Has Tropfest Peaked?

It seemed appropriate : a Mars Rover rolled around the grounds of Centennial Park, the new home for John Polson's Tropfest. At first the venue looked little different than The Domain where the event has been hosted for the past 12 years but after an hour in the unrelenting hot December sun without the pleasant and cooling harbour breezes many in the audience were soon dozing off.

Tropfest founder John Polson and Legally Blonde director Robert Luketic

Noticeably lacking were sponsors. They were few and far between food & drink concessions with their exorbitantly priced produce, a 20c bottle of Supermarket water going for $5. And the main sponsor nearly caused a riot.  
SBS TV raised the hackles of a dozen photographers who had arrived a good three hours early to score a precious media spot which meant waiting in that hot sun without promised refreshments. Just as the event began suddenly two SBS film crews of about 20 positioned themselves directly in front of the angry snappers. Talk about frayed nerves.

Spot The Star

And where were the stars ?. John Polson has performed miracles in getting every Hollywood actor in town to the event but this year there were none. The only LA name of note was film director Robert Luketic of Legally Blonde & Paranoia fame. At the very first Tropfest in the Tropicana Cafe in Kings Cross 22 years ago the Shuttle was amongst the 40 guests that included Nicole Kidman and Tom Cruise. This year it seemed to be television stars, mainly from Foxtel.
The jury is out- should Tropfest, a great idea in it's time, be put to bed ?

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)