Take a trip with me for a moment. I want you to envision a world where your celebrity best friend and her amazing (to her) on-off boyfriend broke up a few days ago. Everyone found out about it yesterday. They’ve broken up before, but this seems pretty final (at least for now). He even hired a moving truck to clear his things out of her home. She’s devastated but is remaining silent to the public and laying low. Would you think it was a great idea to announce your engagement on the very same day the world found out about your friend’s breakup?
This is the scenario currently playing out with Allison Williams and her BFF, Katy Perry. I actually made up the part about Katy being devastated, but it’s probably true. Even if Katy was the one who broke up with John Mayer, he must have driven her to it. No one plays the ring game and ends a relationship in the same month and is happy about it. So it seems insensitive to me how Allison has announced her engagement to her hipster-man of three years, Ricky Van Veen. He’s the co-founder of CollegeHumor and runs an associated production company. Ricky is also pretty tight with John. I included a photo of all four of them (at the Grammys last year) at the bottom of this post. Here’s Allison’s engagement announcement from People:
Allison Williams may play a struggling single on TV, but in real life she couldn’t be more in love: She’s engaged!
The 25-year-old Girls star is set to wed her boyfriend of three years, Ricky Van Veen, her rep confirms to PEOPLE exclusively.
The daughter of NBC news anchor Brian Williams met the College Humor co-founder through mutual friends and told Glamour earlier this month that she would “walk away from” her career in order to have kids.
“I’d love to be a mom — and not have to bring my kids into my trailer … Or a balance [of both],” said Williams, who plays Marnie on the hit HBO show. “But you’ve [got to] call it on the fly to a certain extent.”
[From People]
Like I’ve already said, this seems a little bit rude on Allison’s part. Don’t get me wrong — I’m happy for this couple and hope they enjoy a long and healthy marriage. Allison has dropped hints about wanting to be a mom who can walk away from her “career,” so she’s probably looking forward to that. Still … I can’t believe she’d release a statement to People on the very day that her BFF is crying into her Cheerios. That’s cold. Am I reading too much into this?
Photos courtesy of WENN
Meh, just because a relationship ends doesn’t mean the world stops, Katy’s friend is allowed happiness. And if Katy could find a non-douche maybe she’d have happiness as well. I dunno, maybe I’m just a b-tch.
Plus, it might take a little focus off of Katy’s failed relationship.
Don’t think this girl is famous enough for that to happen. This won’t be news by the end of the day.
That’s what I thought — it’s hard to go through a break-up in the public view, so maybe this is a way for Katy to be able to go through the ugly, crying, eating part of the breakup in private until she’s ready to get out there looking fab.
Also, Ricky and John were the ones that were friends. I have no doubt that Katy and Allison got close, but in those scenarios you usually end up siding with the friend you came into the relationship with.
This happened with two of my friends recently- they got engaged while two other close friends broke up with long term boyfriends… And they just had to deal. It’s about being happy for your friebd
Yes, you are reading too much into it! I don’t see a problem with it, it’s not like they are on the same level – fame-wise! This thing with Katy will be everywhere for next few months and we have been there 2 times allready!
Katy has already been married, so let Alison have her time to shine.
Also, I had no clue they were friends.
Yeah. Didn’t know they knew each other. It seems like they have zero things in common apart from being both incredibly lucky and over rated for the success they’re having in their respective fields without having an actual talent.
Touché!
DAMN. tru story, but way harsh tai. lol
If anything i think they are friends but only because of the guys being tight but not this BFF spin
Hahaha- yes.
Is this a new rule? I can’t get engaged, have a baby, break up, get divorced, buy a puppy or whatever if something else has happened to someone in my life?
It’s called LIFE. Things happen. Even deaths don’t stop people from living and doing things.
This is kinda extreme.. rude? or was this just to give Allison more media coverage and get people talking about her? She is not interesting and while I see her on Girls, I forget her as soon as she leaves the screen. I sometimes nod off while she is ON screen she is so boring.
Of course you can’t control these coinciding events, but you can control the announcement of them. My best friend invited her family and her husband’s over so they could announce that she was expecting her first child. There was great celebration and joy in the air…until her sister, who could never stand to be out of the spotlight, decides to announce that she and her douche bag boyfriend have been secretly married for two years. Thud.
I’m not sure what her motive was here, perhaps what you said, but if you can, I think you should try to be sensitive about these things. As I said below, though, for all we know, she talked to Katy about it and Katy said go ahead.
I’m also thinking, if they’re such good friends, chances are she talked to Katy Perry before she announced.. no? And if not, then they’re probably not as close as the media has made them out to be.
That’s what I was thinking. Maybe she asked Katy and was told don’t be silly, go ahead.
yes, it is insensitive. She could have easily waited a week or something.
It always surprises me how insensitive people can be. One of my best friends had a miscarriage this weekend (of what was a very expected and desired first pregnancy) and on the day after one other friend was filling her Facebook with her pregnancy news and bragging of having one more child and being a full happy family. I understand people are excited about something and really want to share, still I don’t get the insensitivity.
I am so sorry for your best friend. Not to be rude, but did the other friend (the one posting on facebook) know about the miscarriage? If she did, I can see the insensitivity and that’s quite horrible to do that so soon after that weekend. If she didn’t know, then you can’t label her insensitive. I only say this because my sister-in-law miscarried a few years ago and the day my brother told us she miscarried (also first and very wanted pregnancy), my cousin’s girlfriend was announcing her pregnancy. Only my immediate family knew my sister-in-law was pregnant or that she miscarried, so my aunt (cousins, etc.) had no idea they were essentially flaunting the pregnancy in my sister-in-law’s face as she was dealing with the loss. On the outside, it looks pretty insensitive but really, it was merely ignorance. They didn’t know. It was just horrible timing.
That is an extremely insensitive and bitchy thing to do. Sounds like she is bragging about her “perfect life” that she portrays on Facebook to add salt to the wound of your friend who miscarried. Some people love showing off their life on Facebook even if they know it makes other people feel bad, especially in this case where her friend just miscarried and is grieving.
@ amurph: Unfortunatelly she knew it. She had just given her condolences the day before. Of course if she wouldn’t have known then she couldn’t do anything about it. I just felt like the timing was odd and unnecessary. I guess it doesn’t relate at all with to the story here but it just triggered my memory of this. I really found it a bit distasteful if people can’t respect the grief of someone, specially a friend.
That is extremely insensitive of your friend, minime, but I think that’s a whole different level than celebrity relationships. People don’t take on-off relationships like John/Katy seriously in my circle of friends, who have broken up more than once already, and I don’t think even celebrities have hope for each others’ relationships. I don’t think it can compare to the loss of a very wanted and awaited first child.
I could never go past the first few episodes of ‘Girls’. I don’t want to sound shallow but every single person in that show is beyond ugly. Especially the boys. And Lena Dunham. She’s not even that ugly..it’s more about her dumb face espressions and the fact she can’t act for s**t. It’s depressing. Allison looks like the most beautiful woman there, but also the least interesting, while in the real world she is just a normal cute girl, very vanilla, but cute.
I don’t see the appeal in that show, to me the writing seems sloppy and lazy and I could never understand the direction it was taking. As if the writer had no originals idea and just started writing randomly hoping something funny might come along. And it never did.
But – IT Crowd Roy is on it!
I actually have never watched Girls, and the only reason I’d consider it is because of Chris O’Dowd.
Nevermind, it’s only for 5 episodes I guess. Interest lost.
Side note…I had no idea Chris O’Dowd was in Thor 2. I’ve loved him since IT Crowd (I could watch the red door episode 43957498573 times), and so I get giddy whenever I see him. I was excited to see him in it, if even for a minute 🙂
Her fiance is quite cute! Good for her.
See, I think her fiance looks like her father……
I don’t see it but then again BriWi also rather handsome.
I’m so sad she is the spawn of Brian Williams. I LOVE Brian Williams! He is so funny and smart and wry and cool for a Dad. Where did SHE come from? Am I missing her great, fun, quirky, original, smart personality?
If the current generation of celubuspawn have shown us anything it’s that when you have nepotism you don’t need personality. Or talent. Or education. Or looks normally required of a model. Or good manners. You get the drift…
If I was Katy Perry’s BFF I would be sick of her relationship drama. Date John Mayer once? Shame on you. Date him three times??? Well, you are just an idiot and I’ll announce my engagement whenever I want.
Oops, just said something similar below. I had a friend who was a nice woman, but ALWAYS with the drama. That puts a strain on people who have their own lives and problems. You definitely run out of energy when you are advising, no advice is ever heeded, and you hear the same things over and over.
If it was an on again off again thing, everyone around Perry probably had relationship drama exhaustion. The relationship was probably on death’s door anyway, and not a shock. Like someone above said, life goes on. If hse would have waited, there would have been speculation about a ring and why is she hiding it and all that. For all anyone knows, she may have held back the announcement.
I agree with you. My best friend went through an on again off again thing for YEARS with a guy who clearly was not suited for long term commitment. I played the supportive best friend role for a long time, but by the time they broke up for good I just did not care anymore. I’m not really feeling too bad for Katy Perry in this situation.
I’m with you both! It’s not freakin’ Goldie and Kurt, you know? It was s sh!t show from the start and Allison probably wouldn’t be surprised to hear of them hooking up again. Also, since she’s far less famous than Katy, who’s to say she didn’t announce first and had no idea? I thought Rhianna was BFFs with Katy, anyway.
I had a friend who broke up and got back together with his deflowerer so many times nobody could muster sympathy for him any longer. By the time they got engaged there had been so much drama nobody could stand either of them enough to warn them not to do it, and the wedding was kind of a sad, weird event. Neither of them really laughed, and only smiled once or twice outside of posing for photos.
I have a hard time separating Allison from her character, Marnie (who is loathsome).
They all are.
the same here…
I have always thought Allison Williams was a little boring looking, but she looks absolutely gorgeous in these photos. Her skin looks amazing.
Same here. She looks gorgeous here.
I think she’s beautiful, especially her skin, but I can’t not think of Amanda Peet when I look at her.
That’s who she reminds me of! I couldn’t pull the name out.
What makes this dude a hipster? He looks like a big nerd to me.
Some people can no longer tell us apart. *sniff*
Yeah, everyone under 30 is being called a hipster these days…I have nothing against nerds btw.
Alison and her fiance look like they’re related – google it!
I love Ricky Van Veen. Didnt know they were dating
I don’t see any problem with it. Besides, KP might not want too much media attention on her break-up and might be happy that Allison’s engagement gets some press attention away from her. Although I’m not sure how much people care about her anyways.
When I was a teen, a friend of mine got pregnant and had an abortion while her much older half-sister had been going through painful and unsuccessful fertility treatments for years. THAT was some awkward timing…
I read some blinds about the Perry/Mayer break up and they’re pretty interesting and I actually believe them.
do tell and save me the investigating time.
If you check out Blind Gossip you can get a a clearer picture but there were a few of them that were ‘solved’ yesterday so they were spread out over time but one stated that she and Brand divorced because she drank and partied too much and her parents even thought sober Brand would be a good influence on her but that didn’t work so they divorced. She was also talking to and seeing Mayer before her divorce was final. After the divorce she kept the partying up and at first Mayer was ok with it but he became over it at some point and told her she needed to stop the drinking and partying. She was telling everyone he was going to propose and was wearing fake rings to make the media think she was but Mayer had told her there would be no proposal unless she got herself together. She didn’t but kept pushing the engagement so he called off the relationship. It makes sense because just weeks ago she was out with the ring and I just don’t see how she goes from that to kicking him to the curb in a matter of weeks.
A true friend is happy for you regardless of their own circumstances. I think its ridiculous to shade Allison because of a (third) break-up. Life goes on.
I don’t know, very different types of relationships. Solid, traditional three-year-long relationship vs. drama, hijinks, and an on-off relationship of much shorter duration. I don’t see any reason why the former shouldn’t enjoy her engagement, pronto.
In normal circumstances, this would seem insensitive, but we all have no idea what is really happening in these people’s lives.
Nevertheless, with all the baby talk … Maybe she’s just pregnant? That would explain a lot,
It’s possible the engagement announcement was sent to People a day or so earlier and then the breakup happened, or it’s possible they aren’t BFFs. Or like others said, she doesn’t want to hide her own happiness because her friend has constant drama.
You may be right. I would think an engagement announcement would be planned in advance, but a 3rd breakup would be leaked.
What sort of a name is rick Van Veen. Is it real or his porn star name?