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Remembering the Amazing Teddy Pendergrass

Roger Friedman
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1477648Teddy Pendergrass, the real superstar of the Gamble-Huff division of R&B, died late last night at age 59.

The amazing Teddy had been wheelchair bound since a car crash in 1982. Nevertheless, he continued his career, made albums and even started a foundation to raise money to help people with spinal cord injuries.

But Teddy is and will always be best remembered for silky soul voice, which has been the soundtrack to many a seduction. In the 1970s, he had hit after hit as the lead singer for Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes on Philadelpha International Records. “Bad Luck,” “The Love I Lost,” “Wake Up Everybody” are just three of the classics that made Teddy a star. He left Melvin and went solo later in the decade, and had more hits including “I Don’t Love You Anymore.” “Close the Door,” “Turn off the Lights,” and “The Whole Town’s Laughing at Me.” It was Teddy who recorded the original version of “Don’t Leave Me This Way” before Thelma Houston had a monster hit with it.

Rest in peace, Teddy. You were one of a kind, a great soul man. You will be missed, but never forgotten!

Here’s a link to a YouTube 1979 live performance of “Close the Door.” Teddy was sex on a stick. The women loved him, and here’s why.

George Clooney to Host MTV Telethon for Haiti

Roger Friedman
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george clooney George Clooney to Host MTV Telethon for HaitiThis is exclusive to this column: Actor George Clooney is planning to host a telethon to raise money for the people of Haiti next Friday on all the MTV channels.

George told me last night at a private reception for his movie “Up in the Air” at the Monkey Bar ‘ hosted by Vanity Fair’s Graydon Carter and Paramount’s Brad Grey. Clooney is putting out the call today to all his celebrity friends and performers to participate from both coasts on Friday, January 22nd ‘ and he’s gotten MTV’s Judy McGrath to agree to air the show on MTV, VH-1, etc. That may be one reason McGrath was a guest at last night’s shindig.

Clooney, in a celebratory mood over “Up in the Air,” has gotten producer Joel Gallen, the guy who handled the famous 9-11 telethon on all the networks, to produce the show. At last night’s party he started in by buttonholing Sting ‘ who came to the Monkey Bar with wife Trudie Styler ‘ to participate. Sting merely asked, “Where do I go?” and Clooney was off to the races.

Meanwhile George had more celebrating to do last night. It was his dad’s birthday. George bought Nick ‘ who came into the Monkey Bar late with George’s mom, Nina ‘ a signed first edition of Arthur Miller’s classic “Death of A Salesman.” Just so the gift didn’t seem too ‘heavy,’ George gave his dad a birthday card that he himself illustrated, wishing him a happy 90th. The picture George drew showed an old man on a cane. Nick was not amused, but everyone got a big kick out of it.

And everyone ‘ I mean, everyone ‘ included Michael Douglas, keeping busy while wife Catherine Zeta Jones was doing her nighttime performance of “A little Night Music” on Broadway, plus “Up in the Air” director/writer Jason Reitman, his own dad, Ivan Reitman and’ mom Genevieve, “Up in the Air” co-star Anna Kendrick, Woody Harrelson (in a wide brimmed black hat), Liz Smith, Bob and Lynne Balaban, Albert Maysles, Ronald Perelman, CAA’s Bryan Lourd, Tovah Feldshuh, writer/director Paul Schrader, writer/director Paul Haggis, famed book editor Jerry Howard, and a very tight-lipped Lorne Michaels, who declined very nicely to say a word about the Conan/Jay disaster. Lorraine Bracco, who’s got two pilots cooking for TV, had a reunion with “Sopranos” creator David Chase. We need Dr. Melfi back on the tube!

Spike Lee, who was busy chatting about his upcoming documentary sequel to his “When the Levees Broke,” took Sting aside. “I love that song, Soul Cake,” Lee said, emphasizing the first word. Sting laughed, changing the emphasis. “It’s soul cake,” he said, “not that kind of Soul.” It turns out Spike Lee is a big Sting fan. When he praised Sting’s first solo album, “Dream of the Blue Turtles,” the singer told him he was going to re-release the CD totally remixed. “It’s going to have a lot more punch.” For a while Sting and Vanity Fair writer Christopher Hitchens also discussed God. But that’s another whole story.

Meanwhile, Trudie Styler got very cozy with Maysles, and starting planning a new documentary.

Around the room, there was plenty of talk about some other upcoming Paramount films including Martin Scorsese’s “Shutter Island.” One exec told me that the postponed film, now set for February release, would simply have been too dark for a Christmas release. “Wait til you see Leonardo DiCaprio,” I was warned. “It’s an Oscar performance.”

Paramount is also gearing up for “Iron Man 2,” “Transformers 3,” with Shia LaBeouf and “Indiana Jones 5,” with Shia LaBeouf, not to mention a J.J. Abrams sequel to “Star Trek.”

But wait ‘ Ivan Reitman, who told this column about a potential “Ghostbusters” film a few weeks ago, is amused by all the subsequent talk, chatter, speculation and blogging. “It just grows and grows,” he laughed. “And nothing new has happened.” Got that?

Songs for Soldiers by Soldiers

Roger Friedman
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Have you heard about a website called www.songsforsoldiers.us?

It’s a grand idea: to supply every American soldier in Iraq and Afghanistan with an MP3 player. The players are pre-loaded with music, but not Beyonce or the Black Eyed Peas. The songs are all by soldiers and vets, running the gamut from patriotic to sardonic, from hip hop to country to pop.

The program is funneled through the USO, so it’s clean as a whistle as the money gets translated into music. The players are attractive, too, coming in camouflage with the USO logo.

And one of the founders of the program, actor Tom Wiggin (well known to fans of “As the World Turns” as Kirk Anderson, schemer) is devoted to bringing in more actors and celebs to help promote the idea. So far he’s got Ann Curry, “Terminator” star Linda Hamilton, Terrell Owens, and LuAnn deLesseps. More are signing up every day. In the meantime, check out Songs for Soldiers on Facebook, where soldiers are posting notices about new music all the time. What a great idea!

Wyclef Jean’s Plea For Aid to Haiti

Roger Friedman
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Wyclef Jean ‘ who’ has worked tirelessly for the Haitian people ‘ posted this on his website Tuesday. I thought I’d bring it over here to get more exposure:

‘Haiti today faced a natural disaster of unprecedented proportion, an earthquake unlike anything the country has ever experienced.

The magnitude 7.0 earthquake ‘ and several very strong aftershocks ‘ struck only 10 miles from Port-au-Prince.

I cannot stress enough what a human disaster this is, and idle hands will only make this tragedy worse. The over 2 million people in Port-au-Prince tonight face catastrophe alone. We must act now.

President Obama has already said that the U.S. stands ‘ready to assist’ the Haitian people. The U.S. Military is the only group trained and prepared to offer that assistance immediately. They must do so as soon as possible. The international community must also rise to the occasion and help the Haitian people in every way possible.’

Many people have already reached out to see what they can do right now. We are asking those interested to please do one of two things: Either you can use your cell phone to text ‘Yele’ to 501501, which will automatically donate $5 to the Yele Haiti Earthquake Fund (it will be charged to your cell phone bill), or you can visit Yele.org and click on DONATE.

Brad and Angelina to Miss Awards Weekend

Roger Friedman
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The red carpet is going to be a slightly less glamorous place this weekend.

That’s because Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie are skipping both the Critics Choice Awards on Friday night and the Golden Globes on Sunday.

The usual gossip whisperers are saying it’s because the royal pair are having relationship issues and don’t want to be seen in public.

I say, Horsefeathers. For the last couple of years, Brad and Angelina have done yeoman duty showing up on lots of red carpets and sitting through countless awards ceremonies. And where is has gotten them? No place. They don’t win, but then have to look enthusiastic for the actual winners. Last year, in her acceptance speech at one of these shows, Kate Winslet actually forgot Angelina’s name when citing her other nominees.

Who needs it?

This year, Brad has a great comic performance in “Inglourious Basterds” as Sgt. Aldo Raine. His Italian bit at the start of the final sequence is hilarious. Pitt, as he showed in “Burn After Reading,” is a gifted comic actor. But he was overlooked for Christoph Waltz, who plays the Nazi Hans Landa. Pitt is no doubt happy for Waltz, but reasonably disappointed that a total newcomer to American cinema accidentally stole his thunder. You can’t blame him.

Still, “Basterds” is an ensemble piece. And while Waltz was a stand out, Pitt is without a doubt the heart and soul of the movie. As the leader of the “Basterds,” he is the movie’s hero. He’s exactly who patrons plunked down $12 for, and why he’s billed as the star of the movie. He has a lot of significant moments in “Basterds.” One of my favorites is right after the massive shoot-out in the bar, when Pitt shouts down. He’s off camera, but his accent is impeccable and so is attitude. The audience loves hearing just his voice, which says a lot when you think that Pitt’s image is his selling point.

So Brad, if you read this, come to Hollywood this weekend. The “Basterds” need you. Angie’s absence is understood: she has six kids and is finishing a film. But we’re Paging Pitt: it won’t be the same without you!

Michael Jackson’s Kids Spent Christmas With Surrogate Family

Roger Friedman
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I can tell you something now that I knew a couple of weeks ago: Michael Jackson’s three kids didn’t spend the holidays with the Jackson family at their Hayvenhurst Rd home in Encino, California.

Even though Michael’s mother, Katherine Jackson, has custody of Prince, Paris and “Blanket,” the three kids weren’t with her on Christmas or New Year’s.

Instead, nanny Grace Rwaramba arranged to take the kids for an extended visit with family friends. This is contrary to reported stories that the three were with their aunt, Janet Jackson, in New York. That was a decoy story. It’s amazing how every blog from Perez Hilton to the most insignificant picked up that story on Christmas Eve and ran it without checking a single fact. Imagine what that means for other celeb blog “exclusives.”

“They were extremely happy and they had a great time,” says a source of the no-Jackson holiday. “It wasn’t a big deal Christmas with elaborate gifts. It was very humble.”

The reason? Katherine Jackson, a Jehovah’s Witness, doesn’t celebrate holidays. If the kids had remained with her in Encino, they would have been deprived, a source says, of their annual Christmas celebration. Katherine, they say, was wise enough to sign off on the visit, and allowed Rwaramba to make the arrangements.

And the word on the kids? “They seemed fine, well adjusted, they’re doing their school work. They don’t talk about Michael’s death but they do mention him.”

Prayers for Dennis Hopper, a Late Bloomer

Roger Friedman
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The word from Hollywood is that the great Dennis Hopper may be losing his battle with prostate cancer.

Hopper, 74, is truly one of our finest actors and has been for nigh on 50 years. He’s also a late bloomer.

After working hard for about fifteen years, he finally hit it big in 1969 with “Easy Rider.” The seminal counterculture film was written with Peter Fonda, and Terry Southern (who passed away a few years ago).

Hopper could have parlayed “Easy Rider” into a major career, but instead he dropped out. He didn’t really resurface until “Apocalypse Now” in 1978, when he made a splash. But again, Hopper semi-vanished. It wouldn’t be again until 1986, and David Lynch’s “Blue Velvet,” that he finally hit his stride and had a role with a lasting impression. He was already 50. In that year, 1986, Hopper also made “Hoosiers” and “River’s Edge.” It was his high water mark, and he wouldn’t do so well again until “Speed” in 1994. Still through all of, post-”Apocalypse,” he never stopped working in one way or another.

Hopper, who boasts a huge art collection, was also married five times. His first wife was the beauty Brooke Hayward, daughter of Margaret Sullavan and Leland Hayward. Hopper’s second marriage, to Michelle Phillips, lasted a week in the fall of 1970. Three more marriages followed. He has two Oscar nominations ‘ one for acting (”Hoosiers”) and for writing (”Easy Rider”). Looking back, it’s a scandal that he wasn’t nominated for “Blue Velvet,” too.

Anyway, I love this interview with Hopper from last year in which he talks about the Sixties, art, and women. Here’s to you, Dennis!

Meryl vs. Sandy: Best Actress Takes a Turn

Roger Friedman
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The Best Actress category has gotten very interesting suddenly.

While Meryl Streep remains the odds-on favorite for her work in “Julie & Julia,” there’s a new player in the game: Sandra Bullock.

Bullock is pulling a lot of of weight and good vibes for her role in the big studio formula hit, “The Blind Side.” Sandy has a Golden Globe nomination and a few others under her belt for her portrayal of a real life Memphis rich gal who takes an abandoned high school football player into her home. It’s a true story, but one that is hard to swallow if you give “The Blind Side” more than a few minutes of thought.

Still, Sandra Bullock is hard working and incredibly likable. And even though her character, Lee Anne Tuohy, resembles Kathie Lee Gifford down to her high heels, Bullock makes her a success. It’s not the actress’s first real acting knockout. She was excellent in both “Crash” and “Infamous,” showing the serious side of her acting chops.

But as one insider told me recently, “Sandy will be happy just to be nominated.” She’ll be a great addition to the Oscars.

However, this is Meryl Streep’s year. She made three hit films ‘ “Julie and Julia,” “It’s Complicated,” and “Fantastic Mr. Fox.” In each, she is towering. And despite the idea that ‘Meryl always wins,’ La Streep has not taken home an Oscar in 27 years. It was for “Sophie’s Choice.” Sure, she’s been nominated a lot ‘‘over and over ‘ but she’s also had to endure watching others swan past her.

Don’t get the impression she’s above winning. Not at all. When someone mentioned the Oscar recently, Streep supposedly responded, “From your lips to God’s ear.” I think God and the Academy are listening. Bullock aside, not to mention Carey Mulligan, Gabby Sidibe, and Marion Cotillard, 2010 is the year of Streep. You can bet on it!

Clooney: “I Google Myself Every Afternoon”

Roger Friedman
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59259459It was the usual shenanigans last night at the 75th annual New York Film Critics Circle dinner. Untelevised, and loose, the NYFCC pretty much sucked the air out of tonight’s National Board of Review gala by honoring George Clooney and Meryl Streep, the putative Oscar winners this season.

Clooney, for his part, stole the show. First he had to give an award to director Wes Anderson for “Fantastic Mr. Fox.” He kind of wandered onto the stage at Crimson, a large restaurant nightclub on Broadway and 21st St., and gave a rambling little speech due to the solid part of dinner being delivered way later than the liquid part. He said, “I’m like Mariah Carey,’f’d-up right now,” which got a laugh considering Mariah’s similar speech last week in Palm Springs.

But Clooney was far from incoherent as he poked fun at Anderson’s typically laconic style. “Wes said he’d give the best speech in history,” Clooney announced, even better than Meryl Streep, then invoked an f -bomb to punctuate it. “Who says that to Meryl Streep?” Clooney wondered. Anderson responded by making understated remarks.

Later, when Christine Lahti was introducing Clooney for his own Best Actor award (in “Fox” and “Up in the Air“) she said she found over 11, 800,000 million entries. “Have you ever Googled yourself, George?” Lahti asked from the podium. “I Google myself every afternoon,” the actor shouted back. He came to the event with his gorgeous Italian girlfriend, Elisabetta Canalis, and mingled with everyone, not just Streep.

Clooney, in accepting his award, noted that it took two movies for him to win it. (He also reassured the audience “I’m not drunk anymore.”) He thanked Jeremy Renner for making only one movie. And chided famed movie critic Rex Reed, who, Clooney said, usually thought he “Sucked” in his films. “This is the first film that your colleague Rex Reed hasn’t said that I sucked in. I mean, you could look it up…Now he’s starting to soften in his old age. I want you to know this, Rex. I will not sleep, I will not rest ‘ at my villa in Italy, in Lake Como, Italy ‘ until you’re happy!”

It was an odd night for the NYFCC ‘ and this should be noted for future events ‘ because Best Supporting Actress Mo’Nique didn’t show up. No one from “Precious” came to the ceremony, so the group’s chief, Armond White, announced the award and moved on. He said, tersely, “The award is hers.”

Best Supporting Actor Christoph Waltz, on his way to an Oscar also, was present and grateful. He talked about his early days as an actor in New York, and then thanked “Inglourious Basterds” director Quentin Tarantino for making his dreams come true. “Along came the master distiller of evaporating actors’ dreams,” he said.

Also on hand were actress Amy Ryan, who presented to Waltz, James Gandolfini, who accepted the screenplay award for the movie “In the Loop,” “Basterds” actor Michael Fassbender (on the verge of being a big, big deal) and Lynn Redgrave, who complained during her introduction of Streep about the poor lighting in the room.

But the real stars of the night were the gang from “The Hurt Locker,” which won Best Director for Kathryn Bigelow, and Best Feature. “The Hurt Locker” comes out this week on DVD after making only $14 million at the boxoffice. The hope is the DVD audience will swarm to it. They sure should. Actors Jeremy Renner and Anthony Mackie were both there, but only Renner is making the trip West this weekend for all the awards shows. Mackie is stuck in New York rehearsing a new Broadway play with Christopher Walken.

The New York Film Critics Circle also gave a lifetime achievement award to critic Andrew Sarris, who’s 81 and has influenced several generations of writers. Sarris promised to keep teaching and working until he’s 95. I believe him!

Ringo Can’t Play ‘Beatles Rock Band’

Roger Friedman
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ringo Ringo Cant Play Beatles Rock Band Ringo Starr is back. Well, he never goes away, and that’s a good thing.

This afternoon in Jimmy Fallon’s NBC studio, Ringo and his band — really Ben Harper and his band — debuted a couple of songs from Ringo’s new album, called “Y Not.” The songs were good, nothing wrong with them. But then Ringo took the drums and the band launched into the Beatles’ “I Wanna Be Your Man.” What can I say? It was gorgeous, it was like buttah. The Beatles’ sound is still ebullient. Jimmy Fallon kept grinning and making jokes about it being February 1964. If only.

Ringo is a spry 69.’ He’ll turn 70 this summer on July 7 at Radio City Music Hall with his All Starr Band. How does it feel to turn 70, I asked? “I look 40,” he replied. He does.

I also asked Ringo what he’d heard on the Beatles Stereo or Mono box sets that surprised him. “I never listened to the Mono box,” he said, adding, “I am Mono.” As for the Stereo box, he said that 10 years ago when the “Yellow Submarine” album was turned into 5.1 Dolby, he and Paul sat and listened to it in astonishment. “We kept saying, Who’s playing that? It was so clear!”

Frankly, the big winner in those box sets is Ringo. He never sounded so crisp and creative. All joking aside, he’s a great, great drummer.

Ringo has Paul singing with him on “Walk With You,” a track on the new album, which constitutes a Beatles reunion these days. Otherwise he has Harper and friends, which was a wise move. And Ringo produced the album himself with manager/pal Bruce Sugar. His co-writers include Van Dyke Parks, Dave Stewart of the Eurythmics, Gary Wright, and Joss Stone. Not bad.

Someone did ask him about the “Beatles Rock Band” game, and Ringo replied, “I can’t do it. I’m no good at it.” He did admit his grandkids like to play the game.

There’s something very reassuring about Ringo these days. It’s nice to see him, even nicer to hear him. It don’t come easy, and he knows it. For my money, anything he did with Richard Perry is worth listening to, even in 2010.

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