To quote Daniel Craig on Saturday Night Live: “Ladies and gentlemen, The Weeknd the weekend.”
Thank goodness it’s here. The past week was such a blur that we were barely able to bask in the overflow of juicy LGBTQ+ news.
If you need a quick refresher, JoJo Siwa spilled on her Candace Cameron Bure feud, Clay Aiken’s son made his TV debut, and Zachary Quinto and Lukas Gage nabbed new roles.
How about we take this to the next level?
Subscribe to our newsletter for a refreshing co*cktail (or mocktail) of LGBTQ+ entertainment and pop culture, served up with a side of eye-candy.
Plus, a Taylor Swift fan theory rocked the political sphere, this Olympic pole vaulter went viral, and Jonathan Bailey reminded us to drink more milk.
On top of that, we developed new TikTok crushes, revisited TV faves, lived our best Hot Thigh Summer™️, and smelled like… pretzels?
Get ready to fall in love! These are the 10 things we’re obsessed with this week…
1. Small Shoulder Bag
Don’t call it a purse, murse, or man bag, but there’s no accessory as stylish or functional as a small, over-the-shoulder bag. (Like this one from H&M, available in a variety of colors for $14.99.) Whether headed to the airport, going to a concert, or having a night out, it’s the perfect solution for when you need more than your pockets can handle. Or your jeans are impossibly tight.
Featuring a zippered inner compartment and two outer ones, this lil’ crossbody number provides plenty of room for cash, IDs, on-the-go toiletries, gum, chargers, and, most importantly, snacks.
2. This step-by-step guide to cruising
This comprehensive manual, crafted with care by queer artist and author Leo Herrera, recalls the olden days when you couldn’t hook up on your phone and had to, uh, figure it out in person. It’s an era I vaguely remember reading about in history class…? JK!
All jokes aside, with (analog) Cruising — available as a standalone book or with a cruising kit for $15-$65 online — Herrera aims to keep the tradition of cruising alive by recounting its history, sharing his own “fairy tales and failures,” and providing tips for newcomers and regulars alike. Obviously, this one is for mature audiences only!
3. Liza Minnelli getting pissed enough to write a memoir
Liza Minnelli, daughter of director Vincente Minnelli and actress Judy Garland, will release a memoir in 2026. She wants to correct the record about her life. "It's my own damn story," she said. https://t.co/40bLbqFXfJ
— Entertainment Weekly (@EW) August 7, 2024
Liza with a Z is pissed, and we’re all to blame. This week, the EGOT winner and untouchable gay icon announced plans to release her own memoir in spring 2026. After years of refusing autobiography offers, her mind changed after “a series of unfortunate events” — namely 2019’s Judy, 2021 miniseries Halston, and “a sabotaged appearance at the Oscars” — left a bad taste.
“I was mad as hell,” the 78-year-old told Entertainment Weekly. “Over dinner one night, I decided it’s my own damn story … I’m gonna share it with you because of all the love you’ve given me.” Cue the applause! 👏👏👏
Obviously, I am obsessed with her purposeful and defiant energy — do we think she’s having a “Brat summer” — and cannot wait to read.
4. The smell of Auntie Anne’s pretzels… on your body
There are few scents as intoxicating as the salty and buttery aroma of suburban shopping mall staple Auntie Anne’s. Even after a ten-course meal, a single whiff will leave you hankering for soft pretzel-y goodness.
Now, bizarrely enough, you can take that smell and rub it all over your body with Knead, Eau De Pretzel. Seriously! According to the snack purveyors, the new perfume is “infused with notes of buttery dough, salt, and a hint of sweetness.” Honestly, I’m intrigued.
The funny fragrance (available in 1-oz bottles for $25 and 3.4-oz for $45) debuts at their Pretzel Parfumerie pop-up event in New York on August 13 and online the day after. I’ll be keeping my nose peeled!
5. J’adore Myself Trucker Hat
If you missed out on the viral — and possibly Chappell Roan-inspired — Harris-Walz camo hat, I’ve got the perfect alternative. As the writer of a column intrinsically connected to the phrase “J’adore galore,” I had no choice but to splurge on this J’adore Myself Trucker Hat (on sale for $12.99 at Forever 21) after Queerty Senior Editor Johnny Lopez alerted me of its existence.
Although a cursory Google search reveals Queerty’s 10 Things likely did not coin the expression, I’m taking credit anyway. Regardless, one can never have enough trucker hats or love for themselves. In French.
6. Alaska & Willam revisiting the most iconic season of Drag Race on their podcast
Finally, the day that diehard RuPaul’s Drag Race fans have been waiting for! On the hilarious and brutally honest Race Chaser (which won Best Podcast at this year’s Queerties), drag superstars Alaska and Willam are recapping their reality show of origin, episode-by-episode, from its very start.
As of this week, the duo has arrived at All Stars 2, the 2016 season where contestants like Alaska, Detox, Katya, Roxxxy Andrews, and Alyssa Edwards made valiant returns — and one largely regarded as the show’s very best. In the first episode alone (above), they spill some major tea. I can hardly wait for more on Spotify — or wherever you get your podcasts.
7. Your new TikTok crush dancing shirtless in a supermarket
@pablo_zolezzi ♬ original sound – DONJAMES
I really tried to learn more about TikTok himbo Pablo Zolezzi, who’s got 2.8 million followers and danced his way into my feeds (and heart) earlier this week, courtesy of the all-knowing algorithm.
Unfortunately, the only info I could glean was he’s often shirtless, possibly lived in Texas, says things like “Books > anyone,” and habitually gyrates in grocery stories. Nevertheless, I will continue planning our wedding watching this adorable clip of him dancing to La Roux’s “Bulletproof” on repeat. You’re welcome.
8. These graphic tees that kind of make me feel old
You either die a hero or live long enough to see the TV shows you love become “vintage.” While these throwback shirts from Urban Outfitters — including the Desperate Housewives Tee for $35 and MTV Laguna Beach and Survivor Outlast tees for $29 — make me feel old, I couldn’t resist their nostalgic aesthetics. (Side note: Were the 2000s really two decades ago?!)
Regardless, I’m thankful the trendy clothiers are teaching children about the classics.
9. Brandon Flynn keeping the Summer of Thigh alive
Brandon Flynn x GQ Magazine Summer. ?? pic.twitter.com/VcSRYG4lma
— escutai (@escutai) August 6, 2024
God bless summertime, Brandon Flynn, and his legs. Over the past two months, the queer actor blessed us with a manspread kilt moment for Pride and a speedo-filled Fire Island photo dump. Now, he’s taking on the final thigh-bearing frontier: short shorts.
In this case, Flynn donned some J. Crew 5-inch khakis ($69.50 online) for a GQ spread celebrating “the skimpiest shorts of summer.” Target audience acquired! “Shorter the shorts, closer to God,” Flynn wrote on Instagram Stories. And just like that, I’m dreading summer’s end.
10. This long-awaited horror flick starring Hunter Schafer
After an eternal-seeming wait, Cuckoo — a Hunter Schafer-fronted thriller announced in 2021 — hits theaters this weekend. Written and directed by Tilman Singer, the supremely talented Euphoria star portrays a teen who moves to the German Alps with her father, only to be haunted by disturbing happenings.
As a horror aficionado, I’m eager to see what an immensely capable actress like Schafer brings to the genre. Considering the film’s current fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes, I think we’re in for a spooky treat.
Related*
Breaking news: “kamala is brat” and Netflix‘s ‘Elite’ is hot!
Don't forget to share:
