What an exciting time for entertainment, movies, gaming and wrestling fans. WWE new angles and storylines, plus Main Event hits Australian TV
The highs and lows of the James Bond film franchise have been brought into the spotlight with the release of a new documentary. 'Everything or Nothing: The Untold Story of 007' charts the story behind the movie franchise and has been launched to coincide with the 50th anniversary of the films. Director Steven Riley told Reuters he was pleased the producers let him delve into the story behind the stories. 'I wanted to tell a real truthful history of the franchise, so I had requested that we could tackle some of the tricky areas, some of the hard luck story of Bond and they were thankfully very open about that,' he said. 'There were many obstacles in the way, there were changing times to cope with changing generations, tastes, there were changing relations - well personal struggles and personal relationship failures and really how did the films survive despite those obstacles in the way was something I really wanted to get to the root of.' Riley said. The documentary interviews five of the six official bond actors with the original Bond, Sean Connery, a noticeable absence after turning down interview requests. Former Bond girls mingled with the biggest names in James Bond at the premier screening in London earlier this week. Among the guests were the children of the pioneering producers of the film franchise Albert 'Cubby' Broccoli and Harry Saltzman. 'Well you know it's our baby and we feel very very protective over the Bond franchise, it's something our father started over 50 years ago and he had great passion for it and we have just been carrying the flame.' Cubby's daughter Barbara Broccoli told Reuters. 'Everything or Nothing' was released in theatres on Friday October 5, branded 'Global James Bond Day'.
Adele's Bond theme tops iTunes...
Adele's theme for the new Bond film Skyfall has shot to the top of the iTunes chart within hours of its release today. The track is hotly tipped to become the first 007 theme to make it to number one in the official chart when it is announced on Sunday. The song - also called Skyfall is her first new material since her career exploded following the success of second album 21 early last year.
The Rock on: Dwayne Johnson’s new competition series, The Hero; U.S auditions...
WWE Studios 'The Day' positive movie reviews..."The Day" hit theaters this week and the positive reviews are in on WWE Studios and Anchor Bay Films' chilling horror film about a day in the lives of a group of people living in a post-apocalyptic wasteland.
Variety by Marc Graser
" 'The Day' is one of the most effective horror movies made in years, successfully delivering a feeling of dread that so many films in the genre lack these days, along with a unique story and captivating characters. Douglas Aarniokoski doesn’t take the easy out in his direction and never relies on camp or amps up the gore quotient to thrill audiences. He’s an impressive filmmaker who is worth keeping an eye on."
HollywoodLife.com by Russ Weakland
"WWE Studios and Anchor Bay Films have always delivered films all over the spectrum and with 'The Day' they continue to entertain us with a story of humanity torn by war, destroying civilizations and most of all life on earth, which makes those that are the survivors realize they must do whatever it takes to stay alive." ...
"So if you want to go out and see a film that will make you think and give you some jumps and chills 'The Day' is your movie. You will not be disappointed!"
The Los Angeles Times by Mark Olsen
"Luke Passmore's screenplay is stingy with his explanations about who these people are or how the world came to be in this state, and that turns out to be one of the film's greatest strengths." ...
"As Mary, the most recent enlistee to the tribe, [Ashley] Bell has a secretive reserve and steely resolve."
The Rock 'foils would-be burglars in London'...The Rock has apparently foiled an attempted burglary in London.
The actor - also known as Dwayne Johnson - was working on his new movie Fast and Furious 6 in Hackney when he spotted the group of would-be thieves as they attempted to break into vans.
Johnson, who was dressed as an FBI agent for filming, was said to have abandoned a fight scene mid-take in order to confront the group.
"It was so funny. The Rock looked like an action hero because he had his flak jacket on and an FBI badge in his hand," an insider recalled to The Sun. "All of a sudden, there was loads of gunfire and this giant dressed as a copper was about to mow them down. The lads jumped out of their skin and scarpered down the canal path and left the crew in peace.
"It was like the Only Fools [and Horses] 'Batman' sequence - they must have thought they were in the middle of a real-life action movie."
The source also quipped that the crew have suggested that actor - wrestler Johnson should be single-handedly responsible for security on the Fast and Furious 6 set.
The source said: “It was so funny. The Rock looked like an action hero because he had his flak jacket on and an FBI badge in his hand. All of a sudden there was loads of gunfire and this giant dressed as a copper was about to mow them down. The lads jumped out of their skin and scarpered down the canal path and left the crew in peace.
“It was like the Only Fools Batman sequence — they must have thought they were in the middle of a real-life action movie.
“Now the crew are joking that they should drop security and just have The Rock do it.”
Dwayne Johnson wards off burglars...London - Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson scared off a gang of would-be thieves on the set of his latest film.
The 40-year-old actor spotted a group of youths breaking into a warehouse in Hackney, East London while filming The Fast and the Furious 6 and stormed off the set mid-scene - dressed in full FBI agent costume - to chase the burglars away.
A source told The Sun newspaper: "It was so funny. The Rock looked like an action hero because he had his flak jacket on and an FBI badge in his hand.
Quick thinking
"All of a sudden there was loads of gunfire and this giant dressed as a copper was about to mow them down.
"The lads jumped out of their skin and scarpered down the canal path and left the crew in peace. They must have thought they were in the middle of a real-life action movie.
"Now the crew are joking that they should drop security and just have The Rock do it."
The former wrestler managed to prevent the theft of expensive equipment thanks to his quick thinking and his impressive 6'5" frame.
The Fast and the Furious 6 also stars Vin Diesel, Paul Walker and singer Rihanna, who is set to play a villain in the popular film franchise.
Box Office results for new WWE movie...WWE Studios's latest movie, "The Day," drew an estimated $10,100 in its first full weekend in theaters. The movie, which was shown in 12 theaters, ranked 52 out of 54 movies tracked over the weekend, according to BoxOfficeMojo.com. (Pro Wrestling Torch) - U.S news report
No Holds Barred star facing prison time...Tommy "Tiny" Lister, who was back in the spotlight this summer when WWE re-released "No Holds Barred" on DVD, faces up to five years of prison time for alleged mortgage fraud. Lister, who played Zeus in the WWE movie, pled guilty to "conspiring to commit mortgage fraud" in federal court on Friday, according to a TMZ report.
According to the plea agreement, Lister and other individuals conspired to obtain mortgages worth $5.7 million, costing lenders $2.6 million. Lister was also accused of defrauding lenders of another $1.1 million. Lister is due back in court in September for sentencing, which could be up to five years in federal prison.
David Otunga talks WWE and movies...WWE wrestler David Otunga said in a recent interview that he hopes to eventually advance to the top of the card in WWE. "I am very goal oriented and want to see my character go to the top. I am hoping to have the creative freedom to do that and let it pan out the way I would like. It’s exciting for sure and hopefully in the next few weeks my character continues to grow," Otunga told ChicagoNow.com promoting Monday's Raw.
Otunga also discussed his recent movie role for WWE Studios's "The Hive." Otunga said, "The film was unbelievably fun because it came to me second nature. With the WWE, the acting classes, and the improv I do it was very easy to blend in. The only major difference was me having to shave. I haven’t shaved in many, many years but it had to be done and it helped me get into character."
WWE Interested In Lingerie Football Star...The WWE NXT website has added a profile for Summer Rae and in that profile they acknowledge her past career with the Lingerie Football League. On a related note, WWE apparently has interest in another LFL star - Zipporah Chase.
NWA documentary news...Charleston Post & Courier columnist Mike Mooneyham's Sunday column features a review of a new NWA documentary, "History and Tradition: The Story of the National Wrestling Alliance," which focuses heavily on the history and prestige of the NWA World Title. The story also reviews the current state of the NWA, which is being re-organized by R. Bruce Tharpe after buying the rights to the organization. Included are quotes from PWTorch senior columnist Bruce Mitchell on the history of and state of the NWA and his view on whether the organization has a place in today's wrestling era.
WWE News: Jericho details WWE's lack of long-term planning & day-of-TV-changes in interview on his 2012 WWE run...In an interview with the Busted Open satellite radio show, Chris Jericho highlighted WWE's lack of long-term planning and changes on the day of TV tapings, which has been exacerbated by Raw shifting to three hours, in a review of his 2012 WWE run.
Notably, Jericho said he did not find out about his "Contract vs. Contract" send-off match against Dolph Ziggler on the August 20 Raw the night after Summerslam until ten minutes before Raw started.
"I didn’t know until the day I showed up, actually ten minutes before Raw started in Fresno that we were doing this contract vs. contract thing. So, I didn’t even know this was going to happen. I just figured I would have a match with Dolph and that would be the end of it," Jericho said.
"So, people who think that there is some long, drawn-out, plan, it really wasn’t. It was about ten minutes before the show started and I was like 'Oh, we are doing a contract vs contract thing? Oh okay.' So there you go, a little special behind the scenes look."
Jericho also said WWE did not have a plan for his feud with Dolph Ziggler when it started after the Money in the Bank PPV in July. Jericho said he pressed for a back-story to their feud before their strong opening promo.
"I couldn’t wait to work with Dolph but I needed a story. What’s the story? They said, 'we will think of one later.' I said, 'I don’t like that.' I need to think of one now since I have a promo tonight with Dolph. We can't think about this next week," Jericho said.
Jericho added, "That’s when I came up with the concept of everyone was bitching that Jericho never won a match on PPV... I thought it would be real interesting to go with the 'you can’t win the big one' scenario. But sometimes the writers will write 'this old broken down guy who is on the last legs of his career.' I’m like, 'Wait a second, broken down? I’m in the best shape of my life, never been hurt, I’ve never missed a match...' I wanted to focus on the storyline of 'he can’t win the big one.' It gave us a great place to go."
Jericho has said in recent interviews that he wasn't supposed to feud with Ziggler in his send-off program culminating at Summerslam. Jericho expanded on his reaction to being told he wouldn't be feuding with the other candidates, Sheamus and Daniel Bryan.
"Originally I was supposed to feud with Sheamus, and then it was Daniel Bryan. Then the day of Raw, they said I was doing something with Dolph. I was like, 'What happened to Daniel Bryan and Sheamus?' They said it changed and I was fine with it. I’ve been doing this long enough that I roll with the punches," Jericho said.
Regarding future stars on the roster replacing the old guard, Jericho talked about the uphill battle that wrestlers like Ziggler and Miz have in front of them not being having well-rounded wrestling experience outside of WWE. Jericho said, "When that light bulb comes on and they already have ninety percent, but that last ten percent is what makes you a great performer; some guys never figure out that last ten percent and when the guys do, that’s when they become guys you can base companies around and put in main events."
Specifically on whether Ziggler can be a future main-eventer, Jericho said, "Dolph is one of the best guys on the roster, but he is still learning as are a lot of the other guys. People say, 'Oh, Damien Sandow is the next guy or Kofi.' These guys are still learning. In time, I think these guys will be amazing, amazing performers. But, right now they are still on their way up the learning tree. So, yes, I think Dolph is going to be an amazing performer. Yes, I think the Miz is going to be a great performer. Lots of guys are getting into that zone, but they are still learning... It’s a different world out there right now than the way it used to be. There is a lot of great, great performers or potential great performers that are on the way to getting there."
[ FYI: Busted Open with Dave Lagreca and Doug Mortman can be heard from 2:00 to 4:00 EST on Sirius 94, XM 208, and Sportszone 860 on the Internet ] (Pro Wrestling Torch)
Ric Flair Comments On 'Hangover 3' Campaign And His Daughter Working For WWE NXT...We noted before that fans online are trying to get WWE Hall of Famer Ric Flair a cameo appearance in The Hangover 3 movie. Scott Fishman of The Miami Herald spoke with Flair this weekend about the campaign and The Nature Boy is perfectly fine with it.
"Oh man, I love my fans. So cool they started this whole campaign. I could play anything, as long as I'm not the guy getting married."
Flair also says he's proud of his daughter Ashley, who is currently working as Charlotte in WWE NXT. Flair said:
"It's my hope that people see that her accomplishments aren't a result of me. She's worked extremely hard for this. It's a very physically and mentally demanding business, and I really just couldn't be more proud."
You can check out the full article by clicking here.
http://www.miamiherald.com/2012/09/01/2980014/hangover-suits-wwe-hall-of-famer.htmlRic Flair going through fourth divorce, waiting for WWE call up...Details are scarce at the moment, but Dave Meltzer, in this week's Wrestling Observer Newsletter, reported that Ric Flair is currently going through a divorce, his fourth one, with his current wife, Jacqueline Beems. Apparently, Flair is the one who filed for divorce and cited irreconcilable differences as the reason for their break up.
The news is unsurprising as less than two months ago Flair was assaulted by Beems at his home, according to a local police report. This wasn't the first such incident during their marriage together, as Beems was arrested for simple assault on February 21st, 2010 after getting into a fight with Flair upon their return to their residence after a night out. They managed to patch things up after that highly publicised and embarrassing affair, but obviously the second fight that required police intervention was the straw that broke the camel's back.
The cause of their second fight together never came out publicly. But Ric Flair still living The Nature Boy lifestyle and their money problems worsening, what with Flair losing his job with TNA, were all likely at least partly to blame. Ric's adultery was at the heart of his divorce with second wife, Beth; while third wife, Tiffany VanDemark, quickly "had enough" of his inability to retire gracefully and lead a more normal lifestyle with her.
Expect a fifth marriage in the not too distant future for Flair, as he obviously has a psychological need to be in a serious relationship at all times, even though he clearly finds it difficult to fully commit to a partner and amend his behaviour to ensure that a marriage lasts the test of time.
Meltzer also had the latest on his status with WWE:
There was talk surfacing of Flair replacing [Vickie] Guerrero with [Dolph] Ziggler but I don't know how serious that is. Plus, even though Flair can legally start with WWE on 9/10, WWE has yet to sign anyone from TNA since the lawsuit was filed.
This may explain why Ziggler is currently in a holding pattern of putting over the likes of Randy Orton and Sheamus on a seemingly weekly basis. WWE may not want to pull the trigger on him cashing in the Money In The Bank briefcase and winning the World Heavyweight Championship until TNA's lawsuit against them for contract tampering has been dealt with and Flair can return to WWE as his manager.
I have mixed feelings on Flair becoming Ziggler's new manager. Though it should help Ziggler to be taken more seriously, there is the risk that he will be overshadowed by Flair and make it more difficult for him to get heel heat. At least being managed by Vickie ensures plenty of boos. Personally, I think Flair would be much better utilised in an onscreen figurehead role - what do you think Cagesiders? (Cageside Seats)
Joss Whedon: 'The Avengers isn't a perfect movie'...Joss Whedon has claimed that The Avengers isn't "a great movie".
The film has met with critical acclaim and outstanding commercial success, becoming the third highest-grossing film of all time in just a few months, but Whedon, the superhero blockbuster's writer and director, is determined to keep his feet on the ground.
In an interview with Vulture, the 48-year-old claimed that the box office numbers became, ultimately, "meaningless".
He said: "They're large, and you can't really count that high."
Describing what his goals were with The Avengers, he claimed: "I felt like I had a particular mission in making what I felt was a slightly old-fashioned movie, because I grew up wanting to make summer movies and wanting to make superhero movies, and I got to do both at once.
"I felt like summer movies haven't been what I remember them to be, so I felt like I would love to evoke something that's less hip and ironic and more heartfelt and character-driven, and apparently, other people cared about that in a large way."
The Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Firefly creator then conceded: "I don't think it's a perfect movie. I don't even think it's a great movie. I think it's a great time, and I'm proud of it, but for me, what was exciting is that people don't go to see a movie that many times unless it's pulling on something from within, unless there's a need there. That's very gratifying."
The film is set to increase its box office even further this weekend, after being re-released in the US to take advantage of the Labour Day holiday.
Whedon will oversee a Marvel-produced SHIELD television show for ABC, before starting work on the Avengers sequel, due for a summer 2015 release.
The Avengers Crosses $1.5 Billion At Worldwide Box Office...While the re-release of The Avengers at the U.S. box office might have failed to break into the top ten Labor Day weekend movies, it did help The Avengers reach another major milestone. The Avengers has become the third movie in history to cross the $1.5 billion mark at the worldwide box office.
While retaining its number three position on the worldwide box office list, The Avengers took in another estimated $1.7 million over Labor Day weekend, which brought The Avengers U.S. box office total to $619.5 million and The Avengers worldwide box office total to $1.501 billion.
Interestingly enough, The Dark Knight Rises also reached a milestone today, surpassing $1 billion at the worldwide box office, which means that combined The Avengers and The Dark Knight Rises have accounted for $2.5 billion at the worldwide box office this year. If you add in The Amazing Spider-Man, which currently sits at number four on the 2012 worldwide box office list with $734.9 million, then the total rises to $3.2 billion. It’s definitely a good time to be in the superhero movie making business.
Jim Carrey joins Kick-Ass 2 cast...Jim Carrey has been offered the role of Colonel Stars in Jeff Wadlow's superhero comedy, director Jeff Wadlow has strongly hinted.
Director Jeff Wadlow and creator Mark Millar have hinted that the 50-year-old funnyman has landed the coveted role of Colonel Stars in the sequel to 2010's wacky superhero comedy.
Jeff tweeted: "6 days till we start shooting... and we officially have our Colonel. Alrighty f'n then! @ChloeGMoretz @MintzPlasse @donald_faison #kickass2. (sic)"
After Christopher Mintz-Plasse replied asking who his new co-star was going to be, the original comic book's author Mark replied: "Clue - he lives with 200 raccoons and parrots, owns the mask of Loki and named by spielberg as a genius. (sic)"
During Jim's 1994 film 'Ace Ventura: Pet Detective', which sees him play the titular character, his alter-ego is a private investigator who specialises in the retrieval of captive animals.
'The Mask' star Jim is reportedly a big fan of the original 'Kick-Ass' film by Matthew Vaughn and was being courted to play the born again Christian superhero, who assembles a motley crew of superheroes to help fight evil.
The sequel will see several new additions to the cast, including 'Scrubs' actor Donald Faison as Doctor Gravity and John Leguizamo as Red Mist's bodyguard, Javier.
The comedy will begin shooting this Friday (07.08.12) and sees Aaron Johnson returning as the lead Kick-Ass, while co-stars Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Chloe Moretz and Nicolas Cage are also reprising their roles from the first film.
'Kick-Ass 2' is set for release in June 2013.
Aussie actors Crowe and Jackman at war...Russell Crowe and Hugh Jackman are at war!
According to various news reports, the actors having been fighting like catty tween girls while shooting the new Les Miserables movie.
“They refuse to be in the same room – trying to get them to promote a film together is a nightmare,” a source tells Star magazine.
“They’ve known each other for a decade, but during this shoot, any shred of civility was thrown aside. They can’t stand each other, each calling the other an embarrassment to the profession.
“Russell sneers at Hugh’s musical-theater background. But Hugh says Russell embarrassed his country with his bad reputation in Hollywood.”
Costar Anne Hathaway has tried to mend fences, but the actors won’t budge.
“Producers hope she can convince them to come to a truce, but it’s not looking very promising,” said the source.
Idea of the moment: Crowe VS Jackman at WWE WrestleMania (Jackman is a known massive WWE fan and has participated in a physical WWE angle in the past, so here's hoping).
Howzat: Kerry Packer's war on cricket may be missing Dennis Lillee...Many in media and sports circles are now buzzing that the true founding father of one-day cricket was not Kerry Packer but Dennis Lillee - yet the TV smash Howzat! whitewashes him from history, one of the original World Series directors has revealed.
In an rocket on Channel 9's ratings blockbuster, World Series Cricket director Austin Robertson - who also featured as a character in the mini-series - said Australians should thank Lillee for creating the one-day game.
In response, the show's producers launched a broadside of their own, claiming they asked Lillee to contribute but the bowling superstar refused to because he wouldn't get any money.
Mr Robertson, who worked closely with the former Nine king and the rebel team, also defended "the Big Fella" and said he was not the bully he was portrayed to be. Nor was the late batting star David Hookes the simpering and indecisive vacillator depicted in the show.
Mr Robertson said Howzat! was great entertainment and brilliantly produced but riddled with inaccuracies.
"The producers made a nonsense of the way they treated the man really responsible for the whole thing - Dennis Lillee," he said.
"Dennis was visible enough but he is not given the acknowledgement for having the idea in the first place, and his contribution in putting the entire thing together. Other people have put their hands up for having the brainchild of WSC but I am here to say that, without Lillee, it would never have happened at the time.
"Though Packer was determined to get the precious television rights, they would never have been delivered at that time without having the best fast bowler in the world in his corner.
"Curiously, the producers of the show, in the curtain-call of the program, in the segment 'Where are the main players today,' DKL was again overlooked.
"I had to ask myself, why did they do that? It was Lillee who delivered the players and, while it was great to be playing on the Packer team, without Lillee it would have never got off the ground."
Southern Star producer John Edwards, who made the show, hit back at Mr Robertson. He said Lillee boycotted the show and "shut down" Mr Robertson after learning no money was on offer.: "He (Robertson) was invited. There's nothing more to say really. He was mad keen on being involved and Dennis got to him and he was shut down. Dennis wanted money.
"We tried to speak to everybody and not everybody wanted to speak. Some people had grievances and grudges.
"(Writer) Chris Lee tried to involve them as much as as possible in the story and they chose not to be involved."
Mr Robertson confirmed he and Lillee had been approached but declined to take part. He declined to comment further or say whether money was an issue.
Lillee could not be reached but he has consistently refused to comment on Howzat!.
Mr Robertson praised Mr Packer and revealed the media tycoon was not as aggressive as the show portrayed: "The portrayal of Kerry as a constant bully and user of foul language is far from the truth. He could bully. I saw him on many occasions rise up like an out-of-control bull elephant and reduce a grown man to tears. I heard him swear like a storm trooper when out of control. But I never saw him chuck a plate of food.
"I thought Kerry was in the main a humble man, often revealing great compassion, a gentle giant who would talk issues out for hours before making a decision, and then following it through.
"The mini-series gave everybody the impression he was a loud, foul- mouthed bully and we saw precious little of his other side."
Channel 9 declined to comment however sources at the network said they felt the show was spot on in capturing Mr Packer.
Mr Robertson also rejected Howzat!'s portrayal of friend David Hookes, who died after an altercation with a bouncer in Melbourne in 2004.
"David was not a weak, indecisive and nervous character who 'spilled the beans' to The Age's Peter McFarline."
And as for his own portrayal Mr Robertson said: "From birth, and throughout the many years I have enjoyed on the earth I have never had a moustache."
Prince Harry; casino tycoon Steve Wynn and fun and games in Las Vegas and beyond...As the UK's Daily Mail states it's a rare man who walks away from Las Vegas with nothing to regret.
Prince Harry counts the cost of his escapades in Sin City, he may just be coming to regret the day he ever made the acquaintance of casino tycoon Steve Wynn.
Wynn, the self-proclaimed King of Las Vegas, is the billionaire owner of the five-star Encore Wynn resort, the opulent hotel-casino in whose eight-room, £5,100-a-night suite the prince was photographed playing strip billiards.
Unsubstantiated reports this week have suggested that cocaine was snorted in the suite, and that a known prostitute was among the guests. There are even rumours of a video tape capturing the night's events. So how did the third-in-line to the throne come to meet – even befriend – a septuagenarian gambling mogul?
Steve Wynn, a flamboyant showman with a surgically-enhanced, wrinkle-free face, carefully coiffed hair, a volcanic temper and a trophy wife, is famous for befriending celebrities whose patronage would be good for business.
Last November, 70-year-old Wynn was spotted having dinner with the prince in one of his Vegas steakhouses while the Prince was enjoying a weekend break from an advanced helicopter training course in Arizona.
Waiving the bills of celebrities is common practice in Vegas, and it remains unclear who paid the estimated £30,000 bill for Harry's recent stay. According to Wynn's spokesman, the tab was not picked up by either the tycoon or his hotel.
Is the prince welcome to return? I can't see why not,' the spokesman said.
Wynn is unlikely to be perturbed by Harry's naked shenanigans, but if drugs do turn out to have been involved, he may swiftly seek to distance himself from the events. He may be Las Vegas's most revered casino owner, but he still has his gambling licence and his reputation to think about. It is a reputation that Wynn is eager to protect. He has worked hard to erase the stains of the past.
Today, he is widely credited as the man who single-handedly cleaned up' Vegas and made it into a place in which Wall Street could invest and young families could holiday (if parents don't mind their children collecting the prostitutes' calling cards which litter the pavement).
Yet for all his denials, Wynn, who is worth $2.5 billion, has never shaken off accusations that he was linked for many years to the mobsters who once ruled Las Vegas.
He has weathered successive U.S. investigations over everything from drug-dealing to money-laundering, and has never been found to have committed any wrong-doing.
In Britain, the authorities have proved harder to convince. When he tried to open a casino in London to exploit the influx of rich Arabs in the early Eighties, Scotland Yard denied him a licence. But in the desert city of Las Vegas, he remains a swaggering icon. He has a reputation for being sophisticated' but that's by Vegas standards.
This is a man who bought Impressionist masterpieces only to hang them on the walls of his casinos; who reputedly blew his finger off while playing with a gun given to him by a former Mob hitman, and who boasts that his wife Andrea has the greatest butt in the world'.
Money is no object. In 2005, Wynn sank $2.7 billion into building just one hotel the curved glass and steel Wynn Las Vegas. He then did the same again a few years later with the Encore.
So enamoured is he with the idea of himself as Sin City royalty that he arranged his wedding last year to coincide with that of Prince William and Kate Middleton.
Hollywood star Clint Eastwood was best man and lingerie model Caprice a bridesmaid. The reception, held in the ballroom of Wynn's Encore resort, boasted a 500-strong guest list which included Sylvester Stallone, Steven Spielberg, Lionel Richie, Sir Philip Green and Celine Dion.
Each guest left with a five-inch high replica of the tiered wedding cake, but it's unlikely Wynn or his rake-thin new wife enjoyed much of the banquet. Both are vegans, and the youth-obsessed Wynn, who exists on a diet of vitamin pills, liquidised walnuts and the occasional indulgent dribble of olive oil, boasts that he still has a 32in waistline.
After years of hard graft and wheeler-dealing, he has earned the right to behave as he wishes. The son of an East Coast bingo parlour operator and hardened gambler, the brash and handsome Wynn Jnr expanded the family business to Las Vegas with a string of clever investments and ambitious hustling.
In the Seventies and Eighties, when Wynn was building his empire, Las Vegas was full of the mobsters who had originally built its gambling industry.
Some say it was impossible to work in the city and not come into contact with mafiosi, even unwittingly. Others have suggested that, even so, Wynn had an unusually large number of brushes with the Mob.
Wynn himself has vigorously denied any involvement with the Mob, and none of the numerous law enforcement investigations for gambling licences have ever concluded that he worked for or with organised crime.
In 1967, he was with some business associates of noted mobsters on a private yacht cruise on a lake in Nevada when a naked young woman somehow fell over the back of the boat and was chopped almost in half by the propeller blades. Her death prompted an investigation, but everyone on board denied having seen the incident.
And he had trouble with officials in Atlantic City, New Jersey, in 1986 after investigators discovered mobster Tony Castelbuono, a friend of Wynn, was laundering the profits of heroin trafficking at his gambling tables. Wynn almost lost his gambling licence.
Today, such tales of the Mob are just water under the bridge. Wynn has re-invented himself as the business genius who demolished seedy gambling joints along the Vegas Strip and replaced them with slick hotel-casinos such as the Mirage (the city's first 3,000-bed hotel), the Treasure Island and the Bellagio.
Part of his success has been his ability to turn on the charm with important people. But Wynn is notorious, too, for his temper. In 1991, he reached an out-of-court settlement for an undisclosed sum with the former president of Wynn's Golden Nugget casino, who described Wynn as a womanising, brutal boss.
In allegations made in documents lodged at court, it was said that he would get so angry that his eyes bulged and he started screaming at the top of his lungs and banging his head on the table'. There was no admission of liability by Wynn, who denied the allegations.
His mother Zelma claims his tyrannical behaviour is the result of frustration over his failing eyesight. The tycoon suffers from retinitis pigmentosa, a progressive genetic disease which effectively gives him tunnel vision by destroying his ability to see peripheral images. In a dark room, he is completely blind.
His vision may be failing, but for years he was infamous for his roving eye, keeping keys to empty rooms at his various hotels for trysts. He was known to favour his female blackjack croupiers.
All that came to a stop when he met the beautiful Mrs Wynn. Usually described as a British socialite, 48-year-old Andrea was, in fact, born in New York but, as her proud husband likes to stress, was raised in England and France. Tres sophistique.
It all sounds rather less chic when you learn that the family moved to France because her father, a wheeler-dealer named Victor Danenza, fled there in 1976 to escape an FBI fraud investigation.
Before becoming the second Mrs Wynn, Andrea had lived in London with her first husband, Texan banker Robert Hissom, a former polo-playing friend of Prince Charles.
She met Wynn in 2008 in St Tropez, where he keeps a yacht, and the couple began a very public romance. Wynn divorced his long-suffering first wife Elaine, after 46 years of marriage, and wed Andrea last year.
Elaine made around $740 million from the settlement one of the biggest payouts in U.S. divorce history. The costly divorce appears not to have troubled Mr Wynn, who is delighted with his new wife.
It's like God made a woman for me,' he once said, before pointing out the part of his wife he most admired the greatest butt in the world'.
It all goes to show that money can buy you neither taste nor manners. Even Wynn's attempts to acquire a collection of old masterpieces have invited accusastions that he was vulgar and greedily acquisitive.
He has, since the late Nineties, spent hundreds of millions of dollars on paintings by Picasso and Degas, Caravaggio and Titian. He has several times scooped the world's great galleries at auction, only to horrify the art world by hanging his purchases in his casinos.
At 70, he shows no sign of slowing down though controversy continues to dog him. He is embroiled in a three-year court battle with Joe Francis, founder of the soft porn video empire Girls Gone Wild.
In documents lodged at court, Francis claims Wynn threatened in an email that he would kill him over a $2 million gambling debt. Wynn is alleged to have written that he would hit Francis in the back of the head with a shovel'.
Wynn denies the allegations and claims no such email exists.
In Asia, where Wynn now earns 70 per cent of his profits from the gambling mecca of Macau, a resort on the South China Sea, he is embroiled in a battle with a former business partner, Kazuo Okada.
This week, Okada sued Wynn for $140 millino for libel after each accused the other of paying bribes within the Asian gambling industry. No amount of black marble and old masters can hide the sleaziness at the heart of Las Vegas.
It is hard to believe Wynn when he claims he could just as easily have gone into family theme parks if Walt Disney hadn't done it first. Indeed, it seems about as likely as Prince Harry settling for free entry to Sleeping Beauty's Castle rather than a weekend with his colourful acquaintances in Sin City.
One ponders if the prince may be planning to visit in any casino - hotels in the near future, and little doubt that Australia's The Star or Crown Melbourne would love to have him. The smart money say's Prince Harry will no be stepping into any casino in Australia or anywhere else in the near future, perhaps more positive PR appearances will be on the cards however.
The Top 10 best MMA fights of the rest of 2012...There are plenty of exciting fights to look forward to before 2013. Here’s a look at our top 10 (barring injuries):
10. Rich Franklin vs. Cung Le (UFC on Fuel TV 6, Nov. 10 in Macau)
This one isn’t as much about the fight as it is about the significance of the event – the UFC’s first in China. Neither of these guys is currently in their prime, but they always give crowd-pleasing performances. Le, a native of Vietnam, should have a massive Asian following.
9. Eddie Alvarez vs. Patricky Freire (Bellator 76, Oct. 12 in Windsor, Ontario)
Alvarez might have dropped the Bellator title last year to Michael Chandler, but he’s still one of the top 15 lightweights in the world. This also could be his last Bellator fight with his contract expiring – don’t be surprised if he’s in the UFC in 2013. Explosive knockout artist Freire will be a game opponent.
8. Joseph Benavidez vs. Demetrious Johnson, UFC flyweight title (UFC 152, Sept. 22 in Toronto)
Don’t blink. These are two of the fastest guys in MMA and both challenged for the bantamweight title before the UFC created its flyweight division. This bout will determine the company’s first-ever flyweight champion and these are legitimately the top two guys in the world at 125.
7. Shane Carwin vs. Roy Nelson (TUF 16 finale, Dec. 15 in Las Vegas)
There’s very little chance this one leaves the first round. Carwin and Nelson love to slug it out and after coaching against one another on “The Ultimate Fighter” they probably won’t be too friendly. It’ll be nice to see Carwin, a former heavyweight top contender, back in the cage.
6. Daniel Cormier vs. Frank Mir (Strikeforce: Mir vs. Cormier, Oct. 27 in TBA)
This might be a Strikeforce fight, but it has UFC implications. Mir, the former UFC heavyweight champion, takes on Strikeforce champ Cormier in somewhat of a crossover matchup. But Cormier will be in the UFC right after this fight courtesy of Strikeforce's heavyweight division being disbanded and a win here puts him on path for a title shot in 2013.
5. BJ Penn vs. Rory MacDonald (UFC on Fox 5, Dec. 8 in Seattle)
The trash talk has already been fun between the two, but things will really heat up when they enter the Octagon. Think of this as something of a passing of the torch fight. Penn, in the twilight of his career, will put up a strong challenge against the young lion, but the multi-faceted MacDonald is nearing superstardom in the welterweight division.
4. Benson Henderson (c) vs. Nate Diaz, UFC lightweight title (UFC on Fox 5, Dec. 8 in Seattle)
This could easily be a Fight of the Year candidate if it goes how it’s supposed to. Neither of these guys gives an inch – both Henderson and Diaz are perpetually moving forward. A win here, against a superior standup fighter in Diaz, would put Henderson’s name among the top pound-for-pound fighters in the world.
3. Jose Aldo (c) vs. Frankie Edgar, UFC featherweight title (UFC 153, Oct. 13 in Rio)
Well, this is a pleasant surprise. Aldo was supposed to defend his title against Erik Koch, but Koch had to pull out with an injury and his loss is the fans’ gain. Edgar was the UFC lightweight champion for more than a year and his last two losses were by the slimmest of margins. Aldo, meanwhile, is a buzzsaw – one of the best pound-for-pound fighters in the world. This is, indeed, a superfight.
2. Georges St. Pierre (c) vs. Carlos Condit, UFC welterweight unification (UFC 154, Nov. 17 in Montreal)
It seems like it’s been forever since St. Pierre has fought. One of the best MMA fighters of all time has not competed in more than a year and a half due to injuries, including a torn ACL. He returns to face red-hot Carlos Condit, who is coming off a win over Nick Diaz in January. St. Pierre, a dominant champ, has never faced anyone with the combination of speed, athleticism and technique that Condit has.
1. Junior dos Santos (c) vs. Cain Velasquez, UFC heavyweight title (UFC 155, Dec. 29 in Las Vegas)
This time, we’ll get the incredible battle of wills that we were promised last year. Velasquez lost his title to dos Santos last November in just over a minute via stunning knockout. To make matters worse, it was the UFC’s first show on Fox and the company took undeserved criticism for the quick, flash KO.
Who knew that dos Santos-Velasquez wouldn’t be a war? This one will make up for it, closing the year on a huge high note – the two best heavyweights in the world trading in the center of the cage. Only one will be standing at the end. (New York Post)
.jpg)
