Reply-only friends: defining the phenomenon

It’s Oscars Day, aka Christmas for people who like celebrity gossip and frocks. Holly Wainwright, Clare Stephens and Amelia Lester have a chaotic recap for you, including whether Leo stole Pedro’s moustache, the jokes that landed and the ones that flopped, and why justice was served in the Best Actor face-off. 

Plus, Louis Theroux has gone Inside the Manosphere for a new Netflix documentary, and there’s a lot to unpack. Are these men dangerous, or just shoddy salesmen looking for a mark? And while we’re at it, is Louis a little outplayed in the 'everything is content' era?

And, are you a 'reply only' friend? We’re looking at the friendship dynamic where one person does all the heavy lifting while the other just reacts to the blue bubbles. Is it a problem if you’re the one who replies, but never reaches out? 

In other business, there is a literal culture war bubbling over whether being on The Pill decides which movie star you fancy. Elon Musk thinks it’s science, but we have some actual data (and common sense) to throw at that theory.

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What to read: 

• All the best looks from the 2026 Oscars red carpet.
• The top 14 Louis Theroux documentaries of all time. Ranked.
• How to lose an Oscar in 10 days.
• 'I've been teaching for 12 years. I've never seen boys behave like this.'
• 'I texted my friend to catch up in the new year. Her reply made my heart sink.'

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