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The Sweet Smell Of Succession

 

Come and see the unmissable Jaron Lanier in London on Tuesday 15th May. One of the most interesting (and often counterintuitive) voices in tech, Lanier will be giving us 10 Arguments For Deleting Your Social Media Accounts Right Now. Want to know more? 15% discount with code POPBITCH.
[Book tickets here]
“Thank you and your delicious wife for your warm welcome” – Emmanuel Macron
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* Hanging out with Tom Hardy
* Irony overload at the Boiler Room
* PLUS: Nick Cave Watch returns!
>> Bell end <<
Clarkson’s hosting knowledge
 

There’s a new lifeline on the rebooted series of Who Wants To Be A Millionaire: ‘Ask The Host’, where the player gets to ask Jeremy Clarkson for his opinion on the answer.

The first contestant to use it when they were filming the pilot chose to ask Clarkson who he thought wrote (feminist favourite) The Bell Jar.

Unsurprisingly, he didn’t know.

SpongeBob SquarePants: The Musical has more Tony Award nominations (12) than Angels In America (11).
>> The sweetest Taboo <<
Hanging out with Tom Hardy
 

While filming Taboo, Tom Hardy had to spend a great deal of time on set stark-bollock naked and was pretty unabashed about who saw what. One of the crew members who was writing prop letters for an upcoming scene found it rather off-putting to have a nude Tom Hardy standing behind him, watching him work, dick and balls dangling.

Alicia Vikander’s drunken karaoke song is Jolene and she’s not too bad a singer.
>> Big Questions <<
Who’s asking what this week?
 

Which ex-pro football pundit is offering his services to current league players as a betting front? As active players are banned from placing bets on their own sport, he’s suggesting they use his bookie account as a conduit.

Nominative Determinism of the Week: Congratulations to the Government’s new Minister for Local Government… James Brokenshire!
>> Radio daze <<
Falling off the Radar
 

We mentioned last month that Radar Radio had suspended broadcast while they were weighing up their options. They’ve since weighed them, and… they’re not good.

Owner Ollie Ashley got some of the station’s key staff in to a budget hotel last week to tell them that Radar would be closing down entirely at the end of May.

It seems like the sensible thing to do. Not only is it thought to be making a seven-figure loss, about 2/3s of the station’s DJs quit in the wake of sexual harassment allegations – and it’s pretty hard to run a radio station with no DJs.

Perhaps if the business model had involved paying their talent, rather than filling the building with expensive marble and 70-inch flat screen TVs, then they might have had something worth saving.

The external HR firm Ollie Ashley used to look over the Radar Radio case is the same one his dad uses at Sports Direct; surely the hardest working HR professionals outside of Miramax and Vice.
>> Sky fall <<
The sweet smell of succession
 

HBO has an upcoming drama on their slate called Succession. It’s the story of an ageing media billionaire (played by Brian Cox) who wants to step down from his global empire, but faces a dilemma in appointing someone to follow him.

It’s due to be broadcast in the UK too. In fact, it’s just been bought for TV by… Rupert Murdoch’s Sky Atlantic!

British Gas, EDF and now Scottish Power put their prices up again. Twats. Yet you still don’t switch. Why not get the experts to do it for you? New FREE service LOOK AFTER MY BILLS switches you to the best deal every year without you lifting a finger! Two minute sign up. £250+ saving every year. Do it.
[http://www.lookaftermybills.com]
>> Bank tellers <<
Another day, another investigation?
 

Since Deutsche Bank announced that it would be making cuts to its investment banking department in Wall St this week, media watchers have been eager to see what will happen to the DB team that sits at the centre of the ongoing Kushner/Trump/Mueller investigation.

Weirdly enough, one of the major targets for personnel cuts is… that exact team!

Bank sources say that they are under threat of being completely disbanded – which isn’t going to do much to help quell anyone’s suspicions.

What could have happened to prompt such drastic action? Word is that the team has just become the subject of a second, as-yet-unreported investigation.

Staff at the Boiler Room were forced to huddle together and wear blankets at their desks this week… because their boiler was broken.
>> Jobs for jobs <<
Blowing his cover
 

Now that Bill Cosby has been found guilty, attention will no doubt turn to others in the crosshairs of #MeToo. Fashion photographer Bruce Weber is currently being sued by male models who worked for him, alleging sexual misconduct on his shoots.

The story that’s emerging of Weber’s MO is that when he took a fancy to one of the male models on a job, he’d suggest that the two of them went for a walk. If, by the time they’d returned to his studio, the boy hadn’t offered the photographer a blowjob, there would be no photoshoot for him.

What’s going on at David Beckham’s PR agency? Doyen Global changed its name to Kin Talent in March, then changed again to Kin Partners this week.
>> Nick Cave watch <<
A gentle return to normal
 

We took a bit of time off from Nick Cave spotting, as its been a rough few years for the great man – but we’re pleased to tell you that he seems to be in good spirits and is as wonderful to watch as ever.

Nick’s been out playing frisbee with his young son in the sporadically nice weather, and he’s installed a lovely old bench in the communal garden shared by him and his neighbours in memory of his late son, Arthur.

It’s been dubbed Arthur’s Seat by the locals.

Spotted: Lee Mead in Shrewsbury having a mini hissy fit at his non-plussed (and extremely Denise Van Outen-looking) girlfriend.
>> Surreal estate <<
Celebrity homes under the hammer
 

We’re probably in the wrong business sending out free weekly gossip emails. There’s a killing to be made if we sidestepped into celebrity real estate full-time.

Over the past few weeks we’ve seen a real uptick in the number of famous people trying to flog their homes. This week, you have your pick of TV chef James Martin’s house, which is up for sale.
[See on OnTheMarket]

As is the old flat of BRIT award-winner Tom Odell.
[See on PrimeLocation]

FYI: If you’re a celebrity and want to sell your gaff, email us. Our prices are very competitive.

Finally some good news! Famous Hanway Street dive, Bradleys Spanish Bar, has been saved from developers by signing a new 10 year lease this week.
>> Great vapes <<
Where there’s smoke…
 

They might treat millennials with total disdain, but it seems that Martin Clarke – the MailOnline’s head honcho – is really getting into the lifestyle.

When he’s in the New York offices, Clarke has taken to secretly huffing on a Juul, the chichi vape contraption that looks like a USB flash drive. They’re currently unavailable in the UK because of their high nicotine content, but they’re all the rage in American high schools – inspiring a big panic about how the kids are all getting hooked on them.

Given that they come in a range of colours that look like they’re pulled straight from a Farrow & Ball chart, and feature such refined flavours as crème brûlée, mango and cool cucumber, maybe Martin will find he has more in common with the kids of today than he first thought?

Popbitch reader Jo loves Slimpod: “Choosing healthy food has become easy and enjoyable. I’ve lost 20lbs without dieting or willpower. I’m thrilled!” Slimpod is called “profound and life-changing” by an NHS consultant, is recommended by doctors and used by nurses. Save £20 today with POPBITCH3 code.
[Visit ThinkingSlimmer]
>> Hmmms <<
Squashing, Shazzer, Smash Hits
 

Astonishingly, this doesn’t appear to be a Nathan Barley spoof
[Stare slack-jawed at Propela]

A bunch of waxy, slimy and otherwise gloopy things getting squished by hydraulics
[See on YouTube]

The lowdown on Shazzer from HQ Trivia
[Read on HuffPo]

Feeling peaky? Bit of a cough? It’s probably that heavy weekend… but just in case, don’t worry, you can write your will for free in 15 mins thanks to some clever Popbitch readers
[Write your Will for FREE at Beyond]

Did Paul Ryan fire the House chaplain for tax cut blasphemy?
[Read at Vanity Fair]

Want to be interviewed like an 80s pop star with old Smash Hits questions?
[Talk to the Smash Hits Bot]

Zuckerberg gets the bad lip sync treatment
[See on YouTube]

This month, the Popbitch Drinking Den was fuelled by 8o8 Whisky, with mixers from Peter Spanton. If you don’t know them, take a look here.
[8o8 Whisky]
[Peter Spanton]

Thanks to: TM, SS, THJ, MM, AB, S, RS, MY, AB, SA, JA, PL, JK, GN, J, OL, monstris
Old Jokes Home:
A termite goes into a bar and asks,
“Is the bar tender here?”Still Bored?
Jaron Lanier not your thing? Two other big talks this summer:
1/ Mary Beard on Civilisations [see more here]
2/ A Masterclass in Happiness and Leadership [see more here]

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