Since their explosion into pop culture in the 1960s, the Beatles have been no strangers to controversy and rumor. For example, many credit John Lennon’s demanding wife Yoko Ono for the band’s eventual split. In addition, rumors of Paul McCartney’s death ran rampant for a while, with conspiracy theorists claiming that playing certain Beatles songs backwards would provide clues about McCartney’s demise.
Now, a former Simpsons writer has discovered a new conspiracy—or perhaps it’s just a fun coincidence.
Josh Weinstein, who has also written for shows like Futurama and Gravity Falls, noticed that, in many public posters of the band that appear on Google Street View, only three of the four band members’ faces are blurred out.
After noticing this, Weinstein did what any of us would do in this scenario: He shared his findings with his over 7,000 Twitter followers.
Google Street Executive: “Blur all the Beatles’ faces but Ringo’s. No one must ever know who else was in the band.” pic.twitter.com/TIjlMGdKfk
— Josh Weinstein (@Joshstrangehill) December 5, 2014
Okay, now they’re just messing with us (attn: @jacobsw) Google Street View Beatle Blurring Conspiracy show yourself! pic.twitter.com/yzi10IKbiB
— Josh Weinstein (@Joshstrangehill) December 10, 2014
Other Beatles fans on Twitter reacted to Weinstein’s unique discovery.
.@Joshstrangehill This is getting creepy. pic.twitter.com/PuL2apPUaL
— Jacob Sager Weinstein (@jacobsw) December 10, 2014
@Joshstrangehill Beatles tribute bands are not immune either. Outside the Cavern Club: pic.twitter.com/AuCzM3oMXk
— Paul Simms (@paulsimms) December 10, 2014
The blurring is not consistent. In several of the examples, the one face left unblurred is Ringo Starr. But the other three Beatles get their moments to shine in other Street View images.
Neither of the Beatles’ two surviving members, Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr, have publicly commented on the images.
Could this all be a coincidence? Or is there something weird happening between Google and the Beatles?
We may never know, but these images are funny and mysterious either way.
H/T @MatthewPCrowley | Image via Roger/Flickr (CC BY 2.0)MatthewPCrowley
