# Immensely popular things that really are good **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 16, 2013, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/immensely-popular-things-that-really-are-good/655885 "2013-04-16T22:31:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2013, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/immensely-popular-things-that-really-are-good/655885/41 "2013-04-17T16:11:47Z")
> [@Airk](#): > > It depresses me just how many of the suggestions in this thread I not only disagree with, but disagree with STRONGLY. > . yep, not only on the “really are good” part, but also on the “immensely popular” part. However, we seem to have reached consensus on iPhones and iPads (and the Simpsons). I’ll add Pizza ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2013, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/immensely-popular-things-that-really-are-good/655885/42 "2013-04-17T16:20:58Z")
> [@salinqmind](#): > > I read a book and can’t remember the author - I want to say P.J. O’Rourke or David Foster Wallace - wherein he left his ivory tower and immersed himself in the pleasures pursued by the lower classes. He listened to popular music and took a trip to Branson, Missouri and went to every show he could fit in. Purpose of the book was to prove how ‘bad’ popular culture is, but he found out that it wasn’t really ‘bad’, just…mediocre. Not good, not bad, but somewhere in between. Sounds like Joe Queenan: [Red Lobster, White Trash, & the Blue Lagoon](http://www.amazon.com/Lobster-White-Trash-Blue-Lagoon/dp/0786884088/ref=sr_1_4?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1366215608&sr=1-4). ---
**Author:** ![JohnGalt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johngalt/32/184_2.png) [@JohnGalt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnGalt)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2013, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/immensely-popular-things-that-really-are-good/655885/43 "2013-04-17T17:22:25Z")
How about money? It’s good and popular. With Roger Ebert’s passing, it brings up what he considers one of the funniest phrases in movies, in _Heist_: “Everybody needs money! That’s why they call it money!” which I always misremember as “Everybody loves money! That’s why they call it money!” (which makes more sense to me). See [Everybody needs money](http://miniver.blogspot.com/2004/02/everybody-needs-roger-ebert.html) for a discussion of Mamet’s words by Ebert. If anyone thinks money’s not good, send your money to me… ---
**Author:** ![MaxTheVool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9fc29f/32.png) [@MaxTheVool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MaxTheVool)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2013, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/immensely-popular-things-that-really-are-good/655885/44 "2013-04-17T18:28:26Z")
Of the [longest running broadway shows](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_the_longest-running_Broadway_shows), all the ones near the very top of the list that I know anything about are genuinely good, even very good, sometimes great, musicals. The main exceptions are “jukebox musicals”, which I’m a bit snooty about (Mamma Mia and Jersey Boys), and Mary Poppins at #22, which I think is fairly poor. ---
**Author:** ![MrSquishy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b9e5f3/32.png) [@MrSquishy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrSquishy)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2013, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/immensely-popular-things-that-really-are-good/655885/45 "2013-04-17T18:34:32Z")
I think the thread might have been better titled “ **Immensely popular things that _you think_ really are good** ”. That might have avoided some arguments. Is there anybody (who likes burgers) who doesn’t like In-N-Out Burger? ---
**Author:** ![miss\_elizabeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/838e76/32.png) [@miss\_elizabeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/miss_elizabeth)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2013, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/immensely-popular-things-that-really-are-good/655885/46 "2013-04-17T19:32:34Z")
Mid century design is very popular now, what with Mad Men and all, but I think a lot of it is very classic and will be loved for a lot longer than this fad holds. ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2013, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/immensely-popular-things-that-really-are-good/655885/47 "2013-04-17T20:12:42Z")
> [@An\_Gadai](#): > > Heinz Ketchup I came in here to say this exact thing. Well, not exact - I was just going to say “commercial brand ketchup, like Heinz or Rold Gold”. Because it is - that shit that fancy restaurants try to cook up for you is awful cold smashed tomatoes. Just go get the bottle of Heinz, it’s perfect. ---
**Author:** ![salinqmind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3ec8ea/32.png) [@salinqmind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/salinqmind)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2013, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/immensely-popular-things-that-really-are-good/655885/48 "2013-04-18T00:15:04Z")
> [@Thudlow\_Boink](#): > > Sounds like Joe Queenan: [Red Lobster, White Trash, & the Blue Lagoon](http://www.amazon.com/Lobster-White-Trash-Blue-Lagoon/dp/0786884088/ref=sr_1_4?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1366215608&sr=1-4). Yes, that’s the one, thanks. ---
**Author:** ![BlackKnight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/eb8c5e/32.png) [@BlackKnight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlackKnight)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2013, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/immensely-popular-things-that-really-are-good/655885/49 "2013-04-18T00:53:59Z")
> [@WordMan](#): > > Apple iPod, iPads and Macs have done pretty well. I won’t argue with the first two, but I don’t think Macs have ever been “immensely” popular. They’ve always been a rather small portion of the computer market. My vote - Google search. Google is still the king of search both in popularity and in quality. ---
**Author:** ![CarnalK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnalk/32/486_2.png) [@CarnalK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CarnalK)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2013, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/immensely-popular-things-that-really-are-good/655885/50 "2013-04-18T01:18:21Z")
> [@MrSquishy](#): > > I think the thread might have been better titled “ **Immensely popular things that _you think_ really are good** ”. That might have avoided some arguments. > > Is there anybody (who likes burgers) who doesn’t like In-N-Out Burger? But then it’s kind of ridiculous. Plainly, things aren’t immensely popular without a lot of people _thinking_ they are really good\*. Harry Potter is really an odd example for the OP as stated, imho. It has had a lot of realistic criticism and when I tried to read one I was really surprised that this was a book lauded as crossing the children/adult barrier. \*except Auto Insurance. Everyone seems to have it, but most people aren’t particularly happy about how it works. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Ulfreida](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ulfreida/32/8014_2.png) [@Ulfreida](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ulfreida)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2013, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/immensely-popular-things-that-really-are-good/655885/51 "2013-04-18T01:22:45Z")
I vote for pancakes. ---
**Author:** ![Mixolydian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/da6949/32.png) [@Mixolydian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mixolydian)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2013, 3:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/immensely-popular-things-that-really-are-good/655885/52 "2013-04-18T03:05:06Z")
Although it’s two years old, here’s a link with the top 50 most “liked” pages on Facebook: [https://www.facebook.com/notes/top-50-pages-with-the-most-likes/recording-for-march-22-2011-morning/177771902270850](https://www.facebook.com/notes/top-50-pages-with-the-most-likes/recording-for-march-22-2011-morning/177771902270850) Of these, I’d list Bob Marley and The Beatles among my favorites, and The Simpsons, Family Guy, and South Park as “really good”. ---
**Author:** ![salinqmind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3ec8ea/32.png) [@salinqmind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/salinqmind)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2013, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/immensely-popular-things-that-really-are-good/655885/53 "2013-04-21T01:16:10Z")
> [@Ulfreida](#): > > I vote for pancakes. Oh, they can’t be just any old pancakes. I tried to sneak by heating up frozen pancakes and my efforts were met with cries of outrage since they weren’t f’ing piping hot freshly made Aunt Jemima mix pancakes. Apparently there’s a difference, which is a revelation to me. There was real maple syrup, though! ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2013, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/immensely-popular-things-that-really-are-good/655885/54 "2013-04-21T02:07:35Z")
Almost every major musical act that actually lasted for longer than a few years was really quite good. The Beatles, the Stones, Zeppelin, Michael Jackson, Prince, U2… they’ve all put out lots of first rate songs. Flashes in the pan sometimes suck, but I cannot offhand think of anyone who lasted who sucked. ---
**Author:** ![Peremensoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ce7236/32.png) [@Peremensoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peremensoe)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2013, 2:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/immensely-popular-things-that-really-are-good/655885/55 "2013-04-21T02:31:25Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > Flashes in the pan sometimes suck, but I cannot offhand think of anyone who lasted who sucked. Celine Dion. ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2013, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/immensely-popular-things-that-really-are-good/655885/56 "2013-04-21T02:37:09Z")
> [@Peremensoe](#): > > Celine Dion. But her husband liked it. :o ---
**Author:** ![Stoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stoid/32/272_2.png) [@Stoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stoid)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2013, 3:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/immensely-popular-things-that-really-are-good/655885/57 "2013-04-21T03:12:12Z")
> [@MrSquishy](#): > > Is there anybody (who likes burgers) who doesn’t like In-N-Out Burger? Burgers (and ground beef generally) are among my most favorite foods on earth, and the _In-N-Out_ passion stumps me completely. The only thing I think is exceptional in any way are the slightly grilled buns. The meat and dressings are “meh” through and through. Add in the politics/religion, and in spite of the fact that live two blocks from one I _never_ eat there. (For actual meat quality, I’ll take Carl’s Jr., especially the Six Dollar varieties, and for overall dressings and flavor experience, I’m partial to Wendy’s. Also like some Jack burgers. Hate Burger King, only eat Mcd’s at breakfast or when I have a weird craving for a “sugar burger”, aka Big Mac. And no burger should ever have ketchup on it. Ever.) > [@Peremensoe](#): > > Celine Dion. She doesn’t really suck, that’s not fair. She does have a superb instrument at her command, that’s hard to refute. The problem is that everything she does with it, on every level, is hideously cheesy and awful and repellant. ---
**Author:** ![drewtwo99](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d07c76/32.png) [@drewtwo99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewtwo99)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2013, 7:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/immensely-popular-things-that-really-are-good/655885/58 "2013-04-21T07:29:21Z")
When it comes to video games, I think nearly all the most popular video games are superbly awesome. I also like a lot of lesser-known indie titles, but if a video game is massively popular, it’s usually pretty good. Only exceptions I can think of are the CoD clones that come out every year, and they aren’t bad games, they are just boring at this point. ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2013, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/immensely-popular-things-that-really-are-good/655885/59 "2013-04-21T14:22:25Z")
> [@Stoid](#): > > The problem is that everything she does with it, on every level, is hideously cheesy and awful and repellant. like a [Kinkade](http://www.kinkadekorner.com/) painting ---
**Author:** ![Quimby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/22d042/32.png) [@Quimby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quimby)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2013, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/immensely-popular-things-that-really-are-good/655885/60 "2013-04-21T15:37:18Z")
> [@drewtwo99](#): > > When it comes to video games, I think nearly all the most popular video games are superbly awesome. I also like a lot of lesser-known indie titles, but if a video game is massively popular, it’s usually pretty good. Only exceptions I can think of are the CoD clones that come out every year, and they aren’t bad games, they are just boring at this point. I can refute this with one word: Farmville. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/immensely-popular-things-that-really-are-good/655885.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/immensely-popular-things-that-really-are-good/655885.md?page=4)