Last night I hosted a 90s party in celebration of three-night miniseries The ’90s: The Last Great Decade? premiering this Sunday, July 6 at 9 p.m. ET/PT on the National Geographic Channel. Our friends at the network sent us an advanced copy and some fun 90s merchandise (gushers anyone?) and I invited the ladies over and hosted a viewing party (dressing up 90s style was mandatory).
Volume 1, Great Expectations, which debuts the first night covers the early 90s everything from celebrity, entertainment, to politics. It was an era when news and entertainment merged. We were reminded in Arnold Schwarzenegger’s role in bringing the Hummer to the mass market and was the first to buy one. Considering it got 9 miles to the gallon he converted it to run on vegetable oil!
Then there’s Vanilla Ice and Madonna’s relationship — remember that? His single, Ice Ice Baby reaches #1 for 16weeks, David Bowie sues him for ripping him off (and they settle in court), Madonna releases a sex book and that’s the beginning of the end for that relationship.
And the 90s was an interesting time in racision. Fresh Prince of Bel Air debuted in the 90s and Will Smith was so lovable, as were all the characters and in so many ways that show really “dropped the wall.” And during their 6 year run, you had Boyz n the Hood come out where Spike Lee addressed the discrimination and LAPD’s carte blanche. Which was further proven and shown to the world with the insane police brutality with Rodney King. And when the not guilty plea came in, people went to the streets and protested and the LA Riots broke out.
The 90s also brought Thelma and Louise, which Susan Sarandon comments on during the mini-series. John Wayne who’s girlfriend cuts off his manhood only for him to get it reconstructed and start his porn star career. We saw the ‘rise of the bimbo’ when Vickie Lynn Hogan aka Anna Nicole Smith when she married J. Howard Marshall, enhanced her figure and lands herself a Playboy Centerfold and becomes Playmate of the Year and crowning her title as a 90s icon. She was one of the first women to be famous for being famous.
We recount the Bill Clinton years, from his affairs to his appearance on the Arsenio Hall Show where he cracks some inhale jokes regarding his saxophone and booms in popularity as the show helped him to further his stake and the peoples choice.
The World Wide Web and Microsoft boom, resulting in 21,000 millionaires to come out of Microsoft alone. We hear from the King and Queen of grunge, Cortney Love and Kurt Cobain as Nirvana takes it’s place as the voice of Generation X.
Everyone gets hooked on the Jeffrey Dahmer trial, and our fascination with Cannibalism and serial killers is only enhanced with the debut of Silence of the Lamb.
I should also note that Rozanne steals the show for me. Rob Lowe narrates the whole series (but we don’t get to see his handsome face!) And I’m only scratching the surface of volume 1… Volume 2 we talk cults, X Files, Tonya Harding, Jerry Springer, Tupac, and so much more. If you love the 90s, this is a fascinating series filled with interesting facts and characters that shaped the decade. Host your own party this weekend and watch it!
{Showing off our 90s style! Mini backpacks, flannel, Alanis Morissette t-shits — does it get any better then this?}
Check out the three-night miniseries The ’90s: The Last Great Decade? premiering this Sunday, July 6 at 9 p.m. ET/PT on the National Geographic Channel.