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Michael Jackson Fan Fest Press Conference Set for Monday in Indiana

Roger Friedman
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Michael Jackson’s fake kid, Omer Bhatti, a cousin named Genevieve Jackson, and Katherine Jackson–via satellite link–are all going to converge on a press conference this Monday in suburban Chicago.

MJFanvention will be announced for August 29th, which would have been Michael’s 52nd birthday. I told you about this a few weeks ago. The convention is being put together by a company called Fluid Productions LLC, owned by a deejay from St. Croix who lives in Southern California.

The convention takes place in Merrillville, Indiana, which a press rep says isn’t far from Chicago. http://www.merrillville.in.gov/

Could the Beatles Wind Up with Bronfman’s Warner Music?

Roger Friedman
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You read earlier this week that EMI Music, desperate to settle its staggering debt, is thinking of licensing its recorded music to another label for release.

And standing in the wings: Edgar Bronfman’s hit-starved, lackluster Warner Music Group. For eons there has been the expectation — nay, anticipation– that WMG would merge with, absorb, or devour what’s left of EMI.

I love the reports that say EMI artists include Katy Perry, the Beatles, and Pink Floyd.

Actually, EMI is really just the Beatles. Nothing else matters. In this last year, the Beatles remastered CDs were the bulk of the business at EMI. Because the Beatles music is not legally downloadable, fans are forced to buy their CDs. And so, with the silver disc in decline, it remains popular in one area: Beatles. Want “Sgt. Pepper”? You gotta buy it.

So the question is, Will the Beatles allow EMI to sell them off to WMG, a company with albums number 18 and 20 on the charts, no other hits, no prospect of hits. The Fab Four have been on Capitol Records since 1964. It’s a little unclear whether they would simply acquiesce to being put in the hands of another non existent record company.

What does make sense: the Beatles going to Sony. The songs of Lennon and McCartney are already owned by Sony/ATV Music Publishing, the joint venture with Michael Jackson’s estate. And while plenty of acts have their recording and publishing split, at least with Sony the main EMI acts would be in good hands. Sony (Columbia/Epic, BMG, RCA, etc) is at least an active record company. It wouldn’t be a complete surprise if the Beatles steered the sinking EMI ship in that direction.

PS The best selling album in the US right now is by Lady Antebellum on — ironically– EMI’s Capitol Nashville label.

NY Times Photographer Exits Own Screening; James Franco Keeps It Interesting

Roger Friedman
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Bill Cunningham is a slight, retiring soul who travels around Manhattan on a bike taking pictures for the New York Times. No one knows much about him. Maybe he’s 70. Last night at a screening of Richard Presse’s documentary, “Bill Cunningham New York,” Bill took pictures, stayed behind his camera, and then left. He didn’t remain for his own premiere at MoMA’s New Directors, New Films  series. Anna Wintour was there, as were designer Rachel Roy and two time Oscar nominee Sylvia Miles. But Bill bolted. Maybe pictures from the party will wind up in the Styles section this weekend. Maybe not….

…Just before the Tribeca Film Festival, many of our pals are headed south to the Sarasota Film Festival on April 14th. And I do mean many, including Patricia Clarkson, Ben Foster, Steve Buscemi and Stanley Tucci — many of whom will participate in a staged reading of William S. Burroughs‘ “Queer” from a new script by Oren Moverman (“The Messenger”). The festival opens with Kevin Kline and Paul Dano in “The Extra Man,” and closes with James Franco’s documentary about John Malkovich hosting “Saturday Night Live.” Franco continues to astound and amaze as the eclectic warrior of his generation…www.sarasotafilmfestival.com

Ben Affleck Back in Biz With Harvey Weinstein

Roger Friedman
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Exclusive? Not- since The Weinstein Company issued a press release this morning. But here’s the story about Ben Affleck’s new film going to The Weinstein Company.

On February 26th, I wrote that “The Company Men,” John Wells’s film starring Ben Affleck, would likely go to TWC.

And so it has.

This deal reunites Ben Affleck with Harvey Weinstein, which is a nice thing since Ben’s watershed moment in life came with “Good Will Hunting” in 1996. Affleck’s work in “Company Men” as a laid off middle manager living well beyond his means is excellent. There are also award worthy performances by Kevin Costner and Chris Cooper. But the real treat here is a Best Supporting Actor turn by Tommy Lee Jones. Don’t forget I told you this when all the hub bub begins next fall.

With “The Company Men,” Affleck should have quite a busy autumn season. He also directed and stars in “The Town,” which Warner’s will release in September. “The Town” also features Jeremy Renner, Jon Hamm, and Rebecca Hall. Early word is that it’s very good, that Affleck’s second directorial job–his first was “Gone Baby Gone”– is terrific. It looks like Toronto could be his Town if both pictures wind up at that festival. “Company Men” is no summer release, that’s for sure. It’s a smart movie about real life.

The Weinstein Company will be back in the Oscar business again for 2011, that’s for sure. Their big entry will be “The King’s Speech” with Colin Firth and Geoffrey Rush. They also have “Nowhere Boy” and “Blue Valentine.” The latter stars Ryan Gosling and Michelle Williams in Oscar performances. And there’s also “The Pat Tillman Story,” the hot documentary from Sundance.

Now: if they could just get the Miramax name back, all would be rosy.

Scrubs Scrubs Out, Part 2: We Told You on Friday

Roger Friedman
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“Scrubs” is over. But if you read this column on Friday, you already knew that.

I told you that star Zach Braff said at the premiere of “The Runaways” that the show was canceled.

http://showbiz411.wordpress.com/2010/03/19/zach-braff-scrubs-is-over/

Yesterday, Zach repeated the news on his Facebook page–and the general media went for it like undernourished lions at an In-N-Out Burger.

Sweet Smell of Success: Brill Building Landmarked

Roger Friedman
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According to the New York Times, the Brill Building has been designated a landmark. It’s safe from greedy real estate developers and university boards of directors.

http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/03/23/brill-building-landmarked/

There’s plenty of history in the Brill Building. In the early 60s it was famously home to the cadre of pop songwriters employed by Phil Spector, Don Kirschner, and others. Many of them actually worked in 1650 Broadway, but the Brill was the center of activity. The result is “the Brill Building sound that gave us — among other things– Carole King, Neil Sedaka, Neil Diamond, and “The Locomotion.”

The Brill Building figures in movie history, too. It’s the building where Burt Lancaster’s J.J. Hunsecker lives in “The Sweet Smell of Success.” It’s been altered for the film, but that’s the Brill starring in one of the best movies of all time.Woody Allen also used it for the title character’s office in the brilliant, “Broadway Danny Rose.”

Also landmarked, according to the Times, Lexington Avenue between 71st and 75th Streets. It’s about time. Real New York keeps eroding, or being stolen. If only the commission could have stopped New York University from raping Greenwich Village. But that’s another story.

PS The Brill Building remains vibrant: it is now home to the beloved Broadway Screening Room, and to Lorne Michaels‘ Broadway Video.

Not So Lost Anymore: Some Stuff Finally Explained

Roger Friedman
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SPOILERS AHEAD

The black smoke monster is the Devil and also a nice man wearing a black Tommy Bahama silk shirt.

Jacob is Good, or God, and he wears a cream colored Tommy Bahama silk shirt. Sometimes the two guys get together and say enigmatic things to each other. They exchange gifts like small rocks and wine carafes.

Richard Alpert, named for the real life modern philosopher Ram Dass, was once known as Ricardo, lived in Spain, and was taken prisoner on a ship to the island in the South Seas in 1867. With little else to do, he agreed to become Jacob’s assistant. His remuneration? To live forever.

And so “Lost” finally explained much of its loony back story last night. We kind of knew it already, but it was great to see Nestor Carbonell self learn English to the point where he was using slang in a short time. Also, Ricardo had a hot wife, which is nice to know since he’s spent the next 150 years presumably without a date.

“Lost” doesn’t make sense, but as it winds down, it’s nice to see the loose threads coming together–sort of. Richard Alpert has always been the most mysterious figure in the show. It’s unclear if the writers knew who he was except that he lived forever and had the name. For what it’s worth, we now know as much about him as we ever will.

The only new question raised this week: where did all those Tommy Bahama shirts come from?

Woody Allen, “Robin Hood” Waiting for Word from Cannes

Roger Friedman
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The 2010 Cannes Film Festival is shaping up as a possible Hollywood-on-the Mediterranean event.

This is not a bad thing.

First up, I am told there is talk of Ridley Scott’s “Robin Hood” for opening night. The Russell Crowe-Cate Blanchett extravaganza plays like “Gladiator,” sources say, and could be Universal’s key to recovery.

The timing is good, too: Cannes opens on May 12th. “Robin Hood” opens the next day in many countries, and on Friday the 14th in the US.

Then there’s Woody Allen’s “You Will Meet a Tall, Dark Stranger.” Woody apparently has screened the comedy with Anthony Hopkins, Naomi Watts, Josh Brolin, and Antonio Banderas for the Cannes committee, and of course, it went well. France loves Woody! And this film is supposed to be a return to form, and very, very good.

Of course, we already know that Oliver Stone’s “Wall Street 2: Money Never Sleeps” is going to the Croisette. Warner Bros. changed its release from April to the fall to accomodate the festival. And Julian Schnabel’s “Miral” is a certainty there, too. There’s also talk of Terrence Malick’s “Tree of Life.”

A few good American films would definitely enliven the Cannes atmosphere. In recent years, “Che,” Synedoche,” and “Taking Woodstock” were incredible duds, and not what the US or the festival needed. The best case American film at Cannes is something like “Inglourious Basterds,” which was a critical and popular hit.

On the French front: Francois Ozon’s “Potiche” reunites a powerhouse pair–Catherine Deneuve and Gerard Depardieu. Sources say it may be ready in time for the festival. If so, that is really what Cannes is all about! Voila!

HBO Ready for Julianne Moore Close Up

Roger Friedman
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EXCLUSIVE!!!

(Have you noticed how every bit of minutiae out of Hollywood lately is being reported as an “exclusive”? It’s pretty funny since half the stuff is stolen from other places.)

Julianne Moore opens this Friday in Atom Egoyan’s “Chloe.” She almost came thisclose to an Oscar nomination for Tom Ford’s “A Single Man.”(She has four Oscar nominations already, so it’s ok.)

But Moore is desperately wanted, I am told, by HBO and “Chloe” writer Erin Cressida Wilson.

Wilson, whose credits include edgy treats like “Fur” and “Secretary,” is busy writing a pilot for a series at HBO. The main character is a woman in her early 40s who gets up and leaves her kids and husband. The ‘why’ would be the unraveling story. And Wilson wants Moore.

“I’m crossing my fingers,” Wilson told me recently over drinks in L.A. at the Four Seasons. “She can do anything.”

Moore, meantime, is just great as a woman who’s convinced her husband is having an affair in “Chloe.” Of course, like in any Egoyan movie, all it  not what it seems. A big twist makes “Chloe” the third head scratching thriller of the season, after “Shutter Island” and “The Ghost Writer.”

Moore plays a doctor so convincingly, you actually think she could diagnose your problems. When I told her that recently, she accepted the kudos. “I did feel very authoritative,” she laughed

Moore and director husband Bart Freundlich did take in Kristen Stewart in “The Runaways” last week at the Sunshine theater premiere. Stewart is in negotiations to star with Moore in Freundlich’s “Backwoods” this summer. And that’s exclusive!

Sting Will Rock Today Show’s Plaza for First Time

Roger Friedman
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If you’re a Sting fan, circle May 13th and 14th.

The former Police front man, I am told, is going to rock Rockefeller Plaza on Friday May 14th. Sting’s going to inaugurate the Today Show’s Summer Concert series on the Plaza.

He’ll have to stay up all night, though. On the prior evening, Sting and wife Trudie Styler will present their bi-annual Rainforest Foundation concert at Carnegie Hall (with a donors dinner at the Plaza Hotel). They’ve already signed up Elton John and Lady GaGa, as well as legend Shirley Bassey. More names will follow. But long time player James Taylor won’t be able to make it. He’s on tour this spring with Carole King.

All of this comes as Sting continues to sell out dates around the country for his concert hall tour.

The Rainforest Foundation celebrates its 21st birthday this year, and it’s been an amazing success. Despite efforts to denigrate it by naysayers, the Rainforest Foundation has collected and distributed millions and millions of dollars toward the preservation of indigenous people of the rainforests. The work spreads and spreads, too.

Styler has been particularly effective in bringing the tragedies of the rainforest to light: last year she was heavily involved in a much praised documentary called “Crude,” about how Chevron Oil has poisoned the water supply in Ecuador. Unlike you or I, she actually went there and helped bring water tanks with filters.

And just this past February, Sting returned to Brazil to visit old friends from the Rainforest–you can read it about at www.rainforestfoundation.org.

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