Miley Cyrus has been on the Tonight show all week promoting her “Younger Now” album and trying to lift sales. (It’s been a hard go even though Miley has been great.) Last night Miley teared up hugging Hillary Clinton. Then she performed a rocking version of Nancy Sinatra’s “These Boots Are Made for Walking” for the winner of the popular vote in the presidential election. Rock on, Miley!
Megyn Kelly Morning Ratings Are So Bad They’re Killing Kathie Lee and Hoda’s Successful Show
Megyn Kelly’s first week at 9am on the Today show was a ratings disaster.
Kelly’s hour was down 12% from when Al Roker and Tamron Hall hosted the 9am Today show hour. Even worse, she was 24% off in they key age demo, from 25 to 54. This week will probably not be any better.
The fear, of course, is that she will affect “Kathie Lee and Hoda” at 10am. And believe me, those ladies will not stand for it. They were down 7% in total viewers. A second week of those ratings will cause a real internal problem. Kathie Lee doesn’t take prisoners. And Hoda is very valued to the main Today show, which is NBC’s cash cow.
Meanwhile, Megyn’s 9am competition is booming. “Live with Kelly and Ryan” has gone up, up, up since its re-launch last spring. And Judge Judy’s “Hot Bench” is huge.
Kelly isn’t making friends at NBC, either. She cut off Tom Brokaw in mid conversation earlier this week, so she could make a plea against gun control.
Rock Hall Nominees: Moody Blues, J Geils, Bon Jovi, Dire Straits, Zombies, Chaka Khan, Rage Against the Machine, The Cars, Radiohead, Nina Simone
The list of potential inductees to the Rock and Roll Hall of Shame is out. And boy oh boy, it’s weird.
The list includes groups and artists who should have been in a long time ago– the Zombies, the Moody Blues, J. Geils Band, Nina Simone, MC5, The Meters, Chaka Khan and Rufus.
Then there’s a large selection from the New Wave era: Eurythmics, Depeche Mode, Dire Straits, The Cars, Kate Bush.
There are more recent acts like Radiohead, Rage Against the Machine, and Judas Priest (never that is never happening under any circumstances).
And then there are oddities: Link Wray, Siuster Rosetta Stone. And LL Cool J.
Pick 5 from this huge group. Here’s the problem: Peter Wolf of J Geils has been treated very badly by Jann Wenner, now almost out of business. J Geils himself died this year. This is a travesty. Put them in already.
Ditto the Moody Blues. Many hit singles, “Days of Future Passed” is a classic album. This has dragged on and on. It’s time to end this nightmare.
Bon Jovi should also be in. At this point Jon Bon Jovi hates Wenner. For good reason. At this point, Bon Jovi is the most improved longest lasting bar band ever. Lots of hits, and lots of philanthropy. In.
Chaka Khan– she’s my choice. No one knows who Rufus was. But Chaka is a stone cold superstar.
And then? The Zombies deserve something. But my choice would be Dire Straits. Mark Knopfler is simply too important not to be in the Hall.
Listen, this whole RRHOF thing is coming to an end. Rolling Stone is almost out of business. Wenner is moribund. Chubby Checker is still being ignored.
The Hall– or Wenner– will still add a few people on his own without the nominating committee. Billy Preston must be added, and producer Richard Perry.
PS I love Nina Simone, but she’s jazz, R&B, classical. Not rock.
Harrison Ford Reveals That He Was Placed in Induced Coma After 2015 Flying Accident
Well, here’s a headline that came out of Charlie Rose’s interview with Harrison Ford Wednesday night. Back in February 2015, after crashing his plane into a golf course, Ford tells Rose that he was placed in a medically induced coma.
Prior to this, Ford’s injuries were described as a broken pelvis and ribs, and a laceration to his scalp. He told investigators six months later that he didn’t remember the crash. Now we know why. A medically induced coma is alarmingly serious. This also explains why he was in the hospital for a month, as reported in places like People magazine.
He was placed in a coma, Ford tells Rose, so he could “survive.” And survive he did, enough to make “The Force Awakens” and now “Blade Runner 2049.” The interview with Charlie Rose is really excellent, although I would have liked Charlie to ask more about the induced coma. It’s sort of glossed over.
This new interview won’t be available to us until maybe tomorrow. I’ll post it as soon as it’s available. And thank goodness Harrison Ford has made such a great comeback. “Blade Runner 2049” is a milestone, and he’s terrific in it.
Adam Sandler Talks About the Raves He’s Getting for “Meyerowitz Stories”: “I don’t get good reviews ever”
Adam Sandler has never been thrilled to do publicity for any movie. He comes off as arrogant sometimes. Some people think he’s shy. Of course, Sandler is a lightning rod for conversation about film. When he’s acted seriously (Spanglish, Punch Drunk Love) you always feel there’s a lot of potential. Then there are the cult films like Happy Gilmore or The Wedding Singer. But then there’s a ton of Sandler’s filmed entertainments that are just silly and too numerous to mention. And then there’s the SNL stuff– Opera Man, the Chanukah Song. You love him, you just want him to be better.
Now in Noah Baumach’s “Meyerowitz Stories,” he’s perfect. Could not be better. Our PAULA SCHWARTZ interviewed Adam a few nights ago on the red carpet at the film’s NY premiere.
PS: You kept the mustache.
AS: Yeah man, I tried to get a razor through it, wouldn’t come off.
CPS: Can you relate to the dysfunctional family aspect of the film?
AS: When I watch the movie and I’ve been involved with meals that get a little out of control in my house, yes, but this isn’t my family. This is a very interesting dynamic because of a divorce and because of different childhoods and siblings and different relationships with the dad and in no way is my life like that but I know is guy.
PS: What was the rehearsal process like?
AS: It was like making a play. Like I was in college. It was like when I was in college and I used to be in plays. Yeah, it was kind of like that, a lot of rehearsing, a lot of all-day talking about the script and talking about your characters and being with different actors at different times and just preparing, a lot of preparation and then when we got there there was a lot more work to be done but you felt a little confidence going in with what we were talking about.
PS: Randy Newman said you wrote the lyrics to the songs. Talk about that: Some of the lyrics are as memorable as your “Put on your yarmulke, here comes Chanukah.”
AS: Thank you. They’re nice. One song Noah asked me to write about my daughter and I made it a duet with me and my daughter and the other one was just a silly thing that we were singing on the set, Noah and I both together, and then Randy played the piano on that one. It was amazing.
PS: So do you think he could score Toy Story 4 with your lyrics?
AS: Yeah, I plan on it. I’m just glad to have my name with Randy Newman. That feels good.
PS: It seems like the script is very tight. Was there any improvisation?
AS: No. No. One or two things happened that are in there but, no, it’s all him. All Noah.
PS: What was key to finding your way into the role of Danny?
AS: Talking to my director more and more and just making sure I was what he was thinking and got deeper into what he thought my character was, has been through and what he wants out of life… He’s alone for the first time because his daughter’s going off to college and he’s just got divorced and I just wanted to portray him as real as I could and it was easy to say Noah’s lines and sort of just bring the right emotion to it.
PS: Your performance has been getting raves reviews. Does it feel good to get reviews since sometimes you don’t get that.
AS: I don’t get good reviews ever but that stuff, but that’s okay, I’m glad that Noah’s getting the right recognition. I’m happy for him, yeah.
PS: Does it ever get you down?
AS: Nope. I mean it did when I was 25, but I believe in what I do and I like kids coming up to me and saying they liked my stuff and that’s why I did it.
PS: The good reviews must feel good for a change.
AS: That’s great. I’m hundred percent cool with that but either way I believe in the movie.
All Star Show: Five Ex Presidents, Country All Stars Set to Raise Money for Hurricane Victims This Month At Texas A&M
Circle Saturday October 21st. All five ex presidents are set to host an all star fund raiser for Hurricane Harvey and Irma victims. The show will take place at College Station’s Reed Arena on the Texas A&M campus. Reed Arena’s capacity is 13,000 — making it a cozy concert.
“Deep from the Heart” will feature ALABAMA, joined by Texas legends The Gatlin Brothers, four-time Grammy winner Lyle Lovett, and Robert Earl Keen; legendary Grammy-award winning, Rock & Roll Hall of Famer ‘Soul Man’ Sam Moore; gospel legend Yolanda Adams; season three winner of NBC’s “The Voice,” Cassadee Pope; and rising country artist Stephanie Quayle, who Rolling Stone Country called one of the “Ten New Country Music Artists You Need to Know.” Country music star Lee Greenwood will emcee the event.
Tickets for the “Deep From the Heart” concert are now on sale at https://bush41.org/deep-from-the-heart.
“The 43rd President and I, and our distinguished colleagues in this ‘One America Appeal,’ are very grateful to these wonderful performers — some of them old friends, some of them new — for giving their time and talent to help the urgent cause of hurricane recovery in Texas, Florida and the Caribbean,” said President Bush 41. “It’s important that those affected by these devastating storms know that, even if the path to recovery feels like a road that goes on forever, we’re with them for the long haul.”
A special restricted account has been established through the George H. W. Bush Presidential Library Foundation to collect and distribute donations to every dollar given goes to assist hurricane victims. Donations will be distributed to:
• Houston Harvey Relief Fund, focusing on the greater Houston region
• Rebuild Texas Fund, assisting hurricane-ravaged communities across the state
• Florida Disaster Fund
• Juntos y Unidos Por Puerto Rico, launched by First Lady Beatriz Rossello and a private sector coalition
• The Fund for the Virgin Islands
“Downton Abbey” Movie: I Told You Last Year it Was Happening, Now Announcement Coming
The “Downton Abbey” movie? I told you last November that the negotiations were on.
Now everyone’s in an uproar because a teaser went out on the show’s Instagram page.
So yes, we await the official announcement, which seems to be imminent. But will it be a movie or just a long last episode? Will Maggie Smith’s Dowager Countess die at the beginning, middle or end? (She’ll have to have enough screen time to qualify for Supporting Actress, so I say end.) Will Julian Fellowes get rid of Lady Mary’s second husband, played by Matthew Goode, so she’ll have something to do? Will Jessica Brown Findlay– aka Isobel– return from the grave and apologize for ruining her career?
We’ll have to wait and see…
Dustin Hoffman, Sofia Coppola Join Nicole Kidman as IFP Gotham Award Honorees
Awards season is now in full bloom.
The IFP Gotham Awards, set for November 28th in New York, have added two names who will receive honorary awards. Dustin Hoffman will get an acting nod, and Sofia Coppola will be recognized as a director.
Previously, Nicole Kidman was chosen for an actor’s honor as well.
These nods are separate from the actual Gotham Awards, but may be a signal about those nominations. All three of the honorees are in films eligible for awards. In fact, Coppola directed Kidman in “The Beguiled,” a very Gotham Awards type movie. And Hoffman is getting raves for his role in Noah Baumbach’s “Meyerowitz Stories.”
Other potential Gotham nominees could be “The Florida Project,” “Call Me By Your Name,” “Lady Bird,” “Wonderstruck,” “Wonder Wheel,” and “Detroit.”
I wish the Gothams would check out a movie I saw last night which will debut on iTunes next Tuesday: “Good Enough” by Anna Rose King. It’s an indie debut by a female director who wrote her own script and stars in the film, too. It’s perfect for either the Gotham or Spirit Awards. More on “Good Enough” tomorrow.
Catholic University Demands Apology from Comic Nick Cannon for Weekend Show
On Saturday night, comedian and TV host Nick Cannon entertained the students at Georgian Court University in Lakewood, New Jersey. Cannon says the audience loved him– I’m sure they did– but the dean of the university didn’t. He wrote to his students that “Mr. Cannon blatantly disregarded the terms of our contract, and much of his act ran counter to what we stand for at GCU.”
Hmmm… Dean, you hired Nick Cannon. What did you expect? It’s 2017, sir. Get a clue.
Cannon seems unfazed. He will not apologize and he shouldn’t.
I ain’t apologizing for Shit LOL… wait, I’m sorry your university doesn’t believe in freedom of speech!!! pic.twitter.com/laTiF8ZNEt
— Nick Cannon (@NickCannon) October 4, 2017
Maybe the Dean should have checked out Nick Cannon’s latest– and really terrific video– on You Tube
So far the Dean seems to have GCU on social media lockdown. If anyone has a video of Saturday night’s show, please email me at showbiz411@gmail.com. Confidentiality guaranteed.
TV Ratings: “Kevin Can Wait” Loses 4 Million Viewers from First Week, Larry David Fans Very Enthusiastic
Around 6 million people watched the second week of CBS’s “Kevin Can Wait” Monday, down from around 10 million the prior week.
That’s around the same number who usually watched “Kevin Can Wait” last season when Kevin’s TV wife was alive and kicking. But CBS killed her off in a cavalier manner last week, which may have turned off viewers who’d invested in Erinn Hayes’s Donna. Donna’s death wasn’t really explained. Maybe like Susan on “Seinfeld” she died from licking envelopes.
Meanwhile, on Sunday night, Larry David came roaring back after six years with “Curb Your Enthusiasm.” Larry scored 1,543,000 total viewers for HBO< considerably up from “The Deuce” at 9pm. Everyone got to hear about “Fatwa: The Musical” and the fatwa on Larry’s head. The show is still hilarious. Can’t wait for this Sunday!
And the good news is that comparably, for cable, Larry had 100,000 more total viewers than “Keeping Up with the Kardashians.” Civilization is still intact!