Editor’s Note: Whether on screen or off, Hollywood can always be counted on to keep us entertained. This is especially true when it comes to politics. Join us each week as we shine the spotlight on Tinseltown’s A-listers and their wacky and sometimes inspiring takes on today’s current events.
Markle’s Sparkle Is Dimming
Meghan Markle has had her fair share of fame, but how is she faring after the “tell-all” interview she and Prince Harry had with Oprah Winfrey? The Duchess of Sussex tried to present herself as a victim of royalty and the media. However, almost instantly after the show aired, the Fourth Estate pounced on her claims, outing her for telling falsehoods.
In May, The Hollywood Reporter added Markle to its "2021 Women in Entertainment Power 100” list, saying, “Fresh off that Oprah Winfrey interview devoured around the world,” Meghan and her prince are “making the segue to Hollywood royalty this year.” But did that interview help or hurt her reputation?
From reportedly lying about when she and Harry actually got married to practically calling the Duchess of Cambridge Kate Middleton a bully, and accusing the family of racism, Meghan has been torn to shreds by the media sniffing out her so-called untruths like bloodhounds. And now, as she and Harry welcome a new baby into their family, even more royal turmoil has surfaced.
On June 4, the couple’s second child was born. They named the newborn girl Lilibet “Lili” Diana Mountbatten-Windsor, after her great-grandmother, Queen Elizabeth, and her grandmother, Princess Diana. Meghan and Harry’s friends say the ex-royal pair received permission from the queen to use her nickname, but palace press claim otherwise and explain that, at best, Her Royal Highness was informed they would be using the name and they did not ask for consent to do so. Apparently, it’s a big deal because only two people ever called the queen Lilibet: her father and husband.
A palace insider said, “Friends of the Sussexes appear to have given misleading briefings to journalists about what the queen had said and that took the whole thing over the edge.” The queen has mostly taken a “never complain, never explain” approach when it comes to such scandals, but with all of the bad press and “mistruths” circulating, she instructed courtiers to correct statements that are misrepresented. “This is about whether or not what is being reported is an accurate version of what actually happened,” the insider told the Daily Mail.
On the non-royal side of the family, Meghan is still estranged from her father who has not seen either of his newest grandchildren. Thomas Markle said he did not even hear of the birth from the parents, commenting, “No phone calls. I just heard it on the radio.” He added that “Lili is a perfect name, and the other thing that makes me so very happy is that now there is a lot more Markle blood in the royal family. All that I can say is I hope I eventually get to, sometime, see these grandchildren of mine because I am a pretty good grandpa.”
Cheers and Jeers
Sometimes, HollyWeird players make headlines for silly or bizarre happenings, so here is a bit of news from Tinseltown.
Sean Lennon on Woke Culture
The son of legendary Beatles member John Lennon and Yoko Ono, Sean Lennon, spoke out against being woke, saying, “whites are not the problem.” He talked about growing up during a time that was without so much political correctness and how he’d been subjected to racism. On Twitter, he posted:
“When I was young ppl used to say racist s--- about Asians around me all the time and then be like ‘Oh sorry! But you’re not reeeally Asian so…’ and I think they sincerely thought that would make me feel better,”
Lennon, however, doesn't think PC culture is the answer. He said he literally saw “political correctness being invented right in front of me.” He added, “The road to hell is paved w[ith] good intentions,” quoting Samuel Johnson. “We’ve been trying this kind of morality policing for a while now & I would posit things are arguably getting worse. Race relations seem to be in the middle of a ‘two steps back’ moment.”
Rugrats Go Woke
Cartoons have been sucked into the woke generation, and the newest show to get a makeover is Nickelodeon’s animated series Rugrats. The mother of twins Phil and Lil DeVille will now be a gay character voiced by Parks and Recreation actress Natalie Morales. The rebooted version will be shown on Paramount+.
Tune in next week to see what else Tinseltown has planned.
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Read more from Kelli Ballard.
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