Celeb city: New York hipster Patti Astor, Cartoon Café & Hotel Pelirocco
Hipster goddess
Last week I was lucky enough to meet a legend of the New York 1980s hipster scene, ‘Queen of the Downtown Scene’ Patti Astor. Owner of the hugely influential Fun Gallery, Patti was at the centre of the decade’s explosion of street art and hip-hop culture in the Big Apple, hosting shows by seminal artists including Keith Haring, Jean Michelle Basquiat, Lee Quinones, Dondi White, Sharp, Kenny Sharif, Futura 2000 and Fab 5 Freddy. Patti also starred in Charles Ahearn’s legendary hip-hop epic, Wild Style. The hipster goddess was at Brighton gallery Ink_d where she was mobbed by her fans. Such a cool lady.
Spotted
Spotted on Seaside Road in Eastbourne – The Fat Slags and Biffa Bacon. Along with Roger Mellie the Man on the Telly and Mrs Brady the Old Lady, life size cut-outs of the stars of cult comic Viz are taking over the East Sussex seaside town, as part of a new exhibition. The brainchild of Dr Tim Benson, a prominent collector of original cartoons, and Liz Wright, The Cartoon Café is the UK’s only permanent exhibition space dedicated to original cartoon art. The café regularly host exhibitions of original cartoons by leading cartoonists and has a permanent exhibition of seaside related political cartoon artwork, including a wide range of Spitting Image memorabilia. You can have an audience with The Fat Slags throughout the summer – check out www.cartooncafeltd.com for more details.
sex and drugs and rock n roll
Elsewhere in Brighton, but sticking with the animation theme, on Wednesday May 28 the Hotel Pelirocco will play host to Sex and Drugs and Rock n Roll – a free night of animation and short films by a raft of genius talents including 12 Foot 6, David Shrigley, Bob Godfrey and Modern Toss. Follow @barshorts on Twitter for more information.
spotted!
A real life ‘Spotted’ for you! The award winning Royal Shakespeare Company leading man and Harry Potter star Alan Rickman was seen at the Emporium on London Road last week. If you haven’t visited the city’s newest theatre and café-bar yet, I recommend a visit to catch their latest production Entertaining Mr Sloane, playing until 22 June.
Stripped bare
Things go from bad to worse for Mr Katie Price in the wake of being outed by KP for cheating on her with her best friend Jane Pountney. Poor old Kieran Hayler has now been suspended from his job stripping for the Adonis Cabaret show. Oops.
Jo Brooks is director of Brighton-based PR company JBPR Ltd, 01273 622555, www.jb-pr.com
Send celebrity spots, gossip and pictures to job@jb-pr.com
Follow me: @latestcelebcity
