Brian Griffin DIED WHEN!?!

Script written by Nick Spake This Week in History 2018 December 9-15 It’s time to feel old. Welcome to WatchMojo.com, and today we’ll be opening up our time capsule to tell you what happened this week in history, December 9-15. For this list, we’re scouring our memory banks and the history books to find five interesting stories that’ll make you say, “oh, yeah, that happened.” Be sure to keep an eye on our Community Tab to vote for your favorite memories on upcoming episodes! 22 Years Ago Consumers Stampede Through the Aisles for Tickle Me Elmo December 14th, 1996 Elmo will forever be three-and-a-half, but his insanely popular plush toy is over two decades old. While 90s kids have nothing but fond memories of Tickle Me Elmo, the same can’t be said about their parents. All they remember is going to extreme lengths to get one of these giggling dolls in time for Christmas. Elmo-mania reached its boiling point on December 14, 1996 when a crowd of 300 stormed a Walmart where 48 dolls were on sale, trampling over clerk Robert Waller in the process. In addition to a concussion, Waller’s back, hamstring, jaw, knee, and rib were damaged. People were seeing red in more ways than one that fateful night twenty-two years ago. 5 Years Ago Brian Griffin Lives Again December 15th, 2013 Even if you weren’t watching “Family Guy” anymore in season 12, the death of the Griffin family dog likely reinvigorated your interest, if only for a brief time. Fans were shocked five years ago when Brian died in a car accident and wasn’t resurrected by the episode’s conclusion, instead being replaced with a new dog voiced by Paulie Walnuts. Over the next couple of weeks, people couldn’t go on social media without reading about Brian’s sudden departure, inspiring multiple petitions demanding the character’s return. Of course, as we all know now, Brian came back alive and well two episodes later. For a moment in 2013, though, it appeared doggie had gone the way of Old Yeller. 9 Years Ago Angry Birds Crashes into the App Store December 11th, 2009 You know you’re getting old when a smartphone game is starting to look nostalgic. If you gave someone a red bird, a green pig, and a giant slingshot prior to 2009, not even MacGyver would know how to put them all together. Jaakko Iisalo of Rovio Entertainment stumbled upon an unlikely goldmine with “Angry Birds,” however, which was inspired by “Crush the Castle” and the recent swine flu outbreak. Winning iOS and Maemo users over with its simple yet inventive gameplay, this casual puzzle game evolved into a billion-dollar franchise, inspiring numerous follow-ups, a tidal wave of merchandise, and a feature film that’s getting a sequel in time for the first game’s 10th anniversary. 10 Years Ago “Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)” Hits No. 1 December 13th, 2008 If we showed you a photo of Beyoncé in 2008 vs. a photo of her now, chances are you wouldn’t be able to tell the difference. Queen B looks as if she hasn’t aged a day and the same can be said about her hit song “Single Ladies,” which is astonishingly more than a decade old. Released on October 13, 2008, “Single Ladies” reached the top of the Billboard Hot 100 chart exactly two months later. It’d remain at No. 1 for four non-consecutive weeks, going on to win three Grammy Awards and the VMA for Video of the Year. The video’s black and white cinematography and dance choreography only contributed to its enduring legacy. 9 Years Ago The Search for An American Ninja Warrior Begins December 12th, 2009 When you say the title out loud, “American Ninja Warrior” almost sounds like a satire of a reality competition show. This sports competition series is all too real, however, and is still going strong after nine years. A U.S. version of Japan’s “Sasuke” and a successor to “American Ninja Challenge,” the series started its run on the now-defunct G4 in 2009. Season 1 aired from December 12 to the 19th with Last Ninja Standing Levi Meeuwenberg unable to conquer Stage 3. An American wouldn’t make it past Stage 4 until 2015 when Isaac Caldiero and Geoff Britten both achieved Total Victory. Hopefully it doesn’t take another six years for another competitor to finish the course.