Curated playlist
American people of Polish descent
- Paul ZbyszewskiPaul Zbyszewski wrote both the first and the last episodes of his ABC series Day Break. The show ran only a short time.
- Igor StravinskyIgor Stravinsky's ballet The Rite of Spring caused a near-riot at its 1913 Paris premiere.
- Jerry WestThe NBA logo is a silhouette of Jerry West, and he was never paid for it.
- Tom BradyTom Brady was once drafted by the Montreal Expos as a catcher. He chose football at Michigan instead.
- John Wayne GacyOn the 21st of December 1978, an evidence technician named Daniel Genty crawled into a space measuring 28 by 38 feet beneath a ranch-style house outside Chicago. He worked his way to the southwest corner and began to dig. Within minutes he…
- Steven TylerSteven Tyler, the singer born Steven Victor Tallarico, saw his touring career end in August 2024. That month, his band Aerosmith announced that it was retiring from the road. The reason was Tyler's voice. He had fractured his larynx and…
- KeshaKesha's big break in 2009 came from walking into a recording session by accident.
- John F. MarszalekIn July 2008, historian John F. Marszalek took charge of Ulysses S. Grant's papers.
- Jim IrsayJim Irsay was 24 years old when he became general manager of the Indianapolis Colts, the youngest person ever to hold that title in the NFL. He stayed with the franchise for the rest of his life, rising from front-office apprentice to its…
- John KrasinskiJohn Krasinski hosted a livestreamed prom on the 17th of April 2020. It was meant for high schoolers whose real proms had been cancelled, and 210,000 viewers tuned in. Live performances came from Billie Eilish, Finneas, the Jonas Brothers…
- Marilyn MansonMarilyn Manson is the stage name of Brian Hugh Warner, an American rock singer whose band has sold over 50 million records worldwide. Few musicians have been argued over in so many rooms. Politicians condemned his lyrics, critics fought…
- Ted KaczynskiTed Kaczynski wrote a letter to The New York Times in 1995 and attached a promise to it. If the Times or The Washington Post printed his essay in full, he would "desist from terrorism." The essay ran to roughly 35,000 words and carried the…
- Richard KuklinskiRichard Kuklinski, born in 1935 and later known as the Iceman, lived in the New Jersey suburb of Dumont with his wife and children. His wife Barbara described him as a wholesale distributor who employed an accountant. Neighbors saw a…
- Roger ZelaznyA story by Roger Zelazny traveled to Mars in 2008. "A Rose for Ecclesiastes" rode on a DVD aboard the Phoenix lander.
- Christian LaettnerChristian Laettner topped an ESPN fan poll as college basketball's most hated player.
- Armie HammerArmie Hammer was hand-picked in 2007 by the filmmaker George Miller to play Batman. The actor, born in 1986, had been chosen after a long search. The film was Justice League: Mortal, and Miller was set to direct it. It never reached…
- David MiscavigeDavid Miscavige was born on the 30th of April 1960, and he now leads the Church of Scientology. Inside the organization he answers to several names. Members call him “DM,” “COB,” and “captain of the Sea Org.” His formal title is chairman…
- Jim ShooterJim Shooter was 14 when DC Comics bought his scripts. His first paycheck went toward a rebuilt family car engine.