What goes up must come down. It’s the law of a the universe, noticed by Newton and celebrated by Tyrone Davis. And it’s an especially useful framework—a core value really—for delighting in tabloid gossip narratives. A meteoric rise is often followed by a plummet back to earth. And here’s a non-Newton-approved addendum for fame of any sort: When there are two linked once a relationship, their rise and fall can hang in each other’s balance.
Let’s look at disgraced Governor of New York Andrew Cuomo and former girlfriend of more than a decade, Semi-Homemade’s Sandra Lee. His success on the national stage in very early Covid times preceded his own personal sink to new depths after the state’s A.G. Letitia James released a full report on the governor’s sexual harassment history in office. But as his star falls, another rises and that star is Lee.
Did you know? She’s in St. Tropez on vacation and also, perhaps, her new boyfriend release. In a perfect rollout, it was rumored last week that she had a “European beau,” and this weekend, we discovered together that he is not European at all. He’s simply a beau in Europe. His name is Ben Youcef, per Page Six, and he’s a hunky model slash actor slash interfaith leader who lives in California. They met in March, and he’s “the first joy Sandra has had in years.” To put a picturesque scene to the reveal, the pair took a pap walk while wearing their airiest, most free vacation outfits—and there are extensive photos and video available on the Daily Mail. They only looked directly at the camera once. It’s especially good timing considering all those paparazzi were in the area—Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck had just come through
So you see? What goes up must come down, and once one goes down, one’s ex might have an equal and opposite reaction? Please don’t tell the high school physics teachers how their concepts are getting abused here in the name of celebrity gossip. I suppose one could simply call this karma, while others may call it well-executed pap walks and one former television star’s excellent grasp of timing and narrative. To still others, c’est l’amour.
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