Writer of Pop Culture

Cool and refreshing news about pop culture and entertainment.

This Day in Pop Culture

This Day in Pop Culture for April 20

SpaceX’s disaster trip and Danica Patrick’s big win

April 21, 2020

2–3 minutes

2023: SpaceX’s Disaster Trip

The SpaceX Starship rocket was said to be the most powerful rocket ever built with a mission to provide human transportation to Mars. From Starbase in Boca Chica, Texas, the rocket had its first full flight test but just after four minutes from the launch, the rocket exploded. (Image: Wikimedia)

2008: First Gran Prix Win by a Woman

Dominated by men in the sport of car racing, 26-year-old Danica Patrick won the Indy Japan 300 at Twin Ring Monteigi in Montegi, Japan on this day. The event made her the first female Gran Prix winner. Patrick became interested in racing as a young girl and moved to England when she was a teenager to find better training for the sport.

In 2002, she returned to the states and began driving for the Rahal Letterman Racing Team, owned by Bobby Rahal and David Letterman. Her first Indy 500 event took place on May 29, 2005, where she was the fourth female driver ever to compete in that race which has been in existence since 1911. (Image: Wikimedia)

1977: Before Woody Allen Became Controversial

Annie Hall was directed, starred and written (with Marshall Brickman) by Woody Allen. In the romantic comedy, Allen played a man trying to figure out how he failed with his relationship with a woman played by Diane Keaton. The film also starred Tony Roberts, Carol Kane, Paul Simon, Shelley Duvall, Christopher Walken among others. The movie was screened at the Los Angeles Film Festival on this day in 1977 before playing in movie theaters across the country on April 20, 1977.

Annie Hall was nominated for five Oscars and won four including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Original Screenplay and Best Actress (Keaton) at the 50th Academy Awards in 1978.

Although Allen has become a controversial figure in recent years, this film has been marked as one of his best and is often listed as one of the funniest movies ever made.