Just when you thought 2023 was over, we’re here to take a slightly belated look back at the year that was. Kicking things off before we get into posting our Top Tens of 2023 over on Mildly Pleased is, of course, the award show that bears the site’s name. We’re talking about awarding the “good but not great” moments in culture, pop and otherwise, that defined last year. Recurring topics include ChatGPT/AI, the weird state of movies, the absurd state politics, and just a tiny bit of Taylor Swift (because she was already talked about enough this year). We even rename one of our awards mid-show in honor of a truly mildly pleasing entertainer. As always, it’s a long one, but a fun one.
Read on for the nominees and winners!
Most Mildly Pleasing Viral Video of 2023
SITTING
Where My Background Singers?
The Grimace Shake Trend
How often do you think about the Roman Empire?
Boston Police officer goes down a slide (Winner)
Most Mildly Pleasing News Events of 2023
Ben Affleck becomes Dunkin’s spokesperson
Cinema: WGA/SAG Strikes, Barbenheimer, franchise box office bombs/successes (Winner)
ChatGPT/Seinfeld AI “Nothing Forever” gets banned on Twitch
Republican House goes about how you’d expect: Kevin McCarthy, George Santos, Lauren Boebert
A bunch of artists fire Scooter Braun… for reasons
Most Mildly Pleasing Album of 2023
The Rolling Stones – Hackney Diamonds (Winner)
The National – First Two Pages of Frankenstein
André 3000 – New Blue Sun
Jenny Lewis – Joy’all
Doja Cat – Scarlet
Most Mildly Pleasing Song of 2023
Miley Cyrus – “Flowers” (Winner)
Taylor Swift – “Cruel Summer”
Luke Combs – “Fast Car”
Nicki Minaj & Ice Spice – “Barbie World”
Metro Boomin & Coi Leray – “Self Love”
The Jimmy Buffett Lifetime Achievement Award
The MCU
Jimmy Buffett (Winner)
Elizabeth Banks
Jason Statham
Drew Barrymore
Most Mildly Pleasing Actor of 2023
Russell Crowe – The Pope’s Exorcist
Timothee Chalamet – Wonka (Winner)
Michael Keaton – The Flash
Ben Platt – Theater Camp
Tom Blyth – The Hunger Games: Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes
Most Mildly Pleasing Actress of 2023
Iman Vellani – The Marvels
Rachel Sennott – Bottoms
Amie Donald/Jenna Davis/CG/Animatronics – M3GAN (Winner)
Phoebe Waller-Bridge – Indiana Jones
Rachel Zegler – The Hunger Games: Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes
Most Mildly Pleasing Film of 2023
The Creator
Creed III
Fast X
Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny (Winner)
The Super Mario Bros. Movie