14 Times the Mandela Effect Changed History

Have you ever had a memory you’d swear was true, only to find out it never happened? You’re not alone. It’s called the Mandela Effect, a phenomenon where huge groups of people share the exact same false memory. It’s named after the widespread, incorrect belief that Nelson Mandela died in prison in the 1980s.

It goes beyond historical events, and can even happen on a smaller scale in your everyday life. Today, we’ll cover the ways people have been affected this way, believing a historical fact or piece of media is one way, only to discover it isn’t like that at all. Perhaps, you’re still believing something that’s a complete fabrication.

Wikimedia Commons

Nelson Mandela’s Death in Prison

This is the one that started it all. Researcher Fiona Broome coined the term in 2009 after discovering countless people shared her false memory of Nelson Mandela dying in a prison in the 1980s, complete with funeral details. He did die, by the way, but in 2013.

IMDb

The Berenstain Bears’ Last Name

Go ahead, say it out loud. If you said “Beren-steen,” you’re experiencing the Mandela Effect. The beloved children’s book characters have always been the Berenstain Bears, with an ‘a,’ not an ‘e’.

Wikimedia Commons

The Monopoly Man’s Missing Monocle

Rich Uncle Pennybags has never, ever worn a monocle. It’s one of the most common visual examples of the Mandela Effect in action. Seems obvious now that you’re looking at him, but you likely thought he always had a monocle.

Wikipedia

Fruit of the Loom’s Cornucopia

Many people are absolutely positive the Fruit of the Loom logo used to have a cornucopia, or a “horn of plenty,” behind the fruit. Despite this strong collective memory, the cornucopia was never part of the official logo.

IMDb

Curious George Never Had a Tail

Although he’s called a monkey, the beloved character Curious George has never had a tail in any official media. He’s technically more like a chimp, which is why your brain likely just “filled in” a detail that was never there.

Unsplash

Jiffy Peanut Butter Doesn’t Exist

This one sends people scrambling to their pantries. A shocking number of people remember a brand of peanut butter called Jiffy, but it has never existed. The brand you’re thinking of has always just been Jif.

IMDb

Pikachu’s Tail Lacks a Black Tip

The tip of Pikachu’s lightning bolt tail has always been solid yellow, not black. The common false memory might come from his black-tipped ears sometimes overlapping his tail in certain images, creating an illusion.

IMDb

It’s ‘Looney Tunes,’ Not ‘Toons’

While ‘toons’ for cartoons makes perfect sense, the Warner Bros. series has always been spelled Looney Tunes. The name was a musical-themed parody of Walt Disney’s Silly Symphonies, which explains the unusual spelling.

IMDb

The Sinbad Genie Movie ‘Shazaam’

An incredible number of ’90s kids swear they saw a movie called ‘Shazaam’ starring Sinbad as a genie. No such film exists. The memory is likely a mashup of Shaq’s genie movie Kazaam and a TV special Sinbad hosted.

IMDb

It’s ‘Interview with the Vampire’

Many people incorrectly remember the title of Anne Rice’s famous 1976 novel as “Interview with a Vampire.” The correct title has always been Interview with the Vampire, a subtle but very common misremembering.

IMDb

‘Mirror, Mirror’ Is Actually ‘Magic Mirror’

This is one of the most misquoted lines in movie history. In Disney’s 1937 classic Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, the Evil Queen never says “Mirror, mirror.” Her actual line is, “Magic mirror on the wall.”

Unsplash

The Spelling of Chick-fil-A

Many insist the fast-food chain used to be spelled “Chic-fil-A” or “Chik-fil-A.” The official name has always been “Chick-fil-A,” and the confusion might be partly due to their own ads featuring cows misspelling “chicken.”

IMDb

Tinkerbell’s Disney Intro Appearance

Many people vividly recall an old Disney intro where Tinkerbell dots the ‘i’ in Disney over the castle. Some even remember her wand failing at first. But according to the records, this specific, beloved intro sequence never existed. Might be a mix up with the Pixar lamp.

IMDb

Ed McMahon and Publishers Clearing House

Ed McMahon never worked for Publishers Clearing House or showed up at doors with their giant checks. He was the spokesperson for a rival company, American Family Publishers. PCH has officially debunked the rumor.

The post 14 Times the Mandela Effect Changed History appeared first on Den of Geek.