From CB: It’s Black Friday! There are always so many Christmas gifts and home products I want to get this time of year. Last week I got a Tineco iFloor 2 wet dry vacuum from Walmart for $99 and it leaks! It clogs up so easily with my dog’s hair and even when I clean it out it still leaves dirty water on my floor. It’s great for a few passes though so I am considering returning it and getting a Bissell Crosswave Pet Pro for 39% off for Black Friday. It’s on sale for $199 and it retails for over $329! Plus unlike the Tineco this cleans rugs. Here are some deals and some items that I’m looking at on Amazon. I hope you had a great Thanksgiving if you celebrate.

Fashion and accessories
Black Friday Deal Pre-loved Designer Handbags
Handbags, Ready-to-Wear & more from Luxury Designers
Up to 50% off Levi’s Men’s and Women’s Apparel
Up to 30% off Men’s and Women’s Fashion from Amazon Essentials and The Drop
Up to 57% off Winter Essentials from Calvin Klein, Levi’s and More
Up to 34% off THE GYM PEOPLE Yoga Leggings, Hoodies, and more
Up to 44% off New Balance Shoes and Apparel
Up to 55% off adidas Footwear, Apparel, and Accessories
Up to 54% off Champion Men’s and Women’s Apparel
Up to 44% off Under Armour Apparel, Footwear, and Accessories

Beauty
Up to 50% off Luxury Beauty by It Cosmetics, Ralph Lauren, Kérastase and More
Up to 40% off Premium Beauty from Grande Cosmetics, Moroccanoil and more.
Up to 40% off Premium Beauty products from Elemis, Clarins, and more.
Up to 32% off Beauty favorites from Dove, Nexxus, Degree, and more
Up to 44% off COSRX Skincare
Up to 34% off Cosmetics, Skincare and Haircare favorites from L’Oreal Paris
20% off Carol’s Daughter haircare sets
Up to 50% off Waterpik Oral Care
Up to 32% off Oral Care Products from Colgate, hum, and Hello
Up to 49% off Skincare Holiday Must Haves from Neutrogena, Aveeno, and more

Electronics
Up to 50% off Ring Doorbells, Cameras and Bundles
Up to 65% off Echo Show Devices and Smart Home Bundles
Up to 71% off Echo Smart Speakers and Free Smart Bulb Bundles
Up to 40% off Tablets from Samsung, Google, and more
Up to 39% off Samsung TVs and Soundbars
Up to 30% off Amazon Essentials Women’s Apparel
Up to 50% off Amazon Fire Tablets for the Whole Family
Up to 43% off Monitors from Samsung
Up to 38% off Handpicked PCs and Monitors from HP, Samsung, and more
Up to 42% off Anker portable power stations

Home and appliances
Deals on Holiday Décor
Up to 40% off Peloton Bike, Bike Plus, Guide, Accessories, and Apparel
Up to 45% off Roborock Robot Vacuums
Up to 47% off Cookware, Mini Refrigerators and Dutch Ovens from Goodful and more
Up to 44% off Ninja Grills, Blenders and More
Up to 30% off YETI Coolers and Drinkware
Up to 37% off Home Products from Amazon Brands
Up to 30% off KitchenAid Stand Mixers, Blenders, Toasters and more
Up to 50% off Games from Taco Cat, UNO, and more
Up to 42% off De’Longhi Kitchen Appliances
Up to 44% off Ninja Creami, Blenders, Air Fryers and more
Up to 46% off Instant Pot Air Fryers, Coffee Makers, and More

46% off shower steamers for spa aromatherapy at home

From CB: These shower steamers by Cleverfy are so nice smelling and I’ve reordered them several times along with buying them as gifts. The blue six count gift box is now on sale for under $14, which is 46% off the list price of $25. These are made with essential oils and are vegan and cruelty free. This listing has over 7,900 ratings, 4.3 stars and a C on Fakespot but I’m vouching for them! People love them as much as I do. “My mom loves essential oils and these steamers were the best gift for her. She said they were very calming and soothing for showering.” “I have a couple friends for whom I buy these shower steamers. They now ask if they will get more at Christmas or their birthday. Who am I to say no?”

50% off an Urban Decay Naked mini eyeshadow palette

From CB: I love the Urban Decay Naked palettes and have a couple of full size ones. You can get 50% off the Naked2 (matte) or Naked3 (shimmer) mini palettes. These are typically $33 but you can get them for under $17 this Black Friday! These would make great gifts and stocking stuffers. The Naked3 has 4.7 stars, over 2,700 ratings and a B on Fakespot. Reviewers say the pigment is excellent and the shadows have low fallout. “This palette is fantastic. Pigmented, long lasting, neutral colors that I think will look great on anyone. Have yet to be disappointed in Urban Decay’s products but I always wait to buy on sale because it’s on the pricier side.” “My everyday go to. I get so many compliments! This is the only palette you need!” Their full size palettes are also 50% off!

48% off a bestselling hyaluronic acid serum

From CB: Neutrogena hydroboost hydrating serum has a list price of almost $27 and is currently on sale for under $14. This would make an excellent gift for yourself or a friend. It’s oil free, noncomedogenic and is said to help skin retain moisture while reducing fine lines. This listing has over 18,000 ratings, 4.6 stars and the same score on ReviewMeta. People say they can really see results after just a couple of weeks. “I’m 52 and have used this for a while. Feels light weight and there is a noticeable difference to my skin . Brightens my skin and lines are less noticeable.” “I purchased this item along with the vitamin c as I am nearly 50 and need to start looking after my skin. I suffer with breakouts and quite large eye bags but only after using this for 4 days my skin now feels amazing. My eye bags and puffy eyes have nearly disappeared! I did not expect for my skin to look so much healthier after a few short days.” Their Rapid Wrinkle Repair Retinol Face Moisturizer with Sunscreen is also on sale for over $13 off!

50% off Lancome Lash Idole mascara

From CB: I always want to try luxury mascara but I can’t justify the price point. Lancôme Lash Idôle Lash-Lifting & Volumizing Mascara has a list price of $30 but is currently on sale for $15! This listing has over 2,400 ratings, 4.5 stars and an B on Fakespot. People say it’s expensive but that it’s long lasting and is great at extending lashes without clumping. “I was hesitant to spend $30 on mascara, especially one I had never tried, after having buyer’s regret about some less expensive brands. But wow. It’s worth it. The mascara goes on smoothly without clumping, and my lashes look and feel fantastic. ” “I never write reviews but this is an exception. I have sensitive eyes and usually end up with raccoon eyes two hrs after putting mascara on but not with this one. This stuff is awesome, lengthens like crazy and no transfer under eyes 10 hrs later.” Their waterproof eyeliner is also on sale for 40% off!

58% off comfortable sweat pants he’ll want to wear all day

From CB: My son loves his adidas tracksuit and I’m sure he would like another pair of pants for Christmas. These adidas men’s Tiro23 sweat pants are on sale for up to 50% off, with some sizes and colors under $30. These have 94 ratings and 4.5 stars on ReviewMeta. Reviewers say they’re warm, comfortable and have become their favorite pants. “Perfect for winter weather. I like how warm they are and comfortable. Nice fabric and great quality. Definitely buying more colors.” “I saw these online listed on sale so I snagged a pair for my husband. They’re his new favorite pair of lounge pants around the house!” Women’s pants are also on sale for 40% off!

33% off an air fryer you’ll use every day

From CB: My air fryer’s handle broke off after about five years so I’m looking for a new one. This air fryer by trusted brand Instant Pot is on sale for under $80 for the 6 quart size. It has a window so you can see your food as it cooks, and you can put the basket in the dishwasher for easy clean up. This listing has almost 24,000 ratings 4.7 stars and the same score on ReviewMeta. People say it cooks quickly, that it’s easy to use and clean and that they wish they bought it earlier. “I love this Air Fryer! I use it everyday!! There are just two of us and it is a perfect size. Cooks evenly and is fast! I cook everything from salmon to brussels sprouts to cake. I especially like how easy it is to clean with just soap and water with a sponge.” “Now that I have this, I wish I hadn’t waited so long. I find SO many things to make in this oven. It helps me avoid using my big oven. This saves energy, is easier to clean (by far), and is more effective in some cases because of the concentrated heat and air.” The Instant Pot Duo Pressure Cooker is also on sale for $69 off!

42% off an iRobot Roomba vacuum for a cleaner home

From CB: The iRobot Roomba 694 has a list price of $279 but is on sale for under $160. This would make such a great gift for a loved one. This has almost 20,000 ratings, 4.3 stars and a B on Fakespot. Reviewers say it’s great at cleaning both carpet and bare floors, that it has a large bin and that it’s excellent at picking up pet hair. “I am not sure how I did without one before. I can run it as often as I want and it goes over my throw rugs, my rug under my dinning room table. I especially love it for my laminate and tile floors.” “I can’t live without my Roomba. It runs Monday- Friday at 10am. Makes several trips back to empty then starts again until finished. I have one golden retriever and this handles the hair beautifully.” The iRobot Roomba Combo i5+ Self-Emptying Robot Vacuum and Mop is also on sale for $200 off!

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Did you know that the Duchess of Edinburgh has been on several royal trips and tours in recent months? You probably didn’t realize it because her trips have barely gotten any coverage whatsoever, not even in the British media. Usually, only one photographer comes to her foreign events, and that guy seems to be Sophie’s official photographer. And even then, her photos rarely make the Royal Family’s Instagram, nor Getty Images or any publication anywhere. This is all a good thing, according to the Daily Mail’s Kate Mansey. Sophie is exhibiting the kind of no-drama, low-energy, forgettable work of the crown.

While all eyes have been on the state visit to Kenya followed by the celebrations for Charles’s 75th birthday, some other royal appointments have attracted less attention. Sophie and Edward, in particular, are emerging as under-the-radar royals, taking the strain of important visits – many of them long haul – while other front-line royals are engaged elsewhere.

Last week, Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh returned from a five-day visit to Canada, where she is Colonel-in-Chief of the Lincoln and Welland Regiment and Patron of two Toronto hospitals. Last month found the duchess in Ethopia with little fanfare and no huge entourage. Her private secretary Alexander Stonor and her Assistant Private Secretary Annabelle Galletley were the only ones to travel with her. Meanwhile, her husband Prince Edward, the Duke of Edinburgh has his own full itinerary, which has included recent visits to Turkey and Bahrain on official business. They are, in other words, extremely busy – even it it’s other members of the Royal Family who dominate the nation’s Instagram feeds.

There is plenty to do. In fact, With the Duke and Duchess of Sussex departing for a new life in America and the Duke of York out of the picture, Charles III’s slimmed-down Royal family is starting to look thinly spread. Thank goodness, then, for Edward and Sophie, who share much of the royal burden, often the less glamorous bits. At 59 and 58, respectively, they still have time on their side. Their children are more independent now they’re older, meanwhile. Lady Louise celebrated her 20th birthday earlier this month; son James, now the Earl of Wessex, is 15.

Could there be a future role for Lady Louise once she has finished her University degree? Given her poise and maturity – like mother, like daughter – we might hope so.

For it has only been eight months since Sophie became the Duchess of Edinburgh yet already she has done so much. It is clear that she is fast becoming one of the most important – and hardest working – members of the Royal family. She doesn’t always attract huge publicity for her work and she certainly does seek it, but it’s of huge value, all the same.

[From The Daily Mail]

It feels like Sophie’s post-QEII rebrand is to be the new Princess Anne. Anne just does her work quietly with little fanfare and Anne still, to this day, is the hardest working member of the family. The thing is, Anne has basically always been like this – she’s spent decades doing her work (meaningful work) and she’s earned the respect she gets across the board. Sophie is just… I don’t know, maybe it’s like I said, she’s trying a rebrand now that she can’t tell everyone that she was QEII’s favorite. Anyway, at some point, the family will have to reckon with the conundrum they created themselves: no one can outshine the monarch, even if the monarch is dreadfully unpopular and unlikeable. Charisma, sparkle, attention, good press, all of that must be punished. So this is what we’re left with – a bunch of elderly people having a mid-off.

Photos courtesy of Avalon Red.

Wednesday, November 22 was the last day of the “window” for the New York state’s Adult Survivors Act. Meaning, it was the last day for survivors of sexual assault or harassment to sue the people who harmed them without running into any statutes of limitations. It’s more than likely that Cassie had that timeline in mind when she sued Sean Combs. Then, another victim came forward and sued Bad Boy Records’ former president Harve Pierre of harassment and assault. A former model has also sued Axl Rose, saying that he sexually assaulted her in 1989 in a New York hotel. And now this: a woman – going by Jane Doe at this time – has filed a complaint against Jamie Foxx.

Jamie Foxx has been accused of sexually assaulting a woman at a New York City restaurant, according to court records. The woman’s complaint, filed in New York Supreme Court on Wednesday, and obtained by PEOPLE, alleged that the incident took place in August 2015 at Catch NYC.

The alleged victim, referred to as Jane Doe, claimed she entered the establishment where she saw Catch Hospitality Group co-founder Mark Birnbaum seated “one table away having drinks” with Foxx, 55, whose real name is Eric Marlon Bishop.

Doe alleged that at approximately 1:00 a.m., she and a friend approached Foxx’s table to ask for a picture with the Academy Award winner. She claimed he replied, “Sure baby, anything for you,” and proceeded to take “several photographs.”

In the complaint, the woman alleged that Foxx “seemed intoxicated.”

She claims The Burial actor told her, “Wow, you have that super model body”, “You smell so good” and “You look like Nickie.” When she asked “Who’s Nickie?,” Foxx replied, “Gabrielle Union.” She alleged he then grabbed her by her arm and pulled her to the back area of the rooftop.

The court filing alleged that once she and Foxx were in a secluded area, he “placed both of his hands on her waist, moved them under her ‘crop top’ and began rubbing her breasts.”

She said she attempted to step away from him and noticed a security guard “some distance away who saw what was happening but walked further away.”

[From People]

The complaint goes into further detail, about how Foxx groped her genitals and he didn’t stop until Doe’s friend found her on the rooftop and got her the hell away. It’s so believable – a popular celebrity, drunk and partying, agrees to take a photo with a fan and then feels entitled to put his hands all over the fan. It truly happens all the time. Foxx’s spokesperson responded to the complaint/lawsuit:

On Thursday, a spokesperson for the actor, 55, told PEOPLE in a statement, “The alleged incident never happened. In 2020, this individual filed a nearly identical lawsuit in Brooklyn. That case was dismissed shortly thereafter. The claims are no more viable today than they were then. We are confident they will be dismissed again.”

“And once they are, Mr. Foxx intends to pursue a claim for malicious prosecution against this person and her attorneys for re-filing this frivolous action,” the spokesperson added.

[From People]

Is this malicious prosecution? A woman sues, the case gets dismissed, and the woman hops jurisdictions and refiles three years later? Eh. It will be interesting to see what happens here – Sean Combs settled with Cassie in record time, but from Foxx’s statement, I’m getting the vibe that he’s confident he won’t have to settle. For now.

Photos courtesy of Cover Images.

Happy Thanksgiving to all who celebrate! We’ll be off on Thursday but we’ll have some posts on Black Friday. We hope everyone has a safe & happy holiday!

Fifteen years later, revisiting the first Twilight movie. [LaineyGossip]
Matt Bomer says there could be a White Collar revival!! [Socialite Life]
Guillermo del Toro’s great quote about the importance of having/buying physical media like Blu-Rays and DVDs. [OMG Blog]
I love that Jamal Hinton & Wanda Dench still have Thanksgiving together. [The Root]
This Irish show, Obituary, sounds amazing. [Pajiba]
Ariana DeBose, my woman king. [Go Fug Yourself]
Taylor Swift is staying in Brazil for Thanksgiving? [Just Jared]
Timothee Chalamet wore Junya Watanabe in Japan. [RCFA]
Timothee Chalamet also wore Prada in Japan. [Tom & Lorenzo]
Ralph Macchio & Jackie Chan are looking for the next Karate Kid. [Seriously OMG]
I really believe that Kanye West & Bianca Censori are done. [Hollywood Life]
Did Travis Kelce throw shade at Joe Alwyn? LOL. [Buzzfeed]

Note by CB: Get the Top 8 advance stories from Omid Scobie’s Endgame when you sign up for our mailing list! I only send one email a day on weekdays.

Photos courtesy of Element 5 Digital, Jed Owen and Virginia SImionato on Unsplash, Karolina Grabowska on Pexels.

Here are photos from last night’s state dinner/banquet at Buckingham Palace for the South Korean president and his wife. Day 1 of the state visit was full of the royal setpieces – a ride in a gold carriage, an enormous military parade and ride down the Mall, meeting Kate in her silly Red Riding Hood getup. Then this – a white-tie dinner, with King Charles cracking Kpop and Gangnam Style jokes.

The most notable stuff was the fashion and jewelry. Both Queen Camilla and the Princess of Wales wore new gown – Kate wore a custom Jenny Packham gown in white, with gold embroidery (you might even say it was part of her “golden thread” hahaha). She paired her look with white opera gloves because they’re all still shook about Meghan’s elegant gloves at QEII’s funeral. Plus, I would imagine the gloves cover up all of Kate’s persistent hand injuries and chronic bandage usage. Camilla wore a custom Fiona Clare gown in rich, red velvet. The sleeves, shoulders and bell-cuffs are entirely wrong on Camilla. The pirate-sleeve phenomenon is endemic for royal women.

As for the tiaras, I was wrong. I predicted that Kate would only be given one of the few tiaras she’s worn before, like the Lotus Flower or the Cambridge Lover’s Knot. But no, she wore the Strathmore Rose tiara, which used to belong to Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mum. The Strathmore Rose tiara was given to then-Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon when she married the then-Duke of York in 1923. The tiara has barely been seen in the past decade outside of one 2002 exhibition and this is the first time it’s been worn in decades, apparently. Kate also got to borrow a pair of QEII’s diamond earrings from the royal collection.

Meanwhile, Camilla wore QEII’s ruby-and-diamonds tiara, last seen at a state banquet in 2019, when QEII wore it when Donald Trump visited. It features 96 rubies “given” to QEII “by the people of Burma.” It’s also part of the deconstructed Nizam of Hyderabad tiara? As in, QEII had a famous diamond tiara – a gift! – deconstructed and then reconstructed with rubies? Something like that. Camilla probably wore it because she wanted something to match her dress.

Note by CB: Get the Top 8 stories about Will and Kate’s crumbling marriage when you sign up for our mailing list! I only send one email a day on weekdays.

Photos courtesy of Avalon Red.

Here are more photos of the Princess of Wales on Tuesday, for the official welcome ceremonies for South Korea’s president and first lady. Predictably, Kate made sure to exit the car with her skirt up around her thighs. It’s actually been a while since Kate had a major flashing episode, but her exhibitionist streak always comes out when she’s feeling ignored or she wants William’s attention. It might have worked – inside the palace, William and Kate joined King Charles and Camilla for a viewing of Korean art or Korean-inspired art in the Royal Collection. We’re never supposed to ask how the Royal Collection has so many African and Asian paintings, jewels, drawings, sculptures and objets d’art. Anyway, at the viewing, William put his hand on Kate’s back and she returned the gesture.

A very sweet moment between the Prince and Princess of Wales as they depart the Buckingham Palace Picture Gallery #statevisit pic.twitter.com/7xtKYvxtaR

— Rebecca English (@RE_DailyMail) November 21, 2023

It’s fine. I’m actually surprised that she didn’t grope his ass in the middle of the diplomatic engagement. She did “joke” about wanting to do karaoke in South Korea though:

Kate Middleton has joked with South Korea’s foreign minister that she wants to set up a karaoke date should she and Prince William visit the country on a state visit in the future. The Prince and Princess of Wales were heard speaking with Park Jin about a possible visit to the country as dignitaries from the east Asian nation made the first incoming state visit to the UK since the King’s coronation.

While looking at pictures and gifts from Queen Elizabeth’s first visit to South Korea in 1999, the prince said: ‘I’ll put it in the diary’. Kate chipped in: ‘And karaoke!’

[From The Daily Mail]

What’s actually funny about this is that Kate probably won’t travel anymore. Her husband does not want her around, especially on foreign tours. If a South Korean trip ever gets booked, five years from now, I guarantee that Louis or Charlotte will have an important test to take and they’ll need their mother around.

Photos courtesy of Avalon Red.

Ridley Scott is 85 years old and still working at a frenetic pace. Martin Scorsese has talked about this too – when you’re one of the greatest directors of all time and you get to a certain age, all you can think about is how many projects you won’t ever get to. In Ridley’s case, he might get to them, considering how quickly he works. Ridley is currently promoting Napoleon, where he cast Joaquin Phoenix in the lead role. It’s a reunion for the two men – Ridley fought the studio to cast Joaquin in Gladiator, which is still a brilliant piece of casting (and Joaquin was Oscar-nominated too). Joaquin and Ridley adore each other, and I think most actors enjoy Ridley’s whole vibe of “get the shot, get one good take and move on.” Well, Ridley recently chatted with the BBC and some of his IDGAF quotes had me chuckling to myself.

Does he seek out advice? Asking someone what they think is a “disaster.”

His lack of a best director Oscar: “I don’t really care.”

On critics who say Napoleon is historically inaccurate: “You really want me to answer that?… it will have a bleep in it.”

The length of the movie: The film is two hours and 38 minutes long. Scott says if a movie is longer than three hours, you get the “bum ache factor” around two hours in, which is something he constantly watches for when he’s editing. “When you start to go ‘oh my God’ and then you say ‘Christ, we can’t eat for another hour’, it’s too long.” In spite of the “bum ache” issue, it’s been reported that he plans a longer, final director’s cut for Apple TV+ when the movie hits the streamer, but “we’re not allowed to talk about that”.

On the French critics savaging the movie: Le Figaro said the film could be renamed “Barbie and Ken under the Empire”. French GQ said there was something “deeply clumsy, unnatural and unintentionally funny” in seeing French soldiers in 1793 shouting “Vive La France” with American accents. And a biographer of Napoleon, Patrice Gueniffey in Le Point magazine, attacked the film as a “very anti-French and very pro-British” rewrite of history. “The French don’t even like themselves” Scott retorts. “The audience that I showed it to in Paris, they loved it.”

More on the historical inaccuracies: Scott says 10,400 books have been written about Napoleon, “that’s one every week since he died”. His question, he tells me, to the critics who say the film isn’t historically accurate is: “Were you there? Oh you weren’t there. Then how do you know?”

[From BBC]

Please, Ridley does not give a f–k. He never said he was making the most historically accurate Napoleon movie but this one will probably be the prettiest or the most cinematic. He wanted to do the (historically inaccurate) battle scenes more than anything else, at least that’s what I believe. As for the French critics… “The French don’t even like themselves” LMAO.

Photos courtesy of Avalon Red.

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The Duke and Duchess of Sussex visited Vancouver this week. They went to a Canucks hockey game, Harry checked in on the preparations for the Vancouver/Whistler Invictus Games, and Meghan made a special visit to Justice for Girls. Back in January 2020, Meghan visited Justice for Girls and highlighted their excellent work, so this was Meghan’s second visit as a duchess.

Justice for Girls was delighted to have a return visit from Meghan, The Duchess of Sussex.

Joined by Jessica Lake and Lauri Thompson from the Lake family’s All One Fund, we had an engaging and heartfelt conversation about justice and equality for teen girls living in poverty in Canada and around the world.

Together with our teen interns, staff, directors, and board members, we talked about Justice for Girls’ decades of work advocating for girls’ access to education, freedom from violence, Indigenous rights, and environmental justice.

A highlight of our conversation was the focus on girls’ and young women’s leadership. A feminist advocate from a young age herself, The Duchess was keen to chat with two of our teen interns to discuss their personal struggles for justice. Her genuine and understanding approach left the girls feeling heard, supported, and inspired.

[From Justice for Girls’ IG]

Once again, making a quiet visit and allowing the charity/NGO to release the information and photos. Once again, Meghan prioritizes the empowerment of girls and women. So, obviously, all the Mail can talk about is Meghan’s jewelry! I get it, I love the way Meghan wears jewelry too. She wore her Edge of Ember “wave” earrings, her Cartier bracelet, “Diana’s Gold Tank Française Watch, and her £15,000 Lorraine Schwartz ‘Against Evil Eye’ bracelet.” Meghan also wore her Ralph Lauren silk trousers, which she previously wore to Wimbledon one year. I love her whole outfit – white wide-leg trousers, a simple white top with all of that gold jewelry. She looks rich and beautiful.

Justice for Girls was delighted to have a return visit from Meghan, The Duchess of Sussex.

Joined by Jessica Lake & Lauri Thompson from the Lake family’s All One Fund, we had an engaging & heartfelt conversation about justice & equality for girls in Canada & around the world. pic.twitter.com/ulZ6ldnW72

— Justice For Girls (@JFG_Canada) November 21, 2023

Photos courtesy of Backgrid, Instagram, Instar and Avalon Red.

Nicholas Hoult finally got cast in a superhero movie! He will play the villain Lex Luthor in James Gunn’s Superman: Legacy. [Deadline]
Jimmy Fallon called Hunter Schafer “bud” and now there’s a discourse. [Buzzfeed]
Jennifer Lopez & Ben Affleck were back in Las Vegas. [LaineyGossip]
If they do a “Golden Bachelorette” season, they should do it Golden Girls style and bring in four senior women to eat cheesecake and gossip. [JustJared]
Jenelle Eason’s teenage son ran away from home. [Starcasm]
Advertisers are fleeing Twitter because of Elon Musk’s antisemitism. [Pajiba]
Julianne Moore’s ensemble is all wrong, yet I like it on her? [GFY]
Garth Brooks knows he married an absolute queen! [Hollywood Life]
Nick Cannon is afraid of snakes. [Seriously OMG]
In case you were wondering, it does not sound like Wayne Brady was at fault in his weekend car accident. The other driver was arrested though. [The Root]

MrBeast is one of those incredibly successful YouTube stars who can best be described as “annoying but entertaining.” We try to limit the amount of YouTube that my kids watch, but MrBeast (government name: Jimmy Donaldson) is on the very short list because my husband will watch it with them. His videos, which are spread out among several channels based on category, make millions per month. As of May 2023, he had more than 210 million subscribers. Part of the appeal is that he’ll do absolutely bonkers gimmicks and competitions, enticing people to compete in these challenges in order to win a ridiculous amount of money while also telling a story through great production value. In addition to the challenges, he also takes pride in being a huge philanthropist. Some of his videos are also outrageous but sweet, like the time he filled up his girlfriend’s house with 100,000 roses for Valentine’s Day, which sounded eye-rolling until Mr. Rosie made me watch it and I found myself genuinely entertained by the entire thing.

While some of the videos feature fans competing in challenges and others focus on Donaldson’s personal adventures (like the time he and a friend took an Uber ride across the country), there’s also a subgenre in which MrBeast himself does the challenges. A few years ago, he spent 50 hours being “buried alive” in a coffin. In his most recent video, he decided to get buried underground for SEVEN days in homage to Uma Thurman’s The Bride in Kill Bill. Yup. He literally got into a fancy coffin and buried it under 20,000 pounds of dirt for a full week. Claustrophobics, beware.

YouTuber MrBeast had claustrophobes heading for the hills after getting buried alive for a week for his latest stunt, as seen in a video with over 57 million views, which caused him “mental agony.”

“Please don’t try this at home,” MrBeast, a k a Jimmy Donaldson, 25, warned his 212 million subscribers in the caption to the underground hit. The youngster has become the world’s most popular and wealthy YouTuber — reportedly earning between $3 to $5 million per month in ad revenue — due to his outlandish and increasingly expensive challenge videos. These have entailed everything from counting to 100,000 and having contestants navigate a “Resident Evil”-style “laser maze.”

In his latest jaw-dropping stunt, the social media sensation decided to get buried underground for seven days a la Uma Thurman’s character in “Kill Bill.” To embark on this subterranean sojourn, the suit-clad Donaldson was first lowered into the ground in a cutting-edge transparent coffin outfitted with food and water like some futuristic vampire. They also equipped the human cicada’s sarcophagus with cameras to both record the video and make sure nothing went awry. Finally, Donaldson had his buddies use an excavator to dump 20,000 pounds of dirt on top of the coffin, effectively sealing the YouTuber beneath the surface.

“I’m entrusting my life to this coffin for the next seven days,” declared Donaldson while in his hibernation chamber.

Despite the safeguards, the seven-day dirt nap proved psychologically taxing for the daredevil. He was reduced to tears several times during his voluntary entombment, including when he was being released from the casket. There was also the concern that he wouldn’t be able to stand up due to blood clots in his legs from lying in a confined space for so long.

Thankfully, that fear never came to fruition, and Donaldson completed his temporary interment unscathed. In doing so, he shattered the previous record he set in 2021 after being buried alive for 50 hours.

[From Page Six]

I truly cannot even imagine doing this for seven minutes, let alone seven days. It sounds physically, emotionally, and mentally taxing. I mean, talk about loving your job or whatever. I’ve only seen a handful of his videos, but from what I’ve watched, a lot of MrBeast’s challenges seem to be psychologically taxing, especially the ones involving doing something alone for a set period of days/weeks/months. And while I admit each video is told in a way that you want to see what happens in the end, I do have mixed feelings about a society and culture in which people are willing to do some of that crazy sh-t for money.

My take on Donaldson himself is that he saw a lot of success at a very young age (he started the channel at age 13 but it didn’t blow up until he was 18) and I think it’s a marvel that by all accounts, he’s not a diva or an a-hole. From what I’ve read, he’s tried to learn and grow and genuinely seems to actually want to help people. Earlier this year, one of his best friends and longtime crew member came out as trans and after alt-right YouTubers and Twitter Blue Check Bros came for them, Donaldson stood up for his friend and called out the backlash as transphobic. So, I think he’s decent and well-meaning. However, I wouldn’t mind if his shenanigans were above ground from now on.

Photos credit: Jeffrey Mayer / Avalon and screenshots from YouTube