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Access Atlanta > Blog > Archives > 2006 > May > 22 > Entry
Sir Elton vs. photogs, Round 2
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Must remember to keep photographers away from pop star Elton John. Two years ago, he paused at a Taiwan airport to call a group of reporters and photographers “rude, vile pigs.” Then, just Saturday, Sir Elton launched into an expletive-laden tirade against the press in Cannes during the annual film festival. At a ceremony held by luxury jeweler Chopard, everything seemed to be going smoothly enough as John presented the Chopard Trophy to young Canadian actor Kevin Zegers, who co-starred in the film “Transamerica” with Felicity Huffman. “He [Zegers] is only 21 years old, already he showed incredible talent and maturity,” said John, wearing dark glasses and accompanied by actress Elizabeth Hurley. “I sincerely believe he will be a huge star and a great actor for many, many years to come.” Then, as photographers called out during his address, he added: “If you saw ‘Transamerica’ … I’m talking … you [expletive], [expletive] photographers you should be shot, you should be all shot. Thank you.”
Where’s Whitney?
Bobby Brown showed up, as expected, at the New Edition concert Friday at Chastain Park, where Hot-107.9 personality Akini asked him “How’s Whitney [Houston]?” Brown’s answer: “I don’t know! Ask Whitney. Whitney, when you get this, give me a call!”
48-hour film? No problem
Trying to make a film in two days can be beneficial for the imagination but dangerous for the circulatory system, according to recent Atlanta College of Art graduate Miranella Taoushiani. The 21-year-old filmmaker said she enjoyed her first outing in the 48 Hour Film Project, in which teams compete to produce the best short film in a single weekend. But she worried about suffering a major heart incident when, at the last minute, her laptop wouldn’t burn the file to disc. “I can laugh about it now, but at 7:27 p.m. Sunday I wasn’t laughing,”she said. “I almost had a stroke.” Taoushiani and her team of about 15 (including four actors and 10 crew members) shot in four or five locations, including her Marietta home, writing the script for the story in the car on the way to pick up the crew. Her assigned genre, romance, morphed into what she called a “pretty twisted” story called “Dead Romance.” They were one of 30 Atlanta teams in the competition, which will feature more than 1,000 teams in 35 cities in the United States and elsewhere. In the end, her computer cooperated, and her entry came in under the 48-hour wire, which she celebrated with a drink and a long nap.
Winging it
Sally Dorsey is not only a sought-after organizer in the city’s fund-raising game, she has some quick-witted friends who came to the rescue Sunday night at the fourth annual Designs of Hope dinner and fashion show at the InterContinental Hotel in Buckhead. The evening, a benefit for UNICEF’s global program that assists orphans and other children made vulnerable by HIV/AIDS, started with a migrane-inducing tribal drums display designed to direct attendees into the ballroom. Then, as guests dined on grilled veal tenderloin medallions with marsala sauce, the gala’s organizers quietly panicked backstage when it was discovered that Atlanta art gallery owner and auctioneer pro Bill Lowe was a no-show. Emcee and WSB-TV anchor Monica Kaufman immediately pressed old pals Tony Conway, the owner of A Legendary Event catering company, and Carey Carter, the co-owner of Carter-Barnes Hair Artisans, into service.
The trio then proceeded to delight the crowd by singing, dancing the tango together, yanking guests up on the catwalk from the audience and, through good-natured mortification, coaxing their customers into handing over large sums of cash. A trip to Greece and an elaborate dinner at Kyma Restaurant donated by Pano Karatassos Jr. and his wife, Angela, fetched $19,500. A trip to the U.S. Open went for $6,500 and a trip to Buenos Aires and tango lessons scored $13,000. (The event had already raised about $450,000 before the auction even began.)
A thoroughly impressed Barron Segar, UNICEF’s Southeastern regional director, just shook his head and conceded: “I can’t imagine anyone else doing a better job than the team of Monica, Tony and Carey. It’s by far the most entertaining live auction I’ve seen probably ever. And they’re up there completely improvising!”
SCADs of fun
Fashion, design and entertainment were on the menu Saturday night — along with rabbit, halibut and tarte tatin — at the Savannah College of Art and Design’s first SCAD Style Étoile Gala at the Atlanta campus. The 350 guests honored trendsetters and designers chosen by school President Paula Wallace: retailer Jeffrey Kalinsky; furniture designer Dakota Jackson; entertainment executives and philanthropists Judy and Michael Mauldin; Veranda magazine editor and style journalist Lisa Newsom; and SCAD alumnus Santiago Barberi Gonzalez. Kalinsky, director of designer merchandising for Nordstrom and a former Atlantan who now lives in New York, acknowledged, it was “great to be in Atlanta and to be honored in your hometown.” Also, A Dream of a Dress fashion show featured bridal gowns designed by SCAD students and a professor from the Savannah campus. They were worn by models who sported “lace makeup” and Swarovski crystal patterns on their arms and faces — done by the Carter-Barnes Hair Artisans. Although proceeds for the evening were not available, the silent auction raised $20,000, which supports scholarships for study at SCAD’s campus in Lacoste, France. Notables attending the gala included a judge on UPN’s “America’s Next Top Model,” J. Alexander; jewelry designer Mark Edge; Atlanta Ballet’s John McFall; honoree Kalinsky’s parents Morris and Sybil Kalinsky; and charity circuit regulars Nancy and Jeffrey Gallups, Aida Flamm, Sandra Baldwin and Randee and Bill Lieppe. Log onto: www.scad.edu /scadstyle for more information.
Celebrity birthdays
Television comic Drew Carey is 48; actress Joan Collins is 73; actress Karen Duffy (“Dumb and Dumber”) is 45.
Contributing: Marylin Johnson, Richard Eldredge, and news services. If you have a tip, call 404-526-5688 or e-mail: buzz@ajc.com.
If you have a tip, call 404-526-2749. Or fax 404-526-5509. Or e-mail: buzz@ajc.com.
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