Seth Meyers, Countess Luann and more

This is a preview from The Daily Beast's Obsessed newsletter.

This week:

The best things I saw this week

I'm on “vacation,” or at least what passes for vacation for an aged millennial (how gross!) working in the media industry in 2024. My pop culture consumption this past week was therefore limited to the song “Hello to All the Children of the World” sung to me by my nephew 19 times in a row and people texting me if I had any inside information on what was going on with Blake Lively. (I don't!)

However, I've been sporadically engaging with the world and have come across a few videos, memes and news stories that have made me happy. Instead of a proper Obsessed newsletter, here's a roundup of “Things Kevin saw on vacation that made him go 'wow, funny.'” (We're still working on that title.)

There is hope for Mamma Mia 3!

I believe with all my heart that the world would be a much easier place to live if everyone would just watch, Mummy Mia! movies as often as I do. It's impossible to feel hatred or any kind of negativity when you've just spent time in the sunshine and serotonin world of Meryl Streep singing ABBA songs on a Greek island. Scientists confirm this!

Star Christine Baranski confirmed this week that Mamma Mia 3! is in the works and she knows the plot. “We'll all be on a fabulous Greek or Croatian island having a great time,” she said. “I hope so.” If everyone in Hollywood doesn't move mountains to make this happen, then the industry deserves to be shut down forever.

The Scottish Adventure of Countess Luann

When I clicked on Real Housewife Luann de Lessep's X-post, which included the hashtags #tildaswinton and #fabulouslytalentedTilda, I was not prepared for the wild ride that awaited me.

The story begins with Tilda Swinton attending the Countess's cabaret show in London, which is already big news – who would have thought that the Oscar winner is a fan of “Housewives”? After the show, Swinton told Luann that she needed rest after so many performances and invited her to her Scottish estate to relax.

They rode the train together. Swinton was personally waiting for Luann when they arrived. Watch the full clip to experience the magic of Luann's Scottish accent and the epic ending where Luann refers to her as “Tilda Spencer.”

New RHONY Looks good!

I could be in the middle of the desert during a global blackout and the collapse of the entire cell network and still find a way to get the latest trailer for a season of Real Housewives. So of course I saw the Real Housewives of New York City Trailer released this week while I was on vacation.

I know people had mixed feelings about the first season of the reboot, but I thought it showed promise and was a lot of fun – although (sigh) I probably (deep sigh) would have cut (deep sigh) at least one member (sigh) from (sigh) the (sigh) cast (get it?).

This trailer (watch here) has a lot of potential, although the odd shot at the end makes it seem like it deserves to feature a pigeon holding an apple in the opening credits.

And not for nothing: This is one of the best cast photos in the history of “Housewives”.

Bravo

That was so touching

I would feel deprived if I didn't watch a random video that made me cry for a week. Luckily, I happened to come across this clip of Sandra Bullock wishing Hoda Kotb a happy 60th birthday. It's so thoughtful, personal, and profound, and Bullock tells Kotb about her experiences adopting children at an older age. Grab a tissue and watch the video:

The Olympic handover

Listen, given all the scandals, do I have mixed feelings about my infatuation with Tom Cruise as the quintessential movie star? Yes. Do I understand how Snoop Dogg somehow became America's go-to for wholesome entertainment? Not at all. Do I worry about the health of the Red Hot Chili Peppers if they're still rocking at their age? I'm an empath, so that's clear. Have I ever heard a single note that Billie Eilish sang in a live performance? Not once. Sing loudly, Louise!

Fabrizio Bensch – Pool/Getty Images

Still, I watched the entire handover to Los Angeles during the closing ceremony of the Paris Olympics, whooping, yelling, and clapping the entire time. It was so much fun, filled me with patriotic enthusiasm, and inspired me to text everyone I know in Los Angeles to let me stay with them in 2028 so I can see the games in person.

Seth Meyers tries to catch up

And finally, Seth Meyers' “A Closer Look,” in which he recaps the political news of the past three weeks — he was on hiatus during the whole whirlwind of crazy historical twists — is one of the best things I've seen on the late-night show this year. (Watch it here.)

More from The Daily Beast's Obsessed

Obsessed turned 2 years old this week! To commemorate this, here are our second annual Obsessies Awards. Read more.

Deadpool and Wolverine could be the ultimate Reddit movie. Read more.

How TV's coolest AI robots came to life. Read more.

What to see this week:

Chimpanzee crazy: The new Tiger King that we didn't know we needed. (Sun. on HBO)

Daughters: A warning in advance: you will cry. A lot. (Now on Netflix)

Evil Monkey: Vince Vaughn in a perfect Vince Vaughn role. (Now on Apple TV+)

What to skip this week:

Emily in Paris: After such a triumphant Olympic Games in Paris, let us not denigrate the city in this way. (Now on Netflix)

The Union: I'm as shocked as you are that Mark Wahlberg's new Netflix movie is bad. (Now on Netflix)