Mike and Zara Tindall sat down for a podcast interview this week, and it turned out to be a headline-generator. Yesterday, we talked about Mike’s nickname for Prince William – “One Pint Willy” – and what it could possibly mean that William is apparently a “bad drinker.” In the interview, Zara also discussed what it was like to grow up the daughter of Princess Anne, but without a title. Anne rejected titles for her children, which allowed them to make all kinds of business deals. Zara is a professional equestrian and she’s had lucrative sponsorships and brand deals for years.

Zara Tindall has revealed she’s ‘lucky’ that Princess Anne didn’t give her a royal title as she spoke candidly about her family in a new podcast. The mother-of-three and her husband Mike, who live in Princes Anne’s Gatcombe Park estate in Gloucestershire, were interviewed by former rugby player Rob Burrow on his Total Sport podcast. During the discussion, Rob – who was diagnosed with motor neurone disease in 2019 – asked the couple what advice they would give to their seven-year-old selves.

Although she was originally daunted by the question, Zara went on to discuss her role in the Institution – and how happy she is that Princess Anne didn’t force her and her brother Peter to be working royals.

She explained: ‘From my point of view, I was obviously very lucky that my mother didn’t give us any titles so I really commend her on that. We were very lucky that we got to do it a bit our own way. My family has a great work ethic as well which I’m hoping they instilled in me and is still going to this day. Hopefully, we can pass it onto our kids. Now, my brother and my cousins love to go back and do the same things and I hope that our children have the same experiences that we did when we were growing up. You don’t really appreciate that until you’re older and you’ve got kids.’

[From The Daily Mail]

“My family has a great work ethic…” I mean, her mother has a great work ethic. Her uncle, the king, has a good work ethic. Not so much with her cousins. But at the end of the day, Anne really knew what she was doing by raising her kids as “normal” rather than royal. Zara and Peter get all of the perks of royalty – all of the big invitations, all of the attention that comes with being royal-adjacent – and they still get to make their own money and they’re not being manipulated by King Charles. Plus, now that QEII has passed, I get the feeling that Zara, Mike and Peter feel like “anything goes” with their money-making schemes. Mike seems especially desperate for any kind of paying gig.

Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Cover Images.

I think we all can agree that Elon Musk has had a banner year. In 2023, he destroyed Twitter, got into a custody battle with Grimes, supported Ron DeSantis for president, promoted anti-vaxx conspiracies, challenged Mark Zuckerberg to a cage match, got clowned for messing with President Zelenskyy, sued Media Matters, re-platformed a walking piece of sh-t, launched an ugly apocalypse-ready Cybertruck, and endorsed anti-Semitic propaganda. And those are only the things that came to me off the top of my head. 2023 was a hectic one for Apartheid Clyde.

It’s been such a busy year for Forbes’ second richest person in the world that one of my favorites, John Oliver, took notice. On Last Week Tonight’s final episode of the year, Oliver did what he does best and spent more than 30 minutes spotlighting Space Karen. It was a pretty informative takedown, if for nothing else (there was plenty else) than to really highlight the Before/After of Elno’s hair plugs. Anyway, Musk proved once again that while a billion dollars may buy you a lot of things, it will never buy you a sense of self-awareness. He’s big mad that Oliver read him for filth.

Elon Musk is laughing off — but not laughing at — John Oliver’s 30-minute rant, in which the comedian referred to the tech mogul as “erratic,” “self-serving” and “increasingly racist.”

When a social media user reposted an article on X, formerly known as Twitter, about Oliver’s “Last Week Tonight” segment, asking, “Oh no, how will Elon ever recover?,” the SpaceX founder replied with crying-laughing emojis. He then hit back at the British comic, writing, “Oliver was great several years ago, but stopped being funny when he sold his soul to wokeness where humor is basically illegal.”

Oliver began his discussion about Musk, 52, on his HBO late night talk show Monday by comparing the South African businessman to “any bad guy in a movie” like DC Comics’ Lex Luthor, villains in James Bond flicks and Billy Zane’s character in “Titanic.”

“Truly, the man has range,” he quipped, causing the audience to erupt into laughter. Oliver, 46, then delved into several of Musk’s career downfalls, noting in part that ever since the latter’s acquisition of Twitter, “It has been one fiasco after another with the most recent coming when he tweeted his agreement with this antisemitic post.”

He also spoke of Musk chastising advertisers who threatened to pull out of his social media platform over the antisemitism backlash, claiming the X owner was pulling the “you’re not breaking up with me, I’m breaking up with you card” while wearing a jacket from “Ralph Lauren’s midlife crisis collection.”

Oliver also called out Musk’s early business failures such as when he sold Tesla cars in advance to customers at one price point and then elevated the cost in what even he admitted was a “bait-and-switch.”

The talk show host then trolled Tesla’s cybertruck, saying, “Who on earth actually wants to spend up to $100,000 to drive every child’s first attempt at drawing a car?”

Referencing Musk’s company SpaceX, which is the world’s most dominant satellite company, Oliver added, “The problem isn’t just the optics of having someone as erratic as Elon in charge of half the world’s satellites. His opinions can change the shape of world events.”

He also quoted Musk’s biographer, Walter Isaacson, who once said the mogul likes “drama.”

“He loves drama? I’m sorry, I’m really not that comfortable with one of the most powerful people on earth being summed up the same way you describe Andy Cohen on New Year’s Eve,” Oliver said. “I’ll be honest, my feelings about Elon changed a bit in the writing of this piece. I’m probably now more impressed by what he’s doing, but more worried by the fact that he’s the one who’s been doing it.”

The comedian then concluded, “The least surprising thing on earth is a middle-aged billionaire CEO with self-serving libertarian views, increasingly racist politics and a messiah complex.”

Although Musk appeared only a bit miffed by Oliver’s criticism, a writer who profiled him recently shared that he believes the world’s richest man “truly cares about his reputation.” Author Ben Mezrich, who penned “Breaking Twitter,” claimed Musk once spiraled after he was booed at Dave Chapelle’s show in San Francisco last December.

[From Page Six]

Ooooh noes the big ol’ bad wokeness virus strikes again! Didn’t Elno say in that exhausting Joe Rogan interview that he bought Twitter to save us all from the “woke mind virus” that will cause a zombie apocalypse? Nothing Oliver said was wrong. If you go back up and look at what I listed in (somewhat) close to chronological order, you’d see exhibits A-J of “erratic,” “self-serving libertarian” and “increasingly racist.” At this point, the word woke has been thrown around so flippantly that it has to be losing its scariness for anyone who isn’t “the base” (you know who I’m talking about).

Embed from Getty Images

Embed from Getty Images

2023 was a pretty quiet year for Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez. They married in the summer of 2022 and they got a blitz of attention and media, then they just… focused on their work and figuring out their blended family. They’ve made appearances on each other’s red carpets and they’ve done a few events together, but their marriage has not been pap stroll after pap stroll. They’re older and wiser now – they know how to hide, they can insulate themselves with their money, and they’re both more comfortable in themselves and in their relationship. Well, J.Lo has This Is Me… Now coming out – an album and a short film – in February. To hype those projects, Jennifer chatted with Variety:

Jennifer Lopez admits not everyone in her camp initially supported the idea to document her romance with husband Ben Affleck in her upcoming “This Is Me… Now” album and companion film.

“As artists, we have to follow our heart and this is me following my heart and doing something that maybe everybody didn’t think was the best idea, but I had to do it,” Lopez tells me.

Lopez is set to drop “This Is Me… Now,” a new album that marks the 20th anniversary of “This Is Me…Then,” on Feb. 16. The Dave Meyers-directed companion short film will be released at the same time by Amazon MGM Studios.

Sure, Lopez has some worries about putting her and Affleck’s life in the spotlight because “we both have PTSD” caused by the media scrutiny they endured back when they first dated, she said, “but we’re older now. We’re wiser. We also know what’s important, what’s really important in life, and it’s not so much what other people think. It’s about being true to who you are.”

Asked if the film is a scripted feature or doc, Lopez explained, “You have to see it and you’ll have to experience it to understand it. That’s why I call it a ‘musical experience.’ Because there’s music, you can see it, you can hear it and then you’ll get to live it.”

A recent teaser for the film included a clip of Lopez saying, “When I was a little girl, when someone asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up, my answer was always… in love.”

[From Variety]

“We both have PTSD” – I can see that, and they both went running in opposite directions for years after their split. I talked about this before, but when I watched J.Lo’s Halftime documentary, they included clips of the aggressively racist coverage of Bennifer 1.0 and it really was shocking to look back at it now. I lived through it and even I forgot how bad it was. Like, it was so normalized circa 2002-03, to refer to Jennifer as “the maid,” or Ben’s “spicy senorita” and no one was even doing dog-whistles, it was just blatantly vile sh-t. And I do think they’re older and wiser now. Their “revival” love story is great.

Photos courtesy of Backgrid, J.Lo’s Instagram.

The Princess of Wales barely works, and when she is seen at an event in recent years, everyone holds their breath to see what she’s pulled from her Meghan Lookbook. We usually get “Kate’s year in fashion” pieces this time of year, and usually those articles are summaries of coatdresses and Sister Wife looks. But now that she’s Princess of Wales, the Meghan cosplay is increasingly outrageous, as is the fact that few British outlets call out Kate for her shameless single-white-female-ing. Speaking of, Tatler wrote this with a straight face: “Is the Princess of Wales the queen of quiet luxury? Kate’s 2023 wardrobe has oozed enough ‘silent expensiveness’ to thrill even Shiv Roy.” Sidenote: referring to Shiv Roy as a quiet luxury icon is hilarious given that Shiv’s wardrobe was mostly a reflection of the character’s failed attempts to be taken seriously. Shiv wore boxy, ill-fitting power suits and tried to neuter her femininity with high-neck knits.

From Loro Piana to Max Mara, Toteme to The Row, 2023 saw the final skulking shift from opulent to discreet, extravagant to understated. Where once the rich and important strived to flaunt what they had with regal colours and jewels, and then big brands and flashy labels, this era is all about authentic elegance and timeless pieces. And the Princess of Wales’s wardrobe evolution tracks just so: from preppy princess in Emilia Wickstead, to stealth wealth in Sezanne. Where Queen Elizabeth II was beloved for her bouclé suits in bold colours, Kate is carving out a new style identity according to the council of the Roys, not the Royals.

[Kate’s] neutral palette is certainly a divergence from the saccharine pastels and patterns that became synonymous with Kate in previous years.

[From Tatler]

I’m including some photos of the looks referenced in Tatler’s piece, plus some of Kate’s other 2023 looks which don’t fit the “quiet luxury” theme. For example, Kate’s coronation look, in which she had a designer make a fake headpiece with some glitter and glue gun. Or Kate’s recent copypasta at the Together at Christmas event, where she tried to put her stink on one of Meghan’s Invictus looks. One thing I’ll give Kate (slightly) is that she really leaned into pantsuits this year, and some of her suits were even flattering. Some were not. It really did feel like she was attempting a more “modern workwear” vibe rather than just wearing endless custom McQueen coatdresses constantly. Finally, trousers in her 40s. Who would have thought. PS… I totally forgot about Kate’s BAFTA look, with those gloves!! YIKES.

Note by CB: Get the Top 10 stories about Kate copying Meghan’s style when you subscribe to our mailing list! I only send one email a day on weekdays.

Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Cover Images.

From CB: I bought this Shark bagless vacuum almost a month ago and it’s still on sale for 40% off. It’s incredible how much dust and dog hair it picks up every time and it has great suction. I recently replaced my hand soap pumps with these silver and gold clear glass versions to make my bathroom decor look classier than having the default SoftSoap bottles. They both work great and are easy to refill. Here are some more things Rosie and I are looking at on Amazon. It’s probably too late to get Christmas presents but some of these items would be great for the after Christmas season.

A $55 juicer to help your family get healthier in the new year

From CB: This Hamilton Beach juicer is under $55 and would be a great way to incorporate more fruits and vegetables into your family’s diet in the new year. It’s dishwasher safe and comes with a brush for cleaning the blade. This listing has over 36,700 ratings, 4.4 stars and a B on Fakespot. People say this juicer is easy to clean, makes a lot of juice and holds up over time. “I have been using this every morning to make my fruit and vegetable juice and I must say it is amazing. It is quick it is easy it works really well very easy to clean.” “I LOVE it. It was easy to put together, instructions were clear, and though others explained how “messy” juicing could be (and I did make a little mess, but nothing serious), this juicer is pretty tough to go wrong with.”

A mini chopper and meat grinder for under $23

From CB: This mini food processor by trusted brand Mueller is under $23. It’s said to be great for chopping nuts, mincing meat and making guacamole, hummus and more. It comes in 1.5 and 3 cup sizes. This listing has 3,200 ratings, 4..3 stars and a B on Fakespot. People love it and say it has a small footprint and works great. “I love this little thing. I needed a food processor for a few recipes (blending beans for black bean burgers, etc.) and this works perfectly! I didn’t need to spend a ton of money on a full sized processor so I’m SO glad that I found this. It’s nice and small.” “Great mini food processor that has a small footprint. Mostly use for mincing onions and other vegetables. Works really efficiently and takes little time to chop things fine. Also used recently to mince cooked chicken and pork, and again it did the job quickly.”

An easy to learn family friendly game that you’ll want to play every weekend

From CB: Codenames is a party game where two teams work together to unmask “agents” known only by their code names. It’s said to be easy to learn, fun, and great for parties. It’s rated for ages 10 and up. This is one of the most popular board games on Amazon and has a whopping 29,700 ratings, 4.8 stars and an A on Fakespot. Reviewers say it’s so much fun that they want to have company over more often. “We’ve had this game so I bought another recently as a secret santa gift. We’ve had so many fun nights playing against other couples or guys vs girls, etc. It’s pretty easy to pick up the rules and fascinating to see how your significant other/ friends’ brains work.” “We love it! Perfect game for a friends night over.”

Golf ball markers with easy to see designs

From CB: Golf ball markers are something I did not know existed until now! They would make a great gift for a golf enthusiast (this set will arrive after Christmas) and look fun to use. You get a set of 10 and they come in a variety of designs, all under $11. These have 2,200 ratings, 4.7 stars and an A on Fakespot. People say they work great and that they give them to friends they’re golfing with. “I bought these to keep in my bag and since they were a pack of ten, I am able to give them to people who forget their markers. I highly recommend. They are nice and flat and sturdy.” “Cute idea, they show up well on the green.”

A digital picture frame that’s easy to upload pictures to

From Rosie: My sisters and I got this digital picture frame as a gift for my grandma’s 90th birthday in 2020. Since she couldn’t see everyone as often during the pandemic, we are able to (and still do) upload pictures to it through an app. It’s pretty cool and we ended up getting another one for my parents that Christmas. It has a 4.7 star rating, more than 1,000 reviews, and an A on Fakespot. People love how easy it is to use, as well as the picture quality. “This frame makes for a great gift to family and friends that are far away. You can upload photos and they’ll show up instantly. The picture quality is great! Totally worth the money.” “I love the frame. Easy to set up and the app is easy to use also.” “I got this for my mom for her birthday and she loves it. I can still upload pictures using the app even when I’m in a different state. I uploaded about 200+ pictures and there is still so much room on this thing!”

An affordable primer that makes your skin so smooth

From Rosie: I mentioned this in yesterday’s post about Elf’s affordable dupes, but I had to pick this up in a pinch while I was traveling because I’d forgotten my hydrating primer at home. It’s now a permanent fixture in my travel bag because it’s awesome. It’s made my skin so smooth and for me, worked particularly well with concealer underneath my eyes. It’s pretty affordable at only $10. There are two other types, as well, their acne-fighting primer and a universal glow primer. It has a 4.4 star rating, 44,000 reviews and a B on Fakespot. Users love how much better it makes their skin look. “Not greasy, very light, does good job as makeup primer and makes skin look better with no makeup too.” “I barely wear make up. Two reasons are: I don’t really know how and I have very sensitive skin. I’ve tried few primers and this one is the only one that won’t irritate my skin.” “I was looking for a good primer for the area around my eyes and this product coupled with the brush works very well. My concealer and eyeshadow look much smoother throughout the day. Recommend.”

Packing Cubes to make packing and traveling easier and more organized

From Rosie: I’m going to be doing some traveling next year and after hearing so much about how life-changing packing cubes can be, I decided to buy a set. I also got them for my mom as a Christmas present. This set of cubes helps you sort and organize your items when you’re packing, which everyone tells me helps you fit more things into your luggage. They come in 13 different colors and right now, there’s a 20% off coupon. They have a 4.7 star rating, more than 11,600 reviews, and a B on Fakespot. Travelers who’ve bought them like how much easier packing is with them. “They’re such good quality. They’re perfect for packing a lot of items in a suitcase or duffle bag. These are definitely a travel must have! You’re able to organize your bag and pack so much more!” “I didn’t know just how useful these would be. The variety in sizes work perfectly for all sorts of items including toiletries, shoes, shirts, sweaters etc…Just helps to stay organized and makes packing your luggage a lot easier and faster.”

An insulated tumbler with a handle and a straw lid

From Rosie: I found this 40 oz tumbler while looking for gifts for my MIL, who wanted a new water bottle. It’s stainless steel and looks super practical since it has both a handle and a lid for a straw. It’s also dishwasher safe, cup holder friendly, and can hold hot or cold liquids. I think it would make a great gift. There are 35 different colors to choose from and an option to get it personalized, though personalization would not be a part of Prime’s 2-day shipping. It has a over 18,000 reviews, 4.8 stars and the same score on Review Meta. People love the quality of this tumbler. “This is THE cup!!!! I left this cup in my car in Florida heat for an entire day while I went to the Disney parks, it was about 95° outside and at the end of the day when I returned to my car I took a sip in the water still had ICE IN IT!!!!” “The Simple Modern Tumbler has been an absolute game-changer for me. Its insulation is top-notch, keeping my drinks hot or cold for hours, far outperforming other tumblers I’ve tried. The design is both modern and practical, fitting comfortably in my hand and in car cup holders.” “One of my favorite features is the straw with its silicone seal – it’s incredibly leak-proof, ensuring that not a drop of my beverage escapes unless I want it to.”

Back in the day, Robert DeNiro used to be a strong silent type when it came to talking about himself or promoting his films. For most of my life, DeNiro came across as grumpy and uncommunicative in interviews. But there’s been a real shift in recent years. I kind of think it was because of Donald Trump. DeNiro loathes Trump with every fiber of his being, and for the past six years or so, DeNiro has used his promotional interviews to talk about politics and how Trump f–king sucks. It’s pretty great, actually. Well, here’s another one for the pile – DeNiro spoke to Rolling Stone about Killers of the Flower Moon, his family and how Trump can absolutely never get near the White House again.

His busy 2023, which saw him welcome a baby girl & lose a grandson: “It’s a lot. I have no choice but to plow through. And my biggest concern now, with everything else, is us getting out of this situation with a monster in Trump. This is a classic grift. This is unreal. If you look at other totalitarian countries like Nazi Germany or the Soviet Union, it will affect everybody in ways you can’t even imagine.”

His new daughter Gia DeNiro is half-Asian: “Half-Chinese. I want to try to teach her Chinese and show her nursery rhymes in English and Chinese. I’m hoping to have her learn both.

He also has half-Black kids: “Years ago, Joe Pesci said to me, “You’re more American than most Americans,” because I had two children at the time that were mixed. And I never thought of it at all. But then I said, “You know, he’s got a point.” That’s what this country is. But every group has to get out there and vote.

His recent Gotham Awards speech was censored: “What happened was I was working on the speech with a writer, Lewis Friedman, and he gave it to them, and then one of the consultants had put something in the speech about how kids in Oklahoma aren’t even able to read the book Killers of the Flower Moon. And then I didn’t hear anything. They gave me the script, and I looked at the prompter, and I asked after, “What happened?” And they assumed that I had spoken to Marty or somebody about it, but I hadn’t. They assumed that I would be OK with it, and maybe I’m still getting it wrong, and I wasn’t. Marty and I spoke about it the next day and he said, “Yeah, I had sent you a text and [Apple] asked if you could dial it down, respectfully.”

It was probably Apple’s fault. “I didn’t even want to blame [Apple], but I was annoyed in the moment with whoever did it. If Marty had called me and said, “Apple asked me to do this and that,” then we would’ve gone over it. But I told Marty, “Everything in that speech is leading up to what this movie is about. And I don’t want to take away from the movie. It’s not a rant about Trump. It’s appropriate.”

Losing some fans because he speaks out about Trump: “You can’t please everybody. There’s always going to be somebody who doesn’t like you for this or that. All I know is: Trump brings out the worst in people. He’s a monster. I didn’t think that in the beginning when he was first elected. I thought, “Maybe he’ll straighten out.” Now, this guy is beyond dangerous, and I just hope people can realize it. Once you go down that road, it won’t be easy to come back. I was just at the White House for the Kennedy Center Honors with Billy Crystal, and I got emotional. The bands were playing Christmas songs, and it was so upbeat, and I thought, “This is what it has to be.” Like, what’s going on with this Trump stuff? This is crazy.

Whether he thinks Pres. Biden is the right guy to take on Trump: “I think that if Biden was on a gurney and couldn’t move anything but his eyes to blink “yes” or “no,” he’s our person. There’s no way that he’s not the guy to take Trump down. Nikki Haley, maybe? We need anything to get rid of Trump. If she came in it could at least throw him off and have her be the nominee. But Biden is the best person at this point. All I hope is that everybody gets out to vote, and all the minorities and young people get out and vote, vote, vote. You’ve gotta get out there and vote.

On January 6th: “It’s unbelievable. There was the crazy one with the hat and the horns. It was the inmates running the asylum.

Killers of the Flower Moon: “I think it’s a masterpiece. A great movie. I don’t know how corrective it will ultimately be, but the story is there and it’s for the audience to decide how it affects them. With Marty and Leo, it was their idea to change it so that the white guy from the FBI named Tom White didn’t come in and save the day. It’s about the relationship between Ernest and his uncle, and Ernest and Mollie, played by Lily Gladstone, who’s just wonderful. It’s complex and asks a lot of questions. The conflict is not even that clear with Leo’s character’s intentions.

[From Rolling Stone]

There’s a lot more about his relationship with Marty Scorsese, growing up in New York, and at one point, the RS interviewer mentions that Taxi Driver’s Travis Bickle is sort of the proto-incel, and DeNiro asks what “incel” means. When it’s explained to him – “It means ‘involuntary celibate.’ It’s a group of young men, primarily online, who have become hostile toward women because they can’t attract them and start sh-tposting about politics while fantasizing about exacting violent revenge” – DeNiro answers with “Yeah, I can see that.”

As for what he says about Trump and politics – I laughed out loud at “I think that if Biden was on a gurney and couldn’t move anything but his eyes to blink ‘yes’ or ‘no,’ he’s our person.” Amen. I feel the same way. Do I think Biden is a perfect Democrat? Of course not, but he’s empathetic and intelligent and he’s got a great team around him, and “any Democrat with a pulse” is better than Donald Trump.

Photos courtesy of Avalon Red.

Cameron Diaz and Benji Madden have been married for eight years. They have an almost-four-year-old daughter, Raddix (she’s four in January). Last year, Cameron re-entered the movie biz after taking almost a decade off. Back in 2020, she branched out and launched a zero-sugar, organic grape-based wine label called “Avaline.” In a recent appearance on the Lipstick on the Rim podcast to promote Avaline, Cameron let it slip that her husband, Good Charlotte’s Benji Madden, is a snorer, which prompted her to share her ideal living situation: separate bedrooms!

“We should normalize separate bedrooms,” Cameron said after one ladies admitted that her husband snores.

“To me, I would literally, I have my house, you have yours,” Cameron explained. “We have the family house in the middle. I will go and sleep in my room. You go sleep in your room. I’m fine.”

She added, “And we have the bedroom in the middle that we can convene in for our relations.”

When one of the hosts joked that the revelation might be controversial, Cameron joked that she can’t take it back now.

“I’ve already said it,” Cameron said, before clarifying, “By the way, I don’t feel that way now because my husband is so wonderful. I said that before I got married.”.

[From Just Jared]

I don’t think this is controversial at all! I think we can all relate to this sentiment at some point or other. I’m also a snorer (I’m actually doing one of those at-home sleep apnea studies in March; I’ve heard they’re awful) and Mr. Rosie sometimes jokes about wanting his own room on the nights where the pink noise app doesn’t drown me out, lol. I say to each their own. There are societal norms that change throughout the times, but there’s no set rules that couples have to adhere to in order to be in a “good” relationship. Relationships are built on love, trust, and mutual respect. If you want to sleep in separate bedrooms and that works for both of you, then sleep in separate bedrooms! Relationships can be as conventional or unconventional as you mutually agree upon. I’m not proposing you go all Will-and-Jada on it, but you and your partner have to do what works best for the two of you.

Embed from Getty Images

Embed from Getty Images

Photos via Instagram and credit: Lalo/Backgrid and Getty

Well, seemingly everyone in the media got the memo: the Sussexes had a “bad year,” and they are two of the “biggest losers” of 2023. They are in desperate need of a “comeback,” at least that’s what everyone says. Granted, I hope people can acknowledge that the Sussexes had some bad moments this year and that they didn’t always have the clearest strategies in place, but they also had big successes too – another great Invictus Games, a bestselling memoir, and Meghan signing up with WME. Well, Us Weekly put Harry, Meghan and the word “comeback” on their cover, so this really is the narrative. Some highlights from the cover story:

2024 will be better than 2023: It looks like 2024 is already off to a better start. In mid-December, Harry saw a landmark victory in one of his phone hacking lawsuits against a group of British newspapers (he was awarded $180,000). Sources tell Us lucrative offers have been flooding in for him and his wife and that, despite being tested, their marriage is stronger than ever. “Harry and Meghan are in extremely high demand,” says one source, noting that the duo are being courted for speaking engagements, business collaborations and entertainment gigs. They’re also thinking of moving from Montecito, California, to L.A. to get closer to the action in Hollywood. Adds a second source: “Harry and Meghan think 2024 will be the year of redemption.”

Meghan is turning down offers: It’s an exciting time for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. According to the second source, Meghan’s team has been turning down offers left and right. “They’ve actually been shocked by how popular she is,” says the source. “Her team has never seen anything like it.” She has a few projects pending, and the source says the Suits alum may also be working on a “big media deal.” The second source says Meghan is being approached about everything from film roles to multimillion-dollar endorsement deals with fashion and beauty brands. But her focus remains on philanthropy and giving back.

The Tig Redux? There’s also talk she’s resurrecting The Tig, the lifestyle blog she ran prior to marrying Harry in 2018. While the second source maintains that conversations around the blog are “ongoing,” the first source says the plan is to relaunch The Tig “bigger and better” than before.

Suits Redux? “Meghan’s been tight-lipped about potentially revisiting the series, but there’s hope that if the timing is right, something can be worked out,” says the first source. Adds the second: “Meghan would consider it. There have already been discussions.” But, the source adds, Meghan is currently “100 percent more interested in directing and being behind the camera.” In 2020, she and Harry signed a deal with Netflix worth a reported $100 million.

Harry will write another book? Harry is just as busy as his wife with another book on the horizon. He signed a four-book deal with Penguin Random House, the publisher behind Spare, in 2021. “He still has so much more to say,” says the second source, who clarifies that — despite Spare breaking first-day nonfiction sales records for the publishing company — Harry isn’t interested in writing another tell-all.

Moving on from the royal soap opera: “Harry and Meghan want to go in a different direction. They’ve said what they needed to say with regard to the royals,” the second source says. “They’re moving on.”

They’re highly selective. “There’s this perception that Harry and Meghan have been snubbed in the entertainment industry,” says the first source. “But the way they see it, they’re choosing quality over quantity instead of grabbing every opportunity that comes their way.” They’ve taken the bumps in the road in stride. “Harry and Meghan feel like everything with them is always blown out of proportion,” says the second source. “They try not to let the noise affect their lives.” If anything, the criticism has only brought them closer together, the source adds: “They are stronger than ever.”

Hands-on parents: “They try not to rely too heavily on nannies,” says the first source. “Harry and Meghan spend plenty of time outdoors, hiking with the dogs or kicking a soccer ball around with the kids. They also like to host dinner parties at the house and just kick back and binge-watch shows.” The couple will be spending Christmas at home in Montecito with friends and Meghan’s mom, Doria. “They’ll be cooking, playing games and swapping gifts,” says the first source. “They have a tough time trying not to spoil the kids too much!”

[From Us Weekly]

The face I made when I read “Meghan’s team has been turning down offers left and right.” WHY is she turning down offers? I believe she’s turning things down as well – I’ve always said that Meghan has left a lot of money on the table, and I would love to see her take some one-off brand ambassadorships, perhaps something with a skincare company or a big fashion house. Like, why be precious about it? Get rich. There’s a difference between “saying yes to everything” and “looking for some profitable partnerships with well-known brands.” As for 2024 being their comeback year or redemption year… whatever. The bad stories this year were blown out of proportion but I absolutely hope that 2024 is full of money, work and fun stuff for them.

Photos courtesy of Backgrid, Cover Images. Cover courtesy of Us Weekly.

On Wednesday, King Charles hosted the royal family’s annual pre-Christmas lunch. I don’t know when the tradition started, but QEII perfected it by inviting the extended family to enjoy a sumptuous pre-holiday lunch at Buckingham Palace. The idea being that the “minor royals” and royal-adjacents might not get invitations to the big Christmas celebration at Sandringham, but they still get some family time before Christmas. Charles changed the location of the lunch – for the second year in a row, he’s hosted the lunch at Windsor Castle. I imagine there’s more space and probably a bigger banquet hall? Even with fewer cameras around, the Mail still got the guest list, which included Prince Andrew. Weirdly, William and Kate were no-shows. William was only in Kuwait for two days, I think. He would have been back in England for this, but he still didn’t show up.

Zara Tindall and Princess Eugenie were among the royals pictured leaving Windsor Castle after enjoying a Christmas lunch held by King Charles III today – with Prince Andrew, who may soon face fresh scrutiny over his ties to paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein, also seen being driven away. As the evening wrapped up, members of the family – which included Princess Anne’s son Peter Phillips, the Prince and Princess Michael of Kent and Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi – were snapped departing from the festive gathering.

A number of other extended relatives joined Charles and Camilla for the traditional meal today. The Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh, along with Princess Anne, led arrivals earlier today. Prince Edward, 59, was pictured at the wheel, joining his wife Sophie, 58, and their daughter Lady Louise Windsor, 20.

They were closely followed by the Princess Royal, 73, sporting a chic emerald green ensemble as she was driven by her husband Tim Laurence, 68. Their daughter Zara Tindall and her husband Mike were also snapped at today’s event.

Lord Frederick Windsor – who is the son of the Prince and Princess Michael of Kent – was also seen, with his wife Sophie and their children. Elsewhere, Lady Helen Taylor also attended with her husband and kids. Princess Eugenie and her husband Jack Brooksbank could also be seen driving away after enjoying the festive lunch.

The King and Queen treated dozens of relatives to a sit-down meal – which has typically taken place annually on the Wednesday before Christmas, shortly before the monarch leaves for Sandringham for the holiday season. The tradition is one of the rare times when all the monarch’s extended family meet, and is a chance for Charles to celebrate with those who do not receive an invitation to spend Christmas in Norfolk with the senior royals.

The family are seated at round tables, enjoy a Sandringham-bred turkey lunch and pull crackers.

[From The Daily Mail]

Again, the pre-Christmas lunch was something Charles ALWAYS attended as Prince of Wales. It speaks volumes to me that William and Kate didn’t bother. In fact, I bet they’re already in Norfolk. I’ve long held the theory that within the family, William and Kate really aren’t that popular. As for the rest of the motley crew, it also says something that Andrew is still welcome at all of these events. Not only did he mooch another free meal this week, you know he’s also got an invitation to stay in Sandringham for Christmas as well. I wonder if he’ll stay there through New Year’s, which is when Jeffrey Epstein’s client list will be revealed. Also: Sophie and Edward took pains to arrive and depart together, after mostly doing separate events for months. Hm.

What else? The Mail’s Ephraim Hardcastle column claims that Charles wrote his Christmas speech by himself, without advisors or scriptwriters. Eh, he’s probably one of the better royal writers, although the bar is set pretty low.

Photos courtesy of Avalon Red.

The Colorado Supreme Court said Donald Trump can’t appear on their state’s ballot because he incited an insurrection. Good for them, honestly. The situation now heads to SCOTUS and they’ll probably force every state to put Trump on the ballot. [Pajiba]
Beyonce is constantly beclowning her fans. [LaineyGossip]
Hello Tom Hiddleston & Ke Huy Quan! [Go Fug Yourself]
Yeah, John Fetterman IS just a regular working-class Democrat from Pennsylvania. He’s never pretended to be anything else. [Jezebel]
Oh, a Chris Pine sighting! [Just Jared]
Sarah Paulson looks great here. [RCFA]
An update on Teddi Mellencamp’s skin cancer. [Starcasm]
Jeff Garlin’s baby photo is shocking!! [Seriously OMG]
OMG, I love this Valentino bag. [Tom & Lorenzo]
Rihanna came out for her Fenty X Puma launch. [Hollywood Life]
Interior designers talk about what trends will stay for 2024. [Buzzfeed]