2022 Archibald Prize finalists

Here are just some of the finalists in the 2022 Archibald prive for portraiture at the NSW Art Gallery. For the full list go here: NSW Art Gallery

Byron attacks !

The Gold Dinner, allegedly Australia's smartest charity event has been taken over by the Byron Bay set ie: the Hemsorths, as our main pic shows. This year it was held in a marquee at the Overseas Terminal at Sydney Airport. Well why not as nothing else is happening there. But Mascot? In this weather?

Above: Lucciana Barroso, Lauren Phillips, Elsa Pataky, Chris Hemsworth, Gabriella Brooks and Liam Hemsworth There were other celebs there:

Above: Rose Byrne like so many Hollywood names is fleeing LA and looking for a home in..you guessed it: Byron Bay. With Lucciana Barroso (left) wife of actor Matt Damon and Elsa Pataky

Magic Mike hits town

These chaps are some of the cast of Magic Mike, a show devised and created by Hollywood heart-throb Channing Tatum. It opens this Sunday in Sydney at the Entertainment Centre at Fox Studios. Whispers has no idea what it's all about but we'll be there to report on it. With bells on.

Earth to the UK Daily Mail (MailOnline)

We here at the Shuttle / Careless Whispers feel for today's sub-editors. Most have been replaced by online services. Sub editors on major newspapers could often make or destroy a story and at the very least, were superb 'fact checkers'. Alas for the Britain's Daily Mail newspaper we must assume their sub editors are under immense pressure. Why would they make a glaring mistake like this?. No, the lady pictured with the caption "the gossip columnist" is not well known Sydney scribe Ros Reines. In fact we have no idea who she is. This is the "gossip columnist" Ros Reines in our featured pic. Admittedly the 2 ladies do look similar, equally vivacious but they are not the same person.

Still, it's the thought that counts. ************************************************************ This Daily Mail faux paus reminds Whispers of when they confused (as pointed out by moi) comedienne Tracey Ullman's late mother with the Australian actress Little Nell of Rocky Horror fame. One look at the snap and it's pretty clear both ladies are of similar age. Of course in the online world, never having to say you're sorry is the only way to survive.

Real Fake News

Reality

Beach bums! Sydneysiders ignore social distancing rules as they flock to Bondi to lap up the final days of summer.

 While we've become quite used to the UK Daily Mail tweaking their tales that often say the opposite to what is really happening, today they just published a complete load of balderdash and a real example of that infamous Fake News.

Sydney's Bondi Beach has been closed for 10 days now. Whispers should know as we currently live there.
The beach itself is closed off with barriers and there is a large police presence. While some members of the public manage to occasionally make it to the rocks surrounding both ends of the beach they are soon warned off by vigilant coppers and for at least a week now few have bothered. But not a soul has set foot on the sand nor is able to get past the barriers erected along with huge blinking neon signs stating the beach is closed and police vans parked at all entry points with their lights flashing.
Indeed for at least ten days, the suburb has been like a ghost town. While some walk the boardwalk for exercise they are also warned by numerous police officers to practice "social distancing".

How did the Mail manage to publish this obvious complete fake tale along with photographs purportedly taken last Friday (an overcast day with intermittent light showers). The snaps could not possibly have been taken last Friday nor within the last fortnight.
We know tabloids bend the truth but this is a load of claptrap. Comments on Mail Tales can be interesting. Most on this story indicate the readers actually believe the story is real !

Drinks with Rupert

Media baron Rupert Murdoch's Christmas drinks party in London is a much sought after invite by the powerful and not so great especially for politicians after his various news outlets in the UK publish totally partisan by-partisan tales about elections. Boris Johnson was there will bells on although rumored new Labour front-runner for the leadership Sir Keith Starmer possibly either didn't get a guernsey or if he did, tossed it away after.....

The Sun just ran a scathing article claiming he was a millionaire pretending to be working class and was no pal to workers. He might be a millionaire but his back ground is most definitely working class unlike the Boris the Toff at No Ten whose background is most definitely Upper Class and who went to Eton unlike Starmer who went to a humble northern Grammar School.

However one unexpected guest who lingered in the shadows was actress Cate Blanchett and husband Andrew Upton. Blanchett and Upton have just sold their holiday home at Pittwater and after selling the family home at Hunter's Hill for a grand price, they have relocated to England and purchased a large Manor house (they also have a flat in London and a house in Los Angeles). Cate still owns half a dozen apartments in Sydney bought as an investment for her children.

Blanchett is a Greenie at heart and although Rupert claims he believes in Climate Change most of his editors are unbelievers. Perhaps Aussies who have made it big in the big wide world can't really afford to turn down an invitation from Rupert who is known to make offers folk can't refuse.

# Whispers has been to several parties hosted by Rupert Murdoch. He's a friendly, chatty type of bloke although at the opening of his Sydney Fox Studios when Whispers asked him an innocuous question and he read our name tag stating we were from a rival newspaper he responded: "oh just fuck off"

exclusive: Marie's revelation about the Princess Diana momento

Princess Diana & the late Marie Sutton in Sydney

Marie Sutton was the ex-nurse who conceived of a plan in 1995 to bring the late Princess Diana to Sydney to launch a new charity and medical research facility, the Victor Chang Institute. Victor Chang was a world renowned heart surgeon who was gunned down in a Sydney street by two thugs in a failed kidnap and ransom plot.

Much to Sutton's surprise, and the establishment figures behind her plan, Princess Diana phoned Sutton and said she would be happy to launch the institute and it would be her very last charity appearance before retiring to private life.
And the rest is history.

The Shuttle has written extensively about Marie Sutton over the years- she was fairly good pal having met her at various events in Sydney during Diana's visit.
You can read those tales here : 'Princess Diana broke up my marriage' 

and :  'Marie turns down a $1.6M for the "Diana Diaries'.
But there is one piece of information Marie Sutton told Whispers which we have never revealed before and promised not to while Sutton was alive. Marie passed away at age 73 in September from lung disease.
Only half a dozen people have ever been onto the island at Althorp, the family seat, which is where Diana's grave is. On a visit to Althorp Marie was escorted to the island by Diana's brother Earl Charles Spencer in 1997. And there she found a small memento placed on Diana's grave by her two sons.
It was a small silver box inside which was a locket containing a photo of Diana and her two sons William and Harry. It was to be buried with her coffin and had been placed there in a private ceremony by the boys.

Only a handful of people have ever been to the island where Princess Diana is buried. Marie Sutton was one of them.

Bar Wars

From the 1980s to the mid 2000s Sydney's nightlife was unrivaled anywhere in the world. KIngs Cross and nearby Darlinghurst, mainly Oxford Street were chockablock with nightclubs and bars and more or less open 24 hours a day.
And then came the "lock-out laws" after 2 shocking deaths where 2 innocent men were hit by complete drunken strangers and died after hitting their heads on the pavement. Clubs put up the shutters at 2am.
It's hard to recall the number of night spots that have now vanished but the recent prestige 'Bar Awards' held last night in London tell the story. In the Central Business District of Sydney, exempt from the lock-out laws. 4 bars have been named in the top 50 best bars in the world:
The Baxter Inn in Clarence Street, Bulletin Place near Circular Quay, PS40 in Skittle Lane and Maybe Sammy in The Rocks.

Congratulations guys you had some pretty tough competition from around the world including some legendary drinking spots around the world including London, New York, Singapore and many many more.
And the Top Spot went to Dante in NY's Greenwich Village which is owned by two Australians, Nathalie Hudson and Linden Pride.

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.

Strange connections

L-R Keith Moon & Kit Lambert " Arthur Brown * George Lambert* Sir Keith Murdoch

Hollywood heavyweights Cassian & Cary Elwes

 Following the dreadful terrorist attacks in the New Zealand Mosques (the perpetrator's name should never be mentioned) comes an odd and rather upsetting 'scandal'. Videos of the terrible shootings have been removed in their hundreds from social media websites. But an artist from 1968, Arthur Brown who had a hit record 'Fire' with his 'The Crazy World of Arthur Brown' is distressed that his recording has been used in those videos.

The recording Fire is a production by the late rock manager Kit Lambert who died in 1983. A big budget film on the life of Lambert is currently being planned by ace Los Angeles producer Cassian Elwes and his actor brother Cary Elwes.
Lambert was the grandson of Australia's first internationally famous artist George Washington Lambert.

During the first World War George Washington was commissioned by the Australian government to travel to Gallipoli and record scenes from the terrible battles. The journalist who accompanied Lambert was Sir Keith Murdoch, the father of possibly the world's most powerful media baron, Rupert Murdoch. 

# Heir apparent to the world-wide Murdoch media empire, Lachlan Murdoch and his glamorous wife Sarah (pictured right) arrived back in Sydney this week for an extended stay.
## Kit Lambert discovered, among many others like Jimi Hendrix, one of the world's most enduring super bands The Who who are co-operating on the planned Elwes brother's biopic.
### Arthur Brown who now lives in the USA has cancelled a recent tour due to his distress that he & Lambert's music features in the video.
Here is another version of Fire with Arthur Brown recorded in Germany in 2012.

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

From the Crypt:

At a Pepsi Cola promotion at the Sydney Intercontinental Hotel: 
 ..actor Leslie Nielsen & Meatloaf. Why were they there? Beats me. I just turn up to these events & hope for the best and was pleasantly surprised to see two well known names who had been flown into Australia for a party.

Silver Dinner- a glittering event

 This year's annual Silver Dinner was hosted at Swifts, that extraordinary mansion in Darling Point with it's commanding views over Sydney Harbour. Swifts may well be the most valuable property in Australia. It was built in 1875 by Sir Robert Lucas Lucas-Tooth, the beer baron and is now owned by the Moran family of nursing home fame. With it's 6 acres of land, approximately 9 building blocks it's hard to estimate it's value. being National Trust listed it cannot be changed so development is off the books.
And with it's own ballroom and band stand in the garden it's the perfect location for a swell party. The Silver Dinner, the brainchild of Skye Leckie (above left) in a gold dress has raised $Millions for the Children's Hospital over the years.

Scenes for a party:

A rip-off

Whispers has attended numerous New Year's Eve events in Sydney and 4 at the Sydney Opera

House and the Lord Mayor's Party. We were there when Kylie Minogue launched the famous fireworks and once discovered the US actress Sarah Michelle Geller (left) sitting quietly among the party goers.
While the party's were great fun getting there was something else. You can't drive into the city on NYE and you can't get a taxi when leaving. You spend an hour forging your way through a millions of people and end up walking back to a spot like Kings Cross where, if sensible, you parked your car early in the day.
It's still the same of course so it's very handy now to have a pal who lives in one of Surry Hill's tallest apartment blocks that has a commanding view of the Harbour and the sensational fireworks.

Which brings us to a report in the Sydney Morning Herald and Lord Mayor Clover Moore's outrage at how private business and the NSW State Government are co-opting the fireworks event- arguably the most spectacular in the world- and profiteering off an event paid for by City of Sydney ratepayers (me !) to the tune of $5M each year.
She is correct. The best solution would be to tax every entity that charges, what can be quite exorbitant entrance fees because they just happen to have a handy location to view the fireworks.

'It's complicated': how your NYE celebrations are being privatised

 New Year’s Eve in Sydney was always a simple affair. Dusting off that picnic rug, it was as easy as making a few salads and buying some bread rolls with a chook, putting some white wine into the cooler bag and organising the family to get to the best vantage point to watch the fireworks. What's more, it was free.

 READ THE FULL STORY HERE : SYDNEY MORNING HERALD

Pull the udder one

Getty Images

I may not know about art but I know what I like. Artist Andrew Barnes popped down to the tiny Double Bay beach in Sydney's ritzy Eastern Suburbs this week to give his cows some rest and relaxation and a change from their daily milking regime. He calls it an art installation. Who are we to disagree?.

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

 

Meanwhile in nearby Kings Cross, once the heart of Sydney's nightlife and sex trade, a "Celebrity" boot sale was held on the weekend where most of the items on sale were once owned by the rich and mildly famous. 

Pictured are two local slebs who gave up their goods and time for the event. On the left is the delightful Cindy Pastel, one of the town's most famous drag acts. The award winning film Priscilla Queen of the Desert was based on his life. 

With him is one of our favourite eccentric characters around town Christa Billich who stars in the cable TV show "Housewives of Sydney". What fun.

Ladies Who Lunch

B/W Chair Susan Diver * TV news reader Natarsha Belling * Mem Fox * Julia Baird * Dame Marie Bashir * Kate Carnell

 The Black and White Charity Committee raises funds for Vision Australia to provide support services for children and their families.  Each year they hold the Women Of Achievement lunch at the Four Season's Hotel at Circular Quay.
This is a great event: every penny raised goes to the charity as the ladies on the B/W Committee, cajole, beg, borrow and steal every aspect of the day. They are all unpaid volunteers and it's a pretty good achievement in itself to be able to draw over 500 attendees as they did this year, to pack the hotel ballroom.
Three distinguished ladies of "achievement" give a speech outlining their career and how they got there. Most started from humble beginnings This years speakers were Mem Fox who is married to the billionaire trucking magnate Lindsay Fox, ABC TV presenter Julia Baird and Kate Carnell former Chief Minister of the ACT and currently the Ombudsman for Small Business.
Among the guests, Gina Rinehart arguably the world's richest woman with a mining fortune and Dame Marie Bashir former NSW Governor, Professor Ross Steele, one of world's great experts on the French language and Olympian Jessica Gallagher.

Judith Crawley * Daniel Trelease * Maria Finlay * Professor Steele* Jessica Gallagher * Mike Levendi

Launching a frog

  Pictured left: artist John Olsen, his frog sculpture and Lucy & Malcolm Turnbull.

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and "First Lady" Lucy Turnbull did the honours as artist John Olsen's "frog" sculpture was launched outside the uber harbour-side restaurant Catalina in Rose Bay this morning.
And what a gorgeous sunny Winter day for the event.
Hosts Michael & Judy McMahon, owners of Catalina laid on a superb lunch, as is their wont, and it's difficult to image how better to spend a lazy Sunday in Sydney. Catalina has an afinity with the water. It's superb balcony that extends over the harbour is often visited by two pelicans. Nearby are Sydney's famous seaplanes that deliver the well-heeled to their Palm Beach weekenders.

Locals join the PM: L-R Suzanne Dougall * Glen Marie Frost * Malcolm & Lucy* Victoria Morish

Left to Right : artist John Olsen * PM Malcolm Turnbull * Lucy Turnbull * the Frog* Catalina owners Michale & Judy McMahon

Hope ?

 The man considered to be the mastermind behind the shambles successful BREXIT campaign Nigel Farage is soon to grace our shores. While the political party he started, UKIP stumbles from disaster to election disaster, the MEP (Member of European Parliament)  who finds little time to actually spend in Brussels will tour Australia for 5 days spruiking his message in September. Farage will also visit New Zealand. Perhaps he'll be telling the New Zealanders they need to break away from Australia.
A "VIP" ticket to his events will be around $500 but you get to attend a backstage cocktail party or you can pay $250 for a photo with him or you can fork out nearly $1000 for a pre-show dinner with Farage. 
Most people should be aware that things are not going well in the UK Parliament as they wrestle with just how to manage the split from the rest of Europe. One major problem is the Custom's Union between Ireland and North Ireland which now enjoys unfettered access with the EU saying this must cease. To date several large corporations have threatened they may have to leave Britain and base themselves in Europe for easy access. The giant Airbus Corp being just one but there are fears several big banks may also decide to HQ in France or Germany.
Never mind, Nige is quoted as saying he will bring his Oz listeners "a message of hope and optimism". Perhaps he's specifically targeting that at current PM Malcolm Turnbull who needs all help he can get at present. What a shame Whispers happens to be busy that night. Whenever it is.
                                                  *****************************
 

Trigger Warning ! 
 Over night on Twitter the following message appeared from the UKIP MEP Neil Hamilton. 

Apparently some chap called Milo has joined the party with a conspiracy apparatchik from the bizarre US Alex Jones show along with Sargon of Akkad whoever that is.

Electrifying news

 She was a regular on the Sydney and Melbourne social scenes before re-locating to the Coffs Harbour area where she is now in the restaurant business.
Danielle Wallace was renowned for her beautiful ties worn by the great and good (see our snap). You can still buy them on the internet and at the occasional pop-up shop. Or if you happen to be shopping in New York try Bergdorf Goodmans on Fifth Avenue.

After a stint in New York and then ritzy Lake Como, as one does, Danielle is currently based in her old stamping ground on the NSW North Coast and has a new project underway.
She's taken her parents older Rolls Royce and is having it completely turned into an electric vehicle. And what a fantastic idea which should give hope to all those who have hankered after a Roller but were always put off by the expensive repairs . If you check out the UK Ebay you can pick up one of the vintage models from anything from $7000 to $20,000. While the conversion isn't cheap, apparently around the $25,000, over time this is bound to become a growing business with prices dropping and what a boon to those who love the more stylish older vehicles.
Whispers is rather sad we didn't hold on to our first auto, a convertible Morris Minor.

Macquarie Street fire

A building has burst into flames in Sydney's legal and medical specialist district Macquarie Street almost opposite Parliament House.as our exclusive snaps show.
It's not as bad as first thought- the flames are actually consuming plastic sheeting stretching up the side of the building currently being renovated.
The scaffolding was also in flames. The irony is that the work being carried out was to remove flammable cladding that has caused so much grief in London's deadly Grenfell Tower fire.
Fortunately there were no casualties with today's blaze.
pictures: Douglas S. Thompson‏ @tsdhe 

The $100,000 Selfie

The Archibald Prize for portraiture has been announced and the winner is Yvette Coppersmith for her self portrait (left) whipped up in the week before entries closed. She picks up the $100K prize. The Packing Room Prize (chosen by the art gallery workers) went to Jamie Preisz for his portrait of rocker Jimmy Barnes (right) garnering him $1500. Below are some of the finalists. You have to go to the exhibition itself to see who the artists are but it's well worth it. The NSW Art Gallery is one of the world's great galleries. It's open from 10am every day.

Party Central

Whispers partied hard at a new venue and it's a great find. Archie Brothers Electric Circus is nestled behind an industrial centre in deepest Alexandria and it looks like a winner to us. This is really a great spot to hold a party. Not too far for a taxi, plenty of parking (it's own car park) terrific party food, a huge bar and a  range of fun fair type games that would keep guests occupied for hours.
Location: 55 Doody Street, Alexandria (next door to Sky Zone) 1300 888 FUN |