- 41 minutes 14 secondsThe History of Rent | 159
This year marks 30 years since the groundbreaking rock opera Rent opened on Broadway and revolutionized American musical theatre. In this episode of History of the 90s host Kathy Kenzora is joined by Rent's longtime musical director Tim Weil to trace Jonathon Larson’s long journey to create a musical that celebrated the lives of marginalized young artists in New York's East Village.
Guest Info:
Tim Weil, musician, composer and musical director. His new book is called "Making Rent, The Story Behind the Musical that Changed Broadway"
Show info:
Instagram: @that90spodcast
Email: [email protected]
Substack: @historyofthe90s
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
24 June 2026, 4:05 am - 27 minutes 40 secondsThe History of the Sneakerhead Bible | 158
The 1990s is considered by many to be the golden age of sneaker culture and there was one catalogue sneakerheads could not get enough of. The Eastbay Catalogue was a portal into an exclusive community no matter where you lived in the world. In this episode of History of the 90s host Kathy Kenzora talks to the founders of the mail order publication that is remembered as the sneakerhead bible.
Guest info:
Rick Gering and Art Juedes cowrote The Book of Eastbay with Brandon Sneed
Show info:
Instagram: @that90spodcast
Email: [email protected]
Substack: @historyofthe90s
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
10 June 2026, 4:01 am - 43 minutes 40 secondsPresenting: American Criminal
Presenting an episode of American Criminal, a podcast that takes a deep dive into the stories of America’s most fascinating, devious and shocking criminals. The show is currently running a special five part season on Eric Rudolph. He’s the guy who planted a bomb at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics and you may not know this but he also bombed an abortion clinic and a couple of gay bars before hiding out in the Appalachian wilderness for five years.
In this episode host Jeremy Schwartz looks back at Rudolph’s early days to try to understand how he became a bigoted anti-government extremist.
You can listen to the whole series as well as many other great episodes of American Criminal wherever you stream podcasts.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
1 June 2026, 4:00 am - 31 minutes 18 secondsThe History of the Port Arthur Massacre | 157
In April 1996, a gunman killed 35 people in what was and still is Australia's worst mass shooting. The attack by Martin Bryant devasted the nation and inspired the government to quickly enact tough new gun laws that have been a model for other countries ever since.
Guest info:
Claire Braund, in 1996 she was a reporter for The Examiner Newspaper in Tasmania. Today she is the Executive Director of Women on Boards, an organization she co-founded in 2006
Show info:
Instagram: @that90spodcast
Email: [email protected]
Substack: @historyofthe90s
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
27 May 2026, 4:00 am - 40 minutes 40 secondsThe History of Backstreet Boys and NSYNC | Revisited @ 30
This year marks 30 years since Backstreet Boys released their debut album and kicked off the '90s boy band craze. In this episode of History of the 90s, originally broadcast in 2020, we look back at the rise of boy bands, from screaming fans and synchronized dance moves to the fierce rivalry between Backstreet Boys and *NSYNC.
Documentaries referenced in this episode:
Backstreet Boys: Show ‘Em What You’re Made Of (2015)
The Boy Band Con: The Lou Pearlman Story (2019)
Guest info:
Maria Sherman, author of Larger Than Life: A History of Boy Bands from NKOTB to BTS
Show info:
Instagram: @that90spodcast
Email: [email protected]
Substack: @historyofthe90s
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
13 May 2026, 4:00 am - 36 minutes 42 secondsThank Goodness It's Funny | 156
If you were a kid, a young teen or even a parent in the early 1990s there’s a pretty good chance you spent most Friday nights sitting in front of the TV watching a two-hour block of programing that included some of the most iconic family friendly comedies of the era.
In this episode of History of the 90s, host Kathy Kenzora looks back at ABC’s blockbuster Friday night line up. From Full House and Family Matters to Dinosaurs and Sabrina the Teenage Witch -- this is the story of TGIF.
Show Info:
Instagram: @that90spodcast
Email: [email protected]
Tik Tok: 90spodcast
Substack: @historyofthe90sW
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
4 May 2026, 4:01 am - 38 minutes 27 secondsThe Cuban Rafter Crisis and the Fight for Elian Gonzalez | 155
In November 1999, a 5-year-old Cuban boy was found clinging to an innertube in the waters off the coast of Florida after surviving a tragic boat journey that took the life of his mother and ten others.
Elian Gonzalez and his mother were among tens of thousands of people who attempted to escape Cuba on small rafts and boats during the 1990s.
In this episode of History of the 90s we look back at the Cuban Rafter Crisis and the international custody battle over Elian Gonzalez.
Guest Info:
Lillian Guerra, Professor of Cuban and Caribbean History at the University of Florida
Show Info:
Instagram: @that90spodcast
Email: [email protected]
Tik Tok: 90spodcast
Substack: @historyofthe90s
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
15 April 2026, 4:00 am - 46 minutes 41 secondsThe Long Hunt for the Unabomber | Revisited @ 30
It’s been 30 years since FBI agents finally captured the man who mailed more than 16 bombs to unsuspecting victims in the US, killing 3 and injuring 23 others. For two decades officials searched for the elusive terrorist known as the Unabomber. His victims appeared random, his motives unclear and the only sighting of him resulted in a nowfamous composite drawing of a man in a hoodie with aviator sunglasses.
In this episode, originally broadcast in 2021, we explore the investigation and capture of Ted Kazinski.
This is The Long Hunt for the Unabomber.
Show Info:
Instagram: @that90spodcast
Email: [email protected]
Tik Tok: 90spodcast
Substack: @historyofthe90s
GUEST INFO:
Max Noel, retired FBI Special Agent
Terry Turchie, retired FBI Special Agent and former Deputy Assistant Director of the FBI Counterterrorism Division
They co-authored with their colleague Jim Freeman;
Unabomber: How the FBI Broke Its Own Rules to Capture the Terrorist Ted Kaczynski
Capturing The Unabomber: The FBI Insiders' Story
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
1 April 2026, 4:00 am - 34 minutes 37 secondsPhish and the 90s Jam Band Explosion | 154
In the 1990s there was a new wave of improvisational rock groups known as jam bands.
By far the biggest was the genre defying foursome Phish from Burlington, Vermont.
In this episode of History of the 90s we look back at their rise from college band to a touring sensation capable of attracting tens of thousands of obsessed fans to far flung locations.
This is the story of Phish and the 90s jam band explosion.
Guest Info:
Brian Weinstein: Host of the podcast Attendance Bias which invites Phish fans to talk about the band’s most memorable concerts.
www.attendancebias.buzzsprout.com
Mike Ayers: Journalist and author of Sharing in the Groove: The Untold Story of the 90s Jam Band Explosion and the Scene that followed.
Show Info:
Instagram: @that90spodcast
Email: [email protected]
Tik Tok: 90spodcast
Substack: @historyofthe90s
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
18 March 2026, 4:00 am - 34 minutes 9 secondsThe Testimony of Anita Hill | 153
In July 1991 President George HW Bush nominated Clarence Thomas to the US Supreme Court. Initial reaction to the nomination suggested there would be a contentious Senate confirmation battle that would probe Thomas’s conservative views on issues such as abortion and affirmative action. But there was no real concern that Bush’s pick might not be approved. That is until one woman’s testimony threatened to derail the entire process.
In this episode of History of the 90s we look back at the moment when the little know concept of workplace sexual harassment was catapulted into public consciousness. This is the testimony of Anita Hill.
Guest Info:
Rev. Dr. Traci C. West; Professor of Christian Ethics and African American Studies at Drew University Theological School in Madison, NJ
Show Info:
Instagram: @that90spodcast
Email: [email protected]
Tik Tok: 90spodcast
Substack: @historyofthe90s
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
4 March 2026, 5:00 am - 35 minutes 11 secondsRoss Rebagliati and Snowboarding | Revisited
Snowboarding exploded in popularity during the 1990s, but its road to legitimacy was anything but smooth. On this episode of History of the 90s, Kathy Kenzora traces the rebellious roots of snowboarding, from outlaw status at ski hills to its mainstream breakthrough and eventual Olympic debut. Joining the show is Canadian snowboarder Ross Rebagliati, who made history at the 1998 Nagano Games by winning the very first Olympic gold medal in the sport. Together they trace snowboarding’s wild early days, the cultural clashes with the skiing establishment, and what it was like to stand at the center of a sport redefining winter athletics. It’s a deep dive into how the 90s helped turn snowboarding from counterculture to global phenomenon.
Guest info:
Ross Rebagliati
Instagram: @rossrebagliati98
Show Info:
Instagram: @that90spodcast
Email: [email protected]
Tik Tok: 90spodcast
Substack: @historyofthe90s
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
18 February 2026, 5:00 am - More Episodes? Get the App