Nothing reminds us of how small the pop-culture world is like the revelation that Spencer Elden, best known as the naked baby chasing a dollar bill on the cover of Nirvana’s Nevermind, is now an employee of Shepard Fairey. We can only imagine what red-and-blue image the folks at Obey have in store for their new intern.
Besides making us feel positively ancient, this news has us wondering what happened to some of our favorite ’90s alternative kids. MTV checked in on Elden, the Goo Goo Dolls cover baby and a few others back in 2007. But we’re still in the dark about the boy who played the title character in Pearl Jam’s disturbing “Jeremy” video, Blind Melon’s famous bee girl, and a whole lot of others. After the jump, we’ve made our best guesses as to the how they ended up.
Bee girl Where you know her from: The music video for Blind Melon’s 1993 video “No Rain” and the cover of their self-titled 1992 album. Where is she now?: She owns a costume shop in Minnesota and maintains the same active dream life she had as a child. (Just kidding! In real life, Heather DeLoach is all grown up, quirkily pretty, and still acting.)
Jeremy Where you know him from: Pearl Jam’s unsettling 1991 music video for the song “Jeremy,” about a boy who shoots himself in front of his class. Where is he now?: Still in therapy.
Cool kids (who never had the time)Where you know them from: The video for the Smashing Pumpkins’ juvenile delinquent-tastic “1979” video. And, if you happened to be a preteen girl when that clip premiered, you had a crush on that long-haired guy in the green sweater.Where are they now: Working overnight shifts at convenience stores, cleaning pools. Karma’s a bitch.
Siamese twinsWhere you know them from: The cover of the Smashing Pumpkins’ 1993 album, Siamese Dream.Where are they now?: Still attached at the hip. Literally or figuratively? Only Billy Corgan knows for sure.
The runaways Where you know them from: No, not those Runaways. We’re talking about the kids from Soul Asylum’s 1993 video “Runaway Train,” which depicted the plight of children living on the streets. Where are they now?: Writing, directing, and starring in after-school specials.
Fatherless child Where you know him from: Everclear’s tear-inducing 1997 video for “Father of Mine.” Where is he now?: Best teen dad ever.
Washing machine kids Where you know them from: The cover of Sonic Youth’s 1995 album Washing Machine. Where are they now?: The one on the left found a date to prom; the one on the right didn’t. As adults, they’ve parlayed their 15 minutes of fame into a successful Maytag repair business.
Cartoon babyWhere you know him from: The cover of Stone Temple Pilots’ 1994 album, Purple.Where is he now?: Exactly where he belongs: on a bad tattoo.