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Will Oscar Voters Go Human, Reject Globe Winners?

Roger Friedman
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It’s January 19th. Oscar ballots are due back on the 23rd, on Saturday. That’s just four days.

Will Academy/Oscar voters reject the Golden Globe winners? In the past, the Academy has turned a deaf ear to the selections of the 80 or so mysterious Globe members. Oscar voters also like the human aspect of movie making.

119864 avatar duo human sully 3412 Will Oscar Voters Go Human, Reject Globe Winners?This year, the HFPA went wild for “Avatar” after a last minute viewing in December. They let the technology (and maybe the 3D glasses) obscure the facts that “Avatar” has a terrible screenplay and no real acting per se. It contains some of the worst dialogue in history. But it does have amazing effects. There’s no question that it’s a game changer in sci-fi.

But the top 5 real contenders for Best Picture are movies for actors: “Up in the Air,” “Inglourious Basterds,” “The Hurt Locker,” “Precious,” “An Education.” Movies are about people and they’re performed by people. “Computer generated” means that, created artificially. It’s a whole different category. “Avatar,” “Nine,” “A Single Man,” “Star Trek,” and “Up” are the back five.

There are no Best Actors or Actresses in “Avatar,” even though Sigourney Weaver is otherwise a very fine actress. The next time she has a “Gorillas in the Mist” or “Working Girl,” the Academy will swarm to her.

The Best Actresses this year were Meryl Streep, Marion Cotillard, Carey Mulligan, Gabby Sidibe, and Sandra Bullock simply because she’s cool and waited a long time for some recognition.

The Supporting Actresses are not just’Mo’Nique, who long ago I predicted would be the first Oscar nominee with an apostrophe in her name. Julianne Moore is absolutely sensational in “A Single Man.” Penelope’Cruz sets pacemakers off in “Nine.” Anna Kendrick is a lovely newcomer in “Up in the Air.” Vera Farmiga is also not to be overlooked from the same film.

The Best Actors are easy. Jeff Bridges cannot be denied. But George Clooney is just perfection in “Up in the Air.” Daniel Day-Lewis challenges himself and the audience once again in “Nine.” Colin Firth comes of age Oscar-wise in “A Single Man.” Morgan Freeman could not be better as Nelson Mandela in “Invictus.”

Supporting Actor is just as busy a category. Christoph Waltz is a slam dunk in “Inglourious Basterds.” But there’s also Matt Damon, Stanley Tucci, and two equally gifted actors from “The Hurt Locker”– Anthony Mackie and Jeremy Renner.

And Best Director? Kathryn Bigelow leads the way, but Quentin Tarantino has made his “masterpiece,” James Cameron has shown how to be PT Barnum, Lee Daniels made the searing “Precious,” and Jason Reitman’s third feature hits home on so many HUMAN levels.

Wyclef’s Charity: The Truth

Roger Friedman
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I’ve been reading about Wyclef Jean, like you, and his charitable efforts. I also read what looked like a damning report about his foundation from the Smoking Gun, a site that usually gets things right.

Tomorrow Wyclef will be live on “Oprah” from Chicago to discuss everything. On Friday, he’ll co-host George Clooney’s telethon from New York. On Saturday, Wyclef will return to Haiti, where he’s already been and witnessed the destruction. Believe me, he’s not going there because he has nothing else to do, or because he needs attention. Last week, Wyclef and his family were knee deep in dead bodies. This isn’t for fun.

The Smoking Gun was right, and it was also wrong. I’ve known Wyclef since the Fugees first came on the scene, and I’ve seen him evolve as a very important political activist for Haiti. Before this earthquake, he’d already given heart, soul and a lot of money to a country that is incredibly poor and in constant need of aid.

His Yele Foundation, which also is known as the Wyclef Jean Foundation, did file three tax returns last August for years 2005, 2006 and 2007. They were just under the statute of limitations, but they got them in under the wire.

What’s interesting about these returns — and readers of my column know that we often look into these things — is that they’re totally upfront about everything. For some reason, the Smoking Gun published only the 2006 return. But the more recent one, for 2007, is also available. And what that one shows is that the Foundation was running in the red. This means that their expenses exceeded their donations. Who covers these deficits? Wyclef Jean, of course.

The biggest bone of contention seems to come from a concert Wyclef held in Monaco to raise money for Haiti. The concert took in $150,000. The Smoking Gun points out that there were $97,000 in expenses. True enough — expenses for the production, which were too high. On the other hand, $53,000 went to Haiti. That, they did not mention.

We can all send money to Yele Haiti for Haiti — or the Red Cross or Partners in Health or any number of organizations. That was always the point of Wyclef Jean’s work. It was to raise awareness, not to make money. Believe me, Wyclef earns a lot of money as a musician and composer. He is quite a brilliant artist. His income is not derived from cheating Haitians. That’s ridiculous. So let’s applaud him for being there before this disaster, and during it.

Conan O’Brien: In a Holding Pattern

Roger Friedman
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Believe it or not, despite “scoops” everywhere, nothing has happened on the Conan O’Brien front.

No offers have been presented in writing, and Conan’s staff still has no info on their severance packages.

You’d think by now this deal would be done. But nothing at NBC is simple, least of all this.

So what next? O’Brien has Quentin Tarantino and Spoon on his show tonight. He has three more shows to go. On Friday, he’ll wrap it up. By then maybe the staff will know where they’re going to live, or how they’re going to pay their bills.

I have to laugh when I see stories about NBC preventing Conan from being on the air again before September. If he goes to Fox, they wouldn’t be able to accommodate him before that anyway. Not only do they have to create a studio and staff, but Fox also has to clear the time with their stations. Right now, the Fox network goes off the air at 10 p.m. Local stations then have news and syndicated programming, reruns, etc. This change isn’t accomplished overnight.

And still the big stumbling block to settling Conan’s deal may be the “offset.” This would be NBC trying to weasel out of paying Conan the money he’s due by deducting his future earnings. Why they just don’t cut bait and move on is’a mystery. This is the worst PR any network has ever received. And Jay Leno’s speech last night didn’t help, observers say.

Sting, Stevie Wonder, Alicia Keys, The Boss Set for Clooney Telethon

Roger Friedman
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George Clooney works fast. In eight days he’s put together an all-star telethon set for this Friday on all the networks.

I told you about this telethon exclusively last Tuesday morning. Now it’s all coming together.

As I already reported, Sting was the first to say yes to Clooney. He’ll be performing from New York, along with Bruce Springsteen, Jennifer Hudson, Mary J. Blige, Shakira and, of course, New York host Wyclef Jean.

Alicia Keys would ordinarily be in New York, but she’s on the West Coast getting ready for Clive Davis’s annual Grammy gala as well as the actual Grammy Awards. So Keys will join Christina Aguilera, Dave Matthews, John Legend, Justin Timberlake, Taylor Swift the headliner, Stevie Wonder from Hollywood. There will also be a group performance by Keith Urban, Kid Rock, and Sheryl Crow. Bono and the Edge, Rihanna, and Jay Z will appear from London.

Wyclef had better do “Somebody Call 911.” It’s the most appropriate song. It’s hoped that Sting might sing Springsteen’s “The Rising” as well as his own “Fragile.” All of the music will be available on iTunes.

What hasn’t been announced yet: A list of names of actors who will be taking calls from donors. I can tell you Leonardo DiCaprio is already signed up and that Ben Affleck is trying to figure out how to participate from the Sundance Film Festival. There’s no doubt that Clooney’s pals will all be involved, like Brad Pitt, Matt Damon, and Don Cheadle. A source connected to the telethon says the flood of star volunteers is overwhelming, “Everyone wants to participate. It will be hard to fit them all in.”

More to come…

Ricky Gervais: May Cross Over to American “Office”

Roger Friedman
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Ricky Gervais hosted the Golden Globes with aplomb. He offended everyone. It was a beautiful thing to behold.

“I was mostly worried about Paul McCartney,” Ricky told me. “But he hugged me afterward and said it was okay.” Gervais made some rude comments during the show about Paul’s unfortunate marriage to Heather Mills.

“I was also worried about Mel Gibson.” he said. “I didn’t know if he’d want to hit me.” Ricky has not heard from Mel, and Mel was seen later at a restaurant off the Beverly Hilton campus with his baby mama. Gervais didn’t realize that Gibson had quite inappropriately reacted to his skit with a’glass of beer by “acting” drunk. Gibson, a lout and racist anti-Semite,’seemed’to forget’that he’d been arrested for drunk driving. He thought it was funny. Ha ha!

But Gervais’s more interesting revelation of the night was that he says he and Steve Carell have talked about Ricky possibly appearing on the American version of “The Office.”

“We’re thinking of how Michael Scott” ‘ Carell’s character ‘ “could run across David Brent” ‘ Gervais’s character from the British “Office” which he created. “It could be brilliant,” Gervais said. He’s right. “Just one time, one episode, and that’s it,” he said.

It’s amazing to think that Gervais’s “Office” consists of just 14 episodes. The American version is up to 104 episodes and keeps going. And while our “Office” has occasional missteps, it’s mostly brilliant and underrated. Gervais is proud of that. “They’ve done an excellent job,” he said.

And he did an excellent job last night, skewering everyone. As for his accurate derogatory comments about the Golden Globes: “I did worry about being asked back. But those are the things I’d heard. And I have a Golden Globe myself!”

Robert Downey Jr.: “I Smelled Victory”

Roger Friedman
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There was one person in the Beverly Hilton ballroom last night who wasn’t surprised by Robert Downey Jr.’s win for Best Actor in a comedy/musical for ‘”Sherlock Holmes“: Robert Downey Jr.

“I smelled victory!” he told me after I asked him if he’d been caught off guard at the Golden Globes. Not at all. And though we loved RDJr., it’s hard to imagine that he envisioned beating Daniel Day-Lewis and the other nominees. His Sherlock was not the best reviewed performance of the year.

But “Sherlock” as an action hero made a lot of money. So there. And that’s what the Golden Globes are into most: money, hits, and ratings. And so they delivered awards to “Avatar,” a technological hit with a bad screenplay and no acting, Sandra Bullock, Downey, etc. What made no sense, made sense. You could feel the members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences reaching for their pens to undo the damage.

And what a totally weird night. Prompted by genius host Ricky Gervais,’one speaker after another made comments about the Globe prizes being “bought.” Downey called the Hollywood’Foreign Press Association a’weird group, and mortician-like president Philip Berk didn’t help matters much with his’dry welcome from the podium.

And Berk was alone in being dry, as’he and his cohorts for some reason’ignored days of weather forecasts and refused to tent the red carpet. The rain started to fall on cue at 1:30pm, the temperature dropped precipitously, and umbrellas popped up everywhere. Stars came in off the carpet with ruined coiffures and rain streaked gowns and tuxedos. Why was there no tent? Around the back of the hotel. HBO managed to erect cover quickly with no trouble. But not the HFPA. Said one member of the security team, with a shrug: “Please, don’t ask me about these people.”

Oh but we will, again and again.

‘Mad Men’s’ January Jones: There May Be Two Different Shows

Roger Friedman
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january Mad Mens January Jones: There May Be Two Different ShowsJanuary Jones pretty much commanded attention during the third season of “Mad Men.” Now her character of Betty Draper seems to be divorcing husband Don and moving on with New York politician Henry Francis.

At HBO’s soggy outdoor party last night at the Golden Globes, January was much warmer than the month she’s named for as she sat outside under the big tent at a table with her family. As you can imagine, the Joneses are an attractive, articulate group. January, who seems so imposing as Betty, is petite and sweet in what we jokingly call real life out here in Hollywood.

So what will happen?

“I don’t know, and I’m not even sure Matt Weiner, does either. We don’t start shooting until April. I heard he did say it was going to be like two shows now, so we’ll see.” Could there be a Betty spinoff? January laughed: “Oh yes, like ‘The Betty Show’? I don’t think so!”

Even with the lightly falling rain., there were plenty of HBO stars everywhere. I did run into Jeremy Piven of “Entourage” fame, who was busy chatting up the tall, beautiful blonde Ashlan Gorse, an E! host. He’d probably been making inroads until I showed up!

I asked Jeremy why the Internet was constantly abuzz with rumors of blind items about his womanizing ways. He has a good sense of humor about it, especially the most salacious rumors.

“It’s so funny,” he said, “because if they really knew me, none of it is right.” Maybe some of it comes from “Ari,” the character he plays on the show. “I’m not that aggressive,” he said.

And his fish consumption? “I knew you’d go there.” he said, shaking his head. Even Ashlan Gorse got a chuckle out of that one.

Also spotted around the HBO pool: Anna Paquin and Stephen Moyer of “True Blood,” allowing fans to put the bite on them for autographs … And Calista Flockhart and Harrison Ford, who kept to themselves and were kind of hidden for a while in the indoor area before deciding to move on. Ford — who is one of the last of the real movie stars — has “Extraordinary Measures” about to be released. He also told me he’s excited about “Morning Glory,” a comedy set for’mid summer’co-starring Diane Keaton, Patrick Wilson’and Rachel McAdams, directed by Roger Michel for Paramount … Also Anthony Mackie of’”The Hurt Locker,” who flew in on Sunday morning from New York and returned there Sunday night. He’s in rehearsals this morning for a new Broadway play’that opens in’March. Oscar voters: Anthony’should be nominated for best supporting actor. He’s the’breakout’star of 2009 … P.S. thanks to Bill Mancini, the best security guy in’LA, who managed to get people in and out of the HBO party with his usual deftness. He’s one of the reasons the Bev Hilton runs so well …

Nicole Kidman, Keith Urban and the Stars Who Party

Roger Friedman
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Golden Globes, 2010: Rain did not stop the Weinstein Co. from partying at Trader Vic’s in the lower level of the Bev Hilton. TWC had to forego its usual big tent, but luckily the moribund Trader Vic’s was ready for reactivation.

A good thing, too, since the large casts of “Nine” and “Inglourious Basterds” needed a place to alight along with TWC’s “A Single Man.” Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban were first into the room, and Nicole told me that her daughter Sunday Rose is now talking up a storm (as well as using that baby sign language). Nicole is glowing. Keith Urban is a nice, nice guy. He’s starting work on a new album, no touring for now, and Nicole is finishing up a movie she produced based on the play “Rabbit Hole.”

And then Penelope Cruz popped in and popped out, looking for Javier Bardem. But “Nine” gang Rob Marshall, Daniel Day-Lewis and Rebecca Miller. Kate Hudson, Marion Cotillard, Maury Yeston, Michael Tolkin and Marc Platt were among the next guests in, as well as Fergie and Josh Duhamel. The “Basterds” were all there too — Tarantino, Melanie Laurent, Eli Roth, Christoph Waltz, BJ Novak, Lawrence Bender, Diane Kruger with’Joshua Jackson et al. And Colin Firth, Julianne Moore and Tom Ford from “A Single Man.”

And there were stars who weren’t even in Weinstein movies: Matt Damon, Pierce Brosnan, Billy Zane, the Edge and Mickey Rourke.

I’ll tell you this: “Nine” was the most popular cast in the Beverly Hilton Hotel. Actors love “Nine,” SAG loves “Nine,” and everyone wants to meet them, especially best actress nominee Marion Cotillard and supporting actress Penelope Cruz.

Eventually some of the “Nine”-ers drifted upstairs to the Warner Bros./InStyle party, which was split between the disco aficionados and the shmoozers in the front area. Tons more big names there including Morgan Freeman, Sandy Bullock, Robert Downey Jr. and wife Susan, Gabourey Sidibe. I ran into Courteney Cox and David Arquette who were celebrating “Cougartown” — a comedy that should do well at the Emmys this summer. One of Courteney’s best pals, Theresa Lowrey, who works with Trudie Styler, flew in from New York for the weekend. Also at InStyle: Rose McGowan, glowing, wearing a vintage cobalt blue gown that once belonged to Ava Gardner. She did it justice, believe me … and Melora Hardin from “The Office,” who plays Jan and has an album coming out soon … Alfre Woodard and family including 18-year-old daughter Mavis, this year’s Miss Golden Globe — named for Mavis Staples, how cool is that? … Emile Hirsch chatting with Clifton Collins; they’re two of our brightest young actors … Olivia Wilde, even more stupendously gorgeous in person … and award winner Michael C. Hall, for “Dexter,” who is bravely and successfully battling lymphoma.

Where did everyone else go? Many headed in the pouring rain to the Sunset Tower Hotel for CAA’s soiree. And many skipped it because of the storm. One big question from the night: Whatever happened to Julia Roberts’ husband, Danny Moder? He never appears anywhere with her, was absent as usual last night. And Julia didn’t even refer to him when she said good night to her three kids on the air …

… and here’s the latest on best actress for the Oscars … if Meryl Streep and Sandra Bullock tie, and cross each other out in the voting — this has happened before — the winner could be Carey Mulligan, from “An Education.” I’m just sayin’ …’ It’s Streep’s year — “Julie & Julia,” “Fantastic Mr. Fox” and “It’s Complicated”…

Will Globes’ $6 Mil Be Worth It to Comcast?

Roger Friedman
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You have to wonder what NBC Universal’s new owner, Comcast, think about the $6 million NBC pay for the TV rights to the Golden Globes. Will the new owners think it’s worth it, especially after the Conan O’Brien debacle?

Every year, NBC pays the Hollywood Foreign Press Assn. — 80 people whom no one’s ever heard of — $6 million to license the Golden Globes show. The HFPA controls everything — who sits where, who attends and, of course, who wins.

This year, however, the HFPA isn’t delivering its biggest “gets” of recent years, Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie, even though the couple has been used in ads on NBC for the event.

Comcast will be looking closely at the arrangement. For one thing, a study of the HFPA’s most recent tax filing shows that the group has benefited financially very nicely from NBC’s largesse. The HFPA claims a whopping $15.8 million now in total assets.

The group gave away $1.3 million in donations to film groups in 2008. On the other hand, their expenses for 2008 came to $3.6 million, including just over $722,000 in travel. This is especially noteworthy since the members of the HFPA are flown all over the place by the studios and treated like visiting royalty. They also claim a $95,000 expense for “meetings and press conferences.” The HFPA is famous for their special press conferences with movie casts and directors at which they get their pictures taken with stars.

Other expenses listed include the usual mystifying $55,000 for “online research”, $56,000 for unspecified “outside services” and $50,000 for “entertainment.”

Meanwhile, as usual, the HFPA’s leaders, party animals Phil Berk (in reality, a schoolteacher and bridge player’from the Valley) and his sidekick Munawar Hosain made the scene at yesterday’s BAFTA tea at the Beverly Hilton. Berk was in deep conversations with “Hurt Locker” writer Mark Boal, while he and Hosain stuck close to the buffet table.

McCartney, Jane Fonda Meet the Basterds

Roger Friedman
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Quentin Tarantino and his Basterds made quite a splash on Saturday afternoon.

The whole gang — Tarantino, Eli Roth, Golden Globe nominee Christoph Waltz, producer Lawrence Bender – appeared at BAFTA/LA’s annual afternoon tea at the Beverly Hills Hotel and wowed the crowd.

Among the superstars who were eager to meet them: both Sir Paul McCartney (with pretty gf Nancy Shevell) and Jane Fonda, who was introduced to Sir Paul by her bf Richard Perry, McCartney’s longtime pal and sometime record producer.

Pretty cool.

Also around the room were Jacqueline Bisset, Helen Mirren, Julianne Moore, Jason Reitman, Christian McKay, Jeremy Renner, Joan Collins and hubby Percy Gibson, all of the great supporting cast from “The Office,” Anna Kendrick from “Up in the Air” — who was too nervous to meet Fonda, as well as Bob Balaban, Evan Handler (from “Californication”), Peter Jacobson (of “House” fame), and pop star/soap star Rick Springfield.

“Precious” director Lee Daniels and “Single Man” director Tom Ford nibbled on scones and talked about doing a project together.

But it was McCartney who caused the biggest stir as he and Shevell mixed and mingled. McCartney talked about making his brilliant “Fireman” album with Tarantino, Fonda, et al., explaining that when he laid down the tracks he had no lyrics. “I wanted to make it like improvisational theater or filmmaking,” he said. He even did that with the album’s centerpiece song, “Sing the Changes,” which stands up to his best work.

Tarantino immediately quizzed McCartney about his lyrics, citing the famous line from “Hey Jude”: “The movement you need is on your shoulder.” McCartney was impressed. “It was just a throwaway line,” he told Tarantino.

McCartney is in town for his Golden Globe-nominated song, “I Want to Come Home,” but but he knows it’s an uphill battle. The song is from Miramax’s last release, “Everybody’s Fine.”

“They told me there won’t be any support, it’s the last Miramax release, all of that,” he said. “The songs do as well as the movie.” But he’s still out there, promoting it because the song is lovely and vintage McCartney.

Meantime, I will never forget the look on Eli Roth’s face when he bounded up to say hello to Tarantino, not realizing the “Inglourious Basterds” director was talking to Fonda and McCartney. I heard out one of ear, “Whoops! Jane Fonda” and his eyes got as big as saucers. In no time, Fonda had both Tarantino and Roth enthralled. Maybe they’ll write a script for her. She could play Diane Kruger’s mother in the “Basterds” prequel!

As for McCartney and Shevell, they make a nice couple, much better than the Beatles’ former romantic entanglement. And listen to this: Just prior to the BAFTA/LA tea, the couple had lunch with Ringo Starr and Barbara Bach, and Joe Walsh and his wife, Marjorie (Bach’s sister).

Later I ran into Tribeca/De Niro producer Jane Rosenthal at another swellish party with lots of solid gold movie stars (Barbra Streisand, etc). Don’t ask. “Jane,” I said, “I’m glad you’re here. No one will ever believe these stories. In New York, all we have are TV commentators.” Rosenthal agreed, and added one caveat: Robert De Niro and Martin Scorsese.

Oh yeah. Them!

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