What We Cared About in 2011: The Year of Weddings, "Winnings," and Fatal Fads
2011 was a trip.
What's the best coping mechanism for dealing with current disasters? Clinging onto the past like a leech, of course.
There's scientific evidence to back up our collective tendency to reminisce on bygone eras while feeling bogged down by quarantine. Whether you've been delighting in your favorite music from high school, revisiting your favorite video games from your tween years, or simply binging movies on Disney Plus, you're not the only one diving into troves of nostalgia to ease your stress.
We've already revisited all the weirdness of 2010, but now it's time to take a look at what made 2011 so memorable.
Charlie Sheen has a meltdown
Sure, we've all come to associate celebrity meltdowns with Britney Spears's sporadic head-shaving—but what about Charlie Sheen? Concerns about his well-being rose after news broke that he was living with two of his "goddesses" simultaneously. "The last time I took drugs, I probably took more than anybody could survive," he said in a viral ABC News interview. "I have one speed. I have one gear: Go." The interview has amassed millions of views on YouTube, and spawned "winning" as an adjective in everyone's vocabulary.
We all tune in to the Royal Wedding
After eight years of dating, 2011 saw the marriage of Prince William and Kate Middleton. Tens of millions witnessed the holy matrimony virtually around the world, with the ceremony taking place in London's Westminster Abbey. Kate wore a Victorian-inspired Alexander McQueen gown with a nine-foot train, while her "something borrowed" was the ultimate flex: a Cartier tiara lent to her by the Queen.
Kim Kardashian has a 72-day marriage
Maybe it was genius for Kim Kardashian to marry someone as infamous as Kanye West; it temporarily distracted us from her marriage to NBA player Kris Humphries, which lasted a short 72 days. The pair got engaged after six months of dating and wed three months after that. In true Kardashian fashion, the ceremony was lavish and inspired by old Hollywood glamour. Kardashian filed for divorce just three weeks after E! aired her two-part wedding special.
Harry Potter ends
After seven books and their corresponding blockbuster films, 2011 marked the theatrical release of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part II. It has since grossed over $1.4 billion, making it the 12th highest-grossing film of all time. It boasts an impressive 96 percent rating on Rotten Tomatoes, with the critics' consensus reading: "Thrilling, powerfully acted, and visually dazzling, Deathly Hallows Part II brings the Harry Potter franchise to a satisfying—and suitably magical—conclusion."
The film industry finally realizes women can be funny, too
Speaking of movies, Bridesmaids also hit theaters in 2011. Starring a stacked cast including Kristen Wiig, Maya Rudolph, Rose Byrne, Melissa McCarthy, Ellie Kemper, Chris O'Dowd, and Rebel Wilson, the slapstick comedy sparked discussion about women in comedy. As a "Bridesmaids Effect" followed the success of the film's release, it helped prove that female comedians can be just as crude and goofy as their male counterparts while getting the same amount of laughs in return.
Everyone and their mom planked
We know you did it. "Planking," perhaps the simplest fad in recent history, reached its peak in 2011. Throughout the better part of the year, it was impossible to scroll down your Facebook feed without seeing a photo of a friend lying rigid, face-down, on the most absurd surface they could find. At least one person died of such extreme planking.
Rebecca Black sang us the days of the week
It was the shot heard around the world—or, at least, the song heard around every school as another week came to a close. "Friday," the debut single by then-13-year-old Rebecca Black, was deemed "the worst song ever" by multiple critics who weren't totally wrong. The song featured hilariously pedestrian lyrics about the days of the week and some cruel AutoTune; nevertheless, Black has maintained a pretty successful music and social media career. "I'm trying to remind myself more and more that every day is a new opportunity to shift your reality and lift your spirit," she wrote in a heartfelt post commemorating the anniversary of "Friday."
The U.S. Navy hunted down Osama bin Laden
On May 2, 2011, U.S. Navy SEALs killed Osama bin Laden, the founder and leader of Al-Qaeda. "His demise should be welcomed by all who believe in peace and human dignity," President Obama said in a video address.
The Bronx Zoo Cobra had a lovely staycation
When an Egyptian cobra escaped from his cage at the Bronx Zoo, New Yorkers did what New Yorkers do best: They made a meme out of it. The Bronx Zoo Cobra got his own viral Twitter account documenting his life as a snake out on the town. It took six days for the snake to be found. Sounds pretty scary, but considering what we have to put up with these days, we'll take a snake on the loose any day.