Cherie Blair has launched an extraordinary attack on the media claiming there is "no professional morality in journalism". The Prime Minister's wife took her revenge on a profession that has bedevilled her for years when invited to address students at Roehampton University on Wednesday. She told a stunned audience that it was "not a noble calling" and journalists "have no ethics". Then, Mrs Blair - who was at the university in south-west London to open its Human Rights Centre - turned her attention to the Daily Mail and the Press Complaints Commission. Since the latter has repeatedly failed to uphold the Blairs' complaints about the former, Mrs Blair's words - "the pathetic PCC dominated by the Daily Mail - are not, perhaps, surprising. Her spokeswoman yesterday sought to play down the incident. "Mrs Blair was merely playing devil's advocate to stimulate discussion amongst the students."
The Prime Minister's wife took her revenge on a profession that has bedevilled her for years when invited to address students at Roehampton University on Wednesday.
She told a stunned audience that it was "not a noble calling" and journalists "have no ethics". Then, Mrs Blair - who was at the university in south-west London to open its Human Rights Centre - turned her attention to the Daily Mail and the Press Complaints Commission.
Since the latter has repeatedly failed to uphold the Blairs' complaints about the former, Mrs Blair's words - "the pathetic PCC dominated by the Daily Mail - are not, perhaps, surprising.
Her spokeswoman yesterday sought to play down the incident. "Mrs Blair was merely playing devil's advocate to stimulate discussion amongst the students."
Reuters via Yahoo!: Fan's love turns house into "Christmas" present
LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - When it comes to Americana, Cleveland has collected a number of calling cards. It is home to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. It is the birthplace of Superman creators Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster. And it also is the setting for the 1983 holiday classic "A Christmas Story," directed by Bob Clark. This weekend, Brian Jones, a fan of the movie, is making a daring bet that the main exterior location used in the movie can become a veritable Cleveland tourist attraction. Last year, he bought the Cleveland house used in the movie, which told the story of a boy named Ralphie and his quest to get a Red Ryder BB gun for Christmas. (The movie's interiors were shot mostly in Toronto.) On Saturday, Jones is opening the house to the public. (...)Actors from the film will be among those in attendance at Saturday's grand opening. Ian Petrella, who played Ralphie's brother Randy, and Zack Ward, who played bully Farkus, are among those who are slated to attend. Across the street, Jones is opening a museum and gift shop. He expects 3,000-5,000 people on the first day. "'Christmas Story' is like this generation's 'Miracle on 34th Street' or 'It's A Wonderful Life.' It's something important that needs to be preserved and saved," he says.
This weekend, Brian Jones, a fan of the movie, is making a daring bet that the main exterior location used in the movie can become a veritable Cleveland tourist attraction. Last year, he bought the Cleveland house used in the movie, which told the story of a boy named Ralphie and his quest to get a Red Ryder BB gun for Christmas. (The movie's interiors were shot mostly in Toronto.) On Saturday, Jones is opening the house to the public.
(...)Actors from the film will be among those in attendance at Saturday's grand opening. Ian Petrella, who played Ralphie's brother Randy, and Zack Ward, who played bully Farkus, are among those who are slated to attend. Across the street, Jones is opening a museum and gift shop. He expects 3,000-5,000 people on the first day.
"'Christmas Story' is like this generation's 'Miracle on 34th Street' or 'It's A Wonderful Life.' It's something important that needs to be preserved and saved," he says.
I love this movie, although it's tied for first with The Ref as my favorite Christmas movie. Maybe we can eventually make language a complete impediment to understanding. -Hobbes
Singer-songwriter Rufus Wainwright will re-create stage and screen legend Judy Garland's celebrated 1961 Carnegie Hall concert for London and Paris. ollowing his successful June 2006 performances at the concert's original New York City venue, Wainwright - with the help of Sam Mendes and Stephen Oremus - will now bring the event to former Garland haunts: London's Palladium (Feb. 18 and 25, 2007) and Paris' L'Olympia (Feb. 20, 2007). A Los Angeles visit - aiming for the Hollywood Bowl - is reportedly in the works. (...)Complete with a 40-piece orchestra, Wainwright re-creates the original April 23, 1961, concert Garland performed at the height of her late career. "The greatest single night in show business,' as it was called, featured the "Wizard of Oz" star singing 26 standards, show stoppers and songs from her films. Wainwright performs his own interpretations of the songs - not mimicking Garland - over the same orchestrations. Among the songs featured in the evening are "When You're Smiling (The Whole World Smiles With You)," "Almost Like Being In Love / This Can't Be Love (Medley)," "Do It Again," "You Go to My Head," "Alone Together," "Who Cares? (As Long as You Care for Me)," "Puttin' on the Ritz," "How Long Has This Been Going On," "Just You, Just Me," "The Man That Got Away," "San Francisco," "I Can't Give You Anything but Love," "That's Entertainment," "Come Rain or Come Shine," "You're Nearer," "A Foggy Day," "If Love Were All," "Zing! Went The Strings of My Heart," "Stormy Weather," "You Made Me Love You / For Me And My Gal / The Trolley Song (Medley)," "Rock-A-Bye Your Baby with A Dixie Melody," "Over The Rainbow," "Swanee," "After You've Gone" and "Chicago."
ollowing his successful June 2006 performances at the concert's original New York City venue, Wainwright - with the help of Sam Mendes and Stephen Oremus - will now bring the event to former Garland haunts: London's Palladium (Feb. 18 and 25, 2007) and Paris' L'Olympia (Feb. 20, 2007). A Los Angeles visit - aiming for the Hollywood Bowl - is reportedly in the works.
(...)Complete with a 40-piece orchestra, Wainwright re-creates the original April 23, 1961, concert Garland performed at the height of her late career. "The greatest single night in show business,' as it was called, featured the "Wizard of Oz" star singing 26 standards, show stoppers and songs from her films. Wainwright performs his own interpretations of the songs - not mimicking Garland - over the same orchestrations.
Among the songs featured in the evening are "When You're Smiling (The Whole World Smiles With You)," "Almost Like Being In Love / This Can't Be Love (Medley)," "Do It Again," "You Go to My Head," "Alone Together," "Who Cares? (As Long as You Care for Me)," "Puttin' on the Ritz," "How Long Has This Been Going On," "Just You, Just Me," "The Man That Got Away," "San Francisco," "I Can't Give You Anything but Love," "That's Entertainment," "Come Rain or Come Shine," "You're Nearer," "A Foggy Day," "If Love Were All," "Zing! Went The Strings of My Heart," "Stormy Weather," "You Made Me Love You / For Me And My Gal / The Trolley Song (Medley)," "Rock-A-Bye Your Baby with A Dixie Melody," "Over The Rainbow," "Swanee," "After You've Gone" and "Chicago."
