Cultural Impact
The novel's popularity has resulted in the term "Room 101" being used to represent a place where unpleasant things are done. According to Anna Funder's book Stasiland, Erich Mielke, the last Minister of State Security (Stasi) of the former GDR, had the floors of the Stasi headquarters renumbered so that his second floor office would be number 101.
On the BBC TV show Room 101, celebrities are interviewed and asked to list their pet peeves, which are then condemned to the unseen room, or not, at the discretion of the host. Since 2012 the show is hosted by Frank Skinner and guests compete to have their pet hates and peeves consigned to Room 101.
In the 2005 series of Big Brother (UK), a housemate was required to enter a Room 101 to complete tedious and unpleasant tasks, including sorting different colours of maggots.
Read more about this topic: Room 101
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