The weirdest pop culture moments of 2022 that altered my brain chemistry forever

The idea of Trisha Paytas giving birth to Queen Elizabeth would annihilate any Victorian child


We have been trialled and tested over the last 12 months. With the death of Queen Elizabeth II and her rumoured rebirth with Trisha Paytas as her mum. And witnessing three prime ministers, one of them being outlived in office by a sodding lettuce. It’s been a lot. But amongst all of it, there have been some moments which truly altered my brain chemistry forever and I can’t see myself going back to the way I lived before 2022.

Pop culture has dominated headlines, TikTok and tweets. I’m not just talking about the straightforward stuff that you’d expect, like Lionesses winning the Euros but I’m talking about the rogue and weird shit as well. Some of the moments have shook us to our very core and some of them have altered our brain chemistry forever. Here’s a rundown of 2022’s weirded pop culture moments.

Wordle

You couldn’t escape Wordle for love nor money at the start of this year. Your friends were playing it. Your parents were sending down their scores every single morning like clockwork. People you’d pass in the morning would be attempting to crack that five letter code. Then the New York Times bought it and people gave up (thank GOD). The world showed normality for the first time in what was a few very dark weeks. It was brief, but it was hell and I thank NYT every day that it’s over.

‘My money don’t jiggle jiggle, it folds’

my money don't jiggle jiggle

Louis Theroux’s rap will be ingrained in me for the rest of my life. Amelia Dimoldenburg has had loads of funny chicken shop dates but none of them were quite like Louis Theroux’s. It was pure class and essentially unmatched against all others.

The clip got so big we reached a point where Megan Thee Stallion danced to it on her socials. God tier content.

Dubai Porta Potty

The Dubai Porta Potty should never have happened. It should have never made its way onto TikTok. My life changed for the worse when I locked eyes with the viral poo rumour. So it all started when TikTok content creator @ebrahim_ka explained the trend to his one million followers. He said: “Supposedly Instagram models and other female influencers are receiving messages from wealthy Arab men, offering them up to $1m for the opportunity of defecating on their faces.”

it’s about shitting on faces. The mouth IS the porta potty. End of.

The woman who wanted to love Putin as if she was his mother

 

Former 90210 cast member A

via Instagram @theannalynnemccord

released a video on Twitter where she said if she had been the mother of Vladimir Putin, he would not have felt the urge to invade Ukraine. In her wild video, she said: “Dear President Vladimir Putin. I’m so sorry that I was not your mother. If I was your mother you would have been so loved, held in the arms of joyous light, never would this story plight the world unfurled before our eyes a pure demise of nation sitting peacefully under a night sky.

“If I was your mother the world would have been warm, so much laughter and joy and nothing would harm. I can’t imagine the stain, the soul stealing pain that the little boy you must have seen.”

Will Smith slapping Chris Rock

No one expected this to happen at the Oscars. In March, Will Smith literally walked up on stage and slapped Chris Rock for making a joke about Jada Pinkett-Smith. Chris Rock said Jada looked like “GI Jane” (she has alopecia). After slapping Chris Rock, Will Smith walked back to his seat and said: “Keep my wife’s name out your fucking mouth.” Will Smith was banned from the Oscars and other Academy events for ten years. This was mental.

The rumoured doomsday on 24th September 2022

There’s nothing quite like the trauma and impending doom you feel when you learn TikTok has created a new date for the end of the world. This one happened to be on 24th September 2022 and my god, it was like every single fucking awful thing was set to happen. A solar storm was meant to take place which would call all sorts like volcanic eruptions, tsunamis, the whole lot.

Kim Kardashian telling women to get their fucking asses up and work

kanye west celebs

Photo via @kimkardashian on Instagram

Kim Kardashian did a few memeable things this year but my favourite by far was telling women to “get your fucking ass up and work.”

Liam Payne’s big hands threat

Liam Payne is another celebrity who’s had quite the year. Liam Payne revealed all about an argument he had with someone from One Direction. Liam admits he was threw up against the wall and then he told his person: “If you don’t remove these hands there’s a high likelihood you’ll never use them again.”

Tommy Fury forgetting Molly-Mae is pregnant

I’ve never felt sadness for Molly-Mae before, really. But this one got me. When she said Tommy sometimes forgets she is pregnant – what father-to-be does that? It’s kind of traumatised me and I don’t know why.

The way Luca Bish asked Gemma Owen to be his girlfriend

This was sooooooo evil from Luca. Every single gesture in his “going official” video made me sick to my stomach. The amount of money, roses and energy this man had for this was too much – Gemma wasn’t half arsed about it.

Ekin-Su and Davide

This year’s Love Island was a slow burner at the start but it came rising through the ranks when Ekin-Su and Davide reunited. They were the couple with the story arc that had all of us in a chokehold. They were initially coupled up until Ekin-Su’s eye wandered over to Jay and then Davide was left embarrassed and heart broken. After being called a liar, an actress and being told to get the fuck out, Ekin-Su realised she had made a mistake. She won Davide back over and they worked through their issues. Now they’re living the dream!

‘I licked her tit, or whatever’

Another iconic Love Island moment that is burnt into my brain is Andrew Le bloody Page admitting to Tasha that he did, in fact, lick Coco Lodge’s tit. This is why I pay my telly tax.

Trisha Paytas having to deny rumours she gave birth to Queen Elizabeth II reincarnated

I’m still processing this.

Learning Adam Levine ‘may need to see the booty’

Back in September Adam Levine had a big scandal on his hands as well as a burning need to see the booty. 23-year-old model, Sumner Stroh, alleged she had an affair with Adam Levine – and the Maroon 5 frontman denied all claims. She also exposed some raunchy messages, claiming they were sent by Adam. One which quickly became the backbone of Twitter for 24 hours said: “It is truly unreal how fucking hot you are, like it blows my mind.”

The Try Guys cheating scandal

This one is for the Buzzfeed fans. In September, Ned Fulmer was accused of cheating on his wife with an employee on the show. The other three Try Guys then booted him out and posted a dramatic video titled “What happened.” It was a whirlwind and so crazy, for ages it dominated TikTok and the Try Guys still crack jokes about it now.

Lea Michelle not being able to read rumours

rachel berry

Photo via Fox

To be fair to her, she’s taken this really well. She was a bit pissed off when it started, calling it “sad” but since then she’s taken it in her stride and even translated a few TikTok captions into emojis.

Gemma Owen announcing her and Luca’s breakup whilst he slept

Lmaoooooooo.

Matt Hancock on I’m A Celeb

All jokes aside, how did we allow this man to get to a point where he was considered to have enough “celebrity” status to go on I’m A Celeb?? And come THIRD? It was madness, a blip in the universe.

Matt Hancock having trench foot

There are some things in life that we deserve to live without the knowledge of it, yeah this was one of those.

A negroni…sbagliato…with prosecco in it

This was sexy – that’s all I have to say about it!

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