Mia Mercado
As seen in:
The Cut,
MSN,
MSN Canada,
MSN India,
MSN Philippines,
The New York Times,
Aol,
CNBC,
Gizmodo,
New York Magazine,
The New Yorker
and
Author of SHE’S NICE THOUGH and WEIRD BUT NORMAL, she/her
Articles by Mia Mercado
My Week of Eating Literal AI Slop
Photo: dishgen, food.recipes.daily, Mia Mercado, vegan_veganlife; Videos: amberrecipes, protein_cottage_kitchen Just thinking about AI puts a bad taste in my mouth. At its most insidious, it’s polluting water, proliferating misinformation, consuming jobs, and capitalizing on the fractures in broken systems. At its most irritating, AI is taking all the fun out of our hobbies and drowning our social-media feeds with AI-generated content that’s getting harder and harder to spot.
Are Men’s Beards Dirtier Than Dogs? · Kinship
There are some things that you just hear so often — at parties, on the street, in the office, etc. — that you automatically believe them: Gum sits for years in your stomach after you swallow it; you can catch a cold from cold weather; men’s beards are dirtier than dogs. As for that last one, I wouldn’t blame you for believing it outright, especially if you’ve been told there’s scientific evidence that proves it.
My Dinner at Travis Kelce’s New Restaurant Cost More Than My Electric Bill
Photo-Illustration: by The Cut; Photos: Getty Images, Mia Mercado Getting a reservation at Travis Kelce’s new restaurant, 1587 Prime — where, the website reads, “legacy isn’t just honored, it’s transformed into something entirely new,” which translates to “it’s a steakhouse” — was not easy.
My Dinner at Travis Kelce’s New Restaurant Cost More Than My Monthly Electric Bill
Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce Coordinate Their Date Night Looks for a Surprise Joint Appearance Game day style, couples edition. Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce are in full NFL mode. On October 12, Swift made a very low-key appearance at Kelce's game in Kansas City's Arrowhead Stadium. Although she didn't pose for any official pictures, she was spotted cheering on her fiancé from the stands. …
How Do You Deal With a Bridezilla Either? Eh, No One Really Knows
Illustration: Madison Ketcham The scariest thing about a bridezilla is that anybody can become one. She is the urban legend lurking inside all women of a certain age. Get on one knee, say her name three times, and she will appear asking how you could possibly confuse eggshell for ivory, are you stupid? She is demanding and rude to family and strangers alike. She treats friends like employees and wedding vendors like customer-service chatbots.
How Do You Deal With a Bridezilla Either? Eh, No One Really Knows
A big swirling bucket of the latest rumors, celebrity news and Hollywood gossip. The premier celebrity gossip app. The only apps that gives you a comprehensive real time celeb news stream. Gossip Bucket aggregates and streams the latest gossip news and headlines from the top sources in one place.
Do Dogs Actually Raise Our Serotonin Levels?
I wish I could bottle the sensation of nuzzling my dog’s little neck. It’s like instant comfort, a quick hit of happiness. If you’re a fellow pet parent, you know the feeling. You may have also seen the many social media posts saying that our pets don’t just make us feel good, they actually raise our serotonin levels. But do dogs really impact our “happy hormones”?
Valentine’s Day Candy, Ranked
Photo-Illustration: by The Cut; Photos: Amazon, Target Despite the ubiquitous bad vibes, Valentine’s Day is approaching. While it may not feel like love is in the air, candy can certainly still be in our stomachs. And what better way to say “I love you” this year than to pass brutal judgement on sweet treats for no reason other than I want to and feel like it! Before we begin, a few guidelines. There will be some notable Valentine’s Day delicacies missing from this list.
The True Winners of the Golden Globes Were the Fun Facts
In the world of awards shows, the Golden Globes is notoriously unserious. There are drinks! There are tongue-in-cheek jokes about how unserious it is! And did I mention the drinks? This year, the awards show really leaned into the chill, casual reputation, peppering its live broadcast with pop-up fun facts about the presenters and winners. The Oscars, Grammys, etc.
How Is This Demi Moore’s Her First-Ever Golden Globe Win?!
After nearly five decades in Hollywood, Demi Moore won her first major acting award tonight — Best Female Actor in a Motion Picture (Musical/Comedy) — at the 2025 Golden Globes for her performance in The Substance. “I’ve been doing this a long time, for over 45 years, and this is the first time I’ve ever won anything as an actor,” Moore said in her acceptance speech. “I’m just in shock right now,” Moore continued, and so are we … Demi Moore has never won any acting awards? Really??
Jeremy Strong In All Green at 2025 Golden Globes Red Carpet
Is Jeremy Strong giving us the visual proof-of-concept we need for a hot Gumby movie? Is he publicly declaring his stance as Team Elphaba? Has he finally gotten back in touch with joy? All of the above, and he isn’t not wearing his signature broufit. (That is, a brown outfit.) Instead, he showed up to the 2025 Golden Globes red carpet in a velvet seafoam green suit, complete with matching sunglasses and a bucket hat. Please take a moment to appreciate Jeremy Strong’s broufits of the past.
How to (Politely) Get Your Guests to Leave the Party
Photo: parema/Getty Images There is only one thing you need in order to host the perfect party: boundaries. If you can’t make your own, store-bought is fine. Let’s say you’re hosting dinner, and it’s nearing the end of the night. The food has been eaten, drinks have been drunk, and now, you’re eyeing the clock and stifling a yawn. Suddenly, you hear a horrifying sound: A guest just cracked open a new beer.
The Best Very 2024 Halloween-Costume Ideas: Moo Deng & More
Photo-Illustration: by The Cut; Photos: Getty Images, Everett Collection The perfect Halloween costume is all about striking the right balance between clever and culturally relevant while still being recognizable. This year, you could take the easy route and dress as Wolverine and Deadpool with the rest of America’s straight boyfriends. Or you could go for total obscurity and dress as Anne Hathaway in The Idea of You.
So, Did We Learn Anything From Melania’s Memoir?
Photo: NICHOLAS KAMM/AFP via Getty Images On Tuesday, less than a month away from the 2024 election, Melania Trump released her new self-titled memoir. In the unconventional promotional videos leading up to the release of Melania, the former First Lady stoically shared short book excerpts on her childhood, modeling career, meeting now-husband Donald Trump, and eventually moving into the White House. She described the book as “My Story. My Perspective. The Truth” (her capitalization, not ours).
The Best Smutty Love Interests Are … Sentient Objects?
Illustration: Sunny Wu As the old internet adage goes: If it exists, there is porn of it. TikTok’s book community, BookTok for short, has proven the same is true of spicy romance novels. If it exists, someone has made it the romantic lead in a smutty book. Emphasis on the it. You are now entering the world of sentient-object smut. Welcome! The genre is … exactly what it sounds like.
Is Benny Blanco’s Cookbook Actually Good?
Photo-Illustration: by The Cut; Photos: Getty Images, Retailer There are three certainties in life: death, taxes, and Benny Blanco mentioning his height. “I’m five-foot-five on a good day,” Blanco, an acclaimed music producer, begins in his debut cookbook, Open Wide: A Cookbook for Friends. Published last week, the cookbook includes recipes for every occasion: pool parties, Thanksgiving, trying to get someone to sleep with you, the morning after.
Every Thought I Had Watching J.Lo’s This Is Me … Now: A Love Story
Photo: Prime Video/Youtube Jennifer Lopez has given us the gift that keeps on giving: herself. Today, Lopez releases her first studio album in ten years, This Is Me … Now, alongside an Amazon Prime–exclusive feature-length film titled This Is Me … Now: A Love Story. With an ellipsis, a colon, and a nod to her 2002 album This Is Me … Then, the title alone sets the tone for this maximalist musical-visual experience.
Bring Back These 2000s Fashion Trends
Photo-Illustration: The Cut; Photos Getty Images Ballet flats, Juicy Couture sweat suits, UGGs — the early-aughts fashion revival seems to be sticking around. Still, a few items have managed to slip through the cracks. We’ve identified some more worthy contenders for a comeback. Skinny Scarves Photo: Scott Gries/Getty Images Scarves were once the width of belts; belts were the size of corsets.
The Best Celebrity Holiday Gift Guides of 2023
Photo-Illustration: by The Cut; Photos: Getty Images, Retailers A holiday gift guide can be so many things: a list of the year’s popular presents, recommendations for unique gifting ideas, a compilation of overpriced goods, the word candle written several dozen times. In 2023, these lists are so ubiquitous that finding a good holiday gift guide has become as difficult as finding a gift itself. Bah, humbug! If you’re feeling spoilt for choice, fear not.
Travis Kelce’s Old Tweets Are a Window Into the Himbo Psyche
Photo-Illustration: by The Cut; Photos: Getty Images, @tkelce/Twitter/X On Wednesday, some of Travis Kelce’s old tweets resurfaced across social media, an event that usually causes the internet to collectively clench. But you can relax because the common consensus is that these decade-old posts are … mostly wholesome? This golden retriever of a tight end has managed to charm everyone yet again. What, you ask, was Travis Kelce posting about in the early 2010s?
Floral Storefronts Are Everywhere in NYC Right Now
It’s October, but New York City storefronts are experiencing perpetual spring. There are dahlias cascading along the entrance of a West Village massage studio, while sunflowers have taken over a jewelry boutique four blocks over. On a rainy morning in late September, the Soho Uniqlo resembled the hedges of an English garden, and the Mangia nearby had faux hydrangea, baby’s breath, and what appeared to be clusters of grapes forming an arch around its double doors.
Gwyneth Paltrow and CB2 Revived Boucle. Is the Trend Over?
A colleague deep in her search for a bedroom chair has run into an unexpected problem: Everything on the resale sites right now is bouclé. Craigslist, Kaiyo, and AptDeco have each become an endless scroll of what would happen if wool and textured linen had a fabric baby, always in shades of cream or soft beige. She didn’t want a bouclé chair, but the deluge was noticeable enough to raise the question: Are people abandoning their bouclé?
A Glossary for Giving Up
In 2022, the internet gave us two new phrases for the feelings of languishment and anti-ambition that defined our post-pandemic mood.
A Non-Footy Fan’s Guide to Wearing Soccer Jerseys
At the overlapping center of sporty dads, a 10-year-old’s wish list, and recent fashion trends lives one anomalous item of clothing: the soccer jersey. (Football jersey for those who aren’t American and/or speak fluent Love Island U.K.) ,, It’s all part of an aesthetic the U.K. calls “blokecore.” Soccer jerseys are the cornerstone of this style, which lives at the natural intersection of streetwear and sportswear.
A Non-Footy Fan’s Guide to Wearing Soccer Jerseys
At the overlapping center of sporty dads, a 10-year-old’s wish list, and recent fashion trends lives one anomalous item of clothing: the soccer jersey. (Football jersey for those who aren’t American and/or speak fluent Love Island U.K.) Stylistically speaking, everyone’s a footy fan. No longer limited to FIFA fandom, and thanks to the overall growing popularity of soccer in the U.S., soccer jerseys have found their way into our wardrobes far beyond the locker room.
Barbie Movie Sparks ‘Barbiecore’ Interior Design Stories
Photo-Illustration: Curbed. Photos: Ruggable; Architectural Digest; Dragon Glassware; Backdrop As you know by now, Barbie is everything. And for well over a year, she has been everywhere, painting the world Pantone 219 C. This aesthetic has a name: Barbiecore. It’s unabashedly femme, bubblegum pink, cloyingly but unironically sweet.
What Are All My Bones For?
Teeth are bones that you have to clean because they are the only bones we can see. If you see other bones, this could mean several things: you need to consult a doctor (broken bone), you are currently consulting a doctor (X-ray), or you are watching a procedural crime drama starring Emily Deschanel and David Boreanaz (“Bones”). Your skull, or cranium, keeps your brain inside your head. If it weren’t for your skull, your brain would come apart into little worms and explore the rest of your body.
What Is a Beige Flag? TikTok Trend, Explained
Photo-Illustration: by The Cut; Photo: Ed Freeman/Getty Images There comes a special moment in every relationship when the person you are with reveals something that makes you go, “Hmm … okay.” It could be the particular way they do their laundry or their deep fear of astronauts. This tidbit of information is neither a dealbreaker nor a dealmaker, neither alarming nor alluring; it simply is. This, according to TikTok, is a beige flag.
These 15 Hacks Will Turn Hard Seltzers Into Full-On Cocktails
We are in peak hard seltzer times. There is nary a bar nor a college fridge that isn’t stocked with a six-pack of some spiked bubbly water. If you’re looking for a more innovative way to sip on your hard seltzer than just drinking it straight from the can, perhaps one of these hard seltzer cocktail hacks will quench your thirst. There are, as they say, no laws when you’re drinking Claws.
Teyana Taylor Snuck Chicken Nuggets Into the Met Gala
Photo-Illustration: by The Cut; Photo: Getty Images I Can’t Shut Up About: Deep dives into my online obsession of the week. No one really knows how to act at the Met Gala. Why else would celebrities spend much of their red-carpet interviews talking about how nervous and uncomfortable they are?
Pedro Pascal Wore Shorts to the 2023 Met Gala
Photo: Mike Coppola/Getty Images Want more of the Met Gala? Sign up for The Cut daily newsletter so you don’t miss any of our coverage. Newsletter readers will also receive exclusive interviews with attendees and Cut staffers’ personal picks for the best — and worst — looks of the night. Pedro Pascal is a sentient smirking emoji. Case in point: his leg-centric look at the 2023 Met Gala.
Were North West and Stormi at the 2023 Met Gala?
Being the child of celebrities comes with plenty of perks: Coachella-level birthday parties, Hollywood movie cameos, making Kim Kardashian dress like a Minion. So when North West was spotted heading to the 2023 Met Gala, dressed on-theme, it seemed par for the course. If any child could sneak their way into one of the most elite fashion events, it would be her. However, it seems there are rules the Met Gala will not bend, even for a Kardashian spawn.
Karlie Kloss Announced Her Second Pregnancy at the 2023 Met Gala
Photo: Noam Galai/The Hollywood Reporter via Getty Images When Karlie Kloss stepped out of the Mark Hotel on Monday night, she was met with an audible “Oh, my God!” Not simply for her 2023 Met Gala ensemble — a long-sleeved black Loewe gown with gold detailing and accessorized with layers of pearls — but because the 30-year-old model just revealed that she is expecting her second child.
Wait, Are Kids Allowed at the Met Gala?
1 hour ago So much was said about Kim Kardashian's 2022 Met Gala appearance that it's hard to believe a year has passed since she paraded the Met steps in Marilyn Monroe's iconic naked dress (on the arm of Pete Davidson, no less). Now, the reality star is back in a brand new look. On Monday, May 1, Kardashian …
Brooklyn Beckham’s Cooking Videos Are Delightfully Bizarre
I Can’t Shut Up About: Deep dives into my online obsession of the week. Say what you will about nepo babies. Go ahead, say it. Celebrity spawn don’t have a phenomenal reputation for reasons that are pretty self-evident. However, if nepo babies have made a name for themselves in any market, it is delightfully askew online content. Case in point: Brooklyn Beckham, the 24-year-old son of soccer star David Beckham and Spice Girl Victoria Beckham, a.k.a. Posh Spice.
Why Is Brooklyn Beckham Blowtorching a Grilled Cheese?
I Can’t Shut Up About: Deep dives into my online obsession of the week. Say what you will about nepo babies. Go ahead, say it. Celebrity spawn don’t …
I Can’t Shut Up About Martha Stewart’s Basket House
I Can’t Shut Up About: Deep dives into my online obsession of the week. Martha Stewart is known as a woman of particular tastes. She famously loves peacocks and infamously hates mugs. She shamelessly enjoys pumpkin-spice coffee and covering the red bottoms of her Louboutins in black Sharpie. So while it is perhaps no surprise to you that the first self-made female billionaire has an entire shed dedicated to her collection of wicker baskets, I cannot read the words “basket house” and say nothing.
‘Water Recipes’ Are All Over TikTok
Photo-Illustration: The Cut; Photos: Retailers I Can’t Shut Up About: Deep dives into my online obsession of the week. Everyone wants to believe they’re open minded until a new food trend emerges on TikTok. The latest concoction to test the patience of our collective For You page? Recipes for water. If you have yet to be indoctrinated into #WaterTok, a self-ascribed title for a community of beverage enthusiasts, the words “water recipe” may seem absurd, even oxymoronic. (A whole recipe?
I Can’t Shut Up About the Woolly Mammoth Meatball
Photo-Illustration: The Cut; Photos: Getty, Inside Edition I Can’t Shut Up About: Deep dives into my online obsession of the week. I hate to be the one to tell you this, but they made the woolly mammoth into a meatball. And what’s worse? Scientists are too scared to eat it. Last week, an Australian company debuted the world’s first — and, God willing, only — meatball made with woolly mammoth. How exactly do you create a meatball from an animal that’s been extinct for over 4,000 years?
I Can’t Shut Up About the Disgusting Brothers
Photo-Illustration: by The Cut; Photo: HBO I Can’t Shut Up About: Deep dives into my online obsession of the week. Name the most disgusting duo. Toothpaste and orange juice? Dumpsters and summer heat? The brother and sister with weird sexual tension in that 2009 Folgers commercial? Close, but the correct answer, as we learned in the premiere of Succession’s fourth and final season, is Tom and Cousin Greg. Behold, the Disgusting Brothers. Iconic duos? Out. Depraved duos? In, baby.
I Can’t Shut Up About My Amazing Post-Pandemic Mental Health
Photo-Illustration: by The Cut; Photo: @BBC News/Twitter I Can’t Shut Up About: Deep dives into my online obsession of the week. Great news! We’re actually all doing perfectly fine. According to a new study from the BMJ, the (technically still ongoing) pandemic didn’t have a significant impact on our mental health. Hooray! “Mental health and anxiety symptoms hardly deteriorated at all during the pandemic,” states BBC’s coverage of the study.
Pedro Pascal Is the Internet’s Latest Collective Crush
Photo-Illustration: by The Cut; Photo: Getty Images I Can’t Shut Up About: Deep dives into my online obsession of the week. The biggest problem with Pedro Pascal is that there isn’t one. As his fellow The Last of Us castmate Melanie Lynskey once said, “There’s just nothing wrong with him.” And who am I to disagree with Melanie Lynskey? If you aren’t familiar with Pascal, that is entirely by choice.
What Is a ‘Rat Snack,’ TikTok’s Latest Food Trend?
Photo-Illustration: by The Cut; Photo: Getty Images I Can’t Shut Up About: Deep dives into my online obsession of the week. All women really only want one thing: a snack. Though in recent years, we may have strived to be salad girlies and sourdough mothers, the truth of our collective gremlin self remains. We simply want to subsist on nasty little treats.
I Can’t Shut Up About Farmer Will on Love Island
Photo-Illustration: by The Cut; Photo: Shutterstock I Can’t Shut Up About: Deep dives into my online obsession of the week. Like any fun and perhaps unhealthy relationship, Love Island continues to surprise me. The ninth season of the U.K. reality-dating competition debuted at the beginning of the year, bringing with it more debauchery and as many abs as ever.
What to Know About the Viral Big Red Boots by MSCHF
Photo-Illustration: by The Cut; Photo: Shutterstock I Can’t Shut Up About: Deep dives into my online obsession of the week. You’ve avoided them all week. You’ve tried to run and hide, ignoring the sound of squishy clomps that follow close behind. But it’s time to stop running and address the inevitable. We must talk about MSCHF’s Big Red Boots.
Today’s the Perfect Day to Break Up With Your Boyfriend!!!
"Hearst Magazines and Yahoo may earn commission or revenue on some items through these links." Of all the days to dump someone, Valentine’s Day is admittedly among the worst. But you know what’s even worse than breaking up on Valentine’s Day? Spending Valentine’s Day with someone who sucks. So if you’re wondering whether it’s okay to break up with your partner on a day dedicated to love, the short answer is yes.
30 Instagram Captions That'll Let Everyone Know You're A Chiefs Fan On Super Bowl Sunday Original
After losing the title of Super Bowl champs to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2020, the Kansas City Chiefs are headed to the big game once again.
I Can’t Shut Up About About Nancy Pelosi’s Hot-Dog Diet
Photo-Illustration: by The Cut; Photos: Getty Images I Can’t Shut Up About: Deep dives into my online obsession of the week. When former Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi stepped down from Democratic leadership in November, we were left with some questions. Namely, does Nancy Pelosi really eat a hot dog every day for lunch?
How Well Do You Remember Y2K Trends?
Photo-Illustration: by The Cut; Photos: Getty Images, MTV Reality/Youtube, Nelly/Youtube, MTV Vault/Youtube, @myspacetom/Twitter No offense, but 2003 was two entire decades ago. On the bright side, everything you loved from your teens is back in style, which means you’re not old, you’re retro. So bust out your butterfly clips and matching denim outfits because it’s time to test your knowledge of everything Y2K chic.
How Well Do You Remember Y2K Trends?
19 hours ago Welcome to Beauty In A Tik, where each week we put TikTok's viral beauty hacks and innovative trends to the test. I wear makeup most days so I like to think I've got the skill down to a T. Smooth foundation application isn't the same without a glycerin-packed moisturiser like CeraVe Moisturising …
Show More
loading
Actions
Is this you?
As a journalist, you can create a free Muck Rack account to customize your profile, list your contact preferences, and upload a portfolio of your best work.Get in touch with Mia
Contact Mia, search articles and posts on X, monitor coverage, and track replies from one place.
Learn more about Muck Rack