In May 2022 actorCraig McLachlanabruptly dropped a defamation case against the Heraldand the ABC over a 2018 investigation alleging he indecently assaulted and sexually harassed female performers during a stage production ofThe Rocky Horror Show. McLachlan’s capitulation came on the 10th day of a hearing before the NSW Supreme Court,leaving the Gold Logie winner on the hook for about $2 million in legal costs.
Actor Craig McLachlan.Oscar Colman
Now,McLachlan hopes for a return to the limelight,signing with Markson Sparks,the agency run by celebrity managerMax Markson,father of News Corp bomb-throwerSharri Markson.
In a media release describing McLachlan as a “triple threat” and “icon of the screen”,Markson noted the actor had recently starred in the 2023 edition of Seven’sSAS Australia.
It isn’t the first time that network has helped give McLachlan a new life.
In 2020 the actor was acquitted of criminal charges related to his conduct onTheRocky Horror Show. The next year McLachlan gave the tell-all interview to Seven’sSpotlight – the program now synonymous with grubby,unedifying cheque-book journalism thanks to recent evidence before the Federal Court inBruce Lehrmann’sdefamation trial against Ten.
While McLachlan’s asking price wasn’t quite the cocaine and sex workersSpotlight producers are alleged to have covered to get Lehrmann on camera,the network reportedly spent $200,000 for the interview.
Meanwhile,as Markson plans to take McLachlan back to the lofty heights he once scaled,the actor’s name is still being dragged through the courts.
Last year formerRocky Horrorco-starChristie Whelan Browne,a co-defendant in the aborted defamation case,sued the theatre company Oldfield Entertainment,alleging she was subject to sexual harassment by McLachlan. The matter is still before the courts.
“You can’t quell talent of that magnitude;whether it be at London’s West End,or starring on stage or screen here in Australia,Craig will be back and sooner rather than later,” Markson said.
Indeed.
EXCLUSIVE FOOTAGE
Our friends at the Plymouth Brethren Christian Church – once known as Exclusive Brethren – have always had an elevated estimation of their leader’s value.
Bruce Hales is a Sydney businessman who once sold office furniture before realising how much more lucrative it was to sell religion.
His followers have a bunch of names for him:the Man of God,the Elect Vessel,the Paul of Our Day. They say Hales is “so close to the Lord Jesus that he can feel his heartbeat”.
“Elect Vessel” of the Plymouth Brethren Christian Church Bruce Hales (left front) preaching in the United States.Matthew Absalom-Won
As such an ethereal being,Hales takes great pains to avoid being photographed. So it caused huge agitation within his little sect when,after an ATO raid on a company run by some of their church members,our colleagues recently published the first fresh photograph of Hales seen in decades.
It’s a corker.
There is Hales,preaching,surrounded by his corpulent and white-shirted colleagues – all blokes,not a woman in sight. They refer to themselves as the “saints”,but if that’s what heaven looks like,we at CBD are delighted to be going to another place.
Anyway,the appearance of the photo generated feverish discussion within the brethren about how it came to be in the hands ofAge reporterMichael Bachelard. Text messages obtained from one such internal debate suggest we had offered $1 million for it.
Now,he might well be,as the brethren believe,the Minister of the Lord in the Recovery of the Truth – but we can reveal exclusively that the photo came to us from a disgruntled member of his flock,gratis. Praise be.
MICKED OFF
Storied Melbourne underworld identity and industrial relations mediatorMick Gattohas a way with getting celebrities to rally around his charity,Equal Access For Autism,which hosted its ritzy gala fundraiser at the weekend.
Mick Gatto and John Setka.John Shakespeare
CBD heard celebrity chefGeorge Calombariswas on catering duty,with guests including top barristerRobert Richter,ousted Victorian Liberal MPMoira Deemingand Nine personalityPeter Hitchener. Colourful construction union bossJohn Setkaand the CFMEU sponsored the event.
Gatto told CBD they’re still counting how much was raised over the course of the evening but he reckons it’s well over $1.5 million from ticket sales and sponsors.
More surprising was the motley crew of celebrity endorsers who weren’t there – among them the media’s school duxWaleed Aly,embattled neurosurgeonCharlie Teo,AFL greatNicky Winmar,outspoken OlympianDawn Fraserand former rugby league starSonny Bill Williams.
THORBURN RETURNS
Former NAB bossAndrew Thorburn’stenure as chief executive of perennial AFL strugglers Essendon was the stuff of legend. Thorburn lasted less than 24 hours,resigning after the outcry over his chairmanship of City on a Hill church,an evangelical group whose pastors had condemned homosexuality and abortion,got too much.
In the aftermath Thorburn went quiet,quitting all his board roles and taking a year off. Now the year is over,everyone’s forgotten Thorburn’sMal Meningamoment – and the Bombers are still rubbish.
Thorburn,meanwhile,has a new job,being announced as chief executive of faith-based aged care charity HammondCare,replacing former NSW premierMike Baird,who quit in December,followed out the door by whispers of a move to federal politics.
With values firmly aligned,we’re sure Thorburn will stay a bit longer this time.
