Microdramas are fuelling exploitation in the entertainment industry
The booming world of rapid, vertical mini dramas has generated a multi-million dollar mobile entertainment industry. It’s also fuelled worker exploitation, low wages, and suffocating schedules. Is TV getting dumber? In today’s post-literate society – an era Rose Horowitch deftly explores in a recent piece for The Atlantic – how...
Current in Culture
How TikTok failed to take down Perez Hilton’s livestream
The celebrity blogger was hospitalised after allegedly harming himself on a TikTok livestream. Now the platform is reckoning with the consequences. Last Tuesday, celebrity gossip blogger Perez Hilton (born Mario Armando Lavandeira Jr.) appeared on a TikTok livestream naked, covered in a red substance that appeared to be blood, and...
Cable moved from Dobby’s ‘grave’ to appease Harry Potter fans
A new multimillion-pound power cable between the UK and Ireland is to be relocated due to complaints from Harry Potter fans that it would damage Dobby’s ‘grave.’ Fancy some unhinged Harry Potter news? Of course you do! A new multimillion-pound power cable between the UK and Ireland has been relocated following...
Do we ever have the right to comment on someone’s body?
Public fixation over Ariana Grande’s appearance has driven the star to retreat from the spotlight. Where do we draw the line between scrutiny and concern when it comes to women’s bodies? Ariana Grande has lived half of her life in the spotlight. She’s had a hugely successful music career during...
Gen Z say they ‘perform’ even during self-pleasure
A new survey titled the ‘Pleasure Census’ has found that roughly 50% of Gen Z ‘perform’ even during self-pleasure, suggesting that poor body image might be affecting young people in the bedroom. Ever feel like you need to ‘perform’ in the bedroom and tell your partner that you’re definitely, absolutely,...
Study shows wastewater cocaine is messing up marine life
As crazy as it sounds, it does add another layer to how human consumption has been impacting our planet. For as long as humans have been on this planet, our environmental impact has become innumerable. What’s worse is that many outcomes of our actions remain unbeknownst to us, pushing us...
Why is Peppa Pig beefing with Clairo?
In a new interview with Pitchfork, the beloved children's cartoon Peppa Pig has said she ‘doesn’t know’ Clairo. The fallout on X has been huge, with major label artists chiming in. It’s a perfect example of new-age, Gen Z marketing. What happens when a cherished, cartoon pig takes shots at major musical artists? Viral tweets and a boost in brand engagement, of course. Yes, it might seem absurd, but Peppa Pig...
Toy Story 5 comes for big tech, but does the moral lesson land?
The latest instalment in the beloved franchise tackles a new villain: the iPad. But what does ‘Toy Story 5’ get wrong about kids and screentime? Since the first film dropped way back in 1995, Toy Story has warmed hearts and raised minds with its ragtag group of friends. Each iteration of the franchise – like every good kids movie – has presented a moral lesson, often taught with the assistance of a...
Olivia Wilde’s experience reflects the misogyny framing age gaps
The actor Olivia Wilde spoke out about the response to her relationship with singer Harry Styles, which involved years of public shaming and criticism. Olivia Wilde has enjoyed a highly successful career as both an actor and filmmaker. But, as is often the case for high-profile women, it is a celebrity relationship that many will know her for. From 2021 to 2022, after working together on Wilde’s second directorial project...
Is Gen Z’s obsession with ‘mogging’ becoming toxic?
Gen Z streamers have brought ‘mogging’ into the everyday vernacular of young people. Is the trend dumb and fleeting, or does it have the potential to cause lasting harm? If your algorithm isn’t full of streamers in their early 20s telling people they’re ‘low-key chopped’, consider yourself lucky. I’ve clearly lingered on clips from Kick streamers like Clavicular, Marlon3lg, and Drago just long enough for their content to...
