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| | Robert Pattinson on his infant daughter: 'she's just a little potato who poos' | | Added 11 hours ago | Source: CeleBitchy |
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I?m always here for a Robert Pattinson interview. I remember, many years ago, when Rob was promoting one of his indie films which few people would see, and he gave a great interview to a major magazine. There were film critics and industry people who were like: this guy is so charismatic, weird, watchable and funny, why can?t anyone find a script for him? At this point, the problem is probably Pattinson himself and the projects he chooses to do. He?s never wanted to be a heartthrob or a movie star. He?s too weird and eccentric for that. And yet, this is what the New York Times? T Magazine?s profile is called: ?Is Robert Pattinson the Last True Movie Star?? The answer, to me, is no. But T Magazine makes a good case. Some highlights:
Now that he?s a father, he?s searching for ?healthy? hobbies. He?s considered bonsai (?they just start rotting?), trapeze (?can?t do that in public?), tennis (?not enough spatial awareness?) and dance (?my spinal cord freezes?)
One of the last movie stars. ?Not in a million years did I think I?d still be doing this when I got my first job. I can?t believe this is still going.? By managing to avoid the clichs of childhood fame, he?s also retained a certain mystique; he neither descended into addiction nor had to spend his adulthood proving his credibility?.Perhaps because he started so young or because he?s handsome and weird, he gets to have it both ways?
He walks into roles with a gonzo conviction. ?If you turn up with a strong idea, people have no choice but to mold it.?
He?s always making up crazy stories while doing press: Not long ago, he rewatched a televised interview that he did in 2011, during which he told a fabricated story about seeing a clown die in a little-car explosion as a child. ?There was absolutely no hesitation at all [in my voice] I?m like, ?What on earth? Are you possessed??? In truth, he was just bored. (Other lies and embellishments he?s told interviewers over the years: that he was a women?s hand model; that there?s a deleted ?Twilight? scene involving coprophilia; that he got rid of a stalker by taking her to dinner and tiring her with his problems.) During that period, he says, ?the only thing people would ever ask me about was being famous. You go into, like, a fugue state.?
What he learned working with David Cronenberg: ?I used to think, ?I need to figure out the logic of where this character was born, his social class, what his parents did.? With Cronenberg, I realized that it can be about the musicality of words and how they make you feel to say them.?
The hysteria around him has died down. ?There?s something about the nature of being fresh meat. They thought, ?You?re not even a human.? That was my one idea for Bruce? He?s been portrayed until now as a playboy. But what if he?s completely socially inept and kind of agoraphobic??
He was never big on the party scene: ?There used to be a big party scene in L.A. The idea of getting into a car for 15 minutes to get anywhere at all, it made me stay in my house. And then you go completely insane.?
He met Suki Waterhouse in 2018 at a Los Angeles house party. ?She was sitting opposite me,? says Pattinson, who doesn?t remember much else about the game of Werewolf that they were playing with Javier Bardem, Penlope Cruz, Al Pacino and other actors. ?Suki and I kept making each other laugh, to the point where someone told us we weren?t taking the game seriously enough. That was a very, very sweet moment.?
Becoming a girl-dad: Leading up to [his daughter?s] arrival, he thought about buying a gun to protect their house. ?But then she comes out and she?s just a little potato who poos.? Given the instability of the movie business, he adds that the permanence of fatherhood has grounded him.
[From The NY Times]
I sort of agree with the thesis that the combination of Pattinson?s looks and weirdness have kept him alive in the industry. If he wasn?t so beautiful, he would just be a weird, gross guy who lies a lot. But his beauty imbues his weirdness with humanity and heart he comes across like a posh British eccentric who loves indie films. I do think there are so many what-ifs for Pattinson?s career though what if he was better at choosing projects, what if he didn?t make the choices he?s made, etc. But then again, he?s promoting a film he did with Bong Joon-ho (Mickey 17) so maybe Rob had it right the whole time.
Photos courtesy of Cover Images.
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| | King Charles will host the pre-Christmas lunch at Buckingham Palace this year | | Added 11 hours ago | Source: CeleBitchy |
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For decades, Queen Elizabeth hosted a pre-Christmas lunch for the extended royal family at Buckingham Palace. QEII timed the lunch for one of her final days in London before traveling to Sandringham, where she would stay through early February most years. QEII would invite all of the royal cousins and married-in relations so that the whole family was together, because most of those people were not invited to Sandringham. When King Charles took over in 2022, he decided to continue with the pre-Christmas lunch tradition, but he moved the event to Windsor Castle for the past two years. In both 2022 and 2023, Prince William and Kate skipped the lunch, even if it was just a hop, skip and jump away from Adelaide Cottage. I believe the excuse they use is that they head straight to Norfolk the second their kids? school break starts, and they don?t see the need in choppering in for lunch? Well, in any case, this year, Charles will host the lunch at Buckingham Palace.
King Charles might be shaking up a cherished Christmas tradition! On Dec. 16, Hello! reported that the King, 76, is switching up the location of the royal familys traditional Christmas lunch, and will host the event at Buckingham Palace instead of Windsor Castle as he has for the past two years. The British royal family is known to convene about a week before the Christmas holiday for a private family meal, and it remains unclear why the sovereign may be hosting the event in London instead of Windsor.
Last year, Princess Anne, Sir Timothy Laurence, Prince Andrew, Princess Eugenie, Jack Brooksbank, Prince Edward, Sophie, the Duchess of Edinburgh, Lady Louise Windsor, Zara Tindall, Peter Phillips and more royal family members were spotted driving around Windsor on the day of the lunch, held on Dec. 20. In a twist, Prince William, Kate Middleton and their three kids, Prince George, 11, Princess Charlotte, 9, and Prince Louis, 6, were not snapped arriving or departing ? perhaps because of an especially quick commute!
It would be a poignant choice if King Charles hosts the holiday lunch at Buckingham Palace, as thats where Queen Elizabeth historically held the event. The Queen typically welcomed over 50 family members to the lunch in London, which was held about a week before she headed to Sandringham House in the Norfolk countryside for Christmas.
[From People]
Will and Kate were not photographed going to the lunch because they didn?t go to the lunch for two years in a row. It?s weird that no one can admit that or point out that the heir to the throne refuses to simply enjoy a lunch with his extended family. This is yet another example of Will and Kate refusing to even do the bare minimum. As for the switch back to Buckingham Palace? I wonder what it?s really about, because it?s clearly not about Will & Kate?s non-attendance. My guess is that the switch is more about Charles?s cancer treatment in London? Or maybe the cousins complained about having to schlep all the way to Windsor for lunch when most of them live in London.
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Cover Images, Backgrid.
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| | Prince Andrew is apparently 'seriously contemplating a move' to Bahrain | | Added 11 hours ago | Source: CeleBitchy |
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Someone close to Prince Andrew publicly confirmed that Andrew and Sarah Ferguson would not attend ?royal Christmas? at Sandringham this year. The Yorks were invited to Sandringham, but then Andrew?s involvement with a Chinese spy was outed last week and all hell broke loose. The alleged spy had a wide variety of contacts within the British establishment, which is probably why everyone seems comfortable making this all about Andrew and HIS bad judgment alone. On Thursday, King Charles will apparently host the annual pre-Christmas lunch at Buckingham Palace, and the Sun claims that Andrew still intends to come to that event, because it?s a ?family occasion,? even if it would look bad if he was photographed pulling into BP. Meanwhile, sources close to Andrew are playing a ?poor pitiful Andrew? card and suggesting that the Windsors won?t have a credibly accused rapist to kick around for much longer. Andrew might just pick up and move to Bahrain!
The Daily Beast can reveal that Prince Andrew is eyeing a move to Bahrain and could ?do a Harry? and leave the country after being effectively kicked out of the royal family all over again due to his links to an alleged Chinese spy.
Andrew is now likely to spend [Christmas Day] effectively in hiding at his home, Royal Lodge, where the former helicopter pilot has taken to projecting flight tracking apps on the walls. His ex-wife and children are also reportedly not attending Sandringham festivities so they may join him. Sarah likened herself in an interview this weekend as a ?carer? to Andrew, whom she described, sympathetically, as a ?sad man.?
However, it could be Andrew?s last Christmas in the U.K. The Daily Beast has been told by two friends of Andrew, who claim that he has been unfairly portrayed in the unfolding spying scandal, that he is now ?sick and tired of being painted as a pariah? and is ?seriously contemplating a move to the United Arab Emirates or Bahrain.?
He has wealthy if sometimes dubious supporters in both jurisdictions, but especially in the autocratic monarchy of Bahrain, where he has been a regular visitor for decades and has been feted by King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa.
One friend of Andrew?s who has known him and his wife for decades told The Daily Beast: ?The whole thing stinks to high heaven. You?d think Andrew had been passing state secrets to the man. Andrew is sick and tired of being painted as a pariah in the British media and is seriously contemplating a move to the United Arab Emirates of Bahrain. None of us would blame him if he decided to do a Harry and leave. He can?t do anything here anymore, he can?t leave the house, he can?t do any business, and now he is apparently Kim Philby.?
Another friend said: ?Andrew has a vast array of contacts in the Middle East and could be leading a meaningful life there. I wouldn?t be at all surprised if he thought enough was enough after this latest stich-up by the establishment.?
When asked if they were suggesting Andrew?s relationship with the alleged spy?named on Monday as Yang Tengbo?had been misrepresented by the security services to harm Andrew?s reputation, the friend said: ?Andrew doesn?t have any power. He was entirely open about Yang?s involvement with Pitch@Palace. This guy was meeting prime ministers and god knows who else. And yet mysteriously it?s his relationship with Andrew that matters? Come on.?
[From The Daily Beast]
It?s a situation where, sadly, Andrew and his friends are making some decent points but no one will pay attention because Andrew is so contemptible and compromised. Yes, Andrew was super-close to this spy and Andrew provided all kinds of access. But? other people were involved with the spy as well, and it?s not like Andrew knows the launch codes. Andrew is being forced to take the fall for a much bigger situation which involves much more powerful people. You could even argue that it?s somewhat similar to the Jeffrey Epstein situation while Andrew has been credibly accused of all kinds of seedy, sleazy and criminal things with Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell, his involvement ended up protecting much more powerful people who were also involved with Epstein and Maxwell. King Charles is also using this spy drama to make his final push to get Andrew out of Royal Lodge.
As for Andrew?s dream of moving to Bahrain and starting over? I honestly don?t care, but it would shake things up a bit. It would be interesting from a gossip standpoint if Andrew went into self-imposed exile, living a life of luxury in Bahrain and making whatever deals he could. Would Fergie go with him?
Photos courtesy of Backgrid, Instar and Avalon Red.
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| | Victoria Beckham on plastic surgery: 'I have never, ever, ever, ever had anything' | | Added 11 hours ago | Source: CeleBitchy |
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There have been many moments in recent years where I?ve seen photos of Victoria Beckham and thought that she looked like she was/is full of fillers and Botox. Notably, at the premiere of her husband?s Netflix series last year, I thought it looked like her fillers/Botox didn?t have time to settle. But as far as plastic surgery, I don?t think she?s had anything major on her face. She basically has the same face she had in the ?90s, just with some injectables. Well, Victoria was on the Today Show this week, and she claims that she?s never had a nose job and she looks different nowadays because of makeup and contouring.
Victoria Beckham wants fans to stop right now with the plastic surgery speculation. During Monday?s episode of ?Today With Hoda & Jenna,? the former Spice Girls singer doubled down on ?never? getting a nose job ? despite people questioning her looks for years.
?There?s been a lot of people in the past that have said to me that I?ve had some kind of surgery on my nose,? she said in a pre-taped interview with Zanna Roberts Rassi, while discussing makeup tips and tricks. ?I have never, ever, ever, ever had anything. No, never.?
Beckham, 50, then credited her ?clever contouring? skills for making her nose appear a certain way. The Victoria Beckham Beauty founder ? who does her own makeup ?95 percent? of the time ? frequently posts tutorial videos on social media, showing fans how she contours and creates her ?signature? looks.
Despite her step-by-step videos, the fashionista has still found herself having to address cosmetic surgery rumors from time to time. Although Beckham has denied ever getting rhinoplasty, she has owned up to getting breast implants.
[From Page Six]
It?s such a weird thing for her to say ?I have never had plastic surgery specifically on my nose!? Like?okay? But you?ve absolutely gotten some cosmetic tweaks over the years and that?s fine. I also think ?contouring? is the new go-to excuse for women when they look noticeably different/tweaked these days. Remember when Jennifer Lawrence said the same thing, that her face looks so different because of makeup and contouring? Yeah.
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Backgrid, Cover Images.
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| | The Guardian: How to get rid of a song stuck on repeat in your head | | Added 13 hours ago | Source: CeleBitchy |
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The Guardian has an article this week called ?Tortured by an earworm? How to get it out of your head.? Naturally, I looked at the title alone and thought this was a self-help piece aimed at RFK, Jr., but no! Instead it?s about what elements contribute to a song being particularly catchy, and how you can get rid of them when they?re stuck on repeat in your head. The impetus seems to have been the author having a hard time shaking ?Defying Gravity? and other Wicked tunes from her noggin?. In which case, this article is very well-timed to hand us the tools to get through snippets of ?DG? being played every time Wicked is announced as a nominee and/or winner when award season kicks into overdrive in January. But I?m jumping ahead. First, listen to the experts:
Earworm 101: Studies estimate that more than 90% of people experience such an ?earworm? at least once a week ? ?so it?s a really common, everyday experience,? says Kelly Jakubowski, an associate professor of music psychology at Durham University. The song snippet is typically about 20 seconds long, and plays on stubborn repeat in your head. Not everyone is equally susceptible. ?Mostly, it has to do with music exposure,? says Jakubowski. If you listen to music often, you?re more likely to find some of it gets ?stuck?.
?Mutually reinforcing qualities: Wicked, for example, might be particularly fiendish, pairing evocative lyrics with memorable melodies ? not to mention being inescapable at present. Jakubowski points to research by Callula Killingly, of Queensland University of Technology in Australia, which suggested a ?mutually reinforcing? relationship between the catchiness of a particular song and people?s exposure to it. ?Perhaps unsurprisingly, if people feel the urge to sing along to a piece of music when they?re hearing it, they tend to more often get it stuck in their heads later on,? says Jakubowsi.
Songs of note: Songs with faster tempos and ?memorable but distinctive? melodies were more likely to be ?musically sticky?, she adds. In a 2016 paper, Jakubowski singled out the opening riff of Deep Purple?s Smoke on the Water, the chorus of Lady Gaga?s Bad Romance and (fittingly) Kylie Minogue?s Can?t Get You Out of My Head as having the potent mix of generic and unexpected. Defying Gravity is riddled with interval jumps, including perfect fourths (as in Here Comes the Bride) and fifths (Star Wars) ? greater than you might expect of a standard pop song ? that catch our attention and get stuck in our heads.
Some ways out: First, listen to a different song ? or even just think of it. ?It?s nearly impossible to have two songs in your head at once: you just don?t have the cognitive resources to do that,? says Jakubowski. In countering a deeply lodged earworm, it helps to reach for a song that is familiar but not too engaging. One survey led by Jakubowski found that God Save the King was the most effective. ?Most people said that that song is so boring you can think of it easily, but it doesn?t get stuck itself.?
Chewing gum helps?? According to 2015 research from the University of Reading, study participants who chewed gum after being played catchy pop songs reported thinking of and ?hearing? the song less often than those who didn?t. The lead author of the study suggested this simple strategy might be effective in countering other disruptive thoughts, by disrupting working memory. ?Essentially, when you?re singing something in your head, you?re sub-vocalising it ? The same muscles that you?d need to actually speak, you need those [available] to mentally ?speak,? says Jakubowski. ? But, Jakubowski adds, it?s important to chew vigorously enough to prevent you from ?talking? ? and, crucially, not in time with the music. ?If you?re chewing along with the beat, it could have the opposite effect.?
[From The Guardian]
You know what I can?t get out of my head now? The name Callula Killingly! How is she a research scientist and not a crime author, or the femme fatale in a film noir?! Anyway, being completely honest, weren?t the research results enumerated here rather basic? A song is likely to get stuck in your head if it has ?memorable melodies? and you hear it a lot. So far so obvious. I would?ve been interested to hear more on the science of music, like when they were describing the fourths and fifths in ?Defying Gravity,? and how those technical elements, invisible to the lay listener, instigate responses in our synapses while we?re blithely humming along. And the anti-repeat suggestions were fairly self-evident too, no? (Save for the gum chewing. That came out of left field and made me wonder if Wrigley?s funded this research.) ?Listen to another song? is hilariously obvious, though. But don?t get me wrong, I?m here for anyone who waxes pointedly on ?God Save the King? being such a boring song that it?s nigh impossible to get stuck in your head. The hits keep coming for Charles this Christmas!
photos credit: Wellington Cunha, Charlotte May and Blue Bird on Pexels
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| | Angelina Jolie claims 'I?ve got better work as I?ve got older,' true or false' | | Added 13 hours ago | Source: CeleBitchy |
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Angelina Jolie has been doing interviews and press junkets for Pablo Larrain?s Maria for months now. I know all of the talking points because Jolie has barely deviated from them, nor has she given in to anyone?s attempts to get her to talk about Brad Pitt and their neverending divorce and litigation. I wonder if that?s why Angelina hasn?t done any major American magazine cover interview too there would be an expectation that she talk about her personal life, and Jolie is letting her lawyers do all the talking on that front. Anyway, Angelina spoke to the Times of London as part of a recent junket and I have to give it to the Times, they really teased a full profile out of what was probably less than ten minutes in a room with Jolie and Larrain. Some highlights:
She cried in her first singing lesson. ?It was the therapy I didn?t realise I needed. Singing opera requires you to be as emotionally open as you possibly can be ? it?s not like singing in the car. It?s cathartic. I?ve never pushed myself or opened myself up in that way, that was daunting.?
She?s not chronically lonely like Maria Callas. ?I don?t feel that because I have family. Maria didn?t have a family, so her work was everything. My work is not everything. Being a parent is everything.?
Jolie feels like the work has gotten better as she?s aged: ?I?ve got better work as I?ve got older. I don?t think about it in terms of roles offered but in terms of life experience you contribute. It?s easier for actors than singers or dancers because your body doesn?t change.?
Divas on divas: What Jolie did relate to was Callas?s ?commitment to her work?. Callas was called a diva and Jolie wants to reclaim the word from having negative connotations, especially when used towards women. ?I?m a hard worker. And a deeply feeling person. Maria is vulnerable because she feels and isn?t sometimes able to protect herself from the loneliness or emotional pain. Because it?s part of her life and work to be extremely human and live that way. You live through your communication with the audience. For Maria and for me that has always been extremely important.?
Method acting: ?As a young actor you say yes to everything. Can you ride horses? Can you speak this language? Then you have to learn.? For Maria she spent seven months doing intense singing lessons, as well as taking Italian classes. The score mixes her voice with Callas?s to impressive effect.
What if Larrain made a bio-pic of Jolie: So what would a Larran biopic about Jolie be like? That?s when I get full scorn. ?That gets the most insane question award,? Jolie says and she and Larran laugh for slightly too long. ?When you?re a public person and you?re playing her, you?re conscious of how you would hate for somebody to interpret your life or think they understand your life, so we tried to be thoughtful. Let?s hope there isn?t one about my life.?
[From The Times]
The Times journalist was expressly forbidden from asking personal questions or questions about Brad, but even if the journo had managed it, Angelina would have just given a withering look and stayed silent. It keeps the focus on Maria, which Angelina is obviously very proud of. I?m curious about this statement: ?I?ve got better work as I?ve got older.? Eh. That?s not really true. Yes, I don?t know what scripts and projects Angelina has been offered, but we know what she?s said ?yes? to and there?s a reason why people forget almost everything she?s acted in for the past decade. There?s a reason why Maria keeps being described as a ?comeback? for Jolie, you know? I think Jolie legitimately wanted to work less, stay closer to home and focus on her family in the past eight years. But I also think the roles and the scripts were not there, as they?re not there for many actresses in their 40s.
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Netflix.
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| | Prince Andrew & Sarah Ferguson will skip Christmas at Sandringham this year | | Added 13 hours ago | Source: CeleBitchy |
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This past weekend was full of dumb stories about Prince Andrew. Last week, it was revealed that Andrew had a close association with a guy who turned out to be a Chinese spy. Andrew had provided extensive access to the spy, in exchange for what I can only imagine would be grocery bags full of cash? Whatever the quid pro quo entailed, it was clear that Andrew was once again up to his eyeballs in criminal/tacky shenanigans. Which introduced the plotpoint that many royal insiders fretted over all weekend: would Prince Andrew be welcome at ?royal Christmas? at Sandringham? Would King Charles ban Andrew? Would Charles brief against Andrew constantly and hope that Andrew would just take the hint? Well, it happened. Andrew took the hint and someone confirmed that Andrew will not go to Norfolk for Christmas.
Another scandal involving Prince Andrew was the last thing the Royal Family expected to be dealing with as they prepared to gather for Christmas. But as one former member of palace staff put it to me, it now represents a dichotomy for the King, in that there is only so much tolerance and forgiveness one can exercise even within a familial context.
Nonetheless, it is still surprising that Prince Andrew and his ex-wife Sarah Ferguson have decided not to go to Sandringham. Christmas is the one time of the year when we usually see Prince Andrew in public. We see with our own eyes that his family havent entirely forced him out into the cold.
This time its not entirely clear if hes just decided to do the honourable thing, as one palace source put it, and realised he would be too much of a distraction if he walked to church with the family, or if theyre not going because their daughters are off to their in-laws for Christmas instead.
But there is still a big question over whether he will attend the annual Royal Family lunch at Buckingham Palace on Sunday. Palace insiders admit its a grey area. Its a family occasion and hes usually invited to those, but this one is happening inside the most symbolic building of the institution, seen as Monarchy HQ. As it was put to me, its not just how things are, its how they look, and an image of the Duke of York driving through the gates could be seen as deliberately provocative. They are hoping he wouldnt want to be that level of a distraction.
Its hard to get a full picture of how much the King is engaged in all of this. Someone who knows the family well told me that our current monarch doesnt like confrontation, just like Queen Elizabeth II. They added there remains a warm familial feeling between the two brothers, but one tempered by the Kings responsibilities as head of state to be entirely separate from the perceived, real or alleged, activities of the Duke of York. It means that when there are family events the duke is welcome. When his brother is at an event in his role as King, Andrew isnt to be seen.
And what of Prince Andrew? Im told he is robust, he is self-contained and always has been, there is a sense hes never really needed the affirmation of his family.
[From Sky News]
The most interesting part, to me: ?or if theyre not going because their daughters are off to their in-laws for Christmas instead.? Are Eugenie and Beatrice not spending Christmas with Fergie and Andrew? To be fair, both princesses have spent the past two Christmases in Sandringham with the larger family. It would be perfectly reasonable if Eugenie is spending the holiday with Jack Brooksbank?s family, and Beatrice is spending the time with Edo?s family. Anyway, it?s so funny that before this spy story broke, Charles was rushing around, insisting that it was going to be such a huge Christmas gathering and he wasn?t inviting the Sussexes. Now it looks like the Yorks will be missing, and I bet some other people will be too.
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Cover Images.
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| | Jay-Z's lawyer Alex Spiro calls out Tony Buzbee & his client's claims: 'a sham' | | Added 13 hours ago | Source: CeleBitchy |
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Last Friday, NBC News aired an interview with the woman who accused Jay-Z and Sean Combs of raping her at an unknown home after the 2000 MTV VMAs. She told her story to NBC News, then the outlet did some fact-checking to authenticate what they could about her story, and all they found were glaring inconsistencies: she claimed she was driven 20 minutes to a home from a traffic-jammed Manhattan; her father had no memory of driving five hours from Rochester to pick up his 13-year-old daughter; the Madden brothers were not even in New York and she claimed to have met them; she claimed the VMAs were shown on the Jumbotron and they weren?t, and on and on. NBC went back to the woman and she admitted that yes, there are inconsistencies but she still insists that she was raped by Jay-Z and Sean Combs, all while an unidentified female celebrity watched. Jay-Z has insisted that the woman?s lawyer, Tony Buzbee, did nothing to vet his client?s claims, and that this is all an extortion attempt by Buzbee. As in, Buzbee thought Jay-Z would throw some money at the problem and none of this would end up going to court. Well, on Monday, Jay-Z?s lawyer Alex Shapiro did a full briefing to reporters at Roc Nation.
Lawyers for Jay-Z plan to ask a judge to toss a lawsuit accusing the rapper of raping a 13-year-old in 2000, pointing to what they described as ?glaring inconsistencies? that emerged in an NBC interview of the accuser, who was not named in the suit.
Alex Spiro, a lawyer for Mr. Carter, wrote a letter Friday night to U.S. District Court Judge Analisa Torres saying that Mr. Carter intends to file a motion to strike the complaint, citing the NBC report. ?The interview outs plaintiff?s allegations for what they are: a sham,? he wrote in the letter.
And on Monday, Mr. Spiro spoke to reporters at the Manhattan offices of Roc Nation, Mr. Carter?s entertainment empire. He provided a timeline of the night in question that he said undercut the plaintiff?s account and displayed a photo that he said showed Mr. Carter at a nightclub after the Video Music Awards, not a private residence. ?The story doesn?t work,? he said. ?It doesn?t check out.?
Tony Buzbee, the lawyer for the woman who sued, wrote in an email that his client remained ?adamant? about her claim even as she acknowledged that she may have been mistaken about which celebrity she encountered at the party that night. ?We are talking about events from 20 years ago,? he said in an email. He said that he did not think the photograph of Mr. Carter at a nightclub ?proves or disproves anything.?
?Courts exist to resolve factual disputes,? he said. ?I don?t think it?s appropriate to do so in a news article.?
On Monday, Mr. Spiro ? a well-known lawyer whose celebrity clients have included Elon Musk, Alec Baldwin and Mayor Eric Adams of New York ? spoke to the press in an effort to discredit the plaintiff. In seeking to get the claim thrown out, Mr. Spiro, in his letter to the judge, accused Mr. Buzbee of violating a federal rule requiring a lawyer to ?conduct a reasonable inquiry? into the facts of their client?s claim before signing their name onto a case.
Mr. Buzbee, in an email, defended his firm?s handling of its client?s claim, saying that while the case was referred by another law practice, at least three lawyers from his firm interviewed her before filing the amended complaint. He said a background check was run on her, an investigator was engaged to vet some of the details in her claim and she signed two affidavits
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| | Travis Kelce apparently showered Taylor Swift with gifts for her 35th birthday | | Added 25 hours ago | Source: CeleBitchy |
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Taylor Swift finally completed her Eras Tour on December 8th. Nearly two years of touring, $2 billion-plus in ticket sales, similar figures in merchandising sales, and records broken all over the place. Taylor managed to schedule everything so she would be completely done several days before her 35th birthday, which was December 13th. So where did she spend her birthday? In Kansas City with her boyfriend Travis Kelce, perhaps? Page Six had two stories about TNT in recent days, and while I doubt Page Six has many sources in the Swift camp, I also think these stories sound plausible. First off, Taylor is burnt out:
Taylor Swift is ?burnt out? following the final performance of her record-breaking Eras Tour, a source exclusively tells Page Six. The pop superstar ? who turns 35 on Friday ? is ?definitely looking forward to some downtime? and boyfriend Travis Kelce ?has encouraged her to do so,? the insider says. ?Taylor was ready for this tour to wrap because she?s burnt out and is looking forward to some rest and relaxation.?
Swift ?planned? for her Eras Tour to ?wrap right before her birthday so she could have some time off to celebrate her 35th birthday and the holidays.?
The Kansas City Chiefs tight end, 35, is ?so inspired by her and proud of all the hard work she?s done,? our source reveals. ?At the same time, Travis feels it?s important for Taylor to take some time out for herself.?
[From Page Six]
So what did Travis do for Taylor on her big birthday? Apparently, he showered her with gifts and made sure to carve out several hours after he went to a ?mandatory? Chiefs Christmas party.
Travis Kelce pulled out all the stops for Taylor Swift?s 35th birthday Friday night, Page Six has exclusively learned. We?re told the pop superstar and Kansas City Chief tight end, also 35, rang in the milestone at a private celebration ?just them two.?
?He got her a ton of gifts,? a source exclusively tells Page Six.
There was speculation online as to whether Kelce had to skip out on Swift?s birthday plans since he was spotted on Chiefs heiress Gracie Hunt?s Instagram Story attending a charity event for the NFL team. However, our insider confirms that while that engagement was ?mandatory,? the Super Bowl champ made sure to ?leave early to go be with Taylor for her birthday.?
While boyfriend Travis Kelce couldn?t attend her final [Eras] show, we?re told the Kansas City Chiefs star always wanted to make Swift?s ?milestone birthday? ?extra special.?
?Travis has only let a few of those closest to him know what he has in store for Taylor because he doesn?t want to ruin any surprises,? an insider told us last week. Our source said the tight end, 35, had ?been shopping for Christmas and birthday gifts for Taylor for quite a while. [He is] not the type to leave these things to the last minute so he?s been picking up items here and there for the past several months whenever he has a chance,? they shared, noting that some of the ?gifts are things Taylor has casually mentioned she would like. Travis makes sure to always listen even when Taylor doesn?t realize he is.?
[From Page Six]
I hope Travis got her some designer clothes, bags and shoes. I know that?s a weird thing to suggest, but Taylor does not dress like a billionaire (imo) and I feel like Travis could help her update her style and change things up. We know he likes fashion and he looks into more offbeat designers. He could bring that energy to Taylor?s closet. I also hope he proposes, but I wonder if he?ll do that over Christmas, or perhaps Valentine?s Day.
Photos courtesy of Backgrid, Cover Images.
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| | Madonna posted AI photos of herself with the Pope and people are mad | | Added 25 hours ago | Source: CeleBitchy |
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Life is a mystery. Everyone must stand alone. Unless you use AI to generate photos of yourself standing next to the Pope. Standing very close next to the Pope. Which is what Madonna did on Friday night, posting two images to her Instagram where she and Pope Francis are embracing, with the odd captions, ?Going into the weekend like?? for one, and ?Feels good go be seen?? for the other. But just like a dream, these pics are not what they seem. In both ?photos,? Miss Madge is scantily-clad in lacey black while Francis complements her in papal white. While Madame X dressing provocatively isn?t anything new, her unsuspectingly dragging the head of the Catholic Church into a couple of intimate-looking poses has plenty of people upset. Let the choir sing:
The first photo depicted the pope, 87, hugging the ?Frozen? singer, 66, from the side with a huge smile across his face. His nose was pressed against her cheek.
?Going into the weekend like?? she captioned the head-turning snap.
The second image showed Madonna in a lacy corset with Pope Francis seemingly going in for a kiss as he wrapped one arm around her waist.
?Feels Good to Be Seen??? the ?Like a Virgin? singer penned atop the second snap.
Social media users were quick to slam Madonna over the images, with one calling her actions ?ridiculously disrespectful.?
Another person wrote via X that the ?Vogue? singer?s post was ?creepy,? while a third unamused individual said, ?This is just weird as hell? she?s lost it.?
?Disgusting! I pray her soul gets saved!? another critic seemingly shouted from behind their screen.
Page Six reached out to Madonna?s reps for comment on the backlash but did not immediately hear back.
The seven-time Grammy winner is no stranger to stirring up controversy, however, as she had done so several times throughout her career.
The Vatican once suggested that people boycott Madonna?s Blond Ambition World Tour due to her 1989 ?Like a Prayer? music video, per Entertainment Tonight.
The controversial video featured her kissing a black saint who was wrongly accused of murder and several religious symbols, such as burning crosses.
Her commercial with Pepsi was even pulled at the time, though Madonna was given permission to share it in September 2023.
?Artists are here to disturb the peace,? she wrote in the caption of an Instagram Reel at the time, as she debuted the commercial after it sat in the dark for 34 years.
Earlier this year, Madonna was sued by a fan who attended her ?Celebration? tour and accused her of exposing fans to ?pornography without warning.?
Her shows surely had some punch to them ? as her backup dancers were routinely filmed giving raunchy lap dances on stage.
[From Page Six]
Ah yes, I remember that lawsuit from the California concertgoer who was ?forced to watch topless women on stage.? In that instance I was leaning on Madonna?s side ? Celebration was her 12th concert tour, I think it was fairly predictable that Madonna would have racy material, girl. But the difference with a concert is that an audience member chooses to purchase a ticket. The Vatican may correct me if I?m wrong, but I don?t think Pope Francis sanctified Madonna using him as an AI prop. There is so much that doesn?t make sense to me in regard to these images. What do the captions mean? She?s going into the weekend with the Pope, and he?s the only one who really sees her? Why is he seemingly canoodling with her, going off of the body language? But I think my biggest question of all is, Madge had to have known that the photos would quickly be identified as AI-generated. So? why?? What is she trying to say here? This isn?t my religion, so I?m not offended on those grounds; I?m offended by a celebrity with Madonna?s following making such a desperate attention grab. Heaven help her.
Note by CB: It looks like these photos were created by an AI/Photoshop artist named Rick Dick and that Madonna, or her social media person, just reposted them in her Instagram stories.
Photos via Instagram and credit: IPA/INSTARimages
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| | Social-media bros cried about Sydney Sweeney looking normal in a bikini | | Added 25 hours ago | Source: CeleBitchy |
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Here are photos of Sydney Sweeney out in New York this weekend. Sydney and her fiance Jonathan Davino were Christmas shopping at Leset. Sydney wore baggy jeans and an unfortunate bucket hat. She looked fine. She looked like an attractive woman going about her business, knowing that paparazzi were taking photos of her. While this was happening, there was a big, stupid conversation about Sydney on social media. Last week, paparazzi got photos of Sydney by a pool, where she wore a bikini. Dudes on the internet were apparently highly upset that Sydney was not glammed out at the pool, and she looked like a normal woman.
The birth rates are falling because there are men with anon accounts who are appalled to see what Sydney Sweeney, or any woman, looks like when they are not airbrushed, fasted and freshly pumped, posed with professional lighting and hair and make up. https://t.co/BEBTtSt8sR
Stella Tsantekidou (@Stsantek) December 13, 2024
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