http://www.thepunch.com.au/author-bios/daniela-elser/ Daniela Elser is the entertainment editor of news.com.au. She started her career at ABC Television News in production, later moving to current affairs where she worked on the production teams of the 7.30 Report and Lateline.  Her work has been published in The Sydney Morning Herald, The Age, The Sun-Herald’s ‘Sunday Life’ and The Sunday Telegraph’s ‘Sunday’. She has also been regular contributor to The Punch since its launch. Daniela owes the government quite a bit of money for the years she spent studying for her Arts degree at Sydney University and journalism at the University of Technology. en Copyright 2012 The Punch penberthyd@newsltd.com.au penberthyd@newsltd.com.au Sat, 26 May 2012 20:00:49 +0000 Sat, 26 May 2012 20:00:49 +0000 Politics, opinion, world news, sports news, latest news, views, Barack Obama, Kevin Rudd, Julia Gillard, Nathan Rees, Malcolm Turnbull, Peter Garrett, Barnaby Joyce, Australian, federal politics, opinion polls, election, The Punch, thepunch, punch ExpressionEngine 1.6.7 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss 15 http://www.thepunch.com.au/images/punch-logo-rss.png http://www.thepunch.com.au/ 144 70 Politics, political opinion, world news, sports news and the latest news and views updated live, daily on The Punch - Australia's best conversation. Search The Punch keywords http://www.thepunch.com.au/search/ http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/sorry-seems-to-be-the-hardest-word-for-matthew-newton/ If Matthew Newton’s A Current Affair interview was his opening shot at public redemption, it was a misfire. Both the actor and A Current Affair seemed to want the Australian public to swallow the troubled star’s “cathartic” TV tell-all and wave him off cheerfully on his road to professional rehabilitation. But, there was one big thing lacking – free and easy use of the “s” word. feedback@thepunch.com.au (Daniela Elser) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/sorry-seems-to-be-the-hardest-word-for-matthew-newton/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/sorry-seems-to-be-the-hardest-word-for-matthew-newton/#item7204 Mon, 21 Nov 2011 10:00:14 +0000 Daniela Elser | Author bios | The Punch http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/kim-kardashian-things-to-admire-about-kim/ Think Kim Kardashian is nothing more than a walking, talking exercise in narcissism and lip gloss? After all, she’s a reality TV starlet famous for having thought it was a good idea to film herself having sex with a little known rapper - and for her eye-poppingly clingy dresses. But don’t be too quick to write Kim off. Because if you dig down beneath the trowelled-on layers of makeup you’ll find just the kind of modern woman who should get the tick of approval from the sisterhood. Don’t be confused by the drag queen eyes and slightly terrifying décolletage -  Kim Kardashian is a savvy entrepreneur, someone who speaks her mind and is vocally proud of her curvy figure. feedback@thepunch.com.au (Daniela Elser) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/kim-kardashian-things-to-admire-about-kim/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/kim-kardashian-things-to-admire-about-kim/#item7072 Thu, 03 Nov 2011 19:30:05 +0000 Daniela Elser | Author bios | The Punch http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/foxy-knoxy-and-the-shock-of-a-hot-chick-in-the-dock/ Amanda Knox’s looks shouldn’t matter, but they do. In court, it wasn’t just the university student who ended up in the dock, it was her image. From the minute she was dubbed ‘Foxy Knoxy’ - the juvenile, nudge, nudge, wink, wink nickname given to her early on in her trial - to the fact that her boyish prison haircut made news, her whole trial has been read through the prism of her gender and appearance. feedback@thepunch.com.au (Daniela Elser) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/foxy-knoxy-and-the-shock-of-a-hot-chick-in-the-dock/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/foxy-knoxy-and-the-shock-of-a-hot-chick-in-the-dock/#item6859 Wed, 05 Oct 2011 19:55:27 +0000 Daniela Elser | Author bios | The Punch http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/eating-disorders-a-more-weighty-issue-than-you-think/ Repeat after me: Models do not cause eating disorders. Really, they don’t. The news which hit the headlines this week that nearly 100 children between the ages of five and seven had been diagnosed with eating disorders in the UK in recent years immediately prompted some stock-standard finger pointing (“It was the models wot done it!”), but it’s time to dispel a few myths about eating disorders. For years, the scrawny, malnourished-looking girls who haunt the runways of Paris, Milan and New York have been accused of shoving women the world over just that much closer to starving themselves or sticking their fingers down their throats. feedback@thepunch.com.au (Daniela Elser) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/eating-disorders-a-more-weighty-issue-than-you-think/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/eating-disorders-a-more-weighty-issue-than-you-think/#item6422 Tue, 02 Aug 2011 19:55:42 +0000 Daniela Elser | Author bios | The Punch http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/1048-friends-4598-followers-1-lonely-soul/ We worry if we’ve got too much or too little; we notch up our conquests and proudly slip that number into conversation; and we spend more and more time trawling the net looking for it. We’re looking for friends. Or followers. In the past year, there’s been an 82 per cent jump in the amount of time Australians spend on social networking sites and nearly 10 million of us log more than eight hours a month on Facebook, Twitter and blogs. Problem is, all this skimming of Wall posts and retweeting is only making us feel more isolated. feedback@thepunch.com.au (Daniela Elser) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/1048-friends-4598-followers-1-lonely-soul/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/1048-friends-4598-followers-1-lonely-soul/#item6346 Thu, 21 Jul 2011 19:55:34 +0000 Daniela Elser | Author bios | The Punch http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/Should-we-force-kin-to-suffer-the-unkindest-cut/ Should circumcision be banned? Is it mutilation or a culturally and medically significant practice? That’s the question facing legislators in San Francisco after a controversial, but successful, campaign lead by “Foreskin Man” Michael Hess to have the question put to a ballot. In California in the last year, the anti-circumcision movement has gained enough public momentum to have the question put to a ballot. Under Hess’ proposal, the circumcision of a minor would be a criminal act and be treated as an assault. feedback@thepunch.com.au (Daniela Elser) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/Should-we-force-kin-to-suffer-the-unkindest-cut/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/Should-we-force-kin-to-suffer-the-unkindest-cut/#item6261 Sun, 17 Jul 2011 19:45:47 +0000 Daniela Elser | Author bios | The Punch http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/pop-princess-lady-gagas-no-material-girl/ Poor Stefani Germanotta. Not only does she have to clomp and totter around the globe in monstrosities masquerading as shoes and spend hours being squeezed and pummelled into her Lady Gaga outfits every day, but the poor darling has to deal with being constantly compared to Madonna. Sure, Gaga and Madge (in her time) might both have a soft spot for a conical bra, a scruffy boyfriend and a penchant for a generous splattering of religious iconography, but make no mistake - Gaga’s no Madonna and Madonna’s never been a Gaga. Because, when you peel away the wigs and the body glitter and the raw meat, there are massive differences between the two pop princesses when it comes to sex, religion and politics – you know, all the simple stuff. feedback@thepunch.com.au (Daniela Elser) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/pop-princess-lady-gagas-no-material-girl/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/pop-princess-lady-gagas-no-material-girl/#item6276 Tue, 12 Jul 2011 19:40:09 +0000 Daniela Elser | Author bios | The Punch http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/Once-upon-a-time-being-a-princess-didnt-suck-so-much/ Who in their right mind would want to be a Princess? In the last week, the royal bride lark has well and truly lost its fairytale sparkle. Charlene Wittstock’s real-life Princess story came close to coming off the rails when, in the days leading up to her and Prince Albert of Monaco’s $75 million three-day wedding, she reportedly tried to do a runner. At the eleventh hour, the bride was caught at the airport in Nice, trying to flee to her native South Africa, on a one-way ticket in order to escape her royal fate. feedback@thepunch.com.au (Daniela Elser) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/Once-upon-a-time-being-a-princess-didnt-suck-so-much/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/Once-upon-a-time-being-a-princess-didnt-suck-so-much/#item6207 Sun, 03 Jul 2011 19:55:48 +0000 Daniela Elser | Author bios | The Punch http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/designer-bags-have-lost-their-shine-amongst-the-masses/ I’m now the owner of a designer handbag and I’m not sure I want to keep it. The story of how I got it isn’t one I’m proud of - let’s just say the story of how I got it involves a garage sale, a tussle with a Russian septuagenarian and a fistful of notes. (Elbows people, use your elbows).  The point is, I now have a rather nice brown leather bag which, new, would have cost about the same as the GDP of Burundi - and I’ve discovered a whole new world. I now get admiring nods from strangers and comments from friends about my new purchase. I come across women with similar designer bags slung over their shoulders and they nod and smile at me, like we’re members of a select group who think it’s perfectly reasonable to spend a four- figure sum on what is essentially a very nice calfskin thing to keep your Travel Tens, old Biros and the occasional pair of knickers in. feedback@thepunch.com.au (Daniela Elser) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/designer-bags-have-lost-their-shine-amongst-the-masses/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/designer-bags-have-lost-their-shine-amongst-the-masses/#item6170 Tue, 28 Jun 2011 19:50:36 +0000 Daniela Elser | Author bios | The Punch http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/miley-cyrus-beware-the-smiley-siren/ Beware of Miley Cyrus. She might look oh-so-sweet with those dewy kewpie doll eyes blinking as she tries to come off as just another all-American girl - but don’t be fooled. She might only be 18 years old, but Miley represents a threat. In only a couple of years, Cyrus has gone from Disney star and global tween phenomenon to wannabe adult strumpet. It’s been an uncomfortable ride. She has clumsily whipped out every cliché in the starlet playbook: the muscle-bound boyfriend, a handful of tatts, the occasional bout of cage-dancing and the odd photo scandal, while much of the world politely averted its eyes. She has crudely tried to shape a grown-up persona that involves barely-there pants, all the while mimicking the strutting and thrusting and occasional girl-pashing of the Britneys and Christinas of this world. feedback@thepunch.com.au (Daniela Elser) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/miley-cyrus-beware-the-smiley-siren/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/miley-cyrus-beware-the-smiley-siren/#item6124 Tue, 21 Jun 2011 19:45:57 +0000 Daniela Elser | Author bios | The Punch