Brett Debritz

It's all happening

Brett — Thu, 12 Jan 2006 19:34:00 PST

The move to my new website, debritz.net, is on - and that's where you'll find my new, improved blog. While the contents of this site will remain as an archive in some form or other, debritz.com will eventually point to debritz.net. What's in all this for you? Well, for starters, there's the chance to become a registered user and have your say on my posts.

Changes afoot

Brett — Wed, 11 Jan 2006 02:29:00 PST

I'm back in Brisbane and working hard on the promised changes to this website. The plan is to add some features, change the approach of the blog, and make it all more user-friendly. It will take a few weeks to get everything running smoothly, but I'll be posting updates here.

Phantom agents

Brett — Mon, 09 Jan 2006 15:42:00 PST

It's something an Australian actor could only have dreams (or nightmares) about - appearing in the same show, week in, week out since January 26, 1988. According to Playbill , that's been the fate of Broadway Phantom of the Opera stars George Lee Andrews, Richard Warren Pugh and Mary Leigh Stahl, who have been with the production from the word go. Phantom is now the longest-running show on the Great White Way and has been the biggest generator of income and jobs in American theatre.
PS: I met composer Andrew Lloyd Webber once. I literally bumped into him on opening night in Melbourne about 15 years ago. All I could do was shake his hand and say "Congratulations".

From Russia with love

Brett — Sun, 08 Jan 2006 15:54:00 PST

I have just received an email from a Russian woman called Svetlana, who tells me she is 25, "blonde with blue eyes ... I have not children and I have not boyfriend here". She is hoping to work abroad and is looking for a man from USA, Europe or Canada to "be my guide". She says she wants to leave Russia "because it is impossible to live here for young pretty woman". Although I'm not in a position to help her out any way, it seems I received the email in error. And for some reason, my mail server filed it in the junk mail folder ...

Stage rumours

Brett — Sun, 08 Jan 2006 00:02:00 PST

Just as Phantom of the Opera reaches the record for the most-performed musical on Broadway, rumours are gathering pace that the show will be making a return to the Australian stage. Also rumoured is a touring arena version of the evergreen Les Miserables. Just confirmed for a Brisbane run is Fiddler on the Roof, starring Topol.

On the road

Brett — Thu, 05 Jan 2006 22:16:00 PST

Internet kiosks are few and far between in the NSW Central Highlands, but I expect to be back online early next week.

Picture these

Brett — Fri, 30 Dec 2005 22:20:00 PST

I probably won't be able to post for a few days, so here's some more photos of Tasmania to keep you entertained (or not) in the meantime.

Bigger than Ben-Hur

Brett — Fri, 30 Dec 2005 22:05:00 PST

King Kong is not so far-fetched after all, according to evolutionary biologist Sue Lieberman. As CNN reports, she told Reuters that gigantism does occcur in primates who live on islands. No news, however, whether there's any evidence of god-like lions in the depths of wardrobes.

Not Dunn yet

Brett — Fri, 30 Dec 2005 00:28:00 PST

Former B105 star Jamie Dunn's 10-year tenure at 96.1 Heat FM on the Sunshine Coast has not yet begun officially, but that hasn't stopped the station from promoting him. Here's the teaser web page.
PS: For more information about the new B105 breakfast team of Gabby Millgate, Mike van Acker, Stewart ‘Stav’ Davidson and Ben Wasley, click here.

Broadway's booming

Brett — Wed, 28 Dec 2005 21:44:00 PST

The lights are shining bright on Broadway, with a record year for New York's theatreland. According to the BBC, ticket sales were US$825million in 2005, up from $749million the previous year. The big hits included Monty Python's Spamalot, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels and Billy Crystal's 700 Sundays. I suspect Australian theatre has had a somewhat less successful 2005. Still, there's the promise of a few hits on the horizon - including the musical Dusty, which opens in Melbourne next week and - all being well - will tour the country. Brisbane audiences can catch the tail end of the tour of Dirty Dancing from January 14.

Kerry Packer dead at 68

Brett — Tue, 27 Dec 2005 00:23:00 PST

Australia's richest man, Kerry Packer, has been added to the Celebrity Deaths Archive at the age of 68. ABC Online has coverage here.

It's only natural

Brett — Mon, 26 Dec 2005 02:31:00 PST

Just a taste of things to come: my first holiday photo to be posted on this page is of the famous world heritage-listed Gordon River in northwest Tasmania, taken just a few days ago.

ABC of ethics

Brett — Mon, 26 Dec 2005 00:47:00 PST

A grief-stricken woman - one of the survivors of the Asian tsunami who has returned for its first anniversary - spots a camera trained on her and orders the operator not to take her picture. He or she does anyway, and someone - a reporter or a producer - decides to screen the image on the 7pm news. I think someone at ABC TV News made a very bad call tonight.

Warning: this post is coded

Brett — Sat, 24 Dec 2005 16:18:00 PST

Only in America ... a US court has issued a restraining order against talk show host David Letterman. A woman claims Letterman and other celebrities have been sending her coded messages that have caused her bankruptcy, mental cruelty and sleep deprivation since 1994. Apparently Letterman's at fault because he started sending her "thoughts of love" across the airwaves.

B105 breakfast news

Brett — Fri, 23 Dec 2005 22:31:00 PST

Brisbane's B105 has announced its new breakfast team. Apparently local standups Mike van Acker and Stewart 'Stav' Davidson will line up with Gabby Millgate (of Muriel's Wedding and Full Frontal fame) and announcer Ben Wasley. Reports are that the team, replacing Jamie Dunn, Penny Cooper and Dean Kesby, will be on air from January 3.

RIP John Spencer

Brett — Sat, 17 Dec 2005 20:31:00 PST

West Wing star John Spencer has died at the tragically young age of 58. Ironically, his character in the show, Leo McGarry, survived a heart attack last year. As CNN reports, Spencer did not. His name will be added to the Celebrity Deaths Archive when I get FTP access to that site again.

A pause in transmission

Brett — Wed, 14 Dec 2005 23:41:00 PST

My annual holiday starts here. If all goes to plan, this blog will be updated every few days until mid-January, when daily updates will resume. I'll also update the Celebrity Deaths Archive and Brisbane Theatre Calendar when I can. When I return, I plan to start work on a new look (and a slight change of direction) for debritz.com.

Bands on a run

Brett — Wed, 14 Dec 2005 12:31:00 PST

He may not have achieved world peace and an end to poverty yet, but Bono and his U2 bandmates certainly made some money this year. The band's Vertigo tour, coming to Australia next year, was the world's biggest in 2005. According to a BBC report quoting Billboard magazine, the tour grossed £146.6million over 90 days. The top 10 earners also included the Eagles, Neil Diamond, Kenny Chesney, Paul McCartney, Rod Stewart, Elton John, Dave Matthews Band, Jimmy Buffett and Green Day. Funny how, with the exception of No. 10, we hardly ever hear any of these acts on the radio.

Courier to go tabloid

Brett — Wed, 14 Dec 2005 02:25:00 PST

Brisbane's only daily newspaper, The Courier-Mail is to change size from broadsheet to tabloid sometime in the first half of 2006. The story is on The Courier-Mail's website here. The announcement comes on the same day that Premier Peter Beattie said he would like to see another newspaper in Queensland.

Nice work

Brett — Wed, 14 Dec 2005 02:08:00 PST

Twelve European women have spent two months in bed - all in the name of science. By lying down and undertaking certain tasks they have helped scientists learn more about the effects of weightlessness in space. They were also paid £10,000 each for their cooperation. I wonder if they're looking for male volunteers ...

Karen wins Glugs gong

Brett — Tue, 13 Dec 2005 16:26:00 PST

Actor Karen Crone was won the 2005 Brisbane Glugs of Gosh award for excellence in theatre. Crone, who starred in Creche and Burn at La Boite's Roundhouse theatre earlier this year and has a long series of stage credits over the past two decades, received her prize at the Glugs' Christmas luncheon yesterday. The event, hosted by Chief Glug Muriel Watson and Mayor of Gosh Eric Hauff, attracted more than 60 guests. There's a photo of Karen and Muriel above, and there's more pictures from the function here.

Globes noms

Brett — Tue, 13 Dec 2005 14:27:00 PST

Brokeback Mountain, about a longstanding gay relationship between two cowboys, has scored a swag of nominations for the Golden Globes. Actors Heath Ledger and Michelle Williams and director Ang Lee have been nominated in their fields, and the film itself will be competing against George Clooney's Good Night, And Good Luck, Woody Allen's Match Point, Fernando Meirelles' The Constant Gardener and David Cronenberg's A History of Violence in the best film drama category. Significantly, many of the nominees are low-budget independent efforts.

Technical problems?

Brett — Tue, 13 Dec 2005 14:16:00 PST

I had some feedback about links that don't work for some readers - although they work perfectly well from this end. Please let me know by email if you're having trouble with the Brisbane Theatre Calendar link. The calendar, which is still being developed (and is farily bare for this time of the year), can also be found at www.brisbanetheatre.com.

Fidler's bigger gig

Brett — Mon, 12 Dec 2005 12:41:00 PST

ABC Radio's Conversations is going south. From early next year, Richard Fidler will host the 11am program both on 612ABC Brisbane and 702ABC Sydney. However, it's not clear from the announcement whether it will be the same program. Because of the time difference between the states, it will be theoretically possible for Fidler to do unique shows back-to-back for the different markets. If it's the same show, then the Queensland audience will get their "live and local" radio on a one-hour delay during summer. If the Sydney experiment gets extended beyond its initial 13-week trial, the show will have to have a more "national" approach when the time zones fall back into alignment. It'd be a shame if that meant guests were chosen for their appeal to the larger NSW market rather than their ability to connect with Queensland audiences. Whatever happens, it's clear - as I've been saying for some time - that Fidler, who is also slated to host the 1pm to 3pm slot on 612 next year, is being groomed for bigger things on the ABC. Perhaps the big-wigs in Sydney regard his time in Brisbane as an "out-of-town tryout".

Sins of the father

Brett — Sun, 11 Dec 2005 14:49:00 PST

Life without sin is not boring, according to Pope Benedict. I guess it all depends on what you class as sin - and I have more than a sneaking suspicion that the pope's definition is way more conservative than mine.

Pryor convictions

Brett — Sun, 11 Dec 2005 12:25:00 PST

"There are many different kinds of comedians - the observational humorist, the impressionist, the character creator, the physical comedian, the self-deprecator, and the dirty-joke teller. What made Richard Pryor so brilliant is he was able to incorporate all these styles at once." So said Damon Wayons in tribute to Richard Pryor. Bill Cosby said: "I wish that every new and young comedian would understand what Richard was about and not confuse his genius with his language usage."

Richard Pryor dies at 65

Brett — Sat, 10 Dec 2005 23:20:00 PST

Comedian and actor Richard Pryor has died at age 65 after a long battle with multiple sclerosis. CNN reports that Pryor, the star of 40 films and one of America's favourite standup comics, died on Saturday of a heart attack. For more recent celebrity deaths, see the Celebrity Deaths Archive.

Secret benefactor

Brett — Sat, 10 Dec 2005 08:27:00 PST

"I didn't expect to end up with the sort of finances I ended up with. I was just running a business." So said hitherto little-known Australian businessman Greg Poche after donating $30 million to research into melanoma. Bravo to him.

Brisbane theatre update

Brett — Fri, 09 Dec 2005 12:12:00 PST

Closes tonight: A Christmas Carol, Cremorne Theatre, QPAC.
Today and tonight: The Spirit of Christmas, Concert Hall, QPAC, 2pm and 7pm.
Until December 17: He Died with a Felafel in his Hand, Roundhouse Theatre.
Book now: An Inspector Calls, March 16-26, Lyric Theatre, QPAC.
All bookings: QTix
See also: Brisbanetheatre.com

Geisha furore

Brett — Thu, 08 Dec 2005 23:32:00 PST

The director of the film Memoirs of a Geisha, Rob Marshall, has defended his decision to cast Chinese actors as Japanese characters. He says Ziyi Zhang and Gong Li were chosen for their acting abilities, not their race. In that case, why didn't he cast Meryl Streep?

Simple and single

Brett — Thu, 08 Dec 2005 13:38:00 PST

Looks like Nicole Richie is available for another season of The Simple Life. Like her former best pal Paris Hilton, she's split from her fiance. Apparently Richie and DJ 'AM' Adam Goldstein have parted ways "by mutual consent". The whole sad story is here.

Protecting an icon

Brett — Wed, 07 Dec 2005 13:24:00 PST

"What they're doing is protecting the names of The Beatles, John Lennon and Paul McCartney. And they have to be really looked after. So it's important that people like me don't come along and make a mess of it. Of course, we weren't intending to make a mess of it." So, philosophically says Ian Watts, who found out the hard way that nobody makes a musical on the life of the late John Lennon without permission from Yoko Ono. Her lawyers apparently told Watts: "Your head's above the parapet and Yoko's crosshairs are firmly fixed on your forehead." Not necessarily the most appropriate analogy given what happened 25 years ago today.

Straight to court

Brett — Wed, 07 Dec 2005 01:29:00 PST

"Mr Williams is not, and has never been, homosexual." That's what Tom Shields QC, for singer Robbie Williams, told the High Court in London in a case that led to him being awarded substantial damages from newspapers that claimed otherwise. I guess that settles the question, then. Details from the BBC here.

Radio reflections

Brett — Tue, 06 Dec 2005 13:32:00 PST

What a year 2005 has been for Brisbane radio. We began the year with a new No.1 station in Triple M and ended it with a different new No. 1 station, Nova 106.9. The big loser, of course, was longtime ratings leader B105, whose 15 years of dominance came to an official end when Jamie Dunn left the station he helped build last week. With new kids on the block Nova on top over summer - as the breakfast team's Meshel Laurie (pictured above opening the door to the Nova offices) pointed out yesterday, "the good thing about this one [survey No.8] is that it last about three months" - you can expect all the stations to come out fighting early next year. The best thing is that there's no bolter from the ratings pack. You could just throw a metaphorical blanket over the top five or six stations, meaning they'll all be on their toes and (hopefully) the listeners will be the winners.
PS: In Sydney, despite boasts earlier this year, 2Day's Kyle Sandilands and Jackie O have failed to reach the top of the FM ratings. Interestingly, both of them have had significant television exposure in the latter part of the year - former Queenslander Sandilands on Australian Idol, which failed to match its previous high ratings, and O on Australian Princess, which we almost certainly won't be seeing again.

Celebrity deaths

Brett — Tue, 06 Dec 2005 13:29:00 PST

The Celebrity Deaths Archive has been updated, with the passing of colourful Queensland cleaning-products salesman Kev McQuay (whose catchcry was "I'm excited"), veteran Hollywood character actor Jack Colvin and Saw horror films producer Gregg Hoffman, who died suddenly at the age of just 42.

Nova on top

Brett — Mon, 05 Dec 2005 17:29:00 PST

In an incredible turnaround at the end of the radio ratings year, upstart Nova 106.9 has leapfroged the opposition to be the No.1 station in Brisbane. And, in the survey 8 figures released this morning, Nova's team of Kip Wightman, Meshel Laurie, Ash Bradnam and David "Luttsy" Lutteral put on an astounding 3.5 percentage points to be No.1 in the all-important breakfast shift. This represents a huge upset at the expense of Triple M, which has been leading both in breakfast and overall all year.

Dolls down Oasis

Brett — Mon, 05 Dec 2005 13:04:00 PST

Girl group The Pussycat Dolls are officially no longer a one-hit wonder. They've just had their second No.1 single in the UK, with their Stickwitu beating Oasis' Let There Be Love to the top spot. Liam Gallagher will not be happy.

Not quite Dunn yet

Brett — Sun, 04 Dec 2005 22:16:00 PST

Brisbane radio listeners woke up this morning to a world without Jamie Dunn on the airwaves. At the risk of pushing the instant nostalgia button a bit too often, here's another picture I took at the Royal Children's Hospital on Friday when Dunn and Penny Cooper made their last broadcast on B105:

Theatre news

Brett — Sun, 04 Dec 2005 07:35:00 PST

Thanks to Calendars.Net, I've developed a Brisbane theatre calendar. It still needs work, but you can find it at Brisbanetheatre.com.

Scriptures laid bare

Brett — Sat, 03 Dec 2005 14:13:00 PST

Now don't tell me this won't get people back into the pews ... A German church group has released a calendar featuring photographs of erotic scenes from the Bible. Photographer Stefan Wiest says: "There's a whole range of biblical scriptures simply bursting with eroticism." And as Anne Rohmer, who posed as prostitute Rahab, points out, "it doesn't say anywhere in the Bible that you are forbidden to show yourself nude".

Lost in translation

Brett — Sat, 03 Dec 2005 14:07:00 PST

To paraphrase Oscar Wilde, for one Lost star to be arrested for drink driving may be regarded as a misfortune; for two of them to be looks like carelessness. Both Michelle Rodriguez and Cynthia Watros were nabbed by police on the same night and, according to People , Rodriguez could be heading for the slammer for breaking probation. Last year pleaded no contest to a hit and run, driving with a suspended license and driving under the influence following two incidents in LA in 2003. She was sentenced to 36 months probation and a 30-day alcohol program (which doesn't appear to have worked).

Free speech threat

Brett — Fri, 02 Dec 2005 22:18:00 PST

A theatre company in Singapore has been refused permission to present a play about the hanging of drug courier Shanmugam Murugesu - unless the script makes no mention of the death penalty and no reference to any political leader. The AAP story here provides some interesting insights into freedom of expression, or the lack of it, in Singapore. To me, it also raises a few questions about possible applications of Australia's sedition laws.

Meet the Pitts

Brett — Fri, 02 Dec 2005 21:54:00 PST

As if Angelina Jolie's kids aren't already confused enough, they are now going to be adopted by Brad Pitt. They will be known as Maddox and Zahara Jolie-Pitt. I guess that means Brad and Angelina are an item after all.

Imagine this

Brett — Fri, 02 Dec 2005 13:59:00 PST

It was almost exactly 25 years ago and I was just a few weeks into my first job in journalism. The advertising manager in the small office on the main street of Toowoomba, west of Brisbane, had a habit of leaving his radio on all day. I had learnt to ignore it most of the time but, for some reason, I noticed that the normally conservative local top 40 station had played several songs by the same artist. "Why are they playing so many John Lennon songs?" I asked aloud. "Oh," said the deputy editor, who sat behind me. "Haven't you heard ..."

End of an era

Brett — Fri, 02 Dec 2005 01:42:00 PST

Here's the photo taken as Jamie Dunn, Dean Kesby and Penny Cooper said their farewells this morning on B105:

Dunn and dusted

Brett — Thu, 01 Dec 2005 13:36:00 PST

Ian Skippen has made an emotional return to the B105 Morning Crew to donate $2000 (earned by his Triple M colleague Greg Martin in a run up the Gold Coast's Q1 Building) to the Children's Hospital Christmas Appeal. In true acerbic form, Jamie Dunn told a teary Skippen (who jumped ship this time last year and now hosts the top-rating The Cage on Triple M): "It's because of you it's our last day. Thanks a lot; you've cost us all our jobs, you bastard. Now you've given away my last words on B105: 'Get stuffed, Skippen'."

Crew cut

Brett — Wed, 30 Nov 2005 23:57:00 PST

It will be the end of an era in Brisbane radio tomorrow morning when Jamie Dunn and the Morning Crew host B105's breakfast show for the last time. In a live broadcast from outside the Royal Children's Hospital, Dunn - who has been a fixture on B105 since its launch 15 years ago - will sign off for the last time at 8.45am. There's also talk of a special event at 7.30am.

Dances with lawyers

Brett — Wed, 30 Nov 2005 13:41:00 PST

Have you wondered why we haven't been seeing much of Kevin Costner lately? Costner, 50, says he entered into an oral agreement to star in a romantic comedy called Taming Ben Taylor but the production company pulled out. He's seeking an US$8 million-plus settlement. Here's the lowdown on the legal showdown.

Nice work

Brett — Wed, 30 Nov 2005 13:21:00 PST

Julia Roberts can command US$20million a movie, making her the highest paid actress in Hollywood. Our Nicole (as Nicole Kidman must always be called in the Australian media) is second on the best-paid list with $17m per movie, followed by Reese Witherspoon and Drew Barrymore on $15m. Details here.

Partners in pop

Brett — Tue, 29 Nov 2005 13:26:00 PST

It's always sad when friends fall out over money. That's why it's nice to be able to report that pop billionaires Simon Fuller and Simon Cowell have settled their differences over the Pop/Australian/American Idol and X Factor franchises. Without going into boring details, it means Cowell has signed up for "at least five more series of American Idol". Can the world cope with five more manufactured pop stars?