Pop Culture Fever Dream: This Week’s Weirdest Celebrity Moves
Dolly Saves Us Again, But Selena’s Queso Stunt Must Be Stopped
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I’m a little under the weather this week (the flu has me low down marathoning the Sopranos which can truly be healing for no one). As a result, this post will be shorter than usual.
This has been a week of truly odd and mysterious soft/hard/messy launches. I’m reading around on all of these to escape the impending feeling of dread re our national state of affairs and my own messy health this week.
Many friends sent me the “Please, Please, Please” music video for Dolly Parton’s collab with Sabrina Carpenter. It has once again confirmed for me that Dolly is the best we have.
Selena and Benny have announced a new joint album seemingly inspired by their relationship. ‘I Said I Love You First' is set to arrive on March 21. “Scared of loving you” is already out and is . . . fine. I am anxious to hear the album as I support Selena. What I DO NOT support under any circumstances is filling your tub with queso and creating a trail of tortilla chips to celebrate your love on Valentine’s Day. I love queso and chips as much as the next girl, but some of us also love sanitation (Maybe I’m just sensitive on this point because I’m sick and am cursing whoever’s germs got me here, a practice my grandmother used to engage in to a degree that would make the FBI blush). Wash your hands, and please don’t do this.
Meghan Markle has rebranded her lifestyle brand that has only ever had the softest of launches. Last year, Meghan launched American Riviera Orchard with jars of jam sent to roughly 50 celebs (including Mindy Kaling and Kris Jenner). Since, then. . . crickets. There has been some difficulty securing trademarks for her brand which may have inspired the new relaunch of her brand “As Ever.” Meghan dropped a video explaining the new name ahead of the start of her new Netflix show where she lets us in on her love of cooking, gardening, etc. The new name is allegedly a reference to her eternal interest in these things. Her evidence? Her old blog, The Tig which was erased from the web by interns at Buckingham Palace the day she married Harry (presumably).
I am not rooting against Meghan, but this launch is messy. It feels like they have so many people on their team helping them shape post-royal life and yet can’t land on a single concept that works. Sidebar, there are MANY people competing for Martha Stewart’s crown (Kris Jenner recently said she wants to rebrand herself as Martha 2.0 on the latest season of the Kardashians), but I need to remind everyone Martha is still out here.
Lady Gaga has started her album launch for next month’s Mayhem (dropping March 7th). My friend Winnie pointed me to her appearance on Hot Ones. In it, she talks about her early career including the time she’d call clubs to book gigs pretending to be her own manager (should I do this?) The weirdness of her press appearances lately makes me hope we’re in for a classic Gaga album. I’m ready for some Gaga dance pop. We need it!
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This is a free post for subscribers of Landline. Consider subscribing to the paid plan to get my weekly email of recommendations and links, a podcast episode, and more! You can also help me spread the word by sharing it with a friend who would love it. Thank you for being a friend!
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Hope that you feel better soon!