Before his last episode aired, Ernie Coombs recorded a farewell message to the crew behind thirty two years of Mr. Dress Up, a moment that anchors this look back at 1996. The same year, Donovan Bailey won gold in the men's hundred metres in Atlanta, and Prime Minister Jean Chretien became known for the Shawinigan handshake after physically shoving a protester out of his path.
Bill Clinton's closing argument from the 1996 presidential debate shows a version of political disagreement that feels almost unrecognizable now, two candidates who seemed to genuinely respect each other despite opposing views.
The year rounds out with a snapshot of who held power everywhere else: John Major in the UK, Boris Yeltsin newly re-elected in Russia under an election whose legitimacy is still debated.
Topics: Mr. Dress Up, 1996 throwback, Donovan Bailey, Shawinigan handshake, Bill Clinton
Originally aired on2026-07-09
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