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STARBUZZ: Drama at PTV HQ
The Managing Director of PTV, Yousuf Baig Mirza, has been removed from his post in a dramatic way by the authorities recently. He came to Pakistan from England as a special representative for the Indian TV channel Zee TV, in 1996. Former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif appointed him as MD PTV in December 1997. Hence he became the youngest ever MD of the organization. After October 1999, it was thought that the new military regime would remove him from his post, but for unknown (and some known) reasons, he survived the change of government. After the recent elections, many again were anticipating a change in PTV’s hierarchy, but the Jamali government renewed YBM’s contract for an indefinite period.
But after a couple of months he has been removed without any reason, although the mole says there is a major one. Many people have criticized his policies. He introduced the policy of selling airtime to the private sector, which brought in money but affected the in-house productions. Akhtar Viqar Azeem has been appointed the new MD. He is an experienced producer and people are expecting top quality programming from him, which they have not seen for some time. — M.J.
Trouble in Hollywood
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War is hell on Hollywood. Fear of a conflict with Iraq has clipped the wings of some of the highest-flying stars. Filming of the Trojan War epic Troy, starring Brad Pitt, was to have started in Morocco in April, but security concerns might scuttle plans to shoot in the North African nation. In Europe, the annual World Music Awards in Monaco have been rescheduled over fears of war.“It wasn’t just the artists who started having problems coming over, it was also my production team,” said an organizer. Even Kelly Osbourne cancelled a trip to a British music awards show earlier this month.
“Kelly couldn’t bring herself to get on that plane in L.A.,” a source said. “She thinks the risks are just too big at the moment.” Of course, her importance to Al Qaeda is incalculable.—Rush and Molloy
Crossing the barriers
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Bapsi Sidhwa, the delightful Parsi writer who is a Pakistani expatriate settled in America has penned her first play called Sock ‘em with honey, based on her novel American brat. Of the four novels which have been translated in other languages Cracking India, also known as the Ice-candy man, was made into a film named Earth which has won an award.The play, which is a presentation of the Kali theatre group is a bittersweet comedy about love, loyalties and the need to belong. It is a story about a Zoroastrian girl who has fallen in love with a Jewish boy while she is studying abroad and plans to marry him. Her mother descends on her from Karachi in the hopes of dissuading her daughter from committing such an act. Famous Indian actress Kitu Gidwani who has also acted in Earth plays Feroza’s mother. The play will be shown at the Leicester Haymarket Studio in England (20th — 29th March) before its London run in mid-April. — K.H.
Tiger’s tips subpar
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Tiger Woods is possibly the only sports star who is a worse tipper than Michael Jordan. Waitresses in Las Vegas stand ready to testify that Tiger is a tightwad.“He ordered a cocktail and he gave me a dollar,” said a Las Vegas waitress. “(He) wasn’t very friendly. Very snobby.”
This isn’t the first allegation of frugality against the golf pro, who won $810,000 at the Buick Invitational. The Las Vegas Review Journal reported last year that Woods was gambling $10,000 a hand at the MGM Grand when he dropped a $5 bill on a server’s tray. When Woods’ girlfriend model Elin Nordegren pointed out that he had already tipped her, the mag alleges, he rescinded the gratuity. Woods rep didn’t return a call. But perhaps he could learn something from Drew Carey. The same waitress told Stuff magazine that the comic forked over $450 on a $130 tab. Other celebs known for their largess include Al Pacino, Robert De Niro and US President Bush, who usually tip 50 per cent of the bill. At the Sundance film festival, Dustin Hoffman gave a cab driver a $50 tip on a $9 fare.—Rush and Molloy
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