Tag: news

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

Google searches, Kardashian butts, and Barbara Walters hits on Bradley Cooper. Here’s what was in the news 10 years ago this week.

The Top Google Searches of 2015

Google revealed what the world obsessed over in 2015 – everything from Lamar Odom and Caitlyn Jenner to “Jurassic World” and obviously fake babies. It was a year of comebacks, scandals, and dinosaurs.

Merriam-Webster’s Word of the Year Is “Ism”

Merriam-Webster couldn’t pick one word in 2015 – so they went with a suffix: “ism.” As in racism, feminism, terrorism, capitalism… basically all the “isms” that dominated headlines and debates that year. It was less about one word and more about how we defined the times – literally.

The Best TV Shows of 2015

E! News crowned the best of the small screen in 2015. “Game of Thrones” topped their list, followed by “Mr. Robot,” “Outlander,” “Fargo,” and “How to Get Away with Murder.”

Advance Ticket Sales for “The Force Awakens” Hit $100 Million

Before it even hit theaters, “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” had already smashed records with $100 million in advance ticket sales. Fans camped out, crashed websites, and debated Kylo Ren theories months in advance. The Force was awakened – and it was profitable.

“Thriller“ Is the First Album to Go 30x Platinum

Even in 2015, nobody could touch the King of Pop. The RIAA confirmed “Thriller” had become the first album ever to go 30 times platinum – that’s 30 million copies sold in the U.S. alone. Zombies, red jackets, and dance moves that refuse to die.

“Lardass” Autocorrects to “Kardashian”

Someone realized iPhones had started autocorrecting “lardass” to “Kardashian,” and the internet exploded with laughter. The prompt popped up after typing in the first five letters (L-A-R-D-A) because it was just one letter off the start of “Kardashian.” ‘K’ is also right next to the ‘L’ on keyboards, so that didn’t help.

Barbara Walters Calls Bradley Cooper “Very Screwable”

During her annual “Most Fascinating People” special, Barbara (then 86) got a little too real – declaring Bradley Cooper “very screwable.” America nodded in agreement as Brad blushed, and Barbara cemented her place as the queen of unfiltered truth bombs.

“Sports Illustrated” Names Serena Williams Their Sportsperson of the Year

Serena dominated 2015, winning everything she touched – except her own charity 5K. Fresh off being crowned Sportsperson of the Year, she hosted a charity race in Miami and caught a cab halfway through. She’d been dealing with injuries, and insiders claimed she wasn’t even planning to run it at all. It drew jeers online, but hey… even legends deserve a break. The ‘Sportsperson’ nod was the mag’s first for a solo woman since 1983.

Wahlburgers Goes National

Mark and Donnie took Wahlburgers from a family project to a full-on burger empire in 2015, announcing a nationwide expansion. There were only five locations – in Massachusetts, New York, and Toronto – when they announced another 100-150 were on the way. They made good on the promise, building to 109 locations by 2023. But they reversed course and closed most of them two years later. By mid-2025, the count was back down to 32.

Secret Santas Pay Off Nearly $500,000 in Walmart Layaway Items

Holiday spirit hit big in 2015 when three anonymous donors paid off almost half-a-million bucks in Walmart layaway bills. Hundreds of families got the surprise of their lives – proof that even in a year full of “isms,” generosity still made headlines.

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

Crystal Pepsi, rude texts, and Margot Robbie in a bubble bath. Here’s what was in the news 10 years ago this week.

Willard Scott Retires from the “Today” Show

After 35 years of birthday shout-outs, Willard Scott said goodbye to “Today.” The man who once was Ronald McDonald (seriously) left behind a legacy of smiles, smooches, and Smuckers-sponsored centenarians. He’d already been semi-retired for a quite a while, with Al Roger filling in as the main weatherman on most days since 1996.

Ending Texts with Periods Makes You Sound Rude

A study found ending your texts with a period made you seem cold or angry. Gen Z agreed. Suddenly punctuation became passive-aggressive, and everyone started ending messages like this instead

Texting Makes You Temporarily Deaf

Meanwhile, a separate study found focusing on your phone can actually make you “temporarily deaf.” So if your spouse yells your name while you’re deep in a text thread… you’re not ignoring them, it’s just science.

Crystal Pepsi Comeback

A grassroots movement to resurrect Crystal Pepsi caught fire online in 2015, complete with petitions, hashtags, and an overwhelming amount of communal nostalgia. It actually worked – Pepsi handed out 13,000 six-packs that December, and eventually brought it back for real in the summer of 2016. It hasn’t been offered again nationwide since then.

Facebook’s Most Talked-About Topics of 2015

Before TikTok ruled the world, Facebook was where we debated everything. The site dropped lists of 2015’s most talked-about stars, shows, and athletes – proof we’ve always loved arguing in the comments. Ed Sheeran topped the list of the most talked-about entertainers,“Star Wars: The Force Awakens” was #1 among movies, and“Game of Thrones” topped the list of TV shows.

Taylor Swift Is Billboard’s Artist of the Year

Her “1989” album topped their Billboard 200 Albums list that year, and also their Digital Albums list.

YouTube’s Most Viewed Music Videos of 2015

The biggest hits of the year lived on YouTube. The #1 video from the list still sits among YouTube’s all-time most-watched a decade later. “See You Again” by Wiz Kalifa and Charlie Puth racked up 1.2 billion views in 2015. (“Baby Shark” owns the record by an impressively wide margin.)

The 10 Holiday Smells We Love Most

A poll by “Huff Post” and Glad found the Top 10 in order are: Hot chocolate, freshly baked cookies, the smell of a fire, peppermint, apple cider, pine trees, potato latkes (a Hanukkah staple), pie, candles, and gingerbread.

“Walking Dead” Star Bitten by a Fan

Actor Norman Reedus got bit by an over-excited fan at a 2015 convention in New Jersey. He wasn’t hurt and handled it like a champ – dude had some experience in avoiding a serious bite.

“The Big Short” hit theaters across the U.S.

The Adam McKay flick finally helped fans understand the basics of the 2008 financial crisis that wiped out their savings – thanks to a cast of A-listers, fourth-wall breaks, and Margot Robbie explaining subprime loans from a bubble bath.

10 Things That Happened 10 Years Ago: Nov 30-Dec 6

Scott Weiland passes away, a big Salvation Army donation, and an unwanted “Bud Weisser” at Budweiser. Here’s what was in the news 10 years ago this week.

The Top Yahoo Searches of 2015

The top search on Yahoo in 2015 was “Bobbi Kristina Brown” after she tragically passed away that July. Other top searches included “iPhone,” “Caitlyn Jenner,” “Katy Perry’s Super Bowl Halftime sharks,” and the term “man bun.” (Also of note: People were still using Yahoo back then.)

Scott Weiland Is Found Dead on His Tour Bus

Tragic news hit rock fans in early December 2015 when the Stone Temple Pilots and Velvet Revolver frontman was found dead on his tour bus. The 48-year-old’s long battle with addiction cast a shadow over his career, but his voice defined an era of ‘90s alt-rock.

Someone Left a Check for Half-a-Million Dollars in a Salvation Army Kettle

Talk about holiday spirit! A Salvation Army worker in Minnesota opened a red kettle to find a $500,000 cashier’s check inside. The anonymous couple instantly made it one of the largest single kettle donations ever.

The Most Streamed Artists on Spotify in 2015

Spotify crowned Drake the most-streamed artist of 2015, with over 1.8 billion streams. The top female artist was Rihanna, the #1 song was “Lean On” by Major Lazer, and the top-streamed album was “Beauty Behind the Madness” by The Weeknd.

Rolling Stone’s Top 50 Songs of 2015

“Rolling Stone” released its Top 50 Songs of the year, with “Can’t Feel My Face” by The Weeknd taking the top spot, followed by “Trap Queen” by Fetty Wap and “Hotline Bling” by Drake.

“Bud Weisser” Caught Trespassing at Budweiser Brewery

You can’t make this up: 19-year-old Bud Weisser was arrested for trespassing at a Budweiser brewery in St. Louis. Police said he refused to leave – perhaps feeling entitled by name alone. Internet headline writers thanked him for the gift.

Baby Names Inspired by Instagram Filters and “Empire” Characters

BabyCenter.com released a report on baby naming trends for 2015. Some of the trendiest names were based on Instagram filters like Lux and Valencia,“Empire” characters like Dre and Lucious, and royalty like Duchess and Sultan.

“Boomerang Gifts” Go Viral

A “boomerang gift” is when you give someone something you’ll enjoy too – like a Netflix subscription, concert tickets, or a fancy blender you’ll “borrow.” It’s half-thoughtful, half-selfish.

The Most Shocking Celebrity Break-Ups of 2015

The “E! News” round-up included Ben Affleck & Jennifer Garner, Mandy Moore & Ryan Adams, Blake Shelton & Miranda Lambert, Gwen Stefani & Gavin Rossdale, Kourtney Kardashian & Scott Disick… and Kermit & Miss Piggy. The on-and-off Muppet couple had released a joint statement that August announcing the split.

A New Shopping Channel That Only Sells Guns

Move over QVC – 2015 introduced GunTV, a shopping network dedicated solely to firearms. It sparked instant controversy when it was announced that December. It launched in April 2026 but missed its mark and shut down just nine months later.

10 Things That Happened 10 Years Ago: Nov 23-29

Reese’s Poop, crotchless “Golden Girls” undies, and Kobe Bryant retires. Here’s what was in the news 10 years ago this week.

Do Reese’s “Christmas Trees” Look Like Poop?

Reese’s Christmas Trees went viral on social media after someone (correctly) pointed out that the definition wasn’t always there… so they often looked more like festive little turds. Reese’s had been selling them since 1993, so it wasn’t exactly a new issue. But the internet roasted the chocolate blobs so hard, you could almost smell the peanut butter. 💩

Kobe Bryant announces retirement in a poem

Kobe didn’t just say goodbye—he rhymed it. The Black Mamba announced his retirement with a heartfelt poem that made fans cry, teammates cheer, and English teachers proud. It was part farewell, part Shakespeare. Kobe retired at the end of the 2015-2016 season. He was tragically killed four years later in a helicopter crash just north of L.A., along with his 13-year-old daughter Gianna and seven others.

“Gremlins 3” rumors take off

Zach Galligan – who played Billy Peltzer in “Gremlins” and “Gremlins 2: The New Batch” – said the long-awaited third installment would not be a remake. There had been reports a year earlier that the movie was being “fast-tracked.” But a decade later, we’re still waiting. It’s now slated to hit theaters in 2027.

Ringo Starr’s personal copy of “The White Album” goes up for auction

It was stamped with “No.0000001” and was expected to sell for up to $60,000. It instead sold for a whopping $790,000. That’s a lot of money for something you can also stream for free. Peace, love, and deep pockets.

“Golden Girls” lingerie line includes crotchless Blanche panties

Because 2015 was wild: someone released Golden Girls underwear. An Etsy shop started selling granny underwear with images of the “Golden Girls” on the front. The ones with Dorothy’s face on the front were low rise… Sophia’s were high-waisted… Rose’s were sheer… and Blanche’s were crotchless. Eap pair cost $45 and were the perfect way to say, “Thank you for being a freaky friend.”

Police get called to domestic disturbance, but it’s just a man afraid of spiders

Police in Australia responded to reports of a woman screaming and a guy yelling, “I’m going to kill you.” But it turned out he was alone and had just seen a big spider. He was screaming while chasing it around to kill it.

Santa steals a helicopter in Brazil

Ho-ho-holy crap! A man in Brazil dressed as Santa hijacked a helicopter and vanished. Forget the sleigh and reindeer – this Kris Kringle apparently wanted his own whirlybird. Somewhere, the Grinch was impressed.

Woman’s murder plot foiled by bad spelling

A woman in London poisoned her husband with antifreeze and forged a note saying he didn’t want to be resuscitated. She was caught because she misspelled the word “dignity” as “dignerty.” Cops matched the misspelling to other samples of the woman’s writing. She got 15 years in jail for attempted murder. Her husband survived.

Darth Vader robs convenience store

A guy dressed as Darth Vader tried to rob a convenience store in Florida but was taken down by an unexpected weapon: blue cheese dressing. The clerk hurled it at him, and that was enough to scare off the Dark Lord.

Adele breaks NSYNC’s single-week sales record

Her album “25” sold 2.43 million copies in the U.S. in just four days, breaking the boy band’s single-week sales record of 2.41 million for “No Strings Attached” in 2000. She’d eventually hit 3.38 million sold, aided (in a big way) by the fact that her album was withheld from streaming services for the first 7 months after it was released. Her record stood for a decade until Taylor Swift’s “The Life of a Showgirl” hit 3.48 million in 2025.

Most People Can’t Tell an A.I. Song from a Human One, and That’s Terrifying

If you’ve been looking for a fresh reason to panic about artificial intelligence, congratulations, your search is over.

A new music survey is basically the plot of every Black Mirror episode we were hoping wouldn’t come true.

In a study that tested whether people could tell the difference between A.I. music and human made music, more than 9,000 people across several countries, including the U.S., listened to three short clips. Two were composed by A.I., one was made by an actual human.

And here’s the unsettling part, the part that should probably count as a dystopian jump scare: 97 percent of participants couldn’t tell which was which.

Yes, ninety. Seven. Percent. For anyone keeping score, that means your odds of spotting A.I. music are now only slightly better than your odds of winning a scratch-off. Not great.

This new finding comes as A.I. generated music becomes more common online, especially on social media where fake collaborations and fake celebrity vocals spread faster than real releases. The study highlights something a lot of people have quietly worried about, that A.I. isn’t just getting good, it’s getting indistinguishable.

And some of these A.I. systems have learned enough patterns from human composition to mimic structure and style so well that even trained listeners are getting fooled.

What makes the whole thing even more intriguing, or unsettling depending on your caffeine level, is the emotional reaction. More than half the people who failed the test admitted they were uncomfortable with how easily A.I. fooled them. So people care, but caring doesn’t seem to help anyone tell the difference. It’s like realizing the call is coming from inside the house, shrugging, and going, “Huh. Weird.”

The broader trend here is obvious. As A.I. improves, creative fields keep bumping into the same question, if you can’t tell what’s real, does it matter who made it? Musicians are already wrestling with deepfaked voices and synthetic samples, and this survey won’t exactly ease their minds.

It also raises questions for streaming platforms, record labels, and anyone who relies on authenticity as part of the art.

So yes, if you wanted another reason to side-eye your playlist, you officially have one. And the next time a new track sounds strangely perfect, maybe don’t assume it came from a human. It might have been cooked up by a server farm somewhere, quietly learning that we can’t tell the difference.

Sleep tight.

10 Things That Happened 10 Years Ago: Nov 16-22

Charlie Sheen’s “winning” streak, Jared Fogle’s sentencing, and an emoji wins “Word of the Year.” Here’s what was in the news 10 years ago this week.

Charlie Sheen Is HIV-Positive

Charlie Sheen went on “Today” and dropped a bomb: he was HIV-positive and he’d been living with it for four years. The revelation set off a media firestorm, but Charlie called it “a turning point.” Suddenly, “winning” meant taking his meds, staying healthy, and using his infamous spotlight to push HIV awareness.

Jared from Subway Is Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison

Former Subway spokesman Jared Fogle – once a wholesome symbol of healthy eating – was sentenced to over 15 years in prison for child sex crimes. It was one of the most stomach-turning celebrity scandals of the decade. Subway had already cut ties.

Oxford Dictionaries’ Word of the Year Is an Emoji

Words are so last century. Oxford Dictionaries made history in 2015 by naming an emoji – “Tears of Joy” 😂 – as its Word of the Year. It was the first time a picture beat out actual words. Linguists groaned, teens shrugged, and the rest of us realized we might officially be living inside our phones now.

Thanksgiving Dinner Tops $50 for the First Time

Thanksgiving 2015 came with some sticker shock. The American Farm Bureau said the average (very basic) turkey day feast for ten broke the $50 mark for the first time ever – $50.11. The priciest item on the list was a 16-pound turkey at $23.04. The cheapest was dinner rolls at $2.25.

Psychics Predict Han Solo’s Death in “Star Wars”

Before “The Force Awakens” hit theaters, psychics (and basically every fan on the internet) predicted Han Solo wouldn’t make it out alive. Spoiler: they nailed it. Was it supernatural foresight – or just knowing Harrison Ford was probably tired of space vest duty? Either way, 2015 proved even the Force couldn’t stop a good plot twist.

Facebook Adds “Ex-Proof” Feature

Facebook finally gave the brokenhearted what they really needed in 2015: an ex-blocker. The new feature let you quietly limit how much of your ex’s face invaded your feed – without the drama of an unfriend. It was like a digital restraining order for your sanity.

Carly Simon Confirms “You’re So Vain” Is (Partly) About Warren Beatty

After four decades of mystery, Carly Simon finally confirmed what everyone suspected: at least some of her song “You’re So Vain” was about Warren Beatty. When asked if Warren knew, she joked, “He thinks the whole thing is about him!”

Woman Breaks Husband’s Junk While Online Shopping During Sex

A woman in China broke her husband’s penis while trying to shop online during sex. She tried to multitask on Singles’ Day – a holiday for single people that’s become the biggest shopping day worldwide – ended up with a trip to the ER. Doctors say “penile fractures” are real, and so is buyer’s remorse. Add it to the list of things you should never do mid-romp.

STDs Hit an All-Time High

The CDC dropped some bad news: America was catching feelings – and infections. Gonorrhea and syphilis cases were up, and chlamydia rates hit an all-time high. Experts blamed hookup apps, fewer clinics, randy seniors, and people forgetting what condoms were for.

David Beckham is “People” Magazine’s Sexiest Man Alive

The retired soccer legend, model, and dad of four joined the club of impossibly attractive humans. He reacted humbly, saying, “”I never feel that I’m an attractive, sexy person. I mean I like to wear nice clothes and nice suits and look and feel good, but I don’t ever think of myself that way.” Agreed… nice clothes, but otherwise hideous. 👀

10 Things That Happened 10 Years Ago: Nov 9-15

Butterball morons, Victoria’s Secret bug repellant, and Ellen is Hollywood’s “kindest” celeb? Here’s what was in the news 10 years ago this week.

The Butterball hotline’s dumbest questions ever

The Butterball Turkey Talk-Line revealed the dumbest Thanksgiving questions customers had ever asked. They included:

  • “For the sake of delicious smells, can I cook my turkey over the course of four days?”
  • “My turkey thawed on my lap… can I eat it?”
  • “How do you carve a turkey when all of its bones have been broken?”
  • “How do I roast my turkey so it gets golden brown tan lines in the shape of a turkey bikini?”

Victoria’s Secret mosquito repellant

A study at New Mexico State found a Victoria’s Secret perfume called “Bombshell” worked surprisingly well as a mosquito repellent – better than some commercial bug sprays. Finally, you could smell fabulous while fighting off pests on that camping trip with the fam.

Ellen Named “Kindest” Celebrity (Oops)

NBC News did a “State of Kindness” poll to find out who fans thought the kindest celebrities were. Ellen DeGeneres topped the list. But several years and workplace allegations later, her “be kind” mantra came under fire, making the title feel more ironic than inspiring. Taylor Swift was a distant second… Will Smith was third.

Peyton Manning broke the all-time passing yards record

His final, injury-plagued season was the worst of his career from a stats perspective, but he did pass Brett Favre to top the all-time list with 71,940 career passing yards… then went on to win Super Bowl 50 and retire on top. (Drew Brees and Tom Brady would both eventually pass Peyton on the all-time passing yards list.)

The Paris Terror Attacks

On November 13, 2015, coordinated terrorist attacks struck Paris, leaving 130 victims dead and over 400 wounded. The tragedy included shootings at restaurants, explosions near a stadium, and a massacre at the Bataclan theater. It was France’s deadliest attack since World War II and a turning point in global counterterrorism efforts.

Jason Aldean criticized for blackface Halloween costume

Country singer Jason Aldean sparked outrage in 2015 for dressing as rapper Lil Wayne for Halloween – complete with blackface. The backlash was swift, with critics calling it racist and tone-deaf. Aldean later said he didn’t mean to offend, but the damage was done.

Ronda Rousey suffers her first loss

Ronda Rousey, once seen as unbeatable in the UFC, met her match in 2015 when Holly Holm knocked her out with a brutal head kick. The stunning upset ended Rousey’s undefeated streak, and led to the end of her MMA career. Her next (and final) UFC fight would come a year later in 2016, and she lost that one too.

Stubble was having a moment

A study for “No-Shave November” found stubble was officially the most attractive type of facial hair you could have. Women found heavy stubble more appealing than a clean shave or full beards. The “I shaved two days ago” look was peak sexy that year.

Pay someone $10 to dump your significant other

Too chicken to break up with someone yourself? In 2015, a company called The Breakup Shop offered to do it for you – for less than $40. Services ranged from text message breakups ($10) to break-up phone calls ($30). Singles would eventually decide that ghosting was easier (and cheaper).

Snoop Dogg launched his own cannabis line

Medical marijuana was legal in California, but it would be another year before recreational weed was legalized. Snoop got ahead of it in 2015 with the launch of Leafs By Snoop, his own line of marijuana products. The brand includes strains of flower, edibles, and concentrates, proving once again that Snoop is as much a business mogul as he is a hip-hop icon.

10 Things That Happened 10 Years Ago: Nov 2-8

Red cups, endless TV, and fart-filled airplanes. Here’s what was in the news 10 years ago this week.

“Binge-Watch” Becomes Word of the Year

Collins Dictionary officially crowned “binge-watch” their Word of the Year, validating everything we did that weekend we “accidentally” watched all 10 episodes of “Making a Murderer.” It was the year TV stopped being a weekly ritual and became a competitive sport, sleep and social life be damned.

Starbucks’ Holiday Cups Spark Outrage

Ah yes, the great Starbucks cup scandal of 2015. That was the year some folks got very upset that the holiday cups weren’t Christmassy enough. Just plain red! No snowflakes! No joy! Outrage brewed faster than a Venti Pike, though most just wanted to sip their Peppermint Mochas in peace.

Raking Leaves? Actually Bad Now

In 2015, environmentalists gave lazy husbands and teenagers their out: raking leaves is bad for nature. Turns out, leaf piles are free mulch and bug condos. So if you skipped yard work that year, you weren’t lazy – you were an eco-warrior. Tell your HOA to take it up with science.

Britney Spears Explains “Hit Me Baby”

In 2015, a book called “The Song Machine: Inside the Hit Factory” explained that “Hit me baby one more time” was never about getting smacked – it meant “call me.” The Swedish songwriter thought “hit me” was American teen slang for “call me,” likely thinking of the term “hit me up.”

Terminal “Star Wars” Fan Sees Movie Early

The Force was strong with Daniel Fleetwood, a terminally ill superfan who got to see “The Force Awakens” early thanks to a global campaign and support from the “Star Wars” cast. He passed away shortly after, but not before making the Kessel Run straight to our hearts. He was the first person outside of the production team to see the film.

Science Reveals the Best Grilled Cheese Cheeses

Scientists got serious in 2015 and figured out the perfect cheeses for a grilled cheese sandwich. Top picks: gouda, Gruyère, and manchego. Basically, the gooier, the better. Sorry, cheddar – you’ll always be melty in our hearts.

Plane Diverted Due to Flatulence

An incident report went viral after a flight from Australia to Malaysia had to make an emergency landing because it was filled with too many farts. It was a cargo plane with 2,186 sheep, and their gas set off the smoke alarm.

Chris Stapleton Scored His First #1 Album

Chris Stapleton went from “Who’s that bearded guy?” to “King of Country” after his album “Traveller” shot to #1. Suddenly your aunt, your barber, and your Spotify Discover playlist were all obsessed. 10 years later, Billboard.com would name it the top country album of the 21st century.

Katy Perry Tops Highest-Paid Women in Music

Katy Perry made $135 million in 2015 and topped Forbes’ list of highest-paid female musicians. Between the Prismatic World Tour, Super Bowl halftime show, and brand deals, she was on fire. Left Shark may have fumbled the choreo, but Katy’s bank account never missed a beat. Taylor Swift was a distant second at $80 million.

Trevor Noah Misses “The Daily Show” for Surgery

Just weeks into his new gig, Trevor Noah had to miss “The Daily Show” for an emergency appendectomy. Fans freaked. Producers scrambled. His appendix? Evicted. It was the first unexpected hiatus of his hosting era.

10 Things That Happened 10 Years Ago: Oct 26-Nov 1

Halloween crime, the Starbucks Frappula, and “a small loan of $1 million.” Here’s what was in the news 10 years ago this week.

Stormtrooper was a hot Halloween costume

A Fandango poll found it was the most popular costume inspired by a 2015 movie. Everyone was amped for “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” to hit theaters that December – the first new “Star Wars” flick in a decade. (“Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith” came out in 2005.) The second most popular costume was Katniss Everdeen from “The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2.”

A zombie and a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle helped Beetlejuice cover up a hit-and-run

A woman dressed in a full Beetlejuice costume was driving in Atlanta and slammed into a Mercedes parked on the street. She did some serious damage, and her car was stuck on top of it. So she called some friends, and two guys dressed as a zombie and a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle showed up a few minutes later. They helped push her car off the Mercedes, and they all took off. They didn’t realize someone’s security cam got it all on video.

*Indiana Jones also got into a high-speed chase that same week, but it wasn’t a Halloween costume. It was just a guy in Upstate New York named Indiana Jones.

A Fort Bragg soldier’s ill-advised Halloween costume

A bomb squad at Fort Bragg in North Carolina scrambled when a soldier showed up at a security gate dressed as a suicide bomber. The costume included a fake explosive vest.

The five fears we google most

A study by “Time“ magazine found the most-googled fear is a big one: death. The top three (at least in 2015) were: “fear of death”, “afraid of love,” and “fear of people.”

Starbucks debuted the “Frappula”

A play on the words “frappuccino” and “Dracula,” most fans loved the new spooky drink… while a few thought it tasted like crappula.

2015’s most influential teenagers included…

“Time” put out a list of the year’s “30 Most Influential Teens.” They included Kylie Jenner (18), Kendall Jenner (19), Zendaya (19), Malia Obama (17), Maisie Williams (18), Bindi Irwin (17), Jaden Smith (17), an up-and-coming Vine star named Shawn Mendes (17), and Nobel Peace Prize recipient Malala Yousafzai (18).

Taylor Swift’s “1989” album spend a full year in the Top 10

It went its first 52 weeks without dropping out of the Top 10 on the Billboard 200 album chart. Only four other albums had done it before that. The last was Adele’s “21” that came out a few years earlier in 2011.

“A small loan of $1 million”

Then-candidate Donald Trump riled people up when he went on the “Today” show and said, “It has not been easy for me. I started off in Brooklyn. My father gave me a small loan of a million dollars.”

A Black Friday shopper camped out over a month in advance

A Florida man named Kevin Sutton camped out in front of his local Best Buy 33 days before the big day. He was hoping to land a deal on a new TV – and also used the stunt to raise money for charity. 10 years later, most of the Black Friday deals have moved online.

The Kansas City Royals won their first World Series in 30 years

They tacked on five runs in the top of the 12th inning to beat the Mets 7-2 in Game 5 and bring home their first championship since 1985.

10 Things That Happened 10 Years Ago: Oct 19-25

Cake cleanses, peanut allergies, “Baby Hitler,” and Back to the Future Day. Here’s what was in the news 10 years ago this week.

Back to the Future Day: Oct 21, 2015

October 21, 2015 was the day Marty McFly and Doc Brown traveled to in “Back to the Future Part II.” We were promised flying cars, needlessly shiny clothes, and hoverboards. Instead, we got those self-balancing scooters… so, your fun-loving grandma broke a hip, then the battery exploded and torched her house.

The Cubs also didn’t win the World Series that year, but did a year later in 2016 for the first time since 1908. (Not too shabby, Zemeckis!)

To be fair, “Back to the Future Part II” did get a lot of things right: flatscreens, tablets, smart homes, VR goggles, fingerprint scanners, mobile payments, and drones. But even in 2025, flying cars still look like what would happen if your Tesla banged a Cessna.

Teal pumpkins took off

The folks at Food Allergy Research and Education (FARE) had started pushing for them a year earlier. But 2015 was their breakout year. The Teal Pumpkin Project encourages people to offer non-food treats on Halloween for kids with allergies.

“YouTube Red”

For $10 a month, you could watch all your favorite YouTube content without those annoying ads playing mid-sentence. Unboxing videos suddenly became almost enjoyable. The name “YouTube Red” – which everyone agreed was stupid – would eventually be changed to “YouTube Premium” in 2018.

“Politically correct” was no longer politically correct

The Inclusive Excellence Center at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee deemed the term “politically correct” to be offensive, because it had become a way for the un-politically correct to shut people down.

“Over time, PC has become a way to deflect, say that people are being too ‘sensitive,’ and police language.”

“Baby Hitler” was trending worldwide

The “NY Times” shared a poll that asked readers, “Could You Kill a Baby Hitler?” 42% said yes, 30% said no, and 28% weren’t sure. For a few weird days in 2015, “Baby Hitler” was a trending topic on social media.

The Cake Cleanse Diet

It went viral in mid-October, offering a way to lose weight while eating cake for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The catch? The recipes were for “healthy” cakes packed with fiber and protein – think oats, nuts, and coconut flour. The “diet” sounded too good to be true… and tasted as such.

The most addictive food is…

A viral study released earlier that year found the most addictive food in the world is… yep, pizza.

10 Most Addictive Foods: pizza, chocolate, chips, cookies, ice cream, fries, cheeseburgers, soda, cake, and cheese

10 Least Addictive Foods: cucumbers, carrots, beans, apples, brown rice, broccoli, bananas, salmon, corn, and strawberries

The 10 highest-paid comedians included no women

Amy Schumer was rising in the ranks but literally zero women made the “Forbes“ Top 10 that year. The top three were Jerry Seinfeld ($36 million), Kevin Hart ($28.5 million), and – shockingly –Vegas ventriloquist Terry Fator ($21.5 million).

The “last” “Paranormal Activity” movie hit theaters

“Paranormal Activity: The Ghost Dimension” was billed as the final installment to wrap up the series. But Paramount eventually opted to sully the franchise a little more with a seventh movie in 2021. “Paranormal Activity: Next of Kin” would skip theaters and bomb on a new streaming service called Paramount+ instead.

“The Nightmare Before Christmas” was declared a Halloween movie

Director Henry Selick finally weighed in on the “Christmas or Halloween” debate and said it’s a Halloween movie. It was based on a poem Tim Burton wrote in 1982. (Yeah, I thought Tim Burton directed it too. He co-wrote and produced.)

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