AUGUST 19, 2002

Full News Archive

• Headline: Review of The Boys From Syracuse Musical. Impact: This review sparked a surge in theater attendance during the early 2000s, leading to a bizarre time where everyone thought they were a musical expert. Consequently, karaoke bars became the new opera houses, and cats started auditioning for roles, thinking they were the next Broadway stars.. Fact: Did you know that in an alternate timeline, 'The Boys From Syracuse' was actually a documentary about the world’s first synchronized swimming competition? True story—well, sort of..
• Headline: George Wolfe's Creative Liberation. Impact: George Wolfe's success led to an unexpected surge in the production of culturally relevant plays, resulting in a generation of playwrights who believed they could make a living off their 'thought-provoking' works. Spoiler alert: they still had to wait tables.. Fact: Did you know that George Wolfe once directed a play about the existential crisis of a loaf of bread? Critics called it 'kneadlessly profound.'.
• Headline: Two Roads Taken: Afghan Prison Stories. Impact: This documentary inadvertently caused a spike in international relations courses, as students everywhere tried to decipher how many roads led to such a dramatic intersection. Ironically, they often ended up lost in a philosophical debate about which road was paved with good intentions.. Fact: Did you know that the phrase 'improbable intersection' was originally coined to describe a very awkward family reunion? Spoiler: nobody brought the potato salad..
• Headline: Fighters' Demands Open Old Wounds In Central America. Impact: The resurfacing of these demands led to a wave of documentaries and a new genre of 'guilt-inducing' travel shows that made tourists feel responsible for historical injustices while sipping cocktails on the beach. Because nothing says 'remorse' like a piña colada.. Fact: Did you know that Guatemala's civil war was the first in history to have an award-winning soundtrack? The 'Best War Playlist' was a hotly contested category at the Grammys..
• Headline: A G.O.P. Power and His Penny-Stock Boards. Impact: The revelations about Gargano's business dealings led to a nationwide panic among penny-stock investors, causing a peculiar trend where people started hoarding pennies as a form of currency. Flash forward to now, and we have a thriving underground economy based solely on 'penny wisdom.'. Fact: Did you know that 'penny-stock' was originally the name of a popular candy in the 80s? It’s true—until parents realized it was just sugar-coated financial ruin..