It’s been one heck of a year. From Nate Silver and McKayla Maroney to Fifty Shades of Grey and the housing market, here are 25 things that deserve a shout-out at the Thanksgiving table.
For making us all feel OK about how we look when we cry.
Kent Smith / Showtime
For making the Secretary hot again. ROFL!
For putting a smile on our faces—even during the worst of times—as Mayor Bloomberg’s sign-language interpreter. Watch this video and try not to laugh.
For bringing performance art to a whole new level by talking to a chair.
Charles Dharapak / AP Photo
For writing May We Be Forgiven, a novel that is completely underrated because she is female.
For coming out with humility and grace—and on The Daily Beast.
Charles Sykes / AP Photo
For not being impressed with her Olympic silver medal—at all. Nor her meeting with the president.
For being practically the only people to do the right thing at Penn State.
Matt Rourke / AP Photo
For knocking the punditocracy down a peg and scoring a sweet victory for nerds everywhere.
Nam Y. Huh / AP Photo
For standing up for young girls everywhere. Now let’s show her we noticed.
For keeping us entertained with her unprecendented run at slot No. 10 on the Cheat Sheet.
Jason Merritt / Getty Images
For making it acceptable to read porn on the subway. Here’s to those infamous naughty bits!
For charming the pants off everyone, as only he can do, at the DNC.
For introducing us to the fabulous Rebel Wilson —and giving competitive a cappella singing the Hollywood attention it deserves!
Peter Iovino / Universal Pictures
For forging a slow, steady, but awesome comeback. (We told you so!)
For “dressing classy and dancing cheesy”—and spawning this amazing spinoff video from Ai Weiwei.
Lee Jin-man / AP Photo
For her magnificent defense of the 47 percent.
Rob Kim / Getty Iamges
For quitting the novel business before he embarrassed himself totally.
Douglas Healey / AP Photo
For actually making a difference with Occupy Sandy.
For making a bold exit—and giving us another excuse to read about Scientology.
Jemal Countess / Getty Images
For proving every day that in the world’s most popular sport, size doesn’t matter.
Manu Fernandez / AP Photo
For having the guts to take on ABC and Desperate Housewives in court— and looking good doing it.
Valerie Macon / Getty Images
For speaking his mind, even when he’s not supposed to. Got any opinions on climate change, Joe?
For being the best (and gayest?) Bond villain ever.
Francois Duhamel / Columbia Pictures
