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You've Been Framed: The 10 Most Famous Glasses in TV & Film

You’ve Been Framed: The 10 Most Famous Glasses in TV & Film

Our favorite movies and TV shows have been shaping our sense of style for over a century now, and there’s nothing that can beat a great look on the silver screen. Over the years, both TV and cinema have conjured some unmistakable styles and inspired brand new fashion trends single-handedly. 

Although it can be a daunting task to pick out a collection of the most iconic eyewear that we’ve seen throughout the world of TV and film, it’s certainly worth looking deeper into 10 styles that have had the biggest impact and largest influence over viewers. 

With this in mind, let’s explore the 10 most famous glasses in TV and film:

Breakfast at Tiffany’s (1961)

In arguably the epitome of 60s chic, the opening shots of the 1961 film Breakfast at Tiffany’s are unmistakable. Holly Golightly, played by Audrey Hepburn, walks the streets of New York in a pair of striking thick-framed sunglasses before stopping to peer into the window of Tiffany’s. 

The glasses themselves are designed by Oliver Goldsmith, and have become a timeless classic in the world of fashion. Impressively, the eyewear is still available to buy from Goldsmith.

Top Gun (1986)

If there was ever a film that single-handedly made a style of sunglasses more fashionable, it has to be Top Gun.

The aviators adorned by lead character, Maverick, played by Tom Cruise, have become a timeless vestige of coolness with a wide array of fans today–including US President Joe Biden.

In the movie, the iconic shades were a pair of Ray-Bans. The reason for this is that the company were the very first to produce aviators back in the 1930s as a means of helping pilots to keep their eyes protected from the glare of the sun.

The recent return of Top Gun: Maverick only contributed to cementing the aviators as a cinematic classic, and there are no signs of the fashion trend crash landing any time soon.

The Matrix (1999)

The craze for Matrix glasses never seems to want to fade away. Even after repeatedly failing to live up to the box office smash hit of The Matrix in the quadrilogy’s follow-ups, the demand for everything Matrix is continually infiltrating fashion.

Along with striking black frames and unconventional shapes, the art of Matrix fashion dictates that black and leather are the classic cool look. For the film’s far-reaching cult following, the kung-fu moves featured throughout the motion picture may be a stretch too far, but the fashion within the movie is highly accessible.

Lolita (1962)

Unsurprisingly, the 1960s reemerge as a key decade for fashion, and in this case, it’s the eyewear worn by Sue Lyon as the lead character, Lolita, in the Stanley Kubrick comedy of the same name.

Starring in a bold pair of brightly colored heart-shaped glasses, Lolita casts a striking impression in a movie that’s only become more popular throughout the ages.

Superman (1978 – )

Although superheroes aren’t usually known for their eyewear, it’s fair to say that Clark Kent wasn’t a traditional superhero when hiding his alter ego, Superman, from the world.

Playing a mild-mannered reporter, Clark Kent can often be found throughout the Superman cinematic history wearing thick black frames as a means of ensuring that his true identity isn’t discovered.

We’ve seen these iconic thick black frames throughout the eyewear industry and today perhaps the most effective to order online would be Burberry’s range of understated retro-inspired glasses.

How to Marry a Millionaire (1953)

No list of famous TV and film styles could possibly be complete without Marilyn Monroe, and her eyewear in the 1953 romantic comedy, How to Marry a Millionaire shows off a golden age of style.

Monroe plays Pola Debevoise, who wears a pair of glitzy cat eye style glasses as a key wardrobe accompaniment to help win over a wealthy partner.

The cat eye style of eyewear has rarely left the inner circles of womens fashion, and style icons like Marilyn Monroe can certainly be thanked for their role in making the choice of frames a leading wardrobe choice.

The Blues Brothers (1980)

The Blues Brothers had the privilege of combining blues music with a look that oozes coolness. Brothers Jake and Elwood Blues, played by John Belushi and Dan Ackroyd, opted to complete their look using unmistakable Ray-Ban Wayfarers.

As some of the most popular forms of eyewear in the decades that followed The Blues Brothers’ 1980 release, it’s fair to say that the Wayfarer is still performing admirably well off the back of the work of some of the film industry’s most famous brothers.

Harry Potter (2001-2011)

Okay, so the look hasn’t quite caught on in the world of fashion, but it’s fair to say that Harry Potter, played by Daniel Radcliffe, has the most famous pair of glasses in 21st Century cinema.

The circular lenses may have been popularized by the likes of John Lennon in The Beatles some decades earlier, but today we far more readily associate rounded glasses with the world’s most famous wizard.

Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (1998)

While it’s unclear whether his attorney advised him to wear these eye-catching Ray-Ban RB 3138 Shooter Aviator sunglasses with yellow tinted lenses or not, Hunter S Thompson, played by Johnny Depp, inspired one of the most colorful cult looks in cinema with his role in Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas.

Inspired by the renowned gonzo journalist’s semi-autobiographical account of a drug-addled few weeks in 1971.

Interestingly, the lenses themselves were picked for the real Hunter S Thompson in the movie by Terry Gilliam, of Monty Python fame.

Taxi Driver (1976)

Yep, it’s another appearance for Aviator glasses, and this time as a tool in casting a strong anti-hero style adopted by Travis Bickle, played by Robert de Niro, in the Martin Scorsese film, Taxi Driver.

Unlike our more traditional perception of the Aviator sunglasses, Bickle wears smaller lenses that aren’t too dissimilar in style to Ray-Ban’s Blaze Generals.

Whether you’re a hero or anti-hero, some of the styles that have graced the silver screen over the decades have carried a profound influence on the fashion that followed.

While Ray-Bans and Aviators have been among the leading brands and styles that have dominated Hollywood over the years, there’s been plenty of room for less conventional styles to emerge to become cult favorites over time.

It’s certainly going to be interesting to see the future of films create brand new looks that are replicated by fans over years to come.

SEE ALSO: Rihanna to Headline 2023 Super Bowl Halftime Show

Whoopi Goldberg’s Response to Bella Thorne’s Leaked Nudes Sparks New Debate

Actress and singer Bella Thorne was forced to leak her own nudes, after being threatened by a hacker on Sunday, hours after promoting her book, The Life of a Wannabe Mogul. In an open letter that she shared on Twitter, she declared to her hacker, “I can sleep tonight better knowing that I took my power back. U can’t control my life, you never will.”

Although, initial responses congratulated Bella for not giving into the hacker and applauded her strength in sharing the photos online, Whoopi Goldberg suggested Bella was partly to blame.  On Monday’s episode of The View, where Whoopi is a host, she stated: “If you’re famous, I don’t care how old you are. You don’t take nude photos of yourself.” Whoopi added, “If you don’t know this in 2019, that this is an issue, I’m sorry… You cannot be surprised if someone’s hacked you, especially if you have stuff on your phone.”

Many have taken Whoopi Goldberg’s statements as pure “victim blaming”; however, others have highlighted that Whoopi merely stated the cold, hard truth in her brutally honest fashion.

Thorne promptly responded to the comments in a series of Instagram videos and posts. In a letter penned to Whoopi, that she shared onto her Instagram story, Bella wrote, “ Dear Whoopi, I have loved you for so long but honestly I’m so displeased and saddened by your response to my le[a]k. Blaming girls for taking the photo in the first place? Is sick and honestly disgusting…I’m offended for anyone out there who has ever taken a sexy photo.”

KISS FM’s morning show host, Angie Taylor, also told Goldberg to “stand down” and came to the singer’s defence.

Nonetheless, this does open the issue of whether people, particularly celebrities, should be more careful about sharing and storing extremely personal photos of themselves on apps and storage databases. The incident invites another question of whether any lessons were learnt following the countless iCloud hacks in 2014, where celebrity nudes were shared onto an event title, Fappening. The scandal’s famous victims included Jennifer Lawrence, Ariana Grande and Brie Larson. In the public sphere, nudes have also been the subject of “revenge porn”, following relationships taking a sour turn.

In an interview with Vanity Fair, Jennifer Lawrence labelled the iCloud hacks a “sex crime.” The man behind the iCloud hacks was Ryan Collins from Lancaster, Pennsylvania, who was sentenced to 18 months in prison.  Lawrence highlighted in the interview the need for new legislation to be enforced to ensure hackers think twice, before publicly posting photos.

Ultimately, should more young people be willing to take responsibility for posting nudes online or is it only natural with growing digitalisation, that we create new legislation to protect personal photos from being stolen by hackers?

See also: Teen Actress Thalia Tran on Preparing for “Little” 
Kylie Jenner Throws “Handmaid’s Tale” Themed Party, Incenses Everybody

Kanye West Opens Up About Being Bipolar and His Mental Health

A recently released sneak peak of David Letterman’s Netflix show, My Next Guest Needs No Introduction reveals Kanye West opening up about his mental health struggles. In the interview, the rapper candidly narrates his personal experiences being bipolar and coping with the stigma surrounding mental illness.

Speaking about how bipolar has affected him, he tells Letterman, “You have this moment [where] you feel everyone wants to kill you. You pretty much don’t trust anyone…When you’re in this state, you’re hyper-paranoid about everything, everyone.

“This is my experience, other people have different experiences. Everyone now is an actor. Everything’s a conspiracy. You feel the government is putting chips in your head. You feel you’re being recorded. You feel all these things.”

Kanye West’s mental health journey

Concerns regarding Kanye West’s mental health first came to light in 2016, after the rapper was hospitalized at Ronald Regan UCLA Medical Center following, what was classified at the time, a psychiatric emergency. The hospitalisation was believed to the result of chronic sleep deprivation and subsequent mental exhaustion and occurred just hours after Kanye cancelled his remaining performances on his Saint Pablo Tour.

Two years after his November hospitalisation, Kanye discussed his bi-polar diagnosis through his album, Ye,which was released in June 2018. Debuting at number one on the US Billboard 200, the album featured artists such as Ty Dolla Sign, Caroline Shaw, Benny Blanco, Irv Gotti and Che Pop.

The album’s name originates from the word “ye” in the Bible and touches upon the last two letters of Kanye’s name that also appear in his Twitter handle.

Bipolar is my ‘superpower’

In a video interview with Big Boy TV, Kanye gave during his picturesque listening party for the album in Wyoming, he discussed the origins of the album’s name in greater detail, “Ye” means “you”… It went from Kanye, which means “the only one,” to just Ye —just being a reflection of our good, our bad, our confused, everything. The album is more of a reflection of who we are.”

The lyrics forming the album’s lead single, “Yikes,” directly confront his symptoms of bipolar disorder and expresses to the audience the importance of prioritizing getting help. Kanye wraps up the single’s chorus, “Yikes, shit can get menacin’, frightenin’, find help” and “Sometimes I scare myself, myself,” by titling his bipolar his ‘superpower’. “Yikes” seeks to absolve the stigma placed onto individuals with bipolar and mental illnesses, and Kanye emphasizes this by asserting that his bipolar disorder has turned him into a superhero.

Fighting the stigma around mental illness

The stigma of crazy attached to mental illness is a subject Kanye describes to David Lettermanas another way of society being able to “write you off.”

He tells Letterman, “They love to cut your sentences off halfway. What you say doesn’t mean as much. Sometimes, for me, I think it’s a form of protection for me, because if I’m peeping something that people don’t want me to think about or know as a celebrity, ‘Oh, he’s just crazy,’ and then I go home. If they didn’t think I was crazy, it may be a problem.”

The full interview is set to be aired on May 31 on Netflix.

See also: What is Camp, Anyway? Our Fave Met Gala Looks

Dr. Sherry Benton on Mental Health Support at College

Met Gala at The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

What is Camp, Anyway? Our Fave Met Gala Looks

From Versace gowns to Gucci accessories, celebrities flocked into the Met Gala’s exhibition to showcase their take on this year’s theme of camp fashion. The Met Gala is an annual celebration, taking place at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. This year’s camp theme elected by Andrew Bolton, the Curator of Costume Institute, encourages celebrities to test their limits and know no boundaries to expressing their individuality.

Susan Sontag defines the camp aesthetic in her 1964 essay, Notes on Camp as a theatricalism or “comic vision,” which claims “style over content” and “aesthetics over morality.” The emphasis on aesthetics over morality in camp fashion boycotts historical taboos and gives freedom to the expression of all identities, both queer and heteronormative.

Nailing camp fashion

But really, what we’re all interested in is which celebrities nailed camp. Here are our top picks.

Jared Leto

Hitting the closest definition to camp, Jared Leto soaked in all the drama and made a fashion statement by strolling into the Met Gala with a clutch in the form of his head. Indisputably, the dismembered, realistic head crafted by the Gucci team stole the show making an entrance in almost every celebrity’s photograph, before being tossed into a game of catch with Shawn Mendes.

https://twitter.com/MNotifiedMedia/status/1125543945428131840

Gemma Chan

Inspired by Elizabeth Taylor, Gemma Chan modelled an intricate, head accessory that was designed by Tom Ford. The headpiece looked surprisingly, far more lightweight and more comfortable than its predecessor’s. 

Lilly Collins

Although undeniably a picturesque moment, the inspiration behind Lilly Collins’ Met Gala outfit has not yet been confirmed. The pin up hair and winged eyeliner appearance, engineered by fashion stylists, Rob Zangardi and Mariel Haenn does, however contain subtle references to Lana Del Ray’s distinct, quintessential looks.

Zendaya

Zendaya turned up the drama level by turning up in a Cinderella gown at the Met Gala and her very own fairy godfather on hand to light up her day (we mean that literally).

But what about the worst dressed?

Despite the this year theme asking celebrities to go full out in expressing their individuality, there were some outfits we couldn’t quite grasp. Starting off with Katy Perry’s burger for the Met Gala’s after party, we can only wonder if she was hinting that once the night ends, all she really wants is to grab a burger.

Although, who could blame her that burger does look scrumptious.

Alongside, Katy Perry’s burger outfit was another questionable choice, yet this time to do with the choosing of accessories rather than the outfit. Gigi Hadid’s eyelashes pieced together by Erin Parson looked like they were ready to spear the wearer and any poor photographer angling his camera for close-up shots.

Nonetheless, in responses to all the queries about how dangerous and precarious the lashes looked, Erin Parson detailed the process in an Instagram post to demonstrate how safe the eyelashes were. Put together by individually applied and cut feathers to produce the spiked effect, the accessory was both as light and as harmless as a feather.

 

See also: Highlights From The 2019 Oscars

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The Biggest Highlights from the 2019 Grammy Awards

Shakespeare Hits 455! Top Shakespearean Plays to Celebrate the Birthday of the Elizabethan Era’s Literary Genius

As the English play-wright, Shakespeare hits his 455th birthday, we’ll be rounding up our top plays from the Elizabethan, literary mastermind! Recovering the grimmest tragedies, sobering romances and intricate, arresting comedies, we will be taking you through the highlights of Shakespeare’s literary canon.

Titus Adronicus

Believed to be Shakespeare’s first tragedy and written nearing the end of the 16th century, Titus Adronicus is by Shakespeare’s darkest tragedy. If you’re fan of gore and horror, Titus Andronicus is a definite must read.

The play engages in the story of Titus, a Roman General, who returns after a decade of war and brings with him captives: Tamora, Queen of Goth and her three sons, Alarbus, Chiron, and Demetrius. He becomes the play’s antihero as he ticks off a cycle of revenge between him and Tamora, after offering her son Alarbus as a human sacrifice to avenge the loss of his own brother as per Roman Laws.

Packed with references to Ovid’s Metamorphoses, which foretells the tragic story of sisters, Philomena and Procne, Titus Andronicus is not for the faint hearted. The play questions the morality of Roman Laws, yet in a wider, contemporary context reminds us of the blurred lines distinguishing acts of justice from selfish acts of revenge.

A Midsummer’s Night Dream

Written around the year, 1956, A Midsummer’s Night Dream is one of Shakespeare’s most beloved plays, as result of its light hearted comedy. The play consists of different narratives that are all interweaved and headed by the wedding of Theseus, the Duke of Athens to Hippolyta, formerly Queen of The Amazons.  Alongside references of love in Greek mythological characters, the play chronicles mortal love through the characters Hermia, Helena, Lysander and Demetrius.

The love between the mortals is tampered with by the mischievous fairy, Puck that leads to a series of odd parings. Nonetheless, the comedy gently fixes all these odd couplings and  bickering, which is perfectly summarised by Puck’s statement to the audience in the Epilogue.

A Much Ado About Nothing

Set in Messina, Italy, A Much Ado About Nothing skips the intrusion of a mythical fairy stirring drama into the hearts of lovers and instead uses the good old tactic of gossiping and ‘rumour has it’.

The play follows Benedick and Claudio, who return from war and are subsequently, acquainted with Hero and Beatrice. Although, Hero and Claudia fall deeply in love, Benedick and Beatrice are tricked into squashing their egos and finally confessing their love for each other. The darker side of rumours and gossiping, albeit leads to Hero and Claudio falling apart as false rumours of her infidelity are spread.

 

See Also:

Why Feminism in Teen Shows Matter

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Female-Led “Captain Marvel” is 2019’s Highest Grossing Film

Marvel’s first ever female-led film, Captain Marvel, has eclipsed its predecessors with wild success. The film is now the highest grossing film of the year with a box office turnover of $938 million, surpassing Thor, Batman vs. Superman and Spiderman Homecoming.

The film stars Brie Larson, Samuel L. Jackson, Lashana Lynch, Gemma Chan, Annette Benin, Jude Law and Ben Mendelsohn.

Larson plays the role of Caroline Denvers, or Captain Marvel, a soldier from the Kree military unit and former US Air Force pilot. For the role, Larson underwent extensive training through different defense sports and received consultation from the first female pilot for the US Airforce, Jeannie M.Leavitt.

In an interview with Harpers Bazaar’s, Larson discussed her fondest memories from filming Captain Marvel, saying “I’ve been thinking a lot about pre-production and working with the stunt team. We worked for a couple hours every day, and the camaraderie we built together helped build trust and a safe space for me. Learning how to punch, kick, and do judo throws when I’ve never done anything like that before [teaches you] to trust the people you’re working with. Learning these new skills totally changed my brain and changed how I played the character, too.”

Intersectional feminist breakthrough

In addition to Marvel’s long-overdue casting of a female lead, Captain Marvel signals another development—one that resonates globally. The diversity of the film’s other main female characters across different ages and ethnicities point to a much-needed intersectional representation of women in film.

Lashana Lynch plays Maria Rambeau, one of Denver’s closet, sister-like friend, while Rambeau’s daughter Monica is played by child actress, Akira Akbar. Annette Benning plays Denver’s mentor during her pilot years in Los Angeles, and Gemma Chan acts as Minn-Erva, a Kree sniper.

Speaking to the Collider about Maria’s characterization as a black mother, Lynch said, “We’re flipping a black single mother idea on its head and being like, ‘So, she’s a fighter pilot and a black …’ ‘Yes!’ I’m so glad she’s a black single mother. She don’t need a husband and she doesn’t need a boyfriend and she doesn’t actually need many males in their life because she’s only got one male that’s probably the best one, that’s her father.”

Critics’ opinions

Captain Marvel has so far gotten good ratings, garnering a 78 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, including an audience score of 60 percent out of over 76, 000 ratings.

QBP Reviews highlighted the valuable female input provided by the film’s directors and writers, such as Anna Boyden, in being able to apply these subtle nuances to carefully illustrate how, “it feels to live under an oppressive thumb in every facet of life.”

Medium Popcorn labeled the film, “boring, generic, by-the-book,” and National Reviews suggested, “Captain Marvel gives political cartoons a bad name.”

For those seeking reassurance about contemplating whether to see the film, perhaps Film Frenzy’s Matt Brunson suggestion of ignoring “the imbecilic MRAs, frightened fanboys, and all other insecure man-babies shellacked in misogyny” can act as all the encouragement you need.

 

See also: Highlights from the 2019 Oscars

33 Years of Gaga: Our Round Up of Lady Gaga’s Record Breaking Singles

As Lady Gaga turns 33 today, here’s our list of top record breaking singles sizzling with Gaga drama, unrivalled fun and overflowing symbolism.

“Poker Face” – The Fame

Released in 2008, “Poker Face,” the second single of her album, The Fame features a strong melody with two unforgettable, defining hooks, “Mum mum mum mah” and in the chorus, “Can’t read my poker face.”

The robotic resonance, as fitting with the synth pop or techno pop genre matches the hit’s heading, “Pokerface” referring to an expressionless face. In an exclusive London gig, hosted by Belvedere vodka, Gaga explained to fans how the song came into play, “You know his song is actually about when I was making love to this guy that I was dating a long time ago…I was thinking about chicks every time we had sex.”

“Bad Romance” – The Fame Monster

Following Poker Face’s glory, Gaga managed to create another chart topping success with “Bad Romance.” Written and produced with the help of Nadir Khayat, the song lyrics combined with the music video’s sinister imagery offers a dark humoured portrayal of Gaga’s complex relationship history with men at that time.

The single itself became the most downloaded song in UK Chart history, while the music video for “Bad Romance” shot up to the most viewed video on YouTube in 2010.

“Born This Way” – Born This Way

As Gaga received international acclaim with her album, The Fame, she also courted attention for her unique sense of style. At the 2010 MTV Music Awards, she wore a now iconic meat dress made up of raw steak; in spite of the controversy from animal rights groups, the outfit was hailed by the Time as 2010’s top fashion statement, which led to Gaga being labelled the top fashion buzzword by the Global Language Monitor.

Inspired by the synth pop genre that paved the success of “Pokerface,” Gaga fuses disco, techno beats and metal into “Born This Way.” Her lyrics such as “You’re black, white, beige, chola descent,” “Don’t be a drag, just be a queen” and “God makes no mistakes’ merge the different identity markers of sexuality, race and religion.”

Gaga’s chorus hook, “Cause I was born this way” goes onto to eradicate the difference, through highlighting how we are all ultimately “born this way.”

“Applause” – Art Pop

Aired in 2013, “Applause” pays tribute to the on-going support from her fans, especially during her Born This Way Ball Tour, where she experienced immense pain from a hip injury. Their applause encouraged her to continue onwards with the tour, until her performance’s movements caused the injury to worsen and sustain a tear to the right hip.

Applause’s electro pop form of tech-pop and upbeat dance music was an international victory for Gaga, reaching the top 10 across music charts in South Korea, Turkey, Israel, Japan, Scotland and New Zealand.

In typical Gaga fashion, the music video is saturated with imagery. Una Mullally for Irish Times comments on the allusion to Botticelli’s Birth Of Venus and the hands across her breasts costume being reminiscent of Bowie’s 1973 green hands and cobweb costume designed by Korniloff, that was barred from American Television.

Although, what’s Gaga without the rich symbolism, dark humor, satire and glorious drama. Happy Birthday, Lady Gaga!

See also: Selma Blair’s Incredible Moment at The Oscars

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Selma Blair’s Incredible Moment at the Oscars

Selma Blair’s Incredible Moment at the Oscars

Actress Selma Blair made headlines this week when she attended a post-Oscars party with an unusual accessory. To go with her Ralph & Russo mint green, powder blue and pink block gown, the Cruel Intentions and Legally Blonde star turned heads as she walked with a monogrammed black cane which included a real pink diamond.

Blair suffers from multiple sclerosis, or MS, an incurable condition that affects the brain and spinal cord, creating problems such as double vision, partial blindness, muscle weakness, trouble with sensation and trouble with coordination.

She was diagnosed with MS in August 2018, and the Oscars were her first public event since announcing her diagnosis. Blair revealed that she had the condition in an Instagram post last October, writing, “I am disabled. I fall sometimes. I drop things. My memory is foggy. And my left side is asking for directions from a broken gps. But we are doing it. And I laugh and I don’t know exactly what I will do precisely but I will do my best.”

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I was in this wardrobe fitting two days ago. And I am in the deepest gratitude. So profound, it is, I have decided to share. The brilliant costumer #Allisaswanson not only designs the pieces #harperglass will wear on this new #Netflix show , but she carefully gets my legs in my pants, pulls my tops over my head, buttons my coats and offers her shoulder to steady myself. I have #multiplesclerosis . I am in an exacerbation. By the grace of the lord, and will power and the understanding producers at Netflix , I have a job. A wonderful job. I am disabled. I fall sometimes. I drop things. My memory is foggy. And my left side is asking for directions from a broken gps. But we are doing it . And I laugh and I don’t know exactly what I will do precisely but I will do my best. Since my diagnosis at ten thirty pm on The night of August 16, I have had love and support from my friends , especially @jaime_king @sarahmgellar @realfreddieprinze @tarasubkoff . My producers #noreenhalpern who assured me that everyone has something. #chrisregina #aaronmartin and every crew member… thank you. I am in the thick of it but I hope to give some hope to others. And even to myself. You can’t get help unless you ask. It can be overwhelming in the beginning. You want to sleep. You always want to sleep. So I don’t have answers. You see, I want to sleep. But I am a forthcoming person and I want my life to be full somehow. I want to play with my son again. I want to walk down the street and ride my horse. I have MS and I am ok. But if you see me , dropping crap all over the street, feel free to help me pick it up. It takes a whole day for me alone. Thank you and may we all know good days amongst the challenges. And the biggest thanks to @elizberkley who forced me to see her brother #drjasonberkley who gave me this diagnosis after finding lesions on that mri. I have had symptoms for years but was never taken seriously until I fell down in front of him trying to sort out what I thought was a pinched nerve. I have probably had this incurable disease for 15 years at least. And I am relieved to at least know. And share. ? my instagram family… you know who you are.

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“If I can help anyone be more comfortable in their skin, it’s more than I’ve ever done before,” Blair said to Vanity Fair magazine.

Blair has received widespread support and encouragement for being so vocal about her condition. Among celebrities who have reached out to Blair to offer their support are Marc Jacobs, who has a handbag named after the actress; Amy Schumer, whose father suffers from MS; and Kris Jenner, who sent Blair an extravagant flower arrangement.

Figures suggest that nearly one million people are living with MS in the United States. Many MS sufferers and family members of MS sufferers have taken to social media to voice their appreciation for the actress bringing such a debilitating condition to light.

On Sunday at the Vanity Fair Oscars party, she told the magazine: “I really feel like people with disabilities are invisible to a lot of people.”

Looking ahead, Blair is interested in working with a fashion designer to create a line of clothes that are chic, yet also comfortable and able to be worn by those suffering from MS or other similar debilitating conditions.

She told Vanity Fair that one of her main complaints about MS is the lack of stylish clothing available to disabled people. It might sound frivolous, but to Blair, who has always used clothes as a form of self-expression, it is a matter of identity.

“I would like to partner with someone like Christian Siriano on a line for everyone—not just people who necessarily need adaptive clothing, but for those who want comfort, too. It can still be chic. You shouldn’t have to sacrifice style. Like, let’s get elastic waistbands to look a little bit better.”

College News is all for it.

See also: Highlights from the 2019 Oscars

Highlights-from-the-2019-Oscars-

Highlights from the 2019 Oscars

On Sunday February 24, everyone who is anyone in Hollywood attended the entertainment industry’s biggest and most dazzling night of the year: The Oscars.

For some, the dream of winning an iconic golden Academy Awards statuette came true. For everyone else, the 2019 Oscars would surely be remembered as a night of powerful speeches, captivating performances, overdue breakthroughs and multiple backlashes (we’re looking at you Kevin Hart).

Here are the night’s highlights.

The talk of the town

If you’re not familiar with Hollywood’s latest imaginary love triangle, it involves the undeniably compatible stars Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper.

Are the pair just friendship goals? Did Gaga leave fiancé Christian Carino because she’s secretly in love with Cooper? Why did Cooper’s girlfriend, model Irina Shayk, sit in-between the two at the awards ceremony? And, most importantly, did you see that steamy performance of Shallow?

Whatever fan-fic A Star Is Born enthusiasts are living, we’ve been team Gaga since her Just Dance days and we’re thrilled that she won Best Original Song on Sunday. 

Tweeted about by the President

 Spike Lee leapt into the arms of Samuel L Jackson as he was finally presented with his Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay for BlacKkKlansman. But it wasn’t the endearing bromance or the fact that Lee’s outfit paid tribute to his friend Prince that got viewers, and the President, talking.

“Do not turn the motherfucking clock on,” Lee said about the organizer’s 90-second time limit before using his acceptance speech to talk about how it is 400 years since “our ancestors were stolen from Mother Africa and bought to Jamestown, Virginia, enslaved”.

“The 2020 presidential election is around the corner. Let’s all mobilize. Let’s all be on the right side of history. Make the moral choice between love versus hate. Let’s do the right thing! You know I had to get that in there,” he urged.

On Monday, President Trump struck back at the film director, accusing him of delivering a “racist hit” on Twitter.

“Be nice if Spike Lee could read his notes, or better yet not have to use notes at all, when doing his racist hit on your President, who has done more for African Americans (Criminal Justice Reform, Lowest Unemployment numbers in History, Tax Cuts, etc.) than almost any other Pres!” Trump wrote.

Defying fashion norms

While there were certainly some magical outfits at this year’s Oscars, none were as unapologetically magnificent as Billy Porter’s. The Pose star worked the red carpet in a custom creation by designer Christian Siriano, which included a tailored tuxedo jacket overtop a velvet gown.

“This industry masquerades itself as inclusive, but actors are afraid to play, because if they show up as something outside of the status quo, they might be received as feminine, and, as a result, they won’t get that masculine job, that superhero job,” the star told Vogue about his outfit-choice.

Captioning a snap of the ensemble for Instagram, Porter added: “When you come to the Oscars, you must dress up.”

Making history

This year’s Oscars saw African Americans who work behind the scenes picking up awards for the first time in decades.

“Wow, this has been a long time coming,” said Ruth E Carter when she became the first African American woman to win for costume design for Black Panther.

Marvel may have made the first black superhero, but through costume design we turned him into an African king.”

Her colleague, Hannah Beachler also made history as the first African American woman to win for production design.

A film about periods

Period. End of Sentence covers the deep-rooted stigma attached to menstruation in a rural village in India, and it won the award for Best Short Documentary despite an anonymous male member of the Academy recently feeling the need to share his thoughts about the film.

“[I’m not going to vote for] Period. End of Sentence—it’s well done, but it’s about women getting their period, and I don’t think any man is voting for this film because it’s just icky for men,” he wrote in his ballot outlining his selections for the year’s awards ceremony. Boy bye.

The film’s director, Rayka Zehtabchi’s summed up our feelings pretty accurately in her acceptance speech.

“I’m not crying because I’m on my period, or anything. I can’t believe a film about menstruation just won an Oscar!” She said.

Olivia Colman keeps it real

While she may not have been the favorite to take home the 2019 Best Actress award, British actress Olivia Colman reminded us all why she deserved the win with her down-to-earth acceptance speech.

“It’s genuinely quite stressful,” The Favourite star began, before adding: “This is hilarious. An Oscar. OK. I’d like to thank a lot of people, but if I forget people I’m going to find you later and give you a massive snog.”

The star told her children watching at home that “this is never going to happen again” before apologizing to fellow nominee Glenn Close.

“You’ve been my idol for so long and this is not how I wanted it to be,” she admitted.

Colman, who made her name in TV comedy prior to landing her award-winning role, had begun talking about how she had been a cleaner when she was told to wrap up her speech, leading her to promptly blow a raspberry at The Academy.

Lacking a host 

Without a single host (we’re still looking at you Kevin Hart), plenty of people who had something important to say were allotted time on stage during this year’s ceremony.

Immigration was a recurring theme, with Best Actor winner Rami Malek stating that he was a first-generation American. Mexican director Alfonso Cuarón thanked the academy for “recognizing a film centered around an indigenous woman, one of the 70 million domestic workers in the world without work rights. A character who has historically been relegated to the background in cinema.

“As artists, our job is to look where others don’t. This responsibility becomes much more important in times where we are being encouraged to look away,” he said.

There was also many a Trump reference on Sunday night, with Keegan-Michael Key descending from the ceiling with a Mary Poppins-style umbrella only to discard it in apparent mockery of the President.

Barbra Streisand praised BlacKkKlansman “because it was based on the truth, and truth is especially precious these days” and 79-year-old congressman John Lewis spoke of his experiences in the civil rights movement before introducing the nomination of Green Book for best picture.

Speaking of Streisand, we’ll just leave Richard E Grant’s precious reaction to the legend gracing the stage at the ceremony, here. The actor recently shared his “lifelong fandom” for the star, along with the sweet letter that he had penned for her at the age of 14.

Further reading: Why Beyoncé’s Shout Out to Meghan Matters

See Also:
The Met Gala’s Best and Worst Dressed Highlights 

 

The-Biggest-Highlights-from-the-2019-Grammy-Awards

The Biggest Highlights from the 2019 Grammy Awards

The biggest night in the music industry came and went with minimal controversy. This year’s Grammy Awards were packed with touching speeches, well-deserved wins and stellar performances. We’re talking musical legends like Diana Ross and Dolly Parton, and a surprise appearance by the former First Lady herself.

Like any awards show however, Sunday’s 61st annual ceremony didn’t go off without a hitch. In case you missed any of the four-hour long action, we’ve rounded up the highlights, the gossip and a healthy amount of social media drama.

When they cut Drake’s speech off 

Perhaps in the biggest plot-twist of the night, Drake—who has notoriously boycotted previous Grammy ceremonies—actually showed up to collect his trophy for best rap song.

Celebrating the hit single God’s Plan from his 2018 album Scorpion, the rapper took the opportunity to remind his fellow artists that the Grammy’s do not a winner make.

“The point is you’ve already won if you have people who are singing your songs word for word, if you’re a hero in your hometown,” he said.

“Look, if there’s people who have regular jobs who are coming out in the rain and snow, spending money to buy tickets to your shows, you don’t need this right here. You already won. But—”

Drake was then cut off as the telecast went to a commercial, leaving viewers furious at the interruption.

Cardi B makes history

Cardi B won the best rap album award for her debut Invasion of Privacy, beating out Nipsey Hussle, Pusha T, Travis Scott, and the late Mac Miller, and becoming the first solo woman to take home the trophy.

The rapper gave an emotional speech that touched on her pregnancy and daughter, who was born in July.

“I want to thank my daughter,” she said. “I’m not just saying thank you because she’s my daughter. It’s because, you know, when I found out I was pregnant, my album was not complete, like three songs that I was for sure having. And then you know, you know how it was, we was like, we have to get this album done so I could still do videos while I’m still not showing. And it was very long nights.”

Ariana Grande tweeted and then deleted a series of insults as Cardi B took the stage, beating Grande’s late ex-boyfriend Mac Miller to the trophy. The singer called Miller’s snub “trash” and “literal bullshit,” before writing “sry” and deleting the posts.

Grande clarified afterwards that her tweets had “nothing to do w [Cardi]. Good for her. I promise. I’m sorry,” and called someone out for calling Cardi “trash”: “she’s not at all and that’s not what I meant and u know that,” she wrote in another, now-deleted tweet.

In a video recorded backstage at the ceremony and posted to Instagram, Cardi B dedicated her win to Miller, promising that she was “sharing this Grammy” with the late rapper.

Ariana drama 

The night also saw Grande win her first Grammy award for best pop vocal album with her record Sweetener. After a public spat with the show’s producer however, the star took to Instagram to confirm that she would not be attending the ceremony.

“I know I’m not there tonight (trust, I tried and still truly wished it had worked out tbh) and I know I said I try not to put too much weight into these things…this is wild and beautiful. Thank you so much. I love u,” she wrote on Sunday. 

Last week, the singer accused the organizer of the Grammys of lying about her reasons for withdrawing from a performance at the ceremony.

Grande still managed to steal the spotlight during the show however, dropping a series of photos that revealed her wearing her custom Zac Posen gown, which had been made for the event, around her house.

Women take center stage

This year, 15-time Grammy winner Alicia Keys led the show, stepping up as the first female host since Queen Latifah took on the role in 2005. Keeping the focus of the show on her love for music, she also enforced its female inclusivity. Last year’s ceremony was criticized for side-lining women, something that Keys was keen to address.

The star’s “sisters,” Lady Gaga, Jada Pinket-Smith and Jennifer Lopez, were invited onto the stage to each tell a personal story of how music changed their life and were joined by a certain former First Lady.

In a surprise appearance, Michelle Obama was forced to restart her speech, after her initial attempts were drowned out by applause.

“From the Motown records I wore out on the South Side, to the Who Run The World songs that fueled me through the last decade, music helps me tell my story,” she said.

“Music helps us share ourselves, our dignities and our sorrows. Music shows us all of it matters, every story with every voice, every note in every song.”

Captioning a photo of the group that she posted to Twitter, the former First Lady said she showed up for her close friend Alicia Keys—“one of the most genuine and thoughtful people [she knows].” 

Powerful performances

Our favorite performances of the night included Alicia Keys’ piano medley on two pianos (at the same time), Dua Lipa and St. Vincent’s seriously cool collaboration with Masseduction/One Kiss, Lady Gaga’s theatrical performance of Shallow and Kacey Musgraves serene version of Rainbow.

In answer to the question: “Was Jennifer Lopez the right person to choose to do a Motown tribute?” We think not.

Big winners 

Childish Gambino took three of the night’s biggest awards—record of the year, song of the year and video of the year—for his track This Is America. The song became the first hip-hop track to win song of the year, with Alicia Keys and John Mayer accepting the award when the rapper and actor didn’t turn up to the ceremony.

Lady Gaga also won big, accepting two awards for the soundtrack for the movie A Star Is Born. Gaga used her speech to discuss the importance of opening up about mental health, revealing that she was “so proud to be a part of a movie that addresses mental health issues” and adding: “We gotta take care of each other. So if you see somebody that’s hurting, don’t look away.”

While her co-star Bradley Cooper represented the film at the BAFTAs, Gaga bagged a further trophy for best vocal performance for Joanne.

Kacey Musgraves triumphed by winning album of the year and Dua Lipa was the only British artist to take home a trophy in a major category. Accepting her two trophies, Lipa made a small dig at the Recording Academy, thanking “all the incredible female artists” and saying “I guess we’ve really stepped up.” 

You can find a complete list of winners here.

Further reading: Kevin Hart Steps Down As Oscars Host

See Also:
The Met Gala’s Best and Worst Dressed Highlights