Podcast Summary: Ben Shapiro Reacts To Most Viral Moments of 2025

Podcast: The Ben Shapiro Show
Host: Ben Shapiro, The Daily Wire
Episode: Ben Shapiro Reacts To Most Viral Moments of 2025
Date: December 31, 2025

Episode Overview

In this special year-end episode, Ben Shapiro breaks down and ranks what he considers the ten most culturally significant viral moments of 2025. Rooted in his trademark fast-paced, incisive style, Shapiro delivers a mix of humor, critique, and social commentary as he analyzes everything from Trump’s return to the White House to celebrity antics and shifting cultural trends. The focus is on what these moments reveal about American society, pop culture, media, and political life as the year wraps up.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Top Ten Cultural Moments of 2025

[02:03 – 11:30]

Ben Shapiro structures the episode around a countdown of the most impactful or emblematic events of the year, blending pop culture with politics:

1. Trump’s Inauguration (January 2025)

• Shapiro immediately places Donald Trump’s second presidential inauguration as the top moment, citing its seismic impact on both culture and politics.
  • Quote: “The entire universe revolves around Donald J. Trump. That’s just the way that it works.” [02:16]
• Notes how Trump's return has shaped public discourse across the board.

2. Netflix/Warner/Paramount+ Streaming Mega-Merger

• Recognized as a turning point for digital media, merging several giants into a consolidated streaming platform.
  • Quote: “The consolidation of gigantic media companies … does have some tidings for the future.” [09:30]
• Shapiro predicts simplification for consumers but warns of less diversity and creativity in content.
  • “We were in a bit of an entertainment bubble and now we may be going into a bit of an entertainment bust...” [09:45]

3. Socialist Mayor Zoran Mamdani Wins NYC

• Highlights that while NYC has had left-leaning mayors before (pointing to De Blasio), Mamdani’s victory could signal a shift for the Democratic Party if embraced.
  • Quote: “That could have some significant ramifications for the Democratic Party going forward.” [10:35]

4. Travis Kelce & Taylor Swift ('Tay Tay') Engagement

• Treats the highly publicized engagement as a major pop cultural event, but questions its lasting importance beyond entertainment.
  • Quote: “That is a thing that happened in all of our lives. In all of our lives.” [08:40]

5. The "6, 7" Meme/Trend

• Details a viral online phrase adopted widely by younger generations (and his own kids), acknowledging both its pervasiveness and his personal annoyance.
  • Quote: “Nobody will shut up about this. And it’s deeply annoying and speaks to the fact that nothing has any content anymore.” [03:30; updated rank at 09:57]

6. Coldplay Kiss Cam Incident

• Describes a notorious Kiss Cam moment at a Coldplay concert that sparked nationwide debate about infidelity and public displays at events.
  • Quote: “It did initiate a gigantic conversation… why you would possibly go to a public concert with somebody that you are cheating with…” [06:10]

7. Sydney Sweeney American Eagle Ad Campaign

• Comments on how this campaign symbolized a brief return to traditional beauty standards in advertising, causing a social media backlash.
  • Quote: “There had been a sort of wholesale rejection in the advertising space of the idea that female beauty standards existed. And Sydney Sweeney is obviously a return to older beauty standards.” [07:05]
• Calls out the politicization of celebrity endorsements and the attempts to deplatform Sweeney.

8. Jimmy Kimmel Suspension

• Kimmel’s short-lived suspension is deemed overhyped by the media and not truly a culture-shaking moment.
  • Quote: “I just think that it ended up being a tempest in a teapot.” [08:53]

9. Labubu Craze

• References a fad (seemingly among youth and maybe involving plush toys or digital characters), which Ben mostly missed, finding it sensationalized and marginal.
  • Quote: “Apparently there’s something satanic about them or something, I don’t know. But… I just don’t think the Labubus are that important.” [05:13]

10. Katy Perry Goes to Space

• Although a social media moment, Ben considers this event trivial and more a subject of jokes and memes than genuine consequence.
  • Quote: “This was not us beating Sputnik. This was us putting a bubble-headed singer in space.” [04:20]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Trump’s inauguration:
  “The entire universe revolves around Donald J. Trump. That’s just the way that it works.” [02:16]

• On the ‘6, 7’ craze:
  “As a condemnation of our culture, and for its ubiquity and its deeply personal annoyance to me… Still, I’m going to put that at number two in terms of importance…” [03:35]
  (Later demoted to no. 5 as ranking evolves)

• On media consolidation:
  “We were in a bit of an entertainment bubble and now we may be going into a bit of an entertainment bust, which is sort of fascinating.” [09:45]

• On the Coldplay Kiss Cam:
  “That is the fault of the two people who were involved in this thing wrecking their respective families.” [06:52]

• On attempts to cancel Sydney Sweeney:
  “If anything, she’s studiously apolitical. Much more like Chris Pratt. He’s so cool.” [07:45]

Ranked List Recap

[10:45]

Ben Shapiro wraps up with a recap of his final rankings:

1. Trump’s Inauguration
2. Netflix/Warner Streaming Merger
3. Zoran Mamdani Becomes NYC Mayor
4. Travis Kelce & Taylor Swift Engagement
5. "6, 7" Meme
6. Coldplay Kiss Cam
7. Sydney Sweeney American Eagle
8. Jimmy Kimmel Suspension
9. Labubu Craze
10. Katy Perry in Space

Tone and Style

• Direct, fast-paced, and opinionated: Ben’s signature rapid delivery and dry humor are present throughout.
• Culturally critical with playful cynicism: Frequently mocks the frivolity of viral trends, but acknowledges their significance in shaping the year’s public discourse.
• Mix of pop culture and serious political analysis: Offers both light-hearted commentary and pointed insights on media trends and political changes.

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [02:03] – Ben lays out the premise and dives into the countdown
• [02:16] – Trump’s Inauguration tops the list
• [03:30] – Annoyance and pervasiveness of “6, 7” trend
• [04:20] – Katy Perry in space ridiculed for its triviality
• [05:13] – Labubu craze explained, or not
• [06:10] – Coldplay Kiss Cam incident and social fallout
• [07:05] – Sydney Sweeney American Eagle backlash
• [08:40] – Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift engagement
• [08:53] – Kimmel suspension as non-event
• [09:30] – Analysis of big streaming merger
• [10:35] – NYC elects socialist mayor; potential implications
• [10:45–11:30] – List recap and final remarks

Conclusion

Ben Shapiro’s year-in-review is both a wry roast and a sharp analysis of American culture in 2025. The episode moves briskly through political milestones, internet memes, celebrity sagas, and media upheaval, always through a lens of cultural skepticism and conservative critique. The underlying theme: even in a meme-saturated era, some moments still profoundly shape the national mood and hint at what’s to come.