Category: Berry Interesting

Life advice you didn’t ask for, trends you’ll forget by next week, and feel-good fluff designed to help you stop doomscrolling, at least for five seconds.

10 Things That Happened 10 Years Ago: Oct 19-25

Cake cleanses, peanut allergies, “Baby Hitler,” and Back to the Future Day. Here’s what was in the news 10 years ago this week.

Back to the Future Day: Oct 21, 2015

October 21, 2015 was the day Marty McFly and Doc Brown traveled to in “Back to the Future Part II.” We were promised flying cars, needlessly shiny clothes, and hoverboards. Instead, we got those self-balancing scooters… so, your fun-loving grandma broke a hip, then the battery exploded and torched her house.

The Cubs also didn’t win the World Series that year, but did a year later in 2016 for the first time since 1908. (Not too shabby, Zemeckis!)

To be fair, “Back to the Future Part II” did get a lot of things right: flatscreens, tablets, smart homes, VR goggles, fingerprint scanners, mobile payments, and drones. But even in 2025, flying cars still look like what would happen if your Tesla banged a Cessna.

Teal pumpkins took off

The folks at Food Allergy Research and Education (FARE) had started pushing for them a year earlier. But 2015 was their breakout year. The Teal Pumpkin Project encourages people to offer non-food treats on Halloween for kids with allergies.

“YouTube Red”

For $10 a month, you could watch all your favorite YouTube content without those annoying ads playing mid-sentence. Unboxing videos suddenly became almost enjoyable. The name “YouTube Red” – which everyone agreed was stupid – would eventually be changed to “YouTube Premium” in 2018.

“Politically correct” was no longer politically correct

The Inclusive Excellence Center at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee deemed the term “politically correct” to be offensive, because it had become a way for the un-politically correct to shut people down.

“Over time, PC has become a way to deflect, say that people are being too ‘sensitive,’ and police language.”

“Baby Hitler” was trending worldwide

The “NY Times” shared a poll that asked readers, “Could You Kill a Baby Hitler?” 42% said yes, 30% said no, and 28% weren’t sure. For a few weird days in 2015, “Baby Hitler” was a trending topic on social media.

The Cake Cleanse Diet

It went viral in mid-October, offering a way to lose weight while eating cake for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The catch? The recipes were for “healthy” cakes packed with fiber and protein – think oats, nuts, and coconut flour. The “diet” sounded too good to be true… and tasted as such.

The most addictive food is…

A viral study released earlier that year found the most addictive food in the world is… yep, pizza.

10 Most Addictive Foods: pizza, chocolate, chips, cookies, ice cream, fries, cheeseburgers, soda, cake, and cheese

10 Least Addictive Foods: cucumbers, carrots, beans, apples, brown rice, broccoli, bananas, salmon, corn, and strawberries

The 10 highest-paid comedians included no women

Amy Schumer was rising in the ranks but literally zero women made the “Forbes“ Top 10 that year. The top three were Jerry Seinfeld ($36 million), Kevin Hart ($28.5 million), and – shockingly –Vegas ventriloquist Terry Fator ($21.5 million).

The “last” “Paranormal Activity” movie hit theaters

“Paranormal Activity: The Ghost Dimension” was billed as the final installment to wrap up the series. But Paramount eventually opted to sully the franchise a little more with a seventh movie in 2021. “Paranormal Activity: Next of Kin” would skip theaters and bomb on a new streaming service called Paramount+ instead.

“The Nightmare Before Christmas” was declared a Halloween movie

Director Henry Selick finally weighed in on the “Christmas or Halloween” debate and said it’s a Halloween movie. It was based on a poem Tim Burton wrote in 1982. (Yeah, I thought Tim Burton directed it too. He co-wrote and produced.)

Nearly a Third of Adults Are Still Afraid of the Dark

A new survey found that nearly one in three adults (29%!) still admit they’re afraid of the dark.

And not just in a “haha, cute” way. 24% sleep with a nightlight, and 10% go full “lights on” all night. Surprisingly, men are more likely to admit this than women.

Of course, some people make peace with fear by continuing to force themselves to experience it. About 28% of adults say they love horror movies. So yes, we’re a nation of people who leave the bathroom light on after watching The Conjuring.

Men top the charts in horror fandom… 33% say they love scary movies compared to 24% of women…

But they’re also more likely to have nightmares afterward. Big talkers until Pennywise shows up.

The survey also found that horror movies take a real toll on sleep. 28% of people say they’re more likely to wake up in the middle of the night after watching one, 22% say they sleep worse overall, and 12% say they sleep fewer hours.

So the next time someone laughs at you for sleeping with a nightlight, remind them: at least you’re not the one who watched Hereditary at midnight and now thinks your coat rack is haunted. Or maybe that’s you too.

Pumpkin Spice Just Got Literal

Fall lovers have officially gone too far with all this pumpkin nonsense.

There’s a new trend where people are taking actual mini pumpkins to Starbucks and asking baristas to fill them with their favorite drink. Because apparently, a pumpkin spice latte inside a real pumpkin is peak autumn. (Or peak social media engagement!)

The logic is simple: Starbucks lets you bring your own cup, so why not make it seasonal?

The execution, however, is… bumpy.

Videos online show mixed reactions. Some baristas are totally game… snapping photos, cheering on the chaos, fully embracing the pumpkin mug life. Others? Not so much. Those folks smirk, and politely hand over a regular cup as usual… and let customers do the pour themselves for the ‘gram.

A few Starbucks employees have warned that it slows down the line, and some mentioned food safety rules that say they’re technically not supposed to touch the pumpkins, or any sort of outside food.

Starbucks hasn’t issued any official policy, but if you want to try it, it’s best to ask nicely and be ready for a “no.”

At worst, you’ll walk away with your drink in a normal cup. At best, you’ll get that perfect “fall girlie” moment that screams, I spent $7 and carved produce for this post.

Just don’t expect the pumpkin to add much flavor. It’s purely for vibes. But hey, if you’re already standing in line in a flannel and boots, you might as well commit.

@cynthiaa.sarahi

Starbucks Pumpkin Drink! 🍂☕️ @Starbucks #starbucksdrinks #starbuckspumpkindrinks #starbucksbarista #fyp #fall

♬ original sound – whimsigothiic

Halloween Candy Odds: What Kids Are Most (and Least) Likely to Get

You send your kid out in a $40 costume with a $3 plastic pumpkin, hoping they return with enough sugar to last through Thanksgiving. But what exactly are they bringing home? Here are their Halloween candy odds.

The stats nerds at the online gambling site The Action Network crunched numbers from DoorDash, Instacart, and other candy sources, and came up with Vegas-style odds on what will be landing in that bucket.

So, when your kid walks through the door with a pillowcase full of sugar, you’ll know the odds of finding what you’re looking for. Here’s what your little monster is most (and least) likely to drag home.

10 Candies with the Highest Odds

Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups – 67%

Practically a Halloween guarantee. If your kid doesn’t come back with at least one, did they even go out?

Peanut M&M’s – 65%

Solid choice. Somehow feel healthier even though they’re not.

M&M’s – 62%

The peanut-free classic ranks first in most likely to break open and be found loose in the bottom of the bag.

Kit Kat – 60%

Break me off a piece of that Kit Kat bar and toss it directly into my face.

Snickers – 58%

When your neighbors go full-size, it’s usually this. Respect.

Sour Patch Kids – 55%

First they’re sour, then they’re gone. Kids trade for these like they’re currency.

Hershey’s Milk Chocolate – 50%

The bar that started it all. Still holding strong.

Milky Way – 45%

Like a Snickers without the crunch. The soft-spoken cousin.

Twix – 33%

Whether you’re Left Twix or Right Twix, you’re still only getting one.

Gummy Bears – 33%

Classic, chewy, and just the second non-chocolate candy on the list.

Tricks in the Treats: The Low-Probability Oddballs

  • Candy Corn – 23%: You either love it or hate it. There is no in between.
  • Raisins – 4%: Someone out there still thinks this counts as a treat. It doesn’t.
  • Toothbrush – 2%: There’s always one house, usually owned by a dentist with a guilt complex.

If you live in Mississippi, your kid has a 46% chance of getting candy corn. But kids in Hawaii can breathe easy, just an 11% chance.

Happy Halloween! May the Reese’s odds be ever in your favor.

“Adultoween” Is the New Holiday Every Parent Wants

Kids might have trick-or-treating, but adults are out here trying to claim Halloween for themselves as well – and honestly, they’ve got a pretty good case.

If you haven’t heard of “Adultoween” yet, here’s what all those grown-ups (especially parents) are getting on board with.

Ferrero (the candy folks) just dropped a new batch of stats showing that adults are fully on board with spooky season, and not just to supervise their kids or sneak one measly Reese’s from their pumpkin buckets.

The company is pushing the concept of “Adultoween” – basically, a night of Halloween celebrations sans kids. And according to their polling results, it’s got some traction.

“Adultoween” is a surprisingly popular idea

Over half of adults – 54%, to be exact – say they wish Halloween included an official night just for grown-ups. No kids. Just costumes, candy, and possibly cocktails.

Here’s a breakdown of the most fun (and petty) takeaways from their Halloween survey.

Halloween is not just for the little goblins.

62% of Americans say the holiday is just as much for adults as it is for kids. And if you’re a parent, you’re even more likely to agree – 71% say adults deserve equal rights to the spooky fun.

Candy taxes are real, and parents are enforcing them.

Two-thirds of parents say they have the “right” to dip into their kid’s leftover candy stash. 58% aren’t even waiting that long – they’ll happily sneak a treat or two during trick-or-treating. It’s called a parenting perk, look it up.

No kids? No problem. Adults are still hoarding candy.

64% of adults say they’ll buy candy in October even if no one’s trick-or-treating at their door. And 71% of parents admit to buying “extra” candy for themselves just in case.

Full-size candy bars reign supreme.

76% of adults say full-size bars are the best kind to steal. But we’re also nostalgic: 67% say they still prefer the same candy they loved as kids, and 72% stick to the classics over newfangled flavors. Why mess with a good thing?

Men take Halloween candy weirdly seriously.

52% of men buy premium candy to make sure their house gets that coveted “good candy” reputation, compared to 41% of women. And 21% of men will absolutely judge you if your candy game is weak. (15% of women admit they will too.)

It’s all about the nostalgia.

For 60% of people, the reason they love Halloween is pure nostalgia, and among parents it jumps to 68%. There’s just something about the smell of plastic masks and the sight of toilet paper on trees that brings us all back.

Is Halloween America’s favorite holiday?

47% of people said Halloween is the holiday they look forward to most. Sorry, Santa.

So should adults get their own official Halloween night? If it means fewer tantrums, more candy, and finally getting to wear a costume that doesn’t involve Disney characters, we say absolutely yes.

“I Now Pronounce You Man and Wife”… Brought to You by Doritos

If you’ve ever looked at your wedding budget and thought, “There’s no way I can afford this… unless Pepsi steps in,” you’re not alone.

A new survey found that 61% of Americans would totally consider a brand-sponsored wedding… as long as the brand covered at least half the cost. So if Target wants to drop 20 grand on your big day, congratulations, you’re now Mr. and Mrs. Red Dot.

Only about one-third of people say they’d refuse to “sell out” their wedding completely, which means the rest of us are fine with a little corporate romance if it means saving cash.

And if a company covers everything? People are apparently ready to get weird.

Over half of respondents said they’d be cool with things like brand-themed cocktails or slapping logos on reception tables, signage, church banners, and invites. More than half would even let the brand hand out free samples to guests. (Nothing says love like a goodie bag of energy drinks and protein bars.)

It gets wilder: one-third of people said they’d let a brand mascot attend the wedding, and one in five would let that mascot (or a company rep, like Flo from Progressive) officiate. Imagine walking down the aisle while the Kool-Aid Man says, “Ohhh yeahhh, you may now kiss the bride.”

Nearly one in five would even name-drop the sponsor in their vows. (“I promise to love you, cherish you, and never forget that this moment was made possible by Subway. Eat Fresh.”)

And yes, 17% of people said they’d sew a logo right on the wedding dress. NASCAR, but make it nuptial.

At this rate, weddings of the future might look less like fairy tales and more like Super Bowl halftime shows… and honestly, that might be the only way anyone can still afford one.

Couples Need to Have 54% in Common to Make It?

Some couples seem like they were separated at birth. Others make you wonder if one of them just lost a bet.

A new survey from the adult toy site LELO found 26% of people in relationships think they and their partner are polar opposites. But a solid 73% of us still believe opposites attract.

We’re talking the usual yin-and-yang combos: introvert meets extrovert, planner meets free spirit, dreamer meets spreadsheet warrior. When it works, each person brings something the other one lacks. You get balance, growth, and someone to blame when your “spontaneous weekend trip” costs $800.

But most people don’t go out looking for someone who hates all the same stuff they love. According to the people in the survey, the sweet spot for a successful relationship is 54% similar. That’s just enough overlap to share a Netflix account without fighting over every show.

You just need to match up on these core things

The things couples really need to match on are big ones: core values, family goals, and what counts as cheating (on a diet or each other). The least important things? Career ambitions, fitness routines, and hobbies. So, you might still make it even if one of you runs marathons while the other spends weekends on the couch binge-watching whatever Peacock is shoving down our throats that month.

You might not stay opposites forever

The good news: opposites may attract, but they don’t usually stay opposites. Over time, most couples say they’ve grown more alike than different. So, maybe love doesn’t just find a way… it finds the middle.

10 Things That Happened 10 Years Ago: Oct 12-18

“Playboy” censors itself, Lamar Odom cokes himself into a coma, Larry David channels Bernie Sanders, and a burrito the size of a toddler. Here’s what was in the news 10 years ago this week.

“Playboy” announced no more nudity

CEO Scott Flanders announced the mag was ditching full-frontal and going PG-13. Flanders said there was simply no need for it in 2015. “You’re now one click away from every sex act imaginable for free,” he said at the time. Hugh Hefner was in on the decision and signed off on the move.

Their first boob-free issue was published four months later in February 2016, but the new policy wouldn’t last long. The move didn’t help sales, Flanders left in 2016 to head up eHealth, and Hugh’s son Cooper Hefner announced they’d be returning to their roots.

He bluntly called the move a “mistake,” and the magazine’s boobless phase lasted only a year. Nudity would return in March 2017.

Lamar Odom almost died during a coke-fueled sex binge

The former Laker was two years removed from his NBA career – and in the middle of divorcing Khloe Kardashian – when he went on a coke binge and was found unconscious at the Love Ranch, a legal brothel in Crystal, Nevada.

He suffered multiple heart attacks, kidney failure, 12 strokes, and was in a coma for several days before he finally regained consciousness. He recovered, got clean, and invested in three drug rehab centers in California in 2023.

Tracy Morgan returned to “SNL”

It was 16 months after he’d nearly lost his life in a car crash that killed friend and fellow comedian James McNair. The episode was also the first to feature Larry David as Bernie Sanders.

David Bowie retired from touring

His promoter announced his touring days were over, saying, “Every time I see him now, before I even speak to him, he goes, ‘I’m not touring,’ and I say, ‘I’m not asking.’ He has decided to retire.” Bowie was secretly battling liver cancer after being diagnosed in 2014. He found out he was terminal in late 2015 and passed away on January 10, 2016, two days after his 69th birthday.

Erin Andrews sued for $75 million after being peeped on

The peeping happened in 2008 when a pervy stalker filmed her through a peephole at a Marriott in Nashville. He was sentenced to 2 1/2 years in jail for it. She sued after learning the hotel had told him she was there – even giving him a room next to own. A jury eventually awarded her $55 million.

Craziest sick day excuses

Career Builder asked bosses for the craziest sick day excuses they’d ever heard. Highlights included “stuck under my bed,” “grandmother poisoned me with ham,” and “my cat is stuck in my dashboard.”

We’d officially stopped trying to remember stuff

Half of Americans polled admitted they didn’t try to remember information or facts anymore – they just immediately googled everything. Over half also admitted they didn’t know their significant other’s phone number.

Emilia Clarke was Esquire’s Sexiest Woman Alive

“Game of Thrones” was gearing up for Season 6, which would feature her character Daenerys Targaryen emerging from a burning Dothraki temple unscathed – and unclothed.

Eat a 30-pound burrito, become a business owner

A Mexican place in Brooklyn called Don Chingon went viral for offering an owner’s stake to anyone who could finish their 30-pound burrito. No one did it, and the publicity stunt didn’t work. The restaurant was out of business two years later.

The 25 most re-watchable movies of all time

FiveThirtyEight crunched the numbers after polling 1,169 people, and determined the most re-watchable movie of all time was the original “Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope.” Rounding out the top five were “The Wizard of Oz,” “The Sound of Music,” “The Lord of the Rings,” and “Gone with the Wind.”

“Gone with the Wind”? Really? A four-hour movie with no Marvel characters?? Good luck getting anyone under 80 to watch that once in 2025!

How Much Do You Spend Over-Tipping?

How much do you think you spent this year tipping when you really didn’t want to?

A new report says the average American shelled out $150 in “guilt tips” over the past year. That’s money handed over because the iPad spun around and you panicked.

They’re the kinds of tips no one feels good about. You know the ones: when a screen asks for 25% after you pick up your own muffin, or when you tip for a haircut that looks like a geometry project. Maybe even for “services” that don’t really need tipping at all, like an oil change.

It’s not just you getting cranky about it, either.

65% of people say they’re officially fed up with tipping culture.

And that number’s gone up the past two years. It’s become so ridiculous that nearly two-thirds of folks say they’d rather just pay higher menu prices if it meant restaurant workers got fair wages and tipping went away entirely. (Unfortunately, that dream usually crashes and burns when restaurants actually try it.)

Here’s the twist: even though everyone’s sick of it, tipping amounts are still going up. 45% of diners now leave 20% or more at restaurants, and almost a quarter tip delivery drivers that much too.

So yeah, we’re irritated, broke, and still tipping like champs. America: land of the free, home of the guilt-tipped latte.

Do These 15 Things Count as Cheating?

We all know what cheating is in a relationship… or do we?

Would it be cheating if you watched the next episode of “The Great British Baking Show” without your partner… but with someone else… who you previously dated, and are now just friends with… after having dinner together… but before having sex? (Kidding!)

Thousands of people took an online poll that asked if different things count as cheating or not.

1.  Does kissing someone on the cheek count as cheating? 

Only 15% say yes. 77% think kissing on the lips is definitely cheating. 3% even think it’s cheating when two actors have to kiss.

2.  Scrolling through Tinder when you’re bored, but not messaging anyone? 

51% say yes, that’s cheating. If you do message someone, 88% say it’s cheating.

3.  Hugging someone very closely and slowly? 

21% think that’s cheating.

4.  Sending someone else revealing photos? 

Yes, 93% say it’s cheating.

5.  Giving someone a massage? 

25% say it’s cheating no matter the context.

6.  Flirting with that cute barista at Starbucks? 

35% think it’s cheating.

7.  Hooking up with someone else when you’re on a “break”? 

38% say it’s cheating. Another 30% think it’s a gray area, so it depends.

8.  Sharing a bed, but you don’t do anything? 

23% say it’s cheating.

9.  Holding hands with someone else? 

32% say it’s cheating. Another 39% say it depends.

10.  Telling someone, “I’d totally hook up with you if I was single”? 

45% say it counts as cheating.

11.  Hanging out with an ex without telling your significant other? 

Only 44% think that’s definitely cheating.

12.  Watching porn? 

Only 12% say it’s cheating.

13.  Sliding into someone else’s DMs? 

63% say it’s cheating.

14.  Having sex with someone else? 

2% say that’s not cheating.

15.  Your partner has been in a coma for months and might not wake up.  You sleep with someone else.  Is that cheating? 

48% say yes.

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