The legendary showman Florenz Ziegfeld was well known for his constant and frantic use of the telephone and telegram. He would often send his performers telegrams after watching their work from the […]
When Yes or No Aren’t Enough
The Dangers of Celebrities Ignoring Their Fans
One of the problems with being a celebrity is having to deal with all the people who want to talk to you. Something as ordinary as dining out with a friend becomes […]
How a Fart Started a Revolution
Possibly you have found yourself hastily vacating a room because of someone’s gaseous emissions. Maybe your plans to shop in a certain aisle of a store changed after catching a whiff of […]
The Horrible Five-Week Visit That Destroyed a Friendship
It shouldn’t have been surprising that Chuck and John struck up a friendship. After all, the two men had a lot in common. They shared many of the same interests, a common […]
Warhol’s 8-Hour Movie of the Empire State Building
Hello, faithful reader. How was your weekend? Did you see any good movies? Let us tell you about the movie we watched. We’ll try not to give away any spoilers. Admittedly, the […]
Fleas Flee the Queen’s Fierce Phobia
We all have our pet peeves. Even the most reasonable person you know is bugged by some little thing. Sometimes the little things that bug us are bugs. For most of us, […]
A Silly Candidate With a Silly Name for Silly Times
Most candidates for political office have lofty goals for the betterment of society. They put themselves through the ordeal of a campaign with aspirations of influencing policy and making a difference. John […]
The Unkillable General Adrian Carton de Wiart
In the realm of science fiction, one of the most formidable fighters of all time is a Terminator. These robotic soldiers from the future are the ultimate killing machine because they are […]
An Important Distinction Between Trousers and Drawers
The English language is infinitely flexible, providing multiple synonyms for almost every word. While that is helpful in most situations, it can also contribute to some confusing and embarrassing slips of the […]
How Did a Guy Live in a Mall for Four Years?
“[It is a] room that a person can only enter when they have real need of it. Sometimes it is there and sometimes it is not, but when it appears, it is […]
Oofty Goofty — The Man Who Made a Living Getting Beat Up
To be successful, you need to find something you do well and get people to pay you to do it. As demonstrated by a fellow known as Oofty Goofty, it’s possible to […]
Listen to One of the Hardest Piano Pieces Ever Written
If you are looking for a piece of piano music that will test your skill and patience, you would be hard-pressed to find anything that compares to Opus Clavicembalisticum. Written by English […]
The Crazy Plan to Raise Hippos for Food in the USA
EDITOR’S NOTE: Special thanks to the office of Congresswoman Vicky Hartzler (4th District, Missouri) for providing the legislative history on the American Hippo Bill. Who doesn’t enjoy a good ol’ slab of […]
Peas Mean Something
We are frequently asked where we get our ideas for Commonplace Fun Facts. The question suggests a scarcity of interesting topics. In reality, the bigger challenge is “what NOT to write about.” […]
Did an Indian King Use Rolls Royces to Collect Garbage?
Have you heard about the fabulously wealthy Indian ruler who was snubbed at a Rolls Royce showroom? When the salesman did not recognize the distinguished visitor and dismissed him as someone who […]
Commonplace Fun Facts 