Thursday, October 10, 2024
Donate
Home Blog Page 2047

Have Mercy: Sonny Corleone’s Kid Makes Good

Roger Friedman
-
0

Sonny Corleone’s kid has finally done it: Scott Caan, son of “Godfather” actor James Caan, has made his own movie. And it’s pretty good.

Caan wrote and produced “Mercy,” which closed the GenArt Film Festival last night. IFC will release the film on April 28th, directed by Patrick Hoelke.Troy Garity, Erika Christensen and Wendy Glenn co-star.

What’s interesting about “Mercy” is that it’s a romantic comedy (with a little melodrama) told from the male perspective. Maybe this is a trend. Josh Radnor’s film “happythankyoumoreplease,” which was at Sundance this year, is similar.

“Mercy” is very romantic, and Caan–who couldn’t get released from shooting “Entourage” in L.A. to be at last night’s premiere–makes for a sympathetic hero. It doesn’t hurt that halfway through he adds his dad to the mix. When James Caan appears on the screen, the movie ticks upward immediately. You want to see what he’s going to do about all this mushy love stuff.

Hoelke is an odd duck who dresses a little like Fidel Castro. But he’s smart in keeping the film intimate (not shaky camera, don’t worry). And he gets a great performance out of Garity, who has goofy leading man looks and a great unexpected sense of humor that lightens Caan’s character’s moroseness. (Garity is ready for a breakout lead role in an indie comedy.) There’s also some welcome relief when the going gets tough from John Boyd. And Wendy Glenn is a real find.

Why wasn’t “Mercy” in Sundance or Tribeca? I have no idea. It’s certainly good enough. I haven’t liked an IFC film this much since “Lonesome Jim” or “Me and You and Everyone I Know.”

Oprah Book: Ex-Employees Could Make Good Unnamed Sources

Roger Friedman
-
0

Who woulda thunk it?

The mainstream media has accepted the word of Kitty Kelley, a trash biographer who depends of unnamed sources, over Oprah Winfrey, a woman who’s obviously made too much money and been too successful as a broadcaster and philanthropist.

As of now, and thanks to the internet, Kelley’s assertions about Winfrey in her new book have been presented as a fait accompli. No one’s bothered to check them out. They’re just reprinted millions of times, from the New York Post to the Washington Post.

This column was the only one to call Oprah’s aunt in Mississippi, Mrs. Katherine Esters, to see what Kelley had wrought. And Mrs. Esters, as I wrote here yesterday, disputed Kelley’s claims. She says that Kelley manipulated and hounded her, that she never told Kelley family secrets.

It seems to fall on deaf ears.

The New York Post just laid it out, happily enough: “Lesbian fling, prostitution, and abuse lies.” That’s it, case closed. Unbelievable. Even worse: the lofty Howard Kurtz deigns to roll in the mud, writing about Kelley and using her interview with the slimy Michael Jackson hunter Diane Dimond, formerly of “Hard Copy,” to bolster his argument. Has Kurtz ever been able to book himself on Oprah? Probably not.

Kelley must be pleased. Her attempted assassination has no doubt caused the pain she sought to inflict on Winfrey. She’s endeavored to ruin a career far more substantial than her own by miles. Good work!

Kelley had a lot of help in this project. Unnamed sources are usually disgruntled ex-employees. In this case, Kelley has said she used people who’d signed confidentiality agreements. They’d have to give back their monetary settlements if they were caught.

It’s not hard to find the culprits. Oprah’s show has not had a lot of turnover, and the staff has always been treated well. But back in 1994 there was a huge amount of turmoil. Lots of people left or were fired. This could be an Agatha Christie mystery. (It was covered in Entertainment Weekly at http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,304426,00.html.)

Also, Kelley’s book is published by Crown, a division of Random House. Maybe they’re getting even. Back in 1994, Oprah abruptly canceled publication of her scheduled autobiography by Knopf, another Random House division. She returned the advance. But the decision left Random House holding the bag without its anticipated best seller.

And let’s not forget: there was some kind of manuscript or treatment from that book. It’s no doubt out there, somewhere.

Of course, the current Random House is not the company started by Bennett Cerf and run so beautifully for many years by Bob Bernstein. Kelley’s book is the kind of thing only hacks like Lyle Stuart would publish in the old days. How times have changed.

Anderson Cooper Gets First Interview with Dr. Kevorkian

Roger Friedman
-
0

Wasn’t Anderson Cooper just swimming with sharks last week on “60 Minutes”?

Now he’s doing something even more courageous: he’s interviewing Dr. Jack Kevorkian.

Dr. Death is giving Cooper his first post-prison interview this Friday. It’s not actually on CNN, but set for a lunch time live get together at CNN headquarters in New York.

The interview will be preceded by sandwiches and snacks, according to the invite, and a welcome from CNN’s prez, Jon Klein.

You have to give Cooper credit for doing this. His own brother, Carter, committed suicide at age 23 in July 1988. Anderson wrote about it in his blog back in 2005: http://www.cnn.com/2005/US/08/16/brother/

Talk about a charged meeting. Kevorkian has said he helped at least 130 people die of physician assisted suicide. He served 8 years of a 10 to 25 year prison sentence for second degree murder. He’ll turn 81 in May.

This lunch time interlude suddenly is the hottest ticket in town, as Dr. Kevorkian has agreed to answer questions from the audience. The last time he was in public, by the way, was right before he went to jail. It was Time Magazine’s 75th anniversary at Radio City Music Hall. The crowd included Henry Kissinger, Joe DiMaggio, and Muhammad Ali, but Kevorkian was who everyone wanted to, if not meet, look at.

EXCLUSIVE: Oprah’s Aunt on Kitty Kelley: “I found out she wrote ugly things. She didn’t get anything ugly from me.”

Roger Friedman
-
0

Oprah Winfrey’s cousin, Katherine Esters, who is known as “Aunt Katherine,” disputes some of the claims made by trash biographer Kitty Kelley in her new book about the talk show host. She does feel manipulated by the tabloid sensationalist.

Mrs. Esters is 82, still lives in the Mississippi town where Oprah was born, but hasn’t seen or heard from her cousin in a while. She told me this morning that she’s considered the town historian in Kosciusko, and that when people want to know something genealogical they come to her.

That’s what Kelley did, says Mrs. Esters, who has short term memory problems, is on dialysis and has a respiratory condition. She told me that when Kelley arrived at her home, she had no idea what kind of books she wrote or who she was. “I asked her if Oprah sent her and she said she did not. She said she was writing an unauthorized biography.” Mrs. Esters says Kelley’s visit was close to the time that New Yorker writer Henry Louis Gates came to get pictures so he could trace Oprah’s ancestry. There may have been some confusion.

“I asked my friend to find out who she was,” Mrs. Esters says of Kelley. “She went on line and found out what kind of books she wrote. When Kitty came back the next day, I didn’t give her much of an interview.” The intrepid Kelley did follow Mrs. Esters to her dialysis appointment. “She tried very hard to get me to make derogatory statements about Oprah. I would not.”

Two key issues: Mrs. Esters says she is sure she did not tell Kelley who Oprah’s father was. “I told her to ask Oprah’s mother who her father was. I wish she’d quoted me properly. I’m sorry if Kitty made me something that I’m not. I really am sorry.“

She added: “For all practical purposes, Vernon is her father.” Mrs. Esters says of Kelley: “She’s just a smart person who can cross you up on stuff.”

“But one place where Kelley may have it right: Mrs. Esters is adamant that Oprah had whatever she needed as a child. She concedes they were poor, but says: “Oprah’s mother worked for a well to do family. Oprah got their hand me downs. She had dolls.” Winfrey’s famous cockroach story, she says, is invented. “I asked her once why she told that story, and Oprah said people were not interested in the truth. They want something sensational.”

Mrs. Esters says she has not heard from Winfrey in some time. “She’s out of reach to us,” she says. She says that she’s also not much in touch with Winfrey’s mother, Vernita Lee, who lives in Milwaukee.

“I’m not close to Vernita now. Because Vernita is rich, and I’m poor. And she doesn’t relate to me the way she did when she was poor. Rich people don’t care for poor people. She’s just as out of reach to me [as Oprah].”

As for Kelley: “I found out she wrote ugly things. She didn’t get anything ugly from me. She’ll say what she decides to say. It doesn’t mean it’s true.”

Aretha Franklin: New Album, Movie, and (Successful) Diet

Roger Friedman
-
0

Aretha Franklin, Queen of Soul, is on a roll.

She’s lost 23 pounds on a new, healthy diet and she looks fantastic. “I’m working on the next 23,” she declared backstage last night at City Center where the Queen sang her signature hit, “Respect,” for Good Housekeeping magazine’s 125th anniversary show.

Not only was Aretha a vision in a white gown specially designed for her new slimmed down figure, but she had lots of other news. Her new album, the first in seven years, is coming to us in May via WalMart. “A Woman Falling Out of Love” was produced by Franklin with Bebe Winans and Gordon Chambers. Aretha told me she wrote two of the songs–she is always her best composer–and the album features a duet with the amazing Karen Clark, of the Clark Sisters.

Isn’t that enough?

Yesterday, the Queen of Soul huddled with two different Oscar caliber directors about turning her autobiography into a movie. It’s really going to happen. And the big names are being mentioned, like maybe Denzel Washington to play the famous Reverend C.L. Franklin, Aretha’s dad, and any number of actresses–from Halle Berry to Jennifer Hudson– to play Miss Aretha. Of course, Aretha’s incredible sisters, Carolyn and Erma, will be represented as well. (I did suggest that Miss Franklin check out Viola Davis for her movie, too.)

Franklin was in fine voice last night,too, although she said she could hear “cracks.” Her back up singers included two of my pals, the great Vaneese Thomas (sister of Carla, daughter of Rufus) whose parents were married by Reverend Franklin, and Fonzie Thornton, of the original Chic (with Nile Rodgers, Bernard Edwards and yes, Luther Vandross).

‘Aretha was the biggest star maybe but not the only one at GH’s star-studded event. She was actually introduced by no less than Candice Bergen. The other performer of the night, Meryl Streep, got her introduction from Nora Ephron, who in turn was brought to the stage by Liz Smith. (Meryl gave a recitation from a speech by Susan B. Anthony.) Brooke Shields was a very charming emcee, while Broadway’s Laura Benanti and Kelly O’Hara opened the night with a fully produced song and dance number. No, those Hearst types didn’t hold back a penny!

Other notables included Marlo Thomas (who appeared with a rejuvenated Miss Piggy), Martha Stewart, Jessica Simpson, Hillary Duff, Gayle King, Kristen Bell, Dr. Ruth Westheimer, Ann Hampton Calloway (who sang “Somewhere Over the Rainbow”) and the effortlessly funny Sarah Jones. And our very own Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney was there, too–she’s helping make a National Women’s History Museum a reality in Washington, DC on the Mall (http://www.nwhm.org/).

PS Kudos to my pal Liz Smith — she gave hilarious speech and was in top form. She said that she loved getting scoops and had been on plenty of “hit” lists–Frank Sinatra and Donald Trump’s each–but that she had always endeavored to write gossip in a flattering way. She did, she has, she does, and I sure wish the glut of what passes for gossip today took a page from her book. That’s how you achieve longevity in this biz.

Conan Going to TBS, Full of Surprises in Meantime

Roger Friedman
-
0

Conan O’Brien is heading to TBS in September for his late night talk show. It’s a surprise, since the trades kept predicting a Fox show in no time.

But I told you months ago, when the Conan-Jay scuffle was underway, that Fox had problems clearing stations. Their network goes off the air at 10pm. After that, it’s syndication. Their stations make too much money showing comedy reruns. And Fox might not have such a sense of humor about O’Brien’s politics.

Tonight Conan starts his live tour, so the announcement is well timed. The live shows are full of surprise guests in every city. The Conan people are going to work hard to keep the guests a secret, but I am sure some of it will leak out. By the time Conan gets to New York on June 1st, there should be Coco hysteria.

Also, I wouldn’t bet the farm, but maybe the barns: the New York shows are sure to have some involvement with Bruce Springsteen. We’ll wait and see.

Justin Bieber Private Show: Girl Faints, Singer Is So So

Roger Friedman
-
0

Justin Bieber put on a private show last night at the Highline Ballroom in New York City.

The 16 year old passing fad — or Leif Garret 2010 — is an inexplicable teen sensation. Consequently, one girl–exactly one–fainted before the show started. She is okay, however.

As for Bieber, fresh from his performance on “Saturday Night Live,” he worked the crowd of youngsters into a screaming frenzy. When you’re screaming, you can’t hear anything. It’s just as well. Bieber is no Sinatra, let alone a Timberlake.

My eyewitness reports: “He covers other people’s songs, and he can’t really sing.”

The latter more or less confirms my own impression of the Beeb from the taping of “We Are the World 2″ last February. When it was his turn to do his solo in the booth, the voice cracked. Those of us watching on the closed circuit were more than surprised. He is also height challenged for a 16 year old.

Anyway, after the show Justin twittered to his fans, all 1.8 million of them. (Yes, this is the new teen phenom, the male Britney.) He wrote, with exclamation: “Oprah is looking for my Biggest fans!” (The capital B is his.)

Indeed, over on Oprah.com, the website says that “Justin Bieber is the hottest teen star of our time!” She is absolutely looking for his biggest fans, including those who’ve built shrines to him.

Also, after his private show, he alerted fans: “taking a moment 2 listen to MY WORLD 2.0 – I really am proud of this album. 1st time this week I’ve been able to chill and just listen 2 it.”

That’s so great. And he still had time to do homework, I’m sure.

Elvis Is in the Building at Million Dollar Quartet

Roger Friedman
-
0

Elvis is back; did he ever leave?

Last night, Mr. Presley arrived on Broadway along with Johnny Cash, Carl Perkins, and Jerry Lee Lewis. “Million Dollar Quartet” is the story of heir one day reunion at Sun Records in Memphis on December 4, 1956. They’d all started at Sun with Sam Phillips, and on that day they met for the last time.

This Broadway show doesn’t have much of a story. The guys meet, and Cash has something to tell Phillips. Otherwise, there isn’t much information. It’s just the most enjoyable jam session ever, with the four guys playing their rockabilly hits, and giving a feel for what it must have been like to invent rock and roll. (They are missing Chuck Berry, Roy Orbison, Little Richard and Ike Turner, but it’s ok. That could be the sequel.

The performers are better than expected. They really put on a show, singing and playing their own instruments. Every show is different, too. They improvise, and invent the concert as it unravels. Lance Guest–who once was a regular on “Lou Grant” is well known for starring in “The Last Starfighter”–is super as Johnny Cash. Levi Kreis — a full time musician–just about steals the show as Jerry Lee; he does the wild man proud on those keys, to say nothing of playing with elbows and shoes. Eddie Clendening is a smart Elvis, keeping away from impersonation. And Robert Britton Lyons makes Carl Perkins, maybe the least well known of the four, a real person.

Sam Phillips (played by Hunter Foster) was a music industry icon, so the heavy guns were out last night. Paul Shaffer and wife Kathy were there, plus “Law & Order” star Tamara Tunie, famed record producer Phil Ramone and former head of NARAS Michael Greene. The show got a big sponsorship from Gibson Guitars, too, which parked an enormous bus covered with their logo across the street from the Nederlander Theater on West 41st St.

Liza With a Z Visits Valerie with an R (“Rhoda”) on Broadway

Roger Friedman
-
0

Friday night on Broadway: Liza Minnelli and pal Michael Feinstein visited Valerie Harper backstage after one of her last performances in the play, “Looped.” Harper makes for a marvelous Tallulah Bankhead, the celebrity actress of the 40s, 50s, and 60s who boozed, drugged, and slept her way back and forth between Hollywood and Broadway.Bankhead was the original bad girl, Paris, Lindsay, and Britney all rolled into one.

Harper is really brilliant and never a caricature as she portrays the star in her waning days. She deserves a Tony nomination for her excellent work. She is a comic assassin, able to deliver devastating lines and keep moving. While the play isn’t perfect, Harper is riveting. I hope the Tony committee doesn’t write her off as “Rhoda” from TV come to impress on Broadway. She’s too good not to be taken seriously.

Minnelli and Feinstein were wowed and told Harper so. But I winced a little since much of Tallulah’s life seemed similar to Minnelli’s. She was a good sport about it, though, and in fine form following knee replacement surgery from January.

Why is “Looped” closing? The word is a backer backed out at the last minute. It’s too bad. This show should move to off Broadway, like the Lucille Lortel downtown. It could run forever with lower overhead. The Friday night house was sold out…

Dixie Carter: One Degree to Sean Penn

Roger Friedman
-
0

Sad, sad news on Saturday night that Dixie Carter has passed away. The 70 year old actress, famous for starring in “Designing Women,” was elegant, eloquent, and fun. She will be missed.

There’s no word yet on how she died, but it is interesting that there are no pictures of Dixie on WireImage or Getty Images after her appearance at the 2008 Academy Awards. Her husband, Hal Holbrook, was nominated for his role in “Into the Wild.”

Carter and Holbrook recently appeared together in “That Evening Sun,” an independent movie that got nice notices last year. There is scant sign of them having done any publicity for it.

But Carter was very much behind Holbrook when he was nominated for “Into the Wild.” And they told me a great story. When they met in 1981, it was on a film called “The Killing of Randy Webster,” in 1981. Sean Penn was a 21 year old actor on the film.

“It was just about his first job ever,” Holbrook told me. “We loved him. He was always watching what everyone was doing, studying it. When we got home, he sent us a letter, thanking us and telling us how much the experience meant to him. No one does that!

“So when the script for ‘Into the Wild’ came, he just sent a note and said, ‘It would be great if you’re not busy. I hope you can do this.’ I called him right away and said, ‘Even if I were busy with something, I’d cancel it.’ I reminded him about the letter. And he said he’d been waiting all this time to find the right thing.’”

Carter was there, telling me the story along with Holbrook. Her eyes sparkled as she remembered it. A great lady, a great couple.

PS Not to take anything away from Hal Holbrook, to whom Carter was married for 26 years. But her first husband was multi millionaire Arthur Carter, who went on to own the New York Observer. They had two daughters. Her second husband, for two years, was Broadway star George Hearn. What a life!

1...2,0462,0472,048...2,132Page 2,047 of 2,132

Hollywood to the Hudson

Company

Trending

Categories

© Showbiz411.com