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Pop Culture Tried To Gaslight Everyone Into Thinking These 41 Crazy Things Were Normal
SocietyAPR 28, 2026

Pop Culture Tried To Gaslight Everyone Into Thinking These 41 Crazy Things Were Normal

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The entertainment industry sells more than concerts and movies. It also promotes a way of life, shaping what’s considered cool and trendy. However, what music producers and Hollywood PR managers push isn’t necessarily what should be normalized in the first place.
Last month, a new subreddit was created. It’s called ‘Why Were We Ok With This?’, and the online community already has 374K members.
According to the group’s ‘About’ section, they post pictures that allow you to look back at shocking things from previous decades that we were okay with for some reason — including exploitative TV shows, tabloids, paparazzi, and random cultural moments that just make you gasp in hindsight.
From crazy diets to (casual) sexism and even potential criminal cases, think of the content as a mix of laughing at the ignorance of the past and critiquing it seriously.

#1 The Public Shaming Of A Young Woman Who Was Love-Bombed And Taken Advantage Of, And Ultimately Thrown Under The Bus, By The Most Powerful Man On Earth

The Public Shaming Of A Young Woman Who Was Love-Bombed And Taken Advantage Of, And Ultimately Thrown Under The Bus, By The Most Powerful Man On Earth
Monica Lewinsky made a youthful mistake. She had a fling with the most powerful man on the planet. She was young, and a charming, powerful man love-bombed her and made her feel important. They had a brief affair.

The affair would go on to define her in the public eye. *She* was the villain, *she* was the maniac. Late night talk shows, daytime newsbyte shows, radio hosts, EVERYONE was piling on her.

While Bill Clinton did face an impeachment hearing, the public mostly gave him a pass, while crucifying this young woman.

She spent the following decades with this cloud hanging over her. She couldn't get jobs. She was a constant punchline. She considered changing her name briefly at the suggestion of others, to have some semblance of a normal life, until she put her foot down, and said "Nobody suggested Bill Clinton should change *his* name.

Today, Bill Clinton is embroiled in his own, new scandal. But even in the midst of THAT, nothing he's getting from the public is anywhere near the venom and bile that is still being directed at Monica, who was guilty of nothing more than being young, falling for a powerful man, and trusting a person she thought was a friend. For that, she has been America's Jezebel since the 90's.

And I'm not giving myself a pass. I was part of the ridicule for a long, long time. I grew up, and am ashamed of my part in it.

Since then, she has become an outspoken activist and public speaker, and she's really just an amazing human being.
74points

#2 Bad Parenting: Drew Barrymore’s Childhood. She Was Up In Studio 54 Clubbing And Parties With Her Mom At Age 11

Bad Parenting: Drew Barrymore’s Childhood. She Was Up In Studio 54 Clubbing And Parties With Her Mom At Age 11
68points

#3 R. Kelly, Aged 27, Married Aaliyah When She Was 15

R. Kelly, Aged 27, Married Aaliyah When She Was 15
To state the obvious, we know now that Kelly’s relationship with Aaliyah was the tip of the iceberg, but this is one of the best examples of his disgusting behaviour being brushed off at the time.

Aaliyah, who sadly passed away at only 22, in a plane crash, started working with Kelly when she was 13 or 14 — he was her musical mentor. It’s alleged that the grooming began at this age. They were illegally married when she was 15 and Kelly was 27, and her age was forged as 18 on the certificate.

When the marriage certificate was leaked to the press, after ongoing rumours for some time, some people had ish to say — BUT, people looked riiiight past this so that they could continue enjoying Kelly and Aaliyah’s music. Some people even blamed Aaliyah, shaming her like she wasn’t a child, like the grown man wasn’t to fault.

Aaliyah even released an album, under Kelly’s mentorship (i.e. control), at age 15 called ‘Age Ain’t Nothing But A Number’. Kelly wrote the titular track and you can see him looking creepy as hell in the background of the album cover. I wish she’d never had to put her beautiful name to this exploitative album.

The marriage was annulled, and records expunged, in 1997 and professional ties were cut. Aaliyah continued to be asked about Kelly in interviews and could not and would not discuss him at all. She also could not discuss him in her personal life. People who were close to her believe this was trauma related — and I don’t see how it couldn’t be.

It sickens me that R. Kelly was able to get away with awful, awful things for so long. This alone should’ve been enough to finish him and put him behind bars.

May Aaliyah Dana Haughton rest in peace
67points

#4 Sexism On Toddler Clothes

Sexism On Toddler Clothes
60points

#5 Grooming: Wilmer Valderrama History Of Grooming Teenagers

Grooming: Wilmer Valderrama History Of Grooming Teenagers
He was 20 when he dated Mandy Moore and she was 16.

He was 24 when he dated Lindsay Lohan and she was 17.

He was 29 when he dated Demi Lovato and she was 17.

I think That 70s show is cursed.
52points

#6 Billy Wyman (48) With His Girlfriend (14) He Married Her When She Was 18

Billy Wyman (48) With His Girlfriend (14) He Married Her When She Was 18
50points

#7 Heart's Ann Wilson Was Called And Considered Fat During The 1980's

Heart's Ann Wilson Was Called And Considered Fat During The 1980's
48points

#8 25 Year Old Ashton Kutcher, Talking About 15 Year Old Hilary Duff

25 Year Old Ashton Kutcher, Talking About 15 Year Old Hilary Duff
Report
42points

#9 Khloe Kardashian Walked 4 Black Women On Leashes

Khloe Kardashian Walked 4 Black Women On Leashes
At a Halloween party in 2003, Khloe Kardashian, dressed as a pimp, walked four Black women on leashes. There was no controversy over this at the time and there has only been backlash since it resurfaced in 2022.

The four women are sisters Meagan and La'Myia Good and sisters Malika and Khadijah Haqq.

When it started getting attention, Meagan said, “That one time on Halloween when you were young and dumb …and clearly didn't think 15 years ahead lol smh. Welp, mistakes were made.”

Khloe Kardashian has not commented.
42points

#10 This Picture Of Russell Brand And Katy Perry With Justin Bieber Is Uncomfortable To Look At

This Picture Of Russell Brand And Katy Perry With Justin Bieber Is Uncomfortable To Look At
41points

#11 Paul Walker Was 33 When He Dated His 16 Year Old Girlfriend

Paul Walker Was 33 When He Dated His 16 Year Old Girlfriend
Report
39points

#12 Jim Carey Forcibly Kissing 19 Year Old Alicia Silverstone At The MTV Movie Awards

Jim Carey Forcibly Kissing 19 Year Old Alicia Silverstone At The MTV Movie Awards
Feel like this doesn't get called out enough.
Report
39points

#13 Bridalplasty- The Plastic Surgery Competition Show

Bridalplasty- The Plastic Surgery Competition Show
Bridalplasty was a show that followed 12 engaged or already married women competing for the wedding of their dreams and their dream plastic surgery procedure. Each woman had a plastic surgery wishlist, and the winner of each week's wedding-themed challenge would win one plastic surgery procedure from her list.

The winner of the competition received the wedding of her dreams, and had her entire wishlist fulfilled. The husband-to-be did not see his fiancée until she revealed her new look on their wedding day. Shanna Moakler hosted, and Dr. Terry Dubrow performed the plastic surgery procedures.

Challenges including distinguishing between Dom Pérignon and Andre Strawberry Sparkling Wine; winners were rewarded with rhinoplasties, breast augmentations, jowl lifts, and thigh tucks. Bridalplasty’s opening credits show Dubrow hammering a silver pick into a woman’s nose cartilage, pummelling thigh fat with syringes, and forcing silicon implants into torn flesh. This show massively contributed to exploiting people with body image issues and reinforcing beauty stereotypes.

The winner ended up receiving a brow-lift, liposuction of the chin, jowls, cheeks, a breast reduction, breast lift, tummy tuck, laser skin resurfacing and liposuction of the inner thighs, outer thighs and arms.
39points

#14 Pop Russian Duo T.A.T.U Were 14 Being Sexualized And Exploited While Also Being Portrayed As A Lesbian Couple Which They Weren’t Which Plays Into Fetishization

Pop Russian Duo T.A.T.U Were 14 Being Sexualized And Exploited While Also Being Portrayed As A Lesbian Couple Which They Weren’t Which Plays Into Fetishization
37points

#15 Billy Murray Harassing Geena Davis On Live TV

Billy Murray Harassing Geena Davis On Live TV
Report
36points

#16 Have We Discussed Steve Urkel?

Have We Discussed Steve Urkel?
And how he frequently stalked Laura, when she put her foot down (rightfully so), and the sad “awww” music would play and we’d all feel bad for him? He’d full on kiss her, pressure her, he was the definition of obsessive. I know they ended up together in the end but … I always think about that show and get the heebie jeebies now. We really felt badly for him
35points

#17 In 2004 Justin Timberlake Ripped Apart Janet Jacksons Costume And A Wardrobe Malfunction Caused Her To Be Exposed

In 2004 Justin Timberlake Ripped Apart Janet Jacksons Costume And A Wardrobe Malfunction Caused Her To Be Exposed
After, she was uninvited to the grammys, suffered major public backlash, had her songs cut by MTV, suffered record sales for her new album and was blackballed from the industry.
34points

#18 Rolling Stone’s Infamous August 2004 Magazine Cover Calling Lindsay Lohan “Hot, Ready, And Legal” When She Turned 18

Rolling Stone’s Infamous August 2004 Magazine Cover Calling Lindsay Lohan “Hot, Ready, And Legal” When She Turned 18
34points

#19 Remember When Russell Brand Did This?

Remember When Russell Brand Did This?
Can you imagine living with that maniac? Taking a picture of his then wife Katy Perry at like 4 in the morning then posting it on the internet
32points

#20 Girl Orientated Magazines vs. Boy Oriented Magazines

Girl Orientated Magazines vs. Boy Oriented Magazines
32points
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