BFFs Patti LaBelle & Gladys Knight reinvent Verzuz It is not an exaggeration to say that Sunday night’s Verzuz featuring Patti LaBelle and Gladys Knight was a reinvention of the form, in a way that, on paper, shouldn’t have worked. That is, the idea of a ‘battle’ was entirely gone last night (and to a certain By Duana • Sep 14, 2020 02:38 pm
Music Chloe x Halle’s NFL National Anthem And now, a surely unpopular opinion: I think Chloe x Halle might be underrated. This is, on its face, preposterous, even for someone who is finally embracing the ‘contrarian’ label Lainey is always trying to give me. How is it possible to say so when they are so present, so By Duana • Sep 11, 2020 01:42 pm
Name Nerd Duana Names: In Need Of De-Basic-ing Hello Duana, We are currently trying to figure out a name for our baby that we'll be welcoming in September. Despite being a combo of procrastinators mixed with a bit of decision fatigue (what stroller? car seat? nursery paint color? reusable diapers?), all of this while dealing with By Duana • Sep 09, 2020 03:40 pm
TV Updates The Big Questions of Grand Army I was incredibly excited when the trailer for Netflix’s new teen show, Grand Army, finally dropped yesterday. The show had been on my radar since late 2018 when it was casting and doing some shooting in Toronto, and it hits all my buttons: it’s about ‘regular’ high school By Duana • Sep 03, 2020 03:23 pm
Name Nerd Duana Names: Nickelodeon ruined my name - a 90s story of embarrassment Hey Duana - Long time reader, first time writer. We are welcoming our second child in September and are still not clear on names. We have a nearly 2 year old named Fiona Lisette - Fiona for my Irish heritage and Lisette for my aunt Lisa and various Elizabeths in By Duana • Sep 02, 2020 03:54 pm
Name Nerd Duana Names: Names For Sex Hi Duana, I don't know if this falls under your domain, but I need some more name advice. I am writing some erotica and need some universally (is that even possible!?) attractive names. Part of me thinks it's not that important but then I think of By Duana • Aug 28, 2020 03:02 pm
Movie Reviews and Previews Soleil Moon Frye’s KID90 Because I spend an inordinate amount of time online ‘researching’, I’m pretty good at sleuthing stuff that might have been a fever dream – it’s become a party trick for our friends on our group chat, and I’m not gonna lie, it’s a skill I enjoy – but By Duana • Aug 26, 2020 12:48 pm
TV Updates ‘Writer’s Mutiny’ but CBS Showrunner Still Has A Job Another week, another headline – but this time, something’s missing. Spot the differences: In June, I wrote this piece about writer Craig Gore, who had been a writer on S.W.A.T and Chicago P.D. and was fired (and dropped from his agency) from an upcoming Law & By Duana • Aug 21, 2020 04:12 pm
Amazingness Gross Feet and The Twins My favourite internet trend this summer/pandemic is “It’s not coming from where you think.” Whatever’s going to amuse or captivate you, whether it’s Sarah Cooper or 2020-by-celebrity-month memes, everything interesting is gonna surprise you. That’s not new, of course, it’s basically what half the By Duana • Aug 17, 2020 04:13 pm
Name Nerd Duana Names: Consonants, in Triplicate Dear Duana, I’m having triplets. Help me God, triplets. There will be two boys and a girl here at the beginning of September. We’ve had the boys’ names picked out for awhile- Casper and Everett. I love them, and my husband loves them. Only problem is he’s By Duana • Aug 12, 2020 03:30 pm
TV Updates Horny And/Or Dirty Bachelorette Drama Is Apparently Addictive I am obsessed with the stories coming from the set of The Bachelorette. I have never watched the show, mostly because you can glean the context of every episode by osmosis, but I am damn well going to watch this season, when and if it ever makes it to air. By Duana • Aug 10, 2020 03:57 pm
Equality Issues Ryan Reynolds: bringing people on Lainey has already written about Ryan Reynolds this week, and the preamble in that piece is the same as this one – Ryan Reynolds is great at being Ryan Reynolds, and in committing to his self-imposed agenda of trying to do what he can to balance systemic inequalities, to acknowledge mistakes By Duana • Aug 07, 2020 02:25 pm
Name Nerd Duana Names: What If She Shares A Name With...? Hi Duana, We're expecting our first child, a girl, in mid-August. My husband and I are on a bit of a stalemate with names - he has one he loves (Elodie) and I have one I love (Imogen, which oddly enough has cropped up a few times in By Duana • Aug 05, 2020 03:28 pm
What Else What Else? Programming note: Lainey’s stuck in pre-long-weekend work prep, so I’m filling in with all your Friday afternoon link needs! Which brings me to our next point – Monday is a civic holiday in Canada (I just found out it’s called ‘Regatta Day’ in Newfoundland!) so we’ll be By Duana • Jul 31, 2020 04:45 pm
TV Updates Netflix acquires Moesha, Girlfriends, Sister Sister, and other Black-led 90s sitcoms This week the internet was delighted by the announcement that Netflix has acquired the rights to several 90s-era Black sitcoms including Sister, Sister, Girlfriends, Moesha and several others, which will drop throughout September. I share in the internet’s delight for many reasons. I consumed these shows rabidly when I By Duana • Jul 31, 2020 04:27 pm
Name Nerd Duana Names: Pride And Small Change Hi Duana, I'm expecting my second child in the summer. I feel in my heart of hearts that it is going to be a girl. We're not going to find out in advance, but I have so much pride and small change riding on this baby. By Duana • Jul 29, 2020 03:39 pm
