Newsletter Thursday, August 31, 2017

[LaineyGossip.com - Calling all smuthounds!] Thursday, August 31, 2017 [Intro for August 31, 2017]( [Princess Diana]( Dear Gossips, Today is the 20th anniversary of the Princess Diana’s death. All summer there have been Diana retrospectives, newly recycled Diana stories, photo albums, and documentaries. Diana, 7 Days aired in the UK on the BBC earlier this week. Diana, 7 Days will be broadcast here in Canada tomorrow [on CTV]( and in America on NBC at 8pm. And this week there have been a number of essays published about Diana and her legacy, none more beautifully written than Hilary Mantel’s [The Princess Myth]( for The Guardian. This work is spectacular. Every word is a great decision. But some have described Hilary’s piece as an “attack” on Diana, an unfair criticism of a beloved icon taken from us too soon. That’s not how I read it. And I don’t think that’s how it was intended. It’s right there in the title: Diana is and was a myth and in death, her mythology – a mythology she herself had a hand in starting – has only become even more potent, even more powerful. Celebrity cannot exist without Mythology. Diana is the Ultimate Celebrity. Like all super-celebrities, she was of her time and she is beyond her time. Diana knew her angles, she knew which dress to wear to send a message or to become the message, she knew which reporters to leak information to so she could shape her narrative while complaining about being part of the narrative. Before reality television and confession cam interviews, before staged photos at Kitson and the Brentwood Country Mart, before Instagram and Snapchat, there was Diana, Princess of Wales, the “queen of people’s hearts”, the royal disruptor. Diana not only disrupted the royal ecosystem but the way she managed her own celebrity was also a disruptive force in the Hollywood ecosystem, in the performance of celebrity the way we’ve increasingly seen celebrity performed over the last 15 years. From revenge dresses to solitary poses in front of historic monuments to tearful televised overshares, Diana’s influence over a new generation of celebrity is undeniable – and that, perhaps ironically, includes her heirs. In the short term, Diana’s death demanded the performance of royal emotion which, up to that point, was never where they lived. People were pissed that the Queen wasn’t showing us her sadness. Before Diana, royals were allowed to grieve and process in private. The royal way, outwardly at least, was to always hold it together, the finest, most cultivated brand of stoicism that can be traced back centuries. Until the celebrity of Diana required a different form of royal presentation – feelings had to be revealed, pain had to be visible, anguish had to be on display. In an irreverent piece for The Spectator this week, Ron Liddle argues that the “[Dianafication](” of royal behaviour has actually endangered the British royals themselves by shortening and soon eliminating the distance between what is royal and what is common – no doubt, a snotty perspective, but the deliberately outrageous way he nostalgically remembers the 20th anniversary of Princess Anne’s rejection of Cherie Blair alongside the 20th anniversary of Diana’s passing is kind of hilarious in that it certainly speaks to the distaste that many old school British elitists view the new, modern royal accessibility. A different way of looking at it though, in direct opposition to Ron Little’s rather dire assessment of future royalty, is to consider whether or not Diana’s approach to her celebrity might actually save the monarchy, specifically for her heirs. Did Diana [play the Game Of Thrones](? Writing for the BBC, Daniel Mendelsohn identifies the Diana effect in pop culture. Prior to Diana’s arrival on the royal scene, the royal family was expert at the spectacle but without the drama. The show was the story. They were never the story. Diana, however, fused spectacle and drama. She recognised that, more and more, the story propelled the show. And the story, well, it has to involve an audience. It has to relate to the audience. In reaching out to her audience, in directly appealing to them to take her side, to understand her as she attempted to understand them, this is where she culled her power – and that’s the direct line Daniel Mendelsohn is drawing between Diana…and Daenerys Targaryen… WHAT? I know, right? Diana, Princess of Wales, (spiritual) mother of the Mother of Dragons? [Click here]( to read Hilary Mantel on The Princess Myth. [Click here]( to read Ron Liddle’s analysis of “Dianafication” and [click here]( for Diana’s Game Of Thrones. If you have any Diana reading recommendations, send them over. Yours in gossip, Lainey [Click here for the rest of the photos.]( Posted at 2:07 PM [A worthwhile Trip to Spain]( [The Trip To Spain movie poster]( Reuniting for the third time, filmmaker Michael Winterbottom and actors [Steve Coogan]( and Rob Brydon continue their “Trip” series of a largely improvised travel show which then gets edited into a feature film. (Say what you want about franchise culture, but it has resulted in a Trip trilogy.) It’s a roundabout way of making a movie, but it has worked for the trio since 2010’s The Trip, which introduced to Coogan’s and Brydon’s fictionalized selves and their semi-competitive friendship. The Trip to Spain continues the tradition, with shots of busy kitchens intercut with leisurely dining, waiters explaining impossibly delicious-sounding food, and “Steve” and “Rob” having conversations so loud it’s a wonder no one else in the restaurant ever looks at them. And of course, there are the impressions. In The Trip “Steve” gets stuck traveling to foodie spots in northern England with “Rob” after his initial plans fall through, and it seems the two can barely stand each other. In The Trip to Italy, they are almost reluctant friends, and now in The Trip to Spain they are just friends, and this is a thing they do. Spain benefits for the mellowed relationship because it allows more room for the compare-and-contrast of their lives to sink in, as they candidly discuss family and career with less competitive edge and more empathy. “Rob” has settled into his belated fatherhood, and not even a tempting Hollywood offer can lure him from his family. “Steve”, meanwhile, is still chasing waterfalls and trying to capitalize on the Oscar momentum of Philomena, for which the real Coogan was nominated for an Oscar. But there are still plenty of jokes at one another’s expense. “Rob” gets in a number of especially good digs about “Steve” constantly bringing up Philomena, but “Steve” gets in a zinger about The Huntsman: Winter’s War. (At one point “Rob” fields a call from a Hollywood agent who thinks he was the stand-out in Huntsman and ought to be getting more opportunities like that—the fictional agent is right and one wonders if Brydon actually had this conversation.) And there are the impressions—Roger Moore gets a lot of play this time around, as does Christopher Lee and Mick Jagger. (The famous [dueling Michael Caine impressions]( are referenced but no longer the centerpiece.) The MVP is “Rob’s” unrelenting Roger Moore impression while “Steve” is trying to have a real conversation. The actual story, though, is the most poignant it’s ever been. “Rob” is the parent of young children and worried about keeping up as they grow and he ages, and “Steve” is, despite his recent success, keenly aware that there is always someone younger and hungrier just behind him. Though the film doesn’t judge between the two men’s paths, “Steve’s” shark-like existence makes “Rob’s” choice to be happy with his UK telly success seem not only reasonable but actively BETTER. “Steve” has a nasty edge that “Rob” lacks entirely, and while “Steve” continues to scramble up the Hollywood ladder, “Rob” plays with his children, content in a way “Steve” cannot experience. The Trip has never wanted to condemn either man’s choices, but at this third stage it’s hard not to think “Steve’s” priorities are a little screwed up. The Trip to Spain sort of reminds me of Wet Hot American Summer: Ten Years Later. Both are the third reunion of actors performing endearing roles, and both manage to tell new stories in an established world, and touching on in-jokes and references while still adding to the repertoire. But both also have a creeping feeling of diminished returns, that what made their respective first films so great is beginning to get stale. Spain takes a hard turn into left field in the third act, and the movie gets a little loopy and too broad right at the end. But though it’s beginning to feel like we, like any weary traveler, need a break from “Rob” and “Steve”, there is still a lot of fun in “Rob” and “Steve” doing their rival impressions, and tearing strips off one another while eating amazing meals. The Trip to Spain is more of the same, but that’s not so bad when “the same” is the film equivalent of a Michelin-starred meal. [Click here for the rest of the photos.]( Posted at 7:51 PM [Catching feelings for Harry Styles]( [Harry Styles in Two Ghosts unplugged video]( We haven’t played the Lainey Hotness Litmus Test™ in a while. If you’re a long time reader, you know this test as the [Picture Him On Top Of You]( game. Usually, we don’t have to play this game with someone like [Harry Styles](. Usually, it’s reserved for douchebags or celebs that aren’t already beloved by millions of teenage girls. Lots of you are screaming at me right now that you’ve been picturing Harry on top of you for years, unironically. Well, Harry Styles has never done it for me. The teenager in me was somewhat interested in One Direction but I was always more into Zayn than Harry. But Harry Styles [released a new music video]( today and for the first time, I might be on Team Harry. The clip is a classic live performance video, simply showing Harry in front of a mic and with his guitar, singing Two Ghosts. Apparently, this is a stripped-down version of the original track that is [rumoured to be about Taylor Swift](. Ugh. Why is she everywhere? Reading that the song is maybe about Taylor just killed my vibe but before that, I was catching actual feelings watching Harry belt out “we don’t say what we really meeeaaaan.” Does this mean I’m a Harry Styles fan now? Is this going to be a problem? Back in April when Sign of the Times dropped, Lainey called it a “[sex symbol-making track.](” It was strong enough to give him a post-boy band hit lead single off of an album that Variety named one of its [Best of 2017 (So Far)](. So far, Harry Styles’ solo career is going really well. He’s solidified his sex symbol status even though he wears high-waisted, wide-legged pants I don’t understand like the ones he’s rocking in Two Ghosts. Musically, he’s joining the ranks of some of the industry’s most respected artists. He recorded this video at London’s famous Abbey Road Studio and he’s got a BBC special coming up in November that Adele and Michael Buble have recorded in the past. Plus, the dude surprisingly [didn’t suck in Dunkirk](. And now, when I picture Harry Styles on top of me, my reaction is a lot stronger than “meh.” He should be very proud of himself. The Two Ghosts video is the first clip from Apple Music’s exclusive Harry Styles film Behind the Album: The Performances. If I was still a teenager, my girlfriends and I would already be scheduling a sleepover to squeal our faces off and watch this together. The film is coming in September. Who’s coming over? [Click here for the rest of the photos.]( Posted at 7:30 PM [Gossip Nostalgia: When Gwyneth f-cked it up with Brad]( [Gwyneth Paltrow and Brad Pitt]( FINALLY. A [Gwyneth Paltrow]( quote that is not about wellness. Now this we can work with. G was on the Girlboss podcast with Sophia Amoruso this week and she was asked about f-cking up relationships and what she did to fix it. [Her response](: "Oh my God. I've f--ked up so many relationships, so many." "I'm actually a pretty good friend and a good sister and a daughter and a mother but I am at my potentially most vulnerable and f--ked up in the romantic slice of the pie," Paltrow said. "So it's taken me a lot of work to get to the place where I have a good romantic relationship. "So Brad Pitt, if you're listening," the host began. "I f--ked that up, Brad," Paltrow said. This isn’t new. In fact, G has always been forthcoming about the fact that they broke up because she wasn’t ready. Remember she told Diane Sawyer [back in 2003]( that: "I'm so lucky that I spent time with Brad, somebody who was such a good person! Especially when I was, like, such a mess." Brad was 34 or so when they broke up, almost 10 years older than G. He was ready for marriage. When they got engaged, though, she was only around 22/23 years old. Everyone f-cks sh-t up when they’re 22, 23 years old. We just don’t f-ck things up with people who look like Brad Pitt. That said, it’s not like G is saying this with any kind of regret. After all, her Oscar came after [Brad Pitt](. Ben Affleck also came after Brad Pitt. As did Chris Martin. She got them all in their prime too. Gwyneth Paltrow is never going to be Lindsay Shookus, you know? Still, as I’ve probably mentioned before, when it was G and (her first) Brad, it was a glorious time. He was OBSESSED with her. You don’t need me to revisit his “my angel, Gwyneth Paltrow” Golden Globes acceptance speech again so I’ll show you some other videos: OK now compare that video, which was early in their relationship, to this one, from March 1997. G and Brad confirmed their split in June 1997. (Yes, I have this memorised. What’s the problem?) You can see the end is near. It’s all in her body language and the sullen expression on her face. He might be the sexiest man alive but she’s bored. Still. They were f-cking great to look at, non? G’s current Brad, of course, is Brad Falchuk. The boyfriend who brings her brioche. [Boyfriend and brioche on the way to brunch 💕]( A post shared by Gwyneth Paltrow (@gwynethpaltrow) on Aug 20, 2017 at 11:07am PDT This moment in Gossip Nostalgia was brought to you by Cersei and Jaime Lannister, the Westeros version of when Gwyneth loved Brad. [Click here for the rest of the photos.]( Posted at 6:43 PM [Smutty Social Media, August 31, 2017]( [Karlie Kloss arrives at the 'Mayweather vs McGregor' fight in Las Vegas, 27, 2017]( Yesterday I mentioned that there might be Philanthropy Sh-t over a deleted comment on [Drake](S(dxsqo055eb3s1155v45qk255))/Drake/Celebrity/20815)’s Instagram. Turns out, it was not Drake who posted it, but someone on his page. So no shade here, towards Kendrick or anyone. False Boy Sh-t alarm. (Thanks Dee!) [😤]( A post shared by champagnepapi (@champagnepapi) on Aug 29, 2017 at 8:19am PDT Did you know Spencer Pratt is a Snapchat star? He’s used the medium to reinvigorate his career and was recently profiled by Naomi Fry (who I love) in [The New Yorker](. In a new interview, he talked the business side of having a baby. They nixed a few names because of unavailable social media handles and he’s annoyed that Lauren Conrad’s PEOPLE cover will drive down the cost of their [baby photos](. Tacky as f-ck? Of course. But don’t think these conversations don’t happen all the time among celebrities looking to get a 6 or 7 figure payout and a future children’s clothing line. [thanks mom @janetlpratt for the hat]( A post shared by Spencer Pratt (@spencerpratt) on Aug 4, 2017 at 4:34pm PDT On a whim, I looked up Greta Caruso’s Instagram to search for [a sign of Jake G](. All I could find was a Southpaw poster from 2015. A bit anticlimactic. [Opposite hair, same last name. Happy Father's Day, Pop.]( A post shared by @gretacaruso on Jun 18, 2017 at 3:05pm PDT [Karlie Kloss](S(dxsqo055eb3s1155v45qk255))/Karlie-Kloss/Celebrity/21715) was with Victoria’s Secret for four years, two as an official Angel. They parted ways in 2015. She’s going back the upcoming show in Shanghai. Karlie is about branding and business, so I’m very curious about the motivation behind her return. (Lainey: get that Chinese money.) [See you in Shanghai @VictoriasSecret 😇💗]( A post shared by Karlie Kloss (@karliekloss) on Aug 30, 2017 at 2:17pm PDT Yesterday, Joanna sent me this screenshot from one of [Lena Dunham](S(dxsqo055eb3s1155v45qk255))/Lena-Dunham/Celebrity/21450)’s Instagram stories. In an early 2017 Stern interview, Lena said she was not into the group hang, which explains her absence from the Fourth of July festivities from 2015 on. Did you know that was the first year to use squad as a hashtag and feature mostly models? This detailed history shows the [evolution of the party](: 2013 was backup dancers, 2014 was actresses (like Emma Stone!), and 2015 onward is how we’ve come to know it – waterslides and onesies. Will we one day be reading an oral history of Taymerica? I have a pair of prescription sunglasses, I just bought them. They were expensive but I really like them because I have super-sensitive eyes and it’s nice to be able to go for a walk without putting contacts on. If they were lost or stolen, I’d be upset. But not “wish someone a horrible death” upset. Rite to the cunt who robbed my shades backstage at reading I hope you die you cunt I guess it's karma for stealing the show as you were LG x — Liam Gallagher (@liamgallagher) [August 28, 2017]( Yes Benji’s effusive post is rare, but I really want to know why she and Gwyneth are wearing bibs. [Happy Birthday to my Beautiful Wife ❤️ I feel like I am the LUCKIEST guy ALIVE❤️ I don't think anyone could ever know the Depth, Kindness, and Compassion that I get to experience everyday thanks to My One and Only- You got me til the end baby❤️❤️❤️]( A post shared by Benji Madden (@benjaminmadden) on Aug 30, 2017 at 3:34pm PDT [Happy birthday @camerondiaz Your wisdom, humor, loyalty, cooking skills, guffaws, and ice cubes in rose get me through my life. I adore you with all my ❤️(And yes, we are wearing bibs in this picture)]( A post shared by Gwyneth Paltrow (@gwynethpaltrow) on Aug 30, 2017 at 11:10am PDT [Click here for the rest of the photos.]( Posted at 5:44 PM [Rihanna: ending summer in London]( [Rihanna leaves the Arts Club in Mayfair, August 30, 2017]( [Rihanna]( was home in Barbados at the beginning of the month for the Crop Over Festival. Since then, she’s been pretty quiet. No new photos of herself on Instagram in over 3 weeks. A couple of weeks ago she was [spotted in London]( leaving Chiltern with her boyfriend Hassan Jameel. Last night she was once again photographed in London, this time leaving The Arts Club in all denim. Photographers did not see Hassan though that doesn’t mean he wasn’t there. She’s probably been there this whole time, in London, with him. And had she not hit up two fairly high profile venues, we probably wouldn’t even know she was there. Rihanna and Hassan were supposedly dating for up to 6 months before it became public. She knows how to stay quiet when she wants to. And it’s been a relatively quiet end of summer for her so far. That will probably end soon. Fenty Beauty, her makeup line, is launching on September 8th. And her clothing line, Fenty X PUMA will show on September 10 at New York Fashion Week. Back to school, back to work. But first…before you move on to the next post, another article I want to share. A few days ago I read this gorgeous essay by Percy Zvomuya about the “[defiant witch-woman](” and her roots in southern African culture, a figure who “comes back again and again…to menace the landscapes of patriarchy” and Percy posits that her current form, for these times, is none other than Rihanna. I don’t think Rihanna would be mad at that. [Click here for the rest of the photos.]( Posted at 5:04 PM [Guillermo, Sally, and Octavia in Venice]( [Richard Jenkins, Octavia Spencer, Sally Hawkins and Guillermo Del Toro attend the 'The Shape Of Water' photocall during the 74th Venice Film Festival on August 31, 2017 in Venice, Italy]( Ethan Hawke, subject of an [earlier post]( today, starred in a film that was released earlier this year called Maudie. We posted an [exclusive first look]( at Maudie a few months ago. You can also read Joanna’s review [here](. When Jacek first saw the preview, based on just a two minute clip, he wanted [Sally Hawkins]( to win an Oscar. She is an extraordinary performer. Maudie is an excellent showcase for her talents. And early, early, early in the season, there were some who thought that Sally might [have an outside shot]( for a nomination. That might change though during festival season – not that she’d be taken out of the race, but that she could make it into the race, only for another film. Sally’s in Venice right now in support of [Guillermo del Toro](’s The Shape Of Water. The Shape Of Water is scheduled for release December 8th. In December, as I’m sure you know, there is one movie that will eat up most of the box office, leaving everyone else to fight over what’s left. That would be Star Wars: The Last Jedi. The Shape Of Water comes out the week before Star Wars. I guess that’s the not-so-great news? What’s encouraging though is that clearly the studio thinks The Shape Of Water is a holiday movie. That there will be an audience for its story. And the story is… It’s always better to show than tell, so here’s the trailer: I don’t have much of a heart. But I think I felt something watching that. It may have to do with the fact that I have a soft spot for Guillermo del Toro because I’ve interviewed him a few times and he is just so nice. Nice isn’t even the word. He’s sweet. He’s so, so, SO sweet. And this movie… seems sweet without being cloying? Maybe it’ll be cloying over 2 hours. The reviews coming out of Venice so far are strong though. The Guardian says that The Shape Of Water has a “[monster-sized heart](”; Variety calls it “[ravishingly imagined](”. And The Hollywood Reporter [was high on it too](. This is a film led by a charmingly passionate director with an impressive cast that also includes [Octavia Spencer](, Michael Shannon, and Richard Jenkins. Oh, you know, just your regular ensemble, right? All of them casually coming in with their Oscar nominations. Right now, and I know we have six months to go but some of us live for this sh-t, while there’s already a Best Actor frontrunner (Gary Oldman is playing Winston Churchill, everyone get the f-ck out of the way), there is no clear lead for Best Actress. Meryl Streep, Judi Dench, Annette Bening, and Frances McDormand are all [part of the conversation](. But so is Sally Hawkins. If the reviews for The Shape Of Water continue to hold up and it finds an audience in December, she could be back at the Dolby Theatre. Although before that, if you can, watch Maudie. It’s on iTunes now. She’s amazing. [Click here for the rest of the photos.]( Posted at 4:38 PM [Mean Girls is getting an unwanted remake]( [Scott McGehee and David Siegel]( Today in Did You Even Read That Book news, filmmaking duo Scott McGehee and David Siegel, the directors behind What Maisie Knew and The Deep End, have closed a deal to write and direct an adaptation of William Golding’s Lord of the Flies but with a TWIST!, and the TWIST! is that this time it’s all girls stranded on the island. They’re making an all-girl Lord of the Flies, a story explicitly about toxic masculinity and male violence. Bruh, did you even read that book? Also, there already is a female-centric Lord of the Flies and it’s called Mean Girls. No, they’re not stranded on an island but it is about a closed society run by a woman and how women wield power and capitalize on weakness to retain that power. The essential themes are the same, but what Tina Fey understands is that Lord of the Flies, as told by Golding, doesn’t work with women. I’m not saying women can’t be violent or that a matriarchal society can’t descend into violence, but to take Lord of the Flies as is and make it about women is to miss the entire point of Lord of the Flies. Speaking to [Deadline](, David Siegel said: “It is a timeless story that is especially relevant today, with the interpersonal conflicts and bullying, and the idea of children forming a society and replicating the behavior they saw in grownups before they were marooned.” It IS timeless and it IS relevant today, with the way we’re seeing fragile masculinity and toxic masculinity play out in the real world, and with everything “snowflakes” and “beta males” and “cucks”. Now would be a GREAT time to remake Lord of the Flies and emphasize the “I learned it from you!” brand of toxic masculinity that is doing so much damage in our world right now. But flipping it and making it about girls explicitly prohibits us from re-examining the role of aggressive masculinity in society. To be an “alpha male” is still seen as a positive in society, and traits of aggression, dominance, and patriarchal control are still assumed to be ideal and even beneficial. Lord of the Flies is a takedown of those assumptions and a warning to find a better way lest society collapse into utter chaos. Making it about women, though, means no longer punching up to unsettle the dominant power structure, but punching down to a group of people who are being victimized by those structures they still don’t control. To show a subjugated class isolated and replicating the power structure that subjugates them only reinforces that very power being used against them. To literally interpret Lord of the Flies with women is to ignore that perhaps women, on their own, would build a very different society—not utopian, but different. An all-girl Lord of the Flies is as misguided as Confederate. It misses the point of the original fiction entirely, and it has great potential to actively harm the community it’s portraying. [Click here for the rest of the photos.]( Posted at 3:55 PM [Ethan Hawke & Amanda Seyfried start festival season]( [Ethan Hawke and Amanda Seyfried at the 74th Venice Film Festival First Reformed photocall, August 31, 2017]( [Ethan Hawke]( and [Amanda Seyfried]( are at the Venice Film Festival supporting Paul Schrader’s First Reformed. The film will also be coming to Toronto for TIFF next week. First Reformed is about a priest, a “[whisky priest](” played by Ethan, tormented by past mistakes and struggling with his faith. Reviews so far have been solid, if not outstanding, with critics praising Ethan’s performance. Variety called him a “[supple](” actor, and it’s a good word, considering Ethan’s career both as an actor and as a celebrity. I hate a love-hate relationship with Ethan. Sometimes I see him and I’m like, STAHP, enough already, you’re corny AF. Sometimes, though, I can’t help myself. Maybe it’s residual Troy Dyer desire, even though we all should have well outgrown him. But also? Ethan Hawke is undeniably talented. And, in comparison to some of his peers, he’s actually not that annoying. Like, between Jared Leto and Ethan Hawke? I’m with Ethan Hawke. Between Leonardo DiCaprio and Ethan Hawke? Ethan Hawke all the way. One thing I like about Ethan is that he doesn’t pretend he doesn’t want it. I remember reading his thoughts on River Phoenix. That, of course, obviously, he was devastated that River died. Because River made him better. Because River’s work made him want to work harder. Will Ethan Hawke win an Oscar one day? You know, back in the day, I would have looked at these shots of Ethan and Amanda together and smelled trouble. To be clear, I know nothing. There is no trouble that I’m aware of. But there was a time when it would have been a possibility, non? [Click here for the rest of the photos.]( Posted at 3:27 PM [Bughead’s Jen Lindley]( [Vanessa Morgan attends the 2017 MTV Video Music Awards at The Forum on August 27, 2017 in Inglewood, California]( That headline might mean nothing to you. If you’re young enough to know what ‘Bughead’ is, you’re probably too young to remember Jen Lindley and if you’re old enough to remember Jen, you’re probably wondering what the f-ck a Bughead is. Let me explain. Riverdale’s resident fan-favourite couple does not include Archie Andrews. The One True Pairing of the show is currently Betty Cooper and Jughead Jones, played by rumoured real-life couple Lili Reinhart and [my inappropriate crush Cole Sprouse](. Betty and Jughead’s blended nickname is Bughead. I am not responsible for this portmanteau. Blame the Riverdale fandom. The OTP of season one of Dawson’s Creek was Joey Potter and Dawson Leery. That is until bad girl Jen Lindley showed up and the show’s first love triangle was born. Jen came in between Dawson and Joey and set up a conflict that would continue throughout the series’ run. Toni Topaz may be Riverdale’s Jen Lindley, the bad girl from the wrong side of the tracks who steals Jughead away from Betty. [Vanessa Morgan]( will be playing Toni and here’s what she said [about her character to Glamour](: “She’s a Southside Serpent, a gang member, and Jughead’s first friend. So I might stir up the pot a bit with the Bughead relationship. There might be a little love triangle.” Deep breaths, Bughead shippers. She said *might.* Plus, Betty and Jughead can’t just stay together and live happily ever after. How boring is that sh-t? There needs to be drama. And what better architect of drama is there than a hot Southside Serpent who also happens to be openly bisexual? Toni Topaz is a character in the Archie Comics who is described as a “[tough girl who sports pink hair with her purple jumpsuit.](” Um, she sounds BADASS. In the comics, Topaz’s sexuality is implied and according to Riverdale’s executive producer [Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa](, it will be “explored” in the show’s second season. The Mary Sue [brought up the concerns that]( “the homewrecking bisexual or the bisexual who can’t be trusted” is a harmful stereotype we’ve seen in media before. But Morgan told Glamour she hopes Toni Topaz will not be a trope. “I hope the lesson is, don't judge a book by its cover, by someone's upbringing, or by who they love. I hope people watch Toni and think, ‘Why are we judging people?’ I would love that if people took that from my character.” It looks like Bughead fans will judge her more for coming in between their fave couple than for her sexuality. Morgan says she’s [already received death threats](. Who are these people? These people give us regular fans, who just stare at pictures of Cole Sprouse for uncomfortable amounts of time, a bad name. Sure, I like Betty and Jughead together but I’m more interested to see Jughead Jones veer into bad boy territory and play the field. Jen Lindley made Dawson Leery 75 per cent more interesting just by showing up. The arrival of Toni Topaz in Riverdale is good news. Promise. Attached - Vanessa Morgan at the VMAs on the weekend. [Click here for the rest of the photos.]( Posted at 2:55 PM [August 31, 2017 – Smutty Shout-Outs]( [Happy Birthday, Samantha! ]( Samantha! Happy Early Birthday! Wendy tells me it’s going to be a milestone month for you. Congratulations on the baby and wishing you a very uneventful and safe labour. PS. Do you have a personal photographer? Who took this picture? Put her/him on payroll! It’s gorgeous! [Click here for the rest of the photos.]( Posted at 2:25 PM [Privacy Policy]( - [Unsubscribe](