A tag team consisting of a reality TV star and the former CEO of the world’s largest professional wrestling organization wants to dismantle the Education Department. This unlikely duo’s rise to power began a quarter century ago, when a sea of shlock engulfed America, propelling Linda and Vince McMahon to become billionaires and Donald Trump to announce his first presidential run.
Some critics regard 1999 as the greatest year in cinema history and the birthdate of prestige TV. But the popular taste of the time was low culture. MTV, still very powerful in dictating youth trends, began the new year with Limp Bizkit covering Prince. Jerry Springer and Howard Stern ruled daytime TV and radio airwaves. Porn stars such as Jenna Jameson broke into mainstream entertainment. Girls Gone Wild and Miss Cleo infomercials became inescapable. America’s most popular country musician of all time pretended to be a sex-addicted Australian pop star. The Insane Clown Posse’s latest album reached No. 4 on the Billboard charts, and the duo played Woodstock ‘99. Beanie Babies and defunct internet startups sent collectors and investors into frenzies. And pro wrestling reached a zenith.
To say this entertainment was trashy does not imply that it wasn’t enjoyable or that it shouldn’t have been created. Far from it. These products were popular because people gravitated toward them. To hell with censors, sanctimonious critics, and moral reformers. The media conglomerates peddling trash gave the people what they wanted. “By the 1990s the notion that high culture constituted some sort of superior reality, and that people who made it were superior beings, was pretty much in the toilet,” New Yorker contributor John Seabrook wrote.
The rise of low culture became most prominent with pro wrestling. In 1999, wrestling viewership peaked, with WWE and WCW collectively airing 15 hours of weekly programming that drew some 35 million U.S. viewers. When pro athletes such as Mike Tyson and talk show hosts such as Jay Leno appeared in hyped-up pay-per-views, it was a sign wrestling crossed over. Wrestlers appeared in commercials for Surge, Sprite, 1-800-COLLECT, 1-800-CALL-ATT, Chef Boyardee, Mastercard, Walmart, Little Caesars, Monster Truck Madness, Quaker granola bars, and the Kansas State Lottery. They starred in Mad About You, Baywatch, Arliss, Boy Meets World, That ’70s Show, The Drew Carey Show, Suddenly Susan, Nash Bridges, and Celebrity Deathmatch. A&E, ESPN, and MTV produced wrestling specials. They appeared on Entertainment Weekly, TV Guide, and Playboy covers. Jesse Ventura was sworn in as Minnesota’s governor. WWE became publicly traded, minting the McMahons as billionaires.
When Trump announced his intentions to seek the presidency on Larry King Live in 1999, the distinction between high and low culture collapsed. The Starr Report investigating then-President Bill Clinton’s relationship with Monica Lewinsky was described as “raunchy pornography” by Nebraska Democratic Sen. James Exon, who believed it should not have been disseminated online where children could access it. Chinese authorities tagged the report as illicit.
This collapse was fully evident in the Amy Fisher-Joey Buttafuoco scandal. In 1992, tabloids ran wild when 17-year-old Amy Fisher shot Mary Jo Buttafuoco in the face after having an affair with Mary Jo’s 36-year-old husband Joey. The Fisher-Buttafuoco saga began on Hard Copy and ended in Academy Awards acceptance speeches. Three made-for-TV movies about the affair aired at the same time. The episode inspired American Beauty, which won every major award. Even though 1999 is regarded as one of the greatest years in cinema history, American Beauty won 89 trophies, including Oscars for best picture, director, actor, cinematography, and screenplay. It all showcased America’s predilection for refined trash.
Regarding the popularity of combative TV shows during the late 90s, Jerry Springer security guard and talk show host Steve Wilkos said: “Most shows, let’s face it, they think they are above that. Guess what? What you’re too good for, most people are tuning in and watching.” A similar sentiment flows through politics. The news media and countless educated coastal dwellers thought they were too good for Trump. But most voters felt otherwise.
In 1999, Linda McMahon’s business acumen and Trump’s political sensibilities faced their most public test to date. People gave them a passing grade. We’ve been livin’ la vida loca ever since.
Ross Benes is the author of 1999: The Year Low Culture Conquered America and Kickstarted Our Bizarre Times, from which this article is adapted. The book will be released on April 22 and is available for preorder.