Ozzy And Liza To Share Spotlight
Ozzy Osbourne and Liza Minelli will perform at the annual Royal Variety show in front of Prince Charles at London's Coliseum Theatre on Dec. 14, organizers said Wednesday.
It will be the only British performance this year for Osbourne, who earlier this week tackled a burglar who stole gems worth an estimated $3.6 million from his mansion in Buckinghamshire county in southern England.
Last spring, Osbourne filed a complaint with the California medical board against his former Beverly Hills doctor. The rocker alleges he was overprescribed addictive drugs that led to his disoriented behavior on the TV show "The Osbournes."
Late in 2003, Osbourne fractured several bones including a neck vertebra in an all-terrain vehicle accident on the grounds of his English estate.
It's also been a rough year also for Minnelli, who earlier this year was sued by a former bodyguard for $100 million. M'Hammed Soumayah claims the entertainer made him have sex with her in order to keep his job, according to court documents. In return, she sued Soumayah for $250,000, alleging breach of contract and breach of fiduciary duty.
And her messy divorce with David Gest, first announced in late 2003, continues. Gest has also accused Minnelli of assault in a $10 million lawsuit against her, while she is suing Gest for allegedly stealing $2 million from her.
The Dec. 14 show will be the first time that Minnelli has appeared in a Royal Variety show.
Others on the bill include Cliff Richard, Elton John, Jamelia, Gwen Stefani and girl band, Girls Aloud. Nathan Lane and Lee Evans will perform a medley from the West End hit musical, "The Producers."
John had a few dust-ups in 2004, telling Madonna to quit lip-synching and calling Taiwanese paparazzi "rude, vile pigs."
Come to think of it, even the guest of honor has had problems recently. Prince Charles earlier this month was rebuked by the press and in parliament for saying that British schools shouldn't be encouraging young people to nurture lofty ambitions they are unlikely to fulfill.
It could be an interesting night at the Coliseum Theatre.