THE '90S

The Computer Error That Led to a Country Declaring War on Pepsi

Instead of two people each winning a grand prize of $40,000 in the company's 1992 giveaway, more than 800,000 people held a winning bottle cap. That's when things got ugly.

Photo illustration by Mental Floss. Images: Amazon (Caboodles), iStock (background).

13 Facts About Caboodles Makeup Organizers

Caboodles—those vintage organizers you loved as a teen—are back in stores. Here's what you should know.

21 Far Out Facts About Dazed and Confused

Richard Linklater's ode to the 1970s arrived in theaters 25 years ago ... and quickly flopped at the box office.

25 Surprising Facts About Boy Meets World

On September 24, 1993, television audiences were introduced to Cory Matthews (Ben Savage) and his lovable group of friends, family members, and one very important teacher when 'Boy Meets World' made its premiere on ABC.

Ad Astra: The Time Earth Almost Got a Space Billboard

In the 1980s and well into the 1990s, everything associated with Arnold Schwarzenegger was big. Big biceps (22 inches during his bodybuilding heyday).

15 Slam-Dunk Facts About Space Jam

Nearly 20 years after the sports comedy opened at the top of the U.S. box office, it’s still scoring points with fans.

Antisocial Media: The Rise and Fall of Friendster

When software engineer Jonathan Abrams arrived in Silicon Valley in 1996, the internet was known for three things: vast amounts of information, pornography, and anonymity.

David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson star in 'The X-Files.'

22 Truths About 'The X-Files'

Is the truth really out there? 'The X-Files' began its original nine-season run on September 10, 1993.

8 Movies That Almost Starred Keanu Reeves

Instead of Oscar nods, Keanu Reeves, whose first name means “cool breeze over the mountains” in Hawaiian, has a handful of Razzie nominations.

10 Still-Unsolved Mysteries From Unsolved Mysteries

Decades after these segments aired, the producers behind the show are still wondering what happened.

Too Sexy to Last: The Right Said Fred Story

Guy Holmes popped the tape into the cassette player in his car and waited. The British record promoter was eager to hear new acts, but knew that the majority of them weren’t going to be good or unique enough to cut through the noise of the worldwide music

10 Facts About Steve Martin

By most accounts, Steve Martin—your favorite wild and crazy guy—is neither wild nor crazy. (Sorry.)

Bottle Service: How Snapple Took Over the 1990s

The popular fruit-flavored beverage won over millions of consumers with its idiosyncratic advertising in the '90s. Then Howard Stern happened.

Kathy Najimy, Bette Midler, and Sarah Jessica Parker in 'Hocus Pocus' (1993).

11 Facts About 'Hocus Pocus'

For many Millennials, 'Hocus Pocus' is a Halloween classic. Celebrate spooky season with these 11 facts about the beloved Disney Halloween movie.

11 Surprising Facts About In the Line of Fire

Directed by Wolfgang Petersen, the film starred John Malkovich, Renee Russo, and Clint Eastwood as a longtime Secret Service agent still harboring guilt about not being able to protect JFK—and ready to make sure another presidential assassination doesn’t

11 Movies That Could Have Starred Tom Cruise

Whether you’re a fan of his films or not, there’s no denying that Tom Cruise is the epitome of a Hollywood movie star.

When the FBI Investigated the 'Murder' of Nine Inch Nails's Trent Reznor

The two people standing over the body, Michigan State Police detective Paul Wood told the Hard Copy cameras, “had a distinctive-type uniform on.

Fizzled Out: Why Coca-Cola Purposely Designed a Soft Drink to Fail

The company's Tab Clear wasn't supposed to compete with Crystal Pepsi in 1993. It was supposed to destroy them both.

14 Freaky Facts About R.L. Stine's Fear Street Books

R.L. Stine’s Fear Street novels terrified teens in the late 1980s and early '90s. Now, the Fear Street books are heading to Netflix in a three-film trilogy. Here's what you should know about the books.

10 Fun Facts About Can’t Hardly Wait

Ethan Embry doesn't know, or care, what his character's letter said in the classic teen rom-com—which is turning 20 years old.

When Susan Powter Tried to Stop the Diet Insanity

"If you can't pronounce it," the wellness guru told her followers, "don't eat it." Then she just disappeared.

15 Fabulous Facts About 'Sex and the City'

In 1998, 'Sex and the City' premiered on HBO and instantly pushed cosmos, Post-it note break-ups, and Mr. Big into the cultural lexicon.

The Unkindest Cut: A Short History of the Mullet

Although it doesn’t have quite the same archaeological provenance as hieroglyphs or dinosaur bones, historians believe there’s ample evidence to suggest that the mullet has been around for centuries. And it's gaining popularity once again.

30 Things You Might Not Know About Cheers

What you don’t know about the place where everybody knows your name, which called "closing time" for the last time 25 years ago.

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