The Scoop 27.11.09

Big exclusive! Charlize Theron is heading for the 2010 Fifa World Cup Draw next week. I had heard this might be true, but only got official confirmation from her management in New York this week. It’s not entirely clear what she’s going to be doing, but she will be involved in the draw – and there will be performances by Grammy-winners Soweto Gospel Choir and Angelique Kidjo together with Johnny Clegg. It’s going to be a busy summer – we’ve also heard now that Morgan Freeman will be in Joburg, Cape Town and Durban for premieres of the new movie Invictus, in which he plays Nelson Mandela.

Vuyo Mbuli made headlines early on this week – the Morning Live anchor, literally, it seems, got caught with his pants down. A man laid an assault charge against the TV presenter after he allegedly found Mbuli in his girlfriend’s house, getting dressed. The man, who accused Vuyo of having an affair, says the TV personality threw a vase at him, injuring his leg. Vuyo was arrested yesterday morning, after handing himself over, but the matter wasn’t pursued any further and the charge was dropped. Vuyo says he wants to put this behind him. The question is though, will this have any kind of impact on his life in the public eye -career-wise or other?

The next film in the Twilight saga, New Moon, releases officially today in South Africa – but Twihards have been filling cinemas across the country watching sneak previews. I got to speak to Robert Pattinson at the Cannes Film Festival and he told me this film actually has more in it for guys than for girls – because of the fighting and the werewolves. He also says he thinks the next one, Eclipse, is even better because the book is his favourite in the series.

Oprah is due to jet into Joburg this weekend. She often pops in around this time of year, all hush-hush, but this visit is a lot more publicized. And it’s hot on the heels of her announcement that the Oprah Winfrey Show will end in 2011. She’s here to host O, The Oprah Magazine’s reader event called ‘You Have the Power’. She’s going to be spreading some of her positivity to about 400 women – I mean, really, with all that money how can you not be positive?

And of course, The Killers will be here in a few days – I have word that they are coming a few days before the show in Joburg. I might just have to find out where they are staying too…

Pic from @TheKillers twitter page


The Scoop - the top entertainment stories with a local twist airs - every Friday after 4pm with Richard Hardiman on 94.5 Kfm

Mr A to Z

It was sometime in November in 2006. I'd been sent to LA for the first time ever to interview Will Smith for his latest movie The Pursuit of Happyness and I was sitting in the hotel room of the Beverly Hilton, unable to sleep the night before the big interview. A mix of nerves and excitement but mostly nerves. As I flicked channels, I grew more tired, but still just couldn't sleep. And then I flipped over to the Hilton channel - you know, the one that tells you "eat here, drink here, etc" and, as I was about to change yet again, he caught my eye. Or ear I should say. Jason Mraz. Mr A to Z. With a beautiful little song called Life is Wonderful. It was the acoustic version, done especially for the hotel chain and it made me feel so peaceful, so, well, wonderful. Wonderful enough to finally get some shut-eye.

It's one of my fave Jason Mraz songs - another is Song for A Friend - with words that I return to over and over again:

Climb up over the top.
Survey the state of the soul.
You’ve got to find out for yourself whether or not you’re truly trying.
Why not give it a shot?
Shake it, Take control
And inevitably wind up
Finding for yourself
All the strengths you have inside still rising

But you've got to hear them being sung - incredible!

Mr A to Z is now much more famous - and rightly so. He's brought out a fun-fuelled, energetic, thoughtful DVD, called Jason Mraz's Beautiful Mess Live on Earth, which will enable me to now "dine at the Gratitude Cafe" a little more often.

Stylish in Cape Town

Just another day at work! But it's that much more special when your office is the top of the V&A Waterfront in Cape Town with a breathtaking view. That's where the first Mastercard Style in the City event was held. A mix of fashion and fabulousness, the four-day-event featured Trinny and Susannah, from the hit show What Not To Wear and their Style Academy. The duo pulled out women from the audience and gave them a few pointers on how to look their best.

Sunday Times' Lifestyle ed Lerato Tshabalala and I with Trinny and Susannah

I got the thumbs up for my lime green nailpolish but someone who doesn't need any tips is my friend Lerato Tshabala. She was one of the 8 editors who modelled red dresses designed by some top local fashionista's in aid of the Heart and Stroke Foundation's Go Red for Women Campaign. Trinny and Susannah voted her the evening's best dressed lady - yay!

In real life Trinny and Susannah are fun, fantastic and fabulous - just as we hoped they'd be. 
And they are not so mean when it comes down to it. In fact, as Susannah says, they tell women the things they do "not because we want to be cruel, but because we want to see them be the best they can be." After meeting them, I like to believe that is true. Also, their fame did not come overnight - these ladies put in the grind for a good few years before anything big happened. Plus Trinny had to shut down a multi-million-pound internet company. So they know what hard work is. Add to that, the fact that they did four workshops back-to-back each day of the event. All while wearing gorgeous heels - naturally!