Let's Get Real

Following Whisper's revelation that colourful Sydney artistic duo Charles and Christa Billich are headed for the USA, a Sydney newspaper has called into question the claims about several planned reality TV shows.
(left : Christa & Charles Billich)
Whispers only knows what we have read about the Billich's show which reputedly follows the duo as they attempt to set up a Los Angeles art gallery. Former Sydneysider James Maas who hails from the North Shore is reported to be starring in the series which has the blessing of Hollywood director Adam Shroeder.

As to former Sydney gumshoe Frank Monte and his partner Sharon Sargeant's The Private Eye & The Madam we know a bit more. Monte has received some flack for originally trying to raise funding on Kickstarter. But it did in fact pay off with an LA film investor ponying up $250,000 to finance a pilot and one episode which are now in the can. We can assure readers the financier is genuine and has confirmed the deal but wishes to remain anonymous at this stage.

We also know a South American TV network ( we checked !) offered to purchase the series from Monte but Monte says the price offered along with restrictions on distribution didn't make the deal viable. Making the pilot is almost the easy part. Selling it is the hard part.
                        (right: Frank Monte & Sharon Sargeant)
Whispers more than anyone knows how difficult it is getting a film project off the ground. Having moved into the Moving Picture Industry five years ago we have worked on two successful documentaries. Another project we have in the pipeline has been thirty years in the planning.

Hollywood heavies Cassian & Cary Elwes

It's taken that long to get a biopic based on the life of The Who manager Kit Lambert written by Whispers with famous UK rock manager Simon Napier-Bell and former MOJO editor Pat Gilbert to the stage where powerful  US independent producer Cassian Elwes has picked up the project for a new production company he has formed with his brother actor Cary Elwes.
The film has the enthusiastic backing of Pete 
 Townshend and Roger Daltrey. The Who are still huge stars in the US and can pack stadiums giving The Rolling Stones a run for their money.

Elwes is specializing in low budget films, although the expected budget $US18M isn't chickenfeed, in Hollywood terms it's low. Elwes sells the rights to his films to cable TV to cover production costs where they end up following a cinema release. But it's almost like the old studio system with a production line. He has 8 films on the go and where ours is in the pecking order is complicated
by whether a name actor is available seeing they are obligated for years ahead. Every actor that reads our script wants the role including  Colin Farrell but will they be available?
It gets to the point where all you care about is- as long as the cheques roll in. Hopefully one day we'll get to attend the premiere.
 Right: Simon Napier-Bell & his famous discovery George Michael

Going Down on The Titanic

Yes it's true. 

Whispers almost went down with the HMS Titanic and we're rather pleased. There is a fascinating new exhibition of over 360 Titanic artefacts on display at the Byron Kennedy Hall at Fox Studios.

The promoter of the show Tom Zaller is pictured above on the Titanic's Grand Staircase. Actually that's not the real staircase, it's the one that was created for the film staring Leo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet. Zaller is actually one of the very few people who has been down to view the wreck of the Titanic in one of those tiny submarine thingys and it inspired him to create this exhibition which premiered in Moscow, has been to Perth and is now in Sydney.

Everything else on display are original mementos from The White Star Line. Visitors are led through various rooms to view a first class cabin, nice, and then middle class (oh dear) and lower class where ten people shared one bunk (just kidding). The exhibition culminates in the Memorial Gallery, where visitors learn the passenger’s fate on the cold early morning of April 15, 1912. There is a complete list of the unfortunate passengers who didn't survive and a list of those who did in each of the boats. And..there is a Real Iceberg ! Yes a real one.

Visitors are given a Boarding Pass with a passenger's name and you can check whether you live or die ! Whispers was in the name of Mme Léontine Pauline Aubart (left) from Paris, and fortunately she survived in Lifeboat 9 with her maid Emma Sägesser.
#  Léontine Pauline Aubart was a 25 year old singer and the mistress of millionaire Benjamin Guggenheim who was also on board but did not survive. Apparently she went on to become a society hostess in Paris holding wild parties!

Compare the First Class Cabin with Second Class- 4 beds in a tiny room, and Third Class...shudder..we dare not show you (nothing has changed)

China gets less grand as you go downmarket to Third Class. At least they gave you a plate and some cutlery

 

The Only Gig to be at Tonight

Delectable singer Christie Lamb will be launching he new album tonight at the insanely named Rooty Hill RSL ( Whispers has been there- like something out of Las Vegas!)

Christie Lamb             pic: fireflyphotos.com.au

Born in Nottingham, England, Christie moved to Australia aged 6 and attended a Performing Arts School for dance, drama and music.

Now with a plethora of prestigious awards under her belt, Christie can add ‘CMC New Oz Artist of the Year 2015’ and a Golden Guitar for ‘CMAA New Talent of the Year 2016’. Winning both these awards is unheard of as an independent artist, and at just 23 years of age, is a truly extraordinary achievement. 

These awards wrap up an incredibly fruitful year that started with the success of her debut album 

‘All She Wrote’. Following a sold out album launch in Sydney, the album hit #1 on the Aria Hit Seekers Album Chart (All Genres) and #2 on the ARIA Australian Artist Country Chart. The subsequent five radio releases spurned three #1 hit singles and two top 5 singles.

As a result, Christie Lamb has been hailed as ‘the one to watch’ by country music industry insiders including legend, Lee Kernaghan.  As Lee concurs, “Christie is an incredible artist; not only an amazing singer, she is also an extremely talented multi-instrumental musician. I reckon Christie Lamb is the one to watch. She is a star of the future”
Tickets are $20 and can be purchased here : http://rootyhillrsl.com.au/christie-lamb-tickets-2016

Nearly Summer

 Mid Spring but it feels like Summer with warm and balmy sunny days. A perfect excuse to attend a bikini launch! Designer Fiola Labron Johnson (above centre) launched her new swimwear range Fiola Rose Swim at the d'Albora Marina at The Spit in Mosman.
And there were some pretty swell gin palaces on display. We could get used to this. Below, AdProManagement's Grant Dwyer with Fiola and some gals wearing those new swimsuits. Look good don't they?

We clambered aboard this vessel with only a flute of Champagne to fortify us against the seas

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A missive arrives from LA gumshoe Frank Monte who has taken up residence at New York's wondrous Waldorf Astoria Hotel (our favourite ) :

"Hi Friends, much has been said in the press and radio here in NYC about my checking the stories of these 'Ladies' who are impugning Mr. Trump's Good name. At the outset there's a confusion about who I am. A younger Frank Monte 45, of New Jersey and a Vet. has been in court several times against Mr Trump and has been fighting him for years. I am not he.

I am a Frank James Monte, over 60...and a fully licensed CA Private Detective formerly of NYC now of LA. CA. To date I've sucessfully blown out of the water 4 out of the 8-9 'Ladies' making unsubstantiated accusations against my friend Donald Trump. I'm now chasing after Attorney, M/s Gloria Allred's clients all of whom are in hiding from me.

It's a trial by the Press and the more they say, naively believing the crap these women say, the more press there is.I'm continuing with my case load. Those who know me, remember I totally destroyed the David Jones Ltd case of the $37 million sexual harrassment suit by a former DJ's staffer in 2010. She ran away with just court costs.

If you know more, speak up, I'm at the Walforf Astoria Hotel here on Park Ave.Cheers. Frank Monte." 
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