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Conan O’Brien: Will He Upstage Jay’s Return?

Roger Friedman
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Conan O’Brien: Will He Upstage Jay’s Return?

120954 conan obrien 341 Conan OBrien: Will He Upstage Jays Return? Conan O’Brien seems like he’s in purgatory right now, but not exactly.

I am told that the Fox deal for a late-night show is moving forward with “everyone talking.” Among the obstacles, as I reported here first when the whole NBC debacle began: clearing Fox stations for an 11:30 p.m. show. The Fox network signs off every night at 10 p.m.

At the same time, Conan is in discussions for taking his show live to theaters across the country. And what a PR bonanza that would be! Imagine O’Brien moving his show into Radio City Music Hall, then taking it on the road. It’s a sure sellout, and the cachet involved would only make him more desirable to Fox. O’Brien could certainly sell out mid range venues in most big cities like New York, San Francisco, Chicago, Boston, Washington, D.C. and maybe even Atlanta. It’s certainly something to consider.

So hold on for more Conan, and don’t be surprised if an announcement comes just in time to upstage Jay Leno’s return to the Tonight Show.

Michael Jackson’s Mom Plans Fan Convention For Next August

Roger Friedman
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Michael Jackson’s Mom Plans Fan Convention For Next August

Michael Jackson’s family can’t wait anymore. They’re starting to plan events to cash in on Michael’s memory.

First, eldest sister Rebbie planned a tribute to Michael in Scranton, Pa., with a second-tier lead singer from the Temptations. It was too sad for me to write about.

Now Katherine Jackson has lent her name to a Michael fanfest set for just outside Gary, Ind., Aug. 26-29.

This is almost too sad to write about. If only Robert Altman were alive, he could film it as the sequel to “Nashville.” Promised for the event are Michael’s first cousin Keith Jackson, who promises in a video to exhibit his Michael memorabilia; self-published author Aphrodite Jones; and Omer Bhatti, the Michael Jackson imitator who is NOT Michael’s son but has tried his best to cash in on that rumor. Bhatti’s parents worked for Michael after offering up their 12-year-old son to him at a Tunisian hotel in 1996.

The International King of Pop Fanvention seems too good to be true. It’s being produced by a company called Fluid Prods., which is owned by St. Croix-born L.A. musician Padriac Coursey. It’s unclear whether he’s related to Gary B. “Court”’ Coursey, a controversial entrepreneur who once tried with his partner to get Michael to invest in an online ticket selling business.

And certainly, before too long, there will be issues of intellectual property since Jackson’s image is owned by his estate and not his heirs. His executors may have something to say about all this.

Madonna: Long Time PR Chief on the Move

Roger Friedman
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Madonna: Long Time PR Chief on the Move

Liz Rosenberg, Madonna’s PR person for 300 years, is leaving Warner Bros. Records.(She actually started there in 1971.)

This was inevitable since Madonna has long ago left Warner Music Group for Live Nation.

For a long time, Rosenberg handled not only Madonna but several Warner related artists who are also now gone including Prince, the Pretenders, Stevie Nicks, Cher, and Rod Stewart. According to a press release, she’ll set up a new company called Liz Rosenberg Media. She says she’ll handle some WMG clients on a consultant basis. And, of course, she’ll still be with Madonna.

In many regards, Liz has been a genius with Madonna. Many times she’s had to turn lemons into lemonade, as they say, particularly as Madonna created new and more interesting scandals over the years. Most of Madonna’s career has been based on inventing scandal to promote something, and Liz has been as much if not more of the brain trust in that regard.

Some of Madonna’s best scandals involved her marriages and divorces (Sean Penn, Guy Ritchie), affairs (Alex Rodriguez, the current boy toy Jesus Luz), her “Sex” book (which should be interesting reading for her newest kids), and her immersion in the pay for play religion Kabbalah Center in Los Angeles that turned into her conquering of the country of Malawi. Through all this, Liz has somehow managed to hold her head high!

So congrats to Liz Rosenberg. It’s the end of yet another era at the hit starved Warner Music Group.

‘GMA’s’ Robin Roberts, Chas Osgood, Sam Moore Get AFTRA Awards

Roger Friedman
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‘GMA’s’ Robin Roberts, Chas Osgood, Sam Moore Get AFTRA Awards

aftraawards GMAs Robin Roberts, Chas Osgood, Sam Moore Get AFTRA AwardsMonday night in the main ballroom at the Plaza Hotel: AFTRA, the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, gave its lifetime achievement awards to an eclectic bunch. They were: “Good Morning America’s” Robin Roberts, CBS’ Charles Osgood, “Soul Man” Sam Moore, the cast of “Sesame Street” and Latin American artist Juanes.

(Clarification update: Leslie Simmons of AFTRA wants me to point out that only Charles and Sam received Lifetime awards. The others got awards in their respective fields.)

The winners inspired an equally eclectic group of presenters: Don Imus, for Sam Moore; Tony Bennett, for Juanes; Bill Geist for Osgood. And in the audience a sprinkliing of soap stars including Robert S. Woods from “One Life to Live” and Linda Dano. And my personal soap hero, Don Hastings, who’s played Dr. Bob Hughes for 50 years on “As the World Turns.”

Also in the audience: singing sensation Sarah Dash of Labelle fame, whose busy schedule can be followed online here. And humorist Chris Cerf, who was part of the “Sesame Street” crowd. And yes, I did get to meet Kevin Clash, who’s been the voice of Elmo for 27 years. That was a treat!

Bob Edwards, of NPR fame, emceed the evening, and Jim Kerr, of NY radio fame, kept the ball rolling in the audience. But the night belonged to the speechifiers, starting with Tony Bennett. He spoke of visiting Puerto Rico as a young man and meeting Pablo Casals. “He didn’t know who I was,” Bennett recalled, but the classical music legend welcomed him anyway. It was Bennett’s first experience with “world music” and it led him to Juanes in recent years.

Imus and Moore got the biggest laughs of the evening. And Moore spoke eloquently about the need for the passage in Congress of the Performance Rights Act. “Performing artists shouldn’t have to be considered charity cases,” he said to thunderous applause.

I loved running into Don Hastings, too. He’s going to wrap up five decades on “As the World Turns” this summer. “We still don’t have a finish date, maybe in July,” he said. Will he miss the show? “It hasn’t hit me yet because I’m still working.” He wants to keep working, too, and joked with Bob Woods about playing a serial killer on his soap, “One Life to Live.” “I wouldn’t kill you, though,” joked Hastings. “I like you!”

Captain EO Returns, Boxoffice Betting: We Told You Last Year

Roger Friedman
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Captain EO Returns, Boxoffice Betting: We Told You Last Year

CaptainEO Captain EO Returns, Boxoffice Betting: We Told You Last YearTwo stories in the news today, but you read about them here first, last year:

Michael Jackson’s Captain EO is coming back to Disneyland

And:

Boxoffice betting begins April 20

Matchbox Twenty Star Has a Hit (Literally)

Roger Friedman
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Matchbox Twenty Star Has a Hit (Literally)

It’s been a terrific tour Down Under for Matchbox Twenty star Rob Thomas. He’s had sold out dates and lots of press and airplay.

But the other night, in a Melbourne hotel, his band really had a hit. A total stranger popped out of the woodwork and punched guitar player Frankie Romano in the face. For no reason. Is it really the wonderful land of Oz?

Thomas tells me: “He seemed weird, so we purposely weren’t engaging with him. Not one word said. He just stared into space for an hour and then punched him. F—-’ funny. Our guys grabbed him and held him for the cops. Gotta be careful out there. We all went back to our beers and laughed it off soon enough. Frankie’s got a little shiner. He’s a tough one. All is OK.”

And those are the vicissitudes of being rock stars on the road. The glamorous life!

Elton John Keeps It Real and Controversial

Roger Friedman
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Elton John Keeps It Real and Controversial

ejohn Elton John Keeps It Real and ControversialElton John: In yesterday’s Parade magazine, he says Jesus was gay. That got the world’s attention, didn’t it?

His Parade interview is incredibly candid.

The actual quote is “I think Jesus was a compassionate, super-intelligent gay man who understood human problems. On the cross, he forgave the people who crucified him. Jesus wanted us to be loving and forgiving. I don’t know what makes people so cruel. Try being a gay woman in the Middle East — you’re as good as dead.”

Many times it’s hard for celebrities who we’ve grown up with to match reality. They usually come up short. Not so for Elton John. His run of hit albums from 1970 to 1978 ran parallel to my teen years. From “Your Song” to “Little Jeannie” Elton John was always part of my musical soundtrack. I loved “Levon” and his work with the Spinners on “Mama Can’t Buy You Love” and all of “Tumbleweed Connection,” “Madman Across the Water,” “Honky Chateau,” “Don’t Shoot Me I’m Only the Piano Player” and “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road.”

So what a wonderful surprise that Elton John in this part of my life has exceeded expectations. He was cheated out of a Tony Award for “Billy Elliott” on Broadway last year, but he’s never lost his enthusiasm. With partner David Furnish, as I told you recently, he’s producing a non-musical play now. And still they keep doing good works.

Elton is a rarity in show business. He speaks his mind and puts his money where his mouth is. He and Furnish are relentless in their fundraising for AIDS research. The Elton John AIDS Foundation has raised over $175 million. They also throw a terrific Academy Awards gala that generates more funds and interest in the cause. Elton almost always performs at the event, set up in the Pacific Design Center. There are always special guests, too. And plenty of musicians on the party list. I can’t wait to see who they’ve lined up for this year.

Polanski vs. Gibson: How Scandal Can Help or Hurt

Roger Friedman
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Polanski vs. Gibson: How Scandal Can Help or Hurt

polanski gibson Polanski vs. Gibson: How Scandal Can Help or HurtRoman Polanski’s “The Ghost Writer” opened in four theaters this past weekend, sold them all out, and is headed for 10 more this Friday.

Mel Gibson’s “Edge of Darkness” is entering its twilight phase in theaters after making just $40 million domestically. It cost $80 mil (production budget) plus another $20 mil (promotion, etc). “Edge” hasn’t been a huge hit overseas, either, with just $5 million from the U.K., where it started as a miniseries.

Each of these principal figures is embroiled in scandal. Polanski, actually, has had a cloud over him for 30 years. Gibson’s been in hot water for four or five years.

But it does look like the public will be more forgiving to Polanski and separate his three-decade-old legal problem from the director’s exceptional work. And they should: “The Ghost Writer” is a terrific movie that deserves to have a good run. In its opening weekend it did better even than “Crazy Heart” did in December during its four-theater first weekend. And “Crazy Heart” had Jeff Bridges and lots of award publicity.

“Edge,” however, is a loser despite Gibson getting a few decent reviews for his acting. But Gibson proved to be his and Warner Bros.’ own worst enemy. First he took on L.A. entertainment reporter Sam Rubin on the air. Then a video of Gibson calling a Chicago reporter an “asshole” after their interview became a viral hit on YouTube. The latter seemed to cement the idea that Gibson had no remorse for his DUI arrest or anti-Semitic, racist rants in 2006. Instead of acts of contrition, he just came across like an unapologetic boor.

What’s interesting is what happens next for Gibson. He’s made a movie with Jodie Foster that’s unfortunately titled, “The Beaver.” (It has nothing to with the famous TV series of the early ’60s. “June, can you ask the Beaver to come down here?”)

He’s caused a lot of trouble in Mexico, apparently, by asking to relocate hundreds of inmates from a prison so he can film another movie. There’s talk that Leonardo DiCaprio is supposed to make a film with him in a dead language. But when I asked Leo about it at the “Shutter Island” premiere, he drew a blank. “Do you know what language it is?” I asked him, semi-seriously. “I have no idea,” DiCaprio replied in English.

DiCaprio should think twice maybe about getting involved with that project. After “Shutter Island” has been such a hit –’ it’s made in one weekend what “Edge” has delivered totally — he doesn’t need a controversy connected to someone else to taint his resume.

Scorsese, DiCaprio to Score Biggest Opening Ever: $37.3 Mil ‘Shutter’ Weekend

Roger Friedman
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Scorsese, DiCaprio to Score Biggest Opening Ever: $37.3 Mil ‘Shutter’ Weekend

125043 shutter island leo ruffalo 341 Scorsese, DiCaprio to Score Biggest Opening Ever: $37.3 Mil Shutter WeekendIt looks like famed director Martin Scorsese and actor Leonardo DiCaprio are having their biggest weekend opening ever.

“Shutter Island,” with the star power of Leonardo DiCaprio, Ben Kingsley, and Mark Ruffalo, is set for a $37.3 million weekend.

That would make it Scorsese’s biggest ever, beating “The Departed” ($26.8 mil in 2006) by a wide margin. It will also quickly surpass the final totals for many of his other films — the total takes — including “Casino,” “Bringing Out the Dead,” “Kundun,” “Mean Streets,” “Taxi Driver,” “Goodfellas,” “Raging Bull” –pretty much all of them.

Ironically, though Scorsese is a critics’ darling, he really didn’t start having big box office until he went into business with Harvey Weinstein on “Gangs of New York.” That film brought in $77 million. “The Aviator” did $102 million. Of all the ones that preceded, only “Cape Fear” scored with $79 million.

Of course we can’t discount the Leo factor. “Shutter” is the fourth movie Scorsese has made with Leonardo DiCaprio after “Departed,” “Gangs” and “Aviator.”

Believe it or not, this is Leo’s biggest opening, too. His second best would now be “Catch Me if You Can,” with $30 million. Yes, “Shutter Island” is a bigger opening weekend than even “Titanic” ($28 million.) How weird is that? “Titanic” is Leo’s biggest movie ever, at $600 million domestic. “Catch Me” is second with $164 mil. The two Scorsese movies are next.

And everyone was worried when Paramount decided to postpone the “Shutter” release from October until now. Even Scorsese told me last week, “Waiting the four months — I didn’t know what will happen.” He was very nervous on Thursday night at the premiere. But for once, quality conquers all. It’s a happy ending, and one with maybe a surprise twist of its own!

Spider-Man on Broadway: Edge Says It’s a Go

Roger Friedman
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Spider-Man on Broadway: Edge Says It’s a Go

edge Spider Man on Broadway: Edge Says Its a GoJust in case you were wondering: U2’s The Edge (aka Dave Evans) says the Broadway musical’ “Spider-Man: Turn Off The Dark” is on.

The $45 million musical has been in limbo for a while as new financing was found to replace old.

But Edge says a meeting took place yesterday with all the principals, including director Julie Taymor. New producer Michael Cohl is getting everything in place. The wheels are turning.

Says Edge: “It will open before the end of the year.”

Unlike many naysayers, we want to see Spider-Man spin his web on Broadway. We also want to hear that U2 score. “The music is just about finished, too,” Edge says.

We’re ready!

...Julian Schnabel is trimmed down, but still sporting PJs. He brought Rula Jabreal, author of the book “Miral,” and her daughter with him, both visiting from Jerusalem. Schnabel’s just now finishing his film of “Miral,” starring “Slumdog Millionaire’s” Freida Pinto as the title character. You think Freida Pinto is a beauty? Wait until everyone meets Rula Jabreal! Whichever film company releases “Miral” will have publicity opportunities galore. P.S. Schnabel says it’s his best movie yet. After “The Diving Bell and the Butterfly” and “Before Night Falls,” that’s saying a lot…

…People to look for on the grounds of the insane asylum in “Shutter Island”: the great actress Jill Larson, a longtime player on “All My Children,” raises her finger to her lips in the opening scene and creates an indelible image. She’s so good she’s featured in the commercial. She is also completely altered from the glamorous soap character she plays…Also look for “All My Children” alum Matthew Cowles as the Ferry Boat Captain. Famously known as Billy Clyde Tuggle on”AMC,” Cowles is the real life husband of Christine Baranski…And Craig “Radio Man” Schwartz, a long time fixture in NY and LA and a favorite of Whoopi Goldberg, George Clooney and Robin Williams–he’s clean shaven and starkly memorable as a mental patient. This is not typecasting…

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