Sharon and Louis and the fine art of gossiping

WHAT have Sharon Stone and Louis Walsh got in common? The Hollywood siren and the boyband manager turned X Factor/Ireland’s Got Talent personality are of a certain age, enjoy reputations for straight talking, and have personal fortunes that allow them to speak their minds.

The Basic Instinct star recently discussed the casting couch on Louis Theroux’s podcast and how she was expected to save the movie Silver from the ignominy of flopping at the box office by sleeping with her co-star.

Producer Robert Evans, she claimed, pleaded with her to sleep with Billy Baldwin to kickstart some onscreen chemistry, but Sharon told him to take a hike. On hearing her side of the story, Baldwin shot back saying he has many ‘kinky and unprofessional tales’ about Sharon Stone.

Like Jedward who have been quick to retaliate after Louis called them ‘vile’ and a ‘novelty act’ on Celebrity Big Brother, Baldwin is entitled to defend his reputation, and if he betrays himself in the process as an unreconstructed misogynist, then so much the better for Stone.

For their part, the twins from Lucan have had their say, ranting about Louis being ‘an absolute weirdo with bad intentions for all’.

You must admit, the streams of insults are more engaging than the bland puff pieces, fawning, and nauseating flattery that led to the term luvvie being coined in the first place. Perhaps Louis and Sharon have something else in common: the urge to restore the fine art of gossip and delicious indiscretions for the stars of the entertainment industry.