Critical Theories of Popular Culture

Memes have become invaluable tools for connecting people, ideas, and even political figures, most recently in the 2024 presidential election. The “coconut tree” meme about Kamala Harris captured the internet’s discourse surrounding her, turning a humorous moment into a viral sensation that made her campaign more relatable to younger audiences. This seemingly trivial meme highlights how popular culture can bridge the gap between political figures and young voters. By examining this meme through the lenses of representation, participatory culture, and camp, we can better understand its impact on Harris’s public image and memes’ surprising potential for political engagement. Stuart Hall’s theory of representation provides a useful framework for understanding how the coconut tree meme reshaped Harris’s image. As Hall argues, “meaning is not inherent in things, but is constructed through systems of representation” (Hall, 1997, p. 22). Traditional portrayals of politicians often emphasize fo...

     The recreation of the renowned musical Wicked as a movie has had a lot of press leading to its release. It has been getting a lot of attention, especially with stars Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo as the leads in the movie (Breihan, 2024). With lots of press comes audience opinions and reactions. One example of this was an individual’s reproduction of the new Wicked poster that was attempting to imitate the original musical’s wicked poster. audience member redoing the new Wicked poster because it is not exactly like the original musical poster. The audience member created a remake of the poster to have it match the original, causing Cynthia Erivo to be upset. She took to her social media to express how upset she was. She described the remake as being “degrading” and said “to edit my face and hide my eyes is to erase me” (Placido, 2024). Through the understanding of memes, digital technology, and the demonstration of misogynoir, the controversy is better conveyed. Cy...

On the night of September 16, 2024, the arrest of American rapper Sean “Diddy” Combs took place during his stay at a hotel in Manhattan (AP News, 2024). The following day, his indictment was unsealed for the world to see. With rapid speed, news of his arrest became a trending topic across almost every major social media platform. It seemed that articles and videos describing the content of the indictment were inescapable, and people were quickly made aware that Combs was indicted on a plethora of major charges, including, “sex trafficking, forced labor, interstate transportation for purposes of prostitution, drug offenses, kidnapping, arson, bribery and obstruction of justice.” (AP News, 2024). Despite Combs having been in the spotlight of the media for his legal troubles since November 2023, it wasn’t until his arrest that his situation became more widely discussed, and more social media users began reacting. However, the reactions to his arrest weren’t all as expected. The charges th...

Forget about the touchdowns and halftime show—the 2024 Super Bowl buzz had nothing to do with the game itself. All eyes scanned the stadium for one lone persona: Taylor Swift, pop icon turned unofficial NFL MVP, cheering on her boyfriend, Travis Kelce, the Kansas City Chiefs’ tight end. Power couple Swift and Kelce began publicly dating in late July of 2023, and their new relationship took the world by storm, making the NFL even more popular than ever. With an estimated increase of over 2 million female viewers, the NFL and the Kansas City Chiefs have “Traylor” to thank for this increase in female viewership and the Chief’s overall brand value (Acton, 2024).  The idyllic relationship between Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift has undeniably captured global attention, but perhaps the most intriguing aspect isn’t their romance itself—it’s how the NFL and the Chiefs have strategically commodified it. This dynamic, coupled with the influence of Taylor Swift's fandom and the celebrity news c...

On October 31, Tyler, the Creator released his 7th studio album, Chromakopia. In the album, Tyler reflects on his identity, the challenges of adulthood, and feelings of paranoia and loneliness. In the short time since its release, Chromakopia has proven to be another artistic success for Tyler, reinforcing his reputation as a compelling and effective storyteller. Tyler’s artistic roots began in the rap collective Odd Future, infamous for “shock-core,” a style of rap that often features vulgar, offensive, and misogynistic lyrics. Throughout his career, however, Tyler’s music has undergone a dramatic shift. His lyrics now explore themes like sexuality, focus on introspection, and challenge the hypermasculine norms of rap culture. Chromakopia exemplifies this transformation, presenting Tyler as an artist seemingly committed to growth and change. I first listened to the album a week after its release, and just days after the 2024 Presidential election. In the aftermath of a divisive electi...

Over the past Presidential Election cycles, in particular, during 2024, individuals have used their social media accounts to stay updated with politics (McClain et al., 2024). While users can utilize social media platforms to share their political opinions with others, they may not be able to reach wider audiences as successfully as celebrities would. According to Yashraj Sharma’s description of Instagram’s Class Politics, whereas TikTok can boost anyone’s video on For You pages (and anybody can gain a large following), Instagram Reels has restrictions and will only recommend videos of higher quality (Sharma, 2021, para. 18). As a result, creators who have access to resources that can help them achieve quality content are more likely to reach a broader audience through their platforms. This is where celebrities, specifically musical artists, can step in. Some pop stars (such as Billie Eilish and Taylor Swift) used the presidential election as an opportunity to share their political bel...

For music lovers and pop culture enthusiasts, Grammy nomination season is always a roller coaster of emotion filled with anticipation, excitement, and, ultimately, disappointment, all in that order. This year proved to be no different. On November 8, 2024, The Recording Academy’s announcement of the 2025 Grammy Awards nominees triggered an instant flood of opinions on social media. Many were surprised by some of the nominees but more so shocked by the absence of certain artists, songs, and albums – projects that were widely expected to earn nominations but were instead “snubbed” from their key categories. This leaves the question: will the Grammys be able to sustain any relevance in pop culture if they continue to clash with public opinion? As the years go by, the Grammys seem to become more and more irrelevant to the music industry, and the constant controversy they cause is only making it worse.  The Grammy’s nomination process is the catalyst of the outrage. Artists and, or thei...

In 2024, Coleman Hawkins signed a contract at KSU to play college basketball, earning him a $2 million NIL signing bonus. Caleb Williams played college football at the University of Southern California and was reportedly paid an estimated $10 million in endorsements. These deals were made possible by a change in status, allowing college athletes to profit from Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) sponsorships and endorsements. As soon as these NIL deals became available, memes like "Get That Bag", which alludes to athletes earning and chasing money, swiftly went viral on social media platforms, giving athletes influencer status overnight and reshaping college athletics and popular culture. As a college athlete, I support my peers being recognized for their hard work and talents, and earning the recognition and financial compensation they deserve. However, over the past year, as NIL partnerships have brought about a long-overdue boost in audience involvement and financial support f...

Hannah Wright was born to be a star. Her life was movie-esque. Her talent for Ballet was unrivaled, she received a scholarship to the Juilliard School while competing in the Miss New York pageant. She was on an upward trajectory to stardom with endless opportunities.  Then she met Daniel Neeleman. The pair met in her home state and married three weeks after. Eight children and almost ten million followers later Hannah Neeleman is known by her moniker: Ballerina Farm–the queen of the trad-wives. https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZP8L4jtnq/ Trad-Wives or Traditional Wives, is a lifestyle popularized on TikTok that subliminally emphasizes traditional gender roles for women: homemaking, child-rearing, and a romanticized submission to a male breadwinner. This aesthetic glorifies the realities of 1950s domestic life through a curated and visually appealing narrative. Ballerina Farm presents an idyllic vision of traditionalism: beautiful landscapes, wholesome family values, and a rejection of the ...

Do you remember opening your phone on July 30, 2024, only to find your entire For You Page filled with videos of Stephen Nedoroscik, aka Mr. Pommel Horse? This was certainly the case for me and many of my friends. Nedoroscik was the final competitor for the United States Men’s Gymnastics Team in the all-around team competition and when he earned a strong score, it secured the bronze medal for the USA – the team's first medal in a team event in sixteen years (Team USA Gymnast, 2024). To many, Nedoroscik does not look like a typical gymnast with his thick black glasses, often appearing to “sleep” on the sidelines with his eyes closed in a mediating position. On TikTok, people quickly gravitated towards him, sharing their amazement with his capabilities and referring to him as “Clark Kent” because of his glasses and his “superpowers.” Following his successful competitions and this initial burst of social media virality, Nedoroscik was able to transition to appearances on mainstream me...