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Memorial Held for Hollywood Legend Tony Curtis
6th October 2010 | 0 comments | 0 votes yet, click here to agree or disagree
Hundreds stood in line well in advance of the 11am schedule time in order to say their last goodbyes to Hollywood legend Anthony Curtis. Curtis died of a heart attack at the age of 85 in his home in Nevada last Wednesday.
The legend of the silver screen was buried in Las Vegas with several mementos such as the novel Anthony Adverse, from which he took his stage name and wearing his driving gloves and favourite White Armani scarf. Stars such as Arnold Schwarzenegger performed readings and his seven pall bearers included Kirk Douglas and singer Phyllis McGuire. One mourner arrived dressed as Marilyn Monroe in tribute to Curtis’ role in Some Like it Hot.
His daughter, actress Jamie Lee Curtis welled up as she described her father as ‘a little mashugana (Yiddish for crazy) but always full of life’ she paid tribute to him and to his influence with the words ‘we are the evidence of him. We walk the walk led by him. All of us got something from him. I of course, got his desperate need for attention’ she joked. Jill Curtis, Anthony’s sixth wife described the actor through her tears as ‘a once in a lifetime man’, and said ‘he was that charming handsome man you saw on screen.’
The Spartacus star was an infamous womaniser marrying six times in his lifetime and seen with high-profile girl-friends such as Marilyn Monroe, co-star of Some Like it Hot and Natalie Wood. His first marriage was to actress Janet Leigh who gave birth to his two daughters, actresses Jamie lee and Kelly Curtis. After divorcing Leigh he married Christine Kaufman, who was only 17 when they met. Curtis was once quoted as saying ‘I wouldn’t be seen dead with a woman old enough to be my wife.’ A policy he stuck by even in his last marriage; Jill Vandenburg was 45 years his junior.
The service, for 400 family and friends was held in the main chapel at Palms Mortuary and Cemetary, the surrounding 3 chapels broadcast the hour long service to the overflow of mourners unable to fit inside.
Image courtesy of The Daily Mail
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Hatton Enters into Rehab After Drugs Wake-up Call
14th September 2010 | 2 comments | 0 votes yet, click here to agree or disagree
This weekend any anticipations of Hatton’s return to boxing were dashed by a front page photograph in The News of the World depicting him snorting “industrial quantities” of cocaine in a Manchester hotel room. The paper also published video footage of the boxer turned promoter cutting lines with what appeared to be a credit card and snorting the drug through a rolled up bank note.
It appears that drug use is only a symptom of deeper personal issues for Hatton. The famed fighter has now entered into rehab, reported to be battling with severe depression and drinking problems. His friends and family have been concerned about his state of mind for some time and it appears this has been the wake-up call that has encouraged him to seek help.
Emma Bowe, friend of Hatton and Irish National Senior Women’s Boxing Champion revealed several intimate details of the night out, in what she believed to be an intervention. She detailed Hatton’s drinking, including 11 pints of Guinness in addition to copious amounts of vodka, wine, and sambucca before voicing concerns, saying “I’m really, really worried for him, especially if he tries to make a comeback in the ring as he’s hinted – he could have a heart attack.”
Max Clifford, acting as spokesperson admitted that Hatton has “been in a bad place for some time, probably before even his last fight”. Hatton has won 45 out of his 47 fight career. Before encountering Mayweather in 2007 and Pacquiao in 2009 Hatton was unbeaten and perhaps it is this fall from glory that has brought him to this situation.
The Former Two weight world champion has always been a boxer famed for his binges as well as his battles so perhaps this, over a year since Hatton was last in the ring, comes as no surprise. Public speculation has often dwelt upon his huge weight gains between fights, results of his binges only rectified by returns to training. With no return to the ring in sight Hatton’s career as a promoter could also be called into question thanks to these most recent revelations.
As Clifford says, “We’ll find out more over the next two or three days. The most important thing is that [Hatton] now faces up to [the fact] that he has got a problem and that he sorts himself out.”
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Madonna, Quincy Jones and Justin Timberlake pay tribute to Michael Jackson
26th June 2009 | 0 comments | 0 votes yet, click here to agree or disagree
As the world awoke to the news that Michael Jackon’s death in a Los Angeles hospital from cardiac arrest had been confirmed – the likes of Madonna and his ex-wife Lisa-Marie Presley began paying tribute to a man perhaps best described as the ‘king of pop’.
Madonna issued a statement saying ‘I can’t stop crying over the sad news. I’ve always admired Michael Jackson the world has lost one of its greats but his music will live on forever. My heart goes out to his three children and other members of his family. God bless.” Read more »
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Ivor Novellos go pop with M.I.A, Duffy and The Ting Tings
24th April 2009 | 0 comments | 0 votes yet, click here to agree or disagree
The Ivor Novellos are the ‘musicians music awards’ – without the gossip column appeal of The BRITs or the obscurity of some of the Mercury nominees – the Novellos are the awards artists seem to enjoy the most. And we wouldn’t turn them down either, now in their 54th year the Ivor Novello awards are renowned for recognising genuine talent – be it big hitting names like Radiohead or the lesser known Cherry Ghost’s, awarding not only prizes but huge amounts of prestige and industry kudos.
The nominees for this year’s awards are out now out – and t5m aren’t the only ones who have noticed that this year’s categories are full of much more mainstream acts than previous years – with Dizzee Rascals ‘Dance wiv me’ up for Best Contemporary song alongside nu-rave poster children The Ting Tings who also nominated for Best Album. Add to this M.I.A, Duffy and Coldplay who are all up for awards, and the Novellos begin to look a lot like the other music ceremonies we’ve seen this year. Read more »
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James Blunt on music, Kosovo and Ibiza: Exclusively on t5m
24th April 2009 | 0 comments | 0 votes yet, click here to agree or disagree
Singer, songwriter, musician and former officer in the British Army, James Blunt has done it all. Since his debut album, Back to Bedlam and the single which needs no introduction ‘You’re Beautiful’, James has seen his career go from strength to strength, winning two BRIT Awards, two Ivor Novellos and being nominated for a staggering five Grammys.
He released his second album, All the Lost Souls in 2007 and has also lent his support to charity ‘Médecins sans Frontières’ (MSF), which is famed for providing emergency health care in war and conflict zones – attending meet and greets and publicising their cause. And then, when it all gets too much, James can retire to his palatial villa on the island of Ibiza – we’re very jealous.
t5m caught up with James for an exclusive interview, where he talks about everything from what motivates his music to his time serving in Kosovo. Revealing, honest and charming – the James Blunt Exclusive Profiles are not to be missed.
To see James Blunt as you’ve never seen him before, check out his ‘Exclusive Profile’ on his channel here on t5m.
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Susan Boyle’s got talent and got us talking
20th April 2009 | 3 comments | 0 votes yet, click here to agree or disagree
Possibly the most heartwarming and cheerful story around at the moment is the overnight explosion of public support for Susan Boyle, the unlikely hero of Britain’s Got Talent who wowed judges and audience alike with her rendition of Les Miserables ‘I Dreamed a Dream’ last Saturday.
Since then, Susan has been propelled into superstardom – the 48-year-old church volunteer from the former mining village of Blackburn, West Lothian, has now performed via live satellite for the CBS Early Show, NBC, ABC and Dutch TV. She has won the hearts of Ashton Kutcher and Demi Moore, as well as being invited to appear on Oprah. Oh yes, and we mustn’t forget the 26 million views of her audition on YouTube. It seems the world is rather taken with this ungroomed, unbotoxed songstress who has harboured her breathtaking talent all her life. Susan stands as a lesson to everyone who thinks that a female performer has to be nipped, tucked and airbrushed into nubile perfection.
It is probably safe to say that when Susan finally auditioned for Britain’s Got Talent, in memory of her mother with whom she lived in West Lothian and who died two years ago, she had no idea she would provoke such public debate. The sceptical reactions of the BGT audience illustrates the obsession with youth and aesthetics in our celeb-saturated society, but Susan has highlighted just how ‘talented’ Britain can be, as well as providing everyone with a tear-jerking media moment.
The Sunday Times published a feature-length interview with Susan – with the sort of fine combed research they reserve for their most celebrated of subjects, whereas the Guardian have been leading coverage of Susan all week – with comment on everything from her media pulling power, the ugly response of the jeering audience and whether she should have a makeover. Of course, the red tops have been pioneering Susan’s cause –with the Sun describing her as having a ‘voice of angel’ and documenting her rise to stardom, and she has even had her first ‘kiss and tell’ (the preserve of any major star) in yesterday’s News of the World.
Susan’s appearance on Britain’s Got Talent is now so much more than just a winning performance, she has proven that the impossible really can happen – that 48 year old, grey-haired women’s dreams can come true, that ambition isn’t only a preserve of the young and that the targets of bullies – both her audience at Britain’s Got Talent and her classmates at school – can have the last laugh.
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Adele joins Lindsay Lohan and Naomi Campbell on Ugly Betty
17th April 2009 | 0 comments | 0 votes yet, click here to agree or disagree
Oh the power of Ugly Betty! Something about it’s witticisms, wardrobe department and farcical plot lines has managed to lure some of the biggest names in fashion to outrageously parody themselves in front of an audience of millions. The show has seen Victoria Beckham as an attention stealing bridesmaid, Naomi Campbell as an aggressive baseball player and even Lindsay Lohan as a high-school bully. These women are hardly known for their sense of humour, but there’s obviously something about a cameo in this Salma Hayek-produced show which makes it the must-have accessory.
And, so the next star to adorn our screens is none other than Brit star Adele, who will feature in a forthcoming episode performing during a photoshoot. It seems that Adele’s fashion stock is ever on the up, following her Annie Leibovitz shoot with American Vogue and none other than Anna Wintour styling her for this year’s Grammys.
A spokesman for the star said today: “It is true, she will be appearing in Ugly Betty and she will be appearing as herself.”
We’re just waiting for our invite now…
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Madonna donates ’substantial sum’ to Italian earthquake victims
8th April 2009 | 0 comments | 0 votes yet, click here to agree or disagree
Madonna has donated an estimated half a million dollars to the victims of Monday’s earthquake, which has so far claimed 228 lives in the Italian city of L’Aquila.
Madonna, whose grandparents lived in the hamlet of Pacentro in the city hit by the tremor which measured 5.6 on the Richter scale, responded to the city’s mayor who appealed personally to her for help after the devastation of the quake in the Abruzzo region of Italy.
“I am happy to lend a helping hand to the town that my ancestors are from,” she told People.com. “My heart goes out to the families that have lost loved ones or their homes.”
With 50,000 people estimated to be homeless and around 13,000 buildings destroyed, rescue efforts have been hampered by the aftershocks as families wait to hear the fate of their loved ones. Read more »
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Prince Charles and Australian PM Kevin Rudd attend bushfire memorial service
1st April 2009 | 0 comments | 0 votes yet, click here to agree or disagree
Prince Charles, the Duchess of Cornwall and Australian PM Kevin Rudd were among the attendees at a memorial service held in London last night, to remember the 173 people who died in the bush fires which devastated Australia last month – making 2000 people homeless and leaving a further 7500 displaced.
The service was also attended by London based Australians, including South Australian cellist Thomas Rann, an extraordinary player and nephew of the Premier of South Australia The Hon. Mike Rann. Sarah Brown, novelist Kathy Lette and David Miliband also lent their support to the service – which saw Therese Rein, the Australian First Lady, read a moving passage from Isaiah. Read more »
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Madonna and Angelina Jolie seek to adopt abroad
31st March 2009 | 2 comments | 0 votes yet, click here to agree or disagree
You would have to be living with your head in the sand not to know that Madonna and her three children Lourdes, Rocco and David Banda are touring Malawi this week, with the hope of adopting a second child, Mercy James.
Appearing in court yesterday in the capital Lilongwe, Madonna is apparently applying for an 18-month ‘interim adoption’ of the orphaned girl, who she first met in the Kodanani Children’s village in 2006, the year she adopted David Banda. The judge will announce his decision on Friday. Read more »
