Monday Musings: Recasting Liam Payne With a Little Help from his "Friends"

Well, school is either winding down or it's officially out for the year and people are planning vacations.  It would stand to reason after the Summer of Jake '20 (which was one of the most fun posts I've worked on entitled "Summer of Jake '20: When the Only Souvenir Is the T Shirt On Your Back") that this Summer of Jake and Austin will not be near as unintentially disclosed.  LOL!  We most likely are not going be seeing Jake wearing any kind of touristy giveaway item of clothing or bling.  But some of our guys are out and about, being seen and whatnot, so that's why we're here this morning.

 

• Jake Gyllenhaal has indeed gotten his summer off to a working start by being involved in promoting his current flick, Spirit Untamed, an animated film by Dreamworks.  The budget for the film was $30K and so far has taken in over $11K domestically, $15K worldwide (according to the Numbers).  Many reviews from theater goers pointed out how Spirit Untamed was not anything like the first flick and there were several other reasons given for lowered reactions.  

In a brief audio clip here, Jake gives his thoughts on how he views the movie as good timing with its theme about freedom and how that could be viewed as symbolistic for today's kids wishing and ready to break free from their COVID-19 confinement for the past 12+ months.  Certainly he makes a very good point.  

Jake did a bit of a press junket via Zoom and there were a few interviews which are interesting.  In this one with WGN, Jake talks about how he recorded most of his part at home:

 

 

In this clip, Jake talks about why he thinks the movie is good for children at this time

 

 

And this one is especially cute where Jake is interviewed by the two young daughters of a Yahoo correspondent.  It's fun to watch Jake talk to the girls because not everyone is used to or knows how to talk to children.  I liked the animation graphics when Jake was asked what NFT's were.  He looked about as puzzled as I feel about them.  Maybe we should both consult Liam Payne, who is all about NFT's lately.   😉

 

 

No doubt too, many folks might still not be ready to return to the movie theater and that may be affecting the box office.  And while Jake "reveals" in this interview starting at 03:27, that his two nieces were who he thought about when he was first "pitched the story" and their "wild, beautiful" spirits, that because of them, he wanted to be a part of this movie [and not his own biological daughters]...well, we've read this chapter now enough times to recite the entire script...

 

 

set it to music, Jake, the shock value has long worn off

But since Narnia is an archive, it's merely a matter of that same record being spun on the turntable once again.  We are here for it and to update our timelines!

Here's the little scamp.  How does one emerge from pandemic isolation looking this good? Hmmmm... 💭💭 😉  Awww, he looks better than ever!

 

Zoom Jake

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

🔊🔊🔊🔊🔊🔊🔊🔊🔊🔊🔊🔊🔊

 

Liam w/ Steven Bartlett for Diary of a CEO podcast June 2021

 

 

 

 

 

 

"And like I say, I never want to come on these things and whine about stuff like I made my own choices in life you know...being an alcoholic, doing whatever else that was all my choice" - Liam Payne in podcast Diary of a CEO, conducted by Steven Bartlett, June 06, 2021, transcribed by Liam-93-Productions, a fan-run blog.

Who chooses to be an alcoholic?

 

“I was worried how far my rock bottom was going to be. Where’s rock bottom for me? And you would never have seen it. I’m very good at hiding it,” Payne, 27, said on the “Diary of a CEO” podcast on Monday. “No one would ever have seen it.”

When host Stephen Bartlett asked Payne whether he had ever experienced “suicidal ideation” during his dark days, the “Strip That Down” singer replied, “Yeah. There is some stuff that I have definitely never, never spoken about.”

He explained, “It was really, really, really severe. It was a problem. And it was only until I saw myself after that I was like, ‘Right, I need to fix myself.'”

The pop star expressed how much his abuse of alcohol had affected his mental health.

“There were a few pictures of me on a boat, and I was all bloated out,” Payne recalled. “I call it my pills-and-booze face. My face was just, like, 10 times more than it is now.”

He added, “I just didn’t like myself very much, and then I made a change.” - Liam Payne from podcast Diary of a CEO, conducted by Steven Bartlett, June 06, 2021, via Page Six in Liam Payne Details Hitting 'Rock Bottom' with Drugs, Alcohol.

 

"and then I made a change."

Was this supposed to be part of that change?   Sudden friends and colleagues who take you out to an atmosphere flowing with beer and vodka?

 

Did someone forget about the narrative here?  Or is this just Sony gaslighting at its most elite because they simply can and get away with it?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

So hey, let's take the guy to a pub garden to order rounds for everyone! He's been sober for a month, he should be good.

Sony, you're a fool with this mess up and the people you use to carry out your nasty work.

And, not only this!

But to add some humor to this allegedly serious, dark cloud "boy-band-hell" that Liam's Diary of a CEO podcast spent an exorbitant amount of time and audiotape on,  Liam is supposed to be involved in a comedy that will center around his AA meetings.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Yes, really.   Should be an absolute riot.  

Mere days after the podcast airs, the very same entrepreneur and major million dollar investor who sat a mere several feet away, listening and recording Liam as he said "being an alcoholic" and "I've been sober just over a month now", then takes him to a table where temptation is flowing all around?  [See above stills from Euro2020 party on June 13.] What in the hell was he thinking?  Did Bartlett forget the narrative he was sent to help sell or is he a "friend" simply not thinking and therefore, in the process not keeping Liam's best interest at heart?  Who would do this?

Mind. Blown.

Still despite all this nonsense, I do believe that there will be brighter days ahead for Liam and that he meant it when he said "Here's to the future" back on January 9.   

 

 

No doubt, this was one of the bright spots he knew was going to come.  But, was this a trade-off for the pill and booze narrative?

 

 

 

 

 

"I've just not been very good at relationships."

"I need to work on myself first"

"I just wasn't giving a very good version of me and I didn't appreciate or like me."

The entire "break-up" fell on Liam, didn't it?  Everything makes it look like he was to blame, he was a louse of a boyfriend.  No, it's more like Liam and Mayo were a fauxmance.  When you have to photo shop simple pictures of a date outing, this is the smoking gun for a fake relationship, just like a "family portrait".  There's no reason to have to photo shop these situations.  None.  The bad photoshopping has been pointed out in the post, "Sunday Musings:  Liam and Mayo - What a Stretch, Jake and Austin Have a Tenner",

 

the change in skin tone at her right wrist is where the phony is

 

(Not only the skin tone mismatch, but the entire misalignment - it's laughable) and this "family portrait" where it's Danneel who was manip'ed in and this was pointed out in our post, Step Up to the JibCon Bar - Denials for Everyone!

 

 

 

 

 

 

And Narnia will use this moment to again remind all of us that Management/Social Media teams are counting on most social media account holders to look at our faves' pictures on cell phone screens (even for myself at times, a tablet).  The mismatch in skin tones on Danneel Ackles and Mayo "Maya" Henry fingers and wrist are going to be missed on a small screen.  So, the long and short of it is that many folks are being purposely misled left and right, so we just need to remember to keep one eye especially wary.   

No doubt, Mayo will be rewarded for her time and lending hand.  While Narnia is happy to see this lame "relationship" ended, the long-lasting effects of a "break-up" are going to be far less impacting than the confession of being an alcoholic IF the acknowledgement is really not true. 

It takes great courage to admit an addiction or self-abusive behavior.   But if the admission is not true, Liam will be forever watched (just like Narnia did) should he want to partake in a libation at an event or party.  The scrutiny will affect his life forever, just like it has for Jared Padalecki (by the way, Jared, Narnia is still waiting to hear about the results of that court hearing, you know, on that "bar and street assault charge"??? Oh no, we haven't forgotten, just like we're still waiting for the pictures of Reese Witherspoon inside the garden with Jake at Big Sis's wedding in Italy).

Anyway, see the difference?  I have watched Liam's Round Ups and all of his online concerts; I don't recall wondering if he was under the influence during any of them. In fact, Liam seemed quite lucid and knew exactly what he was doing when he proudly wore that triangle necklace and displayed his stuffed unicorn on May 10, 2020 (Episode 3 - #Stay At Home and Chill #With Me) for all to see.

 

"What is this doin' here?"

 

Liam is proud and strong

 One Direction Triangulation

 

In addition, Methodical Muser has watched endless reels of concert and interview footage in real time since late 2011/early 2012 and she also does not recall noticing anything out of sorts with Liam's sobriety. Now, no one is suggesting that the boys were teetotalers or that they might not have filled a water bottle or two with some Bombay Sapphire Gin or Absolute Vodka while on stage. Let's get real, they were constantly working, traveling from country to country, running on adrenaline, performing and recording albums into the early hours of the morning. 

 

 

 

For all intents and purposes they were barely able to take a breath, never mind a break. Moreover,  they were all in their late teens/early twenties, living their best lives. Yet, the Belfast gig on October 20, 2015 was the only concert they ever cancelled after four grueling years on the road. After all, Cowell, Rob Stringer, and company made sure to drain every last dollar out of them, secure in the belief that the upcoming planned for Hiatus from Hell™ would be even more lucrative, allowing Sony/Syco to craft any image of the guys they wanted from behind the scenes, rewrite narratives, breakup the powerful Larrie Fandom and, most of all, make sure the gay boy band rumors were replaced with babies, self-closeting accusations, and more engagements. No more challenges to the TPTB, based on group solidarity, at least not publicly. 

 

Sure, Liam being "ill" was given as the official reason for the cancellation of the Belfast show, which Sony and social media interns are now trying to convince was based on an unstable, alcoholic Liam, but let's look a bit more closely to what really happened on October 20, 2015...with only ten One Direction shows left on the OTRA tour. 

First off, Louis was scheduled to do a backstage interview with Stephen Nolan before the Belfast show. And right before it was taped, Syco stooge, Dan Wooten Tooten publishes this headline and reveals "exclusively" that Louis had "pestered" Simon Cowell to become a judge on the X Factor the following year. The mini-me narrative of the fatherly, benevolent music mogul, (Cowell), who Louis only wanted to emulate, already taking shape. Sure, Jan.

  via The Sun

 

via the Sun

 

 

 

When the actual interview takes place, Nolan says, "Congratulations," referring to the oopsie baby that was unleashed on the fandom on July 14th in the middle of the tour (i.e., Babygate). And, what was Louis' reaction to that "supportive" interjection?

 

        
 

Gee, Louis really looks happy here, doesn't, he?  Oh, and we aren't done yet. For some reason, other "Dad" interviews occur before the concert that night and then, from out of nowhere, under the wording "WHAT'S right NOW," this In Style magazine headline drops at 2:30 p.m. EST, or 7:30 p.m. Belfast time - right before the concert.  (By the way the "TK on TK at TK" is a placeholder meaning more information to come):

 

 

Another oddity is that Jamie Lawson, who was the opening act for the show, performs as scheduled.  Surely if Liam was ill enough to miss his first One Direction show, everyone would have known by then. But, no. It was only after Lawson's performance, when 1D is supposed to take the stage, does a venue guard suddenly appear to announce the following:

 

Rumors begin to circulate immediately, of course, but inexplicably, no official statement from Syco/Sony is given for another 12 hours. Stephen Nolan, the man who had interviewed Louis earlier, tweets Dan Wooten and indicates that he was supposed to interview Niall and was told that he wasn't available because he was sick, not Liam. Put, bluntly, the cancellation of Belfast had nothing to do with Liam being taken ill, but everything to do with Babygate. The Liam story was plausibly manufactured to cover for the boys refusing to go on stage. Don't let Sony/Syco try to rewrite history now with lame narratives like "Liam is an alcoholic", meaning unstable and unable to cope with the stresses and strains of celebrity and fame, which is the perfect story line to explain away lots of suspicious events in 1D's past. 

 

We here at Narnia have even seen recent tweets, explaining away Belfast because Liam was just so broken up over his split from his two-year "girlfriend," Sophia Smith.  An explanation Dan Wooten Tooten gave back in 2015.  Must be legit because we all know what a truth teller Dan Wooten is. 😒 You know, the longtime Syco/Sony mouthpiece, stunt promoter, and closet purveyor.  Lo and behold, five days after Belfast, in preparation for Simon setting up the fast tract post-hiatus fauxmance between Liam and his X-Factor minion, Cheryl Cole, the public learns that Sophiam is no more. What a 💩.

Source: Hollywood Life

 

Now,  let's return to Sony's current shenanigans, conveyed in an uncomfortably drawn out screed via Bartlett's podcast where Liam self-immolates for over 90-minutes by babbling on and on, trying to sell his alcoholic self, by providing plausible excuse, after plausible excuse for why he seemed perfectly fine/sober last year when he was doing all those well-adjusted, and clearheaded social media interactions with the fans. Can't leave any stone upturned, can we Sony?: 

 

(As transcribed by Liam93Productions):

"You know if you're on Zoom you can quite easily hide that you might be a little bit tipsy at the point you shouldn't be." - Liam Payne on Diary of a CEO podcast June 2021 via Liam93Productions.

 

 

 

Sometimes, having too much to drink has indeed shown up on a performer's stage. This embarrassing fall happened in 2018 involving Blake Shelton, who admitted he had had too much before coming onstage:

 

 

 

My friend @devore_dani caught it! pic.twitter.com/OL4oCZrhSK

— Alexandrea Rivera (@AlexandreaH13) July 15, 2018

 

That's not to say an addiction can't be hidden, but one might think there would have been some believable looking clues somewhere leading up to this point. Then again that might explain why suddenly in March when Liam had told his fans in December that he was going to be gone for awhile, he appears several times, suddenly looking fuller faced and overweight. Looks like that Chubby Face Filter comes in handy when trying to sell a narrative. Although Liam is made to look obviously out of shape, somehow his Management decides to book him on the BAFTAs with a bogus reason of promoting an augmented reality performance. Haha! Augmented Reality? Is that some kind of joke, Rob?

 

 

And what about new music for Liam?  At the end of his Final Act performance LP4 in January, Liam tells the audience, 

"I'm going to take a little bit of time off now.  Next time you see me, I'll be singing some brand new music just for you guys." - LP4 - The Final Act - You Tube, January 2021

 

Hmmm.  Looks like the part about brand new music accompanying his re-appearance didn't happen though, did it?  Instead, a podcast practically the length of a television mini-series is released by a former CEO of Social Chain whose net worth in May this year was 300 million British pounds or $422 million, Steven Bartlett.  Bartlett is now a founder of Catena Capital, an investment group and also author of a NYT bestselling book -  Happy Sexy Millionaire: Unexpected Truths About Fulfillment, Love and Success.  

Yet he's the one to interview Liam for all the exclusive content and be the one whose forum was used to release the news of the end of Liam/Mayo.  Bartlett is also the new face to replace Mayo as a social companion and issuing Instagram Stories detailing their outings, apparently. 

And Liam didn't have new music, but was offering an NFT for bidding to his fans.  

 

 

Make no mistake about it, participating in the NFT world is not like purchasing clothing apparel or special edition vinyl "merch".  There are big players in the NFT world.  

Big players like...Sony Music.   

 

SINGAPORE, April 28, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- via InvestorWire – BAND Royalty (the “Company”), an entertainment and technology-driven firm and a leading innovator of music-focused non-fungible tokens (NFTs), is proud to announce the availability of its BAND NFTs, which allow fans to earn royalties from some of the world’s hottest artists and their music. The Company’s platinum music catalog consists of over 50 songs from top artists like Beyonce, Jay-Z, Justin Timberlake, Cher, will.i.am, Timbaland, Missy Elliott and Rihanna.

With the amazing technological breakthrough of NFTs, music fans can now not only enjoy listening to songs but can buy and hold blockchain-secured BAND NFTs, which allow them to earn crypto directly from the royalties paid on the songs from the catalog. The BAND Royalty ecosystem enables fans to earn through trading BAND Royalty NFTs (on OpenSea marketplace), as well as earn from BAND’s own Music Royalty Pools, by staking the BAND NFTs.

BAND Royalty is also signed with Sony Music / The Orchid as the distributor of its own new music label, BAND Music Chain Records.   –  from“Music-Focused NFT’s from BAND Royalty Allow Fans to Earn Royalties fromFavorite Songs, via GlobeNewsWire, April 28, 2021

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Again, Bartlett's net worth in May was over $455 million.  It's interesting to see CEO's and crypto currency leaders having phone calls and dining with the top bidder and their guest for these NFT's of Liam's.

One Direction fans want to support their group members and are some of the most generous, loving fans around.  Not being able to participate in this exclusive level of playing field garnered many tweets and Instagram comments of disappointment at not being able to afford and therefore support Liam.  It's an interesting direction being taken.

And now we know that the winning bid was by @virse at $122,222.00.  The opening bid was an affordable $50.00 but the very next bid leap-frogged to $25,000.00. 

 

 

"If you're interested in bidding over $50,000, you are eligible to pay with ACH, Wire, or other cryptos."

If this heads-up had just been published with the initial release of promotional social media, it may have saved some fans time, trouble and disappointment at the get go, we're just saying.  This opportunity promoted below by Nifty Gateway was never going to happen for the majority of fans.  These are high rollers.  #realitycheck

 

 

But Liam and the rest of 1D have wonderfully loyal and enthusiastic fans and they provided him support and love, which he most definitely appreciates.  The NFT was fascinating looking for sure and a triple collaborative effort which included his friend and colleague, Zedd.

Lonely Bug - Liam's NFT

The points made about the podcast and NFT are not pointed in Liam's direction as a come-down on him, as many of these latest "changes" in Liam's online activity are looking more and more like the MO of one of the Captain Hooks of the music industry, Sony Music.  And like Captain Hook, there are those "Mr. Smee's" in the boardroom who come up with some Swiss Cheese antics, i.e. not entirely thinking through with their stunts.

And as such, Narnia likes to have our dry erase board moments when the opportunity presents itself and this latest over-enthusiastic blunder is one that should be pointed out, which we're going to discuss now.  

 

Did you know that Liam Payne was named the face of Hugo Parfums in January 2020?

 

The fragrance Hugo Now is still available for purchase in 2021.  Liam's the Face.  This is his brand.  He's also modeled their clothing.

According to an Instagram story of Liam's posted Saturday, June 19,  "son, Bear" got an early start with the Father's Day festivities; for the first time we have what is alleged to be "Bear's" voice [although we still don't see him],

 

"Father's Day has started"

 

 

And so this little tyke allegedly has given his "parental unit", what did he give him?   He gave him a brand of cologne that is an Estee Lauder product.  Here's the intern, an account publicizing the faux pas online, not realizing that Hugo Boss can see their "brand face" promoting the competition:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As you can see, the messenger account was sent to make sure readers knew "for daddy, from bear".  And of course, we should all realize that it wasn't "Bear" who actually purchased this cologne, but it would be the "mother", the also-unseen Cheryl Ann Tweedy Fernandez-Versini Cole who would have made the purchase. 

"Daddy", "son", "Father's Day", "Daddy", "son", rinse and repeat.

Narnia thinks the boardroom forgot that "Daddy" is the face of HUGO NOW and not Estee Lauder / Santal 33, but then it doesn't appear that with Hugo Now, a label could have been customized with "For Daddy, From Bear" now, could it?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As a former employee in the manufacturing industry, I can assure you that this is not a good take.  You may partake of the competition's product, but you don't advertise it and you don't let it be visible in your workspace.   This is why Chiefs Quarterback Patrick Mahomes once covered up a competitor's brand name on a garment he wore on national television because it conflicted with a brand that he was hired to endorse.  

 

 

In the middle of all this "I'm a Father" nonsense, it is surprising that there is a rumor that actually promotes future music from Liam.

 

"Liam Payne has reportedly recorded a new song that will be featured in an upcoming Disney film." - Metro UK June 12, 2021 

The film is said to be titled, "Ron's Gone Wrong", and it is supposed to be released sometime in October.  The project is an animated film and looks like it would be a good watch:

Let's hope this happens!  It would be good exposure and he absolutely has the vocal chops to carry out a soundtrack cut.  Narnia cannot wait until we hear new music from Liam Payne. Like with Louis, music always seems to be relegated to the rear when it comes to promotional efforts.

We'd like to mention that Liam did post about Father's Day on his Instagram, sponsored by Hugo Boss and it was a lovely bit that Liam filmed back when he had his longer hair - and the Q & A was not about "Bear", but about his own father.  

 

 

Narnia will await with all other fans to see what is served up next on Liam's plate and hope for clearer days ahead in the future!    I mean, just look at this guy!  He's the best, isn't he? 💖

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

All the love goes out to Liam.

 

💿💿💿💿💿💿💿💿💿💿💿💿💿

 

And don't forget that Maroon 5 has a new album out, entitled Jordi.  There is a variety of guests on the work and PG is here for all of the tracks.  

 

Jordi by Maroon 5

And the lead singer himself,

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Those smiling pics of Adam are kind of rare!  He frequently seems so serious when the flash goes off.  😉

 

👦👦👦👦👦👦👦👦👦👦👦👦

 

We knew that Kevin McHale and his guy Austin P. McKenzie were going to be participating in a Pride Queer Moment and fairly certain pictures would be coming forth with.  Well, we were not disappointed and so they grace our post with some terrific pictures from the fundraising event held last weekend in Los Angeles at the Redline Gay Bar.  

First, just a brief word about Queer Moment, which is @QueerMoment on Instagram and make supportive and enthusiastic ambassadors for the LGBTQ+ community in Los Angeles.  Their home base seems to be the Redline Bar on 6th Street in downtown LA and it was for the Redline Bar (which had to be closed during the pandemic) that most of the proceeds from Pride Queer Moment went towards.  

Their Instagram posts (which you can see on this page) are uplifting, lively, colorful and encouraging as they began their Instagram at the start of the pandemic.  They alerted folks that the gay bars and other eating/entertaining establishments were not able to be open and so they held virtual events to try and help raise money for some of them.  Some of their posts also focused on points of interest in LGBTQ history in the LA area.  

It's wonderful to see that Kevin and Austin participated in their big sold-out event and so here are a few pictures.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

love the blueish filter on this one!

 

 And here are the two guys singing:

 

Kevin & Austin McKenzie performing "James Dean" at A Proud Queer Moment (June 11, 2021) @druidDUDE #kevinmchale @apm__official #austinmckenzie

via sirjayms: https://t.co/KTSBL2b7FI pic.twitter.com/EA8z7z8NhN

— Kevin McHale News (@KevinMcHaleNews) June 13, 2021

 

Later, they attended a wedding and the two looked incredible that day, didn't they?  Provide a warning next time, fellas, would you?  😉🔥🔥

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

They're a lovely note to wrap up our post on.  Hope everyone has a safe and fun week.  Stay tuned as this post was so large and there were a few topics left off.  😉

 

 

Collaboration:  PG and Methodical Muser

pic sources:  MK Wishes,  refinery29, yahoo, latimes, Twitter