ABBA wore outlandish costumes on stage for tax reasons

Watch ABBA perform on Eurovision in 1974

The pop group won the 1974 competition, representing Sweden with the song "Waterloo." It was the first time the country took home the Eurovision title and the start of a long, successful career for ABBA, who'd eventually become one of the world's bestselling musical groups.

The story behind ABBA's Eurovision victory

The Swedish group competed in 1973 with the song "Ring Ring," but it failed to get them past the preliminary round. That changed with their 1974 performance of "Waterloo"—a song written by their agent, who was convinced it'd be a hit on Eurovision—propelled them to victory, beating out Olivia Newton-John, who was competing for the United Kingdom.

'Saturday Night Live' uses a tool to recreate politicians' clothes

The show's costume designer, Tom Broecker, said that the team uses a "cricket," which allows them to scan patterns from images and recreate them for cast members' costumes.

Check out pictures from the Bauhaus' elaborate costume parties

Bauhaus is known for its innovation, but, at the end of the day, it was still an art school. That means parties were regular occurrences and often featured elaborate costumes—Gropius once dressed as the renowned architect Le Corbusier, while Kandinsky was known for pretending to be an antenna.

The 'playing card' and 'blueberry' taxes are among the strangest around the world

In Canada, companies making children’s breakfast cereals are granted a tax exemption if their cereal boxes contain free toys. While the exemption is limited to toys that are not “beer, liquor, or wine,” the cereal tax is far from the world's most eccentric tax.

Sweden's coffee breaks are protected by law, and thought to increase worker happiness.

The Beatles' song 'Taxman' was inspired by Britain's tax structure.

Most Americans take the standard tax deduction

A tax deductible is an expense that a taxpayer or business can subtract from adjusted gross income, reducing their taxable income and therefore reducing the amount of taxes owed. Governments often use tax deductibles as a way to reward people who do things that are considered beneficial to society, like charitable donations.

After her arrest, a technicality made it harder for Holiday to perform

The Cabaret Identification Card was required for all performers in New York nightclubs that served liquor. After her arrest and yearlong imprisonment, the New York Police Department revoked Billie Holiday's card, making it extremely difficult for her to earn money. The video features contemporary jazz musician Christian McBride breaking down the history of cabaret cards and how the ban affected Holiday.

Oktoberfest revelers wear traditional dress

Lederhosen (short leather pants) and dirndls (dresses with lace-up bodices) are found everywhere at Oktoberfest, This short documentary explores the resurgence of traditional clothing in Germany, which extends beyond Oktoberfest.

Financial hardships forced functionality into every piece of Marie Curie's wardrobe

Curie's upbringing in a family that lost its fortune when participating in failed uprisings for Polish independence instilled frugality in her. Much of the clothing she purchased, including for special occasions like her wedding, was repurposed for lab use.

Salvador Dalí’s collaborations with fashion designers

Dalí was known to dabble in the world of fashion and formed a bond with the bold Italian designer Elsa Schiaparelli. Their collaborations birthed iconic designs like a bureau-drawer suit and a lobster dress.

The money behind Eurovision

Countries pay to take part in Eurovision, with the biggest economies—Germany, the United Kingdom, France, Italy, and Spain, also known as the Big Five—paying the most. That unequal entry fee is not entirely for charity's sake: The Big Five countries are guaranteed spots in Eurovision's finals.

Watch a breakdown of tax breaks most Americans don't know about

Programs like healthcare savings accounts or flexible spending accounts are tax-free accounts that are designed to help lower healthcare costs. However, many Americans don't use them and don't understand how they work.

Some wedding expenses might be tax-deductible, depending on the situation

For instance, donating your wedding flowers to a homeless shelter or other nonprofit organization may make them tax-deductible. Some other expenses that may be tax-deductible in specific instances include historical venues, wedding gowns, and more. Find out more about which wedding expenses could be tax-deductible via this article.

After actress Ingrid Bergman had a child out of wedlock, a Colorado senator proposed granting the government the ability to ban performers deemed morally objectionable.

Show business is increasingly leaving Hollywood

Using tax incentives, states like Georgia, New Jersey, and New Mexico are luring studios to produce their films and television shows outside of California. Changing business models after COVID-19 largely influenced this change.

The band 'The Bangles' was initially named 'The Bangs'

Legal troubles forced the band to change their name. See a slew of other music facts, like how Taylor Swift's "All Too Well (Taylor's Version) is the longest song to reach number one on the US singles chart. The song is over 10 minutes long, and surpassed Don McLean's "American Pie."

Liza Minnelli did all her own stunts on the cult sitcom 'Arrested Development'

Minnelli played the character of Lucille Austero, a frenemy to the show's matriarch, Lucille Bluth. Her character often fell from the sensation, and in this interview, Minnelli shares that she performed these stunts herself, thanks to tips she picked up from stuntmen in Hollywood as a child.

Lorne Michaels jokingly offered the Beatles $3K to reunite on 'Saturday Night Live,' which John Lennon and Paul McCartney briefly considered.

Two individuals are credited with making the Oscars red carpet a destination for fashion

Much like the Met Gala, fashion is now an inextricable part of the Academy Awards. But it wasn't always that way. In the 1950s and '60s, costume designer Edith Head was responsible for making sure the stars looked their best on television. In the 1990s, Fred Hayman brought luxury back to the stage after the excess of the 1970s and 1980s. (Some users may experience a paywall.)

'SNL' parodied Liza Minnelli's showbiz persona

Kristen Wiig plays Minnelli in the skit, poking fun at the Broadway star's extravagance and onstage presence. Minnelli is unable to perform regular tasks without whipping out Fosse's dance moves.

Learn about loopholes in the American tax code, which involve everything from cat food to death to heavy machinery.

A history of Eurovision controversies

The annual song contest spectacle is no stranger to controversy. This list breaks down some of the most scandalous, including claims that 2021 winners Maneskin were snorting cocaine, Georgia's 2009 rejection for submitting a protest song, and Jordan's refusal to recognize Israel in 1978.

How tax laws helped the federal government catch mob bosses during Prohibition

The IRS arrested top mob bosses during Prohibition after the Supreme Court ruled illegally-made income could be taxed. The IRS's biggest catch was Al Capone, who was charged with tax evasion and sentenced to 11 years in prison. But Capone wasn't the only bootlegger the IRS nabbed for tax evasion during this era.

Created in 1862, the IRS has a scandalous history

From Al Capone's tax evasion to corruption and bribery within the IRS, the government agency has had its fair share of scandals. This article details many of them, outlining corruption that reveals this seemingly boring agency as anything but.

An American Beatles album featured a bizarre, gruesome image of the band as butchers, which was swiftly recalled.

A Swedish town erects a giant straw Christmas goat each year—often burned down by pranksters

Each year, the town of Gävle builds a giant straw Christmas goat, which pranksters often burn, despite heightened security measures. Notable attacks include arsonists dressed as Santa and gingerbread men firing flaming arrows and hackers disabling cameras before torching the goat.

Tina Turner had to change the lyrics referencing American Express in 'Private Dancer' to comply with British advertising laws

In her 1984 hit, "Private Dancer," Turner sings "American Express Will Do Nicely, Thank You." However, advertising laws in England prohibited mentions of companies, leading Turner to release another version of the song with the lyric "A Few Pounds Sterling Will Do Nicely, Thank You."

Lorne Michaels claims 'SNL' has never banned a musical guest

After including overt political protests in their performances, rumors swirled that Sinead O'Connor and Rage Against the Machine had been banned from the show. (People said the same about rock band the Replacements, but that was for on-air drunkenness.) Showrunner Lorne Michaels, however, claims no musical guest has ever been banned.

Liza Minnelli's energetic performance in 'Liza with a Z' landed her an Emmy

Directed by one of Minnelli's most famous collaborators, Bob Fosse, "Liza with a Z" became a hit. The concert features sparkling outfits, eye-catching dance moves, solo ballads, and fun-loving songs that each helped define Minnelli's persona in the industry.

Every ‘SNL’ host who's doubled as musical guest

This chronological list details every entertainer who’s both hosted and performed as musical guest through the show’s five decades. You’ll find some interesting tidbits, like Paul Simon breaking ground as the first to do it in 1975, and some serious headscratchers, like Garth Brooks performing as his alter ego Chris Gaines.

Health savings accounts evolved out of medical savings accounts introduced in the 1990s

After medical savings accounts in Singapore and South Africa proved successful, the US introduced a pilot program for small business owners and the self-employed to pair with high-deductible health plans in 1996. In 2003, Congress passed a law inspired by that program, and health savings accounts became tax-free and open to anyone with a high-deductible plan. FSAs, on the other hand, date back to the 1970s.

Later bossa nova music sometimes featured subtle anti-government protests

In 1968, Brazil's military dictatorship imposed tight restrictions on airplay and banned songs (and, subsequently, their artists) that failed to depict an idyllic life. That meant that, on the surface, popular bossa nova painted a rosy picture of life in Brazil. Musicologists note that artists like Antônio Carlos Jobim often juxtaposed those sunny lyrics with sad-sounding musical accompaniment, making for subtle protests that slipped by censors.

BTS makes big profits, and spends just as big

While the band has been on hiatus since 2022, there are remarkable insights into the band’s success, like a $44M profit from a six-show tour. Their profits allow them massive spending, with investments like a shared mansion in addition to owning their own multimillion-dollar apartments.

Fifty backstage photos of musicians in the 1970s

Elton John, James Brown, Cher, Diana Ross, and many others all have famous photos seen multiple times on album covers, iconic images from events, and more. Rare is the unseen backstage photo of the greats, lounging or rocking out or, like Bo Diddley, frying up some chicken pre-show at the Garden. Peruse this incredible collection of candid shots of 1970s stars waiting in the wings to come on stage.

Opera faces many economic problems today

Opera is a notably expensive art form, and therefore currently struggling to survive economically. Pandemic losses, reduced government funding, and dwindling ticket sales all pose a threat to its continuation. According to a recent survey, about half of the UK wouldn't feel impacted if all opera houses were shut down.

Tracey Ullman sued 'The Simpsons' after the cartoon left her show

The legendary and long-running animated show debuted as a series of shorts on "The Tracey Ullman Show" in 1987. Years later, after a standalone "The Simpsons" series became a breakout success, Ullman sued 20th Century Fox, the show's parent company, claiming she was owed royalties for merchandise based on the show.

From 1989 to 2022, Anheuser-Busch had exclusive alcohol ad rights to the Super Bowl

That meant if an alcohol company was not owned by Anheuser-Busch (and later after the merger, AB InBev), it could not advertise during the Super Bowl. This monopoly was part of how Budweiser became known for its Clydesdale Super Bowl ads.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe dressed as Mario at the Olympics

In a 2016 ceremony at that year’s Summer Games in Rio, Abe dressed as Super Mario to celebrate his country hosting the 2020 Olympics. It was a logical move: The character is one of the most recognizable characters in the world and someone who’s now associated with Japanese culture.

Spinal Tap began as a sketch on a short-lived TV show

The fake band might be best known for "This is Spinal Tap," 1984 movie that effectively created the comedy mockumentary, but the premise began with an appearance on a short-lived ABC show called "The TV Show."

Liza Minnelli debuted her signature pixie cut in the mid-1960s, transforming her into a style icon

In addition to her performances, Minnelli is known for her glitzy outfits and short black haircut. After starting out with a more conventional look, her style evolved into something more extravagant, mirroring the boldness of her performance and public persona.

Georgia urges residents to wear clothes in driver's license photos

A program in Georgia allows residents to create digital IDs from home for quicker passage through airports, and officials have had to warn users to be clothed in the photos they produce for the ID.

In 1931-32, JP Morgan Jr. paid no income taxes due to his company’s losses

This legally reduced his taxable income under existing laws. Similarly, the Rockefellers leveraged charitable foundations to minimize taxes, allowing them to preserve wealth while directing funds to their preferred causes.

The 10 best Eurovision performances

It's one thing to write a great song for Eurovision, but it's another to execute its performance on one of the world's biggest stages. This list runs through 10 of the most impressive, with memorable entries from a Finnish metal band, a Swedish crooner, and a German comedy troupe.

How Eurovision became a part of queer culture

Academic Matt Weaver analyzes how the Eurovision Song Contest's camp aesthetics, inclusive mission, and international stage have attracted a sizeable gay following and how that audience is sometimes at odds with the political positions of the contest's competing nations.

Ingrid Bergman's first film role was as an extra in the 1932 Swedish film 'Landskamp.'

Explore a list of surprisingly FSA-eligible wellness products

Flexible spending accounts can be used to cover medical expenses, but those funds can also be used to purchase wellness items or services, like bandages or contact solution. The general guidance for what's FSA eligible is any expense that is designed to diagnose, cure, mitigate, or treat a medical condition. HSA funds can often be used to cover the same expenses. (Some users may experience a paywall.)

Marina Abramović helped popularize performance art

Working across continents for over five decades has made Abramović one of the most recognizable and prolific performance artists in history. Her shocking oeuvre has involved self-harm, public nudity, exotic animals, and fire.

Unpacking Eurovision's inevitable political commentaries

According to the European Broadcasting Union's rules for Eurovision, politicizing the contest is prohibited. Richard Wennberg explores how wars in Europe and elsewhere have complicated the song contest's unitarian goals.