Pulling Hair & Cashing Paychecks
Lois Lane made bank, Lorde made headlines, and Beyoncé made it back to the stage—barely. May '25, Vol. 2, Iss. 6
Welcome to Muse News! If you’re just joining us, this is your go-to monthly roundup of all things artsy and pop culture—curated for the ultimate fangirls. Each month, we’ll bring you the top stories, share our favorite movies and books, and dish out our thoughts on everything that we care about.
In this issue, you’ll find:
Top Art News 🎨
Top Music News 🎵
Top Entertainment News 🎬 📖
Stauney & Sadie’s Monthly Favorites 💕
Jane Birkin’s Bag Just Broke the Bank 👜
The original Birkin just sold for $10 million, proving once again that in the world of luxury, Jane Birkin still has us all in a chokehold.
Let’s all collectively clutch our canvas totes: the original Hermès Birkin just sold for a record-smashing €8.6 million (a casual $10 million with fees) at Sotheby’s Paris. The buyer? A very discreet (and probably very chic) Japanese collector. Word on the street is that Lauren Sanchez—yes, that newly Mrs. Jeff Bezos—was an anonymous underbidder, though her team is denying.
The bidding war? A ten-minute live-streamed spectacle, complete with nine collectors, soaring prices, and gasps from the peanut gallery as the paddle-flicking frenzy shot past €1 million in literal seconds. It feels a bit ridiculous.
However, this isn’t just a purse. This is fashion canon. The bag that launched a thousand waitlists, inspired a whole Sex and the City subplot, and made “sold out” a standard. Originally owned by Jane Birkin herself (who sold it in 1994 to fund AIDS research like the icon she is), it’s been exhibited at MoMA and the V&A like the artifact it is. Now, it's back in the spotlight with a bigger price tag than some penthouses.
As Sotheby’s head of handbags, Morgane Halimi put it: “The sale of the Original Birkin is also, ultimately, a celebration of the enduring spirit and appeal of its muse, Jane Birkin.” And honestly? We agree. We wish it were being donated to charity again, rather than ending up in a closet in Japan, but all our dreams can’t come true.
In this economy, the only thing harder than getting your hands on this bag is making it until the next paycheck. Good luck out there.
Want to learn about Jane Birkin and the infamous bag?
Clip Art Meets Couture 💌
Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez threw a multi-million dollar Venetian wedding for the elite—but their leaked invite looked like it was designed in Microsoft Word.
It’s giving... Venice, couture, climate protests, and clip art? When Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez’s wedding invitation leaked, the internet braced for billionaire-level opulence — but what it got was doves, stars, and gondolas that looked ripped from Microsoft Word circa 2007. Sure, it pledged no gifts (only UNESCO donations), but the real jaw-dropper was the design: a font so wistful it’s practically sighing and graphics that scream “middle school dance.”
And while A-listers like Oprah, Sydney Sweeney, Kim Kardashian, and Tom Brady arrived in Dolce, Dior, and vintage McQueen, the invitation was quite the contrast. A choice? Absolutely. It wasn’t the only eyebrow-raising moment, considering the actual venue was changed last minute amid hilariously creative local climate activist protests.
Compared to coronation invites hand-painted in gold foil or Balenciaga’s engraved iPhones-as-RSVPs, this invite is more “Amazon Prime” than “Primetime.” But hey, maybe it’s the ultimate tech bro move: speed over style (Bezos did once wear shirts with snap-off collars, after all.)
Moral of the story? You can drop millions on a Venetian wedding with a Schiaparelli corset and still send out invites that feel like they were made during lunch break. Awwhh, the billionaires are just like us.
Who needs gondolas and Dolce & Gabbana when you’ve got a crowd, a mic, and a custom wedding-day setlist?
Sheer Pants and Hair Pulls 🫢
Lorde flashes some artsy cheek and gets called a genius, while Sabrina Carpenter gets her hair pulled, and suddenly it’s the end of feminism—proof that the internet still can’t tell the difference between a gallery wall and a thirst trap.
So, let’s talk about those photos. You know the ones — Lorde, bottomless in sheer pants, baring all (or maybe not that much) in the vinyl edition of her new album, Virgin, and Sabrina on all fours with her hair being tugged by some headless man in a suit.
Lorde’s photo, shot by art-world provocateur Talia Chetrit, is less thirst trap, more thesis statement. It’s giving “power dynamics, gender fluidity, and Roland Barthes with a side of pelvic X-ray.” The image is deliberate, confrontational, and artfully restrained — a wink to the idea that stripping down doesn’t necessarily reveal anything real. It’s the kind of high-concept erotica that says I contain multitudes… and possibly an IUD.
Meanwhile, Sabrina Carpenter kneeled into chaos — quite literally. Her original manchild cover, featuring her being hair-pulled by an anonymous man in a suit, ignited instant backlash. Cries of “anti-feminist!” echoed across Twitter, with think pieces spewing from every direction.
While Lorde’s leggy existentialism got labeled “groundbreaking” (with some light mocking), Sabrina’s power-play was branded problematic. The kicker? Most critics missed the nuance of either — proving once again that the internet can’t tell the difference between a conversation starter and a call to cancel.
But here's the thing: women making provocative visual art isn’t new. Madonna did it in the '90s (and a commenter reminded us she would “kill you all”), and now Lorde and Sabrina are doing it their way — whether it’s art gallery chic or pop diva satire. Maybe the real question isn’t who’s feminist enough, but why are we still policing women’s images?!!!
Want to hear about another controversial artist?
Houston, Beyoncé Had a Problem 🚗
Beyoncé got stranded midair in a red flying car during her Cowboy Carter tour, but finished the show like nothing happened.
Only Beyoncé could get stuck in midair in a red flying car and still make it look iconic. During the Houston kickoff of her Cowboy Carter tour, Queen Bey was belting out “16 Carriages” while floating above the crowd in a cherry-red convertible — yeehaw meets stadium tech — when the whole thing just… stopped. Tilted sideways and dangling in the air, Beyoncé calmly shouted, “Stop, stop, stop, stop,” like she was disciplining the malfunction itself. Spoiler alert: it listened.
Crew members rushed in like a NASCAR pit crew, lowered the car, and safely returned her to the stage. Did she storm off in diva fury? Please. She walked back out and finished the damn song.
Parkwood Entertainment later confirmed it was a “technical mishap,” no one was hurt, and the show went on without a hitch. Honestly, the most dangerous thing was how many fans probably fainted seeing Beyoncé dangling 40 feet in the air like a sequined angel.
It’s not even her first wardrobe-or-vehicle-related hiccup this tour. Earlier this month, she had a fringe-chap catastrophe in London and handled it by bending down mid-choreo to fix it herself.
Moral of the story: Beyoncé could be sky-stuck, half-dressed, and still outperform the rest of us on our best day.
Check out our Beyoncé Episode!
TJR Goes Galactic 🚀
Taylor Jenkins Reid’s Atmosphere delivers a starry, 1980s-set story of love, identity, and ambition that’s already a bestseller
Taylor Jenkins Reid has given us Hollywood icons, tennis legends, and rock bands—but with Atmosphere, she’s blasting off in a whole new direction. Set in the 1980s, the novel follows Joan Goodwin, a buttoned-up physics professor who ditches academia to become one of the first women scientists in NASA’s Space Shuttle program. Yes, we’re going from red carpets to rocket launches—and somehow, it still feels unmistakably TJR.
Early readers have noted that the first few chapters hit like a launch countdown—fast, intense, and a little chaotic. The character introductions come rapid-fire, the philosophical musings start early, and you may find yourself flipping back to keep up. But once it all clicks into orbit, the payoff is worth the turbulence: there’s sparkling dialogue, emotional gut punches, and enough soul-searching to keep any reader glued to the page. Sadly, longtime fans may notice one thing missing: the signature Easter egg connecting this book to Jenkins Reid’s beloved shared universe—no mention of Mick Riva, no nod to a fictional rock star or silver screen siren.
Unsurprisingly, it’s still flying off the shelves. Atmosphere debuted at #1 on multiple bestseller lists, was picked as Good Morning America’s July Book Club pick, and is topping reader favorite roundups across social platforms and indie bookstores alike. Readers are on board for the ride.
Want to hear the real-life Daisy Jones story?
Saving the World—and Smashing the Pay Gap 🦸🏻♂️
Superman is soaring at the box office with a $217 million debut—and even better, Rachel Brosnahan and David Corenswet are making equal pay.
James Gunn’s Superman didn’t just leap tall buildings—it leaped right into history books with a record $217 million opening weekend, making it the biggest solo Superman debut ever and the third-largest blockbuster launch of 2025!
Even more refreshing than Superman’s flight? Rachel Brosnahan (Lois Lane) got paid the same base salary as David Corenswet (Clark Kent/Superman)—a tidy $750,000 each. That kind of parity is my kryptonite: Lois is front and center, and she’s not second-billed in the paycheck department.
To give that some context: way back in the day, Robert Downey Jr. got a humble $500K for Iron Man, only climbing to mega‑millions once the franchise took off. And yes, Scarlett Johansson got equal pay to Chris Evans and Chris Hemsworth in Age of Ultron—but it still took public pressure to get there.
Now? Brosnahan and Corenswet are strolling into summer movie glory on equal footing—literally partnering on the hero’s paycheck. Nicholas Hoult (Lex Luthor), true to his veteran status, snagged $2 million, but at least the leads aren’t being shortchanged.
Want to hear about the original Cat Woman now?
Stauney
🖼️ Masterpiece: Even though I have nothing against the og Sabrina cover, her alternates for Man’s Best Friend have been giving so much vintage Marilyn Monroe, even re-creating some photographs, and it’s been amazing to see.
🎥 Cinema Spotlight: Jurassic World Rebirth. Sue me, but I love dinosaurs
💿 Tunes & Tracks: Lorde’s new album, Virgin, has been on repeat for me
Sadie
📖 Page Turner: Art Above Everything by Stephanie Griest (Check out our podcast episode on this!!!)
🎥 Cinema Spotlight: Charade with Audrey Hepburn
💿 Tunes & Tracks: The New Haim album, I Quit
Missed March Madness? It’s not too late!
We celebrated Feminine Rage all Women’s History month long with themed episodes and our annual merch drop! If you missed out, don’t worry, we’ve still got the merch up for sale! We have the softest hoodies, sweatshirts, and heavyweight tees, so come join ‘The Hysterical Society’ and rep your rage!
Tune in every Monday (on all podcast platforms) for a new episode!!!
