9 Silly Fads That Lasted Longer Than The French President's Popularity
Plus ça change.
Three months ago this week, Emmanuel Macron was elected as French president, defeating Marine Le Pen and cinching victory on a groundswell of celebration (and relief).
In the first couple of weeks of his presidency, he enjoyed a 62% approval rating, according to an IFOP poll. However, his popularity has recently taken a tumble, and he's now at 36%, according to the most recent YouGov polling. In the past month alone, he's dropped 10 points in the polls. Only Jacques Chirac faced a steeper loss of support from the French so soon into his term, according to the New York Times.
As French outlets dissect his loss in popularity and he faces a summer of further losses in the polls, here are some fads that put his brief moment in the sun into perspective.
1. Fidget spinners appeared on the scene just before Macron was elected — and unlike him, the public seems still just as crazy about them.
The damn things appeared at the beginning of May, and the public obsession with them shows no sign of abating.
2. Like Macron's election, few anticipated Pokémon Go's success. Unlike Macron, the online game's popularity endured through an entire summer.
Launched in July 2016, it reduced much of the world (at its peak almost 30 million people) to gamboling children as they destroyed offices and hunted through parks. It had some nice effects though, as this one mother of an autistic boy explained. Everything calmed down in October.
J'ai battu la ligue Pokémon https://t.co/4VLaEHEvno
3. People still love SpongeBob memes...
Caption: "Macron is not right-wing."
4. The Chainsmokers song "Closer" was at No. 2 on the US charts for longer than Macron's popularity among the French.
Nope.
5. The Cinnamon Challenge.
Around since 2010, the Cinnamon Challenge peaked in 2012 when comedians – like GloZell Green – and YouTube personalities ate a spoonful of the spice. Usually with disastrous consequences.
6. Selfie sticks. Still useful and used.
Most people became aware of the sticks in 2014, because they were EVERYWHERE. And to be honest, they are still around wherever tourists are.
7. Rainbow bagels: delicious and decidedly un-French. People *loved* them for months.
While the initial fad in the summer of 2016 has abated, they're still sold a lot. Plus, original creator Scott Rossillo continues to sell them – as he has done for the past decade.
8. Wheelies
The only acceptable use of heely shoes.
The shoes – mostly popularized by the US brand Heely's – have remained popular among kids, but declined from the bonkers period a few years ago when they were *everywhere*, including on adults. Thank god.
9. And hoverboards. Once beloved and omnipresent, now, not so much...
Well. That honeymoon period was pleasant while it lasted.
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Rose Troup Buchanan is a reporter for BuzzFeed News and is based in London.
Contact Rose Troup Buchanan at Rose.Buchanan@BuzzFeed.com.
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