The daily gossip: The new Meghan Markle allegations are suspiciously timed, Dolly Parton is vaccine chic, and more

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1. The timing of the bullying allegations against Meghan Markle seems pretty suspicious
2. Court rules that, yes, Sofía Vergara gets to control what happens to her embryos
3. Tim Allen defends his support of Donald Trump: 'It was fun to just not say anything'
4. Dolly Parton wears the latest in pandemic fashion to her vaccination
5. John Mayer's TikTok debut is met with angry Taylor Swift fans

published 3 March 2021

1. The timing of the bullying allegations against Meghan Markle seems pretty suspicious

Buckingham Palace officials are "steeling themselves for embarrassing disclosures" ahead of Meghan Markle and Prince Harry's tell-all interview with Oprah Winfrey this weekend — which makes the timing of new "allegations" of "bullying" by the Duchess of Sussex pretty fishy. Five days before the couple's interview is scheduled to air, The Times reported that Meghan made her staffers cry and drove two personal assistants out of her household. One observer told People, "The whole thing reminds me of an old rugby saying: 'Get your retaliation in first,'" while a spokesperson for the Sussexes said, "Let's just call this what it is — a calculated smear campaign based on misleading and harmful misinformation." Former Times writer Andrew Clark tweeted, "Comprehensive hatchet job on Meghan in this morning's Times … Somebody's worried about the Oprah interview."

One of the weirder celebrity divorce sagas has at last come to an end. On Tuesday, a Los Angeles Superior Court judge ruled that Sofía Vergara's former fiancé, Nick Loeb, cannot bring her frozen embryos to term without her written consent. The bizarre battle dates back to the couple's 2013 IVF treatments, and their subsequent split in 2014. After the breakup, Loeb sued to gain custody of Vergara's two embryos and bring them to term, even writing a New York Times op-ed arguing that "a man who is willing to take on all parental responsibilities [should be] entitled to bring his embryos to term even if the woman objects." The Modern Family actress has since married Joe Manganiello, while Loeb has a daughter with a girlfriend.

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Exhaustingly, Tim Allen has said some words. The 67-year-old Home Improvement and Santa Clause star appeared earlier this week on the "WTF With Marc Maron" podcast, where he was asked about his support of former President Donald Trump. Allen explained that he's "never liked taxes" but that he did like how "the last president pissed people off." Allen elaborated: "[It] was fun to just not say anything. Didn't join in the lynching crowd." Allen's comments, alas, led some people to declare that Kurt Russell, of The Christmas Chronicles, is the canonical Santa now.

After helping fund the Moderna vaccine, Dolly Parton finally received her shot, or what she called, "a dose of her own medicine." Always on brand, she sang about the vaccine to the tune of her hit song, "Jolene," just before her vaccination. But it was her on-pandemic-trend outfit that stole the show. She donned a sparkly navy blue cold shoulder sweater, which leaves no need to take off your entire shirt. That's right, cold-shoulder and off-the-shoulder tops are in. Beyond her fashion statement, Dolly had a statement for those hesitant to get the vaccine: "I just want to say to all of you cowards out there, don't be such a chicken squat. Get out there and get your shot."

Dear John, a Swiftie never forgets. John Mayer decided it was time to join TikTok, and posted a seemingly innocent video trying to figure out the app. But Taylor Swift fans deemed Mayer anything but innocent as they flooded his comment section in support of his ex-girlfriend. The two dated briefly in 2009, and Swift's song "Dear John" is rumored to be about him. Mayer indirectly responded to the comments in his next video by nodding and mumbling at the camera, with onscreen text reading "POV: You're berating me and I'm hearing you out." In Mayer fashion, he rounded out the day with music, singing "that was a real weird day." Don't worry John, you're not the only one Swifties are coming for.

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