The Mother of All Balls

Now in it's 8th year, actress Rachel Ward's Mother of All Balls went of without a hitch on Friday night at Royal Randwick Racecourse in the Oaks Lawn Marquee.



Bryan Brown & Rachel Ward



With A Rock The Kasbah theme it was an exotic extravaganza of Bedouin chic on a warm evening reminiscent (if you shut your eyes) of  Casablanca meets Marrakesh in a seductive swirl of colour and light with Camel racing, dancing, a Moroccan Souk for Fez hats and jewellery and a sumptuous dinner by Luke Mangan, inspired by the fragrant and tantalising spices of Morocco.



Matilda Brown



And most important, one of the Shuttle's favourite sponsors, Nicholas Feuillatte Champagne which is now the largest selling non vintage bubbles on the planet. Sadly the great man himself Nic Feuillatte failed to appear as he is ailing at his Sydney home where he is now permanently based having sold his Tangier palace.

In the past any major movie personality in town has attended Rachel's baby including Hugh Jackman , Russell Crowe and Quentin Tarrantino.

This year we had Kerri-Anne Kennerley and cricket great Shane Watson and girlfriend Lee Furlong ( see our pic from the OHLALA Mag).








Lee Furlong & Shane Watson







A Day at The Races : Ben Hur

If you are going to the ANZ Stadium this Friday or Saturday for the performance of Ben Hur, take a rug. It gets cold, very cold. Here are some snaps we took from Wednesday night's full dress rehearsal that went without a hitch.

This show has it all-half naked men wrestling each other, slave girls being whipped, huge galley ships being erected before your eyes and leprosy !. A Roman stadium built as you watch and that race-the race between Ben Hur and his rival. There are still 14000 tickets available but that means audiences of at least 15000 at each show, something that should really boost the atmosphere ( there is audience participation).And of course Russell Crowe narrating ( which makes up for Jesus Christ's American accent). Friday night's show is introduced by Richard Wilkins, Saturday's by Alan Jones. Book at Ticketek here !

The Roman Senate !

Ben Hur takes the lead at the 9th lap !

exclusive- special guest for Oprah Winfrey's Sydney show

US talk show queen Oprah Winfrey is to record 2 shows at the Sydney Opera House in December, the first time she has filmed a show outside the USA.

Apart from 25o crew members and 300 guests who will travel with her, Oprah will have a host of Aussie guests like Nicole Kidman, Hugh Jackman and Cate Blanchett. Russell Crowe has said he will appear if he is in town.

Agents are already negotiating for a number of smaller stars to appear given the extraordinary showcase the opportunity presents with 40 million viewers world-wide.

The Social Shuttle can exclusively reveal one guest who has been signed to appear-Bondi Vet's Chris Brown. Apparently Oprah had already seen vision of Chris and has been secretly negotiating for the TV vet to appear. This is sure to catapult the 6'2"Brown into international stardom with his classic movie star looks and easy manner.


The credit for getting Oprah to Sydney goes to US born NSW state premier Kristina Keneally whose NSW Tourism department began negotiations with the US TV queen 9 months ago. And how will this mob get here ?. Simple. Qantas roving ambassador John Travolta will be piloting a 747 from LA to Sydney !.



Watch Oprah tell her audience they are off to Australia !

Work with Russell Crowe-be a senator, slave or gladiator

Over 1,000 members of the public have registered to audition for a role in BEN HUR – The Stadium Spectacular.  

Wear an outfit like Bruno's and you may get the role

The producers of  have been forced to shortlist with 500 hopefuls to be put through the rigours of an audition at ANZ Stadium on Saturday 28 August.

We'll be there to film the day-should be fun. Let's hope they have lions, Christians, virgins, orgies.......

Tweet of The Day :

KremlinRussia_E

 

Most social facilities in Kamchatka will get a gas connection in four years. This programme is crucial for the region. about 1 hour ago via web    (and you thought you had it bad !)

A revelation from Russell Crowe in the Green Room

Don Spencer & daughter Danielle aka Mrs Russell Crowe

With the ABC 702 Radio riding to the top of the ratings charts, mainly to the efforts of morning host Adam Spencer, perhaps that is why his wife and a good pal have splashed out and opened a new wine bar in the boom inner-west suburb of Enmore.

Mel Spencer has bought an old betting shop and tarted it up as the Green Room, conveniently located just a short walk from the Enmore Theatre which is now one of the last inner city live venues and which is packed most nights with it's line-up of international acts.

About 30 of us trotted a long for the opening night, mainly a clutch of Adam and Mel's show-biz pals like TV hosts Kylie Gillies and Tracey Spicer, top rating Gruen Transfer's Wil Anderson, actor Russell Crowe and wife Danielle Spencer (no relation) who brought her dad Don and our favourite crooner Kamahl.

Wil Anderson & Deborah Hutton

Kamahl & Adam Spencer

Never forget: Kamahl was the Queen Mum's favourite singer and she had all his albums. Which is just as well as few other people do. But he's actually a great singer and once headlined at the Carnegie Hall in New York City so he can't be that bad !.

Tracey Spicer & husband Jason

And Russell was able to put to bed the recent rumour that he and the family had visited the home of the late Lady Sonia McMahon which is up for sale with a view to buy.

"Not for us" said Russell." Not even interested". Asked if the $42M palace Altona was more his style, Crowe replied:

Tony & Kylie Gillies

"Altona would be wonderful for the kids but it's a bit open and accessible. I need something more private but I am looking. You can't bring up kids, especially 2 rowdy boys, on a wharf ".

He was referring to his $12M penthouse at Wolloomooloo Wharf where he has lived for the past 8 years.

Co-incidently the Shuttle lunched at Ottos on the Wharf today after the General Election shambles the night before. At adjoining tables, PI Frank Monte and guest. 

At another- retired radio host John Laws and wife Caroline who lunched with guests former Liberal Party leader Andrew Peacock and his wife Penne ( who was a  former Texas beauty queen and is Laura Bush's best pal ).

See why  HRH Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother was enraptured with Kamahl !

# Those Tweets so you don't have to bother !

 

justinbieber 

3 years ago I was on the side of the street busking in Stratford for anyone who would listen....2nite we sold out the ACC!! NEVER SAY NEVER! ( busking at 12 ??)
 

DalaiLama

 

Unfortunate events, though potentially a source of anger and despair, have equal potential to be a source of spiritual growth. 

Star with Russell Crowe

The Shuttle attended an announcement last week at the Blue Hotel on Woolloomooloo Wharf. It was to announce who would be the narrator of the Ben Hur spectacular at the ANZ Stadium in October.

 One didn't have to be a genius to know that it would be Russell Crowe who lives at the end of the wharf in a penthouse.

Here is a snap from the earlier launch which was hosted by broadcaster Alan Jones at the Sydney Town Hall and a video of Russell at the Wharf plus the fantastic chariot race from the original film with Charlton Heston. For our younger readers, the role of Pontious Pilot who you see in the film drop a scarf to start the race was played by the wonderfully camp Melbourne actor Frank Thring.

Alan Jones smiles..and some  butch Centurions

The production company is also asking for extras to appear in the coliseum scenes.  If they tell you that it's to play the role of a Christian you better check that there won't be lions involved in this show. It's the most amazing and realistic spectacle according to those who saw it in France, the only other time it has been staged. 

As for Russell-he announced on the day he had given up smoking after one of his young kids embarrassed him into it and he will be spending at least the rest of the year in Australia to be with his children. We , as usual will bring you the first news of where Crowe and wife Danielle Spencer will be moving to. They are still looking for a house.

For info on the extra jobs go to  www.benhur.com.au

exclusive-Mel's fire sale

Mel & Bruce Davey

What is behind Mel Gibson's disposal of so many properties ?.

He has sold off his New York house and a beach house in Malibu is on the market.

Now there is a rumour from a reliable source that Mel's partner in Icon Films, Bruce Davey may be putting Craigend  up for sale. Craigend in Point Piper is one of the elite suburb's most iconic properties with a commanding view of the harbour.

Davey and Gibson purchased Craigend  in 2001 for $16M and announced it was to be the headquarters of their burgeoning film production company Icon which has produced 3 box office success- Apocaypto, The Passion of Christ and. Braveheart. These 3 films pushed Mel into billionaire status and has made him one of the richest of Hollywood stars. The 2 producers announced last year that Icon was going into a production hiatus.

Craigend

Tales of the demise of Mel's career are of course greatly exaggerated. As an actor/director who has total control over his career, Mel calls the shots. But he has taken a thumping on property prices as he sells up just at the wrong time. The Sydney market has also gone quiet for high end properties.

As we exclusively reported earlier actor Russell Crowe and wife Danielle Spencer viewed Altona, on the market for $45.5M but owners Deke & Eve Miskin have rejected an offer from Crowe  of $36M. It's doubtful the Miskins will get their asking price in today's market.

It's a buyer's market. What has spooked Mel ?

                                         *********************************

While Gibson and Crowe can play the property market with ease, things go from bad to worse for budding property developer Gary Baker and his wife, Chanel boss Karin Upton Baker as their property empire collapses under a sea of debt.

The Bakers are heavy duty social scene members but have gone quiet recently with a Supreme Court battle over money lenders and loans on their sumptuous pride of joy, an Elizabeth Bay duplex that has been the locale of many parties for visiting celebrities.
The duplex has a 3 car garage with a turntable that housed their series of black autos with XXX number plates- a Rolls Phantom, a Bentley Continental and a vintage pagoda style Mercedes. The Merc is regularly put up for sale and withdrawn-it's Karin's favourite car and she is finding it hard to part with.

Now it seems Gary is finding it hard to part with some of the properties that have been his financial downfall. After a finance company took hold of 3 Bondi Beach apartments that were once owned by the late singer Peter Allen, an auction on the weekend of one of his Bellevue Hill apartments saw Baker hovering around the auction, pulling funny faces at prospective buyers and generally acting slightly odd.

Gary is also said to have photographed a member of the press who had been "stalking him for 20 years".