Pop Culture References

Pop Culture References is a site created by me, Brian Cronin, where I explore fascinating moments from pop culture history across television, film, music, and beyond. I will continue the familiar features that I have developed for over ten years at Comics Should Be Good on CBR.com, but this time, my focus will be on movies, TV shows, music, and other elements of popular culture instead of comics.

International

English

Online/Digital

Outlet metrics

Domain Authority

Ranking

Global

#1022550

United States

#475868

Arts and Entertainment/Arts and Entertainment

#3631

Traffic sources

Monthly visitors

Articles

'Just Saying' Memes Are Cowardly Pieces of Trash

2 weeks ago | popculturereferences.com | Brian Cronin

Today, I explain why “just saying” memes are cowardly pieces of trash. This is “Just a Reminder,” a feature where I just point out some stuff, typically in relation to a recent controversy in the world of pop culture. As you might have noticed, a major thing on social media is what you could call “topics of divisions,” where people post stuff designed to get people angry, so that they engage with the post, and then they get traffic and monetize that outrage.
What's the Best Acting Performance You've Seen in a Music Video?

2 months ago | popculturereferences.com | Brian Cronin

Today, I want to know which TV character you think had the most egregious absence in the series finale of a TV series. Pop Culture Theme Time is a feature where I put a question to you to see what you think about a particular theme. I might later revisit the theme for a future Drawing Crazy Patterns or Top Five.
Did Nico Harrison Really Call Steph Curry By the Wrong Name in a Nike Meeting?

2 months ago | popculturereferences.com | Brian Cronin

BASKETBALL LEGEND: Nick Harrison called Stephen Curry by the wrong name during a Nike meeting when Nike was trying to sign Curry to a new shoe deal.
Which Three Bob Dylan Songs Did Timothee Chalamet Perform on Saturday Night Live?

2 months ago | popculturereferences.com | Brian Cronin

Today, we look at which three songs from deep in Bob Dylan’s catalog that Timothee Chalamet decided to perform on Saturday Night Live. In Pop Culture Questions Answered, I answer whatever questions you folks might have about movies, TV, music or whatever (feel free to e-mail questions to me at [email protected]).
The First All-Black Game in NBA History

Jan 20, 2025 | popculturereferences.com | Brian Cronin

Today, we look at the first NBA team to have an all-Black roster. This is “Don’t Got No Sports,” an occasional foray by me into a discussion about sports, which technically IS part of pop culture, but I’ll admit is very different from the stuff that I normally cover here, hence it receiving its own feature. Besides my pop culture and comic book writing, I also manage two sports blogs, one for the Yankees and one for the Knicks. So occasionally I’ll have something I feel like writing about sports.
My Three Sons and The Partridge Family Had a Bizarre Thanksgiving Reunion

Nov 28, 2024 | popculturereferences.com | Brian Cronin

Today, we look at the bizarre 1977 Thanksgiving reunion special that paired two disparate TV sitcoms, The Partridge Family and My Three Sons. In I Can’t Cross Over, I spotlight interesting pop culture crossovers (that are actively crossovers, not like little shared universe cameos that I often spotlight). A standard practice in TV world is to do reunion specials and/or reunion movies about classic TV series.
Who Was Cynthia Erivo Shading In Her Comments About Her Wicked Audition?

Nov 10, 2024 | popculturereferences.com | Brian Cronin

Today, we try to determine who Cynthia Erivo was shading in her recent comments about her Wicked audition? In Pop Culture Questions Answered, I answer whatever questions you folks might have about movies, TV, music or whatever (feel free to e-mail questions to me at [email protected]).
Was Freda Payne's 'Band of Gold' Written About a Gay Man Being Unable to Consummate a Marriage?

Nov 9, 2024 | popculturereferences.com | Brian Cronin

MUSIC LEGEND: “Band of Gold” was written about a gay man being unable to consummate his marriage to a womanAs I’ve noted a number of times over the years (like this piece about Red Reddington on The Blacklist), I don’t think authorial intent is the end all/be all. We don’t have to interpret a writing the way that the author intended. That said, the authorial intent is still interesting, of course.
When Did Seinfeld Jump the Shark?

Nov 8, 2024 | popculturereferences.com | Brian Cronin

Today, we look at when (or if) you folks believe that Seinfeld “jumped the shark.”This is “Just Can’t Jump It,” a feature where we examine shows and whether they “jumped the shark.” Jumped the shark (coined by Jon Hein) means that the show had a specific point in time where, in retrospect, you realize that show was going downhill from there (even if, in some rare occasions, the show later course-corrected). Not every show DOES jump the shark. Some shows just remain good all the way through.
Sex Sells, But This Is Just Ridiculous

Nov 7, 2024 | popculturereferences.com | Brian Cronin

Today, we look at a bizarre ad that uses sex to sell an online poker game. This is “I Saw It Advertised One Day,” a feature spotlighting commercials and other advertisements that interested me for whatever reason. Nowadays, all of the “Win money by playing games” apps (which, I mean, if you want to play them, go right ahead, but it’s just a variation of gambling on slots.