By Mark Gray
6:12am PDT, Jul 18, 2021
Twisted words?
Megan Fox found herself on the wrong end of cancel culture after appearing to call Donald Trump a "legend." However, she argued that her words were taken out of context. While on "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" on July 12, the actress was asked about her experience at the big UFC fight in Las Vegas days earlier that was also attended by the former president. "I was in a row with [Justin] Bieber, and Trump was also in my row. He had, like, 30 Secret Service with him," she said. "He was a legend. That arena was very supportive of Trump when he came in. I've never seen anything like that before. It was crazy." Soon, social media came down on her. Megan quickly argued that she only said he was greeted like "a legend," not that he necessarily was one. "Uhmmm … I do not align myself with any political party or individual politicians," she wrote in an all-caps message on her Instagram Story on July 13. "I never said Donald Trump is a legend. I said he was a legend… in that arena (key part of the sentence.) The arena was filled with UFC fight fans. Many of them clearly Republican, based off the insane crowd reaction he received walking into the T-Mobile venue. That was an observable fact. Not my opinion." Taking a jab at her haters, she sarcastically added, "Really loving this uneducated, mid-evil [sic], pitch fork [sic] carrying, burn a witch at the stake mentality though. The world needs more of that."
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Ex-factor
Millie Bobby Brown's past love life was at the center of a controversy this week after an ex claimed he had a sexual relationship with her when she was 16 and he was an adult. TikTok star Hunter Echo (real name: Hunter Ecimovic) caused the hubbub when, during a July 12 Instagram Live, he made crude comments about the "Stranger Things" star and crudely described sex acts he alleges they engaged in. As he was 20 at the time, many accused him of grooming Millie and breaking the law. Millie's team hit back, calling Hunter's claims "dishonest" and dubbing them "irresponsible, offensive and hateful." Her team never said what Hunter was being dishonest about. On July 14, he apologized for speaking about the relationship but never mentioned Millie's name or said he was being untruthful. Hunter blamed his blabbing on being drunk.
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BIG win
It was a very, very big week for Britney Spears. On July 14, a judge allowed the pop star to hire her own lawyer in her conservatorship battle, which is a huge score for Britney. Mega-lawyer Mathew S. Rosengart will now represent the singer as she attempts to end her 13-year conservatorship, which her father, Jamie Spears, has long overseen. Britney joined the hearing via phone. The 13-year albatross, she said, "is allowing my dad to ruin my life." On the call, she said she has been forcefully medicated and forced to work against her will. She also alleged that her father and others involved in the conservatorship have threatened her. "I'm here to get rid of my dad and charge him with conservatorship abuse," she cried. Jamie, by the way, is executor of her business affairs and her estate, whereas Jodi Montgomery is her personal conservator. Brit said she's fine with Jodi remaining as her personal conservator right now. After the hearing, Britney posted an Instagram video in which she did cartwheels. She also posted the #FreeBritney hashtag for the first time. Britney's new attorney already said he would be filing a petition to remove Jamie from the conservatorship.
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Statement piece
There's statement jewelry, and then there's what Bella Hadid wore to the 74th Cannes Film Festival premiere of "Tre Piani (Three Floors)." The model turned heads on July 11 in a very, very low-cut dress with a risqué neckline. But what got everyone talking was the gilded brass necklace that covered her breasts. The necklace in the shape of trompe l'œil lungs adorned with rhinestones was really a part of an optical illusion, as her breasts were actually covered with flesh-toned tape underneath. Bella posted her gratitude on her Instagram Story after her look went viral. "Thank you angel @danielroseberry," naming Schiaparelli's creative director. "This creation of yours is a dream come true. Art & reality. You and your mind are truly incredible!!! Thank you for Ever!!!"
"Sickened"
Prince William lashed out at British soccer fans who hurled racist words at England's Black players — three of whom missed penalty shots in the Euro Championship on July 11. "I am sickened by the racist abuse aimed at England players after last night's match," the Duke of Cambridge tweeted from the official Kensington Royal account. "It is totally unacceptable that players have to endure this abhorrent behaviour. It must stop now and all those involved should be held accountable. W." Following Will's comments, many on social media dubbed him a hypocrite for failing to publicly support his sister-in-law, Meghan Markle, after she faced years of racist commentary from some segments of the media, social media users and — as she and husband Prince Harry claimed in March — from within the royal family itself. After the Sussexes shared those heartbreaking allegations in an Oprah Winfrey sit-down, William only publicly said, "We're very much not a racist family." The palace, at the time, said the issues raised by Prince Harry's wife were "concerning."
Quite a 'Talk'-er
It's a new era at "The Talk." On July 14, Jerry O'Connell was announced as the new co-host of the up-until-now female-led show. The actor is the first male to hold the position full-time. "It's fun, and it works, and we're going to have a lot of fun," he said. Jerry replaces Sharon Osbourne. "You ladies have been so welcoming to me," he told panelists Amanda Kloots, Elaine Welteroth, Sheryl Underwood and Carrie Ann Inaba. "I mean, I came here as a guest months ago, and just from the moment I walked in, you're just gracious, you're kind, you're fun, and it worked."
The end explained
Jason Sudeikis is finally addressing his split from former fiancée Olivia Wilde. In a GQ story that hit the internet on July 13, the "Ted Lasso" star said of their breakup after nine years and two kids together, "I'll have a better understanding of why in a year, and an even better one in two, and an even greater one in five, and it'll go from being, you know, a book of my life to becoming a chapter to a paragraph to a line to a word to a doodle." Jason confirmed he and Olivia split last November. "That's an experience that you either learn from or make excuses about," he said. "You take some responsibility for it, hold yourself accountable for what you do, but then also endeavour to learn something beyond the obvious from it." The same day his interview made headlines, "Ted Lasso" made Emmys history when it scored 20 nods, becoming the most nominated freshman comedy series ever.
Delta variant
Catt Sadler has firsthand experience that proves the coronavirus pandemic is not over. On July 13, the former E! host, who's vaccinated, revealed that she's been bedridden after contracting the highly transmissible Delta variant. "I'm fully vaccinated and I have Covid. I'm telling you this so that you understand that the pandemic is very much NOT over," she wrote on Instagram. "Delta is relentless and highly contagious and grabbed ahold of me even after getting vaccinated." Cat contracted the virus while caring for an unvaccinated person who thought they had the flu but actually had COVID. Since Catt was vaccinated and wore a mask, she expected she'd be fine. Instead, "I'm one of many breakthrough cases that we are seeing more of each and every day," she wrote, adding that she assumed her symptoms would be mild. Hers are not. "Two days of a fever now. Head throbbing. Extreme congestion. Even some weird [pus] coming out of my eye. Serious fatigue; no energy to even leave the bed," she wrote. "If you are not vaccinated and not wearing a mask, I assure you you don't want to feel like this and not only are you bound to get sick eventually you'll be spreading it to others… If you are vaccinated, don't let your guard down. If you're in crowds or indoors in public I highly recommend taking the extra precaution of wearing a mask. I'm no MD but I'm here to remind you that the vaccine isn't [foolproof]. **Vaccines lessen the likelihood of hospitalization and death but you can still catch this thing. So continue to protect yourselves."
Vacay vibes
Kerry Washington is stunning in the sand. The "Scandal" star wowed her Instagram followers on July 11 after posting two beautiful swimsuit shots. "Here comes the [sun]," she captioned the two snaps that show her donning a yellow bikini. Kerry didn't indicate where she was vacationing, but many fans believe she was at Amangiri, a remote luxury hideaway in the Utah desert. Kerry was surrounded by nothing but sand and desert in the images… which is pretty much an accurate definition of a thirst trap, right?
Less prison time
"Tiger King" star Joe Exotic (real name: Joseph Maldonado-Passage) scored a minor legal win this week when a court vacated his 264-month prison sentence, which was handed down last year after he was convicted in 2019 for multiple wildlife violations and for a murder-for-hire plot against his rival, Carole Baskin. Still, the Netflix star won't be free anytime soon. Joe will now serve less time behind bars thanks to the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals ruling that came down on July 14 — the court agreed with the former big cat zoo owner's argument that his two murder-for-hire convictions should have been grouped, which means sentencing guidelines favor a shorter period behind bars — but it's still all but certain that he'll be locked up for the better part of two decades. Joe and his team hoped that his sentence would be overturned all together. It's unclear when he will be resentenced.
