Well, our YesterYear Summer of 2022 has come and gone, Labor Day has passed us by, and it's already September! Where has the time gone? Let's review the Septembers of our past with another new edition of "This Month in YesterYear History!"
In this series, we take a brief look back at the "best" or "top" of popular culture from 20 (2002), 25 (1997), and 30 (1992) years ago!
Cobbling together information from various websites, I've pieced together a little time capsule of what was significant in our lives during those days. Hopefully, as you read these brief synopses from the past, you'll remember the who, when, and where of your memories from that time period.
That's why I post to this site, after all!
So, let's get into those time machines, my friends! We're headed back Twenty, Twenty Five, and Thirty years ago!
POINTS OF REFERENCE
2002: On the 4th, Doris Roberts (Marie Barone from Everybody Loves Raymond) testifies in Congress that age discrimination exists in Hollywood. That same day, Kelly Clarkson is crowned the first American Idol champion. On the 7th, Serena Williams defeats her sister Venus to win her second US Title in tennis. On September 16, "Dr. Phil" debuts on television. September 21st saw the "Farm Aid" concert featuring Willie Nelson, John Mellencamp, Neil Young, and more. On September 23rd, the first public version of the Mozilla Firefox browser is released.
1997: On the 5th, the Baltimore Orioles beat the New York Yankees in the longest 9-inning game in MLB history. The next day, the funeral of Princes Diana was held at Westminster Abbey in London. On the 8th, TV series "Ally McBeal" premiers on Fox, starring Calista Flockhart. On the 10th, Discovery purchased the Travel Channel for $20 million. Mark McGuire joins Babe Ruth on the 10th as the only two players to hit 50 home runs in 2 consecutive years. McGuire would sign with the St. Louis Cardinals on the 16th for $26 million and would hit his 58th home run of 1997 on the 28th. On the 13th, Elton John releases "Candle in the Wind 1997," a tribute to Princess Diana. Also, on September 13, Mother Teresa is laid to rest in India. On the 15th, a domain for a website you may have heard of, Google.com was registered for use. Steve Jobs was named interim CEO of Apple on the 16th.
1992: On the 4th, "Scared Silent," a documentary hosted by Oprah about child abuse, is the first non-news program simulcast on three networks (CBS, NBC, and PBS). Bud Selig is appointed interim Commissioner of Major League Baseball after Faye Vincent resigns. On the 9th, Howard Stern makes his famous appearance at the MTV movie awards as "Fart-Man." Inflation hits the cartoon world on the 10th when in the Peanuts series, Lucy raises her psychiatric help from 5 cents to 47 cents. Ted Weiss wins the New York City Democrat primary for Mayor on the 17th, despite passing away 3 days earlier. On the 23rd, retailer Bradlees purchases the Alexander's Department Stores brand. On September 23, the first female to play in NHL exhibition, Manon Rheaume, played goalie for the Tampa Bay Lightning in an exhibition pre-season game, allowing 2 goals on 9 shots in one period of play.
TOP MOVIES
2002: "Sweet Home Alabama" - This rom-com starring Reese Witherspoon, Josh Lucas, Patrick Dempsey, Fred Ward, and Candace Bergen was the highest grossing film in September of 2002. Eventually earning $181 million on a $31 million budget, this film centers around a fictional town of Pigeon Creek, Alabama where Jake and Melanie grew up together. The pair fall in love as young children but eventually grow apart as Melanie (Witherspoon) moves to New York. The two eventually rekindle their romance, realizing they were meant for one another.
Charlize Theron was originally considered for the role that wound up going to Reese Witherspoon. The film was a commercial success but was met with criticism that the storyline of young lovers growing apart to only fall in love again after many years was heavily used in Hollywood at the time.
1997: "In and Out" - I had actually never seen this movie but, to be honest, the trailer looks fairly funny. This comedy starring Kevin Kline, Tom Selleck, Joan Cusack, Matt Dillon, Debbie Reynolds, Bob Newhart, and Wilford Brimley was inspired by Tom Hank's 1994 Oscar acceptance speech for "Philadelphia." In that speech, Hanks thanks his highschool acting coach and a classmate by name, calling them two of the "finest gay Americans" he's ever had the pleasure of knowing. The film was an attempt by Hollywood at introducing "gay culture" and "gay comedy" to the mainstream, and was widely noted for its 12 second long kiss between Kevin Kline and Tom Selleck.
In "In and Out," Howard Brackett (Kline) is a well-liked English teacher, living in a quiet fictional town in Indiana with his fiance and fellow teacher Emily. The town is filled with anticipation over the nomination of Howard's former student Cameron Drake (Dillon) in the Best Actor category at the Oscars for his portrayal of a gay soldier. Cameron wins the award, and in his speech, thanks Howard, adding "... and he's gay." Howard's family, friends, students, co-workers and fiance Emily are shocked; but that is nothing compared to Howard's own reaction of disbelief and indignation that comedically turns to discovery that he is, in fact, gay.
1992: "The Last of the Mohicans" -This American epic historical drama is set during the 1757 French and Indian War. It was based on the 1826 novel The Last of the Mohicans: A Narrative of 1757 by James Fenimore Cooper and the original 1936 film adaptation. The film stars Daniel Day-Lewis and Madeleine Stowe, with Jodhi May, Russell Means, Wes Studi, Eric Schweig, and Steven Waddington in supporting roles.
Released in the United States on September 25, 1992, The Last of the Mohicans was met with positive reviews and commercial success during its box-office run. It won the Academy Award for Best Sound, the only Oscar won so far by a film directed by Mann. Day-Lewis received his second nomination for the BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role for his performance.
TOP SONGS
2002: "Dilemma" Nelly featuring Kelly Rowland
1997: "Mo Money Mo Problems" by Notorious B.I.G. and Puff Daddy
1992: "End of the Road" by Boyz II Men
TOP TV NEWS
2002: On the 4th, The Price is Right celebrates its 30th anniversary.
On the 14th, we saw the end of Saturday Morning Cartoons as we all knew it. A major upheaval takes place on Saturday mornings as the four major networks change their programming. Fox had sold Fox Kids Worldwide to The Walt Disney Company the previous year, shuts down Fox Kids and sells its airtime to 4Kids Entertainment. Disney ends One Saturday Momrning children's programming and renames the Fox Kids network to ABC Kids. CBS changes it's "Nick, Jr. on CBS" block to "Nick on CBS" and recofucses on 2-11 year olds. NBC signs a contract with Dsicvoery Networks to air Discovery Kids on NBC replacing the teen oriented TNBC (the former home of programs like Saved by the Bell).
1997: On September 1st, Disney Channel converts from its subscription service to basical cable after 14 years. On the 5th, Joan London makes her last appearances on ABC's Good Morning America. On the 6th, 2.7 million viewers tune in to watch the funeral of PRincess Diana. On September 13, ABC revamps its Satuday morning cartoon schedule, adding new series from parent company Disney and rebranding as One Saturday Morning. On the 19th, after several years on ABC's "TGIF" Friday night programming, FAmily Matters and Step by Step switch to CBS to form the "CBS Block Party," also on Friday nights. By the end of the season, both the sitcoms and the programming block were cancelled.
1992: On the 2nd, TBS aired World Championship Wrestling's Clash of the Champions XX (20) from The Center Stage in Atlanta. This was the 20th Clash and also the 20th anniversary of professional wrestling on TBS. Rick Rude, Jake Roberts, Super Invader, and Big Van Vader defeated Sting, Nikita Koloff, and the Steiner Brothers.
NBC cancels all Saturday morning cartoons in favor of four live-action shows on Stepember 12. Saved by the Bell, California Dreams, NBA Inside Stuff, and Name Your Adventure are the first shows under the new TNBC (Teen NBC) banner. Animated programming didn't return to NBC until 2006.
On September 24, the Sci Fi Channel (now known as SyFy) debuts with a broadcast of Star Wars.
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