This is part of a weekly series called “Pop Opinions” where The Lantern offers its take on the week’s pop culture news.

Honey Boo Boo goes bye-bye

Raise your hands. Throw a party. Eat some cake. “Here Comes Honey Boo Boo” has been canceled and I couldn’t be more excited!

TLC pulled the plug on the reality TV smash after reports that Mama June (June Shannon) was dating a convicted sexual offender. Mark McDaniel, who spent 10 years behind bars for sexual abuse, was recently photographed spending time with Mama June and family, according to TMZ.

June denies the dating rumors, but to be honest, I don’t really care if the two are dating. His history of sexual abuse alone should be enough to keep a mother away, but it goes much deeper than that.

McDaniel was accused of molesting Anna Cardwell, the eldest of June’s brood, more than 10 years prior. He went to jail for it, and now he is back with the family.

It’s disgusting. What sort of mother would bring her family around that man? “Here Comes Honey Boo Boo” deserved to be canceled. In fact, it should’ve been canceled years ago. Why? Because it’s exploitation. It’s intellectual manipulation at its absolute finest.

Let’s look past the latest scandal and focus on the show’s overlying issues. The stars of “Honey Boo Boo” were never equipped for fame. The cameras offered them a reprieve from poverty that came along with an unjustified sense of entitlement. Mama June and Honey Boo Boo are not stars — they’re victims of a cruel running joke with a national audience. The joke is over, we’re done laughing — and they’re still clueless.

Honey Boo Boo, whose real name is Alana Thompson, is 9 years old. She has absolutely no idea what she is doing. She’s portrayed as an unrefined, slobbish wild child who does whatever she wants and says whatever she pleases. Her image has been defined and subsequently ruined by choices that she didn’t even realize she was making. I can’t help but picture a 21-year-old Honey Boo Boo reliving her pageant days over a bottle of 80 proof scotch and re-runs of her TLC glory days. Sad, broken and filled with an unquenchable sense of regret.

Now that the show has run its course, perhaps the spunky protagonist will clean up her act and stand a fighting chance.

I certainly hope so.

Nick Jonas holds onto ‘dignity’

I swear, Disney stars will do anything and everything to shake those damned mouse ears off their heads.

Selena Gomez had her on-again-off-again with bad boy Justin Bieber, Shia LaBeouf wore a paper bag to an international film festival and Miley Cyrus rode a giant hotdog and dry-humped a pile of dollar bills.

So it should come as no surprise that Nick Jonas has been blowing up social media with his signature combo of crotch-grabs and pepperoni nipples.

It’s been years since the Jonas Brothers put out an album. Joe was slammed with drug rumors and Kevin got married. But Nick was always the sane one. His career might have disappeared after the brothers went their separate ways, but he was the one that held onto his dignity. Now, it seems he’s trying to rekindle his career with a healthy dose of shock value that seems grossly out of character.

And I don’t really get it. I like Nick Jonas and I like his music, and I certainly don’t think I’m alone. The guy has talent, he’s got looks and he’s got charm. So I am understandably confused as to why he thinks he needs to buy into the world of “sex sells” propaganda.

Is this the real Nick Jonas? I don’t think so.

Am I upset about it? After his racy photoshoot in Flaunt magazine, not entirely..

Taylor takes over — even more

Taylor Swift will be headlining this year’s “Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve With Ryan Seacrest.”

And nobody is surprised.

Taylor Swift is everywhere these days. You see her on every magazine cover, on every talk show and during every commercial break. Her latest album dropped Monday, and it’s the talk of the town (and by town, I really mean the world).

If anyone else was receiving this much attention, I’d be incredibly critical — and likely very jealous. But because it’s Taylor Swift, I love it. She’s earned it and she deserves it, and I’m glad to see she’s finally receiving her due respect.

So mad props, Taylor. Keep on killin’ it.