Lainey and I have both mentioned how painful Madonna’s Instagram has been during this time. We aren’t the only ones who have noticed. Since the last round of headlines, Madonna posted an update because she knows what people are saying about her – she always has, for better and worse. She used to be able to take those headlines and bend them to her will but it seems like that kind of control, the kind that some celebrities (like the Kardashians or Taylor Swift or Beyoncé) excel in, is not possible anymore. There are many female musicians of her era who are content to be icons, women like Janet Jackson and Stevie Nicks. Then there are the ones who have built a connection with their fans and embraced social media, like Mariah Carey. Madonna fits into neither category – she’s still creating as less and less people seem to want to engage with her work. That’s the painful part of all it for someone who grew up with Madonna: there’s an irrelevancy that feels personal. The best thing for her, right now, would be to delete Instagram. Disappear. Make people miss her, dig into her archives and embrace her legacy. Make people care again. Could she do it? Madonna has a ton of discipline, but I don’t know if she’s disciplined enough not to be seen for awhile. (Lainey: and she would say this is sexism and ageism because men of a certain age aren’t told to “disappear” but, really, while in the past Madonna has absolutely had to handle misogyny, I don’t that this is about inequality; it’s about the content – she’s just not putting out the right content.) 

 

Emily Blunt and The Rock have signed onto Ball and Chain, a story about a divorcing couple who discovered they have superhero powers that only work when they are together. Emily V. Gordon (who co-wrote The Big Sick) is writing the screenplay. This is exciting. I really loved that movie and this seems like a chemistry-driven concept, so Emily and The Rock must feel confident about their vibe after working together on Jungle Cruise. Speaking of that movie, it’s now been pushed to July 2021 to make room for Mulan. That’s still a big if because who knows what’s happening with theatres. So is there any scenario wherein Jungle Cruise goes straight to on demand? The Rock is a big screen guy, he makes the kinds of movies that shake the walls, so I wonder if he, as a producer, is pushing to hold out for a theatrical release.

This is so specifically 80s but also timeless Rob Lowe, the dreamy bad boy. Not even Harry Styles or Timothee Chalamet could pull off this mullet. 

Every time there are new pictures or a headline about Lily Allen and David Harbour, Twitter chimes in with “these two are dating?!!?” and then I promptly forget about it. Now they are engaged. Or maybe married. Twitter will continue to be surprised, as will I. 

 

Back in April, I noted that Martha Stewart’s gardener was self-isolating on her estate and wondered where the Town & Country profile is. Well, it’s here! It really makes sense that this era has given us our first garden celebrity. 

Liam Gallagher put together a BBQ.