The Mandela Effect, as it’s called, is the theory that some things that are accepted as common facts of history are, in reality, false. These range from historical events, like the death of Nelson Mandela, to minor things like company logos or the spelling of certain names.
Nelson Mandela
Nelson Mandela did not, in fact, die while in prison in South Africa in the 80s. Despite this, many people claim to remember seeing news coverage of his death and even remember seeing his widow make a speech to the public. This false group memory led writer Fiona Broome to dub the phenomenon “the Mandela Effect.”
Shazam
There’s a movie that many people claim exists that came out in the 90s called Shazam. This is unrelated to the DC film of the same name—this hypothetical movie starred Sinbad as a genie. This premise is similar to the real movie Kazaam, which stars Shaq and actually was released in the 90s.
Mirror, Mirror, On the Wall
In Snow White, the evil queen Maleficent asks her magic mirror to tell her who the fairest maiden in the land is. When she beckons this artifact to speak, many people remember her stating “Mirror, mirror, on the wall…” However, that’s not how she speaks to the mirror, instead opening, “magic mirror on the wall…”
Henry VIII’s Turkey Leg
People remember a specific portrait of English king Henry VIII depicting the famously over-stuffed regent gorging himself on a turkey leg. While he’s been depicted as a glutton in many cartoons and movies, no portrait from his own time shows Henry VIII waving a giant turkey leg around.
Oscar Meyer
The brand of hot dogs represented on the side of a comical wiener-shaped truck is not, in fact, spelled “Oscar Meyer.” No such company exists! You’re probably thinking of Oscar Mayer, which is not spelled like it sound. This phonetic oddity likely led to the false memory.
Luke, I Am Your Father
What does Darth Vader tell Luke Skywalker when he reveals that they’re related? Everyone remembers the line as “Luke, I am your father.” However, that’s not the way James Earl Jones delivers the line heard in the film, which is instead rendered, “No, I am your father.”
New Zealand’s Location Relative to Australia
Open a map and look at where New Zealand is. Is it weird that it’s southeast of Australia instead of northeast? If so, you’re one of many people who has been flummoxed by this specific false group memory. It’s unclear where this one started, but there are islands northeast of Australia like the Solomon Islands and New Caledonia that could have confused some people.
The Berenstein Bears
This one messes a lot of people up. There’s no group of anthropomorphic bears with the last name “Berenstein.” They’ve always been the Berenstain Bears, but since that’s not how the name is pronounced phonetically, there’s some explanation for the group false memory.
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Jiffy Peanut Butter
There’s no such thing as “Jiffy” brand peanut butter. While you can buy Jiffy Pop popcorn, or Jif peanut butter, the brand “Jiffy” has never existed. This one is a bit confusing, too, as many people have even reproduced what they thought the brand’s logo looked like in their memories.
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Monopoly Monocle
The “Monopoly Guy” on the cover of the famous board game has a monocle, right? Wrong, he’s depicted with a top hat and a black suit, but no eyepiece. This one could have come about because people were confusing the Monopoly Guy and Mr. Peanut in their minds, as Mr. Peanut does have a monocle.
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