This year has been more than unpredictable, but if there’s one thing we can count on, it’s influencers and internet celebrities getting involved in drama. From Danielle Bernstein’s questionable design practices, to Arielle Charnas’ COVID exposure timeline, there’s been a lot of bullsh*t happening online in 2020, and it’s been one of the few consistent sources of joy. This year, we’ve also seen TikTok stars gain millions of followers and a wild amount of attention, and along with that success comes good old messiness. There’s petty nonsense going down in different corners of TikTok every single day, but here are some of the wildest stories from 2020.
Jake Paul vs. The FBI
Jake Paul and his brother Logan have a long history of messy behavior, from Logan offending the entire nation of Japan, to Jake’s stunt wedding to Tana Mongeau. But in 2020, Jake Paul’s chaotic behavior transitioned into criminal activity that was serious enough to catch the FBI’s attention. In August, a SWAT team raided Paul’s Calabasas mansion, where they reportedly seized “a cache of firearms.” The FBI later confirmed the raid was in connection to a June incident, in which Paul broke into a mall in Arizona to film a video at the height of Black Lives Matter protests.
I create the first content house
Then there’s 500 content houses
I start boxing
Now every influencer is a boxer
What’s next?
Y’all gon get raided by the FBI on purpose?
— Jake Paul (@jakepaul) November 15, 2020
Jake Paul wasn’t home during the FBI raid, and it’s unclear what eventually happened in the investigation, but clearly he’s not behind bars or anything. Recently, he’s been focused on his boxing career, which I regret to admit is a real thing. Over Thanksgiving weekend, he won his second professional fight against former NBA player Nate Robinson. After his big win, he naturally hosted a packed mask-free party at his house, which Calabasas Mayor Alicia Weintraub called “a slap in the face to the Calabasas community.” I guess Bryce Hall isn’t the only dumb-ass influencer causing headaches for LA government officials. Speaking of which…
Bryce Hall vs. The City Of LA
If we’ve learned anything about TikTok stars this year, it’s that they love ignoring public safety regulations and partying in the midst of a deadly pandemic. Internet celebs like James Charles, Tana Mongeau, and Nikita Dragun have all attended their fair share of questionable gatherings this year, but no one is a more prolific pandemic partier than Bryce Hall. Over the summer, there were many reports of large parties all over Los Angeles, even as coronavirus cases skyrocketed in California. Clearly, something needed to be done, and in response, LA Mayor Eric Garcetti warned that utilities could be shut off at residences where large gatherings continued to be held.
Today I authorized the City to disconnect utility service at a house in the Hollywood Hills to stop the large parties held there in flagrant violation of our public health orders. Parties like these can quickly and easily spread the virus and put our communities at risk.
— MayorOfLA (@MayorOfLA) August 19, 2020
I don’t know if Bryce Hall missed that message, or if he just didn’t care (probably the latter, let’s be real), but he continued to have big parties at his rented Hollywood Hills home. Two weeks later, Mayor Garcetti made good on his threat, and released a statement announcing that “The City has now disconnected utilities at this home to stop these parties that endanger our community.” He claimed that the home had “turned into a nightclub in the Hills,” which is still my worst nightmare, pandemic or not. We never found out exactly how long Bryce had to go without utilities, but I’m hoping it was at least a few days.
Ariana Grande vs. Bryce Hall
The award for most delusional TikTok personality of the year also goes to Bryce Hall, who somehow thinks Ariana Grande gives a sh*t about him. Back in October, Ariana did an hour-long interview on The Zach Sang Show to promote her new album, and at one point the conversation turned to the pandemic behavior of TikTok stars. She name-checked Saddle Ranch, a western-themed restaurant in LA that’s become a hotspot (for TikTokers, but also probably for COVID). She asked, “Did we all need to go to f*cking Saddle Ranch that badly that we couldn’t wait for the deathly pandemic to pass? Did we all need to put on our cowgirl boots and ride a mechanical bull that bad? We all needed that Instagram post that badly?” I love this energy.
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Obviously, being the clown that he is, Bryce Hall—who spent Halloween at Saddle Ranch with his girlfriend Addison Rae—decided Ariana was talking about him, and spoke out about her comments. He said on the Hollywood Raw podcast that it was “obviously like, a marketing move,” explaining that “because she knew that TikTokers have a high audience, she knew that a lot of people would agree, because there’s a lot of people that hate TikTokers already.” Despite seeming annoyed at Ariana indirectly calling him out, Bryce admitted that “like, she’s not wrong.” Fair point that people hate TikTokers, but LOL that Bryce thinks someone as famous as Ariana Grande needs to start drama with him to get some press for her new album. And also, stay the f*ck home!
Charli & Dixie D’Amelio vs. Paella
The most recent controversy on our list came just a couple weeks ago, from TikTok’s first family, The D’Amelios. 16-year-old Charli D’Amelio has had a meteoric rise this year, becoming the most-followed person on TikTok, and recently becoming the first account to pass the 100 million follower threshold on the app. At some point in this whirlwind year, the D’Amelios decided that they should start a family YouTube channel, which like, yikes. If I told my mom we were starting a YouTube channel together, she’d kick me out of the house. Anyway, one of their great ideas for a video series was “Dinner With The D’Amelios,” where they would be joined each episode by a different celeb guest at a family dinner.
The first episode featured our problematic fave James Charles, and there were actually some interesting moments where they talked about getting famous so young, and how James has become a mentor to Charli. But things went south when chef Aaron May presented them with a homemade paella for dinner. Charli and her sister Dixie were shocked to discover that the dish contained snails, and Charli asked the award-winning chef if she could have dino nuggets instead. Dixie took a small bite of snail, gagged, and ran outside to vomit. The D’Amelios received a great deal of backlash for their tone-deaf reactions to the traditional dish, and Charli also got dragged for her comments in the video about being annoyed at how long it was taking her to reach 100 million TikTok followers.
tomorrow i will be back posting normal content with a smile on my face! at the end of the day i know i am a good person with a good heart and i will never change that about myself. i love you all!! 💕
— charli d’amelio (@charlidamelio) November 20, 2020
On the day the video came out, Charli lost over a million followers, while James Charles and other major influencers came to her defense. Since then she’s rebounded, and she finally hit her coveted 100 million—hopefully she got to celebrate with some dino nuggets.
Like it or not, it looks like all of these TikTok stars are here to stay, and as long as they’re looking for clout, there’s going to be drama involved. Can’t wait to see whose house gets raided by the FBI in 2021!
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Images: Albert L. Ortega/Getty Images; jakepaul, mayorofla, charlidamelio / Twitter; brycehall / Instagram
It’s been just over a week since George Floyd’s death, and millions of people across the country have used their voices to demand justice. There have been huge protests in every major city, and while some have broken out into violence, the vast majority have been peaceful demonstrations. It’s so important that we use our voices and platforms right now, and many celebrities have gone beyond just social media posts and joined the protestors in the streets.
Ariana Grande
hours and miles of peaceful protesting yesterday that got little to no coverage.
all throughout beverly hills and west hollywood we chanted, people beeped and cheered along.
we were passionate, we were loud, we were loving.
cover this too please. #BLACKLIVESMATTER https://t.co/vD90CEtF94 pic.twitter.com/GZ6uKDfPM7— Ariana Grande (@ArianaGrande) May 31, 2020
On her social media, Ariana Grande highlighted the peaceful protest on the west side of LA over the weekend. She shared photos from Beverly Hills and West Hollywood, pointing out that, compared to more violent incidents, this peaceful demonstration got “little to no coverage.” When all you’re seeing on the news are images and videos of looting and fires, it’s easy to think that all the protests end up in violence. That’s not true, and the fact that Ariana Grande is showing a peaceful protest to her 74 million Twitter followers is huge.
Tinashe
Show up pic.twitter.com/jl9fkEh4eU
— TINASHE (@Tinashe) May 30, 2020
If you noticed, Ariana Grande’s tweet about the protest she attended was in response to Tinashe’s thread, where she also posted pictures of a peaceful protest in Beverly Hills. She posted inspiring pictures of huge crowds gathering and marching in solidarity. As one of many artists who’s had to cancel tour dates due to COVID-19, she’s also encouraged her fans to donate their ticket refunds to important causes like bail funds.
Madison Beer
Madison Beer been outspoken about police brutality for years, and she’s been out protesting in LA multiple times in the last few days. While at the protest on Sunday, the group Madison was with got tear-gassed by police, despite the fact that they were being completely peaceful.
In addition to attending protests, Madison has been sharing lots of important information on her social media, including curfew information, numbers to call in case of unlawful arrests, and locations where police are using tear gas. In a post on her story, she acknowledged all the thanks she’s gotten for her work, but made it clear that “it should be expected.”
John Cusack
Cops didn’t like me filming the burning car so they came at me with batons. Hitting my bike.
Ahhm here’s the audio pic.twitter.com/tfaOoVCw5v”— John Cusack (@johncusack) May 31, 2020
John Cusack, who is a huge Bernie Sanders supporter and posts constantly about his progressive politics, joined protestors in Chicago on Saturday night. Judging from his tweets, things were mostly peaceful, but at one point he came upon a car that had been set on fire. When he started filming the car, police officers came toward him with batons, hitting his bike and screaming in his face. This short video of the encounter is terrifying, so I can only imagine what it was like to actually experience it. In another tweet, Cusack added that he “would be very surprised if this is a one or two day event,” and that it feels like “many streams of outrage coming to a head, a wave peaking.”
Lana Del Rey
Lana Del Rey is no stranger to controversy lately, and despite joining protests over the weekend, she still got herself into hot water. She posted a series of images from the protests on her Instagram story, which is fine, but one of them was a video of a store being looted, in which people’s faces were clearly visible. This is the exact kind of thing you’re NOT supposed to post from a protest, and people understandably got very angry.
@LanaDelRey thank you for removing your post!!!!!!!!!!!
— TINASHE (@Tinashe) May 31, 2020
Lots of people tagged Lana on social media asking her to take the image down, which she did pretty quickly. An issue with posting pictures of videos of protests is that showing someone’s face could potentially lead to them getting arrested, deported, or otherwise targeted by law enforcement. It’s okay to make mistakes and learn right now, but everyone needs to be extremely careful about what they’re posting.
J. Cole
J. Cole has joined the protest in downtown Fayetteville, NC. So remember all the rappers who were out here donating and supporting when its time to buy albums. pic.twitter.com/OjJWRLFtJy
— OBJ said ask about him (@evelynvwoodsen) May 30, 2020
J. Cole has been out protesting in his hometown of Fayetteville, North Carolina, along with NBA player Dennis Smith. According to reports from those at the protest, they declined to do any interviews or take photos with fans, not wanting to pull any focus from the cause at hand. It seems like most celebs at that protests have done the same, and it’s great to see them just doing something because it’s the right thing to do. Also?? If you’re at a protest, it is NOT the time or place to try to take a selfie with a celeb for clout. Read the room.
Halsey
Halsey has done so much that she’s getting her own article, but we’d be remiss not to mention her here as well. She was at a peaceful protest over the weekend, when police fired teargas and rubber bullets at the crowd. She warned her followers about the danger of rubber bullets (which are way more intense than they sound), saying that she “had to bandage a man who looked like his entire face had exploded today.”
fired rubber bullets at us. we did not breach the line. hands were up. unmoving. and they gassed and fired. pic.twitter.com/K8YauF0APn
— h (@halsey) May 31, 2020
These are just some of the celebrities who have gotten out to join the protests recently, and surely this list will continue to grow this week. We’re at a major moment in this movement, and it’s more important than ever that we all show our support in whatever way we can. Whether this means attending a protest, making a donation, or working to educate yourself and become a better ally, we all have to do something.
Images: DFree / Shutterstock.com; arianagrande, tinashe, johncusack, evelynvwoodsen / Twitter; madisonbeer, halsey / Instagram
In case you somehow missed it, Hannah Brown and Tyler Cameron are quarantining together. And now, another possible Bachelor couple, Peter and Kelley, was seen out and about actively disobeying social distancing protocols. I guess we can finally say for sure that Bachelor producers don’t pick their cast based on intelligence, right? And Bachelor couples aren’t the only couples that are quarantining together—real celebrities are doing it too! Why aren’t these people worried they’re going to hate each other by the end of this? I’m quarantining with my mother and I’m 99% sure the only reason she hasn’t murdered me yet is because she doesn’t want the nine months that she carried me in her womb to be for nothing. So, it’s either very brave or very stupid of these celebrities to spend an undetermined amount of time together. Let’s take a look at which celebrity couples have decided to take their chances, and attempt to answer the eternal question: do celebrities that quarantine together stay together?
Shawn Mendes and Camila Cabello
So I guess this charade is still happening. Shawn and Camila have called the paparazzi on themselves been spotted out in Miami multiple times since quarantine began. Aggressively kissing, of course, because no one would buy that they’re a couple if they’re not swallowing each other’s faces whole. Oh wait, we still don’t buy it. Shouldn’t have wasted the saliva, guys! But that was SO sweet of them to remind us that it’s possible to stay fit while under quarantine—I mean, look at those abs! Could you livestream a workout for us, Shawn? Should I buy any equipment? Will I need to put down my Cheetos? Anyway, I’m not too worried about this couple breaking up in isolation. They’ll only break up when their contract says to, and I’m sure their lawyers thought of a pandemic clause.
Ben Affleck and Ana de Armas
Another couple doing their part to make sure the paparazzi stay employed during this unprecedented time of unemployment is Ben Affleck and Ana de Armas. I’m veryyyyy concerned about these two. First, they went from dating to “these are the sounds my body makes” in about .5 seconds. Second, they seem to really want people to know they’re banging, in a time when people reallyyyy don’t care. We’re just trying to secure enough toilet paper over here! Honestly, I’m happy that Ben is happy, partially because I think he makes things harder for himself than they need to be, but mostly because The Accountant is an underrated movie for which he did not get his due. But also, I beg of you, stay home! And actually, maybe I am very worried about this relationship because if they can’t obey an order to stay home that is strictly to SAVE LIVES, maybe they’re getting sick of each other already?
Leonardo DiCaprio and Camila Morrone
This one has me shook. Yes, Camila and Leo have been together for a while. Yes, there are no parties for Leo to attend at this time. Yes, Coachella was canceled. Yes, his infamous Pussy Posse does have too many members for the CDC to allow them to hang out right now. But I never thought it would come to this. Leo alone with a girlfriend for an extended amount of time? Giving her the impression that they might just be serious? The world really is ending. According to Harper’s Bazaar, Leo and Camila are in quarantine at his LA mansion and “they’re always together, but like maintaining privacy.” I assume that means that when Camila starts talking about TikTok he sends her to her room, right? They’ve even decided to foster a dog! I’m flummoxed. Look, I can’t tell you for sure if these two will make it through, the only thing I can tell you is that if we’re still in quarantine when she turns 25, they definitely will not.
Demi Lovato and Max Ehrich
I just said to my mother that now might be the time to get into soap operas. But I didn’t mean to, like, get into them, you know? Someone must have said the same thing to Demi and she took it very literally because it looks like she is quarantining with Max Ehrich, an actor on The Young and The Restless. Wow. That show title just hit hard. According to People, Max has posted Instagram stories of himself cuddling with Demi’s dogs, and a shirtless picture saying he didn’t pack enough for his quarantine. No one did, Max! Demi responded in the comments, “Fine by me…”. So I think it’s safe to say they have plenty to do to pass the time.
Ariana Grande and Dalton Gomez
I know you’re wondering if you should know who Dalton Gomez is, but don’t worry, you shouldn’t, and we broke his details down for you here. I’m honestly shocked that this guy is not a YouTube star because I find if I don’t know a name I hear on a celebrity website, they’re most likely a mildly offensive human who gets paid $24 million a year to tape themselves doing dumb sh*t. But, this guy is a realtor. Ariana met him through friends and apparently he sells multi-million dollar houses. Not right now you don’t, Dalton! Ain’t nobody got any money. We all know that Ariana is great at a quick, intense relationship *cough* all those Pete Davidson tattoos *cough* so this relationship might really thrive for the next few months. But once this is over and all of us mole people return to the light? They’re done.
Best of luck to all these quarantining celebrity couples, and may the odds be ever in their favor! Which celebrity couples do you think will make it out of isolation without hate in their hearts and blood on their hands?
Images: Debby Wong / Shutterstock.com; maxehrich, camilamorrone / Instagram; Giphy
One of the most exciting things about everyone social distancing is that it’s forcing a lot of celebrities to reveal their relationships. It feels like Ben Affleck and Ana de Armas have been photographed taking approximately 200 walks, and over in Bachelor land, we have Peter and Kelley galavanting around Chicago. Choosing to self-quarantine with a new partner is a big decision, and the latest new couple we’ve discovered thanks to social distancing is Ariana Grande and Dalton Gomez.
If you don’t know anything about Dalton Gomez, join the club. But instead of Googling “who is Dalton Gomez”, we did the hard work for you. Keep reading for all the relevant info you need to know about Ari’s new man.
He And Ari Are Quarantining Together
This is like, the whole reason we’re even having this conversation. Ariana isn’t posting pictures of them together or anything, but he’s been in the background of several of her posts in the past couple weeks. According to TMZ’s sources, they’ve been seeing each other for several months, but this week is the first time he’s been identified as anything other than a mystery man.
Okay soooo, maybe she does have a new man. Named Dalton Gomez. #ArianaGrande Either way, I’m so happy for her. pic.twitter.com/7d2gvAU6d9
— Sᴏʀᴀ (@ASoraWild) March 22, 2020
So how did we figure out who this guy is? Turns out, fans with a lot of time on their hands were able to cross reference Dalton’s tattoos with the tattoos visible on the guy in one of Ari’s Insta stories, and they match up. Name someone working harder than Ariana Grande stans, I’ll wait. Today, I’m thankful for the healthcare professionals, and the Ariana detectives working overtime.
He’s A Real Estate Agent
Until now, most of the guys Ariana has dated (that we know of) have been in the entertainment industry. There was Mac Miller, Big Sean, Pete Davidson, Mikey from Social House, the list goes on. But as a real estate agent, Dalton Gomez is a completely different vibe for her. He’s an agent in LA with the Aaron Kirman Group, where he’s worked for three years. According to his company bio, he’s responsible for “running all day-to-day operations of the top luxury real estate team in LA.” Sounds fancy, I’m into it. He might not be an A-list musician, but his sold listings include two houses over $10 million, so I’d imagine he makes pretty good money.
He Has Famous Friends
Dalton Gomez via Instagram Stories pic.twitter.com/wm5j3WUOKV
— Miley Cyrus Germany (@MileyRCyrusGER) July 9, 2017
Just because Dalton Gomez doesn’t work in the entertainment industry doesn’t mean he’s not around it. Above is an Instagram story of him hanging out with Miley Cyrus from way back in 2017. According to a source from E! News, Dalton and Ariana “run in the same circle,” explaining that “he used to be a dancer and they have many mutual friends.” I guess with a performing past, plus the luxury real estate hookup, it’s not hard to imagine that he would meet a lot of influential people. We don’t know exactly how he and Ariana Grande met, but it’s easy to imagine them getting introduced through a mutual friend or a business connection.
He Kinda Looks Like Pete Davidson
didn’t realize Pete Davidson got clear skin and a regular job https://t.co/vqzn7H1Q6H
— Betches (@betchesluvthis) March 26, 2020
When I first saw a photo of Dalton, my mind went to one place. Before I even got to the “who is Dalton Gomez?” phase, my immediate reaction is that he doesn’t not look like Pete Davidson. Clearly I wasn’t the only one who felt this way, and lots of tweets comparing the two went viral. Sadly, Dalton’s Instagram is private, so it’s hard to do a proper stalking, but he sort of looks like what you would expect a real estate agent version of Pete to look like. I have a feeling that, personality-wise, Pete and Dalton couldn’t be more different, but right now I’m just going on the visual. Hopefully Dalton is bringing Ariana all the hotness of Pete, but with like, a little more stability.
Obviously, we don’t know too much about Dalton and Ariana’s relationship yet, but hopefully the longer this quarantine goes on, she’ll start posting more about him. Two weeks from now, they could be going live together—I can dream!
Images: Tinseltown / Shutterstock.com; ASoraWild, MileyRCyrusGER, betchesluvthis / Twitter
Sunday night was the 62nd Grammy Awards, and of course, there were some interesting looks on the red carpet. Sandwiched in the middle of the Golden Globes and the Oscars, the Grammys red carpet basically has no rules, and runs the gamut from the most gorgeous gowns you’ve ever seen, to Lewis Capaldi looking like he desperately needs a shower. So of course, we’re breaking down the best and worst looks from the night, and my god, were there some worst looks. Feel free to disagree in the comments, unless you didn’t like Lizzo’s dress, in which case you’re just wrong.
Best: Lizzo
We all know at this point that Lizzo can basically do no wrong, but I don’t know if she’s ever looked quite this right. She ditched her tiny purse in favor of the most stunning white Versace gown I’ve ever seen. She had a huge 2019, and yeah, she’s not going anywhere.
Worst: Dua Lipa
Her bangs were like the two scene girls from your high school having a get together on her forehead. She honestly looks good, but this entire outfit/glam combo is giving me flashbacks to every girl that was a bully in the 90s.
Best: Ariana Grande
Ariana literally floated to the red carpet on the cloud that is her dress. This is really the perfect outfit, because when you want to pass out at the end of the night, your dress can be your comforter and bed all in one. Also, I should really be sick of that ponytail by now, but it just looks so good.
Worst: Alessandra Ambrosio
Listen, I have totally been there when I can’t decide between wearing shorts or a dress, black or white, but what most of us would do is just try everything on in our closet and leave our room as a nuclear war zone before choosing the first outfit we tried on, NOT somehow try to mix all possible clothing options.
Best: The Jonas Brothers
Okay, I’ll say it. The Jonas Brothers are hot. Even Kevin. They all looked great, and did a good job of looking like they go together without being matchy-matchy. Personally, I never really had a Jonas Brothers phase in 2008, but 2020 might finally be the time. It was bound to happen sooner or later.
Worst: Lana Del Rey
Lana Del Rey said in an interview that she bought her dress at the mall last week, and this tracks! I hate to say it, but she looks like the chaperone at a high school prom. You know, when the teachers have to dress up, but you know they don’t really want to be there. Girl, I know you sing about snorting cocaine off dicks! Liven it up!
Best: Lil Nas X
Somehow I’m not sick of the glam cowboy aesthetic yet, and Lil Nax X turned it up to 11 with this neon pink, bondage-inspired take on the “Old Town Road” vibe. This whole look is extra as f*ck, but I wouldn’t have it any other way.
Worst: Chrissy Teigen
Do we love Chrissy? Of course. Do we love this orange dress that looks like a cheap version of something Beyoncé probably wore in 2015? Not so much. Chrissy tweeted that she found her Grammys dress just 24 hours before the ceremony, and like… yeah. You can tell.
Best: Tyler, the Creator
Drag me in the comments all you want, I don’t care!! Tyler, the Creator had a huge night, winning Best Rap Album, and he brought his signature style to the red carpet. This look probably wouldn’t work on anyone else in the world, but Tyler looks so fun. And the best part is that, in the suitcase, he actually has the outfit that he wore later in the night to accept his award. We love an icon who packs light.
Worst: YG
YG showed up to the Grammys in my cardigan from Wet Seal in 2008 and nothing else. Did I do that in middle school when I wanted to dress sexy but not have my mom yell at me? Sure. Would I do it on a red carpet? …Maybe, but that’s not the point.
Best: H.E.R.
Okay, how did she show up wearing the actual tapestry off my wall and still end up looking this good? For real though, the print of this kimono is absolutely stunning, and the hair and accessories complete the look perfectly. God, she looks so f*cking cool.
Worst: Joy Villa
Good god, get this bitch outta here. Every single year Joy Villa (still don’t know who she is, really, and I’m not gonna look it up) shows up in some clickbaity Trump dress. And every year we play right into the narrative she wants by talking about it. Bye bitch.
IDK: Billie Eilish
Look, I can’t decide if I love or I hate this. I feel like if it was anyone else, I would hate it. But this is kind of her aesthetic? If nothing else, I can say that her head-to-toe Gucci look made me feel incredibly poor. With Billie sweeping the big four awards, we saw a lot of this look throughout the night, and whether it’s good or bad, it’s certainly memorable.
Again, let me know what you thought in the comments, but if I see any Lizzo slander, I’m burning this f*cking website down. See you in two weeks for the Oscars!
Images: Axelle/Bauer-Griffin, Steve Granitz, Amy Sussman / Getty Images
Is there anything more perfect in this world than when two beautiful people get together and form a power couple? It’s hard to look away. You know the kind of couples I’m talking about. We’ve got Brad and Angelina. Blake and Ryan. Chrissy and John. Leo and *insert 21-year-old lingerie model here*. We expect these couples. They make perfect sense. They just feel right. But recently we’ve had a, let’s say, non-traditional celebrity as one-half of the hottest couples, and I’m trying to wrap my head around just WHAT it is that makes Pete Davidson irresistible. In the last year and a half alone, Pete has been engaged to Ariana Grande, dated Kate Beckinsale and Margaret Qualley, and now things are getting romantic with Kaia Gerber. Over the weekend, they celebrated his 26th birthday and were spotted holding hands. It. Is. On. I think anyone with eyes would agree that Pete doesn’t look like your traditional Hollywood leading man, or someone that we usually see with the most beautiful women in the world. So what is it about him that makes women flock to him? Let me and my remedial Psych 101 knowledge break it down for you!
His BDE
Pete Davidson is the reason that BDE exists in our lexicon, and it was exhaustively discussed all over the internet last summer. So what contributes to his BDE? First, he’s tall. You might not think this is all that important, but most of the men in show biz are tiny. I know this for a fact because I was once at a fashion show and the Jonas brothers were there, and I scooped up all three of them in my palm, put them in the front pocket of my overalls, and walked right on out. I’m not even kidding. So, tall is rare and tall is exciting. Also, unlike Kourtney Kardashian, he is interesting to look at. He might not be traditionally handsome, but that is a FACE, you know? It has presence. And finally, he’s intense. He falls hard. These relationships have not lasted a long time, but they’ve gotten serious quickly, with engagements and move-ins, and premieres, etc. And who doesn’t want a guy that’s completely obsessed with them, to the point that you get matching tattoos, a pet rabbit, and the inability to ever be physically separated before you even learn their middle name? I sure do. That’s totally healthy, right?
He’s Funny
This one doesn’t need much explanation. He’s on SNL. He joined the show when he was only 20 years old as one of the youngest cast members ever. He also has a movie called King of Staten Island coming out in 2020 that is based on his life, and that he wrote with a guy you might have heard of, Judd Apatow. Sure, his humor is dark, but I think most people would appreciate someone whispering horrific jokes into their ear at their mother’s funeral. Just me? At the VERY least, Kate Beckinsale was definitely into that.
He Gets Lots Of Publicity
As I always say around here, if you think that celebrities are not calculated and strategic about their images, then it must be nice living in your very empty and uncomplicated brain. Can I move in, please? Pete Davidson is officially a publicity magnet. Ever since his relationship with Ariana, his profile has blown up, and people are interested in his every move. This makes him a great choice for a young female celebrity who wants to put her name on the map. I mean, Margaret Qualley? Not to be rude, but who the f*ck are you? Approximately 12 people watched The Leftovers. And yeah, Kaia Gerber is getting pretty famous, but if she wants to overtake Gigi Hadid as the top second-generation supermodel, she really needs to up her profile. And a buzzy relationship was the one thing she was missing. So now they’ll eat that Magnolia cake, they’ll hold hands around town, they’ll profess their undying love on Instagram, and then they’ll break up. All of this will happen in the next 30 days. The relationship won’t last long, but that publicity bump for Kaia will last forever.
And there you have it! Pete Davidson, hot girl magnet. Did I miss anything else that makes him so irresistible? Let me know!
Images: Giphy (2); whowhatwhere,commentsbycelebs/Instagram
In 2019, liking Lizzo is about as much of a personality trait as loving dogs or claiming cheese is the glue that holds your life together—which is to say that it’s not at all a personality trait and just a widely accepted thing people like. Now, I am not suggesting that Lizzo isn’t amazing, because she is. Her music is wonderful and she deserves every bit of success coming to her right now. Lizzo has blown up in the past year and is pretty universally liked, as evidenced by the fact that her songs are in just about every commercial on air right now, she has 6.2 million followers on Instagram, and her shows sell out immediately. “Who could not like Lizzo?” I have often thought to myself. Apparently, over 9,000 people on Twitter as I am currently writing this, because #LizzoIsOverParty is currently trending. Uh oh, what has she done?
Now, as amazing as Lizzo is, she has not been a stranger to controversy since her ascent to fame. Azealia Banks called her a “millennial mammy” and accused her of making a fool of herself for a white audience. Then again, I give about as much credence to Azealia Banks’s criticisms of other artists as I do to the girls in my high school on Facebook claiming essential oils will cure cancer. That said, in October, Lizzo was accused of plagiarism for her opening line in “Truth Hurts”: “I just took a DNA test, turns out / I’m 100% that bitch”. According to Rolling Stone, “Justin and Jeremiah Raisen claimed that in April 2017 they took part in a writing session with Lizzo, Jesse Saint John and Yves Rothman, during which they all wrote a song called ‘Healthy’ that contained the memorable line”. While Lizzo denied those plagiarism claims, she did acknowledge that Mina Lioness gave the inspiration for the DNA test line, and Lizzo has since officially credited Lioness as a songwriter on “Truth Hurts”.
But the #LizzoIsOverParty drama has nothing to do with “Truth Hurts”. It actually is about another Lizzo song, “Good As Hell”. And let me tell you right off the bat before you get mad at me in the comments section: it is f*cking stupid.
It all started when Lizzo released a remix of “Good As Hell” featuring Ariana Grande. The remix is… fine, but it’s not exactly the female anthem many people thought it would be. (In other words, it’s no “Bang Bang”.) And this is where the drama comes in: “Good As Hell” was on the Billboard charts for 25 weeks, and is currently at #2. That’s good as hell, right? Well, not for Ariana Grande fans, who are salty that Ariana is not listed on the charts, and are calling for Lizzo’s cancelation.
#LizzoIsOverParty @lizzo
Did it cost you so much to credit Ariana? you are sick with the charts— Mario (@MarioVz16) November 4, 2019
I guess the first thing I should point out is that there is no money to be made in the Billboard charts—the Hot 100 simply ranks songs based on sales (physical and digital), radio play, and online streaming. It would not “cost” anything for Lizzo to credit Ariana, because she is already credited on the remix… but also, there is no monetary gain to be made by simply being listed on the Billboard charts anyway. But, now, here’s the thing. The reason Ariana Grande isn’t listed on the charts is, you guessed it, because the version featuring her is not the version that is charting. The original version, the one without Ariana, is. It’s actually very simple. But it hasn’t stopped Ariana stans from going off on Twitter and saying some dumb things.
Wait so ppl mad that Ari isn’t credited on “Good as Hell”??
Isn’t Ari only on the remix? And isn’t the original the one on the charts?
Why would Ari be credited on the original?
And why get mad at Lizzo when it’s Billboard who published it?#LizzoIsOverParty— Christian 🌉 (@_xtians) November 4, 2019
Why are you cancelling Lizzo for a version Ariana isn’t even on #LizzoIsOverParty
— Allison the Disney Diva (@Daviesallison1A) November 4, 2019
There is now a battle between Lizzo fans/people with an actual brain, and Ariana Grande stans. And somehow, Kpop fans have also gotten thrown into the mix, for no other reason that I can tell, other than the fact that a lot of KPop fans are hijacking this trending hashtag with Kpop gifs. Why? I have really no idea. The youth is exhausting.
After a thorough investigation, it is with great pleasure that I report to you that Lizzo is decidedly not canceled, and Ariana Grande’s fans need to take about 1,000 chill pills and leave Lizzo alone. This has nothing to do with Ariana Grande, and plus, Ariana has had her fair share of commercial success; one song on the Billboard Hot 100 that she was featured on is not hurting her bottom line. Truthfully, I feel slightly foolish that I, a grown-ass adult, have dedicated a good hour of my time investigating the stupidity and naivete of actual children. But I can’t take it back now, so neither can you!
Images: Getty Images, Daviesallison1A, _xtians, MarioVz16 / Twitter
2019 is obviously supposed to be the year I die. On Friday, my gay brain almost exploded when Lana Del Rey, Ariana Grande, and Miley Cyrus dropped their new song “Don’t Call Me Angel” and video, from the soundtrack of the upcoming Charlie’s Angels reboot. Let me repeat: Lana. Ariana. Miley. All in the same place. Wearing Victoria’s Secret Angel costumes. It’s really too much to handle, but after a few minutes of deep breathing exercises, I’ve formed some thoughts.
“Don’t Call Me Angel” is a chaotic mess. But don’t come for me in the comments, because that’s exactly what it needed to be. I mean, you have three icons with completely different vibes in a heavily themed music video that’s glorified promo for a movie that none of them are actually in, so there’s no way this wasn’t going to be a little messy. Ariana Grande looks completely at home in her baby prostitute outfit, but Lana Del Rey seems confused why she’s not riding down the freeway in a car from the 70s. Miley seems right at home with her entire torso exposed, because I don’t think she’s worn a full shirt since 2016.
But before I dive deeper into the music video, let’s talk about the song. It’s super catchy, which makes sense, because it was written and produced by some of Ariana’s favorite collaborators, Max Martin, ILYA, and Savan Kotecha. The beat that pounds throughout the entire song kind of sounds like church bells on speed, which is a vibe. Really, it sounds like an Ariana Grande song that Miley Cyrus hopped on, and then Lana Del Rey just Airdropped them a verse from something else she had already recorded. Lana Del Rey is literally my queen, but her part of the song sounds like it was recorded on a different planet. Whatever, it’s a mood.
I don’t think the song is a masterpiece, but I like it enough that I’ll probably mindlessly listen to it on repeat for my whole commute today. It is, as the kids say, a bop. Good job, ladies. But let’s get back to the video.
I would love to know the budget for this, because it was definitely more than I will make in the next 40 years. They got helicopters and everything!! While I already kind of addressed their parts together, we need to talk about their separate segments.
Ariana’s scenes could honestly just be outtakes from her video for “Boyfriend,” which I already forgot existed, oops! She doesn’t really have a storyline here, and is mostly just twirling around in her angel costume. That’s mostly what she does anyway, so this is not really a change.
For her parts, Miley gets to be in a cool boxing ring wearing a bunch of gold chain, fighting with a guy who is the hottest man I’ve ever seen. It seems dangerous to fight with so many necklaces on, but that’s not my problem. I don’t know if this was filmed pre- or post-divorce news, but Miley really looks incredible here. Like, she’s glowing, and it’s not just the sweat from her boxing match. Maybe she’s imagining that the guy she’s beating up is Liam? Just a thought.
Lana Del Rey gets my favorite storyline, as a stealthy assassin who loves looking at hidden camera footage and throwing knives into outlines of a dude’s crotch. This is THE mood. And when she’s in her den of fire in that little red dress, OH MY GOD. I have never been more turned on, honestly.
By the time the three ladies prance into a banquet hall and start ripping grapes off a vine, the strategy here has become clear: throw absolutely everything at the wall and hope that people lose their minds. And honestly? Here I am writing an article about it, and I’ve already seen it memed approximately 500 times. I guess the strategy worked! Will this song be winning Grammys a year from now? Probs not, but I’ve streamed it 12 times this morning, so who really cares?
Images: Ariana Grande / YouTube; Giphy (2)
