Life Of Pi Author Broadcast From Space
Seven years after winning the Booker Prize for Life of Pi, Yann Martel is only now putting the finishing touches on the follow-up to his international...
Seven years after winning the Booker Prize for Life of Pi, Yann Martel is only now putting the finishing touches on the follow-up to his international...
Andres Restrepo | Posted 10.09.2009 | Impact
Last week, Cirque du Soleil founder Guy Laliberte became Canada's first private explorer in space. His mission? To raise humanity's awareness of water-related issues.
AP | PETER LEONARD | Posted 09.30.2009 | World
BAIKONUR, Kazakhstan — Canadian circus tycoon Guy Laliberte turned space into his big top Wednesday, boarding a Russian rocket and lifting off on a mission that mixes a serious message on water shortages with some clowning around in the cosmos.
Laliberte, an experienced fire-eater and stilt-walker who founded Cirque du Soleil, joined Russian cosmonaut Maxim Surayev and American astronaut Jeffrey Williams aboard a Soyuz craft that soared off the Kazakh steppe and set a course for the International Space Station.
The billionaire who calls himself the first clown in space paid a reported $35 million for his nine-day stay at the station, where he plans to publicize the world's growing shortage of clean water. His space extravaganza will culminate in a satellite linkup with shows in 14 cities across five continents featuring rock band U2 and Colombian pop star Shakira, as well as an appearance by former U.S. Vice President Al Gore.
With a puff of white smoke, the Soyuz craft carrying Laliberte and his crew mates shed its first rocket stage minutes after liftoff from the Baikonur launch facility and then disappeared from view.
Laliberte's friends and family on the ground waited anxiously and then burst into cheers when an announcement that the ship had reached orbit blared over a loudspeaker. There were ecstatic hugs, sobs of relief and chants of "Guy! Guy!"
Ed and Deb Shapiro | Posted 09.29.2009 | Denver
The focus and concentration of Cirque du Soleil clowns and acrobats is a kind of meditation -- one slip and it could all be over!
Brett Greene | Posted 09.28.2009 | Denver
There simply is no higher form of entertainment than a night under the tent with Cirque Du Soleil's experience of dreaming while awake in a magical atmosphere.
Terry Gardner | Posted 11.17.2009 | Entertainment
Cirque du Soleil helped the Santa Monica Pier celebrate its 100th birthday on 9/9/09. Next up for the partying centenarian is "Kooza," Cirque's new s...
Gail Lynne Goodwin | Posted 11.15.2009 | Living
Children seem to know things that as adults, we seem to forget. They play together, dream big, laugh, hug and enjoy life wholeheartedly, living each moment fully, not knowing the meaning of worry or stress.
Ed and Deb Shapiro | Posted 09.27.2009 | Living
We sat in awe in Denver as the magic unfolded and the show began: clowns, magicians, contortionists, high wire acrobats, it was all there in Kooza. It...
Juliette Powell | Posted 07.05.2009 | Entertainment
Cirque du Soleil founder Guy Laliberte announced this morning that come September 30th, he will embark on a space mission!
Paige Donner | Posted 07.02.2009 | Green
Sort of a citywide festival of "You're great." "No, YOU'RE great."
John Farr | Posted 05.05.2009 | Entertainment
To relive Beatlemania in all its madcap glory, I suggest you sit yourselves down to the following double-feature.
Ariston Anderson | Posted 12.20.2008 | Entertainment
"It's hugely important that we don't fall into the trap of saying, 'Oh, it's going to be harder to raise money.'"
TheStar.com | Vit Wagner | Posted 10.08.2009 | Books