In July of last year, Prince William did an interview with the Peter Crouch Podcast. It was part of his short-lived project where he got to Zoom and hang out with footballers under the guise of “talking about mental health in football.” It was very blokey and try-hard and William declared his work on football and mental health completed and done with, because obviously he solved every mental health problem in football by doing some Zoom calls a podcast interview, clearly. Anyway, during the podcast interview, William made a terrible “joke” about how the Uber driver who delivered the takeout food was “getting frisked” on the floor of the palace. Har har, just a bunch of wealthy white blokes making jokes about how low-income delivery workers. As it turns out, William was enjoying himself so thoroughly that he “binned off” his next appointment.

Prince William ‘binned off’ his next appointment to continue drinking beer with Peter Crouch while recording an episode of the footballer’s podcast, co-presenter Chris Stark has claimed. Crouch, BBC R1 presenter Stark, and co-host Tom Fordyce, were invited to Kensington Palace in March 2020 to interview the Duke of Cambridge, 38, for an episode of Radio 5 Live’s That Peter Crouch Podcast that was released over the summer.

The group chatted over pints of beer and takeaway curry that was delivered to the royal residence and looked relaxed and jovial in video and photos released from the meeting.

Speaking this week on The Andy Jaye Podcast, Stark, 33, recalled how William, 38, had been due to leave after 45 minutes but ‘binned off’ his next appointment in order to stay.

He added the prince ‘relaxed’ after a few pints and stopped ‘having to think too much about the party line… At one point, this lady stood up to say that he’s got to go on to his next appointment – God knows what that was – and he just binned it off,’ Stark said. ‘I think he was having a good time and I’m sure he’s got his own way of relaxing but in those two or three hours that we were in the Palace, I do think I saw a real side to him.

‘I’ve met him at Radio 1 and it was a very different experience. [At Kensington Palace] I felt like you could have a pint with him and genuinely see what he was about, and I really like him. I genuinely saw a side to him where it was like “you are a young lad as well”.’

It is not known what William had been due to attend that day. MailOnline has contacted Kensington Palace for comment.

[From The Daily Mail]

SMH. All this does is reinforce this image of William as a lightweight, someone careless and ill-prepared. We get these small glimpses of the real William, the one being hidden by the “future king” persona, and they’re always like this. The lazy guy who can’t even be bothered to read briefing memos. The guy who would rather chum around with blokes than keep his next appointment. The guy who talks about watching TV when speaking to first responders. The guy who joked to first responders about the coronavirus on the eve of the pandemic. This is the same guy who bullied his brother out of the country so he, William, could have more attention. So, just to be clear – he’s a rage monster and he’s lazy and he’s also super-careless when it comes to his events and keeping appointments. Got it.

Photos courtesy of WENN, Avalon Red, Backgrid.

Every year, the fanciest fashion houses make pretentious films and they hire famous actors and top-tier directors and shoot it in a luxurious locale. They could spend millions of dollars and not come close to the aloof chicness of Mary-Kate Olsen and Olivier Sarkozy’s Zoom divorce screenshot. Look …

In an earlier post, I suggested that perhaps Olivia Wilde and Jason Sudeikis are pretty bland, and that’s why they’ve become the blank canvases on which people are projecting increasingly wacky opinions. I still believe that! But I’d also like to point out something else: at no point did anyone say that everyone is required to have a strong opinion about Olivia Wilde maybe-probably dumping Jason Sudeikis just as soon as Harry Styles came around. You can literally sit there and read the stories and NOT have to be “Team Wilde” or “Team Sudeikis” or even “Team Styles.” In fact, you’ll probably enjoy the stories more if you just dismiss all three people as messy and melodramatic.

So, yeah, that’s where we are now – Olivia set the narrative about how famous, beautiful, desirable and in-demand she is and how Jason was uncomfortable with that. Then Jason pushed back as soon as Olivia pap strolled with Harry and said that Olivia lied to him and their relationship fell apart as soon as she met Harry. Team Wilde counter-punched with a story about how Jason is just “jealous” because she’s moved on. Now, I guess Team Sudeikis wants us to know that he thinks Harry will end up dumping her.

Harry Styles fans were heartbroken when photos emerged of him holding hands with Olivia Wilde, but no one was more upset about the new relationship than her ex-fiancé, Jason Sudeikis.

“Jason’s had no option but to step back and let Olivia do her thing, but he [has his fingers crossed] that this is just a phase and that Olivia will snap out of it or that Harry will get bored and move on before too long,” a source exclusively reveals in the new issue of Us Weekly. “He’s desperate to” win Wilde back so that they can “repair their family.”

Sudeikis, 45, and Wilde, 36, who share son Otis, 6, and daughter Daisy, 4, had been dating for nine years and were engaged for seven when Us confirmed in November 2020 that they had called it quits. However, the timeline of their split has continued to make headlines since she and Styles, 26, went public with their budding romance earlier this month at the “Watermelon Sugar” singer’s manager Jeffrey Azoff’s wedding.

[From Us Weekly]

Is it mean to admit that I think those are really the only options as well? Either Olivia is going to snap out of it and realize that Harry looks prettier than her in a pussybow blouse and dump him OR Harry is going to move along. I tend to believe Harry will move along, probably a month or two after they wrap on Don’t Worry Darling. I could be wrong! I think Harry seems like a sweetheart, but I also think he’s at the point in his life where he doesn’t want any part of this Wilde-Sudeikis melodrama. Shades of his Taylor Swift fling, remember? She was so extra during their thing and after and he was so completely over it.

Photos courtesy of Backgrid, Avalon Red.

Dear Gossips, Riz Ahmed was named Best Actor at the virtual Gotham Awards earlier this week for his performance in Sound of Metal, which Sarah called the “most unique film experience of 2020” in her review. Sound of Metal is currently streaming on Prime Video. Although the favourite in the Best Act…

Treat Yo’Self to Hecate’s Birthday GiftList
I warned you bitches this was happening and here it is. Today is my birthday and if there is one thing I am absolutely insufferable about it’s my birthday, or, as we refer to it in my house, Empress Day. I thought today we could all celebrate by treating ourselves to gifts I’ve loved over the years. I didn’t get all of these today – and some weren’t b-day gifts – but you should definitely consider them because you deserve them.

A squishy duck to entertain your dogs and you

Obviously this squishy duck wasn’t my gift… or was it? We recommended these dog plushies for Christmas and my dogs adore these things. But watching them carry them everywhere is my treat. They punk each other to steal Ducky away – even though they both have one! The sweetest part is when they fall asleep with Ducky under their head or in their arms. As a reminder, ReviewMeta confirmed these toys at 4.6 stars with 314 reviews. If you need a review, here are my dogs’ comments. One plush for $10 or two for $18

A plush and affordable robe

Okay, enough stuff for others, this is for us! Wrap yo’self up in this super soft robe that we Empresses deserve. I was looking for a long robe but they can be so expensive. This one is only $37 and Amazon often offers a 5-10% coupon for it. It’s thinner than those really plush ones Macy’s sells, but I like lighter robes because I wear them year round. So far I’ve washed this a handful of times (cold/delicate) and it’s just as plush as when I opened it. Hecate Empress tip – buy the XL if you want the length. It doesn’t add that much to the rest of the robe because it’s a lighter robe. It’s just luscious! It comes in 24 fabulous colors. There aren’t that many reviews for it yet (like you need more than mine!) but one said, “It feels like being hugged in a really nice way!” which is true. Don’t we all need a hug first thing in the morning?

Fuzzy slippers for everyday luxury

I am very particular about my slippers, which is something new I discovered about myself at 52. I need one that is squishy, covers my whole foot and can look ridiculous, but not like my grandmother’s slippers. Oh, and I’m a cheapskate because I wear them for less than an hour a day. Enter my girl Jessica Simpson. I’m a fan of Jessica’s footwear in general, so I thought these would be safe and at under $16, it was worth the risk. They come in five colors and the grey and pink come with a leopard print face mask. I opened mine this morning, first thing, so I could settle into my cup of coffee in style. 296 reviewers gave these 4.1 stars. One said they’re like walking on air, “It’s like putting your foot in a light, warm cloud of comfy softness!” Another said, the mask was a nice bonus, for those getting the mask, “I didn’t care about the mask but, it’s my new favorite mask now!”

Bath soaks with reusable bottles

These were on sale for $29 for all three bottles when I looked them up for you. Normally they’re $35 for three but here’s why these are on my giftList. Baths are my number two indulgence in life. I would run about 90% of daily functions from a bathtub if I could. I love bath bombs and all bath additions, but salts and soaks are my preferences. I was given these a few years ago and they really do relax the heck out me. I know bathing at night helps you sleep, but if you add the Restless Night Relief soak to that bath, it’s restorative. I’ve used these soaks with mild bubbles, too, when I absolutely needed a Diva Bath so go wild, my Empresses. And, the bottles can be reused for your own salt mixes when you’ve finished with these. 767 reviews and ReviewMeta give these salts 4.7 stars. Fellow bathers confirm they work quickly “I ordered these bath salts for myself as I suffer from chronic pain and they worked almost immediately!” and that they are better than their richer cousins, “these are an excellent product and much cheaper than my old brand. Hard to beat.” If you need a more economical soak, I have quite enjoyed this multi pack as well, six for $16.

A wearable masterpiece that’s almost as fabulous as you are

The quickest way to zhuzh up any outfit is with a vibrant scarf. These long scarves feel like cashmere and come printed with works by Van Gogh, Klimt and Monet. I got the scarf above as a gift this year and I Love it with a capital L. Plus, when people ask about it, it’ll be so bougie to say, “oh this, it’s Monet.” There are 25 masterpieces to choose from, all around $21. 395 reviews give them 4.7 stars and Fakespot gave them a B. One reviewer confirms my fabulous report, “Larger than expected (I was worried) and soft–and fabulous!” while another gives the great suggestion that in addition to you, these make great teacher gifts, “This is a great gift for your children’s teachers, btw. Surprise them with a school delivery. This is a nice hug and a thank you. You can’t go wrong.”

The executive house cardigan

My mother got me this last year and I cannot tell you how much this exerts my Empress of the Temple attitude to the rest of the minions who live here. It’s lightweight fabric, so it’s comfortable while working from home, but the tailored fit and flare of the jagged hem just screams Boss Witch. It comes in 22 Yes Ma’am! colors. (I have the purple because, you know, royalty). This has over 11K reviews and 4.2 stars on ReviewMeta. Reviewers say it’s a fave, “The best cardigan I have ever had in my closet, and holds up well, “ Washed and worn many times over and they kept shape, didnt wrinkle and look great with trendy jeans and a nice blouse or a simple tee.” I concur with all that.

A crossed “diamond” ring in silver, rose gold or yellow gold

We are going to need some bling if we are going to do this thing. Full transparency, I don’t have this exact ring, but I have one just like it and I love it. I got it for my middle finger and I love how it looks. With the thin bands of silver with cubic zirconia crossing, it’s both delicate and dramatic at the same time. Just enough to give your hands pizzazz when you’re making a point (especially when you are making certain points with your middle finger) but not distractingly big. 364 reviewers gave this 4.4 stars and Fakespot gave it a B. Fancy fans said it looks snazzier than what you pay for it, “This looks much more expensive than what it costs,” and that it doesn’t lose it’s zazzle, “I’ve wore it everyday for the last 6 months and it still looks brand new! “ Go get yo’self some!

And, this simply would not be a Hecate GiftList if it didn’t have my numero uno indulgence: BOOKS! Here are the ones I have gotten (so far) this year. I haven’t read any of them yet but they all came highly recommended:

Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

Everyone is talking about this book and it’s already being developed for a Hulu limited series. NPR’s Fresh Air said about it, “An inspired mash-up of Jane Eyre, Ann Radcliffe’s The Mysteries of Udolpho, Dracula, Rebecca and that 1958 classic sci-fi movie, The Blob . . . Inventive and smart, [Mexican Gothic is] injecting the Gothic formula with some fresh blood.” Protagonist Noemí Taboada heads off to High Place, a mysterious house in the Mexican countryside after her recently wed cousin writes to her begging her to save her from imminent doom. And then their seductive, standoffish heirs and lurking shadows, plus the house might be alive – I mean come on! This actually arrived unwrapped and I rationalized for days that that meant I got to read it before my actual birthday. I was overruled. *ahem* Who is the g-d Empress ‘round these parts? Mexican Gothic has 3.75 out of 5 stars on GoodReads.

Plain Bad Heroines by Emily M. Danforth

T. Fanty recommended this one to me and I know my mom bought it for me (she always gets me what I ask for). It’s still under the birthday tree, to be unwrapped at my party on Saturday, but I’ve been asking for it for a while now. The blurb on this is: “The award-winning author of ‘The Miseducation of Cameron Post’ makes her adult debut with this highly imaginative and original horror-comedy centered around a cursed New England boarding school for girls—a wickedly whimsical celebration of the art of storytelling, sapphic love, and the rebellious female spirit.” The Washington Post said it was, “A delectable brew of gothic horror and Hollywood satire.” Heroines earned 3.73 out of 5 stars on GoodReads.

Piranesi by Susanna Clarke

I’m new to Susanna Clarke. The Professor got this for me after his co-worker raved about it at a staff meeting. I read the write up on this book and it sounds like something I’d like. Once again, the story deals with a weird house and I love when the house is a central character. I was really encouraged by all the comparisons to Neil Gaimain’s The Ocean at the End of the Lane, which I adored. It’s heralded as, “an intoxicating, hypnotic new novel set in a dreamlike alternative reality,” and earned 4.3 stars out of 5 on GoodReads. I’m hopeful. My only hesitation is I was convinced I needed to read Clarke’s first book, Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell, prior to reading this and I am having a very hard time getting into it. We’ll see.

Last, but never least – The theme of my party on Saturday (yes, a party. Full costume. Three-course meal. Dancing. Six guests – Me, my husband, my kids and my dogs – in my living room) The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, in honor of it becoming public domain this year. Always the Diva of Divas.

At the same time of the House’s impeachment vote, Donald Trump was posting another video on the White House’s social media accounts, which have not been suspended permanently. Although I think Twitter and other companies are heavily monitoring everything that gets posted. The video – which I refuse to watch in its entirety – is basically just Trump telling his MAGA terrorist army to stand down, that they shouldn’t be violent. Like every terrorist leader, Trump knows how to say one thing on the record and another thing to his cult followers. In this case, the message he’s sending to them is “don’t do violence but I was totally cheated and I’m really mad about it and you should be too.” Which brings me to this Washington Post story about Trump’s mindset as he is now the first president in history to be impeached twice. Note: within this story, there’s the funniest f–king sidenote.

When Donald Trump on Wednesday became the first president ever impeached twice, he did so as a leader increasingly isolated, sullen and vengeful. With less than seven days remaining in his presidency, Trump’s inner circle is shrinking, offices in his White House are emptying, and the president is lashing out at some of those who remain. He is angry that his allies have not mounted a more forceful defense of his incitement of the mob that stormed the Capitol last week, advisers and associates said.

Though Trump has been exceptionally furious with Vice President Pence, his relationship with lawyer Rudolph W. Giuliani, one of his most steadfast defenders, is also fracturing, according to people with knowledge of the dynamics between the men. Trump has instructed aides not to pay Giuliani’s legal fees, two officials said, and has demanded that he personally approve any reimbursements for the expenses Giuliani incurred while traveling on the president’s behalf to challenge election results in key states. They said Trump has privately expressed concern with some of Giuliani’s moves and did not appreciate a demand from Giuliani for $20,000 a day in fees for his work attempting to overturn the election.

As he watched impeachment quickly gain steam, Trump was upset generally that virtually nobody is defending him — including press secretary Kayleigh McEnany, senior adviser and son-in-law Jared Kushner, economic adviser Larry Kudlow, national security adviser Robert C. O’Brien and Chief of Staff Mark Meadows, according to a senior administration official.

“The president is pretty wound up,” said the senior administration official, who, like some others interviewed, spoke on the condition of anonymity to be candid. “No one is out there.”

[From WaPo]

Okay, first of all, the fact that Trump has finally scammed Rudy is just *chef’s kiss*. We all knew it would happen, that Trump would cut ties with Rudy at some point, and leave Rudy twisting in the wind. And here it is. Rudy’s on the financial hook for his Angry Fart Tour, a tour for which he repeatedly made an ass out of himself, got sued by Dominion Voting Machines, ruined his reputation, and for which he’ll likely be disbarred and charged with crimes.

As for Trump’s isolation… that sh-tbird has been isolated, angry and pathetic for years now. No matter what is happening, the story is always “Trump is isolated and angry.” For four years, they just put him in front of a TV and let him stew in his own diaper juices and rage. WaPo also says (in a part I didn’t excerpt) that Trump is more worried about the damage to his “Trump brand” than anything else – he’s very concerned (and isolated/angry) over the loss of several contracts and business deals, and he’s got a lot of LARGE bills coming up.

From farts to fake news to the Four Seasons Total Landscaping between the sex shop and the crematorium, Rudy Giuliani had quite the 2020. pic.twitter.com/p3gTF1VQOp

— The Recount (@therecount) December 23, 2020

Photos courtesy of Avalon Red.

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Soon after the Capitol siege on the 6th, many Congressmen and Congresswomen began comparing stories, and telling their versions of what happened during the attack by MAGA terrorists. If anything, people in and around Congress are angrier now that they understand the extent of what happened on that day, and what happened before that day. There’s also a lot of anecdotal evidence piling up that there were many terrorists who had a plan to take hostages, to barricade themselves in the Capitol, and to murder prominent members of Congress and VP Mike Pence. There’s evidence of communication between people in the White House and the MAGA terrorists ON THE DAY. There’s evidence of coordination between Republican House members and the terrorists before the attack.

Rep. Ayanna Pressley’s chief of staff revealed to the Boston Globe that when staffers barricaded themselves in the office, they began looking for the panic buttons installed years ago, only to find the panic button units ripped out. How would that even happen? It shows a really shocking level of planning ahead of the assault. Which leads me to this story:

After seeing one of their colleagues killed last Wednesday, Capitol Police officers are angry that Republican members of Congress refuse to submit to the security changes put in place since then, and say they wouldn’t even be surprised if some lawmakers helped organize the attack.

Officers told BuzzFeed News that members of Congress often see security as optional. Even after last week’s deadly attack, some Republican members refused to go through metal detectors, pushing their way past Capitol Police officers.

“Officers are fuming and there are mumbles of several walking off the job,” one officer with more than 10 years on the force told BuzzFeed News — just as Republicans took to the floor last night to rail against even basic security measures. At one point today, officers set up tables around the metal detectors in an effort to block Republicans from just walking by them.

One of the officers said it’s not unusual for members of Congress to bring dozens of people at once and insist that visitors be waved past security. Officers’ concerns were echoed by some Democrats who have been speaking out about the state of security at the Capitol, and the potential involvement of members in the planning of the insurrection.

Rep. Mikie Sherrill has alleged that some of her Republican colleagues led “reconnaissance” tours of the building ahead of the attack, though did not provide evidence to back up that claim. Rep. Val Demings, former chief of the Orlando Police Department, told CNN, “If any members of Congress participated, helped to organize, orchestrate … they need to be held accountable.”

Two of the officers who spoke to BuzzFeed News said it wouldn’t surprise them if lawmakers had been involved. “There are definitely some members who need to be held to account once an investigation shows the totality of circumstances,” one said, in a sign of how betrayed some officers feel in the aftermath of the assault on the Capitol.

“Let’s be very clear, we are here for Congress,” a veteran officer said. “We are the buffer, so that Congress doesn’t have to deal with the mess that they create in their respective districts, so they don’t have to deal with the public. That’s primarily what our mission is — police work is kind of a second thought.”

[From Buzzfeed]

Rep. Sherrill also spoke to Rachel Maddow last night and she described the squirrelly behavior of several of her Republican colleagues, who must have been showing the MAGA terrorists where certain offices are in the Capitol complex. Which would explain how quickly the terrorists found, say, Nancy Pelosi’s private offices. And the Capitol Police are right to disgruntled and angry. Ugh. This is all so infuriating and chilling.

Embed from Getty Images

Photos courtesy of Getty.

The leaks of DMs, allegedly from Armie Hammer to at least two different women, started happening over the weekend. Throughout the week, there’s been some doubt about the authenticity of some of the DMs, and as of yet, no one has gone to a media outlet to tell her story on the record. We know from Armie’s own social media and interviews that he’s a guy who likes/is curious about BDSM. If even *some* of the leaked DMs are real, then he cheated on his wife Elizabeth Chambers with several women in consensual BDSM affairs, or he was abusing young women under the guise of “being into BDSM” while he was married. According to the DM’s sources, some of those women came to Chambers and told her about the emotional and physical abuse they suffered at Armie’s hands.

Throughout the week, Hammer’s reps have gone silent, refusing to confirm or deny any part of the story. Then, yesterday evening, Armie suddenly announced that he was pulling out of an upcoming production – he was due to begin filming on Shotgun Wedding with Jennifer Lopez in a short time, and now he says he needs to NOT be away from home.

Armie Hammer is leaving a movie he was supposed to star in opposite Jennifer Lopez, and it’s all over a scandal involving alleged DMs of his … which he’s now addressing.

The ‘Social Network’ star tells TMZ … “I’m not responding to these b******* claims but in light of the vicious and spurious online attacks against me, I cannot in good conscience now leave my children for 4 months to shoot a film in the Dominican Republic.” Armie adds, “Lionsgate is supporting me in this and I’m grateful to them for that.”

The flick Armie’s referring to is “Shotgun Wedding,” which was supposed to start filming ASAP. A source close to the production tells us Armie’s role will be recast.

As for what this is all about … it has to do with alleged messages from his Instagram account that were leaked this past weekend, which appear to show Armie messaging women in very graphic and explicit sexual terms, while also discussing cannibalism. We won’t post any here, but there’s a lot of talk about drinking blood, eating body parts, and a bunch of stuff like that. The posts — which have NOT been confirmed as authentic — also portray Armie as domineering, demanding these women call him “daddy” and repeatedly mentioning rape, biting and “marking” in very raunchy sex talk.

A separate exchange that was captured and posted by the person who first spread these alleged DMs appears to show she made the whole thing up, but it’s hard to tell if she’s talking the Armie posts, or something unrelated. Frankly, it’s all speculative.

[From TMZ]

I mean… he literally left his children in the Cayman Islands for months on end without seeing them at all last year. When he and Elizabeth split, they were staying in an apartment with his family, then he left and went back to LA. Elizabeth stayed in the Cayman Islands apartment with the kids and Armie didn’t/couldn’t visit for months. I’m just saying, his whole Father Of The Year routine falls a little bit flat in the grand scheme of things. As for the “online attacks”… the story of the “leaked DMs” is one thing, but now media outlets are just going through his old interviews and rediscovering all of the sh-t he’s said on the record, like how his dream dinner guest is the Marquis de Sade, and talking to Playboy about how much he likes rough sex.

Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, WENN.

I’ve found my new favorite thing: stories and photos of the 20,000 young National Guard soldiers protecting the Capitol from the lunatic president and his army of unhinged nutjobs. Yesterday, the photos and stories started coming in, as the House of Representative reconvened to vote on an article of impeachment, inciting an insurrection. When the representatives, House staffers and media outlets arrived at the Capitol, they were greeted by unreal scenes of thousands of National Guard soldiers camped out within the Capitol and outside of the Capitol. During the National Guard’s breaks and downtime, they were allowed to chill out inside the Capitol, and many of them took the chance to nap on the floor, look at the artwork and statues and hang out with Congressmen and journalists.

The Capitol hasn’t seen this kind of military influx since the Civil War. The fact that this is happening because everyone knows that Donald Trump will send more of his MAGA terrorist army to terrorize and murder people is still shocking to me. If there’s one good thing to come out of the January 6th Capitol siege, it’s that federal and state buildings got ready in a f–king hurry for additional terrorist attacks. These will likely be the same scenes across state capitals in all 50 states, as governors activate their National Guard units. The NG units in the Capitol are from all over – I’ve heard that there are units from Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia and more. They’re likely to be out in force like this for weeks, beyond the inauguration.

After seeing the incredible photos of National Guardsmen sleeping on the floor of the Capitol, many Americans wanted to send gifts and care packages to the NG. The NG has said publicly that while they appreciate the offers, their men and women have accommodations in DC, and they’re just resting in the Capitol when they’re off-duty, and there’s literally no way to coordinate care packages and such.

This thread from a HuffPo reporter is really amazing – most of the National Guard kids had never been in the Capitol, and they were asking him if the gift shop would open, and many of them were expressing how cool it was to hang out in the Capitol and how the building is really beautiful. Representatives Michael Waltz and Vicky Hartzler sent pizzas to the Guardsmen. Rep. Brian Mast gave at least one unit a tour of the Rotunda, explaining the art and how it was built. Speaker Pelosi spoke to the National Guardsmen, thanking them all for being there, and handing out her special “challenge coin.”

These are National Guard members in the Capitol on Wednesday, as the House is poised to impeach President Trump for a second time.

The Pentagon says about 15,000 troops will be in Washington in preparation for President-elect Joe Biden’s inauguration. https://t.co/xMbza6aaET pic.twitter.com/h3kwiyu6MJ

— The New York Times (@nytimes) January 13, 2021

Even during this dark time in the history of America, we find reasons for hope. It was my privilege today to personally thank members of the National Guard who are working protect our nation’s Capitol. Thank you for your commitment to our American democracy. pic.twitter.com/20VnePSyYP

— Nancy Pelosi (@SpeakerPelosi) January 13, 2021

Stunned. Just stunned. pic.twitter.com/iNeUTp8AWC

— Igor Bobic (@igorbobic) January 13, 2021

The Speaker of the House thanks the men and women of the National Guard for protecting the U.S. Capitol. pic.twitter.com/QwZlpeAWPp

— Drew Hammill (@Drew_Hammill) January 13, 2021

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Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Getty.

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Nicole Phelps has been with her husband, Olympian Michael Phelps, for 11 years, which include some very dark times for Michael. Nicole and Michael split before the Summer 2012 Olympics, one of the lowest points in Michael’s mental health battle, but the couple reunited in 2014. Now, married with three boys, they’ve been very open about Michael’s struggles and his mental health journey. In a recent interview Nicole said she and Michael were both greatly affected by the deaths of Kobe Bryant and his daughter Gianna last year. Not only did the incident trigger Michael’s depression, but it caused Nicole to panic at the thought of losing him. However, Nicole recognizes that her role as Michael’s partner is to support him and not fix him, especially since that’s out of her control.

Nicole Phelps is opening up about supporting husband Michael Phelps through his journey to better his mental health.

“After Vanessa [Bryant] lost Kobe, all I could do was look at Michael and be like, ‘Can we please help you? Because if I lose you, I don’t know what I’m gonna do,’” the 35-year-old mother of three said. “Michael is the most amazing father and partner I could have ever asked for.”

“I used to think, ‘Oh, I can fix him. I can be his therapist. I can be what he needs,’” she shared. “But what I’ve learned is that you can’t take ownership for how they’re feeling, no matter how badly you want to.”

Michael, who has been forthright about his mental-health struggles in the past, told Today Parents last month that he has had some “scary ups and downs” amid the ongoing pandemic.

“Nicole loves me and wants to help. She wants me to get better,” the winner of 28 Olympic medals added at that time. “But she’s struggling herself. She needs that support as well. I know it’s hard for her.”

[From E!]

The feeling that you are somehow in control of a loved one’s mental well-being is difficult to manage. Many feel responsible for their loved ones, as if they could have done more. What Nicole is saying here is extremely important and I hope she continues to speak about it. Add to that Michael’s comments that those who care for us, like Nicole, need support as well. The impact of what the Phelps are discussing is huge.

In addition to each other, Nicole talked about Michael’s battles and how their sons coped with it. As children do, their boys, Boomer, four, Beckett, two, and Maverick ,16 months, are also affected when Michael is down and try to make him feel better. Maybe not the baby Maverick, but Boomer is getting more cognizant of Michael’s well-being. Instead of Michael play-acting or hiding it, per se, they explain to Boomer that dad’s having a tough day and needs a minute for himself, and that it is about dad and not him. Again, these are important messages. I’m really impressed with the work the Phelps family is doing on these issues and look forward to seeing where they go with it.

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