2022 Pop Culture Recap

According to AP News the following has happened in pop culture during 2022:

January

– The year started off with the Golden Globes Awards, but it was not the usual gathering with a telecast, nominees, a red carpet, a host, press, or a livestream. Hollywood’s biggest party, which usually attracted 18 million television viewers, was whittled down to a live-blog Sunday night for its 79th edition.

– Janet Jackson announces that she and Justin Timberlake have moved on from her wardrobe scandal during the Super Bowl’s halftime show in February 2004 and asks everyone to do the same.

– The New York Times buys Wordle.

– Sidney Poitier dies at the age of 94. 

February

– Britney Spears announces her $15 million book deal after she is freed from her restrictive conservatorship.

– Rihanna announces her pregnancy.

– Tom Brady “retires”.

– Jake Gyllenhaal reacts to Taylor Swift’s song, “All Too Well,” saying that it is about Taylor’s relationship with her fans and has nothing to do with him.

March

– “CODA”, a “feel-good drama with a mostly deaf cast”, wins an Oscar. Also, Troy Kotsur wins an acting Oscar, making him the first deaf actor to receive that award.

– Will Smith slaps Chris Rock for “joking” about his wife, Jada Pinkett Smith. Will Smith wins best actor award shortly after he slaps Chris Rock.

– Kim Kardashian is declared legally single after her divorce with Ye, the rapper who used to go by Kanye West. 

– Tom Brady decides that he does not want to be retired.

April

– Jon Batiste wins five statuettes at the Grammy Awards.

– Elon Musk begins his acquisition of Twitter.

May

– Kim Kardashian makes an appearance with Pete Davidson at the Met Gala. On top of that, she walks in wearing the same sequined gown Marilyn Monroe wore to sing “Happy Birthday” to John F. Kennedy in 1962. 

– “Top Gun: Maverick” comes out.

– Harry Styles’ album, “Harry’s House,” is released.

June

– BTS shares that it is taking a break to focus on members’ solo projects.

– Johnny Depp wins his libel case over allegations of domestic abuse, which decided that his wife, Amber Heard, defamed him in a 2018 op-ed.

– Britney Spears marries Sam Asghari.

July 

– Jennifer Lopez has a quick wedding to Ben Affleck.

– Beyoncé releases her seventh studio album, “Renaissance,” her first solo album in six years.

August

– Lopez and Affleck have a second wedding.

– Kardashian and Davidson break up.

– Queen Elizabeth II dies at the age of 96.

September

– Harry Styles allegedly spits on Chris Pine at the Venice premiere of “Don’t Worry Darling.”

– Sheryl Lee Ralph wins an Emmy for “Abbott Elementary” and lectures the crowd about the power of dreams and self-belief.

– Rachel Berry from “Glee” lands the role of Fanny Brice in “Funny Girl” on Broadway.

– Serena Williams steps away from tennis.

October

– Harvey Weinstein goes on trial in LA for the second time.

– Adidas cuts its ties with Ye because of his troubling comments.

– Taylor Swift releases her new album, “Midnights,” and becomes the first artist to take up all of the top 10 slots on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

– Tom Brady and Gisele Bundchen split up.

November

– Millions of fans fight for presale codes for Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour, which causes Ticketmaster to crash. Ticketmaster also cancels the general sale.

– “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” faces the problems of having to follow up the first “Black Panther” movie and losing its biggest star.

December

– Will Smith comes out of hiding to promote his new film, “Emancipation,” and is hoping people will forget about the slap from the beginning of the year…