Work of art or a pervert's paradise? Risqué 26ft statue of Marilyn Monroe is unveiled in the Windy City

By Amy Oliver


That pose, that dress, the blonde hair, the luscious lips ...

A 26-foot tall statue of Marilyn Monroe towering above tourists in the middle of Chicago was unveiled on Friday to much applause.

Bemused shoppers stopped and stared, a boy tried to crawl up her leg and the men from a wedding party could not resist taking a few photos from all angles.

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High and mighty: The curious gather around Seward Johnson's 26ft sculpture of Marilyn Monroe in Chicago


Desperate to keep her identity a secret until Friday, workers who put the statue in place on Thursday had to put a rather unsightly cloth bag over the poor girl's head, albeit it one in red, white and blue.

The statue, by artist Seward Johnson, replicates the actress's famous subway scene in 1955 film The Seven Year Itch and was unveiled on Chicago's Pioneer Court.

In the scene Monroe stands over a subway grate as a breeze from a train passing below blows her skirt over her panties.

It was shot in New York but as the Windy City, Chicago seems like the second best location for such an art work.

Cameras at the ready: While their wives and girlfriends were not there, the men from a wedding party took scores of photos from all different angles

Now THAT'S a Kodak moment! Or at least an iPhone moment

Simply irresistible: A cheeky boy tries to scale her leg while some really enjoy the rear views


It will be on show through the Spring of 2012.

The stainless steel and aluminium sculpture, which weighs a whopping 34,000lbs, has raised more than a few eyebrows.

Not least because visitors to the plaza are at once confronted with Monroe's pert bottom in gleaming white panties and her perfect pins bedecked in white, open-toe kitten heels.

Covered up: A worker puts the finishing touches to the statue on Thursday

What did you do at work today darling? One man touches up the statue's under carriage with paint

Breathtaking views: A worker is seen spraying the statue's panties before the great unveiling on Friday

You missed a bit: Well, Monroe always did have men at her feet


Men have been spotted gawping while their wives get cross and attempt to shield their eyes and lots of people have stopped to take a quick snap of the giantess before she goes public tomorrow.

Not all are happy of course. Abraham Ritchie wrote on Art Chicago Blog the statue was a 'creepy schlock from a fifth-rate sculptor that blights a first-rate public art collection.'

But the Zeller Realty Group, which owns the plaza and now its statue, wants Marilyn to make people think.

...And the real thing: Monroe cools off via the subway in front of Tom Ewell in The Seven Year Itch


'(Paul Zeller) likes to bring in things that cause a conversation,' said a spokesman from the company. 'They might be controversial, but he likes art that makes people think.'

And if that fails at least her skirt will be a good place to shelter from the rain.

Watch the statue midway through construction






source:dailymail

Royal crumpet! Artist creates collage of Pippa Middleton using 15,000 breakfast snacks

By DAILY MAIL REPORTER

Tasty: Pippa Middleton's bottom and face made from a staggering 15,000 crumpets


It took 15,000 crumpets and 24-hours of work from more than a dozen tireless workers.

But this ingenious tribute to arguably Britain's most famous face and bottom using one of the UK's favourite breakfasts is complete.

Cheeky artist Laura Hadland has proved Royal bridesmaid Pippa Middleton really is a tasty bit of crumpet, using more than 100 jars of spreads, including butter, jam and Marmite to create the shading on the 13 metre by 20 metre giant mosaics.


Working up an appetite: A team of 15 helpers spent over 24 hours designing creating the collages of Pippa's face and bottom


The crumpets themselves weighed more than a ton.

Laura, 28, recreated the iconic wedding day picture after Pippa topped a Beefeater Grill poll to find the female celebrity Britons would most like to 'wake up to breakfast with'.

She secured 21 per cent of the vote in the survey of 2,000 people.


Famous: Workers put the finishing touches to the collage, based in part on the iconic image of Pippa entering Westminster Abbey behind her sister (right)


David Murdin, from Beefeater Grill, said: 'It's no surprise that someone as striking as Pippa has ranked as the country's top bit of crumpet.

'Sadly we may not be able to guarantee Pippa as part of our breakfast offering to guests but feel confident they'll enjoy our very own tasty crumpets and spreads, none-the-less.'

Fearne Cotton came second in the poll ,with 17 per cent of the vote, and Cheryl Cole came third, with 15 per cent.

The least favoured breakfast guests were reality TV star Katie Price and newlywed Kate Moss, both 3 per cent, and Caggie Dunlop, of Made In Chelsea fame, with two per cent.


Pretty: Pippa rides in the carriage from Westminster Abbey towards Buckingham Palace with bridesmaid Margarita Armstrong-Jones on her sister's wedding day


source: dailymail

Princess Charlene of Monaco 'spent honeymoon sleeping 10 MILES away from husband Albert' in different hotel

By Peter Allen


All smiles: Princess Charlene and Prince Albert II of Monaco step out at the Oyster Box Hotel, where they were due to stay, but it has now been claimed the couple slept ten miles apart during their honeymoon


Further embarrassment has been heaped on Prince Albert of Monaco after claims his new wife spent their honeymoon sleeping 10 miles away in a separate hotel.

It follows the news that Albert, 53, and his 33-year-old bride of one week returned home early from their South Africa holiday so he can undertake DNA tests as part of a possible multi-million-pound paternity claim.

In turn, reports of the tests prompted Charlene, a former Olympic swimmer, to try and 'escape' the Mediterranean enclave three times before their glittering marriage.


Now City Press, the third biggest selling newspaper in South Africa, has stirred up the scandal by providing astonishing revelations about their first trip as man and wife.

'It was supposed to be their fairytale honeymoon in Africa, but Princess Charlene slept alone in a bedroom 16km from her prince,' wrote journalist Gavin Prins.

The couple were expected to be staying in a £4,000-a-night suite at the luxurious Oyster Box Hotel in Umhlanga Rocks, near Durban.

Billionaire Albert was said to have booked the President's Suite, set on two floors with an ornate-leafed bed, its own swimming pool and a freestanding marble bath overlooking the Indian Ocean.

Awkward? Princess Charlene and Prince Albert II of Monaco put on a show by kissing each other during their honeymoon in South Africa


But Mr Prins reported that Charlene in fact stayed all alone in a cheaper suite, while Albert went off to sleep 10 miles away.

He wrote: 'It has been confirmed by hotel spokesperson Joanne Hayes that Princess Charlene stayed in the Buthelezi suite… Prince Albert stayed at the Hilton Hotel in Durban.'

The report even suggested that when the couple 'met President Jacob Zuma they arrived in the same car but left in two separate vehicles'.

Miles apart: Princess Charlene stayed at the Oyster Box Hotel, while Prince Albert was at the Hilton Hotel in Durban

Plush: Princess Charlene is said to have stayed at The Oyster Box Hotel, where the couple were supposed to have their honeymoon, alone

Urban: Prince Albert is said to have moved to the Hilton Hotel, in Durban, which is 10 miles away from where his wife slept


Mr Prins added: 'When photographers urged the royal couple to kiss, it was another of those awkward moments - Charlene turned her head away and Prince Albert ended up giving her a peck on the cheek.

'Pictures of Charlene taken this week showed an unhappy woman who rarely smiled. The only time she showed real delight was when Archbishop Desmond Tutu hugged her.

'Charlene and Albert cut short their South African stay on Friday, citing urgent business in Monaco as their reason.'

Results of the DNA tests were not released during the couple's South Africa honeymoon because Charlene could have refused to return to Monaco if they pointed towards Albert having been unfaithful.

Comforting: Princess Charlene shared a moment with South African Archbishop Desmond Tutu during a visit in Cape Town during her honeymoon

Meet and greet: Princess Charlene also met children during several organised trips during her honeymoon in South Africa


Albert has a six-year-old son named Alexandre through Togolese former air hostess Nicole Coste, and a 19-year-old daughter, Jazmin, with Tamara Rotolo, an American estate agent.

Now at least one other woman is expected to claim she too has an illegitimate son with Albert - and, like Ms Coste and Ms Rotolo, she wants millions to help her bring the child up.

A constitutional expert last week suggested to French magazine VSD that Princess Charlene had a 'pact' to produce a legitimate heir with her new husband before the couple can go their separate ways.

'It's the main reason for this peculiar marriage,' said a professor teaching at the lycee Albert 1 in Monaco, adding: 'Once the succession of the dynasty is assured, each of them can be free again. Divorce is a tradition in the Grimaldi family.'

Both of Albert's sisters, Princesses Caroline and Stephanie, have a number of high-profile divorces behind them, while Albert himself has been through numerous failed relationships before finally tying the knot for the first time in his 50s.

Despite confirmation that the DNA tests will take place, and that they had a pre-wedding crisis, Charlene told the latest edition of American Vogue magazine: 'It is a shame that those rumours came at such a bad time, but I think they were timed to sabotage such a happy occasion.

'They are categorical lies. I won't dignify them with any response other than to say that the photographs of me and Albert in love and getting married will speak louder than any vicious gossip and empty rumours.'

The Big Day: The official wedding photograph of Prince Albert II of Monaco and Princess Charlene


source:dailymail

Royal snail: Kate races ahead with her painting at Inner-City Arts campus whilst William is slow off the mark

By REBECCA ENGLISH


Full steam ahead: Kate cracks on with her drawing at the Inner-City Arts centre, whilst William is slow off the mark, and looks as if he is asking for some advice on how to start his campus creation

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge left their mark on Los Angeles yesterday as they made imprints of their hands in clay.

The couple were visiting Inner-City Arts, a not-for-profit organization founded in 1989, which helps underprivileged children in the city’s Skid Row neighbourhood, to develop through the arts.

Just like the stars who leave their marks outside Grauman’s Chinese Theatre in Hollywood, Kate and William gamely put their hands in blocks of clay and then signed them instead of writing in a visitor’s book.



Greeted with a smile: Prince William greets students as he arrives at Inner-City Arts during the royal tour of California in Los Angeles



Up close: Kate takes an interest in the design of the bird as she is welcomed to the arts academy


The tiles will be glazed by students, fired in their kilns and then installed in one of the campus walls.

Kate kept her priceless diamond and sapphire engagement ring on throughout the exercise.

Her first effort barely left an imprint prompting her husband to tease her: ‘Come on, come on. Do it properly’ before showing her his. ‘Now that’s an imprint.’

As they made their second mark, William looked over to his wife and rolled his eyes. ‘Come on do it again a little harder,’ he joked.



All smiles: Kate took time out to have a chat to one of the academy's welcome brigade


For their last effort the couple did a joint imprint, putting their hands over each other to push down. As they did so the pair started play fighting, trying to push each other out of the way.

Afterwards they washed their hands in the sink and Kate patted away at the prince’s trousers, desperately trying to get some of the clay off his Saville Row suit.

‘Oh well, it’s my own fault. I should have put an apron on like you,’ he remarked to Kate , who had sensibly put a black apron on over her navy and white crochet top and white pleated skirt by High Street store Whistles.



All ears: William leans in to find out a bit more about the work the children do in the school


Earlier the couple had sat down with students from a ceramics class and helped them to make a giant tortoise out of clay.

‘Brilliant,’ said William, who was being helped by Jeysey Aguilar, eight, ‘really impressive.’

Kate chatted easily with another group of youngsters who were working on the tortoise’s shell.

‘Do you play computer games?’ she asked one child, who replied that they did. ‘You should talk to William, he plays them all the time.’



Happy times: Any hint of nerves Kate may have displayed on the way into the Inner-City Arts school were soon left behind as she really got into the swing of things, including making handprints in clay complete with wedding ring intact


The area the couple visited is one of the most deprived in the city and is known as the homeless capital of the world.

In a 50 square mile block there are more than 4,000 homeless people of which at least 1,000 sleep rough on the streets each night.

Some 30,000 ‘at risk’ children live within a 2.5 mile radius of Inner City Arts, 90 per cent of which live below the poverty line.

As the couple drove through the streets they saw men and women pulling shopping trolleys containing their scant belonging and tents erected on the sidewalk.



Model student: William was tasked to build a part of a giant tortoise, with students Bianca Rodriguez (centre) and Elliana Rojas during his visit



Keep on smiling: Kate showed the same level of enthusiasm for the ceramics class as she has for the whole of the royal visit



Inner-City Arts delivers instruction in dance, drama, music, ceramics, visual and media arts to more than 10,000 children and young people every year.

Its interests complement those of British homeless charity Centrepoint, of which the prince is patron.

The charity’s CEO, Seyi Obakin, has spent several days in Los Angeles exploring future collaboration with the organisation.

Additionally, Inner-City Arts will be participating in the British Council and Royal Shakespeare Company’s International Shakespeare Challenge, which will engage teachers and students in studying and performing Shakespeare.

The objectives of the visit were to learn about the extent of homelessness and associated issues that affect children, their families and communities in one of the most deprived areas of Los Angeles.



Back to school: Kate talks with a child during a tour of the downtown LA academy as she gets to know a bit more about the school



Making a mark: William gets down to business as he starts to paint, with Kate shielding her work behind


Ahead of the visit, a colourful collection of characters had gathered outside the Inner-City Arts centre in downtown Los Angeles an hour before the royals arrived eager for a glimpse of the dazzling couple on Skid Row.

One of the poorest areas of LA, drug addicts and homeless people are a more common sight than royalty on Skid Row so the visit has caused a buzz of excitement for locals.

In a sharp contrast to the glitz and glamour of the polo match and the BAFTA black tie dinner, the crowd gathered outside a 99 Cent store market in a neighbourhood full of warehouses, Mexican food processing buildings, drug treatment centres and homeless shelters.



Patient: Bystanders await the arrival of Britain's Prince William and his wife Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, to the Skid Row area of Los Angeles



Loyal fans: The scene in downtown LA is worlds apart from the glitz and glam the royals experienced at the BAFTAs show and after-party


The 25 degree heat and harsh surroundings didn’t dampened the crowd’s enthusiasm as they chanted 'Will and Kate' loudly.

The centre boasts a unique approach to arts education for students of all ages, many living in Los Angeles’ poorest neighbourhoods. Since it was founded in 1989, more than 150,000 children have had the chance to take part in visual arts, music, dance, drama, ceramics, digital photography and animation.



Expectant: Students at the Inner-City Arts Academy take a break in their preparations to welcome William and Kate



Excited: The art students had a busy few weeks in the lead-up as they get set to show off their handiwork



Open arms: The Mark Taper Center in LA is privileged enough to be getting a royal visit



Handiwork: The royal couple will be welcomed by handprints of the students at the Inner-City Arts centre


Earlier in the day, the couple attended a private brunch at LA studio executive and multi millionaire owner of the New York Giants football team Steve Tish's mansion in the Hollywood Hills.

The exclusive meet and greet was arranged by the producer of Forest Gump for just 20 high rolling supporters of The Tusk Trust, the African wildlife charity of which William is patron.

A St James Palace spokesman denied reports that the guests had paid $100,000 each to attended.



Welcome: Chief Executive of Tusk's Trust Charlie Mayhew talks as the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge attend a reception to mark the Launch of Tusk Trust's US Patron's Circle


'It was an informal brunch to give the Duke a chance to say thankyou to key supporters of the charity,' they said.

Afterwards the couple took part in an impromptu walkabout among Mr Tish's wealthy neighbours.

At the brunch were actresses Reese Witherspoon and Jennifer Garner, the CEO of Disney and supermodel Linda Evangelista.

'It was an honor to open my home to TUSK for the launch of their US Patrons Circle," said OSCAR winning Film Producer and Philanthropist Steve Tisch.



Actress Catherine Keener speaks with Kate during the reception



Listen up: Reese Witherspoon was just one of the stars in attendance as William and Kate attended the launch of TUSK's US patron's circle


Royal Artists


source :dailymail

So long: Prince William and Kate given a star-spangled send off as they fly home with hundreds of fellow Brits on commercial BA flight

-The couple wrap up their action-packed trip to North America with a visit to two charity projects
-At final engagement William thanks 'City of Angels' for welcoming couple so warmly


By Rebecca English and Richard Hartley-parkinson


Final smiles: The Duke and Duchess look back before boarding their flight after what has been a hugely successful first official foreign tour


After their glamorous trip to California, feted by A-list celebrities, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge joined the hoi polloi on an ordinary commercial flight home to the UK .

They were greeted by British Airways staff on a sun-drenched runway at Los Angeles airport - a marked contrast to their blustery arrival at Ottawa airport last week.

Arriving at LAX in a Range Rover, they said their goodbyes after their hugely successful tour of Canada and California, their first official royal trip.

The tour has, apart from a couple of minor demonstrations, been heralded a huge success not just for William and Kate but for the British Royal Family.

Prince William puts a reassuring hand on his wife's back to usher her into the British Airways plane back to the UK after their trip to Canada and America

William and Kate arrived at a sunny LAX in a Range Rover before saying a few final goodbyes to well wishers on the tarmac ahead of their flight back to the UK

Some of the BA staff who will look after the royal couple on board line up to greet them. Kate and Williams sunny departure was in stark contrast to their blustery arrival in Ottawa

The Duke and Duchess climb the staircase to their BA flight, led by two BA cabin crew, before turning to have one last look at California before their flight home

The couple were escorted to Los Angeles airport by a police motorcade with several motorbikes closing roads and police cars ensuring safe passage


William and Kate snubbed a private jet in favour of travelling on the commercial flight with their entourage and security, taking first class seats on the jumbo.

They had travelled through an area with one of the biggest populations of homeless people in the U.S. on their way to LAX.

Their last engagement was at a jobs fair at Sony Studios on behalf of Service Nation: Mission Serve - a programme honouring members of the armed services, at which William thanked Los Angeles for welcoming him and his new wife.

He said: 'As this is my last opportunity before we leave this afternoon, I would just say, on behalf of us both, how grateful we are to have been welcomed so warmly in the Golden State and the City of Angels. Thank you so much.'

They have enjoyed an action-packed tour that has seen them take part in casual events, where their ease as a couple and love for one another was on frequent display, to the more formal, allowing William to show his statesman qualities.

That's my boy! Prince William gives a speech at the job fair, and it seems to go down well with his wife Kate who applauds

Impressed: William warms up for his speech at the Service Nation: Mission Serve event which helps get ex-servicemen into employment; he spoke of how he and Kate both had friends in the UK who could benefit from such a scheme

All smiles: The final leg of the royal visit saw William and Kate attend a job fair designed to get ex-servicemen back into work


Among the highlights in Canada were a dragon boat race and a game of street hockey while the Duke was able to show off his piloting skills, landing a Sea King helicopter on water for the first time.

At their final event in the U.S., for Service Nation: Mission Serve, the royal couple arrived in a motorcade with an escort of 17 officers from the Californian Highway Patrol - affectionately known as Chips - who had British flags fixed to the back of their large bikes.

Service Nation: Mission Serve is an umbrella organisation set up by the U.S.
government which brings together different service charities to support the re-integration of servicemen and women into civilian life.

Proud moment: William, who is a service officer, spoke highly of the workshop and hopes it can inspire veterans in their careers

Helping hand: William and his wife Kate help prepare care packages for military children


William and Kate were greeted by Sir Howard Stringer, chairman and chief executive of Sony Corporation, and then led inside a building for a 25 minute-long private meeting with the senior staff from the programme.

In Sound Stage 15, a huge 42,000 square foot open-plan building, dozens of business recruitment stands for the former U.S. servicemen and women were set up.

Sets from iconic movies were built in the huge area, ranging from the yellow brick road from the Wizard of Oz to elements of the latest Spiderman movie. Sir Paul McCartney has used it as a rehearsal space.

The royal couple were cheered by the ex-servicemen and women and their partners who were attending the fair when they arrived, and the couple did a short walkabout.

Worthy cause: William boxes USO care packages in a scheme he hopes can be adopted, and acted upon, in Britain while Kate looks on, her usual radiant self

Packed out: William made the audience laugh when he joked that his brother, Harry, was a 'low-flying Apache very average brother'


On stage, with an enormous 60ft American flag in the background, the Duke said: 'This is the last event on our tour of North America, but to my mind, it is one of the most important.

'This is because it is about men and women who - of their own free will - choose to put their life on the line for their country.'

He added: "Service Nation: Mission Serve, and all the companies and employers taking part today, are providing opportunities which mean something very immediate and personal to us.

'Catherine and I both have friends back in Britain who could benefit from a brilliant initiative like this.'

William made the audience laugh by taking a swipe at his brother Prince Harry: 'I am delighted, therefore, that our Foundation – and in that I include my low-flying Apache very average brother – is a partner in today’s event.'

Before heading to the airport they stopped at the charity, the Tusk Trust, where they met author Kristin Gore, actress Reece Witherspoon and heiress Jessica de Rothschild

William gets a good reaction from one of his jokes as he and Kate meet Charlie Mayhew, chief executive of the Tusk Trust, and director Meredith Ogilvie-Thompson

Kate chats to donors to the Tusk Trust, Ernie and Diane Burgess. Prince William is the royal patron for the charity which used their visit to launch the Trust's U.S. Patron Circle


William went on to tell the audience 'how grateful we are to have been welcomed so warmly in the Golden State and the City of Angels. Thank you so much'.

The couple then filled boxes given to youngsters whose parents have been deployed to Afghanistan.

William and Kate were first shown a teddy bear called Cuzzie who was dressed in a scarf, goggles, jacket that was one of the main items.

The royal couple stood next to each other and filled the package with a journal for the children to jot down their feelings,

dogtags, so they can be just like mum or dad, a DVD that takes them through the issues around deployment, and postcards to send to the frontline.

When William picked up the popular American toy - Uno playing card - he said: 'I haven't seen these in ages, I used to play this a lot,' then put it in the box.
The couple then left for their BA flight back to the UK.

The Duke and Duchess took part in an impromptu walkabout outside their residence in LA to the delight of fans who posed for pictures with Kate

Kate speaks to the parent of a girl who appears a little bashful at meeting the Duchess

The crowds weren't as big in the U.S. as they were in Canada, but there were sufficient people to make the couple feel welcome

Full steam ahead: Kate cracks on with a drawing at the Inner-City Arts centre, but William was a little slower off the mark, looking as though he was asking for advice

Coming along nicely: Kate overseas the tortoise operation whilst in the background William seems mesmerised by the shell

Glamour: The couple looked spectacular as they joined Hollywood royalty for a red carpet event while, left, Kate and Nicole Kidman dazzle in their floor-length gowns

Nicole Kidman appears starstruck, smiling as she listens intently to Prince William... but then she breaks into a laugh as the prince pulls a face

Big moment: Kate talks to Tom Hanks and his wife Rita, left, while Jennifer Lopez puts a hand on William and listens intently while the Duchess laughs in the background



Letzter USA-Tag für William und Kate





source:dailymail