TBT

A Cool History of Cookie Puss

The vaguely unsettling ice cream cake helped launch the career of the Beastie Boys.

A Cushy History of Pound Puppies

The tiny faux-fur dogs were "adopted" by millions of kids, thanks to the imagination of a Ford assembly line worker.

Courtesy of Tim Finn // A Real American Book

How Rocky Balboa Nearly Became a Member of G.I. Joe

Opening on May 22, 1985, 'Rambo: First Blood Part II' was a fantasy fever dream of jingoism, Sylvester Stallone’s titular character a monosyllabic redeemer of an America that had failed itself in Vietnam.

The Great Garfield Car Window Toy Craze

The lasagna-snorting cat's car plush led to a burglary spree and humane society protests.

The Weirdly Controversial History of Count Chocula, Franken Berry, and Boo Berry

The General Mills monster cereals have been a hit for decades--aside from Franken Berry doing strange things to a kid's poop.

You've Got Mail: A History of AOL's Free Trial CDs

AOL's free trial CDs may have been a nuisance throughout the '90s, but they paved the way for an internet boom.

Remembering the First Smart Toy: 2-XL

The sassy robot quizzed users with multiple choice questions stored on 8-track cassettes.

Sweat Equity: How Tae Bo Conquered the Fitness World

Billy Blanks wanted to call it Karobics, but the name was already taken.

Out of This World: An Oral History of ALF

He was invited to the White House. He sold $250 million in merchandise. And he nearly caused an actor to have a nervous breakdown on set.

Thbbft! Talking with Bloom County's Berkeley Breathed

The cartoonist revived his popular 1980s strip thanks to a letter from Harper Lee.

Who Was Metroid's Justin Bailey?

The name is the most famous cheat code of the '80s. But was Justin Bailey a real person?

BetaHeads: The Betamax Fanatics of 1970s Ohio

Before rental stores and video streaming, movie lovers daisy-chained 18 Betamax recorders in the ballroom of a Ramada Inn to record 'Love Story.'

Fizzled Out: The New Coke Protests of 1985

Everyone was mad about Coke Classic's disappearance, but only one man spent $100,000 doing something about it.

How Captain Planet Turned Kids Green

If our hero looks like Tom Cruise, it's no coincidence.

Gymnast Kerri Strug is carried off the floor by her coach Bela Karolyi after her routine at the Georgia Dome at the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta, Georgia on July 23, 1996.

When Kerri Strug Made Olympic History In 1996

The Russian women's gymnastics team hadn't been defeated in 48 years. To do it, Kerri Strug had to jump with a torn ankle.

Red vs. Blu: How Sony Won the HD DVD Format Wars

They lost the Betamax battle, but they refused to lose the war.

A Brief History of Members Only Jackets

While there are few unbreakable rules in advertising, most agencies would advise against using images of Adolf Hitler in association with your clothing brand.

Dime After Dime: A Gripping History of Claw Machines

Before they invaded Pizza Hut and Walmart, FBI agents were busy smashing them to bits.

Deeply Absorbing: The ShamWow Story

The cleaning cloths sold for $28. Wholesale price: 50 cents.

A Bear Necessity: The Story of Teddy Ruxpin

Mary Brady was in the aisle of a Toys "R" Us near Miramar, Florida when she felt a sharp, stabbing pain in her leg.

Something Fishy: Big Mouth Billy Bass

Queen Elizabeth, Al Gore, and Tony Soprano all had one.

Michael C. Hall Looks Back on Six Feet Under—15 Years Later

"I had never acted in front of a camera before, but I had watched people who had."

Could You Draw This Turtle?

Even if you couldn't, you could still enroll in an art correspondence school. It worked for Charles Schulz.

The Lost Magic of Zoobilee Zoo

Even though the cast toured libraries, the show never really caught on. Here's why.

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