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OJ Simpson Dead at 76, 30 Years After Killing Ex Wife and Friend

Roger Friedman
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OJ Simpson Dead at 76, 30 Years After Killing Ex Wife and Friend

OJ Simpson is dead at age 76.

Thirty years ago he killed his ex wife Nicole and her friend Ron Goldman. He was acquitted in a carnival of a criminal trial but found guilty in a civil trial.

Simpson exits this world without ever paying the $31 million judgement against him. The case was called The Trial of the Century.

The former Buffalo Bills star wound up in prison later on other criminal charges.

That he’s died of cancer is not surprising. When I covered his trial in 1994, it was clear Simpson was living on steroids.

Rest in peace? Not this one.

UPDATED Lennon-McCartney Reunion, Only This Time It’s the Sons Also Rising: James McCartney And Sean Ono Lennon Team Up

Roger Friedman
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UPDATED Lennon-McCartney Reunion, Only This Time It’s the Sons Also Rising: James McCartney And Sean Ono Lennon Team Up

UPDATED SAT 12:17AM: James has confirmed that Sean co-wrote “Primrose Hill” with him. So this is actually a new Lennon-McCartney or McCartney-Lennon song.

A Lennon-McCartney reunion?

Not John and Paul. But sources say it seems like James McCartney and Sean Ono Lennon have collaborated on a song called “Primrose Hill.”

The song comes under James’s name and will drop tonight. And boy, it sounds like the dads come together. The guys have blended their voice on James’s song. “Primrose Hill” is a reference to the place where John said they should go and film what became the rooftop concert for “Let it Be.”

The sons also rise! What fun! They should have done this a long time ago!

Demi Moore, Selena Gomez, Adam Driver, Richard Gere, Kevin Costner, Nicolas Cage Lead Eclectic Group of Cannes Films

Roger Friedman
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Demi Moore, Selena Gomez, Adam Driver, Richard Gere, Kevin Costner, Nicolas Cage Lead Eclectic Group of Cannes Films

The 2024 Cannes line up is… different.

There are a lot of American films actors on the list. But they’re not the usual fare.

Demi Moore and Selena Gomez star in a horror film. Richard Gere reunites with his “American Gigolo” direcor Paul Schrader. Adam Driver commands Francis Ford Coppola’s “Megalopolis.” Kevin Costner is bringing his vanity western.

Coppola’s movie is notable because it has no distributor and cost him personally $100 million — not even the total price. Will he sell it? Who will buy it? How many times will it be shown? More than once?

Demi Moore? Richard Gere? There’s an 80s nostalgia there, certainly. Moore will get a lot of red carpet attention without a doubt. For Gere, this is vindication after he’s said that his political views about Tibet have cancelled him as a studio player — they’re all afraid of insulting China.

Sean Baker is back, this time with a film called “Anora” that has not only no star but no one who’s name is recognizable.

Andrea Arnold has “Bird,” with two hot stars — Barry Keoghan and Franz Rogowski. You can only imagine the bidding war, with A24 cracking open its piggy bank to get a film with the eccentric star of “Saltburn.”

On the what I would call more Oscar-y side of things, Cate Blanchett and Emma Stone each have films which will raise the bar a lot. There will also be plenty of French stars like Catherine Deneuve, Melvil Poupad, and Adele Exarchopolous.

Thierry Fremaux and Iris Knobloch say more films may be added in the days ahead, and I’m sure they’re right.

A deeper dive later today…

OPENING FILM

LE DEUXIEME ACTE (THE SECOND ACT)
Quentin Dupieux
Out of Competition

COMPETITION

THE APPRENTICE
Ali Abbasi

MOTEL DESTINO
Karim Aïnouz

BIRD
Andrea Arnold

EMILIA PEREZ
Jacques Audiard

ANORA
Sean Baker

MEGALOPOLIS
Francis Ford Coppola

THE SHROUDS
David Cronenberg

THE SUBSTANCE
Coralie Fargeat

GRAND TOUR
Miguel Gomes

MARCELLO MIO
Christophe Honoré

FENG LIU YI DAI (CAUGHT BY THE TIDES)
Jia Zhang-Ke

ALL WE IMAGINE AS LIGHT
Payal Kapadia

KINDS OF KINDNESS
Yórgos Lánthimos

L’AMOUR OUF
Gilles Lellouche

WILD DIAMOND
Agathe Riedinger
1st film

OH CANADA
Paul Schrader

LIMONOV – THE BALLAD
Kirill Serebrennikov

PARTHENOPE
Paolo Sorrentino

PIGEN MED NÅLEN (THE GIRL WITH THE NEEDLE)
Magnus von Horn

UN CERTAIN REGARD

NORAH
Tawfik Alzaidi

THE SHAMELESS
Konstantin Bojanov

LE ROYAUME
Julien Colonna
1st film

VINGT DIEUX !
Louise Courvoisier
1st film

WHO LET THE DOG BITE? (LE PROCÈS DU CHIEN)
Laetitia Dosch
1st film

GOU ZHEN (BLACK DOG)
Guan Hu

THE VILLAGE NEXT TO PARADISE
Mo Harawe
1st film

SEPTEMBER SAYS
Ariane Labed
1st film

L’HISTOIRE DE SOULEYMANE
Boris Lojkine

THE DAMNED
Roberto Minervini

ON BECOMING A GUINEA FOWL
Rungano Nyoni

BOKU NO OHISAMA (MY SUNSHINE)
Hiroshi Okuyama

SANTOSH
Sandhya Suri

VIET AND NAM
Truong Minh Quý

ARMAND
Halfdan Ullmann Tøndel
1st film

OUT OF COMPETITION

SHE’S GOT NO NAME
Chan Peter Ho-Sun

HORIZON
Kevin Costner

RUMOURS
Evan Johnson, Galen Johnson & Guy Maddin

FURIOSA : A MAD MAX SAGA
George Miller

Gene Hackman Fans Enraged by NY Post Attack on 94 Year Old Movie Legend and Two Time Oscar Winner’s Sartorial Choices

Roger Friedman
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Gene Hackman Fans Enraged by NY Post Attack on 94 Year Old Movie Legend and Two Time Oscar Winner’s Sartorial Choices

Gene Hackman is one of the greatest actors of all time, and a nice guy, too.

The 94 year two time Oscar winner wisely retired from Hollywood more two decade sago. He knew when to say goodbye.

But Hackman’s graciousness wasn’t enough this week for the New York Post to leave him alone. They grabbed pictures of him –obtained by Splash News — getting gas and coffee in Santa Fe and criticized him for his sartorial choices.

The Post complained that he looked the same — maybe wearing the same clothes — as he did when he was spotted in the same place four weeks ago. (Maybe the gas station people are selling pictures?)

Fans on Twitter, aka X, were outraged. So am I. ‘Leave this man alone!’ was the consensus. One witty Tweeter observed that maybe Hackman had discovered a way to wash clothes and use them again! (LOL.)

Last week, I read nasty tabloid items about Jack Nicholson and Warren Beatty, who are in their late 80s. They, like Robert Redford, have withdrawn from the scene. All of them owe us NOTHING. They gave and gave and gave. Indeed, leave them alone.

As for Hackman, I’m thrilled to see that at 94 he’s up and walking, and driving, and pumping gas. Good for him! Give him a standing ovation, even if he’s not wearing Prada! He looks great! We’re lucky to have him.

PS I’d like to see what they’re wearing in the NY Post newsroom these days.

“SNL” Blockbuster Works: Ratings Jump 18% in One Week as Kristen Wiig Hosts Star-Packed Show

Roger Friedman
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“SNL” Blockbuster Works: Ratings Jump 18% in One Week as Kristen Wiig Hosts Star-Packed Show

Lorne Michaels is no dummy.

After the debacle of the Ramy Youssef show ended with a huge drop in ratings, “SNL” chief Michaels packed it on this past Saturday.

The result was an 18% jump to 4.5 million viewers with Kristen Wiig hosting and a raft of surprise A list guests. Martin Short, Jon Hamm, Matt Damon, Paul Rudd, Ryan Gosling, Fred Armisen, Will Forte all joined Wiig for a wild, and memorable 90 minutes.

It didn’t hurt that the musical guest, Raye, was sensational. Sales of her album, “21st Century Blues,” also kicked up, sending it to the top 20. (Of course, there’s been no follow up since then from her indie label.)

Over 1 million of the 4.75 million viewers were in the key demo, too, which I’m sure thrilled NBC.

“SNL” had been in a rut since returning from Christmas break. But the Wiig show felt like old times. She, and the stars, gave it quite a jolt.

This weekend, “Barbie” and “The Fall Guy” star Gosling will host with superstar country singer Chris Stapleton was musical guest. Expect references to both those Gosling movies, and the eclipse. Should be fun!

Welcome back, “SNL”!

Watch the Trailer: Joaquin Phoenix, Lady Gaga Turn Gotham Upside Down in “Joker: Folie a Deux” with Overtones of Dinah Washington

Roger Friedman
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Watch the Trailer: Joaquin Phoenix, Lady Gaga Turn Gotham Upside Down in “Joker: Folie a Deux” with Overtones of Dinah Washington

You know this is not going to end well.

Joaquin Phoenix is back as Joker. Lady Gaga joins him. There will be music — trust me, including a couple of Lady Gaga songs eligible for an Oscar.

The music here is Dinah Washington’s “This Bitter Earth.” The soundtrack is going to be very interesting!

This might be the movie event of the year. “Joker: Folie a Deux” comes October 4th.

Monty Python Star John Cleese Says He’s Been Abandoned on the Road by His Concert Tour Promoter, Warns Future Clients Away

Roger Friedman
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Monty Python Star John Cleese Says He’s Been Abandoned on the Road by His Concert Tour Promoter, Warns Future Clients Away

“Monty Python” star John Cleese is on a short tour to eclectic cities, from the West Coast to Medford, Massachusetts.

The tour began just six days ago, in Portland, Oregon, but already there’s trouble.

On April 7th Cleese wrote on Twitter: “I am having a disagreement with Howard Szegeti, the promoter of my present tour He is refusing to reveal the figures for the box office receipts Why would he need to keep them secret ? I was hoping to discuss this with him, but he ran away and now won’t communicate Odd.”

Szigeti (proper spelling) has an agency in Canada called Unique Lives. I’ve left messages for him. If he answers, I’ll add whatever he has to say.

Cleese is notoriously prickly, but still, he’s a Python. He wrote again today: “Still no news from Howard Szegeti, the promoter who chose to run away rather than to discuss our contractual situation Anyone thinking of working with him should contact me via my Website to discuss precautions”

So things haven’t improved. In between there have been volleys with his readers, who’ve asked about the wording of his contract. His response to one reader was: “Thank you for this My agent should have pointed this out to me He hasn’t been very on the ball recently If you’re with an agency a long time, and they realise you’re not a squeaky wheel, they tend not to try so hard”

Can this marriage be saved? I’ve invited both Cleese and Szigeti to email me at showbiz411@gmail.com. Meantime, Cleese– who is ardently conservative — performs tonight in San Diego, and then in Anaheim. In June he comes to Massachusetts.

Something’s Wrong at “American Idol” as Monday Numbers Drop Again, Even with Vanna White

Roger Friedman
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Something’s Wrong at “American Idol” as Monday Numbers Drop Again, Even with Vanna White

Last night’s “American Idol” from Hawaii was not a ratings hit.

Something is wrong with the venerable competition. Monday’s show was the second lowest of this season, dropping 200,000 viewers from Sunday.

Hmmmm…Total viewers in fast affiliates were 4.152 million. The number may go up a little with further counting. Vanna White’s presence did not add to the proceedings.

I wasn’t impressed with the singers so far. I think the producers know that, too. They were encouraging several acts who subpar, but trying to show enthusiasm for everyone.

Over at TVLine.com they put in the time to grade everyone, and you won’t see many A’s. Unexpectedly, I really like Kennedy Reid, a country singer with a lot of personality. She did a bravura job on Reba McEntire’s “Fancy. At least she came alive and had presence, which is more than you can say for most of this group.

Francis Ford Coppola’s “Megalopolis” Will Premiere in Cannes, Possibly Without a Distributor and In Competition Despite Bad Buzz

Roger Friedman
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Francis Ford Coppola’s “Megalopolis” Will Premiere in Cannes, Possibly Without a Distributor and In Competition Despite Bad Buzz

There’s been a big kerfuffle the last day or so over Francis Ford Coppola’s “Megalopolis.”

Yesterday The Hollywood Reporter — with a triple play byline — declared that the movie was awful and unsale-able to a distributor. They said none of the studios wanted it, and no one who’d seen it, liked it.

Oy vey.

Coppola had said “Megalopolis” wouldn’t go to Cannes with a distributor. But, of course, it will — the film will be on the list announced early tomorrow morning. It will play in competition, a real long shot bet considering the advance buzz. It will have “a fifteen minute standing ovation”!

Coppola put up $100 million of his own money. The film costs maybe $120 million. This isn’t the first time he’s gambled the house on a film. “Apocalypse Now” went this way and was a total success. “One from the Heart” was a bust.

Adam Driver stars in a role that I reported Oscar Isaac turned down. Giancarlo Esposito, one of my favorite actors, plays his nemesis in a race to rebuild a New York-like city that has been destroyed. Other actors include Jon Voight, Laurence Fishburne, Aubrey Plaza, Shia LaBeouf, Chloe Fineman, Kathryn Hunter, Dustin Hoffman, D.B., Sweeney, Jason Schwartzman, Baily Ives, Grace Vanderwaal and James Remar.

There have been no screenings in New York so far. The screening in LA included a lot of Coppola pals like Al Pacino and Anjelica Huston. No one who was there came out raving. Even Deadline’s Michael Fleming, who was there, has given it restrained praise. A film that’s called “experimental” with no citations for the actors is worrisome.

Coppola is in the difficult position of having at least three of the best movies of all time — “The Godfather I and II,” and “Apocalypse Now.” There are a half dozen other excellent films on his resume. But the last three were pretty dismal, including one I saw years ago at Cannes called “Tetro” that was a big mess.

So, on to the Cannes announcements tomorrow.

Amy Winehouse Movie “Back to Black” Slammed in Early Reviews by Critics a Month Ahead of Release

Roger Friedman
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Amy Winehouse Movie “Back to Black” Slammed in Early Reviews by Critics a Month Ahead of Release

I wish I knew what was going on.

Today, 18 reviews for the Amy Winehouse biopic, “Back to Black” have popped up on Rotten Tomatoes.

They are evenly divided, which is not good. A 50% rating is considered rotten.

What’s really weird is that the Focus Feature’s release date is May 17th — more than a month away. Usually studios embargo reviews for films, and certainly for those with mixed reviews.

Interestingly, both Variety and the Hollywood Reporter said it was “fresh” despite misgivings. But The Wrap critic William Bibbiani hated it, and so did a lot of British reviewers.

This seems an odd way to start a campaign. A documentary about Winehouse called “Amy,” from Asif Kapadia, won an Oscar a few years back. A lot of comments under the reviews are saying that’s the only real Amy Winehouse film.

On the positive side, reviewers seem to like Marisa Abela as Amy. It’s the screenplay they have issues with. I can’t wait to see it. Let’s keep an open mind!

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