Latest news with #dysfunctionalfamily
The Sun
04-08-2025
- Entertainment
- The Sun
Strictly pro dancers dubbed themselves ‘International Men of Mystery' after ‘swinging antics' at wild after-show parties
STRICTLY Come Dancing prides itself on being a family show. Well, that's one VERY messed-up dysfunctional family… Forget recent cocaine allegations, the truth is far racier. 5 5 For I can reveal that a small group of pro-dancers calling themselves 'The International Men of Mystery' have been indulging in swinging after shows - and their antics will make your eyes water. The 'IMOM' moniker, which they came up with themselves, is almost laughable. But knowing the men involved in this group as I do, I can tell you they've got more front than Harrods - and would have revelled in their self-created grandeur. The reality of their antics is far grubbier, however. 'Partner swapping on Strictly was common,' my insider explained. 'This group of pros referred to themselves as 'The International Men of Mystery' and were notorious for sleeping with each other's partners - even when some of them were in relationships. 'Naturally, it all became very messy.' The 'mess' which my insider told me about played out in the background of the show. And - thankfully for BBC bosses - doesn't appear to have affected the mega-watt smiles the stars put on when Strictly's famous tune starts up…even if they're actually grimacing inside. 'One female star, who was in a relationship, had sexual encounters with two members of 'The International Men of Mystery' and it ended up being gossiped about by everyone,' my source - who worked on Strictly for a number of years - explained. BBC offer Strictly cocaine duo rehab stint after claim pair took drug on show as bosses consider random tests during tour 'There are so many stories about partner swapping and bed hopping, it was rife and well known. 'Another time there was a tale about a male pro who was in a relationship but was given permission by his partner to sleep with whoever he wanted - as long as he went back to her when he'd had his fun.' Not squeaky clean Strictly, as fans know, is a juggernaut of a series - and it's run like a military operation by the BBC. The regimented production meant that the bed-hopping, as well as the alleged cocaine use by two stars, and heavy drinking, was more rife on The Strictly Live Tour, along with The Strictly Professionals tour. My source added: 'How they managed to perform on the tour while partying every night is beyond belief, given how much they'd drink and how little they'd sleep. 'After nearly every show, they went hard - and the 'International Men of Mystery' would be leading the charge. 'Whether it was on the tour bus, in hotel bars, or in local nightclubs near the arenas. 'They would drink a hell of a lot. They worked hard and played even harder.' After nearly every show, they went hard - and the 'International Men of Mystery' would be leading the charge. Blackpool, where every year the pros and contestants compete at the seaside town's world-famous tower, is, I'm told, where the 'IMOM' would let loose. "The behaviour of this group was like something from a Club 18-30's holiday in Benidorm,' my source explained. 'You wouldn't have thought they were some of the most famous faces from a BBC family show. 'On tour, the drinking and the partying would lead to partner swapping and bed hopping. 'Staff at various hotels would have seen so much of it but seem to have said nothing. 'It was eye-opening to be around it. Fans of the show would be shocked - the stars they see on screen aren't as squeaky clean as they make out.' The BBC has been approached for comment. 5 5 Every scandal that has rocked Strictly has been revealed by The Sun, including the damaging allegations against Giovanni Pernice and Graziano Di Prima, which saw them both leaving the BBC show last year. The cocaine probe, which is underway now, was revealed by The Sun on Sunday - with two stars at the centre of damning allegations they took the Class A substance while on the show. Fresh Strictly scandal My source explained that the alleged drug use and bed-hopping went hand-in-hand and that at the conclusion of the investigation, it was likely another culture shift would be required at the heart of Strictly. 'The BBC have clearly been working hard to clear up Strictly's reputation and have brought in a string of measures to safeguard contestants and their welfare. 'But the drinking and the sex - that's a culture shift that is still waiting to happen. 'The lines between professional and personal relationships on Strictly have been blurred for a long time. 'If they want to stamp it out, there needs to be a clampdown on this behaviour.'
Washington Post
24-07-2025
- General
- Washington Post
Ask Sahaj: Roommate reacts with ‘bafflement and confusion' every time I vent
Dear Sahaj: My roommate and I were close in high school, but we drifted apart in college. Since we started sharing a place, we have become closer again, but I am finding myself bothered by a dynamic that emerges over and over again whenever we talk. My friend will often ask how I am and invite me to share what's on my mind. I find that as long as we keep the conversation relatively superficial, or keep a positive spin on things, we can talk with little awkwardness. But as soon as I share something that isn't so positive, she will react with open bafflement and confusion. For example, last week she asked if I was still considering leaving my job as I had said before. I told her I was leaning toward leaving because my workplace culture was 'bro-y' (I work in tech), and I shared examples of inappropriate jokes I heard bosses make. She immediately reacted with a kind of bafflement: 'Oh, that's weird and toxic. I don't get why people would make jokes like that.' Then she changed the subject. The whole conversation left me feeling misunderstood and brushed off. It's a pattern that has also emerged whenever I talk about my (very dysfunctional) family. She asks a lot of follow-up questions but in a confused, rather than curious, tone. I end up overexplaining myself while she looks more confused. Then she will cap off the conversation with something like, 'That's odd/weird/problematic' and change the subject. What can I do to break this pattern? Should I have a conversation with her, or should I just stop talking about difficult subjects with her? On the one hand, I worry that she's reacting this way because I am overburdening her with my feelings or expecting her to be my therapist, and this is her way of setting a boundary because we live together and she doesn't want to have to caretake me 24/7. On the other, though, this pattern is leaving me frustrated and resentful, and I don't want to spend time resenting my roommate, either. — Confused Confused: Of course you're confused. Your friend is doing a whole emotional bait-and-switch where she invites conversation but then shuts it down when it goes somewhere she doesn't want. Something has to change; you can't keep opening up to her and expecting compassion, only to be disappointed when you're already feeling vulnerable. You have to decide if you are okay with sharing much less with her or talking to her about what you're experiencing. You can decide not to talk to your friend about her disappointing reactions and consciously stop sharing more deeply with her and redirect that energy elsewhere. You worry this is her boundary, but rather, it sounds more like a limit. She probably doesn't know how to hold discomfort or complexity without either fixing it, dismissing it or retreating. That's not inherently malicious, but it does make her an unreliable container for your more vulnerable truths. It will be hard and sad to let go of a version of a friendship you had hoped to have; let yourself grieve that. Or if you do feel motivated to talk to her and want to try to find a way to shift the dynamic, you can broach a conversation with her by saying something like, 'Hey, can I share something I've been sitting with? It's something I've noticed happening a few times when we talk, and I think naming it and talking to you about it might help me get some clarity.' Then something like: 'Sometimes when I share stuff that's a little heavier — like work stress or family stuff — I feel like it lands kind of awkwardly. I totally get that not every conversation needs to be deep, but I've left a few of those chats feeling a bit misunderstood or shut down. I wanted to check in because I value our friendship and want to make sure I'm not overstepping or asking for more than you want to hold.' This is grounded in your experience, uses 'I' language to be non-accusatory and is asking for her to share her side of things. The conversation will be clarifying for many reasons. Only after naming this and chatting with her about it will you gain clarity on whether she is overwhelmed and wants to set a boundary. Or you'll realize she is simply unaware and may not be the right person for certain kinds of conversation. You'll hopefully get an idea of how she interprets these conversations and recognize if there's anything you need to do differently. If she gets defensive or minimizes, that will give you useful information, too. You don't need to force closeness with someone who can't meet you there. If that happens, the best path may be to recalibrate your expectations by accepting that she may be a great roommate or surface-level friend, but she can't be your go-to for emotional processing. This will allow you to preserve the relationship — especially as you continue to live together — by not expecting it to be something it can't be. Finally, be compassionate with yourself as you navigate this. I hear you internalize your friend's behavior as something that is your fault. You can hold yourself accountable to what you can do differently, but don't take responsibility for how she is acting and responding to you. This only feeds your narrative that you are too much, when in fact, you just know what you need in friendships, and you're exploring who is capable of doing that with you.
Yahoo
13-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
‘Everything's Going To Be Great' Review: Bryan Cranston And Allison Janney Lead Game Cast In Uneven Dramedy About A Family Whose Lives Aren't In Sync
A spirited rendition of 'There's No Business Like Show Business' during the opening credits gets the oddball dramedy Everything's Going To Be Great off to a promising start, right in line with its optimistic title. What follows though is the story of a fairly dysfunctional family that takes to the road following patriarch Buddy Smart's (Bryan Cranston) somewhat ill-considered dreams in the world of regional theatre. The idea comes from screenwriter Steven Rogers, who grew up in this world where his father worked putting on shows from town to town, something that inspired Rogers to take that idea, place it back in the late '80s, and put on this show. The family here includes the practical and religious matriarch Macy (Allison Janney), wannabe-jock 16-year-old Derrick (Jack Champion) and his 14-year-old brother and budding star Lester (Benjamin Evan Ainsworth) and seems to be each following their own separate trajectory as Dad exhibits nothing but misplaced positivity that for this family 'everything's going to be great.' Coming from their current home base in Ohio, Buddy gets the opportunity to stage a five-week summer show in New Jersey, a gig he is convinced will lead to much bigger things — notably Milwaukee, where the prospect of a more steady theatrical gig looms. Macy is the practical one, looking at the sorry finances and trying to keep the clan on course, turning to religion for support as well as a cast member of the troupe, Kyle (Simon Rex) who offers her some empathy and perhaps more (at least that is what we are told later) missing from her life. The live wire in this group is Les, brought to vivid life by Ainsworth, who is an actor yet to win any audition for his Dad's shows but with the promise someday he will be the right fit. That doesn't stop him from hanging out backstage and even running on for the curtain call in shows he is not in. He loves playing bagpipes with dad, singing along to Gilbert and Sullivan operettas, Fiddler on the Roof, and belting out the showstopper 'One' from A Chorus Line. There are even fantasy meetings with theatrical legends offering him encouragement including Noel Coward, Tallulah Bankhead, Ruth Gordon and even playwright William Inge. One such invention occurs in the halls of his school as he is confronted by a bully who calls him a 'f*g' for doing shows instead of sports, in which Les answers by envisioning four butt-naked actors from Hair providing support for him in this confrontation. More from Deadline 36 Of The Most Anticipated Movies Of 2025 20 Of The Most Anticipated Movies Coming Summer 2025: From 'Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning' To 'Jurassic World: Rebirth' Disney Leads U.S. Box Office With $1.1B Year To Date, But Warner Bros Is Billion-Bound Too Les' big brother Derrick wants none of this and only hopes to make the football team and get laid so he can stop being a virgin. He also eschews the family business and is distraught when he is forced to move with them to Jersey, where the promised audience fails to show up, still not downing Buddy's enthusiasm as he enlists every church group and denomination in the city to sign up as subscribers. And then his big dream comes true when a promise of a five-year gig in Wisconsin promises to send the family packing again. Rogers has written scripts for a number of star-driven studio vehicles like Hope Floats for Sandra Bullock, Stepmom with Julia Roberts, Kate & Leopold starring Hugh Jackman and more, but his real claim to fame is the terrific I, Tonya (for which Janney won a supporting actress Oscar) with Margot Robbie. That would give promise that this offbeat premise might have some bite to it, but charming as some of it is thanks to a terrific and game cast doing their best to bring it to life, the episodic nature and abrupt changes of tone don't always work, certainly not for other films in this family zone like Little Miss Sunshine and Captain Fantastic which showed how it should be done. Director Jon S. Baird, whose Stan & Ollie and Tetris I really liked, does what he can, but it often feels like a kind of truncated tale that starts to head in one direction only to zig-zag somewhere else. Just when you feel the movie is really going to focus on the quirky irresistible ambitions of young Les, it switches to Macy's downbeat complaints about her life, and later the revelation of regrets about an affair that really comes out of nowhere. Buddy's character completely disappears halfway through, leading to another move for the family to Macy's brother's farm in Kansas. He is played nicely by Chris Cooper. And then it switches to Derrick's sexual longings, mostly talked about except with the introduction of Selena (a wonderful Jessica Clement), a local girl who serves as sounding board to both him and Les at different points and who then gets to kill singing a Christmas song. The whole idea of a family living life against the backdrop of regional theatre is lost along the way. So is everything really going to be great? We can only hope so for this bunch. One thing is for sure: both Janney and Cranston, pros supreme, deliver exactly as you hope they would, even if both of these roles are underwritten to be completely credible. Ainsworth, and to a lesser degree Clement, get the best moments along the way, stealing every scene they are in. Producers are Rogers, Alex Lalonde and Bryan Unkeless. Title: Everything's Going To Be GreatDistributor: LionsgateRelease date: June 20, 2025Director: Jon S. BairdScreenwriter: Steven RogersCast: Allison Janney, Bryan Cranston, Chris Cooper, Benjamin Evan Ainsworth, Jack Champion, Simon Rex, Laura Benanti, Cady Huffman, Jessica Clement, Mark Caven, Chuck ReidRating: RRunning time: 1 hr 35 mins Best of Deadline Broadway's 2024-2025 Season: All Of Deadline's Reviews Venice Film Festival 2024: All Of Deadline's Movie Reviews Telluride Film Festival 2024: All Of Deadline's Movie Reviews
