Hey there! I’m John Green, and welcome to Mental Floss on YouTube. Today, we’re celebrating 21 things that turned 21 this year. Let’s dive into some cool stuff from 1993!
The Backstreet Boys, one of the most famous boy bands, formed in 1993. They almost signed with Mercury Records, but John Mellencamp, a big artist at the time, didn’t want them on the same label. Ah, the ’90s!
Ice Cube’s hit song “It Was a Good Day” also turned 21. A comedian named Donovan Strain figured out that Ice Cube’s good day was likely January 20, 1992, based on clues from the song.
“Bill Nye the Science Guy” first aired in 1993. In the pilot episode, Bill wore a regular tie, but he switched to his famous bowtie because it doesn’t fall into your soup. Smart choice!
“The X-Files” debuted in 1993 too. Gillian Anderson, who played Scully, almost lost her role because she got pregnant. But the show’s creator, Chris Carter, wrote a storyline about her character being abducted by aliens to keep her on the show.
1993 was a big year for late-night TV. David Letterman moved to CBS to start “The Late Show with David Letterman,” and “The Jon Stewart Show” premiered on MTV.
“Jurassic Park” amazed audiences with its CGI dinosaurs, winning an Oscar for Best Visual Effects. It was a groundbreaking moment in movie history.
The Internet Movie Database (IMDb) launched in 1993, becoming the go-to site for movie info. It’s still a fantastic resource today.
In 1993, the White House got email! You could email President Bill Clinton at [email protected]. The White House website came a year later.
The first issue of Wired Magazine came out in 1993, keeping up with tech innovations like IMDb and email. It was a big year for technology!
Some iconic video games were released in 1993, like “Doom” and “Myst.” “Doom” popularized first-person shooters, while “Myst” became a best-selling PC game.
“Magic: The Gathering,” the first modern trading card game, debuted in 1993. It paved the way for other games like “Yu-Gi-Oh!” and “Pokémon.”
In 1993, a food safety scare happened when over 600 people got sick from E. coli at Jack in the Box. This led to stricter cooking guidelines for hamburgers.
1993 was a big year for comics. “The Uncanny X-Men” hit issue 300, and Neil Gaiman’s “The Sandman” was a hit. The first full Catwoman series also debuted.
“Take Our Daughters to Work Day” started in 1993 and later became “Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work Day.”
Beanie Babies, those cute plush toys, were first released in 1993. They became a huge collectible craze!
Several books released in 1993 became movies, like “Trainspotting,” “The Virgin Suicides,” and “Girl, Interrupted.”
Howard Stern’s book “Private Parts” came out in 1993. He also ran for governor of New York but later withdrew.
The famous “Got Milk?” ads started in 1993, featuring celebrities like Neve Campbell and Jonathan Taylor Thomas.
Coca-Cola launched its “Always Coca-Cola” campaign in 1993, introducing animated polar bears in their commercials.
In 1993, Ryan Gosling, Justin Timberlake, Britney Spears, and Christina Aguilera appeared on the all-new “Mickey Mouse Club.”
On June 7, 1993, musician Prince changed his name to a symbol. It was a unique and mysterious move!
Thanks for joining us on this trip down memory lane. Remember, don’t forget to be awesome!
Imagine you are living in 1993. Create a time capsule that includes items or symbols representing the key events and pop culture from that year. Think about what you would include to represent the Backstreet Boys, “Jurassic Park,” and the “Got Milk?” campaign. Share your time capsule with the class and explain why you chose each item.
Listen to Ice Cube’s “It Was a Good Day” and analyze the lyrics. Discuss the clues that led Donovan Strain to determine the specific date of Ice Cube’s good day. Write a short paragraph about how music can reflect the culture and events of its time.
Write a short script for a science show inspired by “Bill Nye the Science Guy.” Choose a scientific concept from 1993, such as the technology behind CGI in “Jurassic Park,” and explain it in a fun and engaging way. Perform your script for the class.
Participate in a class debate about the impact of technological advancements in 1993, such as the launch of IMDb and the introduction of email at the White House. Discuss how these innovations have shaped the way we access information today.
Create a comic book cover for a story set in 1993. Use inspiration from the comic book milestones of that year, like “The Uncanny X-Men” or “The Sandman.” Include elements that reflect the style and themes of the early ’90s. Present your cover to the class and describe your creative choices.
Sure! Here’s a sanitized version of the YouTube transcript:
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Hi, I’m John Green. Welcome to Mental Floss on YouTube! We’d like to wish a very happy belated birthday to the Backstreet Boys, who turned 21 years old in April. BSB formed in 1993 and almost got signed by Mercury Records that year, but John Mellencamp threatened to leave the label if they signed a boy band. Ah, the ’90s!
That’s the first of 21 things that turned 21 this year that we’re going to celebrate today. The song “It Was a Good Day” by Ice Cube turned 21 in 2014. Fun fact: in 2012, stand-up comedian Donovan Strain examined the song’s lyrics to find out when Ice Cube’s good day occurred. According to him, the only day where YTVWS was on the air, it was a clear and smogless day, beepers were commercially sold, the Lakers beat the Supersonics, and Ice Cube had no events to attend was January 20, 1992, about a year before the song was released.
“Bill Nye the Science Guy” first aired on PBS in 1993, and in the pilot, he wore a regular tie instead of his trademark bowtie. He eventually decided to wear bowties because, in his words, they do not slip into your soup, making them very practical.
Another show that debuted in 1993 was “The X-Files.” Gillian Anderson almost didn’t keep her job for the full nine seasons because she got pregnant at the beginning of season 2, and Fox executives wanted to replace her. However, the show’s creator, Chris Carter, refused to let that happen and wrote a storyline that involved Scully getting abducted by aliens to work around her pregnancy.
1993 was a big year for late-night talk shows too. David Letterman moved from NBC to CBS, starting “The Late Show with David Letterman.” The Jon Stewart Show also premiered on MTV that same year. In 1995, Stewart would announce his show’s cancellation on “The Late Show with David Letterman.”
Jurassic Park’s CGI dinosaurs were a significant deal in 1993, winning the Oscar for Best Visual Effects. The New York Times critic Janet Maslin called it a true movie milestone, presenting awe-inspiring sights never before seen on screen.
Speaking of technology, IMDb, the Internet Movie Database, debuted in 1993. There wasn’t much on the internet at that point, so IMDb was by far the best movie website and remains a helpful resource today.
In 1993, the White House got email, and you could reach Bill Clinton at [email protected]. The White House website didn’t launch until 1994, which means I had a website before the White House did!
The first issue of Wired Magazine debuted in January 1993 at the Macworld Conference, presumably to keep up with innovations like IMDb and Bill Clinton getting email. Some hot CD-ROMs like “Doom” and “Myst” were released that year. “Doom” is credited with popularizing the first-person shooter genre, while “Myst” became the best-selling PC game for a long time.
Another game that turned 21 in 2014 was “Magic: The Gathering,” the first modern trading card game that influenced other popular games in the ’90s like “Yu-Gi-Oh!” and “Pokémon.”
In 1993, a fast-food tragedy occurred when more than 600 people became sick after eating at Jack in the Box due to E. coli bacteria from undercooked hamburger meat. Since then, the FDA has raised the recommended cooking temperature for hamburgers.
1993 was also a significant year for comic book sales. “The Uncanny X-Men” hit issue 300, and Neil Gaiman was creating hits like “The Sandman.” The first full Catwoman series debuted that year.
“Take Our Daughters to Work Day” started in 1993, now known as “Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work Day.” Beanie Babies also turned 21 this year, with the original nine released in 1993.
1993 was a good year for books, especially those that later became movies. “Trainspotting” came out and became a hit film three years later. “The Virgin Suicides” and “Girl, Interrupted” were also released, both made into movies six years later.
Howard Stern’s bestseller “Private Parts” was released in 1993, coinciding with his run for governor of New York as a Libertarian. He ended up withdrawing, but George, who won, signed the Howard Stern bill, allowing only night construction on Long Island and New York City state roads.
The California Milk Processor Board started its “Got Milk?” ads in 1993, with the first commercial directed by Michael Bay. Later print ads featured ’90s celebrities like Neve Campbell and Jonathan Taylor Thomas.
Coca-Cola started its “Always Coca-Cola” campaign the same year, introducing computer-animated polar bears.
In 1993, Ryan Gosling, Justin Timberlake, Britney Spears, and Christina Aguilera all started appearing on the all-new “Mickey Mouse Club.”
Finally, on June 7, 1993, the musician Prince changed his name to a symbol. Happy 21st birthday to Prince’s symbol! The press release stated it is an unpronounceable symbol whose meaning has not been identified.
Thanks for watching Mental Floss here on YouTube, which is made with the help of all these nice people. And as we say in my hometown, don’t forget to be awesome!
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[Applause] [Music] [Music]
Backstreet Boys – A popular American boy band formed in the 1990s known for their harmonious pop music. – The Backstreet Boys were one of the most successful music groups of the late 20th century, captivating audiences with their catchy tunes and synchronized dance moves.
Ice Cube – An influential American rapper, actor, and filmmaker who emerged in the late 1980s as a member of the group N.W.A. – Ice Cube’s powerful lyrics and storytelling have made him a significant figure in the history of hip-hop music.
Music – An art form and cultural activity whose medium is sound, often organized in time to produce harmony and expression. – Throughout history, music has played a crucial role in cultural and social movements, bringing people together and inspiring change.
History – The study of past events, particularly in human affairs, often recorded in written documents and artifacts. – Learning about history helps us understand how past societies have shaped the world we live in today.
Dinosaurs – A diverse group of reptiles that were the dominant terrestrial vertebrates for over 160 million years, until their extinction about 65 million years ago. – The discovery of dinosaur fossils has provided scientists with valuable insights into the Earth’s prehistoric past.
Comics – A medium used to express ideas through images, often combined with text or other visual information, typically in the form of a sequence of panels. – Comics have been a popular form of entertainment and storytelling, influencing both literature and visual arts throughout history.
Movies – A form of visual storytelling that uses moving images and sound to convey a narrative or message, often shown in theaters or on television. – Movies have evolved significantly since their inception, becoming a powerful medium for both entertainment and education.
Technology – The application of scientific knowledge for practical purposes, especially in industry, leading to advancements in tools, machines, and systems. – The rapid development of technology has transformed how we communicate, work, and live, impacting every aspect of modern society.
Email – A method of exchanging digital messages over the internet, allowing people to communicate quickly and efficiently across long distances. – The invention of email revolutionized communication, making it easier for people to stay connected with friends and family around the world.
Prince – A renowned American singer, songwriter, and musician known for his eclectic work, flamboyant stage presence, and wide vocal range. – Prince’s innovative music and unique style left a lasting impact on the music industry, influencing countless artists across various genres.
