13 Very, Very, Very, Very Fascinating Facts That Sound Totally Fake But Are 10000% True

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1. In the '80s, Freddie Mercury dressed Princess Diana up arsenic a guy and snuck her into a cheery bar. According to histrion Cleo Rocos, who befriended Princess Diana successful the '80s, she and Diana were hanging retired astatine the location of comedian Kenny Everett, on with Mercury. At immoderate point, Diana asked everyone what they were doing aboriginal that night, to which Rocos, Everett, and Mercury said they had plans to spell down to the London cheery barroom Royal Vauxhall Tavern.

Phil Dent / Redferns, Tim Graham / Tim Graham Photo Library via Getty Images

Diana asked them if she could articulation them. Rocos, Everett, and Mercury initially hesitated due to the fact that they were acrophobic astir what could hap if the property recovered retired the then-future queen of England was partying astatine a cheery bar. Mercury gave successful and reportedly said, "Go on, fto the miss person immoderate fun," and dressed her up successful an service jacket, aviator sunglasses, and a leather headdress (the apparel Everett had planned to deterioration retired that night). They were capable to sneak her into the club, and cipher noticed it was her.

Princess Diana Archive / Getty Images, FG/Bauer-Griffin / Getty Images

2. The characters of Shane Hollander and Ilya Rozanov successful Heated Rivalry are really partially inspired by 2 real-life pro hockey players. Rachel Reid, who wrote the caller of the aforesaid sanction that the amusement is based on, drew inspiration for the characters of Hollander and Rozanov from the real-life hockey rivalry betwixt NHL players Sidney Crosby and Alexander Ovechkin.

Two radical successful tuxedos stock an intimate moment, leaning successful with metropolis lights successful the background

The aggravated contention betwixt Crosby and Ovechkin gave her a instauration for imagining the fierce on‑ice clash betwixt her 2 leads. FTR, the 2 players were not lovers. Though Reid has stressed that portion the 2 nonrecreational players inspired definite traits and the rival dynamic, Hollander and Rozanov are archetypal creations crafted to service the story's enemies‑to‑lovers romance.

Joosep Martinson / World Cup of Hockey via Getty Images, Gregory Shamus / Getty Images

3. The origin of the operation "Friend of Dorothy" is amazingly unclear, and determination are respective theories astir which Dorothy inspired the celebrated portion of LGBTQ+ coded language. The look became wide utilized by cheery men successful the mid-20th period arsenic a discreet mode to place 1 different during a clip erstwhile being openly cheery could pb to discrimination, arrest, oregon societal ostracism. The astir commonly accepted mentation links the operation to Dorothy Gale from The Wizard of Oz and to Judy Garland, whose presumption arsenic a cheery icon made the transportation particularly meaningful wrong LGBTQ+ community.

a scarecrow, tin man, miss successful a dress, and lion from a classical movie scene

However, immoderate historians judge the notation whitethorn person originated with Dorothy from L. Frank Baum's archetypal Oz books, wherever her kindness, acceptance of outsiders, and instauration of a chosen household resonated with galore readers. Others person suggested that the operation could person referred to writer Dorothy Parker, whose crisp wit and friendships with cheery men made her a well-known fig successful the era's societal circles. Researchers person besides noted that the look whitethorn person developed done aggregate influences alternatively than coming from a azygous source.

Culture Club / Bridgeman via Getty Images, Hulton Archive / Getty Images

4. It was filming Harriet the Spy that led Rosie O'Donnell to make The Rosie O'Donnell Show. The movie was changeable successful Toronto and had agelong hours. At the extremity of the shooting days, O'Donnell noticed that her babe son, Parker, was much attached to their housekeeper. This made her recognize she needed a New York–based occupation with shorter hours successful bid to walk much clip with him.

Rosie O'Donnell wears a achromatic blazer and achromatic shirt, holding a artifact portion hosting her speech amusement successful the 1990s

So O'Donnell came up with the thought of doing a daytime speech amusement arsenic the solution, which would springiness her a much unchangeable docket than a movie production. As Vulture puts it, it was a "then-radical daytime-television experiment" to bash a speech amusement that was centered connected interviewing celebrities and engaging with the unrecorded workplace audience. But it worked, and the amusement would spell connected to alteration television.

Person animatedly talking with Elmo connected a speech amusement set, with a mug featuring cartoon graphics disposable connected the table

5. In the 1920s and aboriginal 1930s, William "Billy" Haines was 1 of Hollywood's biggest stars, appearing successful a drawstring of palmy soundless films and aboriginal talkies for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. At a clip erstwhile studios tightly controlled their actors' idiosyncratic lives, Haines was openly progressive successful a same-sex narration with his longtime partner, Jimmie Shields. MGM executives reportedly pressured him to end the relationship and participate into a matrimony that would support his nationalist image.

Classic representation of a idiosyncratic from the aboriginal 20th century, seated, holding a cigaret with a thoughtful expression, wearing a sweater implicit a collared shirt

Haines refused, choosing Shields implicit his movie vocation contempt the hazard to his fame and livelihood. As a result, his acting vocation efficaciously came to an end portion galore of his contemporaries remained successful the spotlight. Rather than vanish from nationalist life, helium reinvented himself arsenic an interior decorator and built a highly palmy 2nd career. Haines went connected to decorate homes for immoderate of Hollywood's astir almighty stars, including Joan Crawford, whose surviving country helium decorated, which you tin spot below. His designs are inactive disposable to acquisition today.

Woman successful 1950s-style formal poses successful an elegantly furnished surviving room, implicit with fireplace and ornamental decor

6. When Modern Family premiered successful 2009 connected ABC, it arrived astatine a clip erstwhile American web tv was dilatory expanding its portrayal of LGBTQ+ characters, making them much cardinal alternatively than broadside characters. Of course, 1 of the show's storylines followed Mitchell Pritchett and Cameron Tucker, a cheery mates raising an adopted girl named Lily. Played by Jesse Tyler Ferguson and Eric Stonestreet, the brace were written arsenic a long-term, committed narration with mundane home struggles.

A radical of actors from a household sitcom stands unneurotic outdoors, casually dressed, smiling for a promotional photo

As the Atlantic noted successful 2015, Cam and Mitchell's beingness helped spot a same-sex narration wrong the acquainted operation of a mainstream American household sitcom, which made it easier for wide audiences to subordinate to them. Instead of focusing connected struggle astir their identity, the amusement often treated their narration arsenic routine, showing them navigating parenting stress, vocation changes, and extended household dynamics. That normalizing attack mattered due to the fact that it came conscionable earlier and during large shifts successful US nationalist sentiment and ineligible designation of same-sex marriage.

Three radical airs together, smiling. One is simply a kid successful casual wear, and 2 adults, 1 successful a polo and different successful a checkered shirt, clasp her

7. Call Me by Your Name wasn't primitively imagined arsenic a one-off story, but arsenic the commencement of a longer bid pursuing its characters implicit time. Director Luca Guadagnino has said successful interviews that helium wanted to revisit Elio and Oliver astatine antithetic stages of their lives, with the adjacent movie acceptable respective years aft the events of the archetypal movie. Early plans described the task arsenic portion of a trilogy, wherever each installment would prime up the characters again arsenic they aged, akin successful operation to Richard Linklater's Before films.

Movie poster for "Call Me by Your Name" featuring 2 radical looking up. Critics' praise is displayed, highlighting its romanticist and affectional impact

Guadagnino besides suggested the follow-up would determination beyond Italy and amusement the characters navigating caller places and humanities moments, including the HIV/AIDS epidemic, arsenic good arsenic the changing taste and governmental scenery of the precocious 20th century. André Aciman, the writer of the publication connected which the movie is based, adjacent wrote a sequel that followed that aforesaid storyline. However, for assorted reasons, including Armie Hammer's controversies, the sequels to the movie are apt ne'er to happen.

Person successful a striped garment leans connected a windowsill stack of books, gazing extracurricular thoughtfully

8. MAC Cosmetics was founded successful 1984 successful Toronto by constitution creator and lensman Frank Toskan (below) and salon proprietor Frank Angelo, who primitively created the marque due to the fact that they struggled to find cosmetics that photographed good nether agleam workplace lights. The institution rapidly gained a devoted pursuing among nonrecreational constitution artists, manner insiders, and performers acknowledgment to its bold colors, inclusive philosophy, and beardown ties to originative and LGBTQ+ communities.

A idiosyncratic with medium-length hair, wearing a acheronian collared jacket, stands successful beforehand of shelves filled with bottles and jars successful a workspace setting

In 1994, arsenic MAC approached its 10th anniversary, Toskan and Angelo launched the MAC AIDS Fund to observe the brand's occurrence portion besides giving backmost to the communities that had helped it grow. To enactment the cause, MAC introduced its archetypal Viva Glam lipstick, with a pledge that 100% of the selling price, not conscionable a information of profits, would beryllium donated to HIV/AIDS services, research, and enactment programs. The look of the motorboat was the iconic resistance queen RuPaul, whose groundbreaking run made her the first resistance queen to beforehand a large cosmetics advertisement. At a clip erstwhile some resistance civilization and LGBTQ+ practice were far, acold little disposable successful mainstream advertising, RuPaul's engagement helped marque the run consciousness bold, culturally significant, and genuinely trailblazing.

Person successful a bold, figure-hugging outfit with precocious boots, holding a microphone connected a signifier with a repeated "Viva" backdrop

9. The idea for the bid Queer Eye for the Straight Guy came from a full fluke. In 2001, the bid co-creators, David Collins and Michael Williams, were astatine an unfastened creator workplace successful Boston erstwhile they overheard a woman outcry astatine her hubby for not being dressed arsenic nicely arsenic 3 cheery men that were determination — the cheery men past went to speech to the mates to creaseless things over.

The formed of "Queer Eye for the Straight Guy"

While they were each talking, Collins said to Williams, "They conscionable got a queer oculus for the consecutive guy. That's the amusement we've been looking for." The 2 aboriginal went extracurricular to speech to their friends, who each thought it was a large idea. Williams past said, "I warrant you a twelvemonth from now, it volition beryllium 1 of the biggest hits connected television." This was partially true...the bid was a large hit, but it premiered 2 years later, successful 2003.

Five radical airs successful beforehand of a striped backdrop, wearing stylish and eclectic outfits with unsocial patterns and designs

10. Before becoming known arsenic a civilian rights activist, Josephine Baker was 1 of the world's biggest entertainers, particularly successful France, wherever she became a superstar successful the 1920s and 1930s. When World War II began, and Nazi Germany occupied France, Baker utilized her personage presumption to secretly enactment with the French Resistance. Because she was celebrated and often traveled for performances, Nazi officials and subject officers were often starstruck and saw her arsenic harmless entertainment, and did not fishy she was gathering intelligence.

Vintage photograph of a smiling pistillate with a sleek hairstyle, bold earrings, and draped outfit, embodying classical 1920s fashion

Baker reportedly smuggled concealed messages written successful invisible ink connected expanse euphony and hid accusation wrong her luggage and dresses portion traveling crossed borders. She besides utilized her fame to be parties and societal events wherever she could overhear conversations from high-ranking officials and walk accusation on to absorption fighters. Beyond espionage, Baker sheltered refugees and supported the Free French forces during the warfare effort. After the warfare ended, France honored her bravery with large subject awards, including the Croix de Guerre, cementing her bequest arsenic not conscionable an entertainer but besides a wartime hero.

- / AFP via Getty Images, Ullstein Bild Dtl. / ullstein bild via Getty Images

11. When Schitt's Creek was archetypal being developed by Dan Levy and Eugene Levy, Catherine O'Hara was their archetypal prime to play Moira Rose. At the time, O'Hara was hesitant to articulation the amusement and initially turned them down. However, Dan was determined to formed her and pushed Eugene to person her to sprout the pilot. After it was picked up, they told her that she lone needed to marque a one-season committedness and that if she hated the show, she could leave.

The formed of Schitt's Creek walks confidently down a ungraded road; they deterioration stylish and divers outfits

Moira was primitively written arsenic a much grounded character, but erstwhile O'Hara joined the show, she was fixed country to reshape her successful her ain way. She leaned into a much stylized, unpredictable approach, drafting inspiration successful portion from figures similar Daphne Guinness. From there, she helped physique Moira's signature traits, including the antithetic accent, melodramatic wigs, and heightened, theatrical vocabulary. Dan aboriginal recalled being struck by her aboriginal ideas for the role, saying, "She came to maine with immoderate references successful presumption of however the quality would look, and she was reasoning of having this benignant of accent…. I retrieve uncovering it each rather dazzling."

Person successful a dramatic, glossy achromatic formal with spiked enarthrosis details stands connected a street, appearing stylish and confident

12. When The Birdcage was being developed successful the mid-1990s, Robin Williams was really cast to play Albert Goldman, the flamboyant resistance queen who was yet portrayed by Nathan Lane. At the time, Steve Martin was attached to play Albert's partner, Armand Goldman, the much reserved proprietor of the Miami resistance club. However, erstwhile Martin near the task due to the fact that of scheduling conflicts, Williams suggested that helium power roles and play Armand instead, since helium had conscionable played the flamboyant Mrs. Doubtfire and didn't privation to repetition himself.

Two radical beryllium connected a bench; 1 successful striped pants and a cape, the different successful a floral shirt. A metropolis skyline and h2o are disposable successful the background

According to Lane, the film's director, Mike Nichols, past floated the thought of casting either Billy Crystal oregon Robert Redford successful the relation of Albert. However, Williams powerfully supported Lane for the role, helping person filmmakers that helium was the close idiosyncratic for the part. The determination proved crucial, arsenic Lane's larger-than-life show became 1 of the film's astir celebrated elements, portion Williams provided a grounded counterpart that balanced the comedy.

Two individuals successful casual, patterned shirts basal indoors, 1 with hands connected face, expressing surprise

13. And lastly, successful 1990, HIV/AIDS was inactive wide misunderstood and heavy stigmatized successful the US. The Golden Girls, which regularly featured heavier topics, similar migration and LGBTQ+ rights, tackled the taxable successful an occurrence titled "72 Hours." In the episode, Rose becomes anxious aft learning she whitethorn person been exposed to HIV done a humor transfusion, forcing her to face fear, misinformation, and prejudice astir the disease. Rather than treating the taxable arsenic a punchline, the amusement approached it with seriousness portion inactive maintaining its trademark comedic tone.

Four women successful stylish attire airs successful a room. One holds a trophy, suggesting a solemnisation oregon award. The mounting appears to beryllium cozy and elegant

The episode's writers, Tracy Gamble and Richard Vaczy, reached out to HIV specialists astatine UCLA to larn what cardinal accusation they would privation audiences to know. After it aired, the episode helped present galore viewers to basal facts astir HIV transmission astatine a clip erstwhile nationalist cognition was constricted and often distorted. It besides challenged the thought that HIV/AIDS lone affected definite groups, showing however fearfulness could dispersed done misunderstanding alternatively than science.

Two women having a superior speech astatine location astir misunderstandings related to a disease

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