Barbra Streisand has pulled out of one of the main events marking Israel’s 60th anniversary celebrations, citing personal reasons. She was due to perform a rendition of the Hebrew prayer Avinu Malkeinu (Our Father Our King) at a festive convention in Jerusalem, hosted by Israeli President Shimon Peres, on May 13. The legendary singer’s publicist, Dick Guttman, explains: “Ms Streisand, a devoted supporter of Israel since her earliest youth, very regrettably was compelled to advise President Peres’s office two weeks ago that personal obligations would prevent her participation in Israel’s 60th anniversary celebration. She celebrates as always the nation’s courage and purpose and flourishing democracy and is saddened that she cannot be there to do so in person.” Maybe President Bush, who is expected to attend, can fill in for her.
Gwyneth Paltrow caused quite a stir at the London premiere of her latest movie, Iron Man. The Hollywood star ditched her ice-queen image and went for a far sexier look, with a leg-revealingly tiny black-lace dress and five-inch heels. The mum-of-two, who also appears in this month’s GQ magazine in stockings and suspenders, has been spotted working out at the gym for exhausting two-and-a-half hour sessions with her pal Madonna — and, wow, it shows. She was accompanied down the red carpet by her hubby, Coldplay singer Chris Martin. When asked about his latest album, she gushed: “It’s brilliant. Don’t tell him I told you. I can’t talk about it. He gets furious.” Yes, I’m sure he’d be devastated that she said how good it was.
Another week, another instalment from the crazy world of Amy Winehouse. Just as she was cautioned by police for assault, the Back to Black singer was voted by UK youngsters as their ultimate heroine. And if that wasn’t consolation enough, The Sunday Times Rich List names her Britain’s 10th wealthiest singer under 30, with a personal fortune of £10 million. So, no worries about paying her fine, then.
Mel Brooks has already achieved phenomenal success with the stage version of his 1968 movie of The Producers. Now, it’s rumoured he is trying to work the same trick again by turning his 1974 comedy Western, Blazing Saddles, into a musical. The New York Post reports that the 81-year-old believes the movie is a perfect choice to be transformed into an all-singing, all-dancing extravaganza.
Amid rumours that he was dating singer Rihanna earlier in the year, Shia LaBeouf insists he’s having too much fun to commit to one woman. The Indiana Jones star has said: “I’m just dating and messing around. I’m 21 years old, doing the 21-year-old thing.” He wouldn’t confirm or deny the situation with Rihanna, but either way, he sounds like he is enjoying himself.
Veteran stage and TV star Warren Mitchell reveals in The Times his great career regret. “My grandmother arrived here in 1910 from Russia and opened a fish and chip shop… She said to me: ‘Warren, you know, when business is good, people eat fish and chips. When business is bad, people eat fish and chips. Start a fish and chip shop, you will never go hungry.’ Unfortunately, I didn’t start a fish and chip shop.”
Lara Lewington is Five News showbusiness and weather presenter