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In the old days, HBO’s “The Gilded Age” would have roared into a third season with at least 12 episodes. And they’d be an hour long.
But I’m told when “The Gilded Age” returns — maybe this spring or later — there will be only 8 installments.
Disappointed fans will be further frustrated when they hear that the episodes are “Short,” says insider. Length of episodes in the first two seasons ranged from 46 to 80 minutes. It sounds like Season 3 will fall more on the 46 end.
Oh how we long for those old days! HBO and Warner Discovery could have developed a 5 or 6 season series with “Gilded Age.” But that would take money, and the new owner — David Zaslav — obviously doesn’t want to make that investment. “Gilded Age,” from Julian Fellowes, was set to become the American “Downton Abbey.”
Most of the original cast will return with the exception of Tony winner Michael Cerveris, who’s currently killing it on Broadway in Elton John’s “Tammy Faye” as the slimy Jerry Falwell. A slew of new people are coming including Phylicia Rashad, Brian Stokes Mitchell, Bill Camp, and many Broadway stars.
Maybe if “Gilded Age” returns with bigger numbers this time, HBO will give it a longer fourth season. It’s too bad this season is so curtailed, however. Season 3 is usually when a show really takes off.
Donald Trump celebrated the 5th anniversary of the start of COVID today on social media.
He thinks he did a bang up job despite 1 million Americans dying on his watch.
Trump completely ignored the start of COVID and was saying until February 2020 that it was no big deal, and that only a few people had died.
When COVID suddenly became rampant, Trump fought with Dr. Anthony Fauci about wearing masks. He suggested on live TV that Americans drink Clorox or use ultraviolet light to cure themselves. He told people to take Ivermectin and Hydroxychloroquine. He abandoned science altogether.
Trump took credit for the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines even though they were developed under President Barack Obama. He took credit also for their distribution which had nothing to do with him. But his cult has been convinced that he wasn’t the one who killed their families and friends.
Frank Sinatra is coming to the famed Apollo Theater on Thursday for a very special evening
Producers of “Sinatra, The Musical,” as well as the Chairman of the Board’s estate, are bringing their musical in with a full orchestra for one night only.
Broadway star Matt Doyle croons Frank’s biggest hits, and the large of theatre vets includes Brad Oscar of “The Producers” and other hits.
The great Kathleen Marshall is director and choreographer, while Joe DiPietro wrote the book.
Frank’s daughter, Tina, has done an amazing job overseeing her dad’s legacy with documentaries and reissued recordings. She says: “When my dad was a boy, he’d sit on a Hoboken wharf and stare at the Manhattan skyline. New York was his dream, and a Broadway musical about his early years has been my dream. I didn’t think it was possible, but this show truly captures his sound and spirit.”
“Sinatra The Musical”is executive produced by Scott Landis and Mark Shacket at Foresight Theatrical serves as the General Manager. The show had a tryout run in the UK in 2023 and got rave reviews. I’m told that if the stars align (meaning backers love it, too) the show could hit Broadway any time next year. “They’re ready to go,” says a source.
Me? I could listen to Sinatra every day. Who couldn’t? If ever there was a “jukebox musical” for everyone, this is it!
This morning MSNBC viewers were shocked to hear Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski announce they’d visited Donald Trump over the weekend at Mar-a-Lago.
Griffin said she’d told Matt Gaetz not to show a piece of gossip to Trump about Scarborough in the Oval Office.
She said, according to Entertainment Weekly, that Gaetz held in his hand a file suggesting Scarborough had murdered a former employee.
“He shows me these printed out conspiracy theories that Joe Scarborough of Morning Joe and former congressman had murdered his staffer,” Griffin claimed. “I said, ‘Please do not show these to the President of the United States.’ Then, days ensued of Donald Trump tweeting false, malicious claims about Joe Scarborough. The family of the woman who died — there was no foul play, it was a tragedy — begged Twitter and the White House to take it down, so that speaks to his character, integrity, and judgment.”
I had thought that perhaps NBC Universal brass had sent Scarborough to see Trump to call a truce before the new administration was seated. But I am told by insiders that he went — with wife Mika — on his own. Scarborough obviously heard this story on “The View” and went ballistic.
It’s not like he hadn’t heard it before from Trump. In May 2020, Trump called Scarborough a “total nut job” in a post on X, and offered the false claim of murder against the MSNBC personality.
“When will they open a Cold Case on the Psycho Joe Scarborough matter in Florida. Did he get away with murder? Some people think so,” Trump wrote. “Why did he leave Congress so quietly and quickly? Isn’t it obvious? What’s happening now?”
This morning, Mika said: “For those asking why we would go speak to the president-elect during such fraught times, especially between us, I guess I would ask back, ‘Why wouldn’t we?’ Joe and I realized it’s time to do something different, and that starts with not only talking about Donald Trump but also talking with him.”
What makes all this so weird is that this morning Griffin announced on her show that she agreed with Scarborough for taking the meeting. No one mentioned last week’s story even though it occurred just five days ago on the same show and came from her!
Scarborough, for his part, also didn’t mention the murder conspiracy story. The former staffer, it was discovered, wasn’t murdered at all. She died from an undiagnosed heart condition according to an autopsy. But Trump took Gaetz’s tabloid allegations and wrote them on his feed. Trump was then President of the United States. Gaetz is now a candidate for Attorney General. Neither one of them hesitated to spread fake news.
But why didn’t Scarborough mention this part of his motivation for seeing Trump? Did they discuss it? We don’t know.
The Rock is in a movie that will sink like a Rock unless international audiences come to save it.
“Red One” made a probably over-estimated $34 million this weekend. It cost $250 million.
The Jake Kasdan-directed Santa Claus kidnap movie also stars Chris Evans, of Marvel fame. To break even, it would have had to make at least $400 million and that is not going to happen.
“Red One” is currently parked at over 4,000 theaters.
Now we wait til Thursday night as “Gladiator II” hopefully will come and save the season. It’s very good, so that will help. “Red Zone” was panned across the board.
Three likely Best Picture nominees are holding their own. “Conclave,” “A Real Pain,” and “Anora” are all holding on in limited release. Go see them today. Those three, plus “Gladiator II,” “Wicked,” maybe “The Brutalist,” and “Emilia Perez” are the top candidates for awards this season. I’d throw in “Hit Man” on Netflix, too, but who knows if it will have a campaign.
60 MILLION HOUSEHOLDS TUNED IN LIVE FOR JAKE PAUL VS. MIKE TYSON WITH NEARLY 50 MILLION FOR AMANDA SERRANO VS. KATIE TAYLOR 2 DURING THE NETFLIX AND MOST VALUABLE PROMOTIONS MEGA-EVENT
It was a record-breaking night for Netflix. Additional viewership information, including total viewers, will be released early this week.
60 million households watched the Paul vs. Tyson main event live around the world, peaking at 65 million concurrent streams. Nearly 50 million households globally tuned in live for the co-main event of Serrano vs. Taylor 2. Additionally, the bout is likely to be the most watched professional women’s sporting event in US history.
Joe Hand Promotions, the leader in premium live sports and entertainment programming for the out-of-home market, also distributed last night’s event to over 6000 bars & restaurants in the US, setting the record for commercial distribution of a combat sports event in the company’s 50+ year history.
#PaulTyson was the No. 1 trending topic worldwide on X on Friday with #Serrano at No. 2 in the US, Brazil, Spain, and Canada. The fight dominated social conversation, accounting for 11 of the Top 11 trending topics in the US.
The event shattered records, achieving the following milestones:
Paul vs. Tyson and Taylor vs. Serrano 2 is the biggest boxing gate outside of Las Vegas in US history.
Paul vs. Tyson gate has surpassed $18 million, double the previous Texas gate record for combat sports in both boxing and MMA, topping Canelo Álvarez’s record of $9 million.
Netflix and Most Valuable Promotions made AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, the epicenter of boxing history last night as an astounding 72.3k total attendees gathered to witness the historic Paul vs. Tyson and Taylor vs. Serrano 2 fight card.
The fight attracted a star-studded ringside audience including Evander Holyfield, Shaquille O’Neal, Sugar Ray Leonard, Jerry Jones, Charlize Theron, Ralph Macchio, William Zabka, Josh Duhamel, Joe Jonas, Joe Manganiello,.
Mariah Carey’s 30th anniversary of ruling over Christmas is having some trouble.
I told you earlier this week that Mariah’s annual re-release of “All I Want for Christmas” barrage was in trouble. Page Six from the NY Post wrote the same story four days later, of course.
Now I can tell you that Mariah has really been tackled by the Philadelphia Eagles’s retired star Jason Kelce and friends. Their group, the Philly Specials, now has the numbers 1, 2, and 4 records on the iTunes Christmas songs chart. They have a top 10 hit on the iTunes Top 100 and a hit album with “A Philly Special Christmas Party.”
Mariah’s single is down around number 80 on the iTunes Top 100 and so is the album, called “Merry Xmas,” on the album chart.
Kelce is the brother of Travis, who’s the boyfriend of Taylor Swift. Travis has been known to harmonize with Jason on their previous two albums, but Taylor so far has not joined in. At least we don’t think she has. But fans may be scouring the songs for any sign of her voice or guitar.
Mariah is on her annual Christmas tour right now, and has launched a line of Xmas merch, too. It’s early in the holiday season, so “All I Want” may eventually return to number 1. But for now, the Philly Sounds have undone her longtime reign.
The Santa kidnap movie, “Red One” is sinking like a Rock, The Rock.
“Red One” will make around $30 million for the weekend. It cost $250 million according to reports.
Dwayne “The Johnson” Rock stars along with Chris Evans, of Marvel fame, and the Flame from “Fantastic Four.” Jake Kasdan is the director.
But “Red One” has flamed out upon launch.
This is a complication for Amazon MGM which has “Red One” in 4,000 venues. But the $11 million on Thursday-Friday is a bad omen for the future unless “Red One” suddenly catches on during the holidays.
On the Upside, “Red One” is the only “hit” of the weekend. Everything else has been around a while.
If ABC is going to cancel “Grey’s Anatomy,” they’d better let the producers know soon. They have to craft a big farewell episode.
Last night, “Grey’s” had just 2.13 million viewers at 10pm on ABC. That’s a little less than half of its competition, “Elsbeth,” on CBS.
The 21st season of “Grey’s” — which is about 10 too many — is off 29% from last year. Moved by ABC to 10pm, the veteran hospital drama is on life support.
The only good news is that “Grey’s” is beating the NBC drama at 10pm called “Found.” (Why would you call a show “Found” after “Lost” was such a hit?) So that’s something.
“Grey’s” is over. As I said, it should have American TV series run way too long. Mary Tyler Moore was right when she said, go out on top. Seven is the magic number. Every season after that risks a show’s legacy. “SVU” may be the only exception, but it found a new POV and life. When “Grey’s” killed off Patrick Dempsey, the die was cast.
Elton John’s “Tammy Faye” Musical opened on Broadway last night to a an A List audience. It also brought a bunch of terrific new songs from Sir Elton, and high powered performances from a great cast.
Initial reviews are mixed, but I had a great time and so did everyone at the newly renovated and moved (upward) Palace Theater.
Among those in the audience: Michael Stipe, the great rocker from REM; Anderson Cooper and Andy Cohen; comic actor Titus Burgess; Tony winner Celia Keenan-Bolger; favorite actor Richard Kind, plus TCM host Dave Karger. I’m told I missed seeing Alec Baldwin and wife Hilaria.
And, course, Sir Elton and husband David Furnish were there, as well as Scissor Sisters singer Jake Shears, who wrote the song lyrics. So was Tammy Faye and Jim Bakker’s son, Jay, who is 100% devoted to the show.
Sir Elton and David are deeply attached to the subject matter. Tammy Faye Bakker seemed like a joke during her hey day. But what’s emerged in the movie starring Jessica Chastain, and in this musical, is what a courageous pioneer she as in acknowledging AIDS patients and the gay community. This is not a small thing. While the TV evangelist world of the 80s dismissed AIDS — just like Ronald Reagan, their hero — Tammy Faye was an avenger in mascara.
British actress Kate Brayben — who won an Olivier Award in the UK — makes a sensational Broadway debut as Tammy Faye. This won’t be her last time here. Brayben brings a humanity to Tammy Faye while belting out a dozen more new Elton John classics like “If Only Love” and the smashing 11 o’clock number, “If You Came to See Me Cry.”
Broadway stars and Tony winners Christian Borle and Michael Cerveris are no slouches either, playing Jim Bakker and Jerry Falwell. Borle gives Jim Bakker a personality, pathos, and humor. Cerveris brings down the house singing his heart out with his solo spotlight on “Satellite of God.” The songs are very Elton-ish, so much so that I can’t wait to hear the soundtrack CD. His zillions of fans will be thrilled.
What wobbles sometimes in “Tammy Faye” is the book by James Graham. The show is a gloss on the Tammy and Jim story, playing the highlights (including Jim’s affair with Jessica Hahn) but never getting under the skin of either subject. Still, it’s an entertaining show full of great sounds and performers. It’s worth our time. And Sir Elton remains an international treasure!
