I Can't Believe I'm Saying This But: Maybe Brooklyn Beckham Has a Point?

The Beckham vs. Peltz-Beckham feud is mostly entertaining and low-stakes celebrity drama, I know. But, it has been making me think about 'family brands,' and what they require of the most vulnerable members of said family.

Justin and Katy Tie the Knot, Ben Affleck Has One (1) Happy Day + 14 Other Pop Culture Predictions

9 pop culture experts on the year that was and—even more importantly—what they think we'll be talking about in 2026

5 Things I Wish I’d Written About This Year

From the rise of rage-bait marketing to the Coldplay kiss cam cheating scandal, here are my slightly belated takes on the pop culture stories I didn't cover in 2025

Skims' New 'Ultimate Bush' Thongs Are a Masterclass in Stunt Marketing—and a Beauty Standard Minefield

This week, Skims dropped a new product, Faux Hair Micro String Thong, and yes, it was definitely a stunt! But the discourse it sparked has also been fascinating

Those Cardi B ‘BBL Smell’ Rumours Are More Than Just Celebrity Gossip

This week, the internet was abuzz with the idea that Cardi B and Stefon Diggs had broken up because her BBL smelled bad. No one will be surprised to hear this had nothing to do with reality, and everything to do with societal ideas around femininity, smell and shame.

In Praise of Pettiness

Last week, Serena Williams became a part-owner of Toronto's new WNBA team, which some people perceived as her being petty toward Drake. It's me, I'm people—and honestly, I'm here for it.

Armie Hammer, Justin Baldoni—Do *All* the Men of Hollywood Share the Same Approach to Spin?

Four years after those cannibalism allegations, the actor says his career is getting back on track—and he’s grown as a person, naturally. Whether or not that’s true, this mini news cycle is a lesson in crafting narratives, and evidence of how male celebrities are wielding spin against the women in their lives

Here’s What The Next Year in Pop Culture is Going to Look Like

From celebrity conservatism to the politics of smell, here’s a sneak peak of the pop culture themes I already know I’m going to be thinking about next year.

Not Everything is Fascism, But Lindsay Lohan’s New Face Might Be!

The recent move toward a more minimalist, athletic, ‘natural’ beauty standard isn’t just a trend; it’s a reflection of global political shifts.

What If The Fantasy of ‘Nobody Wants This’ Isn’t What We Think It Is?

In which I draw a direct line between the popular Netflix rom-com and several disgraced U.K. podcast bros.

CelebrityStacy Lee KongOctober 11, 2024Adam Brody, Kristen Bell, James Duncan, Fuhad Dawodu, Yung Filly

Please Can We Talk About Ta-Nehisi Coates' CBS Interview?!

TNC has returned to writing non-fiction with his new book, The Message—but his unequivocal support for Palestinian liberation is not always going over well.

CelebrityStacy Lee KongOctober 4, 2024Palestine, Gaza Strip, Israel, Diddy, Adam Brody, Ta-Nehisi Coates, Solange Knowles, Jay-Z

As Usual, the Internet is Being Weird. This Time, It's About Diddy's Abuse Allegations

It is, however, a great lens to think about rape culture, celebrity and complicity.

The Convo About Justin Timberlake’s DWI Tells Us A Lot About His Current Levels of Fame and Power

Don’t ask how the singer’s arrest for driving while intoxicating will affect his career—instead, think about what the discourse says about the state of his career right now.

If I See One More Celebrity Post That “The Second-Best Time to Speak is Now” Meme, I Might Scream

It’s fair to feel angry that so many celebrities only now have something to say about Israel’s genocide of Palestinians—but I’m not sure it’s useful.

Of All The Things We *Could* Be Using AI For, This Might Be The Most Stupid

A horrifyingly named new sex toy purports to be an ‘AI girlfriend,’ the latest example of the common, problematic trend of feminizing AI.

CelebrityStacy Lee KongApril 19, 2024Friday Talks, Not Bad For Some Immigrants, Hannah Sung, P. Diddy

The Roman Empire Says a Lot More About the Way Women Think Than It Does About Men

Why is it so difficult for women to identify their collective Roman Empire? Feminist theory can help provide an answer.

O. J. Simpson Might Have Been A Complicated Figure, But His Legacy is Pretty Simple

When news broke that former NFL player O. J. Simpson had died, so many news outlets talked about his legacy being “complicated” and the man being “controversial.” I think there was a more accurate word: abusive.

On Beyoncé’s ‘Cowboy Carter,’ the U.S. Flag and the Reality of Multiple Meanings

We’re in the midst of Beyoncé’s ‘Cowboy Carter’ roll-out and the visuals are causing a stir—especially her use of the American flag. The discourse asks whether she’s engaging in reclamation, hinting at resistance or upholding imperialism. The answer? Yes.