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Mick Jagger Says He Hopes the Stones will Tour Again, He Loved Singing on “You’re So Vain”: “These days, I’d get a credit”

Roger Friedman
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Mick Jagger Says He Hopes the Stones will Tour Again, He Loved Singing on “You’re So Vain”: “These days, I’d get a credit”

Mick Jagger turns up in the New York Times today for a Q&A with David Marchese.

Of course, it’s to promote the Rolling Stones’ excellent new album, “Foreign Tongues.”

The main thing: he says he hopes the Stones will tour again, but he’s not promising anything.

Does ever think, This is the last show? Jagger says, “No. Maybe I have! I could get run over by a bus outside of my house. You never really know, do you? You don’t know what’s going to happen to you in life. But I personally hope to be able to tour. I like going places. I like meeting people. I like to go to weird countries to do shows.”

How does he feel about getting old? “There’s nothing good about it.” Does he have more wisdom? Mick replies: “I forgot all my wisdom. I might have had a couple of pearls drop, but I’ve already forgotten what they are. [Laughs] So no, it’s not particularly pleasant. You can’t do things as quickly as you want to. Physically you’ve got to be more careful. You know, when you’re playing football, they put you in goal a lot. I’m not very good at it!”

Marchese asks about how Mick came to sing on Carly Simon’s classic, “You’re So Vain.”

“I’m just the backing vocalist. I knew the producer, Richard Perry, who phoned me up and said, Can you do the backing vocals? I thought it was a great song. It was a big hit for her and I was never credited with a feature. These days, it would be “Carly Simon featuring Mick Jagger.” I’m louder than her on some of it.”

Great interview, great album. Let’s hope there’s more of each!

Dance for Crime: Ex CEO of Epoch Times — Intertwined with Shen Yun Troupe — Pleads Guilty to Stealing $67 Million from the Company

Roger Friedman
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Dance for Crime: Ex CEO of Epoch Times — Intertwined with Shen Yun Troupe — Pleads Guilty to Stealing $67 Million from the Company

I first told you two years ago how intertwined the Epoch Times was with Shen Yun Dance Troupe.

Yes, the conspiracy driven newspaper run by Chinese dissidents out of upstate New York is part and parcel with that colorful touring group of dancers.

I told you 25 months ago that Bill Guan, then CEO of Epoch Times, was accused of money laundering and stealing $67 million from the media company.

Now Guan has finally pleaded guilty. His crime? According to the New York State Attorney General: “participating in a conspiracy to engage in transactions involving criminal proceeds as part of a transnational scheme to launder at least approximately $67 million of illegally obtained funds to benefit, among others, the Epoch Times.”

“Weidong Guan orchestrated an elaborate multimillion-dollar money laundering scheme to increase revenues at the company where he served as Chief Financial Officer,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “Corporate leaders like Guan should take notice: boosting revenues through crime will not pay. This Office is committed to holding perpetrators of financial crimes accountable and compensating victims.”

Guan, 63, of Secaucus, New Jersey, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiring to engage in transactions involving criminal proceeds, which carries a maximum sentence of ten years in prison. Guan also agreed to forfeit at least $67 million, representing property involved in the offense, and separately to pay restitution up to $67 million.

The criminal conduct at issue does not relate to the Epoch Times’ newsgathering activities, according to the State’s press release.

But Epoch Times is under the same roof as Shen Yun, which spends millions advertising in aggressive campaigns.

I told you in 2024: On the Epoch Times’s Form 990 for 2020, the picture becomes clear. The Epoch Association donated $3 million to Shen Yun Performing Arts Center in Cuddeback, New York. Then, on the 2021 Form 990, Shen Yun got another $10.4 million.

In 2022, Epoch Times Association also donated a massive $41 million to the Universal Communications Network on West 28th St. They have the same address as Epoch Times. Universal Communications is also known as New Tang Dynasty, a TV channel that’s like a conspiracy theory PBS for adherents of Falun Gong, a Chinese dissident organization considered by many to be a cult.

UPDATE On their form 990 for 2023, Epoch Times Association donated $14,390,000 again to Universal Communications Network.

Guan thought he’d dance away with the $67 million, but the government caught on. It’s only a matter of time before Shen Yun will come under scrutiny. Read my original report here.

From the State’s Attorney General’s office release:

“From at least in or about 2019, through in or about May 2024, Guan, while serving as Chief Financial Officer of the Epoch Times, conspired with others to participate in a sprawling, international scheme to launder at least approximately $67 million of illegally obtained funds to bank accounts in the names of the Epoch Times and related entities.

“Guan did so by using the Epoch Times’ funds to purchase crime proceeds loaded onto gift cards and prepaid debit cards at discounted rates of approximately 70 to 80 cents on the dollar, and then laundering those crime proceeds back to the Epoch Times under the guise of fake “donations” to the Epoch Times.

“When banks notified Guan that the transactions at issue were suspicious and asked Guan to explain their source, Guan knowingly misled the banks to believe the transactions were legitimate rather than criminal.”

Madonna’s “Confessions II” Debuts at Number 1 First Week, Sells Nearly as Much as 2019’s “Madame X” Back in 2019 with Five Different Versions

Roger Friedman
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Madonna’s “Confessions II” Debuts at Number 1 First Week, Sells Nearly as Much as 2019’s “Madame X” Back in 2019 with Five Different Versions

Madonna’s “Confessions II” is number 1 at the end of its first week of sales.

A lot of time and money was put into getting this chart position. There are FIVE different versions of “CII” on iTunes, for example. One of them is instrumental only. Another is the sound of ducks quacking (joking).

“CII” sold 126,700 copies according to hits daily double. That’s just 40,000 less than the entire run of Madonna’s last album, “Madame X,” back in 2019.

Everyone who worked on making “CII” a hit deserves credit, starting with manager Guy Oseary and composer producer Stuart Price.

Having Sabrina Carpenter on a track didn’t hurt either.

Madonna played into her gay following big time, and that was a smart idea. They rallied around for her as a result.

It’s not like the old days (nothing is). She’s not going to have a top 10 hit on the radio, like “Holiday” or “Like a Prayer.” Still, for a 68 year old pop star, these are impressive results.

Currently, the “After Hours” version of “CII’ is keeping the Rolling Stones’ really great new “Foreign Tongues” at number 2.

SOS: USA Today, Cloudflare, Other Publishers Thinking of Leaving Google Search Before They Go Bankrupt: Google Is Trying to Kill Us (Read)

Roger Friedman
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SOS: USA Today, Cloudflare, Other Publishers Thinking of Leaving Google Search Before They Go Bankrupt: Google Is Trying to Kill Us (Read)

Google is trying to kill me. They’re trying to murder every publisher by directing search results to AI and away from links.

Google also plays with the algorithm. They launch constant “corrections” to the way their crawlers go through sites. The fluctuations they cause are maddening and disheartening. I spend all day trying to subvert their assault on this site. That’s why I have a DONATE Button on the top right corner. Staying alive is not easy.

Read the AdWeek article below. USA Today and Newsweek are among the victims, Cloudflare may redirect the sites it hosts away from Google Search, out of desperation. Small publishers like this one are in trouble. No one in Congress has any idea what we’re talking about, so they don’t care.

The screwing around with the algo is so bad, I could publish a breaking exclusive story about Mitch McConnell rising from his coma and square dancing, and you’d never see it.

SOS.

Link to AdWeek article.

The Rock Shock: “Moana” $250 Million Live Remake with Dwayne Johnson DOA with Just $4.5 Mil in Previews, Looking at $35 Mil Weekend

Roger Friedman
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The Rock Shock: “Moana” $250 Million Live Remake with Dwayne Johnson DOA with Just $4.5 Mil in Previews, Looking at $35 Mil Weekend

Once upon a time, The Rock was solid.

Dwayne Johnson really had a run of hits that was crazy. He could do no wrong.

Ten years after he voiced a character in Disney’s animated hit, “Moana,” Johnson is back in the live action version.

And…it’s a bust.

With a budget of $200 to $250 million, “Moana” made just $4.5 million in previews last night.

Now the film — with terrible reviews — is looking at a $35 million weekend.

And the reviews — just a 35% on Rotten Tomatoes, one of the very worst in Disney history.

Right now, the unreliable audience meter on Rotten Tomatoes is brimming with what look like planted reviews. They all loved it! LOL. But the take last night wouldn’t indicate a rush to the popcorn stand.

It doesn’t help, btw, that Johnson is the only recognizable face in the cast.

Johnson will be back, don’t worry. He’s going through a down moment after “The Smashing Machine” and some other misses. But he’s got the next “Fast and Furious” movie and another “Jumanji” sequel in the works. He’s this generation’s Sylvester Stallone, and we’re still stuck with at 80!

Taylor Sheridan Gets No Respect from Emmy Awards, Series “The Madison” and “Landman” with Stars Michelle Pfeiffer Billy Bob Thornton Snubbed

Roger Friedman
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Taylor Sheridan Gets No Respect from Emmy Awards, Series “The Madison” and “Landman” with Stars Michelle Pfeiffer Billy Bob Thornton Snubbed

The Emmy Awards do not care for Taylor Sheridan.

Sheridan is a force in TV production these days, with “Marshals” on CBS, and streaming shows like “Landman” and “The Madison.”

There’s also “Dutton Ranch,” the spin off of “Yellowstone,” which you may recall was a ratings powerhouse until Kevin Costner screwed it up.

But none of these shows got an Emmy nomination this week, except a lone one for stunts.

Otherwise, stars like Michelle Pfeiffer, Kurt Russell, Ali Larter, Billy Bob Thornton, Demi Moore, Annette Bening, Ed Harris, and Kelly Reilly were totally ignored. (Kelly Reilly deserves her own category, frankly.)

Most of the shows, with the exception of “Marshals” on CBS, are on Paramount Plus, which does little to support them for awards season. This ironic since Showtime was killed off by Paramount Skydance in favor of the streamer.

Sheridan, in his own way, has become the Dick Wolf of streaming. And Wolf — who produces hours and hours of network TV — is also ignored by the Emmys. The irony here is that his biggest star, Mariska Hargitay of “SVU,” will host the Emmys this year because they’re on NBC.

Pfeiffer, meantime, was nominated for another show. “Margo’s Got Money Troubles” put her on the list. The dramedy is written and produced by her husband, David E. Kelly — another television titan — for Apple TV Plus.

Sheridan never had much luck either with “Yellowstone,” despite its massive success. Will he ever? Probably not. The Emmys are their own worst enemy at this point. They love to bite the hand that feeds them.

Christopher Nolan’s “The Odyssey” Will Go for Best Song with an Original Rap Number from Travis Scott — of Astroland Fame, Kyle Jenner Baby Daddy

Roger Friedman
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Christopher Nolan’s “The Odyssey” Will Go for Best Song with an Original Rap Number from Travis Scott — of Astroland Fame, Kyle Jenner Baby Daddy

Well, this should be weird.

As we prepare for Christopher Nolan’s epic “The Odyssey,” no stone has been left unturned for the Oscar race.

The movie comes with an original song over the end credits.

“When I’m Home” is written by Ludwig Göransson, James Blake, Travis Scott, and Christopher Nolan. It’s performed by Scott, Göransson, and Blake.

Scott is a rapper known for being the baby daddy of two kids with Kylie Jenner, who now dates Timothee Chalamet.

He was also the host of the infamous Astroworld concert in 2021, where 10 people died from crowding and crushing, and hundreds more were injured. Scott plays some kind of part in “The Odyssey,” apparently.

Scott’s rap could be up against songs like Taylor Swift’s “I Knew It, I Knew You,” and the title track from John Carney’s “Power Ballad,” among others.

Nolan has never had his name on a soundtrack before, so this will be interesting for everyone.

Would Homer approve? Hard to say. You know, his grave settled a long time ago, I’m not sure if he has energy to turn in it. News of the song was written about first in Screen Rant.

Here’s an example of Scott’s work:

Summer of Classic Rock, Pop: Rolling Stones Join Paul McCartney, Madonna, and Next Carly Simon Reclaiming Their Legacies With Near Perfect New Albums

Roger Friedman
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Summer of Classic Rock, Pop: Rolling Stones Join Paul McCartney, Madonna, and Next Carly Simon Reclaiming Their Legacies With Near Perfect New Albums

The Rolling Stones’ “Foreign Tongues” is out now on all platforms, and it’s one for the books.

“Foreign Tongues” is so good, and so much livelier than albums from younger artists, that it will surprise older fans and bring in new ones.

But this the summer of classic rock and pop artists, age 65 to 85, reclaiming their territory.

Paul McCartney’s already done it with “The Boys of Dungeon Lane” Dance fans are in a frenzy over Madonna’s “Confessions II,” lodged at the top of the album charts.

Next to arrive in mid August is Carly Simon‘s first album of new material in 18 years, called “Comes in Waves,” featuring one of her best songs ever, “Howl.” Simon is the original Taylor Swift, Gracie Abrams, et al.

What a thrill to see the seniors showing the young people how it’s done.


Jonas Brothers Mystery: Pop Band Sells Out 3 Nights at Madison Square Garden But Hasn’t Had An Actual Hit Record Since 2019

Roger Friedman
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Jonas Brothers Mystery: Pop Band Sells Out 3 Nights at Madison Square Garden But Hasn’t Had An Actual Hit Record Since 2019

The Jonas Brothers are hot, and they’re not.

The amiable, good looking trio is right now selling out Madison Square Garden. They’ve got three nights next month — August 21, 22, and 23 — and so far sales look pretty good.

Three nights at MSG is a big deal. One night would be a big deal. If they really sell out the run, that’s over 50,000 tickets.

Amazing.

But there’s a weird disconnect with Kevin, Nick, and Joe from New Jersey. Their popularity playing live, doing commercials, appearing in social media is undeniable. Plus Nick is on the big screen right now in John Carney’s highly praised movie, “Power Ballad.”

The problem is they sell no records. They used to, of course. But most of that was almost 20 years. Then, in 2019, they had a resurgence with a single called “Sucker,” and a hit album titled “Happiness Begins.” At the time, they’d been disbanded for a decade, so it seemed like they were born again.

But since then, record sales have been nil with one exception. Joe Jonas had a massive hit called “Cake by the Ocean” with an outfit called DNCE. It was a one off, a miracle of a record that found no follow-up. It’s still a unicorn that can get anyone on the dance floor.

Both Nick and Joe have released solo albums recently. A few years ago, Nick appeared on “Saturday Night Live” to promote a solo album. There was no sales pay off.

It’s not like the records are bad. They’re perfectly fine pop concoctions. But either the fans just want to hear the old songs, or there’s a radio and marketing issue. The new tour is named for a 2007 single called “Burning Up,” so they know where the strengths lie — in nostalgia.

Meantime, their last two albums were disasters — in 2023, “The Album” (what a terrible title and idea) sold just 52,000 copies. Last year, “Greetings from Your Hometown” didn’t even register. It was DOA.

And still, ticket sales for the live show are booming. It’s a headscratcher. Right now, on Ticketmaster, the “queue” for pre-sales is around 4,000 per night. But you do see the brothers in photos from all over the world on exotic vacations, and living it up. So the formula works whether we understand it or not.

Disney’s Live Action “Moana” Remake Starring Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson Panned by Critics with an Abysmal 38% on Rotten Tomatoes

Roger Friedman
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0
Disney’s Live Action “Moana” Remake Starring Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson Panned by Critics with an Abysmal 38% on Rotten Tomatoes

Thomas Kail is an astute and talented director. But something’s gone wrong with his latest project.

Disney’s live action remake of “Moana,” an animation masterpiece, is getting killed by critics.

“Moana” has debuted on Rotten Tomatoes with a 38% rating. Ouch! Abysmal.

Reviewers are moaning about “Moana.”

Carla Hay writes in Culture Mix: “The 2026 version of Moana is a shipwreck of soulless filmmaking. The animated characters in 2016’s Moana give better acting performances than the humans in this dreadful live-action 2026 remake, which is polluted with bad film editing and awkward scenes.”

David Fear, in Rolling Stone: “The live-action Moana is simply spectacle that’s indistinguishable for any other generic spectacle out there — it’s peak Disney déjà vu.”

Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson is the only well known actor on the cast list.

Unfortunately, Lin Manuel Miranda is listed as a producer. He and Kail made “Hamilton” together. They will make good things in the future. This isn’t one of them.

The 38% rating is fourth worst among all Disney remakes.

Disney is having such a big success with “Toy Story 5” they probably won’t even notice.

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