Missing ‘besties’ from Karl Stefanovic’s Mexican nuptials
For a bloke who claims to be close mates with every Tim, Dick and Buddy, the list of “besties” snubbing Karl Stefanovic’s wedding is staggering. Or shattering, depending on how highly regarded the groom imagines he is, Annette Sharp writes.
Opinion
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For a bloke who claims to be close mates with every Tim, Dick and Buddy, the list of “besties” snubbing Karl Stefanovic’s wedding this weekend is staggering. Or shattering, depending on how highly regarded the groom imagines he is.
It’s a 22 hour two-hop flight from Sydney to San Jose del Cabo in Mexico so Stefanovic and his bride, Jasmine Yarbrough, would have been expecting some invited guests to decline their invitations, prompting the couple to draft a list of “firsts” and “reserves”, something that no doubt went down like a lead balloon with “reserves” among whom, this column has learned, was Georgie Gardner, Stefanovic’s Today show co-anchor.
Gardner, whose working relationship with Stefanovic is based on mutual enmity (and “respect” claims the Nine’s PR department), was given a late call-up after first invitations went out months ago.
The decision to knock back the invitation was therefore an easy one for Gardner to make. While Gardner may be emotionally reserved, even a bit frosty to wake up to, one thing she isn’t, is a hypocrite.
Not even the groom’s preparedness to take his wedding on the road to his ex-boss and “great mate” James Packer’s new Los Cabo base (where, as revealed here in June, Packer is building a lavish home near the wedding venue), failed to entice the billionaire to leave his couch — a genuinely telling statement given Packer was asked to be a groomsman.
Packer is of course in recovery — but reports he isn’t attending because his mother Ros is currently paying him a visit in Argentina are said to be bunkum.
“James was never going,” said one source last week. “He was always going to avoid that circus at all costs.”
Ros Packer is in fact meant to be en route home from her most recent international jaunt, freeing her son up to fulfil his groomsman duties — had he wanted to be at the side of habitual Packer vacation sponger, “Karlos”.
Another who won’t be at the wedding is 2GB broadcaster Alan Jones, a man historically so fond of Stefanovic he once gave him a $100,000 interest free loan.
Jones is recovering from recent back surgery so didn’t need a 22-hour flight to Cabo. That said, he did hop a flight to the US last week for his summer holidays. Ouch.
“Like a father to him,” some have said of Jones’s relationship with Stefanovic, except it’s Packer’s babysitter pal, Ben Tilley, Stefanovic is now calling “dad” — yes, to his face, or perhaps he calls everyone “dad” because he believes his male friends are susceptible to puffery.
Recently divorced Tilley is expected to attend the wedding and, if he plays his cards right, could spend the night dancing with Julie Bishop who, when the first round of invitations went out mid year — pre government spill — was still the nation’s most powerful woman.
Another high profile couple who won’t be at the wedding is Stefanovic’s great friend and former boss, David “Gynge” Gyngell and wife Leila, the Today anchor’s sometime co-anchor and old Brisbane newsroom colleague.
According to reports, the groom’s own sister, Elisa, will be conducting the mock ceremony (the couple legally tied the knot months ago).
One “sister” still awaiting her invitation is Sunrise host Samantha Armytage, of whom Stefanovic said in a 2015 interview, “I love her” and “consider her family”.
That love affair came to shuddering end when Armytage quit the talent management agency, SF Celebrity Management, to which both Stefanovic and Armytage were attached. SF is Sharon Finnigan and Stefanovic is known to have played a role establishing the talent agency. Finnigan is now running the show in Cabo.
Another “sister” and “brother” whose relationships with Stefanovic took a hit after they quit Finnigan’s agency are Jesinta Franklin (formerly Campbell) and her Sydney Swans husband, AFL star Buddy.
Stefanovic memorably loaned the Franklins his car after Buddy crashed his wife’s sponsored Jeep into three parked cars in Rose Bay in 2014. Jesinta, who then had a spot on Today (teed up by Stefanovic, this columnist has been told), said at the time “(Karl’s) like a big brother to me”. Insiders think it unlikely the Franklins will be at the wedding. Her spot on Today did, after all, come to an abrupt end three years ago.
While the woman who shared breakfast with Stefanovic for 10 years on Nine, Lisa Wilkinson, is believed not to have been invited, this column understands Stefanovic did invite Nine CEO Hugh Marks, who has sent apologies.
His long time Today understudy Ben Fordham, and Today contributor Ray Hadley (whose 60th birthday party Stefanovic attended in Rouse Hill in 2014) might both have been on the guest list but will not be at the nuptials.
Shock jock Kyle Sandilands has also declined.
Stefanovic’s once great pal and erstwhile accountant Anthony Bell looks to have missed out on an invitation altogether.
The Sydney to Hobart yachting teammates fell out after Bell allegedly billed the Today host for accountancy work he’d conducted. The relationship was struck what may have been a fatal blow months later when Stefanovic sent Bell a private note of support during the accountant’s ugly marriage breakdown and the note was leaked to media to publish.
Bell’s bestie, cricketer Michael Clarke, also looks to have missed out on a wedding day berth despite fancying himself to be one of Stefanovic’s good pals.
Another guest missing will be Sony Music boss Denis Handlin.
It was at a function at Luke Mangan’s Glass restaurant in about 2011, one guest, foggy on detail, recalls former Nine Network boss Gyngell summing up Stefanovic in an address to a packed room.
“Where’s Karl? Where’s Karl?” Gyngell asked to the assembly.
“Oh there he is, standing next to the most powerful man in the room … (hesitation) Denis Handlin. That would be right. Typical Karl.”
With so many non-attendances, one has to wonder who Karlos will be standing next to today. Yarbrough will be hoping it’s her.
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