Introduction: Minutes 0 to 7:15
We recorded on Friday this week instead of Thursday as usual. Chandra loved the Olympics, particularly volleyball, fencing and gymnastics. I watched women’s bouldering and women’s 71kg weightlifting. The Nigerian contestant, Joy Ogbonne Eze, looked like she retired on stage. I mentioned that I couldn’t figure out if she retired, but I later found a tweet saying she will be back in 2028. We talk about the support in Algeria for gold medal-winning boxer Imane Khelif. Here’s a link to the tweet I mentioned. We’re glad that everyone came out to support her after she was subjected to hate that could have threatened her life. You can listen below!

Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni: Minutes 7:15 to 18:45
Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni are costarring in the film This Ends with Us. The book is by Colleen Hoover and it’s been criticized as romanticizing domestic abuse. I’ve read that the movie does the same thing. Justin Baldoni is directing the film, he bought the rights and hired a screenwriter. People noticed that he skipped the London premiere and that he hasn’t posed with Blake Lively or done press with her. They also noticed that Blake and the author Colleen Hoove unfollowed Justin on Instagram.

The Hollywood Reporter said that Lively and Baldoni’s feud started in post-production, when Blake commissioned a separate edit of the film. Chandra thinks that Justin’s edit is likely the one that made it to theaters. Blake’s husband Ryan Reynolds also rewrote a key scene. THR next reported that Blake screened her own edit of the film at a book event for Colleen Hoover in June. It looks like she tried to take creative control of the film.

At first we got vague stories that Baldoni created a difficult work environment. The stories about why people hate him were suspicious to me. He also is said to have made Blake feel bad about her postpartum body.

Baldoni has hired the same PR crisis management firm that Johnny D-pp and Brad Pitt use. TMZ then reported that Blake felt uncomfortable around Justin because he kissed her too long in a scene and because he asked her trainer how much she weighed since he had to pick her up and has a bad back.

An older interview from 2016 recently came out where Blake and Parker Posey were meangirling a Norwegian interviewer, ignoring her and talking to each other instead. This is how Blake has always been. Here’s a link to the inane Q&A I mentioned.

Blake has been promoting the movie like it’s a frothy romance and Justin is being serious and measured in his promotion. His production company has partnered with an anti domestic violence foundation and he has been talking about ending the cycle of abuse. Here’s a link to the Schindler’s list tiktok/tweet that Chandra mentioned. Here’s a link to the supercut of Justin vs. Blake’s promotional styles.

Royals: Minutes 18:45 to 26:15
None of the major royals went to the Olympics in Paris. Will and Kate just recorded a brief video congratulations with celebrities afterwards. They didn’t congratulate any of the individual athletes.

The Daily Mail recently reported that Kate is still undergoing preventative chemotherapy, that she’s still recovering and that we probably won’t see her until Remembrance Day in November. This is the type of story we get about Kate every six months.

Earlier this month the Sussexes gave an interview to CBS Sunday Morning on behalf of their new initiative called The Parents Network, to provide support and resources for parents to protect their children from online harm. They included parents who had lost children to online bullying and to drugs purchased online. It’s a great cause. Meghan was asked about her past suicidal ideation, which she opened up about during her interview with Oprah. I play a segment from their CBS Sunday Morning interview. Harry and Meghan have been working on this cause for some time.

A couple of weeks ago it was reported that the Sussexes have accepted an invitation to visit Colombia. We didn’t realize it would happen so soon. Harry and Meghan are in Colombia now and the photos and videos coming out are incredible. They’re so warm and natural with people. They have been meeting with the Vice President Francia Marquez, they went to a theater performance and participated in a panel about Internet safety. Marquez saw their Netflix series and that’s why she wanted to meet Meghan!

Politics: Minutes 26:15 to 33:30
While we were off, Kamala Harris chose Minnesota governor Tim Walz as her running mate. Chandra thinks that Harris has a soft spot for dorky white men. We loved Harris and Walz’s joint video interview. We hope she does more cooking videos. Here’s a link to the video of Harris telling someone how to brine a turkey. Here’s a link to the video of Harris showing Senator Mark Warner how to make a tuna melt. We want Harris to go on Hot Ones. Trump has been having a meltdown over Harris. He called her beautiful in that lispy interview with Elon Musk and may be conflicted about her for that reason. He hates being called weird. The Kamala HQ coms department does such a great job.

Comments of the Week: Minutes 33:30 to end
Chandra’s comment of the week is from Agnes on the post about Brad Pitt and George Clooney covering GQ magazine.

My comment of the week is from Beana on the post about Mark Zuckerberg commissioning a seven foot statue of his wife, Priscilla Chan.

Thanks for listening bitches!

Photos credit: CNP/INSTARimages, Abaca Press/INSTARimages, Avalon.red and via Instagram and YouTube

Here are some photos from the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s visit to Colombia. These pics are from Day 3, where they traveled to Cartagena. Am I the only warped Xennial who associates Cartagena with Romancing the Stone? That movie made me sort of obsessed with Colombia, I’m just now realizing. I’m also realizing – for the first time – that Cartagena is a UNESCO World Heritage site because of its walled city. Amazing.

In Cartagena, Harry and Meghan visited the Escuela Tambores de Cabildo and San Basilio de Palenque. The photos are amazing, although the pics of Harry and Meghan playing the bongo drums reminded me of those “iconic” pics of Prince William and Kate making asses out of themselves in Jamaica, right before they were fired by Prime Minister Andrew Holness. Yet another side-by-side comparison for how Meg & Harry do it better.

Fashion notes: Meghan’s black-patterned dress is actually a two-piece from Johanna Ortiz, a Colombian-born designer and seemingly one of Meghan’s favorites. I looked at the photos from Ortiz’s 2025 Resort Collection and I would not have thought that the ensemble would look this good in person or in motion, but it looks amazing on Meghan. Like, one of my favorite things she’s ever worn. The two piece look costs around $2100 (sob). Meghan’s white ensemble is another two-piece, this time from Argent. People Magazine wrote about the Sussexes’ trip to Escuela Tambores de Cabildo, the drum school, including the connection to Colombia’s African heritage:

As a gift, one student gave the Duke and Duchess of Sussex a small wooden boat, a tribute to the coastal city and its beaches.

Prince Harry and Meghan then joined a student-led drum lesson with Colombian Vice President Francia Márquez and her husband, Rafael Yerney Pinillo. The jam session was followed by a performance from some of the locals, which brought Meghan and Márquez to their feet.

Commenting on the Duchess of Sussex’s reactions to the performances, Ramos said in Spanish, “I love seeing Meghan’s big, big smile. I can tell she’s excited!”

After the performances, Márquez gave a passionate speech about the importance of tradition in preserving Colombian heritage. The vice president touched on how cities like Cartagena epitomize Colombian culture, and how the art form of drumming in particular is a symbol of freedom for Black communities around the world. Márquez also said that part of her inspiration to invite Prince Harry and Meghan to Colombia was because she views them as key voices against injustice.

“The Duke and Duchess came to Colombia… this is Colombia. This is where the roots of our ancestors and our forefathers are from,” the vice president told the crowd that included members of her own family, who she brought along for the events. “A community like this cannot be displaced.”

[From People]

“This is where the roots of our ancestors and our forefathers are from.” I’ve been so moved by VP Marquez’s embrace of Harry and Meghan, especially Meghan. They are both Black women who have been attacked and slandered because of their race. It was important for Marquez to bring the Sussexes to an area which embraced the African influences on Colombian culture. It was also important to show the Colombian people that Harry & Meghan have a great deal of respect for all aspects of their culture. This is how to do a royal tour, you know?

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Okay we gotta talk about one of the lighter movie controversies of the summer: The lack of a kiss at the end Twisters. The movie stars Daisy Edgar-Jones (Where the Crawdads Sing), Glen Powell, and Hamilton’s Anthony Ramos. I know there’s been some mixed reviews, but I personally loved it. Was Twisters better than the original? No! But it was a great summer blockbuster movie. It had everything: really smart, charming hot people who were constantly placed in danger that they continuously survived against all odds only to go forth and presumably make a difference.

At the end of their death-defying harrowing experience, the two beautiful, charismatic leads who exuded sexual tension from the first time they met…basically shook hands and called it a movie. The whole ending felt like it was something that was built up to and then just stopped, and that’s because it was! There *was* a kiss scene filmed at the end of the movie, but it was edited out to make the movie less cliché. The movie-goers of the Internet were divided about this. Glen was asked about the controversy during an interview with Screen Rant and according to him, the fact that there’s a discussion around the subject means that kiss or no kiss, everyone’s a winner. In fact, he’s just happy that people are so engaged. Says Glen:

I’m taking it very personally! I’m sure you’ve seen the behind-the-scenes, where I did get to kiss Daisy Edgar-Jones, which really is all that counts. [Laughs] We had a great time, and I’m really proud of the movie.

I really think that even that [backlash] shows that people care, which is really great. I just love how excited people have gotten about that movie, and Daisy and I send each other the TikToks and the gifs. There’s so much funny stuff coming out of it. It’s fun. That’s what summer movies are about. It creates this conversation and cultural moment, and people dress up and do the thing. It’s been really awesome.

So, kiss or no kiss, everybody’s a winner.

[From Screen Rant]

While earlier reporting said that the kiss was cut out thanks to a note from producer Steven Spielberg, Twisters director, Lee Isaac Chung has gone on record to explain that he cut the filmed kiss out of the movie because he “didn’t want to dismiss” Edgar-Jones’ strong female character arc. He’s also said that her and Powell’s characters had a “strong enough” bond to justify no smoochy kiss at the ending. I appreciate this thought. I do.

Look, y’all, I love cliche disaster movies like this. I will be super honest here because I am on #TeamKiss. It may be considered shallow but I like watching people mack it at the end of a disaster movie. Again, call me shallow, but I don’t care. I don’t watch those types of movies because they make me smarter. If you’re going to spend 90 minutes of a movie setting people up with sexual tension, then I’m a very simple creature that wants a payoff. Besides, the movie just ends so awkwardly! They filmed the scene and everything is leading up to it, and it just stops midway. “Meh,” says this Elder Millennial.

That said, the fact that social media has been having so much fun with this conversation, really is a win for production. They just better reward us with a little Hallmark-ending action at the intro/middle/conclusion of a Twister 3.

finally saw twisters and glen powell really gave the yearning romantic leading man performance of the year only for that anti-climatic unsatisfying no kiss ending. i was warned and i still wasn’t ready. we’re losing recipes!!!

— Kathleen Newman-Bremang (@KathleenNB) August 15, 2024

Imagine if they’d kept in that kiss. #Twisters #TwistersMovie https://t.co/rzteGXNFhA

— Rachel Sexton [The Movie Maiden] (@MovieMaiden) August 18, 2024

photos credit: James Warren/Bang Showbiz/Avalon, IMAGO/Jeffery Mayer/RW/Mediapunch/Avalon, Janet Mayer/INSTARimages.com

It’s that time of year! Time to talk about Covid booster shots, that is. Last year, I ended up getting the bivalent booster and an extra flu shot because of the lag in availability locally. Those were my last shots, but it’s getting to be time for new Covid boosters and flu shots. It’s now an annual tradition, and the Covid vaccine companies will soon roll out their newest booster shots. So when should people schedule their booster appointments? From the New York Times:

Patients keep asking Dr. Peter Chin-Hong, an infectious disease specialist at the University of California, San Francisco, the same question: Is it time to get another Covid shot? The virus is circulating at high levels across the country. That might suggest it’s prime time for another dose of protection. But updated vaccines that target newer variants of the virus are expected to arrive this fall. Experts said the right time for your next Covid shot will depend on your health status and what you’re hoping to get from the vaccines.

If you’re trying to get the most protection against the leading variants: Doctors say that many people may want to wait for the updated vaccines, which have been retooled to better protect against the current dominant strains of the virus. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has recommended that everyone ages 6 months or older receive an updated shot when they become available.

An upcoming vaccine from the biotechnology company Novavax will target JN.1, a coronavirus variant that accounted for the bulk of cases in the United States this winter. The Pfizer and Moderna shots coming this fall will target KP.2, a newer offshoot of JN.1 that’s been circulating this summer. The variants responsible for the largest share of cases in the United States right now, KP.3 and KP.3.1.1, are closely related to KP.2 and JN.1.

The vaccines that are currently available, by contrast, target older Omicron variants that fizzled out as JN.1 took hold this past winter. That doesn’t mean the current shots are ineffective. But when possible, it’s best to get a vaccine that closely matches the variants that are circulating, said Dr. Nathan Lo, an assistant professor of infectious diseases at Stanford University who has studied Covid vaccines.

[From The New York Times]

Yeah, it was the same advice as last year – if you’re someone without any major health risks, you should wait until the early autumn to get the latest booster versions. If you have underlying health issues, you can go ahead and get the currently-available boosters (which were mostly for the Omicron variant, but every little bit helps). The doctors in this Times piece also said that while the current summertime Covid variants are concerning, they’re more worried about the winter months, which is why people should get the latest boosters as soon as they can in the fall. And remember to get your flu shots too! I swear, getting annual flu shots was such a game-changer for me.

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As we talked about last week, the CDC recently issued guidelines advising practitioners to give women proper warning about the potential levels of pain that an IUD insertion and removal will have. The CDC also urged practitioners to give women better options to manage any pain or discomfort that they may feel afterwards. A lot of you shared your stories about how much it hurt to get it put in, and I also noticed that there were comments about dreading getting it removed because of the pain. Well, y’all are not alone! The Washington Post spoke with several women who are opting to not remove their IUDs because of how much it hurts to get them inserted. Some are even weary of going to the gynecologist for other concerns.

No pain management, no removal: Ami Claxton’s birth control method — an intrauterine device — expired 14 years ago. But she has been too scared to have it removed because of the excruciating pain she experienced the last time she had it replaced. This summer, the 55-year-old asked her gynecologist for options to help manage the pain during removal, but was told there weren’t any. “So I said, ‘Forget it. I’m not going to get it out,’ ” said Claxton, of Chandler, Ariz.

The more information, the better women do: Some women say that their worries about pain have deterred them from getting IUDs removed or replaced when needed, and they have become reluctant to return to the gynecologist, even for different procedures. Most patients fare better when their health-care providers are transparent about the procedures, the possibility of pain and any available pain control options, said Nichole Tyson, a clinical professor and division chief of pediatric and adolescent gynecology at Stanford University.

It’s causing mistrust: At 16, Andrea did not expect her IUD placement to hurt and her clinician didn’t warn her, she said. But during the procedure, she was crying and squeezing the hand of the medical assistant. The experience has made her wary of other gynecological care, said Andrea, now 27, of Sacramento, whom The Washington Post is identifying only by first name for privacy. “I guess I have some mistrust there,” she said.

Taking an IUDs to the grave: Christine Romano was so excited to get an IUD in 2012 that she didn’t think about possible pain. It was so severe that she screamed. “It exceeded any kind of pain that I’ve ever experienced,” said Romano, 41, of Queens. The experience left her traumatized and unwilling to consider getting it removed. “This is going to die with me,” she said.

The removal process: During an IUD removal, the clinician inserts a speculum into the vagina and looks for the IUD strings, which are typically about two to three centimeters long. If the strings are visible, forceps are used to grasp the strings and remove the device. Unlike an IUD placement, which usually takes several minutes, the removal takes only a few seconds. The removal can be uncomfortable, but it’s not usually as painful because it doesn’t require manipulation of the cervix, said Eve Espey, chair of American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists’ Contraceptive Equity Expert Work Group.

But…: But sometimes, the strings are not visible, or in rare cases, the device is embedded in the uterus. When this happens, the procedure requires additional steps, which can cause more pain for some people, Espey explained. Data on pain during removal are sparse. In studies, between 5 and 18 percent of IUD users had missing strings. Espey said embedded IUDs are even more uncommon.

The pain management disagreement: For routine IUD removals, most clinicians do not offer pain management. But for complicated removals or when patients request pain control, the options are the same as for IUD insertions. Aside from over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medications, numbing agents such as a lidocaine spray or gel, or a lidocaine injection in the cervix, called a paracervical block, are the most commonly used. Some physicians said anti-anxiety medications before the procedure such as Xanax or Valium can help. Sedation and general anesthesia are rarely considered because of the risks, as well as the need for special equipment and supervision by an anesthesiologist.

Removal discomfort is “quick and manageable: Espey, chair of the OB/GYN department at the University of New Mexico, said the discomfort of IUD removal typically is quick and manageable. She said clinicians should be trained to talk to patients about their preferences and concerns before the procedure. If complications arise or the patient asks to stop, clinicians should pause and be willing to abandon it or use pain control, she said. Patients who are anxious or who have had negative experiences with IUD procedures should discuss pain management options before the next procedure, said Aileen Gariepy, director of complex family planning at Weill Cornell Medicine. “People don’t have to have the procedure without any medication, but it does need a conversation.”

Limited risk to delay removal: Research shows that while hormonal IUDs lose effectiveness after their duration of intended use, some physicians said there is limited risk associated with leaving them in long term, assuming fertility is not a consideration. There are rare case reports of pelvic infection associated with IUDs, but many people keep in the devices without issue, physicians said. Depending on the brand, hormonal IUDs are approved for use for up to eight years, and copper IUDs up to 12 years.

[From WaPo]

Being too nervous to get your IUD removed is a serious health-related issue that women have to deal with. Whether they intended to or not, the doctors that said we’d only feel a “pinch” or “mild cramping” or “nothing Ibuprofen couldn’t handle” did us a huge disservice. I’m so glad that the issue is finally being addressed now because acknowledging that our pain is real is the first step. Next, there needs to be counseling and better options for pain relief. The CDC is recommending lidocaine. I don’t know how effective that will be, but I do wonder whether or not American insurance companies will even cover certain options for pain management medication. What if it’s considered “not medically necessary?” That’s their favorite sentence!

I honestly think IUDs are a great form of birth control and don’t want to discourage anyone from considering getting one. There are a lot of upsides! I know I’m speaking to the choir here, but this is part of a broader issue of women’s pain being chronically downplayed or ignored. We really need the CDC to do a thorough review and issue complete new guidelines when it comes to women’s health. We don’t want to not have an IUD as an option. We’d just like to know actual facts about the process so we can make a fully informed decision.

Photos credit: Liza Summer, Dziana Hasanbekava and Ketut Subiyanto on Pexels

In February, Jeffrey Piccolo filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Disney seeking $50,000 in damages. He and his wife of five years, Dr. Kanokporn Tangsuan, had been vacationing at Disney World in October 2023 when Dr. Tangsuan tragically died of anaphylaxis after eating at a restaurant at Disney Springs. According to the lawsuit, Dr. Tangsuan had clearly outlined her severe nut and dairy allergies and was assured by the wait staff that her meal would not be contaminated. Now Disney has fired back with a legal argument that could only be imagineered by the House of Mouse: Disney is actually claiming that they are absolved of all liability because Jeffrey Piccolo agreed to the Disney+ terms of service, and used his Disney+ account to purchase the tickets for last year’s fatal trip. Apparently, buried within the terms we all click to agree to without reading (what, that’s only me?), is a clause stating that “all disputes with The Walt Disney Company or its affiliates be settled out of court via arbitration.” You’re a cunning fox, Mr. Mouse.

As a widower takes Disney to court over his wife’s death at Walt Disney World and Resorts, the company is using its Disney+ streaming terms to attempt blocking the lawsuit.

In a recent filing, Disney’s attorneys requested Jeffrey Piccolo’s $50,000 case be dismissed and settled out of court after claiming his wife, Dr. Kanokporn Tangsuan, died of an allergic reaction at the Florida resort’s Raglan Road Irish Pub in October 2023.

They argued that by signing up for a free 30-day trial of Disney+ in 2019, and again when purchasing the theme park tickets in 2023 through his Disney+ account, Piccolo agreed to the streamer’s terms of service, which includes that “all disputes” with “The Walt Disney Company or its affiliates” be settled out of court via arbitration.

“We are deeply saddened by the family’s loss and understand their grief.” Disney’s attorneys said in a statement shared by The Guardian. “Given that his restaurant is neither owner nor operated by Disney, we are merely defending ourselves against the plaintiff’s attorney’s attempt to include us in their lawsuit against the restaurant.”

Piccolo’s attorneys said that argument “bordered on the surreal” in a response, adding, “The notion that terms agreed to by a consumer when creating a Disney+ free trial account would forever bar that consumer’s right to a jury trial in any dispute with any Disney affiliate or subsidiary, is so outrageously unreasonable and unfair as tot shock the judicial conscience, and this Court should not enforce such an agreement.

“In effect, Walt Disney Parks and Resorts is explicitly seeking to bar its 150 million Disney+ subscribers from ever prosecuting a wrongful death case against it in front of a jury even if the case facts have nothing to do with Disney+.”

[From Deadline]

While I acknowledge that it’s legally on us as consumers to read what we’re agreeing to when we sign terms of service, it’s pretty darn sinister of Disney to slip in a clause that, “Oh, by the way, you can never hold us accountable for anything. Now be our guest!” Just for some perspective, even Ursula the Sea Witch made sure Ariel was clearly aware of the fact that she had to sign away her voice as part of their deal! So good work, Disney, you’ve out-villained your own villains. But even putting all that aside, it seems to me there are holes in this counter-move by Disney. Why rebut with a reference to the terms for their streaming subscription, if they’re also harping on the fact that the restaurant is independently-owned, hmm? It rather seems they’re showing their white-gloved hand there. And for anyone planning their Disney World trip online, they could easily get confused as to Raglan Road Irish Pub’s ownership.

I can’t tell how this will shake out, as Disney’s legal operations in Florida can be… let’s say mysterious. But it is wrongful that Dr. Tangsuan, a medical professional, died from anaphylaxis at age 42 after double and triple-checking ingredients with the restaurant, and even self-administering an Epi-pen when her symptoms flared up.

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Everyone hoped that some kind of Invictus event would be part of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s agenda in Colombia, and it happened. On Friday, Harry and Meghan visited a training session for Colombia’s Invictus team. The visit was to Centro de Rehabilitación Inclusiva (the Inclusive Center for Rehabilitation) in Bogota. Fashion notes for Meghan: she wore a crisp white blouse by Giuliva Heritage and a skirt by Juan D. Dios (a Colombian designer!) plus Jimmy Choo sandals and of course her Cartier bracelet. She looks amazing and I love that she came with Harry for this Invictus event. She’s been such a big supporter for Invictus since 2017! Those veterans love to see her too. Speaking of, the idea of Harry and Meghan traveling the world and focusing on the issues they care about deeply has left the Windsors and their aides in a state of “bewilderment.”

Royal author Tom Quinn told the Mirror : “News that Harry and Meghan have accepted an invitation to tour Colombia has caused bewilderment, concern and some irritation among senior royals in the UK. The view is that Meghan and Harry are now so desperate to maintain their brand and stop the slide in their relevance that they are recklessly prepared to visit one of the most dangerous countries in the world – in 2023 Colombia had the third highest murder rate in South America.”

Colombia is notorious for its ‘high terrorist threat’, as well as skyrocketing rates of abduction incidents. Shocking Defence Ministry figures show that, from January to October 2022, at least 287 people were kidnapped by bandits, marking an alarming 73 per cent surge from the previous year. The UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office has warned Brits to ‘reconsider’ travelling to the country unless absolutely essential.

According to Quinn, the author of Scandals of the Royal Palaces: An Intimate Memoir of Royals Behaving Badly, there have also been ‘grumbles’ amongst members of staff. He continued: “One or two palace officials have grumbled that Colombia is pretty much the only country that would have Meghan and Harry. And there is no doubt that senior Royals in the UK would have declined an invitation to visit a country where any kind of security is difficult to maintain. They are also worried that the Firm will be blamed for not trying to stop the tour should anything happen to Meghan and Harry while they are in Colombia.”

[From The Daily Mirror]

“There is no doubt that senior Royals in the UK would have declined an invitation to visit a country where any kind of security is difficult to maintain…” The Duchess of Edinburgh was literally in Bogota, Colombia last fall. She even did a photo-op with VP Francia Marquez, the same woman who invited the Sussexes. Why is Sophie catching strays in the Windsors’ jingoistic need to denigrate a whole-ass country? Also: “Colombia is pretty much the only country that would have Meghan and Harry…” I mean, except for Nigeria, Canada, the Netherlands, Germany, the United States and basically every country which competes in Invictus. Like, all of the countries with Invictus teams want to do what Nigeria did: bring the Sussexes over for some sparkle, and to bring attention to their own veterans’ programs and wounded-warrior programs.

“They are also worried that the Firm will be blamed for not trying to stop the tour should anything happen to Meghan and Harry while they are in Colombia…” So you’re admitting that the Windsors are morally responsible for ensuring the Sussexes’ safety? If the Windsors were so worried about “how it would look” if something happened to Harry and Meghan, the Windsors would have behaved very differently for the past six years.

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On Friday, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex visited a school in Bogota, Colombia. The focus for the school visit was to highlight “the importance of social-emotional well-being in education.” According to People Magazine and multiple other sources, Meghan spoke in Spanish to the kids in the classroom. One of the teachers told People: “She spoke Spanish perfectly with one young woman. She just went right into Spanish, which was a revelation — and it was very good.” Meghan has been fluent in Spanish for much of her life, especially because she worked at the American embassy in Argentina at one point. She apparently told one student, “You’re the same age as my son Archie” in Spanish.

Fashion notes: Meghan’s blazer was Loro Piana, her slingbacks were Chanel (she’s worn those so many times) and she also wore that pair of butterfly earrings which once belonged to Princess Diana. Harry gave Meghan those earrings many years ago, right after their wedding, but she doesn’t wear them that often. I think they’re sort of special-occasion earrings for her.

Meanwhile, the British media is breathlessly covering this tour, in spite of the fact that they screamed for weeks about the “danger” the Sussexes would face in Colombia. The Mail and other outlets sent reporters and photographers to Colombia to try to get any kind of access to the tour (hilariously, the Colombians are not playing). The same thing happened during the Invictus Games in Germany and The Hague – suddenly, all of the royalist reporters were crawling all over the Invictus events. As for this tour, the Mail even started a live blog. They’re still insisting that the Sussexes are irrelevant and their coverage is dedicated to mocking Harry and Meghan, but the whole thing is an exercise in desperation and literal clout-chasing for the Brits. The Mail is also talking a lot about Colombia providing security for the Sussexes. Like… pick a struggle, either Colombia is a hellhole which is “too dangerous” for H&M, or criticize them for the “excessive” security measures undertaken by the government.

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Emma Roberts covers the latest issue of Flaunt – the editorial is actually really good, even if the fashion on display is kind of awful. Emma is serving though, and I rarely think that about her. I’m not trying to be ridiculously mean about her, but I’ve always found her sort of bland and flat on-screen and, to me, she’s been an example of nepotism-gone-wrong. But I’ve adjusted my opinion of her recently. She’s in her 30s now, she’s a single mom, she’s found her niche in the industry and, honestly, she’s not pretending to be the most serious artiste ever. She’s a commercial actress, mostly in television, and she’s not trying to move beyond that for the most part. Now, she is branching out into producing in a big way, which is fine – more women should produce and there should be more female-driven narratives across the board. Anyway, here are some highlights from Emma’s Flaunt interview:

What’s next: “I feel like I’ve been working since I was nine, but you’re constantly wondering, What’s next? What’s next? What’s next? Between having a baby, COVID, and the strike, I’ve had a lot of time to reflect and slow down. I’m like, ‘Wow. I guess maybe I have done a lot. Maybe I should have a break that’s not imposed upon me by outside variables. Maybe I should just decide to take some time to myself.”’

She escaped the widespread harassment & assault at Nickelodeon: “It’s inexcusable. Kids need to be protected, adults need to be protected. I have been lucky with the family I have and the people that I’ve worked with. I try to keep doing my job and keep my head down.”

She was excluded from New York Magazine’s “Nepo Baby” cover: “Should I be offended? It was a cheap shot to put all the celebrity kids on the cover of a magazine on babies’ bodies. It’s like maybe the ‘Nepo Baby’ conversation would’ve been a more interesting article written intelligently in Vanity Fair with nuance, but instead, it was kind of this viral hating-on-people thing.” So are there no professional benefits from famous family ties? “I’ve lost more jobs than I’ve gained from being in the business. People have opinions and sometimes maybe they’re not good opinions of people in your family. I’ve never gotten a job because of it, I know I definitely have lost a couple of jobs because of it.”

She will no longer date actors: “One day the veil was lifted and I didn’t want to date actors anymore. It’s hard, I think, for two actors to be together. I’m trying to think if I’ve seen it done successfully. Also, the actors I’ve been with border on method actors, and that is something that I think is extremely difficult to be in a relationship with—at least for me, especially the characters that they were playing.”

Her new boyfriend is not online: “If you want to send a girl crazy, don’t have Instagram.”

Her feelings on social media: “I feel like, in a way I got to hang on to some innocence longer [than usual]. I know everyone has a different take on how [modern] celebrities or people should be online and how serious they should be. My social media is for fun, it’s for reading, it’s for fashion, but if you want to get really deep with me or know what I think about things, you’re not going to see it posted on my social media.”

She has an expansive collection of vintage dolls. “I just love them. I have some very, very ugly dolls that needed a home, so I had to have them. Don’t get me wrong, there are some dolls that I’ve come across that I’m like, the vibe is off and this one’s not for me. Some dolls, something’s wrong. Scary. I’m very particular about which dolls can live on the shelf.”

Working with Kim Kardashian on AHS: Delicate: “Kim is an icon. I literally don’t know how she does it. Business woman-turned-producer- turned actress, and let me tell you, one of the most prepared actresses I’ve ever worked with. She’s also been a great friend. Anytime I text her, she responds right away. Just seeing her inspires me. I’m like, How do you do all of that and also look perfect?

[From Flaunt]

I laughed at her comments about nepotism. Previously, she claimed the nepo babies have to “prove themselves more” and now she’s saying she’s never gotten work because she’s Julia Roberts’ niece? GMAFB. I did not know that she collects vintage dolls… I could not. I once knew a serious doll collector and Emma’s right, sometimes a doll’s vibe is off. I couldn’t handle all of those glass eyes on me. What else? I do think that actors-dating-actors can work, but I also understand why so many actresses feel like…no, I don’t want to deal with that, especially if he’s a Method actor.

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J.D. Vance is making history. This creepy weirdo is historically unpopular. As I’ve been saying, there’s a Sarah Palin-esque vibe with Vance in that both Vance and Palin were awful running mate choices which reflected the unsuitability of John McCain and Donald Trump for the highest office in the land. But at least Palin was popular with the Republican base. At least she had some positive likeability ratings. Vance has none of that – even Republicans think he’s a weirdo. Even Republicans despise him. When you’re being compared to Palin and people are arguing that the comparison is UNFAIR TO SARAH PALIN, you know it’s bad.

I bring all of this up because it’s clear that Vance and his people understand that he comes across like a dystopian villain who would rather f–k a couch than allow women to have rights. I don’t even think this is about Donald Trump and Trump’s people trying to change up the narrative about Vance, I think Vance and his merry band of inner-sanctum weirdos have decided to fight back. I was not personally expecting the introduction of a dog though, nor did I think that JD Vance would look so completely uncomfortable trying to hold a dog’s leash.

JD Vance has brought his dog, Atlas, to campaign with him today in Milwaukee pic.twitter.com/tpc4YNW4Ct

— Chris Cameron (@ChrisCameronNYT) August 16, 2024

Yes, the dog’s name is Atlas. As in, Ayn Rand’s Atlas Shrugged. This poor dog. I mean, we should absolutely make fun of JD Vance because this is completely pathetic, but I also just feel sorry for Atlas Vance. Atlas is being used as a political prop for a weird creep’s political campaign. Atlas does not want to be on the campaign trail. I’m also curious… did they, like, rent a dog? Did they just adopt him? Is this the first time Vance has ever held a dog leash? While I was trying to find the answers to those questions, I came across this interesting piece in Salon about Vance writing the foreword to Dawn’s Early Light: Taking Back Washington To Save America by Kevin Roberts. That’s like the “airport book” version of the Project 2025 manifesto. Roberts apparently hates dogs and dog parks.

…But while Vance views our feline friends as a medieval witch-hunter would — as a sign that a woman is dangerously independent and therefore evil — dog owners should not feel safe from the ire of Vance and his friends in the uterus-obsessed MAGA movement. Vance wrote the forward to “Dawn’s Early Light: Taking Back Washington To Save America” by Kevin Roberts of the Heritage Foundation. Roberts is one of the leaders of Project 2025, which was developed to build Trump’s policy agenda without the larger public finding out about it. (That failed, and now the campaign is pretending to reject Project 2025.) “Dawn’s Early Light” was meant to be an airport book version of Project 2025, a snappy and readable volume that nonetheless displays the granular level of control MAGA Republicans want to assert over the choices of Americans in how to worship, whether to have kids and who they’ll marry.

Like Vance, Roberts is outraged that women have goals and interests outside of making babies early and often. The book has been delayed until after the election, but Media Matters has a galley copy, which features Roberts raving about the evils of birth control, in-vitro fertilization, and yes, even pets. Roberts laments that they allow women to feel that “having a child seem(s) like an optional and not natural result of having sex.” In the book, Roberts spits venom at dog parks, which he sees as a decadent concession to those he believes won’t “give up childish things, and live in the real world” by having kids. Dog parks are a result of “the antifamily culture shaping legislation, regulation, and enforcement throughout our sprawling government,” he snarls.

[From Salon]

First JD Vance and his merry band of creeps came for cat ladies, and I said “f–k that guy.” Then JD Vance and his merry band of creeps came for menopausal women and I said “Jesus Christ, this guy is the f–king worst.” And then JD Vance and his merry band of creeps came for dogs and dog moms and I laughed, knowing that no animal lover will ever vote for this f–king psychopath.

Oh and he also talked sh-t about Irish-Americans.

Vance: Has anybody seen the movie “Gangs of New York?.” That is what I’m talking about, with these ethnic enclaves in our country, it can lead to higher crime rates. pic.twitter.com/3UOBRSvOfJ

— Acyn (@Acyn) August 16, 2024

Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Cover Images.