The Brunch round-up: The week and how it made us feel

Was everyone at the NMACC in Mumbai this week, catching The Phantom Of The Opera? Some of your friends might be faking their attendance. Forget that falling chandelier. Quiz them on the minor details: Does Carlotta steal the show? Was Masquerade any good? Is Christine as daft as she seems? And watch them fumble for responses. Je vous en prie!

In Japan, for a fee, resignation agents will call your company and quit on your behalf if you’re too scared to face the boss. Japan is where people make a living as professional apologisers, breaker-uppers, criers, friends and party guests. There’s a reason why these jobs don’t exist anywhere else. Just communicate, already.

Duolingo killed off its mildly threatening green owl mascot last month. RiP? Not yet. That owl pulled a Poonam Pandey on us. He resurrected on the day of his funeral. That’s cruel, Duolingo. We mourn enough actual deaths. Why make us grieve a fake owl for nothing?

Dutch designer Duran Lantink’s Paris Fashion Week show is all about the comments. Viewers thought they were being flashed as models exposed butts and boobs. Relax, they’re prosthetics. It’s not wearable fashion, but that’s the point of PFW. What? You want more frilly Met Gala gowns? Yawn.

Playboi Carti’s 30-track album, Music, finally dropped last week. It’s Spotify’s most-streamed album in a single day in 2025. Kendrick Lamar pops up on three tracks. You know where this is going. Kanye West griped on X that he didn’t like Lamar’s contribution. A month ago, he was complimenting Lamar for his lyrics. Pick a side, Ye.

You’ve probably seen the viral video of that guy who calls croissant ‘Prashant’. Relatable, non? Now, imagine a gora trying to pronounce names of desi desserts: Shakarpara (Shakira?), sutarfeni (Ste-fa-nie?), gajar ka halwa (Gael García Bernal? No?) Check out our cover story for more dessert tongue-twisters, starting with Entremets.

British engineer James Bruton has created the first omnidirectional bike. He swapped wheels for giant red balls. This thing doesn’t just move forward and back, but slides sideways too. Now, consider our potholes, detours, debris and jaywalkers. One small step for physics, one giant leap for accidents?

Remember This Is Spinal Tap? The OG mockumentary from 1984 is what helped create The Office, Parks And Recreation, What We Do In The Shadows, and Modern Family. A sequel is coming. With the same crew.The benchmark set by the original movie is high (It went to eleven, guys!). Don’t disappoint us. We can’t dust for vomit.