What the Megan Thee Stallion Discourse is Missing
Content warning: This newsletter contains references to sexual violence and transphobia. I‘ve been thinking about Megan Thee Stallion for weeks. Okay, I’ve...
You Know What We Could Be Better At? Talking About Celebrities’ Mental Health
Earlier this week, culinary historian and author Michael W. Twitty posted a really interesting Twitter thread about parasocial relationships, which he...
The Problem With That Chrissy Teigen Conspiracy Theory
Trigger warning: This newsletter contains mentions of sexual abuse, violence against children and suicide. Apparently, Chrissy Teigen has been “arrested and...
I Miss the Old Kanye
On July 4, Kanye West announced he was running for president and it was both perfectly on-brand and the last thing I'd expect from Kanye West circa 2005,...
It’s Time to Unfollow Terry Crews
How did Terry Crews go from feminist fave to that dude who sends weird tweets cautioning against racial justice? No, seriously—I’m asking. Because his recent...
Is There a Difference Between Lainey Gossip's Racism and 30 Rock's? (Um, Yes)
Three things happen on Monday that I’m still thinking about. First, Ben Mulroney stepped down from his role as host of CTV’s eTalk. Second, everyone from...
You Know, It Would’ve Been Okay If J. Cole Sat This One Out
I’m on the record as being pro celebrities using their platforms to amplify important social issues. But even I have to admit there can be a downside to...
The Myth of the Progressive Media Brand
So, lots of media news this week, huh? A quick refresher: On Monday, Christene Barberich, Refinery29’s co-founder and editor-in-chief, stepped down after...
There's No Value to Celebrity Solidarity If It's Not Backed Up by Action
I’ve been keeping a mental list of how celebrities have spoken out against police brutality and anti-Black racism—if they’ve spoken out, that is. At first,...
How to Be A Good Ally To Your Black Friends
Friday fam, I do not think it will surprise you to hear that I don’t have very many celebrity-related thoughts this week. As much as I believe it’s important...
Apparently Lana Del Rey Has Faced More Adversity Than 5 Women of Colour (And Ariana Grande)
Hey, remember when that successful white lady criticized women of colour, mistakenly believing that they were getting something that was rightfully hers? No,...
As Bryan Adams Demonstrates, Celebrities Are Still Shit at Apologizing
On Monday, Canadian music icon Bryan Adams posted a video of himself singing “Cuts Like A Knife,” his 1983 hit, on Instagram and Twitter—which was fine. In...
Adele Lost Weight. Is It Fatphobic To Notice?
Content warning: This newsletter contains references to fatphobia. “Hello, Adele! 😍 The Grammy-winning singer showed off her dramatic new look while...
Why Was Our Coronavirus Benefit Concert so White?
I had a weird moment while watching the #StrongerTogether benefit concert that aired on Sunday, and I've been thinking about it all week. It was during “Lean...
A Plea to Everyone Lusting Over Justin Trudeau: Please Stop
Hey, so. I have an awkward request to make. Don’t get mad, okay? Here goes... Please, please stop thirsting after politicians. Justin Trudeau’s hair flip?...
Drake Doesn’t *Have* to Talk About His Charity Work—But I Wish He Would
I get why celebrities might not want to publicize their charity work. At the very least, it must feel weird, condescending and self-congratulatory to send...
Chris Evans Has a New Politics Website And I Think It Is a Bad Idea
Last April, CNN broke the news that Chris Evans—who by that time was probably as famous for his left-leaning Twitter feed as for his turn as Captain...
Why in the World Are We Believing Anything Joe Exotic Says?!
After literal weeks of Tiger King memes, jokes and celebrity commentary, I finally watched the first few episodes of Netflix’s new “docu-tainment” mini-...
There’s Only One Good Celebrity Left (It’s Cardi B)
On Wednesday, Cardi B posted the best thing I saw all week: a video of herself straight up savaging other celebrities who had been tested for COVID-19...
Celebrities Are Actually Not Like Us at All, Huh?
Last week, I really hoped Friday Things would remain a coronavirus-free zone—I was thinking it could be a nice pop culture escape from the rest of the news...