John Gibson: Wringing of hands over Sean’s card

Jean-Michel Gauffre’s doing a moody. He hasn’t had a card this Christmas from Sean Connery, who noshed at his Jeffrey Street eatery, La Garrigue, and raved about it.

Not to worry. Jean-Michel (pictured below) is oozing the seasonal spirit and chirrups: “I’ll be playing Santa on the 25th, complete with the gear from his wardrobe, at our sister restaurant by Leith’s waterfront at what used to be Daniel’s Bistro until we bought it in the summer. They’ve been urging me to honour my word, when I promised chums I’d play Santa down there on Christmas Day if France lost the Rugby World Cup. I bet the French would win it and lost.”

Does this mean he’d be hand-ringing the bells round the tables?

Barry’s still hip

Oh, Mandy, what would you think of him today? Barry Manilow’s not quite the sex bomb he use to be. Well, he is a couple years away from 70, damn it all! What comes of movin’ and shakin’ it to Copa-cabana for 30 years.

Cosmetic surgeons have earned fortunes from trying to fight what nature intended. Reportedly cheek implants, rhinoplasty and, of course, the face lifted.

Now he’s recovering from hip surgery in Los Angeles. Vanity or are his bank managers twisting his arms? Far as I know, the arms have remained inviolate.

Barry has just completed a seven-year run in Vegas. A thousand performances! Altogether now . . . shout hip, hip hooray for Barry and get those ciggie lighters out.