At Cassandra, we continue to learn and uncover the nuances of Gen Z’s specific sense of humor and comedic language. This week’s viral news highlights the ways in which young people are unamused by “low hanging fruit” jokes - they have higher expectations for what makes something funny. For example, it’s no surprise Jo Koy’s jokes about Taylor Swift and Barbie received little enthusiasm among an audience celebrating record-breaking achievement for women over the past year. Sexist and uneducated jabs don’t fly with younger folks. These comments aside, there was an overwhelming opinion that Jo Koy’s performance bombed, and people weren’t shy about sharing their disappointment.

Given this year’s host was less than thrilling, both audience members and viewers at home found ways to keep themselves entertained. We can always count on the young detective eye when it comes to uncovering the truth and keeping up with their favorite celebs. Many memes surfaced featuring Timothée Chalamet and Kylie Jenner’s obsession with each other all night, trying to uncover the cryptic messages the two were sharing with one another. And of course, rumors as to what Selena Gomez had to say about her interaction with the couple that evening. Lip reading at its finest.

And finally, to wrap up the comedic energy from this week, Cillian Murphy’s seemingly regretful mood was all too relatable as he walked the red carpet - he had us all assuming he’d rather be in his comfy clothes, vegged on the couch instead of participating in another public appearance. This kind of comedic content resonates particularly among young people who increasingly identify with the realities of social anxiety and feel the tension of wanting both IRL experiences and connection while also hating the exhaustion of socializing. Let’s be honest, nothing feels better than canceling the plans you had to go out and staying in instead!