Notable pop culture events of 2001
| • | Tempered by tragedy, pop culture still our haven |
| • | Not a great year here, either |
Detroit News
• "Survivor: The Australian Outback" (concluded in May) — What would regular folks do if they were dropped in the middle of nowhere? Bicker, back-stab and complain. America became fascinated with the soap opera of Tina, Colby, Keith, Jerry and the rest, tuning in weekly to see what real people might do in an unreal situation.
• Aaliyah Haughton's death (Aug. 25) — The 22-year-old singer and actress, died in a plane crash in the Bahamas. Her film career was just taking off with her role in "Romeo Must Die." Her last film, "Queen of the Damned," opens early next year, and she was set to star in the sequel to "The Matrix." Her death stunned the hip-hop and R&B communities, which continue to mourn the death of one whose future held so much promise.
• Madonna "Drowned World Tour" broadcast live on HBO from Palace of Auburn Hills (Aug. 26) — Madonna's first tour of the century took the world by storm, and she chose to broadcast it live from within a few miles of her high school. Audacious, technically brilliant and distant, the show was more celebrity theater than rock concert, but it was the extravaganza of the year.
• David Letterman returns (Sept. 17) — When America's favorite wise guy returned to the air following the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, he spoke from a heart many didn't know he had. "And were told that they were zealots, fueled by religious fervor ... religious fervor. And if you live to be a 1,000 years old, will that make any sense to you?" He spoke for everyone. And when he soon found the ability to laugh again, he sped America's recovery.
• "America: A Tribute To Heroes" (Sept. 21) — Simple sets, no egos, straight statements of concern. Megastars answering telephones to take pledges. Neil Young singing "Imagine." Sometimes, show business gets it right.
• The Emmys (Nov. 4) — What could have been the most disastrous awards show ever turned out to be the best in memory, thanks to host Ellen DeGeneres, who proved it was time to start laughing aloud again. "What would bug the Taliban more than seeing a gay woman in a suit surrounded by Jews?" she asked, and proceeded to balance sensitivity and irreverence in a performance that earned her a standing ovation from the nicely dressed-down crowd.
• "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" opens (Nov. 16) — The phenom of a book hit the silver screen riding high atop the year's largest wave of hype. Teamed with "Shrek," "Monsters, Inc." and "The Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring," Harry proved that fantasy is the ruling genre of American culture.
• The death of George Harrison (Nov. 29) — All guitars gently wept as the introspective, hugely influential Beatle passed away.
