My favorite pop culture moments of the 21st century

Those who know me know my life goal, my mission of the past few months, the task that has consumed my every waking moment is my growing list of the best pop culture moments of the past two decades. Luckily, I am surrounded by an abundance of information on this topic. My friends, my family, reels, the Wall Street journal.

Ady gave me the wonderful idea of posting an edited version of this list on here, so this may be the first of a few editions. If revenge is a dish best served cold, knowledge is one meant to be shared.

“Imagine” Gal Gadot et al. I think my life was forever changed when I first watched Gal Gadot’s creation at the beginning of quarantine.

Sometimes I think to myself, if this video was created in the 60s, the US wouldn’t have ever landed on the moon. It’s been explained to me that the government pushed so hard for a moon landing to unite the country and prove to others (Russia) that the US had delicious tech worth all sorts of envy. If Gal Gadot’s video had been spread around, I think the US would have shoved that in Russia’s face instead, and all the money spent on NASA just wouldn’t have been necessary. Also, talk about uniting the nation.

I can’t see images in my mind when I close my eyes; I think this is because the loop of the celebrities faces would be playing constantly. I would be too distracted to live a normal life, and disaster would ensue. Whenever I’m having a bad day, I find myself going into the “watch later” section of YouTube and pulling it up. At this point, I don’t even realize I’m doing it. Muscle memory, what can I say?

Kelly Osbourne. I love this video. She is so confident in her answer, pausing as if she's waiting for a standing ovation. Immediately as she sees the other judges reactions, all life leaves her eyes.

I first learned of Kelly Osborne when watching Project Runway Junior. I never heard much else about her, and I still don’t know or care who Ozzy Osborne is. I saw online it's Osbourne maybe but maybe not. I know she’s famous, I’m not sure for what, and I guess that should have told me all I needed to know. There was a Mr. Osborne at my middle school, and I always imagine them to be related, although I think this is a reach.

Anyways, she had fallen to the back of my mind until one day this spring, when I saw her distinctive purple hair on reels. I do wonder what she’s up to now, and if she ever lies awake at night replaying this moment.

(27:00-27:22) No pop culture list would be complete without THE James Charles and Tati feud. This was one of the most pivotal moments of my life. For more on this, I suggest reading Maddy’s guest post “My Lord And Savior JC (James Charles)” if you haven’t already. If you’re lucky enough to get to see me in person, you might even be able to spot a pin on my back back made by the very same Maddy. What’s on it? Tati's face, in addition to her words of wisdom “and you did it at my birthday dinner.” I am still working on having that part of her YouTube video memorized (slowly but surely). I’ll get there eventually.

I like that laugh. This video is on here more for the effect it had on me personally than the cultural impact. I don’t remember when I first watched this video, or the reason why it drew me in so intensely, but for a short period of my life I found myself returning to it over and over. If I wasn’t rewatching the fifteen second clip, I was thinking about it. I was, at this point, heavily addicted to TikTok, and it was very prominently featured on my fyp.

As one does, I began to make references to it in my every day life, imitating both Justin Bieber and the interviewer. You know when, as a child, people tell you not to make faces so much or they’ll stick? Well, I learned my lesson. The laugh? It stuck. For a few weeks, uncontrollably and before I could even notice, my laughter morphed into none other than this very journalist’s. I’m not going to sit here and tell you this pissed me off, I was actually very pleased with myself. Still, though, it was a lot.

Awesome by Spose Dixie Charlie. I quote this video all the time. All the time. It seems to come up naturally in most conversations. I never was that into the Hype House drama, but this one sticks with me nonetheless.

https://www.usmagazine.com/food/pictures/demi-lovatos-yogurt-controversy-what-to-know/amp/

Demi Lovato yogurt shop feud. I forget about this often, but I think its impact should not be forgotten. This feud showed the blind mentality of cancel culture like no other, as Demi Lovato called out a FroYo shop on their story for having sugar free flavors. Quickly, the shop replied those flavors were in fact for people with diabetes and not to promote EDs like Lovato was suggesting. I guess I have to respect Demi Lovato for feeling so strongly about this FroYo that they started a days long public feud - more than that I just wish I could have sent my love to their entire PR team. No press is bad press, I suppose! Got them back on the books for a while. I also love FroYo so this made it on the list.

Joe Biden falling off his bike. I don’t think this video changed the world in the same way as the others but it definitely changed my world. It reminded me of seeing Bill Clinton in Velcro shoes. Celebrities, they’re just like us!

I recently have been thinking a lot about how time travel would crush me. While, like anyone, I have many things I would love to do, the idea that  no one in the world would know who any of these people are might be a burden too heavy for me to bear. I have a wealth of knowledge on this stuff, which grows every day. All this, useless in a matter of seconds. It has been suggested to me that I could become James Charles, even asking my suitors for IDs before I begin a conversation with them - but I’ve decided to skip that idea (mainly for the pedo sexting teens part). Also, as I read on an inspirational psoter in middle school “be who you are, everyone else is already taken.” In my specific case, if I time traveled to before these people were born this would be untrue, but I think the message still stands. Plus, if I learned anything from the movie Yesterday, pretending gets you nowhere good in the end.

I am only so strong, at times I think of all the magical parts of time travel and daydream, but eventually I remind myself of the neon sign decorating the apartment wall of my downstairs neighbors. “This is my land.” This is my era, these are the celebrities of my time and no one can take that away from me. The internet, what a beautiful thing.

P.S. Let me know your favorites, and I'll add them to the master list. Open source!

FULL LIST

Pop culture moments

• James Charles getting swatted

• Kendall Jenner Pepsi ad

• Gal gadot imagine

• Kelly Osborne immigrants

• I like that laugh

• Awesome by Spose Dixie Charlie

• Bella hadid not being allowed to have designer until she was older

• James Charles and Tati feud (Like, sucking dick and cock. Like, I'm just like, oh my god, time and place. And you did it at my birthday dinner.)

• Steve Harvey announcing wrong miss universe

• Kendall cutting a cucumber

• All of mannequin challenge

• Homeboys gonna like get it Bella hadid

• Ooo lil Wayne ooo ooo mmm just too good

• Charli let me in please

• Natalie Portman Johnny depp asl video

• The blue gold dress

• Laurel yanny

• Team 10

• Justin Bieber Anne frank

• Logan Paul suicide

• Bella hadid switching accents

• Jake Paul diss tracks

• Noah beck vinnie hacker

• Just working hard so I can please you

• Nick Jonas huge nipples

• Justin Bieber being kicked out of club for joint

• Justin Bieber throw up on stage

• Ice bucket challenge

• Poot lavato

• Demi lavato yogurt shop feud

• Cash me ousside

• Dula peep

• Joe Biden falling off his bike

• Sia autism movie

• Armie hammer cannibalism

• I’m Kendall Jenner I have a vagina I’m gonna explore that right now

• They’re trying to cancel who? Gen z is trying to cancel who?

• Fergie cartwheel

• Fergie anthem

• Kamala wheels on the bus and Venn diagrams

• freaks like me todrick hall

• Trisha paytas masturbation hoodie

• Grimes reading communist manifesto

• Scott disick shaving kourtneys vagina

• Demi lavato singing skyscraper to et

• Coleen ballinger ukulele pedo apology

• James Charles singing hate comments

Comic

Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling

I tend to be a strong advocate against technological advancements. You may have read my posts about this, I have long been fearful about AI and robots alike. On top of this, I have said more than once I think robots will take over the world. Part of this lies in my fascination with the terminator, but that’s a whole other discussion.

Even two months ago, if you had asked me if I’d clone myself, I would’ve told you no way in hell. However, this is my year of growth. I have worked on myself, beginning the reversal of many irrational fears and prejudices (specifically, that of the British). Putting in work is hard, but it’s the little changes that make it worthwhile.

One of these changes happened fifteen minutes ago. I was done brushing my teeth, so I bent down to rinse out my delicious arm and hammer toothpaste. Distracted by the riveting conversation I was having in my head, I miscalculated and hit my face hard against the edge of the sink.

It wasn’t that bad of a hit, certainly not enough to bruise, but it did make me think. What would it be like if I did bruise? I suppose this had been in the back of my mind for a day or so, as I just recently watched Bottoms. For those who haven’t seen it, during most of the movie, Rachel Sennett has two black eyes. (This is not a spoiler before you get heated).

I thought a bit about what it would be like to have black eyes when I watched the movie, but it took hitting myself in the face to move on to the next thought. As my geology professor taught me last year, the synapses in your brain need to attempt to make connections between things a couple of times before doing it successfully. (There’s a chance I’m remembering this wrong, but I’m about to call myself a scientist so I wanted to set the mood).

I wondered how my face would look, what people’s reactions would be. I looked in the mirror and wondered how I got this black eye as if it was actually on my face.

Ever since being a child, I’ve wondered how I would hold up in a fight. I’m not a particularly confrontational person, and I have neither the desire to be injured or injure someone else. Really, I just have a super inflated ego. I’ve always secretly believed I would be really good at fighting, but what else is new? I tend to assume I’d be a natural at most things.

I’ve recently opened up about this story, but when I was young whenever I would shower I would daydream about being an adult. In this daydream, I’m married. I decide to shower, thinking my husband is out somewhere. I shower regularly in this future, listening to music and singing along, but this time is different. This time, my husband comes home early. I get dressed and go out into the living room.

SHOCK!! Who is it, sitting in the couch, but my husband? “I never knew you were such a good singer,” he says. “Why didn’t you ever pursue this? You could have been famous.” Coy, I shake my head and laugh, telling him I had other priorities.

Words of affirmation is one of my least favorite love languages, so please don’t take the story that way. It all comes back to my ego. Even in elementary school, I secretly believed I was amazing at everything, and this daydream was about this belief being proved true. (I do recognize this is a pathetic daydream, and I no longer stand by it).

So, really, my desire to get into a fight is to prove this idea of “being a natural” to myself. But, I’ve wondered these things for many years, meaning I’ve had time to make a list of pros and cons. Unfortunately, I have decided I will not seek any opportunities to test these skills, as I would like to keep living in my delusion, and getting in a fight just seems like an overall unpleasant experience.

Forlorn, reminded of this dream of mine that cannot happen, a thought crossed my mind. A clone!

Before, when I discussed my fears around clones, I focused mainly on them gaining consciousness, in a sense, and deciding to take over my life or wreak overall havoc. Now, though, my views have changed. As I mentioned earlier, I am quite the scientist. As a scientist, I can’t help but think of all of the possibilities that would await me. I don’t want to clone anyone else, but it would be so exciting to clone myself and put it to the test. I could do endless experiments with no impact on my actual life.

Since I am in in charge of this story, this clone would be happy to help - this isn’t a tale of wrongful imprisonment or clone mistreatment.

Clones get tricky quickly though - I think the most feasible way to make them is from the start. If so, how can they really be identical to you if you are a mix of genetics and environment? It’s impossible to replicate the environment factor, so my clone would very likely have a completely different personality and maybe even physique.

Much to my dismay, both of these things would heavily impact the difference between our chances in a fight.

I can’t quickly find my old clone post and I really don’t feel like looking, so I’ll leave it at that. This is something I want to educate myself on, so please don’t hesitate to reach out with your opinions. Over and out!

“For any new technology there is always controversy and there’s always some fear associated with it. I think that’s just the price of being first sometimes” - Hugh Grant (British and talking about technology!! Wow, do I know how to tie it all up).