
Wordle has been purchased… Next in Fashion is coming back… Hoda Kotb calls off engagement… Nelly is taking some heat… and Rihanna & A$AP Rocky are expecting
Listen to “Showbiz – Feb 1, 2022” on Spreaker.

Enjoy it for free while you can! During the pandemic lockdown, Brooklyn-based British engineer Josh Wardle created a game he called “Wordle” as a gift for his girlfriend. She loved it. If you haven’t played, you have six tries to guess a five-letter word. That’s basically it! Josh shared his creation with some friends and family, and they loved it, too. In October of 2020, Josh decided to make it available to anyone who wanted to play. About a month later, he had 90 players. Now here we are — a little over a year later — and MILLIONS log on once a day to play Wordle! And why does he only release one game per day? Josh said he did that to avoid the addiction that comes from playing other online games. Up until now, Wordle has been free to play, but get ready for that to change. “The New York Times” bought Wordle from Josh in a deal that’s believed to be in the low seven figures. In making the announcement yesterday, Josh said the game will “initially remain free to new and existing players” once it moves over to the “Times” site. Key word: initially. And Josh said he’s working with “The New York Times” to preserve its players’ existing wins and winning-streak data once the game moves over to its new home. In addition to a big payday, Josh is just relieved to have this off his plate. He’s been a one-man operation, running the entire thing.
The hit game Wordle has been purchased by the New York Times Company for a price “in the low seven figures,” the company said. https://t.co/XZhY6kW3mv— The New York Times (@nytimes) January 31, 2022

Back in January 2020 “Queer Eye” fashion expert Tan France and British model Alexa Chung hosted a competition show on Netflix called “Next in Fashion.” It featured 18 designers who took on weekly design challenges and then put on elaborate fashion shows. The last designer standing took home $250K and had their collection put up for sale on Net-A-Porter. Part-time Justin and I LOVED it. But then it was canceled. Or so we thought! “Next in Fashion” is coming back to Netflix, only this time it will be hosted by Tan France and Gigi Hadid! No word yet on when we can expect it but Justin and I are very excited.
Next in Fashion is coming back — and this season, @TanFrance‘s co-host will be the iconic @GiGiHadid! pic.twitter.com/85ALF47xal— Netflix (@netflix) January 31, 2022

Hoda Kotb is arguably the nicest woman on the planet. I was very sad to see that she announced on the “Today” show yesterday that she has called off her engagement to Joel Schiffman. At the top of the show’s final hour, Hoda said, “People have written in and asked why I wasn’t wearing my engagement ring. Joel and I have had a lot of prayerful and meaningful conversations over the holiday and we decided that we’re better as friends and parents than we are as an engaged couple. So we decided that we are going to start this new year and begin it kind of on a new path as loving parents to our adorable, delightful children and friends.” Hoda and Joel started dating in 2013 and got engaged in 2019. They share two adopted daughters, 4-year-old Hayley Joy and 2-year-old Hope Catherine. I’m hoping they can work it out…
Hoda Kotb says her engagement has been called off: ‘We’re better as friends’ https://t.co/IqIRFZYj91— TODAY (@TODAYshow) January 31, 2022

Nelly is getting beat up on the internet for daring to suggest that Madonna cover up her derriere. Madonna is obviously proud of the work she’s had done back there and was showing off a series of photos which included one of her bulbous backside. Nelly slid into the comments, “Some things should be covered up.” While many notified Nelly that this was unacceptable, there were quite a few who agreed with him. But as one person noted, “It’s 2022. This is a 63-year-old woman who is literally more successful than all of you and has enough life experience to make her own decisions when it comes to her image.”
Nelly is taking some heat for a pointed comment he left on a series of risqué photos Madonna recently shared https://t.co/hNz1SoWFIV— billboard (@billboard) January 31, 2022

Rihanna and A$AP Rocky are having a baby! To make the announcement, the two of them got complete hair, makeup and wardrobe done and walked around Harlem with an official photographer. Rihanna was wearing bright pink Chanel puffer coat buttoned over her breasts but open to expose her bare baby bump, which was dripping in strands of vintage jewels. Keeping with the “We’re having a baby” theme, A$AP Rocky chose a blue jacket. So will it be a boy or a girl? We’ll have to wait and see! But I guess we’ll be waiting on that next album a while longer.
Rihanna Is Pregnant! Singer and Fashion Icon Expecting First Baby with A$AP Rocky https://t.co/m47yoYLtU4— People (@people) January 31, 2022