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Emmy Awards Eve: Night of 100 Stars, Literally

Roger Friedman
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Emmy Awards Eve: Night of 100 Stars, Literally

It was the night before the Emmy Awards and all through Hollywood, the TV business got its chance to party.

But you know, in the end, the pre Emmy stuff involves about 100 actors, literally. One or two big names come out, the rest are likeable people. The heavy hitters, and the movie stars who’ve done TV over the year, will show up tonight at the broadcast, the Governor’s Ball, and the HBO gala.

To wit: the Motion Picture Fund party, dubbed “The Evening Before” aka “the Katzenberg party” isn’t held at the Beverly Hills Hotel like the movie version in January. It’s instead set up in Century City, behind CAA’s “Death Star” headquarters. Everything about it is less. One guest told me: “There wasn’t a single person from the feature world unless you count Clare Danes.” Otherwise, it was all the TV stars and the casts of the top shows.

“Ricky Gervais hung out with The Office people, and they were talking to the 30 Rock people. It felt like a TV party. It lacked glamour.”

It didn’t help that there were protesters outside from the building’s janitorial union. Also, the Motion Picture Fund is under fire for trying to close its long term care facility, and for infractions cited by the state about the hospital’s care.

The actors didn’t seem to mind since they were waiting for gift bags. In the past, the Katzenberg party offered IPods, customized sneakers, and lots of expensive stuff. This year, I’m told, the gifts were “lame.” There was jewelry from target, some perfume and shampoo stuff, and a chance to shoot baskets. “There was something about golf, too,” I was told.

I did see Joel McHale of “Talk Soup” and “Community” (an NBC sitcom) lined up with a bunch of actors waiting for his ride around 1am, swag in their arms. It made me wonder if the patients in the Motion Picture Home long term care get the same nice soaps. There was also jewelry from Target.

I’m also told the big discussion of the night was how all the NBC stars could be at the party and not at NBC Universal’s throwdown at Spago. But the people at Spago of note were Hugh Laurie (not an NBC star), Maura Tierney, Mariska Hargitay, and a lot of agents. Jimmy Fallon was at Emmy rehearsal. No word on the whereabouts of NBC’s biggest stars, Steve Carell and Alec Baldwin.

Later on, Lorne Michaels had a secret private party at the Sunset Tower Hotel. How do I know? The receptionist there told me about it. Unclear if Betty White attended.

Two better soirees, in retrospect: BAFTA/LA at the Century Plaza Hyatt, where I met Henry Ian Cusick, “Desmond” from “Lost.” And also Joel Murray, “Freddie Rumson” from “Mad Men.” Plus Stephen Tobolowsky explained “Memento” to me from his perspective.

And Showtime brought Edie Falco and Michael C. Hall, with all the “Nurse Jackie” and “Dexter: casts, as well as the magnificent Anna Deveare Smith, to the SkyBar at the Mondrian.

Earlier in the day I ran into Sigourney Weaver, promoting a Disney movie, “You Again,” at the Four Seasons. “But you’re not blue this time,” I argued.

“Ah, but I am inside,” said the “Avatar” star.

Real Hollywood: Jackie Collins Holds Court

Roger Friedman
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Real Hollywood: Jackie Collins Holds Court

The Emmys are here, but real Hollywood is still in session.

By this I mean that yesterday the great Jackie Collins held court at Cecconi’s on Melrose, with lunch guests like super producer Arnold Kopelson and Hollywood legacy member David Niven, Jr.

Jackie told me she’s on her way to London, where her latest film, “Paris Connections.” debuts next week. The film has an international cast led by Charles Dance, but Jackie tells me none other than Trudie Styler steals the show as Olive.

“Wait til you see her,” Jackie raved. “You’re going to love her!”

After lunch I got a chance to sit down and talk with David Niven, Jr., a former agent and producer whose father, of course, was one of Hollywood’s great great stars. David Niven–who died too soon at age 73 of ALS–was an Oscar winner, an international star, and apparently quite the ladies’ man. After his first wife–mother of David and Sothebys chief Jamie Niven–died at age 28 in a freak accident, Niven remarried. But he had countless affairs with women like Princess Margaret and Grace Kelly.

And you think today’s tabloid stars are gossip fodder! During his second marriage, David Niven got an 18 year old Swedish girl pregnant, then made his wife adopt the baby with him. They adopted another daughter as well. However, David Jr. tells me: “We never thought of our sisters as adopted. We love them as family.”

PS David and Jamie’s stepmother had a fling with John F. Kennedy six months before he was assassinated. A scurrilous British biography of David Niven that came out in 2009 claimed that he gave her an STD!

David Jr. dated Natalie Wood after her original divorce from Robert Wagner, but we didn’t go that route at lunch. But what a class act and a lovely guy, also a font of Hollywood info. Seeing him with Jackie Collins made me wonder if perhaps she hadn’t gotten some of her juiciest stories from her pal over the years. Hmmm….We can only wonder!

Emmy Awards: Sharon Stone Lends Some Glamour

Roger Friedman
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Emmy Awards: Sharon Stone Lends Some Glamour

Why the Emmy Awards and TV in general are so different from the movies and Oscars: I mean, who are these people? TV actors are a breed apart. You recognize their faces and you might know their characters’ names, but whoever they are, you are probably not going to see them again.

That’s why running into Sharon Stone at an Entertainment Weekly party at the Sunset Marquis last night was a thrill: amidst a cadre of familiar but unplaceables, there was Sharon, who’d come as the guest of EW’s intrepid editor, Jess Cagle. You know a movie star when you see one. Sharon is a movie star. And even though she did four episodes of “Law & Order: SVU” this past season, she’s heading back to movies, she told me. Meetings are going on, scripts are being read.

Meantime, the EW party had its moments, including running into two “Mad Men”–Rich Sommer, who plays Harry; and Michael Gladis, who was Paul for the first three seasons–and who knows?–may yet show up again.

Sommer told me that even though Harry used the Yiddish word for thief–gonnif–a couple of episodes ago, I shouldn’t worry that he’s going to turn out to be Jewish. (Sterling Cooper is not a Jewish ad agency by any means.)

“No, he’d just been in Hollywood for a while and had picked up some words he thought were cool.” Sommer, who’s as friendly a fellow as Harry appears to be on screen, is expecting a baby in the next week. Mazel tov! Really!

I was happy to run into Anne Heche, an old friend, who’s doing great on the HBO series, “Hung.” She introduced me to her husband, James Tupper, now on “Grey’s Anatomy.” They are happy as clams. Anne’s had a tumultuous life, but I’m going to tell you something: one day she will an Oscar. She is a great actress. There’s an Anne Heche surprise out there. just wait.

Some of the actors at the EW party had drifted over from the television academy’s annual presentation of certificates to nominees, held at Wolfgang Puck’s Spectra restaurant in the Pacific Design Center. This is where Duncan Hines set up shop and served a variety of cupcakes now causing trouble for those of who have to put on tuxedos tomorrow.

Among the nominees who appeared: Glenn Close, the immortal Mary Kay Place, Fred Willard, Catherine O’Hara, the whole cast of “Modern Family,” someone from “24,” and Julia Ormond.

Fred Willard, the funniest man in the world, took it in stride that his name was spelled wrong on the certificate. How hard is it to spell Willard, really? Too hard for the TV Academy. His wife, Mary, got a rueful laugh out of it.

“I’ve already lost anyway,” Fred said with a chuckle. “To Neil Patrick Harris, last week.”

“Well, you’re not gay and you don’t sing,” someone said.

“No, I don’t sing, and — what?” Fred responded, waiting for a drum riff.

And yes, with Fred and Mary Kay–who also lost last week–the whole thing did seem like an episode of “Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman.” The man who passed out the awards from the dais introduced each actor with an anecdote about himself. It was unintentionally hilarious unless he was mimicking Martin Mull as Barth Gimble from the aforementioned show.

Mariah Superstitious, But US Mag Steals And Lies

Roger Friedman
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I guess it’s a necessary part of the gossip game on the internet. But now it’s got to stop.

On Wednesday, I posted a story about Mariah Carey being superstitious,and not wanting to say anything about whether or not she was pregnant. How did I know this? Her publicist, Cindi Berger, called me and gave me Mariah’s quote from Brazil. Berger called no one else, and nothing was posted on Carey’s website.

Yesterday, US Magazine helped themselves to the quote. They used it without credit. They even included my editing. Idiots. What’s worse, they out and out lied: US said the statement had been found on Carey’s website. It wasn’t true, and they didn’t care.

The result was a number of news outlets picking up the “superstitious” statement, along with the US assertion that it came from Mariah Carey’s website. I didn’t see all this until late in the day because I’d been traveling. Nicely, and graciously, a few sites changed the attribution over to Showbiz411. I’m hopeful that more will do the same when they read this notice.

Yes, I know US Weekly is a rag full of crap, made up stuff and eavesdropping. Before the internet, it didn’t matter. But in age where stories–whether true or not–are regurgitated instantly, it now matters that US Weekly did not report or write this story, that they just stole it and then lied about it. I can’t let them get away with it.

Carlos Santana Reaches Guitar Heaven with Gavin Rossdale, India Arie

Roger Friedman
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Carlos Santana Reaches Guitar Heaven with Gavin Rossdale, India Arie

No one in what’s left of the music business still does this: Clive Davis and his Arista Records family brought the world to Las Vegas yesterday and launched Carlos Santana’s latest creation, an album of the greatest guitar songs featuring a panoply of stars.

Santana is in the middle of a residency at the Hard Rock Hotel’s venue, called The Joint. So rather than wait for the famed musician and his band to be in New York or L.A., Davis invited the business and the media to the sizzling desert (one hundred and six degrees in the shade).

Santana’s album is stuffed with superstar singers, of course. Several of them made the trip, including Gavin Rossdale, India.Arie, and Chris Daughtry. The former turned out to be the biggest surprise simply because his career has been so lackluster since his monumental success fifteen years ago with the group Bush. But Rossdale was a standout in concert, belting out T. Rex’s “Bang a Gong (Get it On)”–which is on the album–and then leading Santana through their classic cover of “She’s Not There.”

Arie–a remarkable singer who’s vastly underrated–soared as she performed George Harrison’s “While My Guitar Gently Weeps” while Santana’s mournful guitar punctuated her vocals. Harrison’s widow, Olivia, was in the audience, and couldn’t have been more enthusiastic. “Guitar” is the first single off the new Santana album.

Other guests at the show included famed singer Mary Wilson of the Supremes, and NBA legend Bill Walton.

If you haven’t seen a Santana show — I hadn’t in at least ten years– last night’s two hour extravaganza was simply stunning. The dozen or more musicians led by the ever youthful and spiritual Carlos come on at full blast, as if they had already built up a steamroller of energy–with “Black Magic Woman” and “Oye Como Va.” It’s quite remarkable that in two hours there is never a flagging moment.

At the press conference a couple of hours earlier in the Hard Rock, meantime, Davis presented several of the tracks from the new album to the press, with Santana and his producers present. I thought it was interesting that the now 78 year old legendary record exec still has more passion for the music and the songs than any of the remaining youngsters who’ve turned the record business into a calamity. If nothing else, he’s the equivalent of I.M. Pei, an architect who sees how every landmark must be built in order for people to notice it.

Davis was a little defensive at one point. He noted that sometimes he’s criticized for putting together these superstar albums with “cover” songs. He calls choosing them and the singers “Casting.” “I believe in the copyright,” he said, which was kind of interesting: when you hear the songs he and Santana and the producers have chosen, like “Bang a Gong” or van Halen’s “Dance the Night Away,” for the star to, as Davis said, “Santana-ize,” you realize they’re picking cool gems from the rock and roll canon. They’re not going to find new songs, sadly, that will measure up.

PS Other stars feaured on “Guitar Heaven,” which is released on September 21st: Rob Thomas, Pat Monahan, YoYo Ma, Scott Stapp, and Scott Weiland.

Mariah Sends Us A Message About Pregnancy Rumors: Exclusive

Roger Friedman
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Mariah Sends Us A Message About Pregnancy Rumors: Exclusive

Hey kids, Mariah Carey has sent us a message via her publicist Cindi Berger. It turns out she’s been reading all the press on the internet, and has been fielding calls and emails from everyone — friends and relatives.

This is what she says:

“I appreciate everyone’s well wishes. But I am very superstitious. When the time is right, everyone will know–even Cindi Berger.”

That’s right–even Berger really doesn’t know if Mariah is with child. And she’s not asking. There has to be some line still between celebrity and privacy, especially when it comes to a matter so deeply personal and medical. We know way too much about famous people’s personal lives as it is. Let’s give Mariah the space to do what she has to.

Don’t forget: Jennifer Lopez didn’t announce she was pregnant until her twins were born! Jennifer Hudson also stayed mum about being a mum almost until her delivery.

I think when Mariah does eventually have a baby, Berger’s office is going to be fielding thousands of stuffed baby lambs and all kinds of butterflies.

Dustin Hoffman to “Fockers”: We Told You

Roger Friedman
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Dustin Hoffman to “Fockers”: We Told You

Yes,, yes, yes:  Dustin Hoffman is going to be in “Little Fockers.”

We broke the story on Sunday night. You can see it below. I even republished it on Monday.

And then today, Nikki Finke’s Deadline: Yesterday simply rewrote it and published it again. Deadline: Yesterday has a bad habit of reading the newspapers and internet, and then repurposing the news.

But we told you on Sunday night after discussing Hoffman’s decision with “Fockers’ insiders over the weekend. DeadlineL Yesterday et al. cannot say that. Oh well. This is how the internet works.

I don’t think “Little Fockers” was in so much trouble or needed to be “saved,” by the way. From the beginning Hoffman wanted too much money. So they wrote the movie leaving spots for him. Jane Rosenthal and Robert DeNiro always suspected Hoffman would come in at some point. They said it last winter, and I reported it.

I kind of like the fact that Dustin stood his ground. The movie will be a big hit. And everyone will do well from it.

Mariah Carey: Broadway Collaborator Working on New Record

Roger Friedman
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Mariah Carey: Broadway Collaborator Working on New Record

Let’s think about this: you don’t make a huge, long trip from Los Angeles to Rio de Janiero and then do grueling concerts if you’re in the middle of a tricky pregnancy. So enough already with Mariah Carey-is-preggers-rumors. Poor Mariah. It was cold in Brazil. She wore a t shirt over her dress. She wore a sweater. But really, photos from her Rio shows only indicate that she’s got a flat tummy.

Mariah has been trying to get pregnant. She doesn’t need any stress from the tabloid press, believe me.

On the other hand, Mariah has been working hard in the studio with producer Randy Jackson. She’s even brought in an unusual collaborator: Broadway’s Marc Shaiman, who wrote “Hairspray” and dozens of hits. Shaiman is also a five time Oscar nominee. This is really interesting since Shaiman could be fashioning some colossal material for Mariah. Whoever came up with that idea was really thinking outside the box. Shaiman most recently worked with Bette Midler on a great song about late producer Arif Mardin called “The Greatest Ears in Town.” I wish more people could hear it. The album, and please do download/buy it, is called “All My Friends Are Here.”

Mariah told me in an email last week that Shaiman was her favorite collaborator since her days with Walter Afanasieff. “He’s so talented and can hear the chords in my head.”

If she is pregnant, Mariah is not saying. So let’s leave her alone until she’s ready. And hope her album is the breakthrough she’s aiming for.

Bruce Springsteen, Bill Gates Coming to Toronto Film Festival

Roger Friedman
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Bruce Springsteen, Bill Gates Coming to Toronto Film Festival

Even as the Venice Film Festival gets ready to kick off, the big stars are circling Toronto.

This morning the TIFF announced that Bruce Springsteen and Bill Gates would be part of the Maverick series, where panel discussions take place live in a theater.

Springsteen’s coming to be interviewed by actor Edward Norton (good choice) for the documentary about his “Darkness on the Edge of Town” album.

The “Darkness” doc is one of two very hot tickets in that category. The other is Davis Guggenheim’s “Waiting for Superman.” The Maverick discussion includes Gates and Guggenheim together on the state of the public school system.

Also on the Mavericks list: Michael Moore interviewing famed filmmaker Ken Loach; and Philip Seymour Hoffman.

The TIFF–which finally gets to show off its new headquarters this year, the Bell Lightbox–also released a long cavalcade of celebs who’ll be attending. Here’s just the actor’s list:

Nicole Kidman, Colin Firth, Hilary Swank, Robert De Niro, Clive Owen, Helen Mirren,
Natalie Portman, Edward Norton and Aamir Khan. We also expect Catherine Deneuve, Charlotte Rampling, Kristin Scott- Thomas, Rachel Weisz, Marion Cotillard, Carey Mulligan, Catherine Keener and Jeon Do-Yeon; Kevin Spacey, Matt Damon, Om Puri, Josh Hartnett, Michael Sheen, Ryan Reynolds, Mickey Rourke, Keanu Reeves, Vincent Cassel, Paul Giamatti, Bill Murray, Bob Hoskins, Steve Coogan, Woody Harrelson, Zach Galifianakis and Will Ferrell. Other guests include Jennifer Connelly, Megan Fox, Uma Thurman, Freida Pinto, Ellen Page, Emma Roberts, James Franco, Ryan Gosling, Jackson Rathbone, Javier Bardem, Jon Hamm and Olivia Newton-John.

Okay twist my arm!

PS You have to read TIFF director Cameron Bailey‘s Tweets. They’re great.

Emmy Awards: Alec Baldwin AWOL, But Dr. Kevorkian’s Coming

Roger Friedman
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Emmy Awards: Alec Baldwin AWOL, But Dr. Kevorkian’s Coming

The Emmy Awards are on NBC and so is “30 Rock.” But right now it’s a toss up whether New Yorker Alec Baldwin is coming to the show on Sunday night in Los Angeles.

Baldwin right now is scheduled not to be there, but I am told there are talks and hopes that he will make an appearance. This would be especially cool since Baldwin is nominated for–and usually wins–Best Actor in a Comedy. But Baldwin had agreed to a charity benefit for Sunday night long before the Emmy date was announced. He’ll be missed. Maybe he can do it by satellite.

Frankly, it would be nice to see Steve Carell win for his under appreciated work in “The Office.” Carell, presumably, will be front and center. (I do feel that everyone on “The Office” deserves an award.)

Also definitely confirmed for the evening is Dr. Jack Kevorkian. He’s coming with HBO and the “You Don’t Know Jack” crowd. The Barry Levinson movie is tipped to win several awards. Its strongest competition comes from another HBO film, “Temple Grandin,” starring Clare Danes. The real Temple Grandin is expected, too. So is Al Pacino, who will win for playing Kevorkian.

And Bob Balaban is making the trek out. The much lauded character actor has turned into an Emmy level director. This year he’s nominated for directing a biopic about famed artist “Georgia O’Keefe, starring Jeremy Irons and Joan Allen, for Lifetime. A couple of years ago, he was acclaimed for his movie “Bernard and Doris,” starring Susan Sarandon and Ralph Fiennes. Balaban — always busy acting in films like the upcoming “Howl”–should start doing more features. After all, Robert Altman‘s “Gosford Park” was his idea.

PS to all this: I did see some blog reports that Alec Baldwin may go to Broadway in “Born Yesterday.” That would be quite a curve ball, since Chris Noth has had his eye on that role for some time. Hmmmm…Stay tuned…http://www.showbiz411.com/2010/04/23/chris-noth-confirms-hes-headed-to-broadway

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