Hello again, pop culture-ites! The year 2012 was welcomed with anticipation (the Olympic Games, anyone?) and the prospect of "change" (get it?), but who could have predicted the pop culture medley that would make up these past 12 months?
It's true that some things were expected before the 2012 ball even dropped: Taylor Swift's high-profile summer romance with Conor Kennedy ended in a break-up, but her ability to somehow find a new (British!) boy toy to kiss on the eve of 2013 didn't surprise anyone. Their subsequent breakup was hardly a shocker as well.
And it was only right that after starring in four films throughout the year, Channing Tatum ended 2012 by announcing that he and his wife, Jenna Dewan-Tatum are expecting their first child. I guess we all knew that Blue Ivy, the daughter of power-couple Beyonce and Jay-Z, would be Hollywood's youngest diva, and I could have predicted that Lindsay Lohan would remain the definition of a train wreck as back in 2010.
But I don't care how much you try to convince yourself, you never saw the secret September wedding of Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds coming. Even now, details of the hush-hush ceremony are kept on the down low. The couple is making sure to keep their personal photos personal, denying the inevitable monetary incentives linked to selling such coveted photos.
The only picture of themselves released from the Green Lantern stars' ceremony? A shot of the pair holding hands, with a glimpse of her dress and a focus on his new wedding band.
Not everyone in Hollywood was keeping the bling on their ring fingers in 2012. Katie Holmes blindsided everyone (most notably ex-hubby Tom Cruise) by filing for divorce in June. The actor, often portrayed as an overbearing husband and intense Scientologist by media, created some shock of his own by quietly and quickly agreeing to allow Holmes to take primary physical custody of their six-year-old daughter, Suri.
And in what is becoming the ugliest (and seemingly most ignored breakup of 2012), supermodel Heidi Klum divorced her husband of seven years, singer Seal. It didn't take long for Klum to bounce back, and she has publicly admitted to currently dating her bodyguard-to which her ex-husband commented that she should "at least wait until we separated first before deciding to fornicate with the help," in an impromptu interview with TMZ.
Seal, buddy, be glad she waited until you weren't together-Robert Pattison wasn't so lucky. In July, "earth-shattering" news (with photos!) broke portraying Kristen Stewart, Pattison's girlfriend of four years and Twilight costar, cheating with married director, Rupert Sanders.
Aside from causing an uproar among Twi-hards, the scandal led to an awkwardly-public apology by Stewart to her man ... and his decision to take her back. Go on, tell me you saw any of that coming.
While the pop music world embraced international artists (hello British boy bands and Psy!), it also endured the unexpected loss of Whitney Houston.
The 48-year-old songstress, best known for "I Will Always Love You," was found unconscious submerged in a bathtub at her hotel in Beverly Hills in early February. While the L.A. County coroner's office found evidence that the singer had used cocaine shortly before her death, ultimately, the tragedy was deemed an "accidental drowning."
Thinking about a 2012 highlight that wasn't so accidental? Try the United States Anti-Doping Agency banning cyclist Lance Armstrong from the sport for life. Over the summer reality hit the fan when the ASADA officially charged the 41-year-old of doping, using illegal drugs to enhance sport performance.
The result was nothing short of extreme: the once-champ was stripped of his seven Tour de France wins and all other competitive results dating back to August 1998.
Armstrong's world continued to crumble when he stepped down as chairman of Livestrong, his cancer charity, and was dropped from huge endorsement deals with companies like Nike. He even admitted to the accusation to Oprah Winfrey live on her television program in hopes that he will be eligible to race again.
As we enter 2013, let's remember that while we can't always predict the scandals of Hollywood, they'll never fail to entertain.
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