"Goodbye. We won't miss you," Cherie Blair told the press, on the day of her husband's handover of power to Just Gordon. Touchingly, it appears that she has missed us, so very much that she's spent every spare minute of her new, less scrutinised life, scribbling away at her memoirs, inviting with their surprise-surprise publication another round of the comment and the speculation she had claimed to be so exasperated by. Since Mrs Blair is well known to be materially acquisitive and obsessively insecure about income, she must have known that the publication of her autobiography, Speaking For Myself, would be greeted with a barrage of cynical remarks about her greed. It has been, of course. But it appears that Mrs Blair is willing to put up with such accusations, as long as there's money in it. Oh dear.I've never found all the reports about Mrs Blair's avarice to be particularly compelling. The way people go on, you'd think that she is some sort of weird aberration, a grossly atypical bread-head operating in a society that is otherwise awfully spiritual and not in the least concerned with material wealth.
"Goodbye. We won't miss you," Cherie Blair told the press, on the day of her husband's handover of power to Just Gordon. Touchingly, it appears that she has missed us, so very much that she's spent every spare minute of her new, less scrutinised life, scribbling away at her memoirs, inviting with their surprise-surprise publication another round of the comment and the speculation she had claimed to be so exasperated by.
Since Mrs Blair is well known to be materially acquisitive and obsessively insecure about income, she must have known that the publication of her autobiography, Speaking For Myself, would be greeted with a barrage of cynical remarks about her greed. It has been, of course. But it appears that Mrs Blair is willing to put up with such accusations, as long as there's money in it. Oh dear.
I've never found all the reports about Mrs Blair's avarice to be particularly compelling. The way people go on, you'd think that she is some sort of weird aberration, a grossly atypical bread-head operating in a society that is otherwise awfully spiritual and not in the least concerned with material wealth.
Deborah Orr: Cherie Blair has turned the private life of a PM's spouse into public property - Deborah Orr, Commentators - The Independent
I think Cherry should be chained up and locked in a dungeon surrounded by treasure and gold mortgage documents and allowed to waste away... all that would be left would be a large cheshire-cat-style mouth in the shape of a letter-box... School parties could go on tours to learn about the dangers of believing one's own hype and being an utterly hypocritical snobby social climber... Tony's grin could join hers when the time comes and the two gobs could be united for eternity in their oily smileyness...
So - er - possibly not a PR win, then.
The red carpets were rolled out on Wednesday May 14, as the 61st edition of France's premier film event opened. Films from all over the world are being screened, including one from the heavyweight German director. The Brazilian film, Blindness, starring American actress Julianne Moore, kicked off the event, which will run until Saturday, May 25. As usual, there will be no shortage of big names in attendance, with American directors Steven Soderberg and Clint Eastwood both entering films in the festival's main competition. But one work certain to interest cineastes is Wim Wenders' Palermo Shooting, which is also gunning for the Palme d'Or.
The Brazilian film, Blindness, starring American actress Julianne Moore, kicked off the event, which will run until Saturday, May 25.
As usual, there will be no shortage of big names in attendance, with American directors Steven Soderberg and Clint Eastwood both entering films in the festival's main competition.
But one work certain to interest cineastes is Wim Wenders' Palermo Shooting, which is also gunning for the Palme d'Or.
The glint in Silvio Berlusconi's eye has landed the Italian prime minister in trouble again, after he was caught passing a flirtatious note during a parliamentary session to two young female politicians. Even though the 71-year-old was busy making his first speech to parliament before a vital vote of confidence, his attention did not waver from the two attractive newcomers sitting on the other side of the chamber. Dark-haired Nunzia De Girolamo, 32, and blonde Gabriella Giammanco, 31, were elected for the first time last month. Mr Berlusconi was determined to send them his regards, but unfortunately his affectionate note was captured by television cameras.
Even though the 71-year-old was busy making his first speech to parliament before a vital vote of confidence, his attention did not waver from the two attractive newcomers sitting on the other side of the chamber.
Dark-haired Nunzia De Girolamo, 32, and blonde Gabriella Giammanco, 31, were elected for the first time last month.
Mr Berlusconi was determined to send them his regards, but unfortunately his affectionate note was captured by television cameras.
May 15, 2008 | Even for a dedicated fan, it's hard to keep seasons of "America's Next Top Model" straight. Tyra Banks and company have been squeezing out these suckers since the show debuted in 2003, and now that episodes from all 10 cycles are shown in repertory on VH1, keeping your Joanies and your Jaslenes and your Jades straight has become no small task. So it's nice when a season finale hands you something memorable: This is the year the competition had its first plus-size winner, Whitney. A luscious, hip-swinging blonde (though she began as a brunette) from Florida with a hint of Guess-era Anna Nicole Smith about her, Whitney was never a front-runner in the competition. That would have been Anya, a nymphlike blonde who swept challenges and spoke with a dopey, indefinable accent that made her sound as though she needed to blow her nose. Or maybe it would have been Fatima, an Iman look-alike from Somalia, whose own tragic back story -- female circumcision at the age of 7 -- probably did more for public awareness of female genital mutilation than a hundred National Geographic specials.
A luscious, hip-swinging blonde (though she began as a brunette) from Florida with a hint of Guess-era Anna Nicole Smith about her, Whitney was never a front-runner in the competition. That would have been Anya, a nymphlike blonde who swept challenges and spoke with a dopey, indefinable accent that made her sound as though she needed to blow her nose. Or maybe it would have been Fatima, an Iman look-alike from Somalia, whose own tragic back story -- female circumcision at the age of 7 -- probably did more for public awareness of female genital mutilation than a hundred National Geographic specials.
