BITS AND PIECES 07/05 Part 2
PUSSSYKATT
--Sen. Ted Kennedy and wife Victoria Reggie Kennedy had a good laugh over this
week's tabloid report that they're in the midst of a bitter breakup. The couple
has been on a romantic five-day sail to mark their eighth wedding anniversary
Monday, along with their new puppy, a Portuguese water terrier. The senator and
his wife sailed from Cape Cod to the Hamptons, where they helped Ted's niece
Caroline and her husband, Edwin Schlossberg, launch their new boat. The crew
then headed for Pat Kennedy Lawford's place for her traditional family
clambake. "They are so not getting a divorce," a friend says. Oh well, it's
always fun to have some fiction to read at the beach.
--Sean (Puffy) Combs faked out crashers who showed up at his East Hampton
spread on Friday expecting to find his rumored party. Bona fide invitees had
received a CD on which Combs congratulated them for being chosen as his dinner
guests on the actual date, Sunday. Among those shuttled from a secret
checkpoint to his house were Sarah Jessica Parker and Matthew Broderick, Busta
Rhymes, Jay-Z, Aaliyah, Patrick Demarchelier, Def Jam chief Russell Simmons and
wife Kimora Lee, Andre Balazs and Katie Ford, Andre Harrell and Jason Binn.
Glowing at Combs' side was girlfriend Jennifer Lopez, wearing a backless,
powder-blue sheath. But even she was upstaged by "Titanic" star and Puffy
houseguest Billy Zane, who emerged from the pool in a rubber wetsuit —
unzipping it to reveal a white tuxedo. Frisky designer Betsey Johnson dived
into a mountain of pillows — and soon had everybody doing it. The bash,
staged with the help of Jessica Rosenbloom, didn't wind down till after 4 a.m.
--Interscope records honcho Ted Field's Saturday revel closed down around 11
p.m. after it started to burst at the seams. Among those who got in were Ed
Burns, Peter Berg, Jann Wenner, and Chris Lawford. Also there was Rachel
Hunter, who later looked tired and bereft at Conscience Point. Bucking up Rod
Stewart's estranged wife was a friend who assured her, "You're beautiful."…
Actress Ellen Barkin and Revlon billionaire Ronald Perelman kept celebrating
their wedding with friends. On Friday, they had a lunch at East Hampton's Blue
Parrot Bar and Grill (pal Arnold Palmer picked up the tab) and the next night,
the honeymooners kept on toasting at Perelman's 60-acre estate, The Creeks.
--Prolonged exposure to Barbra Streisand has had its effect on Donna Karan. The
designer has borrowed a couple of movie stars for her next ad campaign. She has
cast Gary Oldman and Milla Jovovich in a series of print ads to push her fall
collection. The co-stars of "The Fifth Element" play a couple in a tortured
romance. But, boy, do they look great. One ad shows Oldman twisting Jovovich's
arm; in another they stare at a rain-streaked windshield; still another has her
in bra and panties, talking to him, fully clothed. Titled "Seduction," the
pictures were shot in Paris by Mikael Jansson on a budget indie film makers
would envy. In real life, Jovovich just bought a new home in L.A. for close to
$3 million. The actress has also wrapped the supernatural western "Kingdom
Come." Oldman has been shooting "Hannibal," in which he plays a disfigured
victim seeking revenge on Anthony Hopkins' cannibal doctor. He also does a
brilliant turn as an Illinois congressman in "The Contender," having perfected
his accent by listening to Rep. Henry Hyde. Oldman, whose debut as a
writer-director, the gritty "Nil by Mouth," was a critics' darling, is also
getting ready to direct his script for "Joe Buck" — which, like the Karan
campaign, delves into sex.
--Michael Caine may be a knight now, but who could forget his glorious days as
a knave? William Hall's new bio "Arise, Sir Michael Caine" brims with
skirt-chasing tales from his "Alfie" period. "I dig models and actresses the
most," Caine once confessed, way before Austin Powers. "They're the
best-looking birds. It's nice walking into a restaurant with a dolly-girl.
That's shallow, maybe, but there it is." Shirley MacLaine recalls how "I could
go to bed with Michael and we'd laugh all night. I guess that makes him one of
the funniest [bleeps] in the world." Married for 27 years to Shakira, Caine
even reveals his secret of seduction. "It's me 'ooded cobra eyes," says the
noble Cockney. "There's a moment when you're lighting a cigarette and you give
her the cobra look, straight into her eyes. "It can be devastating when it's
timed properly. "They go weak at the knees."
--Leonardo DiCaprio and Brazilian model Gisele Bundchen won't be letting
Web-heads peek at them at play. Widespread reports have it that DiCaprio has
agreed to join other celebs in a Web-cast from Synergy House in the Hamptons.
DiCaprio's rep tells us he has no plans to take a house there, much less join
Bundchen on the Net …
--Rosie O'Donnell checked out The Loft Soho on Crosby Street, where apartments
are going for up to $7.5 million. Alas, when a Corcoran agent told her the
building may not be renovated till October, the talk queen said that would be
too late for her kids to get settled for the school year.
USA TODAY...
--He was visible for less than half a minute, and that was long enough to drive
the girls into a frenzy. Lance Bass of the dreamy vocal group 'N Sync appeared
at the Fun Fourth Festival on Tuesday to introduce country singer Meredith
Edwards, a childhood friend and the first artist signed to his record label.
Well before his scheduled appearance, girls crowded the sides of the stage and,
blocked by police tape, stared longingly at his tour bus. "We'll just follow
him wherever we can," said 13-year-old Amanda Downes, who rushed the stage with
a 12-year-old friend. When he finally appeared, Bass greeted the crowd,
introduced Edwards, waved and left the stage. It lasted 26 seconds. "I think I
saw the back of his head!" shrieked Danielle Marchione, 18.
--DUBAI, United Arab Emirates - Googoosh, the queen of Iranian pop who remained
in her homeland but disappeared from the stage after the 1979 Islamic
revolution, is making a comeback. The diva will kick off a concert tour July 29
in Toronto and continue on to the United States, Europe, Azerbaijan, Tajikistan
and Morocco, promoter Abbas Bakhtiari said Wednesday. The U.S. dates are not
final, the promoter said. Though Googoosh has been out of sight for more than
two decades, her music still sells more than that of any other Iranian artist.
--EDINBURGH, Scotland - Decked out in full Scottish regalia, Sean Connery was
formally knighted Wednesday by Queen Elizabeth II in a ceremony at the Palace
of Holyroodhouse. "It's one of the proudest days of my life," the star of seven
James Bond films said. Connery, 69, knelt while the queen touched his shoulders
lightly with a sword and then rose and bowed as she placed a small red sash
bearing his medal around his neck. During the brief conversation that ensued,
Connery said, "She just asked how often I come up here." Though Connery is a
native of Scotland and bears a tattoo proclaiming "Scotland Forever," he does
not reside here. Asked by a reporter Wednesday if he would be coming back to
Scotland, he broke into a grin and said, "I haven't gone yet."
--Harold Nicholas, half of the flashy tap-dancing duo the Nicholas Brothers,
died of heart failure Monday at age 79. Harold and his dance partner, brother
Fayard Nicholas, began their careers as kids. Their last film together was
1948's The Pirate, in which Gene Kelly danced with them, breaking the color
barrier.
--NEW ORLEANS - The sixth Essence Music Festival, the black women's magazine's
annual "party with a purpose," was long on both elements over the weekend. The
festival, which attracted a total of 180,000 people Friday through Monday,
succeeded in moving the body and feeding the soul with three nights of R&B
music and three days of empowerment seminars, book signings and workshops. Maze
featuring Frankie Beverly, the closing act of all six festivals, turned the
Louisiana Superdome into an outsize house party with good vibes and Happy
Feelings. They had fans standing wall to wall on the Superdome floor, with
lines of people doing the electric slide from one end to the other. But before
they got Back in Stride with Beverly and company, fans spent the weekend
enjoying the elegance of Luther Vandross, the fieriness of Chaka Khan, the soul
of Mary J. Blige and the homeyness of Gladys Knight on the main stage.
FOR FULL STORY: http://www.usatoday.com/life/music/music174.htm
--CLEARWATER, Fla. - A political advertising campaign using wrestler Hulk Hogan
to pitch a development project to the people of Clearwater has one major flaw:
Hogan resides just outside the city limits and isn't eligible to vote in the
referendum on the plan. Hogan, whose real name is Terry Bollea, tells viewers
in the ads how the $300 million downtown revitalization plan, which faces a
do-or-die referendum vote next Tuesday, would create 2,000 jobs and mean $3
million to schools. "That's why I'm voting 'yes' . . . I hope you will, too,"
says Hogan, who has voted just once since registering in 1993. It turns out
Hogan lives about a block south of the Clearwater city limits, even though he
says in the commercial, "My family and I have made Clearwater our home for more
than 12 years." Ed Armstrong, a lawyer and chairman of the Clearwater Regional
Chamber of Commerce, said the commercial was an honest mistake. "We're taking
responsibility for it, and we are going to pull it as soon as we can,"
Armstrong said. "It's unfortunate, but it's also inconsequential. Where he
resides isn't material to the issue."
By Jeannie Williams, USA TODAY
--The Yankees have a doubleheader Saturday , but that won't stop Derek Jeter
from celebrating his 26th birthday that night at New York's club One 51.
Jeter's actual birthday was June 26, but People magazine's No. 2 bachelor (also
his team number) isn't passing up another celebration. Invitations stamped on
baseballs are out, and limos will take some teammates to the club after the
game, with Jeter pal Eytan Sugarman playing host. Kevin Bacon and Sarah
Jessica Parker will be among those sharing cake. As of now, the eligible
shortstop will be dateless, believe it or not.
--James Woods is pumped that kid brother Michael Woods, 43, is the Democratic
candidate for mayor of Warwick, R.I., where they grew up. James, who on
occasion surprised movie customers when he did a stint selling at his brother's
former video business, says Michael is "personable, intelligent and versed in
politics . . . a decent, caring guy." "We're from an essentially middle-class,
blue-collar background, and he's in touch with the people and their needs,"
James says. James says Michael doesn't need any help with Warwick issues, but
he does plan to attend some fundraisers. He can't vote because he's a
California resident, but, he says, "I'll be out there pounding the pavement and
kissing babies with the rest of them!" Michael, who has had small roles in
eight of James' movies, has a larger part as a mission-control weather
specialist in Race to Space, a family picture due at Christmas, about chimps in
the space program.
James had been golfing Friday with buddy Dennis Quaid, whose marriage to Meg
Ryan has just hit a sand trap. Woods would only say that Quaid is "a very
decent guy. Decent guys hold up well."
--NBC's Matt Lauer and wife Annette Roque are depending on the kindness of
friends to get them through this summer in the Hamptons until their own
Hamptons home is completed. "We booked hotels for five weekends, and our
friends were very insulted. Hopefully, we'll stay with them," Roque says.
She's on a break from modeling to oversee the house building: "It's a
combination of traditional with a modern edge, and not one of those big
mansions on an acre." When will it be done? "Our builder tells us before
Christmas, but anybody who's ever built a house tells us next summer.
Hopefully, by next May. That would be nice."
--Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston, John Travolta and Kelly Preston sang along
with the crowd last week at Largo in L.A., as Dan Finnerty and the Dan Band
offered an evening of covers of songs by female singers. Finnerty and band are
due for a New York debut Aug. 2 at Fez. .
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