From the Group Chat: Addison Rae's Pop Star Reinvention, Ben Affleck's Dad Game, and "Étoile"

EDITOR’S NOTE

Happy Sunday. In the words of NYC’s unofficial mayor, lip-synching queen, and low-rise jeans enthusiast, Lorde, a number of things on the internet made me go “What Was That?” this week. Notably: 

• Martha Stewart openly thirsted for Glen Powell (relatable). 

• Demi Lovato debuted adorable, but sadly inedible, “cherry Jell-O nails.”

• Jennifer Lawrence paired her signature millennial shoes with a — wait for it — Twilight hat. But is she Team Edward or Team Jacob?

• I’ve apparently been using hyaluronic acid all wrong. (If you’re my derm, keep scrolling.) 

• A certain famous nepo baby very publicly RSVP’d no to the Met Gala. Anna, his reply card is in the mail.

• It's been less than a week since Katy Perry kicked off her "Lifetimes" tour, and it's somehow already infamous.

• And finally, Gwyneth’s gone viral for yet another diet. (Spoiler: she’s eating cheese again.) GP, some of us never stopped.

— Alex Carr / Editorial Director / Brooklyn, NY

🦞 Summer’s hottest accessory? A $25 beaded lobster bag from TJ Maxx that’s “sparked a nationwide scavenger hunt.” May the odds be ever in your favor.  

👖 These “Cool-Mom Pants” — dubbed “Martha Stewart meets The Row” — are quietly redefining what drop-off chic looks like. 

👶 Just when we thought we’d seen it all, we discovered “placenta parties.” We’ll give you a moment. 

👀 The sound of spring? Chonky clogs clomping everywhere. Sorry, jelly sandals.

💧 Before you waltz into work with wet hair, the internet has some hot takes.

Once the poster child for TikTok cringe, Addison Rae has quietly rebranded into someone we’re…kind of rooting for? After skyrocketing to fame in 2019 with viral dance videos like the controversial “Renegade,” she cycled through a series of deeply questionable side quests: a flop beauty brand, awkward celeb friendships, and a She’s All That remake we couldn’t forget if we tried. But while most OG TikTok stars have quietly faded into podcast purgatory, the Underwear-as-Pants Enthusiast did what few can: She reinvented herself as a full-blown pop star. She swapped her girl-next-door image for “trashcore” aesthetic (see: her brave thong-over-pants; legwarmers with spandex shorts; and this Little Mermaid seashell bra, somehow perfectly paired with a fur stole and blue fishnets) and teamed up with brat-pop royalty like Charli XCX (yes, Ms. Rae ad-libbed the viral scream in the “Von Dutch” remix). She’s also given us Britney Spears cosplay at the VMAs, an ’80s-inspired hot pink peplum polka dot ensemble at Coachella, a 2008 Tumblr-coded music video, referenced Lindsay Lohan’s notorious 2010 court manicure, and Y2K album art that screams Lizzie McGuire-meets-fairycore. 

And her timing? Impeccable. Her rebrand (which includes dropping the “Rae,” by the way) lands just as “recession pop” — gritty, high-energy anthems built for dancing through existential dread — makes a comeback. The economy may not technically be in a recession (semantics), but vibes-wise? It’s giving “I just dropped my last $12 on a vodka cran at a bar.” So everyone’s turning to nostalgia-tinged bangers (like Kesha’s viral yeehaw-pop collab with T-Pain and Lady Gaga’s “earth-shattering,” goth-angel Coachella set) for a much-needed distraction — and Addison’s chaotic, campy energy fits right in (she even got Julia Fox’s approval). Sure, Addison Rae isn’t saving pop — but she’s soundtracking at least five regret-texts and one vodka-fueled parking lot meltdown. And honestly? In this economy, that’s more useful.

It must be said: Waking up to a hard launch from Elizabeth Hurley and Billy Ray Cyrus on Easter Sunday was not — and we can’t stress this enough — on our 2025 bingo card. Last weekend, the actress and Mr. “Achy Breaky Heart” made things Instagram official with a post featuring Cyrus (in neon green bunny ears) smooching a flannel-clad, cowboy-hat-wearing Hurley on the cheek. The caption — wait for it — was simply: “Happy Easter.” Now, if you’re thinking, “What in the sweet niblets is going on?” you’re not alone. (Even actor Melissa Gilbert dropped a “Wait…..what?” in the comments.) And while this pairing seems — to put it generously — extremely random, they actually have some history. The two co-starred in a 2022 holiday movie you’ve (definitely) never heard of called Christmas in Paradise and then lost touch for nearly two years after filming wrapped. It was during that period (when Cyrus was going through a contentious divorce) that he received a text from a number he “didn’t even know.” (We’ll let you guess who it was.) But the big giveaway? Nearly two weeks earlier, Hurley posted an Instagram video from the Maldives — set to Cyrus’s 1993 song “She’s Not Cryin’ Anymore.” We’re just embarrassed we didn’t see the literal Easter egg right in front of us (sorry, had to).

Even when your dad’s Batman and an Oscar winner, that doesn’t mean you’re getting designer sneakers. Just ask Ben Affleck’s 13-year-old son, Samuel. On Tuesday, the actor and father of three shared the story behind a now-viral video of Samuel casually asking for a pair of $6,000 Dior Air Force 1s (iconic, honestly). Naturally, Affleck was taken aback, and humbled his son with a “I have the money! You're broke.” When he’s not delivering savage reality checks, Affleck’s busy being that dad — cheering (read: “loudly complaining”) at youth sports games, getting roasted for his new film The Accountant 2 (his kids didn’t hold back), helping with math homework, and turning bougie demands into teachable moments. Add “fiscal king” to Ben’s IMBD credits.

Still mourning the tutu-shaped void Bunheads left behind? Meet Étoile — the new ballet dramedy from Amy Sherman-Palladino (the mastermind behind The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel and Gilmore Girls). The eight-episode Prime Video series follows two directors — Geneviève (Charlotte Gainsbourg) in Paris and Jack (played by Maisel’s Luke Kirby) in New York — who are forced to collaborate to save their struggling ballet companies. Their plan? Swap their star dancers for a year to shake things up. Cue the chaos: backstage bad-mouthing, major diva energy (especially from French prima ballerina Cheyenne), and more tension than a pair of brand-new pointe shoes. Already renewed for a second season, the show is Sherman-Palladino’s love letter to the dance world she nearly joined herself — and yes, the cast includes a Gilmore Girls favorite.

’Tis certainly the season — and since “congrats” sounds a lot better when it’s paired with a present, we highly recommend Apple Gift Card. Grads can use it to buy tech like AirPods or Apple Watch — or to download music, games, movies, or ebooks for when they’re ready to read for pleasure again. Go on. Give them what they want (what they really, really want).*

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