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Elton upset guards made him walk
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Despite terrorist bombs becoming reality in Britain, Elton John apparently had a meltdown at Sunday’s Concert for Diana over a security matter.
As London’s Evening Standard put it days after the event that reached 500 million TV viewers, “As a member of rock ‘n’ roll royalty, Sir Elton John does not take kindly to being outranked. Not even by Princes William and Harry.”
The 60-year-old entertainer opened and closed the marathon concert at Wembley Stadium. But approaching the after-concert party at a nearby arena, site of the stars’ dressing rooms, his limo was stopped by police 50 feet from the VIP backstage entrance. Anticipating the young princes’ arrival, the area had been sealed off.
The part-time Atlantan threw one of his famous tantrums. Here’s the family-friendly version: “Don’t you know who I am?” he screamed at a policeman. “I’ve been working all day and I need to get to my dressing room.”
Police remained unimpressed. In his striped pants and extravagant tails, with a lily-motif on the sleeve, Sir Elton had to trudge by foot, like a commoner. According to the Evening Standard’s report, he eventually leapt from the car and pushed through the paparazzi, shouting, “Get out of my way!”
PIZZA PARADISO
Who knew that pizza could be certifiable? Fritti, the Inman Park restaurant, has just been awarded certification by the Verace Pizza Napolentana — a worldwide organization of pizzerias, that decides who does and doesn’t serve true Neapolitan pizza. It is one of only 18 pie slingers in America to have met all the guidelines — including a wood-burning oven and special “Tipo 00” flour among other acceptable ingredients. It is the only such designated restaurant in the Southeast. Scores of restaurants in Italy carry the designation, as do 23 in Japan.
BIG-SCREEN BUFFALOES
Spike Lee was in Rome, Italy, to announce his latest movie project, highlighting the contribution of black American soldiers in the struggle against the Nazis in Italy during World War II.
“We have black people who are fighting for democracy who at the same time are classified as second-class citizens,” the 50-year-old filmmaker said. “That is why I’d like to do a film to show how these brave black men, despite all the hardship they were going through, still pushed that aside and fought for the greater good.”
Based on the novel “Miracle at St. Anna” by James McBride, the movie will tell the story of the Army’s all-black 92nd “Buffalo Soldier” Division, which is trapped behind enemy lines in a village in Tuscany in 1944. Shooting is expected to start early next year. Budget: $45 million.
GLASS CEILING?
With a few exceptions, men still wield the baton as orchestral conductors across the country. But increasingly, it’s women CEOs who are calling the shots — and pulling down whopping salaries.
Among U.S. orchestral executives, Atlanta Symphony Orchestra president and CEO Allison Vulgamore ranked sixth, earning $443,812 in compensation, according to the ASO’s IRS form 990 for the 2004-05 season, the most recent available. Two other top earners were women: the Los Angeles Philharmonic’s Deborah Borda ranked first at $1,325,542; Chicago Symphony CEO Deborah Card was seventh at $423,300.
ASO music director Robert Spano’s 2004-05 salary seemed modest at $494,547 — especially when compared to New York Philharmonic’s champion fat-cat Lorin Maazel, who brought home $2,638,940.
“The Atlanta Symphony’s CEO/music director comparison is closer to parity than its peer orchestras in Cincinnati, Dallas and Minnesota,” says Drew Mc-
Manus, who tracks classical-music management issues on his Adaptistration blog. “That might help account for [the ASO’s] sound financial health: the conductor isn’t eating up the budget and the front office is carrying a lot of the load, and getting paid for it.”
CELEBRITY BIRTHDAYS
Actress Shirley Knight is 71. Musician Robbie Robertson is 64. Singer Huey Lewis is 57. Singer Marc Cohn is 48. Actress Edie Falco (“The Sopranos”) is 44. Actress Kathryn Erbe (“Law and Order: Criminal Intent”) is 42. Rapper RZA is 38. Singer Joe is 34. Rapper Bizarre of D12 is 31. Singer Jason Wade of Lifehouse is 27.
Contributing: John Kessler and news services
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