2023 brought with it Barbies mixed with bombs, awful celebrity memoirs, and Pedro Pascal; pop culture once again found itself infatuated with Taylor Swift, divorces, and court appearances. I think all in all, 2023 was memorable. How could 2024 top it? Here are my personal predictions for significant cultural moments looking into the new year.

George Santos gets a TLC reality show.
After two unsuccessful expulsion attempts from the house, the controversy-ridden Santos was ousted by Congress in December. The former Republican congressman from New York was expelled from the House of Representatives after being indicted on multiple federal charges and facing a scathing ethics report. He admitted to fabricating many aspects of his resume, such as his education, work experience, and Jewish heritage. He was also accused of spending campaign funds on personal expenses, defrauding donors, and stealing charity money from a veteran’s dying service dog.

With those facts, who wouldn’t want to see a Santos series on TLC? A reality show, of course. Some of the shows that TLC produces have been criticized for being exploitative, fake, or harmful to the participants or the viewers. Tell me why this wouldn’t be a good fit for someone who’s known to follow the same principles.

For maximum entertainment, have Santos be the executive producer.

James Corden Fails at a PR Comeback.
In 2023, James Corden, host of The Late Late Show and mediocre Broadway presence, found himself in a whirlwind of PR misadventures that took his reputation to the dump. One standout moment involved a viral video capturing Corden unleashing his inner diva on the wait staff at upscale NYC restaurant, Balthazar.
Corden caught flak for old jokes, a lack of knowledge about his own crew, and a rather eyebrow-raising segment called “Spill Your Guts or Fill Your Guts.” In this culinary Russian roulette, Corden and his guests had to spill some juicy secrets or chow down on exotic delicacies from various cultures. Recognizing the writing on the wall, Corden did a 180, promising to give the segment a makeover and show more respect to global gastronomy.

The damage was already done, and the fallout impacted Corden’s ratings, credibility, and bank account. In a dramatic turn of events, he decided to bid adieu to The Late Late Show in April 2023 after his eight-year stint, expressing gratitude to fans and hoping to leave the dying late-night scene on a positive note.

I predict that we’ll see James Corden try to recoup lost funds through an attempted boost to the public’s opinion of him. A trip back to somewhere in Europe, he’ll give back to the community that raised him.
Just hope that he doesn’t return to musicals, though. He’s already irritating enough.

Goodbye, Marvel Cinematic Universe.
The Marvel Cinematic Universe (or MCU) took a steep drop off after the culmination of its first chapter in Avengers: Endgame (2019). This could be attributed to the lack of interest after many character arcs were happily ended, or just the awful writing we witnessed in this new era.

With the MCU struggling to recapture the magic that once captivated audiences worldwide, there’s a growing sentiment that perhaps it’s time for Disney to draw the curtains on this former unlimited cash creator. Hope lingers that the poor box office performance might prompt the powers-that-be at Disney to make the tough decision to bring the MCU to a close. My anticipated justification for this potential exit might be conveniently framed by Disney executives as a response to underwhelming financial returns.