“In general, the straight line of a joke sets up a premise, an expectation. Then the funny ending – the punch line – in a sense contradicts the original assumption by refusing […]
Steve Allen Defines What is Funny
Mark Twain’s Thoughts On Turning Tom Sawyer Into a Play
Mark Twain was at the height of his popularity when he received a request to dramatize Tom Sawyer. The director of a theater company asked the author’s permission to use his name […]
O Holy Night — Merry Christmas to All
Among the most beloved Christmas carols is “O Holy Night. It was written to commemorate the renovation of the church organ in Roquemaure, France. Town native Placide Cappeau wrote the lyrics in […]
Fun Google Tricks To Ward Off Boredom
The Commonplace Fun Facts Department of Data, Analytics, Viewer Demographics, and User Engagement (otherwise known as DAVDAUE — yeah, we know. We’re working on a better name) tells us that a significant […]
John Wayne on Life’s Gray Areas
“If everything isn’t black and white, I say, ‘Why the hell not?’” — John Wayne
How Disney Made Us Believe Lemmings Commit Mass Suicide
In this uncertain world, there are at least three things on which all of us can be certain: Disney loves animals, nature documentaries are reliable, and lemmings commit mass suicide by throwing […]
Learning By Peeing On An Electric Fence
“There are three kinds of men: the ones that learn by readin’, the few who learn by observation; the rest of them have to pee on the electric fence for themselves.” — […]
Why Is Darth Vader on the Washington National Cathedral?
If you want to see the symbolic representation of the battle between good and evil, visit Washington, D.C. No, we’re not talking about the political debates on Capitol Hill. The focus of […]
How a Young Actor Rose Above Dirty Tricks
The young actor was excited to learn he had been cast alongside a Hollywood legend. He was still trying to find his place in the entertainment world. Appearing next to one of […]
How a Multi-Talented Actor Is Mainly Remembered as a Monster
Ted Cassidy was different from other boys his age. Yes, it’s true that his physical appearance made him stand out from everyone else, but that wasn’t the only thing. Physically, intellectually, and […]
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 […]
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 […]
How a Medical Legend Maneuvered Celebrities into Treating AIDS Patients With Malaria
Each year 1-3 million people die from malaria. Another 1 million annually succumb to AIDS. You don’t need to be a physician to realize both of these diseases are pretty bad. Anyone […]
How the Wizard of Oz Destroyed the Musical Career of a Famous Actor
It seemed that Christian Ludolf was destined for musical greatness. His father was a choreographer, and Christian was dancing as soon as he was able to walk. When he was ten years […]
How a $40 Overdue Fine Created Netflix
Some people face hardships, concede that they are inevitable, and deal with them. Others can see the same difficulties and be pummeled into defeat or paralyzed into inaction. Then we have the […]
Commonplace Fun Facts 