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Celebrity Culture

Vox’s coverage of celebrity culture news — plus analysis. Famous people: They’re fascinating to read about!

Culture
Janelle Monáe’s opening number for the Oscars featured Mr. Rogers and NazisJanelle Monáe’s opening number for the Oscars featured Mr. Rogers and Nazis
Culture

We honestly can’t decide if the opening number at the Oscars was good or bad.

By Constance Grady
Culture
The best awards show segment of the weekend is LA’s Gay Men’s Chorus celebrating Laura DernThe best awards show segment of the weekend is LA’s Gay Men’s Chorus celebrating Laura Dern
Culture

Saturday’s Independent Spirit Awards recapped the season in LGBTQ representation … sort of.

By Constance Grady
Culture
Taylor Swift, Demi Lovato, and why we feast on celebrity traumaTaylor Swift, Demi Lovato, and why we feast on celebrity trauma
Culture

Celebrities keep telling us it hurts them to be famous. Then they get more famous.

By Constance Grady
Culture
Billie Eilish makes history at her first Grammys, sweeping the top categoriesBillie Eilish makes history at her first Grammys, sweeping the top categories
Culture

Eilish is youngest artist and the first woman to win all four of the awards’ major categories: Best New Artist, Album of the Year, Song of the Year, and Record of the Year.

By Allegra Frank
Culture
Grammys 2017: winners, news, and biggest momentsGrammys 2017: winners, news, and biggest moments
Culture
Why everyone loves Lizzo — well, almost everyoneWhy everyone loves Lizzo — well, almost everyone
Culture

Lizzo loves herself unapologetically. But she’s not without critics.

By Allegra Frank
Money
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are giving up their “royal highness” titlesPrince Harry and Meghan Markle are giving up their “royal highness” titles
Money

The couple also plans to pay back the funds used to refurbish their UK home.

By Terry Nguyen
Culture
Why Bernie Sanders supporters are trolling Elizabeth Warren with snake emojiWhy Bernie Sanders supporters are trolling Elizabeth Warren with snake emoji
Culture

The #WarrenIsASnake hashtag has its roots among Taylor Swift haters.

By Constance Grady
Culture
What celeb trainer Jillian Michaels got wrong about Lizzo and body positivityWhat celeb trainer Jillian Michaels got wrong about Lizzo and body positivity
Culture

The former Biggest Loser star feigned concern over the singer’s health. No one’s buying it.

By Katelyn Esmonde
Culture
How Awkwafina established her dramatic bona fides without disrupting her star imageHow Awkwafina established her dramatic bona fides without disrupting her star image
Culture

In 2018, Awkwafina looked like the next Tiffany Haddish. Now she’s moved in a different direction.

By Constance Grady
Culture
Patricia Arquette’s Golden Globes speech warned of a world on the brink of apocalypsePatricia Arquette’s Golden Globes speech warned of a world on the brink of apocalypse
Culture

“Tonight, January 5, 2020, we’re not going to look back on this night in the history books.”

By Constance Grady
Culture
How to tell a Ricky Gervais joke: Offend, defend, repeatHow to tell a Ricky Gervais joke: Offend, defend, repeat
Culture

Ricky Gervais says comedians shouldn’t punch down. He’s rubbish at taking his own advice.

By Aja Romano
Culture
What it means to call Adam Driver a leading manWhat it means to call Adam Driver a leading man
Culture

Adam Driver isn’t a weird leading man. He’s a traditional one.

By Constance Grady
Culture
Bill Cosby’s publicist calls Eddie Murphy a “Hollywood slave” after SNL barbBill Cosby’s publicist calls Eddie Murphy a “Hollywood slave” after SNL barb
Culture

Cosby’s publicist thinks Murphy should work with Cosby to “enhance Black people.”

By Aja Romano
Culture
50 Cent, Oprah, and the silencing of Black women survivors50 Cent, Oprah, and the silencing of Black women survivors
Culture

The rapper is accusing Oprah of “going after Black men” like Russell Simmons. He’s minimizing violence against Black women.

By Shanita Hubbard
Culture
Juice Wrld helped define Soundcloud rap through vulnerability, debauchery, and mortalityJuice Wrld helped define Soundcloud rap through vulnerability, debauchery, and mortality
Culture

The 21-year-old was, more than anything, just trying to relate.

By Allegra Frank
Culture
“That’s not the truth, Ellen”: How Dakota Johnson won her birthday feud against Ellen DeGeneres“That’s not the truth, Ellen”: How Dakota Johnson won her birthday feud against Ellen DeGeneres
Culture

Ellen DeGeneres said Dakota Johnson didn’t invite her to her birthday. This was a big mistake.

By Alex Abad-Santos
Culture
Taylor Swift (and her fans) won a battle in her war against Scooter Braun and Big Machine Label GroupTaylor Swift (and her fans) won a battle in her war against Scooter Braun and Big Machine Label Group
Culture

Taylor Swift can sing Taylor Swift songs at the American Music Awards, if she wants to.

By Alex Abad-Santos
Culture
Taylor Swift’s feud with her old record label has entered a new and messy public phaseTaylor Swift’s feud with her old record label has entered a new and messy public phase
Culture

Taylor Swift says Scooter Braun and Scott Borchetta won’t let her perform her old hits on TV.

By Constance Grady
Culture
In Charlie’s Angels, Kristen Stewart makes a case for herself as our new Hollywood ChrisIn Charlie’s Angels, Kristen Stewart makes a case for herself as our new Hollywood Chris
Culture

Kristen Stewart genderqueers the Chris archetype in her new movie.

By Constance Grady
Culture
Why Kanye’s new spiritual work keeps borrowing from James TurrellWhy Kanye’s new spiritual work keeps borrowing from James Turrell
Culture

Meet the artist whose work explains Kanye’s new aesthetic.

By Constance Grady
Culture
How Lana Del Rey’s career explains a huge shift in the way we think about pop starsHow Lana Del Rey’s career explains a huge shift in the way we think about pop stars
Culture

In 2012, people called Lana Del Rey a fake. Now they call her one of the best pop stars of her generation.

By Constance Grady and Alex Abad-Santos
Culture
Harvey Weinstein’s night out looks a lot like the groundwork for a comebackHarvey Weinstein’s night out looks a lot like the groundwork for a comeback
Culture

Weinstein’s been going out in public a lot lately.

By Constance Grady
Culture
Kanye’s Jesus Is King feels unfinished. But it’s still worth hearing.Kanye’s Jesus Is King feels unfinished. But it’s still worth hearing.
Culture

Kanye West’s new album is brief and underwhelming, despite the build-up.

By Allegra Frank
Culture
Kanye West’s turn toward spirituality, explainedKanye West’s turn toward spirituality, explained
Culture

Here is what is going on with Kanye West right now — including the domes, the new album, Sunday Service, and whether it’s a cult — and how it all fits together.

By Constance Grady
Culture
Gina Rodriguez apologizes, amid backlash, for saying the n-word on InstagramGina Rodriguez apologizes, amid backlash, for saying the n-word on Instagram
Culture

The fiasco is part of a larger pattern for the Jane the Virgin star.

By Aja Romano
Culture
Ellen DeGeneres, George W. Bush, and the death of uncritical nicenessEllen DeGeneres, George W. Bush, and the death of uncritical niceness
Culture

Ellen built her brand on being nice to anyone, even George W. Bush. That brand might not be viable now.

By Constance Grady
Culture
Jennifer Lopez’s bodyJennifer Lopez’s body
Culture

We’ve been talking about Jennifer Lopez’s body for over 20 years. Here’s how Hustlers changes that conversation.

By Constance Grady
How Reese Witherspoon became the new high priestess of book clubs
Culture

Oprah who?

By Constance Grady
Culture
How Sean Spicer’s Dancing With the Stars debut became a culture warHow Sean Spicer’s Dancing With the Stars debut became a culture war
Culture

The real winner of Dancing With the Stars’ Sean Spicer controversy is Dancing with the Stars.

By Alex Abad-Santos
Why we are in danger of losing Aaliyah’s voice
Culture

The seismic reckoning around R. Kelly shouldn’t change how we view Aaliyah’s art.

By Julian Kimble
Culture
How the Taylor Swift-Kanye West VMAs scandal became a perfect American morality taleHow the Taylor Swift-Kanye West VMAs scandal became a perfect American morality tale
Culture

The fraught legacy of the 2009 VMAs, explained.

By Constance Grady
Culture
Here’s how to listen to Lover, Taylor Swift’s latest albumHere’s how to listen to Lover, Taylor Swift’s latest album
Culture

Taylor Swift kept Reputation off streaming services for a month after its release — but with Lover, she’s embracing streaming.

By Constance Grady
Culture
Billie Eilish, the neo-goth, chart-topping teenage pop star, explainedBillie Eilish, the neo-goth, chart-topping teenage pop star, explained
Podcast
Culture

From SoundCloud to Coachella, Eilish has paved her own path to become a generational icon.

By Charlie Harding
Culture
With “Lover,” Taylor Swift shows she can still write a perfect love songWith “Lover,” Taylor Swift shows she can still write a perfect love song
Culture

“Lover” is the first song Taylor Swift has written by herself since 2014’s “This Love.”

By Constance Grady
Culture
Cardi B and Bernie Sanders’s video, and her longstanding interest in politics, explainedCardi B and Bernie Sanders’s video, and her longstanding interest in politics, explained
Culture

The 77-year-old Vermont senator and 26-year-old Bronx rapper met in a Detroit nail salon to talk police brutality, the economy, and health care.

By Emily Stewart and Tara Golshan
Culture
Taylor Swift’s explanation for not endorsing Hillary Clinton actually makes a lot of senseTaylor Swift’s explanation for not endorsing Hillary Clinton actually makes a lot of sense
Culture

It’s also extremely image-savvy.

By Constance Grady
Culture
Woodstock 50 was shaping up to be the next Fyre Fest. Now it’s been put out of its misery.Woodstock 50 was shaping up to be the next Fyre Fest. Now it’s been put out of its misery.
Culture

The anniversary event is canceled after months of disastrous setbacks.

By Allegra Frank
Culture
Taylor Swift’s new single, “Archer,” is Swift at her most intimate and vulnerableTaylor Swift’s new single, “Archer,” is Swift at her most intimate and vulnerable
Culture

Why fans are excited about the mythic “track 5” on Taylor’s forthcoming album, Lover.

By Constance Grady
Culture
Scarlett Johansson defends her desire to play any person, any race, or “any tree” she wantsScarlett Johansson defends her desire to play any person, any race, or “any tree” she wants
Culture

The Avenger blamed the criticism she received for playing marginalized people on “political correctness.”

By Allegra Frank