Kanye West is probably still with his wife Bianca Censori, and for years now, he seems committed to making a horse’s ass out of himself at all times. That’s how it’s been ever since his divorce from Kim Kardashian was finalized, although I would argue that his mental health was in a steep decline for years during his marriage to Kim. In any case, Kim walked away and she’s got their kids almost all of the time. I still believe that Kanye only really cares about North and not the other kids, so North is the only one with any kind of relationship with Ye. Speaking of, Kim Kardashian turned 44 on October 21st, and “sources close to Kim” did a status report on what’s going on with Kim’s life these days. I mentioned that Kim and the other K-Js have been suspiciously quiet in recent months, but maybe that’s because Kim is just being a single mom and focused on her businesses?

Kim Kardashian is navigating parenthood largely without her ex Kanye West, a source tells PEOPLE exclusively. On Monday, Oct. 21, a source close to the reality star, 44, tells PEOPLE that Kardashian’s life revolves around her and West’s four kids: daughters North, 11, and Chicago, 6, and sons Saint, 8, and Psalm, 5. The source notes that Kardashian is “pretty much a single mom,” as West, 47, is often “not around.”

“Kanye is sadly not around very much. She’s pretty much a single mom,” the insider tells PEOPLE. “Although she has help, it’s still a lot of work for her to balance and coordinate everything.”

The source continues, “Kim’s life is around her kids’ schedules. When they are in school, she works. When they are off, she’s very much focused on being a mom.” They add that the SKIMS co-founder “is not even dating anyone now. It’s all about work and the kids.”

A rep for West did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment.

[From People]

Yeah, I totally believe that Kanye isn’t around for the other three kids, but he does see North somewhat regularly. Which probably causes some issues in Kim’s house too, if Kanye is so blatantly playing favorites with the kids. I don’t envy Kim, although I will say that… this is what she wanted. She wanted four kids. She knew she was probably going to raise them by herself too. I sort of believe that Kim isn’t dating anyone as well – the fastest way to get Kanye suddenly demanding to be “involved” with his kids is for Kim to get a boyfriend. I also think that’s why Kanye treats Bianca like a doll too – it’s not about Bianca, it’s about Kanye showing Kim that he’s “replaced” her with a new doll.

Photos courtesy of Backgrid.

Richard E. Grant is such a splendid, witty spirit. He has a knack for telling it like it is with flair and humor — even when it’s devastating. Like with A Pocketful of Happiness, the collection of journal entries and letters he published last year to celebrate his 38 year marriage to Joan Washington, who died of cancer in 2021. Richard has been a dedicated diarist since age 10 (he started as a way to cope with a traumatic event), and I imagine the long habit is what helped him hone his skill at observing the world around him and recording it with candor. So it’s not all that surprising, but still deeply touching that Richard writes letters to his late wife every night to share with her the details of his days. And having been together for nearly four decades, Richard says “I can hear her response.” He discussed this nightly ritual with The Guardian, during an interview to promote his new series The Franchise. A few highlights:

What he writes to his late wife every night: “Everything,” he says. “Stuff I know would amuse her.” He looks at me steadily. “I’ll describe what you look like. What you’re wearing. How old you are. Do you have kids. All of that. She would want to know what your accent is, because that was her specialty. She would ask, ‘What did Alex sound like? What is the shape of his mouth? Does it open when he talks?’” The questions hang between us for a moment. “I have no spiritual or religious delusion that I’m ever going to get a reply. But after 38 years of marriage, I can hear what her response would be. It feels as close a connection as I can have. And I’ve found it very hopeful, that at the end of the day I’m having a conversation.”

‘The intimacy of conversation’: “The physical intimacy…” he begins. “Even if you’re in five hours of tantric sex with someone, it’s relative to the amount of time in your day — it’s a very small amount of time. Most of your life with somebody is spent in the intimacy of conversation. When you share absolutely everything with another human being, who sees you completely for who you are, to me that is unquantifiable.” He sighs, then adds, “What a thing to have.”

On the inadvertent, motivating impact his mother had on him: “She died a year ago, she was 93, and she withheld approval right up until her last breath. The lifelong habit to prove yourself to somebody, that doesn’t go away just because the person’s died…” He pauses. “I’ve seen people who have had more stable upbringings than I had who are less driven, less ambitious. The drive comes as a result of trying to prove wrong all the people I grew up with — who mocked the notion of me becoming a professional actor.”

A pivotal moment in his childhood: When Grant was 10, he awoke from a nap to find his mother having sex with his father’s best friend — they were all together in a car. “Saw my mother bonking,” is how he puts it to me. Grant kept the discovery to himself. When the pressure of his silence became too much, he let the secret spill out into the diary he has kept ever since.

He eventually reconciled with his mother at 42: “It took 18 months,” he says, “but we had a conversation in which she finally said three magic words: ‘Please forgive me.’” It was the first time Grant had revealed to his mother what he had witnessed in the car. “And she cried, which I’d never seen her do before.” The conversation was the “greatest epiphany” of Grant’s life. “I went from holding on to resentment and anger towards someone to forgiving them, and all of the pain shifted instantaneously.”

[From The Guardian]

I love the reverence Richard shows for language and conversation, and I think morphing his journal writing into a way to keep communicating with his late wife is just beautiful. It also sounds like it’s perfectly suited to how they were as a couple, given the way he talked about “the intimacy of conversation,” (which, by the way, should definitely be the book title if he ever publishes the nightly letters he writes). Man, what a life he’s had. And there’s plenty more in the full article! Funnily enough, the topic that gets the briefest coverage is the show he’s there to plug: The Franchise. It’s written by Armando Iannucci (VEEP!) and directed by Sam Mendes, and follows a ragtag film crew as they struggle to film an umpteenth installment of a comic book franchise. Richard plays one of the actors. I am SO excited to see this! The episodes air Sunday nights on HBO Max in the US (three have already come out, but I’m trying to hold out until all eight are available). So now Richard has starred in an earnest comic book series (Loki), and also a satire of the genre. He’s a cool cat.

Embed from Getty Images

photos credit: Lee Floyd/Avalon, Ian West/PA Images/INSTARimages.com, Lia Toby/Bang Showbiz/Avalon, Getty

George W. Bush is now the only living president who has not endorsed any presidential candidate in this election cycle. I’m at the point now where I’m just like… there are certain people who we do not need to hear from, right? I remember the Bush years and they were awful. Well, I sort of feel the same way about Bill Gates. Bill’s ex-wife Melinda French Gates endorsed Kamala Harris over the summer and announced she was donating millions to the Harris campaign and to various super PACs involved in reproductive rights (French Gates is also donating $1 billion to women’s and girls’ health issues). Melinda is the one who has authenticity here, not her ex-husband. But Bill Gates wants credit for supporting Kamala Harris too, and for quietly donating $50 million to Future Forward super PAC.

After decades of sitting on the sidelines of politics, Bill Gates, one of the richest people in the world, has said privately that he recently donated about $50 million to a nonprofit organization that is supporting Vice President Kamala Harris’s presidential run, according to three people briefed on the matter. The donation was meant to stay under wraps. Mr. Gates, one of the founders of Microsoft, has not publicly endorsed Ms. Harris, and his donation would represent a significant change in the strategy that has previously kept him away from gifts like this.

In private calls this year to friends and others, Mr. Gates has expressed concern about what a second Donald Trump presidency would look like, according to a person briefed on Mr. Gates’s thinking, although he has stressed that he could work with either candidate. Mr. Gates does not have a deep relationship with Ms. Harris, but he has celebrated the Biden-Harris administration’s work on climate change. Mr. Gates’s philanthropic organization, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, is significantly concerned about potential cuts to family planning and global health programs if Mr. Trump is elected, according to two people close to the foundation.

Mr. Gates has said he made his donation to Future Forward, the main outside fund-raising group supporting Ms. Harris, according to the people briefed on the matter. Mr. Gates has talked about his pro-Harris donation with his peers, including Mike Bloomberg, the former New York City mayor and a major supporter of Future Forward who has considered a similarly sized gift, two of the people briefed said. Mr. Gates’s donation went specifically to Future Forward’s nonprofit arm, Future Forward USA Action, which as a 501(c)(4) “dark money” organization does not disclose its donors, according to the people briefed. So any contribution by Mr. Gates will never appear on any public filing.

In a statement in response to this reporting, Mr. Gates did not explicitly address the donation or offer an endorsement of Ms. Harris in the race. He stressed his bipartisanship — but also said that “this election is different.”

“I support candidates who demonstrate a clear commitment to improving health care, reducing poverty and fighting climate change in the U.S. and around the world,” he told The New York Times. “I have a long history of working with leaders across the political spectrum, but this election is different, with unprecedented significance for Americans and the most vulnerable people around the world.”

[From The NY Times]

As I said, Melinda’s full-throated endorsement of Kamala Harris (after she also endorsed Joe Biden earlier in the cycle) means a lot more to me, as does Melinda’s focus on reproductive rights and women’s rights. While every little bit counts, I find it interesting that men like Bill Gates and Jamie Dimon (JPMorgan’s CEO) are coming out this late in the game to quietly-but-not-really endorse VP Harris. It feels like Gates and Dimon both think VP Harris is going to win and that’s why they feel safe putting out these stories, two weeks from Election Day.

Photos courtesy of Avalon Red.

In recent weeks, I’ve been curious to see what the Harris-Walz campaign’s internal numbers look like. The campaign is doing two things simultaneously: projecting calm, steady confidence in the closing days AND talking about how everything will come down to the wire. I get it – they don’t want to walk around like they’ve got this thing won, even if that’s what their internals say. They’ve still got to get people out to vote, they’ve got to keep the heightened urgency, because the last thing anyone wants is a bunch of Harris voters in Wisconsin, Pennsylvania and Georgia skipping out because they think she’s got in the bag. Speaking of, CNN had this interesting interview with David Plouffe (former Obama campaign manager and Harris’s senior advisor):

“Historically, it would be unusual to have seven states come down to a point or less,” David Plouffe, Barack Obama’s 2008 campaign manager who now serves as a senior adviser to Harris, said of the battleground landscape. “But I think at this point, you have to assume that’s a distinct possibility.”

Plouffe and other Harris advisers do not believe Trump’s largely outsourced door-knocking and other on-the-ground outreach operations can match what the national Democrats and the Harris campaign – which inherited some of the same team from President Joe Biden – spent a year putting together. But they believe this advantage can only take them so far.

“Democrats wish Donald Trump wouldn’t get more than 46% of the vote,” Plouffe said, referring to the national popular vote percentage the former president secured in his previous campaigns. But in the battleground states, “that’s not reality. He’s going to get up to 48% in all of these states. And so we just have to make sure we’re hitting our win number, which depending on the state, could be 50, could be 49.5.”

Plouffe and other Harris aides, though, believe that the vice president still has room to grow. To get there, the campaign is finalizing marquee, attention-grabbing events showcasing Harris, with symbolic backdrops aimed at driving home the message.

“The goal is to make sure that you’re motivating your operation, that you’re being felt in all these places,” said Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker, a Harris campaign co-chair. With Harris aides still on a frantic chase to find disengaged voters, much of that outreach will come in the form of campaign tactics that are new to presidential campaigns – some that rely on new technology. Campaign aides believe they can make the difference via the surrogates they have lined up, whether those are celebrities making targeted social media appearances or community members sending direct texts like the attendees at a Doug Emhoff event in Southfield, Michigan, with Jewish voters, who were asked to send messages encouraging people to host “Kamala Shabbat” dinners.

The Harris aides CNN spoke to expressed a jittery self-confidence, but they also kept using phrases such as“jump ball” and “down to the wire” and the occasional emoji with nauseous green cheeks.

While several top Democratic operatives said they worry Harris may be losing the traditional TV ad wars in the face of Republicans’ extensive and intense attacks on transgender issues, the Harris aides disagreed. Most of the up-for-grabs voters aren’t paying attention to those ads if they’re watching TV at all, the aides contended. And the campaign believes it has the edge over Trump’s operation, thanks to months of precinct-by-precinct organizing and planning that is constantly being adjusted based on early vote and online data. All through “brat summer” and the tent revival-like atmosphere of the Democratic convention, aides said, this was what they were planning for: a stable race that will be won on the margins and that will require a few big swings that some political insiders may see as desperate Hail Mary moves.

[From CNN]

I realize that I’m unusual in how I consume media, but I’ve barely seen any political commercials on TV in recent months because I’ve barely watched network television since the Olympics, which was where VP Harris bought a lot of ad time. It makes sense that the Trump campaign’s calculations are old-school like that – ad buys and staged stunts at McDonald’s, plus some sleepy town halls. There are several things which worry me about the Trump campaign’s operations though: the disappearance of JD Vance (the most unpopular running mate in history) and Trump leaning into the bro podcasts, with a heavy emphasis on misogyny. But yeah… the Harris-Walz campaign is acting like they know exactly what they’re doing.

Photos courtesy of Cover Images.

Amy Adams is currently promoting Nightbitch, adapted from Rachel Yoder’s book of the same name. It’s about a new mother who gives up her career for her baby and starts to feel like she’s turning into a dog. When the film was announced, it reminded many 30 Rock fans of the kind of jokey film title in Tracy Jordan’s CV. But Nightbitch is real, and it premiered at TIFF, to mixed reviews. People love Amy Adams and people want the best for her. But no one is sure that this is the best project for her. Still, Amy loves the film and she’s very happy to talk about it. Amy covers the latest issue of Variety, and here are some highlights from the interview:

On her “look” in Nightbitch: “I’ve had people be like, ‘Oh my gosh, you looked awful.’ I was like, ‘You do realize that’s what I look like in my life, right?’ I love the metaphor of her connecting with a more primal and feral side of herself in order to learn how to let go and be present and engaged and flexible and find her joy.”

When she became a mother to her now-14-year-old daughter Aviana: “Every moment needed to be dedicated to the care and keeping of my child,” she says, adding that, while her relationship with Le Gallo was “more equitable” than the marriage in “Nightbitch,” it was tough to be the first of her friend group to become a mother. “Motherhood did redirect my priorities. And I think that changed some relationships. That was hard, but I don’t think it’s uncommon.”

The Nightbitch chin hairs were grown by Adams, they weren’t CGI: In an early scene, Mother discovers new hair growing on her chin, and Adams eagerly volunteered to grow the hair herself. “The hair on the face — that was mine,” she says proudly. “I saw it as a wonderful expression of the human experience without any artifice or filters. Or tweezers! I have that kind of hair that just grows overnight. One day it’s not there, and the next day it’s like I’m a catfish. That might turn some people away.”

On the mixed reviews: “It could be polarizing. I’m kind of like, ‘If you know, you know!’ It deals with friendship, community, relationships, motherhood, parenthood. It hits on a lot of different ancestral wounds. So if it hits you, that’ll make me really happy.”

A six-time Oscar nominee, with no wins: “I am entirely grateful for it, and it also draws attention to films that might not otherwise get eyes on them.”

On Rachel Brosnahan taking the Lois Lane role in James Gunn’s “Superman.” “I love her. She’s gonna be great. Hopefully the role will be infused with her sensibility and her natural humor and strength and wit,” Adams says, also confirming that she was never under the impression she’d be returning for more “Superman” adventures after her final appearance in “Justice League.” She makes a point to praise her own Man of Steel, Henry Cavill, adding, “Henry was a really brilliant Superman. I offer every Superman luck and stuff, but I think he was great. I just wanted to say that. It’s so in his spirit….Coming from theater, a role never belongs to you. You just do a take on it. That’s how I feel about that franchise.”

Working with 22-year-old Jenna Ortega: “I learn so much from the young women that I work with. I feel like I learn more from them than they could ever learn from me. I do forget that I’m not their age sometimes. I’m like, ‘Amy, you’re 50. You’re not gonna hang!’”

Life as a 50-year-old woman: “It gets so much better. But there are things I miss: my joints working, collagen, things like that.”

[From Variety]

Amy’s admission that she grew her chin hairs herself… omg. A brave new world for actresses, honestly. Some women – many women? – have facial hair. I tweeze my chin hairs at the same time I’m grooming my increasingly chaotic eyebrows. It IS catfish-like. As for thinking that she could hang with Jenna Ortega… that’s funny. I can actually picture their conversations and vibe together. Amy looking at Jenna with those wide eyes, thinking that Jenna is the coolest girl in the world. And Jenna is probably like… Amy should come to the club!

For Variety’s Power of Women:

Amy Adams Goes Wild: The ‘Nightbitch’ Star on Barking, Growing Chin Hair and ‘Polarizing’ Viewers With Her Raw Look at Motherhood
https://t.co/JKELc9DqOx pic.twitter.com/w4IWkfOJTE

— Variety (@Variety) October 22, 2024

Photos courtesy of Avalon Red.

There’s a great op-ed in i Newspaper this week, written by British republican activist Symon Hill: “I was arrested for heckling King Charles – and I’d do it again.” Hill piggybacks on Australian Senator Lidia Thorpe’s amazing protest in Canberra, Australia, a protest which became the defining moment of Charles and Camilla’s tour. Hill points out something interesting, which I never realized: Charles has never met a republican (or anti-monarchist) advocate or activist face to face. Various republican groups have politely requested meetings with Charles over the years, only to be turned down flat. As a reminder, Lidia Thorpe also asked for a private meeting with Charles to discuss First Nations rights and she was turned down too. Hill also blasts the argument that protests are “disrespectful.”

The King gave no answer. He never does. As he finished his speech to the Australian Parliament, Senator Lidia Thorpe walked towards Charles, calling out that he was not her king and challenging him over his family’s treatment of First Nations people in Australia. The unelected head of state did not respond. He simply waited for the elected senator to be forcibly removed from her own Parliament.

On social media, Thorpe was immediately accused of being “disrespectful”. But how else is Thorpe to express her views to Charles? She cannot stand against him in an election – he is elected by nobody. She cannot debate him on television – he rarely gives serious interviews and is never properly challenged.

I was one of several people in the UK who was arrested for voicing opposition to monarchy when Charles was declared king in September 2022. I was charged with a breach of the Public Order Act, charges which were dropped two weeks later with little explanation. Alongside hundreds of supportive messages and a few death threats, I received messages saying that I was “disrespectful”. It seems to be royalists’ favourite accusation.

In reality, it is not democratic republicans such as Ms Thorpe and me who are disrespectful. It is Charles and his allies. Charles showed his disrespect for democracy and debate in Australia before the royal tour had even begun, when he turned down a polite request to meet with the Australian Republican Movement (ARM). Rejecting the invitation, the monarch’s spokespeople said that he respected the Australian people’s right to decide for themselves whether to keep the monarchy. This is disingenuous. Charles and Camilla have travelled to Australia just as support for a republic is growing there. While ARM compare the Royal visit to a farewell tour by ageing rock stars, Australian royalists are making no secret of their hope that the visit will whip up support for monarchy. At present no referendum on the issue is planned.

Members of the Windsor family consistently avoid any encounter, however calm and polite, with opponents of monarchy. Charles has never met any republican group. He does not appear on Newsnight or the Today programme to answer difficult questions. When meeting members of the public in Cardiff in 2022, he could not even bring himself to respond to someone who calmly asked him about the cost of the coronation. But it is people who object to this sort of behaviour who are described as “disrespectful”.

The police routinely go to ludicrous lengths to protect the Royals from even having to see or hear republicans. In Bolton last year, a 16-year-old with a republican placard was threatened with a dispersal notice and arrest if he did not leave the area in which Charles was due to arrive. Of course it is the police and the government, not the Windsor family, who must bear most of the blame for this sort of behaviour. But the Royals cannot wash their hands of it. An intervention from Charles, let alone a public comment, would make a considerable difference to police behaviour.

Like many people, I will continue to challenge monarchy not because I am disrespectful but because I believe that all human beings are entitled to dignity and respect. This can only really happen in a society in which we treat each other as equals and make decisions democratically – whether in communities, in workplaces or in the appointment of a head of state. Bowing down to your equal human being is what really shows disrespect for humanity.

[From i Newspaper]

I agree with all of this. It was infuriating to see how many British and Australian media outlets and political figures refuse to acknowledge Lidia Thorpe’s fundamental right to protest the king and the crown, much less acknowledge that Thorpe spoke truth to power. The “it’s disrespectful” argument needs to end too – Charles is a coddled 75-year-old man who lives in a dozen castles and palaces and sits on a vast, tax-free fortune. It’s 2024 – no one should shield this rotten old man from republican placards, or protect him from someone daring to protest him in person.

Indigenous senator Lidia Thorpe yells at King Charles after he finished giving a speech at the Australian Parliament:

“You committed genocide against our people, give us our land back! Give us what you stole from us! You are not our King!”

pic.twitter.com/TjKM0nkEk6

— Pop Base (@PopBase) October 21, 2024

Photos courtesy of Cover Images.

Martha, the new Netflix documentary about Martha Stewart, streams beginning October 30 whether Martha likes it or not. (Sidenote: big kudos to Netflix for innocently dropping the release for the height of spooky season. It works.) I have a feeling in me bones that it will be EPIC. The ripple effects this thing is gonna have across memes, TikTok, drag shows… I’m telling you, it’s going to be seismic! From the trailer alone, we got that Bravo-worthy exchange where Martha slams cheating husbands, then casually dismisses the fact that she cheated on her husband because he (allegedly) never knew about it. But I bet he knows about it now! People Mag took it a step further, asking Martha at the NY premiere of the doc if her ex had seen it yet. Martha’s response was quintessential Martha:

Martha Stewart has made another confession about her relationship with her ex-husband.

Speaking exclusively to PEOPLE at the New York Premiere of her Netflix documentary Martha on Monday, Oct. 21, the entrepreneur, 83, revealed that she hasn’t spoken to her ex-husband Andrew “Andy” Stewart in over 20 years.

Asked if Andy had seen the documentary, Martha tells PEOPLE, “The ex-husband? I have no idea. I haven’t talked to him for over 20 years. Sadly.”

Martha and Andy were married from 1961 to 1990 and share daughter Alexis Stewart, who they welcomed in 1965. In Martha, she reveals that they were unfaithful to each other.

“Young women, listen to my advice, if you’re married and your husband starts to cheat on you, he’s a piece of s—,” she says. “Get out of that marriage.”

“Didn’t you have an affair early on? a producer chimes in.

Martha then admits, “Yeah, but I don’t think Andy ever knew about that.”

Back in 2020, the businesswoman opened up to PEOPLE about the impact her divorce had on her.

“Getting divorced was a terrible thing for me, because we were the first to divorce in my family,” she said at the time. “And that we haven’t spoken since the divorce is even more painful. But I’m very strong, and I’m very motivated to get on with life.”

Per a press release, Martha tells the story of the culinary icon’s journey from her teen years as a model to becoming the first self-made, female billionaire in the United States.

The star tells PEOPLE she hopes that those who watch the documentary will take away “that if you work hard and be creative and use your creative intelligence, you can make something of your life.”

“I think being a teacher the way I have been all these years has paid off handsomely,” she added.

[From People]

You guys, I’m dying. It’s just, she gives us so much! First of all, shame on People Mag for referring to Andrew Stewart as “Andy.” He has a name, and it’s “the ex-husband,” do your research! The perfect penance would be to release any video and/or audio of this exchange, because I simply must know the affect with which Martha uttered “Sadly,” tagged on after declaring she hasn’t spoken to him in 20 years. Was it sincere? Was it deadpan? In my head I’m hearing it delivered in Miranda Priestly’s voice, a la the way she says “That’s all.” Next up: she’s always been a teacher! I mean yes, her home and crafting brand was built around her instructing on how to do things, although a strong argument could be made that she’s a proponent of “do as I say, not as I do.” The way she said it still made me guffaw. When I hear “teacher,” I think more of the inspiring, poorly-paid and under-resourced people who rise to the challenge of educating our kids. And not so much Martha’s heavily-curated and well-funded world. Actually, now that I’m thinking about it, I’d love to see Martha in a room full of either over-sugared tykes or chatty, sassy teens and see what happens. It’d be a good thing.

And finally, because I would be remiss if I did not mention this, Martha wore silver pleather pants to the premiere. If my grandmother were with us today she’d be running out to get herself a pair so fast… That’s all.

Embed from Getty Images

Photos credit: © 2024 Martha Stewart/Courte via Netflix Press, Getty

I’m still doing some upkeep on King Charles and Queen Camilla’s tour of Australia, which is now completed. They arrived in Samoa today, after spending only four full days in Australia. I don’t think the Australian leg of the tour went well, but I also don’t think Charles and Camilla will receive the same kind of backlash Prince William and Kate received in 2022, during and following their disastrous Caribbean flop tour. Will and Kate’s 2022 tour made global headlines for their tone-deaf staging, colonialist attitudes and inability to be modern or project modernity. Charles and Camilla’s tour was not modern either, but that’s not their brand. Their brand is supposed to be nostalgic and old. They delivered, but few are buying it. Well, Piers Morgan is trying to hype these two waxworks, probably because he’s such good friends with Camilla. He must be looking at completely different photos, because Piers claims that thousands of people came out for the royals and that the Sussexes’ “campaign” to smear Charles and Camilla has failed. O RLY??

What a right royal triumph! The first tour of Australia by a reigning British king had threatened to be a damp squib disappointment after days marred by rain, noisy anti-Monarchy protestors, and a series of pathetic political snubs culminating in an idiot attention-seeking senator screaming at Charles about his supposed complicity in committing genocide against Aboriginals.

But the Aussie people didn’t get the royal-bashing memo, and in a stunning outpouring of joyful support, out they came in huge numbers at the iconic Sydney Opera House to pay tribute to King Charles and Queen Camilla on the final day of their short but historic trip. More than 10,000 people from all over the country appeared in glorious sunshine to greet their royal visitors, far more than had been anticipated, and to be honest, far more than I feared would be the case.

The enthusiasm and excitement for the King and Queen was palpable and will have delighted the Palace. It was also a brilliant retort to the graceless royal critics who tried to wreck the tour, led by foul-mouthed imbecile Lidia Thorpe, the senator who screamed “YOU’RE NOT MY KING!” and “F*CK THE COLONY!” at Charles during an event in Canberra on Monday. She also bellowed: “You committed genocide against our people. Give us our land back. Give us what you stole from us. Our bones, our skulls, our babies, our people. You destroyed our land.”

This trip’s spectacular success has served as a timely reminder that the Monarchy remains a massively important rock at the heart of not just the UK but so many other Commonwealth nations like Australia. And that the best way for senior royals to retain the support and respect of the public is for them to behave in a dignified, dutiful way that puts serving the people above all else.

For all the embarrassing and very damaging shenanigans of Harry and Meghan, and their disgraceful campaign to smear the royals as a bunch of callous racists, the Firm have emerged stronger than ever despite loss of their great Matriarch, and despite the new King and his daughter-in-law the Princess of Wales fighting cancer.

[From The Sun]

The fact that Piers included so many quotes from Lidia Thorpe’s protest… what’s going on there? Is he rage-baiting or is there an ulterior motive? It feels like a typical British journalist thing, of not directly criticizing the Windsors but fully quoting their biggest critics (all while decrying said critics). As for the mention of Meghan, Harry and “callous racists”… Piers was the one who identified Charles and Kate as the “royal racists.” He was a vital part of that whole storyline. It feels like something’s cooking under the radar. This weekend’s papers should be interesting. Also: I’m including a photo of C&C outside the Sydney Opera House and you can see for yourself how few people came out for the Windsors.

Top 8 stories about the disastrous royal Caribbean tour

Kate and William dressed up in colonial cosplay and got fired on camera! Get the top 8 stories about the disastrous royal Caribbean tour when you sign up for our mailing list. I send one email a day on weekdays.

– Katie at Celebitchy

Email

First Name

Subscribe

Loading…

Thank you!

You have successfully joined our subscriber list.

Photos courtesy of Cover Images.

I saw some of you tweeting about Harper’s Bazaar’s “Hottest Men of All Time” list and I thought this was an old story! Given the write-up on Prince Harry – they say he’s engaged to Meghan, rather than married to her – it felt like this list was created in 2017 or 2018? But no, this was written and published this week by Bazaar: “The 50 Hottest Men Of All Time.” Prince Harry is listed at #25. Prince William is not listed at all. You can see the full list here. #1 is James Dean, #2 is Marlon Brando. Robert Redford is #8.

Prince Harry’s write-up is: “Now engaged to Meghan Markle, the younger of British princes has long remained one of the most covetable bachelors in the world.” Given the inclusion of Drake on this list… yeah, it feels like they’ve recycled something from six years ago. It also feels like they need better taste in men, because some of the guys included here are bizarre. Still, it’s funny as hell that scuzzy old Peggington never makes it onto these kinds of lists.

Meanwhile, Prince Harry’s Spare is officially out in paperback this week. By all accounts, nothing has been changed or added from the hardcover, despite the British media’s attempts to “fact-check” Harry’s stories and claim that he was lying about this or that.

Photos courtesy of Cover Images.

We heard, mid-day, that Eminem would make an appearance at a Kamala Harris rally in Detroit, Michigan yesterday. People were surprised, like Eminem hasn’t been a vocal Democrat for more than two decades. I remember when Eminem spoke out about how much he hated George W. Bush in 2004! I’ve read several interviews from Eminem where he’s discussed his absolute disgust with Donald Trump and the white-supremacist MAGA cult. As many pointed out, Em even gave the Biden-Harris campaign permission to use “Lose Yourself” in a 2020 campaign ad. Still, this was a first for Marshall – standing on stage at a Democratic rally, giving a speech in support of his preferred candidate. He kept it simple and brief, and then introduced Barack Obama. Obama gave Eminem a bro-hug and then Obama did the opening of “Lose Yourself.”

I’m really moved that Eminem agreed to this. As I said, he usually makes his politics known, and I believe he’s attended Democratic fundraisers and he’s authorized the use of his songs, but for this man to actually stand on stage with Barack Obama and Elissa Slotkin (the Democratic Senate candidate) and feel the love from the Detroit crowd? I’m really proud of him. I’m proud of his no-bullsh-t endorsement of VP Harris and that he stood on the stage with Obama like he belonged (although I think Em left the stage quickly, possibly to hang out in the crowd).

Also: Donald Trump was bigly mad about Obama and Eminem appearing together. Trump threw a tantrum about it last night, calling Obama “a real jerk” and “Over the last couple of days, I watched him campaign, what a divider he is. He divided this country, he couldn’t care less, him and his little group of people. He was terrible.”

Photos courtesy of Cover Images.