John Gibson: After Bestie, it's Paddy for portrait

Published on Thursday 9 September 2010 09:40

Local artist Aine Divine's portrait of George Best in a Hibs strip has raised thousands for cancer research charities. Last I heard of the original it was on display at Easter Road.

A former director there, Stephen Dunn, bid 1500 for it at a Macmillan charity auction, prints of it having also brought thousands in for research.

Now Aine is working on a watercolour 2ft by 3ft of legendary Hibs skipper Pat Stanton from pictures, aiming to have it ready for the Macmillan Cancer Research Art Show in November.

"I've never met Pat," she says, "but ideally I'd like to do a 'live' portrait of him, again for charity. Maybe he could find the time."

Bad habits

Be thankful and praise the Lord. Sister Act, the comedic musical, will be playing the Palladium for three weeks and won't reach Edinburgh.

Again stars Whoopi Goldberg, the sister inferior and winner of my Funny As The Toothache Oscar.

Shuddering as I write at the recollection of Nuns on the Run, for which Robbie Coltrane was crucified. I was one of the cinema critics who rated it a turkey that could give you trots.

Attenshun!

Off to a flier. Squadron Leader Gerry Halloran, Edinburgh-based former long-serving director of the RAF Benevolent Fund, is urging military types to fill the Leith Ex-Servicemen's Club in Smith's Place tomorrow night at 7pm for the Wings Welfare Appeal.

"We want to make it a memorable night, celebrating the 70th anniversary of the Battle of Britain," says Gerry, who has details at 554 2755.

Afterwords . .

Alexei Sayle, who could be a bit of a butcher in his stand-up days, was never a bloke to mince his words: "I hated Comic Relief and I hated Live Aid, and I stand by that.

"It was the beginning of all that celebrity culture, and charity has always been a mask for self-indulgence. Live Aid also revived the career of Queen, and there's no worse evil than that."