Welcome back to the second edition of “Hot or Not!” This column is our official unofficial guide to pop culture, the trends we see on campus, around Seattle, and through the screens of our phones. With a little help from our poll-responding friends, “Tatler” has put together a list of everything that’s hot, and everything that’s not.
HOT
Mewing
Ireland. All the best actors come from across the pond: Cillian Murphy from “Oppenheimer,” Barry Keoghan and Alison Oliver from “Saltburn,” Paul Mescal from “Aftersun,” Ayo Edebiri from “The Bear,” Saoirse Ronan from “Lady Bird,” and Andrew Scott from “Fleabag.” The list goes on and on, and with Hozier dropping a new album in 2023, and The Cranberries boasting a trending sound on TikTok every other week, the Irish are receiving well-over- due appreciation (but I’ve always been a fan!).
Young Hollywood. TikTok’s new white boy of the month, Jacob Elordi (or Barry Keoghan or Jeremy Allen-White, depending on who you ask) has been everywhere recently, and for good reason, having acted in two of 2023’s best films, “Saltburn” and “Priscilla.” His female counterpart could be anyone, really (Ayo Edebiri, Taylor Russell, Zendaya, Rachel Zegler, etc.), but TikTok’s current favorite seems to be Reneé Rapp, singer, actress, and funny person. Regardless of who your favorites are, it’s easy to see that the future of Young Hollywood is bright (and gorgeous!).
“Mob wife” aesthetic (ironically)
The Grammys. SZA winning big, Tracy Chapman performing Fast Car with Luke Combs, and Joni Mitchell performing Both Sides Now were some of the best moments of the night, but for those awaiting the release of Taylor Swift’s The Tortured Poets Department, her announcement was probably the biggest. Personally, I am really excited for her upcoming song “Fortnight,” featuring Post Malone. It’s so sick that she’s releasing a song for Lakeside’s very own (unaffiliated) @lakesidefortnitepowerranking!
Coquette (Adidas Sambas, Bows, etc.)
Edits of NBA players to the most random songs. I have a bunch of these saved to show my friends because who doesn’t want to see interspersed clips of Dallas Maverick Luka Dončić and his younger self to Laufey’s “From the Start”? Or highlights of Kyrie Irving’s handles to the theme song of Dis- ney’s “Kickin’ It” or Carmelo Anthony’s move from the Nuggets to the Knicks soundtracked by Billy Joel’s “Moving Out (Anthony’s Song)”? Plus, the song always fits much better than the phonk usually used…
De-influencing (TikTokers asking the important questions — do you really need this month’s new trendy pair of shoes? The latest drop shipped sweater? I didn’t think so…)
Absurd Super Bowl predictions. Although we know that the Chiefs were victorious, there’s no doubt that the videos hyping fans up were some of the best moments of January and February. From predictions that Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift would get engaged, or that the Dallas Cowboys would somehow come out on top, or those involving 16-year-old tennis player and Brock Purdy clone Anna Frey, the internet was truly at its creative peak.
NOT
Age-gap couples, celebrity or not. As one poll respondent says, “Why are Bradley Cooper and Gigi Hadid together? She’s 28 and he’s 49 … that’s a 21- year age gap. Why do celebrity men insist on dating women 20 years younger than them?” Unfortunately, I don’t know the answer. Although the saying goes that there are plenty of fish in the sea, it seems that male celebrities think “only as long as they’re younger than me.”
The amount of homework and projects assigned right before breaks
Taylor Swift. All good things come to an end and, unfortunately for Swifties, it seems that Taylor Swift’s hype isn’t an exception. From TikTok to Twitter, Swift has been under scrutiny for her insane use of her private jet (even for flights as short as 13 minutes), and overexposure from her high-pro- file romance with 3x Super Bowl Champion Travis Kelce; whether warranted or not, the general public and poll respondents seem to be tired of Taylor Swift.
Drake
Yeezys (although, Ye made them all $20 … )
Stanley Cups
Jo Koy hosting the Golden Globes. Jo Koy, or as one poll respondent says, “that bald misogynist at the Golden Globes,” is not only painfully un- funny but embarrassing. None of his jokes hit, and they were all cheap shots at one of the biggest movies of the year, “Barbie.” One thing’s for sure though, he definitely won’t be invited back to host ever again.
Megamind 2
49ers losing the Super Bowl (We still love you, Brock Purdy!!!)
Recent TikTok trends. From things like “Imagine if ninja got a lower taper fade” to “We’re ____, of course, we ____,” trends on TikTok get extremely old extremely quickly. It honestly seems like there’s less creativity, especially when compared to older trends on the app (like the adult swim trend a couple of years back). And with UMG removing its artists’ songs from TikTok (including massive stars like Taylor Swift, SZA, The Weeknd, and Drake), making the app’s origi- nal status as a music-centric platform obsolete, it seems that TikTok is nearing the end of its rope.
