From Katy Perry in space to Wicked Witch memes via Harry Styles on foot, Lily Allen on album and Sydney Sweeney in jeans
Sydney Sweeney ruins jeans, kiss cam one up Deuxmoiand Katy Perry became an astronaut. Believe it or not, this all happened this year.
The past 12 months have been mind-blowing. So, to help make sense of the whirlwind, we’ve chosen pop culture moments this year that brought us some laughter, discussion, and distraction.
Kiss cam gone wrong
In the age of social media detectives, there are no such things as secrets. But Andy Byron, former chief executive of tech company Astronomer, clearly didn’t get the memo.
During a lively Coldplay concert in July, the business tycoon was caught cozying up to someone who was not his wife on the Massachusetts stadium’s Jumbotron. “kiss cam”. When they realized that they had been caught red-handed for everyone to see, they quickly turned back. But the damage had already been done.
“Oh, look at these two… They’re either in a relationship or they’re too shy,” frontman Chris Martin told the crowd after witnessing their strange reactions.
Images of the Jumbotron scene immediately spread on social media, and internet sleuths quickly identified them. It turns out that Byron and his “mistress” were working together; the second was Astronomer’s chief people officer (basically head of HR) Kristin Cabot. Also, they were both married at that time. Ugh.
Online speculation, along with a series of fake apologies, became so extreme that both Byron and Cabot eventually resigned from their respective positions. It’s probably safe to say that they, along with the rest of the online world, will never look at Jumbotrons the same way again. Nell Geraets
The Louvre robbery turns us all into detectives
What do you mean by a group of people dressed as construction workers committing a daylight robbery at one of the most famous museums in the world? Wait, it only took eight minutes? And they ran away (at least initially)? I’m not exactly sure how we define a pop culture moment as opposed to a standard news event, but I think it’s a good rule of thumb for memes about it to start flowing into your news feed.
Essential details at its center Louvre robbery Aren’t they that funny or that interesting – they’re just sad. The jewels stolen by thieves are a slice of history stolen from the public. And here, the only scenario I hate more than a wealthy narcissist financing the jewels so they can keep them in their private collection is the thought of them being ripped apart into their component parts and stripped of their true value.
You might ask your friends “have you read about it?” and it wasn’t really the brazenness of the theft that cemented it as one of those moments where you ask the “did you see…” questions, and the subsequent flood of information suggesting places that should be safe. What do you mean by saying that the Louvre surveillance system password is apparently “Louvre”? Elizabeth Aki
Madame Morrible, turn this over…
Bad: For Good It may not have worked its magic for a Golden Globe nomination, but social media users continued holding area for the multitude of memes that emerged from both the film itself and the press tour. And while the internet is buzzing with conversations about Elphaba’s “sex cardigan” and slow-motion edits of Jonathan Bailey’s Fiyero inadvertently dominate Oz for a moment after the press tour: Michelle Yeoh’s explanation for why Madame Morrible’s name coincidentally marks her as the real villain.
Yeoh’s words, “Think about it, Madame Morrible, MM, turn it over, WW, Wicked Witch” and the corresponding hand gestures, healthily repeated in interviews, have been turned into compilation clips, remixed songs and dances on social media platforms. One TikTok has almost accelerated 6 million views. Move aside “six-seven” – this is actually an internet trend that we have caught and can leave behind. Nicole Economy
Harry is running a marathon
Until this year, Harry Styles was known as a flamboyant pop singer who had triumphantly shrugged off his One Direction past with a string of solo hits, Grammy awards, and solid acting performances in movies like the one below. Dunkirk, Don’t worry my darling And I’m a police officer.
Then he started running marathons.
In March, Video of disguised Styles revealed I’m running the Tokyo marathon. He finished in a not-too-bad time of three hours, 24 minutes and seven seconds.
In September, Styles followed up by running the Berlin marathon under the name “Sted Sarandos” with a super-impressive 2:59:13 – almost 25 minutes faster than in Tokyo. Wearing a long-sleeved black top despite the heat, the Gucci model looked like her fashion inspiration was Travis Head from Mad Monday.
Styles was once a hot topic Rolling stone, NME And Vogue. Suddenly, Runner’s World He noted that the 31-year-old athlete ran one of the fastest marathons ever by a celebrity; Way faster than Colin Farrell, Jennifer Connelly, Ashton Kutcher, Chelsea Clinton and Pippa Middleton.
With two of the seven world marathon events eliminated, how long until Sted Sarandos takes part in the Sydney marathon? Garry Maddox
“Alien” Perry
Katy Perry doesn’t have many pop culture moments in 2025, it just so happens that this one has become a recurring one.
HE Marriage with Orlando Bloom ended (photo taken later at a Halloween party. Woman dressed as Perry). He went on tour to support an album that many people liked. proof of insignificance (an assessment that, of course, owes at least something to ageism). He had an unexpected relationship with his ex-girlfriend Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau (Finally officially announced a week agoafter months of teasing and speculation). And above all, went to space For no other reason than to prove he can do it, thanks to my billionaire buddy-sponsor-tech bro Jeff Bezos.
This 10-minute flight on a Bezos-funded Blue Origin rocket was framed as a display of female empowerment (all six people on board were women), but instead it landed with a thud as a display of privilege and entitlement. Perry kissing the Earth on the way back and babbling on about daisies and love made it all seem even more grossly irrelevant. His success has always been predicated on self-mockery, but in 2025 Perry is often more playful than jokey. Karl Quinn
Lily Allen invites us to the Cat Palace
This was a big year for celebrity divorces. Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban. Hugh Jackman and Deborra-Lee Furness. Every tabloid had this. But after divorce Stranger Things star David Harbour, Lily Allen has turned tabloid gossip into fine art.
Carefully described as “auto-edit” and reportedly Written in just 10 daysAllen’s fifth studio album West Side Girl described the end of an open marriage that was eerily similar to that of the famous couple. Examining the old ones immediately threw the internet into turmoil Architectural Summary They tour their now-infamous New York property and try to figure out who the alleged other woman, “Madeleine”, might be. But it wasn’t just bait Reddit detectives and those in need on time Halloween costume. With Allen reclaiming power through sheer vulnerability – not for the first time, FYI, go listen to the underrated songs of 2018 No shame – The album also became a totem for every woman who ever lived. Cheated, gaslighted or belittled.
I’m in a happy, long-term, stable relationship and I’ve been screaming the lyrics for months – and I’m not the only one. Meg Watson
Now This what you call great jeans
On a scale from Sydney Sweeney to KATSEYE, how do you market a pair of jeans that are comfortable and great?
Many say American Eagle’s “Sydney Sweeney’s has great jeans” ad is tone-deaf and allegedly “turned towards eugenics”. The ad campaign featured across various social media posts and videos, as well as elsewhere: Enthusiasm The star’s wearing of jeans culminates in the slogan “Sydney Sweeney has great jeans.” In one video, he defines “genes” before moving on to wordplay and Instagram video He appears to have replaced the word “genes” with “jeans” on a billboard. A version of the ad is now available on YouTube 11 million viewsmost of the comments refer to a completely different and arguably better denim campaign.
What was this campaign? KATSEYE and Gap’s “Better in Denim” ad. International pop group delivers a flawlessly choreographed performance dance routine with Milkshake by Kelis, supported by a lively troupe of dancers. When millennial nostalgia meets Y2K-inspired denim, you’re sure to spark a dance trend; even by chance, for a while Doja Cat song. Variety, enjoyment, fun and nostalgia make it a refreshing watch. Gabriela Sumampow
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