Today in Nerd History | September 13

Nerd culture is a vibrant tapestry of events, releases, and milestones that have shaped the entertainment landscape. From iconic movies to groundbreaking games and significant literary contributions, this article takes a trip down memory lane to explore the notable nerd culture events that occurred on September 13th in history. Let’s celebrate these cherished moments that have left an indelible mark on the hearts of fans around the world.

Photo Credit: TV Guide

That’s the Secret Word!

On September 13, 1986, Pee-Wee’s Playhouse premiered. This was a show where a childlike man named Pee-Wee Herman has fun and adventures with his puppet and human friends in his colorful and magical playhouse.

Nerdy Fact: The show was inspired by the 1950s shows that Paul Reubens, the actor who played Pee-wee, watched as a child, such as The Rocky and Bullwinkle Show, The Mickey Mouse Club, Captain Kangaroo, and Howdy Doody.

Photo Credit: The New York Times

It’s Late Night with Conan O’Brien!

On September 13, 1993, Late Night with Conan O’Brien premiered. This show featured the witty and absurd humor of comedian Conan O’Brien, who hosted celebrity interviews, musical performances, and original comedy sketches with the help of his sidekick Andy Richter and his house band The Max Weinberg 7.

Nerdy Fact: In 2006, Conan made a joke about a website that featured amorous manatees. The website did not exist, but Conan’s fans created it and filled it with fan art and videos of manatees in love. The website became a cult phenomenon and Conan featured it on his show several times.

Photo Credit: Jackson Upperco

Cleveland Rocks!

On September 13, 1995, The Drew Carey Show premiered. This show follows the humorous and relatable life of Drew Carey, a department store employee who deals with his quirky friends, his rocky love life, and his eccentric boss in Cleveland, Ohio.

Nerdy Fact: Craig Ferguson, who played Drew’s boss Nigel Wick, had a running gag of insulting people with the last name “Johnson”. This was because he had a personal feud with Don Johnson, who had snubbed him at a party.

Photo Credit: Medium

Eeeeeeeeverybody Loves Raymond

On September 13, 1996, Everybody Loves Raymond premiered. This popular sitcom ran for nine seasons on CBS, starring Ray Romano as a sportswriter who lives with his wife and three kids, and has to deal with his meddling parents and brother who live across the street.

Nerdy Fact: Peter Boyle, who played Ray’s father Frank, was so angry at his audition that he impressed Romano and the show’s creator Philip Rosenthal. He had trouble finding a parking space and went into the wrong building before reaching them.

Photo Credit: Incredible Characters Wiki

Animaniacs

On September 13, 1998, Animaniacs premiered. This animated show features a variety of segments, songs, and jokes, starring the Warner siblings, Yakko, Wakko, and Dot, who are zany cartoon characters that escaped from the Warner Bros. studio lot and cause chaos wherever they go.

Nerdy Fact: Animaniacs was a very successful show that won many awards, including eight Daytime Emmy Awards and a Peabody Award. It also had a large fan base of both kids and adults, who enjoyed the show’s humor, references, and parodies.

Photo Credit: EW.com

Supernatural

On September 13, 2005, Supernatural premiered. This show follows the thrilling and terrifying adventures of two brothers, Sam and Dean Winchester, who hunt down and fight against various monsters, demons, and other supernatural forces that threaten the world.

Nerdy Fact: The character of Castiel, the angel who rescues Dean from Hell in season 4, was inspired by the comic book character John Constantine from Hellblazer. The show’s creator, Eric Kripke, wanted to introduce a character who was a “rogue demon hunter” and a “cynical, sarcastic, and weary” counterpart to the Winchesters. He also wanted to have a character who wore a trench coat, which was a trademark of Constantine. However, he could not use the name or the exact appearance of Constantine due to legal issues, so he created Castiel as an homage to him1. The actor who plays Castiel, Misha Collins, was not aware of this connection until he read the script for his first episode. He later said that he was glad that he did not know, because he might have tried to imitate Constantine’s accent or mannerisms, which would have been a mistake.

Today in Nerd History is produced by Radio Matt & Deidra for Rise & Shine, Nerds, LTN’s official Nerdy Morning News Show.