Fight, fight, FIGHT!

My eyes went as wide as saucers when I read about lifelong friends James Packer and David Gyngell fighting like “two mad dogs” on the street in Bondi on Sunday afternoon.

Perhaps the most shocking bit of the report – for me – on the SMH website was this:

According to alleged witness claims, people were spotted looking for teeth outside Packer’s home shortly following the exchange.

A woman who lives in an apartment building opposite Packer’s home said that, while she did not want to comment on the fight, she did find dentures on the street shortly afterwards.

There is no suggestion the dentures belong to either of the men.

While it is unclear which party is missing the teeth, PS has been informed that Packer is today sporting a black eye while Gyngell’s face appears to have escaped unscathed.

Missing teeth! Blardy hell!

Naturally, the paparazzi and a passerby were on hand to take unhappy snaps of the incident, with the resulting photographs being bought for gawd knows how much by News Corp (they reportedly went for a six figure amount with some estimates  going as high as $210,000, though magazine sources tell me that’s unlikely).

And what I’m wondering is: do you care?

I often ponder whether the players in the media over-estimate the interest people have in the shennanigans that take place behind the scenes. Celebrities in the media are a different matter. But journalists and the industry that surrounds them often make the mistake of thinking that because they’re all hot and bothered about some bit of juicy internal gossip that the outside world cares too.

I suppose James Packer crosses the line into celebrity … but as for David Gyngell … as one witness tweeted: “Holy crap, big street fight outside my house … Not thugs, James Packer … And some other angry bloke going toe…”

That’s right … Gyngell is just “some other angry bloke”.

Me, I’m obsessed with the incident. I’ve Googled and read every single word about the drama.

Husband and I shared an exclamation-filled text exchange about it this morning, with me admitting that people had offered to rough him up and him noting that I would probably draw the line at smashing teeth. (Yeaaaaahhhh, probably …)

The general consensus regarding the Gyngell/Packer fight seems to be that Gyngell doesn’t approve of Packer divorcing his wife Erica and exchanging family life with their three kids for the party scene.

Mid-life crisis anyone?

As the SMH continues:

Since the marriage came to an end, Packer has been living life as a billionaire bachelor, running with the Hollywood set including renowned party boy, filmmaker Brett Ratner, with whom Packer has invested hundreds of millions of dollars in their new film production company RatPac.

Jetting around the globe in private jets and partying on the sands of Mykonos was a far cry from the setting of domestic bliss Packer had apparently opted out of with Erica.

Could Gyngell really be that angry about his mate’s divorce?

The pair have been best friends for eons, inseparable as kids, they attended Cranbrook private school together in Sydney’s eastern suburbs. Gyngell was Packer’s best man at both his weddings – to Jodhi Meares and Erica – while Gyngell and his wife Leila McKinnon are godparents to Packer’s oldest child, Indigo.

During my 20-year stint at ACP Magazines, I spent a weekend at the Packer property in Scone, Ellerston, and witnessed the adoration and attentiveness Erica showed James. I remember thinking how wonderful it was that he’d found someone who loved him so much. Being as filthy rich as James (and as controversially attractive) must mean constantly questioning WHY women want to date you. Is it just about the money and power or do they genuinely love you, the man?

And WHAT would possess a man to walk away from a gorgeous woman who stood loyally by his side for more than 10 years and gave him three children – Indigo, 5, Jackson, 4, and Emmanuelle, 2 – who he clearly adores. 

Fark knows.

Some have suggested it was the enticing embrace of Aussie model Miranda Kerr that spirited him away from family life. Eyebrows were raised when she separated from husband Orlando Bloom just two months after Packer left his wife.

However, she told News Corp over the weekend that she was “not in a relationship with anyone” and that she and Packer had just been a friend for many years.

“I’m not looking for anything too serious or to be in a relationship,” she added. “I’m not ready, I’d rather just go on a date here and there.”

I hope she’s sincere about that. It would be a terrible thing for two families to be torn apart by an affair.

Coincidentally, Miranda happens to be in town this week … Or maybe there’s nothing coincidental about it … The Daily Mail is reporting: “Australian billionaire James Packer came to blows with his TV boss best friend in the street because he believed a camera crew was trying to catch him with rumoured lover, model Miranda Kerr, it has emerged.”

Meanwhile, Gyngell can be heard shouting: ‘I didn’t even know you were in f***ing Australia,’ in video footage of the punch-up, reports The Daily Telegraph

As for the brawl itself, Gyngell was spotted sitting on the boot of his car outside Packer’s house around 2pm on Sunday, having a long, abusive phone call with someone and repeatedly saying he was going to “punch him”.

Packer finally arrived home after flying into Sydney Airport on his private jet. The moment the pair spotted each other they started screaming abuse and wrestling. The fight ended with the cracking sound of both their heads hitting a brick fence (presumably when the teeth were lost).

Yesterday, Gyngell and Packer released a joint statement on the fight, saying: “We have been friends for 35 years and still are. In that time we have had our fair share of ups and downs. We respect each other and neither of us will be commenting further.”

Sources close to both men say that’s total BS.

Social media has had a field day since news broke about the brawl.

Here’s one of my favourite responses …

For more, click here.

Meanwhile, Buzzfeed turned around and totally took the piss out of News Ltd’s treatment of the obviously stupidly expensive photos (watermarking the living hell out of them to the point they were almost completely obscured) … Click here for a stickybeak. 

And NT News wins the award for newspaper cover of the year …

But what I’m wondering is whether James Packer feels like this right now, having lost his wife and his best friend (and, possibly, his teeth) …

Fool’s gold. Geez men are gits sometimes.

Song of the day: The Stone Roses “Fool’s Gold”

“I’m standing alone
I’m watching you all
I’m seeing you sinking
I’m standing alone
You’re weighing the gold
I’m watching you sinking
Fool’s gold”