«IT'S CALLED GOSSIP AND OF COURSE IT'S AN OBSESSION OF MINE»

CAPE CANAVERAL, Florida (Reuters) - A billionaire Canadian circus entrepreneur who will visit space this month said on Wednesday he will host a live event from orbit on October 9 to promote the importance of access to clean water globally.
Guy Laliberte, founder of the Montreal-based Cirque du Soleil, said environmental activist and former U.S. vice president Al Gore, Irish band U2, veteran rock musician Peter Gabriel and other celebrities will take part in the show from 14 cities around the world.Laliberte, 50, is due to fly into space on September 30 aboard a Russian Soyuz capsule to travel to the orbiting International Space Station. He will pay $35 million for the 11-day trip, becoming the seventh private citizen to be a "space tourist." Cirque du Soleil operates innovative circus shows."I just hope that as a citizen of Earth, this will inspire people in a new way," said the former street performer, who became a billionaire after turning his traveling circus act into an entertainment powerhouse.


Sept 2 2009