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Updated: Christian Borle Leaving “Starcatcher,” Heading Back to “Smash”

Roger Friedman
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Updated: Christian Borle Leaving “Starcatcher,” Heading Back to “Smash”

It does seem like Christian Borle, star of “Peter and the Starcatcher,” is leaving the kooky play soon after Sunday’s Tony Awards. A casting call has gone out for his character, “Black Stache,” the antagonist of everything that goes on in the play with music. (This has been a confusing year of plays with music and musicals with plays–or something like that.) Borle probably has to leave to get ready for second season taping of the NBC show, “Smash.” Even though “Smash” won’t return to the NBC lineup until after the beginning of next year, the episodes for season two begin filming in July.

The casting call sheet is looking for a new “Stache” immediately. The first performance is set for either July 2 or July 9.  Borle is nominated for a Tony Award as a featured actor (he’s been nominated before, for “Legally Blonde”).  This year he’s up against Michael Cumpsty, Andrew Garfield, Tom Edden, and Jeremy Shamos. He’s great in “Starcatcher,” but the show itself is only doing so -so at the box office. Without any Tony wins, “Starcatcher” — which started off Broadway– may be facing a closing notice by the end of the summer. (Try and see it–it’s a very clever show.)

A rep for “Starcatcher” says that they know Borle has to leave for “Smash”–they just want to be ready when he does.

Debra Winger Making Broadway Debut in David Mamet Play

Roger Friedman
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Debra Winger Making Broadway Debut in David Mamet Play

Debra Winger is going to make her Broadway debut this fall. She’s signed on to a David Mamet two hander (that’s two actors) called “The Anarchist.” Broadway legend Patti Lupone is her co-star. Winger, once one of the most in demand actresses in movies, sort of took herself out of the business and slowed down her trajectory around 20 years ago. After hits like “An Officer and a Gentleman,” “Urban Cowboy,” and “Terms of Endearment,” Winger just cooled it. Every once in a while she turns up in something. but it’s a rarity. In 2010 she had a recurring role in HBO’s “In Treatment.” She’s also featured in “Lola Versus” with new star Greta Gerwig. A few years ago, when I interviewed her about not working, Winger said, “I don’t think I’ve missed anything.” She’s going to be just great on Broadway. “The Anarchist” will be a hot, hot ticket.

Tom Cruise’s Odd, “Zoolander”- like Odyssey in “Rock of Ages”

Roger Friedman
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Tom Cruise’s Odd, “Zoolander”- like Odyssey in “Rock of Ages”

I’ll be honest. I have not seen “Rock of Ages” on Broadway. The music–if that’s what you call it–is the worst of the early 80s. When I was listening to Elvis Costello, the Pretenders, the Clash, the Jam, the Police–this other, awful stuff from Journey, Kansas, Whitesnake, Poison– whatever was not on my radar. So a whole Broadway show about singers with big hair and screechy falsettos? Not for yours truly. And then of course Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believing” got a renewed life thanks to the final episode of “The Sopranos.” Oy vey.

Now we have the movie “Rock of Ages,” from the director of “Hairspray,” Adam Shankman. “Hairspray” was a clever spoof on stage and on screen. John Travolta was genius casting. The whole thing was a big wink.

“Rock of Ages” is turgid, haphazard, and so frenetically directed that I think it exacerbated my Vertigo. Cameras swoop around, some of the people seem like they’re on turntables. You will need Dramamine, trust me.

Tom Cruise is the nominal star, playing dopey, big haired singer Stacey Jaxx. He’s sort of modeled on Bret Michaels. (Michaels gets a special thank you at the end of the film.) But Cruise plays him as if he’s channeling Ben Stiller as “Zoolander.” I don’t get it. He can’t sing, that much is established. He also lacks any rock sexiness. Simply not wearing a shirt for an entire movie only makes you Iggy Pop, or Anthony Keidis, or the guy from Grand Funk Railroad. But otherwise, Cruise seems like an antiseptic rock star. We’ll give him credit for trying something different.

It doesn’t help that the “Rock of Ages” script is as witless as the songs. It opens with a scene that simply copies the great bus singalong from Cameron Crowe’s classic, “Almost Famous.” You know we’re in trouble right away. A lot of “Rock of Ages” has a familiar feel to it. They’re so desperate to get to these mostly awful songs, that character development is an afterthought.

Now, it may be if you grew up on this music, “Rock of Ages” will be fun. There are some nice performances by Malin Ackerman, Paul Giamatti, and believe it or not Mary J. Blige. (The latter is the most pleasant surprise of all.) But the two young leads–Julianne Hough and Diego Boneta–are close to dreadful. Alec Baldwin couldn’t look worse. Russell Brand was better off trying to get the Greek on time.

Look, some people are going to love this movie. The Broadway show is still a hit. To me, it was like a jukebox from Hell. But even I enjoy a guilty pleasure–“Sister Christian” has always been one of mine. And the best song of that entire episode in rock history–Foreigner’s “I Want to Know What Love Is”– is well placed.

You can listen to the whole soundtrack at http://music.aol.com/new-releases-full-cds/#/2

 

Exclusive: Matthew Modine Cast as John Sculley in Steve Jobs Movie: Exclusive Pic

Roger Friedman
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Exclusive: Matthew Modine Cast as John Sculley in Steve Jobs Movie: Exclusive Pic

Matthew Modine–hot right now in the upcoming “Dark Knight Rises”– just got cast in the new Steve Jobs movie. This is the one starring Ashton Kutcher. Modine will play John Sculley, one of the founders of Apple. Sculley was president of the company from 1983 to 1993 was responsible for their many early successes. A falling out with Steve Jobs caused him to be ousted in 1993. Pictured below: Modine in an Apple shirt made for him by a friend. And Sculley in the real thing.

Whitney Houston’s Mother, Cissy, Sells Memoir of Daughter

Roger Friedman
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Whitney Houston’s Mother, Cissy, Sells Memoir of Daughter

Cissy Houston has made a deal with Harper Collins for her book about Whitney. They say it’s going to no-holds barred. That should be interesting since all three of Cissy’s kids have had heavy involvement with drugs. Will she be explaining that? There so many things I doubt Cissy will address in the book, starting with Whitney’s devastating reaction to her parents’ separation and divorce. Then there are friendships and romances that Cissy will to have acknowledge: from Jermaine Jackson to Robyn Crawford to Bobby Brown and Ray J. Further, Cissy is going to have to explain why Bobbi Kristina didn’t live with Whitney for a couple of years, her participation in “Being Bobby Brown” on TV, the rehabs, all of it. For a mother to get into detail–especially Cissy, who is extremely private–seems unlikely. But as sources in the record business have indicated, Cissy needs the money from a book advance now that Whitney is gone. However she handles it all, Cissy will produce a fascinating book.

Jane Fonda’s Movie Renaissance Is Thriving at 74

Roger Friedman
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Jane Fonda’s Movie Renaissance Is Thriving at 74

Jane Fonda is 74, looks fantastic, and has jumped back into movie roles with a vengeance. Last night her newest film, Bruce Beresford’s “Peace, Love and Misunderstanding” premiered to a wildly enthusiastic audience for the Womens Media Center– and included costars Catherine Keener, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Nat Wolff (and parents Polly Draper and Michael Wolff), Chase Crawford, plus Gloria Steinem, Robert Wuhl, Tovah Feldshuh, Carol Alt, Ashleigh Banfield, Joshua Bell, Heather Matarazzo, Ingrid Sischy and Sandy Brandt, Roberta Myers, Jennifer Missoni. Gina Gershon among others.

In “Peace Love”–which opens Friday–Jane plays a sexy, feisty grandmother who takes in her daughter (Keener) and her kids (Elizabeth Olsen and Nat Wolff). She also has a much younger boyfriend in Jeffrey Dean Morgan. It’s a funny set up, and Fonda will probably get a Golden Globe nominations and some other awards activity next fall if IFC Films mounts a campaign. She’s that good of course (she already has two Oscars, you know).

But this is also a Fonda Renaissance period. On June 24, she debuts in HBO’s “The Newsroom” created by Aaron Sorkin. In the preview clips, you can’t take your eyes off of her. Sorkin is said to be writing her an even bigger role for the second season. And Fonda is also starring in “Better Living Through Chemistry,” with an all star cast. And she narrates the movie. Of course, let’s not forget she’ll be playing Nancy Reagan in Lee Daniels’ “The Butler.”

And the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree, as they say: Jane’s son, Troy Garity, starts his second season of “Boss” on the Starz channel in August.

And yes, in case you were wondering, Fonda is happy, happy and in love with famed record producer Richard Perry, who’s writing his own memoir right now of Hollywood and rock and roll with Carly Simon, Ringo Starr, the Pointer Sisters, and friends like Warren Beatty and Jack Nicholson.

Meantime, don’t miss “Peace Love” when it opens this Friday. It’s for adults. No flying, or special effects. It’s NOT in 3D. But, like “The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel,” it’s human and fun. Just like a real movie

 

 

Lionel Richie Lampooned by Sinbad, Serenaded by Gladys Knight, Valerie Simpson, and Stars at Apollo Theater Benefit

Roger Friedman
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Lionel Richie Lampooned by Sinbad, Serenaded by Gladys Knight, Valerie Simpson, and Stars at Apollo Theater Benefit

Lionel Richie got the legend treatment last night at the Apollo Theatre’s 7th annual gala. Richie, on top of the charts with his “Tuskegee” album, sat in a box above the stage and watched several performers sing his songs before accepted the Lifetime Achievement Award from Apollo board member Ronald Perelman (who couldn’t help but throw in a couple of F bombs).

It was a great night at the Apollo, with tributes kicking off the show–Valerie Simpson played “Ain’t Nothing Like the Real Thing” on the piano in memory of her husband, Nick Ashford. Simpson — now a solo performer–is a revelation as a singer. She should make another album. Gladys Knight did a ferocious medley of Etta James songs. And Chaka Khan kicked off the evening with “I’m Every Woman,” in honor of Whitney Houston. The O’Jays’ Eddie Levert paid tribute to Don Cornelius. And there were mentions of both Donna Summer and Hal Jackson.

It hasn’t been an easy year for soul music. But the Apollo event raised $1.2 million for a theater and cultural center that’s wound up being the heart and soul of Harlem. The Apollo gave its corporate award to Citigroup’s Vikram Pandit. There were also performances from Mary Mary and Donnie McClurkin. But it was Lionel who stole his own show. He took the stage at the end and performed two songs, “Three Times a Lady” and  “Easy (On A Sunday Morning).”

Neil Young Next to Do Concert Ticket-CD Bundle a la Madonna

Roger Friedman
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Neil Young Next to Do Concert Ticket-CD Bundle a la Madonna

This is the future and the future is now. Neil Young and Crazy Horse are going to tour together for the first time in 8 years. And if you buy a ticket online to one of their shows, you will receive their new CD, “Americana.” And that CD will be counted as a separate sale at SoundScan. This has been done before, but was executed with incredibly klunkiness for Madonna’s “MDNA” album. The concert ticket album redemption artificially inflated Madonna’s sales numbers for one week. Then in the second “MDNA” dropped the most of any album ever. “Americana” went on sale today. The concert tour doesn’t begin until October 3rd (with dates at Red Rocks in August). But the online bundle business starts this Friday, June 8th.

If you’re a Neil Young fan, check out the silent film he’s produced with his team at www.neilyoung.com

John Edwards’ Mistress, Rielle Hunter, and Her Kennedy Connection

Roger Friedman
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John Edwards’ Mistress, Rielle Hunter, and Her Kennedy Connection

You could say John Edwards was similar to a lot of the Kennedys–the charisma, the hair, the cheating. It’s all there. But now Edwards’ mistress/babymama, Rielle Hunter, has her own Kennedy connection. Who’s doing the publicity for her forthcoming tell book? Why, Hunter has hired RoseMarie Terenzio, who was John Kennedy Jr.’s secretary-assistant at George magazine from 1994 to the day John died in a July 1999 plane crash.

Terenzio has since gone on to start her own press agency. She will now be the mouthpiece for Hunter, who had an affair with a married man, knowing the man’s wife had terminal cancer, and then got pregnant by him. And hid the fact of the baby.

Terenzio emailed me to take down a picture of Hunter and her daughter Frances Quinn, shot on the baby’s first birthday. The picture was given to me by one of Hunter’s friends and was used on Foxnews.com. It may still be there. At the time, the picture was given to me for specific use, without any limitations. But Hunter is about to hit the celeb circuit promoting her book, so she probably wants more control over her image. Good luck to that. The ghost of Elizabeth Edwards hovers over these people.

Madonna “MDNA” Now for Sale for 41 Cents

Roger Friedman
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Madonna “MDNA” Now for Sale for 41 Cents

The saga of Madonna’s “MDNA” just keeps getting stranger. Even as Madonna launches her world wide tour–very successful, looks like a hit–“MDNA” is suffering. The latest situation: the album is being offered on amazon.com for 41 cents. That’s right–forty one pennies. The shipping is actually more expensive–$2.98. A couple of different companies are offering “MDNA” at this price. I emailed AbundaTrade in South Carolina. Their owner advised me: “Yes, there was a flaw in our purchasing calculator.  We paid $4.86 each.  We have 111 left in stock and can sell them all to you for $0.41 plus $2.98 shipping each as per our Amazon listing.” That’s pretty much as low as you can go. Poor “MDNA.” The indignities don’t stop. At least these copies won’t be counted in SoundScan again.

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