The Insider - People Magazine 1992

Published: November 30, 1992 Author: MITCHELL FINK

HELLO, JUN LOVERS

Time to scotch those rumors about Winona Ryder breaking up with Johnny Depp. A woman in the throes of splitting up does not pay International Star Registry in Ingleside, Ill., $45 to name a star for her man. Ryder, 21, even added on $44 to get Depp, 29, a framed certificate. ISR rep Elaine Stolpe says the star, not visible to the naked eye, is “in the northern sky, in the constellation Cepheus.” Ryder named the star Jun, which is a variation on Johnny.

Others who have had stars named for them in the past year include kiefer Sutherland. Madonna, the Judds and Karl Maiden.

NO CUSHION FOR WHOOPI

Whoopi Goldberg’s new half-hour talk show has been doing so poorly in the ratings that execs at Genesis Entertainment, which syndicates The Whoopi Goldberg Show to 205 markets, want to “sort of liven it up,” says a source. “Get her to be more confrontational with her guests, maybe even do a little stand-up comedy at the beginning of each show.” The problem is, says the source, “Whoopi refuses to change anything.”

Wayne Lepoff, president of Genesis, denies that Goldberg is a stumbling block; he says discussions with the star and her producers on possible formal changes “are ongoing.”

MANILOW KEEPS HIS SHIRT ON

It’s not easy to confuse Harry Manilow with Hammer or the singing group Color Me Hadd. But authorities in Malaysia apparently did. The singer-composer was scheduled to perform Nov. 13-14 in Kuala Lumpur, but his sold-out shows were canceled at the last minute, Manilow was told, “due to circumstances beyond the control” of the concert venue.

The real reason, according to Manilow’s rep, can be traced to Hammer and Color Me Badd, who recently appeared in Malaysia. Says the rep: “The government there has an unwritten rule prohibiting performing shirtless. Color Me Badd was told not to take their shirts off during their shows, but they did. Hammer was warned, but he did too. We were canceled because they were afraid Barry would take his shirt off, which is ridiculous.”

Comments Mokhtar Bin Selat, Malaysia’s consul general in New York City: “Certain decorum has to be maintained to fit the culture of our society.”

DEMI’S MONDE

To celebrate her 30th birthday. Demi Moore, husband Bruce Willis and 30 friends—including Mike Myers, Woody Harrelson, ex-Bangle Susanna Hoffs and director Rob Reiner—gathered on the afternoon of Nov. ll at L.A.’s MGM Grand Air terminal for cocktails. Next the revelers boarded a chartered jet, flew to Las Vegas, caught a performance of the Cirque de Soleil at the Mirage Hotel, and gamboled and gambled until their 2:30 A.M. departure. Moore opened her gilts on the flight back.

Sigh. If only they’d invited George Kennedy, they could have made another Airport movie.