Mental Floss

TV

Ye olde boob tube.

When TVs became popular in the 20th century, some people started calling it ‘the tube.’ That nickname soon spawned an even catchier one: ‘the boob tube.’

Ellen Gutoskey






Strawberry Shortcake and friends.

For Gen Xers and elder Millennials, there’s nothing like the scent of Strawberry Shortcake and her dessert-themed friends for bringing back fond childhood memories.

A.K. Whitney


Phil Collins and Sting at Live Aid in 1985.

Gen Xers and Millennials uttered a collective gasp on May 9, 2023, when Paramount announced it was shutting down MTV News after more than three decades of operation.

Kenneth Partridge
















George Takei

George Takei may be best known for his role as Mr. Sulu on ‘Star Trek.’ But there's far more to Takei than manning the helm of the USS ‘Enterprise.’

Chris Higgins