Versace bargain : "it's just not etiquette"

Paris Hilton, Bono of U2, Mick Jagger and the Dubai Royal Family are just some of the slebs who have resided at Palazzo Versace on the Gold Coast.

 There isn’t another hotel or residential resort in Australia that can invoke such recognition and reaction with it's Italian extravagance.Now living the lifestyle of a celebrity is no longer exclusive for high rollers or the rich and famous at an establishment listed in the prestigious Leading Hotels of The World.

Gold Coast real-estate agent Rob Astbury has just listed a  three bedroom residential apartment at Palazzo Versace for just $1,450,000. Some would describe it as an unbelievable bargain but Astbury told the Shuttle “I have been informed that using the words “Versace and bargain” in the same sentence is just not etiquette.” 

The reality is after an unprecedented property boom the Gold Coast is now undergoing a major price correcting and nothing is exempt, not even Palazzo Versace. After a decade working with a property developer in Thailand  Astbury has returned to the Gold Coast where he was once crowned the top Ray White sales person in Queensland. Winning two prestigious marketing awards Astbury is renowned for his theme “still the ONE”. It was the call sign of Channel 9 where Astbury built a reputation as the top sports journalist in Australia.

Despite one of the toughest Gold Coast markets ever  Astbury has had nine sales in three months totalling over $8.7 million and attributes his success to thinking outside the square when marketing prestige real estate.

And who is buying into the Gold Coast ?. Just about everyone who is anyone in Sydney and Melbourne has a holiday unit on the Gold Coast but the word is that Middle East oil sheiks and millionaires are snapping up properties at the top end of the market viewing Queensland as one of the safest spots on earth to invest. The Shuttle also hears that billionaire James Packer is looking for the quintessential property to complement the extravagant Vauclause mansion he is currently building.

Elena Ioukhnovitch

Rob Astbury

Astbury recently teamed up with glamorous Gold Coast resident and agent Elena Ioukhnovitch. The pair is now making an assault on marketing properties in Mermaid Beach including Hedges and Albatross Avenues long renowned as “Millionaire Row” with some of the most expensive real estate in Australia.

In the past month Rob and Elena have listed several properties ranging from a three bedroom apartment at the tightly held Broadbeach On The Park to a spectacular three level residence at 203 Hedges Avenue, both boasting absolute beach frontage.

On The Park is a boutique six level building with one apartment per floor reduced from $3,000,000 to $1,625,000. Three years ago at the height of the boom 203 Hedges sold for $9 million and today it can be snapped up for $6,950,000. With three bedrooms, a private movie theatre and roof top swimming pool there is parking for six cars in the basement.

Astbury’s website www.robastbury.com.au has complete details, photos and videos of the large price range of properties listed including a spectacular 700 square metre Broadbeach Penthouse for $4.9 million and a stunning four bedroom beach house at La Sabbia for $4 million.

Eddie’s out-Rob’s Still The One!

Rob Astbury

Eddie McGuire

Two decades ago Eddie McGuire at Channel 10 and Rob Astbury with Channel 9 were arch rivals. Both changed the way television sports news was presented especially the coverage of AFL. 

They won many awards for their tabloid style of breaking football stories on television, once the domain of newspapers. At the height of his career Astbury was reported to be the highest paid television sports reporter but in the mid 1990’s their career paths changed dramatically. Eddie became a house hold name fronting the Football Show and later Who Wants To Be a Millionaire while Astbury turned to real estate on the Gold Coast.

Within five years Astbury established himself as the top agent in Queensland with the Ray White group winning a swag of awards for sales and marketing. In 2003 he shocked colleagues by relocating to Thailand where he was instrumental in turning a small real estate agency into the largest property developer on Thailand’s Eastern Seaboard.

During the next seven years he says he made a lot of money for his employers and himself but during the last three years, with the world economic meltdown, everything turned sour. 

Rob told the Shuttle today:“after making a small fortune I ended up with nothing and had two options. I didn’t like the second option so I decided to return to the Gold Coast to resurrect my life from scratch, literally.”

Eddie McGuire’s glittering career has also hit hard times. 

This week the Nine Network has pulled the pin on the sports quiz show Between the Lines. The series launched three weeks ago and fronted by McGuire struggled for ratings outside the southern metropolis.  It is McGuire's third failure this year, after Million Dollar Drop and This Is Your Life.

Queensland's Gold Coast

Meanwhile, three months after returning to the Gold Coast Astbury is kicking goals again. During the past six weeks he has notched up four sales totalling $4.5 million dollars. 

Renowned for his marketing skills Astbury has commissioned half page advertisements in Melbourne’s main metropolitan newspapers published by the Leader Group. Promoting the Gold Coast’s renowned climate and a real estate market undergoing a major price correction Astbury said, “Now may never be a better time to buy Gold Coast property, escape the southern winter and secure an excellent investment.”

The advertisements brazenly feature a photo of Astbury and a slogan once used by the Channel he worked for, “Rob Astbury... Still the ONE… for experience and impeccable service”. The advertisement encourages buyers to click on his personal website www.robastbury.com that features properties ranging from $600,000 to a 700 square metre Penthouse priced at $5,590,000.

Exclusive : "Real Estate God Father is a “Pussy Cat”

Troubles in the world of tabloid television : 

Those with long memories may remember the sad case of an electrician who was pounced upon by the then Kerry Packer owned station and program  A Current Affair over purported dodgy repairs to a radio in 1999 in a classic foot-in-the-door style confrontation. The electrician, a Vietnamese refugee committed suicide 2 days later fearing his life had been destroyed. Kerry Packer was said to be distraught by the matter and privately settled a substantial sum of money on the hapless man's family.

Fast forward to 2009 and the program finds itself in hot water over the alleged  hiring of a hit man by the former Mayor of Waverly and local Liberal Party heavyweight who wanted a male hustler given a hard time, tortured and made to do all sorts of sexual nasties. 

The station thought they had coup and instead have found themselves in the dock with young reporter Ben Fordham charged with breaching the Listening Devices Act for secretly recording conversations with the former mayor. The mayor's counsel says he is suffering from Parkinson's and has lost the plot. His sight must be suffering as well. Those of us who know Ben are perplexed how anyone could think the pint sized presenter could torture anyone. 

little Ben

But ACA is being rivaled in their efforts to prolong a perpetual silly season with an attack upon a popular Gold Coast realtor on the CH7 show Today Tonight :

Former top Ray White Salesman Rob Astbury has described his former boss Gary Gannon, the man at the centre of a Gold Coast real estate scandal as a “pussy cat”. He says the recent explosive Today Tonight report on the Seven network, that accused Gannon of real estate fraud, is a beat up, grossly misleading and unfair. The program can be seen here if you click on Trouble on millionaire's row.

Gannon (pictured left) was accused of being possibly the most feared real estate agent in Australia. Gannon and his senior sales representative Michael Kollosche, formerly Astbury’s assistant, were accused of price fixing, market manipulation and death threats to protect their patch known as Hedges Avenue, renowned as the most expensive street for real estate in Australia.

Today Tonight revealed complaints from two people involved in house sales with Gannon and Kollosche, a seller Adrian Slinger and a buyer Rod Lambert, who described proceedings as a scene straight out of the movie The God Father.

Astbury with a very large award

Both were disgruntled over dealings involving their multi million dollar beach front properties .Slinger  refused to pay the agents commission. Lambert, a former Gold Coast real estate agent claimed he was misled as regards the sales price of a house he purchased for over ten million dollars.

Astbury, who is a property developer now based in Thailand, received the award in January 2000 as Ray White's top selling agent in Queensland with sales over five years totalling $70 million says,

“No matter what the pressure a buyer or seller are never forced to sign a sales contract.” He continued, “The real estate industry in Australia is controlled by very stringent laws and if an agent breeches the rules then he can forfeit his licence.’ 

“For years Rod Lambert was a very successful Gold Coast real estate agent before turning to property development. He knows the real estate industry and the official avenues that are available if he has a complaint. Why he would turn to the media, which has presented a clearly biased account of proceedings, is very disappointing.”

And another award-with his proud mum & Brian White

In a media career that spanned 16 years Astbury worked for all three commercial television networks winning many awards for excellence as an investigative sports journalist before turning to real estate on the Gold Coast..

In an exclusive interview Astbury told the Social Shuttle, “Today Tonight arguable took a large slice of liberty by including a recorded telephone interview between Gannon and a former employee Jade Grech.”.

Astbury says, “The dramatic conversation between Gannon and Grech was recorded by Grech a year prior to the Today Tonight segment which was supposed to be based on the dispute between Rod Lambert and Adrian Slinger.”

Astbury’s remarks appeared to be verified when Grech’s sister Sheree Neal told the Gold Coast Bulletin she was 'shocked' when she saw her brother Jade telling Australia in a 'fake' European accent he feared for his life after being threatened by Mr Gannon. Mrs Neal said that after watching the program, she believed her brother became involved in the Today Tonight feature story because he was motivated by money.

Gannon made the now notorious phone call over a year ago after learning that Grech, who owed him $8,500, was about to leave Australia in June 2008. In the call he says to Grech:   "Give me my eight and a half grand tomorrow mate or you're dead".

Astbury, who worked for Gannon between 1995 and 2000 said, “The telephone conversation certainly sounds threatening but, taken out of context, it is highly misleading.:

"From first hand experience I know how television current affairs television works and this is a classic example where the limits have been stretched. 

Astbury continued, “When the occasion suited, Gary’s abruptness and course language could be alarming and I have elaborated on this extensively in my autobiography “Twice as Hard”, but make no mistake those who really know the man realized under his gruff exterior he is a very generous caring person who would not harm anyone physically. He really is a Pussy Cat. Kick it and it will bite you and that is Gary Gannon.”

According to Peter Jess, who has been appointed to promote Astbury’s soon to be published autobiography called “Twice as Hard” the book has many revelations about real estate, previously untold AFL stories and especially television which Astbury describes as a despicable industry.

“Rob has not spoken to Gannon, Kollosche or anyone from Ray White but his revelations will open a lot of eyes and certainly rock the real estate and television industries.” says Jess.

Sex, drugs and orgies with TV and sporting stars.

Rob Astbury

Rob Astbury barely scratched the surface of an amazing life when he wrote the best seller King and I, detailing his 20 year love affair with Graham Kennedy, Australia's first major TV star who was billed as the King Of Comedy.

Astbury’s second book, an autobiography entitled Twice as Hard, opens with the words: “I’m on my way to have my homosexuality removed. They’re going to take it out like a bad tooth that’s been rotting in my head….’’

Twice as Hard goes beyond the Kennedy era to uncover Astbury’s youthful struggle to stop falling in love with his mates; his rise to the pinnacle of television sports journalism; a drug-fuelled decline into sexual depravity; rebirth and riches in Queensland’s Gold Coast real estate jungle, and finally finding peace of mind and the love of his life in a gay bar in Thailand.

Tracy Grimshaw

Along the way he rips aside the slick veneer of showbiz and TV stardom to reveal the true character of household names including Eddie McGuire, Jana Wendt, Tracy Grimshaw, Derryn Hinch, Don Lane, Bert Newton and Daryl Somers. Astbury knew them all, intimately, and he even found time for a hilarious, but terrifying, encounter with Kerry Packer.

Astbury also spurned the advances of singer Peter Allen, the subject of the successful Broadway musical The Boy From Oz which catapulted Hugh Jackman into superstardom.

He describes television as a despicable industry and his explanation will have stars and TV executives on tenterhooks. And if the lawyers don't maul the manuscript (tSS has read it) many popular and well known sporting stars may be outed.

Frightening-Kerry Packer

At the pinnacle of his media career Astbury was Australia’s highest paid television sports reporter. Although he won many awards there were stories that were simply too hot to touch. However, this book may lift the lid with controversial revelations about football's biggest star sand also sports administrators, many of whom are still today’s mover sand shakers.

Sam Newman

But it wasn’t all wine and roses. A road accident set Astbury on a downward spiral of addiction, initially to medicinal, and then recreational, drugs. Along with the drugs came sex, more of it than most men could handle.

Until one day he found himself answering the front door to the host of Channel Nine's Footy Show Sam Newman while reeling from the after effects of a full scale orgy involving 40 or so whores, mates and showbiz stars, regulars at such events at his Toorak mansion. He didn’t exactly see God in Newman’s face, but he did see something else – the realization that death was the inevitable finale to his excesses.

Peter Allen

Rebirth began with his mother pulling him back from the brink –literally. He was about to jump from the balcony of an exclusive Gold Coast hotel when she intervened.

Astbury stayed on in Queensland, forging himself a second fortune and a swag of real estate awards to go with the ones he won for his ground breaking sports journalism.

Eventually he decided another rebirth was necessary, this one in Thailand, a land full of the people his racist, war hero father had taught him to hold in contempt. But Astburyfor adoration.

At first it was the kid in a lolly shop attraction of the gay bars, and a different lover every night. But then came HIV, and the love of a man known as The Deer.

Astbury's 2006 book King & I was a best seller but it drew mixed reactions mainly from those who wanted Kennedy's image to remain intact even though his homosexuality was well known. Following it's success Astbury considered a political role standing for the Senate as a gay rights campaigner.

In the end he chose to remain living his current life as a successful property developer in Thailand where healso operates a model dairy in the North.

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Following the Shuttle's revelation that a facebook page Eddie Mcguire is ruining the 2010 Winter Olympics coverage, wit hover 10,000 members had started after Eddie McGuire's gay digs at the ice skating stars, nearly 30 top name footballers and coaches are joining in a campaign to begin next month calling for more understanding in sports of gay and lesbian issues.

Eddie 'Everywhere', one of the countries biggest stars issued a press release (ignored by nearly all except the Shuttle)proclaiming his own disappointment in his remarks and promised to do better. The ensuing controversy after the broadcasts eventually made it onto the front page of The Sun newspaper in the UK . Eddie is one of the big names who will front the campaign.

Eddie McGuire-arrogant, over rated meglomaniac.

  Hey, they aren't our words !.

       They're from one of the 10880 10886 10890 members (coincidentally mirroring the same number of tSS readers since we first revealed the website's existence) who have joined up to Eddie McGuire is ruining the 2010 Winter Olympics coverage facebook page.

    Another recent joiner Tim Stone says "he should be cryogenically frozen so future generations can be annoyed."

    Poor Eddie. We feel guilty. He really is a nice chap. Eddie is a regular at Graeme Goldberg's Dee Bees cafe in Double Bay and on nodding terms with tSS. He calls in after picking his kids up from the nearby snooty Cranbrook School.

   What would former Channel Nine boss the late Kerry Packer say about Eddie's crass homophobic remarks on the men's skating efforts at the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Games ?. Probably a lot after the number of complaints that have flooded the Nine switchboards. The current owners of the Nine network. PBL Media didn't return our calls.

Rob Astbury at his 2006 book launch

The King

   Instead we turned to the nation's former top sport's broadcaster who reigned at the Nine network for years, the openly gay Rob Astbury who now lives in Thailand where he is a property developer.

      Astbury, a good friend of McGuire's isn't saying much. He referred us to Peter Jess who mangers the biggest names in Australian sport including Olympian and aboriginal Cathy Freeman whose book, which Jess promoted, was a best seller. Jess has contracted Astbury to promote his upcoming autobiography Twice As Hard. Jess told tSS Astbury’s book will reveal intimate details about some of the nation's top sporting personalities and the biggest names in television. Jess says Astbury’s account of his personal and business life in Thailand will ensure the book is a block buster that is sure to amuse, bemuse and shock.
        Astbury's 2006 book King & I, about his long time relationship with the King of  Television, the late Graham Kennedy was a best selling despite ruffling feathers in the media..

  
     46 year old McGuire has had a meteoric rise from his working class background. He is president of the Collingwood Football Club and hosts a number of TV and radio shows. He is reputed to earn up to $5M a year.

    He was appointed the CEO of the Nine Network in 2006 in a surpise move after the departure of David Gyngell whose father, the legendary Bruce Gyngell was the first person to appear on Oz TV and Channel Nine in 1956.

     McGuire lasted nearly a year and presided over plunging ratings before Gyngell was lured back from the USA.

Jessica-boned

      His famous quip "bone her"-a directive to sack newsreader Jessica Rowe has become common lexicon after an internal memo was leaked. Jessica had the last laugh-her husband Peter Overton is now the network's top newsreader. Eddie is also a good friend of Kerry Packer's son James.

   

  It's hard to believe McGuire would actually be anti-gay. Comments like those of his and Olympic's co-host Mike Molloy are pretty much standard football language. The Footy Show is a perfect example with hardly a week going by without a footballer climbing into drag for an amusing sketch.Not for long though.

      The rumour mill inside the Nine network is in overdrive with the current bosses including Gyngell said to be alarmed at the backlash.

Sir Frank and son Kerry

# The founder of the Nine network Sir Frank Packer was a noted homophobe who abhored the number of gays in the budding TV industry.

Barton-"fluid" sexuality

# Sir Frank's sons and heirs Kerry and Clyde talked tough but rebelled against their father's views. Clyde used to attend publisher Gordon Barton's famous "anything goes" parties where one's sexuality was expected to be "fluid". Whilst Kerry Packer took care of business, his older brother Clude roamed Sydney in a Bentley convertible, his enormous girth encassed in flowing brightly coloured caftans. He could have been the lead float at any Mardi Gras.

# Cranbrook School-the expensive private boarding school in Sydney's Eastern Suburbs where the Packer, Gyngell & Murdoch clans were tutored was the butt of endless jokes in it's early years including the raunchy song that ended with the words-"if you can't get a girl get a Cranbrook boy "!

Cranbrook

# # tSS is travelling to Thailand next month to interview Rob Astbury amongst other expatriates who live there. Astbury’s manager, Peter Jess says, “Astbury is ready to blow a trumpet which will make King and I seem like comparing a wave to a tsunami.” According to Jess, Astbury, in his book Twice as Hard, describes television as a “despicable industry” and he will name stars with first hand account tales about top executives which will have lawyers working overtime. Is the raw truth a defence?.

 # Derryn Hinch is a leading contender for the title of 'Australia's Worst Journalist". Voting at the website ends on the 28th Feb.

# Bruce Gyngell was the driving force behind the successful networks-TV am and Yorkshire Television in the UK.

# Expect a float dedicated to Eddie McGuire in the Gay & Lesbian Mardi Gras on Saturday week.

Eddie's houseguest-Johnny Weir

# Eddie has invited top US skater Johnny Weir to stay with him during his upcoming visit to Australia.

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

Everyone is invited to join the Social Shuttle team in the Champagne Bar in the Member's Stand at the Pink Stiletto Race Day tomorrow (Friday) from 1pm at Royal Randwick racecourse.

If you make a substantial donation to the Bobby Goldsmith Fund we may even introduce you to singer Maria Venuti !

"the nation's worst journalists"

"angriest parking warden ever"

         Now the infamous British blogger Madame Arcati has compiled  "Madame Arcati's 10 most stupid journalists of 2009 " we decided it was time to visit that strange website "Australia's Worst Journalist' to find the current state of play.

      Try as we might as have others, we still cannot uncover the author of this damning compilation of noted hacks but the list remains the same-just the pecking order is different.

       Paul Barry (right) who featured at No 1 a month ago with his top selling biography of billionaire James Packer has been knocked of his perch by the Human Headline Derryn Hinch who is labelled a " RECIDIVIST CRIMINAL previously incarcerated and highly likely again ..FAILURE...". While it's true Hinch did a short stint for naming a convicted sex offender in defiance of a judge's order he's hardly a 'criminal'. And is it fair to call Derryn a failure ?. He's never been out of work since he arrived from New Zealand over 30 years ago although he has been on the merry-go-round that most journos usually find themselves on during their career.      

          Hinch always bounces back even when he outraged half the country by claiming the King of Television Graham Kennedy had died of AIDs-shocking a million housewives who until then believed that Gra Gra had just never met the right woman. Rob Astbury, once Melbourne's top sports broadcaster put that myth to rest when he penned the bestseller  'King  & I about his long love affair with Kennedy. Hinch had the good manners to apologise publicly. Although one might re-call when he fronted a tabloid TV show with his ''Shame File" sledging  the odd dole-bludger and such, comedian Ben Elton dubbed him "like the angriest parking warden I've ever seen".

     At the site you can now vote on your choice of evil reptile and it should be noted that one of tSS's favourite scribes Annette Sharp of the Daily Telegraph has only garnered a pathetic 1.8% of votes.  Poor old  Ben Butler of Sharp's Melbourne stablemate the Herald Sun has scored a whopping 67% of votes. Ben's upset someone badly.

  

We're a little troubled though with the site's description of one scandal merchant -  "Numerous factual errors. Unable to transcribe accurately factual matters or deliberately engages in falsehoods to degrade his subject, and heighten his vitriole". We agree. Said hack is as  vitriolic in print as in public ( a sad trait of many Aussie hacks) and rarely checks his facts but can be saucy at times.

       And Annette Sharp who apparently ' fabricates articles, never names so-called "sources and breaches almost every code of journalistic ethics".Errr..we always thought that keeping one's sources confidential was part of the code of a journalist's ethics.

       As to Madame Arcarti's list, she is possibly correct in most of her choices including the chubby Perez Hilton who is yet to break an original story. tSS once had to share a lift at the Sydney Hilton with Perez who wore an ill-fitting bathrobe and had decidely pungent BO.

      But Arcarti has the temerity to attack an Australian icon, who after Mother Mary McKillop is to be named as Australia's first saint by Pope Benedict in March next year, is surely next in line-Germaine Greer. Send the evil Madame hate mail immediately !

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

"A week is a long time"

..in politics" famously said the former British PM Harold Wilson but it could well apply to show-biz.

What with Tiger Wood's fall from grace just a week after his Australian visit with his rampant libido on show for all the world to see (why hasn't ESSO signed him up for a "put a Tiger in your tank" advert campaign ?) and  Home & Away's Todd Lasance's career stalled just as Hollywood beckoned.

      

Now 2GB radio host Chris Smith, pictured right just over a month ago happily posing here with his wife Abbey and publicist Sally Burleigh for tSS at a Variety Club bash, has had his career put on hold indefinitely after it's alleged he 'groped' 3 girls at the radio station's Christmas party. Chris says he is bi-polar and has a drinking problem and cannot re-call the event. Chris also says Abbey and the kids have temporarily left the marital home

Meanwhile Sally Burleigh pictured left with ex-husband actor Steve Bisley in happier days ,was in the Downing Street Centre courts today telling of how Steve allegedly pushed her head against a wall leaving a dent and that "all hell broke loose"during a domestic at their Balmain home. Bisley has been charged with assaulting Sally, which he vigorously denies. Currently starring in Sea Patrol, Bisley also appeared in the famous Mad Max films

high camp letter from Thailand...

    Rob Astbury was Australia's highest paid and most popular sport's reporter for the Kerry Packer TV network before he upped stakes and de-camped to sunny Thailand where he has helped build a property empire which currently involves the world's tallest apartment block in the beach resort of Pattaya, Oceon 1 Tower (rumours still persist that Elton John has purchased one of the penthouses)

          He stills files reports for various media outlets including a riveting eye-witness take on the Boxing Day tsunami, for the top Oz website crikey.com.au. Astbury was in the middle of the terrible event which devestated the Thai island of Phuket

         In his soon to be published autobiography called Twice as Hard , Astbury has devoted a chapter to Karen Chant , who like another Sydney gay icon Simone Troy, has a villa in Pattaya. Karen & Simone were top stars at the late ruler of Kings Cross night life 'Mr Sin' Abe Saffron's Les Girls.

         Karen Chant recently celebrated her 78th birthday by performing at the trendy new Pattaya gay show bar and hotel The Venue.

          According to Astbury's book in those days Karen recalls that dressing and living as a woman on a daily basis was out of the question. “It was all cloak and dagger stuff, but hysterically exciting all the same. If there was a party on a Saturday night, you needed to take your clothes with you, and get changed at the venue.” In spite of a lot of abuse at the time, Karen decided to live out the rest of her life as a woman and, if at all possible, become involved in show business.

         “Posh night clubs were just beginning to open and some were renowned for alternative entertainment.” The era is remembered affectionately as the Roaring 50s and very soon the prejudice against gays, and in particular cross dressing, was starting to turn. Karen’s trademark was impersonating Frances Faye and the two even became friends after Frances attended one of the live performances. Some years later Karen and Frances did a duet at the glitzy Chequers Club, and after the show Frances told reporters: “Karen does me better than I do myself.”

          tSS recalls those days when at times, it was more exciting than today's 'open closet' supposed freedom. As a callow youth, once when leaving Les Girls with a friend who had decided to dress as a Carmelite nun for the evening , we were accosted by 2 policemen who were attracted by our joyful singing of "Jesus Wants me for a Sunbeam". The coppers made menacing movements as truncheons were drawn and I hid behind the nun's habits as he suggested the plods ring his father first. Which they did whereupon Carmelite Nun's daddy ordered the officers to escort us safely home in a squad car. Our nun's dad happened to be the head of the Vice Squad. Sydney was that sort of town.

          Karen Chant's star continued to rise at a club known as Purple Onion. Sunday nights were magic with la crème de la crème of the entertainment world often in the audience, including Margot Fonteyn, Rudolph Nureyev, Dionne Warwick, Cilla Black, Rosemary Clooney, Earl Grant and even the Beatles  crammed into a small disused warehouse watching a Las Vegas style drag spectacular.

           Karen and her partner of 46 years Jeffrey Lee relocated to Pattaya three years ago. At 78 most of us would take off the wig, moisturize the make up from our face and sit back to enjoy the fruits of our labor. However, Karen still performs free of any fee at Pattaya’s popular gay night spot The Venue and encourages patrons to donate towards a local charity for underprivileged children.

And brought to you at great expense is Thailand's version of Karen Chant's 'This Is Your Life":

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

A city that is much maligned because of pre-conceived attitudes and numerous inaccurate tabloid reports ( that insult the highly friendly Thai people) Pattaya has become one of Asia's most exciting and vibrant holiday spots that now hosts tens of thousands of expatriates attracted by perfect tropical weather, cheap living costs, dozens of beautiful golf courses and tennis clubs, yachting marinas and some of the best hotels and restaurants in the world. At night the city comes alive with sensational cabaret shows, hundreds of small drinking bars and glam nightclubs.

And where else would one see a parade of 200 be-decked elephants parading down the main boulevarde to honour the head of the much loved and hard working Thai Royal Family, and the world's longest ruling monarch HM KING BHUMIBOL ADULYADEJ, (King Rama IX) on his Golden Jubilee. The Thai people's respect and love for their Royal Family is one reason Thailand is called the Land of Smiles.

Jomtien-a beach resort just outside Pattaya is the up and coming place and The Venue it's latest top nightclub and inn consisting of a brand new hotel of 15 luxury suits, a swimming pool and spa, but is best known for its show bar. It's the brain child of Brits Ray Cornell, Darrell Bevers and Ken Townsley, who recently sold his highly successful travel business and retired to Pattaya.

         The credit for the outstanding success of the floor shows and the very high standard belongs to Ray Cornell and Darrel Bevers.

Ray, was born in London and performed in West End musicals and on television as a dancer, but he really made his name as a choreographer and theatre director. Darrell joined Ray in 1975 and together formed a theatrical company and talent agency supplying dancers and singers to major shows in the U.K and to cruise lines throughout the world.     Ray & Darrell with some local beauties.

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While we're in a gay and hearty mood...

                                                                                                                         

Check out Same Same's just announced list of the "25 most influencial gay & lesbian Australians". Included are recently retired High Court justice Michael Kirby, tSS's own medico Dr Kerryn Phelps, respected author David Malouf, Olympic diver and gay pin-up Matthew Mitcham (right) the very pretty MTV host Ruby Rose and the Aaron Neitch (left) who audtioned as a cheerleader for the Penrith Panthers' football team and surprised even himself when the macho players heartily accepted him.

Ruby Rose

TigerGate

Our spy in Thailand disguised as property developer Rob Astbury informs tSS that his houseboy printed up a few hundred t-shirts stating "I HAD SEX WITH TIGER TOO"-sold the lot at his girlfriend's market stall and has gone off for a holiday on the proceeds.

## fact : Tiger Wood's mum is Thai.

more gaiety

Just as former PM John Howard gets the boot as the prospective head of Rugby League (with the help of Labor's Anthony Albanese) news comes of an autobiography that has footie players quaking in their boots about potential changing room revelations.

Rob Astbury, formerly the countries top sports broadcaster is soon to publish his autobiography called Twice as Hard.

Television personalities, top executives plus Australian Football Rules stars and officials are on tenterhooks in anticipation of Astbury’s book.

Astbury infuriated friends of the late Graham Kennedy by publishing explicit details of his relationship with the King of Television in a book called King & I. The late Don Lane tore it up for the TV cameras, Melbourne radio host Derryn Hinch went into meltdown, others cried foul but the tome sold like hotcakes. It wasn't like Astbury was revealing the entertainment world's worst kept secret-that Gra Gra was Gay - they just preferred not to know. Apart from about 50 thousand who bought the book that is.

The former multi award winning journalist, who won a Logie nomination for breaking the news of the Sydney Swans invasion, won the confidence of former owner the flamboyant Doctor Geoffrey Edelsten revealing exclusive stories about the doctor, his former wife Leanne and former star footballer Warrwick Capper. Edelsten is now squiring the buxom 25 year old Las Vegas fitness trainer Brynne Gordon and threatening to marry the blond starlet in a $250K wedding after negotiating picture sale rights to OK ! magazine. As one does.

Astbury’s autobiography will feature stories that were too hot to be published at the height of his career concerning Aussie Rules legends, some of whom have sons playing today including Brownlow Medallist Gary Ablett.

In talking about his experiences with TV stars including Eddie McGuire, Jana Went, Daryl Somers, Naomi Robson, Don Lane and others like Tracey Grimshaw who hit headlines in the UK when foul mouthed TV chef Gordon Ramsey recently went head to head with her on her chat show, he describes television as a despicable industry. Television executives have not been spared and lawyers are painstakingly scanning the manuscript to offset legal action. Astbury refused to answer probing questions from Social Shuttle until lawyers have completed their job.

To promote Twice as Hard and re-establish Astbury, videos of his career at Channel 10, 9 and 7 have been posted on You Tube .

Here is a young Rob (2nd left front)with a host of big-time media personalities.

To the far right,( in every sense of the word) is the current airwaves king Alan Jones in plaid jacket and kiss curls. Behind with the started look is the late Don Lane who died this week, with a youthful George Negus shaking his fist. Negus is currently whipping up a storm as a guest in Masterchef. At the top waving his fist in delight is John Blackman who recently re-apprised his role in the revived Hey Hey it's Saturday show that hit worldwide headlines for all the wrong reasons over a Michael Jackson tribute which probably scored the show another few episodes, if not a whole series. (instant update-a series has been announced)

Astbury now lives in the saucy seaside town of Pattaya, Thailand where he helped build a property empire and divides his time between a seaside penthouse and a cattle ranch in the north.

Next week promoter Harry M.Miller launches his autobiography and Shuttlers may recall he was once sued by his former client Graham Kennedy over a secret commission he received when he lured the legend back to TV. Miller also threatened to sue Astbury if he published his tale about life with the legend. Just to show there were no hard feelings, Rob published anyway.

No-it's not another transvestite footballer but a former cast member of the late 'Mr Sin' Abe Saffron's famous Les Girls cabaret in Kings Cross, Karen Chant. Described as a 'living gay legend' and a close friend of Astbury's (with her in the snap). Karen makes an appearance in the book as well. Doing what, we aren't quite sure but it sounds like fun.
We can't wait !