Backwards Compatible

Backwards Compatible #36 - 1999: An Interview With Author Ross Benes

Dan Kemp

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This week on Backwards Compatible, we’re switching things up and stepping outside the pure gaming realm to dive deep into late 90s pop culture with a truly fascinating guest—award-winning author and cultural commentator Ross Benes.

Link to Ross’s latest book can be found here: https://kansaspress.ku.edu/9780700638574/

Ross is an expert at uncovering the hidden threads that connect our cultural obsessions to the bigger picture. You might recognize his name from his books The Sex Effect and Rural Rebellion: How Nebraska Became a Republican Stronghold, or his thought-provoking articles in Esquire, Rolling Stone, and Entertainment Weekly. He’s also been a go-to expert on platforms like Marketplace, Bloomberg TV, and the LA Times for his sharp takes on entertainment and society.

This week, Ross joins us to talk about his latest book, which explores the pop culture of 1999—a year that didn’t just close out the millennium but also shaped the trajectory of entertainment and culture for decades to come. From the kayfabe brilliance of WWE to the Beanie Baby craze that foreshadowed modern obsessions like NFTs, Ross sheds light on why 1999 was more than just a year—it was a cultural pivot point.

We dig into how violent video games like Doom stirred public debate, how fads captured our collective imagination, and how the pop culture of 1999 mirrors the complex cultural and political landscapes we navigate today. Ross argues that these moments are as telling about the human condition as Shakespeare or Beethoven—just with a few more body slams and Tamagotchis.

So, grab your favorite retro snack and join us for a lively and thought-provoking discussion about the nostalgia, symbolism, and relevance of the final year of the 20th century. Welcome to the show, Ross Benes!

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