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Television

"The Beverly Hillbillies" cast in 1963, from left to right: Max Baer Jr. (as Jethro Bodine); Irene Ryan (as Granny, Daisy Moses); Buddy Ebsen (as Jed Clampett); and Donna Douglas (as Elly May Clampett)

The Controversial History of the Word ‘Hillbilly,’ Which Was First Defined in Print 125 Years Ago

In 1900, a political writer described the “hill-billie” as someone who “talks as he pleases, drinks whiskey when he gets it and fires off his revolver as the fancy takes him.” Since then, the label has been used in both mockery and pride

Ella Jenkins performing circa 1980s

How ‘Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood’ Introduced the ‘First Lady of Children’s Music’ to a Large National Audience

When musician Ella Jenkins appeared on the show, she brought Black diasporic music and her signature songs to televisions across America

The three-inch Flamin' Hot Cheeto was sold in a custom case with a custom Cheetozard Pokémon card.

This Flamin’ Hot Cheeto Is Shaped Like a Pokémon Charizard. It Just Sold for Nearly $90,000 at Auction

The “Cheetozard” resembles an orange dragon-like figure from the popular Japanese franchise. Its seller had purchased it on eBay for $350 in 2019

Mark Rylance (left) and Damian Lewis (right) as Thomas Cromwell and Henry VIII in "Wolf Hall: The Mirror and the Light"

Based on a True Story

The Real Story Behind ‘Wolf Hall’ and the Fall of Thomas Cromwell, Henry VIII’s Most Controversial Adviser

Based on Hilary Mantel’s novel “The Mirror & the Light,” the last installment in the acclaimed television series chronicles the last four years of the statesman’s life

Tourists sunbathe on Chaweng Beach on Koh Samui's eastern coast.

The Secret World War II History of Koh Samui, the New Setting for ‘The White Lotus’

Behind the dreamy scenery of the HBO show’s latest location lurks an explosive story of Thailand’s involvement in the conflict and a sunken Japanese tanker

At 8 p.m., 73 million people tuned in to CBS to see the Beatles’ debut.

On This Day in History

On This Day in 1964, 73 Million Americans Tuned in to Watch the Biggest Act in Music

Teenage girls threw themselves behind the Beatles and helped Ed Sullivan create the most-watched television event of its time

The Beatles arrive at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York on February 7, 1964.

On This Day in History

Beatlemania Took the United States by Storm on This Day in 1963, Launching the British Invasion

With their arrival in America, the Beatles ushered in a new era of hyper-popular rock ’n’ roll music

A photo of the 124th Army-Navy Game, which was held on December 9, 2023

On This Day in History

When Instant Replay Debuted During the Broadcast of a College Football Game in 1963, It Revolutionized the Way We Watch Sports

Piloting the new technology was a risky move in front of the national audience that watched the Army-Navy showdown on this day in 1963

Smithsonian's picks for the best books about food of 2024 include McAtlas, A Call to Farms, Slow Noodles and more.

The Ten Best Books About Food of 2024

Travel to the American South, Vietnam and beyond with this year’s best cookbooks, memoirs and historic deep dives

Quincy Jones at an awards ceremony in 2014

Quincy Jones Was a ‘Musician’s Musician’ Who Was Uniquely Beloved in the Cutthroat Music Industry

A Smithsonian curator reflects back on the artistic legend, a “Renaissance man” with 28 Grammys to his name, who died Sunday at 91 years old

Shrunken Head Bob from Beetlejuice Beetlejuice claimed the top spot on this year's rankings.

The Top 25 Trending Halloween Costumes of 2024, According to Google

This year, celebrants will likely be channeling characters from hit franchises like “Beetlejuice,” “Inside Out” and “Deadpool”

NBC News' 1988 electoral map marked states won by Republican George H.W. Bush in blue and states won by Democrat Michael Dukakis in red.

When Republicans Became ‘Red’ and Democrats Became ‘Blue’

The 2000 presidential election cemented the color-coded nature of political parties. Prior to that race, the colors were often reversed on electoral maps

L to R: Kim Matula as Jane Curtin, Emily Fairn as Laraine Newman, Gabriel LaBelle as Lorne Michaels, Rachel Sennott as Rosie Shuster and Matt Wood as John Belushi in Saturday Night, a new film about the making of “Saturday Night Live”

Based on a True Story

The Real Story Behind ‘Saturday Night,’ the Movie About the Television Show That Changed Comedy Forever

A new film revisits the 90 minutes before the first episode of “Saturday Night Live” premiered on NBC on October 11, 1975

Julia Child in her kitchen with husband Paul behind her

See the Tools and Gadgets From Julia Child’s Kitchen That Reveal How the Beloved Chef Cooked

From the microwave to the food processor, the book author and television personality tried many appliances and devices to figure out the best ways to use them for her audience

Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz eloped in 1940. Eleven years later, “I Love Lucy” premiered on CBS, and they would become one of the most iconic couples for decades to follow.

Desi Arnaz Is Getting a Much-Deserved Historical Marker in Miami Beach

The Cuban-American actor and producer has stars on Hollywood’s Walk of Fame, but this new honor pays tribute to his start as a musician in South Florida

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The Madcap History of Mad Magazine Will Unleash Your Inner Class Clown

In a twist befitting its pages, the satirical, anti-establishment publication that delivered laughs and hijinks to generations of young readers gets the respect it always deserved with a new museum exhibition

James Earl Jones famously lent his deep, sonorous voice to Darth Vader in the Star Wars franchise and Mufasa in The Lion King.

Darth Vader Didn’t Come Alive Until James Earl Jones Gave Him a Voice

The prolific American actor, who died on September 9, recorded his dialogue for the first “Star Wars” film in less than three hours

Mariska Hargitay on the "Law & Order: SVU" set in Midtown Manhattan on August 5, 2024

The National Museum of American History Collects Mariska Hargitay’s Costume From ‘Law & Order: SVU’

The Smithsonian museum accepted a detective suit and badge worn by the actress’ character, Olivia Benson, on the long-running procedural

The new adaptation of The Decameron is “like a medieval ‘Love Island,’ and it descends into Lord of the Flies chaos,” says actor Tanya Reynolds.

Based on a True Story

The Real Story Behind Netflix’s ‘The Decameron’

Loosely based on Giovanni Boccaccio’s 14th-century collection of short stories, the series follows a group of Italian nobles and servants who flee to the countryside to escape the Black Death

Cypress Hill's Sen Dog and B-Real perform with the London Symphony Orchestra at the Royal Albert Hall in London.

Cypress Hill Performs With the London Symphony Orchestra—Just as ‘The Simpsons’ Predicted 28 Years Ago

Originally a gag on the sitcom, the unexpected collaboration drew a packed house at the Royal Albert Hall in London

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