News of March 2003
25/03/03
Robbie Williams has been battling
to beat the bulge by tucking into slimming drinks as part of his diet regime.
The singer was once dubbed the "fat dancer from Take That" by Noel Gallagher of
Oasis. Now he is seen taking the low-fat drinks as he prepares for a big
come-back show in behind-the-scenes footage for a new DVD of his TV special, The
Robbie Williams Show. Williams piled on the pounds when he was drinking heavily,
but has since kicked his booze and drugs lifestyle. He is spotted several times
swigging from cans of Slim-fast as he prepares for the show, which was filmed to
coincide with the release of his fifth album Escapology. However, he makes light
of his flab-fighting drinks as he chats to a cameraman.
"I've been in LA and I had to put on weight for a film I was doing, it was a
modern day Robinson Crusoe," he joked. "Obviously I've put on weight for half of
it because that's before I got on the boat and then it sinks and I had to lose
weight, which is obviously why I need the Slim-fast. "It's not because I'm
really vain or anything, it's because I'm doing it for a film." The DVD and
video of the Robbie Williams Show are released on Monday, March 31.
18/03/03
Robbie Williams is making a stand against
war with the B-side to his latest single.
The song called Happy Easter (War Is Coming) is a play on John Lennon’s 1972 hit
Happy Xmas (War Is Over). It’s the first ever tune that Robbie has completely
penned himself, not to mention his first foray into the politics/music
playground.
The singer scrapped the original B-side to his latest single, Come Undone, as he
is so worried about the Middle East conflict. He said: “I’m really scared to
tell you the truth. It’s a really serious thing for me. I don’t understand it.
“I’m scared for everyone’s future because I don’t know who to trust.
”This is the first world event I’ve been grown-up enough to watch and have a
point of view about.”
Throughout his career, the light-hearted entertainer has never dipped his toes
into the political pool, so this could be a new direction of him
16/03/03
Robbie Williams is set to release
a song calling for peace in Iraq, according to UK tabloid reports.
The name of the anti-war track is inspired by the John Lennon hit, 'Happy Xmas
(War is Over)', and is only the second song the former Take That singer has
written alone. 'Happy Easter (War is Coming)', will appear as a B-side on
Williams' forthcoming single, 'Come Undone'.
The song also marks the first time the star has ever sung about politics, but
is not released until April 14, while war with Iraq appears to be imminent.
10/03/03
FROM THE SUN:
Meet Robbie Williams’ new breast friends — in a scene from his raunchy new
video. The sexy duo are among a bevy of semi-naked beauties that he romps with
for the video of his latest single Come Undone. The end result is Robbie’s most
X-rated performance yet — so naughty the video has been censored amid fears it
would not be shown on daytime TV. The story centres on a glitzy Los Angeles
party where Robbie, 29, is guest of honour. He gets to grips with a pair of
stunners in a Jacuzzi, before bedding a second sultry couple. But the party
becomes increasingly nightmareish as women start pulling insects from their
mouths and snakes crawl across the floor. An insider said: “Some strange things
happen. It’s a real work of art. Rob’s very proud.” A longer version, featuring
a scene of Robbie making love to a girl who turns into a man, will be shown on
late night TV and on the star’s website.
06/03/03
FROM THE MIRROR:
Joker Robbie Williams claims there are so few celebrity females he hasn't slept
with that he now wants a man. The singer, who once asked fans to call him
Roberta Williams, admits he's considered switching sexes after running out of
famous female conquests. Robbie, 29, who's pop conquests include Nicole Appleton,
Mel C and Geri Halliwell said: "There is nobody. I've broken them all, I have,
I'm moving on to men." Speaking in the US where he's promoting his latest album,
Robbie also has a few choice comments for some singers he hasn't dated.
According to Robbie dating Mariah Carey would be like "barking up the bonkers
tree". He said: "You're carrying the Mcbonker's torch to the stadium of mad." On
Jennifer Lopez he said: "Have you heard the song Jenny From The Block? I'm
amazed by those lyrics, she's a goddess but obviously quite mad." But he
reserved his biggest non-compliment for Christina Aguilera saying: "She looks
dirty and needs a good wash." The singer, who recently split from Rachel Hunter,
also admitted that whenever he goes out with a famous singer he has a novel way
of avoiding picking up the bill. When asked who pays for a romantic date, Robbie
said: "I do. Then I get her record company to reimburse me." But still he isn't
satisfied. When asked who was the sexiest star he'd ever met, he moaned: "I
think ambition makes you ugly, same with actresses and models. "Although I'll no
doubt end up marrying one."
03/03/03
US pop pundits are pessimistic about
Robbie Williams's chances of cracking America after a troubled start for the
British star. He flopped at a high profile pre-Grammy awards performance in New
York last week, failing to rouse a crowd waiting to see Public Enemy. Afterwards
Craig Marks, editor of US music magazine Blender, gave him only a 40% likelihood
of succeeding across the Atlantic. He said: "He has a couple of strikes against
him. He does everything with a layer of irony that doesn't translate well."
Williams has sold 28 million albums worldwide during his solo career, but
remains a relative unknown in the US. Bosses at EMI have put their hopes of a
revival on turning the performer into a household name in America.
They offered him the most lucrative record deal in UK pop history last year,
worth £50 million, despite a slump in the company's share price. Sean Ross,
Group Editor at Airplay Monitor, which has a crucial role in deciding US chart
positions, said it was too early to say whether Williams could make it in
America. "There are certainly records that are too British to translate over
here, or are perceived as too British to make the cut, but Robbie Williams isn't
one of those," he told the New York Times.
