TV shows constantly make stuff up that doesn’t reflect reality, so when we see something in a show that doesn’t seem real, we naturally assume that it was made up. But sometimes it turns out that the show was actually referencing something or some event from the real world that was real, just not that commonly known, or at least not known to you.

For example, many people first found out about the Tulsa race massacre from the Watchmen TV series, and at first assumed it was an invention of the show. It was a huge indictment on the American education system that such a horrific event was so obscure until then.

So what other things that seemed like they were made up did you later find out were actually real?

  • Cadeillac
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    392 months ago

    There are rocks that slide across the sea floor. Sponges attach themselves to rocks

    His ancestors DID ride those babies for miles (presumably)

    • @Crackhappy
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      252 months ago

      What’s wilder than rocks sliding on the seafloor are rocks sliding across the desert with clear and visible tracks.

      • Cadeillac
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        2 months ago

        Unpopular opinion maybe, but I am much more interested in what happens on Earth and in the sea than space

        • @Crackhappy
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          32 months ago

          Who said anything about space?

              • Cadeillac
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                2 months ago

                We were speaking of land and sea, and to express my curiosity of them, I compared them to people’s fascination with space

      • @shalafi
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        32 months ago

        They figured it out!

        The movement of the rocks occurs when large, thin sheets of ice floating on an ephemeral winter pond break up in the sun.

        • Cadeillac
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          12 months ago

          That’s cool as fuck

          • @[email protected]
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            22 months ago

            You know what else is cool as fuck? My garlic prices! The garlic festival is just around the corner and I’m gonna make a killing….

            • Cadeillac
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              12 months ago

              What do you want for today’s haul?

                • Cadeillac
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                  12 months ago

                  I’ll give you $20 a pound to take everything you’ve got for the day

  • @[email protected]
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    352 months ago

    I thought the Cheesecake Factory was a made up restaurant from the Big Bang Theory.

    • @MimicJar
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      52 months ago

      Which is now owned by the South Park creators (since 2021).

    • @shalafi
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      22 months ago

      That one’s funny because we had one growing up. It was the bomb for little kids.

  • @[email protected]
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    72 months ago

    Napoleon’s penis is something actually auctioned off and purchased by the rich (Succession)

  • @Chip_Rat
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    42 months ago

    Capoeira or however it is spelt. Thought it was made up by Bob’s Burgers to make fun of all the different fighting/exercise/dance crazes until my coworker mentioned he was taking his kids to class one day.

  • @[email protected]
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    2 months ago

    IHOP

    …and then I visited Houston, and drove past one every day for two weeks. Sadly I didn’t find the time in my schedule to visit