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Still Biggest Gamblers In World - 22nd May 2011
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wrestling legend Randy 'Macho Man' Savage dies in
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News
Crown
Casino Braces For TV Week Logies; Katy Perry On Despite
Lawsuit, by Greg Tingle - 29th April 2011
Australia's
night of nights - the TV Week Logie Awards are to
hit James Packer's Crown Casino - The Palladium to
be exact, and security is to be on high alert as Katy
Perry is to perform despite a lawsuit against ACP
Magazines for story she says is not true. And, security
and Crown Casino powers that be have banned mobile
devices in response to last years Twitter-Gate, where
one writer was fired for inappropriate Tweets. Will
plastic handcuffs be required and will any footballer
players or guest run a muck? Media
Man with the calm before the storm that is forecast
to hit the TV Week Logies at James Packer's most famous
casino...
Crown
Casino Expects Huge TV Week Logies Night; Show Must
Go On Despite Katy Perry Lawsuit...
James
Packer, Australian gambling and media king loves this
event - certainly the positives it brings his world
famous Crown Casino in Melbourne - home of the original
real life and TV Underbelly (in with a slight chance
of a Logie we hear).
On
the 1st of May Australia and the world will know who
the Logies winners will be, and there's going to be
plenty of news and gossip stemming from the prestigious
event also.
'The
Teenage Dream'... call her what you will (but we are
not sure on the Russell Brand statue these days before
you ask us) has her scheduled performance confirmed
at the Logies On Sunday evening. Not even her lawsuit
against ACP Magazines...publishers of TV Week is going
to slow down this runaway train.
Parry
who arrived in about 56 hours ago in Melbourne for
her down under tour, has fired off a lawsuit to ACP's
women's gossip mag NW claiming it falsely reported
that Perry married for six months to Russell Brand
(star of Arthur and all round bloody funny chap)...
has been having an affair with record producer Benny
Blanco. It's implied it was more than a fling.
Her
writ, lodged in the Victoria Supreme Court against
ACP Magazines, said: "By reason of the publication
of the article, the plaintiff (Perry) has been gravely
injured in her reputation and feelings (and) has suffered
distress, embarrassment and humiliation."
The
suit, lodged on Wednesday, has put a shadow over the
Logies Awards since ACP - the main partner of the
event - is reportedly remunerating Perry in the region
of $300,000 to perform on the big night.
The
publishing firm may even have to more if Perry's suit
is successful. Her label EMI Music yesterday confirmed
the pop singer was still due to perform.
ACP
spokesman Peter Holder said: "ACP or Nine Entertainment
Co have not been served with any court documents as
yet and have no comment to make."
It's
understood NW executive editor Corrine Barraclough
flew to Melbourne yesterday to consult with lawyers.
FOXTEL Stars To Invade Logies; Tipped To Win Big...
FOXTEL
TO SHOWCASE ITS BIGGEST EVER LINEUP OF STARS AT THE
2011 TV WEEK LOGIE AWARDS
FOXTEL stars will light up the stage and red carpet
at the 2011 TV Week Logie Awards, to be held at the
Crown Palladium in Melbourne this weekend. The cast
of the much-anticipated Tim Wintons cloudstreet
(showcase) will be in attendance, including Stephen
Curry also presenting an award on the night
Todd Lasance, Essie Davis, Geoff Morrell and
Huge Johnstone-Burt. cloudstreet will premiere on
Sunday, May 22. Justine Clarke, Silver Logie nominated
actress and star of Tangle (showcase) will also attend
TVs night-of-nights, as she prepares to commence
production on the third season of the hit drama series
in Melbourne. Host and Executive Producer of Australias
Next Top Model (FOX8), Sarah Murdoch, will present
an award at the ceremony and will be joined on the
red carpet by Australias Next Top Model judge,
Charlotte Dawson, as production commences on Series
7 of FOXTELs most-watched series. Gorgeous model
Tahnee Atkinson, winner of Series 5 of Australias
Next Top Model returns to the Logies stage for the
second year in a row to present the winners with their
Awards. Megan Gale, the new host of Project Runway
Australia (Arena), will grace the red carpet in a
custom-made gown by Project Runway mentor and red
carpet divo Alex Perry. The fashion reality series
recently wrapped production in Melbourne and will
premiere on FOXTELs Arena channel in July. Megan
will also take the stage to present an award on the
night. Nominated for Most Outstanding Sports Coverage,
FOXTELs own Matt Shirvington, Tiffany Cherry
and James Bracey will represent the team from FOXTELs
coverage of the XIX Delhi Commonwealth Games and will
be joined by superstar athletes Geoff Huegill and
Liesel Jones. In 2011, one of the most tumultuous
years in political history, SKY NEWS has received
a nomination for its coverage of Election 2010 in
the Most Outstanding News Coverage category
and representing Australias News Channel will
be Political Editor, David Speers, Senior Political
Reporter, Kieran Gilbert and Political Reporter Ashleigh
Gillon. One of the biggest ratings hits of 2010, Grand
Designs Australia (The LifeStyle Channel), has received
a nomination in the viewer voted Most Popular Lifestyle
category. Host Peter Maddison will attend the 52nd
annual Awards, alongside LifeStyle stable mate Sarah
Wilson. For the second year in a row, the hosts of
Nickelodeons Camp Orange: Castle Mountain, Luke
Joseph Ryan and Wyatt Nixon-Lloyd will rock the red
carpet in celebration of their nomination for Most
Outstanding Childrens Program. Three of the
most photographed and beautiful woman on Australian
TV host of Cricket Superstar (FOX8) Lee Furlong,
host of Dating in the Dark (FOX8) Laura Dundovic and
MTVs Erin McNaught will add some glamour
to the red carpet. From the new Movie Extra series
Small Time Gangster, lead star Steve Le Marquand and
Sacha Horler are also on the guest list this Sunday
night. Rounding out the guest list are the stars of
FOX8s hot new reality series WAG Nation, who
are leaving their ball-playing men at home for a night
of glitz and glamour. Shoe designer Terry Biviano,
fiancée of NRL Sydney Roosters player Anthony
Minichiello; event planner Lynette Bolton, wife of
AFL Sydney Swans player Jude Bolton; fashion boutique
owner Jackie Spong, fiancée of AFL Carlton
Blues player Jarrad Waite; promotions manager Jana
Peterson, long-term girlfriend of NRL Cronulla Sharks
player John Williams; and flight attendant Chantelle
Raleigh, girlfriend of NBL Gold Coast Blaze player
Adam Gibson will all attend the Logies.
TV
Week 2011 Logie Awards...
And
the nominations are:
TV
WEEK GOLD LOGIE Most Popular Personality on
Television
Adam Hills (Spicks And Specks, ABC1)
Asher Keddie (Offspring, Network Ten)
Chrissie Swan (The Circle, Network Ten)
Jessica Marais (Packed To The Rafters, Channel Seven)
Karl Stefanovic (Today, Nine Network)
Rebecca Gibney (Packed To The Rafters, Channel Seven)
TV
WEEK SILVER LOGIE -- Most Popular Actor
Callan Mulvey (Rush, Network Ten)
Don Hany (Offspring, Network Ten / Tangle, Foxtel
[Showcase])
Erik Thomson (Packed To The Rafters, Channel Seven)
Hugh Sheridan (Packed To The Rafters, Channel Seven)
Michael Caton (Packed To The Rafters, Channel Seven)
TV
WEEK SILVER LOGIE -- Most Popular Actress
Asher Keddie (Offspring, Network Ten)
Jessica Marais (Packed To The Rafters, Channel Seven)
Margot Robbie (Neighbours, Network Ten)
Rebecca Gibney (Packed To The Rafters, Channel Seven)
Zoe Ventoura (Packed To The Rafters, Channel Seven)
TV
WEEK SILVER LOGIE -- Most Popular Presenter
Adam Hills (Spicks And Specks, ABC1)
Chrissie Swan (The Circle, Network Ten)
Hamish Blake (Hamish & Andy 'Specials', Network
Ten)
Karl Stefanovic (Today, Nine Network)
Shaun Micallef (Talkin' 'Bout Your Generation, Network
Ten)
MOST
POPULAR NEW MALE TALENT
Charles Cottier (Home And Away, Channel Seven)
Eddie Perfect (Offspring, Network Ten)
Firass Dirani (Underbelly: The Golden Mile, Nine Network)
Manu Feildel (My Kitchen Rules, Channel Seven)
Ryan Corr (Packed To The Rafters, Channel Seven)
MOST
POPULAR NEW FEMALE TALENT
Chrissie Swan (The Circle, Network Ten)
Emma Booth (Underbelly: The Golden Mile, Nine Network)
Hannah Marshall (Packed To The Rafters, Channel Seven)
Julie Goodwin (Home Cooked! With Julie Goodwin, Nine
Network)
Poh Ling Yeow (Poh's Kitchen, ABC1)
MOST
POPULAR DRAMA SERIES
Home And Away (Channel Seven)
Neighbours (Network Ten)
Offspring (Network Ten)
Packed To The Rafters (Channel Seven)
Rush (Network Ten)
Underbelly: The Golden Mile (Nine Network)
MOST
POPULAR LIGHT ENTERTAINMENT PROGRAM
Good News Week (Network Ten)
Hey Hey It's Saturday (Nine Network)
Sunrise (Channel Seven)
Talkin' 'Bout Your Generation (Network Ten)
The Circle (Network Ten)
MOST
POPULAR LIFESTYLE PROGRAM
Better Homes And Gardens (Channel Seven)
Domestic Blitz (Nine Network)
Getaway (Nine Network)
Grand Designs Australia (Foxtel [The Lifestyle Channel])
Ready Steady Cook (Network Ten)
MOST
POPULAR SPORTS PROGRAM
Before The Game (Network Ten)
The Footy Show (AFL) (Nine Network)
The Footy Show (NRL) (Nine Network)
The Matty Johns Show (Channel Seven)
Wide World Of Sports (Nine Network)
MOST
POPULAR REALITY PROGRAM
Dancing With The Stars (Channel Seven)
MasterChef Australia (Network Ten)
The Biggest Loser Australia (Network Ten)
The Farmer Wants A Wife (Nine Network)
The X Factor (Channel Seven)
MOST
POPULAR FACTUAL PROGRAM
Bondi Rescue (Network Ten)
Bondi Vet (Network Ten)
RPA (Nine Network)
Undercover Boss Australia (Network Ten)
Who Do You Think You Are? (SBS)
Most
Outstanding Nominees
TV
WEEK SILVER LOGIE -- Most Outstanding Drama Series,
Miniseries or Telemovie
Hawke (Network Ten)
Packed To The Rafters (Channel Seven)
Rake (ABC1)
Rush (Network Ten)
Sisters Of War (ABC1)
Underbelly: The Golden Mile (Nine Network)
TV
WEEK SILVER LOGIE -- Most Outstanding Actor
Erik Thomson (Packed To The Rafters, Channel Seven)
Hugh Sheridan (Packed To The Rafters, Channel Seven)
Jason Gann (Wilfred, SBS)
Richard Roxburgh (Hawke, Network Ten)
Richard Roxburgh (Rake, ABC1)
TV
WEEK SILVER LOGIE -- Most Outstanding Actress
Asher Keddie (Offspring, Network Ten)
Catherine McClements (Rush, Network Ten)
Claire van der Boom (Sisters Of War, ABC1)
Justine Clarke (Tangle, Foxtel [Showcase])
Kat Stewart (Offspring, Network Ten)
GRAHAM
KENNEDY AWARD FOR MOST OUTSTANDING NEW TALENT
Emma Booth (Underbelly: The Golden Mile, Nine Network)
Firass Dirani (Underbelly: The Golden Mile, Nine Network)
Richard Davies (Offspring, Network Ten)
Ryan Corr (Packed To The Rafters, Channel Seven)
Sarah Snook (Sisters Of War, ABC1)
MOST
OUTSTANDING NEWS COVERAGE
"Afghanistan Rocket Attack" (Ten News)
"Election 2010" (Sky News)
"Laurie Oakes Election Leaks" (Nine News)
"New Zealand Mine Disaster" (Seven News)
"Pakistan Floods" (ABC News)
MOST
OUTSTANDING PUBLIC AFFAIRS REPORT
"Brothers In Arms" (Sunday Night, Channel
Seven)
"Hey Dad..! Scandal" (A Current Affair,
Nine Network)
"Iraq's Deadly Legacy" (Dateline, SBS)
"Smugglers' Paradise" (Four Corners, ABC1)
"The Condemned" (Dateline, SBS)
MOST
OUTSTANDING LIGHT ENTERTAINMENT PROGRAM
Hamish & Andy's Caravan of Courage: Great Britain
& Ireland (Network Ten)
Luke Nguyen's Vietnam (SBS)
Spicks And Specks (ABC1)
Talkin' 'Bout Your Generation (Network Ten)
Yes We Canberra! (ABC1)
MOST
OUTSTANDING SPORTS COVERAGE
2010 AFL Grand Final (Channel Seven)
2010 Melbourne Cup (Channel Seven)
Rugby League - 2010 State Of Origin - Game One (Nine
Network)
The Ashes 2010 First Test - Day One at the Gabba (Nine
Network)
XIX Commonwealth Games 2010 Delhi (Foxtel)
MOST
OUTSTANDING CHILDREN'S PROGRAM
Camp Orange: Castle Mountain (Foxtel [Nickelodeon])
Dance Academy (ABC3)
Dead Gorgeous (ABC3)
Hi-5 (Nine Network)
Prank Patrol (ABC3)
MOST
OUTSTANDING FACTUAL PROGRAM
Bondi Rescue (Network Ten)
Miracle in the Storm (ABC1)
RPA (Nine Network)
Such Is Life: The Troubled Times Of Ben Cousins (Channel
Seven)
Trishna & Krishna: The Quest For Separate Lives
(Channel Seven)
Shane Bourne To Host Logie Awards...
TV
actor Shane Bourne will host the 2011 Logie Awards.
In a statement announcing who would be the host, TV
Week said Bourne "promises to deliver what he
does best" at the 53rd Annual Logie Awards on
May 1 at Melbourne's Crown Entertainment Complex.
"I am genuinely thrilled to be involved in TV's
night of nights," Bourne said. "It's an
honour to be following in the footsteps of such television
luminaries as Bert Newton et al - and the timing couldn't
be better. "I've always enjoyed myself immensely
at the Logies, and since the chances of a nomination
coming my way this year look pretty slim, I figure
it's not a bad way of making sure I score an invitation."
Bourne currently stars in the Seven Network drama
series City Homicide, but is also known for his comedic
roles. Most recently, he hosted the popular show Thank
God You're Here and was a regular on Hey Hey It's
Saturday for many years. Thank God You're Here won
a Silver Logie for most outstanding comedy in 2007.
Bourne was also nominated for the most outstanding
actor Logie in 2003 for his leading role in medical
drama MDA. This year's Logie nominees will be revealed
on April 3. Critics are at the read to praise or pan
Bourne. Will Twitter-Gate strike again at Crown Casino.
Don't blink!
Crown Casino Gorilla's Will Have Plastic Handcuffs;
Last Resort To To Use On Patrons Or Special Guests...
We've
confirmed that Crown Casino security will have plastic
handcuffs (and other measures) at the ready for patrons
or special guests who get out of hand. We are not
certain if someone attempting a Tweet on a mobile
device falls into that category, but punters, don't
tell us we didn't warn you. Spin or tap your thingo
to win or lose. Enjoy the Logies and don't do anything
we wouldn't do. Good luck to all.
*The
writer owns shares in Crown Limited
News
Australian
And Hollywood Gambling TV Movie News, by Greg Tingle
- 10th April 2011
Australian's
Kerry Packer and Ita Buttrose In New Cleo TV Show...
Gambling
and media fans. You won't have to wait much longer.
The late Kerry Packer (played by actor Rob Carlton)
will be returning to Australian TV screens (and internet).
Paper Giants: The Birth Of Cleo, promises to be a
quality production that will also show some of the
more intimate details of the relationship between
the late Packer and Ita, as well as show us a bit
of our mate, Jack Thompson (in a Cleo spread no less).
Jack is understood to be pleased with the choice of
model just quietly. Yeah, we're going to get some
nudity boys and girls. The telemovie stars Asher Keddie
as Ita Buttrose and will tell the story of the magazines'
rise in the Australian media circa 1970s. The viewer
will also get some solid insight into the lives of
Packer and Buttrose. What do our friends at the Australian
Broadcasting Corporation have to say about it? "In
early 1972, 30 year old journalist and editor, Ita
Buttrose (Asher Keddie) and 35 year old Kerry Packer
(Rob Carlton), heir to what was then Australia's most
ruthlessly powerful and influential publishing family,
got together to create a magazine that became one
of the most dramatic sensations in Australian publishing
history. CLEO went on to help define women, Australia
and the relationship between the two." Buttrose,
who first cemented her place as the magazine's editor,
was a consultant on the production. "If there
was a supposed affair it didn't happen in this timeframe.
I have no idea if there was, we didn't raise it with
her," said producer John Edwards. A 2007 feature
article by The Sydney Morning Herald revealed on Packer
- Buttrose: "He soon proposed marriage and, despite
rumours to the contrary, she accepted him. But she
was less committed to the idea of marriage than he
was. She already had one failed marriage behind her,"
we were told. That marriage to Alasdair Macdonald
produced Buttrose's two children, Ben and Kate. "After
Ita accepted Kerry's proposal, Kerry told his wife
Ros, who knew about the affair anyway. She threatened
to take half his wealth and deny him custody of his
children, Gretel and James. Kerry found himself weighing
up the loss of half of his riches and the loss of
his children and finally had a change of heart. He
didn't want to lose either." Actor Carlton says
he approached the role of Packer with "an equal
dose of terror and exhilaration. Like most encounters
with Kerry Packer, I'm told". The two-part telemovie
will go to air at 8.30pm, Sunday 17 April (and) the
same time on Monday, 18 April, on ABC1. News media
is speculating is the son of the late KP, James Packer,
may get any positive spin offs or PR's from the telemovie
which is being touted to be the talk of 'Sin City'
Sydney, and perhaps even across Australia, such is
the interest in Packer and Buttrose. Buttrose is managed
by the Harry M. Miller Group, and Packer is well...
not easy to get in touch with, but the right approach
to Crown Casino directly can sometimes work wonders.
No, please don't ask us for more information on how
to, and no, we don't manage them either, but offer
online profiles on the two for folks who are interested.
From the leaks we've got on Paper-Cuts so far; 4 out
of 5 stars. "It's 1972. Skirts are up, pants
are down". Spin to win with Cleo, the telemovie,
not the slot!
Boardwalk
Empire On Australia's Foxtel ...
Tonight's
the night if you have pay tv service Foxtel. The much
hyped Boardwalk Empire continues it's dream run on
Australian screens. We're 3 episodes in now and the
storyline is awesome. We hear that tonight a fella...
a bad guy arrives in hospital, giving a shit load
of problems for corrupt Atlantic City treasurer Nucky
Thompson (Steve Buscemi). Thompson's bro Eli, the
city sheriff (Shea Whigham), to make sure the witness
dies in hospital. Michael K. Williams (The Wire's
Omar) plays Chalky White, a black leader. It's a bit
like a Yankee version of Underbelly, but most critics
say the acting and production is much better than
the Aussie equivalent. No offence Firass Dirani or
John "Vulcan" Seru. Just saying.
Boardwalk
Empire official website
'Gotti:
Three Generations'; Travolta...
The
flick stars John Travolta as the leader of the legendary
and notorious Gambino crime family is: "Gotti:
Three Generations." Film spokesman Steve Honig
confirmed the title Saturday and says the biopic about
"Dapper Don" John Gotti will be shot on
a budget of roughly $75 million this year. Honig says
details would be released April 12 at a news conference
in New York, where the project will be filmed. An
insider spoke on condition of anonymity. It will be
produced by Marc Fiore and directed by Nick Cassavetes.
The infamous mob leader died in prison in 2002. His
son, 47-year-old John "Junior" Gotti, sold
film rights to Fiore last year for an undisclosed
figure.
Sylvester
Stallone Movie And Casino Industry Hotshot To Do Rambo
Style Fashion...
Living
legend Stallone reckons he has what it takes for men's
fashion. The 64-year-old actor is working on his own
clothing line, inspired by his two iconic characters
in "Rambo" and "Rocky,". The collection,
set to debut in 2012, will fall under his new men's
lifestyle brand Sly Inc. and will feature "looks
for the rebel and the gentleman." "I thought
the time is now," Stallone said. "I've lived
a life where I know what has worked and what hasn't
worked. Clothing is the first step to building a character."
According to Sly Inc. president Michael Henry, the
collection, to be sold in mid-tier department stores
like Macy's, will first debut with jeans, shirts,
outerwear and watches, and will then follow by eyewear,
fragrance, shoes and grooming products. Stallone,
who recently starred in "The Expendables"
with Jason Statham, Mickey Rourke and Steve Austin,
said the idea to start his own line came up when he
lost 45 pounds between "Rambo 2" and "Rambo
3." "Nothing fit so I started buying custom
clothing," he said."I found out I really
like this world." He added, "I pay a great
deal of attention to the way I dress. When men learn
to put things together, they start taking care of
themselves better." I hope that what worked for
me will work for others," he said. "I really
believe I have an understanding of the male psyche
on all levels. I want to expose people to things that
will work and this is the apropos time. I'm not experienced
in this field, but we have the proper team to move
this vision along."
Snoop
Dogg Does 'Sin City' Sydney's Star City; Official
Presser...
Not
only is SNOOP DOGG a living legend in hip-hop, he
is also one of the greatest rappers and pop culture
icons of our time. In a musical career spanning over
two decades, Snoop has amassed an impressive discography
consisting of ten solo albums and has sold tens of
millions of albums worldwide. He has scored acting
roles in over 40 movies, featured in his own reality
show and has endorsed numerous pop culture brands.
Its his natural appeal to both the hood and
Hollywood that has allowed Snoop to stay tremendously
relevant through the years. Since bursting into our
consciousness alongside famed producer Dr. Dre on
the 1992 classic The Chronic, Snoop has
remained a constant force in hip-hop and a household
name around the world. With 18 Top 20 singles in Australia,
including 3 number ones, NELLY is a Grammy Award winning
artist that has been topping the charts for over 10
years. With a genre-defying discography, its easy
to see why Billboard Magazine recognized Nelly as
the #3 artist of the decade (2000-2009). Hailing from
St. Louis, Nelly first burst onto the scene with the
massive worldwide hit Country Grammar,
and continued to consistently return to the charts
with hit after hit including Hot in Herre,
Dilemma and Over & Over.
Nelly became a rapper capable of crossing practically
all boundaries from the Dirty South to MTV and everything
in between. With 21 million album sales under his
belt, Nelly is also a successful actor and entrepreneur,
owning two clothing lines, Apple Bottoms and Vokal,
plus the energy drink Pimp Juice. Nellys latest
album 5.0 is out now featuring the hit
single Just A Dream which peaked at #3
on the Aria Charts. *Snoop Dogg has also appeared
in various film and TV shows such as Scrubs, Old School,
Bigg Snoop Dogg: Raw 'N Uncut Vol. 1, Snoop Dogg:
Drop It Like It's Hot, "Snoop Dogg's Father Hood",
Bigg Snoop Dogg Presents: The Adventures of Tha Blue
Carpet Treatment, Snoop Dogg: On the Record with Fuse,
Snoop Dogg: On the Record with Fuse - The Lost Tapes,
Doggy Dogg: Smokefest 1996 Tour Video, Hood of Horror,
Snoop Dogg's Hood of Horror, Gang of Horror, Bigg
Snoop Dogg's Puff Puff Pass Tour, Youth Authority:
California and Snoopadelic Films Presents: Welcome
to tha House - The Doggumentary DVD.
News
Asia
Pacific Mega Gambling News Update, by Greg Tingle
- 9th April 2011
Newcastle
NSW War Pokie Laws...
New
poker machine restrictions proposed by Tasmanian independent
Andrew Wilkie will "annihilate" pubs and
clubs in the Hunter, leaving hundreds out of work,
ClubsNSW Newcastle councillor Jon Chin says. Clubs
Australia is launching a $20 million advertising campaign
on Monday in an attempt to prevent the introduction
of mandatory pre-commitment technology for all poker
machines. Banjo, a John "Singo" Singleton
company is behind the campaign. Mandatory pre-commitment
requires pokies users to commit to a spending limit
before they begin gambling. Once they reach that limit
they will be unable to gamble again until the following
day or longer, depending on what restrictions the
player sets for themselves. Chin said the cost of
implementing the new technology in the Hunter region
would surpass $100 million. This figure did not include
the 40% in revenue clubs would experience once the
restrictions were imposed, he said. "This means
Hunter clubs will lose another $100 million, making
it impossible for us to sustain our businesses,"
he said. Australian Hotels Association Hunter sub-branch
vice-president Bruce Woods said there was no evidence
to suggest the restrictions would discourage people
from gambling. "This won't help pathological
gamblers at all but it will lead to a loss of jobs,"
he said. "We support the clubs' campaign against
this, it will affect pubs just as much as clubs".
Online
Gaming Strong Growth In Asia...
Online
gaming industry has grown into a $US3 billion business
that provides a good standard of living to migrant
workers in Asia who play games all day and sometimes,
all night! Virtual currency is all the rage, it sometimes
gets sold to punters abroad for cash. A World Bank
study demonstrates an emerging industry in which firms
seeking to boost their brands' popularity pay low-skilled
workers overseas to become their Facebook fans or
Twitter followers. The study, Knowledge Map of the
Virtual Economy, is the World Bank's first in-depth
look at the impact of online gaming and social media
in the developing world. Vili Lehdonvirta, a co-author
of the report, advised that the bank should not pour
its money into the industry, because he said the deal
making violated some of the game publishers' terms
of service and was cheating. Known in the business
as "gold farming", the game-playing boomed
in the early 2000s with games like World of Warcraft
and has evolved considerably. Labourers in Asia spend
numerous hours each day advancing through levels of
an online game, picking up gold, swords and gems that
enhance a game player's status. Then gaming studios,
which employ the players, sell those virtual goods
to online retailers. Next step, the retailers sell
on those goods to more than 120 million players globally,
many of them in Europe and North America, who don't
want to play the games day and night to gather their
own. The bank's report indicates that online gaming
has a positive impact in Asia because 70% of the industry's
revenue remains in the gaming countries, with most
of that money going to the gaming studios. Compared
with the $US70 billion coffee market...in which only
a tiny fraction of the revenue remains in the bean-growing
countries...the gaming industry had a "much better
development impact", the report states. A report
survey checks out on a group of 26 players and studio
managers that offers a rough, yet rare demographic
look at their lives. Most of the players work out
of studios in China, in Beijing or Changsha, capital
of Hunan province. They earn an average wage of $US2.70
an hour, $US1 more than Beijing's minimum wage for
part-time factory work. "The larger point is
that online gaming is often viewed as exploitation,
Lehdonvirta said. "Certainly it's not a dream
career, but the players are not at sweatshop levels."
The gaming studios keep about 60% of the industry's
$US3 billion in revenue. Readers, would you like to
be a prize gather for the gaming studios on that level
of pay? Better not answer!
Samoan
Casino Proposal Has Social Concerns For Kiwi, Samoan
Locals...
All
these places have land based casinos - Las Vegas,
Monte Carlo, Macau, Melbourne and just maybe soon
- Apia in Samoa. Some business folks have earmarked
it as a future gambling destination, and Kiwi group,
the Problem Gambling Foundation of New Zealand, is
advising against it, citing social harms of a casino
will outweigh any economical benefits that the Samoan
government will hope to achieve. In an admission of
the dangers of gambling, the proposed casino in Apia
will attempt to bar locals by only allowing the holders
of foreign passports to gamble. Problem #1... many
locals have duplicate passports, so getting in to
a casino for locals may not be that hard, and don't
even bring up the subject of fake ID. Will the region
get a land based casino? Stay tuned for updates.
Clubs
Australia War On Gillard Labor Government Re Pokie
Laws...
Clubs
Australia has declared "open warfare" on
the Gillard government, preparing a $20 million media
campaign to try to stop laws to limit how much punters
can spend on poker machines. Last year "Tasmanian
Devil" (MM satire) independent MP Andrew Wilkie
backed Labor to form a minority government in return
for a clampdown on the use of poker machines. Now,
the lobby that represents clubs and pubs is wrestling
and punching back, with a media blitz targeting Wilkie
and Prime Minister Julie Gillard. Both Wilkie and
Gillard are in big trouble in the popularity polls,
with Labor set to lose the next federal election,
following their NSW loss, where it was bloody and
crimson mass. Billboards, a website, beer coasters
and more It's war on nationwide. The campaign has
been criticised as misleading for claiming punters
will need a licence to gamble. Clubs Australia executive
director Anthony Ball rejects that. "What we
do know is that everyone who plays a poker machine
will need to register and obtain a card, and then
insert it into a poker machine and set a binding limit.
There needs to be player tracking, because how else
does the machine know what the player is doing? It
will have your private details and your gambling history
on it. Now if that's not a licence, I don't know what
is." Under Wilkie's master plan, gamblers would
have to nominate a dollar figure for how much they
are prepared to lose before they start gambling, a
scheme known as "mandatory pre-commitment".
Wilkie wants the law in place by 2014 and he has the
backing of South Australian independent Senator Nick
'Mr X' (MM satire) Xenophon. Senator Xenophon describes
the Clubs Australia campaign as a "joke".
"This industry is willing to spend $20 million
of tax-break money that they get from community clubs
- effectively taxpayers' monies, indirectly - to peddle
lies in terms of a campaign where they haven't even
seen what the final report will say. Whether it's
$20 million or $200 million, this mob can spend as
much as they like, but they can't spin that they are
causing enormous damage out in the community. There
are 300,000 Australians who either have a severe gambling
problem because of poker machines, or are already
showing the signs of one."
Proposed
Pokie Laws With Cost 10,000's of Aussie Jobs...
Clubs
Australia advise the changes will cost jobs. They
want it to be a voluntary scheme and have rejected
a government request to hold off on the ad war. "It
will cost jobs, for the simple reason that asking
Australians to sign on to this licence to gamble will
mean they'll do something else," Mr Ball said.
"They'll go and gamble online where none of these
controls exist, or they they'll go to the TAB - they
won't do it at the club.Even the proponent of this,
Andrew Wilkie, is saying that this will cost up to
40% of revenue."
It's all hot fodder in Aussie Parliament too. Liberal
Steve Ciobo sits on the joint committee on gambling
reform, which has been hearing arguments pro and con
against a mandatory pre-commitment scheme. "The
committee was charged by the Labor party with the
responsibility to look at a roll-out of pre-commitment,"
he said. "But Coalition members will be putting
in a dissenting report because the evidence is clear
that it's going to cost jobs, it's going to cost investment,
and I'm concerned based on the evidence that it will
make problem gambling potentially worse." The
committee is due to report in the next few weeks.
The states and territories have until the end of May
to decide if they will agree to the Wilkie-led reforms.
If they refuse, the Commonwealth believes it has the
power to introduce overriding legislation to impose
a national scheme. The pokie industry has shown the
willingness to wrestle all the way to the next election,
and perhaps even beyond. It's the lovers VS the haters.
Who will win, and when will the final victor emerge.
Stay tuned.
Sky
City Entertainment Group Stocks Fall From Sky...
Sky
City Entertainment Group, the casino and hotel operator,
fell 0.9% to $3.41 amid media reports that overseas
competitors were looking to hire the 500 staff made
redundant or on leave without pay due to the closure
of the Christchurch Casino. SkyCity owns a 50% stake
in the business.
Casino
Bouncer Thought Disabled Bloke Was Drunk...
A
South Australian man with deasiese cerebral palsy
says he was refused entry to the Adelaide Casino because
the bouncer thought he was drunk. Mark Thiele was
on a big night out with friends when he attempted
to enter the casino, but was refused by a bouncer
aka "gorilla". Thiele says the bouncer mistakenly
thought he was drunk, but the casino is sticking by
its decision. "I had said to the man that I wasn't
a drunk, I was crippled," said Thiele, talking
about his rejection on 7.30 South Australia. "He
had said to me he was convinced I was intoxicated
even though we said that I had only had a few drinks
earlier on in the evening. "So I can't see why
I was singled out and everybody else in my party wasn't.
There was no difference between any of us besides
the obvious. It's a mystery to me really." Last
month, he and his friends had walked to the casino
from the city's Hindley Street entertainment strip
a few blocks away. Thiele has trouble moving his body
and for him, walking distances is a big effort. His
mate Aaron Nettlebeck says the casino bouncer did
not understand. "Walking that sort of distance
does get very, very sweaty over that sort of short
period. It was a bit infuriating that it happened
like that after such a nice evening." Thiele
says he has not had a problem at venues until now.
"For the vast majority it's never been a problem.
Bouncers that I've come into contact with have been
understanding and even let me skip the line a few
times just to put me at ease," he said. "Obviously
it's a stamina thing that I can't walk these long
distances and stand in lines and all of these things."
He says he is considering lodging a complaint with
the commission or under South Australia's liquor laws.The
casino's general manager, David Christian, has offered
an apology of sorts. "It was certainly not our
intention that Mark would have felt discriminated
against and I'm sorry that he does feel that way,"
he said. But he is defending the actions of his staff.
"They believe that they made the right call.
I would believe that with the calibre we have and
the training we put into our security officers, and
the level of management that oversees it, that they
would be right most of the time."
New
Zealand Christchurch Casino Workers Hurting From Earthquake
Financial Aftershocks...
Financial
and emotional aftershocks are still be felt by the
casino sector after a series of earthquakes that rocked
the Asia Pacific - Japan and New Zealand region. Christchurch
Casino workers are feeling disappointed and even depressed
after having failed attempt to get a bigger redundancy
payday.In excess of 500 formally happy and motivated
casino employees were offered redundancy at the central
Christchurch casino last weekend, which was badly
damaged in the February 22 quake and has stayed closed
ever since the act of mother nature. Anyone who wants
to stay at the casino will be paid their holiday pay
as either a weekly amount or in a "lump sum".
Simply put, they will remain as employees of the land
based casino on leave without pay until the the gambling
den opens again. The SFWU (Service and Food Workers'
Union), which reps for 100 plus casino workers, has
a meeting with the casino's managers on Thursday.
SFWU strategic industry boss Len 'Razor' (MM tag)
Richards said workers were sombre but firm in their
desire about securing a more attractive redundancy
package. The union power that be were also asking
for continued pay for employees that choose to stay
on until the casino opens again. However, he advised
management was not prepared to increase the amount
of redundancy pay for staff, but did agree to request
for a government wage subsidy. Due to a private insurance
deal and policy in place, the land based casino has
not relied upon the $1.5 million government subsidy
available for quake-affected businesses. Richards
stated that the union has contacted earthquake recovery
minister Gerry Brownlee to request assistance to help
pay workers who remain employed. SkyCity, half owner
of the famous Christchurch Casino, has projected a
$130 million plus profit this year. It's not known
how much financially the quake cost Christchurch Casino
or SkyCity. Christchurch Casino top sheep er top dog...chief
executive Brett 'Ask Him' (MM satire) Anderson said
about 70% of employees have indicated they will stay
with the company rather than take the offered redundancy.
He said a number of employees are also being offered
jobs offshore. Anderson elaborated "I'm getting
phone calls from Australia looking for our people
and likewise all over New Zealand, and a few of them
have spread their wings. More than a few have gone
over to the Gold Coast. It's a lot warmer, it's a
lot more stable, you can swim in the sea, the pay
rates are better." Anderson said he still does
not know when the casino will reopen.Employees have
a deadline until Monday to decide whether they will
take the redundancy package or stay on. Yep, it's
the money or the box. Workers who have not contacted
the company by showdown at 5pm on Monday will be deemed
to have left their jobs and will be paid out a four-weeks-notice
payment, along with their annual leave entitlements.
Casino workers, did you get that. D Day is approaching.
A
CasinoNewsMedia.com spokesperson said "In the current global
economy anyone with a decent job should be grateful,
especially in the casino or gaming sector. Well done
to Christchurch Casino management for doing their
utmost to assist in their difficult times. Employers
will always want to ask for more... its in the nature.
Land based casinos generally remain popular around
the world so good staff will always be in demand."
Media
Man and Gambling911 wish all parties well with their
dealings, and hopefully some win - win - wins will
still be possible.
States
Probe Sports Betting Ads...
Aussie
states are uniting to consider a crackdown on an explosion
in advertising of sports betting, Victoria's Gaming
Minister says. Michael O'Brien last night revealed
the betting blitz on sport was being examined by the
Council of Australian Governments. "There is
growing concern at the extent to which is becoming
inseparable from the coverage of major sporting events.
Kids are being exposed to it constantly just by watching
the footy or cricket," he said.AFL chief executive
Andrew Demetriou said the league had expressed its
concerns to stadium managers. Goal posts, boundary
line fences and scoreboards at the MCG and Etihad
Stadium have been plastered with ads from bookmakers.
Demetriou said the alarm was raised during last year's
Brownlow Medal telecast. "There seemed to be
an enormous amount of (gambling) advertising after
each break," he told press. O'Brien said the
AFL, which enjoys lucrative sponsorship arrangements
with gambling giants, could take responsibility through
its media and stadium deals. "It may be that
there's an opportunity for this influence to be exercised
to ensure the promotion of sports betting isn't allowed
to detract from family-friendly objectives of (such)
sports," he said. This week, former Demon Daniel
Ward revealed in the the newspapers his battle with
gambling. "It's always in your face," he
said of the ads. "It's like being a drug addict
and an advert comes on saying, 'The first 50 people
to ring will get a free bag of marijuana'."
Hawkins
Former Ms Univervese Lookalike Kahili Blundell Wins
Ralph Swimwear Title At Star...
Sin
City Sydney babe Kahili Blundell has snatched the
Ralph Australian Swimwear Model of the Year comp.
The Crows Nest bikini super babe bested more than
2000 babes from all over Australia and Kiwi land to
grab the coveted title at Sin Sydney's Star City Casino
on Thurday. "I feel more than special right now,
I'm blown away and so honoured to be given this position,"
Blundell said. "I was expecting him to call another
number and I stood there thinking 27, is that me?
"It's also my boyfriend's birthday, but I realised
it was me and I was shivering." The 21-year-old
Jennifer Hawkins lookalike works as a personal assistant
and dabbles in makeup artistry in her spare time.
Blundell says modelling has been tough, slogging it
out for 3 years. "Since November I've been training
every week for this, thinking about it every night,"
she said. "I've been brought up to eat very healthy,
so I don't have too much trouble doing that, but I
definitely exercise a lot. I've been working very
hard so thank god it's all paid off." The comp
saw the 38 finalists strut their stuff in catwalk
parades. Sex bikinis were all the rage. A select group
of a bakers dozen were picked, then reigning champ
Emmi Moore handed over her sash and championship title
to Blundell. "I've been doing this for three
years now and this is exactly what I've been dreaming
and hoping for," Blundell said. "I'm open
to any opportunity and I love challenges. I've obviously
done well in the bikini field, so I might just continue
on this track for a little while." Burlesque
babe Sina King from Underbelly home Melbourne snatched
runner-up while second runner-up went to 21-year-old
writer - journo type Tiffany Baker from Fremantle
in Western Australia.
Australian
Boxer Katsidis To Fight Guerrero In MGM Grand Casino
Las Vegas Bloody Sunday...
Down
under's Australia's Michael Katsidis and his opponent
in Sunday's (AEST) interim lightweight world-title
fight at Las Vegas' MGM Grand Casino, America's Robert
"The Ghost" Guerrero, also have powerful
stories. Guerrero's world was crushed big time circa
2007 when his wife, Casey, was diagnosed with leukemia.
The Californian gave up boxing, giving up his world-title,
so he could be by Casey's side and stay close to their
young children as she underwent a bone-marrow transplant.
Things are now looking up for Guerrero. "Casey
has been cancer free for almost a year now,"
28-year-old Guerrero, the number one ranked lightweight
in the world and a former featherweight and super
featherweight champion, said. Last year Katsidis'
was having a dream run. The likable 30-year-old blokefrom
Toowoomba celebrated his first wedding anniversary
with wife Kumiko. He loved being a dad to their one-year-old
daughter Kalia and was preparing for the biggest bout
of his career, a world-title fight in Las Vegas against
Mexican legend Juan Manuel Marquez. Things quickly
went downhill when five weeks before the Marquez fight
he learned his 31-year-old brother, champion Australian
jockey (horse racing) Stathi Katsidis, had passed
away. Just days later Katsidis' longtime trainer,
Brendon Smith, received two more bad news calls. Smith's
nephew got paralysed from the chest down in an accident
and one of the trainer's former boxers passed away.
"We got it all within three weeks and just before
the Marquez fight," Smith said. Katsidis and
Smith made the call to keep training at their Thai
boxing camp and take on Marquez at the MGM Grand Casino,
a match that would be voted the Fight of the Year
after Katsidis floored Marquez to the mat in the third
round. Marquez guts and balls by getting up and pounding
Katsidis so badly ref Kenny Bayless ended the match
in the ninth round, giving Marquez a ninth round technical
knockout victory. On the eve of the Guerrero fight,
Katsidis and Smith, who kept quite before the Marquez
bout, finally opened up about their personal tragedies.
Katsidis did not sleep two days before the Marquez
fight. "He was emotionally spent before he got
in the ring and to do what he did under the circumstances
was incredible," Smith said. "I believe
if something doesn't kill you it only makes you stronger,"
Katsidis said. Guerrero has 22 knockouts in his 27
professional victories. "This is truly a fight
for boxing fans," Guerrero, who has a 28 win
(18 KO), one loss professional record, said. "You
are going to see two guys go at it and give it their
all." The winner of the match will be named the
interim World Boxing Association and World Boxing
Organisation lightweight champions. Promoter 'Golden
Boy' Oscar De La Hoya has named the MGM card "Action
Heroes", with another Mexican legend, Erik Morales,
fighting Argentina's exciting welterweight contender
Marcos Maidana and in another welterweight battle,
Brooklyn's Paulie Malignaggi VS Jose Miguel Cotto.
The matches will be broadcast live in Australia on
Sunday from 11am AEST by Main Event pay-per-view.
"For a boxing card, sounds like it will be value
for money for a bit of a change", said a Media
Man insider.
News
Underbelly
Gets Average TV Viewership In February..., by Greg
Tingle
It
had to happen eventually. The TV Underbelly series
numbers have done down. The third Underbelly telemovie
'The Man Who Got Away' came out in 9th for the night
with just over a million viewers for Channel 9. It
was beaten black and blue (pardon the pun) in its
timeslot by a new episode of 'Bones' on Channel 7,
which snatched 1.148 million. Seven's 'My Kitchen
Rules' was champion of the night with an massive 1.457
million viewers.
Sydney:
St Ives Gets Gunshots For Underbelly TV...
The
residents were instructed not to be alarmed by machine
guns before scenes from series of a couple of Underbelly
takes were shot in an otherwise quite St Ives street.
Filming took place at two homes in Waterhouse Ave.
Underbelly: A Tale of Two Cities is set in the years
from 1976 to 1986. Series on-set manager Chris Wheeler
said the street was a good reflection of houses from
this period. "St Ives shows the 70s and 80s style
for the series in the most beautiful way," he
said. Residents were informed of filming via a letterbox
drop. In the letter, location manager Carl Wood said:
"The production of Underbelly in Sydney (rather
than Melbourne) is considered to be something of a
coup for Sydney, and the NSW Government is right behind
the project." The prequel cast includes Peter
OBrien, Roy Billing, Asher Keddie and Matt Newton.
Boardwalk
Empire: International Bonus - Atlantic City Roaring
1920s: Crime, Gambling, Prostitutes, The Works...
Enter
Atlantic City in the 1920s when prohibition was introduced
and alcohol became illegal, everybody partied big
time. Dancing, champagne, beer, the best food. County
Treasurer, Enoch Nucky Thompson (Steve
Buscemi) was living large. Nucky was a real life character
in Atlantic City who rose to power as one of the citys
leaders who became a racketeer running bootlegging,
gambling and prostitution. HBOs new drama series
is a fictionalised version inspired by actual events
in a book by writer Nelson Johnson. Its a backdrop
to themes of corruption, vice and larger-than-life
characters. Buscemi has the lead TV role. Screenplay
is by Sopranos writer Terence Winter. It has Martin
Scorsese directing its first episode. Mark Wahlberg
is also a producer. Nucky is a complex man. To the
masses and media he condemns alcohol to the Womens
Temperance League while secretly commandeering backroom
deals of booze smuggled and sold at inflated prices,
all going strong under the federal law of Prohibition.
He was the king in Atlantic Citys own underbelly,
acquiring wealth via organised crime. Buscemi nailed
this role, even snatching a Golden Globe for his efforts.
The other key characters in the opening episode include
Jimmy Darmody (Michael Pitt) Nuckys former protégé,
who is tempted to work for the Feds, and Margaret
Schroeder (Kelly Macdonald) a wife who is beaten by
her husband and turns to Nucky for help. In a city
of liars, cheats and fornicators, she serves as the
symbol of virtue. The production values of Boardwalk
Empire are awesome. The Art Direction, Costume and
Cinematography are outstanding. There are lavish sets
and the attention to detail is world class. Scorseses
use of period music hits the right tone. Theres
nothing quite like hearing a 20's ditty warbling on
an old gramophone while an unlucky person gets whacked.
Boardwalk Empire premieres 8:30pm Sunday March 27th
on Australian pay television via Showtime. If you
have pay TV, you owe it to yourself to tune in. Yes,
most critics think its better than 'Underbelly' also,
but you be the judge, jury and executioner.
Crown
Casino Teams Up With NRL's Melbourne Storm...
Melbourne
are expecting a cyclone size backlash as the latest
National
Rugby League club to link with a gambling establishment
after confirming Crown
Casino as their new major sponsor. In a massive
deal snatcher for a club which last year was disgraced
after being stripped of all points and two premierships
during the salary cap scandal, the Storm unveiled
Crown as their front jersey sponsor on Friday. Melbourne
chief executive Ron Gauci agreed there would be criticism
of the club's link with gambling. However he defended
the arrangement and said Crown offered a home for
Storm supporters, which the club had not had since
it joined the competition in 1998. All Storm after-match
and mid-season functions for members will be held
at Crown. The casino believes the sponsorship will
boost their exposure interstate. "I think you'll
have those that wish to comment but I think we need
to emphasise what it is that we wanted out of the
relationship and that is a home for our supporter
base," Gauci said. "If you think about what
Crown has to offer as an entertainment complex ...
this is a great place to consolidate those activities."
The Storm lost major sponsors Host Plus and ME Bank
in the wake of last season's scandal. Gauci said the
new sponsorship delivered a message of confidence
in the Storm ahead of the 2011 season. "I think
it does deliver us a substantial message to the marketplace,
and for the club it's very important to have an organisation
as big a Melbourne icon as Crown is to support the
club. It delivers a magnificent message about the
confidence the corporate world has in Melbourne Storm
and our future direction." The Storm joined South
Sydney as the second NRL club to have a gambling
establishment as their major sponsor, while Penrith
have renamed their home ground Centrebet Stadium and
Manly will also have the Centrebet logo on the back
of their jumper. Yes, NRL ramped up links to gambling
are all the rage. A rumour has started that igaming
kings brands, which have a strong following in Australia,
other parts of the Asia Pacific, such as New Zealand.
Party is also looking to ramp up sports betting services
in the Asia Pacific region. Melbourne's announcement
also comes in the same week as Ryan Tandy, who left
the Storm midway through last season to join Canterbury,
was arrested and charged as a result of an ongoing
police investigation into "irregular betting"
on a match between the Canterbury Bulldogs and North
Queensland Cowboys last August. Dennis Watt, rugby
league general manager with News Limited, who own
the Storm, defended the arrangement between a gambling
establishment and a sport sold as a family game. "I
can speak for Crown as an integrated entertainment,
retail complex. It is very much reflective of the
heart and soul of Melbourne and it's a great relationship
for us to have and I don't see a conflict for the
relationship the Storm have sought here." He
echoed the views recently expressed by NRL chief executive
David Gallop that the association between sport and
gambling "is as old as sport itself". "Gambling's
a part of the Australian way of life, part of our
character and our history," he said. "We
advocate moderation, we know that problem gambling
affects less than half a per cent of the population.
"You've got two million problem drinkers, four
million smokers, over nine million Australians suffering
levels of obesity which are also big social issues."
A
CasinoNewsMedia.com
spokesperson said "The Crown Casino - Melbourne
Storm sponsorship deal looks to be a match made in
heaven. Crown has world class facilities and entertainment
is the name of the game. Entertainment takes many
forms, be it football, burlesque, television, rock
bands or slot machines aka one armed bandits. Crown
Casino can do it all. Already this deal has generated
national and international headlines, and yes, we
are helping spread the word to our friends in the
U.S and Canada. Gambling911, CAP, GWPA and Poker News
Daily are just a few outlets that we expect to run
the story. It's balanced and positive coverage all
the way, instead of the agenda driven gaming hater
stuff you read from time to time. Chalk up more browny
points for Crown's James Packer and his world class
team at Crown, and good on the NRL and The Storm for
seeing the golden opportunity and moving it into high
gear. I never thought I would say this again after
last season's scandals, but Go The Storm!"
Australian
Betting Limited 'Bullet Proof' NOT! Says Maker Aristocrat...
A
card-based system forcing pokie players to set betting
limits isn't a "bullet proof" solution to
problem gambling, poker machine maker Aristocrat Leisure
Ltd says. Aristocrat, representing over 60% of the
Australian pokies market, is instead proposing a machine-based
system that lets gamblers set time and/or betting
limits. But the proposal was met with some opposition
when Aristocrat executives appeared before a joint
federal parliamentary committee hearing in Sydney
on Friday. The committee is investigating the idea
of a pre-commitment scheme using smart card or other
technology to force pokie players to set limits on
their gambling. It follows a controversial commitment
from Prime Minister Julia Gillard to Tasmanian "independent"
(so to speak - has seen to be bias and preduduce against
those liking a punt) MP Andrew Wilkie to introduce
such a scheme across the country in return for his
support of her Labor government. "As a company,
we acknowledge that there is a problem out there,"
Aristocrat general manager of corporate affairs Kristene
Reynolds told the hearing. "For us, coming here
today is to come to the table and be part of that
solution." The company's managing director in
Australia and New Zealand, Trevor Croker, said card-based
systems, which have been used in other countries,
can be manipulated by problem gamblers. "It is
not a bullet proof solution. People do swap cards
and have been able to use multiple cards," he
said. "I think finding the complete solution
is going to be a very difficult outcome. "It
should not be something we don't aspire to, but it
will be very difficult, from what we see in those
(other) markets." Aristocrat will soon trial
a new slot machine that features opt-in pre-commitments,
allowing users the option to set themselves spending
or time limits. These machines could be ready for
mass production from the end of 2012, and phased in
as part of the normal machine replacement cycle, Croker
said. But with the average cost of a pokie at $25,000,
Labor MP Stephen Jones questioned the Aristocrat executives
on the cost effectiveness of such a solution. "It
would be good for Aristocrat, I can see that. But
it's a very expensive solution to the problem, isn't
it?", he asked. Aristocrat general manager of
design and development Justin Brown said smaller venues
could be given longer to replace their machines, while
newer models may only require a software upgrade,
at a cost of about $3,000. Mr Wilkie, the committee's
chairman, also questioned the motives of Aristocrat's
proposal. "I can't help feeling an element of
commercial self interest in your advice to the committee
here," he said. Further questioning resulted
in the Aristocrat executives conceding their machine-based
proposal would not prevent problem gamblers from simply
switching machines or venues once they had reached
a pre-committed loss or time limit. The hearings continue
in Canberra and Hobart later this month. In Australia
the machines are often known as pokies or poker machines,
in the U.S - slots, and much of Europe - Fruit Machines
or Fruities!
Queensland's
Sunshine Coast A Big Winner For Lottery Sector; Punters
To Win Homes Via BoysTown Gambling...
It's
steal from the rich to give to the poor! Ok, not exactly,
but read on and you will get the drift soon enough.
The Sunshine Coast has long been regarded as a prize
location by local residents, but now a range of national
and state lottery organisations are taking notice.
BoysTown Lotteries recently unveiled a million-dollar
home in Buderim as its latest prize home offering.
Located at 22 Orme Rd, the home is part of a prize
package worth more than $1.5 million. It is arguably
one of Buderims most beautiful homes, according
to BoysTowns general manager fundraising Keith
Coventry. "Our previous lottery prize home was
in Nerang (Gold Coast) and the one before that was
in Rainbow Bay (Coolangatta). Now we find ourselves
in Buderim on the Sunshine Coast. When deciding on
a prize home, we look at the property itself and then
the desirability of the location and the features
of the area," Coventry said. "I think the
thing about Buderim is that you are close to the beach,
but you also have those great views over the ocean
and the coastline. I guess you get the best of both
worlds. "The Buderim home has been particularly
popular and the retail sales have been very strong."
Yet another contender in the Coasts prize pool
is a home in Mount Coolum, raising funds for the Mater
Foundation as part of the Mater Prize Home Lottery.
Also sporting a million-dollar price tag, the home
is located at 47 Boardwalk Blvd in Coolums Boardwalk
Estate. Twin Waters is the site of Surf Life Saving
Lotterys prize home, which is valued at more
than $750,000. The three-bedroom home at Lot 4 Ameen
Cct comes with $41,832 in furniture and electrical,
along with 12 months paid council rates. Coventry
said funds raised from the BoysTown lottery would
assist the Kids Helpline service, which was in particular
demand since the recent floods. "Kids Helpline
is certainly taking a lot more calls from kids who
are worried about the impacts of the floods, or who
have been affected by the floods. A lot of people
are seeking assistance with the mental health aspects
of this natural disaster, so I think that is certainly
going to be the focus of much of our fundraising over
the coming months." The money raised from Mater
lotteries help funds medical research teams and the
purchase of life-saving medical equipment, as well
as supporting patients and families. Surf Life Saving
lotteries assist Surf Life Saving clubs around the
country. Aussies, feeling lucky. Go on, give them
a go, and you know the money is going to a good place,
if you don't happen to win. Mind you, feel welcome
to check out the slots, poker, bingo and other casino
games showcased on the portal also. BoysTown Lottery
will set you back a bit, while at CasinoNewsMedia.com partners
like PartyGaming, many games can be played for free
or for money. The choice if yours. Hours of entertainment
for young and old - just kidding, check legalities
but most counties insist you are at least 18 years
old to gamble, and that includes from lottery to poker
to slots, ok crew!
Clubs
Australia VS Productivity Watchdog: Dog Fight; Bark
Worse Than Bite?...
Clubs
Australia will today accuse the nation's productivity
watchdog of making a mathematical error in its claim
that problem gamblers are responsible for 40% of poker
machine revenue. CasinoNewsMedia.com spokespersons and investigators
have been disputing the "problem gambling"
numbers for almost 2 years! The figure of 40% is being
used by anti-gambling politicians aka "gaming
haters" to try to justify new limits on gambling
the Gillard government has pledged to introduce to
maintain the support of independent MP Andrew Wilkie
in the hung parliament. Clubs Australia is fighting
a mandatory precommitment scheme that would force
pokies players to set a limit on how much they intend
to spend before they start gambling. It claims the
scheme will cost clubs and pubs $2.5 billion nationally
and cost thousands of jobs if it turns off casual
gamblers from having a punt, throwing a couple of
bucks down the throat of an "one armed bandit",
whilst often sinking a cold Aussie beer at the same
time (not that we endorse it). Beer can change ones
thinking, but you likely knew that already Jack! Politicians
backing the reform have seized on a claim in the Productivity
Commission report that problem gamblers contribute
40% of pokie revenue to justify the crackdown. Clubs
Australia president Anthony 'On The Ball' Ball will
tell a parliamentary inquiry in Sydney today the figure
is "highly contentious" and "inaccurate".
In his opening address to the inquiry he will say
that the Productivity Commission claims there are
95,000 problem gamblers who play the pokies and spend
on average $21,000 each year on the machines. When
multiplied together, this comes to a total of $1.995bn,
and this figure represents just 16.8% of the $11.9bn
total expenditure on poker machines. "These are
not our numbers. These are the figures from the commission,"
Ball will say. "Therefore the vast majority of
gambling revenue comes from recreational gamblers."
The Productivity Commission used a range of different
methods to calculate the amount spent by problem gamblers
and found both problem and recreational gamblers underestimated
how much they spent on gambling each year. The 40
per cent figure was not derived from multiplying the
number of problem gamblers by the amount they said
they spent each year but was derived from a range
of surveys that looked at what gamblers actually spent.
Clubs Australia will tell the parliamentary committee
the proposed mandatory precommitment scheme is a "massive
infringement of people's individual rights".
"There's a vast difference between making the
pre-commitment available to any player who wants to
use it, and forcing anybody who wants to play a gaming
machine to register, obtain a device and provide personal
details or fingerprints in order to be able to play,"
Mr Ball plans to tell the inquiry.
Australian
Gambling Enquiry: Traditional Gamblers Heading Online
For Slots, Poker, Roulette Et Al; Problem Gamblers
VS Problem Child Government Policy?...
Using
hi-tech to force pokies players to set betting limits
would drive gambling addicts online in the masses
and divert resources away from helping problem punters,
a Senate inquiry has heard. The inquiry, chaired by
Tasmanian federal independent MP Andrew Wilkie, is
investigating the concept of a pre-commitment scheme
using smart card or other technology to force all
pokies players to set limits on their gambling. Clubs
Australia, the peak body for registered clubs in the
nation, on Friday told the joint parliamentary committee
inquiring into the issue it had reservations about
the proposal in its current form. Clubs Australia
executive director Anthony Ball said more research
was needed on how effective it would be. "There
is very little good research out there about whether
this proposal or any others are going to work,"
he told the inquiry in Sydney. "There are a multitude
of gambling opportunities. The strategy must not be
to drive (problem gamblers) online ... The strategy
must be to find these people, get them the right treatment
and turn their lives around." He said state regulations
on gambling were sufficient and that a 'one-size-fits-all'
policy should not be applied across all states. Clubs
Australia president Peter Newell said the three main
issues regarding the scheme were cost, whether it
would reduce problem gambling and the consequences
of implementing it. He said the system failed to work
in Norway, and instead drove problem gamblers to the
internet. Five million Australians would play the
pokies in any given 12-month period and the system
would only drive away recreational players, who represented
the "vast majority" of gambling revenue,
he said. "As a recreational gambler myself, I
am disturbed that there are people who think I need
assistance in determining how I spend my money,"
he said. "Mandatory pre-commitment fails to provide
what problem gamblers need most and that is treatment,
and in doing so, diverts attention and resources away
from treatment. Problem gamblers will still gamble
in the mandatory pre-commitment system. They are addicted.
But recreational gamblers will walk away from pokie
machines." Newell said the system would be expensive
and difficult to implement across 197,000 machines
nationwide, taking years and billions of dollars to
do - forcing clubs to close and costing thousands
of jobs - with no indication as to how effective it
will be. It's man VS machine; The People VS The Government,
and The Government VS The Gaming Industry. News media
and website portals just keep lapping up the action
resulting in a readership jackpot bonanza.
News
Australian
Celeb News: Media, Casino And Gaming Celebs, by Greg
Tingle - 29th January 2011
G'day
punters, celebrities, journos, high rollers - casino
whales, gambling millionaires and billionaires, poker
sharks, entertainment news junkies, media tycoons,
politicians, insiders, outsiders, legal eagles,...
one and all. You know who you are. Seems just about
everyone is a celebrity, or knows a celebrity these
days. God know the poker world is full of them. This
is our Aussie celebrity special, featuring Aussie
celebs from the world of media, gaming, poker and
more, and even a few ring-ins for good measure. Media
Man and Gambling911 with celebrities you love
to love, and even a couple you love to hate...
Shane
Warne...And Liz Hurley...
Warnie
and Liz look to be in love, with each other and with
Twitter. The spinner is hanging out for a game of
poker or "poke her" with Liz, almost begging
for Hurley
Burley to come down under for a face to face. The
couple have taken to Twitter like ducks to water.
Warne and Hurley's developing romance is good fodder
out for their almost half a million Twitter followers.
They are now publicly planning her trip Down Under.
The poker - fashion babe might be in Australia within
weeks. Hurley has been tweeting about her new parrot,
Ping Pong. "I'm getting jealous of ping pong!
Think it's time you left ping pong alone for a while
& come visit me in Australia," Warne tweeted.
"No need for jealousy SW, she's not getting any
cuddles or kisses!" Hurley replied. The model
brunette is teaching the parrot to talk and Saints
fan Warne has urged her to teach it the St Kilda club
song. "Don't forget advance Australia fair !!!!
In tune too please ping pong . . . Ps organized kangaroos
and koalas for your trip," he wrote. The affair
between the former spinner and the movie - poker babe
went public in December and the pair were busted on
a romantic weekend in LA earlier this month. Both
have bounce back, and judging by the Tweets, can't
wait to bounce, fly and play together. Is it an Aussie
expression... a bird in the hand is worth two in the
bush? Never mind. Tweet me at twitter.com/CasinoNewsMedia.com
Russell
Crowe: Ex Kiwi (On Defending His South Sydney Rabbitoh's
Star City Casino Deal)...
"The
football club is a completely different organisation
from the leagues club. We don't have any control over
what the leagues club does; they run their own game."
Crowe
then went on to defend the move by pitching Star
City as primarily an entertainment precinct and
putting forward society benefits from gaming revenue,
of which there is some truth in. Entertainment is
the name of the game, and its broken into sub sectors.
"This is an entertainment venue in general; it's
not just about gaming. Let's get real about this situation;
we're living in a state where they're telling us that
the revenue from poker machines is paying for our
hospitals. What we're talking about here is about
a connection between two organisations that are all
about entertainment, that are all about the future
of Sydney." Souths chief executive Shane Richardson
seconded the views put forward forward by NRL chief
executive David "Gambling" (MM satire) Gallop
this week that the association between sport and gambling
"is as old as sport itself". "Let's
be honest no sport in the world could ignore it, we're
not holier than thou, the NFL, the English Premier
League, wherever it is, there's gambling. As David
Gallop said all along, it's going to be there, it's
a major part of what sport is whether we like it or
not and we've got to be part of it to have some sort
of control over it." Crowe did concede that his
own personal beliefs on gambling were at odds with
the deal and recognised that problem gamblers were
an issue of concern. "I don't like them (pokies).
I'm not a fan of them; I've made that clear in the
past. "But in life I am a gambler. The fact that
I took on South Sydney underlines that." Media
Man and Gambling911 congratulate both the Rabbitohs,
Crowe and Tabcorp's Star City for taking a bet on
this. Life is a gamble, just don't let it get the
better of you, and always have fun... on and off the
field. Work hard and play harder!
Julian
Assange...
He
is possibly Australia's most notorious public figure
in a strange sort of way. Hero or Villain? Guess it
depends on who you ask. If you ask Prime Minister
Julia
Gillard we think you know the answer! This weekends'
The Australian newspaper fueled rumours that the James
Bond franchise might like to have an Assange type
in an upcoming flick. The journo penned...Ian Fleming
could have turned the WikiLeaks boss into a villain
in a James Bond novel. Given the pervasiveness of
the Bond myth, it is no surprise that Assange, like
Osama bin Laden before him, should be likened to a
Bond villain. He has been labelled many things both
positive and negative, from champion of free speech
to cyber-terrorist. Perhaps the strangest, and for
many fans of popular culture most glamorous, epithet
applied to Julian Assange is that of Bond villain.
Moreover, it is an epithet that has found widespread
media acceptance. The connection has been made in
blogs and especially tabloid newspapers, and equally
it has surfaced in such diverse publications as Britain's
The Guardian, The Financial Times and the US's The
Washington Post. The most conspicuous parallel between
Assange and the fantasy world of Ian Fleming's James
Bond involves the Bond villain's lair. The WikiLeaks
HQ, known as the Pionen data centre, is a remodelled
Swedish nuclear bunker set in a granite mountain face.
Special thanks to Simon Caterson at News Limited.
We like your work mate.
Elle
Macpherson...
The
once former flame of Brit gambling tycoon Damian Aspinall
has got busy again as of late. Elle
Macpherson and Cate Blanchett were guests at the
major bling event for the Portofino range at a dinner
in Geneva yesterday. They were joined by Lost's Matthew
Fox - looking heavier and a bit ratty in a Brad Pitt-style
Catweazle beard - plus Kevin Spacey, Ronan Keating
and more. We're sure it was a fun event. And we're
sure all received a special gift.
Damian
Aspinall (James Packer Mate) To Sell Aspinall's Casino
In Britain Following Bad Luck!..
Damian
does business with Australia's James
Packer, but its possible that soon that may come
to an end. The Brit has had relationships with glamorous
women, including the TV presenter Donna Air, Elle
Macpherson and Naomi Campbell. He confirmed the
scale of the clubs debts but said it was not
unusual for a casino business. He said: You
are talking about a business that has £250 million
a year drop (the money staked by its clients). So
it is a bit circular. You are looking at unlucky years.
That is the business we are in. Anyone in the
business with high value VIP tables will have years
when you do well and years when they dont do
well because it is volatile." Asked about the
houses performance last year, he added: Thats
completely normal. You are talking about a volatile
business. He said over a 10-year period Aspinalls
was winning 18 per cent of the money gambled at its
tables. But he added: You have years when you
do nine per cent and years when you do 24 per cent.
The most recent available accounts for the club are
for 2009 and Mr Aspinall said the club was now doing
better. He said that despite his plan to move away
from the elite clubs founded by his father such businesses
would not die out. I think there is a future.
You have got to be grown up about those sorts of investments.
You lose £10 million one week, and win £8
million the next. It is part of the business. When
you lose these amounts it is a knock for the casino
concerned, but you have weeks like that. We also had
a week where we won £11 million in six days.
It is big numbers these days. The winners could be
three people over a number of days, it can be one
person in one night. There are plenty of players all
over the world who have won and lost that sort of
money in a night."
Mel
Gibson...
American
law enforcement sources say Summit Entertainment which
is distributing Aussie Mel's upcoming movie, "The
Beaver" - gave Mel the final cut of the movie
on DVD. Mel
screened it at his home, and at 10:45 AM put the DVD
in his mailbox so a courier could pick it up and return
it to Summit. The DVD was rumoured to go missing in
action, not Mel!
Hugh
Jackman...
Hugh
Jackman, Oprah
Winfrey, Halle Berry and Marisa Tomei Among Oscar
Presenters...Tony Award winner and previous Academy
Awards host Hugh Jackman will be part of this year's
Oscar ceremony, according to the Associated Press.
Jackman will be a presenter at the 83rd Academy Awards.
Other presenters currently include Sandra Bullock,
Jeff Bridges, Oprah Winfrey, Halle Berry and Marisa
Tomei. Academy Awards for outstanding film achievements
of 2010 will be presented Feb. 27 at the Kodak Theatre
at Hollywood & Highland Center. The awards will
be televised live by the ABC Television Network beginning
at 8 PM ET. James Franco and Anne Hathaway will co-host
this year's ceremony. Jackman, who was seen on screen
in "X-Men Origins: Wolverine,"
earned a Tony Award for his work in the Broadway musical
The Boy From Oz. He is also known for his film roles
in the "X-Men"
trilogy, "Someone Like You," "Swordfish,"
"Kate and Leopold," "Van Helsing"
and the recent "The Fountain" and "Happy
Feet" (in voice). His stage credits also include
Trevor Nunn's staging of Oklahoma! at Britian's National
Theatre and award-winning work in productions of Sunset
Boulevard and Beauty and the Beast.
John
Travolta...(As John Gotti)...
Travolta
was at Amici restaurant in Brentwood a few nights
ago. He wasn't giving much away about taking the role.
But Marty Ingels, Executive Producer of the movie
was much more direct, stating Travolta will play the
lead role in the movie, "Gotti." Leaks tell
us James Franco has been approached to play John Gotti,
Jr. Bang! Hit us up for an update soon.
David
Gyngell...
Gyng
is tipped to be very shortly flying to the U.S to
test the waters re the upcoming float on the stock
market on his CVC. Nine
Entertainment's private equity owners will assess
the health of the local equity and advertising markets
this month. After which, they will decide the date
for a $5 billion listing of the television, magazine
and digital group. According to market sources, Nine's
owner, CVC Asia Pacific, is yet to decide on the listing
date although most observers expect the debt-laden
group to test the waters as soon as April if global
equity markets remain relatively strong. Management,
including newly installed chief executive David Gyngell,
will travel to the US next month to gauge the interest
of potential offshore investors.
Celebrity
Poker Pros: Tyron Krost And Stewart Scott: Celebrity
Stars Going Down In Ratings; Direct Response To Poor
Showing In Aussie Millions 2011...
These
couple of poker celebs were on fire at some point,
but lately a shower has been thrown on their parade.
Both are former Aussie Millions champs - Krost from
last year, Scott from 2009. Fellas, time to win some
big games again or you might not even be thought as
celebs any more. Start performing or might those sponsorship
deals with PartyGaming's
PartyPoker.com
dry up?
Van
Marcus...
Poker
pro Van Marcus, currently in Melbourne for Aussie
Millions, is the chap who has his red rare Ferrari
nicked from the Crown valet parking last year, in
a story that generated massive international headlines.
In the past days Marcus has been seeing driving around
Melbourne in what looks to be the same card, but this
time reportedly with a hot blonde or brunette in the
passenger seat. Hows the ride girls?
Australian
Chris Hemsworth Plays Father To Thor; Anthony Hopkins
Is Thor!...
The
Aussies and Brits are teaming up again in film, thanks
to our friends at Marvel Entertainment. The industry
is abuzz for Aussie Hemsworth and Brit Hopkins. Hopkins
has portrayed so many notable characters from history,
literature, and the arts, that its no surprise
we will see him in yet another role of stature. In
this years hotly anticipated Paramount
Pictures and Marvel
Entertainment epic adventure Thor, he will be
Odin, the major god of Norse mythology, and father
to Thor, (played by Australian Chris Hemsworth). The
film is based on the Stan
Lee comic book version, and directed by Kenneth
Branagh. Excelsior! Marvel Entertainment: Don't just
buy the comics and watch the movies, play the games
at PartyGaming. May the power of Thor be with you.
James
Packer And Co...
Marketing
and gaming advisers to James
Packer have leaked that they see merit in having
an Aussie Millions branded online slot game. They
saw the popularity of Cleopatra and Sinatra in an
online environment, and well as PartyGaming's World
Poker Tour slot in land based casinos. They have
not confirmed a Kerry Packer themed slot game, with
some concerns it may be a uncomfortable proposal for
one or two of the Packer family, however many punters
and insiders think that Kerry would have loved the
idea, and further would have loved the concept that
a slot game will his likeness via tribute slot would
actually make Crown
Limited money. PartyGaming,
WMS
and IGT
are keen to talk turkey with Crown Limited with their
online plans, which may also compliment what's in
store for the further development of Packer 50% owned
Betfair.
Who is tipped to the the contract?
We
think PartyGaming,
based on their strong US land based casino deals,
ink still drying over the last few days, but you will
just have to keep watching the space.
As
they say on TV, I'm a celebrity - Get Me Out Of Here!
*Media
Man is primarily a media, publicity and internet
portal development company. Gaming is just one of
a dozen sectors covered
*the
writer owns shares in Crown Limited and Ten Network
Holdings
News
Australia
Day Special, by Greg Tingle - 26th January 2011
G'day
and Happy Australia Day everyone. Ok, we know some
of you punters, journos, high rollers - casino whales,
entertainment news junkies, politicians, insiders,
outsiders and legal eagles are from across the globe
are not Australia, nor have ever been down under,
but you get the idea. Did you know that some indigenous
Australia's call Australia Day 'Invasion Day'! That's
because most history books show that Captain James
Cook and his crew invaded Australia on this day in
1988. They are known by a new names including the
First Fleet, while some aborigines will always think
of them and murderous mongrels, who stole their land
and pride. It's easy for many of us to get the point
of the blackfellas (affectionate). Media
Man and Gambling911
with a bush tucker bag full of Australian gambling,
casino, poker, media and sports news. Fair winds...
Queensland
Banana Bender State: Pub Pokies And Online Pokies
Becoming More Popular?...
One
armed bandits are maintaining their popularity in
'The Sunshine State'. It's understand that punters
might have only a 1 in a million chance of winning
really big, lotto - millionaire style, but they just
keep coming back for more. Yep, throw another dime
in the pokie baby. Queenslanders "invested"
close to $2 billion last year as the punters passion
for the slots maintained its fever pace. The total
pokies expenditure of $1.81 billion was slightly down
on the previous year, it was the third year consecutively
the number exceeded $1.8 billion. We're also learned
that the 2008 figure of $1.83 billion was an all-time
record. Now, this is important - those numbers Do
Not take into account the rabid take up and roll our
of online poker or sports betting. You know, betting
over the global medium - the internet. Overall, Queenslanders
spent $7 million less on pokies than last year and
$28 million less than in 2008, but it still works
out at in excess of $150 million every month down
the slots August was the year's biggest month for
slot gamblers, who put close to $170 million in the
throats of the one armed bandits. August was also
the biggest month for gamblers in 2008, with more
than $173 million lost. Pokies remain by far the most
popular games for punters in Australia, bringing in
most of the estimated $17 billion spent on all forms
of gambling down under each year. Some insiders think
that the reduction in official spending was more a
sign of the increased popularity of internet and sports-based
gambling. Concentrating on pokie figures, it appears
Queenslanders gambled more at the height of the global
financial crisis two years ago than they did throughout
2010.
Tassie
'Devil' Gambling Tycoon Devilish Quotes...
David
Walsh from Tasmania was such a big hit with the readership
we thought we would dig up a few more of the red hot
'The Devil's' quotes, that are too good not to share.
First a refresher...Art and gambling do mix, at least
that's the experience of Brits Damian Aspinall, Phil
'Tuffers' Tufnell, Australian artist Gina Sinozich,
CasinoNewsMedia.com
(bodypaint and burlesque "fetish") and Tasmanian
gambling whale - tycoon, David 'Wicked' (satire) Walsh.
You will pick up on Dave's affectionate nickname by
us later. We like you David, ok mate. Tasmania's most
famous or infamous gambling figure, millionaire, David
Walsh yesterday gave us a peak into his art exhibit...the
biggest (and weirdest) private art gallery in Tasmania,
if not the Asia Pacific. The $110 million Museum of
Old and New Art is nestled on the banks of Hobart's
Derwent River.
Quotes
By The Tasmanian Devil!...
"FUCK
the art, let's rock'n'roll."
"I
think formal curation is a form of mental masturbation."
"I'm
not really that interested in a bunch of big names.
Most of the works are by people most people haven't
heard of and still won't have heard of because there's
no wall labels."
"I
don't want to lose control (or) something that ends
up looking like a pale version of the National Gallery
of Victoria".
"Subversive
adult Disneyland".
"Please
see reception if you are planning a pool party or
a ritualistic orgy."
"It's
the opportunity to mess with your head. I like the
idea of people having a couple of beers and looking
at the art, having a couple more and changing their
mind."
"Just
a privileged guy with a megaphone"
"Its
like a rich mans soap box. Im standing
on my soapbox and Im shouting my views like
they mean something."
"Ill
take all the popular stuff out. And if you go to the
toilet two or three times well recommend a good
urologist."
My
brother once said about me that Id rather be
outside a barrel pissing in than inside the barrel
pissing out. Im anti this idea that we know
what were doing with certainty. I kinda think
that most things that are good happen to people largely
by accident, but then they start looking for explanations.
You see the views of rich, successful people on television,
and they tell you why they got rich and successful;
they dont interview all the people who went
through the same process and didnt. I think
most things are complete crap. I want to show that
you can be fortunate without believing that your fortune
was anything other than fortune."
"There
are so many things we do that we hide from. We hack
open cows and eat their guts but we compartmentalise
that away from our lives so we can pretend its
not happening. And on a larger, more important scale,
if each of us acted individually to say OK,
we f
ed up the atmosphere, it is our personal
responsibility, humanity would behave in a very
different way."
"One
of the things about having money is that
I
feel a bit of guilt and a level of privilege, and
it seems to be an obligation to do something, and
since art is what Ive been doing....but it wasnt
really like that. It was: I bought this small gallery,
bought a bigger one, and gradually it became something
of this scale. Its become a lot more serious
endeavour than I intended it to be. Theres a
bit of thumbing my nose at the establishment and trying
to bypass academia, but mainly I just wanted it to
be a bit of fun. And it is. And it will be."
"The
gambling is all a computer thing that is going on
right now".
Website
Museum
of Old and New Art
Queensland:
Cairns Reef Hotel Casino Poised To Raise Big Bucks
For Flood Relief On Australia Day...
Punters,
let's all spare a thought for those who have been
attacked by the floods on Australia Day. Numerous
events are being planed around Australia, from 'Sound
Relief' to and initiative from the Cairns Reef Hotel
Casino 'Bring on the Sun' It will be one of the biggest
events on the Australia Day calendar for the city
and all funds raised will go to the Premiers
Flood Relief Appeal. There's a good old fashioned
sausage sizzle, competitions and female performers
including the Marlins cheer squad. "The
whole idea is slanted towards the female performer,"
entertainment manager Bruce Stewart said. "Weve
got an eclectic blend of female artists coming to
perform as well." Cazalys, El Mundo Tapas Bar
and the Marlin Coast Bowls Club will also host events
to raise money for flood victims. Cairns Regional
Council will hold events across the region, including
the ever-popular celebrations on the Esplanade. Mayor
Val Schier said the council was expecting a good attendance
as usual with residents keen to get outside and celebrate
our sunburnt country in the green and gold. "Even
last year when it poured, a huge number of people
came to the Aussie breakfast; we expect the same will
happen this year, rain, hail or shine. It is one of
those days where people can come together as a community
and help celebrate why it is great to be an Australian.
We live in a fantastic country and it is good for
people to get out and enjoy it." Pubs and clubs
will also get into the Aussie spirit with a number
of activities on offer. Paradise Palms Resort and
Country Club has a patriotic, fun-filled day planned
with activities that pay homage to Australias
heritage such as the much-anticipated pie-eating competition.
"Everybody is welcome to come along and have
some fun while tucking into our Aussie selection of
meat pies, icy beers, lamingtons and classic Australian
music by DJ Danny from Millennium Sounds," director
of sales and marketing Darlene Holdsworth said.
Events
Join
the celebrations
Paradise
Palms Resort and Country Club Australia Day celebrations
Whats on: Australian menu served from noon in
Restaurant 59, pie-eating and thong-throwing competitions
start at 1.30pm. Pies, icy beers, lamingtons and classic
Australian music on offer at the resort.
Time: 12pm. Entry free.
Bring on the Sun at Cairns Reef Hotel Casino
Whats on: Entertainment, sausage sizzle, raffles,
jumping castle and more with all proceeds going to
the Premiers Flood Relief Appeal.
Time: 2pm. Entry free.
Shane Warne And Poker Mates Get VIP Star Treatment
At Australian Open Tennis Sunday Night...
The
spinner got there at 8pm hoping to get star VIP treatment
for 14 of his closest mates. In the mix was was Joe
Hachem, who he had earlier caught up with at the launch
of the Aussie Millions Poker Tournament at Crown Casino.
Warne requested an escort (no, not that type silly)
when he arrived and posed mostly for photographs with
his sunglasses on. He also spent time in Andy Roddick's
player's box during his loss to Swissman Stanislas
Wawrinka. It been a big couple of days for "poker
her" for the legend, playing rendezvous with
Liz Hurley in LA. He is expected to play in the second
round of the poker tournament and could face off against
Gary Ablett Jr and Jeff Fenech tomorrow. Blett made
it through to the second round.
Australian Financial Review Goes Gaga For Lady Gaga;
Gets Facts Wrong (We Think)...
It
took us a few months of going through newspapers but
we finally found the AFR to make a slip up, and its
a doozy....An article reads "the complex will
have a few upmarket bars, including one on the roof,
and an events theatre to house live acts think
Lady Gaga as well as awards nights." With
Gaga's level of popularity she would require a much
larger venue than Star City. Earlier this year, she
- they played two concerts at the Sydney Entertainment
Centre, capacity 12,000 or thereabouts. Do the math.
Australia's
Kylie Minogue To Do The Colosseum At Caesars Palace
Las Vegas: Aphrodite Live...
Mark
is down Kylie fans the word over. She's doing Ceasers
Sunday May 22, 2011 8pm
Melbourne: Aussie Joker Comedian Performs At Packer's
Crown; Raises Cash For Flood Relief...
Melbourne
folks at Crown Casino recently enjoyed 'The Jokers
Comedy That Rocks' at Crown Casino. James Packer's
casino donated all proceeds from last Friday nights
show to Queensland flood victims. Organiser William
Leitch has happy with the way things went and showcased
an evening with some of the citys top stand-up
artists, including Brad Oakes, Christine Basil and
Greg Fleet. It's understood he got close to 150 people
to come along, and he may be invited back on upcoming
Friday nights.
Top 100 ASX Listed Companies Respond To Flood Cry
For Help; Gambling And Gaming Industry Steps Up; Mining
Firms and Banking Bastards Lead Charge...
1.
BHP Billiton: $1.3 million (in addition, matching
employee donations)
2.
CBA: $1.35 million
3.
Westpac: $1 million
4.
ANZ: $1 million
5.
NAB: $1 million
6.
News Corp: $500,000 and Blue Ribbon campaign
7.
Rio Tinto: $1 million ($700,000 to Premier Relief,
$300,000 to Emerald community)
8.
Wesfarmers: $7.5 million (plus $3.5 million from Coles
customers)
9.
Telstra Corp: up to $1 million by matching staff contributions
(so far $338,000; is also supplying phones and free
calls to people affected)
10.
Woolside Petroleum: $122,395 (corporate + employees)
11.
Woolworths: $6.9 million (matching customer donations
in Woolies, Big W, Dick Smith dollar for dollar)
14.
Fortescue Metals: Matching staff donations dollar
for dollar
15.
CSL: $250,000
16.
QBE Insurance: not releasing a statement
17.
Origin energy: $1 million
18.
Macquarie Group: $200,000 (combined staff and company
effort with fundraising activities continuing both
here and overseas)
19.
AXA Asia Pacific: No response
20.
Santos: $500,000 plus use of helicopters and vehicles
for clean up. Also $50,000 for flooding in WA
21.
Coal and Allied Industries: (see Rio Tinto)
22.
AMP: $250,000 + matching employee contributions to
WA flood appeal up to $250,000
23.
Suncorp Group: $100,000 (staff and customers have
donated $1.5million)
24.
Foster's Group: $500,000
25.
Brambles: No response
26.
Leighton Holdings: No response
27.
Orica: No response
28.
Oil Search: No response
29.
Stockland: Donated $250,000 to the Premier's flood
relief appeal, another $30,000 to the Mayoress Rockhampton
regional flood appeal and are matching employee donations
dollar for dollar
30.
Coca. Cola Amatil: No response
31.
Amcor: No response
32.
Westfield Retail Trust: No response
33.
IAG: No response
39.
Crown: Donation tins in Crown complexes and have committed
to matching all donations as well as staff contributions
52.
Tabcorp Holdings: $1 million
78.
Tatts Group: Going to run a dedicated lottery for
the Queensland flood appeal where all profits will
go to the Premier's Flood Appeal. They ran the same
thing in Victoria after the Black Saturday bushfires.
It will run on Wednesday 2 Feb in Queensland and is
expected to raise $200,000. In addition, another donation
will be made from the unclaimed prizes fund of an
as. yet undecided amount
79.
Fairfax Media: Matching staff donations
100.
Seek: Reported it had made a donation to the Premier's
Flood Appeal but chose not to disclose how much
Brisbane:
Flood Relief Money Gets Spend On Pokies, Vice - Piss
Up At Pubs...
It's
been reported in a number of Queensland newspapers
that the $1000 flood relief grants that went to many
good folks in Granville are being used to feed slots
and buy piss (beer) rather than food and necessities.
Two Maryborough publicans say that in some instances
the answer to that is yes, and they are disgusted.
One of the publicans was so incensed by the misuse
of flood relief money she telephoned Fairfax Media
to complain. "A man came in bragging about how
hed got the $1000 payout because he told Centrelink
he was stuck in Granville but he was here the
whole time. It makes me sick that people are openly
admitting theyve got the money for nothing,
while there are people whove died or lost everything."
She said Centrelink should have screened the applications
more carefully to make sure only people who were genuinely
in need received the cash. Another pub owner said
his one armed bandits had not stopped buzzing since
the grants became available. "We were quiet during
the actual floods but this weeks been totally
different. The pokies and the bottle shop have been
going non-stop." Yeah, Aussie continue to love
a punt, rain, hail, shine or flood!
Aussie
Millions Game 8 Results...
The
London based chap took down the $1,100 8 game mixed
event title at Crown Casino in Melbourne adding AUD$23,800
to his almost $1.2 million in career tournament earnings.
He entered the final table as the short stack, but
managed to grind his way to victory and nudge away
Australia's Bruno Portaro for the victory. The event
marked Ashby's 8th final table appearance at the Aussie
Millions that includes a side-event win back in 2005
and a seventh-place finish in the main event in 2009.
Ashby also won his first WSOP bracelet this summer
in the $1,500 7 Card Stud event and went well in the
$10k H.O.R.S.E. for his biggest career score of $378,027.
The 2011 Aussie Millions $1,100 8-Game Mixed event
drew 68-players and paid the final 7.
Here
are the results:
1 Richard Ashby AUD$23,800
2 Bruno Portaro AUD$16,320
3 Casey Kastle AUD$10,880
4 Daniel Ospina AUD$6,800
5 Oliver Gill AUD$4,760
6 Dane Coltman AUD$3,400
7 Paul Ravesi AUD$2,040
Aussie
Main Event Day 1b: PartyPoker And Full Tilt Poker
Players Feel The Pain...
PartyGaming's
PartyPoker
and Full Tilt Poker's powers that be likely won't
be celebrating. Ok, they got news coverage and exposure,
but its because their players are out. Yep, history
maties. Full Tilt went well on Day 1a but Day 1b was
rooted. Many of the big name pros went down for the
count as locals stepped up. 209 players entered the
Crown Poker room but after 7 levels of play, 80 remained.
David Oppenheim, Annette Obrestad, Carlos Mortensen,
David Benyamine, Andrew Feldman, Steve Yea, Andy Bloch
and Gus Hansen were some of the Full Tilt players
who died. Other casualties included Luke Santo, Raj
Ramakrishnan, George Moussa, Michael Pedley, Graeme
Putt, Martin Comer, Dennis Huntly, Jamie Pickering,
Bruno Portaro, Casey Kastle, Ben Savage and Tim Marsters.
2005 World Champion Joe Hachem (tweeting he struggled
with jetlag following a recent trip to the PokerStars
Caribbean Adventure.) Defending champ, 2010 Aussie
Millions Main Event winner Tyron Krost (PartyGaming's
PartyPoker
pro went down too). A new champ will be crowned in
2011 with plenty of Aussies still in contention. The
field kicked off with Jeff Rossier in the lead with
154,900, closely followed by Michael Ottobra (143,400)
and Martin Drewe, After winning the Opening Event
last week and going deep in another event, Drewe is
now set in the chip leaders in the Main Event after
getting to 136,100. Jay SEABEAST Kinkade
did nicely with 128,700, Haibo Chu (113,900), Manny
Stavropoulos (85,600), Sorel Mizzi (74,400), Michael
Egan (61,100), Kent Hunter (56,400), Jeff Lisandro
(55,000), Eric Assadourian (50,300), Scott Montgomery
(49,200), Chris Ferguson (45,400), Lee Nelson (30,200),
Neil Channing (28,800), Roland de Wolfe (26,100),
Aleks Brkovic (24,600), Jackie Glazier (21,900), Grant
Levy (18,300), Gary Benson (10,500) and Mel Judah
(7,200) amongst those who will return on Day 2. The
3rd and final flight of the 2011 Aussie Millions Main
will commence Tuesday with another strong field and
a few big names expected. Even Van Marcus will front
up. Van, is your Red Ferrari safe this time mate?
We're looking for more good fodder to write about.
How about do a publicity stunt and make world wide
headlines ago. Maybe someone at Crown Casino - Crown
Limited might be open to it. Stanger things have happened...
like Ferrari's getting stolen on site, casino fights
and a man getting stuck in the Crown Casino kitchen
grease vacuum.
Aussie
Millions Event #9 Day 1b: Rossiter In Front...
It
was down to business with players investing AUD$10,600
to buy in all with the goal of becoming the 2011 Aussie
Millions Champion. 7 seven levels of play, and the
209-player field went to 80. Jeff Rossiter is in front
with 154,900. Martin Drewe, 2011 Aussie Millions Event
#1 winner with 136,100 - now 3rd on the leaderboard.
Australian Jay Kinkade is on 128,700, and European
Poker Tour mainstay Jeff Sarwer sits 5th with 120,500.
Randy "nanonoko" Lew has 110,000 and Gavin
Griffin 101,700 in 9th ninth and 10th place. Sorel
Mizzi, Jeffrey Lisandro, Eric Assadourian, Team Full
Tilt's Chris Ferguson, Full Tilt Poker Red Pros Scott
Montgomery and Roland de Wolfe, Neil Channing, and
Lee Nelson have also all made it to Wednesday's Day
2, but it was touch and go for some of them, testing
the skill VS luck debate. Full Tilt Poker $25,000
Shootout Invitational winner David Oppenheim, Annette
Obrestad, Carlos Mortensen, Andy Bloch, David Benyamine,
Andrew Feldman, Gus Hansen, Joe Hachem, and David
Steicke all had to say goodnight nurse. PartyGaming's
- PartyPoker
Tyron Krost was eliminated in a hand VS Gavin Griffin
where his Ace-Queen couldn't best Griffin's Aces.
The 3rd and final Day 1 flight commences Tuesday in
Melbourne, Australia at 12:30 p.m. local time.
Getting
board of poker yet? If so, try your luck er skill
at Baccarat or Craps. If your more into luck, check
out the slots like Cleopatra, Sinatra, Rambo, Goanna
Gold and The Terminator. Rumour goes PartyGaming
also have, or will soon get, a World
Poker Tour themed online slot game. We recommend
punters open an account with PartyCasino,
PartyGaming
and World
Poker Tour, just to have all based covered. Party
appears to still be the most popular online casino
brand in Australia despite big efforts by the likes
of 888. Marvel
slot games are forecast to be some of the most
popular of this year with Captain
America and Thor
tipped to hit Australia cinema's this year, with Spider-Man
also getting a remake. Whatever your casino game of
choice, good luck, and let us know how you go guys
and girls. Spin to win.
Take
the time to research and learn games before placing
down money
Media
Man, Casino
News Media and Gambling911
are website portals. Not casinos as such, however
are recognised as world leading websites that cover
the sector and act as central points to games, news,
reviews and more.
Readers...
er, punters, how did you like our report? Tell us
in the forum.
If
you have a bet, please bet with your head, not over
it, and for God's sake, have fun.
*Greg
Tingle is a special contributor for Gambling911
*Media
Man is primarily a media, publicity and internet
portal development company. Gaming is just one of
a dozen sectors covered
News
Aussie
Celeb News; James Bond Casino Icon Connection, by
Greg Tingle - 29th December 2010
Season's
Greetings punters, entertainment news junkies, one
and all. Today we have a look at the latest from Aussiewood
and Hollywood powerhouses James Bond, with a Bondi
Beach twist, Marvel Entertainment (go Wolverine)..we
love you Hugh, Spider-Man, Underbelly and more.. Media
Man http://www.CasinoNewsMedia.com
and Gambling911
with your celebrity and entertainment news fix, just
in time for the New Year. Ho Ho Ho!...
MGM
Emerging from Bankruptcy; Wants To Produce James Bond
23...
MGM
Studios is emerging from bankruptcy with a $500 million
line of credit, and its first Xmas wish is to produce
James Bond #23, rumoured to be directed by Sam Mendes
and starring Daniel Craig (again), despite many leaks
saying that means it will be a gay Bond (for real),
if you follow.
The
James Bond franchise has long been a fav of casino
and gambling lovers, with Casino Royale being the
top pick for most punters.
MGM
Studios has been going through the wars as of late,
with the filing of bankruptcy hanging around their
neck. Their massive financial troubles led to the
delay of not only The Hobbit, directed by New Zealander
Peter Jackson, but also James Bond 23 starring the
Daniel Craig.
The
studio just underwent a giant restructuring and was
able to acquire $500 million worth of credit from
financial powerhouse JP Morgan, a good lot of which
will likely be spent on the sequel to Quantum of Solace.
MGM is expected to partner with Sony for co-financing,
as it has done a few times previously with Casino
Royale and Quantum of Solace.
Bond
fans, did you know that 2012 marks the fiftieth anniversary
of Dr. No (1962), the very first James Bond movie
ever, which makes it bloody good timing to release
a new Bond movie. The studio will be attempting to
secure and shore up its cast, director, and screenplay
for the new movie in very short order.
The
studio had previously announced that Peter Morgan,
and frequent Bond collaborators Neal Purvis and Robert
Wade, would be penning a draft of Bond 23. Purvis
and Wade have worked on every James Bond flick since
The World Is Not Enough, and that includes Die Another
Day, Casino Royale, and Quantum of Solace - the last
two of which were rewritten, to some extent, by Paul
Haggis.
Rumors
have been flying for months have indicated that Sam
Mendes (American Beauty, Revolutionary Road) is leading
the pack to direct the new movie. Now, Mendes is not
a filmmaker known for his action style skills. He
did however direct Road to Perdition, co-starring
none other than Daniel Craig.
As
of press, James Bond will not be film in 3D. Oh, did
we mention CasinoNewsMedia.com is the agent and manager for
John Seru who played bad guy Gabor in Bond's 'The
World Is Not Enough'. In Nine's 'Underbelly' Seru
placed Kiwi Steve in the following episodes: Alpha
and Omega, The Good Lieutenant, Hurt on Duty (2010),
Saving Face and Women in Uniform.
MGM
is still technically under bankruptcy protection for
a couple more months.
Marvel
Entertainment's The Avengers: New Mexico Connection...
Marvel
Entertainment's biggest film project of all time is
is now New Mexicos biggest film production ever
as 'The Avengers' confirms its 2011 shooting locations.
Thor
not only hits off the summer movie season of 2011,
but it sets up events that will culminate in the Marvel
superhero team-up epic, The Avengers, the following
year. With story elements of Thor taking place in
New Mexico, and the production shooting in Santa Fe
and Galisteo, its of little surprise to see
Marvel Studios returning once again for their biggest
project ever.
New
Mexico Governor Bill Richardson and Marvel Studios
officially announced the agreement making The Avengers
the single largest film production in the states
history. The current schedule has Joss Whedons
The Avengers shooting in New Mexico between April
and September of next year, using both Albuquerque
Studios and of course, the beautiful and vast surrounding
locations that so many other major Hollywood flicks
have used.
The
Avengers also is set to shoot action in Michigan and
New York but production will primarily take place
in New Mexicos largest city Albuquerque.
Governor
Richardson talks to local economic benefits to New
Mexico: "In addition to being our biggest production
to date, The Avengers will be the most technologically
advanced and will provide cutting-edge training opportunities
for our crew
Im announcing this as a Christmas
present of sorts to the people of New Mexico. This
is a perfect example of the incredible job creation,
economic impact and global visibility this industry
has brought our state over the past eight years, and
of the need to keep it moving forward."
So
Marvel heroes fans, be looking out for Chris Evans,
Robert Downey Jr., Chris Hemsworth, Mark Ruffalo,
Jeremy Renner, Scarlett Johansson, Clark Gregg and
Samuel L. Jackson.
Thor
opens May 5, 2011; The First Avenger: Captain America
hits July 22, 2011 and The Avengers is scheduled to
debut May 4, 2012.
Spider-Man:
Broadway No Match For Movie; Spidy Fans Disappointed;
Would Rather Play Spider-Man Games And Play Dress
Up...
The
new and much talked about Spider-Man musical has another
problem stuck in its web. Sick to death of waiting
for the problematic Broadway show to officially open,
critics for two mainstream news companies released
early and negative reviews of the $65 million musical,
which won't officially open until February 7.
Writing
for Bloomberg News, the influential financial news
wire service, veteran critic John Simon slammed the
show as "an unfocused hodge-podge of story-telling,
myth-making and spectacle that comes up short in every
department. A few good songs would help, in which
department the show is sorely lacking," Simon
wrote in the review late Sunday night. Like most rock
stars, Bono and The Edge havent a clue about
writing for the theatre."
The
U2 legends wrote the score for the show, which was
directed by Lion King helmer Julie Taymor.
Both
Simon and Newsday's Linda Winer defended their premature
reviews on the grounds that the show was charging
full ticket prices in some cases more than $200 a
seat for the performances, and that the opening date
had been pushed back twice.
Winer
called the show's infamous high-flying acrobatics
"exciting and scary, in a circus way" but
dismissed the second act as "weak."
Simon
was also impressed with the flying scenes: "An
hour of anticipation for about 90 seconds of exhilaration,"
he wrote.
Would
you believe four actors have been injured during the
show's rehearsals, including a horrible injury to
lead aerialist Chris Tierney last week.
Critics
almost never publish their reviews of productions
before the official opening night. Spider-Man: Turn
Off the Dark has pushed back its debut twice.
The
New York Times said in a posting to its arts blog
that it would not review the show until the official
opening.
Media
Man loves Marvel Entertainment, Spider-Man and U2,
but this project does not sound good. Sorry guys.
Underbelly
TV Movie Legal Problems...
Network
Nine may be forced to shelve forever one of its Underbelly
telemovies because of legal action in the state of
New South Wales.
Tell
Them Lucifer Was Here, the first of 3vtelemovies being
made under the Underbelly Files title, tells the story
of the 1998 murders of Victoria cops Rod Miller and
Gary Silk.
After
a probing investigation by the Lorimer Task Force,
Bandali Debs and Jason Roberts were found guilty of
the double murder in 2003. Debs was sentenced to life
in prison, Roberts to 35 years.
The
subject seemed relatively safe... for true crime.
Reader may recall the first Underbelly could not be
screened in Victoria.
However,
anything that identifies "Debs" could be
a bit no go zone in NSW.
On
September 24, the Victorian Government Solicitor applied
to the Melbourne Magistrates Court to have Debs transferred
to a NSW prison for questioning over the death of
a Sydney prostitute 15 years ago.
Debs's
lawyer, Michael De Young, did not oppose the application,
saying his client maintained his innocence and was
confident of being acquitted and returned to Victoria.
New
South Wales Police have been trying for 2 years to
question Debs...also was convicted in 2007 of the
1997 murder of 18-year-old sex worker Kristy Harty...and
reckon they have enough evidence to link him to the
killing.
The
transfer order was granted by the court, but Debs
had 14 days to appeal the decision.
Channel
Nine has 3 options: rush the Silk-Miller telemovie
out before NSW police have laid any charges that might
arise from the interview; release the telemovie in
all states bar NSW if charges are laid; or hold off
for a national release until any case has been heard.
Nine
has has yet to comment on this matter.
Underbelly
#4 To Hit Aussie TV...
A
4th Underbelly series to screen in 2011 promises to
showcase the birth of organised crime in Australia.
Based
in Sydney in the roaring 1920s, Underbelly Razor tells
the story of the bloody battle between "vice
queens" Tilly Devine and her rival Kate Leigh.
The
Nine Network are calling it their most "ambitious
and daring" Underbelly series yet.
It
will be joined by 3 Underbelly telemovies - Tell Them
Lucifer was Here, Infiltration and The Man Who Got
Away...which were announced earlier in the year.
Aussie
Poker Celeb King Shane Warnie Tag Team With Wolverine
Hugh Jackman In Cricket Nets; Jackman Hit In Balls
(Almost) In Lead Up To Boxing Day Ashes Test...
The
tag team led the celebrity contingent to the Melbourne
Cricket Group for the prestigious Boxing Day Test.
'Our Hugh' got hit in the balls by a Warnie spinner,
so it seemed, but he had a cup on, perhaps taking
safeguards, after getting hit in the eye with a foreign
object at his Oprah Winfrey grand entrance via way
of flying fox a couple of weeks ago. Wolverine Jackman
joined other famous mugs in the crowd, including Opposition
Leader Tony 'The Bruiser' Abbott and veteran English
talk show king Sir Michael Parkinson aka 'Parkie'.
Premier Ted Baillieu and wife Robyn also tagged along,
as did Eddie "Everywhere" McGuire, Cathy
Freeman and Molly Meldrum. In a smart and rather cunning
move, just outside the MCG sports stars and entertainment
biz celebs tag teamed a game of cricket which raised
money for the McGrath Foundation. The foundation ambassador
Lee Furlong joined ex-cricketers Justin Langer and
Michael Slater, Glen Moriarty, Kris Smith and Guy
Sebastian at the friendly game. Earlier, Shane Warne
made one of his very first public appearances since
the "Hurley-burley", acting as host for
his fav Shane Warne Foundation's annual Boxing Day
breakfast at Crown. Warne mate, James Packer, attended,
along with wife Erica in a show of support. Singer
Leo Sayer also entertained to an appreciative crowd
that included Glenn Robbins, Mark Taylor, Ian Healy,
Aaron Hamill and Bill Brownless. A great day was had
by all, as best we can tell.
Aussie
Poker Celeb Shane Warne And UK Sort Liz Hurley: Come
Down Under And Come In Spinner?...
Is
Liz Hurley coming to Australia? Getting spotted at
Heathrow Airport sent press into a frenzy and created
munch speculation she will keep her date with Warnie.
Friends of Hurley told the Pommie press she had dumped
the cricket spin legend after learning he had sent
more than 100 sexy text messages to another woman
behind her back. Warnie is known for his ability to
sent sexy texts that can get the right response. Now
it appears Liz may have reconsidered after attempts
to stop an imminent divorce and rekindle her relationship
with husband Arun Nayar reportedly failed. During
her public flirtation with the spinner on Twitter,
Hurley wrote that she was keen to attend the January
3 "Pink Test," which supports the Jane McGrath
Foundation. Talk about a play on words "Pink
Test", got to love her form. Liz also told Warnie
she would "definitely" make an appearance
on his Channel Nine chat show if she made it to Sydney.
Sources close to the Aussie spinner have said the
cricketer was devastated after being apparently dropped
by Hurley, having previously confided his desire to
marry her. Both Hurley and Warne announced on Twitter
that they had split from their respective partners
shortly after spending 2 delightful, fun filled nights
together at a luxury London hotel earlier this month
and being papped kissing outside a restaurant. Warne
was last week caught in the outfield sending erotic
texts, including, "I want to see you riding me"
to middle-aged Melbourne mum Adele Angeleri. In an
apparent attempt to win Hurley back after the messages
were published in the British tabloids he logged back
on to Twitter to pen "No matter what anyone says
if you know in your heart
who cares what people
think / say !!!" Hurley was snatched in the airport
mess at Heathrow, where snowy conditions caused widespread
cancellations from Saturday, leaving over 100,000
punters stranded, having their patience tested. A
fellow traveler said the swimwear model and well loved
celeb babe "looked nervous" as she attempted
to blend in with the crowd, wearing large sunglasses
and dressing down. "She'd dressed down and it
was clear she wanted to be left alone," the witness
told The Sun. "She looked like a woman with a
lot on her mind." Lizs office refused to
comment on her travel plans. Whatever the case, we
wish Liz (and Warnie) well on any of their upcoming
travel plans.
Betting
For Aussies On TV And Film Success: Not Yet...
Many
Australia's remain pissed that they are not able to
bet on financial outcomes of upcoming TV shows and
motion pictures. Passionate Aussies has been reading
reports filed by CasinoNewsMedia.com and Gambling911 on Box
Office betting exchanges, but none of the action has
come to Australia, so us Aussies can't be on it. We're
not sure any Yankees of Canooks got to bet on outcomes
either. Sly, Arnie and Wall Street - when you read
this, give us an update please. We want to bet on
movie and TV outcomes. PartyGaming and Virgin were
rumoured to have some interest in the concept, but
nothing has eventuated from our probe as yet. Oh,
if you want to see the way Hollywood used to work,
do yourself a favor and rent or buy 'The Last Mogul',
which told the career story of the late Lew Wasserman.
Oh, we heard you want a review, so here it is mates...
The
Last Mogul: The Life And Times Of Lew Wasserman...
For
the second half of the 20th century, Lew Wasserman
was without question the most powerful money man in
show business, even if most people had no idea who
he was. Born in Cleveland, OH, in 1913, Wasserman
started out booking music gigs for mob-controlled
clubs, and quickly became an agent for Music Corporation
of America, which became the most lucrative music
agency in America. Funny that. As Wasserman rose through
the ranks at MCA, he established such innovative business
practices as "packaging" talent i.e: booking
hot acts and artists only in a package deal with other
artists who were not as talented, to put it politely,
and took the company into managing acting talent in
Hollywood, where he re invented the film industry
forever by negotiating a ground-breaking deal for
James Stewart on the film Winchester '73, which reduced
the actor's up-front salary in favor of a cut of the
movie's profits, earning the actor a mint in the process.
Under Wasserman's lead at MCA, the company took over
Universal Pictures, established the studio's television
branch and made it the most important production outlet
in the business), created the hugely successful Universal
City studio tours, and expanded MCA's recording branch
into one of the biggest record companies in the world.
Wasserman was also politically well connected. Ronald
Reagan was one of his early clients when MCA want
Hollywood), and was reputed to have some handy connections
to organized crime. Wasserman was a secretive fellow
who did not give interviews or commit anything to
writing if it could be avoided, but he knew nearly
everyone in show business. The Last Mogul: The Life
and Times of Lew Wasserman is a documentary that through
interviews with his friends and business associates
beautifully showcases his remarkable career, from
his childhood in Ohio to his death in 2002. Yep, there's
mob ties and such, but hey, that's show business.
Wrap
Up...
Readers...
er, punters, how did you like our report? What films
and celebs take your liking? As Shane Warne says,
'How good was that?!". Have you been naughty
or nice? Did Santa give you what you had hoped for?
What have you got planned for New Year's Eve? Tell
us in the forum.
If
you have a bet, please bet with your head, not over
it, and for God's sake, have fun.
*Greg
Tingle is a special contributor for Gambling911
*Media
Man http://www.CasinoNewsMedia.com
is primarily a media, publicity and internet portal
development company. They cover a dozen industry sectors
including gaming and offer political commentary and
analysis.
News
Aussiewood
- Hollywood Entertainment News, by Greg Tingle - 29th
November 2010
Sylvester
Stallone Sex Film 'The Party at Kitty and Stud's'
Sells For $400K on eBay...
Sly,
The Italian Stallion himself, is back in action
erotic
action, sort of... The rights to a soft-porn film
starring Sylvester Stallone four decades ago, was
sold on e-Bay for $412,100. The then strapped-for-cash
star made his on-screen debut in the 1970 film "The
Party at Kitty and Stud's." Stallone played Stud,
a young man who, along with his oversexed lover Kitty,
enjoys inviting various women into their bed. The
71-minute movie was eventually renamed "The Italian
Stallion" by Bryanston Distributors after the
actor became famous in "Rocky." Now that
the rights have been purchased (the owner has not
yet been identified), it's likely the film will be
re-released, The Sun reported. In an interview in
the 1970s, Stallone, now 64, told Playboy that he
was so poor that he had to take the role. "It
was either do that movie or rob someone because I
was at the endat the very endof my rope.
Instead of doing something desperate, I worked two
days for $200." After filming "Rocky,"
the erotic filmmakers tried to sell the movie back
to Stallone for $100,000, but the actor said he "wouldn't
pay two bucks for it," according to AOL's Moviefone.
Last year MGM unsuccessfully tried to buy the flick.
Sly, you've cum a long way since then.
U2
legend Bono Waits For Table At Australian Bondi Beaches'
Icebergs...
Bono
snuck into 'Sin City' Sydney on Saturday. He headed
for a eat and a drink as he often does when down under.
The renowned Irish rock singer, who spent two weeks
at Sydney's Bungan Beach with his family in 2006 completely
undetected, casually strolled into Rose Bay nosherie
Catalina on Sunday for a seafood feed with guitarist
The Edge (David Evans) and the eatery's owner, Michael
McMahon. On Saturday night he arrived unannounced
at Icebergs Dining Room and Bar at Bondi Beach and
like a normal person waited or a table at the "no
reservations" restaurant. "He was having
a red cocktail but didn't finish it because a table
became available," advised a deepthroat. No,
not a Stallone type of deepthroat you rascals. The
U2 360 tour begins in Melbourne this Wednesday night.
Avatar
Michelle Rodriguez Star Teams Up With Sea Shepherd
In Perth...
Hollywood
babe actress Michelle Rodriguez, star of Avatar, was
in Fremantle supporting anti-whaling activist group
Sea Shepherd. Rodriguez has been aboard Sea Shepherds
flagship vessel MY Steve Irwin. The crew are replenishing
supplies before heading to the Southern Ocean in December.
The trip, dubbed 'Operation No Compromise', will be
Sea Shepherds seventh mission into the frigid
waters of Antarctica to attempt to stop the slaughter
of whales by Japanese "scientific researchers".
Among the crew are three Perth residents including
former Labor Attorney General Jim McGintys brother
Kevin McGinty, Steven Bennett and Georgie Dicks. Captain
Locky MacLean said the crew are looking forward to
having Rodriguez on board. The group, which uses rather
militant art of war tactics in its fight against whaling,
made headlines early this year when their stealth
vessel the Ady Gill was "cut in half" by
Japanese whalers. This year, a new monohull fast vessel
called the Ocean Adventurer will replace the Ady Gill.
SS are currently seeking a large sponsor which would
give them the naming rights to use 'Godzilla'. Something
like that. Sea Shepherds Australian Director
Jeff Hansen said: "It is great to see high profile
people like Miss Rodriguez giving up their spare time
to help promote our fight to defend the whales being
illegally targeted in New Zealand and Australian waters".
CasinoNewsMedia.com lost good mate Peter Carrette this past
weekend, approximately 48 hours after doing photography
at the Bondi Beach 'No Compromise' gig at Bondi Beach
last Friday. R.I.P Peter. We miss you mate.
Darren
Aronofsky Explains 'The Wolverine' Aussie Hugh Jackman...
If
you're wondering why "Black Swan" director
Darren Aronofsky was hired to tackle "The Wolverine"
for 20th Century Fox, wonder no more. Aronofsky himself
has broken his silence on the "Wolverine"
front in an extensive interview with Movie City News.
According to the filmmaker, his reasons for choosing
the "Wolverine" non-sequel as his next project
are quite simple: in the end, he just wanted to have
a good time. "I'm just trying to have fun,"
he said. "I think, for the first time in my life,
you know, every single film that I've done so far
I've been the only person in the room who wants to
make the movie. And, I kind of am excited about doing
a film where actually everyone wants to make it just
to see what the experience is like and to see if I
can do what I do in that world." It's not like
I'm going to change my process," he added. "I'm
going to be working with the same team, and making,
you know, really trying to do something very, very
different and see what happens." During the interview,
Aronofsky said that he's received a large amount of
support both from franchise lead Hugh Jackman and
Fox Studios head Tom Rothman, joking that Rothman
"doesn't even know how gutsy it is" that
he hired the outside-the-box filmmaker for "The
Wolverine." "I've been looking for a situation
where everything lines up really well. This just makes
sense; I think I'm being hired because of who I am.
I'm not being hired to turn into someone. I'm being
hired to do what I do. I don't know if (Rothman) knows
exactly what he's bought, but we're definitely going
to make something great, you know, but it will be
very different, and that's what I do. We're going
to try and have a great time with it."
John
Travolta and Kelly Preston 'Overjoyed' With New Baby
Benjamin; Travolata Not Gay...
Living
legend and iconic star of Saturday Night Fever (the
movies and the online slot game), is delighted with
his new baby, but very unhappy about the gay rumours.
Actors John Travolta and Kelly Preston took to Travolta's
website earlier this week to announce the birth of
their 8-pound, 3-ounce son, Benjamin Travolta. "We
are overjoyed to announce the arrival of our son,
Ella's baby brother, Benjamin Travolta. Born November23,
2010 in Florida, Benjamin is healthy and doing beautifully.
Thank you for the congratulations messages and wishes...we
are beyond happy about the newest addition to our
family," the family said in the message. Travolta,
56, and Preston, 48, announced the pregnancy earlier
this year, celebrating with a dozen close friends
at a shower held at their Los Angeles-area home. "This
baby is such a healing baby," a family friend
told People magazine. The pregnancy was the first
bit of good news they had shared in a long time. "It's
impossible to keep a secret," they wrote in a
statement on Travolta's website in May, "especially
one as wonderful as this." We want to be the
first to share this great news with everyone that
we are expecting a new addition to our family,"
the online statement continued and like this week's
update, was signed "Love, John, Kelly and Ella."
John Travolta's family has been dealt another blow
as reports emerge that he has been allegedly cheating
on his wife...engaging in "lewd sex acts with
other men" as part of a "secret gay spa
subculture." Perez Hilton posted the story on
his website along with a cover of the National Enquirer,
carrying the headline "John Travolta Caught In
Cheating Scandal! "John Travolta has been cheating
on Kelly for years!" said Robert Randolph, author
of the memoir, You'll Never Spa in This Town Again.
"And when the details emerge, he's gonna make
Tiger Woods look like a boy scout." John has
been married to Kelly Preston for 19 years, with the
pair expecting their third child this year. They lost
their eldest son Jett in 2009 to an autism-related
seizure.
WWE
Studios Films Flop At Box Office; Perform Well In
DVD Rental Market...
Entertainment
trade publication Variety published a report today
on WWE Studios's new films strategy "flopping"
at the box office, but perhaps finding a market on
home video. Variety followed up on WWE's third quarter
earnings report last Thursday by noting WWE reported
$3.8 million in revenue related to "Legendary,"
despite the movie drawing a measly $200,000 at the
box office. WWE executive Jim Connelly told Variety
that WWE is banking on strong storefront marketing
at retail locations such as Walmart to help boost
DVD and Blu-ray sales of their movies. Variety also
reported on WWE pushing their slate of movies to theaters
simply for marketing purposes before pulling the movies
and releasing them on DVDs. That was apparent with
WWE Studios's theatrical release schedule for "Legendary"
and "Knucklehead." Related to the planned
launch of the WWE TV Network potentially in 2011,
Variety reports that WWE is looking to their slate
of movies to serve as "more high-profile programming"
on the new cable tele channel. Going forward, Jim
Connelly told Variety that WWE will be re-evaluating
their movie release schedule for 2011 as they begin
to roll out the next slate of low-budget movies in
theaters with an eye on home video. Variety concluded:
"For now, it appears as if the future of WWE
Studios will play out on the smallscreen."
Aussie's
Nicole Kidman, Keith Urban To Appear On Oprah Winfrey
Show Tomorrow; Australia Catches Oprah - Oprah House
Mania...
Australian
actress Nicole Kidman and huby singer Keith Urban
will be on The Oprah Winfrey Show tomorrow. Urban
has earlier confirmed that he would be performing
in the shows Ultimate Australian Adventure episodes
to be filmed later this year. "Tomorrow, two
of the hottest Aussies are here! Nicole Kidman and
Keith Urban! The countdown to Oprah's Ultimate Australian
Adventure starts now!," says a post on the official
Facebook page for The Oprah Winfrey Show. Keith Urban
was in The Oprah Winfrey Show earlier this November
where he confirmed his performance at the much anticipated
episodes set to be shot in Sydney this December. Urban
promoted his sixth studio album Get Closer to in the
United States. However, the Australia singer did not
comment on rumours that his wife Nicole Kidman will
also be on Oprah's Australian show. Tomorrow's episode
might just confirm if Nicole Kidman will indeed be
a guest on December 14 and 15 at the Sydney Opera
"Oprah" House.
Mad
Max Revamped Movie #4 Will Happen Says Aussiewood
Insiders; Fury Road?!...
Remember
the Aussie cult film classic that went on to mainstream...Max
Max. They got to #3, always with Aussie tough guy
Mel Gibson in the lead as 'Max Rockatansky' aka 'The
Road Warrior'. Filming will take place near Broken
Hill, New South Wales. Gibson will not be reprising
his old role in Mad Max 4: Fury Road which will star
British actor Tom Hardy alongside Charlize Theron.
In November 2006, George Miller had stated that he
still had full intentions to make Fury Road, telling
the press that he was considering doing the film without
Mel Gibson, saying, There's a real hope. The
last thing I wanted to do is another Mad Max, but
this script came along, and I'm completely carried
away with it." The film's screenplay was co-written
with cult British comic creator Brendan McCarthy,
who also designed many of the new characters and vehicles.
Miller again confirmed his desire to make another
Mad Max at the 2007 Aurora film maker initiative.
However, he did say he thought Mel Gibson would not
be interested in the film because he is too old (not
too nuts!)
Billionaire
Branson To Launch Apple iPad Lifestyle Mag...
Aussie's
live Branson and Virgin, so you'll love this...Word
of Sir Dick's plans to publish "Project"
for delivery on iPads came shortly after media mogul
Rupert Murdoch hinted that his News Corp empire will
soon publish a digital newspaper for the hot Apple
gadgets. News Corp, owner of The Australian, has been
tight-lipped about the project but 79-year-old mogul
Murdoch acknowledged in an interview last week that
"The Daily" is in the works. Sir Richard
said in invitations to the press that "Project"
themes will include entertainment, travel, business,
design, and international culture. The event in New
York City on Wednesday did not indicate whether "Project"
would be provided as passenger reading on flights.
Billionaire entrepreneur Sir Richard owns about half
of Virgin Atlantic airline with its aircraft that
boast internet-age amenities such as power outlets
at seats and wireless connections to the web. He recently
said that his Virgin Galactic enterprise is on track
to offer commercial space travel within 18 months,
and that space hotels are next on the drawing board.
Yeah, we know, Branson has appeared in films such
as Casino Royale, Around The World in 80 days, and
a good spread of other movies and TV specials. If
your going to be a media tart, you might as well be
very good at it.
Lachlan
Murdoch Acquires Ten Network Stake, Joins Shareholder
Aussie James Packer...
Lachlan
Murdoch, son of News Corp. Chairman Rupert, has recently
acquired a little over half of James Packers
stake in Ten Network Holdings Ltd. Packer bought a
17.88% stake, or 172.2 million shares, in the media
group last month through Cavalane Holdings Ltd. Murdoch,
through Illyria Nominees Television Pty Ltd. has agreed
to buy 93.4 million shares for A$128.2 million, according
to a regulatory filing to the ASX (Australian Stock
Exchange). The two gents will act in concert in relation
to the exercise of their votes, the statement said.
Packer and Murdoch agreed to join the board of Australias
third-ranked television broadcaster last month. Gina
Rinehart, Australias richest woman, lifted her
stake in the company to 10%. Packer also owns 49%
of Consolidated Media Holdings Ltd. which in turn
has 25% of Foxtel, down under's largest pay television
operator.
Media
Man Showcases Movies; Reviews...
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more? Check out CasinoNewsMedia.com Movies here
and CasinoNewsMedia.com Movie Reviews here.
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not to get square eyes. We're told PartyGaming still
has the best movie blockbuster themed slot games on
the planet, but you be the judge, jury and executioner.
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