Meghan Sussex has launched a podcast, her second, Lemonada Media: Confessions of a Female Founder. After an uneven season of Archetypes at Spotify and the way that deal soured, she signed with Lemonada in February 2024. Holding the podcast announcement until after her show debut was the smart choice because it’s about female founders and she’s backing that up with the Netflix series and As Ever. Lemonada also seems like a good fit; not as massive as Spotify or Apple or iHeart, but also fewer “stakeholders” (read: people who want a return on their investment). She can grow with the company.
There’s also clarity in the branding – as Lainey has written, she is influence and entrepreneurship while Harry is service. Archetypes had a bold mission but it was also nebulous. This is clear, precise. The subject won’t appeal to everyone, but a lifestyle brand doesn’t have to be all-encompassing. It seems very true to her and consistent with what she’s shown us.
PR people used to be a fixture in media, it was THE power businesswoman job in rom-coms. Lizzy Caplan will be playing a crisis PR fixer in a new Netflix series that is based on a real person, Risa Heller. Olivia Pope was also based on a real person, Judy Smith, so my hope for this is high.
Donatella Versace is stepping down as Versace’s creative director, a multi-decade run that started under impossible circumstances. Versace style – loud, sexy, flashy, Italian! – has such a specific DNA and the question is, what happens now? There are rumours swirling that Prada is in talks to buy it, major changes all around.
The Lady Gaga interview on Las Culturistas is so good and I think part of that is the traditional promo vibe. We are so used to the superstars doing very limited album promotion, if any at all, so this feels almost old-school. Typically, and this is going to get me in hot water and I know it, I don’t love Bowen and Matt’s interview techniques. Too much interrupting. But Gaga was so into them and she’s naturally so open. She’s an insightful speaker but also a great listener.
Joanna wrote about Matthew McConaughey attending SXSW with his son Levi and his wife Camila. They don’t often walk the red carpet with their children and 16 is around the age nepo babies start to emerge from the cocoon. He definitely has a face for a teen series. And he can get advice like this from his dad.
