← The Nerve with Maureen Callahan
The Nerve with Maureen Callahan
Blake Lively's Manipulation EXPOSED, Taylor Swift’s Reputation Hit, and Justin Bieber's Cry for Help
01:18:23
Maureen Callahan is joined by celebrity reporter Rob Shuter to break down the disturbing moments at this year's Grammy Awards, including Justin Bieber's unhinged performance in his underwear and socks, Heidi Klum's red carpet look in a nude plastic dress that she could barely walk in, Chappell Roan completely topless and covered in fake tattoos, and the general darkness that hovered over the entire award ceremony. Rob also delivered exclusive details on Taylor Swift's wedding plans, celebs that made the guest list, and Don Lemon's desperation to stay in the spotlight. Then Maureen pays a heartfelt tribute to the comedic genius of Catherine O'Hara, who passed away suddenly this past week, honoring her legendary talent and the characters she brought to life. Then she changes gears, slamming Gayle King for her self-centered social media posts at the Grammys, bragging about her backstage access and who she was rubbing elbows with. Maureen rounds out the show with a complete takedown ...
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- [00:00]
Maureen Callahan
ABC's David Muir, the most trusted anchor in America, the most watched anchor in America. Thank you for making World News Tonight with David Muir the number one newscast in America. Most trusted, most watched. David Muir on abc. Did you know Tide has been upgraded to provide an even better clean in cold water? Tide is specifically designed to fight any stain you throw at it.
- [00:23]
Rob Shooter
Even in cold butter.
- [00:26]
Maureen Callahan
Yep. Chocolate ice cream. Sure thing.
- [00:29]
Rob Shooter
Barbecue sauce.
- [00:30]
Maureen Callahan
Tide's got you covered. You don't need to use warm water. Additionally, Tide pods let you confidently fight tough stains with new coldzyme technology. Just remember, if it's gotta be clean, it's gotta be Tide. Hello and welcome to your Tuesday edition of the Nerve. I am your host, Maureen Callahan, and we have a packed show for you today. Kicking it off with Rob Shooter. We're talking about the Grammys. We're talking about some of the real darkness that the rest of the entertainment media is ignoring. It's in front of their faces. It is one of the biggest, most dramatic cries for help I think I've ever seen. And they're ignoring it. Not on the Nerve. Not on the Nerve. We're also going to talk about why one Taylor Swift was absent from for music's biggest night. And Rob has some exclusive, exclusive intel about that and her upcoming wedding. And he's got names. Who's already invited. What a list. Celebrities are already invited. And what the conditions are for attending that wedding. Okay. We're going to talk about Margot Robbie cucking her husband all over the place. Red carpet and, you know, the Internet. We've got. Oh, my God, I can't even spoil the amount of stuff we're covering with Rob. It's amazing. It's great. And again, if you haven't already, go over and subscribe to Rob's sorry sub stack. Naughty but nice. I am an avid subscriber and it's just. It's a must read. Okay. We are also going to pay our respects, our genuine, heartfelt respects to a comedy genius, a legend who passed this week and was special in. In many regards. And. And some that are due to how rare they are in Hollywood. And then. Oh, we're taking Gail out back too. Okay. She's got it. She's got it coming. And then, you know, I was saying to Marlena, by the way, the. The birds, like there are like ospreys out here, like vultures. They. They're like, they are going crazy. And I said myself, what are they feasting on? And Marlena goes Steadman's carcass. And I was like holy crap, did they find Stedman? Did they do what Teddy could not. Anyway, then we've got your incredible feedback. We've got some photos from you guys. You're sharing parts of your lives with all of us here at Nerve hq which we find so actually moving, really moving. And then we're going to take apart another piece of evidence that dropped last week in the Blake Lively, Ryan Reynolds, Justin Baldoni data dump. And Blake is it. As I, as I'm gonna, as I'm gonna talk about, you know, the rest of the entertainment media industrial complex has moved on. Okay, that was last week. That was, that's yesterday's news, that dump. We're all over here talking about the Grammys and who wore what and we at the Nerve are pretty nimble minded. You know, we can hold many thoughts in our head at the same time and it is far too soon to be moving on from Blake Lively. Blake the Snake Lively. Okay, we've got a voice memo that she left for Justin and if, if this thing isn't lovey dovey, if this thing isn't going to want to make you like get need a hit of insulin for how sugary sweet it is and how she's trying to canoodle. Cajole him rather wrong word to get her, you know she's in for it. Okay. She's in for it and her husband's getting it on the Nerve at night. Okay, so. Troublemakers. Are you ready? Are you ready? Let's go. In the world of e commerce, order fulfillment can make or break your business. That's why Shipstation's all in One platform is helping over 1 million businesses maximize their efficiency. The platform bridges order management, inventory tracking, returns, warehouse integration and powerful analytics. It compares rates across USPS, UPS and FedEx to unlock discounts of up to 90% off. It allows you to keep pre negotiated carrier rates as well. Ship station automations like bulk label printing and sending tracking updates save users an average of 15 hours per week and cuts customer service inquiries by 12%. Built in returns insights reveal exactly what products are coming back and why while detailed analytics spotlight where you're saving money and where to optimize further. Connect to over 200 sales channels in one place. No more juggling five to seven disconnected tools. Set it up once and let automations handle the rest. Try shipstation free for 60 days with full access to all features. No credit card needed. Go to shipstation.com and use code Maureen for for 60 days for free. 60 free days gives you plenty of time to see exactly how much time and money you're saving on every shipment. That's shipstation.com code Maureen. Shipstation.com code Maureen. Rob, we have so much to talk about. But before we get started, just a gentle reminder to the troublemakers about Rob's forthcoming book. It started with a whisper. It's coming out in April. We should really do a book club. We should do a book club. Pre order it now. That really supports authors and really, really, really helps. It makes a difference. So let's all support Rob. I'm pre ordering it as soon as we're done with today's episode. Rob, welcome back. And let's get into the Grammys.
- [06:28]
Rob Shooter
Done. Do it. Let's do it. Thank you for that. It's awfully generous of you. Thank you.
- [06:31]
Maureen Callahan
Oh, please. Anytime. Okay. So I actually found. I was quite disturbed, actually, by Justin Bieber's appearance at the Grammys last night. He not only looked miserable and on the red carpet with his wife, but here he's performing stripped down in boxers and socks, and he. He looks miserable. I see this as an enormous cry for help. I see it as. I think he's basically rebuking the entire industry and saying, you guys did this to me. He began melting down last year during the Sean Combs trial. What are your thoughts?
- [07:12]
Rob Shooter
Yeah, absolutely. I had people backstage, reporters, sources backstage, and they said he had a little pair of slippers. And after he left the stage, he put his slippers on. He was still wearing his socks, and shuffled off to his dressing room. He didn't have a robe. Normally when actors, when musicians are on stage, when they leave the stage, they put a robe on and then go back to the dressing room. He walked around backstage just in his underwear all night. It really did feel like a cry for help from me, too. He's troubled. He's a really troubled guy. I've interviewed him a few times. I've met him a few times. He's childlike. It's almost like a shiny object could distract him very, very easily. Terribly talented, but somebody that has been really burnt by this business. For me, Maureen, it felt Britney Spears. It felt those early days of Britney, before we had yet quite figured out what was happening. Amanda Bynes is another celebrity who just couldn't, Couldn't carry this pressure. And there's no shame in that at all. He has enough money. He doesn't need to do this anymore. He's. He didn't feel ready for it. This stripped down production, which I'm sure he thinks was very artful and very cool. Was a little bit lazy. There was not a lot of rehearsal in there. The guitar around his neck, he barely played it. It was there as a prop. And then coming out in your underwear just seems like a cry. Cry for attention or a cry for help.
- [08:38]
Maureen Callahan
There was so much about it. Rob, you know, to your point, okay, the guitar behind the back, that to me seems very symbolic. Like, I would like to put all this behind me. I don't want to be here anymore. And you guys, they. They betrayed him. Because instead of reacting, which I think the rest of us at home were like, holy shit. What? What was that? Like, this. This is an unwell person. Instead, they jumped up to their feet, his wife among them, beaming and clapping like, this was a great performance. And Trevor Noah, that useless host, last, last, last go round for him, says to the audience, well, that was a captivating performance. No, it wasn't. That was a major, major cry for help. And I just think I'm doing a column on this for the Mail. And it's the same thing. I think about Jeanette McCurdy and I think about Britney and all of these casualties, the human carnage of child stardom and the things that these people have either suffered, survived, or seen are, I think, Rob, about Usher, who told rolling stone in 2004 that when he was 13, Diddy took him under his wing. He went to live with Diddy in New York City and would walk into rooms where orgies were taking place. 13.
- [09:54]
Rob Shooter
Justin Bieber was part of that world, too. Justin Bieber was a protege of Diddy. He was around him. He was around Usher. This reminded me of the Britney Spears performance at the MTV Awards when she was clearly not well, and they just pushed her out there to earn some money from her. They want this to make money for the label. They want. They see Justin as a cash cow. And there's nobody around him, unfortunately, including his wife, who. Who. Who is saying anything but. But let me be honest. I know a lot of musicians I'm married to, to a Grammy winner myself.
- [10:25]
Maureen Callahan
Oh, I did not know that.
- [10:26]
Rob Shooter
Everybody in that room, every musician in that room, every musician on that stage, maybe not the stars, but everybody playing in the band, they all knew. They all saw him. They saw rehearsals. I'm told the rehearsal was an absolute disaster. He shouldn't have gone forward with it. And everybody in that room that stood up and applauded was a complete phony, because the minute they cut to break, they were all talking about what just happened. They were not being kind. The people that I spoke to said he was being ridiculed, he was being mocked. He's been treated like an animal in the zoo. And it makes me also sad and also mad. But it's not that unusual a story. It's a really horrible business. The music business is very, very rough. Let's remember Clive Davis had his Grammy party when Whitney Houston was dead. Three, three flights above the ballroom. They didn't cancel the party. So if you.
- [11:22]
Maureen Callahan
Great point.
- [11:23]
Rob Shooter
If you think they're going to cancel a performance when they know it's going to be a disaster, that isn't how this business works.
- [11:29]
Maureen Callahan
Rob, I don't think I've ever loved you more. Talk about real, talk about fake people. These are the same people, by the way. God forbid something happens to Justin Bieber will be the first to take to social media. Oh, I loved him. Oh, what a talent. Oh, this is. What a tragedy. How did this happen? How did this happen? We just saw how it happens. We just saw it. Two by point Chapel Rowan on the red carpet. This girl, immensely talented. She looks dead in the eyes. She's wearing a garment that is hanging from her nipples like it's a sadomasochistic. And she's. She's posing, she's topless. Her back is tattooed, covered in tattoos. I don't know if it's henna or real, but to me, this was another example of, hey, I've wanted this forever. It took her forever to break through in the music industry, and now I'm yet another sacrificial lamb. I'm literally a slab of meat. This is not Lady Gaga in a meat dress. This is not pop art. This is disturbing, really disturbing.
- [12:38]
Rob Shooter
They were faux tattoos. And her nipples were pierced too. And I'm told they were faux too. Her dress was literally hanging from her nipples. It's very, very tough. The Grammys, the music business, because your label, your managers, your agents encourage you to keep going further. And so wherever Lady Gaga went wasn't enough for this show. They feel as if they have to continually push the boundary. And what makes me so sad about this artist is she doesn't need to do anything but sing. She's really talented, she's a great songwriter, she's a great musician. And to do.
- [13:13]
Maureen Callahan
She's a great live performer, which, you.
- [13:15]
Rob Shooter
Know, to do this stuff is just gilding the lily. And I don't think it adds, I think it detracts. And what do we get? A picture of her on the red carpet looking wacky, which she'll probably regret at some Point. It feels like Halloween to me whenever I've been to the Grammys a couple of times. And these people are, lots of them are so clearly starved for attention. They so want us talking about them. They don't even care if we talk about them for all the wrong reasons, which is what we're doing now. It makes me sad because the grammars at one point used to be the Classy Awards. This felt like the MTV awards. The MTV Music Awards were the one where you saw the JLO dresses, right? And now it's, now it's, it's part of Grammys too. The Grammys have lost whatever class they had. And so I think this is a big mistake. I think it mistake for the industry. I think it cheapens the industry. It a night of excellence, not a night for clowns. Yeah.
- [14:08]
Maureen Callahan
You would think there would be some kind of a dress code, you know, to differentiate itself. Now let's take a look at another one who has no shame and would die without the world constantly reinforcing her. That. Yes, Heidi Klum, you are still effable Heidi Klum. Okay. She's married to a musician. I, I think he's in like a mediocre band. Like, what, what is he in? You know, Rob, I don't even know the bad.
- [14:32]
Rob Shooter
Which tells you everything.
- [14:33]
Maureen Callahan
He's like the basis, you know, the joke always, especially as a kid in New York, is like, oh, anybody can date the basis, you know. So anyway, she shows up in like, in like a strapless latex, flesh colored quote unquote dress. I don't know what this is. It's got actually hard nipples baked into it. And then I believe the, the rear of the dress, like where her bum is, is like bifurcated. So you can see like, it's just, it looks like it, it is just so desperate. It's so sad. And I just, I hate seeing this stuff because I think it sends terrible messaging to women that if, if, if you are not, if you are not considered sexy, then why don't you just end it? Just end it.
- [15:17]
Rob Shooter
Yeah. If we had a friend that walked into a restaurant to meet us tonight for dinner wearing that, we'd have an intervention, would say, what is going on? What's, what's happening to you? Heidi Klum has access to the best designers in the world. She has been a model for a very, very long time. There's not one fashion house that wouldn't dress Heidi. And so this is a choice. This is a choice to be there. And I think it's below Her, I'm not sure if she's trying to look young. The music business is so youthful. I'm not sure if she wants.
- [15:43]
Maureen Callahan
Well, her husband is like 10 years younger than she's younger than her walking basket case of insecurity.
- [15:49]
Rob Shooter
Yeah, yeah, you can see it. And you know, it's not flattering. That's what I just want to shake my head. If your daughter dressed like that, she has children, how would you feel? It's just not such a good look for a moment of attention. Bad look. But, but, but Heidi, I think we've known this for a long time. Deeply insecure. Somebody that you would think has the world one of the most beautiful people in the world, and that just isn't who she is. She's. She's needy and she's desperate. I think the whole world saw.
- [16:20]
Maureen Callahan
I think the whole world saw it. And you know, the issue Heidi Klum has always had, this has been the line on her and I believe it. A lot of her insecurity stems from never having been considered a true high fashion model. She's not Christy Charlington, she's not Linda Evangelista. She was never on those top runways. She was a Victoria's Secret model that was as high as she was ever going to go. And she. It, it, like it, it's, it. It haunts her to this day. And to your point, this woman has children who go to school. Presumably, you know, comport yourself accordingly. Yeah. Okay. Moving on to Sharon and Kelly Osbourne, who were there with Jack, other family members for the tribute to Ozzy. But these two look like emaciated wraiths. This is the one again. Talk about ghoulish. Rob, your thoughts?
- [17:08]
Rob Shooter
They look like corpses. It looked like we were there for their memorials, not to celebrate their dads. Listen, the reason they're famous is because of their dad.
- [17:16]
Maureen Callahan
That's true.
- [17:17]
Rob Shooter
And I'm sure that now they've lost the center of their world, not just personally, but professionally. They've all made a lot of money being married or related to Ozzy. Ozzy is now gone. I'm sure they're spiraling. They're trying to figure out how do we survive without him? How do we keep ourselves relevant? And by losing all this weight. They're clearly on weight loss medication. I think Sharon's talked about that. They look awful, they look sick, they don't look healthy. And so I think the joy of that family was how wacky they were, how they were sort of like us. More money, more power. But they were like a wacky family, they next door, they had weight issues, they had troubles within the family, and now they've tried to turn themselves into these supermodels. And it's exactly opposite of what Aussie's brand was. The reason Aussie was so successful is from the same hometown as me in Britain. He's from Birmingham. The reason he was successful is he remained a brummy boy, somebody who spoke the truth. He didn't have plastic surgery, he didn't lose £100. He didn't try to become George Clooney. He was an odd looking guy with a lot of talent. And I think they're betraying the legacy of their dad here. I think the legacy of Aussies being authentic, being outrageous, not being a high fashion model, which they never will be, trying to chase something you can't be is just setting yourself up for failure.
- [18:38]
Maureen Callahan
Rob, you really should go back into the crisis management, image management, like, publicist game. I'd pay you a lot of money if I was in crisis, okay? Taylor Swift was absent in the wake of the Blake Lively fallout, music's biggest night. And Taylor failed to show up and do her like nerdy dancing and trying to make the entire night about her. Her popularity, Rob, is plummeting. According to a YouGov poll via News Nation, her popularity rating stood at 46.7% as of January 1st 5th. That is a notable drop from the 55.4% popularity rating she had this time last year in the fall. October 9, 2025 Newsweek headline reported that Taylor Swift lost 200,000 followers on social media in a month. You have exclusive reporting as to how Taylor is looking to get this train back on track.
- [19:35]
Rob Shooter
Yeah, it's really shocking, isn't it? Like I said on your show just a few weeks ago, when those texts were released between Blake Lively and Taylor Swift, the. The person that was gonna suffer here was not Blake Lively. We know Blake Lively is a mean girl. It has been well documented. We've seen the interviews we didn't know Taylor Swift was. And I think these texts really highlight a side of her that we haven't seen before. I don't know if it's out of character or she's managed to keep it on the down low, but there's a meanness to, to these texts and there's a flippantness that you just don't come, you don't think would come from somebody as thoughtful as Taylor Swift. So she's trying to step away from this. This is one of the reasons we did not see her at the Grammys, when Taylor gets in trouble, she often hides. She's not out there fighting. So we're going to see a very low profile. And I would, I will predict here, I think I'm going to be right. We're not going to see or hear of Taylor until that big wedding which is happening. I know two people who have received invites. They don't really where it is, but they've had an invite.
- [20:35]
Maureen Callahan
They.
- [20:35]
Rob Shooter
And guess what? The invite came with an NDA. So before you're told where the wedding is, you gotta sign the NDA.
- [20:44]
Maureen Callahan
You're reporting on your substack. Naughty but nice, which is just compulsively readable. Like you, you, you, you leave for 30 minutes and you come back and Rob's written like eight more new exclusives. You said the plan, the planning is military level precise and that insiders say that among the invited. I don't know if these are the two to whom you're referring. Jimmy Fallon and Stephen Colbert.
- [21:08]
Rob Shooter
They will be there. Graeme Northern, who is a British TV.
- [21:11]
Maureen Callahan
Host, love Graham Norton.
- [21:13]
Rob Shooter
He's great. And this is not going to be a small wedding for a while. People thought this might just be family and friends. She's the biggest star in the world. What does she need another big Kardashian bash for? She needs it. It's going to be.
- [21:24]
Maureen Callahan
She needs it badly.
- [21:26]
Rob Shooter
Massive. It's going to be over the top people that don't really know her. I get a little feel here, a touch, forgive me, of the Meghan Markle's of her wedding when she invited famous people that she barely knew. And I think we're gonna see that with Taylor too. I'm told if you're a high profiled TV personality and you've interviewed her recently, which we know Jimmy has, and also Stephen Colbert, you will be invited. She wants famous people there. She wants famous people in her photo album. This is not going to be a low key love story.
- [22:00]
Maureen Callahan
It's.
- [22:00]
Rob Shooter
It's going to be epic.
- [22:01]
Maureen Callahan
Before we move on to the next celebrity scandal, I want to ask you. There are, there are rumors circulating that the public divorce between Blake and Taylor is just that. It's a, it's one for publicity for, for image making or image preserving and that really like they still talk to each other. What do you think of that?
- [22:20]
Rob Shooter
That says. I've, I've heard that theory. I hit the phones. Yeah, I have. I hit the phones and I spoke to everybody that I know within both camps here and they said this relationship was never that real. They were always a little bit phony about it. This was not a relationship based on sisterhood, on really common decency. They both used each other a little bit here. I think Blake wanted some of the Taylor success. Taylor wanted some of the Blake edginess, the coolness, the actressness. She always wanted to be an actor, so I'm told. The opposite, I'm told. Not only is it over, it never really was there. And so.
- [22:55]
Maureen Callahan
Oh, so no big loss for either one of them.
- [22:57]
Rob Shooter
Not a big loss. And when something like this comes along and you think of your own friendships. We've gone through friendships with people where people have made mistakes, they've done bad things. You don't dump a 10, 15 year friendship. They both of them have walked away from this really rather quickly. I'm told it was never that close to begin with. And I love this reporting that I have exclusively. Travis Kelce never really liked Ryan Reynolds. When they'd go out on dates, the four of them, Ryan Reynolds is the opposite of what Travis normally hangs out with. He's loud, he's obnoxious. It's always about Ryan. He's the smartest person in the room. He's the wittiest person in the room. And I'm told it just rubbed Travis the wrong way.
- [23:38]
Maureen Callahan
Travis also doesn't strike me as someone who likes spending time with psycho arsonists. Just my opinion.
- [23:44]
Rob Shooter
Would you put it like that?
- [23:46]
Maureen Callahan
Yeah, you know, so don't turn your back on this guy, you know. Okay, so Margot Robbie, she's out here hawking this Wuthering Heights remake that she's done with Jacob Elordi. Now I've got, I've got another, just another. Blake is kind of has tentacles everywhere. There is also a theory that Blake Lively has been obsessed with Margot Robbie ever since Margot beat her out for the role of Leo DiCaprio's wife in the Wolf of Wall Street.
- [24:15]
Rob Shooter
Yeah, yeah, True, true. Absolutely true. It's a role she really, really wanted. I think Jennifer Lawrence too wanted that role. That was. I could see that she was not pretty enough. And so this was a role that people wanted. Blake wants to be a movie star. We saw it in the leaked texts with Ben Affleck when she made a movie with him. She really wants part of that Oscar circle, that really cool, cool group. And she's not really, really part of it at all. In fact, she's not part of it. Let's be honest. She's not part of that group. I think that there's, there's issues there that there's problems there also too. Blake has to be the prettiest girl in the room. She has to be the one.
- [24:53]
Maureen Callahan
There's always going to be someone prettier than you. I don't care who you are always which.
- [24:57]
Rob Shooter
But we learned that, most of us learned that at school. Blake has never learned that.
- [25:01]
Maureen Callahan
And now she is so Margot, who is leaps and bounds above Blake. She has had these rings commissioned that are matching their signet rings. One for her, one for Jacob. They wear them on their pinkies and they basically say like where your soul is. My soul, you know, and, and she's still. I know we touched on this last week, but I cannot get over. Nobody is asking Margot Robbie the question. To my mind, the only question, whether you're on a red carpet or doing an interview for like an Access Hollywood, which is what the fuck are you doing, lad? You've been married since 2016. Your husband is your producing partner. So the two of you produced this movie together. You have a two year old son and you're talking and you're making all these double entendres about like how Jacob has made you quote unquote wet. I couldn't make it up. She said she did this on the Today show. She did it on the Today show.
- [25:58]
Rob Shooter
I said you burst my bubble on this one. It's like when you find out that maybe Santa's not real. I'd seen it, but I never put it together until you mentioned it. And now this is all I can say, All I can see is this really over the top, sort of Ariana Grande, Cynthia Erivo, affection. That doesn't really feel real to me. I do think though, what's. What's what, what is very important is I fear Margot's husband, husband is in on this. I think you do because he's, he's the producer of the movie. It's so easy to leak. You know, when I worked with JLo, the, the movie company was always leaking. She was dating her leading man and it wasn't true. Particularly with Ralphiens and George Clooney, neither of which really actually liked her very much. But they always did that. It's cheap publicity. It's easy publicity. We saw it with Pam Anderson and Liam Neeson, who I hoped would know better, but he didn't. He went along with it. So I think here at first I was outraged that she was humiliating her husband. I hit the phones and my sources say he's in on it.
- [26:59]
Maureen Callahan
They want, you know, it's still disgusting. Disgusting in a different way. Like he's allowing himself to be a cock so that the movie will make money at the box office. You know, it's like, is. Is this real? Is it really worth it? Is it really. Is it really worth your son in, like, five years time googling his parents and seeing his mother rave about how they had shrines to each other. Okay, next story is Jim Curtis. Now you've written. We did a mini on Jim, who's better known as Jennifer Aniston's boyfriend, perhaps soon to be fiance, who. Who was on the Today show last week telling all of us to go look for yellow butterflies when we feel stressed. Oh, and if we can't do that, we should just look around the room and find our favorite color. I mean, the guy is a moron. He's a moron.
- [27:47]
Rob Shooter
He's a moron.
- [27:48]
Maureen Callahan
Also in debt. He, he, he. He had a 24k lien on his $1.5 million apartment here in New York City. And. And it suddenly vanished. Somebody paid it. You wrote that insiders have told you that to be Jennifer Aniston's boyfriend is, quote, a total global job. Rob, A, do you think this guy's up for it? B, do you think that Jennifer Aniston is only recently dialed in to his financial difficulties? And are her friends at all concerned?
- [28:19]
Rob Shooter
Her friends are really worried about this. They're really worried about this. This is a guy. When he said it took a long time for them to. To get to be a couple, that's because nobody really trusted him. He was not in the inner circle. I'm told that he sort of snuck his way in through a friend of a friend, and he wasn't with them that often. And then Jen, he got Jen's interest with all this psychobabble that he's really good at doing. And we know Jen loves that stuff, too. And so he talked his way into her heart. The difficulty that he has now is be careful what you wish for. You want to be famous. You want to be on the Today show, You want to sell your books, but in the process, you have to date Jen Anderson, which sounds like a wonderful thing. It's a very, very difficult thing. A very needy person. I've been on red carpets with her where she won't even talk to the prayers unless makeup team are with her, unless her PR people is with her. I did the PR for, for one of her movies once. And Regis Philburn. It was that long ago. Regis was there. She wouldn't talk to Regis unless her.
- [29:17]
Maureen Callahan
Partner, the friendliest guy, the friendliest Friendliest, most approachable, personable guy.
- [29:23]
Rob Shooter
Never he going to ask her, but she wouldn't do it. So I've seen Jen in action. Very, very paranoid, Very, very careful, very, very cautious.
- [29:31]
Maureen Callahan
Well, pot will do that. Not saying.
- [29:33]
Rob Shooter
And she now has found a man who she's going to really trust. Jen does this, she, she, she puts her trust into these guys who she thinks are going to save her or protect her. The problem is, is in the process, Jen, they, they, they, they benefit an enormous amount. Curtis I don't think had been on the Today show till he was dating Jen.
- [29:54]
Maureen Callahan
He's been, of course not, I know.
- [29:56]
Rob Shooter
For a really long time. But he's not been getting this sort of attention. And isn't it miraculous? You and me both, both are authors. We know how long it takes for a book to actually come out. It's just miraculous that he just happened to have a book at just the right time. And so I think people are really, really suspicious. Nobody wants to see Jen get her heart broken. We saw it with Brad and Angie, we've seen this movie. It's heartbreaking. I fear she's picked another. Whenever, whenever somebody wants to share your spotlight, always just be a little bit careful. I wish Jen had married a businessman or was dating somebody who was very private. No, she's dated somebody who loves the spotlight. Before he dated Jen, he had some really questionable girlfriends to reality star types. I spoke to one of them and they said he was just in it for the fame.
- [30:46]
Maureen Callahan
Oh, shocker. You know, I mean to your point about knowing how long it takes to write books and get them out. His book isn't even done yet, Rob. The book is slated for September and I read his self published book like Quantum Manifesting. It's like it had QR codes and blank pages and you know, it was like a pamphlet. So a, he's got a ghostwriter, you know. And actually I will say like I don't feel sorry for Jennifer Aniston and this is why, because she is using her fame and her connections to shove this guy in America's faces as someone who is here to help. And if you're having problems and you can't afford therapy on your own, listen to her idiot effing con man of a boyfriend.
- [31:27]
Rob Shooter
It has Mel Robbins feelings all over it, doesn't it? It gives me the Mel Robbins ick here. What I was told, which I thought was fascinating is why are you doing press now in January on a book that doesn't come out until September? Now admittedly I'm Trying to do press on a book in April, a few months away, but a book September. I'm told he's frightened that when he gets to September he won't be with her. So he's trying to hold the press. Now he's doing.
- [31:54]
Maureen Callahan
That makes sense. That tracks.
- [31:57]
Rob Shooter
That's what I'm told.
- [31:59]
Maureen Callahan
Jen, wake up. He hypnotized you, as I theorized at the very beginning of this shit show. Okay, Our final, our final offender, Don Lemon, who got. This is so camp. I can, I just can picture this and I just think it's all camp. He got himself arrested at a pre Grammy party in L. A. He was like in a five star hotel lobby and the feds came in and arrested him. And then he got sprung on bail and he's all on this righteous, like whatever you think about what's going on, this is all. Don Lemon just needs fame and you're reporting. This is even better. He, he got an invite to the Met gala.
- [32:39]
Rob Shooter
He did, he did. He's become the face of the first amendment for liberals now in New York and la. He's the face blabbermouth himself. He's a very, very thin skinned individual. I spoke to him just a few weeks ago and he complained about a story that I wrote on substack. And I said, oh really, why are you reading me? Don't worry about me, there's much bigger fish out there.
- [33:04]
Maureen Callahan
What was his complaint, Rob?
- [33:05]
Rob Shooter
He said that it was all wrong, that I think I wrote it. He was very disappointed with his numbers. Remember he was going to take on Andy Cohen and Anderson Cooper on New Year's Eve.
- [33:13]
Maureen Callahan
Oh yeah.
- [33:14]
Rob Shooter
Not that many people watched it. Dom was disappointed with that. The source was excellent and I didn't write what he wanted me to write, which is that he is amazing. And so we spoke about it and he complained. It's okay, you know lots of celebrities. I, I, I, I, I'm not scared. I've got, I've got thick skin. But what was interesting to me is how thin his skin was. Now I've known don for over 20 years. He was always jealous. When he was at CNN, I was on his get, I was on his show several times. He was never Anderson Cooper. He was never the star of cnn. He wasn't the prime time, he wasn't, he wasn't their flavor of the month. Don has made himself, he has into what he always wanted, which is now the center of attention. I don't think the cause matters, I don't think the work matters. I think the attention matters. And when he walked into Clive Davis Grammy party on Saturday night and got a standing ovation.
- [34:06]
Maureen Callahan
Oh, stop.
- [34:06]
Rob Shooter
He never looked happier.
- [34:08]
Maureen Callahan
He got a standing ovation. See, this just. This loops right back to the top of our conversation, which is how ghoulish all of this is and how cannibalistic and meaningless. The only thing that matters is, are you relevant? Does your fame have. Carry real currency? Like, you're so right. I was just listening to a piece where he was talking about how when he was at cnn, he knew and everyone knew, like, the news isn't the star. He's the star.
- [34:37]
Rob Shooter
He's the star. He's the star. And he's gonna have a dilemma this week. And I wrote a short story about it on substack. Friends of his told me he was actually a little bit jealous when Catherine o' Hara died because she stole his spotlight. And who will be on the COVID of People magazine this week? Will it be Catherine, or will it be. Don't. I think it'll be Catherine.
- [35:00]
Maureen Callahan
That. I don't know. I. I could not think of a better place to leave this. I mean, I actually read that on your substack, and it's so ghoulish, I think I blacked it out. That he would be jealous of a. Of someone who really contributed to the culture, who people loved with good reason. And she died suddenly, and we don't know why. And her family is devastated. A rarity in Hollywood. Married to the same man for over 30 years. Never heard about her family life. Never heard about her kids. She never commodified them, and she died. And people are heartbroken. And Don Lemon's upset with her for dying and stepping on his headlines.
- [35:35]
Rob Shooter
Welcome to Hollywood. Welcome to Hollywood. We need you, Maureen. We need you.
- [35:39]
Maureen Callahan
Oh, Rob, we love you so much. Everyone go subscribe to Rob's Naughty but Nice substack. I am an avid subscriber as well. And we will see you very soon, my friend. Thank you for everything.
- [35:50]
Rob Shooter
You're the best. Thank you, Maureen.
- [35:52]
Maureen Callahan
Same to you. That's it. That's it with Rob. I mean, I could talk to him all day long, but, you know, we have. We have other things that are out as if not compelling, as if not more, which is. Which is a rarity when we're talking about talking to Rob. We have your feedback, which is. It's incredible. I got a lot of it here. I can't wait to get into it with you guys. Back in a minute. We've talked before about why one skin stands out. And it's not hype and it's not pretty jars. It's real science. One Skin was founded by female PhD longevity scientists asking one very smart question. If zombie cells drive wrinkles and loss of elasticity, why not target them directly? That's OS1, their proprietary peptide. The first proven to switch off those senescent cells making your skin feel stronger, smoother and more resilient. Plus, you can use OS1 face and body daily. Backed by four peer reviewed clinical studies, free from over 1500 harsh ingredients and awarded the National Eczema association seal of acceptance, this is skin care you can trust. Plus it's received 10,000 five star reviews and recognition from Bloomberg. Born from over a decade of longevity research, 1 skins trademarked OSO1 peptide is proven to target the visible signs of aging, helping you unlock your healthiest skin now and as you age. For a limited time, try one skin with 15% off using code nerve at OneSkin Co nerve. That's 15% off OneSkin Co with Code Nerve. After you purchase, they're going to ask you where you heard about them. Please support our show, tell them you're a troublemaker and that the nerve sent you. ABC's David Muir, the most trusted anchor in America. The most watched anchor in America. Thank you for making world News Tonight with David Muir, the number one newscast in America. Most trusted, most watched David Muir on abc. When was the last time you felt in control of your business? Finances, Expenses tracked, invoices sent, taxes ready? That's where Found comes in. Found brings your banking, bookkeeping, invoicing and taxes together in one simple app. Manage expenses, invoice clients, send payments and prep for tax time right where you bank. Join the hundreds of thousands who have already streamlined their finances with Found. Open a Found account for free at found. Com. That's f o u n d com. Found is a financial technology company, not a bank. Banking services provided by lead bank member fdic. We are back now, troublemakers. Before we get to all of your incredible feedback and we've got some dogs, which is becoming a motif here, which we love. We should take a moment here to honor a real loss last week, the death of Catherine o', Hara, who was just a genius. A genius. And she's one of those rare people who was relevant for decades and really not just reflected the times, but helped define the times and move the times. She got her start in SCTV and she became really famous in the 80s as the mom in Home Alone and I did a column on her for the Daily Mail. It's still up if you want to read it. What I found brilliant about Catherine o' Hara in Home Alone is she played a mother who forgot her 8 year old son and didn't realize she had left him at home while she was on the plane. Until she was on the plane or landed in Paris with her whole family and all the other kids. And so her 8 year old son has to fight off two adult burglars alone in this home at Christmas. On Christmas. And Catherine o' Hara managed to make everybody fall in love with her as that mother. That is a gift. That is a gift. And then of course, she did all those incredible mockumentaries with Christopher Guest and Eugene Levy and then capped her indelible career. As with her, Moira Rose was really her creation. She added stuff to that character that was not on the page. The wigs, just one of those things. I'm sure the accent was completely her creation too. When I was doing some research for the column, I went and read this New Yorker profile of her that ran in 2019. And the headline was her quote, when in doubt, play insane. When in doubt, play insane. And I like to think that she would have been one of us. She would have been one of us. She's certainly a patron saint here at the Nerve. And I think we might have to put her image and likeness like over the entrance to the woodshed. Like, you know, she's how you do it, right? Just in case you're not incredibly familiar. This is also one of the things I really love, as I was discussing with Rob, you know, about Catherine o'. Hara. She's a rarity in the showbiz community because she. We didn't really know anything about her private life. She was married to the same man for over 30 years. She raised two sons, it seems, quite successfully. They're in their 30s. They're all heartbroken. It seems everybody who worked with her loved her. And I found this probably, I think, the most emblematic of what I really love and respect about Catherine o', Hara, which was she seemed to know where to put her fame and she seemed to know what really mattered. And she seemed to have a real sense of proportion. In 2017, she won a Canadian Screen Award, and I believe it was for her work as Moira Rose in Schitt's Creek and watch her accept this award and basically mock everybody who we're about to go see at the Oscars. Talking to you, Timothy Shyamalan. Ding Dong Lose their shit when they get a trophy that's going to collect dust. Here we go. Try not to take this lovely kind of accolade too seriously, but forgive me, but the woman I play, Moira Rose, would kill to have this moment. Well, hello you. Thank you. I see you finally got this one right. I would love to stand up here and tell you this was all just a walk in the cake. But it wasn't. Big dreams come true. Only to those who do not sleep on the job. I can't help but bethink myself at the time as a little tiny bite sized girl sitting upon my father's lap. Well, it wasn't my real father, but who is? I remember looking up at him and proclaiming, one day, sir. Mark my words. I. One day, sir. Mark. One day, sir. One day. I can't. I can't. That's how it's done. And one more celebrity note before we get to your email. Gayle King, okay? Gayle King, who is fighting for her life over at cbs. Okay. Barry Weiss. She took her to lunch and apparently talked her way into potentially sticking around as like a special celebrity correspondent at half the $13 million she's getting annually right now. You know, she spent the weekend swanning around the Grammys, okay. And posting to Instagram like a 12 year old. Here she is crowing backstage at Clive Davis's A list exclusive, exclusive, pre Grammys party that Rob and I just spoke about. Here we go. So we're backstage.
- [44:15]
Rob Shooter
Oh, look, the show's about to start.
- [44:18]
Maureen Callahan
Clyde Davis's party. This is the best part of the show. You're going to hear the best music from the most talented people. Some you know, some you don't.
- [44:27]
Blake Lively (voice memo)
Some on the climb.
- [44:28]
Maureen Callahan
On the climb. But Clive knows music, so everybody here is psychedelic. Everybody. Because just all the awful. She's disgusting. And I'm introducing a tape from a very special person who shall remain nameless.
- [44:42]
Rob Shooter
Barack Obama.
- [44:44]
Maureen Callahan
Again, you cannot beam into the homes of average Americans as the host of a morning show and swan around and star your way through the Grammys. And oh, by the way, introducing somebody who shall remain named Barack Obama. Oh, Clive Davis. You know, he knows music. Yeah, we know, Gail, we know. And she's like, we're going to see great performances. This is ostensibly the reason why I'm. I'm coming to you from backstage. She can't show any of those performances, okay? She has a right to show those performances. I cannot stand this woman. I cannot stand this woman. Okay, now on to your email. We got so much feedback about Jennifer Aniston's boyfriend, Jim Curtis, the celebrity Hypnotist. Excuse me, I'm sorry. Transformational life coach who is was slinging his wares over at the Today show last week. And even Craig Melvin could not hide his confusion and contempt when this guy started talking about how we all need to look for yellow butterflies. Okay. Oh my God. Maureen. Totally agree. Jen probably paid for his unpaid HOA fees while he's being a hobo sexual at her LA mansion. That's H o b o. Hobo sexual separately. Oh, this is lovely. I hope you know that your reach includes Gen Z. Her daughter, who is in her 20s, also likes the nerve. And that was troublemaker Patty. Hi, Maureen. The subject line is look for your favorite color question mark. A devoted mo bro here. You guys kill me. Loved the takedown of Jim Curtis. So say troublemaker Tim asks. I just lost my job, my wife divorced me, and my dog just crapped in my headphones. Just look around for my favorite color and everything will be fine. By the way, Tim adds, even manly mo bros like me have feelings, as evidenced by my choice of pet. Attached is a pic of my sweet little bichon frise. Anderson. Mo bros are real men with real relationships and genuine empathy. And Anderson is adorable and like Teddy, highly groomed. I can relate. Okay. Hi, Maureen. Troublemaker Stephanie here from Ford City, Pennsylvania. I'm watching a podcast about Jennifer Aniston's new boyfriend on one of these morning shows. Why can I see that? Jennifer is in big trouble and she. She can't. I feel sorry for her. I don't think she ever got over the betrayal of Brad Pitt. Any normal American woman would have told this guy to go get a real job and then call her once that happens. Okay, subject line, mind, exclamation point. Hi, Maureen, Two quick things first. Do you think that Jennifer Aniston has been mind by Jim Curtis? Yes. Maybe that's why allegedly, reportedly, she's helping him. I mean, how do we really know that she hasn't given him much more money in contacts? I agree. Probably way more than we know. This troublemaker Michelle says, I know real healers that work both in the scientific and spiritual slash therapeutic fields combined. And this of Jim's arrogant narcissism is the reason why so many people actually turn away from from therapy and healing. Yes, yes and yes. They think it will be either easier to get help from a celebrity so they try his mind methods, or they get so discouraged that they give up on working through their mental blocks and challenges altogether after trying his, quote, methods of madness. It hurts those whose practices and gifts actually do help people and it is sad. I couldn't agree with you more. I think it's very damaging. I think it's very dangerous. These aren't harmless actors out here. These aren't harmless people. Jim Curtis is a dangerous guy. Just my opinion. So is the entire media industrial complex that's beginning to prop him up because he's fucking Jennifer Aniston. Get real. Number two, would you and Belinda consider doing a mini recap show after your trips? Yeah, I think so. I think Belinda would be up for that. Belinda was so great at taking questions. Also hearing some of the things you guys learned after the fact or wanted to do but didn't get to were super interesting to hear about as as of Mexico City. She wants us to let the troublemakers know if we happen to see Jim Curtis's book at the airport's convenience shop when we fly to Paris. I'll let you know. France, rather. Okay. You know what I mean. Dear Maureen, my dogs watch your show as you can see from this video. This is Troublemaker, Maryland. My huskies. I love huskies, moxie and cubby. When they. When I put on the Nerve, they go crazy howling hysterically and we just have a still of. I'm not sure which husky this is Marilyn, but beautiful, beautiful dog. Hi Maureen. The subject line really grabbed me. Ozempic and mammogram info. This is a troublemaker from Ohio, which she reports has been freezing. It's freezing here in New York too. I wanted to share some info I learned this past week when I went for a mammogram. Good for you troublemaker. Getting your annual mammograms. It's a must. The technician asked me if I took Ozempic or GLP meds. I don't. Don't. But I asked her why she was checking and she told me that mammogram readings and accuracy could be affected by the rapid weight loss and use of these weight loss drugs. She said she was surprised at how many women were using them, including several she works with. I'm surprised too. I live in the Cleveland, Ohio area, not some LA suburb with real housewife types. Thought that was some good info. It's great info and troublemaker. It also goes to what we talk about all the time here at the Nerve like this messaging that we all get and we're told is not only normal but acceptable and we should metabolize it and emulate these people. This is what happens now. This troublemaker is surrounded by just regular women in a regular city in the middle of America. Who are. Who are on these drugs? And why aren't we hearing. Why aren't we hearing from the medical establishment that, hey, like, if you're a woman and you're on these, they could affect your mammogram reading? You know, if that's so everybody. Every woman who's getting tested should then demand an ultrasound and an MRI if that's the case. By the way, this troublemaker is jumping on. She says the. Here's my dog bag. What? Band wagon. Excuse me. This is Jinx, our beagle mix. We put glasses on her and she looks so studious and so happy. I love it. Dear Maureen, that subject line also grabbed me, being as it reads Teddy Van Halen. I enjoy your show. Thank you. I wanted to know if Teddy Van Halen plays air guitar. Troublemaker. As you know, he's leading the search for Stedman. He only has so many hours in a day, but the answer is yes. Okay. Dearest Maureen. Oh, oh, okay. I. I know why I pulled this one. We unexpectedly. This is troublemaker Tiffany from Florida. Lost our dog Bella on Friday. Oh, Tiffany, I'm so sorry for. Sorry for your loss. She went from seemingly being happy and healthy to being. Oh, God. This is so common in multi organ failure. Within the span of two weeks. She. She says the nerve gave her and her husband things to laugh out. And we appreciate it more than you know. It was the first time I truly understood Truvy's quote from Steel Magnolia's. Laughter through tears is my favorite emotion. Great quote. Please tell troublemaker Mellie I truly believe dogs will be in heaven. If lions and lambs can make it there. Biblical reference, then surely dogs will too. I love that Chapel roan Grammy dress as discussed with Rob. Dear Maureen, I'm frankly asking myself whether these stars. She put stars in, quote, actually don't understand that the times that nudity was shocking have been long gone and they should stop trying to shock us all nowadays. It's just ridiculous and meme worthy. My only thought regarding Chapel's dress hanging from her nipples were Buffalo Bill. And she. She included this still of Buffalo Bill, which we're showing full screen with Chapel Roanoke. This isn't. I think this Buffalo Bill is from the original Mindhunter directed by Michael Mann. Sorry, Manhunter. Manhunter directed by Michael Mann, which is an incredible adaptation. It stars William Peterson, who. I love William Peterson. He wound up getting like, a solid, constant work on CSI and like, made a ton of money and great for him. But what I love about William Peterson was he was this actor who After Manhunter, everybody, like, wanted to work with him. Everybody. They were like, this guy's the real deal. Real deal. Like, good looking, but, like, extremely talented. And he, I believe, was offered a role in Platoon, Oliver Stone's Platoon. And it was for a pittance. And that was the movie that made Charlie Sheen a movie star. And William Peterson was like, I'm not going to struggle in a jungle on location for weeks and get paid nothing. Fuck that. Love it. Love it. Okay, just a few more, Maureen. Okay, this new troublemaker. Older subject. You noted that Howard Stern, who is unlistenable now, had a staff of 95. Are you fucking kidding me? Seriously, I'm racking my brain on this one. How on earth do we get to 95? This is part of the problem. It's a bloated show. Stern, Robin, a few daily producers, maybe a booker or two, a publicist, and maybe a couple of people for sales marketing. Even if you throw in personal assistants and drivers, I still can't get to 20, let alone 95. That is pure ego. Think about it. If you and Marlena can pull off the nerve with two to three people, what do you need 95 for? Agreed. Agreed. Okay. Fan mail with a suggestion. Your discussion last week about the rot in the publishing industry was so timely. I've been telling my husband for a long time that it's so difficult to find great new books. I have no interest in the garbage being offered in the past five to 10 years. 45 years ago, I couldn't put Sophie's Choice down. Surely something else could be of interest. This troublemaker isn't finding it in the recommendations from Jenna Bush Hager or Reese Witherspoon or Oprah Winfrey. Agreed. So, yes, we will have more book recommendations on the show and on the substack as well. This is troublemaker Kathy. Who says psycho? Please bring Sam Vaughn back. I never fail to learn something new from your discussions with him. He's coming back very, very soon. Okay, one more. Marlene is like, you got to wrap this up. I could go on forever. You guys keep me captivated. Dear Maureen, I once did an episode. This is for you, Marlena. Okay. This is for you. How well timed. I once did an episode of Politically Incorrect with your buddy Bill maher. Show number 01 dash 956. It's so long ago. My copies on a VHS tape. Digitize it, my friend, and send it to us. Okay? He was not a nice guy. Just my opinion. You know what? You know what? I'm not going to. I'M not going to blow up anybody's spot. But Nerve HQ got direct intel within the past several days that this assessment, this character assessment is dead on. Bill's not a nice guy. And you know what else he hires based on physical attractiveness? Women. That is okay, this troublemaker continues I was on but I was on the show with Joan Rivers, patron saint of the nerve and Mariel Hemingway. I learned how to write by reading her grandpa's work, who needed school when I had Hemingway agreed, you gotta digitize it, send it. And then this troublemaker also promises to send an explanation of what Bill Maher did. And just so you know, Ms. Rivers was very kind to me. I am not surprised in the least. I've only ever heard great things about her. Until then, keep up the great work. Thank you. And don't forget to find your favorite color. Thank you Troublemaker Phil, keep your feedback coming. Email me please. Maureenvillemaycaremedia.com is my address or DM me on Instagram at Maureen Callahan, Writer or at the Nerve show. And remember to subscribe to the Nerve Substack. That is our weekly email that drops into your inbox every Friday at 3pm Just go over to thenerveshow.com you will see a prompt. It'll it says do you want to sign up? Put your email in. There you go. Done and done. Okay, next up, Blake Lively. Okay, we are getting into it with this latest dump. Okay, we are taking a voice memo that she left for Justin Baldoni. Okay. And we are going to pull it apart with surgical precision and leave her metaphorical carcass bleeding out on the floor. We'll see you in a minute. Looking to eat cleaner, toss the chemical laden snacks and switch to Masa chips. Masa's tortilla chips are made with just three healthy ingredients. Organic corn, sea salt and grass fed beef tallow. That's it. No seed oils, no mystery junk. And they are delicious, crunchy and flavorful. Plus, Masa chips will leave you feeling satisfied and light. No bloating, no sleep, sluggishness. My favorite is the original but they have a full variety of flavors to choose from. And if you like masa tortilla chips, you should definitely try their sister line of potato chips, Vandy Crisps. I'm partial to classic original but they're all great. If you're ready to give Masa a try, go to masachips.com maureen and use code MAUREEN for 25% off your first order or simply click the link in the video description or scan the QR code to claim the this delicious offer. If you don't feel like ordering online, MASA is now available nationwide at your local sprouts supermarket. So stop by and pick up a couple of bags before they're gone. ABC's David Muir, the most trusted anchor in America. The most watched anchor in America. Thank you for making World News Tonight with David Muir the number one newscast in America. Most trusted, most watched. David Muir on the abc.
- [60:23]
Rob Shooter
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- [60:48]
Maureen Callahan
We are back and it's time. Because the nerve is really the only place that is going to carve apart the Blake Lively dump that came out last week. The Blake Lively, Ryan Reynolds, Justin Baldoni data dump. There is a lot to sift through here and, and we're not going to move along with the news cycle. That's just going to be like, okay, that happened. No, no, no, no, no, no, no. There is way, way, way too much that I believe is incriminating evidence against Blake the Snake Lively, her husband, psycho arsonist Ryan Reynolds, and Blake's no longer friend, one time BFF Taylor Swift, whose reputation has taken a major hit. As we just discussed with Rob, major, major reason she was not at the Grammys this weekend. Okay. She wasn't even at any of the parties as far as we can tell. She's trying to keep a low profile and let this blow over. The nerve says no. Now, last week, amongst this information dump which seems to have come from Baldoni's team is a, is an audio message that Blake left for Justin. And this is before they were shooting the movie. And again, as I said last week, you know, Blake reached out to so many of her A list pals, Matt Damon, Ben Affleck, Bradley Cooper, Taylor Swift to try to destroy this guy. And she did so in email and text form. So she put it down in black and white again to quote Dorinda Medley, late of Real Housewives of New York, say it, forget it, write it, regret it, not seen in any of these communiques is, hey, you guys, Justin Baldoni is sexually harassing me. It's not there. So let's listen together. And we pulled it apart. So we're gonna take it piecemeal. This, this four minute this is a lengthy voice memo, by the way. You know, I leave voice memos for friends. They're like a minute that's long. They're supposed to be pithy. Anyway. Anyway. Anyway, she left this for him well before they began shooting the movie. I believe this is in 2023. And she listened to the tone of her voice, listen to the cadence. Everything is telling you something. And listen to her say that she's asking him for a favor regarding the scheduling of shooting this movie, but really, she's telling him, here we go.
- [63:39]
Blake Lively (voice memo)
Just wanted to connect, just to put something on your radar. So between us, like, this is so premature for me to even share this with you. All good. All good stuff. Headline is great. Good, great stuff. But I was talking to Ryan, and I was like, I don't know if I should share this. But he was like, you guys have such a great trust, you know, filament.
- [64:04]
Maureen Callahan
So she starts off by saying, this is. I've got something to talk to you about. It's all good. It's all good. The headline is, it's all good. It's all good. And she's sounding very. Remember, she's an actress, okay? So she's trying to sound trepidatious, like, I need your help. Like, I need your help. And then she says, you know, I didn't even know if I should bring this to you. He's only the director of the movie. If you've got an issue and you're his star, that's who you should be talking to, one would think. She says, but, you know, Ryan said, you guys have such a great relationship. Really? Really. Ryan encouraged Blake to go to Justin because Justin's such a great guy. I think we can extrapolate fairly that. That Ryan thinks Justin's a great guy. I mean, Justin already is a great guy because he hasn't burned down his old elementary school, as far as we know. Anyway, she talks to Justin about trying to push the schedule, the shooting schedule. I think she wants to push it back. And listen to how she begins simpering to Justin about how she feels so safe, basically, in talking to him. Here we go.
- [65:18]
Blake Lively (voice memo)
The movie I'm doing before Proxy, I sat down with a director, and he was great and so lovely, and I'm so excited to work with him. And, you know, we were just talking about how we have very little time to prep, and, you know, it's a lot of work. And he was like, I just. Is there any way you can get the other movie to push? Like, I just feel like I need more time. And I was like, that's just. That ship is so sailed. And, you know, and I'm really, really under it. I don't talk to him like I talked to you.
- [65:46]
Maureen Callahan
Okay. First she says, the other director is asking me to come to you and ask you to change the schedule of your movie. And I said to him, well, that ship has so sailed, which she doesn't mean at all. This goes to what kind of a broker we're dealing with here. And I don't think it's an honest one, because she's going to spend the next three minutes trying to convince Justin to do what she wants. That's what she wants. And we'll get to why. Because it's all about vanity. Surprise. Sorry for the spoiler alert. And then she says, but, you know, I don't. I'm coming to you because, you know, like, I don't. I don't talk to that director the way I talk to you. She's trying to seduce him here. And there are many ways to seduce people. It doesn't always have to be sexual. But I believe. I also believe, like a lot of you troublemakers, I believe that part of the real problem here is that she caught feelings for Justin. She fell for Justin. She wanted to have something going on on the side with Justin, and Justin rejected her. And that is one of the sources of this narcissistic injury. And, and. And what does a Blake Lively have to do? There are many ways to commit arson. I think she and Ryan are very well matched. You know, she tried to burn down his career. I don't talk to the other director the way I talk to you. She's got that mumble, mealy mouth thing that she had as Serena on Gossip Girl. She doesn't ever really fully elocute. Like, you don't ever really hear it coming out of her. Her chest or her diaphragm or, like an open throat. You know, I think this is someone with a lot of secrets. Just my opinion. Just my opinion. Okay, now. Now we're going to bring our baby into it because, you know, you can't really. And this is. This is really that. This is the sort of province of the coward, you know, bringing your kid into it and hiding behind your kid. You know, nobody told Blake to. To, like, wind up having a child when she signed on to a movie or, you know, that she's having problems of the 1%. I lost my nanny. I lost my night nurse. Wonder why. Here we go.
- [67:54]
Blake Lively (voice memo)
And told him, like, how stressed I'VE been with not having a baby nurse. Still don't have one, by the way. Found someone, and she was only available for, like, five days. But anyway, who cares? Still not a baby nurse. Just the idea of going back to work right away. And also the idea of, like, you know, prepping for our movie and, like, wanting to work out every day and all that, but yet being on set all day every day, I'm like, what have I done? Like, the only reason that I'm doing proxy before is because I gave them my word and I wouldn't go back on that.
- [68:25]
Maureen Callahan
Okay? So poor me, poor me, poor me. I don't have a baby nurse. I had one for five days, and then I lost her again. I wonder why. Why? And, you know, I want to work out because I just had a baby. I want to be in my best shape. Now, again, if she's talking about her looks and being in shape and extrapolating her weight and losing weight, dropping weight, you know, her. Her contention is that Baldoni was wildly improper in asking how much Blake weighed, because there was a scene in the movie in which he had to pick her up, and she is a big girl. I'm sorry. He had to pick her up. And he has a bad back. He's a back injury, and he didn't want to injure himself. Honestly, he should have just hired a stunt double and been done with it. But anyway. And then she says, and, you know, I'm asking this, and I can't believe I'm asking this. Like, what have I done to myself? Like, I. I need to work out every day, but I'm on a set every day, and what can I do? And. And by the way, Justin, you know why I'm on a set every day? Because, like, I gave them my word I would finish the movie, and I would never go back on my word. Guess what? They would sue the shit out of you. It's not because you're such a moralistic, ethical person. It's because you signed a contract to finish a movie. This is not his problem. But again, the cadence, the this, the that, the. Justin, Justin just. I'm gonna guess this message was left late at night. I'm gonna guess it was left late at night, and I'm wondering if she's in another room and talking to him like this while Ryan's in another part of the apartment. Or was Ryan just sitting there? Was this their little plot together? Okay, so now we're building this on ramp to do the thing that Blake said at the beginning of this voice memo that she would never do, which is asking to change the filming schedule. Asking Justin to change the. Which is a huge logistical endeavor and could cost them a lot of money. Here we go.
- [70:20]
Blake Lively (voice memo)
Having a week off in between, it's just a lot. It's a lot. And the closer the reality gets, the more I'm just, like, panicking about that because I'd really like to just focus on our movie. So anyway, when I saw that he was asking for more time, I was just like, I have a crazy idea. But, like, what if.
- [70:40]
Maureen Callahan
What if I thought that chip had sailed?
- [70:43]
Blake Lively (voice memo)
Like, I'll do this movie with you, but, like, I just feel like I need more time before I go back to work, and I need more. Like, you know, shooting in April, shooting in March is just too soon after having a baby and not sleeping and wanting to be in my best shape and all that.
- [71:00]
Maureen Callahan
So she is actually saying to him, I want you to push this shoot schedule back. I don't want to do it. I overextended myself. You know, she should be lucky. She had two jobs back to back. That is a problem that this woman no longer has, and she can only blame herself now. Then she begins bringing Justin into the personal details of her life and her marriage and her child rearing. Okay. She's never been away from Ryan. She's telling Justin for more than two weeks, and she doesn't really want to be away from him longer than that. How this is this guy's problem, I have no idea. This film was shooting in New York and New Jersey, I think, and they live in New York City. What is the problem? Here we go.
- [71:54]
Blake Lively (voice memo)
So anyway, I'm trying to work on that. I think that's a possibility. So I just wanted to let you know that, like, in case you wanted to go a couple weeks earlier, you're welcome to. And obviously, there's selfish reasons I'm telling you this. Like, I know that our schedule.
- [72:13]
Maureen Callahan
Schedule.
- [72:13]
Rob Shooter
Our schedule.
- [72:14]
Blake Lively (voice memo)
I'm not trying to move anything, but, like, yes, she is. You're like, oh, my God, if I could go two weeks earlier, that would actually be great.
- [72:21]
Maureen Callahan
Liar.
- [72:21]
Blake Lively (voice memo)
Amazing. And if it is what it is, then it is what it is.
- [72:25]
Maureen Callahan
She does not mean that selfishly.
- [72:26]
Blake Lively (voice memo)
My opinion, I would love about that is that, you know, Ryan and I have also been really stressed about spending a month apart. And, you know, I just.
- [72:34]
Maureen Callahan
Not.
- [72:34]
Blake Lively (voice memo)
So not her actual problems. That's what I'm talking to as a friend at this point, more than anything.
- [72:39]
Maureen Callahan
But it is.
- [72:40]
Blake Lively (voice memo)
Spending all of June apart is Just a lot. And the most we've ever done is. Is less than two weeks.
- [72:47]
Maureen Callahan
Who cares? Now the. The salient phrase in there is, this is why I'm talking to you as a friend. And when we get to the end of this voicemail, we're going to see just how close they are. Okay? I'm talking to you as a friend. She is being highly, highly manipul. Manipulative here. She is the bigger star between Justin and Blake. She's the bigger star. She's more powerful. She was married. She is married to a guy who was powerful. Has been losing that power. I believe Paramount just dropped Ryan from like three movies. Like all the projects they had with him, they're like, we're done with you. So she says as a friend. So now they're friends. Okay? If they really were friends, this would not have been a voice memo. This probably would have been a phone call. And it would. She would have been far more straightforward and honest about it instead of all of this gussied up language and all of these, like, I'm definitely not asking for anything. I'm not. But I'm asking for this, you know, And I really need to get my way. And you know how I know I'm going to get it? Because I'm just going to nag you and nag you and haunt you until, like, you give me my way. And after all, we're really good friends. So you should want this for me, right? Like you should want this for me now. She is going to bring her children into it. Okay? We are like, again, it's like when someone is telling you the truth, it's usually just very straightforward and plain and it takes like a line, it's a sentence. She's got a million reasons why she wants him to alter the schedule of this movie. I actually can't tell if she wants him to start shooting earlier but without her or push it back. Like, it's also confusing, confused. It goes to a confused mind. But now she's going to bring her other older children into this and try to guilt Justin into doing what she wants again. Now this is like reason number 5, 6, 7. It went from this other movies going over. I don't have time to work out. I need to be in my best shape. I'm exhausted. I don't have a baby nurse. I don't have. I can't hire a nanny. I don't want to be away from my husband for more than two weeks and. And I don't sleep. And now it's the girls. So we're on. Reason number nine. Here we go.
- [75:06]
Blake Lively (voice memo)
So our girls get out of school. I think I mentioned to you on June 16th, we were gonna originally go to London June 17th, but now I think with our schedule, we're not done until, like, June 29th or so. So, you know, selfishly, if we could go a couple weeks earlier, I keep stick to our original plan and leave for lunch. London right after the girls get out of school, which would be amazing. And maybe that's, like, nice. Or maybe you're like, why are you saying this? This is, like, horrifying that you're mentioning us starting two weeks earlier. But anyway, I just wanted to mention it, but I just, you know, having until the beginning of May is really.
- [75:44]
Maureen Callahan
Again, do it my way, you know, Is this horrifying? Like, again, problems of the 1%. You're supposed to go with your daughters to London the day after they get out of school, but now your film is going over, whichever film it is now, it. It would mean you couldn't leave until the 29th. And, like, selfishly. She says the word selfishly several times here. And again, when I tell you, these people tell on themselves all the time. They do. She's being a selfish brat. She's lucky she got booked in this role. Okay? And she's already. She's pushing her, she's throwing her weight around. She's saying, this is what I want. And, you know, you may be horrified or you. If you. If you're feeling horrified by my suggestion, you know, you can just ignore it. But, like, this is really what I want. Now she's going to try to manipulate Justin further. And I'll tell you what I think is really crappy about this portion of the message on the back end. Here we go.
- [76:46]
Blake Lively (voice memo)
Because I just. I don't feel like I could pull it off any sooner than that. And I was really stressed. So I think that I can gracefully make this shift happen because our director feels aligned with it. It's nothing that I could have done selfishly. But anyway, I told selfishly again, what I could have told you in 30 seconds.
- [77:09]
Maureen Callahan
Anyway, I told you in four minutes what I could have told you in 30 seconds. She couldn't tell it in 30 seconds because it's not all the truth, I don't think. I think she's stacking up as many excuses as she possibly can to get her way. She says, I really think I can pull this off. So now she doesn't even need Justin to be part of this, let alone agree to it, let alone be the actual boss. I think I can pull this off. I can make this happen because our director is aligned with it. And I can't tell whether she's talking about the director of the movie, which has yet to be released, which may just be a complete bomb, or she's saying. I'm saying I can say to this director, our director, meaning Justin, is aligned with what I want. It really doesn't matter because Blake knows she's going to get her way. Okay, now there's a very strange ending to this message. And again, remember, at the beginning of the message, we're cooing, we're whispering, we're ending in up speak. Even as we're barking orders. You know, it's like we're laughing. Am I being crazy? Is this insane, sane? Are you horrified by me? You know, my husband just loves you, Justin. You know, I'm coming to you as a friend. I'm coming to you as a friend now, not your leading lady. Okay? Listen to how she ends this. Here we go.
- [78:26]
Blake Lively (voice memo)
But please, again, keep this between us because as of now, this movie's still shooting in six weeks, five weeks, whenever it is. I think it's six weeks. So nothing.
- [78:37]
Maureen Callahan
You should know that, Blake.
- [78:38]
Blake Lively (voice memo)
I just sort of wanted to get your temperature on. On all that. Okay, cool. Somebody's talking to you. I not talking to you. This is so sad. This is my social interaction these days. Just talking into voice memos. Okay. I hope you're well. Send my love to your family who don't know me. Take care of my.
- [79:02]
Maureen Callahan
Send. Send my love to your family who don't know me. So they're great friends. They're great friends. And she's. This is just. This is like Hollywood. Like greasy, sleazy, you know, favor trading at its absolute best. Oh, I'm not talking to you. Nice to talk to you. I'm not talking to you. Look at sad, pathetic me. You know, I'm just rolling you here like a Lincoln log. You know, you. This is my social life now. I talk into the fucking phone. She is so full of just our opinion. That does it. That does it for right now for the Tuesday edition of the Nerve. But come back and see us tomorrow for the Nerve at night if you haven't already. Check out our substack. Go over to thenerveshow.com, sign up for it there, and you will get our weekly email in your inbox. That's the sub stack. Be sure to subscribe. It helps the show grow. It's a minimal charge of like four, five bucks a month. It's like nothing. Also, Nerve merch. Go grab something for yourself or pick something up for a fellow troublemaker atshopthe nerve.com you can also listen to the Nerve every Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 9am Eastern on Megan's Podcast Playlist. You can find that on Sirius XM channel 111, the Megan Kelly channel. And we will see you back here tomorrow at the Nerve, where you will never guess what we're about to say next.
- [80:33]
Rob Shooter
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- [80:54]
Maureen Callahan
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