This Day in Pop Culture for March 27

2005: ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ Begins Its Long Journey

Creator Shonda Rhimes made a huge for herself with Grey’s Anatomy began airing on this day. The show focused on surgical interns and residents at the fictional Grace Hospital (later changed to Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital) in Seattle. Despite the locale, most of the series was filmed in Los Angeles and Vancouver, BC. However, a few scenes over the years were actually shot in Seattle.

Although greatly an ensemble series, the soapy Grey’s Anatomy centered on Meredith Grey (Ellen Pompeo), whose mother had been a legend at the hospital. Over the years, the show has brought on and released numerous actors and actresses including Chandra Wilson, James Pickens, Jr., Sandra Oh, Katherine Heigl, Justin Chambers, T.R. Knight, Isaiah Washington, Kate Walsh, Sara Ramirez, Eric Dane, Sarah Drew, Jesse Williams…and a lot more. Only Pompeo, Wilson and Pickens, Jr. have stayed with the show (at least through season 21).

Originally, Rob Lowe was offered the part of Dr. Derek Shepherd but turned it down to star in the short-lived series, Dr. Vegas. The part went to Patrick Dempsey. However, Lowe has taken it in stride. He once told Variety, “If it’d been me [the fans] wouldn’t have called me ‘McDreamy’, they would have called Rob Lowe.”

Even after all these years, the show consistently gets good ratings. The show also helped to launch spin-off series Private Practice (from 2007-2013), Station 19 (2017-present) and mini-series, Grey’s Anatomy: B-Team (2018). (Image: ABC)

Will Smith slaps Chris Rock at the 2022 Oscars

2022: The Slap Heard Around the World

At every award show, there are perceived snubs, technical glitches and show shade can be thrown. Some people get their feelings hurt and get angry, but by and large, most celebrities are able to maintain some composure. However, that was not the case at the 2022 Oscars.

Before announcing the nominees for Best Documentary Feature, Chris Rock took the opportunity to make a few jokes at some of the celebrities’ expense including Jada Smith. Rock said, “Jada I love you. G.I. Jane 2, can’t wait to see it, all right?”

You see, Jada sported a super short haircut (which still looked beautiful). She has gone public about her struggles with alopecia which causes hair loss. The joke was in bad taste and Jada just scowled but her husband, Will Smith, was having none of it. Smith marched on stage and took a swing at Rock with an open palm. With the sound turned off, Rock apparently said, “Will Smith just smacked the [expletive] out of me on live television.”

Cameras were then turned to Smith (but the sound still off) who was apparently shouting, “Keep my wife’s name out [of] your [expletive] mouth!.” Rock finished the scene with, “That was the greatest night in the history of television.”

Photo-journalist Brian Snyder working for Reuters was able to capture this now infamous shot, which went viral very quickly. In fact, Snyder didn’t even know about the photo’s impact until after the ceremony had ended.

Graffiti painting of Will Smith slapping Chris Rock at the 2022 Oscars

The incident shocked many in attendance and those watching at home. And yes, all around the world. This is just something you don’t do at the Oscars. (Images: Top: Wikipedia/Reuters/Brian Snyder) Bottom: Graffiti painting by Eme Freethinker, an artist in Germany.)

1939: The Madness in March

The first NCAA men’s basketball tournament finished up on this day in 1939. The University of Oregon beat the Ohio State University 46-33. The Final Four or March Madness has grown considerably since then and not just with fans, but with gamblers too. It is said that by 2005, the sport become the second most popular game among them. (The first was the Super Bowl of course.) At first, only eight teams were invited to participate. Today, 65 teams are broken down into four groups of 16. The winning teams of those groups become the Final Four. (Image: Pixabay)

1915: Something About (Typhoid) Mary

In 1900, Mary Mallon worked as a cook for a family in New York City. Within two weeks, some of the residents there developed typhoid fever. In 1901, she moved to Manhattan to work as a cook for another family where some developed fevers and one died. She then went to work for another family but left after seven of the eight members became ill. In 1906, she worked for a family in Oyster Bay, Long Island where 10 of the 11 household members were hospitalized with typhoid.

These events continued to happen for three more families before one family hired George Soper, a typhoid researcher, to investigate. (This woman must have had an impeccable resume!) Soper came to the conclusion that many of the illnesses could be traced back to Mallon. When he finally tracked her down (she often left each job without giving a forward address) and told her about her possible role in spreading typhoid. She rejected his requests for samples.

The New York City Health Department stepped in, and Mallon was then convinced that she was just being persecuted and felt that she hadn’t done anything wrong. She did however admit to poor hygiene and said that she didn’t understand the importance of washing her hands since she “knew” that she didn’t pose a risk for the disease. Doctors were later able to diagnose that Mallon had typhoid bacteria in her gallbladder. As scandalous as the Kardashians are today, Mallon made headlines being referred to as “Typhoid Mary.” After being in quarantine for three years, Mallon was set free as long as she changed her occupation and embraced good hygiene habits. However, after working a lower paying job as a laundress, Mary changed her last name to Brown and returned to cooking. For the next five years the cycle began again. It was on this day in 1915 when Soper finally caught up to her and placed her back in quarantine where she stayed until she died on November 11, 1938 from a bout of pneumonia. Mary was 69 years of age when she died. (Image: Wikimedia)

1952: Those Singers in the Rain’

On this day in 1952, the film Singin’ in the Rain premiered at Raio City Music Hall in New York City. The musical romantic comedy featured the struggles of three Hollywood actors struggling to make it from silent movies to the “talkies.” The film starred Gene Kelly, Donald O’Connor, Debbie Reynolds and Jean Hagen with Kelly creating much of the film’s choreography with Stanley Donen.

Though considered iconic today, Singin’ in the Rain was only a modest hit. However, O’Connor won the Golden Globe for Best Actor and Betty Comden and Adolph Green won the Writers Guild of America Award for their screenplay. Hagen was nominated for an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress. Kelly was sick with a fever when he literally went singing (and dancing) in the rain and it took three days to film in its entirety. Reynolds once said that the film and childbirth were two of the hardest things she ever had to do in life.