Political update..

It looks like Anthony Albanese MP has the numbers to seize the Labor Party leadership after the election loss last Saturday.
Perhaps that's why, as our exclusive snap shows, he was celebrating today at Redfern Oval with Rabbitoh's coach Wayne Bennett on the right and Russell Crowe.

Russell Country

A brief look at Russell Crowe's Coffs Harbour property..and his dog.

Christmas Eve in the bush. pic.twitter.com/pJC75IqADF

— Russell Crowe (@russellcrowe) December 23, 2018

Ottos' lunch- for a good cause

Those hard working ladies of the Black & White Charity Committee have a lunch on Tuesday 14th November at the uber restaurant Ottos on the Finger Wharf in Woolloomooloo. The guest of honor will be the previous NSW Governor Dame Marie Bashir and she's well worth the price of admission alone, quite apart from Ottos' superb food.
Tickets can be bought here. There will be loads of great prizes and remember- every penny raised at these functions goes to support services for children and their families.
# You may even spot superstar actor Russell Crowe escorting a group of refugees to his sensational penthouse which is at the end of the wharf.

It begins : Christmas

It's a Sydney institution. While others may come and go, Lucios Italian Restaurant in quaint Paddington has been there, well forever. The finest Italian food, an intimate atmosphere and walls laden with art from many of Australia's most famed painters. When Lucio sends out an invitation to enjoy a lunch for Christmas, it would be a sin to turn it down.

Glen Marie Frost & the man himself Lucio * chef Janni Kyritis & Francesa Emerson

Above: famed chef Tom Rutherford * publicist Rae Francis* ABC broadcaster Simon Marnie * Michael Yabsley

Angela Thompson with New Zealand TV star Peter Mochrie

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Around Town

At the benefit for Taronga Park Zoo,  beautiful Michelle Walsh & hubby Martin Walsh * right: former Labor Party leader Mark Latham with Liberal Party heavyweight Peta Credlin at the Bong Bong Picnic Races

Comedian Bob Downe & drag star Cindi Pastel on the Sydney Harbour Funboat * a feel-good tale about superstar Russell Crowe- read it HERE

Eleven Bridge opens

Despite Sydney's nightlife seemingly vanishing before our very eyes with the new Lock Out laws, celebrity chef Neil Perry re-opened his Rock's restaurant as Eleven Bridge on Monday night. Previously named Rockpool, Perry closed the eatery six months ago.
A favourite with celebrities and fine diners- Whispers once sat at a table next to Joan Collins , Russell Crowe and media mogul Lachlan Murdoch (and that was a slow night), the foodie world was stunned when Perry suddenly closed up shop with a restaurant in a prime location and famed the world over.
But always one step ahead of his rivals, Perry had always planned to turn Rockpool into a more informal diner and Eleven Bridge was born.
You can peruse the new restaurants menu here but don't be too shocked at the prices. Hey, it's The Rocks and the NSW Government has just announced plans to spend $200M on refurbishing Circular Quay and The Rocks. Already a major tourist area it badly needs a re-vamp and Perry who also designs menus for Qantas is not one to miss a trick.

A Feel Good Story

If you have not encountered Sydney solicitor Christopher Murphy (on the left) - it's probably a good thing !
Don't get us wrong. Murphy is one of the most sought after criminal lawyers in Australia. He's also contributed to many newspapers with regular columns and he's one of those lawyers that goes into bat for the underprivileged.
Murphy is also great pals with many of this cities most notable personalities from all walks of life : sports persons. politicians, movie stars and business people.
This is all by the way of introducing a nice little poem penned by Chris' young son Jesse. Whispers thinks it's a pretty neat poem in that sort of extensional manner in which children (Jesse is 9!) somehow have the ability to cut to the chase and tell the truth. Out of the mouth of babes etc etc.
Others agree including broadcaster Alan Jones (above centre) who read out Jesse's work on radio and Whisper's favourite thespian Russel Crowe who tweeted his appreciation this morning.

Newtown wants Cate Blanchett

Newtown

Cate at the Sydney Theatre Company

The decline of Sydney's King Cross and the legendary 'Golden Gay Mile' of nearby Oxford Street is having unexpected consequences. Double Bay as we reported previously is becoming the location for smart nightclubs like Karim Gharbi's Casablanca and the Pelicano Bar.
But Newtown, the densely populated suburb much favoured by students at the nearby Sydney University is positively booming.
The main street is packed with restaurants of all stripes, coffee shops, gay hotels, smart and alternative boutiques along with second hand and designer furnishing stores.

Now an ambitious plan is underway to attract Oscar winner Cate Blanchett to a newly renovated theatre, The Hub which is ideally located slap bang in the centre of Newtown and directly opposite the subway station.

The Hub at various stages during it's lifetime

The property developing Vlattas family have invested $500,000 in refitting the 100 year old Vaudeville theatre that has done time as a porno cinema amongst it's varied and often sad life.
The Vlattas' are also part owners of the nearby Enmore Theatre, now the only live venue in the inner city.
Whispers attended the opening of Mel Spencer's Green Room bar next to the Enmore Theatre along with Russell Crowe and Danielle Spencer (and our favourite crooner Kamahl)
left : Kamahl with Adam Spencer at the Green Room
Chris Vlattas is hoping that Blanchett who has had such a stellar success with her Sydney Theatre Company productions will take up an offer to lease the 1500 seat Hub.
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The Seal Of Approval that Newtown is now a serious contender as the up and coming suburb for the smart young set surely must be the fact that Australia's most ambitious and successful nightclub entrepreneur Justin Hemmes has purchased the nearby Queen Victoria Hotel in Enmore for $11M. below Justin Hemmes & his new purchase

Water Diviner in LA

 
Russell Crowe's The Water Diviner has just premiered in Los Angeles as our exclusive snaps show and the movie looks set to be a box office success in the USA after receiving great reviews.

Pictured are the cast (above) and also Crowe with co-star Steve Bastoni (right).

Those AACTA Awards in full

 FILM & DOCUMENATRY AWARDS 

In an unusual though not unprecedented twist, two feature films were awarded the AACTA Award for Best Film; THE BABADOOK (by first-time feature film director, Jennifer Kent) and THE WATER DIVINER (also marking a directorial debut for Russell Crowe).

THE BABADOOK also took home the AACTA Award for Best Direction presented by Hyundai Genesis, and Best Original Screenplay.
Despite a duel for Best Film, Feature Film acting awards were evenly distributed.
David Gulpilil’s performance in CHARLIE’S COUNTRY saw him awarded Best Lead Actor, PREDESTINATION star Sarah Snook was awarded Best Lead Actress, Susan Prior’s performance in THE ROVER earned her Best Supporting Actress and Yilmaz Erdogan was awarded Best Supporting Actor for his role in THE WATER DIVINER.
THE RAILWAY MAN was awarded for Best Adapted Screenplay, whilst THE LEGO MOVIE took home the AACTA Award for Best Visual Effects or Animation.
The AACTA Award for Best Feature Length Documentary went to UKRAINE IS NOT A BROTHEL.

OUTSTANDING INDIVIDUAL AWARDS

Highlight presentations during the show were for three outstanding individual awards.
AACTA Award winning performer, Rose Byrne, whose career spans Australian and US film and television across drama and comedy, was honoured with the inaugural AACTA Trailblazer Award. Byrne, whose performance in US television series DAMAGES saw her nominated for Golden Globe and Prime Time Emmy Awards, received a tribute from DAMAGES co-star Glenn Close and BRIDESMAIDS co-star Kristen Wiig.
Director, producer, writer Amiel Courtin-Wilson was announced as the recipient of the Byron Kennedy Award, which includes a $10,000 prize, for outstanding creative enterprise within the film and television industries. The Byron Kennedy Award is determined by a jury annually and is given to an individual or organisation whose work embodies innovation and the relentless pursuit of excellence.
Courtin-Wilson’s body of work includes critically acclaimed documentaries CHASING BHUDDA (which received an AFI Award nomination in 2000) and BASTARDY (which he shot over seven years, following the life of Aboriginal elder Jack Charles), and feature films HAIL (which became the first Australian feature film in ten years selected for the Venice International Film Festival) and RUIN (which won Courtin-Wilson and co-director/co-producer Michael Cody a Special Jury Prize at Venice in 2013).
The Byron Kennedy Award jury said: "We have chosen Amiel Courtin-Wilson for his risk taking and evocative storytelling. Amiel has been patiently searching for truth and beauty at the margins of society, making films which have captured the attention of international audiences.”
The highest honour that the Australian Academy can bestow upon an individual is the AACTA Longford Lyell Award (this award was recently renamed from the AACTA Raymond Longford Award in recognition of Lottie Lyell’s contribution to the work of her partner in filmmaking and in life, Raymond Longford).
The AACTA Longford Lyell Award went to one of Australia's most loved and respected writers and producers, Andrew Knight. The Award was presented by Adam Zwar and Dave O’Neil, with special tributes from Eric Bana and Shaun Micallef.
Andrew Knight has written and produced vast oceans of television and several films, across several genres, including comedy series Fast Forward, Full Frontal and The D-Generation (executive producer and head writer); television dramas SeaChange (co-writer and executive producer), After The Deluge (writer and co-producer) and Tripping Over (writer, co-writer and executive producer); and feature films The Water Diviner, Siam Sunset and Spotswood (co-writer).
Andrew was co-owner of Artist Services – one of the top production houses in Australia - subsequently purchased by Granada. He and his shows have won over forty industry awards, including AFI Awards, Logies, AWGIES, and SPA Awards for both his writing and producing. Andrew is widely admired in the screen industry as an excellent collaborator and mentor, whose talent is unique in its diversity.

TELEVISION AWARDS

Marking another strong year for Australian television, the 4th AACTA Awards Ceremony saw a total of eight television programs recognised across 12 television awards.
New drama THE CODE (ABC) led the tally, receiving an impressive four awards: Best Television Drama Series; Best Direction in a Television Drama or Comedy (Episode 1); Best Lead Actor in a Television Drama (Ashley Zukerman); and Best Guest or Supporting Actress in a Television Drama (Chelsie Preston Crayford – Episode 1).
Josh Thomas’s internationally acclaimed PLEASE LIKE ME (ABC2) followed with two wins: Best Screenplay in Television (Episode 2/07: Scroggin), and Best Performance in a Television Comedy (Debra Lawrance).
Working Dog Productions continued its long-time legacy of making Award-winning comedy, beating stiff competition from other ABC favourites including THE MOODYS and SHAUN MICALLEF’S MAD AS HELL, SERIES 3 to take out the AACTA Award for Best Television Comedy Series with new comedy, UTOPIA.
The television acting categories saw first-time AACTA Awards for all winners: Marta Dusseldorp for Best Lead Actress in a Television Drama (JANET KING, ABC); Ashley Zukerman for Best Lead Actor in a Television Drama (THE CODE, ABC); Eamon Farron for Best Guest or Supporting Actor in a Television Drama (CARLOTTA, ABC); Chelsie Preston Crayford for Best Guest or Supporting Actress in a Television Drama (THE CODE, ABC); and Debra Lawrance for Best Performance in a Television Comedy (PLEASE LIKE ME, ABC2).
The AACTA Award for Best Telefeature or Mini Series went to DEVIL’S PLAYGROUND (Foxtel - Showcase).
HAMISH & ANDY’S GAP YEAR ASIA won last year’s AACTA Award for Best Direction in a Television Light Entertainment or Reality Series. Today, the team won the AACTA Award for Best Light Entertainment Television Series with HAMISH & ANDY’s GAP YEAR SOUTH AMERICA (Nine Network).
THE VOICE AUSTRALIA (Nine Network) was announced as the winner of the AACTA Award for Best Reality Television Series, overcoming tough competition from MASTERCHEF AUSTRALIA – SERIES 6 (Network Ten), THE X FACTOR (Seven Network) and THE VOICE KIDS (Nine Network) in this category.

Water Diviner is divine

Jai Courtney,Steve Bastoni, Isabel Lucas and Russell Crowe join other cast members at the premiere

Russell Crowe premiered his new film Water Diviner tonight at Sydney's State Theatre, The movie tells the story of an Australian man who travels to Turkey after the Battle of Gallipoli to try and locate his three missing sons. And the film is superb as is Russell and the cast.

Charles Turns 80

 
Sydney based, Croation born artist Charles Billich (left with wife Christa Billich) has turned 80 and he threw a bash to celebrate. Charles looks at least 10 years younger-how does he do it?
" I surround myself with beautiful people and they keep me young " was the reply and there were heaps of them with around 200 venturing into the sensational Billich Gallery in The Rocks on a Saturday night to party. One thing we love about Charles (apart from the art of course), the Pommery keeps flowing out of his very own stylishly decorated magnums. Here a few snaps from the night and below, some Billich art.
 And not just one birthday cake..80 !. OK they were only cupcakes but it's a neat idea.

Model agent Grant Dwyer & Don Spencer (he's Russell Crowe's dad-in-law) Fran McPherson (yes- she's The Body Elle McPherson's mum), Helen Appelton & Noushin Rahimia

Nightclub boss Karim Gharbi & glam date, Hans Whitman & Shari-Lea Hitchcock, Angela Belle McSweeney

Charles Billich's self portrait & some of his famous nudes

Mother of All Balls

 The Sydney Town Hall was the venue for Saturday night's Mother Of All Balls, the brain child of actor Rachel Ward. The MoAB raises much needed funds for the YWCA's mentor program for kids from broken and troubled homes and it's become a must attend event pulling in big names from the Australian film industry. In the past drop-in guests have included Sam Neill, Cate Blanchett, Tom Cruise, Russell Crowe and Quentin Tarrantino.
In our lovely snaps : Rachel dances with husband, actor Bryan Brown (currently starring in the ABC's Old School on Sunday nights) and one of Sydney's brightest and cleverest publicists Sally Burleigh looks sensational with a very handsome Mathew Collett.

Full Steam Ahead for Noah

 It's defied the critics and is a box office blockbuster. Noah starring Russell Crowe and Jennifer Connelly is sweeping around the world with premiers and taking the world by storm with $44M taken at the weekend in the USA.
Last night the cast were in Paris to attend a premier screening at Cinema Gaumont Marignan.
( we hope it was them-it was April 1st !)

Photos by Pascal Le Segretain/Getty

                                                                   

Noah's Ark Steams Ahead

Noah premieres are popping up around the world. Moscow hosted a gala premiere with our Russ in attendance accompanied by our favourite Russian born Australian boxing champ Kostya Tszyu as the Shuttle's exclusive pic shows.

Noah Selfies

  above : Noah's Logan Lerman and Jennifer Connelly pose with fans

They're all the rage..the celebrity selfie. Here are two from the Noah premiere in Berlin.
Sadly the great man himself didn't attend so here is our exclusive selfie sent to us last week from Russell's rural retreat at Coffs Harbour where he was tending to some of those animals he saved all those aeons ago. Doesn't he look healthy and trim ?



## the Shuttle has just been in Los Angeles for 5 days and we managed to snap our very own selfie with a World Famous Comedian and Hollywood Royalty in a  restaurant car park. We'd just lunched together with mutual pals. Later that day his agent tracked us down to our hotel and said we couldn't publish it as it may "breach several agreements". We were impressed. And intimidated.

PURCHASE TICKETS HERE

"A Theme Park For Every Human Desire"

 The title is a quote from broadcaster Philip Adams about Sydney's Kings Cross where he partied in the 60s and 70s with the late media mogul Kerry Packer. Bizarrely, the Coca Cola sign that signals the beginning of 'The Cross' is now  National Trust listed.

Playwright and author Louis Nowra who has lived there for yonks has written a superb history of Kings Cross, a place he says : "attracts the sane and the mad… but that at times it’s hard to tell the difference."
The Cross is a no-holds barred place -backpackers, prostitutes, strippers, chefs, mad men, poets, beggars, booksellers, doctors, gangsters, sailors, musicians, drug traffickers, movie stars, eccentrics, judges and artists and a former Prime Minster (Paul Keating) live side by side in elegant terrace houses and cheap flats. And slam bang in the middle are George Miller's studios were he filmed Babe and Happy Feet.

Part flaneur, part historian and part eyewitness, Louis Nowra is the best possible guide to a place both real, and a state of mind. The Cross attracts hordes of tourists from all over Australia and the world. It's history began as a sort of melting pot for European expats- there are still gracious old Art Deco buildings lining Macleay Street packed with little old Hungarian and Polish ladies who fled from WW2. During the 20s it became the night time entertainment area offering every conceivable sin man desired- from strip clubs to bordellos, gay bars and 24 hour drinking clubs, illegal gambling casinos and even a few opium dens. The legendary Razor Gangs fought duels in the back streets over the cocaine trade.
 The illegal casinos were frequented by visiting celebrities and  local politicians including premier Sir Robert Askin who like a character out of Casablanca would have his winnings thrust into his hand and be ushered out a side door just before his own cops would raid the joint (mainly to collect bribes).

Norton & Goossens

The list of memorable characters is too long to chart: like the practising witch Rosaleen Norton who became entangled with the British conducter Sir Eugene Goossens (he attended her orgies) whose career crashed when he was stopped at customs retuning from the UK with a suitcase of porn for Ms Norton.

Mr Sin- Abe Saffron

 And Mr Sin Abe Saffron who came from humble beginnings to dominate The Cross for 40 years like an Antipodian Al Capone- just as powerful and deadly and finally like Capone, they could only get him for tax evasion. Owning a string of strip joints and the all male revue bar Les Girls and with a finger in every club and bar in the area, Abe made an art of bribing politicians and police including the Commissioner. And he saw off the US Mafia when they tried to muscle in on the action. When Saffron died he left around $30Million but it's rumoured there was another 30 or 40 hidden away.

Louis Nowra & wife Mandy Sayer

                                                                                                             
Things began to change in the 1960s with the mass influx of US  soldiers on 'R&R" leave from Vietnam and the appearance of Bernie Houghton reputedly the former boss of the infamous Air America who arrived with suitcases stuffed with cash and a new passport courtesy of his spook friends in ASIO. And with the opening of his Bourbon & Beefsteak 24 hour nightspot came hard drugs.

The unexpected can still happen in Kings Cross. Two years ago the Shuttle witnessed an impromptu one hour performance by comedian Robyn Williams at the Kit & Kaboodle when he arrived with actor Elijah Wood for dinner. The Beach Haus club became Leo Di Caprio and his entourage's favourite club of choice as he nightly commandeered 6 tables (leaving about 3 ).  And actor Russell Crowe could be often found popping in to the Portuguese Chicken bar around midnight after a munchies attack.
There's more, much much more in Nowra's book

Man of The People

Actor Russell Crowe has thrown his celebrity weight behind Anthony Albanese MP as leader of the Labor Party.
Albanese sat with Crowe and his sons at the Friday South Sydney Vs Melbourne footie match at the ANZ Stadium and were often deep in conversation. Russell has previously tweeted his support for PM Julia Gillard when she was under a media attack.

Both Crowe and Albanese have been life long South Sydney supporters. But will Albanese have a challenge for the leadership on his hands with the MP for the South Sydney area, former health minister the very popular Tanya Plibersek ?. The Shuttle's political spy disguised as a polling booth says Labor are reluctant to take on another female leader at present after the "Gillard experiment" which they believe demonstrated that the media wasn't ready for a female leader.
Meanwhile on Facebook, twitter and much of the social media, Liberal Party supporters, having had their dream fulfilled are actively pondering upon whether Malcolm Turnbull can be drafted into the top job.

Superman Fails Julia

In the end, the pleadings of superstar Russell Crowe couldn't save Australia's first female Prime Minister Julia Gillard from the combined attacks from Kevin Rudd and the chorus line of media hacks at News Ltd, Fairfax and the ABC.
Here is Julia Gillard's elegant resignation speech. But following is her real speech- the one she wanted to say channeled by comedienne Jackie Loeb.

Superheroes For Gillard

Following our Gladiators For Gillard report on Russell Crowe's twitter support for Prime Minister Julia Gillard, Superman's dad has appeared on the ABC lamenting the lack of gallantry in politics.