video : Gerard Depardieu Peeing on Plane

Looking At Jedward's Crotch(s)

Who could forget their appearances on Britain's Got Talent, as much as we tried. The god awful Jedward, John and Edward the Irish twins who sang out of tune, danced awkwardly like marionettes and basically were just plain bad.

They've had the last laugh of course and have gone on to make millions with the help of Louis Walsh who recognises a money spinner when he sees two. And they really are quite likable in a cringe worthy way.

Now pop impresario Simon Napier-Bell has weighed into the debate with a look at Jedward's trousers, on the outside but with a few comments on what may lay within.

Napier-Bell  has launched many show biz acts in his day including some who have gone on to become legends. Like Marc Bolan and T-Rex and Wham with superstar George Michael.

He also wrote a few songs-one You Don't Have To Say You Love Me was a mega hit for Dusty Springfield and Elvis Presley and which along with Big Spender is still a favourite of drag queens the world over (Napier Bell grumbles that he never receives royalties from the drag acts)

His piece on Jedward is for the  Huffington Post and he descibes them as like "asexual Teddy bears"and gives us an amazing insight into acceptable trouser crotch levels and heights as seen in the world of rock and pop. Not unlike Vogue's Anna Wintour issuing a decree on hem levels. It should  become required reading for anyone intent on cracking Britain's Got Talent or X Factor and as Napier-Bell is in constant demand to judge pop talent quests around the world he probably knows what he is talking about.

Regular Shuttle readers may re-call we acted as a bit of a host when Simon Napier Bell visited Sydney in 2009 and ferried him to and fro to various media interviews.

Simon Napier-Bell

 One, with top TV daytime host Kerri Anne Kennerley left her reeling when she asked him what was  most outrageous thing that happened in the world of rock management and he replied-"possibly when David Bowie said he would let me  f*ck him if I would manage him". Fortunately for Napier Bell he didn't take Bowie up on the offer particularly as at the time the Thin White Duke was notable for his rotting green teeth.

Napier-Bell spends most of time commuting between a sumptuous villa in Thailand and the UK and USA where he hosts a radio show and lectures while writing some best selling books in his spare time.

KAK- shocked

His Black Vinyl White Powder is considered the definitive history of rock and pop from the 60s to the 90's and was required reading on the British school curriculum.

I'm Coming To Take You To Lunch is a rollicking read about his adventures as he attempts to (successfully) negotiate with Chinese party officials to have Wham as the first ever international pop act to appear in China, nipping in the bud the ambitions of Freddie Mercury and Queen. At the time it was one of the most talked about events on the planet.

Simon Napier-Bell is writing regular features for the Huffington Post which can be read here.
 At Simon's website you can find more about his books.
Here is Elvis with You Don't Have To Say You Love Me :

Rick Stein Accepts Award For Lyndey

What flat-lining economy ?. If last night's The Sydney Morning Herald Good Food Guide 2012 launch and restaurant award announcements are anything to go by, the dining business is booming with more than 950 establishments listed including more than 100 new places to eat.

Rick Stein & Sarah Burns

The 27th edition of the book and one of the largest to date was launched last night at the magnificent 1920's Byron Kennedy Hall in the Fox Entertainment Centre (corner of Errol Flynn and Peter Finch Boulevards) with 400 guests sipping Louis Roederer champagne.

The awards consist of one, two and three hats and the usual suspects topped this year's winners. Those awarded three included Quay which regularly tops international awards, Marque in Surry Hills, a newcomer on the block Sepia in the city and Bilsons run by the Godfather of Australian modern cuisine, Tony Bilson and Est, part of Justin Hemmes' empire with chef Peter Doyle.

Porteno in Surry Hills won Plumms Wine Glasses Best New Restaurant.

Tony Bilson makes a point to Patrick Benamou

40 reviewers put together the guide and the awards presided over by the SMH restaurant reviewer Terry Durack and co-editor of the guide Joanna Saville.
 
Terry Robinson  the chef at Sepia picked up the The Josephine Pignolet Best Young Chef while one of the countries favourite food identities Lyndey Milan was awarded the Vittoria (coffee) Legend Award. Lyndey is in Ireland filming a new TV series so good pal Rick Stein jetted in to accept the award on her behalf.

A full list of the awards is here.

Terry Durack & Jill Dupleix

Rachael & Sarah Doyle from Porteno

James Valentine MCd

Kin Chen & Kylie Kwong

    

Terry Robinson from Sepia

Three Hats for Peter Gilmore of Quay

                                                                                                                 

To Bad Times, Good Face

 It's a Mexican saying that basically means, get on with it and make the most of life !

Tortilla's filled with spicy seared tuna, braised pork and prawns and even more tasty Mexican treats whipped up by Brazilian chef Rafael Tonon were on offer at the opening night of Barrio Chino in Kings Cross. And naturally margaritas to wash that down.

Nicole Galloway (centre) and pals party on opening night

It's the latest addition to inner city dining and one expert there on the night tells us Mexican food is all the rage. Speaking of experts, noted foodie and food critic Terry Durack of the Sydney Morning Herald has given Barrio Chino a 13/20 rave review (that's a lot for him) and reckons it's the place to go to.

AJ, Libby & David Koch at Barrio Chino

Owners Peter Lew and Nicole Galloway have joined forces with  Joe Hargreave of San Francisco's Tacolicious, one of that city's best new restaurants.
Lew comes with impeccable foodie credentials being behind the successful Fei Jai (Taiwanese for Fat Boy) in Potts Point and he's the nephew of Gilbert Lau, legendary Melbourne chef and restaurateur responsible for the original Flower Drum in that city, one of the most famous Cantonese restaurants in the world.

 click here to learn how to make the perfect margarita 

                             

Acting The Goat

Alexandra Richards

Dan Ewing and Diego Arnarg

Diesel launched their new range-Island Collection at the Sun Studio in deepest Alexandria.
These theme parties can be fun. Guests were met by an armed guard at a check-point and credentials were checked before being allowed past into the studio decked out with driftwood, old fishing lines and..well you get the picture..a desert island (we think)

But what was with the pink dyed goat ? We were assured by a PR person that the goat, called Billy naturally, was dyed with ecologically sound, all organic wool dye- ie, no animal was harmed in this promotion.
Billy posed on the red carpet for a short time and then promptly fell asleep and missed the arrival of  Patti Hansen and Keith Richard's daughter, the beautiful model Alexandra Richards who had jetted into town that morning.

goat goes on strike

Basil Fawlty's London

Following our link to Richard Glover's interview with John Cleese during which the comedian claims London  is "no longer an English city" there have been howls of outrage in a British newspaper. The London Evening Standard and it's readers have taken Cleese to task.

London mayor Boris Johnston is reported as saying in response to Cleese  "we should celebrate the capital's diversity" while former mayor Ken Livingstone said :"to stay competitive London must be what New York is to the USA, a global centre of business, culture and innovation, none of which can be achieved without people of all nations working and living here. Without that London's status as a driver of the British economy would be permanently lost."

Cleese said that "the capital feels like a foreign city and that English culture is disappearing."
"I'm not sure what's going on in Britain. Let me say this, I don't know what's going on in London because London is no longer an English city and that's how they got the Olympics  "

The Sydney Morning Herald's travel writer The Backpacker ( Ben Groundwater) agrees with Johnson and Livingstone. 

He said : "London still feels like the centre of the universe. You stroll the streets and there are Indians, Pakistanis, Turks, Iranians, Poles, Spaniards, French, Americans and, of course, Australians. It's as if the whole world has come to visit ". He qualified  that with :  "The city still has its down sides, of course. The weather's crap. Well, actually, the weather's great, and then it's crap, and then it's great, and then it's crap again – and that's before you've even had lunch. "

Read the full report here in the London Evening Standard. 
The Backpacker's website is here.

The X Factor Winner

It's a toss-up !. We do the hard yards so you don't have to. Just as we picked young Jack Vidgen after the first few bars on Australia's Got Talent.

# 16 year old Reece Mastin. A natural rock star. "Fan- bloody- tastic" as Mel B said.. He makes it look so easy.

# And did anyone imagine 19 year old Zaacharia Fielding from "the desert"-an Aboriginal community of 350 (with his Mel B tribute hair) would come out with the most beautiful, natural and accomplished voice ?. Such control .

# Admit it-you too had tears in your eyes when Iraqi orphan Emmanuel Kelly sang. You weren't alone.
Watch these three sensational performances from the current X Factor and you will have to agree.

Flowers and Art

Michelle Jank

                                                              Sydney has a brand new art gallery and it's a beauty. The new Martin Browne Gallery in Paddington opposite Trumper Park is an old industrial art deco style building just taken over by Browne who was previously based in Potts Point.         

Kylie Kwong

Saskia Haveks

Martin has turned the building into one of the cities finest premises that promises to be used for a lot more than art exhibitions. Last night it was the location for one of Browne's first big parties-the launch of

floral designer Saskia Haveks book Grandiflora Celebrations, a beautiful collection of gorgeous photographs of Saskia’s designs.

Grandiflora is one of the smartest florists in town. At the lower end of Macleay Street, Potts Point, they supply all sorts of fashionable people like fashion designers Akira Isogawa and Michelle Jank, restaurateur and MasterChef star Kylie Kwong, Singapore Fashion Week, numerous corporate board rooms and some of Sydney's grandest houses.

Leo Schofield did the honours and launched the book while party-goers ate smoked salmon and quaffed Mumm champers.

SBS TV's Jenny Brokie & friend

event designer James Gordon took pet poodle Bob to the party

Floral Drama in Double Bay

It's been gossip amongst the coffee shops of smart Double Bay for the past few days now.
 The tale of the well dressed lady who arrived in the afternoon at the uber smart restaurant Pink Salt and made off with a gorgeous bunch of flowers delivered earlier that day for the evening dining session.

Pink Salt owner Evan Hansimikali who first found foodie fame in the reality TV show My Restaurant Rules had been promising exposure of the Bouquet Bandit as she has been dubbed. It duly appeared today when Hansimikali provided security footage to the Daily Telegraph which you can also watch here. The Telegraph speculates that our light fingered BMW driver sports a Louis Vuitton handbag.

Sass & Bide Sunnies

The ever expanding Sass & Bide empire now incorporates some great sunglasses and they threw a small party at their elegant Paddinghurst boutique (..that's half way between Darlinghurst and Paddington on Oxford Street) to celebrate. The collection that costs from $260 to about $380 a pair include retro style sunglasses, big lense sunglasses as well as modern cool sunglasses which are all made in Italy with love!

 The designing duo Sarah-Jane Clarke and Heidi Middleton arrived fashionably late for their party.

Sass & Bide's Sarah-Jane and Heidi

a hug from Daimon Downey

Sneaky Sound System's :          Miss Connie Mitchell & Black Angus

To view the range go to the Eye Wear Boutique or Sass & Bide.

Eric Bana at YOTS-Interview with John Cleese

Father Chris Riley & Eric Bana

Youth Off The Streets held their 20th Year anniversary black tie Gold Dinner on Saturday at the Hilton Hotel. YOTS, for short is the brainchild of Catholic priest Father Chris Riley who has been beavering away now for two decades assisting homeless, disadvantaged and abused youth.

Riley has some high profile supporters including Murdoch Books publisher Matt Hanbury and it's special ambassador is actor Eric Bana.

Among the guests were Premier Barry O'Farrell, patrons Sir William and Lady Helen Deane, TV host David Koch and wife Libby, Sony Music heavy Denis Handlin and actress Paula Duncan. Entertainment was provided by Diesel and Mahalia Barnes.


Bana has been back in Australia for two months, and plans to stay on with wife Rebecca and children Klaus and Sophie, reducing his film work to one project a year. The thriller film Hanna in which he stars is currently showing in Sydney and he has two more due for release-By Virtue Fall and Blackbird.

Sen. Concetta Fierravanti-Wells
   and Premier Barry O'Farrell

Sir William & Lady Deane

 Let's hope Sony's Handlin took notice of some of the ladies who work for YOTS. They read the interview with young singer Jack Vidgen who said he wished to participate and help YOTS out and they are excited.
 Sony signed Vidgen after his Australia's Got Talent win and his debut CD, Yes I Am is going gangbusters.




From 702 ABC Sydney :

John Cleese & Richard Glover (ABC Radio 702)

Comedy legend John Cleese is in town for the Just for Laughs comedy festival at the Sydney Opera House. Richard Glover caught up with John to talk Fawlty Towers, Monty Python and how he feels about political and social changes in the UK.
 Go to The Drive Show website here to listen to Glover's excellent interview with Cleese.

Go to the Sydney Opera House website here to book tickets for Just For Laughs which is hosted by John Cleese and features Martin Short, Dylan Moran, Demetri Martin, Russell Howard, Margaret Cho, Louis C.K and more.

Duncan Fallowell , a Long Lunch & "Massive C*ck"

Duncan Fallowell

The Wikipedia claim that travel writer, author and social commentator Duncan Fallowell was also the famous British blogger Madame Arcati- as reported on the Shuttle,  turns out to be a hoax.

This will come as a great relief to both writers who were besieged by readers demanding an explanation -quite apart from Fallowell and Arcati being mortified that others may think they were one and the same person.

It was  another piece of Wikipedia mischief where posters slightly alter entries.
Some famous ones include an entry in singer Robbie William's page that "in 2006 he ate pet hamsters for a living in and around Stoke ": that the entire village of Denshaw near Greater Manchester was "the home to an obese population of sun-starved, sheep hurling yokels with a brothel for a pub and a lingering tapeworm infection " :  that "Italians drink children’s blood." :   that US pro-golfer Fuzzy Zoeller had admitted to "polishing off a fifth of Jack after popping a handful of Vicodin pills": that  David Beckham "was a Chinese goalkeeper in the 18th century." :  Plato was "an ancient Hawaiian weather man and surfer " and our favourite : Stephen Fry " regularly wears a gorilla suit to bed.

Who then is Madame Arcati ?. Well that mystery is still to be solved but we believe one man may hold the secret : writer Victor Olliver, star astrologer for the English publication The Lady, who is known to be an intimate of Arcati.

Karl Stefanovic : "long lunch, massive c*ck ""

Still, these Wikipedia frauds are no-where near as good as the tale perpetuated by celebrity TV interviewer Richard Wilkins who launched his book Black Ties, Red Carpets, Green Rooms last week at Kit & Kaboodle.
In 2009 Wilkins announced on the Today Show that actor Jeff Goldblum had died after falling down a cliff in New Zealand. The story swept the world in news reports before an embarrassed Wilkins said he had been the victim of a hoax.
And was this a hoax ? Launching Wilkin's book, TV presenter Karl Stefanovic, fresh from a long lunch with Channel Nine boss David Gyngell,  said ( in front of Wilkin's three children) there were three things he knew about Wilkins : "he has great hair, he's a great bloke, and he has a massive c*ck " !


For more on Duncan Fallowell's books go to his website here.
Madame Arcati has an excellent review of Fallowell's book here. 
 Victor Olliver's astrology website is here.