Sunday, October 6, 2024
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Caitlyn Jenner Crosses Paths with Kim Kardashian Ex Kris Humphries: From Father-in-Law to Ex-Mother-in-Law

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Sunday night in St Paul, Minnesota: Caitlyn Jenner came face to face with her former son-in -law, Kris Humphries. You remember Kris! He was married to Kim Kardashian for 72 days. This means Kim was married to a man with her mother’s name.
At the time, Bruce Jenner was Kris’s husband, and Kris Humphries’ father-in-law. Now Bruce is Caitlyn, divorced from Kris, and Kris Humphries’ ex- mother-in-law.  It wasn’t clear if anyone at the Starkey Hearing Foundation Gala in St. Paul understood  that. The result was a near miss disaster on the red carpet.
“First the red carpet director had to orchestrate their limos so Kris and Caitlyn didn’t get out at the same time, which almost happened,” said a source. “Then inside the dinner, Caitlyn finally got up and went over to say hello to Kris. After all, she was his father in law. Now she’s his ex mother inlaw.”
Caitlyn also caused a commotion in the ladies room during the dinner. I’m told so many women followed her in there that she couldn’t get into a stall. Finally someone yelled, “For chrissakes, she’s got to pee!”
Jenner didn’t talk much about Bruce’s old pal OJ Simpson maybe getting paroled this week. She did talk at length to anyone who’d listen about maybe running for the Senate in Califorinia, by the way. She said she wants to help the transgender community. But when someone asked, “with public funds?” she backed off.
This, by the way, is not the plot of Part 10 of “Twin Peaks: The Return.” But it could be!

Leonardo DiCaprio Readies for St. Tropez Gala: Lowest Ticket Price $10,436 for Preferred Seating “Slightly Further Back with Good Views of Stage”

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 We’re just 8 days away from Leonardo DiCaprio’s annual St. Tropez gala to raise money for the environment. Since his LDF Foundation doesn’t file a Form 990, no one really knows how much money comes in or where it goes. And last year, the event was underwritten by Julius Baer Bank of Switzerland, which was fined $547 MILLION by the US Government for tax evasion in 2016.
This past June, Jorge Luis Arzuaga, an Argentine national and former managing director at Julius Baer, pleaded guilty to a money laundering conspiracy in the Brooklyn federal court. He admitted to arranging transfers of over $25 million in bribes and kickbacks from 2010 to 2015.
DiCaprio himself is still caught up in the 1MDB Malaysia fund scandal that involved financing of his movie “The Wolf of Wall Street.” Those investigations continue as Leo was forced recently to return paintings and jewelry he received from the principals in that scheme.
For the July 26th gala, Leo is offering different sets of tickets and prices if you’re going to be in that neck of the woods.

PRIME SEATING: in the front rows.
PREMIUM SEATING: very well placed in the room (central but not the front rows).
PREFERRED SEATING: will be slightly further back but with good views of the stage.
here are the prices:

TICKET OPTIONS:

  • Ticket at £8,000 per person
    (preferred dinner seating, listing on printed materials)
  • Gorilla Protector Ticket at £12,000 per person
    (premium dinner seating, “Gorilla Protector” listing on printed materials)
  • Shark Protector Ticket at £18,000 per person
    (prime dinner seating, “Shark Protector” listing on printed materials)
  • Tiger Protector Ticket at £25,000 per person
    (premier dinner seating, “Tiger Protector” listing on printed materials)
TABLE OPTIONS
RAINFOREST STEWARD PACKAGE(S)
preferred dinner seating for 10 guests, “Rainforest Steward” listing on printed materials
OCEAN STEWARD PACKAGE(S)
preferred dinner seating for 10 guests, “Ocean Steward” listing on printed materials
£100,000
EARTH PROTECTOR PACKAGE(S)
premium dinner seating for 12 guests, “Earth Protector” listing on printed materials
£150,000
GRAND EARTH PROTECTOR PACKAGE(S)
prime dinner seating for 12 guests,
“Grand Earth Protector”
listing on printed materials
£200,000
 

“Game of Thrones” Sets Record with 10 Million Viewers Sunday Night, “Twin Peaks” Falls Back to Earth

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Sunday night ratings: “Game of Thrones” set an HBO record with its sixth season opener. They had over 10 million viewers. Think of it: over on CBS, “60 Minutes” had around 5 million viewers, on NBC Megyn Kelly had 3 million. And that was free TV.

Over on cable, no one watched much of anything else. The next highest rated show for Sunday night was the series “Power” on Starz, with 1.7 million viewers.

At 9pm, while “Game of Thrones” was eating TV alive, “Twin Peaks” lost the viewers it had picked up after Part 8. Part 9 was so dreadful that everyone who sampled the show based on good reviews for Part 8, left. “Twin Peaks” scored 264,000 viewers. More people live in my neighborhood.

In case you were one of those 264,000, then we can talk: Really? Really? No one on this show knows how to plot or tell a story in a way that makes sense. Jim Belushi, who I usually like, was terrible. Also, I have no idea what the people in his story pod are doing. Naomi Watts deserves a trophy for investing in dross every week.

Also, the random violence is not funny or interesting. Richard Horne beat up his grandmother and called her the ‘c’ word. It wasn’t arch or entertaining. And since we’re not sure who he is or what the heck is going on, who cares? Eight more weeks. Good lord.

Kenny Rogers Will Feature Dolly Parton, Little Big Town, Alison Krauss in Big Finale Show in Nashville

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Kenny Rogers is hanging it up. He’s taping one last career-ending show in Nashville on October 25th to commemorate his 60 years in country music.

Guests include Dolly Parton, Little Big Town, Alison Krauss, and, strangely, the Flaming Lips and Idina Menzel (I don’t know why these last two– they have nothing to do with country or Kenny).

More guests will be announced, but my guess is we will see Lionel Richie without a doubt.

“All In For The Gambler: Kenny Rogers’ Farewell Concert Celebration,” will be shown on TV at some point in the future, once it’s sold to a syndicator or cable channel.

Kenny has a lot of solo hits like “The Gambler,” “Islands in the Stream,” and “Lady.” But before the face lifts and Vegas and all that, he had his group The First Edition, and “Ruby Don’t Take Your Love to Town” and “Something’s Burning.” I hope he doesn’t forget those chestnuts !

Oscars: Christopher Nolan’s “Dunkirk” Jumps Out Front, Harry Styles Better at Acting than Singing

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Christopher Nolan may finally get his Oscar.

Word from press screenings of “Dunkirk,” which opens Friday, is that Nolan has directed a masterpiece. On Rotten Tomatoes, there is only negative review among 40. That’s a 98.

I’m looking forward to seeing Nolan’s work tonight (Tuesday). But after seeing him make so many good films– from “Memento” to “Interstellar” with the “Dark Knight” films in between, this will be a nice pay off. Seventeen years have passed since  “Memento.” That’s a long wait for real recognition.

The word from screenings also is that Harry Styles, of One Direction fame, is very good in his movie debut. I said this months ago– that Styles would turn out to an actor and not so much a solo pop star.  His self titled debut album struggled to stay on the charts. It yielded just one single, “Sign of the Times,” which was not a breakout hit. But Styles may get the last laugh as an in demand actor.

More on “Dunkirk” and Styles Tuesday night. But it does seem a high bar has been set for the 2018 Oscars.

Cynthia Erivo Sings Knockout Version of “Let it Be” at Russell Simmons’ Annual Hamptons Gala

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Tony winner Cynthia Erivo was a knock out Saturday night in the Hamptons. She sang a knockout version of the Beatles’ “Let it Be” at Russell Simmons’ annual Art for Life gala in a huge tent near the beach. It was quite a night, with Chuck D of Public Enemy also energizing the crowd that included Nickelodeon’s star exec Marva Smalls, philanthropist Don Peebles and wife Katrina, Fab Five Freddy, Sirius XM’s Tracey Jordan, Andre Harrell, and Jason Binn. Soledad O’Brien hosted, and $1.1 million was raised for Russell’s RUSH Philanthropic.

See Cynthia here. She is a super-dooper star:

MORE CHARITY— NEXT MONDAY in New York check out Taste of Hope’s Broadway night. Lots of stars coming for a great cause…

taste of hope

Hugh Jackman’s Playing Gary Hart in a Movie About 1987 Scandal, But Guess What Donna Rice Is Doing (Running a Sketchy Charity)

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Married, and popular, Senator Gary Hart was almost the Democratic candidate for President in 1988– until the press discovered he was having an affair with hot blonde model Donna Rice. Since Hart was married, that ended his presidential bid. Someone (Dukakis? Mondale? who can remember?) ran against George H W. Bush and lost.

Now Hugh Jackman will play Hart in “The Front Runner,” directed by Jason Reitman. Casting has begun for 13 major roles, but so far there’s no listing for Rice. Either Reitman has found the right girl, or Rice will be a footnote to the story. That doesn’t seem possible.

So what ever happened to Donna Rice, now 59. She and her husband, Jack Hughes, are running a not for profit called Enough Is Enough in Glen Falls, Virginia. It’s supposed to do make the  internet safe for families. I checked their Form 990s for the last three years. The Hughes are the only employees of Enough is Enough. For the last three years they’ve paid themselves a total of $100,000 per year in salary. They don’t give gifts or grants. The salaries take up most of the expenses. All their other expenses are things like travel and office expenses. Two employees, no donations to other groups.

If I were their donors, I’d say, Enough is enough!

Box Office: “Baby Driver” with No Stars Will Make More in US Than Tom Cruise in “The Mummy”

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The hit movie of the summer is Tom Cruise in “The Mummy.” Wrong.

The hit movie of the summer is “Baby Driver” with Ansel Elgort and a bunch of good actors who are not movie stars per se including Jamie Foxx and Jon Hamm.

In fact, at the US box office right now, only around $6 million separates “Baby Driver” with $73 million and “The Mummy” with $79 million.

The difference is that “The Mummy” is after six weeks is almost finished with its theatrical run and “Baby Driver,” just three weeks in, is just getting started. “The Mummy” will just about make $80 million if its lucky. “Baby Driver” could have a shot at $90 million as word of mouth spreads.

“The Mummy” was a dreary by the books studio film. “Baby Driver” screams young, energetic, fun. Plus, all those good actors are well liked with no personal baggage to weigh them down. Cruise has so much baggage he has to hire a porter in every town.

There are lessons to be learned here.

Number 1 at the box office: “War for the Planet of the Apes” with $56 million, and maybe some awards action this fal for Andy Serkis.

 

 

Exclusive: “Walking Dead” Stuntman Broke His Knee in 2012 on Movie Set, “Cushion Was Moved” For 120 Foot Fall

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EXCLUSIVE

I’ve spoken with a doctor who saw stuntman John Bernecker back in 2012 when he took a much longer — 120 feet- -dive on a movie set and broke his knee cap. The fall — on the set of “The Walking Dead”– that killed him yesterday was 22 feet, but he hit his head.

The doctor, William Garth, tells me that Bernecker’s accident, according to Bernecker, was because “someone moved the cushion” he was supposed to land on. Bernecker was working as a stunt double for actor James Marsden on a movie called “The Loft.”

“His line– maybe like a bungee line– was too long and he told me someone had moved the cushion,” Garth told me. “It was taken out from underneath him. He broke his knee cap. He was very upset about it. I think it gave him trouble for a year.  He was out of work. There was a lot of controversy.”

In the fall that killed him yesterday there are several reports that he missed the fall cushion by several inches.

Garth had nothing but nice things to say about Bernecker, who was 33, and remembered his mother as well.  What a shame. But also, how bizarre. Perhaps an investigation into what happened will shed some light.

 

EXCLUSIVE Stunt Man Who Died from Fall on Set of “The Walking Dead” Sued Another Production Company in 2012

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john-breneckerEXCLUSIVE Accomplished movie stunt man John Bernecker has died after a 20 foot fall that went wrong on the set of “The Walking Dead” in Georgia.

I can tell you that Bernecker, whose resume is long, had had trouble before with another movie. In 2012 he sued the producers of a movie called “The Loft” starring James Marsden. According to court records, the case was dismissed without prejudice a year ago. This indicates there was a settlement.

According to a report in the Louisiana Record, Bernecker “was suspended in the air by a safety harness and was to be dropped 100-110 feet in a controlled descent. However, he claims a descender spool — built, owned and operated by the Jensen’s — and a backup brake operated by Fanguy both malfunctioned. The plaintiff claims he suffered a free fall from approximately 100 feet and received serious injuries when he struck the ground.  Bernecker claims the stunt was successfully rehearsed with a dummy several times, but before he was to do the stunt the parameters were changed due to a safety pad being removed and rain being added to the scene.”

Bernecker sued for damages “for pain and suffering, mental suffering, disability, disfigurement and scarring, loss of wages and earning capacity, medical expenses and loss of enjoyment of life.”

Bernecker seems like he was brutally damaged instantly from the Walking Dead fall. His girlfriend, stunt woman Jennifer Crocker, immediately posted a distraught notice on Facebook indicating that his situation was dire.

Bernecker’s accident comes after several other deaths and injires on film sets including the death of Sarah Jones in 2014 on the Georgia set of the Gregg Allman movie, “Midnight Rider.”

UPDATE A friend of Bernecker says the stunt man was very popular and “a great guy.” He says that as far as he knows there was a settlement in the 2012 case and that “you can see from the case that there were injuries.”