Derby Day 2006 - Preview - Cup Week Hit By Celebratory Shortage 04/11/2006 The skills shortage crisis in Australia continues to escalate with rumours circulating today suggesting a desperate lack of trained and experienced celebrities leading up to the spring racing carnival. With hundreds of marquees to fill, and the Melbourne Cup just days away, there could be the very real risk of having empty marquees, with some even suggesting that the qualifying level for celebrity status should be downgraded to include anyone that has ever appeared on Bert’s Family Feud, or been interviewed for Vox Pop in the Herald Sun. Industry sources however, have down played any talk of a crisis “The celebrities that we have available are quite determined not to let the horse racing infringe onto the vital services they provide, such as photo opportunities and network cross promotions . As always, there will be the whitest of white teeth, the fakest of fake tans , co-ordinated outfits that will leave you breathless, well rehearsed anecdotes and friendly witty banter that will have the public hanging off every word. “ There are just not enough celebrities to go around – between Celebrities on Ice, Celebrity Survivor, Dancing with the Stars, Spicks n Specks, Glasshouse, we are scrapping the bottom of the B and C grade celebrity barrel as it is – I mean we’ve tried to find Dave O Neil and Liz Ellis look-alikes so we can expand the amount of important work these people do, but we have just had no luck. If the situation doesn’t improve, we may have to import celebrities from the Philippines or Indonesia, else out source some of the marquees to India.” “Although it’s great that the horse racing has become popular during Cup Week, this year we really want to get back to basics and focus on what The Cup is all about - shameless promotion. Else we run the very real risk of Paris Hilton never returning…”