What's Your Dream?
Nepo baby hard launches from couture. Joe B thirst traps (no, not that one). Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders. Rebecca Minkoff + Scientology. SWV does Tiny Desk + more.
Hi hi hi.
I’m coming at you from sunny Los Angeles where I’ve been all week for work. Among other things, this means my brain starts going, “Hmmmmm I wish I could live here at least part of the year” and I start scheming to figure out how to make that a reality.
Welcome to Hollywood! What’s your dream?
This would involve executing on any number of ideas that are floating around in my head, which I am actively trying to force my later-in-life ADHD-diagnosed brain to move forward on soooooooo…..I will say I’ve made at least a couple of (tiny) steps in the right direction.
Mind you, I have lived here twice already. The number of times I’ve moved in my life is low-key hilarious when I really think about it. The longest I’ve ever lived in an apartment as an adult is the one I’m currently in.
But I digress, I’ve had to be very on all week, which we know I enjoy, even though it requires a fair amount of recharge time. This is the life of extroverted introvert and I wouldn’t have it any other way. I actually feel like I balanced a nice amount of evening time with friends and order in Goop Kitchen and watch Netflix from bed.
I didn’t get to see everyone I love in LA, but my heart is so full from getting time (some by surprise + for the first time in AGES!) with people who’ve been dear to me over multiple decades in life.
From dragging ourselves out of bars in lower Manhattan in our 20s to raising money for important Democrats running for office in our 40s…still looking as fresh-faced as ever.
PS: If you have a few dollars to throw Elissa Slotkin’s way for her extremely important Senate race in Michigan, please do so. She had me ready to run through walls for her after last night.
This afternoon I get to celebrate another dear friend at her post-elopement celebration and I’m counting the minutes. I have a v. special caftan all picked out.
What all that work and play and LA means is that I had a wee bit less time to take in the culture this week—though more time for podcasts…because LA traffic. So I think I’ll run some of that down next week.
Because I didn’t really have a way I loved to organize these myriad bits I jotted down over the week, it’s just a list of Abby, recently.1
I did a call out on my Stories too, but I want your fabulous input into the post I’m working on with a dream lineup/collabs/pairings/mashups for the rebooted Lilith Fair we’d all like to see. Logistics and the time/space continuum matter not in this fantasy! Leave a comment, email, DM, send a carrier pigeon, whatever.
The SWV Tiny Desk is divine.
This will always be a smut-forward safe space.
Not a hot or surprising take, but Jen Garner’s mom Pat is just an utter delight and gem.
These Jake Shane prank calls for Elle really made me laugh. They also made me wish I had had the creative freedom and/or budget to do the more fun/weird/random/smart ideas my team and I had back way when I ran a legacy media website. Sigh.
But I love how supportive and funny Sofia, Renée, Alix, and Charli are with these made-up scenarios.
On the Charli front, I finally listened to the “the girl, so confusing version with Lorde” and I do, in fact, dig it quite a lot. Even if you’re not into the new album (I like the other stuff I’ve heard too!), I feel like we could all do for some brat vibes in our summers.
Oh, look, I just happened upon some old grainy footage I shot of Charli (who also happens to be engaged to George Daniel…of The 1975), Camila Cabello, and Blondie doing “Shake It Off” during Rep tour.
Yes to this Faye Dunaway doc.
The other Joe B. is thirst-trapping all over the place right now and I’m extremely here for it. This the NFL in Europe content I was looking for + frankly, I’m going to need him to keep this energy to get through the fall.
That curl saw the way people (I am people) react to styled-to-look-errant curls on Harry’s head and said, “Put me in coach.”
From the WHN Archives (January 2022)
“What kind of random, weird candy is Abby into of late?” asked nobody—and yet, I’m here to share. Sometimes growing up precocious means not growing up at all, right?
The triumphant return of Simone Biles also has me ready to run through some walls.
I’m obsessed with this child, her talent show medley, and the way the crowd is with her 100p. This would have been me—right down to the “not really a dancer but committing to it all” moves.
I will always root for Lindsay Lohan.
Speaking of rooting, I did make time to watch the entirety of America’s Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders on Netflix.
It was utterly compelling and sucked me in/made me get in my feelings way more than expected. I’d be remiss if I didn’t give a heads-up for anyone who might find eating disorder/body stuff triggering. I get it. The uniform fitting scene alone is so disturbing. I got so invested and now I’m thinking I should go back and watch Making the Team, the OG version of this that started on CMT in 20062 and as my friend called it, “the non-PC version”…which lol. Sold.
Other random things that stood out about the story of the DCCs3, for me anyway:
—That one extra creepy Christian girl Reece, among a slew of mildly creepy Christians4.
—The whiteness—unsurprising, but still.
—The gaslighting of “sisterhood” and “something bigger than yourself” which fundamentally are great things, but I don’t think this part-time job (with full-time adjacent hours) and shittttttttty pay and heaps of judgment and sexism is that
—Charlotte, the unnerving daughter of Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, who I guess is the Jeannie Buss of this family but is maybe mostly in charge of the cheerleaders?
—OMG the tour of the locker room with that hands-free mic creep was so fucking dark and vomit-inducing.
—Oh, Victoria. I want you to run far away from all of this5 and get a good therapist.
Sidebar: Jerry from Cheer popped into my head for the first time in a long time. Then I got really sad. Does S1 of that show seem like 400000000 years ago or what? Those dark turns were really something. Jesus.
🚨🚨NEW NEPO BEBES ALERT🚨🚨
This week brought us a new crop of nepo bebes hitting the scene with some hard launches at the couture shows and beyond. Do these grown children make me feel old as the hills? You bet. But such is the circle of pop culture life.
Sunday Rose
Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban haven’t really put their kids front and center for most of their lives, but they’ve been starting to pop up at a few events lately. They’re not littles anymore so that makes sense.
The second I saw a video clip from Balenciaga show arrivals, I gasped and said (to no one): “Is that Sunday Rose?” Because of course I’ve known this child’s name her entire life and she is never just “Sunday” in my head. I can also tell you exactly where I was when I learned Apple Blythe Alison Martin’s moniker. Duh.
Naomi Watts + Kai Scheiber
Besties bring their kids together to Balenciaga, natch.
Cate Blanchett + Iggy (Ignatius Upton)
Cate brought her 16 year-old son to Armani, where she has basically reigned since forever. He’s giving total teen boy energy.
We need to take a full moment for the construction details on Cate’s look too. She’s just so cool.
Maya Rudolph + Pearl Minnie Anderson
I love when people don’t realize that Maya and Paul Thomas Anderson have four kids together, or that Minnie Riperton was Maya’s mom. (She sadly died of breast cancer when Maya was just a toddler.)
I mean, I still think about PTA and Fiona Apple on a regular basis, but that’s a different story. Boogie Nights is a pretty core pillar for me and I would very much like to go to dinner at Maya and Paul’s, with the Haims in attendance too, naturally.
Anyway, Maya also brought her daughter to Balenciaga.
This obviously required yet another rewatch of her “Mother” opener from SNL.
Hailey Bieber + a baby to be named (not too much) later
I’ve heard boy, but we shall see. I am unsurprisingly very into her maternity styling because I am into her everything. If you think I didn’t have her expensive Erewhon smoothie while in LA, you don’t know me at all.
Of course, she’s swathed in Phoebe Philo.
Absolutely yes to the dress, paired with the big blazer.
In other nepo bebe news, Gracie Abrams played the Today Show on Friday (in Prada) and continues to be just the sweetest thing ever. I love her so much6.
(I also really loved this Bode she wore on Kimmel.)
This clip fully made me sob and is a great example of why fandom can be so deeply special and life-changing. That whole group who met at a Gracie show? This “tour mom” CANNOT 🥹.
And yay for Ava and the newest crop of valedictorians! You will still have fun dropping that into convos in your 40s and don’t let anyone make you feel otherwise 😉.
I loved this Rebecca Minkoff piece in Airmail which gets into the Scientology of it all when it comes to her7. It feels appropriate that I finally got around to reading it while in LA.
I actually don’t think I realized (or fully forgot) that she was raised in that cult (in a MAJOR family) and I def didn’t know how scammy everything about her seems to be in general. I am, however, on the record as never once enjoying the “#Girlboss” era—even while it was happening and it was trying to bend me to its will as I was running digital at Marie Claire.
This non-Scientology adjacent quote also slayed me: “And it’s not even in the Hamptons. It’s in Quogue.” I can’t wait to see if and how any of these plays out on RHONY this season.
Why did I get invested in this Brooke Schofield v. Clinton Kane drama when I also don’t know shit about either of them? I just am who I am, but at least I’m not alone. You can watch her do the story in parts, inspired by Reesa Teesa’s style on TikTok if you’d like. Or that link goes to a People summary.
RIP Martin Mull. You were fucking hilarious + could also play a great asshole.
Ick Me Once
What gave me the ick this week? Let me count the ways.
Well, the level of try-hard coming from Katy Perry for one. I have a lot of concerns about her new music—and not just because of the Dr. Luke situation I mentioned last week. A banging bod doesn’t hide the way her new era is giving Don Draper “It's because we're desperate, they can smell it on us.”
Again, maybe I’ll be wrong and she’s got her bangers back, but I’m extremely wary.
But Mrs. Orlando Bloom wasn’t alone…
What fresh hell is this, Hallmark?
In Holiday Touchdown: A Chiefs Love Story, Alana Higman is sure that her family's lifelong history as Kansas City Chiefs superfans makes them a frontrunner to win the team's "Fan of the Year" contest. Derrick, Director of Fan Engagement, is tasked with evaluating how Alana and her family stack up against the other two finalists. As the pair spends time together, it's clear there's a spark between them but when her grandfather’s vintage Chiefs, good luck winter hat goes missing, Alana begins to doubt everything she believed about fate, destiny and even questions her future with Derrick – unless, that is, a little Christmas magic can throw a Hail Mary.
I hope the Colts have a fucking fun football season. Siri play, “Please, Please, Please” for AR, JT, and MPJr8.
Gen X Moment(s) of Zen
The level to which I wanted to BE her and WITH him back in the day is, quite honestly, frightening. RIP, Corey Haim—and the eras when I didn’t find Alyssa Milano annoying.
I love how much the concept is embedded in our generation’s pop culture.
Eras Tour Diary: London + Dublin
First up, a few tidbits that aren’t about an American footballer on stage because this is all I have to say about that9.
However, we live for PWB + Hot Priest like they live for the 1989 era. It certainly made up for some of the aforementioned eye-rolling I had to do during other parts of this show.
He’s just a boy, standing in front of a pop star…
Did I see Music & Lyrics opening weekend? You bet I did.
Now, let’s catch up on surprise song o’clock…I haven’t had time the past few weeks to engage in much clowning about Rep + Debut (TV) or the next TTPD single (though I would think that’s coming v. soon), but I know there are some theories percolating out in the insane spaces I inhabit.
London N2
🎸: “thanK you aIMee” x “Mean”
You don’t need to be a Swiftie historian to understand the meaning of this pairing.
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🎹: “Castles Crumbling” with Hayley Williams
This song is from the Speak Now (TV) vault and while it’s not one of my most favorites, it’s a big one for one of my beloved friends, so I was v. into it on her behalf. I mean, I like it a lot but don’t listen much. I love their friendship, though—and Hayley even wrote on her arm like the olden days.
These two were lil music babies together. Cutest.
Speaking of a surprise Williams at Wembley, I’ll never pass up an opportunity to share this performance from the Rep tour. I don’t really think this could ever happen, but my friend Ashleigh has been charged with making sure the Embassy handles my remains properly should Harry Edward Styles emerge from the stage whilst I’m in the stadium.
London N3
🎸: “us.” with Gracie Abrams
I was indeed correct that Gracie popped up, but Blondie did a fake out where she did the song by herself for a bit first before her lil protegé made her appearance. What I wouldn’t give to get hammered with these two and write about our feelings.
Again, I offer myself up as their Gen X older sister.
🎹: “Out of the Woods” x “Is It Over Now?” x “Clean”
Haylor strikes again.
Just before she busted out this Styles-forward medley, H showed up at The Smile show in Rome. When I first glanced, I almost died because I was like, “IS HE AT ERAS?” But, no. Just taking in some Thom Yorke and looking fucking divine.
This monster.
After posting a gum chew, I am legally compelled (by one of the voices in my head) to post the Dunkirk bread chew. Those are just the rules.
Earlier this week, he was bopping around Italia with friends—including collaborator Kid Harpoon. I AM DYING TO KNOW WHAT OUR VIBE IS FOR HS4, SIR. DYING.
Anyway, these fuckers really don’t miss. Thank god I have friends like Ashleigh in my life who will listen to my nonsense.
Will I ever get to hear “Is It Over Now?” live? Sigh. Let us manifest it (along with my tickets) in Indy because there’s no way she’ll bring it back in the same venue in August.
Dublin N1
Of course U2 serves as a welcome committee to Ireland. We love to see it.
Also, LOL to this Stories lineup yesterday10.
Kam continues to DELIGHT.
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🎸: “State of Grace” x "You’re On Your Own, Kid”
There were a bunch of posts and TikToks claiming Taylor played YOYOK because Stevie Nicks was in attendance. I’ve mentioned it here, I’m sure, but Stevie has said more than once that that song helped her in processing her grief over Christine McVie’s death and ofc she wrote the opening poem for TTPD.
But media literacy has not shown me a singular bit of proof that the high priestess was indeed at the show—and she doesn’t play Dublin until 7/3.
Anyway, it’s a gorgeous mashup and she loves playing YOYOK as much as “Maroon” during acoustic time. Yet, never added them to the set list.
🎹: “Sweet Nothing” x “Hoax”
Ughhhhhhhh, this feels like a direct attack ma’am. I’ve been a hardcore “Sweet Nothing” girlie since the moment Midnights dropped. And “Hoax” finally gets a moment? My heart.
Until next week, here’s a Johnny 5-like robot delivering food on Sunset Blvd. And don’t forget to make suggestions for our dream Lilith Fair reboot.
xA
Read like you’re reading Harry Florals and it’s like Harry in Italy recently.
The youth couldn’t even handle the shit we used to watch on reality in the aughts. Like, they would tremble and crumble.
This is how they refer to themselves, the program, etc.
Obvs not all Christians are creepy, but…
It would appear she has moved to New York. Girl, there are so many therapists there! Get one!
More on her appearance at Wembley with Blondie in the Eras Tour Diary
Do you think there’s a thetan aesthetic?!?
Anthony Richardson, Jonathan Taylor, and Michael Pittman Jr.
We know I don’t listen to the podcast but the clip of him saying until last summer he thought it was “Alison Wonderland” not “Alice in Wonderland” did enter my feed. I just, I…well, see…nope. I can’t say anything.
I am so here for the Joe B. thirst traps...
I'm so old I remember multiple Movies of the Week about the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders, and maybe even a series (we're talking late 70s-early 80s). I KNOW I saw them. on The Love Boat at least once, too.
I feel like I was constantly reading about Rebecca Minkoff in retail newsletters, always about new tech that she was at the forefront of, like dressing room lighting and embedded iPad tech when they were trying to make that happen. I'm in retail, so I know her handbag line has been successful in the recent past, not sure about the clothing line. I'd also heard she was Scientology related, but didn't know how far deep(I don't subscribe to Air Mail). I do subscribe to her Substack, but it hasn't made an impression on me yet.