Here in Hollywood, there are few things that seem shocking but every now and then, you just have to ask yourself “WTF?” Shameless, strategic and down right stupid, 2010 certainly had more than a few of those moments, especially these five.
1. JOHNNY DEPP'S GOLDEN GLOBE NOMINATION
Depp might be loved as the roguish Capt. Jack Sparrow, but his "Tourist" team-up with Angelina Jolie stunk more than the canals of Venice, bringing in just $17M on its Dec. 10 opening weekend. Yet, on Dec. 14, the Hollywood Foreign Press Association gave Depp a Best Actor Musical or Comedy Golden Globe nomination for the flick and “The Tourist” and Jolie nods as we
ll. WTF? What better way to get one of the biggest and sometimes more reticent stars in the world to actually show up for the Jan 16. show? Not only that, he got nominated twice, one for “The Tourist” and once for “Alice in Wonderland” — in the same category.
2. THE SCRIPT FOR "IRON MAN 2"
Star Robert Downey Jr. and director Jon Favreau had all the creative freedom they could have ever wanted for this sequel to 2008’s surprise mega-hit. They had Mickey Rourke as a villain and Scarlett Johansson on board as well. They had a bigger budget. And they delivered this piece of incoherent dreck?
See all our year-end Top 5s here!
3. GRIDLOCK — OBAMA SNARLS L.A. TRAFFIC
With the President in town Aug. 16 for a fundraiser at John Well’s house, Obama’s motorcade and security shield snarled up L.A. rush hour traffic unnecessarily for hours. WTF? In the middle of a SoCal summer, tempers heated up and everyone, including the White House, tried to back-peddle after the Commander-in-Chief left town. Thankfully, lesson learned. Obama was back for another visit in late October and this time the Secret Service placated L.A. by keeping the President off the streets. Overhead in Marine One, he whipped around from LAX, where Air Force One did cause some delays and restrictions, to USC to Burbank.
4. BRISTOL PALIN ON "DWTS"
Famous for being her mother’s daughter and getting knocked up, young Bristol had no moves and little chance of winning on ABC’s high kicking hit. And yet, from her first sashay across the floor to “Mama Told Me,” she was the one to beat — at least until Jennifer Grey took the prize on finals night. WTF? In a year when the GOP took back Congress and President Obama’s approval ratings tanked, Bristol’s presence harnessed America’s love of an underdog, or in this case undercub, and the support of many of the people who think she and her Presidentially inclined Mama Grizzly have taken a beating from the mainstream media. And that, as DWTS’ stellar ratings confirmed, is a very powerful combo
5. MARK ZUCKERBERG'S $100M GIFT TO N.J. SCHOOLS
A heavy-hitting Hollywood movie that depicts you in not the most flattering of lights is probably a PR headache for anyone, even the billionaire CEO of Facebook. But honestly, Mark, as bad as David Fincher and Aaron Sorkin made you look, do you really think you convinced anyone any different by announcing a $100M gift to Newark, New Jersey public schools on "Oprah" a week before “The Social Network” came out on Oct. 1? Nice gesture, but bad timing .
