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TIL when Mr. Potato Head was first introduced, parents were expected to supply their own potato. Federal regulations made the pieces less sharp, so Hasbro was forced to include a plastic potato with pre-made holes.

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oR1AR TIL a 1991 study by the Journal of the American Medical Association concluded that a Camel cigarette ad campaign featuring the mascot Joe Camel was far more successful at advertising to children than adults. The campaign ended in 1997 after increased litigation & pressure from U.S. federal agencies.
l97 TIL that in 1973 a scientist sent healthy volunteers to mental institutions, telling them to fake one innocuous symptom and then act normally. All were diagnosed with psychiatric disorders and held for an average of 19 days.
YpeXG TIL In 1821, Thomas Jennings became the first African-American to hold a patent. He invented 'dry scouring', a method for removing dirt and grease from clothing that would lead to today's dry cleaning.
yQmZe TIL the song Vincent by Don McLean was a particular favorite of the rapper and actor Tupac Shakur and was played to him in the hospital just before he died
KY6lB TIL that when Leslie Nielsen died in 2010, ESPN ran an obituary for "Enrico Pallazzo," the opera singer that Lt. Frank Drebin (Nielsen) impersonated in the first Naked Gun! movie.