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Kim Kardashian on O.J. Simpson's Estate Selling Robert Kardashian's Bible
Celebrity News

Kim Kardashian on O.J. Simpson’s Estate Selling Robert Kardashian’s Bible

by jummy84
written by jummy84

All’s not fair for Kim Kardashian.

The reality star had heated words upon learning that her attempt to purchase a Bible her late dad Robert Kardashian Sr. had gifted to his friend O.J. Simpson was thwarted.

Not only was she frustrated with how her offer letter to buy the book for $15,000 was leaked online, but that the executor of O.J.’s estate—who was putting the keepsake up for auction after the athlete’s 2024 death—had rejected her proposal.

“I would’ve negotiated,” Kim shared on the Nov. 13 episode of The Kardashians. “I guess I had a little too much faith in humanity for a minute there.”

In fact, the All’s Fair actress said she would’ve shelled out up to $30,000 for the keepsake, which included a handwritten inscription from Robert to O.J. that read in part, “God has a definite plan for your life. You are his child and he will use you again.”

“It’s just really special,” Kim said of the Bible, explaining that her younger sister Khloe Kardashian was interested in having the book back in the family. “I was like, ‘Oh, I have to get this for her for her birthday.'”

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James Van Der Beek selling Dawson's Creek props to help with costs of cancer fight
Celebrity News

James Van Der Beek selling Dawson’s Creek props to help with costs of cancer fight

by jummy84
written by jummy84

James Van Der Beek is auctioning off Dawson’s Creek and Varsity Blues props to help with the financial burden of his cancer battle.

James Van Der Beek is selling film and TV props amid cancer battle

The 48-year-old actor – who was diagnosed with stage 3 colorectal cancer last year – is giving film and TV fans a chance to own memorabilia from his career with 100 percent of the proceeds from the items helping alleviate the cost of his health struggles.

He told PEOPLE magazine: “I’ve been storing these treasures for years, waiting for the right time to do something with them, and with all of the recent unexpected twists and turns life has presented recently, it’s clear that the time is now.

“While I have some nostalgia tugging at me as I part with these items, it feels good to be able to offer them through Propstore’s auction to share with those who have supported my work over the years.”

The items from James’ personal collection will be available next month in Propstore’s Winter Entertainment Memorabilia Live Auction from December 5 to 7.

Many of the items are being made public for the first time, with wardrobe, props and set pieces from the actor’s career.

One major piece of TV history being offered is the necklace Dawson gave Joey for prom in Dawson’s Creek, which is estimated to detch between $26,400 and $52,800.

The collection includes items from throughout the series – which ran from 1998 to 2003 – including James’ pilot episode costume, which could bring in almost $4,000.

There are also items from 1999 movie Varsity Blues, including his film-worn West Caana Coyotes Hat, and cleats.

Anyone interested in bidding for pieces of the collection can register now ahead of live in-room bidding in London on December 6, while global bidding will be available until the end of play on December 7.

In September, James made a surprise appearance during a Dawson’s Creek reunion, having had to drop out due to suffering from “two stomach viruses”.

However, he shocked fans on the night at the Richard Rodgers Theatre in New York City on Monday (22.09.25) when he made a virtual appearance at the event in support of the F Cancer charity.

In a pre-recorded video, which was projected onto the stage, he said: “I have been looking forward to this night for months and months ever since my angel Michelle Williams said she was putting it together.

“I can’t believe I’m not there. I can’t believe I don’t get to see my cast mates, my beautiful cast in person.

“And just I want to stand on that stage and thank every single person in the theatre for being here tonight. From the cast to the crew to everybody who’s doing anything and has been so generous, and especially every single last one of you – you are the best fans in the world.

“Thank you for coming. It’s just absolutely humbling just how much you did for this night, and I just want to say thank you. Thank you to every single person here.”




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Bre Tiesi reacts to Selling Sunset co-star Chrishell Stause quitting the show
Celebrity News

Bre Tiesi reacts to Selling Sunset co-star Chrishell Stause quitting the show

by jummy84
written by jummy84

Bre Tiesi “doesn’t care” about Chrishell Stause quitting Selling Sunset.

Bre Tiesi has weighed in on Chrishell Stause quitting Selling Sunset

The pair butted heads on the Netflix reality show countless times, and, after the 44-year-old realtor revealed she was departing the programme because it wasn’t good for her mental health, her co-star has weighed in on her decision and said she hopes she can “move and not be so miserable”.

She told Us Weekly: “I’m not surprised because she’s threatened it every season. She’s been threatening it since I got there.

“I would be surprised if she actually does go. I don’t really care if she’s there or not.”

She went on: “She’s irrelevant to my life, personally. Hopefully she finds something better for her mental state and she can find some peace and she can move on and not be so miserable.”

Chrishell insists she no longer needs her Selling Sunset salary.

She told Bustle: “I’ve gotten to a place where I don’t need the show financially.

“I’m lucky to have other forms of employment, because it’s no longer good for my mental health.”

Chrishell joined the show in 2019 and has bowed out after the ninth season.

The blonde beauty insists she has nothing against anyone at Selling Sunset and wishes them all the best.

She said: “If they do continue, I wish them the best. If they do do another one, by then, I may not watch it. I don’t know. But I have no ill will toward the show.

“The show has given me so many opportunities, and I don’t want to be bitter about it, even though I’m leaving not in the way that I would’ve loved.”

Chrishell added: “I think, after so many hours, I felt like, ‘Sit here, get through it. You’re not a quitter, but you never have to do this again.’”

Her choice to leave comes after the most recent season saw Chrishell spar with her friend Emma Hernan after she accused her boyfriend, Blake Davis, of threatening her.

The former model’s partner, G Flip, is non-binary, and she accused Blake of being discriminatory against them.

She told the outlet: “He constantly posts anti-trans stuff… He thinks it’s too woke if you don’t sing the N word in songs. He posted something the other day, with a gun in view, saying he wants to ‘sue [me for lying] my d*** off.'”

Chrishell says she was made to look like the bad person.

She said: “With Emma, I just look like an overbearing friend.

“But there are so many things that would’ve completely vindicated me and my opinion, and they left all of it out.”

Chrishell also alleged about Blake: “They would break up, and she would tell me these horrific things that he would say to her, that he would do.

“He thought it was funny to say, ‘If you ever do that again, I’ll beat you.’ Who jokes about that? It’s not funny.”




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Nearly $1000 for a cup: Julith café in Dubai is selling the world’s most expensive coffee
Lifestyle

Nearly $1000 for a cup: Julith café in Dubai is selling the world’s most expensive coffee

by jummy84
written by jummy84

A Dubai-based café is making sure that its customers pay an exorbitant amount to purchase a cup of coffee. The Julith café is selling a cup of rare coffee for nearly $1,000.

The rare Nido 7 variety of Geisha coffee is grown on Mount Barú’s volcanic slopes in Panama.(Pexels)

The Independent reported that the café is offering the beverage that could win the title of the “world’s most expensive cup”. It is being sold for 3,600 dirhams or about $980. What sets this apart is the Nido 7 variety of Geisha beans, a rare and premium strain grown on the volcanic slopes of Mount Bare in western Panama.

“The wait is finally over. The world’s most celebrated and highest graded coffee of all time has arrived at Julith,” Serkan Sagsoz, co-founder of the Julith café with the pricey offering, said in a Facebook video.

Future plans

Placed in an industrial neighbourhood that has turned out to be a hotspot for coffee lovers, Julith plans to serve “around 400 cups” of the precious beverage, Sagsoz told AFP.

“We felt Dubai was the perfect place for our investment. There are white floral notes like jasmine, citrus flavours like orange and bergamot and a hint of apricot and peach,” Sagsoz stated.

“It’s like honey, delicate and sweet,” added Sagsoz, who had previously run a café in Turkey.

Also Read: Fitness coach shares how to meet daily protein intake without obsessing over it: ‘As an Indian, you tend to eat…’

Guinness World Record

According to AFP, Dubai last month marked a Guinness record for the most expensive cup of coffee across the globe. This happened when Roasters started offering a beverage for a whopping 2,500 dirhams.

The beans were purchased by the Julith café through an auction in Panama. Interestingly, the auction witnessed a neck-to-neck battle, which went on for several hours, drawing hundreds of bids.

At last, Julith ended up paying the highest price for coffee, AFP added.

In a press release, the café stated that it paid roughly 2.2 million dirhams ($600,000) for 20 kgs of the coffee beans.

Also Read: Donald Trump announces deal to reduce prices of weight loss drugs to as low as $149: What it means

FAQs

Where is Julith café located?

Julith café is situated in Dubai.

What is the price for the most expensive coffee by Julith café?

The café is selling a cup of coffee for 3,600 dirhams (roughly $980).

Who recently set the Guinness World Record for the most expensive cup of coffee?

A café in Dubai recently won the prestigious tag.

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Ben Stiller says nepo-baby label is a “selling point”
Music

Ben Stiller says nepo-baby label is a “selling point”

by jummy84
written by jummy84

Ben Stiller has shared his views on the nepo-baby discourse, explaining that he sees why people who’ve grown up with parents in showbiz might follow in their footsteps.

  • READ MORE: Severance season two review: mind-bending workplace sci-fi is the smartest thing on TV

The former Severance director was discussing his own status after he paid tribute to his parents, the comedians and actors Jerry Stiller and Anne Meara, in the documentary Stiller & Meara: Nothing Is Lost, released on Apple TV on Friday (October 24).

It comes at the same time as fellow actor Stellan Skarsgård hit out at the nepo-baby label himself, explaining that his teenage son Kolbjörn is affected by the label.

On SiriusXM’s The Howard Stern Show, Stiller said that he understands the arguments “about access” but sees it as a “selling point” that nepo-babies have grown up familiar with the industry.

“I think it’s kinda like that Brat Pack thing, right? New York Magazine, they coined a phrase, and then it just became a thing,” he said of the nepo-baby label, which was popularised by the magazine in 2022.

“But it’s always been what it is, in humanity and life,” he said. “It’s like, you buy a violin, a Stradivarius or whatever, it’s been in the family for hundreds of years. That’s a selling point.”

He added: “But I also understand there are other arguments to be made about access and all those things. My feeling is … if it’s in your blood, if it’s your passion and you grew up around it — for me, I think growing up around it, talking about all these things that I saw with my parents, you, actually as a kid, see the dark underside of it, the stress, the effects it has on relationships. You see that up close as a kid, and then you still wanna go into it.”

He did admit that he got his first job, in the 1986 off-Broadway revival of House Of Blue Leaves after he got an audition “as a favour” for Meara, after he “couldn’t get in ‘cause the casting director didn’t wanna see me.

“But I felt like, doing that audition, I knew that I had done what I needed to get the part,” he added. “If you have the passion, you need to do it. You need to go for it.”

Stiller himself has two children with his wife, actress Christine Taylor. They have a daughter, Ella, and a son, Quinn. Both have followed their parents into the world of acting, with Ella starring in the off-Broadway play Dilaria earlier this year and them both having small roles in Happy Gilmore 2 alongside their father.

Also in the Stiller & Meara documentary, Quinn told his dad that he felt he sometimes put being a father last, explaining: “You have all these hats that you’re trying to balance, you know, being a director, an actor, you know, a producer, a writer, but also, just like a father, right? And sometimes I felt that that would come, you know, last to these other things.”

During a Q&A at the New York Film Festival premiere of the film earlier this month, Stiller said of the moment: “As a filmmaker, I’m like, ‘Oh this is a good moment for the movie,’ you know. As a person I’m like, ‘That sucks.’ ”

Also earlier this month, meanwhile, Stiller described making comedy as being “more challenging” in the current political climate. He told Radio Times, “We live in a world where taking chances with comedy is more challenging. You’re seeing that front and centre in our country … But I think it’s important that comedians keep doing what they’re doing, speaking truth to power and being free to say what they want. That’s the most important thing.”

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Francis Ford Coppola Selling Million-Dollar Watch to Recoup Megalopolis Losses
Music

Francis Ford Coppola Selling Million-Dollar Watch to Recoup Megalopolis Losses

by jummy84
written by jummy84

If you and I make a bad financial decision, we might get by through selling plasma or eating canned tuna for a week. But if you’re Francis Ford Coppola, you bounce back from possible financial ruin by selling million-dollar watches.

It’s no secret that 2024’s Megalopolis, Coppola’s long-gestating pet project, was a bona fide financial bust. After the iconic director poured in $120 million of his own money (a combination of various personal assets alongside a majority stake in the Delicato Family Wines), Megalopolis earned just $14.4 million at the box office. Now, in hopes of recouping a portion of the small fortune that’d devastate anyone else, Coppola has tapped New York City auction house Phillips to sell seven singular timepieces (per The Hollywood Reporter).

With the auction set for December 6th and 7th in New York City, the undisputed crown jewel of the so-called “Coppola Collection” is the F.P. Journe FCC Prototype. According to Phillips’ own Paul Boutros, Coppola worked hand-in-hand with famed watchmaker Francis-Paul Journe to craft this watch. Perhaps its most dazzling feature is its “black-treated titanium hand,” which was developed over the span of nearly a decade’s worth of conversations between Journe/his staff and Coppola.

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The hand (which draws inspiration a 16th century prosthetic crafted by French physician Ambroise Paré) tells the time via “the fingers and thumb extending or retracting in a set of sequences that indicate different hours.” Meanwhile, the minutes are “determined by a white rotating ring around the perimeter.” It’s one of only three versions ever made by Journe, with the last watch selling at a 2021 charity auction for 4.5 million Swiss francs. (Several production versions have also been made for various clients, with each watch going for $1 million.)

Might Coppola’s own Prototype nab such a lofty figure? That’s the hope of the Phillips auction house, and they’ve got some solid supporting evidence to value the Prototype at $1 million. Back in 2017, that’s exactly how much they earned for a Paul Newman-worn Rolex. (Ironically enough, Coppola has worn his Prototype watch — at the May 2024 premiere of Megalopolis.) At the same time, Phillips’ own Boutros admits they “don’t know how the market will price” the watch, so it could go for even higher final figure. That sound you hear? It’s Coppola’s accountants, cheering wildly.

The other standout from the collection is yet another masterpiece from Journe, the Chronomètre à Résonance. Gifted to Coppola by his late wife Eleanor Coppola, the timepiece is accompanied by “an advertisement for the Résonance, which Francis Ford Coppola saved and was later found by his wife, leading to the gift.” That watch is slated to be auctioned for between $120,000 and $240,000.

The last pieces in the Coppola auction are a Blancpain Minute Repeater (auctioning for between $15,000 and $30,000); a Patek Philippe Calatrava ref. 3919 (auctioning for between $6,000 and $12,000); and a Patek Philippe World Time ref. 5130G (auctioning for between $15,000 and $30,000). Two final watches, carry no reserve (i.e., no minimum price): a BreguetClassique ref. 5140 (auctioning between $4,000 to $8,000) and an IWC Portugieser (auctioning between $3,000 to $6,000).

Coppola has never shied away from the financial hardships he faced after the release of Megalopolis; back in March, he said he had no money on-hand for his undetermined next project. At the same time, Coppola has remained fiercely proud of the film despite its robust failures. He even accepted a Razzie Award back in February, calling it a “distinctive honor” to earn nominations for worst director, screenplay, and picture “at a time when so few have the courage to go against the prevailing trends of contemporary moviemaking!”

And, sure, Coppola made a decidedly trash film, but you’ve got to commend him for putting everything on the line and being willing to sell beloved personal heirlooms just to back it all up. He believed in this film, and what it would add to his already celebrated filmography, and executed it exactly as he saw fit (even when others remained uncertain or unmoved). Would any other director be as unwavering in their commitment to bringing their vision to life regardless of the life-altering consequences? Maybe Tommy Wiseau, but who knows for sure?

Ahead of the auction, Phillips will displaying Coppola’s watches to the public from December 3rd to 5th; head here for more information.

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Music Review: Jon Batiste opts for chill vibe on stripped-down album, 'Big Money'
Bollywood

Taylor Swift’s ‘The Life of a Showgirl’ makes history by selling 4 million copies in first week

by jummy84
written by jummy84

NEW YORK — That’s show business for you! Taylor Swift’s 12th studio album, “The Life of a Showgirl,” has officially sold 4.002 million equivalent album units — which includes album sales and streaming activity — in its first week in the U.S. That is the biggest first week in modern music history; at least, according to Luminate, the industry data and analytics company that began tracking sales in 1991.

Taylor Swift’s ‘The Life of a Showgirl’ makes history by selling 4 million copies in first week

Swift broke the record set by Adele’s “25,” which sold 3.378 million copies in its first week in 2015 in the U.S.

“The Life of a Showgirl” was released Oct. 3. In its first week, pure album sales totaled 3,479,500 copies.

She’s also become the solo artist with the most No. 1 albums on the Billboard 200, with 15. She was previously tied with Drake and Jay-Z, who each have 14.

Swift is now just behind The Beatles, who boast of 19 No. 1 albums.

She is no stranger to breaking records, and when it comes to “The Life of a Showgirl,” the history-making started immediately. In its first day of release, the album sold 2.7 million copies in traditional album sales, breaking her record for most first week sales… in one day.

Her last album, 2024’s “The Tortured Poets Department,” amassed 2.61 million equivalent album units in the U.S. in its first week.

Also, according to Luminate, “The Life of a Showgirl” broke the record for the most copies of a vinyl album sold in a single week in the U.S., with 1.2 million copies in its first day.

The previous record holder was “The Tortured Poets Department,” which sold 859,000 copies on vinyl in its first week.

One of the reasons Swift has seen so much success is that she released her record in several different variants. Those include multiple editions specific to Target — three CDs titled “It’s Frightening,” “It’s Rapturous” and “It’s Beautiful,” as well as an exclusive vinyl release, “The Crowd Is Your King.”

There are a number of other vinyl variants as well: “The Tiny Bubble in Champagne Collection,” “The Baby That’s Show Business Collection,” “The Shiny Bug Collection,” and the standard LP and cassette, in “sweat and vanilla perfume Portofino orange vinyl.”

The news of Swift’s record-breaking sales arrived just after “Good Morning America” revealed Monday that she’ll have two new projects at Disney . That’s a six-episode, behind-the-scenes docuseries about her landmark “Eras Tour” titled “Taylor Swift ‘ The Eras Tour ‘ The End of an Era.”

The first two episodes of her docuseries will premiere Dec. 12.

And that is not to be confused with the second, titled “Taylor Swift ‘ The Eras Tour ‘ The Final Show,” a concert film now with the inclusion of “The Tortured Poets Department” section. The 2024 album was incorporated into her three-and-a-half-hour performance following its release. It was filmed in Vancouver.

That differs from 2023’s “Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour” film, which was compiled from several Swift shows at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, a suburb of Los Angeles and arrived ahead of “The Tortured Poets Department.”

This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.

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Twenty One Pilots Accuse Temu of Selling Fake Merch in New Lawsuit
Music

Twenty One Pilots Accuse Temu of Selling Fake Merch in New Lawsuit

by jummy84
written by jummy84

Twenty One Pilots have accused Temu of marketing and selling counterfeit merch in a new trademark infringement lawsuit filed against the China-based online retailer. 

The suit, obtained by Rolling Stone, is largely filled with screenshots of what appear to be listings on Temu for an array of allegedly fake Twenty One Pilots merch, such as posters, shirts, mugs, and socks. As the suit notes, some of the items available on Temu appear to be identical to items currently for sale on Twenty One Pilots’ website. Others on Temu appear to contain images and other art associated with the band, such as the cover of their 2015 album, Blurryface.

The complaint alleges that Twenty One Pilots’ trademarks “have been damaged and put at risk by Temu’s knowing and systematic marketing and sale of counterfeit versions,” which they describe as “confusingly and/or virtually identical to” their own trademarked materials.

Temu did not immediately return Rolling Stone’s request for comment.

The lawsuit opens with a pointed salvo at Temu, saying the retailer is “widely understood to be one of the most unethical companies operating in today’s global marketplace. Its business practices are believed to pose great threats to individuals, marketplaces, and the environment.”  

It goes on to cite a complaint recently filed by the State of Nebraska, which alleges that Temu has “flooded the United States with cheap products” and “fuels a whole host of other harms,” including its alleged sale of copyright-protected materials. 

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Twenty One Pilots’ lawyers called Temu a “veritable swamp of infringing and otherwise illegal products,” adding that it “manufactures and sells a myriad of items that are counterfeit or blatant copies of [Twenty One Pilots’] artwork, trademarks, and intellectual property.” 

Counterfeit merchandise has long been a problem for musicians, with suppliers and artists now contending with new school online retailers and old school bootleggers hawking wares outside of concerts. As Billboard notes, merch suppliers for Benson Boone and Tate McRae recently filed separate lawsuits aiming to crack down on fake items sold outside their shows. And Jeff Gluck, the same attorney representing Twenty One Pilots, filed a similar infringement suit against Temu last month on behalf of the MF Doom estate. 

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Morrissey Claims He’s Selling His Rights to the Smiths’ Catalog
Music

Morrissey Claims He’s Selling His Rights to the Smiths’ Catalog

by jummy84
written by jummy84

Morrissey would apparently like to divest from the Smiths. A post on his website claims that he “has no choice but to offer for sale all of his business interests in ‘The Smiths’ to any interested party / investor” because he is “burnt out by any and all connections to” his former bandmates: guitarist Johnny Marr, drummer Mike Joyce, and the late bassist Andy Rourke.

When reached by Pitchfork, representatives for Johnny Marr had no immediate comment to share from the guitarist. And Mike Joyce’s manager told Pitchfork that the drummer does not comment on the actions or comments of his former bandmates.

Morrissey is apparently trying to offload his stake in the Smiths’ band name, artwork, song titles, lyrics, recordings, merchandise, and rights to publishing and synchronization. There is also a Gmail address for “serious investors” to contact, but Pitchfork’s email to it bounced back.

“I have had enough of malicious associations,” wrote Morrissey. “With my entire life I have paid my rightful dues to these songs and these images. I would now like to live disassociated from those who wish me nothing but ill-will and destruction, and this is the only resolution. The songs are me – they are no one else – but they bring with them business communications that go to excessive lengths to create as much dread and spite year after year. I must now protect myself, especially my health.”

The Smiths broke up in 1987, five years after forming. In his 2016 memoir, Set the Boy Free, Marr discussed the possibility of reuniting with Morrissey in 2008. Music festivals such as Coachella have reportedly offered generous performance fees to entice the British jangle-pop staples to get back together, too, but the Smiths’ remaining members have rejected those deals. Last year, Morrissey said that he agreed to a “lucrative” offer for him and Marr to perform a global tour in 2025, but that Marr ignored it. In a statement to Pitchfork, Marr clarified: “I didn’t ignore the offer. I said no.”

Also last year, Morrissey asserted that Marr obtained the trademark rights to the Smiths’ name “without any consultation to Morrissey, and without allowing Morrissey the standard opportunity of ‘objection.’” Speaking with Pitchfork, Marr’s management said that, in 2018, “Marr reached out to Morrissey, via his representatives, to work together in protecting The Smiths’ name.” Following a lack of response from Morrissey, the guitarist decided “to register the trademark himself.”

“There is also an obvious media shift to delete me from being the central essence of the Smiths,” Morrissey wrote on his website in January, “but this cannot work because I invented the group name, the song-titles, the album titles, the artwork, the vocal melodies, and all of the lyrical sentiments came from my heart … and so it’s a bit like saying Mick Jagger had nothing to do with the Stones.”

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Morrissey Selling His Stake In The Smiths
TV & Streaming

Morrissey Selling His Stake In The Smiths

by jummy84
written by jummy84

Almost 40 years after The Smiths broke up, Morrissey is truly leaving the band.

At least the singer’s 50% stake in the iconic Manchester group.

On hiatus from touring this summer and about to start a series of shows in Canada, the East Coast and hitting Smiths stronghold of LA on October 25, the man known as Moz has put up for sale his rights to the songs, the name, the merch, and perhaps most importantly and lucratively the publishing.

In a post on Instagram Wednesday, Morrissey said he “has no choice but to offer for sale all of his business interests in ‘The Smiths’ to any interested party / investor.” Possibly running into the tens of millions at least, the successful bidder would purchase:

1. The name ‘The Smiths’, as created by Morrissey.
2. All Smiths artwork, as created by Morrissey.
3. All Smiths merchandising rights.
4. All Smiths songs lyrically / musically.
5. All synchronisation rights.
6. All Smiths recordings.
7. All contractual rights for Smiths publishing.

If there was any doubt of the origins of this surprise move by Morrissey, who broke ranks with his now ex-reps at Red Light Management / Pete Galli Management in 2024 after just a few months, the songwriter made it clear that he feels he doesn’t owe anything, to paraphrase a Smith tune, to his former bandmates living and dead. “I am burnt out by any and all connections to Marr, Rourke, Joyce,” he wrote today of Smiths guitarist Johnny Marr, now deceased bass player Andy Rourke and estranged drummer Mike Joyce. “I have had enough of malicious associations. 

With legacy artists across all genres like Kiss ($300M for everything), Bruce Springsteen ($500M for his catalog), David Bowie ($250M for his catalog) and Michael Jackson (whose estate sold 50% of the Thriller singer’s music assets to Sony Music Group last year for $1.2B) cashing in, Morrissey’s move is neither crass nor careless by any measure.

Looking at The Smiths’ depth musically from their 1984 self-titled debut to their masterpiece of The Queen Is Dead in 1986 and more, plus the generation defining epic “How Soon Is Now?” song, the band is certainly a money maker even today.

Part of any estimation of the worth of Morrissey’s portion of the Smiths, who broke up in after five years together in 1987 not long after Marr left, has to be the stature the band has in contemporary culture. Specifically, as the soundtrack to many a life, from the 1980s and onward on both sides of the pond.

The band’s songs have been used in dozens of films from Pretty in Pink, The Wedding Singer, Never Been Kissed and Shaun of the Dead to Forgetting Sarah Marshall, (500) Days of Summer, The Perks of Being a Wallflower and Transformers spinoff Bumblebee. The Smiths also have appeared on TV’s Sex Education, Black Mirror, American Horror Story, Psych, That ‘80s Show and many more. Love Spit Love’s cover of the popular “How Soon Is Now?” was theme song of original Charmed series.

Like the Oasis and Guns’n’Roses reunion tours, a Smiths revival could see the band bigger on tour than they were in their heyday.

However, the trial balloon of a reunion tour for an an “eye-watering amount of money” was shot down by Marr last year. “It was a little bit about principles, but I’m not an idiot,” Marr said on a soccer podcast earlier this year. “I just think the vibe’s not right.”

The offer from AEG Entertainment Group came after bassist Rourke had died in May 2023. Morrissey, whose bookings are handled by WME, initially said Marr ignored the “lucrative offer.” In September 2024, Marr posted his response online, stressing he didn’t “ignore the offer — I said no.” 

Adding to antagonism between the two songwriting partners, both of whom hav had pretty stellar solo careers the past four decades, has been Marr’s 2018 trademarking of The Smiths name. Learning in 2018 that no one had actually obtained the band’s trademark of itself, the guitarist had his team complete the paperwork. Morrissey, a.k.a Steven Morrissey, claimed Marr made the move “without consultation.”

At the time, Marr said not true.

“A failure to respond led Marr to register the trademark himself,” Marr said in a September 2024 statement. “It was subsequently agreed with Morrissey’s lawyers that this trademark was held for the mutual benefit of Morrissey and Marr. As a gesture of goodwill, in January 2024, Marr signed an assignment of joint ownership to Morrissey. Execution of this document still requires Morrissey to sign.­­­­­­­­”

As of now, Morrissey is taking offers.

Reps for Johnny Marr, who is a frequent collaborator with Hans Zimmer on film scores in recent years, did not respond today to Deadline’s request for comment on Morrissey’s sale news. Or to quote the title of one of the band’s 1986 songs, Is It Really So Strange?

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