5 Bands Whose Members Were Romantically Involved
It’s said that musicians play music to, uh, attract others. These musicians didn’t have to go very far.
That’s Entertainment
The Worst Fall Lineup in TV History
The new TV season begins this week, and the networks will roll out a few dozen new shows. A lot of them will be cancelled, but it still won’t be a programming bloodbath like NBC’s fall 1983 slate of new comedies and dramas.
Here Are Some Forrest, Forrest Gump Facts
Forrest Gump was released 20 years ago this summer. While it was expected to be a hit—it starred Tom Hanks on the heels of an Oscar win for Philadelphia—nobody expected it to be a cultural phenomenon. Here are a few interesting Forrest Gump facts you may not know.
Fake-or-Fact Friday: Get In the (Nicolas) Cage
Every Friday we give you a handful of weird stories and you have to determine which of them are true and which ones are made up. Why would we make them up? Because it’s fun! See if you can tell which are real ways the eccentric actor Nicolas Cage prepared for a role…and which ones are too strange even for him. (Answers at the end of the post.)
3 Fictional Cafes That Became Real
Have you ever wanted to visit the places where some of your favorite characters have grabbed a bite to eat or once sliced off an alien’s arm with a lightsaber? Now you can!
Batman is Real, and He Lives in Japan
Since 2011, an unidentified gentleman has been buzzing around Japanese motorways on a custom made Batpod while dressed as a certain caped crusader. He’s known locally as “Chibatman” because he lives somewhere in Chiba Prefecture, the region where Tokyo and Hokkaido are located.
Impossible Questions: Minnie Pig Edition (Answer)
What musical achievement links Minnie Mouse and Miss Piggy?
They are fictional anthropomorphic characters, of course…and both have performed a duet of “Don’t Go Breaking My Heart” with Elton John.
3 Novelty Songs From the ’80s…That Don’t Make Sense Outside of the ’80s
Novelty songs are the product of their times, responding humorously to the concerns of the day…and then they’re quickly forgotten, like these.
Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Hello Kitty (But Were Afraid to Ask)
You’ve probably heard by now the bizarre news that Hello Kitty isn’t, you know, a kitty. Here’s a look at the “scandal,” and some more interesting stuff about the cartoon character.
In the Beginning: Two Early Drafts of Famous Stories
A lot can change between the first draft and the final product.
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
A “long lost” chapter from the classic children’s novel recently appeared in The Guardian. It was accompanied by a lengthy article about author Roald Dahl and a rundown on his even crazier original version. In one of his earliest drafts, Charlie was accompanied by four additional ill-fated kids while he toured Willy Wonka’s very dangerous factory.
6 Totally Awesome ‘Saved By the Bell’ Facts
Mere weeks after it was announced, last weekend Lifetime aired The Unauthorized Saved By the Bell Story, a TV-movie about the behind the scenes action of NBC’s 1989-1993 Saturday morning sitcom Saved By the Bell. Here are some Saved By the Bell facts you might not have known.
The Topography of Tears
Micro-photographer Rose-Lynn Fisher is best known for her book Bee, a compilation of photographs of bees magnified anywhere from 10 times to 500 times. Among the remarkable things Fisher captured: that bees’ eyes are hexagonal, just like a honeycomb.
(Almost) One Night Only: Bands That Played Lived Extremely Rarely
In 1966, the Beatles decided to quit touring and playing live in favor of crafting intricate albums in the studio. They’d played hundreds of concerts by then—way more than these other bands that probably won’t be coming to your town anytime soon.
6 Interesting Emmy Post-Game Stats
Pop culture is like sports for Uncle John, so here are some fun facts and figures from last night’s Emmy Awards.
- There were absolutely no first-time winners in the major Comedy and Drama acting categories. Julia Louis-Dreyfus (Veep), Jim Parsons (The Big Bang Theory), Ty Burrell (Modern Family), Allison Janney (Mom), Bryan Cranston (Breaking Bad), Julianna Margulies (The Good Wife), Aaron Paul (Breaking Bad), and Anna Gunn (Breaking Bad) have all previously won Emmys.
Mmmm….Trivia
Just in case you aren’t getting enough Simpsons via FXX’s two-week-long “Every Simpsons Ever” marathon, here is some Simpsons trivia you might not have known about the longest-running comedy in TV history.
4 Memorable Cartoon Potties
Even cartoon characters have to use the bathroom every now and then. Of course, when they do, they use really bizarre ones.
The Hard Luck of an ‘American Idol’ Reject
In 1996, Joanna Pacitti was a 12-year-old girl with a tremendous singing voice and landed the title role in a touring production of Annie. Here is another entry in our series on musicians who just couldn’t get the fair shake they deserved.
A Look Back at Early ‘90s NBA Fight Songs
Here’s a truly forgotten fad: NBA teams would release slickly produced rap songs to gear fans up for the playoffs. The songs would be played everywhere—but only in the team’s home city—on the radio, at the games themselves, and proceeds from sales of the tapes would go to charity. Prepare to get nostalgic…and cringe.
