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Friday, April 4, 2025
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The Oscars Are Coming at 7pm, Hosted by Conan O’Brien: Is This Demi Moore’s Big Night? Second Win for Adrien Brody?

Roger Friedman
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The Oscars Are Coming at 7pm, Hosted by Conan O’Brien: Is This Demi Moore’s Big Night? Second Win for Adrien Brody?

We are five hours away from the Oscars.

The show starts at 7pm on ABC. Conan O’Brien is the host.

In a strange year for eclectic films, there are hot races.

Demi Moore is hoping to cap off her season with Best Actress for “The Substance.” After 40 years in the business, Demi has become a role model. Can she win after never being nominated for anything? Or will she lose to Mikey Madison from “Anora” or even Fernanda Torres from “I’m Still Here”?

Adrien Brody could pull off a second win after his 2003 triumph with “The Pianist.” He’s tipped for the gold but Timothee Chalamet is hovering after turning in a tour de force performance as Bob Dylan in “A Complete Unknown.”

Best Picture is likely down to “Anora” vs. “Conclave.” The latter doesn’t have a director nomination. Here’s what it comes down to: do the Academy voters want a Best Picture with a hard R rating that would have to be heavily edited on TV in the future? Sean Baker’s comedy is fresh and original but it’s also over the top. “Conclave” is a more middle of the road crowd pleaser. Will it prevail?

Will Diane Warren win Best Song after 16 tries? Her song “The Journey” is her best in years even though no one’s ever seen the movie it was in.

We’ll be ready at 7pm!

Chanel Opts for Knock Offs at Oscar Party with Jeff Bezos, Kim Kardashian, No Donations for Wildfire Relief

Roger Friedman
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Chanel Opts for Knock Offs at Oscar Party with Jeff Bezos, Kim Kardashian, No Donations for Wildfire Relief

Publicist Charles Finch went all out last night for the Chanel Oscars party.

He welcomed knock offs, not originals, like Kim Kardashian and Jeff Bezos to the Beverly Hills Hotel.

Their respective connections to the Academy Awards? Zero, Zilch, nada.

Indeed, Bezos making the scene is pretty ugly considering his recent gutting of the Washington Post and incessant attachment to Donald Trump. Mick Jagger, who did go to the party — love him, but again no Oscars connection — must have thought he was hallucinating when he rant into Bezos.

Kardashian, of course, made her film debut with a home porn tape.

The Chanel party made no effort to promote donations to the LA Fire Department or wildfire relief. The fashion house continues to make Hollywood look self-congratulatory in the middle of tragedy.

There was no sign of potential Oscar winners Timothee Chalamet, Kieran Culkin, Zoe Saldana or Mikey Madison, but Adrien Brody — who was making the rounds at every Oscar party — was present, along with Colman Domingo, Demi Moore, Jeremy Strong, Sebastian Stan, Ralph Fiennes, and Gayle King.

Chanel was one of a number of fashion houses including Yves St. Laurent, and Armani to cash in on Oscar weekend. They’ll all be on the red carpet tonight.

Elvis Costello Opens Extraordinary 2 Man Show Joking: “I’d like Timothee Chalamet to Play ME in a Movie!”

Roger Friedman
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Elvis Costello Opens Extraordinary 2 Man Show Joking: “I’d like Timothee Chalamet to Play ME in a Movie!”

Thursday night: Looking in a long mirror on stage at the Capitol Theater in Port Chester, NY placed next to his high stool, the great iconoclastic singer songwriter Elvis Costello caught his own reflection — one that included a natty Trilby, the same kind kind Chalamet sports in “A Complete Unknown.”

He said, “Timothee Chalamet gave me this hat!”

Costello — a new wave musical descendant of Bob Dylan — took a beat, admiring himself, and observed: “I’d like Timothee Chalamet to play ME in a movie!” The set up was perfect if for nothing else Costello crossed generations. He’s no “Man out of Time” (included later in the set list).

With that, Costello’s two man show with ace pianist and keyboardist Steve Nieve began in what turned out to be an unexpected gem mixing lively comic patter with insanely nuanced musicianship.

Costello and Nieve are usually part of the four or five members of The Imposters, but on Thursday — and this tour — they were on their own. That may suggest a stark presentation. But not so in this case. The duo made such a large sound that several times I looked around on stage to find the other band members, surprised to find they weren’t there.

Costello has so many songs over 48 years that most of this set — which itself is tweaked daily — contains a nice mixture of hits, recognizable tunes, and deep tracks. For hard core fans, this set list took deep dives (“Wednesday Week”), glorious mashups (“Alison” with “Everyday I Write the Book”), and soul tributes (Sam Dave’s “I Can’t Stand Up For Falling Down”). Deep tracks you vaguely remember — like “Come the Meantimes” or “Shot with His Own Gun” — now have the audience — which included Jimmy Fallon and master musical director to the stars Rob Mathes — singing along.

Costello’s songs are so strong that their deconstruction into guitar and piano makes for stunning surprises. A lot of this has to do with Nieve, who can his instrument inside out to find thrilling new takes.

This was especially true on 1977’s tongue twisty “I Don’t Want to Go to Chelsea,” which the pair reinvented with stuttering syncopation. The stage seemed to levitate during the shredding. Even the retiring Nieve agreed with me afterwards when I mentioned this startling moment to him that it was “something special.”

Quite a night — and one not be missed as Costello and Nieve continue their way through the next two weeks more including four splendid nights in Chicago. (Lucky them!)

Photo c2025 Showbiz411

Harrison Ford Gets Shingles, Drops Out of Oscars Leaves Goldie Hawn As Sole Legacy Presenter Among a Sea of Young Uns

Roger Friedman
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Harrison Ford Gets Shingles, Drops Out of Oscars Leaves Goldie Hawn As Sole Legacy Presenter Among a Sea of Young Uns

Harrison Ford must have a good time at the SAG Awards.

Sadly, the once and forever Indiana Jones has come down with a case of shingles, and will not be a presenter at the Oscars Sunday night.

I hope he had the shingles vaccine. If not, he’ll get it now. Shingles is a very itchy and painful rash. Let’s hope for a speedy recovery.

Ford’s absence means the Oscars has to scramble for another legacy presenter, especially if he was supposed to give Best Picture. Right now the only other presenter from his generation, so to speak, is Goldie Hawn.

Everyone else set to appear on the Oscars stage is young or youngish. A lot of the men are out of business– Redford, Hoffman, Eastwood, Beatty, Nicholson. Jane Fonda just did the SAG Awards. Shirley Maclaine would always be welcome. But the great actors of the 60s and 70s who are in their 80s and 90s are disappearing.

Get better, Harrison!

RIP David Johansen, 75, Seminal Rocker of New York Dolls Who Became Swingin’ Buster Poindexter

Roger Friedman
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RIP David Johansen, 75, Seminal Rocker of New York Dolls Who Became Swingin’ Buster Poindexter

So sad: David Johansen, the seminal rocker who became the swinging, swaggering Buster Poindexter, has died at 75.

Johansen was part of one of the original punk bands, the New York Dolls, a group that kicked up a storm on the Lower East Side before even the Ramones. His wife reported a few weeks ago that he was gravely ill.

With the Dolls, Johansen made history. But when he added the Buster Poindexter personality in the mid 80s he took off like crazy. His songs, “Hot Hot Hot” and “Funky But Chic,” transcended the culture and remain radio and party staples. Their successes drove Johansen crazy, but they were welcome hits.

Johansen appeared in movies and commercials and kept his dual lives going until he became ill.

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame has never inducted the Dolls or Johansen, which has been a glaring error. Hopefully they’ll do something for him this year.

Condolences to his family.


Trump Flies to Mar-a-Lago on Taxpayer Dime After Zelensky Debacle for Dinner with Lawyer Alina Habba, Friends (Exclusive)

Roger Friedman
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Trump Flies to Mar-a-Lago on Taxpayer Dime After Zelensky Debacle for Dinner with Lawyer Alina Habba, Friends (Exclusive)

Where is DOGE when you need them?

After his Oval Office debacle with Donald Trump, the so-called president of the United States spent $3 million of tax payer money on himself.

He flew to Mar-a-Lago.

Every trip to his Florida country club home costs an average of $1 million a day. He’s been there on four weekends since taking the oath of office six weeks ago.

Meantime, tens of thousands of government workers have lost their jobs thanks to Trump’s irrational, maniacal cost cutting.

At Mar-a-Lago, Trump did not dine with his wife, Melania. Observers say the main guest at his table was his attorney, Alina Habba, who some people call his girlfriend. The table was surrounded by Secret Service.

Also in the dining room were son, Eric, and daughter-in-law, Lara Trump. She’s the former head of the Republican National Committee and a Fox News host thanks to nepotism and criminal stupidity. They were hosting a table.

It’s not known if Eric and Lara paid their bill themselves, or if they left a tip.

According to spies, the buzz in the room was all about Trump’s catastrophic live-on-TV Oval Office meeting with President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky. Trump and sidekick JD Vance made fools of themselves in front of the world in their attempt to sign a minerals deal with Zelensky. It was a new low for Trump, considered the worst president in US history.

Despite everyone talking about how Zelensky ‘trumped’ him earlier in the day, no one approached Trump or discussed the situation with him.

What will happen today? Probably golf.

Kanye West Drops New Tirade of Disgusting, Expected Antisemitic Posts

Roger Friedman
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Kanye West Drops New Tirade of Disgusting, Expected Antisemitic Posts
Kanye West has posted a bunch of new antisemitic statements. They’re disgusting but not unexpected. No one in the world will ever do business with Kanye again. No record company, no clothing company. He’s still promoting a tshirt with a swastika. Is he crazy? Who cares? It’s gone beyond being bipolar or autistic. He’s a blot on society.

Golden Globes New Scandal: Owner Penske Media Pulls Out the Rug on $75,000 Salaries Mid Contract UPDATED

Roger Friedman
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Golden Globes New Scandal: Owner Penske Media Pulls Out the Rug on $75,000 Salaries Mid Contract UPDATED

UPDATED: I’m told the 50 members of the HFPA were asked to be on a Zoom. It lasted four minutes. A message was read to them, but no person’s face was seen and they didn’t know who it was who spoke to them.

EARLIER

When PenskeBoehlyetc Media bought the Golden Globes, they offered annual salaries of $75,000 to 50 members of the former Hollywood Press Association. It was a five year deal from 2023-2028.

Today, the 50 members were told the deal is over. They’re being offered severance pay of $102,500. They can stay on as voters until 2026.

Whoops! The HFPA members were the base members and voters, culled from the 90 or so members that formed their group. Penske, et al added around 200 or more members who were not salary.

The plan was ridiculous on its face. The HFPA was already accused of all kinds of financial malfeasance. The original members were part of the biggest swag deal in the world, going on free trips everywhere. Penske et all — which owns Variety, the Hollywood Reporter, Deadline,com, Rolling Stone, Billboard and WWD, not to mention the Globes and Dick Clark Productions — thought that by putting money in their pockets the need for graft would be over.

So the party is really over. The 50 members must be furious. Stay tuned…

Another Kennedy Center Cancellation: Legendary Rocker Peter Wolf of J Geils Band Says “Lights Out” to Book Signing Appearance

Roger Friedman
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Another Kennedy Center Cancellation: Legendary Rocker Peter Wolf of J Geils Band Says “Lights Out” to Book Signing Appearance

The Kennedy Center in Washington is getting more and more cancellations.

The latest one is from Peter Wolf, legendary rocker and leader of the immortal blues, soul, and rock band, the J Geils Band.

Wolf was supposed to hold a book signing and Q&A at the Center on March 21st for his memoir, “Waiting on the Moon: Artists, Poets, Drifters, Grifters, and Goddesses.”

But I’ve confirmed that the “Freeze Frame” and “Centerfold” singer has shut that down because of the recent changes at the Center.

It’s only the latest blow at the venue now that Donald Trump has installed himself as chairman of the board, and replaced the entire board and staff with his lackeys.

The book is published on March 11th. The signing was set for March 21st.

Instead, Wolf has a full list of signing appearances including one here at The Strand Bookstore on March 12th.

Something tells me “Waiting on the Moon” is going to be a must read. Wolf has had a prety successful and wild life. There have been lots of hits, great music, and at one point he was married to Oscar winning actress Faye Dunaway!

According to the publisher’s description, “Wolf’s marriage to Faye Dunaway is presented in a clear yet balanced and nuanced light.”

Balanced and nuanced is not what’s happening at the Kennedy Center as artist after artist refuses to appear there. This begs the question of what will happen in April when the artists’ committee meets to select Kennedy Center honorees. If they just pick right wing and Christian based performers, that may be the end.

Observers are joking that the next KCH will consist of Mel Gibson, Jon Voight, Lee Greenwood, and Big & Rich. But even if honors are extended to more appropriate acts, will they accept? Or come? It’s going to be a debacle either way.

Coppola, Director of 3 Greatest Films Ever, Accepts Razzie Award for Worst Director for “Megalopolis”

Roger Friedman
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Coppola, Director of 3 Greatest Films Ever, Accepts Razzie Award for Worst Director for “Megalopolis”

Francis Ford Coppola has graciously accepted winning Worst Director of the Year at the Razzies for “Megalopolis.”

The irony is that Coppola has directed in his life three of the greatest movies of all time — “The Godfather,” “The Godfather II,” and “Apocalypse Now.” Plus many other excellent films.

“Madame Web” won Worst Picture. Congrats!

Here are the “winners” at 45th Golden Raspberry Awards

Worst Picture
Madame Web

Actor
Jerry Seinfeld / Unfrosted

Actress
Dakota Johnson / Madame Web

Razzie Redeemer
Pamela Anderson / The Last Showgirl

Supporting Actor
Jon Voight / Megalopolis, Reagan, Shadow Land & Strangers

Supporting Actress
Amy Schumer / Unfrosted

Director
Francis Ford Coppola / Megalopolis

Screen Combo
Joaquin Phoenix & Lady Gaga / Joker: Folie à Deux

Prequel, Remake, Rip-Off or Sequel
Joker: Folie à Deux

Screenplay
Madame Web,
Screenplay by Matt Sazama & Burk Sharples and Claire Parker & S.J. Clarkson

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