Minnie Driver lived and worked in America for nearly three decades. Many British celebrities view America as a place to work but disparage as a place with inferior culture compared to Britain. But Minnie loved her life in California, living in a fancy trailer in Malibu and raising her son Henry. Nowadays, she splits her time between California and the UK, because Henry goes to school over there. But she has nice things to say about America – and awful things to say about Donald Trump – in an interview with the Times of London. Some highlights:

Her “Cinderella moment” while promoting ‘Circle of Friends’ in America. Landing in the US having lost the weight again, she was treated to the full Hollywood glam-over. “They came at my hair and blow-dried it straight. And they got me a good bra and the right size jeans. And suddenly I was sleek. Suddenly, I was revealed to myself as being a girl who was pretty, and it was so exciting.”

Being 54 years old: “I’d much rather have my face when I was 25. But I certainly wouldn’t want to have to go through all that sh-t again, of all the other attendant stuff that was coming down the pipe.”

She’s back to living in London after 27 years in Los Angeles. “I will always be between both places, but my son’s at school here, so if I’m not working, I’m wherever he is.”

She stopped making movies when she became a mother: “It’s why I stopped making movies, really consciously. I called my agent and went, ‘OK, I’m having a baby and I would really like you to go and look for a show that’s called Shoots in Los Angeles and will pay me a regular wage. I couldn’t be travelling. I couldn’t be taking a tiny baby to Romania — and I didn’t want to. As a single mum, I didn’t want him to have that uncertainty. I wanted him to have school and football and mates and tea and his own bed and our house.”

She was happy to find work in America: “In America there was just this idea of, ‘Whatever you want to do, try it. Do it. Throw everything you have at it and see what happens.’ There is this idea that you’re allowed to renew and to change course; you’re allowed to pivot. I can be a writer, I can be a musician, I can be a mother, I can be an actor — you don’t have to be just one thing. In England, I felt I was punished for wanting more. I was punished for being ambitious. The British press think it’s greedy for me to want to be more.”

Whether she believes things really changed with #MeToo: “Yes, I do. But not because of some kind of systemic epiphany that men had. Rather, because they know that there’s accountability now. There are actually mechanisms in place [which mean] that kind of behaviour can’t be hidden. And I think #MeToo put a dent in it, but I just don’t know whether that power dynamic is ever really going to be redressed. Revolutions are bloody. People want to maintain the status quo for as long as they possibly can until they absolutely can’t and then, kicking and screaming, people will change.”

Another big change for the industry: “I watched Challengers the other night and what I loved most was seeing that Zendaya was a producer. Not an executive producer — a producer.” She namechecks Margot Robbie, the creative force behind Barbie. “They’re like, ‘I’m part of this creation, I am making this happen.’ And I think maybe that is how it changes. We all should have been doing that back in the Nineties. When I think about the work that I did on scripts, the fixing things, the making stuff better, absolutely uncredited. I made so many of the roles that I was in through improv, through rewriting, through ideas that were all then completely uncredited. So what’s great is that these girls are now getting credit for it.”

She is British but: “I identify as a Californian.” Driver is more anxious than jubilant [about Trump’s felony conviction]. “He’s going to say that the whole thing is like the election, that it’s corrupt. Of course he deserves to be in prison — of course he does. But just looking at how much money he raised in that two days, $53 million in a 48-hour period, and the idea that because the founding fathers — if there had been some mothers involved perhaps it would be different — left no room in the constitution for the idea that the American people could be so stupid as to vote for a felon, there is nothing reflected in the judiciary about what would happen if he wins. It’s a pickle when you’ve got the Secret Service already scoping out prisons, going, ‘What would this look like?’ ”

Whether she would live in America again if Trump was reelected: “If I lived in a red [Republican] state, no, I couldn’t. But living in California, you are somewhat insulated. But do you want to go and live in a bubble? Do you run away from the fire or do you go back and help?” It’s not just Trump himself, she says, but “the revelation of the 70 million people who really quite like a bit of a racist attitude and non-existent immigration policies and dismantling the environmental agencies. And they were always there; they weren’t created by him. He’s just a symptom, and now they’ve got a mascot.”.

[From The Times]

Yeah, her assessment of Trump and the MAGA cult is dead on. Trump IS a symptom. The thing is, while I think the cult is a fundamental crack in America’s foundations, I also feel like it’s an underreported story – especially by the American media – that the cult seems to be less enthusiastic these days. The same energy isn’t there. Minnie’s right about being insulated from everything in California too, and she’s right about how the industry has changed.

Photos courtesy of Avalon Red.

I will watch the crap out of Netflix’s documentary on Martha Stewart. [Just Jared]
Variety released their “best horror films of all time” list. Texas Chainsaw Massacre is #1, agree or disagree? Eh. [OMG Blog]
Rest in peace, Ethel Kennedy. [Hollywood Life]
Sarah Jessica Parker & Andy Cohen went to the NYC Ballet gala. [Socialite Life]
Andrew Garfield embraces his pain & vulnerability. [LaineyGossip]
Review of Anatomy of Lies. [Pajiba]
Monique Lhuillier’s latest bridal collection. [Go Fug Yourself]
Selena Gomez wore Schiaparelli to a photocall. [RCFA]
George Lopez is staging a comeback! [Seriously OMG]
How are we on nine seasons of Love After Lockup? [Starcasm]
A backlash to Nobody Wants This. [Buzzfeed]

On Thursday, the Princess of Wales did her first public event in months, since she attended the Wimbledon men’s final in July. She had been seen in careful photo-ops in those three months, of course – there were the photo-ops to church at Balmoral, there was last week’s meeting at Windsor Castle with a 17-year-old girl with cancer, and of course, there was idiotic sepia-toned “cancer-free” video she released in September. But Kate and Prince William’s event in Southport on Thursday was their first public event together since Trooping the Colour in June. It’s a pretty big deal.

Some details about her outfit – Kate wore a polka-dotted dress from Whistles and a McQueen peacoat, both of which look newish to me? The Telegraph dutifully announced that shades of burgundy & merlot are the hottest autumnal colors this year. Naturally. Tatler made a big deal about her fern earrings from Catherine Zoraida – those are a repeat, but according to Tatler, “ferns represent the importance of family bonds and signify hope for the next generation. They are also said to symbolise endurance, with many cultures viewing the unfurling of the plant’s fronds as the natural embodiment of resilience through hardships.” Some people are doing entirely too much to give Kate credit for her symbolism. This is the woman who cosplays national flags. She’s not researching the meaning of ferns. Kate was also notably not wearing her sapphire-and-diamond engagement ring. Again. That ring has been disappearing a lot lately – she wasn’t wearing it in the cancer-free video, nor in the Olympics video.

Most people were not expecting to see Kate this week, as I said yesterday. Most of us thought that she would only come out for some Remembrance events in November. Gee, I wonder why she made a point of going to Southport this week? Especially when the British media was on Day 5 of their aggressively bitter coverage of “Meghan wore a red dress to a charity gala.” It’s almost like that’s why Kate decided to come outside! Speaking of, the Daily Beast’s coverage made note of something curious: “Some media outlets including the Daily Telegraph said that Kate had chosen to join her husband ‘at the last minute’ but an official source at Kensington Palace told the Daily Beast that was not an accurate characterization of matters.” Meaning, what? Kate saw the pics of Meghan on Sunday and decided that she just had to go outside, therefore it wasn’t a last-minute decision?

Will & Kate also did a tweet.

We continue to stand with everyone in Southport. Meeting the community today has been a powerful reminder of the importance of supporting one another in the wake of unimaginable tragedy. You will remain in our thoughts and prayers. W & C pic.twitter.com/CP2DXJaqW2

— The Prince and Princess of Wales (@KensingtonRoyal) October 10, 2024

Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Cover Images.

Kamala Harris’s presidential campaign crossed the $1 billion threshold this week in donations raised. She’s only been the candidate since July 21!! The Harris-Walz campaign is so flush with cash, they’re spreading out their money to all 50 states, trying to help out Democratic candidates everywhere, from Senate races to House races to state and local elections. The Harris-Walz campaign strategy isn’t just “pushing hard in five swing states” either – they’re actively looking to appeal to rural voters, white working class, the tricky youth voters and former Republicans across the board. You know who else did that? The Big Dog himself, President Bill Clinton. Now the Harris-Walz campaign is letting the Big Dog loose. Bubba’s got big plans in Georgia and North Carolina. Pennsylvania Democrats are dying for Bubba to come up there too.

Former President Bill Clinton will hit the trail this weekend to begin what is expected to be a very targeted push across battleground states through Election Day, three sources familiar with his plans told CNN. The former president will seek to appeal to rural voters, among whom polls have shown Vice President Kamala Harris is performing worse than some of the last few Democratic nominees, particularly among younger Black men. Former President Barack Obama is also hitting the trail, beginning Thursday night in Pittsburgh.

Clinton will start with stops in Georgia on Sunday and Monday, with a bus tour next week in North Carolina expected to follow, pending recovery from the hurricanes. The emphasis is on counties won by former President Donald Trump. But it’s also on Clinton voters, hoping there are enough left from when he was the last Democratic presidential nominee before Biden to win Georgia in 1992 and that he can reconnect them to a coalition they’ve been steadily dropping out of over the last decade.

Clinton won’t appear at rallies. Going back to a kind of campaigning that he hasn’t done since before he became the “Comeback Kid” in the 1992 New Hampshire primary, Clinton’s schedule is for local fairs and porch rallies, talking to at most a few hundred people at a time.

He will talk about the economy, convinced that this is the issue that the election will come down to for the voters on the fence. He will pick up themes from his Democratic National Convention speech this summer about how Trump is only out for Trump, and how he himself has been out of office for more than 20 years and is still younger than the Republican nominee. He will eat fried foods (maybe even briefly breaking the vegan diet he’s famously kept to since heart surgery).

“He’s the perfect messenger to make the case that Kamala Harris would fix inflation and finish getting the economy back on track,” one person who’s spoken with the former president about his plans told CNN on Thursday. “So he’s saddling up, returning to his roots and meeting people where they are to ask for their help electing her.”

Clinton was one of the first five calls Harris made in July after President Joe Biden dropped out of the race, a person with knowledge of the conversation told CNN. She asked for his support and he immediately offered it, and their aides have been working out campaigning details ever since.

“He’s an authority on economics and bread and butter issues and the longest peacetime economic expansion in American history,” said Calvin Smyre, a former Georgia state representative who talked to CNN about his warm memories of watching Clinton campaign in the state in 1992. “He has a knack of reaching people.”

[From CNN]

The Clintons have been total champs this entire election cycle. When everyone was freaking out over Joe Biden’s debate performance, the Clintons were the ones working behind the scenes, trying to soothe nervous donors and party faithful. Hillary and Bill endorsed Kamala Harris within hours of Biden withdrawing from the race. And now they’re sending Bubba to Georgia? And they’re making him do small-batch events too, which is an interesting strategy. I would assume that Obama will be used for the rallies and power-house GOTV speeches. Clinton can do that too, but Clinton has always been amazing in smaller groups, where he can really work a room and make sure every single person gets a handshake, a chuckle and a smile.

I remember hearing a wonderful story about Clinton… it was probably during the 2012 election, when the Obama campaign sent Clinton to headline some fundraisers out west somewhere. Clinton worked the room of big-money donors and had them all eating out of his hand, every donor got a handshake and a private joke with the Big Dog. Then, after he worked the room, Clinton went around and shook the hand of every waiter and waitress, then he went into the kitchen and made sure each and every one of the blue-collar workers got a handshake and a smile too. All of which to say, sending Bubba to some fairs in Georgia will probably have a huge effect on the race.

Photos courtesy of Avalon Red.

When Prince Harry’s relationship with then-Meghan Markle was “outed” in the British media in late October 2016, tabloid reporters and paparazzi descended upon Toronto, where Meghan was filming Suits. The situation got so dangerous for Meghan, NBC (which produced Suits) hired private bodyguards for Meghan so that she could simply leave her house and go to work. Meghan went from mildly famous on a cable drama to internationally famous (for dating one of the most eligible bachelors in the world) in the space of a couple of days. She was also not getting any help from the palace, and I believe the palace had already begun throwing her to the wolves, even then, in those early days. Well, now one of her bodyguards during that time has given an interview. Steve Davies is actually pushing back on the revival of the “Meghan bullied palace staffers” storyline. Davies says, actually, Meghan’s great and she’s a really nice person who went through a really tough time.

In an exclusive interview with In Touch, Meghan’s former bodyguard Steve Davies is telling all about what it was like for him to work for the duchess. “She gets a bad rap for being a not very good person to work with, that she was this evil person in the royal family,” Steve, who had an intimate, firsthand perspective on Meghan as she transitioned from relative obscurity as a B-list actress to the unforgiving worldwide spotlight, exclusively tells In Touch. “I saw her, from working at the studio to working with charities to working with dog walkers and cleaners. There’s one huge lesson I learned from her: It’s give respect to get respect.”

When they first met in 2018, Meghan’s life had essentially changed overnight. “I felt sorry [for her] because she’d gone from being a celebrity to being a member of the biggest family in the world,” says the bodyguard, who was hired by NBC to watch over the Suits star, 43, in Toronto. “It was stressful for her — all the publicity.”

The constant surveillance [in 2016 & 2017] took a toll, Steve says. “She was paranoid. We had people following us around everywhere we went. We had problems with drones, vehicles chasing us. It was a nightmare.” Everything she’d taken for granted about her old life disappeared. “After a couple of weeks of working with her, I said, ‘What do you really want to do?’ She said, ‘I’d love to be able to go and shop in a grocery store.’ The previous security team wouldn’t let her do that. So I pushed the cart around the grocery store, and she was putting stuff in it. She really enjoyed that.”

From the moment she began dating Harry, 40, photographers have “followed [her] around, jumping traffic lights, trying to get alongside the vehicle,” says Steve, a former British special forces soldier who is now managing partner of Focus One Group in Toronto. These “dangerous” situations — similar to those that Harry and Meghan reported during a May 2023 trip to New York City — were common, he says. If Meghan had stayed in London, he feared that “what happened to Princess Diana in Paris might have happened to her.”

The situation deteriorated so much, Meghan has admitted she suffered from suicidal ideations. “She loves Harry, she loves the children, but it can cause a lot of depression [when] you’re scared to open a paper to see what people are saying about you,” notes Steve, adding that it didn’t help that “Buckingham Palace was controlling the PR and Meghan was always used to being able to control the PR herself with her team.”

It was around this time that employees started complaining. “The staff at Buckingham Palace [said they] couldn’t stand working for her,” Steve says. But back in Toronto, aides had seen a different side of Meghan. “Nobody had a bad word to say about her. Even with the pressure that she was under, she was warm and considerate all the time,” he insists, adding that what might surprise people most is “how friendly she is and what a big heart she has. She’s great to her fans, and she would go out of her way to help people. That’s what hurts me — that people believe [otherwise].”

And that’s why he’s speaking out now. Though he no longer works for her, Steve considers Meghan a friend. “My wife and I got invited to the wedding, that’s how close we became,” he says, adding that they exchange emails on birthdays and holidays. “I would work with her again, not a problem at all. She was a good person to work for, and she still is a good person.”

[From In Touch Weekly]

It’s sort of amazing how the Us Weekly cover story several weeks ago actually did the job. While there was tons of grumbling about it from the usual suspects, the fact is that it’s really tough to say that people should believe unnamed sources with unspecific grievances rather than Archewell staffers (current and former) going on the record about how Meghan and Harry are great bosses. This guy, Steve Davies, is literally just saying what everyone else has said about Meghan outside of the UK – that she was always lovely, even when her life changed so dramatically and she was under so much pressure. The longer this British character assassination campaign goes on, the more I want to know the specific examples people have cited for Meghan’s supposed bad behavior. I think that’s why we never get specifics too – because at some level, the media or the palace know that if those “bullied staffers” actually told their stories, people would laugh and say “are you kidding me, you had a nervous breakdown over an email from Meghan?”

Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Pacific Coast News.

Frenchies will probably disagree with me, but Emmanuel Macron is still riding high internationally for the spectacular Paris Olympics. While there were some weird moments – the entire opening ceremony, the food complaints in the Olympic Village – the Olympics were a buffet of amazing international press for France and President Macron. Paris has re-established itself as the cultural capital of the world during Macron’s tenure, and the Olympics solidified that in a breathtakingly beautiful way. So it seems right that Macron is giving interviews to Variety about culture, filmmaking and TV. He’s apparently a huge fan of Emily In Paris – his wife made a funny cameo in Season 4 – and he has a lot of opinions about AI, French auteurs and forcing streamers to invest in local productions. You can read the full Variety cover story here (it’s super interesting), and here are some highlights:

His favorite memory from the Paris Olympics: “I’m hesitating between [swimmer] Léon Marchand, when he won his two gold medals in two hours on the same day. It was incredible. He wasn’t the favorite. And in judo as well, when we got the gold medal for the team after this incredible finale with Japan with Teddy Riner.

When Celine Dion sang at the opening ceremony: “I did [get emotional]! I think everybody was emotional at this very moment. Obviously, I knew that it was Celine Dion, but it was a surprise. You could feel the surprise in the audience when she appeared — all the lights, this moment of celebration, Celine Dion, appearing suddenly by the Eiffel Tower, as well as the song itself [Edith Piaf ’s “Hymne à l’Amour”], created a huge emotion.

The financial & tourism boost from the Olympics: “Our country managed to welcome the world in perfect security conditions, sharing our culture, heritage and art of living, along with our festive spirit. We’ve been able to do so with the boldness that characterizes us. It’s the best image we could project of our country. In Paris, we welcomed 1.7 million tourists during the first week of the Olympics, with very good prospects until the end of the summer for international visitors. Overall, the beautiful images of Paris and France during the Olympic Games will undoubtedly have a very positive impact in the short and medium term.

Advice for Los Angeles ahead of the 2028 games: “Oscar Wilde said something like, “Don’t try to be someone else. It’s already taken.” We did something unique because we wanted to make something unique. So do your own Olympic Games. Don’t try to copy anything. Be creative. Be in line with your identity, your history, even your paradoxes. Be yourself.

His wife Brigitte’s cameo in the fourth season of “Emily in Paris”: “I was super proud, and she was very happy to do it. It’s just a few minutes, but I think it was a very good moment for her. I think it’s good for the image of France. “Emily in Paris” is super positive in terms of attractiveness for the country. For my own business, it’s a very good initiative.

On the possibility that ‘Emily In Paris’ would go to Rome: “We will fight hard. And we will ask them to remain in Paris! “Emily in Paris“ in Rome doesn‘t make sense.”

On Taylor Swift’s Eras tour in Paris: “It’s very impressive! She’s one of the few artists who are able to gather so many people. Happily, the concerts in Paris went well. It was before the terrorist concerns, and she had some concerts canceled in other parts of the continent. For French people, for all generations and for the economy in the cities where she appeared, it was absolutely unique. This is a phenomenon.

There’s a deepfake of Macron & Taylor: “I haven’t seen that one, but I saw one this summer where I was made to look like I was kissing one of our male security officers. Millions of people have seen it. Which isn’t a bad thing in itself, but it’s not the reality. We can do all sorts of things with AI, but for people who are vulnerable, it can plunge them into depression. It can be a form of harassment. It destabilizes people, and it can disinform, which can upset our democracies. This is something that needs to be regulated.

Whether he was surprised that Joe Biden stepped out of the presidential race: “I was surprised. I think it was a personal choice, but I have a lot of respect because it’s always a very difficult choice. I do respect him and what he decided because he did it for the country.

Is the U.S. ready to elect its first female president? “The U.S. is a great democracy, so they are ready to be innovative and move forward. I have to say, it’s not super innovative to elect a woman. They are half of humanity and half of the country. Same on our side. So yes, of course!

[From Variety]

The thing about the LA Olympics is that everyone in California gulped hard when they saw the spectacular way Paris pulled it off. Paris delivered a modern, welcoming, post-pandemic Olympics which will be the gold standard for years to come. I’m not going to say LA will be a disaster, but LA is going to be staging sh-t in goddamn parking lots and calling it LA culture. The fact that he loves Emily in Paris is so funny – it’s the silliest, dumbest show, but it really does highlight the beauty of Paris. That’s why the whole Rome storyline felt so interesting. Anyway, Team Marcello! Get some Italian D, girl. I hope Emily lives in Rome for a few seasons.

Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, cover courtesy of Variety.

Former President Barack Obama waited until now to join the campaign trail for Harris-Walz. If I remember correctly, Obama also waited until pretty late in the campaign in 2020. He’s arguably the most high-profile and popular Democratic surrogate, and he feels like he should be the late-stage surrogate, the one making the final appeal, the final case for Democrats. Last night, Obama went to Pittsburgh for his biggest speech since the DNC. He was there with Pennsylvania’s Gov. Shapiro and Sen. Bob Casey (who is apparently in a dogfight reelection campaign). Pennsylvania is a major piece of the Electoral College for VP Harris and Donald Trump. Hillary Clinton lost Pennsylvania – Joe Biden won the state because of voters in Philadelphia, Scranton and Pittsburgh and the suburbs. I watched Obama’s whole speech (it was covered live on MSNBC) and I thought it was impassioned and emotional – Obama is f–king angry at Trump and he’s pissed off that so many people are still buying Trump’s horses-t.

I like that he riffed off-script a few times – talking about his surprise at how much diapers cost when Malia was a baby, then asking if anyone thinks Trump has changed a diaper and someone shouted something about Trump wearing diapers. Obama also said Trump inherited the Obama economy (true) and then destroyed it. Before this speech, Obama also stopped in a Harris-Walz field office in Pittsburgh and made a direct appeal to Black men:

Obama said he wanted to “speak some truths” and address Black men specifically, making his most direct remarks about their hesitancy in supporting Harris to date.

“My understanding, based on reports I’m getting from campaigns and communities, is that we have not yet seen the same kinds of energy and turnout in all quarters of our neighborhoods and communities as we saw when I was running,” Obama said, adding that it “seems to be more pronounced with the brothers.”

Obama questioned how voters, and Black voters specifically, could be on the fence about whether to support Harris or former president Donald Trump, the Republican nominee.

“On the one hand, you have somebody who grew up like you, knows you, went to college with you, understands the struggles and pain and joy that comes from those experiences,” Obama said, ticking off a list of Harris’s policy proposals. In Trump, he added, “you have someone who has consistently shown disregard, not just for the communities, but for you as a person … And you are thinking about sitting out?”

The former president then spoke about what he thought might be contributing to Black men’s soft support of Harris: the discomfort of some with the idea of electing the first female president.

“And you’re coming up with all kinds of reasons and excuses, I’ve got a problem with that,” he said. “Because part of it makes me think — and I’m speaking to men directly — part of it makes me think that, well, you just aren’t feeling the idea of having a woman as president, and you’re coming up with other alternatives and other reasons for that.”

The “women in our lives have been getting our backs this entire time,” Obama said. “When we get in trouble and the system isn’t working for us, they’re the ones out there marching and protesting. And now, you’re thinking about sitting out or supporting somebody who has a history of denigrating you, because you think that’s a sign of strength, because that’s what being a man is? Putting women down? That’s not acceptable.”

[From WaPo]

He went on to echo similar sentiments in his rally speech, speaking about what real masculinity is, not the whiny, petulant, self-centered, entirely fake and entirely toxic bravado Trump employs.

Photos courtesy of Cover Images.

Embed from Getty Images

Day 6 of the British media’s howling tantrum about the Duchess of Sussex attending the LA Children’s Hospital gala last Saturday. I skipped Day 5’s coverage because all the Mail could summon was Amanda Platell squealing about how Meghan shouldn’t “emasculate” her husband by being smart, beautiful and sexy in a red dress. Too late!! Poor emasculated Harry, so terribly in love with his hot, sexy, intelligent wife. Well, the latest is Richard Eden’s new column, in which he laments how terrible it was for Meghan to not be treated like a “working royal” at a… hospital gala in LA?

One of the most awkward and revealing episodes since the Duke and Duchess of Sussex quit royal duties in 2020 to ‘find freedom’ – and a fortune – came on a red carpet in Los Angeles almost a year ago. Unaccompanied by Prince Harry, Meghan couldn’t have looked less regal as she walked down the carpet at the Power Of Women event and waited to be interviewed by a reporter for Variety magazine, like [any other] celebrity. King Charles’s daughter-in-law posed for photographers like the wannabe starlet she once was. And, in the most undignified moment of all, was then rushed along impatiently by another guest.

Last weekend, Meghan was alone again, on another red carpet in her home city, competing for attention with some of those guests at the LA Children’s Hospital Gala. This time, however, she had to suffer further mortification, with fellow guests feeling free to voice their criticism of her. ‘There wasn’t a great deal of warmth from people when she arrived,’ Lizzie Cundy, a British socialite and television presenter, later told me. ‘She wasn’t there long – she seemed to be there for the photographs.’

When Meghan was still a working royal she would never have been subjected to such a reception or criticism. Having been appointed patron of the National Theatre by the late Queen Elizabeth, in a move designed to make the former actress feel welcome in Britain, Meghan would be guest of honour at stage events. She would enter a theatre after others had taken their seats and distinguished individuals would line up to meet her afterwards.

And while the duchess was receiving this allegedly chilly reception in LA, her husband was treated as warmly as ever at an awards ceremony for WellChild, one of the few charity patronages he was able to cling onto after leaving Britain. He remained patron of WellChild because it wasn’t a royal patronage handed out by the Monarch.

An old friend of Harry’s I spoke to this week said Meghan’s solo outing in LA emphasises how much they have lost by abandoning royal life. ‘Imagine the difference if they were still working royals,’ the friend said. ‘They would be the centre of attention wherever they went. They would be patrons of organisations and charities, not just guests turning up. I think Harry’s work over recent weeks with WellChild and Sentebale [the charity he helped set up in 2006 for African orphans, including those living with HIV/AIDS] will have brought home to him how much he has lost by moving to the States.’

[From The Daily Mail]

A quick reminder of how Meghan was actually treated when she lived in the UK: she was always being told to humble herself, to not be showy, to make herself smaller, less noticeable, that she shouldn’t wear bright colors. If she did get attention or positive press, the family became incandescent with rage and they furiously briefed against her. They screamed about how much her clothes cost. They screamed about her hair. They screamed about her family. They screamed about her avocado toast. Then they shoved her in the back at royal events and whenever she did work, the other Windsors rushed to step on her newscycle or spread lies about how she was secretly making everyone cry behind-the-scenes. This is Eden trying to “sweeten the pot” and, in his plodding, idiotic way, try to convince the Sussexes that they would be better off if only they came crawling back. He’s also trying to convince his domestic audience that no one should be fooled by Meghan looking vivacious, healthy and glowing at the gala – they she was absolutely being snubbed, he promises, just don’t even pay attention to the fact that Meghan was a guest of the hospital’s CEO and that she sat at the same table with Jimmy Kimmel. Snubbed! Embarrassed! Awkward! Trust him!

Embed from Getty Images

Embed from Getty Images

Photos courtesy of Getty.

As a general rule of thumb, wild animals should be left alone by humans (note to RFK Jr: that still stands even if the animal is no longer alive). They may be cute woodland creatures or majestic beasts, and yes there can be exceptions where a particular critter forms a bond with an individual. But overall our intervening more often than not affects them adversely, if they become too expectant/dependent on humans providing them meals. And, you know, they are still wild, and have the potential to act at any moment with instinctual ferocity. Or you could have this bizarre scenario play out in your front yard: a woman in Washington State has been feeding neighborhood raccoons for 35 years. It was a manageable task for her, akin to leaving food out for stray cats. Until last week, when she called the police because 100 raccoons had shown up on her property. Even the police were startled upon arriving on the scene, though thankfully for us, they captured excellent video and photography to share with the world.

According to NBC News, the woman — who has not been named — was forced to call the police after her yard was swarmed by about 100 raccoons.

Per the outlet, police told NBC affiliate KUSA on Monday, Oct. 7 that the woman from Poulsbo, Wash. began feeding local raccoons 35 years ago, but had never experienced any issues until recently.

“Somehow the word got out in raccoon land and they all showed up to her house expecting a meal,” said Kitsap County Sheriff spokesperson Kevin McCarty.

On Thursday, Oct. 3 the woman called 911 after the animals prevented her from entering her home.

McCarty said that police “were shocked” by the site.

“They had never seen that many raccoons in one place,” the spokesperson said. “Nobody ever remembers being surrounded by a swarm of raccoons. This was a first.”

On Monday, the Kitsap County Sheriff shared a video on X (formerly known as Twitter) featuring the brace of raccoons waiting to be fed.

“On Patrol: Raccoon Invasion,” the police department’s caption read.

In the video, a large group of raccoons can be seen in a woodland area.

Per the report in the video, the woman had to escape the creatures by running away in her car.

The woman said that the sudden increase in raccoons happened “six weeks ago,” adding that the animals surround her during the day and at night for food.

According to the report, she’s albo been quoted prices as high as $500 per raccoon for the entrapment and relocation of the animals.

The Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife has been contacted by deputies to help find a solution for the raccoons.

[From People]

Well, for anyone who’s ever wondered, “What would Hitchcock’s ‘The Birds’ be like with raccoons instead?” — this is your preview! I’m fairly confident that the only person who is surprised that a sh-t ton of raccoons finally descended to demand more food… is the woman who’s been giving them food for 35 years. In the video clip, you hear a police officer asking when their numbers started blowing up, and she replies, “Six weeks ago!” But she says it with such indignation! I had to chuckle, even though I would be freaked the f–k out if 100 raccoons showed up at my home (who am I kidding, I live in NYC, there are probably twice that many working the trash cans at night). But the difference is that I wouldn’t be feeding those rascals in the first place!

So how does everyone move forward from this stalemate in Kitsap County, Washington? Mathing it out, $500/raccoon X 100 raccoons = a full college tuition (one year or the whole degree, depending on the school). I can understand the homeowner feeling scared and despondent with those numbers. On the other hand, the raccoons are clearly just coming to collect on the social contract that she initiated. I mean sure, it’s a little dramatic of them to wait it out a few decades, build out their families, and then randomly appear en masse to take charge of the situation. But just look at their fanciful tails and high-contrast eye makeup — of course they’re going to be drama queens! Anyway, best of luck to all involved in the future peace negotiations (and fingers crossed that doesn’t include raccoon-genocide advocate Ana Navarro).

Photos credit Ennif Pendahl on Pexels and Kitsap County Sheriff’s Department via Instagram/Facebook

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Has anyone been following this drama between Cards Against Humanity and Elon Musk? A few weeks ago, CAH declared war on the Muskrat by suing him for $15 million dollars, alleging that SpaceX trespassed on land owned by CAH near the US/Mexico border and left equipment and dumped waste on it. They made a post on Twitter that included pictures of the site in question with SpaceX crap all over it. CAH bought this land in 2017 to help stop our 45th president from being able to build his stupid border wall on it.

It should not surprise anyone, but CAH is not done with Elno just yet. I think they’ve now made it their mission to troll him at every turn, and honestly, I am here for it. As you know, Elon showed up at Trump’s rally in Butler, PA last weekend to go full Dark MAGA (insert eyeroll). At the same time, Elon’s PAC started a petition called “Free Speech and the Right to Bear Arms.” The PAC announced that they would give $47 to any person who was able to get a voter in a swing state (NC, PA, GA, NV, NM, AZ, MI, and WI) to sign the petition. The Cards Against Humanity crew, however, responded by offering “America’s bluest non-voters” up to $100 to Tweet an apology for not voting in 2020, as well as the message, “Donald Trump is a human toilet.”

The popular gag-gift card game “Cards Against Humanity” has pledged to pay people to tweet that Donald Trump is a “human toilet” after Elon Musk announced that he would pay people to get swing state voters to sign a petition.

The announcement came in a subscriber email titled “Cards Against Humanity Pays You to Give a S***” where the game company shared that they would be paying “America’s bluest non-voters up to $100” to apologize for not voting in 2020, create a voting plan and tweet “Donald Trump is a human toilet,” as reported by Idobi.

Cards Against Humanity wrote in the email, “We’re trying to pay tens of thousands of swing-state non-voters to do this—enough that it could actually swing the election. So help us raise cash to un-f*** America by getting our all-new 2024 Election Pack, featuring 30 fresh cards about this batshit election. 100% of profits fund apologies.”

This news comes after the owner of X (formerly Twitter) Elon Musk posted to the social media platform that every person who was able to get a voter in a swing state to sign a petition supporting “Free Speech and the Right to Bear Arms” would receive $47.

The upcoming November election will decide the 47th president of the United States.

The petition created by Musk’s American PAC appears to just be interested in those in swing states as after signing, users are redirected to a page for voter registration links in Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, even if the signee is from a different state, as reported by CNBC.

[From LA Times]

I love this and think it’s very funny that CAH is countering Phony Stark’s disingenuous and sensationalist proposition. You know that seeing this will make Trump big mad as he clenches his tiny fists. That said, I would be remiss if I didn’t acknowledge how sad it is that some Americans need to be paid to do sh-t like this. I bet many of them don’t end up voting anyway, but will still be some of the loudest voices to complain about the US. The last decade of American politics has made me that cynical.

Elon’s proposal is also stupid. Whether or not you voted (not who you voted for) is public record, so that’s easy enough to verify, but…yeah, how do they verify who referred them other than the honor system?. Elon’s basically just paying people $47 in exchange for selling their personal data for much, much more. It’s wild that a bunch of people who are so suspicious of the government that they won’t do something in their best interest like get a vaccine or call FEMA for help are going to willingly sign their names to a petition for less than $50. Anyway, CAH remains the best. I’m dying for the Cards Against Humanity: Space Karen expansion pack. The things they could come up with would be so, so funny.

Elon at tonight’s Trump rally pic.twitter.com/qvM9EoiaT2

— Daniel (@TheDancuso) October 6, 2024

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