To think that Cheryl F-V's 'romance' with Liam Payne is a publicity stunt

[SeaMagic]

I mean who really gives a crap who she's shagging but oh no, she has to offer hints via social media and then the big unveiling of this latest celebrity 'couple', photos of them hand-in-hand on a dinner date [vom]

And just in case any of the plebs don't quite get that this is 'true love', she wears a big fuck off gold necklace spelling it out

Is Cheryl Fernandez-Versini, or whatever the fuck her surname is this week, a big tedious, attention seeking bore or AIBU?

[BillSykesDog]

Those criticising her for her multiple surnames, broken marriages; yes it's bloody awful thAt her first husband was unfaithful and her second husband was s controlling arse.

She had a very brief first marriage (the breakdown of which she wasn't entirely blameless in) and one when she was very young which she walked away from childless and financially independent and used as a springboard for her entire solo career which acted as redemption for her sickening violence anyway. It probably wasn't very pleasant but neither was it the massive trauma she likes to portray it as.

There doesn't seem to be any convincing evidence JB has done anything wrong. CJD or whatever she's called appears to have responded to the loss of his father by becoming quickly bored with his grief and dumping him, spinning unpleasant stories about him to the press, announcing her new relationship on the first anniversary of her father's death when he apparently knew nothing about it and hoped they would get back together and introduced him to her mother barely weeks after their split was official.

Yet we're all supposed to say oh boo hoo, poor violent, thuggish, nasty, drunken Cheryl, her life is so hard. She's such a victim! We know because her publicist told us!

God some people are gullible.

[differentnameforthis]

Is Cheryl Fernandez-Versini, or whatever the fuck her surname is this week

hahaha...what IS going on with her surname?

[Sparklingbrook]

I can't understand how there's still an interest in her. She's a judge on a terrible talent show.

[MistressDeeCee]

All high profile celebs come with gay rumours! They're all gay, no famous woman ever gives birth to her own babies, and some of those babies aren't even real

Thats about the truth of it I reckon

[BunnyTyler]

I read somewhere that she wants to just be 'Cheryl' now (no surname).

Like Cher & Madonna.

She really believes she's that iconic...

[Arpege]

oh what a twat.

It's like Cheryl Baker never existed

[Arpege]

Exactly Sparkling, hence the struggle to stay in the public eye.

I'm sure there are certain parts of the world where a pop star being gay wouldn't be tolerated. However Chezz isn't famous in any of them so I'm still not sure why she might be bothering.

[BillSykesDog]

The surname thing is also relevant because she can't change it back to 'Tweedy' because that name is too associated with drunkenly attacking people.

[feellikeahugefailure]

This thread is bonkers.

Can someone summarise? I feel very lost and im googling baby gate Cheryl.

[ClarenceTheLion]

With the gay issue, it can come down to families sometimes too. If someone has a homophobic parent, it doesn't matter how the wider world would react.

As far as Cheryl's surname goes I think she should have the balls to go back to Tweedy and stick with it.

[ClarenceTheLion]

To be fair, Cheryl could single-name herself. When you say Cheryl, no-one thinks you're talking about a member of Bucks Fizz.

[Sparklingbrook]

Yes you think oh yes Cheryl- 'that one from the terrible Girls Aloud that thumped someone and has a big bum tattoo'.

[feellikeahugefailure]

She dropped the surname ages ago and even released a single called "call my name". SHe had an awkward interview with chris moyles about it

poponandon.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/Cheryl-Cole-Call-My-Name-2012.png

Then again she went out on her engagement party with her hair up and showing off her tattoo with her last sur name.

I have too much time on my hands, I need a job

[feellikeahugefailure]

The best performance shes ever done

[Sparklingbrook]

I wonder whether anyone will be talking about her or 1D in 20 year's time.

[Galaxymum]

Chiam - may it be over once One D are out of their Syco contracts.

Waving madly to others who have fallen down the Larry rabbit hole. I fell down it slowly then with a huge whoosh when I discovered youtube and tumblr and found all these likeminded people! It wasn't just me who was watching something still going on over five years later.

It was Zayn's departure then the announcement of the baby that made me start researching. And then you just can't believe what narrative is pushed for sales and to keep a created image when the members don't fit it.

Babygate is just beyond the beards etc. BUT RBB showed us. I have tried to explain the RBB tableaus to friends and they look at me like I am mad. Like Louis and his selfies, Harry's cryptic tweets you have to google. But the "suggestion" Cheryl Cole was represented as a tube of Colegate with Liam as Batman still cracks me up.

And then Wonder Woman who has an enemy called Dr Psycho (Syco) The Larry wedding. All the little accessories that back up this massive story.

The apps on the RBB phone which are now all coming true - like "Freddie day", "Argos" etc. It is mindblowing and I think it is horrendous how these fans who work it out are ridiculed. But Louis and Harry know they are supporting them.

Well One D will soon be free. Babygate will be ending soon and the bears can come out - then it will be BOOM in the media in the UK and globally. This is THE story of the 90s' and millennials' generations.

And they are nearing the end of their contracts. Then BOOM.

[JolseBaby]

I have two issues with the 'slebs being gay but a secret' thing.

Firstly, sexuality has very little to do with anything - unless you are deliberately positioning yourself as an anti-gay spokesperson, in which case it is very relevant because you are a raving hypocrite. But in most cases most slebs aren't doing this, so why should they have to announce their sexuality to the world? You don't get people holding press conferences to announce that they are straight. If someone wants to not reveal a piece of information about themselves - including their sexuality - then that's their right. However they put that right under scrutiny if they shout down someone else's sexual choices.

Secondly - and probably most pertinent to lots of slebs. There are sadly, still many places in the world where being openly gay is dangerous - as in life-threateningly so. If a sleb comes out, then it will automatically limit how much of the world they can travel to, where their albums will be bought, where their films will be distributed. For American slebs it means that they will be a target for a very vocal 'moral majority' within the Christian right. It could jeopardise sponsorship and media deals.

The problem with both of these is that the adage of 'no smoke without fire' applies quite often, so it is simply not enough just to not openly date someone of the same sex. Being alone - and never viewed with a 'date' - will be enough to prompt rumours, hence the rise of the contract relationships and professional beards.

[hollieberrie]

Waves madly back at galaxymum . Hellllooooo Larries! RBB was not in vain - we still believe

Am out at the mo but will be back on this thread later as so much to catch up on. Loving all the different viewpoints and theories.

[Roussette]

Joisie I get your second para, but where is the sleb being true to themselves? How can they live such a lie? I'd rather come out and risk not being able to tour in certain countries. To me, it's living a lie and I think that's what gets my goat.

[JolseBaby]

Rousette - if it applied to me personally then yes I agree with you. But the point I am trying to make is that it's the disconnect between announcing that you are straight vs. coming out. How many press conferences do you see to announce you are hetero? It shouldn't be newsworthy - what your sexual orientation is - unless you have deliberately positioned yourself as being something that you are not. In the latter case the conversation isn't so much about what you do sexually in private, as opposed to your blatant hypocrisy IYSWIM?

People shouldn't feel compelled to come out - isn't that the aim of equality? That it is so normalised it's just a non-issue? If you want to be an actor or a singer then it shouldn't compel you to become a role model, or a spokesperson for a cause. If you want to do those things then great, but there are plenty of slebs who don't court publicity, don't talk about their private lives and who avoid the glare of the press whenever possible. If someone wants to keep their life private then that doesn't equate to being ashamed of their choices - it just means that they don't want to tell all and sundry.

[WeetabixExpress]

Is the RBB account all deleted or can someone link to it?

[Roussette]

Yes yes Joisie it should be a non-issue but with the press what it is, that is never going to happen - slebs would be stalked to uncover the truth whatever that truth is.

However, fake marriages, fake babies and all of that is just duping everyone isn't it.. it just feeds the publicity machine and treats the public like they're idiots

[ClarenceTheLion]

How many press conferences do you see to announce you are hetero?

None. Because that's assumed of everybody until they say otherwise.

How many people get death threats for being straight? Who gets blocked from any form of equal rights for being straight? Who gets fired for being straight? How many straight people decide against holding their partners hand in public because they know it will bring abuse? Has any straight person ever been rejected by their families upon announcing they are straight? In the US just last week the Democrats failed in an attempt to block legislation that would make it constitutionally permissible to discriminate against the LGBT population. Gay people are nowhere near being equal to straight people in terms of basic human rights, and that line above is a classic example of entitlement.

[JolseBaby]

Clarence - I think you have misunderstood me. I am not suggesting that people shouldn't be fighting for gay rights. I have marched at Pride and protested against Section 28, so please don't suggest that I am 'entitled' and unaware of the issues that gay people face in terms of everyday discrimination, because you actually know nothing about me.

The point of my post was to illustrate why some people in the public eye might not feel compelled to announce their sexuality. I'm actually quoting a friend of mine, who is gay but does not attend Pride, nor campaign for gay rights, nor sign petitions for equality/awareness/whatever. He keeps his sexual orientation quite private outside of his friends and family. His view is that his sexuality is his business and it's not up to him to become the posterboy for gay rights - he just wants to live his life. He isn't ashamed, he is private - there is a difference.

Hope that clarifies.

[Galaxymum]

Waving back to hollie!!! It really is like going down a rabbit hole and seeing a light then you can't go back!!

I think the shocking part of it is this is forcibly closeting in or rather up to 2016 - and when you start researching the amazing masterposts and videos you can actually see the week it this extra clamping down was enforced. And when you can see the evidence of the behaviour of the two guys involved, and see exactly what was happening around them, then it all becomes clear that you aren't imagining it.

Weetabix - the RBB twitter was deactivated last month and Harry later tweeted "Preaching to the convinced". RBB even had a phone number which is apparently still active but just a voice message now. Google 1D Rainbow bondage bear for the RBB antics at concerts and in its official tweets. Note if you aren't aware of the awesome bears they were on the sound stage at concerts and ended up with their own bodyguards. The depth of queer history shown is amazing and how they got hold of some very rare books, selected appropriate dvds and the use of metaphors is astounding.

I truly am in awe of Harry Styles and Louis Tomlinson for standing up for their love for each other and fighting on. But they will be free soon.
Josiebaby - contracts. Signing a contract that includes vague wording defining your image within the "brand" and repercussions for the whole "brand" if you step put of line. It is shocking when you start digging and find out how this happens.