Latest from Mercury
Mercury
8 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Mercury
Sarah Jessica Parker reveals ‘unpleasant' part of playing Carrie on Sex and the City: ‘Sobbing'
Don't miss out on the headlines from TV. Followed categories will be added to My News. Sarah Jessica Parker 'wasn't prepared for public commentary' about her physical appearance when Sex and the City debuted in 1998. 'That was really unpleasant at times when people would have opinions — not about the work,' the actress, 60, told podcaster Alex Cooper on Wednesday's episode of Call Her Daddy. While Parker would 'sometimes' get frustrated with viewers' 'misunderstanding' of her character, Carrie Bradshaw, she said it was 'the personal stuff' that really got to her, reports Page Six. 'At that time, I thought I was a fairly confident person,' she shared, explaining that 'it really comes into question and is tested when you're filleted, in a way, when you're opened up.' Despite the pain it caused, Parker said, 'I know you know this: We're better for those kinds of experiences, but not all of us are good at it right away.' Parker appeared as a guest on the Call Her Daddy podcast. Picture: Supplied When Cooper, 30, argued, 'It doesn't mean it doesn't hurt,' Parker agreed, adding, 'Up to that point, there was no chatter about me. … There was just my work.' When asked point-blank about some of the 'harder comments' she had to hear, the Hocus Pocus star replied, 'I think just discussions of my physical person. Like, stuff that I couldn't change and wouldn't change and had never considered changing — even still after hearing something that was like, 'What? Somebody would say that?'' To Parker, the 'chatter' about her face and body 'didn't feel like it was actually a conversation.' 'I didn't feel like I could sit in a room and someone would say to me, 'You're really unattractive,'' she said. 'And then I could say, 'Wow. First of all, that's hard to hear, but second of all, why do you seem angry about it? Why do you feel it's necessary to say it, to comment?'' She played Carrie Bradshaw on the original series – and has reprised the role in And Just Like That. The mother of three, who has been married to actor Matthew Broderick since 1997, recalled one specific time when 'a magazine said something really mean' about how she looks. 'It was like a kick in the rubber parts,' she admitted. 'I was just like, 'Why is this a problem? Why is this deserving of your time and why do you seem to delight in saying it?'' Parker confessed that the remark, which she did not repeat, left her 'sobbing because it felt so purposeful.' She believed that was 'the only time [she] really cried about' negative comments about her physical appearance. The Emmy Award winner, who made sure to note that social media has changed the landscape of how the public shares its opinion, wondered whether her critics would 'say it to [her] face.' This article originally appeared in Page Six and was reproduced with permission. Originally published as Sarah Jessica Parker reveals 'unpleasant' part of playing Carrie on Sex and the City: 'Sobbing'
Mercury
8 hours ago
- Automotive
- Mercury
Car giant's space fight with Musk
Don't miss out on the headlines from Motoring News. Followed categories will be added to My News. One of the world's biggest car makers has joined Elon Musk in the race to the stars. Honda has officially entered the space race alongside Musk's Space X, after Japan's second largest carmaker announced it had successfully launched a 'resusable rocket prototype'. In the same week, a Space X rocket dramatically blew up while preparing to take flight, Honda showed it was serious about its space exploration ambitions, first mentioned four years ago. Honda R&D, which is a subsidiary of Honda Motor Co. said it 'conducted a launch and landing test of an experimental reusable rocket developed independently by Honda'. Musk's SpaceX rocket goes kablam. Picture X The rocket, which was 6.3m long, 85cm in diameter and weighed 1312kg, reached an altitude of 271.4m and landed within 37cm of the target touchdown point after a flight of 57s. According to Honda R&D, the purpose of the test, conducted at a Honda facility in Taiki Town on Hokkaido, the northern most of Japan's main islands, was the 'establishment of key technologies necessary for a reusable rocket'. 'This test marked the first launch and landing test conducted by Honda with an aim to demonstrate key technologies essential for rocket reusability, such as flight stability during ascent and descent, as well as landing capability,' Honda said in a statement. Honda engineers prepare the rocket. Picture: Honda Honda conducts a successful launch and landing test of its Experimental Reusable Rocket. Picture: Honda R&D 'Through this successful test, Honda achieved its intended rocket behaviours for the launch and landing, while obtaining data during the ascent and descent.' Honda announced in 2021 that it was 'pursuing research and development in the field of space technologies' with the thought that its discoveries could also be used in Honda vehicles. That includes in regard to automated driving systems and sustainable transportation. Honda is aiming at a suborbital launch by 2029. 'We are pleased that Honda has made another step forward in our research on reusable rockets with this successful completion of a launch and landing test,' Global CEO of Honda Toshihiro Mibe said. 'We believe that rocket research is a meaningful endeavour that leverages Honda's technological strengths. Honda said space tech is likely to be used in its future cars. Source: Supplied 'Honda will continue to take on new challenges—not only to offer our customers various services and value through our products, while addressing environmental and safety issues, but also to continue creating new value which will make people's time and place more enjoyable.' Originally published as Car giant's space fight with Musk
Mercury
10 hours ago
- Business
- Mercury
Barbara Corcoran reveals her controversial moves to boost career - realestate.com.au
A real estate mogul has revealed the controversial steps she took to boost her career and did several 'unhinged things' to make a name for herself. Barbara Corcoran took to TikTok to lift the lid on the ways she attempted to boost her real estate company, The Corcoran Group — which was founded in 1973 — in its earliest days, Realtor reports. The 76-year-old 'Shark Tank' star posted a series of throwback photos from the earliest days in her real estate career, which she launched in New York City. Noting that her business was the 'first brokerage on the internet,' Ms Corcoran explained that she took to tracking the prospective URLs of her competitors so she could see who joined the web behind her. 'When I was the first brokerage on the internet, I registered my competitors' URLs so I could keep track of when everyone else woke up,' she shared, adding: 'The big guys came calling last.' Ms Corcoran then revealed that she came up with a genius idea to use a market crash to her advantage by essentially conducting a real estate fire sale, one that ultimately netted her an incredible profit. '[I] priced 88 apartments alike during a market crash and sold out within an hour. I made $US1 million commission in a single day,' she added. MORE: Bombers star finalises new $2m+ deal Where Aus tenants pay the most Developer's bold plan for $50m Melbourne site Corcoran has confessed that she went to extreme lengths while finding her footing in the homing industry and did several 'unhinged things' to make a name for herself. Picture: The 76-year-old 'Shark Tank' star took to TikTok to lift the lid on the ways she attempted to grow her brand and real estate company. Picture: The entrepreneur also confessed that she had to bet on herself and aim high — even at the beginning of her career — noting that, to a certain extent, she had to fake it until she made it, at least where her status within the industry was concerned. To that end, the 'Shark Tank' investor wrote her own self-titled industry analysis, called The Corcoran Report, which she first published during a recession, relying solely on data from her own sales in order to offer a market evaluation. '[I] wrote The Corcoran Report, declaring that NYC prices hit an all-time low, based only on my 14 sales for the year,' she confessed in the TikTok video. Despite the lack of data in the report, her strategy worked, with Ms Corcoran revealing in a previous LinkedIn post that she was stunned to find herself quoted in a New York Times piece just days after she'd published it. 'They quoted my report, and I couldn't believe my eyes!' she recalled. 'And right after that, our phones never stopped ringing. It immediately put us on the map. I could hear my salespeople answer the phones and say, 'Oh, you've heard of us?!' 'I was still the same small company I was the week before, but I now had the power of the press behind me, and everyone treated us differently.' But still, Ms Corcoran didn't stop her efforts to woo more clients — as well as their pets. In fact, the industry expert shared that she even drew in new customers by appealing to pet owners and acting as both a real estate mogul and dog trainer. 'When the co-op board revealed they would start interviewing dogs, I taught dogs how to shake hands in Central Park,' she said. And she didn't just drive business by training dogs, she also 'took a job as a messenger delivering packages at night to help make ends meet.' Alongside a slew of throwback pictures from the early days of her stellar career, the home pro revealed that she had to think outside of the box. Picture: At the time, the real estate tycoon began by registering and tracking her competitors' URLs. Picture: Unlike many other businesses at the time, Ms Corcoran used the press to her advantage and even invited them to 'open the elusive safe in the Guggenheim mansion without knowing what was inside.' She revealed the safe ended up being 'empty.' And she even dressed up to draw attention. 'I threw a company party where everyone dressed as nuns. It was a riot,' she said alongside a snap of members of the real estate company dressed up. In addition to pretending it was Halloween, Ms Corcoran revealed she also recruited the help of farm animals to make sales. 'I put real cows on the penthouse roof to help sell Stewart Mott's overpriced apartment and got major press for it. (Yes, Mott of the applesauce empire),' she revealed. Lastly, to establish herself in the celebrity home market, Ms Corcoran threw out an A-lister's name — who wasn't her client — and flew to success. 'I published the Madonna report based on what I imagined Madonna would want in a home,' the 76-year-old said. 'The media went wild and started calling me the 'broker to the stars.' She wasn't even my client.' Corcoran then revealed that she came up with a genius idea to use the market crash to her advantage, allowing her to cash in big time. Picture: And she even dressed up to draw attention. Picture: Corcoran previously showed off her $US12 million New York City penthouse for the last time after she offloaded the property. Picture: calebwsimpson/TikTok Just days before she candidly revealed her 'unhinged' behaviour, Ms Corcoran welcomed Caleb Simpson, the TikTok star-turned-real estate influencer, into her NYC dwelling for one last time. She offers an intimate glimpse of the property's most impressive amenities, including jaw-dropping views of Manhattan's iconic skyline. In Simpson's viral video, Ms Corcoran joked that even her most dedicated followers likely wouldn't have 'recognised' the pad when it was first listed, because she had removed all of her possessions in order to stage it for sale. Though she seemed firm in her decision to offload the abode — which she first came across in 1992, 23 years before she bought it in 2015 — she confessed that she 'can't believe' she's bidding farewell to the home after so many years. Ms Corcoran first came across the penthouse dwelling on the Upper East Side in 1992 when she was working as a messenger to make ends meet and delivered a letter to the unit's resident. At the time, the opulent home wasn't on the market — nor would it have been anywhere close to fitting within Corcoran's budget if it had been. Yet, she couldn't get the property out of her mind. 'I thought, 'My God, I've never seen anything as beautiful in my life,'' she told the New York Times. So, she asked the then-owner to get in touch if she ever decided to sell her penthouse — a decision that she ended up making more than two decades later. Parts of this story first appeared in Realtor and was republished with permission. Sign up to the Herald Sun Weekly Real Estate Update. Click here to get the latest Victorian property market news delivered direct to your inbox. MORE: Huge star slams 'violent' Trump after quitting US 'Wrong side': Ellen loses $8m+ overnight 'Gone, everything': Gibson on trashed pad
Mercury
13 hours ago
- Sport
- Mercury
AFL: West Coast Eagles star Jeremy McGovern forced into medical retirement
Don't miss out on the headlines from AFL. Followed categories will be added to My News. West Coast Eagles star and five-time All-Australian Jeremy McGovern says he's 'gutted' but respects the decision of the AFL's concussion panel that ruled he should retire on medical grounds. The decision for McGovern, 33, to step away and end his 197-game career was made after 'extensive consultation' with his family, club leaders and medical staff. But ultimately the recommendation from the AFL's concussion panel was something the superstar defender couldn't ignore. McGovern has only played six games this season and none since round 9 when he suffered concussion after an incident against Melbourne. 'It's been an absolute honour to pull on the West Coast jumper for the past 15 years and it's something that I will forever be grateful for,' McGovern said. 'As much as this isn't the way I would have liked to go out, I respect the decision. Jeremy McGovern is checked by the club doctor in what turned out to be his final game. Picture:'I'm gutted I don't get to pull the jumper on and run out one more time, but sometimes this is the way the game goes, and I am forever grateful to the West Coast supporters who have also shown me love and respect. 'I would like to thank everyone who has been involved with my career over the journey. 'My family – Mum and Dad, my brother Mitch, my wife Madi and my three kids Hudson, Marlee and Lewie – have been my biggest supporters as well as my friends who have been amazing through my whole time in the AFL. 'To the club, I can't explain how much you have given me over my time here and I can't thank you enough for drafting a fat kid from Albany and giving him a crack. 'I've always loved the game and winning a premiership is every kid's dream, but the lifelong friendships and relationships you build through footy mean more to me than anything. 'I will forever be indebted to West Coast and I will always bleed blue and gold.' The McGovern decision comes as Essendon youngster Nik Cox awaits his own findings from the concussion panel that in recent times has sent Collingwood premiership winner Nathan Murphy and Melbourne star Angus Brayshaw into early retirement. McGovern always put his body on the line. Picture: Daniel Carson/AFL Photos via Getty Images McGovern earnt the first of his five All-Australian blazers in 2015 and famously played in the 2018 grand final win against Collingwood despite having series internal injuries. He helped the Eagles win the game when he intercepted an Adam Treloar kick inside 50 that started the chain of possession that ended in Dom Sheed's matchwinning goal. West Coast football boss Gavin Bell said McGovern was 'exactly the type of player' teammates loved to play with. 'Even to overcome the injury setbacks he has battled in recent years to bounce back and become our club champion for the first time last year showed his commitment to getting the best out of himself,' he said. ''Gov' was exactly the type of player you would love to play with because he was tough and courageous, wanted to win, but also off the field he cared about his mates and looked after others.' Originally published as West Coast champion Jeremy McGovern forced into sudden retirement due to ongoing concussion issues
Mercury
14 hours ago
- Sport
- Mercury
Jeremy McGovern retires: AFL concussion panel, medical retirement
Don't miss out on the headlines from AFL. Followed categories will be added to My News. West Coast key defender Jeremy McGovern has been medically retired by the AFL's concussion panel. The 33 year old has not played since round 8 after suffering a concussion against Melbourne, with the independent health experts intervening after failing to overcome symptoms. McGovern will retire as a five-time All Australian and a premiership hero, involved in the iconic passage of play that led to Dom Sheed's matchwinning set shot against Collingwood in 2018. He played 197 games, all for the Eagles, after being drafted at No.44 in the 2011 rookie draft, and quickly became one of the AFL's best intercept defenders. 'It's been an absolute honour to pull on the West Coast jumper for the past 15 years and it's something that I will forever be grateful for,' McGovern said. 'As much as this isn't the way I would have liked to go out, I respect the decision. 'I'm gutted I don't get to pull the jumper on and run out one more time, but sometimes this is the way the game goes, and I am forever grateful to the West Coast supporters who have also shown me love and respect. 'I would like to thank everyone who has been involved with my career over the journey. 'My family – mum and dad, my brother Mitch, my wife Madi and my three kids Hudson, Marlee and Lewie – have been my biggest supporters, as well as my friends who have been amazing through my whole time in the AFL. 'To the club, I can't explain how much you have given me over my time here and I can't thank you enough for drafting a fat kid from Albany and giving him a crack. 'I've always loved the game and winning a premiership is every kid's dream, but the lifelong friendships and relationships you build through footy mean more to me than anything. 'I will forever be indebted to West Coast and I will always bleed blue and gold.' Originally published as West Coast premiership star Jeremy McGovern medically retired by AFL concussion panel
