Drew Barrymore on David Letterman, circa 1996

Ok, so the post below had me thinking about the year 1996, which was a really fantastic year pop culture wise.

One of the people that really stands out to me in that era was the lovely Ms. Drew Barrymore, who was really quite adorable back then, and is still is, of course. But she was REALLY adorable in 1996…

Her and Dave sure flirted it up, didn’t they? This came one year after her infamous 1995 appearance where she flashed Dave after climbing onto his desk. I fricking LOVED it and still do.

I bet Dave wanted to hit that, BAD!

The 1995 Drew Barrymore flashing incident:

Mike Meyers was truly in his prime in the classic 1993 film, So I Married an Axe Murder.

There are so many fabulous lines from this flick, but I think the best ones are probably in this three-and-a-half minute clip. All spoken by Mike Meyers as he plays his Scottish father, Stuart.

“If it’s not Scottish, it’s CRAP!” I’m sure you have heard that line before, but my personal favorite is the reference to William’s head.

“Look at the size of that boy’s head. I’m not kiddin’ it’s like an orange on a toothpick . . . that’s a huge noggin’! That’s a virtual planetoid. Has it’s own weather system. I’m not kidding, that boy’s head is like Sputnik. Spherical but quite pointy at parts. Now that was offside, wasn’t it? He’ll be crying himself to sleep tonight, on his huge pillow.”

Awhh, Mike Meyers, bring your old school humor back!

In 1997, Bill Clinton had been elected for his second term as President, 39 Heaven’s Gate cultists commited mass suicide, Gianni Versace was murdered on his doorstep, the comet Hale-Bopp made its closest approach to Earth, and Google was born.

Let’s see what some of our favorite (or not so much) celebs looked like back in the day..

No one was complaining about Tyra Banks’ bod in 1997, that’s for sure. Tyra landed the cover of Sports Illustrated’s Swimsuit Edition.

Pat Boone caused quite a stir at the ‘97 AMA’s in this leather get up. He was promoting his album In a Metal Mood: No More Mr. Nice Guy which consisted of heavy metal songs being converted into lounge tunes.

Ok, forget everything we have said in the past, I think Billy Bob Thornton might actually look better after all that surgery/hair transplants/veneers. He was one ugly looking mofo before..

Remember Kennedy? Yeah, she annoyed the hell out of me too.

Pamela Anderson was still with Tommy Lee in 1997, and at about that time she was designing those ridiculously gigantic hats. A couple months later she would be pregnant with her second son, Dylan. The couple’s sex tape would emerge the following year and soon after they would split.

Jenna Jameson was in the beginning phases of her cosmetic surgeries. She had terrible Barbie doll extensions and hadn’t totally screwed with her face yet. Nowadays she doesn’t even look like the same person. Same old nasty vadge though. Heh.

Kirsten Dunst was only 15-years-old and couldn’t afford a bed frame.

LeAnn Rimes wasn’t a homewrecker yet, but she was pretty damn homely. Homely hippo.

And finally, a gorgeous 31-year-old Salma Hayek, in a great shot taken from a 1997 photoshoot. I threw this one in just because I love the photo. Gorgeous & glam!

From the 1995 self-titled album, it’s Garbage with “I’m Only Happy When it Rains.”

Being that it is fall (in most of the country) and the rainy season is among us, I thought this oldie but goodie was the perfect, gloomy selection. Pour your misery down on me!

I love Shirley Manson and her shift dresses in this video. Shift dresses SO remind me of the mid-90s. Yes, I had a few, and I had the boots to match. Shirley kicks ass. She and Dana Scully made red hair THE color of the 90s.

Enjoy this classic!

I don’t care WHAT the haters say, this performance is the SHIZ!

Limp Bizkit cold kicked it live at the Download Festival in England earlier this year. I just saw this performance on Palladia HDTV and thankfully I recorded it. When I really want to get my angst on, I rock this vid! Hell yeah, rock it, Freddy & Wes!

From the 1999 album, Title of Record, it’s Filter and “Take a Picture”.

This song is not only beautiful and surreal, so is the video. One of my favorite videos of all time.

The band claims the song is about lead singer Richard Patrick, and one particular instance where he got drunk on a plane and stripped all his clothes off. He then fought with the flight attendants. “Awake on my airplane, my skin is bare, my skin is bare…” Heh.

Would have loved to have taken a picture of that. Richard is yummy.

LOVE this video I came across of a 21-year-old Gwen Stefani who is giving an interview as she hot-glues a costume together.

A young, talented girl who had yet to take the world by storm. And how she did! I can’t believe how damn cute she is in this video. She seems so naive yet so hopeful. A cool little cat, no doubt.

Yes, the second Gwen post this week, but whatever, I’m in a Gwen kind of mood.

Rage Against the Machine, still one of the best, hard rocking bands of the 90s.

They were like the Public Enemy of rock. Controversial and political, their songs were powerful and raw.

From the band’s self-titled 1994 album, it’s Rage Against the Machine with ‘Freedom’. The band often closed their shows with this song because it’s ending was so incredibly intense.

Although the band split up in 2000, they reunited a few times (since 2007) to play gigs, but have never written any new material.

When asked if the band planned on releasing a new album in the future, front man Zack de la Rocha said, “We’re going to keep playing shows — we have a couple of big ones happening in front of both conventions. As far as us recording music in the future, I don’t know where we all fit with that. We’ve all embraced each other’s projects and support them, and that’s great.” — Los Angeles Times, August 11, 2008

Check out the band’s official website here.  RATM.com

Saved by the Bell Reunion Photo

The cast of Saved by the Bell has reunited for a photo for the latest People magazine cover. The reunion, which includes cast members Mark-Paul Gosselaar, Tiffani Thiessan, Lark Voorhies, Elizabeth Berkley and Mario Lopez, omits one specific little prick. Dustin Diamond as Screech! YAY! I can’t stand that conceited (for no reason), pompous, jerkoff! They even edited him out of the original Saved by the Bell photo! Genius!

Actually, the reason they left Screech out of the shots is that he is releasing a tell-all book about the cast and his experience on the show. Which YOU KNOW is going to be filled with a bunch of rubbish. This guy will say or do anything for the media’s attention, which he so desperately craves.

To me, he is right up there with good ol’ Piggez Hilton!

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