This week on And The Year Was 1985, Ryan and Sam go down a serious rabbit hole.

What begins as a discussion about The X-Files and 90s conspiracy culture quickly turns into a wide-ranging conversation about media narratives, UFO disclosure, 9/11 controversies, and even Canadian trade deals.

Before social media, shows like The X-Files helped shape how people thought about government secrecy, alien encounters, and hidden truths. Today those conversations have moved online, spreading through podcasts, forums, and independent media.

In this episode we explore:

• How The X-Files influenced mainstream conspiracy culture
• The difference between 90s conspiracy communities and today’s internet pipelines
• Media control and narrative shaping
• UFOs and the current alien disclosure conversation
• The ongoing cultural debate around 9/11
• Why political and trade decisions can fuel conspiracy thinking

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This week on And The Year Was 1985, we’re joined by author, podcaster, comedian, screenwriter, and producer Courtney Kocak.

Courtney’s debut memoir Girl Gone Wild drops April 1, 2026. The book traces her journey from rural Minnesota to Los Angeles, detailing her early creative ambitions, her time working on the Girls Gone Wild tour in the late 90s, and the experiences that shaped her voice as a journalist and storyteller.

We talk about:
• Growing up in Minnesota and chasing creative ambition
• Moving to LA and breaking into media
• The reality behind the Girls Gone Wild era
• Building a career in podcasting
• Writing and publishing Girl Gone Wild
• Reporting on sex, psychedelics, and reproductive rights

Courtney hosts Private Parts Unknown, The Bleeders, and Podcast Bestie, and has produced major podcasts including The Bellas Podcast and Never Stand Still.

Pre-order or learn more about Girl Gone Wild:
https://www.courtneykocak.com

Follow Courtney:
Website: https://www.courtneykocak.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/courtneykocak
X: https://x.com/courtneykocak
Private Parts Unknown: https://www.privatepartsunknown.com
Podcast Bestie: https://www.podcastbestie.com

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All links: https://linktr.ee/theyearwas1985

New episodes weekly.

Before algorithms ran the world, the internet felt different.

This episode is a deep dive into the evolution of social media — from IRC chat rooms and message boards to MySpace profiles, Facebook walls, Twitter timelines, and today’s short-form content machine.

We break down how it started, how it shifted, and how it quietly reshaped culture, identity, relationships, politics, and attention spans.

Topics include:
• IRC & forum culture
• AIM, MSN & early digital identity
• MySpace vs Facebook
• The rise of influencers
• The algorithm era
• Cancel culture
• The loss of anonymity
• Is social media better now — or worse?

If you remember customizing your Top 8 or hearing the dial-up tone, this episode is for you.

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