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More Stallone Madness: “Rocky” Star Calls Himself an “Exploited Artist” Despite $400 Mil Net Worth

Roger Friedman
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More Stallone Madness: “Rocky” Star Calls Himself an “Exploited Artist” Despite $400 Mil Net Worth

Very little can explain Sylvester Stallone’s continued social media attacks against “Rocky” producer Irwin Winkler and his family. I’m starting to think Stallone is having some kind of problem that requires medical attention.

This afternoon, Stallone added a new post calling himself an “exploited artist.” Stallone keeps attacking Winkler who bought the “Rocky” screenplay in 1975 along with his producing partner Bob Chartoff. That gave Winkler the rights to “Rocky” but it also made Stallone a very wealthy man and international superstar. Up to that time he’d made a fleeting cameo in a Woody Allen movie.

By all reports, Stallone is worth at least $400 million. Everyone would like to be exploited to that extent.

Stallone keeps posting nasty illustrations of the Winkler family. It’s unbecoming and petty. He’s totally out of line. He’s acting like a child. If he has a problem, he should use his expensive lawyers and publicists to pursue the matter. I’m very disappointed by his behavior.

Stallone Posts Another Attack on “Rocky” Producers, But Sources Say He’s Been Offered the Moon — and Turned it Down (Exclusive)

Roger Friedman
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Stallone Posts Another Attack on “Rocky” Producers, But Sources Say He’s Been Offered the Moon — and Turned it Down (Exclusive)

Sylvester Stallone has gone a little wonky.

Responding to news of a “Rocky” spin off movie called “Drago” written by Robert Lawton, Stallone has posted a new diatribe excoriating executive producer Irwin Winkler and his family. “Drago” would be the origin story of the Dolph Lundgren character who battled Rocky Balboa.

Stallone wrote on Instagram tonight: “Another Heartbreaker… Just found this out…ONCE AGAIN , PATHETIC 94 year old PRODUCER and HIS SELFISH USELESS CHILDREN are once again picking what is left OFF THE BONES of another wonderful character !!! Seriously , how do you weasels look in mirror ???. I am sorry to the FANS , I APOLOGIZE to the FANS I never wanted ROCKY to be exploited FOR THIS GREED .. # no shame #sad day #Parasite.”

But I’m told that Stallone’s producing partner, Braden Aftergood, sat in a Zoom pitch meeting in April with Lawton and signed off on the project, giving Stallone’s approval. According to my sources, MGM would not proceed with a “Rocky” spin off movie unless Stallone gave permission.

 

Now everyone involved is wondering why Stallone keeps attacking Winkler. Last week, Stallone claimed that Winkler was preventing Stallone from making more of his own “Rocky” movies. But I’m told exclusively that Stallone pitched a new movie about Rocky running for mayor of Philadelphia, and MGM signed off on a $2 million fee for the screenplay. The deal, they say, never happened because Stallone backed off and didn’t take the money.

Stallone does not appear in “Creed III,” directed by Michael B. Jordan, which was just moved from Thanksgiving to March 2023. Sources say he was offered the chance to play Rocky in the film — this is the first “Rocky” oriented movie without Stallone since the franchise launched in 1976. They say it was Stallone’s choice not to be included.

Even more interesting: now I’m told that “Creed III” is not “locked” as they say in the business. The producers have left a space for Stallone to appear in the film. All he has to do is say the word. “They’ve begged him to do it,” says the insider.

As for “Drago,” let me point out the news of its existence should not be a surprise to Stallone. Lundgren talked about it last year in an interview.

I don’t get it. I’ve had many excellent experiences with Sylvester Stallone over the years. What he’s doing now just doesn’t make sense. Maybe his people will put him in touch with me so we can unravel all these mysteries and strange social media posts. After the last story I wrote, by the way, Stallone took down his previous rants against Winkler. But now there’s a new one.

What still doesn’t make sense about this? Stallone could handle all this through the top lawyers and agents in Hollywood. Why has he chosen the route of a public fight? It’s not reflecting well on him, right or wrong.

Beyonce Under Attack from Singer Songwriter Kelis for “Thievery” Over Unlicensed Use of Old Hit “Milkshake”

Roger Friedman
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Beyonce Under Attack from Singer Songwriter Kelis for “Thievery” Over Unlicensed Use of Old Hit “Milkshake”

You may have heard Beyonce released a new album yesterday called “Renaissance.” It’s already number 1.

I told you last week that “Renaissance” was full of samples and covers, aka “interpolations.” Meaning Beyonce’s producers threw a lot of pieces of old songs into a musical Cuisinart and came up with new “songs” that stitch together oldies.

One of those oldies is singer songwriter Kelis’s 2003 hit, “Milkshake,” credited to Pharrell Williams and Chad Hugo as the Neptunes. The only problem is that no one asked Kelis, who is no wallflower. She’s smart and articulate and mad. She calls what Beyonce’s done “thievery” and accuses Pharrell of never writing a song. (You may also recall Pharrell’s involvement in the Robin Thicke theft of Marvin Gaye’s “Got to Give It Up” for his “Blurred Lines.”)

Kelis says she’s not mad at Beyonce per se but annoyed that no one called to say Bey had covered her hit in this melange. She is furious at Pharrell.

But all of this speaks to the really bizarre world of hip hop. Since this form of recording began 30 plus years ago, there’s not much in catalogs that’s original. Almost all the hip hop songs are re-purposing of old material. Case in point: back when Sean Puff Daddy Combs came to prominence it was because of his single, “I’ll Be Missing You.” But that was an interpolation/cover of Sting’s “Every Breath You Take.” Sting would up getting all the royalties. “I’ll Be Missing You” doesn’t actually exist. Puffy made money only from the sale of records. When the song is played now on the radio, only Sting benefits.

There are hundreds and hundreds of cases like that, a lot involving Jay Z and Kanye West who do not write music but sample or “interpolate.” Jay Z’s biggest hit, “Hard Knock Life,” sends royalties to its composers, the men who wrote the musical “Annie,” for example.

Kelis doesn’t have a legal case against anyone here. But she has a point. This happens whenever a new hip hop album comes out. Songwriters turn on their radios or whatever and hear their old songs reborn without their knowledge and sometimes permission.

As for Beyonce, I can’t see how “Renaissance” would win Album of the Year. If only Beyonce, whose voice is amazing, would record an album of original songs. Her talented sister could write them. Then she would get the the awards she’s always wanted.

Below, listen to “Milkshake” and “Energy”

Broadway Exclusive: “Mockingbird” Not Returning, Producer Scott Rudin Blamed for Collapse of Hit Show

Roger Friedman
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Broadway Exclusive: “Mockingbird” Not Returning, Producer Scott Rudin Blamed for Collapse of Hit Show

You might be wondering whatever happened to “To Kill a Mockingbird.”

The hit Broadway play, sort of rewritten by Aaron Sorkin, reopened after the pandemic break with Jeff Daniels back as Atticus Finch. But a few weeks later, Daniels departed and was succeeded briefly in January by Greg Kinnear.

But at the time COVID was raging, audiences were staying away from Broadway. So producers shut down the play and promised it would return on June 1st. That date has come and gone, and nothing has happened.

Now I’m told “Mockingird” will not be returning. Sources say Scott Rudin, who was supposed to step away from his shows after the scandal broke that he’d caused toxic situations in his office and backstage at shows, has never gone away. He controls the rights to Sorkin’s version of Harper Lee’s story and has decided to pull the plug.

“Scott has never gone away,” says another source. “There was a long negotiation to turn the production over to other producers, but in the end, Scott just petulantly said No.”

I’m told investors are furious. Even though Kinnear was not a draw, plenty of other name actors could have been enticed to play Atticus Finch. “Mockingbird” has a built in audience and this version by Sorkin is very popular. When Daniels was in the show, it was considered the most successful production of a play ever on Broadway. With the closing, sources say, at least 100 jobs will be lost in cast and crew.

Meanwhile, this latest episode indicates, from my conversations, that Rudin is still hovering over his shows despite being physically absent. I’m not surprised. All that talk about Rudin being gone didn’t make sense considering his office is still open and his main staff is still in place.

Will Smith Says He Didn’t Apologize to Chris Rock in Speech for Oscar Slap Because “I was fogged out”

Roger Friedman
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Will Smith Says He Didn’t Apologize to Chris Rock in Speech for Oscar Slap Because “I was fogged out”

Four months after he slapped Chris Rock during the Oscars telecast, Will Smith finally has something to say. He’s posted a video to Instagram — in the most difficult way to disseminate — in which he really doesn not make the situation better.

Smith was suspended from the Motion Picture Academy for 10 years for the slap. His career is in the toilet. Apple does not know what to do with a very expensive release called “Emancipation.” Everything is up in the air. Smith is a pariah. Does this video help? You tell me.

There’s a certain arrogance in the way this was done. It’s all scripted. Smith is not being interviewed by an objective party. He controls the narrative. Nothing else can be asked or explored. Consider that.

Beyonce Drops Her “Leaked” Album, “Renaissance,” Complaints Begin About Unlicensed Samples

Roger Friedman
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Beyonce Drops Her “Leaked” Album, “Renaissance,” Complaints Begin About Unlicensed Samples

“Renaissance” is here.

To drum up interest, the Beehive launched a rumor that the album had been “leaked.” Poured is more like it. This was a brilliant PR move. It brought attention to the album’s release and made Beyonce seem like an injured party. But that was some leak. No one saw a drip of it.

Now comes the album, which will go straight to number 1 tonight on iTunes, Apple Music, Spotify, etc. But what is “Renaissance” besides a collection of sampled songs reimagined by Beyonce’s team?

First of all, there’s already a controversy. Singer songwriter Kelis is complaining that Beyonce took a sample of one of her songs without clearing it. Beyonce’s song, “Energy” samples “Get Along With You” and Kelis is calling it “theft.” She isn’t listed as one of the producers, composers, or lyricists on the sampled song.

That will only be the beginning. You can’t be the Queen of Soul with stolen material. Kelis wrote on social media: “My mind is blown too because the level of disrespect and utter ignorance of all 3 parties involved is astounding. I heard about this the same way everyone else did. Nothing is ever as it seems, some of the people in this business have no soul or integrity and they have everyone fooled.” She later wrote: “it’s not a collab it’s theft.”

I’ve already told you that every track on “Renaissance” is built on obscure, older music that Beyonce’s team has reworked to make it just for her. The first single, “Break My Soul,” is based on two disco hits. “America Has a Problem” comes from a 1990 track. And so on.

The problem is that Beyonce no longer has outside advisors and takes advice from no one. “Renaissance” will not win her a Grammy this way. And she will only have herself to blame.

Joni Mitchell’s Surprise Newport Show Sends 4 Albums onto iTunes Top 100, Plus 1 Single

Roger Friedman
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Joni Mitchell’s Surprise Newport Show Sends 4 Albums onto iTunes Top 100, Plus 1 Single

Joni Mitchell’s surprise appearance this past weekend at the Newport Folk Festival has sent her records up the charts.

Five albums have entered the iTunes Top 100. And one single, “Both Sides Now,” is number 21 on the iTunes singles chart.

The four albums are “Blue,” “Hits,” “Both Sides Now,” “Court and Spark.” New fans are missing out on “The Hissing of Summer Lawns.”

So flying across the country and putting on a show with Brandi Carlile has turned out be a great success for Joni.

Meantime, Rhino just announced their releasing a box set of what some of us consider her best albums, from Asylum Records, on September 23rd. Those are “Hissing,” “Court and Spark,” “For the Roses,” and the live album, “Miles of Aisles.” Believe me, you want this box. Joni never listed a producer on the original releases, but later, in the 00’s, she finally conceded she was her own producer. (The late Henry Lewy was the engineer.)

Rhino today released the remastered single “You Turn Me On (I’m a Radio)” from “For the Roses.” And here it is:

Golden Globes Taken Over by Company That Owns Dick Clark Productions, Hollywood Reporter

Roger Friedman
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Golden Globes Taken Over by Company That Owns Dick Clark Productions, Hollywood Reporter

The Golden Globes aka the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, has finalized a deal long in the making with Eldridge Industries to take them over.

Eldridge is a corporate name for companies owned by Todd Boehly, who also owns MRC, the entity that owns Dick Clark Productions, the company that produces the Golden Globes for NBC. MRC is also partnered with Penske Media in ownership of the Hollywood Reporter and Billboard.

When the HFPA fell apart two years ago over diversity and financial practices, Boehly — who already had acquired Dick Clark Productions — made the offer to acquire the HFPA and the Globes. It sounds like conflict of interest but it also makes sense. The Globes are more of a TV production than a legit awards entity. If Boehly can straighten their sketchier aspects, he can own the Globes and produce them.

Eldridge — which sounds like it should be manufacturing farming chemicals — says it will “create a new private entity to manage its Golden Globes assets and preserve its charitable and philanthropic programs in a separate non-profit entity.”

The Globes already operate to two 501 c3 foundations under the Hollywood Foreign Press Association. As they have been paid tens of millions of dollars in licensing fees by NBC, the HFPA has been very charitable over the years so they can maintain their not for profit status. Usually around this time every summer they announced a bunch of grants and donations with a luncheon at the Beverly Hills Hotel.

According to a press release sent on PR Newswire and not from a private publications firm:

“The proposal was offered by Eldridge Industries LLC (“Eldridge”), a global firm that makes investments in various industries including insurance, asset management, technology, sports, media, real estate, and the consumer sector. The plan involves the creation of a new private company, which would acquire all rights for the Golden Globes intellectual property and be empowered to oversee the professionalization and modernization of the Golden Globe® Awards.

“The transition will include the development of staff and an executive team to lead the new organization. Additional Golden Globes® voters will also be added to increase the size and diversity of the available voters for the annual awards.”

There’s a lot of mumbo jumbo here. They even put together a panel of three people to evaluate diversity at the HFPA. The fact is the HFPA was always diverse in the sense that it had members from many different countries. It just didn’t include African Americans or Black people from those countries. They also weren’t particularly interested in Black movies or actors.

All the mumbo jumbo is designed to get NBC back on board for a Golden Globes show next winter. Since the Critics Choice Association took Sunday, January 15th for their show on the CW (and CBS should pick it up if they were smart), the Globes could air a week earlier on January 8th. But that require not just the approval of NBC but cooperation of studios and publicists. Many of those are just as happy not to have to deal with HFPA, period.

So stay tuned t see if Boehly’s influence as part owner of the Hollywood Reporter and Billboard will be enough to bring everyone around. It may very well work. The studios, in particular, want the extra value of “Golden Globe nominated” on ads at Christmas time, so they may acquiesce and the awards show– which is admittedly fun– could return this winter.

Tony, Emmy Winning Actress Mary Alice Passes Away, Star of the Original “Fences,” TV’s “A Different World”

Roger Friedman
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Tony, Emmy Winning Actress Mary Alice Passes Away, Star of the Original “Fences,” TV’s “A Different World”

Mary Alice, the great theater actress with a long TV and movie resume, has reportedly passed away. She was between 80 and 85 and had retired in 2005.

But before that retirement, Mary Alice was the consummate actor, winning the Tony for Best Featured Actress in a Play in 1987 for the original production of “Fences” on Broadway. She was nominated for one other Tony and had a slew of awards and accolades.

Born Mary Alice Smith, the soft spoken, sweet star was better known to TV audiences in the 1980’s and early 90s for runs on “A Different World,” “The Cosby Show,” and “I’ll Fly Away.” She won an Emmy award for the latter show. You can find one of her winning performances in a terrific gem of a film with Alfre Woodward called “Down in the Delta.” She was also featured in “Matrix Revolutions” and “Awakenings.”

Even after her retirement I ran into Mary Alice several times at Broadway shows. She was a total sweetheart and will be much mourned and missed by the theater community. She was inducted into the American Theatre Hall of Fame in 2000.

Madonna Says She Won’t Sell Her Song Catalog, But It’s Because She Doesn’t Own It

Roger Friedman
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Madonna Says She Won’t Sell Her Song Catalog, But It’s Because She Doesn’t Own It

Madonna’s getting headlines today because she told Variety she won’t sell her song catalog.

Um, that’s because she doesn’t own it.

Most of Madonna’s hits were written entirely by other people, or she has a co-writer credit. Only three songs in her catalog carry just her name: “Everybody,” “Lucky Star,” and “Burning Up.”

Big hits like “Like a Virgin” and “Material Girl,” had completely different writers.

All the other hits have collaborators who actually composed the songs. They are Stephen Bray, Pat Leonard, William Orbit, Mirwais, and Shep Pettibone. “Ray of Light” was a sample from another record.

Madonna could, I guess, sell her half or third of songs she’s credited with. But the other songwriters would have to be involved. When Madonna was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame she acted as if she’d written all the songs herself. She never mentioned anyone else.

Does she know all this? Oh, yes. Most of her last tour, the Madame X project that went to theaters, concentrated on newer or more recent music and not so much on things like “Borderline” or the really popular songs because she didn’t want to pay royalties or licensing fees.

Madonna, in fact, is in the same boat as a lot of singers who don’t write their own material. She gets nothing from plays of those original hits on the radio just as a singer. That’s why she eventually started adding her name to credits. Performers are not paid for radio play, only writers of songs. Madonna only got wise to that after her first couple of albums — same as Celine, Mariah, Adele. And that’s why Whitney Houston’s estate is so thin. She did not do that.

Where does all that money come from? Madonna has her fortune from touring, plain and simple. Ditto Barbra Streisand. Unlike Joni, Carly, Carole, who wrote all their songs. Even Aretha wrote a lot of her own hits.

As always, take Madonna’s proclamations with a big grain of salt!

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