Lena Dunham didn’t get engaged on NYE: ‘We don’t want to be basic’

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Here are some photos from last night’s NYC premiere event for Season 4 of Girls. I’m including mostly photos of Lena Dunham, but there are some pics of Zosia Mamet, Jemima Kirke and Allison Williams too. Zosia wore McQueen (that’s kind of my favorite look of all the girls), Allison wore this completely boring Monique Lhuillier Pre-Fall 2015 and Lena wore a Creatures of the Wind Spring 2015 dress which… sigh. I mean, it’s not the worst thing she’s ever worn, for sure. Lena would look worlds better if she simply carried herself like a professional actress working a red carpet, you know? Shoulders back, head up, no slouching, no pulling a face. Instead we get Lena slumped over and making her stupid open-mouthed “sexyface” (which is the worst, IMO). Something nice: I do appreciate the fact that her hair is back to brown. It looks so much better than the blonde or the green (Jesus!!). The cut looks much better too.

Meanwhile, did you know that Lena is desperate to change the subject off of whether or not her book is full of lies and “funny stories” about her inappropriate behavior with her sister? Thankfully, Lena’s thirst is well-developed, and she’s an expert at creating conversations about her personal life. She posted some Instagram photos in which seemed to be wearing a diamond engagement ring, which led to many sites wondering aloud if Lena had gotten engaged to Jack Antonoff over the holidays. Thankfully, this speculation came just before the red carpet for the Girls premiere, so Lena got to talk to People about the engagement rumors (see how that works?).

The Internet was in a tizzy last week when Lena Dunham was snapped wearing a ring on that finger – but the Girls star and producer isn’t engaged!

“We have friendship rings. They’re a stack of three. We both wear them on that finger for some reason – that’s the finger they fit on – and those are our friendship rings,” Dunham’s friend (and co-executive producer) Jenni Konner told reporters at the Girls Season 4 premiere in N.Y.C. Monday night.

“When they announced that she was wearing an engagement ring, I was like, ‘Yeah, to me!’ ” Konner joked.

Added Dunham: “Yeah, we’re engaged to continue to work together for the rest of my life.”

This isn’t the first time there have been engagement whispers about Dunham and longtime boyfriend Jack Antonoff, and the Girls guru – who kept her hands noticeably jewelry-free on Monday – couldn’t help but wonder why that particular ring caught everyone’s attention.

“It’s funny, I have a ring that my boyfriend gave me that I wear on my right hand, and like, clearly nobody gives a s— about – it’s like a diamond!” said the Not That Kind of Girl author.”And everybody was like, ‘Let’s ignore that diamond and focus on this stack of three rings.’ I definitely had a feeling, like, ‘Slow news day, dudes?’ ”

And Dunham says the speculation in the media and on social media even (almost!) caused some momentary drama with her Bleachers rocker boyfriend’s family.

“My boyfriend … was like, ‘My mom called asking if we’re engaged?’ She has a Google Alert on him,” Dunham explained.

“I also just want to say, if we’re going to get engaged, we would be more creative than to do it on New Year’s Eve,” she added, before quipping: “We don’t want to be basic.”

[From People]

I mean… it’s funny that Lena thinks she’s successfully avoiding being “basic” right? LOL. Anyway, the rings did their job and Lena got to steer the conversation exactly where she wanted, and she got to throw some shade on all the basic bitches who get engaged on New Year’s Eve (peasants!!!). Lena’s work is done here.

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Photos courtesy of WENN, Fame/Flynet.

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122 Responses to “Lena Dunham didn’t get engaged on NYE: ‘We don’t want to be basic’”

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  1. msw says:

    How delightfully pretentious.

  2. Lucy2 says:

    You know, I kind of enjoyed her radio silence when everyone was grossed out by her book. But I guess her desperation for attention won out.
    I will say that’s one of the more flattering dress is she’s worn, but wtf is on her back???

    • Sullivan says:

      I agree about the dress. In Lena Land, that dress may best she’s ever worn.

    • littlestar says:

      Two abandoned houses haunted by the ghost of Lena’s non-existent style??? She really has the worst tattoos ever.

      • mernymerlyn says:

        I try not to knock people’s tattoos because they are usually done while young and stupid. But I agree. Me no like.

      • Marie says:

        Maybe it is one of those mad magazine fold over tattoos? Move the shoulder blades together and two houses become one house? What me worry indeed.

      • paranormalgirl says:

        I am not a fan of her tattoos. They are not that well done and there’s not enough color saturation for them to last. I guess I’m just spoiled because one of my best friends is a really good tattoo artist and she’d done a lot of my work. My other work is by really good artists, too. I don’t mind the imagery of her work, it’s fine and personal to her, but it’s going to need touch up work sooner rather than later.

      • Norman Bates' Mother says:

        Well done tattoos are so basic, don’t you know? Only peasants want something that will stay on their bodies forever to be pretty.

      • paranormalgirl says:

        You’re right. What WAS I thinking? I’m so basic. *hangs head in shame*

  3. tifzlan says:

    But you’re the most basic lady ever already. Like, if you were mayonnaise, you wouldn’t even be Hellman’s, just generic store brand. That’s how basic you are, Lena.

    • QQ says:

      *cackles* Walmart’s Great Value Brand Mayo

      That said: a Client had The audacity of asking me that sh!t Yesterday and all I could reply and keep it polite was: Um.. we’re not those people… also it won’t be a flash mob

      • Willa says:

        I bought Great Value lunch meat from Wal-Mart,( ham) and it was gross, looked grey and smelled bad. So I now refer to Wal-Mart brand as Grey Value. That’s what Lena Dunham is, GREY VALUE.

      • Abbott says:

        Eww Walmart lunch meat?? Girl, get your deli meats from Sky Mall like a normal person. 😉

      • snowflake says:

        @ Abbott

        what’s a Sky Mall? never heard of it

      • Abbott says:

        What?! Never heard of Sky Mall? Where do you buy your Italian Armor Sculptures?

        Sky Mall is that fancy magazine found in the airplane seat pocket when your neighbor is in the full and upright position. You can buy anything from a pierogie ornament to a replica of King Tut’s throne.

      • Mary says:

        Pierogi ornament?

        *slinks off to check Skymall online*

    • MonicaQ says:

      I was just saying the other day she’s like the Big Lots version of Lady Gaga trying to be intellectual.

    • Ash says:

      lmao Walmart brand. her tattoos are hideous and she always has a look on her face that makes me wanna punch the weirdo

  4. Maria says:

    well her little trick worked but luckily we have the internet and the internet doesnt forget. she hopefully wont recover from what she did and jockingly wrote about. who could take her serious on those issues again?

  5. samanthalous says:

    I’m happy to be a basic person who doesn’t lie about being raped or molesting my sister.

  6. Ellie66 says:

    Ugh she reminds me of a girl in 3rd grade who always picked her nose and examined the umm findings. Soooooo gross! Lol!

  7. Sayrah says:

    I wish I were as cool as Lena @@

  8. Molly says:

    Allison Williams is too thin. She looks bug-eyed and haggard, and it makes her teeth/mouth look even more cartoonish than usual.

    • qwerty says:

      Scrolled down to find this comment. She looks sick, even skinnier than the last time I saw her I think

  9. Kitten says:

    She’s gross but that tattoo is mesmerizing…it’s really illustrative and unique–and this is coming from someone who hates tattoos.

    Some hipsters try so hard to avoid being basic that they unintentionally exemplify a kind of hipster homogeny. Too bad she doesn’t see how very boring and predictable it is.

    • Maria says:

      she doesnt even get that she herself is controlled by the mainstream. it does not matter if you exactly do what the mainstream does or do the exact opposite you are stil orientating yourself by whats mainstream. true cool people do whatever they want if its a trend right now or if people frown upon it.

      • Kitten says:

        Exactly. As soon as you’re the creator of a hit TV show, your success is entirely dependent upon mass appeal.
        She’s simply not as unconventional as she thinks she is.

      • Misprounced Name Dropper says:

        It’s called fashionable non-conformity.

    • Angelalala says:

      @Kitten, agreed on the tattoo! It reminds me of Haiyo Miyazaki.

  10. MonicaQ says:

    Her tattoo work is from the 9th level of hell, right by Satan chewing on Cassius, Brutus, and Judas. Ugh. You’re freakin’ famous and you have no time to get it touched up or find a decent artist?

    • Msmlnp says:

      Her tats are a whole seasons worth of Americas Worst Tattoos.

    • AntiSocialButterfly says:

      All that blue ink on her pallid skin does her no favors aesthetically. Also, it looks like someone became terribly bored and doodled on her with a ball point pen. Or that she is terrifyingly vein- y.

    • Wren says:

      I really like her Ferdinand tattoo, but the houses on her back look off to me. The perspective is wonky and while I appreciate a good sketchbook-looking vibe, they just look like scratchers. Like the artist didn’t know how hard to press and the result is a weird faded sort of homemade look.

      • Kitten says:

        I posted above-it’s a replica of an illustration from Eloise.

        I guess I’m not one to judge as all tattoos are pretty awful to me, but I’ll take her children’s book illustrations over a cheesy tribal tattoo or a butterfly or whatever any day.

  11. bettyrose says:

    Hey Lena- Buzzfeed has a quiz just for you.

  12. JH says:

    I think using the word basic is becoming very basic.

    • Amy Tennant says:

      I agree

    • Wren says:

      Very.

      And I’m not even sure why it’s supposed to be a bad thing. Some things are popular for a reason.

      If we’re using it as a synonym for “boring” or “predictable” or “typical”, well, she’s nothing if not those things (as are the rest of the boring, predictable idiots trying so hard to be different and making sure they tell you about it so you know how different and cool they are) so I’m not sure where she gets off here.

  13. Racer says:

    Well….its like when people ask me how was my christmas and I say I don’t celebrate christmas and when they ask why my reply is “an open mind is a beautiful mind” There is something very mind numbing about people who aspire to live in cookie cutter houses on a cul-de-sac in the suburbs, get married and have babies. Its like acceptable invasion of the body snatchers. Everyone does that, do something different!

    • bettyrose says:

      Huh. You sound just like my parents but they were the sixties generation.

    • Maria says:

      do you own a toilet, racer? like us common folks? are you spending free time on gossip sites like everyone does? do something different!

      • lrm says:

        @maria LOL
        True, and christmas is the version you want it to be….
        It may be open minded for one person to not celebrate it, but that doesn’t mean all people experience christmas the same. exact. way. And all people who aspire to a house in the burbs with kids are not bodysnatched. I mean, point taken @Racer, but again-your rebellion against status quo is only so far as it helps you in your own life. To each, a definition of his/her own. Christmas is a great time for magic, joy and brightness for some people, for others religious, for still others it’s about a vacation, etc etc. Gift giving/generosity of spirit and consumerism can be mutually exclusive in my experience, too.

      • Kitten says:

        This.

        Christmas for my family is about drinking too much champagne and playing Trivial Pursuit until someone cries.

      • bettyrose says:

        Kitten.. make room for one more at your next drunken Xmas trivia showdown! 😉

    • sketches says:

      Aww honey, you’re adorable. In the way that my 14-year-old niece is adorable. By which I mean exhausting.

    • Ag says:

      isn’t forced non-conformity conformity after all?

    • SamiHami says:

      Maybe some things are commonplace for a reason. As in, some like the idea of a comfortable, secure home and family, living among neighbors with similar values and lifestyles. There’s nothing wrong with that. It’s not “mind numbing.” It’s simply people building lives that they enjoy.

      It’s pretty insulting to call one lifestyle “mind numbing” simply because it’s not the one you chose. It’s a big world; lots of room for everyone to live they way they prefer. No need to bash people who choose differently than you.

      And saying “an open mind is a beautiful mind” when people ask why you don’t celebrate Christmas sounds pretty condescending, too. You don’t sound very open to anything outside of your own comfort zone, actually.

      • Racer says:

        The point of my comment is to not assume that everyone celebrates Christmas. The point of my comment is to not assume that everyone wants to live in the burbs and raise a family. So yes, to ME it is very mind numbing to be immersed in a cultural that touts this lifestyle as the ideal. So yes, an open mind is a beautiful mind. Viewing a comment you don’t agree with is not an invitation to go to battle.

      • Kitten says:

        Yeah…that is the lifestyle that is touted as The American Dream and it can be slightly grating if that doesn’t really appeal to you. But if you’re secure in your own life choices, it shouldn’t be something to get defensive about.

        I enjoy and appreciate people who live an unconventional lifestyle, people who buck the trend–I find it refreshing. But my admiration for them is not an indictment of the traditional suburban, nuclear family, just like people aspiring to have the white picket fence isn’t a knock on your lifestyle.

        There’s plenty of room on this earth for different choices.

        Now I’m going to go smoke the peace pipe with Palin..

    • GoodNamesAllTaken says:

      When they ask you why you don’t celebrate Christmas, you should just come right out and say “because F you, that’s why.” It would be more honest and less annoying.

    • msw says:

      I really don’t get this comment. We make thousands, millions of choices. Isn’t railing against cliche missing the bigger picture of who people are?

  14. Ag says:

    oh, honey. “basic” would be an upgrade.

  15. mia girl says:

    I had never really watched much of Girls because I would turn it off as soon as it became annoying (hence, why I never watched much). But there was a marathon on New Years Day (how basic!) and I decided I would watch through several episodes with a more open mind.

    Let me just say, that Dunham’s try-hardness is about as basic as you can get. She tries just as hard as a Kardashian. The only difference is she tries to shock and get attention by being intellectual vs. glamorous.

    But in the end I get the same bad aftertaste from watching either program. Because Dunham and Kardashians use the the same self-indulgent, hyper-sexualized devices as entertainment. They just appraoch it from two different angles.

  16. Pamela says:

    ““I also just want to say, if we’re going to get engaged, we would be more creative than to do it on New Year’s Eve,” she added, before quipping: “We don’t want to be basic.”

    Don’t worry Lena, you aren’t basic, just a complete and total jackass.

    Has her 15 minutes of fame wrapped up yet? I simply cannot condone this level of buffonery. (a la Tommy Lee Jones)

    • paranormalgirl says:

      I got engaged on New Year’s Eve. Color me basic.

      • poppy says:

        i think there is something really nice about an essentially private event occurring when the whole world is celebrating. fireworks and champagne, people singing and hugging and kissing -all over the world for 24 hours. adds to the engagement high i would think.
        extra magical. not basic.

      • paranormalgirl says:

        It was after a really rough year for both of us and Paul proposed by saying he wanted to start the New Year off right, the way it should be. And it’s been a pretty good time since!

      • JessSaysNo says:

        I did too! I thought it was sweet and romantic, a completely private moment for us in the middle of a huge party. We loved it and I always will.

  17. Hestia says:

    I just want to go and yank her shoulders back so she’s standing up straight – there’s no excuse for bad posture!

  18. Chrissy says:

    She’s a try-hard joke. Also, she has the most god-awful style – all for attention I guess. Ugh.

  19. JessSaysNo says:

    That sounds 100% like something someone who DESPERATELY wanted to get engaged would say when he didn’t pop the question at midnight. “Umm… I didnt WANT to get engaged on New Years anyway… its SO BASIC” *tweets pic of her uggs and North Face jacket and dates a member of Fun*

    Sorry Lena, maybe next year babe!

  20. Angela says:

    I mean, she’s irritating, she’s pretentious, she’s over-hyped, but I wouldn’t describe her as basic. She is definitely out of the norm in a number of ways, especially for the entertainment world. Different isn’t always good, but it’s still different. Basic is, like, Julianne Hough.

    • InvaderTak says:

      Yeah, but she’s outside the norm in an already accepted alternative way, if that makes sense. She’s not the norm, but there’s still a big established audience out there that eats her up. She’s not groundbreaking by any standard IMO.

    • md1979 says:

      I agree with @Angela completely. “Basic” doesn’t describe Dunham. “Polarizing” is the word I would use.

      I’m reading Dunham’s book since I wanted to read the alleged ‘rape’ incident and stories about her sister in context. I think Dunham’s actually quite self-aware. She is definitely spoiled, and entitled, and whiny. But, she seems to know how bizarre and frustrating her behavior is / was, esp to her parents when she was growing up. She does write well and if anything she’s definitely not basic. In fact she’s so neurotic and complicated, it’s exhausting!

      I think Dunham was just trying to be quippy and funny saying “we don’t want to be basic.” Sheesh people make waaaaay too much out of one off-hand comment, and already there’s an Internet conspiracy about how she faked an engagement by DARING TO WEAR A RING ON *THAT* FINGER…. Even if she did try to generate publicity, celebs pull crap like that all the time people!

      Personally I think it’s great that she’s normalizing different body types and a unique sense of style. You might hate her hair / make-up / tattoos / clothes etc but at least she’s not wearing some variation of the same snoozy strapless princess dress that a million other actresses already wore, and starving herself thin.

  21. RobN says:

    I’m starting to actively hate her. It started out as just having no patience for her schtick, but it’s moved on to an almost obsessive dislike. Other actresses cozy up to her cause she’s the flavor of the month, but I always get the sense they want to wash their hands after dealing with her.

  22. InvaderTak says:

    If you’re worried about it, then guess what? You probably are. Just like the fact that you have to keep telling us how influential you are…

  23. Sixer says:

    My only question here is this. Are there ANY users of Google Alerts who are not either celebrities with alerts for themselves or mothers of celebrities with alerts for their little darlings?

  24. kri says:

    Is this a joke? She is the most basic thing I have ever seen except for Nilla Wafers (which are actaully awesome), B&tch, please. You bored me straight out of the gate. So pretentious, so special snowflake, so cringe-worthy& self-aware. Get away.

    • paranormalgirl says:

      Nilla wafers have gotten so much smaller than I remember.

    • GreenTurtle says:

      Nilla wafers are fantastic. Also, they’re not trying to pretend they’re snickerdoodles just because snickerdoodles are more unusual. Aaaaand now I’m hungry.

  25. amp122076 says:

    The open mouthed, “sexy face” makes me nuts but I don’t see it here. I actually think she looks pretty pulled together. The dress is flattering and body-appropriate, meshes well with her costars’ looks and looks generally polished. What I can get past is her make up! Blech! Side note, I also think it’s insane that the press isn’t eating her alive for lying about her sexual assault in her book – she was pretty clearly busted.

    • FingerBinger says:

      I agree about the dress. It’s very flattering and compliments her shape. I just know she’s trolling with some of the clothes she wears ,but she does look nice here.

      • md1979 says:

        I don’t know if she’s trolling. I think she just dresses oddly.

        In her book she talks about going to school wearing pyjamas and a vintage veiled hat, and all sorts of bizarre outfits like wearing children’s size 8 dresses, satin mini skirts worn as tube tops, tights instead of pants, etc. I kind of think she just puts on random stuff.

  26. j.eyre says:

    I’m doing it, I am going to just come right out and do it – I like her dress. I might even wear her dress (I would stand up straight in it, though.)

    There, BOOM! 2015 – I said something nice about Lena Dunham (in a very distance, barely connected kind of way)

    Now I must excuse myself, that exhausted me and I will probably be napping until March.

  27. OTHER RENEE says:

    This woman is so freaking pretentious on every possible level. I just can’t with her.

  28. littlestar says:

    I must be BASIC basic, because I think getting engaged on New Year’s would be pretty romantic…. :O. Cliché, but romantic.

    • GreenTurtle says:

      How dare you have an opinion widely shared by others, littlestar. Go put on your giant, muppet dress and stand in the corner until you learn to be more niche.

    • Dan says:

      It is pretty basic. Just like Christmas, birthday or valentine’s engagements. They break off so often! It’s already such a special occasion, why need to ham it up even further?

  29. tmbg says:

    *Thinks back to the days of Greta Garbo, Joan Crawford, Carole Lombard and many others*

    How does THIS pass for celebrity now? Why has the glamour been flushed down the toilet? And more importantly, does anything get better as time goes on? Seems like everything gets a little cheaper and crappier with each passing year. OK, now I sound like a fogey.

  30. Charlie'sangel says:

    I got engaged over the Holidays. If that, and respecting the personal and sexual boundaries of those close to me make me basic, I will proudly remain so. And how original to post a photo of a ring on social media to gain comments. This girl is as authentic and original as the Fashion Plate fashion that I created as a child being considered couture.

  31. Belle Epoch says:

    Will she EVER go away?

    She TRIES to look awful while at the same time getting people to pay attention to her. I’m wondering if inside she feels hateful and ugly and pasty and slumpy, and everything she does is overcompensating for that?

  32. FlowerintheAttic says:

    this bitch again?

  33. Rhiley says:

    She always looks like she is smelling her own fart.

    • GreenTurtle says:

      Huh, that can’t be true, because Lena’s farts smell like roses.

    • Other Kitty says:

      Rhiley this made me burst out laughing every time I read it….for me, this is the Comment of the Day!

  34. Veruca Salt says:

    Unpopular opinion but.. I think she was joking about the “We don’t want to be basic”, comment. I don’t think she takes herself too seriously and if she did get engaged, she wouldn’t care if it was during New Years or whatever.

    Or maybe I’m just giving her too much credit because for some unexplainable reason I cannot help but love her. Maybe because she’s so open about being a feminist and not succumbing to the stereotypical Hollywood starlet, I don’t know, I just do.

    • Charlie says:

      I’mk totally reading it as a joke.

    • md1979 says:

      I’m reading it as a joke too…. everyone needs to relax about this. Her comment wasn’t meant to be a personal scathing indictment of your, or your friend’s, special Holiday / NYE engagement.

  35. Star says:

    Worst than basic, she’s vulgar. And a hypocrite.

  36. ellesbelles says:

    I really try to not comment on people’s tattoo choices, having a few of my own and one more planned, but hers are just… I hate them. I’m not sorry to admit it. Line work is questionable, topic matter is strange, and I hate the coloring.

    I have a general dislike of her but really hate the ink work

  37. Ruth Dunbar says:

    God that last photo is a riot. She looks like she’s watching someone eat the last doughnut.

  38. JenniferJustice says:

    And being the heavy homely girl who turns to controversy and “being unique” isn’t basic? phhht.

  39. Ginger says:

    She looks better than I’ve seen her look in a while but I agree, stand up straight, look at the camera and smile dang it! Not that hard. And I have to say, I’ve never watched the show Girls, I only know Lena from the tabloids and here on Celebitchy. Does she really speak like a circa 1980’s Valley Girl all the time? And she’s supposed to be some sort of wunderkind writer? I’m going to have to throw back the “basic” shade in her direction.

  40. Sarah says:

    In the last picture she’s standing like she put a tampon in the wrong hole.

    • md1979 says:

      I think if the average normal person was photographed as often and as much as celebs, there’d be some awful photos of us too.

  41. Debutante says:

    She’s just gross and always looks like she needs to be pressure washed.
    Pretentious a $#hole. Can’t wait until she’s over.

  42. Deedee says:

    She looks better as a brunette.

  43. Other Kitty says:

    She looks like the Swamp Thing in these photos. I’ve never seen someone make herself look so purposely ugly and dumpy in public.

  44. Other Kitty says:

    I will say I DO like her dress—just not on her.