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William Shatner Wants to Cheat Death (Literally)

Celebrities seem to be checking out at an alarming rate lately. So you’d be forgiven for assuming that 94-year-old William Shatner might be eyeing the exit ramp with a bit of anxiety. According to RadarOnline (so, you know, grain of salt), he’s more than just concerned. He’s terrified.

The report claims Shatner is obsessed with outsmarting the inevitable and is exploring all the sci-fi-sounding options.

A so-called insider put it bluntly: “William is now looking into everything from being frozen to having his head pickled in a jar in the unlikely event he can be resurrected. He has become obsessed with ways to live forever.” Which, let’s be honest, sounds exactly like something a 90-something-year-old sci-fi icon might say with full conviction.

Now, actual immortality might still be off the table (at least for now), but digital immortality? That’s a different story.

Shatner reportedly signed with a company that will create an A.I.-powered hologram of him, designed to preserve his stories, personality, and quirks so his family can “talk” to him long after he’s gone.

He reportedly told the company, “I’ve had quite a crazy life, so I’d have a lot of stories that I don’t want people to forget.”

Say what you want about Shatner, but he’s nothing if not self-aware. The man’s been in the public eye for seven decades, playing roles from space captain to Priceline pitchman, and clearly, he’s not planning to fade quietly into the night. If he has his way, he’ll still be telling stories 100 years from now—even if it’s from inside a holographic projector.

And honestly? That feels like a very Shatner way to go. Or… not go.

Adam Sandler’s Baggy Clothes Started as a Joke

Adam Sandler’s signature fashion sense—think oversized tees, basketball shorts, and sneakers that look like they’ve run multiple marathons—has been puzzling fans for decades. But according to the man himself, there was a method to the madness… at least in the beginning.

In a recent interview, Sandler finally explained why he’s been rocking the baggy look since his younger years. Turns out, it started as a bit of a beachside prank. Back when he was in peak physical condition, he wore loose clothing to hide what he called a “beautiful body.” The goal? To shock people when he took his shirt off. “The Sandman’s ripped? I didn’t know that,” he joked.

But flash-forward a few decades—and about 50 feature films—and the fashion philosophy has changed.

Now 58, Sandler admits the oversized wardrobe serves a very different purpose: “Now, I go loose because it should be hidden.”

Honestly, relatable.

Sandler’s style has become something of an internet meme in its own right, with paparazzi photos regularly surfacing of him looking like he just rolled out of bed and straight onto a red carpet. Still, it’s hard to argue with the man’s comfort-first approach, especially when you consider how many fashion icons are secretly miserable in their designer fits.

And while his clothes may be roomy, Sandler’s impact on pop culture is anything but small. Whether he’s delivering a dramatic performance or just walking the dog, he’s managed to turn “I just threw this on” into a full-on brand.

So if you’re thinking of tossing on a 3XL tee today, just know—you’re not lazy. You’re just channeling your inner Sandman.

The Great Calendar Glitch of 1582, Explained

No, your iPhone’s calendar isn’t broken… it’s just showing one of the weirdest quirks in modern history: the Great Calendar Glitch of 1582.

Here’s the deal. Scroll back to October 1582… notice anything different? The dates jump straight from October 4 to October 15, skipping 10 days. If you’re asking yourself why, it’s because you’re actually seeing the Gregorian calendar reform in action.

So, what happened?

Before 1582, most of Europe used the Julian calendar, which had been introduced by Julius Caesar way back in 45 BCE. Problem was, it miscalculated the solar year by about 11 minutes. That tiny error added up over centuries, slowly shifting the calendar out of sync with the seasons. Religious holidays like Easter were drifting farther and farther away from the spring equinox.

To fix it, Pope Gregory XIII introduced the Gregorian calendar, which corrected the error by tweaking the leap year rules and, yes, deleting 10 days (which became 11 in some places due to accumulated differences). So when the change took effect in parts of Europe, the calendar literally jumped overnight from October 4 to October 15 in 1582. Those in-between days? They just… never happened.

Not everyone switched right away

Catholic countries like Italy, Spain, and Portugal made the switch immediately. Protestant and Orthodox countries, however, took their sweet time. England and its colonies didn’t adopt the Gregorian calendar until 1752 — by then, they had to drop 11 days instead of 10. Russia didn’t switch until 1918.

Alaska lost 11 days in 1867?

Alaska was owned by Russia until 1867. And they were still on the Julian calendar when they sold the land to the U.S. So, Alaska had to skip ahead 11 days overnight, and then they also had to repeat the same day again when the International Date Line was redrawn from the eastern border of Alaska to the western border. (Although it’s cold and dark there, so maybe they didn’t mind.)

A lot of people were not happy about it

In some places, people thought they were being robbed of days of their lives.

So yeah, your phone’s calendar is giving you a peek into one of the most quietly chaotic timekeeping changes in history. And if you were planning a birthday party for October 10, 1582… bad news. That day literally didn’t exist.

@thetopicalfruit

Why are 10 days missing?!?Comment below (wrong answers only) #calendar #mystery #fyp #whoa #October1582 #thetopicalfruit

♬ Ghosted by an Angel – Melo Nada

10 Things That Happened 10 Years Ago: Aug 3-9

“Justiniston,” gun-cooked bacon, Kermit gets dumped, and “Fantastic Four” sucks! Here’s what was in the news 10 years ago this week.

Jennifer Aniston married Justin Theroux

They went to great lengths to keep their backyard Bel-Air wedding a secret, reportedly storing all of the decorations at another mansion nearby until the very last minute. The guest list was a Bezos-level of star studded, if not more so.

Guests included Chelsea Handler, Howard Stern, Jason Bateman, Ellen DeGeneres, John Krasinski, Emily Blunt, Will Arnett, Tobey Maguire, Jimmy Kimmel, Sia, Kathryn Hahn, Sandra Bullock, Orlando Bloom, Rachel McAdams, Whitney Cummings, and Lisa Kudrow. Jen’s other “Friends” co-star Courtney Cox was her maid of honor. 

Jen was 10 years removed from her divorce with Brad Pitt and had been engaged to Justin since 2012. Sadly, this marriage fizzled as well. She and Justin announced their split less than three years later in 2018. They never even got an official couple’s name… even though the undeniably catchy “Justiniston” was right there for the taking!

“Fantastic Four” was a box office bomb

The 2015 version – with Miles Teller, Michael B. Jordan, and Kate Mara – was not the box office juggernaut the 2025 incarnation would turn out to be. There was also another “Fantastic Four” flick with Jessica Alba and Chris Evans in 2005. So yeah, they keep cranking these suckers out, literally every decade.

Ted Cruz cooked “machine-gun bacon”

Using the muzzle of an AR-15 was a decidedly impractical – but absurdly “American” – way to cook breakfast. Ted was in the early stages of losing the Republican primary to Donald Trump and was trying (a little too hard) to court the 2nd Amendment vote.

Robert Downey Jr. was the world’s highest paid actor for a third straight year

He was in the midst of an epically profitable run as Tony Stark in the “Iron Man” and “Avengers” movies. “Forbes” estimated his annual earnings at $80 million. The rest of the top five were Jackie Chan ($50 mil), Vin Diesel, ($47 mil), Bradley Cooper ($41.5 mil), and Adam Sandler ($41 mil). 

A girl released balloons at her dad’s grave, and they landed in her backyard 25 miles away.

It happened in Oklahoma earlier that year – on Father’s Day, no less – but the heartwarming story made national headlines in August and had people thinking larger forces may have been at work.

Kermit and Miss Piggy broke up

Their historically rocky relationship went from on-again to off-again when they released a statement that said, “After careful thought, thoughtful consideration and considerable squabbling, we have made the difficult decision to terminate our romantic relationship.” If they’ve rekindled things in the past decade, they’ve kept it quiet. As of 2025, they’re still officially just friends and colleagues.

Gwen Stefani and Gavin Rossdale announced their divorce

They’d been married nearly 13 years, and Gwen’s future husband Blake Shelton had recently announced his own split from Miranda Lambert. 👀 There were also rumors Will and Jada were about to break up. But honestly, who could find time to care with the pain of the Kermit/Piggy news so fresh and so raw? 

Did Leonardo DiCaprio have fleas?

“The National Enquirer” circulated a rumor – which Leo’s camp denied – that his big beard was harboring a large number of vermin. An anonymous source told the now defunct celeb news site “Gossip Cop” that the story was “absurd.” He was sporting the beard for his film “The Revenant”, which would hit theaters in January 2016. Leo finally ditched the beard for a more flealess look a few weeks later.

Jared Leto’s lawyer threatened to sue over rumors his client had huge junk

A law firm representing the actor/singer sent a letter to the gossip site “Lipstick Alley,” complaining that people were posting potentially defamatory comments – including the claim that Jared was well-endowed. People wondered how that was “defamatory.”

A trailer for a new Brad Pitt / Angelina Jolie movie landed

No, not “Mr. and Mrs. Smith”, that was 2005. Their 2015 film “By the Sea” – ironically, about a couple trying to save their marriage – was written and directed by Angelina. No one saw it, and it made a dismal $538,000 in the U.S. (Oddly enough, Brad and Ang did not receive an invite to the Aniston-Theroux nuptials. 🤔)

God Help Me, I (Kinda) Liked “The Naked Gun”

I was born in 1969.  That means I was a ’70s kid and an ’80s teen.  As such, the acronym ZAZ is very sacred to me.

David Zucker, Jim Abrahams, and Jerry Zucker are the team of writer-directors who, from 1977 to 1994, produced some of the most uproarious comedies of all time, including “The Kentucky Fried Movie,” “Airplane,” “Top Secret,” and, of course, the “Naked Gun” trilogy.

When I heard there was going to be a “Naked Gun” remake/reboot/sequel, I didn’t freak out.  Remakes can actually be good. 

They can also be brilliant, like John Carpenter’s “The Thing” or Luca Guadagnino’s “Suspira.”

So my first reaction to these kinds of announcements is generally somewhere between “Who cares?” and “Let’s see what happens.”

The casting of Liam Neeson in the lead put this one firmly in the latter category for me.

Remember, before Abrahams and the Zucker boys cast Leslie Nielsen in “Airplane,” he was a serious actor, playing serious characters in serious films.  Their brilliance was to take a serious actor and give him a serious character, but drop it into the most unserious scenarios they could write.

While he was only a supporting character in the “Airplane” movies, giving him the lead role in the original “Naked Gun” made him a comedy god.

Neeson, with his “very particular set of skills,” may have been the best possible bulb to screw into that socket.  So when they announced him as the lead in this one, I was intrigued and, against my better judgment, a little excited.

And then came the marketing campaign, and that excitement left my body faster than all the lesbian celebrities left America after the 2024 election.

Observing the absolutely unavoidable deluge of trailers, TV commercials, and social media ads over the past few months, I think I laughed once… maybe twice.

This movie looked terrible.  I quickly relegated it to the “who cares” bin and went on with my life.

But then, over the past week, something bizarre and totally unexpected happened.  The reviews started coming in, and they were good.  Hell, some were great.

“The Naked Gun” is rated 90% fresh on RottenTomatoes.com, with a 79% audience rating.  It’s got a slightly lower score of 75 at MetaCritic, which still notes that the reviews have been “generally positive.”

More importantly, some friends whose opinions I actually trusted saw it Friday night and liked it.

So now, of course, I had to see it.  And I did.  On Saturday afternoon, with four other people in the theater.  Three of us were there by ourselves.

And we laughed.  Kind of a lot.

I’m not gonna say it’s great, and I’m not gonna say it stands up to the originals.  But I was entertained. 

Liam Neeson was as good in the part of the new Frank Drebin (the son of Nielsen’s character from the originals) as I thought he’d be.

And Pamela Anderson, who already proved she can act in 2024’s “The Last Showgirl,” shows off some legit comedy chops.  Her “performance” in the jazz club is one of the highlights of the movie.

Their chemistry is great, which is probably why they’re kickin’ it in real life, too.

The one complaint I have is the ending, which takes place at a WWFC mixed martial arts event.

There are no zany sight gags involving the fighters, no jokes about the sport or its audience; you know, the way they parodied Major League Baseball in the original, or the Oscars in Part 3.  It was just an MMA event going on in the background.

Even when the entire audience starts brawling, there are no heads being punched off, no obvious dummies being tossed around… not even a random tiger attack.  Mostly it’s just extras throwing punches in the background.

Zucker, Abrahams, and Zucker would have never let that happen.  And although they weren’t involved in this movie and didn’t seem to support it, the new guys should never had made this mistake.

Still, I did feel enough of the ZAZ spirit in this new “Naked Gun” to believe that if they should decide to see this movie, they might, against their better judgment, actually like it.

Just like I did.

Wendy’s Went Full Goth for Netflix’s ‘Wednesday’—I Waited in Line Five Hours for It

Yes, you read that right. I waited in line five-and-a-half hours for Wendy’s, but it wasn’t an ordinary Wendy’s. It was Wednesday’s.

For one day only – a Thursday for some reason 🤷‍♀️ – a location in Norwalk, California was transformed into a Wednesday Addams-themed spookfest to celebrate Season 2 of Netflix’s “Wednesday.”

“The Meal of Misfortune”

It was a themed drive-thru experience, and I got to try the new “Meal of Misfortune” a few days earlier than the rest of America.

The meal includes “Rest in 10-Piece Nuggets,” “Cursed & Crispy Fries,” a “Raven’s Blood Frosty” (vanilla with a dark-cherry swirl), and two mysteriously spicy “Dips of Dread.” There’s a total of four different sauces you can get. Oh, and they’re different shades of purple, too.

The Raven’s Blood Frosty is great!

The Frosty was probably my favorite part. It includes a purple spoon that has a handle with a raven and skull. Since it was a special event, I also received a collectible pin at the start of the experience.

Not your normal drive-thru experience

Once I ordered my meal, I drove through the foggy “Nevermore Academy” gates and into different rooms inspired by the show. At the end, a worker got your order by opening a morgue door.

You can try it too… without waiting five hours.

Wendy’s announced the “Meal of Misfortune” would be available nationwide starting Monday, August 4th, just in time for the new season of “Wednesday” premiering August 6th.

@thetopicalfruit

Yes, I waited 5 and a half hours for the Wendy’s x “Wednesday” pop-up event! 🍟👻🖤 #pov #wednesday #addamsfamily #Netflix #wendys #spooky

♬ original sound – The Topical Fruit

Marvel Plot or Real Life? Radioactive Wasps Found in U.S.

It sounds like the start of a Marvel movie, but nope, this one’s real: A wasp nest contaminated with radiation was recently discovered near a nuclear facility in South Carolina.

The Department of Energy confirmed that a radioactive nest was found on July 3rd just outside the Savannah River Site, a sprawling Cold War-era nuclear facility located near the Georgia border.

The site, which once produced plutonium for the U.S. military, has long been associated with leftover radiation, often referred to as “legacy contamination.”

Savannah River Site

“Moderately high” levels of radiation detected

Tests showed the nest was emitting 100,000 disintegrations per minute (DPM)—a term used to measure radioactive decay. That number puts it in the “moderately high” range, though it’s still far below the kind of levels you’d see in something catastrophic like Chernobyl.

Officials were quick to clarify there’s no active leak or immediate danger to the public.

So how did the wasps become radioactive?

No one’s sure, but the insects may have picked up old contaminants while building the nest, possibly from soil or materials around the aging nuclear facility.

While it sounds horrifying, this isn’t the first time nature has had an awkward meet-cute with radioactive leftovers. Similar incidents have occurred over the years, usually involving small animals or plant life near long-decommissioned nuclear sites.

In response, crews treated the nest like any other radioactive waste. They sprayed it down and disposed of it according to nuclear safety protocols.

The nest is gone, but the wasps are still M.I.A.

One weird detail: A local report said the nest didn’t contain any actual wasps when it was found. That’s either a relief—or a setup for the sequel, where the mutant wasp swarm emerges. (We’re half-kidding. Probably.)

The story is a strange reminder of the long environmental shadow cast by Cold War nuclear production. While the situation sounds alarming, energy officials and local authorities maintain there’s no reason to think there’s an ongoing leak or elevated risk to people nearby.

So no, you don’t need to stock up on wasp spray and hazmat suits just yet. But if you live in the area and hear a suspicious buzzing sound… maybe stay inside.

Stock photo of wasps building a nest. Not the radioactive kind… the normal, huggable kind.
Photo by David Hablützel

The Best NFL Teams of All Time (By Winning Percentage)

No matter who you root for on Sundays, few debates in sports get fans more fired up than arguing over the greatest NFL teams of all time. Sure, you can rank them by Super Bowl wins, legendary players, or iconic moments—but if you’re looking to settle a bar argument with some cold, hard stats, winning percentage is a pretty good place to start.

Here are the 16 most consistently successful franchises in NFL history, based on all-time win percentage. Spoiler: it’s not just about how old a team is, or how many rings they have—some younger franchises are punching way above their historical weight.

1. Baltimore Ravens (.574)

Overall Record: 268‑199‑1
A relatively young team (est. 1996), the Ravens have quickly earned a rep for tough defenses, strong leadership, and two Super Bowl wins. They top the list with the best win percentage in league history.

2. Dallas Cowboys (.573)

Overall Record: 569‑423‑6
“America’s Team” hasn’t won a title since the mid-’90s, but their overall dominance through the 1970s, ’80s, and ’90s still carries serious weight.

3. Green Bay Packers (.572)

Overall Record: 811‑605‑38
The oldest team on this list is also one of the most successful. From the Vince Lombardi era to the Brett Favre and Aaron Rodgers years, the Packers have stayed remarkably relevant.

4. Kansas City Chiefs (.553)

Overall Record: 547‑441‑12
The recent Patrick Mahomes era has rocketed the Chiefs up the ranks, adding multiple Super Bowl appearances (and wins) to a solid history.

5. Chicago Bears (.553)

Overall Record: 798‑646‑42
Tied with the Chiefs, the Bears have the legacy, but not always the recent results. Still, they’ve stayed above the fray for a long, long time.

6. Miami Dolphins (.552)

Overall Record: 504‑408‑4
The only team to ever go undefeated for an entire season and win a Super Bowl (1972). That stat alone gives them eternal bragging rights.

7. Minnesota Vikings (.552)

Overall Record: 537‑438‑11
Zero Super Bowl wins, but consistently competitive—especially through the ’70s and again in the late ’90s and 2000s.

8. New England Patriots (.550)

Overall Record: 545‑446‑9
Tom Brady. Bill Belichick. Six rings. They used to be just another team. Now they’re a dynasty.

9. San Francisco 49ers (.545)

Overall Record: 630‑526‑16
From Joe Montana to Steve Young to today’s contenders, the Niners have always found a way to stay dangerous.

10. Pittsburgh Steelers (.538)

Overall Record: 681‑585‑22
Six Super Bowls, a blue-collar image, and some of the fiercest rivalries in the game. Pittsburgh is a perennial powerhouse.

11. Indianapolis Colts (.525)

Overall Record: 564‑510‑8
Their best years came during the Peyton Manning era, but the Colts have quietly been a solid franchise over time.

12. Denver Broncos (.523)

Overall Record: 518‑472‑10
Three Super Bowl wins and some truly wild quarterback chapters (Tim Tebow, anyone?) have kept the Broncos relevant and resilient.

13. New York Giants (.522)

Overall Record: 724‑663‑34
One of the oldest and most storied franchises, with a few unforgettable playoff runs—including two Super Bowl wins against Brady’s Patriots.

14. Seattle Seahawks (.517)

Overall Record: 402‑373‑1
A model of consistency in the 2010s, the Seahawks became a force under Pete Carroll and Russell Wilson, winning their first Super Bowl in 2013.

15. Las Vegas Raiders (.509)

Overall Record: 509‑480‑11
With a legacy of renegade flair, iconic coaches and players, and three Super Bowl titles, the Raiders have remained close to .500 and edge into the top 16.

16. Los Angeles Rams (.502)

Overall Record: 624‑606‑21
From early NFL days through multiple relocations, the Rams have hung in just above .500 and remain one of the league’s consistently competitive franchises.

So there you have it—some solid ammo for the next time your buddy claims his team is the best just because they have more rings or a louder fan base. Winning percentage doesn’t lie (though it might still get you punched in the face at a tailgate).

Ozzy Osbourne Honored by Family and Fans in Moving Hometown Procession

Ozzy Osbourne, the Prince of Darkness himself, was given a hometown sendoff fit for a rock legend as fans flooded the streets of Birmingham, England on Wednesday. His funeral procession drew thousands of mourners and music lovers alike, all paying tribute to the heavy metal icon who helped define a genre and an era.

The hearse carrying Ozzy’s coffin slowly made its way to the Black Sabbath Bench, a memorial dedicated to the band that launched his career. Inside the hearse were purple floral arrangements spelling out “Ozzy,” with a matching flower cross mounted on the roof.

Sharon Osbourne, visibly emotional, arrived with children Jack and Kelly by her side. Cameras captured the moment she stepped out, overcome with grief, needing support as she walked toward the memorial. Her other daughter Aimee and stepson Louis also joined the family, though two of Ozzy’s other children—Jessica Osbourne and Elliot Kingsley—were not seen at the procession.

In a heartfelt nod to the rocker’s legacy, each family member wore a symbolic accessory: Sharon wore Ozzy’s wedding ring on a chain around her neck; Kelly channeled her dad’s iconic look with round tinted sunglasses; Jack wore a silver cross pin; Aimee had a bat-shaped brooch; and Louis sported a purple tie adorned with skull-and-crossbones.

After spending time at the memorial, Sharon turned to face the crowd and offered a signature Ozzy-style peace sign, a gesture that drew cheers and tears from fans.

The Black Sabbath Bench—located in Birmingham’s Broad Street Walk of Stars—has long served as a pilgrimage spot for fans of the band that pioneered heavy metal in the 1970s.

Photos of the family’s private yet public goodbye have spread rapidly online, with fans praising their understated tribute to a man who never did anything quietly.

As Ozzy Osbourne’s music continues to live on in playlists, documentaries, and headbanging memories, the funeral procession served as a powerful reminder: Birmingham never forgot its wildest son—and never will.

(You can watch footage of the event here. Sharon steps out of her car around the 1:20 mark.)

Science Says: Twangy Voices Can Be Heard Clearer in Loud Environments

Turns out Dolly Parton might’ve been onto something all along—science just gave a big thumbs-up to twang.

A new study out of Indiana University found that twangy voices, especially from women, are easier to understand than neutral ones when there’s background noise, like in traffic or other chaotic environments. No need to shout. Just a little country flair could do the trick.

Researchers used AI-generated voices to test how different speaking styles performed in noisy settings. The result?

Twangy speech was not only easier to hear, but it also made listening less mentally exhausting. People caught more words and stayed more engaged, without even turning up the volume.

So what makes twang so effective? It boosts sound in a specific hertz range—the so-called “sweet spot” for hearing human speech. That helps it rise above background noise and reach your brain without making your ears work overtime.

This discovery could have real-world applications too. The researchers suggested that train conductors, pilots, emergency broadcasters, and anyone delivering important information in loud places might benefit from a little vocal country seasoning.

Imagine a flight announcement delivered with a thick, southern accent: “Hey Houston.  It’s Delta up here, man.  How y’all doin’ down there?  Just wanted to let you know we’ll be landin’ in no time. Over and out, buddy.”

Okay, maybe not that much flair—but the science checks out.

Bottom line: next time you’re trying to make yourself heard in a noisy room, don’t speak up—speak sharp. A little nasal brightness and a touch of twang might be the secret weapon your voice has been missing. Yee-haw!

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