If you got courtside or VIP tickets for free to some big sporting event, would you go? And if you went, would you stay for the entire game? While I rarely watch basketball, if I was given free courtside tickets, I would stay until the very end, especially if it was an exciting game at Madison Square Garden. Even if it’s a boring game, you can still people-watch and again, the tickets were free. Well, Emily Ratajkowski is in trouble over all of this. She was given comped tickets, alongside Irina Shayk, to watch the Knicks last month in courtside seats. Emily and Irina attended the game but they left before it ended, in what was a really exciting nail-biter. Now Emily has asked for comped tickets to the Rangers game at MSG, only they denied her.

She’s getting Knicks’d from the VIP list! Don’t look for supermodel Emily Ratajkowski on “Celebrity Row” at Madison Square Garden anytime soon. Sources exclusively told Page Six that after Emrata and her fellow model pal, Irina Shayk, exited a nail-biter Knicks victory with a couple minutes to go, Ratajkowski subsequently put in for Rangers tickets at MSG — but didn’t get the coveted comped seats. The top model is still welcome at MSG, as long as she buys tickets like any paying customer.

Sources previously told Page Six that the fetching, fair-weather fans left their courtside seats with mere minutes ticking down in the game on Nov. 24 as the Knicks roared back from a 21-point hole to beat the Heat 100-98. It was considered to be the best game of the season so far.

An MSG spokesperson told us on Monday when we reached out to ask about Ratajkowski’s alleged recent Rangers ticket request: “Emily was not offered comped tickets for the Rangers,” after leaving the Knicks game early. But, “she was offered, and is welcome, to buy great seats any time.”

Sources stressed the star is still welcome to buy seats. Floor seats for games can go for thousands, and the many stars who flock to the Garden usually get the VIP spots comped.

Shayk posted pics from the evening — mostly of her and Ratajkowski modeling their outfits — including on a forklift located in the bowels of the Garden. During the game, the jumbotron had showed them sitting center court as the models laughed and waved.

A rep for Ratajkowski did not comment. But a source told us that, “Emily was unaware of any issue, given that she and Irina left the game early due to a childcare issue at home.” However, other sources told us that the pair must’ve stopped to pose for the backstage pics at MSG as they left the game, since they’d allegedly only have access to that area when they exited the venue. A different source said the pics were taken at halftime.

When Emrata and Shayk left the Knicks game together with minutes left, a source told us at the time, “They left early! I mean, people notice when the two of them walk out together.” The insider added: “That was a big game against Miami.”

[From Page Six]

I get it and I think MSG is fine for doing this – it’s not like Emily is being banned from the venue, nor should she be. She’s just not going to get any more free tickets, or no more comped tickets for a while. Even if she had a childcare issue – and who knows – it didn’t seem like she was very into the game in the first place. She mostly just wants to be seen out. Which could happen if she buys her tickets like everyone else.

Photos courtesy of Cover Images.

I’ve now read at least three big profiles of Lauren Sanchez, and I come out of each one understanding why Jeff Bezos dumped his wife for her. I’m not saying I like his decision – Mackenzie Bezos seems like a cool woman and I hope she gets hers – but I understand why and how Lauren and Jeff’s affair began and why he seems genuinely in love with her. She’s vivacious, full of life and very bold and warm. Do I also think there’s a golddigger aspect to her, and a “midlife crisis” aspect to Bezos? For sure. But most men in Jeff Bezos’ position, when looking for a second wife, would have gone with a 20-something model or someone adept at power-brokering. Instead, Jeff Bezos followed his heart and went for the 53-year-old former local TV newscaster and reality-star-adjacent. So, Lauren has another profile, this time in Vogue. She didn’t get the cover and I doubt she’s mad about that. Lauren is exceptionally chatty and…yeah, I sort of like her. Some highlights:

Jeff Bezos on how Lauren changed him: “She has really helped me put more energy into my relationships. She’s always encouraging me: ‘Call your kids. Call your dad. Call your mom.’ And she’s also just a very good role model. She keeps in touch with people. I’ve never seen her put makeup on without calling somebody. Usually her sister.”

Lauren loves how extroverted Bezos has become: “He’s the life of the party. He’s just extremely enthusiastic, and extremely funny. He can be really goofy. I mean, you’ve heard him laugh, right?”

Their wedding plans: “We’re still thinking about the wedding, what it’s going to be. Is it going to be big? Is it going to be overseas? We don’t know yet. We’ve only been engaged five months!” He proposed at the start of their summer at sea, hiding the ring under her pillow after a starlit dinner à deux. She found it at bedtime, her makeup off. “When he opened the box, I think I blacked out a bit.”

Will she take his name? She looks at me like I am insane. “Uh, yes, one hundred percent. I am looking forward to being Mrs. Bezos.”

The responsibilities of being the wife of one of the richest men in the world: “I think there are a lot of opportunities that come with that, and I take those opportunities very seriously. We always look at each other and go, ‘We’re the team.’ So everything’s shared.”

Their schedules revolve around their kids: “Our lives are pretty normal,” is how Sánchez puts it. “Daily life mostly revolves around our kids.” Her arrangement with Whitesell means she and Bezos spend alternating weeks with Evan and Ella in LA, where both are in school… Bezos’s kids, four in all, are now at college, so there are university visits layered in too. Wherever they are, there’s the same agreement: “Whoever gets up first, that person makes the other person coffee,” she says. Bezos takes his black or with Laird Hamilton’s superfood nondairy creamer, in a self-warming Ember mug. Sánchez uses a mug Bezos got her from Amazon, with the words “Woke up sexy as hell again” splashed across the side.

They love movie nights: Saturday family movie nights are a tradition. The week we meet they’d just enacted their own version of Barbenheimer with Oppenheimer screened Saturday night and Barbie on Sunday. “Of course, Jeff’s favorite movie was Oppenheimer, and I love Barbie. And there you have us summed up in two movies.”

She doesn’t exactly dress in a “classy” way: “I always found it interesting that people say, ‘Well, Lauren, you definitely dress more for men.’ I actually dress for myself.” She cites Salma Hayek and Amal Clooney as style inspirations. “Why? Because they dress for who they are, and that authenticity, I think, comes through.” A shimmering Dolce & Gabbana halter column she wore to a recent Caring for Women event felt exactly right: “I really think I am coming into who I am and I know what feels good.”

Aging gracefully? “It’s really simple.” She cites the MEDS acronym—meditation, exercise, diet, and sleep—personally adding sunscreen to the end of it. “I don’t ever think, Wow, I’m going to be 54 in December and I’m getting married. It is all happening. We’re excited about the future.”

[From Vogue]

The Vogue piece also details how involved she’s become in all of Jeff’s charitable endeavors. Pretty much as soon as their affair began, Bezos began putting together all of these charities and initiatives. While I don’t doubt that Bezos buys her whatever she wants – jewelry, clothes, helicopters, rockets – she’s also a big part of how he gives away his fortune. Also: I can totally see Salma as a style inspo for Lauren. Both are petite, top-heavy women. Lauren’s had a ton of plastic surgery though, so “meditation and sleep” isn’t really the anti-aging secret in this case.

Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Cover Images.

I mentioned this in a previous post, but Taylor Swift’s fans – the investigative body known as Swifties – have figured out that Travis Kelce gave Taylor a ring for her 34th birthday. It was not an engagement ring, but it was a special piece and she wore it on her birthday. When she posted photos from her birthday night, the ring was front and center. Reportedly, it’s a large opal with what appears to be a blue topaz surround.

In photos Swift shared from the bash, the superstar can be seen wearing an enormous new pear-shaped opal ring surrounded by a halo of smaller stones that appear to be London blue topazes, as Rare Carat gemologist Karly Bulinski (who did not work on the design) tells Page Six Style. The opal is Kelce’s birthstone, while one of Swift’s is blue topaz — making the “very sentimental” sparkler a symbolic nod to their relationship.

The gemstones hold meaning outside of the two stars’ birth months, too; “Opal is said to represent hope and purity,” Bulinski tells us, while blue topaz is “said to help channel your inner wisdom.”

The gem expert says the opal in Swift’s ring could be as large as 20 carats, putting the price of the custom piece in the range of $10,000. But according to Mike Fried of The Diamond Pro, Swift’s new jewel could be worth much more. “The center stone on Taylor’s ring is massive and looks to be 15 carats. A high-quality opal of that size is incredibly rare, but not nearly as expensive as a diamond would be. I’d estimate it at around $175,000, if not more,” he tells us. “Since ancient times, opals have symbolized good luck, fortune, and power — which seems to be particularly fitting for Taylor Swift,” he continued.

[From Page Six]

I like opals too but they’re an odd stone for big cocktail rings. Some of the prettiest opal jewelry I’ve seen are smaller necklaces and earrings. Apparently, Taylor has always loved opals and she has often worn smaller opal jewelry. So, it was a sentimental piece for both Travis and Taylor and I bet he had it custom-made too. Can I just say? I think the fact that Travis gave her a right-hand ring for her birthday means that he’s not in a rush to propose. While he seems open to locking this down, he also seems to want to go at a respectful pace. Still, Travis and Taylor are reportedly planning to spend Christmas and New Year’s together (he has to play).

Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce will be spending the holidays together this year, Page Six can exclusively confirm. A source tells us that the pop superstar, 34, will be with her NFL beau, also 34, in Kansas City, Mo., on both Christmas Day and New Year’s Eve since he is scheduled to work on both days.

“She’ll for sure be at the games,” an insider says. Kelce’s team, the Kansas City Chiefs, are set to face off against the Las Vegas Raiders on Monday, Dec. 25, at 1 p.m. ET at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City.

Less than a week later, on Sunday, Dec. 31, the Chiefs play the Cincinnati Bengals at 4:25 p.m. ET — once again in their home stadium. It’s unclear if Swift will stay in Kansas City in between games or if she will fly to Tennessee to be with her parents, Andrea and Scott Swift.

Our source was unable to confirm whether the Swift matriarch and patriarch will be with their Grammy-winning daughter on Christmas and New Year’s Eve.

[From Page Six]

I’ve always thought it’s sort of mean to make football players play on Christmas Day. I understand Thanksgiving – after you eat, it’s nice to sit and watch a game. But Christmas Day? Let those poor dudes have a day off for goodness sake. Anyway, stop putting pressure on Travis to propose so soon! If you believe that Traylor is the real deal, wait for football season to end! He should propose at the Super Bowl anyway.

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Another week, another new episode of America’s hottest, messiest, and most in-demand new podcast, “Amy & T.J.” Last week, T.J. and Amy addressed the news that their exes are now dating. They declared that gossip is toxic and vowed not to clap back at the headlines. This week – it’s literally only episode 3 – they stuck to their word about not responding to headlines about them that they don’t like. Instead, they answered fan questions and tried to drum up some “will they/won’t they” speculation as to whether or not they’ll ever get married. “Just what we were wondering,” said absolutely no one.

On Tuesday’s episode of the Amy & T.J. podcast on iHeartRadio, the couple answered fan questions hand selected by their producers. Robach and Holmes said that they were not made aware of the questions ahead of time. At one point, they were put on the spot about whether they intend to get married.

“We did not enter this relationship for fun or for, ‘Let’s see what happens,’” Robach said. “We entered this relationship because we intend to spend our lives together. So whether or not we have some sort of legal, I don’t know, button on it, that’s like, I don’t know.”

Robach and Holmes have each been married twice before — Robach to Tim McIntosh, with whom she shares two daughters, and later to Andrew Shue; and Holmes to Amy Ferson and Marilee Fiebig. Holmes has three children.

“We both have two marriages under our belts, and so it’s not something we’re racing or rushing towards, but there is something, I get it,” Robach continued. “I can’t even explain why there’s this desire, but I want to spend the rest of my life with you.”

Holmes teased, “But you don’t want to marry me?”

“It’s on the table!” Robach fired back.

Holmes was more direct in his response.

“I want to marry you,” he said, adding a caveat. “You are 50 and I’m 46,” he began. “I’m very sick of introducing you, a 50-year-old woman, ‘This is my girlfriend.’ That just sounds stupid.”

Robach jokingly lamented, “But thank you for noting the age difference. I appreciate that.”

She added, “Lucky for us, when we actually meet people, we don’t have to say, ‘This is my boyfriend, T.J.’ They already know. We’re past that. We don’t really have to introduce each other, so we don’t really have to use that language.”

[From ET Online]

They’re so fun and flirty, y’all. They’re a regular old romcom with their little workplace meet cute, right down to the woman throwing away her career for her man. Cute tidbit, too, about wanting to get married because they’re too old to be boyfriend and girlfriend. I mean, that’s totally a very valid reason to get married. YOLO and all that. And for T.J., promoting Amy to “wife” on his Facebook profile comes with the added bonus of turning that vacancy sign back on for the mistress position. (Credit: CB made that joke first and I borrowed it because it made me giggle.) They kept going on and on, too, because I guess at this point, they’ve decided that talking about their relationship really is all they have going for them. I know none of *you* asked, but since you’re still reading this, here’s where you get to learn that T.J. said the L word first, before he even held Amy’s hand. Quelle romantique.

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Jeffrey Epstein died by suicide in a New York jail in August 2019, where he was awaiting additional charges and a trial. That was the official story anyway. Epstein’s friend and co-abuser Ghislaine Maxwell was arrested in 2020, then she was tried and convicted and she’s currently in prison. Investigators always believed that Maxwell was more than just Epstein’s conspirator and friend, she was also in charge of organizing his whole seedy, degenerate operation of rape, abuse, blackmail and human trafficking. One could argue that Maxwell has stayed alive for so long because she A) still has all of those records/kompromat and B) hasn’t revealed the client list or blackmail list publicly. Well, something interesting is happening:

A federal judge in New York has ordered a vast unsealing of court documents in early 2024 that will make public the names of scores of Jeffrey Epstein’s associates. The documents are part of a settled civil lawsuit alleging Epstein’s one-time paramour Ghislaine Maxwell facilitated the sexual abuse of Virginia Giuffre. Terms of the 2017 settlement were not disclosed.

Maxwell is currently serving a 20-year prison sentence after she was convicted of sex trafficking and procuring girls for Epstein, who died by suicide in 2019 in a Manhattan jail while awaiting trial on federal sex trafficking charges.

Anyone who did not successfully fight to keep their name out of the civil case could see their name become public — including Epstein’s victims, co-conspirators and innocent associates.

Judge Loretta Preska set the release for Jan. 1, giving anyone who objects to their documents becoming public time to object. Her ruling, though, said that since some of the individuals have given media interviews their names should not stay private.

The documents may not make clear why a certain individual became associated with Giuffre’s lawsuit, but more than 150 people are expected to be identified in hundreds of files that may expose more about Epstein’s sex trafficking of women and girls in New York, New Mexico, the U.S. Virgin Islands and elsewhere. Some of the names may simply have been included in depositions, email or legal documents.

Some of the people have already been publicly associated with Epstein. For instance, Harvard law professor Alan Dershowitz is publicly named in the judge’s order. Certain minor victims will remain redacted.

[From ABC News]

In case you were wondering, this is why “Prince Andrew” was trending on social media on Tuesday. I’m sure Andrew’s name will be in the records, but I’m curious if there are records of Andrew’s victims beyond Virginia Giuffre. Virginia always knew/believed that Epstein had “given” Andrew other girls/women. There are anecdotal stories about Andrew staying at Epstein’s New York home and a steady stream of young-looking women coming and going at the same time. Will there be records of all of that? And beyond Andrew… well, I’m sure some rancid old perverts are quaking in their boots.

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A few weeks ago, the Hollywood Reporter published their annual list of winners & losers of the year. THR declared that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex were two of the “losers” of the year because of a “whiny Netflix documentary, a whiny biography (Spare — even the title is a pouty gripe) and an inert podcast” and that Brand Sussex had “swelled into a sanctimonious bubble just begging to be popped — and South Park was the pin.” It was truly a bizarre take from one of the leading industry magazines, and it felt like it was written by Camilla Tominey or some Daily Mail hack.

Well, it gets even more bizarre. THR has now released their “2023 Hollywood Yearbook,” the idea being that Hollywood is like high school, and that THR can hand out the yearbook superlatives. THR names Travis Kelce & Taylor Swift as the Prom King and Queen, lists Bob Iger as “Worst Homecoming Performance,” and then the magazine took yet another swipe at the Sussexes with this:

LEAST PRIVATE PRIVACY ADVOCATES
Harry and Meghan

After the Oprah Winfrey interview, the best-selling memoir, the Netflix series, and the (canceled) Spotify podcast, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex could try looking under rocks to reach the few people who haven’t yet heard their appeals to be left alone.

[From THR]

What does the Hollywood Reporter think they’re doing here? The rest of the list is much more topical and actually about what happened during the year within the industry, with the WGA and SAG strikes, the success of Barbenheimer, the Marvel bubble bursting, etc. The inclusion of the Sussexes – and in such a negative way – sticks out like a sore thumb. Beyond that, where are these “appeals to be left alone”? There was a privacy narrative, set by the palace, back in 2019-2020, but beyond that, they haven’t said anything about “wanting privacy” for years. Something really insidious is happening. Especially after Harry’s huge legal victory against the Mirror Group, a media company which hacked him and criminally invaded his privacy.

Class of 2023 THR Superlatives: After the Oprah Winfrey interview, the memoir, the Netflix series and the Spotify podcast, Harry and Meghan could try looking under rocks to reach the few people who haven’t yet heard their appeals to be left alone https://t.co/4Jm7idXBDa pic.twitter.com/zXBtA2vR2l

— The Hollywood Reporter (@THR) December 19, 2023

Photos courtesy of Cover Images.

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A woman who purchased a glass vase at Goodwill for $3.99 just bagged over $100,000 for it at auction. Regretfully, I am not this woman. Jessica Vincent thought her find might be valuable after spotting an ‘M’ on the bottom presumed to be for Murano, the Venetian island famed for glass blowing. Then an expert confirmed the piece was part of the Pennellate series by prominent Italian architect Carlo Scarpa. Scarpa was famous in his home country for revitalizing museum spaces, and apparently he also dabbled in glassware. There’s gonna be a massive stampede to Goodwill stores now, right?

A woman who bought a glass vase for $3.99 at a local Goodwill charity shop has seen the piece auctioned off for more than $100,000 after it turned out to be a rare and valuable piece of Italian glassware.

Jessica Vincent had bought the item at a Goodwill thrift store in Hanover county, Virginia, and had an inkling that it might have been worth a little more than was usual, she told the New York Times.

“I had a sense that it might be a $1,000 or $2,000 piece, but I had no clue how good it actually was until I did a little bit more research,” she told the paper after noticing a small ‘M’ on its bottom which she suspected might stand for Murano, and Italian island near Venice famed for glasswork.

After snapping it up for a penny short of four bucks, Vincent researched the piece online where enthusiasts pointed out it resembled a work by the famous Italian architect Carlo Scarpa.

Vincent eventually sent pictures of the vase to the Wright Auction House and almost immediately its president, Richard Wright, got in touch for a chat. “The minute I saw the photos I had a really good feeling,” Wright told the Times.

Last week it sold for $107,100 to an unidentified private art collector in Europe after it was officially identified as being part of Scarpa’s 1940s “Pennellate” series.

[From The Guardian]

Oh man, she hit the thrift store jackpot! I could be jealous (and I am), but I’m also plotting. You guys, my mother has a collection of mid-century Murano glass ashtrays. She doesn’t smoke, she just likes them as objet d’art. She’s also looking to downsize. So right now I have dollar signs in my eyes like Daffy or Scrooge McDuck (pick your favorite duck), dreaming of the fortunes that could be reaped. A quick perusal at Etsy, however, has swiftly brought me back down to earth. Prices for similar ashtrays range from $25 – $425. No slouch, but no $100k either. But I bet we could put away a decent stash if we add in some of our vintage Pyrex dishes. So I guess I’ll be at this “working for a living” thing for a little while longer, sigh.

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Over the summer, Kelly Osbourne got the attention she desperately wanted, and she did so by screeching about Prince Harry. According to Kelly Osbourne, Harry “whines” about how his life is “so hard.” Kelly’s whole career is built on being adjacent to fame and C-list reality stardom, and she bitches and moans constantly. Anyway, that was the first time I’d paid attention to Kelly in a while and I remember looking at her Instagram and being surprised by how she looks these days. Her appearance has changed dramatically in recent years – significant weight loss and something else, TBD. Well, in a recent episode of the Osbournes Podcast, Kelly announced that she wants “plastic surgery” for Christmas. Girl, haven’t you had enough?

Kelly Osbourne is ready to go under the knife. During the latest episode of The Osbournes Podcast, the 39-year-old told her family what she wants this holiday season.

“I think I’ve decided what I want for Christmas,” she began as her mother Sharon, 71, said, “Oh, here we go.”

“Plastic surgery,” Kelly proclaimed while holding her hand up to her neck and face.

“Oh f—. Kelly, don’t. Stop.” Ozzy, 74, told his daughter immediately.

Kelly defended her idea: “Well, I just think it’s my time!”

Sharon then noted that she believes it’s “too early” for Kelly to start her plastic surgery journey when Jack, 37, chimed in noting that their mom started getting work done around the same age.

“Can you f—ing believe it,” Kelly said.

This isn’t the first time the famous family has talked about cosmetic procedures on the show. Back in September, Sharon said on the show that she has “cursed off cosmetic surgery forever” when Jack quickly admitted that he wasn’t convinced.

“I thought you had, like, a two- or three-year, like, tune-up. It’s like a car,” Jack told Sharon as she laughed. “Every 5,000 miles, Mom goes in for a tune-up.”

“That’s right,” the Osbourne matriarch quipped. “Everybody needs it.”

Jack and Ozzy both said cosmetic procedures were not necessary, but Kelly Osbourne chimed in on her mother’s side.

“Yes,” Kelly said. “Look, I do not want one of those necks in which you can flick. That will never happen.”

[From People]

Yeah, Kelly is already getting work done, even though she claims it’s just weight loss and Botox. Like… I don’t know how you can have Sharon Osbourne as a mother and still think plastic surgery is the answer. Sharon has had a series of really horrendous facelifts and she’s still complaining about her most recent “botched” facelift. That would be enough to get me to swear off those kinds of cosmetic procedures. But again, Kelly is already partaking. She’s just lying about it.

Photos courtesy of Kelly’s Instagram.

Miranda Cosgrove has never had a drink or smoked. [JustJared]
George Santos correctly pointed out that he’s always going to be in-demand because y’all want the content, which is why I’ve barely discussed him. That man is a fraud, a scammer, a criminal and a nuisance! [OMG Blog]
Jessica Chastain’s matching shoes here are killing me. [GFY]
Jennifer Lopez & Ben Affleck’s holiday party was well-attended. [LaineyGossip]
The Crown went out not with a bang but with a whimper. [Pajiba]
Songs which became more popular years after their release. [Buzzfeed]
Kylie Jenner had a casual night out. [Hollywood Life]
Annalynne McCord got a job on Days of Our Lives. [Seriously OMG]
Jennifer Lawrence’s coat from The Row gave her linebacker shoulders. [RCFA]

The British papers just can’t let go of their Sussex obsession, so we’re getting “end of year” summaries of Prince Harry and Meghan’s ups and downs in 2023, with an overemphasis on sh-t like “South Park” and the Hollywood Reporter’s recent nastiness. The same emphasis is not given to Spare selling millions of copies, nor another successful Invictus Games, nor Harry winning his lawsuit against the Mirror. Well, here’s some sh-t from Hannah Furness at the Telegraph, from a piece called “Can the Sussexes really make a comeback?” Why is it any of the Telegraph’s business what two people do in California? They really refuse to ask themselves that question.

Meghan’s recent appearance at the Variety event: “Is that what this was all for?” one former palace source said incredulously at the time. “All this drama, leaving the Royal family for a life of service, just to be back on the showbiz circuit again?”

Omid Scobie’s Endgame: Widely considered as a Sussex sympathiser, despite regularly defending himself against accusations of being “Meghan’s mouthpiece”, Scobie’s account echoed much of what Harry and Meghan said in their own interviews but went further to heavily criticise their British family. Prince William was painted as jealous and angry, the Princess of Wales as a cold “Stepford-like” wife, and the King incompetent. No amount of denials about collaboration could separate the Sussexes from the book in the public imagination. “The credibility of the Sussexes now seems somehow linked to the credibility of Omid Scobie,” said one observer. “The more ridiculous the book seems, the more biased it sounds, the more fuss there is about who said what in which translation, the less people will believe the claims in it.”

No one believes the royals are racist, huh? Even the most powerful accusations, including the accidental naming of members of the Royal family with “unconscious bias”, will not work in the Sussexes’ favour, another expert believes. “It takes away the power of their own story,” he says. “If and when they want to talk about it themselves, the public will feel they’ve heard it all before.”

The business fizzle: Shortly after the Hollywood Reporter pronouncement, Forbes, the respected US business magazine, called the Sussexes a “compelling case study for Harvard Business School on the ultimate brand buzz failure”. A columnist advised readers on how to “avoid Harry and Meghan’s all buzz and no buyers strategy when building a brand”. A second article urged the Prince to stop focusing on a “fading career as a bon vivant philanthropist and B-list celebrity”, and choose not to “continue pursuing an increasingly pointless life of serving as an irrelevant hood ornament for good causes”.

[From The Telegraph]

The Telegraph also cited the recent People Mag story about the Sussexes going for a “total system reboot.” Y’all know my thoughts on all of this, as I’ve said many times this year: the Sussexes have had some big wins but they have legitimately had some tough moments and sh-tty newscycles. Their biggest problem is a terrible communications strategy. They’ve f–ked up their communications and messaging repeatedly, and I hope their “system reboot” addresses that. The Spotify story would not have been half as bad if they had gone on the record when the contract ended AND clapped back at Bill Simmons. This wasn’t some unhinged royal reporter – this was a Spotify executive and it was about their business. They also made significant mistakes in how they communicated what happened with the paparazzi chase in New York. As for the Scobie stuff – it’s hilarious that the one time Harry & Meghan refuse to complain or explain, that’s when the British media demands that they speak up.

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