In this week’s handle with care, Rihanna is having a baby!!!!!!! Plus, the Winter Olympics and a “Bachelor” recap.
ICYMI, Rihanna is pregnant. Paparazzi-style photos of the singer and father-to-be A$AP Rocky were taken by photographer Diggzy on an idyllic, snowy day in New York. The photos landed on social media timelines everywhere on Monday morning.
And to think, as I apply my Fenty Beauty Gloss Bomb, this baby is not even born and is already wealthier than I will ever be. It’s so exciting when a celebrity you grow up admiring is happy!
There is one man in particular who is hurting right now, so everybody please, let’s not laugh: Drake unfollowed Rihanna and A$AP Rocky on Instagram. I tell my mom about everything that happens to famous people before she gets the chance to read about it on Facebook, and her statement regarding Drake was simply, “Pobrecito.” It’s okay buddy, take your time during your healing journey.
The Halle Baileyification of Hollywood
Oprah Winfrey announced the cast of “The Color Purple” in a Vanity Fair Q&A this past week. The newest version of the film-turned-musical turned back to film will start shooting next month. It will star Fantasia, Colman Domingo, Taraji P. Henson, Danielle Brooks, H.E.R., Corey Hawkins, and Halle Bailey. Bailey, who is part of the music duo, Chloe x Halle, is also starring in the upcoming live action “The Little Mermaid.”
The Winter Olympics are underway!
Just like how gymnastics and swimming are the best parts of the summer Games, I think figure skating is the best part of the winter ones. The team event in figure skating will wrap up in primetime this evening, but on Thursday night, the rhythm dancers went up against each other for team points. Team USA’s pair, Madison Hubbell and Zachary Donohue (who are actually exes), performed to a Janet Jackson medley (“Nasty,” “Rope Burn,” and “Rhythm Nation”). I watched it three times in the span of 24 hours… guys, it was hot.
It’s been eight years since my favorite Taylor song was created!!
Although “cardigan” is currently fighting “Clean” to be my favorite Taylor Swift song, today I am honoring “Clean” a few days before the anniversary of when it was written.
I’ve already said this, but when you get the pop girls with Imogen Heap in the studio, it’s like magic. The meaning of the song is everchanging to me because no matter what situation I’m going through as I try to make sense of my life, I can find a way to relate to it. It’s very comforting, and it serves as a reminder to take care of myself when I am focused on things I can’t control. I have attachments to a lot of Taylor Swift songs for different reasons, but in short, that’s why “Clean” is very personal to me.
Oscar nominations will be announced on Tuesday
I don’t want to predict anything about these nominations, I think I just want to be surprised when I wake up on Tuesday morning. After voting closed, the Academy announced that they had the highest voter turnout of all time this year. All I know for certain is that a stretcher needs to be on standby in case Andrew Garfield doesn’t get a Best Actor nomination.
On the other side of the pond…
The British Academy of Film and Television Arts released their nominations this past week and I mostly wanted to mention “Spencer,” the critically-acclaimed biopic starring Kristen Stewart as Princess Diana, getting completely shut out. It’s notable because Prince William is the President of the Academy, and the Royal Family is always involved with the BAFTAs. Connect those dots how you see fit.
On the music side of things, the BRIT Awards will air on Tuesday! I’ll also be writing another performance ranking for United By Pop this year. If you watch to watch from the United States, they’ll be streaming live on YouTube at noon PST/3 p.m. EST.
The Bachelor Week 4 Recap
Last week was left on somewhat of a cliffhanger, with Clayton looking to address the Shanae and Elizabeth situation before the rose ceremony. He pulls them out outside to have a conversation that ultimately goes in circles. Clayton physically and mentally checks out of the conversation after hearing the word “shrimp” too many times, but he can still overhear them arguing. Elizabeth excuses herself, and Shanae heads to the kitchen to have more shrimp. Jill, the woman that brought the urn on night one, is upset over not having any time with Clayton because of “shrimpgate.” Genevieve is more than upset, and speaks her truth to Shanae, blaming her for taking up so much time. Shanae raises her finger to shush her, which only makes her more angry. More yelling ensues, until host Jesse Palmer announces that the cocktail party is canceled and Clayton wants to go straight to the rose ceremony.
Gabby, Sarah, and Eliza received date roses in the last episode. Clayton gave roses to Marlena, Teddi, Rachel, Mara, Sierra, Susie, Jill, Serene, Genevieve, Hunter, Lyndsay, and… Shanae!!! Meaning Elizabeth went home, along with Melina and Kira. The next morning, the women are twiddling their thumbs on the couch in silence while they wait for a date card to arrive. Instead, they get Jesse telling them that there wouldn’t be a date today! He told them that they were going to embark on their “international journey” to see if Clayton is their person, hilariously starting in Houston, Texas, AKA the hometown of Beyoncé, Megan Thee Stallion, etc. In Houston, Clayton’s friend Clarence visits him and gives him advice while he is looking for his wife. Clarence is married and has children, and Clayton is even more determined to continue his “journey.”
The women settle into their hotel and wait for the first date card, which ends up being for Rachel. They go horseback riding and wander into the backyard of a random family having a barbecue. There is absolutely no context to this!!!!!!! Clayton and Rachel help cook separately from each other, and they talk to the family members about their relationship. First, they crash the event, then they only talk about themselves? They eat ribs with the family, and then go to a dock on a lake. I actually think they suit each other so well, and you can tell they like each other. And then he asks her what her last name is, and the fantasy is over. Back at the hotel, the following women are invited on the group date: Eliza, Gabby, Genevieve, Hunter, Jill, Lyndsey, Mara, Marlena, Sarah, Shanae, Sierra, Susie, and Teddi. Serene was the only one left off the date card, meaning that she will get a one-on-one. Clayton and Rachel are at dinner, and she tells him about how unsupportive her ex was about her career. He gives her the rose while they are slow dancing to Restless Road, and he says he will never “dim [her] light.”
The morning of the group date, Gabby, Genevieve, and Sierra are planning on telling Clayton about Shanae’s actions. Shanae was napping one room over, but got out of bed to press her ear against the wall to listen in. Group date time, but first, a Hyundai product placement!! They were tailgating at NRG Stadium, and Clayton taught Gabby how to plug the grill into the car. It was literally all fun and games until Houston Texans players, Jonathan Greenard and Kamu Grugier-Hill joined Clayton to reveal the real date: a tackle football game, or the Bachelor Bowl IV. The winning team got to go to the after party, and the losing team got to go back to the hotel. The women split up into teams: the Shrimp Stampede and the Purple Punishers. Just take a guess at which team Shanae was on! The Purple Punishers win 21-0, mostly thanks to Marlena, the former Olympian.
With half of the women going back to the hotel, including Shanae, she’s worried about the winners going through with the plan she overheard in the morning. Instead of wallowing in the suite, she left and got ready to crash the after party. Meanwhile, Sierra and Genevieve already told Clayton separately that the women were surprised he kept Shanae. (Side note: every time I see Sierra, she convinces me that I need a bottle of Fenty Body Lava.) While Clayton is with Sarah, he was surprised to see Shanae walk in and ask to talk. Sarah is dismissed and tells the rest of the women about it. Shanae tells Clayton all about the plotting by the other women. Clayton was either longing for the touch of a woman or has producers in his ear, but he winded up making out with Shanae. Before making her exit, she went over to the women, grabbed the trophy they won, threw it in the bushes, and said, “Keep my name out of your motherfucking mouth.” Yeah… this makes Clayton’s actions as the Bachelor so far very questionable, but the first two-on-one date in a few seasons will air tomorrow with Shanae and Genevieve.
Happy February!! Happy Mercury is finally out of retrograde!!! I hope everyone had a good start to the month. Thanks so much for reading 💗