There’s a growing narrative about the incipient Bennifer divorce. The narrative: Ben Affleck was the one who wanted out and he’s been done with his marriage for months, all while Jennifer Lopez hoped for reconciliation and wanted to work things out. Not only that, but Jennifer only realized it was truly over when Ben purchased his new place and he closed escrow on her birthday. Now she’s quickly coming to the program and spreading the news that she’s fine and she’s making her peace with his decision. Speaking of, Us Weekly’s cover story is basically all about how Ben was completely over it.

A fresh start: Sources exclusively share in the latest Us Weekly cover story that Affleck, 51 — who’s been busy working on The Accountant 2 and a new Netflix thriller with pal Matt Damon — is ready for a fresh start. One in which he hopes to remain a bit more under the radar. “Ben needed new energy in his life,” says a source, noting that the star’s new home is what he was initially looking for before he and Lopez purchased their estate. “This one is more his speed,” adds the source. “He’s in a better mindset and is pushing forward.”

Jennifer was caught off-guard when Ben bought a new home: A Lopez source confirms that Affleck’s actions caught the singer off guard but says she had her suspicions “[because] he had been living in a rental.” Adds an Affleck source: “Ben moving into a new home was the closure of the relationship.”

Jennifer hoped they could work through it: Lopez was hoping they could make things work despite their issues. As Us previously reported, their hectic work schedules took a toll on the marriage. “Both have demanding careers that often require them to be in different cities,” a Lopez insider said. A second insider told Us that Lopez and Affleck were on “different pages” in life, noting that the twosome“don’t have a lot of common ground, and the honeymoon phase has worn off. In a perfect world, Jen would like to make it work with Ben. It’s heartbreaking to her and she tried very hard to make it work.”

They don’t want to drag this out? “Neither of them want this to be dragged out and contentious,” says a fourth source, noting that the stars have a prenup in place. [Their film, Unstoppable, is set to premiere in September] “Ben and Jen are in agreement that they want it to be seamless.” A fifth source confirms they have a prenup with certain conditions, so if they move forward, it won’t be long and drawn out. “Behind the scenes they have been finalizing what that will look like if they pull the trigger,” explains the fifth source. “Their main goal is to remain amicable.” The Affleck source adds they are in communication.

Ben wants to focus on himself: Affleck’s been focusing on his well-being. (The actor has been open about his past struggles with drug and alcohol addiction.) “Ben feels like he’s been weighed down this year,” says the first source. “He will always care for Jen, but he knows the marriage is done, and he wants to focus on himself right now.”

Matty D & not caring about the attention: “Matt has been so supportive throughout this ordeal,” says a fifth source. Their company, Artists Equity, is producing their upcoming film RIP. “Matt’s a great distraction, and he makes Ben laugh.” A sixth source says the Argo director isn’t overly concerned with the optics of the high-profile split: “Ben doesn’t care about the negative attention.”

[From Us Weekly]

I’m going back and forth on this. Ben’s an a–hole for the way he handled this, but also… I sort of understand why he feels the need to just cut things off rather abruptly and decide that he’s over this marriage. What’s wild is that he was over it back in February, during the premiere of This Is Me… Now, which was about how much she loves him and how she had been waiting for years to get back with him. He’s in the documentary too and they were actually really sweet together. But somewhere in between filming that (last year) and the premiere in February, it’s like Ben completely snapped out of it. Jane Fonda told her dumb ass that this would happen too. A lot of people told J.Lo. She didn’t listen.

Photos courtesy of Backgrid, cover courtesy of Us Weekly.

The Princess of Wales hasn’t been seen since the Wimbledon men’s final on July 14th. She likely won’t be seen for the rest of the summer, and there’s growing evidence that she has nothing on her calendar for autumn as well. Which is the subject of this new exclusive from the Daily Beast’s Royalist. Sources tell Royalist’s Tom Sykes that Kate has had a “brush with mortality” and that her focus, going forward, will be on her children. They’re hard-launching “Kate will barely be seen from now on.” It’s not even part-time royalty, it’s not even half-out royalty. It’s something else entirely.

Sources say the Princess of Wales’ treatment for cancer is understood to be going well, but that her “brush with mortality” will lead her to focus on her family and children. On a positive note, reports that Kate is intending to travel to Balmoral for the traditional royal summer vacation coincides with friends telling The Daily Beast that her ongoing treatment for cancer is progressing well.

It is thought the smaller Wales family are unlikely to travel this year to Tresco, a small island off the coast of Cornwall, where they have often spent summer holidays. However, The Daily Beast has been told that the couple are aiming to be in Balmoral either for the opening of the grouse-shooting season on Aug. 12 or shortly thereafter. William and Kate both shoot.

One friend of the couple told The Daily Beast: “Kate has been exceptionally open and honest about her health. Making two appearances before the summer break, at Wimbledon and Trooping the Colour, was a clear signal that she is doing well. That is what we are hearing privately as well—it’s not over but there is lots of optimism, lots of positivity.”

The friend added that they understood Kate was still receiving chemotherapy for cancer which was found when she underwent abdominal surgery at the beginning of the year. The friend said: “It is obviously still an incredibly worrying time but all the signs are that her cancer treatment, which is ongoing, is progressing well.”

Another source, a Buckingham Palace insider, said they understood there was no sense that Kate was expected to be back on duty for the traditionally busy period of royal engagements that kicks off in the first week of September and runs through to Christmas. The source said: “There is still nothing in her diary. My understanding is that people are going to have to get used to seeing a lot less of Kate. The priority for her now is going to be family and the children. The youngest of those kids, Louis, is only 6. Like a lot of people who have a brush with mortality, Kate is going to prioritize the things that matter to her from now on. In her case, that means her kids.”

The source added that ongoing concerns around King Charles’ health were also likely to have shaped her new attitude, saying: “Charles is doing a magnificent job fighting his cancer but he is still unwell. It is being fantastically well managed to give the impression that everything is fine, but it is noticeable to those of us who are aware of such things that the engagements are shorter and carefully scheduled; for example he sometimes arrives by helicopter at the last minute before being choppered away and presumably collapsing in an armchair at home.”

“Charles’ cancer hasn’t gone away, the palace have said as much, and to be brutally honest, the once-popular notion that he will live to a similar age as his mother [94] or father [99] is now less widespread. I think that has very much focused Kate’s mind on the fact that there may only be a few years of freedom left. What does she want to do with them? Nurture her kids and try her best to equip them for the life ahead of them.”

Another friend of the wider family told The Daily Beast that the royals were expected to descend on Balmoral en masse for the opening of the grouse-shooting season on Aug. 12, known colloquially as the “Glorious Twelfth.” The friend said: “Balmoral is basically a very fancy Victorian hunting lodge. That is what you do up there: You go out shooting, you fish, and you have lunch in the hut. It is an important ritual for Kate and William to take their children there for the Glorious Twelfth and that is the goal this year.”

[From The Daily Beast]

“I think that has very much focused Kate’s mind on the fact that there may only be a few years of freedom left” – this sort of goes back to what Tina Brown said and wrote in March, that Kensington Palace was “flailing” from one crisis to the next and “Catherine is battling more — much more — than cancer. A tidal wave of premature responsibility is crashing in her and William’s direction.” She said that Kate and William were “frozen with intense anxiety” because they felt like they would become king and queen sooner rather than later. So basically, Kate isn’t even going to pretend to work until Charles dies and she becomes queen consort? I mean… that does seem to be what these “sources” are saying. Also: lol, no, Kate was not “exceptionally honest about her health.”

Photos courtesy of Avalon Red.

For months, I’ve been trying to put my finger on why Sabrina Carpenter looks and feels sort of familiar in the celebrity world. I think I’ve got it – looks-wise, she’s really reminiscent of a young Hayden Panetierre. Gossip-wise, Sabrina is following an Ariana Grande path. Does that make sense? It makes sense to me. Anyway, it is arguably the “summer of Sabrina.” I would argue that Kendrick Lamar’s Drake-diss tracks were much more important to the summer music scene, but sure, Sabrina’s two singles have been everywhere in recent months. I prefer “Espresso,” which is super-catchy. “Please Please Please” annoys the crap out of me. So, Sabrina covers the latest issue of Variety and they did a pretty decent profile of her, introducing her to people (like me) who really don’t know much about her. Some highlights:

Her child-actor years: “I got an agent — the same one I have now — and he was very realistic. He said, ‘We’ll send you out for things — no promise that they’re even going to see your tape.’ But then, not to brag, I booked one of the first things I ever went for”: an episode of “Law & Order” in which Carpenter played a victim of abuse by a sex-trafficking ring — at the ripe old age of 11. “It was such a sad plotline. I was just fascinated by all of it. I had spent so much time with adults that I just knew how to talk to them. Now all my friends are my age, but when I was younger, I was always working with adults. I just always knew what to say and how to act.”

Her early albums, made when she was a kid: “For the people who love those early records and listen to them, I love you for that. But I personally feel a sense of separation from them, largely due to the shift in who I am as a person and as an artist, pre-pandemic and post-pandemic.”

The love triangle: On it, Carpenter references the narrative around a Gen-Z love triangle allegedly involving her and fellow Disney stars Joshua Bassett and Olivia Rodrigo. Although the full story has never been revealed, all three singers have released songs inspired by the situation — including Rodrigo’s 2021 breakthrough hit, “Drivers License” — and the ensuing scrutiny from fans and the media. For her part, Carpenter sings in “Because I Liked a Boy,” “Now I’m a homewrecker, I’m a slut / I got death threats fillin’ up semi trucks.” (She declines to discuss the situation further.)

Her friendship with Taylor Swift & getting permission to do a Skims campaign: “Taylor is a rock star! She’s just such a gangster with all of it. No matter what people are saying, everything that I’ve ever seen her tackle, she’s done so with grace. The posts about me having to ‘ask for her permission’ — no. She’s one of my best, best friends, and we grab dinner or text and catch up like you would with your best friend.” She nods to the mentorship she’s received from Swift and others as she grapples with her own rapidly rising fame. “It’s so cool for me to get a perspective on this whole process from her and the community of artists that I feel I’m close to — to get advice from them on stuff that you can’t just ask the internet. We’re always playing each other our [music], and whenever I start to think, ‘Maybe I’ll get on Twitter and say something about this,’ I’m always like, ‘Maybe I’ll write a song instead.’”

Dating Bary Keoghan, who stars in the “Please Please Please” video: “He loved the song. He’s obsessed with the lyrics, and I’m so grateful for that. I don’t want to sound biased, but I think he’s one of the best actors of this generation. So getting to see him on the screen with my song as the soundtrack made the video better and all the more special.”

Sabrina is a Taurus: “Barry’s a Libra, and so is my sister. They’re very different, but they have similarities. I tend to gravitate towards Leos as well… My dad’s a Capricorn, so maybe that’s not the direction for my future.”

[From Variety]

She’s 25 years old, in case you’re wondering. She comes across like so many former Disney actors – like she’s used to being the precocious kid in the room, the only kid surrounded by adults. I still say the Disney/child-actor system leads to a huge amount of dysfunction in adulthood, but I will also admit that it seems to be getting better? Like, Disney is no longer so strict with their image-maintenance of child stars and it’s easier for people like Sabrina and Olivia Rodrigo to just transition into adult stardom or adult music careers.

This week’s Variety cover story:

Summer of Sabrina Carpenter: Hitting No. 1 on the Charts, Getting Advice From ‘Best Friend’ Taylor Swift and What Barry Keoghan Really Thinks About Her Lyricshttps://t.co/sp9osTSpa3 pic.twitter.com/N7iCKRwVGq

— Variety (@Variety) August 6, 2024

Photos courtesy of Avalon Red.

Nothing quite makes me feel as old as seeing my son go off to college, but seeing celebrity kids and viral Internet kids grow up is a close second. The Apparently kid, Noah Ritter, became a viral sensation in 2014 after a quick interview at the county fair in Wayne County, Pennsylvania. Noah, who was there with his Grandpa Jack, told WNEP-TV about his experience on the super slide, using the word “apparently” so many times it became a meme. He said, “And apparently, I’ve never been on live television before. I don’t watch the news, because I’m a kid and apparently Grandpa… just gives me the remote after we watch the Powerball.” He went on to say that he was “scared half to death” by the super slide. It was adorable and Noah is full of personality. Well Noah is now 15(!) and is still very close to his Grandpa Jack. The two went back to the Wayne County fair together to recreate his viral moment and talk about what they’re doing now, ten years after his instant fame. This news clip and story were so heartwarming to me! You can see the video below, and here’s People’s writeup:

Over the weekend, now-15-year-old Noah Ritter once again appeared on local Pennsylvania ABC affiliate WNEP to recreate his classic viral video at the Wayne County Fair.

On Sunday, Aug. 4, the outlet shared a video of the teen reciting a few of the iconic lines that he used to steal the show during his accidental monologue at the very same location a decade ago.

“And apparently, I’ve never been on live television before,” he said, imitating his 5-year-old voice. “Grandpa gives me the remote every time [sic] we watch the Powerball”

When asked how it feels to say those words into a WNEP microphone again all these years later, Ritter said that “it feels pretty good.”

“I feel nostalgic about it,” he added. “It makes me reminisce about being here in this exact spot 10 years ago.”

Ritter and partner in crime “Grandpa Jack” also reflected on the days that followed Ritter’s rise to fame, in which they frequently flew to California so Ritter could appear on The Ellen Degeneres Show.

Among the stars he met back in the day because of his hit video were Jennifer Garner, Sofia Vergara, Jim Carrey, Bryce Dallas Howard, and even Bill Clinton.

Ritter and his grandfather still post videos together on his YouTube channel, but the teen has less free time because of his busy high school schedule. “Now I’m juggling YouTube, school, football, track [and] a bunch of other stuff,” Ritter told WNEP. “I’m going into my sophomore year, getting ready to drive.”

[From People]

I didn’t realize that Noah had been on Ellen a couple of times and that he’d also been a child judge on the reality series The Toy Box (which I completely forgot about). This was just a quick news segment so they didn’t get into it, but it sounded like that time was grueling for him. His grandpa said that Noah had to film eight hours a day and get four hours of schooling. The show aired in 2017 and 2018, and Noah was on the only judge who appeared on both seasons, when he was aged seven to eight. How is that legal to do to a kid that age?!

Noah is involved in sports at school including football and track and is going to be in 10th grade next year. Grandpa Jack is now a widower and spends his time with Noah. They love watching movies together, which they review on Noah’s YouTube Channel. I watched their review for The Fall Guy, which I completely disagree with since I loved it and they disliked it, but it’s cute seeing them together. I’m so glad Noah is doing well and that he’s still best friends with his Grandpa Jack.

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One of the very first things that children are taught in school, at home, etc. is the “Alphabet Song.” Sung to the tune of “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star,” the “Alphabet Song” is a classic tool for teaching the building blocks of literacy. In America, everyone knows it, it’s universal! Apparently, the latest trend in education is to teach a newer version of the song. This version breaks up the rhythm of saying the letters of the alphabet in a way that’s different than we’re used to. Instead of the usual rhyming scheme that contains the infamous “HIJK / LMNOP,” the new way of saying it breaks up the letters differently and eliminates the word “and” in between Y and Z. The new breakdown is as follows: “ABCDEFG / HIJKLMN / OPQ / RST / UVW / XYZ.”

An elementary school teacher has confirmed schools are teaching a different version of the “Alphabet Song” and why they are doing it. Alphabet knowledge and the understanding of letter forms, names and corresponding sounds represents the crucial foundation blocks of emergent literacy in children.

A 2004 longitudinal comparative analysis published in the Journal of Educational Psychology highlighted how a child’s knowledge of these letter names and sounds serves as an accurate predictor of their later reading and spelling abilities.

That’s what makes something like the “Alphabet Song,” sung to the familiar tune of “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star,” such an important tool in starting to develop those skills and understanding. Rachel, an elementary school teacher from Atlanta, Georgia, who posts TikToks under the handle teacherrachelsorsel, is a keen advocate of the song’s use in her classroom.

Rachel, who asked that her surname not be included, told Newsweek: “When kids are first learning to read, they haven’t yet developed the ‘alphabetic principle,’ which is understanding that those squiggles we call letters each have different names and spell sounds. Songs make learning ‘sticky,’ so the alphabet song is a helpful way to introduce, learn, and practice the beginnings of this concept.”

Now in her fifth year as a first grade teacher, Rachel specializes in structured literacy, literacy intervention, and dyslexia so, when she saw a tweet doing the rounds explaining that the way kids sing the “Alphabet Song” had changed, she was perfectly placed to explain exactly why in a video posted to her TikTok account.

The original post, shared by a user writing under the handle mostly_cheese, read: “My 5-year-old twins have informed me I sing the alphabet wrong. Tune is the same, but the new rendition their teacher prefers breaks down as follows:
ABCDEFG / HIJKLMN / OPQ / RST / UVW / XYZ.”

“One of the first assessments I do when I work with a struggling reader is to have them write the alphabet for me,” she said. “So many of them sing the song to help them get through all of the letters, and let me tell you the amount of kids that get so stumped when they hit ‘LMNOP’ is baffling.”

Rachel noted many kids also struggle with letters at the end of the alphabet because of the “and” between y and z in the traditional song and that represents a fundamental flaw in the old version of the song.

“If students aren’t hearing all of the letter names, there is something missing conceptually,” she said.

When Rachel attempted to explain this on her video, she said many commenting said that the problem was down to the fact kids were not “enunciating all the letters” but she rejects that notion.

“Kids are still developing phonemic awareness, which is the ability to hear, isolate, and manipulate individual sounds in language,” she said. “Even a perfectly enunciated traditional alphabet song may still be confusing to kids.”

Ultimately, when it comes to the new version of the song versus the old, in her experience most kids are “flexible” when it comes to learning. “Kids are really receptive to this practice, and when you explain why the change was made, the majority of kids I work with say ‘Oh that makes so much sense.’ Even kids who don’t necessarily struggle hear this version and explanation and understand the need for the change, noting peers or siblings that say ‘Ellamenoh’ for LMNO!” she said. “If kids were taught a more developmentally appropriate version in the first place, some of this early intervention and reteaching may not be needed.”

Though she noted many commenting on her video insisted they had “turned out fine” despite learning the old version of the song, she is firmly in favor of this more effective approach.

“While learning the alphabet song does not equate to reading, rapid automatic naming of all letters is a strong early predictor of literacy skills. If kids are struggling with the alphabet, then of course they are going to struggle with reading,” Rachel said. “Making changes to the way we teach foundational skills is extremely helpful to lay the groundwork for the trickier parts of teaching and learning reading.”

[From Newsweek]

So…thoughts on the new version of the song? Not to sound like a fuddy duddy but it sounds so weird to me! I suppose if you sing anything with enough repetition, it will catch on, but did it really need to be changed? I can get behind some of the other changes made in schools, like describing sitting with your legs crossed on the ground as “criss cross applesauce” but the ABC song is a GD generational staple! I am all for progress in the classroom to keep up with the times, though, especially if a previously unaddressed, widespread issue is finally getting the attention it deserves. Teachers out there, was “LMNOP” really f-cking kids up that much? Isn’t this where visual learning also comes into play? I would love to hear if there is more on-the-ground educational value behind this change. If there is, then I will adjust my alphabet song reciting accordingly.

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Jenny Slate wore Rodarte to the It Ends With Us premiere. This is bad, but why is the theme “clashing patterns” AND florals for the promotion? [RCFA]
Who will play Tim Walz on SNL? [Buzzfeed]
Taylor Swift unsurprisingly leads the VMA noms. [Hollywood Life]
Zendaya & Robert Pattinson in a movie together? Yes! [LaineyGossip]
Kit Harrington is back! He attended the Industry premiere. [Go Fug Yourself]
Italian swimmer Thomas Ceccon is so, so pretty. [Socialite Life]
Elon Musk is such a f–king idiot. [Pajiba]
Charli XCX mashed up with Fleetwood Mac. [OMG Blog]
Charles Barkley is back… after he announced his retirement. [Just Jared]
Netflix is discontinuing their basic digital plan. [Seriously OMG]
Evangelical nutjobs like Jill Duggar are still freaking out about the Paris Olympics Opening Ceremony. These people are awful. [Starcasm]

Some days, I genuinely wonder if the overwhelming hatred, transphobia and bigotry we see in this country boils down to hatred of women and the “need” to oppress women at every level. It’s a throughline, that’s all I’ll say. I bring that up because one of the first big attacks from the Trump-Vance campaign on Governor Tim Walz was that… as governor, Walz mandated free tampons and pads in public schools. The Trump-Vance campaign is calling him “Tampon Tim.” Get it? Because it’s insulting to say that a man tries to provide a service to menstruating public school students. It’s all funny to them, that people menstruate. It’s a political jab to them. They think this is a winning strategy.

As part of their effort to portray Tim Walz, the new Democratic vice-presidential candidate, as a far-left liberal, the Trump campaign attacked the Minnesota governor on Tuesday for signing a bill last year that provides access to menstrual products for transgender students.

At issue is broadly inclusive language in the law, which states that products like pads, tampons and other products used for menstruation “must be available to all menstruating students in restrooms regularly used by students in grades 4 to 12.” Republican state lawmakers in Minnesota had tried — and failed — to amend that bill so that it would apply only to “female restrooms,” though some Republicans went on to vote for the final version of bill. Karoline Leavitt, a spokeswoman for the Trump campaign, said in an interview on Tuesday on Fox News that the law, among other policies seen as supportive of transgender rights, was “a threat to women’s health.”

“As a woman, I think there is no greater threat to our health than leaders who support gender-transition surgeries for young minors, who support putting tampons in men’s bathrooms in public schools,” Ms. Leavitt said. “Those are radical policies that Tim Walz supports. He actually signed a bill to do that.”

State Representative Sandra Feist, a Democrat and the chief author of the bill, said in an interview that it was important for her and the student activists who pushed for the change that transgender students were able to access menstrual products without having to ask for them.

“I actually received emails,” Ms. Feist said. “From trans students, parents, teachers, librarians, custodians from across the country, talking about how they were — or that they knew — trans students who faced these barriers and needed these products, and how much it meant to them that they would have that access, and also that we were standing up for them.”

[From The NY Times]

This is like the “Walz ensured free school lunches” thing – it’s about equality and supporting the community and supporting young people. The legislators of Minnesota listened to young people and educators who said they needed this and they made it happen. Kids need access to pads and tampons in school. It’s a global issue, not just a national issue – period poverty is such a fundamental issue, the United Nations and multiple NGOs are all trying to tackle it and have been for years. It’s one of the issues at the heart of girls’ education globally. And the Trump campaign is like “hahaha Tampon Tim, it’s funny that kids have periods.”

Photos courtesy of Cover Images.

Ever since President Biden endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris, the vibes have been immaculate. I know there’s been a ton of work happening behind the scenes to ensure that the vibes are immaculate, to ensure that the Harris-Walz campaign is a juggernaut and a freight train, but damn, it’s been amazing. Yesterday, Kamala Harris chose Minnesota’s Governor Tim Walz as her running mate. Democrats across the board love this pick. Meaning, Walz is someone whose folksy demeanor and relatable background appeals to working-class Dems and center-right Dems. Walz’s actual policy background appeals to liberal and progressive Dems.

On Tuesday, Harris and Walz did their first rally together, at a jam-packed arena in Philadelphia, where they were introduced by another VP contender, Pennsylvania Governor Shapiro. I’m glad she didn’t choose Shapiro – and I’ll write more about that in another post – for various reasons, but mostly I’m happy that Democrats have such an effective and popular governor in Pennsylvania for hopefully years to come. Once Walz and Harris came out, they brought down the house and gave us an excellent preview of why the Trump-Vance campaign has been sh-tting themselves for weeks.

“Thank you for bringing back the joy.” This is wonderful. The Harris-Walz campaign doesn’t have to run to the right or the left – their positions and policies are supported by the majority of America, meaning this campaign gets to run an overwhelmingly positive, forward-looking campaign in the final three months of the cycle. Which isn’t to say that Walz didn’t land some very effective punches at Trump and Vance. People are going crazy about Walz’s dig on Vance the alleged couch f–ker (many are saying): “I can’t wait to debate the guy. That is, if he’s willing to get off the couch and show up.” Well well well!

Additionally, after the Harris campaign confirmed her choice of Tim Walz, ActBlue had one of its biggest donation days in history, with $2.5 million in donations in ONE HOUR. They raised around $10 million in about five hours. Insane.

Photos courtesy of Avalon Red.

This situation has now become insanely complicated, so I’m just going to do a broad-strokes summary of how we got here. MyKayla Skinner was an Olympic gymnast who won a silver medal in Tokyo. She’s now retired and having babies, and she’s also a self-styled influencer type with a very glossy social media. Before the Paris Olympics – and after she watched the US Olympic trials – she decided to chime in on the current state of Team USA’s gymnastics squad. She said sh-t like “Besides Simone [Biles], I feel like the talent and the depth just isn’t like what it used to be…A lot of girls don’t work as hard….The girls just don’t have the work ethic.” She also made some disgusting comments about why “the girls” don’t have a work ethic – she thinks it’s because the coaches can’t be mean and aggressive towards girls and women anymore, thanks to… safety measures put into place after Larry Nassar and all of the horrendous sh-t that went down at the Karolyi Ranch.

The thing is, Simone Biles has spent years, alongside Nassar’s hundreds of victims, trying to get accountability and huge changes from US Gymnastics. It’s worked too, and there have been huge changes and Simone deserves a lot of credit. After MyKayla’s bonkers YouTube video, she got a ton of backlash and she ended up deleting the video and she made an apology. Simone and some of the other gymnasts took a couple of minor swipes at her and then they headed to Paris, where Team USA won gold in the team competition. Afterwards, Simone posted a photo with the team and wrote “lack of talent, lazy, olympic champions.” A pitch-perfect subtweet, she didn’t even mention MyKayla’s name or tag her.

Well, guess who’s in her feelings and begging Simone Biles to stop cyberbullying?? This is one of the most thin-skinned Karen things I’ve ever f–king seen in my life. While death threats and threats of harm are always unacceptable, in the immortal words of Katt Williams, you shouldn’t have been talking sh-t. Simone had every right to clapback on MyKayla. Simone had every right to go even further – what MyKayla said and suggested about the coaches needing to be more “aggressive” with little girls and young women was despicable. It went against everything that Simone and the Nassar survivors have been painstakingly removing from the sport. And to address Simone personally? GMAFB.

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A post shared by MyKayla Skinner (Harmer) (@mykaylaskinner2016)

Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, MyKayla’s IG.

Thoughts on Cate Blanchett’s Canadian tuxedo? It’s Brandon Maxwell! [RCFA]
They’re making a movie called Killing Gawker? And Ben Affleck is attached to play Hulk Hogan? Who’s playing Peter Thiel? [JustJared]
I loved that Simone Biles & Jordan Chiles “bowed down” to Rebeca Andrade at the Olympic medal ceremony. What a moment!! [Hollywood Life]
I maintain that the balance beam was cursed or damaged! [Buzzfeed]
Julia Stiles is still around! [LaineyGossip]
What’s going on with House of the Dragon? [Jezebel]
Vince Vaughn is possibly a better version of Joe Rogan. [Pajiba]
More on Zac Efron’s hospitalization. [Socialite Life]
Simone Biles was all about gymnastics from a young age. [Seriously OMG]
Gillian Anderson explains why she kissed David Duchovny first at the Emmys, back in the 1990s. Her answer is funny. [OMG Blog]