Oscars Host Claims Disney Gave ‘Hard Pass’ To 1 Goodie Bag Inclusion

Posted on 04/03/2025 by Boris Clair

Did you know the Oscars uses seat fillers to make the crowd seem full and busy on-air?

They’re not paid for the gig, have historically worn a badge that says they’re not a star, and usually have to be pretty well-connected to get the job.

But this year, host Conan O’Brien at least gave the event’s unrecognised cast members a snack box and a touching note, just as he did with the celebs.

In an X post, the editor-in-chief of Variety Ramin Setoodeh said: There’s a note from Conan under every #Oscars seat with a snack box of water and a pretzel.”

Conan O'Brien at the Vanity Fair Oscar Party — Conan O’Brien at the Vanity Fair Oscar Party

In the note, the host claimed that he’d planned to include another item in the box ― but that it had been given a “hard pass” from Disney, who has the rights to air the show.

“Dear Star/Seat Filler, I hope you enjoy these complimentary snacks,” the note reads.

“I tried my best to include a gummy but Disney said that was a ‘hard pass’,” it continues.

That was presumably a cannabinoids-infused gummy ― they’re legal for over-21s in California, where the Oscars are held.

“Have a great night, Conan,” the note ended, along with a doodle of the host himself (the comedian is known by fans for his drawings).

Of course, it’s nowhere near as costly as this year’s Oscars goodie bag which went to all 25 top acting and directing nominees and included a five-night stay at a luxury resort and up to $1 million worth of emergency services to people affected by this year’s LA wildfires.

Still, people on X seemed touched by the gesture.

“This is so thoughtful,” one X user wrote. Others called Conan the “host of the decade.”

A commenter wanted to know what we were all wondering, too: “are [the notes] all the same copied and printed or did he handwrite them individually because he is both funny and genuine enough to do that?”

We reckon the reply to their question rings true though ― “I don’t think he’d have the time to handwrite hundreds of notes.”

The Oscars Goodie Bags Have A $1 Million Change This Year

Posted on 27/02/2025 by Boris Clair

Don’t get us wrong; the main point of the Oscars is obviously to celebrate the talent of its nominees (who include Cynthia Erivo, Timothée Chalamet, and Demi Moore this year).

But let’s be real here ― we reckon the event’s iconic goodie bags, whose contents are regularly valued in the hundreds of thousands of dollars, are a pretty big draw for the celeb crowd, too.

This year, marketing company Distinctive Assets is in charge of their “Everyone Wins” Oscars bags, which will go to all 25 top acting and directing nominees.

But according to a press release from the company, LA’s devastating wildfires have made a million-dollar difference to the usual offerings.

“While our gifts may be famous for being fun and fabulous, they also serve as a means to elevate small businesses, minority-owned brands, female entrepreneurs and companies that give back,” the company’s founder, Lash Fary, said.

“This year, on the heels of the historically tragic LA fires, we have found even more ways that our celebrity swag can do good in our community.”

In practice, that means this year’s Oscars goodie bag will include a membership to disaster recovery charity Bright Harbor, who is offering $1 million worth of services to those affected by the fires.

Builders Maison Contractors have offered their renovation services too.

“Whether they pamper themselves or share these bountiful gifts as a care package for a friend who may have recently lost their home, we give these gifts not based on the recipients’ need but out of a desire to brighten someone’s day and to acknowledge a job well done,” Lash shared.

Also included in the bag this year are:

Miage’s full skincare line
A selection of L’Oréal Paris cosmetics and hair care
A four-night villa stay at JOALI Maldives or JOALI BEING
A five-night wellness retreat at Santani in Sri Lanka
Nomatic’s Travel Pack and Check-In Classic suitcase
A 20-piece luxury gift box of lip products from Petty Pout
Film-inspired merch and gift card from Alamo Drafthouse Cinema
AncestryDNA kit with a 3-month World Explorer membership and VIP Family History Experience
ArtLipo body contouring with Dr Thomas Su
BAGCEIT portable purse seat
Beboe luxury cannabis products
Blanc par rouGe gourmet maple products
Boos Block cutting board by John Boos
Bored Rebel “L.A. Strong” graphic undershirt
Brook37 The Atelier premium tea gift box
Cate Brown Studio sustainable luxury dog wear and toss pillows
Five-star Barcelona hotel stay at Cotton House Hotel
The World’s Finest Pocket Square from Daniel Ashley Co.
Danucera’s cult-favorite D22 Tonic
Dogwalkers cannabis pre-rolls
EATABLE gourmet popcorn
Chilean wine from Frontera Wines
One-year Function Health membership
Gammn reimagined backgammon set
Greens First greens powder
Greenworks 2-in-1 Cordless Standing Light Kit
Helight NASA-inspired red light sleep therapy device
IERIAS NAMA Sacred Glow Skincare Ritual
ILIA Beauty’s skin-centric brushes and makeup
INSTYTUTUM result-driven Swiss skincare
A Journey of Iceland: From Darkness to Light immersive coffee table book
Karma Nuts air-roasted cashews
Eyewear from KITS Eyecare
Kloth eco-friendly face towel
Krovblit Fine Art framed mini resin print
Mermaid Cove ocean-inspired skincare
Neue Theory probiotic protein powders and Digest + Debloat supplement
OMGIGI LA Strong bracelets and Jewelry Bar experience
1MD Nutrition’s VisionMD “Vision for Tomorrow” gift box
Overnight Travel Bags vegan leather passport wallet
A year’s supply of Oxygenetix breathable foundation and concealer
Partake Bodycare Luxury Bath Soak
PETA’s custom “Let Monkeys Swing Free!” portable hammock
Posh Pretzels chocolate-covered pretzels
RYTHM cannabis
Tanner romance novel by Samantha Skye
Sattaché eco-friendly luxury shoe bag
Señorita THC-infused non-alcoholic margaritas
Shinery Jewelry Wash and Radiance Towelettes
Shrinkage: Manhood, Marriage and the Tumor that Tried to Kill Me by Bryan Bishop
Skanties “anti-shapewear/2
Suko Stones by MB Saku Hana candle holder
The Heart Company vegan heart-crafted perfume collection
The Souled Store pop-culture t-shirts
3D Virtual Wellness Retreat
TruFru chocolate-covered freeze-dried raspberries
VEDI cruelty-free lipstick
Hollywood Star Cookie Suites from Windy City Sweets

Bridget Jones’s Diary Was Blamed For A Drop In Sales Of This Drink

Posted on 08/02/2025 by Boris Clair

Apparently, the binge-drinking, heavy-smoking, chaotic lifestyle of Bridget Jones isn’t aspirational to some people?

Personally, I can’t relate but according to one expert, the fictional anti-heroine caused a huge slump in sales of her favoured drink around the time of the column in The Independent and, of course, the film’s release back in 2001.

The expert in question is Oz Clarke, a prestigious wine expert and writer from the UK.

‘The blame should be firmly placed at the door of Bridget Jones’

According to The Telegraph in 2008, Clarke said: “Chardonnay has made some of the world’s greatest wines, everyone appreciated it – until Bridget Jones.

“Bridget Jones goes out on the pull, fails, goes back to her miserable bedsit, sits down, pours herself an enormous glass of Chardonnay, sits there with mascara running down her cheeks saying, ‘Dear diary, I’ve failed again, I’ve poured an enormous glass of Chardonnay and I’m going to put my head in the oven.’ Great marketing aid.”

Personally, I would argue that Ms Jones was not supposed to feel relatable to Mr Clarke, and that’s before we even get into the recession that was flooding the UK at the time.

Anyway, I digress.

The Independent reported at the time: “Across Britain fewer people are seeking solace – or enjoyment – in chardonnay. In the past 12 months, 7.5 million shoppers bought it, fewer than the previous year, according to the retail analysts TNS. Meanwhile, rivals such as sauvignon blanc and pinot grigio are rising in popularity.”

Clarke made his comments at London’s first self-storage wine facility, adding: “Until Bridget Jones, chardonnay was really sexy. After, people said, ‘God, not in my bar’.

“If you’re a marketing manager what would you say? ‘OK, I’m going to sell something that makes people feel really miserable. Let’s call it chardonnay!’”

Other experts argued that the drink had simply taken a new direction

Alan Griffiths, former wine director of Berry Brothers, Britain’s biggest wine merchants, said: “The appeal of chardonnay is still very strong. It’s a safer bet for a party. It’s more likely to go down well for a group of 50 than a gewürztraminer or a riesling or a sauvignon blanc, which some people find too grassy or acidic.”

Personally, I’ll be raising a toast to Bridget before seeing the newest instalment of her story.

Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy is out on February 13th in cinemas across the UK.

So THAT’s Why Takeaway Coffee Cup Lids Have A Second, Tiny Hole

Posted on 20/12/2024 by Boris Clair

More goes into the design of a takeaway coffee cup than most of us realise.

For instance, you might not have known that placing the cover’s drinking spout opposite the paper cup’s “seam” can help prevent leaks.

And if you’re anything like me, you’ll have no idea why there’s often a tiny hole (separate from the main drinking point) in the lid either.

Turns out it’s actually a pretty smart safety feature ― and makes sipping from the container easier too.

How?

According to the Aussie version of the food and drink site Delicious, it’s partly down to steam.

The minute vent helps steam to escape, they say ― though this doesn’t cool it down much.

Instead, it prevents steam from building up in the container, causing pressure to build and potentially leading to burst cups.

Additionally, the presence of another hole than the drinking spout allows coffee to run smoothly when you’re sipping from it ― otherwise, there’d be no airflow in the cup.

According to Atlas Obscura, who interviewed the authors of Coffee Lids: Peel, Pinch, Pucker, Puncture, the vent can be used to boost the coffee-drinking experience too.

They write that the Viora lid’s “deep well and centred hole are designed to concentrate the coffee’s aroma.”

It also helps to prevent spills

Per Delicious, the oft-unnoticed detail design also helps to keep your coffee where it should be (ideally, either in your mouth or in the cup).

It works for the same reason the hold creates a better sip; if there’s a lack of steady airflow, the liquid will move in jumpy, unpredictable ways.

Designer Louise Harpman and architect Scott Specht, who worked together on Coffee Lids: Peel, Pinch, Pucker, Puncture, say that trends, tech, and even legal cases have shaped the design of the mundane invention over the years.

For example, coffee lids became more dome-shaped as foamy, bubbly drinks rose in popularity; after the famous McDonald’s coffee court case, they told Atlas Obscura, brands started including more visible warnings on their lids.

“Coffee lids are modest modern marvels, but we rarely slow down and take the time to consider, admire, or even wonder about these humble masterpieces,” Louise told the publication.

Well, that’s changed for me, at least…

I’m A Wine Expert ― Always Check These 2 Signs On Champagne Bottles

Posted on 18/12/2024 by Boris Clair

We’ve written before at HuffPost UK about the three letters you should always look out for on Italian wine bottles to make sure you’re getting the best bang for your buck.

Well bang is one thing, but what about fizz? After all, ’tis the season for a festive glass of bubbly ― and if you’re anything like me, you have no idea what to look for on a champagne label.

Luckily wine expert Partner In Wine shared a TikTok video revealing how to “read” the drink’s bottle.

Let’s start with “Brut”

I’ll be honest here ― I thought “Brut” was a brand of champagne, but the wine pro says it’s actually to do with its taste.

“Brut is a common name for the sweetness of the wine,” she explained.

“So this bottle says ‘Brut’ on it, which means it’s a dry wine. If you want something bone-dry, look for the words ‘Extra Brut’ or ‘Brut Nature’.”

The “drier” the champagne (or the more Brut force it has ― teehee), the less sweet it is, Champagne de Lozey say on their site.

If you’re after something a little more sugary, Martha Stewart’s site adds, you might want to go for a demi-sec or, for the sweetest sip, doux, variety.

Then, there’s the vintage to consider

“Most champagnes state ‘NV’ on the label,” the wine expert said, meaning they’re not vintage.

“This means it’s been made of a blend of grapes from different years.”

Though I always heard “vintage” matters, Partner In Wine explains that the blending method helps winemakers to produce consistent wine brands that taste the same every time you drink a different bottle.

It’s a smart move because bad grape years spell disaster for your glass of bubbly ― mixing blends together can provide a better product.

With that said, Partner In Wine points out that if a winemaker shows you the year their product is from, that’s usually because its something to brag about.

“If there’s a year on the label, that means it comes form one exceptional year,” she shared. “This means it’s a vintage champagne, and they tend to be more expensive but also, more delicious.”

Don’t let the word “vintage” lead you to think she means “ancient,” though.

Cult Wine Investment writes that 2008 is this century’s standout year, with 2013 and 2014 also yielding pretty great results. 2002 and 2000 went down well too, they add.

Is It Just Me, Or Does Tap Water Get Colder In Winter? I Asked An Expert

Posted on 12/12/2024 by Boris Clair

I’ll be completely honest here: I know as much about plumbing as I do marine biology or rocket science (which is to say, next to nothing).

So when I told a friend “you know, I always think tap water is way colder in water,” I had no idea how to respond when she asked how I thought that’d happen.

An even more embarrassing admission; I’m not even sure where the reservoir that holds the water that runs through my sink is, or if it’d even be possible for the liquid in it to be affected by the weather.

So, I thought I’d ask Myles Robinson ― former boiler repair company owner and current CEO of UK Composite Doors ― whether I was losing it in the run-up to Christmas, or if this was a real thing.

So… Is tap water really colder in winter?

Yes, Myles says.

He told HuffPost UK: “tap water is definitely colder in the winter. It all comes down to a combination of factors, the water source, the pipes, and how they interact with the colder weather.”

“Most water systems draw from reservoirs, rivers, or groundwater. In winter, these sources naturally drop in temperature, especially in areas with freezing conditions,” he continued.

“Even groundwater, which is insulated by the earth, gets colder as the ground above freezes. So, the water entering your home starts off colder during winter months.”

If you’re thinking “wait, wouldn’t it warm up in the pipes?”, we were in the same boat ― but Myles has answers.

“Pipes running through unheated spaces, like basements, crawl spaces, or underground, are understandably more exposed to the colder air or ground temperatures in winter,” he explained.

“As the water sits in these pipes, it cools even more before reaching your tap. The longer the run of pipe from the main supply to your tap, the more pronounced this cooling effect can be.”

Does tap water get hotter in summer too?

I knew I wasn’t imagining lukewarm glasses of water in the colder months!

“Interestingly, in the summer, the opposite can happen. Heat from the air or soil can warm up the water in your pipes, making it feel less refreshing than winter’s icy flow,” Myles said. Huh!

By the way, if freezing tap water is bothering you, the home expert says there are steps you can take to get rid of the problem.

“If you’re noticing your tap water feels shockingly cold in winter, especially in older homes, you might want to check if your pipes are insulated,” he told HuffPost UK.

“Proper insulation won’t stop the water from being cooler—it starts that way from the source, but it can keep your pipes from freezing, which is a much bigger concern!’’

Wicked Movie Is Jam-Packed With Easter Eggs – Here’s 36 You Might Have Missed

Posted on 25/11/2024 by Boris Clair

People love the new Wicked movie (which has had the biggest opening weekend of any Broadway adaptation) for multiple reasons.

Some are holding space for the lyrics of Defying Gravity. Some love the film’s beautiful costumes.

But fans of the Broadway show and its 1939 Wizard of Oz origins have also been enjoying the movie’s Taylor Swift-level Easter eggs and references.

The movie’s director Jon M Chu told Radio Times: “We have a lot, a lot of breadcrumbs in the tradition of Wicked the show.”

“Of course, Wizard of Oz has such a place in our hearts of how we see story, how we see the world,” he added.

You’ll also (obviously) see lots of parallels to the Wicked musical, which was itself inspired by a book that drew on The Wizard Of Oz.

So, we thought we’d find as many Easter eggs and references as we could (oh, and obviously, huge spoiler alert for the movie).

1) Chickens playing the piano

“Before [L Frank Baum] wrote Wizard of Oz, he bred show chickens, these sort of fancy chickens. So we used fancy chickens playing the piano, this kind of weird Ozian piano in the Ozdesk Ballroom,” Chu said.

“So we wanted to reference as much as that, and even the [WW] Denslow drawings in the original book. We wanted to use animals from those books, and the design sort of look from those drawings. And so we infuse some of that throughout.”

2) The Universal logo throwback

The movie’s Universal logo has been replaced by an older version in the film. This echoes what The Wizard Of Oz’s Universal credits would have looked like.

2) The tulips are planted in a rainbow

A scene showing Munchkinland from above reveals multicoloured tulips planted in a rainbow pattern; a reference to The Wizard Of Oz’s Somewhere Over The Rainbow.

3) Elphaba’s name

The author of the The Wizard Of Oz book is called L. Frank Baum, or L. F. Baum, which sounds like “Elphaba” when said out loud.

4) The film’s title card font is a throwback

At the end of the film, a title card appeared which uses the same curly font as The Wizard Of Oz’s original movie.

5) Children ring out “ding, dong, the witch is dead”

The iconic Wizard Of Oz tune reappears in this adaptation when children run through Munchkinland ringing bells and clanging pans over the Wicked Witch’s death.

6) Hot air balloons

The Wizard escaped from a hot air balloon in The Wicked musical, and Dorothy tried to use one to get home in the 1939 film too. Apt, then, that Glinda and Elphaba try to escape using one.

7) The tornado shoes

“I love the sort of red slippers that [Glinda] clicks three times in Popular. I love the crystal slippers that we have in the movie. The design of it is like a tornado, as, if you know the story, that comes into play later,” director Chu says. It refers to the tornado that The Wizard Of Oz begins with.

8) More rainbows

During The Wizard And I, both rainbows and bluebirds appear, referencing the iconic Somewhere Over The Rainbow (again).

9) No detail sparred

Both Elphaba and Glinda spar with sticks in the movie, a possible reference to The Wizard Of Oz’s broom and wand battle.

10) Cameo…

Michael Rose, who played Fiyero in the Broadway show, is the lead male vocals on One Short Day.

11) After cameo…

Idina Menzel, who starred in the original Broadway version of the Wicked musical, makes an appearance.

12) After cameo…

So does Kristen Chenoweth, also from the original Broadway version of Wicked.

13) After very-on-the-nose cameo.

Before No One Mourns the Wicked, the audience sees the Tin Man, the Cowardly Lion, Dorothy, the Scarecrow, and Toto on The Yellow Brick Road.

14) Nessarose’s stripy socks

Elphaba’s sister wears striped socks, reminiscent of the well-known Wizard of Oz still showing The Wicked Witch Of The East’s stripy sock-wearing legs peeking out from under the house that crushed her.

15) Madam Morrible’s hair and costume

Her hair is shaped like storm cloud, a reference to her ability to control the weather.

16) We see a baby Cowardly Lion

The show includes a lion cub trembling in a cage ― reminiscent of the Cowardly Lion.

17) What the gulch?

Miss Cottle calls out “Not to worry, just a slight gulch” in the movie. The Wizard Of Oz’s original Wicked Witch was played by Almira Gulch.

18) You’ve got to hand it to them

Fans of The Wizard Of Oz will likely have noticed how the shadow of Elphaba’s hand mirrors that of The Wicked Witch Of The West’s in The Wizard Of Oz.

19) Did we mention there were cameos?

Stephen Schwartz, the person who wrote the lyrics to the Wicked musical, is briefly visible as a guard through a peephole.

20) There’s a Bridgerton crossover

Jonathan Bailey, who plays Fiyero in the film, rides on a horse that’s the same as the one he used in Bridgerton.

21) Do you want them to spell it out for you?

The library’s spinning circular shelves and ladders both spell out the letters “O” and “Z” (OZ) at different points in the movie.

22) There’s (sort of) a flying house

The Wizard picks up a wooden house and throws it in the air in the movie, reminiscent of Dorothy’s home’s flight in the 1939 film.

23) There are literal ruby slippers

If you wanted a clear-cut reference to The Wizard Of Oz, these Dorothy-worthy shoes should do it. And if they didn’t, maybe the fact that they’re clicked three times will satisfy you.

24) Everything’s re-cycled

There’s a cycling scene in Wicked with the lion cub in tow. It’s hard not to think of the moment in The Wizard Of Oz, where we see Toto in Dorothy’s bike’s basket.

25) “We mustn’t let you get wet”

Madam Morrible advises Elphaba “we musn’t let you get wet.” This is how The Wicked Witch Of The West dies in the 1939 film.

26) The subtlest Wizard doxxing

The Wizard in The Wizard Of Oz’s real name is Oscar Diggs. We see this name plastered on surfaces throughout the film.

27) Oma-ha!

Oscar Diggs is from Omaha originally, which is referenced multiple times in the film. The wizard’s invite is from Omaha: an “O-ma-ha” chant rises in the movie.

28) Wouldn’t it be wild if there was another cameo?

Well, there is. Winnie Holzman, who wrote the book of the Wicked musical, also appears in the film.

29) Elphaba’s Defying Gravity pose doesn’t defy tradition

This mimics an iconic moment in Wicked’s musical.

30) Glinda’s Can’t I Make You Understand comes from an old songbook

The tune is

similar to that in

Follow The Yellow Brick Road.

31) There was a not-quite Jeff Goldblum Easter egg

The actor, who played The Wizard in the film, shared on

The Kelly Clarkson Show

that he’d wanted to sneak a piece of string that he uses for magic tricks. It mostly got cut out, but he claims Elphaba holds it at some point in the movie.

32) Pay attention to the man behind the curtain

The line “don’t pay attention to the man behind the curtain,” from the 1939 movie, is cleverly referenced when the Wizard hides behind a hanging sheet.

33) There’s a brick road, and… guess what colour they choose to make it

The Wizard has to pick what colour to make his new brick road in the film, and well… there was no real option aside from yellow.

34) To be continued…

The 1939 Wizard Of Oz bursts into Technicolour in the second act, a huge technological feat the time.

The musical also breaks after Defying Gravity, which is when the 2024 movie ends.

At that point, a “to be continued…” title comes up in the same font as the 1939 movie and in bright colours.

35) Oh, did someone say cameos?

Actor Alice Fearn, who played Elphaba in the Broadway Wicked musical throughout the 2010s, plays Glinda’s mother.

36) Poppies

The flowers which featured heavily in the 1939 Wizard Of Oz film also appear in the Wicked movie.

Did you spot any more references and Easter eggs? Let us know!

The Psychology Behind Haunted Houses And Why We’re Drawn To Them

Posted on 14/11/2024 by Boris Clair

Is there anything more enticing than a haunted house?

Yes, we should all know better after many, many horror films have been set in them, but there’s just something so alluring about sharing a house with spirits that have long-since left the mortal realm.

If you’re with me here and you enjoy this mythology, you may be disappointed by what I’m about to reveal.

You see, the thing is, most of the features of “haunted” houses can unfortunately be explained away by science.

The science behind haunted houses

Writing for BBC Science Focus, Dr Alistair Gun, a radio astronomer reveals: “The vast majority of paranormal investigations have been of the pseudoscientific variety – based on incorrect, incomplete or misrepresented science, or invalid due to bias, manipulation, assumption or omission.”

He goes on to explain: “It’s an unscientific leap of faith to believe in alien visitation based solely on unexplained sightings.

“The same is true for the belief in ghosts; there’s no scientific rationale for it. Science does offer some potential explanations for hauntings. Most are environmental or psychological in nature.”

Unfortunately, our whimsy can’t outweigh science.

In fact, the explanation is likely something very normal, according to Gun. Sleep paralysis, sleep deprivation and stress can all play into experiencing hallucinations and visual disturbances.

Additionally, “haunted” houses are more likely to have mould and some variations of mould can lead to hallucinations.

So, if you think your home is haunted, you may want to check for it.

Why do we enjoy being scared?

Why is this disappointing news, though? Why are we so drawn to being scared in a controlled setting like a haunted house or even just watching a scary film? Are we okay?

The British Psychological Society says: “There is a neuropsychological reason – we get an adrenalin rush when something spooks us or something scary happens which releases endorphins and dopamine, so put simply, there is a chemical process that creates a similar sense of euphoria.

“Some say that having a ‘scary ghost experience’ is like being on a rollercoaster, we are hijacking the natural flight response and enjoying it.”

Makes perfect sense.

The Real Story Behind Dancing In The Moonlight Is Mindblowing

Posted on 02/11/2024 by Boris Clair

You know the song Dancing In The Moonlight? The one that was originally written by Sherman Kelly and later covered by Toploader?

That song is not what it seems. If you think it’s the perfect nonsense song that’s ideal for family parties and work functions, you may want to read on to find out the real history of the song.

You’ll never hear it the same way again…

<div class="js-react-hydrator" data-component-name="YouTube" data-component-id="710" data-component-props="{"itemType":"video","index":5,"contentIndexByType":1,"contentListType":"embed","code":"

","type":"video","meta":{"author":"ToploaderVEVO","author_url":"https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCsQjwc7TdWUdoSQKhQCwC6w","cache_age":86400,"description":"Toploader’s official music video for ‘Dancing in the Moonlight’. Click to listen to Toploader on Spotify: http://smarturl.it/ToploaderSpotify?IQid=TopDITM\n\nAs featured on Tired of Hanging Around. Click to buy the track or album via iTunes: http://smarturl.it/ToploaderiTunes?IQid=TopDITM\nGoogle Play: http://smarturl.it/ToploaderDITMGplay?IQid=TopDITM\nAmazon: http://smarturl.it/ToploaderDITMAmazon?IQid=TopDITM\nStream more music from toploader here: http://smarturl.it/ToploaderMStream?IQid=TopDITM\n\nMore from Toploader\nOnly For A While: https://youtu.be/EAgj9EmgxnM\nAchilles Heel: https://youtu.be/MeT2dZHjaJs\nSome Kind of Wonderful: https://youtu.be/2MdgKVAPSjQ\n\nMore great 00’s videos here: http://smarturl.it/Ultimate00?IQid=TopDITM\n\nFollow Toploader\nWebsite: http://www.toploaderofficial.com/\nFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/toploaderofficial?_rdr\nTwitter: https://twitter.com/toploaderuk\nInstagram: https://www.flickr.com/photos/toploaderofficial/\n\nSubscribe to toploader on YouTube: http://smarturl.it/ToploaderYTSub?IQid=TopDITM\n\n———\n\nLyrics:\n\nWe get it almost every night\nWhen that moon is big and bright\nIt’s a supernatural delight\nEverybody’s dancing in the moonlight\n\nEverybody here is out of sight\nThey don’t bark and they don’t bite\nThey keep things loose they keep it tight\nEverybody’s dancing in the moonlight\n\nDancing in the moonlight\nEverybody’s feeling warm and bright\nIt’s such a fine and natural sight\nEverybody’s dancing in the moonlight\n\nWe like our fun and we never fight\nYou can’t dance and stay uptight\nIt’s a supernatural delight\nEverybody was dancing in the moonlight","options":{"_cc_load_policy":{"label":"Closed captions","value":false},"_end":{"label":"End on","placeholder":"ex.: 11, 1m10s","value":""},"_start":{"label":"Start from","placeholder":"ex.: 11, 1m10s","value":""},"click_to_play":{"label":"Hold load & play until clicked","value":false}},"provider_name":"YouTube","thumbnail_height":720,"thumbnail_url":"https://i.ytimg.com/vi/0yBnIUX0QAE/maxresdefault.jpg","thumbnail_width":1280,"title":"Toploader – Dancing in the Moonlight (Official Video)","type":"video","url":"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0yBnIUX0QAE","version":"1.0"},"flags":[],"enhancements":{},"fullBleed":false,"options":{"theme":"news","device":"desktop","editionInfo":{"id":"uk","name":"U.K.","link":"https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk","locale":"en_GB"},"originalEdition":"uk","isMapi":false,"isAmp":false,"isVideoEntry":false,"isEntry":true,"isMt":false,"entryId":"6721041be4b0b049cc42279e","entryPermalink":"https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/the-real-story-behind-dancing-in-the-moonlight-is-mindblowing_uk_6721041be4b0b049cc42279e","entryTagsList":"ukmusic,trivia,music","sectionSlug":"entertainment","deptSlug":null,"sectionRedirectUrl":null,"subcategories":"","isWide":false,"headerOverride":null,"noVideoAds":false,"disableFloat":false,"isNative":false,"commercialVideo":{"provider":"custom","site_and_category":"uk.entertainment","package":null},"isHighline":false,"vidibleConfigValues":{"cid":"60afc140cf94592c45d7390c","disabledWithMapiEntries":false,"overrides":{"all":"60b8e525cdd90620331baaf4"},"whitelisted":["56c5f12ee4b03a39c93c9439","56c6056ee4b01f2b7e1b5f35","59bfee7f9e451049f87f550b","5acccbaac269d609ef44c529","570278d2e4b070ff77b98217","57027b4be4b070ff77b98d5c","56fe95c4e4b0041c4242016b","570279cfe4b06d08e3629954","5ba9e8821c2e65639162ccf1","5bcd9904821576674bc55ced","5d076ca127f25f504327c72e","5b35266b158f855373e28256","5ebac2e8abddfb04f877dff2","60b8e525cdd90620331baaf4","60b64354b171b7444beaff4d","60d0d8e09340d7032ad0fb1a","60d0d90f9340d7032ad0fbeb","60d0d9949340d7032ad0fed3","60d0d9f99340d7032ad10113","60d0daa69340d7032ad104cf","60d0de02b627221e9d819408"],"playlists":{"default":"57bc306888d2ff1a7f6b5579","news":"56c6dbcee4b04edee8beb49c","politics":"56c6dbcee4b04edee8beb49c","entertainment":"56c6e7f2e4b0983aa64c60fc","tech":"56c6f70ae4b043c5bdcaebf9","parents":"56cc65c2e4b0239099455b42","lifestyle":"56cc66a9e4b01f81ef94e98c"},"playerUpdates":{"56c6056ee4b01f2b7e1b5f35":"60b8e525cdd90620331baaf4","56c5f12ee4b03a39c93c9439":"60d0d8e09340d7032ad0fb1a","59bfee7f9e451049f87f550b":"60d0d90f9340d7032ad0fbeb","5acccbaac269d609ef44c529":"60d0d9949340d7032ad0fed3","5bcd9904821576674bc55ced":"60d0d9f99340d7032ad10113","5d076ca127f25f504327c72e":"60d0daa69340d7032ad104cf","5ebac2e8abddfb04f877dff2":"60d0de02b627221e9d819408"}},"connatixConfigValues":{"defaultPlayer":"8b034f64-513c-4987-b16f-42d6008f7feb","clickToPlayPlayer":"5a777b9b-81fe-41a6-8302-59e9953ee8a2","videoPagePlayer":"19654b65-409c-4b38-90db-80cbdea02cf4"},"topConnatixThumnbailSrc":"data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAEAAAABCAQAAAC1HAwCAAAAC0lEQVR42mNkYAAAAAYAAjCB0C8AAAAASUVORK5CYII=","customAmpComponents":[],"ampAssetsUrl":"https://amp.assets.huffpost.com","videoTraits":null,"positionInUnitCounts":{"buzz_head":{"count":0},"buzz_body":{"count":0},"buzz_bottom":{"count":0}},"positionInSubUnitCounts":{"article_body":{"count":7},"blog_summary":{"count":0},"before_you_go_content":{"count":0}},"connatixCountsHelper":{"count":0},"buzzfeedTracking":{"context_page_id":"6721041be4b0b049cc42279e","context_page_type":"buzz","destination":"huffpost","mode":"desktop","page_edition":"en-uk"},"tags":[{"name":"ukmusic","slug":"ukmusic","links":{"relativeLink":"news/ukmusic","permalink":"https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/news/ukmusic","mobileWebLink":"https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/news/ukmusic"},"url":"https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/news/ukmusic/"},{"name":"trivia","slug":"trivia","links":{"relativeLink":"news/trivia","permalink":"https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/news/trivia","mobileWebLink":"https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/news/trivia"},"url":"https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/news/trivia/"},{"name":"Music","slug":"music","links":{"relativeLink":"news/music","permalink":"https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/news/music","mobileWebLink":"https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/news/music"},"relegenceSubjectId":981391,"section":{"title":"Entertainment","slug":"entertainment"},"topic":{"title":"Music","slug":"ukmusic","overridesSectionLabel":false},"url":"https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/news/ukmusic/"}],"isLiveblogLive":null,"isLiveblog":false,"cetUnit":"buzz_body","bodyAds":["

\r\n\r\n HPGam.cmd.push(function(){\r\n\t\treturn HPGam.render(\"inline-1\", \"entry_paragraph_1\", false, false);\r\n });\r\n\r\n","

\r\n\r\n HPGam.cmd.push(function(){\r\n\t\treturn HPGam.render(\"inline\", \"entry_paragraph_2\", false, false);\r\n });\r\n\r\n","

\r\n\r\n HPGam.cmd.push(function(){\r\n\t\treturn HPGam.render(\"inline-2\", \"entry_paragraph_3\", false, false);\r\n });\r\n\r\n","

\r\n\r\n HPGam.cmd.push(function(){\r\n\t\treturn HPGam.render(\"inline-infinite\", \"repeating_dynamic_display\", false, false);\r\n });\r\n\r\n"],"adCount":0},"isCollectionEmbed":false}”>

[embedded content]

The story behind Dancing In The Moonlight

Speaking to the music journalist Mike Morsch, Sherman Kelly revealed that the song was written after he and his girlfriend had been attacked and left for dead by the notorious Fountain Gang in St. Croix.

Once they had finally crawled their way to hospital and received treatment, Sherman recalled overhearing doctors talking: “I woke up to the sound of my hospital roommate screaming in pain. Finally the screaming stopped and I heard two doctors talking about him. ‘That’s it, he’s gone,’ said one doctor about the other patient.

″‘What about him, you think he’s gonna make it?’ And the other doctor said, ‘No, I doubt it.’ I realised they were talking about me.”

Of course, Sherman did make it and quite literally lived to tell the tale.

Once he was home, he started writing the verses that would soon become Dancing In The Moonlight.

“I envisioned an alternate reality, the dream of a peaceful and joyous celebration of life. It was just me imagining a better world than the one I had just experienced in St. Croix.

“It was amazing. People liked the song right from the start. I liked it, but I wouldn’t have predicted that it would become a big hit.”

And that it did.

Since being written in 1969, the song has been covered 16 times and is a firm favourite among pop music fans.

As Morsch said: “An unspeakably traumatic experience that almost cost him his life had turned into a beautiful song.”