Chatterbox: Low fashion for the High Wire

Opening night of Cirque du Soleil this week prompted many celebs and civilians to open the closet and ask, "Just what does one wear to the circus?" Former Herald and Metro journalist Geraldine Johns wore a fetching tutu. Entrepreneur Alan Smythe didn't go to quite as much effort in boat shoes, shorts and an extremely loud shirt. And Team NZ's Dean Barker took a rare opportunity to wear clobber mercifully free of the sponsors' logos (although that might have been Barkers gear). For most, however, "basic black" still seems de rigueur for a colourful night out under the grand chapiteau. And in a city where it rains one day out of three, on average, you'd have thought we'd have some brolly style. But no, we're a mundane lot there, too. We obviously lack what the French call a little "I don't know what."

If you are going — and you should, it's tres magnifique fun — take your pointer for sartorial style from the circus performers themselves. Some appear like muscular extras from The King and I, others like demented teddy bears. One clown was Mr Bean with the DTs and the mute ring master is an amalgam of Tom Waits hunchback and Toad of Toad Hall in leggings and a sparkly jacket. Ils sont superbes, mate. So dress up, have fun, put the bland telly-presenters and their black ensembles to shame. And gentlemen particularly make an effort. "Smart casual" is just sooo boring.

DANIEL OUT OF DEN: Funny who you bump into at these summer gigs, innit? Chatterbox was making a hasty but happy exit late from Dave Dobbyn's gig at the Kings Arms last Sunday only to bump into none other than Sweetwaters promoter Daniel Keighley, who was standing at the door enjoying the music. We said a civil hello but really wish we'd quipped: "If you think it's crowded in front of the stage you should see the 30,000 out in the garden bar." Keighley was sentenced to 12 months jail in March for five counts of document forgery in the aftermath of the failed music festival. He was spotted again at the Cirque Du Soleil on Wednesday night, where it can be reported, he still had a shirt — open-necked — on his back.

HAL IS OTHER PEOPLE: A thought on rock musicians — sometimes the interview is more entertaining than the music? Take Big Day Out's masked men Mudvayne from Illinois who have spiky hair, painted faces (like kids at an Aunties show) and multiple tattoos. Singer Kud sports a long plaited beard. Drummer Spag (known to his long-suffering Mum as Matthew McDonough) recently told Metal Hammer magazine their debut album was "a movie, the beginning of a time line, a lifetime. It's 2001: A Space Odyssey but it's more than that. too ... " There was more but we'll spare you. The Mudvayne odyssey at the BDO on Friday lasts for 45 minutes. The movie, if we remember rightly, was a mite longer.

YES, THAT MICHAEL JACKSON: Michael Jackson — c'mon, you remember him — is to follow in the footsteps of Malcolm X, Gerry Adams, Richard Nixon and OJ Simpson. He will address Britain's famous Oxford Union on March 6 and his subject will be ... child welfare. The 42-year-old father-of-two (and sometime singer), whose career was once dogged by child molestation allegations, will be speaking alongside his new mentor, Rabbi Shmuley Boteach, on "the fine art of balancing romantic love, familial love and professional dedication." Jackson is chairman of the Heal the Kids Foundation, which said in a statement that it is "devoted to promoting nurturing relationships between parents and children and to fostering programmes that help all children gain the love, attention and quality time they need to prosper and flourish." Boteach is the foundation's co-founder and author of the book Kosher Sex: A Recipe for Passion and Intimacy.