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Embattled Golden Globes Hire a Diversity Officer, Neil Phillips, Their First Black Officer or Executive

Roger Friedman
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Embattled Golden Globes Hire a Diversity Officer, Neil Phillips, Their First Black Officer or Executive

Welcome, Neil Phillips.

He’s the new Diversity Officer for the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, aka the Golden Globes. He’s the first Black officer or executive to be involved with the embattled group.

Earlier this year, the HFPA hired a diversity officer who quit almost immediately. That was Shaun Harper, a professor of racial, gender and LGBTQ issues at USC’s Marshall School of Business. He left without explanation. But it was probably because the situation looked bleak.

Since then, the HFPA has been forced to take on a raft of new members who are all POC. They’ve also been taken over by MRC, the company that actually owns Dick Clark Productions. The HFPA has announced that despite NBC keeping them off the air, they will give nominations and awards on the corresponding days of the Critics Choice Awards, the more legit group that will broadcast on January 9th from the new Century Plaza Hotel. It was a low move by the HFPA, not known for their graciousness.

According to a press release, Phillips is an Aspen Institute Education Entrepreneurship Fellow and a member of the inaugural Echoing Green/Open Society Foundation Black Male Achievement Fellowship. He is a multiple-time winner of The Nantucket Project Audience Award for his provocative talk on race in America called “Race to Truth” for his compelling on-stage conversation with famed television producer Norman Lear and, most recently, for his on-stage conversation with former President George W. Bush. Currently, Neil is working on a documentary film with The Nantucket Project, focusing on race and Black male achievement.

Good luck, Neil. Sleep with one eye open.

Mariah Carey Sticks to Her Story, Makes No Changes in Paperback Edition of Memoir Despite Lawsuits from Siblings

Roger Friedman
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Mariah Carey Sticks to Her Story, Makes No Changes in Paperback Edition of Memoir Despite Lawsuits from Siblings

Mariah Carey is sticking to her guns.

She’s made no changes to the paperback edition of her memoir, published a year ago in hardcover. That is despite lawsuits from her sister and her brother last summer.

“The Meaning of Mariah Carey” is out now in paper back.

Carey’s brother, Morgan, sued her over a story in the book about the police coming to break up a fight between him and their father, Alfred, when they were kids.

“Her attempt to falsely characterize plaintiff as equally violent as their father, and her subsequent commentary on police relations with Black people was only the beginning of defendant Mariah Carey’s desperate attempt to vilify plaintiff, play the victim card and curry favor with the Black Lives Matter movement,” read Morgan’s complaint.

Mariah’s sister had already sued her, claiming emotional distress after reading about herself. Allison described Mariah as “heartless, vicious [and] vindictive,” after Mariah discussed her sister’s alcoholism and other struggles.

There’s been nary a peep out of either sibling since they filed, and my guess is these suits have gone away or been settled to their satisfaction.

IN any case, Mariah’s truth is her own, it was her childhood, and she gets to tell it. Of course, the rest of the book is full of her own version of her truth, too, which doesn’t jibe with how her career began, or who helped her, or who wrote her songs, and so on. That part can be titled “Fantasy” after the song Mariah cobbled together for a hit. Also, it’s been a couple of months now since Jerry Blair, her label partner and radio promoter, died of COVID and she still hasn’t said a word. But that’s another story.

A little fact, a little fiction.  “The Meaning of Mariah Carey” is a hybrid! Out now.

“NCIS” Wins Monday Night, Beats “The Voice,” Stays Ratings Course Without Mark Harmon

Roger Friedman
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“NCIS” Wins Monday Night, Beats “The Voice,” Stays Ratings Course Without Mark Harmon

Back on October 12th I bemoaned that “NCIS” had hit a ratings low and was not long for this world.

I was wrong. I’ll admit it.

True, it was a low, but “NCIS” — as has been pointed out to me by my experts — is actually doing great. It’s doing the one job it has — it’s beating “The Voice” on NBC. By a lot.

So what if “NCIS” ranges around in the 7 million area, between 7 and 8 million viewers a week. It’s not like the old days of 11 or 12 million. But that’s life.

Without Mark Harmon, the show seems to be soldiering on. Gary Cole is catching on, too, as the new leader of the band. He’s younger blood, which is what the show needed.

And, they are beating “The Voice.” And everything else on Monday night. Plus, “NCIS Hawaii” is doing fine with over 5 million viewers a week. And who knows? Maybe Harmon will drop in for a sweeps episode in February or May, as needed.

So I correct myself. “NCIS” will make its 20th anniversary year next fall after all.

 

Tom Hanks Breaks His Silence on Passing of Bosom Buddy Peter Scolari on Jimmy Kimmel Live

Roger Friedman
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Tom Hanks Breaks His Silence on Passing of Bosom Buddy Peter Scolari on Jimmy Kimmel Live

Tom Hanks got his big break starring with Peter Scolari on “Bosom Buddies” back in 1980. The series, a take off on “Some Like it Hot,” only ran a couple of seasons but established them, featured future Tony winner Holland Taylor, and actress Donna Dixon who went on to marry Dan Aykroyd. Scolari would go on to successes on “Newhart” and “Girls,” where he won an Emmy.

When Scolari died last month from cancer at age 66, Hanks remained mum on social media. But last night he appeared on Jimmy Kimmel and reminisced about Scolari, who he worked with again years later on Broadway in “Lucky Guy.”

The Scolari part of the talk begins at 10:53.

World Series Game 5 Put a Big Dent in HBO Hit Series “Succession” and “Curb Your Enthusiasm”

Roger Friedman
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World Series Game 5 Put a Big Dent in HBO Hit Series “Succession” and “Curb Your Enthusiasm”

The World Series scored a home run Sunday night. Game 5 between the Braves and the Astros scored 13.6 million fans for Fox. We thought the Braves might take the Series Sunday night. They didn’t, which is why we’re back tonight for more.

But the Series caused HBO to strike out in the ratings. Both of their Sunday hit series, “Succession” and “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” suffered as a result.

“Succession” was off by 22% from the previous week. “Curb” was down by almost 16% in total viewers.

I’d say Halloween was involved, but I doubt anyone was trick or treating after 9pm. If they were, it wasn’t with children.

It’s possible delayed viewing will add numbers. I think a lot of fans, especially of “Succession,” will realize they missed a key episode and go find it on On Demand.

As for “Curb,” so far I’m hearing a little disappointment from fans about this season’s direction. We’ll wait and see what happens next week.

 

Paul McCartney Recalls Last Conversation He Had with John Lennon: “We talked about how to bake bread”

Roger Friedman
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Paul McCartney Recalls Last Conversation He Had with John Lennon: “We talked about how to bake bread”

Beatlemania is real!

Paul McCartney’s two volume set of “The Lyrics” was released today officially and went straight to the top 10 on amazon.

“The Lyrics” has a $100 price tag, but it’s done so well on amazon that they’ve discounted it to 60 bucks. This is beyond a bargain because it was worth the 100 clams.

I’ve already told you several stories from “The Lyrics,” including McCartney citing “Here, There, and Everywhere” as the favorite of all his songs.

In “The Lyrics,” McCartney talks about 154 of his songs. One song I always loved was called “Dear Friend.” It was part of the Wings “Wild Life” album, his third post-Beatles release and his first with that new group’s name. “Dear Friend” is a sad song, a response to the ongoing split between Lennon and McCartney.

McCartney observes that even though the Beatles were in the throes of a painful “divorce,” he went into the studio to help Lennon record “The Ballad of John and Yoko.”

“In the end, I think playing on that session with him and Yoko contributed to our having quite a few friendly meetings and conversations later.”

Paul says “Dear Friend” may have also helped, too. “I would imagine he heard it,” he writes. “I was very glad of how we got along in those last few years, and that I had some really good times with him before he was murdered. Without question it would have been the worst thing for me, had he been killed when we still had a bad relationship. I would’ve thought, ‘Oh I should’ve, I should’ve, I should’ve…’It would have been a big guilt trip for me. But luckily our last meeting was very friendly. We talked about how to bake bread.”

 

Waterloo? Tickets Go on Sale for London ABBA Avatar Show “Voyage” But Demand Is Light

Roger Friedman
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Waterloo? Tickets Go on Sale for London ABBA Avatar Show “Voyage” But Demand Is Light

Tickets have gone on sale for ABBA’s avatar show “Voyage.” And so far, it may be the group’s Waterloo.

The show begins on May 27th, and as things stand right now, no one will have trouble getting in. The first few days are sold pretty well, and the month of June is spotty. But there are no actual sell outs.

Beginning in July, things get worrisome. Londoners head to France, Italy and Spain for the summer. The weekend shows for July and August are all open, with much of the house available.

The situation doesn’t improve for the fall of 2022. The ABBA Arena, a theater specially built for this occasion outside London, is wide open. On Ticketmaster, it’s a sea of blue dots.

The show consists of not exactly holograms but avatars of the group as they appeared in 1979. The four members of the group, Benny, Bjorn, Frida, and whoever, won’t be there. But they came in acted like themselves so modelers could create their likenesses.

But fans aren’t flocking to this idea, it seems. The big issue? Lack of tourists planning to visit London. We  have the same problem here in New York with Broadway. Without the Asians, Indians, Arabs, Europeans all traveling, theaters are sorely undersold. ABBA has a huge international audience. But if they can’t cross borders, the ABBA Voyage Theater will be very windy inside.

So stay tuned. And on Friday ABBA releases its first album in 900 years, also called “Voyage.” We’ll see what the response is to that right away.

 

Ratings Run: “SNL” Doubles Down for November Sweeps, Follows Ed Sheeran with Taylor Swift and Saweetie

Roger Friedman
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Ratings Run: “SNL” Doubles Down for November Sweeps, Follows Ed Sheeran with Taylor Swift and Saweetie

Lorne Michaels is swinging for the fences.

Needing a ratings boost, he’s booked Taylor Swift to follow Ed Sheeran as musical guest on November 13th. Swift is releasing her “Red” album re-recorded the day before, on the 12th.

Sheeran is on this weekend, and has the number 1 album.

Following Swift comes Saweetie, the new sensation, on the 20th.

Actor Jonathan Majors, star of Netflix’s “The Harder They Fall,” will host Swift’s show. Simu Liu, star of Disney-Marvel’s mega hit “Shang Chi,” will host for Saweetie.

Kieran Culkin of “Succession” hosts this Saturday with Sheeran.

Those three consecutive shows, all in sweeps, will do a lot to boost “SNL” in the ratings.

Freda Payne Recalls Her Anti-War Song Banned by US Armed Forces Radio in 1971, Has A New Grammy Eligible Album

Roger Friedman
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Freda Payne Recalls Her Anti-War Song Banned by US Armed Forces Radio in 1971, Has A New Grammy Eligible Album

Freda Payne, looking sensational, did come to the Cutting Room in New York last night to celebrate publication of her memoir, “Band of Gold.” (She wrote it with Mark Bego.)

Even though her hits were mostly in the 70s, Freda has never stopped working for a minute. She has a new album out that should be nominated for a Grammy in Traditional R&B called “Let There Be Love.” (See the video below.) The album includes a duet with Johnny Mathis!

I asked Freda about her most important and political song, “Bring the Boys Home,” released in 1971 at the height of the Vietnam War. Even though it wasn’t written explicitly to be an anti war song it became one overnight.

“Richard Nixon sent Armed Forces Radio a letter telling them to play it, and they didn’t for a long time,” Freda recalled. “Ironically, the soldiers did hear it. And you can’t believe how many have come to me and said it the was song that got them through the Vietnam War.”

Some people feared the song would be the end of Freda’s career, but she continued making albums and touring without a break. She’ll appear at New York’s famed Birdland on November 22nd. If you listen to the new record, you’ll hear, she hasn’t missed a beat.

Ed Sheeran Will Be “SNL” Musical Guest This Weekend After All, Cleared After COVID Diagnosis

Roger Friedman
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Ed Sheeran Will Be “SNL” Musical Guest This Weekend After All, Cleared After COVID Diagnosis

We can all breathe a sigh of relief.

Ed Sheeran will still be musical guest this weekend on “Saturday Night Live.” Sheeran was diagnosed with COVID and quarantined for some amount of time. But I guess he’s feeling better, and it’s ratings sweeps, and he has a new album out, so “SNL” is a must.

Sheeran’s new album is called “Equals,” it’s part of his New Math trilogy and came out last Friday. It shot straight to the top of the iTunes Album chart based on two hit singles over the summer.

Here’s the thing about Ed Sheeran. He hasn’t got a thought in his head. He writes light bubblegum music that wants to be Van Morrison or Cat Stevens, but can’t be, so becomes a lot of Hallmark greeting cards set to music.

In the last week I’ve gone to hear Elvis Costello and then Graham Parker, two lads with 40 plus year careers. Their songs are composed of words made from ideas and personal sentiments, observations, story telling, and so on. They are literate and passionate. None of their songs, not one, starts off with a recollection of being a star or singing at Wembley Stadium. There’s also nothing about being a father and how it’s changed their life, perhaps the great cliche in modern culture.

Listening to Costello and Parker, you realize how far we’ve fallen in 40 years. Pop music now is just a junk bin of platitudes and self-awareness about commercial success. It’s very sad. Parker’s songs last night were not even his “best of.” In fact, he cheekily played what he called the worst song he ever wrote and never recorded. That song was more original than anything Ed Sheeran has even thought of.

Anyway, Parker I don’t think has ever been on “SNL” and Costello, of course, had a famous appearance there in the late 70s but is now considered too old to return. So buy their records, listen to them, revel in their songs, and try not to take what’s happening now seriously.

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