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| 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 .
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| 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.
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.
