Tom's Woes

At the Zegna party : Luke Ricketson,Kate Waterhosue, Hoda & Tom Waterhouse

Arriving at the gala Emermenigildo Zegna 50th year celebration fashion parade at the Royal Hall of Industries on Tuesday, top bookmaker Tom Waterhouse was his cheery smiling self, shaking hands and implacable as always, even as the Shuttle greeted him with "ahhh..the infamous Tom Waterhouse". It received a hearty laugh from his group that included lovely wife and new mother Hoda, sister  Kate Waterhouse and he husband footballer Luke Ricketson.

But if Tom didn't have enough troubles with all sorts of inaccurate claims flying about the airwaves about his on-screen appearances at racing meets, a new calamity has just hit the fan.

Tom's Instagram post.

Yesterday media mogul John Singleton had an on-air spat with Tom's mum, the successful racehorse trainer Gai Waterhouse and accused her of 'leaking' information about his horse More Joyous to son Tom.
"Not so" says Gai but Singleton stormed off announcing he would pull all his horses from Gai's stables. Such drama, especially as Gai has successfully trained numerous winners for Singleton over the years.

Gai Waterhouse, husband Robbie with  Hoda & Tom

Singleton (right) withBob Hawke

 Singleton says Gai leaked details that his top nag More Joyous wasn't in top form to Tom and mutual friends repeated the claim back to Singleton  who then refrained from placing $100,000 on his own horse to win. Tom says via Instagram, he was taking bets all day on More Joyous and it was business as usual and he lost around $300,000 on the race.
Instant update : The matter goes from bad to worse : Tom has called in the libel lawyers and racing officials are demanding an Independent Inquiry before a retired judge. Where is Sir Laurence Street when we need him?

Zegna Rules

As far as parties go it was a memorable event. Ermenigildo Zegna, the Italian fashion brand flew in 200 international fashion journalists and 40 staff from around Asia to celebrate along with 1000 local guests, 50 years of buying Australia's finest wool for their suits.

You can see the importance Zegna places upon their Aussie contacts : there were 2 entrances for guests. One for the bulk of guests and  a VIP black carpet for local show biz types, Hollywood movies stars like Chris Hemsworth and Asian movie stars Leon Lai and Daniel Henney and the farmers. They tend to be unsophisticated types with ruddy red faces from working the land and calloused hands but they really are the VIPs as far as the Zegna family are concerned. Count Paolo Zegna and his brother Gildo Zegna the CEO of the family company flitted from the VIPs to the farmers paying homage to both.

Only the Roya Hall of Industries in Moore Park could cope with this many guests which it did admirably with first a cocktail party section, an catwalk area and an after party room. Performing were Temper Trap and DJ’s Robyn Lawley and Alex Dimitriades. MC for the night was supermodel Megan Gale (she's a big star in Italy !).
 Amongst the guests : Kerri Anne Kennerley. Benji Marshall, David Campbell, George Negus and Kate Waterhouse.

Carla Zampatti and Alex Dimitriades

Gildo Zegna Megan Gale and Count Paolo Zegna

    Sandra Sully                         David & Lisa Campbell                                              Leon Lai

bales of that precious wool

Only In Oz # 1

A new series : sights rarely seen elsewhere but common place in this strange land: at the Beresford Hotel where assorted folk gathered including some Diggers from the morning's Anzac Day march to gamble on Two-Up, the one day of the year it is legal to play.

Rupert Murdoch, Dame Edna, The Who, Gallipoli & The Anzacs

Today is Anzac Day and numerous TV adverts are exhorting us to raise a glass to the remaining old soldiers. The last Gallipoli Anzac Alec Campbell died in 2002 aged 101 and even WW2 veterans are now in their 80s while Vietnam Vets are in their late 60s.

 George Lambert's self portrait.
note the pre-Dame Edna Gladioli !

A few months ago it was announced that a film was to be made about the life of Kit Lambert, the rock impresario who discovered The Who and Jimi Hendrix amongst others. Lambert fell on hard times and died in 1981 aged only 41 but led a fascinating life while it lasted. His partner in his rock adventures, Chris Stamp, younger brother of actor Terrence Stamp died last year at age 70.

Kit Lambert & The Who

News filters through to the Shuttle that Fox Studios may be involved in the Lambert film which is being directed by actor Cary Elwes of Princess Bride fame and being produced by Orian Williams who also produced the brilliant bio-pic of rock singer Ian Curtis, Control which won numerous BAFTA & Cannes Film awards in 2007.

Rupert  Murdoch                             Cary Elwes                            Orian Williams                                Sir Keith Murdoch

Will the Lambert film also feature his grandfather George Washington Lambert Australia's first famous artist ?.

Lovers : Margot Fonteyn & Constant Lambert

 Kit Lambert's father was the English classical composer Constant Lambert, George's son . In 1918 George Lambert was appointed as the official Gallipoli War Artist and traveled to Palestine with a young budding war correspondent Sir Keith Murdoch, Rupert Murdoch's much loved father and the founder of the News Ltd empire.

George Washington Lambert outraged Australian and British generals when he arrived at the front on a horse in a tailor made uniform and wearing a flamboyant hat be-decked with some towering peacock feathers, looking oddly imperial and outlandish at the same time. He had been urged to shock the assembled generals by Sir Keith who regarded most as incompetent upper class twits who he hated, a trait he passed on to son Rupert.

 As for Kit's father Constant Lambert , he died relatively young like his son, at the age of 46 but not before, as rumors go, he impregnated the famous ballet star, Margot Fonteyn at the age of 17 and she was forced to have an abortion to avoid a scandal.

And today's slebs think they lead outrageous lives !

Here is Joan Baez singing the anti-war song about Gallipoli : "And the band played Walzing Matilda"

Star Trek : Into Light

Where better to hold a promotion for the new Star Trek Into Darkness flick, than glorious Bondi Beach on a beautiful sunny crisp Autumn morning. Here are a couple of snaps from yesterday's pr event.

Zachary Quinto, J.J. Abrams, Lifeguard Dean "Deano" Gladstone, Chris Pine and Karl Urban pose at Bondi Beach at the "Star Trek Into Darkness" photo call

Right :  stars of the new Star Trek film Zachary Quinto; J.J. Abrams; Chris Pine; Karl Urban

Count Paola Zegna Jets into Sydney with 200 Pals

Chris Hemsworth            Daniel Henney                Megan Gale                Leon Lai

Eremenigildo Zegna CEO Count Paola Zegna (below with sheep) CEO of the famous family fashion brand has brought over 40 Zegna staff and a swag of over 200 Italian and international media with him to present a 50th year anniversary parade at the Royal Hall of Industries in Moore Park tomorrow night.

The Zegna family have long courted Australia's ruddy faced wool farmers for their fine products and buy up all the best wool in the country. A host of diplomatic names and politicians will join celebrity, fashion and show business faces tomorrow night amongst a 1000 guests at an unforgettable party and catwalk fashion show that will feature movie star Chris Hemsworth and Chinese actors Leon Lai and Daniel Henney along with Megan Gale and dozens of local and international models. Wow !

Lady Mary's NY Pad For Sale

Lady Mary Fairfax's former New York penthouse- the most prized in that city , is up for sale again for $125M US.

The 16 room palace at the top of the Pierre Hotel has sensational 360 degree views of the city and Central park. Lady Mary purchased the pad in 1986 and made a foray into New York society, eventually selling up for $21.5M in 1999, a record then for NY. In typical Fairfax style she departed New York for California in a brand new Rolls Royce purchased for the journey after doctors forbade her from flying for a fortnight after an eye operation.

After telling her trusted chauffeur they would ship the car back to Sydney , when he informed her it was a left hand drive rather than right hand, she said "oh well, we'll find some deserving charity in LA to donate It to and they can auction it".





Mary still lives in her home Fairwater  (left ) in Double Bay which is also the Monaco Consulate-Lady Fairfax is the Honorary Consul . She has donated Fairwater to the heritage Trust but all her employees must be allowed to live there for the rest for their lives.

Travolta Jets Into Town

Our favourite Qantas pilot John Travolta has flown into town (piloting his own 727 jet) to celebrate the new union of Qantas and Emirates Airlines, the new Qantas uniforms and to christen a new hanger at Mascot.

Qantas laid on a dinner for 1000 guests at Sydney Airport in a massive hanger that houses the brand new A380 Airbus . Beef of chicken ?. We aren't saying.

 left : Miranda Kerr, John Travolta & Kelly Preston at the Qantas /Emirates dinner

Melissa Hoyer & Skye Leckie at the Qantas / Emirates dinner.   (pic : Melissa Hoyer)

Ultimate Pub Crawl

Run !!..don't walk

It's the champagne of choice in Hollywood : Champagne Piper Heidsieck want you to know they are in business in a big way in Australia so they held a fabulous progressive dinner through five of The Star's top venues to announce the renaissance of this fantastic drop.
The Shuttle was only too happy to accept the challenge- make our way through five courses and five different superb Piper Heidsieck vintage champagnes. In fact, this should happen more often- the stroll  between each of the great new restaurants in the billion dollar refurbished Star casino is the perfect way to work up an appetite and thirst. Honestly, the things we do for the sake of bringing a few social tales to the world !

Top foodie Lyndey Milan
     fondles Piper

guest in the grip of the
 grape, grips the grape

Fairfax Media wine expert Huon Hooke
    contemplates yet another
         glass of Piper.

Hugos owner David Evans & partner are
  happy to support Piper Heidsieck

nectar of the Gods

Flying With Miranda

She may no longer be spuiking for David Jones department stores or Victoria's Secret but supermodel Miranda Kerr joined forces with Qantas today to promote their snappy new Martin Grant designed uniforms.



                                                 

Martin Grant

BayWatch meets Midnight Oil

Eighty Australian musicians will gather tonight at the Enmore Theatre for a sensational night of Rock'n'Roll.
It's to aid Doc Neeson of The Angels who has been diagnosed with brain cancer. Doc will perform on stage and joining him : David Hasslehoff who flew into town on Saturday and Environment Minister Peter Garrett MP.

Doc Neeson                                                                                                                                                          



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 One rumour that has been gaining traction amongst New York circles is that the marriage between media mogul Rupert Murdoch and Wendi Murdoch is going through a rocky patch.  Our spy disguised as a New York society snapper says he was told that one very . 

senior Fox executive had told fellow guests at a recent up market and up-town dinner party that he felt the marriage may be nearing an end as the pair were almost living separate lives

Never Ending Rainbows..

Rainbow Crossings are appearing all over the world in sympathy with the Taylor's Square Rainbow Crossing that was dug up by conservative MP Duncan Gay who claimed it was a "safety hazard" (earth to Duncan: there are traffic lights there buddy). 
St Louis Missouri, Brisbane, Jervis Bay, France, the Blue Mountains and almost every suburb of Sydney. At this one (left) in Surry Hills friendly coppers stopped to watch and smile.

But the pièce de résistance must be this one which awaits NSW politicians including Mr Gay as they arrive this morning- outside NSW Parliament House :

Rainbow City

Rainbow crossings are springing up all over inner Sydney in protest to Roads Minister Duncan Gay's decision to rip up the Taylor's Square rainbow crossing that was created for the Sydney Mardi Gras.

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Carlotta- Ageing Gracefully

 The tele-movie about the Kings Cross identity Carlotta is to start filming with Packed To The Rafters star Jessica Marais to play the famous drag queen.

Jessica Marais

Marais has just completed work on a US series Magic City and will begin filming the ABC movie in late May.

Carlotta began treading the boards at the famous Les Girls in 1963 when "Mr Sin", mobster Abe Saffron opened the risque nightclub. For the next 30 years the transvestite cabaret show was packed nightly and eventually inspired Stephan Elliott's Oscar winning film Priscilla Queen of The Desert.
During the 90's Carlotta was a panelist on the show Beauty & The Beast where 4 female panel members traded barbs with host, the late Stan Zermanic.
Touchingly, that organ of repute, the Daily Telegraph says Carlotta is 69.  The Shuttle attended what was reputedly Carlotta's 60th birthday in 2000. But who cares ?. She's still gorgeous.
 right : here's a screen shot of  Carlotta ( then Ricky Byron) being interviewed in 1963 ..you can view it here.

Ironic Moments # 1

Name of the politician who ordering the ripping up of the Rainbow Crossing at Taylor's Square : Duncan Gay

MBFW Day 2

Lots of colour and movement at the Camilla fashion parade at the Sydney Mercedes Benz Fashion Week with Georgia May Jagger.