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Renee: “I Don’t Feel Like I Won an Oscar”

Roger Friedman
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Despite having won an Academy Award for best supporting actress in “Cold Mountain,” Renee Zellweger tells me: “I don’t feel like I won an Oscar.”

The star of “My One and Only,” opening nationwide on Labor Day, was at the movie’s Manhattan premiere last night, with dinner following at the Rouge Tomate. We were talking about whether she felt she could relax about work now that she’s won an Oscar.

“But I don’t feel like I did win an Oscar. I don’t think about that at all,” she said. “I’m not at the top of my mountain,” she said in response to my query. “Maybe a quarter of the ways up. I have a lot to do.”

Zellweger spent last summer in Baltimore making “My One and Only.” She says she put all future script searches on hold, but she’s looking again. If there’s another Bridget Jones movie in her future, she didn’t mention it. She was happy enough to accept kudos for playing the real life mother of Hollywood veteran George Hamilton in “”My One and Only.”

Meantime, Hamilton told me his son, Ashley, will be a contestant on “Dancing with the Stars” this fall. “He called me and said, Dad, What do I do?” George laughed. Hamilton senior has already been on the show. Ashley, to his knowledge, cannot dance. “I said, just hang in there for a few episodes,” George said.

Meanwhile, Hamilton was happy to meet CNN’s beautiful Felicia Taylor, a New York broadcasting regular. Her dad is another Hollywood icon, Rod Taylor, and an old friend of George’s. Rod Taylor also has a small role in “Inglourious Basterds.”

“We had some good times,” George reminisced about Rod, who starred memorably in Hitchcock’s “The Birds.” with Doris Day in “The Glass Bottom Boat,” and in dozens of classic TV shows as well as “Falcon Crest.”

“It’s weird, chatting with the adult daughter of an old friend,” George said. Yes, time marches on!

Basterds Love Company at Private Screening

Roger Friedman
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Getty photo

Getty photo

More and more media and acting types keep pouring into advance screenings of Quentin Tarantino’s “Inglourious Basterds.” It’s the must-see movie of the summer, apparently.

Last night, “X-Men” star Famke Janssen, her ex-husband director Tod Williams and his newish wife, Gretchen Mol, all made the showing, as well as hot actor Gael Garcia Bernal (pictured), Amy Irving, producer Ed Pressman, playwright and “Doubt” director John Patrick Shanley, ABC News vet Bob Jamieson, journalist Stanley Crouch, producer Jean Doumanian, fellow Fox escapee Bill McCuddy,’ famed New Yorker movie writer Lillian Ross, and Nielsen company’s own illustrious Gerry Byrne were in the audience.

“Basterds,” by the way, is tracking “through the roof.” This is lingo for “people want to see it.” And why not? It’s Tarantino’s best work since “Pulp Fiction.” And it’s full of hidden “Easter eggs” ‘ buried treasures of clues and hip references, even one to Tarantino’s own “Death Proof.”

Michael’s Latest Funeral May Violate His Mother’s Religion

Roger Friedman
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Michael Jackson’s next funeral may be in violation of his mother’s religion.

The new funeral is set to take place on August 29th, which would have been Michael’s 51st birthday. The problem is, Jehovah’s Witnesses do not celebrate birthdays. It’s one of the reasons Michael left the religion in 1987.

But his mother has been a member of the sect for over 30 years. So have several of Michael’s siblings. (Jermaine, who became Muslim, is not.)

According to the group’s online site, The Watchtower:

“The only two birthday celebrations spoken of in the Bible were held by persons who did not worship Jehovah. (Genesis 40:20-22; Mark 6:21, 22, 24-27) The early Christians did not celebrate birthdays. The custom of celebrating birthdays comes from ancient false religions. True Christians give gifts and have good times together at other times during the year.”

So choosing Michael’s birthday as a day of celebration is a little odd, and may cause some trouble for Katherine.

Here’s what The Watchtower has to say about funerals in general:

“Throughout the years, Jehovah’s Witnesses have thoroughly exposed unscriptural funeral customs. Such customs include wakes, the pouring of libations, talking to and making requests of the dead, ceremonious observances of funeral anniversaries, and other customs based on the belief that something in a person survives death. Such God-dishonoring customs are ‘unclean,’ an ‘empty deception’ based on ‘the tradition of men’ and not on God’s Word of truth. Isaiah 52:11; Colossians 2:8.”

This latest funeral will launch a number of birthday celebrations for Michael around the world. Spike Lee has already announced one that’s supposed to take place in Brooklyn.

Religion is a sticky issue. And it may come up in the Jackson house soon. Michael did not raise his kids as Jehovah’s Witnesses. But if they’re living under the guardianship of Katherine Jackson, one wonders whether or not Prince, Paris and Blanket will be allowed to celebrate their birthdays anymore.

Jackson Brothers Reality Series a Go at A&E

Roger Friedman
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Michael Jackson’s death has been something of a godsend for Michael Jackson’s brothers.

Before Michael died, the brothers filmed a one-hour pilot for A&E that was supposed to include some kind of reunion of them with Michael. But Michael never agreed to it, didn’t do it, and died before it could be discussed again.

But sources tell me that A&E has approved going forward with a series of further episodes that will show the Jackson brothers grappling with Michael’s death and their own lives. And that should be interesting since it’s unlikely any of them had seen Michael for much more than a few minutes at their parents’ bogus 60th wedding anniversary party this year.

An A&E spokesman declined comment; sources close to the network say the deal for a series isn’t done yet.’But the original A&E deal was a pilot with provisions for a series, so it’s going to happen. It hasn’t been decided whether the footage that exists will be shaped into a number of half hour or hour long sessions. It certainly has all the promise of “Being Bobby Brown,” that’s for sure.

Meantime, the pilot’which may include at least a reference at its end that Michael has died–will be aired on A&E within the month, sources say. The deal, by the way, was put together by Danny O’Donovan, who has faithfully managed the group since they left Motown in the late 70s.

By the way, you can read an earlier, excellent piece about Jodi Gomes, producer of the pilot, by THR’s James Hibberd here.

Meantime, don’t dismiss the idea that NBC won’t try and do something with the Jacksons. Even though insiders say there are no plans right now, my sources say the network is “desperate” to find a few blockbuster lead-ins to Jay Leno this fall. A Jackson special might just do the trick.

Mariah Wants to Know What Love Is: Covers Foreigner

Roger Friedman
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Foreigner’s Mick Jones can start ordering caviar and Champagne again: Mariah Carey is releasing her own gospel-tinged version of his masterwork song, “I Want to Know What Love Is.”

It’s the first “real” single from her new album following the summer release of the witty “Obsessed,” which is also included on “Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel.” The album and the single hit the world on Sept. 29th.

I heard the Foreigner song yesterday along with all of “Memoirs” and let me tell you: Mariah’s got a hit on her hands along the lines of “Emancipation of Mimi “The hour-long CD is ballad-centric. Written and produced with The Dream and Tricky (I know, but these are their stage names), “Memoirs” boasts a lot of singles. Starting with the Foreigner song is a canny move in these uncertain times. By the time its run is over, a new generation will think “I Want to Know What Love Is” is a Mariah Carey song.

Mick Jones, who wrote it, should start picking out some nice new cars thanks to Carey. The money should come rolling in quickly.

The other songs on the album ‘ these are the titles, although the running order is still being finalized: “Betcha,” “Obsessed,” “H.A.T.E.U.,” “Candy Bling,” “Ribbon,” “Standing O’s.,” “Impossible,” “It’s a Wrap,” “Inseparable,” “Up Out My Face,” “More than Just Friends,” and “Angels Cry.”

Several of these are radio ready. “Angels Cry” is an honest-to-god ballad a la “Vision of Love,” and should be a gigantic success. “Standing O’s” also has potential, as do “H.A.T.E.U.” ”which stands for “having a typical emotional upset” ‘ and “Inseparable.”

Def Jam’s L.A. Reid ‘ who previewed the CD for the first time yesterday with a clutch of staffers ‘ is playing with the order, to get it right. But he really can’t go wrong. Carey’s album, is, as they used to say, “what the kids want.” Plus, it’s got stuff for the slightly older crowd. I loved the doo-woppy “It’s a Wrap.” And the Foreigner track is so powerful, it’s going to be everywhere.

Good news, too: no more songs about Eminem. One was plenty.

So, by the end of September we’ll have new CDs from Whitney and from Mariah. They’re each top notch and different from each other enough that their fans should want them both. Maybe we’ll see a return to record stores (we have but a few in Manhattan now) and diva duels on radio if programmers are smart.

‘Basterds’ Brings Out Lindsay Lohan, Lots of Stars

Roger Friedman
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Quentin Tarantino’s “Inglourious Basterds” is finally here, and it’s a substantially better version than the one we saw in Cannes last May.

Not to say that the first version was lacking. But with a little time, Tarantino has filled in the blanks and fleshed out the areas that were still a little sketchy when he delivered a “wet print” to Cannes.

‘

Getty photo

Getty photo

And the audience at the Hugo Boss-sponsored New York premiere loved it. They included Tarantino plus everyone from the cast sans Brad Pitt ‘ Diane Kruger, Melanie Laurent, Christoph Waltz, Eli Roth, as well as Sam Rockwell, Gina Gershon, comic Jeffrey Ross, Matthew Settle, John Stamos, Chris Meloni, Richard Belzer, Tom Cavanagh, Emmanuelle Chriqui, Terrence Howard, divorced couple Salman Rushdie and Padma Lakshmi,’ George Hamilton, and, yes, Lindsay Lohan.

‘

The after party at Andre Balazs’s Standard Hotel was the hottest of the season ‘ literally ‘ like 100% humidity, 95 degrees and mostly outside under an abandoned highway now the chic-est spot in town ‘ it’s called the High Line. What can I tell you? Andre Balazs could serve hors d’oeuvres in a sewer and people would come!

But back to “Basterds” ‘ the movie ends with Brad Pitt ‘ just tremendous now as a comic actor ‘ speaking the line, “I think this is my masterpiece.” It’s certainly Tarantino’s. “Basterds” is the event movie of the summer. If you don’t see it right away, you’re going to be out of the loop at dinner parties and the water cooler.

Trimmed and a little rejigged, this final cut really highlights Pitt and Austrian actor Christoph Waltz. The latter just gives a dazzling and unexpected performance. He won the best actor prize in Cannes. Oscar and Golden Globe nominations are in his future most assuredly.

Tomorrow ‘ my interviews with Waltz and Laurent, the two hottest newcomers to movies in a long, long time.

Lawyer Who Saved Jacko in 2005 Does it Again

Roger Friedman
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The lawyer who saved Michael Jackson from a long prison run in 2005 has scored again.

Thomas Mesereau, Jr. and his partner Susan Yu had a big victory in Los Angeles last week. They kept Hollywood realtor to the stars Joseph Babajian from trading in Armani suits for those with horizontal stripes.

Babjian has sold houses to the likes of Barbra Streisand, Warren Beatty, Bruce Willis, Lee Iacocca, Becks and Posh, and so on.

But he and his partner, Kyle Grasso, and a real estate appraiser, Lila Rzik were indicted and went to trial for several counts of’ bank fraud that included inflating prices. Prosecutors said the scheme cost Lehman Brothers Bank $40 million on $142 million worth of loans on homes in the Beverly Hills-Bel Air area. Grasso and Rzik were part of a huge ring that included two real estate developers and eight others, all of whom had originally pleaded guilty.

If you ever get in trouble in Los Angeles, or anywhere: call Tom Mesereau.

Grasso and Rzik were found guilty, and face sentencing in January to a combined 940 years in prison. But Babajian walked on 13 counts. Another eight counts caused jury deadlock, and a mistrial was declared.

Babajian is a lucky, lucky man, even though the government still has the option of retrying him on the eight counts. But according to reports, the judge in the case told the prosecutor such a trial would be an uphill battle.

Mesereau’s real magic here was in separating Babajian from Grasso and Rzik, and convincing the jury that the famed realtor was not aware of their shenanigans.

It’s another huge victory for Mesereau and Yu, who’ve kept a relatively low profile since their phenomenal Jackson victory in June 2005.

In fact, Mesereau, rather than grandstanding on TV shows, devotes a huge amount of time to doing pro bono criminal work for the wrongly accused down in Alabama.

Jackson Doc Conrad Murray Sends Video Message

Roger Friedman
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Dr. Conrad Murray, currently the subject of a manslaughter investigation regarding the death of Michael Jackson, has posted a video on YouTube, “Dr. Conrad Murray Thanks Supporters.” It’s a message to his supporters, bucking them up in this difficult time.

Jackson Family May Be Entertaining Big Bucks TV Offer

Roger Friedman
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The winds of commerce are blowing over the Jackson family’s Hayvenhurst home.

Sources have been telling me for a couple of weeks that the Jacksons’ever productive in making money since Michael died on June 25th’are saying that ABC has made the family an offer it probably wouldn’t refuse: a stunning $25 million to turn over all their home movies, let the whole clan be interviewed exclusively by either Barbara Walters or Diane Sawyer, and let the public see Michael’s children be interviewed.

According to the sources, a written offer has been made, and the family has been hashing it out. What certain members don’t want, though, is the participation of Joseph, Jermaine, or La Toya.

At ABC News, spokeswoman Cathie Levine says no one knows anything about this or has ever heard of it. Of course, ABC News does not pay for interviews. At Hayvenhurst, however, they do say it’s happening. Sources there say ABC will funnel it through another Jackson programming deal at A&E’in which ABC parent company Disney has an ownership stake’and then repurpose the material so it shows up on ABC News.

As for that $25 million figure: it does seem a tad high, even if the family produced for viewing Michael’s original nose.

Meanwhile, Point7 Entertainment of Atlanta, Ga., is putting the finishing touches on its Jackson 5 50th anniversary miniseries, which went into production last January. The show is supposed to air on A&E. Producer Jodi Gomes wouldn’t tell me when it’s supposed to start, but no one rules out the possibility of some kind of special on Michael’s birthday, August 29th.

Another option, of course, would be to scoop Sony/Columbia’s $60 million film, “This Is It,” which is set for October 30th.

According to people at Hayvenhurst, “Jodi has the run of the house.” Gomes concedes she has a close relationship with Katherine Jackson. She told me: “A lot of people would like to be in my shoes.”

It’s also unclear how many episodes the A&E miniseries is supposed to last, although, frankly, more than one hour with Jermaine, Tito, Jackie and Marlon would cover the group’s history rather completely. Anything more would have to focus on Michael, and it’s hard to believe that since Michael died, A&E hasn’t been all over the Jacksons for personal stuff and access.

And still more speculation: since the Jacksons are notorious for trying to market themselves, it’s now also a question of whether they or someone they’re in business with will film Michael’s “third funeral” on August 29th at Glendale Forest Lawn. The Jacksons already had a private service at Hollywood Forest’ Lawn, then had the Staples Center memorial service. A third much publicized but “closed to the public” funeral seems superfluous unless it’s being used for some other purpose.

Renee Zellweger Makes Annual Oscar Run

Roger Friedman
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Getty photo

Getty photo

Renee Zellweger returned to the Hamptons on Saturday night from ‘ where else, if you’ve been keeping up with the tabloids ‘ Barcelona. This was presumably with her beau of the moment, Bradley Cooper, an actor who’s been touted all summer as dating everyone from Jennifer Aniston to Cameron Diaz.

Renee was making her annual Oscar run, starring as Hollywood bon vivant George Hamilton’s real life mother in “My One and Only.” She’s terrific as this independent minded mother of two who takes her’sons on’a road trip after she catches their bandleader father with another woman (wonderful Kevin Bacon performance, ‘natch).

No talk of Bradley at the premiere ‘ first a screening at Bryan Bantry’s Goose Creek home, then Mexican dinner at the tiny and very hot Blue Parrot in East Hampton where co-owner Jon Bon Jovi was front’and center’partying along with George, and the likes of art dealer Larry Gagosian, Vanity Fair scribe Bob Colacello, and not only Marci Klein but her dad, too. (That’s Calvin)

Renee brought her parents, who are in town, but no Bradley. When I mentioned Barcelona, she replied, “How ever did you know that?” Wink, wink.

“My One and Only” opens this Friday in limited release in New York and L.A., then rolls out to the rest of the country over Labor Day weekend. Norton Herrick is the producer, and the distributor ‘ this is really an indie movie, with indie distribution. Herrick is a soft spoken, intense New Jersey real estate magnate ‘ and he’s determined to make a stand in the film business.

“We could have gone with a lot of different people,” Herrick told me of his encounters with distributors. “But they didn’t offer us anything we couldn’t get on our own.”

That’s the indie spirit ‘ so watch for “My One and Only” to get Renee her annual nominations, including Indie Spirit. And check out “My One and Only” for the various cameos ‘ Eric McCormack, Troy Garity, Nick Stahl ‘ who populate this well crafted, beautifully told story.

P.S. As for George Hamilton, he looks great, just got his star on the Walk of Fame, now has a movie based on his life. It’s everything his fabled mother wished for him, and more.

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