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Yahoo
07-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
People Are Revealing The Weirdest And Silliest Things They Believed As Kids, And I Can't Stop Giggling
Kids have very active imaginations. They see the world in a totally different way! Of course, this can lead to some pretty funny mix-ups, misunderstandings, and lots of make-believe. Reddit user Night_sky2025 recently asked, "What was the weirdest thing you believed as a child?" Here are some of the wild, hilarious, and wholesome responses: 1."When I was pretty young, I learned the word 'fired' in reference to guns. I didn't know that it also referred to being terminated from a job. So it was with confused horror that I observed my mom casually inform my dad that her coworker, Jody, had apparently been shot to death at work for her subpar job performance. And it was unnerving how casually my dad reacted to it, with little more than a, 'Oh man, that's too bad.' For quite a while, I became quite invested in my mom's work performance." —Cessnateur 2."My dad was a pilot, so he was gone a lot when I was a kid. My mom often took us to Chuck E. Cheese when my dad was on a trip. I eventually noticed we only went there when Dad was gone, so I asked him why he never wanted to go with us. He told me he was the guy in the mouse costume and was always there; he just wasn't allowed to interact with us. For many years, I genuinely believed this. We laugh about it now." —Humble-Grumble 3."As a kid, I believed you were supposed to pray to God when you wanted good things to happen and pray to Satan when you wanted bad things to happen. Like, two separate customer service departments." —Bitter_Minute_6811 4."Endora from Bewitched was real and could see me through the TV, so I had to clap and act super grateful for Bewitched or she would curse me." —IntrudingAlligator 5."Someone told me Canadians eat toast upside-down because that places the toast toppings in direct contact with taste buds. Young me believed Canadians were very clever for coming up with this toast-eating method and would occasionally give it a go myself. I met a Canadian as a fully grown adult and asked him if my 'fact' was true. Understandably, he was politely mystified. " —hummingbirdpie 6."I believed that brown cows were the ones that made chocolate milk, and the black/white cows made the regular milk. Pink cows made strawberry milk, and farmers had to hide them in their barn because they were afraid someone would steal the pink cows because everyone loved strawberry milk." —Jacked-Cookies 7."That we had two stomachs: one for liquids and one for solids. When people would say, 'It went down the wrong pipe,' I assumed it was liquids vs. solids, not solids vs. gas." —SagittariusDonkey 8."I was told to leave my cuts and scrapes alone because when I went to sleep, little, tiny people would crawl into my bed and build the scabs themselves using their tools, and I'd be rude if I messed with their work by picking at it. I used to want to catch these little tiny people. To be fair, I never saw a scab develop. I'd just wake up, and it would be there, for it seemed legit. Thanks, Mom." —kowaiikaisu 9."That the new president of the US had beaten up the previous president to get the job. I spent so much of my young life hating Ronald Reagan, not for his policies, because I was unaware of them, but because I thought he had beaten up Jimmy Carter, and Jimmy Carter seemed like a nice man." —UllsStratocaster 10."So many things. One of my favorites is that my grandpa told me the neighbors behind them were building a shed for an elephant. It was big enough for one, and my grandpa worked with the circus, so it was totally plausible. It's still referred to as the 'elephant shed.'" —Wolffairy12 11."My parents told me that TV was black and white before because the world was actually black and white. Then, a colorful meteorite struck the Earth and gave color to the world. In my defense, I was very little." —speedhirmu "I convinced my little brother that old photos were from the 'black and white days.'" —iatentdead_ 12."That there could be cameras in our house filming a TV show like other families (The Brady Bunch, The Partridge Family, etc.)." —Crowd-Avoider747 13."You know, in infomercials, when they say, 'But you gotta call right now to get this deal!'? I used to think they kept track of what time their commercials aired, and started a few-minute timer after they aired, and if you called after the timer ran out, you wouldn't get the deal." —YodasChick-O-Stick 14."I thought shooting stars were make-believe like unicorns and leprechauns. I was well into my 20s before I figured it out. Still never seen one though." —PossiblyN0t 15."I remember my dad telling me that part of his job was firing people. I imagined him taking them up on a hill at night, building a campfire around them, and lighting them up. I didn't understand why anyone would allow this to happen to them, even if they were bad at their job." —an_edgy_lemon 16."My parents were raised Catholic and didn't want to force it on me, so I never went to church or read the Bible or anything. Didn't want to. It seemed boring. All of my religious influence came from outside sources that I felt pretty separated from, so I kind of didn't know Jesus was a religious figure. All I knew was what I saw on TV and read brief references. Seeing different versions of Jesus was especially confusing because if he were a real guy, we wouldn't be able to redesign him, right? So for a really long time, maybe until I was 11 or 12, I fully believed Jesus was a type of character. Like a wizard or the Good King sorta deal. He was just 'That Brand of Guy.' If you will, an improv prompt, or some kind of role that needs to be filled in for a story. I still think that, but I thought everyone else thought that, too." —Stunning_Celery_6556 17."I used to believe the 'Gray Pumpkin' would come the night of Halloween to take some of the candy my brother and I collected in exchange for toys. As it turns out, this was just a fun little lie my mom told us so that I, a kid with a severe nut allergy, wouldn't feel as bad about not being able to eat like 75% of the candy I collected. Also, it was supposed to be the 'Great Pumpkin' (from Charlie Brown), but I misheard, so I always imagined a large, gray pumpkin with arms and legs sneaking into our house." —MrKahoobadoo 18."I remember thinking our eyeballs hang by hooks. I don't remember anyone telling me that; I think I just came to that conclusion myself because I couldn't understand how else they are there." —BreathOfTheWild9 19."My sister made up a pop star named Rosie. Though I had never seen her or heard her music outside of my sister singing 'Rosie songs,' I was her biggest fan and would love to ask my sister all about her. I was shocked when my sister came clean after we were almost full-blown adults, haha." —Quirky-End-7470 20."That you only had a certain amount of 'voice' allotted for your lifetime, and that's why old people's voices were very soft and shaky, because they'd used up all their voice when they were young. For a while, I was DETERMINED to have a booming voice when I was old, so I barely spoke to 'save' my voice for later." —wreathyearth 21."Have you ever gone on a highway and seen a sign that says 'speed limit enforced by aircraft'? I thought that they would just shoot you from the sky for speeding. It's not like a plane can give a ticket." —Xelopheris 22."That the opposite side of my knees were called 'leg pits.'" —ExpertOrdinary7074 23."If you play Candy Crush in the car while it is pumped with gas, the car will explode." —Huge_Friendship_6435 24."If you turn a light on in a car at night, you could get a ticket." —Low-Wrangler9740 25."That when you eat, the food would start to fill your entire body up, beginning at your feet. I thought people could cram food into themselves like you shove cotton into a stuffed animal." —Stunning_Love504 26."The left side of my body was sad because I was right-handed. So if I were eating, I'd always have the last bite on the left side of my mouth to cheer it up, etc." —Ladymomos "That 'made from scratch' meant whatever scraps were lying around." —Status_Machine4519 What's the wildest or silliest thing you believed as a kid? Tell us in the comments or share anonymously using this form.
The Spinoff
24-04-2025
- Entertainment
- The Spinoff
An ode to Shihad's Killjoy, the best album by the greatest band in the world
National MP and diehard Shihad fan Chris Bishop sings the praises of his favourite band's classic 1995 album. Last week I went to my first ever Taite Music Prize ceremony, the annual bash to honour independent music in New Zealand. I'd love to say I was invited, but I wasn't – I nabbed the ticket from minister of arts and culture Paul Goldsmith. The New Zealand arts scene, it would be fair to say, leans left. On the night, the MC welcomed 'National MP Chris Bishop' then mercifully didn't pause for too long before adding 'and Green MP Chloe Swarbrick!' – the crowd erupted in applause. So I was a bit nervous about going – who really likes going to places where you get a sense you're not really welcome? But I wanted to be there to honour what I consider one of the most important and vital New Zealand albums ever produced: Killjoy by Shihad, which won the prize for 'Classic Album'. I even wore my 1995-era Killjoy European tour T-shirt in tribute. Killjoy is my favourite record. Not just by a Kiwi artist, but by any artist. It's the record that unites genuine, hardcore Shihad fans. I've been in Shihad mosh pits since 1998, and there's always a couple of people wearing a Killjoy T-shirt. They know its power, and when your sweaty eyes lock together in a mosh pit, there's always a moment of recognition. Sometimes people realise I'm a politician and there's often a look of surprise; sometimes they don't. It really doesn't matter. The music is what matters. Killjoy is Shihad at their best. It's intensely heavy. Wall of sound guitars, drenched in feedback. They just keep coming and coming, and when you think they're over and you get a respite, they hit you again. But it's almost hypnotically melodic as well. In their own unique Shihad way the songs are laden with hooks that stick in your head, that you hum for hours. And some of the chord changes just melt your guts. When I was 16, they used to make me tear up, they were so beautiful. These days these moments still give me a burst of energy, that hard-to-describe feeling you get when beautiful art moves you. The moment in 'Bitter' when it goes into overdrive ('Collect the poison as it spills from your mouth… when affection becomes affliction, let it go'). The final explosion in 'You Again' after the moody breakdown ('Why did I waste my time on you?'). The mid-point in 'Get Up' after the slow build and thrash opening ('See my face in the mirror…'). Killjoy is the sound of a young band making their way, determined to put their best songs out into the world for all to hear. I've heard drummer Tom Larkin talk about the time it was made. They'd just made Churn (a great record, but no Killjoy). They'd go to work, eat, write and rehearse, day after day. It's taut, focused, tight. Not a note out of place. Everything is deliberate. Killjoy is an album without weak songs. Sure, some are better than others. I will maintain until I die that 'Bitter' is Shihad's greatest song (judging from the number of people who yell it out in mosh pits, this is a common view). 'You Again' has, as Jon always tells concert crowds, 'the biggest riff in rock and roll.' 'Envy' is a fusillade of guitars, rolling in like a wave one after each other. 'For What You Burn' broods and seethes. 'Get Up' is a brilliant closer. Killjoy is an album made to be performed and heard live, and loud. I was fortunate enough to hear it performed in its entirety at the Powerstation and then MeowNui on the final stanza of Shihad's farewell tour last month. One song after the other, all merging into a glorious maelstrom of noise, sweat and – if I'm honest – tears. I still can't believe Shihad have finished up for good. There's no feeling quite like waiting down the front at a Shihad gig before the band walks out to play. Anticipation, adrenaline, anxiety. Excitement. But that's nothing compared with what happens when they hit the stage. The crowd roars. Tom Larkin settles himself behind the drums. Karl Kippenberger normally grins at the crowd. Phil Knight slinks into his corner on the far left. And Jon Toogood, New Zealand's best ever rock front man, gets ready. And then those opening chords ring out. A burst of energy. A surge of happiness spreading throughout your body. Waiting is one thing. But listening is even better. I first got into Shihad when I was an angry 14-year-old boy growing up in the Hutt Valley. It was the era of Channel Z, which used to deliberately play a ton of New Zealand music and support brilliant local Wellington acts like Fur Patrol, Breathe, Weta… and Shihad. I can remember sitting in my room in 1998 listening to 'Interconnector' and 'Wait and See', from the Blue Light Disco EP. It was loud. It had serrated guitars. It was catchy as shit. I loved it. When Channel Z advertised that Shihad were playing at the James Cabaret in Wellington at the end of the year, I had to go. It was my first ever concert (as an aside, we need more all-ages shows). My friends and I paid a dude to get us a bottle of vodka from the liquor store on Kent Terrace, drank it around the back, and went in. Jon came out about 10pm and told us it'd be another hour before they played (which is exactly when my long-suffering dad was meant to pick me up). And then Shihad absolutely blew me – and everyone else in the crowd – away. I've never felt anything like it. I wanted to bottle it. After that, I was theirs. I won't bore you with the rest of my bona fides. I've been to every Shihad concert in Wellington since 1998 and my wife Jenna and I have seen them in Auckland and Sydney. I own one of the original pressings of Killjoy on vinyl (only 500 ever made!) plus every other record they've ever produced before and since. I could make a list of 'top 10 Shihad b-sides from the 1990s' and debate it with other diehards for hours. Here are some Shihad facts which I consider to be beyond dispute. As noted, their best album is Killjoy. Their worst album is Beautiful Machine (but it's all relative). The best deep cut they never play live is 'Saddest Song in the World' from Love is the New Hate (the record they made when they changed their name back). Their old stuff is their best stuff (but 'Feel the Fire' is a banger). Their setlists have always played the obvious hits too much at the expense of arcana super-fans like me would get into. I've been thinking a lot about Shihad in the few weeks since their final shows. Those first concerts when I was just 15. Dancing around at my school after-ball to 'The General Electric' and 'A Day Away'. Being stuck at parliament for post-Budget urgency years ago and missing out on seeing them in Auckland. Moshing with my wife. The James Cabaret. Starlight Ballroom. The Wellington Town Hall. Talking about them constantly to my late father, who wanted them to succeed in the States, just like me. The name change. Pacifier arriving via CD from New Zealand when I was in the UK and me playing it over and over. How unusual it is that a band that I loved when I was 15 I love even more, if that's possible, at 41.
Associated Press
28-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Associated Press
Rising Star Neah McMeen Inks Exclusive Publicity Deal With Renowned PLA Media
'I first heard Neah sing on a demo her producer sent me. I was mesmerized by her vocal prowess. When I met her, I was enthralled by her beauty and laser focus for understanding and marketing her brand.' — Chuck Rhodes NASHVILLE, TN, UNITED STATES, March 28, 2025 / / -- PLA Media is proud to welcome promising country music artist Neah McMeen to its top-notch client roster. Recently turning heads with her somewhat salty debut single, 'Bitter,' she stopped fans and music industry insiders in their tracks, leaving them hungry for her next release. The relatable tune is driven by an engaging, 'been there-done that' delivery that leaves no doubt she has lived those lyrics. McMeen's star-power is further proven by a recent TikTok video from her last Nashville photo/video shoot that, within 48 hours, gained viral status nearing 500,000 views. 'Music has the power to bring people together, to tell stories that matter, and to remind us where we come from,' says McMeen. 'I'm beyond excited to partner with PLA Media, a team that understands my journey and shares my passion for making meaningful connections through music.' 'Neah is the winning combo Music Row's in constant search for,' says PLA Media President/CEO Pam Lewis. 'She has a natural poise, that small-town, Midwest charm, raw talent, and a work ethic few can keep pace with.' Just 20 years old, Neah has already proven she is a musical force to be reckoned with. Her unforgettably powerful voice, glamourous appeal, and personality so warm it draws people in like an autumn campfire, have attracted the attention of some of Music Row's most iconic star makers, including legendary manager Chuck Rhodes and hit-generating songwriter/producer Buddy Hyatt, both of whom are now building and steering her budding career. Neah's all-important social media campaign is led by Addison Oaks. 'I first heard Neah sing on a demo her producer, Buddy Hyatt, had sent me. I was mesmerized by her vocal prowess,' Rhodes recalled. 'When I met her, I was enthralled by her beauty and laser focus for understanding and marketing her brand. I could not be more honored and humbled to be working with an artist that has such major potential in this business we call music.' Neah has opened for the likes of established country artists like Lucas Hoge. Her rousing, knock 'em dead performance of 'The Star Spangled Banner' at several NFL and MLB events has further endeared her to sports – and country music – lovers. Hailing from Webber, Kansas, her country soul is deeply rooted in America's heartland. When she's not performing, she's a full-time sophomore at The University of Kansas, where she is pursuing a degree in Health Sciences. Her engaging personality puts her front-and-center in most campus activities. She is also a member of the Kappa Kappa Gamma Sorority. For updates on McMeen and her upcoming projects, visit Krista Dykes +1 615-327-0100 TikTok Legal Disclaimer:
BBC News
09-02-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Jennings Brewery to bring back discontinued cask and keg beer
A brewery has been flooded with requests to bring back discontinued beer after announcing its Brewery in Cockermouth, Cumbria, was closed in November 2022 by the then-owners Carlsberg Marston's Brewing Company (CMBC).However, the site has now been bought by local couple Kurt and Rebecca Canfield who said the brewery could start producing beer again by the summer under the Jennings France, the firm's new managing director, said he had recipes for about 100 beers and planned to "definitely" bring back Cumberland Ale and Bitter. In November 2024, CMBC announced it would stop selling Jennings Cumberland Ale, moving production to Staffordshire, in cask or keg France said CMBC stopped brewing Jennings beers as cask beers but he was "absolutely" bringing them back. "That's the best format for our beer and the most traditional format," he said. Bottled versions of Jennings beer will continue to be sold by Carlsberg until March, when the rights to the brand will be transferred to the new Walker, of the Campaign for Real Ale's (Camra), said he hoped Jennings would bring back old beers, but also develop the brand."They had some excellent beers, but I hope they won't just live in the past, that they'll progress and do new stuff - I'm sure they will."Mr France said two beers, Sneck Lifter and Cocker Hoop, were the "overriding favourites to come back". Follow BBC Cumbria on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram. Send your story ideas here.
