In the year the world DIDN’T end (looking at you John Cusack)…
- After 244 years of publication, Encyclopedia Britannica discontinued its print edition.
- Felix Baumgartner became the first person to break the sound barrier without machine assistance by diving out of a helium balloon from outer-space.
- Key & Peele made their Comedy Central debut.
- Whitney Houston passed away at the age of 49.
And here’s what happened in Movies, Music and Sports…
Movies
Comedy
Ted, 21 Jump Street, The Dictator, Pitch Perfect, Wanderlust, American Reunion, What To Expect When You’re Expecting, This Is 40, Project X, Think Like A Man, Dark Shadows, Rock of Ages, The Lorax, Wreck-It Ralph, The Campaign, Casa de Mi Padre, Safety Not Guaranteed, For a Good Time Call…, The Guilt Trip, The Three Stooges, Tim and Eric’s Billion Dollar Movie, Magic Mike, The Five-Year Engagement, Seeking a Friend for the End of the World, Hit and Run AND…
Moonrise Kingdom
Action/Thriller
Skyfall, The Avengers, Savages, Safe House, The Hunger Games, Taken 2, The Bourne Legacy, Man on a Ledge, Looper, Safe, Stolen, Jack Reacher, Resident Evil: Retribution, Premium Rush, End of Watch, Sinister, Contraband, Erased, Battleship, Seven Psychopaths, Dredd, Total Recall, Prometheus, The Amazing Spider-Man, Chronicle AND…
The Dark Knight Rises
Drama
Django Unchained, Silver Linings Playbook, Argo, Zero Dark Thirty, Lincoln, Beasts of the Southern Wild, Les Miserables, The Master, Cloud Atlas, The Vow, Flight, The Perks of Being a Wallflower, Mud, Disconnect, Red Tails, Promised Land, Amour, Trouble with the Curve, Hitchcock, The Place Beyond the Pines
Argo
The 85th Academy Awards
Best Actor
- Hugh Jackman, Les Miserables
- Joaquin Phoenix, The Master
- Denzel Washington, Flight
- Bradley Cooper, Silver Linings Playbook
- Daniel Day-Lewis, Lincoln – Winner
(This was his 3rd win out of 5 nominations dating back to My Left Foot in 1990)
Best Supporting Actor
- Alan Arkin, Argo
- Robert De Niro, Silver Linings Playbook
- Philip Seymour Hoffman, The Master
- Tommy Lee Jones, Lincoln
- Christoph Waltz, Django Unchained – Winner
(Waltz has won both times he was nominated. Both for Tarantino roles)
Best Actress
- Jessica Chastain, Zero Dark Thirty
- Emmanuelle Riva, Amour
- Quvenzhane Wallis, Beasts of the Southern Wild
- Naomi Watts, The Impossible
- Jennifer Lawrence, Silver Linings Playbook – Winner
(JLaw was nominated 3 times in 4 years, beginning in 2011 for Winter’s Bone)
Best Supporting Actress
- Helen Hunt, The Sessions
- Jacki Weaver, Silver Linings Playbook
- Amy Adams, The Master
- Sally Field, Lincoln
- Anne Hathaway, Les Miserables – Winner
(Hathaway was nominated once more in 2009 for her lead role Rachel Getting Married)
Best Picture
- Amour
- Beasts of the Southern Wild
- Django Unchained
- Life of Pi
- Lincoln
- Les Miserables
- Silver Linings Playbook
- Zero Dark Thirty
- Argo – Winner
(Argo won 2 more Oscars out of 7 nominations, for Best Writing and Editing)
Music
Rock Albums
Hip Hop Albums
Pop Albums
Billboard Year-End Top 25 Songs
- “Somebody That I used to Know” – Gotye featuring Kimbra
- “Call Me Maybe” – Carly Rae Jepson
- “We Are Young” – fun. featuring Janelle Monae
- “Payphone” – Maroon 5 featuring Wiz Khalifa
- “Lights” – Ellie Goulding
- “Glad You Came” – The Wanted
- “Stronger (What Doesn’t Kill You)” – Kelly Clarkson
- “We Found Love” – Rihanna featuring Calvin Harris
- “Starships” – Nicki Minaj
- “What Makes You Beautiful” – One Direction
- “Wild Ones” – Flo Rida featuring Sia
- “Set Fire to the Rain” – Adele
- “Sexy and I Know It” – LMFAO
- “Some Nights” – fun.
- “Wide Awake” – Katy Perry
- “Good Feeling” – Flo Rida
- “Whistle” – Flo Rida
- “One More Night” – Maroon 5
- “Drive By” – Train
- “The Motto” – Drake featuring Lil Wayne
- “Where Have You Been” – Rihanna
- “Everybody Talks” – Neon Trees
- “Take Care” – Drake featuring Rihanna
- “Titanium” – David Guetta
- “I Won’t Give Up” – Jason Mraz
Sports
Baseball
League Leaders
Offensive
Average: Buster Posey (SF) – .336
Hits: Derek Jeter (NYY) – 216
Home Runs: Miguel Cabrera (DET) – 44
RBI: Miguel Cabrera (DET) – 139
OPS: Miguel Cabrera (DET) – .999
Stolen Bases: Mike Trout (LAA) – 49
Pitching
Wins: Gio Gonzalez (WSH) – 21
ERA: Clayton Kershaw (LAD) – 2.53
Strikeouts: Justin Verlander (DET) – 239
Complete Games: Justin Verlander (DET) – 6
Shutouts: Felix Hernandez (SEA) – 5
Saves: Jim Johnson (BAL) – 51
MVP
AL – Miguel Cabrera (DET)
NL – Buster Posey (SF)
CY Young
AL – David Price (TB)
NL – R.A. Dickey (NYM)
Rookie of the Year
AL – Mike Trout (LAA)
NL – Bryce Harper (WSH)
World Series
San Francisco Giants sweep the Detroit Tigers 4-0
Basketball
NCAA
Final Four
(1) Kentucky (2) Ohio State (2) Kansas and (4) Louisville
National Championship
(1) Kentucky over (2) Kansas 67-59
NBA
League Leaders
Points Per Game: Kevin Durant (OKC) – 28.0
Rebounds Per Game: Dwight Howard (ORL) – 14.5
Assists Per Game: Rajon Rondo (BOS) -11.7
All-NBA Team
Kobe Bryant (LAL)
Kevin Durant (OKC)
Dwight Howard (ORL)
LeBron James (MIA)
Chris Paul (LAC)
MVP – LeBron James (MIA)
Rookie of the Year – Kyrie Irving (CLE)
NBA Finals
Miami Heat over the Oklahoma City Thunder (4-1)
Football
NCAA
Heisman Trophy – Johnny Manziel (Texas A&M)
BCS National Championship
(2) Alabama over (1) Notre Dame 42-14
NFL
League Leaders
Passing Yards: Drew Brees (NO) – 5,177
Passing Touchdowns: Drew Brees (NO) – 43
Passer Rating: Aaron Rodgers (GB) – 108.0
Rushing Yards: Adrian Peterson (MIN) – 2,097
Rushing Touchdowns: Arian Foster (HOU) – 15
Receiving Yards: Calvin Johnson (DET) – 1,964
Receiving Touchdowns: James Jones (GB) – 14
Receptions: Calvin Johnson (DET) – 122
AP MVP – Adrian Peterson (MIN)
Super Bowl XLVII
Baltimore Ravens over the San Francisco 49ers (The Harbowl) 34-31
Hockey
League Leaders
Goals: Steven Stamkos (TB) – 60
Assists: Henrik Sedin (VAN) – 67
Points: Evgeni Malkin (PIT) – 109
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