Hollywood comes to The Rescue

Lord of The Rings star Hugo Weaving joined Whispers on the floor of the Teacher's Federation Theatre  in Surry Hills at a rally by the Friends of the ABC to protest funding cuts to the national broadcaster. Under the current conservative government over $300M this year alone has been slashed from the ABC budget by PM Malcolm Turnbull leading to the loss of 800 jobs (despite promising no cuts previously).

It was standing (or seated on the floor) room only as Weaving spread his legs out to enthusiastically applaud the various speakers. They included top selling author  Tom Keneally of Schindler's List fame, Magda Szubanski, star of the ABC'S Kath & Kim and "red" Kerry O'Brien , the retired broadcaster who fronted the 7.30 Report and 4 Corners for many years.

Kerry O'Brien, Magda Szubanski and Tom Keneally at the Save the ABC Rally

Often criticized as being too "left wing" O'Brien read out many of the 100s of letters he would receive after hosting ABC political broadcasts during election days. Most attacked him as being too favourable to the Liberal Party and too tough on the Labor Party.
Szubanski compared the recent same sex marriage survey that found a 62% positive result for LGBT marriage rights with the Aussie public and quoted credible surveys that say 68% of Australians love their ABC.
One speaker pointed out that after slashing ABC TV & radio broadcasts to our South Pacific neighbours which received audiences the UK's BBC would envy,  China has quickly filled the void snapping up 300 of the Australian broadcast wavelengths and now dominate our nearest neighbours.
The rally, which was followed by one in Melbourne and will be repeated around the country are in response to a recent Liberal Party conference where delegates voted to privatize the ABC.

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Out and about canvassing today in the Longman bi-election with the Labor Party candidate Susan Lamb was Hollywood star Danny Glover.
Glover is making quite a splash around Australia and appears to have become an activist for several local matters including Indigenous affairs.

The Great Gatsby-Spot the Bloopers

Jeff Duff

While the News Corp Daily Telegraph is bringing the world exclusive snaps from the set of The Great Gatsby and tales of Leo DiCaprio's weekly new handbag girlfriend, the Shuttle's on-set spy has been supplying us with a few tidbits.
As we exclusively reported a few weeks ago, the singer Jeff Duff has been cast in the movie as a friend of Jay Gatsby (apparently director Baz Luhrmann has been telling friends that Duffo-as he was once known-exemplifies the sort of eccentric character Baz aspires to).

Now we have noticed a glaring gaff spotted in a series of snaps from the set, that were featured in the UK Daily Mail (courtesy of News Corp). The originals can be seen here and we re-produce a couple of screen shots.
 No, it isn't the beat-up about Tobey McGuire looking very smart in 1920's gear topped with a boater and wearing a pair of 2011 Nikes. (our spy says the snaps were taken as Tobey wandered around in between takes and he had slipped of his movie shoes).
It's the series of splendid 1920's automobiles.

Each one of them is a right hand drive vehicle and of course, in the USA cars are left hand drive.

Is this a first for the fans of movie mistakes who scour the flicks and to date, have clocked up as many as 600 similar mistakes in the Harry Potter movies, over 300 in Pirates Of The Caribbean and about 260 in just one Lord of The Rings film?.
It makes the famous scene from 1959 Ben Hur where a trumpeter is spotted wearing a modern watch pale into insignificance.
Perhaps the viewers will never notice. But then again, The Great Gatsby is being filmed in glorious 3D.

The Successful Otto Clan

Gracie

Gracie Otto comes from Australian acting royalty. Her dad is the respected actor Barry Otto (John Gielgud once said he was one of the best actors in the world) and big sis is Miranda Otto who appeared in the Lord of The Rings trilogy.

Miranda

Now Gracie's debut film as a director, Seamstress staring Barry, Julie Forsyth and the leggy Mink Sadowsky will premier at the prestige Palm Springs International Film Festival. Described as detective mystery drama, Seamstress tells the tale of a man ( Otto) who become obsessed with the gorgeous seamstress who lives next door.

Seamstress opens at the Festival on June 21st. The Shuttle would love to be there but we have an appointment that day with Dame Edna Everage at the Black & White charity Women of Achievement event !.

Jack Black

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Lucy Lui

Kung Fu Panda 2 premiered last night at the Hoyts Complex in George Street, Sydney with Jack Black, Lucy Lui and producer Jeffrey Katzenberg in attendance.