Ana de Armas covers the latest issue of Variety, all to promote Blonde, the Marilyn Monroe bio-pic (sort of). The cover and photoshoot actually leans into Brigitte Bardot-esque styling, which actually works for Ana. I friggin’ love those fishnet stockings too, this cover alone has made me want to buy a pair of fishnets. I haven’t owned fishnets since college! Lord. Anyway, Ana is promoting the hell out of Blonde but all of her magazine profiles are sort of bleeding together for me. Netflix and Ana are going the “Lady Gaga route” of making this role sound like it was the most all-encompassing and soul-crushing job of a lifetime. Except Ana at least acknowledges that she didn’t live inside Marilyn, Method-actor-style, 24-7. You can read the full Variety piece here. Some highlights:

Finally premiering ‘Blonde’ in Venice: “It’s been a roller coaster of emotions. There were moments where I thought maybe this movie would never come out.”

Chris Evans on seeing the first camera-test photos of Ana-as-MM: “I remember looking at it and saying, ‘OK, that’s Marilyn … where’s your shot? That’s you? Holy sh-t! You’re going to win an Oscar for this!’”

Why ‘Blonde’ has such raw exploitation & abuse scenes: “We’re telling her story from her point of view. I’m making people feel what she felt. When we had to shoot these kinds of scenes, like the one with Kennedy, it was difficult for everybody. But at the same time, I knew I had to go there to find the truth.”

She didn’t stay in character constantly: “When I’m doing my hair and makeup, it’s just me, it’s Ana.” But she describes her state of mind while playing Monroe as “deeply sad. I felt heavy. I felt helpless that I couldn’t change what was happening. I just had to go through a story that I know how it’s going to end.”

On direct-to-Hulu movie ‘Deep Water’: But in another disappointment for de Armas, the film was something of a disaster, receiving poor reviews and an ignominious dump on streaming. “I learned that I cannot compromise on a director,” she says of that film, which was helmed by “Fatal Attraction’s” Adrian Lyne. “Because at the end of the day, that is what the movie is going to be, and that’s what the experience is going to be, and that’s the person that you have to trust the most.”

Her pap strolls with Ben Affleck: Her ongoing role seemed to be as a partner in romantic walks with Affleck around Los Angeles in view of invasive photographers. This wasn’t exactly new for de Armas, whose screen career began in Spain after studying theater in Cuba. “When I was living in Madrid, I was a very well-known actress and had press and paparazzi after me. It’s something that you learn, unfortunately.” But the intensity of focus on de Armas’ romantic life frightened her. “I have never been someone that wants any attention that’s not about my work. So when the attention is not about my work, it is upsetting, and it feels disrespectful, and it feels inappropriate, and it feels dangerous and unsafe. But, especially in this country, I don’t know how you can find protection. I don’t know how you can stop that from happening, other than leaving.” Her breakup with Affleck was first reported in early 2021; now, de Armas lives in New York City.

She knows that naked clips & screengrabs from ‘Blonde’ will hit the internet: “I know what’s going to go viral and it’s disgusting. It’s upsetting just to think about it. I can’t control it; you can’t really control what they do and how they take things out of context. I don’t think it gave me second thoughts; it just gave me a bad taste to think about the future of those clips.”

On being a Cuban woman playing a famous American: “As drama students, we did Tennessee Williams. We did Shakespeare in Spanish. To me, this concept of ‘You can’t play this or play that’ — what does that mean? I’m an actress, I want to play that role. It’s a personal desire and ambition to play roles that I wasn’t supposed to play. To me, art is to be repeated and replicated and reinterpreted; that’s the whole point of culture. And I deserve that challenge.”

[From Variety]

While I have qualms about a Cuban-accented Marilyn Monroe, I agree that casting Ana isn’t really problematic to me in general. There’s so much whitewashing and American-centrism in Hollywood, it’s kind of cool to see it go the other way around, for a Havana native to tackle this role. All of Ana’s quotes about Ben Affleck and Deep Water though… hilarious. Those were super-obvious pap strolls and both of them knew what they were doing. Now she wants to play it off like it was super-invasive – they were walking on the street, POSING for photographers. My God.

Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Backgrid, cover courtesy of Variety.

Omid Scobie’s new Yahoo UK column this week is about King Charles III, the first weeks of his reign and what the future holds. Scobie says something interesting which I’ve seen repeated by a lot of the right-wing royalist media, which is that Charles is enjoying some kind of bump in popularity because his mum died. Is that true? Like, is there genuinely British polling on it? Or are royal reporters just catching a vibe of “King Charles is super-popular right now!” I also thought Charles’s first two weeks of kinging were kind of shambolic, but that’s because I was mostly paying attention to the fact that he briefed against his son Harry and Meghan the minute QEII died, then he banned Harry (a combat veteran) from wearing a uniform, then he refused to put Lilibet and Archie’s royal titles in the line of succession, plus all of the other petty, passive-aggressive and grossly punitive sh-t he did. That is where we will allow Scobie to take over. Some highlights:

Will Charles make the goodwill last? The public sentiment and goodwill following Her Majesty’s death has seen the new Carolean age off to a strong start, but Charles’ biggest test will be making it last. Unlike the Queen’s near-impeccable reign, her son has stepped into her pristine shoes with mud and all.

Financial impropriety: In the 18 months leading up to this moment, his media coverage was dominated by an ongoing police investigation into allegations of cash for honours scandals linked to his charity, the Prince’s Foundation, that lead to the resignation of the foundation’s CEO. There were also the reports that Charles had accepted significant charitable donations in plastic bags stuffed with cash. While none involved any wrongdoing by the King, the claims raised serious concerns about his personal judgment and put him in an uncomfortable spotlight.

Charles might not have time to carve out a legacy as king: Charles is no doubt hoping for his own successes. Though he is currently enjoying fevered support from monarchists, the question still remains whether he can extend that to the rest of the nation and younger Brits? Recent polls show that Gen-Z and young millennials—many of whom were still moved by the death of the Queen—are less interested in the monarchy than ever. And while it may not appear to be his highest priority, it’s worth pointing out that the elder royalists rushing out to buy commemorative newspapers aren’t going to be around forever.

Charles did try to be progressive: Ultimately, Charles needs to ensure that the monarchy keeps up with the times. In some ways it’s something he has been doing since first taking on royal duties. Whether it’s his focus on environmental activism since the 1960s, his deep interest and presence in Britain’s panoply of faith communities, or the 40 years of charitable contributions the Prince’s Trust has made to disadvantaged youth, even naysayers would be hard pushed to suggest that the King hasn’t tried to be progressive in the best way a sheltered heir can.

Racism & the Sussexes: But there’s room for improvement. The racism that was alleged by the Sussexes still lies in the tall grass it was kicked into and The Firm’s silence during the Black Lives Matter movement is still hard to forget for those it mattered to. And as more of the 14 Commonwealth Realms move towards ditching the monarchy and calling for reparations (an inevitable outcome for countries seeking full de-colonisation), the carefully scripted “personal sorrow” over the slave trade first wheeled out by Charles will continue to not be an acceptable response for the monarchy’s significant role in it. The departure of those realms (Antigua and Barbuda being the most recent to announce plans for a republic referendum) will see the power of the House of Windsor continue to shrink on the world stage.

Charles has to be a friend to multicultural Britain: If anything, the Royal Family will soon need more of the U.K. on its side. For that to work, multicultural Britain has to see an ally in King Charles. A voice unafraid to speak out against the systemic and pervasive racism that impacts so many lives. So far, he’s not done much of that.

An actual downsizing: As the nation falls further into its cost of living crisis, and news of interest rate hikes brings the country closer to a full-blown recession, Charles’ talk of a slimmed down monarchy also won’t be enough. With less royal residences occupied, and royal duties now mostly being carried out by himself, Camilla, three of his siblings and the new Prince and Princess of Wales, the public will need to quickly see how the Royal Family can cost the country less under Charles’ reign.

Sink or swim: It’s a sink or swim moment for the new King, who must quickly adapt to the times we are in and connect with people from all walks of life if he wants success. For if he drowns, it won’t just be him who disappears to the bottom—he’ll be bringing the entire monarchy down with him too.

[From Yahoo UK]

I genuinely believe that Charles has seen the writing on the wall when it comes to Commonwealth nations dumping the British monarch as their head of state. While Charles paid lip service to the importance of the Commonwealth while his mother was alive (the Commonwealth was one of her big issues), I think Charles has always known that those countries would head towards the door as soon as QEII passed. Maybe he still cares about Canada, New Zealand and Australia, but actions speak louder than words, and Charles’s actions show a man who is prepared to merely speak to a limited domestic audience.

Scobie wrote: “Multicultural Britain has to see an ally in King Charles. A voice unafraid to speak out against the systemic and pervasive racism that impacts so many lives. So far, he’s not done much of that.” The thing is, I do think Charles cares about “multicultural Britain” up to a point, and he’s done far more outreach to diverse British communities over the years than, you know, William or anyone else in that family. But yes, Charles is fundamentally unwilling to address racism head on or even acknowledge systemic racism and the white power structures which prop him up.

As for the cost of the monarchy… well, that’s funny because Peggington and Buttons are absolutely going to spread themselves out in about seven different homes and Kate is going to buy all of the buttons in Europe.

Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Cover Images.

In the 48 hours following Queen Elizabeth II’s death, King Charles III’s first acts were to brief against Prince Harry and Meghan. All of the British papers led with coverage on that Friday and Saturday about how Charles banned Harry from bringing Meghan to Balmoral. Charles instructed his aides to spread the news far and wide that he had personally called Harry on Thursday and told Harry “that it wasn’t right or appropriate for Meghan to be in Balmoral at such a deeply sad time. It was pointed out to him that Kate was not going and that the numbers really should be limited to the very closest family. Charles made it very, very clear Meghan would not be welcome.” Charles also wanted it to be known that Harry was denied a seat on the RAF plane going to Balmoral, and that “many behind royal walls, frankly, were incredulous” that Harry would want his wife’s support as QEII passed away. King Charles emphasized that “this was a private, family moment,” meaning Harry’s wife of four years and mother of Charles’s two grandchildren is NOT “family.”

I bring this up because the cruelty of the Windsors and the new king was on full display. They were proud of their actions and they continue to be proud of the way they snubbed Harry and Meghan throughout the mourning and funeral week. But they’re also aware that they look like extremely sh-tty people, especially since there’s so much international attention on just how cruel and asinine their actions have been. So they’re trying a new tack – it’s all Harry’s fault!

Furious Prince Harry snubbed dinner with Charles and William at Balmoral after Meghan was banned from joining the family on the day the Queen died. Harry, 38, had insisted his wife be there on September 8, but Charles phoned to say it was “not appropriate”.

It saw Harry miss an RAF flight to Scotland with brother William and uncles Andrew and Edward. He was told to make his own travel arrangements and eventually landed at Aberdeen without Meghan at 6.35pm — minutes after the Queen’s death was announced to the world.

When he was driven into Balmoral 90 minutes later he declined dinner at Birkhall, Charles’s home on the estate, with the new king, Queen Consort Camilla and William. Insiders say the sulking prince instead mourned with Edward and Sophie Wessex and Andrew, seven miles away at Balmoral Castle.

A source said: “Harry was so busy trying to get Meghan to Balmoral and rowing with his family that he missed the flight. Charles has an open invitation for Harry to dine with him whenever he is in the country. But Harry was so furious that he refused to eat with his father and brother. It was a massive snub. And he got out of Balmoral at the earliest opportunity to catch the first commercial flight back to London.”

[From The Sun]

Note the subtle rewriting of the narrative. Two weeks ago, King Charles wanted everyone to know that he was treating Harry like sh-t and that he was going out of his way to punish Harry. Now it’s all on Harry – Harry “snubbed” Charles by not having dinner with him after Charles was a massive douche to him, I guess. Anyway, even Page Six had a denial for this story. Their sources say that Charles and William had already left for Birkhall before Harry arrived at Balmoral. Which was the original story anyway.

Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Cover Images.

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The Mindy Project, which doesn’t even need an explanatory comma since its creator/star is so prolific, is celebrating the 10-year anniversary of its premiere this week. The Mindy Project is one of my favorite shows and also one of my comfort shows. I’ve re-watched it more times than I should probably admit and it remains hilarious and so good. Mindy Kaling marked the anniversary occasion with an Instagram post describing her inspiration for the show and noting that she plans to share more throughout the week.

Mindy Kaling is looking back on The Mindy Project in celebration of its milestone anniversary.

In an Instagram post Tuesday, Kaling, 43, shared a montage of scenes from the series that ran from 2012-2017, commemorating its 10-year anniversary.

“This Sunday marks the 10 year (!!!) anniversary of the premiere of The Mindy Project. I love this show so much,” the post began. “The cast, crew and writers room remain some of my favorite and most important people in my life today. I wanted to play a woman who was basically a good person, but also very insane, and had tons of stuff she needed to work on. Coming from The Office, I wanted the show to be packed with jokes, but also, like You’ve Got Mail or When Harry Met Sally, really romantic and made you want to live in New York City.”

Kaling shared that when coming up with the idea for the show, she wanted to be sure the main character, played by her, showed a different type of female lead than what was usually seen on television.

“In addition, I wanted to wear head-to-toe amazing designer fits even though I wasn’t (and still am not) a size 2,” she wrote. “I think we accomplished that! It will always be the most fun six years (117 episodes!) of my life!”

The Office alum said she would be sharing some of her favorite “moments and scenes” from the series throughout the week.

The Mindy Project first premiered on Fox in 2012. The series ran for three seasons on the network before Hulu picked it up, where it continued for three more seasons before its finale in 2017.

The show, created by and starring Kaling, centered around Mindy Lahiri, a lively doctor working in New York City, and her colleagues at an OB/GYN office.

The Mindy Project first premiered on Fox in 2012. The series ran for three seasons on the network before Hulu picked it up, where it continued for three more seasons before its finale in 2017.

The show, created by and starring Kaling, centered around Mindy Lahiri, a lively doctor working in New York City, and her colleagues at an OB/GYN office.

[From People]

I watched the first season when it aired and watched the show in its entirety on Hulu in 2019. Mindy really accomplished all she set out to do with her zany, fashionista character. The character was, at her core, a good person, but also a bit of a jerk at times. A lovable a-hole, in the best way. The show turned a lot of rom-com tropes on their head, while still remaining a rom-com at its core. For example, Mindy’s long-running list of random physical ailments (like sharp toenails) was to poke fun at the perfect women usually portrayed in the genre. And the political satire in the later seasons is pretty funny. I liked what she said about the fashion and body positivity in her post. The Mindy character wears such great clothes throughout the series and the fashion isn’t size-dependent at all. The character talks about her body and what she wishes it was occasionally throughout the series, but is extremely confident in herself, her personal, and her professional life, as she should be. It’s really such a funny, clever, and heart-warming show and it looked incredibly fun to film, so I completely believe Mindy when she says it was “the most fun six years of [her] life.” I wish it were still on and I wish Mindy acted in more stuff, but she seems very happy writing/producing her many successful series.

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One of the bizarre new talking points in recent months is that the Duchess of Sussex’s treatment at the hands of the British press and royal family was nothing more than a “royal hazing.” As in, every girlfriend or wife of a prince faces a hazing process where the British tabloids make fun of you and everyone in Windsor-world trashes you too. While I don’t doubt that “royal hazing” exists and that several women have walked that particular gauntlet, I truly don’t think that was what Meghan went through. I think to refer to Meghan’s treatment as “hazing” minimizes the very real trauma she’s suffered for years, plus it draws some kind of false equivalency between “Kate being called Waity” and “Windsors telling Harry not to marry Meghan because their children’s skin would be too dark.” I bring this up because Christina Oxenberg – society writer and third cousin to King Charles III – has given an exclusive interview to the NY Post about how Meghan is treated versus how the other married-in women are treated. Some highlights:

The royal hazing: The British royals have a long history of hazing newcomers — particularly women who are dating family members — and only those who are “tough as nails” tend to survive, said a cousin of King Charles III. “To Meghan Markle, I say, ‘What you are going through is a hellish kind of hazing,’” said Christina Oxenberg, a descendant of Serbian royalty who counts King Charles III as a third cousin. “If she can just hang in there, someone else will come along who can take the heat. Nobody gets a pass.” Including, she added, Kate Middleton.

They hazed Kate: Oxenberg, who has lived among the British royals most of her life, recalled the snobbery once whispered behind the new Princess of Wales’ back. When Prince William, now the heir to the throne, was dating Middleton before their 2011 marriage, the royal family thought it pretty funny that the British press labeled her “Kate Middle Class,” Oxenberg said. According to the Express, Camilla — now the queen consort — allegedly referred to Middleton’s parents, Carole and Michael, as “Meet the Fockers.” “They thought it was all very funny — Kate Middle Class and Sarah Ferguson and Koo Stark,” Oxenberg said. “They meant no disrespect; after all, she is the future queen of England.”

Wait what?? Oxenberg herself admitted she was a former confidante of British socialite Ghislaine Maxwell, who is appealing a 20-year sentence following her conviction for helping to procure young women and girls for Epstein.

More hazing: Among the other now-royals who received their share of hazing, Oxenberg said, was Princess Michael of Kent, née Marie Christine von Reibnitz, a baroness of Czech-German lineage. When Prince Michael of Kent, a first cousin of Queen Elizabeth II, married von Reibnitz in 1978, British royals delighted in giving her a hard time, Oxenberg told The Post. “She was treated the same way Meghan [has been] treated — with this mocking and lack of respect,” she said. “We always used to mock her because she kept referring to the royals as ‘delicious cousins.’ It [the hazing] was all done out of habit and not full of hatred and violent plotting. I was a witness.”

Oxenberg does think Meghan has had it worse: With Meghan, the hazing has been particularly brutal, according to Oxenberg. “They are tough, they are tough on foreigners,” she said. “It’s not about your skin color, it’s about being a foreigner.”

Treasonous: Still, she called Meghan’s treatment by both the British press — which is analyzing her every move, especially during Monday’s funeral of Queen Elizabeth — and some members of the royal family as nothing short of “treasonous.” “She is Harry’s choice of wife,” Oxenberg said. “By their own metrics they have called it a class system. They came up with that system, [by which] you have to respect Harry’s choice.”

[From Page Six]

Again, I don’t doubt that there is some kind of hazing process, although I doubt it’s being done as a conscious choice of “now we haze her.” It’s more of a knee-jerk ignorance and casual cruelty towards “outsiders.” Please remember, the royals would prefer to marry within their own family, and there’s a good dose of “why’d you have to fall for someone you’re not related to?” about this too. But, as I said, it was different with Meghan. One way in which it was significantly different is that it was the palaces publicly humiliating her and smearing her with lies. This wasn’t snickering behind her back at some garden party – it was a campaign of sustained public abuse with the intent to drive her either to suicide or divorce.

Besides all of that… even if it was *just* hazing, hazing still f–king sucks. This is supposed to be a family not a g–damn cult or fraternity.

Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Cover Images, Backgrid.

During the mourning period and lead up to Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral, a handful of royal rota reporters were trying to make a certain story stick. That story? Behind the scenes in Windsor-ville, Prince Harry and Meghan were “relentlessly arguing” with the new king about the royal titles for their children. Immediately following QEII’s death, the line of succession was updated on royal.gov, and Archie and Lilibet remained without titles. Last week, the Sun claimed that King Charles had made a decision to allow the Sussex kids to have prince and princess titles but not HRHs. As I said back then, the British reporting wanted people to believe that Harry and Meghan were very angry about this title thing and they were lobbying Charles behind the scenes. I doubt it. I doubt Harry even spoke to his father in depth, much less about his kids’ titles. So it’s curious to see the British reporting echoed in People Magazine:

Although Meghan Markle and Prince Harry’s two children may be entitled to royal titles after King Charles became monarch under a 1917 rule, no name changes have been announced for Archie Harrison and Lilibet Diana.

Following Queen Elizabeth’s death on September 8, her eldest son Charles became King and announced that his wife Camilla would be his Queen Consort. He also said that his son Prince William and daughter-in-law Kate Middleton would inherit the titles of Prince and Princess of Wales. The royal family’s website was updated to reflect these changes, but Prince Harry and Meghan’s children were still referred to as “Master Archie Mountbatten-Windsor” and “Miss Lilibet Mountbatten-Windsor.”

Behind the scenes, there have been arguments over titles for Archie, 3, and Lilibet, 1.

Under current guidelines, grandchildren of a monarch could be princes or princesses. A rule established by King George V after he issued a Letters Patent in 1917 read: “…the grandchildren of the sons of any such sovereign in the direct male line (save only the eldest living son of the eldest son of the Prince of Wales) shall have and enjoy in all occasions the style and title enjoyed by the children of dukes of these our realms.”

As monarch, King Charles III could change that rule, but it’s unlikely he’ll choose to do so.

A spokesperson said that nothing would be decided or said about the issue while the family was in mourning, a period that lasts one week past the funeral.

[From People]

Again with the passive voice. People’s Passive Voice is becoming a real issue in their royal stories. “There have been arguments over titles” – who is arguing with whom? Because it seems like Harry and Meghan have been sitting back and watching as William and Charles make racist asses out of themselves. It seems like William is probably the one “arguing” that his mixed-race niece and nephew should not get prince and princess titles and Charles is wavering. Once again, this is an issue getting international coverage. When the line of succession was updated and the Sussex kids’ didn’t get titles, American broadcasters were covering it in-depth. It also proves that Meghan was telling the truth in the Oprah interview. So here we are.

Incidentally, in Katie Nicholl’s book The New Royals, she seems to suggest that the kids’ titles are contingent on Harry’s memoir. “A source close to the king” told Nicholl, “it depends a lot on what happens in the coming months, particularly with Harry’s book and their TV show.” It’s pretty disgusting that Charles thinks he’s got leverage over Harry and Meghan this way.

Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Backgrid, Missan Harriman/The Sussexes.

Tina Brown’s The Palace Papers got some renewed interest following Queen Elizabeth II’s passing. People were turning on The Crown on Netflix, and people were buying The Palace Papers, so much so that Brown was called in to make some additional TV appearances to support her book and provide commentary for the royal drama. As we discussed when The Palace Papers came out, that book is a total mess and Brown has sources deep with Camp Middleton, and she often parrots the Middleton party line. Brown also curiously pulled her punches on some subjects, and refused to underline some of the deeper points she was making, especially about the Harry-William dynamic. Well, Brown had more sh-t to say this week. She appeared on Lorraine and said some curious sh-t.

Harry is magnificent: “The country loved that feeling of unity. They loved seeing the brothers back together and marching, and it really was a beautiful sight to see them all together and, let’s face it, Harry is a magnificent man, he looked wonderful I thought.”

Harry needs to cancel his memoir: “Unless he does give up his book and these tell-all documentaries and stops doing the interviews, then there can be no trust.” On Kelly’s suggestion that the elimination of the contentious memoir would turn a “fresh page” for the royal’s relationship with his family, Brown added: “If Harry doesn’t want to bin the book, then I don’t see a way forward.”

The royal family needs the Sussexes: “But I think if he does that, I think there’s very much a way [of a royal reunion] and I do actually think that the royal family now needs [Harry and Meghan]. There’s a lot of work to be done and Kate does not want to be spending her time traveling the world, she’s a mother of three children, as the Sussexes are, so they have to somehow divvy this stuff up.”

Harry has a role to play: “Harry has a big role to play, if he wants to now come in and do it,” Brown added about the potential for the Sussexes during the reign of Charles, “and the question is of course whether Meghan wants to, because she absolutely hated every bit of it. There should be a compromise where they spend four or five months of the year in California if they wish but actually [Harry] has got a role and I think that they should definitely make that compromise. The question is whether they both have the give to do it because as we know family rancour can go very deep.”

[From Newsweek]

Brown actually said some of this stuff when she promoted her book earlier this year, that despite all of the sh-tty things she said about “emotional, fragile, immature” Harry, the Windsors desperately needed him and his star power. Again, the family has a terrible way of showing it. They always had a sh-tty way of showing it, even when the Sussexes were in the UK. They were so clearly there for window-dressing, to be used as the young stars of the Firm, but then everyone got jealous of them and that’s when all of the palaces began to attack them.

This made me LMAO: “There’s a lot of work to be done and Kate does not want to be spending her time traveling the world…” Kate does not want to spend her time WORKING. Neither does William. They are so stupid and lazy, my god.

Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Cover Images.

I’m still catching up on some of the pre-funeral royal stuff. I have to say, I expected more embiggening of the new Queen Consort and the new Princess of Wales, but I think Camilla and Kate are biding their time. The embiggening will happen in the weeks and months to come. I also find it curious that there wasn’t a bigger emphasis on Queen Camilla-the-diplomat. I have no idea what Cam is like when she meets world leaders and such, but I bet she can do more than flap her jazz hands and gawp. So why did Kate get tasked with meeting the First Lady of Ukraine at Buckingham Palace on Sunday? The Palace released a photo of the two women speaking in the Palace drawing room. Olena Zelenska had come to London to pay her respects to QEII and (apparently) take some meetings. Why not Camilla? I should point out that William and Kate met President Zelenskyy and First Lady Olena a few years ago, so perhaps that’s why Kate was given this meeting. Still, some embiggening:

[This meeting] was the most outwardly political move Kate has ever made. It was also a solo engagement, made without her husband, Prince William – a choice made more poignant by the fact that Zelenska was attending without her own; President Zelensky having remained in Ukraine on account of the still ongoing conflict with Russia. The meeting is singular for myriad reasons. Not only does it place Kate on a political platform like never before, it is understood to be the only private audience a member of the royal family conducted, outside of the King’s individual meetings with the leaders of nations of which he is now head of state. The choice to send the Princess of Wales for this significant meeting, is notable.

[From Harper’s Bazaar UK]

Is it really that notable? I guess it’s notable that a pair of work-shy 40-year-olds are such diplomatic lightweights, to the point where the new king now has to try to teach both William and Kate some emergency skills like they’re two dumb interns. I also find it notable that after this meeting, Kate changed her clothes and then she was front-and-center at the diplomatic reception, giggling with Camilla and flashing QEII’s pearls and diamonds.

Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Cover Images.

From CB: I bought these stair treads to help my puppy get up and down wooden stairs without slipping. They were so easy to apply and they stick without being too adhesive or damaging the wood. He goes up and down stairs like a champ now. I also got this outdoor house number sign and it looks so high end! It was so easy to put together and the light is bright and lasts until the next morning. Here are some more things Hecate and I are looking at on Amazon.

A foaming shoe cleaner that restores sneakers and more

From CB: I wear step-in sneakers to walk the dog. They weren’t cheap and are so dirty from wearing them outside. I’m looking for a good sneaker cleaner to get them presentable again. This cleaner by Jason Mark is said to really get shoes clean and smelling fresh. It has over 4,600 ratings, 4.7 stars and a B on Fakespot. People say it cleans their sneakers like nothing else. “Greatest cleaner for shoes, especially on white soles, amazing stuff!” “Smells amazing and foams a lot with a small amount. I recommend adding a tiny bit of warm water to the solution. Add it in a 1:1 ratio of solution to water. A little goes a long way.” “My shoes were pretty dirty along with some stains. It was able to get all the dirt and make the shoe look like new.”

Affordable unscented multipurpose trash bags

From CB: This isn’t our typical featured item but trash bags can get expensive and they’re often heavily scented. I like Dollar General store brand trash bags for that reason but the store is far from me and inconvenient. Amazon multipurpose trash bags come in a 50 count of 20 gallon unscented tie top bags. They have over 54,000 ratings, 4.7 stars and an A on Fakespot. Reviewers say they’re as good as name brand bags at a more affordable price. “These are sturdy enough to fill up and they won’t rip. I’ve used them to empty out someone’s belongings instead of boxes, don’t ask! I’ve used these for tree trimmings (not big ol’ tree trunks, but branches and other garden stuff.” “I have used a lot of different trash/garbage bags over 60 years; these are the best I’ve found. These have a strong drawstring, thick enough to resist punctures or tears and cost effective.”

A portable white noise machine to help your baby sleep

From CB: We were asked to find baby products for a soon-to-be mom. This white noise machine by Yogasleep is said to work incredibly well to help babies fall and stay asleep. It’s the best selling white noise machine on amazon and has three different settings and a night light. It has over 22,000 ratings, 4.5 stars and a B on Fakespot. Parents love that it can run all night without shutting itself off. It’s great for adults too. “My baby is loving it so far. He seems to sleep pretty light and wakes up a lot some times and a white noise machine was recommended to us. I love that it’s portable and doesn’t take up a lot of space.” “I’ve used this sound machine for 3 months of travel and on-the-go naps with my baby so far. Worthwhile purchase.”

Luminous light coverage for glowy skin

From CB: I love Maybelline Age Rewind concealer and use it under my eyes and along the bridge of my nose when I do a full face. (My foundation is L’oreal True Match and I also recommend NYX Wonder Stick for contouring.) This is the Age Rewind Perfector 4-in-1 which has a concealer, highlighter and BB cream built in. This has over 710 ratings, 4.1 stars and the same score on ReviewMeta. It’s said to be great for those days when you’re not wearing a full face but want to look put together. “This make up was suggested on tik tok, so I tried it. A couple years later I am still using it. It makes my skin glow, and there’s no caking. If I need more coverage, I add a little base and then put this product over it.” “If you are the girl that usually runs out the house with some lip gloss and eyeliner, this is for you for those days when you want to be a little fancy. It is light enough, doesn’t look made up and has a highlighter in it!”

A long-lasting waterproof shadow pencil to transform your look

From Hecate: I’m a fan of an eye pencil when I have no time to do my makeup properly. It always goes on evenly and the colors pop. I also like the portability of a pencil and this one has its own smudger so I don’t have to pack both. Of the Amazon Best Sellers, this Julep Waterproof pencil had some of the best ratings and a great color selection. I like that they offer matte and shimmer tones. The shadows contain vitamin E, so it won’t clump with wear. The pencils range from $14-$16 depending on the color. They have almost 30K reviews on Amazon with 4.3 stars and a B on Fakespot. Customers love these because they are so easy to use, “I have to do my makeup most mornings with one hand while holding my baby on my hip with the other… Stays all day, doesn’t crease or smear, even in the blistering 100+ Texas heat.” And they truly are waterproof, “I live in the tropics and I can go snorkeling and still have this eyeshadow on after half a day in the ocean.” Many customers talked about how great they are for layering.

Pillowy slippers you’ll want to wear all day

From Hecate: I saw these ridiculously comfy looking pillow slippers over the weekend and apparently they are featured very prominently on TikTok. We are just entering that limbo phase in California when it’s still warm but gets cold enough in the morning that you can’t go bare-foot. These would be good for padding around the house and running out for the newspaper (yes, I still get one).Plus they come in a bunch of groovy colors like rose-red and lemon-yellow in addition to the brown, white, black basics. And they’re sized like shoes as opposed to S, M, L. But the selling point is they look super comfortable, with a 1.7 inch sole of cushion for your tootsies. They’re normally $36 but they’re on sale for $24 this week. With over 18,000 reviews, these have 4.4 stars from ReviewMeta. Customers say they’re heavenly, “The most comfortable shoes I own, it really is like walking on clouds!” And this person confirmed they’re perfect in between weather shoes, “ Great alternative to slippers as the weather gets warmer.” A couple people said they were great for hospitals and people with bunion or feet/ankle issues, too.

A rechargable handheld personal fan for comfort on the go

From Hecate: When we talked about supplements for hot flashes, I said the best thing for them was a personal fan. When a hot flash hits, there is nothing like those little swirling blades of relief (unless an ice pack magically materializes). So I was so tickled to see this pop up in my Amazon feed! It’s a foldable, pocket-sized, rechargeable fan! It just takes a USB-C charger. It comes in five cute colors, all with a little bear face and ears, has two speeds and can be used at either a 90 or 180 degree angle. And once fully charged, can last 14-21 hour, depending on the speed. It’s also a backup powerbank. But wait! That’s not all – it’s also a flashlight! Whaaat? And it’s on sale for $15 this week. It has over 29,000 reviews who gave it 4.7 stars that ReviewMeta confirmed. Customers say this is better than the competition, “ I’ve gone through many, many, many pocket fans and they usually are cheap and break quickly. But this fan is different. It’s AMAZING!!! The powerful amount of airflow, how long holds charge… and sturdiness are all great.” And in case you wondered, it does work for hot flashes, “I’ve been having some severe hot flashes lately so I decided to try this out and it’s amazing! The flashlight is really bright, and it can be used as a power bank too but it is great for the hot flashes!”

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Out of all of the lawsuits, criminal investigations, impeachments, civil investigations, depositions, congressional hearings and journalistic investigations into Donald Trump, the one I’ve followed the least is the NY Attorney General’s investigation into Trump Org, the actual New York-based business. Trump Org is a complicated web involving real estate, golf courses, hotels and Trump’s personal assets. And everything is corrupt, from top to bottom. New York AG Letitia James held a press conference on Wednesday announcing the civil charges against Donald Trump and his adult children (except for poor Tiffany). AG James has already handed off her investigation to criminal prosecutors and the IRS, so prison may be on the table eventually, but not immediately. The immediate concern for the Trumps is that they’re not going to be able to borrow any money from legitimate banks and they’re going to have a hell of a time paying back their loans (which are reportedly in the range of hundreds of millions of dollars). Trump Org is likely to be dismantled in some substantial way too.

For 20 years, Donald Trump and his family enriched themselves through “numerous acts of fraud and misrepresentations,” New York Attorney General Letitia James alleges in a new lawsuit that accuses the Trumps of “grossly” inflating the former president’s net worth by billions of dollars and cheating lenders and others with false and misleading financial statements.

The civil lawsuit, filed Wednesday in State Supreme Court in Manhattan, seeks a $250 million judgment and a prohibition on any of the Trumps leading a company in the state of New York.

“We found that Mr, Trump, his children, and the corporation used more than 200 false asset valuations over a ten year period,” James said at a press conference announcing the charges.

Among other allegations, the suit claims that the former president’s Florida estate and golf resort, Mar-a-Lago, was valued as high as $739 million, but should have been valued at around one-tenth that amount, at $75 million. The suit says that higher valuation was “based on the false premise that it was unrestricted property and could be developed for residential use even though Mr. Trump himself signed deeds donating his residential development rights and sharply restricting changes to the property.”

James is referring her findings to federal prosecutors in Manhattan, who could possibly open a criminal investigation into bank fraud, according to a footnote in the lawsuit.

Through “persistent and repeated business fraud,” the Trumps convinced banks to lend money to the Trump Organization on more favorable terms than deserved, according to the lawsuit, which named the former president, three of his adult children, the company, and two of its executives, Allan Weisselberg and Jeff McConney.

[From ABC News]

I’m including the video of AG James’s presser below. This investigation has felt, at times, like it was moving at a snail’s pace, but I’m impressed with how thoroughly AG James presents her case and her evidence. We knew that Allan Weisselberg had basically turned state’s evidence, as have several other people in the accounting/business side of Trump Org. James went about this methodically, building her case with not only witness testimony but the motherlode of receipts.

There’s a lot of talk about Melania Trump and whether she’ll finally divorce him. Please, she stayed with that diapered goat through all kinds of bullsh-t. She’s not going to pull the ripcord just yet, not when she’s so close to being his widow.

Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Backgrid.