The Golden Globes were nuts, but it’s this weekend’s must-see appointment television that has everyone buzzing. Let’s get to it!
* It’s not a national holiday, but Sunday, March 6th is shaping up to be the biggest event of the month as the Duke and Duchess of Sussex sit down to chat with the legendary Oprah Winfrey in a televised interview on CBS this weekend. Oprah claims “no subject is off limits” and that Harry and Meghan are ready to go on record about how they’ve been treated by the British Royal Family. If the teasers are any indication, it’s going to be both explosive and a tearjerker.
The explosive: Meghan has already been calling BRF by their inside track nickname “The Firm,” and it’s no accident, as the members have acted more like a callous corporation than in-laws towards the beauty. It’s said she’ll confirm that The Firm played an active role in “perpetrating falsehoods” against herself and Harry in the interview. We all know they were bullied out of the family – it will be satisfying to see them finally get to confirm this so publicly.
The tearjerker: Harry refers to his mother, Diana, and says one of his biggest motivations in deciding to leave his life behind was his fear of “history repeating itself,” while acknowledging how difficult Diana’s life must have been. If you don’t tear up when he says, “She was alone. At least we have each other,” you might want to check your veins for ice! [Unfortunately I can't get the video to embed, but you can watch the short clip here.]
Needless to say, the Palace is panicking. Keep your eyes peeled for well-placed sources attempting to drop more dirt on the duo in the days leading up to the big event. They won’t be able to stop the interview, but they will try to keep discrediting Harry & Meg until the eleventh hour. These well-heeled peeps are going to war, stiff upper lip style. In the meantime, perhaps instead of trying to silence the Sussexes, the Queen could focus on her troubled son, Andrew, and his ties to Jeffrey Epstein. The FBI is still waiting for that “cooperative” interview that Andrew keeps promising. Just saying!
* Well, the Golden Globes happened, and it was fucking nuts. Hosts Tina Fey and Amy Poehler did their predictably stellar jobs at attempting to keep the ceremony on the rails, but technical difficulties, boozy acceptance speeches, the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA) itself, and Sean Penn’s wig veered it into hilariously bizarre territory.
Amongst the highlights: a win for Schitt’s Creek, an incredible speech by Chadwick Boseman’s widow, Jodie Foster’s dog (in a matching bandana!), Don Cheadle keeping his eye on the clock, and Jane Fonda calling out, well, just about everyone. But the real winner was Jason Sudeikis’s tie-dyed hoodie. The heartbroken comedian, still reeling from his split with longtime love Olivia Wilde, leaned into his "divorced dad" vibe with a very casual look, and Twitter quickly took the lead from there. You can check out some of the best memes from the night right here.
Meanwhile, three members of the HFPA briefly took the stage, delivering stilted apologies for the massive scandal leading up to the event, with promises “to do better.” The trio looked about as comfortable as someone forced to deliver mea culpas at gunpoint, so we’ll see what actually happens in the future. But the heat is definitely on, so whatever hands have to be forced, we should be seeing change from the organization in the future! In the meantime, let shame continue to rain upon their racists, secretive little heads.
* Angelina sold a piece of Brad! Yep, Jolie and Pitt are still haggling over their divorce, which was set in motion over four years ago and has yet to be settled. But it’s not stopping Angelina from getting rid of physical reminders – the actress recently sold a piece of art Brad gave her during their relationship at a coveted Christie's auction. The gift was a painting by Winston Churchill, which Pitt purchased for $2.95 million and was sold at the auction for $11.5 million. Um, that’s a nice chunk of change! Enough to decorate that blank spot on her wall, and hopefully enough leftover to fill the hole in her heart. Will the profit prolong the financial negotiations? Or is a gift a gift? Where is Emily Post when you need her?
Meanwhile, questions have arose why the mysterious Belgian bidder overpaid for the painting, which Churchill’s estate estimated would sell for $3.4 million. The bidder is reported to have two other Winston works, so perhaps he’s driving up his own market? Or is the, “Brad once gave this to Angelina” story behind the artwork worth the extra $8.1 million?! I personally can think of a few other things I’d rather spend the money on myself. Rich people – they are not just like us. (The high-end art world is also rumored to be where the wealthy go to launder money. Allegedly! But if you had the choice of spending or saving $8 million, what would you chose? Insert shrugging lady emoji here!)
* Speaking of splits, Ioan Gruffudd has officially filed for divorce. (If you’re asking, “Who?” you can get caught up with a Celebricate recap right here.) The actor and his (soon to be ex) wife, Alice Evans, have been together for two decades, and Ioan has been living in Australia for the past two years. He spilled to the Daily Mail about his troubled relationship a year ago and reportedly asked Evans for a separation in September of 2020. So… it’s been in the works for a while. But don’t tell Alice that because she ain’t listening. The actress is claiming to be “blindsided” by the news, posting a pic on Instagram with the caption, “Oh. Ok. Thanks for letting me know. I guess?” She then proceeded to spill more details about her feelings, again on IG, saying she was going to “refuse to be dignified” about the split. Sometimes I think social media should come with a breathalyzer. If you’re in the cups, go with an old-fashioned pen to paper and journal your shizz. Same effect, less regret. In other news, I am ardently going to lobby Bravo to make Alice Evans an offer to join the Real Housewives franchise! This bitch is messy - she is giving me major Brandi Glanville vibes and we need her on reality tv, posthaste.
* Hillary (aka Hilaria) & Alec Baldwin welcomed a sixth child to their brood this week, but don’t you dare ask them about it! When people questioned where the child came from, given that Hillary just gave birth 5 months ago, Alec lobbed off a bunch of nasty comments before quitting Twitter, claiming it’s “full of assholes.” (I mean, he’s not wrong.) It was later revealed that the newborn was welcomed to the family via a surrogate. (And yes, the couple did boldly give their newest addition a Spanish name, so suck it haters!) Congrats to the kind of angry, recently embarrassed parents and their children, who will in no way have to use their trust funds for therapy!
* All’s remained quiet on the Armie Hammer front the past few weeks. The disgraced actor is currently hiding out in the Cayman Islands, but that’s not stopping the paparazzi from getting a little peek into his crazy personal life: when movers emptied out his recently-sold Hancock Park L.A. home, a rope-bound mannequin was left poking out of a garbage can. Um, practice makes perfect, I guess. Let’s leave it at that! Seriously, Armie – leave it at that. (Thanks to Nan Fah for the tip!)
* Very cool news: my friend, mentor, and favorite writing teacher, Brian Benson, is releasing a book this week! Brian is part of an amazing virtual event tonight (Fri 3/5, 6PM) with activist and coauthor Richard Brown as they release their new book, This Is Not for You. Their work chronicles Brown's attempts to bridge the divide between the Black community & police in Portland, Oregon. This event is FREE! You can tune in from anywhere via Zoom, courtesy of Powell’s City of Books. Easy registration link is right here – be sure to check it out! (The book can be preordered at Powells.com as well.)
* Want to read more? I whipped up two new film reviews this week – Long Live Rock: Celebrate the Chaos, a documentary about the heavy metal music scene, and Save Yourselves! about a Brooklyn couple who unplugs from technology only to find their borough has been invaded by aliens. I enjoyed one and was pissed off at the other. Read on to find which movie inspired my ire – the answer might surprise you!
You guys, I have such a hard time leaving you! We haven’t even had a chance to chat about Governor Cuomo’s bad behavior, why Katherine McPhee is gross, and how satisfying it is to see Lori Loughlin hoofing it around L.A. while she whittles down her community service. You know what this means – we have a date next week! (Psst… you don’t have to wait until Friday. Pop by sooner and be sure to share this post with friends. And enemies too. Why not?) Stay safe, healthy, and happy in the meantime! Xo