As Taylor Swift continues to release new versions of her albums and sell out (that’s an understatement) her tour, this story in Music Business World around the sale of her masters to Scooter Braun’s holding company (which has since sold the masters to Shamrock Investment) is super interesting. 

 

It is about tracing the money, not the personal tit-for-tat, and uncovering who got paid and when. Typically, any story about Taylor Swift that is not overwhelmingly positive receives a lot of vitriol from some Swifties so I wonder who they will direct their anger at over this. Numbers are black and white.

Bravo is really, truly riding a huge wave right now and celebrities are getting in on the action: Amber Tamblyn hosted a party at SUR (yes it stands for Sexy Unique Restaurant LOL and that is where Vanderpump Rules is based); Jon Hamm and John Slattery put on a community theatre production of the Vanderpump Rules reunion; Jon Hamm took sides in a very contentious Real Housewives of New Jersey feud; and Jennifer Lawrence is coming up on WWHL Live soon – and she’s a big Bravo fan. 

 

While we welcome everyone into the Bravo tent, just know that this world doesn’t depend on celebrity endorsement. It is a separate ecosystem in which a Bravo blogger is just as influential as an A-lister. The fandom is egalitarian.

 

Love this clip of Natasha Lyonne asking Melanie Lynskey how much money she would be comfortable lending her best friend Clea DuVall. This is an excellent question!

Kelly Clarkson listed her red flags and two are obvious (liar, someone who projects issues) and the last one is a little more nuanced: someone who has no friends. Making and keeping friends as an adult is hard, especially if you factor in major life changes like a big move or stressors like illness or being a caretaker. Also, Covid had a detrimental effect on a lot of friendships (like work friends, hobby friends, casual friends); someone might want friends but struggle with it. But a person who doesn’t value friendship? Yes, that could definitely be a red flag.

 

John Mellencamp filled out the “What I Learn” questionnaire for Esquire and let me tell you, there is nothing like a slightly cranky celebrity who became famous in the 80s. They will give you it to you straight. (And if that doesn’t interest you, perhaps an anecdote about him and Meg Ryan trying to learn how to use a credit card does.)

 

Summer is usually a wild gossip season and as we approach, I feel something is in the air but can’t pinpoint it. You know what would be fun? An elopement. The new generation deserves the thrill of a “Julia Roberts and Lyle Lovett” level of shock.