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 1st, Indra Nooyi becomes the new CEO of PepsiCo. As a lifelong Pepsi fan, I can honestly say that changes to the taste of Pepsi, specifically Diet Pepsi, made under Nooyi's tenure, caused me and many others to finally switch to Coke. Pepsi had gained ground on Coke during the late 80s and 90s during the "Soda Wars," but lost all that ground and then-some after naming Nooyi CEO. The drama series "Friday Night Lights" premieres on NBC on the 3rd. WikiLeaks, launched by Julian Assange, is made available on the 4th. On the 11th, the sitcom "30 Rock," starring Tina Fey and Alec Baldwin, debuts on NBC. On the 14th, the Detroit Tigers sweep the Oakland Athletics to become the American League Champions. On the 17th, the United States announces its population has topped 300 million. On the 19th, in classic Mets fashion and in one of their more memorable collapses, they lose the National League Championship in Game 7 to the St. Louis Cardinals. The band My Chemical Romance releases their third studio album, "The Black Parade," on the 23rd. On the 24th, the MESSENGER spacecraft performs the closest flyby of Venus. On the 27th, Amy Winehouse releases her second and final album, "Back to Black." On the 27th, the St. Louis Cardinals become World Series Champions, defeating the Tigers in 5 games.
2001:
On the 2nd, sitcom "Scrubs" premieres on NBC. That same day, the Chicago Cubs' Sammy Sosa becomes the first player to hit 50 home runs in three seasons. Also on the 2nd, NATO states its support of US military strikes in Afghanistan in retaliation for the 9/11 terrorist attacks. On the 3rd, after a 21-season career, NHL defenseman Paul Coffey officially retires. He played in 14 All-Star Games, won 4 Stanley Cups with the Edmonton Oilers, and is second on the all-time list for points by a defenseman (1,531 in 1,409 games). Also on the 3rd, San Diego's Rickey Henderson scored a run in the 4th inning (in a 12-5 loss to the Dodgers) to break the MLB record of 2,245 runs scored, previously held by Ty Cobb. On the same day, San Francisco Giants slugger Barry Bonds is walked for the 171st time in the season, breaking Babe Ruth's 1923 MLB single-season walk record. On the 4th, Boston Bruins retire the #77 for Ray Borque in the season opener at Boston Garden. On the 4th, Brendan Shanahan scores a hat trick in the Red Wings' 4-3 OT win at San Jose, becoming the second player in history to score an opening night hat trick TWICE. On the 4th, Barry Bonds hits his 70th home run, tying Mark McGwire for the most MLB home runs in a single season. He hit his 71st and 72nd the next day against the Dodgers to break McGwire's record. On the 5th, the Atlanta Braves became the first professional sports team to win 10 consecutive division titles after defeating the Marlins 20-3 to clinch the NL East. The NBA's Boston Celtics (1957-65) and the LA Lakers (1982-90) both won 9 in a row. Robert Stevens becomes the first victim of the 2001 anthrax attacks on the 5th, while Tom Ridge resigns as Governor of Pennsylvania to become the first Homeland Security Advisor. Simon Cowell debuts "Pop Idol" in the UK on the 6th, as a predecessor to American Idol. On the 7th, the US invasion of Afghanistan begins with an air assault and covert ground operations. On the 8th, President George W. Bush announces the establishment of the Office of Homeland Security. On the 9th, the second mailing of anthrax letters from Trenton, New Jersey, arrives in the 2001 anthrax attacks. On the 11th, the Polaroid Corporation files for federal bankruptcy protection. On the 15th, NASA's Galileo spacecraft passes within 112 miles of Jupiter's moon Io. On the 16th, the US Coast Guard lifts a ban on liquefied natural gas tankers entering Boston Harbor, which had been imposed as a response to the terrorist attacks on September 11th. On the 21st, Michael Jackson organized the "United We Stand" concert to benefit victims of 9/11, held at RFK Stadium in Washington, DC. It featured Aerosmith, Mariah Carey, and the Backstreet Boys. Sadly, our country is so fractured today that I don't know if we could ever be as unified as we were following 9-11 ever again. On the 21st, the MLB National League Championship was decided when the Arizona Diamondbacks defeated the Atlanta Braves. The next day, the New York Yankees defeated the Seattle Mariners to win the American League Championship. On the 23rd, Apple released the iPod. On the 25th, Microsoft released Windows XP for retail sale. On the 26th, the US passes the PATRIOT ACT. On the 28th, indie cult hit film "Donnie Darko" is released.
1996:
On the 1st, the Australian government starts a gun buyback "scheme," convincing 640,000 Australians to turn in their firearms. On the 2nd, Brooks & Dunn win the big awards at the 30th Country Music Association Awards. On the 3rd, Tampa Bay's Thunderdome is renamed Tropicana Field. On the 4th, Left Winger Mike Donnelly becomes the first NHL player to play for all 3 New York Teams (Sabers, Rangers, Islanders) when he joins the NY Islanders in a game against the Los Angeles Kings. On the 5th, New York Yankee Bernie Williams hits home runs batting from both sides of the plate as the Yankees beat Texas 6-4. Bob Dole and Bill Clinton meet in the first Presidential Debate of the 1996 Election. In the final season of "Lois & Clark," Lois and Clark wed in the episode titled "Swear to God, This Time We're Not Kidding." On the 7th, Rupert Murdoch launches Fox News with Roger Ailes. On the 9th, Howard Stern's book "Miss America" is released in paperback. On the 11th, Ford purchases the rights to name the Detroit domed stadium for $40 million. On the 12th, Farm Aid IX was held in South Carolina, starring Willie Nelson, John Mellencamp, Neil Young, Hootie and the Blowfish, Martina McBride, and more. The Yankees defeated the Baltimore Orioles to win the AL Championship. This series featured the famous incident in which a fan caught a ball, interfering with the game. You can read about that in my Nobody Beats the Wiz article. On the 14th, the Dow Jones Industrial Average closes over 6,000 for the first time. For reference, on August 15th, 2026, the Dow was at 53,732. On the 25th, the brother of Yankees manager Joe Torre undergoes a heart transplant. The next day, Joe Torre leads the Yankees to their 23rd World Series title, defeating the Braves in Game 6. On the 28th, Apple Records releases The Beatles' "Anthology 3," the last in a three-part series of rare recordings and outtakes by the Beatles.
1991:
Eric Lindros, the NHL #1 Draft Pick, rejects the Quebec Nordiques offer for a 10-year, $50 million contract on the 2nd. On the 3rd, the 25th Country Music Association Awards take place, with Garth Brooks, Tanya Tucker, and Vince Gill winning. The Delta Center in Salt Lake City opens on the 4th. Also on the 4th, the Edmonton Oilers trade Mark Messier (who had been with the Oilers for all 5 Stanley Cups) to the New York Rangers for Bernie Nicholls, Steven Rice, and Louie Debrusk. Three years later, Messier leads the Rangers to the Stanley Cup and is forever known as "The Captain" in New York. Also on the 4th, the San Jose Sharks play their first NHL game in franchise history. Despite goaltender Jeff Hackett's impressive 48 saves, the team loses 4-3 to Vancouver. On the 6th, New York Mets' David Cone ties a National League record by striking out 19 batters against the Phillies. On the 7th, Adam Rich, the child star from Eight is Enough, is arrested for selling hypodermics. On the 7th, Anita Hill accuses Supreme Court nominee Clarence Thomas of making sexually inappropriate comments. On the 10th, Greyhound bus exits bankruptcy. On the 13th, the Minnesota Twins win the AL pennant, beating Toronto in 5 games. On the 14th, New York Rangers right winger Mike Gartner becomes the 1st NHL player to score his 500th goal, 500th assist, and 1000th point in the same season. On the 15th, Clarence Thomas is confirmed as a US Supreme Court Justice. On the 17th, the Blue Man Group's first performance takes place in New York City. That same day, the Braves defeat the Pirates to win the MLB NL. Former California Governor Jerry Brown announces his run for the US Presidency on the 21st. On the 23rd, sicko Jack Kevorkian kills 2 women with his "suicide machine." On the 29th, American commercial fishing vessel "Andrea Gail" and its crew of six are lost at sea near Sable Island in the North Atlantic Ocean. The story becomes the basis for the book and film "The Perfect Storm" (starring George Clooney). Buck Showalter becomes manager of the New York Yankees.
TOP MOVIES
2006: "The Departed" -
The Departed is a mafia-crime thriller directed by Martin Scorsese, with a screenplay by William Monahan. It is an English-language remake of the 2002 Hong Kong film Infernal Affairs and is loosely inspired by real Boston crime figures. The film stars Leonardo DiCaprio as undercover state trooper Billy Costigan, Matt Damon as corrupt detective Colin Sullivan, Jack Nicholson as Irish mob boss Frank Costello, Mark Wahlberg as Staff Sgt. Sean Dignam, Martin Sheen as Captain Queenan, Vera Farmiga as psychiatrist Madolyn Madden, and Alec Baldwin in a supporting role.
Set in South Boston, the story follows two moles operating on opposite sides of the law. Billy is recruited by the Massachusetts State Police to infiltrate Costello’s powerful Irish crime syndicate, while Colin (Costello’s longtime protégé) rises through the ranks of the state police as the mob’s inside man. As both sides realize they have a rat, the two men race to uncover each other’s identities amid escalating violence, betrayal, and moral ambiguity.
Critically acclaimed, the film holds a 91% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Critics praised Scorsese’s direction, the powerhouse ensemble performances (especially Nicholson, DiCaprio, and Wahlberg), the taut screenplay, and the film’s gritty authenticity.
It won four Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Director (Scorsese’s first), Best Adapted Screenplay, and Best Film Editing. It was a major commercial success, grossing approximately $291–292 million worldwide against a $90 million budget.
Notably, the film is famous for Nicholson’s heavily improvised performance (drawing from Whitey Bulger), Scorsese’s long-awaited Best Director Oscar win, and its enduring reputation as one of the definitive modern gangster films.
2001: "Training Day" -
Training Day is a 2001 "neo-noir" crime thriller directed by Antoine Fuqua and written by David Ayer. It stars Denzel Washington as veteran LAPD narcotics detective Alonzo Harris and Ethan Hawke as rookie officer Jake Hoyt, with supporting roles by Scott Glenn, Eva Mendes, Cliff Curtis, Tom Berenger, and cameos from Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, and several others.
The story unfolds over a single intense 24-hour period as idealistic Jake rides along with the charismatic but deeply corrupt Alonzo in the gang-heavy neighborhoods of Los Angeles. What begins as a high-stakes training day quickly becomes a moral and physical ordeal, forcing Jake to confront the blurred lines between law enforcement, justice, and criminality as Alonzo’s true nature and agenda are slowly revealed.
Critically well-received, the film holds a 72–74% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Critics and audiences praised Washington’s Oscar-winning performance (Best Actor) and Hawke’s strong supporting turn (Oscar-nominated), along with the movie's raw energy and moral complexity. However, some found the ending less than satisfying. It grossed approximately $104.9 million worldwide against a $45 million budget.
Training Day is Washington’s first (and only) Academy Award for Best Actor to date. It is also notable as a significant influence on later corrupt-cop stories.
1996: "The First Wives Club" -
The First Wives Club is a comedy film directed by Hugh Wilson, based on the 1992 novel by Olivia Goldsmith, and written by Robert Harling. It stars Bette Midler as Brenda Morelli Cushman, Goldie Hawn as Elise Eliot Atchison, and Diane Keaton as Annie MacDuggan Paradis. Supporting roles include Maggie Smith, Sarah Jessica Parker, Stockard Channing, Dan Hedaya, Victor Garber, Stephen Collins, Elizabeth Berkley, and Marcia Gay Harden.
The plot follows three college friends who reunite at the funeral of a fourth (Cynthia), who died by suicide after her husband left her for a younger woman. After realizing their own ex-husbands (or soon-to-be exes) have similarly discarded them for younger partners after years of support, the trio forms “The First Wives Club” and embarks on a witty, vengeful campaign to reclaim power, money, and self-worth. Using their business savvy, public embarrassment, and solidarity, they turn the tables on their exes.
Critically, the film received mixed reviews, holding a 50% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Audiences responded more warmly, and the movie developed a strong cult following, especially among women.
It was a major commercial success, grossing approximately $181 million worldwide against a $26–30 million budget. This film is considered a career revitalizer for Midler, Hawn, and Keaton. One memorable cameo includes Ivana Trump delivering the line "Don't get mad, get everything." Its cultural impact is noted for defining mid-’90s female-empowerment comedy that inspired later generations of women.
1991: "The Fisher King" -
The Fisher King is a 1991 American fantasy comedy-drama written by Richard LaGravenese and directed by Terry Gilliam. It stars Robin Williams as the eccentric homeless man Parry and Jeff Bridges as fallen radio shock jock Jack Lucas, with Mercedes Ruehl as Anne, Amanda Plummer as Lydia, and supporting turns by Michael Jeter and others.
After a callous on-air comment by arrogant DJ Jack inadvertently sparks a tragic shooting, he spirals into depression and alcoholism. Years later, at rock bottom, Parry (a former professor whose life was destroyed by the same incident) rescues him. Obsessed with the legend of the Fisher King and searching for the Holy Grail, Parry draws Jack into a redemptive journey involving friendship, love, mental illness, and mythic quests through the streets of New York City.
Critically praised, the film holds an 83% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Reviewers highlighted Williams and Bridges' moving performances and the successful blend of comedy, drama, and fantasy.
It grossed about $72.4 million worldwide against a $24 million budget.
TOP SONGS
2006: "SexyBack" by Justin Timberlake
2001: "I'm Real" (Murder Remix) by Jennifer Lopez
1996: "Macarena" by Los Del Rio (The Bayside Boys Mix)
1991: "Emotions" by Mariah Carey
TOP TELEVISION NEWS
October 2006:
1st: Dexter debuts on Showtime.
4th: Friday Night Lights debuts on NBC.
11th: 30 Rock premieres on NBC.
19th: NBC Universal announces a major restructuring to save US$750 million after several years of declining ratings. Among the changes is the announcement that NBC will no longer air scripted dramas or comedies during the first hour of prime time, instead emphasizing less expensive reality and game shows during those hours. Its news division was also trimmed. This also didn't last long, by the way. Within a handful of years, sitcoms and other dramas were back in the first hour, and within a decade, sports and a Trump-crazed news media would require expansion of the NBC News block.
26th: Wheel of Fortune introduced a new gameplay element called Wild Card, which allows contestants to play an extra letter on the same cash value it landed on, or provide an extra, fourth consonant in the Bonus Round.
27th: Game 5 of the World Series is broadcast on FOX, and the St. Louis Cardinals defeat the Detroit Tigers, winning their first title since 1982.
31st: Bob Barker announces that he will be retiring from his hosting duties for The Price Is Right after 35 years in June 2007.
October 2001:
2nd: The two-hour season 6 premiere of Buffy the Vampire Slayer first aired on UPN (to 7.7 million viewers). This was the first episode of Buffy not to air on The WB, following its cancellation after Season 5 (and resurrection on UPN). The 3rd season premiere of Roswell (also moved over from WB) first aired on UPN on the 9th.
2nd: Scrubs debuts on NBC.
3rd: In the aftermath of September 11th, several planned series and events were canceled. Most notably, NBC dropped a miniseries planned for Spring 2002 that would have united the cast of Law & Order, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, and Law & Order: Criminal Intent, dealing with a terrorist attack on New York City.
3rd: The pilot episode of According to Jim airs on ABC.
4th: Rose McGowan makes her first appearance as Paige Matthews, the long-lost younger half-sister of Piper and Phoebe Halliwell, on The WB's Charmed.
5th: Raising Dad, Maybe it's Me, and Reba all debut on The WB.
14th: Degrassi: The Next Generation debuts on Nickelodeon.
15th: Bugjuice, a "reality" show I was really into about kids at a summer camp, is canceled by The Disney Channel. It returned briefly in 2018.
16th: Smallville, the Superman prequel story, debuts on The WB.
20th: A Concert For New York: A Tribute to Heroes is broadcast on VH1, with performances by Paul McCartney, The Rolling Stones, The Who, Billy Joel and others. It raised funds for the families of those killed by the terror attacks.
22nd: Pardon the Interruption, the sports talk show hosted by Tony Kornheiser and Mike Wilbon, premieres on ESPN.
24th: The Walt Disney Company completes its purchase of Fox Family Channel for $2.9 billion. You may know it today as Freeform, which annually hosts some of the best Halloween and Christmas programming for family-friendly content.
25th: Sony Pictures Entertainment merged the television units of Columbia TriStar Television and Columbia TriStar Television Distribution into one unified division, Columbia TriStar Domestic Television, partly because of Japanese ownership. All of Sony's television employees lost jobs in favor of Sony's new broadcasting/cable/syndication unit. Columbia TriStar Domestic Television would produce the Columbia TriStar programs for the 2001-2002 TV season.
October 1996:
2nd: In what industry insiders call the "CBS Massacre," 7 newscasters are fired by WCBS (Ch 2) in New York at the same time. The sudden purge happened right after the 6pm newscast, with no warning or notice. The 7 let go were John Johnson (he moved to NBC weeks later), Michele Marsh (also NBC to coanchor the evening news next to Chuck Scarborough), Tony Guida (bounced around various cable news channels), Bernie Smilovitz (moved back to Detroit and became a beloved sports caster for nearly 4 decades), Reggie Harris (hired at UPN but tragically died of a heart attack 3 years later), Roseanne Colletti (became the top investigavtive reporter at NBC), and Magee Hickey (briefly ABC then spent the remainder of her career at WPIX). John Johnson and Michele Marsh signed off the 5pm news hour telling viewers "We'll see you at 11," but were fired as soon as the cameras were turned off.
6th: President Bill Clinton and Senator Bob Dole participated in the first 1996 presidential debate.
7th: Nickelodeon adds an extra half-hour of programming, branded as "More Nickelodeon," on weekdays at 8:00PM Eastern. The "More Nickelodeon" reduced Nick-at-Nite slightly, but added classic Nickelodeon shows "The Secret World of Alex Mack," plus "Hey Arnold!", and "KaBlam!"
7th: Fox News debuts a slew of shows, including "Hannity and Colmes," "The O'Reilly Factor," and "Your World with Neil Cavuto."
7th: Classic 90s PBS shows "Arthur" and "Where in the World is Carmen San Diego?" debut.
9th: Vice President Al Gore and former HUD Secretary Jack Kemp participate in the 1996 vice presidential debate.
10th: Turner Broadcasting System announces its merger with Time Warner.
16th: Clinton and Dole compete in the final presidential debate.
20th: Nickelodeon airs the last "Ren and Stimpy Show."
20th thru 26th: FOX broadcasts its first-ever World Series. The Yankees won their 23rd title against the Braves in only six games. It was the Yankees' first championship since 1978, and the beginning of the '90s dynasty Yankees.
25th: The Crocodile Hunter starring Steve Irwin debuts on Discovery Channel.
27th: The brief obssession of 90s kids everywhere, Pop-Up Video, debuts on VH1.
October 1991:
5th: The animated series "The Real Ghostbusters" comes to an end, having run in syndication since 1986.
6th: On the MLB "Game of the Week" on CBS, Atlanta Braves cap off their "worst to first" season by defeating the Astros to clinch their first divisional title in nine years.
11th: Redd Foxx suffers a fatal heart attack on the set of the CBS sitcom The Royal Family. It was noted that initially everyone on set thought Foxx was only fooling around after he clutched a chair and fell to the floor, since his character on Sanford and Son often faked heart attacks. Unfortunately, he wasn't joking, and he really was coming home to Elizabeth.
13th: Jennifer Lopez joins the cast as one of the Fly Girls on the Fox sketch comedy series In Living Color (she would leave the show after the next season). Other cast additions include future Academy Award winner Jamie Foxx and Steve Park (who left after the season ended). Shawn Wayans, the show's original DJ, also becomes a regular cast member (and will remain in the cast until the end of the next season).
19th-27th: The World Series between the Minnesota Twins and Atlanta Braves airs on CBS. With five games decided by a single run, four decided in the final at-bat, and three going into extra innings, this World Series quickly became one of the greatest postseason series in baseball history. In 2003, ESPN selected this championship as the "Greatest of All Time" in their "World Series 100th Anniversary" countdown. The Series telecast drew an overall national Nielsen rating of 24.0 and a 39 share for CBS; Game 7 drew a 32.2 rating and 49 share.
20th-22nd: ABC airs the four-hour miniseries Dynasty: The Reunion, which continued the story of the 1981-1989 prime time soap opera.
24th: Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry dies at the age of 70. After his death, Star Trek: The Next Generation airs a two-part episode of season five, called "Unification", which features a dedication to Roddenberry.
26th: The New Adventures of Winnie the Pooh is canceled after having been on air since 1988.
29th: Turner Broadcasting System and Apollo Investment Fund purchase the Hanna-Barbera library for $320 million. This led to millions of 90s kids watching Flintstones and Jetsons repeats on TBS.
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