If I asked you to give me some words to describe accounting, I’m sure exciting and fascinating most likely won’t make your top ten. When most people picture an accountant in their mind, they conjure up some mental image of a nerdy awkward guy sitting behind his desk furiously punching numbers into a calculator. Let’s be honest, that mental image may not be too far off base in the height of tax season. But on a normal every day basis, accountants are people just like the rest of the world; sometimes, we actually like to have—should I say it–FUN. (*gasp*).
Here are some interesting facts about the field of accounting. Accountants don’t always live the dry and boring life they are stereotyped with. Some of these may surprise you—I know a few of them were news to me!
1) November 10 is “International Accounting Day”. It’s hard to believe, but the accounting world actually has its own holiday! Go ahead, take your accountant to dinner or give him a hug. It’s his day after all.
2) Quite a few celebrities studied accounting before getting their “big break”. It’s hard to believe that rockstar Mick Jagger actually studied how to crunch numbers before rocking out on the big stage. Joining the Rolling Stones legend is Bob Newhart, John Grisham, and Janet Jackson to name a few.
3) The bubble gum you’re chewing was the brainchild of an accountant. Well, to be honest, it wasn’t actually his idea… he just improved it. Walter Diemer was working as an accountant at a company that produced gum. The product wasn’t perfected and was way too sticky. Diemer experimented with new recipes until he stumbled upon the holy grail of all bubble gum. Diemer called his new treat “Dubble Bubble”. Unfortunately, Diemer never patented his new found invention. The recipe was adopted by candy producers and the rest is history.
4) There is actually an Accounting Hall of Fame. I’m sure it’s not nearly as riveting as the football or baseball hall of fame, but hey, who would have thought accountants would get their own hall of fame?! I know all of you are now dying to go check it out. To visit this fascinating memorial to all things accounting, you’ll have to travel to Ohio State University.
5) Accountants know the Academy Awards winners before anyone else. Well, not all accountants. Just a team of 9 CPAs who count, by hand, all of the ballots in each category to determine the winners. The whole process takes upwards of 1,900 hours each year.
6) Accountants were the only ones able to take down Al Capone. Despite his known reputation for being a cold-blooded gangster, law enforcement couldn’t bring criminal charges that would stick against Al Capone. The gangster icon was finally dethroned by a team of FBI accountants and was criminally charged and convicted for income tax evasion.
Elkins, Jenna. “10 Totally Random but Interesting Facts About Accounting.” National Association of State Boards of Accountancy, 22 May 2017, nasba.org/blog/2017/05/22/10-totally-random-but-interesting-facts-about-accoutning/. Accessed 12 Sept. 2017.
“Happy International Accounting Day.” MileIQ.10 Nov. 2016, www.mileiq.com/blog/international-accounting-day/. Accessed 12 Sept. 2017.