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Scorsese HBO Series: 8,000 Costume Changes in 12 Episodes

Roger Friedman
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Scorsese HBO Series: 8,000 Costume Changes in 12 Episodes

When Martin Scorcese‘s new series hits HBO later this year, it’s going to look good, that’s for sure.

Talk at the Tony Awards last night among the folks who know these things is that “Boardwalk Empire” required 8,000 costume changes. And there are only 12 episodes.

The word is that “Boardwalk Empire”–about the mob running Atlantic City in the roaring 1920s–is that the show is also the most expensive the cable network has ever gotten near.

“One day we worked 20 hours straight through, with double over time. Scorsese wasn’t happy with what we’d done, so everyone stayed. He didn’t care what it cost.”

The series stars Steve Buscemi, Michael Shannon, Michael Pitt, and Gretchen Mol in a big, big cast that if nothing else will be well dressed. Terrence Winter, who worked on “The Sopranos” as a main writer, is the creator.

Kelsey Grammer May Be Looking for a New Dance Partner

Roger Friedman
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Kelsey Grammer May Be Looking for a New Dance Partner

So you’ve won a Tony Award? What next?

You leave Broadway.

As a bunch of actors won Awards last night, they are also planning their exits from the roles that just made them the objects of affection.

“”Fences” closes in two weeks, for example. Catherine Zeta Jones will be packing up soon from “A Little Night Music.”

What about Kelsey Grammer and Douglas Hodge in “La Cage”? They’re scheduled now to stay with the show through September. Grammer will likely continue, and he wants Hodge–who won Best Actor in a Musical last night–to stay on.

But that may be not be so easy. For one thing, Hodge says, it’s a financial matter. And a practical one, what with taxes in two countries involved. “They’re going to have to pay me a bit more money, I’m afraid,” Hodge said at the “La Cage” after party at Hurley’s. (Actually several shows were scattered through Hurley’s. Scarlett Johansson and Ryan Reynolds led the “View from the Bridge” gang in another area.)

Also, Hodge has written a musical that he wants to try and mount on Broadway. It’s called “Meantime.”

“It’s set in airport, and it’s about love,” he said, trying not to give too much away.

H e also told me that his whole bit last night of fearlessly going through the audience was very scary. “When we rehearsed none of those people were sitting in the seats. They’d never seen me before. It was frightening!”

As for Hodge and Kelsey Grammer switching roles, something they’d originally discussed when the show opened: “That’s not going to happen now,” said Hodge. “I don’t even think Kelsey wants to play my role.” And as for meeting the former Frasier Crane on Broadway: “It’s the best thing that’s ever happened to me,” said Hodge.”We want to do a sitcom together. Kelsey wants to produce it.”

So will David Hyde Pierce, now a Broadway star, replace Hodge if he leaves? Fans want the Doctors Crane to reunite, but Grammer told me it won’t happen. “Too much television,” he said. Also, brothers playing long time lovers is kind of…ick.

‘

Paula Abdul at the Tony’s: “If One More Person Asks Me Who Should Replace Simon…”

Roger Friedman
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Paula Abdul at the Tony’s: “If One More Person Asks Me Who Should Replace Simon…”

Who was seated in Radio Music City Hall earliest last night for the Tony Awards? At 6:45pm, before the non telecast preshow began: “Fences” gang Denzel and Pauletta Washington, with Viola Davis and husband Julius Tennon. I have never seen people look so tense or nervous before an awards show, even though Denzel and Viola were tipped to win.

Denzel pointed to a microphone set up on the stage, a few feet away. He turned to Viola and said, “Now, is that where we stand?”

Viola corrected him. “No, over there.” She pointed to the right. “The camera will have a mike on it.”

“Hey,” I said to Denzel. “I thought you were the director.” He directed Davis in “Antwone Fisher” eight years ago in the role that helped launch her career.

“I am,” he said. “But I missed rehearsal.” (Viola and Julius pictured.)

Across the aisle, Christopher Walken looked uncomfortable as fans came up to greet him. His wife, Georgeann, the famous casting director, seemed amused. “They’re making him blush,” she said.

was Hollywood’s night on Broadway last night as movie stars swamped the Tony Awards. It was also maybe payback for the American win over the Brits on Saturday in soccer. If you’d turned on CBS not knowing what was happening, you might have thought we’d lost the Revolutionary War. That’s how many UK accents took the mike at the Tony Awards, from Douglas Hodge (“La Cage Aux Folles”) to Catherine Zeta Jones (“A Little Night Music”) to Eddie Redmayne (“Red”).

Hollywood style there was Denzel Washington (“Fences”) winning Best Actor, and Scarlett Johansson (“A View from the Bridge”) as Featured Actress. Johansson and Cate Blanchett, a presenter, spent much of the night backstage in the green room lounge. But that might have had more to do with the lack of air conditioning in Radio City Music Hall. But then wherever you went there was some sign of Hollywood, from Matthew Modine to Tamara Tunie (of “Law & Order SVU”) Matthew Morrison and Lea Michele from “Glee,” and the odd appearance of Will Smith, Jada Pinkett Smith, Beyonce and Jay Z, all of whom had attached their names to “Fela!” as producers.

Poor “Fela!” It was a musical that had so much buzz when it first appeared off Broadway, and seemed like to should have won Best Musical. It was authentic and genuine, all the things winner “Memphis” was not. And still “Memphis” won. If I ever hear that “hok-a-doo” uttered again, I swear…

But I digress. The Hollywood stars may have conquered Broadway but they skipped the Broadway party. Denzel Washington and Catherine Zeta Jones, the two biggest catches of the night, eschewed the Tony after party at the Rockefeller Center skating rink. Washington took off for a “Fences” private after party at a restaurant on West 52nd St. Zeta Jones and husband Michael Douglas headed off to a private soiree at an apartment on the Upper East Side.

But plucky Cate Blanchett, last seen in Cannes walking in her designer gown in the rain, showed up. So did nominee Valerie Harper. And Kelsey Grammer was front and center with wife Camille, holding court while being filmed for “The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills.” None other than Paula Abdul commanded a table, as did Liev Schreiber and Naomi Watts.

Paula, looking and sounding better than ever: “If one more person asks me who should replace Simon…” she laughed. She’s hosting a new show on NBC, maybe starting in late winter. “It’s time for the new,” she declared.

Kerry Washington told us all about wrapping up her long run in “Race” that very afternoon–she’s filming “For Colored Girls” with Tyler Perry and just added cast member Thandie Newton. And David Bryan, whose music picked up two awards for “Memphis,” told me all about flying in from the Bon Jovi tour on Friday and flying out this morning, Monday, to be on stage with the group in Paris.

Still, the best acceptance speech of the night was a silent one: veteran Marian Seldes, picking up her Lifetime Achievement Award in the pre-show, came to the mike and said…nothing. She paused, flashed her famous eyes across the room, as if it say “It’s all been said,” and marched into the wings. Clever and classy.

Laurie Colwin Remembered, Author of Wonderful Stories

Roger Friedman
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Laurie Colwin Remembered, Author of Wonderful Stories

Today would have been author/writer/novelist/essayist/short story writer Laurie Colwin‘s 66th birthday. She died on October 24, 1992 of a sudden heart attack at age 48.

Every year I tell my readers about Laurie, so we never forget her. All of her terrific, insightful, funny, trenchant books are in print, which is a rarity. All the novels like “Happy All the Time,” “Family Happiness,” and “A Big Storm Knocked it Over” to short story collections–“Another Marvelous Thing,” “The Lone Pilgrim”– and her essays “Home Cooking” and “More Home Cooking.”

I always like to remind everyone that it was Laurie, working in the editorial department of EP Dutton under the late great Henry Robbins, who discovered and published Fran Lebowitz’s seminal collection, “Metropolitan Life.” Laurie read Lebowitz’s “I Cover the Waterfront” column in Interview magazine, and told Robbins they had to publish her. Laurie also worked for Charles Schulz, the creator of  Peanuts.

But it’s her own writing that we continue to revel in 18 years after her death. Why none of these stories haven’t been turned translated into film is a mystery. All the characters are so perfect–for actresses especially. All the women who complain there are no parts should read these books and option them. Lucy Liu, for example, would be just right as Holly in “Happy All the Time.” Parker Posey could be Misty Berkowitz. And so on. Oprah’s new network should option the whole collection!

You can catch up with Laurie’s world at www.lauriecolwin.com and on Facebook. She was a great friend, mother and wife. Happy Birthday Laurie! I can’t wait for thousands of new readers to discover the wonderful gifts you left behind.

(photo by Nancy Crampton)

Jack Nicholson Tells Mike Nichols at AFI Tribute: “Even Oysters Have Enemies”

Roger Friedman
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Jack Nicholson Tells Mike Nichols at AFI Tribute: “Even Oysters Have Enemies”

Jack Nicholson showed up very late for Mike Nichols’ big AFI tribute last week in Hollywood—he’d been watching the Lakers, of course. Then Nicholson made everyone including Robin Williams—who later riffed on this—scratch their heads with his comments.

Nicholson said: ”This is so wonderful about what every one is saying about you.  Remember, though, Mike: even oysters have enemies.” Jack tried to explain himself by adding:  “I know you like animals a lot , that’s why I told the oyster joke.”

The rest of the A List stars who came out for director Nichols (pictured here with wife Diane Sawyer) were a little obtuse. You can see it all on June 26 on TV Land, but our pal Leah Sydney was there and sent along some of the bon mots from the show.

Some of the tributes were odd, others poignant or funny. Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel made a surprise appearance to kick things off and sang “Mrs. Robinson” from the “The Graduate.” That alone would have been worth the price of the evening. Then an avalanche of stars rolled through Stage 15 at Sony Studios (the same place where Judy Garland once skipped down the Yellow Brick Road.)

Among the speakers were all the greats Nichols has directed on film plus a few famous friends: Meryl Streep, Candice Bergen, Dustin Hoffman, Warren Beatty and sister Shirley MacLaine, Tom Hanks, Harrison Ford and Calista Flockhart, Nora Ephron, Eric Idle, Emma Thompson, Julia Roberts, Kevin Spacey, and Mary Louise Parker.

Nichols, by the way, counts Albert Einstein as a cousin, which of course was much fodder for jokes. Mike’s famous comedy partner Elaine May was the first to bring it up. She said: “Albert Einstein was a very sad man when he died because he hadn’t achieved a Combined Field Theory and that’s gotta be depressing.  But if he’s watching tonight- he’s got to be immensely happy that he’s Mike Nichols’ cousin.” She added: “This is a very emotional night for me because 30 years ago I bought this dress for his first lifetime achievement award.”

Cher told the most revealing story of her own career, recalling that when she’d gone to see the trailer for “Silkwood” at a Westwood theater, the crowd clapped for Meryl Streep’s name, Kurt Russell’s name, but laughed when her own name appeaered on the screen.  She left the theater crying, and called Nichols.  “He told me not to worry. That they would be clapping after they saw the movie.”  He was right. “Silkwood” was the first of three films, including “Mask” and “Moonstruck” that made Cher a movie star.

Natalie Portman: “In ‘Closer,’ Mike  cut out nude scenes when I had second thoughts. He also made sure I learned how to pole dance, which is an tremendously useful skill in this economy.”

Robin Williams: “Hey you were a brilliant child.  [Nichols was certified as a genius at age 12]. “It’s rumored you had final cut at your circumcision.”

Of course the great Nichols got in the last word: “I got to see my own memorial and I’m still alive. Sort of.”

We’ll have to watch TV Land to see all the little asides and crack ups. The AFI Tribute special is always a lot of fun!

OJ Files for Prison Release On 16th Anniversary of Nicole Brown-Ron Goldman Murder

Roger Friedman
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OJ Files for Prison Release On 16th Anniversary of Nicole Brown-Ron Goldman Murder

Timing is everything. And no one has worse timing than O.J. Simpson.

Yesterday he filed for an overturn of his conviction and for release from a Las Vegas prison. He’s serving a 9 to 33 year term for charges stemming from a hotel room heist that involved guns.

Today is the 16th anniversary of the double murder of Nicole Brown Simpson, his ex wife, and Ronald Goldman. A civil court decided he was responsible for the deaths. A criminal court jury, as we all know, acquitted him.

Having no sense of propriety or contrition, Simpson allowed his attorney, Yale Galanter, to file in the Las Vegas case on– of all days–the anniversary of this grisly murder. And even though Simpson was acquitted by the criminal case jury, he more or less admitted to the murders in his book, “If I Did It.”

The book, now owned by the victims’ families, maps out how Simpson carried out this tragic crime. Judith Regan, then publisher of her own book imprint at Rupert Murdoch‘s Harper Collins, paid Simpson almost a million dollars before anyone was the wiser. By the time it was discovered the money was gone–spent or hidden–and the victims’ families were unable to recover it as part of their judgment in the civil case.

During my coverage of the Simpson criminal trial for New York magazine, I was offered an explanation of the murders by a Harvard forensic psychiatrist and a writer who’d interviewed Simpson pal Al Cowlings. The scenario was that Simpson had been addicted to steroids all his life for rheumatoid arthritis. But in the weeks leading up to the murders, he’d stopped taking them cold turkey and had substituted a health drink devised by his friend, Dr. Christian Reichardt. The pair I spoke to concluded that Simpson was in steroid withdrawal.

In fact, when Simpson returned to Los Angeles from Chicago the day after the murders (he’d flown there approximately after they’d happened), his attorney, Robert Shapiro, replaced Simpson’s long time physician with Dr. Robert Huizenga, an expert on steroid use among professional athletes. A few years ago, when I asked Dr. Huizenga why he hadn’t discussed any of this when he testified in the trial, he responded: “They asked me the wrong questions.”

“My take, and what I say now, is that Simpson was innocent in the trial,” Huizenga told me.

“That doesn’t mean he did or didn’t do it. Let’s face it, the evidence is completely suspicious. Some guilty people are set free,” Huizenga said.

Huizenga told me he was shocked about how prosecutors treated him. His direct questioning by the state was from Deputy District Attorney Brian Kelberg, who worked for Marcia Clark.

“I told them that Simpson appeared to be limping when he came into my office. Instead of asking me about that, they said, ‘He wasn’t limping, you’re lying, we have tape of him from two months before.’”

Clark’s team never asked why Simpson had been limping, or what would have brought him to that point.

On the stand, Huizenga told Kelberg that Simpson walked into his office three days after the murders “like Tarzan’s grandfather.” Instead of exploring how Simpson could have come to be in that condition, Kelberg replied: “…perhaps Mr. Simpson was faking a limp in your office?”

“They assumed I was lying,” Huizenga said to me. “They didn’t ask me if it was possible that he’d been in the greatest fight of his life just a few days before.”

Ken Starr Case Goes to $59 Mil with New Hollywood Victims

Roger Friedman
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Ken Starr Case Goes to $59 Mil with New Hollywood Victims

Money manager to the stars, Ken Starr, had his criminal indictment increased from $30 million to almost double that at $59 million yesterday.

As I told you when this first began on June 1st, the number is going to keep getting larger. http://tinyurl.com/2b8cndv

Singer Carly Simon, whom I knew had felt she’d been swindled by Starr, told me months ago that something fishy was going on in his office. Her friends, like Mike Nichols and Diane Sawyer, Nora Ephron and Nick Pileggi, were also Starr victims. So is their good friend and publicist, Leslee Dart, who told me she got away from Starr years ago. Simon indicates in the New York Observer this week that James Taylor may have been a client.

A lot of people will say they left Starr’s management a long time ago. It may not necessarily be the case.

In the updated complaint, there are four new victims. One of them is listed as a producer in his late 70s who lost $4.5 million. Another is a screenwriter in his 80s who lost over 8 million dollars. And there’s an actress in her 80s.

The movie producer is the man I wrote about last week, who visited Starr with his wife the day before Starr was arrested. The couple got no indication from Starr that anything was wrong. http://tinyurl.com/3a8g7yn

Unfortunately, they follow the pattern Starr established with the late Joan Stanton, who died last year at age 94. He’d been using her $80 million inheritance as a bank since 1987. Starr and Planet Hollywood owner Keith Barish settled with the Stanton estate respectively in January of this year and August of last year. http://tinyurl.com/36lbjsw

The settlements may have been so severe that they caused Starr to start looting other clients’ accounts.

Named also in this latest complaint is an unidentified big shot in Democratic party politics. What still has not emerged by name in the Starr complaints is the name of Marvin S. Rosen, who owns Marose LLC, was a Starr partner, and was glued to him at the hip. I told you about this relationship last week.

The tabloids, meantime, are having a field day with Starr’s fourth wife, Diane Passage, a former stripper at Scores. She’s an easy target, so why not? But it’s unclear how much Passage really knew about what Starr was doing. She’s named as a defendant in the SEC case but hasn’t been arested. She’s still holed at the couple’s new $5.5. million apartment on the East Side. She’s being supposed emotionally at least by family, and is trying to figure out a game plan. It’s doubtful that she will return to stripping, as the tabs are hoping. Rather, Passage is in a great position to write a book and have a movie based on this experience.

More to come…

It’s My Birthday, Here’s the Music

Roger Friedman
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It’s My Birthday, Here’s the Music

It’s my birthday weekend, so here are a few titles that have been on my mind lately. Add to them anything from Stax or Motown, Hi or Malaco Records. Don’t forget some more recent singers like Julia Fordham, or Ryan Adams. (His “Cold Roses” album is my favorite.) Add in the Beatles, Stones, Squeeze, the Kinks, and Stevie Wonder. Toss in Aretha Franklin for good measure. Wrap it up with Bruce and friends on “The Fever.” Dig out Jorma Kaukonen‘s “Genesis” and Lou Reed singing “September Song.” Absolutely all of Roy Orbison. Major Lance doing “The Monkey Time.” Richard Perry‘s great recordings with Carly Simon, Nilsson, and Ringo Starr. And that’s the way to celebrate a birthday weekend. Yes, I’m 53 and damn proud of it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IgPfCUfVhcM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X74WFfn1iRk

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xMRLrf4pNn4

The Michael Jackson Vultures Circle June 25th for 1st Attack

Roger Friedman
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The Michael Jackson Vultures Circle June 25th for 1st Attack

The vultures around Michael Jackson have circled June 25th–the first anniversary of his death– for their first attacks.

That’s the day Ian Halperin, sleazy tabloid muckracker, airs his “Gone Too Soon” film on the TV Guide Network. Halperin has already feasted on Michael Jackson‘s remains with a book last year. Now he comes with an editorial film in which he interviews the D list from the Jackson outer circle about their knowledge of Jackson’s life. It will be interesting to see how he handles not having Jackson’ s music in his film, let alone the people who really knew him. Expect much heavy weighing in from the illustrious Tohme R. Tohme.

Even better: June 25th is also launch date for a, ahem, book by Leonard Rowe, erstwhile concert promoter. Rowe was in cahoots with Joseph Jackson  before Michael died to try and wrest control of the London “This Is It” concerts from AEG Live. Rowe and Jackson actually called this reporter a few weeks prior to Michael’s passing, thinking they could enlist my help in this effort. I essentially hung up on them. For a short time, Rowe wormed his way into Michael’s good graces before he was fired. Yes, Rowe was fired in writing by Michael Jackson. Now he wants to sell his side of the story.

The self published “What Really Happened to Michael Jackson, King of Pop” looks like it’s a hoot. On Rowe’s website he’s already given away the introduction. Rowe basically accuses AEG Live of killing Michael. My favorite of his assertions is that “not many people knew that Michael owned 50% of Sony’s entire catalog.” Uh, Leonard, I don’t think there’s a Sherpa in Nepal who doesn’t know that whole story. This is not exactly a revelation.

rowe writes: “I was also trying my best to fight what I perceived to be the evil that was surrounding him at that time.” He says: “In my opinion, AEG had a contract with Michael that was nothing less than a cocked financial gun pointed to his head.  It is my belief that he was being totally exploited.”

Indeed, the only people who certainly intended to exploit Michael Jackson were Leonard Rowe and his partner, Joseph Jackson. These two have their own long history. Joe Jackson actually sued Rowe in the 80s over a Jacksons tour. Not only that, but Rowe is an ex-con. He also lost a lawsuit brought against him as a concert promoter by R. Kelly and was ordered to pay $3.4 million. He also had to pay NeYo $700,000.

In Rowe launched a lawsuit against the William Morris Agency, CAA and other group claiming racism as the reason he couldn’t promote more concerts. On December 30, 2005 ,after losing the case and appealing it, Rowe was finally crushed by a federal appeals court judge. A year earlier, another judge, finding for the defendants, wrote: “plaintiffs raised no genuine issue of material fact and that no rational trier of fact could find for plaintiffs on any of the myriad of claims made in this action.”

According to one report: “Rowe spent time in federal prison in the early 90’s for being convicted of wire fraud for his role in the cashing of a fraudulent insurance check. He has had multiple arrests for writing bad checks.”

Stay tuned because the lunacy has only just begun. There’s word that Brian Oxman, representing Joseph Jackson, wants to file a wrongful death suit against AEG Live. And he is going to accuse AEG of violating the Americans With Disabilities Act, saying that they knew he was a drug addict. To paraphrase Michael Jackson, “I got to be there” when these actions are filed, just to see the looks on the faces of the court clerks.

Oxman was disciplined by the California State Supreme Court last December, for the second time in a dozen years. He was fired by Tom Mesereau, Jackson’s criminal attorney, for among other things falling asleep in court during Jackson’s child molestation trial.

Here’s a story I wrote in 2005 about Oxman getting fired. http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,154573,00.html

James Franco Bringing Film and “Performance” Exhibition to NYC

Roger Friedman
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James Franco Bringing Film and “Performance” Exhibition to NYC

James Franco: he is the Renaissance Man of his generation. Now he’s got a film, drawing, photography, sculpture and performance exhibition opening in New York on June 22nd at the Clocktower Gallery. It’s called “The Dangerous Book for Boys” and seems to be connected to the recent children’s book of that title. See above link.

Franco continues to be the most ambitious and interesting actor of his generation. He’s busy making short films, long films, art installations, and appearing on “General Hospital” as Banksy gone mad. He’s going to Yale in the fall as a combination writing and film post graduate student. He’s also thinking of working with Doctors with Borders and starting a cooking show. (Just kidding.)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c5PSdBWvx8s

Here’s another video link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9gtJsK6yoIM&NR=1

You can also check out www.dangerousbookforboys.com

Two big questions waiting to be answered: why “four” boys instead of “for” boys on the invite? Are there three other people involved? And does James Franco ever sleep? Stay tuned…

Wait: better yet–will they film this for “General Hospital”? Is that the performance part?

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