Sunday : Driving down Oxford Street today is like entering a war zone. The trash and litter from the estimated 700, 000 spectators has been collected overnight but the human flotsam and jetsam is everywhere. It's pretty clear thousands of party goers never made it home-they chose to continue the celebrations at the numerous "recovery parties" that can last 2 days.
Behind all the fabulous colour and movement, inventive costumes and year long planning , there is a serious side to Mardi Gras. While tSS was correct in nearly all predictions-George Michael was there (he gave the parade a plug in his brilliant concert on Thursday night) largely unnoticed in the VIP section, we were wrong in one aspect. There was no tribute to TV star Eddie McGuire.  |
| Olympic ice-skater |
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| AFL footballer |
on edit # The person who passed themselves off as a noted gay "activist" to our tSS staffer was just bizarre. Perhaps it was heady excitement of the night. Our apologies to the 'activist' (what does one call him ?) but imitation is a form of flattery. You are in good company though. Actor Matt Damon has experienced the same recently.
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On the same night at a house in Bellevue Hill, veteran good manners and deportment queen June Dally-Watkins was celebrating her 81st birthday.
June once almost took Hollywood by storm in the 1950's when she set up business in LA after taking a successful fashion show to the US.
She set about grooming a host of newly signed starlets, including a young Marilyn Monroe on how to behave at movie premiers, parties and such. Studios sent all their new contracted actresses to Dally-Watkins for mentoring.
She set about grooming a host of newly signed starlets, including a young Marilyn Monroe on how to behave at movie premiers, parties and such. Studios sent all their new contracted actresses to Dally-Watkins for mentoring.
In Rome she met and was wined and dined by Gregory Peck who proposed marriage on a moon-lit night overlooking the Roman Forum. Peck wanted the pair to live in Monte Carlo. Instead she returned home to Sydney to care for her ailing mother and eventually married John Clifford-a dead ringer for Peck. Her Double Bay school still tutors a new breed of nice young gels how to behave correctly in polite society.
