Oh, 2020, what a year. There was coronavirus, an election, Tiger King. All this to say it was a big year. Many of us took this year to stay inside, lose our jobs and our healthcare, but there’s one group of people who went harder than ever this year: celebrities. They made it clear that 2020 can’t stop them (but it should stop us). Let’s take a look at the highs and lows of the world’s most glamorous A-listers.
- That One Picture of Ben Affleck
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When Ben Affleck isn’t busy being a glamorous celebrity, he is hard at work being a personified version of what moving from Boston to LA must feel like. This picture says it all! We all remember that sad picture of Ben on the beach back in 2016; now we have a sad picture of Ben in front of his house. Maybe Affleck isn’t the most likable guy but in a year like 2020, he might just be the most relatable. Sometimes a guy just wants to watch the Sox game with a cup of coffee!
- Those Little Tik Tok Kids Had a Party
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Being famous and popular is a full-time job, and just because there is a pandemic does NOT mean that the world should stop––at least for the kids in the Sway House. Admittedly, a gathering of hundreds of maskless teens drinking and filming dances with the same three steps might SOUND like a bad idea but we have to weigh the pros and cons. Have we considered mental health? These influencers sure have. By opening their homes to hundreds of teens, these Tik Tokers have single-handedly taken care of the mental health of a generation.
- Rediscovery of Hamilton (and the demo tapes)
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I am NOT throwing away my SHOT! Right guys? Remember Hamilton? While the hit musical that combined hip hop with history technically shot it’s way to the spotlight back in 2016, we all certainly had our eyes on creator Lin Manuel Miranda this year. With the release of a taped version of the show on Disney+, the world turned upside down rediscovering and reminiscing on old songs. If that wasn’t enough to satisfy our needs, eager fans also dug up a series of demo tapes that featured Lin himself singing early versions of the now-iconic songs we’ve come to know and love. If that’s not enough to leave you helpless then I don’t know what is.
- Kim Jong Un Fake-Dying
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Listen, I’m not saying I agree with everything the man does, but boy do I love an elaborate scheme for attention. While Kim Jong Un’s mysterious illness could’ve been completely factual, many speculated that he fabricated the whole thing to weed out traitors. That’s some Regina George-level scheming right there. Again, I won’t condone many of his policy decisions (ugh fascism is so 2016), but I’ll give credit where credit is due––the man commits.
- Tom Hanks Got Covid
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It was fine when it was just our friends and family, but come ON Coronavirus, TOM HANKS? Somebody get this respiratory disease a copy of Forrest Gump so it knows who it’s messing with. If nothing else, Tom Hanks getting it was a bit of a wake-up call for the general public. This wasn’t just something that poor, small-town nobodies can get. Coronavirus is serious. CELEBRITIES can get it. Celebrities with Oscars can get it. Luckily––unlike his role in Saving Private Ryan––Hanks was able to win this battle!
- The Imagine Video
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In a year as tumultuous as 2020, there was one thing we all needed: a video of our favorite famous people singing an acapella cover of John Lennon’s “Imagine”. Sure, Dolly Parton funding the vaccine was nice. Megan thee Stallion giving her fans money was helpful. But nothing was quite as uplifting as the warm eyes of Gal Gadot staring straight into the camera as she hit every note almost exactly on pitch. No wonder Gadot got cast to play Wonder Woman––she just gets it. Truly, a woman of the people.
- Girlboss Kamala and Uncle Joe Saved the World
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So, technically, these guys aren’t “celebrities” but what’s more of a fun celebrity moment than winning a divisive election in the middle of a pandemic? I certainly can’t think of anything. While representation won’t solve everything, it sure does seem to be the only solution we’re pursuing. And yes, old guy representation counts. Kamala Harris winning her spot as VP is a huge win for women and people of color everywhere but there’s one community we seem to forget: girlbosses. Thank you, Kamala and Joe, for making this country safe for all of us again.
- Kim Kardashian and the Inner Circle
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Remember when we all got our invites to go to that totally sick private island (after we tested negative, OF COURSE)? Oh, you guys didn’t get one? No worries, it was basically just family and a couple close friends––the inner circle. Seriously, I barely got an invite.
If you weren’t personally invited (if everybody was an A-lister, nobody would be!), Kim K filled us in on her life with this Twitter thread. She explained (to a slew of ungrateful followers) that posting her private island getaway is actually something that all of us can take into our lives. The trip reminded all of us of the simple luxuries of traveling with friends and family. While Kim certainly won me over with that heartfelt message, many took to Twitter to express that the post was “in bad taste,” “incredibly privileged,” and “lacking empathy.”
Well, there you have it, folks. From Kim K to Lin Manuel Miranda, these celebrities have had a big year. And it’s clear that they’re not stopping anytime soon. Kamala Harris and Joe Biden have plans to take office this year while Ben Affleck intends to pick up his Dunkin Donuts in a pro-Boston t-shirt. In other news, there was a violent insurrection at the nation’s capitol, but I’m sure you’d rather focus on the actually important news.