Two Sundays ago, Kanye West and his wife Bianca Censori got a lot of headlines for briefly appearing on the Grammy red carpet. They were only on the carpet for a few minutes, long enough for Bianca to expose herself. Bianca and Kanye then left the venue and went to various Grammy parties. That was enough to feed the tabloid sites for days, with TMZ and Page Six feasting on “the controversy.” Then, days later, Kanye basked in the attention and got back on Twitter, where he posted dozens of terrible pro-Hitler thoughts and made a complete ass of himself. He either deleted his account or he was once again pushed off the app, who cares. Basically, the only thing people really talk about at this point is Bianca and what’s going on there, which Kanye also takes as a compliment (because “attention”). So here we go, an update about the Censori-West marriage, via their spokesperson, white supremacist Milo Yiannopoulos.

Bianca Censori and Kanye West’s longtime rep is attempting to clarify an aspect about their relationship. A social media imposter, who has paid for verification, said on X on Super Bowl Sunday that the Australian model and designer at the Yeezy streetwear brand is the creative mind behind her headline-grabbing red carpet decisions — not her hip-hop and fashion mogul husband West, whose recent antisemitic social media tirade has culminated with his X account disappearing, while his brand’s website continues to promote the sale of one item: a T-shirt with an image of a swastika. (The image remained on sale at the time this story was published.)

Censori, the 30-year-old Head of Architecture at Yeezy, West’s successful apparel company, courted controversy at the Grammys on Feb. 2 by donning a long coat at her red carpet arrival, then dropping it to reveal a nearly nude look underneath consisting of a sheer minidress and it appeared, no underwear. Sources clarified the look was meant to replicate the cover of Vultures 1, West’s recent album with Ty Dolla $ign released under the moniker ¥$; the rapper was quickly defending his wife’s outfit as the look claimed the top slot in post-Grammys web searches, but accusations began to fly that he was treating his partner like a promotional object.

“The ‘battered Bianca’ narrative is hysterical and absurd,” Milo Yiannopoulos, who has worked on and off at Yeezy and who represents the couple via his Tarantula talent management company, wrote to The Hollywood Reporter on Monday. “There is a person controlling what Bianca Censori wears. The name of that person is Bianca Censori.”

Yiannopoulos further clarified that West, a creative force in the fashion world, is the “final boss,” but Censori’s sensibility is “the guiding creative intelligence and impetus behind the way she dresses.”

The former journalist and political pundit had reached out to THR over the weekend to say that the X post that was making headlines over that seemed to be a prayer for West was a Twitter imposter and not Censori herself, who chooses not to make any public comments or speak with the media. The rap mogul had spent the week prior on a social media tirade in which he praised Adolf Hitler and denounced the #MeToo movement before deleting his X account. Yiannopoulos told THR that the account that posted the prayer message does not belong to Censori and that X had been contacted to have the account “unverified and/or banned” from the platform.

[From THR]

I’m reminded of what Julia Fox said about her brief time with Kanye – that it wasn’t about sex, that it was more about Kanye using her as a doll to style and dress, and most of the time he barely acknowledged her existence. I don’t doubt that Kanye and Bianca’s marriage is deeply dysfunctional and abusive in some sense, but I also think Bianca allows herself to be used in this way. She’s an educated woman with a family who cares about her – she wants to be Kanye’s wife and hopefully Kanye’s second ex-wife. I also think for Kanye, this is all about Kim. He’s doing all of this sh-t to Bianca to “get back” at Kim.

Photos courtesy of Backgrid.

I will never hate Parker Posey, she’s delightfully bonkers. She wore Gucci to the premiere of The White Lotus Season 3. [RCFA]
The new season of The White Lotus starts on Sunday!! [LaineyGossip]
Patrick Schwarzenegger is rizz-free, correct? [Socialite Life]
What’s the real story behind Apple Cider Vinegar? [Pajiba]
Naomi Watts looked great at the PGAs. [Go Fug Yourself]
Drake wore some dumb boots. [OMG Blog]
Sabrina Carpenter looked cute in NYC. [Just Jared]
I’ve gotten back into watching Jeopardy, but I’m still not watching Pop Culture Jeopardy. Is it any good, or is it like the People crossword? [Seriously OMG]
Sister Wives’ Aurora Brown is dating someone who looks like Cody Brown. [Starcasm]
Rest in peace to Chef Margarita Fores. [Hollywood Life]
What are some casino secrets? [Buzzfeed]

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Haven’t nailed down your Valentine’s and/or Galentine’s Day plans yet? Well, you could spend it by watching the first two episodes of Yellowjackets season three! Ok, I haven’t actually seen any of Yellowjackets (I’m a little scared!), but from all I’ve heard about it, it’s probably not the right vibe for the day of love. (Unless that’s your jam, in which case carry on!) To hype the premiere, the main cast — Melanie Lynskey, Christina Ricci, Tawny Cypress, and Lauren Ambrose — stopped by The Drew Barrymore Show this week. Which is how we learned that Drew Barrymore used to throw “500-person parties” back in the day?! I’m not even sure if the number of people in my contacts reaches 100! But Melanie and Christina were at those parties, and reminisced with Drew fondly:

Drew Barrymore knows how to throw a party. On this morning’s episode of The Drew Barrymore Show, the actress remembered hosting “500-person parties” back in the day.

The trip down memory lane came during a conversation with the cast of Yellowjackets, including Barrymore’s old friends Christina Ricci and Melanie Lynskey, who were the first to bring up her “fun parties.”

“I would throw these 500-person parties,” Barrymore said, to which Ricci added, “They were so fun. I don’t remember leaving your parties. But I definitely remember getting there and being there.”

Barrymore playfully said that was “all [she] could hope for,” while Lynskey remembered the “painting studio” Barrymore set up in her house for the gatherings.

“There were always like ping pong tables, or like quarters games. It was sort of like [an] artistic frat house,” Barrymore said. “It was at a time — I felt like everyone would come and it was all discretion and cool and good times.”

Lynskey and Barrymore’s friendship goes way back to the late 1990s, when they both starred in Ever After. In the Cinderella-inspired flick, Lynskey and Megan Dodds played Barrymore’s step-sisters.

The last time Lynskey appeared on The Drew Barrymore Show, she and Barrymore reminisced on their time filming the movie — including a topless photo Lynskey took of Dodds in a cornfield.

“I don’t know what I was thinking at the time. It was just kind of like, ‘Oh, this would be really groovy to do. Let’s go take topless photos in a cornfield,’” Dodds said in the March 2023 episode, while Lynskey added, “By the way, this was like day three of knowing each other. And the suggestion was made and I was like, ‘OK …sure.’”

Barrymore then joked, “I guess it’s just what us girls do. Oh, to be a girl.”

[From Decider]

I forgot that Drew and Melanie costarred in Ever After (Melanie has done a lot of work, good for her). As for these “artistic frat house” parties, yes, I would definitely be the anti-social introvert who showed up solely for time in the painting studio, even amidst a throng of 500 revelers. And speaking of, I still can’t really fathom how it could be 500 people — did Drew live in that big a mansion, or did she rent out a venue? It must’ve taken her the length of the entire bash just to greet and crash the physical space of each guest! No, I kid DB! She actually wasn’t too handsy with the ladies, save for a big hug she gave each of them when they walked on set. What struck me instead was how all over the place Drew was, like asking Melanie about her new kitten and then cutting Melanie off after two words to go kneel at Lauren’s feet and worship her (natural) red hair. What?! I mean, I too envy/adore those touched with tresses of fire… but don’t ask a question and then interrupt the answer before it starts!

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photos credit: Getty and Roger Wong/Instarimages

Do you ever think about how many people in Alec Baldwin’s life must have known that he was being conned by a woman pretending to be Spanish? It’s something that I keep coming back to – when Alec first met Hilaria, she was probably doing that fake accent, and her “Spanish backstory” fell apart like a cheap suit. How many people in Alec’s life were like “hey, maybe this one is, how you say, loca?” We’ll probably never know how many people saw through Hilaria’s whole deal, but it will be interesting to watch how many people figure it out as they’re watching Alec and Hilaria’s new TLC show, The Baldwins (sidenote: I’m sure Hilaria wanted to call it Los Baldwinitos). This is their reality show and they’re putting their eleventy billion kids on camera too. Hilaria and Alec cover this week’s People Magazine to preview the show.

Alec wishes he didn’t have this many kids: “I always joke with her and say, ‘You know where I should be right now, don’t you? We should be on Geffen’s yacht, drinking a cappuccino and reading a book, and having dinner with Spielberg or whatever,’ ” he says. Hilaria interjects: “Instead we’re changing diapers!” Which is just the way they like it. “This is my reality,” Alec says, reflecting on their family dynamic. “I wouldn’t change anything,”

Hilaria on why they’ve done this show: “Telling your story is one thing, and showing your story is something else,” says Hilaria. “It felt authentic, it felt human. It felt very empowering.” On the show they get candid about hot topics, including whether they had a prenup. “I said I would,” Hilaria recounts. “And then you’re like, ‘Okay, we don’t have to.’ ”

Why Alec did the show: “We did the show because it’s in place of doing a movie or a play. Now I think to myself, ‘Am I going to be away from my kids five nights out of the week until 11 o’clock at night?’ For me, work-related things really aren’t that critical anymore. I thought, ‘I get to spend time with my family.’ ”

Alec on Hilaria: “I don’t know where I would be if I didn’t have her. I don’t know what would’ve happened to me. I had been married, got divorced. I dated another woman for off and on for quite a while. I’m like, ‘I don’t want to have a girlfriend. I don’t,’” Alec recalls of 2011, when he and Hilaria first entered each other’s lives. “And so when I met [Hilaria], I was really like, ‘Oh, God. I don’t want to do this. I don’t want to do this,’” Alec remembers. “But I mean, I fell madly in love with her. And I told my friends, and they were like, ‘Oh, Jesus Christ. It’s like a miracle.’”

Alec took it slow during their courtship: As Hilaria remembers it, Alec took his time to make the first move, making her wait six weeks before they kissed. “He shook my hand, which was fine,” she recalls matter-of-factly. “No hug, nothing.” “Well, no, I had been dating someone,” Alec explains. “Listen, I’m older, I’m from a different civilization,” he continues. “And in my mind, when I was younger, if you sleep with someone, you have a bond with them. And I bonded with people that I did not want to bond with, but I did that. And then with her, the same thing. I’m thinking, ‘Oh, I don’t want another girlfriend.’ I just didn’t want to make her like … She’s a beautiful woman, I’m sure she’s had people all over her,” jokes Alec.

[From People Magazine]

Do you want the kids’ names and ages currently? Carmen, 11, Rafael, 9, Leonardo, 8, Romeo, 6, Eduardo and Marilu, 4, and Ilaria, 2. A mess. You’ve got to love how People Magazine’s premise for this story is “they’ve overcome so much, like concerns about the age difference!” Like Hilaria didn’t fabricate her entire backstory in which she was “from Spain” and spoke for years with a Mexican accent. The only true thing here is that Alec is tired and he’s not getting much work anymore, and that’s why he agreed to the reality show. It will be such a mess.

Photos courtesy of Cover Images, Instagram, cover courtesy of People.

I don’t know how many different times the British media will report the exact same thing, but here we go. All eyes are once again falling on Prince William and his nonexistent diplomatic charisma, at least that’s what “palace sources” have been insisting ever since Donald Trump “won” the election. Trump is fond of William, and Trump is fond of the British monarchy in general. Because Keir Starmer and the Labour Party have done so much to alienate Trump in such a short time, everyone agrees that the Windsors will be deployed a lot to smooth over Britain’s special relationship with America. We’ve been hearing this a lot in recent months, but the Telegraph just ran another exhaustive and repetitive story about it. Some highlights:

King Charles maintained a relationship with Trump after he left the office in disgrace: There was one relationship, though, that was carefully, quietly maintained. The King, one of life’s great letter writers through his decades as Prince of Wales, kept up his personal correspondence with the former president, posting a hand-written missive every now and then to the delight of Trump and his wife Melania. At the time, it was a gesture that came naturally, following in the footsteps of the late Queen who had shown how to keep up a lifelong relationship with US presidents. Now, as Trump settles into the White House for a second term, that transatlantic hand of royal friendship between the President, King and, now, Prince William, may come to define the “special relationship” for a new era.

Trump loves Peggington: The Prince of Wales, described variously by Trump as a “good man”, “really very handsome” and doing a “fantastic job”, is set to be called upon for more presidential charming. What was initially proposed as a brief encounter in Paris between President Trump and Prince William in December turned into a 40-minute meeting behind closed doors, with those on both sides rhapsodising about the “warmth” on show ever since. Prince William, says a White House source, now holds a “really powerful, really important” influence in the future of the “special relationship”.

The Starmer government will utilize Trump’s affection for the Windsors: From tariffs, to the Chagos islands and defence spending, there has been no shortage of political differences. The UK is “out of line” on trade policies, Trump said earlier this month. But, White House sources tell The Telegraph, the President’s instinctive affection for Britain remains. And that emerging relationship with Prince William is key. The President would love a royal charm offensive, says one who knows him. “We would be mad not to utilise it”, says a Whitehall source.

Trump is anti-Sussex: He has been clear where his sympathies lie in the very public family breakdown with the Sussexes, accusing Prince Harry of an “unforgivable” betrayal of the late Queen, and is said to respect and support the monarchy’s handling of the fallout. In recent days he said he had no plans to deport Prince Harry because “he has enough problems with his wife. She’s terrible.”

William will do whatever he’s told to do: The Prince “realises the important role he and his family play,” says a palace source. “It’s important that we’re not involved in day-to-day politics, but when the time is right and there’s an ask for support from His Majesty’s government, the Prince is happy to play his role and support where needed. There is a definite willingness to support where there is an ask.”

William’s authenticity: “He’s extremely authentic,” says one. “He’s extremely comfortable in his own skin. He brings that authenticity to whoever he’s meeting or sitting down with.” The President, another source ventured, enjoyed the “banter” with the Prince and is “very fond” of the younger man. “The President looks to the King, and now William, for things that are going on in the UK,” adds one familiar with their meetings.

William is so popular in America, you guys: “He is very popular on both sides of the pond, and that will be irresistible to Trump,” they said. Officials are also discussing deploying either the Prince and Princess of Wales, if she is well enough, or the King and Queen to the US later in Trump’s term, giving him an incentive to maintain a good relationship with the UK in the meantime. “We can offer the President the pomp here, but also offer the pomp there,” one source said.

[From The Telegraph]

I mean… if the Windsors really want to squeeze all they can out of their friendliness with a decrepit old man who is too senile to stop Elon Musk, they should probably work fast. I’m not sure Ol’ Bigly is even going to make it to the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. I’m not trying to give anyone any ideas, but William should totally come to America soon and sit in that circus tent with Trump and Elon Musk. While I understand the political calculations at play here, I do think that every option is bad news for the Windsors. But hey, what do I know.

Photos courtesy of Cover Images.

One of the fun things about the Invictus Games is that we always learn new things about how many “old friends” Prince Harry is actually still in contact with. It happened in Germany in 2023 as well – several of Harry’s oldest and dearest friends flew to Dusseldorf to watch the games and support their mate, much to the chagrin of the British media. The British media has spent years forcing the storyline that “everyone in Britain hates the Sussexes” and “Harry doesn’t have any friends.” Well, it turns out that a former Kensington Palace senior staffer is in Vancouver right now for the games, and he was seated next to Prince Harry at the wheelchair basketball game on Sunday. The guy’s name is Nick Loughran and he used to work for the Princess of Wales… before he dumped Kate’s right-hand assistant and began dating Harry’s assistant, who is now Nick’s wife.

The Princess of Wales’ former aide has been spotted at the Invictus games in Canada with Harry and Meghan. Nick Loughran was a senior aide to The Prince and Princess of Wales but left in 2016 following a reported romantic entanglement with two women who worked at the palace. On Sunday, Nick, who has denied the love triangle was the reason for him leaving the palace, sat next to Prince Harry to watch the Wheelchair Curling at the Invictus Games.

Now the director of communications company Integra Group, Nick was seen chatting to the California based couple and even shaking hands with Meghan, 43, at the Hillcrest Recreation Centre in Vancouver. In one snap, Harry, 40, appeared to introduce the two, pointing towards Nick as Meghan leaned across her husband to shake hands with the former royal aide. Another moment revealed Nick and the Suits star chatting excitedly between Harry, who perched in the middle listening to the two.

In 2016, the Palace announced that Nick was leaving his position at Kensington palace, though he has maintained that this was not a result of a romantic entanglement. The announcement came three months the Mail disclosed that Loughran had broken up with Kate’s cherished ‘Girl Friday’, Rebecca Deacon, and begun courting Clara Madden, a blonde bombshell who worked at the time as Prince Harry’s assistant.

Nick split up with Rebecca in 2015 after a two-year relationship. He went on to date and eventually marry Clara following the dramatic departure from the palace. Rebecca left the palace the following year and tied the knot to Adam Priestley at the Chapel Royal at St James’s Palace. In 2023, she was awarded the title of Extra Equerry’ to His Royal Highness by Prince William.

After he left Kensington Palace, Nick went on to take on a position as associate director at Freuds, the PR firm founded by Matthew Freud. He left the position after four years before going on to take a role as Family Communications Director at Grosvenor, before landing the job at Integra Group in 2021.

Nick went on to marry his palace love interest, Clara Loughran, who had worked for Harry since 2015, organising his official engagements and charitable initiatives. She was also known for being the mystery woman to hand Meghan her flowers on the Sussexes’ wedding day in 2018.

[From The Daily Mail]

Following the timeline, it sounds like Nick was done with Rebecca Deacon and then moved on quickly with Harry’s assistant Clara in 2016, and Nick and Clara later married. Clara was still working for Harry at the time of his 2018 wedding as well. And obviously, Clara and Nick are still in contact with Harry even after he left the UK, so much so that Nick came to the games. It’s certainly interesting. It’s also kind of interesting that they’re going with “Kate’s former aide” and not “a former palace senior staffer who left palace employment nine years ago to work in the private sector.” Also: I’ve always wondered just how many “former palace staffers” decided to follow the Sussexes when they exited. Because it was more than James Holt, although he’s probably the most vocal one to join the Sussexit.

Photos courtesy of Cover Images.

Noel Gallagher used to be known as one of the biggest haters in the world, and currently he’s mad because Kendrick Lamar has taken the Hater Crown. In recent years, Noel Gallagher has repeatedly slammed Adele, he’s called Prince Harry a “typical f–king woke snowflake,” and he’s mocked “slack-jawed f–kwit” Matt Healy. This week, Gallagher appeared on the talkSPORT show to talk about football (American football and British football). He was asked about the Super Bowl and Kendrick Lamar’s Halftime Show. He had some thoughts.

Kendrick Lamar’s set at the Superdome on Sunday was the most-watched Super Bowl Halftime Show ever, with 133.5 million viewers according to Roc Nation, and Kendrick’s company pgLang is calling it the “Most watched anything in the history of american television.” Among those watching was Noel Gallagher, the notorious hip-hop hater who claimed in 2008 that having rappers at Glastonbury was “wrong,” sparking a funny “Wonderwall” cover during Jay’s set. You won’t be surprised to learn that Gallagher also thought Kendrick’s Super Bowl performance was rubbish.

One thing the Oasis guitarist does love is Manchester City football. He went on Andy Goldstein and Darren Bent’s talkSPORT broadcast to discuss Man City and pivoted to some Super Bowl chatter at the end of his call. He revealed that he’s been a fan of American football since the ’80s and was pretty invested in this season’s playoffs despite not having a favorite team. (“I thought the Commanders were going to do it” — it did seem that way for a while, Noel!) Goldstein then asked Gallagher about Bent’s “hero,” Kendrick Lamar, and the Halftime Show.

“I had to switch it off,” Gallagher said. “It was absolute nonsense.” When pressed about why it was bad, Gallagher said, “It was like 300 people getting out of a car in the first three minutes.” He continued, “But no, I don’t like the halftime nonsense at all. It’s usually artists that I don’t like.” When pressed about his favorite Halftime Show, he said he never watches it. And when asked if he’d like to see that sort of grand production taking place during the UEFA Champions League final, Gallagher replied, “No, and it’s coming. Trust me, it’s coming. Americans are taking over our sport. They’re taking over the Premier League. They’ll take over the Champions League. And it’ll be — 20 years from now it’ll be nonsense.”

[From Sterogum]

I forgot about the “rappers at Glastonbury” thing and Jay-Z mocking Oasis. Kendrick played at Glastonbury too – he played the festival in 2022 to a rapturous crowd and widespread acclaim. I mean, honestly, it sounds like Noel Gallagher is just racist and he fancies himself a music gatekeeper. He doesn’t think rap is “real music,” just my guess. Anyway, Kendrick officially has the most-watched Halftime show in history, and the YouTube video is doing crazy numbers as well. Kendrick’s streaming numbers are going bonkers too. While there are obviously has-been haters like Noel, the overwhelming majority of casual Super Bowl viewers loved Kendrick’s show and they became even more interested in his music and his lore.

Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, screencap from the Super Bowl.

Taylor Swift did not have a good time in New Orleans. Neither did Travis Kelce. Taylor got the hell out of NOLA on Monday, hours after the Kansas City Chiefs lost the Super Bowl. I still don’t know if Travis left with her, but I don’t think he did. Reportedly, she went to her home in Nashville, and it wouldn’t surprise me if Travis has to be in Kansas City for a few days, even with the loss. I’m sure there’s business to attend to. But after all the dust settles, it sounds like Travis and Taylor are going to take a big vacation.

With the Super Bowl finished and the Eras Tour now in the rearview, Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce are finally ready for some downtime. A source tells PEOPLE that the high-profile couple will “have a break together” following the Kansas City Chiefs’ 40-22 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles on Feb. 9 in New Orleans, which “was upsetting for everyone.”

“Their lives have been a whirlwind since they first started dating,” the insider says. “Things seem great between them, and they’re incredibly happy together.”

Swift, 35, was a fixture at Chiefs games this past season, often bringing her friends and family members along to cheer from a suite at Arrowhead Stadium. The Super Bowl was no exception, as she brought brother Austin, dad Scott, and friends Ice Spice, Ashley Avignone and Este, Danielle and Alana Haim along to Caesars Superdome to root Kelce, 35, on as the Chiefs sought to become the first team in NFL history to ever win three consecutive Super Bowls.

“She truly loves watching Travis play,” the source adds. Kelce, too, was a fan of watching Swift in her element, as he attended more than a dozen Eras Tour shows — and even joined his girlfriend onstage for a memorable cameo in London. The “Fortnight” singer wrapped the record-shattering Eras Tour in December after almost two years on the road and nearly 150 shows.

[From People]

As a gossip historian, I feel like I should point out that back when Taylor dated Calvin Harris, they took a long, lovely tropical vacation together… and broke up just a few months later. We were like “aw, they’re so in love, look at their sweet vacation” and soon after, she was on the Worldwide Tiddlebanging Tour. Anyway! That was nine years ago. It will be different this time. Travis is a different guy. Everyone’s older and wiser.

Meanwhile, this video is going viral in a good way – Taylor was seen tipping staffers at a Grammys after-party two weekends ago. She’s been seen handing cash/tips to staffers at Arrowhead when she goes to Travis’s games too. She’s the kind of rich person who keeps fifties and hundred-dollar bills on hand so she can quickly tip people. Like… Taylor isn’t my fave, but I love that she’s not cheap and she gives out generous tips and bonuses.

Taylor Swift tipping workers at a Grammys after-party. pic.twitter.com/ZKygutX8M6

— Pop Crave (@PopCrave) February 12, 2025

Photos courtesy of Backgrid.

While there’s a lot of attention on the Duchess of Sussex right now because of her presence at the Invictus Games, let’s not forget that we will hopefully see much more of her next month too. Right after the Oscars, With Love, Meghan will drop on Netflix. I’m hopeful that she does some press around the show, and I’m also hopeful that we get a product launch for American Riviera Orchard. If I’m being honest, I’m not worried about the show at all – I know people will watch it and enjoy it. But I have concerns about ARO and the product launch. The British media has been spreading negativity around all of this as well, and now they’re claiming that ARO products will be sold in brick-and-mortar stores, and that Netflix is basically facilitating/distributing the product line.

We’ve been expecting jars of jam, tea, coffee, wallpaper, pet shampoo and much else besides. First unveiled amid great fanfare one year ago, Meghan Markle’s range of lifestyle products – sold under the beguiling name of American Riviera Orchard – has so far failed to appear. But Daily Mail can reveal that the Duchess of Sussex will finally launch her brand in just a few weeks time at brand-new brick and mortar stores owned by one her employers, streaming giant Netflix. And, say sources, the success or failure of her products in the Netflix House superstores will ‘make or break’ Meghan’s entrepreneurial ambitions.

The first of the American Riviera Orchard stands will open in early March in two of America’s biggest retail centers, the King of Prussia Mall in Philadelphia and the giant Dallas Galleria. The duchess will offer a range of products under American Riviera Orchard brand and, according to a Netflix source, will include jam, honey, and olive oil.

The timing might well be significant as her delayed Netflix lifestyle show ‘With Love, Meghan’ begins streaming on March 4.

‘This is make or break for Meghan,’ said the source. ‘Her new show is rolling out the same time as the Netflix stores open. The Netflix stores will offer products and merchandise from all their biggest shows like Squid Game and Stranger Things. This is a big move for Netflix. The first stores are in repurposed department stores inside two of America’s largest malls. They will contain an onsite cafe so Meghan’s products like her strawberry jam will be featured on the menu too. This will determine the future for Meghan as a businesswoman. Let’s face it, she hasn’t been that successful so far.’

The couple’s $100 million five-year Netflix deal expires later this year and insiders believe it will not be renewed.

The source said: ‘If Meghan’s show is a massive hit and she sells tons of products off the back of it then maybe Netflix will reconsider but at this stage it’s all about them supporting her show and then quietly letting the contract run its course.’

The streaming giant hopes to eventually open Netflix House stores coast-to-coast. On their website they say: ‘Netflix House is a year-round home for fans to live the stories they love. Enjoy rotating immersive experiences, exclusive merchandise, food, drinks and much more.’

[From The Daily Mail]

This is keeping in the years-long vein of the British media not understanding how American businesses operate, right? What they’re describing isn’t a “make or break moment” for Meghan – this is a description of Netflix fully supporting Meghan and her vision, to the point where Netflix will operate a chain of “Netflix stores” around Meghan’s ARO product line. They’re using Meghan and ARO as the foundation of this plan. That doesn’t say “the Sussexes are on their way out.” That says Netflix sees Meghan (especially) as the golden goose. Anyway, I will be disappointed if ARO products are only on sale in brick-and-mortar stores. They better sell these products online, damn it.

Photos courtesy of Cover Images.

Captain America: Brave New World comes out this week! While I’m not a Marvel girlie, I usually see the movies once at the theater and promptly forget the plotlines, I’m a Mackie fangirl. His talent and charisma are off the charts. I will watch even his mediocre shows and movies, most recently Elevation with Morena Baccarin. It was a Quiet Place ripoff but I was entertained! There are recent profiles of Mackie in Deadline and Esquire if you’d like a deep dive. His process, training and outlook are fascinating to me. He took ballet lessons while at Juilliard by sneaking into Baryshnikov classes!

I want to talk about a recent interview Mackie did with People Magazine, in which he admitted that it’s hard to date as a famous person. He’s not on the apps, which is not surprising to me. He said years ago that he tries to limit his phone use. He also told People he has social anxiety. While Mackie has been blased for not being open to random fan encounters, he wants to have his peace in his daily life and he’s wary of people’s intentions. That sounds really healthy in his position. Here’s some of what he told People.

For Anthony Mackie, being Captain America comes with plenty of perks — but it hasn’t improved his romantic life.

The actor tells PEOPLE that if anything, his superhero status headlining Captain America: Brave New World makes dating “obsolete,” adding “the idea of dating is really hard.”

“How do you trust someone? How do you put yourself in a position to be vulnerable? How do you know what someone really [wants] from you when all you want is to just be loved and appreciated? What does that look like?” he continues.

The 46-year-old father of four, who split from his ex-wife Sheletta Chapital in 2018, isn’t on Tinder or Raya, either. “I’m older and I don’t do the apps,” says Mackie…

In the Big Easy, Mackie still goes to the same restaurants that were around when his late parents, Martha and Willie, raised him and his five siblings.

“I’m not a big attention person. I appreciate the support. I appreciate the idea of people recognizing me for my work, if nothing else,” he says. “But social anxiety is a real thing. And because of that, I run away and hide. I go to my places where I know people and they take care of me. And I just sit in the corner and put a umbrella over my head.”

[From People]

We have confirmation that he’s single. So many people are in a similar situation, and I somewhat blame the apps. Like social media and outrage culture, they’ve transformed the way we interact and have gamified the process of finding a partner. I think about this a lot, and about how it was once easy to use dating sites and they gradually devolved, much like the Internet overall. This is a rare personal admission from Mackie too. He’ll tell cute anecdotes about his four sons but he hasn’t revealed their names and we only know their rough ages, 8 to 15.

In regard to Mackie’s reluctance to engage with fans, in his Esquire interview he addressed a story that blew up on Twitter, where a woman saw him at a gas station and he waved her away. His phone number had recently been leaked and he was worn out from getting so many calls and texts. No wonder he doesn’t want to get on Raya. I’m hoping he finds a great partner though and that we hear about it somehow! I’m nosey, but more than that I want him to be happily partnered up if he’s looking for that. Also I want to see Anthony Mackie in a romcom!

Mackie did a class on Peloton with Alex Toussaint! It’s time for me to subscribe again.

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Photos credit: Phil Lewis/Wenn/Avalon, IMAGO/Steve Vas/Avalon, Cristiano Minichiello/AGF Foto/Avalon, IPA/INSTARimages, PA Images/INSTARimages, Imago-Images/Emmefoto/Avalon