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AFI Top Ten Movies and TV: Flower Moon, Oppenheimer, Succession, Poker Face, But No Color Purple, Air, Crown, or Maisel

Roger Friedman
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AFI Top Ten Movies and TV: Flower Moon, Oppenheimer, Succession, Poker Face, But No Color Purple, Air, Crown, or Maisel

The AFI Top Ten Movies and TV shows have been announced. The list for movie is succinct and maybe the Oscar Top 10 also. The only film I’d swap out would be “Spider Man” for “Air.” And where is The Color Purple? (I missed that the first time I read it.) Very odd on that one.

TOP 10 AFI FILMS
American Fiction
Barbie
The Holdovers
Killers of the Flower Moon
Maestro
May December
Oppenheimer
Past Lives
Poor Things
Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse

The top 10 TV shows exclude “The Crown,” which if the final season qualified, is a mistake. Also missing is the final season of “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel.”

TOP 10 TV SHOWS
Abbott Elementary
The Morning Show
Jury Duty
The Last of Us
Poker Face
Only Murders in the Building
Reservation Dogs
The Bear
Succession
Beef

Donald Trump Social Media Tirade Calls NY Judge “Crooked,” Attorney General “Batsh*t, Crazy,” Falsely Claims Win at Appellate Court

Roger Friedman
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Donald Trump Social Media Tirade Calls NY Judge “Crooked,” Attorney General “Batsh*t, Crazy,” Falsely Claims Win at Appellate Court

Donald Trump has a severe case of projection.

On social media today he’s projecting his own deficiencies on Judge Arthur Engoron and New York AG Letitia James.

Trump calls Engoron “crooked” — which Trump is, and James “batshit crazy,” which describes Trump to a ‘t.’

He also says that

“we won at the Appellate level” which is not true. The case has already been decided by Engoron, who is now trying to figure out the amount of money Trump has to pay to New York State for lying about his value (business or human).

In fact, last week a NY State Appeals Court lifted the temporary stay on Trump’s gag order in New York. He is prohibited from writing or saying anything abut the court staff or jury. He is allowed, however, to go after the judge and the DA. Listen, they don’t care what he says. He just lies to himself and to his base.

RIP “One Life to Live” Star Ellen Holly, 92, Whose Groundbreaking 1968 Storyline About Passing as White Made History

Roger Friedman
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RIP “One Life to Live” Star Ellen Holly, 92, Whose Groundbreaking 1968 Storyline About Passing as White Made History

Ellen Holly has died at age 92. The famed African American actress made history on the soap “One Life to Live” in 1968 when she played Carla Gray (the name, obviously was an inside joke0, who passed for white while dating a white man. It was a groundbreaking storyline written by Agnes Nixon and delivered by Holly with art and grace.

“Agnes [Nixon, OLTL’s creator] wanted to take the viewers and have them become involved with a character, believing that character to be one thing,” Holly shared with in an interview here. That way, when the character’s true identity was revealed, if a viewer’s feelings about her changed, “the viewer would have her eyes opened up as to how she must be prejudiced.”

Carla eventually married Ed Hall, played by the legendary Al Freeman, Jr. If they did this story now, both actors would have won Emmy Awards. A young Lawrence Fishburne played her son. Holly left the show in 1973.

Besides “One Life to Live,” Holly had many New York theater credits. After the soap she had a recurring role on the TV version of “In the Heat of the Night.” In real life, she had a long on again, off again affair with actor and civil rights advocate Harry Belafonte.

Ellen Holly was a trailblazer. The picture here from “One Life to Live” may have been the first of its kind on daytime TV. I hope the Emmy Awards will include her next month in the In Memoriam.

Gwyneth Paltrow Tells Saudi Arabia Crowd She’s Never Seen “Avengers Endgame,” Says She’d Like to Open Biz in Middle East

Roger Friedman
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Gwyneth Paltrow Tells Saudi Arabia Crowd She’s Never Seen “Avengers Endgame,” Says She’d Like to Open Biz in Middle East

There is no end or bottom to Gwyneth Paltrow.

The long ago Oscar winner took the free trip to Saudi Arabia and did a Q&A with the Red Sea Film Festival this week.

According to Variety, she told the crowd that she’s never seen “Avengers Endgame” or “any of that.”

This jibes with an interview she did a few years ago in which she couldn’t remember what had happened to her character in the “Avengers” movies because she’d never seen them.

Since a lot of the audience was described as clutching Marvel memorabilia they hoped would be signed, this must have stung a little. (No one brought shiny plastic eggs to stick up their wazoo.)

One audience member was overheard saying “Too much Goop,” as they left the gathering. This either meant Paltrow only wanted to talk about her nonsensical overpriced business or that the whole thing was “bs.” It could have been either, but was apparently because most of the conversation was to plug the company. Paltrow said: “We’ve just started this very cool food delivery service. I’d love to bring it into the Middle East.”

Paltrow, like many celebs I wrote about recently, had no qualms about attending a film festival in Saudi Arabia despite the country’s lack of civil rights for women, their stand on homosexuality, or the murder of Jamal Khashoggi. (Her Goop customers in Saudi Arabia have limited rights. it’s unclear if they can buy the eggs or other sexually-oriented products.)

Paltrow’s in a league now with Will Smith and Johnny Depp. If they pay for it, you will come.

Listen to All the Classic Theme Songs from Norman Lear’s Iconic, Culture Changing TV Shows

Roger Friedman
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Listen to All the Classic Theme Songs from Norman Lear’s Iconic, Culture Changing TV Shows

Norman Lear’s TV shows each had memorable, identifiable theme music. Some were songs, some instrumentals. It was the era of theme music in the 70s, just like the MTM shows. You hear them now and you know exactly what is going on.

Here are the big ones from Lear’s show. Note that Quincy Jones wrote the music for “Sanford and Son.”

All in the Family:

The Jeffersons:

Maude:

Good Times:

One Day at a Time:

Sanford and Son:

Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman:

National Board of Review Follows New York Film Critics Circle, Names “Killers of the Flower Moon” Best Picture

Roger Friedman
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National Board of Review Follows New York Film Critics Circle, Names “Killers of the Flower Moon” Best Picture

The National Board of Review, a group I’ve chastised in the past for a variety of issues, has followed the New York Film Critics Circle this year almost to the finish.

The NBR — run by a woman named Annie Schulhof — has named Martin Scorsese’s “Killers of the Flower Moon” as Best Picture. They’ve given Best Director to Scorsese and Best Actress to Lily Gladstone.

With these wins, “Killers” is quickly advancing toward the Oscars.

Paul Giamatti was named Best Actor for “The Holdovers.” The NBR pretty much ignored Bradley Cooper’s “Maestro” and Christopher Nolan’s “Oppenheimer.”

In keeping with previous years the group also mostly snubbed the so called Black films of the year. As usual, they threw Breakthrough Performance to two Black actresses, respectively Teyana Taylor and Da’Vine Joy Randolph. That covered them.

To make up for dissing Cooper, they gave him an Icon Award, whatever that means.

“Killers” deserves all its accolades certainly. But the NBR is about money and its gala. The group — made up of fans — charges members huge annual fees and even more for tickets to the gala. Schulhof no doubt sees herself taking a big bite of the Apple, which released “Killers.” They’ll buy many tables and bring their cast to Cipriani 42nd Street. Well played!

Best Film

Killers of the Flower Moon

Best Director

Martin Scorsese, Killers of the Flower Moon

Best Actor

Paul Giamatti, The Holdovers

Best Actress

Lily Gladstone, Killers of the Flower Moon

Best Supporting Actor

Mark Ruffalo, Poor Things

Best Supporting Actress

Da’Vine Joy Randolph, The Holdovers

NBR Icon Award

Bradley Cooper

Best Original Screenplay

David Hemingson, The Holdovers

Best Adapted Screenplay

Tony McNamara, Poor Things

Breakthrough Performance

Teyana Taylor, A Thousand and One

Best Directorial Debut

Celine Song, Past Lives

Best Animated Feature

Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse

Best International Film

Anatomy of a Fall

Best Documentary

Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie

Best Ensemble

The Iron Claw

Outstanding Achievement in Stunt Artistry

Director Chad Stahelski and Stunt Coordinators Stephen Dunlevy & Scott Rogers, John Wick: Chapter 4

Outstanding Achievement in Cinematography

Rodrigo Prieto, Barbie & Killers of the Flower Moon

Top Films (in alphabetical order)

Barbie
The Boy and the Heron
Ferrari
The Holdovers
The Iron Claw
Maestro
Oppenheimer
Past Lives
Poor Things

Top 5 International Films (in alphabetical order)

La Chimera
Fallen Leaves
The Teachers’ Lounge
Tótem
The Zone of Interest

Top 5 Documentaries (in alphabetical order)

20 Days in Mariupol
32 Sounds
The Eternal Memory
The Pigeon Tunnel
A Still Small Voice

Top 10 Independent Films (in alphabetical order)

All Dirt Roads Taste of Salt
All of Us Strangers
BlackBerry
Earth Mama
Flora and Son
The Persian Version
Scrapper
Showing Up
Theater Camp
A Thousand and One

Sean Diddy Combs Posts Message Denying All Claims Against Him: “Sickening allegations have been made against me by individuals looking for a payday”

Roger Friedman
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Sean Diddy Combs Posts Message Denying All Claims Against Him: “Sickening allegations have been made against me by individuals looking for a payday”

Sean Combs, aka Diddy, has issued a statement defending himself against various claims from the last few weeks.

Combs was first sued by ex girlfriend, Cassie, for sex abuse and harassment. He settled that suit overnight with his lawyer, Ben Brafman, cautioning that a settlement was not an admission of guilt.

A second woman has sued Diddy, also. And a third.

Now a a woman who says that Combs and two other men gang-raped her in a New York recording studio 20 years ago, when she was 17 years old.

Is this a piling on? Or is there truth to the claims?

The unidentified woman is represented by Douglas Wigdor, who’s made a business with these kinds of lawsuits. He released a statement that said: “As alleged in the complaint, defendants preyed on a vulnerable high school teenager as part of a sex trafficking scheme that involved plying her with alcohol and transporting her by private jet to New York City where she was gang-raped by the three individual defendants at Mr. Combs’s studio.”

He added: “The depravity of these abhorrent acts …scarred” the woman “for life.”

Combs’s business, meantime, is falling apart amidst the allegations. He’s been dropped by the liquor company that’s helped make him a fortune. His music business was already a disaster after a flop album release this fall. Macy’s has dropped his Sean John line of clothing.

But Combs’s defense will be marked by his past behavior as well: his infamous nightclub shooting episode that involved Jennifer Lopez, and his attack on record executive Steve Stoute, who Combs attacked in his office with a Champagne bottle.

In his statement, Diddy said: “Enough is enough. For the last couple of weeks, I have sat silently and watched people try to assassinate my character, destroy my reputation and my legacy. Sickening allegations have been made against me by individuals looking for a quick payday. Let me be absolutely clear: I did not do any of the awful things being alleged. I will fight for my name, my family and for the truth.”

 

All Mariah Carey Wants Is to Get Back to Number 1, But Famed Holiday Song is Struggling This Year

Roger Friedman
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All Mariah Carey Wants Is to Get Back to Number 1, But Famed Holiday Song is Struggling This Year

Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas” has been a sales onslaught for two decades. In the last few years it hit number 1 during the holidays, along with its album called “Merry Christmas.”

Carey has made Christmas into her holiday, branding it with the song written by Walter Afanasieff. It got to the point where the record was ubiquitous.

Not so this years. The song is number 7 on iTunes singles chart, and number 3 on the iTunes Holiday chart. The album is number 31.

On top: Brenda Lee’s 63 year old “Rockin Around the Christmas Tree.” And Cher’s Christmas album is number 2 on the album chart, right behind a holiday album from the Philly Specials.

Mariah’s perennial hits are struggling with just two weeks to go before the holidays are over.

What happened? Over saturation? Just too much of a good thing? Or is it possible everyone who wants the song or album has it by now?

Without “All I Want,” Carey has low album sales during the year. It’s been a decade since she actually had a hit. Maybe this turn of events will inspire her to record a record of classics, something to show off her voice while its at its peak.

Meantime, appearing on “The Voice” has sent Reba McEntire’s “Seven Minutes in Heaven” back to number 1.

Shady Dietary Supplement Company Balance of Nature Back in Biz, According to FDA: For Now

Roger Friedman
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Shady Dietary Supplement Company Balance of Nature Back in Biz, According to FDA: For Now

I told you back on November 16th that the Federal Drug Administration had finally caught up with Balance of Nature.

The government put a temporary halt to the shady dietary supplement company from selling or promoting their products.

Now it seems that five days later the FDA lifted the ban, provisionally (something the FDA PR person didn’t seem to know about when I called her this morning).

In the letter sent November 21st, the FDA said:

“We wish to remind you that the terms of the injunction under which your firm is operating require that you maintain compliance with the Decree, the Act, and implementing regulations. Our approval to resume operations should not be construed as approval for any conditions that may be found in the future. Should it be determined during any future inspection or other activities that you have failed to maintain compliance, we will take the steps necessary and appropriate to ensure compliance.”

The main takeaway: avoid this company, do not buy their products.

Taylor Swift Named Time Magazine’s Person of the Year After Conquering Just About Everything

Roger Friedman
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Taylor Swift Named Time Magazine’s Person of the Year After Conquering Just About Everything

Biggest tour ever. Most albums sold in a year. Concert film makes over $250 million worldwide.

Taylor Swift has conquered all fields this year, so it’s only right that Time Magazine name her Person of the Year.

Did I leave out dating a football star? And causing a stir wherever she goes. Swift also stands up for what is right, and she’s adamant about using her influence for good

Norman Lear, whose passing was just announced, would be very proud.

She says in the story below: “It feels like the breakthrough moment of my career, happening at 33. And for the first time in my life, I was mentally tough enough to take what comes with that.”

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