Original Air Date:
Thursday, April 23, 2009
90s Newsmakers Were Are They Now?:
Welcoming guests that made the headlines that defined the 90s, Oprah showcased a wall of images featuring such stories as the OJ Simpson trial, the Oklahoma City bombing, Elian Gonzalez, Tonya Harding, Lorena Bobbitt, Rodney King and the Menendez brothers.
Tonya Harding 1994:
January 6, 1994 marked the date of the "whack heard around the world" - the day Nancy Kerrigan was hit on the knee with a metal club. Rumors circulated that competitor Tonya Harding was responsible for the injury to the figure skater, but it was later revealed to be the doing of her ex.
The 2 women eventually competed in the Olympic games to an audience of 120 million people worldwide. Nancy will be remembered for winning the silver medal in the games, while Tonya finished in 8th with a scarred reputation. Tonya was later convicted of hindering prosecution and was banned from figure skating for life.
Tonya Harding 2009:
Oprah welcomed Tonya to the show to share how her life has changed in the last 15 years. Tonya expressed that she has worked to put the events behind her and is starting a fresh new life - especially after being on the show.
Oprah explained to Tonya that what the public really wondered 15 years ago was what information she actually knew. Tonya stated that she had no intention for Nancy to not be able to compete and just wanted to be the best and prove herself. Explaining that her ex-husband coordinated the attack with a plan to make money from it, Tonya did not find out any details until days later, and stated that she never learned the entire truth. Tonya expressed that she was raised by an abusive mother and went on to marry an abuser, but that she was done with that and ready to take care of herself.
Since the attack in '94, there has been scandal and a sense of just trying to survive following Tonya Harding. With a sex tape released, drunk driving charges, and an incident involving at attack on a boyfriend, Tonya has also appeared on a celebrity boxing show, tried singing, commentating and even selling autographs. Through all of it, Tonya has tried to stay above a poor reputation and take care of herself.
When asked by Oprah how she felt about what happened to Nancy, Tonya shared that she was hurt and scared for her own safety. The 2 women have been interviewed together where Tonya has apologized.
Tonya shared that she didn't call Nancy to say that she was sorry for what happened because she didn't feel that it was her place. Paying for the incident for the last 15 years, Tonya expressed her readiness to turn her life around.
Tonya took Oprah's cameras to the skating rink where she still enjoys practicing, saying that she becomes a different person on the ice.
With her father passing away soon after she agreed to do the show, Tonya shared that she was a daddy's girl, but had an abusive mother. Regretting every married Jeff Gillooly, Tonya stated that life dealt her ups and downs, but she learned to move on.
Lorena Bobbitt 1993:
In June of 1993, the nation was shocked by the headline of a woman cutting off her husband's penis and throwing it out her car window. At 24, Lorena Bobbitt expressed in her trial that her husband, John Wayne Bobbitt, had come home drunk and attempted to assault her, at which point she cut off his penis and went to drive to work, throwing it out the window. Lorena stated in court that she did not remember committing the act and was driving at 3am, confused by the situation. The penis was soon found and reattached, while Lorena was found non-guilty by reason of insanity.
Lorena Bobbitt 2009:
Going back to her maiden name, Gallo, Lorena sat down with Oprah on the show and shared that she was a young woman in trouble then, experiencing domestic violence. The act she committed that night, she explained, was because of years of abuse and not the isolated events of that evening. Lorena stated that she remembered being awoken that night from her husband jumping on top of her, but after that she remembers being in the car, driving to work at 3am. Explaining that she threw the severed penis out the window to be able to drive, Lorena expressed her feeling at the time that she must have killed him.
Now a mother and in a long-term relationship, Lorena feels very different now than she did in '93. With the help of therapy, Lorena was able to break the cycle of domestic violence and find a stable and supporting relationship while also developing a foundation for victims of domestic violence. Her biggest regret, was marrying John Wayne Bobbitt - and while he still tries to contact her at times near Christmas or Valentine's day, Lorena assured that she never takes the calls and has completely moved on with her life.
Elian Gonzalez:
In November of 1999, a story of a 5 year old boy caught the attention of the nation. Being found on his way from Cuba to the US, Elian Gonzalez was one of only 3 people who survived the trip, with 13 others being killed. Elian became the center of a heated custody battle as his family in the US fought to keep him, while his father wanted him to be returned to Cuba. His 21 year-old cousin, Marisleysis, cared for Elian for 5 months before he returned to his father, and has never been able to see or speak to him again.
Today, Elian is 15 and lives in Cuba with his father, stepmother and half siblings and is part of the young Communist Union there.
The Oklahoma City Bombing:
Few will ever forget the events of April 19, 1995 when Timothy McVeigh and Terry Nichols blew up the federal building, resulting in the death of 168 people, including children in the building's daycare center. Timothy McVeigh was sentenced to death and executed 4 years later, while Terry Nichols is serving life in prison.
2 of the young victims of the bombing were Colden and Chase. Their mother, Edye, never thought she would be able to move forward with her life and has worked hard to raise and love her children, 11 and 3. In the last 4 years, Edye stated that she has finally been able to experience a sense of happiness again.
Oprah also updated viewers on PJ, a boy who was 19 months-old and one of only 6 children to survive the bombing. Oprah visited him in the hospital just 2 days after the tragic event to see the baby with severe burns and injured lungs. Now 15, PJ is able to speak without his trach and attends school with his peers. Wanting to become a mechanical engineer and believing that God has a plan in store for him, PJ is doing well and moving forward with his young life.
