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Grammy Awards: Dropped Gender Distinctions in 2012 to be “PC” and Caused Accidental Reverse Discrimination

Roger Friedman
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Grammy Awards: Dropped Gender Distinctions in 2012 to be “PC” and Caused Accidental Reverse Discrimination

Beginning with the 2012 ballots, the Grammy Awards canceled gender distinctions. Thus Best Female Pop, Country, and R&B disappeared. Those were three big awards that went to women. But the Grammys were trying to get with the program of eliminating gender bias. Some people wondered if that would cause a kind of reverse discrimination.

Guess what? It did.

But that’s not Neil Portnow’s fault. Portnow, who’s fought hard for everyone, made a slip of the tongue last week with his “women should step up” phrasing. So let’s kill him now. No, seriously. He made a mistake  and he apologized for it. But Portnow didn’t take away the gender-specific awards. It was done by committees.

The result is that just the men are winning. In voting, the Grammys now almost read as Best Pop Male Performance, etc. And so now all these great women artists– Lady Gaga, Kesha, Alessia Cara, India.Arie, SZA, Maren Morris– don’t have their own categories any more. What to do? Bring ’em back. Being back gender. (Whoops! Is that good or bad? You can’t be right anymore.)

I’m horrified by this sudden outpouring of hatred for Neil Portnow. He has no control over who makes the records, who gets the nominations, etc. And there are PLENTY of hit records by women. Top 40 is FILLED with women’s voices. The top Z100 playlist tonight includes Dua Lipa, Kesha, Alessia Cara, Demi Lovato, Camila Cabello, and Taylor Swift. Gaga will be coming soon. Then Pink.

Portnow slipped, I’m sorry, he’s human. But his work for MusiCares– which is for all genders– has been impeccable. Ganging up on him with a petition– the letter he was sent by signed by five women from the same law firm, not from label heads. And the 13,000 names– are anonymous.

Folks, direct your anger somewhere else, please/

Long Time “Today” Correspondent Jill Rappaport Is Dogged About Senior Pets on Animal Planet Special

Leah Sydney
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Long Time “Today” Correspondent Jill Rappaport Is Dogged About Senior Pets on Animal Planet Special

Long time “Today” show correspondent Jill Rappaport is an award winning animal advocate and host of the widely popular “Pup Close and Personal” segments on the popular Animal Planet. Now tireless Jill — well known among animal lovers especially in the Hamptons, which she calls home —  will host “Dog Bowl,” a special that airs this Saturday, February 3rd, at 8 pm. Rappaport is also a consulting producer for the show, which will be repeated the day after that.

“Dog Bowl” is a Super Bowl that focuses on older animals in need of loving homes. Rappaport has been finding homes for doggie friends for years. She’s is an astute matchmaker humans who need pairing with mature pets. Among those who’ve benefited from her genius are bff Christie Brinkley, “Today” show weatherman Al Roker, and Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps who fell in love with one of her rescue pooches in her wildly popular “Bow to Wow” adoption segment on “Today.”

Rappaport– bestselling author of three books on pets–  tells us, “Just like older people, these super seniors are often overlooked and are the last to get adopted, languishing in shelters and as a result many tragically never make it out. So that’s how “Dog Bowl,” came to be. We finally have a show that celebrates ‘older’, not dismisses it. This is a dream come true for me.” Jill walks her talk; is a proud pet parent of six rescues.

More importantly, Rappaport — who has six coveted HSUS Genesis awards, the equivalent of the Oscar in the animal world– keeps tabs on how the entertainment world deals with pets. She wasn’t too happy about puppies that were handed out on last Sunday’s Grammy Awards. She told me: “I was surprised and disappointed. I found it irresponsible to use animals as props or prizes, even it was meant as a joke.”

 

Photo: Jill with one of her beloved six rescue pups, Petey.

Actor Bryan Cranston, aka Walter White, Retiring from “Signing Everything from Fans” But Will Take a Selfie

Roger Friedman
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Actor Bryan Cranston, aka Walter White, Retiring from “Signing Everything from Fans” But Will Take a Selfie

Maybe he has carpal tunnel syndrome. But Tony and Emmy winning actor Bryan Cranston will no longer sign autographs. He’s posted a notice to Twitter:

“After 18 years of signing everything for fans – I’m retiring. Overwhelmed by requests and I just can’t do it anymore. I love meeting fans and will personalize pix in person, but that’s all. Thanks for your understanding. See you on the street – we’ll take a selfie! Bryan”

Yes, this is for real. Maybe people were handing him blank checks. But the one meth dealer Walter White, former “Seinfeld” dentist Dr. Tim Watley, is done. I just hope he’ll make an exception for New York’s #1 autograph hound, Radio Man.

Rose McGowan Book Sales Are Lower than Expected as Publicity Tour Turns Nasty, Combative

Roger Friedman
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Rose McGowan Book Sales Are Lower than Expected as Publicity Tour Turns Nasty, Combative

Rose McGowan has declared herself “brave” as in “you’re so brave.” But aren’t other people supposed to call you that?

Anyway, McGowan’s book tour has turned combative and nasty, as have her TV appearances. The result is that sales are a little disappointing after two days of intense marketing. “Brave,” from HarperOne, stands at number 88 on Amazon of all top selling books.

McGowan seems to be doing better at Barnes & Noble, where they have “Brave” ranked at number 3.

Meanwhile, Variety reports that McGowan’s B&N book signing at the NY Union Square store last night deteriorated into a shouting match with hecklers being removed.

Also yesterday she told ABC News’s Juju Chang that she doesn’t like Alyssa Milano, who propelled the #metoo movement. “I don’t like her,” she said. “Cause I think she’s a lie.” Milano issued a message later saying she supported McGowan. But McGowan sees everything as a conspiracy. “I’m not looking at this from the outside. I have a lot of experience,” continued McGowan. “I know [Milano is] married to a CAA agent. Do the math. Who’s behind Time’s Up? CAA. Where do they meet? CAA? Who needs good PR? CAA. Who are part of the pimp problem? CAA.”

McGowan has a solid story but she refuses to charm anyone to sell it. So it’s going to be a take-no-prisoners assault for her. It’s worth watching this clip from Colbert below. She’s entertaining but not making so much sense. This is one of those times when I’m glad I’m not a book publicist anymore.

Exclusive: Will Mariah Carey or Jennifer Lopez Join Old Pal L.A. Reid at His New Label Under Warner Music?

Roger Friedman
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Exclusive: Will Mariah Carey or Jennifer Lopez Join Old Pal L.A. Reid at His New Label Under Warner Music?

The return of L.A. Reid to the record biz after a year away is like a big puzzle coming together.

First one report said he’d put together $75 million in backing. Then another said that former J Records chief under Clive Davis, Charles Goldstuck, was joining him.

I can tell you the new company has an old name– Hitco– after Reid’s former music publishing company. Hitco Entertainment is an open secret, with its own website already up. Goldstuck also has a a new bio page for his website in which he id’s himself as the head of Hitco.

Now I can also tell you that Reid and Goldstuck have likely made a distribution deal with Warner Music’s new head, the very brilliant Tom Corson. This is a smart move. Corson ran RCA Records and before that was part of the Arista and J Records teams with Goldstuck and Reid, during and after Clive Davis’s reign. In a sense they are all Clive’s guys. And now they’re going to be together.

Yes, L.A. disappeared just less than a year ago after some early or pre #TimesUp/#MeToo stuff at Epic/Sony. But you know, the nature of the record biz is such that a hit record takes precedence over problems in human resources. That’s just the way it is. Reid has an ear for hits. I wouldn’t be surprised if Republic Records’ Charlie Walk winds up there given how badly he’s been treated in this crazy new environment. He’d be the perfect marketing guy for them, and gold records would be in abundance.

Anyway, the only album Sony has right now in the top 50 is from Camilla Cabello, formerly of Fifth Harmony. Camilla and the group were L.A. Reid projects. So was DJ Khaled, another star on Epic. Also, Reid will sign likely Mariah Carey and Jennifer Lopez just to make noise for Hitco. (When this happens, please credit this site.)

Already, according to one report, Reid is making a smart movie hiring Kirdis Postelle– already a successful woman in the record biz– as his top executive. She was most recently already at Warner Music, and knows the lay of the land. And appointing a top female exec sends a signal that a new more enlightened chapter begins.

PS That photo was taken at the Vanity Fair Oscar party just last year, shortly before Reid left Epic. His beautiful wife, Erica, is at the far left and L.A. is at the far right. Smokey Robinson is in the middle, his wife Frances is to his left, and Janelle Monae is the woman between Smokey and L.A.

A Feisty Miley Cyrus Opens Elton John Tribute with “The Bitch is Back” at Show that Features Ed Sheeran, Chris Martin, SZA and Shawn Mendes

Roger Friedman
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A Feisty Miley Cyrus Opens Elton John Tribute with “The Bitch is Back” at Show that Features Ed Sheeran, Chris Martin, SZA and Shawn Mendes

The word from the Theater at Madison Square Garden is that the Elton John Tribute was off the charts good. (The show airs April 10th on CBS.)

Miley Cyrus opened the show with “The Bitch is Back,” and from there it was one hit after another. Highlights included Ed Sheeran singing “Candle in the Wind” (which I told you yesterday will be on Elton’s tribute album), “Rocket Man” from Little Big Town, Alessia Cara took “I Guess That’s Why They Call it the Blues,” Sam Smith handled “Daniel.”

Elton’s peeps kept the acts to all young people and contemporary stars of now– no old guys. So Kesha sang “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road,” Sean Mendes let SZA get on her Kiki Dee for a duet on “Don’t Go Breaking My Heart,”  Miranda Lambert handled “My Father’s Gun,” Chris Martin sang “We All Fall in Love Sometimes,” and John Legend played “Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Me.” Lady Gaga, as I reported yesterday, pre-taped “Your Song.”

Of course, reports are that Sir Elton stole his own show with a rousing finale of “Bennie and the Jets,” “Philadelphia Freedom,” “Looking Up,” and “I’m Still Standing.” Lots of well known faces in the audience, by the way, including Anna Kendrick.

I had a lot of reports of a dramatic moment when Neil Patrick Harris read a letter from late AIDS patient Ryan White to Elton with Jon Batiste providing background music. Apparently there wasn’t a dry eye in the house. Elton’s friendship with Ryan White was one of the reasons he started his important and groundbreaking AIDS Foundation.

PS I heard tonight that Elton has chosen the musical  act for his and David Furnish’s annual EJAF Oscar party following the Academy Awards. It’s Greta van Fleet, the hottest new rock band out there. They “out-Zeppelin” Led Zeppelin, according to my sources. That Oscar party is so much fun and raises so much money for AIDS research. But also, Elton picks absolutely the best new musicians as the featured entertainment. Can’t wait to hear these guys!

What a great season of Elton John. He’d better not retire after all!

 

Harvey Weinstein Denies Rose McGowan’s Accusations in Statement, Ben Affleck Issues Denial of McGowan’s Claims As Well

Roger Friedman
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Harvey Weinstein Denies Rose McGowan’s Accusations in Statement, Ben Affleck Issues Denial of McGowan’s Claims As Well

Harvey Weinstein’s attorney, Ben Brafman, has issued a statement regarding Rose McGowan, her new book “Brave” and accusations that the movie mogul raped her at Sundance in 1997.

One thing that bothers me about McGowan’s claims– she says Affleck told her — to paraphrase– that he’d warned Weinstein not to do something– attack women, presumably– in a past conversation. But “Good Will Hunting” wasn’t released until December 1997. Even though Affleck and McGowan had small parts in a Dimension movie shown at Sundance in January 1997– a year earlier– Affleck and Weinstein did not have that kind of pal-sy relationship before “Good Will Hunting” opened and was a hit. That part of McGowan’s recollection rings false to me.

Here’s Brafman’s statement:

“As a general matter, Harvey Weinstein and his attorneys have refrained from publicly criticizing any of the women who have made allegations of sexual assault against Mr. Weinstein despite a wealth of evidence that would demonstrate the patent falsity of these claims. Watching the “performance” by Rose McGowan as she looks to promote her new book however, has made it impossible to remain quiet as she tries to smear Mr. Weinstein with a bold lie that is denied not only by Mr. Weinstein himself, but by at least two witnesses, including Ms. McGowan’s own Manager at the time who Ms. McGowan claims to have confided in the day after the alleged assault and an A-list actor Ben Affleck who Ms. McGowan claims to have also told about her encounter with Mr. Weinstein shortly after the incident she now describes as “rape”, but which in 1997 she described to her Manager as a “consensual” act of sex.

“In an email to Mr. Weinstein regarding the encounter, Jill Messick says the following, “When we met up the following day, she hesitantly told me of her own accord that during the meeting that night before she had gotten into a hot tub with Mr. Weinstein. She was very clear about the fact that getting into that hot tub was something that she did consensually and that in hindsight it was also something that she regretted having done.”

“Ben Affleck expressed the following in an email to Mr. Weinstein, “She never told me nor did I ever infer that she was attacked by anyone. Any accounts to the contrary are false. I have no knowledge about anything Rose did or claimed to have done.”

Lady Gaga Pre-Tapes “Your Song” for Elton John Special, May Be Included in Album of Elton Cover Songs

Roger Friedman
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Lady Gaga Pre-Tapes “Your Song” for Elton John Special, May Be Included in Album of Elton Cover Songs

Lady Gaga couldn’t stick around in New York for the taping of tonight’s Elton John: I’m Still Standing TV special. She’s on stage tomorrow night in Birmingham, UK. So she did the next best thing: she pre-taped “Younr Song” to be dropped into the special.

Tonight’s guests include John Legend, Miranda Lambert, Miley Cyrus, Ed Sheeran, Alessia Cara, and a bunch of stars who are still in town following the Grammys. They’ll each do an Elton song and of course, Elton himself will hit the piano keys at some point. The show airs April 10th on CBS.

I’m told Miley will not again be singing “Tiny Dancer” as she did with Elton on the Grammys. Instead, she’ll perform “Don’t Let the Sun Go Down On Me,” which she’s also singing for an Elton covers album coming this spring. Other artists on the covers album include the aforementioned Lady Gaga, Ed Sheeran and Florence and the Machine.

Marvel’s “Black Panther” Unveiled in Hollywood to Ecstatic Social Media Reviews: “Best Ever”

Roger Friedman
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Marvel’s “Black Panther” Unveiled in Hollywood to Ecstatic Social Media Reviews: “Best Ever”

Is Ryan Coogler 30 years old yet? He had such an amazing launch with “Fruitvale Station” and then “Creed.” Now Coogler’s Marvel movie, “Black Panther,” premiered in Hollywood tonight to ecstatic reviews and raves. It should set records for February openings, comic book movies, Marvel films, etc.

“Black Panther” opens February 15th. Right now Disney is embargoing reviews, allowing only Twitter reactions. New York press doesn’t see the movie until February 6th. But it’s pretty clear that Coogler and his stars Chadwick Boseman and  Michael B. Jordan are about to go through the roof. Can’t think of three guys who deserve it more!

We’ll check Twitter in the AM for a round up of comments!

Broadway Box Office: “Hello, Dolly!” Without Bette Midler Falls to Earth, Is Audra McDonald Next to Join Show?

Roger Friedman
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Broadway Box Office: “Hello, Dolly!” Without Bette Midler Falls to Earth, Is Audra McDonald Next to Join Show?

The party is over at the Shubert Theater.

“Hello,Dolly!” without Bette Midler has fallen back to Earth at the box office.

The show averaged $2.4 million a week under Midler’s spell from last March through this past January 14th. That’s when Midler left and Bernadette Peters came in to succeed her.

During Midler’s run people were paying astronomical amounts for seats from secondary brokers. The top price on the regular market was over $800.

Now “Dolly!” can be had for a song. Last week, the average ticket cost $103.56. The week’s take was just $1.1 million– $300,000 short of sold out. The show itself was the 9th highest grossing musical, dropping behind “Come from Away” and “Waitress.” How the might have fallen!

It’s not clear how long Peters will stay– I’ll bet she’s great. But there is talk that when she’s done, Audra McDonald might be the next Dolly Levi. That would be a swell twist for producer Scott Rudin, whose ill-fated “Shuffle Along” McDonald starred in until she became pregnant and had to leave that show before it closed in a heap.

McDonald would also be carrying the torch for Pearl Bailey, who legendarily fronted an all black  production of the show in the 60s for David Merrick when Carol Channing left the show. Of course, McDonald now would star in a multi-cultural cast.

 

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