Like Emily once said, Bonjour. And, like Joey from "Friends" once said, *unintelligible French*... Netflix announced today that their original show, "Emily In Paris", has been renewed for a third and fourth season, and is set to resume filming in Europe sometime this spring/summer. And, as I am prone to do, I immediately found a way to make this news about me. As I watched this show, seeing Lily Collins get to wear sometimes-cute-sometimes-frightening designer ensembles while taking in the culture of a foreign city and dating tall men with accents (no uggos allowed on set, apparently), it was brought to my immediate attention that I should have such a show of my own. It is, after all, what the fans* want. *Me But, you, the reader, might say - Sam, you have no acting experience. And to that, I would say, my critically-acclaimed middle school production of "High School Musical" begs to differ. But, you, the reader, again might say - ok, but Sam, you don't speak a foreign language. And to that, I would say, my eight years of Italian classes and basic comprehension would tell you, va Napoli (a classic Italian insult that you can Google yourself.) And once more for good measure, you, the endlessly inquisitive reader might say, but Sam - how on Earth do you expect Netflix to care enough to give you your own show? And to that, I will say, I have no idea and did not think that far enough ahead. But! I have come prepared with ideas to pitch, and since Netflix seems to be in the position to greenlight multiple seasons of one show at one time, there's no reason why at least one of these shouldn't be coming soon to a TV near you: "Sam In Sicily" Watch as my character, an aspiring photojournalist, embarks on a coming-of-age tale, all the while taking in the sights and cuisine of the country I'd probably be living in right now if sea travel was never embarked upon. Hopefully, I'll get a really good tan and learn how to make wine, but I promise not to include a grape-stomping scene; no one ever enjoys them, and I don't know why Hollywood keeps making them. "Sam In Florence" I'm pitching another Italian location because, if I'm being honest, it's my dream to travel there on someone else's dime (looking at you, Netflix.) While the majority of this show will be my character eating pizza, pasta, and pastries (the three food groups) and drinking cappuccinos under the shadows of Il Duomo, I will find a way to throw in some plot. How about I work as a museum curator but I'm so focused on my career that I've forgotten how to love? A classic, I know. "Sam In London" Using the British accent I've developed spending my formative years as a One Direction fan and watching endless episodes of "The Great British Baking Show", my character will attempt to have it all: a successful editorial career, a tight-knit group of friends who hang out exclusively at their local pub, and a grasp on reality. Sounds proper cheeky, no? "Sam In Edinburgh" From the people who brought you "Normal People" and "Conversations with Friends", this show will have everything, but mostly (hopefully) Sally Rooney as its writer, considering that's what I'm basing this entire pitch on. My character, resigned to her emotions and mundane life working in a bookshop, will see her life turned around when she is accepted to a prestigious college, one that is notoriously attended by notable and elite members of society. Basically, it's "Gossip Girl" but more depressing and they all have accents. "Sam In Amsterdam" Based on the rhyme alone, this show is already off to a good start. Watch as my character, a struggling artist, throws herself into the culture: riding bicycles, going to museums, pretending to smoke weed but not actually doing it because, you know, I don't judge, but it's just not for me. I'd prefer to film this one in the fall to fit my European aesthetic, but I would settle for the spring. "Sam In Santorini" Again, the alliteration here is enough to buy this show in the room. While I don't like eating olives or having to walk up a lot of steps, I could make this one work - if only to make sure I share the story of my main character who leaves her fiancé at the alter and goes on their honeymoon alone, embarking on a journey of independence, adventure and self-discovery. It's like a millenial "Eat, Pray, Love" but different because I haven't seen that movie. "Sam In Switzerland" And finally: I know you've all been waiting for a holiday-themed rom-com pitch, so here it is. While my main character might run a bakery, she's anything but sweet (or vegan or gluten-free - just let dessert be dessert, people!) When she's whisked away on business to a small town seemingly built on the idea of Christmas, she begrudgingly discovers there's more to life than her work - like a ~romance~ with the local Lukes Danes archetype, duh! And that brings me to the end of my pitches! Well, for the time being, at least. So, make sure to let Netflix know which of these shows you'd most want to watch - after all, I'm trying to build a career here, people.
0 Comments
It was coldly brought to my attention that this month marked the 13th anniversary of the Twilight film - a film that shook the world and, more importantly, my 11-year-old self, to the core. For those of you who are uncultured, Twilight follows a teenage girl named Bella Swan (played by Kristen Stewart) who falls in love with a one-hundred-year-old vampire (played by my boyfriend, Robert Pattinson) - ultimately, causing their two worlds to dramatically collide. Now that it's years after the fact, the fans (me) who unabashedly loved this film (and the book it's based on) get to sleep easy at night knowing that they were right in their convictions - and, as the world seems to be experiencing a renewed attention and appreciation for Twilight, we've all collectively agreed on a name for it - the Twilight Renaissance. As I am a trendsetter, I managed to stay ahead of this curve by simply never letting go of the things that I loved as a pre-teen, and I am already well into a re-read of the books. I recently finished Midnight Sun, which is just Twilight but from Edward's perspective, and I have never loved a brooding and melodramatic main character more. With the new age of social media and apps like Tik Tok (writing that sentence made me feel elderly, but Edward is old as hell so maybe that'll catch his attention), I can't seem to go a single day without seeing some sort of content based on the most iconic supernatural tale to ever be told. And, as I cannot allow something like this to happen without making it about myself, I simply have to voice my opinion: Twilight was only ridiculed and criticized because it was beloved by teenage girls, and now we are able to openly enjoy it because we simply do not give a f*ck. Alternatively, had its fan base been teenage boys, stores would have been stocked with the uniforms that the Cullens wore in the baseball scene, along with Team Edward trading cards and posters of Bella sitting on a sports car. As has been common throughout history, when a demographic of young women find something worth their while, it tends to be looked down on as trivial, or simply overlooked completely. But, as I often like to remind people as an example: teenage girls loved the Beatles before anyone's dad did, so let's all just take a moment to acknowledge who runs this sh*t. Anyway, moving on! Since I have fully immersed myself back into this world, I often find myself wondering if I should just pack up all of my belongings and move to the Pacific Northwest so that I, too, can brood in the cold, rainy weather and find a vampire boyfriend. So, if you happen to see me doing this, mind your own business. As I've been reading the books, watching the films, and searching Etsy for one-of-a-kind merchandise, I've been wondering: what they could have possibly put into Twilight to leave me still holding on for more? And before you propose, "Well, Robert Pattinson, duh," - first of all, don't take that tone with me. Second of all, that's obviously a large factor, but it's not the entire reason. I contain multitudes, ok? If you really consider Twilight as its own film, separate from the blockbuster sequels and media attention, it is a good film. That's right - I said it! It meets all of the requirements of a stand-alone indie film: a structured story, a cast of complex characters, and an artistic vision (aka the blue tint.) The story is brimming with drama but layered with moments of comedic irony - and, all together, it's simply two hours of cinematic excellence. The fact that it has stood the test of time (immortal pun intended), overcoming critics and mean girls alike, proves that sometimes things are popular for a reason! I would much rather hang out with someone who happily shares their interests and makes it part of their personality, as opposed to someone who spends their time loudly bashing something and anyone associated with it. At this point, voicing your dislike of Twilight to get attention is like saying that The Office is basic - good for you, bro! What an interesting and unique perspective that I don't remember asking for!! So! With that being said, as we embrace the Twilight Renaissance (both emotionally and financially), let's all remember one very important thing: the haters are ugly and Twilight makes money.
If last weekend was all about Taylor Swift and her latest re-record, "Red (Taylor's Version)" - which it was - then this weekend is all about Adele and her new album, "30." The last time that Adele released an album - "25" in 2015 - I was a freshman in college. While staring at the ceiling in my shoebox of a dorm room, I listened as songs like "When We Were Young" and "Love in the Dark" destroyed my emotions and made me dramatize my own life. Flash forward six years, and just like that college-freshman version of myself, I still have no idea what I'm doing - BUT, Adele seemingly does, so she's back (and possibly better than ever) with a new album written about the emotions and hardships she faced throughout the process of her divorce. She'd already teased us with the lead single from the album, "Easy On Me," which has, without any hint of joke, been on repeat since the moment it was released. How else am I supposed to envision myself as the main character?? Now that the full album is here, I obviously have to make it about myself. No, I am not 30 years old, nor have I been through a divorce, but I will still find a way to relate to it... it's called adapting. With that being said, here are my track-by-track reactions to Adele's "30"... and, of course, I made note of my favorites: 1. "Strangers By Nature"
2. "Easy On Me"*
3. "My Little Love"
4. "Cry Your Heart Out"
5. "Oh My God"*
6. "Can I Get It"
7. "I Drink Wine"*
8. All Night Parking (with Erroll Garner) (Interlude)*
9. "Woman Like Me"
10. "Hold On"
11. "To Be Loved"*
12. "Love Is A Game"
And we've made it to the end! Adele has, once again, outdone herself - and she didn't have to that, but she did it for us. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to go listen to this album on repeat until the tears stop (aka never!) If you haven't learned by now, I'm a Taylor Swift fan - aka, a certified Swiftie. When Taylor announced her re-records, I was happy not only for her in reclaiming her life's work, but also for me getting to be on the receiving end. So, you can imagine my excitement when, after gracing us with Fearless (Taylor's Version), Taylor revealed that Red was the next album on the way. I counted down the months, then weeks, then days - and now, she's here. While spending the weekend listening to the album (with breaks for snacks and emotional recovery), I compiled all of my notes and musings on the songs, both old and new, into this blog for all of you. With that being said, here are my track-by-track reactions to Red (Taylor's Version)*: (*I've noted the tracks that I believe stood out the most among this iconic collection.) State Of Grace (Taylor's Version)*
Red (Taylor's Version)
Treacherous (Taylor's Version)
I Knew You Were Trouble (Taylor's Version)
All Too Well (Taylor's Version)*
22 (Taylor's Version)
I Almost Do (Taylor's Version)
We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together (Taylor's Version)
Stay Stay Stay (Taylor's Version)
The Last Time (feat. Gary Lightbody of Snow Patrol) (Taylor's Version)*
Holy Ground (Taylor's Version)
Sad Beautiful Tragic (Taylor's Version)*
The Lucky One (Taylor's Version)
Everything Has Changed (feat. Ed Sheeran) (Taylor's Version)
Starlight (Taylor's Version)
Begin Again (Taylor's Version)
The Moment I Knew (Taylor's Version)
Come Back...Be Here (Taylor's Version)
Girl At Home (Taylor's Version)*
State of Grace (Acoustic Version) (Taylor's Version)
Ronan (Taylor's Version)
Better Man (Taylor's Version) (From The Vault)*
Nothing New (feat. Phoebe Bridgers) (Taylor's Version) (From The Vault)*
Babe (Taylor's Version) (From The Vault)*
Message In A Bottle (Taylor's Version) (From The Vault)*
I Bet You Think About Me (feat. Chris Stapleton) (Taylor's Version) (From The Vault)*
Forever Winter (Taylor's Version) (From The Vault)
Run (feat. Ed Sheeran) (Taylor's Version) (From The Vault)
The Very First Night (Taylor's Version) (From The Vault)
All Too Well (10 Minute Version) (Taylor's Version) (From The Vault)*
And there you have it - Red (Taylor's Version)! I truly have no interest in ever listening to the original again, so here's to Taylor Swift owning her life's work, as she should! The Met Gala, aka fashion's biggest event and also my Super Bowl, took place at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City last night. Held as a fundraising benefit for the museum, celebrities attend every year and model custom looks to fit a specific, extravagant theme matching an exhibit within the museum's Costume Institute; it has the exact vibes of a Capitol event in The Hunger Games, and I love every moment of it. This year's theme, "In America: A Lexicon of Fashion," was chosen to celebrate American fashion and examine how it connects with identity, both socially and politically. The decades of American fashion are so distinctly defined, providing ample inspiration for attendees to pull from - or, so one would think. Different than past years, this theme seemed especially difficult to grasp for some stars, as many showed up looking like they were invited at the last moment and had to show up in whatever they had in their luxury walk-in closets. As I spent three hours watching the event unfold, seeing many of the stars refuse to follow or even try to understand the theme, I finally understood why men get worked up over sports; as it should not be difficult for a professional quarterback to throw a football, it should not be difficult for a celebrity with a style team to put together a creative look for a red carpet event. However, this is not to discredit the handful of celebrities who did show up ready to earn their expensive VIP ticket and vegan meal that was most likely a pile of leaves and twigs- so, as I am an oracle of pop culture knowledge and right about everything, here is my cheat sheet for the night: Best Dressed Yara Shahidi Yara portrays an aspiring fashion stylist on the Freeform show, grown-ish, and this look tells me that she's been taking inspiration home from set. Inspired by Josephine Baker (a French-American entertainer and civil rights activist), this Christian Dior look is probably my favorite of the night. Not only does it look like a wedding look right from my Pinterest board (no I'm not in a relationship, yes I have already chosen my wedding venue, we exist) - but, she looks like the epitome of old Hollywood glamour and that always gets an A in my book. Kendall Jenner Inspired by Audrey Hepburn in the film, My Fair Lady, Kendall delivered a sheer and bedazzled Givenchy look that proved why she is the supermodel in the family. This look was a close second for me, and considering this year's theme, I don't know why more celebrities didn't take inspiration from Hollywood icons to create their looks; I can only chalk it up to them not having the creativity or imagination to think beyond a simple dress from a department store's prom section. Timothée Chalamet As one of the four co-chairs of the event, Timothée was one of the few men on the carpet who understood the assignment (it is in my opinion that if a man shows up to the Met Gala in a simple suit, he should be thrown out.) Choosing to mix historical fashion (the tuxedo on top that gave me flashbacks to his portrayal of Laurie in Little Women) with modern trends (sweatpants and Converse on bottom, aka my go-to hungover brunch outfit in college) just proved to me* that he knows what he's doing. *In all fairness, even if Timothée had a bad look, I would still put him on this list; I am a Timothée Chalamet stan first and a fashion expert second. Keke Palmer In her first appearance on the Met steps, Keke rocked a Sergio Hudson look that gave me major Diana Ross vibes and also cat-eye envy (it takes me half an hour and two emotional breakdowns to put on winged eyeliner... show me your ways, Keke.) She also co-hosted Vogue's live-stream of the event with Broad City's Ilana Glazer, effortlessly entertaining us all with her signature wit and charm while looking like a disco queen. Billie Eilish Like a modern-day Marilyn Monroe, Billie stepped onto the carpet in this Oscar de la Renta look and left the room (and world) speechless. In a departure from her usual wardrobe of dark and reserved looks, this blush gown brought her into the spotlight and reminded us all of how real Hollywood stars should dress. Also, I love the bob and I'm definitely not making an appointment to cut my hair exactly like it, who said that. Emily Blunt Referencing the actress Hedy Lamarr in the 1941 film, Ziegfeld Girl, Emily put on this Miu Miu look and strolled the carpet like a bejeweled celestial goddess. While her husband, Jim Halpert, was seemingly too busy pranking Dwight to accompany her, I'm sure that Kelly Kapoor was busy hyping her up on Twitter while also getting her feelings hurt after Ryan told her she couldn't pull off this starry look. Jennifer Lopez Fulfilling J. Lo's infamous call of, "Let's get loud," I gasped when I saw her walk onto the carpet. Giving me Cowboy Americana vibes in this all-brown Ralph Lauren look, Jennifer once again proved that she always understands the assignment. She was also smart enough to keep Ben Affleck and his simple suit away from the cameras, because she knows better than to let the other people in a group project affect her grade. Lupita Nyong'o One to never disappoint me, Lupita proved she's a star in this denim Versace gown. Despite the fact that all-denim looks are referred to as a Canadian tuxedo, her look for the night definitely fit the American theme. Even though their moment was iconic, Britney Spears and Justin Timberlake wish their all-denim ensembles at the 2001 VMAs looked this good. What If... I would like to take a short intermission to share my dream moment that could have happened had Vogue Editor-in-Chief and head of the Met Gala, Anna Wintour, chosen to consult my genius: Blake Lively & Leighton Meester In honor of the night's theme, it would have fulfilled my pop culture dreams to see Blake Lively (another queen of the Met Gala) and Leighton Meester (wife of Adam Brody/winner of life) revive their iconic Gossip Girl characters. Serena van der Woodsen and Blair Waldorf are forever cemented as the fashion icons of the early 2000s, and the actresses who portrayed them would have no doubt represented that era of time on the red carpet flawlessly. Even further, some of their best moments on the show happened on the Met steps, so it would have been like two worlds colliding. But, no. Instead, I'll just have to continue binge-watching this classic teen drama to appreciate the fashion all on my own. And that's that! The next Met Gala is set for May 2, 2022, with the theme, "Anthology of Fashion," which will also depict American history through the lens of fashion. Until then, I will be counting down the days until I again get to judge celebrities and their red carpet looks from the comfort of my couch.
A time comes in every person's life when they tune into an award show just to find that they don't recognize half of the stars walking across their screen. Last night, after turning on the MTV Video Music Awards, ready for a night of music and fashion, I realized that moment was happening to me.
Back in my day, after walking down to the corner shoppe to buy a soda pop and sweets for a quarter, I'd be able to turn on my TV and know I was in for a good night of dramatic performances and even more dramatic star interactions...
While it's in my opinion that the pop culture aspect of the music industry is currently in its flop era, I've gathered the highlights from last night's show based on artists I know/care about because I'm a woman of the people. Olivia Rodrigo
Bringing back early '2000s fashion with a neon pink gown and butterfly earrings, Olivia Rodrigo was the only person well-dressed at the show last night. (Yes, I am going on the record to say that. There is no excuse for a celebrity with access to a stylist to show up to an event dressed like they just raided the sale bin at Forever 21.)
In keeping with the early '2000s trend, she performed her pop-punk hit, "good 4 u," in her first-ever appearance at the VMAs: As for the awards, Olivia took home the Moonman for:
A moment I appreciated is her reaction to meeting J.Lo (who I swear was just in Venice with Ben Affleck ten minutes ago) because, well, same:
Justin Bieber
In his first VMAs in six years, Bustin Jieber decided to pull an Adam Sandler and show up in sweatpants and a hoodie (at least he paired it with an oversized blazer, as is the current trend.)
He performed the summer hit, "STAY" with The Kid Laroi, whom I do not know, as well as the song "Ghost," which I also do not know: Justin somehow took home the award for "Artist of the Year," but I can understand his win for "Best Pop" (along with artists Daniel Caesar and Giveon) for the song "Peaches," as it is a bop in its own right. I also had to share this clip of Justin once again seemingly not wanting anything to do with his wife, Hailey Bieber, because I'm starting to believe the FBI TikToks that something is up with this couple. (I love how the VMAs account is like "look how cute" when Justin is clearly like "do not touch me"):
Kacey Musgraves
I love Kacey Musgraves, I do - but this look is just not it for me; she looks like a Who from Whoville at a New Year's Eve party.
Luckily, she has the talent to back herself up. In her first-ever time on the VMAs stage, she gave a fiery performance of her new song, "star-crossed": She wasn't nominated for any awards this year (considering her new album, "star-crossed," just dropped like five seconds ago), but I have no doubt that the film she created to go along with the album will get the recognition it deserves at next year's show (and if it doesn't, then they will be hearing from my lawyers.) Megan Fox & Machine Gun Kelly / Kourtney Kardashian & Travis Barker
In my opinion, these two couples are exactly the same if you just blur your eyes, so it's only natural that they've become each other's go-to for double-date-night.
Machine Gun Kelly and Travis Barker teamed up to perform a song called "papercuts," which I did not watch and have no interest in. However, I was interested to see Megan Fox and Kourtney Kardashian introduce their boyfriends as their "future baby daddies," because I cannot imagine wanting to set Scott Disick off any further
Notable Mentions
Doja Cat, whose music I know only because I spend too much time on TikTok, hosted the show and took home the award for "Best Collaboration" (along with SZA) for their song "Kiss Me More."
Shawn Mendes and Camila Cabello walked the red carpet separately, which is odd considering it seems like they always want to remind us that they're a couple. They also performed separately, clearly hearing our pleas to stop performing "Señorita" at every chance they get.
Ed Sheeran wore a suit possibly for the first time ever, but failed to remember that Justin Bieber already wore a similar look to the Met Gala in 2015. (E! cancelled "Fashion Police" years ago and I have been doing the work ever since.)
And finally, Alicia Keys performed "Empire State of Mind" to remind us all that she's the Queen of New York (when Beyoncé is too booked and busy to fulfill the role.)
While the night was certainly filled with moments that lit up social media, I am simply longing for a time when music artists would show up ready to make the night all about themselves, a trait I have the utmost respect for it. If you're a fan of Kacey Musgraves, then today is for you: the princess of country-pop finally dropped her highly-anticipated album, "star-crossed." After making the announcement for this album just weeks ago, Kacey has been giving non-stop teasers and glimpses into this new era that shows a more vulnerable side to the "Golden Hour" singer (aka, one that dives into the rise and fall of her marriage to Ruston Kelly.) Because she knows what the fans want, she's not only created a film to accompany the album (available to watch on the streaming service, Paramount Plus), with a trailer that literally gave me chills... ... BUT, she's also announced a "star-crossed: unveiled" tour with tickets on sale now... ... AND revealed that she'll be singing the album's namesake "star-crossed" in her first ever performance at the MTV Video Music Awards on Sept. 12. If you're anything like me (congrats), then your favorite genre of music is heartbreaking songs that could soundtrack a moving romantic drama and are perfect for staring out the car window while pretending to be the main character. Well, after taking the time to listen to the album today and going on Kacey's lyrical journey through marriage and divorce (a journey that, according to Kacey, traces the arc of "a modern tragedy in three acts"), I find myself needing to stand on a beach somewhere with a cardigan wrapped around my body as the wind whips through my hair, to really get the full effect of what she's been through. As I currently do not have the means to do so, I'll have to take what I can get - aka, laying on my bed and staring at the ceiling as tears roll down my face (in a cool way.) Considering the entire point of this blog is to loudly share my opinions, here are some thoughts I had while listening to the album for the first time: *My favorite tracks are marked because if there's one thing I'm going to do, it's make this about me. 1. "star-crossed"*
2. "good wife"
3. "cherry blossom"
4. "simple times"
5. "if this was a movie.."
6. "justified"*
7. "angel"
8. "breadwinner"*
9. "camera roll"*
10. "easier said"
11. "hookup scene"
12. "keep lookin' up"
13. "what doesn't kill me"
14. "there is a light"
15. "gracias a la vida"
And there you have it! We've made it to the end of the album that has single-handedly kicked off Sad Girl Autumn (looking at you, upcoming albums from Taylor Swift and Adele.) Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to go listen to this album again with a glass of wine. Andrew Garfield, underrated Spider-Man and even more underrated star of "The Social Network," graced the cover of Variety this week - both to promote his upcoming films and to give me pause. While both of his upcoming films - the religious biopic, "The Eyes of Tammy Faye," and the Lin-Manuel Miranda musical, "Tick, Tick... Boom!" - are slated to premiere this fall (and already generating Oscar buzz), the film I'm here to discuss is, obviously, one that he's (most likely) not even involved in. "Spider-Man: No Way Home" is set to hit theaters on December 17, and fans have already been sharing their theories for months - the main theory being that Andrew Garfield and the OG Spider-Man, Tobey Maguire, will make appearances in the film in some sort of multi-verse situation. After Andrew's brooding portrayal of Spider-Man (one I enjoyed, by the way!) in both "The Amazing Spider-Man" films, Sony scrapped the saga. Looking back on his time as the friendly neighborhood hero, however, he seems to have made peace with it, saying: "It was only beautiful. I got to meet Emma [Stone] and work with her and Sally Field. I had karma with Amy Pascal, who was a mother figure, and we would fight, but ultimately, we loved each other on a deep level. We tried to meet as much in the middle as we could in terms of why I wanted to do this role, and what her needs were as the head of the studio." Not me getting emotional at the mention of Emma Stone, as in my mind they are still together. Ok, moving on before I become emotional! With nothing but respect left for his experience, does that mean he'd be willing to suit up again? (It honestly looks very tight and I couldn't blame him for bowing out for that exact reason; I have, on multiple occasions, half-joked about needing to be cut out of my pants after a good meal, so, I can empathize with him.) When asked about the rumors, however, Andrew laughed them off in good fun, saying: "I understand why people are freaking out about the concept of that because I'm a fan as well. You can't help but imagine scenes and moments of 'Oh my god, how fucking cool would it be if they did that?'" Uhm, very cool, Andrew. Very, very cool. But we're trying to be casual about it so we don't get our hopes up. In an attempt to throw us off the scent, Andrew went on to say: "But it's important for me to say on the record that this is not something I'm aware I am involved in. But I know I'm not going to be able to say anything that will convince anyone that I don't know what's happening. No matter what I say, I'm fucked. It's either going to be really disappointing for people or it's going to be really exciting." I'm not going to lie: when he said people won't be convinced he's not in the know, I felt like it was a breaking of the fourth wall as I type this. Well, he's right, because I'm not, so, there. I would also like to highlight Andrew saying, "...this is not something I'm aware I am involved in," because this leads me to believe that he might believe that there could potentially be some sort of glimpse or glimmer of his version of Spider-Man in the film, without him needing to have filmed any new scenes or physically be involved. Sony owns all rights to his image as Spider-Man, so they could technically include it in the film without needing to consult him. Or, it could just be another Gwyneth Paltrow situation, in which she has no clue of which superhero films she's in and has no recollection of meeting Tom Holland despite sharing the screen with him: Ultimately, whether or not Andrew and Tobey make an appearance in "No Way Home" (it's still a 50/50 chance for me), I know that this new Spider-Man film will more than meet my expectations, as it fulfills my movie criteria list: one British man, one Zendaya, and one romanticized version of New York City. And, until we find out if Andrew is a big fat liar or not, at least we have his portrayal of non-big-fat-liar, Eduardo Saverin, in "The Social Network" to hold us over - in which, he gives an Oscar-worthy delivery of this iconic phrase:
If you haven't heard, my favorite stand-up comedian, John Mulaney, and the actress who I can for some reason only remember as Nick Miller's stripper girlfriend in "New Girl", Olivia Munn, are having a baby together...
...and I can't imagine anyone being more thrilled than the infamous realtor from John Mulaney's stand-up special, "The Comeback Kid."
After Olivia was spotted out and about looking like any normal person after a good pizza, it only took a few days for the couple to confirm what everyone was already speculating.
On Tuesday night, during an appearance on "Late Night With Seth Meyers," John Mulaney shared the news, saying "We're both really, really happy... Olivia and this baby have helped save me from myself in this early journey of recovery." If you'll recall, John completed treatment at a rehab facility early this year after relapsing on drug-related issues last fall.
You can watch the full interview here: This past spring, after weeks of dating rumors, the couple were spotted together for the first time in Los Angeles, at what appeared to be a hilarious and not-at-all-publicly-staged lunch:
Despite being a relatively new couple, the two first met at Seth Meyer's wedding in September 2013 and have remained friendly since. Olivia even shared public support for John when the news broke that he'd entered rehab last year:
They didn't share when the baby is due, but until then, John is currently performing stand-up on his "From Scratch" tour and you can see Olivia in her next film, "Violet", which is set to premiere this week at the Toronto Film Festival and be released later this year.
Like I mentioned, I'm a fan of John Mulaney, and it's good to see that he's healthy and doing well - and, if he's feeling up to it and would like to film a new Netflix special, then that would also be great. (Seriously. I can only recite material from "New In Town" so many times.)
And until then, I'll leave you with this bit from the "Comeback Kid" special that John will probably have to work on over these next few months:
As I am a music fan first and a modern young woman second, I am big enough to admit that I would let a man explain feminism to me if it meant I could have front row concert tickets to see Harry Styles.
After a year's delay due to the panorama, Harry Styles finally kicked off the U.S. leg of his "Love On Tour" this weekend in Las Vegas, much to the excitement of fans everywhere. In order to attend the concert, fans had to provide either proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test, as well as wear a mask during the show; basically, Harry Styles said I've been reading the press about no one showering and I will not stand for it.
(You can hear an audio of Harry informing his fans of the safety rules and guidelines in this TikTok, which for some reason refused to embed into this blog.)
While I was unable to attend due to me not living in Nevada, I do spend enough time on social media to have the scoop on what went down at his first concert in what feels like a decade, so, here we go: First and foremost, we have to talk about the music. Harry opened the show with his song, "Golden," then went on to perform the entirety of the "Fine Line" album. He did, however, exclude the song "To Be So Lonely" - which I can only attribute to the fact that he didn't want to hear his fans enthusiastically singing the lyric about how he's an "arrogant son-of-a-b*tch" back to him, like the one and only other time he's performed it: He also performed a handful of songs from his debut album, as well as One Direction's "What Makes You Beautiful" because he knows how to hit my emotions. Here's the full setlist: Next up: the SUIT.
Yeah, there's no way I wasn't talking about this. Harry has become notorious for wearing unique designer outfits on every stop of his tours - so much so, that my best friend and I exchanged these texts at the start of our respective concerts on his last tour:
When I first saw the photos of Harry in this sparkly pink look, I was left speechless for approximately four minutes. But, when I finally composed myself, I did my research and learned that it was none other than a custom Gucci ensemble, just like everything else Harry wears these days. (I would expect nothing less from the face of the brand himself.) And last but certainly not least: the celebrity gossip (aka my favorite.) Like I've mentioned, I wasn't at this concert (no, this isn't my way of trying to get free concert tickets, who said that) - so, showing up to support (in my place) was none other than Olivia Wilde. The two have been dating/living it up on European vacations for months now, and yet I was surprised to see her there. Why, you might ask? I couldn't answer you. But, seriously, why, you might ask again? I'm serious, stop badgering me. Anyway, like a loyal musician's girlfriend, Olivia took time out of her busy schedule to watch Harry run around the stage while doing his best dance moves and spitting water into the air for some reason. Also in attendance was talk-show host/menace to society, James Corden, who appeared to be crying in the crowd. That's something we can relate on, then.
And that's that! Harry is set to be on tour until the end of November, making stops along the way in major cities like Chicago, New York, Boston, and Los Angeles.
And remember: if you're interested in buying tickets to a concert/taking me with you, make sure to check for COVID-19 restrictions beforehand so you don't get turned away at the door - because, as I've mentioned, Harry isn't messing around. |