 Sharon Stone, a Cuban bash in Beirut and more
Los Angeles, July 13 – Sharon Stone may be this month’s cover girl in Cigar Aficionado. But that doesn’t mean she wants anything to do with cigars.
The London Mirror, one of Britain’s famed tabloid newspapers, reported that a five-page list of demands submitted on behalf of Stone as part of a contract for her to act in a sequel of “Basic Instinct” included a $3,000-a-week bodyguard, two assistants, a personal chef and two caretakers for her children.
In addition, the 46-year-old actress’s list required first-class travel . . . if a private jet were not available, a nonsmoking chauffeur (to be approved by her) and, amazingly, a ban on all cigar smoking on the set.
The result? The sequel has been shelved and Stone has sued the producers for $100 million with the trial later this summer. Stay tuned.
Big Mac Attack: One of the reasons that General Cigar’s Macanudo is the top-selling brand in the U.S. is its relentless focus on placing the brand in front of the consumer. The Macanudo Touring Cigar Lounge buses are already busy on “American Passion Tour” in Illinois, Nebraska, Missouri, Kansas and Nevada this month and now Big Mac is sending two “Ambassadors” to dozens of retail stores beginning this month.
Luis Cortez and Charisma (really, that’s her name) Baltazar have been trained in General’s fields-to-finish program for Macanudo and have started a series of two-day events around the country. Each will host events at tobacco shops and offer a free Macanudo, a drawing for gift certificates and promote boxes of 10 at 25% off the retail price and sampler packs of three for the price of two.
General now has feet-on-the-ground promotions underway for Macanudo, Partagas, Punch (the Punch Poker Tour) and Kahlua, its flavored brand introduced last year and made by Drew Estates. No grass growing under the feet of the industry leader . . .
From Cuba With Love: The introduction of Montecristo’s new Edmundo shape was big news . . . in Lebanon!
Lebanon’s Daily Star newspaper reported on the “extravagant dinner” held to launch the shape at the La Guava beach resort just outside of Beirut. It was the third stop and final stop on the international event launch effort after programs in Paris and Milan. Habanos S.A. president Fernando Dominguez was present to an audience which included about 30 cigar distribution executives from Europe and Asia plus an all-star cast of Lebanese society.
Swisher Smoking Smaller and Faster: Swisher International, maker of popular machine-made cigar brands such as King Edward. Optimo and Swisher Sweets is planning to expand its Springfield, Florida factory to include added production for cigarillos.
The addition, estimated at $15 million, is expected to allow Swisher to meet expanding demand for its smaller smokes like Blackstone and Swisher Sweets Little Cigars.
Schwarzenegger Souvenirs: Cigars are the latest craze in California’s capitol city of Sacramento, thanks to Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger (R).
The current must-have souvenir is a private-label, Churchill-sized cigar offered by Schwarzenegger to guests and legislators.
The reaction runs from amusement to greed to disgust, with one female legislator, a Democrat, promising to “graciously decline” such a souvenir if offered. “I’ll just be happy if I get his signature on some of my legislation.” Good luck, but you may have to look through a smoke-filled room to find him.
~ Rich Perelman
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