The inauguration is on Monday. Monday is also a federal holiday, Martin Luther King Jr. Day. We’ll have some stories, but I’m mostly going to spend the day avoiding everything related to Donald Trump. I will not be alone – I suspect millions of Americans will simply tune out the inauguration and everything that will happen in the next four years. Michelle Obama’s office announced this week that she will be one of the Americans ignoring all things Trump. MO will not attend the inauguration and she’s reportedly still in Hawaii, on an extended vacation. She also skipped Jimmy Carter’s funeral, likely because protocol would have had her seated next to the Trumps. There were rumors that Michelle was skipping the inauguration for other reasons, but sources told People Magazine that her decision was solely about her disgust for Donald Trump. Now “sources” close to MAGA World are telling Page Six that they couldn’t care less about MO’s snub.

MAGA sources could not care less that Michelle Obama is snubbing Donald Trump’s inauguration, a source tells Page Six.

“They are having a good laugh,” a source says of those involved in planning the inaugural festivities. “They didn’t expect her to come anyway.”

A Democratic source tried to play down the diss, noting, “Donald Trump and Melania didn’t go to Joe Biden’s inauguration and nobody cared. No one said anything.”

Barack and Michelle Obamas’ office announced this week that Michelle will skip the 60th Inaugural Ceremonies on Jan. 20th, but that the former president will attend. Michelle also skipped Jimmy Carter’s funeral on Jan. 9 because she was on an “extended vacation” in Hawaii. She would have apparently been seated next to Trump.

One Republican source speculated, “It’s obvious that this was her way of protesting Trump. She hates him.”

Michelle attended Trump’s inaugural in 2017, and said of the experience on “The Light Podcast,” “To sit on that stage and watch the opposite of what we represented on display — there was no diversity, there was no color on that stage. There was no reflection of the broader sense of America.”

A source told Page Six previously that Michelle’s choice to not attend the inauguration is “deliberate.”

“She’s never been fake and she’s never been phony. She’s always been very deliberate about where and how she shows up,” the source said. “She showed up reluctantly for the election. They were united, but she doesn’t have to unify around [Trump]. She doesn’t have to say anything. Her absence speaks volumes.”

[From Page Six]

As I said before, I admire Michelle for opting out of this entire sh-tshow. She’s doing the same thing as many Black women have done post-election: walked away, protected their peace, and refused to engage with any of it. What I find most interesting though is that Michelle is really making a point to do this in public in advance of the inauguration. Her refusal to attend has become one of the biggest pre-inaugural stories. There were other options for her, you know? She could have announced her absence at the last minute, or she could have just said nothing and not shown up on Monday. Michelle wanted the public conversation, she’s inviting people to talk about it. My guess? She knew she would annoy the hell out of the Trumpers, because SHE is the conversation and not that guy. Which is why MAGAland is “hahaha, we don’t care” as they cry bitter tears.

Photos courtesy of Cover Images.

On Thursday, Justin Baldoni sued/countersued Blake Lively, Ryan Reynolds and their publicist. In his 179-page complaint, Baldoni provides a lot of text messages between himself and Lively before and during the It Ends With Us production. He also includes texts and emails with other producers and actors. In one mind-numbingly hilarious section, Baldoni and his team are increasingly concerned during the production that Blake Lively has never read the source material, Colleen Hoover’s novel of the same name, and that Blake is Googling information about her character. I bring that up because Blake took it upon herself to rewrite some scenes, alongside her husband Ryan Reynolds. At one point, Blake invited Baldoni to her Tribeca penthouse, and Blake, Ryan and Taylor Swift gave Baldoni a hard sell on why he should use all of Blake and Ryan’s rewrites. Afterwards, Baldoni and Lively exchanged texts and she referred to herself as the Khaleesi (from Game of Thrones) and suggested that Ryan and Taylor Swift are her dragons.

Justin Baldoni claims Taylor Swift was involved in backing Blake Lively’s vision for It Ends With Us when he resisted some rewrites. Among the claims made in his 179-page complaint, Baldoni, 40, alleges that Swift, 35, and Reynolds, 48, pressured him into accepting one of Lively’s rewrites for the film. Christy Hall is credited as the screenwriter who adapted Colleen Hoover’s blockbuster novel.

In the pre-production phase, Lively allegedly asked to “take a pass” on the film’s rooftop scene, where her character Lily Bloom meets Baldoni’s Ryle Kincaid for the first time. Baldoni was “reluctant” to let her “rewrite this key scene,” per the complaint, “but “agreed to take a look at what she put together.”

Baldoni claims her version was “dramatically” different from how it was originally written, and after his “exceedingly mild resistance,” Lively “went silent for multiple days” and later said in an alleged text message that his reaction to her rewrite “didn’t feel great for me” — or to Reynolds and what Baldoni characterizes as “another megacelebrity friend.” A text message included in the filing reveals that “influential and wealthy” celebrity friend to be Swift.

Baldoni claimed he was “summoned” to an earlier meeting with Reynolds at their New York City penthouse where the pop superstar arrived and “began praising Lively’s script. Baldoni understood the subtext: he needed to comply with Lively’s direction for the script.”

Per the complaint, Baldoni felt he didn’t need “Reynolds and her megacelebrity friend to pressure him,” so he texted her that while her changes made the scene “so much more fun and interesting” he “would have felt that way without Ryan and Taylor,” adding a playful emoji. Lively allegedly responded by comparing herself to the Game of Thrones character Khaleesi and that Reynolds and Swift are her two “dragons.”

Another alleged text from Lively included in the filing shows the actress referring to Reynolds, with whom she shares four kids and married in 2012, and Swift as her “Dance Moms level stage moms.”

“They are embarrassingly effusive,” she added per the alleged text messages, calling herself the “luckiest m—–f—er on the planet” to have them as her supporters and “most trusted partners. She allegedly added, “I think they wanted you and me to see how they felt about [the rewrites] because they’ve been by my side for far too many experiences where I’ve been overlooked.”

Lively, in the alleged text message, said to Baldoni: “If you ever get around to watching Game of Thrones, you’ll appreciate that I’m Khaleesi, and like her, I happen to have a few dragons. For better or worse, but usually for better. Because my dragons also protect those I fight for. So really we all benefit from those gorgeous monsters of mine. you will too, I can promise you.”

[From People]

Even before the lawsuits started happening, back when Blake and Justin were separately promoting IEWU, the story about Ryan rewriting the rooftop/balcony scene came out, because Blake spoke about it openly in the press. People side-eyed it even then – why was Blake getting her husband to do an “unauthorized” rewrite on a crucial scene without the director’s knowledge? That was before we knew Blake was the Khaleesi and that Ryan and Taylor are her dragons. Separate from the allegations of sexual harassment, the way Blake and Ryan were throwing their weight around would have been a huge nightmare for any production and any director. And bringing Taylor Swift in to pressure Baldoni? LMAO.

Photos courtesy of Backgrid, Cover Images, Avalon Red.

Last Sunday, Netflix confirmed that the Duchess of Sussex’s cooking show, With Love, Meghan, was being delayed because of the Southern California wildfires. WLM was supposed to be released on the 15th, and now it will come out a few days after the Oscars in March. Clearly, the Windsors held some emergency meetings in early January and made a plan of action to try to steal Meghan’s thunder by sending the Princess of Wales out to a hospital and sending William out to day-drink in a Birmingham pub. Sources also said that the WLM delay was at Meghan’s request, and that “it was an easy decision” for Meghan in the wake of the wildfires. Well, it looks like the Windsors are fuming – royal sources wept to Richard Eden at the Mail about the postponement. You’ll never guess why they are so upset!

The Duchess of Sussex’s decision to postpone the release of her long-awaited Netflix cookery show, With Love, Meghan, because of the devastation wreaked by wildfires in her home state of California has been praised by her fans. One of her favoured publications, People, reported that Meghan ‘didn’t think twice’ about delaying the eight-part series until March.

‘I don’t think she could imagine putting out a show centered on joy and hosting when so many people in her home state no longer have homes to host people in,’ an insider sympathetically told the American magazine.

Her decision has, however, led to some wry remarks from those connected to the Royal Family, I can disclose. One friend of the royals pointed out to me this week that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex allowed their bombshell interview with Oprah Winfrey to be broadcast in 2021 even though Prince Philip was seriously ill in hospital. Prince Harry’s grandfather died four weeks later.

‘Meghan seemingly didn’t think twice about going ahead with the Oprah interview, did she?’ commented the royal source. Let’s not forget how deeply the interview with America’s chat show queen must have wounded the Royal Family. Meghan’s lurid accusations, including claims that the Princess of Wales had made her cry and that unnamed senior royals had raised concerns about her baby’s skin tone, would have undoubtedly hurt Prince Philip and Queen Elizabeth.

Some courtiers are even wondering whether the postponement of her cookery programme is a commercial one. ‘Would people really want to watch a glossy TV show about someone’s luxury lifestyle when thousands of Americans have seen their homes and lives destroyed?’ one figure with connections to the royals asked me this week. It’s questionable whether the delay until March will make much difference to the appetite for such a programme. There will still be thousands of people homeless in three months’ time.

And the Oprah interview wasn’t the only project that the Sussexes knew would hurt Harry’s family but went ahead with anyway. They recorded their Netflix ‘docu-series’, or reality show, Harry & Meghan in 2022, when Queen Elizabeth was in rapidly declining health. That six-part programme, broadcast in December – two months after the queen’s death – worsened relations with the royals by accusing them of ‘leaking’ and ‘planting’ stories in the media. Some even felt Meghan demonstrating the extravagant curtsy she had performed for the late Queen had the effect of mocking her. The Queen had died two months before it was broadcast.

Two books have since reported that the Queen was suffering from bone cancer for a year before her death. It’s not clear if the Sussexes knew this, but they would have been acutely aware that she was increasingly frail. Yet they recorded the hurtful series anyway. Most disrespectful to the Queen were the sections of the programme devoted to denigrating the Commonwealth, the organisation close to her heart.

Harry similarly didn’t think twice about writing his tawdry memoirs while his grandmother’s health was worsening. Thank goodness that it was not published until four months after the Queen’s death, so she did not have to read about his betrayals of private conversations and vilification of her loved ones. It’s not hard to see why some close to the Royal Family would treat Meghan’s concern for the feelings of others with profound scepticism.

[From The Daily Mail]

I actually mentioned in the WLM postponement story that the Sussexes have a history of unlucky timing. The big one, for me, was their unluckiness with the timing of the Oprah interview. To be fair to them, they had already scheduled the interview with Oprah before Prince Philip went into the hospital for the last time. To be fair, the palace used Philip’s rapidly declining health as an excuse back in 2021 to scream about how the Sussexes’ interview should be delayed. It didn’t matter, it was honestly beyond the Sussexes’ control, and I’m glad the interview went ahead as planned. I also don’t think “the Sussexes released a bunch of big projects after QEII died” is some big controversy. I really wish they had released some of that stuff when QEII was alive, you know? The Netflix show especially, I always thought that should have come out a year earlier. Anyway, this piece is just another reminder that no one is more obsessed with Harry and Meghan than the Windsors and their “friends.” Everyone in the royal establishment has been following every single thing the Sussexes do and say for years.

Photos/screencaps courtesy of Harpo/CBS, LA Fox affiliate and Sky News.

On Tuesday, the Princess of Wales visited the cancer ward at the Royal Marsden Hospital. Kate’s office confirmed that Kate had been treated at the same hospital last year, and that’s where she had been “smuggled in” to receive chemotherapy treatments. Kate made some strange comments during her visit with cancer patients, but royal reporters quickly swooped in to do damage control and massage the message. The message? Kate is fine, she’s in remission, but her “new normal” means that she’s still not going back to work in any way, and how dare you question any part of this story. Interestingly, People Magazine has published several exclusives about Kate’s visit, and I suspect that Kensington Palace organized these pieces with palace-selected people and palace-enforced talking points. One woman who met Kate declared that Kate doesn’t have to tell people what kind of cancer she had:

Kate Middleton’s visit to a London hospital where she had cancer treatment last year made a real impact, but one cancer patient says there’s no need for the royal to disclose her diagnosis. Angela Terry met the Princess of Wales during her emotional stop at The Royal Marsden Hospital on Jan. 14, and exclusively tells PEOPLE that Kate’s presence provided a huge boost.

“She was there to say thank you to the people who had looked after her, talk to patients who were in a similar situation,” Terry tells PEOPLE. “It was a great message of hope because she looked so well. We don’t need to know what cancer she had. We just know she’s been through surgery, she’s been through chemo — and one year later, my goodness, look, she is here.”

Terry, 71, was diagnosed with EGFR-positive lung cancer in 2019 and serves as the non-executive chair of EGFR Positive UK, a charity for mutation driven lung cancer. She was at the Royal Marsden for treatment on Tuesday when she met Princess Kate, who unexpectedly stepped out there to “show her gratitude to the incredible team, but also highlight the world leading care and treatment the Marsden provides,” a Kensington Palace spokesman said.

[From People]

“It was a great message of hope because she looked so well. We don’t need to know what cancer she had.” Eh. Kate and King Charles have both declined to talk specifics about their cancer diagnoses, but Charles has done a lot more to show that he’s receiving treatment and that his cancer and the treatment has knocked him on his ass. Charles, to me, is more realistic and relatable than the conspiracy of silence around Kate for the past year. Meanwhile, People Mag did another exclusive about Kate telling a cancer patient that she didn’t use the cold cap:

Kate Middleton’s hair has long been a hallmark of her style, and during a visit to the Royal Marsden Hospital, a cancer patient revealed that the princess shared she “didn’t have to have” cold cap therapy—a treatment that helps reduce the risk of hair loss—during her cancer treatment.

Katherine Field, a patient undergoing cancer treatment who met Princess Kate during her visit, tells PEOPLE that they discussed cold capping — a scalp cooling system that can help reduce hair loss during chemotherapy, according to the American Cancer Society. Field, who was wearing a cold cap at the time, said the conversation added a personal connection to their encounter.

“I hate it, but I think it is working. Today there is a little bit of hair coming out, but I’m just trying to delay it,” Field, an art historian and curator, tells PEOPLE. When asked if Princess Kate mentioned using a cold cap, Field shared, “She just said that she didn’t have to have it. For her to lose her hair, which is so iconic, would have been awful. Everyone loves her hair!”

[From People]

In retrospect, I think one of the craziest parts about Kate’s situation is that she actually looked quite ill in 2023 and her use of wigs was quite noticeable, and then when she “came back” to public view in June of last year – when she was apparently going through chemo – she looked worlds better and a lot healthier. She was practically glowing at the Wimbledon men’s final last July. And yes, the situation with her hair is certainly interesting.

Photos courtesy of Cover Images, Avalon Red.

Justin Baldoni and his publicists sued Blake Lively, Ryan Reynolds and their publicist Leslie Sloane on Thursday, January 16. Blake, Ryan and Leslie Sloane are being sued for $400 million. The whole situation has become radioactive, and yet Baldoni’s countersuit is also a gossip goldmine. As people are reading through the lawsuit, several pieces of information have already jumped out.

Blake probably didn’t read Colleen Hoover’s book? According to the lawsuit, Lively made “wrongheaded creative decisions” that “reflected her fundamental lack of understanding of the book the film was based on…This came as no surprise to her worried colleagues, given that, even well into production, Lively had not even read the book,” the lawsuit alleged of the actress, 37. A text message from Baldoni to Heath that’s included in the lawsuit says that the creative team read and re-read Hoover’s novel, and afterward “combined scenes to heighten the stakes for” Baldoni’s character Ryle Kincaid “in pursuit of” Lively’s character Lily Bloom, “utilizing humor and his desire to sleep with her.” “While I understand Blake’s reasons for not wanting to read the book, the book does a very good job in getting in Lily’s mind during her interactions with Ryle and setting up the WHY behind her attraction to him, which ultimately helps us understand why she stays in the end,” the text message included in the lawsuit reads. She even tried to “Google” the color of her character’s hair rather than pick up the book, court documents allege.

The “it smells so good” conversation: Baldoni recalled filming a scene with Lively where she apologized for the smell of her spray tan and body makeup. Baldoni responded, “It smells good,” and continued acting. (In Lively’s paperwork filed last month, she told a different story about Baldoni’s remark, claiming: “At one point, he leaned forward and slowly dragged his lips from her ear and down her neck as he said, ‘It smells so good.’ None of this was remotely in character, or based on any dialogue in the script, and nothing needed to be said because, again, there was no sound.”)

Blake told Baldoni that he needed a nose job: Baldoni alleged in his latest filing that Lively soon “began to joke about Baldoni’s nose, which he laughed off and joked in turn, even as Lively joked that he should get plastic surgery.” “While on the one hand, Lively accuses Baldoni of making comments about her appearance, on the other she made derogatory comments about Baldoni’s appearance, telling him he should undergo rhinoplasty (a nose job) – something Baldoni has publicly expressed insecurities about and has discussed on an episode of his podcast, ‘Man Enough,’ exploring the topic of body dysmorphia,” court documents stated. “Lively’s comment about Baldoni’s nose is also captured on camera. Baldoni, rather than write down a list of grievances against Lively, brushed it off and moved on with the scene.”

Blake refused to meet with reps from a domestic violence charity: Wayfarer decided that one percent of the film’s proceeds would be donated in support of survivors of domestic abuse. No More, an organization dedicated to ending domestic and sexual violence by increasing awareness, inspiring action, and fueling culture change, would be chosen as the recipient. Baldoni’s team alleged in court documents that Lively “refused the opportunity to meet with No More, despite playing the lead role in a movie centered on themes of survival and resilience in the face of domestic abuse.” He also claimed Lively was irresponsible with her promotion of the film, pointing out that her alcohol line, Betty Booze, was involved in some of the marketing, which he found problematic as domestic violence statistics link alcohol and abuse. Unbelievably, Lively made this harmful and irresponsible message worse by naming a drink at her premiere afterparty ‘Ryle You Wait,’” he wrote in the docs.

Blake thought Lily Bloom was rich: Lively allegedly ignored the director’s vision for her character when picking out her looks for the movie. “At one point, Lively insisted that her character ‘had money’ and could afford $5,000 shoes—despite being a fledgling small business owner,” court documents alleged. According to the lawsuit, Lively also often refused to participate in wardrobe fittings at a production office 15 minutes from her home. Instead, “she insisted that the costume department pack up wardrobe and deliver it to her personal residence,” which took time and money.

[From Us Weekly]

So, I watched It Ends With Us before all of the lawsuits started, and the money stuff was driving me crazy. The film couldn’t decide if Lily Bloom was rich or poor or wore designer clothes or thrift store finds or how she had the money to start a flower shop. I couldn’t even tell how old Lily Bloom was supposed to be – there were so many moments where I thought Blake was (unconvincingly) playing Lily as a woman in her early 20s. The fact that Blake just f–king refused to read the book is one of the funniest things I’ve ever heard in my g–damn life though. It makes a lot of sense, having seen the movie – Blake was apparently doing all of these bizarre rewrites and Googling her character’s bio rather than just spending a day reading the book. No wonder her promotion was “wear your florals and buy my booze” as well. I’m also screaming at the “Ryle You Wait” cocktail.

Photos courtesy of Backgrid, Cover Images.

Prolific filmmaker, visionary, meditation guru and amateur meterologist David Lynch has passed away at 78. He leaves behind some of the most original, bizarre and entertaining films of the last century. Lynch’s cause of death has not been disclosed although he recently announced that he had emphysema.

David Lynch, an influential director known for his unique and surrealistic films and TV shows including “Blue Velvet” and “Twin Peaks,” has died. He was 78.

His death was confirmed via his official Facebook page, where his family wrote:

“It is with deep regret that we, his family, announce the passing of the man and the artist, David Lynch. We would appreciate some privacy at this time. There’s a big hole in the world now that he’s no longer with us. But, as he would say, ‘Keep your eye on the donut and not on the hole.’”

“It’s a beautiful day with golden sunshine and blue skies all the way.”

CNN has reached out to Lynch’s foundation for further comment. A cause of death has not been disclosed.

Lynch’s almost-50-year cinematic career was distinguished by a series of distinctive, highly stylized films that often feature surreal situations, fragmented timelines, and supernatural elements. He was awarded the Golden Lion for lifetime achievement at the Venice Film Festival in 2006 and an honorary Oscar in 2019 for “a lifetime of artistic accomplishment.” He was also a four-time Oscar nominee in competitive categories, including three times for best director for 1980’s “Elephant Man,” 1986’s “Blue Velvet” and “Mulholland Drive” from 2001.

In 2024, Lynch announced that he had been diagnosed with emphysema after many years of smoking, and that he was largely “housebound” due to the risks of contracting Covid-19. After sharing the news, Lynch assured his supporters that he planned to keep working, writing that despite his diagnosis, “I am filled with happiness, and I will never retire.”

[From CNN]

Lynch’s death hits me for so many reasons. His films were a big part of my Gen X goth teen years. So many of his twisted and beautiful scenes live rent free in my head. I still think about the car crash in Wild at Heart where Sherilyn Fenn’s character picks at her broken skull. The scene in Blue Velvet where Dean Stockwell sings Roy Orbison in Dennis Hopper’s drug den is one of the most iconic in film history. Lynch helped establish the careers of incredible actors like Isabella Rosselini, Naomi Watts and Kyle MacLachlan. What’s more is that he helped popularize transcendental meditation, which has helped so many people, me included. Plus he was an outspoken curmudgeon who always spoke his mind.

Tributes are coming in from so many people who worked with him and were influenced by his work, including actors, directors, film organizations and crew. It was a priviledge and a joy to witness his weird dark genius and he will be missed.

This was Lynch’s last on screen role, as director John Ford in Spielberg’s The Fabelmans.

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photos credit: Avalon.red

Like many people, I thought it was odd that Justin Baldoni’s legal team had not countersued Blake Lively and her PR team in the New Year. Blake’s legal and PR strategy was very effective – she filed a complaint against Baldoni with the California Civil Rights Department on the Friday before Christmas, and her team organized a New York Times exclusive which was published the weekend before Christmas. Baldoni and his people were doing a lot of talking post-Christmas, and Baldoni’s team managed to file a lawsuit against the New York Times on New Year’s Eve. I wondered what the hold-up was on countersuing Blake, but then Variety mentioned (in a piece about Baldoni this week) that Baldoni’s lawyer Bryan Freeman lost his house in the Southern California wildfires. Which explains the delay. In any case, Justin Baldoni is now suing Blake Lively, Ryan Reynolds and their publicist Leslie Sloane. It sounds like a monster lawsuit too.

Justin Baldoni is now suing Blake Lively, Ryan Reynolds, their publicist Leslie Sloane and Sloane’s PR firm Vision PR, Inc. over the heated situation behind the scenes of It Ends With Us.

Attorneys for the actor-director, 40, filed a $400 million lawsuit in the Southern District of New York on Thursday, Jan. 16 on behalf of Baldoni, producer Jamey Heath, publicist Jennifer Abel and crisis publicist Melissa Nathan, claiming Lively, 37, took measures to gain control of the hit movie. He’s suing on claims of civil extortion, defamation, false light invasion of privacy, breach of implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing, intentional interference with contractual relations, intentional interference with prospective economic advantage, and negligent interference with prospective economic advantage.

Reps for Lively, Reynolds and Sloane did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment.

In a statement, Baldoni’s attorney Bryan Freedman says: “This lawsuit is a legal action based on an overwhelming amount of untampered evidence detailing Blake Lively and her team’s duplicitous attempt to destroy Justin Baldoni, his team and their respective companies by disseminating grossly edited, unsubstantiated, new and doctored information to the media. It is clear based on our own all out willingness to provide all complete text messages, emails, video footage and other documentary evidence that was shared between the parties in real time, that this is a battle she will not win and will certainly regret. Blake Lively was either severely misled by her team or intentionally and knowingly misrepresented the truth.”

“Let’s not forget, Ms. Lively and her team attempted to bulldoze reputations and livelihoods for heinously selfish reasons through their own dangerous manipulation of the media before even taking any actual legal action. We know the truth, and now the public does too,” the statement continues. “Justin and his team have nothing to hide, documents do not lie.”

Lively has already sued Baldoni and his associates, making claims of sexual harassment and a retaliatory smear campaign orchestrated by Baldoni.

[From People]

A few weeks ago, I said I was taking a wait-and-see approach to a lot of this stuff. That still holds. This is going to be a huge case in the months and possibly years to come. Meanwhile, Blake’s legal team has now responded. Here is their statement:

“This latest lawsuit from Justin Baldoni, Wayfarer Studios, and its associates is another chapter in the abuser playbook. This is an age-old story: A woman speaks up with concrete evidence of sexual harassment and retaliation and the abuser attempts to turn the tables on the victim. This is what experts call DARVO. Deny. Attack. Reverse Victim Offender.”

“Wayfarer has opted to use the resources of its billionaire co-founder to issue media statements, launch meritless lawsuits, and threaten litigation to overwhelm the public’s ability to understand that what they are doing is retaliation against sexual harassment allegations.”

Lawyers for Lively, 37, say Baldoni and his associates “are trying to shift the narrative to Ms. Lively by falsely claiming that she seized creative control and alienated the cast from Mr. Baldoni. The evidence will show that the cast and others had their own negative experiences with Mr. Baldoni and Wayfarer. The evidence will also show that Sony asked Ms. Lively to oversee Sony’s cut of the film, which they then selected for distribution and was a resounding success.”

“Their response to sexual harassment allegations: she wanted it, it’s her fault. Their justification for why this happened to her: look what she was wearing. In short, while the victim focuses on the abuse, the abuser focuses on the victim. The strategy of attacking the woman is desperate, it does not refute the evidence in Ms. Lively’s complaint, and it will fail.”

[Via People]

One of Baldoni’s claims, within his lawsuit, is that he and other producers were concerned that Blake hadn’t read the source material, Colleen Hoover’s book, and that Blake was extremely unconcerned about what story they were actually trying to tell. This response from Blake’s team feels similar, like she hasn’t bothered to read any part of Baldoni’s suit. Baldoni isn’t saying at any place that Blake asked for it or that she wanted it. Baldoni is providing context and nuance, often in text form, of some of Blake’s claims. To be fair, I think it’s very likely that Justin did and said some weird/creepy stuff and that Blake really felt uncomfortable. But I also think there’s going to be a lot of evidence that Blake has exaggerated and misrepresented some of her claims about Baldoni, and Team Lively has already been caught in several lies/misrepresentations. If this ends up going far into the legal/trial process, Lively and Reynolds are not going to come out unscathed, especially since they’ve put Justin Baldoni in a position where he’s got nothing to lose.

Photos courtesy of Backgrid, Cover Images.

It’s my hope that all of us can protect our peace as much as possible for the incoming political situation. We’ll cover some of it, but I’m not going to feel the same level of outrage and anger as I did from 2016-2020. MAGA world and the media have been expecting to feed on our anger and fear, and they’re really mad that a lot of people are withholding it. We’ll also cover some of the political situations when there’s overlap with the entertainment world. Honestly, I wasn’t expecting the overlap to happen so quickly – for Donald Trump’s 2017 inauguration, his team struggled hard to find any celebrity, of any caliber, willing to attend his inaugural events, much less perform at them. But it’s a brand new MAGA world. Not only will Carrie Underwood perform at the inauguration, but a bunch of country music people will perform at the various inaugural balls.

The inauguration festivities for President-elect Donald Trump and Vice President-elect J.D. Vance are taking shape as the (near) final roster of events, performers and participants has been unveiled by the committee.

Carrie Underwood, confirmed earlier this week to sing “America the Beautiful” in a move that surprised some fans, will have plenty of company from the country music world when she arrives in Washington, D.C. Billy Ray Cyrus, Jason Aldean, Lee Greenwood, Parker McCollum and Rascal Flatts are booked to hit the stage, either at one of three official inaugural balls or the Make America Great Again Victory Rally. (There are a number of unofficial balls and inauguration events in and around D.C. this weekend.)

Gavin DeGraw, whose work has straddled pop, rock and country and who is perhaps best known for hits off his album Chariot like the One Tree Hill anthem “I Don’t Want to Be,” will perform at the Starlight Ball. The Monday event will also feature remarks by President Trump. News of DeGraw’s participation was met by criticism from a portion of his fan base, so much so that his name was a trending topic on X (formerly Twitter) on Wednesday.

The Village People addressed their fans directly in revealing they would participate in the inauguration. The band, whose classic hit “Y.M.C.A.” has long been an anthem of the LGBTQ community and a favorite of Trump’s used at countless rallies and events, posted a statement Monday. “We know this won’t make some of you happy to hear, however, we believe the music is to be performed without regard to politics,” the band shared on Facebook. The group is booked for two events including the MAGA Victory Rally and the Liberty Ball. “Our song, ‘Y.M.C.A.,’ is a global anthem that hopefully helps bring the country together after a tumultuous and divided campaign where our preferred candidate lost.” (The mention references their support for defeated Democratic candidate and current Vice President Kamala Harris.)

[From THR]

In case you’re not well-versed in country, Jason Aldean is that guy who wrote a loving ode to small-town lynchings in 2023. Aldean previously dedicated the same song to Trump, a New Yorker. I hate to admit this, but Billy Ray and Gavin DeGraw surprised me. Billy Ray is chaotic and I’m not surprised that he’s a Republican, but I just figured that he would also not put himself out there for Trump in this way. Now, I had no idea that DeGraw has MAGA politics, but I’m not sure I’ve ever even read an interview with him, so how would I know? Anyway, these are Shaboozey and Beyonce’s country music coworkers. I hope Shaboozey never goes to a country music awards show again.

Photos courtesy of Avalon Red.

In recent weeks, Angelina Jolie’s performance in Maria has been snubbed for several award nominations, like the SAG and BAFTA. There’s been a conversation among Jolie fans about Brad Pitt and whether he’s pulled strings or made quiet moves to ensure Jolie’s snubs. I’m not sure if Pitt has been that proactive specifically to get Jolie snubbed for awards, but I do feel like Pitt’s years-long tabloid harassment of Jolie has done a lot of damage to Jolie’s image within Hollywood. Even more specifically, Pitt’s team has been doing a lot in recent months to whine about his lack of relationship with the kids, and how Jolie is a big meanie for not signing the NDA to hide his abuse. Many people haven’t paid attention to the specifics, and they just assume Jolie has enabled or caused the toxicity because “bitches, amirite?”

I bring all of this up because Brad seems to be attempting a victory lap now that his divorce from Jolie has been finalized. We still don’t know the specifics, and don’t say “she got $80 million from him.” That report is via the Daily Mail, and that figure is based on Jolie’s sale of Nouvel, her half (which she owned outright) of Chateau Miraval. We do know that Jolie made the decision on Christmas day to sign the divorce papers, which leads me to believe that Brad did make a new/different settlement offer towards the end of the year. Now Brad covers the latest issue of Us Weekly, and a lot of this is about how Brad wanted the divorce over and done with because of Ines de Ramon.

Pitt is relieved: “There’s a big sense of relief that it’s over,” a source shares in the latest Us Weekly cover story. “A weight has been lifted.” Now Pitt, 61, is looking ahead. “Brad wants to get his life [back] on track and put this behind him,” says the source. “He can start over again.”

Ines was the catalyst for Pitt finally making peace with Jolie. “Ines helped Brad move forward,” says a second source, “and think about the divorce in a new light….She brings out the best in Brad.” They reportedly spent the holidays together at his $40 million mansion in Carmel, California. (As Us previously reported, de Ramon moved into Pitt’s L.A. house in early 2024.) With a busy career keeping his schedule full, the second source explains, “Ines has [brought him] a sense of calm and peace.”

Ines’s split with Paul Wesley split in 2022. “That’s something she and Brad bonded over,” says the second source. Adds the first source: “Ines has helped Brad through this from the start. She’s been his rock.”

The volatile relationship: Their romance is a breath of fresh air for Pitt. “He had a volatile relationship with Angelina, and doesn’t have that with Ines,” says the first source. “They’re madly in love and work so well together. Brad’s happier than ever.” In July, a source told Us they enjoy “low-key date nights” at home, often cooking and watching movies together. “Brad loves how easygoing and smart Ines is.” Ines actively encouraged Pitt to finalize the divorce with Jolie. “Ines is very zen and doesn’t like conflict or negativity. She wants Brad to find peace, forgiveness and move on.”

Ines & Brad aren’t getting married: Though Brad’s divorce is now official, the second source explains Pitt and de Ramon “aren’t putting any pressure on marriage. [Still], they’re committed to each other and very serious.” While the actor is happy to focus on his future with the jewelry designer, the source explains he “doesn’t necessarily need to get married again at this time.”

Brad’s relationships with his kids: Pitt is hopeful — but realistic — about reconnecting with his kids. Last May, Shiloh had her last name legally dropped to Jolie. (Zahara and Vivienne also appear to only use Jolie.) “Brad isn’t in contact with the older kids. It’s a very sad situation for him,” says the second source. (In an alleged resurfaced Instagram post that Pax posted on Father’s Day in 2020, he called the star a “world-class a—hole.”) According to a third source, Pitt retains joint custody of Knox and Vivienne “but has very limited time with them, especially because of filming for F1, which required travel.” The second source says Pitt and the twins “don’t have a super close relationship,” adding, “He always reaches out and is hopeful things will eventually get better one day.”

Now the focus is on the Miraval lawsuits: “Brad’s relieved the divorce is finalized. He closed that chapter many years ago and can’t believe it was dragged out this long, but he knows there’s still more to come with Miraval,” explains the second source. “This was just one hurdle for him. Still, he’s happy to have it behind him.”

[From Us Weekly]

In recent stories about Brad and Ines’s relationship, I inevitably feel sorry for Ines. I honestly wonder if she’s kind of Team Jolie, like Ines is whispering in Brad’s ear that he needs to let Angelina go and settle the divorce and maybe end the Miraval sh-t too. Maybe I’m giving her too much credit, but Ines really is coming across like a Jolie opp. As for Brad’s new lease on life… this story is sprinkled with sh-t about his dumb F1 movie, and he obviously cares more about that movie than his children. Oh well.

Cover courtesy of Us Weekly. Additional photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Backgrid and Cover Images.

Since King Charles took over, Prince Harry’s UK security situation has been in the same holding pattern. It’s actually one part of a multi-pronged case which is still weaving its way through the British court system. Harry’s main argument is that the Windsors largely dictate which royal gets protection and when. The Windsors’ argument is that “no we don’t, Ravec determines security.” Nevermind that high-level palace aides sit on Ravec’s committee and Ravec simply does whatever the royals want anyway, I guess. But the holding pattern is that Harry must give the police 30 days notice before coming to the UK if he wants security. This 30-day notice has the added benefit of helping the Windsors prepare their ghastly schemes to “snub” Harry. Well, the general public doesn’t know when Harry will be in London for his trial against News Group Newspapers, but Harry apparently gave the police their 30-day notice, and so Harry will have police protection while he’s in town.

Prince Harry will be given “limited police protection” when he comes to the UK next week after losing his legal battle for taxpayer funded security. Harry is due to travel to London from his US home to attend his forthcoming High Court trial against News Group Newspapers. He is set to be granted protection from the Metropolitan Police while attending the hearings. Met Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley has agreed to provide The Duke of Sussex with armed officers from the Royalty and Specialist Protection Command, a source said.

The insider said: “He is offering Harry limited police protection. The Met has been trying to recruit officers on their days off because they don’t have a lot of spare staff.” It is understood that Harry was offered a place to stay at Buckingham Palace but turned it down.

[From The Mirror]

While I hate that Harry even has to go back to that country at all, I wish people would acknowledge that what the Windsors and the Met Police are doing to him is insanely dangerous. He is a target of racists, terrorists and extremists. He should have automatic police protection every time he enters the UK, and he shouldn’t have to give notice. The reason I’m pointing out the 30-day notice part is because sh-t like this happens – the police are clearly putting a target on his back, and so are the Windsors. It’s like there’s high-level collusion to create situations in which harm might befall Harry. And I’m glad, once again, that Harry has apparently refused to stay at Buckingham Palace or wherever they were going to put him. All of these people are very dangerous.

Photos courtesy of Cover Images.