Category: Viral

Everyone thought Olivia Rodrigo was on a musical hiatus. Now the singer has revealed she never really took a break. Even before she shared a snippet of her upcoming song “Vampire,” the Grammy Award winner planted the seed for her sophomore album, Guts — two years ago, to be specific.

Whatever the reason for the delay, when Rodrigo confirmed the release date for the album, her fans took to social media to celebrate with gif and meme-riddled responses featuring playful explosions. One of the mildest responses read, “I’m sorry for the person I will become on September 8th when Olivia Rodrigo releases guts.”

View a few of the more crazed fan reactions to the album below.

https://twitter.com/inviciblestring/status/1673366819132801033?s=20

When outlining what fans should expect from the project in a statement shared with the press, Rodrigo said, “For me, this album is about growing pains and trying to figure out who I am at this point in my life. I feel like I grew 10 years between the ages of 18 and 20 — it was such an intense period of awkwardness and change. I think that’s all just a natural part of growth, and hopefully, the album reflects that.”

Guts is out 9/8 via Geffen Records. Find more information here.

Jennifer Coolidge famously almost didn’t do The White Lotus. Good thing she did because it’s made the already beloved actress even more adored. (Viewers, meanwhile, not only got a great performance but also stellar awards show speeches.) But she almost didn’t and in a recent group chat for The Hollywood Reporter, she revealed one of the reasons she was so reluctant to play Tanya McQuoid.

In THR’s roundtable discussion — that also included Jennifer Garner, Melanie Lynskey, Emma D’Arcy, Dominique Fishback, and Claire Danes — Coolidge remembered when White Lotus creator Mike White formally approached Coolidge about the project. At the time the world was six months into mass quarantine, and Coolidge had been “locked up in my house in New Orleans just pigging out on these vegan pizzas.”

She then detailed her dietary regiment at the time:

“A good friend and I were doing two at breakfast, two at lunch and two at dinner. We were in COVID, no one knew I’d be getting a call going, ‘Hey Jennifer, my show got greenlit, let’s go do it. And it’s all going to be on a beach in bathing suits!’ So, I was just like, ‘No, I’m not doing this,’ but I didn’t tell Mike I wasn’t doing it. I just said, ‘Oh, that’s so nice, Mike. God, congratulations.’ I thought we were all going to die during COVID…”

Coolidge continued to skate around it. But White was persistent:

“And then [I hear] that little ping in my bedroom in New Orleans at like 2 a.m. and I look down at my phone and it said, ‘Are you afraid?’ It was from Mike. He knew. But I still wasn’t going to do it, and I think this happens to actresses a lot. You sit around and bitch your whole life that you’ve never been given the role of your dreams, and then when it comes, you’re like, ‘Yeah, I can’t do it. I ate a bunch of pizza.’ You can ruin it. And thank God I have a bestie that just caught on to my bullcrap. She knew exactly what I was doing, and she was like, ‘You are an idiot. I’m not going to let you do this.’”

So Coolidge finally accepted and the rest is history. Looking back now, she chalks her hesitancy up to “self-hate and not being prepared.”

White has teased that Coolidge’s Tanya could return in some fashion. In the meanwhile, perhaps he’ll honor Coolidge’s request that a certain character get whacked.

(Via THR)

There isn’t a person on the planet who doesn’t have some trouble with the basics in life, whether it’s time management, focus, money, health, children, waking up, staying organized, getting enough exercise, or making sure they can find their car keys.

Some of us do better than others, but we could all help with the basics. The good thing is that we have each other to help us along the way. One of the great things about the internet is that it allows us to crowd-source great advice on conquering life’s struggles from strangers.

Now, imagine how extraordinary our lives would be if we could only put them into practice.

A Reddit user called angelicasibs asked people on the LifeProTips forum to share their “favorite” life hack that has “saved you money, time, or made your day-to-day activities easier.” They received over 3,300 responses, and many were super practical but not necessarily obvious, life hacks they swear by.

Many of the hacks are for developing the focus and dedication it takes to handle small tasks before they get out of hand. A lot of times, it’s not the big things in life that cause us stress, but a dozen small things that add up to a big headache.

People also shared their tips on how to save money, keep their kids on task and stay hydrated. So, here are 19 of the best life hacks to give you money and time or make your day-to-day activities easier.

1.

“When my kids started school, I set an alarm on my phone for about 10 minutes before we had to leave. That way, it was only the clock/alarm telling them to hurry up, not their mother. They’re in their final years of schooling now, I still have the alarm and in those 13 years, I’ve only had to yell to get ready maybe 5 times and my kids have only been late for real reasons (car trouble etc). It really helped us.” — Technical-General-27

2.

“I keep a $2 Great Value feather duster in the glove box of my car. At the first sign of dust accumulation on my dash, vvvt vvvt my dashboard and vents are pristine again. Learned this LPT from the most awful woman I’ve ever had the displeasure of dating, which just goes to show you can learn something from everyone, folks.” — NeverEnoughCharacter

3.

“When the butter is cold use a potato peeler to get a nice thin slice that spreads easier.” — ldawg413

4.

“‘Just 10 minutes’: Put on a timer, and start doing what needs to be done in the house. Folding the laundry, washing dishes, putting away clutter, etc. When the timer goes off, you can stop. But far more often I’ll just keep going until everything is done.” — feestfrietje

5.

“Mine is ‘Might as Well’ when walking past laundry on the floor, might as well take it to the bin if I am heading that way. Walking past trash on the floor, I Might as Well pick it up and put it in the bin. Going downstairs Might as Well take a cup and put it in the sink. Trying to compress multiple activities into one when it is convenient.” — w13szczus

6.

“Batch cook lunches. It takes an hour out of your Sunday but is so much cheaper and ensures you don’t just eat junk food because it’s easier.” — looj87

7.

“Stop caring if things go well or not. Literally revolutionized my life and how I enjoy the world. Being frustrated by circumstances out of your control will drive you insane. And if you look closely, basically everything in your life is out of your control. It’s just raining circumstances on you every day.” — unnameableway

8.

“For dealing with emails: The Four Fs – Finish it (read and reply), Forward it, File it, F… it (delete it).” — knownuthinatall

9.

“When my 3 kids were little, and there were lots of taco Tuesdays and spaghetti dinners, I would buy hamburger meat in bulk and go ahead and cook it and then freeze the cooked burger crumbles in 1-2 cups freezer bags. Easy to pull out, defrost and reheat.” — srchd4

10.

“Don’t drink your calories. A small glass of orange juice is 130 calories. A can of soda is 140. A bottle of beer is 160. Swap those out for water/tea/black coffee and that’s 430 calories you didn’t consume each day.” — ernurse748

11.

“Weekly menu planning combined with meal prep. Once a week, my fiance and I go through our pantry and freezer, and plan out a menu for our evening meal. This allows us to grocery shop once a week for only the items we need for said meals that we don’t already have in the house. When we make those meals, we make enough to have a couple leftover containers for the next day’s lunch, or put in the freezer for a future meal.” — 306ughmyknees

12.

“Lifting weights. It literally makes every aspect of my life better.” — marshall_chaka

13.

“At stores or anywhere that has a membership connected to a phone number, I always use whatever area code I’m in + 867-5309, usually someone has it set up to that number and you get the discount.” — UhOh_its_Rambo

14.

“Floss. Get some floss picks and use them after every meal. It doesn’t have to be a crazy process. I’m in my late 40s and still have all of my teeth, and when I go to the dentist, they always say, ‘Whatever you’re doing, keep doing it.’ There is a lot of evidence that poor gum health can lead to heart disease and other issues. Lazily using a floss pick after meals can make a huge difference.” —LostMyKarmainElSegundo

15.

“Minimalism and going low waste. Both saves a ton of money, minimalism saves a lot of time as well (managing and cleaning a household becomes way easier and faster).” — SquirrelTail13

16.

“Always put your keys, wallet, phone, or any other everyday important item in the same place every time. Don’t put it down anywhere else, but its designated place. This will save you 5-10 minutes searching for any one of these items on a regular basis. This time adds up and helps prevent you from being late to things. It very well might save you from losing your job.” — ShiverMeTimberz

17.

“Deleted all social media. Do not regret it at all. Have so much more time, concentration has improved drastically, and mental health has improved.” — jmffett

18.

“Home automation definitely; robot vacuum and turning on ACs before I come back home.” — Legitimate-Station45

19.

“The quicker you do it, the quicker it’s over with. You still have to do it if you put it off, but now instead of sitting there dreading doing the thing you can be glad it’s already done. Exercising is a good example. Do it in the morning and the rest of the day you don’t have to think about how much you don’t want to.” — ThatVaultGirl101

Halloween movies might have taught us to think of bats as scary, vicious, disease spreading creatures of the night, but in many ways they really are just sweet, adorable dogs…with wings.

Take Eddie, for instance.

Eddie was a teeny tiny little fruit bat (aka flying fox) born prematurely and found at a theme park. Luckily, he was rescued by wildlife nurse and bat rehabilitator Rhi, who surmised that the poor guy fell from his mom while she was flying one night. Flying foxes hold onto their mother’s stomach as she flies around at night. However, being born premature meant that Eddie probably didn’t have the strength to do so.

As Eddie began to heal, his natural personality began to come out, which was apparently the personality of a puppy.

Just like a pupper, Eddie was affectionate, emotional, able to recognize voices and even learn his own name. He also showed a fondness for belly rubs…and would get very jealous when other bats get pets.

Watch below, video courtesy of GeoBeats Animals:

Like dogs, bats are very social animals. As Rhi explains, they require “lots of love when their babies,” and bond with who they perceive to be their mother. Hence why Eddie became so close towards his caretaker.

Despite his puppy tendencies, however, Eddie was still a bat that ultimately needed to be in the wild. Since Rhi’s aviary releases its residents when they are ready, Eddie has since gone off on his own, but everytime she looks out at the night sky, she wonders if she sees him flying around. Sounds like the amazingly sweet fruit bat had the same impact on Rhi’s heart as a pet dog would, to be sure.

Bats are not only far less threatening than we think they are (for instance, contracting rabies from a bat is next to impossible, contrary to popular belief) they are far more critical for our planet than we give them credit for.

Worldwide, fruit and nectar eating bats are the exclusive pollinator for over 500 species of flowers in at least 67 plant families, especially plants that we use for medicinal purposes. And also for the agave plant…which brings us tequila. Bats are quite literally party animals.

Bats can also provide essential pest control. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service website estimates that insect eating bats save more than $1 billion per year in crop damage and pesticide costs in the corn industry alone. Across all agricultural production, the savings are more than $3 billion per year.

All this…and they’re cute as heck? These critters definitely deserve a rebranding.

TikTok has given birth to, or at least paved the way for, several viral trends. Rap music lovers are shredding the nearest plastic bag thanks to Latto’s new song, “Put It On Da Floor.” Before that, they ferociously thrust their hips because of Lil Uzi Vert’s “Just Wanna Rock.” Now rock fans are going in for a semi-choreographed movement of their own: the Pinegrove Shuffle.

Named after the rock band Pinegrove, the interpretative dance is perfectly suited for indie listeners. So, what is the Pinegrove Shuffle? Essentially, the dance craze is the spontaneous flinging of the arms while alternating a lunge of the legs. The dance, originated by Garrett Lee, stems from the group’s 2015 song “Need 2,” from their album Everything So Far.

While most musicians eventually find a way to use virality to their benefit, don’t expect the same from Pinegrove. The band remains somewhat active, having released an album, 11:11, last year. Many former supporters haven’t shown up in the same force since frontman Evan Stephans Hall was accused of sexual coercion in 2017.

Hall issued a lengthy statement about his relationship with the accuser, writing, “The time we spent together was complicated. I believed we were mutually in love, and we said it to each other often. But she also sometimes expressed reservation—she was dating someone else, and the dissolution of that relationship would have yielded intense personal and professional consequences. We talked about it thoroughly, endlessly. it was convoluted, heavy, and emotional. this whole period felt like an impossible situation with no right answer, but we were working through it together.”

He added, “Still, I am coming to terms with the fact that I monumentally misread the situation. I am trying earnestly to follow this line as deeply as it goes to reflect on all of the things I could have done and can do better.”

In a previous Upworthy article, we shared how dad jokes aren’t just a way for fathers to embarrass their children. But a way to build them up and teach resilience is by showing that it’s ok to embarrass yourself.

When a dad tells a joke that gets more of a groan than a laugh, it demonstrates his ability to handle an uncomfortable situation. According to researchers, dad jokes appear in many cultures and are a way for fathers to teach their kids that it’s okay to put themselves out there without worrying about what other people think.

A recent viral thread on Reddit shows how some fathers have used dad jokes to show how they accept their child’s sexuality in a way that made a tense situation comfortable for everyone.

A Redditor with the username Expert_Recover3061 asked the online forum, “What’s the best response to ‘Dad, I think I’m gay’?” the question received nearly 24,000 responses. Many of the stories were first-hand accounts of people who were afraid to broach such a sensitive topic with their father and were surprised he responded with love and a side of humor.

The responses are a great way to show people the best way to support their LGBTQ children. Here are 20 of the best replies to the question: “Dad, I think I’m gay.”

1.

“Your mother owes me £10.” — PotterWhoLock01

2.

“You still have to wear a condom.” — Ginchy1971

3.

“It’s okay, your mother likes guys too, maybe I am the weird one.” — Drendari·

4.

“‘I thought you were about to give me bad news! Don’t scare me like that!’ My granny when my uncle came out in the ‘70s. She was decades ahead of her time.” — LongjumpingCake1924

5.

“One of my friends from high school was gay, and when he came out to his family his dad literally didn’t look up from his newspaper and told him his sister didn’t need to tell him she was straight so why would he need to explain that he was gay? He’s known him his whole life and already knew that. It was cute because he was so worried.” — 0Diamond0

​6.

“You still have to take out the garbage.” — Most_Original_329

7.

“When I came out to my dad when I was 16, I thought he would disown me. He said: ‘Son If anyone ever hurts you for that, I’ll f**king kill them.’ In that moment, I realized that I had the best dad in the world.” — Winterpegs

8.

“This story does not involve a dad, but it involves a very religious grandma. One of my friends was very nervous about telling his grandma that he was gay, and put it off for a long time. But when he turned 18, he decided that he had to get this done. When he told her she just looked at him calmly and answered, ‘Of course you are. I have known that since you were 10.’ At the age of 10, he didn’t even know it himself yet.” — Ashtar-the-Squid

9.

“I was getting ready to go to a sleepover with a girl I was totally crushing on and my mom was like ‘You look like you’re getting ready for a date!’ And I paused and was like ‘Would it be okay if I was….Going on a date with a girl?’ My mom just said, ‘Of course, just remember to practice safe sex. You can get STDs from girls too!'” — Psychological-Run679

10.

“Lesbian here. When I came out to my dad, he said ‘That’s okay honey, I don’t like guys either.’” — wafflemaker9093

11.

“My daughter was looking extremely nervous one night while I was cooking dinner. I could see her talking quietly with her mom but she continued to look uneasy. After a bit of time, she came into the kitchen and I asked her what was wrong. She didn’t want to tell me at first but I could tell she was uneasy so I said she could always tell me anything. She finally said that she was pansexual. I just looked at her and said ‘That just means twice as many people that can turn you down for dates now’ and she busted out laughing as I went back to cooking to finish dinner. She was apparently really nervous about telling me for some reason and was glad I wasn’t upset.” — tahquitz84

12.

“When my daughter told me she was gay, I just told her I loved her, and that none of that would change my feelings. Then I began giving her the heads up when hot ladies would walk by.” — PLoddingClot

13.

“My stepdad, who I consider my dad, was the man that raised me, and he’s a big redneck steel worker. I came out at 18 and he sat me down and said ‘Son, I’ve loved you like you were my own for the past 14 years. Why the hell would I stop now?”” — KeyboardRoller

14.

“Take a note from Olivia Coleman in Heartstopper: ‘Thank you for telling me. I’m sorry if I ever made you feel like you couldn’t tell me that.’ Honestly, that would have been the perfect thing to hear.” — Amastarism

15.

“My friend’s daughter came out to her parents when they were all over at my house. Her dad looked her dead in the eye, took a deep breath, and in his big, booming voice said ‘DUUUH!’ We all got a good laugh but he just said, ‘Sweetheart, I couldn’t care less who you love. All I care about is that they treat you with love and respect and that you’re happy. And maybe your gf will like working on cars with me.’” — ItsMRslash

16.

“Hi gay, I think I’m dad. Seriously though when my son came out I just said he was my son and it changed nothing between us other than I was happy he was discovering himself and growing up. Any man who would abandon or shun his own son for being gay is no man at all.” — Open_Action_1796

17.

“Firstly, I love you. Now, did you steal one of my beers?” — February83

18.

“When I came out my dad had the best response ever: ‘Wow! Now maybe I’ll get a son-in-law that I really like!’ and then he hugged me.” — Gracie305

19.

“A customer of mine told his gay and trans kids ‘I’d still love ya even if you were straight!'” — RoyStokes

20.

“A guy in a Walmart parking lot was on the phone and screamed, ‘I don’t care if you’re gay, as long as you marry someone rich!’ And angrily hung up the phone.” — Shecallsmeherangel

“It takes a village to raise a child” is an African proverb commonly attributed to the Igbo and Yoruba tribes of Nigeria. The phrase encapsulates the worldview that child-rearing is the responsibility of an entire community, not just a singular family unit.

The phrase became popular in Western culture after Hillary Clinton’s 1996 book, “It Takes a Village,” which argued for a societal approach to children’s welfare.

A viral TikTok video by Jessica Secrest from Grand Rapids, Michigan, has many thinking that she’s the perfect example of what “It takes a village” means. She and her friend and fellow mom, Emily, have an arrangement where they watch each other’s kids so they can have a date night with their husbands.

“It’s childcare swap night, which means that I’m at my friend Emily’s house,” she explained to the camera. “I fed her kids dinner, put them to bed, and now I’m waiting for her and her husband to get home from their date. And I told them stay out as late as possible please, because last time they didn’t. We made them reservations at a tiki bar downtown and then they’re going to the movies.”

“We do this once a month,” she continued. “So, I come over and watch her kids put them to bed and do all the bedtime routines. My husband stays home with my kids, and then in the future, she’ll do the same for me.”

@applesauceandadhd

I love that we started doing this! It is nice to go on a date and spend some one on one time with your spouse without kids on a semi regular basis! #childcare #babysitting #childcareswap #babysitforyourfriends #bestie #bestfriend #momtok #datenight #dateyourspouse #fyp #momsoftiktok #foryou

Secrest also noted that she and Emily don’t just watch each other’s kids during a childcare swap. They tidy up each other’s homes, too.

“While we do this, we try to pick up each other’s house and just leave it better than we found it,” she added. “It doesn’t feel like a break if you don’t come home to a cleaner home.”

Amen.

The simple arrangement is a beautiful way for bestie moms to support one another while giving each other more time alone with their spouses. A study from the National Marriage Project found that of couples that go on regular date nights, 3 out of 4 are “highly committed” to their relationships. Only about half of those who don’t regularly go on date nights report being “highly committed.”

“It’s so nice to reconnect with your spouse and be something other than just a mom,” Secrest admits. “Because I am a stay-at-home mom and sometimes it feels like all I am is waiting on kids, cleaning butts and wiping noses. And I never get to be with my spouse at all. Doing this once a month really helps.”

The comments on the video were overwhelmingly positive, and many of Secrest’s followers hope to set up a childcare swap of their own.

“I wish I had a friend! This would be so nice to do and be at peace knowing that someone you trust is caring for your children while u r on a date,” Alex_7238 wrote. “This is the definition of it takes a village!! Love this!!!” Kaley added.

Victoria thought that Secrest’s thoughts on coming home to a clean home hit the nail right on the head. “’It doesn’t feel like a break if you don’t come home to a clean house’ OMG. SOMEONE FINALLY GETS IT,” she wrote.

Secrest’s post shows that when people have great support from their village, it not only helps to raise a child but also creates stronger marriages and happy families, too.

Generally speaking, fast food has massively dropped the ball on plant-based and vegetarian food options. Pre-pandemic it seemed like brands were rushing to corner a new market and capture changing tastes, but most of what’s left across the fast food landscape… isn’t great. For every deliciously juicy, taste-bud tantalizing plant-based burger — looking at you, Umami Burger — there are three that are straight up not worth ordering. The Impossible Whopper, The McPlant, and the Beyond Fiery Famous Star all make that list.

Instead of making the case for why you should eat plant-based or veggie burgers by offering great flavor combinations, fast food as a whole is instead making the case why you should just chill on the whole concept and get some vegan fries or something. There are many reasons why someone would want great vegetarian options on fast food menus, maybe they’re, you know, vegetarian, maybe they’re concerned about their carbon footprint, maybe they have issues with factory farming hell, maybe they just want variety.

Some fast food brands are doing this well (shout out Taco Bell and Chipotle) but most aren’t even trying, and the ones that do don’t seem too concerned about the quality of what they put out. That’s why I was excited to hear that Shake Shack had launched a new veggie burger, the Veggie Shack, and a non-dairy version of their famous chocolate shake.

Shake Shack does everything excellently (except the fries), so we have high expectations for both new menu items. Let’s talk about them!

Non-Dairy Chocolate Shake

Thoughts and Tasting Notes:

I’m blown away by the quality of this milkshake. Shake Shack’s Non-Dairy Chocolate Shake is supremely thick and luxurious in texture, even more so than its dairy shakes. The flavor matches the OG with a rich and natural chocolate flavor that is earthy with a slightly roasted quality. The only major difference between the dairy version and this non-dairy version is the subtle plant-y aftertaste you get here.

I’m not sure that you’d immediately clock this as being non-dairy if you didn’t know what you were drinking ahead of time, but it’s clear in the way the flavor immediately dissipates that something is not quite “normal” about this milkshake. It’s not a bad thing, but it doesn’t really provide the indulgent decadent quality that a real milkshake gives off, but if all you’re after is flavor and texture and don’t want a lingering aftertaste, this exceeds expectations.

It’s without a doubt the best non-dairy chocolate shake I’ve ever had. The Shake Shack Non-Dairy Chocolate Shake is made with NotMilk brand, a sunflower oil and pea protein-based milk alternative that is soy, gluten, cholesterol, and GMO-free.

The Veggie Shack

On to the real star of the show. The Veggie Shack is not Shake Shack’s only veggie burger. The Shroom Burger, which is made with a fried portobello mushroom stuffed with cheese, is also a delicious option, but it’s fried and crispy. That burger doesn’t really mimic what an actual burger does, it’s a purposefully different experience, but the Veggie Shack manages to actually capture some of the magic of a real burger.

Instead of opting for plant-based fake meat like Impossible or Beyond, Shake Shack instead offers up a proprietary patty made from mushrooms, sweet potatoes, carrots, farro, and quinoa. The patty has savory umami elements, a hint of sweetness, a soft and tender texture, and even manages to exhibit some of that Maillard crust that makes Shake Shack’s real burgers so delicious. That sure sounds like a burger!

Most veggie and meat alternative burger patties are dense and a chore to chew through, but Shake Shack’s veggie patty melts in your mouth like real meat and is surprisingly juicy. It doesn’t try to mimic the experience of a burger one-to-one, it doesn’t taste like it’s trying to fool you, but it tastes delicious and captures some of the same sensations that a delicious burger patty offers.

But that’s just the patty, we haven’t even talked about the rest of the burger build. The Veggie Shack is topped with American Cheese, fried onions, pickles and ShackSauce, and the combination of these ingredients add even more flavor to an already delicious patty. The cheese brings in a salty component, while the fried onions add some savory crunch and a burst of sweet spice, while the pickles counterbalance that with some tang.

Altogether it comes across as a burger that isn’t making any compromises, it’s just a delicious experience that happens to be vegetarian. If you ditch the cheese and ShackSauce, now you have the best vegan burger on the market and it’ll still result in a burger bursting with flavor on each bite.

The Bottom Line:

Shake Shack’s Non-Dairy Chocolate Shake and Veggie Shack aren’t just good substitutes for the real thing, they’re delicious, full stop. The Veggie Shack might even be the best burger Shake Shack has launched all year and is an obvious choice for the best veggie burger in all of fast food.

Find your nearest Shake Shack here.

In most cases, Lewis Capaldi’s sense of humor isn’t for the uptight. Whether he’s making a parody song on TikTok, joking about another musician’s body odor, or the death of his grandmother, the “Wish You The Best” singer is an acquired taste. However, Capaldi’s uncomfortable reaction due to his medical condition interfering with his ability to perform at Glastonbury Festival 2023 was no laughing matter.

As he began “Someone You Loved,” Capaldi was only able to muster a few lines. Festivalgoers joined in, but after he remained silent too long, people noticed him trying to resist a spasm. They then cheered even louder as they encouraged him to push through it. Soon the crowd was joining in as the musician fought off his Tourette’s syndrome-caused ticks.

Capaldi has spoken candidly about his condition, saying that he nearly wanted to quit performing in April because of it. During a sit down with The Times, he said, “My tic is getting quite bad on stage now. I’m trying to get on top of that. If I can’t, I’m f*cked. It’s easier when I play guitar, but I hate playing guitar. I know, I’m a walking contradiction. It’s only making music that does this to me. Otherwise, I can be fine for months at a time. So it’s a weird situation. Right now, the trade-off is worth it.”

Aging is a weird thing. From one perspective, it’s something we should be grateful for. Few people would wish for the kind of short, uneventful life that would remove aging from the equation completely. The longer we live, the more we grow and learn and experience life, and “aging” is simply the mathematical sum of those experiences. All good, right?

On the other hand, our society does everything in its power to hide the fact that aging happens. Especially when it comes to women. According to Statista, the global anti-aging beauty market is estimated to be worth $58.8 billion. People will try all manner of creams, serums, masks, acids, lights, technologies and surgeries to try to prevent wrinkles, lines, sagginess, spots and other signs that our bodies are changing with time.

Most of us live our daily lives somewhere in the middle of these two realities, wanting to embrace our aging selves but also hoping to stave off some of the more obvious signs that we’re getting older. It’s natural to resist it in some ways, since the older we get, the closer we get to the end of our lives, which we certainly don’t want to hasten—especially if we actually love living.

It can be helpful to see people who are embracing their age, which is why it can be inspiring to see someone like former supermodel Paulina Porizkova confidently sharing photos of her 57-year-old self.

In posts on social media, Porizkova shared a photo of herself in a bikini and a screenshot of a comment made by a person who felt the need to comment on her aging body. And phew, was it something. The commenter wrote:

“You must be in so much pain to keep posting bikini pictures at your age. I’ve always thought that getting old and ugly is hardest on the pretty people. The fall from grace is so much farther when you were beautiful. Ugly people were always ugly so getting old and ugly isn’t a change. In summary, I feel your pain. I pray you can come to terms with your mortality. We all get old and ugly…you just had to fall from a greater height than the rest of us. Tears Times Infinity!”

So many things to unpack here.

Porizkova shared her thoughts on the comment on Instagram.

A thoughtful reader comment on IG need an equally thoughtful response.nThank you for feeling my pain, rickaroo777. As you can see, Iu2019m suffering indeed.pic.twitter.com/mWijP55iAS

— Paulina Porizkova (@Paulina Porizkova)
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“Here’s a good follower comment- echoing a few others,” Porizkova wrote. “A woman of 57 is ‘too old’ to pose in a bikini – no matter what she looks like. Because ‘Old’ is ‘Ugly.’ I get comments like these every time I post a photo of my body. This is the ageist shaming that sets my teeth on edge. Older men are distinguished, older women are ugly.”

“People who believe prettiness equals beauty do not understand beauty,” she continued. “Pretty is easy on the eyes, partly because it’s a little bland, inoffensive. It’s easy to take in and easy to forget. Not so beauty. Beauty can be sharp. It can wound you and leave a scar. To perceive beauty you have to be able to SEE.”

“This is why I believe we get more beautiful with age,” she added. “We have earned our beauty, we understand what it is, and we can see it so much better. There is no such thing as ugly and old. Only shortsighted and ignorant.”

On Twitter, Porizkova was a bit more sarcastic, writing, “Thank you for feeling my pain, rickaroo777. As you can see, I’m suffering indeed.”

That tongue-in-cheek response prompted others to share their aging selves in photos, sharing how their “old and ugly” phase of life is going. The thread turned into a veritable celebration of middle-to-late age, with posts about how much more comfortable people feel in their bodies as they get older and the freedom that comes along with not caring what other people think.

You suffer beautifully

You suffer beautifully

— Paulina Porizkova (@Paulina Porizkova)
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There are two big ironies with the original trolling comment. Most obviously, Porizkova obviously looks freaking amazing in a bikini, so the whole “ugly” and “fall from grace” line of thought is object and off base. The second is that if you look through Porizkova’s Instagram feed, she doesn’t pose in bikinis very often at all. It’s not like she’s plastering her bikini selfies all over social media trying to make herself feel better about herself, as the commenter implies. She just…sometimes wears a bikini. Whoop dee doo.

Do it anyway! Every body is valid. Every body is a bikini body.pic.twitter.com/slDLHLWQo7

— ud83cuddfaud83cuddf8Noel Gigerud83cuddfaud83cuddf8 (@ud83cuddfaud83cuddf8Noel Gigerud83cuddfaud83cuddf8)
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People don’t have to wear bikinis if they don’t want to. But to tell strangers what they can wear crosses a line. All bodies are bikini bodies, and if the person in the body wants their body to be in a bikini, more power to them.

Wow! Youu2019re suffering for sure!

— Paulina Porizkova (@Paulina Porizkova)
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The “suffering” and “pain” in the posts were so funny to see.

Ah, so painful. also- frickin

— Paulina Porizkova (@Paulina Porizkova)
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I’m 49 and I haven’t yet put on a bikini. Steph, thanks for showing me it’s not too late! Tho, somehow I feel like I won’t fill it as well as you & Paulina. But it’s all about attitude, right? So let’s the 3 of us hit the beach! (I’ll stay in the shade of an umbrella, tho.)

— Spark The Genius (@Spark The Genius)
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The thread brought inspiration to those who may fall prey to the idea that people shouldn’t wear certain things after a certain age or that only people with certain body sizes or shapes should wear certain things.

The hashtag #oldandugly started trending as people responded to Porizkova’s call for a celebration of aging beautifully.

“Todays thread has been my absolute favorite of all time,” Porizkova wrote on Twitter. “Thank you all you ‘old and ugly’ women (and a few men) showing the world how much we ‘suffer’ at in our old age. You’re all breathtaking!”

The love continues! 57 and proud! Keep posting your wonderful beautiful selves and tag #oldandugly so we can keep sharing the pic.twitter.com/Veg72kQOqt

— Paulina Porizkova (@Paulina Porizkova)
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May we all age beautifully and gracefully in whatever way those words are meaningful to us, and show those who think that aging means “suffering” and “pain” due to being “old and ugly” that they have no idea what they’re talking about.

(And here’s an extra shout-out to Porizkova for using her beauty and her age to make an important point—not only about celebrating getting older, but also about how propaganda works. Brava.)

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This article originally appeared on 05.03.22