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Music: Kennedy Center Must Choose Its Eagles, Julia Fordham’s Pipes Better than the Public Theater’s, Sam Moore Digs Muscle Shoals

Roger Friedman
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Music: Kennedy Center Must Choose Its Eagles, Julia Fordham’s Pipes Better than the Public Theater’s, Sam Moore Digs Muscle Shoals

THE KENNEDY CENTER  is inducting THE EAGLES this December. The group is the first to present the austere Center with a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame type issue– which members get in? The original group that had all the hits we love consisted of Don Henley, Glenn Frey, Bernie Leadon, Randy Meisner and Don Felder. Joe Walsh came later. Leadon and Meisner left over the years following “Hotel California” (the end of the real Eagles era), and Felder departed acrimoniously. The group now is Henley, Frey, Walsh, and Timothy B. Schmidt, who only joined in 1979 for “The Long Run” but returned when the Eagles re-grouped in 1994. Will all these guys be in the artists’ box in December? Or will Henley and Frey, who agree on very little, pick and choose who’s a real Eagle? Or will everyone just ‘take it easy’?….

…Famed British pop and jazz singer (transplanted to Santa Monica) JULIA FORDHAM has great pipes, but the Public Theater-Joe’s Pub evidently does not. Fordham sold out her first show on Friday night with no problem, so Joe’s Pub added a show. She gave a bravura 25th anniversary performance of all the songs from her classic 1990 album “Porcelain,” plus threw in a few other hits.  Fans flew in from around the world for a second show after putting their requests on Facebook. But during the break between shows, a funny smell quickly arose from the Public Theater’s basement. A sewage line had burst, and the Public– which was thoroughly renovated not long ago– began to flood with not very agreeable looking liquids. Fordham, ever a trouper, seized the moment and saved the day. She came into the lobby of the Public– which has very good acoustics– and sang a capella for the 100 or so fans. Luckily Julia is in the best voice ever, so the couple who’d come to hear their wedding song– “Something Right”– got to hear it close up and personal. Fordham heads to her native UK next week for a string of sold out shows– hopefully with better pipes….

…Legendary soul man SAM MOORE had waited almost 50 years to sing Percy Sledge’s “When a Man Loves a Woman” and had rehearsed it for last Tuesday’s Lincoln Center out of doors opening night. Moore was there with Bettye Lavette, Dan Penn, Spooner Oldham and the original Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section for a celebration of Muscle Shoals soul from the 1960s. (Dozens of hits were recorded there.) Even original members Jimmy Johnson and David Wood were on hand to perform with the band, which sounded amazing. Moore– famous for “Soul Man,” “Hold On I’m Coming” and other hits– almost got his big number cut. After performing “Don’t Pull Your Love” with Jimmy Hall, Moore was told by the show’s “producer” that because of a curfew, “When a Man Loves a Woman” would be cut. Chaos ensued as Lavette, who’d heard Moore slaughter the song at soundcheck, went nuts. Bettye and husband Kevin Kiley made let’s say a heated argument lobbying for Moore– who did the song to a massive standing ovation. A grateful Moore next performs August 12th at the Hollywood Bowl in an all star tribute to the late Jaco Pastorious with Herbie Hancock and Wayne Shorter (please bring this to New York guys!)…

Box Office: Adam Sandler’s “Pixels” Failure Adds to Sony’s Terrible Year– Can James Bond Save Them?

Roger Friedman
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Box Office: Adam Sandler’s “Pixels” Failure Adds to Sony’s Terrible Year– Can James Bond Save Them?

Poor Sony Pictures. They are under siege. First came the bruising hack into their emails that forced out studio chief Amy Pascal. The embarrassments keep echoing over the misguided Korea spoof “The Interview.” And you never know when a new dump of information is coming.

Now Adam Sandler’s “Pixels” has opened to a disappointing $24 million weekend. The animated film cost at least $88 million and probably more like $100 million given Sandler’s expenses. Thanks to the Sony email leak we know Sandler likes riding around on Sony jets.

So far this year, Sony has not had a good time. They’ve released four other films that were lackluster at best.

1 Paul Blart: Mall Cop 2 Sony $70,709,001
2 The Wedding Ringer SGem $64,460,211
3 Chappie Sony $31,569,268
4 Aloha Sony $20,991,497

Totals: $187,729,977– that’s less than many films this year have made all together. Ouch!

The big hope now is that James Bond “Spectre” will be such a big hit that it erases these bad memories. The specter of “Skyfall,” the last — and maybe best– James Bond film looms large. A billion dollar world wide hit will certainly assuage all this pain.

Meantime, big Sony (not Sony Pictures Classics) has two films coming that are promising at least artistically– Jonathan Demme’s “Ricki and the Flash” with Meryl Streep will be entertaining. And Robert Zemeckis’s “The Walk” with Joseph Gordon Levitt has a lot of promise.

But “Pixels” is going to smart for quite a while after this initial weekend. For Adam Sandler at Sony, Game over.

Really True: Mel Gibson Reduced to Working as Art Director on Chinese Movie

Roger Friedman
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Really True: Mel Gibson Reduced to Working as Art Director on Chinese Movie

You may have missed this story. I know I did when it broke on July 13th as a press release. You remember Mel Gibson? He won the Oscar for “Braveheart,” then destroyed his career by driving drunk, getting arrested, and hurling anti-Semitic and racist epithets. Around the same time other aspects of his life emerged that were unsavory and damaging.

After that, Mel appeared in “The Beaver” with a puppet on his hand, which few people saw. Also, “Get the Gringo.”

Now Gibson, reviled in Hollywood, has been reduced to working as art director and “creative producer” on a Chinese movie. The film is called “The Bombing,” and it’s directed by Xiao Feng, who has one other credit. Bruce Willis stars in an otherwise all-Chinese cast as an American pilot sent to China in World War II to teach pilots how to defend themselves against the Japanese.

This goes against Mel’s assertion to policeman James Mee during his DUI arrest that “the Jews are responsible for all the wars in the world.”

Gibson, who sold his Icon studios a few years ago, is said to have put money into the production and signed on as “art director.” This is supposed to be his “back door” back into the film business. It’s unclear if the plan will work.

Gibson’s cinematographer is 85 year old Vilmos Zsigmond, who made a name for himself in the 1970s with Close Encounters of the Third Kind, The Long Goodbye, The Deer Hunter and the Rose. But then he shot Heaven’s Gate, one of Hollywood’s greatest flops. After that, Zsigmond made dozens of bad films including three in a row– Sliver, Bonfire of the Vanities, and The Two Jakes. All he’s missing from his resume is Ishtar.

“General Hospital” Replaces Head Writer After Three Months of Sinking Ratings

Roger Friedman
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“General Hospital” Replaces Head Writer After Three Months of Sinking Ratings

The world of soap operas is volatile. Just watch the movie “SoapDish” for a primer. It’s brutal, with more bodies littering backstage than in front of the camera.

So ABC has replaced Ron Carlivati, head writer of “General Hospital.” They’ve endured three months of sinking ratings without a turnaround. During his reign, Carlivati had very high ratings, was credited with saving the show from cancellation, and brought back a lot of favorite actors who’d been treated badly during the preceding decade.

But everyone burns out, and this was Carlivati’s turn. It’s hard to imagine writing a soap– five days a week, 40 or so characters, some of whom contractually have to be on all the time even if there’s nothing for them to do. And someone has to remember what happened when, otherwise you get people coming back from the dead without organs, or houses revisited that recently exploded.

I do tune in to “General Hospital” occasionally, when the news is slow on CNN or the box office numbers are still coming in. I do love Finola Hughes, but she took the summer off. Genie Francis is back, so it feels like old times. Anthony Geary is leaving on Monday after 37 years, but I think he’ll be back.

Oh well, soaps are old news when you see the crazy people on the court shows coming in with man bites dog stories. In five years they will probably be gone, but you never know. My guess is, Carlivati will back before that. At least he brought in Donna Mills. He gets a lot of thanks.

This got cut off: Carlivati is replaced by Jean Passanante and Shelly Altman, two smart veteran soap scribes. They’ve got to clean house, get rid of a bunch of extraneous characters who never gelled, and somehow restore heroine Elizabeth to sainthood. I do hope they retain some of Carlivati’s hip humor, though. He always threw in funny one liners from the real world.

Warren Beatty’s Howard Hughes Movie May Surface at Fall Film Festival

Roger Friedman
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Warren Beatty’s Howard Hughes Movie May Surface at Fall Film Festival

Stop the presses. I am told that Warren Beatty’s still untitled, still unseen Howard Hughes movie may surface at one of the upcoming film festivals.

A source close to the production says nothing is solid. But “there’s a chance” that Beatty may give in and show his film at either Venice, Telluride or Toronto. Schedules for those festivals haven’t been announced yet. And even when they are, the Beatty film could be a “surprise” screening — especially in Toronto.

Shooting on the Hughes project ended over a year ago, and editing has been going on ever since then. Beatty is a noted perfectionist who doesn’t like to commit to anything. In the past, he’s waffled for some time before letting a film go.

So far there’s no trailer, no teaser, not a single production photo, nada. Not title. Beatty has done a good making the film as mysterious as Hughes himself.

But this time Beatty does have substantial financial backers including New Regency and James Packer-Brett Ratner’s RatPac. He also has stars who’d like to see themselves on screen before too much time passes, including his own Oscar nominated wife Annette Bening.

I have a strong, good feeling about this movie despite knowing almost nothing about it. I am counting on Warren Beatty. We need him now more than ever!

PS I strongly object to that BBC list of all time best American films. They left off “Reds,” one of the greatest epics of all time, as well as “Shampoo” and “Heaven Can Wait”– not to mention Warren’s work in “Splendor in the Grass.” Feh on Brit crits!

Mission Impossible Rogue Nation a Hit with Critics (Who’ve Seen It)

Roger Friedman
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Mission Impossible Rogue Nation a Hit with Critics (Who’ve Seen It)

Christopher McQuarrie’s “Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation” is a hit with critics– those who’ve seen it. So far, it’s rating a 92% on Rotten Tomatoes. Only one guy didn’t like it, don’t know why.

Now the trick is to use the reviews to overcome the bad vibes caused by Tom Cruise and his Scientology connection. Next week Cruise will drop into town for a few minutes, answer no questions and do minimal, benign press. He has the reviews to rest on, so that will excuse him from having to hype the film too much.

 

WWE Drops Wrestler Hulk Hogan As Career Nosedives Following Racist Rant Reveal

Roger Friedman
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WWE Drops Wrestler Hulk Hogan As Career Nosedives Following Racist Rant Reveal

Radaronline, the National Enquirer and Wrestling News Source are reporting that Hulk Hogan, the famed wrestler, has been dropped by WWE World Wrestling. They’ve removed all references to him from their website following a huge reveal: Hogan was taped by a former lover in a racist rant during pillow talk. Radar Online has posted the story.

Here’s the link to the Radar story. 

Hogan knew it was coming, and posted this message to Twitter

World Wrestling reports: “On WWE.com, Hogan is no longer listed on the WWE Hall of Fame page, and all of his merchandise has also been removed from WWEShop.com. The only thing currently remaining that mentions Hogan involves WWE’s upcoming Australian tour, which Hogan was scheduled to take part in as general manager. However, when any attempt to access this page is made, a message appears stating “you are not authorized to access this page.”

Here’s another report as well.

PS Hogan is currently in a $100 million defamation lawsuit against Gawker.com. Until now, it seemed like Gawker was in trouble. But these revelations will turn the tide against Hogan. Coincidence? There’s no such thing as coincidences. Some investigator is working over time on this.

U2: Amazing, Innovative “Innocence” Show Has Nods to Johnny Cash, Patti Smith, Paul Simon, Sex Pistols

Roger Friedman
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U2: Amazing, Innovative “Innocence” Show Has Nods to Johnny Cash, Patti Smith, Paul Simon, Sex Pistols

I can’t say U2 is taking it easy. Their “Innocence and Experience” show at MSG last night was about as exciting and innovative as you can get.

Of course, they could have called it “I’m Still Standing” as the entire floor of the Garden is General Admission– i.e. no seats. Three hours. If you go– and you must– wear sneakers and bring a cane!

Two nights ago, Paul and Nancy McCartney stood in one of the two VIP risers on the floor. McCartney, a great live show man, must have really soaked in how Bono et al re-designed the Garden in a way I’ve never seen for a rock show.

bono iphoneLast night the guests included Charlie Rose and Gayle King, actor Peter Sarsgaard, a bevy of models, designer Tory Burch, and AOL-Verizon chief Tim Armstrong.

The show, an interactive video extravaganza, turns the usual rock concert on its head. It’s at once grandly bombastic and simply intimate, with many stages running lengthwise cutting through the center of the venue. The staging reminded me a little of David Byrne’s Public Theater musical, “Here Lies Love.” Maybe that show was an influence. But it definitely relieves the rock band of the static notion of always being at one end of the stadium. Bono, Edge, Adam and Larry are able to move about freely through the giant room. And there’s no obstructed view– it’s rock in the round. Special kudos to the lighting designer.

The show also has nods– and I’m assuming pays royalties to– a variety of other composers including Patti Smith, Paul Simon, the Sex Pistols, Johnny Cash (who is literally the intermission entertainment, his animated image performing against the Berlin Wall), and Stephen Sondheim. Bono sort of knits together all of his favorite things– including the Irish troubles, Nelson Mandela, and the themes of freedom and equality.  U2’s “One” charity and “Red” products are also heavily promoted, in a good way.

The set included requisite U2 hits– “With or Without You,” “Sunday Bloody Sunday,” “I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For”– as well as a bunch of cuts from the band’s latest album, “Songs of Innocence.”

The real achievement (aside from the financial– no seats and all standing means they can pack in more people) of this show is seeing how all four members of U2 function as one. Edge’s jangly guitar still sends goosebumps. Larry Mullen’s drums pound propulsively. But it was Adam Clayton’s bass that really caught my eye last night– it’s maybe key to U2’s trademark– and for some of us– brilliantly reassuring sound.

Bono remains a great show, gifted with gab and ceaseless energy, a sense of humor and that unmistakable voice. He has the heart of a crooner even when he’s belting over the sonic accompaniment of his three colleagues.

 

All photos c2015 Showbiz411 on a Lumix ZS20

“General Hospital” Star Michelle Stafford Has Sneaked Scientology into Nickelodeon

Roger Friedman
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“General Hospital” Star Michelle Stafford Has Sneaked Scientology into Nickelodeon

Scientology may have been outed on HBO’s “Going Clear” but it’s going strong at Nickelodeon.

The children network’s Nickmom.com website is currently featuring short films from Michelle Stafford, the extremely mannered actress who jumped from one soap opera–  “The Young and the Restless”– to another–  “General Hospital” last year.

Stafford is an avowed member of Scientology. So is her production: everyone involved with her “Secret Mind of a Single Mom” is from Scientology. Just about the entire credit list, from actors to crew, are members of the cult.

That includes– and I must say, I’m shocked– an actor named David O’Donnell. He’s the grandson of famed Kennedy adviser and chief of staff Kenny O’Donnell. Kennedy– as in President John F. Kennedy. Unlike his Harvard grad grand-dad, David O’Donnell — according to his bio — skipped college and headed west where he studied acting with famed Scientologist Milton Katselas (now deceased).

Frighteningly, O’Donnell seems to be a 20 year member of the cult, working his way up to Operating Thetan level 5. This means he knows where the aliens are, and believes in them.

Meantime, Stafford’s Nickmom.com project is similar to the web series she produced two years ago. I wrote about it then, and it’s all the same people. It’s unclear if Nickelodeon, which is owned by Viacom, knows what’s going on. Coincidentally, Viacom also pays Tom Cruise millions for his “Mission Impossible” movies.

Here’s Janet Jackson’s Video for “No Sleeep” with J Cole: She’s Not Aging, But She Is Sleeping

Roger Friedman
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Here’s Janet Jackson’s Video for “No Sleeep” with J Cole: She’s Not Aging, But She Is Sleeping

Does Janet Jackson age? She looks the same as she did 20 years ago in this new video for “No Sleeep.” That’s three ‘e’s. And no verses. She must look good because she’s so rested from all that sleeep.

And a little Friday retro:

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