– The first ever toilet shown on TV was in a highly controversial 1957 episode of LEAVE IT TO BEAVER where it was used to hide a baby alligator from Beaver’s parents.
– An episode of POKÉMON once sent hundreds of Japanese kids to the hospital after an animation with strobe lights gave them seizures. The episode was banned by North American broadcasters.
– The highest rated TV telecast to date was a 1964 episode of THE ED SULLIVAN SHOW in which The Beatles appeared for the first time.
– Most food used in TV commercials is completely inedible. Instead of milk, glue is used, lard is used in place of ice cream and wood stain often gives a turkey that crispy, golden look!
– The first TV commercial cost $4 to air and was a close-up of a ticking watch for 10 seconds.
– A contestant on the British version of WHO WANTS TO BE A MILLIONAIRE? was forced to return his million pound prize when it was discovered that a member of the audience was coughing out the correct answers. A documentary on the scandal was sponsored by a cough syrup company.
– As viral marketing for AQUA TEEN HUNGER FORCE, Cartoon Network placed LED character replicas throughout Boston, prompting a citywide panic when they were mistaken for bombs.
– 99% of all households have at least one television and the average Canadian watches 21.4 hours of TV per week.
– Although it continues to run in syndication to this day, beloved cartoon sitcom THE JETSONS was cancelled after only one season on air.