Sunday, December 30, 2007

She is Having His Baby!

....what a lovely way of distracting people from the rumors....

It is the 18-month mark in this train wreck known as the Urban/Kidman marriage and instead of divorce announcements we get articles in British tabloids claiming that Box Office Poison Nicole Kidman and her husband, you know that guy named Keither Urbane or whatever, are preggers. For those of you who have been around this debacle you know these rumors come out almost as often as Keith gets highlights. Most of them come out on a weekend, fester and spread, then are later denied. These planted stories are always dependent on other rumors swirling around about the Down Under Wonder Couple.

Rumors? Are there rumors? The PR about Kidman having Keith on her set for the last day of filming next years biggest screen failure were shot all to blazes when pictures of a happy smiling Keith in Los Angeles from the same day appeared. Speaking of pictures, where are they? Kidman has documented her last four Christmases - a couple with her children (the infamous basketball game) and the last few with Keith. Remember last year, the pigtails and greasy skin and Keith getting a "leave" from rehab to fly over to her on Christmas Day? We know why that happened. The same paper that is now reporting the news of her pregnancy, last year had a story about a young woman who had an affair with Keith. Pretty graphic and pretty nasty toward Keith, the story was supposedly an exclusive even though Life and Style had the same story with pictures three weeks earlier. Also interesting was that the young woman denied talking to said paper but she turned up with new boobs a few weeks later and the story died because it served its purpose and that is the point.

This story is here because Nicole Kidman is in a nose dive. Her career is teetering on collapse. No one has seen her and her husband together since November 27th in London. There are mixed stories out there about where they are; some say Nashville, some say Sydney, some say they aren't even in the same country. Katie Holmes is telling a weekly US magazine that Kidman’s children call her Mom. Did you notice in the new story they make a point of saying that the spawn of conception would be Kidman's first "natural" child? I did. I also think this is all a grand plan to get publicity for a movie that won't even be released until next Christmas. Kidman and her co star Hugh Jackman are hosting a large party on a boat on New Years Eve in Sydney Harbor. The best way to get big press is to put a story out there that may or may not be true. They come to get a picture of her “baby bump” and the movie gets free PR. Is the rumor true? Who knows? We will get to see Nicole in her designer frock at her spectacular party which is all about her movie and that is the point. The truth, an unborn baby, a husband who is or isn't in the picture, what does it matter? Nicole will get her press and that is far more important than the facts. We have all learned that over the years.

Wednesday, December 19, 2007

The Oz Press Turns on the Queen!

Excellent article... It's from the Daily Telegraph:

Here's the link: http://tinyurl.com/2gvb89

Now gossip queen targets Nicole Kidman's kids

December 20, 2007 12:00am

NICOLE Kidman is under personal attack on two fronts today: first gossip bitch Perez Hilton mocked the Aussie star in his continuing vendetta by leaping on claims her children call Katie Holmes "mom" - and now the Vatican has urged movie-goers to avoid her new movie The Golden Compass.

In recent weeks Hilton has waged an increasingly nasty personal war against 40-year-old Kidman, with each item on his website - the most popular Hollywood gossip blog in the world - getting more and more bitchy.

His latest story is so vicious it has been headlined: "Nicole Kidman's Kids Really Hate Her!".

Today's item also questions whether Kidman even has a heart - and Hollywood insiders are baffled why the self-confessed gay queen has taken such an intense dislike to Kidman and why he is so actively taunting her about her relationship with her children.

What's wrong with Nicole Kidman? Join Monty's blog.

At the same time it would appear he has given considerable space on his site to promote Holmes, the actress wife of Kidman's former husband Tom Cruise.

Insiders say Hilton is suggesting the two children of Kidman and Cruise prefer 29-year-old Holmes to the Aussie, who is now in Sydney spending Christmas with her family.

Among his recent string of web jibes on Kidman, Hilton:

- BAGGED out her new movie The Golden Compass as a "stinker" and "yet another bomb to Nicole's string of commercial disasters!"

- INSISTED the recent unveiling of her waxwork at London's Madame Tussauds gallery is more attractive than her. "The waxwork looks just like her. How sad is it when the wax version of you looks better than the real thing?!"

- MOCKED her looks again when discussing the Catholic Church's concerns over The Golden Compass. "But that will make Nicole Kidman sad. No frown lines!"

- FURTHER on her looks, Hilton called Kidman a "botox w****", ran a headline above her photograph saying "Does This Scare You Too?" then wrote: "We're trying really hard not to be so superficial - and failing miserably! Nicole Kidman was a hot mess at the world premiere of the Anti-God film The Golden Compass, Monday night in London. From the not-quite-right hair to the bad choice of lipstick and the face that doesn't move. Wrong all over! Keith Urban was at the premiere with his wife. At least he likes her."

- RAN a headline on a photograph of Kidman which simply said: "Lies". The item referred to the following quote from the actress: "I wear sunscreen and I don't smoke. I take care of myself. I'm proud to say that. To be honest, I am completely natural."

In the latest Hilton item published today, he refers to a new interview when he writes: "Katie Holmes reveals that Tom Cruise's two adopted children with Nicole Kidman, Connor and Isabella, call her mom.

"Says Holmes, 'His first two children are incredible, really smart and kind. They call me 'Mom.' So Tom understands the female bond and he loves it.'

"That must break Kidman's heart, if she has one.

"Just last month, in this interview, Nicole told the UK's GMTV that her kids DON'T call her mom.

"Said Kidman, 'My kids don't call me mommy, they don't even call me mom. They call me Nicole, which I hate and tell them off for it.

"Katie is more of a 'mom' to Connor and Isabella than Nicole is!!!

"That must hurt!"

Meanwhile, the Vatican today released a long editorial in which it condemns Nicole Kidman's latest film The Golden Compass, calling it "anti-Christmas."

Vatican paper L'Osservatore Romano said the movie advocates "a totally atheist ideology, the enemy of all religions, traditional and institutional, and of Christianity and Catholicism in particular".

The film tells the story of an orphan living in a parallel universe in which a dogmatic dictatorship - the Magisterium, which also refers to the teaching authority of the Roman Catholic Church - threatens to dominate the world.

"The fact that the film earned only $29.13 million in box office on the first weekend is a consolation," L'Osservatore Romano said.

The flick led the US box office on its opening weekend earlier this month but fell short of expectations for such a high-budget production.

The film, packed with special effects, cost $174.77 million to make.

Criticism from some religious groups led to a watering down of religious elements in the film, to the dismay of secular organisations and movie fans.

Tuesday, December 18, 2007

She's Come Undone

"too many mountains and not enough stairs
too many lives to lead and not enough time"

Those are two lines from one of my favorite songs from the 1970's. She's Come Undone...by The Guess Who.

I think it is safe to say that we can declare Nicole Kidman's career in free-fall. The Golden Compass is the rotten egg of the Christmas season. Margot at the Wedding isn't garnering any recognition for Kidman in the awards game. It looks like her choices have been quite telling in the last two years. Why? Kidman was always able to get good material, but if you look closely you can see that her choices since The Hours have been folly. I wonder now if her true love was the one picking her movie choices? I think perhaps he was. He knew about The Hours and it seems after that performance Kidman's career has dropped at such a rate that it is in danger of making her a mockery.

The woman needs a hit. Hollywood, give this woman a hit please!! Let me explain why we need to get this woman a hit. Kidman is in danger of becoming a parody of her former persona. When that happens where is she going to go? Television? I think not. The stage? Perhaps, but she has been there, done that, and she really hasn't shown that the stage holds much for her. So where is she going to go? She is going to suck the popularity of that which is popular, because above all things Nicole Kidman is a famewhore. She won't work to endear herself to the public though her altruism, her good works. Nope, that takes time and she would actually have to interact with those she holds beneath her. She will hold on for dear life to the one thing that gives her that access to the fame she needs like her monthly botox injection, her marriage. The down under wonder couple. This is the reason she needs a hit. She is desperate and being Mrs. Keith Urban may be all she has left. We know by now that Keith is will not be the one to leave. After rehab he grabbed on to her aura and held on until he got his road legs back. He does seem to have them, too. Granted he still pines for his "addiction replacement", Kidman, but he also has been able to have a pretty good experience on the road. Keith may be realizing he got his fame and he doesn't need that which she gave him. He paid his fare, he rode the train, but it is time to get off and power his own engine. Unfortunately, Kidman is still at the helm gunning toward the tunnel.

Nicole's game of playing with this man and his life, the bribes, the fame and attention has backfired and that my dear is called justice. So let's get her a hit, get Keith off the train and watch it go off the tracks taking that woman with it.

"it's too late
she has gone too far
she has lost the sun....."

Sunday, December 9, 2007

Keith Urban... is he on the way back?

I’ve been a fan of Keith Urban’s since I saw him playing his heart out in a little bar in Florida in the late 90’s. He was skinny, a bit bashful and a hellova performer. His music was raw and passionate. He was hungry. You could feel it emanating from him.

I didn’t hear anything more about Keith until “But for the Grace of God” came out and it was exciting to think this was that same guy. I watched him grow as an artist…gain popularity and success. I loved that he was different, that he was so truly talented. I loved that he seemed like a regular guy, but his story was one of tenacity to overcome adversity. I loved that he seemed accessible to his fans and truly grateful for their support. In fact, I think it’s because of that long standing admiration that this last couple of years has been so painful to watch.

This uber talented man has been exposed as a womanizer, a drug addict (I thought that was old news), a drunk and a cheater. And the reason we found out about this…well that is all down to the relationship with Nicole Kidman. Who’d have thought that those who warned that this relationship could actually negatively impact his career were right? However, it seems clear to me that if he had not gotten together with NK we would never know about his drinking, drugging and promiscuity. We’d still be innocent admirers of the Keith Urban of old.

When Keith won CMA Male Vocalist and Entertainer Of The Year in 05, he had such career momentum. But instead of taking the “bull by the horns” and getting on with his career, he stopped touring and made his first “official” appearance with NK. That seems to have been for many fans, the first step toward rehab. The press became progressively more vicious toward Keith, he cancelled a show because of voice problems (and though that was likely legitimate, he was seen “canoodling” with NK while he was supposed to be on voice rest), and headlines focused on NK and their relationship, and not on his enormous talent. Keith, who had always been funny and quick in interviews, became cranky. He stopped showing interest in his fans. He started to look stressed and withdrawn to many. This once private man was no longer private. In some cases, the photo ops seemed to be staged. Rumors of a PR contract arose.

The wedding was a spectacle, which was not at all what I’d have expected from Keith. The honeymoon photos did not show two people in love…but showed two people who seemed distant and uncomfortable together. In spite of the reports of ‘happy couple’…Keith looked sullen and withdrawn. His performances during the summer of 06 were spotty. The ‘skeptics’ had predicted that something bad was going on…and they even said that there would be reports of him cheating and possibly doing drugs. Many scoffed at those claims, but we all know what happened in Oct 06.

Despite being balanced and at peace, Keith ended up in rehab … and the stories of one night stands with a porn star and a long standing affair with a party girl emerged. The press had a field day. Keith was portrayed as a drunken, drug addicted cheater and NK…the victim…became the woman who was standing by her man. Of course, she played the sad and injured wife, while going out drinking with friends and continuing to meet work commitments. Rumor has it that she really only visited him 3 times during his 90 day stay. Heck, he had to fly all the way to Australia on Christmas day, in order to spend some of the holidays with his wife of less than six months. For me, that spoke volumes about their relationship.

Keith emerged from rehab spouting gratitude to his wife…after all she had saved him. He has seemed subdued and humorless in many of his interviews. He continues to be cranky at times…on edge…uncomfortable with the press. He’s been inconsistent in his answers…sometimes volunteering very personal information and other times, refusing to discuss very general topics. His frequent tributes to his wife are disturbing.

I personally am not surprised by this behavior. He spent 90 days in rehab. In rehab, I am sure that no stones were left unturned re: the whys of his substance abuse issues and cheating. It is a stressful, life changing experience for anyone who takes it seriously. But I also have to admit to being surprised at some of the things that he’s said since rehab… in fact, I’ve been downright disappointed.

The biggest disappointment to me was the revelation that he’d actually considered not touring in 2007. What happened to the guy to whom music was like breathing? It seemed that NK had taken over his life including his career, and that he was sacrificing his career for the marriage, while NK didn’t make any concessions.

Why did Keith emerge from rehab so apparently changed? I honestly think that he came out of rehab having re-evaluated his life. He knew he screwed up big time…maybe part of the big screw up was getting married when he knew he wasn’t ready to commit to NK. I think he regretted the cheating and likely the drug use. Who knows? But for some reason, he has been trying to convince everyone (possibly most of all, himself) that he is with his once in a lifetime love and that she saved him. Most of the anti NKers are not buying this. Most of us don’t care for NK…find her to be a manipulator in the truest sense of the word.

Because of the changes in Keith, some fans are totally disenchanted. Some can’t get past the fact that he used to project an image of a private man…a barefoot poet of sorts … a man who could be the guy next door but who happens to be the most talented artist out there. Some feel that he’s lied to the fans about who he is and so, he’s a fraud. Others dislike NK for many reasons…her apparent lack of maternal instinct while using her kids for photo ops, her manipulation of the media to project an image of the eternal victim, her choice of highly sexual roles, some with children…and they feel that Keith has been tainted because of this association. Some fans are angry at the changes they see in Keith and some have become “x-fans”.

Without a doubt, Keith’s fan base has begun to erode. His singles aren’t making it to #1. His CD hasn’t sold as briskly as the label expected. He isn’t selling out venues any more. But is Keith’s career a lost cause? I think some fans are gone for good…they couldn’t separate the private man from his music and so, can’t listen to the music anymore because to them, it isn’t honest. For them, his music has been tainted by his marriage and relationship to NK. For some, it isn’t a lost cause. Some are holding out hope that the Keith Urban of old will come back and show the world that he’s more than NK’s loser husband.

I’ve been waiting to see him perform live myself to know whether there is hope. Some fans were reporting that his shows were lack luster…most were reporting great shows. Reviews were almost universally positive. I saw him three times in the last few weeks and I can tell you that they were great shows. They were all sold out. He was funny, interactive, and putting 110% into the performance. That’s all I needed to see.

I could care less if he continues to spout BS about NK. In the end, what does his marriage have to do with his music? Some say that the last CD was terrible so proves he has lost his muse. I didn’t like his LP&TWCT as much as previous albums myself. But the truth is, it wasn’t a complete loss. It has sold nearly 1.5 million copies. It received critical acclaim and was nominated for a Grammy in 2006. It was not Keith’s usual sound. Many people felt that was NK’s influence. It might have been…or maybe it’s the way his music is evolving. I am holding on for the next album to see what the future holds. The truth is that all artists have some CD’s that are better than others. If he continues to produce the pop sound that predominates on the LP&TWCT CD, I may move on, as I prefer music with a bit more of a rootsy edgy sound. But I’m willing to stick around and see if he is able to produce another Golden Road or Be Here. Imagine the possibilities!

Some don’t like that he sold an image to the public that was not accurate. I suspect that many of the creative people who make the music, art and movies that we enjoy are very different in real life from their public personas. PR teams are paid to create and sustain an image for public consumption. Keith’s team did that successfully for years and now that image has been blown out of the water. He is no different than most musical artists, except he was “exposed” so now we know way too much about the real Keith Urban.

I personally never bought the barefoot poet image…and maybe that’s why I’m not as disappointed as some. I see a very flawed man. A man who has a creative soul but who is immature, insecure and self absorbed. As a result, I believe he isn’t equipped to deal effectively with the strains associated with life in general, and especially life in the limelight. I think he spiraled out of control in the fall of 06, because of the situation he found himself in. I think rehab caused him to reflect on his life, accept the mistakes he made, and put him in a position to try to get his life back on track. I don’t know if this marriage is “real” or for PR purposes. In the end, that doesn’t matter to me if the man creates kick ass music.

If he spouts tributes to NK, for me it’s a non-issue (don’t get me wrong, I don’t like it; it really makes him sound weak). What matters to me the most is that his music is important to him and he needs it. Recently, he seems to indicate that he need his music…loves touring and generally seems more involved in his career. Skeptics who attended concerts as recently as Nashville in December, described Keith as on fire. He was the old Keith. They said he had that sparkle in his eye. That’s all that matters to me.

I consider myself lucky to be able to compartmentalize things as I do. I can be ticked off at him for the BS he spouts in interviews and the way NK makes him look p-whipped. The inconsistencies between what he says and what he does annoy me. But I still see that immense talent shining through … and now he seems to revel in the music. He seems to be on fire. He seems to love performing ….he looks most comfortable on that stage…he’s enjoying his touring mates … appreciating his fans. That’s all I need to hear to give me hope that Keith Urban is coming back. Like I said before, I don’t care who he’s married to. I just want him to be committed to his career and his music.

How about you? Can you get past the private life BS and let him get back to the music?

Tuesday, December 4, 2007

Kidman Needs New Material

This is the week where we will see if the Golden Compass will be a box office prize or another bomb. I can’t wait. During this lull in our Kidman/ Keith coverage I went browsing through that marvelous tool called Google. What did I learn? In the last twenty years Nicole Kidman has said a lot about her relationships.

Let's look at some of these statements about and from the tight faced Nicole Kidman.

"We are committed. I can't picture my life without him." as told to Liz Smith.

"He took my breath away- it was a chemical reaction."

"My mother said that we looked like two people who have always been looking for a best friend."

She was spotted dancing a very sexy dance for her husband.

They live quite simply: quiet dinners, trips to the gym, a movie night.

"I hope when I am 80 years old I am still married to this man."

"We vow to never be apart for more than three weeks."

"We are trying to find balance, but we are really just two gypsies."

"You have to go back to the simple things, holding hands, walking down the street, or spooning if you are lying in bed".

Wow, she is so committed! Maybe I was wrong about this whole Keith thing. Maybe it isn't arranged or fake or just not very believable. I was thinking about this as I was watching the video of Keith standing alone and sad at the London premiere of Golden Compass, while Kidman worked her way up the press line only to walk right into the theater not even caring where Keith was. Keith actually followed with his head down and a frown on his face a few minutes later.

As I read this stuff why am I getting a mixed message? Because while she is saying almost these same lines to reporters these days, these lines were actually said originally about her one true love, Tom Cruise. Yep, most of these lines were originally said in 1998 or 1999.

So what are we to believe? As some want to believe that Keith and Nicole have this wonderful love story, the reality is far more different. I wasn't wrong to think it was fake in July, 2005, nor is it any more real in December, 2007. Nicole has a movie to sell and if the movie isn't strong she tries to sell herself. I am not buying a ticket or her tales. How about you?

And Nicole, get some new material. This just doesn't it cut it any longer.