Celine Dion's joy is so visceral because we know what she put in to get back here

I have declared it Friday Funday and we will go out on a high note! A very long, sustained high note with crystalline tone and richest vibrato! A high note as only Celine Dion can deliver it! La Diva!

Celine Dion greets fans in Paris, September 18, 2026

I am enjoying this era of Celine so much. Her joy is palpable, tangible across oceans and audiences and photographs. We know how hard she’s worked to get here, she shared her journey through illness and pain and rehabilitation, part of why her joy is so visceral because we know what she put in to get back here. She shared her pain with us, and now she shares her joy with us.

A couple weeks ago I wrote on The Squawk about depression and part of my struggle this year has been how much to talk about it. I talk about it with my therapist, but outside of that, I haven’t really wanted to get into it. There have been plenty of days this year when I have wondered if the tone of my writing seems off, or if I’m doing a good job covering my depression. Am I winning at pretending like everything is fine? Am I getting good grades in not being someone else’s problem?

Not helpful thoughts, I know. But it’s a huge reason I devour all the Celine news lately, because she went through it and came out the other side joyful and exuberant. It’s not the exact same struggle, but I like looking at her joy and knowing someday that will come back to me, too. And if she can show her painful recovery to the world, I can least admit that I don’t feel good a lot. And I will eventually feel better. And then I, too, will get a cute, hopefully faux fur jacket and celebrate my joy. Until then, I will watch Celine and enjoy joy second hand. It’s okay that that is the best I can do for now. It’s okay if it’s the best you can do, too.

What else happened today…

I did not know the World Anti-Doping Agency monitors GLP-1s. This is the new thing I learned today. (Popsugar)

Lili Reinhart is working hard for The Love Hypothesis. Serious question, is she the most successful Riverdale alum? (Go Fug Yourself)

Karla Welch, Shailene Woodley’s stylist, thinks everyone was “rude and mean” about Shailene’s Emmys look. At least we stopped talking about Aaron Rodgers? (Celebitchy)

Joe Rogan is now claiming he is left wing and that Trump supporters are “f-cking nuts” and “rabid”. Oh, so the tide is TURNING turning. Got it, got it. (The Daily Beast)