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The Age
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Age
Cutting through the Goop: What Gwyneth Paltrow's bio reveals
Amy Odell has collected enough Gwyneth Paltrow relics to open a private museum – or a shrine, depending on how you feel about jade eggs. 'I have all my Gwyneth stuff all around me in my office. Like, I have this …' the biographer says, brandishing a magazine spread with a wry smile, the kind that says: Yes, this actually happened. In the pages of Talk from the early 2000s, Paltrow's unmistakably serene face is photoshopped onto the body of a larger woman clad in black lingerie, posed just so. The stunt was part of the publicity blitz for Shallow Hal, that slapstick comedy which saw Paltrow declare 'every pretty girl' should be forced to try on a fat suit – all in the name of teaching Jack Black a lesson about inner beauty. Looking back, it's one of those moments that makes you pause and wonder: What was she thinking? But then, so many moments in Paltrow's career invite the same double-take. In Odell's new, already-headline-grabbing biography Gwyneth, each one slots into the larger puzzle of Brand Paltrow: the teary Oscar for Shakespeare in Love; the Hollywood boyfriends and headline splits; the jade yoni egg that launched a thousand think pieces (and a lawsuit); the ski trial 'I Wish You Well' sign-off that launched a thousand memes; and her latest role as 'temporary spokesperson' for tech company Astronomer after the Coldplay kiss-cam saga. Paltrow's quotes alone read like high satire: I would rather smoke crack than eat cheese from a can. Or: I can't pretend to be someone who makes $25,000 a year. The daughter of Hollywood royalty – Bruce Paltrow, the TV powerhouse and Blythe Danner, the Broadway darling – Paltrow had Spielberg in her corner as godparent and Madonna writing her notes urging her not to smoke. Odell traces the arc: from privileged upbringing to the big hits (The Talented Mr Ripley, Sliding Doors) and bigger flops (Duets, View From The Top); Paltrow's courageous involvement in denouncing the man pivotal in building her early career, Harvey Weinstein; motherhood and two marriages (one 'uncoupling'); and how she turned the mess of modern fame into an empire that taught every star how to monetise their name – one candle (not fit to print here) at a time. 'I was interested in Gwyneth because, love her or hate her, she has been in the public eye for 30 years, which in itself is extraordinary,' Odell says. 'And she is fascinating to a lot of people. She's also super polarising to a lot of people. And she's someone who, it seems like countless articles have been written about her, but I came to see that those barely scratched the surface of who she really is. She's a complicated person.' Around Odell is an archive of Paltrow-abilia that has helped her prise apart the contradictions of the modern celebrity goddess: vintage profiles, issues of Goop's short-lived print magazine, even Paltrow's high school yearbook, where she signs off to her privileged classmates with breezy words taken from the 1989 movie Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure: 'Be excellent to each other and party on, dudes.' It's become part of the decor, Odell jokes, something Paltrow would probably abhor, given her luxury, minimalist aesthetic. Overlooking Odell's latest project from the bookshelves is the last one, Anna, her 2022 biography of Anna Wintour, the famously inscrutable Vogue editor. Wintour provided access to friends, colleagues and family willingly. Paltrow was trickier prey. Odell went back and forth with her team, hoping for co-operation from those close to Paltrow. While they originally agreed, Odell found herself stonewalled when she reached out to Paltrow's circle. Communication flickered on and off. It wasn't until the book was nearly finished that the final 'no' – including to a one-on-one with Paltrow – arrived. 'I don't think it's ever easy to do a book like this,' Odell says. 'But I'm persistent. If someone says no, I'm not afraid to call them back in a year and say, 'Hey, I'm finishing up…' And often, they'll talk.' The biography is full of delicious morsels for the internet to dine on: Paltrow has a parking spot at Goop HQ nicknamed the G-Spot. She enjoyed 'teabagging' during her short-lived relationship with Ben Affleck, and described ex-Brad Pitt as 'dumber than a sack of shit'. Jay-Z gave her music advice when she was considering making an album (fingers crossed!). She once encouraged Goop staff to clean up after themselves, posting in the Slack channel that 'someone tinkled' on an office toilet seat. Paltrow comes across as smart and sassy, completely out of touch yet shrewdly canny and naturally talented – a whirlwind of contradictions wrapped in a luxe cashmere sweater. 'She can be cold, she can be icy, she can be aloof. People compared her to Anna Wintour,' Odell says. 'But that said, she can also be incredibly charismatic and warm. If she wants to make you feel like you're her best friend, she's very good at it.' Odell's favourite gem after excavating Paltrow's public and private trail for three years, including conducting 220 interviews? Paltrow's late father, Bruce, liked the finer things and insisted on flying first class. Her mother, Blythe, was more frugal and often booked economy. This, Odell discovered, infuriated young Gwyneth, who once whinged: 'You mean we're not flying first class? We're flying no class?' But for all the tabloid-ready trivia, Odell is more interested in the big picture: what Paltrow means for the $6 trillion Big Wellness industry she helped create. Before it became par for the course – think Hailey Bieber's Rhode, Scarlett Johansson's Outset, or Jessica Alba's Honest Company – Paltrow realised that she could use her image to promote her brand instead of someone else's. She seems scrupulous about her own health, but just as ruthless about turning that obsession into profit. Goop launched in September 2008, first as a weekly email newsletter before expanding to include publishing, production, skincare, health, fashion, events and travel businesses, all carefully curating an idea of modern womanhood and wellness. 'She was the original influencer. She was monetising her influence. She was one of the first people, I think, in the public eye to do that,' Odell says. 'She's just really good at sort of playing on public perception of her. She tells personal stories to promote and sell the products.' It's easy to mock the pseudoscience and extravagance (Odell skipped the $700 signature cardigan, but tested the moisturiser and scalp scrub), but there's a much darker side too: the link between Goop's brand of 'wellness' and the growing distrust of Western medicine and scientific evidence. This is a company that once claimed women should steam their vaginas, promoted 'Body Vibes' stickers said to heal anxiety because they were 'made with the same conductive carbon material NASA uses' and claimed wearing a bra might cause breast cancer despite zero scientific basis. 'I think she did two things for the wellness industry that were really important,' Odell says. 'One, she gave it a rhetoric and a language. And we see similar rhetoric of Robert F. Kennedy Jr in the US talking about things like toxins, getting toxins out of our food, our bodies, our living spaces and our beauty products through clean eating, clean living, clean beauty. The other thing she did for wellness, that I think was really impactful, is she gave it a beautiful aesthetic.' Odell admits she's got the usual nerves on the eve of publication. She has no idea if Paltrow will flip through the pages over a cup of detox tea, but she doesn't see herself as going toe-to-toe with an institution. 'I think there are a lot of stories in the book that she'll be pleased with. There might be some that she's less pleased with,' she says. 'I think it takes some guts to write a biography in general. But no, I don't feel like I'm going up against somebody. That's not the idea. The idea is to start a conversation about a really interesting, impactful person.' Loading Odell's never met Paltrow, but if she did in the future have a chance to sit down with Paltrow, she'd start with the obvious: 'Why drink raw milk?' She's curious if Paltrow ever worries about the harm of putting out questionable health claims, of doubting doctors and scientists. 'And I would also like to know, what is her ambition? This is assuming she would tell me honest answers. I asked so many people what drives her, what motivates her, and that was a hard question for them to answer,' she says. For now, Paltrow isn't answering – but the empire rolls on. She's filming again (most recently kissing Timothée Chalamet on the movie set of Marty Supreme, in her first leading role since 2019). Goop's future is somewhat hazier: it's privately owned, but there were multiple rounds of lay-offs last year, and talk of a sale comes and goes. Next up for Odell? A break. 'I put a lot into the book, and I'm looking forward to being with my family. You know, I'm going to clean up my office and put all this shit into a box,' she says. And let's be honest, the Gwyneth Paltrow museum seems like it won't run out of curiosities anytime soon.
Sydney Morning Herald
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Sydney Morning Herald
Cutting through the Goop: What Gwyneth Paltrow's bio reveals
Amy Odell has collected enough Gwyneth Paltrow relics to open a private museum – or a shrine, depending on how you feel about jade eggs. 'I have all my Gwyneth stuff all around me in my office. Like, I have this …' the biographer says, brandishing a magazine spread with a wry smile, the kind that says: Yes, this actually happened. In the pages of Talk from the early 2000s, Paltrow's unmistakably serene face is photoshopped onto the body of a larger woman clad in black lingerie, posed just so. The stunt was part of the publicity blitz for Shallow Hal, that slapstick comedy which saw Paltrow declare 'every pretty girl' should be forced to try on a fat suit – all in the name of teaching Jack Black a lesson about inner beauty. Looking back, it's one of those moments that makes you pause and wonder: What was she thinking? But then, so many moments in Paltrow's career invite the same double-take. In Odell's new, already-headline-grabbing biography Gwyneth, each one slots into the larger puzzle of Brand Paltrow: the teary Oscar for Shakespeare in Love; the Hollywood boyfriends and headline splits; the jade yoni egg that launched a thousand think pieces (and a lawsuit); the ski trial 'I Wish You Well' sign-off that launched a thousand memes; and her latest role as 'temporary spokesperson' for tech company Astronomer after the Coldplay kiss-cam saga. Paltrow's quotes alone read like high satire: I would rather smoke crack than eat cheese from a can. Or: I can't pretend to be someone who makes $25,000 a year. The daughter of Hollywood royalty – Bruce Paltrow, the TV powerhouse and Blythe Danner, the Broadway darling – Paltrow had Spielberg in her corner as godparent and Madonna writing her notes urging her not to smoke. Odell traces the arc: from privileged upbringing to the big hits (The Talented Mr Ripley, Sliding Doors) and bigger flops (Duets, View From The Top); Paltrow's courageous involvement in denouncing the man pivotal in building her early career, Harvey Weinstein; motherhood and two marriages (one 'uncoupling'); and how she turned the mess of modern fame into an empire that taught every star how to monetise their name – one candle (not fit to print here) at a time. 'I was interested in Gwyneth because, love her or hate her, she has been in the public eye for 30 years, which in itself is extraordinary,' Odell says. 'And she is fascinating to a lot of people. She's also super polarising to a lot of people. And she's someone who, it seems like countless articles have been written about her, but I came to see that those barely scratched the surface of who she really is. She's a complicated person.' Around Odell is an archive of Paltrow-abilia that has helped her prise apart the contradictions of the modern celebrity goddess: vintage profiles, issues of Goop's short-lived print magazine, even Paltrow's high school yearbook, where she signs off to her privileged classmates with breezy words taken from the 1989 movie Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure: 'Be excellent to each other and party on, dudes.' It's become part of the decor, Odell jokes, something Paltrow would probably abhor, given her luxury, minimalist aesthetic. Overlooking Odell's latest project from the bookshelves is the last one, Anna, her 2022 biography of Anna Wintour, the famously inscrutable Vogue editor. Wintour provided access to friends, colleagues and family willingly. Paltrow was trickier prey. Odell went back and forth with her team, hoping for co-operation from those close to Paltrow. While they originally agreed, Odell found herself stonewalled when she reached out to Paltrow's circle. Communication flickered on and off. It wasn't until the book was nearly finished that the final 'no' – including to a one-on-one with Paltrow – arrived. 'I don't think it's ever easy to do a book like this,' Odell says. 'But I'm persistent. If someone says no, I'm not afraid to call them back in a year and say, 'Hey, I'm finishing up…' And often, they'll talk.' The biography is full of delicious morsels for the internet to dine on: Paltrow has a parking spot at Goop HQ nicknamed the G-Spot. She enjoyed 'teabagging' during her short-lived relationship with Ben Affleck, and described ex-Brad Pitt as 'dumber than a sack of shit'. Jay-Z gave her music advice when she was considering making an album (fingers crossed!). She once encouraged Goop staff to clean up after themselves, posting in the Slack channel that 'someone tinkled' on an office toilet seat. Paltrow comes across as smart and sassy, completely out of touch yet shrewdly canny and naturally talented – a whirlwind of contradictions wrapped in a luxe cashmere sweater. 'She can be cold, she can be icy, she can be aloof. People compared her to Anna Wintour,' Odell says. 'But that said, she can also be incredibly charismatic and warm. If she wants to make you feel like you're her best friend, she's very good at it.' Odell's favourite gem after excavating Paltrow's public and private trail for three years, including conducting 220 interviews? Paltrow's late father, Bruce, liked the finer things and insisted on flying first class. Her mother, Blythe, was more frugal and often booked economy. This, Odell discovered, infuriated young Gwyneth, who once whinged: 'You mean we're not flying first class? We're flying no class?' But for all the tabloid-ready trivia, Odell is more interested in the big picture: what Paltrow means for the $6 trillion Big Wellness industry she helped create. Before it became par for the course – think Hailey Bieber's Rhode, Scarlett Johansson's Outset, or Jessica Alba's Honest Company – Paltrow realised that she could use her image to promote her brand instead of someone else's. She seems scrupulous about her own health, but just as ruthless about turning that obsession into profit. Goop launched in September 2008, first as a weekly email newsletter before expanding to include publishing, production, skincare, health, fashion, events and travel businesses, all carefully curating an idea of modern womanhood and wellness. 'She was the original influencer. She was monetising her influence. She was one of the first people, I think, in the public eye to do that,' Odell says. 'She's just really good at sort of playing on public perception of her. She tells personal stories to promote and sell the products.' It's easy to mock the pseudoscience and extravagance (Odell skipped the $700 signature cardigan, but tested the moisturiser and scalp scrub), but there's a much darker side too: the link between Goop's brand of 'wellness' and the growing distrust of Western medicine and scientific evidence. This is a company that once claimed women should steam their vaginas, promoted 'Body Vibes' stickers said to heal anxiety because they were 'made with the same conductive carbon material NASA uses' and claimed wearing a bra might cause breast cancer despite zero scientific basis. 'I think she did two things for the wellness industry that were really important,' Odell says. 'One, she gave it a rhetoric and a language. And we see similar rhetoric of Robert F. Kennedy Jr in the US talking about things like toxins, getting toxins out of our food, our bodies, our living spaces and our beauty products through clean eating, clean living, clean beauty. The other thing she did for wellness, that I think was really impactful, is she gave it a beautiful aesthetic.' Odell admits she's got the usual nerves on the eve of publication. She has no idea if Paltrow will flip through the pages over a cup of detox tea, but she doesn't see herself as going toe-to-toe with an institution. 'I think there are a lot of stories in the book that she'll be pleased with. There might be some that she's less pleased with,' she says. 'I think it takes some guts to write a biography in general. But no, I don't feel like I'm going up against somebody. That's not the idea. The idea is to start a conversation about a really interesting, impactful person.' Loading Odell's never met Paltrow, but if she did in the future have a chance to sit down with Paltrow, she'd start with the obvious: 'Why drink raw milk?' She's curious if Paltrow ever worries about the harm of putting out questionable health claims, of doubting doctors and scientists. 'And I would also like to know, what is her ambition? This is assuming she would tell me honest answers. I asked so many people what drives her, what motivates her, and that was a hard question for them to answer,' she says. For now, Paltrow isn't answering – but the empire rolls on. She's filming again (most recently kissing Timothée Chalamet on the movie set of Marty Supreme, in her first leading role since 2019). Goop's future is somewhat hazier: it's privately owned, but there were multiple rounds of lay-offs last year, and talk of a sale comes and goes. Next up for Odell? A break. 'I put a lot into the book, and I'm looking forward to being with my family. You know, I'm going to clean up my office and put all this shit into a box,' she says. And let's be honest, the Gwyneth Paltrow museum seems like it won't run out of curiosities anytime soon.
Time of India
4 days ago
- Science
- Time of India
Steel City students talk to Axiom Space CEO
Jamshedpur: Tejpal Bhatia, the chief executive officer (CEO) of Axiom Space, located in Houston, Texas and which recently sent Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla to space, talked to students and answered their questions about space on the occasion of World Conservation Day (WCD) on Monday Taking part in the inspiring 'Space Talk', the students of Narbheram Hansraj English School (NHES) listened to Bhatia with rapt attention over how astronauts practised sustainability in space, like recycling water, reducing waste and innovating for limited resources. These practices can help and guide people in protecting the earth's environment. The event was aimed at inspiring students to understand the deep connection between space exploration and the conservation of our planet.
Business Wire
4 days ago
- Business
- Business Wire
Lingraphica Unveils New Brand, Redesigned Website, and Previews Upcoming AAC Features in Celebration of 35 Years Supporting Adults with Aphasia
PRINCETON, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Lingraphica, a leader in augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) for adults, has launched a refreshed brand and redesigned website as part of its 35th anniversary celebration. This milestone highlights the company's continued commitment to helping people with aphasia and other communication challenges reconnect with the world around them. Lingraphica's updated visual identity and messaging more clearly express its mission: to empower users through communication, strengthen human connections, and support more effective therapy. Since 1990, Lingraphica has empowered thousands of individuals with speech challenges to make communication more accessible. The refreshed brand reflects a renewed focus on innovation, empathy, and user empowerment, while offering a look ahead at powerful new AAC features designed to make communication more personal and impactful. A Clearer, More Inviting Brand Lingraphica's updated visual identity and messaging more clearly express its mission: to empower users through communication, strengthen human connections, and support more effective therapy. The refreshed look feels modern, approachable, and deeply aligned with the needs of those it serves. 'This is more than a new look,' said Kevin Self, CEO of Lingraphica. 'It reflects the direction we're heading. We're continuing to invest in technology and the personal support that makes a real difference to our customers.' New Features Released and Coming Soon to Lingraphica AAC Devices As part of its commitment to continuous innovation, Lingraphica has launched and is rolling out new AAC device features designed to improve real-world communication and therapy outcomes. Now Available: User-Created Visual Scenes Users can now create personalized, photo-based scene displays, moving beyond static grids to reflect the real people, places, and routines that shape their lives. These customized scenes offer improved emotional relevance, context, and comprehension, supported by research showing real-life images are among the most easily recognized and meaningful to AAC users (Beukelman et al., 2015; Light, McNaughton, & Caron, 2019). 'We've heard time and again how much users want to see their own lives reflected in the device,' said Katie Driscoll, VP of Product at Lingraphica. 'These personalized scenes make that possible by giving people a way to connect and communicate using what's most familiar and meaningful to them.' Coming Soon: Advancing AAC Devices with Smarter, More Personalized Tools Message Window: A redesigned message window allows users to combine multiple cards to build phrases and full sentences with ease. Save a Phrase in Type: Users can now save typed messages for quick access and reuse, either in the Type app or as cards in Talk. Alternate Pronunciation: Users can personalize how cards and folders are pronounced, allowing for greater clarity, control, and natural expression. 'These updates give users more flexibility and control over how they communicate,' Driscoll added. 'They're simple yet powerful tools that reflect the real-world needs of our community.' A Website Built Around the User The redesigned Lingraphica website mirrors this user-first approach. It now offers: Streamlined navigation and cleaner content structure Personalized journeys for SLPs, caregivers, and AAC users Easier access to therapy tools, device support, and educational resources As Lingraphica steps into the future, it remains grounded in the same values that defined its first 35 years: clinical excellence, authentic empathy, and world-class customer support. 'We're proud of how far we've come, and we're just getting started,' said Self. 'We'll keep listening to our users and delivering tools that help them connect and thrive.' To explore the new brand and website visit About Lingraphica Lingraphica is a pioneer and leading innovator in augmentative and alternative communication technology. Empowering individuals with speech and language challenges, Lingraphica develops state-of-the-art devices, software, and tools to foster connection and improve quality of life. Headquartered in Princeton, NJ, Lingraphica serves users, caregivers, and speech-language professionals nationwide with compassionate support and evidence-based solutions. To learn more, visit
Time of India
25-07-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Kristin Cabot: How did this political science student snag a top HR seat at Astronomer?
Kristin Cabot's name has been making the rounds lately—not for a TED Talk or a tell-all memoir, but for reasons better left unsaid. According to media reports, Kristin Cabot quietly stepped down as Chief People Officer at AI firm Astronomer, just days after CEO Andy Byron 's own exit on July 19. No dramatic LinkedIn goodbye, no headline-grabbing statement, just a quiet reshuffle and her name vanishing from the org chart. But the real curiosity isn't just the timing. It's the backstory. How did a political science grad from Pennsylvania end up helming HR at a cutting-edge AI company? Cabot's climb through Silicon Valley's people ops world didn't follow the B-school-to-boardroom formula, and that's precisely what makes it worth a closer look. From political theory to people ops Cabot's journey didn't begin in a business school case study or a startup accelerator—it began at Gettysburg College, where she earned a BA in Political Science. There were no HR electives or coding bootcamps, just the classic liberal arts cocktail of term papers, power structures, and the occasional Machiavelli quote. Still, there's something oddly transferable about studying how systems hold (or fall) together. While her classmates were possibly preparing for think tanks or Capitol Hill internships, Cabot opted for human resources—not as a default, but as a strategic career play. And it paid off. Over the next two decades, she built a career focused on the unglamorous but essential business of managing people, personalities, and organisational chaos, especially in tech companies growing faster than their calendars could handle. HR roles, but with a Silicon Valley spin Cabot's HR resume doesn't need much embellishment. She's clocked in serious time at ObserveIT, Proofpoint, and most notably, Neo4j, which, for the uninitiated, is a graph database company (translation: it's techy and complicated, and engineers love it). At Neo4j, Cabot helped scale the company from 225 to over 900 employees, which is the corporate version of raising a pack of caffeinated toddlers during a sugar rush. She wasn't just there to manage hiring spreadsheets—she had to build and maintain a company culture that wouldn't combust under the pressure of hyper growth. That meant recruiting talent, calming nerves, smoothing egos, and making sure that when the company tripled in size, it didn't also triple in dysfunction. Astronomer : A brief, calculated orbit In November 2024, Cabot landed at Astronomer with big ambitions and even bigger Slack threads. She joined as Chief People Officer, HR's top chair, and stayed for eight and a half months. It was long enough to settle in, short enough to make everyone wonder what went down behind the scenes. No public comments were made about her departure. And true to form, Cabot didn't give interviews or post vague goodbye messages on LinkedIn. Just a quiet change in her headline, and she was gone. Culture builder, crisis handler So, what does a Chief People Officer actually do? In Cabot's case, it wasn't just about sending around surveys or updating leave policies. Her career has been built on designing 'award-winning cultures', which sounds abstract until you realize she's been doing it in environments where entire teams can burn out before the product hits beta. Her job was less about office perks and more about emotional triage—handling founders who haven't slept in a week, developers who think HR is a four-letter word, and legal teams who want everything said in triplicate. It's a role that requires diplomacy, ruthlessness, and a sixth sense for knowing when something's about to implode. And according to her track record, she's pretty good at it all. Cabot built a sustained, relevant, and quietly powerful career in tech without ever playing to the usual crowd. No Ivy League pedigree. No flashy founder status. Just a steady climb through the HR trenches of companies that were growing faster than they could handle, and somehow stayed (mostly) intact. TOI Education is on WhatsApp now. Follow us here . Ready to navigate global policies? Secure your overseas future. Get expert guidance now!
