A brief look at the past year in U.S. pop culture
There were goodbyes (Jon Stewart, David Letterman, “Mad Men’’) and hellos (Adele!). “Star Wars’’ reawakened, and a ballerina hit the zeitgeist.
But the pop culture moment that fascinated us most? That had to be the emergence of Caitlyn Jenner.
Herewith, our annual, very selective trip down pop culture memory lane:
January
We began the year talking about North Korea. At the Golden Globes, Tina Fey welcomed the TV audience to honor “all the movies that North Korea was OK with’’ - a reference to the Sony hacking story that struck fear across the land.
February
The Twitter hashtag #OscarsSoWhite protested the fact that all the Academy Award nominees were white. Ava DuVernay, the “Selma’’ director, was snubbed along with star David Oyelowo.
March
We learned that a little-known, 31-year-old South African comic, Trever Noah, will succeed Jon Stewart on the “Daily Show.”
April
“I’m a woman.’’ With those three words to Diane Sawyer, former Olympian Bruce Jenner begins a very public gender transition that will captivate the country.
May
After seven seasons, “Mad Men’’ ended, while David Letterman said goodbye after 33 years on late-night TV.
June
Her name is Caitlyn. Jenner made a smashing entrance - with a corset, a brand new name and a fascinating story to tell - on the cover of Vanity Fair. Ballerina Misty Copeland was also named the first black female principal dancer in the American Ballet Theatre’s 75 year history.
July
Fans of Harper Lee’s iconic “To Kill a Mockingbird’’ were stunned when that novel’s hero, Atticus Finch, was given a makeover as a racist in the author’s “Go Set a Watchman,’’ seen as essentially an early - and very different - version of “To Kill a Mockingbird.’’
And on one striking cover of New York Magazine, 35 of Bill Cosby’s accusers appeared, all describing alleged assaults by the once-revered comedian.
August
Jon Stewart ends 16 years at the “Daily Show’’ with a reminder to his fans to be vigilant against falsehoods - er, dishonesty.
September
On CBS, Stephen Colbert launched his “Late Show’’ with the declaration that “I will be covering all the presidential candidates ... who are Donald Trump.’’
October
The trailer for “The Force Awakens,” the new Star Wars flick, comes out.
November
Soulful Brit Adele debuts her long-awaited album, “25,’’ which sold a whopping five million copies in just three weeks.
December
“The Force Awakens” is finally here. Relief echoes across the galaxies. AP
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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