Can the past change? The Mandela Effect has gone mainstream. Now that the internet is buzzing with wild theories and new examples every day, it's time to go over where the ideas originated, and consider in detail what exactly might be causing it.
The Mandela Effect
Ever had that feeling when you hear of something, like a celebrity dying, and was sure it had happened before? When that happens to a group of people, it has a name - The Mandela Effect. It's called that because there are many who were sure Nelson Mandela died in the 1980's and not in 2013.
Welcome to Alternate Memories, where these and more are documented, discussed and puzzled over.
Remember - as you read about them more and more, some will hit you as being ridiculous, and others as spookily accurate. They are not the same for everyone, which is a huge part of their mystery ;-)
Marlboro Man
- Joe Hutt
Hazardous to your health?
MMDE: Marlboro Man died of lung cancer in the 1990's
Current: Marlboro Man didn't smoke and died in 2019
Young folk today won't even be aware that there used to be plenty of advertisments for cigarettes.
These adverts have been banned for years now as a result of the overwhelming evidence of the damage they cause to health. However, when they were running, none were more famous than the Marlboro Man.
Played by Robert Norris, the campaigh was conceived in 1954 and has been described as one of the most sucessful of all time. It featured a rugged lone cowboy with the slogan "Come to Marlboro Country".
Many remember Robert Norris dying of lung cancer in the 1990's, so it came as quite a shock to hear lived to the age of 90 when he died in 2019. Even more surprising - he never smoked a single cigarette in his life.
You dirty rat!
- Cory Grajales
James Cagney
MMDE: James Cagney said "You dirty rat!" in his gangster movies
Current: James Cagney never said "You dirty rat!" in his gangster movies
Another falsly attributed movie quote, or a Mandela Effect?
The exclamation "You dirty rat!" is pretty universally ingrained in modern Western culture as the cry of the mobster in the old black and white gangster movies of the 1930's.
Most people will associate the phrase with James Cagney, so are surprised to hear he never said it.
The closest we get is in two movies: Blonde Crazy (1931) "Oh, that dirty, double-crossin' rat" and Taxi! (1932) "Come out and take it, ya dirty, yellow-bellied rat!".
The death of Radar
- Joe Hill
The death of Radar
MMDE: M.A.S.H. - Radar was killed off at the start of season 8
Current: M.A.S.H. - Radar was not killed off at the start of season 8
M.A.S.H. ran from 1972 to 1983. The character of 'Radar' was incredibly popular at the time, and many fans very genuinely upset when they remember him being killed off at the start of season 8. However, they are even more surprised to learn today that he wasn't killed off at all, and went on to appear in later episodes alive and well.
The details are explained at Wikipedia here and the Mandela Effect confusion covered here.
In the current story line, Radar became overworked and stressed after receiving the news of his uncle's death back home, so took a hardship discharge and effectively resigned.
Hey Jude
- Railen Herman
Where shouldn't you carry the world?
MMDE: Don't carry the world upon your shoulders
Current: Don't carry the world upon your shoulder
"Hey Jude" is one of the most popular songs in The Beatles' catalogue.
Packing in over 7 minutes of music, and remaining extremely popular since its release.
So, imagine a ton of people questioning the infamous lyric "Don't carry the world upon your shoulder". Many have said that the word 'shoulder' is plural. Thus, the lyric must be "Don't carry the world upon your shoulders". However, this is not the case today.
The song was written by Paul McCartney to help cheer up John Lennon's young son, Julian, who was upset at the break-up of his mother and father at the time.
Tiger Woods
- Tracy Cooper
Was Tiger Woods an American Gladiators contestant?
MMDE: Tiger Woods was an American Gladiators contestant
Current: Tiger Woods was not an American Gladiators contestant
Slate reports that people are remembering a teenage Tiger Woods appearing as a contestant in the mid 90's on the American Gladiators show.
Did a teenage Tiger Woods appear on it? Some remember him doing so, but there is no trace of this today which is why it's being called a Mandela Effect.
Famous for it's over-the-top showmanship, the fitness levels of its contestants and the inventive obstacles they had to contend with, the show ran from 1989 to 1996 and was seen in various forms the world over.
The Six Million Dollar Man
- Ian Grogan
What was The Six Million Dollar Man's job?
MMDE: Steve Austin was a Colonel in the US Air Force
Current: Steve Austin was a NASA Astronaut
Who can forget the dramatic slow motion action scenes used to indicate how fast Steve Austin could move, in the famous 70's series The Six Million Dollar Man? Accompanied by that distinctive synthesizer clattering sound, the tag line "We can rebuild him" was used in playgrounds the world over.
However, some people are sure he had a different job than the one we see today. They remember him being a jet pilot and not an astronaut, which is reinforced by his title of "Colonel Steve Austin". Looking today, it's clear - right from the voice over in the opening credits - that he ws an astronaut.
There might be an explanation for this confusion. For a start, there's the real world example of Neil Armstrong who was both. The difference here though is there was no memory of the astronaut part of the job, and the into sequence for every episode shows him having the accident whilst piloting an experimental aircraft.
Robert Mugabe
- Joe Hutt
When did Robert Mugabe die?
MMDE: Robert Mugabe died in 2017
Current: Robert Mugabe died in 2019
Robert Mugabe was a devisive figure indeed, but news of his death in 2019 caused some more concern than others, because they were sure he died in 2017.
Wait - this is another famous figure from South Africa involved in a mysterious reality glitch phenomenon? Perhaps it needs a catchy name so we can class other similar situations easier, something like The Mugabe Effect?
He was ousted as leader in 2017, but those who are sure he died earlier than 2019 remember him dying at the same time as the coup which saw him lose power from Zimbabwe.
Like Nelson Mandela, he spent many years in prison in the 60's only to be released and become a hugely important world figure.
