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Tracee Ellis Ross has an interview that came out a couple of weeks ago on Glennon Doyle’s We can Do Hard Things podcast. I’m reporting on it now as I saw some excerpts on Yahoo! and wanted to wait until I could listen to the whole thing. It’s an hour long and is well worth it. Glennon runs the podcast with her sister, Amanda Doyle, and her wife, Abby Wombach. It was my first time listening and honestly it wasn’t clear to me who was speaking other than Tracee and Glennon. The episode was so crazy deep and interesting that I found myself both fascinated by the work Tracee has done and annoyed by having to face hard truths about myself. I’m about the same age as Tracee and have been able to relate to her interviews for years. She said so many interesting things that it’s hard to know what to excerpt. I wanted to talk about how she’s come to love and appreciate herself after realizing who she is and what she wants out of life.

She’s grateful people came out for her 50th birthday party
I am one of those people that am like ‘yeah I would love to go, but do I really want to leave the house?’

On intentionally creating your life
We go back to this model that we’re sold. It’s everywhere and if you’re not careful you actually think it’s true, which is that ‘my job as a woman is to learn to be choosable,’ having nothing to do with who I am, what makes my heart sing, floats my boat, makes me feel safe, makes me feel comfortable, powerful, smart… but really is more about how I might be seen so that I might be chosen so that my life could mean something as a chosen woman who then gets to have a child and then be a mother and then do that for a child. Our culture sells us this … there’s nothing wrong with that journey, but it’s a chosen journey as opposed to one that you think is going to make you worth anything. There’s so many different versions of that.

On how she’s learned who she is and what she wants
I’ve been grateful enough to have found places where there are eons of tools in different ways to unpack that crazy messaging, make sense of it in a way that actually gives me a shot at genuine happiness and a robust life that’s actually mine. It’s like a daily reprieve, some days are better than others, some days the old messaging comes in and I’ve got a really nice matching story that goes with it of my unlovability. If I’m not careful and go into that thinking alone, I get stuck there.

I’m one of these people that I don’t get scared of stuff until after. I’m a girl that jumps off a cliff. Then I land and I’m like ‘what the f’ck did I just do?’ ‘Who would do that?’ ‘Why would you do that?’ ‘Oh my God you’re so dumb, this is actually evidence.’ ‘Put that in the fire of unlovability, that shit is going to roar.’ The next day, it’s out of control. It’s a risk hangover.

On being herself
So many of the things that I like about myself are the things that are difficult for people. I’m not afraid to say when I dont think something feels right. I’m not afraid to say when something doesn’t feel right for me no matter how far and deeply into that thing I am. That I have a really loud laugh. All these different things that make me maybe not everyone’s cup of tea. That really changed my relationship to those aspects of me that I think I was trying to hide in order to be chosen, to be lovable. I don’t know if my discomfort with not being everyone’s cup of tea, the unlovability and self loathing that comes up, I don’t know if those are ever going to go away. I think I have a different relationship to them. I can do hard things, I can also be comfortable when I’m uncomfortable, I can also be happy when I don’t like how everything is going. I have a larger container to hold myself and I know myself really well. It’s taken a lot of time to have the courage to actually live my life as that person.

My big fear was ‘am I going to ruin the course of my destiny if I make the wrong choice?’ My spiritual awakening has been ‘I’m OK, you can’t ruin it babe.’

[From We Can Do Hard Things]

There’s also section where Tracee talks about realizing her fertility is waning and that she owes a debt to the transgender community for helping expand the concept of gender. Yahoo! covered that part, it was deep and I’ve never thought about it like that, and you can read about it there.

A lot of what she said comes with age, like realizing you’re not everyone’s cup of tea and that you shouldn’t change or dim your light for a relationship. After that I think it was Glennon who said “Think of how weak you’d have to be, to be everyone’s cup of tea. You’d have to be water.” That’s so true! Overall I came away from this thinking that I’m fine, that I’m right where I should be, that I can’t ruin anything, and that I should lean more into the things I love and value about myself. I appreciate Tracee for being unapologetically herself and for talking so openly about it.

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The British media was full of headlines this weekend about one particular section in Prince Harry’s Spare. The section? Where Harry describes his flight training for Apache helicopters, training which came over the course of months and years. Basically, in this one particular section, Harry describes being in the aircraft with his instructor and the instructor – now identified as Sergeant Major Michael Booley – engineering something like a mid-air stall. Harry then had to learn how to restart and maneuver the aircraft.

A full third of Harry’s memoir Spare was devoted to his time in the army, in the course of which he learnt to fly Apache attack helicopters. However, one section, in which he describes an alarming incident on a training mission, is being disputed by the trainer who was sitting next to him, Sergeant Major Michael Booley.

Harry wrote: “On one of our first flights together, with no warning, Booley threw the aircraft into a stall. I felt the left wing dip, a sickening feeling of disorder, of entropy, and then, after several seconds that felt like decades, he recovered the aircraft and leveled the wings. I stared at him. What in the absolute—? Was this an aborted suicide attempt?’ No, he said gently. This was the next stage in my training.”

Booley told the Mirror: “Whilst the book compliments me, the recollection of the sorties and lessons is inaccurate, I’m afraid. It’s important to highlight that nothing in the cockpit comes as a surprise. Every sortie is thoroughly briefed beforehand, every single aspect. The sortie is flown exactly as per that brief.”

Booley added that he retains fondness for Harry, saying: “He was an exceptional student, very talented indeed. He is a friend and a man I respect immensely who would always have my ear.”

[From The Daily Mirror & The Daily Beast]

The Daily Mirror also reported that Booley said Harry’s recollections were “a complete fantasy” and that he was “staggered” by Harry’s version. You get the picture, they got someone on the record to call Harry a liar and fantasist. Here’s the thing: Sgt. Major Booley released a statement after the report came out and he claims his comments were wildly twisted. From his Facebook:

I am Michael Booley, Harry’s former Sgt Major flying instructor, quoted in this article. Out of the blue, I was contacted by the press to be made aware they were writing articles and as I was named in Harry’s book “Spare” I was offered an opportunity to comment on it. I was completely unaware of this. As I had not seen it, I was then provided with an inaccurate version of the book (translated) and in response I expressed my concerns about any possible detrimental narratives from the outset. I later saw the English version and highlighted the differences to the press.

I was then assured that if I offered any comments, they would be reported on accurately. Stupidly and against my better judgement, I proceeded on trust. I made it absolutely clear that Harry was an exceptional student and I had nothing but the utmost respect for him. I highlighted some inaccuracies in the book, in particular reference to the flying sorties, but felt that they were probably not Harry’s words and highly likely to be dramatised due to the fact that the book was Ghost Written. I did not know who the ghost writer was and certainly did not blame him.

Not once did I say anything derogatory about Prince Harry and I certainly never said it was “complete fantasy” as the article headlines would have you believe. I made it clear to the reporters that I would not approve of anything derogatory and yet here we are.

I also made it clear that I myself am suffering with complex PTSD and am under treatment for it and any misquotes or twists could potentially impact my health and well-being. I feel let down and betrayed by them. I also feel foolish for having listened to their assurances of trust and honesty. I should have know better. I certainly did not ask for or receive any payment, as some above comments suggest and am very despondent about how this article has been portrayed !

[From Booley’s Facebook]

I saw some Sussex Squaders shrugging and saying “well, he shouldn’t have agreed to the interview.” And I agree, although I think the larger point is that the Mirror already had a negative narrative they wanted to run and they were likely asking very leading questions and falsifying what Harry wrote in Spare, in addition to willfully misquoting Booley. I feel sorry for him because I definitely feel like this happens so often with outlets like the Mirror, the Mail, the Sun. Still, a good lesson for everyone when dealing with the British media: shutting up is free.

Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Backgrid.

The Duchess of Sussex was racially, emotionally and financially abused when she lived in the UK. Prince Harry was trying to help her and protect her, but his family and the British media were actively trying to harm her and/or drive her out of the country. They did nothing – worst than nothing – when they knew she was suicidal. Meghan only began to talk publicly about her suicidal ideation in March 2021, in the Oprah interview. She also touched on it in the Netflix docuseries, although one of my biggest takeaways from the series was that Meghan perfectly understood the extreme danger and threat to her life overall. No one with any heart, compassion or background in psychology would send the message to Meghan that she’s somehow wrong to… speak about what happened to her, what she was going through and how she considered taking her own life. Enter Marjorie Wallace, the founder of a “mental health charity” in the UK.

Charity founder and investigative journalist Marjorie Wallace has revealed she doesn’t like ‘victimhood’ when asked about Meghan Markle saying she had suicidal thoughts. The 80-year-old, who founded mental health charity SANE in 1986, said while she doesn’t like to ‘condemn’ anyone, she doesn’t ‘respect people who take victimhood on as a career’.

Ms Wallace, who made her name with her reporting on the thalidomide scandal, remarked that people have to ‘find ways of living with whatever disability or disadvantage you have’. A close confident of the Earl of Snowden for more than 40 years, the veteran journalist said everyone ‘whether they’re privileged or they’re poor’ has troubles in their lives.

She made the remarks on Rachel Johnson’s Difficult Women podcast. The topic of conversation turned to Meghan Markle and her decision to discuss in her Netflix documentary with Prince Harry that she developed suicidal thoughts as a working member of the Royal Family.

When asked by Johnson about whether she thought it was wise to reveal this, Ms Wallace said: ‘I don’t like to condemn anyone. I’ll tell you what I don’t really like, and this is nothing to do with the Netflix series, is that I don’t like victimhood and I’ve never played it myself in my life. Yes you can have terrible times, and I’ve had terrible terrible times with my children, with my life, with my divorce – all kinds of terrible things. But I don’t really think playing the victim card helps, whatever you’re a victim of, and I don’t really respect people who take victimhood on as a career. That’s not my stoic philosophy, I think you’ve got to find ways of living with whatever disability or disadvantage you have. Everyone has it whether they’re privileged or they’re poor.’

[From The Daily Mail]

Meghan: I was being abused by my husband’s family and by the national media and I contemplated suicide. I went to many people behind-the-scenes and asked for help, I wanted to check into a facility for in-patient treatment, that’s how bad it was, and they wouldn’t help me.

Lady Marjorie Hootentooter: How dare you speak about this, don’t you know you’re supposed to bottle up your emotions and trauma and never speak about them, that’s what I teach everyone at my mental health charity!!

I mean… you truly cannot make this sh-t up. This horrid woman has close ties to King Charles and Queen Camilla too. So not only do we have Camilla’s “allies” saying that Harry has (in essence) had too much therapy, we also have the founder of a mental health charity – and a close friend of the Windsors – speaking publicly about how a Black woman should have just sucked it up and been stoic when she was being harassed, smeared and threatened on an hourly basis for years.

Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Cover Images.

Here are even more photos of the Princess of Wales at last week’s reception for the England Wheelchair Rugby team. While Kate did rewear a Roland Mouret suit, she wore a new piece of jewelry, and I saw several articles devoted solely to that piece. Her necklace is by Daniella Draper and it’s a citrine pendant. When Kate is purchasing jewelry for herself (and by that I mean, with her father-in-law’s credit card), she tends to favor semi-precious stones anyway. Ever since Meghan came around, Kate buys jewelry which definitely look like pieces in Meghan’s collection too, and this necklace fits in that category. Anyway, I guess Daniella Draper sent out promotional emails about the necklace, because we now know the necklace is called the “Gold Citrine Baby Treasure Necklace” and it retails for $1,100. The brand says the citrine “assists in manifesting your biggest dreams, bringing in more success & prosperity.” The citrine is also King Charles’s birthstone. Curious. Meanwhile, there are a lot of these kinds of stories going around:

The Princess of Wales is ‘rising above the drama’ following her brother-in-law’s explosive memoir, a royal expert has claimed. Kate Middleton, 41 – who this week attended public engagements at a hospital in Liverpool and a nursery in Luton – was praised for ‘putting duty before herself’.

‘She’s doing a job that not only puts a smile on her face, but brings smiles to the faces of others,’ author Katie Nicholl told OK! Magazine. ‘She doesn’t do drama and she never has.’

The writer behind The New Royals: Queen Elizabeth’s Legacy And The Future Of The Crown told the outlet the King Charles III will be channeling the same ‘back to business’ attitude his family is known for.

‘She’s leading by example and putting duty before herself,’ Katie added.

[From The Daily Mail]

Now, whenever someone talks about Kate being undramatic and dutiful, please think about how Kate threw a f–king tantrum about how she was “owed an apology” when Meghan made an entirely sympathetic comment about her “baby brain.” Think about how William and Kate were also seething for months about not receiving Easter presents from Meghan and Harry. Kate is a ridiculous person – just because she didn’t come in for a ton of criticism in Spare, doesn’t mean that she’s blameless or faultless here.

Photos courtesy of Backgrid.

Introduction: Minutes 0 to 8:00
We were off for a month, thanks for understanding! Over the break we both watched Glass Onion and The Pale Blue Eye. I watched The Recruit, The Last of Us and Tar. I liked The Recruit and The Last of Us. Chandra loved Tar. She didn’t like The Banshees of Inisherin or Triangle of Sadness. She recommends Lady Chatterly’s Lover, White Lotus season two and Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris. Chandra saw The Woman King and liked Viola Davis’s performance but thought it was too long. I saw M3ghan and liked it but wanted it to be campier. You can listen below!

Royals: Minutes 8:00 to 36:00
Prince Harry’s memoir came out and it was hard to take, especially the first part where he learned his mother died and was then left alone and sent off to boarding school. Harry’s love for his father comes through in the book. Spare is topping bestseller lists and setting records around the world. We’re both surprised at how dishy the book is, although the leaks spoiled that a little for Chandra.

I really like Chandra’s analysis that the Netflix series was sunny and positive and was very much from Meghan’s perspective while Harry’s memoir is gritty, because that’s how he is, he keeps track of the slights. We wonder how Meghan has remained so positive after everything she’s gone through. Chandra thinks the UK press response to the Oprah interview helped Harry and Meghan decide what to do next. We know that Harry and Meghan have receipts.

In Spare Harry told the full bridesmaid’s dress/crygate story along with some other anecdotes like Kate getting pissy at Meghan for borrowing her lipgloss, Kate taking offense when Meghan said Kate had “baby brain” and Kate being super snotty to Meghan when she offered some natural cold remedies for William.

Harry broke the story that Meghan was offered the Spencer tiara to wear and she designed her wedding veil around that. The Queen then offered a tiara, but Angela Kelly tried to delay and block it at every turn. We knew that Kelly was the one leaking that story to paint Meghan as a diva.

Like Kate, the stories about William in Spare show how petty he is. William would get jealous of Harry’s charity work and little things like Harry being allowed to keep his beard when he got married.

It’s also clear that Camilla has been leaking stories to the press for a couple of decades. Harry told several stories about how she traded stories about him, his brother and Meghan for positive coverage. Chandra thinks Harry made a choice to blame it all on Camilla while this is common practice among the other royals too. Harry said more about this in the Netflix series. I play a segment from Zoom where we talked about Camilla.

The response by the royal family to Harry’s biography has been to make ridiculous claims that sound straight out of the abuser’s handbook. My favorite was when a royal source said Harry was kidnapped by “a cult of psychotherapy and Meghan.” That was in The Independent. Both Kate and William did events focused on mental health after Spare came out, which wasn’t a coincidence.

Harry did an interview with his friend Bryony Gordon in which she called him a generational cycle breaker. Harry said in that interview that half of his manuscript was cut to make the book. It’s clear there’s more dirt to dish. Like he never mentioned why William was so mad in April, 2019 when Camilla was trading stories about him to the press.

The coronation is coming up in May, coincidentally on Archie’s birthday. Harry wants accountability and an apology. The Sunday Times claims that Charles is willing to talk to Harry before the coronation but The Daily Beast says Charles won’t talk to Harry. We’ve heard that Charles and William haven’t texted or called Harry and that Anne and Edward don’t want Harry at the coronation. We’re also hearing that Charles wants Prime Minister Rishi Sunak to be the one to ban Harry from the coronation.

Comments of the Week: Minutes 36:00 to 43
My comment of the week is from Snuffles on Peridot’s story about buccal fat removal.

Chandra’s comment of the week is from susan on the post about Brad Pitt selling his mansion.

Thanks for listening bitches!

Over the weekend, Buckingham Palace was desperate for a “reset” following the success of Prince Harry’s Spare, so they announced the itinerary for the three-day coronation-fest in May. We need to come up with a punchy nickname for this too, like we did with “Jubbly” and “Jubbly Shambles.” Until we come up with it, we have to call it the Coronation Weekend, a three-day extravaganza for King Charles III. The itinerary: on Saturday, May 6, the actual coronation at Westminster Abbey. On Sunday (May 7th), there will be two big events: the Coronation Big Lunch and the Coronation Concert at Windsor Castle, which will include “the Coronation Choir, made up of amateur singers and members of Refugee choirs, NHS choirs, LGBTQ+ singing groups and deaf signing choirs across the U.K.” There will also be a drone show called Lighting Up the Nation. The Coronation Big Lunch is KC3 telling the nation to have lunch with their neighbors and make it into a street party. Then on Monday, May 8, is a day of service called The Big Help Out.

I honestly didn’t know that they were going to do the coronation Jubbly-style, like it would be a multi-day affair with a concert and sh-t. Charles really is following the model of his mother’s Platinum Jubbly though, down to preemptively “banning” the Duke and Duchess of Sussex from the Buckingham Palace balcony. The Windsors and the British media made a huge deal about the “balcony ban” last year, even though Harry and Meghan only decided to come to the Jubbly when they were personally invited by QEII. The Windsors made a special effort to “punish” them with the balcony ban, and it looks like the balcony will stay All White for the coronation. That’s the signal the Windsors want to send, this is their own PR, this is BP briefing the media:

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex and the Duke of York are ‘unlikely’ to join the King and Queen Consort on the balcony during the Coronation, The Mail on Sunday understands. Last night Buckingham Palace confirmed that the newly crowned King and Queen will appear at Buckingham Palace after the ceremony in May.

As with the late Queen’s Platinum Jubilee last year, the line-up of Royals alongside them will be restricted to working members of the family. That will exclude Prince Harry, Meghan and Prince Andrew, who no longer carry out official duties. Prince Andrew stepped down from his official role after allegations of sexual abuse in November 2019. He has always denied the accusations.

There is no indication from Buckingham Palace that Harry and Meghan would be barred from attending the event on May 6, which falls on the fourth birthday of their son Archie. Yet even if the couple do attend, a senior Royal insider said that it would be ‘unlikely’ that they would be included in major public appearances, including the balcony moment.

[From The Daily Mail]

Again, Prince Harry has said clearly and repeatedly that he has not confirmed his attendance at the coronation, and that his attendance is contingent upon a sit-down with his father and an apology to him and his wife. Instead of dealing with Harry’s very public terms, Buckingham Palace is now briefing the British media about how Harry and his Black wife won’t be allowed on the palace balcony. It says a lot about how Charles wants to start his reign. Then again, Charles’s first act as king was briefing the media about how he called Harry and banned Meghan from Balmoral. So this shouldn’t come as a surprise.

Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Instar.

Selena Gomez and The Chainsmokers’ Drew Taggart are still bopping around NYC and now they’re holding hands for the paps. We just found out last week that they were dating and they went bowling and Selena is super into him and can’t keep her Hands to [Her]self. (All her song titles work so well with this developing relationship.) And now we got to see that in action. The pair went on a Saturday night dinner date in SoHo. Selena wore all black and Drew wore leather butterfly printed patches on the knees of his jeans.

Date night! Selena Gomez and Andrew “Drew” Taggart were spotted enjoying dinner in New York City on Saturday, January 21.

The pair stopped at Torrisi Bar & Restaurant in Soho. The new couple were spotted holding hands in photos obtained by Us Weekly.

The night on the town marks their second date in one week. The Rare Beauty singer, 30, and the Chainsmokers musician, 33, were seen enjoying a bowling date at The Gutter in New York City on Tuesday, January 17. Gomez and Taggart kept the outing casual, with Gomez rocking a black sweatsuit while the DJ donned a long-sleeve green shirt and dark pants.

Us exclusively confirmed their budding romance earlier this month. The two are “very casual and low-key,” a source told Us on January 16, explaining that the Only Murders in the Building star and her new beau “go bowling and to the movies” when spending time together. “They aren’t trying to hide their romance by sneaking around at members only clubs,” the insider explained.

“They are so affectionate and having a lot of fun together,” the source added. “Selena can hardly keep her hands off him.

Taggart’s new relationship with Gomez comes four months after Us exclusively confirmed that the EDM artist was dating Steve Jobs’ youngest daughter, Eve Jobs.

The model, 24, and Taggart’s romance was a “casual summer fling,” a source exclusively told Us in September 2022. Their spark fizzled out before the DJ began seeing the Wizards of Waverly Place alum. Taggart and Eve’s breakup was “totally amicable,” the source told Us, adding that the exes are “friends” who are both “very mature and cool about going [their] separate ways.”

Prior to his romances with Gomez and Eve, Taggart was linked to Meredith Mickelson and Haley Rowe. In March 2021, Us confirmed his split from DJ Chantel Jeffries after one year of dating.

[From US Weekly]

I remain grossed out by this pairing because this dude gives me the ick. He just looks kind of ungroomed and unwashed. He and I are the same age and he just seems so much younger. Dude, that’s your date night outfit?! If someone showed up for a date wearing that, I would not go. But that’s me and I guess Selena likes it and they must have some stuff in common. They both have small, delicate faces. Anyway, between the bowling date and the Saturday night date night, Selena posted and deleted something saying she was single: “However, Gomez appeared to respond to the rumors that the two are linked by posting a black-and-white image on Thursday in a since-deleted Instagram Story (captured by Pop Base) with the caption, ‘I like being alone too much.’ She also added the hashtag “#iamsingle” at the bottom.” So are they just dating casually? Why post that and delete it? It seems rather childish and I kind of just think Selena has the worst taste in men. It just doesn’t align with the more mature, mental health-oriented image that she and her team have been building over the past few years. This is just all Selena, just like those ill-advised clapbacks that slip out on social media periodically. Maybe it was better when it was people that she dated that we didn’t know about.

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Lisa Marie Presley was buried at Graceland, close to her son Benjamin Keough and her father Elvis Presley. Many people came out for the memorial service in Memphis, including Sarah Ferguson, Austin Butler, Kaia Gerber, Baz Luhrmann and more. Riley Keough, Lisa Marie’s oldest living child, was there with her Australian husband Ben Smith-Petersen. They were married in 2014, but it was all pretty quiet. Ben spoke at his mother-in-law’s service and he revealed that he and Riley had welcomed a daughter last year. Lisa Marie was a grandmother.

Riley Keough is a mom. During a memorial service for Lisa Marie Presley at Graceland in Memphis, Tennessee, on Sunday morning, the actress’ husband, Ben Smith-Petersen, revealed that the pair are parents to a daughter while sharing a tribute on behalf of his wife, who was seated in the front row.

“I hope I can love my daughter the way you loved me, the way you loved my brother and my sisters. Thank you for giving me strength, my heart, my empathy, my courage, my sense of humor, my manners, my temper, my wildness, my tenacity. I’m a product of your heart, my sisters are a product of your heart, my brother is a product of your heart,” said Smith-Petersen of his mother-in-law, reading the words of his wife.

Smith-Petersen, who married 33-year-old Keough eight years ago, did not elaborate further on any details, including specifics on when their daughter was born or her name. A rep for Keough confirmed to PEOPLE that the couple welcomed a baby girl in 2022.

Keough, who is the daughter of the late Presley and musician Danny Keough — met Smith-Petersen while filming Mad Max: Fury Road in 2012. The two were briefly introduced on set but didn’t start dating until a year later while doing re-shoots in Australia.

[From People]

I’m so gutted for Riley. She seems like such a low-key, no-drama person. She didn’t even announce her pregnancy or the birth last year. She lost her brother in 2020 and now her mother. I hope Ben and their friends are supporting her and surrounding her right now. I also wonder if she’s going to get involved in the custodial dispute over her half-sisters, Finley and Harper.

Photos courtesy of Avalon Red.

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Last week was bittersweet for Fall Out Boy fans. Nearly five years to the day of their last studio album release, the band dropped a new single and announced their next album, So Much (For) Stardust, after weeks of hints on social media. This was exciting news for the die-hards, but they definitely decided to give us the good news first. Later that same day, guitarist Joe Trohman released a statement that he would be taking a break from the band. He’s burned out and prioritizing his mental health.

Joe Trohman is prioritizing his mental health.

On Wednesday, the Fall Out Boy co-founder and guitarist told fans he would be taking a break from the group.

“Neil Young once howled that it’s better to burn out than to fade away,” Trohman began in a statement shared on the group’s official Twitter page. “But I can tell you unequivocally that burning out is dreadful.”

He added, “Without divulging all the details, I must disclose that my mental health has rapidly deteriorated over the past several years. So, to avoid fading away and never returning, I will be taking a break from work which regrettably includes stepping away from Fall Out Boy for a spell.”

Hours before his message, Fall Out Boy announced that they would be releasing a new album, So Much (For) Stardust, under Fueled by Ramen, a subsidiary of Elektra Music Group. The March 24 release marks the band’s first studio album since 2018.

Referencing the highly-anticipated project, Trohman said in Wednesday’s statement, “It pains me to make this decision, especially when we are releasing a new album that fills me with great pride (the sin I’m most proud of).”

He then reassured fans that his departure is temporary and that he will be back.

“So, the question remains: Will I return to the fold? Absolutely, one-hundred percent. In the meantime, I must recover which means putting myself and my mental health first. Thank you to everyone including my bandmates and family, for understanding and respecting this difficult, but necessary, decision.”

He concluded, “Smell you sooner than later, Joe Trohman”

[From People]

Aw, Joe. I saw him in the Union Square Walgreens once 15 years ago because I’ve been a fan that long. I guess this was why he wasn’t in the video for the new single, “Love From the Other Side.” Joe also has the support of his bandmates, with lead singer Patrick Stump saying as much in an interview:

Stump told NME that he’s “really proud” of the guitarist and FOB co-founder.

“It was his decision to [put out that statement] and I’m really proud of him,” Stump, 38, said. “It’s really brave [to be so open]. I’m so impressed with the way he’s able to just share, because I’m a very reserved person. I admire him.”

In an interview surrounding FOB’s new single “Love From the Other Side” and upcoming LP So Much (For) Stardust, Stump explained that despite his temporary break from the band, Trohman is featured “hugely” on the March release.

“He’s 100% in the band and on that record,” Stump shared. “He has this work ethic where he really has to be there, but he called us up and said that his doctor told him he needed a break. We told him, ‘Take the break, your seat’s warm, you’re not any less a part of it.’ He’s all over the record. It’s as much his as it is any of ours.”

So that answers my question about how long they were sitting on this and whether he was on the album. The band performed on Jimmy Kimmel the other night with just the remaining three members and it would be nice if they keep it that way for touring, etc, since Joe did say “for a spell” and that he would “absolutely, one-hundred percent” be back. And I totally believe him because FOB is pretty honest with their fans and sticks to their word about that stuff. In 2009, they said they were taking an “indefinite hiatus,” released a greatest hits album, and started working on separate projects, which many took to mean they were slow-rolling a break-up. But they reconvened in 2013 so it really was a hiatus. So Joe will be back! The timing of this news was surprising, but the fact of it wasn’t. Joe released a memoir in the fall called None of this Rocks, in which he described his early familial and mental health struggles over the years. And I can think of a couple of points throughout FOB history where he’d talked about being unhappy and they made some visible changes. Hopefully Joe can get what he needs from this break and come back to the band when he’s ready. All the fans will be missing him and wishing him the best.

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Last Thursday, a New Mexico district attorney announced that they would bring criminal charges against Alec Baldwin and Hannah Gutierrez-Reed for the involuntary manslaughter of Halyna Hutchins, the cinematographer on Rust. The charges were somewhat of a surprise, especially given that many believe that Hutchins’s death was a tragic accident, or failing that, criminal negligence solely on the part of Gutierrez-Reed, who was the armorer on the production. If this goes to trial (meaning, if Alec doesn’t take a plea or the charges somehow go away), it’s going to be a huge circus and a very expensive legal exercise for Alec. The last f–king thing he needs his baby-collecting wife making everything about HER.

Well, on Friday, Hilaria Baldwin stepped out in New York. She wore pleather leggings and a sweatshirt reading “EMPATHY.” The paparazzi were out and of course Hilaria had to stop and speak them. Keep in mind, this woman is from Boston. She visited Spain a few times in her childhood. She grew up in Boston, she went to college in America, and as an adult, she’s taken some vacations in Spain. She has lied for years about being “from Spain.” Check out her accent in this video:

No but I f–king lost it when she said “ven aquí!” And she’s trying to pronounce her words with a fake Mexican accent, if my ear is correct – that’s not a Spanish accent she’s trying to fake. Hilaria is, how you say, procedente de Tijuana by way of Boston. And the whole calling the paparazzi over to the side of the building so she can give a press conference to say that she won’t be giving press conferences… dios mio, nuez como un pastel de frutas. And using her seven children! MY GOD.

Whatever you think of her husband, you have to admire Hilaria Baldwin. The stress this woman is under right now, and yet she still maintains the accent https://t.co/2fe716aHKA

— jimtreacher.substack.com (@jtLOL) January 21, 2023

Photos courtesy of Backgrid.