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Box Office: “Ant Man Quantumania” Defies Poor Reviews with Huge $17.5 Mil Preview Night, “Magic Mike” Collapses in a Heap

Roger Friedman
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Box Office: “Ant Man Quantumania” Defies Poor Reviews with Huge $17.5 Mil Preview Night, “Magic Mike” Collapses in a Heap

Box office numbers are coming in for previews of Marvel’s “Ant Man and the Wasp: Quantumania” and they’re huge. Total was $17.5 million — and that’s just previews!

Shows are sold out everywhere across the land — and that’s despite pretty bad reviews. Rotten Tomatoes has “Ant Man 3” had just 48%. But obviously audiences don’t care. They’re coming anyway.

Meanwhile, the expansion to over 2,000 theaters for “Magic Mike’s Last Dance” has not helped. Poor Mike has collapsed in a heap. The romdancecom is making less money now than when it was in “limited” release. Video on demand, here we come!

Some good news: “A Man Called Otto” will cross $60 mil tonight. Well played by Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson.

Bruce Willis’s Family Says He’s Been Diagnosed with Dementia, But That Was Clear Years Ago

Roger Friedman
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Bruce Willis’s Family Says He’s Been Diagnosed with Dementia, But That Was Clear Years Ago

Bruce Willis clearly had dementia several years ago. Either his family was in denial or they didn’t want to announce it. Today they did, and I suspect that’s because some tabloid was on the verge of exposing it.

Poor Bruce. The family allowed him to make dozens of terrible D movies and wrecked his legacy. A decade ago, Bruce was let go from a Woody Allen film because he couldn’t remember his lines. There was incident after incident after that. At least now they’re owning up to his condition which was obvious years ago.

Here’s the family’s statement:

Our family wanted to start by expressing our deepest gratitude for the incredible outpouring of love, support and wonderful stories we have all received since sharing Bruce’s original diagnosis. In the spirit of that, we wanted to give you an update about our beloved husband, father and friend since we now have a deeper understanding of what he is experiencing.

Since we announced Bruce’s diagnosis of aphasia in spring 2022, Bruce’s condition has progressed and we now have a more specific diagnosis: frontotemporal dementia (known as FTD). Unfortunately, challenges with communication are just one symptom of the disease Bruce faces. While this is painful, it is a relief to finally have a clear diagnosis.

To read our full statement and learn more about this disease please go to the link in our bio.
In Love & Gratitude
Ladies of Willis/Moore

Box Office: Magic Mike Slow Dances After Valentine’s Day Bump From Adding 600 Theaters

Roger Friedman
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Box Office: Magic Mike Slow Dances After Valentine’s Day Bump From Adding 600 Theaters

“Magic Mike” is having a slow dance in its first week of release.

After a desultory opening over the weekend, “Magic Mike’s Last Dance” starring Channing Tatum got a bump on Tuesday. For Valentine’s Day, Warner Bros. added over 600 theaters. The result was a jump of 137% in ticket sales. Cool.

But on Wednesday, Mike got spiked. Sales fell 57%, basically back to where they were on Monday, but now stretched over those extra locations.

The word is, “Magic Mike” will dance on over to video on demand in the next couple of weeks and theaters will decrease in numbers.

Meantime, Marvel’s “Ant Man” part 3 starts in previews tonight. The Paul Rudd led film has terrible reviews — 51% on Rotten Tomatoes, which always loves Marvel movies. All eyes will be on tonight’s take.

Ryan Seacrest Ends “Live” Run with Kelly Ripa on ABC, Mark Consuelos Will Join Wife in Final Family Network Takeover

Roger Friedman
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Ryan Seacrest Ends “Live” Run with Kelly Ripa on ABC, Mark Consuelos Will Join Wife in Final Family Network Takeover

Mornings on ABC are going to be a family affair now.

First of all, Ryan Seacrest is leaving “Live with Kelly and Ryan” after six years and heading back to Los Angeles.

Second, in his place comes Mark Consuelos, husband of host Kelly Ripa, which will complete their takeover of ABC and Disney.

Seacrest made the announcement this morning because he’s got to get back to “American Idol,” which starts up momentarily. It’s unclear if his exit is just because of logistics for him, or because Disney didn’t want to pay for the crazy flying back and forth across the country that has gone on the last five years. Seacrest would do “Idol” then zip back to New York for “Live,” then repeat, for 13 weeks.

Seacrest says in a statement he’s also leaving to return to his charitable foundation, which puts broadcast operations into children’s hospitals. I’ve told you about the foundation before. His sister gets around $271,000 to run it, his father has a $95,000 a year retainer, and now they’ve hired an administrator for $100,000. Salaries were 663K in 2020, and they spent about twice that on the hospitals.

Ripa is happy because Consuelos, who she met when they were actors on ABC’s “All My Children,” can stay home now instead of taking odd acting jobs in far flung places. ABC probably gets a deal and saves a lot of money. Over the last couple of years Ripa’s children have also been on the show. Now this is a full network takeover.

Regis Philbin is probably spinning in his grave, but what can you do? “Live,” which he built into a powerhouse, ranks number 1 or 2 every week in syndicated talk shows. The only real competition it’s had is “Dr. Phil.” But that show is ending this spring. Ripa can make a lot of demands at this point, with no end in sight.

The Other Funny Girl: Julie Benko, Broadway’s Most Valuable Player, Jazzes It Up with a Little Birdland Gumbo

Regina Weinreich
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The Other Funny Girl: Julie Benko, Broadway’s Most Valuable Player, Jazzes It Up with a Little Birdland Gumbo

Julie Benko: she’s not a marquee name unless you’re a fan of “Funny Girl” since it opened on Broadway almost a year ago. Benko subbed for Beanie Feldstein on numerous occasions and built a rabid following overnight. She became so popular as Fanny Brice that when Lea Michele took over the role, Benko was guaranteed one show a week — on Thursday nights — if she stayed. Soon she’ll do a whole week.

So it was extra cool to be at Birdland on West 44th St. recently when Benko took the stage. Birdland served as Preservation Hall North as Benko marched her band on stage for a set called Euphonic Gumbo. The performance, inspired by the French Quarter of New Orleans, was hardly a random soup, but more of a well thought out, scenic visit to the Crescent City beloved by Benko and her husband, jazz pianist Jason Yeager who makes her arrangements of classic tunes entirely fresh for her.

It helps that her seven-piece band includes first rate players: including Michael O’Brian on bass, drummer Jay Sawyer, Andy Warren on trumpet, Evan Christopher on clarinet and Ron Wilkins on trombone. Mixing up the music and her story-telling, Benko created a quiz with prizes that include Café du Monde’s chicory infused coffee, her CDs, and a return to her next Birdland gig—all great because, as she demonstrates amply, she is a master at the cabaret genre, her theme enabling her to provide a history of the beloved Louisiana city, as well as lovely renditions of the tunes.

For “Love for Sale,” known in Billie Holliday’s version, Benko talks about Storyville, a surprisingly diverse place in Jim Crow south. Louis Armstrong lived there for a while in the early twentieth century. She imagines a brothel there. Of course, there were jokes about parades and raining on them. Referencing Brice, Benko changed some language in “Bill Bailey,” which Fanny Brice sang back in the day when the lyrics reflected a different attitude about women and their men. Swapping “Don’t” for “Won’t,” she sang, “Don’t you come home Bill Bailey.” 

Julie Benko will take on the role of Fanny Brice for a week soon, she said when we caught up with her after the show. Gleeks — as Lea Michele’s fans are called — after the show, “Glee” — will not be disappointed. Benko and Yeager return to Birdland on March 27 for his homage to the writing of Kurt Vonnegut. The cat will be in the cradle, and we will be glued to our seats.

RIP Raquel Welch Dead at 82: Screen Siren Sex Symbol with a Sense of Humor Once Covered Every Magazine, Dated Bob Dylan

Roger Friedman
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RIP Raquel Welch Dead at 82: Screen Siren Sex Symbol with a Sense of Humor Once Covered Every Magazine, Dated Bob Dylan

Hard to believe, but Raquel Welch is dead, on her 82nd birthday.

An international screen siren and sex symbol, Raquel was buxom and beautiful but also had a brain. When she appeared on Broadway in “Victor/Victoria,” we got to see her a lot. That’s when I found she’d dated Bob Dylan. No kidding. She was no dummy.

Raquel hit it big in 1966 with two B movies: Fantastic Voyage and One Million Years BC. Later she starred in Myra Breckenridge, The Magic Christian, and The Three Musketeers. She had a good sense of humor about being every boy’s pin up in the 1960s. Her character’s name in “Bedazzled” was Lilian Lust.

She was on Broadway twice. She replaced Julie Andrews in “Victor/Victoria” in 1997, and Lauren Bacall in “Woman of the Year” in 1981. Each time, she was praised for her performance and made a lot of friends in the New York theater world. It was during that 1997 run that she spent some time in Elaine’s restaurant and I got to know her. That’s when she told me told she’d dated Bob Dylan, raising her already high profile to a new stratosphere.

Raquel was married four times and had two children. Her daughter, Tahnee Welch, starred in the great movie, “Cocoon.” Raquel was a great lady and will be sorely missed.

Are There No More Movie Stars? Vanity Fair Annual Hollywood Issue Focuses on TV Actors and Unknowns

Roger Friedman
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Are There No More Movie Stars? Vanity Fair Annual Hollywood Issue Focuses on TV Actors and Unknowns

Vanity Fair has issued its Emmy issue at the time of the Oscars. Either they couldn’t get big movie stars to pose for them, or there just aren’t any, anymore.

That would seem to the case. On the cover are 12 actors. One of them is probably very nice but no one has heard their name except their parents. Five more are from TV series. The other four are in movies but aren’t big stars with the possible exception of Austin Butler from “Elvis.”

I love Julia Garner, but her total resume is from “Ozark” and “Inventing Anna.” Selena Gomez is a singer who appears on “Only Murders in the Building.” Jeremy Allen White comes from “Shameless” and “The Bear.” Emma Corrin is from “The Crown.” Rege Jean Page’s major credit is “Bridgerton.”

The lack of Oscar nominees is really shocking. Even a non-nominee like Danielle Deadwyler from “Till” would have been more appropriate and cutting edge. And of 12 actors only 3 who are Black? That’s Jonathan Majors, Keke Palmer, and Page– all of whom are up and coming but not exactly Stars with a capital S.

But this indicative of Vanity Fair’s loosened grip on Hollywood since Graydon Carter stepped down as editor in chief. With the exception of Butler, the faces on that cover would be hard for readers t identify on the newsstand. Deadwyler should have been there, but also where are Cate Blanchett, Michelle Williams, someone from “Everything Everywhere All at Once,” Viola Davis, Jamie Lee Curtis, the guys from “Banshees” and on and on? (Everyone likes Florence Pugh, but she was in a major flop this year.)

Maybe Vanity Fair is telling us movies are over. But who will they put on their TV Issue next fall?

Watch Hilarious First Promo for the Oscars Spoofs “Top Gun Maverick” as They Look for Host Who’s “Unflappable and Unslappable”

Roger Friedman
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Watch Hilarious First Promo for the Oscars Spoofs “Top Gun Maverick” as They Look for Host Who’s “Unflappable and Unslappable”

This is pretty funny. ABC’s first promo for the Oscars features Jimmy Kimmel, Jon Hamm, Charles Parnell, and Billy Crystal. It’s a send up of “Top Gun Maverick” and mentions last year’s slap. If things head in this direction, I’ve got a good feeling about this year’s show on March 12th.

Watch Kevin Costner Unbox His Golden Globe And Never Mention the Show It Was For, “Yellowstone”

Roger Friedman
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Watch Kevin Costner Unbox His Golden Globe And Never Mention the Show It Was For, “Yellowstone”

Kevin Costner couldn’t get to the Golden Globes last month because of the floods in Southern California.

Now his statue has arrived for Best Actor in a Drama. Costner posted a video unpacking the Globe statue for his fans.

He thanks the fans, and the Hollywood Foreign Press, but never once mentions “Yellowstone” or his character, John Dutton. As I wrote last week, Costner is likely done with “Yellowstone” when the second part of Season 5 ends this summer.

The omission of the show is not a mistake. Costner knows what he’s doing, trust me.

Meanwhile, in Palm Beach and NYC, Grand Society Lives On with Great Charity Balls and Fashion Shows

Roger Friedman
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Meanwhile, in Palm Beach and NYC, Grand Society Lives On with Great Charity Balls and Fashion Shows

Considering everything else going on in the world, you wouldn’t believe it, but Society lives on. In Palm Beach, the very wealthy meet and mingle, raising money for charity with galas– aka balls — and fashion shows.

Last weekend, Mitch McConnell’s wife, former secretary of transportation Elaine Chao, was among the guests, and the Beach Boys entertained as the Prostate Cancer Foundation (PCF) hosted their annual Pro-Am Tennis & Golf Tournament in South Florida. The tournaments were a part of a five-day event that combines the 2023 Milken Institute South Florida Dialogues and annual Pro-Am Tournaments.  (This year is a double-anniversary for the PCF as it was both the 25th Anniversary of the PCF in Palm Beach and the 30th Anniversary year of the Foundation itself.)

Some of the other guests included billionaire Bill Koch, South African born real estate mogul Eddie Trump (no relation to you know who), as well as Mike Milken, Howard Cox, Rob and Cindy Citrone, Yobi founder Ahmed Reza, Larry Leeds,  Bonnie Pfeifer Evans, and Don and Katrina Peebles. All proceeds from the PCF Pro-Am Tennis Tournament and the Golf Tournament funded PCF’s promising and innovative research efforts for the prevention, detection and treatment of prostate cancer, and to help extend and improve the lives of all cancer patients

At the same time New York philanthropist Jean Shafiroff hosted a luncheon at Café Boulud at The Brazilian Court Hotel in Palm Beach, Florida in honor of the Samuel Waxman Cancer Research Foundation (SWCRF) of which Jean was a past honoree and devoted supporter.  The luncheon was attended by over 20 VIP guests. Shafiroff spoke about the wonderful work that the charity performs in pursuit of cancer research and made a donation to the foundation on behalf of the attendees.

The Waxman Foundation has grown its International Network on Aging and Cancer. Launched in 2018, this network brings together government agencies, pharmaceutical companies, philanthropists, research labs and universities, and other foundations to work together to address the rising incidence of cancer associated with aging and discover innovative prevention and treatment…

Meanwhile, Society was busy in New York. Elysian, an international luxury lifestyle brand created to inspire and reflect the interests of women, held the Inaugural CatWalk FurBaby fundraiser at Sony Hall, to launch New York Fashion Week 2023, created by Elysian’s Karen Floyd and hosted by Consuelo Vanderbilt Costin. Consuelo is a seventh generation descendant of railroad tycoon, Cornelius Vanderbilt and somewhere in Anderson Cooper’s family tree. The evening before Elysian hosted a fashion fete at Lafayette 148 on Madison Avenue, New York with a portion of the proceeds being donated to the Bissell Pet Foundation…

And that’s not all…

The 62nd Annual Quadrille Ball, a formal ball with a long, distinguished past, is one of the annual highlights of the New York season and was held at 583 Park Avenue in New York City.

The annual Ball is a fundraiser for scholarships awarded to highly qualified American and German undergraduate and graduate students including PhD candidates. The Quadrille was founded more than 60 years ago to enhance and strengthen transatlantic relationships through education with guests including Raban Freiherr von Arnim and wife Allison Ecung Baroness von Arnim. Through its non-profit parent organization, the Quadrille supports undergraduate, master and PhD students.

Recipients are chosen with the cooperation of three highly regarded organizations: Columbia University, the International Institute of Education, and the Fulbright Commission. The graduate students have successfully concluded the Fulbright scholarship application process before being chosen by the Quadrille. Over the years, the Quadrille Scholarship Fund has supported some 700 students from the US and Germany.

The Quadrille Ball itself takes its name from a dance popular in the 18th Century, called “Quadrille.” It is a formal dance in square formation. The Quadrille dance is rehearsed and performed by young professionals who are volunteering their time on the recommendation of alumni, patrons, and friends.

There’s more, it’s all over Palm Beach and New York, winter season. Everyone’s raising money for good causes, too.

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