Last week, we devoted a lot of time to the Duke and Duchess of Sussex and the birth certificate drama. That was the big royal story, and I kind of felt like this other story got buried: Meghan has zero plans to go back to the UK this spring or summer. If Prince Harry does travel to the UK for Trooping the Colour or his grandfather’s 100th birthday, Harry will do so alone, with Meghan and Archie staying in California. The British press was all abuzz with that news two weekends ago, and no one could decide if it was a good or bad thing. It was a good thing because they all hate Meghan, obviously. But it was a bad thing because Meghan is “snubbing” the Windsors and the British press. She said “lol I don’t need you, I never needed you.” Now Omid Scobie has commented about whether or not Meghan’s absence should be seen as a “snub.”

Meghan Markle won’t come to the UK this summer because she ‘doesn’t want to be away from Archie’, the author of her biography Finding Freedom has claimed. The Duchess of Sussex, 39, who is currently living in her $14million mansion in California having stepped back from her royal duties last year, does not plan to accompany Prince Harry, 36, when he visits his family for the first time since Megxit, according to royal insiders.

Omid Scobie said current travel plans were ‘up in the air’ due to the Covid-19 crisis, but that it is ‘easier for the Duke to do the trip solo’. Speaking to Ok! magazine, the royal expert explained: ‘Meghan wouldn’t want to be away from Archie and it would be very tricky to factor a small child into their travels with all the restrictions that could potentially be in place.’

He added that the Duchess would likely catch up with the family virtually, explaining: ‘Archie loves being on Zoom calls with the family and the Queen has been enjoying those throughout lockdown.’

While Meghan could potentially be missing several events in the UK, including the Queen’s birthday and the unveiling of the Princess Diana statue, Omid said the royal would still make an effort with those occasions. He explained: ‘I’m sure Meghan will send the Queen some gorgeous flowers for her birthday and also get Archie to help her with the card.’

His comments come after royal expert Nigel Cawthrone, author of the book Prince Andrew, told FEMAIL the decision not to travel to the UK would be a ‘snub’ from the duchess and would cast a ‘dark shadow’ over the Firm’s summer celebrations. He claimed: ‘If Meghan decided not to attend for no reason it would indeed be a snub to her royal in-laws and mark a nadir in the relations between the royal family and the Sussexes.’

[From The Daily Mail]

I’m sorry but Scobie is being a shady B and I’m here for it! Meghan will send the Queen flowers on her little struggle birthday!!! That’s what pisses off these people more than anything else – that Meghan has literally no interest in participating in their unhinged carnival anymore. She doesn’t need them. She doesn’t need access to them. She’s not interested in the trappings of royalty. She has her own brand of magic. They can’t stand it. They’re in knots trying to shame her into coming back all while they’re furious that they have no hold on her. And she’s also like “you’re not going to get your hands on my son either.”

Photos courtesy of WENN, Avalon Red.

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As we know, Queen Elizabeth is very, very rich. Her three youngest adult children have relied on their mother’s largesse for most of their assets, from real estate to jewelry, what have you. When Princess Anne married her first husband, the Queen gifted her with the large country estate Gatcombe Park. I think Anne probably loved it because of all of the grounds for horses, and it must have stables too. Anne’s home is quite nice from the exterior – it’s not a giant palace, but a nice-sized “country home.” What I was not expecting, however, was for the interior of Gatcombe to look so… small, shabby and normal?

The Windsors’ social media team posted the photo of Anne and her husband Timothy Laurence on their couch together, in their living room, watching Scotland vs. England in the Calcutta Cup. Anne is patron of the Scottish team. Look at all of the stuff in that one room! Bookcases, dog beds, tchotckes, random dishware, framed photos and a couch that doesn’t look comfortable in the least! The springs have gone out of it, that’s why Anne is perching on a firmer white cushion. I know this photo got posted as a strategic “royals are totally normal” PR hit, but holy sh-t, Anne really is f–king normal. She bought that couch and armchair in the 1980s!! That was when she last updated the room too.

I mean, my guess is that Anne just uses things to death because she’s cheap as hell and doesn’t care if things are fancy. But I also guess that the Queen just hasn’t funded any kind of refurbishment of Gatcombe, and since Anne really doesn’t have her own income, that’s the only way she could buy herself a new couch!

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Photos courtesy of Getty, IG and WENN.

People have been watching Framing Britney Spears, a docu-series airing on FX and Hulu. It’s about Britney Spears’ life and career, before and after her 2007 “breakdown” and her subsequent conservatorship. There’s been an outpouring of renewed sympathy for Britney and her situation, and it feels like the #FreeBritney movement is stronger than ever. I enjoy the fact that a whole new generation is learning about all of the crazy sh-t that happened to and around Britney circa 2000-03 too, because Justin Timberlake has always been the f–king worst. Anyway, people want to know: has Britney been watching the docuseries? She has not. She lived it.

Britney Spears has not seen “Framing Britney Spears,” but knows about the New York Times documentary that is shining a major spotlight on her conservatorship issues, a source exclusively told Page Six.

“As of Sunday, Britney hadn’t watched the documentary, but she’s aware of it,” the source said. “She had not seen any of it.”

When asked whether Britney, 39, was not given permission to view the docuseries as part of her legal restrictions, the insider shared that it was the pop star’s own decision not to watch it.

“She’s chosen not to watch it because she’s fed up with the conservatorship,” the source said. “She feels there is a hole missing in her life because of the conservatorship and that she won’t be able to live a normal life until that’s over. She knows it’s a battle for her whole life.”

In November, Britney’s attorney, Samuel D. Ingham III, claimed in a court hearing that the “Toxic” singer had become “afraid” of her father, Jamie Spears, and wanted him removed from her conservatorship. “She will not perform again if her father is in charge of her career,” he said.

Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Brenda Penny declined to suspend Jamie, 68, from his duties, but stated that she was open to hear arguments for his removal in the future. Bessemer Trust was named as co-conservator.

Jamie told CNN in December that he hadn’t spoken to his daughter in months. “When a family member needs special care and protection, families need to step up, as I have done for the last 12-plus years, to safeguard, protect and continue to love Britney unconditionally,” he said. “I have and will continue to provide unwavering love and fierce protection against those with self-serving interests and those who seek to harm her or my family.”

Despite the latest microscopic attention on her ongoing legal issues due to the documentary, a source told Page Six on Monday that Britney is “happy and lively.” The next court date over the battle for conservatorship is on Feb. 11.

[From Page Six]

Maybe Framing Britney Spears will change my mind about this, but I do believe that for several years, Britney’s conservatorship was necessary. Reportedly, even in the middle of her breakdown, she was wary of having her father as her conservator (which seems prophetic now). I know that Jamie is only fighting this hard to remain on as conservator because of money, and I’ve felt for some time now that the financial situation around Britney and her father deserves a microscopic examination. But Jamie has also been in poor health for several years now, and he literally abused his grandsons and put Britney’s visitation with her sons in jeopardy. It’s past time for Jamie to be kicked off the conservatorship, and I’m coming around to the idea that the conservatorship just needs to end entirely.

Photos courtesy of Backgrid, Britney’s IG.

Donald Trump’s impeachment trial begins this week. Now that Democrats have a razor thin majority in the Senate, one would imagine this trial will be handled very differently than Trump’s first impeachment trial. It’s even being said that Mitch McConnell is very quietly whipping votes to convict Trump, or at the very least, trying to give Republicans the room to vote their conscience. Another thing that’s very different: the sitting president won’t be using his bully pulpit to interfere in the impeachment proceedings. Probably because the sitting president has better things to do than sit around, watching Fox News and guzzling Diet Coke and cheeseburgers.

Washington may be consumed by Donald Trump’s impeachment trial this week, but the White House has a decidedly different view of it: Impeachment? What impeachment? The Biden team has shut down question after question about where Biden stands on this week’s trial, even with its massive historical, constitutional and political ramifications. On Monday, press secretary Jen Psaki wouldn’t even say whether the president would receive daily updates on the trial’s progress. It’s a remarkable bit of messaging discipline driven by a simple political calculation. Biden’s presidency rests on whether he can drive down Covid numbers, reopen the economy and get kids back in schools. He needs his Covid relief package to do that, not the banishment of his predecessor from future public office.

“[It] just makes no sense for Biden to weigh in on the impeachment,” said one source familiar with the White House’s thinking. “He’s already said that he thought [there] were grounds for impeachment but he has to stay focused on helping people in this crisis.”

Several other people familiar with the White House’s thinking say the Biden team sees no upside in Biden weighing in on impeachment, either. His remarks would surely not move votes on the Republican side, they say. Even the slightest comment about Trump at a press briefing would blot out anything else they do that day. Talking Trump would also signal to Americans that Biden is already tilting toward politics instead of figuring out how to get shots in people’s arms.

Still, Biden’s public shoulder shrug to the impeachment trial is a notable contrast to Senate Democrats, who contend that the trial is essential to holding Trump accountable for inciting the deadly Jan. 6 riot in the Capitol. One Democratic senator has told POLITICO the trial was essential to publicly airing Trump’s “really heinous criminal wrongdoing and criminal intent.”

But when Psaki was pressed on Monday about how Biden would approach the proceedings, she sidestepped or deflected, saying it was a matter for Congress to handle. At one point, she said Biden didn’t have anything new to say because he was no longer in the Senate, where the trial will be held starting Tuesday.

“He will not spend much time watching the proceedings — if any time — over the course of this week,” Psaki said. “He will leave the pace, and the process and the mechanics of the impeachment proceedings up to members of Congress.”

[From Politico]

This line made me laugh: “Still, Biden’s public shoulder shrug to the impeachment trial is a notable contrast to Senate Democrats…” The Trump presidency broke a lot of brains, and now it’s considered noteworthy to say that the executive office isn’t going to interfere with a Senate issue. It would be more noteworthy if Biden DID try to interfere with the Senate trial. That being said, of course Biden will pay attention to what’s happening in the trial. I bet this has made him miss his Senate days, where he spent decades of his life.

Photos courtesy of Backgrid.

I got the car trash can we featured a few weeks ago and it’s great! I wish I had gotten it sooner. It’s really easy to set up and use and it’s super convenient. They even included trash bags with it. I also got the purse organizer we featured. I got in the mini size as my purse is small. It’s really excellent, it helped me clean up my purse and I especially like the long clip where you can attach your keys. Here are some more things I’m looking at on Amazon.

A dainty astrology necklace would make a great gift for you or a friend

These little astrology necklaces come in every sign of course and in rose gold, white gold and yellow gold plated. They’re also in 16 and 18 inch versions. They have almost 1,500 ratings, 4.5 stars and an A on Fakespot. Reviewers say they come in a nice box and drawstring bag suitable for gifting and like how subtle and pretty they are. They’re under $13 and are made in America. “I was surprised at how much I loved this necklace when it arrived. I now wear this necklace several times a week, because it’s a simple yet elegant way to dress up an outfit (even a work from home wardrobe).” “This necklace is exactly what I was looking for. I wanted a cute, simple necklace that could be worn at a choker length that I could also layer with other necklaces if I wanted.” “It is so pretty and feminine. I love the way it looks when the light hits it.”

Chamomile tea with valerian for a deeper sleep

I love sleepytime tea by Celestial Seasonings and people say this version with valerian works well to help them fall and stay asleep. You get a pack of 6 20-count boxes for $20, which is a bargain. These have 4.8 stars, over 3,8000 ratings and a B on Fakespot. This is said to taste as good if not better than the regular version, with added benefits. “The Sleepytime Extra has the same flavor as the regular version (which I love), but the added valerian makes it even more relaxing. This stuff knocks me out, in a good way—I think the valerian/chamomile is a great combo.” “This tea is very smooth and soothing to drink, especially at night. It is similar to the original Sleepytime that I drink from time to time. If I were to compare the two, I think that this tea is a bit sweeter, but that is okay with me.” “I don’t know what voodoo is in this potion but I’m forever grateful for this.”

Little pop-open cards with meaningful quotes to keep or give away

These pop open cards by Compendium are $10 for 30. They would make a lovely Valentine’s gift for a loved one or yourself. They have inspirational quotes in them and come in different themed designs like Carpe Diem, Life is Beautiful, Dream and Be Strong. These have 4.7 stars, over 3,300 ratings and an A on Fakespot. One woman said that she loves them and keeps some to herself and gives others away as gifts. Others give them to their coworkers. “I like to give people small unexpected gifts and compliments and I was so happy when I discovered these little cards! I will leave one on a co-workers desk or include one in a card and so far everyone has loved them!” “All of the messages inside are relatable no matter what. It is like the card version of a fortune cookie.” “Love these. I give them to my employees when they need a pick me up and their messages are always wonderful and timely.”

Chinese five spice to wow your family with tasty dishes

My mom has been raving about Chinese five spice and said she makes herself a low calorie dessert with almond milk she puts in the microwave with five spice frothed into it. You can also make so many tasty recipes with it. This is two ounces of Chinese five spice for just $7. This has over 1,400 ratings, 4.6 stars and an A on Fakespot. Reviewers say it’s fresher and tastes better than other five spice blends they’ve tried. “I have never come across such delicious five-spice. All the others pale in comparison to the fresh robust and heavenly smell and flavor this product has.” “Awesome spices that really made a difference in what would have been a plain chicken dinner! Highly recommend this and the seller.” “I used this for an Asian meat dish, it helped my recipe come out delicious.”

A waterproof wireless solar power bank with a flashlight and compass

This wireless solar power bank would make a great gift for a camper or hiker or just to give peace of mind. It’s under $30 and has a USB port where you can charge it or your devices plus it can also be recharged with sunlight. This has over 15,000 ratings, 4.4 stars and a B on Fakespot. Plus it’s under $30. “I got one before a 7 day canoe trip to Boundary Waters in Minnesota. I was able to clip it to the outside of my pack without being worried of it getting wet or bumped around , it always had plenty of energy and with the wireless charging i didn’t need to bring any additional cables. Having a flashlight to hang in my tent was an extra bonus.” “Our son took it camping just recently and it charged his phone 3 times without the sun having to recharge it. He was very surprised how well it worked!” “ I get about 2 total days of charging off it and charge it overnight with USB-C.”

A beautiful pop-up Valentine’s card they’ll cherish

I looked through so many of these popup cards and most had bad Fakespot ratings except for this brand, CutePopUp. Every card I checked from them had an A on Fakespot. The one above is really cute and there’s also an adorable one where a couple kisses under a tree in fall and one with a young couple on the beach. These would make a thoughtful and appreciated Valentine’s card. Reviewers say that they make great gift cards. “ It was intricately made, looked fragile, but was well constructed. We were at a restaurant and my friend displayed it on the table. Several people stopped to admire it.” “This is the second “pop-up” card I have purchased for my husband. When he opened this one, for our 48th Anniversary, he said “That’s beautiful.” We both love birds and the meticulous artistry and design itself of the tree, with the love birds, is perfect. Thank you for making such a beautiful card.” Here’s a link to all this company’s Valentine’s cards.

Lovely rose stud earrings that pop

Now that I’m wearing masks all the time I am only wearing stud earrings. These rose stud earrings by AllenCoCo come in 11 different sizes and finishes, including black, rose gold and pearl varieties. They are all under $15 and have 4.6 stars, over 4,300 ratings and a B on Fakespot. Reviewers like the size of these earrings and the fact that they’re 3D and say they don’t irritate sensitive skin. “I have worn these for a couple weeks. They remain glossy and shiny. My ears are sensitive to non-gold, and these do not irritate my ears.” “I bought these earrings for myself. I absolutely LOVE them!! They are just the right size, not too small, not heavy, and not too big.” “These are great – they are 3D and stand out from the lobe like a real flower would. They’re a good size too – not too big or too small.”

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The Duchess of Sussex has been seen! In a very tiny square in a Zoom poetry class, alongside Prince Harry. Harry and Meghan zoom’d into a Get Lit virtual poetry class in a way to honor Black History Month. Get Lit is a nonprofit organization which was founded in 2006, and has grown to 100 classrooms across California. Get Lit has been doing virtual poetry and literature events around Black History Month, and it was apparently a big surprise to the students on the Zoom call that Meghan and Harry dropped in. Here’s what went down:

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry are talking poetry! The couple made a surprise appearance in honor of Black History Month on Saturday, joining a virtual poetry class with Get Lit, an organization that promotes literacy and empowers young people through poetry.

“Guess who surprised our poetry class this weekend?! It was the best weekend EVER!” the organization captioned a screenshot of the duo joining their Zoom call — with some shocked reactions from other participants. “Prince Harry and Meghan, The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, were magic and kind and interested in poetry!”

Get Lit said that Meghan shared some of her favorite lines of poems and dubbed the it “most epic experience in Get Lit history!!!”

Teacher Mason Granger shared on Instagram why Meghan, 39, and Prince Harry, 36, joined the class. “The root of them deciding to come is because at some point in their lives, they were moved by a poem,” he said. “And whoever wrote that poem at some point thought to themselves, ‘Does this even matter? Is anyone even listening?’ And they shared it anyway. Fast forward ripple ripple ripple and these kids get a surprise 45 minute chat with the Prince Harry and Meghan. It was pretty surreal.”

Granger said that the kids were able to share poems and ask Meghan and Harry questions. He even commented that the couple took the time to “actually read and learned the kids bios I’d sent earlier.” In a video shared on Get Lit’s Instagram story, one student asked Meghan and Harry why they were interested in the organization and poetry in general. “It was recommended to us,” Harry answered. “We really just wanted to see you guys, meet you guys and see how this was working through Zoom.”

Meghan added, “It’s so interesting as we watch our world go through this alchemy process, right. Everything is being churned and turned, and hopefully what comes out is something solid.”

[From People]

Mason Granger remarking that Harry and Meghan took the time to read the student bios is *chef’s kiss*. Of course they took the time. Meghan, especially, loves to be prepared. I bet she was ready to make flashcards so that she and Harry would remember the students. (Meanwhile, Harry’s brother doesn’t even bother reading his briefing papers while traveling abroad.) Anyway, Get Lit is a great program and not to get too Michelle Pfeiffer-in-Dangerous-Minds, but it’s amazing to expose young students to advanced literature and poetry, especially the modern stuff.

Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, IG.

As I’m sitting here, writing on a Tuesday morning, it feels like the calm before the storm. This week will probably be about Donald Trump’s impeachment trial, but what if a big celebrity-related story breaks this week too? I keep waiting for updates on the Armie Hammer situation, because I’ve convinced myself that something big is coming out sooner rather than later. I mean, it’s clear that something is about to break – Armie’s agents and publicists wouldn’t have cut ties so suddenly over the weekend. I spent all of Monday waiting for a major publication to drop some bombshell about Hammer, but nothing happened. All of which means that people on the internet are spinning some theories.

Twitter is waiting with bated breath as rumours continue to swirl that an explosive story on embattled actor Armie Hammer is set to drop at any minute. Celebrity gossip Instagram account Deux Moi shared screenshots of a number of submissions that predicted a large US media outlet had a shocking story about Hammer due to be published imminently. The contents of the story remain unknown at the time of publishing, but the nature of Hammer’s previous allegations – which include sexual assault, coercion and emotional abuse, in addition to the disturbing sexual proclivities revealed in a number of unverified Instagram DMs – appear to indicate that it can’t be good. The story is said to be the reason behind the Call Me By Your Name star’s agency and publicist both suddenly dropping him over the weekend.

Twitter users have gone into overdrive trying to predict what the claims could be against Hammer, who allegedly referred to himself as a “cannibal” in leaked DMs posted by the Instagram account House of Effie. Some are going so far as to suggest that Hammer could be accused of murder, with the remains of three women apparently found near a location he was filming last year. As talk continued about the upcoming exposé, House of Effie posted (then quickly deleted) an Instagram Story about the developments. “Holy s–t. I know what’s going to come out. It’s bad. Really bad,” read the text posted on the Story. “Like I’m shaking and feel like I’m gonna throw up bad…”

Speculation has reached fever pitch, with some online sleuths alleging that the disappearance of a woman just outside of Palm Springs in June of last year was at the same time the actor was said to be working in the area. Remains were found this month, leading many commenters to draw connections between the upcoming story and the timely discovery of a body, however GRAZIA is not suggesting that this is anything more than social media conjecture. Deux Moi, meanwhile, seems to believe that this theory is incorrect, as an anonymous source says Hammer “had girls there the whole time” while filming, and that he “wouldn’t have done a whole press thing there if he had killed two people”. Either way, things are getting wild.

[From Grazia]

Does anyone around here read Jonathan Kellerman’s Alex Delaware series? I swear, Kellerman had a book about a Hollywood star who was secretly a serial killer and, like, into dissecting bodies and sh-t. I keep getting flashbacks to that book (even though I thought at the time that Kellerman based the star and his wife on Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie). Anyway! I keep going back and forth about whether I believe the Armie exposé will be about murder. I really don’t know!

Meanwhile, did you see that Brandi Glanville tried to, like, cannibal thirst-tweet Armie? She tweeted “Dear @armiehammer You can have my rib cage [heart emoji] how do you just keep getting hotter and hotter #letsbbq.” My God. She then tweeted “Guys I DID NOT KNOW the extent of what’s being alleged against AH. I just read he was getting divorced and thought he was hot. No more headline p–n for me! I have learned my lesson.” Narrator’s voice: she has not learned her lesson.

Photos courtesy of Backgrid, Avalon Red.

This Suzanne Somers story is equal parts funny and creepy as hell. Fortunately, the reason we can find humor in it is because A) it ends up okay and B) Suzanne is so composed, it puts you a little at ease. But when you break down events, it goes back to being creepy. Last Friday, Suzanne was filming her Facebook livestream, in which she sells her makeup line. This is the first time I have ever watched her show, so I assume this is the normal format. Suzanne and her husband, Alan Hamel, were at their Palm Springs estate. Both Suzanne and Alan are in great shape, but they are 74 and 84 respectively and Suzanne is a breast cancer survivor, remember. Anyway, they began their show by explaining that it was formal Friday, which is meant to explain why she was dressed like a mob widow and he was dressed like an extra from Miami Vice. They engaged in playful banter and often got sidetracked from their makeup discussion with whatever pops into their mind in that moment. About 40 minutes in, when Alan and Suzanne were quibbling over her lipstick application process, Suzanne said she heard someone. Sure enough, she turned to her left and saw a man she doesn’t know who has randomly, he claimed, wandered on to their property. Things got even weirder when the man said he was terrified because there were “ghosts following him.”

Suzanne Somers is speaking out after an unexpected visitor showed up at her Palm Springs, California, home on Friday night while she was in the middle of a Facebook Live session.

Around 40 minutes into the video, which sees her discussing various makeup products, the Three’s Company star stops abruptly and asks her husband, producer Alan Hamel, “Is somebody here? I just heard a person.”

Somers, 74, then invites the person over toward where she’s sitting because, as she says later in the footage, she thought he was a dinner guest who had arrived early. But she soon realizes he isn’t one of the individuals she was expecting — and “he barely had any clothes on,” as she later told Page Six.

The man is heard telling Somers he is “terrified” because there are “ghosts following” him. And after Somers politely asks him how he got there and tells him he shouldn’t be there, she adds, “You don’t scare me … but I’m not used to people being on our property.”

He then apologizes to the star, who calmly gives him directions back down the hill to exit their property and asks Hamel, 84, to show the intruder the door.

A few minutes later, the Step by Step alum says she “may cut [the broadcast] a little short, because … we may have to call the police.”

“All is well, but thank you for your concern everybody,” she adds, writing later in a comment, “All clear and safe! Thanks for your concern. Have a great weekend.”

Somers told Page Six that the man was wearing “flip flops or a bathing suit, or a bikini,” and that her seemingly comedic wide-eyed glances at the camera were because, “I had a few hundred thousand people watching, and I wanted to keep them calm.”

[From People via DListed]

I went into this story/video knowing that there was an intruder involved and that Suzanne came out unscathed. Still, it calmed me to know that Alan was present in the beginning. The more voices I heard leading up to the guy’s arrival, the better I felt that there were reinforcements. Otherwise, I don’t know if I could have watched this all the way through. As Suzanne explained in the article, she first thought he was one of her invited dinner guests, but you can see in the video below the moment she realizes he is not and I felt that in my chest. Especially when he starts speaking about ghosts and how he entered the property as casually as he did. I’m sure his appearance in what sounds like a speedo assured her he didn’t have a weapon, but some whack-job in a speedo at that time of night is still pretty disturbing. I am so impressed how calmly but decisively she handled the situation. Honestly, Alan too. He was firm but didn’t rush in without assessing the danger the man posed.

Alan told Page Six that many times hikers don’t take enough water when they hike and get disoriented. He said they found the guy odd but not threatening. I get that from the audio and, it sounds like, from his appearance. Also, he did walk up and identify himself with a full name, which might have legitimately been his own. But I don’t think he was hiking in a speedo and flip flops, especially at that hour. And he didn’t just wander on to that property, he worked to get there so getting the police involved was a good call either for their safety or his, if he truly was disoriented. But here’s the part that brings me back to creepy – Suzanne and Alan have been trying to sell that Palm Springs property for a few years now. They’ve taken it on and off the market a few times. However, they just slashed the price and relisted it with a splashy new photo spread covered by many outlets just last week.

Skip to minute 40:32 to get to the intruder:

Embed from Getty Images

Photo credit: Facebook, Getty Images and Avalon

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I must admit that I don’t actually watch the Super Bowl nor do I watch football. I have been boycotting the sport since before Colin Kaepernick took the knee in honor of Black lives being murdered by police officers. When I found out that most football teams were owned by good ole white boys and the way the mostly Black players were treated, I decided not to give my time or energy to the sport like I did in the 90s. After Colin was blackballed, I knew I had made the right choice. These days I watch tennis and sometimes soccer.

With that being said, our little sis Amanda Gorman, poet extraordinaire, recited an original poem in honor of the heroes of the pandemic in the Super Bowl preshow. Amanda was just as spectacular for the Super Bowl as she was at the Inauguration. Amanda reciting her poem “Chorus of the Captains” was the first time a poem was read at the Super Bowl in the game’s history. Besides making history again, Amanda booked this reading BEFORE her recitation at the Inauguration. Below are more details from PBS:

The poem, titled “Chorus of the Captains,” was a tribute to three people for their contributions during the pandemic: educator Trimaine Davis, nurse manager Suzie Dorner and Marine veteran James Martin.

Gorman didn’t perform on the field but appeared in a taped video message that combined Gorman’s reading with images of Davis, Dorner and Martin. Recited Gorman:

Let us walk with these warriors,
Charge on with these champions,
And carry forth the call of our captains!
We celebrate them by acting
With courage and compassion,
By doing what is right and just.
For while we honor them today,
It is them who every day honor us.

That Gorman brought poetry to the Super Bowl was an almost unthinkable collision of grace and glitz. But if the Super Bowl, an annual rite of excess, was an unlikely platform for a poet, it showed just how much Gorman has seized the nation’s spotlight since the inauguration.

Gorman’s Super Bowl appearance had been planned before the inauguration. She seemed to grasp the unlikeliness of her pre-game reading, the first in Super Bowl history. And with potentially 100 million viewers on the CBS telecast, it made for one very well-attended poetry recital.

“Poetry at the Super Bowl is a feat for art and our country, because it means we’re thinking imaginatively about human connection even when we feel siloed,” Gorman said Sunday on Twitter. “I’ll honor three heroes who exemplify the best of this effort. Here’s to them, to poetry and to a Super Bowl like no other.”

[From PBS]

I can’t say enough how proud I am of Amanda. She is definitely a graceful young lady and very much a beautiful representation of Gen Z. Amanda’s poem, “Chorus of the Captains,” was moving and heartfelt and I love how she highlighted people around the country for their efforts the last year. Like I said I never watch the Super Bowl unless I am watching someone I want to see perform in the Halftime Show like Shakira last year, so I am not sure how Amanda’s appearance flowed within the program. With that being said, I am glad Amanda was able to elevate the sport with her wordsmithing. Despite Amanda’s and a slew of other black folks performing at Super Bowl LV, I believe that the NFL has a long way to go to clean up its tarnished image as it concerns Black people, their view on Black lives and their players’ activism. They’re pledging to put $250 million toward combating systemic racism, but I am just not interested in the sport any longer.

Despite all of this, I am happy when people like Amanda and H.E.R are able to bring their brilliance to such a huge platform. As for Amanda, I do hope that her star continues to rise and that she continues to elevate the art of poetry, making it cool again. What I love about Amanda is not just her ability to make words flow like a powerful river, but how gracious and strong she is when she is being interviewed. Amanda shows how intelligent she is without ever flexing and I am here for that. I honestly believe we are seeing the creation of the Maya Angelou of a new generation, Amanda’s poetry definitely doesn’t sound like those old dead white dudes’ poetry we study in school.

Here’s the performance in case you missed it:

What a moment. @TheAmandaGorman #SBLV pic.twitter.com/v8VM9uhPww

— NFL (@NFL) February 7, 2021

A post shared by Amanda Gorman (@amandascgorman)

A post shared by Amanda Gorman (@amandascgorman)

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What do you do when you want to show someone you really like them? Do you wear your hair a certain way? Paint hearts on your nails? Stock your refrigerator with their favorite soda? Or do you ink their name into your neck and show it off to the world? If your answer isn’t ink, I guess you don’t mean it, do you? At least Mod Sun is willing to show his devotion to rumored girlfriend Avril Lavigne with such a display – and just in time for Valentines, aw. The quirky pair sparked romance rumors since collaborating on their new song, Flames. But now that Mod Sun has Avril’s name emblazoned across the back of his neck, I think it’s safe to say something’s going on between these crazy kids.

Mod Sun might want to grab a turtleneck the next time he wants to keep his relationship a secret … ’cause a huge “Avril” tattoo on his neck exposed what everyone’s thinking — he and Avril Lavigne are in a serious relationship.

A hawk-eyed TMZ producer spotted the tat on the back of Mod’s neck after the musicians were seen leaving BOA Steakhouse in WeHo. Sources close to the situation tell TMZ … the tat is 100% the real deal because, as our source put it, there’s no way Mod would EVER get a “temp tattoo.”

[From TMZ]

You can see the actual tattoo if you click on the TMZ link, we don’t have those photos. The pics below are the couple at BOA steakhouse, but not of the tat specifically. As for their coupledom, I didn’t even realize Avril had new music out and I certainly didn’t know she was supposedly dating the guy she’d made it with. This is only the second time I’ve heard of Mod Sun. The last time he was hanging out with Demi Lovato, once again sparking rumors, but those were squashed pretty quickly as it appeared they were just sober buddies and I kind of admired him for it. I know he’s Bella Thorne’s ex and beyond that, I really don’t know much else so I’m going to have to take TMZ’s “source” at their word that he wouldn’t dare get a temp tattoo. However, a tattoo could mean friendship too, since the only other source quoted said they didn’t see any PDA between Mod and Avril. However, CB directed me to Mod’s Instagram and of his 30 posts, Avril appears in nine of them, so whatever their relationship, it is currently intense enough he felt the need to ink it in the back of his neck.

Mod is pretty well decorated, so his tat real estate was at a premium. Does the placement mean different things when it comes to ink? If it’s on your bicep it’s familial love, but your chest is romantic? I’ll bet there is a love language in the tattoo world. The neck is pretty extreme, regardless of what it is. Mod made the A in Avril’s name an anarchy symbol and the “vril” is scrawled in such a way that it can easily be converted later if things should *ahem* sour later, so the design is not a bad one. If someone were to print Hecate on their person, I’d want it really prominent place. Like the inside of their palm, in kind of an, “I’m always here,” way. Either that or some weird place like on the inside of their foot so everyone in the gym would ask, what’s that?

Photo credit: Instagram and Backgrid