Pandora: Ravens is no Dead Ringer for Michelle

(PA)

Imitation, it seems, isn't always a form of flattery. Just ask Jan Ravens, the acerbic Dead Ringers impressionist, who has decided that she will not be "doing a Michelle" any time soon – for fear of offending her subject.

"I'm doing Hillary Clinton but not Michelle Obama," explains Ravens, who is currently touring the UK with her show A Funny Look At Impressions. "I just don't think you can do that really. I once did Trisha, which was great fun but then she's not that black.

"What you need is a black impressionist. I work with a Nigerian comedian called Andi Osho and she's doing Michelle Obama, below, in her act, which is great."

Needless to say, the revelation is likely to prompt cries of over-sensitivity from critics, though Ravens insists that she isn't phased: "It's very easy to say 'Oh, that's just politically correct'," she argues. "But there's a very good reason for a lot of political correctness.

"I always think that the motivation behind it is actually from kindness, good manners and respecting your fellow human beings."

Eddie gets our engines running

We have just received what may be the Most Exciting Invite of The Year So Far – courtesy of Eddie Jordan, bespectacled former racing tycoon. He, as some readers may be aware, has relaunched himself as a rawkstar, drumming with his band The Robots. Happily, this phenomenon will not go unobserved; Eddie is to perform the BBC club later this month, and we will be in attendance. Says their website: "We are the Road Warriors of Rock and Roll, featuring the Godfather of Corporate Punk." All rather thrilling.

Skinner's soft sell comes down with a hard bump

Oh, dear. Pandora very much hopes that we haven't landed the Streets' Mike Skinner in too much trouble.

Early yesterday afternoon, the mischievous rapper, pictured right, updated his Twitter feed with the promise to post three new songs this week, bypassing the normal course of promotion because he "can't be bothered with all this trying to sell music".

Dedicated sleuths (not to say fans) that we are, Pandora immediately rang up said rapper's people, enquiring as to the Tweet's authenticity.

Alas, while it was in fact a genuine offering, it seems that Distribution Central were not best pleased with Skinner's revelations.

Minutes later, he updated his feed again: "I'm gonna be in so much trouble..." Sorry Mike!

The trauma of a Lembit-alike

And so, finally, to Karl Letter, De Montford University's Environmental and Sustainability Officer, who, in recent months, has been forced to endure the Chinese water torture of being mistaken, repeatedly, for Lembit Opik. Hopefully his latest step will put an end to the trauma: "I saw him at a conference and explained the situation," says Karl. "He was very good about it and we had a picture taken so that I could prove to people we're not the same person."

Peter Andre goes global

Pandora can hardly wait. It is only a matter of weeks until the perma-tanned music genius that is Peter Andre, pictured with Katie Price, unveils his new, no doubt deeply complex, album. "I've been in the studio until 3am," he boasts to Star magazine. "I honestly believe for the first time ever I'm going to have an international album. People will listen to it and go 'get lost that's not Pete!'" We don't know about you, but from where we're sitting, that can only be a good thing.