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Big Question

Who Ensures That "No Animals Were Harmed in the Making of This Film"?

GARY HERSHORN/Reuters/Landov That’s the work of the American Humane Association, who actually trademarked the phrase. The AHA first set up a committee to investigate abuse of animal actors in the early 20th century, when the horses used in many Western films were at risk for injury on the set. During filming of the 1939 movie Jesse James, a horse and its stuntman rider were sent over a 70-foot cliff into a river. The stuntman just lost his hat, but the horse broke its back and died. Spurred by... READ ON

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How Many Spider-Men Can Fit Inside a Jamba Juice?

On May 8, 2007, David Letterman asked perhaps the least important question any man could have asked: "How many guys in Spider-Man suits can fit into a Jamba Juice restaurant in New York City?" In order to answer this question, Letterman sent a rather large group of Spider-Men into a Jamba Juice, filming the whole time. This is one of the dumbest, weirdest things I've ever seen. I think about this every few days. When life seems a little low, maybe you should just send some Spider-Men into a juice bar... READ ON

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The Late Movies: The Secret Life of Machines

I love The Secret Life of Machines, a late-1980s series about how everyday machines work. Presented primarily by engineer/cartoonist/artist Tim Hunkin, it's understated, funny, and deeply smart -- a gently curious investigation of how things go. Hunkin wrote about the first series: The two sides of my life - researching stuff in books for the cartoon strip and making things, had made me realise just how much clever human activity in the world can not be explained in words or suit the format of a... READ ON

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40 Awesome Tributes to Breaking Bad

Breaking Bad might not be a comedy, but we think these fan tributes are pretty... READ ON
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Are You Batman? Because "I'm Batman"

In this supercut, we are treated to dozens of people (including Batman) claiming to be Batman. Are you Batman? Am I Batman? I am pretty sure I'm Batman. The more people say the word "Batman," the weirder it sounds. Best of the YouTube comments, from user "clownmonkey": I? used to work at a mental hospital, and there was one patient who used to slink around the halls, hiding in niches and doorways. Then she would leap out and glare into your face and growl, "I'm Batman." Best line reading ever.... READ ON

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Andy Griffith Sings the Lyrics to The Andy Griffith Show Theme Song

Well, I'll be. Before producers of The Andy Griffith Show decided that whistling set the tone for the show, Sheriff Taylor himself recorded a version of the song with lyrics. That's not him whistling, by the way - that was composer Earle H. Hagen. Here's Andy singing "The Fishing Hole." Rest in Peace,... READ ON

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Pigs in Space!

Remember Pigs in Space? It was a series of sketches on The Muppet Show parodying Star Trek (and other 60s/70s space-themed TV shows), featuring the adventures of a crew of pigs aboard the Swinetrek. Pigs in Space became so popular that it was used to wake up actual astronauts on the Space Shuttle Columbia during its second mission. Muppet Wiki tells the story: The height of pop-culture awareness for the crew of the Swinetrek occurred in 1981. As part of NASA's morning wake-up call tradition, by... READ ON

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"Come On Eileen" is 30 Years Old

In today's "feel old again" news, the classic song "Come On Eileen" by Dexy's Midnight Runners turned 30 this week. The original single was released on June 26, 1982. The song begins with these lines: Poor old Johnnie Ray Sounded sad upon the radio Moved a million hearts in mono Our mothers cried, sang along Who would blame them? In case you missed the memo, Johnnie Ray was a crooner who performed wearing a hearing aid in his right ear -- he lost most of the hearing in that ear in a... READ ON

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Inside Aaron Sorkin's Brain

Aaron Sorkin is a fantastic writer of dialogue -- as long as you're okay with listening to Aaron Sorkin talking to Aaron Sorkin through the voices of miscellaneous actors. But really, I do love Sorkin, and I love listening to that endless echoing conversation; it's like Mamet except it actually sounds like people I hang out with. (Yes, I hang out with TV production staff at the Oval Office. All the time.) In this amazing video, superfan Kevin Porter goes deep on "Sorkinisms," the repeating tropes,... READ ON

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"Rainbow Connection," 33 Years Later

33 years ago yesterday, The Muppet Movie made its silver screen debut. Over the opening credits, Kermit played his banjo in the swamp, singing the now-iconic theme song, "Rainbow Connection." The song was nominated for an Academy Award and a Golden Globe for Best Original Song, though it didn't win either; instead it reached #25 on the Billboard Hot 100 charts, appeared in every subsequent Muppets film, and has been covered dozens of times. And it all started with Jim Henson's voice in a swamp. Let's... READ ON

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