Celeb Round-up

Kim Kardashian at Hugo's Lounge

Probably the whole world knows that Kim Kardashian is in town to launch her handbag range at David Jones having announced just 2 days ago her marriage is over.

Natalie Bassingthwaighte at Hugo's

At the party held for Kim tonight at Hugos Lounge in Kings Cross she lingered in a sort of tiny VIP  section-handy for her as she is quite tiny herself- in a club you can hardly swing a cat in.

Perhaps the event organisers had their reasons for choosing this location. It's great for a small private party but for an event where hundreds of the public are bound to turn up outside to gawp and screeching paparazzi crowded into a tiny media pen, one must wonder what those reasons are.

Sarah-Jessica in Melbourne

Tonight fans are already queuing and sleeping outside David Jones department store for Kim's appearance there tomorrow. Why didn't DJs host the party ? Guests were fleeing Hugos fairly early after arriving. Too hot, no room, claustrophobic, a nightmare battling your way to the bar.

Meanwhile in Melbourne Sarah Jessica Parker has been winning hearts and minds giving about 100 media interviews and today she attended the Spring Carnival Ladies Day at Flemington race course. Tomorrow, Oaks Day is the big one. Expect all the international stars to be out in force including our favourite-Joan Collins.

Melbourne Cup Hat Of The Day

In the end, it looked like the QANTAS debacle was a bonus for Sydney with every pub, bar, restaurant, hotel ballroom, park and garden packed with hundreds of people celebrating the Melbourne Cup.

John Ibrahim & Chelsea Mitchell

Charlotte Dawson & pals

There were parties everywhere one looked.

A few of the smartest : the  Moët & Chandon party at the W Hotel hosted by TV personality Charlotte Dawson with a room full of good looking young punters including Liberty & Somer Watson from Coco Ribbon in London's Notting Hill Gate plus some fine food and plenty of champers.

The Chandon luncheon in Centennial Park with social heavyweights like Glen Marie Frost, Deeta Colvin, Melissa Hoyer and Victoria Morish and top party designer James Gordon.

Sharon Sargeant & Frank Monte

Liberty & Somer Watson, Alison Barton-Chen

The Finger Wharf, which the W Hotel forms part of, had a dozen parties with every restaurant packed to the rafters, with the very swish Otto's booked out weeks beforehand.

Cup cakes at the W

Radio king John Laws was there with wife Caroline and Malcolm Coppleson , Frank Monte with party girl Sharon Sargeant and keeping a low profile, nightclub tsar John Ibrahim with his girlfriend Chelsea hosting a table with about a dozen friends.




At the Cup itself at Flemington Racecourse in Melbourne , international stars were few on the ground.
Shane Warne and Elizabeth Hurley failed to show nor did Joan Collins. Kim Kardashian is in Sydney for a party tonight (pursued by the world's media)

The W Hotel

But they will be there on Oak's Day (Thursday) which is far more genteel and fashionable, along with Sarah Jessica Parker who flew in to Melbourne on Monday but lunched at the Chandon's Greenpoint Brasserie in the Yarra Valley. The only star of note at the Cup-actor Adrian Grenier.


And amongst the wild and wacky costumes that appear on Cup day-the prize goes to multi-millionaire self promoter Dick Smith for his simple but effective Dick Smith's Ozemite hat !. That's Dick's political statement on his annoyance that the iconic Aussie spread Vegemite has been snapped up by a foreign corporation and a clever plug for the new spread he is marketing.

Shock Nude Photo of Prince Harry- and he's a Hunk!

Two outrageous snaps of the Royals-the hunky abs of HRH Prince Harry and Mike Tyndall, husband of HRH Princess Anne's daughter Zara Phillips having it off with that blond in New Zealand.

They are of course pics from the brilliant photographer Alison Jackson who has a new book on Royal look-a-likes available here and at her website. Go to Alison's website for more fun.

Your Melbourne Cup Form Guide

It's come a long way since Jean Shrimpton-The Shrimp- shocked and outraged and positively delighted the crowds at Flemington in Melbourne in 1965 and established once and for all time, The Mini Skirt was here to stay ( it looks so tame today).

Today as a few hundred thousand racegoers descend upon Flemington racecourse for the Melbourne Cup we've provided a handy form guide for the fillies and their jockeys to look out for in the Birdcage, Member's Stand and the private marquees (hover around the Emirates for the real action)

Starting with the richest :
Billionaire James Packer and wife Erica (be nice to them and they may invite you back to James' private bar at the Crown Casino for their karaoke night) and Richard Branson.
Celeb receiving the most for showing up (about 200 grand) Sarah Jessica Parker.

Lovebirds Shane Warne and Elizabeth Hurley. Burlesque queen Dita Von Teese, Kim Kardashian  Rebecca Judd and the real star of the day who should not missed (easy to do as she's so tiny) Joan Collins. And there is bound to be a few surprises like Leo DiCaprio and Tobey McGuire

Mumm champagne, Moet & Chandon, Bollinger will all be hosting marquees and in "Millionaire's Row", the Emirates marquee is styled on St Petersburg's Catherine Palace with the Zhivago restaurant and powder room for ladies, and a Jo Malone perfume stylist demonstrating how to "accessorise" with 23 fragrances.

 Myer's have their "Butterfly House" with Jennifer Hawkins complete with  fluttering laser-cut butterflies, as the PR sheet wittily says..'to show off the social butterflies". 

Garden guru Jamie Durie has flown back from the USA where he hosts a cable TV show to create a "vertical garden installation" in a three-level marquee and VIPs will  be chauffeured to and from the track in luxury Lexus vehicles.

Irreverent / Irrelevant Facts : The first Melbourne Cup in 1861 was filmed and this was the very first  movie to be screened commercially.

The first prize in 1861 for owners of the winning horse-a nice watch while today's prize purse will be $3.5M. The Shuttle's favourite horse name of all time : Whykickamoocow.

Wearapist Jeannie Jets In

To Barrio Chino in Kings Cross and a small cocktail party for Jeannie Mai. 

Jeannie is a make-up and fashion personality who hosts a show on the US cable channel Style Network, called How Do I Look?. She's also a regular on the NBC Today Show giving Americans tips on how to look their best.


Starting as an adviser with MAC Cosmetics she first started doing the make-up of stars like Christina Aguilera and Alicia Keys and for celebs appearing on MTV while hosting a number of reality TV shows. Jeannie's also a philanthropist travelling each year to Africa ,Thailand and Vietnam for 2 organisations, Heartbeat Vietnam and  Nightlight International that help improve the health of impoverished kids.

Jeannie also acts as a sort of sounding board for new young designers trying to team them up with established stars for those all important outfits for red carpet appearances. Her self named skill is dubbed Wearapy and Jeannie has become known as a Wearapist.
Arriving at Barrio Mario Jeannie caused quote a stir amongst onlookers and when asked what brand of outfit she was wearing she was momentarily stumped..until she finally remembered she was wearaping local designer Akira Isogawa.

We liked Jeannie. She was a refreshing change from some of the snootier slebs currently doing the rounds about Sydney.

Computer says nooooo...

If you were planning to fly south today for the Melbourne Cup, as tens of thousands do from all over the country and as far away as Ireland, the UK and New Zealand, you will know by now you can forget it courtesy of Qantas boss Alan Joyce who cancelled all worldwide Qantas flights yesterday (while 95% of shareholders bizarrely voted him a $5M salary the previous day).

Virgin Blue and others will try to fill the gap but many will be disappointed.
There are plenty of functions on in Sydney though but book now if you want to get in.

Variety, the children's charity has a gala day at the Sofitel Hotel at $195 per ticket or $2950 for a corporate table of ten with seats still available.

Artist Charles Billich is hosting a party at the splendid mansion Swifts in Darling Point. Ring the Billich Gallery on 02 9252 1481 The Finger Wharf in Woolloomooloo is always popular with every restaurant hosting a party but get in fast.

Prime Ministers, Book Launches and Slapped Faces

Last Monday Sue Pieters-Hawke launched her book Hazel: My Mother's Story at the SH Erwin Gallery and it was a fairly quiet affair.

Hazel & Bob in happier days

There was none of the fanfare that accompanied the launch of the book her step-mother Blanche d'Alpuget authored -Hawke, The Prime Minister about Sue's dad, former Prime Minster Bob Hawke who is still regarded as the most popular leader Australia has ever had.

The current PM Julia Gillard did the honours for Blanche's tome in front of a number of notable guests like actors Geoffrey Rush and Rhys Muldoon and former Midnight Oil front man Peter Garrett who is now the Minister for Education.

Last June it was alleged that Blanche and Sue had encountered each other in the Qantas's exclusive Chairman's Lounge at Brisbane Airport and each had slapped the other's face before being separated by authorities. Both denied the claim but witnesses say the incident was fairly heated although it's claimed the two have since made up.

Blanche, Julia & Bob

Despite this neither Bob Hawke nor Blanche attended Sue's book launch which Pieters-Hawke has written in retaliation to d'Alpuget's impliction that Hazel only stayed married to Hawke while he was PM so she could stay in The Lodge at Canberra and enjoy her role as first lady. 

Sue Pieters-Hawke's book covers Hazel's life from a schoolgirl in Perth, her life with Bob -''the love of her life'' - her career in welfare, life at The Lodge and her sad decline into Alzheimer's disease in 2001.
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Meanwhile the man who deposed Bob Hawke in a party room coup, former PM  Paul Keating launched his own book After Words on Sunday.
Keating, who was dubbed The Lizard of Oz by the British media in 1992 who accused him of manhandling HM The Queen has likened Australia to "a child clasping at the Queen's coat-tails, waving an embarrassing little flag' in a Daily Telegraph report.

                                        
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Not to be left out, former PM Kevin Rudd, himself deposed 2 years ago by Julia Gillard has been entertaining a crowd at a function following a meeting of Foreign Ministers at the CHOGM conference in Perth. The audience demanded Rudd break into song but he informed them "I sing like a cow".
(What does a cow sound like when it sings?)

Shock & Awe At The Black & White

We always knew local party girl Sharon Sargeant would make a memorable entrance to the ritzy Black & White Charity Committee Ball last Friday evening at the Sydney Town Hall.

The first indication was when her limo pulled up at the entrance in the 'buses only' lane, sending an exasperated bus driver into a frenzy of horn blaring. That suddenly ceased  as she clambered out of the vehicle and smiled sweetly at the bus driver.
 All became clear as she alighted the Town hall steps and a major wardrobe malfunction was revealed (we've had to censor it for our more sensitive readers). There was spontaneous applause from the assembled onlookers and one Scot's bagpiper momentarily faltered and hit some very odd notes.

When Sharon and her escort, the famous private eye Frank Monte took to the dance floor all eyes at the front row tables were transfixed.

Today we spoke to a member of the charity committee to get their comments on the spectacle.

Her reply :
 "We just loved having Sharon attend the ball. She really livened up the evening. And Frank is always more than welcome considering he drops a bundle on raffle tickets" 

"Mind you one distinguished gentleman was very put out and couldn't stop talking about her and her fairly exposed assets. In fact he was so shocked he walked the length of the hall past her table at least seven times to check on the outrage until his wife put a stop to it."

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Australia's Got Talent winner, 14 year old Jack Vidgen takes to the stage tonight for his first appearance at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas-possibly the youngest ever performer to appear there.

Jack has been telling his friends he was bowled over when walking down a street in Vegas to suddenly see his face flashed  on a giant TV screen announcing his appearance.

Following the stage show at Caesar's Palace where various Talent winners will appear, some British singer called Elton John has to win over the audience.

 Not only has Vidgen's premier CD now been released in the USA, he has become a major star in Brazil with Sony rushing to get copies of his album to his fans there.

The Great Gatsby-Spot the Bloopers

Jeff Duff

While the News Corp Daily Telegraph is bringing the world exclusive snaps from the set of The Great Gatsby and tales of Leo DiCaprio's weekly new handbag girlfriend, the Shuttle's on-set spy has been supplying us with a few tidbits.
As we exclusively reported a few weeks ago, the singer Jeff Duff has been cast in the movie as a friend of Jay Gatsby (apparently director Baz Luhrmann has been telling friends that Duffo-as he was once known-exemplifies the sort of eccentric character Baz aspires to).

Now we have noticed a glaring gaff spotted in a series of snaps from the set, that were featured in the UK Daily Mail (courtesy of News Corp). The originals can be seen here and we re-produce a couple of screen shots.
 No, it isn't the beat-up about Tobey McGuire looking very smart in 1920's gear topped with a boater and wearing a pair of 2011 Nikes. (our spy says the snaps were taken as Tobey wandered around in between takes and he had slipped of his movie shoes).
It's the series of splendid 1920's automobiles.

Each one of them is a right hand drive vehicle and of course, in the USA cars are left hand drive.

Is this a first for the fans of movie mistakes who scour the flicks and to date, have clocked up as many as 600 similar mistakes in the Harry Potter movies, over 300 in Pirates Of The Caribbean and about 260 in just one Lord of The Rings film?.
It makes the famous scene from 1959 Ben Hur where a trumpeter is spotted wearing a modern watch pale into insignificance.
Perhaps the viewers will never notice. But then again, The Great Gatsby is being filmed in glorious 3D.

Men In Underwear

When celebrity chef Rick Stein married his long time girlfriend , Australian publicist Sarah Burns at the Icebergs restaurant in Bondi Beach just under three weeks ago, he said the restaurant had the "best view in the world".


He could have been referring to the Bonds underwear bash held there last week at the Iceberg's seaside swimming pool just beneath the restaurant.
While Bonds' flags adorned the balcony, on closer examination the bunting fluttering in the sea breezes turned out to be rows of men's knickers. As the breeze grew stronger many dislodged and were last seen heading for the cliff walkway which would have made a nice surprise for the early morning joggers the following day.

Mark Gasnier &Pat Rafter

Tyler Atkins

The shindig was to launch Bond's new range of quick dry undies for surfers and sportsmen and a surfing match was arranged for a number of hunky men to take part in including tennis ace Pat Rafter, footballer Mark Gasnier, Hayden Quinn, Nathan Joliffee and others.

 Needless to say, plenty of  girls and quite a few blokes turned up to catch a glimpse of some dudes in briefs and tight wetsuits, muscles rippling and all that. The Shuttle just went to have a cold beer and get the gift bag that contained a few sets of the new undies. OK, admittedly we did have a little peek at the sportsmen, purely for aesthetic reasons but restrained ourselves from asking how these chaps achieve such tight butts, a subject of much discussion amongst the party guests.

nice spot for a party-the Icebergs.

Lots Of Stars At The World's Most Costly Building

In report after report we are brought the news that the former Star City Casino at Sydney's Darling Harbour has received a much needed make-over (it's rather nice now) that cost a whopping $961 million dollars. (The Shuttle's resident architect says this must rate as the most expensive building  renovation ever undertaken on the planet and suggests the owners re-check their invoices.)

Now re-named The Star, a series of parties have been thrown to show case the joint and it is rather splendid. Leo Di Caprio has even taken a whole floor in the sumptuous hotel tower (reputedly provided free of charge).

We do hope they have enlarged the elevators. The Shuttle was once almost throttled by action star Jean Claude Van Damme in the hotel's lift. It's a long story for another time.

Last night they had a party but Leo avoided the red carpet and inside introduced star act Stevie Wonder to a glittering audience that included Elle McPherson, Tobey McGuire and Russel Crowe.

You can see a couple of photos from the event at the New s Corp's Daily Telegraph which has billed one as  World Exclusive Photo. You have to congratulate the Tele who have had an amazing run of good luck at getting some exclusive snaps of Leo driving cars, on the set of his new film at Fox Studios and so on.

The fact that News Corp owns the Tele, Fox Studios and has invested a mega sum in the new production being filmed at Fox The Great Gatsby (in glorious 3D) is of course, entirely co-incidental.

Irrelevent / Irreverent Fact :Anti-gambling campaiging MP Nick Xenophon on his website It's A Big Fat Lie reckons $12 billion a year is lost on poker machines.

Adolph's Gas Problems Lasted Until 1947

I bet you never knew that Adolph Hitler didn't die in his Berlin bunker in '45 but escaped to Spain where friendly dictator Generalissimo Franco put the mad Austrian up in the east wing of his Madrid palace where apparently Adolph passed away in 1947. How do we know ?.

 In May 1945 General Franco's medical staff ordered  a carton of 144 bottles of 'Doctor Koster's Anti-Gas pills' from Spain's largest pharmaceutical company,. This order was repeated on a monthly basis until October 1947.

Poor Adolph suffered from flatuence, just like the recently deceased Libyan Qaddafi. All this and more is in the new wondrous newsoftheworldonline.eu. our second favourite wacky on-line newspaper ( pravda.ru/ is good fun)
Having destroyed half of Europe, the fidgety Hitler spent his last days tending to Franco's gardens. There are lots of pictures at the newsoftheworldonline with some chap helpfully pointing out many of Adolph's hangouts in Madrid including the graveyard where he is interred.