February 16, 2011
By Staff Reporter
By Eileen Murphy
OK, boys, the line forms to the left on this one. Movie star Minnie Driver, whose high-profile romances with such Hollywood hunks as Brad Pitt, Christian Slater and Matt Damon have all fizzled like firecrackers in the rain, is tired of waiting for Mr. Right. We mean, really tired. Make that really, REALLY tired.
You think we’re kidding? The poor girl is so lovelorn, she’s in the Sunday World this week, in a story titled, "I swear to God I’ll marry the first person who asks me!"
Melancholy Minnie, who shot to fame in "Circle of Friends," and was nominated for an Oscar for her role in "Good Will Hunting," wants nothing more than a wee fat man to call her his old dearie.
"I so want to be married," she moaned to a reporter. "I swear to God, I would marry the first person who asked me, just because it seems so completely impossible that anyone would ask."
But hey, being an international sex siren isn’t all bad, as Driver admits. "I guess I’ll enjoy myself while I’m waiting," she added.
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In more Minnie news, the actress is quite annoyed that producers have used — how can we put this delicately — a derriere double for her nude scenes in her upcoming movie, "The Governess."
"I’m very proud of my bottom," said the actress, er, proudly. "I want everyone to know that it’s not my bottom you get to see on the screen because mine is much nicer!" I suggest we all just take her word for it.
Getting back to the man problem, it just occurred to us that we may have just the solution for her. You remember that calendar we told you about last week, with all those eligible Kerry farmers? Well, Min (and all the rest of you single gals), there are probably still a few men left, so we’ll remind you that you can order it at http://www.irishfarmers.com. But keep your mitts off Mr. February, OK?
The insider’s guide to rock . . .
Those of you wanna-be rock stars who used to run around in your tidy whities, wearing Ray-Bans and singing into the handles of your hairbrushes will get to be the next best thing this weekend. That’s because there will be a big bash to celebrate the end of the College Media Journal (or CMJ) music convention, which has been in town all week, showcasing the hottest new bands from both sides of the Atlantic. And you’re all invited. But, please, leave the sunglasses, brushes and skivvies at home. (Well, on second thought, maybe you’d better wear your unmentionables . . . )
What organizers have dubbed the "Pan-Celtic Post-CMJ Bash" (ooh, it just rolls off the tongue) will be held at the hip new Irish nightspot, Bagatelle’s, this Saturday, Nov. 7, starting at 9 p.m. Supplying the sounds will be Blink, Too Cynical to Cry, Jack L and Aine Minogue.
This is a lineup which should knock the fillings out of your teeth (well, not literally). Billboard magazine has raved about Blink’s "explosive sound," while the Daily News recently dubbed Too Cynical "the latest pioneers of the form." The Irish Times swooned over Jack L’s voice: "honey laced with bourbon topped off with a superstar dollop of charisma." And Minogue is a favorite on college radio, thanks to her aggressively modern rock styling.
The post-convention bash is free to all CMJ attendees and you, our newly created Irish Echo insiders. The catch is that space is limited, and you’ve gotta RSVP fast. Like yesterday. Call Robert Young Promotions at (212) 604-4804 to reserve your space. Race you to the phone.
(U)2 Independent
Well, that’ll teach us to believe everything we read in the Sunday Independent — or, more specifically, in the paper’s gossip pages.
A few weeks ago, we told you of an SI report that Salmon Rushdie — until recently the target of death threats from Islamic fundamentalists — had pretty much lived at Bono’s home for the past few years. Last week, after the singer and U2’s management company went ballistic (and, no doubt their lawyers started sharpening their teeth) the paper ran an item retracting this report.
Edge told Hot Press, "We’re a bit pissed off because it implies that Salman was staying for long periods of time in Bono’s house, which wasn’t the case. He did stay for the weekend on maybe two occasions."
This is not to imply that the band is wavering in its support of Rushdie, a long time friend.
"We don’t have a problem standing beside him," said Edge. "But the focus of the story seemed to be on Bono’s house, which we could have done without from a security point of view."
The band has maintained a fairly high profile of late, seeing as they have an album to promote and all. They all turned out for the Amnesty International rally, "One Million Signatures, One Powerful Message" in Dublin last week. The Edge also traveled to London’s Royal Albert Hall to present an award to blues legend BB King. Those of you who’ve already snatched up your copy of "U2 The Best of 1980-1990" can find BB’s genius on track 12, "When Love Comes to Town."
By the way, just in case it comes up in the course of a trivia quiz night, the boy on the cover of the album is Pete Rowan, and he’s the same kid who’s on the cover of the "War" album. The shot was one of the outtakes from the 1983 photo session.
Tart treat for Nobels
It has been confirmed that the Cranberries will entertain the swells at the Nobel Prize awards ceremony next month.
Band members, including pixie-ish lead singer Dolores O’Riordan, are reportedly delighted by the invitation. A band spokesman said, "They see it as a great honor and they will be in Oslo for the ceremony."
The awards ceremony honoring John Hume and David Trimble will take place on Dec. 11 in Norway. The two peacemakers will share a prize of £630,000
The ‘berries have been on hiatus during the past couple of years. They cut short their American tour due a nasty bout of flu that sidelined O’Riordan. This may be a sign that they’re ready to reclaim their status as a top-selling music act . . . after all, to coin a phrase, everybody else is doing it, so why can’t they?
But did it turn back into a pumpkin at midnight?
You know, we’ve been to London, and we’ve visited Harrod’s department store, and nobody sent a horse-drawn carriage for us. Heck, no one even hailed us a cab. But then, we’re not the darling of Donegal, the cuddle bear of Kincasslagh, the one, the only Daniel O’Donnell.
It seems that wee Daniel was in town last week to sign some albums at the famed shop. And it seems that owner Mohammed Al Fayed is a big fan. So Al Fayed sent a horse-drawn carriage to transport Donegal Danny from his hotel to the store.
At the door of the shop, O’Donnell was met by two pipers, who skirled the dickens out of their instruments as they led him to the book signing area.
Though O’Donnell was a good sport about the whole thing, he was understandably a bit abashed.
"I was just so embarrassed traveling down the street in the carriage," he told the Sunday World. "Ann Clerkin from my record company . . . handed me a list of charts and I stuck my head in them. I was just too embarrassed to look out." Really, Daniel should take his cue from the Royal family: grimace and do that funny little wave . . .
He was no more thrilled by the piper escort. "I thought I’d never reach the area where I did the signings. I’d rather get in nice and quietly; it’s normally the way I do things."
On the up side, about 800 fans turned up to sigh over Daniel and to buy copies of his new album, "Love Songs." The store didn’t advertise the signing except for a small notice in O’Donnell’s newsletter.
According to a spokesperson, "If we had advertised ourselves, we would have been unable to cope with the demand." She also noted that "Daniel’s fans were immaculately behaved."
To put the whole thing in perspective, Harrods’ spokesperson revealed that Daniel’s signing was even more successful than similar appearances by such musical giants as Julio Inglesias and Barry Manilow. Which is probably why, we hasten to add, neither of them was even offered a pony cart.
"Lughnasa" note
The "Dancing at Lughnasa" premiere mentioned in last week’s Guinness Guide to Good Times contained incorrect ticket prices. Tickets for the screening only are $150; tickets for the screening and gala party at Central Park’s Landmark on the Park are $300. For tickets and information, call (212) 688 751,5 ext. 226.