Today's date of January 18, is one of significant, if not sentimental importance for followers of the relationship/friendship between actors Jake Gyllenhaal and Austin Nichols.
With each passing year as time lapses further and further, most of their online regular fans have moved on. From regular blogging activity which focused on the pairing, to devoted blogs of either/or Jake or Austin, gone belly up or dormant, and now? Even their one resident active troll gone silent, having also shifted gears.
And even though facial lines have deepened, and grey strands have since appeared at the temples, coffee runs are a thing of the past, no more skateboarding or leisurely newspaper reading al fresco, and since they set the gossip world on fire by being the hot subjects of blind vice whispers, well, their once scandalous stories now dramatically pale to the gaslighting stunts, fake baby bumps and plastic dolls used by those come after them.
Indeed. How closeted times have changed and evolved since 2012 when Jake and Austin knew they were taking their relationship underground and gifted their children and themselves a video love letter goodbye. At the time in January of 2012, Jaustin fans on Oh My Godot blogspot were wondering what Jake was up to as he had left his longtime talent agency, CAA for WME/Endeavor and changed personal managers.
Misguidedly, we all were hoping the change might mean the two men were planning to be more open when there were events such as:
• Jake and Reese Witherspoon "breaking up" and he was still flying solo
• Austin was fresh off of a "break up" with Sophia Bush
• a couple of twitter sightings of them together (when they hadn't even been allowed to both be in Los Angeles at the same time since the arrival of Witherspoon) like this one,
and this one,
The excitement was hard to contain and hopeful
predictions for their coming out were flying out the window like dust through
open windows on a spring cleaning day.
Trolls quickly arrived and took up residence in the threads, trying to shoot arrows through the sightings. To confuse matters further, there was a sighting of Jake with a baby stroller in Brooklyn Heights, New York.
There also was an L.A. gym visit for Jake on January 16, but the photos appeared on I Heart Jake on the 17th, and then?
Then came the "juice run" photos on January 18.
Oh My Godot blog host Special K, aka the Grand Poobah, noted that she had also seen some of the juice run photos and Jake was driving a truck. Well, guess whose truck it turned out to be?
Austin's.
Jake with four bottles of juice. Driving what turned out to be Austin's truck when he had never been seen driving it, but instead had taken up with the roomier, family-friendly Audi Q7.
Understandably, troll heads were exploding and excitement from OMG'ers was off the charts. Things seemed to be moving at an awfully quick pace.
The photo op was very plain. Very loud.
And then?
Even more new photos! Photos from a lunch outing were released in the afternoon of January 19, an outing that was dated the day before, Jan 18.
Jake and Adam Levine? But wait - there was someone else with them.
Additional old timers even paid a visit via comment, after being absent for awhile. It was Homecoming Home week! 😊
Eventually, a video from the sushi lunch was found on the paparazzi website, x17, brought to the blog, and the rest was history.
At that time, Jake and Austin hadn't been seen together since May 29, 2010 at a gym, with Sophia Bush, Austin's beard (cover) at the time. It had been a dry two (2) years after five previous ones of pap outings and an enthusiastic following of their relationship. Fans began to doubt if the two men even kept in contact anymore, let alone if they were still a couple.
It's understandable that many of us were swept up and carried away on the grand cloud of hope.
This was not the end of the story, of course, but today? We celebrate the video once again, fuzzy as it is.
The video we know as The Sushi Lunch. We were mere benefactors, but what a gift. We did not know at that time that it would be such a special video love letter of goodbye. 😢😭
But since that day, unbeknownst to us, the Grand Poobah Special K's words would continue to ring true.
On that day, the Malibu Boys let the world know.
our pic sources: Oh My Godot, IHeartJake
our playlist: Commitment of the Heart - Clive Griffin
I Say A Little Prayer for You - Whitney Houston w Natalie Cole
I Miss You - Stevie Nicks
Everyday - from High School Musical II
Malibu - Kim Petras
Malibu - Adam Lambert & Kim Petras Live at OUTLOUD
It is difficult to let this January 3rd go by without recalling that lunchroom sighting on June 6, 2016. It's just too great and stupendous of a memory.
Perusing the internet and on that day, ended up in Facebook and scrolling through comments on Austin Nichols' posts.
LOL! And an email was immediately rushed off to Methodical Muser.
HAHAHAHA. Not melodramatic or hysterical at all, was it? The infamous congrats? Directly below.
No, seriously because when you see a comment like that? You know right off the bat, that chances are it's not a planted trap. For one thing because the comment had been made back on January 3 and I happened upon it five months later. There was some further investigating done and shared in our post from June 7, 2015 entitled 'Belated Congras' - It's a Girl! For Toothy Tile and Grey Goose', but the discovery explained Jake's pattern of physical whereabouts that year and the mini timeline was shown in the Comment section. We also discussed the apparent extension of Chlo Bennett's contract and Management's attempt to explain Margie Nicholson's comment as "mis-placed".
While we don't know the exact birth date of Baby Tile Congras, we know that it was a girl and possibly born anywhere between Dec 22 (the alleged date of Jake's NYC walkabout with Greta Caruso) and Dec 26 (the date of Austin's FB post)? Or somewhere between late November and December 26, at the most extended range.
Austin's post makes more sense than ever. In 2015, Jake was still being pushed by his people as living in New York City. [That's one reason why the photos with Caruso were labeled as December 22 and the "At a Christmas Party in New York City" photos with Big Sis which weren't specifically dated, but were chronologically posted after the Caruso pics, but before December 31 on IHeartJake.]
Austin is wearing a New York City tee in the photo, which made absolutely no sense at all. On December 21, he was supposed to be with beard Chlo Bennett in Chicago, at his "first Bulls game".
Are they squatting down in the aisle or what??
Jake allegedly in New York City on December 22...Austin allegedly in Chicago on December 21... Austin wearing a tee that says New York City...
Margie Nicholson wishes congratulations on a new baby daughter on January 3...
Count 'em off, Patrick!
And what happened several months later on March 12, 2016? We had the stupendous, incredible Jake and Austin sighting at SXSW film festival after not being seen together since 2012. That was a four-year time span. It was historic!
This was how they had to do it. No direct side-by-side.
(Incredibly, there was no Just Jared or Page Six mention of this evidence that Jake and Austin still "kept in touch". Unbelievable!)
And finally? Guess what Austin wore on the carpet at the festival that same day? The same New York City tee.
Put the pieces together and both men were sending their We-love-you to their newest family member.
Thank you, Margie Nicholson.
And belated Happy 7th Birthday to Baby Tile Congras.
Let's continue our salute to 2022 by tipping our glasses to some other momentous occasions, most of them good, a few of them not good but of importance for those of us who follow the entertainment industry closet.
• We love us some hugs. Here are a few from 2022:
From the Is it real or is it Memorex file. We were told this was Jake's father, Stephen Gyllenhaal that Jake hugs, but we don't ever see his face for some reason. The Gyllenhaal patriarch has been very elusive in Jake's public photos for quite some time now, but for a few random appearances.
But this year's Best Hug of 2022 goes to the NHL's Jack Hughes and Nico Hischier of the New Jersey Devils. Narnia suggests having a slice of lemon nearby because the sheer sweetness of this hug could level you. 😉😂
Are you still with us after that one? LOL! It is just hard to top it.
• From the We-hate-to-see-you-go-but-why-did-it-take-so-long files of 2022, Narnia waved good-bye to meard Gehrig Dieter, who was finally let go by the Kansas City Chiefs and the practice squad professional retired from the NFL prior to the 2022-23 season. He arrived to the Chiefs in the same class as Patrick and served as his "best bud", despite never finding his way as a permanent roster regular. But he received a Super Bowl ring and more camera time away from the field of play than on it. What a career! smh. Narnia has not seen a more rewarded meard since the likes of Jensen Ackles' meard, Misha Collins.
• The ultimate rewind of 2022 had to be the return of the Louis Tomlinson/Harry Styles dolls. They were seen at many stops along Louis's tour, then at Harry's. We are never too old!
There were Louis and Harry dolls with a pride flag, Harry in a dress right infront of Louis' face during Habit. He kept glancing there. I'm emotional pic.twitter.com/n061VzhHls
• In the Are We Going To Get a To-Be-Continued in 2023? category, there were some notable co-appearances by none other than Niall Horan and bud Shawn Mendes. Here they were in February at the Super Bowl.
There are a few past developments catching Narnia's eye which indicate there may have been some missed opportunities on our part and for that we apologize, but aim to rectify!
• In the Amateur Hourof Photoshopping for 2022, this gem comes via Jensen and Jared's social media team where Jensen and beard Danneel are camouflaged by bad looking vegetation and an enormous table of food [is that table like ten feet wide??], and is Jensen sitting on a phone book? Again, was this amateur hour?
One note to folks: Many of the social media teams are getting better with the photo shopping, but usually if there is just one aspect of the photo that just doesn't look right, blow it up on a monitor and you'll usually find the flaw more clearly than on your phone. It's hard to intertwine the fingers with the hand-holding and for the teams to get heights and proportion correct when they're compositing their artists. They're also using Instagram filters and "blurry" captures to hide that they're merging two faces/heads into one.
This was from the past summer. Look where Genevieve's head is in mis-alignment with a very long shoulder and her legs. Plus, she also has no waist here.
Look at what is supposed to be her tiny hand vs. Jared's beneath whatever that is Jared is supposed to be autographing. smh
• It was a tough year to be a follower of Jared Padalecki and Jensen Ackles as we watch them in their gradual public separation process, but they have pleasantly surprised by their reluctance to totally bury the other. They have found their ways within what we could only guess would be the restricting "advice" of their team. Two big Good for Jensen and Jared moments from 2022,
- Jared as Jensen's +1 at The Boys after-party at SXSW 2022. I would call this the equivalent of Austin being seen as Jake's +1 (once it was discovered he was en route) at Berlinale in 2012. I'm sorry, but both times, it is big and defining. Don't underestimate the significance.
Jensen in sherpa collar, Jared on the right
And in a When OTP Beams Cross moment, both men attending a Harry Styles concert, and there is no doubt in this one's mind that it was one of the shows in Austin, TX. Even though it was a fan question at Nash Con, everyone knew that Jared had attended already. And Jensen let it be known that he also attended a show with his kids. In his answer, Jensen had some great things to say about Harry. Way to go, Jensen!
Aaaaah, when worlds collide, it is incredible, is it not?!
And although we also saw Jared and Austin on the same set together, no doubt working closely at times in addition to sharing common interests, it was desert sands trying to get them in the same photo, facing the camera together. And they gave us this moment that we had some laughs with,
But then, the ship uprighted itself and we received this one from the same setting in the eleventh hour!
Indeed, it is magical when we get these OTP worlds colliding moments! Cherish them.
• And Raising the Bar in 2022 has been Austin P. McKenzie, who always struck me as the quieter of the two (of him and his boyfriend Kevin McHale), but he has had his nose to the grindstone this past year promoting his music, releasing new music, and overall being highly visible on social media. Let's face it, whether artists like it or not, social media more often than not, needs to be utilized to full advantage if you want to stay visible to fans and relevant to the general public. And this is what Austin has been doing. He is really working hard and appearing to be stepping out a bit more, so huge kudos to him!
Come on, Austin, give it up and let us hear the rest of Electric Kiss. 😉
• And It Almost Goes Without Saying that in 2022, Harry Styles had a year to remember. He explored his acting chops and what greater opportunity was there than My Policeman? His world tour was a mind-blowing success, one that he mastered, even though Sony and the Azoffs nearly worked him straight to the emergency ward. Harry did all that he could within the confines he was restricted to, shout-outing out to Louis so many times, one couldn't see straight at times, no pun intended. "Hopelessly Devoted to Lou"! Gee, that's really subtle, Harry. There is really nothing else that can be said as to the records and accolades he has received, but Narnia wishes for a gentler, kinder and happier 2023 for him because that guy went through a LOT in 2022. Love on Tour, get it? 😉 We are sure that the public has no idea what he has gone through in 2022, nor do we have to. But we have seen enough of a glimpse, right?
Harry on his home turf in London, 2022
• And If He Could Have, He Would Have for Liam Payne in 2022. If he could have been allowed to yank the puppet strings out of his back for one minute and make one move on his own, we likely would have seen new music from Liam. He could have been so much more than someone to be seen with just to benefit others for their projects and brands.
But through it all, Liam kept his public cool and decorum. He was professional and classy, not what was made to appear otherwise in manipulated photos and planted stories. He endured the trickery and bullying of social media memes. He also got in a couple of his own social media burns this month! 👊👊
Still, Liam managed to meet with many fans over the year and make their day. He postponed and delayed career moves for a reason. Perhaps he wants to do what he wants on his own terms, not to be overshadowed or tainted by a put-upon sideshow. Liam is doing what he has to for his sake and it should not be for us to question or beg. We need for him to do what's best for him so that he can re-emerge on his own terms. Chain Free.
For 2023, we hope for much saner and happier times for the men of One Direction. What they have been enduring and fighting against during the imposed hiatus has been historic and not to ever be underestimated. Sony Music has destroyed the likes of Michael Jackson and we all need to look at what has happened to other artists who were in their corral - George Michael and Whitney Houston. Sony is a hardball player. Brutal and ruthless.
Louis, Liam, Zayn and Niall have lost the remainder of their twenties since 2016 and Harry will hit 30 in 2024. No matter what, they'll never get those years back. A decade in which they've sacrificed aspects of their health, both mentally and physically. An imposed hiatus that has also affected family and friends because the entertainment industry's closet is all encompassing.
So we salute our men, especially at the end of 2022, because this was a successful, yet trying year. We look forward to 2023, because being a member of the LGBTQ+ community can mean making some decisions that can be incredibly tough and unimaginable to have to make. Therefore, being forgiving of impossible choices is highly recommended.
For the two couples who are raising a family together in an underground fashion, Narnia hopes for togetherness and loyalty to one another in 2023. There's a reason why we don't see much at all of Jake anymore. Austin is seen on social media, but those videos don't take long to do. Jared and Jensen? They're making money while they can to support their family. We don't always agree with the methods, but there's no doubt these four men are trying to have their family life.
Please be safe tonight and Narnia extends our best wishes for a prosperous, healthy, and exciting 2023 for all of you. Thanks for visiting as always.
pic sources: pinterest, wifflegif
our playlist: Step by Step - Whitney Houston
Best Song Ever (Live at San Siro Stadium) - One Direction
Freedom! '90 - George Michael
Simply the Best - Tina Turner
I'm Alive - Electric Light Orchestra
Celebration - Kool and the Gang
Dancing on the Ceiling - Lionel Ritchie
Christmas Auld Lang Syne - Bobby Darin
What Are You Doing New Year's Eve - The Carpenters
Hello and welcome to Narnia Dispatches if you found yourself here for whatever reason! It is December 31 and so of course, we wanted to send our thanks for any visit you may have made here in 2022. Hopefully whatever you read was either very enjoyable or at least caused for some pondering and contemplation.
What a year though, huh? Full of challenges everywhere. Kudos to you for meeting some of those challenges and still finding time to enjoy the important or fluff moments in life with family, friends and online mutuals.
We thought we would hand out some awards for 2022, with a few of them being the end-all, be-all highlight of the year, many accolades are in fun so don't get too twisted over a few of the acknowledgments. 😇
• The Creativity Flex Award for 2022 goes to who else but Mr. Zayn Malik!! Zayn made a huge surprise splash earlier in the year with his Paynt collection. In May, he gave a teaser and right away, fans could spot his Liam shout-outs with the can't-miss "L" and the clever variant spelling of Paint = Paynt (i.e., Payne).
He really had some brilliant, colorful and artistic merchandise and there was no better model than himself.
Inspired and expressive. Zayn shows us the creativity that lives within him and the love that helped fuel it.
• The Steam Engine That Could Concert Tour Award for 2022 belongs to Louis Tomlinson. For someone who has struggled to get any assistance from his team for promotion, Louis took to the road in 2022 and smartly played to smaller venues with tickets scarce to be had. At some stops, a second show was even added. The crowds were wildly enthusiastic, brimming with fun and participant-engaging projects which were noted by their inclusiveness. Louis waved, signed, and talked to fans all along the way. Without a doubt, he was a steamrolling, vibrant engine. Someone to be reckoned with.
Building on the momentum of his first tour, fan support for Faith in the Future has been incredible as well, helping to catapult Louis to the Number 1 spot on Britain's Billboard Chart, triumphing over Bruce Springsteen for the honor. A really spectacular feat.
• The Golden Mic Award for 2022 results in a tie because we have two Narnia faves with very successful podcasts this past year - actor/singer Kevin McHale and KC Chiefs All-Pro, Super Bowl champion Travis Kelce.
For Kevin McHale and former co-star Jenna Ushkowitz, who co-host "And That's What You REALLY Missed" together, this is their third podcast together, as in 2020, they had started one called Showmance and it evolved into a second production called Showmance: The Show Re-Cap which was more Glee oriented [source]. The podcast is an opportunity for both stars to share their first-hand experiences and feelings from the show and share with many new viewers who are watching for the first time.
Our other Golden Mic Award winner is Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce who began a podcast with his brother, Philadelphia Eagles' center Jason Kelce this year. Not surprisingly, these two have the number 1 sports podcast on Apple and Spotify, while their show was named the sports podcast of the year by Sports Illustrated. It's been a fantastic study in sibling dynamics and also lent some insight into more of Travis's personality. And while we knew that Travis has superb potential for a successful career in the entertainment industry, we didn't know as much about his brother. One of the highlights was watching the episode with Patrick Mahomes as a guest. Here's a clip from this past week's episode where the two men talk about "nature's thermostat". Kudos to both Travis (and Jason!) and Kevin McHale for venturing and working the podcast format. It can't be easy to maintain the flow of a conversation, keep the show on its agenda, and also speak your mind, yet don't speak all that's on your mind, if you know what I mean, ha! I tip my cap to these two men.
• The Busy Bee Award for 2022 goes to...Austin Nichols! Austin has refined the art of looking busy. Now, he did direct two episodes of Walker, Jared Padalecki's show on the CW network, one for season 2, the other for season 3. He filmed three (3) episodes of Minx, a show on HBO Max. And at some point, filmed a two-person movie called Match and released an audiobook. More often than not however, Austin was seen with his new sidekick, Otis, a blue heeler and quite possibly the Gyllynichols family furiend, often on or near water.
Now, Narnia isn't work-shaming Austin, by any means. There very likely is a method to the boogie board, best-dog Otis madness. Austin works just enough to appear like he's steadily working, when in reality, he's doing short gigs accompanied by extended social media coverage while behind-the-scenes, he's really spending more time helping to mind the Gyllynichols household. And watching a family the size of theirs? Is seriously hard work.
• Perhaps Austin can share his Busy Bee Award with Jensen Ackles. Jensen was pretty busy filming guest episodes of The Boys (HBO Max) and Big Sky. He also directed an episode of his partner Jared's show Walker, produced The Winchesters and recently held his first concert along with Steve Carlson in Nashville, TN.
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