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Oscars: Twice Nominated Bono Coming Around Again with an Original Song for “Sing 2”

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EXCLUSIVE I’m hearing that Bono — you know, from U2 — is back on the Oscar track.

Paul David Hewson, our Bono, is a featured voice character in the upcoming “Sing 2,” the sequel to the mega international hit animated film, “Sing.”

In the movie, Bono plays Clay Calloway, a reclusive rock star who is being courted by the other characters — voiced by Matthew McConaughey, Reese Witherspoon, Taron Egerton, etc — to come out of retirement and help them.

The trailer for the film, which includes covers of many hit songs — features the Bono-Edge penned U2 classic, “I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For.”

But spies tell me Bono has written and recorded a new song for “Sing 2” that will go into competition at the Oscars for Best Song. It’s unclear whether it will be billed as Bono solo or the group U2.

Bono and Edge have written so many classics, radio staples, and personal favorites, that this is exciting news. They’ve been nominated twice in the past. The first time was for 2003’s “Gangs of New York” — the song was “The Hands That Built America.” For “Mandela” in 2014 they were nominated for “Ordinary Love.”

No news yet on the title of the new song or when it will drop, but “Sing 2” will be released here on Christmas. It debuts in Europe around December 2nd, so maybe we’ll hear Bono’s new song late next month.

Broadway: Tony Goldwyn and Savion Glover Bringing Updated “Pal Joey” Adding Rodgers and Hart’s Other Hits to Score

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Broadway is getting what can only be called a treat.

Tony Goldwyn will direct and Savion Glover will direct a newish version of “Pal Joey,” the famed musical from Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart, with a book by the also late, great John O’Hara.

They’ve gotten permission to change one of the characters to make her an aspiring singer, and they’re adding a bunch of famous R&H songs that weren’t in this show including “Bewitched, Bothered, Bewildered” and “I Could Write a Book” include “Where or When”, “The Lady is a Tramp”, “It Never Entered My Mind”, “My Heart Stood Still”, “Falling in Love With Love” and “There’s A Small Hotel” among others.

Richard LaGravenese is adapting O’Hara’s book so that the primary setting of the plot is a South Side Chicago nightclub in the 1940’s. Newly minted Tony winner Derek McLane is doing the sets, so we know they’ll be terrific. Jeffrey Richards and his team is producing.

So who will play Joey? Linda? Gladys? Back in 2008, for the most recent revival, they were Christian Hoff, Stockard Channing, and Martha Plimpton. They all garnered rave reviews, with the ladies getting Tony nominations.

Welcome back, Joey! We always knew you’d come back, but we still don’t know “Where” or “when.” (More details to come.)

 

Goodbye, Bobby Axelrod: Damian Lewis Exits “Billions” After Five Seasons of Knockout Performances

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WITH SPOILERS

DON’T READ ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON’T WANT WANT TO KNOW

“Billions” finished its fifth season tonight, 18 months late.

The Showtime series has been mostly ignored by the Emmys, but it’s my favorite show on TV and should have won tons of awards. Why it didn’t, and why Showtime is mostly ignored in this arena, is another story.

“Billions” is about an upper class New York Attorney General, Chuck Rhoades, who has played cat and mouse with a private equities pirate, Bobby Axelrod. “Axe,” as he is known, also has lusted after Chuck’s wife Wendy. She works for his company as a psychologist. The principal actors are Paul Giamatti, Damian Lewis, and Maggie Siff, and they are all the best in their world.

Tonight, a SPOILER. After five seasons, it looks as though Chuck has defeated Bobby. Axe has fled to Switzerland for a new life. Actor Damian Lewis has left the series. In real life, Lewis’s beloved actress wife, Helen McCrory, died this year from cancer. They have children, he lives in the UK. Between that tragedy and the pandemic, Lewis may not be returning. (Maybe one day…)

Creators Brian Koppleman and David Levien, knowing all this, started developing a Bobby replacement in Mike Prince, another corporate raider. Prince is brilliantly played by Corey Stoll, who will give Chuck quite the fight in Season 6 coming this January. Everyone else remains in place except Kelly Aucoin, so good as one Axe’s traders.

But who knows? Maybe Axe will return and vanquish Chuck. Tonight’s episode is incendiary and certainly awards worthy. Koppelman and Levien are at the top of their game. We are not worthy!

PS This is the second time Lewis has left a Showtime series at the top of its run. But his exit from “Homeland” was only after one season. He has lots of options going forward, more TV, or maybe movies…

Elon Musk’s Partner and Baby Mama, Grimes, Says She’s Still Living With Him Despite Separation

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Clarice Boucher, who goes by the name Grimes, says she’s still living with Elon Musk, richest man in the world, despite their announced separation. I am relieved. Their child’s name is X, which is short for I’m Punishing You in Advance, Kids Will Make Fun of You.

The news is on Instagram. Grimes was photographed reading The Communist Manifesto, on purpose, because how funny is that? Musk is worth $200 billion. If you ever go out to lunch with Grimes, make sure she gets the check. PS Does she drive…a Tesla?

as really stressed when paparazzi wouldn’t stop following me this wk but then I realized it was opportunity to troll .. i swear this headline omg wtf haha im dead

Full disclosure I’m still living with e and I am not a communist (although there are some very smart ideas in this book -but personally I’m more interested in a radical decentralized ubi that I think could potentially be achieved thru crypto and gaming but I haven’t ironed that idea out enough yet to explain it. Regardless my opinions on politics are difficult to describe because the political systems that inspire me the most have not yet been implemented).

Anyway if paparazzi keep chasing me perhaps I will try to think of more ways to meme – suggestions welcome!

“SNL” Ratings Update: Season Premiere Down More than 50% from Last Year’s, Even with End of Season 46

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Despite that strong return content wise last night, “SNL” is still suffering viewer apathy.

Last night’s Season 47 premiere had just 3.5 million viewers, which was the same for the last two episodes of Season 46 last May.

But the Owen Wilson-Kacey Musgraves opener brought in less than half of what Chris Rock did for the Season 46 premiere. Rock’s show came in at around 7.5 million.

Of course, last year at this time the election made “SNL” hot, and there was huge demand for political comedy. The Rock show was also the first one back in the studio after the pandemic had made “SNL” virtual.

But the ratings last season dropped precipitously after the election was over. By January they’d leveled off to a regular “SNL” rating  of 4.1 million. But then, after Nick Jonas hosted on February 27th, around 500,000 fans left and never came back. Why? Who knows?

Much as I liked Musgraves last night, she wasn’t a boffo opening act for a season premiere. Where was Lady Gaga and her Tony Bennett material? Ah, well, the machinations of booking would give us all ulcers. I’m curious to see how Kim Kardashian fares next week. Her appearance is pandering for ratings. Let’s see if she can improve the numbers. (I doubt it.)

Onward and upward!

“SNL” Comes Back Strong for Season 47, Kate McKinnon Mysteriously MIA, Two Legends Retire

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Does Kate McKinnon have COVID? Or did she just agree to return to “SNL” for Season 47 at the last minute?

Something has to explain McKinnon’s absence from the season opener last night. Of all the returning long term cast, she’s the only one who didn’t show up. Even if she were filming her long-aborning Joe Exotic TV series, she could have made an appearance, a wave, something.

Aside from Beck Bennett, who exited after 7 seasons, “SNL” brought back all of its regulars: Kenan Thompson (18 seasons), Aidy Bryant (9), Cecily Strong (9), Colin Jost (8), Kyle Mooney (8), Michael Che (7). Mikey Day and Alex Moffat remain strong, important players. And Pete Davidson, of course, who seemed like he couldn’t believe he was back after basically signing off at the end of Season 46.

But no one has anywhere to go right now, not even Kenan, who actually has his own sitcom on NBC. Things are that uncertain in Hollywood right how. Kate, Cecily Strong, and now Aidy Bryant are all doing commercials, which is unusual for regular “SNL” cast members.

Who seems to have benefited from all the changes? Ego Nwodim has blossomed into a star. She was all over the show last night, and seemed much more invested in what was going on. I loved her “Black Woman Who Is Missing” on Weekend Update. She’s definitely got to bring back her Dionne Warwick– and the show should really have Dionne make an appearance.

All of the segments were better last night than most of last spring. Owen Wilson was a very comfortable and above-average host. (This week with Kim Kardashian coming is going to be frightful.) Kacey Musgraves was an excellent musical guest. She was actually talented, and very impressive, unlike a lot of the musical guests from last season.

Two key “SNL” players with 40 year histories seem to have retired. Colin Jost held up a sign in the finale that read “We’ll Miss You Ken.” Ken Aymong has been a producer on the show since around 1982. Also Don Roy King is stepping down after four decades. They are each multiple Emmy winners. We owe them a world of thanks for entertaining us basically for a lifetime.

Rub Out? “Sopranos” Sequel “Many Saints of Newark” Takes Just $5 Mil Opener, Were Fans Watching on HBO Max?

Is Warner Bros’ day and date formula with HBO Max in trouble? Or causing trouble?

David Chase’s “The Many Saints of Newark,” the great prequel to “The Sopranos”  TV series, scored just $5 million at the box office this weekend. It’s in wide release at over 3,000 theaters.

“Saints” simultaneously appeared on HBO Max. So “Sopranos” fans who are used to watching the series at home may have done the same thing for “Saints.” We don’t know yet and may never know since WB doesn’t give numbers for HBO Max.

The main thing, I guess, is that “Saints” is eligible for awards, especially Oscars. Chase and many of the actors, especially Alessandro Nivola, deserve the attention. This is NOT a TV show, it’s a movie. It’s not even a continuation of a series, like “Downton Abbey.” It’s got a totally different cast and story.

But Chase can’t be happy about the five mil weekend. “Saints” might have done $11 mil or $12 million without the HBO Max option keeping couch potatoes at home. WB wants him to make at least one sequel, but who knows what his motivation will be if the HBO Max option continues?

Could this have been the reason for Chase’s grumpy presence at last week’s premiere? Bada bing.

Return to Theatres: “Venom: Let There Be Carnage” Scores Record Breaking $90.1 Million Opening Weekend

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Everyone in the movie biz was waiting for “No Time to Die” to lure theatergoers back into multi-plexes.

But now, a Marvel movie from Sony has done the trick one week early.

“Venom: Let There Be Carnage” scored a whopping, record breaking $90.1 million opening weekend. That’s $20 million more than Marvel-Disney’s “Shang Chi” just a couple of weeks ago.  “Carnage” is now the biggest movie of the pandemic era.

“Carnage” is now the second biggest October weekend opener ever, just behind 2019’s “Joker” with $96 million.

What does this mean for the James Bond film? In the UK, “No Time to Die” is already setting its own records after opening on Friday. So stay tuned…

 

UPDATE Atrocious, Tuneless “Diana” Musical Rips off 70s Music, Someone Call Pete Townshend Now

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“Diana: The Musical” is just atrocious. We are so lucky to not to have to see it in person on Broadway. Instead, it’s on Netflix. Unoriginal doesn’t begin to describe it. The so called songs are derivations of 70s rock songs, sounding a lot like bad Elton John even worse semblances of The Who.

The worst of these things completely rips off Pete Townshend’s “Let My Love Open the Door.” He can really call his lawyers now.

The real shock is that people, smart people, spent so much time, money, and effort on this awful project, and during a pandemic. There is no book. It’s just a timeline of Diana and Charles’s relationship, set to banal rock stylings. There are no actual songs–the singing is simply dialogue put to “music” that is without theme or sense.

The cast is uniformly bad save for Judy Kaye, who does her best knowing she’s trying to make a silk purse out of a sow’s ear. Roe Hartrampf, who plays Charles, cannot sing. He must not try again. Jeanne de Waal is not vocally prepared to take on all of this sludge. She also makes Diana look like a frumpy kindergarten teacher. The real life person I felt sorriest for was Captain James Hewitt, who is reduced to being Diana’s boytoy.

The plot? Like I said, it’s just the timeline, and a few facts become alternative ones as Joe DiPietro tweaks them, inventing things that never happened. We finally rumble to the point where Diana and Charles divorce and then jump ahead to her death — skipping quite a lot including Dodi Fayed and a few others along the way. Poor Dodi– erased from history by a musical.

Who are these people? They are cut out figures from People magazine, without any soul, history, depth, or background. We have no idea what they’re doing or why they’re doing it, and neither do they. They are one dimensional caricatures.

The problem with these musical biographies of people who’ve died after celebrity is that there is no happy ending. We will leave the Michael Jackson musical feeling that way, and certainly plans for a Whitney Houston musical will also end in tears. It’s not going to work to just delete the parts of a story you don’t like to get a musical to work on stage.

As I wrote in the prior item, “Diana” isn’t really selling advance tickets. Its prospects are not encouraging. Maybe it seemed like a good idea once, but by now it’s not and should be abandoned before anyone else gets hurt.

PS The musical excises all mention of Prince Philip, any of Charles’s siblings, the doctor Diana dated before she died, Diana’s brother (also named Charles), and so on. After watching “The Crown,” you might call this Royals for Dummies.

“Diana: The Musical” Opens on Netflix to Seven Out of Eight Negative Reviews, A Month Ahead of Broadway

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Yesterday was October 1st. And believe it or not, “Diana: The Musical,” began playing on Netflix.

The Broadway show was in previews before the pandemic. It’s scheduled to begin previews again on November 2nd.

In between the producers had the idea to show it on Netflix. The whole show. What did they know that we didn’t?

There was no press release from Netflix or from the show. There was no ballyhoo. It just…happened.

The result: just eight reviews. Seven of them are negative. That’s 14% on Rotten Tomatoes. Not good.

The only positive review isn’t really that great. Stefan Kyriazis of the Daily Express (UK) wrote:

“Sure, it’s superficial and tells us nothing new but, really what can any of those other films and TV series actually reveal that isn’t already out there? At least this whips by in two hours with some catchy tunes.”

The other reviewers are not insubstantial. They are CNN, The Guardian, Entertainment Weekly, Christy Lemire from RogerEbert.com. They are brutal. Peter Bradshaw of the Guardian wrote: “Not since the Cats movie have I literally shouted from my seat: “What? What? WHAT?”

Will “Diana” come to Broadway after all? So far there is little advance sale. I’ve checked a number of dates in November, there are mostly empty houses. Of course, all of Broadway is suffering right now. There’s not much of an advance sale for any show except “The Music Man.” Even “Hamilton” has lots of availability starting in December. COVID and prices are the two reasons, but the former is more than the latter. “Aladdin” opened, closed, re-opened and closed again until October 12th because of COVID. Uncertainty should be the name of a new musical.

It’s possible the “Diana” producers figured they’d sell to Netflix, run the show up to its opening night, and then use COVID as an excuse to close. They can always do a national tour next summer. Away from Broadway, a musical about Princess Diana could have a life. But so far, even critics’ apathy doesn’t spell a promising future.