No War. No Death. But Plenty of Politics: My Tuppence Ha'penny's Worth on the Novig Just Sports Ad Campaign (2026) Featuring Sydney Sweeney

Sydney Sweeney showing us an alternative use for a pool 

table in her Novig Just Sports ad campaign (2026) 

 

 

I. 

 

Even though I don't always agree with her, I like the left-leaning British journalist and amusing cultural commentator Marina Hyde. 

 

Similarly, although I don't always agree with her, I like the right-of-centre British journalist and fearless GB News presenter Camilla Tominey. 

 

And so I was pleased to see that both women - despite their differing political sympathies - came out in support of the American actress and provocateuse Sydney Sweeney, who is back in the news for a new ad campaign [1] and once again facing abuse from various killjoys who resent her beauty, her breasts, and her refusal to conform to political and moral orthodoxy.   

 

 

II. 

 

Sweeney's new ad campaign is for Novig - an American sports prediction and trading company (or what we used to simply call a betting site) - and features the actress in various states of undress showcasing several different sports.    

 

To be fair, I can see why it might irritate professional sportswomen and old school feminists concerned with the way that women are sexualised in advertising in order to promote (and sell) stuff or services to a consumer market mostly made up of men. 

 

But, having said that, isn't it simply savvy business sense for her to "leverage her all-natural assets for commercial gain?" [2] The video for Novig - a company in which Ms Sweeney has shares - picked up over a million views in the first four days.  

 

Writing in The Telegraph, this is essentially Camilla Tominey's position. Although, in a slightly sapphic manner, she also admits that she has "become obsessed with Sydney Sweeney's breasts" - their size, shape, and gravity-defying nature, as well as their "sheer ubiquity on the world stage".  

 

I think this is partly explained by the fact that Ms Tominey has a drop of Italian blood in her veins and Italian beauty ideals historically embrace a full-figured, voluptuous body shape - think Sophia Loren (38-24-38) and Gina Lollobrigida (36-22-35). 

 

Personally, I prefer a slimmer, smaller-breasted body, but, like Tominey, I rather like the fact that Sweeney seems either incapable of covering up her breasts "or delightfully unwilling to do so". 

 

Addressing the backlash from female athletes who complain that Sweeney has sexualised women's sport and that it detracts from all their hard work and professionalism, Tominey reminds her readers that athletes "of both sexes have posed nude for commercial gain for decades". 

 

Thus, it's surely not that unreasonable that "an actress who has never claimed to be a professional sportswoman" should do the same: 

 

"Surely female athletes have bigger battles to fight - like the gender pay gap, inequality of funding or protecting competitors from abusive coaches, than directing their outrage at a woman leveraging her considerable assets for profit?"  

  

Ms Tominey concludes her Telegraph piece by taking a swipe at those progressives who scold Sweeney for unashamedly flaunting her breasts, whilst supporting trans men competing against women in sports including boxing, swimming, and weight-lifting.  

 

 

III.

 

Like Camilla Tominey, Marina Hyde is also prepared to be "insanely unfashionable" [3] and defend Sydney Sweeney. 

 

And like Ms Tominey, she can't help admiring Sweeney's breasts, "which are [...] seriously among the best in Hollywood" - maybe even the best. Breasts that add to the gaiety of nations by counteracting all the grey moral seriousness that threatens to envelop the world. 

  

If the reaction to last year's ad for American Eagle bordered on lunacy, then the reaction this time is just boring in its all-too-predictable nature and Hyde has very little sympathy with those women who claim it is a kick in the teeth to every woman who values sport for teaching the importance of things like teamwork, dedication, and the pursuit of excellence.    

  

She feels that it might have been more admirable if, rather than knock Sweeney for getting her tits out, they focused instead on the negative effects of legalised commercial gambling. Ultimately, Hyde loves the fact that Sweeney is "out there in the culture, pissing off reflexively judgmental people who ignore so many bigger issues". 

 

She continues:  

 

"That [Sweeney] has emerged as such a frequent culture wars punching bag says so much more about the predictable, playable nature of her serial detractors than it does about her. Why can’t they just face it - Sydney's gonna Sweeney." 

 

- And she's gonna do so without shame, embarrassment, or apology (which is what makes her such an admirable figure). She's a young woman - just turned 29 a few days ago - doing what she wants (including making the occasional dumb move or stupid remark). 

 

And her critics - even when they have a point - are such endlessly dreary bores: 

 

"I do hope Sweeney finds a way to continue apparently not giving a shit - and that everyone else considers they might have more fun if they took a leaf out of her book from time to time."  

 

 

Marina Hyde and Camilla Tominey 

stand alongside Sydney Sweeney

 

 

Notes

 

[1] Sweeney already pissed off a lot of people for her American Eagle ad last year, in which she playfully boasted of having great jeans. See the post 'My Tuppence Ha'penny's Worth on the Sydney Sweeney Controversy' (31 July 2025). And see also the follow up post 'Herr Nietzsche Agrees: Sydney Sweeney Hat Tolle Jeans' (2 Aug 2025). 

 

[2] Camilla Tominey, 'Don't knock Sydney Sweeney for having breasts that pass the pencil test', The Telegraph (15 Sept 2026). All quotes in section two of this post are taken from this article.  

 

[3] Marina Hyde, 'Are you outraged by Sydney Sweeney - again? More fool you', The Guardian (15 Sept 2026). All quotes in section three of this post are taken from this article. 

 

 

Tu vuò fà l'americano

Sophia Loren in 

It Started in Naples (1960)

 

 

I. 

 

Even if I wasn't familiar with Elaine's low opinion of it, I can't imagine ever sitting down and watching The English Patient (1996). Like Miss Benes, given the choice, I'd opt for the (sure-to-be) hilarious comedy Sack Lunch every time [1].

Similarly, until last night I had scrupulously avoided another film written and directed by Anthony Minghella; The Talented Mr. Ripley (1999) - an all-star psychological thriller based on Patricia Highsmith's 1955 novel of the same title. To my surprise, however - and despite the presence of Jude Law (for whom I have an entirely groundless dislike) - I quite enjoyed it. 

 

I mean, it's not great - and was certainly overrated by the critics at the time (much like The English Patient, I suspect) - but it has some nice scenes and performances, not to mention Gwyneth Paltrow as Marge Sherwood looking lovely in a 1950s-style wardrobe, including an azure blue nautical print two-piece swimsuit.   

 

I think my favourite scene, however, is in the small jazz club that Dickie Greenleaf (Jude Law) takes Tom Ripley (Matt Damon) to visit and where they (somewhat ironically) sing what is, without doubt, one of the catchiest songs of all time - Tu vuò fà l'americano - accompanied by Fiorello, the multi-talented Italian performer, in the role of Fausto: Nice! [2]

 

 

II. 

 

Written by Renato Carosone, in collaboration with lyricist Nicola Salerno, and combining elements of swing and jazz, Tu vuò fà l'americano quickly became one of his best-known (and most-loved) compositions - even amongst those of us who don't speak a word of Neapolitan. 

 

The song tells the tale of an Italian who affects an American lifestyle; drinking whisky and soda, dancing to rock 'n' roll, playing baseball, etc. - even though he still depends on his parents for money.

 

Carosone performed the song in the film Totò, Peppino e le fanatiche, (1958), but, of course, moviegoers in the English-speaking world are more likely to be familiar with it from It Started in Naples (1960), where it is performed with real gusto by Sophia Loren as the caberet singer Lucia Curcio: no wonder that old dog Clark Gable still had a sparkle in his eye! [3]    

Notes

[1] See Seinfeld, 'The English Patient' [S8/E17], dir. Andy Ackerman, written by Steve Koren,  (March 13, 1997). The quality of this clip on YouTube is pretty poor, but, if interested, click here. 

 

[2] To watch this scene from The Talented Mr. Ripley (dir. Anthony Minghella, 1999), click here. 

[3] To watch this scene from It Started in Naples (dir. Melville Shavelson, 1960), click here.   

 

 

When Jayne Met Sophia

Sophia Loren and Jayne Mansfield at Romanoff's (Beverley Hills) 

Photo by Joe Shere (April 1957)

Paramount had organized a party for me. All of cinema was there, it was incredible. And then in comes Jayne Mansfield, the last one to arrive. She came right for my table. She knew everyone was watching as she sat down. I’m staring at her nipples because I am afraid they are about to come onto my plate. In my face you can see the fear. I’m so frightened that everything in her dress is going to blow—BOOM!—and spill all over the table. 

 - Sophia Loren speaking in 2014 to Entertainment Weekly

The famous photo of Italian beauty Sophia Loren checking out all-American bombshell Jayne Mansfield with a sideways glance full of snooty disapproval mixed with anger at being upstaged by the blonder, bustier woman at a Hollywood dinner party held in her honour, tells us something interesting about European notions of sex appeal, femininity and decorum in contrast to those of the New World.

But, in a sense, these two women belong not merely to different cultures, but to entirely different worlds, different times. Loren, so elegant and sophisticated, suddenly seems the product of a traditional era of slow-cooking and spaghetti. Mansfield, on the other hand, in all her spectacular obscenity, is a hypermodern incarnation of sex and speed; she lived fast and died young, whilst Sophia simply grew old.

Both left their distinctive mark on cinematic history; indeed, in 1999 Loren was awarded legendary status by the American Film Institute and she is currently the only living actress on the list. But it's Mansfield whose star continues to shine the brightest within the popular and pornographic imagination and who seems so much more our contemporary.

Indeed, one can imagine going for a drink with the always smiling former beauty queen, nude art model and popcorn seller from Pennsylvania with an IQ of 163 and an hourglass figure that measured 40-21-35 and having a really fun time. But sadly, not so with Sophia: in fact, I suspect she would subject me to the same kind of withering look over the dinner table as she gave to Miss Mansfield's dangerous bosom.        

Notes

Those interested in reading Sophia Loren's full recollection of this incident in Entertainment Weekly (Nov 3, 2014), click here. 

Those interested in a sister post to this one - When Jayne Met Anton LaVey - should click here.