-
Overnight Briefing & General Reality Check - Sep 28, 2015
September 28, 2015
Have an opinion? Add your comment below. -
Auto World /Gas Guzzlin' Update:
Fiat says POPE FRANCIS' ride, a Fiat 500L compact car, has raised awareness and had dealers "inundated with calls" about the model.
Bloomberg Business says the Fiat model "has had lackluster sales in the US, dropping 19 percent from last year, but reports searches for Fiat and the 500L on Kelley Blue Book's website have risen 50 percent in recent days.
By the way: Pope Francis has a record of choosing more modest transportation to get around; in Rome, he uses a Ford Focus to get around, and when he was a cardinal in Argentina, he usually rode the subway.Grace notes:
The whole reason The Pope came to the United States was for the Vatican-sponsored World Meeting Of Families in Philadelphia. The New York and Washington, DC, visits were added on later. The big event was Saturday night's Festival of Families in Philly which featured performances from MARIE MILLER, THE FRAY, JUANES, ANDREA BOCELLI and ARETHA FRANKLIN. Actor MARK WAHLBERG hosted the show. Bocelli sang "The Lord's Prayer," backed up by the Philadelphia Orchestra, and Aretha did "Amazing Grace." She came back out for an encore of "Nessun Dorma" from PUCCINI's opera, "Turandot," but the Pope had already left. (Marino)
MADONNA had a show in Philly before The Pope got to town. Billboard.com says she told the crowd Thursday night (quote), "The pope is stalking me. Either he's a copycat or he's secretly in love with me." His Holiness, and the church got a few mentions during the concert. Madonna said (quote), "I've been excommunicated from the Catholic Church three times. It shows the Vatican really cares." She also said (quote), "Since Popey-wopey is on his way over here, I want to dedicate this song to him." She then went into EDITH PIAF's "La Vie en Rose." (Marino)
Designer Update:
STELLA McCARTNEY has designed a special bra for breast cancer patients, in honor of her mother. The designer is the daughter of SIR PAUL McCARTNEY and the late LINDA LOUISE McCARTNEY, who died of breast cancer in 1998. The post-double mastectomy compression bra is called the "Louise Listening." The rose-colored bra was designed to "bring something feminine and beautiful" into the garments worn by women who have recently undergone surgery.
In addition, Stella is involved in the design of anther line of lingerie designed for breast cancer survivors and everyone who supports them. The pink Alina Playing lingerie line is being is being modeled by CARA DELEVINGNE will be sold exclusively on Stella McCartney's website. A percentage of the proceeds will be donated to the Linda McCartney Centre in the U.K., the National Breast Cancer Foundation and the National Breast Cancer Foundation in Australia. (Bartha)Casting Call:
Look for SIGOURNEY WEAVER to join the "Ghostbusters" reboot.
The word came straight from director PAUL FEIG in a Tweet Friday, so it's a done deal, and she'll be re-joining original stars ERNIE HUDSON, BILL MURRAY and DAN AYKROYD --although it's not confirmed whether she'll be playing the role of Dana Barrett in the film again.
KRISTEN WIIG, MELISSA McCARTHY, LESLIE JONES, KATE McKINNON and CHRIS HEMSWORTH star in the new movie about a bunch of female ghostbusters, which is set to hit theaters next July. -
-