Eating For Free

From Johnny Depp’s response to his Dior campaign, and Pennywise’s stance on gay rights, this week left us asking, why are we doing this? We talk Gwyneth Paltrow and Harvey Weinstein, Google’s role in climate change denial and workplace abuse, Donald Trump’s comments on Chrissy Teigen, Courtney Love and the Sackler/Purdue pharma-family’s fashion line, and Lisa Bloom’s new book and the atrocities of being a celrbitry PR lawyer. We also end on what matters most to all the girls and gays across the world, the state of Nicki Minaj’s ever-evolving career. Note! We are changing our format, and will now be debuting just once a week (each Wednesday) and will continue to deliver hot topic roundups, extensive deep-dives, and listener letter happy hours each month!

Eating For Free is a bi-weekly gossip podcast reporting from the edge of the internet! We're a new wave of celebrity reporters at a time when pop culture is increasingly chaotic and media lacks the ability or moral direction to make sense of this capitalist nightmare!

Do you have a tip for us? Got some hot gossip? Need to get any questions off your chest? Call our hotline at Call 1-810-EAT-FREE (1-810-328-3733) or send us an email at [email protected]!

Become a Patreon backer for exclusive access to weekly bonus episodes and more! You can also find us on our website, Twitter, and Instagram. For behind-the-scenes gossip and access, join our exclusive Facebook group: Girls & Gays (G.A.G.S.)! 

• Joan Summers: Twitter, Instagram.
• Matthew Lawson: Twitter, Instagram.

 Links:

• Johnny Depp: Yanked Dior ad was made with ‘great respect’ for Native Americans (THR)
• Pennywise Is Surprisingly Anti-Queer in It Chapter Two (Rose Dommu, Out)
• It Chapter Two Is Bad and Dumb (Jezebel)
• Gwyneth Paltrow played a pivotal role in bringing down Harvey Weinstein (Page Six)
• Google Is Promoting Climate Change Denialism On Its Apps And Mobile Homepage (Ryan Mac & Zahra Hirji, BuzzFeedNews)
• Google Employees Say Their Careers Were Stymied After Reporting Harassment and Discrimination (Tracy Clark-Flory, Jezebel + Recode)
• Donald Trump Calls Out John Legend and 'His Filthy Mouthed Wife,' Chrissy Teigen Claps Back (ET)
• Courtney Love, Infamous Former Addict, Will Not Sell Out to the Sackler Family, Manufacturers of the Opioid Crisis (Jezebel)
• New Book Says Lisa Bloom Offered to Damage Rose McGowan's Reputation to Help Harvey Weinstein (Jezebel, Rachel Fishbein)
• Nicki Minaj apologizes to fans for ‘insensitive’ retirement announcement (PageSix)

We’re baaaaaaaaaack! Welcome girls and gays, our month-long hiatus is over and we’re back to bring you news from the absolute edge of the internet! We talk the ‘incel-friendly’ Joker movie, Johnny Depp and Dior’s ‘Sauvage’ fragrance line, Kim K’s exploitative use of Alice Maria Johnson, Miley Cyrus’ new girlfriend (and what Liam’s up to since the divorce), recent developments in R. Kelly’s indictment, Tiffany Trump’s body-positive People spot, and Queer Eye Karamo’s complacency in Sean Spicer’s Dancing With The Stars debut. We will not be doing a deep-dive this week, but we’re still working on future investigations that’ll be worth the wait~ stay tuned girls, its gonna be a great season!

Eating For Free is a bi-weekly gossip podcast reporting from the edge of the internet! We're a new wave of celebrity reporters at a time when pop culture is increasingly chaotic and media lacks the ability or moral direction to make sense of this capitalist nightmare!

Do you have a tip for us? Got some hot gossip? Need to get any questions off your chest? Call our hotline at Call 1-810-EAT-FREE (1-810-328-3733) or send us an email at [email protected]!

Become a Patreon backer for exclusive access to weekly bonus episodes and more! You can also find us on our website, Twitter, and Instagram. For behind-the-scenes gossip and access, join our exclusive Facebook group: Girls & Gays (G.A.G.S.)! 

• Joan Summers: Twitter, Instagram.
• Matthew Lawson: Twitter, Instagram.

 Links:

• Ring Says It Doesn't Use Facial Recognition, But It Has “A Head Of Face Recognition Research” (Nicole Nguyen & Ryan Mac, BuzzFeedNews)
• Kim Kardashian Helped Free Alice Marie Johnson, Then Got Her to Model for Her Shapewear Line (Ashley Reese, Jezebel)
• Johnny Depp and Dior (Lindsay Weinberg, THR)
• "Queer Eye" Star Bobby Berk Deleted Tweets About The Karamo Brown–Sean Spicer Controversy (Micheal Blackmon, BuzzFeedNews)
• ‘Joker’ gets 8-minute standing ovation at premiere in Venice (Page Six)
• MILEY CYRUS HAS KAITLYNN CARTER ALL WRAPPED UP ... For Labor Day Weekend (TMZ)
• R. Kelly's Marriage to Aaliyah Used As Evidence By Prosecutors in Criminal Case (The Blast)
• Trump fires back at Debra Messing for wanting to shame his campaign donors (NY Post)
• Tiffany Trump Shares Self-Esteem Poem After White House Assistant Reportedly Said the President Thought She Was Overweight (People)

What is BDS? Why are people around the world calling for the social and economic boycott of Israel? Why are the celebrities that perform there entrenched in controversy? In this extra-special two-part interview, we talk to the talented and hilarious writer/researcher Alex Verman—who is here to explain why these movements exist, and what we can do to help. We cover the origins of which imperial powers are killing and forcing Palestinians out of their home land, and why organizations like the BDS and PACBI are here to help those affected. Alex breaks down how this issue is not solely a Palestinian conflict, but a world-wide system of colonialism, capitalism, racism, and xenophobia, dirtectly effecting millions across the world. Part two drops next week, stay tuned!

Eating For Free is a bi-weekly gossip podcast reporting from the edge of the internet! We're a new wave of celebrity reporters at a time when pop culture is increasingly chaotic and media lacks the ability or moral direction to make sense of this capitalist nightmare!

Do you have a tip for us? Got some hot gossip? Need to get any questions off your chest? Call our hotline at Call 1-810-EAT-FREE (1-810-328-3733) or send us an email at [email protected]!

Become a Patreon backer for exclusive access to weekly bonus episodes and more! You can also find us on our website, Twitter, and Instagram. For behind-the-scenes gossip and access, join our exclusive Facebook group: Girls & Gays (G.A.G.S.)!

• Joan Summers: Twitter, Instagram.
• Matthew Lawson: Twitter, Instagram.

Links and resources:

• Full masterlist of links: https://www.one-tab.com/page/h3zPWikLTu2DEo8RuPq_8w
• #justiceformoka
• gofundme.com/princessaanya
• PASAN.org
• Maggie's Toronto Sex Workers' Action Project
• alexverman.com
• tinyletter.com/alexvee

And... we're back! Between our amazing interview about the BDS movement with the iconic Alex Verman, let's get back into our listener letters! We talk #JANA and the horror that is YouTube media, listen to a voicemail from an alleged nefarious source, read from a listener about their experience looking into the world of female sexual dysfunction (and the medication marketed to those groups), and end on a shocking voicemail left from someone working in the animation industry (hint, its about The Lion King!), and much more! Stay tuned next week for part two of our Alex interview, you won't wanna miss it!

Eating For Free is a bi-weekly gossip podcast reporting from the edge of the internet! We're a new wave of celebrity reporters at a time when pop culture is increasingly chaotic and media lacks the ability or moral direction to make sense of this capitalist nightmare!

Do you have a tip for us? Got some hot gossip? Need to get any questions off your chest? Call our hotline at Call 1-810-EAT-FREE (1-810-328-3733) or send us an email at [email protected]!

Become a Patreon backer for exclusive access to weekly bonus episodes and more! You can also find us on our website, Twitter, and Instagram. For behind-the-scenes gossip and access, join our exclusive Facebook group: Girls & Gays (G.A.G.S.)!

• Joan Summers: Twitter, Instagram.
• Matthew Lawson: Twitter, Instagram.

What is BDS? Why are people around the world calling for the social and economic boycott of Israel? Why are the celebrities that perform there entrenched in controversy? In this extra-special two-part interview, we talk to the talented and hilarious writer/researcher Alex Verman—who is here to explain why these movements exist, and what we can do to help. We cover the origins of which imperial powers are killing and forcing Palestinians out of their home land, and why organizations like the BDS and PACBI are here to help those affected. Alex breaks down how this issue is not solely a Palestinian conflict, but a world-wide system of colonialism, capitalism, racism, and xenophobia, dirtectly effecting millions across the world. Part two drops next week, stay tuned!

Eating For Free is a bi-weekly gossip podcast reporting from the edge of the internet! We're a new wave of celebrity reporters at a time when pop culture is increasingly chaotic and media lacks the ability or moral direction to make sense of this capitalist nightmare!

Do you have a tip for us? Got some hot gossip? Need to get any questions off your chest? Call our hotline at Call 1-810-EAT-FREE (1-810-328-3733) or send us an email at [email protected]!

Become a Patreon backer for exclusive access to weekly bonus episodes and more! You can also find us on our website, Twitter, and Instagram. For behind-the-scenes gossip and access, join our exclusive Facebook group: Girls & Gays (G.A.G.S.)!

• Joan Summers: Twitter, Instagram.
• Matthew Lawson: Twitter, Instagram.

Links and resources:

• Full masterlist of links: https://www.one-tab.com/page/h3zPWikLTu2DEo8RuPq_8w
• #justiceformoka
• gofundme.com/princessaanya
• PASAN.org
• Maggie's Toronto Sex Workers' Action Project
• alexverman.com
• tinyletter.com/alexvee

Hello from the ether girls and gays! Even on our brief August hiatus, we still brought together your emails and hot-line calls for our second annual anti-capitalist, listener letter happy hour—we talk FOSTA SESTA and what sex work means for the people affected by it, exploitation of addiction in the gaming industry, the late-stage capitalism of Amex-sponsored gay pride events, our future for interviews, season 4 expectations, and much more! Look forward to our interview about the BDS movement with the icon and incredibly talented Alex Verman dropping next week, as well as part of this episode the week after!

Eating For Free is a bi-weekly gossip podcast reporting from the edge of the internet! We're a new wave of celebrity reporters at a time when pop culture is increasingly chaotic and media lacks the ability or moral direction to make sense of this capitalist nightmare!

Do you have a tip for us? Got some hot gossip? Need to get any questions off your chest? Call our hotline at Call 1-810-EAT-FREE (1-810-328-3733) or send us an email at [email protected]!

Become a Patreon backer for exclusive access to weekly bonus episodes and more! You can also find us on our website, Twitter, and Instagram. For behind-the-scenes gossip and access, join our exclusive Facebook group: Girls & Gays (G.A.G.S.)!

• Joan Summers: Twitter, Instagram.
• Matthew Lawson: Twitter, Instagram.

What does the Australian ministry, a charismatic Evengalical church, neoliberal tech companies, and the state of late-capitalism all have in common? Yes girls and gays, it's the end of our ongoing mini-series / extensive deep-dive covering the wild and disturbing world of the newly emerging megachurch: Hillsong. Starting as an independent Pentecostal branch off the long-standing Australian institution, Hillsong spread across multiple countries and continents bringing in now over a 100,000 members each week, plus half a million online, watching and engaging in their radical and new-wave form of religious and spiritual practice. As we finish our investigation, we realize the greater social, political, and economic implications of the prosperity gospel, and how it is now influencing western institutions and governments across the world. We read from two fantastic listener-letters that go into these shocking details, as well as adding context to why churches like these exist in the first place. If you have any information or further research to send along, don't be afraid to contact us as we'll be following up on this subject in the near future as more comes out. It's been a wild ride, thanks for joining us!

Eating For Free is a bi-weekly gossip podcast reporting from the edge of the internet! We're a new wave of celebrity reporters at a time when pop culture is increasingly chaotic and media lacks the ability or moral direction to make sense of this capitalist nightmare!

Do you have a tip for us? Got some hot gossip? Need to get any questions off your chest? Call our hotline at Call 1-810-EAT-FREE (1-810-328-3733) or send us an email at [email protected]!

Become a Patreon backer for exclusive access to weekly bonus episodes and more! You can also find us on our website, Twitter, and Instagram. For behind-the-scenes gossip and access, join our exclusive Facebook group: Girls & Gays (G.A.G.S.)!

• Joan Summers: Twitter, Instagram.
• Matthew Lawson: Twitter, Instagram.

Part 1, Part 2, Part 3

Links:

• Scott Morrison calls for 'more love' as he prays for Australia at Hillsong conference (The Guardian)
• Australian politics doesn't need a Christian lobby (ABC AU)
• Marriage Amendment (Definition and Religious Freedoms) Bill 2017
• Zoe Church: Hollywood's Latest Religious Obsession (Refinery29)
• Chad Veach (Instagram)
• This Preacher Would Be Happy to Share Your Bowl of Açaí (NYT)
• PushPay (Wiki)
• A preacher for Trump's America: Joel Osteen and the prosperity gospel (Financial Times)
• Popular Millennial Media Outlet Blasts L.A. Church for Practicing Basic Christian Beliefs (Faithwire)
• Hollywood's Holy Hipster Scene (VanityFair)

Au revoir girls and gays! As we send ourselves off for the next month, we thought we’d end season 2 with a bang. We talk Martha Stewart and GOOP, The Jonas Brother and a pro-Trump Evangelical Church, A$AP Rocky’s imprisonment and what it means for Kim Kardashian, Buzzfeed’s unionization, Norte Dame updates, FaceApp and facial recognition technology, and Queer Eye’s continued effort to capitalize America’s most vulnerable population! Stay tuned this Thursday for the final part in our Hillsong mini-series, and next week’s listener-letter happy hour!

Eating For Free is a bi-weekly gossip podcast reporting from the edge of the internet! We're a new wave of celebrity reporters at a time when pop culture is increasingly chaotic and media lacks the ability or moral direction to make sense of this capitalist nightmare!

Do you have a tip for us? Got some hot gossip? Need to get any questions off your chest? Call our hotline at Call 1-810-EAT-FREE (1-810-328-3733) or send us an email at [email protected]!

Become a Patreon backer for exclusive access to weekly bonus episodes and more! You can also find us on our website, Twitter, and Instagram. For behind-the-scenes gossip and access, join our exclusive Facebook group: Girls & Gays (G.A.G.S.)! 

• Joan Summers: Twitter, Instagram.
• Matthew Lawson: Twitter, Instagram.

Main - Article Links:

• The Jonas Brothers’ Dad Is Teaming Up With A Conservative Evangelical University (Huffington Post)
• The lesson from the ruins of Notre Dame: don’t rely on billionaires (Gaurdian)
• We Found Out What Actually Happens To Your Data When You Upload It To FaceApp (BuzzFeedNews)
• Here’s where the US government is using facial recognition technology to surveil Americans (Vox/Recode)
• BuzzFeed Agrees to Recognize Union After Monthslong Standoff (Bloomberg)
• Martha Stewart praises Gwyneth Paltrow for taking on the lifestyle industry: 'There's plenty of room for plenty of people with good advice' (Daily Mail)
• Taylor Swift fans rip Kamala Harris over fundraiser at Scooter Braun’s house (Daily Mail/Page Six)
• A$AP Rocky Facing 'Backlash' From Swedish Authorities, Following Kim Kardashian and Donald Trump's Intervention (Jezebel)
• BuzzFeed Agrees to Recognize Union After Monthslong Standoff (Bloomberg)
• Why 'Queer Eye' Is So Good at Shifting Product (Business of Fashion)

What does the Australian ministry, a charismatic Evengalical church, neoliberal tech companies, and the state of late-capitalism all have in common? Yes girls and gays, it's the beginning of our ongoing mini-series / extensive deep-dive covering the wild and disturbing world of the newly emerging megachurch: Hillsong. Starting as an independent Pentecostal branch off the long-standing Australian institution, Hillsong spread across multiple countries and continents bringing in now over a 100,000 members each week, plus half a million online, watching and engaging in their radical and new-wave form of religious and spiritual practice. From their record-breaking Christian-rock albums to the multiple independent college programs and pricey-stage productions, Hillsong is a vast network of contemporary Instagram-ready entertainment venues veiled under the promises of the Spirit and the Gifts of God. Our series begins with a background and context of their ministries' inner-workings, plus explanations for how their brand grew to such large numbers, and why their glitzy celebrity connections have brought their beliefs into the American consciousness…

Eating For Free is a bi-weekly gossip podcast reporting from the edge of the internet! We're a new wave of celebrity reporters at a time when pop culture is increasingly chaotic and media lacks the ability or moral direction to make sense of this capitalist nightmare!

Do you have a tip for us? Got some hot gossip? Need to get any questions off your chest? Call our hotline at Call 1-810-EAT-FREE (1-810-328-3733) or send us an email at [email protected]!

Become a Patreon backer for exclusive access to weekly bonus episodes and more! You can also find us on our website, Twitter, and Instagram. For behind-the-scenes gossip and access, join our exclusive Facebook group: Girls & Gays (G.A.G.S.)!

• Joan Summers: Twitter, Instagram.
• Matthew Lawson: Twitter, Instagram.

Part 1, Part 2, Part 4

Links:

• Hillsong: the evangelical megachurch that helped save Justin Bieber's soul — and image (Vox)
• Justin Bieber Had a 'Legitimate Problem' with Xanax and Sex While 'Depressed': 'It Got Dark' (People)
• CARL LENTZ Hesitates to Congratulate Bieber on Engagement ... AFTER MAJOR FALLING OUT (TMZ)
• Justin Bieber Gets Spiritual Healing With Pastor Carl Lentz (The Blast)
• Chris Pratt and Katherine Schwarzenegger (People)
• The rise of the star-studded, Instagram-friendly evangelical church (Vox)
• Chris Pratt Defends Hillsong Amid Claims It's Anti-LGBTQ: 'Nothing Could Be Further from the Truth' (People)
• Selena Gomez Opens Up About First Time Leading Worship at Hillsong Concert to Perform 'Nobody' (The Christian Post)
• Selena Gomez Shares Tearful Testimony at Hillsong Conference: 'I Am Enough, I'm a Child of God' (The Christian Post)
• Kendall Jenner looks sensational in wide-leg leather trousers as she joins brother-in-law Kanye West at Hillsong's midweek church service (DailyMail)
• Kevin Durant Talks Baptism At Hillsong NYC Church (The Christian Post)
• 'It feels like Arcade Fire - it's epic!' Vanessa Hudgens reveals she and boyfriend Austin Butler are followers of the Australian Pentecostal super-church Hillsong (Daily Mail)

Listen girls and gays, there’s a lot to talk about and not much time to get to it! We cover Nicki Minaj’s Saudi Arabian concert, HBO’s new streaming service set to takeover America, Amazon’s bid for the Pentagon’s ‘war cloud’ project, the scathing reviews Disney’s Lion King, SEO manipulation tactics, Britney’s managers suing #FreeBritney blogs, Scarlett Johansson’s continued need to make an a** out of herself, and Grimes’ escapades into sensory deprivation tanks! And stay tuned for our continued coverage of Hillsong, Corporate Christianity, and the Neolibralization of Jesus (Part 3), debuting this Thursday.

Eating For Free is a bi-weekly gossip podcast reporting from the edge of the internet! We're a new wave of celebrity reporters at a time when pop culture is increasingly chaotic and media lacks the ability or moral direction to make sense of this capitalist nightmare!

Do you have a tip for us? Got some hot gossip? Need to get any questions off your chest? Call our hotline at Call 1-810-EAT-FREE (1-810-328-3733) or send us an email at [email protected]!

Become a Patreon backer for exclusive access to weekly bonus episodes and more! You can also find us on our website, Twitter, and Instagram. For behind-the-scenes gossip and access, join our exclusive Facebook group: Girls & Gays (G.A.G.S.)! 

• Joan Summers: Twitter, Instagram.
• Matthew Lawson: Twitter, Instagram.

Links:

• HBO Max Lineup (HBO)
• ‘Big Little Lies’ Season 2 Turmoil: Inside Andrea Arnold’s Loss of Creative Control (Indiewire)
• Amazon, Microsoft wage war over the Pentagon’s ‘war cloud’ (AP News)
• How To Game Google To Make Negative Results Disappear (BuzzFeed)
• Britney Spears’ business manager sues over #FreeBritney movement websites (PageSix)
• Nicki Minaj Cancels Saudi Arabia Performance Following Backlash (PITCHFORK)
• ‘The Lion King’ Review: Disney’s Remake Is a Disastrous Plunge into the Uncanny Valley (IndieWire)
• Amazon Makes a Bet on Beauty With Lady Gaga Deal (WSJ)
• Amazon, Microsoft wage war over the Pentagon’s ‘war cloud’ (AP)
• 'I should be allowed to play any person, or any tree, or any animal': Scarlett Johansson opens up about politically correct casting as she stuns in retro spread for As If cover story (Daily Mail)
• Scarlett Johansson speaks out after controversial casting comments (Page Six)