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'The Knight Before Christmas' Review: There's a Reason This Holiday Rom-Com Is So Satisfying


Vanessa Hudgens won Christmas last year with her Netflix rom-com, The Princess Switch. The film was a viral sensation, filled to the brim with the feel-good, low-stakes hijinks we’ve come to expect from our holiday movies. A sequel to that now classic is coming in 2020, but while we wait, Hudgens has another holiday flick for us: The Knight Before Christmas. And I’m pleased to report it’s very, very good.

The plot of the movie is delightfully bonkers: A knight from 1334, Sir Cole (Josh Whitehouse), time travels to present day Ohio and meets a science teacher, Brooke (Vanessa Hudgens), after she accidentally hits him with her car. The doctors think Sir Cole has a head injury, which is why they aren’t fazed when he says he’s from medieval times. They think his memory will return in time and he’ll be back to “normal.” But days go by, and Sir Cole still contests he’s a knight. Brooke starts to wonder if he’s telling the truth, until—spoiler alert—she realizes he very much is, and they live happily ever after.

Much like Amy Adams’s character in Enchanted, the humor in The Knight Before Christmas stems from Sir Cole attempting to navigate the modern world. He pulls out a sword to fight Brooke’s ex-boyfriend, calls cars “steel steeds,” is enamored with televisions (a.k.a “magic boxes that make merry”), and thinks neckties are tiny torture devices. Brooke finds Sir Cole’s naiveté endearing, though, and romance blossoms. Not much about The Knight Before Christmas is realistic, but that’s the point. It’s pure, unabashed escapism in the best way possible.

Josh Whitehouse and Vanessa Hudgens in The Knight Before Christmas.

Brooke Palmer/Netflix

“I think all rom-coms, on some level, are fairy tales, and I liked dropping the pretense and just owning it,” Monika Mitchell, the director of The Knight Before Christmas, tells Glamour.

Finding pure joy in 2019 is hard, after all, which is probably why rom-coms have become a booming business again. “I guess we all need to believe in magic a little bit more now than before,” Mitchell says. “These movies are entertainment, and that’s OK. They’re art, but they’re commercial art. They’re designed to be entertaining to the entire family so that a group of loved ones can sit together. Everyone has something in there that they can hold on to. Watching something that makes you happy is legitimate. To be happy at the end of something you invest an hour and a half of your life in is completely legitimate.”



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There's a 'Divide' Between Meghan Markle, Prince Harry, Kate Middleton, and Prince William


Royals Kate Middleton, Prince William, Meghan Markle, and Prince Harry were all seen together for the first time in a while during the U.K.’s Remembrance Day celebrations, temporarily putting rumors of a giant family feud to rest. That being said, Prince Harry did speak publicly a few weeks back about how he and his brother have had some difficult times recently. And a royals source corroborated that in a new People article. Despite the joint appearances, this source says the two main royals couples (Meghan and Harry, and Kate and William) are on “different paths.”

In reference to the Remembrance Day appearance, the source says, “Everyone was doing their duties, doing what they needed to do on behalf of the family—and that was that. But there is a divide between the four of them. It’s hard for people to digest, because everyone wants them to be such a unit.”

There’s been a rumored rift between Prince William and Prince Harry for a while now, especially after they took steps to separate their royal households. Prince Harry addressed the gossip in a recent documentary, sharing that “inevitably, stuff happens. But we’re brothers; we’ll always be brothers.”

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A source explained that the royals are “going to have to try to figure out how to be civil, but they are on different paths now.” The language is pretty similar to how Prince Harry described his relationship with Prince William: ” “We’re certainly on different paths at the moment. I’ll always be there for him and as I know, he’ll always be there for me. We don’t see each other as much as we used to because we’re so busy, but I love him dearly.”

A lot of the distance seems to be natural, not malicious, and the same goes for Kate Middleton and Meghan Markle’s relationship. Katie Nicholl, a royals expert, told Glamour that she has “never heard from my sources that there has ever been a feud or a falling-out” between the two women. “I do know that Meghan and Kate have come to an agreement to get along, to make an effort, to be amiable and warm toward each other in public,” she said. Seems like everyone is doing their best to just keep it professional.





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Demi Lovato Just Proved There's No Bad Blood Between Her and Taylor Swift


It’s not exactly surprising news, unfortunately, when two female pop stars are publicly pitted against each other. That’s pretty much a tale as old as time—and recently, both Taylor Swift and Demi Lovato have been on the receiving end of all sorts of speculation about their working relationships with other women in their field, including each other.

While rumors of a full-on feud might have been overblown, it’s been fairly clear that the two have not necessarily been buddy-buddy in recent years. Back in 2016, Lovato appeared to throw some shade at Swift in an interview with Glamour: “Don’t brand yourself a feminist if you don’t do the work,” she said at the time.

“To be honest, and this will probably get me in trouble, I don’t see anybody in any sort of squad that has a normal body,” she continued. “It’s kind of this false image of what people should look like. And what they should be like, and it’s not real.”

Then there was the Scooter Braun drama, where he purchased the masters to Swift’s earlier recordings. Swift was furious, but Lovato (a Braun client) defended him. More recently, fans thought Lovato was referencing Swift as the “reason” she didn’t attend the 2019 VMAs, which Swift opened. But the singer quickly shut that down on Twitter: “Btw.. I didn’t ‘shade’ anyone last night. My REASON for not going is because I’m literally living my dream being on Will & Grace rn so stop reaching thaaaaannnnkkssss.” (Lovato will appear in the final season of the NBC show’s reboot.)

But now, the two superstars are showing each other some genuine support with a couple Instagram shout-outs—and we’re here for it.

Lovato and Swift at the premiere of the Hannah Montana: The Movie in 2009.Jeff Vespa

Lovato took to her Instagram Stories to praise the song “Cruel Summer” from Swift’s latest album, Lover. “Life’s too short for women not to support other women…especially when women release great music,” she continued. “Great job @taylorswift.”

Demi Lovato Instagram Story
Instagram/@DDLovato



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Chris Harrison Says There's 'More to Demi's Story' on Bachelor in Paradise


Night one of Bachelor in Paradise is in the books, and it did not disappoint. But if Kristina’s words—”I am going to make Blake my bitch”—are any indication, this whole season will be a wild ride.

That’s just fine with host Chris Harrison, who thrives on the unexpected, whether it’s on the sandy beaches of Mexico or in the confines of the Bachelor mansion. Case in point: Look how well he navigated all the Bachelorette fans who were freaking out about the supposed Hannah Brown/Tyler Cameron/Gigi Hadid love triangle. (According to him, “People need to pump the breaks.”)

He’s got bigger things to worry about now that Paradise has started, and we’re not just talking about Dean’s ’70s-era mustache. Here, Harrison breaks down what happened on tonight’s premiere, what’s still to come, and when we’ll see the show’s first same-sex relationship.

Hannah Brown made an appearance in the premiere to catch up with Demi. Will we see her more throughout Paradise?

Chris Harrison: No, it’s really a specific moment and a visit when Hannah comes in. She won’t have a major role or be coming in and out throughout the season. It’s like when Becca came in for a specific reason to talk to Colton last season and then left. Hannah doesn’t have a specific role in Paradise.

Speaking of Demi, she revealed her sexuality is fluid and we know she has the first queer relationship on the show. When will that start to develop?

Chris: Yeah, it’s really interesting because obviously we teased it, so we’re talking about it. But I don’t want to spoil it for everybody. It’s also such…we did a great job of allowing Demi to tell this story, to tell her story, and it’s beautiful and amazing. I’m really proud of it. It happens sooner than later, I’ll tell you that. You don’t have to wait a long time. There’s something that happens, and there’s more to Demi’s story than just this that sets everything up. So, patience, we’ll get there. But there’s more to that story than just that relationship.

As much as the Bachelor franchise has evolved over the years, the last few seasons have really tapped into the cultural zeitgeist. What does it mean to you to see the franchise catch up to where the rest of the world is?

Chris: You kind of hit the nail on the head. And that is, this show has always been about…this is why it’s so popular and why it’s so relatable, is that you’re watching what you’re going through. That’s what makes it compelling. The show has evolved phenomenally well. And it’s not just been lately…we’re always a microcosm of what’s happening in the world. I think what’s happening in the world is really evolving quickly…conversations, lifestyle, whatever it is socially, has been mirrored on our show. I don’t think we’re the tail wagging the dog, I think it’s the other way around. I think what happens in the world ends up on our show. I love that. I like that we’re able to evolve.

Absolutely. At the end of tonight’s show, Kristina says she’s going to make Blake her bitch now. Where this is headed?

Chris: Well, clearly things don’t get better for Blake. To put in a Paradise reference, it’s not smooth sailing for him for quite some time. But then again, he created all these waves. Now he’s going to have to deal with it. Things continue to get rough and evolve and things continue to blow up for Blake. You’re going to see other relationships take shape as well rather quickly this season.



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Unwanted Sexual Attention at Work Is Down Amid #MeToo Movement, But There's a Catch


The #MeToo movement shook Hollywood, the media, and high-powered corporations across America, but questions remain about its ramifications in other industries and professional work spaces. Now, new research published in the scientific journal Plos One indicates there might be some measurable changes in the workplace as a result of #MeToo: In the group interviewed, reports of sexual coercion and unwanted sexual attention in professional settings decreased since the movement took off. But not without some other (perhaps related) side-effects.

Researchers first talked to 250 working women in the U.S. in 2016 and asked questions about the gender harassment, unwanted sexual attention, and sexual coercion faced at their jobs. The researchers conducted a second survey in September 2018, reconnecting with women from the first group to see how their experiences had changed as conversations around #MeToo evolved. The researchers found that 25 percent of women reported being sexually coerced at work in 2016, but that number declined to 16 percent in 2018. Unwanted sexual attention also dropped, with 66 percent of women reporting instances in 2016 and 25 percent in 2018.

While these data points do seem like progress, one troubling stat stands out. In this study, there was an increase in reports of gender harassment, with numbers rising from 76 percent of women in 2016 to 92 percent in 2018. The researchers attribute this to what they call a “backlash effect,” or an an increase in hostility toward women following the #MeToo moment.

“Organizations should also pay attention to gender harassment, including bullying and sexist comments about women,” the researchers wrote in the Harvard Business Review. “One woman told us she believes that women who have been empowered by #MeToo to call out inappropriate behavior have faced more hostility among coworkers. It is important that organizations are aware of this, as constant exposure to gender harassment can be just as damaging to women as the most egregious forms of sexual harassment.”

An uptick in gender harassment is even more worrisome, given research that LeanIn.Org and SurveyMonkey released a few months ago that found 60 percent of male managers admitted to feeling uncomfortable participating in common workplace activities with a woman. Those fears could affect mentorship and support for women at work, barring their opportunities to prove themselves and move up if their managers are male. Between that and the gender-based harassment that this report illuminates, it’s clear that there are still post-#MeToo hurdles to navigate, and plenty of work to be done on the part of employers and work organizations.



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There's Nothing Weird About Owning a Cat


If cats have nine lives, then it’s fitting that Susan Michals, the founder of CatCon—the largest cat convention—has had almost as many careers. From farm life as a kid to the publishing world as an adult, Michals was a writer for Vanity Fair and The Wall Street Journal, and a segment producer for E!. But something was missing, and in 2014, Michals created Cat Art Show to bridge the gap between animal lovers and art/culture.

Shortly thereafter Michals launched the first ever CatCon, quit her job as an entertainment journalist, and devoted her career to serving a community of pet lovers often overlooked. At last years CatCon, more than 500 felines were adopted and nearly $200,000 raised for charities across Southern California. Now, as the convention celebrates its fifth year this weekend in L.A., Michals is hoping to eventually expand globally and shine a light on cat lovers everywhere.

In doing so, she also hopes to dispel the stereotype of the ‘cat lady’ and why it’s finally cool to be a cat owner.

Susan’s cat, Miss Kitty Pretty Girl

Erica Danger

I was in my 30s when I got my current cat, a Maine Coon. In the words of Kelly Clarkson’s song, we’re both “Miss Independent.” She’s the only cat in the house, though she does have a canine sib, Buddy. But early on when I told people I thought about getting two cats, they would say, ‘Oh, no, no, no, no! You’re going to be at cat lady.’

Mind you, I didn’t fit the ‘stereotype’ of what people think of as a cat lady—the middle-age, homebody spinster. I had a boyfriend at the time, I was a supervising producer at E! working on shows including Keeping Up with the Kardashians and Live from the Red Carpet. I wasn’t headed towards Grey Gardens country or Miss Havisham from Great Expectations. Or Dr. Eleanor Abernathy (a.k.a Crazy Cat Lady) from The Simpsons for that matter. I hear that one all the time.

When people would say don’t get another cat, I would respond with, ‘What the fuck is wrong with you?’ They’d say, ‘Well, if you don’t have a boyfriend and you have a lot of cats, you might scare guys away.’ It was insinuated you become less appealing the more cats you have. But I don’t hear people saying someone is a crazy dog lady. Perhaps it has to do with the stereotype of the crazy cat lady that has been perpetuated and evolved through hundreds of years of history when cats were associated with witches. It’s funny because people can be crazy happy, crazy beautiful, crazy artsy, but unfortunately when you put that next to cat lady, it develops this negative connotation.



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