Newsletter Monday, June 12, 2017

[LaineyGossip.com - Calling all smuthounds!] Monday, June 12, 2017 [Intro for June 12, 2017]( [va Noblezada attends the 71st Annual Tony Awards at Radio City Music Hall on June 11, 2017 in New York City]( Dear Gossips, Sarah went to Gwyneth Paltrow’s goop summit on Saturday. Several of her posts about the products and services presented at the summit – like crystal therapy, aura photography, and Moonjuice – have already been posted to the [LifeStyle]( page. Her full piece on the experience will go up later today. Let’s start though with the Tony Awards. I’m not the resident musical theatre/stage nerd here at LaineyGossip. Duana and Joanna occupy that space. But I have been pretty consistently watching the Tony Awards over the last few years, partly because of their influence, and partly because Broadway in so many ways is ahead of Hollywood in representation and in inclusion. That’s not to say that Broadway has it down, because of course, of course nothing is perfect, improvement can always happen. And still, last night, from Lynn Nottage to Paula Vogel and Rebecca Taichman, Denée Benton and Eva Noblezada to Bette Midler and Patti Lupone and Laurie Metcalf, so many women of different ages and backgrounds were present and visible and heard from and acknowledged, both in their capacity as performers or creators and directors, alongside gay artists, non-conforming artists, and legendary artists, like August Wilson, whose play, Jitney, won the Tony for Best Play Revival. And it wasn’t just what we could see – it was also what we could feel. There was never any sense, not to me, anyway, that anyone was too cool. You could see it as soon as Lin-Manuel Miranda started talking. He walked on stage, a year after Hamilton dominated at the Tonys, a proper superstar now, and, I don’t know if you noticed, but he kinda nervous-giggle-twitched from the excitement. It’s a spontaneous gesture/reaction you’re probably familiar with if you have friends who are theatre geeks. I’ve seen it over and over from Duana and Joanna. They can’t help themselves. And I love it. Because it’s true and sweet and, most importantly, it’s open. Yours in gossip, Lainey [Click here for the rest of the photos.]( Posted at 1:36 PM [Black Panther: the first trailer]( [Black Panther trailer stills]( It has been approximately 72 hours since the Black Panther teaser trailer was released and I have yet to find anything resembling chill when it comes to this 1 minute and 54 second preview. I screamed out loud three times during my first watch. The second time, I teared up a bit. By the third, my partner had to take my phone away and say, “OK. That’s enough.” I still watched it four more times after that. Any of you who follow me on Twitter or read my writing on this site know that I’m easily excited. I speak in hyperbole often. I cry often. My reaction to the Black Panther trailer is not just a result of me being my usual extra self. If you want to experience true joy, look up some of the reaction videos on YouTube. Black Twitter was at its best on Friday night when the trailer dropped. Everyone is really f-cking excited for this movie, as we should be. When [Chadwick Boseman](’s T’Challa debuted in Captain America: Civil War, we knew Black Panther was going to be Marvel’s most anticipated upcoming film. (Avengers: Infinity War? I don’t know her.) We were excited before knowing any [plot details]( and before seeing a single frame from Ryan Coogler’s film. Now, our excitement is warranted. Now, we have full scenes to obsess over and those scenes do not disappoint. My god, those scenes are all incredible. I’m going to try to keep my all caps to a minimum in this post but first, I have to say this: Wakanda looks SO RIDICULOUSLY DOPE. Before I get to the wonderful world of Wakanda, I want to start with writer Ira Madison III’s tweet that hilariously summed up my first thoughts of the trailer: The Black Panther trailer opening with two white men had us all shook tho right — Ira Madison III (@ira) [June 10, 2017]( Even though those two white men are Ulysses Klaue aka Klaw (Andy Serkis) and Everett K. Ross (Martin Freeman), two characters we’ve seen in the Marvel Cinematic Universe before, I was still a bit thrown off that they got the opening spot of the trailer. But Klaw is, if you follow the comics, a known adversary of T’Challa (and at least he’s in chains when we first see him) and Ross is a Black Panther ally. It looks like these two will be used to bridge the existing Avengers universe and Wakanda. I’ve admitted before that my Black Panther knowledge was pretty entry level before the film was announced but since then, I’ve read everything I can find on T’Challa and his nation state of Wakanda, the most technically advanced nation in all of Marvel comics due to its large resources of vibranium, the mystical metal that Captain America’s shield is made from. I repeat, an African nation is a technological powerhouse. That means not only will many of the black characters in this film get to be badass, they will also be brilliant. When Ross calls Wakanda “third world,” it feels like a nod to the stereotypes often placed on all African countries. Also, it’s an important to note that Wakanda is a mystery to anyone outside of it and that the Third World classification is a deliberate cover so that the country can remain sequestered and unapologetically black. Oh yeah, don’t let the white guys fool you, this movie is super black. This is the film that promised to be “[90 per cent African or African American](,” and the rest of the trailer delivers on that promise. 30 seconds in, we finally get to see Wakanda in all of its colourful, waterfall-flowing glory. Shout out to Coogler, cinematographer Rachel Morrison and costume designer [Ruth E. Carter]( for the breathtaking visuals of Wakanda. It looks perfect. Here’s what we know about what’s happening in Wakanda when Black Panther commences: King T’Chaka was killed, leaving his son T’Challa, to rule the nation. Based on the trailer’s voiceover, a running theme of the story will be T’Challa’s ability to lead. Can he be a “good man with a good heart” and a king? A superhero is only as compelling as his or her internal conflicts and T’Challa’s are complex and fascinating. We can’t have a hero without a villain. Enter [Michael Bae Jordan](, the reason for trailer scream #2. Am I going to be distracted by his handsome the entire movie? Probably. MBJ is playing Erik Killmonger (lol), a Wakandan exile who wants to take down T’Challa and all of the country’s elite. To do that, he’ll have to go through an all-female legion of bodyguards called the Dora Milaje, headed by [Danai Gurira](’s Okoye. She. Looks. So. Freaking. Flawless. [Lupita Nyong’o](, who did not get enough screen time at all in this teaser plays Nakia, another member of the Dora Milaje and T’Challa’s rumoured love interest. They better make out multiple times. Also, can we have a Dora Milaje spin-off movie ASAP? I don’t really have the words to express how it feels to see so many black women in this film playing soldiers and scientists and all-around badasses. I’m going to cry again. I could go through all of the other epic star sightings in this teaser but we don’t have all day (no disrespect to Angela Bassett and Forest Whitaker). The only thing I didn’t like about this trailer is that we’re still 7 months and 3 days away from Black Panther’s release date. [Click here for the rest of the photos.]( Posted at 6:50 PM [Jessica Chastain’s wedding]( [Jessica Chastain marries Gian Luca Passi de Preposulo in an Italian ceremony, June 10, 2017]( Jessica Chastain married Gian Luca Passi de Preposulo this weekend at his family’s estate, Villa Tiepolo Passi, in Treviso. According to [PEOPLE]( they made prosecco on the property. And it’s been in the family for centuries. Gian Luca is Italian aristocracy. [Jessica]( is Hollywood aristocracy. It’s never “if” she’ll win an Oscar, it’s “when” she’ll win an Oscar. This year? Like, I know it’s early. But these lists happen early. Aaron Sorkin’s Molly’s Game is expected for release in the fall. There’s been no exact date but the film wrapped in February, footage was [screened at CinemaCon]( in March so they’re probably deep in post right now and if they can finish it in time, given that director-writer-actor combination, it’s understandable that some people are [putting in predictions]( that she will contend. Jessica is a Snake, born in 1977. As mentioned at the beginning of the Lunar New Year, Snakes are one of the [luckiest signs]( in the Chinese zodiac during this, the Year of the Monkey. Of all the Snakes, 1977 Snakes are the most lucky. Excellent decision to schedule her wedding this year then. And there could be more luck coming her way. Also attached – [Emily Blunt]( and [Anne Hathaway](, with her husband, Adam Shulman, attending Jessica’s wedding. Emily and Annie, of course, are close from The Devil Wears Prada. Annie and Jessica worked together on Interstellar. Emily and Jessica were in The Huntsman together. With Charlize Theron. [Click here for the rest of the photos.]( Posted at 6:27 PM [Smutty Social Media, June 12, 2017]( [Olivia Wilde at the 71st Annual Tony Awards held at Radio City Music Hall, June 11, 2017]( I didn’t get my driver’s license until I was in my 30s and if I was wealthy that is the first thing I would invest in – a full-time driver. you're RIGHT! but i'm working on it i have the book... 😩 — Lorde (@lorde) [June 11, 2017]( In 2015, [Karl Lagerfeld](’s longtime employee Caroline Lebar released [a book on tarts](. For some reason, he has decided to promote it now (I think because it’s recently become available on his website). And he’s not just supporting it with a photo of the book, but he included actual food shots on his Instagram -click through to see. (He must truly love Caroline.) What do you think Karl’s relationship to baked goods is like? Does he revile or simply ignore dessert? Does he remember what butter and sugar taste like? Would anyone dare to eat (a pastry) in front of Karl? What would he say about the flaky crumbs that fall away when eating a croissant? [Food for the eyes… Caroline Lebar has been working alongside Karl for more than 30 years, and spends every Sunday baking the prettiest and tastiest tarts. Get inspired by her book “Une Tarte pour Dimanche” now available on KARL.com #KARLLAGERFELD #unetartepourdimanche]( A post shared by KARL LAGERFELD (@karllagerfeld) on Jun 11, 2017 at 2:07am PDT Don’t say “cholo” [Josh Brolin](. It’s 2017, why someone has to point this out to him I don’t know. [80's themed birthday for my buddy @wsparris1 given by his lovely wife @bamkambam. I didn't know what to dress as (Henry Rollins? Boy George? A gremlin?) then my wife said, "I got you covered". #embraceyourpast #gooniesneversaydie #80s @kathrynbrolin #beautyandthebeast #chologoonie]( A post shared by Josh Brolin (@joshbrolin) on Jun 11, 2017 at 12:03pm PDT Vancouver 101: a bike ride around Stanley Park. [Sunday Funday! #StanleyPark #Nature]( A post shared by Eva Longoria Baston (@evalongoria) on Jun 11, 2017 at 5:02pm PDT It’s amazing to me that Broadway performers go from a matinee straight to the Tonys. Can you imagine actors being scheduled to work the day of the Oscars? Between the facials, Botox, body wraps and cleanses, it takes them weeks to get ready. [Huge thank you to the glam fam @karlawelchstylist @hungvanngo @harryjoshhair. It's not easy getting gussied up in a teeny tiny dressing room! Especially when I've just walked off stage looking like ☠️. Many thanks to @michaelkors for this dress of my dreams, and most of all thank you @plannedparenthood for the honor of wearing your pin. 💋]( A post shared by Olivia Wilde (@oliviawilde) on Jun 12, 2017 at 9:47am PDT So this, to me, is interesting. [Jennifer Meyer]( was married to Tobey Maguire for years, they have two children together. She is immensely connected, both through her family (her father, Ron Meyer, is Vice Chairman of NBC Universal and co-founded CAA) and friends (like Gwyneth Paltrow, Kate Hudson, Jennifer Aniston). Besides promoting her jewelry line, she has kept a pretty low profile, but over the last few months it seems like she’s been making more moves publicly. I wasn’t surprised to see her new home featured on PEOPLE (clearly a promo for One Kings Lane), positioned as a [post-divorce triumph](. [Hey there! I'm taking over the @onekingslane feed today to show off a few of my favorite rooms, designed by my insanely talented friends @pierceandward. Head over to @onekingslane to see more. I'll be there all day! Xo Jen #OKLtakeover]( A post shared by JENNIFER MEYER (@jenmeyerjewelry) on Jun 9, 2017 at 7:46am PDT [Click here for the rest of the photos.]( Posted at 6:09 PM [I went to In Goop Health and here’s what happened]( [Cameron Diaz, Nicole Richie, Tory Burch, and Gwyneth Paltrow]( The night before the Goop summit I go to [The Ripped Bodice](, the only bookstore in the country exclusively for romance. It’s a fantastic place, with a creative shelving system that divides books by type, not author (“Cowboy”, “Pirate”, et cetera). There’s a vast used section upstairs, an activity corner for little kids, and shelves for younger and middle-school readers. There’s also a “blind date” shelf, with books wrapped like gifts and a “Hello” sticker providing a vague description (I got “He thinks she’s a trollop on the Boston Docks. Outrage! Oh also he’s a spy.” Turns out to be a Revolutionary War romance. It’s not bad). For a certain kind of reader, The Ripped Bodice is heaven. ___ I arrive at In Goop Health with a headache. It’s 8:30am on Saturday morning in Culver City, California, overcast and cool, with rain threatening in that sulky SoCal way. (It turns out to be very hot and I get a sunburn. No one has a remedy on hand.) Though check-in is officially 8:45am, there are already several dozen people in line. The early-bird crowd is mostly white, mostly women, and skews 40+. This is true of the summit at large—though there are some men and some people of color, the Goop crowd is overwhelmingly female, white, and the average age is probably around 40. I wonder how many of these people voted for Trump. Check in is quick. They give me a schedule, a bag, and a purple worry-bead bracelet: My pass for the summit. Beyond check in, shrubbery forms a courtyard where handsome waiters hand out cups of Tropicana’s Probiotics juices, which turns out to be the best-tasting and also sugariest thing I will consume all day. Later in the day comes a bee pollen smoothie which tastes like someone dumped grass clippings in fruit juice; it’s the second-best thing of the day. (Some of the caterers laugh about the increasingly insane drinks they’re peddling. This is the greatest episode of Party Down never made.) The courtyard is home to such experiences as crystal therapy, aura photography, an oxygen bar, a cannabis display no one can actually enjoy, and a few food vendors, including [Moonjuice](. The lines for crystal therapy and aura photography are already long, and indeed, these turn out to be the most popular experiences, and rapidly build up long waitlists. (Inside, the dry bar is booked solid, too.) Late in the day, Tracy Anderson gets turned away from [aura photography]( because of the waitlist. To her credit, Anderson doesn’t complain, unlike a group of ladies who pitch a fit at the [crystal therapy]( because they weren’t able to get a reading. They have LA faces and chunky gold jewelry and the white-tasseled bracelets of the “clear quartz” package, the most expensive ticket. They can’t believe they aren’t getting preferential treatment. ___ Inside the “Goop Hall” is where most of the food (“food”) vendors are: Matcha protein smoothies are popular, and I get a Mexican corn elote salad from sweetgreen for lunch, the ingredients of which were expressly warned against in the “Gut Check” panel, but maybe a toxic salad makes up for disappointing [Leslie Knope](. Drifting between the courtyard and the Goop Hall during breaks, the most common conversations are about “curating”, “Coachella”, “gluten”, “free range”, “plant fusion”, and “my journey”. The second most common conversation is complaining about not getting crystal therapy or an aura photograph. But the people are mostly nice. It’s easy to chat people up in line, although it seems like half the attendees are fellow writers there to cover the event. I talk to a mother-daughter pair in line for the [I.V. station]( that are basically having a “treat yo’self” day, but I share drip time with a pair of professionally glamorous women, Willa and Sienna*. “I think it’s so great you’re doing this,” Willa enthuses when she learns I have never had I.V. hydration before. Willa and Sienna use the on-call service to recover from hangovers. “It doesn’t cure it,” Willa says. “But it definitely takes the edge off.” I suggest drinking a glass of water, and they look at me blankly. ___ The Goop magic happens inside the “Chat Room”. Blythe Danner provides pre-recorded intros and reminders, and introduces GP—all the Goop messaging refers to [Gwyneth Paltrow]( as “GP”—and the conference begins. GP steps onto stage in a toile dress that’s peasant by way of Versailles. She welcomes us and talks about her history with Wellness—capital “W” because this isn’t just a niche interest, it’s a [multi-trillion dollar industry](— that began when her father, Bruce Paltrow, was diagnosed with cancer in 1997 (she made him “everything free” zucchini bread and he compared it to “biting into the New York Times”). This is the gateway to Wellness: Dire diagnoses that drive us to seek ANY answer from ANY source to cure and save ourselves or our loved ones. It’s relatable, because sickness touches everyone, and it seems innocent enough, because who doesn’t want to be well? Take Gemma*, one of the noticeably younger people in the crowd. Gemma is a self-described former cynical New Yorker, who, after moving to Los Angeles several years ago, slowly converted to the cult of Wellness. She calls it “eye opening”, her interest in Wellness stemming from an interest in preventative self-care (“I’m afraid of sickness,” she admits), but her eyes narrow when she talks about people having the “wrong kind” of interest in Wellness. She has Opinions on Instagram gurus and celebrity-laden workout fads (what, then, are you doing at Goop?), and she emphasizes her interest in health. In contrast, there are people who gravitate to the dry bar and the beauty products, not the workout studio and health experiences. The only thing everyone can seem to agree on is crystal therapy. ___ The Ripped Bodice is an unabashedly female space, a refuge on Culver City’s Main Street for anyone who refuses to be embarrassed by reading “smutty” books. In the back room, next to the Paranormal section, two teen girls sit in a corner, a pile of books between them. They’re oblivious to me, the only other person in the room, totally wrapped up in each other and their books, talking fast and sharing phones and books indiscriminately. There’s no agenda, no competition, no one-upmanship or Instagram rivalry. This is the purest moment of community I witness all weekend. ___ For an admitted Wellness skeptic, the panels are of varying interest. The early panels are health-oriented, with Dr. Habib Sadeghi (who “architected ‘Conscious Uncoupling’” according to GP) talking about the “laterality of the body” and how incidents and experiences are connected to our eventual illnesses, such as the burn he suffered as a child on the left side of his body, and the cancer that afflicted his left testicle. Why his left nut, he wondered. Why not the right? Maybe it’s the burn keloid! He admits “laterality” isn’t found in approved medical textbooks. The “Gut Check” panel is terrifying—“Advil blows giant, gaping holes in your guts,” Dr. Steven Gundry warns. My head still hurts, and there’s Advil in my bag. I want to take it but now I’m scared. Dr. Gundry convinces me I am a time bomb, my stomach moments from an apocalyptic explosion. (Dr. Amy Meyers recommends fish oil and turmeric for headaches. Surely I can get some of that here, of all places? Nope, the Goop Pharmacy is all about vitamin packets.) A recent [blog post by Dr. Jen Gunter](, notable Goop skeptic and crystal-denier, points out that the Goop medical experts are “fear-mongers who coincidentally have something to sell”. There is something Scientology about all this, that there are Secrets the Establishment is keeping from us, and the only way to learn them is to spend a lot of money on the pre-approved texts and learning aids, which in this case are the Goop-branded products for sale in the Goop Hall. Besides the $90 vitamins, there is a $70 additive for your water that I can’t discern is any different from fiber supplements, and an $85 bag of rocks. Probably none of this will hurt you, if you’re already healthy, other than costing you a lot of money. But what if you do need serious medical intervention? Pursuing Goop’s brand of Wellness means following the advice of people like Dr. Gundry, who skips breakfast and lunch half the year and eats all his calories within a couple hours per day, and tells us not to eat. “Don’t eat,” he says, “I can’t stress that enough.” How does this message of Wellness translate to someone who struggles with disordered eating? ___ Some people are quite well dressed for the day—Instagram stars are easy to spot because in between selfies and photo-ops, none of them smile or seem to enjoy themselves, and they’re all dressed to the nines. But most everyone else is dressed casually, with the majority, including myself, in athleisure. There are workout sessions available to the higher ticket packages, and many people have booked multiple classes. Some people do elaborate warm up routines that speak to a regular gym habit, while others turn up in jeans, and there’s a vague feeling of “serious/not-serious” dividing the participants. Tracy Anderson pops in to eyeball the fitness room, which is darkened and with mercifully dry yoga mats. I take Taryn Toomey’s simplified version of “[The Class](”, which involves shouting along to our movements. Halfway through my Goop day, screaming is extremely cathartic. ___ After the physicians come the psychotherapists. “The Tools” is quite interesting, with GP moderating for Drs. Phil Stutz and Barry Michels. They talk about entitlement as being a good thing, especially for women who are too often taught not to ask for more, and the panel on motherhood offers some self-help guidance on breaking the cycle of toxic parenting. And the “Three Way” panel is entertaining as hell, with Esther Perel of the “[Rethinking Infidelity](” TED Talk—and a new [podcast](—Girls co-creator Jenni Konner, and the “orgasm expert” Nicole Daedone, author of Slow Sex. The room is engaged and laughing and cheering the idea that women have a right to good sex, and Jenni Konner associates the dominance of male directors with the exploitative nature of filmed sex. Esther Perel is the stand-out, though, quipping dryly that it’s not that women don’t want sex, it’s that “women don’t want the sex they can have.” The room roars in approval. But there’s a thread of heteronormativity through the whole thing, and what guidance is there for women without children who still have to tussle with the remnants of a toxic childhood? Goop is clearly trying to reach an audience of multi-faceted interests, addressing physical health, mental health, fitness, beauty, and career goals. But the worldview still seems pretty limited to Gwyneth Paltrow and people who look and live like Gwyneth Paltrow, and it seems especially tone-deaf the day before LA’s Pride Parade. Based on the way the experts talk, you’d never know there are families that look different than GP’s, which is a narrow view on families these days. How does the “mother wound”—the legacy between a mother and daughter—apply to two men raising a little girl? When they do mention, briefly, the “father wound”, it’s about fathers and sons, but there are boys being raised by women, together or alone. How does any of this apply to them? ___ I can’t find an LGBTQ+ section at The Ripped Bodice. But there are LGBTQ+ books in the shop, they’re just shelved alongside the other books in their subset, and there’s a [rec list]( for Pride Month. It’s a low-key inclusion that acknowledges that women are enthusiastically [consuming gay porn]( on the internet, and might like gay romance novels, too. It also values homosexual romance as much as heterosexual, assuming readers who like straight romances might also like gay ones, as long as they’re into werewolves, or whatever that particular shelf contains. There is literally something for everyone in that shop. ___ Three groups of people are at Goop: Writers covering the event, actual Goop enthusiasts, and people who also work in Wellness, like Stephanie and Molly*, who are opening a Wellness spa. They want to do beauty treatments—though nothing invasive, not even the bloodless “10 Minute Facelift” performed live on stage earlier in the day—and message therapy and holistic healing. They’re not either-or on health and beauty, but a little of both. It sounds like every spa I’ve ever been to, but more female entrepreneurs and business owners is never a bad thing. “Well,” Molly says sheepishly. “We work for a man.” Still, I could use their total body approach, because there is no headache remedy to be found at the [Flower Remedy Station](. Desperate, I try the Chill by CHLOE ice cream cart during the afternoon break, in hopes that a dash of chocolate will cure me. It turns out to be vegan, and caffeine free, and barely chocolate, and it, like every other goddamn thing I have consumed on this day, leaves a weird aftertaste. I drink some of the free Bai Antiwater, momentarily forgetting that, too, has a Taste. I’d like to get rid of my headache, and I would like some plain f*cking water—neither thing seems possible at Goop. I briefly contemplate drinking from the bathroom tap. ___ The final panel of the day is the celebrity jackpot. GP returns to moderate her friends: Cameron Diaz, Tory Burch, Nicole Richie, and Miranda Kerr. (For a moment I wonder what the Australian actress from Lord of the Rings is doing here, but that’s Miranda Otto.) It’s the most fun panel since the sex therapists were on, with Nicole Richie completely stealing the show. She’s hilarious, and also interesting, getting into how her childhood career as a figure skater led her into the world of design, as she wanted outfits like Nancy Kerrigan’s Olympic getup designed by Vera Wang. (She’s also dressed in an oversized champagne satin pajama-tuxedo. She looks like if Blanche Deveraux was from Bel Air.) They talk work-life balance, and ambition. “In my twenties,” GP says, “‘ambition’ was a literal bad word about actresses.” GP discusses giving up on perfectionism and how accepting flaws and mistakes can lead to a happier, healthier life. The whole day has teetered on the brink of being a snake oil convention, with a nebulous distrust of the Medical Establishment and advice that ought to come with huge f*cking asterisks. But this kind of talk, with women discussing their failures, ambitions, drive, and goals, is the approachable face of Goop. It’s the self-help, self-improvement side that encourages women to open up about themselves in a way we’re not often encouraged. Goop takes on a kind of “Comic-Con for Wellness” vibe, with people sharing a specific interest coming together to geek out. I’ve spent the whole day thinking we’re on the verge of someone recommending leeches and bleeding as a medical cure, but here we have— Miranda Kerr recommending leech facials. ___ I’ve tried a collagen cocktail—it just tastes like a regular ole vodka martini— and now I’ve seen GP up close, and there’s nothing left to do. It’s time to go. I collect my gift bag, and make my way to the ride-sharing stand, loaded down with GP’s cookbook, a yoga mat, approximately five hundred pounds in Wellness products, and my bag of crystals and brain dust. In the back of the blessedly cool car, my eyes slide shut. I still have a headache. My photos from the event are attached below. *Names have been changed. [Click here for the rest of the photos.]( Posted at 5:47 PM [Scarjo at the Tonys]( [Scarlett Johansson attends the 71st Annual Tony Awards at Radio City Music Hall on June 11, 2017 in New York City]( [Scarlett Johansson]( was the first presenter last night at the Tony Awards, introduced as a Tony winner. She won in 2010 for Best Featured Actress in a Play for her work in A View From The Bridge. She is part of the Broadway community then. But she is also promoting a new movie. Rough Night comes out this Friday. She was at a photo call for the movie with [Kate McKinnon](, [Jillian Bell](, [Zoe Kravitz](, and [Ilana Glazer]( on Saturday. It’s an ensemble cast, but of course, the biggest name here is Scarjo. And this is Scarjo’s first movie since Ghost In The Shell. There’s no other way to say it: Ghost In The Shell bombed at the box office and with critics. And, yes, even though there were many people involved with that movie who made many bad decisions, Scarlett Johansson is the brand name, so she’s wearing it publicly. But she also has a chance to get past it pretty quickly with Rough Night. If it performs. It opens in four days and reviews are still embargoed. Publicity around the movie has been pretty slow too. Obviously it should pick up soon. But does it feel a little late? Maybe it’s just me. Maybe I just haven’t been paying all that much attention. I just… don’t feel like Rough Night has had much of a media presence. And in combination with the fact that they were just [doing reshoots in April](, I’m wondering if there’s something to worry about here. I don’t want to worry. I want this movie to be hilarious and successful. I want it to be an example of a raunchy female comedy that can play big with audiences. I want it to be a strong counterprogramming option against Cars 3. Are you in for Rough Night? Or are you going to see Wonder Woman for the 4th time? (Kathleen will likely have seen it 5 times by the end of this week.) [Click here for the rest of the photos.]( Posted at 5:11 PM [Orlando Bloom’s silver medal]( [Orlando Bloom speaks onstage during the 2017 Tony Awards at Radio City Music Hall on June 11, 2017 in New York City]( As I mentioned in the previous post about John Legend, some celebrities show up at award shows as professional presenters. Here’s Orlando Bloom at the Tony Awards. And they sent him out there alone. Like he’s on the same level as Tina Fey. Which is hilarious because just hours before, Orly was making headlines for winning a silver medal – or losing a gold medal – in f-cking [Katy Perry](. Katy, as you may have heard, released her new album, Witness, the other day. She promoted it by talking about Taylor Swift a lot (we’ll come back to that in a minute). And there was a livestream all weekend. During the livestream, James Corden dropped by and asked her to rank her lovers: from best to worst, Diplo, [John Mayer](, or [Orlando Bloom](. Here’s how that went down: IM SCREAMING [#KPWWW]( [pic.twitter.com/FaUJjysex4]( — katheryn (@sella_sandra) [June 11, 2017]( [#VIDEO]( | Katy ranking her boyfriends from worst to best in bed [#KPWWW]( [pic.twitter.com/WIeR82slyl]( — Katy Perry Pics (@katyspics) [June 11, 2017]( That’s a Nitro shot straight into John Mayer’s dick. I don’t even know what that means but you know what I mean. As if that asshole needed any more reason to be an asshole. That said, it makes sense. That’s why she broke up with him and got back together so many times. That’s why they call it dickmatisation. But, given the actual size of Orly’s dick, and we’ve all seen it, the general assumption may have been that Orly would be in the top spot, right? Even James Corden thought so. And yet, according to Katy, while Orly f-cks good, he doesn’t f-ck as good as John Mayer. Which is now public information. (PS Can we play this game with Gisele Bundchen? Tom Brady or Leonardo DiCaprio?) And you know how dudes are. They’ll front like it doesn’t matter. But it does matter. It especially matters when they make eye contact. And then a fist comes flying out of nowhere and everyone has to leave the party. That’s what Orly’s been dealing with the last 48 hours. Texts from the Pussy Posse like, “you’re the runner-up to John Mayer, really?” In other Katy Perry news, Witness will debut at the top of the [Billboard 200](, projected to sell between 200,000 – 250,000 copies. Which is good for some. But maybe not that great by her own standard. In 2013, Prism opened with 286,000 units sold. And, remember, she had a lot more hit songs on Prism than she does so far on Witness. Also, as I noted the other day, the reviews haven’t been great. SPIN says the album has “[the inherent appeal of a spectacular failure](”. I’m not sure that’s a compliment. And then, well, there is of course the Spotify battle with Taylor Swift. You’ll recall (how could you forget) that Taylor announced that she was [returning to streaming services]( last Thursday night, the same time that Witness dropped. As I said: Your NEW work vs my OLD work, let’s rumble. How did that work out? According to Consequence of Sound as of yesterday, “[Taylor Swift is out-performing Katy Perry on Spotify](”. So now Katy, who has spent weeks exploiting their feud while promoting her album, is now taking it in a different direction. On Saturday, during a podcast with Ariana Huffington, [she was asked]( if forgiveness is possible: "I am ready to let it go," Perry said. "Absolutely. One hundred percent. I forgive her and I'm sorry for anything I ever did, and I hope the same from her. I think it's actually like, I think it's time. There are bigger fish to fry, and there are real problems in the world. You know what I'm saying?" Also: "I love her, and I want the best for her," Perry said about Swift on the podcast. "And I think she's a fantastic songwriter, and I think that, you know, if we, both her and I, can be representatives of strong women that come together despite their differences, I think the whole world is going to go like, ‘Yeah, well we can do this.'" "I don't know," she said. "Like, maybe I don't agree with everything she does and she doesn't agree with everything I do, but I just really truly want to come together in a place of love and forgiveness and understanding and compassion." Perry then started singing "Let It Go" from Disney's Frozen. "There's a lot of other things out there in the world that people need to be focused on, and I truly, like, God bless her on her journey. God bless her," Perry said. "Honestly." Look. Like I wrote [the other day](, they’re both petty, they’ve both lived and thrived in Girl Sh-t, no one is classier than the other here. That’s not the grade, or at least it’s not my grading system. When you have two people who are gossip cage-matching, the grade is on gossip, and the gossip game. I don’t hate this move from Katy. For two reasons – you have to acknowledge when you’ve been aced. When an ace blows by you, the only way to move forward is to walk over to the other side of the court, set your feet, and get ready for the next serve. Hopefully you’ll be able to return it. Or at least make contact. Katy’s done on that point. So she’s playing the gracious card again. I mean it was her only card to play but, to her credit, she still had to eat it. When you decide to go gracious though, you have to commit. Like after this, even when people keep asking you, there can’t be any more talk about “character assassination” or whatever. It’s an all-gracious assault from here on. As for how Taylor will respond… more on that tomorrow. Also tomorrow, Kathleen’s piece on how Katy Perry addressed her history of cultural appropriation. [Click here for the rest of the photos.]( Posted at 4:05 PM [John Legend’s GOT]( [John Legend attends the 2017 Tony Awards at Radio City Music Hall on June 11, 2017 in New York City]( [John Legend]( won a Tony last night for producing the revival of August Wilson’s Jitney. It means he now has a GOT: Grammy, Oscar, Tony. Which means he’s just an “E” away from the EGOT. And that’s a big deal. It’s a big deal because, frankly, the hardest ones are already behind him. That Emmy is only a matter of time. When I saw him last night on stage during the acceptance for Jitney, I thought to myself, John Legend shows up at every award show – and not in a Kate Hudson and/or Orlando Bloom way, because at this point, they’re basically professional presenters. When John Legend is at an awards show, it’s because he’s part of the work. He was part of the La La Land team. He’s part of the Jitney team. He’ll probably soon be part of an Emmy-nominated team. How did I miss how much John Legend WORKS? I did miss it. And there’s no excuse for it. John Legend has been showing so much work. I just texted this to Duana, telling her that we have to talk about him on Show Your Work soon. That we – or I, because she’s always been on his side – need to include his work on a show that celebrates people who do the f-cking work. Her response: “As a producer, John Legend is always putting his money up for things he likes.” And, also, if Aziz Ansari asks him to, he’ll play piano and sing a song during a dinner party scene in Master Of None too. [Click here for the rest of the photos.]( Posted at 3:26 PM [Come From Away: The Canadian feel-good story of the year]( [The cast of 'Come From Away' performs onstage during the 2017 Tony Awards at Radio City Music Hall on June 11, 2017 in New York City]( It almost happened. A Canadian musical came this close to winning a Tony for Best Musical, which would have been a historic first. The New York Times and The Hollywood Reporter both had it down as a favourite to win, and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Hugh Jackman, Kevin Spacey, Bryan Adams and Cindy Crawford were among the many stars in its corner. Like [The Drowsy Chaperone before it](, it won [Outstanding Musical at the Drama Desks](, but not at the Tonys. Dear Evan Hansen emerged victorious… but the show (about what happened after the town of Gander, Nfld. welcomed nearly 7,000 passengers after 9/11) did not leave emptyhanded. Christopher Ashley won for Best Director, and said his win was “on behalf of the people of Newfoundland and all the first responders and their families in New York on 9/11.” All night long, the Come From Away Instagram page was posting videos from viewing parties across Canada and the U.S., including in Gander with the real-life people who inspired their on-stage counterparts. “Welcome to the Rock,” the song which was performed at the Tonys, was trending in Canada for hours, and the cast got to dance with the Rockettes in addition to their big number. Oh, and according to The Globe and Mail’s J. Kelly Nestruck, the show – which is the fifth Canadian-written show to land on Broadway – is in the [“$1-million a week” box office club](. Come From Away, which sold out its Toronto run late last year, will also start a touring production and visit Winnipeg, Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, Ottawa in addition to returning to Toronto. The show is amazing. Really. I saw it in Toronto last November and fell in love. I’ve since listened to Jenn Colella’s rendition of “Me and The Sky” at least 455 times (…at work) and produced about 10 completely objective features about the show and its Cinderella story for work. But it took a while for the show to get to Broadway. It was first produced at Sheridan College in 2012 and 2013, and after turns in La Jolla, Seattle, and D.C., it made one last pre-Broadway pitstop in Toronto. Its creators are a Canadian husband-and-wife team whose previous biggest credit was "My Mother's Lesbian Jewish Wiccan Wedding". Somehow, through the enduring appeal of its incredible story – which is admittedly a hard sell – Come From Away has become a smash in each market, in spite of its not-so-starry cast and all-new music. Here’s how [it won over The Hollywood Reporter’s Scott Feinberg]( last month, with four weeks to go before the Tonys: “A "9/11 musical" may sound like even less fun than "the Oslo Accords play," but Come from Away is every bit as much of a must-see as Oslo. It's a Capra-esque portrayal of a true story that celebrates tolerance and kindness — especially toward foreigners — at a time when those things seem to be in short supply. There's a reason why this is the show that Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau invited Ivanka Trump to see with him… THR theater critic Frank Scheck called it "the feel-good show of the season," and I think the fact that it really is that — as much as its winning cast, including best featured actress in a musical Tony nominee Jenn Colella, with her awesome solo "Me and [The] Sky" — could tip things in its favor. Unlike The Great Comet and Dear Evan Hansen or the current news cycle, there's no shortage of people to root for in this musical, and people may just want a pick-me-up.” But, the Tonys went for Dear Evan Hansen. The writing was on the wall for Come From Away when it went emptyhanded in some of the categories it was predicted to win, like Best Book, or Featured Actress in a Musical (Jenn Colella, the sole acting nominee). Those wins both went to Hansen. The Director win was a shining moment of hope, but ultimately Dear Evan Hansen had the night’s momentum. Having said that, hopefully Come From Away’s late surge (previews started in February, the show opened in March) and enduring spirit will see this crowdpleaser earn even more box office dollars, so more people across the country can take it in and feel its message. [Click here for the rest of the photos.]( Posted at 3:05 PM [Ben Platt: Tonys Most Popular]( [Ben Platt attends the 2017 Tony Awards at Radio City Music Hall on June 11, 2017 in New York City]( It wouldn’t be the Tonys without the DRAMA. Ben Platt’s vocal rest for the days leading up to the Tonys almost put his Sunday performance from Dear Evan Hansen in jeopardy, but he pulled it off in the end. Ben would have had the best acceptance speech of the night too, had it not been for Bette Midler. We first met Ben as the nebbishy [Benji in the Pitch Perfect movies]( and now he’s gone from the outside looking in to the inside looking out after winning the award for Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical. While he was the favourite to win, Ben appeared to be overwhelmed as he accepted his award on-stage. Of course, he talked about how much being a part of the Broadway community has changed his life: “It’s where I found everything I ever loved and where I belong… And I’ve dreamed every day since of being on this stage and being a part of this community of artists.” Before adding the quote you’ll probably see on Instagram and Facebook all day long: “To all young people watching at home, don’t waste any time trying to be like anybody else because the things that make you strange are the things that make you powerful.” Speaking of power – Ben had star power behind him all night. Kevin Spacey kicked off the show with a parody of his “Waving Through a Window” performance and outfit, Anna Kendrick introduced his performance, and “[noted Dear Evan Hansen fan](” Tina Fey happened to present him with his award. After the show, he was photographed celebrating with Broadway VIPs Lin-Manuel Miranda, Jonathan Groff, Kevin, and dancing with Cynthia Erivo. Oh, and his dad Marc Platt. Just last month, Broadway darling and four-time Tony host Neil Patrick Harris commended him for singing through tears in the New York Times, which is about as big of an endorsement as it gets. This win was a lock. [THIS. Is the way to celebrate a Tony win! || 📷: @emiliomk]( A post shared by Broadway.com (@broadwaycom) on Jun 12, 2017 at 12:36am PDT And if Marc Platt seems familiar to you, it’s because he’s [one of the producers of La La Land](. He’s quite influential for both movies and the stage, having been one of Wicked’s biggest backers. In fact, when La La Land won at the Globes, somebody in the press room asked Marc if he could help them get tickets to the show, even though he did not produce it. Dear Evan Hansen has had a lot of great buzz in its corner for months, first [making the late show rounds in November](. The New York Times’ theatre critic Ben Brantley had actually picked Come From Away as the [likely winner of Best Musical]( but it looks like the Canadian show with no big names could not pick up enough momentum to dethrone Dear Evan Hansen. The latter ended up winning six awards from its nine nominations. The Globe and Mail’s theatre critic J. Kelly Nestruck told me last month that Dear Evan Hansen was the La La Land of the Tonys, and that Come From Away was the Moonlight. Yet, in spite of backlash towards the [show’s creepy main character](, it still pulled off the Best Musical win. More on Come From Away soon. My brother, the Tony winner! [@BenSPLATT]( [#TonyAwards2017]( [pic.twitter.com/5RJRCdixhr]( — Jonah Platt (@JonahPlatt) [June 12, 2017]( [Click here for the rest of the photos.]( Posted at 2:38 PM [You can’t play off Bette Midler]( [Bette Midler attends the 71st Annual Tony Awards at Radio City Music Hall on June 11, 2017 in New York City]( I don’t know what they were thinking. [Bette Midler]( won her first – FIRST! – Tony Award last night for Best Actress in a Musical in Hello, Dolly! There was a Special Tony Award given to her back in 1974 but that was more of a lifetime achievement award and not connected to any one performance. So… finally… Bette Midler. And they tried to play her off?! As you saw, Bette wasn’t having it. “Shut that crap off!” Bette Midler is 71, as vital and as energised as she’s ever f-cking been. And we didn’t get to see her perform! So give the woman an extra goddamn few minutes! It’s not like she wasn’t entertaining. It’s not like Bette Midler is going to get up on a stage and make you fall asleep. Because if her voice wasn’t doing it for you, it was her dress. HOW AMAZING DID SHE LOOK IN THAT DRESS? A couple of years ago, The Telegraph reprinted an interview with Bette from the year before on the occasion of her 70th birthday. [It’s a great read]( and if you have time right now, I highly recommend. My favourite quote from the piece: “I worked a little too hard, I’m afraid. I should have been easier on myself. But I like rehearsal. I love the business.” That doesn’t sound like someone who truly regrets working too hard. Not when she follows up with a statement like, “I like rehearsal”. That’s a fist-pump for me right there. I LIKE REHEARSAL. If you are lucky, and you enjoy what you do, and I know that’s a privilege too, that’s how it should be: I LIKE REHEARSAL. [Click here for the rest of the photos.]( Posted at 2:01 PM [Privacy Policy]( - [Unsubscribe](