I started seeing Twitter posts claiming there was a new thirst trap shot of Chris Evans and I thought, “haven’t we seen enough of Chris Evans thirst traps?” But, who am I to say no, right? Well, let me tell you – Chris does not disappoint. In possibly the greatest shirtless shot ever, Chris gave us this:

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Dodger lying on DODGER ?

A post shared by Chris Evans (@chrisevans) on Oct 24, 2020 at 12:31pm PDT

Dodger! Before I get started in a proper gushfest, Chris might want to be careful posting captions with “Dodger” in all caps and blue hearts right now. I get his dog is named after a musical and the blue heart probably means his pup is his support unit, but it looks like this Mr. Boston’s trying to low-key route for LA in the Series. Chris and Dodger have had plenty of time to spend together during lockdown and, like most pet owners, they couldn’t be happier about it. Chris joined Instagram in May because, he claimed, he had a backlog of Dodger pics and the world deserved to see them. He has not disappointed. Occasionally he branches outs with his government side-project, some fall foliage shots and the occasional Bradley Cooper cosplay photo but then he just can’t help himself and its right back to Dodger pics because, as Chris so eloquently put it – “I mean…” :

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I mean…

A post shared by Chris Evans (@chrisevans) on Sep 30, 2020 at 10:05am PDT

It’s true, that ^^ should be outlawed. Mine do the same thing, strike some redonculous pose, looking so cute it makes you want to cry, acting as if there isn’t a critical US election, global pandemic and general WTFery going on everywhere. And you know what? I’ll take it. Because when I am fed up with everything and I need just a minute that doesn’t leave me thinking my head might explode, I can crawl up next to one of my fur bags and they’ll roll over and for the price of a belly rub, nuzzle a wet nose into my cheek and wag their tail like neither of us have anything else at all to do or think about. It’s the only therapy I’m getting these days.

Sorry, I’m very anxious about the election and really don’t know how I am going to get through this week, so I need Dodger shots and a few stolen moments with my dogs between now and then. For those who also need a little extra help this week, here’s your moment of Zen:

Photo credit: Instagram

Yesterday, we discussed the fairly ridiculous story about some Royal Marines Major-General throwing a hissy fit about how Prince Harry hasn’t done anything with the Marines this year… which is because Harry had to give up his honorary Captain position as part of the Sussexit. The story was curious because they named the old fart throwing a tantrum, and it felt like his quotes were definitely planted by Kensington Palace, especially because there was an emphasis on the Royal Marines suddenly wanting Prince William to replace Harry. Well, wouldn’t you know… Harry is now threatening to sue the Mail on Sunday because of the story and this piece is very, very interesting.

Prince Harry has issued a legal warning to the very same newspaper whose parent company Meghan Markle is currently suing, telling the Mail on Sunday that their recent report about him falling out of touch with the British Marines is “false and defamatory.”

Harry’s lawyers at Schillings issued the legal warning on Monday, responding to a Mail on Sunday article that claimed Harry “has not been in touch by phone, letter nor email since his last appearance as an honorary Marine in March.” Sources say that Harry, who was made Captain General of the Marines in 2017 but withdrew his position when he stepped down from the royal family this spring, was upset at the insinuation that he has abandoned the Armed Forces for whom he served for two decades.

“He might have been made to give up his titles, but he has not given up on the military, far from it,” said one friend. An aide for the Duke clarified, “To say he has not been in touch with the Marines is not the case. He had many conversations with former colleagues during the lockdown and is in regular contact with a lot of military personnel on a private and personal basis.”

Speaking to the Mail on Sunday, Major General Julian Thompson, who led 3 Commando Brigade during the 1982 Falklands War, said, “I’m not trying to give him a lecture, but he has to take the job seriously and not just say, ‘Well, I’m still the Captain General and I’m going to live in Los Angeles and never visit the UK.’ It’s wrong. You can’t do that. He is expected to attend events and be around and be as accessible as his grandfather was.”

The Mail on Sunday also suggested that Harry had snubbed Lord Dannatt, a former Chief of the General Staff, who wrote to the prince requesting more support for Britain’s military community but never received a reply. Sources close to the Duke, however, claim the letter was never sent on, and that his office has since been in touch to request a copy of the letter is sent to the duke’s staff in Los Angeles.

According to royal biographer Robert Lacey, there is evidence of an ongoing campaign at the palace to discredit Harry and Meghan, with some courtiers speaking negatively about them to the press. It’s made a reconciliation between Harry and Prince William even less likely, Lacey said in an interview with Vanity Fair last week. Added a source close to Harry, “It does seem to be the case that there are still some people trying to make the Duke’s life difficult and in some cases just take a pop at him.”

[From Vanity Fair]

“It does seem to be the case that there are still some people trying to make the Duke’s life difficult and in some cases just take a pop at him.” “Some people” being Prince William, everyone in Kensington Palace, and half of Buckingham Palace too. I get the point Harry is making with this threat and the clarification that he’s been in touch with many people within the Royal Marines. But I’d also like him to say: hey, this wasn’t my call, I’d love to do a million events to support the military and veterans, but the Queen and William are petty a–holes and it is what it is. How can it even be a criticism to say that Harry isn’t properly “supporting” the Royal Marines when he was explicitly told to give up the captain position?

Photos courtesy of Avalon Red.

On September 26th, Amy Coney Barrett attended a political campaign event in her honor at the White House, in defiance of DC pandemic regulations and in violation of the Hatch Act. Trump’s SCOTUS nomination announcement became notable for other reasons – it was a superspreader event, with almost no one in attendance wearing masks or social distancing. Barrett didn’t wear a mask, and neither did her children. Exactly one month later, Handmaid Amy returned to the White House for another superspreader event in violation of campaign law and District law: perhaps the final, sad, Hatch-Act-violating campaign rally for the Trump administration, Handmaid Amy’s “swearing in.” Justice Clarence Thomas was the one to do it. Handmaid Amy chose him specifically.

In the previous month, we learned all we needed to know about Handmaid Amy. We learned she not only belonged to a religious cult, but she helped write the cult rules. We learned that she’s a compulsive liar who conveniently forgot all of the anti-choice speeches she made during her career. We learned that she could not handle even the weakest of questioning from friendly senators. We learned that she thinks sexuality is a preference. We also learned that she will absolutely be the one to write the Supreme Court majority opinions overturning Roe, Griswold, Obergefell, etc.

I don’t know what to say besides “we told you so.” All of us Hillary Clinton supporters told everyone else that this would happen. 2016 was the most consequential election of my lifetime. We knew what was on the ballot then, we knew how bad it would get under Donald Trump, and we knew the courts were in serious danger. But too many people – white people – didn’t give a sh-t. Too many people thought it would be funny to write-in Harambe. Too many people thought voting for Jill Stein would keep them pure. Well, enjoy it. This is a victory for all them.

Sure, maybe if Joe Biden and Kamala Harris are elected AND we get a Senate majority, maybe we can add justices and court-pack and whatever. But it seems strange to hang all of our hopes on that. That being said, when white-bread middle-ground Democrats like Senator Coons are talking openly about “rebalancing the courts,” it’s very notable.

“We’ve got to look at our federal courts as a whole,” says Sen. Chris Coons, calling for a re-examination of “the process, the results, and the consequences” of the Republican campaign to bias the judiciary. pic.twitter.com/YO9u53OWA2

— Maddow Blog (@MaddowBlog) October 27, 2020

Photos courtesy of Backgrid.

Happy last week of October 2020, Celebitches, and welcome to our next round of What’s in Jennifer Garner’s Womb! Poor Jen is doing her best on Instagram to post some light-hearted, wholesome content and can’t seem to avoid people asking whether she’s knocked up or not. Just for context, let’s remember that Jen is 48, has been broken up from her last serious relationship for a few months now, and her ex-husband is supposedly moving in and on the verge of prosing to his younger girlfriend. The last time Wombgate happened, Jen was just trying to introduce us to her uncle’s cows when her fans were all, ‘hey, is that a baby bump?’ And she was like, ‘who, the cow? Wait, me?! No, it’s pizza, relax.’ This time, Jen tried to show off her pretty impressive pumpkin carving skills, and lo and behold, people looked right past the pumpkin to the message:

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When you and your jack-o’-lantern share a vibe…???

A post shared by Jennifer Garner (@jennifer.garner) on Oct 25, 2020 at 12:11pm PDT

It didn’t take long for people to start commenting on what was Jen really trying to tell us with this post. Us reported that one commenter asked, “Wait … are you pregnant?” while another repeated, “Does this mean there is a little Jennifer [coming]?” Even when I clicked on the post, the first comment that came up was, “I thought this was a pregnancy announcement for a hot second ??”. Jen responded to her fans and other inquiring minds with, “STILL NOT HAVING MORE BABIES. Good grief, I didn’t even see it, I just saw matching smiles.” On the cow post, I was rather upset that someone asked Jen about her midsection and still think they should’ve known better. Here, however, at least I understand. I mean, I wouldn’t have jumped to that conclusion given Jen’s multiple comments on the subject, knowing her relationship status, etc., but, this, just going on appearances alone, could resemble a pregnancy announcement. (That said, any actual fan of Jen’s should have known not to comment on it.) And it’s too bad that this turned into the sequel to Is Mamma Jen PG? because it’s a super cute pic and Jen’s right, she and the pumpkin are vibing. So did she plan the controversy? I don’t think so. I honestly think Jen would rather get the saccharine-sweet, aw-shucks attention than repeated womb-watch.

And I know people hate when moms say they totally understand what other moms are trying to say but in this case, I really think I do. That large pumpkin is a house. The small pumpkin is Jen, alone, smiling. This is not a pregnancy announcement, this is Jen fanaticizing about having the whole house to herself once this GD quarantine is finally over.

Photo credit: Avalon, Backgrid and Instagram

Embed from Getty Images

When she isn’t advocating for people to wear a mask or believing Harry Styles is a member of NSYNC, Stevie Nicks continues to prove how badass and talented she is. Stevie is profiled in Variety to talk about the upcoming release of 24 Karat Gold: The Movie, which will be released Sunday, November 1 in theaters and drive-ins. Stevie discussed the process she went through to film and produce 24 Karat Gold which filmed her performing her album of the same name in Trafalgar Square in 2017. She also said she’s thrilled that her song, Dreams, is popular now. Plus she asks Tom Petty and Prince’s spirits to walk with her before live performances. Below are a few quotes:

VARIETY: One of the songs in this concert film is “Dreams.” As you know, there’s this whole TikTok video tie-in, and suddenly “Dreams” is on the chart again.
NICKS: From the skateboarder? I know. How crazy is that? My assistant showed it to me — he’s drinking his juice and just skateboarding along and just filming himself and singing “Dreams.” It’s so funny, and so great, because “Dreams” is a fun song to sing. I’m thrilled that people still love it, and that it does still make people happy. And who knows even why? But it does. But “Dreams” came out how many years ago? Like in 1975, right? [Editor’s note: early 1977.] My assistant just told me there’s a lot of young kids who don’t even know the song, but they like it, and its streaming is massive. It’s fantastic.

The new film and live album were recorded and filmed in 2017 but not released until now. Were you still doing any work on it after the pandemic started?
I was taking off this year, and it was in my plan to work on my “Rhiannon” miniseries. That didn’t mean I couldn’t go out and do like separate shows; I already had like six shows booked. But we realized by the end of February that that was not going to happen, so between us and the promoters, we basically canceled all the shows. For the film, we had edited all the musical performances quite a while ago, but not the other parts. So in May, we rented a private plane — made sure that they fogged it to death, so it was totally safe — flew back to Chicago and stayed in a house on a golf course where nobody had been since late October. Then we went into Joe’s studio (Joe Thomas of Trafalgar Releasing, the film’s distributor) and were there for, like, a month, editing the stories and anything else around the songs that needed to be edited.

You probably didn’t imagine until fairly recently that a significant percentage of the showings of this film would be in drive-ins. So that’s a new wrinkle.
I never in a million years did. And you know, I just remember from being a little girl how much I used to love drive-ins. I just used to think they were the best thing ever. And I actually saw “Woodstock,” the movie, in my Corvair Monza Spyder five-speed convertible. I went to see that movie in that little car with the top down, right? And when that movie ended, I was like, “Well, this is going to be my life.” When I drove out of there, I was totally crying. I was just like, “That’s it. I’m never going to walk in through the front of an outdoor concert. I am always going to fly in in a helicopter.” [Laughs.] And I mean, I made that statement, and it was like written in gold, you know? Anyway, so when I thought of drive-ins, I thought, well, that would certainly be fun for people, I think.

In the film, though, you do acknowledge that Prince is gone. You say you feel him with you sometimes, and you say “Prince, walk with me.”
Right. And strangely enough, I put them in my journal. And if I have a really big, important show, I call in all my spirits, and I say, “Tom, stand behind me. Prince, stand with me.” I ask for their help, because I know they’re up there. The Prince thing started a long time ago, because sometimes even before Prince died, I would say that. I wish Prince was here and he could just walk with me out there; because of his performing ability and how good he was on stage, sometimes I’d just go, “Come with me.” And I really do feel the presence, you know. I mean, Tom and I were way, way better friends than I was friends with Prince, because I hardly ever saw Prince. When I did see Prince, we’d have some really important conversations, and we talked on the phone sometimes for a couple hours. But Tom was a different kind of friend. Tom was really my buddy friend. I spent a lot of time at Tom’s different houses, and a lot of time with his family when he was still married to Jane. And that was a very hard loss for me.

[From Variety]

There were so many great nuggets in this interview that it was hard for me to pick what to focus on. I really love Stevie’s energy and how open and honest she is. I still can’t believe that she is the only woman to be inducted into the Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall of Fame twice whereas there are 22 men who have been. There are iconic female rockers out there like Janis and Joan Jett, but whatever.

My favorite part of this interview not included above is when she talks about those amazing high heeled black velvet boots that she wears during her concerts. She sees them as her weapons against over enthusiastic fans and a message that she isn’t a delicate ballerina.

I think it is so sweet how she talks about Prince and Tom. She still sees them as being alive and here, walking with and guiding her. I feel that way about Prince too and some of my close friends who passed on. Sometimes, you just feel them around you.

I hope to get my hands on the 24 Karat Gold film at some point where I can watch it at home because I refuse to go to the theater. All of the drive-ins in my city have been destroyed. In the meantime, here is her new song, Show Them the Way, which was inspired by a dream she had of MLK, JFK and a few other historical figures. It’s soothing to the soul during these chaotic times, just like Stevie’s voice.

Embed from Getty Images

Embed from Getty Images

Embed from Getty Images

Embed from Getty Images

photos credit: Avalon.red and Getty

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A post shared by Khloe? (@khloekardashian) on Oct 13, 2020 at 10:54am PDT

Khloe Kardashian is the new brand ambassador for Dose & Co, a collagen supplement from New Zealand. I’m not sure if Khloe is the best spokesperson for anything, really, but sure. To promote her new deal, Khloe chatted with Refinery29 about fitness, her daughter True and having no nannies during the pandemic. Do you believe that? I… don’t? I don’t think Khloe has tons of help, but I bet she’s had a few people helping her – perhaps not “nannies” – during the pandemic. You can read the full Refinery29 piece here. Some highlights:

The end of KUWTK. “I am sad about it,” she says, but acknowledges that it “was time”: “It’s like a break up. You can break up with a boyfriend, but you’re still sad about it.”

On her sponsorship with Dose & Co, an eco-conscious collagen brand based in New Zealand. Kardashian is no stranger to collagen — she started adding it into her routine during her pregnancy with her daughter, True. “When you’re pregnant, you want to give you and your child the best, and you become sort of obsessed with creating a future for your child and what the best ways are to do that.”. So she started adding collagen powder into her diet. “For me, first and foremost, it was, how can I fix myself from the inside out [in a way] that’s easy and attainable, especially with being a new mom? It’s something as simplistic as adding collagen powder to a smoothie or coffee in the morning.”

On fitness in the pandemic: “I definitely think because of my fitness journey and already having such a regimented schedule when it comes to working out, it kind of kept me sane during these crazy times. I had to learn to adapt by doing mommy-daughter workouts. [True] is obviously not working out, but it’s things like me putting her in a wagon and sprinting up a hill. I belted a wagon to my waist because I don’t have any help. We’re all just trying to figure it out.”

Trying to keep her routine: “I want to show my daughter, by example, that there are healthy ways to be active every day. You don’t have to be so rigid in the gym. I like to work out early, it just sets the tone for the rest of my day, it makes me want to eat better and be active and healthy. By her seeing me like this, I hope she’s active and takes care of herself.”

She prays often: “For me, I’m someone that prays often. But during all of this, I have learned to be more strict with waking up and saying a prayer every morning. We all have something to be grateful for, no matter how horrible this year has been for everyone in different ways.”

[From Refinery29]

“I belted a wagon to my waist because I don’t have any help. We’re all just trying to figure it out.” Surely the people filming her during those workouts could possibly be “helping” her though. Anyway… while I find Khloe problematic and plastic, I don’t really think it’s a bad thing that she’s gotten so deep into fitness, or that she’s trying to maintain routines for her young child. I don’t mind that she’s talking about prayer either? Whatever. Are all you guys taking collagen supplements? Hm.

Photos courtesy of Khloe’s Instagram.

I’m afraid I have some terrible news and I’ve got to just rip this bandage off to get it over with, folks: Reese Witherspoon’s adorable French bulldog, Pepper, died. Pepper has been battling an “aggressive cancer” according to Ava Phillippe, Reese daughter. Both Reese and Ava posted about losing Pepper. I got incredibly choked up reading their posts. We always ask each other to send pet pics to help us crawl out of our sad spaces and yet we don’t realize how attached we get to our cyber friends’ pets and families until tragedy strikes. Same goes for celebrities’ pets. I have this tremendous list of pets and kids I check in on on Instagram that I am legitimately invested in and I’ve never met any of them. (That sounds a lot creepier then I mean it to.)

Pepper was the family’s dog. Ava was in the process of adopting her own pup and in a wonderful twist of fate, she brought her dog home on what was to be Pepper’s last day.

After a tough week, Reese Witherspoon’s daughter Ava Phillippe is introducing the world to her new pet.

Ava, who joined her family in mourning the loss of their beloved family French bulldog Pepper, revealed on Sunday that, as fate would have it, she had welcomed a new canine companion into her life on the same day Pepper died.

“What a wild & bittersweet week. The day we lost Pepper just so happened to be the day I brought this sweet boy home with me,” Ava, 21, wrote alongside a trio of snapshots of her adorable new dog.

“This is Benji!” she wrote, calling the pup a “dream of a rescue dog.”

“He loves to cuddle and meet new friends (human & canine) and has quickly adjusted to life in his new home environment,” she wrote. “Benji also enjoys squeaky toys, outdoor adventures, and anything he is allowed (or not allowed) to eat. He is the happiest, smartest boy, and I’m so grateful to be his person. I cannot wait for him to perfect his manners and become his full, goofy self as time goes on!”

[From People]

I posted Ava’s pics of Benji below, he’s adorable. As Ava goes on to say in the caption, she is not sure what breeds Benji is, although she suspects he has some Border Collie, and invited her fans to offer their input. I am crap at guessing animal breeds except I can tell Benji is largely made up of Good Boy. As a side note, I wish those dog DNA kits were cheaper. Every year I try to get some (I need two) on sale during Amazon Prime Days, but I never make it in time. Ava also said that even though they’d, “just entered each other’s lives, I feel like I’ve known Benji forever.” I think a lot of us know that feeling. I’m so happy for Ava and Benji. And maybe the timing is fate. Who knows if Ava would have adopted her own dog so soon if she’d lost Pepper first? I needed long mourning periods between pets. But when we lost our family dog (also aggressive cancer), we adopted soon after to make good on a promise I’d made the kids. I was leery of the timing but honestly, it helped me heal in this instance. It helped my parents too. Grandparents mourn – my father once wrote one of my cats an obituary to try to get over his grief. So I’m sure Benji is helping Reese deal with her grief over Pepper.

Welcome Benji and Congratulations Ava and everyone involved. Rescue costs are going up for most organizations due to transportation and inter-state fee increases. Many rescues and shelters are struggling despite the demand because even if the organization waives the adoption fees, the transportations/livery fees are prohibitive to the adopters. But organizations like Best Friends, mentioned above, are linking rescues up and getting animals from kill to No Kill facilities with the help of an incredible network of volunteers and charities. So even if you can’t adopt you can still help.

Photo credit: Instagram

It’s been a year since Tessa Thompson showed up in this outfit and… well… I miss outfits. But that’s not why I love this outfit. I love this outfit on her because she’s not afraid of not playing safe. Those wide lapels. Those wide leg pants. I’m not a wide leg pants fan but this is about doing somet…

It’s been a year since Tessa Thompson showed up in this outfit and… well… I miss outfits. But that’s not why I love this outfit. I love this outfit on her because she’s not afraid of not playing safe. Those wide lapels. Those wide leg pants. I’m not a wide leg pants fan but this is about doing somet…

It’s been a year since Tessa Thompson showed up in this outfit and… well… I miss outfits. But that’s not why I love this outfit. I love this outfit on her because she’s not afraid of not playing safe. Those wide lapels. Those wide leg pants. I’m not a wide leg pants fan but this is about doing somet…