Fleetwood Mac’s Stevie Nicks posted a handwritten note to Instagram this afternoon. She says she didn’t even know Christine McVie, her “best friend since 1975,” was ill until this past Saturday. That seems a little odd, but okay. Here’s Stevie’s post:
Sean Penn, Dakota Johnson Begin Shooting “Daddio” This Week in NY From New Hot Director-Writer Christy Hall
New York is getting a big new movie production this week.
Sean Penn and Dakota Hall start shooting “Daddio” in a few days. The writer-director is Christy Hall, who is hot hot hot right now. Hall just scored a series starring Scarlett Johansson called “Just Cause,” for Amazon Studios.
In “Daddio,” Penn plays a cab driver who picks up Johnson at the airport. The whole movie is about them sharing life stories. It’s unclear if others will be cast, but we’ll keep our ears open. Johnson had a big year in 2022 herself. She starred in “Cha Cha Real Smooth,” Cooper Raiff’s great indie film that Apple seems to have forgotten they paid a record $25 million for. Sean Penn, also, is fairly well known. You may have seen him before.
PS Production designer for “Daddio” is twice Oscar nominated Kristi Zea, whose insane list of credits includes “Goodfellas,” “The Departed,” and currently “The Watcher.” So at least you know the movie’s going to look great!
RIP Christine McVie, the Heart and Soul of Fleetwood Mac, Dies of Short Illness at Age 79
Fleetwood Mac’s Christine McVie has passed away at age 79. The news is heartbreaking because was literally the heart and soul of the group.
An announcement only says she died in hospital from a short illness. Family and friends were with her.
Christine and husband John McVie were part of the original Mac with Mick Fleetwood. They long predate Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham. They fell apart as a couple when the band hit it big in 1976 with the Fleetwood Mac album but they remained friends.
Christine wrote the band’s signature hit, “Don’t Stop,” as well my some of my own favorite songs like “Over My Head” and “Heroes Are Hard to Find.” She wrote most of the “Fleetwood Mac” and “Rumours” albums, putting the band on track for its most successful and beloved songs. Her other hits include “Everywhere,” which has been on the charts for months after it was included in a commercial, as well as “Little Lies,” “Hold Me,” and “You Make Loving Fun.”
Christine Perfect joined Fleetwood Mac with the band’s second album. She married John McVie in 1968. They divorced in 1976. She had a famous affair with Dennis Wilson of the Beach Boys, and several other high profile relationships. From 1986 to 2003 she was married to Portuguese keyboardist and songwriter Eddy Quintela.
All the crazy relationship stuff aside, Christine had a beautifully moderating honey coated voice that was juxtaposed over her keen melodies, and they were always countered by strong guitar solos. She was my favorite Mac, and maybe yours, too. This is sad, sad news.
Sunday Ratings: Sylvester Stallone’s “Tulsa King” Renewed for 2nd Season Despite Not Landing Punches, Loses 57% of “Yellowstone” Audience
So far, Sylvester Stallone’s “Tulsa King” is no champ in the ratings. (That’s a reference to “Rocky.”) Despite low ratings, Paramount has renewed the series for a second season.
While Paramount Channel’s “Yellowstone” is drawing over 8 million viewers each Sunday, “Tulsa King” is not keeping the audience.
About 3.4 million “Yellowstone” fans stick around for the Stallone comedy about a mobster who moves to Oklahoma. That’s a 57% drop in audience.
Something will have to be done soon if “Tulsa King” continues into Season 2. Maybe there could be a “Yellowstone” cross over episode. Kevin Costner can visit Oklahoma. That would be pretty funny.
Stallone is already indicating that shooting this show is difficult and he’d probably like to get back to movies. Can he go back to “Rocky” after insulting producer Irwin Winkler over and over? I guess for the right money anything is possible.
Ratings: HBO’s “White Lotus” Up 55% with Episode 5 as the Kinky Stuff Spirals Out of Control
HBO’s “The White Lotus” is not for the faint of heart.
Sunday’s episode was up nearly 55% in total viewers as the word has spread of the kink factor in this season.
Two weeks ago some dialogue was spoken between the two “bros” on the show played by Theo James and Will Sharpe that suggested there may be more to their relationship than meets the eye.
On Sunday, the show ended with Jennifer Coolidge’s character discovering two other characters — who are presumed to be uncle and nephew (but let’s hope not) — getting it on rather graphically.
Word must have spread to other time zones, because “White Lotus” ratings zoomed up to 641,000 just on the HBO main channel. I’m sure HBO Max also went crazy. This is not timid stuff.
There are two episodes left. This Sunday the stage will be set for who gets killed and who does the killing. Something tells me Theo James repulsive Cameron has got to go, and his wife, Daphne, is going to do the deed. When the season began, Daphne was seen on the beach looking all innocent and talking to a stranger. Then she went for a swim and discovered a body. Hmmmm….
Is Marion Ravenswood Returning for “Indiana Jones 5”? Karen Allen Isn’t Saying, But She’s Up for an “Animal House” Sequel
EXCLUSIVE There were plenty of interesting people who turned up for last night’s screening and reception for “The Fabelmans.” In fact, the only person missing, sadly, was director Steven Spielberg, who’s been sidelined with COVID. He was very much missed!
Still, the group at swanky Lincoln Ristorante in Lincoln Center did their job to keep up spirits. They included stars Michelle Williams, Paul Dano, Gabrielle Labelle, and screenwriter Tony Kushner, and a crowd that flocked around them including Lou Diamond Phillips, legendary talk show host Dick Cavett, Celia Weston, documentary filmmaker star Barbara Kopple, the great Yankee announcer Michael Kay and his wife Jodi Applegate, MSNBC’s Lawrence O’Donnell, and someone we don’t see too often in New York: Karen Allen.
Allen lives in Massachusetts and is not the “circuit.” But she’s a friend of Spielberg, naturally, since she starred in the first and fourth “Indiana Jones” movies as Indy’s great love, Marion Ravenswood. So is she in the fifth and as yet untitled Indiana Jones movie? After all, this is the big finale after 40 years!
Allen, still with a twinkle in her eye, was all smiles when she exclaimed, “I could tell you but then I’d have to kill you!”
Hmmm…
“Seriously, I can’t say a word,” she continued, and quickly changed the subject back to “The Fabelmans,” which she loved.
You know I persisted. “And what about you and Indy having a kid? Last time it was supposed to be Shia LaBeouf. Now what?”
Allen gave me a blank stare. So I mentioned that she’d been in the greatest movie ever made, John Landis’s immortal 1978 comedy, “Animal House.”
That subject got her attention. “We talk all the time about making a sequel called ‘Animal Home,'” she said. “We’d all be living in a nursing home, partying, wearing robes and pajamas instead of togas!” Is this a real thing? She shook her head no. “Just in the casts’ minds. But we’d better hurry before we lose more cast members!”
It’s a great idea. But one I think that will remain a fantasy — or a good “SNL” sketch. And with that, Karen Allen retreated to the cool, clean environs of the Berkshires. Maybe we’ll see her at next summer’s “Indiana Jones” premiere — or maybe not!
PS Karen also got to reunite last night with the great PR man Gary Springer, who was once an actor himself. (He was in “Jaws,” another Spielberg classic.) Allen and Springer were both in “A Small Circle of Friends,” sort of a predecessor in 1980 to”The Big Chill.” “There was a fire where we were staying,” Gary recalled. “Yes, and a few people were running around naked,” Allen responded with a laugh. Those were the days!
Add on: A few press people wandered over to Lincoln Ristorante just as the party was ending. They’d been at a reception for A24’s “The Whale,” where no one was allowed to speak to Brendan Fraser, and the celebrities were in a roped off section! Sounds like fun!
Fabelmans Fans: Watch Michelle Williams’ Extraordinary Speech Dedicating Her Gotham Award to “Dawson’s Creek” Actress
I don’t know what’s better, Paul Dano’s lovely introduction of his “Fabelmans” costar Michelle Williams, or Williams’ beautiful speech honoring “Dawson’s Creek” star Mary Beth Peil. This is one of the great acceptance speeches.
Michael Jackson’s Thriller Album Jumps into the Top 10 on Billboard, Other Charts with 40th Anniversary Edition
Michael Jackson is back!
The 40th anniversary edition of “Thriller” has hit the top 10 on Billboard, hitsdailydouble, and iTunes.
Total albums sold or streamed through last Thursday were 37,000. There will be more this week. The 40th anniversary collection includes extra tracks, unheard demos, and that sort of thing. It’s also been remastered so the sound is topnotch.
The new success is a vindication for MIchael after years and years of being dragged. It also shows that great music is timeless.
Patti Labelle Set to Present Gladys Knight with Her Long Awaited Kennedy Center Honor This Weekend (Exclusive)
The Kennedy Center Honors take place this weekend in Washington, DC. President Joe Biden and Dr. Jill Biden will host the honorees at the White House and attend the Sunday ceremony performance not just because they love the arts. They recently spent Thanksgiving weekend at the Nantucket mansion of Kennedy Center’s unofficial owner, Carlyle Group CEO David Rubenstein. (They also kinda own the Washington Monument.)
I’m told that Gladys Knight, who will finally get an Honor, will be presented with her induction by none other than Patti Labelle. My guess is Patti will sing one of Gladys’s many hits like “Midnight Train to Georgia” or “I Heard it Through the Grapevine.” It’s possible Dionne Warwick will make an appearance, too. Gladys, Patti, and Dionne are lifelong pals.
George Clooney, U2, Amy Grant, and Tania Leon are the other inductees. Clooney’s list of friends is enormous, but I’d count on Julia Roberts doing the presenting since they are currently in a hit movie together. Amy Grant may see husband Vince Gill on stage. Bruce Springsteen or even Sting would be excellent choices for U2.
The finished show airs on CBS later in December.
PS My only regret here is that honorees themselves don’t perform. To hear Gladys in that special would really make it special!
“SNL” Lines Up Next 3 Shows with Keke Palmer, SZA, Steve Martin & Martin Short, Brandi Carlile, “Elvis” Star Austin Butler
“Saturday Night Live” is going to stage a December comeback!
This Saturday, the host is Keke Palmer and the musical guest is SZA. On December 10th they’ve got Steve Martin and Martin Short together as hosts, with Brandi Carlile as musical guest.
The show will close out the fall season on December 17th with “Elvis” Austin Butler, and musical group the Yeah Yeah Yeahs.
Butler, hopefully, will do some Elvis on the show. He’ll be in the thick of awards season by then.
With this Saturday’s show, “SNL” continues pairing Black hosts with Black musicians. I wonder if NBC tells them do one a Black week, then a white week. I mean, it would have been better to have Brandi Carlile with Keke Palmer, and SZA with the Martins. Oh well.
The show’s ratings have been very meh this season. Maybe all this will take things up a notch.