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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.

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#1

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

RookieTaylor Report

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    #2

    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.

    Clinton White House Report

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    #3

    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

    User Report

    #4

    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.

    L. Cohen/gettyimage Report

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    #5

    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

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    #6

    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.

    Proper-Ad-8829 Report

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    #7

    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

    Jeff Kravitz/AMA2010/gettyimages Report

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    #8

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

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

    Netflix Report

    #9

    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

    Status-Visit-918 Report

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    #10

    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

    abussinessman Report

    #11

    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

    User Report

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    #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.

    MTV Report

    #13

    Girl Orientated Magazines vs. Boy Oriented Magazines

    Girl Orientated Magazines vs. Boy Oriented Magazines

    AdrianaLaServing Report

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    #14

    Anyone Remembers The Swan Reality Show?

    Anyone Remembers The Swan Reality Show?

    PeachwoodArts Report

    #15

    Big Rhonda From That 70s Show Being Treated Like She Was 500lbs

    Big Rhonda From That 70s Show Being Treated Like She Was 500lbs

    I believe Friends did this too (although I never really watched the show). I'm 22 and I remember even as a kid back in 2008 or so watching this and thinking she wasn't *that* fat? A little chubby, sure, but they acted like she was 500lbs, her whole personality was "fat" [very funny]
    edit: I have to agree with the people stating she's not even chubby, I just didn't know how to describe it as "slightly larger than the other girls on the show"... size medium? Average sized?

    b-nnies Report

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    #16

    The One(S) With All The Fat Jokes

    The One(S) With All The Fat Jokes

    CapacityBuilding Report

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    #17

    Race-Swapping Reality Show From 2006

    Race-Swapping Reality Show From 2006

    Black. White was a reality TV show from 2006, produced by none other than ICE CUBE! In which two families of 3 went under makeovers to pass as each other’s races.
    It won an Emmy for Outstanding Makeup for a Series!

    AdrianaLaServing Report

    #18

    Joel Madden Dated Hilary Duff When He Was 25 And She Was 16

    Joel Madden Dated Hilary Duff When He Was 25 And She Was 16

    Evan Agostini /gettyimages Report

    #19

    You Wanna Talk Cultural Appropriation? Beyonce In Hymn For The Weekend

    You Wanna Talk Cultural Appropriation? Beyonce In Hymn For The Weekend

    Not forgetting that Beyonce also appeared as the Hindu deity Kali in her Grammy Performance.

    Coldplay Report

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    #20

    Gwen Stefani An Her Harajuku Girls

    Gwen Stefani An Her Harajuku Girls

    During her L.A.M.B era she used Asian woman as silent props. As soon as the album cycle was over she ditched the whole look an the girls in general, I just find it insanely odd they never once spoke.

    Fox/gettyimages Report

    #21

    In The 2008 Movie Pineapple Express Seth Rogan’s 25 Year Old Character Is A Dating A Girl In High School

    In The 2008 Movie Pineapple Express Seth Rogan’s 25 Year Old Character Is A Dating A Girl In High School

    Columbia Pictures Report

    #22

    An Episode Of My Strange Addiction Mocks And Makes A Spectacle Of A Woman Who Seems To Be Neurodivergent And Has A Special Interest In Puppetry And Ventriloquism

    An Episode Of My Strange Addiction Mocks And Makes A Spectacle Of A Woman Who Seems To Be Neurodivergent And Has A Special Interest In Puppetry And Ventriloquism

    A disclaimer… Yes- I know that the people featured on the show consented to being on the show. Despite this, the way the show is presented makes a mockery and spectacle of subjects of the show. A recent episode I watched spurred me to make this post. The supposed therapists or family members interviewed on the show don’t help either because they don’t seem to really understand the root of the cause or try to be compassionate. A lot of the people featured on the show either experienced trauma that they’re trying to heal from or seem to have undiagnosed neurodivergence.

    TLC Report

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    #23

    The Entirety Of Conor Kennedy And Taylor's Swift's Relationship

    The Entirety Of Conor Kennedy And Taylor's Swift's Relationship

    Now that Taylor Swift has found a fiancé and the Kennedies are relevant again, let's talk about when a woman born from 1989 dates a child from 1994 in 2012. She was signing him out of school for dates, dressing early 60s, taking photos at the graveside (all this was just after his mother passed away, mind you.) She brought the house next door and showed up to a wedding uninvited.

    taylorswift , jconorkennedy Report

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    #24

    Emmy Rossum Was 17 Irl Making Out With Two Men In Their 30s In Phantom

    Emmy Rossum Was 17 Irl Making Out With Two Men In Their 30s In Phantom

    Ok_Caterpillar_6689 Report

    #25

    This Scene In Mean Girls Being Played For Laughs

    This Scene In Mean Girls Being Played For Laughs

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