This 12 months got here in like a drunk on a weeklong bender — and left like a glue-sniffing drunk on a yearlong bender. In different phrases, what the hell simply occurred in 2024?
A Kennedy joined forces with a Republican. The Dems switched candidates 4 months earlier than the election. MAGA dominated MSG, and the far left’s heartthrob is a wealthy white child who assassinated a CEO in Midtown Manhattan. Joe Rogan turned a presidential kingmaker whereas Donald Trump labored a shift at McDonald’s.
It was tumultous and unpredictable.
No less than there’s Taylor Swift to carry us some consistency: She’s nonetheless getting richer, ruling the NFL discourse and influencing grown males to put on friendship bracelets.
However within the shifting panorama, a semblance of sanity returned. Cancel tradition, DEI, trans lunacy and group assume receded — whereas free speech thrived.
Politics and popular culture turned virtually indistinguishable from one another. Kamala Harris’ “brat” standing and Trump’s stilted “YMCA” dance overtook all the things (the latter was even the popular celebration of athletes).
However just one aspect was victorious.
The pantsuit is now 0 and a couple of in presidential elections after the drubbing that Kamala Harris took in November. (My prediction: The primary feminine president will likely be a Republican in a skirt.)
Harris was by no means as much as snuff, regardless of what the Dems and the media within the KHive tried to promote us. Talking of duds, the Democrat institution was uncovered as protecting up Joe Biden’s cognitive decline whereas assuring us he was finishing day by day Iron Mans. Get together leaders like Barack Obama misplaced affect and likability after peddling fascist worry porn and berating black males for supporting Trump over Harris.
Can’t hold an excellent Trump down, or out of the White Home. He was indicted 4 occasions and convicted by a Manhattan jury within the Stormy Daniels hush cash case — and nonetheless emerged stronger and greater in 2024. He constructed a brand new working-class coalition, tapped into the dissatisfaction with Biden’s insurance policies and, with the assistance of Elon Musk, led a fantastic political realignment.
Trump’s victory meant brutal defeat for Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg, who managed a conviction of the soon-to-be forty seventh President solely to see it caught in limbo. As are Bragg’s fortunes after subway Samaritan Daniel Penny was, fortunately, acquitted earlier this month.
It felt like bros dominated politics in 2024 — however the women obtained it carried out in sports activities.
Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark dazzled — successful Rookie of the 12 months, making the playoffs and boosting WNBA attendance by whopping figures.
In consequence, the league is successful bigly, even when people like Washington Mystics co-owner Sheila Johnson are loath to offer Clark credit score.
On the Paris Olympics, Simone Biles made a triumphant comeback and Katie Ledecky turned the primary feminine swimmer to win gold at 4 completely different video games.
In the meantime, Aussie competitor Raygun, along with her intersectional strategy to her “sport,” broke breakdancing — and our tolerance for nonsense.
Gloves-off comedy roared in 2024. Netflix’s outrageous “The Roast of Tom Brady,” which noticed the one-time golden boy take stronger hits than he did in 23 NFL seasons, slaughtered each sacred cow. It additionally launched Tony Hinchcliffe and Nikki Glaser into one other stratosphere.
Shane Gillis turned comedy’s Lazarus, internet hosting “Saturday Night Live” 5 years after getting canned from the present. He’s additionally reviving Bud Lite in its publish Dylan Mulvaney period.
Sadly, the phrase “freak off” is now in our vernacular due to hip-hop’s omnipotent Sean “Diddy” Combs, whose spectacular downfall is because of his alleged sexual proclivities.
Good outdated intercourse attraction reigned. After a years-long apology tour for, um, promoting lingerie, Victoria’s Secret as soon as once more staged a style present with scantily clad Angels. “SNL” host Sydney Sweeney’s boobs brought on a cultural eruption and proved {that a} good set of ladies are again. And Jeremy Allen White stripped to his Calvins for billboards, harkening to the golden period of underwear adverts with Marky Mark Wahlberg.
Haliey Welch, in any other case referred to as “Hawk Tuah girl,” was on her strategy to complete domination. The 21-year-old manufacturing facility employee rose to worldwide prominence the old style approach: by drunkenly making a fellatio joke. She launched a podcast — then hooked up her identify to a meme coin that tanked and led to accusations of a rip-off. She went into hiding and now says she’s cooperating with attorneys.
Welch stays a cautionary story about prompt viral fame.
Final 12 months, Spotify parted with “f–king grifters” Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. This 12 months, they delivered one other bomb with “Polo” — leaving their $100 million Netlfix deal trying extra precarious.
Hunter Biden scored huge with a pardon, however the solar has set on the Biden household’s decades-long energy grip. Hey, at the least Jill Biden can nonetheless name herself “Dr.”
Going into 2025, there stays a way of optimism that we’re headed in the best route. Now if we are able to solely work out what’s occurring with drones inflicting sky gridlock over Jersey.
