Sticky wicket or top spin?

ARE reports of the premature death of Shane Warne the Musical exaggerated?

ARE reports of the premature death of Shane Warne the Musical exaggerated?

After The Sydney Morning Herald scribe Bryce Hallett claimed the cricket romp had fallen victim to tough times and would be ending its run at Sydney's Enmore Theatre on June 7, weeks earlier than planned, show creator and star Eddie Perfect used the magic of Twitter to reflect: "Dudes, the 'closing early' story is all bullshit. We close June 7, one week LONGER than planned. Bryce Hallett at SMH is a (interesting anatomical and/or livestock-based insult that's new to Strewth). Peace." Either way, someone should let the Enmore Theatre know; they're only flogging tickets until May 31.

Carry-on after check-in

SHORTLY before disembarking in Sydney on Saturday morning, bleary passengers on the Qantas red-eye from Darwin were belatedly informed that "some luggage" had been left behind in the Top End. Forecasts of rough weather along the flight path had necessitated trimming the weight of the plane before take-off and, faced with the choice of either dumping (a) a few bags or (b) a few people, Qantas went with option (a). But after a long, fruitless stretch at the carousel, the by then quite grumpy passengers realised that what the flight crew had really meant to tell them was that all the luggage had been left behind, with a single and strangely appropriate exception: the suitcase of a travelling clown. Qantas may want to give some consideration to changing its affectionate nickname to the Flying Kanga-ruse.

Gatto spreads good word

WHAT'S a publisher to do after a monster such as Peter Costello's (co-written) memoirs? How do you follow an act that tough? If you're Melbourne University Press, you stick to your theme and go with another Melbourne hard man. Stand by for October's Mick Gatto: My Story. According to MUP, "Gatto is now ready to tell all in an unprecedented and extraordinary insider's account of Australia's underworld". Another parallel perhaps? And like Costello, Gatto will enjoy the services of a co-author.

Sankar very much

THE good folks at Fairfax Media just don't want to let go of Sankar Narayan and have kept him listed as their chief financial officer, even though it's been a while since he was replaced by Brian Cassell. Still, as they seem to believe at Fairfax, news will come to those who wait. And wait.

PM's lovely ladies

WHILE Strewth is among friends, we may as well admit that the Labor-oriented part of our heart always beats a little harder whenever Julia Gillard appears on the telly. That nose, that sparkle of amused contempt, that (is quite enough - Ed). There, we've said it. But now, with visions of a trimmer, glowing Therese Rein emerging from church yesterday morning we're feeling oddly conflicted.

Limbaugh lambasted

STREWTH was reminded recently how upset some people are about the turn of phrase of that rude Paul Keating; even that crack about pre-Copernican obscurantists still gets blood pressure up. But it's pretty mild stuff compared to a spat in the US between right-wing broadcaster and de facto Republican spiritual leader Rush Limbaugh and the son of Republican demigod Ronald Reagan. After Limbaugh suggested America could cut its birth rate by adorning motel room walls with photos of Democratic speaker of the house Nancy Pelosi, Ron Reagan Jr aired his objections to Limbaugh judging people by their physical appearance on the grounds Limbaugh looks like "the unholy spawn of Tony Soprano and the Michelin Man". Quoth Reagan: "I wouldn't pick on him for any of this stuff, not his blubbiness, not his man-boobs, not his inability to have a natural erection - none of that stuff - to me, off limits until! until! Mr Limbaugh, you turn that sort of gun on somebody else - once you start doing that, you're fair game, fat boy. Absolutely, you jiggly pile of mess." Reagan's father was the man they called the great communicator.

A friend of Fannie

AND finally, a miracle. Politicians taking a stand against developers is a rare sight in politics these days but NT Chief Minister Paul Henderson has done it. On April 1, the Northern Territory News splashed with a story that many, initially at least, took for an intricate April Fools joke. It reported a plan by two Darwin developers to dig up the beloved Fannie Bay beach to create an entrance to a vast upmarket marina-housing complex that would hog hundreds of hectares of swampland and wipe out a tidal mangrove creek. A feud ensued between those who see mangroves as evidence there really is a hell, and those who see a nursery for all sorts of creatures. Henderson came down on the side of the crabs and their fans, and declared he would not release the land to the developers.

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