Taylor Swift, Barbie and a Chinese balloon: The biggest pop culture moments of 2023
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How to summarize 2023? Barbie and Taylor Swift dominated, Gwyneth Paltrow turned a Park City, Utah, courtroom into a runway and Americans spent another year obsessing over extraterrestrials.
2023 was eventful, to say the least.
Without further ado, let’s take a walk down memory lane with a look at some of the greatest pop culture moments of 2023.
January
Prince Harry’s memoir, ‘Spare,’ takes over social media
Harry reclaimed the narrative regarding his controversial royal exit and upbringing in his memoir, “Spare.” The tell-all book saw record-breaking sales — though it did not impress critics, who bashed the book as a “ill-advised romp” and compared it to a “400-page therapy session” and “the longest angry drunk text ever sent.”
Love it or hate it, “Spare” was a bombshell. Harry aired his dirty laundry without abandon and we learned a lot about the disenfranchised prince, from the messy inner workings of his familial relationships to the time he peed his pants before a date.
Related
Nepo babies deflect their new label — though some embrace it
Whether celebrities are ready to admit it or not, Hollywood is packed with nepo babies. Nepo babies, a term that’s derived from “nepotism,” are successful actors, musicians, comedians and others with famous and successful parents or relatives.
The phrase took the world by storm when New York Magazine featured the phenomenon on the cover of its December 2022 issue. Some celebrities were ready to hear it, while others found the label insulting.
“The current conversation about nepo babies is just designed to try to diminish and denigrate and hurt,” said Jamie Lee Curtis, whose parents (Janet Leigh and Tony Curtis) were both successful actors, per the Independent.
Curtis later embraced the term when she called herself the “OG Nepo Baby” on Instagram.
Meanwhile, Hailey Bieber — her father is Stephen Baldwin and uncle is Alec Baldwin — welcomed the term from the get-go when she was photographed rocking a “Nepo Baby” shirt in January.
Related
February
Chinese balloon sparks yearlong obsession with aliens
Wild theories ran amok when a massive balloon hovered in U.S. skies in February. The 200-foot Chinese balloon was eventually shot down by the U.S. military.
“The balloon never posed a military or physical threat to the American people,” the Department of Defense said. “However, its intrusion of our airspace for multiple days was an unacceptable violation of our sovereignty.”
Despite sound explanations for the strange balloon, its presence opened the floodgates for a year of extraterrestrial chatter — some lighthearted, some intense.
Mexico claimed it had 1,000-year-old alien remains and a former U.S. intelligence official called on the government to open up about its alleged possession of “intact and partially intact craft of non-human origin,” per the Deseret News.
After spending a year talking about aliens, I think most of us feel the same way about them as we did at the start of 2023: a little curious, but mostly confused.
Related
Rihanna announced pregnancy in record-breaking Super Bowl performance
After a five-year hiatus from the stage, Rihanna soared above the audience in a striking red getup during her halftime performance at the Super Bowl. She used the opportunity to reveal she was pregnant with her second child. Oh, and she set the new record for most Super Bowl halftime show viewers (121.017 million), per Billboard. In 2023 terms, it was a slay.
Related
March
Gwyneth Paltrow ski accident
Academy Award-winning actress Gwyneth Paltrow spent time in a Park City, Utah, courtroom after retired optometrist Teri Sanderson sued Paltrow for a “hit-and-run” ski crash after the pair collided in 2016 on a slope at Deer Valley Resort, as reported by the Deseret News.
The jury found Paltrow not at fault for the incident. But the verdict might have been the least exciting part of the trial.
We still aren’t sure what the most entertaining part of Gwyneth Paltrow’s ski trial was — the way she effortlessly turned the courtroom into a runway, Paltrow’s handsome “Clark Kent” attorney, the hilarious public reactions to the trial or the actress’ controversial parting words. Maybe the London musical based on the infamous trial will determine that for us.
Related
Gwyneth Paltrow found not at fault: An in-depth timeline of the Park City trial
The Gwyneth Paltrow trial is Utah’s greatest export — and now it’s a musical
Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour begins
I’m not sure I can properly express the degree to which Taylor Swift captivated us in 2023, so I will leave it at this — 2023 is the year Taylor Swift took over.
Swift’s Eras Tour took off on March 17 in Glendale, Arizona. By the end of the tour, Swift will have played 151 shows on five continents. She has made more than $1.04 billion, making Eras the highest grossing tour of 2023, per Fox Business.
Related
April
After six years, Taylor Swift and Joe Alwyn break up. Eras Tour rages on
Only when a celebrity reaches Taylor Swift status do their romantic relationship updates make a list of top pop culture moments for the year.
Before there was Travis Kelce, there was Joe Alwyn. Swift wrote dozens of songs with Alwyn in mind, such as “Ready For It,” “Cornelia Street” and “London Boy.” Fans mourned the relationship by placing flowers at the couple’s New York residence and streaming songs Swift wrote for her former partner, as reported by the Deseret News.
But the sorrow didn’t last and the Eras Tour raged on.
Related
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Perspective: Living together first probably won’t lead to a happy marriage
May
King Charles III crowned monarch of Britain
At 74 years old, King Charles III was crowned monarch of the United Kingdom alongside his wife, Queen Camilla. Charles made history as the oldest monarch to ever take the British throne.
After months of speculation, Prince Harry briefly attended his father’s coronation ceremony solo. His wife, Meghan Markle, and two children stayed back home in California.
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June
The world is captivated by missing submersible
In a quest to see the remains of the Titanic, a submersible called the Titan traveled through the ocean’s depths and lost outside contact after less than two hours.
Five people were on board: Stockton Rush, CEO of OceanGate; Hamish Harding, a British aviator; Shahzada Dawood, a British Pakistani businessman; Suleman Dawood, son of Shahzada Dawood; and Paul-Henry Nargeolet, director of Underwater Research for E/M Group and RMS Titanic Inc, per the Deseret News. Each passenger paid $250,000 to join the expedition.
The public was invested in the race against time to find the missing submersible. After days of searching, remains from the submersible were recovered from the ocean floor.
The U.S. Coast Guard announced the debris was “consistent with the catastrophic loss of the pressure chamber,” as reported by the Deseret News. All five passengers are presumed dead.
Related
Everything to know about the sub Titan — and its voyage to the Titanic wreck
Presumed human remains from the Titan submersible recovered, the Coast Guard says
July
‘Barbenheimer’ dominated the box office
Before Taylor Swift, there was Barbie. And for a brief moment this year, the plastic doll turned movie star reclaimed the spotlight — only to have to share it with J. Robert Oppenheimer.
Summer blockbusters “Barbie” and “Oppenheimer” landed in theaters on the same day and moviegoers embraced the dual release date with a doubleheader — otherwise known as “Barbenheimer.”
So many fans took part in the “Barbenheimer” double feature that the movies made roughly $535.3 million in joint ticket sales over opening weekend, per Axios. As 2023 comes to a close, “Barbie” remains the top movie in sales with “Oppenheimer” closely behind at No. 5, per Box Office Mojo.
Related
Twitter becomes X, Meta launches Threads
After buying Twitter in October 2022 for $44 billion, Elon Musk decided it was time to rebrand the social media platform.
“Soon we shall bid adieu to the twitter brand and, gradually, all the birds,” Musk tweeted on July 22.
And soon we shall bid adieu to the twitter brand and, gradually, all the birds
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) July 23, 2023
He stayed true to his word. Soon after, Twitter was officially renamed X and the iconic blue bird was swiftly replaced with an X symbol.
In an attempt to compete with X, Meta launched Threads — a cross between X and Instagram. The app had its moment in the sun, but users’ enthusiasm didn’t seem to last.
Related
Elon Musk announces Twitter’s rebrand to X, and people aren’t happy about it
Threads review: More community and cute pics, less news and virtual shouting (so far)
August
Trump’s mugshot goes viral
https://t.co/MlIKklPSJT pic.twitter.com/Mcbf2xozsY
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 25, 2023
On Aug. 24, former President Donald Trump was arrested at Fulton County Jail in Atlanta. His mugshot circled the internet, eventually landing on memes and T-shirts.
In true businessman fashion, Trump has found a way to profit off the infamous mugshot. His team is currently selling scraps of the blue suit he wore when his mugshot was taken.
“It was a great suit, believe me, a really good suit. It’s all cut up, and you’re gonna get a piece of it,” Trump said, per The Guardian. Pieces of the suit are going for $4,699.53.
Related
September
Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce debut their relationship
The Kansas City Chiefs experienced a spike in popularity after Swift was photographed supporting her new boyfriend, Travis Kelce, at a game. Swift continued to attended Kelce’s games, bringing the team around 18,000 new fans with every game she is spotted at, according to Marca.
Related
Gerry Turner becomes first-ever Golden Bachelor
Bachelor Nation expanded its territory this year with “The Golden Bachelor,” a spin on the popular series “The Bachelor.”
The twist? The show is dedicated to seniors finding love. The first ever Golden Bachelor was 71-year-old widower Gerry Turner, who impressed audiences with his chipper Midwestern demeanor and love for his late wife.
But the series took a sour turn when The Hollywood Reporter published an in-depth look at the Golden Bachelor’s hidden past — he allegedly fat-shamed a previous girlfriend and buried key details about his career.
In spite of the controversy, the series brought the Bachelor Nation franchise its biggest viewership debut since 2021, with an audience of 4.4 million viewers, per Variety. Here’s to hoping we get a “Golden Bachelorette” series in 2024 featuring a “Golden Bachelor” runner-up.
Related
October
‘Friends’ star Matthew Perry dies at 54
On Oct. 28, Matthew Perry was found dead at his Los Angeles home. He was 54.
Perry, best known for starring as Chandler Bing in “Friends,” was found face down in his backyard pool. The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner later described the death as an accident with the primary cause being “the acute effects of ketamine.”
“We are all so utterly devastated by the loss of Matthew. We were more than just cast mates. We are a family,” the cast of “Friends” said in a statement, per People. “There is so much to say, but right now we’re going to take a moment to grieve and process this unfathomable loss.
“Our thoughts and our love are with Matty’s family, his friends, and everyone who loved him around the world.”
Related
Victoria Beckham insists she grew up middle class
Arguably the most memorable scene from David Beckham’s four-part Netflix documentary is when he teases his wife, Victoria Beckham, over her so-called “working class” roots.
While discussing her life before fame, Victoria Beckham mentions how she and her husband were both raised in “very working class families.”
“Be honest. What car did your dad drive you to school in?” David Beckham chimes in.
After a moment of pushback, Victoria Beckham begrudgingly admits, “My dad has a Rolls Royce.”
Cue the memes.
Posh Spice is now playfully embracing the internet’s obsession with the “Beckham” scene. In a recent TikTok, Beckham dons a T-shirt with the famous quote, confessing she “can’t fight it anymore.”
Related
Critics praise ‘Beckham’ docuseries. What is the David Beckham documentary about?
David Beckham gets candid in Netflix series ‘Beckham.’ 6 key reveals from the series
November
Hollywood strikes come to an official end
Monthslong strikes from the the Writers Guild of America and the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists officially came to an end by November. The WGA strike came to a close in September but Hollywood’s hands were tied until November and the end of the SAG-AFTRA strike.
After 118 days, the SAG-AFTRA strike ended on Nov. 8 — freeing Hollywood to make movie and TV magic once again.
Related
December
Zac Efron reflects on #HighSchoolMusical: "It was still, to this day, one of the most fun experiences of my whole life." https://t.co/FgQ4EDNYfU pic.twitter.com/IGFb8p5ljW
— Variety (@Variety) December 14, 2023
Zac Efron gets star on Hollywood Walk of Fame
Once best known for Disney Channel movies, Zac Efron was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on Dec. 11, 2023. His most recent project, “The Iron Claw,” has attracted attention for being “the most depressing film of the year,” but Efron recalled his comedy roots during the ceremony — acknowledging his start on “High School Musical” and honoring the late Matthew Perry, whom he worked with on “17 Again.”
“You have no idea how I’m feeling right now. It’s so surreal,” Efron said, per ABC News.
“I’ve been acting and singing and dancing for as long as I can remember, since I was a little boy, but never in my wildest dreams did I imagine I’d be standing here today in front of such dear friends, colleagues throughout the years and lifelong fans who have been with me since day one. I love you guys so much.”
Chadwick Boseman, Michelle Yeoh, Otis Redding, Gwen Stefani, Paul Walker, Eugene Levy and Kerry Washington are among those who got a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2023, per Hollywood Walk of Fame.
