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As the year nears its end, it’s the perfect time to catalog all that happened, at least in the eyes of pop culture. With our digital lives developing alongside our real ones, reducing an entire year so that it fits in a list is impossible, but still fun to try. Here are some of the biggest pop culture moments of the year, for better or for worse:
Argentina wins Qatar World Cup
Argentina won the Qatar World Cup this past Sunday, effectively paralyzing the country. Over the past week, Argentineans have been celebrating their win by marching on the streets, climbing atop of the Obelisk of Buenos Aires, and even jumping from a bridge in hopes of landing on the team’s bus. Seriously.
Jenna Ortega as Wednesday Addams
“Wednesday” was released a little while ago, yet it broke all sorts of Netflix records and became a cultural sensation. While “Wednesday” is just another one of Netflix’s yearly hits, Jenna Ortega’s take on the character is one for the ages. Ortega is a young star, yet a recognizable face for any consistent film and TV viewer. In the case of “Wednesday,” she took on the daunting task of taking an iconic character and giving it her own spin.
Bad Bunny kissed a guy at the MTV VMAs
Back in August, Bad Bunny won an MTV Award in the midst of his New York concert and had televised performance of “Titi Me Pregunto.” To make the moment even more iconic, he pulled a Britney and Madonna, kissing female and a male dancer.
Will Smith’s slap at the Oscars
Will Smith slapped Chris Rock at this year’s Oscars. This year! The moment will live on in infamy and provides conversation fodder to this day.
Depp v Heard
Over the summer, Johnny Depp and Amber Heard’s defamation trial occupied the spotlight and became public entertainment. Whether you were thrilled or nauseated by what was developing in front of your eyes, you likely couldn’t escape it.
Pete Davidson’s love life
This year, Pete Davidson’s love life reliably took center stage. He and Kim Kardashian dated and appeared to be serious. Then they broke up. Then Pete appeared to be dating Emily Ratajkowski. Now, we’re not really sure what’s going on.
Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck got married
Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck got married this summer. The two were briefly engaged in the early aughts, breaking up and moving on to marry other people and form families of their own. Affleck and Lopez reunited in 2021.