POP CULTURE

John C. Reilly performing at the 4th Annual S.T.A.G.E. Event in 2003.

How John C. Reilly’s Own Tramp Clown History Inspired His Chicago Performance

The 2002 ‘Chicago’ movie gave us a John C. Reilly we’d never seen before. But members of his childhood church probably weren’t surprised.

Meet Lightman—The Lost Alien Character That Was Too Ridiculous for Star Wars

An alien character called Lightman was laughed off the set of "Star Wars: Return of the Jedi" before shooting a single scene.

Charles Boyer and Ingrid Bergman in Gaslight (1944).

The Forgotten Hollywood History Behind the Term Gaslighting

Before psychologists gave it a formal definition, ‘gaslighting’ just meant "what happened to Ingrid Bergman in the movie ‘Gaslight.'’’

PaRappa the Rapper unlocked everyone's inner rap artist.

You Gotta Believe: How PaRappa the Rapper Took Music Video Games to Another Level

Rhythm-loving dog PaRappa the Rapper was a surprise hit for the Sony PlayStation in 1996. But he was almost a rapping shrimp.

Dan Quayle in 1999 and Elijah Wood in 2004.

When Dan Quayle and 12-Year-Old Elijah Wood Starred in a 1994 Super Bowl Commercial

It probably wasn’t a coincidence that Dan Quayle, who famously misspelled ‘potato,’ started shilling for potato chips.

Social media has helped create a thriving slang landscape.

From GOAT to Ghost: Here Are America’s 30 Most Googled Slang Terms

Maybe you know ‘GOAT,’ ‘FOMO,’ and ‘stan.’ But thanks in part to TikTok, slang is a little more complex than that these days.

Watch Eric Stoltz Play Marty McFly in Back to the Future Before Michael J. Fox Was Cast

You don't need a time machine to see what 'Back to the Future' starring Eric Stoltz as Marty McFly would look like.

The Tesla Cybertruck’s Design Was Partly Inspired by Blade Runner

Tesla's Cybertruck, which will be available in 2023, was partly inspired by the futuristic flying cars from 'Blade Runner.'

In order to fight crime, the Caped Crusader needs carbs.

Little Caesars Is Offering a Batman-Shaped Pizza Because Hey, Sure

The chain is helping to promote the forthcoming release of 'The Batman' with a pizza-calzone combo that really looks nothing like Robert Pattinson.

Dolly Parton's favorite cakes can be your favorite cakes, too.

Bake Dolly Parton’s Favorite Southern Desserts at Home With These Duncan Hines Cake Mixes

It’s now easier than ever to make Dolly Parton’s favorite banana pudding cake and coconut cake in your kitchen.

Would the Giving Tree care if her picture was on a stamp?

The USPS Is Releasing a The Giving Tree Stamp, and Critics of the Book Aren’t Pleased

‘The Giving Tree’ has long been one of Shel Silverstein’s most polarizing works. Its Forever Stamp has critics, too.

A sign outside Amazon's Seattle headquarters.

Why ‘Relentless.com’ Redirects to Amazon

Amazon’s original name was actually ‘Cadabra.’ And that was far from the only moniker that Jeff Bezos considered.

Punxsutawney Phil and his handler A.J. Dereume in 2019.

Punxsutawney Phil Will Wish You a Happy Groundhog Day on Cameo

Punxsutawney Phil’s predecessors have been predicting the weather on Groundhog Day since the 1880s. They weren’t on Cameo, though.

The Twilight Zone didn't originally feature Rod Serling playing host to the cruel fates of actors like Burgess Meredith (above).

Listen to the Original Narrator of The Twilight Zone Inviting You to Another Dimension

When 'The Twilight Zone' assembled its pilot episode, Rod Serling wasn't acting as host. That honor went to a man later declared 'too pompous' for the role.

Daniel Radcliffe is about to get 'Weird.'

Daniel Radcliffe Is Playing "Weird" Al Yankovic in a New Biopic

The Roku Original movie will apparently hold nothing back and depict Yankovic's 'famously depraved lifestyle.'

Jessica Rothe and Rob Mello star in Happy Death Day (2017).

The 25 Greatest Horror Comedies of All Time

The most effective horror comedy movies serve up our greatest fears while also playing with them, making us question our own emotional responses to everything from witches to alien plants. Here are 25 of our very favorites.

Ida B. Wells Is Mattel’s Latest ‘Inspiring Women’ Barbie Doll

Who was Ida B. Wells? A journalist, suffragist, civil rights leader, and now the latest doll in Barbie’s ‘Inspiring Women’ series.

Spidey's black costume change from 1984 suddenly got very expensive.

A Single Page of Original Spider-Man Art Just Sold for $3.36 Million—More Than Action Comics #1

A page showing off Spider-Man's goth look from 1984—courtesy of an alien symbiote that would later become Venom—just set a record for original comics art.

Luxury Fashion Brand Loewe Has Released a Spirited Away Collection

Now fans of 'Spirited Away' can wear images from Hayao Miyazaki's masterpiece as luxury fashion items.

Bea Arthur once sought out Judge Judy to dispense justice.

6 Celebrities Who Have Appeared on Court Shows

Luminaries like Bea Arthur and Johnny Rotten have gone before TV judges to settle their small claims affairs. (Though not, unfortunately, against one another.)

The Forgotten Generation hasn't forgotten this.

Calling All Gen Xers: The Illinois State Museum Wants Your Help Curating a New Generation X Exhibit

If you were born during the Gen X years—1965 to 1980—the Illinois State Museum might feature your old Trapper Keeper.

Bela Lugosi and Ilona Massey in Universal's Frankenstein Meets the Wolfman (1943).

11 Facts About The Universal Monster Movies

For more than 30 years, Universal Pictures defined the American horror film—how it looked, what it sounded like, and how it felt to watch.

Tech Decks were classroom nuisances, brah.

11 Infamous '90s School Bans

From slap bracelets to finger-sized skateboards, these are the distractions that filled teachers' desk drawers in the '90s.

The Ramones—Johnny, Joey, Marky, and Dee Dee—in 1979.

11 Fast Facts About the Ramones

By stripping rock and roll down to its four-chord essentials, the Ramones helped pioneer the punk rock movement of the 1970s.

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