James Franco got great reviews today for his work in “Howl.” It’s just the beginning of his assault on the American public. Next comes Danny Boyle’s “127 Hours,” which will catapult him into the new Oscar face. For “Howl,” Franco will get Indie Spirit recognition, which means he’s going to be doing a lot of interviews soon. Here’s an exclusive I did with him the other night. Franco talks about his “D” in acting class at NYU. his “Saturday Night Live” documentary, and a summer job he had to Lockheed Aircraft. A nice, smart, self-effacing, articulate guy from a more or less normal home. Tom Hanks, your successor is here.
Conan O’Brien Gets the Last Laugh as Jeff Zucker Is Fired
Conan O’Brien must be having a good chuckle right now. Jeff Zucker, the man who engineered his ouster and the chaos surrounding it, was essentially terminated today by NBC and its new owner, Comcast.
Aucker has much conceded to the New York Times this morning that Comcast’s Steve Burke fired him two weeks ago.
The whole O’Brien-Jay Leno catastrophe is laid at the feet of Zucker. Instead of just canceling “The Jay Leno Show,” Zucker put him back at 11:30pm, forced out O’Brien, and caused one of the greatest pr disasters in TV history.
There are other media changes today. Jon Klein, head of CNN, is also out. The network has been gutted and destroyed during his six year run. Eliot Spitzer, who had to resign in disgrace as governor of New York after spending thousands of dollars on hookers, was rewarded by Klein with a new talk show. That’s Klein’s legacy. That, and forcing out Larry King for a Brit, Piers Morgan. The incoming head of CNN, Ken Jautz, will have to figure all of this out now.
Over at the New York Daily News, Orla Healey is out as features editor. She follows editor in chief Martin Dunn, who was either sacked or forced out a couple of months ago.
“Wall Street 2”: Gored by NY Post, Loved By Daily News: Go Figure
In the end, no one can hurt you more than your family.
Rupert Murdoch’s finding that out this morning. His company has spent millions already preparing the public for Oliver Stone‘s “Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps.” The $100 million plus film was moved from April until today for release to get Oscar buzz. Fox spent millions more promoting it at Cannes.
The results: the film has a decent 58% rating at Rottentomatoes.com. My own quote was used in Fox’s ad and they don’t even like me.
But the review from the New York Post, Murdoch’s in house newspaper? A lousy two and a half stars. “Stone is childlike in the simplicity of his view that anyone on Wall Street can take down an enemy simply by planting a false rumor on a message board, with no consequences. Financial savants will find the movie way too facile, and yet there is too much jabber about CDOs and moral hazard for the average viewer.”
Yikes!
However: over at the NY Daily News, which hates Murdoch and is the cross town rival tabloid: five stars. Five. Cinco.
And the New York Times, also, a rave review. Murdoch is trying to kill them with the Wall Street Journal.
It’s a tough business, that show business.
PS It’s a really great movie. Go see it, and “Howl” this weekend.
Richard Dreyfuss, Other Stars Plan Rally to Save Motion Picture Home Hospital
I just got word that a bunch of stars have finally lined up for a performance/rally to save the Motion Picture Home Hospital in Woodland Hills, California.
Oscar winner Richard Dreyfuss, plus loads of popular stars like Shirley Jones, Renee Taylor and Joe Bologna, Oscar winner George Chakiris, and dozens more including Kathryn Joosten (Mrs. McClusky) from “Desperate Housewives” and the casts of “The Young and the Restless” and “The Bold and the Beautiful” have set October 5th in Los Angeles for “1 Voice” at the Renberg Theatre in Hollywood. You can call 1- 800-838-3006 for tickets.
The show is being produced by Saving the Lives of Our Own and the Neo Theater Ensemble. http://savingthelivesofourown.org/
It’s hard to believe this mess with the Motion Picture Fund is still going on, that they’re still trying to remove patients and shut down the facility. Meantime, the MPTV continues to throw all star fundraisers on the nights before the Emmys and the Oscars, raising millions. I did think it was funny that Nikki Finke, who’s vociferously denounced the plan, recently wrote a love letter to former Variety staffer Madelyn Hammond. No judgments–everyone likes Madelyn–but she’s the one who plans those parties every year. Blogger Nikki must not have realized that.
DefJam’s L.A. Reid On Likely Track to Simon Cowell’s “X Factor”
Yesterday in the New York Daily News, my colleague Frank DiGiacomo ran an excellent story about DefJam Records president L.A. Reid. Frank said Reid it torn between accepting judiciary posts either on “American Idol” or on Simon Cowell‘s new “X Factor.”
The fact is, there have been rumors of Reid leaving DefJam and Universal Music Group for months.
But yesterday after Frank’s item appeared, I got a bunch of phone calls. Here’s the consensus: UMG is busy working out a deal for Reid to stay, either in his current position or with his own label like his old LaFace Records.
Second: that DiGiacomo’s list of three failures at DefJam last year are balanced by one huge success: a “360” deal with teen heart-throb Justin Bieber. A ‘360’ deal means everything: DefJam gets money from his records, movies, and merchandise. Bieber may not be our cup of tea, but Reid’s cup runneth over with moolah from this unlikely star.
Third: Mariah Carey‘s new Christmas album is going to be a hit. So the fact that her last album didn’t do well is sort of meaningless.
As for the two different TV shows: Simon Cowell apparently offered Reid a spot first, which kicked “American Idol” into a frenzy. But “AI” already has Jimmy Iovine from Universal as a special mentor. Reid can easily judge “X Factor” even though that show’s recording deal is with Sony/Columbia. After all, new judge Steven Tyler records for Columbia but he’s going to be an “AI” judge. Randy Jackson has had deals at places like Concord Records. So that whole question is a tempest in a teapot.
Frankly, for UMG to lose Reid would be a blow. He has ties to lots of artists. His imprimatur one way or another is worth a lot.
Susan Boyle Gets Her Perfect Day After All
Susan Boyle, who is famous and popular for reasons I cannot fathom, has been in a brouhaha with Lou Reed all month.
The backstory: on September 9th, Boyle says she wasn’t allowed to perform Reed’s song “Perfect Day” on Simon Cowell‘s “Britain’s Got Talent” TV show. The story went that Reed said no before the taping, and that Boyle returned to the UK “in tears” because she didn’t know any other songs.
I mean, really: newsfeed editors are just lemmings to pick this stuff up and repeat it. Does it even make sense? Boyle “in tears”? Didn’t know any other songs? Simon Cowell making proclamations against Reed. Reed even caring about this stuff? Bollocks.
Anyway, so guess what? “Perfect Day” is the lead single from Boyle’s album, due November 9th, called “The Gift.” Surprise! Cowell, mastermind of publicity, manages and owns Boyle. The whole controversy was concocted. It’s not like the “Perfect Day” track hadn’t been recorded and scheduled for the album before September 9th.
I love all the web-wags saying Reed “stood up” or “wouldn’t sell out.” Lou Reed stands to make a fortune with Boyle warbling his tune. Believe me, he’ll take the money.
What’s so strange about this is why Boyle chose “Perfect Day” in the first place. It was on Reed’s famous 1972 album, “Transformer.” I always thought it was about getting high and wandering around a zoo.
James Franco Got a ‘D’ in NYU Acting Class
It’s not easy being James Franco.
He’s getting rave reviews for his roles in “Howl” and “127 Hours” this fall, and is headed to an Oscar nomination for the latter. The former opens this weekend, and it’s quality work from this multi-tasking actor.
But Franco did reveal to me last night–and we’ll have a video interview later–that he got a D in his acting class at NYU. He was there taking film classes. Now he’s up at Yale working on his PhD.
But holy moley-what happened?
“I did the work, I did well in everything else,” he said. But the acting teacher probably felt uncomfortable with a working well known actor in his class. It was not the norm. Also, as Franco pointed out, he missed a lot of classes because he was shooting “127 Hours.”
The low grade did not deter Yale from accepting him for their graduate writing program. How’s it going? “I have a class in Walt Whitman with a massive amount of reading.” He’s up to the challenge, he says.
At the premiere for “Howl,” I also ran into Oscilloscope Pictures owner and sometime Beastie Boy Adam Yauch. He showed us pictures on his IPhone of learning to ride a horse in Kentucky. Actor Edward Norton stopped by to say hello, as did Lola Schnabel–daughter of Julian–with friend Annabelle Jones, daughter of Foreigner’s Mick Jones and Ann Dexter Jones (she’s also the sister of Charlotte, Samantha, and Mark Ronson).
Anyway, more on Franco in our Showbiz411 Video, including memories of his summer job at Lockheed aircraft in Palo Alto, California.
Oh yeah and one more thing: since the famous picture that was snapped of him sleeping at a Columbia University guest lecture, he’s deathly afraid of nodding out in public again. “I fell asleep on the train today,” he said, “and I was worried the guy sitting next to me had his IPhone pointed in a funny way. If you see a picture of me sleeping on the Acela, you’ll know where it came from.”
Waiting for Superman: Another Doc for the Oscars
It’s a hot year for documentaries. I don’t envy the Oscar doc committee when they’ve already got “A Film Unfinished,” “The Tillman Story,” and now “Waiting for Superman” at the top of a long, long list.
S”uperman” — which we first saw last January in Sundance–opened last night with a swanky premiere at Lincoln Center’s Alice Tully Hall and then a buffet dinner at the ’21’ Club. Director Davis Guggenheim was introduced by New York City schools chancellor Joel Klein, and George Stephanopolous, who was battling a bad, bad cold. (His wife. good-natured Alexandra Wentworth, hung on for the rest of the evening and sent George home.)
Quite a night for heavy hitters from education and media, too. Tea Leoni was spotted in the audience. Matthew Modine was front and center. Writer-directors Jim Taylor (“Sideways”) and wife Tamara Jenkins (“The Savages”) showed off pictures of their eight month old daughter Mia. Well known doc makers Chris Hegedus and Alex Gibney chatted away at dinner with cinematographer Ellen Kuras and casting director Amanda Mackey.
Guggenheim, you could say, put on a big ‘shue’–his wife Elizabeth Shue was in attendance, along with her brother Andrew.
:Waiting for Superman” opens Friday and is not to be missed. Guggenheim already had experience studying first year teachers in 1999. In this pro-teacher (but certainly anti-teachers unions) saga, he manages to get close into what ails the public school system in America. Along the way he befriends five families, and trails them as they apply to let their kids–around age 7—for admission to charter schools. You’ll see how much luck has to do with anything. And Guggenheim’s talent is in choosing the right families. His subjects will affect everyone deeply.
Guggenheim’s team has gotten Bill Gates, the Ford Foundation and a bunch of other major foundations and groups involved with this film. http://www.waitingforsuperman.com/
And PS John Legend wrote a song for the closing credits. Add to that to your Oscar ballot, too.
Jodie Foster Is Wrong About Defending Mel Gibson
Jodie Foster is wrong about Mel Gibson. Sorry.
In the new More magazine, Foster defends Mel Gibson, who happens to star in her as yet unreleased and unscheduled film, “The Beaver.”
Jodie says: “When you love a friend, you don’t abandon them when they are struggling. Of course, Mel is an undeniably gifted actor and director, and The Beaver is one of his most powerful and moving performances. But more importantly, he is and has been a true and loyal friend. I hope I can help him get through this dark moment.”
Now let’s review this ‘dark moment’. It started in 2006 when Mel was arrested for drunk driving and leveled anti-Semitic remarks to his arresting officer. He told Officer James Mee: “F—ng Jews…the Jews are responsible for all the wars in the world.” He addressed a female cop as “sugar tits.”
At the same time, Mel’s father was revealed as a Holocaust denier and a contributor to neo Nazi publications. Mel refused to criticize him. Instead, he built a church in Malibu for Catholics who don’t believe in the Pope and decry what’s known as Vatican II. They blame the Jews for the death of Jesus. And so on.
This was all after making “The Passion of the Christ,” in which Jews were depicted as money grubbers with hooked noses who wanted Jesus dead.
Now this year has been taken up with Mel’s problems concerning the mother his illegitimate child, Oksana Grigorieva. We’ve all heard the tapes. Not only does Mel use the “n” word, he also uses language toward women that I would think made Jodie Foster’s hair stand up straight. There are allegations of domestic abuse. Did Oksana push his buttons? Sure. Did he respond in the worst ways imaginable? Yes.
Jodie, this is what he said to Oksana: “If you raped by a pack n—-ers, it will be your fault.” This is inexcusable, for anyone, no matter how angry they are. If he’d said that to you, you would have called the police.
Foster won her Oscar for “The Accused,” about a woman who is gang raped on a pool table. She should know better than to continue to defend this man. Whether on feminist grounds or just plain humanist, Gibson is a pig. It doesn’t matter whether or not he’s good in the ridiculously titled, “The Beaver.” Her mistake was making a movie with him in the first place. She shouldn’t be compounding the mistake by defending him. Sorry, Jodie. On this one, you are dead wrong.
American Idol Hires Two Paula’s as New Judges
Well, the word has been issued. Randy Jackson will be joined on “American Idol” this season by Steven Tyler and Jennifer Lopez.
In fact, they’ve hired the equivalent of two Paula’s.
What “Idol” didn’t do was bring on a replacement for Simon Cowell. They don’t have anyone ready to be acerbic and biting, and insulting. That’s what viewers tuned in to see.
They are having Jimmy Iovine from Interscope Records as some kind of consultant. But again, I don’t think Jimmy is going to replace Simon. But Interscope’s parent, Universal Music Group, now has the recording rights to all “Idol” contestants. So Iovine’s going to be there scouting for product.
Tyler is a big question mark. Has anyone told him “Idol” is live? Something tells me this is going to be like a great movie, “My Favorite Year.” Peter O’Toole played the week’s guest star on a Sid Caesar type show. No one knew if he would make it. Tyler has countless visits to rehab, and more drug trouble than ten rock stars combined.
On top of that, even though Tyler can be wickedly funny, will he insult and be hard on contestants? I don’t think so. He’ll risk alienating his Aerosmith fans.
Ditto Jennifer Lopez. She’ll be playing Paula, the un-singing singer. Again, she’ll be there to be encouraging. I doubt she’ll be nasty to whatever fans she has left in the pop world. Noted: Lopez is also signed now to Universal Music.