Carla Bruni to Sing at Mandela's Birthday

(NEWSER) - French first lady Carla Bruni-Sarkozy took the stage yesterday to sing at Nelson Mandela's 91st birthday concert in New York City—to mixed reviews, reports the Times of London. The model-turned-singer, who previously vowed not to perform while her husband was in office, sang her hit "Quelqu'un m'a dit" ("Someone Told Me") and Bob Dylan's "Blowin' in the Wind" with Dave Stewart of Eurythmics fame. More»

New book spills about why the French first couple is late so often

(NEWSER) - Nicolas Sarkozy and Carla Bruni-Sarkozy once kept a head of state waiting for a meeting, but they had a good excuse—they were having sex. The revelation about the French president and his ex-supermodel wife gets juicier, ABC News reports: It involves the Obamas. No, not like that! Bruni-Sarkozy "wanted to know if, like the Sarkozys, Michelle and the President had ever kept anyone waiting that way," Jonathan Alter of Newsweek writes in his new book, The Promise: President Obama, Year One. More»

Carla with singer, Prez cuddling minister, says media

(NEWSER) - The French media is buzzing with rumors that President Nicolas Sarkozy and First Lady Carla Bruni have both found lovers. Bruni has reportedly hopped into the bed of hunky French musician Benjamin Biolay, and the president quickly found solace in the arms of his comely junior minister for ecology, Chantal Jouanno, according to reports that first circulated on Twitter and were picked up by the Sunday newspaper Journal du Dimanche and other outlets. More»

US first lady tops Elle's 'political chic' category

(NEWSER) - The French edition of Elle magazine puts Michelle Obama at the top of the "political chic" category in its yearly best-dressed list—ahead of French first lady Carla Bruni, a former supermodel. Elle said it favored strong personalities and distinctive styles in this year's selection, and marveled that "Mrs Obama resembles no-one else. Her style is unique. She encourages young designers and has succeeded in imposing the waisted cardigan as official dress." More»

French first lady returns director's fawning with a 'yes'

(NEWSER) - French first lady Carla Bruni doesn’t have any delusions about her acting ability—“Perhaps I’ll be completely hopeless”—but when Woody Allen comes a-knocking, you don’t say no. The director has asked the former model to appear in an upcoming movie after meeting her earlier this year. “I don't know what the role would be, but I said yes,” she tells the AFP . “I go into everything blindly, or I'd never do anything at all.” Besides, "when I'm a grandmother I'd like to be able to say I made a film with Woody Allen.” More»