Nicki Minaj and the rise of right wing grifting
Rapper Nicki Minaj was once considered a gay icon and a strong denouncer of Trump, having previously criticised his immigration policies and campaigns. Over the past year she has made a strong pivot the other way, appearing at right wing rallies with Erika Kirk in a likely attempt to...
Current in Culture
Brigitte Bardot and the complexity of mourning celebrity
The French movie star’s death sparked sadness and scorn, as her right-wing politics mark a complicated legacy. You might now Brigitte Bardot for her blonde bombshell looks – with voluminous golden hair so infamous that she arguably cemented ‘French Girl Chic’ into modern parlance. Even if you haven’t watched any of her...
Podcasts are now eligible for Golden Globes
And as the inaugural nominations are announced, liberals are winning. I can’t say I was surprised when the Golden Globes announced the addition of podcasts to their awards roster. This year, my Spotify wrapped was comprised largely of podcasts (apparently I spent thousands of hours listening to the dulcet tones...
2025 was the year of yearning
We couldn’t stop longing for what it didn’t have After a decade defined by hustle and optimisation, 2025 turned toward something softer and unresolved. The year of yearning. From breakout show ‘The Summer I Turned Pretty’ to Charli XCX’s viral hit ‘party 4 u’, the past 12 months of romance have...
‘Heated Rivalry’ is reigniting dangerous debates about queer storytelling
The surprise hit for HBO Max has just been renewed for a second season – but its success highlights the age-old question of who gets to tell queer stories. Heated Rivalry, a show based on Rachel Reid’s novel about two ice hockey players who fall in love, was only meant to...
Study says most streaming shows made by white people
A new report published by the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA) has found that over 90% of the top 250 programmes on streaming services were made by white people last year, an increase over 2024. Cultural diversity has seen a significant decrease this year compared to 2024, a...
Trump doubles down on Rob Reiner criticism after murder
The US president posted that the sudden death of Hollywood director and actor, Rob Reiner, was related to ‘Trump derangement syndrome,’ before repeating this criticism to reporters in the Oval Office several hours later. Donald Trump has received flack from both Democrats and Republicans this week after publicly criticising Rob Reiner in the wake of his sudden death. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p65gtuK6FhY The Hollywood actor and director, well known for his work on films...
Why are countries pulling out of next year’s Eurovision Song Contest?
Several European countries have pulled out of the Eurovision Song Contest, taking issue with Israel being allowed to participate despite its continued war crimes in Gaza and the West Bank since 2023. On Wednesday, Iceland became the fifth country to bow out of the 2026 Eurovision Song Contest, saying the political debate around Israel’s allowed participation has made it impossible to take part in good faith. The European Broadcasting Union...
What Pantone’s Colour of the Year says about the state of the world
For the first time, a shade of white has been given the prestigious ‘Colour of the Year’ title by Pantone. Every December, Pantone – a media company widely regarded as the mecca of colour theory – announces its annual ‘Colour of the Year’. This title appears frivolous on the face of it, but it's become a signpost of the year ahead – what trends might crop up in fashion, art and media....
The Warner Bros ownership race could drastically change streaming
Netflix had agreed a deal with Warner Bros to land its studio and streaming assets for $83 billion. That could soon be off the table, however, with the news that Paramount has just proposed an offer of $108.4 billion for the entire company. Can you hear that? That’s the sound of heads planting the meeting table at Netflix HQ. The biggest news of the weekend suddenly may not be so newsworthy....
