The Rise of the Midwest Princess
Tim Walz's big dad energy. The Lively-Reynolds Industrial Complex. It Ends With Us junket drama. Olympic gems. Swifties in Vienna + lots more.
Hi hi hi.
I am out of the woods of Georgia where I spend a week each summer as a counselor at a grief camp.
I braved a wall of hot hot heat and humidity and also survived one of my co-counselors casually telling me she met Harry Styles at a Pinkberry when was in high school. Even though I didn’t really like Pinkberry and maybe ate it 3x total in my life. it was such A Time™. (This 1D/PB moment is later in that whole thing, but prime Pinkberry Era was something to behold.)
And I did only miss some photos of the Fruit Witch on a Lime bike.
Anyway, it was as exhilarating and exhausting and amazing and challenging and inspiring as ever. I miss it + my camp fam so much already.
As previously mentioned, the biggest bummer of the timing this summer was missing so much of the sports action in Paris. But being as extra as I am, this is how I showed up to our final Olympics-themed final banquet. Because of course I did. (Yes, that cap and actual swim parka were VERY steamy.)
Abby Ledecky1, at your service. Welcome to a glimpse of what I was wearing for huge swaths of my youth.
One of the photographers captured a whole series of me scream-singing all week and I need to get them all framed.
We are always into Taylor and 1D at camp and the shot above is fully just two Harries belting “As It Was” at the silent disco. We were also very Chappell-Charli-Sabrina-Noah forward this year.
Also me.
See! Grief camp is filled with joy!!! Dining Hall Dance Parties 4EVA.
I already got long-winded about it on main, so I’ll just repost that with the caption below here.
The days are long, but the (best) week (ever) is oh-so short. Such is life at @experiencecamps in Georgia, where I just wrapped up summer #7.
When you tell someone you’re off to volunteer as a camp counselor, a typical response involves excitement + a big old smile—often filled with a touch of nostalgia if they, too, grew up a camp person. When they ask, “What kind of camp is it?” and I reply, “Grief camp,” a tinge of sadness appears. That pity face that grievers know all too well.
I understand the impulse. Our culture is terrible at talking about death + loss + grief. And, yes, it sure does hurt your heart when you think about young people who have experienced the death of a parent, sibling, or primary caregiver. It’s one of the reasons the work this organization does is so important. I have watched countless lives change right in front of my eyes over a matter of days. Including my own.
The thing they can’t fully understand is that grief camp is *bursting* with joy + happiness. When we make room for BIG FEELINGS™, we mean ALL of them. To quote a line from one of my favorite movies (Vanilla Sky hive, rise up!): “Just remember, the sweet is never as sweet without the sour, and I know the sour.”
We cry. We dance. We sing. We share. We get vulnerable. We laugh ’til our faces hurt. We hold each other up. We lose our voices from cheering + chanting. We leap outside our comfort zones. We sit with each other in the pain. Then we dance again. That could all happen in a span of hours. (Does that sound like some other places I traipse all over the world to experience?!?)
We continue to change. We continue to heal. We carry this week + these people in our hearts until we meet again next year.
To my girls of G5, we weathered some storms both literal + figurative—and I’m so proud of all of us. But mostly of these inspiring almost-7th graders who teach me so much about how to move through the world with emotional intelligence + vulnerability + strength + kindness.To all the lil bebes I’ve watched grow up, now my peers as counselors and junior counselors, it is such a joy to stand back + watch you shine your magical lights on a new generation.
To my camp fam. You know who you are. The ones who truly SEE me + accept me in the most authentic way I’ve ever felt accepted in my whole entire life. I love you madly + I miss you deeply already.
This truly is the worst club with the best people. Thank you for changing my life again and again and again.
I always say that I never feel closer to my mom than when I’m at camp. And that Mo being Mo, she never fails to throw me new challenges that make me long for her advice. And then reveal that it might not look like I wish it did, but she’s still guiding me.
I’m counting the minutes until we get to embrace all of this beautiful chaos again in 2025 ✨✨✨
Once more, thank you to all of you who have supported Experience Camps over the years. The camp is FREE for the kids and you have been a vital part of being able to grow our numbers over the years. We will be doing a large crowdfunding campaign later in the fall, but donations are always welcome.
If you’re interested in hearing more about volunteering or know a family that might benefit from camp, please don’t hesitate to reach out. Applications open for new volunteers and new campers on November 1.
Dunnn Dunnnnn Dun Dun Dun Dun Dunnnnnn…
I am so sad that I didn’t get to experience Pommel Horse Guy and early Snoop Takes Paris and swimming and Simone with the rest of you, but I did bed rot most of last weekend after arriving home and mainlined all things Olympics that I missed. Peacock really did make it so much easier to find all the event replays. Bless.
Thanks to all the coverage on Drinks With Broads for helping catch me up too!
I’m about to drop in some favorite online moments from this week, but can we please first agree that the breakdancing was wildly embarrassing and we should never let that happen again?!? Like, why was everyone so bad? Even the worst “it’s showtime!” subway dancers would kick most of these people’s asses, let alone the actually baller people who you’re afraid might accidentally kick you in the face.
Some of these competitors looked like my 3-year-old nephew busting moves. (Apologies to those Olympians who did indeed have talent in this endeavor!)
Onto the good stuff…
Okay, Indiana! Cole Hocker’s amazing upset to win gold only could have been better if he’d matriculated at the superior North Central High School, not Cathedral. But I’ll allow it 😉. I have a lot of friends who went to Cathedral.
I love how mad terminally online dudes who can’t even walk a full mile without resting got about this gorge moment.
Noah’s nails 💅 were perfect. Pleasing, call me to run your partnerships division. It’s in everyone’s best interests.
Mocking Kevin Hart? I’m in.
I will watch every video from every angle of these two lovebirds forevermore. “The Alchemy” is one of my least listened to songs on Tortured Poets, but every edit is getting an immediate like from me if it involves these delightful lovebirds.
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Can Tara and Hunter cheer for me for everything in my life?!?
The women’s 4x100! Sha’Carri’s side eye! Give me every meme!
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That men’s semifinal hoops game! Jesus! Chef Curry2!!! Let’s hope both teams bring home the gold this weekend3.
(I’ve currently got the women’s soccer gold medal game4 on as I finish this newsy.)
I was lucky enough to have really awesome and supportive and not psychotic sports parents. This dad tore me up.
Brat Meets Midwest Princess
Speaking of great dads, how about that VP pick huh? Democrats making good choices all over the place. The energy is palpable. The hope is hoping all over the place. What in the 2008 are these feelings percolating in my body?!?
Between the Olympics and the election, this is on a loop in my head all day every day right now5.
My Minnesotan friends have been singing this man’s praises for a minute now and while I had awareness of how much good shit he was getting done over there, he wasn’t fully on my radar until he started popping up as a campaign surrogate as soon as Biden removed himself from the election. My friend Jeremy and I have been excitedly texting about him for weeks!
Listen, is it wild that Pop Crave is out here informing certain demographics about the election? Sure. But they’re getting the facts straight.
I love to see a progressive, real talk Midwesterner in the spotlight.
Now, I don’t believe we should worship politicians, but Tim Walz is giving an added boost of energy to an already energetic campaign.
What a time!!!!
As many grammatically-forward people noted, we are indeed about to enter an apostrophe hell. This is about to make holiday card season look like a cakewalk.
Loved this from a former copy editor I once worked with for a bit.
I adore this man. We can adore without stanning + worshipping, folks!!!! Try it, it’s great.
Look at that: You can be progressive AND wholesome.
There’s a whole lot of that in the Midwest and it is often overshadowed by the deep red MAGA forces of evil. It’s our time!!! Let’s rise up.
The way this caption—”@BonIver, you made my kid Hope’s day. (Which means you made mine too.)”—is so Gary Gardner-coded.
I think it’s quite true that Tim Walz is representing—for certain people of a certain age—the dads they lost to Fox News and MAGA. The what could and should have been for a lot of folks in this country.
My god the midwestern dad he is. I cannot get over it.
Sidebar: One of my favorite content genres involves quirks of Midwest culture. My friend Courtney and I have been sharing this stuff for years and I know I’ve put some here before. But, in case you need a primer to start.
Yeah, no, yeah…there will be more to come. We haven’t even gone properly in on a midwestern goodbye yet.
Here’s a couple more cents from me, another progressive Midwesterner who like to say it like it is—usually in a voice that is quite loud. Even if nobody asks.
On the cold ick of JD Vance vs the warmth that is Tim Walz, a former teacher who turned a high school football program around like Ted Lasso/Coach Taylor while also acting as the faculty sponsor for the school’s first gay/straight alliance.
I’m so ready for Gwen + Doug time on the campaign trail, too.
I am living for Hope Walz, proudly born from IVF and a daughter of the Midwest who finds her dad equal parts wonderful and “omg daaaaaaaaaad!” Highly relatable.
I am not alone, of course, in approving of the VP pick.
I merched up. Duh. Have we met?!?
We’ve got some official stuff on the way.
And some non-official, but very cute from Merch for America. You can shop their online pop-up until 8/11.
The internet is even on board with the good vibes.
I had already ordered a restocked Midwest Princess hat from Chappell before the official TW news.
LOL.
In other campaign goodness…
In case there are any questions, this sums it up for me. Perhaps you’ll find this video useful if your views are similar. Simple, to the point.
Big this gif energy! Sincerely, a single lady with neither children nor cats.
This this this this this this this this this. My god, internet, get over this tired, erroneous trope.
L. O. L.
The limit does not exist for the memes on this clip too.
Deeply inside my Venn diagram.
Celine Dion stays iconique. Those other people stay moronic.
…AND REALLY, THAT SONG
Finally, this is one of my favorite things I’ve ever seen on the internet. She nails every single one of these impersonations. Thank you to my friend, Rakesh, for making sure I saw this upon re-entering digital society.
These Also Passed the Vibe Check
A few other happy happy joy joy things, for me anyway.
Yes, Ben’s new look makes me happy. It’s hot, if cheesy6. Now I’m not happy about the split, but if this isn’t the most I’m about to be divorced energy, I’m not sure what is.
Rihanna + Pasta = Perfect
My WNBA team at the State Fair. I’m so excited for the season to get going again. And GO USA in tomorrow’s gold medal game.
This Luda stan is incredible.
I get it, my girl. I get it. #1 Olivia does too.
This makes me feel 1000000 years old, but also very alive inside.
The Lively-Reynolds Industrial Complex
I feel like even when I was basically offline for a week, Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds were still making their way into my brain. Somehow.
Now, I have always7 been publicly on the record as someone who thinks Ryan Reynolds is not as funny as he thinks he is/fairly insufferable because of that + also a cartoon version of a handsome man. But I don’t think he’s a bad guy or whatever.
And I like Blake in general, though I do think Leighton Meester should have had the bigger career coming out of Gossip Girl. I love both Traveling Pants movies dearly and I go hard in the paint for The Age of Adaline and A Simple Favor. I’d rather not talk about her accent in The Town.
They are both good friends OF Taylor’s, but they also appear to be good friends TO her—which is lovely. Genuinely. She is the godmother to their children and the three oldest girls have their names immortalized in “Betty”8. Plus, that sweet baby voice at the beginning of “Gorgeous”9 is Blake and Ryan’s eldest daughter, James.
Right now, these two are everywhere—more than usual. He is promoting the new Deadpool and all his other businesses and she is promoting It Ends With Us and her non-alcoholic sparkling mixers or whatever Betty Buzz is pretending to be, along with launching a new haircare line called Blake Brown, which we’ll get into in a minute.
I have notes on it all. Duh.
Let’s start with the hair brand: Blake Brown.
Blake has STUNNING hair. I would give anything for that hair.
I have never once thought Blake Lively should launch a hair brand.
But if a celeb is going to do that, they better be coming with more of a POV/value proposition than “use masks not conditioner.” Um, hair masks are conditioner. There’s no innovation. There’s no important science that I can find. Oh, nourishment/moisture and strength are important? I had no idea. You can read more groundbreaking information here.
It’s a bad name. Where was master marketer Ryan on this one? So, Brown is her father’s last name. He actually took her mother’s. Congrats on this awesome feminist household, but it doesn’t make sense for this brand. Blake is famously blonde. When you see Brown with haircare, it’s not weird to think it’s something color-related.
I’m not loving the packaging or how text heavy this website is. And that’s coming from an extremely verbose writer. But there’s a time and place. This ain’t it.
I see what they’re trying to do nostalgia-wise with this aesthetic but I’m not sure it’s working.
I haven’t tried the products and they sold out on their first day. Though, who knows how much stock they actually had. Can’t wait to see how the reviews come in…
Because to me, it’s giving Preserve. Remember Preserve? Blake’s Goop that flopped hard. She’s certainly more famous now, so we shall see how it goes. And maybe the products are good. That doesn’t mean they’re necessary. Give me a stylist-developed product any day.
She’s also landed a Vogue cover for all this promo. It is a To Catch a Thief-style shoot by Baz Luhrmann, co-starring Hugh Jackman who is not in her movie but is in her husband’s.
It is giving dated jewelry or fragrance ad and I’m bored to tears. Obviously she’s beautiful, but this is snoooooooooooooozy. And the weird cross-promo is annoying.
I just wish if we were going to actually spend proper money on a shoot again like in the old days (as they have), with all the sets and production design, etc, that we’d done something cooler with it. Something fresh, innovative, interesting. Weird would have been GREAT.
The promo fashions have been…something, as well. I love that Blake often takes big swings with her sartorial choices—and famously doesn’t use a stylist10. It’s so much more interesting than being safe all the time and she quite frequently pulls it all off. She’s gorge and she can carry a heavy dose of Fashion with a capital “F”—which is not something everyone can do. I love a ton of stuff she wears, but this recent “story” is headache-inducing.
Her character is named Lily Bloom and owns an eponymous flower shop. (Don’t even get me started.) Hence, all the floral and prints we’ve seen.
It’s not all bad, but it is A LOT. And I’m a girl who likes A LOT, much of the time.
This styling is upsetting to me.
I like the whimsy here, but again I feel like the styling could be stronger. It WAS stronger in how it was originally shown.
There’s SO much happening. Lord. That coat is beautiful, but doesn’t feel right for the moment.
And these shenanigans are happening underneath.
No, Serena. No.
Sidebar: LOL this old family photo that popped in my Facebook Mems yesterday and has me and my mom looking like we should be at this junket. Please note, the bold lip has been my signature for a loooooong time 💋. And we have always loved a great pair of frames in this family. I have improved the hair accessory situation.
Back to Blake…
Sigh (not in a cool way).
This is very pretty.
Then we whip right back around and fly off the rails once more.
This fashion story has a lot of side quests. Like, huh? I would very much like that sweater for fall, though.
I feel like a lot of people really liked her in the archival Versace once worn by B. Spears. I was not one of them. But it’s not baddddd. I’m not loving this length either.
And…she nailed this one. No notes.
…then we backslide again.
I know she was trying to do something akin to her INCREDIBLE press run for A Simple Favor11. But, alas, we can’t win ‘em all.
This is just a sampling of the suits she wore. I loved it.
Back on the cross promo front, I did not find this funny. But again, Ryan’s humor has never been my thing. Yes, his co-star and his mom are “interviewing” one of Blake’s co-stars. Ryan has shown up in some way in a LOT of Blake’s press. Do with that what you will.
Which brings me to whatever is going on with the It Ends With Us press tour. I started seeing TikToks early in the week about possible Don’t Worry Darling-style drama amid the junkets, etc. Now, I was onto a fissure between the director of that movie and Miss Flo long before it was a mainstream due to…well, we all know. But also Scorpio sense and the way some of Florence’s IG Stories had played out over a year before they started rolling out the press for the movie. I was ALSO a Florence Pugh stan long before she was cast in this mess of a movie.
PREVIOUSLY ON WHN DWD WATCH:
I don’t fuck with Colleen Hoover books, so I have not been invested in anything about this movie until the last few weeks, starting with the aforementioned fashions. This is to say that I cannot offer you the level of expertise that I could with DWD and what I know many others will be able to provide when it comes to Hoover, Blake, and Justin Baldoni, who directed this film and also acts in it. Oh, and he’s the one who first optioned the novel too.
Just because I have never read a Colleen Hoover book does not mean I am unaware of how massive her fandom is and how popular her books are. It’s no joke. And I know how possessive and protective I am about books I love, so I get it if you are feeling a certain way about any adaptation.
I do know that there is often internet discussion about toxic relationships in a lot of her work. I have no opinion on that because I don’t know the material and can’t speak on it. I also know that this particular book is in some part inspired by the story of her own mother’s escape from domestic violence.
There is sensitive subject matter in this film. Period.
People who are not me were paying attention soon noticed that Justin was absent from some of the early press events and then when he did start appearing, he was never photographed or interviewed with anyone else in the cast. Some were trying to say that’s because he plays the bad one in the movie and they don’t want to glorify it…huh? Villains can do press. I’m sorry, but when your star and director/co-star aren’t doing ANY press together, not even a photo, that’s suspect.
Then some said the whole cast unfollowed Justin, but that kind of info is always going to get a side eye from me because you actually don’t know that they were following in the first place, etc. Still, it’s circumstantial evidence in context.
I was intrigued.
TikTok was even more so.
I’m just a sponge at this point. Taken it all in and then wringing it out for you. Why am I like this with my metaphors?!?
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I learned that Ryan rewrote a pivotal scene of this movie. Don’t worry, I have media literacy. That was actually from Blake’s mouth on the red carpet. Again, I know nothing about these relationships, but I can certainly imagine a scenario where that doesn’t go over well with a director. (Blake is a producer on this.)
I saw a clip of Justin being complimentary of Blake. But also there’s that quote above which could be read with snark, or could not be. And a Jenny Slate moment that people thought was her shading Justin. Again, it’s kind of giving you see what you want to see—but also maybe it’s not nothing.
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Then places like Daily Mail and Page Six, who must always be taken with a gigantic grain of salt started running stories about difficulties on the set with “sources” saying stuff like:
'During scenes depicting abuse, Justin failed to consider Blake’s character’s perspective, instead focusing solely on what he believed was the abusive male viewpoint,' they said.
'His approach was very chauvinistic, creating a tense atmosphere on set.'
The source claimed Justin was 'borderline abusive' on set, and said he 'almost became the character.'
'Justin almost became the character in the sense that some women on set felt he was borderline abusive to them and that he was unprofessional and unapologetic,' they said.
And another industry insider said there were a few moments on set that made Lively, who is a producer on the project, feel “uncomfortable” about her postpartum body.
Lively, 36, joined “It Ends With Us” soon after giving birth to her fourth child with Ryan Reynolds, son Olin.
As photos leaked at the start of production, fans called out Lively’s “frumpy” costumes for her character, Lily Bloom — prompting Lively to delve into her own wardrobe for some of the looks, borrowing clothes from BFF Gigi Hadid and husband Ryan Reynolds and wearing her own jewelry.
Sources who have worked with Baldoni were quick to say the father of two would never intentionally set out to make any of his actors feel unsupported.
By the end of filming, however, there was apparently no love lost between the cast.
“It’s not just Blake,” added the industry source. “None of the cast enjoyed working with Justin …They certainly didn’t talk to him at the premiere.”
Whatever is going on, it’s messy and sounds like it’s about to get messier? The movie is tracking to make at least $45M this weekend, so it’s certainly not doing anything harmful to the bottom line.
If you’re looking for a fun weekend deep dive, this could be for you. I’m sure there are many, many more details that I haven’t even seen yet—let alone left out of this quickie summary as best I know it.
If this is your lane, please share any insights in the comments!
Gen X Moment of Zen
Yep, pretty much. I can still sing this entire theme song on command.
Eras Tour Diary: Many Places
Obviously, the cancellation of the Vienna shows due to the discovery of a terrorist threat is the main story of the week. There was no other decision to be made, but I’m heartbroken for those who will not get to see the show now. Truly.
I’m hoping everything goes to plan for London, but obviously safety is the most important thing.
But my god did my heart swell when I started seeing all these videos on Thursday morning. This community is really something else. You are the reason for the teardrops on my laptop, Swifties. I love us12.
And well, done Vienna!!!
I CANNOT WITH THIS SWEETNESS.
They even did a “22” hat for a tiny!
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People were basically doing the entire show front-to-back in the street. Not to worry, they were safe and there was a police presence. I hope Taylor felt better after seeing all that she has created and how resilient and kind so much of this fandom is.
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And seriously, if seeing something like that—even from a group of people you don’t typically enjoy—and what you feel is the need to shit on it publicly, I’ll never have anything for you.
But also…this woman has a point. What ARE the surprise songs for each night 😜?
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LOL. Gallows humor FTW.
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In other pre-Vienna news, Taylor announced the additional openers13 for the upcoming five-night run at Wembley. She did this for the June shows with Mette, Griff, and Benson Boone. Next week14 will be Sofia Istella, Holly Humberstone, Suki Waterhouse, Maisie Peters, and Raye. Sofia is the one I’m less familiar with, but I already into the others, if not super super well-versed in all.
I love the excitement from the artists.
My show15 is Suki!!! As Coven of Psychos Swifties know, Suki and Taylor have been actual friends for ages. She’s a true blue Swiftie. And the Venn diagram of Twi-Hards and Daisy Jones heads knows that the erstwhile Karen Karen recently had a baby with Edward Cullen.
Maisie did so much cute content.
Blondie also dropped an early voice note with some devastating alt lyrics to “My Boy Only Breaks His Favorite Toys”.
Separately, why is this so true?
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I didn’t pull all the surprise song o’clock memories from the time I was away16…but here are a couple the absolutely slayed my heart for myriad reasons.
I’ll never ever be okay about this pairing. What a monster. (Please never change.)
This is just cute. We love you, Blondie.
Oh, and…
I loved this Vogue essay “What Kind of Mother Buys a Baby?” by my old colleague Jessica Knoll … Paris and Nicole are officially back filming their Simple Life reboot. America, are we actually really healing?!? … Of course Pommel Horse Guy slayed his social media interactions with Elmo … I will always be down for a new entry into the rich uptown New Yorkers nonsense genre, especially when it involves the ridiculousness of getting their very small children into the “right” schools. It’s all so gross and fascinating … I wish I could look this cool in double denim … Stassi might be back on TV soon.
Until next week (but maybe also not until I get back from London and truly have to put brat summer to bed), I would like to let you all know that I’ve begun a journey with the Dance Moms reboot. Help or bless? It’s too early to tell. Anyone want to join me?
xA
Last year’s theme was superheroes. I went as Taylor Alison Swift, natch.
I am also fully planning to watch Steph’s new sitcom with Adam Pally, who is so freaking funny to me in everything.
The men’s gold medal game was SO FUN to watch. What incredible basketball. And ANOTHER sick Steph performance. AMERRRRRRRRRICAAAAAAAAAA!
We did it!!!!!!!!!!!
There are few situations wherein I do not have a Harry clip or a Taylor lyric ready to bust out.
Unclear if it’s for a role. Remember the Argo hair before we knew it was the Argo hair?
From. The. Jump. Again, I am nothing if not consistent.
James, Betty, Inez
Will one of her younger sisters sub in on Rep (TV)? We shall see…
I’ve always had a lot of questions about this because I know she’s not doing all these pulls herself. Even if she is leading the putting together of the ‘fits.
So excited for the sequel.
Toxic corners, you know I don’t mean you.
Paramore is still there!
All positive energy around these shows please and thank you.
Obvs will be attempting to score another one while I’m there too. My other friends are going on the 19th and I think we all know what that means……..
Stitching, “I was with kids, babe.” Sorry, I truly couldn’t stop myself.
It really is wild to realize how mildly foreign we are to the rest of the country. You’re welcome, America. xoxo - a Minnesota Princess (who knows the Walz crew in real life and will vouch for them, 10/10, great humans who are exactly who they seem to be)
What in the rejected Burts Bees logos is happening Blake??
-Sincerely, a fan and professional graphic designer
(And LOL I also remember the attempt that was Preserve)