![]() Financial Daily from THE HINDU group of publications Monday, Mar 24, 2003 |
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Life
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People Columns - Celebrity Corner Goran to quit after Wimbledon
Goran Ivanisevic, still battling to get back to peak form after shoulder surgery last May, could make this year's Wimbledon his last tournament. The 32-year-old champion told the Croatian newspaper, Jutarnji List: "I am going to come to Wimbledon even if they have to push me there in a wheelchair. If it is my fate to leave tennis this year, then Wimbledon will be my last tournament. I will play the All England and then decide what next." The 2001 champion has had a mixed time since his comeback in January, losing or withdrawing from three of the four ATP matches he has played. He did, however, help Croatia to a 4-1 victory over the US in a first-round Davis Cup World Group tie last month when he played the doubles with Ivan Ljubcic. Meanwhile, Ivanisevic and his girlfriend, model Tatjana Dragovic, are expecting a daughter in late May. "That will give me something to do - change nappies and play with her." Have a great life, Goran. A house-sized room for Celine Singing superstar Celine Dion is having no expense spared for her upcoming Las Vegas shows her custom-built dressing room is the size of a house. An Imdb.com report says that the French-Canadian star, whose three-year run at the American gambling capital's Caesars Palace begins on March 25, is set to change her outfits in the most luxurious of surroundings in the new $95-million venue built for her show. Dion's 2,400-sq ft dressing room at The Colosseum beats Las Vegas' previous biggest, which was illusionists Siegfried and Roy's 1,800-sq ft construction. Technical director Rick Mooney says, "We don't think of it as a dressing room. It is a more private space than that." It includes dining, living and massage rooms; an office for Dion's husband and business partner Rene Angelil, and a dressing room connected to a private bathroom. Myers, the company that built the theatre sound system, equipped the area with its own PA system, while Sony gave her four plasma screen TVs two at 42 inches and two at 50 inches. Mooney adds, "It is an apartment really." Sounds a lot like it.
Fake Willis, Cage on the prowl
Hollywood superstars Bruce Willis and Nicolas Cage are fighting to stop impostors from using their fame to get rich and break hearts. Both actors have seen fakers exploit their fame for their own purposes one woman still believes she has fallen in love with the real Bruce. Tennessee songwriter Marria Willard claims that she and the Die Hard star shared a four-month tender cyber romance but the actor insists it wasn't him. Willis has filed suit in the Los Angeles Superior Court seeking damages in excess of $300,000 as well as an injunction prohibiting Internet user Katbone1369 from convincing people that he's the real Bruce without authority. But Marria refuses to accept that the emails came from an impostor. "At first I didn't believe it was him. He revealed things only Bruce Willis would know. He talked to me about his brother dying and about looking for a camp for this three daughters." Cage, who has been Oscar-nominated for his dual role as twins in Adaptation recently discovered an assistant using his name to make endorsement deals. An insider says that the impostor was "contacting companies and saying, `I'll consider wearing your clothing or using your product in my movies'." The assistant has confessed to the scam and promised to reimburse the company. Double trouble in real life.
FA Cup semi loss rankles 19 years on
Forward George Reilly, who scored Watford's winning goal in the 1984 FA Cup semi final, has had his ear bitten off by a disgruntled Plymouth fan who had held a grudge over his team's defeat for 19 years. Reilly became a bricklayer after hanging up his boots and was working on a building site in Corby when a labourer punched him to the ground, a Sun newspaper report said. The attacker chewed off one of Reilly's ears and whispered `Plymouth' into the other one. Doctors had to use 50 stitches to sew 45-year-old Reilly's ear back on. Plymouth lost the semifinal 1-0 the closest the club has ever come to reaching the FA Cup final. Watford lost 2-0 to Everton in the final. "I can't believe someone has held a grudge for that long," said Reilly, who also played for Newcastle United. "I know people have strong loyalties but this is taking it a bit far. This guy just punched and bit me. My ear was hanging by the lobe. I also needed eight stitches in my eye, so I'm in a bit of a mess." Ear today, gone tomorrow?
Sir Sean for the Scots
Sir Sean Connery was so committed to his native Scotland's bid for independence that he financed the Scottish National Party (SNP) for six years. The smooth-voiced actor has revealed that he deposited $1.2 million in an offshore account in 1995, and regularly donated the monthly interest of around $8,000 to the political party. The James Bond star told Glasgow's Herald newspaper: "I have never told anyone before about the £750,000 deposit." But the movie veteran had to halt his philanthropy in 2001 when new laws stated that parties were not allowed to accept money from people not on Britain's electoral register (Connery is resident in the Bahamas). However, the newspaper claims that Connery is still able to transfer sums as he has an address in London, and was omitted from the register due to an oversight. The 72-year-old actor now plans to make more donations, but adds, "I haven't made the donation yet because I have to clarify how much you can make." In addition to these financial boosts, Connery continues his vocal support of the leading advocates of Scottish independence through a series of audio and video tapes he has recorded for the SNP. "In the recordings, I say that for me the big picture of Scotland is nothing less than equality with England: a Scotland that makes her own decisions, a sovereign state that will be a voice in Europe and around the world." Bravo, Sir Sean!
Julia furious with hubby's flirting
Julia Roberts and Danny Moder's eight-month marriage is on shaky ground following a bust-up about the cameraman's flirting with young actress, Kirsten Dunst. According to National Enquirer story, Roberts reportedly blew up into a rage when she learned of her husband's flirting ways with her Mona Lisa Smile co-star Dunst who is romancing Donnie Darko star Jake Gyllenhaal. A set insider says, "A rumour circulated around the set that Julia barged in on Danny and Kirsten when they were in her trailer. Kirsten later apologised to Julia, saying nothing really happened, but Julia wasn't buying it." Friends say the couple have since patched up their differences in a bid to have a baby together, but fear that the tempestuous couple are in for more showdowns. A pal says, "It could all blow up tomorrow and Julia could stalk out for good." Looks like it might turn out to be yet another walkout for the pretty woman.
Compiled by C. Ramesh
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