No-one is recognised as knowing more about Hollywood and celebrities than David Hartnell MNZM. He’s not only spent a lifetime reporting on Hollywood’s trivia, gossip and scandals, but he counts many celebrities among his personal friends. Every Monday morning David will give you an exclusive weekly update on the gossip, scandals and trivia of Hollywood’s elite.
David is an award winning broadcaster and columnist he’s also the patron of The Variety Artists Club of New Zealand Inc. Her Majesty The Queen, awarded David the Insignia of a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit (formerly an MBE) in the Queen’s birthday Honours list 2011. In 2012 he was made an Ambassador St James Saviours, the trust formed to save the iconic Auckland theatre. In 2014 he was made an Ambassador to the Prostate Cancer Foundation of New Zealand.
Visit David’s Website
Known by some as the ‘Godfather of gossip’, David Hartnell MNZM has amassed a fabulous resource of detail about Hollywood and television movies and stars throughout his long career interviewing celebrities and reporting on trivia, gossip and scandals. His knowledge ranges easily from the 1950s to the present day.
Now David has written this quiz book as a celebration of the rich variety that the movies and television have brought us over many decades, and the personalities who’ve been working in both industries. Presented in an entertaining but informative fashion, the more than 1,700 questions and answers are arranged in rounds of three, with answers close by. There are also specialty feature quizzes with questions related to a single subject, such as Oscar-winning films, Lord of the Rings, Sequels and Remakes, even TV pets. Collected trivia about celebrities and stars also feature as interesting snippets through the book. People love to be an authority on celebrities – the celebrity pages are the most popular pages of any magazine.
Whether it is used for pub quiz nights, parties or even long car trips, David Hartnell’s Celebrity Quiz Book will highlight to a wide audience the important milestones in the development of this most popular of cultures, and test how well you really know the world of entertainment.
This book will appeal to everyone who watches television or film.This is his ninth book.
Available in all good books store’s and on line, published by New Holland $19.99.;
View David Hartnell
‘Written in the stars – David’s triple celebrations‘ in the NZ Woman’s Weekly. View the article here on David’s website.
Be in to win monthly DVDs
…simply answer a question correctly, from this week’s column and you will be entered into the draw.
Question: Name two celebrities from this week’s column. Answer by clicking here.
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MONDAY 16th November 2015
I’m not one to gossip but………………………This stunning hard covered coffee table book, would make a superb Christmas gift for anyone living or who has ever lived in Grey Lynn Auckland. I think this is one of the best, if not “the best” produced book of 2015. Among its 264 pages are some amazing pictures.
THE GREY LYNN BOOK
The Life and Times of New Zealand’s Most Fascinating Suburb By Matt McEvoy. With photographs by Stephen Entwisle.
When did Grey Lynn experience its only terrorist attack? Which unique street is lined with villas on one side and bungalows on the other? Were Pasifika immigrants pushed out by white professionals? Is there a “Gay Lynn”? Is it really New Zealand’s greenest suburb? Which local cinema was a Communist front? And what on earth does that name really mean?
From the area’s origins as a highly valued Maori stronghold to its status as one of the most desirable addresses in the country, Grey Lynn and its colourful stories are brought to life by Matt McEvoy in this beautifully produced book.
He digs down into the layers of the area’s remarkable and little-known history to show “GL” in all its diversity – cultures and people, institutions and traditions. This is a book for everyone who loves Grey Lynn or has ever wondered what’s behind its cult status.
Available Now. RRP $59.99.
PAUL LITTLE BOOKS
TO ORDER
Please contact: Sales representative Paul Greenberg 021 722 210 /
paul.gpm@xtra.co.nz. Or Paul Little 021 372 880 / pclittle@gmail.com
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Christchurch lighting designer Kevin Cawley is making space in his trophy cabinet after winning an award for his facade lighting of the restored Isaac Theatre Royal.
The lights can be customised depending on the resident show, enticing passing patrons by beginning to tell a story before they enter the building. Cawley said the lighting – which won a Design Award at the Illumination Engineering Society (IES) Awards in Auckland this week – gave the theatre a voice of its own.
“When the theatre is ‘dark’, in other words when there is nothing happening, there is light on the facade that accentuates the architecture and shows it off in all its glory and splendour,” he said. As opening night approached, the lights were adjusted with hints of colour, which Cawley said was “almost like the theatre . . . saying, ‘hey there is something coming up, I think you should be interested’.”
Cawley’s work around Christchurch had been lauded before, winning an award of excellence in 2012 at the IES Awards for lighting Knox Church in its then half-restored state.
Changing the colour of the lighting at the Isaac Theatre Royal gives the building a voice of its own, Kevin Cawley says.
He also received high praise for his dramatic lighting of Gap Filler’s temporary Pallet Pavilion, which was used as a performance space.
Starting his career as an actor on stage, Cawley’s transition into lighting design was inspired by “feeling really special when standing in the warmth of the spotlight”. Lighting a building was very similar to lighting a stage, something he had
learnt during his 25 years in the industry, and working on the Isaac Theatre Royal was the perfect opportunity to use his theatrical lighting design skills.
“It’s all about light and shade, rather than illuminating the whole space,” he said. “You need to create some mystery to accentuate the beauty of a building, especially of the Theatre Royal because it’s just a magnificent historical piece of architecture.
“I actually had the pleasure of lighting some shows in the old Theatre Royal, so it was really good to be able to bring the theatrical skills we use on stage to the facade to tell the story of the theatre.” Isaac Theatre Royal chief executive Neil Cox said the lights were “fantastic” because it meant they could light the building in ways they could not before, creating a plan for each production that came across the stage.
“For our Cirque show which opens Thursday night, you’ll see a lot of red, black and white colours as it starts to get towards evening time. “It just makes the theatre look alive.”
There is no question that Kevin is a master of his craft, when it comes to lighting.
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Coronation Street viewers were left heartbroken in January 2008 when much-loved character Vera Duckworth died in her sleep. But fans of the long running soap will be delighted to learn that Mrs Duckworth’s alter-ego actress Liz Dawn is to make a cameo appearance in Emmerdale.
Coming out of retirement, the 76-year-old will feature in the hour long Christmas episode of the ITV show and take on the role of Mrs. Winterbottom. She said: ‘There’s only one show I’d come out of retirement for and it’s Emmerdale, particularly as I’ve celebrated my 76th birthday this week, so I wanted to mark the occasion.’
Dawn’s character Mrs. Winterbottom will prove to be a distinctly demanding guest when she pays a visit to Eric Pollard’s B&B.
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Kaia Gerber, 14, has been making the party rounds with her mom Cindy Crawford – at least the parties that involve fashion, which she loves.
Mother and daughter shopped at the Balmain H&M VIP prelaunch party at the LA
store last night. Consequently they could browse the merchandise in peace and avoid the frantic crowds at the opening today. Today the glam pair dressed down for an appearance at Universal Studios where they guested on Extra. Kaia models occasionally when school permits, and already has a movie role in Sister Cities.
Hopefully, her acting debut will be more successful than Cindy’s. Her mom NEVER did another film after her first one flopped.
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Actress Natalie Dormer shows off her insanely fit body on the cover of Women’s Health magazine’s December 2015 issue.
Here’s what the 33-year-old The Hunger Games star had to share with the mag:
On how she’d have survived The Hunger Games arena: “What does Natalie Dormer
do to survive the arena? I run a lot—I would as far into the corner as possible [Laughs]. Just keep running from one terrible situation to another and hoping that I leg it in time. I don’t know. I’d die basically if I was in the arena. I think the cannon would go. Oh god, what would I need to have with me? Brienne of Tarth. Can I cross-pollinate? If I could take Gwendoline Christie [from Game of Thrones] into the arena with me, I will probably be fine.”
On the best part of her career: “I just love acting so much because it’s basically an analysis, an exploration of ordinary life. So for every story, every walk of life that you could go and look through, there will be a script out there for it hopefully eventually. I like to challenge myself, and shake it up a bit. That’s why I’ve gone from dystopian future to corsets, and I’m excited about doing a horror and having tried a different genre. I’ll just continue to shake it up, work with writers, directors and producers that I really respect, and try to keep challenging myself and take myself out of my comfort zone. And maybe I’ll try CrossFit…at some juncture!”
On the final Hunger Games: “Well this is the grand finale of the saga of the Hunger Games. This is the forth movie, the massive climax to the series… It operates at a very high spectacle level. It was so fun for all of us as a large eclectic cast to really finish the story. And I’m really grateful to have been a part of the family. It’s going to be epic and I don’t use that
word lightly.”
For more from Natalie, visit WomensHealthMag.com.
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DO NOT MISS THIS SHOW OR YOU’LL BE MISSING A REAL TREAT!
A journey to the heart of FABULOUS PRISCILLA QUEEN OF THE DESERT the stage show spectacular AUCKLAND ONLY, from 14 October 2016. Pre-sale starts today.
Producers today announce the dates for the stage show spectacular PRISCILLA QUEEN OF THE DESERT at The Civic in Auckland in 2016.
Eight years and several thousand kilometres later, and looking more fabulous than ever, the pink bus makes a triumphant return to Auckland on 14 October and will run for a strictly limited season.
Tickets to this journey to the heart of FABULOUS go on sale to the general public at 5pm on Friday while the pre-sale via select ticketing agencies begins today.
This wildly fresh and funny musical based on the Oscar-winning film features a hit parade of dance-floor favourites, over 500 outrageous costumes, 200 extraordinary headdresses and a 10 metre long customised bus weighing 6 tonnes as its sparkling centrepiece – PRISCILLA QUEEN OF THE DESERT is a must-see spectacular!
The record-breaking stage spectacular that sold 100,000 tickets in the six amazing weeks it was here in 2008 will feature an international touring cast and returns to our shores by popular demand, brought by the producers of the
smash hit Cats as well as Singin’ In The Rain, The Sound of Music and Annie.
PRISCILLA QUEEN OF THE DESERT has already been seen by close to 5 million people and grossed in excess of $300 million worldwide to become the most successful Australian musical of all time.
Producer Garry McQuinn says that one of the great highlights of Priscilla’s first Australasian tour was the wonderful reception it received from the New Zealand audience at The Civic.
“A decade later in 2016, our pink bus will return. She’s done a few kilometres since then – having been around the world a number of times with 17 international productions … including those on the West End and Broadway. She’s more fabulous than ever and I’m delighted to be bringing her back.”
Get ready for the musical bus journey of your life!
Songs Include: I’ve Never Been to Me – Charlene, Go West – Village People, Billy, Don’t Be a Hero – Paper Lace, My Baby Loves Lovin’ – White Plains, I Love the Nightlife (Disco ‘Round) – Alicia Bridges, Can’t Help Lovin’ Dat Man – Trudy Richards, I Will Survive – Gloria Gaynor, A Fine Romance – Lena Horne, Shake Your Groove Thing – Peaches & Herb, I Don’t Care If the Sun Don’t Shine – Patti Page, Finally [7 Choice Mix] – CeCe Peniston, Take a Letter Maria – R. B. Greaves, Mamma Mia – ABBA and Save the Best for Last – Vanessa L. Williams
TICKET INFORMATION
Venue: The Civic, Auckland
Dates: From Friday 14 October 2016
Times: Tuesday 7.30pm; Wednesday 7.30pm; Thursday 7.30pm
Friday 7.30pm
Saturday 2.30pm & 7.30pm; Sunday 1pm & 6pm
Bookings: Ticketmaster 09 970 9700 or ticketmaster.co.nz
Groups 10+ SAVE! Call Group Bookings on 09 970 9745
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Gilbert and Sullivan’s classic comedy ALL ABOARD HMS PINAFORE TO SAIL AROUND NEW ZEALAND featuring George Henare & Helen Medlyn and directed By Geraldine Brophy.
Promoters announce today that the Gilbert & Sullivan comedic musical masterpiece HMS PINAFORE will set sail around New Zealand in April and May 2016.
Produced by Ben McDonald who has staged classics including The Pirates of Penzance, Buddy and South Pacific in the past year, HMS PINAFORE will play in 21 venues from the top of the North Island to the bottom of the South. Ahoy!
Directed by Geraldine Brophy, HMS PINAFORE will feature a fine cast of singers, and star respected theatre veteran GEORGE HENARE as Sir Joseph Porter, HELEN MEDLYN (as Buttercup), TIZANE MCEVOY (Josephine), TAINUI KURU (Ralph Rackstraw) and PAUL BARRETT (Captain Corcoran).
HMS PINAFORE’S extraordinary popularity in Britain, America and elsewhere was followed by the similar success of a series of Gilbert and Sullivan works, including The Pirates of Penzance and The Mikado. Their works, later known as the Savoy operas, dominated the musical stage on both sides of the Atlantic for more than a decade and continue to be performed today. The structure and style of these shows, particularly Pinafore, were much copied and contributed significantly to the development of modern musical theatre.
A satirical tale of forbidden love and shocking revelations of class and identity, HMS PINAFORE is one of the most enduringly popular of Gilbert and Sullivan’s great comic creations, with songs including Little Buttercup and He is an Englishman.
Set aboard the ship HMS PINAFORE, the captain’s daughter, Josephine, is in love with a lower-class sailor, Ralph Rackstraw, despite her father wanting her to marry Sir Joseph Porter, the First Lord of the Admiralty. She abides by her father’s wishes at first, but Sir Joseph’s advocacy of the equality of humankind encourages Ralph and Josephine to overturn conventional social order. They declare their love for each other and eventually plan to elope. The captain discovers this plan, but, as in many of the Gilbert and Sullivan operas, a surprise disclosure changes things dramatically near the end of the story.
Drawing on several of his earlier “Bab Ballad” poems, Gilbert imbued this plot with mirth and silliness. The show’s humour focuses on love between members of different social classes and lampoons the British class system in general. Pinafore also pokes good-natured fun at patriotism, party politics, the Royal Navy, and the rise of unqualified people to positions of authority. The title of the piece comically applies the name of a garment for girls and women, a pinafore, to the fearsome symbol of a naval warship.
HMS Pinafore – National Tour 2016
April 8 Blenheim ASB Theatre 7pm Ticketdirect
9 Nelson Theatre Royal 2pm and 6pm Ticketdirect
10 Wellington Opera House 7pm Ticketek
12 Whangarei Forum North 7pm Ticketek
13 Kerikeri The Turner Centre 7pm Turner
Centre Booking Office
14 Auckland The Bruce Mason Centre 7pm Ticketmaster
15 Rotorua Sir Howard Morrison Performing Arts Centre 7pm Ticketmaster
16 Gisborne War Memorial Hall 7pm GDC Booking Office
17 Napier Municipal Theatre 4pm Ticketek
18 Tauranga Baycourt Theatre 7pm Ticketek
19 Hamilton Founders Theatre 7pm Ticketek
21 New Plymouth TSB Showplace 3pm and 7pm Ticketmaster
22 Palmerston North Regent on Broadway 7pm Ticketdirect
23 Kapiti Southwards Theatre 4pm Ticketek
24 Lower Hutt Lower Hutt Little Theatre 4pm Ticketek
26 Ashburton Events Centre 7pm Ticketdirect
27 Oamaru Opera House 7pm Ticketdirect
28 Invercargill Civic Theatre 7pm Ticketdirect
29 Dunedin Regent Theatre 7pm Ticketdirect
30 Timaru Theatre Royal 4pm Ticketek
May 1 Christchurch Isaac Theatre Royal 3pm and 7pm Ticketek
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Some great DVDs to watch out for!
CELEBRATING 50TH YEARS WITH ALL 139 MAGICAL EPISODES IN A COMPLETE SERIES BOX SET!
With the blink of her eyes and a nod of her head, Barbara Eden will make your wishes come true in The Complete Series One to Five of I Dream of Jeannie, available on DVD.
Complete with all 139-episodes, this twenty-disc collection re-introduces Larry Hagman as Captain Anthony “Tony” Nelson, an astronaut who finds himself “Master” to a beautiful and crafty genie (Eden) whom he unknowingly releases from a bottle. Together, he and Jeannie are a magical match.
Boasting some of television’s brightest guest stars, I Dream of Jeannie is the beloved must-own comedy series that will have you dreaming of TV’s Golden Age.
MADMAN.
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Suite Francaise
Based on the best-selling work of Irène Némirovsky, Suite Française stars Michelle Williams, Kristin Scott Thomas and Margot Robbie.
France 1940. The first days of the occupation. Beautiful Lucile Angellier is trapped in a stifled existence with her controlling mother-in-law as they both await news of her husband now a prisoner of war.
Life in small town France starts to change, first as Parisian refugees pour through, then when a regiment of German soldiers sets up a garrison. With soldiers taking up residence in the villagers’ own homes.
Lucile initially tries to ignore Bruno von Falk the handsome and refined German officer staying with them. But soon, a powerful love draws them together and leads them into the tragedy of war.
DRAMA *
The Voices
The Voices is a psychological horror comedy about Jerry Hickfang (Ryan Reynolds), a simple and childlike guy with good intentions and limited ambition. Although seemingly harmless, Jerry is rather easily influenced by the important people in his life. In particular, his psychologist Dr Warren (Jacki Weaver), Lisa (Anna Kendrick) the only girl he ever loved… oh, and is his talking pets, Bosco and Mr. Whiskers.
Under the guidance of his two pets Bosco and Mr. Whiskers, Jerry accidently, yet quite shockingly, makes some rather murderous decisions. Before too long, his world quickly spirals out of control, where eventually the violence and chaos lead him towards his salvation.
The Voices stars Ryan Reynolds, Gemma Arterton, Jacki Weaver and Anna Kendrick and includes various extras such as deleted scenes and digital effects featurettes.
HORROR COMEDY *
Cooties
In Cooties, starring: Rainn Wilson (The Office (US), Alison Pill (Snowpiercer, The Newsroom), Elijah Wood (The Hobbit: The Unexpected Journey), a mysterious virus hits a small Illinois town affecting only the prepubescent population, transforming them into violent, feral little monsters. The virus centralises in the town’s elementary school and quickly the infected students have the teaching staff under siege, acting out deadly revenge fantasies with an eerie sense of childlike glee. Finally, the teachers band together, led by a hapless substitute who grew up in the town,
realizing they must do the unthinkable if they hope to survive.
Until next week…………………. my lips are sealed!
Copyright David H. W. Hartnell MNZM 2015
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MONDAY 9th November 2015
I’m not one to gossip but………………………This is from Debbie Reynolds latest Memoir called Make ’Em Laugh: Short-Term Memories Of Long time Friends, by Debbie Reynolds and Dorian Hannaway, published by William
Morrow.
The comedian Bob Hope was a friend of mine, so I was happy to take part ina special event to celebrate his 82nd birthday. Because he’d been born in England, this took place in London in 1985. And that’s when I got groped by the Queen’s husband.
Dozens of stars participated in Bob’s ‘homecoming’ special, including Michael Caine, Ben Kingsley, Phyllis Diller, Charlton Heston and Chevy Chase. At the end of the show at the Lyric Theatre, Prince Philip came on-stage to
honour Bob for his many achievements, and we all joined him for the curtain call.
The Queen hadn’t come along that evening, which may explain what happened to me next. I chatted with Prince Philip a bit after the show and spoke to him again at the reception. He was very charming. He put one arm around my waist, then
held my hand. Almost immediately, he was holding more than my hand. He caressed my backside. I had heard that he was famous for his ‘admiration’ of the ladies, but I didn’t expect him to be handling my booty. As handsome as Prince Philip is, I wasn’t sure if he was making a pass or just exercising some royal rights to squeeze the foreigners.
Actually, it was quite an honour to be patted down by this adorable prince. Once, [the U.S. Attorney General] Robert Kennedy made a similar move on me while we were dancing — but his grope was less charming than the royal one.
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Leah Remini of King of Queens fame has written a new book about her experience within the Church of Scientology called Troublemaker, and as is to be expected, it’s a doozy.
She talks of the millions of dollars she lost, the years of turmoil she endured and her eventual classification as a “SP” — a shunned Subversive Person — by the church.
But you can’t write a Scientology tell-all without addressing the church’s
crown jewel, the one and only Thomas Cruise Mapother IV (yes, that is Tom Cruise’s birth name).
Vulture did an excellent job parsing through the book for the juicy bits about Cruise (because after watching Alex Gibney’s HBO documentary Going Clear, who really wants to dive into another tale of Scientology?).
Vulture reports: She was invited to play hide-and-seek at his house with Will Smith and Jada Pinkett-Smith. “At first I thought he was joking, but no, he literally wanted to play hide-and-seek with a bunch of grown-ups in what was probably close to a 7,000-square-foot house on almost three full acres of secluded land,” she writes. She told him, sensibly, “I can’t play — I’m wearing Jimmy Choos.” He replied, “Well, good. So you’re It, then,” and then tagged her and ran to
hide. She pulled her husband aside and said, “Angelo, you’re going to go ahead and do this, because I’m not doing it. I’m not trying to play a f*****g game of hide-and-seek in five-inch stilettos. Okay?”
There was an incident with cookie dough.
Remini writes that people were “terrified of offending Tom.” Once, he wanted to make cookies, and there was a package of prepackaged cookie dough on the counter. He asked, “Guys, where’s the cookie stuff?” The assistants fluttered around but they didn’t point out to him that it was right there on the counter. “Tom seemed like a child who had never been told no,” Remini observes. “Get in the f*****g present time, is what you need to do!” he screamed at his assistant. He then gave a rundown of the hierarchy: “Still not noticing the log of pre-made dough on the counter, Tom raised his
hand above his head. “LRH [L. Ron Hubbard] is here,” he said, then lowered his hand to his chin and said, “And Dave and I are here.” Then, with his hand down at his waist, he said, “And you are here.” This painful scene mercifully ended when Remini nonchalantly said, “Oh wait. Tom, is this it?”
After inviting Leah and her husband to his impending nuptials with Katie Holmes, he then asked her to invite her friends Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony. Little did she realise that it would really become all about J.Lo and Marc. Their Rome wedding was “official church business.”
Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes’ wedding was constantly being monitored by two Scientology members, Tommy Davis and Jessica Feshbach. The leader of the Scientologists, David Miscavige, acted like Cruise’s best man. And yet, Remini was seeing a lot of behaviour that didn’t accord to Scientology rules.
Norman Starkey, who officiated, got “handsy” with Brooke Shields, while Jessica and Tommy were flirting, even though she was married.
Someone left Suri Cruise crying on the bathroom floor during the wedding. During the first dinner, she heard Suri Cruise crying from the direction of the bathroom, and yet, “Katie didn’t seem to notice.” She then went to the bathroom to investigate the situation: “After about five minutes I headed to the bathroom to offer some help. When I opened the door, I found three women, including Tom’s sister and his assistant, standing over the baby, who was lying on the tile floor. I didn’t know if they were changing her diaper or what, but the three women were looking at her like they thought she was L. Ron Hubbard incarnate. Rather than talking to her in a soothing voice, they kept saying, “Suri! Suri!” in
a tone that sounded like they were telling an adult to get her sh*t together.
She told them, “What are you guys doing? She’s a baby. Pick her up!” She then took control of the situation and got Suri’s bottle and asked someone to heat it up in the kitchen. When she returned, though, Suri was still on the floor crying. Finally, they picked her up and gave her the bottle, which stopped the crying. “Then Tom’s sister turned to me and said, ‘Thank you,’ as if I were being dismissed.”
She was put on notice during the wedding for hanging out with Jennifer Lopez. Throughout the wedding, the Scientology handlers kept trying to separate Lopez from Remini, who had come as her friend. They wanted them to arrive to the ceremony separately even though they were getting ready together. When it came time for the rehearsal dinner, the church team tried to separate them again, but Lopez said, “She’s with us,” which made them leave her alone. That Jennifer Lopez voucher goes a long way!
Tom Cruise sang “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin’” to Katie Holmes. The couple would go on to divorce in 2012.
Bella and Connor Cruise don’t talk to their mom, Nicole Kidman, because she’s “a f*****g SP.” Remini was going back to the airport with Bella and Connor Cruise, the kids Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman adopted when the pair was married. When Remini asked them about their mom, Bella replied, “Not if I have a choice. Our mom is a f*****g SP.” An SP, you’ll remember, is a Suppressive Person, which is basically Scientology lingo for scum. She observed: Connor just looked out the window. There was something more human about his silence and the sadness I felt in it. My heart broke for him, his sister, and their mother as we rode the rest of the way to the airport without saying another word.
Katie Holmes wrote a “Knowledge Report” saying Remini’s behaviour at her wedding “disturbed [her] greatly.”
Get ready for a lot of Scientology jargon ahead. A Knowledge Report is basically an official snitching document. It’s what you write to keep other people in line, if and when you see that what they’re doing isn’t in accordance with Scientology rules. Holmes did so after the wedding, saying that Remini had been “very upsetting” and was a “poor example to others.” A number of other Scientology members submitted such Knowledge Reports against Remini after the wedding.
Afterward, Remini had to then submit to a “Truth Rundown” where an “Ethics Officer” does an “auditing” session with you by examining each Knowledge Report. If you say that you saw someone high-ranking like Tom Cruise being an a**hole, you then have to say what “overt” (sin, basically) you committed before Tom committed his, and so on. She writes: The Truth Rundown worked; I started to crack. I begged [the auditor] to stop, and when that didn’t work, I looked into the camera in the wall of the auditing room and directly at the person watching the sessions. “This is not LRH,” I pleaded. “You are destroying my and your own faith.”
Remini endured weeks and weeks of 12 hours a day in auditing, until she “retracted almost everything.” She said that she was the source of the problems at the wedding, and then had to make up for her wrongdoing with a number of gifts and donations, including a gift basket with a letter of apology to J.J. Abrams, whom she was told was upset by her behaviour at the wedding.
For Holmes, she spent $2,000 on framing the invitation and other mementos from the wedding for a picture box with a note that read, “I’m so sorry that I destroyed your wedding.” Katie simply responded with a text: “Just handle it with your MAA.” (A MAA is a Master-at-Arms, who oversees ethics at the church.)
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Star Trek star Zachary Quinto has revealed closeted gay actors have come to him for advice.
Speaking to Attitude, he revealed he has had a ‘couple’ of people, too afraid to come out, ask him what they should do. ‘I just share my experience and say, “This is how it went down for me, this is how I feel.”
‘I tell them, “Trust that even if it means you’re not as famous, or even if it means it’s not exactly what you thought it would be, it’s still more valuable when you’re assessing your life at the end of that.’
He was also about World AIDS Day, which he described as ‘utterly essential’. ‘Not just in marking the advancement, progress and fight against the diseases, but also cultivating knowledge and awareness of it for people all over the world,’ he added.
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Dame Joan has revealed that she’s still deeply mourning the death of her
sister, author Jackie Collins OBE. She says she cries over her sister four times a day.
Jackie died after a six-year battle with breast cancer in September at the age of 77 – and had only told her sister Dame Joan, that she was battling the deadly disease two weeks before her death.
Dame Joan called Jackie her “wonderful, brave best friend” in an interview
with the UK Mail On Sunday’s You magazine. She said: “God, I can’t think about it. I still cry three or four times a day… we were so close. I loved her so much. She was a wonderful woman. But
let’s not talk about it anymore – I will get too upset.”
Dame Joan is now dedicating her new book to Jackie with the words: “For my sister Jackie, I will never forget you.”
Despite her recent loss, Dame Joan, 82, told the magazine that she fully intends to keep working: “Until I drop or it all falls apart. I don’t feel any differently from when I was 40, quite frankly… my trainer, who I have been with for 15 years says can do everything I did 15 years ago. Maybe not running up the stairs… but then who needs to run up the stairs?”
Good on you, see there is nothing like a Dame – especially when it’s Dame Joan.
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I thought it was a hoot that our Prime Minister John Key picked to back
Hartnell as one of his horses in the Melbourne cup. This is a picture grab
from Face Book.
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I can’t help but wonder if Katie Holmes must have SOME huge and threatening contract agreement with Tom Cruise’s lawyers promising that she will NEVER speak about Scientology! That became apparent when her reps pressured ABC to APOLOGISE for merely IMPLYING that Katie was featured on their 20-20 Leah Remini/Scientology expose. Actually, only an innocuous quote from Katie was featured on the show – she was not interviewed. But Katie’s over-reaction makes it clear that she is still and probably always will be, too TERRIFIED or too threatened to ever speak about Scientology.
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The Movie Book makes you an offer you can’t refuse, chronicling more than 100 of the best movies ever made and bringing cinema to life.
Beginning with the iconic La Voyage Dans La Lune from 1902, right through to
Richard Linklater’s ground breaking Boyhood, The Movie Book explores the
rich history of cinema. The Movie Book covers early visionaries of the 1900’s and the golden age of black and white films, to international art-house and 21st-century sci-fi. From iconic quotes and film stills, to posters, biographies, movie memorabilia and narrative timelines, discover every aspect of your favourite movies, as well as the films you need to see.
Essential for anyone with a passion for cinema, The Movie Book is ready for
its close up. This is one of the best movie books I have ever read, and
trust me – I’ve read a few!
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Carrie Underwood wears a fun and flirty dress on the cover of Cosmopolitan
magazine’s December 2015 issue, on news stands November 10.
Here’s what the 32-year-old country star had to share with the mag:
On having two sides: “When I am onstage, I am not Carrie: I am Carrie Underwood. Obviously, I would never run off to Vegas and get drunk and marry a guy or trash some guy’s car. But everybody has had somebody who’s cheated
on them or some jerk they dated.”
On her marriage: “Everyone is getting divorced. They’re dropping like flies! But we are good. It helped that we were both established before we were married. Neither one of us could be like, ‘I didn’t know it would be like this!’”
On women in the country music genre: “When I go to vote for the Country Music Awards, I have to write in names—I can think of, like, three who are really active. Women have to work harder to get half the recognition. I am one of the lucky ones.”
For more from Carrie, visit Cosmopolitan.com.
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Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt are opening up about their lives in a rare
interview with legendary journalist Tom Brokaw, which aired on The Today
Show.
The 40-year-old actress and director discussed how she used the same doctor
to remove her ovaries who previously treated her late mother Marcheline
Bertrand, who passed away in 2007.
“We had some of the same nurses, some of the same doctors,” Angelina said.
“So, the doctor that did my ovary surgery was my mother’s doctor. And apparently my mother had said to her, ‘Promise me you will take Angie’s ovaries out.’ So when we kind of got together, we both had a big cry, and she said, ‘I promised your mother, and I gotta do this.’”
During the interview, Brad praised his wife’s bravery and courage. “There was no vanity to my wife’s approach,” Brad said. “It was mature. This is our life and we’re gonna make the best of it. There was a strength in that. It was just another one of those things in life that makes you tighter, and she was doing it for the kids, and she was doing it for her
family so we could be together.”
Angelina opened up about the brand new trailer that was just released for her new film By the Sea, which she directed and also stars in alongside husband Brad. “I wanted to suggest and guide and give hints to the audience but not bore
them or reveal all before the film itself,” the 40-year-old actress and director told Entertainment Weekly about the new trailer. “I like trailers that don’t explain the whole film; that tell you exactly what to expect. It isn’t my intention to hide anything from the audience, but the film is a complicated adult drama where things are often not what they seem. The
voyeurism for example, most people will assume only that it is titillating. But it has deeper resonance to the story. I like films that leave questions and cause discussion,” Angelina added.
Be sure to check out By the Sea, which is in theatres on November 13!
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SHIHAD & VILLAINY CONFIRMED AS SPECIAL GUESTS AT AC/DC’S ROCK OR BUST NEW ZEALAND CONCERTS
Promoter Garry Van Egmond announced today that two of New Zealand’s favourite bands, SHIHAD and VILLAINY, will perform at AC/DC’s ROCK OR BUST concerts in Wellington and Auckland in December.
WELLINGTON – Saturday, 12 December at Westpac Stadium – Tickets available from Ticketek
AUCKLAND – Tuesday, 15 December at Western Springs – Tickets available from Ticketmaster *$99 to *$169.90
New Zealand audiences require no introduction to Shihad who have supported AC/DC twice before on home soil. The announcement caps off an exciting year for the band that includes being named as finalists in the 2015 NZ Music Awards for Album of the Year (FVEY), Best Group and Best Rock Album (FVEY). (The awards will be held on 19 November).
2015 also marks the 20th anniversary of Killjoy, their first album to go gold in New Zealand and widely regarded as a classic New Zealand rock album. From their self-titled 1996 album Shihad, the hit single Home Again has recently been ranked as #5 on The Rock 1000 countdown – the highest status achieved by Kiwi band ever. And this year, Shihad was presented with the official NZ Music Chart’s Most #1 Albums by a NZ Artist and Most Singles in the Charts by a NZ Artist.
Shihad have a live reputation like no other NZ Rock act. From the outset, they have had a level of musicianship that gives the act the ability to own the stage, playing with a confidence that enables the band to deliver memorable live shows. Whether playing to 600 or 60,000 Shihad is ready to rock.
Villainy launched their career in 2010 and released a Top 10 debut album, MODE. SET. CLEAR. in 2012. The album featured five Top 10 Rock Radio singles (three of which hit the #1 spot): Alligator Skin, The Answer, Gather
Yourselves, Another Time and Ammunition. MODE. SET. CLEAR also won the award for Best Rock Album at the 2013 NZ Music Awards.
Don’t miss the concert event of the decade which is heading to Australia in November and December 2015.
If there is one thing you have to do in your life its AC/DC live! *Ticket prices include GST and booking fees. Transaction and credit card fees may apply. www.acdctour.nz for more tour information
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Daniel Radcliffe lies back on a pool table in this pic from this month’s
issue of Nylon mag.
Here’s what the 26-year-old British actor had to share:
On his new movie, Victor Frankenstein: “I like the fact that it’s a studio
movie with these big sets and sequences, but there’s also a cool intellectual debate going on – our innate fear of technology and the fear of people who push it beyond where we’re comfortable with it going – it felt like a nice combination.”
On Emma Watson’s He For She Campaign: “I think it’s fantastic that she’s
bringing attention to it and adding to the conversation. I also find it
bemusing, honestly, maybe because I have cool parents with a very equal
marriage and have had good role models all my life, but I thought this was
done.”
On one super fan: “He’s an amazing example of someone who has made his hobby into a career, because he collects autographs and then sells them. I feel like those guys [should have] desks at the CIA—they can work out where people are going to be in ways that I find amazing.”
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Originally directed by Harold Prince, Andrew Lloyd Webber & Tim Rice’s masterpiece EVITA the story of the glamorous first lady of Argentina, Eva Perón is now playing WELLINGTON ONLY, featuring some of the greatest musical theatre songs ever, including Don’t Cry For Me Argentina.
Set in Buenos Aires between 1934-1952, EVITA charts the rags-to-riches rise of the First Lady of Argentina, who won the love of her countrymen after marrying Argentine dictator Juan Peron.
Eva takes us on a journey from fatherless child to ambitious actress to the most powerful woman in Latin America – and, eventually, to a saint-like figure after her death from cancer at age 33. She will be played by award-winning New Zealand actress Heather Wilcock.
Heather’s most recent roles include playing Tracy Turnblad in Hairspray, Cathy in Auckland Musical Theatre’s production of The Last 5 Years, Hodel in Centrestage’s production of Fiddler on The Roof (NAPTA Nominated), as well as AMT’s production of Spring Awakening as Wendla (NAPTA Nominated).
Heather received her first NAPTA award for best leading female in a musical at the age of 16 for her role as Bobbie in the New Zealand Premiere of The Railway Children at Centrestage Theatre and was recently honoured again for her stand out performance in Hairspray. At the age of 16, Heather was offered a place to study musical theatre at the New York Film Academy in Manhattan where she studied under many top Broadway performers.
Produced in Wellington by Amici Productions in association with PLT, the production features lavish costuming and sets designed by top New Zealand freelance director Stephen Robertson. This new and original design concept for EVITA will bring this story to life with a large cast of 46 performers from Wellington and around New Zealand.
The events in Eva’s life are presented in song and editorialised on by the show’s narrator, Che – played by Wellington-born actor Matt Pike whose credits include international tours of Jesus Christ Superstar and Cats, a highlight playing Munkustrap for the 10 year anniversary of Cats in Hamburg. Other credits include Miss Saigon (Engineer in the NZ premiere Christchurch and Chris in Wellington); Cabaret (Emcee); Jacque Brel in Alive and Well and Living in Paris; Starlight Express (Electra); and Blood Brothers (Narrator).
Juan Peron is played by Chris Crowe – known for bringing to life some of the most demanding roles in musical theatre including Jesus in Godspell, Judas & Pontias Pilate in Jesus Christ Superstar, Enjolras in Les Miserables, Anatoly in Chess, and John in Miss Saigon – a role he has had the pleasure of performing in several New Zealand cities. More recently Chris has received critical acclaim starring as the title role in The Phantom of the Opera – a role he has cherished and had the pleasure of sharing with audiences in Wellington, New Plymouth, Palmerston North and Christchurch.
Other credits include, La Traviata, Eisenstein in Die Fledermaus for the Australian Opera Studio at His Majesty’s Theatre in Perth, and productions of On Broadway, Godspell and Smokey Joe’s Café, for Marshall Stack & Co, a collective of performers & musicians led by sisters Kate & Nic Marshall.
As a concert soloist, Chris has appeared in Orpheus at the Movies and Anything Goes: An Evening with Cole Porter, both with the Orpheus Choir and members of Orchestra Wellington, The Big Night In at Forsyth Barr Stadium, Dunedin, & The Magical Music of Disney, a huge multimedia Walt Disney concert at the CBS Arena with the Christchurch Symphony Orchestra.
EVITA has music by Andrew Lloyd Webber and lyrics by Tim Rice. Harold Prince staged the original London and New York productions. Elaine Paige earned an Olivier Award for creating the role in London. Patti LuPone, who starred in the 1979 Broadway staging, earned a Tony Award for her work alongside Tony winner Mandy Patinkin as Che. EVITA also earned the 1980 Tony Awards for Best Musical, Best Score, Best Book and Best Direction.
Season details:
Venue: Wellington Opera House
Dates: 7 – 21 November
Tuesday 7.30pm, Wednesday 7.30pm, Thursday 7.30pm, Friday 7.30pm,
Saturday 2.00pm & 7.30pm, Sunday 4.00pm
Tickets: Ticketek.co.nz | 0800 TICKETEK
Prices: $30 to $80
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DVDs to watch out for.
Self/less – When New York real estate magnate Damian Hayes is diagnosed with terminal cancer, he is approached in secret by the mysterious Dr. Albright. The doctor offers him a chance to continue living thanks to a cutting edge
procedure called “shedding”, which allows Albright to transfer Damian’s consciousness into a new body. The only catch is that due to the programme’s secrecy, Damian must sever all ties to his former life, including his only daughter Claire.
Faced with certain death, Damian chooses a new lease on life and goes through with the procedure. Upon his release, Damian immediately sets about enjoying the pleasures of a younger man. It seems like a dream come true until he is approached by a woman, Madeleine, who appears to know him. She calls him Mark and accuses him of abandoning her
and her daughter. Shaken, Damian confronts Dr. Albright and it is revealed that his new body was not grown fresh for him, but rather purchased from Madeleine’s husband Mark. The chase begins, one that will make Damian regret
every bit of his transformation.
Self/less stars Ryan Reynolds (Woman in Gold, The Captive), Matthew Goode (The Imitation Game, The Good Wife TV series), Ben Kingsley (Exodus:Gods and Kings, Learning to Drive) and is directed by Tarsem Singh (Mirror Mirror, Immortals).
Dark Places – As a 7-year-old, Libby Day (Charlize Theron) famously witnessed the horrific death of her mother and sisters in a violent home invasion. Twenty five years later, Libby now lives with the knowledge that her testimony sentenced her brother to a life in prison. When a group of true-crime enthusiasts find and convince her to re-examine the events of the night, new memories and old suspects suddenly flood back into her life. In this gripping drama, shocking information comes to light leading Libby to question her key testimony and discover the truth of her tragic past.
Dark Places is based on the New York Times bestselling novel by Gillian Flynn (author of Gone Girl) and stars Charlize Theron, Nicholas Hoult, Chloë Grace Moretz and Christina Hendricks.
Elf: Buddy’s Musical Christmas
Elf: Buddy’s Musical Christmas tells the story of Buddy the Elf, and his quest to reunite with the human father he never knew existed. While Buddy’s sincerity and idealism are commonplace at the North Pole, these attributes are rejected in cynical New York City. But through song, dance, and relentless good cheer, Buddy rekindles the spirit of Christmas for the
entire city.
Based on the New Line Cinema movie Elf and the Broadway musical Elf, this very special Christmas title features a voice cast that includes Jim Parsons, Mark Hamill, Kate Micucci and Ed Asner.
The Hobbit: The Battle of Five Armies Extended Edition
A must for fans of Peter Jackson’s Hobbit trilogy, The Hobbit: The Battle of Five Armies gets an extended edition with a 20-minute longer cut of the feature film and an additional nine hours of bonus features. The additional content will include audio commentary with Peter Jackson and his co-producer and screenwriter Philippa Boyens as well as a multi-part documentary that covers all aspects of the film and the trilogy.
The Hobbit Trilogy Extended Edition will also be available which will contain the extended editions of all three films: The Hobbit an Unexpected Journey, The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug and The Hobbit: The Battle of Five Armies in one very special boxset. Also available: The Hobbit Trilogy Extended Edition in DVD, Blu-ray and 3D Blu-ray The Hobbit: The Battle of Five Armies Extended Edition
Until next week…………………. my lips are sealed!
Copyright David H. W. Hartnell MNZM 2015
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Monday 2nd November 2015
I’m not one to gossip but……………………… When Tim Gunn paid a visit to Seth Meyers on NBC’s Late Night tv show, they touched on expected topics like Project Runway and First Lady Michelle Obama’s acclaimed sense of style.
Then came the unexpected.
Meyers brought up the fact that Gunn’s father, George William Gunn, was an FBI agent during the administration of FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover.
This led to Gunn telling a hilarious story involving his parents. ‘(Dad) brought home a pre-publication copy of the Warren Commission report on the JFK assassination. My mother is curious – a little nosy. That evening, mother has disappeared, we hear the bath water running in the bathroom. Dad realises that The Warren Commission report is gone.’
What happens next is amazing.
‘He goes to the bathroom and it’s locked and she won’t open the door. He doesn’t debate it, he doesn’t threaten. He doesn’t do anything but quickly disappear. He’s gone to the garage and returned with an axe.
‘Within 30 seconds, there is splintered wood everywhere and the door is down.’
Observed a laughing Meyers: ‘What a perfectly normal way to grow up!’
The elder Gunn’s office was directly next door to that of Hoover who was FBI director from 1935 until his death in 1977. After his death, Hoover became a controversial figure as evidence of his secretive abuses of power began to surface.
Hoover was also widely reported to be secretly gay.
‘Dad was very quiet and private about his work life,’ Gunn said. ‘He did not talk about it very often but he was Hoover’s ghost-writer. He wrote his books, his speeches and took care of all his correspondence.’
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The Hollywood Chamber of Commerce is proud to announce that Daniel Radcliffe will be honoured with the 2,565th star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on Thursday, November 12th. The star in the category of Motion Pictures will be
dedicated in front of The Dolby Theatre at 6801 Hollywood Boulevard. “Fans of all ages have been waiting in anticipation of Daniel’s star ceremony. They are constantly asking when it will happen. Finally, we have him here in Hollywood, and we are proud to dedicate his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame!
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Danny Pintauro’s disclosure recently that he is HIV positive has brought him
close again to his former Who’s the Boss co-star Alyssa Milano.
The two had starred together on the ABC sitcom for eight years but had lost
touch once the series ended in 1992.
‘I am unbelievably grateful for our new story and look forward to creating
lots of new chapters,’ Pintauro tells Huffington Post.
Although her co-stars Judith Light and Tony Danza had long been aware of the news, Milano found out along with the rest of the