Brett Debritz’s archive

I probably won’t be able to post for a few days, so here’s some more photos of Tasmania to keep you entertained (or not) in the meantime.

King Kong is not so far-fetched after all, according to evolutionary biologist Sue Lieberman. As CNN reports, she told Reuters that gigantism does occcur in primates who live on islands. No news, however, whether there’s any evidence of god-like lions in the depths of wardrobes.

Former B105 star Jamie Dunn’s 10-year tenure at 96.1 Heat FM on the Sunshine Coast has not yet begun officially, but that hasn’t stopped the station from promoting him. Here’s the teaser web page.
PS: For more information about the new B105 breakfast team of Gabby Millgate, Mike van Acker, Stewart ‘Stav’ Davidson and Ben Wasley, click here.

The lights are shining bright on Broadway, with a record year for New York’s theatreland. According to the BBC, ticket sales were US$825million in 2005, up from $749million the previous year. The big hits included Monty Python’s Spamalot, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels and Billy Crystal’s 700 Sundays. I suspect Australian theatre has had a somewhat less successful 2005. Still, there’s the promise of a few hits on the horizon – including the musical Dusty, which opens in Melbourne next week and – all being well – will tour the country. Brisbane audiences can catch the tail end of the tour of Dirty Dancing from January 14.

Australia’s richest man, Kerry Packer, has been added to the Celebrity Deaths Archive at the age of 68. ABC Online has coverage here.

Just a taste of things to come: my first holiday photo to be posted on this page is of the famous world heritage-listed Gordon River in northwest Tasmania, taken just a few days ago.

A grief-stricken woman – one of the survivors of the Asian tsunami who has returned for its first anniversary – spots a camera trained on her and orders the operator not to take her picture. He or she does anyway, and someone – a reporter or a producer – decides to screen the image on the 7pm news. I think someone at ABC TV News made a very bad call tonight.

Only in America … a US court has issued a restraining order against talk show host David Letterman. A woman claims Letterman and other celebrities have been sending her coded messages that have caused her bankruptcy, mental cruelty and sleep deprivation since 1994. Apparently Letterman’s at fault because he started sending her “thoughts of love” across the airwaves.

Brisbane’s B105 has announced its new breakfast team. Apparently local standups Mike van Acker and Stewart ‘Stav’ Davidson will line up with Gabby Millgate (of Muriel’s Wedding and Full Frontal fame) and announcer Ben Wasley. Reports are that the team, replacing Jamie Dunn, Penny Cooper and Dean Kesby, will be on air from January 3.

West Wing star John Spencer has died at the tragically young age of 58. Ironically, his character in the show, Leo McGarry, survived a heart attack last year. As CNN reports, Spencer did not. His name will be added to the Celebrity Deaths Archive when I get FTP access to that site again.