2020 has been a wild year. From heroes lost (RIP Chadwick Boseman and Ruth Bader Ginsburg) to a contentious presidential election to some serious celebrity fails, there was no shortage of material for Mandatory writers.
As we do every year, we’ve looked back at the past 12 months of content and identified those stories that stand out, be it because of the subject matter, the writing style, or the laughs they incited. These Hall of Fame stories capture the best of what we brought to you in 2020 and they are oh-so-Mandatory. Read them all to remember the insanity that was this year, then let’s all agree to collectively forget 2020 ever happened.
Cover Photo: FilippoBacci (Getty Images)
Meanwhile in Florida: Toddler Gets Head Stuck in Toilet Seat, Dad Saves the Day With Saw
Meanwhile in Florida: College Student Jailed For Fish Photo, There Goes His Tinder Profile
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Mandatory Hall of Fame 2020
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RANKED! The Best Batmans, From Adam West to Robert Pattinson
Batman has appeared in 11 movies, with varying degrees of success. Some of the movies have been good, others have been Batman and Robin. Still, any actor who has donned the cape and cowl considered it an honor and now, as Robert Pattinson prepares to take up the mantle of the Bat, we thought it an opportune time to discuss those who have come before him.
Read more here.
Cover Photo: Warner Bros.
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Wakanda Forever: 29 GIFs That Capture the Power of Chadwick Boseman’s Short Yet Legendary Life and Career
It’s harrowing but not hard to imagine the late Chadwick Boseman’s career would’ve gone on to acquire and surpass all of the accolades he set his eyes on. Audiences left the movie theater in 2018 with fists across their chest, chanting “Wakanda Forever.” That sentiment will echo forever.
Read more here.
Photo: VALERIE MACON (Getty Images)
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Mandatory Movie Battles: Who Would Win in a Fight, John Wick or Neo?
We’re going to attempt to do the impossible. We're throwing John Wick and Neo in the same universe (The Matrix trilogy) and having them duke it out. No tricks, leveraging of love interests or puppies, just bullet time and, well, bullets.
Read more here.
Photos: Lionsgate/Warner Bros.
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Completely Ridiculous Picks For the Next Supreme Court Justice
In a major fuck-up of our forefathers, there are no specific requirements in the U.S. Constitution for Supreme Court justices – not even a law degree is required. So, since the nominee could potentially be anyone, we let our imaginations run wild on the women Trump might be eyeing (eww) for the position.
Read more here.
Photo: Win McNamee / Staff (Getty Images)
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Bill Murray and His Amazingly Extensive Hat Collection Are Pure Joy
Whether it’s an umbrella hat, a sleek fedora, or something covered in foliage, Bill Murray samples hats like the rest of his peers may show off suits or ball gowns. Make no mistake, Murray can clean up with the best of ‘em. But he prefers to express himself with what he puts on top of his head. And we are all better off because of it.
Read more here.
Photo: Jeff Gross (Getty Images)
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The Mandatory Guide to Making Yourself More Dateable
With a few tweaks to the way you present yourself and minor improvements to the way you live your life, you can start attracting more attention from women you actually want to go out with.
Read more here.
Photo: Tim Robberts (Getty Images)
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Is That Banana in Your Pocket Organic? And Other Updated Pick-Up Lines For Cultured People Who Hate Dating
Life is too short not to have a great opening line. So study our Shakespeare-level crushers and soon you’ll be generating cultured repartee all on your own.
Read more here.
Photo: Roy Mehta (Getty Images)
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How to Make Any Situation 10 Times More Awkward Than It Already Is
life is full of awkward moments. But don’t stop at just an awkward hug or prolonged silence. Not when, with minimal effort, you too can make everyone around you all kinds of uncomfortable in as little as five seconds. Take those awkward moments to the next level with these sure-fire ways to spice up your unwieldy social encounters.
Read more here.
Photo: Jasper Cole (Getty Images)
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The Mandatory Guide to Going High When They Go Low (But Can We Go Just a Little Low?)
In the midst of another contentious election season, we find ourselves clinging to Michelle Obama's motto "When they go low, we go high." (We kind of wish we didn’t always have to be the only ones going high. It’s lonely up here.) But we’re going to keep trying because the alternative is…well, President Trump. And nobody aspires to that.
Read more here.
Photo: Cover Photo: Saul Loeb/AFP (Getty Images)
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The Mandatory Guide to Speaking Like a Woke White Person in Support of Black Lives (So You Don’t Put Your Foot in It)
Now that you know you need to speak up in support of black lives, how do you do so without making a fool of yourself? We’ll help you wade gracefully into this uncharted territory with our Mandatory guide to speaking like a woke white person.
Read more here.
Photo: Erik McGregor / Contributor (Getty Images)
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The Essential Don Jr. Guide For Successfully Sending a Sexy Message on Social Media
Don Jr. has it all – charm, attractiveness, intelligence…OK, he doesn’t have any of those things, but we were able to glean a handful of important hacks from this video that you can use the next time you want to send an enticing vid to someone special.
Read more here.
Cover Photo: Instagram
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The Jeffrey Toobin Guide to a Completely Normal, Professional Zoom Call
Let’s pretend we believe that Jeffrey Toobin, who has logged a ton of time in front of cameras on various news networks, doesn’t know how a webcam works. Maybe he was a Zoom newbie. Maybe you are, too. We would hate for you to suffer the same scandalous fate. That’s we’ve compiled a guide to a completely normal, professional Zoom call.
Read more here.
Photo: D Dipasupil / Stringer (Getty Images)
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Deep Dive: Is Porn Ruining Your Sex Life?
Pornography may seem like a harmless habit, a kind of tutorial to learn new moves, or an arousing escape from the mundanity of life. But its effects are powerful, and research shows it may, in fact, be ruining your chances of getting it on — and finding satisfaction — off-screen. In this deep dive, we’re answering the question: is porn ruining your sex life?
Read more here.
Cover Photo: Nattakorn Maneerat (Getty Images)
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The Extremely Delicate Art of the Dry Hand Job (And If It’s Worth the Hardship)
Whether it’s a matter of someone who likes you but isn’t ready to commit sexually, or simply a long-term relationship that went a little off the rails, one day you’ll find yourself face-to-face with the horrors of a parched and wilted hand job. And though only you can decide whether or not it’s worth crossing that desert, we’re here to offer a little guidance.
Read more here.
Photo: champja (Getty Images)
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Deep Dive: Is It Wrong to Pay for Sex?
While money can’t buy you love, it can buy you sex. Whether or not paying for sex is legal is pretty clear-cut in most places, but in this deep dive, we’re asking the thornier question: Is it wrong to pay for sex?
Read more here.
Photo: RapidEye (Getty Images)
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What Your Favorite Presidential Candidate Says About You
Presidential candidates, after all, are just mirrors, reflecting back what we want to see in ourselves, whether that’s ruthless ambition, altruistic goals, or irresistible charm. By examining why a certain politician appeals to you, you’ll learn more about yourself (because it all comes down to personality, not policies).
Read more here.
Photo: TIMOTHY A. CLARY / Contributor (Getty Images)
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The Undecided Voters’ Guide to Making Up Your Damn Mind Before the Election
There is no perfect candidate, and you very well may look at dueling geezers Donald Trump and Joe Biden and not see anything redeemable in either of them. But there are drastic differences in their platforms and their plans (or lack thereof) for the country. How to decide which one deserves your ballot? We’ve compiled a list of burning questions relevant to this year’s election; answer “yes” to any of them and we’ll tell you which candidate aligns with your values.
Read more here.
Photo: LemonTreeImages (Getty Images)
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Biden vs. Trump: Which Political Candidate Has Better Hair?
As Republican incumbent Donald Trump and Democratic hopeful Joe Biden go head to head, everyone will be fixated on one thing: their hair.
Read more here.
Photo: Joshua Roberts / Stringer and MANDEL NGAN / Staff (Getty Images)
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Mandatory Voting: 12 Simple Reasons to Be Pro Joe (And Against Don the Con)
Biden is no one’s first choice, but we have to vote for him because the alternative is certain death. Let us count the reasons why you should be pro-Joe on your ballot – even though you know this country deserves better.
Read more here.
Cover Photo: Win McNamee / Staff (Getty Images)
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The 12 Days of the Election: A Christmas Classic Parody For Voters
The drawn-out nature of this year’s election reminded us of that cheerful holiday tune, “The 12 Days of Christmas.” So we tweaked the lyrics to fit our current political reality. Grab a few friends, a few beers, and sing this new standard along with us!
Read more here.
