Pop culture
From Chk-Chk-Boom to Hawk Tuah: How TikTok transformed street interviews
From Baz Luhrmann on the streets of Sydney to a nobody going viral after a provocative TikTok vox pop, street interviews are hijacking social media with mixed results.
- by Thomas Mitchell
Latest
Why the next Baby Reindeer may be too afraid to step into the spotlight
Caught in the clash between documentary, embellishment and a $US170 million lawsuit, getting the facts straight on TV has never been more important.
- by Michael Idato
The case for Justin Timberlake, the celebrity we deserve
JT has once again proven that he is there to meet the moment, to show us who we are.
- by Mali Waugh
Why TV’s most hyped show triggered a fan backlash
Has The Bear become a victim of its own success? Season three of the series which dropped last week has been savaged by its fans.
- by Meg Watson
How Mia Goth became Hollywood’s most gloriously demented scream queen
With MaXXXine, the British actor wraps up a film trilogy for the ages.
- by Robert Moran
What does Michelangelo have to do with Baby Reindeer? You’ll never guess
Long before Taylor Swift, conspiracy theorists were joining the cultural dots.
- by Jordan Prosser
Country pop has taken over the charts – good god, why?
Genuine musical superstars – exceptional voices, charismatic presences, excellent lyricists – have been dulled and flattened, their voices muted and their lyrics uninspired.
- by Tom W. Clarke
Michael J Fox joins Coldplay, and other things you missed from Glastonbury
From Banksy protests to lip-synching accusations, here are some of the buzziest moments from the UK’s biggest music festival.
- by Nell Geraets
From Dave Grohl to Charli XCX: Five ways to maximise a pop feud in 2024
In today’s saturated pop landscape, feuds are a proven way to boost yourself to viral stardom. Here’s how it’s done.
- by Robert Moran
Long before streaming, video stores offered happiness for hire
Youth groups were too holy, malls too expensive and skate parks too unpredictable when I was growing up. Thank goodness I had somewhere else to get my dopamine hit.
- by Simmone Howell
The real winner out of Assange’s freedom from prison? Pamela Anderson
From sharing vegan snacks in the Ecuadorian embassy to downplaying rumours of a romance, the former Baywatch actor was one of the first celebrities to support Julian Assange.
- by Thomas Mitchell