Billion-dollar jackpots, football returns to LA, and Chris Pratt has perfect 🏀⚾️. Here’s what was in the news 10 years ago this week.
The First $1 Billion Lottery Jackpot
For the first time ever, a U.S. lottery jackpot cracked the $1 billion mark, instantly turning a routine drawing into a national obsession. Three lucky tickets split the prize, proving once and for all that “it could happen” is technically true… just not to you. The $1.59 billion jackpot now ranks sixth all-time.
Alan Rickman Dies at 69
Beloved actor Alan Rickman passed away at age 69, leaving behind a career full of unforgettable performances and iconic voices. Whether you knew him as a villain (“Die Hard”), a romantic lead (“Love Actually”), or a deeply sarcastic wizard professor (“Harry Potter”), Rickman had a rare talent for making every line sound smarter than it actually was. The world lost a legend, and a truly elite sneer.
L.A. Gets Its Football Team Back
After two decades without an NFL team, Los Angeles officially welcomed the Rams back home, with the Chargers following a year later. The move promised a shiny new stadium, massive fan interest, and years of debates about traffic, loyalty, and why everyone still wears Raiders gear anyway. L.A. football was back.
Harry Styles Goes Solo
Before launching his solo career, Harry Styles reportedly started taking professional voice lessons. Fresh off his boy-band success, Styles was clearly aiming for longevity, not just screaming fans. Turns out talent plus training is a powerful combo, especially when you already look like that.
Nick Cannon Claims He’ll Never Remarry
Following his divorce from Mariah Carey, he said, “I feel like marriage isn’t for everyone.” He’s backed it up over the past decade and never remarried. But he’s averaged a kid per year since then – 10 kids with multiple women in the past decade. So clearly the man did not give up on commitment-adjacent activities. Love comes and goes. Child support, however, is forever.
“The Revenant” and “Mad Max” Dominate Oscar Nods
Oscar voters made it clear they loved suffering and explosions. One featured brutal wilderness survival, the other nonstop vehicular chaos – and somehow both counted as prestige cinema. Leonardo DiCaprio freezing for art finally paid off, while Mad Max proved shouting and fire still impress Hollywood.
“Fifty Shades,” “Pixels,” and “Paul Blart 2” Lead the Razzie Pack
The Razzie nominations were announced, and cinematic excellence was… not present. It was a banner year for questionable decisions, lazy scripts, and movies that made you ask, “How did this get greenlit?” Hollywood answered: “Shh. Money.”
Eddie Redmayne and Rooney Mara had the distinct honor of being nominated for an Oscar and a Razzie in the same year. (Eddie went on to win Worst Supporting Actor for “Jupiter Ascending,” but lost out on Best Actor for “The Danish Girl.” Leo won for “The Revenant.”)
“George Bush” Gets Busted for Selling Monkey Heads on eBay
No, not that George Bush. A man with the same name was in court for selling endangered monkey heads in England. The bizarre case was a reminder that sharing a famous name does not grant you immunity from being incredibly weird and criminally stupid.
Anna Farris Says Chris Pratt Has Perfect Balls
Anna Faris made headlines after publicly complimenting then-husband Chris Pratt in a way that was… anatomically enthusiastic. The comment was affectionate, graphic-adjacent, and absolutely not meant for children, yet somehow still charming. Sadly, his perfect balls couldn’t save their marriage. They separated a year later in 2017.
The Hottest Men’s Grooming Trend Is… Looking Like You Gave Up
According to trend watchers, the big men’s grooming look of 2016 was intentional sloppiness. Think unkempt hair, scruffy beards, and clothes that say “effort was considered, then rejected.” The vibe? Casually disheveled, but make it fashion. It was great news for guys everywhere who wanted to feel stylish without actually doing anything differently at all.