Skip to content
Search AI Powered

Latest Stories

Friday the 13th, October 2017: 3 Fast Facts

Friday the 13th, October 2017: 3 Fast Facts

Friday the 13th is infamous for its superstitions, bad omens, phobias, and for being perhaps the unluckiest date in the Gregorian calendar. When the 13th day of the month falls on a Friday, millions of people suddenly become wary of misfortune, or worse, fear to suffer a frightful fate.

Here are 3 Fast Facts you might not know about Friday the 13th.


1. Fear of Friday the 13th Is a Real Phobia Affecting Millions and Businesses

The fear of Friday the 13th has not one but two scientific names: friggatriskaidekaphobia and paraskevidekatriaphobia, according to TimeAndDate.com. The phobia afflicts over 60 million people worldwide, and as many as 21 million people in the United States, according to the Stress Management Center and Phobia Institute in Asheville, N.C. They estimate that $800 million to $900 million is lost by domestic businesses every Friday the 13th.

For frequent fliers, the drop in airline ticket sales makes Friday the 13th one of the cheapest days of the year to fly, according to the Huffington Post. This is great for travelers, so long as they’re not friggatriskaidekaphobic! But if they are, the Friggatriskaidekaphobia Treatment Center in Philadephia hosts parties to help participants cure themselves of superstitions and common phobias in an entertaining way.

Etymologically, friggatriskaidekaphobia and paraskevidekatriaphobia are equally fascinating. Frigg is the Norse goddess of wisdom for whom Friday is named after, and Paraskevi is the Greek word for Friday. Triskaideka and dekatria are both Greek words for 13, and phobia means fear.

Triskaidekaphobia, fear of the number 13, is a far more common phobia that is woven into the superstitions of cultures around the world. Horror novelist Stephen King considers himself to be a triskaidekaphobic. Hotels and tall buildings tend to skip the 13th floor and hospitals often omit a 13th room, and being the 13th guest at the dinner table is considered bad luck.

Read more about why Friday the 13th is considered unlucky.


2. The Date Inspired a Lucky Horror Film Franchise

A rare exception to the unlucky curse seems to be at the box office. A little independent horror film titled Friday the 13th, made on a meager production budget of $550,000, released on May 9, 1980 and went on to gross $39.7 million domestically. Calculating for inflation, in 2017 that would have been a $1.5 million production budget, and $178 million earned at the box office.

A Long Night at Camp Blood was the film’s original working title, but producer and director Sean Cunningham wanted to capitalize on the public’s frightful fixation on the ominous date. It went on to spawn a successful 12-film horror franchise that has grossed over $464 million, starring the hockey mask-wearing undead murder-machine known as Jason.

A 13th film was planned for release on Friday, October 13th of this year, but production was cancelled back in February, according to the Hollywood Reporter. Perhaps Jason’s luck finally ran out.


3. A Fearless Society Founded Around Friday the 13th

In 1881, U.S. Army captain and friggatriskaidekaphile William Fowler founded the Thirteen Club - a group of 13 men in Manhattan devoted to dispelling superstitions associated with Friday the 13th. They walked under ladders, broke mirrors, and dined in groups of 13 in a 13th room. The Paris Review explains their purpose:

The Thirteen Club’s existence was always more important than its specifics: it had been established as a blow against superstition, friggatriskaidekaphobia, and the prevailing prejudice that’s existed toward Friday the thirteenth since (depending on who you ask) the Last Supper or a certain fateful dinner in Valhalla.

They maintained a strict membership of 13 whenever they convened, which would only happen on Friday the 13th. Their exploits were published in the local newspapers, and over the years the club’s alumni has grown to include five former U.S. presidents as honorary members - Theodore Roosevelt being one of them.

Happy Friday the 13th - may you survive the day without misfortune!

Please SHARE this with your friends and family.

More from News

Donald Trump
Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

Trump Blasted For Announcing New Additions To The White House Lawn As Global Tensions Escalate

President Donald Trump was criticized after announcing that two new flagpoles would be added to the North and South Lawns of the White House—not the greatest look amid heightened global unease as tensions between Israel and Iran ramp up.

According to the Associated Press, Trump watched as a crane installed the newest flagpole on the South Lawn, remarking, “It’s such a beautiful pole.” He later returned to the site to salute as the American flag was raised for the first time.

Keep ReadingShow less
Screenshots of Donald Trump from CNN supercut
CNN

Trump Mocked For 'Two Weeks' Iran Deadline With Supercut Of All His 'Two Weeks' Promises

President Donald Trump has a history of promising to resolve problems within "two weeks," and a new viral supercut mocks him for all the times he's said as much—including right now with tensions in the Middle East higher than ever.

Trump said Thursday he will decide within two weeks whether to involve U.S. forces directly in the escalating conflict between Israel and Iran, citing what he called a “substantial chance” for renewed nuclear negotiations with Tehran.

Keep ReadingShow less
red flag with pole on seashore
Seoyeon Choi on Unsplash

People Break Down The 'Silent Red Flags' Folks Tend To Ignore In Relationships

A red flag has come to mean any warning sign in life, in addition to the literal red flags that are placed on beaches or industrial sites to warn people of danger.

People will respond to situations by saying, "That’s a red flag." But before that language evolved, they'd just call them "warning signs."

Keep ReadingShow less
Ted Cruz; Tucker Carlson
The Tucker Carlson Show

Tucker Carlson And Ted Cruz Get Into Shouting Match Over Iran In Bonkers Interview Clip

Texas Republican Senator Ted Cruz—a harsh Donald Trump critic-turned-MAGA minion—sat down with fired Fox News personality Tucker Carlson for the conservative influencer's self-produced online content,The Tucker Carlson Show, for the Tucker Carlson Network.

On Tuesday, Carlson shared a 1.5-minute clip revealing that things got contentious when the pair touched on the Trump administration's escalating tensions with Iran.

Keep ReadingShow less
Donald Trump; Barack Obama
Suzanne Plunkett-Pool/Getty Images; Scott Olson/Getty Images

Resurfaced Trump Tweet Criticizing Obama Over Iran Comes Back To Bite Him

Amid tensions with Iran, President Donald Trump was criticized for hypocrisy after social media users resurfaced a 2013 tweet in which he accused former President Barack Obama of planning an attack on Iran because of his "inability to negotiate properly."

Trump has declined to clarify whether the U.S. is edging closer to launching strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities, following a warning from Iran’s supreme leader against any attack and a rejection of Trump’s demand for surrender.

Keep ReadingShow less