Fudging figures..

Alas Whispers missed the official launch for the exciting new cook book Conversations in The Kitchen authored by radio host Alan Jones and former Labor Party leader Mark Latham who has forsaken his former left leaning comrades and veered well and truly to the far right via various steps beginning with Sky News and now The Rebel Media. (you can read more about Latham here).

In the meantime a minor twitter dispute has broken out between Jones' critic Mike Carlton (who coined the term The Parrot to describe Jones) and publicist for the book, the effervescent Max Markson (last seem shepherding the strange Milo Yiannopoulos around town).
Markson claims the book has sold 6000 copies. "Not so" declares Carlton- at best 89 copies as the official figures shows.
We're not taking sides in this dispute having met all parties involved !

Meanwhile the wondrous MailOnline / Daily Mail is still having problems identifying colourful characters. As we revealed some time ago they mistook the Aussie actress Little Nell of Rocky Horror picture fame for the mother of British comedian Tracey Ullman.

Now they've discovered Lucy Turnbull, wife of our industrious Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull may have jumped into a time machine and found her teenage self to accompany Mal to the recent charity Gold Dinner.

It's a serious subject but the Mail recently posted this caption on the figures of male suicide in the UK. Rubbery figures surely ?

She's back !

How pleasing to see our favorite chanteuse and actress Maria Venuti made it to the Bong Bong Picnic Races this week. Maria suffered a stroke earlier this year after she found a stranger in her living room. But she's looking much better and as always, larger than life. Maria is pictured here with two Southern Highlands' residents broadcaster Alan Jones and the always stylish Glen Marie Frost.

There was a time when the Picnic Races had to be cancelled for a number of years due to the attendees imbibing just a little too much in alcoholic refreshments and basically running amok. Now they have returned to calmer times and really are a wonderful day out in a superb location.

Noticeable attendees: broadcaster Alan Jones who tends to be to the right of politics but his new friendship with the former Australian Labor Party candidate for Prime Minister Mark Latham has taken on all the attributes of a bromance. Latham seems to have veered to the right at a rapid pace and now writes for the right-wing website Rebel Media and when he's not castigating "snowflakes" he's cosying up to that Milo character or getting stuck into former Labor colleagues like ex-PM Kevin Rudd and former NSW premier Kristina Keneally who has a real chance of picking up the Bennelong seat in the upcoming by-election which could put Labor in power and PM Malcolm Turnbull out.

We digress: Latham and Jones have teamed up to give the world just what it needs- another cookbook as Mark tweeted with the accompanying photo : "Here we are in the kitchen enjoying the great story about Alan's sultana scone recipe. One of many cracking recipes to feature in the book.'
We can't wait.

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

More Dramas at the Opera House

Pussies Riot

 One day after soprano Tamar Iveri was "released from her contract" with the Australian Opera : the Shuttle first revealed her homophobic Facebook rants : a new drama has cropped up with the annual Festival of Dangerous Ideas .

 The Sydney Opera House has withdrawn writer Uthman Badar from the festival after a twitter campaign. The Sydney based Muslim speaker and activist was to ask why western countries act as a 'moral judge' in the matter of honour killings. His photo-published here- has vanished from the Dangerous Ideas website.
Never fear : there is a line-up of controversial names appearing with former PM Malcolm Fraser and ex-pollie Mark Latham, writers Salman Rushdie and John Pilger and some Russian controversy with the infamous Pussy Riot. Tickets are available here.