Nickandmore!

For many, many years now, the idea that there was a Kids’ Choice Awards event every year since 1988 has been considered accurate. However, as I was doing more research this year in preparation for the 30th annual event on March 11, I came upon the facts that have eluded many (including myself) for years: There was no event in 1993.

Nickelodeon’s first kids-vote event was actually in 1987, where it was called The Big Ballot. The next year it was retitled to the Kids’ Choice Awards. Everyone knows this, but no one has actually thought the 1987 event was considered the 1st KCAs, but… it is.

The actual first celebrity-hosted KCA was in fact still in 1988, hosted by Tony Danza, but it is considered the 2nd annual KCAs.

Evidence began to pile up on me.

Let’s Go to the Videotape

First, this promo from 1990 where Dave Coulier and Candace Cameron hosted. The promo calls it the “4th annual” event. That, again, makes the 1987 Big Ballot the 1st.

The other video is from the “6th annual” Kids’ Choice and had Brian Austin Green and Tori Spelling saying they were hosting. The announced date on the video is Saturday, November 14. However, there is no such date in 1993, as has been the reported date for the 1993 awards. In fact, this was in 1992. It was the first time the event was held on a Saturday and the first time it was held live.

Until now, the “1992” KCAs was said to have been hosted by Paula Abdul and on November 14. But as stated, the second video above video proves differently.

So, with 1993 out of the mix, the ordering of the 1st annual to the current 30th annual makes sense and works properly.

Also, it makes sense because the 1992 KCAs were on November 14 and the next event was May 7, 1994. They switched from fall to spring, so any event in 1993 would not have been a full year from either the year before it or after.

Incorrect Pictures

Many have used this image from Wire Image to “prove” the 1993 KCAs. It has Michael Fishman and Jodie Sweetin at the Kids’ Choice Awards and uses the date “September 7, 1993.” Thing is, that’s a Tuesday. Also, there’s this little problem…

A different image of the two from the more reliable Getty Images shows the actors in the same attire and correctly labels it the “1992 Kids’ Choice Awards” and uses the correct date of “November 14, 1992.”

Nick Said So Too

Nick’s KCA press site from 2007 had a “fun facts” section for the 20th annual event. It correctly lists all the hosts – and guess what? 1993 isn’t listed nor is Paula Abdul anywere on the host section.

Conclusion

The 1987 Big Ballot was the 1st KCAs, there was no 1993 ceremony and Paula Abdul never hosted.

Pretty sad it took until 2017 for someone to point this out.