Pop Culture Primer 1.21.25
Two very different, yet connected, resurrections
The Speidi Comeback No One Saw Coming
As a 1986 baby, I am a very firmly situated Millennial. And, as such, I came of age with Laguna Beach and The Hills. Like most of my peers, I embraced Spencer Pratt and Heidi Montag as the villains of the show, giving little to no thought to any behind-the-scenes narratives or editing tricks.
Fast-forward to 2024, and who shows up on my TikTok FYP but Spencer Pratt? At first, I was resistant. But as I kept watching, I found myself relating to his parenting woes (our kids are around the same age), enjoying his excitement at the Eras tour, and finding his passion for hummingbirds sweet.
Unfortunately, it took the Los Angeles wildfires (you can donate to relief efforts here) for others to catch up. We all watched live as Spencer and Heidi made the realization that their house was going to burn, as they collected what they could, as they evacuated. We watched as they dealt with the realization that their memories were gone, along with the hummingbirds Spencer loved.
And then, they did something no one expected. They leaned into TikTok and monetization of their videos, telling everyone straight up they were filming videos in order to help with their recovery effort. Spencer also became the ultimate Wife Guy, encouraging everyone to stream Heidi’s 2010 album, Superficial. And Millennials showed up for the pair, catapulting her to number one on the iTunes charts.
My theory is that a combination of nostalgia, enhanced media literacy regarding reality TV, and Spencer's complete earnestness contributed to their comeback in a big way. It will be interesting to see what path they take from here.
Tiktok’s Quick Return
Another miraculous comeback happened this past weekend with the video app TikTok. After years of threats to shut down the app, it actually happened late Saturday evening, only to come back online unexpectedly 16 hours later. Most of us in the U.S. were asleep for the duration of the “ban,” although I did find myself trying to open it out of muscle memory once or twice. I wasn’t the only one relieved the ban didn’t stick—so many people make their living off of TikTok, and to lose is all is devastating. Plus, Reels just doesn’t compare (you know I’m right).
Was and does the whole thing continue to be a political stunt? Yes.
Is TikTok probably a security risk? Also yes, but isn’t everything?
Were the hours leading up to the ban some of the most fun I’ve had online since Trump got Covid? Absolutely. There was one last dalgona coffee for the road. Emily Mariko made a salmon bowl for her baby 🥹. The Wellermen sang us away with a final sea shanty. We also got some truly unhinged confessions and goodbyes from some of my favorite TikTok creators.
For now, TikTok has been granted a 75-day reprieve. What happens after that is anyone’s guess, but I’m sure we’ll be subject to more theatrics in that time. If there’s one thing all of these tech oligarchs and billionaires like, it’s dramatics.
