Cancelling ‘The Late Show’ is a sign of troubling times
Stephen Colbert’s exit marks more than TV’s end. It signals the unsettling ‘Trumpification’ of mainstream media under political pressure. CBS’s decision to cancel The Late Show with Stephen Colbert – a late-night institution that, in Colbert’s own words, ‘isn’t being replaced’ – marks the end of a 33-year legacy and a...
Current in Culture
Are Gen Z ageing faster than their parents?
Gen Z are known for tempering harmful habits like drinking or smoking, but are they destined to age poorly anyway? If you’re chronically online, you’ll have seen self-deprecating videos from Gen Zers talking about how they’re ageing worse than millennials, but is there any genuine credibility behind the jokes about...
Bad Bunny redefines what it means to tour
Instead of travelling the world and to perform in a new city every night, Latinx artist Bad Bunny is telling fans to come to his home country Puerto Rico. Earlier this year, Bad Bunny released his massively successful seventh studio album ‘DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS’ (translated in English to...
Is this summer’s Love Island UK the most misogynistic yet?
The show’s male contestants have repeatedly bullied, belittled, and gaslit. On a show plagued by mental health crises and online abuse, how thin is the line between entertainment and intervention? I love staying in the loop. Maybe it’s the nature of my job, but keeping up with current affairs is...
Opinion – the earthquake magnitude scale shouldn’t be logarithmic
Full disclaimer: I’m no scientist. I’m a journalist trying to understand the logic behind measuring earthquakes logarithmically – meaning each whole number increase represents a quake that is 10x stronger – when this isn’t intuitive to the public. Shouldn’t we measure them out of 100 instead? In the early hours...
Was Senegal’s short-lived wig ban an attempt to police women’s bodies?
The ban has already been lifted after drawing widespread public criticism. Last week, Serigne Fall Guèye, director of the Grand Théâtre de Dakar, introduced a swift and surprising ban on wigs, weaves, hair extensions and skin-lightening products. The move was officially framed as part of a cultural revival – a...
Understanding Africa’s cultural crescendo
Africa's creative wave is the strongest it's ever been, and the world is paying attention. As the pandemic ended, a global appetite for rawness and newness emerged, and Africa's artistic expressions are breaking away from the tired stereotypes to tell a different story, from the nightclubs of Lagos to the fashion houses of Paris, and everyhere in between. African music, fashion, and art are coming into their own, changing the global...
Superman ignites fury among right-winged Americans
James Gunn’s highly anticipated Superman film has not only revived the iconic hero but also ignited a political firestorm, particularly among right-wing Americans. The debut of the new Superman film last week sparked global excitement, with many reconnecting with their sense of childhood wonder. This did not go without a major debate about who envisioned Superman the best, Zack Snyder or James Gunn. Admittedly, each director brought a unique creative approach...
Fame doesn’t make people untouchable but neither should whiteness
More celebrities are facing the public consequences for their morally deplorable actions, dispelling the culture of idolatry that presents famous people as a moral guide. However, a culture of racism and misogyny is still allowing culpable white men to evade the consequences of their actions. Earlier this month, hip-hop artist Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs was convicted on ‘two counts of transportation for prostitution’ As Combs’ prosecution shows, fame doesn’t always protect...
Isn’t it time for men to decenter women?
Many straight men struggle to form close relationships with one another without relying on a female intermediary. Perhaps it’s time for them to take a leaf out of women’s books and assume responsibility for dismantling the patriarchal systems which are negatively impacting their mental health. Whether you’ve been long acquainted with the idea, or you’re delving into ‘decentring men’ for the first time - maybe you even first came...
