Ellen Gutoskey

Joined: Jun 24, 2019

Ellen Gutoskey is a Mental Floss staff writer who especially loves covering pop culture, not-so-popular culture, literature, really tiny things, really giant things, and anything that was previously thought to be lost. She used to work in publishing, she's usually laughing, and you can follow her on Twitter @ellengutoskey.

(Left to right) Seth Rogen, Jean Smart, and Brendan Fraser.

‘It’s a Wonderful Life’ Table Read for Charity to Feature Seth Rogen, Jean Smart, Brendan Fraser, and More

Do Brussels Sprouts Taste Better Now? Yes—Here’s Why

The 50 Best HBO TV Shows of All Time, According to Rotten Tomatoes

You Can Get Half Off an Annual Sam’s Club Membership With This Early Black Friday Deal

Why Do We Say “PU” When Something Stinks?

Sadly, PU isn’t an initialism for “Pretty unsavory!”, “Putrid, ugh!”, or even “Please use (deodorant)!”

White House portraits of Abraham Lincoln (by William F. Cogswel), Harry Truman (by Greta Kempton), and Theodore Roosevelt (by John Singer Sargent).

9 U.S. Presidents Who Testified Before Congress

Can Congress subpoena a former president? Yes—but it’s often more of a voluntary situation.

Better grab your headphones just in case.

Live in the Upside Down: The Creel House From ‘Stranger Things’ Has Hit the Market

The real-life mansion used for the Creel house in ‘Stranger Things’ is in Georgia—and it features a cast iron urinal.

Funko’s New ‘Schitt’s Creek’ Board Game Lets You Choose What You’d Do in the Show’s Funniest Situations

If Twyla invited you to her murder mystery party, would you just go—or would you pull a Moira Rose and “RSVP as pending”?

Dobby gains his freedom in 'Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets' (2002).

Conservationists Ask People to Stop Leaving Socks at Dobby’s Seaside Grave in Wales

The harbor porpoises that live near Dobby’s Pembrokeshire grave site don’t love socks as much as the Harry Potter house elf did.

Adopting an Older Pet? This Pet Food Company Will Help You Cover the Fees

There’s never a bad time to adopt an older pet—but doing so now could save you a couple hundred bucks.

The board during a taping of the 'Jeopardy!' Million Dollar Celebrity Invitational Tournament.

40 Final ‘Jeopardy!’ Questions That All Three Contestants Got Wrong

These Final ‘Jeopardy!’ triple stumpers run the gamut from “Medieval Asia” to “Broadway Musicals.”

Why Do We Have Daylight Saving Time?

The long, winding history of Daylight Saving Time includes a few false starts and a cameo from Benjamin Franklin.

This portrait is titled “Hello everyone.”

See the Funny Finalists—and Vote for Your Favorite—of the 2022 Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards

Funny animal photos don’t get much better than a gentoo penguin doing “talk to the hand” (or fin, rather).

May McAvoy (right) and fellow cast members on the set of 1927's Irish Hearts.

13 Surprising Facts About Old Hollywood

Behind all that Old Hollywood glamour are plenty of feuds, some probably illegal child labor practices, and tons of asbestos.

What it feels like to fly out of Atlanta.

The 10 Busiest Airports in the World

Atlanta’s airport takes the blue ribbon when it comes to airline capacity—here’s what that means.

The Unlikely Origins—And Rapid Rise—of Chili’s Iconic “Baby Back Ribs” Jingle

It’s 1995, and Guy Bommarito has just bungled an ad campaign so badly that he’s begging Chili’s not to fire him. They give him one last shot.