Whittaker on Obama's special arts council?
Published November 9, 2009 Le Bal , Uncategorized 1 Comment I heard from the internet that Whittaker has been appointed as a member of Obamas specially picked arts council… (I ll repost the article below in case it dissappears) I find it kind of disturbing that he would attend such an elitist event like Le Bal, carouse with people like Stanley Ho, and support the French fashion industry which is fighting to hold onto the size zero model even though fashion media of ultra thin anorexic models is potentially a major source of eating disorders in young women today… pity.
I hope he decides against supporting the event.
(I found this on ‘eurweb’ ) WHITAKER, WOODARD MAKE OBAMA’S ARTS COMMITTEE: Kerry Washington also named Monday as members of new presidential group. *Actors Forest Whitaker, Alfre Woodard and Kerry Washington are among the Hollywood notables named Monday as members of President Barack Obama’s Committee on Arts and the Humanities.
The panel focuses on arts and humanities education, cultural diplomacy, economic revitalization through the arts and humanities and special events.
First lady Michelle Obama is its honorary chairwoman and film producer George Stevens Jr. and theater producer Margo Lion had already been named as its co-chairs, according to the Associated Press.
The list of 25 people from the worlds of arts and entertainment also includes cellist Yo Yo Ma, Vogue editor Anna Wintour, philanthropist Teresa Heinz, architect Thom Mayne and actress Sarah Jessica Parker, talent agent Bryan Lourd, actor Edward Norton, director George Wolfe, independent filmmaker Liz Manne, publicist Andy Spahn and ballet dancer Damian Woetzel.
I wonder why the number of girls for 2009 has dropped from 25 to 24?
I noticed that the AFP release listed that it would be 25 girls in 2009, and the US papers started reporting it as 24 only a week later… I wonder what that is about.
Maybe someone realized who they would be attending with and decided to drop out?
At least its possible to change you mind at the last minute.
You will not be the only one!
Attn Parents, executive assistants… beware.
This message is for the parents of the girls who may be considering attending the event.
The organizers prowl the world media for potential invitees.
They have lists they collect together and wait for years to see some girls grow old enough to be invited.
If you have received an invitation, you have a very serious decisions to make.
If you get any message from this blog, it is that you should consider very seriously what impact of having your family name forever associated with the event.
You need to be sure to research the names on the list they mention.
You need to consider where the past participants have gotten from participating (many of the designers are out of business, many of the girls have ongoing personal problems).
The truth is that the outcome is pretty scandalous.
You might think this is a nice freebie of a weekend in Paris, but the truth is that your daughter will be demeaned(three to a room, schedule answering to strange adults, curfews, etc) and herded around to be photographed and constantly made to submit to whomever is considered the lead name.
It is a staged PR event and the organizers are primarily concerned with themselves and not you or your daughters ‘coming out’. (if you look at video of the event you see that it has a very strange stiffness as it is so staged- you will also see the after party sloppiness that is not necessarily present at other world debutantes where young women are truly being introduced to society).
The lack of respect for all of the members is clearly evidenced in that the 20 or so girls that participate each year and are not the prime invitee are lost in the back ground(commonly mentioned as ‘fillers’ on this blog).
No special mention is made for them.
They are treated more as props.
They are not published individually.
While other debutante events go so far as to create a sort of yearbook which lists the names and backgrounds of all girls, this is not the case with Le Bal. (or at least I am still waiting to see a copy) Most likely if you have been invited, you can afford to do a much better private party on your own.
Or you could now go to the Queen Charlotte Ball in the UK or the International Debutante in NYC at the Waldorf (VERY classy).
Chances are that if you have been invited to Le Bal, the last thing you want is negative publicity.
Chances are if you have been invited, the last thing you want is to pander to the whim of the arrogant organizers who intend to use your name and images for their own profit (collectively Le Bal and the sponsors who are paying for the whole thing...not for the charity, not for you or your daughter).
Most likely if you have been invited, you can afford to buy your daughter her own
haute couture gown, actually modeled to her body and unique personality, and that she can actually keep to remember. (as opposed to an off the rack sample from the previous seasons pieces- that’s right, there are not necessarily current designs- they are not made to measure for your daughter.
Rather your daughter may be made to measure for the dress when she is asked to lose a few pounds.)
You may also like to know that the charity intake is quite low. according to very high sources amongst the sponsors (higher than Le Bal organizer), only about 30-40,000 USD was produced for charity in Nov 2008.
This is pathetic compared to other charity events (which take millions in a single night.
Amfar, Elton John White Party).
Most likely, if you have been invited, you have personally spent more on individual charities or even your own wedding.
These organizers manage to bring together 24 of the supposed elite and the best they can do is that small amount after they have spent all the money on their own annual activities.
If you allow your daughter to participate and demean her to this level, what will that say about you too?
If on the other hand, you do not feel you are an elite, but you think this is an opportunity to get your daughter up in social ranking, I can assure you there are far better ways to do it.
Whether through the media reality frenzy of being notorious, or by actual participation in genuine social circles.
Perhaps the worst of situations… what will you do, if after several months of planning, your previously invited daughter is dis-invited because the organizers think they have found a bigger name that will increase their photography sales?
I am aware of possible cases.
For no good reason, and with little warning, I have heard that the organizer dropped a girl because suddenly she thought she had a bigger celebrity.
She did not admit that.
She uses excuses like ‘pushy parents’ (pushy parents is cited in the telegraph).
In another case, she proclaimed that the girl was too fat… The bottom line, as the organizer has later admitted or shown by admitting overweight girls, or girls with pushy parents, it is just a matter of what the organizer thinks will sell better.
She will say some thoughtless hurtful thing against the minor that isn’t even true.
She may even take it back later (I have proof like this in writing).
She will do this if she needs your seats or your daughters place, and she does not think you will sell the newspaper, she will drop you.
Or if the magazine in your country will not pay as much for the girls images from another country in her local magazines.
And YOU will be left having to explain to your daughter that the organizer said your daughter was too fat, or some other silly comment, or that you were too pushy(even though you were not- what a great way to create more animosity between you and your teenage daughter).
The idea is ludicrous.
To say such things to a young girl could cause years of emotional problems leading to substance abuse and addiction(but the Le Bal founder does say such things to young women.
She has done this, I have evidence.
You can see for yourself by researching old interviews.
Mrs Renouard is quoted many times as saying ‘no fat girls’, and ‘no pushy parents’.
Many of her own staff are horrified.
Others have apologized for the poor behavior because they can’t believe how crazy she acts.
I also know there are pending court cases related to this(at least one).
Whether or not they ever see their day in court, or whether or not you believe me, you have an obligation to protect your child and you need to remember that where there is smoke, there is fire.
If you consent, be sure to have your management and or legal staff review the image release contract that you will be asked to sign.
You are entitled to a copy by European law.
You also should consider limiting the duration of the validity.
An anonymous poster added… Mrs Renouard created the concept of Le Bal des Debutantes in Paris(according to an old wikipedia article, according to other sources) but the financing is strictly the responsibility of the Sternlicht brothers (Starwood Capitol, owner of the Crillon) In essence, Le Bal organizer is an employee of the Crillon even though over time she tried to present herself as the sole core of the event the ultimate objective of the event is to make money for her after she covers all her costs she sells the pictures of the girls to the media.
French papers cite it as an auction to various sponsors who pay or offer various services to the organizers.
The gradual decline of the medias interest seems apparent, and the list of guest does not shine in recent years as much as in some earlier ones… but close inspection of all the names calls question to mind.
The following is the excerpt from the Wikipedia site on October 9, 2009 concerning the Hotel Crillon.
My comments are based on my own experiences and research.
Debutante Ball Each year, the H tel de Crillon holds the annual Bal des debutantes (Debutante Ball) for the benefit of a charity.
This unique and exclusive event, created by Ophélie Renouard and her team in 1991, is a “coming out” party for twenty-four young women, aged between 16 and 19, whose families are all members of the elite worldwide.
Actually, the roster can be viewed on the Le Bal website and it has not always been 24 girls.
Anytime it was less than 24 girls, it reflected an incident in which the organizers dropped a girl off the list at the last minute. (it is easy to come up with replacements on short notice, these were very last minute changes.)
The “new debs” all wear gowns from the French haute couture houses or leading international fashion houses.
This is not true.
In fact the organizers are under investigation for illegally misusing the term ‘haute couture’ and they have been warned by the ‘Chambre syndicale de la haute couture’ to cease and desist from improperly using the term.
In France, the term ‘Haute Couture’ is a protected distinction and only members of the chambre are allowed to use it.
The list of designers is publicly available on the Le Bal website as is the list of Chambre members on the federation website and anyone can see the list of names are not the same.
In fact, many ready-to-wear and lower quality high-street’ popular brands are substituted and unfortunately contribute to the degradation of the haute couture title.
There is no way that a made in China ready to wear dress will be comparable to a Parisian haute couture gown.
See for yourself on the list of previous debs.
Furthermore this statement should be corrected.
The debs borrow samples off the rack from some design houses.
These pieces are never made to measure which is the essence of what couture is.
Instead, all girls are expected to have extremely low BMI (dangerously low) in order to fit some of the pieces.
Supposedly, no matter how elite the girls or their families are, if they do not fit the sample dress they can not be in the event. (there are many things wrong with this, but I will reserve that until another post) American presidential niece Lauren Bush caused a sensation when she was presented on the arm of Prince Louis de Bourbon at the 2000 ball.
This is true, the niece of George and granddaughter of George senior, two of the most unpopular presidents in US history.
But it was not even Jeb Bushes daughter (Jeb being an unpopular governor), it was the niece of a third, virtual outcast among the brothers.
Famous for trying to use the family name to further themsleves, this Bush family jumped at the chance and of course the media was amazed and in awe of the name at the time… but really… how low do you have to go?
Excerpt from Sam Sloan's big family tree.
Neil Mallon BUSH … [the father of Lauren] was born on 22 Jan 1955.
He married Sharon in Jul 1980 in Texas.
The marriage ended in divorce.
Neil Bush has often appeared the weak link in a family that in a decade has won control of the White House twice and the powerful governorships of Texas and Florida.
He was caught in the financial scandal that hit US savings and loan institutions and ensnared the careers of leading politicians during his father’s presidency.
He was tied to the failure of the Silverado Banking, Savings and Loan Association, at a cost of $1 billion (£635 million) to US taxpayers forced to guarantee its accounts.
Sharon married Neil Mallon BUSH in Jul 1980 in Texas.
The marriage ended in divorce … Sharon Bush is planning to write a tell all on the Bush family, (sic… obviously even more to know than we have already seen) Bangkok Scandal… caught in Bangkok with prostitutes. led in part to the divorce.
He married another divorce.
Her appearance led to a modeling contract with Tommy Hilfiger.
Other young women that will make their first appearance at the Crillon Ball are Lauren’s sister Ashley Bush; Amanda Hearst; Amanda Hearst is written in as if you should be impressed… however Amanda Hearst is not a child of Randolph Hearst.
Her mother Anne may have been a Hearst, but the only reason the name is mentioned here now, (besides to try to bedazzle the media and suckers who put too much stock into names without doing their homework) is because she is a bastard.
Her father separate from her mother before she was born.
While that may not matter to most modern day celebrities, its quite an issue with the old school where bastards were virtually ostracized.
Victoria and Vanessa Traina; Danielle Steele is the mother. these girls are from her 4th marraige… after the heroin addict.. and the serial rapist/ convict… While Steel is certainly one of the most published authors, as far as social status its been hit and miss… Diana and Angela Mellon; The Mellon's such a famous name… but who are they really?
Their father is James Mellon, the grandson of the original family patriarch who made their wealth.
I know that James Mellon is an author… about slave issues, equal rights… the irony!
Now most of the family seem to be divested from the businesses that really made them wealthy in the first place…In other words, I am not sure that there is really much money left.
Kathleen Kennedy; ??? the daughter of Italy’s prime minister Silvio Berlusconi, Barbara; Oh where do we begin with the scandals around the Berlusconis… maybe save that for another time… but if you are following the news, you know dads into all sorts of scandal… Princess Costanza Della Torre Tasso; Princess sounds so wonderful doesn’t it?!
Do your homework!
There is no Greek Royal family.
Aside from the fact that it was a puppet monarchy in the first place, put there so that Northern Europe could dominate a part of southern Europe that had not had its own united monarchy for ages.
Those that keep clinging to the Greek titles are tiresome.
They have not held Greek monarchical power for ages, and there will never be a return.
You have to have a kingdom to be a princess.
But it gets better!
Constanza Della Torre Tasso is the daughter of an Italian Duke.
She is third in line and has no chance of inheriting a duchess title either.
He(father) himself is the child of a broken marriage (from a time when marriages were not normally broken by divorce either).
AND his mother Princess Eugene had been married before.
He is not the child of his mothers first marriage but her second and the Duke was her third child… The bottom line to remember… even if you still revere the ancient traditions of European monarchy is that there are a lot of suspect cases where people are declaring themselves monarchy when in fact they have no right to do so.
The organizers are hoping the readers will not notice, or that news media will not dig deeper than the superficial.
Countess Anastasia Tolstoy; Another questionable title?
Alice Ferguson, sister of Sarah, Duchess of York; Divorcee sister who managed to keep a title in a divorce settlement, but don’t forget the original scandal… Ferguson was not of royal blood in the first place.
True nobility would not have divorced.
Eva Rice; Daughter of Lyricist Time Rice (new money in record industry) Father had affair that resulted in divorce a year or so before she participated in the Debutante ball.
Lily Collins daughter of the singer Phil Collins; Lady Tatiana Mountbatten (another sad situation… child of yet more divorced parents… why does that matter?
Maybe it should not, but the organizer of Le Bal acts like every family has to have father and mother and traditional values… when in fact, the majority of her guest list is always the children of divorce, and many are born without their parents having married (in English that is referred to as a bastard) ; Cosima Ruiz de la Prada daughter of the designer Agatha; Belen Domecq (Spanish socialite); Princess Lorenza de Liechtenstein Very suspicious use of a title… my sources can’t find any Lorenza in the Princely line of Liechtenstein. … Princess Fawzia Latifa of Egypt; Another ‘Princess’ without a country.
Elisabeth Senghor; Princess Caroline Murat; Princess Sarah Poniatowska; Diane and Chloé Bouygues; Caroline and Nadine Ghosn; the granddaughters of Filipino-Spanish entrepreneur Jaime Zobel de Ayala, Paloma Urquijo Zobel and Maria Zobel de Ayala Anderson; Marie-Solène ’Harcourt; Delphine Arnault; égolène Frère; Princess Alexandra de Croÿ; Harumi Klossowska de Rola; Izumi and Yuki Mori; Sarah Miyazawa Lafleur; as well as the granddaughters of President Mikhail Gorbachev, Xenia and Anastasia Gorbacheva--no fat girls?
How its it that most girls are starved to fit into the gowns but these girls were allowed… ); and Zoe, daughter of Russian entrepreneur Janna Bullock; the niece and granddaughter of architect, I M Pei, Penelope Pei tang and Olivia Pei; and Bao Bao Wan, granddaughter of Wan Li, former chairman of the Chinese National People’s Congress and executive vice-premier of China, What the heck is the granddaughter of a communist party chairman doing at an elitist event like this?
Why aren’t more Chinese people upset about this?
Mao must be turning in his grave?
Or would have have sent his daughters to this event too at the expense of the Chinese peasants? as well as daughter of Wan Jifei, chairman of the China Council for the Promotion of International Trading.
I will return to those names… there really is just too much mud to sling over it all.
Its full of scandalous new money meets poor noble bastards and children of broken marriages.
A few names trying to ascend the social later… but really the social association with some of these notorious examples can’t be good.
In actuality this event may not strictly qualify as a debutante ball at all.
It is alleged that Mrs Ophelie Renouard seeks the children of big-name celebrities and nobility and uses their images to promote fashion and increase income for her PR company in Paris.
(Finally someone depicted the truth in the Wikipedia article) Many of the girls may have already ‘come out’ elsewhere.
(Like the Mellons) According to some, in recent years the celebrities have tended to be not so well-known and the dress designs, though still from couture fashion houses, are often from previous seasons, not appropriate for young women, and (having been created for fashion models) do not fit well on the often younger and smaller girls attending the ball. (interesting comment about ‘appropriateness’… there is something kind of silly about the way some of the girls look in these gowns that have been made for more mature women.
Kind of like dressing up in costumes or in Grandmama’s old gowns…) It is a strictly “invitation only” event. (yes- apparently this is strictly controlled by the original organizer, but there have been cases where designers like Karl Lagerfeld have insisted and got girls into the event).
There are both accolades and critiques of this event.
On the one hand, young women may be excited by the opportunity to visit Paris, participate in this fashion event, and even bring two members of their family to see it (only two for each girl in most cases). (that is, girls that normally don’t have the opporunity to do it… any of the true elite of this world can afford to do better on their own, in the privacy of friends) Critics are concerned that Mrs Renouard tends to insist on a very low BMI for the girls so that they fit size 2-4.
While this emphasis on overly skinny women is similar to that of the entire fashion industry, critics say it is not necessarily healthy or appropriate for a family event. (so true!!!
OMG I have to write more about this, but it will be in a completely other post. for now, just notice how upset people get about overly skinny models at the expense of the healthy self-image of our daughters on HUFFINGTON POST.)
Allegedly parents are required to sign over to Mrs Renouard’s company all rights in all photographs of their children while at this three-day event without any compensation to the child or to the parents, and during the event the child is also made to participate in photo shoots at the design houses for the purpose of promotions and glossy magazine photo ads.
Mrs Renouard’s company in turn sells those rights to various media outlets.
The child and two guests are treated to a meal and a cocktail party, and the child can be considered a model for the dress. (isn’t there a models union… shouldn’t they be bothered about this like the Institute of Haute Couture was when they found out the organizers were using the term without pay… Should these girls be allowed to model the couture gowns in Paris and in print media without being union members?)
(Are you sure you want to sing the rights to your daughters image away forever?)
Others are concerned that children may face excessive criticism and scrutiny in the media or social circles.
(I hear that… welcome to socialagenda.wordpress.com… If you want to enter the world of public media you are open territory) Promoters and sponsors are present at the ball for their own promotional purposes and benefits; .g , jewelers attempt to sell their products. (this is a pretty amazing thing actually… The granddaughter of Ilias Lalaounis was a past participant.
He is one of the most famous of Greek jewelers.
Because the event was sponsored by another jeweler, the grandaughter could not promote or wear the families precious jewelry, or truly promote the interest of the family… why participate at all?! and again, couldn’t you have your own big party? did you have to put your child out to be some low quality model and work for free?)
The ball has reportedly experienced a slow decline of wealthy and noble participants, just as there has been a decline in the couture fashion industry.
Hollywood celebrities and musicians are preferred for their obvious media appeal to the general public and the perception that they enhance the sales of images and featured promotional products to various media outlets.
Some former sponsors, such as the jeweler Mikimoto, have withdrawn for unstated reasons. (my last comment for this post… If you really value the future of your daughter, seek better places to where she can come out.
There are fantastic ones- one in the US I highly recommend.
There are also other places and parties.
Any edit suggestions?
Feel free to share them with me.
I promise to keep your information confidential.
I am even willing to repost your comment for you and delete your original one if you ask me… that way there will be no record of your IP) Mission Statement Published October 9, 2009 Uncategorized Leave a Comment My mission statement for this blog is simple.
To protect innocent minors from being emotionally or physically harmed from unscrupulous people and or corporations.
Lately, I need to inform the public about a serious matter involving the organizers, partners and corporate parents of ‘Le Bal’ or as others call it, ‘Le Bal des haute couture that is held annually at the Crillon Hotel.
It is ultimately up to everybody how they will personally choose to use this information.
My purposes is to tell you what I research and or witness first hand.
RE: :Le Ball… I personally recommend against allowing your daughter to participate in the Paris event, especially when there are amazing and beautiful events that are far better.
(Examples could include holding your own exclusive charity event for your daughters birthday, or if you prefer the public sphere, taking part in truly high caliber charity events, or if your heart is set on a debutante, I highly recommend a very famous one held in New York every two years… I also have mixed feelings about the Queen Charlotte Ball which has recently been resurrected.
Any family from anywhere on the planet, if you are interested in this alternative, just contact me using this blog and I will give you better details and I may also be able to provide you with a direct recommendation to the New York organizers or the London organizers.
In the case of Le Bal at the Crillon, what you need to know will be reported as quickly as possible on the following posts.
But in short, it is a commercial pr attempt to improve the image of the Crillon, and assorted sponsors as well as create a side income for the organizers as they take your daughters image and try to pander it to media at a high price.
Neither you nor your daughter will be compensated for this.
Furthermore, your daughter will not necessarily be dressed in Haute Couture as most of the Haute Couturiers have dropped out.
She will be made to squeeze three girls per room and run around by the staff and all will bow to whomever the organizers believe is their guest of honor.
You will not know until the last minute if the bal will feature the daughter of some passe Hollywood -list celebrity or persons linked to Chinese mafia(!) citations available… but just go to library of congress and search Stanley Ho + asian organized crime.
But don’t let me confuse you now.
This primary post is just to warn you that you may not want your families name to be forever married with the other guest who may end up on this list, nor do you want your daughters image to be forever etched in a negative light.
This event is no longer a debutant in any real sense, it no longer respects the nobility that is was built around, preferring instead political or Hollywood names, and frankly its charity impact is pitifully small.
Worst of all, committing to the organizer forces you to belittle yourself to the whims of an opinionated but not expert crew of characters who will expect the work of you, but the minute you choose to voice an opinion in defense of your daughter, they will drop you immediately, even at the last minute.
They have allegedly done it at least 3 times, maybe more.
As far as other issues, of which I research and report on, I prefer to post them on blogs of their own.
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