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The Jerry Maguire of today is asking these nostalgia nuggets, ‘Who’s comin’ with me?’

29 Relics From a Time Before the Streaming Wars and A.I. Mania

March 17, 2024

When you hear us old fogies say “simpler times,” it’s probably hard to know if “simpler” meant better or worse than today. That’s perfectly understandable, because we don’t really know either. Maybe you can help us out! Tell us which of these nostalgic nuggets you think made those times better or worse than today. Thanks in advance!

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29

Miss Cleo wasn't Jamaican, named Cleo, or toll-free. 100 EAT TING ME? Unlike her clients, Youree Dell Harris avoided any charges. She died of cancer at 53. CRACKED.COM — Source

28

JTT won the first-ever Kids Choice Lifetime Achievement Award Jonathan Taylor Thomas won the award at age 18, which maaay have been premature. CRACKED.COM — Source

27

Elwood Edwards was the You Got Mail voice. Disappointing. I always imagined he looked like the AIM Buddy icon. CRACKED.COM — Source

26

Skydancers were recalled in 2000. 8.9 million were recalled after about 150 reports of injuries, from eye injuries to facial lacerations to a broken rib. CRACKED.COM — Source

25

Pogs were a rip-off of the Japanese game Menko. Menko's been popular since the 1600s, travelling to Hawaii when Japanese people imigrated in the early 20th century. CRACKED.COM — Source

24

Producers didn't let Aaron Paul audition for the role of Francis. MALC THe IN LM MIDDLE On Malcom in the Middle, Bryan Cranston and Paul could have been coworkers a lot sooner, but they rejected him even though he desperately wanted it. CRACKED.COM — Source

23

Sea-monkeys are actually brine shrimp. THE LIVE Inc. ES Sea-Monkeuse OCEAN-ZOO The World's Only Include Port E TIME JIME Institut Sea-Monkeys Life Parch OCEAN-ZOO The Morid's Only Instant Pits! Commenteed to adidas The species (a cross-bred version of brine shrimp) doesn't exist in nature. They breath through their feet and grow a second eye in maturity. Gross. CRACKED.COM — Source

22

21

Remember when your first shot of alcohol on test-day was... ...SNIFFING YOUR MIMEOGRAPHED COPY? CRACKED.COM — Source

20

In the early 90's, McDonald's began offering baked pies, essentially phasing out ROONDW M® FRIED APPLE PIES, the vastly superior, crispy, oozy, blister your tongue for life version. CRACKED.COM — Source

19

GRAGKED.COM IT was THE child YOU NEVER HAD! — Source

18

Do you recall the halcyon days when one could borrow a game from one's friends to see if it was worth buying? STOP, COLLAB ORATE 3 BROS. CRACKED.COM — Source

17

Hood ornaments. Remember those? Maybe not. Sort of a callback to the figureheads on old wooden ships, you'd find 'em on most of the classier cars. Still around, but way harder to find. Auto manufacturers are too afraid they'll impale pedestrians. CRACKED.COM — Source

16

Seattle became 1993 1994 the 1. 1994 epicenter of new music, thanks 1992 to Grunge. 199 097 1998 1999 1995 1996 1997 1993 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 Seattle bands were getting 96 signed to major labels at the rate 1997 of one a week during April, 1992. 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 NOW YOU KNOW: THE '90s CRACKED.COM — Source

15

In the '90s we 994 1995 15 1992 1993 1994 watched crime dramas 1996 199 199 like 1990 Diagnosis: Murder. 1999 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 will 1000 PART And Jake and the Fatman. 1998 1999 1997 Because there's nothing more 1995 entertaining than formulaic 1993 crime-of-the-week bro dramas. 991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 NOW YOU KNOW: THE '90s CRACKED.COM — Source

14

Freddie Mercury 15 1994 November 1092 died on 100g TOOT 24, 1000 1991.H 1000 He v was LA 45. 199 97 999 1001 1000 1002 1001 1005 ДНА 1592 1993 1950 The cause: AIDS-induced 995 1999 1990 1991 1992 1993 pneumonia. 97 1998 1999 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 NOW YOU KNOW: THE '90s CRACKED.COM — Source

13

1991 was a big 995 11 1994 year for Nickelodeon 993 cartoons. 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 993 1994 1995 1996 1997 It was the 094 debut of their first animated series: Doug, 1994 1995 Rugrats, and Ren & Stimpy. 1993 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 NOW YOU KNOW: THE '90s CRACKED.COM — Source

12

In 1990, Tim 1994 1995 15 1992 1993 1994 Berners-Lee created the first web server. 1999 1997 The قطب adidas حمد NOT JOWN PROPRIETE CERN 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 That 1991 first server made the worldwide web 1990 possible. 1991 991 1999 1993 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 NOW YOU KNOW: THE '90s CRACKED.COM — Source

11

In the '90s, we 198 wore stupidly- 1991 1992 1999 1990 199 oversized jeans. 97 1998 1999 N5 1996 1997 And if you've 1992 202 got 1001 $300, 1997 1995 you can buy them now. 1993 1991 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1999 NOW YOU KNOW: THE '90s CRACKED.COM — Source

10

The '90s were the 095 19 decade the Spice 1993 Girls ruled the 1996 pop 1997 world. 1998 1990 199 1998 1999 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 I AVAIL 1506 They were the most commercially successful British group since the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, 995 and Led Zeppelin. 1998 1999 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 CRACKED.COM NOW YOU KNOW: THE '90s — Source

9

The Human Genome Project was 1990 1991 1992 1998 1999 1990 launched in 19 1990. 1998 1999 996 1997 So was LOVE the Hubble 996 1997 1995 Space Telescope. 1992 1993 1990 1991 199 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 NOW YOU KNOW: THE '90s CRACKED.COM — Source

8

The '90s are 1994 1995 15 1992 1993 1994 sometimes called LAND the 1997 199 Disney the the 992 Renaissance. 1993 1994 1995 1996 1999 1997 in late with the wildly successful It began The Little 1989 Mermaid, 1005 1996 reached its peak in popularity with The Lion King in 1994, and ended in 1999 with Tarzan. 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 NOW YOU KNOW: THE '90s CRACKED.COM — Source

7

If there was one cut that defined the '90s, OF 92 it was 1995 the Rachel. 199 1998 1999 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 One 1092 1993 hairstylist estimates that 7999 1994 1995 1996 1997 40% of her mid-90s clients 1995 1993 wanted that Rachel look. 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 NOW YOU KNOW: THE '90s CRACKED.COM — Source

6

In 1995, Toy Story became the first feature-length 1992 film to be completely 1990 199 997 1998 1999 computer-animated. 995 1996 1997 NS SPALL Nation Its release 1990 ushered 1991 1999 in 1993 a 1994 new 1995 993 era 1992 in visuals, for Hollywood. 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 NOW YOU KNOW: THE '90s CRACKED.COM — Source

5

Beverly Hills, 90210

Beverly Hills 90210 spanned 996 the decade, airing from 1990 - 2000. 1000 1002 1001 1005 1006 10 In one the fell swoop 1997 1998 it the 1990 THAT 1997 1998 1999 pioneered the teen soap 1096 1997 1995 drama and spawned a 1992 1993 small army of copycats. 1991 CRACKED.COM NOW YOU KNOW: THE '90s — Source

4

The first Harry 1991 Potter L book 8 1999 096 published 1990 199 in 1997. 1999 1991 1992 1993 1994 IHHA 1995 1996 1997 1998 J.K. Rowling says she 1996 regrets having different titles in the U.S. vs. worldwide. 1991 NOW YOU KNOW: THE '90s CRACKED.COM — Source

3

In 1999, we were all using the pause trick 199 in 1990 Super 1996 Smash Bros. 98 1999 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 Nintendo + It was 1993 a super-sweet 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 1997 Nintendo 64 move that'd 995 freeze the game in action. NOW YOU KNOW: THE '90s CRACKED.COM — Source

2

Men were 1994 1995 11 1992 1993 1994 bleaching their 1992 1990 hair in 9 the late '90s. for 1999 Bangs 1993 men 1995 were 1996 1997 also 1998 1997 big at that time, either 1994 1995 1993 flipped up or curtained. 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 NOW YOU KNOW: THE '90s CRACKED.COM — Source

1

Space Jam was a spin-off of a Nike Super Bowl commercial. The 1992 ad featuring Michael Jordan and Bugs Bunny was very popular, leading Jordan's agent to take the now famous duo to the big screen. CRACKED.COM — Source

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