Vexed of kin

Published on Tuesday 15 July 2008 20:07

NO matter how much they love the limelight, it's in celebrities' interest to maintain some air of mystery and keep the fans guessing. Any revelation that might portray them as normal/dull/perverted civilians will bring them and their popularity rating back down to earth with a prosaic thwack. It's for that reason that A-listers employ elaborate PR machines to keep up the pretence and screen the public from their eccentricities/misgivings/cellulite.

However, there's one factor that even Max Clifford himself may struggle to control – the loose-lipped celebrity sibling; the one person that knows their famous brother or sister insideout and will never be in awe of their fame.

This week it's Madonna's turn for a spot of public ridicule at the hands of her brother, Christopher Ciccone (who has worked as his sister's choreographer, back-up dancer and interior design consultant) whose tell-all book, Life With My Sister Madonna, contains such gems as his thoughts on the white tights, bustier and 'Boytoy' belt combo that she wore at the 1994 MTV Video Music Awards: "I take one look at the result and – though I don't voice the sentiment – think she looks ridiculous." Charming.

Given the current media scrutiny Madonna is receiving over rumours that her marriage to Guy Ritchie is on the rocks, the book probably couldn't come at a worse time. However, she isn't the only celeb who has had to impose a spot of damage control when it comes to a difficult sibling. We take a look at the meddling, blabbing, embarrassing and sometimes supportive ways of the brothers and sisters of the rich and famous.

JAMES HAVEN, BROTHER OF ANGELINA JOLIE

When it comes to embarrassing siblings, Haven has as much to complain about as does his sister – the knife-toting, tattooed, orphan-adopting, twin-spawning Angelina. However, the much less famous actor James is notorious for sounding off about his very private sister's private life. While it's all been supportive, one can't help but think that Jolie wasn't too thrilled when her brother publicly expressed concern over her thinness and told one magazine that she and Brad had avoided a particular pre-Oscar party because Pitt's ex-wife, Friends star Jennifer Aniston, was rumoured to be attending: "Angie would always be careful when another woman's feelings are concerned."

RONNIE, BROTHER OF GORDON RAMSAY

Despite his great success, one area of his life that has blighted the celebrity chef is his brother's heroin addiction. He has paid for his younger brother Ronnie Ramsay to attend rehab five times, but Ronnie was sentenced to ten months in an Indonesian jail in September last year for possession of heroin. In his autobiography, Humble Pie, the chef reveals how he gave his brother money so he could buy drugs to get him through their father's funeral. He has said of his brother's addiction: "It's the one thing I feel I've failed at. I find it hard knowing that, there's nothing I can do to help."

LEON, BROTHER OF JIMI HENDRIX

It can't be easy to reside in the shadow of a legendary sibling, but clearly Jimi Hendrix had a lot on his hands with his younger brother Leon. Having been jailed for stealing a fur coat, Leon was granted a temporary release to attend his brother's funeral in 1970. He continues to be Jimi's self-styled representative on earth, announcing that on a recently discovered video claimed to show Hendrix having sex, the man on it couldn't have been his brother because "If it was Jimi there would have been three woman instead of two".

LA TOYA JACKSON, SISTER OF MICHAEL

It's hard to imagine any of his siblings could outdo Michael Jackson in terms of bizarre behaviour. However, La Toya Jackson caused particular upset for her brother when, in 1993, she said she believed public accusations that he had molested two boys, telling a news conference: "I can't remain silent. I will not be a silent collaborator in his crimes against small, innocent children." (Michael Jackson subsequently settled this case out of court.) She also posed naked with a snake in Playboy and endorsed a psychic hotline.

VENUS WILLIAMS

Having an equally famous sibling is one of the few ways to ensure they don't show you up. Despite facing each other in three Wimbledon finals, there's no evidence of sibling rivalry between Venus and Serena Williams: the sisters have only commented in the press about each other to offer words of love and encouragement. Before this year's Wimbledon women's final, Venus responded with disdain when asked if there was any family discussion over the possible outcome of a match: "I respect her as a player more than anyone else on the tour. I think that's really the only factor that goes into it."