We can’t believe that we’re at the end of another year. The celebrities continued with their antics, keeping us entertained for the most part but also horrified. Daysia rounds-up her top five chaotic celeb moments from 2021 and Hannah highlights her top three pop culture items and also what she hopes celebs start (and stop) doing in 2022. 

Happy New Year!

<3

Daysia and Hannah

This Week's Fixations

Daysia: I can’t believe we’ve survived another year of a pandemic (and general worldwide craziness). Despite calls in 2020 to abolish celebrity culture, it felt as though celebrities became more strange and absurd and out-of-touch. And you know what? It’s more entertaining that way, for better or worse. Isn’t that kind of their job? To keep us entertained? Methinks so. 

I’ve kept note of some of the most deranged celeb behavior that has stuck out to me this past year. Here are five of the most chaotic (and/or most iconic things) famous people have done in 2021 that are living in my head rent-free:

1. Demi Lovato doing spon-con for a conspiracy theory website: This one is probably the most irresponsible on the list. Lovato has been going through it very publicly this year and has gotten themself into a bunch of controversies. However, this one takes the cake. Lovato has long been interested in aliens and even has a reality show about it. They took their interest to the next level by becoming an ambassador for Gaia, a video streaming platform that is a hub for conspiracy theorists including QAnon followers. There’s not a lot left to say about this, other than conspiracy theories aren’t something celebrities should be pushing to their fans. I fear the sinister rabbit holes that Lovato and Lovatics may fall into if they join the site.

2. Mac Demarco judging a cooking contest between Trisha Paytas and Ethan Klein: RIP Frenemies. ‘Twas a simpler time. Apparently, Demarco and Klein have been friends for a while, a fact I didn’t know. So imagine my surprise when I see every film boi’s favorite musician eating pasta made by two of the most controversial YouTubers ever. It’s been months since that episode came out (and since the decline of Paytas and Klein’s relationship in general), but I’m still shook by this crossover.

3. Grimes staging a paparazzi shoot and carrying around a copy of The Communist Manifesto: Grimes had a lot to say about communism this year, specifically on TikTok. When she and Elon Musk broke up, she walked around with a copy of Karl Marx’s text to troll the paps, spawning a bunch of memes and eventual Halloween costumes. A very powerful move from a person who was in a committed relationship with one of the world’s most reviled capitalists. Iconic, if not infamous!

4. Lil Uzi Vert getting a big ass diamond implanted in his forehead: Okay, truly painful and made even worse after fans literally ripped the diamond out of his head! Lil Uzi Vert debuted the 10-carat, $24 million pink diamond earlier this year, which had many of us thinking… how? It was way too big to be safe for his head. He took it out, but man, what a time.

5. Taika Waititi, Rita Ora, and Tessa Thompson (likely) having a threesome: This moment is the most innocuous by far—and the most fun! It may have even been a foursome, as I previously wrote about this year. I love chaotic, carefree celebs. I want what they have. These pap photos are so iconic and were an incredible kickoff to Waititi and Ora’s relationship (which has grown on me considerably). I want more of this energy in 2022.

Hannah: As Daysia writes the celebs continue to be out here and wildin’. Coming to the end of this—frankly, bananas—year, I am reflecting on my three stars (for 2021) and a wish (for 2022) for pop culture. 

• Albums that shake up the culture and musicians taking risks: case in point, Olivia Rodrigo not holding back the punches with SOUR, Lorde walking on (sometimes snarky) sunshine with Solar Power, the genius that is Lil’ Nas X—both with MONTERO and the entire marketing campaign around it, and Taylor Swift releasing a 10-minute roast of Jake Gyllenhaal. 

• Celeb couples that weirdly make sense or make me believe in love again: Channing Tatum and Zoë Kravitz, Taika Waititi and Rita Ora, and Kourtney Kardashian and Travis Barker fall into the former category. I think the only couple that really falls in the latter category is Tom Holland and Zendaya. 

• The end of Britney Spears’ conservatorship: one of the highlights of this year was Spears’ conservatorship, which has been in place for the past 13 years, being terminated. It has been wonderful to see Spears embracing her freedom and getting to make decisions about her career. Along with increased awareness around conservatorships and how they are used—we love to see pop culture having positive impacts on society.

• My wish for 2022 is for celebrities to utilize their reading comprehension skills, learn to read the room, and stop telling us that they don’t take baths! 

Has Lorde Dropped a New Album?

Mother Jones does a recap of “heroes” and “monsters” every year, and they’ve named Lorde as both. The range <3 (listen, the girlies that get Solar Power, get it and the girlies that don’t, don’t!).

ICYMI: An iconic banger from Rebecca Black and Slayyyter: “Read My Mind.”

Too Many Tabs

The New York Times’ Julie Bloom interviewed Maggie Gyllenhaal about her directorial debut.

New York magazine’s Olivia Nuzzi caught Dr. Oz talking shit about her while she was reporting on his Senate campaign.

Rolling Stone’s Angie Martoccio talked to Mitski about her new album, nightmares, and almost quitting.

Sophie Gilbert writes for The Atlantic about Teletubbies, a show loved by her twin toddlers but for her, the experience is “full of terror and questions.”

Plus… Katy Poopy, Madonna going after Tory Lanez, Taylor Swift’s traffic violations, no more Fast & Furious for the Rock, the best TV shows of 2021, leaning in to the ringarde-ness of Emily in Paris, Cheer is back, and one night at Mom’s Spaghetti.