Remember these? Charlotte’s 5 most memorable pop culture moments in 2017
From Danica Patrick to Pastor Furtick, from wrestlers to rappers to “Real Side Chicks,” Charlotte in 2017 was the backdrop for pop culture moments that were by turns funny, frightening, foolish and fantastic. In no particular order, these are five that have stuck with us the most.
(1) Production (reportedly) began on a reality show titled “The Real Side Chicks of Charlotte”.
But no one could prove whether it was/is an actual thing. What we’ve been told: The aim is to depict “the good, the bad, and the ugly situations of being a certified Side Chick” (i.e. extramarital paramour); our city is the setting because “it is (an) untapped market for the entertainment business”; filming was completed this summer; and recently, the website The Jasmine Brand – quoting “sources” – reported that the series is headed to Netflix. What makes us suspicious: Netflix has made no such announcement to confirm The Jasmine Brand’s story; in fact, not a single major entertainment news source has even acknowledged the existence of “The Real Side Chicks”; the only evidence a spokesperson for the show produced to support its authenticity was an Instagram account that for months has featured an endless stream of steamy shots of alleged female cast members. In other words, we’ll believe it when we see it.
Warning: Video contains explicit language.
(2) WWE Hall of Fame wrestler Ric Flair capped a year of extreme highs and lows in Charlotte.
He made a triumphant homecoming appearance at uptown’s Spectrum Center for WWE SmackDown Live. The rollercoaster for the 68-year-old former Queen City resident began with a serious health scare in August, when – after decades of hard-core alcohol abuse – he landed in the hospital because both his kidneys and heart were beginning to fail. He recovered in time to see the September release of a memoir he co-wrote with daughter Charlotte (aka Providence High School alumna Ashley Fliehr) and the October premiere of “30 for 30” documentary “The Nature Boy,” which turned into a ratings hit for ESPN. Then in November, he surprised his daughter by showing up for a hug and a good cry after she beat Natalya Neidhart for her first SmackDown Live women’s championship. In a post-match interview, he beamed as he stood next to her and crowed: “Providence High School should be over here enshrining her.”
(3) Pastor Steven Furtick of Elevation Church kept a characteristically low profile this year, except on two occasions:
Elevation Pastor Steven Furtick took part in the national Outcry Tour 2017 concert at Bojangles’ Coliseum in May.
(4) Quail Hollow gets a Bieber sighting
The PGA Championship brought perhaps fewer famous folks to the Quail Hollow Club than expected this past August, but TMZ magnet/pop megastar Justin Bieber’s surprise appearance probably caused as much commotion as any celebrity’s could have. During a practice round, the 23-year-old “Despacito” singer (wearing an all-black sweatsuit and rimmed specs, with his pastor, Judah Smith, in tow) was spotted with pro golfers Wesley Bryan and Bubba Watson, and TNT broadcaster Ernie Johnson Jr. The Biebs’s visit almost certainly led to the presence of a higher-than-usual number of teenage girls in the gallery the following morning, but sadly he did not return for an encore.
(5) The celebrity-watching was more satisfying – for sports fans and hip-hop heads, at least – when the BIG3 3-on-3 basketball league brought its action to Charlotte’s Spectrum Center in July.
This story was originally published December 28, 2017 at 8:00 PM with the headline "Remember these? Charlotte’s 5 most memorable pop culture moments in 2017."