There was news this week.
I’m talking, obviously, about Gwyneth Paltrow’s ski trial. Vanessa Friedman from the New York Times sums it up:
“For those who have not been following: In 2016 Ms. Paltrow either banged into or was banged into by Terry Sanderson, a now 76-year-old retired optometrist, while skiing at the Deer Valley Resort. Mr. Sanderson has claimed that he sustained a traumatic brain injury and broken ribs as a result of the collision and underwent personality changes; in 2019 he sued Ms. Paltrow for $3.1 million, accusing her of a “hit and run,” but a judge ruled that he was not entitled to punitive damages and that figure was reduced to $300,000. Ms. Paltrow claims that Mr. Sanderson skied into her and is countersuing for $1 and legal fees.”
I’m not interested in who’s to blame, though. I’m interested in Paltrow’s courtroom presence. Gwyneth Paltrow has built an entire brand empire about being cool, collected, centered. I’ve been fascinated for a while now.
Sure, she sells overpriced pseudoscience which prays on the mistrust and shortcomings of the American healthcare system; she stands behind habits and cures that are probably just outright bad for you. But I can’t hate her.
She is stylish, she looks put together, smart; she is a fucking badass. I will be copying her outfits and vibe for seminars/conferences/committee meetings/presentations/etc. Like her, I will be walking into a room with people I need to win over, like her, I won’t come to play around, like her, I will have the confidence of being correct, the expert. Academic chic.
photos from AP
She failed trying to live off of food stamps. But she won her case.
Trump indicted, Paltrow vindicated. Have a good weekend.
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& please check out my interview with the Daily Cardinal :)