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Meet Esther Jones, The Black Performer Who Inspired ‘Betty Boop’

A child singer and dancer, Esther Lee Jones inspired Paramount to create the cartoon character Betty Boop in 1930 — but she never received any credit or royalties.

By Bernadette Giacomazzo • Mar 19, 2026

Meet Esther Jones, The Black Performer Who Inspired ‘Betty Boop’

A child singer and dancer, Esther Lee Jones inspired Paramount to create the cartoon character Betty Boop in 1930 — but she never received any credit or royalties.

By Bernadette Giacomazzo • March 19, 2026

A Blonde Bombshell, A Satanic Curse, And Rumors Of Decapitation: The Tragic Story Of Jayne Mansfield’s Death

It's falsely believed that Jayne Mansfield died when she was beheaded in a fatal June 1967 car accident, but the truth is even grislier — and much sadder.

By Genevieve Carlton • Mar 19, 2026

A Blonde Bombshell, A Satanic Curse, And Rumors Of Decapitation: The Tragic Story Of Jayne Mansfield’s Death

It's falsely believed that Jayne Mansfield died when she was beheaded in a fatal June 1967 car accident, but the truth is even grislier — and much sadder.

By Genevieve Carlton • March 19, 2026

The Story Of Sam Ballard, The Australian Who Ate A Slug On A Drunken Dare And Died Because Of It

A 19-year-old rugby player from Sydney, Sam Ballard contracted rat lungworm disease and spent eight long years paralyzed before dying in November 2018.

By Austin Harvey • Mar 18, 2026

The Story Of Sam Ballard, The Australian Who Ate A Slug On A Drunken Dare And Died Because Of It

A 19-year-old rugby player from Sydney, Sam Ballard contracted rat lungworm disease and spent eight long years paralyzed before dying in November 2018.

By Austin Harvey • March 18, 2026

The Short, Sad Life Of Dina Sanichar, The Feral Boy Who May Have Inspired ‘The Jungle Book’

After being raised by wolves in the Indian jungle, Dina Sanichar was never able to speak or fully rejoin human society before dying at about 35 in 1895.

By Tim Brinkhof • Mar 18, 2026

The Short, Sad Life Of Dina Sanichar, The Feral Boy Who May Have Inspired ‘The Jungle Book’

After being raised by wolves in the Indian jungle, Dina Sanichar was never able to speak or fully rejoin human society before dying at about 35 in 1895.

By Tim Brinkhof • March 18, 2026

What Happened To Tyria Moore, The Girlfriend Of Aileen Wuornos?

Even as Aileen Wuornos murdered seven people within the span of just 12 months, her girlfriend Tyria Jolene Moore stood by her before finally cooperating with the police and helping to bring the "Monster" serial killer down.

By Marco Margaritoff • Mar 18, 2026

What Happened To Tyria Moore, The Girlfriend Of Aileen Wuornos?

Even as Aileen Wuornos murdered seven people within the span of just 12 months, her girlfriend Tyria Jolene Moore stood by her before finally cooperating with the police and helping to bring the "Monster" serial killer down.

By Marco Margaritoff • March 18, 2026

Miriam Rodríguez Dedicated Her Life To Finding Her Daughter’s Killers — And Then Was Murdered Herself

Miriam Rodríguez spent years tracking down her daughter's killers, one by one, until she was murdered on Mother's Day in 2017.

By Kaleena Fraga • Mar 17, 2026

Miriam Rodríguez Dedicated Her Life To Finding Her Daughter’s Killers — And Then Was Murdered Herself

Miriam Rodríguez spent years tracking down her daughter's killers, one by one, until she was murdered on Mother's Day in 2017.

By Kaleena Fraga • March 17, 2026

Inside The Death Of Southern Rock Legend Ronnie Van Zant In The Fiery Lynyrd Skynyrd Plane Crash

For years, Lynyrd Skynyrd frontman Ronnie Van Zant claimed he would die before 30. Then when he was still 29, he was killed in a brutal plane crash in the Mississippi woods.

By Kaleena Fraga • Mar 17, 2026

Inside The Death Of Southern Rock Legend Ronnie Van Zant In The Fiery Lynyrd Skynyrd Plane Crash

For years, Lynyrd Skynyrd frontman Ronnie Van Zant claimed he would die before 30. Then when he was still 29, he was killed in a brutal plane crash in the Mississippi woods.

By Kaleena Fraga • March 17, 2026

Inside Nikola Tesla’s Fascination With 3, 6, 9 And The Unusual Theories It Spawned

Nikola Tesla's fixation on the "magnificence" of the numbers 3, 6, and 9 continues to inspire those who believe the numbers will help them "manifest" their desires.

By Kaleena Fraga • Mar 17, 2026

Inside Nikola Tesla’s Fascination With 3, 6, 9 And The Unusual Theories It Spawned

Nikola Tesla's fixation on the "magnificence" of the numbers 3, 6, and 9 continues to inspire those who believe the numbers will help them "manifest" their desires.

By Kaleena Fraga • March 17, 2026

The Story Of The Sons Of Liberty, The Clandestine Group That Helped Drive The American Revolution

Founded in Boston in 1765, the Sons of Liberty orchestrated many important moments during the American Revolution, including the Boston Tea Party and Paul Revere's famous ride.

By Genevieve Carlton • Mar 16, 2026

The Story Of The Sons Of Liberty, The Clandestine Group That Helped Drive The American Revolution

Founded in Boston in 1765, the Sons of Liberty orchestrated many important moments during the American Revolution, including the Boston Tea Party and Paul Revere's famous ride.

By Genevieve Carlton • March 16, 2026

Inside The Death Of Lorraine Warren, The Clairvoyant Who Spent Her Life Chasing Ghosts And Demons

Before Lorraine Warren's death in 2019, she and her husband Ed spent decades investigating alleged hauntings, from the Amityville Horror house to the eerie case that inspired The Conjuring.

By Andrew Milne • Mar 16, 2026

Inside The Death Of Lorraine Warren, The Clairvoyant Who Spent Her Life Chasing Ghosts And Demons

Before Lorraine Warren's death in 2019, she and her husband Ed spent decades investigating alleged hauntings, from the Amityville Horror house to the eerie case that inspired The Conjuring.

By Andrew Milne • March 16, 2026