One of the biggest stories last week and perhaps this week too was Toronto socialite/Duchess Meghan BFF Jessica Mulroney being outed as a racist. Jessica started a beef with a black Canadian influencer named Sasha Exeter over Exeter’s Black Lives Matters posts. Exeter did not call out Jessica or anyone specifically, but for some reason (some kind of personality disorder?), Jessica made those BLM posts all about herself. Mulroney threatened Exeter in writing, threatened Exeter’s livelihood, threatened to speak to Exeter’s sponsors and threatened to sue Exeter. When Exeter went public with these threats, Jessica Mulroney was swiftly fired/allowed to quit all of her jobs, from her I Do, Redo reality show to her appearances on Good Morning America and Cityline. We also heard from unnamed “sources” at the Daily Mail claiming that Duchess Meghan is “mortified” at being dragged into this mess, and that she’s not going to step up and defend Jessica. Entertainment Tonight had a new story on Monday making similar points:
Meghan Markle is struggling with her best friend, Jessica Mulroney’s, recent controversy. A source close to Markle tells ET that it was “painful” to learn that one of her best friends could have made such “misguided and insensitive comments.” The controversy began when, according to influencer Sasha Exeter, Mulroney “took offense” to her call to action amid the Black Lives Matter movement and used her “textbook white privilege” to send her a “threat in writing.” The source notes that Markle feels Mulroney was “so tone deaf while using her privilege to bully Sasha Exeter.”
In addition to Mulroney’s social media apology, ET has learned that, while speaking privately with Markle before the controversy became public, Mulroney apologized for her remarks, which the source calls “out of touch and disappointing.”
The source tells ET that Markle and her husband, Prince Harry, have been “listening and learning from community leaders about Black Lives Matters” amid the recent protests, noting that Markle is now embarrassed that she has been dragged into her friend’s race controversy. “Meghan and Harry have always supported policies of diversity and inclusivity,” the source says, adding that learning about Mulroney’s remarks was “hurtful.”
Sure. I mean, I didn’t believe the DM story, which had Meghan acting like this was merely a PR mistake and now she couldn’t be seen with Jessica. I think Meghan’s focus would be on the horror of realizing that her friend behaved that abominably.
Speaking of, we should talk about LaineyGossip’s long-read piece about the Mulroneys, Sasha Exeter and the Duchess of Sussex – you can read Lainey’s piece here. She knows Ben Mulroney, Jessica’s husband, more than any of the other players. She’s only spoken to Jessica a handful of times, but Lainey and Ben are coworkers and work friends, by her own description. She basically says that she’s probably going off-side with the Mulroneys and maybe she’ll be on “their list” now because of her coverage of Jessica’s racist f–kery. I can feel how nervous Lainey is to call out the Mulroneys, because of the very real damage they could do to her, her finances, her site and her job on television.
I was also interested in Lainey’s analysis of why Sasha Exeter specifically said Jessica Mulroney is “not racist.” I’ve been calling Jessica’s actions and words racist from the start, because that’s what they were. Racism isn’t just “using the n-word” and “attending MAGA Nazi rallies.” It’s using your power and privilege to bully, threaten and harass a woman of color because you believe that WOC is powerless and less-than. Jessica Mulroney bullied and threatened Sasha Exeter because she could, because Sasha triggered Jessica’s white fragility. I found this to be the most interesting part of Lainey’s piece:
So if you do want the gossip about Jessica… this is what I can tell you: the Toronto arts and media circle is pretty small so you hear things. People are afraid of retribution. I am afraid of retribution – and I guess I’ve just made it worse with this post. Retribution might not come this week or next week, but in three or six months, when Jessica’s white privilege (which is already working in her favour, since as small as the Toronto arts and media circle is, it’s also homogeneous, and many of the people who work at the media, marketing, and branding agencies are also largely white so they identify and sympathise with her) is reactivated. She has powerful allies. If I’m worried, then, and I have a platform, imagine the people out there who don’t have my advantages.
Word on the street right now is that Jessica is still watching people’s Instagram stories, paying attention to what people are saying, and people are nervous that she’s taking names and making a list. It’s also been shared on the whisper network that she’s telling those who are continuing to engage with her privately that “there are two sides to every story”, suggesting that she doesn’t feel she’s as in the wrong as she actually is.
Many of us “liked” Sasha Exeter’s post last week and we’re pretty sure that the Mulroneys are keeping track of them. On Wednesday night, when all of this was going down, I can tell you for sure that at least one email was sent out from the Mulroney camp to someone who “liked” Sasha’s post that was mildly threatening. It was an email that sent a message and this is the way the message was received and internalised: you’re on watch, so you should think about whose side you’re on.
I hope Meghan wants no part in (explicitly or implicitly) helping her friend re-establish herself in Toronto society, especially if Mulroney is planning to go after the people who criticized her. The very idea that Jessica Mulroney thinks it’s better to “keep tabs” on people criticizing her (justifiably!) rather than doing some soul-searching on her own about how she’s a racist narcissist, well…
Photos courtesy of Backgrid.
She’s truly a piece of work. And I’m so sick of seeing “misguided and insensitive comments” and other iterations of that that downplay the seriousness of this situation. This wasn’t misguided. She went at the girl, she went at her career. She acted abhorently, and ruthlessly, and it seems she’s only continuing further down that path.
I honestly hope I don’t see her overinflated lips and oompa loompa tan on television for anything other than criticism of her behaviors. I don’t WANT to see her on another show – she’s shown that she’s such a terrible human being – who apparently is only thinking in terms of revenge and not remorse – that she just doesn’t deserve a public platform like she had.
Lainey was brave, and I’m proud of her for what she said. I think she wanted to say a lot more, but she knows that there will be too many scores to settle. I really hope that if anything comes of this, everyone will rally around her if they come at her career.
to be superficial, that oompa loompa tan part made me laugh so much. I really liked Lainey’s post and had the same feeling about it. I feel bad for anyone who has to, in lack of a better word, excuse themselves from being involved with Mulroney’s in any way, especially if it’s work related. That seems like an unfair bit. But I do understand her position and a need to do so. I worked with people I never had anything to do privately but we were still professionals at our jobs. I also liked the part in which she described the responsibilities that every single person needs to take when it comes to racism. Thought that was just an honest description that most are still not willing to admit. But it is crucial to do so.
And that’s just it. I have people at work that I get along with, and can have little meaningless chats with, but outside of work I’d consider us more of an acquaintance situation. I also liked that she talked about the enabling and how non-action just lets these kinds of people continue to do horrible things – I think it was a really smart way to write about it, by acknowledging that in some ways she’s part of the problem too – because at the end of the day, we’re all responsible to some degree in situations like that. If we see awful behavior and do nothing because it’s not directed at us, we’re enabling and we’re making the problem worse. I think it also did it’s job to soften some of the blowback she might have faced if she hadn’t admitted to her own less than stellar behaviors. Similar to how the women she references were saying “I’m not calling them a racist”.
Lainey was very brave because she works with Ben. She knows very well they could & probably will come after her in about three to six months. But it’s like she said, she can fight back. I hope it gives other people courage to speak up about Jessica so she can’t come back.
For Lainey to be worried about repercussions tells you a lot. It will be interesting to see if others come out with their own stories. Since Jessica makes “liable” threats very often, I think that few will feel brave enough to say anything.
Yeah, that kind of surprised me, and didn’t surprise me all at once. Lainey’s a big name – she’s well known, and familiarity with her name doesn’t end at the border. Hell, I’ve drank plenty of vitamin water with her name on it! But the fact that despite all of this she’s still worried says a lot about that environment.
Ali, maybe go defend Jessica elsewhere. If that’s the read you got from that article, it’s pretty clear you have a HUGE bias in Jessica’s favor. Nothing about her article showed jealousy. And honestly, I don’t know who would ever be jealous of Jessica or Ben. They’re clowns.
@Ali, just stop with your full-throated defense of JM’s vile actions. You say the same thing on every JM article. We get it, you support racist Karens.
Lainey is just trying to protect herself. She has admitted racist behavior and now she is trying to distract from it. She has bashed Harry and Meghan many times so she is more than happy to mention Meghans name in her long story many times. These people continue to bring Meghan into this even though it has nothing to do with her.
@Ali So who is brave? Jessica the entitled bitch, who throws her nepotism and cronyism based power around and sends threatening emails to people to let them know they’re being watched and better mind their responses or risk retribution? Lainey is self made and has worked her ass off. Her jobs at CTV were earned by her, unlike Ben and Jessica, who are only employed due to their family names and connections. Jessica capitalized on her friendship with Meghan Markle and has used it as a weapon against others. Jessica is a clearly heinous human being and no amount of money spent on plastic surgery and bronzer can disguise that.
I am going to jump on to Meghan’s defense here because her name is being thrown around a lot in this mess. When MM and JM’s friendship began the power dynamics was off, MM needed JM to push herself further. Jessica had ALL the connections in TO and she was the one who introduced Meghan into the right circles and got her invites to the right parties. I am wondering how good of a friend she actually was, MM as a POC, I am inclined to wonder if any of this attitude came out towards Meghan but she put up with it because she needed the connections and just tried to explain it away? Now that she’s a Sussex I wonder if there’s some sort of Stockholm syndrome at play where MM feels like she needs to repay JM for “everything she did for her.” Again I am not a POC but we’ve read countless time where passive racists will help a POC and then the POC feels like some debt is owed back and in a strange sense explains and tried to justify to themself that the person was a friend because being accepted is fucking hard when you’re not white.
I think theres an element of both sides thats true. I suspect Jessica was, at least to begin with a very glamorous and well connected, convenient friend. I bet she opened a lot of doors for Meghan but it clearly became more than just a ‘playing the game’ type friendship. They were supposedly super close. In fact Jessica seemed very much like Meghan’s closest friend.
The behavior you describe sounds an awful lot like the “Wisteria Sister” behavior that, perhaps correctly, people hate about the Middletons. Your theory is that Meghan made friends with someone who had useful connections and she ignored a hit of light racism and privilege wielding in her quest to hoist herself up the ladder? That’s gross no matter who does it.
This may be an unpopular opinion but I have wondered since the beginning of this year who was giving Meghan such poor PR advice. Now I believe that Jessica was behind the People article that attacked Thomas Markle/letter and led to the lawsuit and I also wonder how much Jessica knew about the Sussex Royal website (which was developed in Canada). If Meghan/Harry had simply waited as the Queen had asked before releasing the website I think they could have negotiated a much stronger deal and with all of the covid stuff going on they could have slipped out as part time royals with much less criticism. This is where Kate/William’s laziness helps them because they allow the pro PR people to deal with the mess and they don’t make things worse and become irredeemably cancelled—- like how Jessica was stupid enough to threaten the lawsuit after apologizing on instagram. She should have stopped doing anything herself as soon as Sasha called her out and brought in the pros. She would have had more deniability and probably would not have been fired by all of these brands.
I don’t think Jessica really had anything to do with Sussexit. The website release etc – I think that all came from Harry. they released the website early because he couldn’t get a meeting with the Queen.
William and Kate have really bad PR people which is why the Tatler story was discussed for two weeks.
I wrote this in another post from yesterday, but wanted to reiterate it here:
The first season of Suits ran in 2011. Whatever year their friendship began, it was right before the Great Recession and at that point, very few people were discussing white privilege. Privilege, implicit bias, systemic racism are concepts that entered the public dialog later in Obama’s presidency.
During this time, homophobia was still acceptable; SCOTUS hadn’t made a ruling regarding gay marriage yet. Transphobia was never even discussed because most people considered it inherently “unnatural.” Affirmative action was still controversial; discussions re sexual violence were still fraught. The kind of racism that Jessica demonstrates was something Meghan and every other BIPOC had to – and still has to – deal with on a day-to-day basis. Judging Meghan by our understanding of racism today for a friendship which began years ago is extremely unfair, especially given the power imbalance that @Lia brought up.
How Meghan deals with Jessica’s current actions is definitely something we can evaluate by today’s standards. But judging her friendship and ambitions, which began in a completely different time, is not appropriate. To put things in further context – her friendship with Jessica coincides with a time when actresses were coerced – even expected – to enter into sexual relationships with powerful men just to protect and further their careers. We don’t condemn those women. I don’t see why we should condemn 38 year old Meghan for her 29 year old actions.
Edit – Technically 2011 was the recovery period of the Great Recession, but the economic effects were still present around the world. Regardless, my point still stands.
The thing is, even if Meghan didn’t detect any racism, Jessica is clearly the type of person who is willing to go after and tear down others for no reason. I doubt she developed this tendency overnight.
@LaraW” I have to cosign, especially this: “The kind of racism that Jessica demonstrates was something Meghan and every other BIPOC had to – and still has to – deal with on a day-to-day basis. Judging Meghan by our understanding of racism today for a friendship which began years ago is extremely unfair, especially given the power imbalance that @Lia brought up.”
I refuse to use what is generally known today about how white supremacy informs how we relate to each other to judge the way my white friends behaved even half a decade ago. It didn’t feel then that the internal discomfort certain compromises brought me outweighed the many positive aspects of my relationships. Had I distanced myself every time someone displayed white fragility or leveraged their privilege, I wouldn’t have any white friends. Which would’ve meant missing out on some otherwise amazing friendships and emotional support systems.
I just hope the commentators who are judging Meghan now remember how enlightened they are when the topic of the Duchess’s hair comes up again. Because I’m really sick and tired of seeing criticism of black hair coming from a white perspective. As black women, we shouldn’t have to subject our hair to damage or restraint to meet your standards.
re my above comment: “criticism of black hair coming from a white perspective”
I meant to say “nonblack perspective.” The nature of our hair means that we may make decisions around leaving it loose or constraining it in a variety of ways that you can’t identify with–and that’s ok. What you do need to understand though is that your judgment cause many of us to feel othered in a way that creates shame.
Stockholm syndrome? Hahaha are you serious? And megan only being friends with her to get what she wants, what does that say about megan she uses people for her own selfish needs. She should have spoken out by now.
@Erinn – Is Lainey a WOC? I have no idea as I have only visited her site once and really did not care for it as it is very hard to navigate. Until I decided to become a permanent squatter at Celebitchy for the purpose of following “Rose Who”, I really had no idea who or what “Lainey” was.
Her full name is Elaine Lui. She was born and raised in Toronto, but her parents immigrated to Canada from Hong Kong.
@BayTampaBay Lainey’s family is Chinese, she talks a lot about the experiences of being the daughter of Chinese immigrants. Some of her stories about her mother “The Chinese Squawking Chicken” are funny, but also a little mean…
In Lainey’s defense the “squawking chicken” thing refers to her mother’s Chinese astrology sign I’m pretty sure that’s the reference (from what i read years ago).
I believe she also wrote a book titled “The Chinese Squawking Chicken” about her mom. Around Chinese New Year she always brings in her mom and each day they go over different Chinese Zodiac signs (I always look forward to it). She has always been very vocal about her parents, their & her experience about living & growing up in Canada.
Lainey also has talked about being viewed as the model immigrant because she is Chinese and how that was racist too. No one is perfect, but Lainey has more than discussed the various issues regarding racism and how she has in the past done racist things herself. She also has a group of writers who are varied in gender and race so she is putting her money where her mouth is. And she has never prevented that she doesn’t make money off of gossip. She acknowledges that she had said mean things in the past and is changing her approach on a lot of it.
We are all making a million mistakes. This moment could have been “I can’t believe I interpreted the call to action to be directed at me, I must have a lot of guilt over my behavior. Regardless, what I thought Was just a bitchy moment to another woman actually carried much more racial weight. Thanks for calling me out and giving me an opportunity to be a better woman and ally. I’ll be taking some time off but encourage you all to use my absence to follow Sasha and …. (I’m not Canadian)”
Instead we got the exact opposite. Excellent role model to those little girls of hers.
Yep that would have been perfect (if she meant it)!
My hot take is to point out the very Canadian element of this story (Canadian here). Canadians are passive aggressive AS F#CK! We are known for our legendary passive aggression as a character trait. So heres what I think happened: We know that Sasha and JM are “former acquaintances.” That suggests a pretty passive aggressive undercurrent to me. Sasha’s op, which I have not seen and wish was shared more, was interpreted by narcissus herself JM as being all about her, a passive aggressive dig by a “former acquaintance.” She thought, “I’ll show her a thing or two, I’m a goddamn BROWNSTEIN AND a MULRONEY”. I have known people like this. It’s the downside to canadians being so nice. That energy has to go somewhere.
“We are known for our legendary passive aggression as a character trait.”
Say what?
Of course she’s keeping a list. That’s what women like her do. Her behaviour with Sasha is not the first time – it’s the first time she got publicly caught.
It’s definitely not the first time – AND looks like it won’t be the last time either.
I’m not surprised she’s keeping a list. I AM surprised she is actively emailing people and issuing veiled threats or however it was described. Like….one of the reasons she got “caught” was for DMing and emailing threats to Sasha. Maybe just take a break from that for a minute?
I’m not surprised. Her family power and influence is far reaching and she *knows* she’ll be just fine.
I’m equal parts baffled that she’d be so stupid and excited that she IS clearly that stupid. If she keeps acting like that it’s going to be a lot harder to explain her behaviors away.
Okay I will also out myself as being petty and say that if I were in Jessica’s shoes, I’d be keeping a list too. wouldn’t most of us? Not because I want to send threatening emails lol, but I would want to know who claimed to be my friend, and is now part of the anti-Jessica brigade, but will come back to me in 6 months time when they need or want something from me.
If she’s writing down every IG handle that likes Sasha’s post – that’s weird and disturbing. but I would definitely take note of my supposed friends.
Anti Jessica brigade? How about anti racism brigade?
Her real friends might try to help her learn some compassion, sure. If she wants to tune that out, it’s on her.
@WhoAREthese people – no, I meant anti-Jessica. For the record, I think Jessica’s actions were despicable and racist. But, not everyone thinks so. Some people “just” think she was being a bully, not a racist bully. And certainly some people who maybe were friendly with her in Toronto circles are going to distance themselves from her right now, but wont be as concerned in 6 months.
We see this all the time with canceled celebs. They take some time away and then gradually start making appearances or do an “apology” tour and people forget why they were canceled to begin with.
@Becks1 – You know, I’m petty AF too and I would do the same to see who tried to get something from me after jumping on my behind (yes, JM had it coming).
It’s one thing to be called out by friends and given a “talking to” privately, and another to have those “friends” talk Sh*t while still expecting help or special favors from that person at a later time.
I read Lainey’s post yesterday and people here seemed to find it earth-shattering and I….didn’t? To me it was more about distancing herself from the Mulroneys as much as she could, which I don’t necessarily blame her for, given the current situation, but its not earth-shattering. I also rolled my eyes at how she had to make a point about Meghan liking the spotlight or being such a celebrity or whatever.
I thought her comments about racism were more interesting and I wish people would focus on that more. the truth is that most white people ARE racist on some level, or at least we benefit very significantly from a racist system. So when people say about JM – “she wasn’t racist per se but she used her white privilege” – that’s being racist. White people just don’t like to think of it like that, because that gets too close to home. Or people say “I knew she was a bully but didn’t realize she was a racist” – its putting people into too neat of categories and falls back into the idea that to be racist, you have to basically use racial slurs.
I DO think that Lainey also makes it clear that while Jessica’s actions are white privilege in action, they’re not ONLY white privilege and that’s something a few of us have been saying since last week. It seems Jessica has acted similarly with other people so her wealth and status certainly play a role in her behavior.
Finally, for the taking names – of course they are. Obviously threatening others and the whole concept of “lying in wait” for a time to seek retribution is flat out wrong, and that part of it caught me off guard (Have you learned NOTHING Jessica?!?!?!) but of course they’re tracking how people they know are responding.
@Becks1, I co- sign yr post. 👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾
Lainey’s worried about calling Jessica a racist because she works with Ben. She clearly states in the article she fears retribution for even discussing what happened. Over the years, Lainey has evolved & has called herself out on many things she has said in the past. This had to be a difficult article to write because she knows those two are clearly watching. That has to be terrifying because she knows now she’s added to the list.
I understand that. You missed my point, which was that I appreciated how Lainey discussed the racism here.
Is Lainey pro or con Meghan or is she a fence sitter like me?
Lainey’s coverage of Meghan is…weird…and I’m not a fan of it. I think there are lots of micro aggressions in her coverage. She was one of the people so pressed over M touching her bump while pregnant.
While I thought it was a little overkill, I do think the point about how she really doesn’t know Meghan at all besides meeting her briefly one night was interesting, because so often people rely on Lainey as having true insider gossip about Meghan because THEY KNEW EACH OTHER and LAINEY IS FRIENDS WITH JESSICA MULRONEY (that last one is something that people here have been insisting for YEARS) – so shes basically coming out and saying she has no direct Sussex sources.
I do like Lainey’s coverage of the Andrew mess. She does a good job calling out the blatant hypocrisy in the coverage of him vs coverage of Meghan.
@becks1 you and I are pretty much on the same page but I think we need to look at how lainey purposefully distanced herself from the Mulroneys. Lainey claims she has no direct sources to the Sussex but we all remember the blind item she put out a few years ago about Kate snubbing Megan to go shopping. So right there we know Lainey isnt telling us the full the truth. The she claims that Ben and her are just work friends and dont socialize. Well articles she has written in the past directly dispute this. My point is, this wasnt about exposing the Mulroneys, this was about lainey saving face. She claims she scared of the Mulroneys, why? No sponsors are going to have Jessica’s back now. My guess is Ben will be quiting ctv very soon and I can guess who will replace him. I live in Toronto, I warned people about Jessica before and was called a troll and a racist. Lainey isnt a one to criticize.
@Becks1 with Lainey and the baby bump thing though, Lainey calls everyone out on it and has since her site started. It is a peeve for her. She despises bump touching and is weird about it, it is one of the things I always roll my eyes at on her site but it wasn’t specific to Meghan (but I agree the press going after her for bump touching was ridiculous)
@Smalltown – interesting, thanks for clarifying that. I’m not a regular visitor to her site other than to read the royal stories that get passed around twitter, because I do think her coverage of Andrew is very good like I said.
Co-sign on the bump holding thing. She has been critical of certain celebrities doing that for years. She did not specifically target Meghan on that one.
I think the groundbreaking part was Lainey being public about these comments relating to Jessica. Lainey is taking a huge risk because Jessica and by extension Ben and his family have a lot of power in Canada. His dad gave a eulogy at George HW Bush’s funeral, her family are multimillionaires from a shoe company. Jessica is basically Ivanka but with a family that actually had a successful business instead of scamming. (Talking about the Brownsteins here I know Brian Mulroney is sketchy). Lainey is taking on the establishment here and maybe it’s just something only Canadians can understand, but even admitting that Jessica is vindictive is going to come back to her in some circles even if it is true.
I mean I understand that aspect of it, of Lainey being worried that writing about this will have professional repercussions. And most cities have small circles of wealthy elite so even though I’m not Canadian, I can use my imagination 😉
I just didn’t think most of what she actually said was really all that new – people yesterday were like OMG LAINEY IS SPILLING ALL THE TEA and she…..didn’t? But that was just my take on it.
I disagree. I live in Toronto and have for 30 years. Yes there is elite circles but they few and far between. We dont have a strong history of nepotism and we dont value “legacies” like in America. The Mulroneys were already hated by 50% of Toronto bc of Brian and then you add the people who hated the Mulroneys after that ridiculous article in Toronto life (well worth the read especially now) and 50% went up substantially.
@ Lotus, I was born and raised in Toronto. The elite circles are not few and far between. they exist and they are thriving. They head up every bank, news/media group, and all the major universities in Toronto. You only know how far they reach when someone has purposefully shut you out and you see how tight and efficiently they work. While you are right that the Mulroneys don’t have many fans in Toronto, it’s not about that-it’s about their connections of which they have many in Toronto and I used to work for someone who was “old Toronto” money, and once you see how that set works you don’t forget it. Lainey has reason to be worried.
@hk9 we will have to agree to disagree. The CEOs of our major banks arent legacies, they dont come from connected families most are very self made people. You will note that none of the Roger’s kids are the CEOs of Rogers. I know people with old money and they dont hold any positions of power in Toronto, they just spend money. The chancellor of University of Toronto is a woman who worked her ass off to get where she is.
Lotus “they just spend money”, but there is a lot of power in that. Power in being able to have one and one on conversations with the people who are running things. Hell, I personally got into a school because my parents were able to make a direct phone call to the person who could pull the strings and I am no where near that level of money or influence. Universities absolutely listen to their donors when making decisions . The big spenders have a lot of power behind the scenes.
I agree that they have some power but in work in the corporate world I can tell you they only get so far in their jobs. I have seen the “son of (insert big name)” get a job but usually they are pretty incompetent and dont move up. A lot of the people who hold the high up jobs in Toronto arent legacies, they are usually hard working people but you are right they 100% give opportunities to friends and family members but in my experience those friends end up in the same position for a long time or get passed around laterally. I personally, in 20 years of corporate work, have seen very few (there is always an outlier) nepotism hires get very far. I dont want to name anyone specifically but Torontians will know. There are some kids of a deceased business man who work at the company he created. His son is an idiot and has very little power despite his title, it’s all for show. The daughter is extremely competent, just like her father, and is rising up in the company but wont be CEO.
@ Lotus, if you have the time and inclination, look at the clubs and associations those people belong to and look at the people who are on the board of directors. You will find the same names, the same clubs and the same schools.
@smalltown girl are you willing to share what school you got into? And how far off where you from being excepted normally?
@hk9 I get that but my point was that most of the people on these boards arent legacies, they are people who worked to get there. I cant imagine people who worked hard would choose to side with nepotism celebrities like the Mulroneys? Why risk everything you worked hard for to help rich privileged nepotism brats? I mean I could see if Brian was still in power and the Mulroneys gave those business people access to the government but now I’m not sure what the benefit would be to helping the Mulroneys now.
@Lotus, I think you’re looking for direct parent child relationships in organization (which there are lots of), it’s the relationships between people in the elite circles. The legacy is a relationship that couldn’t be had unless you had access to certain organizations. If you took a picture of most Director meetings on Bay St. it’s not your average Joe who worked hard. Joe has some kick ass Toronto connections. And please, you have to do the work, but if you went to UCC, you have to do less of it. They are not always related, but they’ve known each other for years because most of the time they were either educated together, or their families were aware of each other through those connections. Toronto elite are a quiet bunch Lotus, you don’t feel their full weight until you piss someone off.
@hk9 it’s funny you say that, I dont think any of our top bank CEOs went to UCC but you know who did go to a private school? Lainey!
@Lotus.. I’m confused. Are you saying Mulroney’s don’t have that much power?
@purplehazeforever mulroneys are “famous” but I dont think they hold as much power as people think especially after this. How much pull will Ivanka have once her dad isnt president anymore? Its basically the same.
@lotus, not the exact school, but it is a well known university. And I was a credit short. There were extenuating circumstances and I could have written an official appeal and gone through the channels and may have been accepted anyway, but my parents were able to circumvent that and make direct calls. The whole thing was settled in a couple days instead of weeks and weeks because my parents were able to get the attention of the right people. And my father spent his entire life coasting on his family money and connections.
The Mulroneys and Brownsteins are more Montreal based but they have connections in Toronto. I have seen up close what the UCC connections can do and how there is a lot of soft power out there. Take a look at the appointed judges, the managing partners at the Bay St law firms and who gets the government positions and you will see the connections, if not by blood then in the social circle.
Worth noting as well that Ben’s sister Caroline Mulroney holds a cabinet position in the Ontario provincial government and vied for conservative party leadership (coming well behind Doug Ford, but still). The Mulroneys are still a VBD in conservative political circles.
Jessica is vindictive and petty woman who has been humiliated on a global scale. So she’ll definitely want “revenge” against Sasha even though Jessica dug the whole herself. But Jessica’s connections will only take her so far. While she’s got connections in Canadian media, she doesn’t have many in international media. Therefore, Sasha will be fine if she goes the American media route.
@Ali: I wouldn’t say she’s a non-factor. She’s got a lot of eyes on her now. She won’t get excessively reported but if she launches something, I’m sure some US outlets will pick it up.
Ali do you live in Toronto? Bc I do and 100% the Toronto media does and is mentioning Sasha.
I have read Lainey’s site since 2012, although I have been reading less and less of it lately (someone mentioned it being hard to navigate above, and I don’t think the new update has made it easier). She almost had to do her own post about “photo assumption” because there are photos of her and the Mulroneys, her and MM. That’s kind of funny. (Not in a mean way – Lainey makes jokes about photo assumption on her site.) Anyways. Her post made me nervous because you could tell she was nervous. I hope everyone rallies around her because she deserves it.
Also, I have disagreed with her coverage of MM. Maybe that’s why I haven’t been reading the site as much over the past couple of years. Is her coverage like this because she feels the need to distance herself from the Mulroneys? I had no idea she worked with Jessica Mulroney’s husband (I live in the States). I like fair coverage, but I don’t think what Lainey writes is fair. I think it comes across as Lainey not being a fan of MM. Just my opinion. But again, I really like Lainey, I appreciate what she wrote yesterday.
Edit: I say I read less and less of Lainey’s site …. yeah, I mean, I still read it every day. 🙂 I just might skip posts now instead of reading every single word of every single post.
I like Lainey, too, and have read her site for years. It was Lainey’s site that turned me on to Celebitchy. I read them both on a daily basis.
@Chlo – the primary reason I don’t read Lainey is because of the format of the site! I really like CB’s format and that’s why they cant get rid of me here 😉
I actually really liked her section about “the photo” and I kind of think she SHOULD make a separate post about that, because I’m so tired of seeing that picture tossed around on twitter like a “gotcha!” Its like people really don’t understand that its possible to have met someone once and not to be besties with them.
I don’t think the new format is *that* difficult. There are just too many ads in between everything.
Me too chlo… it’s still a good site but not every topic is my taste. For example the avengers etc. Reading her opinions on movies I’ll never watch would be a waste of time. The site evolves. Some of their podcasts are pretty good. I used to love duanas gossip girl reviews! (She mocked it)
Old daily Lainey reader here since 2010. I do miss her inside scoop and snark, her new style is more observant but I still lurk for the gossip.
I have worked with plenty of people I had to tolerate. I once had a boss that was always inviting herself to our walks to Starbucks, and we just had to tune out her ever repeating family anecdotes and weird asides about why she never hung out with the team outside of work. The thing was, none of us liked her, except for one member of the team, who kept inviting her into social hangs and making it weird for us to drop out of it because she would be there. There were many other co-workers I avoided like the plague, but had tolerate in certain social situations. If any of them got involved in some racist shit, I for sure would like to make it publicly known that not only I don’t know them that well, but that they can’t use proximity to me and the fact that I’m a POC as a shield.
Totally agree. I saw nothing brave about Lainey’s post whatsoever. She’s just covering her a**.
From what I’ve seen, Lainey’s coverage of Meghan is mostly positive. I agreed with her on the bump cradling – it seemed a bit performative. She also said of the NYC baby shower that Meghan seemed to be loving having that level of celebrity – something she may well have wanted going into acting in Hollywood, but didn’t have from her role on Suits.
I don’t know this woman, but she is ascting like a racist bully, and it was about time someone called her out. I am worried about all the people who are going to lose their incomes .
Yes and to echo what others have said – it was really brave of Lainey to speak out considering her position. I hope she’s established enough that the blowback won’t affect her too harshly but you know she’s now on ‘the list’. Can only hope enough additional stories come out about this awful Jessica woman, her influence is dented and the comeback isn’t quite so inevitable
What goes around comes around: let’s just hope we are there to see it.
This woman is a real piece of work.
@BayTampaBay : that’s what I think too, at a certain point the Karma will hit you.
Repeating what was said yesterday—this woman has laughably bad taste.
Not to mention the hideous plastic surgery, fake hair & monstrous forehead. Jessica has earned the face she deserves.
Accurate. No wonder Meghan looked so bad for so long style wise
Read Lainey yesterday and am worried for her. I lean toward Erinn’s perception that she wanted to say more. Kaiser was right, too – you COULD feel how nervous Lainey was. It was palpable.
I mean, she basically said it by writing that people around Toronto have stories about how Jessica has wielded her privilege and connection to Meghan to get away with bad behaviour.
Everyone keeps a list silly girl. If she has to discuss hers, she’s perched on a dying branch. Bless her futile heart.
She secretly wishes she was named Sasha Exeter. That’s bad ass.
It is weird to me that Lainey felt the need to write a whole piece to fully explain her relationship with the Mulroneys is superficial at best. She went so far, so deep as to shut down rumours Jessica had been a source of hers.
Had she stopped there, I would have understood. Lainey was just trying to assert that she has enough distance from them as to cover their stories fairly- but then she goes on and on about how she might face retribution because word on the street is that Jessica is just waiting to get all those who “liked” Sasha´s post…
Honestly, this part was bizarre. If it is true, then the Mulroneys operate like the Mafia. If it is an exaggeration, it makes Lainey seems paranoid. Whatever it was, it just looks like people trying to make this very important conversation about themselves, becaese while the personal perspectives and shared experiences with racism should be discussed, Lainey dug so deep as to lose her perspective- she is talking about very influential- because she is influential- rich, priveleged people shit.
That’s Toronto in a nutshell for you though. It has a very small town mentality and a handful of people (mostly white) hold all the power. I don’t blame Lainey for being nervous.
Sarah, yes. As Lainey says, the Toronto Arts circle is small (maybe not in numbers but in a most people know or hear things way). The circle of elite is small. The Mulroney run heavily in both and social retribution is a thing, freezing people out, putting pressure on others to do the same and work pressure, especially when it involves the face of a company, can be similar.
“That’s Toronto in a nutshell for you though.”
It is almost enough to make one pack-up and move to Detroit!
Accurate description
I didn’t find it bizarre at all. I took it as an explanation on WHY this kind of behavior was able to run wild. People were afraid to speak up. She considers herself an enabler of sorts for not standing up against this kind of horrible behavior, and it is a broader conversation on how this sort of thing thrives everywhere – people are afraid of retribution more than they are afraid of how the behavior will affect others. There’s a survival instinct that allows these people to thrive because they know that everyone around them is afraid to speak up.
And yes, they are kind of like a Mafia. When you have all these elite families covering for each other, and who have their hands on so many different projects, it’s very easy to weaponize that privilege. There are only 2.9 million people in Toronto – which isn’t a small number, but it means that a lot of these elite families run in the same circles with joint business ventures.
I am not from Toronto and now reading your comments, Ie can read the post in a very different way I read.
As I said, to me, the over-emphasis on a possible- possible- retaliation Lainey fears based on what amounts to be rumours she heard, in a moment where we are seriously discussing police brutality, racism and ascension of fascism to me sounds a bit tone deaf.
My issue is with the emphasis, you see? The points she was making were 1) i am not as close to the Mulroneys as to not be able to cover them fairly, and not as much as for them to be my sources on Meghan and 2) Toronto is a small comunity, this is w woman with connections enough to ruins things not only for the blogger, but also for me….then yes, I would be having another feeling from this article.
But Lainey went so deep, so further…nothing has happened to her, personally, yet. She is just heraring rumours that are, literaly, expected behaviour from petty peopole. The worst thing that can happen to Laines is losing some contacts, sponsorhips- her site is very well known, not only in Toronto and, as she say, she has seniority on this TV Show too.
So yeah, I am really not as worried or bothered by this whole thing and I still side-eye Lainey for going so deep. I am worried about other things- important things- and it does seem like a dispute among very priveleged people in a privileged sphere, living ina rich city…do you understand what i am trying to say? lainey was doing well enough, speling about how perversive racism is and she usually does hit the right marks, but not this time- at least not for me.
and it is okay too. I dont need to agree with everything.
Priscilla, the worst that can happen to Lainey is she could lose her job. She is a co-host on a show with Ben. He is the face of the Network. He can make her life hard in little ways. Her current gig is filling in for a woman on mat leave, who’s to say when it is over, that instead of going back to her normal role, Lainey won’t be told she isn’t need at ETalk at all? Or will find previous role much diminished. She has a lot to lose by speaking out.
@smalltown girl do you really think that would happen now? That Ben, who wife engaged in racist bullying of a black woman, could persuade his bosses to fire a woc? Yeah I dont think so. I also doubt we will see Ben on CTV ever again.
Lotus, I would be stunned if Ben lost his job. Beyond stunned. And yeah, I think Lainey could face repercussions. Her current gig is temporary and I could see in a few months, CTV cutting her air time on E-talk or suggesting she focus on her other gigs with them and I say this as someone who has worked in the Toronto media industry and who has lots of contacts in said industry. From your comments, I think you and I see very different Versions of Toronto.
@smalltown girl I didnt say he would lose his job, i think he will leave. Her current role on etalk is a cohost filling in for someone on mat leave so yes her role will diminish. But her job on the social will not be impacted nor will her blog. Lainey has also done and said some shady stuff that will come back to haunt her but that’s on her not on the Mulroneys. I just dont see CTV allowing Ben to diminish lainey bc she talked about his wife. Ben does not own CTV, he is not the face of CTV and he is just a host.
Lotus, I don’t think Ben is leaving his job unless someone forces him too. He enjoys his role. And he is absoloutely the most recognizable face on CTV. I also don’t think she would be fired from the Network, maybe let go on ETalk or brought on far more infrequently and I think it would come subtly. Subtle threats to remove ad money from certain parties, maybe slight pressure from the provincial government in very subtle but pointed ways, etc. That is how it always works, the money works in the back rooms, on the golf courses, applying pressure in ways that are never outright.
I see where you are going there. Do remember though that Ben’s first job was on Good morning America and that started his TV job so it would surprise me if he up and left and went to the US but I’m just guessing. I really cant see the provincial government getting involved in this matter even if Ben’s sister is a part of that government. I understand deals are done in back rooms but do we really think the Mulroneys hold that power especially now? The Mulroneys were known in Toronto and got invites to parties but I dont think they have the social, political or financial power to demand big players fight for them. I mean Ben hosts a celebrity news show, he is not prime minister and he isnt the CEO of a major company. The connections they did have that made them famous, Megan and Trudeau, will have nothing to do with them now. Also can you imagine if Ben got exposed for trying to get Lainey fired? He would not survive that. The Mulroneys are selfish dicks but they have hired smart people who are going to tell them what not to do.
@Priscila I would say that the conversation we are having about racism and police brutality and the conversation Lainey was trying to have about non-black POC being complicit in white supremacy and the ways we are all encouraged to not shake the white status quo are very much the same conversations. The work isn’t done when we defund the police. It’s important that our black bodies are not in danger all the time, but it is also important to talk about how little supposed allies have done to help black people in the workplace, and why they feel compelled to stay quiet when people like Jessica Mulrooney use their white privilege as weapons.
@Lotus – just because we don’t hear about the Mulroneys doesn’t mean they no longer hold power in Toronto (I was born and raised in Toronto and lived there for my first 64 years). That’s how the big power brokers do it – quietly and stealthily. Both Brian and Mila are the creme de la creme of Toronto and old Anglo Montreal society. They will all circle their wagons and micro-manage Jessica’s life for the next while, keeping her protected in the fold, and she and Ben will quietly compile their “lists”. And mark my words you will see a number of people fall off their perches, possibly even Lainey to a certain extant, because they are like the mafia, they pull a LOT of strings.
@s’more I actually disagreed with lainey claiming that non black POC are only racist bc of our proximity to white people. I mean I know my relatives back in Vietnam arent the most accepting of black people and to think that racism towards black people is solely rooted in white supremacy certainly negates a large part of history were black people were abused and murdered by non black POC. We need to take ownership of racism towards black people in our own communities. How can we root out racism when we cant even admit our own culture has deeply rooted racism ?
Its funny the people arguing with me about this are the same people who called me a troll and racist for telling you about Jessica well over a year ago. Opinions sure change quickly.
@Lotus – I don’t have an opinion about people I don’t know. If you, in fact, had solid insider evidence that Jessica was an insufferable Karen then you should have provided links, back-up, etc. to validate your opinion. If you don’t, then you will be called out for it. Many of us prefer proof before we jump on someone. We got our proof so we can all now decry her offensive and racist behaviour.
@jaded you are kidding me right? This is gossip site. Was there any proof about rose and William? Nope but you y’all jumped on that and have continued perpetuating that story. Dont pick and choose when you want to believe something based on the subject!
It wasn’t bizarre to me and I’m not from Toronto. I’ve read Lainey for years. I understand her fears.
It’s not weird to me. She covered pretty much everything I was curious about. If you’ve read her site much, you know her fashion style. I’m sure Jessica’s clothes aren’t her favourite but she kept the post diplomatic.
Also, this post is basically keeping her “promise” on the recent podcast working while black. She said she’s deciding to post the important moral things even if it may reduce her revenue.
Cheers to that and I wish she would also post about China/Disney and stop promoting TikTok. She rarely mentions Hong-Kong now that there’s an actual issue there
Evil woman. Of course she is keeping a list of people to destroy.
She’s making a list
Checkin’ it twice
Gonna Remember
Who was naughty or nice…….
If she truly believes she was wronged and that “There’s two sides to every story” then why not just come out with said truth?
But I’m guessing that she doesn’t exactly have anything to back up her claims.
“Liable (sic) suit.”
Lainey wrote this twice in her post. Not only is Jessica Mulroney a privileged, mean girl, she is dumb as rocks. That’s a lethal combination even if she wasn’t showing racist tendencies.
That part makes me laugh every time I see it! I want every outlet to repeat it over and over just to drive home subconsciously how stupid she is! If you are going to threaten to sue someone maybe take a minute to check autocorrect. It’s about the only funny thing in this whole situation, apart from the pictures of her posing in her godawful outfits
Actually right here in the US we have living proof that being privileged and dumb as a box of rocks can help you achieve the highest position in the land…
Not to defend Jessica…but am going to defend English as a second language. It’s possible that French is her first and English is second. Autocorrect would not pick up the incorrect usage of liable/libel. Jessica has done enough awful things and behaved badly all on her own. Maybe let’s keep the spelling/grammar issue out of it?
@Lizzieb – no, English is most definitely not her second language. The Brownsteins are old Toronto wealth. So no, let’s not leave spelling and grammar out of it because it is indicative of her childishness and pettyness, and that she’s capable of throwing a sudden tantrum at someone for no reason and not stopping to think carefully before she reacts.
I think Jessica knows how to spell libel. I blame autocorrect on her phone. Regardless, what she wrote was both vicious and stupid. She may be the one getting sued. The arrogance of this woman.
I read the piece last night and couldn’t sleep well for digesting all of Lainey’s excellent points. The potential for retribution against Lainey and Sasha Exeter worries me, because it will happen months from now when people have largely forgotten about this episode and they don’t have the same platform to call attention to it.
That outfit in the header is HILARIOUSLY STUPID, I honestly love it. She has terrible color sense. And she’s quite obviously a shitty racist trashbag, Canada can keep her.
I’m still confused by this. Why did she freak out on Sasha when nothing was being directed towards her (Jessica)? Is there something more to the story? It was so random.
Some one – either here or on twitter, I cant remember – said that apparently Sasha and JM had been talking about this off social media, Sasha I think reached out to JM privately and asked her to say something and Jessica said she couldn’t because she was promoting a show? (which is stupid because the first season of it had just ended.) So then when Sasha posted that IG story, Jessica felt it was aimed at her and reacted poorly, to put it mildly.
I don’t know if that’s true, but that’s the only way Jessica’s reaction – in terms of thinking Sasha was talking about her from the get-go – makes any kind of sense to me. I’m sure lots of other Canadians have been posting about BLM and racism. I don’t see why she would take Sasha’s SO personally unless there was a backstory there, since we haven’t heard that she’s been attacking others who are asking white people to speak out.
I haven’t seen Sasha’s original video though (since it was a story) so I’m not sure if there was more in there that could shed light.
I think the talking happened after JM assumed it was about her
Becks1 I agree with your comments regarding Lainey’s coverage of Meghan. Her article about JM also had stated that she thinks Meghan is a fame whore. In a piece about racism and micro aggressions, Lainey went out of her way to call MM thirsty, which she always does. That comment was completely irrelevant. She never makes those sort of comments about the Cambridge’s and they’re the ones buying bot followers. Lainey also states that Kate is the BRF secret weapon, even calling her Princess Kate and just generally never calling them out. I believe someone upthread said Lainey has some jealousy towards Meghan or has made a lot micro aggressions toward MM and I’m starting to believe that.
@JT: Lainey actually calls out the Cambridges all the time and has actually said that all the royals (yes, including MM) are thirsty, basically because that’s how they have to be in order to keep themselves relevant. The reference to that in this specific piece was an example to show how she hasn’t provided 100% glowing coverage of the Sussexes (and a small correction to your comment: the article mentioned this in the context of both Meghan AND Harry), as a way to distance herself from Jessica.
Racist micro-aggressions are not ok, obviously. But neither is zero criticism, especially when there’s no reason to consider it biased based on previous comments by the same writer. Just because she’s not a complete Meghan stan doesn’t result in the conclusion you’ve made from this.
@JT
Lainey did call the Cambridges famewhores a few weeks ago.
Thanks Becks. That helps me understand this a bit more.
@JT – that is not true. Lainey is just as critical of the Cambridge’s as she is of the Sussex’s.
Lainey ripped the Cambridges hard on the Tatler article and said that they were involved in writing it but were hypocrites to complain about it. She has more than once criticized William’s behaviour toward his brother too.
I feel like Laineys coverage of the royals has shifted in the last few months. I was really surprised at her post about the Cambridge’s and Tatler. But again I don’t follow every single post, I’ll just pop over when I see something linked here or on twitter.
I’m laughing that people are so ride or die for Lainey. Some of us aren’t fans of her site for whatever reason and that’s okay! There’s enough here on CB to keep me busy and distracted at work lol
People can like or dislike Lainey’s posts but the now deleted commenter was making bizarre attacks on Lainey when the focus of the story should be the rich white lady born with privilege and abusing it and not on the Chinese Canadian woman who built up her social media business without being married to the son of a former prime minister.
White fragility. That’s it.
I think she’s just a narcissist and assumes everything is about her? Not sure if there’s a deeper story though
I liked Lainey’s post, it lay bare what many people have been saying about Jessica and Ben. I hope people are listening – JM is a mean girl, a rich Canadian Karen, an entitled narcissist who will weaponize her privilege against others with less social capital.
I actually said “holy shit” when I read the section on her keeping a list. It is incredibly ominous and speaks heavily about the type of people they are.
This does not sound like someone actually learnt anything from this, they’ve just retired into the background till they can assert their revenge. Who would want to be friends with that?
She’s clearly lost a lot of IG followers but it’s interesting to see some who also follow Sasha have continued to follow Jessica. Hypocrites
Yep. People who actually publicly share how they are teaching their children to be anti-racist & yet continue to follow Mulroney. If that’s not hypocrisy I don’t know what is. A few examples I’ve seen are the mommy bloggers Cat & Nat, Cheryl Hickey & PR diva Amanda Alvaro.
Sorry but is it really that important to keep track of who random strangers follow on Instagram, especially “ influencers” whose primary job is taking selfies, working out and getting hair extensions, with a side of sponcon? Like these people, seriously?!
Yeah, that’s a gray area thing for me. Some people follow celebrities that they hate because they have to cover them for work or whatever. I don’t think a follow is automatic support of a person – sometimes it absolutely is, but not always.
I don’t follow JM, no interest, but perhaps some are still following so they can keep tabs and see if / when JM posts next.
I think that’s some of it, Nic919. I’m not following her either, but every once in a while I’ll have a post pop up on my feed where I genuinely question when I started following someone, because I just legit forgot I was following them. I think if you’re not interacting with their posts, accounts tend to fall back a bit in terms of how often they’ll appear on your feed.
Thanks for the reminder Cynthia! I’m seldom on Instagram but I just unfollowed JM.
“Misguided, disappointing, out of touch.” Meghan needs to reframe her leaked response. The woman absolutely threatened this woman’s livelihood, business, not just with words. She made the threat even more sinister by letting her know she was powerful and she had already contacted companies and would be contacting more companies about her. This is vile and despicable behavior, not “misguided, disappointing, out of touch.”
Then she threatens to sue her.
I’m sorry but what response? The one that was “leaked” to the paper she’s currently suing?
“Leaked” response – or made up response? Stop believing the tabloids. They were very, very clear that they wouldn’t be engaging with the very entities claiming to know how M is responding. Why would you think that they leaked anything to them?
I had to laugh yesterday when the twits were crowing about how Liza Minelli put H&M in their place by denying she knew them. Morons actually believed that H&M put out a story regarding LM as clout chasing! This couple knows the Obamas, one of them is working with Oprah, they are living in Tyler Perry’s house – and they are going to “brag” about hanging out with a woman in her 70s who, god love her, isn’t on anyone’s radar? Make that make sense.
Tabloids lie and fools lap it up!
Meghan leaked nothing. Haven’t you learned by reading this blog that the tabloids are lying trashbags good only for lining the cat’s litter pan. Meghan’s not going to say a word, that’s not her way, and I think this friendship will be over soon if not already.
When I read this yesterday, and it was a lot but riveting, one point Lainey made that caught my attention (and she made it more than once) is that the relationship JM has with Meghan benefits JM “and only JM.” If the story in ET has some truth, I can imagine MM *is* appalled at her so-called best friend’s overt racist bullying of a woman of color (Lainey isn’t crazy to worry that could be her, next). Meghan, I believe, is a generous, giving person who wouldn’t measure friendship on a quid pro quo basis. To be forced to face that someone she thought was a genuine friend has been using her and throwing her into her racist denial as the black friend *is* appalling.
Lainey made it clear that JM weaponized the “bff with Meghan” thing to promote her own career. I really don’t think Meghan had any idea about this… how could she? She’s been in the UK, BC and then LA since 2017 and not Toronto. And dealing with so much herself.
With the atmosphere of retribution that Jessica put out and that Lainey made clear, who would be able to contact Meghan, or even have the courage to tell her that Jessica is doing this?
Of course Jessica has capitalized on her friendship with MM, but I think MM would have to be stupid to not realize that. Jessica definitely posted things on IG a few times that made me think Meghan had a burner IG account lol and was reading JM’s. So I think she def knew that JM was profiting from her friendship but as long as Jessica didn’t actually talk about Meghan, which she didn’t, then Meghan was okay with it, especially since their friendship started well before she was a duchess. There’s no way she would have gotten the gig on GMA without being Meghan’s BFF, but I think both JM and Meghan knew that.
@Nic19 I wholeheartedly agree. To be fighting all the fires Meghan and Harry have been dealing with, thinking there was a friend who had your back only to find out said friend was using you for her own career climb … that’s crushing.
There is a difference in knowing your connection helps your friend get a better job and knowing your friend is weaponizing your friendship. It’s the latter thing that Meghan couldn’t know about because who would tell her.
@Nic ah I see your point. Yeah, it will be interesting to see what happens next with JM and MM, but we might never know, considering we haven’t seen them together since the wedding. Their friendship could peter out and it may just be one of those things that comes out in 5 years.
What I liked about Lainey’s piece was that it was very old-school Lainey when she would actually spill tea and not just analyze. I am worried for her too though. People in Canada will forget and this will eventually blow over and then what? She’s still going to co-anchor with Ben? Like I said in yesterday’s thread – I think she just decided if she loses the etalk gig with him – she still has two other shows.
I also thought she played a little revisionist history in regards to Meghan. I mean, we now know that she wrote one of the most infamous blind items about Meghan, giving insight into her relationship with Kate before anyone knew there would ever be a problem. How else would she have gotten that info if not from a Mulroney.
I still think she got that from another one of Meghan’s friends who wanted to help her out. I never thought it was JM because I don’t see her lowering herself to talk to Lainey.
Lainey hasn’t been very smart over this matter. Even the British tabloids at their worst don’t readily throw their sources under the bus. There will be payback but it will not come from where she expects. Powerful people can be very smart. I hope she doesn’t have personal dirt she would like to stay buried.
Her source? She explains in the article that JM has never been her source. And why. JM « sold » her access in other ways, like being on GMA. Why would JM give up the friendship which made her famous -ish to help blogger Lainey? Lainey’s post makes a LOT of sense, I read it twice. It’s probably her most interesting work to date.
Lainey is only covering a mat leave in her co host position at eTalk. Danielle Graham had her baby in the spring so she will likely be back shortly anyway. And right now everyone is filming from their own home. So that may have been a factor in terms of why Lainey was as explicit as she was.
My theory on that (no proof) is she heard it via the JM circles, the royals caught wind of leaks which was part of the rift, and JM never ever uttered another word again.
*NM post I was replying to seems to be gone
The piece is okay but there’s a touch of paranoia there.The most Jess would probably do is stop working with them or ignore them.All eyes would be on her once she comes back so Jess would behave.
I get what she’s saying. If you are powerful and your friends and family are how much are you really going to pay for what you did and say? I say give her until the end of summer before she returns with some new show or something and then watch the people who came out against her wondering why they can’t get callbacks about anything.
But Jessica doesn’t have to be the one to personally exact her revenge, powerful friends in the media world could simply not hire Lainey or renew her contracts in order to stay on the Mulroney’s good side.
I’m nervous for Lainey. I hope this very public post will protect her from blowback. Can you imagine the next time she has to go to work and Ben is there! It must be an awful situation all around. I’m worried about her.
I’m nervous for her in terms of renewing her contracts.
EVERYONE keeps a list, mental or written we all do. The difference is we either don’t have the money or influence to plot our revenge and get our own back or we decide to be a bigger person and let it go. You do not attain a position of power and influence by acting all nice. You can of course be a nice person, but life and circumstances has a way of changing you. JM is of course a cow and has enjoyed wielding her money and influence over the years to the point where she probably sees nothing wrong with her behaviour. To make matters worse being called the BFF of M has elevated her above the other girls in the clique and has further clouded her judgement. Lainey I sense, has always been on the outer fringes and for her this is payback. Sasha never belonged in the first place and wished she did so she has used the situation and M’s name to get a bit of clout. None of them have covered themselves in glory in this matter and karma will come for all of them. JM’s just came a little earlier than anticipated.
Gotta disagree with this..no, everyone doesnt keep a list. That takes so much energy to keep scorecards on ppl. Focus that energy positively instead. Thats just me. Life is so short. I dont have time to hold on to grudges or vendettas. If someone wrong me, that’s on them. Maybe one day, that person will apologize to me- maybe not. Either way, keeping lists is bad energy.
I mean once in a while, I randomly remember something shady someone did to me and I get a little angry for a bit and then tell myself it’s in the past and not worth wasting time and energy on that person. But no, I don’t think we all keep a list of people we are going to take revenge on, money or not. That’s nuts. I hope the majority of us are like you said – the bigger person who decides to let it go.
Is this some white woman sh*t? Because most people I know are too exhausted just trying to survive.
Guys in my career I actually met a man who told me was keeping a list if people who treated him badly from 1989!!!!! He actually gathered a creepy amount of information on his “enemies” and told me he got fired. Sorry @ smore it wasnt a white woman but POC.
I don’t keep a list. Some people have done some really rotten things to me in my life and I’ve simply dropped them and refuse to have anything to do with them. It’s called taking the higher road.
Not EVERYONE keeps a list… just the ones who get ahead because they are ruthless a-holes who will do anything to anyone to get to the top of their profession / social hierarchy, etc., etc.
I thought Lainey’s blog post was great. I honestly have not read her much in the past year because I hate the new layout of her site and also thought her trying to act like she wasn’t one of the many reasons that people thought Heather Graham was one of Harvey’s Girls was her using her own damn privilege in that moment to get out of actually apologizing for her spreading that Blind Item around.
Couple of things:
Yeah I never though that Lainey had an in with Jessica Mulroney. Based on gossip that woman wouldn’t see Lainey as being worth her time. And I honestly though that Lainey flubbed a lot of articles about Meghan since she had her blinders on about why Meghan could and could not do certain things. For example, I stayed annoyed at Lainey acting like Meghan was being too precious about her security at the tennis match.
I would be worried too about talking crap about JM since this seems to echo what people are saying about her online. It seems similar to how Trump and his family would work back before he was President.
And I did love Lainey pointing out that JM was using MM. That one got me since I think every black women has to think through whether they are really friends with a white woman or are they being used to be that “token” friend. It sounds like MM grew close with JM and they were friends. But yeah how would she know her friend was running around using her name to smack down anyone trying to come for the throne. I also don’t believe that MM has run around talking about this to other people because it doesn’t even make sense why she would. Honestly, this opens up a larger conversation about how when a white woman does anything like this people want to run to the black friends acting like they should get that person in check.
Heather Graham or Gretchen Mol? I remember the BI from years ago that was supposedly about Mol and Weinstein and how incredibly mean spirited and mysogynist it was towards the woman.
I co-sign nearly everything else from your post.
Apologies! You are correct, it was Mol!
Thanks for your lovely comment.
I don’t watch “Your Morning”, Mulroney’s morning show but I’d love to be a fly on the wall when he returns. He works with a team of women on air including Annmarie Mediwake who appeared on the Anti-racism doc over the weekend with Lainey & Marci Ien.
It’s him who should feel awkward, uncomfortable and maybe even worried.
I can’t wait to see that too – Ben talked DOWN too the other 2 hosts but especially Anne Marie Mediwake…hmm, wonder why. I always said to my husband when watching it that the others put up with him, had to laugh at his jokes due to the Mulroney name. You can see the little side eyes they would give each other. I am SO HAPPY that Ben is now the one that will have to be careful when he talks and not them. I cannot see how he can return to his 2 shows as how can he interview black people and look real, genuine and in touch now?!?!
Ben isn’t interesting – no one cares about him or his wife.
Why are we still giving attention to this. Trust me nobody in Toronto cares about JM. If you’re Canadian and you’re mad about systemic racism turn your attention to the RCMP and their brutal treatment of indigenous people. That’s the real story.
I know it sounds superficial and truly who does care about JM? – no one. But, I think it’s worthwhile to have those discussions when it comes to the existing power structures (policing, media, food media like Bon Appetit’s dumpster fire) and people’s abuse of power. Abuse of power is everywhere and clearly people have had enough
Damn, I love this site, obv, but labeling all privileged asshole behavior as “racist” is NOT ok. It’s disrespectful to those living in poverty (especially impoverished blacks) who are fighting oppression on multiple fronts.
White privilege is based in systemic racism
White privilege is not about being rich or poor or not getting advantages in life.
It means your not poor or disadvantaged BECAUSE of your skin color
With JM because she is rich and connected, you get into class issues as well
I watched the Social’s piece on this topic (TV talk show Lainey is on). And a few of them mentioned feeling scared about speaking out against them. So it’s not just her. Another commenter on another site said something like it would be like going up against Ronald Reghan’s daughter who was also married to a more palatable and successful Trump son who was Ryan Seacrest. These people are powerful and the have powerful friends who support them. This could be career jeopardy and to speak out even a little is brave. And is the right thing to do. So Lainey is not paranoid, and if she seems tepid, she has good reasons. But to me she made it clear her side and also gives more details on the kind of people Jessica and Ben are.
It’s true that the media world in Toronto is tiny, insular & inbred. How tiny? Marci Ien is a respected longtime journalist who co-hosted a morning show called Canada Am for years. Quite suddenly, on a Friday, it was announced Canada Am was ending & was replaced by a new morning show called Your Morning, hosted by 5 people. The biggest name on that show is Ben Mulroney. Eventually Marci Ien joined an already established Canadian mid-day talk show similar to the View called The Social a couple of years ago. Marci’s co-host is Lainey. Marci is also Sasha Exeter’s aunt. Et voila. Lainey has picked her side.
My mother hates Your Morning and is still bitter they took Canada A.M off the air.
MANY I know hate it too – I wonder what their ratings are. There’s now way they are at the top of the Canadian morning shows – I wish I knew their ratings!!
Ben is HUGE part of why peopel don’t watch Your Morning OR ETALK!!
I remember that clearly. Marci is a talented journalist and was super popular on Canada AM. Not sure the rationale for cancelling it especially when they went on to replace it with a less than stellar crew (at least compared to Marci & Bev Thompson). I never tune in to Ben’s show – either of them – but would love to know the ratings.
Who are you? Is that you, Jessica? You’ve made about 20 comments on this post and they are all bashing Lainey and Sasha. So you’re either a really obsessed Karen out here denying any racial elements whilst bashing the WOC, or you’re Jessica or a Jessica minion out here to try and sway opinion in the Russian style.
Edit to say that the troll I was responding to has either deleted her comments or had them deleted for her. Hip hip hooray!
Could this be a warning to Meghan? Isn’t Mulroney supposed to be a witness in the case against the DM?
I don’t think that they are going to call witnesses regarding that People article. For one thing, it was published in another country, and for another it would make DM, in general, vulnerable to having to divulge their sources in future actions against them. They have to be careful about setting precedent in a trial situation that would come back to bite them in the ass in future cases. Unless that was actually announced (I could be wrong and it may have been), and I don’t recall anything other than Meghan haters crowing about the possibility, I don’t think the DM is going to open that dangerous can of worms.
Wait, is this woman a…stylist?????
Really???
I made a long post on this in a previous thread with my take on Lainey’s post. There is definitely a lot of inside gossip. Tied up in her do the right thing and be better comments, is a bit of cover your ass and revisionism. Toronto is a big city, but a small town. The Mulroney’s need to just stop. Like no one needs to hear anything from them and if they keep this up, someone will sue them. Definitely don’t see the need to keep trying to center Meghan in this mess, other than to give more legs to the story and keep it going.
And we’re all keeping a list of the fug outfits this “stylist” wears…good grief.
@Ash I never expected Lainey to be a Meghan Stan, nor did I say that she was. Lainey’s can coverage of Meghan is odd to me. She is never as pointed with the Cambridge’s as she is with Meghan. Although she does state that the royals like attention, she never outright calls them famewhores like she does with Meghan. The Tatler debacle was the the most pointed Lainey has been with them in a while. I have seen photos of Kate touching her bump many times, but Lainey’s comments regarding Meghan doing the same action were uncomfortable to me. She would constantly harp on it and it seemed a bit hateful(probably too strong of a word). I even remember Lainey theorizing that Kate’s lack of results in her role could be due to courtiers holding her back, although she has been on the job for nine years.
Except Lainey literally called the Cambridges famewhores the other week.
It’s interesting to see that we have JM’s P.R. people actively trying to deflect and spin the story. I’m glad Celebitchy is covering this and I hope they continue to do it. This woman is rightfully being called for being what she has always been and sadly she will be fine because she’s keeping track of loyalty and Toronto is a small town insulating society where this kind of behaviour will succeed.
Edit: I’m glad that Ali “Jessica” troll is gone from the comment section. She was making disgusting remarks since she said in the original post that she dared to contact Sasha’s mother to demand answers about her daughter’s actions. She’s nuts.
I think Lainey is trying to cover herself. I used to read Lainey’s site- since the 2000s. A lot of her posts were problematic. Including referring to Tom Cruise as the GMD (gay midget dwarf). She would refer to people as ‘maybe gaybe’. So basically trying to out people.
She obviously stopped doing this stuff years ago and someone mentioned that maybe she’s apologized for her past posts. Does that make it ok??? No
Totally remember the GMD reference as well as Granny Freeze (Nicole). When the Social started, what struck me was how Lainey seemed to have a totally personality from her blog – saccarine sweet with celebs and 2 faced.
In fairness, people change and she could be one of them.
should read: “totally *different* personality”
Actually, I would blame it more on “corporate sponsor friendly”
A lot of people don’t realize that, before she got FoodTV famous, Ree Drummond from The Pioneer Woman used to refer to one of her brothers as a “ret*rd.” And not just once. It was every. single. post. he. was. mentioned. on.
She even dedicated an entire post on why she was allowed to call her developmentally disabled brother a re**rd.
AS SOON as she joined Porter Novelli (a major PR firm) and published her Black Heels to Tractor Wheels book, got it optioned by Reese Witherspoon’s production company, and guested on Throwdown with Bobby Flay, her website was scrubbed clean of any offending material. F-words gone. Racial and offensive materials deleted.
Yes, people grow, but they grow FASTER when money is on the line…
And there was lots of it, because she started off blogging on TypePost before using her own WordPress blog.
I agree, Lainey is trying to be first with this story, so if she does get fired or faces some backlash, we all know that she already predicted it. At the end of the day, she makes her living as a gossip, and now she is a gossip item. Irony.
She does come across as mean-spirited in many of her posts, and the layout of her website is terrible. But for the most part, her posts are well thought out. I thought she had a good balance with Meghan and Harry updates, not over the top adoration.
Agreed, I think her mosts on Meghan are balanced. She’s called out the palace for supporting Andrew but not having Meghan’s back when it came to the racism and other garbage she was dealing with. At the same time, she has said that Meghan likes the limelight, though I think this is true – she went into acting and the royal family – these aren’t things you do unless you want to be famous.
Doesn’t Lainey like the limelight too? Pot meet kettle. She was in that ABC special about Meghan and Harry, you can’t tell me she’s not enjoying her come up. She has an agent/manager who is booking her appearances and getting her name out there for mentions in the press.
You used to read her while she was saying these things, driving revenue and attention to her site. As did I. She’s admitted multiple times how problematic she was back in the day, and she admits how she’s evolving on a daily to this day. I’d believe her over many people who claim they’ve always been “woke”. She’s different on The Social because she has to be. Her site is her own, and The Social has it’s own agenda. I don’t mind that, she’s brought it up in the past how she’s not around certain celebrities due to her articles.
I fear for Lainey but I don’t either as times have changed!! Jessica M. will have a hard time getting back on Canadian TV!! LIke VERY HARD!! Unlike Americans – who like 2nd chances and like to rebuild someone back up when they are down as you LOVE a COMEBACK story – Canadians are not like that. We just move on and are like BYE! We don’t keep hating and hitting on someone but that’s because we don’t care and MOVE on and she has become a “she’s the one that did…” story. In every article, she will be forever known as this. Our “celebrity” (lack of a better world) world is VERY small, almost non-existent and it’s not the same as in the US.
Even Ben will have a hard time – he was never as beloved as the station he works forthinks – I know many (like dozens!!) who don’t watch those shows just because of Ben and can’t stand him. And now they are rejoycing!! His Father our former Prime Minister was not beloved, he took some money under shady circumstances and his name has been tainted ever since. I do think the Mulroney family (father anyway), know many other white men on Boards of Directors everywhere and no doubt they will try . But it’s a different game now – social media/hits/likes ect. all play into it so no matter how much they want her back on the small screen and no matter how hard she has to claw her way back – it WON”T HAPPEN on Canadian TV (she will have to go the personal vlog route or something).
I mean Bryan Adams – who was MUCH MORE loved than Jessica Mulroney – became tainted overnight and that will be forever remembered as well.
No, in my opinion, my fellow Canadians were not big on the Mulroneys before and won’t welcome any comeback…when we done , we are USUALLY done!
I wish this was true! But even if the public wants her off the scene for a while, she will be fine. The people she cares about, the rich, white, powerful circles she runs in will still have her over and still associate with her and invite her places and hire her for stuff. Her public perception will take a hit, but the people who’s opinion she cares about will still be there. It’s why she can afford to threaten everyone.
I don’t know if it’s been mentioned up above but I’m getting stronger than strong Katey Karen vibes from these pictures. The blouses and the juvenile-ish way she puts her outfits together and the sausage curls, both of them princess twins. Maybe Katey Karen shed some tears at that fitting because she met Messica and realized that she has a doppleganger. Just a theory.
So, I’ve been reading all things related to this story and I have this to say:
There is ABSOLUTELY NO WAY that Meghan Markle can go against or speak out against Jessica Mulroney. Think of all the BEHIND the scenes dirt that Meghan has shared that Jessica would start leaking… Meghan has been surrounded by vipers all along.
I commented this same thing yesterday. How is she going to distance herself from Jessica when Jessica knows EVERYTHING? She could write a book about the inside-I’m sure she never signed an NDA since they were such close friends.
If that’s the case what’s to stop Jessica from writing a book anyway? If Jessica is a shit person then she could write a book regardless. Plus it would really make her look even worse than she already does, I don’t think it would help her rebuild her reputation which is what I think she really wants.
Awful fake orange spray tan and making a list of her perceived enemies to exact revenge on them at a later date. She is so Trumpy it’s scary. Add in being related to a much reviled Prime Minister. When is her vacation to the Hamptons scheduled with Ivanka and Sh*t Stain Kushner?
A personality disorder? Thats on the wrong side of presumption. @karensgonewild has shown what morally weaponized white women can do. I would never dare to presume those Karens were all mentally ill and/or drunk when they threatened to call police, vandalized property, claimed the right of free speech and shouted the N-word like it was nothing. Own your mistakes without playing victim, its not that hard.
Maybe I’m just feeling extra mean today but Jessica’s face is so orange and fake looking and looks so bitchy. It seems weird that Meghan (who seems like a decent and compassionate person) would want to be such close friends with someone like this but maybe Jessica really hid herself well. I guess if Meghan wanted to hang with these Toronto elites then you got to get an in with someone and Jessica was that person. Im glad Jessica is being exposed.
Am I the only one one that doesn’t think it’s a racist thing or a white privilege thing? It’s a wealthy and powerful woman vs an influencer without the same connections. A class warfare or David vs Goliath if you will.
Rich people of any race can close ranks and shut out anyone they want. They do it in Singapore, in Buenos Aires, in Lagos, etc. You just don’t send the receipts to the victim if you have a functioning brain. All it takes is a quick chat at lunch, on the golf course or after a board meeting. The victim will either never know it or won’t ever be able to prove it.
It does look HORRIBLE to do it to a single black mother during a pandemic, though. It’s also stupid beyond belief to threaten Sasha with a lawsuit after she showed she had the courage to say your name publicly.
I’ve always hated her style! The too long wide leg pants are horrible – but the way she walks, I believe is is bowlegged so perhaps she wants to try and minimize that. And her trout pout – ugh . She is not a good stylist!!
Im sorry not sorry her fake face throws me every time, stop getting so much work done
I agree her body her choice but Meghan was so big about being on the cover of vanity fair showing her freckles & natural on her wedding day then her BFF’s face is jacked? i just see a huge differences in philosophy here
What does one thing have to do with another? Meghan is good friends with Serena Williams and I would say their styles are pretty far apart. You can be friends with someone without being a clone.
So now it’s on Meghan that Jessica is so insecure that she’s messed up her face with awful surgery?
That’s a flyy pantsuit is all I have positive for her today. She’s exhausting.
The lainey piece was strange to say the least. It was written like an essay to explain what white fragility & privilege is!! She was practically defending her self & admitting her RACIST behaviour. She didnt mention how Meghan was brought into this because of sasha
@Awkward, Was not a fan of the piece that much either. I’m glad she spoke about the Mulroney’s non repentance and the fact they are still making lists. Hopefully it will give them pause. Also, she has a real insider perspective. However, I also feel she was trying way too hard to distance herself from her coworker Ben ,and both Jessica ,like she barely knew them. It’s not completely sincere. I find it strange how she centers Meghan more in this story than the actual wronged party, Sasha.As mentioned before, I have no idea who Sasha is, her previous relationship to Mulroney or where she stands in the influencer hierarchy. Also I’m very put off by now all of a suddenly she realizes that as a non-Black person of color, she can also be racist. Like, duh. The way she talks about Meghan sometimes grates on my nerves -thirsty,famewhore, Hollywood, comparisons to Beyoncé, is low key racist. She runs a gossip site. Everyone she talks about wants coverage and clicks, not just this one person. I hope she is really trying to be better and hear Black voices. Also she mentions in a photo that that was the first and only time she spoke to Meghan, but in a magazine called Flare said she had her on ETalk a few times., so she is doing a bit of her own scrubbing. Anyway, all the dirty laundry is being aired out for all to see.
I find Jessica Mulroney’s outfit in the header photo so delightfully tacky. From the pink lips, the cheesy Louis Vuitton, and the three piece pant suit featuring gold buttons (like Duchesses Kate and Meghan all in one), I love it.
I hope this racist never loses her tack AF style.
I would have gone for ‘aggressively tacky’, but oh God you are so right. Who actually thinks that looks good?
Le sigh…,why is there even a debate over this entitled white woman? Just call her “Karen” Malooney and move on.
At a quick glance she looks like Patti Stanger from Millionaire Matchmaker or whatever that BRAVO show was called.
Never would have made that connection and now I can’t unsee it!
This woman is truly abhorrent but the outfit she is wearing in the top photo is really nice! Anyone know the designer?
Gotta admit I like that pantsuit. Yes, I’m a monster😔.
Some of these people though… is it that they’re specifically racist? Or are they just generally Absolute Bitches? (With being racist a subset of their overall lacking in humanity)
In this particular case, yes there’s a major race element. But some of these people seem like they’re equal opportunity assholes…. (eg. Lea Michele)
Jessica is an opportunist. She operates in the world of favors and clout, and she cultivates “friendships” that she thinks might benefit her in the future. I’ve no doubt that she and MM have a genuine bond and have had great times, and that they were genuinely close. JM was already established in Toronto society to some degree, and Meghan was new on that scene and I’m sure their friendship was mutually beneficial. But what was really telling was how JM had a dress especially made so that she could have her “Pippa moment” at Meghan’s wedding. She’s done nothing but capitalize on her friendship with MM since the engagement was announced. Looks like that gravy train’s been derailed.
I agree about everything said in this thread. Her coverage of MM has had some weird threads running through it.
I find Lainey super problematic. Until not too long ago, she seemingly took a lot of joy in writing blind items about closeted men and women. Huge red flag to me. I do not believe she is an equal ally to marginalized people.
@David/KLO Hard Disagree. Once again, this is still trying to get Black women to do the work of educating and correcting white women for their racism. This is not Meghan’s, or Sasha’s job to fix Jessica Mulroney, no matter how many times they’ve had brunch together or gone to the same parties. Prominent, ambitious Black people are always operating in predominantly white spaces with very privileged white people. That is the reality. It is not our job to police everything they do or say. I have no issue with Meghan being ambitious, being in white spaces of wealth and privilege, and wanting to build a future for herself and whatever platform she sees fit. The same people who say she should distance herself from Jessica are the same types who get upset that she won’t associate with her white family, or talk to her white father who literally sold her out, who blatantly betrayed her and used their racist entitlement to their own benefit. We don’t know anything or what she’s said in private or what she’s done. The last time she was even seen with Jessica was at her baby shower and her life and experiences have changed so much since her Toronto days. Jessica did this all by herself and how she deals with it is strictly on her. She already played her Meghan card and lost that round. Her business partners have already shown how they feel. Jessica has two whole prominent families behind her. What are they doing to be less racist and fix their racial blindspots. I call BS on this whole angle. It is played out.