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I’ve seen coverage of Jana Kramer on Celebitchy for years and read the stories, even though I had no idea who Jana was. She is a country singer but has essentially made a second career off of her relationship drama. Basically every detail about Jana’s relationships is like a bright, flashing, neon sign that says “I have deep attachment wounds!” (I do, too, to be clear. Game recognizes game.) She had a podcast with her ex where they talked about all his rampant infidelity. He was a serial cheater and she continuously made excuses for him and took him back. It was a codependent mess. They finally broke up and she’s had a couple of relationships since then, including one with a guy who said she guilt tripped him for wanting to leave the house. Now she’s engaged to a guy after six months of dating and they already have a baby on the way. Flashing neon sign!!

This Allan guy sounds very nice: The country singer and Whine Down podcast host, 39, is pregnant and expecting her first child with fiancé Allan Russell, she confirms exclusively to PEOPLE.

“I didn’t think it would ever happen again, if I’m being honest. I’ve been through a lot, so this has just been a really beautiful thing,” says Kramer, whose new book The Next Chapter is out Oct. 24. “I’m letting it all sink in. It’s everything I’ve wanted and more. Allan was so sweet. He wrote me this little sticky note saying, ‘You deserve the happy ending.’”

She got pregnant pretty fast after deciding to try: “I’ve had miscarriages, so I didn’t even know if it was possible. I’m like, yes, it’d be beautiful for us to create something because I love this man. It would be the silver lining with everything that happened, but I’d always get kind of down about it because I didn’t know if I was capable of carrying a pregnancy again,” she says. “I was like, well, I’m going to be 40 in December, so I was like, we have one month to try. Literally one month.”

Then, during a trip to L.A. in March to attend the iHeartRadio Music Awards together, “I had this metallic taste in my mouth,” recalls Kramer. “That’s what I felt with both my other kids’ [pregnancies]. So I went to the store and got my Clearblue test. It said pregnant, and we just started crying.”

Her fiance splits his time between Nashville and the UK: Russell — who’s from the U.K. — has been flying back and forth from England to Nashville, and the couple try not to spend more than two weeks apart. “He’s splitting his time because he has a 15-year-old son in England. We make it work,” she says. “He is such a fun [dad], just out there on the trampoline with the kids. He always playing with [Jolie and Jace] and it’s really beautiful to see.”

[From People]

I’m happy for Jana, and I hope the rest of her pregnancy goes well. In the article she mentioned having some bleeding which was really scary but everything’s okay. That happened to someone close to me–she had a full period one month after the positive test and thought she had miscarried, but it was fine. I sometimes think pregnancy still isn’t that well understood. There are so many mysterious things that go on.

But to get back to my armchair psychology, I couldn’t help but notice that her fiance Allan splits his time between the US and the UK because his son is based over there. This isn’t a knock on him or anything, it just shows to me that Jana is subconsciously still going after someone who isn’t fully available, at least not right now. In fairness, being long distance is a much more benign version of “not fully available” than Mike Caussin’s compulsive philandering. I still see a lot of myself in this stuff, though. It’s all textbook, garden-variety anxious attachment behavior. I’m always drawn to men who are unavailable emotionally or who live far away or who are otherwise unsuitable (think, like, “smoke jumper who lives off-grid in the middle of the woods in an old school bus” type of unsuitable. Yes, I am in therapy). I’ve come to realize that the feeling I associate with “attraction” is just the sick thrill of knowing they’ll let me down eventually, like the high you get from gambling. It would not surprise me if Jana experienced the same kind of emotions when she meets someone who activates her attachment issues. Maybe she’s been in therapy and is working through some of this stuff. But how’s she going to feel when the baby comes and Allan still has to leave for weeks at a time to be a present dad for his son? I think that situation would be hard on anyone, by the way, not just Jana. To have a new baby in the house, and your partner traveling a lot, plus two small kids already? I hope Jana has people nearby to support her.

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Katie Nicholl returned to Vanity Fair this week to give an exclusive on Prince Harry’s appearances in a London court, in his case against Mirror Group Newspapers. Nicholl has few, if any, sources in the Sussexes’ camp, but she’s proven time and time again that she has excellent sources in Kensington Palace and Buckingham Palace. Which makes the VF exclusive kind of interesting – the quotes she has about Harry’s ballsy campaign to change the way the British press operates are all basically repurposed from what Harry has said himself. The added flavor comes from the fact that King Charles and Prince William are clearly monitoring the progression of Harry’s many lawsuits and they’re scared sh-tless. Some highlights:

What Harry hopes to achieve: According to a source close to Harry, the prince feels his lawsuit is “not about seeking payouts or public apologies but about changing the way the tabloid press operates….Harry will stop at nothing. He believes he was hacked and that he has every reason to believe this was the case, given that the Mirror has admitted to historic phone hacking [in other cases]. In his eyes everything leads back to phone hacking.”

How Charles & William feel: Given the high-profile nature of the case and the personal nature of questioning, King Charles and Prince William were both said to be wary about Harry giving evidence. It is understood that Harry’s father had previously advised him not to take on the tabloids but Harry was intent on having his day in court.

Ominous: The fact that he has pursued the case is said to be another factor dividing Prince Harry from his family. “The family believes this is not going to end well,” one source said.

Harry didn’t see his father or brother: Harry’s relationship with his father and brother remains strained and he has not seen them during his fleeting trip to the UK. Harry is expected to leave for California Wednesday evening.

Embarrassing his trash family: The case risks embarrassing the royal family as private information has been revealed about other family members in Harry’s case against News Group Newspapers (NGN). Court documents in April revealed that his brother, Prince William, had accepted “a very large sum of money”—thought to be about 1 million British pounds—from Rupert Murdoch’s NGN after he was a victim of phone hacking.

Worth it: At times he appeared exasperated and even overwhelmed as he endured hours of questioning, but sources close to Harry say it is worth it to the prince, who has said it is his life’s mission to change the media landscape. On Wednesday, he admitted that he was taking legal action “as a way to stop the abuse, intrusion, and hate that was coming towards me and my wife.” A day earlier, he singled out TV presenter and journalist Piers Morgan, who Harry claims has subjected him and his wife, Meghan Markle, to a barrage of abuse and harassment. “Harry is a man on a mission, and he wants to see change,” says a second source who knows him well.

[From Vanity Fair]

At this point, I just read everything as a threat. Honestly, it feels like the British media and the Windsors are on the same page about that too: they want actual harm to come to Prince Harry, they WANT things to “not end well” for him. Of course, they also just want Harry’s many lawsuits to end badly, as in: they want Harry to lose all of his lawsuits. William and Charles want to continue on with the arrangements they already have with the press. They like the status quo. The status quo has gotten them here, to this moment, where the Windsors and the British press can all live in a contented bubble of delusion of their own importance and significance. They all believe that if they simply repeat a thing enough times – “Harry is wrong, Harry is miserable, Harry would love to come back” – then it will become a fact.

Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Cover Images.

CNN’s CEO Chris Licht is out after a damning exposé in the Atlantic about his big scheme to make CNN more palatable to Nazis & insurrectionists. [CNN]
The trailer for Bottoms is here. [OMG Blog]
Gisele Bundchen is in Brazil & fronting a Louis Vuitton campaign. [LaineyGossip]
Elle Fanning lost a role when she was 16 and it was for a disgusting reason. [Dlisted]
Guess who this teenager grew up to be (I didn’t get it). [Seriously OMG]
What the Ted Lasso finale got right. [Pajiba]
Jodie Comer left the Broadway stage because of the bad air in NYC. [Jezebel]
Khloe Kardashian talks about whether she would get back with Tristan Thompson (something tells me they’re already back together). [JustJared]
Justin Hartley & his wife shop at Candle Delirium. [GFY]
These bridezilla stories are really something. [Buzzfeed]
I’ll admit, there were some amazing parts of the original SATC. [Towleroad]
Ophelia Lovibond looks amazing. [RCFA]

I’ve been waiting for the British press to turn on Carole Middleton for months, or maybe years. Throughout the months of speculation about the state of Party Pieces, most British outlets have simply done straight reporting, no commentary about how in the world a supposedly successful business worth millions suddenly became insolvent. The Middletons finally sold Party Pieces for £180K, which is roughly the amount of money Kate spends on fugly coatdresses and 1980s sparkle-gowns annually. There was some reporting on the fact that the Middletons took out a £220K pandemic loan, one which they have yet to repay. Then this week, the Mail revealed that Carole and Mike actually owe creditors £2.6 million in unsecured loans and more. The past six months have been all about Carole and Mike covering up the fact that they’re totally bankrupt and will likely never pay their many creditors. Well, now the Mail has a piece in which they spoke to some of the people who are owed money by Carole and Mike. This is so bad!!!

Creditors have been left furious as a party paraphernalia business started by the parents of the Princess of Wales has run into £2.6million of debt. Party Pieces Holdings, run by Michael and Carole Middleton helped send their three children to £42,930-a-year Marlborough College and enabled them to snap up a manor house for £4.7m. But at least one businessman is now accusing the Princess of Wales’s mother of ‘betrayal’, amid cries of disbelief about the amount of debt the company has racked up.

The debts are now estimated at £2.6 million, according to details in a report from administrators trying to recover money for the firm’s creditors. This includes £218,749 to RBS bank for a Coronavirus Business Interruption loan, £456,008 to other creditors and £1.4 million in unsecured loans. It comes as the report makes it brutally clear that it’s ‘highly unlikely’ that any creditors will get anything.

Among those hit is Party Pieces landlord, Lord Iliffe, on whose Berkshire estate the company has been based for many years. Owed £57,480, the estate now faces what its agent, James Hole, describes as ‘severe financial consequences’.

‘They have been long-term tenants,’ he says. ‘We were astonished about the amount of money owed to others.’

Another creditor, speaking anonymously, said his company engaged in protracted discussions with Party Pieces, but realised it was hopeless. He added: ‘The amount they owe HMRC dwarfs anything else they owe. That’s why we walked away — [because] of what’s owed to the public purse.’ This, he adds, is not just the £219,000 coronavirus business interruption loan which Party Pieces took out as it was hammered by lockdowns. ‘There is VAT and other things as well,’ alleges the firm’s former trading partner.

The administrators’ report points out that HMRC is owed a total of £613,000 – a claim which must be settled before any of the firm’s small creditors are paid.

Sultani Gas, a company based outside Tonbridge, Kent, which supplied Party Pieces with helium for balloons, is understood to be appalled. A spokesman said: ‘What hurt me the most was that I trusted her as the mother-in-law of the future king — and she just betrayed me. It is absolutely unacceptable.’

[From The Daily Mail]

“What hurt me the most was that I trusted her as the mother-in-law of the future king — and she just betrayed me.” Well, well. While I don’t think King Charles is the reason why the Middletons are broke-ass and up to their eyeballs in debt, make no mistake, Charles and Camilla are the reason why the Mail feels emboldened to come after the Middletons. This is all part of the larger revenge scheme led by two septuagenarians to marginalize Kate and her family. It’s been a long time coming, honestly. I sincerely cannot wait to see if there will be more reporting on what went wrong with Party Pieces and just how badly Carole Middleton played this. It’s also fascinating to see that none of Carole’s in-laws stepped in to cover her or her business. Where is Terribly Moderately Wealthy James Matthews? Where is all of Prince William’s Duchy of Cornwall largesse?

Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Backgrid, Cover Images.

It’s been so many years, I’d forgotten how much I enjoy “sources close to Taylor Swift” briefing the media about her breakups. Granted, she did the same thing a few months ago when she and Joe Alwyn broke up, but this Matt Healy split is really giving us some vintage snake drama. By all accounts, Taylor and Matt have been done for about a week, maybe more. I genuinely believe that they were seeing each other or hooking up for months before we heard about it. The timeline is important, because back in February, Healy made racist comments on The Adam Friedland Show. Some of those comments were about Ice Spice. As soon as Swealy became a thing, Taylor suddenly had a collaboration with Ice Spice, one of the most obvious and ham-fisted PR exercises I’ve ever seen. Well, Taylor is still mad that people saw through her little PR exercise, which is why we’re getting TMZ stories like this:

Matty Healy put Taylor Swift in a pretty sticky situation recently — it involved a troubling podcast appearance he’d made — but we’ve learned that controversy is NOT the reason they’re no longer dating.

A friend connected to Matty’s band, The 1975, tells TMZ … Taylor was aware of Matty’s remarks about Ice Spice on the podcast before she started dating him. While it’s true her fans applied plenty of social media pressure over it, the friend tells us Matty and Taylor were used to the noise, and simply blocked it out.

ICYMI … Matty went on the “The Adam Friedland Show” back in February, where Nick Mullen, Friedland and Matty openly laughed and made derogatory comments about Ice Spice … even mocking her with Chinese and Hawaiian accents. Amid Matty and Taylor’s romance, the clip resurfaced online last month, along with a separate interview clip of Ice expressing her love for The 1975. BTW, all of this was brewing as Taylor and Ice prepared to release their collab, “Karma (Remix).”

Awkward timing to say the least, and although Matty ultimately apologized for offending Ice, some fans felt his mea culpa lacked sincerity. The podcast episode has since been scrubbed from several platforms.

Nevertheless … we’re told all the Swiftee angst over that is not at the root of them pulling the plug on their relationshp — and, instead, it has more to do with the fact they simply don’t have time for each other.

Everyone knows Taylor’s Eras tour is packing stadiums across the U.S., and will for a few more months — and Matty’s friend points out The 1975 is in the middle of its European tour now. We’re told they still care for each other, even though things didn’t work out romantically.

[From TMZ]

What an amazing communications strategy, to argue that Taylor and Matt didn’t break up because of his racism, they broke up because of their tour schedules. Yeah… I don’t believe it. As a lot of Swifties have noted, Taylor is not responsible for Matt Healy’s bullsh-t. But she is responsible for knowingly dating a man who has a history of racist and problematic words and behavior. Which is exactly why she threw together that Ice Spice collab in the first place – some damage control to protect her own image and try to rescue Healy’s image too. It blew up in her face and here we are. “While it’s true her fans applied plenty of social media pressure over it, the friend tells us Matty and Taylor were used to the noise, and simply blocked it out.” Absolutely none of that is true.

Photos courtesy of Backgrid, Cover Images.

Here are more photos of Katie Keen the Rugby Machine on Wednesday, where she did a haphazard event focused on rugby, men, male emotions and fatherhood. Something something Shaping Us, something something mental health, look, Kate wore her hair in a high ponytail and posed with a rugby ball. I tried to read through her statement at the event and it was just a word salad about (what else) Early Years. And rugby.

Kensington Palace must have realized that “sending Kate out to do impromptu skits using peasants as props” wasn’t getting the job done. The job being “distract from Prince Harry’s presence in London.” As I said yesterday, the current crop of palace advisors couldn’t problem-solve their way out of a wet paper bag. Speaking of, Kensington Palace announced that William and Kate have finally “offered” to donate food to a food bank. At long last.

The Prince and Princess of Wales have offered to replace food stolen from a Welsh foodbank last week. St Thomas Church foodbank in Swansea announced it had “no food to give out” after a break-in at the weekend, but when the royal couple heard about what happened they were quick to get in touch with the church.

In a statement published on Facebook on Monday, the church said: “Over the weekend we have been broken into and all of our foodbank food has been stolen. Other items including an orange bike that had been donated for a family, our youth group tuck shop supplies and baby items have also been taken. We simply have no food to give out because every bag of food has been taken. We are here to support the most vulnerable in society and the most desperate. If you find yourself in a position where the only option is to steal food from a foodbank then please get in touch well before that. We are a forgiving bunch and would love to support you out of that situation.”

Speaking to ITV News, Reverend Steven Bunting said: “Yeh, it’s been crazy – the response. It’s been so hard to be discouraged when we’ve been surrounded by so much love and generosity. We’ve had people coming in donating £5 all the way up to the local working man’s club, the local schools and businesses, and as you said, the Prince and Princess of Wales contacted us earlier to offer their love and support as well. They would like to replace the food that was taken, they very much want to do that.”

[From The Independent]

William and Kate are famous for showing up empty-handed to food banks, baby banks, refugee centers, low-income nurseries and homeless shelters. Just this week, Kate was empty-handed at a family hub center in Windsor – she couldn’t be bothered to bring diapers or baby clothes or even a coffee cake. William and Kate have both done events where they come into contact with refugee children, kids who have fled their homes with little more than the clothes on their back… and Will and Kate still refused to bring toys or blankets or food or backpacks. So, yeah. It was nice of them to offer to replenish this foodbank’s stolen goods. I hope they get in the habit of doing that more often.

Photos courtesy of Cover Images.

We’ll probably never learn the extent of shenanigans when it comes to Party Pieces, the family-run business of Carole and Michael Middleton. For years, we heard about how wealthy and successful Carole and Mike were, how this catalog company selling mid-range party supplies was a “British heritage” brand worth $40 million. We heard repeatedly that Carole and Mike could afford all of these lavish holidays and a London apartment and they could fund Kate’s decade of waitying. I don’t think any of that was true. What I think is that the Middletons were in a financial crisis for years and they bankrupted a mildly successful party-supply business through mismanagement and scams. Well, now we know that the courts had to step in to sell PP for £180,000, and that the Middletons owe creditors a lot of money, money which those creditors will probably never get. They also took £220,000 in pandemic loans, which they still haven’t paid back. Well, now we’re learning more about the extent of the Middletons’ debt.

The party company run by the parents of the Duchess of Cambridge has gone into administration almost £2.6 million in the red. Party Pieces Holdings run by Michael and Carole Middleton owes the taxman £612,685, details published reveal. The company also owes £218,749 to RBS bank for a Coronavirus Business Interruption loan, £456,008 to other creditors and £1.4 million in unsecured loans, a statement published by administrators reveal.

Party Pieces has been sold in part to Teddy Tastic Bear Company Limited for £180,000, the document says, with the firm keeping on 12 employees and remaining at its current base in Ashampstead, Berkshire.

It adds that many owed cash will be out of pocket as a result of the business failure, saying: ‘Based on current estimates, it is uncertain whether there will be funds available to enable a distribution to preferential creditors. It is unlikely there will be funds available to enable a distribution to unsecured creditors.’

The report details how the pandemic began to cause the company problems saying that revenue contracted from £4.5 million to £3.2 million between 2021 and 2022, with the company making a loss of £900,000. It said: ‘Management attributed this to the Covid 19 pandemic resulting in reduced social gatherings and a reduction in discretionary spend due to the cost of living crisis. This caused constraints on the company’s cash flows.’

In early 2023 the CEO resigned and the Middletons and other members of the board tried to shore up the company and find a buyer. But the report said: ‘The company experienced increasing creditor pressure, including threats to present winding up petitions and other legal proceedings.’ In the face of the financial challenges the company approached 175 potential buyers and eventually settled on a deal for £180,000 which was for stock worth £120,000 and £60,000 for intellectual property, computers, contracts and other equipment. All 12 employees will transfer to the new company, the administrator report said.

[From The Daily Mail]

Someone who understands the British bankruptcy system can probably explain this better than me. But it sounds like the Middletons really are bankrupt and they’re going to screw over their creditors to the tune of £2.6 million? I always assumed that the only reason why Teddy Tastic Bear Company Limited agreed to purchase the insolvent Party Pieces was because the court arranged it so the buyer would not have to take on any of PP’s debt. It looks like that’s the case. It also appears that the buyer not only purchased Party Pieces, but the actual land and buildings housing PP’s operations in Berkshire. That was probably the most valuable part of the purchase. Anyway, it’s just fascinating that Carole and Mike are completely broke-ass and neither of their daughters’ rich husbands stepped in to help out. Curious.

PS… there’s more to this story, which is coming up later today. Please don’t threadjack, it’s worth the wait!

Photos courtesy of Avalon Red.

From CB: I bought a rapid egg cooker and regret that I didn’t get one sooner! They make the perfect hardboiled eggs and because they’re steamed they’re easy to peel. My son and I are eating more eggs, which are high in protein and better than most of the junk I snack on. This Dash rapid egg cooker is the number one bestseller in egg cookers. Most colors are under $20 and it comes with accessories that help you poach eggs and make scrambled eggs too. Here are some more things Rosie and I are looking at on Amazon.

A four-in-one makeup brush for easy application and storage

From CB: I bring my makeup brushes when traveling and they take up so much space. This four-in-one makeup brush by Alleyoop has two eyeshadow brushes, a sponge and a larger brush suitable for powder or blush. It would be great for travel or keeping in your purse. This has 463 ratings, 4.5 stars and the same score on ReviewMeta. People say it was just what they needed to streamline their makeup bag. “Love the storage pouch. Great for travel. The sponge applicator is perfect for under eye application of concealer. Very versatile.” “I absolutely love this travel makeup brush and sponge combo! It’s so convenient for when I’m on the go and need to touch up my makeup. The bristles are soft and the sponge is great for blending. Plus, it’s compact and fits perfectly in my purse.”

Create an effortless gallery wall with a set of ten frames

From CB: I recently created a gallery wall with frames I had on hand and it was tricky to lay out. This set of gallery wall frames is so affordable at under $35 for ten. You get four 4×6, four 5×7 and two 8×10 inch frames in choices of nine different wood and metal finishes. They can go on the wall or a table. People say these are well made and easy to hang. “I bought the white 10pc. I was really surprised with the quality. It is sturdy and looks well made. Planning on purchasing more!” “Perfect housewarming or wedding gift. These are beautiful and so sturdy. My dogs knock these off the shelf constantly and they have not been broken yet. The wooden style is beautiful and I will be buying more for our bedroom!” If you’re looking to pay more for higher quality frames or want frames in different finishes, this set by trusted brand Kate and Laurel is just under $100 and has an A on Fakespot.

A hydrating night cream you’ll wish you tried earlier

From CB: Face creams are so expensive and I’ve had to switch mine out to vegan brands due to an allergy. I bought this this Nourishing Night Cream from Elf and I love it! It’s moisturizing without being oily, the scent is light and pleasant and it makes my skin feel so soft. This cream is just $13 and has 4.6 stars, 468 ratings and an A on Fakespot. Most reviewers like it as much as I do. “It baffles me to this day how cheap this is. I liken this moisturizer to a high-end product because it is amazing and so cheap for the great quality you are getting. I never repurchase anything but this is my go-to.” “Moisturizes without being greasy. Soaks in well. Leaves my skin looking great. I really love this product.”

An affordable eyeliner pencil you’ll want in several colors

From Rosie: Summertime is approaching, and for me, that means it’s time to play with fun-colored eyeliners! I sometimes dabble in the more expensive ones (usually if they’re on sale on Prime Day) but my go-to affordable one is the Maybelline TattooStudio Gel Eyeliner Pencil. It’s $8 and comes in 16 different colors. My favorite is Rich Amethyst. This eyeliner has more than 32,000 reviews and 4.3 stars on ReviewMeta. Reviews mention how long it lasts without smudging. “I have tried MANY eyeliners, and this is the first that I’ve worn all day and it didn’t smudge.” “I’ve never had a liner that lasted so long … I bought it in six colors!” “Love it, love it last 24 hours no smudging or smearing.”

A hanging toiletry bag for easier travel

From Rosie: If you’re traveling this summer and looking for something to organize your toiletry and make up, check out this hanging travel toiletry bag from BAGSMART. It comes in 8 colors and in a medium or large size. It has a 4.8 star rating, more than 8,800 reviews, and a B on Fakespot. Reviewers rave about how spacious and convenient it is. “I ordered the medium, and it has more than enough room to consolidate all skincare, shower, and makeup items. I also love that I can hang it up.” “So nice to have everything in one bag, one place, easy to separate airline liquid products with the separate clear bag provided.” “I got the medium size and I don’t see how I would really ever fill it to capacity but I’m glad I’ll have the extra space if needed.”

A milk frother for luxurious coffee at home

From Rosie: My sister has been on a mission to turn everyone in my family onto this handheld electric milk frother. It is pretty easy to use and affordable at $9. She uses it with oat milk (you can use any milk though) and says it’s also good for mixing in matcha powder. It has more than 67,000 reviews and 4.6 stars on ReviewMeta. And just like my sister will excitedly confirm, people in reviews mention how much it’s changed their coffee-drinking experience. “Soooooo worth the money. Starbucks quality foam (if you’re not a coffee snob) at home.” “I don’t even know how I was living my life normally before I found these! Seriously, I can’t even drink coffee without one now. I never knew just how much a frother could make my coffee so much better.” “A few seconds and you get nice froth milk and some coffee, a sprinkle of cinnamon or powder chocolate and you will save $5 dollars every morning.”

Reusable magnetic water balloons for hours of summer fun

From Rosie: During a weak moment in the Spring of 2020, when we were desperate to find new ways to entertain our bored-at-home children, we caved and filled up a pack of Bunch O Balloons and had a water balloon fight in our driveway. Never. Again. It was the WORST to clean up. After coming across these reusable water balloons, I may be open to water play at home again. They’re made of a soft silicon material and recommended for kids of all ages. They have more than 400 reviews and a 4.8 on ReviewMeta. Reviewers are amazed at how much better they are than actual balloons. “Where were these when I was a kid?!?! First of all they are super easy to fill. Second, they don’t leak. Third, you reuse them over and over.” “We got these for our toddler and they are so easy to use. We even play with them in the bathtub.” “So, these things are freaking awesome. [T]hey work GREAT in the swimming pool.”

Thanks for reading and commenting on our affiliate post! If you make any purchases through these links we get a small percentage and appreciate it.

Prince Harry’s testimony in his lawsuit against the Mirror Group Newspapers ended yesterday, Wednesday, June 7th. He was on the stand for about a day and a half and he faced hours of cross-examination by MGN’s lawyers, and he was even asked some direct questions by the judge. The way this case is being reported and commented on many in the American and British media, many have gotten the impression that the case hinges solely on Harry’s word, or that Harry is responsible for providing incontrovertible proof of MGN’s phone hacking. None of that is accurate – Harry is one of several plaintiffs, and the court is already hearing for Mirror journalists and editors about their sourcing for various stories. This is far from the first legal action taken against MGN as well. Plus, as Harry noted in his testimony, MGN destroyed evidence of the paper’s criminal activity. In any case, in the final day of Harry’s testimony, he spoke about why he began to pursue legal action against MGN and other newspapers:

The Duke of Sussex has revealed that he was motivated to sue the tabloid newspapers over phone hacking in order to protect his wife. Prince Harry, 38, told the High Court he had been thinking about how he could defend Meghan without involving the Royal family’s own legal team.

“I think it was a discussion on how to somehow find a way to stop the abuse, intrusion and hate that was directed towards me and my wife,” he said. “And to see if there was any way to find a different course of action without relying on the institution’s lawyers.”

The Duke is suing Mirror Group Newspapers (MGN) over 148 articles he alleges came from illegal activity, including phone hacking. As he took to the witness stand for a second consecutive day, it emerged that he had been introduced to his barrister, David Sherborne, by Sir Elton John. The Duke has suggested that it was Mr Sherborne’s idea to pursue legal action.

[From The Telegraph]

You have to remember, Harry believed that his only legal recourse was to do whatever the royal-affiliated lawyers told him to do. Those lawyers never represented Harry solo – they represented the interest of the Firm, and the Firm’s position was to never directly sue the tabloids, but to work out deals behind the scenes. Harry didn’t realize or understand that he could simply hire his own lawyer and pursue justice outside of the royal-affiliated legal team until 2019.

Anyway, even the most conservative British outlets had to admit that Harry performed well, that he didn’t lose his temper or have a breakdown on the stand. He didn’t pretend to have all the answers and he was seemingly well-prepared by his legal team. When he left the court building, fans cheered for him.

Photos courtesy of Avalon Red.

Vin Diesel blames Jason Momoa’s “overacting” for the bad reviews of Fast X. But everyone said Jason Momoa was the best part?? [Dlisted]
Jennifer Lopez is in decorator mode now that she & Ben Affleck have finally bought a new mansion, after months of searching. [LaineyGossip]
What are some of the worst tweets ever? [Pajiba]
Emily Ratajkowski: bangs, stripes, abs, it’s all happening. [Go Fug Yourself]
Michelle Yeoh came out for a Dior jewelry event. [Tom & Lorenzo]
Matt Healy made some cryptic comments about his split. [Just Jared]
The white woman who murdered Ajike Owens has not been arrested. [Jezebel]
Gisele Bundchen celebrates World Environment Day. [Egotastic]
The nostalgia people have for the 1990s, my God. [Buzzfeed]
Beyonce’s tour looks have been amazing. [RCFA]
Some family members are circling the wagons around Jim-Bob Duggar. [Starcasm]
Horoscopes for the month of June! [OMG Blog]