March 7, 1999
You Must Remember This. Never Mind. With the end of
the century
-- nay, the millennium -- upon us, Americans are engaged in a
frenzy of stockpiling canned goods, envisioning
doomsday
scenarios and making lists. Lots
of lists. The top 100 films. The top 100 books. And
last week --
courtesy of the Freedom Forum's
Newseum in Arlington, Va. -- the top 100 news stories
of the
century.
Here's another list to add to the lists: the 100 least
significant news stories of the century.
-- By LYNN HARRIS and J.D. HEIMAN
1. Millennium-mania. 1999.
2. James Cameron declares himself "King of the World."
1998.
3. Birth of Celine Dion. 1968.
4. Ginger Spice leaves Spice Girls. 1998.
5. Warren G. Harding signs treaty ending World War I
(years after
fighting stopped). 1921.
6. John Cougar changes name to John Cougar Mellencamp.
1983.
7. Last episode of Seinfeld. 1998.
8. Turkey Trot condemned by parents, religious groups
and
National Association of Masters of
Dance as lewd and graceless. 1910.
9. LeRoy Neiman's "Olympics" period. 1972.
10. New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani declares war
on
jaywalking. 1998.
11. Cabbage Patch crisis. 1983.
12. Yakov Smirnoff immigrates to America. 1978.
13. Dr. John Gray traces origin of human beings to
Mars and
Venus. 1992.
14. Guinness Book of Records declares Marilyn vos
Savant the
"smartest woman in the world."
1986.
15. Dennis Rodman changes hair color. 1996.
16. Barbara Cartland publishes first novel. 1923.
17. World War I temporarily disrupts international
kewpie doll
trade. 1914.
18. Cancellation of "After M.A.S.H." 1985.
19. "The Beanie Baby Handbook" hits The New York Times
best-seller list. 1998.
20. Luke Perry rejoins cast of "Beverly Hills 90210."
1999.
21. Death of Calvin Coolidge. 1933.
22. First Miss America pageant. 1921.
23. New York Herald-Tribune predicts that 3-D will
make 2-D
"flat" films obsolete. 1952.
24. Paul Anka lip-synching scandal on "American
Bandstand." 1957.
25. David Hasselhoff's European pop music career
reaches new
heights with Berlin Wall
performance. 1989.
26. Monorails debut at World's Fair. 1962.
27. Che Guevara T-shirt craze. 1995.
28. Attempts to circumnavigate world in hot air
balloon. Repeated.
29. Breakup of Wham! 1986.
30. The Internet spawns www.eventhekitchen sink.com.
1989.
31. George McGovern wins Massachusetts. 1972.
32. FDR says "the average American family hasn't time
for"
television. 1939.
33. Wiffle Ball. 1955.
34. Folding of Senior Baseball League of retired
players. 1989.
35. The Macarena. 1996.
36. Jack freezes in icy North Atlantic; Rose's heart
goes on. 1998.
37. Publication of "Fundamento de Esperanto." 1905.
38. Dirigibles: the next big thing. 1934.
39. Record-breaking 6,138th Broadway performance of
"Cats." 1997.
40. Third Amy Fisher made-for-TV movie. 1993.
41. Dennis Rodman changes hair color. 1997.
42. Synchronized swimming becomes Olympic event. 1984.
43. President George Bush throws up on Japanese prime
minister.
1991.
44. World War II temporarily disrupts production of
porcelain
pixie Hummel figurines. 1942.
45. Julia Roberts marries Lyle Lovett. 1993.
46. Sharon Stone uncrosses her legs. 1992.
47. MIT student sets goldfish-swallowing record. 1939.
48. Invention of miniature golf. 1927.
49. Secretary of State Alexander Haig "in charge" at
the White
House. 1981.
50. Geraldo Rivera opens Al Capone's vault. 1986.
51. Hillary Rodham Clinton changes hair style. 1992.
52. Linda Tripp image rehabilitation campaign. 1999.
53. Hideki Irabu signs with New York Yankees. 1997.
54. Betamax. 1975.
55. Invention of Kodak Disc camera. 1982.
56. Joyce Maynard moves in with J.D. Salinger. 1972.
57. "Who Shot Bobby Ewing?" 1984.
58. George Clooney launches anti-paparazzi campaign.
1997.
59. President Gerald R. Ford. 1974.
60. Eurodisney. 1992.
61. Founding of National Hacky Sack Association. 1978.
62. Puck kicked out of house on MTV's "Real World."
1994.
63. Susan B. Anthony dollar. 1979.
64. Arena football: inaugural season. 1987.
65. Dick Sargeant replaces Dick York on "Bewitched."
1969.
66. Ron Popeil founds Ronco Teleproducts, maker of the
Inside-the-Eggshell Egg Scrambler. 1969.
67. The great Elvis stamp debate: young or old? 1992.
68. Hillary Clinton changes hair style. 1996.
69. Ginger Spice appointed U.N. goodwill ambassador.
1998.
70. Koo Stark. 1986.
71. Launch of George magazine. 1995.
72. The Roswell incident. 1947.
73. Baseball career of Michael Jordan. 1993.
74. Supermodels enter restaurant business. 1995.
75. Pope John Paul I's reign (Aug. 26, 1978-Sept. 28,
1978).
76. It's official: Pluto is a planet! 1999.
77. Adm. James Stockdale asks, "Who am I?" thus
redefining vice
presidential debating technique.
1992.
78. McDonald's launches the Arch Deluxe. 1996.
79. Television executives clone "Friends." Continuing.
80. Construction begins on Los Angeles subway. 1986.
81. Dennis Rodman marries Carmen Electra. 1998.
82. U.S. forces leave Grenada. 1984.
83. Kellogg-Briand Pact outlawing war. 1928.
84. Reagan administration declares ketchup a
vegetable. 1981.
85. Menudo-mania. 1984.
86. Sigmund Freud declares, "Sometimes a cigar is just
a cigar."
1900.
87. Panda diplomacy. 1972.
88. The Cola Wars. 1982.
89. Garth Brooks begins spring training with San Diego
Padres.
1999.
90. John Glenn returns to space. 1998.
91. Monarchy of House of Windsor. 1910-present.
92. Life found on Mars. 1996.
93. Enver Hoxha vows to put Albania on the map. 1941.
94. Twiggy. 1967.
95. First Tamagotchi to survive in captivity. 1997.
96. Zsa-Zsa Gabor jailed for slapping Beverly Hills
cop. 1990.
97. Kilroy was everywhere. 1941-45.
98. John Cougar Mellencamp drops Cougar. 1991.
99. Jerry Falwell outs Tinky Winky. 1999.
100. Newseum publishes list of top 100 news stories of
the century.
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