🚂The Toxic Gossip Train Continues🚂
From Colleen Ballinger to the BBC it's all a bit... YIKES 🙃
Hi angels!! Trying to think of what to report on for you from back home today… I finished Red White and Royal Blue (ugh obsessed) - book clubbers - if you haven’t read it, you MUST (ps, become a paid supporter to join our book club🥺) I just read the news that DANNY RIC will be back on the grid, and I’m also about to record an episode of Culture Vulture with London Laura so… life is good!
I’m also going to the BARBIE PREMIERE next week, so if you’re not a Close Friend yet, now would be a good time to become one, because naturally I’ll take you along!!
I NEED YOUR HELP!
🔔Bel Chimes In: What the hell is in, what the hell is out? I'm so glad you asked🔔
An update to the BBC story
Turkey gives the OK for Sweden to join NATO
Colleen Ballinger has uploaded her apology song ‘Toxic Gossip Train' to streaming services and is claiming copyright on it
Britney Spears is releasing her memoir ‘The Woman In Me’ in October
Zayn Malik is going on Call Her Daddy
And this is just a really good interview with Tom Holland
I need your help!!
CAN YOU PLEASE ANSWER LITERALLY ONLY THREE QUESTIONS FOR US (they’re all about concerts and it will be SO quick!!!)
The more of you that answer these questions the more tickets we might be able to give out in the future…
🔔Bel Chimes In: What the hell is in, what the hell is out? I'm so glad you asked🔔
This section is written by my crush, the refreshing-as-a-house-chardonnay-on-a-steamy-day, Bel Hawkins. She also writes our Sunday newsletter ‘No News is Good News’ which all our paying supporters receive. Upgrade your plan to get her newsy here!
Mōrena crushes 💌
A LOT has happened since we last spoke. The first is that I played a small part in busting a crime ring here in Tāmakai Makaurau last week and wow, what a terrifying thrill that was, and now I'm reconsidering my entire career path for something more CSI adjacent.
The second is that Luce is now OOA (Out of Auckland), which was aptly marked by a drunken (my end) exchange of a podcast mic before she headed off on her roadie down the island over the weekend, so tune in for some unhinged, gorge and essential podcasts coming to you intercity style in the coming weeks. Miss you, Luce!
And the last thing is that for this week's Chime, I thought I'd revisit the in/out trend that washed the world at the end of last year, which I loved and which I would love to hear your own contributions to the below lists. The world must know.
In/Out for the second half of the year:
In
Capo benders, calling your friends at strange hours, asking for help, compliments that aren't about anyone's appearance, a statement sock, taking annual leave, doing nothing, touching grass, listening to music you loved when you were a teenager, cleansing your photo library, not making plans on Saturday mornings, lunch specials, being impatient.
Out
Rain, hiding your feelings, Frank Green drink bottles too big for small hands, thin chucks, restaurants closing early, outfit hauls for European summer holidays, nondescript shots of beaches we all wish we were swimming in, being late, apologising for nothing, vaping, not asking for what you want, a bootcut jean, town shoes.
Cool k love you bye! See you on Sunday!
x0x0
Turkey gives the OK for Sweden to join NATO
Y’all know I love to flex my International Relations undergrad degree any chance I get, and today we’re talking NATOOOOOO. NATO (which actually only has one O) is the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation and is essentially a military alliance. To get into NATO every single current member has to agree to let you in - and this has been a little bit of a problem for Sweden.
Sweden has been trying to get into NATO, but has been previously vetoed by Turkey, who accused them of hosting Kurdish militants. Yesterday though, Turkey's President, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, agreed to support Sweden's bid to join NATO - which is kinda huge for them.
There is no specific date they will join, nor is it TOTALLY confirmed (it has to go to the Turkish parliament for ratification and a date hasn’t been set for that) but this is low-key historic.
An update to the BBC story
In classic newsy fashion, as soon as I published the newsy yesterday there was an update to this story, so here’s a follow up!
So yesterday, a lawyer representing the young person at the centre of the BBC presenter allegations, disputed their mother’s account of events (you’ll remember that the mother went to The Sun with the story.)
In a letter to the BBC, the lawyer said "the allegations reported in the Sun newspaper are rubbish" and that the young person sent the newspaper a denial on Friday, but it proceeded to publish "their inappropriate article".
The Sun says it has “seen evidence to back the mother's claims.”
For now, here’s what we know according to the BBC:
“We know the police are involved, we know a well-known presenter has been suspended and we know there's claim and counter-claim, but there are just as many questions still unanswered.”
UPDATE. I woke up this morning to this headline: “BBC presenter sent abusive and menacing messages to second young person”
So this story is moving literally as fast as I can type! The very latest right now is that a second young person - who is not linked to the first incident - has come forward and told BBC News that they “felt threatened by the BBC presenter at the centre of a row over payment for sexually explicit photos.”
The individual in their early 20s was first contacted anonymously by the male presenter on a dating app. They say they were put under pressure to meet up but never did. When the young person hinted online they might name the presenter, they were sent abusive, expletive-filled messages.
Speaking to BBC News, the young person - who has no connection to the person at the centre of the Sun's story about payments for photos - said they had been scared by the power the presenter held. They said the threats made in the messages - which have been seen and verified by BBC News - had frightened them, and they remain scared.
At this stage, the BBC have contacted the presenter directly, and via his lawyer, but they’ve had no response.
Here’s a detailed timeline if you’re interested!
LOTS going on in pop culture rn:
Britney Spears is releasing her memoir ‘The Woman In Me’ in October
Zayn Malik is going on Call Her Daddy
PS DON’T FORGET TO ANSWER OUR QUESTIONS HERE!!
If you wanna:
Become a Close Friend on Instagram
Become a member of our 📚Book Club📚
AND get Bel’s Sunday morning newsy ‘No News Is Good News’
Please consider becoming a paying supporter 💌
like, i know she probs can’t share, but i just want you to know that i will be waiting with bated breath for ANY update on bel taking down a crime ring
Colleen Ballinger copyright claiming people for using her 'song' is actually disgusting and incredibly hypocritical holy crap