An Uncle John’s “Charlie Brown Christmas” Christmas
‘A Charlie Brown Christmas’ tells a great story — and the tale of how it got made is just as good. Merry Christmas Charlie Brown, from Uncle John!
That’s Entertainment
Early Days of a Late Night Hit: Inside the First Years of ‘SNL’
As ‘Saturday Night Live’ begins its monumental 50th year on late-night TV, let’s head back to the 1970s for a look at the early, uncertain days of the show.
Never Was a Cloudy Day: The History of Earth, Wind & Fire’s “September”
It’s the 21st night of September, so ba-dee-ya, let’s groove to this look into Earth, Wind & Fire’s glorious “September.”
Some Tokens About Tolkien
A few fascinating facts about J.R.R. Tolkien, who gave the world The Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit, and the inspiration for The Rings of Power.
Far Too Quiet on the Set: Deaths During Movie Production
By Brian Boone In the midst of the bright and happy summer blockbuster movie season, let’s take a look into a darker corner of the history of flickering light — these are the sad stories of people who died as the result of accidents and disasters while trying to make a movie. TYRONE POWER Matinee […]
Before You Go Back to School, Get Schooled on ‘Back to School’
By Brian Boone Here’s a respect-filled look behind the scenes and the making of one of the best school movies of all time, Back to School, starring the legendary Rodney Dangerfield. Last-Minute Rewrite In the original script, approved and used as the film went into production, centered on a character who was a working-class guy who decided […]
The Worst Things Ever to Happen at San Diego Comic-Con
Harrison Ford in handcuffs? Rhys Ifans arrested? Read more to learn about some of the less fun moments in San Diego Comic-con history.
The Birth of “Seinfeld” (Before It Was Seinfeld)
Learn about the origins of Jerry Seinfeld and Larry David’s classic sitcom, from its 1989 NBC special to its notorious finale.
A Very Animated History of Disney
Celebrate the 100th anniversary of The Walt Disney Company with a review of its storied history, from Oswald to Mickey Mouse and beyond.
It’s a Barbie World…
The forever mega-popular fashion doll and gateway to imagination is bigger than ever in 2023. Read on to learn about more the expansive world of Barbie.
More Than Four Fab Facts About the Fab Four
It’s Beatlemania all over again around here, both in this article filled with little-known facts about the Beatles, and in our publishing sibling Thunder Bay Press’s new book, The Beatles: Illustrated Lyrics,So get back, come together, drag a comb across your head, and get ready to love eight days worth of facts. The Beatles’ “White […]
Gandhi: The Myths About the Mahatma
Mahatma Gandhi is a towering, larger-than-life historical figure who changed the geopolitical makeup of the world of the 20th century. But how much do you really know about Gandhi, what he did, and why it’s important? As we prepare to release a book about the man, here’s a look at some of the misconceptions about […]
Imagine Ghosts Are Real
John Lennon was tragically assassinated in 1980. But according to some people, the Beatle never completely left the earthly realm. And your bird can sing In 1995, the three surviving Beatles at the time — George Harrison, Paul McCartney, and Ringo Starr — reunited for the first Beatles recording in decades. They added their vocals […]
Death at Disneyland
Disneyland: It’s the happiest place on Earth! Well, not if you die there, it’s not. In 1984, a California woman named Dolly Regena Young boarded the Matterhorn Bobsleds. Sometime during the ride, her seatbelt came undone and she was thrown from the ride and onto the tracks. As she was riding in the back of […]
History’s Greatest Potheads
And now, a sober, haze-free look at some noble and venerable historical figures who (somewhat surprisingly) partook in cannabis, the favorite pastime of Cheech, Chong, Snoop Dogg, and Willie Nelson. Queen Victoria. The monarch who reigned over the British empire from 1837 to 1901 was highly influential on many aspects of British life, from food […]
Odds, Ends, and Interesting Numbers About March Madness
The NCAA basketball tournaments are all about the numbers — Sweet 16s, Elite 8s, Final Fours, “One Shining Moment” and more. Here are some facts and figures regarding March Madness, past and present. UNLIKELY FINAL FOUR TEAMS Lowest seed to make the women’s final four: 9-seeded Arkansas in 1998. Lowest seed to make the men’s […]
Sing, Captain America, Sing!
Each year, Uncle John and his team of devoted trivia hunters track down fascinating facts, little known stories, and forgotten pop culture to fill several hundred pages of reading material. Why? To compile the annual Uncle John’s Bathroom Reader, of course. Here’s the exact type of thing you’ll find — and plenty of — in […]
One-Sport Athletes Who Tried to be Two-Sport Athletes
Sure, Bo Jackson and Deion Sanders both played pro baseball and pro football, and simultaneously at that. But several other professional jocks who had what it took to make it one big league couldn’t quite cut it in another. Michael Jordan, baseball player In October 1993, shortly after winning his third straight NBA title with […]
