The Pop Culture Moments We're Looking Forward To This Year

Taryn Finley
·2 min read

With a new year come new moments in pop culture to get excited about. And though there are plenty of gems to highlight (from new TV shows to films), I break down a few other things I’m personally looking forward to on this week’s “I Know That’s Right.”

Usher’s Super Bowl Halftime Performance

Usher performs on stage during his residency at La Seine Musicale on Sept. 25, 2023, in Boulogne-Billancourt, France.
Usher performs on stage during his residency at La Seine Musicale on Sept. 25, 2023, in Boulogne-Billancourt, France.

Usher performs on stage during his residency at La Seine Musicale on Sept. 25, 2023, in Boulogne-Billancourt, France.

Usher will be hitting the Super Bowl stage on Feb. 11 in Las Vegas, where he recently wrapped an acclaimed residency. The Grammy winner and previous “I Know That’s Right” guest hasn’t offered much detail about what we can expect, but you should check out his appearance on the podcast to hear his emotional response to checking this off his bucket list.

2024 Summer Olympics

U.S. sprinter Sha'Carri Richardson crosses the finish line to win the women's 100m final during the Diamond League athletics meeting at Stadion Letzigrund stadium in Zurich on Aug. 31, 2023.
U.S. sprinter Sha'Carri Richardson crosses the finish line to win the women's 100m final during the Diamond League athletics meeting at Stadion Letzigrund stadium in Zurich on Aug. 31, 2023.

U.S. sprinter Sha'Carri Richardson crosses the finish line to win the women's 100m final during the Diamond League athletics meeting at Stadion Letzigrund stadium in Zurich on Aug. 31, 2023.

The 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris will also give us a lot to talk about. With phenoms like gold medalist Simone Biles and track and field star Sha’Carri Richardson, there’s sure to be some highlights that will have the internet talking. Plus, NBC has added a wild card to the mix with Snoop Dogg reporting on the games during the primetime slot. That alone makes me eager to tune in.

A Possible Hollywood Reckoning?

Taraji P. Henson takes part in SiriusXM's town hall with the cast of
Taraji P. Henson takes part in SiriusXM's town hall with the cast of

Taraji P. Henson takes part in SiriusXM's town hall with the cast of "The Color Purple" at SiriusXM Studios on Dec. 11, 2023, in New York City.

The writers’ and actors’ strikes may be behind us, but that doesn’t mean Hollywood doesn’t still have deep issues. Earlier this week, the USC Annenberg School’s Inclusion Initiative released findings concluding that many of the promises from big studios to diversify were merely “performative.”

That isn’t a huge surprise, as actors including Taraji P. Henson, Viola Davis and Erika Alexander (who spoke about the state of Black Hollywood for this week’s “I Know That’s Right”) have been talking about pay inequity and being undervalued for years.

Check out this week’s episode for an honest and in-depth conversation with Alexander about “American Fiction,” 30 years of “Living Single” and Black actors who deserve more.

If you want more interviews, pop culture rundowns and conversations too layered for a social media thread to tackle, subscribe to “I Know That’s Right.” With new episodes dropping each week, this show is sure to keep you entertained, informed and shouting “I know that’s right” every now and then.