GOOD EVENING!

This is the POP CULTURE CHEAT SHEET, your weekly intel to fuel your water cooler conversations, delivered to your inbox every Monday. If someone forwarded you this email, be sure and subscribe here. 

LUNCH BREAK

five pop culture moments to fill pre-meeting small talk

1. FIRST ANNUAL TRUMPER GAMES. Next he’s building a school for wizards.

2. STUN GUNS PEPPER SPRAY CIGARETTES AND UNDERWEAR. Slayyyter lyrics or the whims of an AI vending machine?

3. TIMOTHEE CONSPIRACET DEBUNKED. Timmy Tim and EsDeeKid spotted in the same room.

4. THE BEST OF THE WORST. Katy Perry was finally recognized for her 2025 accomplishments.

5. JLAW PULITZER WHEN? The actress went full Barbara Walters on Leo.

should politicians be cool?

Nowhere in America’s foundational texts is “cool” listed as a requisite for political office. But we are a representative democracy. We want our politicians to understand our plights and preferences and perspectives; we want to see ourselves in them. 

Now more than ever, with social media serving as a direct line to constituents, cultural fluency has become a form of qualification. To represent the people means understanding the culture that defines them – the music they listen to, the movies they watch, the moments that matter to them – not just their policy preferences.

‘Be cool’ might not be an explicit mandate – but maybe it’s written in invisible ink on the back of the Declaration of Independence. 

Trouble is, being cool is tricky. You first have to identify what’s cool, and then you have to embody it with authenticity. Politicians (or their comms teams) seem to sense this – and will usually get parts of the equation right. 

Take Curtis Sliwa’s rendition of the Chainsmokers’ “Don’t Let Me Down.” It is certainly authentic – his affinity for the band is well-documented – it’s just hard to make a case for the currency of an artist characteristic of a 2016 house party.

Obama has a long-standing commitment to demonstrating his cultural competency – his annual favorites lists are case in point. But including songs like an entendre-laden sapphic anthem makes it start to seem like pandering – an almost Noah’s arc-esque, one-of-every-kind approach. (Unless understood through the lens of his desire to impress queer women – which, in fairness, took root during a formative period in his brain development.)

Finally, we have Zohran Mandani’s appearance at A24’s Marty Supreme afterparty. While partaking in an extracurricular so far outside of your job description in the public eye will inevitably open you up to some criticism, Marty Supreme is undoubtedly the moment – Timmy’s made sure of it – and we all wish we had a fun, giggly pic with Odessa A'zion on our feeds. Plus, Zohran is inheriting the office from NYC’s self-described nightlife mayor, so the move is not without precedent. 

In the way that not being TV-ready cost Nixon in his debate against Kennedy, not being pop culture-ready will increasingly cost politicians their connection to voters who expect their leaders to serve as their proxy. 

Mr. Obama, Mr. Sliwa – you’ll find the subscribe button at the top of this email.

TREND RAPPORT

viral vocab of the week 

GLAZE (v.) –  To excessively praise or deify. 

RECEIVE (v.) –  To internalize, accept, and appreciate.

“THE CONCEPT OF” (phrase) –  A setup used to highlight the absurdity of a situation.

SEE YOU NEXT YEAR!

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