T minus 20

Joe and Mel

The year is 2006.  We head to the hills and learn reality is scripted.  Your Sony cyber-shot uploads 462 blurry regrets.  A Facebook poke makes everything 'complicated'.  And Twitter's like, "Cool story. You've got 140 characters... Go!". T minus 20, rewind to this week in history 20 years ago with Joe and Mel.

  1. 1d ago

    The week Roblox entered the game

    Rewind to 27 August–2 September 2006, when one of the biggest gaming platforms in history quietly launched with almost nobody noticing, Jessica Simpson was trying to move on from America's favourite celebrity divorce and a pair of stolen masterpieces finally reappeared after two years on the run. 🎮 From blocky beginnings to global obsession Roblox officially launched this week with a handful of simple games and barely any fanfare. Twenty years later, it's home to millions of player-created worlds, virtual concerts and enough Robux to make parents everywhere sigh. 🖼️ The Scream returns Two years after masked gunmen stormed a museum in broad daylight, Edvard Munch's The Scream and Madonna were finally recovered. The only catch? Police have never revealed exactly how they got them back, making one of the world's most famous art heists even more mysterious. 💔 Jessica's public affair Fresh off her headline-making split from Nick Lachey, Jessica Simpson released A Public Affair. We rewind to one of the biggest celebrity breakups of the 2000s, revisit the rumours, the tabloid frenzy and ask whether reality TV helped make—or break—their marriage. ✈️ The runway mistake that changed aviation Comair Flight 5191 crashed after taking off from the wrong runway in one of the deadliest aviation accidents of the decade. The tragedy led to major changes in cockpit procedures and airport safety that are still in place today. 🎤 The VMAs lose their edge Panic! at the Disco shocked the music world by beating Madonna, Shakira and Christina Aguilera for Video of the Year, while critics declared the once-outrageous MTV VMAs had become... a bit boring. After years of headline-grabbing scandals, the biggest story was that there wasn't one. 🧦 Innovation or just... thermal underwear? Our Innovations Catalogue heads to Damart, where the Fancy Knit Spencer promised "comfort and complete freedom" and buying the matching thermal pants could even score you a discount. Peak catalogue glamour... if your idea of glamour involved long johns. Send us Fan Mail Hang with us on socials to chat more noughties nostalgia - Facebook (@tminus20) or Instagram (tminus20podcast). You can also contact us there if you want to be a part of the show.

  2. Aug 19

    When MFing snakes took over the MFing plane

    Rewind to 20–26 August 2006, when one of Europe's biggest missing person mysteries finally came to an end, the internet started rewriting Hollywood scripts and Justin Timberlake confidently declared he was bringing sexy back. 🏃 The escape that stunned the world After eight years in captivity, Natascha Kampusch escaped her abductor and brought one of Europe's most extraordinary missing person cases to an end. We unpack how she survived, why the story captivated the world and the remarkable way she later reclaimed part of her own story. 🐍 The internet's first blockbuster? Snakes on a Plane slithered into cinemas after online hype reached fever pitch. Fans memed it, the studio leaned into the chaos and Samuel L. Jackson delivered one of the most quotable movie lines of the 2000s. Was this the first film the internet actually changed? 🎤 Sexy's apparently back Justin Timberlake ditched the boy-band image for SexyBack, a futuristic banger that divided critics, topped charts and helped redefine pop music. 🌉 Fergie starts a bridge war London Bridge launched Fergie's solo career, topped the charts and somehow convinced an entire generation that Tower Bridge was actually London Bridge. We revisit one of pop music's greatest geographical mix-ups and decode what the song was really about. 🤘 Iron Maiden's boldest tour gamble Most bands save the new songs for later. Iron Maiden did the opposite, playing their entire new album before touching the classics. Fans weren't exactly thrilled, but nearly 20 years on, was Bruce Dickinson and the band right all along? Send us Fan Mail Hang with us on socials to chat more noughties nostalgia - Facebook (@tminus20) or Instagram (tminus20podcast). You can also contact us there if you want to be a part of the show.

  3. Aug 12

    The week the internet tried to fire Beyoncé

    Rewind to 13–19 August 2006, when internet petitions were becoming a thing, every celebrity seemed to have a side hustle and the Innovations catalogue was convinced you could get ripped without leaving the lounge room. 🎤 Beyoncé vs the internet Déjà Vu hit the charts but it was the music video that stole the headlines. Thousands of fans signed an online petition demanding Beyoncé remake it, complete with less frantic editing and a different director. Imagine trying to crowdsource creative feedback for Beyoncé in 2006. 👑 The JonBenét case takes another twist A decade after the murder of JonBenét Ramsey, the world thought the mystery had finally been solved when John Mark Karr was arrested in Thailand. The dramatic confession made global headlines, only for DNA evidence to unravel the case just days later. 💿 Paris Hilton proves the haters wrong Everyone expected a celebrity vanity album. Instead, Stars Are Blind became one of the catchiest songs of the decade and, twenty years later, we're all finally admitting we secretly loved it. 📰 Reporting from the world's most dangerous places Fox News correspondent Steve Centanni and New Zealand cameraman Olaf Wiig were kidnapped while reporting in Gaza, reminding the world of the extraordinary risks journalists take to bring us stories from conflict zones. 🏃 Fitness, but make it foldable The Innovations catalogue promised the Brilliant Air Walker would tone your entire body, protect your joints and then neatly fold into a cupboard. Peak 2000s logic: if the exercise machine stored away easily, you could pretend it wasn't becoming an expensive clothes rack. Send us Fan Mail Hang with us on socials to chat more noughties nostalgia - Facebook (@tminus20) or Instagram (tminus20podcast). You can also contact us there if you want to be a part of the show.

  4. Aug 5

    Airport security changed forever

    Rewind to 6–12 August 2006, when airport security changed forever, Christina Aguilera went full Old Hollywood, Tiger Woods was collecting milestones like Pokémon cards and your AOL search history suddenly wasn't as private as you thought. ✈️ The plot that changed flying forever A foiled terror plot targeting multiple transatlantic flights threw airports into chaos and introduced the liquid restrictions we're still dealing with today. If you've ever argued with security over a bottle of sunscreen, this is where it all began. 🐯 Tiger hits 50 Tiger Woods claimed his 50th PGA Tour victory while sitting firmly at the top of the sporting world. Before the scandals, before the comeback, this was Peak Tiger – so dominant that rappers were using his name as shorthand for being the best. 🔍 Oops... there goes your privacy AOL accidentally released 20 million search queries from 500,000 users, proving that "anonymous" data wasn't nearly as anonymous as everyone thought. It became one of the internet's biggest privacy wake-up calls and still feels eerily relevant. 💋 Xtina goes Back to Basics Christina Aguilera swapped the Dirrty era for jazz, soul and vintage Hollywood glamour. The result? One of the biggest pop reinventions of the decade, complete with Ain't No Other Man, Hurt and Candyman. 🐾 Blue finds one last clue After ten years of Handy Dandy Notebooks and Thinking Chairs, Blue's Clues aired its final original episode. We look back at the show that quietly revolutionised children's TV and the emotional Steve Burns comeback that made millennials unexpectedly cry years later. 🏁 Shake and bake! Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby raced into cinemas, proving NASCAR, Will Ferrell and absurd one-liners were a winning combination. If you ain't first... well, you know the rest. 🎶 Don't loosen up those buttons just yet The Pussycat Dolls' Buttons was climbing the charts, complete with the Snoop Dogg remix that became the version everyone remembers. It's pure mid-2000s pop perfection. Send us Fan Mail Hang with us on socials to chat more noughties nostalgia - Facebook (@tminus20) or Instagram (tminus20podcast). You can also contact us there if you want to be a part of the show.

  5. Jul 29

    When the Terminator tried to save the planet

    Rewind to 30 July–5 August 2006, when The Terminator went green, YouTube discovered the secret to going viral and one of sport's greatest victories started falling apart almost as quickly as it happened. 🌍 The Governator goes green Arnold Schwarzenegger and Tony Blair teamed up to tackle climate change in what might be the most unexpected political crossover of the 2000s. One brought international diplomacy, the other brought catchphrases. Together they promised to "terminate pollution" long before climate action became front-page politics. 🚴 From yellow jersey to red flag Fresh off one of the greatest comeback rides in Tour de France history, Floyd Landis found himself facing a positive testosterone test that would eventually strip him of cycling's biggest prize. Turns out the biggest twist wasn't on the mountain stage. 🎤 Top of the Pops drops the mic After 42 years, more than 2,200 episodes and countless mimed performances, Britain's most iconic music show aired its final regular episode. An institution that launched pop careers quietly signed off as music television began giving way to the internet. 🏃 Four treadmills changed the internet OK Go's Here It Goes Again proved you didn't need explosions or million-dollar budgets to make history. Just one camera, perfect timing and a choreography routine that every office worker immediately overestimated their ability to recreate. 🍸 One arrest, one rant, one career-changing moment Mel Gibson's drink-driving arrest became one of Hollywood's biggest PR disasters after his shocking comments to police made headlines around the world. Celebrity scandals would never quite be handled the same way again. 📺 Being D-list suddenly became A-list television Kathy Griffin's My Life on the D-List premiered and turned celebrity desperation into Emmy-winning reality TV. Before influencers overshared for a living, Kathy was happily making a career out of not being quite famous enough. 🎬 Cinema served cops and couch surfers Miami Vice brought Michael Mann's stylish reboot of the iconic TV series to cinemas, while You, Me and Dupree asked one very important question: how long before you'd kick Owen Wilson out of your spare room? Send us Fan Mail Hang with us on socials to chat more noughties nostalgia - Facebook (@tminus20) or Instagram (tminus20podcast). You can also contact us there if you want to be a part of the show.

  6. Jul 22

    The week Lance Bass reclaimed his story

    Rewind to 23–29 July 2006, when gossip blogs could make global headlines, Australians argued over drinking recycled water and apparently every second Neighbours actor fancied themselves the next pop star. 🎤 Lance Bass tells his story After years of rumours and relentless tabloid speculation, the *NSYNC star came out in a People magazine exclusive. We rewind to one of the defining celebrity moments of the 2000s, unpack the role Perez Hilton played and explore just how much has changed in the last 20 years. 🚰 Would you drink recycled sewage? Toowoomba became the centre of one of Australia's most memorable public debates, with 'Poowoomba', 'toilet to tap' and plenty of fear campaigns dominating the headlines. Looking back, it's a fascinating lesson in how language can shape public opinion. 🌈 When one sporting event became two The inaugural World Outgames kicked off in Montreal after a spectacular falling-out split the LGBTQ+ sporting movement. We revisit the history of the Gay Games, why they existed in the first place and how the conversation around inclusion in sport has evolved. 🥵 California's silent disaster One of the deadliest heatwaves in US history claimed more than 140 lives, many of them older people living alone behind closed doors. It's a sobering reminder that the most dangerous natural disasters aren't always the loudest. 🎶 Ramsay Street's latest pop princess Stephanie McIntosh released Mistake, giving us the perfect excuse to revisit the surprisingly long list of Neighbours stars who swapped soap scripts for recording studios. Kylie, Jason, Holly… was acting just Plan B? 👑 A crowning moment... then a collapse Miss Puerto Rico was crowned Miss Universe before fainting on stage moments later. We revisit one of the pageant's most memorable finales and look at how beauty competitions have transformed since Donald Trump owned the Miss Universe organisation. 🎧 Pharrell steps into the spotlight Before Happy conquered the world, Pharrell released his debut solo album In My Mind. We look back at the record that proved one of music's greatest producers was ready to become a star in his own right. Send us Fan Mail Hang with us on socials to chat more noughties nostalgia - Facebook (@tminus20) or Instagram (tminus20podcast). You can also contact us there if you want to be a part of the show.

  7. Jul 15

    Criss Angel walked on water. And we bought it.

    Rewind to 16–22 July 2006, when reality felt increasingly stranger than fiction. A devastating tsunami caught thousands off guard, MySpace's biggest breakout star served up the ultimate kiss-off anthem, Criss Angel convinced us all that walking on water was totally plausible and Play School proved some childhood comforts never go out of style.  🃏 Criss Angel turns emo into a superpower Mindfreak premiered and suddenly every teenager wanted black eyeliner, leather wristbands and impossible magic tricks. Walking on water, hanging from fish hooks, setting himself on fire... if David Blaine was mysterious, Criss Angel was pure Hot Topic chaos.  🌊 Nature delivers another brutal reminder Just 18 months after the Boxing Day tsunami, a powerful 7.7 earthquake off Indonesia's Java coast triggered devastating waves that claimed more than 660 lives. Many people barely felt the quake, so they stayed on the beach, unaware a tsunami was racing towards them. It became another heartbreaking moment that reshaped how the region approached tsunami warnings.  🎤 Lily Allen smiles... while plotting revenge Smile shot to number one in the UK, introducing the world to Lily Allen's cheeky storytelling and proving MySpace really could create a pop superstar. It sounded like sunshine but underneath was one of the pettiest breakup songs of the decade. We absolutely ate it up.  💃 The coolest R&B song of 2006 arrives Cassie's Me & U landed with barely more than a whisper, yet somehow became one of the year's biggest hits. Minimal production, hypnotic vocals and effortless cool made it feel completely different to everything else on the radio. Twenty years later, it still sounds remarkably fresh.  📺 When live TV got a little too live Colin Farrell's interview with Jay Leno took an unexpected turn when an alleged stalker calmly wandered onto the set, hugged him and handed him a book before security stepped in. The audience thought it was a sketch. It definitely wasn't. Farrell, somehow, barely missed a beat.  🪟 Everybody had a favourite window Australia's beloved Play School celebrated its 40th birthday, reminding an entire generation that Big Ted, Jemima, Humpty and those iconic windows were just as important as anything happening on commercial TV. Slow TV, wholesome vibes and zero overstimulation. Imagine that. Send us Fan Mail Hang with us on socials to chat more noughties nostalgia - Facebook (@tminus20) or Instagram (tminus20podcast). You can also contact us there if you want to be a part of the show.

  8. Jul 8

    When MySpace ruled the web

    Rewind to 9–15 July 2006, when your Top 8 could end friendships, everyone suddenly had an opinion in 140 characters and celebrity reality TV decided skating on knives sounded like a great idea. 🌐 MySpace officially wins the internet Move over Yahoo! Mail. MySpace became the most visited website in America, proving we'd happily spend hours tweaking glittery profiles, choosing the perfect autoplay song and stressing over who made the Top 8.  🐦 Twitter enters the chat A tiny new website asked one simple question: ‘What are you doing?’ No hashtags. No retweets. Just 140 characters that would eventually change news, politics and how often strangers argued with each other online. 🎬 Captain Jack rules the box office Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest stayed number one, Davy Jones' CGI blew everyone's minds and that ending left an entire generation impatiently waiting for the next movie. ⛸️ Australians discovered ice is slippery Dancing on Ice glided onto Channel Nine with celebrities, sequins and an alarming number of injuries. It was reality TV at its wonderfully unhinged mid-2000s peak and somehow ballroom dancing suddenly looked like the safer option. 💥 Mumbai rocked by coordinated bombings One of the week's biggest news stories saw seven bombs explode across Mumbai's rail network during peak hour, killing 189 people. It was a devastating attack that reshaped railway security and remains one of modern India's defining tragedies. 🤘 Sepultura turns a page Founding drummer Igor Cavalera was officially replaced, marking the end of one of metal's most iconic line-ups. Fans were split but the band kept marching on. 📚 Stephanie Plum was back on the case Janet Evanovich's Twelve Sharp topped the bestseller list, serving up murder, mayhem and yet another reason readers couldn't quit Team Ranger versus Team Morelli. Send us Fan Mail Hang with us on socials to chat more noughties nostalgia - Facebook (@tminus20) or Instagram (tminus20podcast). You can also contact us there if you want to be a part of the show.

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About

The year is 2006.  We head to the hills and learn reality is scripted.  Your Sony cyber-shot uploads 462 blurry regrets.  A Facebook poke makes everything 'complicated'.  And Twitter's like, "Cool story. You've got 140 characters... Go!". T minus 20, rewind to this week in history 20 years ago with Joe and Mel.

Information

  • Creator
    Joe and Mel
  • Years Active
    2021 - 2026
  • Episodes
    263
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 T minus 20
  • Show Website
    T minus 20