DEBUNKED URBAN LEGENDS
SIDEKICK POWERS
THE INGREDIENT IN COMMON
PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN SLOGANS
BOOK TITLE MATH
JANUARY 2021
200

Go ahead and throw this at newly-wedded couples. It’s completely harmless to birds’ stomachs

Rice

200

“Didn’t you use to have that on the other side?” - In “Young Frankenstein” the mad scientist queries this assistant, who has the power of shifting his hump

Igor

200

Ambrosia, Rocky road ice cream, Whoopie pie

Marshmallow

200

Not Just Peanuts

Jimmy Carter

200

Márquez’ “Years of Solitude” plus Tolkein’s “Towers”

100 + 2 = 102

200

On January 13th Donald Trump became the first U.S. President to be impeached this many times

Two

400

Legend has it this rock singer threw puppies into his concert audiences and wouldn’t play until they were all dead. Untrue, but that story about the bat actually happened

Ozzy Osbourne

400

In Season 10 of Curb Your Enthusiasm, Larry’s sidekick Jeff Greene’s superpower is repeatedly being called a pig by women after being mistaken for this notorious Hollywooder

Harvey Weinstein

400

Crab Rangoon, Rugelach, Philadelphia roll

Cream cheese

400

Don’t Stop Thinking About Tomorrow

Bill Clinton

400

Dumas’ “Musketeers” times Northup’s “Years a Slave”

3 x 12 = 36

400

Major League Baseball lost two icons in January - Tommy Lasorda on the 7th and this “hammerin” slugger two weeks later

Hank Aaron

600

These creatures supposedly populated the NYC sewers after they were brought from Florida in the 20s and flushed down toilets. Experts say it’s unlikely they could survive the toxic stew

Alligators

600

 In a 2019 Disney remake, this sidekick duo was voiced by Billy Eichner and Seth Rogen; the latter retained the power of flatulence from the original film

Timon and Pumbaa

600

Arancini, Mexican horchata, Dolma

Rice

600

Leave No Child Behind

George W. Bush

600

James’ “Shades of Grey” minus Asher’s “Reasons Why”

50 - 13 = 37

600

A “short squeeze” of Gamestop’s stock caused the share price to peak at nearly $500 on January 27th, and was organized by users of a subreddit known by this three-word term

Wall Street Bets

800

Someone was using their imagination when they suggested this mild-mannered TV host was a marine sniper with over 150 kills, and wore long sleeves on TV to cover up his tattoos

Mister Rogers

800

Between the first and second movies, this Iron Man sidekick acquired the superpower of being played by a completely different actor

War Machine

800

Spanakopita, Baklava, Strudel

Filo

800

Don’t Swap Horses in the Middle of the Stream

Abraham Lincoln

800

Bradbury’s “Fahrenheit” plus Heller’s “Catch-”

451 + 22 = 473

800

At the January 20th inauguration, Vice President Kamala Harris chose to be sworn in by this Supreme Court justice, who had sworn in Joe Biden for VP eight years before

Sonia Sotomayor

1000

John Gilchrist, the child actor who played Little Mikey in LIFE Cereal commercials, did not actually explode from combining Coca Cola and this candy

Pop Rocks

1000

This Thundercats sidekick had the power of annoying us by saying his own name all the time

Snarf

1000

Muffaletta sandwich, Nicoise salad, Spaghetti alla puttanesca

Olives

1000

He’s Making Us Proud Again

Gerald Ford

1000

Verne’s “Leagues Under the Sea” divided by Hosseini’s “Splendid Suns”

20,000 / 1,000 = 20

1000

 On January 30th the music world mourned the accidental death of this 34-year-old Scottish avant-garde pop musician known by her first name

Sophie