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Good morning.
Some years come back as a sound. A ringtone. A TV theme. The click of a laptop opening at the kitchen table. And sometimes they come back as a whole evening — when the fall television season still felt like an appointment and a brand-new comedy could become part of the weekly routine overnight.
That's where we're headed today. In a moment, we'll rewind to 2009, when ABC introduced a family that would stay on television for more than a decade. First, here's what happened on September 23.
📅 On This Day — September 23
1846 — Neptune was discovered. On the night of September 23–24, astronomers in Berlin observed the distant planet after mathematical calculations had predicted where it should appear.
1889 — Nintendo was founded. Long before Mario, Zelda, or a game console, the Kyoto company began as a maker of Japanese playing cards.
1932 — The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia was proclaimed. The unification of the kingdom under its modern name is commemorated each year on September 23 as Saudi National Day.
1952 — Richard Nixon delivered the "Checkers" speech. The vice-presidential candidate went on television to defend himself amid questions about a political expense fund, in an address remembered in part for his reference to the family dog, Checkers.
1962 — The Jetsons premiered on ABC. George, Jane, Judy, Elroy, Rosie, and Astro brought Hanna-Barbera's version of the space-age future into American living rooms.
Now let's trade flying cars for flip phones and head back to 2009.
⏪ REWIND: 2009
It was a year when Facebook updates and text messages were becoming part of everyday life, but the television schedule could still organize an evening. Fall premiere week meant new shows, returning favorites, and plenty of reasons to keep the remote nearby.
And on this Wednesday night, one new family was about to introduce itself.
📰 The Headlines
🗞️ Modern Family meets the family
On September 23, 2009, ABC premiered Modern Family.
The mockumentary-style comedy introduced viewers to three connected households: Jay and Gloria, Claire and Phil, and Mitchell and Cameron. The characters spoke directly to the camera, family gatherings could turn chaotic in seconds, and the show found its comedy in the gap between how people thought family life should work and how it actually did.
The premiere arrived during a busy night of new television. ABC also debuted Cougar Town and Eastwick, while NBC introduced Mercy.
But Modern Family became the long-distance runner. What started on this Wednesday in 2009 would eventually stretch across 11 seasons.
🎬 At the Movies
The box office forecast called for food.
Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs had opened September 18 and led the domestic box office over the September 18–20 weekend with about $30.3 million.
The animated comedy imagined an inventor whose machine sends food raining from the sky — and by September 23, it was still the No. 1 movie at the domestic daily box office.
🎵 On the Charts
The Black Eyed Peas were still on top.
"I Gotta Feeling" held No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 dated September 26, 2009.
Jay Sean featuring Lil Wayne was right behind at No. 2 with "Down," while Miley Cyrus held No. 3 with "Party in the U.S.A."
Three songs, one chart, and a pretty efficient late-2000s playlist.
🏁 In Sports
The Yankees were finishing September like a team getting ready for October.
On September 23, New York beat the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim 3–2. A.J. Burnett earned the win, Mariano Rivera recorded his 42nd save, and the Yankees improved to 97–56.
They had clinched a playoff berth the day before. This afternoon win in Anaheim was another step toward a postseason that would end with New York winning the 2009 World Series.
📺 On Television
Wednesday night was packed with fall television — including several premieres.
ABC — Dancing with the Stars: The Results, Modern Family, Cougar Town, Eastwick
CBS — The New Adventures of Old Christine, Gary Unmarried, Criminal Minds, CSI: NY
NBC — Mercy, Law & Order: SVU, The Jay Leno Show
FOX — So You Think You Can Dance, Glee
That lineup feels like a snapshot of the moment when network television still expected you to choose what to watch tonight, not what to add to a queue for later.
🏰 Disney Vault
Earlier that month, Disney had tried something new for its most devoted fans.
The inaugural D23 Expo ran September 10–13, 2009, at the Anaheim Convention Center. Disney brought together movies, television, theme parks, archives, exhibits, presentations, previews, and fan events under one roof.
What began as a first-of-its-kind gathering in 2009 became a recurring showcase for Disney announcements, nostalgia, and fandom.
❤️ Health Snap
Your sleep schedule likes consistency more than your weekend plans might.
Keeping roughly regular sleep and wake times can help support healthy sleep, and getting natural light earlier in the day helps your body stay oriented to the day-night cycle. Most adults need at least seven hours of sleep, though individual needs vary.
A simple place to start: give yourself enough time for sleep, keep your schedule reasonably steady, and get outside for some daylight during the day.
Want a broader look at your everyday health habits? Take the free Health Assessment.
🎂 September 23 Birthdays
Bruce Springsteen — 77 (born 1949) — The singer-songwriter behind Born to Run and Born in the U.S.A. has spent decades turning American lives, roads, work, and dreams into rock songs. And there's a perfect Rewind connection: on September 23, 2009, Springsteen was celebrating his 60th birthday.
Julio Iglesias — 83 (born 1943) — The Spanish singer became one of the world's best-known international recording artists across a career spanning multiple languages.
Jason Alexander — 67 (born 1959) — To millions of Seinfeld fans, he will always be George Costanza.
Ani DiFranco — 56 (born 1970) — The singer-songwriter built a fiercely independent career while blending folk, rock, punk, and personal storytelling.
Anthony Mackie — 48 (born 1978) — The actor has moved between acclaimed dramas, action films, television, and the Marvel universe as Sam Wilson.
Skylar Astin — 39 (born 1987) — The actor and singer is known for Pitch Perfect along with stage and television roles.
That's our trip through September 23 — from a planet found with mathematics to a playing-card company that became a video-game giant, then forward to a Wednesday night in 2009 when a new television family arrived.
If today's rewind unlocked a memory, send Yesterday Today to someone who remembers 2009. Then ask the question we never get tired of: what were you watching, listening to, or talking about back then?
Until tomorrow, keep looking back — you never know what you'll rediscover.
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