Match Of The Day

Fashion impresario Simon Lock has announced on Facebook that he has become engaged to fashion editor Kirsten Doak.

Lock is the genius behind the various Australian Fashion Weeks in Melbourne and Sydney and worked tirelessly with good friends who mortgaged their houses to finance and get Australia's fashion industry up on the world stage. His efforts paid of with sponsors like Mercedes Benz coming on board and a number of local designers like Collette Dinnigan, Josh Goot and Alex Perry having fantastic success throughout Europe and the USA,

Amiable Lock now lives in Dubai where he is overseeing successful fashion forums. Kirsten lives there as well and is the fashion and beauty editor on Dubai's Viva Magazine.
As a man of many talents - Lock also runs a very successful public relations firm in Sydney- Simon takes the winter months off and heads for the snow fields where he is a ski instructor.
Right : Simon & Kirsten at the opening night of the Dubai Fashion week.

Another Day Another Hobbit Opening

Cate Blanchett looked sensational on the green carpet at the London launch for The Hobbit, An Unexpected Journey wearing a Givenchy gown. Joining her were a host of her co-stars including Sir Ian McKellen.

Dominic Monaghan , Martin Freeman, Ian McKellen , Peter Jackson, Andy Serkis,

Rumour of The Week that Is Probably True:

Kyly Boldy is pregnant according to a very good source.

 Spotted last week at a charity event in Sydney at the Westin Hotel with an ever so small but noticeable slight bump, Mrs Michael Clarke was unusually coy when asked if she was expecting by our intrepid spy. 

You read it here first.

 Hairstyle Of The Week :

 Cuban Musician Danny Rojo with pals at the Queen Sofia Spanish 2012 Gala this week in new York. Fab !!

Sapphires Are Still Shining

The Australian film that has become an international hit The Sapphires has earned director Wayne Blair a moniker as one of influential Variety's Ten Directors To Watch.

Based on a real story The Sapphires tells the story of an Indigenous girl group who travelled to Vietnam in 1968 to entertain US troops. It received a standing ovation when screened at Cannes this year and stars Deborah Mailman, Shari Sebbens and Jessica Mauboy.

Director Blair also has a hit on his hands with a staring role in the ABC TV series Redfern Now.

Below is a clip from the movie : What A Man

Oscar Talk for Les Misérables

 

Les Misérables has premiered in London and there is already talk of Oscars for the stars - Hugh Jackman, Russell Crowe and Anne Hathaway.
Jackman and Hathaway have both sung together at previous Academy Award ceremonies and Jackman also recommended Anne for the part of Fantine in the current production.



                 

Tom Hooper, Amanda Seyfried,Hugh Jackman

Seems like such a long time ago when the Shuttle drank with Hugh at the Erskineville Pub after premier party for his 1999 movie Erskineville Kings. Asked if he had ambitions for a Hollywood career, Jackman responded with these memorable words:"would be so nice but the competition is pretty tough". As for the numerous drinking sessions we shared with Russell Crowe during his rise to fame in his Sydney days, the less said about the better !

Le Mis opens in Sydney on Boxing Day. Below is the trailer:

Lord Leveson, Vile Perverts & Mayan Predictions

Did the good judge know what was coming ?. Lord Leveson leaped on a jet bound for Australia a few days ago after releasing the first part of his report into the hacking claims against Rupert Murdoch's newspapers that have seen dozens of journalists, police and public servants arrested.

King, Leveson Starr, Glitter & Max Clifford

 The Jimmy Savile scandal had already descended across Britain with over 400 assault claims about the dead DJ. Tabloids who just one year ago printed hand wringing eulogies about the track suited, cigar chomping Leeds' resident back pedaled like crazy.

One of those at the forefront of the decline of England's red tops into celebrity obsessed glossies propped up by sordid tales of sex was the celebrity agent Max Clifford who was the first port of call for those claiming they had been abused by a celebrity and who wished to sell their tale for a few thousand pounds.

Now Clifford has been arrested over alleged sex claims involving the Savile investigation.
Another arrested was the comedian Freddie Starr who spent time in Australia last year in 'I'm A Celebrity Get Me Out of Here.  Clifford shot Starr to fame when he sold a tale to a tabloid : Freddie Starr Ate My Hamster.

And with bizarre synchronicity, the former pop star Gary Glitter was also arrested and questioned by the very same Savile police on the same matter. It was Max Clifford  who sold stories of an alleged sex assault by Glitter, to the News Of The World. Glitter was found not guilty of the charge by a jury.

Rebekah Brooks & Flame Mitchell

Another show business identity who has tangled with Clifford is Jonathan King who spent time banged up by Her Majesty.
 Clifford represented  men who sold their stories of alleged abuse by King to several newspapers.

The world is soon to end according to the Mayans (and PM Julia Gillard).
Jonathon King produced a film Vile Pervert about his ordeals and time in jail (the judge labelled him a 'vile pervert' during the trial).
In Vile Pervert, King through song and dance warns Max Clifford of the certainty of Karma and makes predictions that several identities who reveled in his trial and jailing, would come to a sticky end.
To date several have including former News Corp executive Rebekah Brooks ( Flame Mitchel in Vile Pervert)  and Max Clifford (Waxie Maxie in King's film).
You can download or view Vile Pervert on line here.
In Sydney today Lord Leveson said he "was watching developments in the UK with interest".
Below is King's 1975 hit Una Paloma Blanca :

Update : Mayan End of The World Confirmed

Prime Minister Julia Gillard has confirmed that the End of the world is nigh !. Flee...

An Opening- Xmas Gifts

Haighes at the QVB

Haighs Chocolates, Adelaide's gift to the world's sweet tooth opened a new store in the magnificent Queen Victoria Building last night, just in time for Christmas.
Since the collapse of the Darrel Lea family chocolate empire. the Haigh family really has the industry sown up. With decades of Swiss trained family members, last night they offered up champagne to wash down treats like peppermint creams, dark ginger , assorted fruit liqueurs and sumptuous truffles. Go to their website to find your nearest store-they're all around the country.

Divine by Leee Black Childers

      Leee Black Childers (left) launched his new book in London last night at an exhibition.  He relates a tale in an interview in the UK Standard newspaper of a Christmas bash we attended  in London, at which another guest was the late Sid Vicious.
Childer's launched his exhibiton of snaps at the The Vinyl Factory & The Society Club  London. It's called Drag Queens, Rent Boys, Pickpockets, Junkies, Rockstars and Punks.
                                                                                              

For the more classical minded perhaps the new album by pianist virtuoso Simon  Tedesihi is the perfect gift (we attended his very first recital when he was a tender 13 years old).

 Titled Gershwin & Me it's available at ABC Music.





 Below is some Bach by Tedeshi :

Sydney Mardi Gras Line-Up

Jake Shears,Heather Small,Wayne G,Delta Goodrem

February 10^th signals the beginning of the Sydney Mardi Gras season (they dropped the moniker 'Gay & Lesbian' last year after 2 decades of scolding the media if they got the name wrong) with Fair Day.

 Fair Day really shouldn’t be missed. It’s a chance to run into your favourite 6' Sydney drag queen in the daylight. You might even see your accountant or as the Shuttle did one year, our normally conservative solicitor in a fetching sun yellow frock and Christian Louboutin pumps.

drag races at Bondi Beach

Queer Thinking is on Saturday 16 Feb and Harbour 13 ( a huuge party by the harbour) on the 13^th & 23^rd Feb and our very favourite event, the Drag Races at Bondi Beach on March 1st.

There are films , plays , art shows and so on culminating in the parade and after party on Saturday 3^rd Match. 

A few slebs will be in town to entertain at  the party including Heather Small from M People and Scissor Sisters' Jake Shears , DJ Wayne G who will be joining local entertainers like Garcon Garcon and Delta Goodrem. And Mitzi McIntosh returns from London where she has wowed audiences.

As always the Social Shuttle is spot on in predicting special guests who will be in town to party which will include George Michael ( as if he’d miss it !) and this year- Ricky Martin who will also be here as a a judge on the 2013 The Voice.

Old Pals Party

FORTY years ago this Sunday, hero of the left and Labor Party icon Gough Whitlam ended 23 years of Liberal Party rule when he became Prime Minister.

Lulworth House resident Jeanne Little

On Friday the current Labor PM Julia Gillard survived the News Ltd led onslaught about...well no-one knows quite what except for the Opposition's repeated claims, echoing Rupert Murdoch's The Australian  that she "had questions to answer".
In her closing speech to Parliament for the year Ms Gillard paid tribute to Gough and his triumphs :ending Australia's involvement in the Vietnam War, free university education, universal healthcare and the recognition of China, now out biggest trading partner.
As the Shuttle revealed in early 2011, 96 year old Gough, who Sir David Frost described as "the most intellectual political leader he had interviewed"  is now living in the luxury nursing home  Lulworth House in Elizabeth Bay.
On Sunday the Whitlam clan will join Gough to celebrate his remarkable win in '72.

Gough, Neville & Harry M.

Perhaps Gough's fellow residents will pop in for a drink. The entertainer Jeanne Little who sadly is suffering from altheimers but still recognises people, and his fellow Labor great Neville Wran who was NSW Premier for 10 years, and the promoter Harry M.Miller . Our spy says Harry greatly enjoys breakfasting with Neville, despite the fact it was Wran's government that jailed Harry for 10 months in 1982 over the Tickertek fraud.

The Hobbit Premiers in Wellington

Stars of the film: Cate Blanchett, Hugo Weaving, James Nesbitt, Yao Chen and Brooke Fraser

Guests emerged from a Hobbit 'house' and walked a red carpet that stretched 800mtrs through several city blocks watched by 100,000 fans!.

Director Peter Jackson & Katie Jackson

Dane Rumble

Sylvester McCoy, Lizzie Spender, Barry Humphries

Elijah Wood

For Art's Sake

An exhibition at artist Charles Billich's magnificent gallery in The Rocks is never boring.



Billich sketched 2 nude models while guests sipped on his very own label Pommery Champagne.
Two guests even decided to join the models to make a foursome !.
 Charles has that sort of effect on people. See our brief clip below.

right : Bella Hunter at the Billich Gallery

Grown Up Children

Shari-Lea & Paula

Socialite Shari-Lea Hitchcock took the opportunity to introduce her daughter Paula to Sydney at the Billich Gallery last week.

Paula is now 15 and is the daughter of the late billionaire Dick Pratt who left a $5.6B fortune. Polish born Pratt emigrated to Australia in 1938 and became the biggest supplier of cardboard in the world.
Spreading his fortune around he was an avid patron of the arts and medical research, hosting charity bashes at the Melbourne mansion Raheen  where he lived with wife Jeanne.

Jeanne & Dick at Raheen

The existence of Paula became known during a court appearance when a lawyer mistook a journalist for a solicitor and revealed details of a large payment that was to go to Shari-Lea to care for her daughter. When Dick Pratt died in 2009 he left a legacy to Paula who he adored and Shari-Lea estimated at around $40M plus a sensational beach-side house in snooty Watson's Bay and a NSW farm.
Good mum that she is, Shari-lea whisked Paula away for dinner before the arrival of some nude models at the party.
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Meanwhile at the launch of the 2012 Kings Cross Festival a young man was entertaining the guests including the Shuttle with some amazing card tricks.

Max Rendall

Ace, Christian & Rendall

 Max Rendall placed a packet of cards in our hand and requested we hold them firmly while he did a few tricks to a wide-eyed audience. Upon asking for the cards back, they had turned into a block of perspex?. How did he do it ?.

Max is the son of ex-pat London resident John Rendall who found amazing fame when he and Christian The Lion became a mega YouTube hit as a videoed reunion was set to music.

Rendall and his business partner Anthony 'Ace' Bourke purchased Christian in Harrods in 1969 and kept him in their Kings Road antique store, eventually delivering him to the conservationist George Adamson in Africa.

The grainy film  of the pair re-uniting with Christian in 1971 shot to fame in 2008 and along came book and film rights and a tour of TV chat shows around the world including the Oprah Winfrey show.
Rendall lives in Chelsea and lectures about conservation and keeps a vintage Rolls Royce in Sydney for visits.
 Max Rendall has just finished his studies at Sydney University and is entertaining at corporate events while he contemplates the future.

Media Madness *2

Lord Leveson

The first part of the much anticipated Leveson Inquiry into press standards is to be published next Thursday in the UK and the very next day it's author Lord Leveson will jump on a plane to Sydney. The  world's most colourful tabloid, the Daily Mail mischievously puts it thus : :
Leveson to head on expenses-paid trip to Australia for speech on media freedom.
leading many readers to think it is a UK government funded trip.

The Daily Mail recently ran a superbly crafted hatchet job on Leveson weaving together a conspiracy that the wacky reptile hunter David Icke would have been envious of.   

Leveson will be the guest of the Sydney University of Technology at the Privacy in the 21st Century conference on Sunday 7th December and they will pay all his costs and fees.
Other speakers include 'lock 'em up and throw away the key' former NSW AG John Hatzistergos, former Federal AG Robert McLelland MP and the chair of the toothless Press Council, Prof. Julian Disney.
Also included are several journalists : the recently retired Fairfax writer David Marr along with several from Rupert Murdoch's baby The Australian : Janet  Albrechtsen, Mark Day and Chris Merritt.
News Ltd boss Kim Williams has been frothing at the keyboards over rumoured press standards that may be introduced on recommendation of our own media inquiry, the Finkelstein Report.And who pulled off this remarkable coup in getting Lord Leveson down-under ?. None other than the popular media critic, crikey columnist and  UTS Faculty for Arts and Social Sciences Advisory Committee member , the fearless writer Margaret Simmons.
The Australian has run a relentless campaign ala Daily Mail against Simmons over the past 2 years.
  Sounds like a conference not to be missed !. Tickets can be obtained here.   
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COMING SOON : The CHARLES BILLICH art extravaganza party..uncensored !!!

 

The Vanishing Lady

 As the world's richest woman Gina Rinehart launched her book Northern Australia and Then Some
yesterday by flying from city to city in her private jet ( banning the media except for the Ten Network which by co-incidence, she owns) our attention is drawn to a snap ( above left ) taken some time ago on board that plane.
The photo that ran in The Australian newspaper, is of Perth barrister Lloyd Rayney and his late wife Corryn Rayney. Rayney was acquitted of Corryn's murder earlier this month. Gina Rinehart had  been carefully airbrushed out of the snap as the original on the right of it shows.

But the Shuttle has been caught out in similar fashion when we published an agency supplied photo (above left) of actor Simon Burke, pop impresario John Reid and the late music identity Peter Ikin. French police are  investigating the circumstances of Ikin's death.
Now we have the original photo as shown above right. The snap includes Ikin's French husband Alexandre Despallières, a suspect in Ikin's death, carefully airbrushed out.
The creepy mysteries of Photoshop. You can be erased from history!

Kings Cross Lights Up !

A party tonight on the new outdoor deck at the Mecure Hotel in Kings Cross kicked off the 2012 Kings Cross Festival that sees 4 days and nights of events in the one acre area that comprises the Cross, parts of Darlinghurst and Potts Point.

Stephan Elliott

Dozens of restaurants , coffee shops and retailers are joining in the celebrations along with pubs and nightclubs. At last count there were over 40 nightspots alone in the Cross and it's side streets. The change the Cross has been going through over the past 5 years has been remarkable. New apartment blocks are springing up like the old Metropole Hotel that has been transformed into million dollar luxury pads.

Glynis Trail Nash,Damien Woolnough,Jennie Brockie

Darlinghurst Road, a past base for drugs,criminal gangs, strip clubs and prostitution rings still has it's gaudy neon strip facade. Turn into elegant Macleay Street and it could be a tree lined boulevard in Paris with it's elegant Art Deco apartment blocks, restaurants , boutiques and decorating shops.

Ignatius Jones & pal

Rebel Russell & Max Rendall

Over the next 4 days until Sunday there will be non-stop activities with a great artistic team under the umbrella of Ignatius Jones who has designed Sydney's famous New Year's Eve celebrations at the Opera House. Fashionistas Damien Woolnough and Glynis Trail Nash have organized a pop-up fashion store, Sebastian Goldspink is curating art shows while man about town Alex Zabotto-Bentley has created installations and window art in 22 store windows. Mandy Sayer and Madame Lash will be giving literary talks.

Margaret Fink & Warren Fahey

Legendary Les Girls performer Carlotta is presenting a one woman show while music legend Warren Fahey has organized several music events including buskers and a big show on Saturday night beginning at 6pm in Fitzroy Gardens with the great songbird Renee Geyer (the lurve Renee in Germany )                                                                                       
At the party tonight along with Lord Mayor Clover Moore were many from the diverse Kings Cross' community that numbers around 20,000 and makes it the most populous area in the country. 3 Hollywood Oscar winning filmsters : Margaret Fink , Rebel Penfold Russell and Stephan Elliot , SBS presenter Jennie Brockie and journalists like Melissa Hoyer, Richard Akland and Australia's top foodies Jill Dupleix and Terry Durack.
Go to the Kings Cross Festival website to get a full list of activities and travel arrangements.
Below : a time lapse video of Kings Cross by the creative team at Virtual Network : www.thevirtualnetowrk.com.au