Top 10 90s Examples of the Mandela Effect
#10: “I Am So Scared.”
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“The Blair Witch Project” was one of the biggest movies of the 1990s, grossing nearly $250 million and setting the world alight with its stellar marketing campaign. In one of the film’s most famous scenes, a tearful Heather apologizes to the camera for getting the crew lost. Many people remember her saying “I am so scared,” and this line appears in parodies ranging from “Scary Movie” to “The Office.” But this line is never actually uttered in the scene. She says “I am so sorry” and “I’m scared to close my eyes,” but never “I am so scared.” Maybe this is a case of parody superseding reality. Or, just maybe, there’s something more sinister going on…
#9: Guardrails on Rainbow Road
There’s a lot of confusion regarding the guardrail system of Rainbow Road. The final course of “Super Mario Kart” is not only long and colorful, but it’s also very, very confusing. Some people say there are guardrails that prevent players from driving off the track. Others say there’s nothing. So what gives? Well, strap in. There are no rails in the “Super Mario Kart” version, but there are in “Mario Kart 64.” However, it’s still possible to fall off the track at certain areas, as speed or a well-placed jump could launch the driver over the side. This has understandably led to a lot of confusion, as people remember different things from different games. But no, there are no guardrails in “Super Mario Kart.”
#8: Mike Tyson’s Ear Bite
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Mike Tyson fought Evander Holyfield for the WBA heavyweight belt on June 28, 1997. In the third round, Tyson infamously bit a chunk out of Holyfield’s ear. There’s a lot of confusion regarding this event. Some people clearly remember a huge bite and Tyson graphically spitting the piece on the mat. Some people remember no damage at all. Others remember the fight stopping. Others remember the fight continuing. In reality, Tyson bit and spat out the ear, and the fight was briefly delayed. When it continued, Tyson bit Holyfield’s other ear, causing no physical damage. The boxers carried on, but when the second bite was discovered, the fight ended and Tyson was disqualified. It’s understandable how this series of events could get warped in memory.
#7: Judge Judy’s Gavel
A staple of daytime television, “Judge Judy” was on the air between 1996 and 2021. Some people distinctly remember the titular judge using a gavel. This makes sense. Judges often use gavels, and one can often be seen in the show’s promotional material. But when you watch an episode, you’ll see that Judge Judy does not, in fact, use one. She often uses a pen or even her hand as a banging instrument, but there’s no actual gavel. Turns out, this Mandela Effect actually has some basis in reality. Judge Judy did use a gavel back in the ‘90s when the show first started, but she eventually stopped. Perhaps this, combined with promos and other reality court shows, have led to the mistaken belief.
#6: “Hello, Clarice”
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It’s one of the most iconic scenes in movie history. Hannibal Lecter, standing still in his transparent cell, watches Clarice Starling approach. He then greets her with a calm and courteous “Hello, Clarice.” Only, he doesn’t. Not once in “The Silence of the Lambs” does Hannibal say “Hello, Clarice.” He initially greets her with a “Good morning,” and when he calls her at the end, he introduces himself with “Well, Clarice.” However, Jim Carrey says “hello Clarice” while imitating Hannibal in “The Cable Guy,” and Hannibal does in fact say the famous line in his self-titled 2001 sequel.
#5: Pikachu’s Black Tail
“Pokémon” was quite literally everywhere in the late ‘90s. Cards, video games, anime, movies, merchandising - you couldn’t step foot outside without seeing a giant Pikachu somewhere. Which is why so many people are adamant that the Pokémon had a black-tipped tail. But, no, Pikachu has never had black on its tail. There’s a shade of brown near the base of the tail, and the little creature has black-tipped ears. Perhaps either of those have contributed to the famous misconception. But if you look at any official photo or video of Pikachu, you’ll see with clarity that there’s no black on its tail.
#4: Sinbad in “Shazaam”
A lot of these Mandela Effects can be explained through the simple act of misremembering. But this one just straight-up doesn’t exist. Many people on the Internet are absolutely confident that they saw a movie called “Shazaam” that stars the comedian Sinbad. Sinbad himself has addressed the conspiracy theory on social media, claiming that he never filmed such a movie. He once dressed as a genie to host a marathon of Sinbad the Sailor movies, so maybe some people remembered this image and ran with it. They’re also likely confusing “Shazaam” with “Kazaam,” a movie in which Shaquille O’Neal plays a genie.
#3: John Denver’s Plane Crash
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John Denver was an extremely popular musician, with iconic songs like “Take Me Home, Country Roads” and “Thank God I’m a Country Boy” to his name. Denver was also an accomplished pilot and had even built his own aircraft which he flew off the coast of California. Denver tragically died on October 12, 1997 when he crashed his plane into Monterey Bay. However, some people remember Denver crashing into a mountain. This might be a case of mistaken association. Denver was closely associated with the mountainous state of Colorado, and he even has a song called “Rocky Mountain High.”
#2: “Life Is Like a Box of Chocolates”
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It doesn’t get much more recognizable than Forrest Gump sitting on a bus stop and relaying the words of his mother: “Life is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you’re gonna get.” Everyone can hear the line in their head. And everyone is wrong. Forrest never says “Life is like a box of chocolates.” He says “Life was like a box of chocolates.” Yes, it’s only a one-word difference, but it’s a huge deal considering the iconic nature of the line. Luckily, the American Film Institute got it right when they included the line on their 100 Movie Quotes list, so at least the correct version has been immortalized.
#1: The Death of Nelson Mandela
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It’s only fitting that we give the top spot to the man who lent his name to the phenomenon! The Mandela Effect is named after Nelson Mandela, whom many people clearly remember dying in the late ‘80s or early ‘90s. In reality, Mandela lived until 2013, and he even served as the 1st President of South Africa until 1999, long after he supposedly died. It’s hard to say why people remember Mandela perishing in prison. Maybe it’s just the scary nature of prison itself, or maybe it’s because Apartheid ended in the early ‘90s. Either way, the memory of Mandela dying is very, very prominent. It’s also very, very wrong.
