Rewind to 11–18 September 2005
⚡ Lights out in LA
Millions of Angelenos suddenly found themselves trapped in elevators, stuck at dead traffic lights, and clutching their Nokia flip phones as a worker’s “oopsie” cut the wrong line. Terrorism fears? Nah — just Culver City’s clumsiest electrician turning LA into the world’s largest candlelit dinner for two hours.
🎢 Disney goes dim sum
Hong Kong Disneyland opened its gates — four lands, one castle, and a Space Mountain that had locals queuing like it was the Canton Fair. Feng Shui design, lion dancers, and Mickey doing East-meets-West vibes… it was Disney magic with a side of rice noodles.
☎️ Skype me maybe (before Zoom ate your lunch)
eBay spent a jaw-dropping \$4.1 billion buying Skype so auction bidders could awkwardly *call strangers about Beanie Babies*. Shockingly, no one wanted that. By 2007 eBay admitted it had flopped harder than a dial-up tone. Microsoft later scooped Skype — and officially pulled the plug in 2025.
🎤 Gold Digger strikes gold
Kanye West’s cheeky collab with Jamie Foxx shot to #1, holding the top spot for 10 weeks. Built on a Ray Charles sample, it was the perfect storm of hook, swagger, and headlines — dropping just days after Kanye’s infamous Katrina telethon mic drop. He wasn’t just topping charts, he was rewriting celebrity controversy.
👶 Britney pops a pop prince
On September 14, Britney Spears became a mum to Sean Preston Federline — cue paparazzi madness. The tabloids went feral, turning every nappy change into breaking news. Looking back, the way the media treated her feels less “Oops!... I Did It Again” and more “Oops!... We Were Terrible Humans.”
😈 Exorcism wins the weekend
The Exorcism of Emily Rose had audiences squirming between jump scares and courtroom cross-exams. Half horror, half legal drama, all nightmare fuel. Jennifer Carpenter’s contortions alone had viewers reconsidering yoga classes.
📚 Point Blank disappointment
On the book charts, Catherine Coulter’s *Point Blank* tried to thrill with FBI agents, Confederate gold, and explosions. Readers mostly thought it was… meh. Turns out the real crime was charging hardcover prices for fanfic-level hugs and kisses.
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