8/19/26 - VMA Nominations, Columbia House, and Potato Chips

Wednesday 8/19/26

Celebrate:

Black Cow Root Beer Float Day - which in many locations is simply another name for a root beer float—a drink consisting of root beer and vanilla ice cream. They are sometimes called chocolate cows or brown cows when chocolate ice cream is used in place of vanilla. In some locations, a black or brown cow is made with cola instead of root beer. In other locations, root beer and ice cream are mixed together, instead of the ice cream sitting on top.

International Bow Day

International Orangutan Day

International Talk Like Jar Jar Binks Day (let's say we don't)

National Aviation Day

National Hot and Spicy Food Day

National Potato Day

National Sandcastle and Sculpture Day

National Soft Ice Cream Day

World Humanitarian Day

World Photo Day

–

The 2026 MTV VMA nominations have been announced.

Leading the pack is Madonna with 11 nods, which could add to her growing collection of 19 Moon Persons. Following her, Taylor Swift, who already has a cool 30 Moon Persons, received nine nominations this year.

 Ariana Grande and Sabrina Carpenter with seven nominations each, Bruno Mars, PinkPantheress and Zara Larsson with five nominations, followed by LISA with four nominations, and Shakira and Tate McRae with three nods each.

Fan voting is currently open for 13 categories at vote.mtv.com, now through Sept. 25. The Best New Artist category will remain active into the awards show.

The MTV VMAs will broadcast live from Los Angeles on Sunday, Sept. 27 at 7:30 p.m. ET/ 4:30 p.m. PT on CBS, simulcast on MTV and stream on Paramount+ in the U.S. 

Video of the Year

Ariana Grande —“hate that i made you love me”

Bruno Mars — “I Just Might”

GENER8ION — “STORM starring Yung Lean”

Madonna — “Confessions II - The Film”

Sabrina Carpenter — “Tears”

Taylor Swift — “The Fate of Ophelia”

Artist of the Year

Ariana Grande

Bruno Mars

Madonna

Morgan Wallen

Sabrina Carpenter

Taylor Swift

Song of the Year

BTS - “Swim”

Ella Langley - “Choosin’ Texas”

HUNTR/X: EJAE, Audrey Nuna, REI AMI - “Golden”

Madonna & Sabrina Carpenter - “Bring Your Love”

Olivia Dean - “Man I Need”

PinkPantheress - “Stateside + Zara Larsson”

RAYE - “WHERE IS MY HUSBAND!”

Best New Artist

Bella Kay

CORTIS

Magnus Ferrell

Malcolm Todd

Myles Smith

Sienna Spiro

Stella Lefty

Best Pop

Ariana Grande - “hate that i made you love me” -

Charli xcx - “SS26”

LISA - “Dream feat. Kentaro Sakaguchi”

Olivia Rodrigo - “drop dead”

Sabrina Carpenter - “House Tour”

Tate McRae - “Nobody’s Girl”

Taylor Swift - “The Fate of Ophelia”

Best Dance

Bebe Rexha & Faithless - “New Religion” - Bebe Rexha Music LLC/EMPIRE

Harry Styles - “Aperture” - Columbia Records

Lady Gaga & Doechii - “RUNAWAY” - Lil Monsters/Top Dawg Entertainment/Interscope Records/Capitol Records

Madonna - “Confessions II - The Film” - Warner Records

PinkPantheress - “Stateside + Zara Larsson” - Warner Records UK/Atlantic Records

Slayyyter - “DANCE…” - RECORDS/Columbia Records

Tate McRae - “Nobody’s Girl” - RCA Records

Best Country

Ella Langley — “Choosin’ Texas”

Kacey Musgraves — “Dry Spell”

Lainey Wilson — “Somewhere Over Laredo”

Luke Combs - “Back in the Saddle”

Shaboozey —“Cowgirl”

Stella Lefty — “Boston”

Tucker Wetmore — “Brunette”

See more and vote here.

https://vote.mtv.com/

--

Columbia House, the mail-order retailer that introduced generations of Americans to new music through its "12 CDs for a penny" pitch, is shutting down.

I know..you had the same reaction. They are still around??????

A notice posted to the company's website states that after Sept. 15, 2026, Columbia House will no longer accept new orders. The company said existing memberships and outstanding purchases will still be honored as the business winds down.

The have changed hands a couple of times through the years and have just been a DVD seller with a limited catalog lately.

News of Columbia House's demise resulted in some nostalgia on social media — and more than a few comments about unpaid debt.

"I've been declining the albums of the month for 35 years," said a commenter on X.

"Finally off the hook for the first debt I ever took on," said another.

Some of you can take solace in the fact that it was you not paying your bill as their demise! (haha)

--

An Indian farmer hid $5,000 from his family by burying it on his land. After forgetting where he buried the cash for months, monsoon rains finally uncovered the bills—only for him to discover termites had completely eaten through the money.

Just want you to know, there's such thing as a bank.

In related finds.

A construction worker in Europe unexpectedly struck a genuine solid gold bar while operating a jackhammer on a routine job site, uncovering a forgotten historical gold cache.

While jackhammering under an old brewery outside of Brusseles 40 gold bars and over 4,000 gold sovereign coins were eventually recovered, estimated to be worth some $10 million at current market prices.

The East Flanders Public Prosecutor’s Office told CNN authorities had recovered the gold and taken it to a secure and secret place where it would be held pending an investigation into provenance and ownership.

They also said that several people have already contacted them with proof of ownership documentation.

Um...I think I lost it when i was there..(never)

–

Vintage Tamagotchis and digital pets are returning to corporate desks as workers look for quick, screen-light fidget distractions during hectic workdays.

Don't we have enough games on our phones??  Wait..are there digital pets on my phone....I'll be back.

--

Is it sad that I spent 20 minutes watching my Roku Wallpaper last night?

There's one called Roku City, and it has so many hidden things, like the silhouette of Alfred Hitchcock, allusions to movies and TV, and little staring eyes!

First thing I saw was the TARDIS from Doctor Who. I changed my wallpaper because Jimothy the raccoon is on it. At first I didn't see him, but then..THERE HE WAS!!! Eating pasta with a black cat! (from Flow?)

–

Today's Useless Fact of the Day - The potato chip was supposedly invented out of spite in 1853 in Saratoga Springs, New York. A grumpy customer kept sending his French fries back to the kitchen because they weren't thin or crispy enough. Annoyed, the chef sliced the potatoes paper-thin, fried them to a crisp, and heavily salted them as a joke—only for the customer to absolutely love them!