Today in Nerd History | September 16

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 16th in history. Let’s celebrate these cherished moments that have left an indelible mark on the hearts of fans around the world.

Photo Credit: Play-Doh

Play-Doh

On September 16, 1956, Play-Doh was first introduced and demonstrated at an education convention. Play-Doh is a colorful and soft modeling compound that was originally invented as a wallpaper cleaner, but became a popular toy for children to create various shapes and sculptures.

Nerdy Fact: Play-Doh became famous thanks to Captain Kangaroo, a children’s TV show host. McVicker offered him 2% of the sales if he featured Play-Doh on his show once a week. The deal paid off and Play-Doh became a household name.

Photo Credit: Deadline

“I’m Listening…”

On September 16, 1993, Frasier premiered. This spin-off from Cheers is a sitcom that follows the life of a witty and cultured radio psychiatrist, Dr. Frasier Crane, who moves back to his hometown of Seattle and tries to reconnect with his family and friends while dealing with hilarious situations and misunderstandings.

Nerdy Fact: Frasier won 37 Emmy Awards during its run, breaking the record for the most wins by a scripted series. It also won the Emmy for Outstanding Comedy Series for five consecutive years, a feat that has only been matched by Modern Family.

Photo Credit: The Indian Express

Kingdom Hearts

On September 16, 2002, Kingdom Hearts released. This game combines action, role-playing, and hack and slash elements with characters and worlds from Disney and Final Fantasy, as it follows the story of Sora, a young boy who joins forces with Donald Duck and Goofy to fight against the dark creatures called Heartless.

Nerdy Fact: One of the bonus bosses in the game is Sephiroth, the villain from Final Fantasy VII. He was voiced by Lance Bass, a member of the boy band NSYNC, in the English version.

Photo Credit: Press Start Australia

D’OH!

On September 16, 2003, The Simpsons Hit & Run released. This game combines action-adventure, driving, and comedy elements with characters and locations from The Simpsons TV show, as it follows the Simpson family and their friend Apu who uncover a sinister alien plot involving a mind-controlling soda and a reality TV show.

Nerdy Fact: The game has a secret film called “The 500-Yard Gash” that features Itchy and Scratchy. You can unlock it by collecting all the collector cards in the game.

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