Welcome back Highline scholars! You have likely come across the myriad of world-changing news that has been unfolding over the past few months, and things can slip by if we don’t give them their due diligence, so let us recount some of the biggest pop culture events that have happened since our last issue of the Thunderword.

Brat Summer

Summer officially kicked off with the release of Charlie XCX’s hit single, ‘Brat’ on June 7, 2024. For her sixth studio album, Charlie XCX embraced the party girl aesthetic to viral acclaim, topping over ten countries’ musical charts and even gave a boost to the earliest days of Vice President Kamala Harris’ presidential campaign.

Even the album cover has become so ubiquitous that the neon peridot used has become largely referred to as “Brat Green.”

Summer Olympics

From July to August, Paris hosted the Summer Olympic Games, allowing for some now famous moments of true inspiration as well as giving the internet fodder for the latest crop of memes.

Perhaps the most infamous of memes came from Australian breakdancer Rachel Gunn, who lost the competition by such a wide margin, she received criticism from the breakdancing community, who reportedly accused her of unfairly qualifying for the Olympics and making a mockery of the sport. 

As mind-boggling as Gunn’s routine was, the rest of the coverage of the Olympics was generally more positive, highlighting the diversity of marksman competitors, history-making performances from Simone Biles, and the breakout appearance of Stephen Nedoroscik, who secured a gold medal for the US on the pommel horse and endeared audiences with a joyful celebration with his teammates afterward.

P. Diddy Arrest

The most recent pop culture obsession has been Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs, who faces charges of federal sex trafficking and racketeering, dating back as far back as 2008. Though the subject matter of the allegations are as grim as they are numerous, the internet has not held back on its regular stream of constant memes relating to the allegations. 

Videos of Combs speaking on talk shows and interacting with celebrities have resurfaced in a new wave of scrutiny, as countless internet users are pointing out his erratic behavior and antagonistic conversations with those around him. Amidst the news of these allegations, the Thunderword would like to remind our readers that resources are available to victims of sexual assault, at Rainn.org as well as their hotline number 800-656-4673.

Marvel Villain Announcement

To finish off on a lighter note, Marvel used this summer’s Comic Con to announce the casting of their newest big bad, Doctor Doom. In a somewhat divisive announcement, Robert Downey Jr. donned the villain’s mask as he stood onstage beside President of Marvel Studios Kevin Feige. 

Though most of the response has been positive, as Downey Jr.’s place in the MCU has been critically and commercially successful, many fans fear that Marvel is playing it too safe by rehiring the veteran actor for astounding $80 million, raising concerns about the film industry as a whole prioritizing commercial success over film quality. 

As packed as summer was, the Thunderword looks forward to informing the campus and community this coming fall quarter and beyond. If we missed a pop culture story here, email us at thunderword@highline.edu and let us know what you would like covered!

Cam Lyons has been an editor for The Thunderword since 2023. Their blog “Loser Pulp” is released twice a month.