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🏈🏈🏈 ARE YOU READY FOR SOME FOOTBAAAAALLLLL?!?! 🏈🏈🏈
You don't have to be a diehard fan to enjoy a good Super Bowl party. Whether you're hosting, chillin' at home, or headed out, our shopping guide will get you ready for what we consider the main event: food!
P.S. Sweet Melissa will share her Super Bowl menu in a video next week. Look out for details, coming soon...
THEY’RE NO SAINTS?
Did New Orleans Saints executives help cover up priest sex abuse? That’s what attorneys for a victims’ group allege, and they’re fighting to obtain emails from the NFL team to prove it. Attorneys for more than twenty men say the football franchise’s high-ranking personnel worked to assist the archdiocese with messaging and public relations after priests had been “credibly accused” of abuse. Today, the legal team for the Saints is going marching into court — saying no one was helping the church and that releasing these emails would be a privacy violation.
GRAMMYS: FACING THE MUSIC
Life at the Recording Academy is nothing like Sunday’s upcoming red carpet walk. Ousted CEO Deborah Dugan — who herself has been accused of bullying and harassment — is accusing the organization of being an old boys' club with unfair voting practices. A diversity task force agreed with her, and is now calling for big changes. Reactions and predictions on how all of this will play out at Sunday’s award show, below.
LET THE MUSIC PLAY 🎶🎶🎶
Speaking of Grammys, this is the year of the newbie. Lots of nods to relative newcomers including Lizzo and Billie Eilish, among others. Who’s nominated? Who’s snubbed? Who's performing? It’s all here. Tune in Sunday night.
END OF AN ERA 🏈🏈🏈
Quarterback Eli Manning officially retired today after 16 years with the NY Giants delivering a moving speech at this morning’s press conference saying, “I choose to leave this game with only positive memories — why harp on the not-so-proud moments? … For now, I’ll focus on the touchdowns, the wins.” The decision is bittersweet for us with Manning giving us two Super Bowl wins, inspiration for years of Halloween costumes, little ones’ first football jerseys and many Sundays spent as a family watching Big Blue and its classy, solid leader who is truly an example and role model for all both on and off the field. Thank you Eli! It's the end of an era.
Always a classic Halloween costume!
2008! Go Blue! Daddy and the girls. Thanks for the memories!
And, again, this past year! #10
THAT'S SO FETCH 🎬🎬🎬
From Hollywood to Broadway and back again. That's the path hit show "Mean Girls" is taking. Producers of Tina Fey's hit Broadway show have announced that the musical will make its way back to the big screen with a musical version. No director or casting has been announced. Stay tuned.
WHAT'S FOR DINNER TONIGHT?
Nothing, it's the weekend!

Antiguan Smile: Patti and Heather are both down in the islands (coincidentally... we weren't trying to leave Beth behind). Cheers to the tropics in January!
LOOKING FOR A WEEKLY MEAL PLAN?
Sweet Melissa will hook you up with a Saturday email previewing her picks for the following week, including a bonus weekend slow cooker recipe!
To get on the list, just forward today's issue to a friend and ask them to subscribe. Be sure to cc: us at yourfriends@thepickupline.net
PICKUP LINE PLAYLIST
Former First Lady Michelle Obama published her “2020 Workout Playlist” yesterday on Spotify. What's she listening to? Everything from Lizzo to Childish Gambino. Here you go!
Warning: Some of the tunes are "explicit." Just thought you should know :)