Spring Break
The Daily OrangeTop Pop Culture Moments of 2008
By Blake Rong
Posted: 1/13/09, 12:44 AM EST Section: Best of 2008
1. Barack Obama wins the race for the White House
Getting people under 65 to be interested in politics is already earth-shattering, much less the first African-American president elected to office. With an overwhelming youth turnout, Obama created a movement with a following unprecedented in a presidential race.
2. Sarah Palin flops due to a fake (SNL, Katie Couric)
Tina Fey's Palin impression was impressive for two reasons: it actually managed to influence the election AND it successfully made "Saturday Night Live" relevant and funny, if only for a fleeting moment.
3. The Olympics/Michael Phelps
Amidst fanfare, history and over-blown scandal, Michael Phelps winning eight gold medals really made the rest of us look like slackers in comparison. His strides in Olympics history were almost as impressive as his Sports Illustrated cover and his SNL stint.
4. The Dark Knight
Ledger's death, Bale's arrest, Freeman's near-death car accident and the box-office breaking film that frightened millions. The hype surrounding the movie was almost as big as the 2.5-hour epic itself, manifesting itself in record shattering ticket sales that sold out for weeks, forcing some of us to wait up to two months before we could revel in The Joker's brilliance.
5. Britney Spears
Britney Spears' media adventures continued from last year, but instead of shaving her head for no particular reason this year, it actually ended differently for her: she produced some work, in the form of hit singles "Womanizer" and "Circus." Her 180-transformation from insane former pop idol to kind-of regular pop idol isn't fully complete yet, but it's a damn good start.
6. Brangelina (and a whole bunch of other less popular people) have twins!
Brad and Angie were busy with a slew of new movies, but none of that nonsense got in the way of what they were actually put on Earth to do in the first place: to sell expensive baby photos to supermarket tabloids. And boy, did they accomplish that!
Getting people under 65 to be interested in politics is already earth-shattering, much less the first African-American president elected to office. With an overwhelming youth turnout, Obama created a movement with a following unprecedented in a presidential race.
2. Sarah Palin flops due to a fake (SNL, Katie Couric)
Tina Fey's Palin impression was impressive for two reasons: it actually managed to influence the election AND it successfully made "Saturday Night Live" relevant and funny, if only for a fleeting moment.
3. The Olympics/Michael Phelps
Amidst fanfare, history and over-blown scandal, Michael Phelps winning eight gold medals really made the rest of us look like slackers in comparison. His strides in Olympics history were almost as impressive as his Sports Illustrated cover and his SNL stint.
4. The Dark Knight
Ledger's death, Bale's arrest, Freeman's near-death car accident and the box-office breaking film that frightened millions. The hype surrounding the movie was almost as big as the 2.5-hour epic itself, manifesting itself in record shattering ticket sales that sold out for weeks, forcing some of us to wait up to two months before we could revel in The Joker's brilliance.
5. Britney Spears
Britney Spears' media adventures continued from last year, but instead of shaving her head for no particular reason this year, it actually ended differently for her: she produced some work, in the form of hit singles "Womanizer" and "Circus." Her 180-transformation from insane former pop idol to kind-of regular pop idol isn't fully complete yet, but it's a damn good start.
6. Brangelina (and a whole bunch of other less popular people) have twins!
Brad and Angie were busy with a slew of new movies, but none of that nonsense got in the way of what they were actually put on Earth to do in the first place: to sell expensive baby photos to supermarket tabloids. And boy, did they accomplish that!
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