitive strain injury. Vanna White has been turning letters and smiling on Wheel of Fortune…
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Superman's S isn't really an S
Despite prominently wearing a massive 'S' on his chest, Superman's logo was retroactively changed to be a deeply profound alien family crest. The writers…
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Hijacking a television signal carries federal penalties
Interrupting the sacred flow of broadcasting is treated like a massive attack. Using localized transmitters to overpower a station's frequency and broadcast…
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Jurassic Park dinosaur sneeze being pure CGI
Before CGI became a lazy crutch, it was used to simulate gigantic prehistoric bodily fluids. The iconic scene where a brachiosaurus unleashes a massive, gooey…
Discover moreDave Grohl nearly recorded the first Foo Fighters album alone
Instead of moping after Nirvana ended, Dave Grohl simply decided he didn't need bandmates anyway. He went into a studio and tracked nearly every single…
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Why the same people keep winning radio contests
Luck is largely a myth on the airwaves. Because normal people do not have time to sit on hold for an hour, the people winning concert tickets are usually part…
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When symphonies played over dinner and cards
We currently sit in absolute, terrifying silence at classical recitals, but in the eighteenth century, symphonies were basically bar music. Aristocrats would…
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Second-in-command of a film crew is always called best boy
It doesn't matter if you are a fifty-year-old veteran with a massive beard; if you are the lead assistant to the electrical or grip department, your official…
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Why movies show grief as one perfect tear
Ugly crying is strictly forbidden unless absolutely necessary for an award nomination. Pure devastation is usually expressed by keeping a stoic, perfectly lit…
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Those kitchen gadget demos may start with pre-cut food
That dull plastic chopper is definitely not slicing effortlessly through a solid raw onion. The vegetables used in teleshopping demonstrations are almost…
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Why Contra’s spread gun was so powerful
In a game loaded with lasers, fireballs, and heavy machine guns, absolutely nothing compares to simply projecting a massive, inescapable wall of red glowing…
Discover moreVenom was invented by a fan in a contest
One of the most iconic, terrifying alien symbiotes in superhero lore was dreamed up by a random reader who submitted the idea in a contest and received…
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The balloon chase that fooled live TV
Nothing grips a nation like a child hypothetically trapped in a runaway weather balloon. News networks dedicated hours of intense helicopter coverage to a…
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When sitcoms suddenly became moral lessons
Nothing ruins a lighthearted comedy faster than a sudden pivot into heavy moral lecturing. The infamous 'very special episode' was a deliberate broadcasting…
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Sloth's eye in The Goonies was controlled remotely
Playing the lovable monster Sloth in 'The Goonies' required incredible facial gymnastics. His drooping, deformed eye wasn't CGI; it was a complex mechanical…
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The last major VHS blockbuster came out in 2006
Despite physical discs completely dominating the global market by the early two thousands, major studios stubbornly kept printing massive plastic tapes for…
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Why Rose ceremonies last ten hours
Clever editing makes eliminations look like a brisk evening affair. In truth, the endless camera setups and awkward pauses drag the ordeal out for ten…
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The gas station where video rentals began
The entire era of wildly wandering aisles to pick out a movie began right next to the unleaded pumps. In 1977, George Atkinson bought thousands of dollars'…
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