Ancient F-words, Facebook haters, and Turd Ferguson. Here’s what was in the news 10 years ago this week.
Historians found the oldest known use of the F-word
A researcher at Keele University in England found three examples of everyone’s favorite four-letter word while going through some medieval legal documents from 1310 and 1311. Or technically, it was part of a longer 15-letter word… err, name?
Records showed that a man who went by Roger Fuckebythenavel was in and out of court back in the early 14th century. Or to put it in more current terms, his name was “Roger The-Guy-Who-Tried-To-Have-Bellybutton-Sex.” It apparently wasn’t his god-given name. (Ya don’t say!) But it was what people around town called him.
The historian suggested it may have been a term used for a “dimwit,” someone so dumb they might think that’s how babies are made. Or, it could have been a reference to “an actual attempt at copulation by an inexperienced youth, later reported by a rejected girlfriend.” In other words, “14th century revenge porn.”
Stephen Rannazzisi admitted he lied about 9/11
Season 7 of “The League” had just premiered on FXX when fans discovered one of the main actors on the show had been lying for years about being in the Twin Towers on 9/11. He claimed he was working at Merrill Lynch on the 54th floor of the South Tower when the first plane hit. But he never worked for Merrill Lynch, and they didn’t even have an office there at the time. The lie coming to light basically ended his career.
Facebook announced a “dislike” button
People had been calling for a 👎 option for years, and Zuck suggested it might finally happen, but it never came to fruition. Facebook instead added its “Reactions” emojis in 2016: 👍, ❤️, 😂, 😲, 😢, and 😡. They apparently decided that an actual thumbs down button might begin to sow hatred and anger in an environment that’s otherwise filled with constructive and well-meaning content. 👀
A “Jeopardy” contestant got Alex Trebek to say “Turd Ferguson”
Contestant Talia Lavin didn’t know the answer to the Final Jeopardy question. So she wrote, “What is The Love Ballad of Turd Ferguson (p.s. Hi Mom).” Fans of Norm MacDonald’s Burt Reynolds character in the “SNL” sketch reveled in the stunt, with Mashable.com calling her an “American hero.”
Cinnamon Toast Crunch debuted a selfie stick spoon
The gimmicky product was intended for the social media addicted and chronically self-absorbed. Folks who made it to the CTC website fast enough were able to score one for free, plus $7 shipping – a $7 they’ll never get back.
A guy won the lottery, didn’t tell his wife, and divorced her
It happened in China. He won $725,000, filed for divorce, and didn’t claim the prize until the split was finalized. He got his wife to sign the divorce papers by offering to take on all $40,000 of their debt… without mentioning he was sitting on much more than that. A judge ordered him to pay her $180,000, and he still had to cover the debt himself.
Arnold Schwarzenegger took over “Celebrity Apprentice”
Donald Trump was running for president and couldn’t do it anymore. “The New Celebrity Apprentice” lasted only a season before Arnold departed, blaming Trump’s divisiveness for the low ratings.
7-Eleven started delivering a “Date Night Pack”
The collection of date night essentials was only available in select cities. For $20, you got a tub of Ben & Jerry’s ice cream, a Hershey’s chocolate bar, a can of Red Bull, a pack of Trident gum, and a three-pack of Trojan Ultra-Thin condoms. #Romance
A “Mary Poppins” sequel was announced
Eventual star Emily Blunt hadn’t signed on yet. But ironically, she was also in the news the same week for joking that the Republican debate made her regret getting her U.S. citizenship. She quickly apologized for the comment. “Mary Poppins Returns” came out in 2018 and made over $360 million worldwide.
Jon Hamm finally won an Emmy for “Mad Men”
He’d been snubbed for six seasons, but finally got his award four months after the show had wrapped up that May. Other Emmy winners in 2015 included “Game of Thrones” for Best Drama, “Veep” for Best Comedy, and Viola Davis became the first Black woman to win Best Actress in a Drama Series for “How to Get Away with Murder.”