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From Y2K and cable TV to pro wrestling and Jerry Springer, on today’s show we relish in all the lowbrow joys of the year 1999. Host Nate Carlin is in conversation with Ross Benes author of the forthcoming book, 1999: The Year Low Culture Conquered America and Kickstarted Our Bizarre Times. For Benes, low culture is mass produced entertainment that is both frowned upon and popular, epitomized by pro wrestling and its aesthetic called kayfabe.

No matter how you feel about Jerry Springer, Benes argues that his brand of sensational performance is still alive and well in the political performances of Donald Trump. Springer was immensely popular, and in 1999 he beat out Oprah in TV ratings. The choreographed arguments on his show became the template for reality TV and even contemporary politics.

You can’t tell the story of 1999 without talking about the rise of teen culture. This was a time when teens became a very profitable market for brands like Beanie Babies and Pokémon. Benes says that these products were the prequel to NFTs and crypto. 

Ross Benes is the author of 1999: The Year Low Culture Conquered America and Kickstarted our Bizarre Times. He’s written for many publications including Esquire, Rolling Stone, and Entertainment Weekly.

Featured image of Ross Benes, used with permission.

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