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Wednesday 29 February 2012

Ada Mori and Tina Arena - Mare, Mare, Mare, Mare. How old songs take you right back





Now, this may well be an obscure post, which may only appeal to a handful of people. Well, the song that moved me is very obscure.


Hearing a particular tune again tonight made me cry.

You know how songs take you back to a time and place?

Well this one takes me back to my mum and dad's house.

I'm 5. Maybe 8. Perhaps 13. (Ah, that period was the most innocent and carefree of my life, for so many reasons). And I remember vividly hearing this song played on repeat in our home .

Well, the needle had to be reset on the vinyl. Those were the days of vinyl, baby.

And this is the song that played, non-stop. 'Mare Mare Mare Mare', by Ada Mori (the picture of the purple record with the yellow sleeve is the exact one mum still has stored under the record player).

My parents loved this song. Especially my mum. Who would put it on and cry. I never quite understood her tears, the depth of her emotion.

Then I started listening to the lyrics, as I got much older - and understood.

And now I really understand.

The lyrics can really mean anything - lost love, missing one's homeland - and I know that the latter is what tapped into my mum's emotion.

Ada sings: "E' troppo grande l’ansia di tornare della mia dolce terra…" which translates to: "The anxiety to return to my country is too deep..."

Mum loved, still loves, Australia. It's just that... she always thought she'd go back to Italy to live - she'd left all her family behind.

I went in search of this song after my brother asked me who originally sung the song we'd seen Tina Arena sing on the latest episode of the SBS TV program 'Who Do You Think You Are'.

I Googled and searched... nothing.

All I found was Tina's version as a kid on TV show Young Talent Time (so beautifully sung by someone so young):


And then, in the comments section, I found my clue.

And there it was:



Oh... did I cry when I heard this for the first time in decades.

Suddenly, I was 5 again.

Do you have a song from your childhood that takes you right back? And what does it stir in you?

[And not forgetting the English version of this song, recorded by Australian singer Judy Stone]:

Jennifer Aniston hidden camera - Ellen Degeneres show


Gawd I love Ellen.

Lordy I love Jennifer.

And I really LOL lots when I watch these hidden camera/microphone clips set up by the adorable Ellen for her show.

Here's the latest:

Yumi Stynes - Ben Roberts-Smith comment on The Circle



You've probably seen and heard news sites talking about what The Circle co-host Yumi Stynes (and guest host George Negus) said about Victoria Cross recipient Ben Roberts-Smith.

Watch the clip here:


And here was Yumi's tearful apology on the today:


Plus her own announcement:

It has just been announced that both Yumi and George will appear on The Project tonight, from 6pm.

UPDATED: Ben has just released a statement indicating both Yumi and George have contacted him directly to "apologise for any offence caused", and he is quoted as saying "I have now put this matter behind me so I can focus on serving my country."

Leap year wedding proposals - would you? Real life story + how to video for women





















So, it's February 29 - the day that comes around once every four years, when the calendar plays tricks on our eyes and a leap year takes place.

You may also know that a leap year (according to Irish folklore) gives women the opportunity to propose to their men. Women can do this any day of the year, of course, but legend has it that a 1288 law by Queen Margaret of Scotland required that fines be levied if a marriage proposal was refused by the man, with compensation ranging from a kiss to £1 to a silk gown, in order to soften the blow.

And so it followed that in some places, the tradition was tightened to restricting female proposals to the modern leap day, February 29, or to the medieval leap day, February 24.

So that's the history behind it, but... would you do it?

And if you're a bloke, would you like that? Would it ease the pressure to do the asking?

I spoke to friend John Delaney who tells me that when his now wife Kate proposed to him ("at 8.15pm, 12 years ago today") it was a fantastic, unexpected surprise.

"Yes, I was caught by surprise and had not expected it at all. I hadn't even realised it was February 29, so was in a shock when she proposed. After about 10 seconds of being in shock, I said yes!"

"We had been dating for two years, and while there had been talk of marriage, and I’d been thinking about popping the question at some point, I must admit I was not at all prepared. I was due to go on night shift that evening and Kate suddenly said to me, "I want to ask you something..."

And then she said to me: "Will you marry me?'

"Thing is, everybody else knew she was going to pop the question, but I had no idea. Once I got over the surprise, I said yes."

So, did John not think it was meant to be his job to do the asking? That she has kinda 'stolen his thunder'?

"Not really. I had thought about how I was gonna do it and being a romantic, I had various grand plans about exactly how I was going to do it.

"But I wasn't disappointed. In a way I was quite honoured. That she would put herself out there like that. That she was so willing to show me the depth of her love for me.

"Even though there is that tradition that men do the asking, many more women seem to be doing it.

"It’s a risk – for us guys - to ask. I mean, you’re putting yourself out there. You are saying, I love you so much and I am confident you will say yes. But all men get nervous about it."

So, what would John say to women who are contemplating popping the question today?

"Absolutely – do it. If you love your partner that much, by all means, show it, take the chance."

Stuck for ideas?

Watch this:

Katy Perry - Interview magazine, March 2012



You can barely recognise Katy Perry, on the cover of March 2012 Interview magazine.

This just-in pic is stunning.

That makeup, that hair, the styling... And those brows!

More pics to come.

In meantime, here is her latest video:

Tuesday 28 February 2012

W magazine - Kate Moss, March 2012



Have you seen the photos from the Kate Moss shoot in the latest edition of W magazine?

No doubt they'll stir a little controversy. As any religious references do.

What do you think?

Do you care?

Or are they just cleverly, beautifully-styled portraits (shot by renowned photog Steven Klein)?

You can read the entire interview here:

'This is what crazy looks like' - Kevin and JJ. Doomed from the start









































I listened to this last night like this - picture me. Covering my mouth. Aghast.

It's apparently a string of messages sent by someone (identified only as JJ) to Kevin.

It proves text messages are there for posterity. And may be sent to a gossip site like BuzzFeed, and then re-enacted (I must admit, with great effectiveness) by a New Zealand radio duo, Fletch and Vaughan.

You can watch the animated version here (much more fun):


Or hear the same dialogue on Soundcloud here:


Have you been in Kevin's shoes? How did you react?

Or have you been a 'JJ'?

Jimmy Kimmel pitches show ideas to Oprah


A friend of mine posted this last night with the disclaimer that he may have pee-ed himself a little.

After watching it, I told him I had to change my Poise pad.

That's how funny this is...

It's Oprah as you have not seen her before... we know she is funny and loud, and has coined some pretty hilarious phrases ("ma vajayjay is painin'") but this shows her in a whole new light, as she listens to US late night host Jimmy Kimmel and his new show pitch ideas for her new OWN network (you can watch parts one and two - but part three, below, is the best clip... also features a Jennifer Aniston cameo):

Watch:


and part two:


And this is the best part - Jimmy pitches show ideas to Oprah for her OWN TV network (all of it is good; the last two minutes... priceless):

Social media nastiness - Matt Lucas quits Twitter post-taunts


The thing is, I have always wondered (haven't we all) if celebs we follow ever read Tweets we mention them in.


I just read this piece about Matt Lucas (one half of the hilarious 'Little Britain' duo) and was appalled:


And it got me thinking: how cruel the world 'out there' has become.

We've long known that internet chat rooms are a breeding ground for nastiness - it's so easy to be cruel when you have a username and sit in front of a screen. Easy... yet pretty disgusting behaviour.

But Twitter seem to have taken things to a whole new level.

Now celebrities, authors, musicians, organisations, anyone who has a Twitter account can be 'followed' by anyone (unless they have protected Tweets, and only allow those they want to see their messages).

And that also means the general public can interact with previously 'untouchable' stars in ways that, frankly, was never really possible in the real world.

In the case above, Matt Lucas has shut down his Twitter account after a stranger taunted him about his former partner's death.

Can you believe that?

Who does that?

Before Matt switched off the Twittersphere, he had a few words to say to the 16 (!) year old known as @oOfuscoOo and thought to live in Northern Ireland (who has since deleted his/her account).

He said: "I appreciate all the support on here over the past couple of years but it’s time to shut down my Twitter account."

Initially, Matt responded to the comments by writing ‘shame on you’.

He then added: ‘I’m not joking. I think you should delete that tweet. It really upset me.’

Matt added: "I’m disappointed that oOfuscoOo thinks jokes about the suicide of my former partner are funny."


No doubt they have a team of people who screen Tweets they write (hello, Justin Bieber would need to run his Tweets by his people first) but what of cyber bullies who follow someone on Twitter then taunt them?

What do you think of the appalling behaviour displayed to Matt Lucas?

And have you ever been a victim of cyber/social network bullying?

Monday 27 February 2012

Jennifer Lopez's nipple - and Angelina Jolie's right leg: Oscar madness

It's all about body parts this Oscars.

Jennifer Lopez may (or may not) have given us some ariola action.

Watching the telecast today I thought... is that... her nipple?

Looks like many agree.

Blogs worldwide have posed the same question... did she or didn't she flash?

She is certainly a cleavage-flashing serial offender. Check out her other outfits... that green Versace one she wore at the Grammys when she was dating P Diddy was her first foray for the flash.

A Twitter page has been set up in her boobs' honour:

@JLosNipple


At last count: just under 2000 followers.

And then - there's Angelina Jolie's leg.

Girlfriend worked that toned pin... she flashed it at every opp: on the red carpet, on stage. It's like she was saying, yeah, my legs are something else, and you're allll gonna see them!

See them - and talk about them - we did.

Again, sites around the world are talking about Angie's leg - her right one, to be specific.

So much so - yep, you guessed it - a Twitter handle is named in her honour.

See: @AngiesRightLeg

So far, it has almost 10,000 followers...

Madness. Love it!

Oscars Red Carpet 2012 - part two





Behold Angelina Jolie.

She wears a showstopping Versace gown, with Neil Lane jewels. (And: this is where the Jolie-leg meme was born).

Other highlights are Viola Davis in emerald green Vera Wang; and Cameron Diaz in jaw-dropping Gucci, with Tiffany & Co jewels.

For more details, including a very clever app where you can buy a copy gown and the accompanying accessories when you place your mouse over the image, go to http://cocoperez.com/

(All images http://cocoperez.com/)