An underwire bra (also under wire bra, under-wire bra, or underwired bra) is a brassiere that utilizes a thin, semi-circular strip of rigid material fitted inside the brassiere fabric. The wire may be made of metal, plastic, or resin. It is sewn into the bra fabric and under each cup, from the center gore to under the wearer's armpit. The wire helps to lift, separate, shape, and support a woman's breasts. Many different brassiere designs incorporate an underwire, including shelf bras, demi bras, nursing bras, and bras built into other articles of clothing, such as tank tops, dresses and swimsuits.

The concept of an underwire can be traced to an 1893 patent that describes a breast supporting device using a rigid plate under the breasts for stability. The modern underwire bra was designed in the 1930s, and gained widespread popularity by the 1950s. As of 2005, underwire bras were the largest and fastest growing segment of the bra market. A bra without an underwire is a softcup bra.

Underwire bras are occasionally linked to health conditions including breast pain, mastitis, and allergies. Women wearing an underwire bra have in a few rare instances been subject to extra scrutiny when their bra set off metal detectors at security checkpoints in airports or prisons. There have been a few recorded incidents where the underwire deflected a bullet or other weapon that struck the woman's chest.

Rhonda Shear (born November 12, 1954) is an American television personality, comedienne, and actress.

Shear was born in New Orleans, Louisiana, to a Jewish American family. She attended Loyola University, earning a B.A. in Communications. Before she became famous, she earned titles in several beauty contests, including holding the titles of Miss Louisiana USA 1975 for Miss USA and that of Miss Louisiana for both the Miss World and the Miss International pageants. Among her other titles was Queen of the Floral Trail Society. While she sported the latter title, she posed fully clothed for Playboy, but the organizers of that title were opposed to her appearing in that magazine, and took the title away from her. Shear gained notoriety after this episode.^{[citation needed]}

Shear is best known for her role as a host of the USA Network's 1980s/'90s weekend B-movie show, USA Up All Night. From 1991 to 1998 she hosted in-studio and on-location segments that aired on Friday (and later moved to Saturday) nights, replacing comedian Caroline Schlitt (the Friday night host for the show's first few years). Her trademark manner of speaking the show's title - by raising her voice an octave when saying the word "Up"...became a catch phrase. Shear also briefly hosted a comedy program called "Spotlight Cafe," hosted previously by comic Judy Tenuta.

"A Whiter Shade of Pale" is the debut song by the British band Procol Harum, released 12 May 1967. The single reached number one in the UK Singles Chart on 8 June 1967, and stayed there for six weeks. Without much promotion, it reached #5 on the US charts, as well. It is one of the fewer than 30 all-time singles to have sold 10 million (or more) copies worldwide.^{[citation needed]}

With its haunting Bach-flavoured instrumental melody, soulful vocals, and unusual lyrics—by the song's co-authors Gary Brooker, Keith Reid, and Matthew Fisher-- "A Whiter Shade of Pale" reached #1 in several countries when released in 1967. In the years since, it has become an enduring classic. It was the most played song in the last 75 years in public places in the UK (as of 2009), and the United Kingdom performing rights group Phonographic Performance Limited in 2004 recognised it as the most-played record by British broadcasting of the past 70 years. Also in 2004, Rolling Stone placed "A Whiter Shade of Pale" #57 on its list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.