25 of the Most 2025 Moments on the Internet

I'm not being hyperbolic. The year on the internet felt like a total collapse of reality, an annihilation of the collective self that used to bind me to my hypothetical friends on the other side of the world in children's media PSAs during the late '90s. I have never felt more on an island with my immediate surroundings, what with social media fractured beyond comprehension. Any complete picture of the daily news cycle has been abandoned in favor of episodic bursts of drama between people I don't know fed to me by an algorithm that I'm almost positive wants me to experience some form of psychosis.

Instead of letting the ghost in the machine get to me, I put my foot down and went outside, desperate for something real, something I could pick up in my hands and carry with me to the park, or the beach, or the creek through the woods. It worked, somewhat, except now they have those computer chips installed in our brains, which beam TikTok Shop ads directly into my dreams. I heard they're even going to project Heated Rivalry discourse about Jordan Firstman on the moon.

Thankfully, PAPER knows how to keep our street corner of the internet neat and tidy. We spoke to celebrities wiling to say something at all about what's been going on. We published cover stories on the defining film performances and entertainers of our time. We even got answers, finally, to what exactly Tyra Banks means when she says "hot ice cream." I also left that interview with more questions than truths on whatever it is that's going on with her.

Among our small but mighty staff, we also traded more memes and viral clips than I could reasonably include in a late-in-the-year roundup of such memes and viral clips. Thankfully, 2025 ends in 25, which is a very succinct number, and so let's go with that. 25 of the most 2025 PAPER moments on the internet.

Shall we?

Here's what happened on our street corner of Slack this year.

When Lushious Massacr met Jessica Simpson; or, when Jessica Simpson met Lushious Massacr's Jessica Simpson purse.

Cardi B's courtroom cross-examination was pulled right from a 30 Rock joke. 

Beyoncé made history at the Grammys and also gave the internet its most used reaction image all year.

'PAPER' interviewed Tyra about her hot ice cream product and we left said interview with more questions than answers.

It was really not clocking to us that Justin Bieber was standing on business.

Lily Allen sold a USB stick with her album on it shaped like the butt plug she found in her ex-husband's possession. There's also a woman named Madeline involved but I couldn't be bothered to suss out the details.

I tapped my head just like this while interviewing Cynthia Erivo for our cover story, mostly by accident, and also because this video did indeed rewire my physical tics.

As usual, Mariah Carey's response to Katy Perry's brief detour to space had more viral longevity than Katy Perry actually going to space.

Angie Katsanevas, PAPER Magazine, and the entire 'The Real Housewives' online fandom walked into Lunatic Fringe.

So there was this 24k gold Labubu. It had cousins, like the ruby and sapphire Labubus, but apparently they died in some tragic accident?

RuPaul took the wig off and put the rollerblades on.

This deeply moving video of the TikTok dubbed "funeral stud" permanently altered the course of PAPER social editor Alaska's life. 

SpongeBob is a big guy, and he had pants, ok?

'Heated Rivalry' star Connor Storrie was the topic of much debate in 2025. Then his childhood Youtube dropped.

We still do not know if Joe Jonas can parallel park or not.

Our New Year's Eve plans? Revisit this video of the liquor store raccoon for a hint.

Kendrick Lamar wore the Celiné jeans that make you petty.

Executive Creative Director Jordan was very insistent we include this picture of hamster with a cast on its arm, which is sort of how it felt this year, really.

Parker Posey invented a new accent that is also a real accent on 'The White Lotus.'

Zendaya Hat Theory replaced Lea Michele Illiterate Theory on the PAPER 2025 syllabus.

Clang clang clang went the trolley!

Club Chalamet broke free of containment and landed a 'Wall Street Journal' profile.

'Heated Rivalry' was, by all accounts, the only thing that happened this year.

Everyone had very strong opinions about the upcoming plot lines on 'Euphoria.' Thankfully, I do not have opinions about 'Euphoria.'

And, last but certainly not least, Elizabeth Holmes was papped on a jog with none other than former 'The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City' star Jen Shah.

Graphic design by Jewel Baek

Images via Getty/Instagram/TikTok