In "This Month in YesterYear History," we look back at the big pop culture moments from
20 (2006), 25 (2001), 30 (1996), and 35 (1991) years ago!
Below, you'll find a little time capsule of what was significant during this month in history. Hopefully, as you read these brief recaps of the past, you'll remember the who, when, and where of some long-tucked-away memories! That's the whole point of this site!
POINTS OF REFERENCE
2006:
On the 3rd, Barry Bonds hits his 715th MLB home run, moving him past Babe Ruth for second all-time. The ball eventually earns $220,100 at auction. On the 5th, Warren Moon becomes the first black quarterback inducted into the NFL Hall of Fame. He is joined by Troy Aikman, John Madden, Rayfield Wright, Harry Carson, and Reggie White. On the 6th, Nickelodeon's Blue's Clues concludes its 10-year run. Also on the 6th, Tiger Woods becomes the youngest player (at 30) to compile 50 PGA Tour wins. On the 8th, a lawsuit over the inspiration for the Rocky movie series ends when former boxer Chuck Wepner and Sylvester Stallone agreed to settle out of court for an undisclosed sum. Joe Lieberman, who ran as Al Gore's VP in 2002, loses the Democratic Senate primary in Connecticut, and announces his run as an independent on the 8th. On the 10th, Harvard Yard disrupts a major terrorist plot to destroy aircraft flying from the UK to the US. Most toiletries are immediately banned from commercial aircraft. Cleveland's Travis Hafner ties Don Mattingly's record of six grand slam home runs in one season when he homered against Kansas City. On the 24th, after signing a one-day contract, Jerry Rice officially retires from the NFL as a member of the San Francisco 49ers. That same day, the International Astronomical Union (IAU) redefined the term "planet," classifying Pluto as a "dwarf planet" instead. On the 27th, The Office, Kiefer Sutherland, and Mariska Hargitay win top honors at the Emmy Awards. On the morning of the 27th, Comair flight 5191, from Lexington, Kentucky to Atlanta, crashes on takeoff, killing 49 of 50 on board. On the 30th, Atlanta Braves pitcher Greg Maddux wins his 330th career game. On the 31st, at the MTV Music Awards, Panic! at the Disco, Kelly Clarkson, and James Blunt win. That same day, Edvard Munch's famous painting "The Scream" is recovered by Norwegian Police.
2001:
Starting the month off on the 1st, Alabama Supreme Court Chief Justice Roy Moore installs a monument to the Ten Commandments in the judiciary building, leading to a lawsuit seeking its removal (and eventually his own removal from office). On the 2nd, Robert Mueller is unanimously approved 98-0 by the Senate as FBI Director. Anne Hathaway's film debut, The Princess Diaries, is released nationwide on the 3rd. On the 5th, the Cleveland Indians tie an MLB record by erasing a 12-run lead against Seattle to win 15-14. They also prevented Seattle from winning a record 117 games in the season. On the 9th, President George W. Bush announced his support of federal funding for stem cell research. On the 21st, Nickelback's hit single "How You Remind Me" was released. On the 24th, Air Transat flight 236 ran out of fuel over the Atlantic Ocean due to a fuel leak but made a successful landing in the Azores, saving all 306 people on board. On the 25th, singer Aaliyah and 8 others are killed in a plane crash in the Bahamas.
A slow month, but it all pales in comparison to what happens in September.
1996:
Michael Johnson, the American Olympic athlete, won the 200m race at the Atlanta Olympics with a world record 19.32 seconds, and became the first man to complete the 200-400 m double on the 1st. That same day, Dan O'Brien wins the decathlon gold medal at the Atlanta Olympics, becoming the first American since Bruce Jenner in 1976 to win the grueling event. Also on the 1st, George R.R. Martin publishes "A Game of Thrones," the first in his fantasy series "A Song of Ice and Fire," and MTV launches MTV 2. On the 3rd, The Dream Team III, the star-studded United States men's basketball team, beat Yugoslavia 95-69 to win the gold medal at the Atlanta Olympics. Also on the 3rd, "Macarena" by Los Del Rio starts a 14-week run at the top of the singles chart, selling 11 million copies worldwide. In 2002, VH1 rated it the Greatest One-Hit Wonder of All Time. On the 4th, the Summer Olympics come to an end in Atlanta. On the 5th, the Kansas City Chiefs destroyed the Dallas Cowboys in Monterrey, Mexico, in an exhibition game, winning 32-6. The Ramones play their last concert ever on the 6th. Also on the 6th, Korean Air Flight 801 crashed in the United States territory of Guam, killing 228 people. Also on the 6th, NASA announces that life may have existed on Mars after examining a meteorite found in Antarctica believed to have come from Mars. On the 10th, Republican Presidential nominee Bob Dole picks Jack Kemp as his running mate. Also that day, the Yankees lost their first game in a while, ending a record 24-game winning streak. On the 13th, Microsoft released Internet Explorer 2.0. Osama Bin Laden, who you'll hear more about 5 years later in 2001, declares war on the United States for "occupying the land of the two holy places." On the 26th, 7th Heaven debuts on television. That same day, President Clinton signs into law welfare "reform," intending to make money more available to the needy but allowing much more fraudulent usage than in the past.
1991:
On the 1st, Golden-era actress Hedy Lamarr is arrested in Florida for shoplifting at the age of 76. On the 2nd, singer Rick James is arrested for sexual assault and torture. The Greek cruise ship Oceanos sinks off the coast of Africa on the 4th. On the 6th, American softball pitcher Debbie Doom (fantastic name) strikes out 17 in her second consecutive perfect game at the Pan American Games in Havana, Cuba, defeating Nicaragua 8-0. On the 6th, Tim Berners-Lee releases his files describing an idea for the World Wide Web. It's a shame nobody knows his name, even though he created the thing that has changed the world. On the 7th, New York City's Manhattan Cable's "Illegal Box Amnesty" comes to an end. This piqued my interest, so I Googled. Apparently, illegal cable boxes were so rampant in NYC (they were everywhere in the early 90s) that Manhattan Cable offered an "amnesty" period during which users could turn in their illegal boxes without facing fines or other penalties. Illegal cable was so prevalent in 1991 that there was even an episode of Seinfeld, titled "The Baby Shower," in which, in a dream sequence, Jerry is famously "gunned down" by the FBI over illegal cable. On the 8th, actor Gary Oldman is arrested for drunk driving. On the 11th, John Daly wins the PGA Men's Championship at Crooked Stick. On the 12th, creditors vote to accept Greyhound Bus Lines' reorganization plan. On the 12th, Metallica releases its 5th album, "Metallica," and it immediately debuts at number one. On the 13th, US Vice President Dan Quayle delivers a speech attacking lawyers... while speaking at the American Bar Association. Paul Simon performs a free concert in Central Park, New York City, on the 15th. Hurricane Bob causes 115 mph winds in North Carolina on the 18th and makes landfall in Massachusetts the next day. We were vacationing in Maine at the time, where hurricanes are relatively unusual, and rode out the storm there. On the 20th, Dan Marino becomes the NFL's highest-paid player, passing Joe Montana with a new 5-year contract worth $25 million. On the 21st, a conservative coup in the Soviet Union is crushed by Boris Yeltsin. Miles Davis performs his final concert on the 25th at the Hollywood Bowl. On the 31st, the Colorado Rockies bat out of order in the 1st inning against the Montreal Expos.
TOP MOVIES
2006: "Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby" -
This one is an all-time classic, especially for NASCAR fans. It's funny and quotable. This film was produced by Judd Apatow and Jimmy Miller, and stars Will Ferrell as the arrogant, simple-minded NASCAR champion Ricky Bobby. John C. Reilly appears as his loyal best friend Cal Naughton, Jr., while Sacha Baron Cohen appears as the flamboyant French rival Jean Girard. Gary Cole plays Ricky's estranged father Reese, and Michael Clarke Duncan portrays Ricky's crew chief Lucius Washington. Supporting roles are played by Leslie Bibb, Jane Lynch, Amy Adams, and Houston Tumlin & Grayson Russell as Ricky’s foul-mouthed sons Walker and Texas Ranger. Real NASCAR figures like Dale Earnhardt Jr. and commentators like Mike Joy and Darrell Waltrip make cameo appearances.
The plot follows Ricky Bobby, who rises from humble (and quite absurd) beginnings to become the #1 driver in NASCAR thanks to his “shake and bake” partnership with Cal. Living a life of wealth, fame, and excess, Ricky’s world crumbles when the sophisticated French Formula One driver Jean Girard arrives to challenge his dominance. After a devastating crash leaves him in a tailspin that costs him his career, his wife, and his confidence, Ricky must reconcile with his eccentric father and rediscover his love for racing to reclaim his spot at the top.
The movie received generally positive reviews, holding a 71% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes and favorable audience scores. Critics praised the sharp satire of Southern/NASCAR culture, the hilarious chemistry between Ferrell and Reilly, and standout performances from Ferrell, Reilly, and Cohen. Some found the humor overly crude, but audiences embraced it enthusiastically as a quotable, rewatchable comedy.
The film was a solid commercial success, grossing $163.4 million worldwide ($148.2 million domestic) against a $72.5 million budget. Notable trivia includes heavy improvisation by Ferrell and the cast. Most of the filming took place in North Carolina (with one week at Talladega Superspeedway); Ferrell and Reilly took actual racing lessons; and it has an enduring status as one of the funniest sports comedies of the 2000s, with a cult following for its absurd humor and memorable one-liners.
2001: "Rush Hour 2" -
This buddy-cop action comedy film was directed by Brett Ratner and written by Jeff Nathanson. It is the sequel to the 1998 film, Rush Hour. This sequel reunites Jackie Chan as Hong Kong police inspector Lee and Chris Tucker as loud-mouthed LAPD detective James Carter, with supporting roles by John Lone as Triad leader Ricky Tan, Zhang Ziyi as deadly enforcer Hu Li, Roselyn Sánchez as Secret Service agent Isabella Molina, and Alan King in a cameo.
The plot begins with an explosion at the US Embassy in Hong Kong that kills two customs agents. Inspector Lee and his vacationing partner Carter team up to investigate a massive counterfeit money operation run by the ruthless Fu-Cang-Long Triad. Their trail leads from Hong Kong’s bustling streets to the glitzy casinos of Las Vegas, filled with explosive martial arts sequences, high-speed chases, undercover antics, and plenty of cultural clash comedy as the mismatched duo battles Triad henchmen and tries to stop a billion-dollar money laundering scheme.
The film received mixed reviews, holding a 50-51% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Critics praised the on-screen chemistry between Chan and Tucker and the entertaining action, but many felt it lacked the freshness of the original and relied heavily on formulaic humor and bigger-but-less-intricate stunts.
The film was a major commercial success, grossing $347.5 million worldwide against a $90 million budget. It opened with a record-breaking $67.4 million weekend (the biggest August opening at the time) and became the highest-grossing film in the Rush Hour franchise, as well as one of the top comedies of the early 2000s. The film solidified Chan and Tucker as one of Hollywood’s most bankable comedy-action duos.
1996: "Time to Kill" -
This 1996 legal drama, directed by Joel Schumacher, was based on John Grisham's bestselling 1989 novel of the same name. Written by Akiva Goldsman, it features an all-star ensemble cast headlined by Matthew McConaughey (in his major breakout role) as young lawyer Jake Brigance, Samuel L. Jackson as Carl Lee Hailey, and Sandra Bullock as law student Ellen Roark. Supporting performances include Kevin Spacey as prosecutor Rufus Buckley, Kiefer Sutherland as Klansman Freddie Lee Cobb, Donald Sutherland as Lucien Wilbanks, Oliver Platt, Ashley Judd, Brenda Fricker, Chris Cooper, and Patrick McGoohan.
The film is set in Canton, Mississippi, where Carl Lee Hailey, a Black factory worker, guns down two white men who brutally raped and nearly killed his 10-year-old daughter. Facing a biased justice system and death penalty charges, Carl Lee asks Jake Brigance to defend him. As the trial ignites racial tensions, revives the Ku Klux Klan, and threatens Jake’s family and career, the defense team fights both in and out of the courtroom in a gripping story about justice, revenge, and race relations in the South.
Time to Kill received mixed reviews, holding a 67% on Rotten Tomatoes. Critics liked the powerful performances (especially McConaughey and Jackson), emotional weight, and timely themes, but many found it overly long, melodramatic, and heavy-handed. The movie grossed $108.8 million domestically against a $40 million budget.
1991: "Hot Shots!" -
This comedy was directed by Jim Abrahams, the co-creator of Airplane!, who also co-wrote the screenplay with Pat Proft. It is a rapid-fire parody that primarily spoofs Top Gun while also lampooning films like Dances with Wolves, The Fabulous Baker Boys, 9½ Weeks, and others. The film stars Charlie Sheen as Lt. Topper Harley, Cary Elwes as Lt. Kent Gregory, Valeria Golino as Ramada Thompson, Lloyd Bridges as the increasingly unhinged Admiral "Tug" Benson, Jon Cryer as "Wash Out," and Kevin Dunn as Lt. Cmdr. James Block.
The movie follows Topper Harley, a talented but troubled Navy pilot haunted by his father’s fatal crash, who is called back to duty for a dangerous top-secret mission. While training aboard an aircraft carrier, he competes with rival pilot Kent Gregory, falls for the beautiful psychiatrist Ramada, and becomes entangled in a conspiracy involving shady arms dealers. The story delivers non-stop visual gags, one-liners, and absurd set pieces as Topper tries to overcome his past and save the day.
The film holds a positive 83% on Rotten Tomatoes, with praise for its sharp, over-the-top, silly humor and strong performances. Critics noted that it didn't reach the heights of Airplane! but still delivered consistent laughs. The film was financially a success, earning $181.1 million worldwide against a modest $26 million budget. It spawned a sequel, Hot Shots! Part Deux (1993) remains a beloved early '90s parody classic.
TOP SONGS
2006: "London Bridge" by Fergie
2001: "Fallin" by Alicia Keys
1996: "Macarena" by Los Del Rio (The Bayside Boys Mix)
1991: "Everything I Do (I Do It For You)" by Bryan Adams
TOP TELEVISION NEWS
August 2006:
6th: Nickelodeon's Blues Clues comes to an end after ten years. It returned in 2019.
21st: Stargate SG-1 is officially canceled by the Sci-Fi Channel after the premiere of the show's 200th episode. The show had a stretch of 5 low-rated episodes, and after reaching the 200 mark, the network decided to move on.
23rd: The Matt LeBlanc vehicle, Joey, comes to an end after two seasons on NBC.
25th: The Cheetah Girls 2, a sequel to Disney Channel's The Cheetah Girls, premiered to become the highest rated Disney Channel original movie at the time. Its viewers exceeded 8.1 million, higher than High School Musical.
26th: A revival of the 90s cartoon, "Biker Mice from Mars," debuted on the 4KidsTV block of FOX. It lasted one season and 24 episodes.
27th: NBC's The Office wins Outstanding Comedy Series, alongside FOX's 24 for Outstanding Drama Series at the Emmy Awards.
28th: The series Lucky Louie, starring Louis C.K, ends after one season on HBO.
28th: The drama Deadwood, starring Timothy Olyphant, ends after 3 seasons on HBO.
30th: The short-lived legal drama from Jerry Bruckheimer, Justice, debuts on FOX.
August 2001:
5th: Insomniac with Dave Attell, which was quite popular for a time, debuts on Comedy Central.
8th: The Wayne Brady Show, a daytime talk show, debuts on ABC.
10th: Samurai Jack premieres on Cartoon Network.
12th: MTV's adult-animated series Undergrads is canceled after 13 episodes.
18th: WWE cancels two shows: LiveWire (on TNN) and Superstars of Wrestling (on USA Network since 1986).
31st: Mister Rogers' Neighborhood airs its final episode on PBS Kids. Fred Rogers dies two years later after a short battle with stomach cancer at the age of 74. The show had been on the air since 1968.
August 1996:
8th: Kratt's Creatures, the first in a series of animal shows featuring the Kratt brothers, ends on PBS.
10th: Arliss debuts on HBO.
17th: The Kenan & Kel Show debuts on Nickelodeon.
25th: The Steve Harvey Show debuts on The WB.
26th: 7th Heaven debuts on The WB.
27th: Rescue 911, the docu-drama series, comes to an end after 8 years.
28th: The Jamie Foxx Show debuts on The WB.
30th: A Current Affair, the television news magazine program, ends after 10 years. It returned in 2005.
August 1991:
2nd: Deidre Hall returns to the NBC soap opera Days of Our Lives after a four-year absence. Her character, Marlena Evans, was revealed to still be alive and mysteriously kept hidden outside of Salem after being presumed dead in an accident four years prior.
8th: Talespin, the iconic Disney Afternoon show, was canceled.
11th: Nickelodeon introduces the original NICKTOONS, with Doug, Rugrats, and The Ren & Stimpy Show. Man, those were the days.
11th: The sitcom Ferris Bueller, based on the 1986 film, was canceled after episodes.
13th: Full House is moved to Tuesday nights, away from Friday's TGIF lineup. It would remain on Tuesdays until its finale in 1995.
17th: The cartoon A Pup Named Scooby-Doo, on air since 1988, came to a close.
30th: The classic Nickelodeon sitcom, Hey, Dude! comes to an end after 3 seasons.
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