Paula Patton — she’s beautiful and talented, married to singer Robin Thicke. She co-starred in “Precious” and “Mission Impossible 4.” Now she’s going to star in a romantic comedy for Fox Searchlight called “Baggage Claim.” And I can tell you her co-star will be one of my favorite people, Derek Luke, who got his start in “Antwone Fisher.” Since then, Derek has played everything and everyone from Puff Daddy in “Notorious” to Jordin Sparks’s love interest in the upcoming “Sparkle” remake. He’s an overnight sensation for ten years. But “Baggage Claim,” written and directed by David Talbert, from his novel of the same name, should put Derek over the top. It’s great news for many reasons. Talbert will be making his feature film debut as a director, too. Smart African American comedies are starting to take root, with new directors. Spike Lee, Tyler Perry, Kasi Lemmons and John Singleton can be proud that it’s all happening, at last. They were the pioneers.
James Cameron Will Film Three “Avatar” Sequels At the Same Time
Sigourney Weaver confirmed tonight that James Cameron is shooting “Avatar” 2, 3, and 4 all at the same time, all with her, and starting this fall. But first…
Are you ready for the Clintons as a political soap opera? Sigourney Weaver is playing it pretty close to Hillary and Ciaran Hinds is a damn good Bill Clinton in USA Network’s “Political Animals.” The studio threw a fine all star premiere in New York last night at the Morgan Library, showing off Greg Berlanti’s new dramedy. Frankly, like most of the USA Networks shows, this could play on NBC in prime time. A real movie star, Sigourney Weaver, plays Elaine Barrish, ex First Lady of a philandering Democratic president who becomes Secretary of State.
Sound familiar? Ellen Burstyn gets the fun role of being Sigourney’s loose lipped, hilarious and always a little tipsy mother. The couple also has two kids–James Wolk plays the “good” son, who’s marrying a bulimic Asian American. Sebastian Stan is the coke snorting gay son. It’s a soap opera, but it’s deliciously done, extremely well written and produced. This is a six episode limited run beginning July 15th, but “Political Animals” will more than likely find a permanent place on the USA schedule very quickly. Sigourney is phenomenal.
When “Political Animals” finishes shooting, see if you can follow Weaver’s schedule: she goes right into a new Christopher Durang play for a short run at Lincoln Center. Then she films “Avatar” 2, 3, and 4 with James Cameron. That’s right: they’re making three sequels to the blue 3D phenom all at the same time. Weaver says she has no idea how long it will take, or how it’s going to work. “I just show up,” she said. If “Political Animals” is renewed, USA will have to wait until all that’s over. And it’s not like Weaver is the only busy person in her household: husband director Jim Simpson is debuting a new play by A. R. Gurney at the Flea Theater this fall.
Also great, by the way, in “Political Animals”: Carla Gugino as a crusading Washington reporter, Dan Futterman as her editor/boyfriend. Also a shout out to Clifton Davis, who played a network correspondent at the start of Episode 1. You do know that Clifton Davis wrote the great Jackson 5 song, “Never Can Say Goodbye.”
Justin Bieber “Believe” CD Numbers Lower Than Expected–Amazon Selling it for $4.99
UPDATE Tuesday afternoon, 4:20pm EDT: http://www.showbiz411.com/wp-admin/post.php?post=21570&action=edit&message=1
Justin Bieber’s “Believe” will be the highest first week sales of the year so far when it’s all counted. But it will also be at least 50,000 copies fewer than originally predicted. Right now, “Believe” is looking like it sold 370,000 copies–or less. This is way off the 420,00 copies hoped for. But Bieber’s TV special was a bust. And then his numbers on amazon.com significantly trailed off over the weekend. Amazon is now selling a downloadable version of the album for $4.99– a bad sign, as Madonna herself could tell us. The fact is, Bieber is not moving CDs digitally or physically in big numbers a week after “Believe” was made available. The amount of publicity he’s engendered simply is not resulting in sales, or even airplay. Given that this is particularly fruitful moment for Top 40 and pop–with “Someone I Used to Know,” “Call Me Maybe.” “What Makes You Beautiful,” and “Payphone” all full of good melodies and hooks–Bieber is not a factor. So hold on–because for once, substance may triumph over hype. And that will be a rude awakening.
Christie Brinkley Settles Case with Ex: Statement
Christie’s exclusive statement:
“Once and for all, this is my last word on the subject. Let it be known, that I “moved on” from my marriage to Peter Cook the moment a police offer tapped me on the shoulder and informed me that “my husband had been cheating on me in a two year affair with  his 17 year-old-daughter.” Since that moment, it has been an odyssey of frustration as I have navigated the court system with one goal to find peace and protection for my family from the various forms of abuse at the hands of a narcissist.
I had a prenup, a confidentiality agreement, and a “civility clause” that all cost a lot of money, but were for all intents and  purposes  ignored and useless against the extended character assassination and extortion attempts I have endured.  While extortion for money he was not owed was Peter Cook’s shameless goal in this last round, I was seeking respite from narcissist abuse by fighting for the right to enforce the “No Contact Rule” which is imperative for persons, mostly women, dealing with a person diagnosed with Narcissistic Personality Disorder.
In a late night settlement, I finally won the right to establish boundaries with provisions such as an intermediary to deal with email bullying, verbal and emotional abuse. Â I am hopeful the steps taken will now protect my Constitutional right to quiet enjoyment and peace and serve as a template for the courts to help others avoid the lengthy trials and tribulations that cost taxpayers money, and at a cost to families that CAN be calculated in dollars. But its the emotional toll which can only be measured in tears that must be considered by the courts and media alike.”
Michael Jackson: Epic Botching of Great Unreleased Single from “Bad” Album
Today is the third anniversary of the death of Michael Jackson. (Also the the third anniversary of Farrah Fawcett’s passing, FYI.) Epic Records cannot get Michael’s posthumous recordings out properly. Way back I told you that Michael’s longtime engineer Bruce Swedien had one extra track from “Bad”–the same one the late Frank DiLeo remembered as being outstanding. It was called “Don’t Be Messin’ Around.” I wrote about it here: http://www.showbiz411.com/2009/07/02/20090702book-michael-jackson-in-the-studio-bruce-swedie.
So it turns out that three weeks ago, on June 5th, Epic released “Don’t Be Messin’ Around” as the B side of the reissued “I Can’t Stop Loving You,” the original single from the “Bad” album.I spoke to Bruce a few minutes ago. He says the track is NOT a demo, it’s the finished track. “Michael didn’t make demos. He played piano on that track. That’s the record.” Sony did not consult Swedien about the track. They did send Spike Lee down to interview him for a video they’re doing on the “Bad’ 25th anniversary release set for…September. But for now, no publicity.
What??? After all the fighting about the Cascio tracks from the “Michael” album, here was the one track everyone agreed was really Michael, was really from classic sessions, and could have been trumpeted into a big deal. Not only has there been ZERO publicity, but also you can only buy the single at Wal-Mart, and only physically. Not digitally. In 2012. I can’t imagine why Sony/Epic/Legacy and the Michael Jackson estate was unable to do this right. It’s like everything else with Michael Jackson’s post-death recordings. And to think Sony said it made a deal for $200 million. They’re not going to earn it back this way!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FmcxpD9Y2sE
The New Steve (Martin) and Edie (Brickell) aka Mrs. Paul Simon, Team Up
Yes, there was a time when Steve and Eydie referred to the fun, fab married singing duo of Steve Lawrence and Eydie Gorme. But I can tell you exclusively that there’s a NEW Steve and Edie on the scene: comedic actor and musician Steve Martin and singer songwriter Edie Brickell, aka Mrs. Paul Simon. No, the two are not getting together romantically. But Martin and Brickell are recording an album together, combining Martin’s banjo picking and his touring band with Brickell’s famed warbling and songwriting. Brickell, of course, had a few hits including “What I Am”in 1988 before marrying Paul Simon in 1992and having three children. Since then, Brickell has had a spotty career, making albums with Simon’s eldest son Harper Simon (“The Heavy Circles”) and with musician Steve Gadd in the Gaddabouts. Peter Asher is producing the new album with Steve Martin; Simon and Brickell were among the guests at Asher’s final show Saturday night at Feinstein’s at the Regency. Martin and his band will perform in July at the Starkey Hearing Foundation’s annual all star gala in St. Paul, Minnesota. This new grouping a sure thing for a booking on “Saturday Night Live” this fall, which will be a refreshing change of pace.
What? You didn’t know about Edie Brickell? Oh yes: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tDl3bdE3YQA
RIP Tony Schulte, Gentleman Publisher from Random House
What a shame: the New York Times is reporting that Tony Schulte, the former Random House publisher, drowned on June 17th swimming near his house in Maine. I knew Tony when I started at Random House in 1983. He was Bob Bernstein’s right hand man. (No one writes about Bob Bernstein now, but after Bennett Cerf, he was the dynamic leader who made Random House a great publisher in the 1970s and early 1980s.) A dapper dresser, and sharp sharp sharp, Tony was old school with lots of great ideas. The Times is right; he did get them started in audio books. Tony was also a good friend, and someone I could talk to when the people I worked for at Ballantine Books seemed like they were off the wall. (One day, I’ll write a book. They were an insane group.) Tony’s life was all about publishing. His wife, Liz Darhansoff, was and is a great agent. His daughter, Lucy Danziger, is the editor of Self Magazine. Condolences to them and to his family. Tony was 82. He deserved a better ending. But I thank him, belatedly, for being a friend when I was young and needed one. Rest easy, Tony.
Box Office: “Brave” Rakes in $66 Mil, While Cruise, Sandler Films Die Slow Deaths
Pixar/Disney’s “Brave” was a big hit over the weekend, bringing in $66 million. Audiences loved it. A bunch of kids went from a barbeque I was at to see a 4pm show, and were already talking about seeing it again. There were doubters, but a strong female lead character blazed the trail. Meanwhile, both the Tom Cruise “Rock of Ages” and Adam Sandler “That’s My Boy” continued to die slow deaths. They’re now both at $28 million total with no foreign interest really. Each one took in $8 million for the entire weekend. Another actor who should be drawing an audience, Steve Carell, did very poorly as well. His “Seeking a Friend for the End of the World” did a lowly $3.8 million even in semi-full release. That movie has no traction; it’s over. It’s also a studied bad imitation of a great movie from years ago called “Last Night.” Carell without “The Office” is not soaring. “The Office” is dying without him. I’m just saying…Meanwhile, Woody Allen did just fine with “To Rome with Love” in limited release. In 5 theaters it did a total of $379,000. Woody’s fans are going to make a big effort here, and they’ll be pleasantly surprised.
Barbara Walters Had A Secret Meeting with Rielle Hunter In Her NYC Apartment Three Years Ago
So. Barbara Walters had Rielle Hunter, John Edwards’ mistress, over to her posh New York City apartment three years ago. It was a secret meeting. Hunter writes in “What Really Happened”: “She was really angling hard for me to talk to her.” The whole thing was off the record. Hunter went because she wanted to see how Barbara lived. Barbara wanted Rielle for “20/20.” She brought her friend Mimi Hockman and baby Quinn. Walters she says, used the fact that Hunter knew the daughter of her agent, Mort Janklow, as bait to get Hunter come to lunch at all.
Hunter writes in her book, “What Really Happened,” that she backed off of Walters’ advances when “20/20,” she says, “rolled out the red carpet for the Youngs”–Andrew and Cheri–“allowing them to spew their BS on national TV. Of course, Barbara screaming at me on the phone, trying to bully me into doing her interview, also didn’t do her any favors.”
Ironically, Hunter has now been on “20/20” and has a deal with ABC for multiple appearances. Elsewhere in the book. Hunter writes that John Edwards was obsessed with comments George Stephanopolous made around that time about Edwards being the possible father of Hunter’s baby. Now this week, Hunter will appear with Stephanopolous on “Good Morning America.” That should be pretty interesting.
Rielle Hunter: Elizabeth Edwards “Was In A Constant Tirade, Using Her Cancer As a Weapon…”
If we’re appalled enough by Rielle Hunter, now we know who to blame: Cary Woods, the producer of many indie films including “Scream” and “Swingers.” A very active presence in the 1990s and early 200s, Woods went on to start Plum TV in the Hamptons, According to Hunter in her non-informational book, ‘What Really Happened,” it was Woods who she went to in 2006 when she wanted to make documentary “films” or webisodes about then Senator John Edwards so she could stay near him. Years ago, Hunter’s friend Mimi Hockman told me there had been a Hollywood connection but never named Woods. Hunter trots him right out in the book–one of the few names she does give–and the guy who set everything up.
That’s all we know of Woods’s involvement because he–like her ex husband Kip Hunter and ex boyfriend Jay McInerney–makes the briefest of appearances in “What Really Happened.” Hunter gives little background in this book. So don’t fork over 20 bucks or more thinking you’re getting the whole story. You’re getting what Rielle Hunter wants you to know. She has one sister she likes and one she doesn’t talk to. Her father died in 1990, and she had his ashes. I couldn’t find any mention of a mother. Or how she morphed from Lisa Jo Druck to Rielle Hunter. She doesn’t say a word about her father’s scandals, or her life in the 80s in New York. It’s as if she just appeared one day, like Mary Poppins, to save John Edwards from a life of drudgery with wife Elizabeth and their three kids. (There’s just a thank you to her parents at the end.)
Hunter does list among her thank yous John Edwards’ two younger children with Elizabeth. There is no mention of Cate Edwards, his eldest surviving child, who was her own mother’s staunchest supporter. Indeed, there’s no mention of Cate at all in the book, or of Wade, the 16 year old son whom the Edwardses lost.
Hunter does go on and on about one thing: Elizabeth Edwards, how crazy and awful and obsessed she was. She doesn’t care that the woman is dying of cancer. You see, it’s bigger than that. From page 205: “And while Elizabeth paraded around on TV as the poor victim wife who had overcome her husband’s one time only shortcoming…She was in a constant tirade, using her cancer and Emma and Jack as weapons in the war against a father trying to take care of his daughter [Hunter’s new born illegitimate child with Edwards]…All the pain she was experiencing was because of Rielle Hunter. She drilled that into their heads. My heart broke for those kids. How sad for them to grow up in a household like that.”