Open Codex Code & Culture

Toilet paper orientation

Does the next sheet of toilet paper belong under or over the roll? While working on Dear Internet, I noted that Wikipedia’s article cites a mistaken statement in the Guardian’s review of the controversy. This is said to be the most popular Ann Landers’ column ever — and perhaps of all advice columns — but I’ve never seen any reference to the actual column. Instead, Wikipedia refers the Guardian’s 2021 story which mentions a 1986 speech in which Landers said the issue generated fifteen-thousand letters.

I decided to trawl the archives and find the earliest instances of Ann Landers’ columns on the topic, which were in 1977 — you can find them here. Oddly, I couldn’t find the original columns in archives of Chicago Sun-Times, Landers’ home newspaper. Fortunately, the Boston Globe has excellent archives.

I also improved the Wikipedia article with these citations.

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