The Free Press
NewslettersSign InSubscribe
Suzy Weiss: Wealth Is Wasted on Melinda Gates
(Illustration by The Free Press.)
The medical drama that made my dad scared of forks, the piece I wish I’d written—and more!
By Suzy Weiss
04.19.25 — The Weekend Press
--:--
--:--
Upgrade to Listen
5 mins
Produced by ElevenLabs using AI narration
854
565

Good morning, culture vultures! This week, I wrote about Jeff Bezos’s hot fiancée going to space in a tight suit, and it made me wonder what his ex-wife, MacKenzie Scott, was thinking. Then I saw that another billionaire’s ex-wife had a book out. Today, I bring you a review of Melinda Gates’s memoir, and of a medical drama I think you’ll love. Before we get into all that—and more!—I need your help. We need a name for this column. Weissland? The Take? The Weekly Free Press Culture Department Report? Weissgeist? Let me know in the comments if you have any ideas.

Which Way, Western Woman?

Picture this: your first marriage, to a billionaire, goes belly-up, and you’re in your 50s, and it’s time for your next act. You have two options. The first is to slap on those fake eyelashes and hitch a ride to space courtesy of your new, even richer fiancé, as Lauren Sánchez did this week. The second is to write a curiously petty memoir. That’s what Melinda French Gates did. The result, The Next Day: Transitions, Change, and Moving Forward, was out this week, and I read it so you don’t have to.

Continue Reading The Free Press
To support our journalism, and unlock all of our investigative stories and provocative commentary about the world as it actually is, subscribe below.
Already have an account?
Sign In
To read this article, sign in or subscribe
Suzy Weiss
Suzy Weiss is a co-founder and reporter for The Free Press. Before that, she worked as a features reporter at the New York Post. There, she covered the internet, culture, dating, dieting, technology, and Gen Z. Her work has also appeared in Tablet, the New York Daily News, The Wall Street Journal, and McSweeney's Internet Tendency, among others.
Comments
Join the conversation
Share your thoughts and connect with other readers by becoming a paid subscriber!
Already a paid subscriber? Sign in

No posts

For Free People.
LatestSearchAboutCareersShopPodcastsVideoEvents
Download the app
Download on the Google Play Store
©2025 The Free Press. All Rights Reserved.Powered by Substack.
Privacy∙Terms∙Collection notice