The daily gossip: Republicans want to #FreeBritney, the Lady Gaga dognapping incident might have been a gang initiation, and more

1. House Republicans are taking up the #FreeBritney cause

It looks like Britney Spears has some allies in Congress. Republican Reps. Jim Jordan and Matt Gaetz have written to the House Judiciary Committee chair calling for a hearing focused on "whether Americans are trapped unjustly in conservatorships," per Politico. The lawmakers' letter references "growing public concern about the use of conservatorships to effectively deprive individuals of personal freedoms," and they specifically cite Spears' situation. Spears has been fighting in court to have her father removed as the conservator of her estate, as was recently covered in The New York Times' documentary "Framing Britney Spears." A lawyer for Spears' father recently said he has "worked tirelessly to protect" the pop star and "would love nothing more than to see Britney not need a conservatorship."

Politico The Week

2. The Lady Gaga dognapping incident was possibly a gang initiation

Lady Gaga had fans tugging at the collars of their cable-knit turtleneck sweaters on Monday, when she posed with her House of Gucci co-star Adam Driver for a sizzling photo in the Italian alps. But back in sunny Los Angeles, the plot involving the dognapping of Gaga's French bulldogs has thickened. Sources revealed to TMZ that the shooting of Gaga's dogwalker, Ryan Fischer, and the subsequent theft of her pups, "may have been a gang initiation." Surveillance footage reveals that the dogs were on the other side of the dognappers during the incident; the criminals "easily [could] have just put the dogs in the car and taken off, yet they chose to shoot Ryan," TMZ writes. Thankfully, the dogs were recovered, and Fischer is expected to make a full recovery.

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3. Melissa McCarthy is living her best chatty life in Australia

Along with what feels like half of Hollywood, Melissa McCarthy has relocated to Australia. She moved last summer and plans on staying until at least August. The actress told InStyle she connected to the country in a way she didn't anticipate. "I'm a Midwestern gal who lives in L.A., where no one wants to talk to you. And here I'll be in the grocery store, and I can't go down a single aisle without talking to somebody. It's wonderful. I come home, and I will have had 15 conversations," she said. Even if someone recognizes her, they usually aren't asking for a photo, but having casual conversations about things like produce: "I'm out buying grapes, and they're like, 'What do you think of these?'"

InStyle

4. Meghan Markle reportedly filed a complaint with ITV over Piers Morgan comments

Piers Morgan left ITV's Good Morning Britain this week after drawing complaints about his Meghan Markle comments — reportedly including from Meghan herself. Speaking with Oprah Winfrey last weekend, Meghan had revealed that she experienced suicidal thoughts after joining the royal family. In the aftermath, Morgan controversially declared on Good Morning Britain that he didn't "believe a word" that Meghan said about her struggles. The Duchess of Sussex subsequently filed a formal complaint with ITV over Morgan's comments, expressing concerns about how his remarks might affect the dialogue around mental health or impact someone experiencing suicidal thoughts. Morgan, meanwhile, has doubled down since leaving the show, tweeting that he "still doesn't" believe Meghan.

Variety The Week

5. Cardi B makes history as first female rapper with a Diamond single

Cardi B wasn't lying when she said she makes money moves on her debut single "Bodak Yellow." The song, released in 2018, has officially sold over 10 million copies, rendering it certified Diamond by the Recording Industry Association of America. Cardi B is the first female rapper to reach this milestone, and it wasn't even her goal. "A couple of years ago I didn't even understand what going diamond means or meant I just wanted to win and break in," the rapper wrote. "This record changed my life. Thank you everyone who showed Bodak so much support." She noted on Twitter she'll be getting rich from "Bodak Yellow" until she dies, a true money move.

Popsugar