It’s just my opinion: My thoughts on Renèe Zellweger.

Renèe Zellweger before and after.

We’ve heard it all today… We have heard IT. ALL. In fact, the media has had an absolute field-day. “Renèe Zellweger is barely recognisable“, “Zellweger kills face along with any hope of a future acting career“, “11 shocking images of Bridget Jones’ startling new face“… You get my drift.

Look, I’ll admit that when I saw Renèe’s before and after photos, I was a little shocked. I had to do a double-take. I am such a Zellweger fan, and Bridget Jones is one of my all-time favourite movies.

What I did forget however, is that it has been five long years since Renee has worked on a film project… Which means that it’s been five years since we’ve seen her don the red carpet, five years since we’ve read the articles blatantly criticising her fashion choices and five years since we’ve read about how much weight she’s put on, or we’ve read a made-up story about how she’s been eating the air to retain her figure. Five years since we’ve read all about who she’s been sleeping with and how much money she’s made.

I’ve certainly aged in five years and so have you.  It’s inevitable, and  as somebody who is forging a career as apart of the media, I am incredibly disappointed –  and this is a part of it that I simply cannot stand. It’s blatant bullying… and we all put up with it. Put yourself in Renèe’s shoes… You’re damned if you do and damned if you don’t. As a society, I thought we were supposed to be doing our best to prop up young women and re-enforce positive body image, yet time and time and time again we resort back… to this.

The pressure that these stars (particularly women over the age of 40) in Hollywood come under, is immense.  We are living within an industry in which women are not celebrated for their talents or congratulated on their accolades – instead, a woman’s worth and credibility as an actress are measured upon how young she appears or how tight her face remains. A high profile woman who seemingly looks her age is criticised as ‘having let herself go’ and the very minute she tries to fix it, she is criticised and blatantly accused of being vain and desperate… or in Renee’s case, she’s dragged through the mud and publicly humiliated over something as direct and as personal as her face.

Yes, I agree and can understand the comments that I can anticipate I am going to receive – I know that she’s a star, and yes, SHE’S chosen this lifestyle and YES, with the perks of fame come some very heavy consequences… I can appreciate that  and I am sure Renèe can too. What I can’t understand is why we feel that it’s acceptable  to blatantly and outrightly attack her. Think about it…this isn’t some shock frock gone wrong, or a terrible hairstyle that we’re talking about… This is somebody’s face. Personal, direct and important. Her face.

Maybe the issue here is that we (as a society) simply do not like change. This story isn’t about plastic surgery gone wrong,  it’s not about questioning her intentions or about Renèe going  too far… In fact, the ‘new Renèe’ actually looks relatively normal for Hollywood – she has a few wrinkles and her eyebrows are a little uneven. She looks like she’s a happy 45 year-old and she’s got a healthy glow about her. Of course she is different from that of Bridget Jones – in fact, she put on a staggering 13 kilograms for that role!

So, to sum my little opinion up, I suppose what I am asking people to do is to be a little more considerate. Sure, have an opinion, but know the boundaries.

Ten Questions With Tom!

As somebody who consumes, digests and gets notoriously excited about reading news, I believe that it’s important to know a little about the background and opinions of those that bring the news to you – and obviously many of you do, too. I’ve received a flood of questions asking to know a little more about me – my background, the ins and outs of future journalists and my opinions on some current news stories.

I’ve asked you to send in some questions for ‘Ten Questions With Tom’s Talk Time’ and I’ve selected some to answer below:

Question 1 comes from @TomMarlowFansAu on Twitter:
“When did you decide that you wanted to become a journalist?”

Thanks for your question. I’ve wanted to be a journalist from the age of about seven – although I didn’t quite know exactly what a ‘journalist’ was back then. I was obsessed with Judge Judy and originally wanted a career in law, but I developed a strong interest in television and news reporting. I have watched Rick and Sue all of my life (and I absolutely adore them), but I used to watch the beautiful Charmaine Dragun present Channel Ten News at Five on weeknights without fail. I remember the day Charmaine passed away vividly – it made me realise that I wanted to be just like her and present the news. Since then, I have had an increasingly strong interest in current affairs and I find myself checking news sites several times a day.

Question 2 is from Charlie:

“Us creative types can really have a hard time taking that ;first step; in putting ourselves out there. Advice?”

I think the key to this one is not having any expectations. You need to realise and appreciate that no one is expecting you to be fantastic your very first time… You need to look at your situation objectively and appreciate the art of education. Appreciate the feeling of improvement and enjoy letting your passion flourish step by step. In saying that though, it’s incredibly hard to get started. I say just go straight out cold turkey – write, draw, talk to yourself in the mirror or pretend to present a news bulletin in the shower. I’ve done it all and it seems to be working… so far!

Question 3 comes from Rachel:

“Who is your favourite actress and why?”

Oh that’s a tough one. On an international scale, hands down, I’m going to say Jennifer Aniston. I think Jen is just so lovely – she was fantastic on Friends and she plays her characters with such charm and wit. I am a HUGE fan of Australia’s Asher Keddie… She has a way with taking on a role that fascinates me. She is also incredibly humble and very private – something that I admire a lot. Nicole Kidman, Reese Witherspoon and Sarah Jessica-Parker also warrant a mention – I think they are all fabulous, strong women who have such a natural talent. Fingers crossed that one day I may even be lucky enough to interview some of them!

Question 4 is from Daniel:

“What is your opinion on the current Ebola crisis?”

I think with everything, education is the key. You can never be over-prepared, so I think that declaring a global health- emergency and investing time, effort and financial resources is vital at this point. There are so many intelligent medical professionals out there, that I’m sure, with the right resources and training can begin to develop a greater understanding and hopefully a potential cure. Government money-saving and flapping around the issue will not solve anything – the approach needs to be transparent, direct and effective.

Question 5 is from Audrey.

“How did you get to where you are in life?”

Like I mentioned in my previous blog post, I believe in hard work and perseverance. Everything that I have achieved has been through me putting myself out there. I have been blessed that through different experiences I have gone through, I have been crafted into a strong and confident person who isn’t afraid of being let down. Sure, no one likes to hear the word ‘no’, but being told ‘no’ and being let down is an important part of life that will come across at all different times. In terms of Tom’s Talk Time, it started out as a Uni assignment and I decided to continue it. I’ve always wanted to begin something to help me gain experience and create a profile, and this seemed like the best way to do it… So far it’s working and I’m having a lot of fun, so I couldn’t be happier.

Question 6 is from Andrew.

“I saw you met up with some of your followers in Sydney last week. Was that a surreal feeling?”

Thanks Andrew. To be honest, I was a little shocked. I’ve also had a few fan-pages made in my honour and I have received a lot of positive feedback which has been lovely. I don’t really understand why, but I am incredibly grateful. For me, loving the work and the interviews that I do is most important, but if I can make anyone happy  through the process then I’m going to take it. Meeting people that communicate with me online was fantastic, but it was really surreal/ Someone was waiting for me at my hotel in Sydney when I arrived though, and to be honest, that was a little scary. It was sweet, but I was quite taken-aback. If anything, it’s inspired me to keep doing what I’m doing and it’s allowed me to step back and smile… I can relax a little when I do my interviews now!

Question 7 is from Veronique

“Do you receive much hate for what you do? How do you deal with it?”

So far it’s been not too bad… People like to express their opinions on certain topics and a few people have told me that I should stop doing what I’m doing, but I’m definitely not going to let that stop me! For every nasty comment, I have received an abundance of positive comments and that’s all that counts. If people don’t like it, they don’t have to listen. You can never please everybody and that’s not something I am trying to do. Lots of young people write to me and ask me how to deal with bullying. Through my experience, I’ve found the best way is to have a creative outlet. For me, it was music and news stories. If you can allow yourself to transform all of that negative energy into something positive, good on you! If it involves giving back to the community in one way or another, then great!

Question 8 is from Jack.

“When was the last time you cried?”

I know I may look like a softy, but believe it or not, I don’t cry all that often. TV ALWAYS gets me though! I watched Susan and Karl’s 20th anniversary on Neighbours and had a little cry watching the flashbacks. I have such positive memories of Karl and Susan and it took me back to when I was a kid. I have such a ridiculous connection to the Kennedy family – I feel like I’ve one of them – and to think that they’ve been doing their thing for twenty years.. Well, that’s incredible.

Question 9 is from Lucy.

“Your musical, but I don’t know what you play?”

I play the flute and a little bit of piano… I love playing and don’t plan to ever stop!

Question 10 is from Sarah.

Who is your next interview?

I am lucky enough to be interviewing one of my favourite people in the world next week…  Susannah Carr from Channel 7. She is such a gracious lady and interviewing her is going to be such a treat. She has had so much experience in the industry and I’m fascinated to know the ins and outs of the changes she has encountered over her time as a journalist. You’ll have to stay tuned for when that interview goes up.

Alright folks, thanks for your questions. You know that I am always looking for suggestions and story ideas, so if you have anything you’d like to suggest, make sure you get in touch!

Until next time,

Tom.

http://www.facebook.com/TalkTimeWithTom

http://www.twitter.com/TomMarlow_

http://www.youtube.com/tomfluteboy

Planes, trains… and National TV with Ita Buttrose

Meeting with some Tom’s Talk Time fans!

Ita Buttrose and Jessica Rowe!

Backtrack to last Tuesday night and I am not going to lie… I was a little nervous. The idea of travelling alone made me feel a little uneasy. Don’t get me wrong, I was excited and I love being out of my comfort zone and I definitely enjoy a good challenge, but this was a little different… This was big. Huge. I had been selected to attend a media conference in Newcastle and I knew that I had to put my best game forward.

Getting on the plane by myself was a little strange…It felt bizarre knowing that I was going to be flying all the way across the country to have no one waiting at the other end. Bizarre to go to lots of different tourist attractions and to travel to beautiful oceans, heritage-listed buildings and iconic Opera Houses and have no one alongside me to say ‘… do you remember when…?’. However, when Tuesday came I grabbed a mirror, looked myself in the eye and told myself that as a future journalist, this is something I would have to get used to. I said it in a stern tone – you know the one that everyone uses when they’re pulling themselves together.

The flight over was great – I enjoyed watching ‘Robbie Williams live in LA’ and Series 4 of Friends.  God, I love Jennifer Aniston. I arrived in Sydney at the bright hour of 6:30am and headed straight to Channel 10. The driver assumed that I was a TV presenter from Perth and I let him believe it. Why not? It was fun… He said he’d never driven a journalist before and I didn’t want to squash his dream… or mine!

Arriving at Studio 10 was a real thrill and I enjoyed every moment. I was greeted by a lovely man by the name of Lenny, who was more than happy to provide me with a chicken sausage in a bun and a half-strength, slightly cold cup of tea in a paper cup. Sweet. In the holding room stood a gigantic image of some of my favourite people – Ita Buttrose, Sarah Harris, Joe Hilderbrand and Jessica Rowe. Their smiles jumped out at me and I slowly began to get butterflies at the prospect and sudden realisation that these people who I admire so dearly would soon be within my reach. 8:25am came and it was the five-minute call to take our places. “Mr. Marlow, you will be sitting behind Ita this morning” a voice called out. What!? ME? Behind ITA? I don’t mind if I do…!!

8.30am soon came and the hosts strutted through the door – the lights and monitors hummed and it was all things go for a full two and a half hours. Jessica Rowe came up to me during the first ad break and welcomed me to the show. She said she knew that I was coming and she was looking forward to hearing all about Perth and my studies. The next ad came and my world stopped a little. Ita turned around and came over for a chat. Gracefully, she held out her hand and told me that she was thrilled to meet me. My internal dialogue was going into over-drive (not dissimilar to that of Nina Proudman in Offspring)… It was Ita Buttros talking… to me!! I told her how much of an inspiration she was and how well she’s done in the industry. We had a good chat about the changing face of journalism and she gave me some wonderful advice. I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to discuss Asher Keddie’s portrayal of her in PaperGiants: The Birth of Cleo.. to which she said that she was thoroughly impressed… (as was I).  I’ve had a lot of conversations with a lot of fabulous people, but this is most certainly a conversation that has inspired me like no other, and one that I hold incredibly dear. A few segments later I enjoyed my first experience on live TV. Again, it was SUCH a thrill and it solidified the fact to me, that this industry is exactly where I want to be. The hosts were so fantastic and I had a lot of fun. You can watch the segment here: http://tenplay.com.au/channel-ten/studio-10/extra/season-2014/15-oct–what-s-in-the-box-audience-guess

After the show I continued my conversations with the hosts and producers, snapped a few photos and made my way to the  to the train station to head up to Newcastle. After two and a half hours and re-playing my conversation with Ita Buttrose a thousand times over in my mind, I arrived and settled in for the evening.

The next two days were fabulous. The DIG (Design, Interactive and Green-Tech) media conference and festival was filled with fantastic and innovative speakers and guests. I enjoyed two full days of networking and learning about small business, the media, mental health and different innovative techniques. The conversation and ideas were inspiring and I learnt a lot about communication and the importance of social networking. There were people from all backgrounds – media professionals, international graphic designers, radio broadcasters and students, as well as the general public who were interested in having a listen. Working together collaboratively and efficiently allowed the full two days to be effective… I had such a wonderful time and I hope to return again next time the conference runs.

I returned to Sydney early on Saturday morning to enjoy a jam-packed, fun-filled weekend. Sydney is so beautiful – I have been several times before, but I think that my love grows every time I come. Circular Quay and Darling Harbour are my favourite places – they hold themselves with such grace and dignity and they represent so much that Australia offers… and the atmosphere surrounding them is unbelievably eccentric.

During my stay I had the fabulous opportunity to meet and engage with some of my ‘Tom’s Talk Time’ fans. The conversations that I enjoyed and the compliments that I received have left my heart warm. I am stunned at the reception that I received and I am sitting here pinching myself, knowing just how lucky I am to be understood. The positive talk that you all gave me and the admiration for my interviewing technique leaves me with a huge smile and a sense of relief… I have so much fun doing what I do and I am glad that a few other people can enjoy it too. It was such a thrill to meet with those who communicate with me online and I can’t wait to do it again soon. I also had the opportunity to meet with my very dear friend Micayla. We enjoyed a beautiful night at the markets and dessert at a TO-DIE-FOR chocolate cafe on Saturday night. The one thing about my friendship with Micayla that I love, is the ability to pick up right where we left off. As everyone knows, maintaining a friendship from two opposite ends of a country can be difficult and tiresome at the best of times, but my friendship and the ability that we both have to understand each other is something that I am so grateful for – and something that I know will last a very long time.

One thing that I have received a lot of while I was away was messages asking ‘how I do it’. I’m not sure exactly what that means, but I am going to give my little piece of advice… To future journalists and to everyday people. I am such a believer in working hard to achieve your goals. If you want something, you need to WORK for it. You need to do everything you can to achieve your goals and everything you can to make your dream a reality. When the going gets tough, think of the reason that you held on for so long and continue doing your best. For journalism students, this means involving yourself in conversations and speaking to those that inspire you. Get amongst the industry and enjoy getting a feel of a life as a journalist. Nothing that I have ever done or nothing that I still do has come with ‘luck’, and I don’t want to ever be ‘lucky’. I want to know that I have set my mind to something and that I’ve achieved it and I want to enjoy the process of education and growing – both as a journalist and as a human being.

Once again, I am SO grateful to everyone for their beautiful messages and words of encouragement. I am so thrilled with how well Tom’s Talk Time is doing and I can’t wait to enjoy another experience similar to this soon. When I get home, I have a few interviews lined up that I am incredibly excited for, and then I am keen to hear YOUR suggestions… Where would you like to see Tom’s Talk Time head? Who would you like to see me interview? Until then, I’m going to love you and leave you. With thanks, Tom.

Lady Gaga show fit for… QUEEN!

Lady Gaga live at Perth Arena

Legendary songstress and fashion icon Lady Gaga certainly knows how to throw a party – and her ‘Little Monsters’ know how to appreciate one.

The New-York born star kicked off the Australian leg of her ArtRAVE: The ARTPOP Ball Tour at Perth Arena last night.

Emerging from underneath the mammoth stage dressed in a glittering golden leotard fit with wings, Lady Gaga opened the show with Artpop, the title track of her album as giant balloons and confetti flooded the arena.

Executing her authority, Gaga commanded her Little Monsters to stand for what she went on to describe as ‘her rave party’, because sitting down would be a waste of ‘hard-earned money’.

“You look beautiful tonight” she screamed to the audience before giving a nod to the Australian leg of her tour by launching into an “Aussie! Aussie! Aussie!” chant – something that the crowd continued to lap up.

Gaga then departed the stage for what would be one of many extravagant costume changes.

Returning wearing a seashell bikini top and a tiny pair of silver briefs, she spoke highly of the diversity within her crowd:

“I can see here tonight there are all kinds of people – there are gay people here, there are straight people here- but most importantly, the types of people in this room do not matter because we are all equal,” she chanted.

She then went on to belt out Manicure, before launching into a medley of three of her biggest hits – Just Dance, Poker Face and Telephone.

Time for another costume change – this time giant tentacles encompassed the singer as she performed a goose bump-encouraging performance of Do What U Want followed by a tender acoustic version of Dope, where Lady Gaga sat behind her piano and talked about providing support to those who suffer with “addictions or mental stresses”.

She then went on to dedicate the song to those who had lost their lives to AIDS, before pointing out rock band Queen and singer Adam Lambert who were in the audience.

As the band was given a standing ovation by the entire arena, Gaga paid tribute to Freddie Mercury, who she said she could feel with her too, before performing a pitch-perfect version of Born This Way.

Another costume change and this time we saw Gaga return to the stage in black patent leather for crowd favourites Judas and Aura before stopping the show to read a letter from one of her biggest fans who she then invited back-stage.

It was then on to yet another crowd favourite – Alejandro, before she swiftly moved upstage and ripped off her wig.

A pair of helpers then stripped her down, before dressing her in what was possibly the most outrageous outfit of the night – a neon fabric and clear plastic outfit fit together with a giant multi-coloured pig-tail wig and over-sized legwarmers, as she belted out one of her earlier hits, Bad Romance.

It was then time for the Little Monster to ‘put their paws up’ and applaud Gaga as she strutted around the stage with her show-stopping performances of Applause and Swine.

Returning for the highly anticipated encore, Lady Gaga returned to the stage dressed in an elegant white ensemble as she performed Gypsy whilst thanking fans for their ongoing support and love for art and music.

Lady Gaga will take her tour right across Australia, with performances in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane still to come.

 

Set List

Artpop

G.U.Y

Donatella

Venus

Manicure

Just Dance

Poker Face

Telephone

Partynauseous

Paparazzi

Do What You Want

Dope

Born This Way

Edge of Glory

Judas

Aura

Sexxx Dreams

Alejandro

Ratchet

Bad Romance

Applause

Swine

Gypsy

 

 

 

 

 

The Voice Top 8 – Live at Perth Arena!

 

The Voice Winner Anja Nissen

Fiercely fabulous Sabrina Bashton

The Voice runner-up Jackson Thomas

It was a show that would have contemporary performers shaking in their boots. Filled with the professionalism and stage-craft of those who have been in the business for many years, The Voice Top Eight knew how to get Perth Arena pumping.

The show was opened by Season One contestant Prinnie Stevens who showcased an impressive vocal range to Beyonce’s hit ‘Sweet Dreams/Beautiful Nightmare’ as well as two of her own songs – ‘Don’t Wake Me Up’ and ‘One Night’.

The show then continued with a group cover of ‘Happy’ by Pharell Williams, featuring Team Ricky’s Jackson Thomas and Sabrina Bashton, Team Kylie’s Kat Jade and Johnny Rollins, Team Joel’s Frank Lakoudis and Holly Tapp and Kristal West from Team Will’s duo ZK.

As they left the stage, a beautiful silhouette of The Voice Winner Anja Nissen appeared behind a curtain that soon dropped to reveal the musically-gifted band and a flawless Anja who at just 18 years of age had the audience in awe with her version of ‘When Love Takes Over’ made famous by David Guetta and Kelly Rowland.

Jackson Thomas was next to hit the stage with his impressive rendition of Matt Corby’s ‘Resolution’, before Kristal West (one half of ZK) was joined by winner Anja Nissen to stand in for Zaachariah Fielding who was notably absent and ‘there in spirit’, for a beautiful rendition of Cindy Lauper’s classic ‘Time After Time’ fit with harmonies that left not a dry eye in the arena.

Lakoudis quickly transformed the vibe and hit the stage to a timeless KISS classing ‘I Was Made For Loving You’ in which he resembled a hugely successful rock-band front man as he strutted and jumped across the stage whilst working the crowd. Genuinely enthused and incredibly impressed by being on a national tour, we saw Lakoudis take a few cheeky photos throughout the evening which proved to be a reminder as to how grateful these new musicians were of their new-found fame.

Pocket-rocket powerhouse Sabrina Bashton was a lady not to be messed with as she strutted fiercely through the audience whilst belting out Whitney Houstan’s hit ‘Queen of the Night’ . She also returned to the stage to perform a pitch-perfect rendition of Sia’s ‘Chandelier’.

Kat Jade (along with her signature cat ears) proved to be a crowd favourite, with her performances of Katy Perry’s ‘Dark Horse’ and CATS musical number ‘Memory’ lighting up the crowd.

Country girl Holly Tapp managed to shake things up a little with her version of Cher’s ‘Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down) and a musically jazzed-up version of Beyonce’s smash hit ‘Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It).

The next performance was possibly my favourite of the night. Jackson Thomas returned to the stage with his version of Seal’s ‘Kiss From A Rose’. This was the performance I had been anticipating the most and I was undoubtedly blown away. Every single time Jackson performs this song I am riddled with goosebumps and the hairs on the back of my neck immediately prick up. The song looks like it was made for Jackson – his impeccable stage presence and natural charm along with unbelievably impressive vocals go hand-in-hand and he delivers a beautifully powerful performance – something he managed to do last night.

I was also blown away with Jonny Rollins’ ‘When a Man Loves A Woman’ and Anja’s flawless renditions of The Jackson Five’s ‘I’ll Be There’ and Whitney Houston’s ‘I Have Nothing’.

Pre-recorded voice-overs from Will.I.Am, Kylie Minogue, Ricky Martin and Joel Madden played as their respective top two from each team delivered flawless duets as well as all of the top eight coming together for performances of Imagine Dragons’ ‘I’m On Top of the World’, Russel Moriss’ ‘The Real Thing’ and an encore of the incredibly fitting John Farnham smash hit ‘You’re The Voice’.

What struck me most last night was the respect that the stars had for their audience. It was beautiful to see them living their passion and taking the first steps of their musical careers right in front of our eyes. Their perfected vocals, beautiful costumes and unbelievably professional stage presence were beyond incredible and I couldn’t hold this show in a higher esteem.

You can catch The Voice On Tour around the country – their next stops are listed below:

Adelaide Entertainment Centre, Wednesday 30th July
Hisense Arena, Melbourne Friday 1st August
Qantas Credit Union Arena, Sydney  Saturday 2nd August
Brisbane Entertainment Centre Sunday 3rd August