Author and Bob Hawke’s widow, Blanche d’Alpuget befriended a male escort during research for her new book
She’s a best-selling author and widow of PM Bob Hawke. He’s a male escort. Now they are friends with a shared love of art.
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She is the widow of Bob Hawke, Australia’s longest-serving Labor prime minister, and the author of a brand new murder-mystery novel. He is a mature-aged male escort with female clients who pay him thousands of dollars for their personal encounters.
And now, 81-year-old Blanche d’Alpuget and George Goulburn, 53, are brand new friends with a shared love of art.
“It is the last thing I expected … and it’s something I could not have imagined,” says Mr Goulburn, who regularly texts or calls Ms d’Alpuget and accompanies her to art exhibitions, festivals or book launches.
“I feel blessed to have made that connection. It’s turned into a really nice friendship and she’s a remarkable woman.”
Ms d’Alpuget, who was married to the former prime minister for 24 years, met Mr Goulburn 18 months ago, when she was researching her new book, The Bunny Club.
He is one of four male escorts that Ms d’Alpuget consulted to flesh out characters and plot lines in her murder mystery. She has stayed friends with some of them, including Mr Goulburn, as well as two detectives who she also quizzed for authentic details.
“George and I have become quite good friends,” says Ms d’Alpuget, who lives in Sydney.
“We share a love of art … a shared love of something will always promote friendship. Next week, we are going to the opening of a new show. That’s the sort of thing we do.
“I was very careful … I didn’t want these 20-something gym bodies, I was looking for men who had some life experience, preferably in their 50s. The four (male escorts) I have met are truly admirable men, their support for women is really heart-touching. I think they are gentlemen and feminists, they want to see women happy, which is a really big thing.”
The Bunny Club tells the story of TV “diva” Evelyn Sinclair, who is murdered shortly after being told that she will be cut from the line-up on her morning show.
In her private life, the flamboyant TV star keeps the services of a French male escort called Anton. To help authenticate his character, Ms d’Alpuget asked Mr Goulburn – who uses a professional nom de plume – about the logistics of his profession. During their discussions, he shared his personal philosophy to show care and kindness to his clients.
“You can see that in the references to Anton, how much he cares for his clients,” says Mr Goulburn, who held Ms d’Alpuget’s husband in “very high regard” as a “legend” of Australian politics.
“What a surprise, what a delight to be contacted in that context and then form into a friendship. At first I was a bit intimidated (by Ms d’Alpuget) because of her whole profile.
“I like her tenacity, she’s bold, she’s not shy about giving her opinion on things. There’s a temerity in her to get the most out of life … she’s just got that drive about her.”
Ms d’Alpuget says after writing The Bunny Club, she can understand why older women are turning to male escorts for company and comfort.
“There’s an epidemic of loneliness among women, particularly older women, and I see this as a solution for older women who are lonely and can’t find any men of their age who they find attractive,” she says.
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Originally published as Author and Bob Hawke’s widow, Blanche d’Alpuget befriended a male escort during research for her new book
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