20 Wild Pop Culture Moments That Truly Embody the Year 2020

In a year full of moments that had us going "What even is 2020?" it was hard to narrow them all down. It seemed that whenever something ridiculous happened, it would only be a matter of time before something else came along to top it. From Dolly Parton solidifying her legendary status to Kanye West deciding he'd run for president, 2020 was certainly a mixed bag when it came to the world of pop culture. With 2020 finally coming to a close after what feels like an eternity, what better way to remember the fever-dream of a year than with the wildest pop culture moments from the weirdly wonderful to the downright bizarre? Ahead are the 20 moments that really had us going, "Wow, what a year."

01
Dolly Parton Funding the COVID-19 Vaccine
Getty | John Lamparski

Dolly Parton Funding the COVID-19 Vaccine

Dolly Parton donated $1.37 million to the Vanderbilt University Medical Centre, where Moderna performed research and trials. This led to Moderna including the Dolly Parton COVID-19 Research Fund as one of its listed sponsors.

02
Taylor Swift Releasing Two Albums in One Year
Getty | ACMA2020

Taylor Swift Releasing Two Albums in One Year

No Swiftie could've predicted that Taylor Swift would release two albums in one year, but 2020 was really her year after losing the rights to her masters in 2019. The musical masterpiece that are albums Folklore and Evermore definitely served as the soundtrack to our 2020 tears.

03
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Wendy Williams Performing "Native New Yorker" on The Masked Singer

The performance that spawned a million memes. We didn't expect Wendy Williams to be on The Masked Singer, but it's clear she had a good time. We will now be using, "a little vamping," to describe everything from here on out.

04
That Ridiculous Supernatural Series Finale
The CW

That Ridiculous Supernatural Series Finale

All we can ask is, "Why would The CW let our boys go out like that?" In what definitely felt like a spoof, 15 seasons ended in a way nobody saw coming: a ridiculous montage to "Carry on My Wayward Son." Cas didn't even get to be in the last episode and Sam's old man get-up was terrible.

05
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"I Saw a Tiger" by Joe Exotic

Tiger King dominated the beginning of quarantine and Joe Exotic's music videos have lingered in our brains long after he was put behind bars. "I Saw a Tiger" is our personal favorite.

06
Clare Crawley Leaving The Bachelorette Early
ABC

Clare Crawley Leaving The Bachelorette Early

Clare Crawley's season of The Bachelorette got off to a rocky start, but it didn't take her long to find her Prince Charming. In fact, Crawley quit the show after only 12 days of filming and Tayshia Adams stepped in to finish the season.

07
Quibi's Extremely Short Existence
Getty | CHRIS DELMAS

Quibi's Extremely Short Existence

Quibi lasted, well, a Quibi. The short-form streaming service shut down after only six months of service due to a lack of interest, complications from COVID-19, and legal issues.

08
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Carole Baskin Dancing to "Eye of the Tiger" on Dancing With the Stars

If you thought Joe Exotic's Tiger King music videos were weird, Carole Baskin dancing to "Eye of the Tiger" on Dancing With the Stars really takes the cake. After being accused of murdering her husband by Joe, Carole seemed to be the real winner of the Tiger King aftermath.

09
The Way "Social Media" Works in Emily in Paris
Everett Collection

The Way "Social Media" Works in Emily in Paris

We probably could've devoted a whole list to the what the f*ck moments from Netflix's Emily in Paris. What really stood out to us was just how bad she was at social media, yet seemed to be a highly sought after influencer? She used the wrong characters in a hashtag that would've negated it . . . and she has a master's in the subject. It's all so wrong.

10
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The Black Eyed Peas' Light Up Pants at the MTV VMAs

The Black Eyed Peas' first-ever performance at the MTV VMAs is one we aren't likely to forget. Between Nicky Jam being superimposed on the background behind them and their interesting choice in pants, it was one giant WTF.

11
The Fly on Mike Pence's Head
Getty | ERIC BARADAT

The Fly on Mike Pence's Head

It's not like we were really paying attention to anything Mike Pence said, but as soon as the fly landed on his head during the Vice Presidential debate, nothing else mattered.

12

All of those Celebrities Singing "Imagine"

While some took solace in Gal Gadot and friends singing "Imagine" by John Lennon on Instagram back in March, other's lambasted them for what seemed like a meaningless contribution to the world's coronavirus plight.

13
Jada Pinkett Smith and Will Smith's "Entanglement"
Getty | Axelle/Bauer-Griffin

Jada Pinkett Smith and Will Smith's "Entanglement"

Jada and Will's Red Table Talk addressing Jada's controversial "entanglement" with singer August Alsina, turned heads; particularly with Will's acceptance. It also gave people a new word to use when trying to describe complicated relationships.

14
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Jennifer Aniston and Brad Pitt Reuniting Over Fast Times at Ridgemont High

The table read for Fast Times at Ridgemont High wasn't the first time Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston reunited this year, they also reunited at the SAG awards. It was the first time we got to see them "flirt" in character as Brad Hamilton and Linda Barrett.

15
The Pentagon Confirms UFOs Are Real
Everett Collection

The Pentagon Confirms UFOs Are Real

The Pentagon released three short videos showing "unidentified aerial phenomena," essentially acknowledging the existence of UFOs.

16
Donald Trump's Press Conference at Four Seasons Total Landscaping
Getty | Chris McGrath

Donald Trump's Press Conference at Four Seasons Total Landscaping

Somehow Donald Trump's team booked the family business Four Seasons Total Landscaping instead of the Four Seasons in Philadelphia for a press conference. The jokes wrote themself and even Four Seasons Total Landscaping got in on the laugh by creating merchandise.

17
Rudy Giuliani's Scenes in Borat Subsequent Moviefilm
Everett Collection

Rudy Giuliani's Scenes in Borat Subsequent Moviefilm

In a scene from Borat Subsequent Moviefilm, Rudy Giuliani is caught in a compromising position with Borat's daughter. "I only later realized it must have been Sacha Baron Cohen. I thought about all the people he previously fooled and I felt good about myself because he didn't get me," Giuliani said of the incident. Cohen denied Giuliani's claims by explaining how they filmed the scene.

18
Lil Wayne Visiting With Donald Trump
Getty | Thaddaeus McAdams

Lil Wayne Visiting With Donald Trump

In October, Lil Wayne tweeted, "Just had a great meeting with @realdonaldtrump @potus besides what he's done so far with criminal reform, the platinum plan is going to give the community real ownership. He listened to what we had to say today and assured he will and can get it done. 🤙🏾" He later confirmed his support in his mixtape No Ceilings 3. As a result, Wayne's girlfriend Love B. Scott dumped him.

19
The Way the Press Treated Meghan Markle and Prince Harry
Getty | Chris Jackson

The Way the Press Treated Meghan Markle and Prince Harry

While it was wild that Meghan and Harry left the royal family, what was truly horrendous and had us saying "what the f*ck" is how terribly the press treated Meghan. It didn't matter what she or Harry did, they were almost instantly scrutinized by the press in a way that Prince William and Kate Middleton never have been.

20
Kanye West Running For President
Getty | Consolidated News Pictures

Kanye West Running For President

On July 4, Kanye West announced he was running for president. It wasn't until his name started showing up on the ballots that people took him seriously and he received around 60,000 votes in the election. His actions had real-world repercussions and solidify the idea that voting isn't a joke and celebrities can't just do what they want.