Pippa Middleton has been relatively quiet for a few months. Which is always suspicious! What is Pippa hiding?! Well, as it turns out, Pippa has been hiding some bad news. Do you remember how her big literary debut, Celebrate, was a total bomb? Pippa got a mid-six-figure advance and then the book only sold 18,000 copies. Disaster. Well, now Pippa’s publisher has dropped her completely. According to the UK’s Sunday Times, Viking Press has “let Pippa go” citing Pippa’s unwillingness to lift a finger to promote Celebrate. Apparently, the publisher didn’t appreciate #PippaTips as well. But #PippaTips was the best thing to come out of the whole book debacle! There’s also a whisper of scandal… something about the Viking Press people saying that Pippa was a “nightmare” to work with. I wish there was more about that.
Pippa was out and about a few days ago, giving her first public speech (that we know of, I suppose) at the Women in Advertising and Communications dinner in London. I’m assuming Pippa got a nice paycheck for showing up and making some remarks, and it seems like her speech was a little bit more than just the boilerplate. I wish Pippa would stop talking about her own ass (of lies) though:
Kate’s youngster sister spoke for the first time about the frock and admitted: “As I have found, recognition has its upside, its downside and – you may say – its backside.” As bridesmaid Pippa Middleton walked into Westminster Abbey at the royal wedding, she certainly caused a cheeky distraction…And now the Duchess of Cambridge’s younger sister has admitted that the figure-hugging dress that caught eyes around the world might have “fitted a little too well”.
Joking with the audience at her debut after-dinner speech, Pippa spoke for the first time about the frock and admitted: “As I have found out, recognition has its upside, its downside and – you may say – its backside.”
The 30-year-old revealed she was so nervous before Kate’s wedding to Prince William that she did not sleep for two nights. And of the Alexander McQueen bridesmaid dress, she said she was just “glad it fitted” at the time, but added: “In retrospect it fitted a little too well.”
Around 400 people were at the Women in Advertising and Communications dinner at Central London’s swanky Savoy Hotel, with tickets costing £132 each.
One guest tweeted:
Wearing a floor-length dark green number, she told the crowd that her life had changed forever after the wedding in April 2011.
She admitted accusations that she was cashing in on her royal connections by writing a book and accepting offers to write columns for magazines and newspapers, had hurt her.
Pippa also said the negative response to her party planning book Celebrate – which only sold 18,000 copies – had been “difficult”.
A guest said: “It was the first time she’s made a speech of this kind but you wouldn’t have known it, she was so relaxed. It was unbelievable how open she was – I don’t think anyone was expecting that.
“She talked about the royal wedding and her career since. She came across as really grateful for the opportunities but also talked about the pitfalls of her position.”
Pippa – currently taking advice from PR firm Seven Dials, run by the former Independent editor Simon Kelner – followed in the footsteps of Labour leader Ed Miliband, comedian Ruby Wax and movie director Danny Boyle as a speaker for WACL.
It sounds like Pippa is better at making speeches than her duchess sister. But Pippa complaining about how it “hurt” to be called out for exploiting her royal connections? That would be like Kate complaining about waitying for nine years. It happened, and the fact that we noticed that it happened isn’t on us. Pippa did exploit her post-wedding celebrity and she’s built a lucrative career on being “Kate’s sister” – a career which includes being paid to speak at these kinds of corporate dinners.
Speaking of exploitative… did you guys read the story over the weekend about Duchess Kate’s charm necklace? It was the #1 story on The Daily Mail throughout much of weekend. It seemed simple enough – Pippa had given Kate a reasonably priced charm necklace which was engraved with a “W” for William and an engraving of Prince George’s full name too. The price (before engraving) of the necklace is £89. But there was an interesting detail in the story – Pippa didn’t buy the necklace for Kate. The boutique owner made the necklace, engraving and all, and sent it to Pippa to give to Kate. And Kate has been photographed wearing it. So… Kate does accept freebies, but only when those freebies come through a relative. #PippaTips
Photos courtesy of WENN, PCN, Fame/Flynet.
Deary flucking me. That is all.
Holey Thong, Batman! Did she really wear that see through evening gown in public, in front of flash cameras? “Did you forget my bum? Here’s a better view.”
The bodice, down to her thighs, is sheer black over a nude colored lining. Optical illusion. But yeah, at first glance it’s like “oh sh-“
“She talked about the royal wedding and her career since” – that kind of sums it up, no?
She said “career”. I ground my teeth.
must have been a very short speech.
Career? Which career?
The London papers make clear she was not paid for this speech.
True, but silly little things like facts ruin the party, don’t you know? Not enough coffee yet to dampen the snark.
Hi, I’m Pippa. I have a great bottom. I was in my sister’s wedding to a prince. I’ve tried writing, but I was awful. I’ve tried a column but it was awful. Now I’m giving speeches about how I have a great bottom and was in my sister’s wedding to a prince, and sucked at everything else. Did I mention my bottom? It’s great.
+1,000
i’ve always wondered about Pippa’s bottom actually. hers is really… pedestrian.
compared to the other royal bottoms in attendance (exhibit A: Crown Princess Victoria)
i was puzzled why they chose Pippa’s to highlight. subtle PR?
Wasn’t there a whole to-do about her bottom being full of lies and padding?
Wasn’t there some talk that she’d been wearing a Spanx Cheek-Filler or whatever their booty-maker is called?
To be fair… Spanx also helps smooth out panty lines. In doing that it flattens out your bottom so pads are needed. She never lied and climed it was hers. The public jumped to conclusions. For her to sit back and laugh is no issue for me.
Why Pippa’s bottom isn’t on twitter?
THIS is a serious question. We all must withdraw and immediately ponder this question…
*withdraws and closes French doors*
*plays Debussy, tosses hydrangea petals at the door, hopes Ladyslippers will come back with something grand*
*sniffs*
I got nothin’ Dame. Nothin’.
Maybe my snark ranned out????
Lady
If you’re bereft of snark it is proof positive that the Pipster is an uninspired lass, indeed. *sigh*
GoodNames,
You forgot the ‘And people are so mean to me and my family. We’re actually very nice and my book was chocked full of really useful tips.’
TTFN,
Pips
Pippa Tip: Dorito dust makes a great setting powder for your makeup!
AND it’s a great bronzer when you need that little ‘pick me up’ during the winter months.
#pippatips
Good thing she isn’t a cool ranch person.
Oh Renee NOT TRUE!
*ahem*
*clears throat*
‘Been spending too much time in the sun? Never fear! A touch of Cool Ranch Doritos Dust will not only bring back that fresh English Rose complexion, it will also sooth the sting of the burn like no other. And the green flecks will transport you to an English Garden.’
#PippaTips
#DoritosForSkinCare
See????!
Yeah, I don’t know how you can complain about it and call it “accusations” when it clearly was the truth. She had opportunity and took it – most would do the same. She should just own it instead of playing “hurt”.
Oh that ‘great bottom’ thing was just a concocted media story,i do not see the fascination with her ass,you could barely see anything through her dress. they just needed an angle for Pippa.
Not true. It was just one of those weird media/internet things that grew a life of its own. The dress was always meant to fit smoothly and gradually expand from mid-hip in classic A-line fashion, according to articles printed at the time. I’m not sure if it was all natural or padding but the effect was a flattering, mild rise and slope that made the dress look flawless. It gave Pippa what my sister calls an ice skater’s bottom.
But what really got the ball rolling were several candid shots from different outlets of Harry indelicately admiring Pippa’s rear. The rest is bum history. So unless Sarah Burton is an idiot for wanting her dress to shine and Harry was in on it there was no way that Pippa sparked this fascination all on her own and intentionally.
Ahhh- it seems to be that Pippa (and the media) keeps talking out of her arse!
Three years and that is all she can talk about…. shallow and limited.
Sad really.
Agree with fairy godmother… didn’t she make a similar reference to her butt-induced fame in the introduction to the book? Yet in the three years following the wedding, despite walking around town with it on a regular basis sporting all types of outfits, why has the derriere not managed to pull off even a second praiseworthy performance? peaked too soon? one-hit wonder?
Good Lord she looks like an oompa loompa in that picture.
I’m a need white people to accept their natural pale selves and stop tanning/spraying.
+1
Spraying yourself with orange make-up from head to toe is vanity at its silliest.
Lol! Poor Mr. snark lamely tries to sunbathe once a year but has, for the most part, accepted his pallor.
Is Pillsbury Doughboy a cousin of his too?
The PBD looks bronze standing beside him. Oh my.
AHHHH you must have seen the PDB after he visited the oven. Before the he ‘tans’ he’s hard to differentiate between him and fresh snow. I’m the same way (runs in the family). Except I’m super jealous because I can ‘bake’ for HOURS and at most, I look like I’ve added a splash of coffee to my jumbo size milk. He gets all yummy & golden brown. Damn genes.
🙁
Lady
Lol! Mr. snark has to apply gallons of sunscreen, burn, peel and then he can strut around with a mild, sunkissed glow. It actually is quite becoming and looks radiant but I always tell him it is so much trouble for so little reward. Then by mid-winter I am longing to push him out into the sun lol. Well, lady, you are to be commended for avoiding the trend of self-tanning yourself into a terracotta pot.
Oh Dame, that’s because terracotta ain’t my colour! Mine is either milk or lobster red. 😉
(If I’m really lucky it’s blush pink…)
Pippas entire career is based on her butt and being Kate’s sister. She has earnt a tonne of money for doing very little. The book was awful and she could have found away around the publicity I think she is just lazy and wants to be paid for doing as little as possible. I wonder if Kate KNEW the charm necklace was a freebie or she found out after Pippa gave it too her?
DanaG
If she didn’t before she does now.
That she’s been wearing it continuously has me leaning towards her knowing and doing her part in keeping the freebies coming in. If places know that if they send more stuff to the Middleton’s and Kate might eventually be seen around it, it’s worth it.
And even though Kate has been caught taking “gifts” from “friends” this is less conspicuous.
But how is this different than the RF being given huge “discounts” to drive certain cars?
I think the difference is (and this was in regards to the Canada trip): “A spokesman for the couple adds that the Duchess “has a policy not to accept any free offers of clothing. We would never discuss the prices paid for individual items – these will remain private between the Duchess and the designers. She will not receive any special clothing budget for the Canada and California tour.”
If the spokesperson says they don’t accept freebies, then they’re not supposed to accept them. I personally would have thought that included not accepting free jewelry too even via Pippa. I think it is pretty accepted that she took freebies for the 9-10 years leading up to the engagement. Hence the Issa dress for the engagement as payback for all the free clothes from them through the years.
Pippa is responsible, not her sister.and do you think everything the RF owns was paid for with personal funds? Pffft.
One would hope – and really hope here – that between the two of them Kate and Pippa have enough of a brain to realize this looks bad. If Pippa liked the necklace she should have paid for it (less than $100 right?) and then gifted it to her sister. Otherwise, return it and say, “Thanks but no thanks.”
I think there’s a difference between an open, contract discount on a car lease and this behind-the-scenes accepting of an out-and-out freebie, yes. Especially since the KP spokesperson made a point of stating that she doesn’t accept freebies. Not surprising given their history, examples being Issa clothing and Middleton demanding the royal discount on her Audi lease before they were engaged.
Kate Middleton taking freebies while the royal girlfriend was just tacky. The Middletons “allegedly” (and I’m using my Kathy Griffin voice here) have 30 million pounds in the bank. Accepting freebies may seem like good business to some, but to me it is tacky. I’d say that about any royal girlfriend who did the same, even if they had far less money than the Middletons. The Middletons having plenty of ready cash – again allegedly – but taking freebies? Tacky and crass. And accepting freebies this sneaky way after marrying in? Again, tacky and crass.
Pence
Yet another example of a Kate story being twisted over time and repeated until it barely resembles the truth. Audi went on a full fledged marketing campaign to increase the marketability of its brand in response to being trounced in the luxury auto market in Germany. This approach involved getting the BRF onboard by offering their top of the line models customized and hand delivered to the royals at a 60% discount. Charles ordered one each for him and Camilla, an Audi limo for travel and two for his staff. Harry ordered one and Will did, as well. The PR exec in charge of this rebranding became good friends with Charles and was a guest at Will and Kate’s wedding. So do you really believe that William-dominated Kate marched into the Audi dealership and pulled a “do you know who I am?” Stunt? Knowing Will, I doubt Kate would have been allowed to drive any other type of car. As for the discount, Will paid for the two Audis Kate has driven so the decision belongs to him, as usual.
I’m talking about the deal she made for the Audi lease in roughly 2007. Again, there are versions of “truth” and what we all have is our opinions on how to interpret those versions. You seem to be increasingly-bashing anyone who doesn’t agree with your opinion, discounting their conclusions after looking at versions of the truth, rather than accepting everyone’s opinion as valid.
In your version you’re saying the taxpayers paid for her Audi’s prior to their engagement, just like the taxpayers were paying for her security before the engagement? And yes, the Duchy and his inheritance track back to the taxpayers. Interesting given the fact-or-fiction of how much money the Middleton’s really have. Speaks again to the idea that – even though they potentially had plenty of money themselves – she was a kept woman for a decade with William (and the taxpayers) paying the bills. Again, to me that screams tacky and crass.
In general, I think she chooses to be a doormat for him, not that she lacks spine or is weak. Took a great deal of ambition and spine to do nothing but hunt him for a decade. She has made the choice to be all-in in this relationship to the detriment of everything else in her life – for whatever gain she sees – but that she chooses to be a doormat for him. Signs out of the Canada trip show that, when she feels like it, she wears the pants in that relationship.
Oh please, she knew exactly what dress she was going to wear and that it will fit exactly the way it fit.
The only one with a “career” was Waity Katie who waited #pippatips 10yrs to marry William
Just like the Rumer Willis story…why, oh, why, do these fools think that we, the public, are so dumb as to think, that they would have been the tiniest bit famous if not for their truly famous relatives…I would have much more respect for them, if they would just admit that having connections, certainly does open doors…there is nothing shameful in that…it happens in lots of jobs…the company that my husband works for, for example…many of the people he works with have a son or daughter working there, too…
Now now…Rumer Willis has paid her dues growing up in that family.
Without the royal connections no one would care who she was, she just be another oompa-loompa in the crowd.
She didn’t give a crap about the book. She was delighted to have all that attention which helped her to get a man.
But she did care about her book. And she cared when it wasn’t doing well. And she cared when others created a parady twitter account and began making money off of it.
I agree. The book was simply awful, and the criticism deserved, but I’m sure it hurt her very much to be held up to public ridicule that way. How could it not?
Sorry to bother Elenor did I miss something?
How did the book help get her a man? What man would that be? Or are you referring to any wealthy man she could bed? (My apologies if that comes off crude).
not the book, the attention she got after the wedding, when media all over the world tried to make the “Pippa thing” happen.
Thanks Eleonor for clarifying!
There were many males on social media outlets praising her derriere once the media droned on about her. But, from what I can tell she still has yet to land a man.
The twitter parody was most entertaining! I am surprised no one started one about her arse or lack thereof.
Fairy Godmother
Well, she has a man now. Possibly even engaged. Just not publicly yet.
She has crazy eyes.
Edited to add: And both she and Kate look really freaking old for 30 somethings.
I just clicked the DM link — my immediate reaction was, “wow, Kate looks old.” I guess they really aren’t photoshopping the pap shots anymore.
I find her plain and uninteresting. Beyond her cute figure at the wedding, I have no idea why the press has continued to follow her so rabidly and making her happen or trying to make her happen.
I’m still in shock that she didn’t land a Duke, a penniless Euro prince, or some other titled tool. Living without a “Duchess” or “Princess” in front of her name must hurt more than the accusation that she used her royal connections.
How do you know that a titled husband is what she wants? Is there some history or are we assuming? And if true, what husband pool should she draw from if all of her childhood, university and adult friends/acquaintances are aristocrats or wealthy? Should she go out of her way to find a garage mechanic in order to prove she is a normal girl like the rest of us?
not everyone who has a private school education is aristo or wealthy. Infact, there are many people who have private education who go on to do completely ordinary things and live ordinary lives with ordinary people.
Pippa is notorious for befriending ONLY trophy posh people at Edinburgh. Her non titled friends are trophy wealthy too. This is why she’s stuck with the label of being a title/trophy chaser.
This speaks to supposition. I personally believe she is probably a snob but I know I can’t stake more on it than a ventured opinion. A girl like Pippa doesn’t hang out with just normal guys so whom else would she meet/marry? Besides, her alleged fiancee is well off but not aristocratic or extremely wealthy by any means.
How is it supposition when it happens all the time? People make a choice about who or what they will have in their life and stick with that.
Pippa made a choice to befriend a particular type of person to the exclusion of every other type of person. All sorts of people attend Edinburgh [and Marlborough] and yet she graduated with only one type. She’s continued to hang out with those same people to the exclusion of all the different types of people in London and Berkshire. Conclusion, that’s the only type of person she’s interested in.
I meant it is supposition to take surface information to make broad, concrete assertions about a public persons. I am uncomfortable drawing firm conclusions about people I know roughly 50% about. And again, I said that I personally believe she’s on the snobby side, but it is clearly an opinion. Besides, wanting to be with the people you’ve grown close to/comfortable with is common sense, not a sign of bad character. If she went out of her way to avoid less wealthy friendships that would be bad. If she went out of her way to make less wealthy friendships that would just be weird.
Dame, i should make it very clear that i don’t judge Pippa negatively in her choices even though it comes across that way. I actually like her. I’m greatly amused by her and i say, good for using her connections for getting ahead. Taking her new friends from one pool of people isn’t necessarily a judgement, it is what it is. on a personal note, i do judge anyone who takes their friendships from one pool of people no matter what station in life that pool is. i feel that their worldview is limited to the bubble that pool creates.
LAK
Perhaps if it is a conscious attempt to deem people outside your bubble as unworthy. Otherwise to each his own. My middle sister is the type who is only comfortable around similar friends with like interests. They are all the shy, earth mother, birthing circle, organic Pinterest types and that is her bubble. I can’t shade her or devalue her character development for that.
Dame, i think we are speaking of different things. I was talking about class and money. I become judgemental when class or money are the only factors that are important when it comes to choosing friends.
LAK
On that point we agree. I just can’t say that Pippa chooses her friends solely based on class and money. I only suspect it. It is also possible that she believes she is choosing friends based on similar interests and lifestyles, which obviously encompasses class and money. Not quite the same animal.it is similar to what my sociology professor used to tell us : a person seems xenophobic if he only socializes with his fellow countrymen and there will be mountains of evidence to support the accusation based on his interactions. But it can not be proven until that person has opportunities to socialize with people from other countries and concludes that only people from his country are worth knowing. Pippa is not a snob if she only has rich friends. She is a snob if she refuses to befriend anyone who is not rich.
Sometimes smoke really does mean there’s a fire. There’s enough anecdotal evidence out there for me to feel fairly confident proclaiming that Pip’s all about the contacts.
Sometimes I think William should have married her. I think she does have a bit more on the ball than Kate does; however, Kate certainly looks better in clothes. Sad that should be the criterion, isn’t it.
Beyond sad. *sigh*
When I hear about Pippa, I am somehow reminded of Rosalind’s lines from As You Like It:
For I must tell you friendly in your ear,
Sell when you can: you are not for all markets:
Cry the man mercy; love him; take his offer:
…I sometimes read these things and wonder if her mother keeps trying to move her along from each guy and push her on and upward and maybe that’s not the best plan. She seems to enjoy this current fellow — maybe she’ll be allowed to choose him.
I really was rooting for Pippa. Saying her sister’s marraige and connections didn’t help her career is foolish. It did. She needs to own this. Lots of people get jobs through connections. They keep those jobs because they’ve earned them. They’ve shown they can hold their own despite having an easier time than most getting up the ladder.
Pippa never earned her spot of tried to improve her skills. This makesme wonder.. How can a woman as smart and driven as Carol have raised 3 children that are all kind of useless? Children that flounder and look to pass blame or deny when called out.
i have to say i think Pippa could be so much more! IMO she wants to work and she wants to make her own way. She has lots of ideas, but somehow she manages to fail
@FLORC: the comment about Carol’s kids is hysterical!
Because she didn’t raise her kids to be tenacious, she raised them to be bored layabouts whose drop or two of tenacity is focused with laser precision on climbing the class ladder. I seriously believe that she is the stereotype Englishwoman who believes that having an opinion, drive and a work ethic is horribly coarse and common. Those things can take you places, but not as far as she wants/wanted her children to go. I wouldn’t waste my time feeling sorry for her: by all outward indications, she and her signet ring raised her kids to turn out exactly the way they have.
i wonder about that too. It’s sort of strange because both Carole AND Uncle Gary are ambitious and motivated.
Gary and Carole are cut of the same cloth outside of being siblings. Very motivated. I wonder if Carole is the type to have struggled to achieve so much and protects her children from having to work like she did. I have a few cousins like that. Lazy brats.
I knew someone in school whose mother was so endlessly pushy and bossy, and the father so afraid of her temper, that the whole family seemed to grow lazy and blank and just wait to be ordered about. It’s almost like they, hmm, disappeared inside themselves versus exerting some personal force, if that makes sense. I watched my friend go from an intelligent girl with firm dreams at age 11, to sort of quiet at age 15, to giving up and listlessly following her mother’s plans and basically unable to take a step unless told to move her foot by this overbearing odd woman. She’s in a career she despises now (that her mother chose) and not married to the man she loves (he’s awesome but lives in a city now that her mother does not like) and it’s taking a toll. You’d meet her and think she’s doing fine and is a happy camper, but there is a deadness inside she speaks about now and then, and she’s sort of, well, a person who is functioning, but waiting for directions/orders and just not exerting effort, as if the force of her mother is all that is needed at this point. It’s really sad.
Her brother at some point had had enough and took off to London after apparently secretly pursuing the career plans he wanted; I am not sure how he managed it. I think of them sometimes when I read about the K family madness, or when I see some photos of the Middleton kids. There’s a certain expression sometimes on the kids’ faces. I can’t explain it, but it jogs a memory.
How is she “useless” exactly? She’s been a working woman since her graduation. She’s never pursued a public career, otherwise she would’ve already hired a PR firm to handle her image and push it further . She agreed to publish a book (compiled by a team of supposedly experienced people) seeing it as a great opportunity and was paid handsomely. She’s been writing a column which again, was offered to her, she has never pursued a career in publishing or even journalism for that matter. None of what she has done so far seems to be taking off so she’s just continuing with her life. Working at the same place she had been during this entire time.
ItSetsYou
Pippa has pursued career paths. Absolutely. She has become a kind of freelance writer not hired for her writing, but for her name. As long as she keeps getting hired for these roles she seems fine with never improving her skills. And if she’s mocked people are just being mean and she shouldn’t possibly look to improve herself. Only to point the finger at them.
And Pippa’s book was marketed as the heiress of a party planning empire. That Pippa never put her foot down and said “this is too simple” or “That’s too expensive a price for a coffee table book” is on her. And how is signing on to a publisher for at least 1 book deal not pursuing a publishing career? She has marketed herself as a royal insder that loves to watch sports and plan parties. To say this is just falling in her lap unsolicited and she hasn’t pursued it is naive.
So by useless I mean she’s only taken what’s been handed to her via her name. She hasn’t earned it and is a fool if she thinks she’s hired for any other reason.
This would make a lot of the members of the family her sister married into quite useless, indeed. It is too easy to blame someone for being shoved down our throats when the truth is that corporations did most of the shoving.
Reportedly, the Middletons (i.e. Carole) hired a PR firm when PW dumped Kate (2007?) and has retained one ever since. Pippa also had her own PR firm that she either fired or was dropped from in the last year or so. This new firm, which IMO was hired with Carole’s approval, is trying to recharge Pippa’s “career” as evidenced by both her agent and momager accompanying her to this event apparently for support and encouragement. All three children have been groomed to achieve “success” by working smarter not harder. Carole would curl up and die (like the WW of the West) if any one of them failed.
@FLORC – are you saying that it was a bad idea to take on a good opportunity based solely on your name?
As far as Pippa “putting down” her foot it’s naive to think she really had any say whatsoever in what that book was and how it was marketed. She’s no Martha Stewart and never aspired to be one. They tried to ride on Pippa’s wave of popularity and turn her into something she never was – a domestic goddess. They tried, they failed. Making her responsible for their failure by claiming she was a “nightmare to work with” makes the publisher look like a whiny finger pointing teen.
ItSetsYou
No. Take the oportunities as they come. Should you take them and not do well is a risk you take. If you continue to take those oportunities without improving your skills and mending your faults t be shocked when you become a joke.
As far as Martha Stewart… I wouldn’t take a job at WaitRose if I wasn’t pushing for that role after a party planning book. Take the jobs that are offered, but also turn down some. Unless you want to be what the job might bring.
I think your argument is (Pippa was popular so everyone wanted to be associated with that fame) am I right?
My argument back is.. If Pippa didn’t want to be associated as such she should choose what jobs she accepts and declines. My bottom line. Pippa is trying to brand herself. She is a journalist/party planner. All her jobs and behavior scream this. Her actions scream this. Again. To say she isn’t shooting for such a title or fame is naive. This is not a woman simply riding a wave of fame. This is someone looking to stay around not burn out.
Might just be that the 3 kids have inherited their father’s genes rather than their mother’s… they’ve all been given more credit for their capabilities as long as they were silent. Once kate tried to speak, pippa tried to write or james attempted his business ventures… all doubt was soon removed.
LOL!!! And yet, so true.
You post the most brilliant things on these royalty related threads. I just want to constantly +1 you.
Ugh. So right.
Aw Suze, I +1 you too!
I’m guessing the Middletons overindulged the kids, spoilt them at every turn, and controlled their lives. Carole raised passive children with one goal, her goal. They have no minds of their own and will only continue to flounder. They are a waste of space, thanks, partially, to their upbringing. And as adults, they now choose to remain what they are, because self-development is unnecessary and self-absorption the highest value. They want to be taken care of as they have been from the beginning of life. They have never grown up and Carole likes it that way.
I can’t tell if this is your opinion or sarcasm…
Intent is hard to tell in text. Sorry!
It was not sarcasm, merely my opinion. 🙂
It’s been three years since the wedding, and she’s still making references to her backside? Rather illustrates her lack of substance, poor thing. As someone else mentioned, people use their connections to get jobs, that’s how the world works. Own it & move on.
The truth is that her book wouldn’t have flopped if she promoted it, especially in America. Every talk show wanted her.
Maybe talk shows wanted her, but the people here don’t care about her. I don’t know one person who is remotely interested in Pippa and what she’s doing. It would have probably sold only a little better. From what I’ve read, it sounds like a bad book.
It was obvious. Stuff like ‘decorate your porch with pumpkins for Halloween’ or ‘a whole chicken is good for feeding a large party of people’ .Which might’ve been fine if the Middleton’s didn’t own/operate a party planning business. That Pippa supposedly was involved with a lot more than Kate.
And she got like a 500k advance on that book–for it to only sell 18000 copies. But it’s her editor’s fault, because they thought that people would buy it because she’s the sister of a Duchess/future Queen.
You underestimate the value of promotion even when people are seemingly disinterested, case in point: Brandi’s book sales.
Every talk show in America wanted Pippa. As Kate’s sister [her selling point whether she acknowledges it or not], She was a huge curiosity factor, and people would have tuned in to see if she would talk about Kate and William [even if she did not].
Whether or not she’d have reached NYT best seller list heights can be debated, but to not try at all and assume the entire world over are gossip fiends like we are and therefore will know that she has product to sell and might be tempted to buy out of curiosity is very idiotic. She barely promoted it in UK which makes me wonder if the majority of those 18K copies weren’t sold during her 2-3 promotions.
ps: i’ll bet that #pippatips twitter account helped her sales as people sought it out to see if it really was that idiotic a guide. on a personal note, i know a few people who bought it as a joke Christmas gift, but only after seeing it in the discount bins.
but IMO the talkshows didn´t want her because of her book or her career, all they wanted was to portray her as a royal expert. Talking about her sister and the Windsors, that was all they wanted. Her book was of zero interest
Talie
Have you read her book? I have. It is poorly constructed and full of the most basic advice. Her book was going to flop no matter what. She may have sold more copies if she promoted more, but not by much. And the original book price was double that of a good book.
*Ice keeps drinks cold.
*Wear a coat to keep warm outside.
*Cook large meals to feed a large group.
I would write that stuff all day if it got me 6 figures. And I wouldn’t be upset if anyone made fun of it because I would stuff my ears with hundred dollar bills.
The Sunday Times picked up the “18,000 sales figure leading to Viking dropping her” story from the New York Daily News earlier in February of this year.. The Daily News had an item where they mentioned her American sales figures from Nielsen as being 18,000. They asked Viking for a comment about picking her up for further books and Viking had no comment to make. Since Viking was just the American distributor for a British Penguin-produced book, I can’t see why it would ever have been expected that that she would have had more books for them, especially since Penguin reported back in January of last year that “Celebrate” was a one-shot publishing deal. Her UK sales figures were better – close to 40,000 books sold.
I post this just because it is incredibly easy for misinformation to be set in stone, especially since it is concerning someone who is “so easy to hate” as Pippa.
Thanks for that.
But as Dame Snarkweek wrote earlier why let facts get in the way?
If you’re going to post ‘facts’ then perhaps actually post them? Facts and figures can be pulled out of thin air. Even as rebuttal. For example, where did you get ‘close to 40,000 sold’? Is that 40,000 printed? 40,000 projected? Or is that 40,000 shipped? Often the publishing world will quote the number of books shipped, not including returns. But yes, why let facts get in the way of a good post?
Yes I have the facts and figures:
http://www.thebookseller.com/news/michael-joseph-dismisses-middleton-claim.html
This is from last January:
“Penguin division Michael Joseph has dismissed a claim that it has pulled out of publishing two more books with Pippa Middleton.
The Daily Mail reported today (21st January) that Michael Joseph, which published Middleton’s party guide Celebrate last year, intended to withdraw from plans to publish a further two books because of Palace restrictions on Middleton’s publicity activities. But a spokesperson for Michael Joseph told The Bookseller: “Celebrate was a one book deal.”
The publisher paid £400,000 for the title, but made the advance back before it went on sale. Despite press coverage ridiculing low sales, Michael Joseph m.d. Louise Moore said in November: “We feel bullish about this title as we had earned out our advance with foreign rights and serial sales before we published and we know – in addition – this kind of publication is more likely to be an ongoing backlist sale as opposed to the high frontlist one.”
To date, Celebrate has sold 37,900 copies in the UK, at a value of £371,000, according to Nielsen BookScan data. It has sold a further 15,400 copies in the USA.”
It is reasonable to expect that is had some more sales beyond the 37,900 number, which is close to 40,000 – especially since the 18,000 number is beyond the 15,400 quoted in this January 2013 article
And this is the original article which sparked the “dropped by Viking” meme now doing the rounds -please note that it is from Feb 10, way before the British press articles. Also notice that Viking never commented one way or the other and certainly never said they ever had any plans to publish further books by her.
“PIPPA’S BOOK IS A PARTY POOPER
Pippa Middleton may have been presented as the ultimate party planner by her publishers in 2012 — but the sales figures for her much-lauded book are nothing to celebrate, Confidenti@l has learned.
Viking Press execs are sure to be canceling the party hats, as “Celebrate: A Year of Festivities for Families and Friends” may have failed to break even. Insiders say the 400-page good-time manual has turned to mush. Pippa’s book sold just 18,000 copies in U.S. stores, according to official figures from Nielsen. The $50 book, released in October 2012, was sold at some outlets at reduced prices days after its release.
Now the book from the Duchess of Cambridge’s sister can be bought new for the bargain-basement price of $12.
It’s understood Pippa banked a whopping $640,000 advance for “Celebrate,” her first book.
A rep for Viking didn’t get back to us.
Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/gossip/confidential/katie-couric-reveals-plans-wedding-article-1.1608069#ixzz2uRrp11kV
I hope this is enough factual information to show I am not making this up. Oh and oddly enough, Celebrate is now number 1 in “Party Planning” books on Amazon.uk: http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/bestsellers/books/909438/ref=zg_b_bs_909438_1
Of course how many “party planning books” does the normal person buy in a lifetime (I’ve never bought one myself!) 🙂
Oh and here is another article:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/kate-middleton/9895031/Theres-plenty-for-Pippa-Middleton-to-celebrate.html
pertinent quote from this article:
“And that brings us back to Celebrate, which has not been as unsuccessful as some would like you to think it has. For all the talk of it ending up in book-shop bargain bins, and ”only’’ selling 2,000 copies in its first week, Celebrate has so far shifted 40,412 copies, continuing to sell at a regular rate of about 500 a week. In an ever-decreasing market, these are dream figures for most first-time authors, who might reasonably expect to flog 15,000 at most. And by the end of last year, the Bookseller had named Celebrate as one of the top 10 bestselling food and drink titles, outselling tomes by Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall and Yotam Ottolenghi.
At Penguin, they are unphased by their ”flop’’. The publisher had made a profit on the book before it had even sold a copy, thanks to serial and foreign rights (it has been a huge success in France, Italy and Holland). “If any of us were sceptical about her [Pippa] at the beginning,” says one source there, “we’re certainly not now. She is very professional and mucks in from noon until night when she has to. Plus, she takes the criticism on the chin in a way I certainly couldn’t.”
Over at the Bookseller, its editor, Philip Jones, believes that Celebrate “still has lots of legs in it. It sells pretty consistently and continues to hang around the best-sellers. I think, in the long term, it could tick over very nicely.” And then who would have the last laugh”
So please don’t accuse me of pulling “facts and figures out of the thin air.”
What the publisher might ‘believe’ will sell well is one thing, quite another as to what has actually sold. (as we have seen) #PippaTips. To write a post denouncing others for quoting inaccuracies -without offering any verification for quotations you assert to be the correct ones -is hypocritical. And I called you on it. Perhaps a better title for this celebitchy’s post would be ‘In largest book market in the world, Pippa fails slightly less horribly!!’ Doubt that would fit on the masthead though 😉
I reported not the numbers that the publishers “believed”, but the Neilsen Bookscan numbers, which you did not believe. I then backed up the numbers I quoted by citations to articles, one from The Bookseller, which is a publishing industry magazine.
I did not say the book was a bestseller; I simply stated that the 18,000 number, which came from the Neilsen Bookscan reports for the United States only, did not tell the full picture. Nor was there any reason to believe from the initial press report on the 18,000 US sales figure that Viking was planning more books with her and decided to “drop” her. As you see Viking did not comment at all in the Daily News article. The “dropping” was a later embellishment, apparently from Celebrity Dirty Laundry or some such gossip site.
The book is apparently still selling on Amazon.uk and is doing OK, not marvelously , but good enough to be number 1 in “party planning” and number 24 in more general entertaining. That is better than a lot of books out there.
The information that I provided was easily found on the web, which is why I did not initially give citations. However it appears even when I do cite Neilsen Bookscan numbers ( the only actual sales figures available) you’d rather not believe them, but rather say that these figures are what the publisher believes or hopes. Not sure what else I could do to be factual.
she would look so much better without all the sunbathing. Doesn´t she see that she ruins her skin?
She has said more than once that she is grateful for the exposure and opportunities that have come her way since the wedding. That is the most appropriate and tactful way to address the exploitation talk. I don’t know why people keep saying she should “own up to” the truth. What, exactly, should she say that wouldn’t set off a media flurry of negativity? And if you insist on the truth, exploitation implies an advantage gained by a stronger individual taken from a weaker one due to misinformation, duress etc etc. the truth is that after the wedding everyone was clamoring to make a dollar off Pippa. They should have made it their business, first, to find out that she has very few talents or skills.no exploitation here.
Totally agree with this comment. Actually loads of paparazzi did make money off Pippa, when all she was doing was walking down the street carrying coffee.
Exactly.
I actually find Pippa very boring and mundane.
(Her ex boyf Alex Loudon is gorg in the flesh. She dropped the ball on that one)
Almost all the pics of her are holding coffee on the way to work or at some society event, there’s not much story or scandal there to get worked up over.
The malevolence narrative attached to her and Kate’s every move is purely agenda driven rather than based on any truth.
What is the agenda?
I’m genuinely curious. This is a snark site, so people are going to snark. I find the snark on Pippa relatively mild. Reading this thread, I hear that she wears fug outfits, tans too much, wears too much eyeliner. Maybe she is kind of a snob? Her books sales have either been overreported or undereported? The only malevolent thing I can discern is the assertion that she “maybe, possibly” is a nightmare to work with, but even that came with a caveat.
I don’t know, I don’t see vicious hatred.
And I take everything on CB, on all threads, with a huge grain of salt. The truth isn’t something you typically find when folks are gossiping third hand.
If you want a truly malevolent narrative, the Aniston/Jolie-Pitt and Leanne Rimes threads offer more bang for the buck.
If you go for the flashy type, her current boyfriend could be considered attractive, too. So Pippa apparently exerts an appeal to good looking men.
My personal take on Pippa?
She seems to have some hustle. I don’t think it’s terrifically focused, she tries a lot of different things, but she doesn’t lie around all day. She accomplishes things.
Maybe she overdoes the eyeliner.
Totally agree here. The cat claws come out for Pippa in a way that is almost irrational. She can’t profit from a book deal someone was dumb enough to pay her for but Zara and her husband are selling their infant daughter’s photos only a few threads away? Wow.
Lest someone accuse me of not being factual, this is my opinion.
Mike and Zara Tindall are the parents of the baby and have every right to sell photos of her.
Pippa’s claim to fame is once removed. She gets attention because of someone else, not because she did something on her own merits.
And FWIW, I agree with LAK regarding Pippa’s snobbishness. I think she is as well. It’s also been said that her mother is the same way, and it’s definitely been reported that Carole’s mother would snub people she felt were inferior. It isn’t hard to imagine her daughter and granddaughters doing the same.
Blu
We all believe she may be a snob but I am unwilling to say that I know/have proof that she is.
As for Zara and Mike, their appeal is undeniable but must we pretend that the baby pics fetched a high price because mom and dad are celebrated athletes alone? It is mostly because of the baby’s great-grandmother. In other words, who they are related to.
Snarky,
Not quite re Mike/Zara. Zara is also the queen’s granddaughter, and the daughter of a Princess. She’s a member of the royal family. If she wasn’t, she wouldn’t be at Sandringham for Christmas. She’s not one step removed as Pippa is. That was my point.
I just can’t decide if I think she’s attractive or not. In some pictures she’s borderline beautiful, and in some she’s just… (to put it politely) not. But then I suppose that’s normal, right? No one looks amazing in every photo.
I think she’s cute–but all of that cuteness is negated by all the fug outfits she seems to like wearing.
She dresses her best for fall. She’s not a very good winter, spring, or summer dresser.
Okay….I really don’t thrive on hating this chick, but…..you’ve seen pictures of her where she’s almost beautiful? Which ones?
I don’t remember specifically anymore, but I know I’ve seen some photos of her where I thought “She looks really good here!” And then there are (many) others where I was like “Wtf is up with her face???”
OK, so, why is this woman considered so attractive, again? She’s orange. She looks far older than her older sister. Her makeup is atrocious. And that butt may pass for great in London, but It’s like the old joke about how a London 10 is a New York 7 is an L.A. 4. That butt would be ignored on Main Street USA.
foxyw
To be fair Pippa does look younger than Kate. Kate just gets her photos touched up so heavily. They just don’t age well, but I think cigarettes and dehydration play a huge role in why they look older than they are.
The picture on the DM for the necklace article is a better look at Kate, but still you can see her skin is smoothed out. Blemishes, birthmarks, and pox marks are all removed.
do u think they smoke?
It’s fairly common knowledge that the whole lot of them smoke.
Thanks Florc. Glad to see someone is paying attention!!
You’re right, Foxyw. When I came to LA ages ago, I was shocked by how many gorgeous people there were. My friend’s theory was that the best looking people from across America come to LA to make it in movies, TV and music. They stay and have insanely good-looking children. Made sense to me. (I do have to say that plastic surgery has made that less true lately, IMO. Lainey calls it “LA face.”)
So I never understood the fuss. My local barista is far prettier than Pippa.
Confession: I used to sunbathe. A lot. All I used was ‘suntan lotion’, as we called it then, instead of today’s ‘sunblock’. I was recently looking at some photos of my younger self, and I was orange, like Pippa. That was my natural ‘tan’ color, orange. I never used a ‘fake n bake’ product.
You know, i’ve been very curious about this orange tan. and i’ve been seeing many ladies in my neighbourhood this colour [plus one lady who was mahogany which was really, really strange and creepy]. is it a bottle? do these ladies not realise they’ve been tangoed?
@LAK – it’s called Spray Tan. I don’t know if it’s popular where you are but I’m from LA and getting Spray Tan is like brushing your teeth. It looks great in real life but unfortunately not so much in pictures.
I just can’t believe that she is only 30 years old … She looks so much older. Less tanning would be good for her.
I feel a bit bad for her. She is never going to escape being the “Future Queen Consort’s sister” and that has to suck. Somewhere in there she has to create a career (of sorts) while the cameras follow her around.
Where I don’t feel sorry for her is that she hasn’t capitalized and IMPROVED on the opportunities given to her. Yes, she got a book deal but that’s what she produced? Column in VF – amazing, most writers would kill but there’s no signs of improving as a writer.
I don’t believe that she was “a nightmare” to work with for a second. She’s always seemed like a pretty sensible woman. I think she’s too smart to deliberately jeopardize her chances to build a career and advance in life. The publisher is trying to stir some s#$% up now after they have failed and throwing Pippa under the bus.
Yeah, one thing about Pippa is that she doesn’t appear remotely stupid. I think she is pretty saavy in her business dealings.
+1 at least she tries…
The cartoony all the way around eyeliner is so distracting. Makes her look crosseyed. With proper makeup she could de-emphasize that easily.
Also, enough about her damn bridesmaid dress. The thing was almost baggy! It was not tight and you could not see her ass. The dress had nicely fitted darts just like any expensive, well-made custom dress. And her ass is not particularly large enough to even notice, imo anyway.
LOL, One of the posts above compares Pippa to Zara. The comparison does not make sense.
What really is Pippa famous for? What talents does she have to justify attention?
Zara is an Olympic silver medallist and she was world and European champion. Mike her husband was a world cup winning rugby player. The two of them together are celebrities.
Interest in this successful sporting couple is based on their careers. They are a well liked couple because they have earned their fame. This is something people in the UK appreciate,
Pippa wore a nice dress at her sister’s wedding to a British prince. She is part of the current culture of reality TV celebrities who milk their 15 minutes of fame. That is why she is widely dismissed. People see her riding her sisters coat tails. It is clear however that the wedding gave her a buzz of fame that she got addicted too and she is chasing more hits. so she is riding her luck. but should not expect people to respect, value or care about her for that matter
wow, she’s desperately clinging to her 15 minutes of fame.
“glad it fitted” at the time, but added: “In retrospect it fitted a little too well.” Is this the proper use of “fitted” across the pond? Forgive me I’m not fluent in all types of English. Not being snarky, serious question.
No, you are right, that should have been ‘fit’.
Nope. In Britain, it’s fitted.
Really? Well, that’s one more Britishism I’ve learned!
LOL! That’s all I’m gonna say.
It’s like William married into the Kardashians. My guess is Pipa has been “quiet” because she’s being marginalized by the royal family, and wants to get back in to their good graces.
Not a Pippa fan but have no bad feelings towards her. Just wondering what all the critics think she SHOULD be doing to make a living or fill her days. Her sister marries royalty but she is not royalty. Does her life come to a halt? Forever?
Other Renee
To answer you quickly, Pippa was often silenced for odd reasons. Post france/gun photo she hushed up. During her book tour she stopped promoting, and various other times she was stunted it seemed from living her life. Many fingers pointed to William and Kate wanting Pippa to sit down and either not make them look bad not take attention away from them.
And many were all Pppa fans until she tried to sue that Pippatips people using royal lawyers… A theory was because the pippatips people were making more money on a parody twitter account than she did with her book.
By all accounts, she gave a very good speech. Maybe motivational speaking is in her future – and if it wouldn’t rock the boat too much, maybe she could give her sister some pointers.
+ A whole bunch!
My word, she certainly is orange, isn’t she?