If you watched Canadian TV in the late 80s and 90s, you know Hal Johnson and Joanne McLeod from BodyBreak (Keep fit and have fun!). Hal is now telling the story behind BodyBreak and how he got into TV, including having a sports reporter job rescinded because they had another Black reporter on the roster. Hal and Joanne are an interracial couple and it’s so stupid and privileged to say I never noticed that because, as Hal explains, it was integral to their professional trajectory. 

 

Last night my 16-year-old niece made dinner for us - spicy vodka pasta. It was so good and afterwards she told me, “It’s Gigi Hadid’s recipe.” (This is the future, don’t fight it.) When Gigi’s mom Yolanda was on Real Housewives she was a health and wellness devotee and there were always rumblings that she went on the show hoping to launch a lifestyle brand, a plan that was stymied by health problems. Could Gigi be going in that direction though? If you look through her Instagram notes, there are a lot of lifestyle-based interests. Also, she’s 25 and ready to have a baby and I wonder if this fits into her career plan or if she wants move away from runway.

Sisters Chloe and Halle were photographed by drone for Teen Vogue and the photos are so good (I wonder why a drone instead of a long lens though – is it safer?). The article covers their activism and why they are pushing back their album Ungodly Hour; this NPR interview references that as well as Halle’s upcoming role in The Little Mermaid. They opened for Beyoncé and Jay-Z’s On The Run II tour and you may have noticed them on Bey’s feed – she says they’re flawless.

 

The Lea Michele story has faded but there are always murmurs about what kind of set Ryan Murphy runs (even though many stars speak glowingly of him). I’ve always wondered about his producing partner, Brad Falchuk. Brad and Ryan have worked together closely since Nip/Tuck and Brad was heavily involved with Glee (that’s how he and Gwyneth Paltrow met, a few years before they both divorced). He’s also worked on Scream Queens, Pose, American Crime Story, and The Politician. It’s just interesting that in all the nightmare stories you hear about the Ryan Murphy Universe (which is getting as big as a comic book brand), Brad is never mentioned. 

Today, Justin Timberlake has handed over his account to Rashad Robinson, president of Color of Change. It’s a short video that’s been up for an hour (at time of writing) and has 140k views. I love ragging on JT but for this I simply cannot. 

I’m too much of a philistine to keep up with the art world but “mini Madoff” caught my attention here. Inigo Philbrick (that’s his name!!!) is accused of double dealing and fraud, some of which includes selling off percentage ownership of paintings to multiple people. OK, but who is going to play him in the movie, Robert Pattinson or Timothée Chamalet? 

 

If you don’t get the TikTok dances it’s fine. Just smile and nod along like Alfonso Cuarón. One of the most beloved directors in the world and all he can do is look straight into the camera. Do you think he has any idea what happens to these videos after they are shot, how they are shared worldwide?

Nick Cannon covers Variety and his career is so interesting – I had no idea he was an executive at Viacom. And if you like the American version of The Masked Singer, you have him to thank.