Red dye No. 3 is a synthetic food coloring used in gummies, fruit cups, frostings, toaster pastries, candies such as Skittles and Peeps, and more. In fact, it’s reportedly used in nearly 3,000 different products. Parents and health professionals have long accused it of triggering behavioral issues, something that a study has confirmed.

The California Legislature just passed the California Food Safety Act, which bans the sale of food and drinks containing red dye No. 3 along with potassium bromate, brominated vegetable oil and propylparaben, three other harmful chemicals that are frequently found in processed foods. In light of the bill passing, parents and doctors are sharing stories about the effects red dye No. 3 can have on kids.

It can trigger irritability: Father of three Matt Parks tells Yahoo Life that he and his wife try to do their best to keep their children from having red dye No. 3. “We have noticed that when our youngest daughter has red food dye, her ability to regulate emotions becomes impaired,” he says. “She’s very easily agitated and upset — far more than normal. It’s gotten to the point where even she notices the change.” Parks says he has ADHD and notices that, when he has products with red dye No. 3, he feels more irritable and agitated. “It’s not a cause of those symptoms, but it does seem to be a trigger,” he says.

It can cause hyperactivity: Father of two AJ Yarwood also says his family tries to avoid red dye No. 3. “When our children consume products containing red dye No. 3, they tend to become more hyperactive and have difficulty focusing,” he tells Yahoo Life. “This can be especially challenging for our daughter, who already struggles with attention issues.”

It’s already banned from cosmetics: Yarwood says his family has come up with a list of common products with the dye to avoid, noting that the list keeps growing. “It’s frustrating to know that this dye is banned from cosmetics due to its harmful effects, yet it’s still used in everyday foods for everyone to ingest,” he says.

The claims aren’t just anecdotal: The chemical has been linked to behavioral issues in kids. Jamie Alan, an associate professor of pharmacology and toxicology at Michigan State University, says that studies on red dye No. 3 are limited and only show an association — not that red dye No. 3 actually causes certain health issues or behaviors. But Alan says it’s important to consider this: “Red dye offers no nutritional or positive impacts on health. There is only potential harm, although the jury is out on the amount of type of harm it may or may not cause. From a health standpoint, I can see benefits” to banning the dye in foods.

Docs love the idea of banning red food dye: Dr. Daniel Ganjian, a pediatrician at Providence Saint John’s Health Center in Santa Monica, Calif., tells Yahoo Life that he “loves” the idea of banning red food dye. Ganjian says he’s seen kids act out after having candies with red dye No. 3. “It’s not just the sugar,” he says. “It’s just better not to have this ingredient.”

What can parents do now? If you’re able to, Alan recommends doing your best to avoid red dye No. 3, either by choosing dye-free foods or ones that use more natural coloring, such as beet extract. “I am concerned about parents who cannot easily access foods that are dye-free,” she says. “If your only options for food are foods that contain dye, then by all means feed your children.”

[From Yahoo]

If Governor Newsome signs the bill into law, any foods containing these chemicals can no longer be sold in California, effective in 2027. That’s plenty of time for companies to loudly throw their tantrums and then come up with safer, alternate solutions, right? This isn’t the first time California has led the nation in making a big move. Back in 2021, it was the first state to require school children to get the covid vaccine. As for that last part about whether or not parents can easily access foods that are dye-free, I know I’m preaching to the choir here, but it would be great if we could just make healthier foods more affordable and accessible to everyone, so no one has to be backed into a financial corner when it comes to their health. I also think it’s interesting that red dye No. 3 was banned in cosmetics but we’re still able to put it into our bodies.

And just a side ponder, but I do wonder how the conservative mommy blogger crowd is reacting. On one hand, they hate the government for trying to help keep their kids safe through things like vaccinations and face masks. On the other hand, I’m sure they’ve been sharing all sorts of info-graphics about red dye being poison while calling for that no-good government to do something about it. What do they do now? First one to see a former high school classmate post outrage memes about banning red dye No. 3 to their social media has to report back, okay?

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Private Chef V (@privatechefv)

Photos credit: Lam Loi on pexels and via Kroger/Walmart/Environmental Working Group

Embed from Getty Images
It’s not only actors and writers who are out of work amid their union strikes — it’s every member of the crew who makes production possible. You know how at the end movie credits you sometimes see “The making of this film supported over 15,000 jobs and involved hundreds of thousands of work hours”? Yeah, they’re all unemployed right now, and they’re being frank about the struggle. In July the WGA auctioned off experiences and memorabilia as a way to raise funds for striking writers. Now actors are following a similar model, only instead of raising funds for themselves, celebrities are auctioning off their time and possessions to benefit the crews who have been standing in solidarity with them. And there are some fun choices up for grabs:

In an effort to help crew members who’ve lost their healthcare due to Hollywood strike-related shutdowns, several actors — including Adam Scott, Natasha Lyonne, Lena Dunham, John Lithgow and Bob Odenkirk, among others — are offering experiences to the highest bidder in the Union Solidarity Coalition’s new eBay auction.

That’s right Scott to walk your dog (only if you’re Los Angeles-based), and according to the description, you can take photos and videos and even join him on the walk.

Lyonne and her dog Rootbeer have volunteered to help you work through the tricky New York Times crossword puzzle. Rosemarie Dewitt and Ron Livingston are offering to help one lucky couple adjudicate a relationship squabble where “rulings are final,” the description reads.

Perhaps you’re looking to dine with “real-life besties” Odenkirk and actor David Cross, who have made themselves available in New York or Los Angeles (or over Zoom) to join you and a friend for dinner. “Handmaid’s Tale” actor Ann Dowd, and Rachel Bloom are also offering meal-related experiences.

Lithgow, Dunham and Busy Philipps are putting forward more artistic experiences. You can commission Lithgow to paint a watercolor portrait of your pet, or hire Dunham to paint a mural inside your home. Or brush up on your ceramic skills by taking a pottery class in New York City with Philipps.

You can also zoom with the cast of “Manifest,” “Bones” or “New Girl,” or ask Maggie Gyllenhaal or Sarah Silverman 20 questions.

A number of collectible items and signed memorabilia is also up for auction, including a fedora owned and signed by the legendary Tom Waits or a blue apron signed by “The Bear” cast members, Jeremy Allen White, Ebon Moss Bachrach, Ayo Edebiri and more.

Signed scripts, a signed “Stranger Things” poster, items from Parker Posey’s personal collection of “Dazed and Confused” memorabilia, and more is also available on the Coalition’s online auction.

[From CNN]

As of this writing the bidding on Lena Dunham painting a mural in your home is up to $3,050, plus $9.65 for shipping. I find the first figure deeply troubling and the second one confusing — what’s being shipped? Lena? The paints? At least it’s all for a good cause. If you have a couple hundred to a few thousand dollars available, shop wisely and generously. You can also make a smaller donation to The Union Solidarity Coalition. The auction is open until September 22. In the meantime, I’ll continue to work on the crossword puzzle with my own pooch. Although we are available for a double date in case you’re reading this, Natasha Lyonne and Rootbeer.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Adam Scott (@mradamscott)

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Natasha Lyonne (@nlyonne)

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Adam Scott (@mradamscott)

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Adam Scott (@mradamscott)

Salma Hayek wore white to the TIFF premiere of her film El Sabor de la Navidad. She looks amazing in this dress. [JustJared]
Lauren Boebart got thrown out of the Beetlejuice musical. [Jezebel]
Lil Nas X’s premiere was delayed because of homophobia. [Socialite Life]
Dakota Johnson wore Bode at TIFF. [Tom & Lorenzo]
Review of Chris Pine’s Poolman. [LaineyGossip]
It hasn’t gotten much buzz, but Scout’s Honor sounds important. [Pajiba]
Anya Taylor-Joy’s Del Core look was insane. [RCFA]
This talk about Millennials vs. Gen Z has me feeling so grateful to be Xennial. [Buzzfeed]
Sister Wives’ Kody is having sinister thoughts. [Starcasm]
NSYNC reunited at the VMAs, as did other bands. [GFY]
Olivia Culpo was out and about during NYFW. [Egotastic]

Embed from Getty Images

As I’m writing this on Thursday, Prince William and Kate haven’t trotted out today to make asses out of themselves in a desperate bid to pull focus from the Invictus Games. William and Kate flew separately to France over the weekend, then Kate wore a tragique doll wig to prison on Tuesday, then William raged about suicide on Wednesday. Did… did they not plan something for today? I was really looking forward to seeing their pathetic shenanigans every single day of the Invictus Games. Looks like they’re too lazy to even pull desperate shenanigans. (Update: OMG, they really are doing something today! They’re taking their sweet time getting there though, so we won’t have photos today.) Anyway, what IS Kate up to? Please enjoy this Mail piece, “Kate Middleton quietly carries on with royal duty by holding Early Years meeting at Windsor Castle amidst Invictus Games row.”

Kate Middleton is quietly carrying on with her royal duties this week – as Prince Harry and Meghan Markle celebrated the Invictus Games with veterans in Germany. According to the Court Circular, The Princess of Wales, 41, held an Early Years meeting at Windsor Castle yesterday.

The royal’s work through her Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood to promote the importance of the first five years of a child’s life has been accelerated over the past year.

It comes as her brother-in-law the Duke of Sussex and his wife the Duchess continued their week long trip to Dusseldorf for the Invictus Games. It has been claimed veterans have become frustrated that the Invictus Games are not getting the attention from senior royals which other sporting events enjoy – with Buckingham Palace looking ‘petty and mean-spirited’ by not paying it enough attention.

The Prince and Princess of Wales were integral in the early stages of the Invictus Games.
The Royal Foundation, which was shared by Prince Harry at the time – invested significant amounts of money in the event. There is now a sense of frustration among some British athletes that their endeavours are not recognised by public figures – including senior royals – who are quick to send good wishes to competitors in other international events, The Telegraph reports.

Critics argue the royal family’s ‘ill-will’ towards Harry should not be held against the disabled veterans who are competing.

[From The Daily Mail]

There’s a real strain here, a strain in the invisible contract, a reach to give William and Kate “credit” for Invictus, and yet a small sliver of criticism towards the Windsors too. The Mail knows that William and Kate had nothing to do with Invictus. Everyone knows that. Everyone knows that William and Kate are too insecure, too jealous, too pathetic to actually send their best wishes to British veterans as well. But mostly, the Mail wants more content and they’re not being placated with a line in the Court Circular about Kate’s “private meeting.”

Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Cover Images.

There’s this thing where almost all royals, across the board, are bad at casual dressing or sportswear. The Princess of Wales is especially bad at wearing sportswear and casual separates, preferring a parade of skin-tight jeggings and god-awful wedges. Well, here’s hoping that the Duchess of Sussex’s biggest stalker is taking notes, because Meghan really rocks some casual looks. She manages to make mass-market labels look high-end, she manages to look comfortable and professional and she always look stylish and happy.

Here are more photos of Prince Harry and Meghan today at the Dusseldorf Invictus Games. Meghan once again chose a pair of Frame jeans in her preferred fit – slim-cut cigarette pants. She paired those jeans with a Ralph Lauren sleeveless sweater. Her color palette for IG seems to be mostly black-and-white (minus one brown ensemble) and I love that she went all-white today after her all-black look yesterday. Is this the new Sussex uniform? Cigarette pants and sleeveless knit shells, monochromatic style? Could be!

These pics are from the sitting volleyball competition. Meghan was waving a Nigerian flag and at one point, Harry put his arms around her and squeezed her. This loved-up display!! The Sussex charisma!

Photos courtesy of Cover Images.

Kevin Costner and Christine Baumgartner’s divorce is still on-going. The last major update is that the child support issue is now settled, with Costner ordered to pay Christine $63K a month in child support, which is about a third of what she asked for and nowhere near enough to provide their three children with a comparable lifestyle. It’s not looking good for Christine’s attempt to nullify the prenup, and the hearing/trial for that comes up in a few months. I’ve said for a while that the old-fart judge seems to be blatantly on Costner’s side about everything, and last week, the judge explained his child support ruling, and I want you to read some of it:

Judge Thomas P. Anderle, in a Tuesday court filing obtained by PEOPLE, recapped the proceedings and explained that he found Christine “credible” in her Thursday testimony, with “good courtroom demeanor.” However, while the judge “did not perceive there was any intention by [Christine] to mislead the Court,” her testimony “was not much help on the issue before the bench today; will weigh her testimony with all the evidence in this case.”

About Kevin, Anderle wrote that he “recognizes he is professional actor” and “weighed that in the decision-making process when judging his credibility.”

The judge “did not find he embellished any of his testimony by relying on his profession; his testimony was straightforward; there was ‘no acting’; found his testimony to be credible and consistent.” Anderle added that “both sides made strong closing arguments.”

In regards to the ruling, Anderle said the “reasonable needs of the children are fully met by this child support order” and anything “greater than $63,209 per month” would be “disguised spousal support.”

He added: “Christine will have her opportunity to convince the Court that she is entitled to spousal support. That is not the issue at hand for this hearing.”

[From People]

The judge was considering how much he “believed” Costner and Baumgartner rather than following the law or the financials. Christine’s child support request wasn’t a number plucked out of the air – she hired a forensic accountant and based her request on Costner’s annual income and wealth. The judge was like “sure, she was likable but I just don’t think she should get that much money.” Well, clearly, Costner and his lawyers understand that this judge will take his side on every issue, so as I predicted, Costner is now fighting Christine over her legal costs.

Kevin Costner’s lawyer skewered Christine Baumgartner’s request for the actor to pay his estranged wife an alleged $885,000 in legal fees. After Baumgartner’s legal team claimed she will be charged the staggering sum to argue her case against the former couple’s prenuptial agreement, Costner’s high-powered attorney Laura Wasser argued in a new filing that the fee in question would be absurd, according to TMZ.

Wasser reportedly argued that, based on hourly rates, Baumgartner’s legal team would have to put in 1,106 hours of billable work hours to justify charging her that amount.

The legal eagle dubbed Baumgartner’s request for Costner to cover her steep legal bill as “nothing short of outrageous,” noting that the judge already deemed their prenup enforceable.

Wasser also alleged that Baumgartner has no leg to stand on and should just throw in the towel.

[From Page Six]

The way this ends is that the judge upholds the prenup, Christine gets zero alimony, the judge sides with Costner on everything, and Christine only gets the $1 million payout from the prenup. Then Christine will be ordered to pay her legal fees and Costner’s legal fees, which will not only wipe out the $1 million, but leave her in debt. Then the bot farm hired by Costner will flood social media and blog comments and say that she deserved it and that she’s not being financially abused.

Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Cover Images, Backgrid.

True story: the Princess of Wales has been without a private secretary for a year or longer. We only learned that Kate’s last private secretary quit last year, months after it happened. Then back in February/March of this year, Kate tried to hire someone new, a “ballbuster” from the business world, and that woman took one look at the clownshow of Kensington Palace and quit before she even started. We haven’t heard anything about Kate’s hunt for a new private secretary in months, probably because Kate merely exists as an extension of William these days. She barely does anything, she lives in her separation cottage and whenever she does anything, it’s organized through William’s staff. Well, William is apparently looking for a Top CEO, and he amazingly did NOT consider his wife for the position. From Richard Eden’s latest column:

Prince William and Kate show they mean business by hiring all-powerful CEO in ‘revolutionary’ move that has ‘set the cat among the pigeons’ at the royal palaces. Prince William and Catherine may not yet be our king and queen, but they are already making clear that they plan to do things very differently from their predecessors.

I can disclose that the couple are creating a new role of Chief Executive Officer (CEO) to run their household of about 60 staff. The new boss will report directly to them and won’t answer to the private secretaries who have long held power behind the scenes at the palaces.

‘This is a revolutionary move,’ a source tells me, a little excitedly. ‘They are overthrowing the traditional, hierarchical structure in which staff answer to private secretaries. It has really set the cat among the pigeons. Will the King and Queen have to follow their lead?’

Kensington Palace has already hired a high-powered recruitment firm, Odgers Berndtson, to find the best candidate. It has placed an advertisement online which stresses the unprecedented nature of the position.

‘This is a unique opportunity,’ it says. ‘The CEO is the most senior and accountable leader for the Household, reporting directly to TRHs The Prince and Princess of Wales. They will be responsible for the development and implementation of TRH’s long-term strategy and continuing to strengthen a professional and collaborative Household culture.’

In an apparent admission that there are some strong-willed, difficult characters are the palace, the job description states that the successful candidate must be ’emotionally intelligent, with ‘low ego’, and strong self-awareness and understanding of their impact on others. Anyone wanting the job must be ‘able to operate as a ‘servant’ leader, empowering the senior team’, it says.

The CEO will deal directly with King Charles and Queen Camilla’s household, ‘serving as the strategic interface to Buckingham Palace, to align The Royal Highnesses’ priorities with those in support of His Majesty The King and Her Majesty The Queen’.

No salary is given, but it is understood that the CEO will be paid more than the couple’s private secretaries.

While William and his brother, the Duke of Sussex, don’t see eye to eye on much these days, they appear to share their mother’s suspicion of the ‘men in grey’, as Princess Diana called courtiers.

[From The Daily Mail]

I could write and have written a lot about the Kensington Palace clownshow and the lack of professionalism they’ve displayed at every level for years. It’s clear that Kate is largely absent (physically and intellectually) from the office, just as it’s clear that William treats his staff like sh-t and he’s always throwing tantrums and rage-shrieking at employees. Another thing which has been abundantly clear is that Tory Party elders are running William as their useful idiot, and they’re grooming him to be their royal apparatchik. There’s a deeply conservative political angle to William and his operations. I have no doubt that this Top CEO position will be filled, and then phased out in a few months when the full clownshow is exposed. Will and Kate’s staff turnover is one of the biggest underreported stories in the British media – they can’t keep staff because they’re lazy, vindictive, jealous, petty, stupid and obsessed with the Sussexes.

Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Cover Images, Backgrid.

The British royal family has not had anything to do with the Invictus Games in years. During the games in The Hague last year, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex supported all of the veterans and met with all the delegations while the Windsors seethed and the Tory government pretended none of it was happening. The same is happening around the Dusseldorf games currently. Instead of putting aside personal beefs and merely showing support for veterans – most of whom were injured and traumatized in service to their country- the Windsors have not only made a big show of ignoring the games and the veterans, the Windsors have also sought to “torpedo” coverage of the Sussexes and the games, as if they’re jealous of the attention the Sussexes receive and the veterans receive. It’s all a ghastly and grotesque look, and now people are starting to talk about it… in the Telegraph? And the Daily Mail??

Team UK has noticed that the Windsors are ignoring them: It has not gone unnoticed at the Merkur Spiel-Arena, where there have been empty seats at events, that despite the worthiness of the cause, some supportive voices are missing. There is frustration among some of the British athletes that their endeavours are not recognised by the public figures who are so quick to send good wishes to those competing in other international sporting events, among them senior members of the Royal family. One official with the UK team admitted that although Invictus was getting bigger every year, it was felt there could be more support back home, particularly when there had been a notable focus on sport among the Royal family in the past week. A team insider said: “The athletes find it bizarre but don’t want to get caught up in the royal crossfire.”

William & Kate’s integral involvement? The Prince and Princess were integrally involved in the early success of the Invictus Games, with their Royal Foundation – then shared with the Duke – pumping significant injections of cash into the event. At the time, a courtier was quoted as saying: “Prince William and Catherine always supported Harry’s efforts to establish Invictus. They are delighted that it has been a success.”

The Windsors’ strategy towards Invictus: A UK media strategist, who did not want to be identified, told The Telegraph that the palace approach towards the Sussexes could be summed up as “ignore and distract”. He added: “It’s ironic Buckingham Palace has had more to say about the Highland Games than the Invictus Games, despite the honorary military roles they hold. In doing so, the palace ends up looking mean-spirited and petty. The ill will against Harry should not be held against the Invictus competitors.”

A member of Team Britain: Ben McBean, a double amputee who inspired the Duke to launch the event, said they should have put their differences aside. The former Royal Marine, who lost an arm and a leg in Afghanistan, said he saw “both sides” of the rift between the brothers. But he added: “Saying that, they should have just given the lads a shout-out. It’s like when we went to Afghanistan, no one supported the war, but they supported the troops. It’s the same thing.”

Someone wants Harry to give an Earthshot shoutout, lol: Palace sources insist members of the Royal family never involve themselves in each other’s professional endeavours. They would not expect the Duke to put his head above the parapet to voice support for the finalists of his brother’s Earthshot Prize, for example, and have left Invictus to the Duke for many years now.

Everyone loves Harry: Team Sussex gathers together each evening for a debrief and to unwind. Much of the work is done behind the scenes. On Saturday, the Duke joined Team UK for breakfast at the British consulate. “Just a super sound bloke, thanking us for all the work we’re doing with the competitors,” explained the team’s head coach, George Bates. “We love him here,” said British athlete Rich Waldrom, 47. “You’ll never get a bad word out of any of us for Harry. Look what he’s built. Look what he’s created for us all.” The Duke also meets hundreds of competitors away from the public gaze and holds meetings with officials about everything from future participation of other nations to funding.

[From The Telegraph]

“The palace ends up looking mean-spirited and petty” – what if I told you that the palace actually IS mean-spirited and petty? What if I told you that Kensington Palace and Buckingham Palace have been planning their petty, mean-spirited, jealous, seething counterprogramming for months, that the only thing getting William and Kate off their asses is their desperate attempts to pull focus from Invictus? What if I told you that the thin-skinned, pathetic Windsors don’t respect veterans or the military, that the Windsors believe that they alone are “serving” their country? Like, even if you can make an argument that the Windsors were too busy to host a reception for Invictus veterans ahead of the games, there’s literally no excuse for failing to send a few tweets or Instagram posts supporting Team Britain. Considering the Windsor brand is “too lazy to show up for national competitions,” maybe this was to be expected.

Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Backgrid.

I still remember the dawning realization I had, circa 2018, that the British media operates in a bubble, and they didn’t realize that media is global and the whole world could see their open racism and abuse of the Duchess of Sussex. In the past five years, little has changed – while royal reporters code-switch for international audiences, I’d like to believe that royal-watchers and even casual observers understand what’s happening and what was done to the Sussexes by the unholy partnership of the British media and the Windsors. So, imagine the Daily Mail’s surprise that the Sussexes and the Invictus Games are getting wall-to-wall coverage in the German media. They shouldn’t be that shocked – many “royal photographers” and royal reporters managed to get media credentials for the games, and the Sussexes are getting tons of coverage across British media and European media.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle bowled over the German media with their charm offensive on the first day they were seen together at the Invictus Games. Only positive headlines are being used to describe the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, such as ‘Finally A Prince Again’, with much of the attention focused on Meghan and how she reacts to the crowds and what she wears. There have yet to be negative comments about their public appearances, including when they attended a wheelchair basketball match. The couple’s often contentious relationship with the other members of the royal family has not been mentioned in any of the coverage.

‘I think people are very interested to see how they are together and their dynamics as a couple,’ said one reporter for Bild newspaper. ‘They are very popular here. You only have to see how hundreds of people waited in the market square outside the town hall to try and see them. It was the same the previous year when they came to start the countdown to the games.’

The popular Gala magazine website devoted five stories to the couple as well as carrying a live blog to update readers on their activities. Harry’s biggest coup was to be invited on to the hugely popular show ‘Sports Studio’ – the German equivalent of the BBC’s Match of the Day.

Meanwhile, the Zweites Deutsches Fernsehen (ZDF) network devoted the entire hour-long show to allow Harry to talk about the Invictus Games and its impact on the mental health and rehabilitation of wounded war veterans.

Meanwhile, the glossy Gala magazine – which devotes pages to celebrities and other VIPs – carried a blow-by-blow account of Harry and Meghan attending their first Invictus Games events together. They had a live blog on the movements of the couple along with other stories about their life. The magazine will devote its cover in this week’s edition published on Thursday with a photo of Harry and the headline ‘Finally A Prince Again.’ Inside there will be three pages of coverage.

‘There is a lot interest, and much more now that Meghan is here. They are behaving very well and I think a lot of people will have a positive impression of them,’ a reporter for the magazine told Mail Online. ‘People are fascinated with Harry and his family, but they all know about Meghan,’ they said. ‘There are two camps here in Germany – team Harry and Meghan and Team Kate and William. It has been interesting seeing them together.’

The reporter said people in Germany has seen plenty of stories about the couple and their decision to step back as senior members of the British Royal Family. The reporter said: ‘Now they are here people see that they are happy.’

The rival Bunte magazine carried a story about Meghan sporting a $62,000 ring when she attended a friends and family event on Tuesday evening. TV news carried extensive reports on the Invictus Games with regular round ups of the day’s events. Bild newspaper have had a reporter covering the games while others in the Berlin office have been involved in their coverage.

[From The Daily Mail]

Do you get the sense of outrage from the Mail that they can’t control what the German media is writing and saying? The Mail’s editors are like “wait, you mean the Germans aren’t even going to mention Kensington Palace’s talking points? Where’s the requisite statement about how William will never, ever speak to his brother?” They’re shocked that their six-year hate campaign has turned Harry and Meghan into sympathetic global celebrities who get a rock-star reception wherever they go. Plus, people are just really excited to see Meghan. She’s outside! We want to talk about her clothes!!

Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Backgrid, Cover Images.

Here are some photos of Taylor Swift partying after the MTV VMAs on Tuesday night. She hit up The Ned NoMad afterparty and she was joined by Selena Gomez and some other celebrities. Taylor changed up her look, wearing this EB Denim minidress and seemingly keeping on her VMA jewelry, including the layered necklaces. I won’t lie, I loathe this look on Taylor. It feels like she’s trying to recreate her 1989-era miniskirt style, but that was nine years ago (!!!) and most people have moved on. It would be like Paris Hilton still wandering around in Juicy Couture sweats. Meanwhile, Taylor and Beyonce have now reached the point of cultural, social and political ubiquity that the largest newspaper chain in America is now hiring dedicated reporters for the Swift beat and Beyonce beat.

Gannett, America’s largest newspaper chain, is looking to hire two full-time reporters with strikingly specific beats. One needs to be a connoisseur of “Lemonade;” the other should be an expert in all things “1989.”

The media company wants one journalist who will exclusively “chronicle the music, fashion, cultural and economic influence of Beyoncé” and another who will “capture the music and cultural impact of Taylor Swift” for USA Today and The Tennessean. Both newspapers are part of the USA Today Network, which is owned by Gannett. The job openings were announced this week.

The ideal candidate for the “Beyoncé Knowles-Carter Reporter” position is “an energetic and enterprising writer” who can capture Beyoncé’s effect “not only on the many industries in which she operates, but also on society,” the posting says.

Beyoncé is currently on her Renaissance World Tour, which, by some estimates, will rake in a total of $2 billion. The 32-time Grammy Award winner’s tour is due to end on October 1 in Kansas City, Missouri. Similarly, the company wants a Swiftie who is “an energetic writer, photographer and social media pro who can quench an undeniable thirst for all things Taylor Swift.”

[From CBS News]

This reminds me of when Olivia Rodrigo visited the Biden White House two years ago and most of the White House correspondents were like “WHO?” and there were only one or two Washington reporters (women) who actually knew Olivia’s music and message, and understood why Olivia’s visit was actually a big deal. Like, there are thousands of reporters covering the most insane Republican dipsh-ttery but USA Today still doesn’t have one dedicated reporter for Taylor or one for Beyonce? They are two of the most culturally and financially powerful women in the country!!

Photos courtesy of Backgrid.