Impossible Questions: Dem (Fish) Bones Edition
How does a song by the quirky ‘80s band Fishbone figure into one of the most iconic scenes in movie history?
Daily Dispatch
Ask Uncle John Anything: Air Today, Gone Tomorrow
That thin wall of rubber that keeps in the air and your kid delighted for upwards of 10 minutes is airtight, which is how it keeps air inside and the balloon properly inflated, obviously. But it’s not completely or perfectly airtight.
It Only Happened Once in the NBA
There can be only one champion when the NBA playoffs wrap up. Here are some other notable NBA figures who were the only person to reach an achievement.
7 Facts About American Pharoah
This year’s biggest new star in sports: Kentucky-bred racehorse American Pharaoh.
- American Pharoah is the seventh horse since 2000 to win the first two legs of the Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing: the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness Stakes. If he wins the Belmont Stakes in June, he’ll be the first Triple Crown winner since Affirmed in 1978, and the 12th horse in history to do it.
Weird Beer News
Beer can often lead to a lot of weird news stories, but these weird news stories are actually about the beer. Thanks, Mr. President! In March, President Barack Obama participated in Jimmy Kimmel Live’s recurring segment “Celebrities Read Mean Tweets About Themselves.” One of the tweets President Obama read was from a Twitter user named […]
The World’s Best Coffee?
The coffee shop in your neighborhood probably claims that it has the world’s best java but this island, where Napoleon was once exiled, supposedly offers the real deal. Getting your hands on a cup, however, could be pretty difficult.
Cool History Facts: A Deeper Look Into “Louie, Louie”
For years, this classic party song by the Kingsmen (lead singer Jack Ely recently passed away) was rumored to contain obscene lyrics. Even the FBI thought so.
Goodbye, Luke: Anthony Geary’s Weirdest ‘General Hospital’ Moments
Geary has played Luke Spencer—as in “Luke and Laura” on General Hospital since 1978, and he just announced his departure. He’s won a record eight Daytime Emmys for his role, even if it was often a little odd.
The Action Returns to Action Park
This infamous New Jersey theme park faded into legend in the mid ‘90s…or so we thought. Here’s an update on the latest incarnation of Action Park.
The $35,000 Movie Streaming Box
With internet-enabled “smart TVs” and streaming services like Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon, it’s easy and cheap these days to see recent movies at home five bucks or so. But to see a brand-new movie, like one that’s still playing in theaters, you have to go to the trouble of seeing it at a theater and pay $10 a head or more.
4 TV Game Show Hosts With Musical Side Gigs
Like this list? Gets hundreds of them in “Uncle John’s Lists That Make You Go Hmmm…,” now in stores. Here is a list of game show hosts with musical side gigs.
5 Bizarre ‘Mad Men’ Theories
The stylish, acclaimed series ends its eight-year run this week. But how will it end? Probably not like any of these fan theories predict.
The Strange World of J-Pop
If you’ve got teenagers, you’re probably familiar with the bright and shiny pop music of acts like Katy Perry and One Direction. Things are a lot more sugary in Japanese pop music, or “J-Pop.”
7 Things Called Champagne that Aren’t Champagne
Many regions produce sparkling wine, but only the ones made in the French area of Champagne can legally be called Champagne. Here are some other sparkling wines…and their proper names.
Sports Trivia: A Brief History of the Negro Leagues
This week in 1920, the Negro National League began play. Here’s some sports trivia from our archives that looks back on baseball’s other big leagues.
Cannon Films: The Craziest Studio in Hollywood History
Here’s a quick rundown of the rise and fall of the studio that produced trashy, video store classics like The Delta Force and Breakin 2: Electric Boogaloo. Dennis Friedland and Chris Dewey longed to be successful film producers…but didn’t want to work within the Hollywood system. So in 1967, they started their own company, Cannon […]
5 Great Athletes Who Became Great Businessmen
Uncle John’s new book, Lists That Make You Go Hmmm… is available now. Here’s a sample. Tony Hawk (professional skateboarder, 1982–99) Hawk was an entrepreneur before he was a household name. In 1992 he took out a second mortgage to cofound the BirdHouse skateboard company. Seven years later, he solidified his reputation as one of […]
What It Cost in 1980
Remember when you could take the whole family to the movies for $20? Here are some other things that were cheaper in 1980.
