'Quiet On Set,' Goop x 'Hot Ones,' Finding Out 'Who Trolled Amber' & More
Recommendations for your weekend
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Happy Friday!
Keep scrolling for some great recommendations for your weekend — including the docu-series of the moment that’s absolutely worth your time, an in-depth interview with Dorit Kemsley that “RHOBH” fans should listen to, a fascinating look into Kacey Musgraves’ songwriting process and more.
Have a great weekend!
Read
Multiple people came forward accusing drag star Shangela of sexual assault, as part of an intense, detailed new exposé. (Ben Shimkus for Rolling Stone)
Phoebe Philo, dubbed “the Chanel of her generation,” sat for her first interview in years, and I found her philosophy on life and fame and fashion to be incredibly refreshing. (Vanessa Friedman for The New York Times)
Eye-opening report about the status of the unscripted TV business featuring a bunch of first-hand accounts from producers and other below-the-line people involved in the industry, which I didn’t really realize was at such a crossroads. (Peter White for Deadline)
Dissecting the evolution of the celebrity podcast that has led to the current glut of them in the market right now. (Sam Wolfson for The Guardian)
Inside the world of “sharenting,” where parents shell out their children for content — what happens when the children get old enough to say “no” or realize that there was no money put aside for their work? (Fortesa Latifi for Cosmopolitan)
“Top Chef” is back — and it has a new look. Is that a good thing? (Roxana Hadadi for Vulture)
Watch
“Quiet On Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV” (Max)
There’s no doubt that you’ve either already watched this four-part docu-series or have at least seen people talking about it on social media this week. If you haven’t watched it in full yet — particularly if you’re a Millennial — make a point to watch it. It’s a disturbing portrait on what was really going on behind the scenes at Nickelodeon during its heyday and highlights the lack of safety given to child stars. It’s disturbing and genuinely revelatory, and Drake Bell’s testimony has proven to be particularly impactful.
While I had largely tapped out of Nickelodeon by the time shows like “iCarly,” “Drake & Josh” and “Victorious” dominated the lineup, I still grew up on the channel, so of course this doc reframes a lot of what I remember watching growing up. Dan Schneider’s other shows like “The Amanda Show” and “All That” were very formative for me, and as much as this documentary blows open what some of these stars were going through and how they were treated by men abusing their power, it also made me think about what we didn’t hear about and who we didn’t hear from.
RELATED: “Nickelodeon’s #MeToo Story Was Hiding in Plain Sight” by Julie Kliegman for Slate
Gwyneth Paltrow on “Hot Ones”
I mean, obviously.
Kacey Musgraves - “Dinner With Friends” (Story of My Song)
Kacey Musgraves’ new album Deeper Well has been on absolute repeat for me, and I’ve also been watching a lot of her performances of her new material. That led me to this random little video she did for AmEx, where she goes through the lyrics of her song “Dinner With Friends,” explains its meaning and walks us through a bunch of the lyrics and changes she made to them during the songwriting process.
Listen
Dorit Kemsley on “The Skinny Confidential His & Her Podcast”
My friend Alexis alerted me to this long interview with Dorit, who I feel like I’ve never really seen sit for a lengthy podcast chat like this. It was interesting to get more details on her 20s, and it’s always worthwhile hearing a Housewife’s perspective on a season once it’s finished. While I don’t agree with all of her opinions on what went down on this past season of “Real Housewives of Beverly Hills,” it was telling to hear her thoughts on Crystal and Kyle, in particular.
“Who Trolled Amber?”
This podcast from Tortoise Media, the studio behind “Sweet Bobby,” one of my favorite true-crime podcasts of the past few years, dives deep into the Amber Heard vs. Johnny Depp trial and the hoopla around it. But it’s not just another retelling of the drama or the trial itself; instead, it aims to understand all of the internet trolling that Amber was subjected to, how it affected the outcome of the trial and — most importantly — who was behind it. I was not ready for the twist towards the end of the series, and I’m stunned that I hadn’t heard more about that reveal in the news.
Self-Promotion
“Summer House: Martha’s Vineyard” Stars Tease Season 2 Drama (Gabbing with Gib)
Ahead of Sunday night’s season 2 premiere of “Summer House: Martha’s Vineyard,” I interviewed four of the cast members during two separate interviews to tease the season, discuss lingering drama from between seasons, Jasmine’s husband Silas not being in the house this year and more. Listen below or watch above!
Listener Mailbag: Kate Middleton, Next Season of “RHOBH,” The Future of “Summer House” and More (Gabbing with Gib)
Answered a bunch of listener questions during a solo episode of my podcast this week asking about casting for “RHOBH” and “RHOM,” the “RHONJ” trailer, my predictions for the future of “Summer House,” the Kate Middleton of it all and more. Listen below!
Currently
It’s going to be way too cold and rainy in New York this weekend, which means I’ll be binging the new season of “Buying Beverly Hills,” which just dropped on Netflix and continuing to jump into my next book, “The Idea of You,” the adaptation of which, starring Anne Hathaway, comes out later this spring.
Fascinated by that Deadline piece. Given the writer’s strike I would not have expected such a crunch on unscripted.