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Venus Williams was clearly not impressed by Meghan Markle's behavior at the ESPY awards last night. While most in attendance gave enthusiastic applause to the award winners, Venus sat stone-cold, refusing to even give a polite clap. Her icy demeanor sent a strong message - she does not like or support Meghan at all.
Some might say Venus was simply tired after a long day or not interested in the awards. But her eyes said differently - they were laser-focused on Meghan the entire time. Whenever Meghan stood to applaud, Venus's gaze followed her up and down, looking her up and down with a look of contempt. It was obvious she was keeping a close watch on Meghan to make sure she didn't try anything on stage.
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Venus has been in the spotlight for decades and she knows how to play the game. That look she gave Meghan will go down in history - a thousand words couldn't say what that one glance expressed. She knows Meghan is trouble and bad news for her friend Serena. While others might hold their tongues to be polite, Venus was sending a clear signal that she sees right through Meghan's lies and manipulations.
One thing is clear - Venus wants no part of the toxicity that is Harry and Meghan. She hasn't stood up publicly for Harry like some other celebrities have done. Some say she must know things behind the scenes that have turned her off from the couple. Some rumors say Harry and Meghan slipped out of the event early because they couldn't handle the frost in the air between Venus and Meghan.
Things seemed frosty inside the event too. When Meghan tried to greet Venus and make small talk with her signature fake grin, Venus barely responded or made eye contact. She shot Meghan down hard. Venus has been in the spotlight for too long to be fooled by Meghan's bs. And when Harry also leaned over to say something to Venus, she gave him an icy reception as well. The childish act of pouting when you don't get what you want isn't going to work on a pro like Venus.
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Many suspect Venus sees right through Meghan's manipulation of Serena Williams through their shared representation by WME. It's likely WME is using their influence over Serena to get her to support Meghan, whether she truly wants to or not. As someone who cares for Serena's well-being, Venus is surely not happy about another celebrity latching onto her success and fame. The look Venus gave Meghan seemed to say loud and clear - I know what you're really about.
There are also rumors that Venus believes Meghan had something to do with "buying" the Arthur Ashe award that was given to her at the ESPYs. While Ashe was a pioneer and inspiration, some feel there were others more deserving who were overlooked due to Meghan's influence behind the scenes. If Venus believes this to be true, it would only further sour her view of the manipulative Duchess. Her judgmental stare said it all - what the hell is wrong with this woman?
By making a subtly defiant stance rather than engage Meghan directly, Venus has garnered sympathy from those in the know. People can see through Meghan, even if they can't outright say the things Venus communicated with just one glower. The body language often speaks what cannot be said openly. And Venus's icy demeanor towards Meghan and Harry told an entire story on its own.
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The way little Serena was coiled away from Meghan's attempts at hugs spoke volumes too. The child likely picked up on the bad vibes emanating from her big sister Venus nearby. Or maybe she was simply bored and not in the mood after a long awards ceremony. But regardless of intent, it showed Meghan clearly makes some people uncomfortable with her overly familiar gestures right away.
Meghan frequently uses physical contact to try and connect with people, even those who seem not to want it. Just like Harry frequently looks miserable as Meghan hangs off him for photo ops. He seems stressed by her constant need for PDA affection when he'd rather maintain some space. But to avoid Meghan's wrath, they both grin and bear it when all they want is to pull away. Venus could clearly see through the charade.
In fact, there are countless photos of Harry looking explicitly unhappy as Meghan invades his space with her clingy behavior. Meanwhile Meghan parades around with her signature smug smile, acting like they’re the world’s happiest couple. But Venus is far too seasoned to buy into her performance. She knows how to read people and she saw right through Meghan. That’s why this quiet show of defiance from Venus spoke so powerfully.
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While other celebrities try to play nice in public, Venus showed she won't stand for Meghan's manipulation. As someone who's navigated the fame game for decades, Venus's instincts are too sharp. She saw an opportunity to send a message without saying a word. Now her withering gaze towards Meghan will be dissected and admired the world over. If more public figures had Venus's courage to stand up against bullying, we'd have a far different reality. For now, we can only appreciate that one iconic moment of truth from the legendary tennis star.
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