Times up

Seven years ago Whispers joined a battery of Nine Network stars at a Kings Cross restaurant to celebrate the launch of celebrity interviewer Richard Wilkins' book Black Ties, Red Carpets, Green Rooms.
Nine's then head honcho David Gyngell was there along with Australia's powerful music mogul, Sony boss Denis Handlin.
TV colleagues who joined the throng included Georgie Gardner and Lisa Wilkinson with Karl Stefanovic who launched Wilkins' book with some pretty raunchy tales. They were all at the peak of their careers. Now they have crashed and burned and their careers lie in tatters.

left- Wilkins with Vanessa Amarosi at his book launch.

A Nine insider has told Whispers that the rot began not with Stevanic's over hyped wedding, rather in 2017 with the pay negotiations over presenter Lisa Wilkinson who demanded $Millions or she would defect to Network Ten's The Project. Our source says Nine's management were more than happy to see her leave and only half-heartedly continued negotiations.

The departing Today crew that includes Richard Wilkins, well passed his prime as a star interviewer and presenter Karl Stefanovic may have believed  as many TV presenters do -that they were irreplaceable and more powerful than the show they fronted.

 Our Nine spy says senior management were secretly delighted over the endless tabloid tales of the Stefanovic shenanigans and were determined to use Karl's courting of the media as a reason to clear the decks.
 His sale of his wedding snaps to a rival magazine lead to the coup de grâce. Georgie Gardner remains having never (sensibly) rocked the boat.You can be sure those pretty younger faces who replace the other sacked Today crew are on a fraction of the wages of their predecessors.
right- Georgie Gardner & Lisa Wilkinson at Wilkins' book launch.

Predictions:  
# Our source says Karl Stevanovic is sure to end up on the board of his close pal James Packer's Crown Casino in Sydney.
# Difficult to imagine where Richard Wilkins goes from here except downwards.
# And there are warning bells for a particular high profile publicist who seems to court publicity with numerous clients questioning their involvement with her.
Below: Karl on Christmas Day:

Lisa Wilkinson : 180 degree turn?

When Whisper's first read of  TV host Lisa Wilkinson's unfortunate fall in the shower while on holiday in Italy, our sympathy was with the poor lady. Lisa broke her arm in two places and having dealt with a relative just a year ago who suffered a similar fall with a broken arm, it was only the quick intervention of the doctor's at our inner city hospital St Vincent's that pain relief was finally administered.

Instagram

Lisa gave an interview to her Nine Network's The Fix and seemed to be implying that the treatment she received in an Italian hospital was superb:
"I couldn't help but compare it to our experience in the USA in January, when our daughter swallowed a piece of pineapple the wrong way and it got stuck in her throat. There, we were treated with equal speed, warmth and professionalism -- but only after we had handed over credit-card details. And for what was only a very brief and successful procedure, the bills are still coming in -- for many thousands of dollars.

"Two countries, two systems. For me, it was the difference between running health care as a business, and providing it as a human right."
While Lisa's arm will need to be fitted for a plate upon her return to Sydney, she's grateful for the care she received abroad."

 After x-rays showed the extent of the damage, the pair were sent to a larger hospital that despite looking "like a tattered 1950s warehouse from Beirut", Lisa says she received excellent care and was put in a plaster cast.
Shockingly, the ordeal didn't cost her a cent.
"In Italy, public hospitals are free for everyone, including blow-in tourists like us," she wrote.

Alas, Lisa now has a different view of her Italian medical experience as the Daily Telegraph thundered yesterday:

Bad doctors leave Lisa Wilkinson's arm in 's-bend' as she reveals it'll take another 12 months to heal

Whatever the outcome we wish Lisa all the best. A broken arm is very debilitating for someone who still goes to work every day.

"Sizzling" Fashion

We just know that loyal Whisper's readers are dying to know just what you will be wearing next Summer.
Some of these events in Sydney are like our very own Ground Hog Day. It's a bit like entering a world where nothing ever changes. Even the faces. Especially when they invite assures you the legendary "A-List" will be in attendance.
Here is our snap that has excited so many. It's two models at the recent David Jones' Summer Fashion parade. Whispers had an invite but quelle horreur, we weren't feeling top-of-the-world that evening. Just as we also had to miss the launch of a fabulous luxury car the same week at which we were assured numerous "influencers" would be attending along with that A-List again.

The snap is from a Getty photographer. For the uninformed Getty is a photographic agency that is scooping up independent photo agencies in the hope they will be the only photographic agency on the planet. The media seem more than happy to go along with that. At least you know- next Summer people will be wearing shorts and bikinis. Isn't that fun?
If you want more fab fashion shots go here.
If you want to see a video of these scintillating Summer Fashion Sizzles in a film introduced by TV hosts Karl Stefanovic (favourite of the Mail Online) and Lisa Wilkinson who apparently someone wasn't very nice to recently, go here.

"Culture Heist"

The annual Archibald prize ( $100,000) for portraiture is always (we hope) a controversial event and one of Sydney's most fascinating artistic events. Everyone should get along to the Art Gallery of NSW to see this year's exhibition and take the time to explore this wonderful gallery.

Our photo collection shows some of the entries. The top picture is the portrait of TV journalist Lisa Wilkinson which won the Packer's Prize where Gallery workers decide on their favourite. To date no Packer's Prize has won the Archibald.

 (right : a rejected portrait of  Yassmin Abdel-Magied)

And this year's Archibald did not fail to explode into a controversy. It started off with little comment until renowned artist John Olsen weighed in lambasting the winning choice. Others like artist Tim Storrier have made similar comments.
(The winner is the middle painting below Lisa, a portrait by Mitch Cairns of his partner)
Now journalist Judith White who is a member of the Art Gallery Society has joined the outcry with a must-read article.
Whispers has to agree with White on one point : we badly miss the presence of former director Edmund Capon who was lured from the V&A in London and has positively breathed amazing life into the wondrous but stuffy art gallery

 

 John Olsen says Archibald Prize win is 'the worst decision I've ever seen'

 Behind the Archibald controversy by Judith White

 

Is that a very young John Olsen (left)  protesting the Archibald in years past?

Media madness

The Village Inn                  Karl Stefanovic & Lisa Wilkinson wear vests to "support" tradesmen

 Some times media beat-ups are just too ridiculous to let pass without comment. But the sight of the line-up of this morning TV crew in 'support' of 'tradies  was about as gormless as TV can be.
The Village Inn is a newly renovated pub in trendy Paddington. The Inn has posted a sign with a dress code. It's hardly onerous. Those "hi viz" vests worn by tradies' (tradesmen) are banned. This is similar to just about every venue, restaurant & hotel in the inner city. Some media seem to think this is an insult, and have given the impression that tradies themselves are actually banned. The Sydney Morning Herald even jumped into the fray with claims that tradies had been posting facebook messages on the Inn's profile page threatening revenge if the pub ever needed work done. As though there is some sort of cartel of tradesmen

Paddington used to be a working class suburb where houses cost a few hundred pounds. These days you wouldn't get a property there for under a million dollars. It's been like for about 40 years.
It's amazing that there was still a pub that hadn't been renovated.  We don't know how much the Village Inn spent renovating the joint but it would be in the 100s of thousands of dollars. Tradie labour isn't cheap. At $180-300 an hour you can see how the costs would run up pretty fast and why the Inn owners would need to put their prices up. The notion that tradies, having made a small fortune renovating the place, would then complain because the Inn owners need to recoup the costs of their wages is nonsensical.

Meanwhile where does Karl Stefanovic who said "get lost you  hipsters" live? Possibly less than ten minutes from the Village Inn in a lavish penthouse. As for Lisa Wilkinson, Whispers often sees her at fashion shows or at the Randwick Races. We've never spotted her yet protesting about the strict dress rules there or anywhere else. But we will ask her why.

Volvo's Classy V40 Launch

The ever so reliable Volvo car makers launched their new model, the V40 at Sydney's Technology Park. With a Pommery Champagne bar the organisers sensibly ferried guests to and from the party in fleet of Volvo 4WDs.

Anyone remember The Saint ?-vintage Volvo

Watch our video of the unveiling of the V40 : this was quite amazing as the car really did seem to be racing along a road. And an even a racier act followed with a performance by chart topping DJ Havana Brown with her dancers. We like these car launches !

Volvo fans Matt Shirvington,Guillaume & Terry Kaljo,Lisa Wilkinson

hugs & kisses at Volvo

Jessica Gomez was there

Havana Brown

Bachelors Galore!

Vogue Williams

Hayden Quinn

And so to the fabled Marquee nightclub that opened less than a month ago with "it" girl Paris Hilton and other assorted slebs like Will-I-Am.
 A chance to see what all the hullabaloo was about. Not much so it seems and for our UK readers, put it this way, the decor challenged nightclub would never be a threat to Peter Stringfellow. Perhaps 1980s design is all the rage again.

 



Cleo Magazine was hosting it's famous Bachelor of The Year event which means plenty of beefcake and lots of pretty gals at a party organised by top publicist Roxy Jacenko.



  right : Sandor Earl
 left: Lisa Wilkinson


The winner ?. Surfing chef Hayden Quinn, a very likable chap whose star continues to rise after his MKR appearances. And why not-so saleable. A surfer and a top chef. A winning combination.

One small hitch, the nightclub's escalator didn't work and was still out of action when the Shuttle left so a kindly bouncer escorted us through a rain swept walkway into a darkened theatre and pointed to an exit. Perhaps this was the legendary VIP entrance.

left : our fave DJ Ruby Rose

                                                                                                above : Celeb Apprentice Lauryn Eagle

 

Kendall Schuler & Avril Alexander                                        Adam Williams and Simone Holtznag

Vanessa Amarosi Sings For Richard Wilkins

Richard Wilkins & Vanessa Amarosi

 Plenty of network heavies and stars from NINE TV clambered up the steep stairs to the second floor in the Kings Cross nightclub Kit & Kaboodle last night to pay homage to Richard Wilkins.

Ben Fordham & David Gyngell

The TV celebrity interviewer was launching his first book :Black Ties, Red Carpets, Green Rooms. It's a series of his interviews with some of the world's most famous stars plus heaps of back stage gossip with an insight into the sometimes strange world of celebrity ego.

However you won't find much in the book about his many love affairs including with the fashion designer Collette Dinnigan or Tottie Goldsmith although there are some tales about Tottie's famous aunt Olivia Newton John. Since arriving on these shores from New Zealand some 25 years ago Wilkins has been working non-stop, first in his own band Wilde and Reckless, then as an MTV  presenter and for the last 15 years as the Nine network's top interviewer of celebrities including on-camera stints from the red carpet at the Oscars.

Among those at the party-his Today Show co-hosts Cameron Williams, Georgie Gardner, Lisa Wilkinson and Karl Stefanovic (who launched the book), Nine network supremo David Gyngell and Sony boss Denis Handlin.

Lots of Richard's interview subjects sent their best wishes- Prince, Mel Gibson, Nicole Kidman but one, Vanessa Amarosi presented her fondness by attending the party and singing. The video is below:

model agency supremo Peter Chadwick & Deborah Hutton

a night of hugs and kisses.....

Georgie Gardner & Lisa Wilkinson

even The Wiggles turned up!

Earth to Dame Edna & British Royal Watcher James Whitaker

..and the entire Channel Nine Network reporting from The Mall in London including Lisa Wilkinson, Karl Stefanovic and 'Royal watcher' James Whitaker :
this is Mohammed Fayed who was not invited to The Wedding :

 and this is George Tupou V who is the King of Tonga :

who was invited to The Wedding as a Head of State of a Commonwealth member country.

We know they are both dark and amply built but there is a difference.