Dear Gossips,   

A new show just debuted this week, with an unspecified number of episodes – it is unscripted, like a live docuseries, immediately attracting millions of viewers and it can’t just be my feed either because it’s a crossover story between entertainment and politics and religion with a Hollywood connection: the actual conclave, of course. 

 

Politico reported on Tuesday that: 

“Faced with the highly secretive and complex ritual of choosing a new pope, Catholic cardinals have turned to Hollywood to learn how it could all play out. 

As crazy as it might sound, some of the 133 high-ranking clerics set to enter the Sistine Chapel when the conclave starts on Wednesday have looked to the Ralph Fiennes movie ― handily titled just “Conclave” ― for pointers.

“Some have watched it in the cinema,” a cleric involved in the real thing admitted to POLITICO.”

 

It’s been 12 years since Pope Francis was elected during the last conclave, a full Chinese zodiac cycle, and in that time, the media landscape has radically changed. Social media has exploded – this, then, as Ellen O’Connell Whittet wrote at The Cut, is “TikTok’s First Papal Conclave”. Content creators are all over it, commenting on the Vatican’s proceedings like it’s an award show, or a K-pop performance (with fan-cams), or the NFL draft…. LOLLLL. This is the one that sent me… 

@shh_its_a_wig

I’m rooting for the one in red 🫠 forgive me lord 🧎🏾‍♂️#conclave #vatican #pope #beyonce #catholic #fyp #foryoupage

♬ NFL on Fox (Trap Remix) - Trap Remix Guys
 

To go back to the cardinals watching Conclave though, when it’s an institution with this kind of history, not unlike a coronation or an inauguration, there is performance involved. This is theatre. Conclave was nominated for multiple Oscars, including Best Production Design and Best Costume Design – the film is visually spectacular. And it’s not just what Politico reported about the cardinals learning about their own “politics and protocol” from the film it’s also about the spectacle. From what I’ve seen so far of the real conclave in its first two episodes…these cardinals are here to elect their new pope, but they’re also here to serve looks! Let’s not pretend that there hasn’t been any vanity involved in this process.

 

The Vatican and the cardinals are aware, now more than ever, that they’re on camera. And if you’ve been paying attention, some of them have been playing to the camera whenever they can. There have been times over the last few days when it’s felt, to me, like it’s a new reality competition show. How many episodes will they stretch this out? Are you watching? Let us know at The Squawk. (App link here)

Yours in gossip, 

Lainey