Chris Pine attended the Wags & Walks benefit gala this weekend and not enough people are talking about these photos!! [People]
What do we think of Troye Sivan’s new music video? [OMG Blog]
Trying to unpack all of the Cyrus family drama. [LaineyGossip]
Was Saturday Night Live really bad this weekend? I didn’t watch it. [Pajiba]
Shailene Woodley showed up to a premiere. [Go Fug Yourself]
Tom Hardy no longer does it for me, how about you? [Just Jared]
A reminder: submit your scary stories!! [Jezebel]
Sienna Miller wore a high-fashion poncho. [RCFA]
Gronk has some football analysis. [Egotastic]
America truly has a sign for everything. [Buzzfeed]
One NHL player is still going to use Pride tape. [Towleroad]
Madonna’s back, bitches. [Socialite Life]
People have successfully blocked this out of their memory banks, but for months in the fall of 2021, Will Smith was promoting his memoir and it felt like every single day for two solid months, there was some crazy headline about Will – like, having sex was triggering his gag reflex, or ridiculously personal stuff about his marriage. People forgot all about that when he slapped Chris Rock. Now, two years later, Jada has written her own memoir and we’re going through the same thing – every day is a new headline about Will, Chris Rock or Tupac. Well, we heard previously that Jada and Will had been separated for six years before the 2022 Oscars, and now Jada is saying that she was shocked that Will referred to Jada as “my wife” when he screamed at Rock on stage:
Will Smith shocked America when he slapped Chris Rock at the Oscars and uttered a now infamous sentence in defense of Jada Pinkett Smith: “Keep my wife’s name out of your f–king mouth.”
But Jada was surprised for a different reason, as Will had not called her his “wife” for a while before that.
“First of all, I’m really shocked, because mind you, I’m not there. We haven’t called each other husband and wife in a long time,” Jada told Hoda Kotb in an NBC News primetime special while promoting her upcoming memoir, “Worthy,” out Oct. 17. “I’m like, ‘What is going on right now? Keep my wife’s name out of your mouth?’ I’m really worried for Will because I don’t know what’s going on.”
At the 2022 Oscars, Will stormed the stage and struck Rock after the comedian made a joke about Jada’s bald head. Jada, who has alopecia, rolled her eyes after Rock jokingly referred to her as G.I. Jane.
“I did that eye roll not so much for me — and I think this is really important — but the fact that there could be a jab at alopecia,” Jada told Kotb in a new clip.
I’m not with Jada on this one – even though they were separated, they were still “together” at public events and Will had literally been referring to Jada as his wife for months as he promoted his memoir and King Richard. Why would Jada suddenly be shocked by that? Besides, it’s also clear that Chris, Jada and Will have some incredibly complicated history, history which included Will and Chris having words years prior to that night, all about Will’s “wife.”
Meanwhile, Jada also shared her feelings on Rock’s Netflix special, which aired earlier this year. That was where Rock called Jada a “bitch” a dozen times and blamed the slap on her, and claimed that Jada “started it.” This was Jada’s reaction:
“I remember my heart piercing, my heart cracking, and I remember my feelings being so hurt,” Jada told the outlet.
“And then I remember being able to smile and wish him well at the same time,” she continued.
For someone who talks the language of healing, therapy, ownership and mindfulness, it’s surprising to hear Jada soften her language around Rock consistently. I get it, the last thing she wants to do is come across like “an Angry Black Woman,” but meeting each one of Rock’s escalating humiliations with forced grace is just a strange way to exist. Like, this is the moment (when she’s truly telling her side of things) to actually say “that was really awful, he hurt me and it’s not okay and I don’t have any interest in dealing with his sh-t anymore.” She’s overemphasizing that his humiliations are like water off a duck’s back.
Prince William has been “focused” on “winning” America for a few years now. He keeps showing up uninvited and uninspired, like he expects to get a rock star reception simply because of his title. This has led to some hilariously janky Britsplaining of American culture, as royal commentators struggle to explain why dull, ashy, awkward William would ever appeal to Americans. “Americans love that William is dutiful! They love Earthshot! They can’t get enough of eggplant emojis!” Now, following his New York trip, William has convinced himself that Americans truly want more of him, and his office is clearly telling royal reporters “William plans to be spending A LOT of time in America now.” Which is why we get sh-t like this:
Prince William is letting himself be more relaxed and “open” with the public when out and about on official duties, a royal commentator noted. The Prince of Wales has taken on an increasing number of duties since succeeding his father the King in the new role – and part of his strategy includes winning over the American public.
Mail on Sunday Assistant Editor Kate Mansey argued the new approach follows William’s realisation that “you have got to have America on side” in the aftermath of Prince Harry’s multiple blows to the Royal Family’s image over the past three years. Mansey suggested the Prince and Princess of Wales “will be maintaining that [aura] of ‘majesty’ – why they are separate and why they are different, whilst also being ‘of the people, for the people’,” as part of their new approach.
She added: “They know very well what they do well. This is the authentic couple that we have been waiting to see for years. Like William letting slip he went for a run in Central Park one morning. Obviously, people will draw that comparison with the paparazzi chase with Meghan and Harry in New York. This is really interesting to see, that William is allowing himself to be more open.”
Speaking to True Royalty’s The Royal Beat, Mansey also welcomed reports suggesting that William and Kate are now seeking to trademark their Royal Foundation in the United States. She noted philanthropy remains a key area where they could reap considerable approval and win over support across the Pond.
She added: “The issue of philanthropy is so developed in America… it’s more part of the setup of how American communities and businesses work. So you do have to have a foothold in America if you are starting a big global initiative. I think Prince William realises you have got to have America on side. He is very serious about the fact that his role is global. He is on the world stage, and he is going to make the most of it.”
And the King is expected to invest in William and Kate’s popularity by urging them to travel abroad more extensively, according to a source. They told OK! magazine: “The King is very aware of the role the younger members of the Royal Family play in spreading the word to a wider and younger audience. Media and audience tests demonstrate the success of William and Kate’s engagement with the younger generation through social media and public appearances. So it’s important that they continue this success into 2024 and beyond.”
“I think Prince William realises you have got to have America on side” and “So you do have to have a foothold in America if you are starting a big global initiative.” So this man was in his 40s before he realized that the monarchy’s relevance is directly tied to American tourism money, American philanthropy and American media? They’re saying it like it’s a good thing, that William has finally gotten this key part of the British monarchy’s relevancy formula. Too bad William didn’t realize this when he was smearing his American sister-in-law as “too American” and “a soap opera actress” and “a sociopath.” Too bad William only developed an interest in all things American as soon as Harry and Meghan escaped. And it’s really too bad that William only gives a sh-t about America now, to the exclusion of Commonwealth countries and everywhere else.
When the Princess of Wales went to a Rugby World Cup match in France last month, I could have sworn that the photos had been Yassified. That was the weekend of September 9-10, aka the opening weekend of the Invictus Games. The Daily Beast claimed, hilariously, that Kate’s Yassified photos “torpedoed” the Invictus Games. When really, the Invictus Games still has the British media deeply shaken. They still haven’t recovered, and the Dusseldorf games really shifted something. But I digress. My point is that Kate went to another Rugby World Cup match on Sunday and they didn’t Yassify her photos.
Kate wore white again to support Team England (whose colors are white and red). Her blazer is a repeat – a piece from Zara which costs £30. It looks… cheap. Kate had better luck than her husband and son, who watched as Argentina defeated Wales on Saturday. England defeated Fiji on Sunday and Kate was apparently pleased with the win. She was not joined by her husband or any of her children – instead, she sat with Bill Beaumont, the chairperson of World Rugby and Rob Bryers, President of the Rugby Football Union. England will now play South Africa in the semifinal this upcoming Saturday (Oct. 21). Will Kate fly out again to support England?
Kate also visited England’s locker room after the match. William brought George to the Welsh team’s locker room after Wales’s loss on Saturday too. Reportedly, Will and George’s visit was extremely awkward. Kate’s visit looked awkward too.
Before the snake fam even got the chance to process Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift’s surprise Saturday night outing, Traylor was out again on Sunday night. They hit up the Waverly Inn after Travis attended his brother’s game (the Eagles, Jason Kelce’s team, lost). Taylor’s outfit here isn’t my favorite thing ever, but it’s also got a ‘90s vibe which I sort of appreciate.
There’s a lot of gossip reporting about Traylor’s two nights in New York. Reportedly, they were making out in the middle of the SNL afterparty for hours. They also looked “in love” and like they weren’t even paying attention to anyone else (except Ice Spice).
“Taylor and Travis looked very comfortable and happy together. They were kissing openly and weren’t shy with their PDA. When Taylor first arrived, she spent time with Ice Spice and Ice Spice’s friends,” the source says.
Another source adds that the pair appeared to be the “real deal,” and that they didn’t hold back when it came to being affectionate.
“They were holding hands throughout the night, whispering into each other’s ear, and they even exchanged some kisses,” says the source, who added it wasn’t like they were making out, just sweet moments like “he’d kiss her on her head.”
The source added that Kelce was also protective of Swift. “At one point, he actually told her security guard that he could step aside, like he’d take it from here,” the source says.
I’ve already seen some videos where it looks like Travis is having a hard time negotiating Taylor’s security, especially when they’re getting in and out of cars. I think it’s great that he’s protective of her and he thinks he’s got it covered, but Taylor needs to sit down with him and tell him that he needs to let her security do their jobs and there’s a reason why she has such a big security detail. Still, it’s also possible that Travis knows what makes a good photo, and he didn’t want Taylor’s security guys in the frame!
Meanwhile, The Eras Tour film shattered the box office this weekend, raking in $95-$97 million in North America. The Traylor outings also work as promotion!
Introduction: Minutes 0 to 3:30
We should have an episode out next week and then we’ll be off on October 28th. I recently discovered a British woman on YouTube who feeds the foxes in her suburban neighborhood. I also love videos of huskies. Here’s a link to the video I mention where the husky is complaining and the German Shepherd is chill. (The husky has since passed over the rainbow bridge.) Here’s a link to the video Chandra mentions of the Husky who refuses to come in after it snowed. Chandra loves this interview with Daniil Medvedev from after he beat Alcaraz at the US Open. There’s also a cute interview where he’s doing a puzzle. Chandra is going to watch the Beckham docuseries. You can listen below!
Royals: Minutes 3:30 to 20:00
Harry and Meghan were in New York City as part of their work with the Archewell Foundation for World Mental Health Day. They were in a terrible car chase with the paparazzi the last time they were in New York, in May. This time they brought a security team. Chandra thinks some of that security might be NYPD. The British press was snarky about their security.
Harry and Meghan visited a school in Brooklyn and also took part in a discussion with at the World Mental Health Day Festival with families of children have been bullied online. They were on a panel with US Surgeon General Vivek Murthy. The Sussexes have been advocating for regulating social media for a long time. We remember Facebook whistleblower Frances Haugen’s testimony in Congress in late 2021 and Mark Zuckerberg’s testimony in 2018. Congress is not regulating these awful social media companies because they have no clue. I pay a segment of Meghan’s discussion on that panel. Chandra does not think Meghan will return to Instagram. We remember when her friend posted a photo of avocado toast and the press connected it to war and drought.
The Waleses hired an entertainment producer, Pippa Harris, as director of their Royal Foundation. Pippa runs a production company with director Sam Mendes and is one of the producers of Call the Midwife. We’re surprised that show is still running after 12 seasons but we both only watched the first two seasons. The story about William hiring Harris was written by Richard Eden and framed as if Harry and Meghan would be jealous of William. It was ridiculous. William’s private secretary is leaving after the news that William wants to hire a CEO. Kate hasn’t had a private secretary in over a year. She tried to hire someone but that woman quit before she started.
The Waleses went to Birmingham for World Mental Health day where they spoke to young people. I thought Kate’s speech was a little better than usual, but Chandra says she hasn’t improved. William just gave basic examples of improving mental health like getting outdoors and talking to friends. The Royal Foundation also commissioned a survey of 3,000 young people on how mental health is important.
Kate went to Nottingham Trent University to talk with students about mental health. She wore a cream Sezane sweater and skirt that was very Meghan. Kate and William also stepped out for an event with SportsAid, one of Kate’s patronages. They talked to young athletes about mental health. Kate wore a blue Zara blazer and jeans.
I say the royals need to redistribute their wealth and Chandra agrees. The royals own so much land and have massive wealth. Chandra mentions that William is no longer talking about housing the homeless on duchy property.
Comments of the Week: Minutes 20 to end
Chandra’s comment of the week is from Chaine on the post about William’s favorite emoji.
My comment of the week is from Miranda on the post where Aaron Rodgers said he wanted to debate Travis Kelce.
Thanks for listening bitches!
Photos credit: Avalon.red, Cover Images, Backgrid, and via Instagram and YouTube
Soon after the coronation, the Middletons’ family business, Party Pieces, went bankrupt. Party Pieces had apparently been struggling financially for years, barely propped up by “new investors” throwing good money after bad into what sounded like a poorly managed company built on lies. For months, Party Pieces had been scamming small businesses and the company even secured millions in government and bank loans. The whole house of cards collapsed in early June, with PP basically going into a posh version of bankruptcy and being sold for about £220K. Carole and Michael Middleton owed creditors £2.6 million, none of which will ever be repaid. Those creditors were stunned and they spoke out to the Mail, the Times, the Telegraph. Story after story of how Carole had personally guaranteed that she would pay the debts, only to walk away and run back to her £5 million manor home in Bucklebury. She hasn’t been seen in months. Well, funny story – someone put posters up around Bucklebury, posters which called out the Middletons for their fraud.
Kate Middleton’s parents have been targeted in a malicious poster campaign over the collapse of the family’s party business, it was reported last night. Messages were posted on lampposts and trees around the couple’s home village of Bucklebury in Berkshire, where they have lived for several decades.
Kate’s brother, James, 36, who lives nearby with his pregnant French wife Alizee, 33, was said to have been enraged by the posters, and was reportedly seen tearing them down.
Suppliers have been left out of pocket by the closure of Party Pieces, which was sold by Kate’s mother Carole, 68, and father Michael, 74, shortly before it went bust earlier this year. The creditors have been calling on the couple to pay the outstanding sums out of their own pockets.
A source told The Sun on Sunday at the shock felt by villagers over the attacks targeted at the couple. ‘It’s unfair to do this in their home village, just yards from where they live,’ they added.
Party Pieces folded in the summer with £2.6 million of debts. The firm was started by the Middletons in 1987, selling decorations and party paraphernalia for children’s events from catalogues. Its business model was transformed by the internet revolution of the 1990s, which allowed the Party Pieces website to begin selling products to customers at home and abroad.
The company’s soaring profits are said to have helped the couple put their three children through the prestigious Marlborough College, where fees are £42,000 per year, as well as paid for their £5 million seven-bedroom Georgian manor house in Bucklebury. But the firm was badly hit by the pandemic, when children’s parties had to be cancelled, and then the cost-of-living crisis caused the business to slump further.
In June, after 36 years in business, Party Pieces went under, just a fortnight after it had emerged that the company had been sold to a Scottish businessman named James Sinclair, having collapsed into administration. Former British Airways stewardess Carole was said by a friend at the time to be ‘desperately sad’ at the company’s fate.
Other friends said that she was trying to make sure creditors were paid. However, suppliers have since criticised the couple, claiming invoices were left unpaid before the firm went bust. An administrator’s report revealed creditors were unlikely to be repaid cash they were owed.
“It’s unfair to do this in their home village, just yards from where they live” – okay, Carole. What about all of the people you ripped off? What about the small businesses who took you at your word that they would get paid by the future queen’s mother, which is why you were extended credit in the first place? All of those years of hustling, lying and scamming, all to throw her daughters in the paths of royalty and wealthy men, and then when her house of cards collapsed, no one helped her. Like, where is Terribly Moderately Wealthy James Matthews? Where is Prince William’s inherited wealth? Her sons-in-law left Carole twisting in the wind. And it’s amazing, honestly. As for the posters… who put them up? Do you think some shady media people put them up to create a story? Or is some sh-t really going down in Bucklebury and this is just the tip of the iceberg?
Note by CB: Get the Top 10 stories about the Middletons’ shady finances when you sign up for our mailing list! I only send one email a day on weekdays after lunch.
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Bruce Willis’ career really took off when he was cast as the lead in the series Moonlighting in 1985. The show ran for five seasons, and Bruce won an Emmy and Golden Globe Award for his role as David Addison. After a long campaign by series creator Glenn Gordon Caron to make the show available on streaming (apparently the delay was due to securing a massive amount of music rights), Moonlighting finally debuted last week on Hulu. Caron has taken the lead on promo for the release, and in his interviews he’s commented on his friendship with Bruce, and how Bruce is doing with the progression of his dementia:
[Glenn Gordon] Caron revealed to The Post Tuesday that he has tried to visit the “Die Hard” actor, 68, almost every month since he was first diagnosed with aphasia — and later dementia — in March 2022.
“I’m not always quite that good but I try and I do talk to him and his wife [Emma Heming Willis] and I have a casual relationship with his three older children,” Caron said. “I have tried very hard to stay in his life.”
“The thing that makes [his disease] so mind-blowing is [that] if you’ve ever spent time with Bruce Willis, there is no one who had any more joie de vivre than he,” the director continued. “He loved life and … just adored waking up every morning and trying to live life to its fullest.”
While Caron knows deep down that Willis is still the same person, he says it’s as if the actor is “seeing life through a screen door.”
“My sense is the first one to three minutes he knows who I am,” he said of his visits with Willis. “He’s not totally verbal; he used to be a voracious reader — he didn’t want anyone to know that — and he’s not reading now. All those language skills are no longer available to him, and yet he’s still Bruce.”
“When you’re with him you know that he’s Bruce and you’re grateful that he’s there,” he noted, “but the joie de vivre is gone.”
However, before Willis’ condition worsened, Caron was able to tell him that their hit ABC series “Moonlighting” was going to be streamed on Hulu.
“I know that he’s really happy that the show is going to be available for people, even though he can’t tell me that,” Caron, 69, told The Post. “When I got to spend time with him we talked about it and I know he’s excited.”
Willis got his big break on the Caron-created series in 1985 when he was cast as detective David Addison.
“The process [to get ‘Moonlighting’ onto Hulu] has taken quite a while and Bruce’s disease is a progressive disease, so I was able to communicate with him, before the disease rendered him as incommunicative as he is now, about hoping to get the show back in front of people,” he continued. “I know it means a lot to him.”
Over the past couple years Bruce’s family has taken great care with how they share updates on his condition. They’ve been consistently thoughtful in protecting his dignity and preserving for the fans the image Bruce built up in his body of work. So I have to say, my gut reaction to Caron’s detailed descriptions of how Bruce is doing now — and they are in multiple interviews he’s given recently — seem a tad invasive. I can believe that Caron has stayed friends with Bruce, and loves him and wants the best for him, but it also feels a little like he’s using Bruce to plug the show. I truly hope he checked in with Bruce’s wife Emma ahead of time, because otherwise Caron has really violated a boundary. (I’m not all that encouraged, though, since the last time we namechecked Caron was when Eliza Dushku wrote an op-ed about the harassment she experienced on the set of Bull from star Michael Weatherly and Caron, who was showrunner.) Am I being too sensitive, or did you all get a similar vibe here? Aside from that, this is what really leapt out at me from the article: “He used to be a voracious reader — he didn’t want anyone to know that…” Say what now? Voracious readers of the world, be proud!!
Hugh Jackman turned 55 on October 12. I really like Hugh and hope that the public persona we’ve seen over the years matches his real-life persona. Some celebrities you root for, and for me, Jackman is one of them. Hugh’s had a busy few months: He spent the pre-WGA strike filming Deadpool 3 with his friend Ryan Reynolds, he and Deborra-lee Furness announced their divorce after 27 years of marriage last month, and he joined Reynolds and Blake Lively on a Taylor Swift pap walk for a Jets/Chiefs game. He also announced last week that he’s working on a memoir with “big bombshells.” (Insert the “oh rly…” side eye emoji.)
Anyway, I think that it’s fair to say that a lot of people were surprised when Hugh and Deborra announced their split. PR statements keep insisting that the couple are on good terms and remain friendly. It looks like that may actually be the case because Deborra and their children joined him for a birthday meal at NYC restaurant Polo Bar.
There’s always an interesting crowd at Polo Bar. But last night there was a particularly fascinating table of revelers among the power crowd, we hear.
Page Six spies say that soon-to-be-exes Hugh Jackman and Deborra-Lee Furness were at the chic Midtown hot spot, cheerfully celebrating the “Wolverine” star’s 55th birthday.
“Very happy time [had] by all,” said a source, “Think it was good birthday.”
Asked for comment on the former couple’s Thursday night out, a rep for Jackman told Page Six Friday morning: “Yes, it’s true. It was a lovely evening.”
Insiders confirmed that they were joined by their kids, Oscar, 23, and Ava, 18, and “a few close friends.”
Of course, the pair announced last month that they had decided to split after 27 years of marriage.
(It’s perhaps worth noting that if one were keen, say, to underscore that one’s breakup is an amicable affair, see-and-be-scene Polo Bar would certainly be the place to go to for a friendly dinner to prove it.)
If the Jackman family is happy to come together to celebrate Hugh’s birthday, then good for them! Seriously. By visiting Polo Bar, they’re clearly sending a signal for paparazzi to leave them and their family alone. It’s like, “We’ve heard the response to our separation and we want everyone to know that there’s no hard feelings here! Move along, now!” I respect that. Message received.
Meanwhile, Hugh also continues to have his friends around him. On the morning of his birthday, he went for a walk in NYC with Reynolds and Lively. It’s always nice to be able to count on friends and family when you’re in the middle of a big life change, and his friendship with Reynolds feels like the real deal. I’m sure Deborra and the kids also have a good support structure around them too. It looks like Hugh had a really nice birthday this year.
photos via Instagram and credit: Robert O’Neil/Backgrid
So much of modern politics is not a battle between two extremes of the political spectrum, but a battle between those who live and breathe politics and the vast majority of people who are largely apathetic. I bring this up because something happened in Australia and at least one royal reporter thinks it’s a good sign for Australia’s monarchy. Meaning, King Charles and his merry band of colonialists. This was Richard Palmer’s tweet:
No doubt there will be conflicting views but, watching from afar, it does look as if Australians struggle to agree on the best way to achieve constitutional change.
— Richard Palmer (@RoyalReporter) October 14, 2023
So what is this all about? Australia had a referendum vote on recognizing and enshrining Aboriginal people and their rights in the Australian constitution. The referendum failed – apparently, Australians overwhelmingly dislike change. Or at least that kind of constitutional change, and perhaps the kind of constitutional change it would take to toss out the Windsors.
Australians have resoundingly rejected a proposal to recognise Aboriginal people in the country’s constitution and establish a body to advise parliament on Indigenous issues. Saturday’s voice to parliament referendum failed, with the defeat clear shortly after polls closed.
To succeed, the yes campaign – advocating for the voice – needed to secure a double majority, meaning it needed both a majority of the national vote, as well as majorities in four of Australia’s six states. The defeat will be seen by Indigenous advocates as a blow to what has been a hard fought struggle to progress reconciliation and recognition in modern Australia, with First Nations people continuing to suffer discrimination, poorer health and economic outcomes.
More than 17 million Australians were enrolled for the compulsory vote, with many expats visiting embassies around the world in the weeks leading up to Saturday’s poll.
The prime minister, Anthony Albanese, called for Australians to show “kindness” to each other after the referendum.
“This moment of disagreement does not define us. And it will not divide us,” he said. “We are not yes voters or no voters. We are all Australians. And it is as Australians together, that we must take our country beyond this debate without forgetting why we had it in the first place.”
The vote occurred 235 years on from British settlement, 61 years after Aboriginal Australians were granted the right to vote, and 15 years since a landmark prime ministerial apology for harm caused by decades of government policies including the forced removal of children from Indigenous families.
The referendum had been a key promise that Labor party took to the federal election in 2022, when it returned to power after years of conservative rule. Support for the voice to parliament had been strong in the early months of 2023, polling showed, but subsequently began a slow and steady decline. All major polls had foreshadowed that the no campaign would succeed and the voice would be rejected. Nationwide support for the voice was hovering at about 40% in the week before the vote, with coverage of the campaign being overshadowed by the outbreak of war in the Middle East in the crucial final days.
This sounds like the kind of thing which should have already happened long ago and it’s heartbreaking that the referendum failed. I have to admit though, Palmer might have a point? If Aussies are overwhelmingly apathetic about Aboriginal people’s rights and reluctant to change their constitution, that probably IS good news for the Windsors. It means Australians will by and large say “you know what, we don’t like the monarchy but it’s not like we care enough to actually remove them from the constitution.”