And just like that… another week has come and gone! (Where’s Rosie O’ Donnell?)
While May is taking its time, there’s an indescribable yet palpable feeling in the air. Summer (and Pride Month) are just around the corner, and as the past week of LGBTQ+ news showed us, things are definitely heating up!
An absurdly dramatic bisexual fight on Selling the OC captivated all of social media, Tom Daley prepared for his final Olympics with a thirst trap, Lance Bass spilled on his workout routine, and Chris Olsen skipped the MET Gala.
How about we take this to the next level?
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Plus, we met Andy Cohen’s hunky new BFF, Taylor Swift’s boyfriend got a new gig, and a NBA press conference got interrupted for a patently queer reason….
Otherwise, our social-media feeds have been filled with bops, boys, and a connection to the Kennedy family that we just can’t shake. More on that later!
Without further ado, here are 10 things we’re obsessed with this week…
1. Red, White & Royal Blue… the book
ICYMI: Red, White & Royal Blue is getting a sequel! Nicholas Galitzine and Taylor Zakhar Perez had impeccable chemistry as the Prince of England and the First Son of the United States, bringing to life a love story so steamy and romantic that Amazon had no choice but to green light a second movie. (Both lead actors are set to return, alongside director Matthew López who will co-write the script with author Casey McQuiston.)
But before there were hairy backsides, intimate kissing, and one of Prime Video’s most successful films, there was McQuiston’s novel ($16.99 on Amazon). If you’ve watched the film but haven’t read the source material, you’re missing out. Within 421 pages, McQuiston weaves an all-consuming, passionate, and detailed romance with details, characters, and picturesque moments that didn’t all make the script.
2. American Eagle’s gender-neutral Pride collection
‘Tis the season for Pride collections! Every year as June closes in, nearly every brand in existence unveils some form of rainbow-emblazoned merchandise in hopes of snatching up our gay cash. But as someone who still gets teary eyed watching LGBTQ+ couples at parades, I’m afraid to admit it works on me.
One of my favorite campaigns of the year thus far belongs to American Eagle, who celebrated their collection with a $100,000 donation to It Gets Better. Not only are their muscle tanks ($19.95) and graphic tees ($24.95) stylish and specifically gender-neutral, but these tie-dye crew socks ($9.95) and this concert-friendly clear belt bag ($29.95) are absolutely adorable.
3. Jamie Dornan for Arena Homme+
Jamie Dornan sported curls and a collared polo in this recent photoshoot for Arena HOMME+, and all of the sudden, I feel this powerful urge to rewatch the entire Fifty Shades of Grey trilogy…?!
4. Baby Reindeer
The line between comedy and thriller is thin, but Netflix‘s Baby Reindeer somehow straddles the two genres expertly. The dark mini-series –– created by and starring bisexual comedian Richard Gadd –– follows Donny, a struggling comedian, who befriends Martha (Jessica Gunning), an older woman who quickly exhibits stalker tendencies. Not only does it threaten his social and professional lives, but his romantic one after he begins dating trans therapist Teri (Nava Mau).
No spoilers, but it’s a gripping, suspenseful, and altogether human story that may just have you on the couch for 3.5 hours straight.
5. The Bokksu Ramen Box
May is Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, which makes it the perfect month to support LGBTQ+ and Asian-owned businesses, like Bokksu. Crafted by Danny Taing –– who fell in love with Japan’s expansive assortment of local snacks after living there –– Bokksu provides both one-time gift boxes and subscriptions, featuring some of the most delicious culinary concoctions you can’t find stateside.
Still, my personal fave is their Ramen Box ($49.99 online), featuring a bowl, spoon, chopsticks, as well as delicious Kurbuta Tonkotsu Dashi Ramen guaranteed to coat “the tongue with deliciousness.”
6. Ariana Grande & Cynthia Erivo giving us proof the Wicked movie does, in fact, exist
Call me a cynic! I’ve just been waiting for the film adaptation of Broadway’s Wicked so long that I’m not entirely convinced it exists. (Never mind the November 27 release date, that teaser trailer, or the impeccable casting of Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo.)
Still, Grande and Erivo’s hypnotic performance of Wicked composer Stephen Schwartz’s “When You Believe” at the Met Gala helped bring me back to reality. Wearing color-swapped gowns corresponding to their characters –– Grande in green and Erivo in pink –– the talented duo’s heavenly vocals served as a reminder that some things are worth the wait.
7. The Carry On Suitcase by Away
Does anyone actually like buying luggage? From storage capacity and design, to the durability of those damn pesky wheels, I’ve hated every single suitcase I owned until I tried out Away’s The Carry-On ($275).
Not only is there an Apple-esque level of simplistic aesthetic, but it features a lock, four wheels, a removable phone charger under the handle, as well as a laundry bag and three storage compartments. Plus, it’s guaranteed to fit in “the overhead bin of almost any flight.” And for those who don’t travel as lightly, there’s The Bigger Carry-On ($295) with slightly larger dimensions that make the cut for most domestic adventures.
8. “Til’ Death Becomes Us” by Trinity the Tuck & Jujubee
There’s no shortage of drag-queen musicians, but few performers put as much attention-to-detail and artistry into the process as Trinity the Tuck, who appeared on RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 9 and the fourth and seventh seasons of All Stars. Case-in-point: “Til’ Death Becomes Us,” the lead single from her upcoming EP Sinematic, which was inspired by the Seven Deadly Sins.
The video spoofs the iconic Meryl Streep and Goldie Hawn classic Death Becomes Her with spot-on accuracy alongside an undeniable beat and vocals from fellow queen Jujubee. Bonus points to what’s quite possibly the best pop lyric of the year: “I’m a Barbie doll / You’re just a Brat.”
9. Daddy Hats at Target
Did Target have the LGBTQ+ demographic in mind when they unveiled their Goodfellow line of hats for Father’s Day? Probably not.
But I can almost guarantee these caps –– like the Papa, Dad Club, and Chill Dad (all $17 online) –– will be omnipresent at Fire Island parties and gay gatherings all summer long. There’s a reason why we celebrate the patriarchs during Pride Month after all!
10. The chaos of JFK’s grandson Jack Schlossberg
John F. Kennedy's only grandson — Jack Schlossberg pic.twitter.com/qsZ2qXJk7I
— Jon Levine (@LevineJonathan) May 3, 2024
I’m ready to see another Kennedy in the Oval Office. As long as it’s Jack Schlossberg. The 31-year-old –– who’s JFK’s grandson –– went viral this week after sharing a thirsty (and chaotic video) of him flamboyantly singing “Ticket to Ride” by The Beatles.
I can’t begin to explain why this video is so rewatchable and why this straight himbo does things to me, but I find myself pressing play every time it makes its way across my feed.
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Glen Powell, Paulie Calafiore reviews jocks & gay tequila: 10 things we’re obsessed with this week
If we were any more obsessed, we’d be dead.
