The showbiz quiz of the year: from Bennifer’s conscious recoupling to Gwyneth Paltrow’s go-to song

1. 

   The Free Britney movement dominated the showbiz headlines this year, as Britney Spears fought to end the long-running conservatorship held over her affairs. Which of these did she do after her victory in the conservatorship hearing?

   1. Post nude photos on Instagram

   2. Have her first glass of champagne for 13 years

   3. Celebrate Christmas two months early

   4. All of the above

2. This year, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson hinted he may be setting his sights on a career change. What new role was he flirting with?

   1. Opening a farm for injured donkeys

   2. Starting an online fitness platform

   3. Running for president

   4. Becoming the face of the Hard Rock Cafe

3. 

   Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez wore a dress to this year’s Met Gala that caused quite the storm. What words were scrawled on the back of it in red?

   1. Fax Elaine Stritch

   2. Vax and Snitch

   3. Tax the Rich

   4. Whack the Witch

4. 

   Season two of RuPaul’s Drag Race UK captured the hearts of a nation in lockdown when it aired in January. Arguably the biggest star to emerge was Bimini Bon Boulash; what did Bimini do after the show finished?

   1. Release a book that made the Sunday Times bestseller list

   2. Eat 500 Quorn mini cocktail sausages in under five minutes, setting a new world record

   3. Start a makeup line

   4. Rediscover oregano

5. What did singer Demi Lovato have to say about aliens in a recent interview with E! News?

   1. That aliens appeared to Demi in a Burning Man fever dream and provided the main hook for their song Cool for the Summer

   2. That Signs, directed by M Night Shyamalan, is overrated

   3. That extraterrestrial beings should not be referred to as “aliens” because it’s offensive

   4. That aliens won’t know what’s hit them when the new album drops

6. Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez famously recoupled this year. Which aspect of their relationship did they recreate, sending the internet into a nostalgic joy spiral?

   1. A music video

   2. A film

   3. A photoshoot

   4. An argument

7. 

   It’s been a big year for celebrity couples. Megan Fox and Machine Gun Kelly have become the latest couple du jour, known for being present and looking hot. In a recent interview, Fox revealed the rapper’s alleged first words to her, and they have inspired a maelstrom of memes since. What were they?

   1. “I am Sparta”

   2. “I am yours”

   3. “I am weed”

   4. “I am an anathema”

8. Harry and Meghan’s Oprah interview somehow grabbed headlines from Covid at the height of the third lockdown in England, with both interviewees speaking candidly about the royal family. What accolade has this interview recently enjoyed?

   1. It has been nominated for an Emmy

   2. The film rights have been purchased by Lifetime

   3. It has been made part of a school’s curriculum

   4. An internet artist has immortalised it in stylised pixels

9. 

   Gwyneth Paltrow can always be relied upon for a headline-grabbing statement. During an appearance on The Kelly Clarkson Show in March, which song did she reveal she listens to when upset?

   1. Both Sides Now by Joni Mitchell

   2. WAP by Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion

   3. Uptown Funk by Mark Ronson feat Bruno Mars

   4. Lute Concerto in D major by Vivaldi

10. Timothée Chalamet has been one of 2021’s most visible stars, with lead roles in Dune and The French Dispatch. Which of these things has Chalamet NOT done this year?

    1. Make a TikTok video of him pirouetting through a Christmas tree farm

    2. Wear a Slytherin sweater

    3. Get compared to a medieval shoe

    4. Reveal that he used to modify Xbox controllers

11. In an interview, Will Smith said he was in his "fuck-it 50s" where he gave himself the freedom to do whatever he wanted. Which of these didn't he do as part of this new attitude to life?

    1. Explore the world with a harem of women

    2. Open a standup show for Dave Chappelle

    3. Attend more than a dozen ayahuasca rituals in Peru

    4. Travel without security

Solutions

1:D - Good for you, Britney!, 2:C - He made the comments on the Today show when quizzed about his presidential ambitions. He answered: “I do have that goal to unite our country and I also feel that if this is what the people want, then I will do that.”, 3:C - A selfless act of intelligent cultural commentary or a performative fashion misstep at an event famous for its privileged clientele? You decide., 4:A - 2021 was a busy year for Bimini Bon Boulash: they published a book (Release the Beast: A Drag Queen’s Guide to Life), released a single and music video, stormed London fashion week and went on a UK-wide tour., 5:C - To be fair to Lovato, the quotes were taken out of context. The pop star went on to say that their reasoning was that “‘alien’ is a derogatory term for anything”., 6:A - Via the medium of a paparazzi shot, they revived a scene from Lopez’s video for Jenny from the Block, in which Affleck starred., 7:C - An abstract, quite uninteresting statement from an abstract, quite uninteresting man. But it worked on Megan, so who are we to judge?, 8:C - According to Newsweek, St Dunstan’s College in Catford, south-east London, is using it to teach students about white privilege., 9:B - She answered with maximum sincerity and absolutely zero hesitance. Gwyneth, queen of ridiculousness – we tip our vagina eggs to you., 10:A - But we wouldn’t put it past him. During the press tour for Dune, he confirmed speculation that he was a Slytherin, by wearing a green sweater embroidered with their house insignia; and that he was the person behind the YouTube account ModdedController360. He was also compared to a medieval shoe in a viral tweet., 11:A - Though he still hasn't lived out this dream, it's not for lack of desire. "The idea of traveling with 20 women that I loved and took care of and all of that, it seemed like a really great idea,” he told GQ.

Scores

1. 11 and above.

   CONGRATS! You got them all right! Did you do anything other than stalk celebrity Instagram accounts this year?

2. 7 and above.

   Pretty good! You’re definitely no stranger to a red carpet event.

3. 4 and above.

   Average. You’ve probably read a few tweets about our culture articles, but that’s about it.

4. 0 and above.

   Dreadful. Stop wasting your time reading books and learn about things that actually MATTER. Like Gwyneth Paltrow’s favourite song to listen to when she’s upset!