We're only three months into 2022, but it's safe to say that the year is shaping up to be a wild ride. In the last few weeks we've turned to social media and pop culture whenever we needed a break from reality. Suffice to say both delivered plenty of... distractions.

There's been more than a few highs. Our collective hearts swelled 10 sizes watching a dad dress up as Spider-Man for his son's birthday party, and fans applauded Nicki Minaj after she straightened Britney Spears' crown in an Instagram comment.

Of course, there have also been moments that have left us scratching our heads in sheer confusion. For instance, we're still trying to figure out how someone abandoned their dog at a shelter because they thought it was gay. And what exactly was Elon Musk hoping to accomplish when he challenged Vladimir Putin to a "single combat" duel?

It took us a moment to realize we weren't being pranked when we learned that a singer was hospitalized for holding in her farts around her boyfriend. The headline was so bizarre it seemed fake.

And that's just scratching the surface.

Mind-Boggling 2022 Moments That Felt Like Pranks

We pulled together a list of 11 inexplicable news stories that have already gone viral this year. They might seem like jokes, but we regret to inform you that they were all very much real. Check them out below.

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