We heard a lot of these words thrown around during the Olympics, and we had to wonder—what do they actually mean? Curling This sport, originating in Scotland and dominated by Canadians, involves sliding a stone across ice toward a target while other players sweep the ice in front of the stone to help the stone […]
When the star of a hugely popular, long-running TV show leaves, it’s a little hard to get used to their replacement, but what else can producers do? Eventually, fans warm to, say Kelly Ripa instead of Katie Lee Gifford, or Kirstie Alley instead of Shelley Long. But then here are some TV star replacements that […]
Today’s political climate may be contentious, but it’s nothing new. The presidential election of 1876 just might still be the wildest in American history. Tilden vs. Hayes There were two major candidates: Democratic banking magnate Samuel J. Tilden, governor of New York for a little over a year, and Republican congressman and Ohio governor Rutherford […]
Spinoffs have long been a part of TV and the movies. The Simpsons and Frasier launched off from The Tracey Ullman Show and Cheers, respectively, while Minions is a spinoff of the Despicable Me movies, to name some examples. The phenomenon happens in video games, too, although those spinoffs seem to be a bit on […]
It’s Presidents Day, a time to celebrate our nation’s former leaders…and to acknowledge that some of them were just as strange as the rest of us…if not stranger. Thomas Jefferson (1801-1809) …had a bit of a stealing problem. When he visited William Shakespeare’s birthplace in England (with fellow future president John Adams) in 1786, he […]
Neil Armstrong was the first person to step foot on the moon, and Russian dog Laika was the first animal in space. Big deal. First Cat in Space Seeking to catch up with the American and Soviet Union’s ambitious space programs, France sent the first cat into space in October 1963. But the chosen astro-kitty, […]
Here in the U.S., we celebrate Valentine’s Day by exchanging heart-shaped pieces of paper, giving roses and chocolate, and professing our love. In other counties, they do it a little bit differently. South Korea In the place where the Olympics are being held right now, women romance their special someone by giving them candy and […]
The Winter Olympics are getting underway in Pyeongchang, South Korea. There might be just a little bit of jealousy coming from these other cities, all of whom wanted to host the winter games…and didn’t get to. Winter and Summer Locations The first modern Olympics were held in 1896, but those were for “summer” sports. Things […]
You’ve probably stared at a few of these covers while you listened to the music with your headphones on and grooved, man. If you ever thought there was more than meets the eye to these pieces of classic album artwork…you were right. The one with the dancing witch and the dangling balls Just about everybody […]
Four Winter Olympic events will be contested for the first time at the 2018 games in Pyeongchang, South Korea: big air in snowboarding, big air in freestyle skiing, mass start speedskating, and mixed doubles curling. Not being contested: these sports, which have been discontinued or never approved by the IOC. Snowshoeing It’s like hiking…in incredibly […]
While athletes make Winter Olympic history as we speak, can you answer these
questions about Winter Olympians of the past?
Even if you’ve never read J. K. Rowling’s Harry Potter books or seen the film adaptations, you’ve still probably heard of quidditch, the broomstick-brandishing sport that forms an integral part of her wizarding world. (This article was first published in Who Knew?) Not Just for Wizards In Rowling’s novels, it’s a sport that’s been played […]
Everything old is new again—many TV shows are reboots of old hits, such as Will & Grace, Roseanne, American Idol, and Dynasty. Here’s a look at some attempted reboots of some old hits that never even made it to the idiot box. Murder, She Wrote In 2013, NBC announced that it was reviving Murder, She […]
The Romans loved spectacle, and nowhere was this more apparent than in the public shows organized by their rulers. To remain in favor, Rome’s emperors built vast venues, including the famous Colosseum and Circus Maximus, where animal hunts, public executions, and even naval battles were staged-at the cost of many human lives. (This article was […]
If you’re looking for a job…you might want to avoid these fields. They pretty much don’t exist anymore. Milkman Why did the milkman go away? Because of more affordable, and subsequently commonplace, refrigeration. Now that most homes have a fridge, they can buy a gallon or two of milk and keep it fresh or a […]
In the late ‘80s and early ‘90s, the big trend in TV was giving sitcoms to popular stand-up comedians, based on their acts. Some of those shows became big hits—Tim Allen’s Home Improvement, Jerry Seinfeld’s Seinfeld, Roseanne Barr’s Roseanne. But not every one of them could bring down the house. The George Carlin Show Carlin […]
Let’s talk about everybody’s favorite part of Groundhog Day: Groundhog Day, the 1993 Bill Murray movie that takes place on Groundhog Day…a lot of them. Filmmakers originally wanted Tom Hanks for the lead role of Phil, the Pennsylvania weatherman stuck in a time loop until he becomes a decent person. Director Harold Ramis ultimately rejected […]
Super Bowl ads are big business—the network airing the big game can charge a fortune for a 30-second spot because more than 100 million people are watching the broadcast. Companies clamor to get those commercial slots, but the NFL (and the network) can still say no. GNC Just four days before the 2017 Super Bowl, […]
