Michael Jackson's Last Phone Call

You heard it here first..........

ShiBo & Joel Rock !

These two kids walked onto the stage last week at X-Factor and simply blew away the audience. It's time to re-visit these amazingly natural talents ahead of next weeks Factor: 14 year old Shiane Hawke from Darwin  and 15 year old Joel Goncalves from Brisbane who sang a Michael Jackson song with the most beautiful voice.

Shock Video:Dannii Minogue in Three-in-a-Bath Romp

MOVE OVER X Factor and Australia's Got Talent. Long before these shows were discovering young talent- from 1971 to 1988 Young Talent Time was presenting a host of new Aussie kids with some who went onto become major world stars.

On January 22nd YTT (as it is known ) returns to the Ten Network after a 24 year absence with a new cast of kids and Rob Mills as host (the originator of the show and presenter John Young is producer).

Tina Arena, John Bowles, Debra Byrne and Jamie Redfern are just some but the most notable discoveries had to be Dannii Minogue and her big sister Kylie Minogue.

Off course Dannii became one of YTT''s top stars after appearing on the programme when she was 9 and eventually featured every week. At 15 she introduced 17 year old Kylie during a promotion for The Hendersons in which Kylie had scored her first acting role. Eventually Kylie would be come a YTT regular and the rest is history.

Tina Arena (left)

Debra Byrne

Tina Arena stills tours and sings and is a huge star in France. John Bowles is travelling the world appearing in stage shows, Jamie Redfern, who was taken to the USA at age 14 to tour with Liberace (and hang out with Michael Jackson-the first of a series of young Aussie performers to attract MJ's attentions) runs a talent school and agency in Melbourne while Debra Byrne appeared just last week at the opening of Annie at The Star casino, accompanying her 9 year old grand -daughter who appears in the show.

And Kylie of course rules the world ! Below is a rare video we have uncovered (most of the video taped shows were recorded over and lost forever) of Dannii romping in a bathtub with a boy and girl !
(the title of the post?..we did work on a Fleet Street tabloid once)

Distant Cousins? #4 Who's Your Daddy?

There has been much speculation in the media over the biological father of the late great entertainer Michael Jackson's children Paris and Prince with their birth mother Debbie Rowe claiming they were conceived with sperm from an anonymous donor.

A regular Shuttle reader points to the following and the remarkable resemblance between Prince Jackson and the so-called 'mascot' of the popular magazine MAD- Alfred E.Neuman. Could they perchance be related? We should be told.

Prince Jackson

Alfred E,Neuman

Brush With Fame

Anyone who is a regular at press conferences or celebrity soirees in Sydney is used to the sight of Richard Simpkin.

He and an odd collection of fans of fame gather at entrances to parties to get autographs or photos. The assembled paparazzi usually swear to murder them when they momentarily stop the progress of the star du jour for a signature.

There seems to be no rhyme or reason to the concept of autograph hunting. These fans like everyone and no-one.
Sometimes catching snippets of their conversation can be illuminating. They never discuss what Cate Blanchett or Lady Ga Ga was wearing or their work - just how easy or difficult it was to get their signature. The Shuttle has questioned some of them at times and often they don't even know what the star's latest offering is. They heard they will be in town or at some event and they religiously turn up.


At the Australian premiere of Puss In Boots on Sunday with Antonio Banderas and Selma Hayek there was the lady who always gets a sleb to sign her Teddy Bear for 'charity'. She never seems to be able to tell us what charity but she almost busts a piston with excitement when she scores.

Another stopped appearing about 4 years ago when his supply of Polaroid film dried up. Sadly his collection of celebrity autographed snaps of stars done on his Polaroid camera over 30 years has begun to fade just as he was getting into his stride.

And missing on Sunday was Richard Simpkin and it took a perusal of the UK Guardian newspaper to remember what he told us as we went into a party a few months ago-a gallery was having an exhibition of his photographs of he and various celebrities. In Liverpool in the UK of all places.

Simpkin published  a book of these photos Richard & Famous about 5 years ago and it's difficult to contemplate who would actually want a book of a stranger with a variety of famous people (most champing at the bit to flee from him). He admitted there were still boxes of them under his bed. He's bound to have carted a few to the UK.

Is it art, an obsession, an illness, creepy, weird ?. Who knows? The comments section following the newspaper's article says all these things.
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Now the Guardian is getting in on the act and is requesting their readers to send in their own 'brush with fame' snaps (they'll be sorry !) with a prize of-wait for it- a ticket to the 'VIP' opening night of Richard's Liverpool exhibition in January (bus fare included).

All photographs by Richard Simpkin (and assorted passersby)

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.

exclusive : Jack Vidgen's Debut Album

Here's a of taste of his debut album from young Jack Vidgen who picked up the $250,000 prize for winning Australia's Got Talent.

Listen to River Deep Mountain High and Think-you could be forgiven for thinking this is an album by a black female singer with Jack's amazingly mature voice.
As for Michael Jackson's Who's Loving You..we're sure Michael in Heaven is certainly loving this version.

You can get the album at Sanity , JB HiFi or Itunes.

Ita Buttrose : Missing In Action

Finally a daily newspaper has picked up on our tale that Ita Buttrose may be drafted in to run for Lord Mayor in council elections 9mainly ebcause we told the ungrateful bugger)

Our source is an Oxford Street businessman who represents several others who have requested anonymity.

The writer says he has had no response from his email or phone calls to Ms Buttrose which seems odd as Ita is known for being the epitome of good manners  (see : A Guide to Australian Etiquette)

Likewise last week the Shuttle received no response from an emailed request for a comment from Ms Buttrose on the claim. But why not ?. If the rumour is untrue it would be a simple matter to just say it isn't so. Silence says it may be true ! And when have we ever been wrong ?  Watch this space.

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.

Tempting fate !

Vesna Tenodi

 More dramas after our story of Arab/French dancer Alizee Sari's strip at the sacred Aboriginal site Uluru in the Outback.( see below).

A Croatian born artist living in the Blue Mountains just outside Sydney,  Vesna Tenodi is getting flak for her Aboriginal style paintings and sculptures. Vesna was on the ABC's Radio National this week defending herself saying  "prehistoric imagery belongs to the world. Any group claiming ownership is a ludicrous proposition. We have to make this clear, otherwise we will all be held hostage by this Aboriginal nonsense.'' Ouch.

Tenodi owns the very Indigenous looking
ModroGorje Gallery and Wellness Centre in Katoomba and has just unveiled the Wanjina Watchers in the Whispering Stone, an 8.5-tonne sculpture in the heart of town with heavy overtones of Aboriginal symbolism.She says she has received death threats.

The Shuttle attended the last exhibition of  one of the great Indigenous artists Clifford Possum in ritzy Woollahra a few years ago. Possum's sold his first painting for $100 and just after he died in 2002 one of his  works brought over $400,000 at auction. 

Possum was late for the exhibition and the gallery was closed by the time he arrived. tSS was driving past and noticed the great man peering through the gallery windows with tears streaming down his cheeks. Asked what was the matter, Possum replied "they're all fakes!" .

Clifford Possum

When Possum passed away there was much wrangling about his remaining works. It was soon discovered that several family members also did paintings under his name.
But as an expert explained, the concept of 'self' is a difficult one in Aboriginal culture and a tribe perceives itself as a whole. Thus aunties and uncles, nephews and so on (who are not necessarily blood relations) join in to complete  artworks and they are regarded as being executed by the artist himself. Similarly when a tribe or members come into wealth the lot is shared around equally. The original Socialists !.

 As for the gallery where the Possum fakes (non-Aboriginal copies) were-it went bust within the year.

As we said before, say a little prayer for Ms Sari and another for Vesna !

                                         
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With the announcement that Michael Jackson Cd's have sold 35 million copies since he died, some of his personal items drew bug bucks at Juliens Summer auction. One of his fedoras fetched $56,250 while one of those famous sequined gloves brought $192,000.

Anna Nicole Smith's variety of Marilyn Monroe decorated handbags went from $90 to $200 but the big winner was the great legend herself. 

 3 of Marilyn Monroe's chest x-rays sold for a combined $45,000. Pill popping Elvis Presley's personal copy of the Physician's Desk Reference sold for $11,875 but there was a bargain-an Elvis potholder for $224 !. Elvis in the kitchen?.

Anna Nicole, Michael, Elvis goodies up for sale

 Show-biz Special :

If you always wanted to own a piece of a dead celebrity this is your chance. At Julien's Auctions in Las Vegas beginning on the 24th June a whole range of star memorabilia is up for sale with some fabulously tasteful pieces including a medical swab from Elvis Presley (expected to sell for about $1000). 

Just think of the assortment of drugs in that swab-percodan,Quaalude, Seconal, Ritalin-the lot. Just sit yourself on a toilet seat with a peanut butter sandwich and you too can feel like The King.

Our personal favourite is Janis Joplin's arrest photos. The best she's ever looked !.

There's a mass of stuff from Michael Jackson's estate including just about everything he ever wore and a few pieces from the Neverland Ranch including a "security badge' to bring out the inner bossy pedo in you.

Anna's doggy's bed

 

Anna Nicole Smith must have collected every bit of Marilyn Monroe tat going. Dozens of handbags with Marilyn's face, mugs, photos, it's all up for sale including some of Anna Nicole's own "art". Gorgeous. And her doggies bed and her fake Louis Vuitton suitcase.

A masterpiece by Anna Nicolle

 

There's something for everyone including from those still breathing-Bob Dylan, Britney Spears and check out Ozzy Osbourne's dreadful office 'suite' which they think may bring $800!. Yuk 

You can bid online here.

                                                   

Pope's redemption for one of our favourite sinners.

Former high flier and jailbird Rodney Adler has been granted an audience with Pope Benedict XVI in  a meeting arranged by the late Michael Jackson's friend Rabbi Shmuley Boteach.

  

Michael and the Rabbi

Adler was released from jail in 2007 after serving nearly 3 years for his part in the largest corporate collapse in Australia when the giant insurance company HIH went belly-up owing $5 billion . Until then he and wife Lyndi were two of the leading lights in Sydney's Eastern Suburbs social scene.

Adler's connections were far and wide. Guests at a charity gala in a circus marquee in Rose Bay in 1998 were startled when Adler arrived with Mikhail & Raisi Gorbachev on his arm after flying them into town in his corporate jet.

In 2000 he and Lyndi Adler hosted a turn of the century bash at their Bellevue Hill mansion (tSS attended and whisked visiting actress Sarah Michelle Gellar off to the Opera House gala for the fireworks display) .In 2002 Rodney hosted a dinner in his Waldorf Apartment  in New York for Bill Clinton. 

Lyndi & Rodney Adler

Adler has know Rabbi Shmuley for years and once stayed with  him and his family at Jackson's Neverland Ranch for a week.

3 months into his jail sentence Adler was reprimanded after it was discovered he was conducting business from his cell. During the last 18 months of his incarceration he says  he found peace teaching young Arab inmates how to control financial matters. Adler had said he feared being jailed as a high profile Jew.

He's kept a fairly low profile since leaving the St Heliers Correctional Centre in the Hunter Valley and now concentrates on charity work and is on the board of the Raisi Gorbachev Foundation. He has also set up a charity to assist displaced Palestinian families.

Adler was part of Rabbi Shmuley's delegation to the Vatican to garner the Pope's assistance in his 'Turn Friday Night into Family Night'' initiative which aims to get parents of all faiths to spend Friday nights at home with their family. 

On his website the Rabbi says "Rodney emphasised to the Pope the importance of partnering with me on creating an international family dinner night and how much he believed in the idea and The Pope ''warmly agreed''.  You can also purchase some of the Rabbi's work there including The Michael Jackson Tapes, his lecture on  Desperate Housewives given in Melbourne in 2005, an interview with the first Jewish Playmate Lindsey Vuolo, The Kosher Sutra sex instruction manual, or our favourite-a Rabbi Shmuley booblehead!.

Heil King Henry IX !

 

 Well that's according to Nostrodamus and Mario Reading's

The Complete Phrophecies of Nostradamus.

King Charles III will abdicate in 2022 (yes-it will be Camilla's fault) and Harry takes over (no word on why William is by-passed). Expect Buck House to become fun city and a cross between Annabel's and your local boozer.

       Not for long-the Royal Family is gone by 2040 and Britain becomes a Republic and naughty France rejoices ! (don't worry-by 2098 France has descended into utter anarchy)

   

   

 tSS telephoned our regular psychic Mandy Miami ( right ) who is currently in Melbourne for our new century predictions but she wasn't giving anything away. 'Not since my run-in with Uri Geller over Michael Jackson" she said."

 " I keep my predictions to myself now", Mandy had written a raft of predictions for that august publication the National Enquirer and correctly predicted the winner of the Kentucky Derby, the next host city of the Olympic Games but one piece raised the hackles of thousands. Words to the effect of "within the coming year Michael Jackson will be involved in a huge scandal that will forever change his life and he will need to re-invent his image. He will marry but never be the same again".

       Sounds innocuous but at a charity dinner a few weeks later Geller declared his "close friend" Michael would never get himself involved in scandal  and to shove home his point he bent Miami's dinner fork, house key and stopped her watch.

       Nine months later the Jordan Chandler story erupted and the rest is history.

   Nostradamus,according to Reading's book, says there are rocky times ahead including the flooding of the Aegean Sea in 2016 .
       Things aren't looking too rosy for Pope Benedict with a new younger, liberal and more hip Pope taking over in 2012. That rules out the ultra-conservative Cardinal Pell of Sydney who was pipped at the post by his German pal.

        Hillary Rodham Clinton becomes president in 2015 with the prediction in the following quatrain :

The Masculain woman will exert herself to the north.

 She will annoy nearly all of Europe and the rest of the world

 (surely Sarah Palin ?.)

   Meat will be banned by 2031 and we'll all be vegans. Or maybe eating

Soylent Green. And the following year the new Anti Christ is born !

     Islamic terrorism is on the rise and new weapons will be actually secreted inside their bodies-forget body scanners. A waste of money.

         And finally the fear of White Australia will come true in 2037 when Oz and Indonesia go to all out war over who dominates the Indian Ocean.

    And a victory for the UK Independence Party in Britain when England leaves the Eurpean Union in 2064.

        

There are endless climate disasters ahead for us and most of New York disappears in an earthquake in 2083. There are tsunamis , locust plagues wiping out crops worldwide, earthquakes in Europe and a re-emergence of the black plague that wipes out huge amounts of the population throughout the world and Europe.

       But Britain is spared !. Not so fast folks. Over populated, the UK suffers from a famine. (remember-the locusts )

            And did I mention the asteroid that hits planet earth in 2069 ? So don't even worry about the global nuclear war that begins in 2070 and lasts for 20 years.

       

The Protestant and Catholic churchs will be kaput by 2070 and Buddhism is the new faith. And maybe Scientology with Tom Cruise as the new Messiah.

 It just gets worse after that so there's no point in being too pessimistic.

     

Basically we're all going to hell in a handbasket. So all in all-nothing much changes for the next ten decades and it's business as usual.!

 Happy New Year and have a great century !

              

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# our thanks to a regular reader Mr P.Taylor who pointed out some shocking spelling mistakes. Mildred Pierce is banished from the office yet again . Staff are hopeless these days.

But you have worse things to worry about really-the Anti Christ is on his/her way !