Gwyneth Paltrow's Trial Is Wrapping Up But TikTok Won't Forget Her Lost 'Half-Day Of Skiing'
Gwyneth Paltrow's lawyers went into Thursday hoping to win their court battle with a doctor over a ski crash involving the two in 2016, and while only one plaintiff will come out on top, it's pretty clear that TikTok has already won.
The televised trial has generated plenty of bizarre and meme-worthy moments since it kicked off earlier in March, and it's all thanks to the cameras in court that have captured Paltrow's every word and move.
Retired doctor Terry Sanderson, 76, is suing Paltrow for $300,000, alleging that she "recklessly" crashed into him at a ski resort in Utah in 2016, leaving him badly injured and then fleeing the scene.
Paltrow, 50, has denied the allegations and is countersuing Sanderson for $1 plus legal fees. She argues that it was Sanderson who ran into her, and that he's trying to capitalize on her fame by cashing in with a frivolous lawsuit.
It's been one of the most-watched celebrity trials since Johnny Depp and Amber Heard sued each other last year, and while this one hasn't quite hit that level of theatre, it's still been strange.
In the middle of it all has been Paltrow, the Goop queen who has looked every bit like a woman on trial for a ski crash, with her high-collared sweaters and her out-of-touch comments on the stand.
The whole Paltrow-ness of the trial seemed to come together in one particular moment while she was testifying.
"Is it true that you feel it's unfair that Mr. Sanderson has brought this case against you?" one of Sanderson's lawyers asked Paltrow on the stand.
"I do," she replied.
"And he has deterred you from enjoying the rest of what was a very expensive vacation?" the lawyer asked.
"Well, I lost half a day of skiing," Paltrow said.
Social media users have been mocking that lost half-day of skiing ever since Paltrow said it, with several parodies racking up hundreds of thousands of views on TikTok.
Many have described it as "the most rich white lady sh*t" in history, especially given how Paltrow was dressed for her court appearances.
@kaicameronisacelebrity Help this trial is my whole personality #gwynethpaltrow #gwynethpaltrowtrial #gwynethpaltrowedit #gwynethpaltrowskiaccident #popculture #celebritynews
"This entire trial was written by Mike White," wrote on Twitter user, referring to the creator of The White Lotus .
\u201ctexting all my friends \u201cwell \u2026 I lost half a day of skiing\u201d next time any minor inconvenience befalls me\u201d— Clara (@Clara) 1679784610
The Paltrow quote is just one of the many odd moments at the trial.
At one point, Paltrow's team made everyone watch a animation showing her version of the case, complete with grunts, buttocks positioning and so many other details she apparently recalls from the 2016 crash.
We also got a physics lesson complete with math equations on a whiteboard , a key piece of evidence added to the trial from a guy watching at home , a cameo appearance from Paltrow's son and plenty of battles between Paltrow and Sanderson's lawyer.
@doctorheadley Gwyneth is ready to fight. #paltrow #gwynethpaltrow #sandersonversuspaltrow #sanderson #Sanderson #oprah #ellen #court #courtcase
A jury is expected to rule on the case in the days ahead.
