The daily gossip: Kanye West's presidential campaign is going as well as you'd expect, beware the fake Ronnie Wood, and more

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1. Kanye West keeps failing to get on states' presidential ballots
2. Woman warns of elaborate romantic scam involving a fake Ronnie Wood
3. Selena Gomez loses all focus after receiving a call from a 'cute boy' during her cooking show
4. The Candy Land board game is becoming a cooking show
5. Outpouring of tributes celebrate Chi Chi DeVayne's 'light' and 'legacy'

published 21 August 2020

1. Kanye West keeps failing to get on states' presidential ballots

Another week, another set of states that won't be attending Kanye West's presidential "birthday party." The rapper, who announced a last-minute 2020 presidential campaign in July to widespread skepticism, over the past few weeks has been trying to get on the November ballot in various states with help from Republican operatives. But by Friday, he had failed to qualify in Ohio (he didn't meet the "necessary threshold for certification"), Montana (not enough signatures were deemed "valid"), Illinois (where he filed 1,200 signatures out of a required 2,500), and Wisconsin (he missed the filing deadline by "one to two minutes," Politico reports). We'll let you finish, Ye, but it seems this isn't exactly the greatest presidential run of all time.

Look out, ladies! Casting director Mary Downey is speaking out about the "epidemic of fraudulent activity sweeping the world" after having unwittingly fallen into an online romance with a scammer impersonating Rolling Stones musician Ronnie Wood. Downey told Page Six the ordeal began back in June, when she wished Wood a happy birthday on his official Facebook page and received a reply asking her to send "him" a private message. She then developed a "romantic" relationship with "Wood," although "we would never connect" when they attempted to video chat. After two weeks, "Wood" told Downey he was getting divorced and needed her to loan him $8,400 to pay his real estate fees, which was when she finally realized her Romeo wasn't who he claimed to be.

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Literally nothing is more adorable than Selena Gomez losing all focus after receiving a call from a "cute boy." On Thursday's episode of her HBO Max series Selena + Chef, Gomez, 28, received a surprise phone call while in the middle of making Korean BBQ Texas breakfast tacos. "Hey, I'm going to have to call you back," Gomez blurted, hanging up and apologizing to her co-host, chef Roy Choi, by explaining, "sorry, cute boy." "You can take the call!" Choi teased Gomez as she tried to regain focus: "What am I doing? I just got…" "Distracted," Gomez's grandmother supplied. So who was the mystery man? Fans suspect it might be Gomez's ex, The Weeknd, or possibly actor Dylan O'Brien. Whoever he was, he had Gomez twitterpated!

Remember that brief period in 2012 when it seemed like movies based on board games were going to be the next big thing? Well the Hasbro Extended Universe is finally getting some life breathed back into it in the form of a Food Network competition series based on Candy Land. "The six-episode series features five groups of cake and sugar artists" who will compete for a $25,000 prize, Variety explains. "The players must make their way through Candy Land, seeking out different flavors and unique ingredients as they try to reach their ultimate destination: King Kandy's Castle." Alright, so it's not quite the "Lord of The Rings , but set in a world of candy" extravaganza that we were initially promised, but it will do.

Beloved entertainer, Southern Bayou Princess, and RuPaul's Drag Race star Chi Chi DeVayne died Thursday at the age of 34 following hospitalization for an unknown medical issue. "I am heartbroken," RuPaul said in a statement provided to EW, adding that DeVayne "will be dearly missed, but never forgotten. May her generous and loving spirit shine down on us all." All Stars winner Shea Couleé tweeted, "I'm literally so devastated and sick to my stomach," while season 10 winner Aquaria called DeVayne "one of the most supportive queens." Added RuPaul's Drag Race UK contestant Cheryl Hole, "Chi Chi DeVayne was such a light during her season and beyond ... She was a TRUE STAR and her legacy will live on forever."

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Jeva Lange was the executive editor at TheWeek.com. She formerly served as The Week's deputy editor and culture critic. She is also a contributor to Screen Slate, and her writing has appeared in The New York Daily News, The Awl, Vice, and Gothamist, among other publications. Jeva lives in New York City. Follow her on Twitter.