Red Scare Canon — Cultural References from the Subreddit

Longlegs (film) 1 — Horror film featuring Nicolas Cage that disappointed the poster despite being fine.

The Killing of a Sacred Deer (film) 1 — Yorgos Lanthimos film considered his peak by a pretentious filmgoer in the theater.

Rita Crundwell (person) 1 — Former comptroller of Dixon, Illinois who perpetrated the largest municipal fraud in US history by embezzling $53 millio...

Dixon (place) 1 — Illinois city that was the site of the largest municipal fraud in US history perpetrated by Rita Crundwell.

OG Maco (person) 1 — Rapper who committed suicide as part of a series of violent incidents in late 2024 and early 2025.

UNRWA (concept) 1 — UN agency for Palestinian refugees referenced in context of liberal American political discourse

Portra 400 (concept) 1 — Film stock used for photography experiments with double exposures

Coq au Vin (concept) 1 — French dish made using an NYT recipe as part of a French cooking weekend

Star (person) 1 — Woman who began a relationship with Charles Manson at 16, later allegedly moved in with Vincent Gallo

Chris Hemsworth (person) 1 — Actor whose modern muscular physique represents an unattainable body type for those claiming to want to return to tradit...

LA 92 (film) 1 — Documentary about the 1992 LA riots that contrasts authentic riot participation with modern performative activism record...

Azov battalion (concept) 1 — Ukrainian military unit referenced as the ultimate test of commitment for online critics advocating intervention in the ...

Good Kid M.A.A.d City (album) 1 — 2012 Kendrick Lamar album that won Pitchfork's Album of the Year

Run The Jewels 2 (album) 1 — 2014 album by Run The Jewels that won Pitchfork's Album of the Year

Solange (person) 1 — Artist whose album A Seat At The Table won Pitchfork's 2016 Album of the Year

A Seat At The Table (album) 1 — 2016 Solange album that won Pitchfork's Album of the Year

Damn (album) 1 — 2017 Kendrick Lamar album that won Pitchfork's Album of the Year

Be The Cowboy (album) 1 — 2018 Mitski album that won Pitchfork's Album of the Year

Fetch the Boltcutters (album) 1 — 2020 Fiona Apple album that won Pitchfork's Album of the Year

CTMirror (place) 1 — Connecticut news outlet that published an article about high school students who cannot read in 2024.

OneTaste (concept) 1 — Sex cult organization focused on orgasmic meditation that is being prosecuted for prostitution, sex trafficking, and lab...

Nicole Daedone (person) 1 — Founder of OneTaste sex cult, described as a 'sex diva,' 'master manipulator,' and 'gourmet sex' connoisseur being prose...

Rachel Cherwitz (person) 1 — Head of sales for OneTaste who is being prosecuted alongside Nicole Daedone for prostitution and sex trafficking.

SoulCycle (place) 1 — Wellness company that OneTaste's attorney compared the organization to in defense against sex cult allegations.

Delay, Deny, Defend (book) 1 — Book about insurance company practices that some claim is being delisted from various online sites.

Abe Books (place) 1 — Online book marketplace where some claim Delay, Deny, Defend has been delisted.

Bromley (place) 1 — London suburb referenced as example of distant location requiring long commute to city center.

r/NEET (place) 1 — A subreddit browsed by users interested in people who are not in education, employment, or training, discussed in contex...

The Seventh Continent (film) 1 — A 1966 Yugoslavian children's film by Dušan Vukotić where children discover and populate a new continent without adults.

Dušan Vukotić (person) 1 — Academy Award-winning Yugoslav director who made The Seventh Continent and won Best Animated Short Subject in 1961.

Tenkôsei: Sayonara anata (film) 1 — A body-swap film by Nobuhiko Ōbayashi, a remake of his 1981 film Exchange Students that explores the source material in ...

Nobuhiko Ōbayashi (person) 1 — Japanese filmmaker known for Hausu who made the body-swap film Tenkôsei as a remake of his earlier work.

Windy City Heat (film) 1 — A comedy film featuring an elaborate prank where comedians convince their friend he's been cast in a big budget movie an...

Bobcat Goldthwait (person) 1 — Comedian and director who directed Windy City Heat, a prank film involving Perry Caravello.

Perry Caravello (person) 1 — Subject of the prank film Windy City Heat, described as egotistical, gullible, and unsympathetic.

Carson Daly (person) 1 — Television host mentioned in the Windy City Heat prank as competition for the fake movie role.

Nerd Pride (concept) 1 — A cultural shift toward mainstream acceptance and celebration of traditionally nerdy interests like video games, Star Wa...

Second City (place) 1 — A famous comedy and improv venue in Chicago criticized for telling the audience when to clap during performances.

New Left (concept) 1 — A political movement focused on individual liberation that is argued to have damaged American political culture by alien...

Barbour (place) 1 — British clothing brand criticized for selling polyester blend peacoats instead of traditional materials.

Club Monaco (place) 1 — Clothing retailer criticized for selling polyester blend peacoats instead of pure natural fibers.

Brooks Brothers (place) 1 — Traditional American clothing retailer criticized for selling polyester blend peacoats instead of pure wool.

Surrey (place) 1 — Wealthy English county mentioned as location of an expensive street where a university girlfriend's family lived.

Freedom Writers (film) 1 — Film suggested as possible influence on English teachers viewing their job as promoting social activism.

Solar Power (album) 1 — Lorde's third studio album described by her as a celebration of the natural world with a pretentious rollout.

Guitar Wolf (person) 1 — Japanese rock band described as 'the world's loudest rock band' featured in Wild Zero.

Harold Lloyd (person) 1 — Silent film star known for dangling off a clock who successfully transitioned to sound films with The Milky Way.

The Milky Way (film) 1 — 1936 screwball comedy starring Harold Lloyd about a milkman who accidentally becomes a boxing celebrity.

Danny Kaye (person) 1 — Actor who starred in a musical remake of The Milky Way.

Kenya Boy (film) 1 — 1984 Nobuhiko Obayashi film described as an insane acid trip featuring dinosaurs, atomic bombs, and pulp jungle fiction ...