Posted May 16, 200718 yr Many faces of chameleon Kylie By Anita Quigley May 16, 2007 12:00 IT IS a well-known fact the American market is hard to crack. Few entertainers from Australia - and even from the bigger star gene pool of Britain - ever reach the celebrity status in the US that they enjoy at home. Pop sensations such as Robbie Williams (who claims he enjoys the anonymity America offers) apparently can be easily riled in interviews when asked why he hasn't made it there, despite selling tens of millions of albums elsewhere. Meanwhile, David and Victoria Beckham are the best recent examples of how parochial the US can be when it comes to fame. Many an American journalist has lately joked how Posh and Becks, who cannot sneeze without it being photographed and written about at length in Europe, needed Hollywood heavyweight Tom Cruise and wife Katie Holmes to introduce them to Americans, such is their lack of fame there. So at first I wondered if our Kylie could be attempting to launch her own attack on the North and South American markets by her controversial "business trip" to Chile last week with Mexican-born film director Alexander Dahm? Granted Minogue has had four consecutive Grammy nominations in the Best Dance Recording category, but judging by the emails to newspapers there over the past couple of days, few Americans would know who she is if she popped up in their porridge. How lucrative a market the United States would be to add to her already impressive fortune. And, as they say in the world of showbiz, "any publicity is good publicity". But is it, when it involves paparazzi shots of you with a man whose eight-month pregnant wife is wailing to the media she wants her husband to come home? Dare I suggest it, but this salacious trip to Chile by Kylie smacks of someone desperately trying to drum up media interest. Was it orchestrated to garner publicity for her sexy new swimwear range with fashion chain store H&M? Or was it just a way of launching the "new Kylie Minogue"? Whatever the reason, it's fair to say it was an all-round success. When she confidently stepped out in New York's Soho overnight, Minogue had nothing but smiles for the waiting paparazzi. There were none of the scowls one would normally expect from someone so recently labelled "the other woman" by the media and forced to issue a very stern denial saying: "I have never been unfaithful to a partner and I would find it completely immoral to be involved with a married man." Instead, it was an almost bubbling Minogue - styled, as always, to within an inch of her life. Amazingly wrinkle-free (might I add for someone two weeks short of 39) and happy to pose for those normally pesky paparazzi. Clearly, Kylie no longer wants the world to see her as a victim: The victim of cheating boyfriends and the victim of breast cancer. Her firm denial of any impropriety with Dahm was also a veiled swipe at her most recent former boyfriend, French cad Olivier Martinez, dumped for his less-than-discreet outings with other women. What we have seen in the past week is a very different Kylie Minogue, but as usual the one she wants us to see. No longer does she want to be cast as the unlucky in love poor multi-millionaire eternal victim, but rather the sexy wanted vixen. And it all makes for shrewd marketing. No doubt, Kylie watched in amazement (along with the rest of us), as thousands flocked to London's Top Shop for the launch of supermodel Kate Moss's new fashion line. Secretly, Minogue would no doubt be hoping for the same chaotic excitement with her own swimwear label that she didn't achieve with her lingerie line. Equally, she also probably watched the pitying tut-tuts echoed around the world for ditched girl-next-door Jennifer Aniston when she was replaced by the gorgeous, third-world-baby saviour Angelina Jolie. She probably thought the latter descriptor was the best option. And who can blame her? For two decades she has been "our Kylie" - and it is still almost impossible to find anyone who knows her who has a bad word to say about her. However, read many of the comments on this newspaper's website over the past few days and her star seems to be fading. "I think it is about time Kylie is seen what she really is. She plays the victim so well. This good girl image is fake," said one. "I am more concerned that Kylie's face doesn't move when she smiles. She is looking horrid. Lay off the botox," said another. Of course we are happy to see her looking so well, but is the public tiring of the same plastic smile, which gives nothing away? It was the same one she gave just days after she announced her split from Martinez when she turned up at the opening of the exhibition of her costumes at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London in dazzling diamonds and a stunning Dolce & Gabbana dress. At the time one commentator said she did so because "she wouldn't let her fans down by turning up looking miserable and dowdy, and nor would she let herself down". It was only the following day in a cleverly leaked story to a London newspaper that it was reported that, despite the smiles for the camera and chit-chat with the guests at the party the night before, Minogue had actually spent the weekend emptying her homes of every trace of the cheating Olivier. Has Kylie Minogue Inc done it again with her latest beaming sunny trip to New York? ANOTHER SILLY ARTICLE IN THE SAME PAPER! http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/stor...5006002,00.html Kylie's Big Apple show rolls on By Stephanie Balogh May 16, 2007 12:00 STEPPING out in downtown Manhattan, songstress Kylie Minogue oozed confidence and didn't look like she had a care in the world. But looks can be deceptive. Despite the immaculate make-up and chic black dress, Minogue continues to be dogged by rumours of an illicit affair with a married director who has a pregnant wife. With her blonde hair wavy and swept away from her face, the pop princess emerged from the small luxury A-list Mercer hotel in Soho early in the afternoon. Ricky Gervais, funnyman behind the Office and Extras, and actor Zach Braff are staying at the same hotel. Minogue was quickly ushered into the back seat of a waiting black four-wheel drive accompanied by minders without speaking a word. Unlike previous days the Australian superstar did not stop and pose for waiting photographers. She also again ignored questions about the rumours of the affair that have followed her around the globe. Minogue has spent the past four days in New York shopping in upmarket boutiques and vintage stores, lunching in nearby eateries and is understood to be attending business meetings as she attempts to break into the lucrative United States market. The 38-year-old has just launched a sexy new swimwear range with mega fashion chain H&M, and is working on a new album with little known Scottish songwriter Calvin Harris. The singer also says on her website she is working on an idea for a new musical film. Minogue split from French lover Oliver Martinez in February after he cheated on her but appears determined not to play the victim. The apparent publicity trip to New York comes after her controversial holiday and business trip to Chile last week where she was spotted with Mexican-born film director Alexander Dahm. She has continued to remain tight-lipped about her friendship with Dahm and has not elaborated on a statement issued by her representatives denying an affair. "I have never been unfaithful to a partner and would find it immoral to be involved with a married man," the statement read. Dahm, 39, has now flown back to Mexico to spend time with his wife Laura, 39, who is due to give birth within weeks with their second child.
