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Yesterday (April 14), CBS aired Billy Joel: The 100th — Live At Madison Square Garden… or rather, they aired most of the concert special.

As Consequence notes, CBS’ coverage of the 2024 Masters Tournament ended up running long, so the recording of the Joel concert started airing 30 minutes behind schedule. Late in the performance, as Joel was belting out his signature song “Piano Man,” the broadcast unexpectedly ended and cut to local news. As Awful Announcing notes, this affected viewers in the Eastern and Central time zones.

As one X (formerly Twitter) user, a former CBS employee, noted, “CBS has been promoting the Billy Joel concert special every two minutes for WEEKS. So what better way to air it than to preempt it for a half hour and the cut him off MID-PIANO MAN? C’mon guys.” She noted in another tweet, “There were two logical choices they could’ve made: reschedule or scrap Tracker, or air the entire primetime schedule and preempt local news as needed. I’ve worked in TV for many years. The 11pm newscast has been pushed for lesser reasons.”

Another more angry user noted, “Dear @CBS, F*ck off. #BillyJoel #MSG #100 concert not only starts a half hour late, but then you cut off the last 3-4 minutes for local news to start at 1130? Are you serious. Absolutely pathetic decision making, on an event that’s been advertised for MONTHS, and you f*ck it up.”

Fortunately, there is a resolution in sight: Today, Joel took to social media to share an update from CBS. It reads, “A network programming timing error ended last night’s Billy Joel special approximately two minutes early in the Eastern and Central Time Zones. We apologize to Mr. Joel, his fans, our affiliated stations, and our audience whose viewing experience was interrupted during the last song. Due to the overwhelming demand from his legion of fans, BILLY JOEL: THE 100TH – LIVE AT MADISON SQUARE GARDEN will be rebroadcast in its entirety on CBS on April 19th at 9:00PM ET/PT.”

Before then, the full special can also be watched via Paramount Plus.

Megan Fox and Machine Gun Kelly‘s impossible-to-follow relationship took another turn this weekend.

The Jennifer’s Body actress attended Coachella where she was asked by E! News to give advice for single women this summer. “I don’t know if I’m the best person to give advice, because my advice is like just learn a skill or develop a hobby,” she said, “and do not waste your energy on boys.” She added, “All they’re going to do is drain you. Just move on. Invest in yourself.”

Fox’s comments caught the attention of one boy, in particular.

The comments come almost a month after Fox confirmed the end of her engagement to longtime partner Machine Gun Kelly. Kelly has since commented on Fox’s interview, surprisingly in support of his ex-fiancée’s advice for women. Fox shared the interview on her Instagram pairing it with the caption, “Life advice from a relationship expert”, prompting Kelly to comment, “PREACH.”

What an odd thing to say. Anyway, Kim Kardashian also responded to Fox’s advice, writing, “Not No.”

“No” is what Coachella allegedly told Machine Gun Kelly about attending the festival in 2012. “Never been to a Coachella,” he wrote on X over the weekend. “They banned me in 2012 for whatever reason. I was looking forward to finally going this year, but my daughter’s volleyball tournament ended up on the same days, so y’all will have to let me know how it is. She comes first.”

MGK didn’t help his cause by calling Coachella “a huge joke.”

(Via E! News)

Czech photographer Jan Langer‘s portrait series “Faces of Century” shows them in a different light: as human beings aged by years of experience, but at their deepest level, unchanged by the passing of time.

In the series, Langer juxtaposes his portraits with another portrait of the subject from decades earlier. He recreates the original pose and lighting as closely as he can — he wants us to see them not just as they are now, but how they have and haven’t changed over time. That is the key to the series.

These are the rare faces of people who have lived through two world wars, a cavalcade of regimes, and the rush of advancements in modern life. These photos, and the stories of the lives lived by the people in them, show not only the beauty of aging, but how even as we age, we still remain essentially ourselves.

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1. Prokop Vejdělek, at age 22 and 101

All photos by Jan Langer.

Vejdělek is a former metallurgical engineer who will never forget the taste of warm fresh goat’s milk.

2. Bedřiška Köhlerová, at age 26 and 103

Originally born in Merano, Italy, Köhlerová wishes to visit Italy one more time.

3. Ludvík Chybík, at age 20 and 102

Chybík is a former postal carrier and says he will never forget the route he worked every day.

4. Vincenc Jetelina, at age 30 and 105

Jetelina spent eight years in prison after World War II. Now, he just wants to live the rest of his life in peace.

5. Marie Fejfarová, at age 101

Fejfarová burned all her material memories, including old photographs, when she decided to move to a long-term care facility. She lived a dramatic life, hiding from the Nazis and then the Russians, but eventually she was able to travel the world with her husband. Her experiences show there’s no such thing as too late in life to start a new chapter.

6. Antonín Kovář, at age 25 and 102

Kovář is a former musician whose daughter comes to visit him every day. He wishes to play the clarinet once more.

7. Anna Vašinová, at age 22 and 102

Vašinová will always remember the day her husband was taken away by the Nazis. She wishes to be reunited with him after death.

8. Stanislav Spáčil, at age 17 and 102

Spáčil was an electrical engineer throughout his life and thinks that it’s too early in his life to think about the past.

9. Anna Pochobradská, at age 30 and 100

Pochobradská was a farmer. She now lives a quiet life and is thankful that her daughter visits her every weekend.

10. Antonín Baldrman, at age 17 and 101

Baldrman was a clerk early in life and keeps up with current events by reading the newspaper.

11. Marie Burešová, at age 23 and 101

Burešová loves talking to her family and wishes to have them all together again.

12. Vlasta Čížková, at age 23 and 101

Čížková cooked in the dining room at the airport in the small village of Vodochody. She’ll never forget reciting her own poetry at wedding ceremonies.

13. Ludmila Vysloužilová, at age 23 and 101

Vysloužilová stays active every day by chopping wood, shoveling snow, and doing work around her house.

The photographer Langer was initially inspired to document the lives of elderly people because of what he saw as the media’s lack of coverage of them. He decided to focus on people over the age of 100 — a very rare demographic indeed. The 2010 U.S. Census reported only 53,364 centenarians, which is only 0.19% of the population of people 70 years or older.

“One should live every single moment according to their best knowledge and conscience because one day we will see clearly what has a real value,” Langer says of what he learned from his subjects while photographing them.

The series was originally part of a story that Langer did for the Czech news outlet aktuálně.cz. You can see more photos from the portrait sessions by following the link.

This article originally appeared on 12.08.17.

As if a Canada goose named Arnold isn’t endearing enough, his partner who came looking for him when he was injured is warming hearts and having us root for this sweet feathered couple.

Cape Wildlife Center in Barnstable, Massachusetts shared the story on its Facebook page, in what they called “a first” for their animal hospital.

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“We often have people ask if they can visit the patients they dropped off, but today we had our first animal visitor!” they wrote. “For the safety of our patients we do not accommodate visitation requests, but in this case we had to make an exception!”

Arnold is a Canada goose that lives on a pond near the facility and is part of a mated pair of wild geese that have been together for several years. The center said the geese usually keep to themselves, but one of their staff noticed that Arnold was walking with a “significant limp” and kept falling over. They were able to capture him and bring him into the hospital for examination.

“Upon exam our veterinary team found that he had two open-fractures on his foot,” they wrote. “This means that the tissue and skin has been pulled away leaving the bone exposed. Our best guess is that a Snapping turtle or other predator attacked him while swimming.”

To save his foot and help him survive, the staff knew they had to amputate one of the digits and suture the other wound closed. They gave him antibiotics and pain meds and prepped him for surgery the following morning.

Then his mate came knocking.

“Today, as we prepared to sedate Arnold and get him ready for surgery, we heard a faint tapping at the clinic door,” the center wrote. “We turned to see that his mate had waddled up onto the porch and was attempting to break into our clinic! She had somehow located him and was agitated that she could not get inside. She remained there throughout the entire procedure, watching us work, never moving from the doorway.”

Aww.

Surgery went well, and once Arnold woke up the staff decided to let him recover by the doorway so he and his mate could see each other.

“We opened the door and gave Arnold his flow-by oxygen in the doorway. His mate immediately calmed down and began to groom him through the door. They both seemed much more at ease in each other’s presence.”

AWWWW.

“Arnold will likely need several weeks of treatment in our hospital before he is ready to rejoin his mate in the wild,” they added. “He will need to be kept inside for the majority of this time in order to keep his wound sterile and prevent infection. We will do our best to get him back out quickly and will perform bandage changes and treatments in view of the doorway when possible so that his mate can check up on him. ❤️”

While attempting not to anthropomorphize too much, it’s so sweet to see animal partners show such genuine care for one another. Canada geese mate for life, and they are known to mourn in seclusion when they lose a mate. Seeing Arnold’s mate coming to find him and comfort him during his treatment is just too lovely.

Feel good story of the day, indeed. Wishing you a speedy recovery, Arnold!

This article originally appeared on 07.22.21

Anyone who grew up in the late ’80s and early ’90s—Gen X, I’m looking at you—grew up in a world that was dominated by 8-bit graphics. Back in the day, computers and video game systems had a limited amount of processing power so the graphics had to be simple.

That meant the heroes that we played with such as Mario from Super Mario Brothers or Link from The Legend of Zelda, had to be super simple looking and we had to fill in the rest with our imaginations.

Video graphics have come a long way over the past 30-plus years, but people still love the old designs because it takes them back to a simpler time. This has led to an 8-bit movement where people use their creativity to make art within the confines of the limited medium.

Some people also use the limited 8-bit soundscape to create music that’s reminiscent of the old games. Sure, computer game music may be much more sophisticated these days, but is there anything better than the soundtrack to the original Tetris? Would Super Mario Brothers be the same with a sophisticated soundtrack? I think not.

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Swedish artist Johan Karlgren, who goes by the name Pappas Pärlor, creates pixelated 8-bit-looking art and then inserts it into everyday scenes. The interesting thing is that his 8-bit art isn’t done with computer graphics, but Perler beads.

Perler beads are small, plastic beads that one places on a grid, and when the picture is done, they are melted with a household clothing iron. The beads are a fun hobby for kids who love to see the melting beads ooze their way into a fully-formed picture.

Although they weren’t originally intended to make 8-bit art, because the beads are placed on a grid when they melt together the designs look like they came straight out of a Nintendo Entertainment System.

Super Mario 3 Tanooki Suit Perler Beads Timelapsepic.twitter.com/Ywed4B3y47

— Soma ud83dudc9cud83cudf19 | AlleyCat ud83dude38ud83dudc08u200du2b1b (@Soma ud83dudc9cud83cudf19 | AlleyCat ud83dude38ud83dudc08u200du2b1b)
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Karlgren recreates iconic images from comics, cartoons, video games and movies with the beads and then adds them to the scenarios, turning the mundane into the whimsical.

What’s Karlgren’s big inspiration? “Anything that makes me feel something,” he told Bored Panda. “It could be anything from childhood memories to politics or people doing awesome stuff that I wanna interpret.”

See on Instagram

For Karlgren, his work is the byproduct of having a good time. “I don’t really choose what to create. My work is sprung from playing, and I’ll try to go with the ideas that come up in my head,” he said.

One of the hallmarks of Karlgen’s work is taking drab places such as a parking lot or other types of urban infrastructure and livening them up with the addition of one of his Perler bead creations. “It’s something that makes me happy, and hopefully other people [when] seeing it as well,” he told Newsweek.

Karlgren is a father of four and started posting his creations on Instagram back in April 2014. Since then, his fun, old-school designs have earned him more than 144,000 followers. Here are some of his coolest, and funniest 8-bit designs.

8-Bit Joker

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“Rose!”

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Raiders of the Lost Fence Knob

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Mario Kart: Snow Speeders

See on Instagram

“Here’s 8-Bit Johnny!”

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The Man of Steel

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That Creep Can Roll

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Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man

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Anthony Adams Rubbing Hands Meme

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“I Said God Damn!”

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“Take My Money!”

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Darth’s Day Off

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Jaws

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“Go Ahead, Make My Day.”

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Mini Bernie

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Tony Montana

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The Homer Meme

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This article originally appeared on 02.25.22

Traveling with preteens and teens is a breeze in comparison to traveling with little ones but as a parent you still want to sit near your kiddos in case they need you for anything. If you’ve traveled on an airline in the last several years, you know it’s much cheaper to chose the basic seats in the main cabin.

There’s nothing different about these particular seats other than the airline sort of randomly selects your seat and if you’re traveling alone, that’s really not a bad deal. The risk gets to be a little higher if you’re traveling with a party that you’d like to keep together – like your children. One mom took the risk and banked on a stranger accommodating…that’s not quite how it played out.

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People sit in the wrong seats on planes all the time, usually because they read their ticket wrong or accidentally sit one row ahead. Takes no time to double check your ticket and move along, but when Tammy Nelson did a double take at her ticket after seeing the mom in her window seat, she realized she wasn’t mistakenly staring at the wrong row.

This mom boarded the plane with her older children and had taken it upon herself to sit in the same row as her children, essentially commandeering a stranger’s seat. Nelson assumed it was a mistake and informed the woman that the seat was in fact hers but the response she received was surprising.

“She said, ‘Oh, you want to sit here?’,” Nelson tells Good Morning America. “She said, ‘Oh, well I just thought I could switch with you because these are my kids.'”

That’s an interesting assumption when seats are assigned and many people, like Nelson, pay extra to have the seat they prefer. Now, there’s no telling if funds were tight and this was an unplanned trip for the mom and kids which caused her to buy the more budget friendly tickets or if she was simply being frugal and was banking on the kindness of a stranger.

Either way, Nelson specifically paid for a window seat due to motion sickness and though she paid extra, she was willing to sit in the other row if that seat was also a window seat. But it turns out, it was a middle seat.

Surely there’s someone out there that loves the middle seat. Maybe a cold natured person that enjoys the body heat of two strangers sitting uncomfortably close. Or perhaps someone that doesn’t mind accidentally sleeping on an unsuspecting passenger’s shoulder. But that person isn’t Nelson, so when the middle seat was offered in exchange for her bought and paid for window seat, she politely but sternly declined.

@myconquering

Having had only 90 minutes of sleep the night before and knowing I had to give a presentation to 500 people, I desperately needed some sleep, so I did not agree to switch seats. 🤷‍♀️ Before anyone comes after me… the kids looked like they were about 11 and 15 years old. And the mom was in arms-reach of both of them from the middle seat in the row behind us. The mom proceeded to complain for at least 15 minutes to the person next to her loud enough for me to hear. But the woman actually defended me – several times. It was so kind and I appreciated it so much because I was feeling really guilty. 🤦‍♀️ ##airplaneseat##seatswitching##airplanekarens

Her refusal to give in to the mom’s seemingly entitled request for Nelson’s seat has resulted in parents and child-fee people cheering her on after she posted the details on her TikTok page, MyCONQUERing. The video has over 3.4 million views.

“Nope. If it’s not an upgrade it’s a sacrifice,” a commenter writes.

“You did the RIGHT thing. Folks need to plan their travel together. Lack of planning on their part does not constitute an inconvenience on yours,” one person says.

“I have 3 kids and have sat in different rows when they were passed toddler age. I agree, book your flight earlier,” another writes.

“You were right. As a woman with 3 children, I always pay extra so we’re sat together,” another mom says.

Nelson is also a mom so she knows how important it is to sit next to kids on flights. But since airlines have made that a luxury, as the parent, you have to plan to pay extra or accept that you likely won’t be seated next to your children. Hopefully in the future, this unnamed mom is seated next to her children or pays extra to make sure it happens. In the meantime, people continue to support Nelson standing her ground.

This article originally appeared on 7.28.23

Spooky season can be a fun time of year for people. There are folks that wait all year for the official start of fall just to decorate for Halloween. Costumes are bought in advance and bags of candy are purchased and stored, but not everyone buys their costume. Some spooky season lovers get really creative with their Halloween costumes out of household items.

There are some homemade costumes that are so funny and realistic that you have to do a double take. Two sisters are going viral for their ultra realistic roller coaster costume made out of cardboard and foam noodles. But it’s not just their costumes that are stealing the attention of millions, it’s their acting skills.

In the video uploaded to TikTok by Laurie Dabbs-Gayton, the sisters stand side-by-side, though it looks like their sitting. They begin to shake and jostle as if they’re on a track before screaming like they’ve just rounded a bend or flew down a hill quickly.

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The pair is in total sync with each other adding to the realistic vibe of their costume for their employer’s costume party. It was so convincing that people watching the video were confused at first thinking it was a coin operated ride. Commenters didn’t realize it was a costume until the women stood up fully.

“I thought it was a mini roller coaster,” one person writes followed by multiple rolling crying laughing emojis.

“Took my brain a few extra seconds to process what my eyes were seeing,” a commenter says.

“I thought for a second it was like the pony ride machines outside a grocery store,” someone admits.

“It took me far longer to figure out than it should have,” one woman writes.

Watch the fantastic combination of acting skill and costume design below:

@laurie.dabbs.gayton

This article originally appeared on 10.31.23

If you were to choose two female artists on the opposite ends of the musical spectrum, it wouldn’t be a reach to say Dolly Parton and Patti LaBelle. Parton made a name for herself in the country music world long before “crossover artists” diluted the twangy sound of country music to more resemble pop. And Patti LaBelle has long been an R & B, soul and gospel legend, without nary a banjo or yeehaw in sight.

But talent is talent and both of these women have musical talent oozing out of their (highly manicured) fingertips.

A video from 1987 has re-emerged showing the two women talking on Parton’s variety show, “Dolly.” Parton was explaining to LaBelle how she often uses her fingernails as instruments.

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“I write a lot of songs when I don’t have my guitar,” Parton said. “I beat around the dashboard of my car when I’m riding around writing songs, but then I have a little rhythm that we can do with these acrylic nails.”

Then she and LaBelle launched into a nail duet, which morphed into a gorgeous two-part harmony, of the folk classic “Shortnin’ Bread.”

Watch:

Dolly Parton & Patti LaBelle play ‘Shortnin’ Bread’ on their Acrylic Nails

People loved seeing these big stars’ big 80s hair, big nails and big vocal talent.

“Two women who hold a special place in my heart. Probably everyone’s heart,” wrote one person.

“I luv how Patty just came right on in with that TIGHT harmony,” wrote another. “That’s a true vocalist with natural, God given abilities.”

“I’ve always liked Dolly Parton’s music, energy, country accent, just her whole vibe. And Patti Labelle is auntie who can shatter crystal with her vocal range,” added another.

“Divas. Pure unadulterated talent and joy. God, don’t they sound great together? Love you Miss Patti, love you Miss Dolly,” shared another.

And by the way, Parton wasn’t making a joke when she said she wrote songs with her nails. She literally used them while writing and recording her 1980 hit “9 to 5.”

“When I actually wrote [“9 to 5”] I used my acrylic nails on the set when I was writing it. I did because they make noise and it sounded like a typewriter to me,” she told Jimmy Fallon on “The Tonight Show.” “I played it on the actual record, it says ‘Nails by Dolly’ on the album!” she added.

@fallontonight

@Dolly Parton’s nails are credited in #9to5 💅 #FallonFlashback #DollyParton

When musicians have true talent, they can make just about any kind of music sound magical, anywhere, any time, with any instrument—even when all they have are their voices and some fancy fingernails.

It’s been nearly 40 years since this clip aired, and both of these rockstar women are still going strong. Dolly Parton has become a beloved national treasure not only for her music and sunny disposition but for her efforts to increase literacy with her Imagination Library book donation program. And “Godmother of Soul” Patti LaBelle has expanded her talents to the business world, launching Patti’s Good Life food company in 2007 and growing it into a $200 million venture.

“For as long as we both shall live” may be the standard expectation for marriages just starting out, but the reality is a bit different. About half of first marriages end in divorce, and fewer than 5% of marriages last 50 years or more.

Couples who have been married for over 60 years are even rarer to find, but one couple who is pushing 70 years of married life has grabbed the attention of millions on Yair Brachiyahu’s TikTok channel.

Surely, two people who have managed to stay together for almost seven decades know something most people don’t about what a successful marriage entails, so Yair asked them what advice they’d give for a long and healthy marriage.

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The husband chimed in first with a classic, humorous quip—”Just say yes all the time,”—to which they both laughed.

“Just never to fight,” the wife said. “No fighting, great marriage.”

Yair then asked what they love most about each other. She said she loves when he listens, to which they both laughed again. Then he said he loves “just about everything” about her.

The couple met through friends, and she said he fell for her immediately. He didn’t argue with that, saying he fell for looks, body and personality. “That’s all you need,” he said, adding “She had no money,” with a laugh.

When asked how they’ve been able to stay married for 69 years, they both responded that you have to bend a little—or a lot—and “you have to accept the good and the bad in the person.”

And then the finale, when Yair asked what was the best time they’ve had together. Watch:

@yairbrachiyahu

69 Years Married Couple Give Advice… #interview #lifelessons #longervideos #marriage

People weighed in with their thoughts.

“The magic of 2 o’clock in the morning 😂😂,” wrote one person.

“Their sense of humor is obviously one of the reasons they have kept the marriage intact,” wrote another.

Some people really resonated with the “accept the good and the bad in the person” advice, others loved how he said, “say yes all the time,” while others focused on the “no fighting.”

One of the striking things about the couple’s advice is how seemingly simple it all is.

“No fighting” may seem unrealistic or even unhealthy to some, but there’s a difference between disagreeing and fighting. Research shows that happily married people do get into arguments sometimes, but they disagree and argue differently than couples who aren’t happy.

“Happy couples tend to take a solution-oriented approach to conflict, and this is clear even in the topics that they choose to discuss,” said Amy Rauer, associate professor of child and family studies and director of the Relationships and Development Lab in the College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences at the University of Tennessee. Rauer was the lead author on a study that examined the marital problems happy couples face. One finding from the study is that happy couples choose their battles and focus on dealing with more solvable problems first.

“If couples feel that they can work together to resolve their issues, it may give them the confidence to move on to tackling the more difficult issues,” Rauer shared.

Accepting the good and the bad is solid advice, provided the bad isn’t something abusive or damaging in some way. Expecting our partners to be perfect or holding them to an unachievable standard leads to conflict and resentment.

And bending? That’s key. Marriage is a give-and-take, two-way relationship and both parties have to be flexible.

As for the 2 o’clock in the morning answer, well that’s open to interpretation. But it seems pretty clear that the shared attraction that brought them together is still alive and well.

Yair interviews a lot of people in their golden years who share their wisdom and life lessons. You can follow him on TikTok here.

Matthew Ables’ family had a Magic Kingdom coupon book from 1978 sitting in a desk drawer and he thought it was an old souvenir.

“It’s been collecting dust since before I was born and I always assumed it was an old family keepsake until I realized that it’s never been used and there’s no expiration date,” he said while inspecting the ticket book with a magnifying glass, in a TikTok video with over 9 million views.

“Which means I’ve either found the golden ticket here, or I’m delusional thinking that the Mouse is going to let me use it to get inside nearly half a century later,” he continued.

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So, he flew to Orlando, Florida, to see if it would work.

I tried getting into Disney World using a 46 year old ticket #disneyworld #disney #themepark #funny #fyp

@matthewables

I tried getting into Disney World using a 46 year old ticket #disneyworld #disney #themepark #funny #fyp

Upon arriving at a ticket booth at the Magic Kingdom, Matthew got nervous because the woman who worked there began “aggressively” stamping “VOID” on his coupon book and then left. Luckily, she returned with a yellow ticket he could use to get into the park.

It’s fantastic that Disney honored the ticket even though it was 46 years old. Especially because today, that would have cost $164, which shows that Disney World prices have risen much, much higher than inflation.

If ticket prices rose with inflation, it would only cost $37.64 to get into the Magic Kingdom in 2024.

Some of the commenters on the video noted that people showing up with extremely old tickets isn’t uncommon at Disney parks. “I used to work Magic Kingdom Guest Relations. This exact scenario would happen a few times a week!” Allison wrote.

This article originally appeared on 2.3.24