And the top pop culture moments of 2018 are B次元官网网址� Wait.
WAS there any pop culture this year?
Of course there was, but you could be forgiven for forgetting, because more than ever it was politics, politics, and more politics occupying the zeitgeist and sucking the proverbial air out of the room. Still, if you wanted a break from that, there was a royal wedding with something for everyone, some groundbreaking movies, the return of Mary Poppins (to the screen) and Harry Potter (to Broadway), a goodbye to some favourite celebrities, a tale of two coats that were more than just coats, and more. Join us on a highly selective chronological journey through a year in pop culture.
January
The first awards shows reflect a changed Hollywood, only a few months after the #MeToo movement engulfed the industry. At the , the red carpet becomes a sea of glittering black gowns in solidarity with victims of sexual misconduct, and OPRAH WINFREY gives a barn-burner of a speech , looking to a day B次元官网网址渨hen nobody ever has to say B次元官网网址楳e TooB次元官网网址� again!B次元官网网址� At the , stars don white roses, and singer Kesha dedicates a tearful performance of B次元官网网址淧rayingB次元官网网址� to the #MeToo movement.
February
Welcome to WAKANDA: The latest Marvel hero to jump off the page into his own movie is the B次元官网网址�,B次元官网网址� and RYAN COOGLERB次元官网网址橲 film is universally acclaimed. B次元官网网址淭ell them who you areB次元官网网址� is a catchphrase of the film, but it might as well be a pre-Oscar motto for Coogler and a starry cast including CHADWICK BOSEMAN, MICHAEL B. JORDAN, LUPITA NYONGB次元官网网址橭 and a slew of others. Ten months later the film will be nominated for a Golden Globe and generating serious Oscar buzz.
March
Speaking of OSCAR, itB次元官网网址檚 that time, and weB次元官网网址檙e still talking about #MeToo, not to mention B次元官网网址淭imeB次元官网网址檚 Up!B次元官网网址� Appearing onstage to mark the moment is a powerful trio of B次元官网网址檚 accusers: ASHLEY JUDD, ANNABELLA SCIORRA, and SALMA HAYEK. And when FRANCES McDORMAND says she has B次元官网网址渟ome things to say,B次元官网网址� people listen: The best actress winner asks all the women nominees in the room to stand, and instructs Hollywood to tell their stories.
April
Times are changing at the PULITZERS, too, where rapper wins the music prize for B次元官网网址淒AMN.B次元官网网址� HeB次元官网网址檚 the first rapper to win the prestigious laurel and the first winner whoB次元官网网址檚 not a classical or jazz musician. In film, director JOHN KRASINSKI energizes the horror genre with the creepy, silent B次元官网网址淎 Quiet Place,B次元官网网址� also starring wife EMILY BLUNT. On Broadway, the enduring magic of HARRY POTTER is conjured with the hit London transplant, B次元官网网址淗arry Potter and the Cursed Child.B次元官网网址�
May
LetB次元官网网址檚 say B次元官网网址淒o SvidaniyaB次元官网网址� to our favourite Soviet spy couple as B次元官网网址淭HE AMERICANSB次元官网网址� ends its six-season run on FX with an elegant, surprising and moving series finale. At the annual glittery MET GALA, the theme is B次元官网网址淔ashion and the Catholic Imagination ,B次元官网网址� and imaginations are running rampant B次元官网网址� weB次元官网网址檙e talking about you, KATY PERRY and your giant angel wings! But perhaps the most memorable fashion statement comes when the very American in a refreshingly unadorned white gown. A gospel choir sings B次元官网网址淪tand By Me,B次元官网网址� and an American bishop, MICHAEL CURRY, almost steals the show with a spirited improvisational sermon before saying: B次元官网网址淲e gotta get yB次元官网网址檃ll married!B次元官网网址� Also this month, B次元官网网址淭HIS IS AMERICAB次元官网网址� by CHILDISH GAMBINO, aka multi-talented DONALD GLOVER (also having a big year with B次元官网网址淎tlantaB次元官网网址�) opens at No. 1 on the Billboard chart, accompanied by a viral video of nonstop dancing punctuated by shocking scenes of shootings. And goodbye, ROSEANNE: The showB次元官网网址檚 reboot is cancelled following her racist tweet.
June
What was she thinking? MELANIA TRUMP doesnB次元官网网址檛 say, but the writing on her Zara jacket has everyone talking. B次元官网网址淚 donB次元官网网址檛 really care. Do U ?B次元官网网址� reads the garment worn by the first lady on parts of her trip to visit detained migrant children in Texas. Four months later sheB次元官网网址檒l explain it was B次元官网网址渇or the people and for the left-wing media who are criticizing me.B次元官网网址� In music, JAY-Z and BEYONCE continue to exert their unique influence with a surprise joint album, B次元官网网址淓verything is Love.B次元官网网址� On a sad note, two admired celebrities are mourned after taking their own lives: global culinary chronicler ANTHONY BOURDAIN and colorful it-bag designer KATE SPADE.
July
Last year, it was WEINSTEIN. This year, itB次元官网网址檚 , one of the most powerful men in television. Reporter RONAN FARROW breaks the explosive story of sexual misconduct on the part of the CBS chief executive; in September, with accusations escalating, Moonves will step down. And at yearB次元官网网址檚 end heB次元官网网址檒l lose his $120 million severance when CBS says it has grounds to fire him for cause, concluding he violated company policy and was unco-operative with an investigation B次元官网网址� a claim MoonvesB次元官网网址� attorney denies.
August
Farewell to the Queen of Soul: B次元官网网址檚 death sparks worldwide mourning, and the singer is hailed not only for her talent B次元官网网址� the greatest of a generation B次元官网网址� but her lifelong demand for B次元官网网址淩ESPECT,B次元官网网址� as a woman and an African-American. She is eulogized in an epic eight-hour funeral. Another longtime great, PAUL MCCARTNEY, does carpool karaoke with JAMES CORDEN, and their visit to McCartneyB次元官网网址檚 hometown of Liverpool that has many fans crying sweet tears of nostalgia.
September
B次元官网网址淏elieve in something, even if it means sacrificing everything,B次元官网网址� says a new NIKE ad that makes waves because of the man speaking the lines: , the former San Francisco quarterback who began a wave of protests among NFL players against police brutality and racial inequality. At the EMMYS, the awards themselves are upstaged by a surprise marriage proposal. And happy birthday, HARRY POTTER! Wow, youB次元官网网址檙e 20 years old.
October
Usually DONALD TRUMP has the spotlight in the Oval Office, but apparently not when KANYE WEST visits. The rapper, ostensibly there to discuss prison reform, delivers a 10-minute speech about the president, politics, and of course himself. B次元官网网址淵ou are tasting a fine wine,B次元官网网址� he says, referring to, er, his truly. B次元官网网址淚t has multiple notes to it.B次元官网网址� Onscreen, the ultimate chameleon, LADY GAGA, reinvents herself yet again with a stunning turn in BRADLEY COOPERB次元官网网址檚 acclaimed B次元官网网址淎 STAR IS BORN. B次元官网网址� And some fine-art news: The elusive pulls a stunt for the ages with his self-shredding painting at a SothebyB次元官网网址檚 auction. But was that him, in the audience? Maybe.
November
Three broken ribs might sideline a football player, but RUTH BADER GINSBURG ? Nah. Days after her injury from a fall, the 85-year-old Supreme Court justice is back on the job, capping a year in which sheB次元官网网址檚 emerged as a true pop culture heroine. Already in the spotlight for B次元官网网址淩BG,B次元官网网址� the documentary in which sheB次元官网网址檚 shown doing push-ups among other things, sheB次元官网网址檚 also the subject of a popular SNL rap video, and by yearB次元官网网址檚 end a new feature film, B次元官网网址淥n the Basis of Sex.B次元官网网址� Oh, and sheB次元官网网址檚 back at the gym, too.
December
Wanna be the new Oscar host? TheyB次元官网网址檙e hiring! (Unless youB次元官网网址檇 prefer to be TrumpB次元官网网址檚 chief of staff.) is forced to step down B次元官网网址� two days after being named B次元官网网址� when past homophobic tweets are aired. And remember all the talk over the first ladyB次元官网网址檚 Zara coat? Now itB次元官网网址檚 NANCY PELOSIB次元官网网址檚 MaxMara coat weB次元官网网址檙e discussing, a fiery red number that she wears B次元官网网址� with Armani shades B次元官网网址� emerging from a tense showdown with the president. The fashion label immediately reissues the discontinued garment. And speaking of cool overcoats: A stylish new MARY POPPINS is on the block, thanks to BLUNT, who proves a worthy successor to Julie Andrews in the Disney sequel. At the end of a tough year, it feels nice to indulge with just a spoonful of sugar.
Jocelyn Noveck, The Associated Press
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