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UPDATED Acton On Her Own: Mysterious Ukranian Buys Pierce Brosnan Painting for $1.5 Mil, Wants to Be Pop Star, Movie Mogul, Privacy Expert

Roger Friedman
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UPDATED Acton On Her Own: Mysterious Ukranian Buys Pierce Brosnan Painting for $1.5 Mil, Wants to Be Pop Star, Movie Mogul, Privacy Expert

UPDATED The first time I heard the name Marina Acton was today when TMZ reported it was she who laid out $1.5 million at the Cannes amFAR gala for a painting of Bob Dylan by actor Pierce Brosnan. Whoever spent that dough, I thought, has a lot to spare.

So who is Marina Acton? Described as a “Ukranian philanthropist” and “billionaire,” she is not related to Brian Acton, co-creator and founder of What’s App.

Marina Acton hasn’t made an impact yet in New York, but they know her in L.A. Paparazzi stop her in front of Craig’s. This winter  she plunked down $17.8 million for an estate that belonged to Kim Kardashian and Kanye West. She likes spending money, that’s for sure. In January she gave $100,000 to Steven Tyler’s Janie Fund.

Marina, a beautiful blonde who hasn’t met a mink she didn’t like, fancies herself a pop star. In March she issued a video– in which she stars– for a song called “Fantasize.” She has some other recordings on Spotify. She’s also started a production company called Phreaker Films.

Also this spring she’s created a website for something called the Marina Acton Charity Fund. There’s no registration for it anywhere as a 501 (c) 3. It has something to do with protecting the internet. From their site:
The Marina Acton Charity Fund is a non-profit organization that was created to facilitate security of personal and professional communications through encryption and digital integrity. To do that, we provide grants and funding to organizations that strive to make the Internet safe and secure. We work with smart people to develop encryption and digital integrity solutions that have the potential of making significant breakthroughs in programming languages, codes and encryption techniques.

Isn’t this all great? If L.A. had a tabloid press we’d have known about these people already. In New York, the Daily News and Post would have been all over them. Here’s another one of Marina’s songs:

So let’s extend a warm welcome to Marina Acton to the world of celebrity. I like that she’s using that What’s App money as Dolly Levi’s late husband Ephraim advised, “like manure,” spreading it around, and making things grow!

Marina, come to New York. Le Cirque is closed but we’ll find things for you to do! (How about a painting by George Lazenby?)

Viacom Forces Out Debra Lee, Head of BET, With the Company Since 1986

Roger Friedman
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Viacom Forces Out Debra Lee, Head of BET, With the Company Since 1986

Debra Lee is being forced out of BET. She’s been with the company since 1986 and is incredibly much respected. But Viacom wants her out.

Bob Bakish, the head of Viacom, said this ridiculous thing in a much wrung statement: “While we will all miss Debra tremendously, we respect her decision and understand her desire to leave at the very top of the game with a legacy of significant contributions that spans decades. I have seen first-hand how the network has grown under her direction, and I know that she will bring that same innovative thinking and strategic vision to her future pursuits. Debra has groomed an amazing group of senior executives, and I am confident that BET Networks will continue to flourish under their leadership.”

BET bounced Stephen Hill out last year. He was the only other person from that network who seemed to be everywhere and get anything done. Debra Lee’s ouster was just a matter of time. Always elegant, well spoken, beautiful, smart, she was the best representative that network ever could have had.

Corporate America — it ain’t for the weak of heart. I hope Debra has a nice big parachute.

 

“Solo” Scores Disappointing for “Star Wars” But Great for Film With No History or Stars

Roger Friedman
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“Solo” Scores Disappointing for “Star Wars” But Great for Film With No History or Stars

“Solo: A Star Wars Story” is only going to make around $110 million this weekend.

Ha ha. Only. It’s a movie with no star in the lead role, and with no real history other than Han Solo’s “Star Wars” Movies from 40 years ago. I’d say that’s pretty good.

The “Solo” take from Thursday and Friday is $35.6 million including $14.1 million from Thursday. That puts it on a par with “Rogue One,” another movie that had no history, was ‘free-standing’ so to speak.

As a “Star Wars” movie, the “Solo” take is not fantastic. But it’s not a “Star Wars” movie. There’s no Force, or Yoda, or Skywalker or Wookies or James Earl Jones or any reference to “Star Wars” really except Woody Harrelson mentioning Tatooine or the last minute appearance of an old villain.

So why not go and enjoy it? The lurkers are trying to kill it, god only knows.

Meanwhile, “Deadpool 2” is still doing great business. And I’m going to see it tomorrow.

More importantly, “RBG,” a documentary about Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, will cross the $5 million line tomorrow. Bravo!

 

David Foster, Jon Voight Hang Out, Plus Chita Rivera Awards the Best, Shopping to Stop Cancer

Roger Friedman
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David Foster, Jon Voight Hang Out, Plus Chita Rivera Awards the Best, Shopping to Stop Cancer

New York really is a small town. Leaving the Outer Critics Circle annual awards dinner on Thursday afternoon, who should turn up in Sardi’s? Why, Jon Voight. Apparently he’s rented an apartment in Williamsburg, Brooklyn while filming “Ray Donovan.” (The show moved here to accommodate Liev Schreiber’s parenting schedule.) What was he up to in Sardi’s? “I’m taking my nieces to see Harry Potter,” he said. Like everyone else…Later, after seeing “The Band’s Visit” for a second time (starring the magnificently sublime Katrina Lenk), I ran to get my car. As I zipped west on 44th St. who should be standing by the open door of an SUV? Why, music producer David Foster. I stopped short. During “The Band’s Visit” I actually thought: David Foster should produce Josh Groban singing the musical’s final number, “Answer Me.” And there he was. “I summoned you,” I said to David. “Happens all the time,” he replied…–RF

…As noted in the past: It is a truth widely held, that ladies who lunch are wont to shop. And so a fashion show to benefit the Samuel Waxman Cancer Research Foundation has become an annual luncheon event.

The options for lavish spending were displayed at Susan Gutfreund’s apartment last week, featuring models wearing Jason Wu’s dresses and gowns currently available on Bergdorf’s third floor. While the designer was not present, his assistant assured everyone he sincerely wished he could be, but was mid-air en route to Asia, launching a new fragrance. We would all get one in a goody bag, along with a cupcake from Magnolia.

For guilt free spending, the Samuel Waxman Cancer Research Foundation benefits from a portion of the sales. Dr. Samuel Waxman, formidable and inspiring, spoke to the rapt crowd, many women beautifully dressed for the occasion.

Cancer touches everyone, as we know, so hearing from Dr. Waxman was important. Even though he gave everyone updates on how the foundation was supporting research to fight cancer, he also pointed out, this is a disease of the aging, which means that our children are more likely to get it than we are.

Hardly dispelling this depressing thought, the doctor’s wife Marion Waxman spoke too, encouraged that the foundation grows in its efforts to fund researchers worldwide, bringing the best knowledge together to fight this disease.

If you can wear Jason Wu, the designs and fabrics are beautiful. Though I am passionate about fashion, all I knew about Jason Wu was that he was a favorite of Michelle Obama. I fell in love with a Mantis Green Liquid Satin Coat and Wide Leg Pant, and a Black Crepe Satin Swarovski Crystal Embroidered Slip Gown was simply to die for.

Seeing his models walk around Gutfruend’s spectacular home with views on Central Park, I could admire his work, even though, alas, he is not a designer for petites. — Regina Weinreich

CHITA RIVERA does not age. She also has a whole awards ceremony named for her. This week at NYU’s Skirball Center, she handed out the Chita Rivera Awards. The winners included actress, dancer, and choreographer Carmen De Lavallade received the second annual Lifetime Achievement Award, iconic composer John Kander received the Outstanding Contribution to Musical Theater as a Composer, legendary theater director Harold Prince was presented with the SDC Director Award for Exemplary Collaboration with Choreographers, and Steven Hoggett — who is represented on Broadway this season with Angels in America and Harry Potter and the Cursed Child —  received the inaugural Douglas and Ethel Watt Critics’ Choice Award. 

A lot of people work on these awards, but I wanted to cite Patty Watt, whom I’ve known for eons from the halcyon days at Elaine’s. She continues to honor her late dad, the great theater critic Douglas Watt. Her parents are smiling in heaven.

2017-2018 CHITA RIVERA AWARD DANCE IN THEATER NOMINATIONS

(winners are starred and in bold)

Outstanding Choreography in a Broadway Show:

Camille A. Brown, Once on This Island

Christopher Gattelli, SpongeBob SquarePants

Casey Nicholaw, Mean Girls

Justin Peck, Carousel

***Sergio Trujillo, Summer: The Donna Summer Musical

 

Outstanding Ensemble in a Broadway Show:

***Carousel (tie)

***Mean Girls (tie)

Once on This Island

SpongeBob SquarePants

Summer: The Donna Summer Musical

 

Outstanding Male Dancer in a Broadway Show:

Norbert Leo Butz, My Fair Lady

Andrei Chagas, Carousel 

Gavin Lee, SpongeBob SquarePants

Amar Ramasar, Carousel                       

***Tony Yazbeck, Prince of Broadway          

 

Outstanding Female Dancer in a Broadway Show:

Yesenia Ayala, Carousel

***Ariana DeBose, Summer: The Donna Summer Musical                

Hailey Kilgore, Once on This Island

Katrina Lenk, The Band’s Visit

Skye Mattox, Carousel

Ashley Park, Mean Girls

Brittany Pollack, Carousel               

 

Outstanding Choreography in an Off-Broadway Show:

Nejla Yatkin, The Boy Who Danced on Air 

Sonya Tayeh, Hundred Days 

***Zach Morris & Jennine Willet, Ghost Light 

Chris Bailey, Jerry Springer: The Opera 

Monica Bill Barnes, One Night Only 

 

Outstanding Female Dancer in an Off- Broadway Show:

Anna Bass, One Night Only

***Monica Bill Barnes, One Night Only

Elizabeth Carena, Ghost Light

Tiffany Mann, Jerry Springer: The Opera 

Kenita R. Miller, Bella

 

Outstanding Male Dancer in an Off- Broadway Show:

Colin Campbell, Disco Pigs

***Robert Fairchild, Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein

Troy Iwata, The Boy Who Danced on Air

Evan Ruggiero, Bastard Jones

Nikhil Saboo, The Boy Who Danced on Air

 

 

Tributes Pour in for Paul Bloch, Courtly Publicist Beloved by All, Dead at 78

Roger Friedman
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Tributes Pour in for Paul Bloch, Courtly Publicist Beloved by All, Dead at 78

Just type his name in on Twitter and you will see endless tributes today to Paul Bloch. The courtly publicist of Rogers & Cowan on the West Coast was 78 years old. He was beloved by everyone.

Paul represented Sylvester Stallone, John Travolta, Bruce Willis, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Eddie Murphy– the Planet Hollywood guys. He had loads of other clients, too, was acknowledged as the leader at R&C, particularly when Warren Cowan left.

He was no pushover, but Paul treated the whole enterprise with respect. For a long time, he and the late Lois Smith were my tent poles (she was at PMK), wise beyond their years, with long histories in show business and a real love for it.

So many people will say Paul mentored them– and it was true. And you learned a lot from listening to him and paying attention. Back at Fame magazine in the late 80s, I did great covers with him Willis, Stallone, and Cybill Shepherd. That’s pretty much how we met. And whenever I needed to pick his brain over the years, get some insight, etc. he was there. He was also one of the few people you really looked forward to seeing at awards shows, events, whatever.

So many of the publicists now will try to throw a body block when they see you even talking to a client (very rude– just happened in Cannes). Paul was the opposite. Just in the last few years we were at something with Eddie Murphy. Paul said  to me, “Did you see Eddie? Did you talk to Eddie? Let me get you over there.” This is all but gone now. But Paul worked on relationships. He forged them, nurtured them.

I will miss his laugh, his New Balance sneakers (I wear the same ones), and his guidance. At a time when Hollywood seems to the outside world like a hot bed of scandal, here was one of the really great guys.

Rest in peace, Paul.

“Solo: A Star Wars Story” Breaks Memorial Day Weekend Preview Record with $14 Million

Roger Friedman
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“Solo: A Star Wars Story” Breaks Memorial Day Weekend Preview Record with $14 Million

A lot of people are rooting for “Solo: A Star Wars Story” to fail this weekend at the box office. Sorry, not going to happen.

Last night “Solo” broke a Memorial Day weekend preview record with $14.1 million. It picked up another $11 million internationally. It’s off to an excellent start.

Boxofficemojo points out that “Solo” beat “Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End” for the preview title. That movie went on to have a $139 million Memorial Day weekend opening.

Everyone wants something different from “Solo.” And the nitpicking against it is hilarious. Ron Howard is a terrific director. He kept the parts of Phil Lord and Chris Miller’s movie that worked, and re-filmed the rest of it. The big set piece where Han meets Chewie Howard kept. He wasn’t going to chuck it just because it wasn’t his.

“Solo” is very entertaining and ends with a cliff hanger that brings back an old “Star Wars” villain. There will be two more “Solo” movies. Get used to it.

Internet trolls won’t be satisfied until they’ve snuffed out everything in every genre from movies to TV to music. Try making a movie– on your iPhone, maybe– and see how far you get.

Exclusive: Harvey Weinstein Lawyers Will Move for Dismissal, House Arrest in Arizona

Roger Friedman
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Exclusive: Harvey Weinstein Lawyers Will Move for Dismissal, House Arrest in Arizona

Sources tell me Harvey Weinstein’s lawyers will make two motions this morning.

One will be to dismiss the charges against him on constitutional grounds. There may be an issue of statute of limitations.

Weinstein will also ask to remain at his treatment center in Arizona. Right now his house arrest confines him to New York and Connecticut.

This morning Weinstein surrendered in New York and was arrested and arraigned on one count of sexual abuse and one count of rape. The abuse charge was filed by Lucia Evans, who claims that in 2004 Weinstein forced her to into oral sex. The rape charge victim is unidentified.

Weinstein arrived at the courthouse at 100 Centre St. with three books including a biography of Rodgers and Hammerstein, and one of Elia Kazan. He attempted a faint smile on the way in, but later on TV his face was ashen.

He will wear an anchor monitor wherever he stays until his trial, which is monitored 24/7. He posted $1 million bond on $10 million bail, and turned over his passport.

 

 

 

Recording Academy Scandal Grows: Grammy Org Denies Charges Money Was “Steered Away” from Charity

Roger Friedman
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Recording Academy Scandal Grows: Grammy Org Denies Charges Money Was “Steered Away” from Charity

The Recording Academy, aka NARAS, is disputing accusations from former MusiCares chief Dana Tomarken that the larger group’s Neil Portnow “steered away” funds from the Fleetwood Mac Person of the Year dinner to the money losing 2018 Grammys in New York. This is just a huge mess, and a PR disaster for the Recording Academy following Portnow’s flap this winter over women and their lack of representation at the Grammys and NARAS.

Here’s the Academy’s statement:

While we will not address point by point the letter from Ms. Tomarken, who was recently terminated following a thorough investigation, we respond as follows:

 (1) The decision as to the venue for this year’s Person of the Year event was made after careful consideration of all options, and input from all appropriate individuals. MusiCares’ interests were not sacrificed in favor of the interests of the Recording Academy.

(2) As Ms. Tomarken well knows, neither MusiCares nor the Recording Academy ever intended to reduce, nor will they reduce, the amount of financial support made available to MusiCares clients in need. MusiCares continues to provide the highest level of service to people in need across our music community, as evidenced by the four-star rating it earned, once again, in February from Charity Navigator—the highest rating the independent charity watchdog organization awards. Simply, our commitment and support will not be diminished.

 (3) Ms. Tomarken did not raise the issues relating to alleged “workplace abuse and harassment” until after her employment was terminated. An independent investigation of these allegations was immediately commenced. Based on the outcome of that investigation, appropriate action (if any) will be taken. Both the Recording Academy and MusiCares take all allegations of this kind seriously.

Some of what Tomarken says rings true, particularly the part about Grammy events not going to the Barclays Center. I said last winter that this explained the lavish awards attention to Barclays Center investor and public face Jay Z. In exchange for not getting the Grammy business, it seemed like Jay Z was otherwise feted constantly– by receiving the industry Icon award at Clive Davis’s dinner, and garnering a huge number of nominations that surprised everyone.

More to come….The Academy chiefs are currently at a board meeting in Hawaii (because, you know, NY or LA would have been too dull), debating all these issues…

Moses Farrow Defense of Woody Allen, Accusations of Abuse Against Mia Farrow Sparks #MiaToo Twitter Campaign

Roger Friedman
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Moses Farrow Defense of Woody Allen, Accusations of Abuse Against Mia Farrow Sparks #MiaToo Twitter Campaign

Moses Farrow’s remarkably brave statement proclaiming and clearly demonstrating the innocence of his father Woody Allen of trumped-up allegations from 25 years ago seems to have sparked a new movement to shine a spotlight on the child abuse that WAS allegedly  committed —  not by Woody – but by Woody’s accuser – the mother of Moses Farrow, Dylan Farrow and Ronan Farrow (plus 11 others) – Mia Farrow.

The hashtag #MiaToo has been created.  There’s also a new website about Mia Farrow’s abuse of her children www.MiaToo.org
Mia Farrow has been a Goodwill Ambassador for UNICEF (the United Nations Children’s Emergency Fund) since 2000.  Her acolytes often tout it as evidence of her saintly nature.
But now there are calls being made for UNICEF to conduct an investigations of the credible allegations of child abuse by Mia Farrow and determine if she should be allowed to retain her prestigious, image-enhancing title.
No less than three of the ten children she adopted between 1970-1995  suffered “emergencies.”  Two of them apparently couldn’t take life with Mia anymore and committed suicide – age 19 and 27.  A third child was so tormented that she was driven into poverty and drug addiction and died of AIDS.
There is certainly precedent for UNICEF revoking one of its goodwill ambassadorships.  For example in 2010 UNICEF stripped Goodwill Ambassador status from Mexican music superstar Marco Antonio Solís after reports confirmed his longtime ill-treatment of one of his daughters.
Moses’s claims of abuse about adopted sister Tam, one of three children who’ve died under Mia Farrow’s control:

Most media sources claim my sister Tam died of “heart failure” at the age of 21. In fact, Tam struggled with depression for much of her life, a situation exacerbated by my mother refusing to get her help, insisting that Tam was just “moody.” One afternoon in 2000, after one final fight with Mia, which ended with my mother leaving the house, Tam committed suicide by overdosing on pills. My mother would tell others that the drug overdose was accidental, saying that Tam, who was blind, didn’t know which pills she was taking. But Tam had both an ironclad memory and sense of spatial recognition. And, of course, blindness didn’t impair her ability to count.

The details of Tam’s overdose and the fight with Mia that precipitated it were relayed directly to me by my brother Thaddeus, a first-hand witness. Tragically, he is no longer able to confirm this account. Just two years ago, Thaddeus also committed suicide by shooting himself in his car, less than 10 minutes from my mother’s house.

Grammy Scandal: NARAS President Neil Portnow Under Fire as MusiCares Longtime Dedicated Chief Removed

Roger Friedman
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Grammy Scandal: NARAS President Neil Portnow Under Fire as MusiCares Longtime Dedicated Chief Removed

Variety just broke a part of this story, but it’s a whopper: MusiCares, the very important philanthropic part of the Grammy Awards, is suddenly thrown into a massive scandal involving money lost during the 2018 Grammys in New York.

First of all, in April MusiCares fired its director of 25 years, Dana Tomarken, who’s devoted her life to the charity and is clean as a whistle. Dana is the widow of famed late game show host Peter Tomarken. She’s run MusiCares beautifully, so news that she was fired over a trumped up charge is sending shockwaves through the music industry right now.

But this all has to do with Neil Portnow, head of NARAS (National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences) who apparently clashed with Tomarken booking the MusiCares Person of the Year dinner (honoring Fleetwood Mac) at Radio City Music Hall instead of the Barclays Center in Brooklyn. Barclays gave a better price, but according to the Variety story (based on a long memo sent by Tomarken) she was forced to take Radio City, which is owned by Madison Square Garden.

And that’s what this boils down to, because a lot of deals and sponsorships for the 2018 Grammys in New York, giving NARAS a six to eight million dollar shortfall. The Grammys are usually– and more wisely–produced by AEG Live in Los Angeles. But the music business is a lot like the Mafia. There are warring factions spread among different cities. Push came to shove and the show was forced to New York.

This is just the beginning of what will be a bigger scandal unfolding. A lot of questions are going to be asked now, and the answers won’t be pretty. Tomarken (whom I’ve known a long time but it’s not like we’re friends) is above reproach. Yet she was accused of mishandling a $2,500 auction item. How utterly ridiculous when millions are at stake.

MusiCares does a great job with indigent or sick musicians, needing insurance and health care, etc. But they’ve always been a target of scandal. When Portnow’s predecessor was there, it was like the Wild Wild West.

to be continued…

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