“I always say, ‘It’s so sad that Kurt Cobain died when he did, because he never saw GPS. GPS is the most wonderful thing, to watch my little blue spot walking down the street. I just find it completely magical and unbelievable.’”
- Dame Helen Mirren
Monica Lewinsky and the Blue Dress
In 1998, the affair between President Clinton and a White House intern, Monica Lewinsky, goes public; leading to his impeachment.
The President swore (under oath) he “did not have sexual relations” with Monica...but his “DNA” on her blue Gap dress said differently.
Ironically, 1998 is also the year the “little blue pill” becomes available in the US. (Not that Clinton seemed to have any trouble here)
A televised 2-hour, 60- mile car chase through the LA freeways!
OJ would plead that he couldn’t have killed his wife since the bloody, black leather gloves recovered from the scene didn’t fit him. Something he would demonstrate in court.
In June of 1994, OJ Simpson would become famous for killing his wife... or not?
OJ is acquitted in 1995, but in 2008 he will go to prison in Vegas for armed robbery and kidnapping.
OJ Simpson, the White Ford Bronco, and the Black Leather Gloves
I kinda feel like the gloves fit?
Tyson Takes a Bite
While whispering sweet nothings, Mike Tyson feels a rumble in his belly and takes a bite of Evander Holyfield’s ear during their 1997 fight.
Mike Tyson didn’t get his signature face tattoo until 2003.
Speaking of Snacks...
Though the McFlurry became available at all American locations in 1998...
You may still have trouble finding one today since... THE ICE CREAM MACHINE IS BROKEN!!!
Originally only available at Taco Bell, Baja Blast made it’s neon blue debut in 2004.
Broccolini is the love child of broccoli and Chinese kale, but this union wasn’t cosumated until 1996.
Picky eaters finally got their way in 1995 with crust-less premade PB&Js.
What’s on Tonight?
The One Where They Became a Cultural Phenomenon. Friends aired on September 22, 1994 and ran for 10 seasons.
In January 1999, The Sopranos would change television and our pronunciation of the name “Christopha” forever.
It’s sad to think that Kurt died without ever knowing the true story of the Titanic, which was released in 1997.
Toy Story hit theatres in November 1995. Spurring the first feelings of FOMO in 90s youth when we found out our toys were having adventures without us.
Would Kurt have been Team Big or Team Aiden?
Sex and the City aired on HBO on June 6, 1998.
In the criminal justice system, sexually based offenses are considered especially heinous. Starting in September 1999 we watched them as a family every Monday on NBC.
Tech Takeover
The must-have toy of the 1998 holiday season, The Furby, was also the #1 reason for my adolescent night terrors.
1997 millions of US children became unfit parents while the Tomagachi begged for our attention day and night.
The PlayStation landed in the US in 1995, brining with it some of the most legendary games like Tony Hawk Pro Skater (1999) and Grand Theft Auto (1998).
As it’s name suggests, Windows 95 became available in August 1995. Though it wasn’t the first PC operating system, it did begin the PC boom by making comupters that were user-friendly for everyone, not just tech nerds.
With the proliferation of home computers came the very first “social network”: AIM.
AOL Instant Messenger was introduced in 1998 and changed the future of communication.
AIM was the first space where people began to create online personalities and personas different from their real life selves.