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Last week’s “SNL” with Martin Short and a huge group of all-stars was a hit.
Total viewers came in at 4.79 million, the fourth highest of the fall season. It was the biggest audience since John Mulaney hosted on November 2nd, up 500K viewers since the Chris Rock show a week before.
“SNL” didn’t announce any surprises, so the come on was just for Short and singer Hozier. More viewings once the news got out aren’t known yet.
The episode was pretty much perfect. Every bit of it worked. And no. Tom Hanks is not ill. Someone please tell the tabloids.
“A Complete Unknown” finally hit theaters yesterday and made $7.2 million. The weekend looks terrific for James Mangold’s movie starring Timothee Chalamet. A huge marketing and PR campaign has gone into this sterling film. I spoke to people who saw it yesterday and, like me, they loved it.
“Mufasa” came roaring back to life yesterday with $14.7 million. After a very slow start, “Mufasa” can pull itself out of a hole now as other family friendly films like “Moana 2” and “Wicked” have exhausted their audiences.
Also new yesterday: “Nosferatu,” which made $11.5 million and is on track for a big weekend. Also, Nicole Kidman in “Babygirl” should keep adult audiences glued to their seats.
“The Brutalist” — at almost four hours — and “The Fire Inside” — also started runs yesterday.
Tributes are pouring in on social media for my friend, Richard Perry. The great record producer passed on Christmas eve after really fighting Parkinson’s Disease for years.
I’m so thrilled and touched that there are so many tributes, and that the media — radio, web, newspaper — has realized Richard’s importance. He would so happy to read these proclamations. When Richard was producing hits, there was no Grammy for that, and little recognition for producers. A few years ago, the Recording Academy gave him a Lifetime Achievement Award. (His friend and “rival,” Phil Ramone, also deserved that.)
For the last years of his life, Richard was surrounded by a family of friends who supported and took care of him including long time friend Daphna Keitel (wife of Harvey), music supervisor Bonnie Greenberg, Mr. Lauren Wild — who’s making a documentary about Richard, and many others. Robbie Robertson was a frequent visitor. Rod Stewart hung out with Richard twice recently. Carly Simon sang to him on the phone. Clive Davis called often, as did New York friends Joe Allen and Annette Tapert. Of course, Jane Fonda was always there.
Why so much love for this person? He was an exceptional, genuine friend who was interested in everyone. His door was always open. He loved music and life. He was the only person we knew who played the oboe and sang bass on doo wop songs.
The photo here I took at Clive’s 2016 Grammy party of Richard, Carly, and Jane. It was a rare and happy reunion.
PS A Richard playlist would include anything from Carly Simon, Ringo Starr, Nilsson, the Pointer Sisters, and so on. I guess “You’re So Vain,” “Without You,” “I’m So Excited,” and “Stoney End” are his classics.
If you were hoping for a sighting of Taylor Swift and Beyonce Sunday night at the Chiefs-Steelers game, you were disappointed.
Taylor did not show up in Pittsburgh to support boyfriend Travis Kelce, or to watch Beyonce’s spectacular half time show. It was better than most Super Bowl half time shows. She nailed it.
The next time we might see the two singers in the same room will be the Grammy Awards on February 2nd.
The score? Chiefs 29, Steelers 10.
And Beyonce 1, Taylor 0.
Mariah Carey opened the game with a canned, pre-taped version of “All I Want for Christmas.” It looked like an infomercial. Couldn’t Mariah sing live? Beyonce 1, Mariah 0.
Somers Farkas is well known in the Hamptons, Upper East, and Palm Beach. A major Republican donor, Somers — who has a regal bearing — is a philanthropist, socialite, former model, and one time advertising exec.
Now she’s the US Ambassador to Malta. It only cost her $300,000.
Don’t worry, she has it. Or had it until she donated roughly that amount this year to Donald Trump’s campaign and the Republican party. This is thanks to husband, Jonathan Farkas, whose wealthy well known New York family used to own Alexander’s department store across from Bloomingdale’s and then well full on into real estate. The Farkases have homes off Madison Avenue, in Water Mill, and Palm Beach that are worth millions.
The Farkases are very nice people whom I’ve seen on the social circuit for years. Jonathan’s mother was a huge indomitable force named Ruth Farkas, who was really the dynamo in the family as a philanthropist herself. And here’s what ties the late Ruth to Somers.
A lifelong Republican,Ruth, and her family, Ruth Farkas reportedly donated the very same $300,000 to Richard Nixon’s 1972 re-election campaign. This yielded Ruth an ambassadorship to Luxembourg. But the appointment almost blew up in her face.
During the Watergate hearings in July 1974, Herbert Kalmach, Nixon’s lawyer and fund-raiser testified before the House Judiciary Committee that Farkas knew her donation would lead to an ambassadorial posting. Farkas denied the charges, and her Senate confirmation was delayed. She eventually prevailed, although, of course, Nixon lost his job.
You get what you pay for. Somers Farkas held two other positions in the first Trump White House, but nothing this prestigious. Malta — a glittering island between the south of Italy and Africa — has only 500,000 in population.
The country gained its independence from Spain and Italy in 1964, and stands as a vacation retreat for the rich and famous. It’s composed of five islands, never has bad weather, and yes — that’s where The Maltese Falcon came from. This appointment is similar to Kimberly Guilfoyle’s in Greece. A nice pay off for everyone involved.
The great record producer Richard Perry passed away early this morning in Los Angeles. He was 82 years old and had been battling Parkinson’s — rather waging a war with the disease — for several years.
Richard wasn’t just a record producer. He was a raconteur, a man about town, a thrower of famous parties at his historic home above Sunset Plaza in West Hollywood. He was also my friend, and I was so lucky to know him.
When I was a teenager, Richard was the main producer of hits records in the music business. If you saw his name on a new record, you knew it was good — from rock and roll to R&B to pop. Richard had instincts about hits far beyond everyone else. And once his legacy began, there was no stopping him.
It all started with Carly Simon’s “No Secrets” album which contained what would be his masterpiece, “You’re So Vain.” Listen to it today, and no time has passed. Richard created his own wall of sound, a cushion really. I would often ask him what it was that made his records so exciting. He refused to divulge the recipe.
At around the same time as “No Secrets,” Richard had two more smash hits: Harry Nilsson’s “Nilsson Schmilsson” with the massive hit, “Without You”; and Ringo Starr’s “Ringo” album that kind of reunited the Beatles and made huge hits of “Photograph” and “Oh My My.” You couldn’t put on the radio without hearing a Richard Perry production.
There was precedent for all these stars wanting to work with him. In 1971, Richard took Barbra Streisand into the studio and gave her first and only rock hit, “Stoney End.” The song was written by Laura Nyro, breaking Barbra out of the showtunes category and widening her base. After that, he was in hot demand.
The 70s is a blur of hits on Richard’s resume. Leo Sayer had smashes with “When I Need You” and “You Make Me Feel Like Dancing.” Then came Richard’s rehab of the Pointer Sisters, with “Jump” and “I’m So Excited.” He started his own label, Planet Records. He made Art Garfunkel’s lush, classic album, “Breakaway.” He was a part of John Lennon’s close posse during the “Lost Weekend.”
He recorded landmark albums with Ella Fitzgerald, Ray Charles, and Fats Domino. Diane Warren’s “Rhythm of the Night,” sung by El Debarge, solidified his legacy in the 1980s. It went straight to number 1. And let’s not downplay Julio Iglesias and Willie Nelson’s mega hit, “To All the Girls I’ve Loved Before.”
Up there on Doheny Drive, Richard was famous for his salon like gatherings. Warren Beatty, Jack Nicholson, and many Hollywood starlets came to his “pub.” He had an air of elegance — he liked ascots — despite coming from Brooklyn and doo wop. For his 60th birthday, he took over the back room at Elaine’s and put on a doo wop show for his guests with his friend, Kenny Vance. He liked a good time.
Richard was married twice, once to Rebecca Broussard who later went on to marry Nicholson. In May of 2009 he told me he’d heard Jane Fonda was coming to Los Angeles and he wanted to date her. It’s a long story, but he enlisted his pal, Carrie Fisher, and got Fonda’s email. They were soon a couple, a relationship that went through many stages but continued after they moved in together and then split up. He was totally in love (and so was she!).
In 2000, I ran into Richard with friends at Nick and Toni’s in East Hampton. He had a cassette tape with him that he said no one had heard yet. It was Rod Stewart with a big band singing American classics. He played it for all of us that night, and we knew it was a hit. Richard went on to make four-and-a-half (one was with our friend Phil Ramone) “Great American Songbook” albums with his friend, Clive Davis.
There were all kinds of pet projects. For example, in 2011 he was a consulting producer on a Broadway musical called “Baby, It’s You.” It was all about Florence Greenberg starting Scepter Records, the home of the Shirelles, Dionne Warwick, and Luther Dixon in the early 60s. The book was shaky, but the music enveloped the theater as if it were made from velvet.
More recently, as the Parkinson’s progressed, Richard knuckled down and wrote a memoir called “Cloud Nine,” detailing all his adventures in music. His parents had started a company called Peripole, which became the main supplier of musical instruments to schools across the country. (It’s still in existence.) His life was music. When he finally became a hit producer — his first real record was Tiny Tim’s giant novelty song, “Tiptoe Through the Tulips” — in 1968 — Richard, who was a stutterer — made sure every one of his singers enunciated their words. You never misunderstood a lyric on a Richard Perry record.
Richard certainly had a wide range of famous friends, real friends. One of his best friends was Robbie Robertson of The Band. Robbie’s death was a blow. It was Richard who started bringing Joni Mitchell to Clive Davis’s annual pre-Grammy dinner. I sat between them one year as they dissected each performer.
The last couple of years were a struggle. Parkinson’s is so insidious that Richard would greet me on the phone with an exuberant “Hey, Rog!” and then not be able to say what he was thinking. When he got out a whole sentence there was applause. We listened to music a lot and went over his hits. Some days, Nilsson’s “Without You” was his favorite song, other days it was “You’re So Vain.” Many times Carly Simon would call and sing to him from Martha’s Vineyard. In 2021, when he was hospitalized for a bit, Jane Fonda sneaked the Pointer Sisters into his hotel room and they serenaded him with “Slow Hand.”
What a life! When HBO aired its Tina Turner documentary a a couple of years ago, there was a clip of Tina being accompanied to the Grammys by who? Richard, of course. He was the producer who first worked with her when she was making her comeback. I called him while the show was on, and he responded: “Oh, yeah,” like that was no big deal. I laughed out loud.
Richard leaves three brothers, nephews and nieces, a cadre of friends — especially Daphna Keitel — who were devoted to him, and amazing caregivers. We will all miss his persistent will to live, and his true love of life.
I always said — and thought long before I met him — these are “perfect” records. That’s why they’ve lasted and grown in time.
The first lawsuit has been filed in the matter of Blake Lively vs. Justin Baldoni and “It Ends with Us.”
Steph Jones, Baldoni’s now ex publicist, has sued him and her former employees of making a mess of the whole thing.
The thing: Lively has sued Baldoni alleging incredible kinds of sexual harassment during the shooting of the movie. Lively says she was subjected to discussion of Baldoni and his associate’s sex lives, pictures of genitalia, criticism of her weight, and so on.
Things got so bad that the movie was stopped, and Baldoni had to agree to a 17 point agreement before they could finish the film. It’s mind boggling.
The effect on Baldoni’s career is becoming seismic. He’s already seen an award rescinded, and he’s been dropped by his talent agency. His career has gone up in flames in the matter of days.
A mystery remains: Baldoni knew he was making the movie with an actress whose husband is a billionaire and a force in Hollywood. Ryan Reynolds could afford the best lawyers in the world (and he did — two top Hollyoow firms). Reynolds was also on track to release his own blockbuster, “Deadpool and Wolverine,” at the same time as “It Ends with Us.”
You’d think Baldoni would be on his best behavior. Instead, according to Lively’s 80 page complaint, the director and co-star of the film could not resist poking a bee hive, and treating Lively as badly as possible. It’s almost as if he was self-destructing.
How will this all end? Baldoni owns the rights to the other Colleen Hoover novel, “It Starts with Us.” Lively wants to make the sequel and offload Baldoni. In a settlement or jury decision, Baldoni may have to give up those rights. The end of this story will be explosive.
Singer SZA surprised everyone and dropped a new album on Saturday called “Lana.”
“Lana” has new songs, and is an extension of SZA’s last album, “SOS.” She won 3 Grammy Awards last February for that collection.
Immediately, “Lana” went to number 1 on iTunes and Apple, etc. It’s just digital right now. CDs, etc will come next month.
But now SZA — whose real name is Solána Imani Rowe — says on Wednesday she’ll post an updated version of “Lana” to iTunes and streaming services to supplant the current one.
She writes on Twitter:” After listening w a clear mind I’m Switching some mixes out when I add stuff on Christmas lol . This means nothing to you but had to say it for me lol . Who knows u might notice”
Will anyone notice the difference after the Christmas Day update? A better question: why hurry out an album that wasn’t ready?
Everything is not coming up roses for the new production of “Gypsy” on Broadway.
The Audra McDonald starring musical opened last Thursday to rave reviews. It’s already been sold out in previews. What could go wrong?
But this afternoon producers took to social media to say tonight’s performance because everyone is sick.
They wrote: “Due to multiple illnesses within the company, tonight’s performance is cancelled. Now that the production has opened, we are very quickly getting all our understudies up to speed.”
It’s kind of amazing that a huge of this scale, with stars like Danny Burstein and directed by George C. Wolfe, didn’t have their understudies ready. It’s highly unusual, in fact.
The whole thing recalls the tough time shows had on Broadway before and after the lockdown.
Luckily, “Gypsy” had no performance set for tomorrow night, Tuesday. They return Wednesday, Christmas Day, at 7pm.
Due to multiple illnesses within the company, tonight’s performance is cancelled. Now that the production has opened, we are very quickly getting all our understudies up to speed. Please check with your point of purchase to exchange or refund your tickets. pic.twitter.com/KPAsvMODIn
I wish I’d been a fly on the wall listening to all the horse trading at Billboard this month.
Today they named Kendrick Lamar the number 1 pop star of 2024. I like Kendrick but that is ridiculous. Sorry.
The biggest pop star of 2024 was Taylor Swift. I’m not a Swiftie. I’m just going by the numbers.
Billboard says Swift was number 3, after Sabrina Carpenter. Hmmmm…Sabrina’s numbers were a little higher than Kendrick’s but not clos to Swift.
This year, Swift sold almost 18 million albums including streaming equivalent according to Luminate.
Of the 18 million, 5.78 million were CDs, LPs, or paid downloads. Her “Tortured Poets Department” sold around 7 million copies and was the number 1 album of the year.
As for Kendrick, his numbers pale by comparison. In 2024 he sold around 4.5 million copies including streaming. The sales for Cds, LPs, and downloads were just 378,000. Sabrina was just ahead of him.
As we all know, Swift’s The Eras Tour was the biggest ever. She made around $2 billion from March 2023 through last week. So let’s say she made a billion in 2024.
I don’t know how Billboard arrived at their list, but I dare say it was a negotiation among record execs, publicists, managers, and the magazine’s editors that would make the Ukraine peace talks seem tame.
Maybe they all decided it was boring to put Taylor at number 1 again. Maybe she told them she’d rather have the heat off her. Regardless, kudos to Kendrick for selling so much, even if it was a lot less than Swift. All of these recording artists did very, very well.
