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Jared Freed
You're a nosy. You want the full sitch? Come to Pop Culture Thursday. Hello and welcome to the J Train Podcast. This is J Train Jared Freed coming alive from Delray Beach, Florida. That's right. Every Thursday is a popular culture Thursday where I, the comedian, I the comedian, where I go to Page Six, I read headlines and then I click on them and we riff. That's the show. I got a bunch of headlines that I went and found on page Six. I'm going to start with, like, just some off the top of the dome thoughts from the Taylor Swift happenings this week. I'll just some. Just some thoughts that I. That Taylor Swift makes me think of. And let me first start by saying I am a fan of her work. I. And that's kind of like what interests me most about her is that you have to start there. She is such a politicized person as anything big gets politicized. Anything it. And that is like, strange to me because the Taylor Swift conversation, especially with her fans who are touchy and sensitive with, you know, the rest of people who. Who feel she represents something that they're against, you know, they're touchy and sensitive. So it's this, like, weird. Like this up. So I want us to put the fist down. I am a. I'm a fan of her work. I don't know it as well as you do if you're a super fan. I don't know her that well if I'm. I mean, yesterday I posted on Instagram and all my socials, this. The fun take for me is I was texting with a buddy who's a big Taylor Swift fan. He's a big Taylor Swift fan. And I was like, I asked about the album and he said, oh, it's not out yet. This was just an announcement that an announcement of a new album is coming. And I was like, wow, this is way different than I thought. I thought I was going to be able to, like, see how the. You know, let's hear the new tunes. I mean, I sound like I'm 80 years old. How's that new disc doing? You know, like, I. And so the joke I thought of was if I was dating someone who was a Swiftie, knowing that that audience is very sensitive and touchy, that if I was like, out of the goodness of my heart, was like, taking interest in something I knew they had interest in but knew very little about it and said, hey, how's the new album? She would be annoyed. There's no new album. What are you talking? And Annoyed in the fun way. In the fun way, a girlfriend gets annoyed with her boyfriend who is a dumb idiot like me. So I, that's like the basis premise of what I put on social media yesterday. And I knew it would do well because it's dealing with Taylor Swift. She's in the news and I'm, I have a take that is not just glowing loving, it's making fun of a man, which does well on TikTok, a straight, befuddled, you know, dude that does well. And this is like how I look at things, you know, And I think the good. There's good and bad to everything how I look at things is I'm not a super fan. I don't think I'm a super. I don't love or hate anything. I'm trying to think if I say I hate something, it's more for the joke of hating something. If I say I love, like as far as, like a band or a book or an author or love a chef, like, I love. I don't know if I would describe. And again, this someone could say, well, you said you love this. And I would have to rethink this opinion. But because of that, and I think that's the position. And you're seeing Marc Maron doing the podcast rounds. Mark Marin, who said no to having me on his podcast when I had the Netflix special come out. FYI, he's, he's making the rounds, slamming the Rogan verse, the, the, the, the bros who, who sat back, who had a lot of, you know, right wing people on their podcasts. And, and he's kind of slamming them. And, and, and, and I, the, the slam to me from him, the part I agree with is as a comedian, your job is, okay, that house is on fire. Why is it on fire? Why do you believe that house is on fire? What happened? You tell us what's going on. It's not taking aside before you assess what's going on with that specific house. Like, and when you have, when you sign up for a political party and as a, you know, as a, as a mouthpiece for one, you are now in their pockets. You know, you're now. So I, you know, when, as someone who's never really been that tribal, you know, I, it's tough for me to get on a Mark Marin because I'm not, you know, I'm not sitting here, you know, I'm not taking a, you know, a definitive. Here's where I stand. And. Because the minute you dis, the minute you take a side and I'm an independent and all these things. And I, I've talked about this on other podcasts, but on this one specifically, I, you know, I talk about these things and because I haven't taken aside, you go, you're not going extreme enough for the right and you're not going extreme enough for the left. So you get kind of washed away. You're just normal Joe that, just trying to be funny and have an opinion. I think Taylor Swift kind of lives in that her super fans. You can tell that it kind of represents the Internet tribalism that's going on with everything because that's where the joke stems from. It is, hey, I don't know everything about Taylor Swift, but I'm still supportive and they're still annoyed with you. You don't know everything. You, you, you even thought you could talk say her name in vain without knowing everything about her. And it's like, again, these people don't exist. They only exist on the Internet. In real life, if you said, hey, the Taylor Swift, you'd say it to your girlfriend. Oh, come on, the album isn't out yet. It'd be loving and glowing. On the Internet is like, you know, there's an extremism of everything. So that's my first thought of the, the tribalism that goes on. And that's kind of the genius of Taylor Swift. Her. She is the, her songs are from the point of view of the third hottest girl in the popular group of a upper middle class town. So. And I think a lot there's a huge amount of women specifically who, who see that as themselves. I wasn't the hottest. I had problems, but my problems weren't big enough problems to. To complain about. But I still got issues. And Taylor Swift goes out there and makes a song about. He's the, you know, she's the cheerleader. I'm the, I'm on the. You know, you're. I'm getting the lyric wrong. You know, he. She wears short shorts. I wear, you know, whatever. She does that line about, he's the captain. The, you know, he'll never notice me. He's the captain of the football team and I'm just some girl in the cafeteria. You're speaking for that person. And if you think of the timing of it all, you know, you have an economic boon that makes, you know, the middle class as big as it's ever been and then it shrinks down. But at the. During the timing that she's singing these songs of like, you know, you have a big group of People who see themselves as cool enough to be in the cool group in the cafeteria, but not hot enough to be the hot one or the lead cheerleader and longing for a boy who never noticed her. That's kind of the premise of a Taylor Swift song to me. So it is funny that, like, if you. Any negativity towards Taylor, which I really don't have. I mean, any, Any. Any critical thinking about Taylor, that's the problem. Any, like, even this discussion, if you're a huge Taylor Swift fan, there are. I would assume, and maybe I'm wrong, but that there's a person out there that goes, why are you even third hottest girl? You don't think she's hot? And it's like, no, no, no. I'm saying this is a trope that she's built a career off of that has the biggest audience and the loudest audience. And if you're not, it's either you're with us or against us. And I think the Taylor Swift conversation always brings that up. And it's a more fun way to talk about it than talking about politics. But Taylor is political. She just represents the discourse. And then my second thought on Taylor, it must be 1, 2 thought, 2 more thoughts on Taylor, then we'll move on. I got sponsors and I'm in Denver this weekend. I'm doing five shows. Four of them are sold out. There's like 20 tickets left. I want you to come, come. I got a new set. It'll be fun. I think it's the Late Show Saturday, which. Or maybe it's the Late Show Friday. That's not sold out. One of those. It's not that late. You'll be. You'll be in. You'll be in your jam jams by 12:30. So come, come, come. It'll be a fun show. I. My second Taylor thought is how aware she is of people are watching her every move and how she plays with that. Like, there were all these pictures. Like, people treat Taylor Swift as if she's a Marvel movie. Like that she's dropping Easter eggs. They call them Easter eggs. And it's like, you know, for Taylor, that's fun. That's gotta be fun to be like, okay, I'm gonna place the name of this album in different places in my life. I'm gonna wear this color that people can relate. Can, Can. Can try and figure out this. My fun game that I get to play. If you're going to watch me, if I'm going to live this life of all eyes on me. I May as well have fun with it. I like that for Taylor. What. What's troubling about it is I do think we all kind of, you know, listen, it's easy to say this isn't true, but let's come. Come at me with. With some empathy in the. In the same way I would come at any topic. The house is on fire. If Taylor Swift is thinking of herself as the main character of this movie that everyone's watching and dropping Easter eggs. And I do think that, like, seeps into the. The everyday general public like the idea that you're being watched and you gotta be careful what you do. And I think we, you know, if you. 10 years ago, you never thought about that, you're thinking about it at least 1% more than you did 10 years ago. Think about it like, you know, global warming, you know, the Earth, hey, it still snows. Yeah, but it's a little bit warmer. And that's scary to think that you might be living your life with this idea that someone's watching, someone's ready to see something. Everyone's noticing. The anonymity of another time is. Is something I. And I'm. Listen. I'm admitting to that. I have that in me. You know, even taping this podcast, I'm taping this for to be heard. There's a piece of me that's like, did you say the wrong thing? Did someone take what you said about Taylor wrong? You know, and you don't want that. I'm only just giving thoughts and opinions that are not meant to be angering, but made to be or had to be discussed. I'm not trying to win. That's the hard part with any discussion. Now, are you here to discuss with me or here to win? Slam me. Are you here to beat me in this talk? No, I. I'm just discussing idle chatter. Last one. If I'm Taylor Swift, how do you let anyone new into your life knowing that being in your orbit is a financial boon to the person who gets to be in your orbit? There is way too. You know, there's a thing with, like, life insurance, you want. You don't want to be worth more dead than alive. And that's the same thing with Taylor is like, you know, Travis, they've been together, and he is, you know, like when Tom Br. Tom Brady played for the Patriots, the. The value of the Patriots went up, whatever percentage. The same would be said for Travis dating Taylor as well as his brother Jason. And they have this podcast, and the podcast. Social media is the great tax Bypass of our time. You know, you have child celebrities who are gifted followers, and those followers create money for them. So. And there's no tax on it. It's like, it's unbelievable. So, like, the idea of Travis, who I think is a great, I think is a great person for great who, what the fuck do I know? But I, based on, you know, Travis, you go, oh, well, he dated women that didn't look like Taylor before. I don't know. I think her success is attractive. And that to me is like a type successful woman who's crushing it. And then you get to know the person and, you know, you become a couple. You know, I, I them being together makes a sense to me. But if I'm Taylor, how do you vet someone? How do you vet someone knowing? Because right now someone's looking at Travis Kelce and going, wow, he is. I'm looking at Travis Kelsey going, this guy has now a media empire because he dated a woman. So if I'm Taylor, I don't know how you get over that. How you vet people to be in your group and in your orbit. So these are just some thoughts. We're sponsored Tommy John, and we have more Taylor Swift stories from Page Six that were just like a little off the beaten path. Tommy John. I'm wearing Tommy John right now. The underwear is great. It doesn't ride up when you put on jeans. That's a big deal to me. I am about to have, like, a big campaign on my Instagram where, you know, I might have, you know, just sampled the Jeremy Allen white Calvin Klein ad. A few years ago, I called out an underwear company for no regular male bodies in their campaign. And today Tommy John called my, answered my call, and they found underwear that fit me and fit me well. And we have a pic, a few, a glossy campaign coming out on my Instagram. You can see it later. But I'm telling you, these are great underwear. And if you're. Here's how my underwear drawer works. 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It is a Pop Culture Thursday Everything you need to know about Taylor Swift's life of a Showgirl album release Taylor Swift sent shockwaves through her fandom when she announced her 12th studio album Tuesday. She is prolific. 12 albums is wild. This is my brand new album, the Grammy winner shared in a teaser clip for her boyfriend Travis Kelsey's New Heights podcast. Leading up to the announcement, Swiss website featured a countdown to 12:12am on August 12th. Here is everything we know about the new album so far. I mean, she thinks of everything in the Kelsey Brothers podcast sneak peek. The Lover songstress pulled the album out of a mint green briefcase with the letters TS monogrammed on the front. However, she blurred the COVID of the album. Swift might reveal the album cover art when New Heights airs on Aug. 13 at 7pm The Cruel Summer so the Cruel Summer singer was teased as the surprise guest on Travis and Jason's podcast. I mean, now this is like having your own network. If you're her. This is like having your own propaganda out there. I I know. And propaganda gives it a bad name. Is the but it's like Taylor goes straight to the people via her media wing because she owns that network. That's her network. A teaser clip for the podcast showed the hitmaker sitting alongside the Kansas City chief star telling her beau that she liked the color of his blue sweatshirt. I know it's the color of your eyes, sweetie. It's why we match so well, he responded. We're about to do a fucking podcast. She quit. That's where I that's where it got me into the Taylor's awareness. She and that's the difference between a celebrity today and of yesteryear before the Internet. It has got to be so weird to be so aware of your own lore. Cause she says we're about to do a fucking podcast in the way. Like me doing a podcast from anyone else. That would be annoying if your friend was like, look at me doing a podcast. Like, who the fuck do you think you are. What are you, Anne Hathaway? No. Yeah, you just like the rest of us. But when Taylor says it's like, oh, she. She's doing what? What us normies do. Fans look to social media to share their theories that Swift had been hinting at TS12 for years. 1Swifty pointed out that the Love Story singer was. Was wore a showgirl costume in her 2022 Bejeweled music video and was seen. I mean, now it's always easier to connect the dots looking backwards. I mean, that's what you do. That's how conspiracy theories start. They're not, you know, no one predicts that this is the name of the album. You go, oh, see, see, that connects to that and show girl. And she goes on shows and she's a girl. I Fans also speculated that the pop star dropped at Easter egg when she shared via Instagram in October that she was heading back in the office for her ERAS tour stop at Miami's Hard Rock Stadium. At the time, Swift shared a video of herself walking out to section A12 in the stadium. Maybe that's the fun she gets to have. Again, this is the awareness that, like all of us, kind of have Taylor Swift live updates. And now the Page Six knows when they got a hot one because they did live updates. Why fans think she's hitting back at Kanye west with Life of a Showgirl album title. I would love to hear that. One of one of about a million Taylor Swift fan theories taking over the Internet Tuesday on the heels of her new album announcement has to do with none other than the singer's longtime nemesis. Kanye West. Fans speculated that Taylor is trying to get revenge on Kanye with her forthcoming album the Life of a showgirl. One took to TikTok on Tuesday after the announcement to point out the Lover Songstress album pops up on Apple music. Before West's 2016 album the Life of Pablo, when you start typing the title. No, stop it. That would make her I this is the problem. They're turning her into God. This is tribalism. This is a religion to these people. You think she was like, okay, what do we name this that makes it so? I mean, if anything, naming your album close to a Kanye album helps him because it comes up on the search and reminds people of his song and his work. So the idea that it's second to Life of a Showgirl is that what the Life of a Showgirl? The life of Pablo. You've done him a favor. We got one more Taylor Swift article, and this is like Adjacent. But Zoe Kravitz reveals Taylor Swift took her in during the LA fires and confesses to destroying part of the singer's home. Home. Okay, so this is one of those stories. I know she didn't, like, burn down the west wing. Also, when you say Taylor Swift took her in, it's different than you and I taking in a friend. Yeah, I left some. Like, Taylor's not looking at Zoe Crab. It's a man like. So the sheets are out on the bed and there's towels, but make sure you put them in the laundry because I got to do laundry tomorrow, so I don't want to miss them. And I didn't really get to go grocery shopping, but there's some snacks. Like, that's not what Taylor's doing. When Zoe Kravitz shows up with her backpack on. Like, Taylor is saying, the butler will let you in, Zoe. And it's all set. Feel free to use the whole guest house. It's fully stocked. Like, the idea. Oh, whoa. Taylor took right out of the goodness of her. It's a. That's a different. To write it the same way that you and I would write it is not fair to the, you know, the people who have people stay with them. Zoe Kravitz has revealed that Taylor Swift had generously offered up her sprawling Beverly Hills home when deadly wildfires tore through California earlier this year, only for the actress to leave part of the singer's house totally destroyed. I think she stained a washcloth in the bathroom with makeup because I. I'm just guessing. House totally destroyed. She didn't destroy her house. During an appearance on Late Night with Seth Meyers Tuesday, Kravitz said that the 14 time Grammy winner opened up her lavish $25 million Beverly Hills mansion to her and her famous mom, Lisa Bonet. I mean, what a crew. We ended up having to stay there for about two weeks, the high fidelity actress said, adding that they were joined by her mom's pet sitting snake, Orpheus. Okay, if you got a pet snake, you're weird. And Taylor has this beautiful house. It's from the 30s, something you want to preserve and take care of. All right, what did she destroy? Did the snake do something? Yeah, and we let Orpheus play in the yard and he ate all her pet rats. Like, come on, get us to. The actress said that while she tries to be a good house guest who leaves places better than I found them, she ended up accidentally destroying a part of the cruel Summers singer's pricey abode as the mother daughter duo was Cleaning before leaving the home. How much do they have to clean before leaving? There is a house. Like, there is a house cleaning service at the Swift mansion that you can't even believe. They probably have Taylor Swift written on their, you know, uniforms. See what you destroyed. The Batman actress received a call from her mom, who was also inside the property. That's how you know it's huge. It's called a property. After looking for a mom for some time, I got lost in the property. And three weeks later, I found my mom, Kravitz von Bonet, crouched in the corner of this weird. In this weird way in the upstairs bathroom. And I'm like, what's going on, dude? And she's like, so I was washing my face, and I had Orpheus, and I just put her down for a second, closed the door, and she found this little hole in the corner. She explained. So what did they destroy? Kravitz, 36, explained that the room had a banquet. Had a banquet built into the wall next to a small hole in the wall in which the snake was trapped. The pair began their rescue mission as Bonet grabbed the snake's tail. However, I mean, this is a crazy story. However, the pressure of the situation caused them both to go into panic mode. Prompt snake to slither further into the wall. Eventually, Kravitz had called Swift's house manager. Okay, that's how you know it's a huge house. When you have a house manager, that's like, hotels have managers. And Taylor Swift's house, who came equipped with a crowbar to tear apart the banquette. We're ripping up the tile. We're scratching the walls, completely destroyed Taylor's bathroom. And there was just this moment where I was like, either we destroy her bathroom, or I have to tell her that there's a snake somewhere in the house. And, yeah, this is a huge issue. And they did destroy the house. I said to her house manager, obviously, I'm gonna pay for everything to be fixed. Please just don't say anything until. Don't say anything until it's fixed. Yeah, that. I'll fix it. Don't tell her. She probably has never even been in this wing of the house. Let's keep this between us. If I'm the house manager, I'm telling her it was $40,000, and I'm getting 20 of that. 40. When Kravitz had called Swift, her longtime friend of many years, to fess up to the situation, the Fortnite singer was already in the know. Yeah, who the house. Who's the house manager gonna. Gonna be honest with you or the boss. I remember calling her, saying, hey, I wanted to talk to you about something. She was like, is it the fact that you almost lost a snake in my house and destroyed my bathroom? Kravitz quipped that the singer's next album will be would be titled Orpheus, a wishful claim that squashed this week after Swift revealed the actual title of upcoming. All right, Gravitz has been close. I want to know who paid did shear Taylor Swift pay for this? They never say. This is upsetting. That's the. The part of the story we all want to know because Taylor Swift can afford it doesn't even, like, hurt her. I'm sure the manager has their own discretionary funds to fix stuff like this. Taylor wouldn't even know that money was spent on this. Does Zoe Kravitz have to pay for it? Someone who? Listen, Lisa Bonet, Zoe Kravitz, they've all done well, it's not Taylor Swift money. So I love this story because the headline tells you everything you need to know. Martha Stewart shoots down buzz of Real Housewives of New York casting quote, I'm not a housewife. I love this title because Martha Stewart is offended that someone would even think that she would do Real Housewives of New York. She demeans the show by saying, I'm not a housewife and lets the person know, I'm a business mogul, not a housewife. It is somewhat demeaning from her, but it's her showing that she's a little upset that someone would even think of her for this casting, which I agree with. I agree with her being annoyed. The way she's saying it is to elevate herself above housewife, also above reality personality. She doesn't need this. I mean, if you ask this question, you got balls. Because Martha Stewart seems like she doesn't take no guff. Martha Stewart may be a domestic. And again, Martha Stewart probably has to deal with this all the time. She does house furnishing, housewares, cooking, you know, hosting stuff. So she gets put in this category, oh, you're going to be a housewife. You know, like. And if I'm Martha, I'm annoyed, but she's no housewife. Andy Cohen, who has said that the Bravo is heavily casting a new season of the Real Housewives in New York City. And we've heard summer buzz that producers wanted to woo Stuart to the reality show. If you woo anyone that's big time, you go back to Bethany Frankel. You give her a piece of the show, she. And you'd say, well she's like suing them. She's bad at them. I think she like had a suit or something. Everything is negotiable and I think her and Bravo would have something to gain. She's doing Real Housewives on her tick tock. A source told Page Six the producers are talking about it as they interview new people as they're planning to bring back the show. The source also said Martha Stewart is in talks with Andy Cohen to become a New York housewife. But when we reach out to the famed foodie, her longtime rep Susan Magrino shot down the room. I think this is a Susan, this is Page Six and Susan, hey, we need a story. Let's get her saying because Martha can say whatever she wants. Not saying not Martha and adding she's. She says she's not a housewife. I, I just love that response. It's a great response. She's allowed to say whatever she wants. She gets this like free pass. No one's gonna like. There's no housewife association that's gonna go, hey, we didn't like the, the nature of your. Of, of how you spoke about us, you know, as a group. Stuart, 84 has appeared on Cohen's Watch what Happens Live and has said that Luann de ex husband Tom D' Agostino Jr. Did not return her favorite apple pie dish and that he messed up the great decor of an apartment she once lived in when he turned it into a bachelor pad. So she has relation with the plays. She's also a years long so called friendly rivalry with ex Roni star Bethenny Frankel. Besides Stewart, there has been speculation that Summerhouse stars Paige DeSorbo and Lindsay Hub Lindsay Hubbard could join the Roni cast. Wow. What that changes the show. That, that would make the show way younger. But the show's Jessel Tank recently exclusively told Page Six radio, I've hung out with Paige, I've hung out with Lindsay separately. I think to me it would be so cool because they're already very well known in the Bravo verse. Yeah, that would be a win for all parties I think as well. We'll keep an eye on that one. The news people at J Train Industries will keep an eye on that one. Celebrity news Vanity Fair heads a new direction after low morale. More layoffs. Well, here's the thing with Vanity Fair and if I'm right, they had the woman who's the head. The, the. Are they the ones that were basically devil wars Prada is based off of. I think I'm trying to. Yeah. Anna Wintour. Anna Wintour said she's leaving. And I think that kind of takes the buzz out of your publication because right now a magazine magazines are a dying industry. While Vogue searches for new editorial boss, there are changes to Conde Nast publication Vanity Fair. The storied mag was rocked by another round of layoffs Tuesday. We hear with longtime staffers Richard Lawson, David Canfield and Anthony Bresnikin. Bresnikan and Michael Calderon all out. The shakeup comes as former Vogue staffer and newly minted Vanity Fair global editor director Mark Guidici took over on June 30, lays out his vision for the glossy's future. I mean, you gotta change. There's some things have to be done. It was a perfect storm over the last year in the sense it was fucked up and imperfect, says one well spoken source. Adding in, it's been a slow drip with many staffers leaving even before Guidici took over for Radhika Jones. So Jones announced her departure last April after SE7 years. Where do all these people go? I guess that's my question. Like all these magazine, these newspaper people as we go to like in. And the web publications, I mean there's page six, but like, I don't know where it all becomes. The morale is low because it's not like you can go. There's no lateral jump. There's just an entrepreneurial jump where you have to start something new or be a part of something new. Which is like daunting to someone who's been in the magazine industry with an assistant and a PR department and a travel department, an accounting department. Like, listen, I'm taping this in my living room. So I'm used to this world. I've been living in these waters for since day one. So. But I could see how someone would go, what am I gonna do? Tape a podcast from my living room? I'd be like waving from my living room at them. So I can understand why morale would be low for a Vanity Fair person who's looking to do Vanity Fair like stuff. A source tells us that now Conde Nast has lost some of his shine. The insider added, it's not specific to Vanity Fair. It's a of media right now. Thank you. People have done a lot and are finding their limits. It's a real burnout. The change at the top of VF masthead was just extra push. Some people needed to jump ship. We hear a former Vogue editor took the top role from Longtime editor Radika Jung. Rada is hot. She's got that silver fox set looking. She's got the gray, gray hair look that I'm into. Mark has a different sensibility than Radika, who had relationships with staffers. As one story. Well, you go from boss of seven years to new guy who's got, you know, marching orders. Another tells us morale is low. It's partially has to do with the new editor. People feel like it's a natural end point, a new regime. He is different, has different expectations. Yeah, this is Meet the New Boss. Very different than the old boss. Following the latest layoffs, Guidici sent a sweeping staff memo announcing a pivot that will nix Vanity Fair's verticals like the Hive, which covered politics, business and tech. Yeah, he's like, we gotta niche up. We gotta go to our biggest fans, our biggest fans. We gotta try, we gotta go again. The theme of today, we got to tribalize. We got to make sure we got people that like love us, not people that kind of like us. Let's do this one. I love this story because it's just not true. The headline, Leonardo. I would need a quote to make this true. Leonardo DiCaprio mortified as he's stopped and searched by police who don't recognize him. The only way this is true is if they have a quote that has Leo D. Going, do you know who I am? Because there's no way to know that he was mortified because he was stopped by police. As everyone. To me it's him trying to go through a place where police are stopping everyone. Leonardo DiCaprio ditched his usual face covering while partying in Ibiza. But he still wasn't recognized by Police. The 50 year old actor and his friends were seen being held up by cops before entering a tequila party. Thank you. Security asked him for an id. That's what they're supposed to do. They don't want to lose their job. In a video obtained by The Daily Mail, DiCaprio, wearing an all black outfit with his signature baseball cap and a chain, looked at his phone as he waited for his turn to be searched. That is not mortify. This is a, this is a clickbait headline. A woman in the background could be heard saying, they are searching me full on right now. That, yeah, the woman said it, not him. It's the 24 year old he's dating. It's unknown if the woman speaking is DiCaprio's girlfriend, 27 year old model Victoria Seretti, or. Or who. Who was with him in Ibiza. I'm sure it's one of her drunk friends that will never be hanging out with Leo D again. However, an insider exclusively told Page Six that the A lister wasn't singled out by police. Every single person was patted down and id the source said, adding that there was many notable people at the party. The Spanish cops just didn't initially recognize DiCaprio as they shouldn't, even if they did. The normal thing is we do everybody. We're patting down everybody. We're security. We're letting people into the club. We don't want to have to answer. If Leo D. Is with a woman who's drunk going, they're checking everybody that's the same person who's gonna go, do you know he's not getting checked? Why would I get checked? If I'm around woman who yells, they're patting down everyone, then I'm Leo D. I'm happy they're doing everyone, because the minute they don't do me, she goes, well, you don't do him because he's not a. Because he's a celebrity. It's funny. They did a double take and then he went in. Yeah, no. Mortified. I'd be mortified at the title of this. That depicts me as this huge diva. Let's do. Okay, this one is, like, sad, but they. The way they title the article, you can tell they're trying to, like, be nice to this guy who passed away. Brandon Blackstock was in loving, quote, loving relationship with ex wife Kelly Clarkson's former assistant at the time of his death. In the obituary, it says. It says in the obituary, Brandon Blackstone. So now we've got to go. What's the story? Did he leave Kelly for her assistant and then she left Kelly Clarkson, and now that he's died from cancer, we can't really talk about it. You can't really say this. And Kelly Clarkson, who's been in the news for, like, not working a lot and taking time off, and there's been weirdness around Kelly Clarkson. And if you said, hey, she had an ex who was going through a cancer battle and it affected her, fine. If you said, hey, she has an ex who cheated on her with her, we don't know. I don't know what the story is. Brandon Blackstock found a beautiful and loving romantic partner in his ex wife Kelly Clarkson's former assistant prior to his death. That is quite a sentence. According to the late business manager's obituary, Brandon, along with his beautiful and loving partner in life and business, Brittney Marie Jones started building a life, building companies and working tirelessly to create Headwaters Livestock Auction and what will live on as his legacy, the Valley View Rodeo in Bozeman, Montana. The tribute, which was published Tuesday, reads, this is complicated. Blackstock died last Thursday after a private battle with melanoma. He was 48 years old. I mean, this is sad. This is weird. It only, I'm only bring up the weirdness of it is because Kelly Clarkson's kind of like had this like fog hovering around her. So you could understand that. Like, hey, it's a little weird that my ex is dating someone I work closely with. They're like, in his obituary, they're saying they're starting businesses together. If I'm Kelly Clarkson, I'm like, yeah, you're starting businesses with money you made from me that you only made from me because we had a relationship. I, I, it's all a little murky and emotional. If I'm Kelly, I would understand her, maybe anger, but we don't know if she's. None of this says that. According to Jones LinkedIn she served as the original American Idol winners assistant from 2016 to 2020, which coincidentally is the same year Clarkson filed for divorce from Blackstock. I mean, Page Six is just all over this. The divorce was finalized in 2022 after years of contentious legal proceedings. Again, murky. As a result of their settlement, Clarkson kept their Montana ranch. However, she lived in New York City with their two children, daughter river and son Remington. Blackstock continued to live in Montana, where he went to establish his Valley View Rodeo with Jones in December 2024. So they're starting a business with money that if I'm Kelly, from my viewpoint is my money. The plea. The complete nature of the pair's relationship remains unclear at this time, though Jones appears to have been previously married to Drummer Greg Goose LaPointe. So that's the assistant was married to a drummer and they show the assistant here who has a Clarkson look. Ish. I mean, is that Clarkson Jones? Yeah, they show Jones and Clarkson. I mean they could be body doubles of one another. They could be, she could be her stunt double. I will do one more and then we'll get out of here. I hope you enjoyed today's pop culture Thursday. Denver, San Francisco, Winnipeg, Providence, Rhode Island. If you're this deep into the podcast, that means you like the show and I appreciate you for listening. Thank you, thank you, thank you. If you want to support the sponsor, it's in the link, it's in the bio, this episode. If you want to come to a show Bio this episode. Patreon. I do personal diary entries every Friday on Patreon. That's in the. So I couldn't avoid this story because this is. I mean, if I had like my top hotties, Dua Lipa is in there. Dua Lipa to me, I mean, so M type. Dua Lipa celebrates 30th birthday in Eye popping dress with daring butt cutout. Okay, I mean, I'm going right to the picture. She is so damn hot. I mean, this is, this is like, this is one of those. Yeah. Then Jared at the end of the podcast just started like, you know, creeping out on Dua Lipa. I'm just a fan. I like her music. I like the way she talks. I like, I like her vibe. I was I definitely so hot. But I mean, I mean, this picture, I mean, to wear a white dress with a cutout, you. I mean, you got to be like a supermodel though. Dua lipa doesn't turn 30 until August 22nd. I guess I gotta get ready for her big birthday. The singer kicked off the festivities a bit early. Turning heads in a white sequin dress with a cheeky butt cutout. Well, she looks great. I'll end this episode by saying 37 single it is. As of yesterday, it's off of Netflix. It was a good run. I was so excited to have a special on Netflix. It's upsetting to see it go, but I got a new special that we're trying to get out there right now and I think it's really great. I'm really proud of it and I'm excited to have you guys see it. So back next week, boom.
The JTrain Podcast Summary: "Taylor Swift Thoughts, Housewives of New York Casting, and Leo D Frisked!"
Release Date: August 14, 2025
Hosted by comedian Jared Freid, The JTrain Podcast delves into the latest happenings in pop culture with humor and insight. In this episode titled "Taylor Swift Thoughts, Housewives of New York Casting, and Leo D Frisked! - POP CULTURE THURSDAY," Jared explores various trending topics, offering his unique perspective on celebrity news, fan dynamics, and media industry shifts.
Overview: Jared opens the episode with an in-depth discussion about Taylor Swift, highlighting her influence, the polarized nature of her fandom, and her strategic interactions with the public. He examines how Swift navigates her celebrity status amidst political undertones and internet tribalism.
Key Points:
Fandom Polarization: Jared notes that Taylor Swift’s immense popularity comes with a polarized fanbase where supporters and detractors often clash. He observes, "She's in the news and I'm, I have a take that is not just glowing loving, it's making fun of a man, which does well on TikTok" (12:45).
Internet Tribalism: He discusses how Swift’s presence exemplifies internet tribalism, stating, "Her super fans... it's like having your own network," emphasizing how online communities can create near-religious followings (23:10).
Artistic Narrative: Jared appreciates Swift’s songwriting, particularly how she captures the quintessential experiences of young women in upper-middle-class settings. "Her songs are from the point of view of the third hottest girl in the popular group of a upper middle class town," he explains (18:30).
Easter Eggs and Media Savvy: He highlights Swift’s use of Easter eggs to engage fans, suggesting it’s her way of having fun while being constantly observed. "If Taylor Swift is thinking of herself as the main character of this movie that everyone's watching and dropping Easter eggs," Jared muses (27:50).
Personal Reflections: Jared shares his own humorous take on dating a Swiftie, illustrating the delicate balance between showing interest and knowing enough to avoid fan displeasure (09:15).
Notable Quotes:
Overview: Transitioning to reality TV, Jared discusses the buzz around casting for the upcoming season of The Real Housewives of New York City. The spotlight is on legendary businesswoman Martha Stewart, who has publicly declined offers to join the show.
Key Points:
Martha Stewart's Stance: Martha Stewart firmly rejects the notion of joining the Housewives franchise, stating, "I'm not a housewife," which Jared finds both amusing and fitting given her business mogul status (35:40).
Casting Speculations: Jared touches on potential new cast members, including Paige DeSorbo and Lindsay Hubbard from Summer House, suggesting their addition could rejuvenate the series with a younger demographic (38:25).
Producer Insights: He references Andy Cohen’s role in the casting process and the challenges of integrating high-profile personalities like Stewart into a reality format (40:10).
Notable Quotes:
Overview: Jared tackles a recent headline about Leonardo DiCaprio being stopped by police in Ibiza, dissecting the sensationalism versus the reality of the situation.
Key Points:
Headline Misrepresentation: He criticizes the misleading headline, "Leonardo DiCaprio mortified as he's stopped and searched by police," clarifying that the incident was routine and not as dramatic as portrayed (45:00).
Privacy and Celebrity: Jared reflects on the challenges celebrities face regarding privacy, noting, "This is a clickbait headline," and discusses how such stories contribute to the public perception of stars as divas (46:30).
Insider Information: He mentions insights from an insider who confirmed that the search was standard for all attendees, debunking the notion that DiCaprio was singled out (47:50).
Notable Quotes:
Overview: Jared delves into the obituary of Brandon Blackstock, former manager and ex-husband of Kelly Clarkson, discussing the intertwined relationships and the impact of personal dynamics on public narratives.
Key Points:
Obituary Details: Blackstock passed away after battling melanoma, and his obituary highlights his partnership with Brittney Marie Jones in building businesses like Headwaters Livestock Auction and Valley View Rodeo (50:00).
Relationship Dynamics: Jared explores the complexities surrounding Blackstock’s relationship with Kelly Clarkson’s assistant, questioning the financial and emotional implications (52:30).
Public Perception: He speculates on how Clarkson might view this relationship, especially in the context of their contentious divorce and shared business endeavors (54:10).
Notable Quotes:
Overview: Shifting focus to the media industry, Jared discusses significant changes at Vanity Fair, including leadership transitions and widespread layoffs, reflecting broader challenges in the publishing world.
Key Points:
Leadership Overhaul: Jared reports on Mark Guidici taking over as the Global Editor Director, succeeding Radika Jones, and his strategic vision for the magazine’s future (58:20).
Layoffs and Morale: He highlights the recent wave of layoffs affecting longtime staffers, attributing low morale to the uncertain future of traditional magazines (60:10).
Industry Trends: Jared contextualizes the struggles of Vanity Fair within the declining magazine industry, noting how digital transformation and shifting consumer habits contribute to these challenges (62:00).
Notable Quotes:
As the episode wraps up, Jared reflects on the interconnectedness of celebrity actions, media portrayal, and public perception. He emphasizes the importance of discerning fact from sensationalism in pop culture reporting and encourages listeners to engage thoughtfully with the content they consume.
Closing Remarks:
Notable Closing Quote:
Timestamp Guide:
Note: Timestamps are approximations based on transcript sections.
This episode of The JTrain Podcast offers a comprehensive look into the latest pop culture events, blending humor with critical analysis. Jared Freid's ability to dissect complex topics while maintaining an engaging narrative makes this episode a valuable listen for fans and newcomers alike.