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Read
Fantastic piece about the impact that Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter has had on the careers of the Black country artists featured on the album, featuring some rare first-person quotes from Queen Bey herself. (Mesfin Fekadu for The Hollywood Reporter)
Great check-in interview with Austin Butler, whose new film “The Bikeriders” came out today. I can’t wait to see it. (Kyle Buchanan for The New York Times)
Meet the man who guides the strategy for actors who want to come out in Hollywood. (Simon Halls, as told to Chris Gardner, for The Hollywood Reporter)
The most influential people in podcasting. (Nicholas Quah for Vulture)
Very much enjoyed this conversation between Mel Ottenberg and Addison Rae. (Mel Ottenberg for Interview Magazine)
Listen
“White Devil” Podcast
This true-crime podcast from Campside Media tracks the story of a white woman in Belize who gets arrested for the murder of a Black policeman. The case became a huge national story because she’s the daughter-in-law of the most powerful man in the country. It’s told well, and it’s a riveting tale — but as you get deeper into listening to it, it becomes so sympathetic to the woman accused of murder that you almost forget why they’re telling this story in the first place. Listen above.
“Sex, Lies & Hockey Pucks” Episode of “Decoder Ring”
This week’s episode of “Decoder Ring” was a great one. It tackles a decades-old rumor that a woman named Jane Macdougall was the reason that the Vancouver Canucks’ success in the NHL plummeted after becoming Stanley Cup finalists in 1994. The reason she was supposedly to blame? Rumor had it that a key player got traded to another team because she was sleeping with him — despite being married to his teammate. Listen above.
Watch
Perfect Wife (Hulu)
Midway through this three-episode docu-series about a woman who went missing in California in 2016 and, well, it’s wild. There’s a reason why so many people were hyping this one up in the press!
Trying - Season 4 (Apple TV+)
I binged the first three seasons of this charming and hilarious British comedy last year, and I forgot that we were getting a fourth season, which recently started dropping on Apple TV+. It follows a couple struggling to start a family, and the new season features an unexpected time jump in the first episode that gives it a not unwelcome change of pace. “Trying” remains as sweet and funny as ever!
Chappell Roan on “The Tonight Show”
Chappell Roan continues to make the case that she has everything it takes to be our nation’s next great big pop star with every passing week. Her latest move is a cheeky appearance on “The Tonight Show,” where she effortlessly vibed with Jimmy Fallon and put her irresistible personality on display. And then she performed “Good Luck, Babe!”
Self-Promotion
Did Scandoval Break Our Brains? Unpacking Its Long-Tail Effects on Bravo
Betches Entertainment Editor Steph Perlman joined me on the podcast this week to unpack the long-term effects that we’re seeing play out around the Bravo-verse a year after Scandoval. From Bravolebrities who want a Scandoval moment for themselves to fans who are urging relationships to fracture, there was a lot to discuss. Listen above!
“Summer House” End-of-Season Deep Dive
The Ringer’s Chelsea Stark-Jones joined me on the show this week to chat about the best season of “Summer House” yet, which just wrapped its two-part reunion last week. Listen above!
Interview with “RHODC” Star Lynda Erkiletian
My interview with original “Real Housewives of D.C.” star Lynda Erkiletian also dropped this week. She reflected on her time on “RHODC” 14 years after it aired, shared some behind-the-scenes details, discussed what it was really like filming with the Salahis and updated us on what she’s been up to since. Watch above or listen below!
Currently
I’m headed out to the North Fork of Long Island for a relaxing weekend with a friend — can’t wait to dive into the new Netflix series about the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders and read more of my book, “In Tongues” by Thomas Grattan.