mid April 2007
- Jury in Spector trial is chosen: Earlier questioning of the panelists provides a look at how the case may progress
By Peter Y. Hong
(Los Angeles Times, April 20, 2007)
The jury that will decide whether Phil Spector murdered actress Lana Clarkson in his home was sworn in Thursday, after three days of questioning that offered a glimpse of the trial to come.
The nine men and three women watched defense lawyers confront the fallout of four years of news reports on Spector's history of violent threats against women, and the potentially incriminating statements he made in the aftermath of the Feb. 3, 2003, shooting.
Prosecutors appeared to be seeking jurors who would look critically at the famous forensic scientists whom Spector's defense team is likely to present to argue that Clarkson was shot accidentally or in a suicide. Spector, a record producer whose fame peaked almost two generations ago, is accused of shooting Clarkson through the mouth. She was found dead in the reclusive music legend's Alhambra mansion after a meeting at the VIP room at the House of Blues in Hollywood, where she worked as a hostess. Spector has pleaded not guilty.
During this week's proceedings, the diminutive, enigmatic Spector sat quietly in the courtroom. He arrived in a different knee-length jacket each day and high-heeled shoes, forgoing a necktie. His hairstyle was neatly tamed from the wild tangle he had in earlier court appearances. He entered the downtown Criminal Courts Building with his 26-year-old wife, Rachelle, whom he married after the shooting, at his side. She beamed adoringly at him as a trio of beefy security men cleared their path to the courtroom. Outside the courtroom, she handed out coaster-size "Team Spector" buttons.
During breaks, Spector smiled warmly and greeted veteran Associated Press reporter Linda Deutsch, an avid fan of Elvis Presley and the music of Spector's prime. ...
- Grey Flannel May 16 Auction Features Southerland Tobacco Ad Collection, Ring from Elvis
(ppr.com, April 20, 2007)
Mark Southerland's tobacco ad collection comprise about a third of the Grey Flannel Auctions sale on May 16. The auction also contains one of the earliest signed Babe Ruth baseballs. The consignor has owned the ball for more than 40 years. It's signed by Ruth and dated "10-20-1919." Other blockbuster items added late to the auction include racing suits worn by the late Dale Earnhardt and a fire opal ring given by Elvis Presley to Priscilla, then his fiance[e].
- Elvis People to Play New World Stages
By Andrew Gans
(playbill.com, April 19, 2007)
Previews for Doug Grissom's new play, Elvis People, will begin June 6 at New World Stages/Stage 1 [New York]. Directed by Henry Wishcamper, the production will officially open June 21. Casting will be announced shortly.
"No performer before or since," read Elvis People press notes, "has had the impact of Elvis Presley: from that first groundbreaking appearance on 'The Ed Sullivan Show' to Las Vegas to Graceland; American Demographics reports that 84% of all Americans say their lives have been touched by Elvis in some way. Now, in this new play . . . you will meet some of the funny and touching cast of characters whose lives were forever changed by 'The King' as [playwright] Grissom traces the influence of Presley on our culture."
Elvis People will play Tuesday-Saturday evenings at 8 PM, with matinees Wednesdays and Saturdays at 2 PM and Sundays at 3 PM. Tickets, priced $41 (previews) and $65 (after opening), are available by calling (212) 239-6200.
A special performance will be held Aug. 16 on the 30th anniversary of Presley's death. The evening, priced $99, will also include a post-show reception and talkback.
New World Stages is located in Manhattan at 340 West 50th Street, between Eighth and Ninth Avenues. For more information visit www.elvispeople.com.
- Major ad push on tap for Elvis, Graceland
By Steven Mallas
(The Motley Fool, April 19, 2007)
Nasdaq, the entity that controls the licensing rights to the king of rock 'n' roll, Elvis Presley, has created a fresh advertising campaign to keep his name alive and to reinvigorate the brand status of the famous mansion he used to call home -- the Memphis landmark known as Graceland.
According to a press release, the campaign will be executed over all the media that matter -- print, TV, outdoor, and the Web. The theme of the initiative is captured in the slogan "Discover Your Inner Elvis." I had no idea I had an inner Elvis, but it's nice to know that I do (I guess). An interesting commercial spot uses a "soccer mom" who is inserted into the famous "Aloha from Hawaii" concert wearing a replica of the King's iconic jumpsuit; she is then back at Graceland. The purpose here is to distinguish the mansion as a fun place for the family and to show how fun it is to be Elvis.
Judging by the spot and the cable platforms that will be used during the marketing time frame -- examples include E!, Oxygen, Lifetime, and SoapNet -- CKX is clearly going after the maternal head of household. This is smart, since moms make many consumer decisions. If Mom's inner Elvis thinks it might be exciting to head to Memphis to see exactly what all the fuss is about, chances are she could persuade the rest of the family to make the journey. According to an Associated Press article on this subject, CKX wouldn't mind seeing Graceland turn into a significant tourist destination, a la major theme parks.
CKX has its sights set on more than just Mom, though. As useful as she is, it's probably even more important to win the hearts and minds of the younger folk -- indeed, CKX understands this. Back in January, I discussed the company's use of social networking to seed a whole new generation of Elvis aficionados. Who would have thought, for instance, that Elvis would someday have something like a MySpace account? The King has apparently proved that his brand will adapt to new technologies as they become available.
This company is interesting not only for its Elvis business. It also owns the American Idol operation, and it controls the licensing rights to Muhammad Ali. According to the latest 10-K, CKX earned $0.08 per diluted share in fiscal 2006; looking at Yahoo! Finance, we see that analysts think CKX might earn $0.21 per share in 2007 and $0.28 per share in 2008.
That kind of growth potentially might make the stock cheap at its current price, but there are issues to consider that could cause such valuation to be questioned. CKX doesn't have a long earnings history behind it, for one thing. For another, earnings have been quite volatile if you look at the data for CKX as a public company and the Elvis business as a predecessor entity. Finally, any of the content CKX owns is not guaranteed to remain viable in terms of attracting the fickle public.
If this new campaign packs 'em in at Graceland, and News Corp.'s NWS) Fox continues to see high ratings from American Idol -- assuming the whole Sanjaya thing doesn't bring the whole franchise down -- then CKX could be an interesting idea to add to a more speculative watch list.
- Travolta: 'I Am As Famous As Elvis'
Source: World Entertainment News Network
(teenhollywood.com, April 18, 2007)
Hollywood actor John Travolta has boasted he is as famous as Elvis Presley and Marilyn Monroe. The Pulp Fiction star insists he is as iconic as Presley and Monroe but claims his belief in controversial religion Scientology keeps his feet on the ground.
He tells The Scoop, "I have fame on the level of a Marilyn Monroe or an Elvis, but part of the reason I didn't go the way they did was because of my beliefs. People make judgments about (Scientology), but often they don't know what they're talking about."
- Not Your Average Diet: From Cigarettes to Cabbage, Some Unusual Ways to Lose Weight
By Dan Vierria
Source: American Dietetic Association
Source: The Sacramento Bee
(RedOrbit, April 15, 2007)
Andrea Giancoli, tell us what you really think about fad diets.
"They keep me employed," says Giancoli, spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association, which advocates proper nutrition and a healthy lifestyle. It also reviews popular diets (www.eatright.org).
As a debunker of diet myths, Giancoli's workload doesn't figure to poop out anytime soon. "If all these diets worked long term, we wouldn't have an obesity problem," she says. "That magic pill, that magic diet doesn't exist." Ouch, enough reality.
Some of the classics, such as the cigarette diet and the drinking man's diet, pandered to our vices. Others, such as the caveman diet and Sleeping Beauty diet, piqued our curiosity. She acknowledges that most fad diets, such as Atkins, The Zone and South Beach, can help us lose weight in the short term. But, as you probably guessed, we tire of eating the same foods and regress to poor choices, monster portions. Giancoli says the majority of fad diets are based on three staples -- fat, protein and carbohydrates. ...
10 unusual fad diets
Caveman diet: Dine like Fred and Wilma Flintstone. A Paleolithic-inspired menu of nuts, berries, fruits, vegetables and meat are recommended. Sometimes referred to as "early" or "prehistoric" Atkins because of its emphasis on protein and fat.
Sleeping Beauty diet: Elvis Presley's idea of dieting: zonk out on sedatives for a few days to lose weight. Can't binge while you're unconscious, right? ...
- Celebrity espionage: SHOCKING! Secrets of the dead and famous seem rather ho-hum compared to government's interest in them
By PAIGE WISER
(Chicago Sun-Times, April 15, 2007)
You think we're obsessed with celebrities today? We've got nothing on late FBI director J. Edgar Hoover. The powerful and contradictory supervisor kept enormous files on everyone from Abbott & Costello to Elvis Presley. A Wisconsin source informed the bureau about the King: "I would judge that he may possibly be both a drug addict and a sexual pervert. I am convinced that juvenile acts of lust and perversion will follow his show here in La Crosse."
Well, yeah. In his book Celebrity Secrets: Government Files on the Rich and Famous (Paraview Pocket Books, $14), Nick Redfern takes advantage of the Freedom of Information Act to find out what the FBI and CIA have been up to.
"For the most part, a person has to be in the unfortunate position of being dead before the government will reveal its once-secret files to the public," Redfern writes. We're belated learning that it's not so shocking what the celebrities were up to, so much as what the government was up to. In some cases, the celebrity spying was undertaken to find dirt on Hollywood's finest; on other occasions it was to protect famous people who were friends with government officials," writes Redfern. "Racism and homophobia were unfortunate motivating factors at times, as was the suspicion that some stars were supporters of communism, or were even spying for Russia." ...
- ELVIS 2007 The European Fanclub Tour
Source: David Hamal
Press Release, March 26, 2007)
The 30th anniversary of Elvis Presley's death cannot remain unnoticed by the European fan clubs. In September and October 2007, the official European fan clubs, fully supported by The Original Elvis Cast, take an amazing show on the road: "ELVIS 2007 The Original Cast". This unprecedented show features the original band mates that worked with Elvis: The TCB Band, The Sweet Inspirations, The Imperials, Joe Guercio & Orchestra, featuring original Joe Guercio Orchestra Members. A similar show sold out the big 'Frits Philips Concert Hall' in May last year, and will now be exported to Norway, Sweden, Germany, The Netherlands, Belgium, France and Switzerland. Lead singer on the entire tour is Terry Mike Jeffrey. The promoters have contracted a very special guest for The Netherlands although we can't tell his name yet, due to contractual obligations. For Belgium, the immensely popular Will Tura will do a special guest performance with his musical heroes, the Full Elvis Cast.
Tickets for this amazing live show go on sale on Monday, April 2nd. All details to follow soon on a special designed website www.elvis-2007.com (launch on march 3) or www.elvismatters.com, http://www.elvismatters.com/
Line Up:
* TCB Band
* The Imperials
* The Sweet Inspirations
* Joe Guercio + Orchestra, feat. The original Orchestra members
* Terry Mike Jeffrey
* Special guests in Holland and Belgium
Touring schedule:
* Thursday September 20: Frits Philips Music Hall EINDHOVEN (NL)
* Saturday September 22: Stadthalle Soest, Germany
* Sunday September 23: Stadthalle, Germany
* Wednesday September 26: Jonkoping, Sweden
* Friday September 28: Oslo, Norway
* Sunday September 30: Koningin Elizabethzaal ANTWERPEN (B)
* Tuesday October 2: Marseilles, France
* Thursday October 4: Geneva, Switzerland
* Saturday October 6: Paris, France
Email: david@elvismatters.com
Site: www.elvismatters.com
Tel Belgium: +32-(0)496-38.29.39
Tel Netherlands: +31-(0)40-71.13.037
- Unfortunately, I'm no Einstein when it comes to Elvis - are you?
(parkes.yourguide.com.au / Champion Post, April 13, 2007)
The subject was to be... you guessed it, Elvis Presley. The program [The Einstein Factor] was looking to do a show based on Elvis to coincide with the 30th anniversary of his death in August. Unfortunately, I had to admit to the producers that I was merely a 'clayton's Elvis' expert - that I love his music and movies, but sadly, do not know enough relevant information to be a genuine Elvis contestant.
I know most of the general knowledge about the man, but not the types of questions I am sure they would be asking. I did mention there may be others in town who would fit the bill - and be knowledgeable enough to make a competition of it. So if you are interested in putting your name forward, you better get in pretty quick, because the producer will be finalising things no later than early today.
The person to contact is Lisa, [within Australia] on (03) 9524 2864.
Incidentally, the Elvis promotion of Parkes continues to roll on and on. The "Elvis Lives in Parkes" documentary is being shown around the world - lately as part of the 16th annual Aspen Shortsfest, an international competition at Aspen. According to the Aspen Times, Program Two at the Shortsfest includes "Room 10," a hospital drama co-directed by Jennifer Aniston, and starring Robin Wright Penn and Kris Kristofferson; and "Elvis Lives in Parkes," a documentary about a community Elvis Presley celebration in tiny Parkes, Australia.
Films from around the world are screened during the week-long festival, which also presents awards. The documentary is also being screened by the Australian High Commission at Ozflix in Toronto, Vancouver and Calgary
'Elvis Lives In Parkes' is a joint venture between Fusion Films and Big Island Pictures, and the crew including Producer, Noelene Hayes and Director, Anthony Mullins spent quite some time in Parkes last year making it. Anthony Mullins is actually attending the screenings in Canada.
- O Snodaigh has the SF factor!...
(anphoblacht.com, April 12, 2007)
Dublin South Central TD Aengus O Snodaigh was the winner of the hugely successful SF Factor event, organised by Dublin Sinn Féin on Easter Saturday. Aengus, who impersonated Elvis Presley wowed the enthusiastic audience of republicans by singing Return to Sender. Here's hoping the TD with the SF factor is returned to Leinster House this summer with an increased mandate as according to those who witnessed the hilarious show, and despite his victory, Aengus definitely should not give up the day job!
Articles may not be reproduced without the consent of An Phoblacht. For further information, please contact editor@anphoblacht.com
- LLOYD WEBBER LOOKING FOR ELVIS
(contactmusic.com, April 11, 2007)
ANDREW LLOYD WEBBER is looking for a few good ELVISES to play the role of PHAROAH in his upcoming London revival of JOSEPH + THE AMAZING TECHNICOLOR DREAMCOAT. The theatre impresario and his fellow producers feel the an Elvis Presley impersonator will add freshness to the role.
In a posting on the upcoming production's website, producers insist the impersonators "must be able to sing and dance in the Elvis style". Auditions will be held tomorrow (12APR07) at London's Adelphi Theatre. Previews of the show will begin on 6 July (07) and the musical will open at the Adelphi Theatre on 18 July (07).
The winner of new UK reality talent show ANY DREAM WILL DO will land the lead role as JOSEPH in the production.
- Letters made writer some famous friends: Kalamazoo woman wrote to politicians, stars, royals, singers
By Dave Person
(Lansing State Journal / Associated Press, April 11, 2007)
She was a young newlywed who cared about the personal lives of people in the public eye. So Joan Ulmer started dashing off notes and cards to them. She would comb the pages of the Kalamazoo Gazette for news about movie stars, politicians, royal families, authors and military leaders that included illnesses, deaths in the family, birthdays and anniversaries. Then she would send her sympathies or congratulations.
"I didn't play favorites; I wrote to a variety of them," said Ulmer, 70, of Kalamazoo Township, an aide at Barclay Hills Education Center in Parchment. What she didn't expect was that they would write back, but for most of the 1960s and '70s, that's just what they did. Now she has 17 scrapbooks, several manila envelopes and boxes of letters she received in return. In a signed note, Clementine Spencer Churchill thanked Ulmer for her expression of sympathy when her husband, former British Prime Minister Winston Churchill, died in 1965.
"When I started this, I never expected to get letters like I did," Ulmer said while poring over the albums of notes from people such as Marlon Brando, Richard Burton, Sammy Davis Jr., Hugh Downs, Dwight Eisenhower, Gerald Ford, Betty Grable, Charlton Heston, Joan Kennedy, Ted Kennedy, Henry Kissinger, Ann Landers, Art Linkletter, Thurgood Marshall, Richard and Pat Nixon, John Payne (with whom it all started in 1961), J.C. Penney, Elvis Presley, Della Reese, Red Skelton, Gen. William Westmoreland and many more. ...
- Glory Gone: Hotel's days are numbered: Camelot razing sought
By P.J. LASSEK
(Tulsa World, April 11, 2007)
The now-blighted Camelot Hotel was built in the 1960s to resemble a medieval castle, complete with a moat, drawbridge and turrets. Mayor Kathy Taylor announced Tuesday that a city authority will lend money to the owner so the building can be demolished.
The Tulsa Industrial Authority is to vote Wednesday on a loan that would finance the demolition of the blighted Camelot Hotel, a project that is estimated to cost about $1 million. Mayor Kathy Taylor announced the plan Tuesday during a speech at the Tulsa Press Club. ... City Councilor Cason Carter said the plan would give the hotel's owners the funds they need to raze it, stay in compliance with city ordinances and state laws, and address the community concerns. ... The Camelot, just west of Peoria Avenue and north of Interstate 44, was built in the 1960s to resemble a castle, complete with a moat, drawbridge and turrets.
A landmark in the 1960s and 1970s, the hotel became famous for having among its guests Elvis Presley and Presidents Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford. It was featured along with other Tulsa landmarks in the movie "Tex," based on the novel by S.E. Hinton, a Tulsa writer. ...
- Can you die of a broken heart?
By Laura Barton
(Guardian Unlimited, April 11, 2007)
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences is not the most romantically titled publication, but it is here, none the less, that one finds the answer to a question that has inspired sonneteers and songwriters galore - from John Donne's The Broken Heart to Elvis Presley's Heartbreak Hotel via George Bernard Shaw's proclamation that "When your heart is broken, your boats are burned: nothing matters any more." Yes, it seems you can indeed die of a broken heart.
Proceedings reports on research by a group of British scientists at the Wellcome Trust Centre for Neuroimaging at University College London and the Brighton & Sussex Medical School. The team discovered that the "higher regions" of the brain, used for learning, memory and emotion, can destabilise the cardiac muscle of someone who already has heart disease; in times of stress, such as loss of a loved one, this can result in harmful rhythms in the heart.
It has long been believed that there might be a link between emotional trauma and heart attacks, but it had been thought that more primitive regions such as the brain stem sent messages to heart tissue.
In 2005, researchers at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine also claimed to have proven that one could die of a broken heart. They studied patients with unclogged arteries who had had heart attacks after emotional stress, such as the death of a spouse, and found the levels of stress hormones in their blood were up to three times higher than "conventional" heart-attack victims.
Cases of "broken heart syndrome", where a spouse dies within a short time of their husband or wife, have been well-documented. Famous examples have included Dennis Potter, who died a week after his wife Margaret, Johnny Cash, who died less than four months after his wife June, and James Callaghan, who died 11 days after his wife Audrey.
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