The Brunch round-up for July 12: The week and how it made us feel

Brad Pitt faces backlash for his past amid F1 promotion; Olivia Munn opens up about trichotillomania; France bans influencers from ultra-fast fashion.

Saluting courage.Brad Pitt is promoting F1 all over the place. And everyone’s simping. But Vulture isn’t having any of it. Their article, titled Brad Pitt is Fooling You, cleverly breaks down how his PR machine has glossed over his history of physical abuse, and how none of his kids speak to him. Such criticism in the middle of blockbuster season? Bollywood would never!

Amid F1 promotions, Vulture’s new article has highlighted Brad Pitt’s history of physical abuse.

Olivia Munn has trichotillomania, a disorder that makes one pull out their hair. (SHUTTERSTOCK)

So dis-tressed. Olivia Munn has been talking publicly about her trichotillomania. It’s a disorder that makes a person want to pull out hair from their head, eyebrows, even lashes, a coping reaction to stress. OK, a new fear is officially unlocked. We’re losing enough hair as it is. We didn’t need user-generated disasters too.

The internet wants George Clooney or Bruce Springsteen as the next American prez. Start manifesting! (SHUTTERSTOCK)

On both sides. Already, Americans are lining up presidential candidates for the 2028 elections. The internet’s choices are Bruce Springsteen and George Clooney. It is, of course, not a choice at all – we’d pick both. Pity that neither is actually running nor displayed any political ambitions thus far.

Greta Lee is everywhere, from The Studio to the New Tron movie. We love this for her.

Real Lee invested. We’ve seen Greta Lee our whole lives without realising it. She was in Russian Doll (“Sweet Birthday Baby!”), The Morning Show (the boss in S2), and had bits in Girls, New Girl and Broad City. Her moment is here: She’s on E2 of The Studio (the best episode. Don’t @ us), in Past Lives (2023) and in the new Tron movie. We are officially a G-Lee fan account now.

Suge Knight claims Prince made him fight with Diddy the night Tupac was shot. Not cool, Suge.

Reheating the tea. Remember rapper Suge Knight? The NFL player and record producer was driving the car that Tupac Shakur was in, the night Shak was fatally shot in 1996. Currently serving time for assault, he’s been telling interviewers that Prince may have instigated a fight between him and Diddy after the shooting. Cheap shot, Suge. Stay inside.

RIP, Blue Screen of Death. Microsoft is retiring thecolour, and switching to black. (SHUTTERSTOCK)

Feeling blue. Microsoft is retiring the Blue Screen of Death. So, when Windows runs into a critical error – the kind that is probably not your fault – it won’t flash that worrying shade when the system crashes. It will now just be a black screen. The company used blue for 40 years. Can we call IT to just have a good cry?

We’re loving 50 Cent’s brutal takedowns of rapper-slash-serial-abuser Diddy on his socials.

In the club. We’re livid that rapper-slash-serial-abuser-slash-sex-trafficker Diddy got off so easy. But no one’s been enjoying his downfall like long-time rival, 50 Cent. He’s being rude, he’s being candid, he’s asking pertinent questions on his socials. And he’s using AI images of himself. It’s chaotic. The aftermath we need.

France is banning influencers from promoting fast fashion. Why not ban the brands instead? (SHUTTERSTOCK)

Sizing up France.The country has banned influencers from promoting ultra-fast fashion. That means no more GRWM with Shein products, no more Temu hauls, no more Guess The Price with Cider and H&M. It’s not the win you think it is. Why ban influencers and not the brands? France’s luxe brands are just as polluting and exploitative, it’s just that the buyers are posh. Bouh!

From HT Brunch, July 12, 2025

Follow us on www.instagram.com/htbrunch