Top Talkers Of 2016
From an Olympic swimmer caught up in an international scandal, to exploding phones, to one of the most tumultuous presidential elections of our time, 2016 had its fair share of drama.
These are some of the top stories that had people talking this year:
10.) Harambe
The gorilla who took the internet by storm. Many were outraged when the Cincinnati Zoo shot and killed the beloved gorilla after a three-year-old boy fell into the exhibit. Harambe had pulled the boy across a moat before he was fatally shot by zoo personnel. It wasn't long before petitions were created, memes were posted and Harambe completely took over social media.
The Cincinnati Zoo even had to temporarily shut down its Twitter account after being overwhelmed with memes, jokes and protests.
9.) Sixers National Anthem Singer Controversy
The Sixers found themselves in the middle of their own National Anthem controversy after they told singer Sevyn Streeter she could not perform at a game because of her attire. Streeter was wearing a "We Matter" shirt. A Sixers dance team member ended up singing "The Star Spangled Banner" that night, but social media was ablaze after Streeter posted a video telling her side of the story.
The Sixers later apologized to Streeter, and invited her back to perform at a game in December.
Read: Sevyn Performs National Anthem In 'We Matter' Shirt At Sixers Game, 'I Love My Country'
8.) Pokemon Go Craze
Gotta catch em' all. For a few months it seemed wherever you looked someone was playing Pokemon Go. Some would play while driving, some would play where it was prohibited, one couple left their toddler behind to play. The addicting game even led one unlucky player to a dead body!
The craze seems to have died down now, but at its peak, Pokemon Go players could be found practically everywhere.
7.) Ryan Lochte Robbery Scandal
Oh, Ryan Lochte. The Olympic swimmer found himself in hot water this summer when he and three other U.S. swimmers claimed they were robbed at gunpoint in Rio. Police quickly began to question Lochte's account of the robbery, and the swimmer eventually apologized for "not being more careful and candid in how I described the events of that early morning."
Lochte lost multiple endorsement deals because of the scandal and was suspended from swimming for nearly a year.
6.) Creepy Clown Terror
Creepy clowns… need we say more? There were dozens if not hundreds of creepy clown stories coming out across the country right before Halloween. Clowns in the woods, clowns on the bus, it seemed as though creepy clowns took over for Pokemon Go.
Then Halloween passed, and the creepy clowns faded away into the sunset, but not before a couple of teens were arrested for making false threats.
5.) Samsung Exploding Phones
Samsung had a rough year when it came to the Galaxy Note 7. The company was forced to officially recall the phone and halt all production after reports of the devices exploding and catching fire. The FAA even banned the phones from flights.
Samsung eventually offered refunds, and even sent fire proof boxes and gloves for customers to send back the troubled phones.
4.) Brangelina Split
A number of celebrity couples split in 2016, but the most talked about breakup was Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie. Many were shocked when Jolie filed for divorce from Pitt in September. The couple was together for more than a decade and have six children together. Sources say the two struggled with differences in parenting styles.
After Jolie filed for divorce, Pitt was investigated on an allegation of child abuse. Ultimately, the FBI said no charges would be filed.
3.) Colin Kaepernick Kneels During National Anthem
San Francisco 49ers' quarterback Colin Kaepernick sparked a national controversy when he knelt down in protest during the National Anthem. Kaepernick said the reason for the kneel was an objection against racial oppression and police brutality in the United States.
His actions brought mixed reactions across the country, with some in support of his message, others not so much. A number of NFL players joined Kaepernick in his protest, but none received the same amount attention as the outspoken quarterback.
2.) Notable Celebrity Deaths
We lost a lot of tremendously talented people in 2016.
From David Bowie, to Prince, to Muhammed Ali, to most recently Alan Thicke, many legends passed away this year.
PHOTOS: 2016 Notable Celebrity Deaths
1.) The 2016 Presidential Election
There was nothing, and we mean nothing, more talked about in 2016 than the presidential election. From Donald Trump's Twitter rants to Hillary Clinton's emails, to the Democratic National Committee hack. It seemed like every other day something was breaking in regards to the election.
The conventions also had their fair share of controversy. During the Republican National Convention we saw Melania Trump's alleged speech plagiarism, and with the DNC came a number of protests, some violent.
Following the conventions, the head of the DNC, Debbie Wasserman Schultz, was forced to step down after the publication of hacked emails suggested the Democratic National Committee favored Clinton in the presidential primaries.
Ultimately, Donald Trump won the election on November 8, but it hasn't been smooth sailing. Green Party candidate Jill Stein fought for a national recount, and now President Obama is promising to take action after Russia's interference in the presidential election.
Stay tuned!
