Sabrina Carpenter is not TikTok, Katy Perry advice, Joshua Jackson is a network lead, Oscar real estate, why the sparkly leotard, from Covenant House to gossip, Kaia Gerber in person, and more...
Let's give some love to Fringe (aired on FOX). One of the best sci-fi shows that does not get a lot of love. Joshua Jackson also played a supporting role to a badass female character in that one!
Another great mailbag, loved all these questions and answers! Inside baseball of LG and gossip/entertainment in general is always so intriguing to me. Having been reading for the past 2 decades, it’s really cool to hear Lainey’s perspective now about her transition from being a normie in the nonprofit world to drinking from the TV/entertainment fire hose while keeping all of us fed at LaineyGossip! Thank you for your service. 🫡 (You can complain to us anytime!)
These red carpet throwback pics are so great, too! Stacey Kiebler and Clooney—what a gem!
I think of the sparky leotards like Michael Jackson’s white socks showing between black loafers and black pants—I read somewhere he did that so people could easily see and track his feet to keep up with his choreography. I always think of Beyoncé as the start of the sparkly leotard (or the best case for it/reason it stuck?). Sparkles to catch your eye, leotard so you’re drawn to her legs and the amazing choreo.
Can I just add to the thoughts Sara gave about why Timmy's possible nomination is being thrown around as almost fact? James Mangold is directing him in A Complete Unknown and James has a long history at the Oscars for both best picture noms but also acting nominations and wins. He directed Angelina Jolie in Girl, Interrupted, he directed Reese (and Joaquin who was nominated but didn't win) in Walk The Line, he directed Ford Vs Ferrari, which didn't get acting noms but did get Best Picture and other nominations and one for some technical stuff. My point is that in addition to Timmy having been nominated before he is also working with a director who has gotten a few actors nominations and wins, particularly in bio pics. At this point I can't imagine Timmy wouldn't be nominated.
About Demi Moore and the transformations she's gone through over the years, I don't know if I'm the only one who remembers her time on the soap opera "General Hospital," but the facial alterations began during that time. When she was first on there, she was a skinny kid with a very large, hawk-like, oddly shaped nose and a manly jawline, trying to be seen as a grownup with potential. I remember this because I was a sucker for GH in those days, and she stood out because she was a) unattractive and b) a terrible, terrible actor. It was the horrible acting that emblazoned her so firmly in my memory, so that the the alterations from that time stuck in my memory.
The first change was a nose job and something done to her jawline. I went back and looked for photos of her from that pre-surgery time and if they exist they have been aggressively hidden. All the photos from her GH days are of the post-surgery face. Her face changed again between GH and "St. Elmo's Fire," but her acting skills vastly improved, as well. And since then, other than the California face thing, she hasn't really altered her face in a profound way. I actually think she has much less California face than other actors of the same time period and similar acting stature.
While I generally am not a fan of major alterations of oneself that distort the fabric of what you look like, I have a sort of "you go girl!" feeling for Demi Moore. The start of her acting career was not great, but she worked very hard to improve on all fronts and made a real success out of herself. I admire that.
I really hope Sabrina Carpenter’s Christmas special is family friendly! (Not like Ariana Grande’s horny Christmas album). We watch Kacey Musgrave’s special a lot during the holidays, my kids and I love it.
That Kacey Musgraves special is also great to listen to as an album, which I think is also key to a great variety special! It needs to work without the visuals too.
re: Katy Perry and the topic that I'm always low-key obsessed with: Her 'feud' with Taylor Swift. (Which I've always believed to be about John Mayer and not tour dancers, come on now). They have supposedly buried the hatchet, which I absolutely LOVE that we know this because Taylor posted a pic of Katy's apology flowers and note, LOL!! We still, as far as I know, haven't seen these 2 together since they reconciled, which makes me think Taylor was like, Sure, fine, you're forgiven, but you'll never get back in the club. In what universe would Katy ever stoop to asking Taylor for a career-assist (a song collaboration, asking her to write a song for her, etc). How much shit would Katy have to eat?
I completely missed Katy Perry winning an award for iconic VMA performance and honestly she should be embarrassed. Her performances are not in the same league as the other nominees.
I think one reason for the photo problem is related to the uncanny valley problem in animation--humans have so many tiny muscles in our faces, and we're constantly doing stuff with them. Animated people look weird because we haven't been able to reproduce the facial muscles, and in real life, we perceive and process the tiniest movement so fast, and it just looks wrong. In photos, I think there are so many ways to catch a face frozen in a moment when the facial muscles are in a transition, that wouldn't look weird to our eyes in real time, because we're seeing what comes before and after the transition and it smooths out into normality. But it looks weird in a photo, because in real life you never see someone's muscles doing whatever it is without the before and after.
Oooooooooooooh this makes SO much sense to me! 😀 My work requires active, attentive listening and so I am very aware of all the myriad of ways my face moves when I’m with someone.
When I got wedding photos (last time I worked with a photographer) it was just so weird and strange to be posed and still. I was very bad at it and still don’t like to look at those portraits.
This is such a stupid question but what the hell...
Lainey or Jacek - how do I email questions or comments to you and the team? Do I just go to my Substack In Box and respond to the most recent Mailbag? Or can I email the team directly? If so, where do I find the addresses?
I found the photo vs irl question fascinating. Sometimes I feel like the most unphotogenic person on the planet. To the point that if I ever get a compliment on my looks, I don’t believe it, because in my mind the photos are what I look like: I get a good mirror day every now and then, but it never trumps my photo identity of me.
Another delightful and thoughtful mailbag! I haven't watched a network TV show for various reasons in years, but Joshua Jackson might just change that. It looks like it could be the perfect escapist show - I agree Lainey everything feels so fucking dark right now! The world is dark enough, give us *good* fantasy escapism!
911 is incredible. Just the absolute wildest storylines on TV, with Angela Bassett completely committed to the bit. Dr. Odyssey looks very much in the vein of 911 to me.
Does anyone watch Apple Music with Zane Lowe on YT? It’s an amazing series and he featured Sabrina on it. It’s the type of interview where there’s little room to hide, I enjoyed the Gracie Abrams one too (and she gives some insight on Taylor!)
Let's give some love to Fringe (aired on FOX). One of the best sci-fi shows that does not get a lot of love. Joshua Jackson also played a supporting role to a badass female character in that one!
The actors in that show were phenomenal. If awards people weren't so weird about genre shows, John Noble and Anna Torv would have all the prizes.
Another great mailbag, loved all these questions and answers! Inside baseball of LG and gossip/entertainment in general is always so intriguing to me. Having been reading for the past 2 decades, it’s really cool to hear Lainey’s perspective now about her transition from being a normie in the nonprofit world to drinking from the TV/entertainment fire hose while keeping all of us fed at LaineyGossip! Thank you for your service. 🫡 (You can complain to us anytime!)
These red carpet throwback pics are so great, too! Stacey Kiebler and Clooney—what a gem!
Wow, I totally blocked out that phase where George Clooney dated Stacey Keibler (in fact, I had to Google what her name was!).
That was a very interesting perspective on sparkly leotards that I hadn't considered before!
I assumed the sparkly leo caught on because they make for easy wardrobe changes.
Yes! This is what I was thinking! But the ability to see the star makes soooo much sense. Thanks for answering my question Lainey!
I think of the sparky leotards like Michael Jackson’s white socks showing between black loafers and black pants—I read somewhere he did that so people could easily see and track his feet to keep up with his choreography. I always think of Beyoncé as the start of the sparkly leotard (or the best case for it/reason it stuck?). Sparkles to catch your eye, leotard so you’re drawn to her legs and the amazing choreo.
Can I just add to the thoughts Sara gave about why Timmy's possible nomination is being thrown around as almost fact? James Mangold is directing him in A Complete Unknown and James has a long history at the Oscars for both best picture noms but also acting nominations and wins. He directed Angelina Jolie in Girl, Interrupted, he directed Reese (and Joaquin who was nominated but didn't win) in Walk The Line, he directed Ford Vs Ferrari, which didn't get acting noms but did get Best Picture and other nominations and one for some technical stuff. My point is that in addition to Timmy having been nominated before he is also working with a director who has gotten a few actors nominations and wins, particularly in bio pics. At this point I can't imagine Timmy wouldn't be nominated.
Good point about James Mangold.
About Demi Moore and the transformations she's gone through over the years, I don't know if I'm the only one who remembers her time on the soap opera "General Hospital," but the facial alterations began during that time. When she was first on there, she was a skinny kid with a very large, hawk-like, oddly shaped nose and a manly jawline, trying to be seen as a grownup with potential. I remember this because I was a sucker for GH in those days, and she stood out because she was a) unattractive and b) a terrible, terrible actor. It was the horrible acting that emblazoned her so firmly in my memory, so that the the alterations from that time stuck in my memory.
The first change was a nose job and something done to her jawline. I went back and looked for photos of her from that pre-surgery time and if they exist they have been aggressively hidden. All the photos from her GH days are of the post-surgery face. Her face changed again between GH and "St. Elmo's Fire," but her acting skills vastly improved, as well. And since then, other than the California face thing, she hasn't really altered her face in a profound way. I actually think she has much less California face than other actors of the same time period and similar acting stature.
While I generally am not a fan of major alterations of oneself that distort the fabric of what you look like, I have a sort of "you go girl!" feeling for Demi Moore. The start of her acting career was not great, but she worked very hard to improve on all fronts and made a real success out of herself. I admire that.
I really hope Sabrina Carpenter’s Christmas special is family friendly! (Not like Ariana Grande’s horny Christmas album). We watch Kacey Musgrave’s special a lot during the holidays, my kids and I love it.
That Kacey Musgraves special is also great to listen to as an album, which I think is also key to a great variety special! It needs to work without the visuals too.
Quick recommendation for all the Joshua Jackson lovers: he did a rom-com audiobook recently (with yours truly) that is utterly charming and delightful. AND HE'S CANADIAN IN IT. Highly recommend. 😊 https://www.audible.com/pd/Canadian-Boyfriend-Audiobook/B0C5GKFX8V
Ooh thanks for the rec!
Do you all record separately? Or did you hang out in a studio together?? I’d love some show your work on audiobook life!
Sadly we recorded separately. I never talked to him. But I got mentioned in an US Weekly piece about him and the book, which was cool!
Fascinating! Look forward to hearing it even more, knowing these tidbits. :)
when i think of the VMAs, i only think of britney.
as for the leotards—bc im also sick of them—the first person i remember wearing them was madonna in the hung up music video
re: Katy Perry and the topic that I'm always low-key obsessed with: Her 'feud' with Taylor Swift. (Which I've always believed to be about John Mayer and not tour dancers, come on now). They have supposedly buried the hatchet, which I absolutely LOVE that we know this because Taylor posted a pic of Katy's apology flowers and note, LOL!! We still, as far as I know, haven't seen these 2 together since they reconciled, which makes me think Taylor was like, Sure, fine, you're forgiven, but you'll never get back in the club. In what universe would Katy ever stoop to asking Taylor for a career-assist (a song collaboration, asking her to write a song for her, etc). How much shit would Katy have to eat?
Katy Perry's got to overcome the bad juju of killing that nun before she goes back to Taylor Swift.
Oof. Forgot about that.
I completely missed Katy Perry winning an award for iconic VMA performance and honestly she should be embarrassed. Her performances are not in the same league as the other nominees.
I think one reason for the photo problem is related to the uncanny valley problem in animation--humans have so many tiny muscles in our faces, and we're constantly doing stuff with them. Animated people look weird because we haven't been able to reproduce the facial muscles, and in real life, we perceive and process the tiniest movement so fast, and it just looks wrong. In photos, I think there are so many ways to catch a face frozen in a moment when the facial muscles are in a transition, that wouldn't look weird to our eyes in real time, because we're seeing what comes before and after the transition and it smooths out into normality. But it looks weird in a photo, because in real life you never see someone's muscles doing whatever it is without the before and after.
Oooooooooooooh this makes SO much sense to me! 😀 My work requires active, attentive listening and so I am very aware of all the myriad of ways my face moves when I’m with someone.
When I got wedding photos (last time I worked with a photographer) it was just so weird and strange to be posed and still. I was very bad at it and still don’t like to look at those portraits.
This is such a stupid question but what the hell...
Lainey or Jacek - how do I email questions or comments to you and the team? Do I just go to my Substack In Box and respond to the most recent Mailbag? Or can I email the team directly? If so, where do I find the addresses?
I'm not usually such a Luddite, I promise.
You can find out emails listed online at Lainey gossip.com/home/bios
The naming convention is: firstname@laineygossip.com
So lainey@laineygossip.com, jacek@laineygossip.com, etc
I found the photo vs irl question fascinating. Sometimes I feel like the most unphotogenic person on the planet. To the point that if I ever get a compliment on my looks, I don’t believe it, because in my mind the photos are what I look like: I get a good mirror day every now and then, but it never trumps my photo identity of me.
Another delightful and thoughtful mailbag! I haven't watched a network TV show for various reasons in years, but Joshua Jackson might just change that. It looks like it could be the perfect escapist show - I agree Lainey everything feels so fucking dark right now! The world is dark enough, give us *good* fantasy escapism!
911 is incredible. Just the absolute wildest storylines on TV, with Angela Bassett completely committed to the bit. Dr. Odyssey looks very much in the vein of 911 to me.
I AM IN THE PROCESS OF BINGING ALL OF 9-1-1 (and Lone Star)!!!! There is going to be a KILLER BEENADO in the season 8 premiere😱🐝🐝🐝
Timmy-Bob 💀
Does anyone watch Apple Music with Zane Lowe on YT? It’s an amazing series and he featured Sabrina on it. It’s the type of interview where there’s little room to hide, I enjoyed the Gracie Abrams one too (and she gives some insight on Taylor!)