In the news
■ Taylor Swift and British singer Matty Healy broke up last week, ending a monthlong fling that horrified “Swifties” because of the 1975 frontman’s history of crude jokes. A source close to Swift told the New York Post that it was merely a “fun little” fling for her, after she ended a six-year relationship with British actor Joe Alwyn. But friends of Swift,
33, and Healy, 34, had told The New Yorker recently “this time, it’s real,” and Swift said at a recent concert, “I’ve just never been this happy in my life, in all aspects of my life, ever before.” She and Healy are both busy touring, and reportedly quickly saw that “they’re not really compatible with each other.” Swift’s fans were not happy she was dating the edgy Healy, who has been accused of laughing at racist humor, and shoving his crotch into cameras and eating raw meat while he’s performing.
■ The Toronto Blue Jays decided to release or trade pitcher Anthony Bass last week after he shared an Instagram post calling for boycotts of Target and Bud Light, describing the companies’ support for the LGBTQ community as “evil” and “demonic.” Fans had booed Bass, 35, since his post. He apologized, saying he meant “no harm,” but added, “I stand by my personal beliefs.” Blue Jays General Manager Ross Atkins said Bass was released mainly for poor pitching. “Distraction was a small part of it,” Atkins said. Before being “designated for assignment,” Bass met with Toronto Pride officials, who said the pitcher was “sincere” in holding himself “accountable.”
■ Fox News sent its former top anchor Tucker Carlson a cease-and-desist letter after the first two episodes of his spinoff show on Twitter drew a combined 169 million views, Axios reported this week. Carlson—who is still being paid after being yanked off the air in April—remains under contract through early 2025. As he reportedly negotiates an exit, his lawyers have accused Fox of breaching the contract by allowing the disclosure of Carlson’s private racist and sexist messages.The lawyers also argued that Carlson has a First Amendment right to opine on the news regardless of the contract, saying, “Tucker will not be silenced.”