In honor of Maureen McCormick’s birthday this month, I went digging for info on the Brady Bunch series.  I found this article on Biography’s website. 

The Brady Bunch: 8 Secrets and Scandals About TV’s Squeaky-Clean Family

Here’s the story about the on-set hookups, arguments and drug use that plagued the cast.

By Colin BertramUpdated: Sep 8, 2020

On television, they were the epitome of the wholesome family. Even when the blended clan of six children that made up the majority of The Brady Bunch did something wrong, it resulted in teachable lessons often delivered by squeaky-clean, caring parents Carol and Mike.

Like many of Hollywood’s classic small-screen series of the late 1960s and early 1970s, the behind-the-scenes goings-on and cast relationships made for far juicier stories than ever appeared on air. For all the sweet-natured shenanigans of the Bradys, off-screen there was drug use, intimate relationships between the cast, hidden sexuality and disputes over storylines.

The Brady Bunch aired from September 1969 through March 1974 on ABC and was created and produced by Sherwood Schwartz. The series went into syndication in 1975 and has become a rerun staple of cable television. The show followed the day-to-day lives of the Bradys, a blended family of six children thanks to the marriage of Mike Brady (Robert Reed) to Carol Martin (Florence Henderson). Mike’s children were three boys: Greg (Barry Williams), Peter (Christopher Knight) and Bobby (Mike Lookinland), and Carol’s three daughters were Marcia (Maureen McCormick), Jan (Eve Plumb) and Cindy (Susan Olsen).

Mike was a widowed architect and the story of Carol’s first marriage was never fully explained, but the blended group took up residence in a sprawling two-story house – designed by Mike – in a suburb of Los Angeles. Also ensconced in the shag-carpeted abode was Alice Nelson (Ann B. Davis), Mike’s live-in housekeeper, and the boy’s dog, Tiger.

Henderson had a risqué sense of humor

The role of Carol would be something Henderson, who passed away in 2016, would be associated with for the remainder of her life. The archetypal mother figure, Carol was ingrained in the imaginations of millions of viewers. In real life, Henderson was described as fun-loving and having a bawdy sense of humor. “She knew the respect that people had for that character,” Lloyd Schwartz, son of Sherwood, said to Variety following Henderson’s death. “Whenever anybody came up to her to say anything about the show, she was as warm as could be – I saw it a million times.”

Williams took Henderson on a date

One particular rumor from her time on set would haunt Henderson throughout later life: That she and Williams dated and had an affair. Williams, as eldest son Greg, was 16 at the time and Henderson was 36. In his 1992 memoir, Growing Up Brady, Williams recalled having a crush on his onscreen mom. “When those little things called hormones start kicking in, you get excited by even inanimate objects. It wasn’t that I sought to bed her,” he writes. “I just wanted to spend time with her.”

Henderson, a happily-married mother of four at the time, humored her young co-star but ensured things never progressed beyond being work colleagues. They did once go out for dinner but were driven by Williams’ older brother as Williams was still without a driver’s license. “That whole thing with Barry got blown way out of proportion,” Henderson wrote on her website of the rumor/date. “I guess in a sense it was a date, because Barry thought it was. But of course, I had no idea that his intentions were to ‘date’ me. It has made for a good story though!”

Williams and McCormick dated while playing brother and sister

Williams had more luck with onscreen sister Marcia. In her 2008 memoir, Here’s the Story: Surviving Marcia Brady and Finding My True Voice, McCormick wrote of dating Williams during filming, noting that at the time she said to herself, “Oh my God! I’m kissing my brother. What am I doing?”

McCormick turned to drugs when the series ended

Only 14 when the series began airing, McCormick said she battled anxiety and personal insecurities due to playing sweet and wholesome Marcia. “As a teenager, I had no idea that few people are everything they present to the outside world,” McCormick writes. “Yet there I was, hiding the reality of my life behind the unreal perfection of Marcia Brady. … No one suspected the fear that gnawed at me.”

Following the end of the series, McCormick’s fear was still there, resulting in cocaine and Quaalude abuse and depression. McCormick recalls drug binges at the Playboy Mansion, and even being so out of it she blew an audition with Steven Spielberg for a role in Raiders of the Lost Ark. After getting clean in the mid-eighties, she says she has come to terms with and even feels acceptance of her Brady character.

Williams filmed an episode high

Williams, like many teens in the 1970s, admits to experimenting with drugs. Except unlike most teens, the results didn’t end up on television. Enjoying a day off from the set with friends, Williams says they smoked some marijuana. “Then [the show producers] called in the middle of this high to go into work,” Williams recounted during a Brady Bunch convention talk in 2014. Though he regrets it, Williams said the results can be seen in the 1973 episode “Law and Disorder”: “I’m a much better actor when I am completely sober than when I’m high!”

Olsen and Lookinland would ‘make out in the doghouse’

Cindy, the youngest member of the Bradys, was often chided for being a tattletale on the show. In real life, Olsen spilled the beans to News.com.au in 2015 about life on the Brady set. When asked whether any of the kids “hooked up” during filming, Olsen replied that she believed “all of us did … We led a sheltered life for part of the year so if there was anybody to crush on or try to date, it would be our counterparts.”

According to Olsen, each young actor paired up with their opposite cast member on the show. “So, I had Mike and we used to make out in the doghouse when we were nine. Eve always had a crush on Chris, they did kind of hook up later on. And, of course, there was Maureen and Barry.”

Reed was a homosexual in real life and kept his sexuality a secret

As Mike, Reed was the level-headed patriarch of the Brady family, doling out words of wisdom with a kindly tone and fatherly hugs at the ready. In real life, Reed, a classically-trained actor, was a homosexual who kept his private life under wraps, a not uncommon occurrence at the time due to fears the revelation would impact ongoing career success.

“Here he was, the perfect father of this wonderful little family, a perfect husband,” Henderson told ABC News in 2000. “He was an unhappy person. … I think had Bob not been forced to live this double life, I think it would have dissipated a lot of that anger and frustration.” While many on set knew of Reed’s life away from the set, it was never discussed openly. “I had a lot of compassion for him because I knew how he was suffering,” Henderson said of Reed, adding that she believed coming out was not a possibility due to the era they were in. “I don’t think The Brady Bunch could have existed at that time with the public knowing that Robert Reed was gay. I just don’t think they would have bought it.”

Reed disagreed with many of the storylines and didn’t appear in the final episode

Reed, who passed away in 1992, also clashed with producer Schwartz over storylines, and especially the visual gags written into each episode. Shakespearean-trained Reed preferred a more serious approach to the storylines, Schwartz told ABC News. Though Schwartz believed Reed to be “a good actor,” he also felt he “wound up on a show that he didn’t want to do in the first place, and it became more and more difficult for him.”

Reed’s displeasure with the scripts would continue throughout the entire series, culminating in his character being written out of what ultimately became the last episode of the original five-season run. The storyline dealt with Greg’s impending graduation from high school and a prank that left his hair orange ahead of the big day. Reed believed the story to be under par and reportedly demanded the episode be rewritten or he would not appear. The powers-that-be called his bluff and Mike’s lines were divided between Carol and Alice, resulting in Reed’s complete absence from the finale.

Friends Edition

Which character has a twin?Who was Monica’s first kiss?How many sisters does Joey have?How many times has Ross been married?

What nickname did Monica’s dad give her?

What is Chandler’s dad’s job?

What’s the name of the dancer Joey lived with?

Who got their own spinoff?

What’s Phoebe’s sister’s name?

What is Rachel scared of?

What is Joey’s fake name?

What was the name of the millionaire Monica dated?

What store does Phoebe hate?

Who got stuck in a pair of leather pants?

What movie did Rachel say is her favorite?

What movie is actually her favorite?

What did Phoebe legally change her name to?

Who hates Thanksgiving?

Who sang the “Friends” theme song?

What’s Monica’s biggest pet peeve?

Answers

Phoebe

Ross

7

3

Little Harmonica

Drag queen

Janine

Joey

Ursula

Swings

Ken Adams

Pete

Pottery Barn

Ross

Dangerous Liaisons

Weekend at Bernie’s

Princess Consuela Banana Hammock

Chandler

The Rembrandts

Animals dressed as humans

CHEERS! (oh wait that’s another sit com…lol)

Today is National Middle Child Day and because I’m a middle child (older sibling was the favorite, younger sibling is the anointed one and I am the spare) I thought I’d explore what webmd says about Middle-Child Syndrome.  (I’ve added comments where appropriate because, after all, I have experience in this area…lol)

Let’s begin, shall we?

What to Know About Middle-Child Syndrome

If a couple has two children and a third on the way, will the birth of their third child affect the personality of the second-born? Some psychologists think so. Here’s what to know about “middle-child syndrome.”‌

What Is Middle-Child Syndrome?

Many experts who study personality believe that your family’s birth order plays a role in your development. They see “middle-child syndrome” as the idea that if you’re neither the oldest child nor the youngest, you get less attention from your parents and feel “caught in the middle”.‌

As a result, you may take on certain personality traits that are different from those of your older and younger siblings.

Can Birth Order Affect Personality?

Middle-child syndrome is part of the psychology behind birth order. Birth order ranges from firstborn, or oldest; to second-born, third-born, and so forth; to youngest, sometimes called the last born. Though many experts think birth order is important to personality and family structure, not everyone is on board.  [Okay, do they pay these people to write about this? REALLY? I can figure out birth order…1,2,3]

A psychology pioneer named Alfred Adler introduced the idea that birth order affects the development of a child. He believed that how many siblings a child has can affect the child’s potential. 

Adler thought that even though children grew up in the same household, their personalities wouldn’t be the same. He said that each child should be looked at as an individual and that each child would differ based on their order of succession. ‌ [Succession? Is this a family or a royal family?]

Still, middle-child syndrome isn’t recognized as an official condition. Many researchers have disagreed with Adler’s theories.

Even researchers who believe in that middle-child syndrome have trouble applying it to all middle children. For example, they find that there may be a relationship between birth order and being outgoing. But it is more likely to be true for males than for females.

Characteristics of a Middle Child

Do you, or does someone you know, have middle-child syndrome? Think about whether you know any middle children with these personality traits:  

Rebellious. They’re also less religious than their siblings and parents. Still, they’re less likely to act out against their parents.‌ [Middle child here—I am the most religious of all the siblings.]

Sociable.  They’re good at being mediators and want fairness in situations. They’re also trustworthy friends and work well as team members. [Okay, they got one right.]

Not as family-oriented as their siblings. They may have a stronger sense of not belonging than their siblings do. So, even though many can be great when working in groups, some middle children can struggle when working with others. [Covering all the bases I see…LOL]

Feeling overshadowed.  They come to believe that their parents don’t care about them. Looking back as adults, they express a negative view of childhood. [When you’re not the favorite or the anointed one, you do the math.]

Mobile.  They’re often the first sibling to move out of the house. They’re also more likely to move the farthest away. This stems from their feeling misunderstood by their families. [I did move the farthest away– to get away from the drama.]

Not perfectionists. Still, they tend to take up something that an older sibling isn’t so great at. For example, if the older sibling is a scholar, the second-born may focus on athletics.‌ [None of us was athletic, but I am the only one to graduate summa cum laude –or at all—from college.]

Outstanding Qualities of Middle Children

Despite how you may see yourself as the middle child, you will learn how to act, make friends, and come into your own by watching your siblings or peers. But it seems that your status also can drive you to excel. This may come from feeling second-best compared with your older or younger siblings. 

Some well-known middle children have been or continue to be great negotiators, trailblazers, and fighters for justice. Among them are Nelson Mandela, Martin Luther King Jr., Susan B. Anthony, Charles Darwin, Madonna, Bill Gates, and Nabisco CEO Michael Gerstner. These middle children used their personality traits to help them gain success. [CRAP…Bill Gates?]

As a middle child, you may not be a perfectionist, but you may be more open to taking risks and to new ideas. In studies, 85% of middle children showed such openness, compared with 50% of firstborns. ‌

You may be more skilled at persuasiveness and debate. You probably can see more than one side of an argument, which makes you empathetic. Some middle children claim that their success is due in part to their ability to compromise. ‌

If middle-child syndrome is real, it might be the middle child’s sense of their own uniqueness that has led to many discoveries, important theories, and social movements. 

SOURCE: webmd

[Pat’s Note: Too many ifs, maybes, and mights in there for me to take seriously.  And the whole “succession” thing takes sibling rivalry to a whole other level.  We are who we are in my opinion, but then I’m not profiting from my opinions either…lol]

Leo, the fifth sign in the zodiac, belongs to those born between the dates of July 23rd and August 22nd.

Leo Traits

Bold, intelligent, warm, and courageous, fire sign Leo is a natural leader of the Zodiac, ready to blaze a trail, vanquish injustice, and make a name for themselves along the way. Blessed with high self-esteem, Lions know that they possess enviable traits—and they’re proud of them. They don’t believe in false modesty and will be the first to praise themselves for a job well done. But Leo isn’t self-aggrandizing or unwilling to roll up those sleeves and do the work: this sign knows that in order to be respected and admired, he or she needs to put in the effort worthy of a leader.

But it’s not all hard work for Lions. Intense and energetic, Leos thrive on social interactions and have no problem making friends—although pinning them down to spend time with you is another story. Leos put themselves first, and will turn down a plan that doesn’t fit with their agenda or idea of fun. This trait has gained them an unfair reputation for arrogance. But on the flip side, when a Lion chooses to spend time with you, it’s genuinely because he or she wants to.

Leo signs are passionate in all pursuits, including relationships, and take it upon themselves to be the best partner you’ve ever had. They love grand gestures, and they want to show the world how attentive and caring they can be. They also can’t resist flashiness and often buy their partner the biggest and best presents. Leo is an adventurer, seeking to balance an intense life of social obligations and travel with plenty of downtime to relax and luxuriate. Work and outward appearances matter to this sign, and they’re willing to do whatever it takes to gain a job title or workplace status, even if it means temporarily sacrificing their precious leisure time.

Benevolent with their time and attention, Leos are never cliquey, always showing friendliness and politeness to everyone. While almost everyone else is entranced by the Leonine personality, Leos are their own harshest critic and consider each day a challenge to be the best, brightest, and boldest Lion they can be.

Leo’s Love Style

Passionate, intense, and fiery, Leo loves hard. For Leos, love itself—whether falling in love, thinking about love, making love—is one of their favorite things in the world. A busy Lion will always make sure that there’s plenty of time for passion in his or her life.

Leo Friendship Style

“Friends” is one of Leo’s favorite words, and Lions are known for collecting friends—but not in a transactional way. Leo genuinely adores other people, and innately gets that the more people you know, the easier life can be. Leos easily hand out their phone number, are quick to follow or DM on Instagram, and will invite you to their happy hour five minutes after meeting you.

Leo Career, Money & Success Traits

Leo’s greatest career strength: Passion. Leos bring fiery intensity to everything they do, including work, and when they believe in what they’re doing, there’s no stopping them.

Leo’s Greatest Gifts

A natural leader, Leo’s very presence inspires others to be the best they can be. But with great power comes great responsibility. Leos love the pull of the limelight, and they’re occasionally swayed by what other people want (or expect) them to do. Although this sign has a loud inner voice, learning to listen to it—especially if it’s guiding them toward an unpopular move—is a lifelong lesson that will only make proud Lions stronger and more resilient.

Leo’s Greatest Challenges

Lions are well known for their loud roar. But learning to quiet down and listen is essential for Leo signs to reach their peak power—especially when they’re hearing a voice that doesn’t match their confidence and certainty. And while this sign thrives on their split-second decision-making and reaction skills, they might sometimes benefit from taking a few seconds, minutes, or even days before making their opinion known on a subject. Researching all sides, doing due diligence, and learning from other people’s experiences are all essential for a Leo to be as strong a leader as possible.

Leo’s Secret Weapon

A giving nature. Most people assume that Lions are all about themselves. But appearances are deceiving. A Leo’s secret weapon is his or her boundless capacity for love, affection, and generosity.

Famous Leos

(Pat’s Note: there are a LOT of famous Leos—but there’s also a lot of infamous ones—Obama and Meeghan Markle for example.)

To celebrate Christmas in July, here are three spot-the differences puzzles.

ENJOY!

Reader’s Digest

Amanda Tarlton

Updated: Jun. 07, 2022

Montana

Worst: Internet access — That makes up for the fact that they have the worst Internet access of all 50 states (for cat lovers, at least). On the bright side (you know, the side lit up by super fast Wi-Fi), Montana became the first to enact its own net neutrality law earlier this year so there’s hope yet.

Nebraska

Worst: Road rage — But they must not teach good driving skills or anger management in the Nebraska public school system—based on data from social media, Nebraska is the worst state for road rage per capita.

Nevada

Worst: Public schools — But unfortunately, the school system in the Silver State has not climbed to the top. Instead, it sits at the bottom, where it’s been dubbed the worst in the entire county thanks to lack of funding, poor test scores, and the second lowest graduation rate.

New Hampshire

Worst: High college tuition — The student debt struggle is very real in New Hampshire, where college students face the highest average tuition costs in the nation.

New Jersey

Worst: Property taxes — New Jersey has the steepest property taxes in the country, with a whopping average cost of $8,696 compared to the national average of $3,399.

New Mexico

Worst: Car theft — For the second year in a row, the state has been guilty of the highest rate of stolen vehicles.

New York

Worst: Food safety — But think twice before you take a cream cheese-filled bite of that bagel—New York had the most cases of food poisoning last year, namely of norovirus.

North Carolina

Worst: STD rates — They might be bringing more than avocado toast and trendy eateries to North Carolina, though. STDs have been on the rise all across the state and it now has some of the highest rates of diseases including syphilis, chlamydia, and gonorrhea.

North Dakota

Worst: Binge drinking — The state ranks as the booziest in the nation with almost 25 percent of adults drinking excessively on a regular basis along with the most alcohol-related driving deaths.

Ohio

Worst: Job creation —While Cleveland was ranked 15th for jobs just two years ago in 2016, it’s plummeted to the very bottom of the list this year.

Oklahoma

Worst: Walking — Unfortunately, though, you won’t be able to walk off all that BBQ, since Oklahoma City received the worst walking score in the nation. With fast traffic and a lack of sidewalks, there’s definitely some, well, steps that need to be taken to improve the city’s walkability.

Oregon

Worst: Rate of sex offenders — It isn’t all fun and (drinking) games in Oregon, though. The Beaver State has the highest number of sex offenders (676) per 100,000 people and a shocking 42 rapes per capita.

Pennsylvania

Worst: Gas taxes — And what Pennsylvanians are saving on shooting their own dinner, they’re spending at the pump. The state suffers the highest gasoline taxes.

Rhode Island

Worst: Depression rates — The state has the highest rate of depression in the country.

South Carolina

Worst: DUI rates — Tea isn’t the only kind of brewed beverage that South Carolinians are enjoying, however. The state has the highest total number of deaths from drunk or impaired driving.

South Dakota

Worst: Child mortality rate — Unfortunately, the younger generation in the Mount Rushmore state isn’t faring so well. With 47 teen and child deaths per 100,000 people every year, it’s leading the nation in child mortality.

TennesseeWorst:

Childhood obesity rates — But are Tennesseeans spending too much time in front of their screens instead of staying active? Maybe so, when you consider that Tennessee is the top in child obesity, with 38 percent of its kids either overweight or obese

Texas

Worst: Dental health — Those teeth that they are sinking into their new ventures aren’t so clean, though. Texas has the highest percentage of adults whose poor oral hygiene negatively affects their life.

Utah

Worst: Workplace equality — But things aren’t so great in the workplace. Utah has the worst male to female executive ratio along with the highest gender pay gap.

Vermont

Worst: Fast food restaurants — That’s because Vermont has the lowest number of fast food restaurants per capita, with just 1.9 drive-thrus per 10,000 people. We bet the real reason residents of this New England state are always smiling is because they’re also the healthiest.

Virginia

Worst: Speeding tickets — But before you speed off to the polls to vote or weave your way through D.C. traffic, consider this: Virginia is famous for some of the country’s most expensive speeding tickets (the maximum is $2,500!).

Washington

Worst: Air quality — If you’re gasping for air while you pedal, it might not just be because you’re getting a good workout—Washington often has some of the worst air quality because of how smoke from California’s wildfires carries up the coast.

West Virginia

Worst: Smoking — West Virginia is also the state with the most smokers. In fact, nearly 1 in 4 adults in the wild and wonderful state light up a cigarette on the regular.

Wisconsin

Worst: Racial equality — But just because the cities are safe, doesn’t mean they’re equal, at least when it comes to race. In Wisconsin, the unemployment rate for people of color is almost triple that of white people and people of color are 11 times more likely to be incarcerated, making it the worst state for racial inequality.

Wyoming

Worst: Technology jobs — That could explain why it also has the lowest percentage of high-tech jobs, with the technology industry making up a measly 2 percent of the entire workforce.

Reader’s Digest

Amanda Tarlton

Updated: Jun. 07, 2022

Alabama

Worst: High infant mortality — The state definitely isn’t scoring any points when it comes to health care for pregnant women and infants. Alabama has the highest infant mortality rate, with 9.1 infant deaths out of every 1,000 live births.

Alaska

Worst: Suicide rate — But despite the proven benefits of being in nature, the state has the highest rate of suicides, which sadly continues to increase year after year.

Arizona

Worst: Teacher turnover — The forecast for the state’s schools is much gloomier. Arizona has frequently been named the worst state for teachers thanks to high turnover and teacher-to-student ratios.

Arkansas

Worst: Divorce — Residents of the Natural State may want to start prioritizing their marriages over mallards, though. Arkansas has the highest divorce rate in the United States of 23.4 divorces per 1,000 people.

California

Worst: Quality of life — However, it was also accused of having the worst quality of life based on a variety of social and environmental factors including sense of community and air pollution. Maybe that’s why in recent years, more people have been leaving California than moving there…

Colorado

Worst: Drug overdoses — But there’s a dark side to the sun-soaked state so beloved by outdoor enthusiasts—it has the highest rate of deaths from drug overdose. It’s a rate that has even doubled in some counties over the last decade due primarily to painkillers like Percocet and Oxycontin.

Connecticut

Worst: Public roads — Over half of the state’s 21,512 miles of public roads are in poor condition.

Delaware

Worst: Partying — First is the worst—at nightlife, that is. The first state was ranked 50 out of 50 for its lack of bustling bar scene.

Florida

Worst: Treating HIV/AIDS — But with a slew of tourists and partygoers, comes something much more dangerous—drugs shared by infected needles. Hence why Florida (Miami in particular) is dealing with the highest rates of HIV diagnoses.

Georgia

Worst: Flu prevention — Georgians should be using some of those onions in one of these natural flu remedies. After all, Atlanta experienced some of the most severe levels of influenza in the United States this past winter.

Hawaii

Worst: Sleeping — Hawaiian adults must be spending all their time on the beach instead of in bed, though—43.9 percent of Hawaiian adults get less than seven hours of sleep per night on average.

Idaho

Worst: Cyberbullying — The state was also voted the worst for bullying, particularly for kids online and on social media.

Illinois

Worst: Bug bites — Just make sure you spray a lot of insect repellant on before you head out to the pumpkin patch. The Midwestern state has some of the highest rates of mosquito-related illnesses (including West Nile virus) and tick-borne diseases like Lyme’s.

Indiana

Worst: Pollution — As long as you don’t breathe too deeply in your new place, you’ll be fine. After all, the 40 million pounds of toxic fumes generated by Indiana’s coal plants make it the most polluted of the 50 states.

Iowa

Worst: Building bridges — Just be careful when you’re driving to go look at houses in Des Moines. Iowa was ranked the worst state for its bridges, 5,000 of which have been deemed “structurally deficient” by the American Road & Transportation Builders Association.

Kansas

Worst: Human trafficking — The Midwestern state isn’t all smooth sailing, though. It’s also the state where human sex trafficking has skyrocketed to new levels in recent years.

Kentucky

Worst: Lung cancer rates — The state has the highest rate of lung cancer diagnoses, a disease that has only a 56 percent five-year chance of survival.

Louisiana

Worst: Stress — To be honest, that probably explains why Louisianians are also the most stressed in the country (dating is hard!). Not to mention the high levels of poverty, crime, and the number of hours worked per week… phew.

Maine

Worst: Lyme’s disease — But dogs bring more than just cuddles and companionship. They can also carry ticks in from the outdoors, which could be why Maine has the highest rate of Lyme’s disease.

Maryland

Worst: Bed bugs — With all that money, wealthy Marylanders might be sleeping tight, but they probably are letting the bed bugs bite, too. For the second year in a row, Baltimore topped the list of cities with the most bed bug infestations.

Massachusetts

Worst: Traffic — And those therapists are probably in high demand given that Boston has the worst traffic in the United States. Its drivers spend 14 percent of their drive time sitting bumper-to-bumper.

Michigan

Worst: Identity theft —But make sure you lock up your valuables during tee time. The state is the worst for identity theft. With over 15,000 reported cases last year (the majority related to government documents or benefits), it’s clearly much bigger than a stolen wallet.

Minnesota

Worst: Winters — Minnesotans might not be buried under bills, but they are buried under something else: snow. The state has been voted as having the most miserable winters in the country, and with some parts getting over 170 inches of snow each year and seeing temperatures of -60 degrees Fahrenheit, we don’t disagree.

Mississippi

Worst: Women’s health — But it clearly isn’t going towards female healthcare, as the state has the highest rates of death from heart disease, breast cancer, and diabetes in women.

Missouri

Worst: Drug use — But the amount of money donated to good causes isn’t the only thing that’s sky high. Missourians are getting a different kind of high more frequently than any other state, according to a study that puts them at No. 1 for drug use.

Tune in tomorrow for the remainder of the list!