Dear Gossips,
I saved two articles to read at bedtime last night. It’s one of my favourite things to do every day – decide which pieces to bank, to look forward to, a small reward after a day of work. Sometimes they’re dense, serious essays. Sometimes it’s a dirty short story. Sometimes it’s a sports column. Tonight, ahead of the Grammys this weekend, it’s going to be The Ringer’s Rob Havilla on Cardi B and “what does she do now” after the biggest performance of her career (she and Bruno Mars are bringing Finesse to the Grammys on Sunday) and the big year she’s had.
Last night, first, it was BTS + VOGUE, OMG. The magazine spent a day with the band on a party bus in LA in November. The guys don’t understand why there’s a pole in the middle of the sitting area. They learn a new word: “lituation”. At one point the fans found out about one of their intended stops and they almost get mobbed so a detour is arranged. Jungkook, my favourite, looks amazing. And is the best. And they are obsessed with clothing and accessories – which I appreciate so much. This is not a small deal. This is a Korean boy band featured in what’s known to be the fashion bible. Which adds to the ongoing conversation that’s been happening about beauty and style and who gets to decide and where beauty can come from. Also… they have really, really great hair. And when they dance I lose control and fall apart. Come on! Look at them!
After BTS it was Taylor Kitsch in GQ who looks hot AF in every single photo. I always forget he used to model. He knows what he’s doing. The profile is full of unexpected treasures and deserves a full read and not just because of the excerpts. Did you know Taylor Kitsch is friends with the notoriously saturnine Tommy Lee Jones? And it was Tommy Lee Jones who initiated it? There are several men who show up in this article with mancrushes on Taylor Kitsch including, but not limited to, Taylor Sheridan and Peter Berg. Even Michael Shannon is impressed. Also, like us, Taylor Kitsch too thought the Landry/Tyra murder plotline in Season 2 of Friday Night Lights was bonkers and not in a good way. And he’s friends with real-life Landry, Jesse Plemons, and Kirsten Dunst. Who he calls “Dunst”. In fact, in one paragraph, we learn that Taylor Kitsch has nicknames for almost everyone:
Kitsch is also genuinely generous, lavishing praise on Cons and Chands (Friday Night Lights' Connie Britton and Kyle Chandler), Pizzo (True Detective creator Nic Pizzolatto), Bromance (his relationship with Only the Brave co-star Josh Brolin), Rach (Rachel McAdams), Jesse and Dunst (FNL co-star Jesse Plemons and fiancée Kirsten Dunst, who I have a hard time believing actually answers to that), the aforementioned Dave (David Koresh, though this one is maybe less "praise" and more "empathy"). Kitsch loves "Oz," where he loved filming "Wolvie" with "Hugh," whom Kitsch loved learning so much from about "working your 'bag' off." (That's Australia, X-Men Origins: Wolverine, Jackman, and scrotum, in order.)
You know what that is to me? It’s so specifically Canadian hockey player. If you’ve ever been in a hockey environment, that’s exactly the rhythm of the salutations. There are all kinds of articles written about hockey and nicknames. And an identifiable standard formula, with exceptions. Like, the most common hockey nickname creation technique is to simply shorten someone’s first or last name and add an “-s”, or “-ie”, or “-er” to the end. Example: James Hartwick becomes “Harts” or “Hartie” or “Harter”. My husband Jacek’s hockey nickname was “Jazzy”, pronounced “Yazzy”, because that’s how the “J” sounds in his name. I mean, sure, there are exceptions. But, generally, this is how it works. This is why Wolverine is “Wolvie” in Taylor Kitsch-speak.
It’s now been almost 12 years since Friday Night Lights first premiered and Tim Riggins became a thing. This, however, is probably the definitive profile of Taylor Kitsch’s career, a career that he appears to be reclaiming. Because after FNL there didn’t seem like there was a lot opportunity. And now, with Waco and Pieces, the upcoming film he’s writing, directing, producing, and starring in (inspired by his days as a weed snipper for the Hell’s Angels!!!), Taylor is being reconsidered by the industry and the message he’s been sending with his David Koresh performance – and through this interview – is that not only does he look good but he talks good too. Click here to read it.
Grammys coverage coming at you on Monday. Have a great weekend!
Yours in gossip,
Lainey
