Living under a rock? Don’t worry! For all your secondhand pop culture news, check out the Thrift Pop.
The year is drawing to a close, and though baby North West has some time left to utter his first word (I’m betting on “Kimye.”) in a silky smooth baritone before December ends, we at Sightline are ready to call it. It’s time to count down the top 5 pop culture events of 2013.
5. Dances
One way decades are defined is by their dance crazes. Who can forget the Vogue, the Macarena, or the Jitterbug? This year, some unfortunate dance crazes have taken hold. These are, of course, twerking and the Harlem Shake.
The Harlem Shake spread mainly because of YouTube, eventually finding its way to other mediums. Even Bethany wasn’t immune; last semester Social Media released a Harlem Shake video that took place in the library.
Though twerking has existed for a while, it wasn’t until Miley Cyrus’ fateful performance at the MTV Video Music Awards that it really took off.
It might be a little frightening thinking about our generation’s dancing legacy, but thinking about our future forty-year-old selves trying to twerk at our class reunion is enough to make it worthwhile.
4. The Fox
The best\worst song of 2013 has got to be Ylvis’ “The Fox.” It has much in common with its predecessors. Like “Gangnam Style,” its singers are foreign-born; Like “Friday,” its subject and lyrics are about subjects you usually don’t hear about in the musical world; and like both songs, it has an iconic music video.
What is it about these songs that make them so popular? Do we love to hate them, or do we pretend to hate them? Either way, “The Fox” is probably going to be the song we send to aliens to describe the emotion of “what the heck?”
3. Anthony Weiner/Carlos Danger
Every so often there comes a politician so infamous that he or she invades pop culture. Sarah Palin is a prime example. Though Texas state Senator Wendy Davis might also qualify, her bravery and awesomeness would trigger a feminist rant best saved for another column.
Anthony Weiner, however, is a prime candidate (pun intended) for this year’s most hilariously terrible politician. The former congressman and mayoral candidate sent out inappropriate messages and photos like it was his destiny- and maybe it was.
2. Year of the Nerds
If you aren’t into shows like BBC’s “Sherlock” or “Doctor Who,” you might want to skip ahead and read some more about twerking. If you are into shows like that, read this section if convenient. If inconvenient, read it anyway. Allons-y!
I’m not sure if you could actually call this a “good” year for nerds. This season of the CW’s “Supernatural” has been traumatic for fans; Matt Smith is leaving “Doctor Who,” taking his beloved bow tie with him; and as more previews for “Sherlock” roll in, fans fear that the season premiere, set to air right after the “Doctor Who” Christmas special, will cause more tears than even the previous season’s finale.
There were some positives, though. This year’s San Diego Comic Con was perhaps the best ever, with the “Hannibal” panel’s flower crowns and Tom Hiddleston’s appearance as Loki. Marvel fans brought a beloved character back to life.
All in all, this may not have been a good year for nerds, but it wasn’t necessarily bad, either. It was big- big enough that this year may be known in the future as the Year of the Nerds.
1. Miley Cyrus
No one really knows- or wants to know- what happened to Miley. Looking back on her transformation, we might not be as shocked by “We Can’t Stop.” That song and video aren’t quite as scandalous when we take them in context with Miley’s performance at the MTV Video Music Awards and her video for “Wrecking Ball.”
What makes Miley different from child stars like Lindsay Lohan and Amanda Bynes is that she hasn’t completely imploded. She’s not the Hannah Montana we used to know, but she hasn’t yet been hospitalized for a drug overdose or driven her car through the front door of a Macy’s. She’s still going strong, even if in an inappropriate way. It’s almost hopeful, which makes it a great way to finish out 2013.
~Rachel A. Schrock