A brief overview of what is currently trending in news, culture, and/or trending hashtags and formats.
The House: The U.S.House of Representatives narrowly passed President Trump’s sweeping tax and spending bill early Thursday morning.
Palestine: Two Israeli embassy staff members were fatally shot outside the Capital Jewish Museum in Washington, D.C. on Wednesday night.
Aaron Nesmith: The Indiana Pacers mounted an OT comeback over the Knicks in Game 1 of the NBA Eastern Conference finals.
A deeper dive into a subject that is impacting culture on a macro level, beyond just the social space.
Calling the Boys to Say Goodnight
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What It Is: The latest trend to sweep TikTok has people (particularly boyfriends and husbands) calling their male friends just to say good night, resulting in some hilariously wholesome reactions. User sammysweetheart0613 started off the trend, sharing a video of her husband randomly calling up his male friend to say good night at her behest. The resulting confused, almost offended, reaction from the friend is what made this format catch on. Since the original video was shared, other wives and girlfriends have prompted their male partners to do the same, leading to some pretty funny reactions as well as some interesting discourse about male friendships.
The Brand Takeaway: Trends like this one are notable as conversations about male loneliness and toxic masculinity continue to spread among Gen Z on social. While this may not be a directly actionable trend for most brands, it points to an interest in seeing positive, uplifting messages from men – a sharp contrast from the type of manosphere content that has gained popularity online in recent years. The format subverts expectations around male friendships, showcasing examples of men expressing affection and creating moments of intimacy with their friends, even if just for a laugh. The ensuing reactions are endearing, especially as casual expressions of platonic love aren’t as normalized for men — some viewers in the comments even believe this could end the male loneliness epidemic. We’ll see about that, but for now this trend is highlighting an interest in challenging social norms in a funny and lighthearted way.
Four must-click links that crossed our feeds today.
Target is experiencing an ongoing sales slump fueled by customer boycotts and impending tariffs.
The hype for Wicked: For Good is starting early with this short teaser clip.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander from the Oklahoma City Thunder has been named the 2024-25 NBA MVP.
The Tottenham Spurs have officially won the Europa League.
Sirens - Netflix, 5/22
Big Mouth Season 8 - Netflix, 5/23
Rick and Morty Season 8 - Adult Swim, 5/25
Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning, Theaters, 5/23
Lilo & Stitch - Theaters, 5/23
Friendship - Theaters, 5/23
Fear Street: Prom Queen - Netflix, 5/23
Music for People Who Believe in Love - Joe Jonas
Hunting Season - Home is Where
Instant Holograms on Metal Film - Stereolab
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