The original pilot for Gilligan’s Island featured a calypso-style intro song that lasted almost two minutes and included very different lyrics.
For more than 70 years, Major League Baseball has used the same mud from the same river to rub on baseballs.
Oikophobia is a tendency to criticize one’s own society while praising others. According to the late philosopher Roger Scruton, this is a phase that usually takes place during adolescence.
In Australia, it’s common for people to loudly thank their bus driver as they leave a bus.
The name for Monterey Jack cheese comes from Monterey, Calif., but the “Jack” either came from Doña Juana Cota de Boronda’s use of her handmade jack to press the curds or businessman David Jacks who sold the cheese commercially.
The above is information that Mr. Smarty Pants read in a book, magazine, or newspaper; heard on the radio; saw on television; or overheard at a party. Got facts? Write to Mr. Smarty Pants. Why not visit mrsmartypants.com?
This article appears in July 3 • 2026.