1997 Timeline of Events

As Blur would say, "Woohoo!" It's 1997.

This year brought us a couple of firsts. The US appointed its first female Secretary of State, Dolly the sheep became the first cloned animal, and golf phenom Tiger Woods climbed to No. 1 faster than any of his predecessors.

Unfortunately, 1997 had a bittersweet symphony of life undertone to it. People contracted Mad Cow disease, the arrival of Hale-Bop prompted the Heaven's Gate cult to commit suicide, and the world mourned the loss of its beloved princess when Diana Spencer is killed in a car crash while trying to flee paparazzi.

Thankfully we had the entertainment industry to cheer us up. TV gave us vampire slayers, a dancing baby and wormhole travel through a ring-shaped device calleda stargate. At the movies we went to our best friend's wedding, discussed what we did last summer, became kings (and queens) of the world, and got our memories wiped by neuralyzers. ... ... ... What was I saying? Oh yeah, we also witnessed the Full Monty as we boogied the nights away.

And here's a piece of 1997 advice. ... If you've got "MmmBob" "Tubthumping" at "3 AM," the "Karma Police" will be coming for you. Also, mo money = mo problems.

HISTORY & POLITICS

• Madeleine Albright is appointed the first ever female Secretary of State in the United States. • Dolly the sheep is introduced to the world as the first fully-cloned complex organism. • An explosion at a nuclear waste facility in Japan injures 35 workers and creates a radioactive cleanup nightmare. • 39 Heaven's Gate cultists are found dead, having committed suicide based upon their belief that the approaching Hale-Bopp comet would transport their spirits to the afterlife. • Tony Blair is elected as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, replacing John Major. • A bridge connecting Canada's province of Prince Edward Island to the mainland is finally opened. It measures 13 kilometers and is dubbed the Confederation Bridge. • Hong Kong is no longer ruled by the United Kingdom as China is given control of the powerful economic center. • Diana Spencer, Princess of Wales, and her boyfriend, Dodi Al-Fayed, is killed in a car accident while fleeing paparazzi in Paris. The subsequent investigation would enthrall millions of people and her death would be mourned the world over. • 121 countries sign a treaty banning the production and use of land mines in an attempt to curb the death and casualty toll exacted by these weapons every year. • The Kyoto Protocol, an environmental agreement meant to combat global warming is negotiated in Japan. • Mad Cow Disease, otherwise known as BSE dominates headlines when it is conclusively shown that it can be transmitted to humans through the consumption of infected beef. > back to top

Madeleine Albright appointed 1st female US Secretary of State. Dolly the sheep is cloned. Princess Di is killed in a car accident while fleeing paparazzi.

MUSIC

• I'll Be Missing You – Puff Daddy and the Family • Candle In The Wind 1997 – Elton John • Don't Speak – No Doubt • Barbie Girl – Aqua • Don't Cry For Me Argentina – Madonna • Mmmbop – Hanson • Foolish Games – Jewel • Honey – Mariah Carey • Da Funk – Daft Punk • Bittersweet Symphony – The Verve • Smack My Bitch Up – The Prodigy • Karma Police – Radiohead • Chemical Brothers – Block Rockin' Beats • Push – Matchbox 20 • Tubthumping – Chumbawumba • Walkin' On The Sun – Smash Mouth • Mo Money Mo Problems – Notorious B.I.G. feat. Mase & Puff Daddy • Feel So Good – Ma$e feat. Kelly Price • 3 A.M. – Matchbox 20 • Superman's Dead – Our Lady Peace • Song 2 – Blur • On & On – Erykah Badu • Sex & Candy – Marcy Playground • Staring At The Sun – U2 • Brick – Ben Folds Five • Step Into A World (Rapture's Delight) – KRS-One

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TELEVISION

	King of the Hill From the creator of Beavis and Butt-Head, this animated family comedy follows the life of Hank Hill and his brood living in Arlen, Texas.
	Buffy the Vampire Slayer Sarah Michelle Gellar plays Buffy, a teenage girl recruited against her will to fight the evil undead in this comedy / drama that would become a pop culture phenomenon.
	Just Shoot Me!David Spade and Laura San Giacomo make the best of their day jobs at a fashion magazine while dealing with the shenanigans of the staff and models.
	Ally McBealA lawyer living in Boston has to handle her anxieties, love life and professional direction. The program incorporates a heavy dose of fantasy into each episode.
	The Simpsons America's favorite dysfunctional family and purveyors of comedy genius routinely own the top ratings of any comedy being broadcast.
	Dharma and Greg This odd couple fight their way through day after day of misunderstandings and the humorous trials of married life.
	The Practice Riding the wave of renewed television interest in the legal profession, The Practice would eventually spin-off the extremely popular Boston Legal program.
	Stargate SG-1 Long-lived science-fiction drama that details the exploits of a group of inter-dimensional travelers protecting the Earth from alien influence.

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MOVIES

	Titanic Starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Kate Winslet and Billy Zane A romance set against the tragedy of one of the world's worst maritime disasters, Titanic would become the highest-grossing film of all time, taking in almost 2 billion dollars.
	Men In Black Starring Tommy Lee Jones, Will Smith and Linda Fiorentino When aliens strike, it's the Men In Black who are called in to clean up the mess and keep things out of the headlines.
	Tomorrow Never Dies Starring Pierce Brosnan, Michelle Yeoh and Teri Hatcher James Bond fights against terrorists in addition to thwarting the plans of a media mogul bent on not just reporting the events of the world but also controlling them.
	Air Force One Starring Harrison Ford, Gary Oldman and Glenn Close The president of the United States sees his personal aircraft hijacked and he must take back control of the plane before everyone on board is murdered.
	As Good As It Gets Starring Jack Nicholson, Helen Hunt and Greg Kinnear In one of the first roles that would acknowledge him becoming a member of film's elder statesmen, Nicholson plays an author who has his world and his mind opened up after befriending a local waitress.
	Liar Liar Starring Jim Carrey, Maura Tierney and Jennifer Tilly Jim Carrey is forced to tell the truth and nothing but the truth when his son makes a birthday wish, complicating both his career as a lawyer and his life with his family.
	The Full Monty Starring Robert Carlyle, William Snape and Mark Addy This surprise comedy hit follows the exploits of a group of male strippers trying to break free from their dead-end lives.
	The Lost World: Jurassic Park Starring Jeff Goldblum, Julianne Moore and Vince VaughnA sequel to the original film about genetically-engineered dinosaurs, The Lost World takes things a step further and unleashes a T. rex in urban San Diego.
	The Fifth Element Starring Bruce Willis, Milla Jovovich and Gary OldmanSprawling sci-fi thriller set in a dystopian future where the very survival of all of mankind is at stake.
	Amistad Starring Morgan Freeman, Anthony Hopkins and Matthew McConaughey Director Steven Spielberg turns his attention to the slave trade of the 1800's in this historical drama.
	Boogie Nights Starring Mark Wahlberg, Julianne Moore, Burt Reynolds, John C. Reilly, Don Cheadle, Heather Graham, William H. Macy and Luis Guzmán  A tale of 70's excess and 80's heartbreak set against the unlikely backdrop of the porn business. An ultimately tragic examination of one man's rise and fall from grace.
	Good Will Hunting Starring Matt Damon, Ben Affleck and Robin Williams Written by Affleck and Damon, this story of a young genius unable to breakaway from his working class roots launched the careers of Affleck and Damon into the ranks of Hollywood royalty.
	I Know What You Did Last Summer Starring Sarah Michelle Gellar, Jennifer Love Hewitt and Freddie Prinze, Jr. When a group of teens accidentally kill a stranger in a car accident, they try to cover up the crime, with terrifying results.
	L.A. Confidential Starring Guy Pearce, Russell Crowe and Kim Basinger A sultry detective story set in 1950's Los Angeles would introduce millions of movie fans to both Pearce and Crowe.
	The Sweet Hereafter Starring Sarah Polley, Ian Holm and Bruce Greenwood A busload of school children are killed in a terrible accident, tearing a small town apart and forcing each resident to deal with their grief in their own unique way.
	Wag The Dog Starring Dustin Hoffman, Robert De Niro and Anne Heche In order to keep the public from focusing on a scandal involving the American president, a movie producer is hired to fake a war and draw media heat away from the real issues of the day.
	The Devil's Advocate Starring Keanu Reeves, Al Pacino and Charlize Theron A young lawyer from Florida is recruited by a big New York City firm, not realizing that his new boss just might be the Devil himself.
	My Best Friend's Wedding Starring Julia Roberts, Cameron Diaz and Dermot Mulroney All is fair in love and war, except it seems when your best friend, whom you never realized you were in love with, decides to get hitched to someone else. This is the delicate scenario faced by Julia Roberts in this romantic comedy.

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SPORTS

• Jeff Gordon wins the NASCAR Winston Cup Championship and the Daytona 500 at the tender age of 26. • The Detroit Red Wings win their first Stanley Cup in 42 years, blowing out the Philadelphia Flyers in a 4 game sweep of the final series. • Tiger Woods wins the Masters Tournament and also achieves the number 1 ranking in professional golf faster than any athlete before him. • Mike Tyson achieves even greater notoriety after he is disqualified during a heavyweight title bought with Evander Holyfield for biting off a portion of his opponent's ear. • The Chicago Bulls do it again, defeating the Utah Jazz to take the NBA title. • The Indy 500 is won by Arie Luyendyk. • The Florida Marlins, a recent expansion team, win the World Series in a 7 game nail biter against the Cleveland Indians. • Jacques Villeneuve takes the Formula 1 driver's championship after a hotly contested final race of the season. • Silver Charm wins the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness Stakes, but Touch Gold prevails in the Belmont Stakes. • Teenage sensation Martina Hingis is the story of the year in women's tennis, winning the Australian and U.S. Opens, as well as at Wimbledon. Pete Sampras is once again the men's Wimbledon champion. • The Green Bay Packers stun the New England Patriots 35 – 21 in Super Bowl XXXI to emerge as the best team in the NFL.

Mike Tyson takes a bite out of Evander Holyfield's ear. Tiger Woods wins his first Masters.