May 8 Fun Facts, Trivia and History |
May 8 History Highlights |
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V-E Day |
| V-E day was a cause for a huge celebration on the European mainland after the fall of fascism. But it wasn’t until America’s Japanese surrender months later that V-J Day (August 14) declared victory in the Pacific and World War Two had finally ended. Thousands gathered in Times Square to celebrate, arriving by carloads from all parts of New York City with flags of wartime allies as well as those representing individual states. |
May 8 is… |
| Coconut Cream Pie Day Empanada Day Have A Coke Day VE-Day |
May 8 Birthday Quotes |
“The past always seems better when you look back on it than it did at the time. And the present never looks as good as it will in the future.” “The public be damned. I am working for my stockholders.” “I used to play golf. I wanted to be a better player, but after a while, I realized I’d always stink. And that’s when I really started to enjoy the game.” “And what better way to get people talking than by creating a new word.” “If you can’t be happy at the prospect of lunch, you are unlikely to be happy about anything.” “A boxing match is like a cowboy movie. There’s got to be good guys and there’s got to be bad guys. And that’s what people pay for – to see the bad guys get beat.” |
May 8 Birthdays |
| 1821 – William Henry Vanderbilt, American businessman and philanthropist (died in 1885) 1828 – Jean-Henri Dunant, Swiss philanthropist (died in 1910) 1884 – Harry S. Truman, American colonel and politician, 33rd President of the United States (died in 1972) 1893 – Francis DeSales Ouimet, America golfer (died in 1967) 1895 – Fulton J. Sheen, American archbishop (died in 1979) 1911 – Robert Johnson, American singer-songwriter and guitarist, #27club (died in 1938) 1913 – Bob Clampett, American animator, director, and producer (died in 1984) 1926 – Don Rickles, American comedian and actor (died in 2017) 1932 – Sonny Liston, American boxer (died in 1970) 1938 – Jean Giraud, French author and illustrator (died in 2012) 1940 – Peter Benchley, American author and screenwriter (died in 2006) 1940 – Ricky Nelson, American singer-songwriter, guitarist, and actor (died in 1985) 1964 – Melissa Gilbert, American actress 1975 – Enrique Iglesias, Spanish-American singer-songwriter 1981 – Stephen Amell, Canadian actor |
May 8 History |
| 1840 – The first U.S. photographic patent (#1,582) was issued to Alexander S. Wolcott of New York City 1886 – Coca-Cola was first sold to the public at the soda fountain in Jacob’s Pharmacy in Atlanta, Georgia. 1902 (Tornado) Goliad, Texas 1912 – Paramount Pictures was founded. 1933 – Mohandas Gandhi began a 21-day fast of self-purification and launched a one-year campaign to help the Harijan movement. 1945 – V-E Day (Victory in Europe Day) was celebrated in America and Great Britain. 1961 – The first practical seawater conversion plant in the US was opened in Freeport, Texas. 1963 – Dr. No, starring Sean Connery, opened in theaters. 1976 #1 Hit May 8, 1976 – May 14, 1976: John Sebastian – Welcome Back 1976 – The New Revolution, the first steel roller coaster with a vertical loop, opened at Six Flags Magic Mountain. 1980 – The World Health Organization confirmed the eradication of smallpox. 1982 #1 Hit May 8, 1982 – May 14, 1982: Vangelis – Chariots of Fire 1984 – The Soviet Union announced that they were boycotting the 1984 Olympics. 1999 #1 Hit May 8, 1999 – June 11, 1999: Ricky Martin – Livin’ La Vida Loca 2010 – Betty White hosted Saturday Night Live, thanks to a push by fans on Facebook. She won an Emmy for her appearance. #1 Hit May 8, 2021 – May 21, 2021: Save Your Tears – The Weeknd and Ariana Grande |
Today’s Random Trivia and Shower Thoughts |
| Peter Wyngarde – Real Name: Cyril Louis Goldbert When black & white photographs were invented, they must have looked pretty weird because people had never seen the world in black & white before. The Capital of Swaziland is Mbabane Alyssa Milano was the inspiration for Ariel’s features in The Little Mermaid. Sponges are weird. They’re artificial now, but in the past, people would pluck animals out of the ocean and use them to wash dishes and stuff. That seems like something you’d do in the Flintstones. When I was a kid, Swag and Booty made me think of Pirates. Now all I think of is Rappers and Hip Hop. Ben Franklin’s 13 Virtues #2 – Silence. “Queue” is just “Q” followed by 4 silent letters. I agreed to disagree, and I’m wondering about the potential legal trouble for breaking paradox laws. “Been around the world and found that only stupid people are breeding.” #songlyrics |
More Pop Culture History Resources |
