Dolly Parton & Horny Hillbillies

Ms Dolly Parton swept into her Sydney press conference yesterday and the media was treated to a full on  performance.
Dolly's a real professional and armed with just a small bundle of notes she smoothed her way past every curly question with ease. Such as when she was asked to comment on Dr Conrad Murray's guilty verdict in the Michael Jackson death trial.

Dolly said she adored Michael and he was just a little angel, so talented and ..well by the time she was finished there was no way we were going to ever get her to comment on the court case.

Dolly's never had kids with her husband of 45 years Carl Dean but she does have 11 siblings.
"My parents were just horny hillbillies . My husband is not from the country but he is horny." she says,  describing herself as "a white trash princess".

In between praying to God everyday and being inspired by the bible, Dolly says her beauty routine is pretty quick taking only about 30 minutes to get her makeup on and dressed. 
As for her hair :"I don't know how long it takes to get ready as I'm not there at the time" she quips saying she has dozens of wigs.

Dolly also had a nice word to say about Anthony Albanese the Federal Transport Minister who paved the way for Dolly's 14.5-metre bus she'll be travelling in while on tour in Australia.
"I don't know if he's here today, but if he is, you can come up here and I'll smear lip gloss all over you."
Customs had refused permission for the bus to enter the country saying it was too wide for our roads but Albanese sorted that out. Plus a similar back-up vehicle.  Dolly's publicist says the media has no chance of getting snaps of the buses and they'll have no hope in spotting them.
It may be easier than he thinks as the buses are left-hand drive and wider than any other vehicle on the road. Let's hope Dolly looks both ways when alighting as the doors will be on the wrong side as well.

She's already done one show in Perth and one Sydney show is a sell out but she'll be back for another show on the 29th November. 
Below is a clip from Dolly's presser at the Hotel Intercontinental.

Shuttle Staffer Could Be Mr Bondi !

Mr Bondi ?

Proving age is no barrier to a beauty contest, Social Shuttle contributor Bill Ranken has made the finals of the Mr Bondi quest to be held next Saturday at the chic restaurant, Bondi Social overlooking Bondi Beach.

Having turned 80 last March, Ranken is disgustingly healthy and runs 4 miles every morning. Over the Christmas holiday period he was down on his Southern Highlands property helping build miles of fences before taking off on a dirt bike to round up sheep.

Ranken divides his time between two vast country properties. The largest one Lochersly is regarded as one of the state's most desirable estates with it's Georgian house, award winning grounds and gardens and sweeping acres of rolling green hills. It's been in the family for 4 generations of the hardy Scotsmen.

 During the week he steps out every night from a harbour side Elizabeth Bay pied-e-terre to attend parties. 

He's known as the Grey Gadabout. If something opens Ranken will be there with a camera , notebook and pen.  He moves seamlessly between all strata's of society equally at home lunching with Rupert Murdoch or at a wharf labourer's booze-up on the docks. The Shuttle first met him in London nearly 30 years ago. He arrived at a Gilbert & George  art exhibition with Princess Margaret on his arm.

"Apparently there are no qualifications to be in this quest" says Ranken, "apart from having a Bondi connection". Which he has every Friday on radio Bondi FM with his 'Peep Show' gossip segment.

"I think it would be rather nice to win something" he says. "before they put me in the ground". 

" But I still plan to be around for a lot longer" he said. " I'm having fun meeting the new generation of pretty young girls on the scene"

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" Mind you 20 years ago when I was introduced to them I was able to say I took their mother out once. Last week I ran into two 20 somethings at a party and realised I had dated their grandmothers !"

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Tania

Competing with Bill Ranken At next Saturday's Mr Bondi final will be Joker Poker TV host Mike Goldman .

Mike

Mike was ecstatic at getting through to the quest final and took a bunch of pals back to his pad to celebrate where he had a spectacular run-in with a bottle of champagne.

Goldman's pal, actress Tania Zaetta (who has become a huge star in Bollywood films) had put the bottle in Mike's freezer earlier in the evening and forgotten about it. The bottle exploded as Goldman reached into his freezer. He spent the night at Randwick hospital and says he hopes to pick up the sympathy vote on Saturday.

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Oh dear.

Just one day ago we brought readers the tale of how 2 psychics, Tom and Kevin  from The Yellow Cloud Circle of Eternal Illumination in Montcabirol, France are touting their materialisation demonstrations in Sydney next month. Their website has some glowing endorsements from past visitors to their sessions including one gentleman who was thrilled to glimpse a vision of Michael Jackson who sent the following message from the ether:

"there will be no recurrences with people who have been accused of my death. I did not commit suicide. Although I take full responsibility for my death. There should be no charges brought from anybody. I am totally responsible for my passing."

Today his medico Dr Conrad Murray was  told by an LA Superior Court judge that he must stand trial for Jackson's involuntary manslaughter.

exclusive : Michael Jackson - It Was An Accident !

A missive arrives from the Australian lawyer Victor Zammit who authored a book titled : A Lawyer Presents The Evidence For Life After Death. 

Mr Zammitt now retired, is a sort of psychic detective and seeks proof of the afterlife. He's on the hit-list of various skeptics organisations but beavers away to prove we will continue after this plane of existence. On his website you can read 'what happens when you die'.

In his message Victor has invited the Shuttle to attend a demonstration of  

'physcial  mediumship" in which various things will happen-trumpets blaring, tables tipping , musical instruments played by spirits,  flashing lights and such. Even more exciting there promises to be 'materialisations'.

The seance is to be conducted by 2 gentlemen, Tom and Kevin  from The Yellow Cloud Circle of Eternal Illumination in Toulouse in France.

Freddie's hand

A quick visit to their website reveals some remarkable testimonials. We were particularly drawn to one from Isabelle Duchene from Belgium who attended 2 seances and was privileged to see Freddie Mercury's hand appear from under a curtain !. She knows the hand belonged to Freddie because:

"spirit has confirmed it was the hand of Freddie Mercury the lead singer of Queen. Freddie sang with us on the song that was played, 'don't stop me' now that was made famous by the group "

Mr Zammit himself has left a glowing tribute after one seance he attended where  Michael Jackson appeared with the following words :

'Hello! My name is  Michael Joseph Jackson: I've come here today..

This is very difficult..difficult for me. I have  come back today to say there will be no recurrences with people who have been accused of my death. I did not commit suicide. Although I take full responsibility for my death. There should be no charges brought from anybody. I am totally responsible for my passing.  That is all I wanted to say. And I will carry on my work from this side of life. And I hope that the world will listen this time. Thank you ".

Anyone have a contact number for Dr. Conrad Murray ?

On Monday preliminary hearings took place to determine if Murray should stand trial for involuntary manslaughter in Jackson's death in June 25, 2009. When the case is dropped-remember you read it here first.

Here's Freddie Mercury singing 'I Want To Break Free' which he did do eventually.