Monty Python’s Flying Circus had only three episode-long skits: “The Cycling Tour,” “Michael Ellis,” and “Mr. Neutron.”
Showman PT Barnum did not actually enter the circus business until he was 61. Before that, he concentrated on promoting his museum of oddities, presenting exhibitions and sponsoring engagements by such as the singer Jenny Lind. He did not actually say: “There’s a sucker born every minute.”
A Republican, P.T. Barnum served two terms in the Connecticut legislature and a single term as mayor of Bridgeport, Conn. He once ran for Congress but was defeated.
Walt Kelly created a carnival baker bear who only spoke in typefaces from a 19th century circus flyer and named him P. T. Bridgeport, a nod to Kelly and Barnum’s home town.
John Irving’s first published book was Setting Free the Bears. He also used his reoccuring theme of bears in The World According to Garp, The Hotel New Hampshire, The Cider House Rules, and Last Night in Twisted River.
John Irving’s novel A Widow for One Year includes, as a subplot, a series of murders of Amsterdam prostitutes. The Jeff Bridges/Kim Basinger movie The Door in the Floor, loosely based on the first half of the book, omits it.
The venom of the black widow spider contains α-Latrotoxin, a neurotoxin effective against vertebrates. A recent study concludes that this neurotoxin may counter the effect of the far more lethal neurotoxin associated with botulism.
The duckbill platypus is the only mammal which produces venom. Although both male and female platypuses have ankle spurs, only males discharge venom from them.
Mathematician and satirical songwriter Tom Lehrer rhymed duckbill platypus with Oedipus (Rex) in one of his songs.
Tom Lehrer claims to have invented the Jell-O Shot as a means of circumventing liquor restrictions when he was assigned to work at the National Security Agency during his stint in the Army.
The National Security Agency (long jokingly referred to as “No Such Agency” for its secretiveness) is based at Fort Meade, Maryland.
By the mid-1950’s, unsuccessful actress Julia Meade had become the highest-paid woman on television because of her talent for commercials for everything from hair spray to Lincoln automobiles.
[del]Its state song, “Maryland, My Maryland”, sung to the tune of “O Tannenbaum”, calls on its citizens to “avenge the patriotic gore / that flecked the streets of Baltimore”, referring to riots against the Federal troops being brought south to defend Washington early in the Civil War. Remarkably for an official state song, it demands secession:
She is not dead, nor deaf, nor dumb-
Huzza! She spurns the Northern scum!
She breathes! She burns! She’ll come! She’ll come!
Maryland! My Maryland![/del]
ETA: Dammit. 
The “Baltimore chop” is a baseball strategy where the batter hits the ball hard and onto the ground, having it bounce high into the air, and reaches first base before it comes down. It got its name from being developed by players of the Baltimore Orioles of the 19th century; the area around home plate was kept rock hard to facilitate it. It’s rarely used in baseball today, since the infield is far softer and the ball won’t bounce high enough.
Julia Roberts’ brother Eric Roberts is the only American so far to portray Doctor Who, as the Fourth Master in the 1996 TV film. SFX Magazine commented: “Out-acted by a CGI snake in the same production.”
ETA: Let someone else figure out this mess.
[SPOILER]ElvisL1ves: "ETA: Let someone else figure out this mess. "
rock hard … Maryland … Meade … Roberts?
Which domino is valid here?
Better play it safe…[/SPOILER]Several streets in Fort Meade, Maryland, are named after military heroes, e.g. Rock Avenue named after 2nd Lt. William C. Rock (DSC recipient) and Roberts Avenue named after Cpl. Harold W. Roberts, a WWI soldier who received the Medal of Honor posthumously.
Comedian Chris Rock’s full name is Christopher Julius Rock III. He used his middle name of Julius for the father on his sitcom “Everybody Hates Chris.”
Back in the 1950s, Arthur Godfrey was a massively successful TV star, hosting three TV shows simultaneously: Arthur Godfrey’s Talent Scouts, Arthur Godfrey and His Friends and Arthur Godfrey Time (the latter a compilation of the best bits from the other two shows). His popularity took a big hit in 1953 when he fired popular and successful singer Julius La Rosa on the air, immediately after he finished a song. La Rosa (who’s popularity at the time was probably greater than Godfrey’s) had no idea it was coming.
Groucho Marx’s real name was Julius Henry Marx. His son Arthur published a brief account of an incident that occurred when Arthur was a child. The family was going through airport customs, and while filling out a form, Groucho listed his name as “Julius Henry Marx” and his occupation as “smuggler.” Chaos ensued.
The story goes that when Oscar Wilde came through U.S. Customs in New York City at the beginning of a national speaking tour, he was asked by an official if he had anything to declare. “Only my genius!” he said.