SLAVE LEIA OUTFITCarrie Fisher hated the metal bikini she had to wear as Jabba’s prisoner.
The famous “Slave Leia outfit” from Return of the Jedi was as uncomfortable as it was revealing. Parts of it were made of rigid metal, making it nearly impossible to move or sit normally. Every time Carrie leaned back, the costume would shift and expose more than intended, so the crew had to constantly fix it between takes.
Over time, the outfit—originally meant to sexualize the character—became an iconic (and very controversial) symbol of the saga. Carrie despised it, but with her signature biting humor, she took ownership of it and made sure everyone knew Leia was more than just a pretty face chained to a giant slug.
When Disney bought Lucasfilm, they began "cleaning up" the franchise’s image—and the golden bikini was one of the first things to go. For years, it had been a pop culture symbol (and a recurring fan fantasy), but Disney’s new direction wasn’t having it. In 2015, they stopped producing official figures, posters, and merch featuring the outfit, and many online stores pulled it from their shelves. The official line? They didn’t want to sexualize such an important female character… even though they’d been selling exactly that for decades.
The Slave Leia look even made it to Friends. In one of the show’s most iconic scenes, Ross tells Rachel that his biggest fantasy is seeing her dressed like Princess Leia—with the infamous bikini, of course. What starts as a punchline ends up confirming that the look had officially reached pop culture status, right up there with the most recognizable Halloween costumes.
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A beautiful moment from Bad Gyal making it easier for her deaf fans to read her lips.
Also—anyone out there who knows sign language and can help us figure out what this other girl is saying?
CARIBBEAN PIRATESThe real Caribbean pirates were a whole different breed than the Hollywood kind—though just as savage. They ruled the seas between the 17th and 18th centuries, especially around the Gulf of Mexico, the Antilles, and the northern coast of South America. These guys were rogue sailors, ex-soldiers, or just hustlers who saw piracy as a fast (and seriously dangerous) way to get rich.
They attacked ships loaded with gold, silver, rum, sugar, and anything valuable coming from the American colonies to Europe. Some worked solo, but many were privateers—basically pirates with government permission to rob enemy ships.
Bartholomew "Blackbeard" (Edward Teach) was one of the most feared. He tied smoking fuses into his beard to look even scarier. With smoke pouring from his face, he looked more like a demon from hell than a Disney pirate.
Anne Bonny and Mary Read disguised themselves as men to join pirate crews. They fought like anyone else and didn’t mess around. And Calico Jack became known for his iconic flag (the classic skull with crossed swords) and for sailing alongside Anne and Mary. Spoiler: he ended up hanging by the neck.
The pirate life was brutal. Scurvy, betrayals, brawls, rotten food, and no showers in sight. But there was also a kind of pirate democracy—they voted for their captain, split the loot fairly, and had their own rules, including punishing crew members who stole from each other.
Once they started hitting ships without caring about flags, the major European powers got fed up and hunted them down almost to extinction by the early 18th century.
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Training both body and mind.