Sunday, February 18, 2007

Urban/Kidman PR continued...

The pics don’t get any better - but they do get fewer and fewer and farther between.

Each of them spends time with their parents...separately.

Keith starts lying in interviews, specifically in regard to OIAL - it’s not about her, it’s about her, it’s about couples, it’s about her...it was written in 05, it was written after the Oscars...

Keith continues to look miserable, starts gaining a lot of weight, dead eyes, temperament changes, becomes abrupt during interviews, no sense of humor.

The couple is hardly seen together despite the fact that they are now newlyweds. In fact, Nicole is hardly ever seen in her “home” in Nashville.

She begins jetting off to London, etc. for more film work...film work, which she claimed, she would take a break from if she ever found true love again and got married.

Keith’s shows become less and less interactive. The interaction with the band is awkward, interaction with fans is almost non-existent...except for a few occasions when he decides to be flirty...remember the pics of the girl he practically fondled? Of course, when he does interact with fans, the missus is no where to be found.

Keith does his Atlanta show. Saturday night proves to be one of the worst shows he has ever done. He is heard screaming and yelling during a rehearsal/sound check, takes the stage very late with no explanation or apology given. He looks fat, sweaty, dead, no emotion when performing, like he cannot wait to get off the stage. Sunday night is a better show but no one knows who this guy is and where the real Keith went. Later, he claims nerves as an excuse...nerves? Hasn’t he been performing for over 20 years?

He does two specials for CMT. The Keith doing the interviews looks like a Keith that would rather be anywhere else. Depression has obviously been running rampant. Something is definitely wrong.

Still no mum & dad.

Nicole continues to be anywhere but where Keith is.

Reports of Keith seen drinking in various bars both alone & with others (Beck) start surfacing on skeptics’ boards and the like but curiously, never make the tabs...until after the fact.

A 23-year-old "model" talks to the tabs. Claims she ran into him in October and that they had a relationship throughout 04-05, which continued up until he got married. She has pics and details of an intimate nature.

No denial from Keith, Nicole, or Camp Urban.

Keith checks into rehab...less than three months after the wedding.

The first week Keith is in rehab, Nicole is in LA - going to movies, yoga classes, having drinking parties with Naomi, her family flies in to comfort her.

The tabs get pics of Keith and Nicole on the grounds of BFC...unprecedented. The Keith in these pics looks pathetic. The Nicole in these pics looks barely tolerant of the husband she claims to be standing by.

Nicole visits Keith a whopping three times during his stay. Attends one support group meeting.

During this time, Tom & Katie get married. This becomes the REAL wedding of 2006.

Still no mum & dad.

Christmas comes and rumors of Keith getting out run rampant...the day after Christmas, Keith jets of to Oz, upon his arrival, yelling is heard from inside the Sydney home. The first thing the couple does is attend a movie screening for a photo op...not spending quality time together away from the spotlight.

Mum & Dad finally make an appearance but it is a very brief one. When asked by a reporter if they are happy that Keith and Nicole are “back together” there is an eerie silence.

Word comes out later that Keith spent his Oz stay at the hotel where mum & dad were - NK spent it in the Sydney home.

Days later, the couple stages another photo op at a carnival. NK seems oblivious to paps taking their pics but later, when driving home, makes a point to pull over and scream profanities at paps following them.

Since his release from rehab, the two have been together exactly twice. And still no one steps foot in the “home” in Nashville.

And again, no visits with her kids.

Keith is finally able to promote his album and start performing but the Keith on stage is still not the Keith people came to know and love. No one knows where the real Keith is.

Keith still looks fat, miserable...eyes are still dead. Performances are still not up to par and interviews are guarded.

Again, no mum & dad.

And, no Nicole in Germany, Canada, NYC...

Not even a photo op for V-Day?

After being in rehab for three months...wouldn’t you make a point to spend as much quality time with your husband as possible?

And that brings us to the Today show...the slip about it being “home” that drove him into rehab. Which he attempts to cover by abruptly changing the subject.

He can tattoo her name on his body and say how extraordinary she is all he wants.

As much as I vacillate about what is going on with these two, I have to say, actions truly do speak louder than words.

I think Keith is being stubborn and refuses to throw in the towel and NK knows it.

That quote about "once the ring is on, I'm gonna stay"...that is not how people in love describe their dedication to their spouse. He sounds obligated, not in love.

I also believe NK is through with him...I think the "model" thing and rehab was not what she was counting on at all...but the timing is wrong...she can't dump him yet.

Keith should have been the happiest he has ever been after that wedding. No way does a happy person drink themselves into rehab.

And, even so, now that he is out, things should seem to be getting better. He doesn't look any better to me. He looks as miserable as he was before rehab. And, instead of drunk or high, he now seems medicated.

13 comments:

Anonymous said...

I agree with you totally...up til the last couple of paragraphs. I actually think he's starting to look better...the pics of Chicago showed a happy Keith. He could even be said to be joyful...and I've heard this from some pretty hardened skeptics!

I think Rehab was a revelation to Keith. I think he has gained some clarity...maybe not total clarity...but some clarity about what happened and he seems to understand that he NEEDS his music and touring to be happy. And until he is happy, he can't make anyone else happy.

Perhaps part of his clarity is that his wife can't run his life. She can't control him. He has to make himself happy before he can be a good husband, brother, son or uncle. NK may not want him to be his own man, mind you...the impression I get with her is she is a demanding, high maintenance insecure individual. TC controlled her and she's not having that again. So...she wants to control her man...and that means he better be there to cater to her. That may be why the happy couple are not seen together right now. Perhaps Keith is asserting himself about needing to promote his music and she's not keen on that. The tabloids have certainly said she didn't want him out there at this time.

I agree she was humiliated publically by the need for Rehab 4 months after the marriage and the reports of infidelity (not that he hasn't been dragged through the muck, but then, who cares about Keith?) and ultimately, no one embarrasses the Queen of Australia without a consequence. Note...she went to Oz for Christmas, leaving her new husband in treatment...He had to fly to her after Christmas (I think that's a pretty unusual "weekend pass" from rehab) and has inked his body with her name, to satisfy her insecurity. But I don't think it's enough and this marriage seems to be pretty rocky, in spite of his "we've learned so much it's hard to quantify" and "my wife was extraordinary" statements.

Regarding his appearance, I think he's starting to look better. He has put weight on, but I'd say it's starting to come off. His face is fuller, but he's had a tough two years and at nearly 40yr old, it's bound to fill out just with age. He looked very happy on the Canadian AM show and in spite of being nearly frozen to death on Today, he looked happy to be performing again. By all accounts his Chicago and Toronto shows were very good...interaction with the fans and looking totally happy to be there. I'm going to be optomistic that he may get himself together with or without NK.

The question I have is whether Ms Kidman could stand for her man to make his own decisions and pursue his career instead of being her lapdog. I doubt it and that will no doubt be the cause of the demise of this marriage, in my opinion. I can see the headlines now..."Urban's driven workaholic lifestyle results in the end of the fairytale marriage" and of course, NK will be devastated and everyone will have great sympathy since she stuck by Urban inspite of his cheating / drinking and druggin' and now he's gone and busted her heart. There'll be no reference to the fact that she didn't pass on any projects to spend time with him.

Anonymous said...

I think the wench is far from being "done" with him. She still has the Oscar's and I'm sure there will be a movie premiere for some crap movie she's made that she'll need a date for.

When he talks of rehab I am hopeful that he has learned from it. Then in the next breath he'll say something gagworthy about "The Wife."

I do hope the not so tired, lifeless looking Keith will re-emerge sooner rather than later. The one I keep seeing is making me sad and long for the man who use to be so full of energy and was happy.

Anonymous said...

Great article! It's good to see the PR all layed out in one place.

I would make one correction to the "Happy Couple's PR" timeline though. It was the National Enquirer porn star story that broke in October '06 right before Keith entered rehab. The Amanda story was 1st published in Life & Style in early December '06, then really heated up with the detailed Daily Mail article right before Christmas. Days later, Keith made his trip to Oz on Dec. 26th in an apparent attempt to show the world that Nicole was still "standing by her man." And, of course, he got that big tattoo to prove his love.

Anonymous said...

I agree Keith is looking and sounding better but I still a difference. I do not see the Keith I saw two years ago just yet.

But in light of recent performances, I am hopeful that the "old Keith" is slowly beginning to re-emerge.

I hope it continues.

Anonymous said...

His performances are getting back to where he use to be, and his sense of humor is coming back, but the truth is in his eyes. They are still dead and lifeless, and that really tells the truth right there!

Great post!

Anonymous said...

I think the Keith od old is one his way back. I saw him in Atlanta (both nights) and Chicago. There was a big difference. And yes he has gained weight but I imagine that will start coming off as he gets back to the tour.

I also think he has more life in his eyes these days. It's good to see some of the sparkle come back to those baby eyes.

Anonymous said...

I also saw him in Chicago, watched the clips from the Toronto shows and saw the Today show. I do think he's on his way back... once he loses the ball and chain... I know he'll be back...

Anonymous said...

He needs to figure out that Kidman can't control him. Once he asserts himself, and he's free again, he'll be OK. In fact, I suspect that's happening now! I think he's starting to look like the old Keith...but he has a ways to go.

Anonymous said...

I agree, I disagree, I agree, I disagree. Hmmmm, this fence is starting to hurt my butt!

You make a good argument, but then so do the bunnies. This is a good excerise for a debate class. Here's the material - you argue for and you argue against.

Anonymous said...

WOW i could not have said that any better than that. well done my friend.Someone told me once"it isn't the load that breaks us down it's the way we carry it" And the lord knows keith has had a very heavy load to carry this past year. And we know he did not carry the load well. It cost him alot on so many levels. But i do see him trying to get back to the first love of his life and that is his music and his fans. Music to Keith is like water to the body, you have to have it to survive.BUt part of me does not think that Nicole really does not get that.She says she does, but i really do not think she really does.If she did she would not have kept him from it and i do believe she did. Because she cannot help it is just part of her makeup it is and will always be about her and what she wants and needs.That part of her is very toxic to keith and he wants to please her so much, he almost lost himself in the process. I also think that keith knows that deep in his heart.

Anonymous said...

I agree with everything you said! I don't think he's looking better at all. In fact, I think he's looking worse. I've still seen no happy Keith but instead, a very serious Keith. His eyes use to be full of life and fun and they're dead to the world. Not to mention the mashed potato look he's been sporting lately.

Once he gets rid of that nag/hag he's chained to, I bet we'll really see the old Keith back!

Anonymous said...

Well while you guys are waiting for the real Keith Urban to come back would you please stop buying tickets to the shows? Just complain in your own way and stop attending the shows, buying his cds, merch and supporting St. Judes in his honour. PLEASE!!

Anonymous said...

"Well while you guys are waiting for the real Keith Urban to come back would you please stop buying tickets to the shows? Just complain in your own way and stop attending the shows, buying his cds, merch and supporting St. Judes in his honour. PLEASE!!"

Just because we have the ability to be honest about his demeanor and past performances (The Atlanta Shows where he was obviously impaired by something) doesn't mean that we aren't fans. The music still speaks to us, we just want him to figure out what is wrong in his life, why he doesn't have that sparkle in his eye. Your attitude seems to be that we don't deserve to listen to his music, attend his concerts or support any of this charities just because we don't turn a blind eye to what is obvious, Keith isn't happy. Keith does not have the sparkle in his eyes when he smiles (which seems to be rare these days), he is unable to deflect an interviewer with humor, and seems to be completely uncomfortable when doing an interview.

We aren't your problem with getting decent tickets for Keith's shows. Your problem with getting good tickets stems from Ticketmaster's corruption, and from all of you who encourage the ticket brokers by paying crazy amounts of money to them for even the most mediocre of seats in the venue.