Peckerwood Manor

Well, well, well, it seems like a recent study conducted by Hungarian academics has found that people who obsess over celebrities may have lower intelligence. Who would have thought? The study required participants to take a vocabulary test and a digit symbol substitution test before completing a "Celebrity Attitude Scale" questionnaire. The questionnaire asked participants to answer questions like "I often feel compelled to learn the personal habits of my favorite celebrity" and "I am obsessed by details of my favorite celebrity's life".The study's findings suggest that there is a "direct association between celebrity worship and poorer performance on the cognitive tests," even when other factors like socioeconomic status, demographics, and self-esteem are accounted for. However, the study does not establish cause and effect, nor does it determine whether celebrity obsessives perform poorly on cognitive tests because they used their brai...

  Andra Day, George Clooney, and Alicia Keys at Albie Awards.  Photo: Neil Rasmus / BFA //Vogue The Clooney Foundation recently hosted its 2nd annual Albie Awards. The award is named after anti-apartheid hero Justice Albie Sachs. According to the Clooney's Foundation's website:  "The Albie Awards were created to shine a protective spotlight on courageous justice defenders who are at risk - sending a message to those who abuse human rights that the world is watching." What better way to shine the spotlight on those risking their lives for having the courage to speak up about human rights atrocities than by throwing a glitzy bash. The event was attended by a parade of A-listers wearing gowns and tuxedos whose value could probably feed a small impoverished nation. I'm always leery of foundations because so many of them are created as tax shelters for their founders. Who can blame them when tax laws have so many loopholes. And before anyone says anything, I know Amal ...

   Photo: KRON4.com; Ticketmaster Uncle Sam (Govt. Name: IRS) is saying the party is over to people who make their living hoarding concert or sporting event tickets and reselling them online. Resellers this year will be scrutinized by Uncle Sammy (IRS) when they file their taxes as a new law has been implemented that takes effect this tax year.   The new law lowered the tax reporting threshold for users of e-commerce platforms including Ticketmaster and Stub Hub.   According to Fox Business, “The IRS is requiring these types of platforms to provide info on sellers’ proceeds to the IRS if their ticket sales are more than $600 in one year (previously the threshold was $20,000 in revenue and more than 200 transactions). The new change to the threshold will be triggered with just one transaction if it goes over $600 limit.” So what does all this mean? Ticketing platforms will now be required to report sellers’ proceeds of $600 or more over the course of a year and s...

In an interview with the Evening Standard, Billy Porter - the actor, writer, director, and fashionista, said that he has to sell his house due to the SAG-WGA strike.  Billy said, "I have to sell my house. Yeah, because we're on strike. The life of an artist, until you make F-you money - which I haven't made yet - is still check to check." Billy has a reported net worth of $5 million. According to various sources, he was making $300,000 for the TV show Pose and has a monthly net income of $25k from various ventures. Let's not get into what he's comped from designers and companies for his wardrobe, swag, and other niceties. Billy is likeable enough. I appreciate his advocacy work for the LGBT community. I know he's had it rough. Billy and his husband, Adam Smith, filed for divorce earlier this summer after 6 years of marriage. In 2007, Billy filed for bankruptcy, and disclosed he had been living with HIV and diabetes for years. While the strike is affecting ...

  A London jury has found Kevin Spacey not guilty of 9 counts of sexual offenses. The accusers who brought up the case claimed the actor sexually assaulted and made unwanted sexual advances against them. According to reports during the trial, Spacey said, "he was a “big flirt” who had consensual flings with men and whose only misstep was touching a man’s groin while making a “clumsy pass.” Ew. Ew. Ew. During the trial, Elton John and his husband David Furnish testified as witnesses on Spacey's behalf. One of the accusers claimed Spacey sexually assaulted him right before a party hosted Elton John.  In a report by the Huffington Post, Prosecutor Christine Agnew told jurors that Spacey was a “sexual bully” who took what he wanted when he wanted. She said he was shielded by a “trinity of protection”: he knew men were unlikely to complain; they wouldn’t be believed if they did complain; and if they did complain, no action would be taken because he was powerful." In the...

  This past Sunday, Ariana Grande was photographed at Wimbledon with Jonathan Bailey looking like she was having a fantastic time without a care in the world, but a look closer showed she wasn't wearing her hundred thousand dollar wedding ring and made damn sure we saw her naked finger; celebrity-speak for it's over. They know what they are doing when they do this. Her fans tried to make it seem like she and Bailey were a hot new item, and they were getting cozy, but the man is openly ghey , so nice try. Yes, Anthony Bridgerton is ghey ghey ghey; accept that your dreams about him banging the life out of your vagine will never come true. However, it is more believable that he and Andrew Garfield are the real story, and she's their cover. Wait, I am really warming up to this idea; gods of gossip give us a gift, throw us poor souls a bone, and please let this be true. Just as I am picturing Jonathan and Andrew walking hand in hand, picking out bedding for their chic little pi...