Tag: 10 Things

10 Things That Happened 10 Years Ago: Sept 28-Oct 4

Caffeinated peanut butter, “Family Feud” isn’t so family friendly, and Trevor Noah debuts on “The Daily Show.” Here’s what was in the news 10 years ago this week.

Trevor Noah debuted on “The Daily Show”

Young people liked it, old people didn’t. “Slate” called Trevor’s debut “a Jon Stewart impression” with “glimpses of something new.” Ratings dropped 37% before rebounding, then cratering to their lowest level ever by 2020. He announced his departure on Sept. 29, 2022, exactly 7 years after his debut. His final show aired that December.

Caffeinated peanut butter?

Yep, caffeinated peanut butter. A company in Massachusetts called Steem came up with it. Shockingly, it was not the huge success they’d hoped it would be. Their website says it’s “no longer in production.”

Hillary Clinton showed up on “SNL”

The presidential hopeful didn’t host (Miley Cyrus did), but appeared in a skit alongside Kate McKinnon. McKinnon played Hillary drowning her sorrows at a bar, while the real Hillary played the bartender. Her opponent Donald Trump did take up full hosting duties that November, prompting protests outside 30 Rock.

“The Simpsons” revealed Smithers was gay

Exec producer Al Jean announced that Mr. Burns’ longtime assistant Waylon Smithers would come out of the closet during the show’s 27th season. He also claimed the show would likely end after its 30th season. (It’s currently in Season 37.) Smithers’ coming out did eventually happen in April 2026 in an episode called “The Burns Cage.”

“Family Feud” wasn’t family friendly

People questioned whether the game show was getting too dirty after Steve Harvey asked contestants to name “the last thing you put your finger in,” and a guy responded with, “My wife!” 👀 “Fox News” called the show “not so family friendly anymore.”

Caitlyn Jenner ducked vehicular manslaughter charges

The L.A. County D.A. opted not to charge her for a crash in Malibu that February that left one person dead. She’d rear ended the person’s car, pushing it into oncoming traffic. Officials determined she did hit the brakes late, but wasn’t speeding.

Honey Boo Boo released her debut single

The reality star’s foray into music was predictably short lived. As you’d expect, her song “Movin’ Up“ wasn’t great. (Honey Boo Boo, aka Alana Thompson, turned 20 this past August, btw.)

“The Martian” was a box office hit

Despite its 2 hour 24 min runtime, the Matt Damon sci-fi flick went on to earn over $630 million worldwide. Meanwhile, Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s Twin Tower tightrope movie “The Walk” was so realistic, it caused theatergoers to vomit.

Leonardo DiCaprio fought a bear

“The Revenant” wouldn’t hit theaters for another few months, but the official trailer had people saying, “Damn, that bear fight looks intense!” They were correct.

Sean Astin said a “Goonies” sequel would happen

It was just a prediction, not a revelation – he said it wasn’t a question of “if” but “when.” A decade later, that continues to be the question. A recent report suggested the sequel was still “moving in the right direction.”

10 Things That Happened 10 Years Ago: Sept 14-20

Ancient F-words, Facebook haters, and Turd Ferguson. Here’s what was in the news 10 years ago this week.

Historians found the oldest known use of the F-word

A researcher at Keele University in England found three examples of everyone’s favorite four-letter word while going through some medieval legal documents from 1310 and 1311. Or technically, it was part of a longer 15-letter word… err, name?

Records showed that a man who went by Roger Fuckebythenavel was in and out of court back in the early 14th century. Or to put it in more current terms, his name was “Roger The-Guy-Who-Tried-To-Have-Bellybutton-Sex.” It apparently wasn’t his god-given name. (Ya don’t say!) But it was what people around town called him.

The historian suggested it may have been a term used for a “dimwit,” someone so dumb they might think that’s how babies are made. Or, it could have been a reference to “an actual attempt at copulation by an inexperienced youth, later reported by a rejected girlfriend.” In other words, “14th century revenge porn.”

Stephen Rannazzisi admitted he lied about 9/11

Season 7 of “The League” had just premiered on FXX when fans discovered one of the main actors on the show had been lying for years about being in the Twin Towers on 9/11. He claimed he was working at Merrill Lynch on the 54th floor of the South Tower when the first plane hit. But he never worked for Merrill Lynch, and they didn’t even have an office there at the time. The lie coming to light basically ended his career.

Facebook announced a “dislike” button

People had been calling for a 👎 option for years, and Zuck suggested it might finally happen, but it never came to fruition. Facebook instead added its “Reactions” emojis in 2016: 👍, ❤️, 😂, 😲, 😢, and 😡. They apparently decided that an actual thumbs down button might begin to sow hatred and anger in an environment that’s otherwise filled with constructive and well-meaning content. 👀

A “Jeopardy” contestant got Alex Trebek to say “Turd Ferguson”

Contestant Talia Lavin didn’t know the answer to the Final Jeopardy question. So she wrote, “What is The Love Ballad of Turd Ferguson (p.s. Hi Mom).” Fans of Norm MacDonald’s Burt Reynolds character in the “SNL” sketch reveled in the stunt, with Mashable.com calling her an “American hero.”

Cinnamon Toast Crunch debuted a selfie stick spoon

The gimmicky product was intended for the social media addicted and chronically self-absorbed. Folks who made it to the CTC website fast enough were able to score one for free, plus $7 shipping – a $7 they’ll never get back.

A guy won the lottery, didn’t tell his wife, and divorced her

It happened in China. He won $725,000, filed for divorce, and didn’t claim the prize until the split was finalized. He got his wife to sign the divorce papers by offering to take on all $40,000 of their debt… without mentioning he was sitting on much more than that. A judge ordered him to pay her $180,000, and he still had to cover the debt himself.

Arnold Schwarzenegger took over “Celebrity Apprentice”

Donald Trump was running for president and couldn’t do it anymore. “The New Celebrity Apprentice” lasted only a season before Arnold departed, blaming Trump’s divisiveness for the low ratings.

7-Eleven started delivering a “Date Night Pack”

The collection of date night essentials was only available in select cities. For $20, you got a tub of Ben & Jerry’s ice cream, a Hershey’s chocolate bar, a can of Red Bull, a pack of Trident gum, and a three-pack of Trojan Ultra-Thin condoms. #Romance

A “Mary Poppins” sequel was announced

Eventual star Emily Blunt hadn’t signed on yet. But ironically, she was also in the news the same week for joking that the Republican debate made her regret getting her U.S. citizenship. She quickly apologized for the comment. “Mary Poppins Returns” came out in 2018 and made over $360 million worldwide.

Jon Hamm finally won an Emmy for “Mad Men”

He’d been snubbed for six seasons, but finally got his award four months after the show had wrapped up that May. Other Emmy winners in 2015 included “Game of Thrones” for Best Drama, “Veep” for Best Comedy, and Viola Davis became the first Black woman to win Best Actress in a Drama Series for “How to Get Away with Murder.”

10 Things That Happened 10 Years Ago: Sep 7-13

Colbert’s new gig, 2015 Super Bowl favorites, one billion waffles, and drunk sex. Here’s what was in the news 10 years ago this week.

Stephen Colbert made his “Late Show” debut

People wondered if he could do more than just his “Colbert Report” character… and some were just disappointed the character got abandoned. His first guests were George Clooney and Jeb Bush, with musical guest Mavis Staples & Friends. In July 2025, CBS announced it would cancel “Late Show” after its 11th season in 2026.

Waffle House sold its one billionth waffle

A woman in Atlanta named Shanneil McCollum ordered (and presumably) ate it. Many people thought they should have given her free waffles for life. Instead, she got a special plaque, some Waffle House swag, and they comped her meal.

A drunk couple banged in broad daylight and did an epic interview

Kimberly  Jackson and her beau Earl Palmer got it on in the middle of a busy parking lot in Norfolk, Virginia. They went viral after a reporter asked, “Is something like this gonna happen again?” Kim’s response: “No.” Earl’s response: “I don’t know.”

Justin Bieber was the youngest male artist to debut at #1

Believe it or not, “What Do You Mean?” was also his first ever #1 hit. Up to that point, his greatest success from a charts standpoint was “Boyfriend,” which hit #2 in 2012. (“Baby” peaked at #5 in 2010.)

The Seahawks were Super Bowl favorites

Stats guru Nate Silver thought the Seahawks and Packers had the best shot, and bettors agreed. Both teams made the playoffs but lost their divisional match-ups. The Denver Broncos ended up beating the Carolina Panthers 24-10 in Super Bowl 50.

The “Songs of the Summer” were…

Depending on where you got your music, there were four of them: “Cheerleader” by OMI was Billboard’s “Song of the Summer”… YouTube’s biggest hit was “Watch Me” by Silento… Spotify’s was “Lean On” by Major Lazer… and Google Play’s top track was “See You Again” by Wiz Khalifa.

The highest-paid TV actresses were…

Sophia Vergara and Kaley Cuoco. “Forbes” clocked them both at $28.5 million in yearly earnings. Sofia’s “Modern Family” castmate Julie Bowen was third at $12 million. Meanwhile, Kaley’s “Big Bang Theory” castmates had just dominated the men’s list.

Rumors swirled that Gwen Stefani and Blake Shelton were an item

Blake coyly denied he was dating his co-host from “The Voice.” They got married in 2021.

A kid fell down a well and found his missing dog

A four-year-old in Mississippi fell down a 20-foot well, and it took rescuers three-and-a-half hours to get him out. They also found his missing dog at the bottom. It had been gone for three days. He and the dog were both okay.

A high school secretary left $1.5 million for scholarships

88-year-old Lorraine Balske worked as a secretary at a Minnesota high school for 46 years. It turned out she’d left $1.5 million to a scholarship fund she helped start in 1974. No one was sure how she accumulated all that money.

10 Things That Happened 10 Years Ago: Aug 31-Sep 6

Golden Girl sex, chugholes, c*nty crackers, President Kanye, and more. Here’s what was in the news 10 years ago this week.

Kanye announced he was running for president

He announced it during a rambling monologue while accepting the Vanguard Award for lifetime achievement at the 2015 VMAs. A poll later that week found just 6% of Americans would consider voting for him.

Kanye did appear on the ballot in a dozen states in 2020 as a member of the “Birthday Party.” A total of 66,641 people cast ballots for him in those 12 states, earning him 0.32% of the total vote.

Christina Aguilera joined a budding startup called MasterClass

The online lesson platform had launched that May, but most people didn’t hear about it until Aguilera signed on to be one the their first instructors. Other early teachers included Dustin Hoffman and Serena Williams. 10 years later, everyone from Penn & Teller to George W. Bush has led a class.

A college kid went viral for driving a Barbie Power Wheel to class

20-year-old Tara Monroe was a senior at at Texas State and lost her license that March when she got a DUI. She bought a pink Barbie Power Wheel on Craigslist and started taking it to class because “riding a bike sucks.”

Someone calculated how much sex The Golden Girls had

A writer for Refinery29 counted up how many dudes Dorothy, Blache, Rose, and Sophia had plowed in their life. The final body counts were based on men they dated on the show, and men they mentioned throughout its seven seasons.

Final Tally
Blanche: 165
Dorothy: 43
Rose: 30
Sophia: 25

Aldi had to recall crackers because the packaging spelled “c*nt”

The gourmet crackers’ ingredients featured rosemary grown “In an EngLISH CoUNTry GaRDen.” 🧐

https://twitter.com/nahthenmardybum/status/640820429062545408

Tim Tebow got cut by the Iggles

We were already several years removed from Tebowmania when he tried to revive his NFL career via a backup QB job with the Philadelphia Eagles. Alas, the Birds started their 2015 season with three QBs, and none of them were named Tebow. The last NFL game of his career was with the Jets in 2012.

A Marine asked Ronda Rousey to the Marine Corps Ball

She accepted the invite and made good on the promise by accompanying him to the event in North Carolina that December.

Susan Sarandon took Timothy Leary’s ashes to Burning Man

The actress left the LSD guru’s ashes inside the temporary temple that’s built to be burned at the festival each year. Several of Leary’s closest friends had received some of his ashes after he died in 1996. Most of them were sent to space in 1997, but Sarandon held onto hers. (She later admitted she also “consumed” some of his ashes at the festival.)

Jimmy “Superfly” Snuka got arrested for murder

The WWE Hall of Fame wrestler had been accused of killing his girlfriend in 1983, but didn’t face charges until 32 years later in 2015. The case was eventually dismissed 16 months later when a judge deemed him mentally unfit to face charges. He died of stomach cancer 12 days later.

The ‘official’ word for all 50 states

A writer for “Slate” asked the question, “If every state had an official word, what would it be?” Highlights included Pennsylvania (“yinz”)… Kansas (“shucky-darn”)… California (“hella”)… Texas (“hoss”)… Florida (“toad-strangler”)… Oklahoma (“quakenado”)… and Kentucky (“chughole”). (A chughole is a pothole… not whatever you were thinking, perv.)

10 Things That Happened 10 Years Ago: Aug 24-30

Free tuna, dogs named “Bella,” and Burger King gets faced for wanting a “McWhopper.” Here’s what was in the news 10 years ago this week.

Burger King tried to team up with McDonald’s on a “McWhopper”

Burger King took out full-page ads in the “New York Times” and the “Chicago Tribune” and posted an open letter to McDonald’s, asking them to team up and make a “McWhopper” – a Bic Mac / Whopper mash-up. They wanted to do it for International Peace Day on Sept. 21 and even launched a website called McWhopper.com in hopes it would happen.

The response from McDonald’s, however, was… yeah, no thanks. The CEO of Micky D’s called it a publicity stunt, burned Burger King for comparing the rivalry to “the real pain and suffering of war,” and said if they ever wanted to team up again, “a simple phone call will do.”

Charlie Sheen wanted to be Trump’s running mate

Owen Wilson had compared Donald Trump’s campaign strategy to Charlie’s meltdown that got him booted from “Two and a Half Men.” (Owen even managed to slip in one of his patented wow’s: “It’s like when Charlie Sheen was doing that stuff—like, wow!”)

Charlie responded by tweeting, “If Trump will hv me I’d be his VP in a heartbeat!” Trump ended up choosing then Indiana Governor Mike Pence instead of Charlie, so… basically the same guy.

Everyone thought James Earl Jones died

2015 was a big year for fake celebrity deaths. There had already be a string of bogus rumors about Willie Nelson, Martin Lawrence, Michael Jordan, and Beyoncé. A parody website posted a fake obit for Jones, who was 84 at the time, so it seemed legit enough – at least to social media boneheads. The story quickly went viral before being quashed by those mainstream media outlets no one trusts anymore. Jones passed away nine years later in 2024 at age 93.

Wes Craven really did die

The prolific horror movie director lost his battle with brain cancer at age 76. His many credits include “A Nightmare on Elm Street,” “The Hills Have Eyes,” and the first four “Scream” movies.

Each state’s most embarrassing Google search was revealed

The site Estately.com dug through 11 years of Google data to find the topic each state had googled an embarrassing number of times. Highlights included “sandals and socks” in Washington, “Limp Bizkit” in North Dakota, “penis enlargement” in Mississippi, and “Am I a virgin” in Maryland. (Yes, Maryland. Your neighbor Virginia “is for lovers,” not you.)

TunaLawsuit.com was trending

StarKist was forced to shell out millions of dollars for under-filling their 5-ounce cans of tuna. Anyone who’d bought StarKist tuna in the past six years (or claimed to) could get $25 in cash or $50 in tuna vouchers. You didn’t even have to prove you’d bought their tuna, you just had to say you did. It was a huge loss for Big Tuna, and a big win for fans of canned fish.

A Caitlyn Jenner Halloween costume had people up in arms

The costume (based on her “Vanity Fair” cover) featured a full Dad Bod dude in a cheap wig and a “Call Me Caitlyn” sash. Critics said it mocked the transgender community and promoted transphobia by turning Jenner’s transition into a joke.

Taylor Swift brought Lisa Kudrow on stage for “Smelly Cat”

Welcoming huge celebs to the stage became the norm during Taylor’s “1989” tour. Her same show at the Staples Center in L.A. (now the Crypto.com Arena) also featured cameos by Justin Timberlake and Selena Gomez. But every headline that week was about Taylor (a proud cat lady) bringing out Phoebe Buffay from “Friends” to sing her humorous ode to malodorous felines.

Everyone was naming their dog “Bella”

A study by Nextdoor found it was the most popular dog name in America in 2015, followed by Lucy, Max, Daisy, and Bailey. “Bella” got big thanks to the “Twilight” series, and not much has changed. A decade later, many of us are still naming our dogs after a teen with an unhealthy attraction to vampires.

The “Big Bang Theory” actors were making bank

“Forbes“ ranked the highest-paid TV actors of 2015, and the four main nerds on “Big Bang” dominated the list. Jim Parsons topped it at $29 million, followed by Johnny Galecki at $27 million, and Simon Helberg and Kunal Nayyar with $20 million apiece. (“NCIS” star Mark Harmon and “Two and a Half Men” fill-in Ashton Kutcher also tied for third at $20 mil each.)

10 Things That Happened 10 Years Ago: Aug 17-23

One Direction breaks up, “Potato Parcels” go viral, and the Pumpkin Spice Latte finally lives up to its name. Here’s what was in the news 10 years ago this week.

The PSL finally got real pumpkin

12 years after the Pumpkin Spice Latte debuted at Starbucks in 2003, they finally decided to toss some actual pumpkin in there. The new recipe included a “pumpkin spice flavored sauce” made with pumpkin purée.

One Direction broke up

The “extended hiatus” proved to be so extended, it functioned as the band’s unofficial break-up. Harry Styles, Liam Payne, Louis Tomlinson, and Niall Horan went their separate ways to work on solo projects. There was talk of a reunion tour in 2024 before Liam died tragically that October after falling from a third-floor window at a hotel in Argentina.

A Texas man was making $10,000 a month mailing potatoes

The website PotatoParcel.com exploded onto the scene after a 24-year-old in Texas launched an app offering to mail Russet potatoes with personalized messages on them. The unlikely success story led to a string of competing websites, and Americans found out the USPS allows you to mail a potato without a box. The potato itself counts as a container.

Jon Stewart had his first gig after leaving the “The Daily Show”

His last show (of his first stint as host) was August 6, 2015, but he was back in the spotlight two weeks later. His first gig following the departure was hosting WWE’s “SummerSlam,” where he fully screwed John Cena out of his World Heavyweight Championship title.

Jennifer Lawrence was the world’s highest paid actress

She topped the annual “Forbes“ list at $52 million, followed by Scarlett Johansson, Melissa McCarthy, Bingbing Fan, and Jennifer Aniston. Robert Downey Jr. had recently topped the highest paid actors list at $80 million.

Three Americans stopped a terrorist attack on a train headed for Paris

On August 21, 2015, a man with an assault rifle opened fire on a train heading from Amsterdam to Paris. Luckily, his gun misfired, and three Americans in their early 20s – two of them off-duty members of the U.S. military – were able to subdue the gunman and end the threat. Four people were injured, including another American who initially wrestled the gun away, but there were no fatalities. The gunman was later sentenced to life in prison.

Ashley Madison hackers leaked everyone’s info

The dating site for cheaters had been hacked that July, and the hackers threatened to release all of the data if the site didn’t shut down immediately. They followed through with the threat, releasing more than 60 GB of data on August 18 and 20. An analysis later showed that Alabama led the nation in extramarital affairs.

Tracy Morgan got married and announced his return to “SNL”

It was a big week for the “Saturday Night Live” alum. The show announced he’d be returning to host after he nearly died in a car crash a year earlier. He also married his 28-year-old baby mama Megan Wollover that same week, but sadly it didn’t last. They filed for divorce five years later in 2020.

A man in Scotland received the “world’s first bionic penis”

The 43-year-old had lost his junk years earlier when it was ripped off in a crazy car accident that saw him dragged nearly 600 feet. Headlines claimed it was the “world’s first” bionic penis, which wasn’t actually true. But people were happy to hear the man’s new bionic junk was an impressive eight inches long.

The owner of the “Goonies” house shut fans down

The owner of the home – located in Astoria, Oregon – was sick of people doing the Truffle Shuffle on her lawn, so she covered the front of her house in blue tarps. She said she’d been dealing with more than 1,000 visitors a day and installed a sign that said, “Imagine that you buy a house, fix it up, spend money, time and love. Then the city of Astoria encourages 100,000’s of people to come and stand in front and view it.” (A sign that said “Hey, you guys! Please stop it!” might have been more effective.)

10 Things That Happened 10 Years Ago: Aug 10-16

Dad Bods, “farting carrots,” and love songs for face-numbing narcotics. Here’s what was in the news 10 years ago this week.

“Dad Bods” were coming into style

A student at Clemson named Mackenzie Pearson had just coined the term months earlier in an article called “Why Girls Love the Dad Bod.” A poll that August found overweight or plus-sized men were the best in bed.

Selena Gomez sang about “farting carrots”

A radio host in the U.K. asked Selena to clarify what the lyrics were to her new song “Good For You.” People thought (or hoped) the opening line was, “I’m farting carrots. I’m farting carrots.” It’s actually, “I’m a 14 carat. I’m 14 carat”… like a diamond. (Sure, Selena… if that’s the story you’re sticking with.)

An NFL player sucker-punched his own QB and broke his jaw

New York Jets defensive end IK Enemkpali was beefing with star QB Geno Smith, who supposedly owed him $600. On August 11, 2015, he sucker-punched Smith in the locker room and broke his jaw. Smith ended up having to cede the starting QB job to Ryan Fitzpatrick and only appeared in one game that season. Enemkpali was immediately released and signed with the Buffalo Bills, but never played in the NFL after that season.

Jimmy Carter announced he had cancer

He was 90 years old when he announced he’d been diagnosed with stage IV melanoma that had spread to his liver and brain. But the former president and peanut farmer would go on to beat cancer and live another decade. He passed away on December 29, 2024 at age 100.

Seth Meyers took a seat

He’d been hosting “Late Night” for just over a year when he opted to start doing his monologue from behind his desk instead of standing. Fans thought the standing monologues were awkward, and sitting behind his desk more closely mimicked his “Weekend Update” segments from “SNL.”

“Watch me nae nae” was ranked one of the worst lyrics of the year

The BuzzFeed community ranked Silentó’s “Watch Me (Whip/Nae Nae)” at #3. The top spot went to Chris Brown and Tyga’s “Ayo” for the line, “I’ma take her ass down if she bring her friend around / F*ck ’em both like ayo.” (Classy stuff from two classy guys.)

“Rolling Stone” ranked the 100 best songwriters of all time

They really went out on a limb and put Bob Dylan at #1. The rest of the Top 5 were Paul McCartney, John Lennon, Chuck Berry, and Smokey Robinson.

“Can’t Feel My Face” was the #1 song in America

The Weeknd topped the Billboard Hot 100 with his ode to cocaine. The #1 album in America was Luke Bryan’s “Kill the Lights,” and the N.W.A. movie “Straight Outta Compton” debuted at #1 in theaters that week.

Mexico said they wouldn’t pay for the wall

Then-candidate Donald Trump had been promising to build a wall across the southern border and make Mexico pay for it. A spokesman for Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto responded by calling the comment irresponsible and saying, “Of course it’s false.”

LeBron James offered college scholarships to 2,300 kids

He partnered with the University of Akron, offering $9,500 scholarships to up to 2,300 underprivileged kids if they decided to pursue higher education. Not all of the money came directly out of LeBron’s pocket, but the pledge was valued at nearly $90 million.

10 Things That Happened 10 Years Ago: Aug 3-9

“Justiniston,” gun-cooked bacon, Kermit gets dumped, and “Fantastic Four” sucks! Here’s what was in the news 10 years ago this week.

Jennifer Aniston married Justin Theroux

They went to great lengths to keep their backyard Bel-Air wedding a secret, reportedly storing all of the decorations at another mansion nearby until the very last minute. The guest list was a Bezos-level of star studded, if not more so.

Guests included Chelsea Handler, Howard Stern, Jason Bateman, Ellen DeGeneres, John Krasinski, Emily Blunt, Will Arnett, Tobey Maguire, Jimmy Kimmel, Sia, Kathryn Hahn, Sandra Bullock, Orlando Bloom, Rachel McAdams, Whitney Cummings, and Lisa Kudrow. Jen’s other “Friends” co-star Courtney Cox was her maid of honor. 

Jen was 10 years removed from her divorce with Brad Pitt and had been engaged to Justin since 2012. Sadly, this marriage fizzled as well. She and Justin announced their split less than three years later in 2018. They never even got an official couple’s name… even though the undeniably catchy “Justiniston” was right there for the taking!

“Fantastic Four” was a box office bomb

The 2015 version – with Miles Teller, Michael B. Jordan, and Kate Mara – was not the box office juggernaut the 2025 incarnation would turn out to be. There was also another “Fantastic Four” flick with Jessica Alba and Chris Evans in 2005. So yeah, they keep cranking these suckers out, literally every decade.

Ted Cruz cooked “machine-gun bacon”

Using the muzzle of an AR-15 was a decidedly impractical – but absurdly “American” – way to cook breakfast. Ted was in the early stages of losing the Republican primary to Donald Trump and was trying (a little too hard) to court the 2nd Amendment vote.

Robert Downey Jr. was the world’s highest paid actor for a third straight year

He was in the midst of an epically profitable run as Tony Stark in the “Iron Man” and “Avengers” movies. “Forbes” estimated his annual earnings at $80 million. The rest of the top five were Jackie Chan ($50 mil), Vin Diesel, ($47 mil), Bradley Cooper ($41.5 mil), and Adam Sandler ($41 mil). 

A girl released balloons at her dad’s grave, and they landed in her backyard 25 miles away.

It happened in Oklahoma earlier that year – on Father’s Day, no less – but the heartwarming story made national headlines in August and had people thinking larger forces may have been at work.

Kermit and Miss Piggy broke up

Their historically rocky relationship went from on-again to off-again when they released a statement that said, “After careful thought, thoughtful consideration and considerable squabbling, we have made the difficult decision to terminate our romantic relationship.” If they’ve rekindled things in the past decade, they’ve kept it quiet. As of 2025, they’re still officially just friends and colleagues.

Gwen Stefani and Gavin Rossdale announced their divorce

They’d been married nearly 13 years, and Gwen’s future husband Blake Shelton had recently announced his own split from Miranda Lambert. 👀 There were also rumors Will and Jada were about to break up. But honestly, who could find time to care with the pain of the Kermit/Piggy news so fresh and so raw? 

Did Leonardo DiCaprio have fleas?

“The National Enquirer” circulated a rumor – which Leo’s camp denied – that his big beard was harboring a large number of vermin. An anonymous source told the now defunct celeb news site “Gossip Cop” that the story was “absurd.” He was sporting the beard for his film “The Revenant”, which would hit theaters in January 2016. Leo finally ditched the beard for a more flealess look a few weeks later.

Jared Leto’s lawyer threatened to sue over rumors his client had huge junk

A law firm representing the actor/singer sent a letter to the gossip site “Lipstick Alley,” complaining that people were posting potentially defamatory comments – including the claim that Jared was well-endowed. People wondered how that was “defamatory.”

A trailer for a new Brad Pitt / Angelina Jolie movie landed

No, not “Mr. and Mrs. Smith”, that was 2005. Their 2015 film “By the Sea” – ironically, about a couple trying to save their marriage – was written and directed by Angelina. No one saw it, and it made a dismal $538,000 in the U.S. (Oddly enough, Brad and Ang did not receive an invite to the Aniston-Theroux nuptials. 🤔)

10 Things That Happened 10 Years Ago: July 27-Aug 2

Deflategate, lion hunters, and robot murder. Here’s what was in the news 10 years ago this week.

A lion-hunting dentist from Minnesota became the most-hated man in America

Americans heard that earlier in July, a Minneapolis dentist named Walter Palmer had paid a guide in Zimbabwe $50,000 to help him hunt and kill a lion. The University of Oxford had been tracking Cecil the lion – one of the most famous lions in Africa – since 2008 as part of a research program. Palmer and his guides lured Cecil out of a protected area onto private property in order to make the hunt legal. He never faced charges in Zimbabwe or the U.S.

Tom Brady’s Deflategate suspension was upheld

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell upheld a decision to suspend the Patriots QB for four games, and revealed Brady had destroyed a cell phone that may have held evidence about the incident. Brady was accused of having footballs under-inflated for the AFC Championship Game earlier that year. The Patriots also lost two draft picks and had to pay a $1 million fine.

Philadelphia murdered a hitchhiking robot

Researchers at Ryerson University in Toronto wanted to see if a robot could hitchhike from Boston to San Francisco. (It had already made similar trips across Canada and Germany.) The robot – named hitchBOT – was able to answer simple questions, and they scrawled “San Francisco or Bust” on him. The hope was that random people would shuttle him across the country. But two weeks in, he was found stripped of his parts and decapitated in Philadelphia.

R.I.P., hitchBOT.

“Rowdy” Roddy Piper Died at 61

The brash, kilt-wearing wrestler – real name, Roderick Toombs – played the ultimate foil to WWF hero Hulk Hogan in the ‘80s and ‘90s. TMZ reported Toombs died in his sleep of cardiac arrest on July 31, 2015. Hogan would pass away (also from cardiac arrest) almost exactly 10 years later on July 24, 2025.

“Rowdy” Ronda Rousey was dominating women’s UFC

She won her fight against Bethe Correia on August 3, 2015 in 34 seconds after winning her previous two fights in under 20 seconds. But it would prove to be her last UFC win. She lost her next fight later that year (the first loss of her career), then lost again in 2016 before retiring due to concussion concerns.

“Left Shark” made a cameo at a Taylor Swift concert

A dancer in a shark costume popped up behind Taylor at a show in Massachusetts six months after the infamous Katy Perry Super Bowl performance. Katy and Taylor were feuding, so fans saw it as some sort of dig. But others said it was an innocent prank by one of Taylor’s dancers and had nothing to do with Katy or Left Shark.

Billy Corgan was sad at Disneyland

A photo of the Smashing Pumpkins frontman went viral, showing him on Disney’s Big Thunder Mountain looking less than thrilled.

“Key & Peele” pulled the plug

Season 5 had just started when Jordan Peele and Keegan-Michael Key announced there wouldn’t be a Season 6. Comedy Central aired 53 episodes between 2012 and 2015. Peele went on to win the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay for his horror movie “Get Out” in 2019.

Jose Canseco came up with a weird way to support Caitlyn Jenner

He vowed to spend a full week living as a woman – including wearing dresses and makeup – as a way of “supporting” Caityln Jenner’s transition. To many people, it seemed more like an ill-conceived publicity stunt. Canseco was in the midst of launching an internet reality show called “Spend a Day with Jose” that never materialized.

The teaser for “Zoolander 2” hit YouTube

The original had become a cult classic, and writer/director/star Ben Stiller had high hopes for the sequel. But critics panned it, and audiences were underwhelmed. It earned $57 million worldwide, but cost $50 million to make.

10 Things That Happened 10 Years Ago: July 20-26

All-day McMuffins, celebrity splits, and Justin Bieber vs. Stephen Baldwin. Here are 10 things that were in the news 10 years ago this week.

McDonald’s started testing all-day breakfast

“The Wall Street Journal” got ahold of an internal memo that said all-day breakfast could launch nationwide within three months. It did, and customers were stoked they could get a McMuffin any time they wanted, but it was a huge strain on business. McDonald’s used the pandemic as an excuse to nix all-day breakfast less than five years later in 2020.

Justin Bieber was dating “Stephen Baldwin’s daughter”

Hailey Bieber’s career was still taking off, and most people knew her as Stephen Baldwin’s daughter at that point. “The National Enquirer” reported that Stephen was none too pleased when he saw a hickey on Hailey’s neck, and that he planned to “straighten [Justin] out” the next time he saw him. Justin and Hailey wed three years later in 2018.

Bobbi Kristina Brown died at age 22

She’d been in a coma for six months after she was found unconscious in a bathtub. The circumstances were eerily similar to how her mom Whitney Houston died three years earlier in 2012.

Blake Shelton and Miranda Lambert got divorced

TMZ broke the news on July 20, 2015 and said it was already a done deal. They’d filed two weeks earlier and had a prenup, so it was a quickie divorce. They released a joint statement saying, “This is not the future we envisioned, and it is with heavy hearts that we move forward separately.” Miranda remarried in 2019. Blake married Gwen Stefani in 2021.

Hulk Hogan got fired by the WWE for using the N-word

He was in the middle of suing Gawker for posting his sex tape in 2012 when the transcript from a separate video leaked. It showed him using the N-word multiple times while talking about his daughter’s former boyfriend. The WWE canned him and removed him from their Hall of Fame, but reinstated him in 2018. Gawker ended up paying him $31 million for the leaked sex tape.

Corey Feldman’s band bombed at a Minor League Baseball game

The State College Spikes were a minor league affiliate of the St. Louis Cardinals at the time. The performance by Corey & the Angels was so bad, the team’s G.M. issued a public apology, calling it “far below expectations” and “not the type of entertainment we stand for, or stand by.” It wasn’t even an on-field performance – they set up in the middle of a walkway next to a salsa stand.

A guy went viral for eating Chipotle 100 days in a row

Mark Rantal of Colorado Springs didn’t even branch out and explore the menu. He ordered the same thing every time: a burrito bowl with white rice, pinto beans, fajitas, sofritas, corn, cheese, lettuce, and two types of salsa. The stunt made headlines, but it turned out a different guy in L.A. was already on Day 153 of a separate Chipotle binge.

“Space Jam 2” rumors were circulating

Die-hard fans of the original were excited (and nervous) when LeBron James was linked to the project. The cinematic masterpiece finally came out in 2021 and wasn’t a complete flop, but didn’t do great either. The budget was $150 million, and it grossed $164 million worldwide.

Taylor Swift and Nicki Minaj had beef, then didn’t

Nicki complained online after her video for “Anaconda” didn’t get a VMA nod for Video of the Year. She seemed to suggest you had to be a skinny white chick to get nominated, so Taylor – who was nominated and won for “Bad Blood” – took offense. But then they swapped compliments, and everything was fine. They ended up performing together at the show.

Fart-blocking blue jeans made their debut

A British company called Shreddies was already selling flatulence-neutralizing underwear and announced they were branching out to sell fart-blocking jeans and pajama bottoms too. A decade later, they’re still around. They’ve since added fart-proof sheets, chair cushions, and fanny packs to their product line.

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