Sandbox World | The Stories Behind Pop Culture

Entertainment

Captain Kirk, wearing a Roman-style toga and laurel wreath, kisses Lieutenant Uhura, who is dressed in a white gown. Kirk's eyes are closed and his face is angled towards Uhura, whose dark hair is styled in a large bun. Their hands are clasped, and the mood is romantic.

The BBC Withheld Four Star Trek Episodes for 25 Years, and Big Bird Too

The BBC withheld four Star Trek episodes for years and rejected Sesame Street, even as British children watched the surreal favourite The Magic Roundabout.

The Weirdest Thing About Transformers: The Movie Was Its Soundtrack

Why was The Transformers: The Movie soundtrack so unusual? From Stan Bush and Weird Al to Orson Welles, its strange mix still works 40 years later.

A Ripley's Believe It or Not! cartoon features a black and white Rockhopper penguin with a yellow crest on the left, looking right. Below it, a dark fish with a wide mouth swims in dark water with white specks. The text above reads: 'SCIENTISTS DEBATE WHETHER NORTHERN, EASTERN AND SOUTHERN ROCKHOPPER PENGUINS ARE SEPARATE SPECIES, SEPARATE SUBSPECIES OR JUST ONE SPECIES.'

The Pen Is Mightier Than Death: Believe It or Not!

Howie Noel, Ripley’s Believe It or Not!, Dick Tracy and Charles Schulz reveal how legendary comic strips keep going after their original creators are gone.

A cream-colored poster for a play titled "A Morning with Ernie Bushmiller." The title is in large, bold red letters at the top. Below it, in smaller black text, it reads: "A Play by TOM GAMMILL," "Starring TOM GAMMILL & LAUREN SERVIDEO," "Directed by OWEN KLINE," and "Produced by MARK & STEVE O'DONNELL." On the right side of the poster is a black-and-white cartoon drawing of a man from the chest up, smiling with a pencil tucked behind his ear. He wears a collared shirt and a polka-dotted tie. In the bottom left corner are two smaller black-and-white cartoon figures: a girl with a bow in her hair and a boy in a checkered cap, both smiling.

Nancy Stole the Spotlight. Now Meet the Man Who Created Her.

You know Nancy. You might know Sluggo. But do you know Ernie Bushmiller, the cartoonist whose deceptively simple creation became bigger than its creator?

Culture

The book cover for 'Unseen Places' by Anna Kodé features a light blue background. In the center, an orange sphere with a single black eye and a small orange band around it is encircled by a thick, spiraling orange line. The title 'Unseen Places' is in large blue letters at the top, followed by the subtitle 'Rediscovering the Art of Observation' in smaller black text, and the author's name 'Anna Kodé' in large black letters at the bottom.

Unseen Places: The Joy of Discovering Something New by Anna Kodé

Anna Kodé’s Unseen Places explores observation, curiosity and the hidden stories of everyday life, from Italian construction watchers to bonobo apes.

David Byrne, a man with short, wavy gray hair, looks directly at the viewer with a serious expression. He is wearing a blue and white striped suit jacket and is leaning forward with his arms crossed on a dark surface. Behind him, a large, bright red book titled "SLEEPING BEAUTIES: Why Good Ideas Go Dormant and How They Wake Up" by David Byrne is prominently displayed.

David Byrne’s Sleeping Beauties: When Great Ideas Wake Up

David Byrne’s Sleeping Beauties explores forgotten ideas, overlooked inventions and artists who waited decades or centuries to be rediscovered.

A black and white promotional poster for a Netflix documentary titled "Who Is Martin Mull?" features a man in a suit, but his lower body is replaced with a collage of images. The man, Martin Mull, has light hair and a mustache, wearing a patterned suit jacket and tie with a dog's face on it. He holds a small, decorated guitar in his left hand and rests his right hand on his hip. His legs are replaced with various images, including a dog's head, a woman's legs in boots, and a chair. The title "WHO IS Martin Mull?" is in a yellow and red retro font at the bottom, with "ONLY ON NETFLIX" below it.

Martin Mull Took Every Job Except Being Ordinary

Martin Mull was more than a television actor. From comedy and music to painting, his unusual career made him impossible to put in one box.

A cheerful yellow smiley face keychain figure, wearing a red shirt with "Smile" written on it, sits prominently in the foreground. It is surrounded by many flat, round yellow smiley face discs, with a large, glowing red neon smiley face sign providing a warm backdrop.

The Secret Origin of the Smiley Face

Harvey Ball created the iconic smiley face in 10 minutes for $45. Here is how a simple insurance-company design became a global symbol and an Acid House icon.

A black and white still from the film 'The Ghost and Mrs. Muir' shows Gene Tierney as Mrs. Muir and Rex Harrison as Captain Gregg. Mrs. Muir, on the left, looks up and to the right with a thoughtful expression, wearing a light-colored dress with a lace collar. Captain Gregg, on the right, looks down at her with a serious expression, dressed in a dark coat and sporting a beard. They appear to be on a ship, with a window showing the ocean in the background.

The Ghost and Mrs. Muir: What the Movie Changed

The 1947 classic The Ghost and Mrs. Muir is more than a romantic ghost story. Here's what the movie changed from the novel and why Captain Gregg may be more controlling than protective.

A vintage movie poster for "Bela Lugosi Meets a Brooklyn Gorilla" features a large, brown, furry gorilla with its arm around a smiling woman in a red floral bikini top and sarong. To the right, an older man with a stern expression, Bela Lugosi, looks forward, while the bottom left corner shows a close-up of a man in a green hat looking up in fear. The poster also includes smaller images of men in suits and a woman with a gorilla, along with the film's title and cast names in colorful text.

The Worst Movie You’ll Ever Find: Bela Lugosi Meets a Brooklyn Gorilla

Bela Lugosi, Jerry Lewis imitators, a gorilla suit and Hollywood controversy collide in this bizarre 1952 cult movie.

A collage of black and white stills from various horror films featuring Bela Lugosi, surrounding a central graphic that reads "BELA LUGOSI'S STINKERS" in dripping green and yellow letters. The central graphic depicts a overflowing trash can with film reels, banana peels, and crushed cans, all covered in green slime. The surrounding stills show Lugosi in different roles, including a man in a suit and fedora looking menacing, a scientist with a woman on an operating table, a man with a werewolf, and Lugosi as Dracula. The overall mood is campy and humorous, celebrating Lugosi's lesser-known, B-movie horror roles.

Bela Lugosi’s Worst Movies: When the Horror Legend Hit Rock Bottom

Bela Lugosi's worst movies reveal the strange, sad final chapter of the Dracula star's career, from Poverty Row productions to Ed Wood's films.

Ace in the Hole: The 1951 Movie That Feels Modern

Billy Wilder's Ace in the Hole, starring Kirk Douglas, is a 1951 film about media greed, sensationalism and the public appetite for tragedy that feels remarkably modern.

Food & Life

A screenshot of the 'Don't Cook That' website, featuring a light background with dark red and yellow text. The main headline reads: 'Recipes people really printed. Recipes you really shouldn't make.' Below, a description mentions 'Beer brewed from sulphuric acid. Bread risen with hydrochloric acid.' On the right, a card titled 'TODAY'S TERRIBLE IDEA' displays 'Beer of Sulphuric Acid' with a skull and crossbones icon and a warning to 'CALL POISON CONTROL.' An elderly person with glasses and a winter hat sips from a glass of dark liquid, looking serious. The website's footer shows '144 RECIPES VERIFIED,' '48 REAL COOKBOOKS,' and '1831-1929' as the date range.

Don’t Cook That: When Old Recipes Got Seriously Dangerous

Old cookbooks weren’t always harmless. Some mixed food, medicine and household chemistry in ways that can make Grandma’s apple pie look downright safe.

A box of "Paris Zoo Buddies" chicken-shaped animal nuggets sits open on a wooden table next to a plate of seven cooked nuggets, a small bowl of ketchup, and a glass of milk. The red box features cartoon animals (giraffe, elephant, hippo) and a drawing of a man with a thumbs-up, advertising "Chicken-Shaped Zoo Animals" and "10g Protein." The nuggets on the plate are in various animal shapes, including a giraffe, elephant, and hippopotamus, with one partially eaten.

When Paris Ate the Zoo: The Strangest Menu in History

During the Siege of Paris, starving Parisians ate zoo animals. Here’s the bizarre story behind elephant, camel and kangaroo appearing on a Paris menu.

Why Does Your Jeans Pocket Have That Stupid Little Pocket?

That stupid little pocket in your jeans has a long history, from pocket watches and the real 5th pocket to its cheeky modern reputation as the condom pocket.

Why Did We Put Missing Kids on Milk Cartons?

Why did missing children’s faces appear on milk cartons? We look at the strange history behind the campaign, the kids who recognized themselves, Milk Carton 2.0 and Canada’s famous milk bags.

The Pen Is Mightier Than Death: Believe It or Not!

Howie Noel, Ripley's Believe It or Not!, Dick Tracy and Charles Schulz reveal how legendary comic strips keep going after their original creators are gone.

Nancy Stole the Spotlight. Now Meet the Man Who Created Her.

You know Nancy. You might know Sluggo. But do you know Ernie Bushmiller, the cartoonist whose deceptively simple creation became bigger than its creator?

Exploring Calvin and Hobbes

Bill Watterson's Calvin and Hobbes was always about the art. Now, original artwork from the beloved comic strip is going on tour, giving fans a rare look behind the panels.

Working at Wayne Enterprises Must Be Exhausting

What would it really be like to work at Wayne Enterprises? Discover the ordinary employees quietly helping Batman protect Gotham.

The Odd & Curious

A vintage-style poster for Houdini, featuring multiple illustrations and text. The top left shows Houdini escaping handcuffs, with text 'EUROPE'S ECLIPSING SENSATION HOUDINI THE WORLD'S HANDCUFF KING & PRISON BREAKER'. The top right depicts spirits and a medium, with text 'Do Spirits Return?'. The center features a smiling portrait of Houdini and large text 'HOUDINI SAYS NO - AND PROVES IT 3 SHOWS IN ONE MAGIC - ILLUSIONS - ESCAPES - FRAUD EXPOSED'. The bottom shows a group of men pulling on chains and a large padlock, with text 'JESSE L. LASKY HOUDINI 'THE GRIM GAME' A PARAMOUNT-ARTCRAFT PICTURE'.

The Famous People Who Died on Halloween

Harry Houdini died on Halloween in 1926, but he wasn’t alone. Explore the famous figures who died on October 31 and Houdini’s final escape pact.

Three bottles of red wine stand on a wooden surface in front of a sunny vineyard. From left to right, the labels read: 'Old Old Coffin Dodger Cabernet Sauvignon,' 'Middle-Old Geezer Merlot,' and 'You So Old Fossil Cabernet Franc.' Each label features a different design related to aging, such as a skeleton running with a scythe, a vineyard landscape, and a cluster of grapes.

How Did 81 Suddenly Become Young?

When did 81 become young? A funny look at aging, retirement, baby boomers and how our idea of old age keeps changing.

Scratch-and-Sniff Is Making a Comeback

Scratch-and-sniff was once everywhere, from Raspberries albums and MAD Magazine to John Waters’ Odorama. Now the strange little fad is making a comeback.

Forget Book Burning, This Guy Wants You to Chop Your Books

Matt Kirkland has a strange solution for giant books: chop them into smaller, manageable volumes. Chop the biggest books and why it might make sense.

The Weirdest Thing About Transformers: The Movie Was Its Soundtrack

Why was The Transformers: The Movie soundtrack so unusual? From Stan Bush and Weird Al to Orson Welles, its strange mix still works 40 years later.

A vintage red spherical stereo player with a silver handle on top sits on a wooden floor against a wooden wall. The front of the player features a black control panel with a radio tuner, volume and tone knobs, and a slot for an 8-track tape, which currently holds a 'Boston' tape.

The 8-Track Tape Died. Apparently Nobody Told It.

The 8-track tape ruled car stereos before cassettes killed it, but its strange legacy lives on in mixtapes, video-game cartridges and collectors.

A promotional image for 'Rocktober' by Rhino Records, featuring a black and white banner with 'ROCKTOBER' in a jagged, rock-style font and 'RHINO' below it. Below the banner, three colored vinyl records are displayed. From left to right: a red vinyl with the album cover 'Love' by Love, a red vinyl with the album cover 'Forever Changes' by Love, and a blue vinyl with the album cover 'The Monkees Present Micky, David, Michael' by The Monkees.

Show Us the LOVE! Rhino Gives Arthur Lee and Love Another Spin

Rhino's Rocktober gives Arthur Lee and Love another spin with three limited-edition albums, but the real Love story begins with Forever Changes.

A tall, precarious stack of music CDs in their jewel cases stands upright against a white background. The stack leans slightly to the right, with the top CDs appearing to be on the verge of toppling over. The spines of the CDs are visible, displaying various album titles and artist names in different colors and fonts.

We Killed the CD. Now We’re Bringing It Back From the Dead.

We killed the CD, dumped the evidence and moved on. Vinyl is growing, CDs are surging and a new generation is discovering the music we thought we'd left buried.

AMC conjures up your cravings with Doctor Strange’s collectible popcorn vessel

Get the Doctor Strange collectible popcorn vessel with large popcorn for just $24.99+tax. This AMC exclusive magically collapses and is the perfect way to charm your cravings.

HBO’s George Carlin’s American Dream

George Carlin’s American Dream, a two-part documentary directed by Judd Apatow (HBO’s “Girls,” “The Zen Diaries of Garry Shandling”) and Michael Bonfiglio (HBO’s “May It Last: A Portrait of the Avett Brothers”), will debut on HBO and HBO Max on May 20, 2022.

The Weed Man: six-hour, husband-mandated “lockdown” inspires Welsh author and illustrator’s first novel

Pacing the floor of her Cwmbran home during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic and government lockdown, Nicola Jane John felt frustrated. Unable to indulge in her favourite hobby – swimming – her nervous energy was rubbing off on her husband, who had a brilliant idea. He locked his wife in his study with a chilled bottle of wine and told her not to emerge until she’d put pen to paper and come up with a story for their local newspaper.

Vinyl is not final with Third Man Records’ Spinnerette Turntable

The retro-vibe Third Man Records Spinnerette Turntable features a belt-driven turntable and dynamic full-range speaker that are revealed when the Spinnerette carrying case is opened. Great for vinyl beginners, the Spinnerette is powered by an AC power adapter (included), has an Audio-Technica diamond-stylus needle and plays 33 ⅓, 45 and 78rpm records. Third Man Records is an independent record label, book publisher and manufacturer founded by Jack White in Detroit, Michigan, in 2001.

The Lighter Side of Yoga by Mike Nevitt

Yoga can be an intimidating thing for some. The Lighter Side of Yoga by Mike Nevitt is a whimsical look at yoga. We all want to make peace with our inner selves and the universe around us. Practitioners of yoga have to realize you have to have humility and humor for any kind of commitment to the higher plain of meditation. Modern yoga brings in many sets of unique individuals who interject yoga into their complicated lives. Mike Nevitt with his comical one-panel illustrations brings out these multi-faceted individuals who enter the world of yoga with their unique blend of expectations. Yoga should be a thing of fun, Mike is up to the task. There are giggles galore from page to page. Yoga should not be painful, the only pain you will suffer is the laughter that will make your cheeks hurt.

Miles Out To Sea: The Roots Of British Power Pop 1969-1975

‘Miles Out To Sea’ assembles the pick of these recordings, with household names and hit singles (including The First Class’s classic Beach Boys cop ‘Beach Baby’) joined by cult Power Pop names (Rockin’ Horse, Liverpool Echo, Pagliaro) obscure one-off 45s (Atlantis, Fresh Air, Big Star-soundalikes Rotten To The Core), cuts from privately-pressed or non-UK albums (Rusty, Shakane, Majority One, Ironbridge) and many unreleased-at-the-time tracks (including pre-Records band The Fabulous Ratbites From Hell and a previously- unissued demo by pre-Rusty act Sheephouse, who cut a collectible Decca single).

To Mom (And Dad), With Love

“To Mom (And Dad), With Love” is a sweet Mother’s Day celebration of friendship and family featuring the beloved Peanuts gang. While the other kids are excited to celebrate the special day, for Peppermint Patty it’s just a reminder that she didn’t grow up with a mom. With her good friend Marcie by her side, she soon realizes that real families come in all shapes and sizes and that Mother’s Day is an opportunity to thank that special person in your life who means the most to you.

What’s new on Kanopy: Lydia Lunch: The War is Never Over by Beth B

I am in the mood for a good flick this weekend. Kanopy to the rescue. It pays to have a library card. With a limit of five films per month, Lydia Lunch: The War is Never Over by Beth B is getting my full attention this weekend. I honestly do not know much about Beth B, so this should be a treat.

The Peanutbutter Sisters and Other American Stories by Rumi Hara

Rarely does a new talent arrive in the medium as unmistakably distinct as Rumi Hara? With immersive art and a clear-eyed storytelling rhythm, her uncategorizable debut, Nori, put her playful cartooning on display. Her new collection, The Peanutbutter Sisters and Other American Stories delight with equal mischievousness.

From the small screen to comic books: American TV Comic Books (1940s-1980s) by Peter Bosch

Sure the comic book publishers had a well-established property by printing TV series in comic book form. Some were successful, others not so much. Kids from the 40s-to 80s were not spoiled with the internet like the kids of today. Comic books were the only extension outside the TV shows besides the novelization of top-notch shows. Peter Bosch brings out in full color those amazing TV show tie-ins comic books from yesterday. American TV Comic Books (1940s-1980s) by TwoMorrows Publishing is a great addition to your home library. Be sure to also buy Retro Fan from TwoMorrows Publishing.

Peanuts: The Classic Peanuts and Peanuts: The Snoopy Collection box sets

A box-set facsimile collection of three classic Peanuts comic strip books – Peanuts, More Peanuts and Good Ol’ Charlie Brown. With each book containing 128 pages, that’s over 360 pages of classic Peanuts daily and Sunday newspaper comic strips to enjoy. Including art cards featuring the cover art from the individual books.

New Randy Rhoads Documentary ‘Reflections Of A Guitar Icon’

“Randy Rhoads: Reflections Of A Guitar Icon”, a new documentary about legendary guitarist Randy Rhoads, best known for his work with OZZY OSBOURNE, will be available on Video On Demand on Friday, May 6. The 85-film was directed by Andre Relis and was narrated by L.A. GUNS guitarist Tracii Guns. It was written and edited by Michael Bruining.

Entertainment

The Mrs. Roper Romp gains momentum each year globally

Is Miffy Japanese? The Truth Behind This Iconic Bunny’s Origins

Culture

The Origin of Good Grief and Charlie Brown’s Famous Phrase

Who knew that the Maltese Falcon is worth 4.1 million

Food & Life

Who Is the Winking Chef on Pizza Boxes?

Halloween Watch: I Married a Witch

The Odd & Curious

Word of the Week:

SNACKSTUME