Take Two Tops

Two items in The Sun caught my eye for different reasons.

1. Back in May with photo header of Gem's work of Art, the QOS actress Gemma Arterton was taking "a break from filming Greek epic Clash Of The Titans. The ex-Bond girl, 23, [ top right ], looked heavenly as she stripped down to a skimpy [black] bikini. She was lounging by a hotel pool in the Canary Islands" ( 20/05 ).









2. Move on to this month and a fun Page 3 item headed Hello Boys followed by a mock-up photo of footballer David Beckham and sub-header of BRA FOR BLOKES IS STRESS-BUSTER. The other victim to get the men's bra treatment is Bond star Daniel Craig [ bottom right ]. It seems "stressed workers are snapping up the latest anxiety-busting accessory - a bra for MEN. The £20 garment, made of soothing silk material, is claimed to make wearers feel 'calm and revived'." Before you rush out to buy a Bra-O, it comes in only "only size, a tiny A cup". Alas I won't be joining the queue as "most of the customers are 'salary men', office workers in their 30s and 40s", well that definitely rules me out !
   Do you think black is Dan's colour ? Suggest he checks with Q about this latest accessory, perhaps it comes with some hidden gadgets ( 11/07 ).

Wanna buy an Aston but ?

A Sun exclusive revealed that "Superspy James Bond's favourite carmaker Aston Martin is launching an eco-friendly SUPERMINI - costing £140,000 less than 007's DBS motor." Under heading of BOND CAR WON'T COST MUCH MONEYPENNIES tells of "the tiny Cygnet - Aston's first small car - will do 65 miles to the gallon, making it ideal for Bond sidekick Miss Moneypenny to drive to the office." It goes on to explain that "to buy one you must also fork out for a traditional Aston supercar, such as the £160,000 DBS, or already own one" ( 29/06 ).

A few days later the same writer, the paper's motoring editor Ken Gibson visits Aston's HQ to discuss with boss Dr Ulrich Bez who "believes the Cygnet could pioneer a new era of luxury small cars, changing the way people think about little motors." Under heading of The Cygnet...ideal for swanning around town with underline of MEET THE COOL BABY ASTON MARTIN shows two smaller photos, one of Gibson & Bez inspecting the new front and right photo of the standard Toyota IQ which Aston will transform into the Cygnet. The page item ends "Aston believe they could sell around 4,000 Cygnets annually across the world, kicking off next year." Alas don't think that I'll be of one of them ! Also don't think we'll see Dan driving one around, having been to Italy for CR/QOS, Bond's doing an Italian Job chase is out, me thinks ( 03/07 ).

James Bond News: Miscellaneous

1. Noticed the following Bond related items in The Sun ...


1. Missed from June a small entertainment item which tells of "Britain's most successful female solo artist, flogging 135million records over 50 years - and now Dame Shirley Bassey is back." Interestingly "she is working on her first new material in ten years with [composer] David Arnold, the man behind the last five Bond soundtracks." The album comes "out in the autumn", standby for those big orchestral sounds ( 30/06 ).
2. Blink and you miss a bottom paragraph headed PREMIUM BOND ( not very original ! ) which claims "a Lotus Esprit from 1981 Bond film FYEO is set to fetch £120,000 at auction in Blenheim, Oxfordshire." A case of lots of cash for someone ( 09/07 ).
3. A Sun SPOT paragraph claims Bond actress "Dame Judi Dench, 74, is today named Britain's top female role model - followed by actresses Joanna OHMSS Lumley and Julie Walters, and author JK Rowling." A case of Mind the queue Jo ( 13/07 ).
4. No interest in the career of The Pirates of the Caribbean star Orlando Bloom but among his stolen "vintage [14] watch collection [was] Sir Sean Connery's one in GF." Under heading of Bloom's watches nabbed the raid plus "over £300,000 in cash" happened "in New York on Wednesday." Perhaps it was that croc who swallowed the clock in TPOTC, no that's Peter Pan ! ( 17/07 ).
5. A three top paragraph item headed Lazenby cash bid tells of "former James Bond George Lazenby [who] wants £10,000-a-month maintenance payments in his divorce from ex-tennis star Pam Shriver. Lazenby, 69, ..asked a Los Angeles judge to cancel a pre-nuptial deal, saying Pam, 47, is '30 times a millionaire'." Cue singer Lionel "She's once, twice, she's THIRTY times a millionaire and I love you !", sadly "they wed seven years ago and have three kids under six. Pam filed for divorce claiming Lazenby was an abusive alcoholic." There's always two sides to any divorce case, here's hoping for a happy settlement ( 20/07 ).
6. Another bottom paragraph headed TURBO CHARGE confirms "a Lotus Esprit Turbo from 1981 Bond film YOLT [ really ? ..sorry FYEO ! ] fetched £105,000 at auction in Oxfordshire." Not quite £120k but enough cash for the happy seller ( 21/07 ).
7. In the brief notes of the motoring section shows a small pic of the Lagonda AVL concept car ( mentioned back in March ), it seems "Aston Martin have put production on indefinite hold because of the turbulent economic climate. But they are going ahead with .. the Cygnet ( seen above )." A case of small is better than big ! ( 31/07 ).
2. BIRTHDAYS:
   July 20: OHMSS actress Dame Diana Rigg ( 71 ).
3. Bond Cast/Related TV Spots:


1. A documentary called The Real Goldfinger: Revealed ( five, Thurs 20:00 ) examined the "similarities between a 1914 plot to raid the Bank Of England, and the scheme featured in Ian Fleming's classic 007 novel Goldfinger". Caught the first part, used opening clip from the 007 movie & posters and was narrated by Bond actress Honor Pussy Galore Blackman ( 09/07 ).