Beyoncé v Bedingfield

Now that his grand plan of trying to pin a mystery bed turd on his ex-wife has proved unsuccessful, Johnny Depp is going to have to come up with a new angle ahead of the other defamation suit he filed against her in the US.

Thanks to Covid, it’s been pushed back to May 2021, but he can’t be holding out much hope for the $50m lawsuit that’s currently working its way through the courts in Fairfax County, Virginia, after this week’s verdict.

It’s notoriously difficult to sue for defamation in the States on account of the First Amendment, which is why Britain became such a hot travel destination for the Hollywood star looking to sue. But if literally airing his dirty laundry in the UK wasn’t enough to convince one of our judges, we can only imagine what horrors he’s going to have to unleash to convince an American.

[Brush up on the paperwork]

How are coronavirus facemasks affecting the fashion choices of the celebrity set? Super-long false eyelashes and tinted eyebrows are very popular in US street fashion right now (green being a particularly hot choice) but obviously LA has to take things a step further.

The latest style in Beverly Hills? Getting an extra squeeze of lip filler, just enough so the imprint of your pout can still be seen through a surgical mask.

Netflix was supposed to be a great disrupter of the movie industry, so what’s with all the rumours that they’ve fallen back on one of Old Hollywood’s classic tricks – asking two of their lead talents to pose as a couple in their contract?

When the first lockdown was announced, we decided to do our bit for the national effort by providing a little daily dose of gossip and silliness to help readers who were isolating, recuperating, furloughed or bored. We thought it would last two, maybe three weeks.

We’re now rounding in on month eight.

With Lockdown 2 beginning today, we’re going to be here for a while yet – so if you want a couple of Popbitch stories and some other internet distractions sent to your inbox each afternoon until this all blows over, you can either sign up now – or have a read of some back issues first.

[Catch up/sign up here]

As a little Halloween special last Friday, we dedicated a mini-issue to everyone’s favourite goth dad, Nick Cave. Which prompted another reader to get in touch to tell us about their run-in with the man himself…

T writes:
“About 25 years ago, we were parents at a West London prep school where Nick Cave also sent his kids. Sports day came around and there was, naturally, a fathers’ race. Many fathers came prepared, turning up in their old spikes, etc.

“The dads lined up on the start line. Nick, dressed in an immaculate black suit and suede Gucci loafers, strolled down to join them, fag on. The starting gun went off, the lycra clad horde charged off while Nick took a final drag, dropped his butt, slowly ground it out and strolled to the finish. A glorious last place, to much yummy mummy swooning.”

Yesterday, in an attempt to focus on the unbattered bit of America’s reputation, we asked readers for stories about their favourite run-ins with all-American celebs.

MDS writes:
“Twenty years ago, the local Houston Rugby club used to do fundraising by doing security at various events. One such event was Monday Night Raw for the WWF (now WWE). I was doing security backstage, when along come Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson in his black leather shorts with a cup of coffee.

“I casually say ‘That smells nice,’ only to get the reply, ‘You want one? How do you take it?’ I sheepishly reply, ‘Black, no nothing.’ A minute later, I have a cup of coffee in my hand courtesy of The Rock. Top bloke.”

STB writes:
“Me and my friend were staying at the Hollywood Roosevelt in 2001. They put us in the rooms away from the main hotel because they’d had so many noise complaints after our first visit. Back then we were all boobs, platforms and cowboy hats. Anyway, we were on our way out shopping, having a row and didn’t notice the silence around us when we heard someone yell: ‘CUT! GET THOSE FUCKING GIRLS OUT OF MY SHOT!’

“I would like to apologise to Mr Spielberg, Mr Hanks and Mr DiCaprio for storming the set of Catch Me If You Can and ruining their take.”

Need to say sorry to a star? hello@popbitch.com

21 years ago this week, Say My Name by Destiny’s Child was released and superproducer Rodney “Darkchild” Jerkins has been telling a story of how it came to be.

Back in the late 90s, Darkchild was in London working with the Spice Girls on their Holler-era stuff. While he was here, he got really into UK garage. So much so that when he went back to the States and the chance to work with Destiny’s Child came up, he produced a 2-step style track for the group and sent it over to them.

As such, Beyoncé and co were almost the ones to bring UK garage to the States. The only problem was they absolutely hated it. So did the label. But Darkchild was insistent it was the hot new sound, so kept with it. Right up until the final mix, when he had a crisis of confidence and switched out the beat for the one you hear today.

Say My Name went on to win a Grammy, and was a No.1 Billboard hit. But most importantly? It left the path clear for Daniel Bedingfield to carry the torch instead.

We mentioned last week that Max Clifford used to leave his phone number off his business cards, then would quietly take the person aside to tell them he liked them, so was going to let them have his number – as if it was a special treat.

Obviously his confidence wasn’t knocked from his earliest attempt at taking someone aside to whisper a private message to them. Someone who worked at Eagle Comic in Fleet Street back when Max was getting his start remembers the office sported a rather distinctive Clifford-shaped silhouette on the wall.

It was created shortly after Max leaned over to make some sort of overture at one of the women there, who rewarded his efforts by chucking a full cup of coffee at him – leaving an outline of his presence on the wall for months before the decorators were called in to paint over it.

As we told you the fabled Petula Clark story on Tuesday, here’s a few other last bits of Sean Connery lore for the Popbitch send-off.

* Connery’s first job was as a milkman, where he delivered milk to Betty Boo’s grandmother.

* When he was making Zardoz (the film with his fetching red Jodie Marsh-style outfit) Connery stayed with John Boorman but insisted on paying rent to Mrs Boorman, counting it out for her in cash every week.

* Connery’s divorce to Diane Cilento was so bitter that they couldn’t stand to be in the same room as one another. So their son Jason didn’t invite either of them to his wedding. He asked Michael Caine instead.

* Connery’s final role was as the voice of Sir Billi, in an animated movie of the same name which managed to gross $16,000 at the box office. [See it here]

As YMCA has taken on a weird new life as a Trump rally song, and now a vote-count protest song, here’s the oral history of its creation
[Read on Spin]

Sean Connery’s old villa in France is up for sale
[€30,000,000]

Japanese grated radish art
[See here]

Russ Abbot’s Atmosphere – the John Lewis 2020 Remix
[Watch on YouTube]

Wombats arses: more deadly than we realised
[Read on Guardian]

Someone spliced Trump’s spiritual advisor with Eminem
[It’s catchy]

The hyper-local chip shop specialities of Britain
[Read on Vittles]

A thread of low-key Japanese Halloween costumes 2020
[Keep scrolling for the zookeeper]