The new French film 8 Women received a lot of positive press during the recent Toronto International Film Festival. It’s star Catherine Deneuve was the main reason as media and fans went berserk at the film’s opening night gala and while she was shopping in Yorkville. But to see all the fuss around this legendary movie star at her press conference was just so surreal. The film fest had to set up an over-flow room for media as the line-up for the main room could have attracted the wrath of primadonna Roger Ebert. Deneuve, like a true diva, was very fashionably late. At close to 60 this woman is still incredibly gorgeous and completely exudes sex. In fact almost every sentence she spoke included the words love or sex. She has just shot a four-hour French version of Dangerous Liaisons and that nasty French version of Ab Fab she has a cameo in is currently out on video – if you can find it. Her current campy and fun film 8 Women could end up being her biggest hit in many years.
Madonna’s brilliant new Bond theme song “Die Another Day” has remixes by Paul Oakenfold and Victor Calderone debuting at clubs this weekend.
Ally MacBeal’s Portia de Rossi showed up at Xtra recently for the opening of J Church-Phillip’s show of paintings called Lubed in Xtra’s Showcase Gallery. The sexy blonde looked less like a power attorney and more like a sexy skater kid with baggy jeans, leather bracelet and drinking beer – from a bottle. She’s in town shooting a telefilm about JFK Jr; she’s playing the role of Carolyn Bessette Kennedy.
Rumour has it that crack-smoking Whitney aka Skeletal Houston has done a cover of Debby Boone’s “You Light Up My Life” that the record company now deems inappropriate to release. Speaking of divas, Donatella Versace got her passport photo taken by Steven Meisel. Tom Ford has decreed that the summer 2003 look for the Gucci guy will be T-shirts with the slogans “Suck Me,” “F*** Me” and “Boy Box”. Vogue magazine is helping to set up beauty salons across the Afghan capital of Kabul to teach the local women the dos and don’ts of hairstyling, makeup and makeovers. “They need jobs and that sense of self-respect that going to the hairdresser or learning how to put on make-up can give you,” editor Anna Wintour told the Calgary Herald recently. I take it Anna that the Taliban is so last season?
Patsy and Edina were seen all over New York’s recent Fashion Week as Ab Fab’s Jennifer Saunders and Joanna Lumley were shooting scene’s for their upcoming hour-long Christmas special. In the story line, Saunders’ character, Edina, isn’t concerned about the fashions on the catwalk, but rather the search for her long-lost son who turns out to be gay. Whoopi Goldberg plays an adviser at a Greenwich Village gay community drop-in centre who tries to help Edina reunite with her son. She reportedly finds him sitting front row at the Jared Gold fashion show, Gold being an up and coming trendy designer. Blondie’s Debbie Harry is also making a guest appearance.
Bruce Bailey recently held a fabulous art opening at his beautiful Spadina Ave gallery for up-and-coming artist Chris Rogers. Bailey enticed me to the show by telling me that the artist is 6’5″ has size 14 feet and is 28 years old with lots of energy. Bailey recently moved into the largest and most gorgeous loft I’ve ever seen and is a regular in ArtNews magazine’s annual list of the top 200 art collectors in the world.
Fly nightclub is undergoing major changes since new owners took over that include a newly opened upstairs lounge called H2O and a downstairs lounge called Fly By Night that will open soon and should resemble a more upscale Lava Lounge. Also set to open soon is a new restaurant called Fire On The East Side with southern and comfort food says co-owner Michael Schwarz. Fly’s clientele also seems to be improving as it’s not full of “Butter-face,” you know, the type of gym bunny I mean: Everything is hot, but her face.
KD Lang pays tribute to Patsy Cline with her new recording of “Leavin’ On Your Mind” featured on Remembering Patsy Cline, being released this fall. Lang is selling her Harley on e-Bay. Last time I checked it was going for $12,000US. There were over a dozen pics of Lang with her Harley. I assume this is what you call lesbian porn? Lang will be touring with Tony Bennett this fall and is making an appearance at Sydney’s Gay Games along with Bea Arthur who will be performing her hit Broadway one-woman show, which hits TO in November.
Endbits: Diana Ross’ staff claim the diva likes to be called Princess Di. And that staff have to back out of the door when leaving the room in her presence. Ross went into rehab for the second time this year, days after performing at Casino Rama this past summer. Apparently former millionaire jeweler and local gay philanthropist Roy Dean has been sentenced to 18 months in prison for a bit of fraudulent drama he got involved with in regards to his “jewelry business.” Speaking of prison, Free Martha T-shirts are all the rage and not surprisingly were designed by the same guy who invented the Free Winona Ts. There is a whole line of comical Martha Stewart Ts including one with her photo that reads “God Save The Queen.” Actor and porn star Jeff Stryker of Can I Be Your Bratwurst, turned 40 this month. Forget the Brazilian wax, hoop bleaching is all the rage with Hollywood starlets and West Hollywood twinks. Hello Magazine recently mentioned that actress Lara Flynn Boyle bleaches her ass hole or “ass pucker” a “cute choral pink.”
Why you can trust Xtra
