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RIP Sad News: Tito Jackson, 70, Michael’s Older Brother, Founding Member of the Jackson 5

Roger Friedman
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RIP Sad News: Tito Jackson, 70, Michael’s Older Brother, Founding Member of the Jackson 5

There are reports this morning that Tito Jackson, a founding member of the Jackson 5, has died.. Tito would have turned 71 on October 15th.

Tito was Michael’s older brother by five years. He was also the father of the 3Ts– TJ, Taryll, and Taj — who formed their own pop group in the 1990s. Tito was considered one of the more benign brothers, a very talented musician who was also a good father. It was his son TJ who became the guardian for Michael’s children in 2009 when the singer was killed by Dr. Conrad Murray.

Recently, Tito had been living in Tulsa, Oklahoma trying to put together various deals. He was planning opening a music club called Tito’s with local backers. According to ETonline, Tito had a heart attack driving to Tulsa from New Mexico.

The attraction to Tulsa was because the Jacksons had roots there dating back to 1917. Tito’s uncle, Samuel, was hired to bury the people killed in the Tulsa Race Riots of 1921.

In 2005, when the Jacksons were fighting to get their hands on Michael’s money, and Michael was on trial, Tito was considered the outlier. Instead of hoping the Jacksons would reunite, Tito set off to play gigs on his own. He distinguished himself as a musician and entrepreneur. You can read more about him at https://titojackson.com/

What a shame. Condolences to his family, friends, and fans.

Emmys Surprise! HBO’s “Hacks” Wins Best Comedy as TV Academy Voters Consider “The Bear” A Drama Despite Campaign

Roger Friedman
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Emmys Surprise! HBO’s “Hacks” Wins Best Comedy as TV Academy Voters Consider “The Bear” A Drama Despite Campaign

The 2024 Emmy Awards were a little boring tonight until they got to the final award.

Surprise! HBO’s “Hacks,” an actual comedy, won over “The Bear,” a drama cloaked as a comedy in the wrong category..

“Hacks” also won Best Actress for Jean Smart and best writing for a comedy. Not bad!

“The Bear” still won comedy prizes for Best Actor, Supporting Actress and Actor, and Guest Actor and Actress. My favorite of these was Lisa Colon-Zayas winning Supporting Actress for an absolutely splendid episode about her character.

Much of the night was dull but not offensively so, and some presenters got to get their digs in. The best was Candice Bergen, looking stunning, recalling how stupid former VP Dan Quayle was when he attacked “Murphy Brown” for having a child with no husband. The connection was made to JD Vance. And Bergen ended with “Meow,” a great touch.

“Shogun” was the big winner of the night, breaking records as Best Drama and picking up numerous other awards including Best Actor and Actress in a Drama. They picked up 16 awards all together.

So interesting that HBO managed to convince voters that “The Bear” is not a comedy. “Hacks” certainly should have won. “The Bear” should go into Best Drama next time. This was a cynical ploy, and it was rejected. For HBO, “Hacks” is now a stunning success. I hope we’ll have seven total seasons.

PS Best Tweets of the night came from Laraine Newman, mother of actress Hannah Einbinder, co-star of “Hacks.” Newman was one of the original “SNL” Not for Prime Time Players.

Full list to follow…

Trump’s “I Hate Taylor Swift!” Joins Loomer, Pet Eating as Today’s Misdirection from Frightened Candidate — Harris’s Clever Response

Roger Friedman
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Trump’s “I Hate Taylor Swift!” Joins Loomer, Pet Eating as Today’s Misdirection from Frightened Candidate — Harris’s Clever Response

First it was pets being eaten by Haitians.

Then it was Laura Loomer, crazy right winger, and a possible affair.

Now, it’s Taylor Swift.

In his daily misdirection from a frightened candidate, Donald Trump has turned the attention of voters and the media to posting “I HATE TAYLOR SWIFT!” on his social media.

What, is he three years old? Or is he keeping the conversation away from his 34 felony convictions, January 6th, rape charges, his loathing hatred of immigrants, and so on?

Trump has become the master of misdirection. He wants you to talk about Taylor Swift today. Instead, talk about how he belittles dead soldiers, and the handicapped, and the dozens of kinds of people he considers beneath him.

Meantime, the Harris campaign has responded tongue in cheek with a new statement calling out 28 of Swift’s songs. It’s clever, but Harris must be laser focused on attacking Trump for his malevolent, maniacal, and malicious behavior.

The Swift songs mentioned in the Harris statement include:

 “Safe & Sound,” “Down Bad,” “Mr. Perfectly Fine,” “Champagne Problems,” “The Man,” “Call It What You Want,” “Nothing New,” “The Smallest Man Who Ever Lived,” “Shake It Off,” “Bad Blood,” “Better Than Revenge,” “Sad, Beautiful, Tragic,” “But Daddy, I Love Him,” “I Forgot That You Existed,” “Out of the Woods,” “Blank Space,” “Begin Again,” “Long Live,” “All Too Well,” “The Last Time,” “End Game,” “Breathe,” “The Story of Us,” “Back to December,” “Enchanted,” “Fearless” and “We Are Never Getting Back Together.” They also throw in a reference to the album title, “1989.”

A former US President who wants to be elected again, a 78 year old adult, posted this on social media.

 

Toronto Film Fest People’s Choice Award Goes to Stephen King Movie Without a Distributor

Roger Friedman
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Toronto Film Fest People’s Choice Award Goes to Stephen King Movie Without a Distributor

Surprise!

The People’s Choice Award for most popular film at the Toronto Film Festival still has no distributor.

Mike Flanagan’s “The Life of Chuck,” starring Tom Hiddleston, is an adaptation of a Stephen King story. I’m sure someone will pick it up soon, but we won’t see it until next year.

“Chuck” beat two films absolutely headed to the Oscars this year: “Anora” and “Emilia Perez.” Go figure.

Other awards went to the Demi Moore horror film “The Substance, and the documentary, “The Tragically Hip: No Dress Rehearsal.”

I’m very happy to report that K’Naan Warsame’s “Mother Mother” won the FIPRESCI International Film Award. The jury said: “Mother Mother, directed by K’naan Warsame depicts a humanistic approach towards a revenge narrative set in a country haunted by violence and grief. The film is remarkable in its non-sensationalist treatment of contentious politics through its parallels of the human and the natural world. Warsame’s feature debut, through its compelling formal attributes
and charismatic acting, conveys a sense of hope and healing after tragedy.”

“Mother Mother” is a wonderful film made by the great international musician. It needs a distributor and a real campaign. Audiences will love it.

Emmy Awards Tonight, Second of This Year, Promise Little in Surprises: “The Bear,” “Shogun” Tipped for Honors

Roger Friedman
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Emmy Awards Tonight, Second of This Year, Promise Little in Surprises: “The Bear,” “Shogun” Tipped for Honors

The Emmy Awards are on tonight on ABC.

It’s the second Emmys this year because back in January we had the delayed edition from 2023 (thanks to the strikes).

Eugene Levy and Dan Levy of “Schitt’s Creek” fame will be the hosts. Eugene is currently on “Only Murders in the Building.” Dan Levy does real estate commercials.

Will they be funny? Let’s hope so, and distracting, too. Because these Emmys aren’t promising a lot of surprises.

“The Bear” and all its actors will win tonight. Jamie Lee Curtis and Jon Bernthal have already won Best Guest actors in a comedy. Now Jeremy Allen White, Ebon Moss Bacharach, and Ayo Edibiri will win their categories.

The whole problem, of course, is that “The Bear” is a drama, or at least a dramedy. It’s not a comedy. “Hacks” is the best comedy, and Jean Smart should be Best Actress in A Comedy. “The Bear” and all its wonderful cast and crew should be in Drama.

It looks like “Shogun” is set to win Best Drama. Yes, “SHogun” was a miniseries decades ago. This is a new one, on Netflix, and it’s in Japanese. Is is the Best Drama? Better than “The Crown”? Or “Slow Horses?” Or “The Bear”? Netflix is very good at promoting novelty shows, like “Squid Game,” with the TV Academy.

Will there be any surprises? Probably not, although this may be the first year ever HBO goes home empty handed. (They’ll be back big time next year.) Hulu, FX, and Netflix have had the best year. It’s the luck of the draw.

What we won’t see is any acknowledgment of broadcast TV apart from “Abbott Elementary.” How could Angela Bassett be on a TV series and not get nominated? But that’s the Emmys now. Broadcast TV is considered crass and commercial. It’s too bad because “Abbott” really deserves more consideration. It’s a breath of fresh air, and it’s funny.

One problem with these streaming shows, like “The Bear” and “Shogun,” is that no one knows the size of their audience. Streamers don’t release actual viewing figures. At least with HBO you have an idea of some ratings. But not with Hulu or Netflix. So the actual interest in the Emmys based on popularity of these shows remains a mystery.

So, on to tonight, for better or worse.

Review: Julianne Moore, Tilda Swinton Conduct a Masterclass About Life and Death in “The Room Next Door”

Roger Friedman
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Review: Julianne Moore, Tilda Swinton Conduct a Masterclass About Life and Death in “The Room Next Door”

You know at this point Spanish superstar director Pedro Almodovar has nothing to prove. Not only his resume filled with classics like “Woman on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown,” “Volver,” “Parallel Mothers,” “All About My Mother” etc etc etc. But also he gave us his first short film in English, “Strange Way of Life.”

“Strange Way” was kind of the appetizer for a colossal Almodovar experience with “The Room Next Door,” starring Tilda Swinton as a cancer ridden patient who wants her friend, Julianne Moore, to witness her death. This a three hander since John Turturro plays their mutual ex boyfriend, now friend.

Sometimes when you’re reading the English subtitles on Almodovar films, the story set up seems a little awkward. Then the plot kicks in, and the films sail on smooth water. So it’s funny the same is true of “Room,” even in English, as Almodovar gets the characters into place. He has to establish who Swinton and Moore are, their world, and how they will play out his beats.

A lot of “Room” riffs on James Joyce’s “The Dead,” especially the John Huston movie (you must see it anyway if you never have). The reason “Room” won the Venice Film Festival earlier this month is because it operates on so many levels. In a very Joycesian way, “Room” washes over you with a lyrical poetry and a wry sense of humor so that it’s never maudlin. The sound of it is so authentic you’re happy to go on this ride.

There’s no question that “Room” will be a big awards entry with Best Picture, Actresses, Screenplay, etc all in the mix. Alberto Iglesias’s score gives the film almost a Hitchcock like feel that underpins the main section, when Swinton’s Martha and Moore’s Ingrid go to an architectural dream of a house in the woods for Martha’s ending. The score becomes a character in this inevitable dance of life and death.

There’s also a startling twist in the third act — another SPOILER that must never be given away. The great Alessandro Nivola turns up as a voice of reason after the plot thus far has had a dreamy grip on the audience. But he has to deal with the aftermath in Martha’s estranged daughter.

By the way, it’s not like “Room” is a three hanky tear jerker or desperately sad despite the subject matter. Moore in particular gets a lot of space to make the audience at least chortle when Swinton confronts her with her proposition. In a moment, Almodovar and Moore put the audience at ease when Ingrid says to Martha something everyone in the dark is thinking.

Nobody writes relationships among women like Almodovar, and he doesn’t let us down here. What a career arc he’s had — these women are no longer on the verge of nervous breakdowns. They’ve transcended all of that for something far richer.

Laura Loomer’s Loony Family: Doctor Dad Donated $500 to MTG, Mom “Nurse for Trump,” One Brother Designs Right Wing T Shirts

Roger Friedman
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Laura Loomer’s Loony Family: Doctor Dad Donated $500 to MTG, Mom “Nurse for Trump,” One Brother Designs Right Wing T Shirts

Laura Loomer is a right wing nut, we know all that.

Loomer is 31 and comes from Tuscon, Arizona. Her father is a rheumatologist. Her mother is a nurse.

Loomer’s sudden ascent in Donald Trump’s world has caused a freakout from another right wing nut, Marjorie Taylor Greene. MTG thought she was Trump’s girlfriend!

Indeed, neither of them are — they are just diversions for the press set up by Trump.

But MTG might be curious to known that Jeffrey Loomer, the dad, contributed $500 to her campaign in 2021. That only other donations Dr. Jeff has made are to his daughter. He’s given her $6,600 since 2019 to failed campaigns.

Laura’s family is pretty loony. Her mom brags about being a “Nurse for Trump.” One brother, Jeremy, designs right wing T shirts.

The other brother, Matt, lives in LA and his social media posts are worrisome. On October 12, 2023 — five days after Hamas killed thousands of Israelis — Matt posted a picture of himself holding what;s supposed to be a gun in his side pocket. He’s wearing an inside out Metallica T shirt and a star of David.

He wrote:” Heard that it’s “wear your Star of David and glock 19” day tomorrow.”

On September 1, 2024 he posted: “People who are loud for no reason fill me with rage.” September 3rd: “I’m sorry if that came off abrupt I’m autistic and also a douchebag.” September 2nd: “Snapchat memories will randomly just send you notifications like “Here’s a pic of u and that one ex that cheated on you. Remember that?” August 30th:”I ’m only cryptic and Machiavellian cause I care.”

Only July 14th of this year he reposted a Tweet claiming the Secret Service agent who hesitated to shoot Trump’s would be assassin was wearing a Kabbalah bracelet. The poster wrote “The Secret Service sniper who hesitated was wearing a Talmudic Kabbalah bracelet. America appears to have been infiltrated by a foreign cult.

Twitter X immediately debunked that assertion.

The Loomers sound like a lot of fun. We will not be inviting them over for dinner!

Buttigieg Warns the Media, and Voters: Trump Using “Eating Pets” Is Strategic Distraction, So Is Loomer Gossip

Roger Friedman
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Buttigieg Warns the Media, and Voters: Trump Using “Eating Pets” Is Strategic Distraction, So Is Loomer Gossip

Pete Buttigieg has become a Trump Whisperer. He gets it. On CNN, he explained very simply what’s going with “eating pets” in Springfield, Ohio.

Pete also correctly classifies the current Laura Loomer lunacy similarly. They are strategic distractions on the part of Trump to keep people from talking about his record on abortion, January 6th, his many trials, 34 felony convictions, etc.

So the many cat and dog memes, while humorous, are feeding right into Trump’s playbook. It’s silly stuff, but he knows it and he’s playing the media. Same with Loomer, who he’s turned into a stooge and will abandon the minute she’s not useful.

Pete Buttigieg reminds us to pay attention to the magician’s handiwork, and don’t look away.

Katy Perry Takes a 30 Year Old Hit About a Homeless Woman and Turns It Into Something Meaningless

Roger Friedman
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Katy Perry Takes a 30 Year Old Hit About a Homeless Woman and Turns It Into Something Meaningless

In 1991, Crystal Waters co-wrote and had a massive hit with “Gypsy Woman (She’s Homeless).”

The track — in which Waters invented the “la da dee la da dee” refrain over an infectious disco beat remains a high water mark in dance music. But Waters also recalled in a 2023 interview, the song was about a homeless woman.

Now Katy Perry has taken most of “Gypsy Woman” and co-opted it for a single called “I’m His, He’s Mine.” She’s changed the entire meaning of it, from something profound into nonsense

Luckily, no one cares. “I’m His, He’s Mine” debuted overnight at numbe5 27. It’s her third single that’s gone DOA from a new album coming next week. Perry is in trouble, and this is kind of a mess.

Of course, at the MTV Video Music Awards, the audience cheered when they heard the opening notes of “Gypsy Woman.” They thought Perry was doing a straight cover. They’re too young to get the idea.

Waters said in that interview, by the way: “I felt the song needed to tell a story and was reminded of a woman who used to stand outside in Washington. She had full face makeup and always dressed well, but she sang gospel songs in the street and had a hand out asking for money. Homelessness was really bad in DC at the time and at first my attitude had been: “She needs to get some work.” Then the local paper did a story about how she had lost her job at a cosmetic counter and fallen fast, but she felt that if she was going to ask for money she would look clean and respectable. Her story changed my whole opinion about homelessness, so I sang her life in the song: “She wakes up early every morning / Just to do her hair / Because she cares y’all.”

Now Perry sings:
I’m his queen, I’m his freak
I’m every woman he wants and needs
I’m his dream, I’m his drug
I’m every woman he wants, so what?
I’m his boss, I’m that bitch
I’m every woman he knows exists
I’m his main, I’m his side
I’m every woman that’s in his mind

Yikes. I don’t know what happened to Katy Perry. Her whole comeback album seems like gigantic mistake, from using Dr. Luke as a producer to the whole theme of the songs. I fear this will end in tears.

Trump Lies About Stock Price, Sends it Soaring Until Sales Are Paused Twice on Suspicion of Manipulation

Roger Friedman
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Trump Lies About Stock Price, Sends it Soaring Until Sales Are Paused Twice on Suspicion of Manipulation

I guess there are different ways of interpreting what Donald Trump — convicted of 24 felonies —  did yesterday to cause his Trump Media to be paused from trading twice.

At a press conference, he announced that he would not be selling his shares in the stock even though its price has crashed in recent weeks.

This sent Trump Media stock up 25% in a lightning spike. The stock price went up $3.50, from 16.27 to $20.76. This happened betewen 2:20 and 2:40pm.

When investors realized they’d been played — and that the markets had paused trading on the stock because the whole thing was highly suspicious — the stock fell to %17.97 where it closed.

In addition to briefly manipulating the markets, Trump also lied outright to whoever was out there with him. In the video below he says the stock originally opened at “two dollars” and “went to 182.”

This, of course, is a lie. The Trump Media stock hit $97.54 on March 2, 2022. That was the highest it ever got, and that lasted one day. The stock price collapsed. When Trump merged his company with Digital World in March 2024, the price rose briefly to $61.96 from $34.69. Now it’s worth about half of that.

Here’s the video from Friday. Go to 1:50 in the video to hear the bit about Trump Media having “the biggest increase in the history of the stock market.”

What was worse? The market manipulation or the utter lie about the stock’s price history? Who would invest with this guy?

Below, see Trump’s complaint about the stock trading being halted.

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