He may have been the driving force behind the Mamas & the Papas—but when he wasn’t writing sunny flower-child anthems, John Phillips was intent on destroying himself and everyone in his orbit.

There was a time when science fiction TV was wild, experimental, and sometimes…just plain weird. The 60s and 70s pumped out dozens of shows in the genre—but most vanished fast (and not in the cool sci-fi way). Think you remember them? Let’s see if you can even recognize five.

You might think that with fame, money, and entire teams of people around them, celebrities would avoid doing anything too dumb. Well, you’d be wrong. The difference is, when they mess up, everyone sees it. Even better? Sometimes they actually admit it.

Some bands had to make bold changes to their sound to break through to success.

Long before the likes of Charlize Theron, Michelle Pfeiffer, or even Marilyn Monroe, there was Mae West—actress and provocateur. Of course, there’s more than enough fascinating material with just those three descriptors, but there was a lot more to West than just her allure and bold behavior. West was one of the most controversial celebrities of her time—and her intriguing story is full of jaw-dropping twists and turns.

When it comes to golden age TV stars, few names stick out like Dick Van Dyke. As the star of his eponymous sitcom, he cultivated a squeaky clean image for himself—one which, as it turned out, became the perfect cover for a life filled with dirty little secrets. This living legend’s story is a lot more complicated than it seems on the surface.