February 16, 2011
By Staff Reporter
By Eileen Murphy
They grow up so fast, don’t they? One minute they’re fledgling pop stars, taking their first shaky dance steps on “Top of the Pops,” and now they’re expectant parents, taking their first shaky steps into Baby Gap.
We refer, of course, to Westlife heartthrob Bryan McFadden and his Atomic Kitten, Kerry. (Don’t girls have last names anymore?) Following last week’s surprise announcement that, yes indeedy, they are engaged to be married, Bryan and Kerry have since revealed that they’re expecting a little kitten of their own.
According to bandmate Kian, the Westies are thrilled at the thought of having a baby with them on tour. (Hmmm . . . was that babes or babies?)
“Someone said I’ll have to learn ‘Postman Pat’ to entertain the baby on tour over the next couple of years,” Kian mused. “But I already know it, because I have loads of brothers and sisters.”
And, of course, because he’s barely out of short pants himself.
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Don’t they get chilly?
Don’t know about the rest of you, but we find Ireland a bit (OK, more than a bit) damp and chilly at the best of times. Which is why we’re shocked — shocked, we tell you! — at the number of people over there who are only too willing to doff their nice warm clothes and pose for the camera. Between respectable Irish girls flashing their skivvies for Playboy to a priest with nothing on but his Roman collar and the radio, it seems to us that Kathleen can’t go home again without a space heater and a Victoria’s Secret catalog.
Months ago, we told you about the Playboy talent scouts who held tryouts in Ireland, looking for models for the magazine’s St. Patrick’s Day issue. Well, when the dusting powder settled, eight Irish stunners were chosen to model lingerie in a rousing tribute to Ireland’s patron saint. (Or was that natural charms?)
Jeff Cohen, the editor in charge of special editions, told the Sunday World that he “found some real peaches” at the Irish auditions.
“We were really happy with the girls that we found, and I think the Irish men will be, too.”
Models Alice Regan, 21, and Olivia Longmore, 22, have nothing but praise for the Playboy team and say that they enjoyed the whole experience.
“There was nothing sleazy about the day at all,” said Olivia. “I was wearing a crochet set of bra and panties, though I did lose the bra later on.”
The poor girl probably spent hours looking for it.
Alice recalled her photo session in Kerry with great fondness.
“We had a blast,” she said. “People who get upset about the publication should chill out.”
Of course, Alice has good reason to want her fellow citizens to “chill out.” You see, she ignited quite a firestorm during the auditions when she joked with reporters that she’d take her clothes off “for a tenner.” (Note to Ronan Tynan, Anthony Kearns et. al: that’s tenner, not tenor, boys.)
“All hell broke loose on the radio,” she said. “My quote was on every radio station. It was ridiculous. It was, like, can no one take a joke?”
Material Girl meets Lord of the Dance?
File this one under the heading of “Really Weird Rumors.” Britain’s Sunday Mirror newspaper is reporting that Michael Flatley has offered Madonna a role in one of the two movies he’s producing.
Apparently, there’s a possibility that the two blond icons could team for a big screen romance set in Ireland. Well, we suppose stranger things have happened, and at least the dancing would be fun to watch: Flatley’s lightning fast taps, Madonna’s lightning fast crotch grabs.
The Mirror quotes an insider, who says that “A lot of people take the mickey out of Michael’s image, but he is well-respected in the industry.” Like, duhhhhh — the guy has the Midas touch. But even Michael, with all of his on-screen charm and charisma, could have trouble acting with Madonna, who is not known for her thespian skills.
Briefings
“Riverdance” fans and red-blooded guys in particular will be happy to know that the show’s principal dancer, Eileen Martin, will be featured in a PBS television special to air in March.
The show, “Donny Osmond: This Is the Moment” will feature Martin dancing in soft shoe as Osmond sings “At the Edge of the World” from “Riverdance on Broadway.” The song will also be featured on Osmond’s upcoming CD, on which he sings songs from Broadway musicals (including a duet with Rosie O’Donnell).
?
Blue-eyed soul singer Van Morrison will be one of the featured performers at President Dubya’s inaugural bash this weekend. While we’re happy for Van the Man, we can’t help wondering if Brit singer Gavin Rossdale’s feeling a tad overlooked. After all, he’s the lead singer of the multi-platinum selling (and aptly named) band, Bush.
Win tix to N.Y. Irish comedy fest
They’re unlikely to tell you to “write it down” or to tell jokes about the unemployed Irishman who was so lazy, he thought manual labor was the Spanish ambassador (ba-dum dum!). There’s a new breed of Irish comics on the scene today, and they’re drawing crowds like you-know-what draws flies. And now’s your chance to see them.
The Irish Comedy Festival N.Y. 2001 hits town next week, with headliners Ardal O’Hanlon, Tommy Tiernan, Jason Byrne and Danny Bhoy, who are guaranteed to leave audiences helpless with laughter.
They’ll be playing at Twirl, 208 W. 23 St., NYC on Thursday., Jan. 25, at 8 p.m., tickets $30; Gotham Comedy Club, 32 W. 22 St., NYC on Saturday, Jan. 27, at 6:30 p.m., tickets $25; Rory Dolan’s, 890 McLean Ave., Yonkers, NY, on Sunday, Jan. 28, at 8 p.m., tickets $20. The festival will end with a gala evening at Symphony Space on Monday, Jan. 29, at 8 p.m. The show will feature comics from Ireland and the U.K. and will be hosted by “Saturday Night Live” star Colin Quinn and include a special appearance by Janeane Garofolo. Tickets are $40.
Tickets are available by calling (212) 946-1206 or online at NYIrishComedyFestival.com.
We’re giving away five pairs of tickets to the Rory Dolan’s show to readers who send us, via fax or e-mail, their best (clean) joke. Keep’em short, make’em funny, and send’em, with your name, address and daytime (we said daytime) phone number to: echoeditors@aol.com or fax (212) 686-1756.
The deadline is Wednesday, Jan. 24, at noon. Winners will be contacted via phone, so even if your joke has us weak with laughter, if we can’t get you on the phone during business hours, the prize goes to the numnutz with the lame knock-knock joke. You’ve been warned . . .