DJs and longtime friends Seth Troxler and Bill Patrick have launched a new podcast focused on freewheeling conversations with each other and a weekly guest.
Out now on YouTube, Spotify and Apple Podcasts, Flirting With Friendship is an hourlong, video-forward podcast in which the pals, artists and known arbiters of cool tell stories, riff on current affairs and generally express themselves. The show is filmed late night in the living room of Troxler’s parents’ house in Ibiza. Watch the trailer below.
Guests for the series will include a discipline-spanning collection of DJs, visual artists, designers and other creative luminaries including Roisin Murphy, Damian Lazarus, Felipe Pantone, John Acquaviva, Chris Korda, Miranda Makaroff & Pascal Moscheni, George Stavro, Marcello Burlon and DJ Tennis.
Out now, the first episode serves as a tone-setter with a conversation from Troxler and Patrick on their own. A statement about Flirting With Friendship declares it to be a reflection of the hosts’ “vision of positive masculinity and a shift toward curating culture in new formats that champion curiosity, community and connection in ways that extend past the dance floor.”
The show has a constellation’s worth of star creators on its crew. Flirting With Friendship is produced by Nikita Stanley, the writer and co-founder of the book and mom blog The Rebel Mama, Jesse Rogg, who is also the show’s creative director, president of indie record label StrataSonic and owner of Los Angeles’ Mack Sennett Studios and Craig Pettigrew, who’s also behind events company Future Primitive and is a founder of BPM Festival. Set design is by Veronica Gessa, the multimedia installation artist also known as mokibaby who’s behind Miami’s Club Space and III Points. Award-winning cinematographer Lukas Strebel, whose credits include Black Mirror, is the show’s director of photography.
“Friendships are funny, our life is based on connections. In many ways those connections determine who we are,” says Troxler. “At some point meeting new friends or opening up to existing friends becomes more rare the older you get. Flirting with Friendship is about breaking down that barrier. Bill and I have been friends for nearly 20 years. We love each other but also drive each other crazy. Real friends are people that no matter their flaws you’re still interested and invested. I hope our relationship is something other people enjoy as much as we do. We’re flawed and we love each other, but chance is you are too.. and maybe just maybe you’ll come to love us as well.”
“I didn’t really have a choice when it came to doing this show,” adds Patrick. “I was told, ‘We’re doing a podcast,’ and I blindly went along with it. That’s the kind of trust (or poor judgment) that comes with being friends with someone for a long time. This show isn’t about teaching you how to be a better person. It’s about proving you’re not the only one with questionable life choices and friends who never let you forget them. If nothing else, you’ll get to hear Seth and me roast, annoy, and occasionally appreciate each other in real time. And if you end up liking us? Well, that’s your problem.”
[This story contains spoilers for the first three episodes of Only Murders in the Building season five.]
The new season of Only Murders in the Building begins with someone dying, of course: As set up in the final moments of season four (and reiterated in the season five trailer and press materials), the newest victim is Lester (Teddy Coluca), the Arconia’s beloved doorman.
As Charles, Oliver and Mabel (Steve Martin, Martin Short and Selena Gomez) begin investigating Lester’s death, however, they’re quickly pulled into another mystery, also set up in the closing scenes of last season. A mobster named Nicky Caccimelio (Bobby Cannavale) has gone missing, and his wife, Sofia (Tea Leoni), wants the trio’s help finding him. They initially turn her down — until they see a photo of Nicky with Lester at Oliver’s wedding, which they discover shortly after finding a severed finger in Oliver’s shrimp cocktail.
What at first seems like a fruitless trip to Staten Island — where the Caccimelio family lives in the Corleones’ house from The Godfather — eventually leads to Charles and Mabel discovering a gambling den underneath the Arconia. At the same time, Oliver, hoping to prove to his fellow residents that he and Lester were close, takes the doorman’s hat to the dry cleaner’s in the building, where he discovers Nicky’s body.
“As always with the show, we first start asking questions about our victim, because that’s where everything is centered,” co-creator and showrunner John Hoffman told The Hollywood Reporter ahead of Tuesday’s season premiere. “And then what things and what ideas can come off of this person and what his life was like, and what kind of things was he getting himself involved in?”
As for the last part, the season’s second episode reveals — via a series of flashbacks to Lester’s career at the Arconia that paints a touching picture of both his life and those of the people he served — that Lester had been taking payouts from Nicky to escort guests downstairs to secret, high-stakes games in the basement. And, as the team discovers at the end of episode three (the last released Tuesday, with the rest of the season coming in weekly installments), those games were likely attended by a trio of billionaires (played by Christoph Waltz, Renee Zellweger and Logan Lerman) — one of whom happens to be missing a finger.
It’s a twist on a twist, but it also points to a theme that Hoffman said OMITB will be exploring throughout the season. As Oliver puts it, the billionaires are “the new mob of New York.”
“To me, it felt like a real opportunity, both to look at New York in a way that we hadn’t before, through a sort of global view and pulling from headlines that are literally happening right now in New York, and also to talk about our home and how much is it worth fighting for?” Hoffman told THR. “How much is it worth, [in terms of how much it’s] being sold for, and how much is it worth protecting?”
Using Lester as the entry point into that story felt natural, Hoffman said, since the job of a doorman involves very human skills — connection and anticipation of others’ needs high on the list — that are in shorter supply in a tech-fueled world.
“I don’t see that being replaced in New York City,” said Martin, who co-created the series with Hoffman. “I mean, there might be electronic versions of self checkout like at the supermarket for these buildings, but the personal aspect, all the little details, I don’t see it being replaced.” Jermaine Fowler plays Randall, Lester’s replacement at the Arconia, but (to foreshadow a bit) the ideas Martin alluded to will also come into play later in the season.
Only Murders in the Building has gradually widened its focus outside the boundaries of the Arconia over the course of its four previous seasons. The new season sets up to take Charles, Mabel and Oliver further outside the building, and into a world they have less control over, than they’ve been before, thereby threatening the small connections that they’ve built up.
“[Lester] found himself in the middle of a power pull, the old mob and the new mob in New York,” said Hoffman. “That sort of thing felt really interesting to me, and then to sort of lean into, in our own winking way, [the idea that] in our little microcosm of the building, what if our trio was smack dab in the middle of solving a murder that had much greater stakes around it than they’re even aware of? … I very much wanted to lean into the connective. The show has always been about lonely people connecting through something they loved, even though it’s a murder podcast. There’s great joy in the show. Joy comes from the center of people recognizing a humanist point of view, and why it’s important, and why the connections like that are critical.“
Pat Cummins insists Australia have enough depth to cover any injuries to their pace cartel in the Ashes, as the struck-down quick sets a loose target for his bowling return.
Cummins has felt a lingering soreness in his back since Australia’s Test series win in the West Indies almost two months ago, with scans since showing lumbar bone stress.
The 32-year-old is desperate to feature in this summer’s Ashes and has vowed to take an aggressive approach to prove his fitness if required.
A timeline has not yet been set for Cummins’s on-field return and he is prepared to go into the Test summer without playing a Sheffield Shield game if required.
But the quick said he would likely want to be back bowling at least a month before the first Test against England in Perth on November 21.
“I’d imagine [I’d want to be bowling] at minimum a month out, maybe six weeks,” Cummins said.
“But I’ve not thought that deeply about it yet.
“It’s still a bit of a wait and see. We’ve got plenty of time, so we’ll map a way back when we get closer.
“At the moment for the next few weeks it’s pretty light. Not much running and zero bowling.”
Lance Morris has been rulled out of the Ashes with a back injury. (Getty Images: Paul Kane)
Cummins’s injury scare has highlighted concerns around Australia’s depth for the summer.
Scott Boland remains the fourth member of the cartel and is ready to step up in case of injury, but below him numbers are dwindling.
Speedster Lance Morris has been ruled out of the summer, requiring his own back surgery, while Jhye Richardson’s Ashes availability is questionable on return from a dislocated shoulder.
Rising Queensland quick Callum Vidler has also been sidelined for the long term with a back injury, while fellow young star Mahli Beardman is nursing a stress fracture.
“We feel really well placed,” Cummins insisted.
“A lot of planning goes in. It’s not just a month before; it’s 12 months out.
“Someone like Jhye Richardson hopefully he will be available for some of the summer.
“There’s [Michael] Neser, Brendan Doggett was part of squads last year, Sean Abbott. So I’m really confident in our depth.
“Obviously there is a bit of Shield cricket and white-ball cricket before that to make sure everyone is up and raring to go.”
Michael Neser remains in the wings as an option for the Australians. (Getty Images: Sarah Reed)
England are gaining fitness ahead of the Ashes.
Speedster Jofra Archer returned to Test cricket in July and sent down a devastating 4-18 from nine overs against South Africa in a one-day international earlier this week.
“[He’s] got quicker. It was box-office bowling,” England coach Brendan McCullum remarked afterwards.
“I thought it was brilliant and, not just his pace but his skill, his ability to shift it both ways and to test batters with the steep bounce he gets.
“He’s a proper cricketer, hence why we’ve taken our time with him to make sure that we give him every chance to be in the biggest series of all of our lives.
“He’s going to be a huge player when we get to Australia, as a number of others are.”
The tourists also expected to have fellow express quick Mark Wood on deck, while Ben Stokes has also resumed training following a shoulder injury.
Chris Woakes, who was man of the series in the 2023 Ashes, has also not given up hope of playing after opting against surgery on his dislocated shoulder.
This past summer’s box office was sluggish, but over the weekend, Hollywood found help thanks to the devil. “The Conjuring: Last Rites” ended up having the top horror movie opening of all time. NPR’s Mandalit del Barco reports.
(SOUNDBITE OF FILM, “THE CONJURING: LAST RITES”)
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR #1: (As character) The devil has come to Pennsylvania.
MANDALIT DEL BARCO, BYLINE: In the latest Conjuring movie, paranormal investigators and demonologist Ed and Lorraine Warren are back.
(SOUNDBITE OF FILM, “THE CONJURING: LAST RITES”)
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR #2: (As character) There’s something in the attic.
DEL BARCO: This time, they and their daughter help a terrorized family whose home is haunted.
(SOUNDBITE OF FILM, “THE CONJURING: LAST RITES”)
VERA FARMIGA: (As Lorraine Warren) This thing in your house is a demon.
BOBBIE BAGBY FORD: It was so exciting. It was really fun to watch.
DEL BARCO: Bobbie Bagby Ford is president and chief creative officer of B&B Theatres, which operates 58 cinemas around the country, mostly in the Midwest. She says moviegoers were so excited they came in groups and lingered in the lobbies to debrief.
BAGBY FORD: And then we were also seeing on social it blow up and people tagging people to say, you’ve got to see this. Let’s go together. It really changed the trajectory of September, really, this weekend did.
DEL BARCO: Before now, many analysts were predicting a sleepy September at the box office after a somewhat slow summer, even though it kicked off with a bang in May.
(SOUNDBITE OF FILM, “LILO & STITCH”)
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR #3: Wow (laughter).
CHRIS SANDERS: (As Stitch, laughing).
DEL BARCO: Disney’s live-action remake of “Lilo & Stitch” and the latest installment of Mission: Impossible took in $1.6 billion worldwide combined.
PAUL DERGARABEDIAN: The Memorial weekend was incredible. You had what was called Mission Stitch Possible because two huge movies open on that weekend empowered a record-breaking haul.
DEL BARCO: Paul Dergarabedian is a senior media analyst for Comscore, which specializes in analyzing the box office.
DERGARABEDIAN: So when you have something like that, everyone thinks, wow, we’re going to easily get to, let’s say, a $4 billion summer, and it just didn’t happen. Those are the ups and downs of the box office.
DEL BARCO: He says while there were some bright spots over the summer – the newest “Superman” movie, “Jurassic World Rebirth,” “F1” and “Weapons” – other movies just didn’t bring as many people to the theaters.
DERGARABEDIAN: Not every movie resonated as many had hoped.
DEL BARCO: Then this past weekend, Warner Bros.’ new Conjuring movie made $194 million worldwide on opening weekend.
DANIEL LORIA: It was definitely a surprise that it opened this high.
DEL BARCO: Daniel Loria is senior vice president of the Boxoffice Company, which analyzes data from studios and theaters. He says the movie was big with Hispanic moviegoers, an audience that tends to enjoy watching horror movies and family titles. For “The Conjuring: Last Rites” he says, Latinos represented 40% of the ticket-buyers on opening weekend, mostly in the Southwest. The movie also made $13.3 million in Mexico.
LORIA: I wouldn’t discount the faith-based side of a movie like this. I know that sounds a little bit ironic considering it’s movies about demons and haunted houses. But at least, you know, I’m Mexican myself, and looking at Mexican culture, we have a lot of lore and a lot of mythology about these sort of stories within our culture, right? I know, you know, whether we look at it in a strictly religious lens or not, the fact that it has this as a backdrop usually has a connection with Hispanic audiences.
(SOUNDBITE OF MUSIC)
DEL BARCO: Next weekend, the anime movie “Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle” could continue the momentum. And looking ahead, Bobbie Bagby Ford says the movie theater business is far from dead.
BAGBY FORD: And the rest of this year looks really fun. So many nights of popcorn-eating opportunities, as well as next year, looks really, really, really strong. And so I think people need to stop writing our obituary and look at all the glimmers of joy that are coming out over the next 24 months.
DEL BARCO: She has high hopes for “Wicked: For Good,” “Zootopia 2” and the new Avatar movie “Fire And Ash.”
Mandalit del Barco, NPR News.
(SOUNDBITE OF DR. DRE SONG, “THE NEXT EPISODE (FEAT SNOOP DOGG)”)
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Just 11 months after she last occupied it, Sabrina Carpenter returns to the top spot of the Billboard 200 this week with her new album, the Aug. 29-released Man’s Best Friend.
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The new set, her follow-up to 2024’s four-week Billboard 200 No. 1 Short n’ Sweet, claims pole position with an impressive 366,000 units moved, according to Luminate — a slightly higher number than its predecessor bowed with (362,000). In addition, it notches all 12 of its tracks in the top 40 of the Billboard Hot 100, with two — the No. 3-entering “Tears,” and the No. 4-rebounding “Manchild” (which previously debuted at No. 1) — making the top five.
How should Carpenter feel about her first-week performance? And what would he advise her to do for the rest of the year? Billboard staffers answer these questions and more below.
1. Sabrina Carpenter debuts atop the Billboard 200 this week with Man’s Best Friend, posting 366,000 first-week units — up a tiny bit from the first-week performance of last year’s Billboard 200-besting Short n’ Sweet (362,000 units). On a scale from 1-10, how excited should Carpenter and her team be with that performance?
Eric Renner Brown: 7. Man’s Best Friend‘s first-week figures didn’t blow Short n’ Sweet‘s out of the water – probably a small disappointment for Carpenter and her team, given how inescapable she has been for the past year – but they did maintain her 2024 effort’s success, and without being buoyed by two massive pre-release hits like Short n’ Sweet was. The stat I’d be most excited about were I in Carpenter’s camp: Man’s Best Friend clocked the ninth-best vinyl sales week in the modern era (dating back to 1991); only one of the albums ahead of her on that tally is by an artist not named Taylor Swift. That accomplishment demonstrates her fan base’s passion – and her team’s release strategy savvy.
Lyndsey Havens: 10. Sabrina’s trajectory right now is what I imagine every pop star dreams of — whenever it happens. To quote the Hot 100’s current champion, Sabrina keeps going up “up, up, up” and it’s a joy to watch as a longtime fan. Especially because it seems that she’s having the most fun of us all. And I think it’s in part because she has mastered striking while the iron is hot; she figured out what works and feels best for her and her audience and has consistently delivered exactly that ever since. And makes it look easy.
Jason Lipshutz: An 8. Sure, it would have been nice to rival the biggest debuts of the year so far by The Weeknd and Morgan Wallen, but Man’s Best Friend squeaking by the bow of Short n’ Sweet, when its predecessor had a more plentiful collection of hits upon its release, is beyond impressive. Sabrina Carpenter has reached a level in which every new album is a pop event, but returning so quickly after a blockbuster album and scoring an even bigger debut demonstrates just how firmly she’s planted herself on the A-list.
Joe Lynch: Nine. Both the overall total and trad album sales numbers for MBF are up from SNS, which is, on face value, A Good Thing. I especially think it’s a win considering SNS benefitted from the juggernaut that was “Espresso,” one of the most ubiquitous, undying hits of the 2020s. For MBF to do even marginally better without a comparable era-defining song boosting the streams is a big win.
Andrew Unterberger: An 8.5. Given the short layover and relative lack of advance hits compared to its predecessor, I think anything within range of Short n’ Sweet would’ve been just fine for Sabrina Carpenter, but to actually squeak by the original’s first-week tally is a big win. And to do it mostly in album sales (but with a still-robust number of streams) — I mean, it’s all what you want if you’re looking to do this thing for a long time.
2. “Tears” is the top-performing song from the new set, debuting at No. 3 on the Hot 100 — and it just received a spotlight performance at Sunday night’s VMAs. Does the song feel like a long-term hit, akin to “Taste” on the last album, or do you think it will have a shorter shelf-life?
Eric Renner Brown: Sure! It’s at least as catchy, if not moreso, than “Manchild,” “Taste” and “Please Please Please” (“Espresso” is, of course, the GOAT). Another factor that could add to the disco-pop song’s longevity: It sounds tailored to pop off on dancefloors.
Lyndsey Havens: I actually think “Tears” could have longer-term success than “Taste,” especially following her VMAs performance — which has already become a cultural reference point. While I love “Taste,” I’m personally more all-in on “Tears” because I feel like it shows a glimmer of why Man’s Best Friend is in fact an evolution for the pop star. Despite the title and raunchy opening line — which we’ve come to expect from Sab Carp following Short n’ Sweet — the song is about a man being respectful and responsible, whereas “Taste” played up the opposite. “Tears” is just getting started, and with such a strong showing so far, I could see it hanging around the top of the chart for a long while.
Jason Lipshutz: Yep, this is the “Taste” of this album cycle: new single released concurrently with the album, with a music video featuring a major film star, and the type of uptempo, innuendo-laden pop track that would have been nice to have this summer, but we will embrace for the fall. “Tears” sounds like another big hit for Sabrina, and is functioning like one on streaming services; maybe it dips a bit from its No. 3 debut, but I’d expect it to stick around the top 10 through Pumpkin Spice season.
Joe Lynch: Both. Like “Taste,” the song is a grower, and that VMAs turn should help boost it back up on streaming and radio. I see it sticking around, though not to the extent of “Taste” (38 weeks on the Hot 100!). “Taste” is slyly flirty, “Tears” is unabashedly sexual, and lyrics like “I get wet at the thought of you” are bound to limit its exposure, particularly given the overall conservative swing of American culture lately.
Andrew Unterberger: It’s maybe a little more challenging — key shifts, unusual sonic touchstones, particularly Kidz Bop-unfriendly lyrics — than “Taste,” so I wouldn’t be surprised if it had a little bit quicker a chart run. But it’s also a really great and fun single, and Carpenter seems motivated to continue pushing it, so if it outpaces my expectations I wouldn’t be shocked either.
3. “Manchild” returns to the top five this week, moving 7-4. Do you feel any differently about the song now that the whole album is out than you did when it was first released three months ago?
Eric Renner Brown: “Manchild” has grown on me since it was released, but my opinion on it hasn’t changed dramatically – it’s a Sabrina Carpenter single, for better or for worse. Carpenter is such a singles-driven artist that, honestly, hearing her songs within the context of their respective albums doesn’t add much more depth to my understanding of them. That “Manchild” kicks off Man’s Best Friend only bolsters the ability to think of it independently from the full album.
Lyndsey Havens: When “Manchild” first dropped it came and went for me — for no particular reason. But within the context of the album, I’ve definitely played it more and appreciate the role it played in setting the tone for Man’s Best Friend. That said, I’m still a “Tears” girl — and even songs like “House Tour” have me coming back more.
Jason Lipshutz: It’s grown in stature for me, thanks to all of the tiny sonic tics and lyrical details that are revealed upon multiple listens. The nifty guitar work in the pre-chorus, the gang vocals in the second half of the bridge, the triple-entendre of “Did you just say you’re finished? Didn’t know we started” in the opening verse — they all contribute to a singular pop showcase, built around an echoing hook that had immediate appeal. I promise you that, in five years, we will look back on “Manchild” as one of Carpenter’s strongest hits.
Joe Lynch: Not especially. I loved “Manchild” when it dropped and I still think it’s fantastic. Does it surpass or even match the best singles of SNS? No, but it’s a bit unfair to measure anything up to “Espresso” and “Taste,” two of the decade’s best so far in pop. And it is an excellent, durable pop song.
Andrew Unterberger: I was at least a little underwhelmed by “Manchild” when it first bowed, but now I’m struggling to even really remember why. Some of the verse lyrics do land a little too broadly for my tastes, but it’s a small complaint when stacked up against all the things this song does really, really well. It’s on the level of the three big Short n’ Sweet hits for me at this point, certainly.
4. Does the album feel to you like it moves her beyond Short n’ Sweet, or do you think it mostly doubles down on what that album did successfully?
Eric Renner Brown: It’s a Sabrina Carpenter album! She ran it back for an album that, to my ears, pretty much picks up right where Short n’ Sweet left off. And that wasn’t a bad idea: Carpenter does a very distinctive thing and does it very well – this is what audiences expect from her. But now I’m wondering… are there people out there hailing this as a major stylistic departure for her?
Lyndsey Havens: At first, I thought it doubled down. And I still think it largely does — which is great! It works for all parties involved. But the more I listen, the more I can see how this is a stepping stone towards whatever comes next, whether it’s a move away from her sex-driven wordplay or a move into the softer production and soaring vocals of a song like “We Almost Broke Up Again,” I can’t wait to see what comes next for Sabrina. And while I’d eagerly press play on a third album in a potential trio of releases, I do hope that there’s a break built in before then — and perhaps ending the album with “Goodbye” is a hint at exactly that.
Jason Lipshutz: I think even Sabrina would admit that Man’s Best Friend doubles down on a formula that was established on Short n’ Sweet, augmenting the details of a winning blueprint drawn up with close collaborators who understand her voice, sound and humor. Because Short n’ Sweet was such a success, Carpenter has designed Man’s Best Friend as a more personal, and lovably weird, glimpse into her life and relationships, drawing upon similar themes with more confidence and clarity. I doubt Carpenter will linger in this particular mode for too much longer, but for now, she’s having a blast within it.
Joe Lynch: It pushes the envelope a bit further in terms of sexual entendre and transgression (I mean, that album cover) — but musically, she’s doubling down on what worked on SNS. Which is fine – coming almost a year to the date after that breakthrough album, MBF delivers, to my ear, more of the same sonically. But there’s not a lot of people doing what she’s doing right now (or at least doing it well), so I welcome it. Now, in 2026 or 2027, would I hope there’s a bit of growth? Sure. But as a quick follow-up to a blockbuster, this lands.
Andrew Unterberger: It certainly feels of a piece with her last album both sonically and thematically, but the more you listen to this album the more you realize how far this actually is from Shorter n’ Sweeter. It’s a less-explosive album than its predecessor but arguably a richer one, less concerned with offering a cornucopia of singles and more with a providing full-album experience, a relationship song cycle that feels almost like it’s all telling parts of the same story of post-relationship heartbreak, lust, frustration and (some degree of) acceptance. And the musical influences, pushing her further into unusual pockets of pre-MTV crossover country, synthy soft rock and other little-revived genres, really give this album its own sonic identity as well.
5. It’s been an incredible near-two-year run for Sabrina Carpenter in pop music — how would you recommend she spend the next three months to finish out the year as strongly as possible?
Eric Renner Brown: At this point, she feels too big too fail, which I mean in the most complimentary way. These hits, sales, concerts are simply so massive that it’s hard for me to think of any way she could derail this run at this point. But I will be curious to see how she incorporates this fresh material into her Short n’ Sweet tour when it resumes later this month – and if she can leverage any of these new songs to create viral moments.
Lyndsey Havens: Enjoy it, whatever that looks like for her. It sure could mean continuing to write and record. It could mean continuing to ideate and build worlds with her performances (she has a handful of festival gigs in early 2026). And it could mean taking a long vacation. But, somewhere in all of that, I also hope it means preparing for a busy award season at the start of the new year; at this point, an show-opening career-spanning medley from the superstar to open a particular awards ceremony doesn’t even seem that far-fetched.
Jason Lipshutz: Considering she just released her new album, has a new smash with “Tears,” just delivered one of the best performance at the MTV VMAs and is playing some fall arena dates… what else is there to ask for? The answer, of course, is a music video for “House Tour,” starring some HGTV personalities. Fingers crossed on that one.
Joe Lynch: Another collab with Van Leeuwen, please – I tragically missed the first one and my tastebuds have been furious with me since. Other than ice cream, I hope Carpenter keeps giving us more of what she brought to the VMAs – it’s hard to pull off a political pop performance without being heavy-handed, but she spoke up for trans right while platforming trans people without losing that ineffable, defiant joy of queer culture.
Andrew Unterberger: Could her upcoming appearance on the closer to Taylor Swift’s Life of a Showgirl album possibly kickstart a run of feature appearances from Sabrina Carpenter? I’d love to see it at some point in her career — nearly all the century’s great pop stars have had at least one such memorable run, and she would be incredible just popping up on a big hook for any number of rappers, rockers or dance DJs out there.
A Birmingham Children’s Hospital patient has been recognised for his bravery in a top awards ceremony.
Ansel Hayward, aged 13, was named as a winner in the prestigious national 2025 WellChild Awards – and got to meet Prince Harry during the ceremony.
The teenager, who suffers a number of medical conditions, was chosen from hundreds of nominations from across the UK to win the Inspirational Young Person 12-14 Years Award.
The Duke of Sussex met the youngster, who is deaf and autistic and lives with a rare disease, severe epilepsy and a tracheostomy, at the event in London.
His seizures can last for hours and often require emergency hospital care. Despite this, he shows remarkable bravery, making mature decisions about his treatment and always focusing on living life to the fullest.
He has been cared for at the hospital since he was a baby by multiple services, including the specialist Ear, Nose and Throat team and epilepsy unit.
Mum Claire Hayward shared: “Birmingham Children’s Hospital is our second home and we appreciate all the many teams who care for Ansel and for us.”
Known to be a kind and compassionate young man, Ansel has a deep love for animals, nature and the environment and enjoys litter picking, recycling, and finding creative ways to reuse everyday items.
Claire Watson, who nominated Ansel for a WellChild Award said: “Ansel is such a selfless young man who has made some very difficult decisions to live his life to the fullest, even if that means his life is shortened.
“I think receiving a WellChild Award will help him to see what a brave young man he is, how proud his parents are of him, and also just how much he is loved and respected by his family, his local and wider community.”
Last season during New York Fashion Week (NYFW), I was heading to the Coach show, and admittedly feeling myself. My outfit, I felt, was on point for the occasion: I paired a vintage red leather blazer with a bolo tie and heeled Cuban boots—a slightly-western vibe that perfectly encapsulated my personal style. Walking towards the venue, I could see the swarm of street style photographers and VIP guests from about a block away. It was a total zoo. Even so, I strutted towards the chaos confidently, feeling like I belonged and was part of the cool crowd.
Only, walking in, I was met with utter crickets. Not a single street style photographer even glanced in my direction. Some pointed their lenses towards far-cooler or more-famous show goers; others simple put their cameras down to rest at the sight of me. I was being totally street style shunned. But it’s okay—I’m used to it.
Every season, NYFW—which officially kicks off this week—has a cutting way of humbling you. For starters, the glitzy clothes on the runways can instantly make your day-to-day wardrobe feel dull. The front-row models and celebrities at the shows, all dressed impossibly-cool, cause you to feel just a little less interesting too, or not even worthy of being there at all. But my favorite aspect of attending NYFW, is the absolutely brutal way that street style photographers analyze your outfit going in and out of the presentations.
Heading into a show, your fashion week outfit—which usually represents your closet’s very best—is met by a jury of photographers who deem whether you are worth documenting or not. If you get a few snaps, it means that you are trendy, chic—on point. Yet, as someone who has attended shows for over a decade now, I am rarely ever part of said crowd. If street style stars like Chloe King and Eva Chen are fashion’s beloved maximalist darlings, I am simply the gum on their shoe—their homely sibling who never ends up making the family scrapbooks.
Not me during NYFW.
Video: Getty Images
At first, I took this refusal to peacock personally. Am I a terrible dresser? Am I ugly?! But I am not telling you this to give me a pity photograph this week. (Although, please do, because I simply live for the sound of a shutter going off.) I actually enjoy being sartorially shafted. Not because I’m a masochist, rather I love the drive that it gives me to do better.
