Incredibly popular phenomena which you know nothing about?

[King Billi]

I've been to the film Skyfall recently and one of the trailers I saw before it commenced was for "Les Miserables".

Now I know that name very well and can recall hearing it and seeing that iconic image of the little girl as far back as grade 3, but you know what? I haven't a clue of what this thing actually is?

Hmm? That's not exactly true... I know it's a musical and I know it's about France(though the title is probably all that gave me that conclusion).
I also know thats it's bloody massive in terms of its cultural impact and the trailer for the film certainly looks to be a huge event.

Now I'm not looking for anyone to explain what the story is or give me the details on why it's such a big deal... In fact I'm planning to check the film out when it's released and see what kind of an impact it can give to someone completely unprepared for it.

I'm just amazed though that I could go for so long knowing about this phenomenon only tangentially without any specific details slipping through to me. (I've never even checked out a wikipedia article or anything...)

I'm also curous of any other examples like this others might have... of an incredibly popular book or film or anything which you know by name and reputation but which is otherwise completely unknown to you?

 

[JoJo]

I won't spoil Les Miserables other than in my opinion both the book and musical are awesome in their own way.

As for incredibly popular phenomena... I know very little about Adventure Time, other than it's a cartoon about a boy and dog which seems to be the counter-movement to MLP and pretty popular here too, not sure what it's actually about though.

 

[Marter]

I still have to see all six Star Wars films.

I'm going to be doing it within a week's time, however.

 

[Casual Shinji]

Firefly
My Little Pony
Adventure Time
Doctor Who

Ofcourse I know this and that, but only by reputation. Other than that I have not seen a single episode and I don't know any of the characters by name etc.

 

[DoPo]

I still have to see all six Star Wars films.

I'm going to be doing it within a week's time, however.

Dumbledore dies. Oh, and the scene with the spiders-aligator mutants is disturbing but Chewbacca ultimately pacifies them with a song of friendship, kisses each one of them, and they turn into dinosaurs with jetpacks. There, now you don't have to see the movies.

OT: Kind of hard to say what I know absolutely nothing about. I mean, it's hard even by definition. I suppose you mean phenomena I know of but know nothing else about apart of their existence. Which means that I don't know about

Spoiler: friendhsip

On a more serious note, though, I've never watched Pokemon. I know who (what?) Pikachu is, and I know about Ash (the kid most often next to Pikachu) but not much else. Never played the games, either - I've got no idea what those colours after the name mean.

 

[shogunblade]

The people who enjoy Birdemic.

I...Can't conceive anybody who can think of watching that movie and enjoying it. The Room is beautiful, in all it's terrible splender. Birdemic... From what I've seen on Jontron from his review of the movie, It's supposed to be Plan 9 From Outer Space with The Birds. I can't drink the Kool-Aid required to watch that movie.

 

[BloatedGuppy]

I still have to see all six Star Wars films.

I'm going to be doing it within a week's time, however.

There are only three Star Wars films. Two, if you're fussy.

OT - I know ABSOLUTELY nothing about Adventure Time beyond the name. I know that Ponies was a show aimed at young children but managed to snag a bunch of post-pubescent men as well. The reasons for that differ depending on who you ask, but I am given to understand the show is charming. I know very little about Doctor Who in a broad sense, but I feel like I know the plot to every other episode due to my girlfriend not shutting up about it for one particularly grueling month. I know very little about a great many beloved console gaming series, including (but not limited to) Zelda, Metal Gear Solid, Final Fantasy, and others. I don't know who Bear Grylls is, but it is my understanding he drank his own pee in particularly memorable fashion on more than one occasion. I know few if any of the popular bands of today. You kids and your crazy music. For instance, I have never heard a Justin Bieber song, yet I know it is a cultural imperative that I hate him, and openly question his sexuality in a smug and knowing fashion.

 

[StriderShinryu]

For me, I would say most memes fit that bill. I dont spend any time at all in the parts of the internet where most are created or grow to the scale of meme, so by the time they actually get to me they are at the point where they are pretty much already common knowledge, if not actually on the way out due to over exposure.

 

[Genocidicles]

Homestuck. All I've seen is some of the art and people talking about the story.

I don't know, and I don't want to know. The art looks awful, the characters look stupid and the story sounds ridiculous. I atleast gave ponies a chance, but I'm not even going to bother with Homestuck.

 

[Laughing Man]

That whole Gangnam, thing (did I spell that right?) Not seen the video don't want to hear the music...

 

[JoJo]

Also what the hell is this Yolo thing?

It stands for "You Only Live Once"... as you've probably gathered, people often say it before doing something stupid.

 

[purf]

For example, about 85% of what I find here

 

[IamQ]

Any tv-series.

The only full season of anything that I've ever seen is Game of Thrones, and that was in a 12 hour sitting with a friend.

Besides that, I've only seen episodes of shows when I zap to them on the tv (which doesn't happen often, since I've got a computer)

So I know jack shit about doctor who
I have no idea how you make 5 seasons out of "guy sells meth and has cancer", but apparently you can, and it works.

I don't know why for 9 seasons, some group of chumps go to and leave an island several times.

I've got no clue about how you can do anything more with a zombie series, other than "kill them, and don't let them eat you".

I don't know why it's a sin against god to cancel a show that's apparently essentially cowboys in space.

I don't know a thing about these men or why they are mad.

 

[The Wykydtron]

Fuckin' Oppa Gangnam Style... It's everywhere but I have no fucking idea what it is. It's a song I think. Fucked if I know.

YOLO is funny though. It's a fun thing to yell in League in all chat before a crazy tower dive.

 

[Lectori Salutem]

I'm surprised 'relationships' or 'sex' made it into the first few posts so far.

EDIT:

Spoiler: friendhsip

Close enough.

 

[[Kira Must Die]]

Touhou.

I know they're a series of games, I've seen countless fanart and heard several of the music pieces, and perhaps a few of the character names. Other than that, absolutely nothing.

 

[Harley Q]

Also what the hell is this Yolo thing?

It stands for "You Only Live Once"... as you've probably gathered, people often say it before doing something stupid.

What is this travesty! Everyone knows You Only Live Twice!

Until now, I had no idea what Yolo was, I didn't even have the energy to google it. Things have a habit of passing me by a lot...

 

[Drakmorg]

Homestuck/MS Paint Adventures

My only exposure to it/them thus far is that a handful of folks I interact with on this very website have an obsession with referencing it/them whenever possible. I don't even know if they're separate entities or related in some way.

 

[Alex Graves]

YOLO is funny though. It's a fun thing to yell in League in all chat before a crazy tower dive.

Oh god this^.

Anyway most anything on tv since i stopped watching it about 8 years ago. Most movies that have come out in about the same time frame...except twilight...internet was out so i got strapped down to watch it in order to have my turn to watch transformers (g1 not the new bayformers shit....which i also had the misfortune of seeing). I would add religion but i actually know enough about each one for them not to qualify I'm sure...those are more of "i know a lot about them but don't get why they are loved the way they are" but meh.