2017 is finally coming to an end, and not a moment too soon. Seriously, I feel like the old lady in Titanic: “It’s been 87 years…” It could not have dragged on any longer. The year wasn’t all bad, though; there were definitely some highlights, some low points and some really, really crappy things that happened in the world of entertainment. Here are our picks for the most memorable Hollywood moments of 2017: the good, the bad and the ugly.
The good
Khloé Kardashian’s life-changing news
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Khloé Kardashian had a pretty crappy few years, dealing with the addiction issues of her now-ex-husband Lamar Odom, their divorce and his near-death experience after an overdose. But things are finally looking up for our favorite Kardashian! After months of rumors, she finally confirmed that she and basketball star Tristan Thompson are pregnant with their first baby — and, surprise, they may even have secretly gotten married, judging by the gorgeous ring on that finger! This woman has been through so much, we are so happy she finally has her happy ending.
Beyoncé’s twins
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If the world doesn’t literally go up in flames by midnight on Dec. 31, 2017, there will only be one reason why: the earth has been saved by the presence of the double fruit of the womb of our ultimate queen, Beyoncé. Bey announced her pregnancy in her typical iconic style — meaning totally atypical — but the world still breathed a sigh of relief that at least one amazing thing would happen this year. (Seriously, things were looking pretty grim.)
More: Everything Awesome That Happened on SNL in 2017
Lady Gaga’s Super Bowl performance
WOW. Amazing.@ladygaga's #PepsiHalftime Show! 👏#SB51https://t.co/z9vCKRBKkC
— NFL (@NFL) February 6, 2017
When Lady Gaga was announced as the 2017 Super Bowl halftime performer, a certain sector of society complained that she was going to use the platform to make a huge political statement. Well, she did — but so cleverly that half the people watching it couldn’t even tell. Gaga lulled the haters into complacency by starting out her set belting out “God Bless America,” then segued into “This Land Is Your Land” — which, if you’re paying attention, you know is actually a protest anthem and was written as an angry response to “God Bless America.”
She then burst into a medley of some of her biggest hits, including “Born This Way,” an anthem for gay and trans people everywhere, and her backup dancers looked like a collection of United Colors of Benetton models.
The bad
The Oscars Best Picture mix-up
It was a moment the nominees had waited for their whole lives: who would win the ultimate award, an Oscar for Best Picture? Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway were tasked with making the big announcement — and they blew it, big time. Dunaway read La La Land as the winner. The cast and crew came onstage, and as they were thanking others, the film’s producer, Jordan Horowitz, grabbed the mic and announced, “There’s been a mistake. Moonlight, you won Best Picture. This is not a joke.”
The crowd — not to mention the casts of both movies — were completely shocked by the snafu. Turns out PricewaterhouseCoopers accountant Brian Cullinan handed Beatty the wrong envelope. It was a duplicate containing the Best Actress winner card for Emma Stone in La La Land.
Sean Spicer’s Emmy appearance
Much-maligned former White House press secretary Sean Spicer thought making fun of his role in an Emmys appearance was a great way to rehabilitate his image. However, it had the opposite effect: he was widely panned for trying to make light of his participation in flat-out lying to the American people (biggest inauguration crowd in history? Wrong) and normalizing the behavior of a problematic presidency.
More: All the Celebs Who Got Engaged in 2017
Anna Faris and Chris Pratt split
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After eight years of marriage, our favorite Hollywood couple broke our hearts and called it quits. They announced their separation in August, and each filed for divorce separately in early December. Faris and Pratt both cited irreconcilable differences, but both also discussed how insecurity ate away at their bond. Love is dead.
The ugly
Hollywood sex predators exposed
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It began with Harvey Weinstein and grew into a movement. #MeToo, started by activist Tarana Burke a decade ago to aid underprivileged women of color affected by sexual abuse, became the most popular hashtag on social media and started an avalanche of accusations against some huge names in entertainment in the media. A multitude of men have been brought down, including but not limited to Kevin Spacey, Charlie Rose, Russell Simmons, Mario Batali, Morgan Spurlock, Danny Masterson, Garrison Keillor, Johnny Iuzzini, Al Franken, Louis C.K., Andy Dick, Terry Richardson, Jeffrey Tambor, Ed Westwick, Brett Ratner and Matt Lauer. The victims who spoke out, and those who still suffer in silence, were named as Time‘s Person of the Year.
More: Most Memorable Moments for Women in Entertainment in 2017
The NFL debate
To kneel or not to kneel? NFL player Colin Kaepernick made a huge political statement by kneeling instead of standing during the national anthem, in protest of the treatment of black Americans by police and our society at large. When President Donald Trump suggested NFL owners should fire players who don’t stand, it unleashed a firestorm of protests from players, coaches and owners alike. Some took a knee, and others locked arms in solidarity. The message was clear: Don’t insult our players and don’t tell us what to do. The controversy divided Americans, with some supporting both the message of taking a knee and the freedom of speech behind it and others expressing disgust at what they considered disrespect of our anthem and country.
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