Pearl

Vance dismisses bipartisan outrage over offensive Young Republican messages as ‘pearl clutching’

The public release of a Young Republican group chat that included racist language, jokes about rape and flippant commentary on gas chambers prompted bipartisan calls for those involved to be removed from or resign their positions.

The Young Republican National Federation, the GOP’s political organization for Republicans between 18 and 40, called for those involved to step down from the organization. The group described the exchanges, first reported by Politico, as “unbecoming of any Republican.”

Republican Vice President JD Vance, however, has weighed in several times to speak out against what he characterized as “pearl clutching” over the leaked messages.

Politico obtained months of exchanges from a Telegram conversation between leaders and members of the Young Republican National Federation and some of its affiliates in New York, Kansas, Arizona and Vermont.

Here’s a rundown of reaction to the inflammatory group chat, in which the operatives and officials involved openly worried that their comments might be leaked, even as they continued their conversation:

Vance

After Politico’s initial report Tuesday, Vance posted on X a screen grab from 2022 text messages in which Jay Jones, the Democratic candidate in Virginia’s attorney general race, suggested that a prominent Republican get “two bullets to the head.”

“This is far worse than anything said in a college group chat, and the guy who said it could become the AG of Virginia,” Vance wrote Tuesday. “I refuse to join the pearl clutching when powerful people call for political violence.”

Jones has taken “full responsibility” for his comments and offered a public apology to Todd Gilbert, who then was speaker of Virginia’s House of Delegates.

Vance reiterated his initial sentiment Wednesday on “ The Charlie Kirk Show ” podcast, saying when asked about the reporting that a “person seriously wishing for political violence and political assassination is 1,000 times worse than what a bunch of young people, a bunch of kids say in a group chat, however offensive it might be.”

Vance, 41, said he grew up in a different era where “most of what I, the stupid things that I did as a teenager and as a young adult, they’re not on the internet.”

The father of three said he would caution his own children, “especially my boys, don’t put things on the internet, like, be careful with what you post. If you put something in a group chat, assume that some scumbag is going to leak it in an effort to try to cause you harm or cause your family harm.”

“I really don’t want to us to grow up in a country where a kid telling a stupid joke, telling a very offensive, stupid joke is cause to ruin their lives,” Vance said.

Republicans

Other Republicans demanded more immediate intervention. Republican legislative leaders in Vermont, along with Gov. Phil Scott — also a Republican — called for the resignation of state Sen. Sam Douglass, revealed to be a participant in the chat. A joint statement from the GOP lawmakers termed the comments “unacceptable and deeply disturbing.”

Saying she was “absolutely appalled to learn about the alleged comments made by leaders of the New York State Young Republicans,” Rep. Elise Stefanik of New York called for those involved to step down from their positions. Danedri Herbert, chair of the Kansas GOP, said the remarks “do not reflect the beliefs of Republicans and certainly not of Kansas Republicans at large.”

In a statement posted to X on Tuesday, the Young Republican National Federation said it was “appalled” by the reported messages and calling for those involved to resign from their positions within the organization. Young Republican leaders said the behavior was “disgraceful, unbecoming of any Republican, and stands in direct opposition to the values our movement represents.”

Democrats

Democrats have been more uniform in their condemnation. On Wednesday, California Gov. Gavin Newsom wrote to House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer asking for an investigation into the “vile and offensive text messages,” which he called “the definition of conduct that can create a hostile and discriminatory environment that violates civil rights laws.”

Speaking on the Senate floor, Senate Democratic leader Charles E. Schumer of New York on Tuesday described the chat as “revolting,” calling for Republicans including President Trump and Vance to “condemn these comments swiftly and unequivocally.”

Asked about the reporting, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul called the exchanges “vile” and called for consequences for those involved.

“Kick them out of the party. Take away their official roles. Stop using them as campaign advisers,” Hochul said. “There needs to be consequences. This bulls—- has to stop.”

Kinnard writes for the Associated Press. AP writer Michelle L. Price contributed to this report.

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Pearl Jam’s Eddie Vedder tests out new MLB guitar trophy

Before MLB’s newest trophy was offered up as the prize in a competition between the Seattle Mariners and San Diego Padres, it had to pass through the hands of Pearl Jam frontman Eddie Vedder.

The custom Fender Telecaster guitar, named the Vedder Cup, is said to have been played by its namesake for “about an hour” before it was shipped off to T-Mobile Park in Seattle.

“He gave it a good run through,” George Webb, Pearl Jam’s equipment manager, told the Seattle Times on Monday. “He always likes to feel like he puts a little energy, you know, spiritual energy, into an instrument. Not just hand off something that’s brand-new, never-touched kind of thing. So yeah, jammed on it for about an hour. Had a good time.”

The trophy features many nods from the 60-year-old musician, including a hand-drawn “cresting wave” illustration and an arrow and mod symbol — an allusion to Vedder’s tribute to the Who on his personal guitar. On the back, the Padres and Mariners logos appear alongside text hand-written by the singer and guitarist: “The Vedder Cup Established 2025 by Major League Baseball.”

A Seattle Mariners baseball player lifts a white guitar with black accents up in the air in a stadium

The Vedder Cup, a guitar shown off Monday by Cal Raleigh of the Seattle Mariners, will go each year to the winner of the full-season series between the Mariners and the San Diego Padres.

(Lindsey Wasson / Associated Press)

It also contains a logo from EB Research Partnership, a nonprofit co-founded by Vedder and his wife, Jill, after a childhood friend’s son was born with the painful skin condition epidermolysis bullosa. The nonprofit funds research on the disease.

The cup is intended to bring “meaningful awareness” to the rare disorder, Mariners Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Trevor Gooby said in a statement in March, when the longtime rivalry became official.

“We can’t wait to see this rivalry series grow and look forward to battling the Mariners for the Vedder Cup,” Padres Chief Executive Erik Greupner added.

The rivalry, such as it is, arose from forces both real and manufactured, apparently. Vedder has strong ties to both cities, having grown up in San Diego, then moved to Seattle to start Pearl Jam with Stone Gossard and Jeff Ament — hence, the “Vedder” Cup.

Also, upon the introduction of interleague play in the late ’90s, MLB looked for “natural” rivalries between teams like the Padres and Mariners. This year, the league canonized the rivalry, which is said to have begun as geographic, given both teams’ West Coast homes, Reuters reports.

The two teams have met almost annually since 1997. In the informal all-time series, Seattle currently leads 68-63. Additionally, they share a training complex in Peoria, Ariz.

Some fans are still left with questions as to why the competition has turned official, with one claiming on Reddit that “padres and mariners fans literally give no s— about each other.”

Still, they conceded it is “likely the most meaningless and yet kinda fun thing in MLB.”

The trophy was in the spotlight Monday when the teams met for the fourth time this season. The Mariners notched a 9-6 victory over the Padres, taking the season series after three previous wins in San Diego. The Padres beat the Mariners Tuesday, 7-6, and the final game is Wednesday, but the contest has already been decided. Cal Raleigh, the Mariners’ switch-hitting, homer-hammering catcher, known as “Big Dumper,” hoisted and played the trophy in celebration Monday night.

The name and logo for the cup were first shown off in March, but its final design wasn’t finished until the weeks leading up to the fixture.

“Typically on a custom build like this it will take us six months or so to source the wood, get everything mapped out ready to go and take our time to vet the process, apply the graphics, do some test runs,” Chase Paul, director of product development for Fender, told the Seattle Times. “On this we just kind of headed into it in parallel with testing and the production version at the same time, and kind of getting it ready to go.”

In all, it took Fender eight or nine weeks to get the work done, which Paul called a “really incredible effort by the team in the shop.”

Naturally, Vedder doesn’t want the trophy guitar to sit on a shelf for the next year while it’s in the Mariners’ possession. According to Webb, “He wants it to be played.”

“That’s his attitude with everything. It’s a living, breathing instrument. It sounds great,” he added.

As an added bonus to fans, the league announced it would give away limited-edition Vedder Cup hats during the last 2025 game between the two on Wednesday.

To no surprise, the exclusive ticket package that included the hats has sold out.

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I ordered a pearl dress for a birthday photoshoot – it’s so bad, people joke and say I was ‘sent the PDF version’

ORDERING your wardrobe online is always a risky business as you never quite know what you’re going to end up with.

And now one fashionista has proven why you might be better off trying on clothes in-store rather than trying your luck online – especially, if it’s a lesser-known website.

Woman reacting disappointedly to a pearl dress she received.

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Stunned by how gorgeous the item was, Chris ordered the lavish gownCredit: tiktok.com/@vivala_mamacita
Woman in a patterned dress.

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Following the epic fail, the fashionista said she’ll ‘only be sticking with companies’ she’s familiar with from now onCredit: tiktok.com/@vivala_mamacita

Ahead of a birthday photoshoot, the shopper, only known as Chris, decided to treat herself to a stunning pearl gown she had spotted online.

The jaw-dropping gown, which looked incredible on the model, was advertised by a brand called Divacc – a website which no longer seems to be accessible.

The showstopper of a dress featured a busty neckline and hundreds of pearls of varying sizes, which hugged the tanned model’s body perfectly.

The gown, which appears to have since been taken down along the website, also boasted a sexy thigh-high split, making for a leggy display.

Stunned by how gorgeous the item was, Chris ordered the lavish gown – but much to her disappointment, the contents of the parcel were a far cry from her expectations.

Horrified, the online shopper took to TikTok where she shared the epic fail, leaving millions of viewers in hysterics.

”This is what I ordered for a birthday photoshoot,” she said at the start of the now-viral video.

”And this is w*f I got,” Chris said, as she modelled the actual dress she received in the post.

Unlike the stunning gown advertised online, the real dress appeared to be made out of a flimsy material – and the pearls were simply a printed design.

Although the figure-hugging dress did have a thigh-high split, that was pretty much the only similarity to the luxe gown she had ordered for the photoshoot.

Olivia Attwood flashes her knickers AGAIN in ultra-short minidress after backlash

Unimpressed, Chris gave horrified viewers a look of the epic fail from different angles.

”At this point @divacc you gone have to fight me,” Chris wrote in the caption.

Posted just a week ago under the username @vivala_mamacita, the video has already gone viral, winning the young beauty more than a whopping 11million views.

Fashion tips to make you look rich

Fashion Tips to Elevate Your Look

  1. Invest in Classic Pieces
    –Quality Over Quantity: Prioritise well-made, timeless items like a tailored blazer, a little black dress, or a crisp white shirt.

Neutral Colors: Opt for neutral shades such as black, white, beige, and navy, which are versatile and exude sophistication.

  1. Accessorize Wisely

Statement Pieces: Invest in a few high-quality accessories like a designer handbag, a classic watch, or elegant jewelry.
Minimalist Approach: Less is more. Choose one or two standout accessories to avoid looking cluttered.

  1. Tailoring is Key

Perfect Fit: Tailored clothing can make even affordable items look high-end. Ensure your clothes fit perfectly by having them altered if necessary.

  1. Maintain Your Wardrobe

Iron and Steam: Wrinkled clothes can ruin an outfit. Keep your garments wrinkle-free with regular ironing or steaming.
Proper Care: Follow care instructions to keep your clothes looking new. Dry clean when necessary and store items properly.

  1. Footwear Matters

Quality Shoes: Invest in a few pairs of high-quality shoes. Classic pumps, loafers, and sleek boots can elevate any outfit.
Conditioning: Keep your shoes in good condition by cleaning and polishing them regularly.

  1. Monochrome Outfits

Single Color Palette: Dressing in one color or varying shades of a single color can make you look polished and put-together.

  1. Attention to Detail

Grooming: Well-groomed hair, nails, and skin are crucial. A polished appearance starts with personal care.
Subtle Makeup: Opt for a natural makeup look that enhances your features without overpowering them.

  1. Layering

Sophisticated Layers: Layering can add depth and interest to your outfit. Think blazers over blouses, or sweaters over shirts.

  1. Confidence is Key

Own Your Look: Confidence can make any outfit look more expensive. Stand tall and wear your clothes with pride.

By incorporating these tips into your fashion routine, you can effortlessly achieve a luxurious and sophisticated look without breaking the bank.

As over 20,000 people gave it a like, thousands flooded to comments in total disbelief.

One fast fashion fan said: ”Even SHEIN can’t do dirty like this.”

Many also shared their best jokes, with one viewer laughing: ”They sent the pdf version.”

”Girl did you order it or did you download it,” someone else wanted to know.

”The store is called DIVACC cause what DIVACC did you order,” another was in hysterics.

”I set my expectations low but this hit on another level,” a viewer couldn’t believe how bad the gown turned out to be.

Chris, who has since made a gorgeous pearl gown herself, went on in the comments: ”I saw it on Pinterest and went through their site on there. It’s Called Divacc.

”I’ll only be sticking with companies I’m familiar with from now on.”



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You can now nab a ROLEX dupe in Primark for a staggering £17k cheaper – and it has the same ‘mother of pearl’ face

THE Lady-Datejust, the Pearlmaster, the Oyster or the Yachtie – whatever your favourite Rolex is, it’s probably worth well over £10,000. 

The Swiss watch brand is synonymous with luxury, and us normal folk will probably spend our whole lives dreaming of owning one of its timepieces. 

Primark watch with a gold and silver band.

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Primark has released a Rolex dupe for a mere £10Credit: Instagram/aimeemichelle_a
Collage of two watches; one is a Rolex-style watch.

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The affordable design is a copycat of the luxury brand’s Lady-Datejust in oyster steel and yellow goldCredit: Instagram/aimeemichelle_a

But where do we turn when saving up the five figures needed for an opulent watch is impossible? As it goes, Primark

The fast fashion giant has released a Rolex dupe for a mere £10. 

The affordable design is a copycat of the luxury brand’s Lady-Datejust in oyster steel and yellow gold – which costs a staggering £17,300 to buy direct. 

“Gold is coveted for its lustre and nobility,” a Rolex blurb reads. “Steel reinforces strength and reliability. 

“Together, they harmoniously combine the best of their properties.”

Money-saving content creator Aimee Michelle unearthed the imitation watch in her local Primark and took to Instagram to alert fellow fashionistas. 

“The comparison is uncanny,” she said. 

“Everything down to the fluted bezzle, the stainless steel with the gold and even the ‘mother of pearl’ face.

“It’s the only one they have currently in store… but this is big news.”

The Primark watch’s official name is The Edit Metal Watch, and it is made from 80% steel and 20% zinc. 

“Add a touch of luxury to your accessories edit with this timelessly sophisticated metal watch,” high street bosses said. 

The timepiece has a classic and timeless design that will be relevant and stylish throughout every season, meaning you’ll get way over your £10’s worth of wear. 

Like the Lady-Datejust, it is smaller and more delicate compared to many other watches.

As such, it’s ideal for women who prefer a more understated and elegant size without compromising on style. 

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