Entertaining Yourself in the 2000s Quiz

Answer: Facebook

Facebook was originally launched on February 4, 2004. It was the brainchild of a perfectly normal guy named Mark Zuckerberg, along with some fellow students at Harvard University. At the time, it was limited to Harvard students, but over time it eventually expanded ever outward into other universities. From there, it was offered to high schools and finally to anyone and everyone aged 13 or older.

Or anyone and everyone claiming to be 13 or older.

Its growth and cultural influence were nothing short of amazing. By the end of the 2000s, Facebook had hundreds of millions of users all around the world. In many ways and for many people, it WAS the Internet. It popularized well-known features that are now pretty basic, such as the News Feed, photo tagging, and of course that appealing "Like" button that means so much to so many people. (Don't forget to rate this quiz!)

Answer: American Idol

"American Idol" first premiered on Fox back on June 11, 2002. It was an Americanized version of the popular British series "Pop Idol". It was hosted by the always smiling Ryan Seacrest throughout its entire original Fox run and later during its revival on ABC.

The show was hugely popular, to say the least. It brought in millions of viewers each week to watch would-be singers compete for the title. It allowed audiences to choose the winners by voting by phone for their favorites. During its peak, "American Idol" was one of the highest-rated shows in the United States.

It was here that the world was introduced to the likes of Kelly Clarkson, Carrie Underwood, Jennifer Hudson, Adam Lambert, Chris Daughtry, and, of course, Sanjaya Malakar.

Answer: The Lord of the Rings

If you don't know the movies, you certainly know OF the movies. "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy came to an end with "The Return of the King", the third installment, which made its big debut in December 2003. The trilogy was directed by Peter Jackson and based on J.R.R. Tolkien's classic novels. The films, shot entirely in New Zealand, were a major critical success, a huge box office draw, and fodder for that one guy we all know who can quote every line. "The Return of the King" made history in a big way at the Oscars, winning all 11 Oscars it was nominated for, including Best Picture and Best Director.

Then came "The Hobbit".

Answer: Twilight

The first novel in Stephenie Meyer's "Twilight" series was published in 2005. It became one of the biggest young adult books of the decade. I've been told that the world is a better place because of it, but opinions have been known to vary on the topic.

The story follows teenager Bella Swan, who moves to the town of Forks, Washington, where she falls in love with the mysterious and ever-so-handsome vampire Edward Cullen. The series eventually grew to four main novels. Together, they sold millions of copies all around the world and inspired a successful film franchise of similar quality.

Answer: Emoto-Tronic Furby

The Emoto-Tronic Furby was the new and improved version of the original Furby, which had become a huge toy craze with its big debut in the 1990s. I'm not saying that these toys were the stuff of horror movies... dead-eyed creatures just waiting to be possessed by a malevolent spirit. I'm sure many children sharing a bed with these demonic vessels grew up into well-adjusted and fully functional adults.

As I was saying, the 2005 model was bigger and better than the boring old '90s version. Now, it featured a voice-recognition system, and kids tired of using their imagination or talking to real people, were all chomping at the bit to be the first one on the block to own one.

The creepy little creature could respond to commands such as "Tell me a joke," "Sing me a song", and "Show me a dance." Its moving eyes, ears, and beak also gave it a much wider range of facial expressions with which to terrify you. Basically, Hasbro took the weird little furball and gave it more ways to look back at you with its hideous emotionless eyes.

Answer: Grey's Anatomy

"Grey's Anatomy" first premiered on March 27, 2005. It followed the personal and professional lives of surgeons at Seattle Grace Hospital, later renamed Seattle Grace Mercy West Hospital, and later re-renamed Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital. It was created by Shonda Rhimes and began with surgical intern Meredith Grey.

The show expanded quickly into an ensemble cast featuring characters like Cristina Yang, Derek Shepherd, Miranda Bailey, and Richard Webber.

Answer: Iron Man

"Iron Man" spilled onto screens in 2008 and is generally recognized as the first film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, or MCU. (You would really have to ask the kind of person who worries over such things whether "Blade" or the original "X-Men" films are strictly canon.) The movie starred Robert Downey Jr. as snarky billionaire inventor Tony Stark and tells the story of Stark's transformation into the armored jet-powered superhero after being captured and forced to build a weapon.

The movie, directed by Jon Favreau, was a darling among critics and fans.

Answer: Lady Gaga

In 2008, Lady Gaga released her first studio album, "The Fame". The album included a variety of international hit singles, including "Just Dance", "Poker Face", "LoveGame", and "Paparazzi". The Lady's style mixes dance-pop and electronic music with her natural theatrical flair.

The album made Lady Gaga one of the biggest pop stars of the late 2000s, and would eventually lead her to wear a dress made of raw meat, because we live in the worst timeline. The album was a big hit with the public and even had me reluctantly bobbing my head at times. For a spell.

Answer: Livestrong bracelets

The yellow Livestrong bracelet was a strange but popular fashion trend of the 2000s. It was introduced in 2004 by the Lance Armstrong Foundation. Just a very simple silicone wristband to raise money and awareness for people affected by cancer. It sold millions around the world.

And because it sold millions around the world, before long, similar silicone bracelets started popping up in an endless variety of colors to support various charities, schools, sports teams, and any cause that could be summed up in a few words. You could find a bracelet for anything from religion ("What Would Jesus Do?") to breast cancer ("Save the Ta-Tas").

Answer: Nintendo Wii

The Nintendo Wii came out in late 2006 and became one of the most successful video game consoles ever made. The big innovation, of course, was the wireless Wii Remote, which could make anyone look like they were fighting off a swarm of bees in their living room.

This little gadget sensed motion and allowed players to swing, point, and gesture instead of just pressing buttons and moving joysticks. Kids and adults alike ate it up. People were introduced to the system through "Wii Sports", a game bundled with the console in most areas.

The game included bowling, tennis, baseball, golf, and boxing. It was a very bad time to be a living room lamp.