The List: What's In and Out

Last updated

The List: What's In and Out is a U.S. pop culture list published annually by The Washington Post newspaper, on or near New Year's Day in the Style section. It was started by the paper's fashion editor, Nina Hyde, in 1977, and tended to by various former and current Post writers after Hyde's death in 1990, including Martha Sherrill, Cathy Horyn and Robin Givhan. From 2003 to 2009 The List was written by staff writer Hank Stuever. In 2010, Washington Post staff writers Monica Hesse and Dan Zak co-authored The List, which itemizes people, places, things, and even ideas-and rates them as either "out" (not popular, not fun, not recommended) or "in" (popular, fun, and recommended).

Contents

The list has been criticized for being mostly or completely subjective. Sometimes a person has been considered both "Out" and "In" (for example, Madonna in 1985 and Al Gore in 2007). At other times, the list makes indirect references to people; also in 2007, listed as "Out" is "Wrestling-coach voice" (this is a veiled reference to out-going Republican House Speaker Dennis Hastert) while listed as "In" is "Mother-of-five voice" (a veiled reference to in-coming Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi).

"Out" and "In" for 2007

The following is a partial list of things "Out" and "In" for 2007:

OutIn
"America's Next Top Model""Ugly Betty"
OxyContin Oxytocin
Hugh Jackman Daniel Craig
Al Gore Al Gore
"Seinfeld" reruns "How I Met Your Mother"
Anderson Cooper Keith Olbermann
Wrestling-coach voice Mother-of-five voice
Jim Gaffigan Dane Cook
Led Zeppelin "Danity Kane"
Monica Lewinsky, pizza girl Monica Lewinsky, economist
Penn State Purdue
Driving drunk Driving nude

"Out" and "In" for 2008

The following is a partial list of things "Out" and "In" for 2008:

OutIn
Emile Hirsch as Speed Racer Heath Ledger as the Joker
Sex Naps
AP CalculusLatin Class
Jason Bourne Indiana Jones
HBO Showtime
Marc Jacobs Marc Jacob's clothes
Cheetah Girls Jonas Brothers
Sudoku Scrabulous
Pomegranates Persimmons
Hannah Montana tickets for your daughter 529 fund for your daughter
Steve Carell as Maxwell Smart Zachary Quinto as Mr. Spock
Meerkats Squirrels

"Out" and "In" for 2009

The following is a partial list of things "Out" and "In" for 2009:

OutIn
Claymates Twihards
Gay rights Vampire rights
Twittering Slow blogging
Hot dudes from Gossip Girl Hot dudes from Star Trek
Waco Waikiki
Wolverine Watchmen
Oscar de la Renta Jason Wu
Goth Steampunk
Momma Mia! Slumdog Millionaire
Governors Senators
Voting like Oprah Eating like Oprah
Kings of Leon Fleet Foxes

"Out" and "In" for 2010

The following is a partial list of things "Out" and "In" for 2010:

OutIn
Twihards Randroids
Jonas Brothers Justin Bieber
Gilbert Arenas Earl Boykins
Peanut allergies Celiac disease
Liz Cheney Beau Biden
Group hugs Groupons
Journey Hall & Oates
Emily Blunt Rosamund Pike
Drug tests Gender tests
Dark matter Super-Earths
Chateau Marmont The Sunset Tower
Sexting Sex

"Out" and "In" for 2011

The following is a partial list of things "Out" and "In" for 2011:

OutIn
Internet Trolling Internet Hacktivism
Scott Brown Marco Rubio
Brussels sprouts Sauerkraut
King Tut Cleopatra
Death Taxes
Relying on 'the Pill' Revisiting the Rhythm Method
Betty White Anne Meara
World War II World War I
Mark Zuckerberg Ethan Zuckerman
Mamie Gummer Lily Rabe
Ruby Tuesday IHOP
True Blood True Grit

"Out" and "In" for 2012

The following is a partial list of things "Out" and "In" for 2012:

OutIn
Apps Naps
Ryan Gosling Michael Fassbender
Portland, Oregon Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Hyperbole Pragmatism
Tebowing Hunting the God particle
Groupons Coupons
Bryce Dallas Howard Jessica Chastain
Alex Ovechkin Lamont Peterson
Justin Bieber Christopher Plummer
Don't remake Footloose Don't remake Flashdance
Reviving Oklahoma! Reviving Ant Farm
Reagan Thatcher

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stephen Colbert</span> American comedian and TV host (born 1964)

Stephen Tyrone Colbert is an American comedian, writer, producer, political commentator, actor, and television host. He is best known for hosting the satirical Comedy Central program The Colbert Report from 2005 to 2014 and the CBS talk program The Late Show with Stephen Colbert since September 2015.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Speakers' Corner</span> Area where public speaking is allowed

A Speakers' Corner is an area where free speech open-air public speaking, debate, and discussion are allowed. The original and best known is in the north-east corner of Hyde Park in London, England. Historically there were a number of other areas designated as Speakers' Corners in other parks in London, such as Lincoln's Inn Fields, Finsbury Park, Clapham Common, Kennington Park, and Victoria Park. Areas for Speakers' Corners have been established in other countries and elsewhere in the UK.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Robert Wexler</span> American politician (born 1961)

Robert Ira Wexler is an American politician and lawyer from Florida. He is the president of the Washington-based S. Daniel Abraham Center for Middle East Peace. Wexler was a Democratic member of the U.S. House of Representatives, representing Florida's 19th congressional district, from 1997 until his resignation on January 3, 2010.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wanda Sykes</span> American comedian and actress (born 1964)

Wanda Yvette Sykes is an American stand-up comedian, actress, and writer. She was first recognized for her work as a writer on The Chris Rock Show, for which she won a Primetime Emmy Award in 1999. In 2004, Entertainment Weekly named Sykes as one of the 25 funniest people in America. She is also known for her recurring roles on CBS' The New Adventures of Old Christine (2006–10), and HBO's Curb Your Enthusiasm (2001–2011). She received Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series nominations for her roles in ABC's Black-ish (2015–2022), and Amazon's The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (2020). She currently stars in the Netflix original series The Upshaws (2021–), the HBO Max comedy series The Other Two (2019–2023), and The Good Fight (2021).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tim Matheson</span> American actor (born 1947)

Tim Matheson is an American actor. Some of his best-known acting roles include the title character of the 1960s animated Jonny Quest TV series, Eric "Otter" Stratton in the 1978 comedy film National Lampoon's Animal House, and the recurring role of Vice President John Hoynes in the 2000s NBC drama The West Wing, which earned him two Primetime Emmy Award nominations for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Andy Borowitz</span> American writer, comedian, satirist & actor

Andy Borowitz is an American writer, comedian, satirist, and actor. Borowitz is a New York Times-bestselling author who won the first National Press Club award for humor. He is known for creating the NBC sitcom The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air and the satirical column The Borowitz Report.

<i>Chicago Reader</i> Alternative weekly newspaper in Chicago

The Chicago Reader, or Reader, is an American alternative newspaper in Chicago, Illinois, noted for its literary style of journalism and coverage of the arts, particularly film and theater. The Reader has been recognized as a pioneer among alternative weeklies for both its creative nonfiction and its commercial scheme. Richard Karpel, then-executive director of the Association of Alternative Newsweeklies, wrote:

[T]he most significant historical event in the creation of the modern alt-weekly occurred in Chicago in 1971, when the Chicago Reader pioneered the practice of free circulation, a cornerstone of today's alternative papers. The Reader also developed a new kind of journalism, ignoring the news and focusing on everyday life and ordinary people.

House is an American medical drama television series that originally ran on the Fox network for eight seasons, from November 16, 2004, to May 21, 2012. Its main character, Dr. Gregory House, is an unconventional, misanthropic medical genius who, despite his dependence on pain medication, leads a team of diagnosticians at the fictional Princeton–Plainsboro Teaching Hospital (PPTH) in New Jersey. The series' premise originated with Paul Attanasio, while David Shore, who is credited as creator, was primarily responsible for conceiving the title character.

PTV (<i>Family Guy</i>) 14th episode of the 4th season of Family Guy

"PTV" is the fourteenth episode in the fourth season of the American animated television series Family Guy. It originally aired on the Fox network in the United States on November 6, 2005. The episode sees the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) censor the shows on television after a controversial wardrobe malfunction at the Emmy Awards. Peter starts to create his own TV network which he calls PTV, broadcasting classic shows unedited and uncut, as well as original programming. PTV is a big success, and Stewie and Brian join him, creating shows for the network. Lois calls the FCC to close PTV as she is concerned how children would be influenced by Peter's programming. Not only do the FCC close down the network, but they also start censoring the citizens of Quahog, so the Griffin family travels to Washington, D.C., and convince the Congress to have the FCC's rules reversed.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Daniel Coughlin</span> American politician (born 1934)

Daniel P. Coughlin, served as the 59th Chaplain of the United States House of Representatives from March 23, 2000, to April 14, 2011. He was the first Roman Catholic priest to serve in that position, and the process that led to his selection included some controversy. However, as a 2010 article in The Washington Post pointed out, on the occasion of Coughlin's tenth anniversary in the House Chaplain position, "there is ample evidence that the rancor that accompanied his selection has disappeared: Last week, lawmakers from both parties streamed onto the House floor to honor his decade of service."

Scientology has been referenced in popular culture in many different forms of media including fiction, film, music, television and theatre. In the 1960s, author William S. Burroughs wrote about Scientology in both fictional short stories and non-fictional essays. The topic was dealt with more directly in his book, Ali's Smile/Naked Scientology. The 2000 film Battlefield Earth was an adaptation of a novel by L. Ron Hubbard.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jodi Picoult</span> American author

Jodi Lynn Picoult is an American writer. Picoult has published 28 novels and short stories, and has also written several issues of Wonder Woman. Approximately 40 million copies of her books are in print worldwide and have been translated into 34 languages. In 2003, she was awarded the New England Bookseller Award for fiction.

Trapped in the Closet (<i>South Park</i>) 12th episode of the 9th season of South Park

"Trapped in the Closet" is the twelfth episode in the ninth season of the American animated television series South Park. The 137th episode of the series overall, it originally aired on Comedy Central in the United States on November 16, 2005. In the episode, Stan joins Scientology in an attempt to find something "fun and free". After the discovery of his surprisingly high "thetan levels", he is recognized as the reincarnation of L. Ron Hubbard, the founder of the church. The episode was written and directed by series co-creator Trey Parker, who was credited as John Smith.

<i>Fun Home</i> Graphic memoir by Alison Bechdel

Fun Home: A Family Tragicomic is a 2006 graphic memoir by the American cartoonist Alison Bechdel, author of the comic strip Dykes to Watch Out For. It chronicles the author's childhood and youth in rural Pennsylvania, United States, focusing on her complex relationship with her father. The book addresses themes of sexual orientation, gender roles, suicide, emotional abuse, dysfunctional family life, and the role of literature in understanding oneself and one's family.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">David Mills (TV writer)</span> American journalist and TV writer (1961-2010)

David Eugene Mills was an American journalist, writer and producer of television programs. He was an executive producer and writer of the HBO miniseries The Corner, for which he won two Emmy Awards, and the creator, executive producer, and writer of the NBC miniseries Kingpin.

Jezebel is a US-based website featuring news and cultural commentary geared towards women. It was launched in 2007 by Gawker Media under the editorship of Anna Holmes as a feminist counterpoint to traditional women's magazines.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ellie Kemper</span> American actress (born 1980)

Elizabeth Claire Kemper is an American actress, best known for her roles of Erin Hannon in the sitcom The Office (2009–2013) and Kimmy Schmidt in the sitcom Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt (2015–2019). She has also appeared in films, notably Bridesmaids (2011), 21 Jump Street (2012), Sex Tape (2014), and Home Sweet Home Alone (2021). In 2018, she released her debut book, My Squirrel Days.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">David Weigel</span> American journalist and blogger

David Weigel is an American journalist. He works for Semafor. Weigel previously covered politics for The Washington Post,Slate, and Bloomberg Politics and is a contributing editor for Reason magazine.

1000 Awesome Things is a blog written by Neil Pasricha, who posts one thing in life he considers awesome each weekday. The site was launched on June 20, 2008 and counted down until #1 was posted on April 19, 2012.