Look at These Big Big Birthdays of 2019
Who turns 21 in 2019? Who turns 50? Who turns 100? Or 200? Would you believe that Michael Jackson’s daughter Paris is already 21? That Hangover goofball Zach Galifianakis is already …..
The Who2 Blog
Quiz: Can You Name These Celebrities Who Passed Away in 2018?
How closely were you paying attention to the celebrities who left the stage in 2018? 34 famous people (so far) are featured in Who2’s Died in 2018 list. But don’t …..
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Biography: New!
Our new biography of Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is now live. She is, among other things: The new U.S. Representative from New York’s 14th District. At age 28, the youngest woman ever to …..
Frosty the Snowman was Basically a Ripoff of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
While researching our new biography of Frosty the Snowman, we discovered something that maybe should have been obvious: Dude was a total copy of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. Long before …..
Charles Dickens Once Recited ‘A Christmas Carol’ From Memory in Boston
On this day in the year 1867, English author Charles Dickens did something impressive: He recited much of his 1843 book A Christmas Carol from memory to the gathered and rapt …..
George H.W. Bush: A Decent Man, A Bitter Political Legacy
Any discussion of President George Herbert Walker Bush, who died yesterday at age 94, should start by acknowledging that he was by any measure a public servant, a family man, …..
John Banner is Buried Under the Tombstone of Johann Hübner. Why?
20 years ago, for reasons we’ve forgotten, actor John Banner was one of our very first Who2 biographies. President George Washington was ceremonially #1, but soon after that came …..
Verne Troyer’s Cause of Death Was Suicide by Alcohol
As the Who2 obituary desk looks back on the major deaths of 2018, we find that one particularly sad detail has been cleared up: the cause of death of Verne …..
Medal of Honor Winner Florent Groberg Is Married
Vows — the weekly wedding section of The New York Times — is always good for an unusual courtship story, a meet-cute or even a few tears. This week it …..
Meet Magnus Hirschfeld, the German Trans-rights Activist Who Was Decades Ahead of His Time
Trans people exist. A German physician, Magnus Hirschfeld, was a pioneer in recognizing the varieties of human gender, until his career was cut short by the Nazis.
Stan Lee Has Died at the ER to the Stars
Marvel Comics mastermind and comic book legend Stan Lee has died at age 95. No cause of death has been given, but The New York Times says that he died …..
Trump Family Tax Fraud: How Reporters Cracked the Story
Donald Trump has long claimed that he turned “a small loan of a million dollars” from his father into a billion-dollar fortune. Now a special investigation by The New York …..
How Doug Engelbart’s ‘Mother of all Demos’ Made Computers Personal
A 90-minute presentation in 1968 showed off the earliest desktop computer system. In the process it introduced the idea that technology could make individuals better – if government funded research.
Brett Kavanaugh Biography (New!)
Our new Brett Kavanaugh biography is live. Brett Kavanaugh is the U.S. Court of Appeals judge who has been nominated to the U.S. Supreme Court by President Donald Trump. If …..
‘Professional Crocodile’: A Sincere Endorsement
If you’re looking for a charming picture book for children — or for adults — try the wonderful Professional Crocodile by author Giovanna Zoboli and illustrator Mariachiara di Giorgio. The wordless …..
Manafort: GuiltyCohen: Guilty
President Donald Trump‘s former campaign manager and personal lawyer both were declared guilty today of crimes including tax fraud, bank fraud, campaign finance cheating, and other illegal financial shenanigans. Paul …..
Aretha Franklin, ‘Queen of Soul,’ Dead at 76
Aretha Franklin, “The Queen of Soul,” has died. Her family confirmed that her death was “due to advanced pancreatic cancer of the neuroendocrine type,” says her BBC obituary. Nearly every news …..
The “Malaise” Speech: When Jimmy Carter Humbly Told the Truth to Americans
Remember when the US had a president who thought deeply about America’s problems and then told Americans they were responsible? That was Jimmy Carter, and Americans were not impressed by the sermonizing in 1979.
Anthony Bourdain and Ernest Hemingway Killed Themselves Two Days Apart
When Anthony Bourdain killed himself on Friday with the belt from his hotel bathrobe, he was 61 years and 348 days old. By unhappy coincidence, that makes the celebrity chef nearly a match with Nobel-prize winning …..
Anthony Bourdain is Dead at Age 61
Anthony Bourdain is dead. The chef, author and superstar host of the cooking show Parts Unknown committed suicide in a Paris hotel this morning, according to a report from the show’s network, …..