SZA's new beauty brand is hot
because she's not like other girls
Hello, and welcome back to as seen on.
Today’s newsletter is late because I found out SZA was launching a beauty brand and I had to write about it. Also in today’s newsletter: what we’re learning about Meta from the FTC antitrust trial; why OpenAI might be building a social media app to compete with X; what Harvard students and alumni think about the university losing $2.2 billion in federal grants; a very bad week for LVMH; Shein and Temu announce “price adjustments”; a group of teenagers raised $1.5 million for a sperm race; and a bunch of other stuff…
Finally, I wrote 641 words on why original movies are bombing at the box office despite all the talk of “franchise fatigue”—and what studios actually need to be doing to fix it. I want to hear what kind of movies you’re seeing in theatres, and why it’s not originals!
It’s #DebtWeek at The Cut, and they’re sharing stories about people who managed to get in and out of massive amounts of debt. One thing about that team—they have impeccable timing. Just about everyone is worried about cash flow and scrutinizing their consumption habits right now, which is probably why a few of these articles have made the rounds in my group chats this week. I’m collecting responses from a few Gen Z women about how their hearts and wallets are doing at the moment. More to come, and let me know if you want to share.
McNally Jackson is launching a twice-yearly book festival this summer, so I just might visit New York after all. Sarah McNally is one of those figures who loom large in my mind. Speaking to Vulture, she said she sees the festivals as a way to give people “more access to high-level intellectual conversations in the city.” The event is part of a bigger move toward rethinking the “traditional mechanisms” of book promotion. Aside from the festival, the store will also start holding one-off events for titles that aren’t brand-new throughout the year. They’re also starting a running club.