David Adkins, 67, is an actor and comedian widely recognized by his stage name, Sinbad.
He has appeared in films like Jingle All the Way, Good Burger, and Planes. In addition, he has performed in multiple HBO specials and starred in his own sitcom, The Sinbad Show.
Many of Sinbad’s fans are convinced he starred in a movie where he played a genie, but he actually never did.
On social media, people have been discussing a film called Shazaam, believing that Sinbad portrays a genie who embarks on an adventure with two children.
So certain of the film’s existence, one Reddit user detailed the entire plot, claiming it was delivered to his uncle’s video rental store.
He describes, “The lamp is rubbed for the first time by two kids—an early teen boy and his little sister, who looks to be around 5 years old. This happens in their living room by the fireplace while their single dad is out running an errand.”
“The boy rubs the lamp, and ‘Sinbad’ appears in full genie attire…”
The catch is that the movie never actually existed. So, why are people so convinced it’s real?
In the realm of pop culture, few phenomena are as perplexing and fascinating as the Mandela Effect.
One especially intriguing example of this phenomenon involves American comedian Sinbad and a fictional movie in which he supposedly played a genie.
Despite countless people vividly recalling this film, it never existed, and this realization continues to baffle many.
For some, the name ‘Sinbad’ brings to mind the popular 90s comedian, while for others, it refers to a fictional sailor known for his adventures—often involving genies—in the Middle East. This confusion may have contributed to the phenomenon, as noted by Snopes.
Additionally, in 1994, Sinbad hosted a screening of the film Sinbad and the Eye of the Tiger.
Another possible explanation is that fans are misremembering details from the 90s movie Kazaam, in which Shaquille O’Neal portrayed a genie.
Additionally, there’s an image circulating online that has deceived many people. At first glance, it looks like a photo of Sinbad shirtless with his arms crossed, but in reality, it features WWE wrestler Chavo Guerrero’s chest and arms, with Sinbad’s face digitally superimposed.
The misleading information doesn’t stop there; the website College Humor even posted a video of ‘lost footage’ from the supposed Shazaam movie on April Fool’s Day in 2017.
Ultimately, the entire Sinbad phenomenon can be attributed to this ‘Mandela Effect.’
The Mandela Effect is a phenomenon where a large group of people shares a false memory of the same event, as explained by Medical News Today.
The term originated from the widespread belief that Nelson Mandela died in prison during the 1980s, despite the fact that he actually passed away in 2013, according to Verywell Mind.
Experts suggest that this phenomenon may stem from our brain’s inclination to construct coherent narratives from fragmented information.
Cognitive and parapsychological researcher Neil Dagnall explains to CNN, “With the Mandela Effect, people often remember things the way they think they should be rather than how they actually are, because we process information very quickly in our daily lives.”
