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Mark Wahlberg Is Producer, Star on Oscar Certain Film, “The Fighter”

Roger Friedman
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Mark Wahlberg Is Producer, Star on Oscar Certain Film, “The Fighter”

The new Oscar season just got a little hotter.

Adding to the existing titles like “The Social Network” and “The King’s Speech” is a new contender called “The Fighter.”

Directed by David O. Russell, “The Fighter” is an A plus effort, the missing piece in this year’s Oscar puzzle. All the main performers–Mark Wahlberg, Christian Bale, Amy Adams and Melissa Leo–are headed to nominations.

This is the film about real life Boston boxer Micky Ward (Wahlberg), his crack addicted trainer brother (Bale), their flamboyant mother (Leo), and Ward’s girlfriend (Adams).

Set in the Boston suburb of working class Lowell (birthplace of Jack Kerouac, FYI) in the early 90s, “The Fighter” is a huge leap forward for Russell, whose best film up til now had been “Three Kings.”

“The Fighter” is so absorbing that it wasn’t until ten minutes had passed that realized Alice Ward wasn’t a real person, but Melissa Leo playing her. Leo scores a grandslam home run.

Also: the film opens with Bale, and he’s so far already into the role of Dickie Ecklund, Ward’s half brother, that you almost feel like you have to catch up with him. Like Leo, Bale is working on a different planet.

Wahlberg and Adams are just as good, but there are parts aren’t quite as showy. Wahlberg told us at last night’s dinner following the movie, at the Porter House, that he’d been working on this project for five years. His boxing scenes are incendiary. Adams really wanted this part, Russell told me. It’s a breakout for her since Amy usually plays good girls.

Director James Toback, Robert Wuhl, actors Bob Dishy and Judy Graubart, were among those in the audience. I do think when “The Fighter” finally releases on December 10th it’s going to be a smash. I’d put it with “King’s Speech,” “The Social Network,” “127 Hours,” and “The Town” as — so far– the top 5 films of 2010. And that’s quite an impressive group!

50 Cent Raps on Michael Jackson New Track

Roger Friedman
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50 Cent Raps on Michael Jackson New Track

Michael Jackson‘s new album, “Michael,” features rapper 50 Cent on one track called “Monster” produced by Teddy Riley and written by Eddie Cascio.

The track listing for “Michael” is as follows:
1.           Hold My Hand (Duet with Akon)
2.           Hollywood Tonight
3.           Keep Your Head Up
4.           (I Like) The Way You Love Me
5.           Monster (Featuring 50 Cent)
6.           Best Of Joy
7.           Breaking News
8.           (I Can’t Make It) Another Day (Featuring Lenny Kravitz)
9.           Behind The Mask
10.        Much Too Soon

As I reported exclusively, “Hold My Hand” will be released on Monday, November 15th as the official first single. The album comes on December 14th. All the tracks are “assembled” since Michael could not participate himself. But they’re no different than the Beatles tracks “Free as a Bird” and “Real Love” which were issued some 25 years after the group disbanded and John Lennon had died.

The producers on the album include Neff-U, Akon, Tricky Stewart, and Teddy Riley.

Tony Awards Get Short Straw with Beacon Theater Choice

Roger Friedman
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Tony Awards Get Short Straw with Beacon Theater Choice

The 2011 Tony Awards have drawn the short straw for their June 2011 broadcast.

Yesterday it was announced they’d been forced to take the Beacon Theater on Broadway and 74th St. for their annual show. It turns out that Radio City has a Cirque du Soleil show that can’t be moved or shut down already set for June 12, 2011.

Yikes! This comes as “Spider Man: Turn off the Dark” would likely be a Tony nominee and have to reproduce a scene or two in the tiny Beacon. The Tonys may wind up having to let “Spider Man” do their thing live from their own Foxwoods (I hate that name) Theater on 42nd St.

The Beacon also has half has many seats as Radio City, which means there will be a lot of fighting over who gets to attend. The Beacon is also not near any place for an official Tony after party–miles from Rockefeller Center, where the party always is set in the skating rink.

What’s even more complicated is that, for the performers involved, the Beacon backstage is a disaster area. It’s a cramped, narrow, vertical place with tiny dressing rooms. and a very small elevator–very small. Let’s not forget that the warrens of the Beacon backstage are where the legendary Ahmet Ertegun fell and hit his head during the filming of the Martin Scorsese documentary about the Rolling Stones– putting him in a coma that turned out to be fatal.

Certainly there must be a better choice in all of New York City for the Tonys. They deserve better.

Michael Jackson Album Gets Lenny Kravitz, But No Will.I.Am

Roger Friedman
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Michael Jackson Album Gets Lenny Kravitz, But No Will.I.Am

The Michael Jackson album of unreleased songs, called “Michael,” has an unexpected surprise: a Lenny Kravitz produced track.

Kravitz and Jackson worked on a few songs together. But the one called “Another Day,” is a killer. Kravitz sings and plays guitar on it. But “Another Day,” like all of the “Michael” tracks, has the Jackson signature sound.

Kravitz is lucky that his work with Jackson came to a result. The Black Eyed Peas’ will.i.am went to Ireland and famously worked with Jackson in a studio there. If you recall, Jackson’s then manager, Raymone Bain, even had Billy Bush from “Access Hollywood” do a piece from Ireland, showed the studio and interviewed the two men.

But as it turns out, very little happened. “There was nothing really finished or accomplished,” a source tells me. “Sony paid to keep the studio open around the clock for Michael, but he really never went there.”

We can add the Kravitz track to the list of songs on Michael including three from Eddie Cascio, three from Theron Feemster aka Neff U, and one from Akon. That makes eight of the twelve that will likely round out “Michael.”

Yesterday Sony spent a lot of time removing snippets from songs, videos, and other miscellany that was uploaded to the ‘net — purportedly from “Michael.” No one knows who’s causing all the trouble, but you can guess from the list of people whose work didn’t make it onto the finished album.

Oprah Gets Barbra To Sing On Her Show; Russell Crowe Has Lots of Friends

Roger Friedman
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Oprah Gets Barbra To Sing On Her Show; Russell Crowe Has Lots of Friends

Barbra Streisand usually doesn’t sing for free. But I guess she was convinced by Oprah Winfrey that to get a whole hour for her book, “My Passion for Design,” a little warbling wouldn’t hurt.

I am told that Babs performed “The Way We Were” when she taped Oprah’s show yesterday in Chicago. The hour is said to be a total retrospective of Streisand’s career. It airs November 16th, the same day the book is published.

It’s a busy winter for Babs. In December she returns to the big screen, this time as a grandmother in “Little Fockers.” Her holiday present was getting Dustin Hoffman back as her husband. He came in at the last minute and filmed scenes with her…

RUSSELL CROWE has lots of friends. Among them: Edward Norton, Viola Davis, Patti Smith, Gerard Butler, and Oscar Isaac, all of whom helped him celebrate “The Next Three Days” on Tuesday night at the Oak Bar in the Plaza Hotel. Along with director Paul Haggis and co-stars Elizabeth Banks, RZA of the Wu Tang Clan, and Olivia Wilde, Crowe pulled quite a crowd. And this is a much more mellow Crowe than in the old days. He signed everything, shook everyone’s hand, was jolly and cooperative. He spent a quantity of time hanging out with Norton.

Meanwhile, two time Tony winner Davis (and one time Oscar nominee but more to come, certainly) arrived looking grand with husband Julius Tennon. Viola just finished shooting “The Help.” Next she’s considering an HBO series in which she’d play the headmaster of a girls’ school. Today, Davis is participating in a play reading with a bunch of other A list actors at the home of director Mike Nichols. No one deserves success more. Bravo, Viola!

Bon Jovi Lights Up Times Square With 90 Minute Greatest Hits Show

Roger Friedman
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Bon Jovi Lights Up Times Square With 90 Minute Greatest Hits Show

Bon Jovi–the whole group–lit up Times Square last night with a ebullient, athletic 90 minute live show from the Best Buy (formerly Nokia) Theater on Broadway and West 44th St.

This is a smallish venue converted from a movie theater–the beloved Loew’s 44th St where I saw all the “Star Wars” and “Raiders of the Lost Ark” movies. And Bon Jovi is a kick ass bigger-than-life band, launching their first greatest hits record in 27 years with the show simulcast on YouTube and local WPLJ radio.

You haven’t heard anything until a thousand people are screaming the words to “Living on a Prayer” and “It’s My Life” in your ear. Bon Jovi started out as a bar band and on some level they remain the Greatest Bar Band ever. Not only did they perform more than a dozen of their own hits, they mixed in “Pretty Woman” and “Shout” with the punch and drive of 20 year olds.

It was great to hear “Wanted Dead or Alive (I’m a Cowboy),” “Who Says You Can’t Go Home,” and “Keep the Faith” in this intimate setting. You could tell Jon, Richie, Dave and Tico were having fun, too. They had plenty of friends and family in the audience as well, including Richie’s mom, aunt and a family friend affectionately known as Eddie the Hat.

After the show, Jon Bon Jovi and Dave Bryan headed right home. But Richie Sambora and Tico Torres headed downtown to the Waverly Inn. They took up a table for about 12 people including Little Steven van Zandt. wife Maureen van Zandt, music publisher John Titta, and “American Idol” past winner David Cook.

“The King’s Speech” Gets Royal Toast with Good Tequila

Roger Friedman
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“The King’s Speech” Gets Royal Toast with Good Tequila

In “The King’s Speech” Lionel Logue, played with understated cool by Geoffrey Rush, tells Colin Firth‘s King George VI that he can overcome his stutter by singing.

Tequila also works, we found yesterday at a lunch for the Tom Hooper directed film at the 21 Club. Roger Wilson–long ago a fixture in the New York papers–now reps DeLeon Tequila, which underwrote not only the lunch but the “King’s Speech” premiere the night before.

“The bottles are made by the same company that does Chanel perfume,” he told me. Indeed, they are simple and elegant with ornate silver knobs. “It’s the best tequila in the world,” he said. “Much better than Patron.”

Everyone at the table got a Champagne flute filled up with the stuff and toasted “The King’s Speech.” Wow. It’s smooth stuff, and almost erased the bitter idea of Newt Gingrich celebrating his newest book at a party on the second floor.

But back to the scene: the 21 lunch brought out directors Tony Gilroy, who says no actor has been chosen for his “Bourne” movie. Is that clear? (Yes!) Colin Firth got a nice toast from Tom Hooper. ” Directors Stephen Daldry and David Koepp, actors Candice Bergen, Christine Baranski, Robert Wuhl, and Peter Riegert; and media types like Joan Juliet Buck, Ingrid Sischy and Sandy Brant were among the other guests.

Meantime, “King’s Speech” writer David Seidler did say the word now is that the play–stage–dramatic version of the movie — with a slightly different script–may open in London’s West End first before it goes to Broadway possibly a year from now.

PS Most of the DeLeon bottles were still  on the tables when the lunch ended. These people are too honest!

Michael Jackson: There Is Concrete Proof He Sang the New Songs

Roger Friedman
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Michael Jackson: There Is Concrete Proof He Sang the New Songs

The fans are worried that Michael Jackson‘s new songs–recorded in 2007 at the New Jersey home studio of family friends–aren’t his.

The “Cascio tracks” have caused an uproar. On the planned “Michael” album set for December 14th release, there will be three: “Breaking News,” “Monster,” and “Keep Your Head Up.” (I’ve heard the latter song, and it’s quite wonderful.)

I am told that in addition to forensic tests on the songs to make sure the vocals are Michael’s, Sony sources say Eddie Cascio has provided notes written on lyric sheets in Michael’s unmistakable handwriting. (Of course, they can always call in Helena Bonham Carter’s aunt–see yesterday’s column.)

Sources tell me there’s plenty of proof left behind by Michael that he provided the vocals on 12 tracks. Michael wasn’t just sitting around that whole time in the studio. He worked on the songs, and there’s evidence of it in the notations.

Some of the confusion on the currently streaming “Breaking News” may exist because Michael provided “guide” vocals on the tracks. He didn’t record back up vocals or anything else that would embellish a regular recording. Producers have added back up singing and instrumentals to flesh the records out.

Michael also never finished or polished up the tracks. What’s been done to them is similar to what was applied to the song “This Is It.” Jackson had left just a one track vocal with a piano playing in the background. John McClain added background vocals from Michael’s brothers and other musical elements to give the track life.

Also included on the new album: three songs produced by a hot new producer-writer named Nephew. One of them, which I’ve heard, is called “Best of Joy.” It’s a lovely ballad. And ironic–that Michael’s nephews are causing so much dissent over the album because their songs weren’t used, but three by someone actually named Nephew were. Weird.

Jerry Seinfeld Directs His Pal Colin Quinn in Brilliant Broadway Return

Roger Friedman
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0
Jerry Seinfeld Directs His Pal Colin Quinn in Brilliant Broadway Return

Colin Quinn‘s “Long Story Short” could be longer, but it’s just fine the way it is.

His pal Jerry Seinfeld has directed him on a simple stage–of levels, just like Kramer wanted to put in his apartment years ago.

Quinn returned toBroadway last night (he was last here in 1998 with a one man show called “An Irish Wake”) with this one man show that consists of funny bits telling the history of the world. For an hour an fifteen minutes you can’t stop laughing, and often applauding, as Quinn explains the Roman Empire, the relationship between France and England, the stories of China and Russia, and how America fits into all of this.

Unlike “Seinfeld,” it’s a show about something. Quinn has clever video backdrops, too, especially a sort of GPS-slash Google Earth for ancient Greece. Quinn’s comedy is observational, like Seinfeld’s, but in this presentation it’s also very focused. Seinfeld has also possibly polished Quinn up a bit: the subject matter and its delivery are sophisticated but never vulgar. The most used ‘f’ word is France.

The audience was certainly appreciative, including Jerry’s wife Jessica, plus Matthew Broderick, Regis and Joy Philbin with Reege’s longtime agent Kenny DeCamillo, Joan Rivers, Lorraine Bracco, Bobby Canavale, Kathy Griffin, Jeffrey Ross, Tovah Feldshuh, “Marriage Ref” host Tom Papa, and Ben Stiller in the audience.

I was thrilled to run into Michael Richards, aka Kramer, who came to support Jerry. We all know Richards has had a tough time the last couple of years. But he’s a nice guy, and we’ve always had pleasant conversations. What’s he up to? “Just doing a lot of photography,” he said. He’s not ready to publish it any of it. It’s just for his own enjoyment. I hope we see him back on film or TV soon.

As for Colin Quinn: don’t miss him. And Jerry Seinfeld should think about directing more shows like this.

Ralph Fiennes Likes Orwell; Taymor’s Tempest Has Spider Man; Julia Fordham Mad About Paul Reiser

Roger Friedman
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0
Ralph Fiennes Likes Orwell; Taymor’s Tempest Has Spider Man; Julia Fordham Mad About Paul Reiser

Ralph Fiennes is circling a new movie–a film adaptation of George Orwell’s “Burmese Days.” I’m told he’s so excited about the project that he’s sent the script to Roger Michell, whose “Morning Glory” premieres tomorrow. Producer Avram Ludwig–who work with Doug Liman— is said to be quarterbacking. John Henry Butterworth, who co-wrote “Fair Game,” authored the script. I’m surprised we haven’t seen more Orwell on the screen. It’s a great idea…

…Julie Taymor‘s “The Tempest” was screened last night for the Shakespeare Society. Helen Mirren is a superb and commanding Prospera, the first time a woman has taken on the famed lead role. She’s great, of course, and there’s an all-star cast who make memorable appearances: Alfred Molina, Russell Brand, and Djimon Honsou are all terrific. Reeve Carney, who’s about to play Peter Parker in Taymor’s “Spider Man” on Broadway, does a nice job in a supporting role. I hope “The Tempest” gets a real release. Helen Mirren is definitely Oscar material. And all the tech stuff is superb, from costumes to lighting, production design, etc. Russell Brand is a hoot…

…Julia Fordham’s wonderful new album with Paul Reiser, is released today. “Unusual Suspects” can be found at www.juliafordham.com and at amazon and ITunes…

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