The dark downside of celebrity overshares

 

02.23.23

Megan Fox and Machine Gun Kelly know it's tough to navigate a tabloid relationship February is, of course, the month of love. Though we are beyond Valentine's Day, and even the half-price candy sales that come right after, I still have romance on the brain.  Well, at least one romance — except maybe it's a doomed one? And I'm not talking about Romeo and Juliet. Read on!

For about as long as Hollywood has been portraying volatile passions and dramatic love stories onscreen, the business has been full of actors and celebrities experiencing just as much turbulence in their real-life relationships. Any number of star-cross'd lovers could come to mind: from Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton to Johnny Depp and Amber Heard; Brangelina to... Cher and Tom Cruise. Well, that last couple is not like the others, but I threw them in to remind folks that they briefly had a thing in 1985 — and Cher has since ranked Cruise in the top five of the greatest lovers she ever had. You're welcome! We love an overshare when it comes to celebrity couplings, but that transparency can come back to bite a not-so-happy couple when trouble arises.  Just ask Megan Fox and Machine Gun Kelly, who until recently were all over the place with public displays of affection, couples' outfits and an engagement ring that causes pain if it's removed. There has been much recent speculation, though, that the two are working through a rough patch, with social media detectives driven into overdrive by a cryptic Instagram post from Fox — using Beyoncé lyrics about "dishonesty," no less. (She deleted her account shortly after, only to return days later to seemingly clear up chatter that there had been a third person involved in their relationship, but without addressing the truth behind any other potential discord.) Being so public about the good times means that if there are bad times, people are quick to assume — rightly or wrongly — they should be in the know about them too.

Speaking of couples, remember when Nick Cannon dated Kim Kardashian? I do, which is why I was tickled by a recent play date between Kardashian, her daughter, North West, Mariah Carey and her daughter with Cannon, Monroe. Kardashian documented the occasion on her TikTok account as the two youngsters danced it out, with their famous moms soon joining in for some lip-syncing fun.   With all the talk about "nepo babies" out there, this is the kind of content we need to remind us that the kids of stars are still kids at the end of the day.

"Good Riddance" by Gracie Abrams   And look at that, another celebrity offspring to discuss: Singer/songwriter Gracie Abrams, who is the daughter of famed filmmaker J.J. Abrams and film and TV producer Katie McGrath. The 23-year-old is now releasing her debut album, titled "Good Riddance," with its success sure to be bolstered by her being a part of Taylor Swift's forthcoming Eras Tour. "I feel an unbelievable amount of gratitude for the opportunity to have made this album," she tweeted in January. "Writing this record allowed me to grow up in ways I needed to. It forced me to reflect and be accountable."  "Good Riddance" is out Friday.

"High Drama" by Adam Lambert   With the recent debut of, wait for it, the twenty-first season of "American Idol" it feels right to feature Adam Lambert this week. Lambert, who was the runner-up on Season 8 of "Idol" back in 2009, has a new album coming, titled "High Drama." The record includes covers of some of his contemporaries' hits, including tracks originally from Billie Eilish, Sia and Lana del Rey, among others. I love the fact that an artist who got his big break covering songs on a TV singing competition is throwing it back with his renditions of some modern hits. "High Drama" is also out Friday. "Grey's Anatomy" Season 19 In this age of streaming, I sometimes think we forget there is much quality TV on broadcast and cable — long-running shows, no less. "Grey's Anatomy" Season 19 returns Thursday with new episodes. There's a reason why this series has been beloved for so many years, and it's still going strong, even with its OG star Ellen Pompeo now moving on. And yes, in case you just have to stream it, the ABC series is also available on Hulu. "The Weeknd: Live at SoFi Stadium" How about a little Weeknd for your weekend? "The Weeknd: Live at SoFi Stadium" airs Saturday at 8 p.m. on HBO and HBO Max, so you may want (or need) to move your furniture to make room for dancing. (HBO and HBO Max are owned by CNN's parent company, Warner Bros. Discovery.)   The concert special was filmed in Los Angeles during one of the final dates on artist Abel Tesfaye's 2022 stadium tour, and is sure to feature many of his biggest hits.