Celebs react to controversial vaccine mandates, plus more news

By Wonderwall.com Editors 12:04pm PDT, Sep 11, 2021

Debra Messing, Ann Coulter and more react to new vaccine mandate

One day after President Joe Biden announced sweeping new COVID-19 vaccine mandates that could affect two thirds of the American work force, Twitter was still buzzing about the news, with celebrities and politicians on both sides of the aisle sounding off on the move. "To all you Republicans screaming about the 10th Amendment—-your ignorance is showing," wrote Debra Messing in one of many tweets about the new rules. "Just sit down. #VaccineMandate," she added, sharing a 1905 Supreme Court opinion in which Justice John Marshall wrote that a smallpox vaccine mandate in Massachusetts would stand because "a community has the right to protect itself against an epidemic." Actor Josh Gad also voiced his support for the Biden administration's plan, which requires federal workers, employees of large companies and health care staff to get the jab or submit to rigorous coronavirus testing. "Just a quick reminder that the 'don't comply with vaccines that save lives because it's an invasion of freedom' folks are the same people celebrating $10,000 prizes to hunt women in Texas like it's a … Purge spin-off," Josh tweeted. Conservative pundit Ann Coulter, meanwhile, argued that people who have already recovered from COVID-19 should be able to sidestep the mandate, citing unproven claims about immunity. "I wouldn't mind a vaccine-or-test mandate IF IT ACKNOWLEDGED THAT THE PREVIOUSLY INFECTED HAVE BETTER IMMUNITY THAN THE VACCINATED. Biden's mandate has nothing to do with 'science.' It's just a gift to Big Pharma," she wrote. In fact, a study published by the CDC in August found "that unvaccinated individuals are more than twice as likely to be reinfected with COVID-19 than those who were fully vaccinated after initially contracting the virus." The CDC said its data "further indicate that COVID-19 vaccines offer better protection than natural immunity alone and that vaccines, even after prior infection, help prevent reinfections."

Keep reading to see what Olivia Munn's saying about her baby-to-be with John Mulaney and more …

Olivia Munn breaks silence on John Mulaney baby news

Olivia Munn is speaking about pregnancy publicly for the first time. Earlier this week, the star's boyfriend, John Mulaney, revealed he and Olivia are expecting their first child together during an appearance on "Late Night With Seth Meyers." Since John made the announcement, Olivia says she's "feeling really good" and has been getting lots of love and support from fans and other mothers. "There has been a really big mom tribe that comes up. I've heard about it, but they really come up in full force," the actress, 41, told Access Daily this week. "There's a really great dad tribe too, everyone who comes up is really supportive and it means so much to me." Olivia also revealed she's still thinking about whether or not she'll find out the baby's sex in advance, telling the outlet, "It's a good surprise to find out. There's very few surprises in life." The baby will be the first for both Olivia and John, who reportedly started dating this past year following John's separation from his wife.

Baby No. 2!

Congrats are in order for Kirsten Dunst and Jesse Plemons, who recently welcomed baby No. 2 — a boy they named James Robert. "This is the newest guy, the Big Kahuna," Kirsten, 39, joked to the New York Times in a feature published on Sept. 10. "He's an angel, but he's a hungry angel. And a heavy angel." She wasn't kidding — the not-so-little one weighs in at 18 pounds at 4 months old, according to the Times. The actress and her actor husband are also parents to 3-year-old son Ennis, and with Jesse busy shooting a new project for much of the past few months, Kristen admitted her mom duties have been pretty intense. "I'm so tired, I haven't slept through the night in four months," she said. "I've developed an eye twitch, too," she added with a laugh. "Yeah, I'm in a really special place." Kristen and Jesse began dating in 2016 after meeting on the set of "Fargo."

Beyonce, JAY-Z and Tiffany's launch $2M HBCU scholarship program

Phase 2 of Beyonce and JAY-Z's partnership with Tiffany & Co. kicked off on Sept. 10 in the form of $2 million worth of scholarship funding for students pursuing creative studies at historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs). Created in conjunction with Bey and Jay's new About Love ad campaign for the iconic jewelry brand, the Love Scholarship — which is also supported by Bey's BeyGOOD Foundation and Jay's Shawn Carter Foundation — offers assistance to students who qualify for financial aid at Pennsylvania's Lincoln University, Norfolk State University in Virginia, North Carolina's Bennett College, the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff and Central State University in Ohio, according to Variety. Applicants can apply for the scholarship from Sept. 10 through Sept. 26, with priority given to those who may need emergency financial aid or face serious financial hardships. The launch of Bey and Jay's new scholarship comes on the heels of widespread controversy over the couple's ad campaign, which centers around the famed, 128.54-carat yellow Tiffany diamond Beyonce wears in the Mason Poole-shot photos. Critics have called out the singer for showcasing a diamond that was mined in South Africa during British colonial rule, as the British-owned diamond industry there is said to have helped lay the foundation for apartheid.

Kristen Stewart had 'spooky, spiritual' experiences while playing Princess Diana

Kristen Stewart is already earning major praise from critics for her turn as Princess Diana in "Spencer," and she may have had some other-worldy help with her performance. Set during the 1991 holiday weekend when Diana decided she had to leave Prince Charles and their failed marriage, the film focuses on how the late princess determined who she was and who she wanted to be as a woman. Asked about a scene where Diana communes with the ghost of Anne Boleyn and whether she'd ever had a paranormal experience, Kristen recently told the Los Angeles Times that she felt Diana's presence within her on set. "… I felt some spooky, spiritual feelings making this movie," the actress revealed. "Even if I was just fantasizing. I felt like there were moments where I kind of got the sign-off. It's scary to tell a story about someone who's not alive anymore and who already felt so invaded," she continued. Later in the interview, she described how "alive" Diana felt to her while she was playing the role, telling the Times: "… there were moments where my body and mind would forget she was dead. And suddenly, I would just have an image of what happened. And remember who she left behind. And I was amazed by the renewed emotion. Every single time. Maybe two or three times a week, I would just fully break down about the fact that she had died." Kristen added that the emotional pain she felt about Diana's death "felt spiritual" to her. "… There were times where I was like, 'Oh, God,' almost like she was, you know, trying to break through," Kristen recalled. "It was weird. And amazing. I've never felt anything like it in my life." "Spencer" hits theaters this fall.

Britney Spears wants Jodi Montgomery to stay on after conservatorship ends: Report

Last week, Jamie Spears stunned his daughter's legion of fans when he filed to end her conservatorship after 13 years. Now, TMZ is reporting Britney Spears may keep one aspect of the conservatorship in place, if and when it ends. Insiders tell the webloid Britney wants to continue paying Jodi Montgomery — the conservator who's handled duties related to her personal matters in recent years — as an employee. Per TMZ, Jodi would cover needs such as, "dealing with [Britney's] doctors, making various appointments, making sure she takes the right regimen of meds, arranging meals and chefs, handling the house staff, organizing recreational outings, etc." Whether Britney's conservatorship ends, of course, remains to be seen. TMZ previously reported that while Jamie's petition to end the arrangement looks like a win for Britney, given her struggle to regain control of her own affairs, it could be a well-calculated move on Jamie's part to fix his damaged reputation and even to continue on as the conservator of the singer's estate. According to the outlet's sources, Jamie told friends as recently as a month ago that his daughter was "never getting out of the conservatorship," as he reportedly believes her mental health is deteriorating, making the arrangement essential.

Why Lorde backed out of her VMAs performance

Lorde is healthy, safe and "totally fine." That's the message the singer sent fans on Sept. 9 after MTV confirmed she would not be performing as scheduled at the network's 2021 Video Music Awards this weekend. "I saw some people were very concerned about me pulling out of the VMAs, you're so sweet, I'm totally fine!" Lorde wrote in her newsletter, according to Yahoo. "It's just that we were planning this insanely amazing many-bodied intimate dance performance, not fully understanding the (very necessary!) safety protocols that are in place, and the masking and distancing just meant it wasn't gonna be what I dreamed, and you know I can't make something less than outstanding for you guys." She added, "I hope you understand. There will be many more TV performances, don't you worry." The New Zealand native, who just released an EP of tracks from "Solar Power" sung in the Maori language, had been expected to perform music from the new album at the awards show, which airs from New York City on Sept. 12.

Ariana Grande puts music on hold to focus on other pursuits

Ariana Grande is putting music on the backburner for a while in order to make time for what she calls "new versions of storytelling." Speaking to Allure for the magazine's October 2021 edition, the singer explained that those new formats include working with an acting coach, mentoring contestants on "The Voice" and launching her new makeup line, r.e.m. beauty. First up on her product release list is products for the eyes, which Ariana says serve as "our main gateways to our dreams, our emotions, our everything." She goes on to explain, "They're our main storytellers and sources of communication. I feel like you can emote more with your eyes than you can articulate sometimes." The new line will feature everything from fake lashes to a "dream" matte liquid liner. And the 28-year-old sounds unconcerned about the crowded nature of the celeb beauty market. "I wear my peers' makeup as well, just like I listen to their music," she says. "I'm not going to say, 'Oh, there's too many female artists.' I love and I'm [a] huge fan of my peers that do both, and I think that it's just another way to tell stories. Because you can never have enough makeup, just like you can never have enough music."