Pop Culture
By: Lindsey Wilson (11th Grade) and Esha Patel (11th Grade)
The Oscars! What Happened?
This year marks the 96th ceremony of the Academy Awards, recognizing those in the film industry for artistic and technical achievements, as well as excellence. The Academy Awards ceremony, nicknamed the Oscars, presents 24 awards to a number of nominees. Oppenheimer, directed by Christopher Nolan, led the ceremony with a whopping 13 nominations and took home 7 awards for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Supporting Actor, Best Film Editing, Best Cinematography and Best Original Score. Barbie, their summer rival, only took home 1 Oscar, Best Original Song, for Billie Eilish’s and FINNEAS’ “What Was I Made For?”. The singer and her brother performed their song at the Oscars and received a standing ovation from Ariana Grande, Barbie director Greta Gerwig, Barbie herself, Margot Robbie and others. Furthermore, “Poor Things” a comedy/science fiction film, starring Emma Stone and Mark Ruffalo, followed Oppenheimer in wins with 4 Academy Awards. The film received awards for Best Actress, Best Costume Design, Best Makeup and Hairstyling, and Best Production Design. For the attendees entertainment that night, Ryan Gosling performed fan-favorite “I’m Just Ken” from the Barbie movie, dressed in an all pink suit and sunglasses. The award show was a spectacular success and displayed the hard work and talent of those nominated and awarded. Who knows what this year will bring for the 97th Oscars!
No More Tiktok?
The news of a potential end to Tiktok, a viral social media app, reminisces through the tabloids. This year-long resistance amongst many nations drives the influence of the popular platform to an end.
On March 13th, the United States House on Energy and Commerce Committee gathered to decipher a bill projected on the ban of TikTok. This decision carries a great weight as it brings upon a new time of danger over digital privacy and safety. The source, ByteDance, a Chinese company, creates fear amongst numerous nations that under Chinese government compromises the data of millions of users. The House's vote of 352-65 in favor of the ban implies a potential success in Joe Biden’s desires to outrule TikTok. TikTok content creators grapple with suspense as they contemplate the effect of this case. Tiktok provides a source of income for many ranging from celebrities to small families living ordinary lives. Discussions now shift to the Senate, where the fate of TikTok lies.