Latest news with #Spence
Winnipeg Free Press
16 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Winnipeg Free Press
Book Review: ‘Gwyneth' is a portrait of a pioneering and polarizing ‘It girl' and wellness mogul
'Gwyneth: The Biography,' Amy Odell's thorough portrait of Gwyneth Paltrow, splits her life and career into two distinct periods: the rise (and fall) of the quintessential '90s Hollywood 'It girl,' and her transformation to wellness mogul with the creation of lifestyle brand Goop. In both phases, she struggles with likeability in the press and from the public, often coming across in interviews as elitist and out of touch with 'normal' Americans. But that hasn't stopped her from succeeding on both fronts. Blond, glamorous and patrician, Paltrow is the ultimate nepo baby, the daughter of actor Blythe Danner and TV producer Bruce Paltrow, acting from an early age at the Williamstown Theatre Festival in Massachusetts. In the first half of the book, Odell charts Paltrow's rise from chain-smoking party girl at elite New York private school Spence to Hollywood 'It girl.' She starred in 1990s classics like ' Emma,' 'Sliding Doors' and 'Shakespeare in Love,' for which she won an Oscar at 26. She was on the cover of Vogue and constantly in the tabloids with movie star boyfriends like Brad Pitt and Ben Affleck. But she eventually soured on Hollywood and turned to her burgeoning interest in lifestyle and wellness. She started Goop as a newsletter in 2008. Goop promoted some dubious wellness theories and was hit with the same press bashing as she had gotten as an actor. 'Gwyneth has, to her extraordinary credit, found a way to be even more annoying,' the Guardian wrote when Goop launched in 2008. But Odell — who didn't have access to Paltrow or any close family or friends, but based the book on more than 200 interviews with people who know or worked with Paltrow — shows Paltrow has a masterful control of her image, working negative press to her advantage. At Goop, a $66 jade egg meant to be inserted vaginally and a $75 candle called 'This Smells Like My Vagina' were ridiculed in the press — and sold out in short order. When Goop launched a travel app, an advertiser sponsored it with the promise that it would reach 10,000 downloads. 'Call it G. Spotting,' Gwyneth told an executive, according to Odell. 'Everybody will make fun of me for being an idiot and we'll have the 10,000 downloads we need right there.' It worked. 'Gwyneth: The Biography' is a satisfying read about the pioneering and polarizing actor and business woman. ___ AP book reviews:
Hamilton Spectator
16 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Hamilton Spectator
Book Review: ‘Gwyneth' is a portrait of a pioneering and polarizing ‘It girl' and wellness mogul
'Gwyneth: The Biography,' Amy Odell's thorough portrait of Gwyneth Paltrow, splits her life and career into two distinct periods: the rise (and fall) of the quintessential '90s Hollywood 'It girl,' and her transformation to wellness mogul with the creation of lifestyle brand Goop. In both phases, she struggles with likeability in the press and from the public, often coming across in interviews as elitist and out of touch with 'normal' Americans. But that hasn't stopped her from succeeding on both fronts. Blond, glamorous and patrician, Paltrow is the ultimate nepo baby, the daughter of actor Blythe Danner and TV producer Bruce Paltrow, acting from an early age at the Williamstown Theatre Festival in Massachusetts. In the first half of the book, Odell charts Paltrow's rise from chain-smoking party girl at elite New York private school Spence to Hollywood 'It girl.' She starred in 1990s classics like ' Emma,' 'Sliding Doors' and 'Shakespeare in Love,' for which she won an Oscar at 26. She was on the cover of Vogue and constantly in the tabloids with movie star boyfriends like Brad Pitt and Ben Affleck. But she eventually soured on Hollywood and turned to her burgeoning interest in lifestyle and wellness. She started Goop as a newsletter in 2008. Goop promoted some dubious wellness theories and was hit with the same press bashing as she had gotten as an actor. 'Gwyneth has, to her extraordinary credit, found a way to be even more annoying,' the Guardian wrote when Goop launched in 2008. But Odell — who didn't have access to Paltrow or any close family or friends, but based the book on more than 200 interviews with people who know or worked with Paltrow — shows Paltrow has a masterful control of her image, working negative press to her advantage. At Goop, a $66 jade egg meant to be inserted vaginally and a $75 candle called 'This Smells Like My Vagina' were ridiculed in the press — and sold out in short order. When Goop launched a travel app, an advertiser sponsored it with the promise that it would reach 10,000 downloads. 'Call it G. Spotting,' Gwyneth told an executive, according to Odell. 'Everybody will make fun of me for being an idiot and we'll have the 10,000 downloads we need right there.' It worked. 'Gwyneth: The Biography' is a satisfying read about the pioneering and polarizing actor and business woman. ___ AP book reviews:
USA Today
5 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Steelers veteran guard added to Non-Football Injury list to start training camp
The Pittsburgh Steelers have placed veteran LG Isaac Seumalo on the Active/NFI (Non-Football Injury) List to start training camp. As the Steelers reported to Saint Vincent College, HC Mike Tomlin stated that Seumalo was placed on the NFI List with a soft-tissue injury — but expressed confidence that backup guard Spencer Anderson can step up if needed. "I don't have a specific timeline for Isaac, as I sit here today," Tomlin told reporters during Wednesday's press conference. "Because I haven't had intimate meetings with the medical staff — just in terms of the declaration. But certainly, I'm more comfortable with Spence. Isaac didn't get a lot of work in the spring, and Spence did. And Spence has played a lot of ball for us here in recent years, particularly at that position group." Seumalo, one of the most underrated Steelers signings in 2023, delivered a career performance last season — earning his first Pro Bowl selection for his efforts. He did, however, miss the first four weeks of the Steelers' 2024 regular season with a pectoral injury — and it's safe to say Pittsburgh isn't going to take any chances with him at training camp. For up-to-date Steelers coverage, follow us on X @TheSteelersWire and give our Facebook page a like.
Global News
21-07-2025
- Climate
- Global News
Smoke hampers firefighting in Manitoba, but rain in forecast for early this week
Precipitation that's in the forecast early this week could help crews fighting wildfires that have been threatening a northern Manitoba city after smoke that's blanketed much of the Prairies over the weekend kept some firefighting aircraft grounded and forced the cancellation of a number of weekend events. In an update posted to social media on Sunday, the City of Thompson said rain was forecast for the area on Monday as the community continues to advise residents to be ready to flee at short notice due to several fires. But the battle against the flames was hampered on Saturday, the post said, because intense smoke meant that aerial crews were unable to do suppression work with helicopters and water bombers. The smoke also meant crews weren't able to be deployed by helicopters, it noted. The post said the smoke cleared some Sunday, and that crews would attempt to fly to the fire's eastern flank and 'start wrapping that edge.' Story continues below advertisement 2:27 Wildfires escalate in Western Canada, forcing evacuations across Prairies Warm and dry weather over the weekend didn't help, either. Get daily National news Get the day's top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day. Sign up for daily National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy 'With the warm weather and lack of recent moisture, all of the fires in the region are showing more activity than in previous days,' the post from the city noted. Environment Canada Air issued air-quality warnings on Friday for parts of Manitoba and Saskatchewan that lasted through the weekend. Smoke also prevented sonar imaging of land burned by a fire that has kept people out of Tataskweyak Cree Nation, according to an update posted Saturday by the community's chief, Doreen Spence. Further south in Gimli, Man., the final day of racing at the Sail West Regional Championships on Lake Winnipeg was cancelled on Sunday due to the presence of wildfire smoke. Story continues below advertisement 'There was enough visibility to go sailing but it would have been unwise,' Sail Manitoba president Eric Turner explained. 'We determined it was a risk to everyone's health.' There were 122 active wildfires burning across Manitoba as of Friday, with Saskatchewan reporting 51 active wildfires. Spence acknowledged during her online update the frustration her community's evacuees have been experiencing due to the shortage of hotel space, noting some hotels don't want evacuees as guests. The province has fielded complaints and calls from evacuees and various First Nations organizations to free up more hotel spaces, after elders and families were forced to stay in shelters and some were flown to hotels in Ontario. 'When you're in hotels, you have to follow rules in there. You've got to keep your room clean, you know, no drinking, whatever. I'm not saying everybody does that,' Spence said. 'You've got to keep you kids quiet,' she continued. 'I understand that some families have children with autism and they need to be placed elsewhere. And we are trying to work on securing more apartments for you guys.' A Manitoba government spokesperson said last week that as of Wednesday night, there were about 7,000 evacuees in hotel rooms and about 1,200 in shelters. Story continues below advertisement
Winnipeg Free Press
21-07-2025
- Climate
- Winnipeg Free Press
Smoke hampers firefighting in Manitoba, but rain in forecast for early this week
THOMPSON – Precipitation that's in the forecast early this week could help crews fighting wildfires that have been threatening a northern Manitoba city after smoke that's blanketed much of the Prairies over the weekend kept some firefighting aircraft grounded and forced the cancellation of a number of weekend events. In an update posted to social media on Sunday, the City of Thompson said rain was forecast for the area on Monday as the community continues to advise residents to be ready to flee at short notice due to several fires. But the battle against the flames was hampered on Saturday, the post said, because intense smoke meant that aerial crews were unable to do suppression work with helicopters and water bombers. The smoke also meant crews weren't able to be deployed by helicopters, it noted. The post said the smoke cleared some Sunday, and that crews would attempt to fly to the fire's eastern flank and 'start wrapping that edge.' Warm and dry weather over the weekend didn't help, either. 'With the warm weather and lack of recent moisture, all of the fires in the region are showing more activity than in previous days,' the post from the city noted. Environment Canada Air issued air-quality warnings on Friday for parts of Manitoba and Saskatchewan that lasted through the weekend. Smoke also prevented sonar imaging of land burned by a fire that has kept people out of Tataskweyak Cree Nation, according to an update posted Saturday by the community's chief, Doreen Spence. Further south in Gimli, Man., the final day of racing at the Sail West Regional Championships on Lake Winnipeg was cancelled on Sunday due to the presence of wildfire smoke. 'There was enough visibility to go sailing but it would have been unwise,' Sail Manitoba president Eric Turner explained. 'We determined it was a risk to everyone's health.' There were 122 active wildfires burning across Manitoba as of Friday, with Saskatchewan reporting 51 active wildfires. Spence acknowledged during her online update the frustration her community's evacuees have been experiencing due to the shortage of hotel space, noting some hotels don't want evacuees as guests. Monday Mornings The latest local business news and a lookahead to the coming week. The province has fielded complaints and calls from evacuees and various First Nations organizations to free up more hotel spaces, after elders and families were forced to stay in shelters and some were flown to hotels in Ontario. 'When you're in hotels, you have to follow rules in there. You've got to keep your room clean, you know, no drinking, whatever. I'm not saying everybody does that,' Spence said. 'You've got to keep you kids quiet,' she continued. 'I understand that some families have children with autism and they need to be placed elsewhere. And we are trying to work on securing more apartments for you guys.' A Manitoba government spokesperson said last week that as of Wednesday night, there were about 7,000 evacuees in hotel rooms and about 1,200 in shelters. This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 20, 2025.
