Ripley Entertainment Inc.'s Blog, page 126
September 16, 2021
Creating Ambidextrous Artwork With Colin Darke
Featured in Ripley's Believe It or Not!
Colin Darke of Detroit, Michigan, possesses a talent that comes naturally to only 1% of people. He creates artwork using both hands at the same time, and, get this — each hand can draw a different image, simultaneously. His double-handed artistic feats have piqued the interest of collectors worldwide and have landed him a spot within the pages of our latest annual book, Out of the Box!
View this post on Instagram
A post shared by Ripley’s Believe It or Not! (@ripleysbelieveitornot)
The ambidextrous lawyer and artist can illustrate two halves of a portrait or design simultaneously, his right and left hands working independently throughout the remarkable process. Even more impressive is the fact that he is not always mirroring himself, meaning his right and left hands are doing different actions at the same time! To highlight this talent, Colin uses different colored ink or paint for each hand.
Watercolor painting of Billie Eilish by Colin Darke
After 40 years of drawing and creating, Colin still finds unique ways to express his talents. He was inspired by a motivational speaker to start posting videos of his art on social media and, to no surprise, his following and fanbase grew at a rapid pace. He uploads original drawings and paintings of famous favorites like Tom Holland, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, and Britney Spears. There’s no telling who Colin will take on next — be sure to follow along with him on Instagram and TikTok to find out!
Take Your Own Step Out of the Box!Challenge yourself to get a little weird, try new things, and step out of your comfort zone with inspiration from Ripley’s Believe It or Not! Out of the Box, available for pre-order now on Amazon and hitting the shelves at most major retailers on September 28, 2021.
STEP OUTSIDE OF YOUR COMFORT ZONE Experience the stories of adventurers near and far, from a three-year-old mountain climber to hair-hangers and acrobats. Leave inspired by unbelievable talents, breathtaking bucket list-worthy locations, and curious discoveries, all from people just like you as you uncover the pages of Ripley’s newest annual book!
September 15, 2021
Superstars in Space: Celebrities Destined For The Cosmos
Featured in Ripley's Believe It or Not!
It’s true: celebs like space. Yes, the “no pictures please,” anti-paparazzi type space. However, there are a few famous names that are daring enough to venture into outer space, as well. Prepare for blast off! Below, we find out which of our favorite superstars have gone to space or are on their way there.
Lance BassEmbed from Getty Imageswindow.gie=window.gie||function(c){(gie.q=gie.q||[]).push(c)};gie(function(){gie.widgets.load({id:'ETfGzYTxTypyR1pFxXbBWg',sig:'srsFxhHJ5awQeRZzlIKgj0ZQoMRY38FqFOUoKmpGq7k=',w:'594px',h:'404px',items:'1170382696',caption: true ,tld:'com',is360: false })});
Lance Bass’s assistant Lisa Delcampo recently revealed on the Netflix series The Circle that Bass trained to be a cosmonaut. A cosmonaut is essentially an astronaut who completed space training in Russia. Believe It or Not!, Bass even went under the knife to fix his irregular heartbeat so he could qualify for the trip. He was on his way to becoming the youngest person in space.
In August 2002, Bass joined a zero-gravity training flight above Star City, Russia. He was meant to blast off to the International Space Station upon Russia’s Soyuz rock, but plans fell through due to funding issues. It’s been years now, but he still holds out hope that one day he’ll make it beyond Earth’s atmosphere.
James CameronEmbed from Getty Imageswindow.gie=window.gie||function(c){(gie.q=gie.q||[]).push(c)};gie(function(){gie.widgets.load({id:'g1i-aiwuTX5YFldPMjscAQ',sig:'naZUmJjS-MZ1ptqbPrFY-oxRFtlC_jN0U21gtjhILgs=',w:'594px',h:'396px',items:'904629836',caption: true ,tld:'com',is360: false })});
Big-time Hollywood film director and producer, Academy Award winner, and creator of the film Titanic is no stranger to pressure change. He once made a record-breaking solo dive over seven miles down to the deepest spot in the entire ocean–the Mariana Trench in the Pacific Ocean. He made the descent in the Deepsea Challenger submarine, which took two hours and continued to explore once there for a few more hours.
As if that wasn’t already an astronomical challenge, Cameron revealed he was planning on shooting a movie at the International Space Station with none other than actor Tom Cruise. He actually had a contract with Russia to go there and shoot a high-end 3D documentary. It never ended up happening, but hey, we wouldn’t put it past this daredevil duo.
Caroll SpinneyEmbed from Getty Imageswindow.gie=window.gie||function(c){(gie.q=gie.q||[]).push(c)};gie(function(){gie.widgets.load({id:'AA1N2KyZQvxeFVoptUGKdw',sig:'4elt2HSw5bplw5VJb5nUJ9ZtlK4it_hL23Iu1skUO0I=',w:'396px',h:'594px',items:'1186372677',caption: true ,tld:'com',is360: false })});
You may know him as the puppeteer inside the big yellow feathered suit that took Sesame Street by storm. Although, you probably don’t know that Caroll Spinney (AKA Big Bird) was also asked to join a Challenger mission—a part of NASA’s Space Flight Participation Program, where civilians were invited to participate in space travel to get the public excited about space.
Spinney was asked via letter from NASA to join a mission into space as Big Bird to get the youth interested in the planets, asteroids, constellations, and galactic travel. NASA did have initial conversations around sending Spinney into space with Sesame Street, but ultimately did not go through with it. No one knows exactly why, but some blame it on the size of Big Bird’s 8-foot costume stating it would take up too much room on the shuttle. With that, gravity kept Big Bird grounded on Sesame Street, and he mourned with the rest of the nation at the tragedy that was the Challenger mission.
Space Taxi for the StarsEmbed from Getty Imageswindow.gie=window.gie||function(c){(gie.q=gie.q||[]).push(c)};gie(function(){gie.widgets.load({id:'QNeoOJZCQ552zSDVzCQN4A',sig:'Hfa8F917DlpF0T8byBl4OfWpIzLls5fxg_t-IdgBlRg=',w:'594px',h:'287px',items:'1072502718',caption: true ,tld:'com',is360: false })});
Enter Virgin Galactic. It’s a space tourism company founded by British aerospace entrepreneur Richard Branson that will grant paying customers the opportunity to fly into space. Tickets don’t come cheap to board what was originally called “One Small Step.” Some celebs have been willing to pay $750,000 for one of the more expensive Virgin Galactic flights.
Leonardo DiCaprioEmbed from Getty Imageswindow.gie=window.gie||function(c){(gie.q=gie.q||[]).push(c)};gie(function(){gie.widgets.load({id:'nvYXe0tZSnhtgKEzmry2Fw',sig:'VQ2l8CeOeF6Xanh80eiGv_6ngIC9KvUJbCUyYM26lkE=',w:'594px',h:'395px',items:'1199756496',caption: true ,tld:'com',is360: false })});
Actor Leonardo DiCaprio bought his seat onboard Virgin Galactic back in 2013. Eight years and some major technical delays later, takeoff has been rumored to be set for 2022. The original list of passengers included Ashton Kutcher, Angelina Jolie, Tom Hanks, Brad Pitt, and Katy Perry. A few have opted out due to the test run crash in 2014. We’ll see which of these celebs are still brave enough to hop aboard. With that roster of names, we’d absolutely need a reality TV show stat.
Justin BieberEmbed from Getty Imageswindow.gie=window.gie||function(c){(gie.q=gie.q||[]).push(c)};gie(function(){gie.widgets.load({id:'lZPUpC0JT2VvUzmsjLc8_A',sig:'Nolk3ljBjru7bdpUMmKl3Umz1eM9Tg3qiWnbzD6sJ3w=',w:'594px',h:'396px',items:'166762778',caption: true ,tld:'com',is360: false })});
Bieber’s got space fever. The Biebs is another celebrity alongside DiCaprio to claim his ticket for Virgin Galactic’s new process of travelers, known as “One Giant Leap.” He’s also said that he’s dreamt of filming a music video in outer space. He better hope his cameramen can defy the odds of zero gravity!
RihannaEmbed from Getty Imageswindow.gie=window.gie||function(c){(gie.q=gie.q||[]).push(c)};gie(function(){gie.widgets.load({id:'IFWava6kSoZrrXPkUEYHlw',sig:'w3-b_xL0O1Xp2bNGEeIC6WZa6BnHMllRRSMw3976RQk=',w:'594px',h:'395px',items:'597576810',caption: true ,tld:'com',is360: false })});
Singer Rihanna has expressed her love for space since she was a young girl. It’s been reported that she believes in aliens and UFOs. She’s on the Virgin Galactic waiting list in hopes of hunting down some green Martians herself on this star-studded spaceship. Guess Area 51 was too amateur for this pop queen!
Jeff BezosEmbed from Getty Imageswindow.gie=window.gie||function(c){(gie.q=gie.q||[]).push(c)};gie(function(){gie.widgets.load({id:'6rRoaaXvQ4V4A99i5D75JA',sig:'CD_qfvI034yIDaRcCNKxRgqZ-uBb8yi7mLNGQIyUr4k=',w:'594px',h:'396px',items:'1329739160',caption: true ,tld:'com',is360: false })});
Live life on the edge! Founder of Amazon Jeff Bezos successfully visited the edge of space a few months back. The first-ever all-civilian crew flew on the New Shepard rocket developed by Bezos’ spaceflight company, Blue Origin. Passengers experienced approximately four minutes of true weightlessness while at their highest flight altitude.
Whether it’s Mars or the Moon, celebs are just like us—explorers, adventurers, and thrill-seekers. Maybe one day you’ll be able to take part in civilian space travel yourself!
By Sam McCormack, contributor for Ripleys.com
EXPLORE THE ODD IN PERSON! Discover hundreds of strange and unusual artifacts and get hands-on with unbelievable interactives when you visit a Ripley’s Odditorium!Source: Superstars in Space: Celebrities Destined For The Cosmos
September 14, 2021
The Ballet Shoe Stew of 1842
Featured in Ripley's Believe It or Not!
Ballet dancer Marie Taglioni represented the 19th-century equivalent of Elvis, inspiring such frenzied fans that would go to any lengths to feel connected to her. Her athleticism and artistry as a ballet dancer proved legendary. Her unrivaled delicacy won her an ardent—and somewhat looney—following.
Just how dedicated were some of her fans? While they didn’t necessarily faint or sob at her presence (like the crowds piling in to see Elvis), a handful of them was involved in an extraordinary supper in 1842, when a pair of her ballet slippers featured as the main course.
While you’ve likely got a thousand questions bubbling in your head right now, we’re guessing those of a practical matter rank near the top. Like how does one sink their teeth into a used ballet slipper? Here’s what you need to know about one of the whackiest dinners in history and the ballet-crazed individuals who participated.
A Dinner for Diehard Ballet FansWhen it comes to celebrity fandoms, things sometimes get seriously weird! Since “fan” is an abbreviated form of “fanatic,” this is to be expected. Nevertheless, it can prove challenging to wrap our heads around some of these strange signs of devotion.
Take, for example, the dedicated fans who turned out in droves to get a closer look at Elvis’s dental crown when it made a tour of the United Kingdom in 2016. Yes, you read that right: dental crown. Or how about the fan who sent a turtle shell to Taylor Swift with the singer’s portrait painted on it? There’s also the tale of the preserved dead baby shark in a tube sent to the Jonas Brothers.
But even these fans might think twice before devouring their favorite celeb’s footwear. The same can’t be said of diehard devotees of Marie Taglioni. According to a story that appeared in London’s The Morning Post on January 3, 1855, a group of Taglioni’s admirers cooked up her ballet slippers in a stew and proceeded to eat them. From the platform to the shank and the ribbons. Yummy?
A Thousand-Dollar MealHow did the slipper dinner come about? A travel writer and commentator of the time, Edward Tracy Turnerelli, purported to have purchased the shoes for 1,000 Russian rubles, which is worth about $12,000 USD today. He said he bought them from a hotel owner who claimed Taglioni had left them behind in her room. Sounds a bit fishy, but why not? Combining his savings with 35 other ballet fanatics, they pooled together enough to purchase the slippers.
Once in the possession of the beloved silk shoes, Turnerelli claims they prepared them as a fricassee, a dish of meat that’s “stewed in stock and served in a white sauce.” Only instead of meat, they went with the used slippers. Accompanying their attempt to down the beloved dancer’s shoes? Loads of champagne. Go figure!
But did this strange meal really occur? It’s hard to know for sure. After all, consuming modern pointe shoes would come with myriad problems, from the layers of glue and fabric to the toe boxes supported by cardboard reinforcements. But Taglioni didn’t wear modern pointe shoes. She danced in leather-soled satin slippers bound tightly around her feet. To make these shoes more amenable to time spent on the toes, 19th-century performers would often strengthen them with starch and newspaper.
Coupled with the inedible silk fibers of the slippers, we’re guessing the hours after the meal involved painful indigestion. Perhaps the most edible part of the ballet slippers would’ve been their leather soles, but we imagine they still required lots of chewing and copious amounts of bubbly to wash down.
Who Had the Last Laugh?The meal has become infamous, cementing these Russian ballet enthusiasts’ position as among the craziest fans of the 19th century. The story also highlights how ballet dancers (and other female performers) were fetishized by many of their male fans. But this tale wouldn’t be complete without returning to the one character who seemed to pay off most mightily from the events that transpired: the hotel owner. After all, he made a pretty penny off the soon-to-be-devoured slippers without having to offer any tangible proof. And he managed to do this decades before the internet and online auctions such as eBay. Quite a feat in itself!
By Engrid Barnett, contributor for Ripleys.com
EXPLORE THE ODD IN PERSON! Discover hundreds of strange and unusual artifacts and get hands-on with unbelievable interactives when you visit a Ripley’s Odditorium!Source: The Ballet Shoe Stew of 1842
September 13, 2021
September 12, 2021
September 11, 2021
September 10, 2021
Ripley Entertainment Inc.'s Blog
- Ripley Entertainment Inc.'s profile
- 52 followers
