Mercury Retrograde as Iconic Pop Culture Moments

Mercury has been going retrograde since the dawn of time but it’s only been in the past decade or so that it’s come up in social media. Some of my favorites I’ve seen are “Mercury is doing the renegade,” “Mercury is in Gatorade,” the list goes on but with one core theme: miscommunication.

Mercury is the Roman name for Hermes, the messenger of the gods. This planet rules over everything communication: writing, speech, technology, shipping, contracts, etc. Where Mercury sits in your birth chart can even affect your voice. Those ruled by Mercury (Virgo and Gemini placements) tend to approach life with logic and curiosity. Eager for information and a knack for detail.

But when Mercury goes retrograde, all of that gets turned on its head. Scientifically speaking, Mercury going retrograde means that it appears to be moving backwards in the sky. It’s just an illusion, planets can’t actually change their direction around the sun, but its effects are still felt. These effects often include tech issues, misunderstandings, forgetting important details, and starting new projects without a plan to finish them.

So that’s Mercury retrograde in general, but what about Mercury retrograde in each sign? I have carefully chosen iconic pop culture moments to represent Mercury going retrograde through all 12 zodiac signs. These are moments that, good or bad, made society stop and pay attention. The moments you were talking about at work or school the week after. Some of these moments were just the beginning of ongoing fights for freedom and respect. Some are just weird and random.

Aries - Kanye West taking the mic from Taylor Swift

We all remember where we were. Even Former President Barack Obama commented on it. At the 2009 VMAs while Taylor Swift was accepting her award for Best Female Video, Kanye West stormed the stage, stole the mic from her, and said Beyoncé should’ve won it. This move was big, aggressive, and rude. Which is what you can get with Mercury Retrograde in Aries. Aries is the headstrong ram, named after Ares (god of war), so when this energy is applied to miscommunication it can come out as impulsive speech, rash decisions, and just being loud and mean.

When Mercury is Retrograde in Aries, try to have patience, walk with grace, and fully think through your decisions and what their consequences could be.

Taurus - Lady Gaga wearing a raw meat dress

Where’s the beef? Mother is wearing it, darling. At the 2010 VMAs, as an act of protest against the military’s “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy, Lady Gaga had real pieces of flank steak sewn together into a dress. Very Taurus the Bull, and I’m not talking about the steaks. Taurus is ruled by Venus and heavily associated with aesthetics and stability of resources, which can come up as stubbornness. A lot of people at the time condemned the look as weird or offensive to animals. They refused to see her vision. Mercury Retrograde in Taurus comes up in people being too stuck in their ways, delayed in communication, and possibly even overspending.

When dealing with Mercury retrograde in Taurus, try to make time for possible delays, do a quick evaluation of your spending habits, and see if your aesthetic needs a little update.

Gemini - Dakota Johnson and Ellen Degeneres

Late 2019, just before Covid hit, Ellen DeGeneres had Dakota Johnson as a guest on her talk show. During the interview DeGeneres asked Johnson about not being invited to her 30th birthday party, which Johnson stated was not true and to check with her staff, who also confirmed she was invited. Very Gemini, the mischievous twins. Mercury going retrograde in Gemini means travel delays, technology issues, and lots of confusing miscommunication, leading to awkward exchanges like this.

When Mercury goes retrograde in Gemini, double check everything: travel plans, texts, emails, invitations, appointments, EVERYTHING. Spare nothing when it comes to reviewing details.

Cancer - Kim Kardashian losing an earring in the ocean

In the summer of 2011, Kim Kardashian lost a $75,000 earring in the ocean. Kardashian was distraught, to say the least, and cried about it (I would to). Big sis Kourtney responded by putting things into perspective with the much quoted: “Kim, there’s people that are dying.” Heavy emotions, family dynamics, and water are main themes with Mercury going retrograde in Cancer, a water sign represented by the crab and ruled by the moon. While things of the present may get lost in our oceans of consciousness, unresolved issues of the past, especially regarding our home lives, may also surface and make us extra moody.

When Mercury goes retrograde in Cancer, be sure to hold space for processing your emotions and releasing past traumas. State your needs clearly rather than letting others guess. Spruce up your home with some candles, flowers, or whatever makes you feel cozy and nurtured.

Leo - Britney Spears shaving her head

Early 2007, in an act of rebellion and desperation, Britney Spears shaved her head. This was a boiling point after years of dealing with invasive paparazzi and having little to no control over her life, including her looks. When Mercury goes retrograde in Leo, self-expression and the ego come into play. There can be a need to redefine who you are, especially in the spotlight. Leo is also represented by the Lion and is heavily associated with hair i.e. the lion’s mane. While Leo is known for being the center of attention (ruled by the sun), an important lesson from Leo is to be the center of your own universe.

This can be a good time to revisit artistic passions and find what makes you proud of yourself rather than what makes the world proud of you. Reclaim your identity and how you express yourself. Have you been overly concerned with how the world sees you? Who do you see, or who do you want to see, when you look in the mirror?

Virgo - Bernie Sanders sitting in a chair

Senator Bernie Sanders went viral in 2021 after he was seen trying to keep warm at the inauguration of Former President Joe Biden. Why this went viral? Who knows? I think deep down we all saw ourselves in that meme: masked up and just trying to get through one day after another. When Mercury goes retrograde in Virgo issues with daily routines, health, and perfectionism come up. Expect appointment mix ups and feeling pushed to make a million edits on that draft you need to send out.

While this is a good time to perfect the details, take care not to get lost in the weeds. Double check your schedule and confirm upcoming appointments. This is also a good time to reevaluate your health routines and see what needs improvement.

Libra - Madonna kissing Britney and Christina

At the 2003 VMAs, during an homage to Madonna’s own 1984 VMAs performance, Madonna kissed both Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera. It was sultry, spicy, and talked about for years to come. Immediately after Madonna kissed Britney the camera cut to a shocked and not happy Justin Timberlake, her then recent ex. Relationships are a major theme of this transit. Libra represents balance and harmony, ruled by Venus (the planet of love). So this can be a time when exes and unresolved issues in current relationships might come up. If there is any imbalance in your life, this is when it’s going to cause problems.

Take time to assess the balance and harmony in your life. Are you giving too much in certain areas while not getting anything in return? Do you see issues from past relationships popping up in your current ones? Make sure to address these issues effectively and not just overthink them, as that can also happen during this transit.

Scorpio - Janet Jackson and Justin Timberlake at the Superbowl

During the 2004 Superbowl halftime show, Justin Timberlake ripped off a piece of Janet Jackson’s clothing revealing her nearly bare breast. Jackson got blacklisted from radio stations while Timberlake faced little to no consequences. Power dynamics, hard hitting reveals, and the taboo are major themes of Mercury going retrograde in Scorpio. This transit often pushes us to unearth personal truths and can be highly transformative. Scorpio is a mysterious, intense sign. It is not here for social niceties and propriety. Scorpio demands us to acknowledge the deepest, and sometimes ugliest, truths about ourselves.

This is a good time to analyze the deepest parts of ourselves and do shadow work, but be careful about oversharing the most personal parts of yourselves with others. Honor your inner self by not only working with it, but also protecting it. What motivates your desires? What’s blocking you from attaining those desires?

Sagittarius - Tom Cruise jumping on Oprah’s couch

In May of 2005 Tom Cruise was a guest on Oprah Winfrey’s show. He made a grand entrance by hopping over the back of the couch and jumping up and down, proclaiming his love for Katie Holmes. Grand gestures and a bit of chaos are to be expected when Mercury goes retrograde in Sagittarius. Sagittarius is the sign of expansion and ideologies, ruled by Jupiter, which ironically is where boys go to get more stupider. Big picture ideals and challenges to our beliefs come into play during this transit. It can leave us feeling radicalized with a fresh perspective.

Mercury going retrograde in Sagittarius is a time to dream, but plan ahead for potential delays, especially regarding travel. What are some goals you’ve been putting on the back burner? Is it time to really start planning that trip instead of talking about it for another year?

Capricorn - Will Smith slapping Chris Rock

At the 2022 Oscars, following a joke about Jada Pinkett Smith’s shaved head, Will Smith slapped Chris Rock and said the much-quoted “Keep my wife’s name out your f***ing mouth.” Smith later apologized during his acceptance speech but was banned from attending the Oscars for 10 years. When Mercury goes retrograde in Capricorn, themes of career and discipline come up. It’s a time to review professional endeavors and update procedures. Known as the CEO of the zodiac, this sign means business and does not play around.

During this transit it’s good to reevaluate your professional and long-term areas, as Capricorn rules over the bones of our lives. Are there areas of your life that need more push and discipline? Capricorn also calls us to remain cool and calm so try to keep a level head and patiently get to the root of any problems that may arise.

Aquarius - Celebrities singing John Lennon's 'Imagine' on Zoom

Led by Gal Gadot, around 25 celebrities got together via video call to sing John Lennon’s ‘Imagine’ during the 2020 lockdown. While there were good intentions, some thought it was a bit tone-deaf and random. Group dynamics and advancements in technology are core themes of Aquarius. Aquarius can detach from the comfort of how things are and see how much better they can be. They are the ultimate problem solvers, especially in group situations. When Mercury Retrograde lands in this air sign, problem solving can turn into reinventing the wheel or losing sight of the problem altogether. The Celebrities Singing Imagine incident of 2020 remains to this day, weird and unsolved.

When dealing with Mercury Retrograde in Aquarius, proceed with caution when communicating with groups. That mass email you’re about to send might have a different tone than you think. Is the group chat gonna understand the context and humor of that joke you’re thinking about or is it better for in-person over dinner? This is also a time when it’s easy to get carried away with solving issues. Try to keep simplicity in mind and not overcomplicate the solutions.

Pisces - Ashlee Simpson on SNL

In October of 2004 Ashlee Simpson performed her hit song “Pieces of Me” on SNL (pieces… Pisces….. anyone?). All went well but when it came time for the second song, “Autobiography,” “Pieces of Me” started playing again instead, revealing that she had been lip-syncing. The embarrassed Simpson did a cute little jig (as seen in the GIF above) and proceeded off stage while her band kept playing. She became a target for online bullying regarding her lip-syncing even though it was a choice made by her team because of medical issues at the time. When Mercury goes retrograde in Pisces, things can seem foggy and confusing. We lose sight of logic and get lost in our feelings. Pisces is a dreamy, deeply intuitive water sign that rules the subconscious of our minds. It’s a time when glitches and mixed signals can get mistaken for facts.

Try to keep a positive attitude and roll with the unexpected punches during this time. It is likely that you may not have all the answers yet, so avoid rash actions, especially when they’re based on feelings. Take into consideration what your dreams and intuition are telling you, but wait to make final decisions until you have all the facts at hand.