Anastasia Volochkova: Friendship is stronger than love

Up and coming Russian ballerina Anastasia Volochkova, 25, gave an interview to the weekly magazine 7 Dnei, exploding rumors spread in certain Western media that she lured British millionaire Anthony Kerman, 54, from his family.

"It's all nonsense, from the beginning to the end," Volochkova told 7 Dnei. "Kerman is my lawyer. It's true that he is a very famous and a very rich man. But he's my friend, not a boyfriend. I must say, however, that the friendship is so strong that it is something more than just love.

"Anthony likes my art. He comes to see all my performances wherever they take place. But the gossip that he supports me financially is all invented. I've been offered the good life a thousand times. But I always declined such offers. Art is the only thing I'm interested in. All that I want is to dance. And I earn my own living.

"I'm in no hurry to get married. This step should be made with due consideration. I want to be an independent person, not just somebody's wife. And I want to marry for love. Then I'll have a real family and children."

Marina Khlebnikova takes up the brush

Artist Nikas Safronov staged a contest-auction designed to find out how well Russia's pop stars fare with paintbrushes and pencils. Called "Best artists among singers and best singers among artists," pop stars were invited to illustrate their most popular hits during the event in the Metelitsa entertainment complex, the weekly Zhizn wrote.

The lucky winner was pop star Marina Khlebnikova who painted two pictures illustrating her hit "Solnyshko Moyo, Vstavai" ("My Little Sun, Get Up"). One of the pictures – a disheveled cat with its tail upright and a smiling sun instead of the head – sold for $1,500.

"As I've noticed," Safronov commented, "Marina shows some indications of talent. If she had decided to study art seriously, she could have become a good artist."

"I've been fond of drawing since childhood," Khlebnikova replied. "I got A's in drawing at school," she boasted.

Other pop stars who took part in the competition tried hard: Sergei Minayev painted an illustration to his hit "Svecha Na Vetry" ("Candle in the Wind"), the "Shao? Bao!" band drew something resembling a zebra which they described as "a stallion without legs," and the band "Adam i Eva" painted a picture for their song "Krylo Nad Krylom" ("Wing Over Wing") – a red sphere on blue wings.

Sergei Penkin arrived late, quickly painted something abstract and retreated to the bar.

Commenting on Penkin's creation, Safronov recalled an old joke: When Kasimir Malevich was asked if he could repeat his famous Black Square, he replied: "Are you kidding? I spent a whole eight years working on that painting!"

Nevertheless, Penkin's work sold for 510 rubles, while "Wings," meanwhile, went for 3,000 rubles.

‘Oldest profession' in the spotlight

Astrologer Pavel Globa has picked up a Zolotoi Vodolei (Golden Aquarius) award for being "Astrologer of the Year," the weekly Zhizn reported. The award ceremony honoring a range of professions on the theme of magic took place in Moscow's Kristall entertainment complex.

"Astrology is the oldest profession on Earth," the ceremony's organizer, popular TV host Larisa Verbitskaya said.

"Are you sure?" Globa quipped, "I've always thought the oldest profession was something different."

Movie director Dmitry Astrakhan who is known for his films "Zal Ozhidaniya" ("Waiting Room") and "Ty u Menya Odna" ("You Are My Only One"), scooped an award in the "Magic Power of Art" category, where he competed against Mark Zakharov and Alexander Abdulov.

Predictably, pop star Philip Kirkorov took home the "Magic Voice of Russia" prize, leaving Lev Leshchenko and Nikolai Baskov holding the bag. Style-watchers were quick to notice that Kirkorov has changed his image again, dying his hair black and hiring a different stylist.

"It's a pity that my father is not here at this moment," Kirkorov told a Zhizn correspondent, tenderly clasping his Golden Aquarius statuette. "Anyway, I will pass the prize over to him. If it were not for him I would not have been born."

Irina Saltykova breaks her arm

Pop singer Irina Saltykova has recently been noticed wearing unusual outfits when performing in nightclubs. The star has taken to supporting her right arm in a silken kerchief or shawl. As the weekly magazine 7 Dnei managed to find out, this has nothing to do with a change of image. The reason is simple: Saltykova broke her arm when she slipped and fell in her bathroom at home.

Immediately after the accident, she crawled into her car, took her place at the wheel and decided to drive to the nearest clinic herself. Fortunately, her female friend was there and helped her to shift gears. An X-ray examination promptly revealed a fracture above the elbow, without displacement. Doctors say the fracture should heal in three weeks.

The people picks its enemies

Internet site www.vragi.ru has provided everyone with the chance to vent his or her anger without running the risk of prosecution. All you need is to go to the site, type the name of your hated one, make your point and choose a punishment from the attached list. The list contains measures that would fit any taste – from "bombarding with rotten eggs" to "wiping out in the toilet."

The site proved an instant success, and its server is deluged with hits.

According to Express-Gazeta, the site's "hate-rating list" is topped by TV journalist and commentator Sergei Dorenko, who is hated by 14,094 people, of whom 130 demand the electric chair for him, 129 want to pelt him with rotten eggs and 142 want to reform and correct him. Second most hated, but well behind, is singer Kirill Tolmatsky (stage name Detsl) with 779 haters, of whom 73 would convict him to a week of round-the-clock listening to the worst of Russian pop music.

The list continues – U.S. President George Bush (639), former NTV channel director Yevgeny Kiselyov (270) and the Ruki Vverkh band (190).

Controversial tycoons Boris Berezovsky and Vladimir Gusinsky turned up at the bottom of the list with 20 and 17 haters respectively.

Anastasia Kalmanovich on Zemfira

Businessmen Shabtai Kalmanovich granted an interview to Express-Gazeta to clarify the widely gossiped issue of relations in the triangle that includes him, his wife Anastasia Kalmanovich and pop-star Zemfira.

"It's true, we [he and his wife Anastasia] have separated. Our daughter, Daniela, 3, will stay with me. I don't have any problems looking after her and I devote a lot of my time to her. Besides, there is an excellent nanny who has lived with us since Daniela was born," Kalmanovich told Express-Gazeta.

He said he started contemplating divorcing his wife back in July last year when he was taking medical treatment in a hospital.

Commenting on the rumors about his wife's involvement with Zemfira, Kalmanovich said: "Anastasia is Zemfira's manager, director and supervisor. Even if they live together, there is nothing terrible about it. Personally, I like to look at two beautiful women."