Tag: nostalgia

10 Things That Happened 10 Years Ago: Oct 5-11

Green poop, Princess Leia’s bikini, and Justin Bieber’s ‘baby’ maker. Here’s what was in the news 10 years ago this week.

Burger King’s Halloween Whopper was turning people’s poop green

Spookiest fast food item ever? Health experts told people not to worry. Food coloring in the Whopper’s black bun was the likely culprit. The festive fecal fiasco even inspired its own couple’s costume that year.

Justin Bieber stepped out onto a balcony fully naked

He was vacationing in Bora Bora with British model Jayde Pierce when the paparazzi caught him stepping out in his birthday suit. Fans were impressed with what he was packing. Justin’s dad even decided to (oddly) weigh in, tweeting, “What do you feed that thing.  #proud daddy.” 👀

The weirdest stuff people ever got trick-or-treating

A BuzzFeed list went viral after readers were asked to name the weirdest thing they (or their kid) ever got while trick-or-treating. Answers included “potato salad in a plastic bag,” “condoms,” and “a pack of cigarettes.” Good job, America.

Princess Leia’s slave bikini sold for $96,000

The skimpy, metallic wardrobe item from “Return of the Jedi” fetched $96k at an auction of Hollywood memorabilia. It turned out to be a pretty solid investment, selling again in 2024 for $175,000.

Bindi Irwin danced for her dad on “DWTS”

Steve Irwin’s daughter – just 17 at the time – broke down in tears at the end of her contemporary dance routine with partner Derek Hough. Her little brother Robert Irwin was in the audience. A decade later, he’d appear on the show as well. His shirtless routine prompted Chippendales to offer him a contract.

A study found these states are the most “normal”

“Business Insider“ used 40 different metrics to rank all 50 states according to how “normal” they are. Most Normal: Indiana, Missouri, Oregon, North Carolina, and Michigan. Weirdest: Hawaii, Alaska, California, New York, and Utah.

First woman to announce MLB postseason game

ESPN analyst Jessica Mendoza (sitting alongside John Kruk and Dan Shulman) became the first woman to ever call a nationally televised postseason game. The Astros beat the Yankees 3-0 in that one, but the Kansas City Royals would go on to become World Series champs a few weeks later, beating the New York Mets in five games.

An NBA player drove 95 miles to fight an NBA coach

Grizzlies forward Matt Barnes reportedly found out Knicks coach (and former Lakers teammate) Derek Fisher was shtupping his wife. Media outlets reported that Barnes drove 95 miles from Santa Barbara to kick Fisher out of his home. Cops were called, but Fisher was gone by the time they got there and no one pressed charges.

4 in 5 people said they’d rather work in solitude

80% of people polled said they preferred working alone because they felt their office work environment was “hostile” or “unhelpful.” COVID would eventually hold their feet to the fire on that one five years later.

“Boob Spelled Backwards Is Boob”

It was like “We Are the World” for boobies! A ton of big stars pitched in on a charity single called “Boob Spelled Backwards Is Boob“ for Breast Cancer Awareness Month. San Francisco DJ Mike Nelson was behind the project – his wife Christi was battling breast cancer, and their eight-year-old son wrote the lyrics.

Featured artists included Florence Welch, Noel Gallagher, Hozier, Michael Franti, Graham Nash, The Grateful Dead, and more. Christi kept fans updated and inspired during her decade-long cancer battle. (Her family got another 10 amazing years with her! Sadly, she passed away in Sept 2025.)

Live from New York, It’s NOT Saturday Night!

Even though the 50th anniversary celebration of “Saturday Night Live” aired in February, October 11th is the real anniversary of the first show back in 1975. 

But some markets shouldn’t really be celebrating, because they didn’t carry the show for the first few seasons. Some, even longer!

In a handful of areas around the U.S., the “Not Ready for Prime Time Players” weren’t ready for late night either. So, Chevy Chase’s only season on the show – with his classic phone calls going into the first ever Weekend Update segments – were never seen in some big markets. 26-year-old Bill Murray’s debut season? Same. 

Missed were the sketches and commercial parodies from John Belushi, Dan Aykroyd, Gilda Radner, Lorraine Newman, Garrett Morris and Jane Curtin – as well as special guest hosts, comedians, and musicians performing live on television. Trailblazers.

Some stations found the show too edgy, or downright unfunny

If you’ve seen the 2024 movie “Saturday Night,” you’ll recall some of the affiliates weren’t too amused, and they made sure their local viewers weren’t either. One of the stories that would eventually make those poor un-entertained souls curious about the show was when Johnny Carson commented negatively about the humor, at one point calling it mean and tasteless. (Lorne Michaels asked Carson to host for years, but he always refused.)

Viewers in spots all over the country couldn’t tune in 

So let’s review some of the markets that didn’t see the need to air satirical comedy sketches, commercial parodies, and live performances from some of the most famous musical artists of the time. Here are a few that are noteworthy – according to the “L.A. Times,” as many as one-third of NBC affiliates around the U.S. didn’t air the first episode.

Not blazing the trail? Let’s begin with the NBC affiliate in Syracuse, New York. Even after receiving irate calls and letters from viewers wondering why they couldn’t see the show, WSYR kept it off the air for the first two seasons.

WNDU in South Bend, Indiana also opted not to air the show initially. But after seeing its success, they eventually relented and picked it up.  

According to the “Daily Oklahoman,” KTVY-TV in Oklahoma City (now KFOR) didn’t air the first two seasons (during which ratings had doubled), but eventually decided to pick the show up in July 1978 for summer reruns.

Their program manager at the time, Bill Thrash, said, “We received constant requests to carry the show, [and] they were very angry with us because we didn’t carry it.” He continued, “I now think the show will do very well in Oklahoma City.” (Ya think so, Bill? You’re three years late to the party!)

An affiliate in Tulsa also passed for two years, but people there could apparently see another state’s feed if they had cable.

Even major markets like Detroit and Pittsburgh couldn’t watch

Oklahoma is one thing. But certainly major markets like Detroit and Pittsburgh got to see it, right? Wrong. They missed the first several seasons as well, although another station was somehow allowed to air it in Detroit on a fuzzy UHF channel. (Kids, ask grandpa what “UHF” was. You could sometimes see the people through the snow.)

One station refused to air it into the mid-2010s

Salt Lake City’s KLS-TV gets the “Modern Era Hold Out” award, not airing the show from 1995 until 2013! That was Season 39, with Tina Fey hosting the premiere. So, she’d completed her entire run on the show before the NBC affiliate allowed her to show her face in SLC.

The Mormon-owned KSL opted to stop airing “SNL” when it switched from CBS to NBC in 1995. The station manager’s explanation at the time was, “SNL’s’ content is frequently objectionable, not to mention its overall quality has been in decline for years.”

An affiliate for the WB aired “SNL” in SLC from 1998 to 2013, but it was fully unavailable for about two years in the mid-90s. Most didn’t have internet access then, and YouTube wouldn’t be born for another decade anyway.

So if you lived in the Salt Lake City area during those dark years, you were just out of luck. But at least you now know that if you ever got iced out of “SNL,” you most definitely weren’t alone.

A “TV Guide” ad for the very first show in 1975. A couple things would be different by the time it aired – namely, it could only be called “Saturday Night” because Howard Cosell already had an ABC show called “Saturday Night Live.” Also, Billy Crystal got cut for time and never appeared. He became a cast member nine years later in 1984.

Brick Taylor has been covering entertainment since the ’80s. He lived in one of the aforementioned markets and was caught in the “SNL” void. One of the first “SNL” musical artists he ever saw was David Bowie singing “TVC 15” in a dress. Sorry if you missed it, South Bend.

10 Things That Happened 10 Years Ago: Sept 28-Oct 4

Caffeinated peanut butter, “Family Feud” isn’t so family friendly, and Trevor Noah debuts on “The Daily Show.” Here’s what was in the news 10 years ago this week.

Trevor Noah debuted on “The Daily Show”

Young people liked it, old people didn’t. “Slate” called Trevor’s debut “a Jon Stewart impression” with “glimpses of something new.” Ratings dropped 37% before rebounding, then cratering to their lowest level ever by 2020. He announced his departure on Sept. 29, 2022, exactly 7 years after his debut. His final show aired that December.

Caffeinated peanut butter?

Yep, caffeinated peanut butter. A company in Massachusetts called Steem came up with it. Shockingly, it was not the huge success they’d hoped it would be. Their website says it’s “no longer in production.”

Hillary Clinton showed up on “SNL”

The presidential hopeful didn’t host (Miley Cyrus did), but appeared in a skit alongside Kate McKinnon. McKinnon played Hillary drowning her sorrows at a bar, while the real Hillary played the bartender. Her opponent Donald Trump did take up full hosting duties that November, prompting protests outside 30 Rock.

“The Simpsons” revealed Smithers was gay

Exec producer Al Jean announced that Mr. Burns’ longtime assistant Waylon Smithers would come out of the closet during the show’s 27th season. He also claimed the show would likely end after its 30th season. (It’s currently in Season 37.) Smithers’ coming out did eventually happen in April 2026 in an episode called “The Burns Cage.”

“Family Feud” wasn’t family friendly

People questioned whether the game show was getting too dirty after Steve Harvey asked contestants to name “the last thing you put your finger in,” and a guy responded with, “My wife!” 👀 “Fox News” called the show “not so family friendly anymore.”

Caitlyn Jenner ducked vehicular manslaughter charges

The L.A. County D.A. opted not to charge her for a crash in Malibu that February that left one person dead. She’d rear ended the person’s car, pushing it into oncoming traffic. Officials determined she did hit the brakes late, but wasn’t speeding.

Honey Boo Boo released her debut single

The reality star’s foray into music was predictably short lived. As you’d expect, her song “Movin’ Up“ wasn’t great. (Honey Boo Boo, aka Alana Thompson, turned 20 this past August, btw.)

“The Martian” was a box office hit

Despite its 2 hour 24 min runtime, the Matt Damon sci-fi flick went on to earn over $630 million worldwide. Meanwhile, Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s Twin Tower tightrope movie “The Walk” was so realistic, it caused theatergoers to vomit.

Leonardo DiCaprio fought a bear

“The Revenant” wouldn’t hit theaters for another few months, but the official trailer had people saying, “Damn, that bear fight looks intense!” They were correct.

Sean Astin said a “Goonies” sequel would happen

It was just a prediction, not a revelation – he said it wasn’t a question of “if” but “when.” A decade later, that continues to be the question. A recent report suggested the sequel was still “moving in the right direction.”

Are the Main Characters of These Movies Actually the Villains?

We’ve all rooted for a movie hero who, when you really stop and think about it, is kind of awful.

Whether it’s manipulation, selfishness, or just plain cruelty, plenty of beloved characters are way more villain than hero. Here’s a roundup of films where the real bad guy might just be the one in the spotlight.

Let’s start with “Dumb and Dumber”. Jim Carrey’s Lloyd Christmas is remembered as a lovable doofus, but don’t forget he once conned a blind kid into buying a dead parakeet. His clueless antics leave chaos in their wake, and innocent people usually pay the price.

How about Grandpa Joe in “Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory”? Twenty years in bed, then suddenly breakdancing at the promise of free candy. Once inside the factory, he even encourages Charlie to break Wonka’s rules, almost blowing his shot at the golden prize. Not exactly role-model material.

Jack Albertson dancing and Peter Ostrum watching him in a scene from the film ‘Willie Wonka And The Chocolate Factory’, 1971. (Photo by Paramount/Getty Images)

In “You’ve Got Mail”, Tom Hanks’ Joe Fox is charming, sure, but he’s also a corporate shark who destroys Meg Ryan’s family bookstore. Rom-com packaging aside, he’s the guy who puts the little guy out of business.

Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan in a scene from “You”ve Got Mail.” (Courtesy of Warner Bros. Photo by Getty)

Robin Williams in “Mrs. Doubtfire” gave us laughs, but his character, Daniel Hillard, goes to wild lengths to manipulate his ex-wife. Cross-dressing to sneak back into her home, tricking his kids, and sabotaging her new relationship might be funny onscreen, but in real life, it’s a stalker movie waiting to happen.

Robin Williams brooms in a scene from the film ‘Mrs. Doubtfire’, 1993.
(Photo by 20th Century-Fox/Getty Images)

Ferris Bueller? Fun, yes. Harmless teen rebel? Not so much. “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off” is really about a manipulative kid dragging his best friend into felony-level hijinks while showing zero regard for consequences. Poor Cameron never stood a chance.

Matthew Broderick, Mia Sara, and Alan Ruck publicity portrait for the film ‘Ferris Bueller’s Day Off’, 1986.
(Photo by Paramount/Getty Images)

And let’s not forget “Mean Girls”. Cady Heron starts out sweet but quickly becomes just as self-absorbed and ruthless as Regina George. Revenge plots rarely end with moral high ground.

LONDON – Actress Lindsay Lohan attends the low-key premiere screening of “Mean Girls” at the Charlotte Street Hotel June 14, 2004 in London. The film is about a girl who suffers humiliation at the hands of her female classmates after she falls for the wrong guy. (Photo by Dave Benett/Getty Images)

Even “Meet the Parents” has a hidden villain. Pam Byrnes constantly throws Greg under the bus, putting him in situations that make him look bad. Instead of backing him up, she leaves him to fend for himself in front of her hypercritical family. Thanks, Pam.

Actor Ben Stiller (R) “Greg Focker” meets his girlfriend”s father Robert De Niro (L) “Jack Byrnes” in Universal Pictures “Meet the Parents.” (Photo by Phillip V. Caruso/Universal Studios and Dreamworks LLC/Delivered by Online USA)

ScreenCrush adds even more offenders to the lineup. Clark Griswold in “National Lampoon’s Vacation” is basically the world’s most selfish dad, dragging his family on a road trip nightmare because he refuses to accept reality. The film plays his obsession for laughs, but the Griswolds would’ve been way happier staying home.

Actress Christie Brinkley and actor Chevy Chase on the set of Warner Bros. movie “National Lampoon’s Vacation” in 1983.
(Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images)

Or take “Passengers”. Chris Pratt’s character literally dooms someone else to a lifetime of isolation in space just because he doesn’t want to be lonely. Not exactly a swoon-worthy love story once you peel back the shiny surface.

PARIS, FRANCE – (L-R) Actress Jennifer Lawrence, dressed in Dior, and actor Chris Pratt attend the “Passengers” Paris Photocall at Hotel George V on November 29, 2016 in Paris, France. (Photo by Bertrand Rindoff Petroff/Getty Images)

And then there’s “Superbad”. On the surface, it’s a goofy teen comedy. But really, Jonah Hill and Michael Cera’s characters spend most of the movie objectifying people, lying, and manipulating friends. The coming-of-age charm makes it go down easy, but a lot of their behavior is straight-up toxic.

(072407 Boston, MA) Jonah Hill (left), Michael Cera, and Christopher Mintz-Plasse (right) answer questions following a screening of Superbad at the Boston Common AMC. Tuesday, July 24, 2007. Staff photo by John Wilcox (Photo by John Wilcox/MediaNews Group/Boston Herald via Getty Images)

So maybe the next time you revisit these “classics,” ask yourself: who’s really the villain here? The obvious bad guy, or the smiling lead who charmed us into ignoring their worst traits?

10 Things That Happened 10 Years Ago: Sept 14-20

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.”

The Ultimate “Star Wars” Flex: A $1,000 LEGO Death Star

LEGO and “Star Wars” fans, this is either your dream come true or your bank account’s worst nightmare. The toy giant just unveiled its most expensive set ever: a massive Death Star priced at $1,000.

Yes, you read that right. One thousand bucks. FOR LEGOS.

This isn’t just any set, though. It’s part of LEGO’s Ultimate Collector Series and it’s loaded with details. The cross-section-style Death Star includes 9,023 pieces and comes with 38 mini-figures, featuring multiple versions of Luke Skywalker and Han Solo. Basically, you’ll have enough characters to reenact most of the original trilogy in your living room.

Instead of being a sphere like the classic movie Death Star, this version is disc-shaped, and more of a cross-section, so you can see all the different rooms. Builders will recognize iconic scenes like the trash compactor, Emperor Palpatine’s throne room, Princess Leia’s holding cell, and even the Imperial shuttle hangar. It’s less “toy” and more “Star Wars museum exhibit that just happens to live in your house.”

And if you’re already calculating where you could possibly put it, start measuring now. The finished build is 28 inches tall, 32 inches wide, and 11 inches deep. Translation: it’s going to dominate whatever shelf, table, or entire corner of your apartment you decide to sacrifice to it.

The new Death Star launches October 4th, but hardcore fans can sign up now for early access on Lego.com. Translation: it’s going to sell out faster than the Millennium Falcon made the Kessel Run.

This set isn’t just a flex for LEGO collectors, it’s also part of a bigger trend. High-end LEGO kits have become wildly popular in recent years, with many adults treating them as both a hobby and an investment. Some retired sets now resell for thousands more than their original price. So yes, $1,000 sounds steep, but some fans might argue it’s less of a purchase and more of a future collectible.

Whether you see it as an art piece, a stress-relieving project, or just an excuse to spend weekends saying, “Sorry, can’t hang out, I’m rebuilding the Death Star,” one thing is clear: this is LEGO going full Sith Lord on your wallet.

10 Things That Happened 10 Years Ago: Sep 7-13

Colbert’s new gig, 2015 Super Bowl favorites, one billion waffles, and drunk sex. Here’s what was in the news 10 years ago this week.

Stephen Colbert made his “Late Show” debut

People wondered if he could do more than just his “Colbert Report” character… and some were just disappointed the character got abandoned. His first guests were George Clooney and Jeb Bush, with musical guest Mavis Staples & Friends. In July 2025, CBS announced it would cancel “Late Show” after its 11th season in 2026.

Waffle House sold its one billionth waffle

A woman in Atlanta named Shanneil McCollum ordered (and presumably) ate it. Many people thought they should have given her free waffles for life. Instead, she got a special plaque, some Waffle House swag, and they comped her meal.

A drunk couple banged in broad daylight and did an epic interview

Kimberly  Jackson and her beau Earl Palmer got it on in the middle of a busy parking lot in Norfolk, Virginia. They went viral after a reporter asked, “Is something like this gonna happen again?” Kim’s response: “No.” Earl’s response: “I don’t know.”

Justin Bieber was the youngest male artist to debut at #1

Believe it or not, “What Do You Mean?” was also his first ever #1 hit. Up to that point, his greatest success from a charts standpoint was “Boyfriend,” which hit #2 in 2012. (“Baby” peaked at #5 in 2010.)

The Seahawks were Super Bowl favorites

Stats guru Nate Silver thought the Seahawks and Packers had the best shot, and bettors agreed. Both teams made the playoffs but lost their divisional match-ups. The Denver Broncos ended up beating the Carolina Panthers 24-10 in Super Bowl 50.

The “Songs of the Summer” were…

Depending on where you got your music, there were four of them: “Cheerleader” by OMI was Billboard’s “Song of the Summer”… YouTube’s biggest hit was “Watch Me” by Silento… Spotify’s was “Lean On” by Major Lazer… and Google Play’s top track was “See You Again” by Wiz Khalifa.

The highest-paid TV actresses were…

Sophia Vergara and Kaley Cuoco. “Forbes” clocked them both at $28.5 million in yearly earnings. Sofia’s “Modern Family” castmate Julie Bowen was third at $12 million. Meanwhile, Kaley’s “Big Bang Theory” castmates had just dominated the men’s list.

Rumors swirled that Gwen Stefani and Blake Shelton were an item

Blake coyly denied he was dating his co-host from “The Voice.” They got married in 2021.

A kid fell down a well and found his missing dog

A four-year-old in Mississippi fell down a 20-foot well, and it took rescuers three-and-a-half hours to get him out. They also found his missing dog at the bottom. It had been gone for three days. He and the dog were both okay.

A high school secretary left $1.5 million for scholarships

88-year-old Lorraine Balske worked as a secretary at a Minnesota high school for 46 years. It turned out she’d left $1.5 million to a scholarship fund she helped start in 1974. No one was sure how she accumulated all that money.

Pancake Soup: Fall’s Quirkiest Comeback

So the word on the internet is that it’s almost fall… a.k.a. PANCAKE SOUP season. Yeah. Pancake. Soup.

A recipe from 1975 just resurfaced online, and people are losing their minds over it.

Now, when you hear “pancake soup,” you might picture some weird TikTok mashup… but nope, this is the real deal from 50 years ago, and people apparently ate it unironically.

Here’s how it works:

  1. Make pancakes in bacon grease.
  2. Slice ‘em into strips, like, well, bacon strips.
  3. Toss them into a broth made from bouillon cubes and water.
  4. Heat. Serve. Try not to panic.

At first, it sounds horrifying… but then, the longer you think about it, the more you start to wonder: Wait, is this… kinda brilliant?

Turns out, it’s actually a legit German dish called Flädlesuppe. Modern versions look more classy, and less “soupy”… but the 1975 version? Let’s just say it has “grandma experimenting in the kitchen” energy.

The internet, of course, has thoughts:

  • “Pretty sure this was invented to get rid of yesterday’s sad pancakes.”
  • “Creative… but beef broth with pancake chunks isn’t exactly ‘joy in a bowl.’”
  • “I’d rather eat pancakes and soup separately, thanks.”
  • “This screams Depression-era cooking.”
  • “Switch the broth to black tea with honey and milk, and now we’re talking breakfast!”
  • “Actually, it sounds kinda like pasta in soup . . . I’d try it!”
  • “Nope. Hard pass. Soggy flapjacks are my nightmare.”

So, Pancake Soup: genius culinary innovation . . . or mush regret?

10 Things That Happened 10 Years Ago: Aug 31-Sep 6

Golden Girl sex, chugholes, c*nty crackers, President Kanye, and more. Here’s what was in the news 10 years ago this week.

Kanye announced he was running for president

He announced it during a rambling monologue while accepting the Vanguard Award for lifetime achievement at the 2015 VMAs. A poll later that week found just 6% of Americans would consider voting for him.

Kanye did appear on the ballot in a dozen states in 2020 as a member of the “Birthday Party.” A total of 66,641 people cast ballots for him in those 12 states, earning him 0.32% of the total vote.

Christina Aguilera joined a budding startup called MasterClass

The online lesson platform had launched that May, but most people didn’t hear about it until Aguilera signed on to be one the their first instructors. Other early teachers included Dustin Hoffman and Serena Williams. 10 years later, everyone from Penn & Teller to George W. Bush has led a class.

A college kid went viral for driving a Barbie Power Wheel to class

20-year-old Tara Monroe was a senior at at Texas State and lost her license that March when she got a DUI. She bought a pink Barbie Power Wheel on Craigslist and started taking it to class because “riding a bike sucks.”

Someone calculated how much sex The Golden Girls had

A writer for Refinery29 counted up how many dudes Dorothy, Blache, Rose, and Sophia had plowed in their life. The final body counts were based on men they dated on the show, and men they mentioned throughout its seven seasons.

Final Tally
Blanche: 165
Dorothy: 43
Rose: 30
Sophia: 25

Aldi had to recall crackers because the packaging spelled “c*nt”

The gourmet crackers’ ingredients featured rosemary grown “In an EngLISH CoUNTry GaRDen.” 🧐

https://twitter.com/nahthenmardybum/status/640820429062545408

Tim Tebow got cut by the Iggles

We were already several years removed from Tebowmania when he tried to revive his NFL career via a backup QB job with the Philadelphia Eagles. Alas, the Birds started their 2015 season with three QBs, and none of them were named Tebow. The last NFL game of his career was with the Jets in 2012.

A Marine asked Ronda Rousey to the Marine Corps Ball

She accepted the invite and made good on the promise by accompanying him to the event in North Carolina that December.

Susan Sarandon took Timothy Leary’s ashes to Burning Man

The actress left the LSD guru’s ashes inside the temporary temple that’s built to be burned at the festival each year. Several of Leary’s closest friends had received some of his ashes after he died in 1996. Most of them were sent to space in 1997, but Sarandon held onto hers. (She later admitted she also “consumed” some of his ashes at the festival.)

Jimmy “Superfly” Snuka got arrested for murder

The WWE Hall of Fame wrestler had been accused of killing his girlfriend in 1983, but didn’t face charges until 32 years later in 2015. The case was eventually dismissed 16 months later when a judge deemed him mentally unfit to face charges. He died of stomach cancer 12 days later.

The ‘official’ word for all 50 states

A writer for “Slate” asked the question, “If every state had an official word, what would it be?” Highlights included Pennsylvania (“yinz”)… Kansas (“shucky-darn”)… California (“hella”)… Texas (“hoss”)… Florida (“toad-strangler”)… Oklahoma (“quakenado”)… and Kentucky (“chughole”). (A chughole is a pothole… not whatever you were thinking, perv.)

10 Things That Happened 10 Years Ago: Aug 24-30

Free tuna, dogs named “Bella,” and Burger King gets faced for wanting a “McWhopper.” Here’s what was in the news 10 years ago this week.

Burger King tried to team up with McDonald’s on a “McWhopper”

Burger King took out full-page ads in the “New York Times” and the “Chicago Tribune” and posted an open letter to McDonald’s, asking them to team up and make a “McWhopper” – a Bic Mac / Whopper mash-up. They wanted to do it for International Peace Day on Sept. 21 and even launched a website called McWhopper.com in hopes it would happen.

The response from McDonald’s, however, was… yeah, no thanks. The CEO of Micky D’s called it a publicity stunt, burned Burger King for comparing the rivalry to “the real pain and suffering of war,” and said if they ever wanted to team up again, “a simple phone call will do.”

Charlie Sheen wanted to be Trump’s running mate

Owen Wilson had compared Donald Trump’s campaign strategy to Charlie’s meltdown that got him booted from “Two and a Half Men.” (Owen even managed to slip in one of his patented wow’s: “It’s like when Charlie Sheen was doing that stuff—like, wow!”)

Charlie responded by tweeting, “If Trump will hv me I’d be his VP in a heartbeat!” Trump ended up choosing then Indiana Governor Mike Pence instead of Charlie, so… basically the same guy.

Everyone thought James Earl Jones died

2015 was a big year for fake celebrity deaths. There had already be a string of bogus rumors about Willie Nelson, Martin Lawrence, Michael Jordan, and Beyoncé. A parody website posted a fake obit for Jones, who was 84 at the time, so it seemed legit enough – at least to social media boneheads. The story quickly went viral before being quashed by those mainstream media outlets no one trusts anymore. Jones passed away nine years later in 2024 at age 93.

Wes Craven really did die

The prolific horror movie director lost his battle with brain cancer at age 76. His many credits include “A Nightmare on Elm Street,” “The Hills Have Eyes,” and the first four “Scream” movies.

Each state’s most embarrassing Google search was revealed

The site Estately.com dug through 11 years of Google data to find the topic each state had googled an embarrassing number of times. Highlights included “sandals and socks” in Washington, “Limp Bizkit” in North Dakota, “penis enlargement” in Mississippi, and “Am I a virgin” in Maryland. (Yes, Maryland. Your neighbor Virginia “is for lovers,” not you.)

TunaLawsuit.com was trending

StarKist was forced to shell out millions of dollars for under-filling their 5-ounce cans of tuna. Anyone who’d bought StarKist tuna in the past six years (or claimed to) could get $25 in cash or $50 in tuna vouchers. You didn’t even have to prove you’d bought their tuna, you just had to say you did. It was a huge loss for Big Tuna, and a big win for fans of canned fish.

A Caitlyn Jenner Halloween costume had people up in arms

The costume (based on her “Vanity Fair” cover) featured a full Dad Bod dude in a cheap wig and a “Call Me Caitlyn” sash. Critics said it mocked the transgender community and promoted transphobia by turning Jenner’s transition into a joke.

Taylor Swift brought Lisa Kudrow on stage for “Smelly Cat”

Welcoming huge celebs to the stage became the norm during Taylor’s “1989” tour. Her same show at the Staples Center in L.A. (now the Crypto.com Arena) also featured cameos by Justin Timberlake and Selena Gomez. But every headline that week was about Taylor (a proud cat lady) bringing out Phoebe Buffay from “Friends” to sing her humorous ode to malodorous felines.

Everyone was naming their dog “Bella”

A study by Nextdoor found it was the most popular dog name in America in 2015, followed by Lucy, Max, Daisy, and Bailey. “Bella” got big thanks to the “Twilight” series, and not much has changed. A decade later, many of us are still naming our dogs after a teen with an unhealthy attraction to vampires.

The “Big Bang Theory” actors were making bank

“Forbes“ ranked the highest-paid TV actors of 2015, and the four main nerds on “Big Bang” dominated the list. Jim Parsons topped it at $29 million, followed by Johnny Galecki at $27 million, and Simon Helberg and Kunal Nayyar with $20 million apiece. (“NCIS” star Mark Harmon and “Two and a Half Men” fill-in Ashton Kutcher also tied for third at $20 mil each.)

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