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Exclusive: Wyclef Jean Says “Nothing to Fear If Your Hands Are Clean”

Roger Friedman
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Exclusive: Wyclef Jean Says “Nothing to Fear If Your Hands Are Clean”

Exclusive: I just got off the phone with Wyclef Jean, former presidential candidate in Haiti, humanitarian, international music star, and subject of a new smear campaign in the New York Post. The paper is making it look like Wyclef has been taking money from the Yele Haiti charity– or at the very least like something fishy is going on with it. Last year, when Wyclef was running for president, he resigned from the board of Yele Haiti so there would be no conflicts of interest. There was some mismanagement of the charity, and mistakes were made. Yele Haiti’s president, Hugh Locke, resigned, to clear things up. They have a new chief, Derek Johnson.

The idea that Wyclef would take money from the charity, Jean told me, is “preposterous.” He told me: “My father always said, you have nothing to fear if your hands are clean.” Wyclef’s hands are indeed clean.  He tells me when the emergency occurred, the charity turned to companies that belonged to his inlaws–who are Haitian and live there–to help them distribute food and water. It does make sense. Yele Haiti took in $16 million after the Haiti earthquake. They gave away $5.1 million. That is appropriate for a long standing foundation. The idea is not to give it away all at once, so you can stay in business.

More on Yele Haiti shortly.

In the meantime, Wyclef is dividing his time now between New Jersey and Haiti. The once and always leader of the Fugees has got a new label called All Hands on Deck. He’s working on a new album for next summer called “Feel Good Music” with artists like Estelle, Melanie Fiona, Paulina Rubio, Nikki Jean, and some new discoveries. He has a single now on ITunes called “Historia.” And he’s gotten into Zumba Fitness. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qsSrq3HBa7A and http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zCm6h-sSeYo

Good for Wyclef. I’ve known the Jean family a long time. No one is perfect. And doing in business in Haiti is not like selling baked goods in front of the Stop & Shop in your local community. As Paul Haggis and Sean Penn will tell you, it’s a little like living in “Mad Max.” But Wyclef has brought more awareness to his native country’s plight than any other Haitian, and for that he must be applauded.

“Spider Man” Producers Slime Taymor; Where is Bono?

Roger Friedman
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“Spider Man” Producers Slime Taymor; Where is Bono?

So “Spider Man: Turn off the Dark” is a year old, technically. It began previews a year ago yesterday. In Monday’s New York Times (and online Sunday night), producer Michael Cohl goes out of his way to be nasty to the show’s creator, Julie Taymor. The Times’s Patrick Healy is only too happy to help him. Why not? Taymor has been kicked to the curb. Although she worked on the show for years, and most of its structure and invention belongs to her, she’s been paid next to nothing.

It’s hard to imagine at this point that Bono and the Edge, fighters for and defenders of human rights around the world, aren’t outraged. They wrote the music for “Spider Man.” They are amply aware that Taymor’s book remains the backbone of the show. Her costumes and characters, her vision, are still the underpinning for the show. The Tony committee has ruled that only Taymor is eligible to be considered Best Director from “Spider Man.” And yet, the bile keeps churning. How about paying this woman, and making peace?

The fact is, Bono and the Edge were not there one year ago. They were on tour. Maybe they didn’t like what they saw when they finally arrived at the Foxwoods Theater in December. But it’s time for them to step up and defend their lead artist. Sit down and watch “Spider Man.” From a year ago, nearly everything that Taymor created remains in the show: Arachne and her weaving–the show’s best number; the Green Goblin, his costume, and humor; Spider Man–played by Reeve Carney, whom Taymor cast; Peter Parker’s schoolmates, his crazy bounce off the wall bedroom, the pas de deux with Arachne, the black out scene of Peter and Mary Jane on the fire escape. And so on.

There’s a song in “Spider Man” that I called “Say it Now”–(ironically its real title is “I Just Can’t Walk Away”). But it’s time for Bono, the humanitarian, to “say it now” and come to Taymor’s aide. Anything else is unseemly.

“War Horse” Dazzles on Screen: Spielberg Schmaltzy and Soaring

Roger Friedman
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“War Horse” Dazzles on Screen: Spielberg Schmaltzy and Soaring

Steven Spielberg’s “War Horse”is a dazzling movie. Surprise! For those, like me, who worried that it would turn out to be “Lassie” with a horse, we were wrong. For those who thought the lack of the amazing puppets from the stage show would make the story less powerful, we were wrong. “War Horse” works on film. Yes. it’s schmaltzy. John Williams‘s score, while beautiful, is perhaps used a tad too much and is busy. But Spielberg’s “War Horse” is a beauty, a thoroughbred of a film, a stallion, and wins, places, and shows. (Enough cliches?) The highly astute and masterful director has managed to remake “War Horse” so that the film stands on its own from the highly acclaimed stage show playing in New York and London to sold out audiences. That alone is quite remarkable. Because he doesn’t have the puppets he must redirect the whole pitch of the enterprise to the actors, the mood, and texture of the story.

“War Horse” was shown in nine cities this afternoon including New York, with a Q&A following with the director. People followed the Q&A on the internet and were able to ask questions of Spielberg after the show. He held forth for almost an hour, explaining a lot for a film that is truly a big meal. Spielberg–with so many classics under his belt–has made what he readily acknowledges is an “old fashioned” movie. “War Horse” only has 3 computer generated segments. It was shot with wide lenses. And while Spielberg says there are no intentional homages to elder directors and famous films, you can find echoes of John Ford, David Lean and “Gone with the Wind” woven into the new film’s fabric.

The foundation for the film’s greatness certainly comes with the cast. Newcomer Jeremy Irvine is a star in the making as Albert, the English farmboy who trains Joey, the unmanageable thoroughbred. Emily Watson is simply outstanding as his mother. “It’s the best work she’s ever done,” Spielberg told me yesterday after the Q&A, and he’s quite right. (And that’s saying a lot.) Niels Arestrup, Tom Hiddleston, Eddie Marsan, David Thewlis, David Kross (from “The Reader”) and Benedict Cumberbatch are just a few of the extremely skilled British actors that smart filmgoers will recognize. They are each sensational. Peter Mullan, less well known to American audiences, is spot on as Albert’s troubled father.

“War Horse” presents a Spielbergian hybrid in a way. The grit and glory of “Saving Private Ryan” — a tough war movie–is literally wrapped in the gauze of his more fanciful war films like “Empire of the Sun,” “1941” and “Always.” I don’t want to diminish the achievement of “Schindler’s List,” but there’s a scene in “War Horse” that recalls it–the horror of war after a brutal battle. The war scenes in “War Horse” are almost unexpected after the buttery glow of young Albert training Joey and their lives in a pre-WWI country village. A pesky, honky goose makes the whole atmosphere feel like a musical could start at any moment.

But then Spielberg gets serious. As Joey the horse is conscripted into the war, his life becomes episodic. And little by little, as Spielberg follows author Michael Morpurgo’s now nearly 30 year tale,  the director starts showing us his real stuff. The war–with no blood and nothing to flinch from in the scenes–becomes almost cosmic. The double climax comes first when one soldier disappears in a cloud of grenade gas. This is followed by Joey’s entanglement in barbed wire–an incident that literally stops the war between the British and the Germans cold. Look for Oscar host Billy Crystal to attempt a dance number with huge wire cutters next winter, that’s all I’m sayin.’

“War Horse” will be released on Christmas Day, a whole month from now. It’s not Spielberg’s only film of the season. He also the animated “Adventures of Tin Tin,” which is quite charming. But “War Horse” ia a big deal, a spectacle, a hailing back to when movies really took your breath away. It’s a very nice Christmas present, and kind of a relief. It’s certainly one of the half dozen or so best films of 2011 (along with “The Artist,” “Midnight in Paris,” “The Descendants,” “Moneyball,” and “Hugo”). But it also may be well beyond that.

My only fear now: Joey, Uggie the dog from “The Artist” and one of the animals from “We Bought a Zoo” will want special seats at the Golden Globes and their own category.

 

 

Forever Young: 92 Year Old Pete Seeger Records Bob Dylan Song

Roger Friedman
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Forever Young: 92 Year Old Pete Seeger Records Bob Dylan Song

Pete Seeger is 92 and a half years old. Yet he has recorded Bob Dylan’s “Forever Young”  for the upcoming Amnesty International album “Chimes of Freedom.” The album, a four disc set, will be released on January 24, 2012, to benefit the important human rights organization.

There are 80 tracks, with twenty or more from artists that are very unknown. But the big stars are great– Carly Simon, Sting, Joan Baez, Patti Smith, Marianne Faithfull, Jeff Beck with Seal, Elvis Costello, Diana Krall, Paul Rodgers and Nils Lofgren.

Actress Evan Rachel Wood, who sang in Julie Taymor’s “Across the Universe” and almost did in Taymor’s Broadway “Spider Man,” sings a song Dylan wrote with  George Harrison in 1968; it appeared on Harrison’s “All Things Must Pass” album–“I’d Have You Anytime.” Some of the tracks were organized by my old pal, Martin Lewis, who’s been an Amnesty stalwart for a long time and knows his music. I’m particularly keen to hear K’Naan, my new favorite performer, do “With God on Our Side.” I am not so keen to hear Kesha, Miley Cyrus, or Darren Criss from “Glee.” (Concessions to the commercial are wince inducing.)

And where is Bruce Springsteen? That seems like a glaring omission. So are Tony Bennett, Paul McCartney, and Paul Simon.

But the Pete Seeger track should be just thrilling. It balances out the weird ones (aforementioned) and gives us all hope. We can only hope that the Grammy show on February 12th will feature a big segment devoted to this collection (with Kesha, Cyrus, and Criss relegated to the background).

DISC 1

Raphael Saadiq – Leopard-Skin Pill-Box Hat

Patti Smith – Drifter’s Escape

Rise Against – Ballad of Hollis Brown

Tom Morello The Nightwatchman – Blind Willie McTell

Pete Townshend -Corrina, Corrina

Bettye LaVette – Most of the Time

Charlie Winston -This Wheel’s On Fire

Diana Krall – Simple Twist of Fate

Brett Dennen -You Ain’t Goin’ Nowhere

Mariachi El Bronx – Love Sick

Ziggy Marley – Blowin’ in the Wind

The Gaslight Anthem – Changing of the Guards

Silversun Pickups – Not Dark Yet

My Morning Jacket – You’re A Big Girl Now

The Airborne Toxic Event – Boots of Spanish Leather

Sting – Girl from the North Country

Mark Knopfler – Restless Farewell

DISC 2

Queens Of The Stone Age – Outlaw Blues

Lenny Kravitz – Rainy Day Woman # 12 & 35

Steve Earle & Lucia Micarelli – One More Cup of Coffee (Valley Below)

Blake Mills – Heart Of Mine

Miley Cyrus – You’re Gonna Make Me Lonesome When You Go

Billy Bragg -Lay Down Your Weary Tune

Elvis Costello -License to Kill

Angelique Kidjo – Lay, Lady, Lay

Natasha Bedingfield – Ring Them Bells

Jackson Browne -Love Minus Zero/No Limit

Joan Baez – Seven Curses (Live)

The Belle Brigade – No Time To Think

Sugarland – Tonight I’ll Be Staying Here With You (Live)

Jack’s Mannequin – Mr. Tambourine Man

Oren Lavie – 4th Time Around

Sussan Deyhim – All I Really Want To Do

Adele – Make You Feel My Love (Recorded Live at WXPN)

DISC 3

K’NAAN – With God On Our Side

Ximena Sariñana – I Want You

Neil Finn with Pajama Club – She Belongs to Me

Bryan Ferry – Bob Dylan’s Dream

Zee Avi – Tomorrow Is A Long Time

Carly Simon – Just Like a Woman

Flogging Molly – The Times They Are A-Changin’

Fistful Of Mercy – Buckets Of Rain

Joe Perry – Man Of Peace

Bad Religion – It’s All Over Now, Baby Blue

My Chemical Romance – Desolation Row (Live)

RedOne featuring Nabil Khayat – Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door

Paul Rodgers & Nils Lofgren – Abandoned Love

Darren Criss featuring Chuck Criss and Freelance Whales – New Morning

Cage the Elephant – The Lonesome Death of Hattie Carroll

Band of Skulls – It Ain’t Me, Babe

Sinéad O’Connor – Property of Jesus

Ed Roland and The Sweet Tea Project – Shelter From The Storm

Ke$ha – Don’t Think Twice, It’s All Right

Kronos Quartet – Don’t Think Twice, It’s All Right

DISC 4

Maroon 5 – I Shall Be Released

Carolina Chocolate Drops – Political World

Seal & Jeff Beck – Like A Rolling Stone

Taj Mahal – Bob Dylan’s 115th Dream

Dierks Bentley – Senor (Tales of Yankee Power) (Live)

Mick Hucknall – One Of Us Must Know (Sooner Or Later)

Thea Gilmore – I’ll Remember You

State Radio – John Brown

Dave Matthews Band – All Along the Watchtower (Live)

Michael Franti – Subterranean Homesick Blues

We Are Augustines – Mama, You Been On My Mind

Lucinda Williams – Tryin’ To Get To Heaven

Kris Kristofferson – Quinn The Eskimo (The Mighty Quinn)

Eric Burdon -Gotta Serve Somebody

Evan Rachel Wood – I’d Have You Anytime

Marianne Faithfull – Baby Let Me Follow You Down (Live)

Pete Seeger – Forever Young

Bob Dylan – Chimes Of Freedom

DIGITAL ONLY

Outernational – When The Ship Comes In

Silverstein -Song To Woody

Daniel Bedingfield – Man In The Long Black Coat

 

ABC Internet Soap Deal Implodes, If It Ever Was Real in First Place

Roger Friedman
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The deal between ABC and Jeff Kwatinetz’s Prospect Park Productions is over. Prospect announced in July it would bring “All My Children” and “One Life to Live” to their online network in January 2012 after they were cancelled by ABC. But Prospect is run by Jeff Kwatinetz, a man known in the biz for imploding his own successful company, The Firm, and nearly destroying the career of Kelly Clarkson. (She just barely retrieved it.) His partner, Rich Frank, had a long history with ABC. Whether they were ever capable of putting the soaps on the air remains a mystery.

But their announcement in July helped ABC enormously. It took pressure and blame off the network, which had incurred the wrath of viewers. Even Hoover, a major sponsor, pulled their ads off ABC daytime in protest. So Prospect Park’s sudden entry into a field it had no experience in made them seem like a white knight. But from the start it looked dicey. They never secured Susan Lucci, ABC daytime’s biggest star. She said in a recent TV Guide interview that no one had spoken to her since September 8th. This was after Lucci had been portrayed–incorrectly–as being the one who was slowing down “All My Children” coming to the internet.

Now in a statement Prospect Park says the fault lies with the unions and guilds. Again, this is preposterous. All the unions and guilds would be thrilled to see the shows continue on line or on cable. It’s disingenuous for Prospect Park to try and blame them. What’s worse, the involvement of Prospect Park caused “All My Children” to end without a finale–because it was supposed to continue online. And this final confession that the shows will never move comes five days after “One Life to Live” has wrapped. It can only be hoped that they were smart enough to shoot an ending, knowing this was it.

ABC has managed to destroy a 50 year legacy. The viewers are angry. Ratings for “The Chew,” an awful TV show, are not spectacular. But the show is cheap to produce, and that’s all that matters. Years from now there will be papers written about how the networks voluntarily drove off their audience.

Best Supporting Actor: Hemingway, Borat, a Dog, and Albert Brooks Are Circling

Roger Friedman
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Best Supporting Actor: Hemingway, Borat, a Dog, and Albert Brooks Are Circling

What’s happening with the Best Supporting Actor category this year? For one thing, a Jack Russell terrier–yes, a dog–gives the most consistent and memorable performance. Uggie, from “The Artist,” would win if I and PETA could say anything about it. By the time this weekend is over, Uggie will have signed with CAA and be hanging with Leo, Brad, and George at popular Hollywood watering holes. It won’t be long before, like “Zelig” and Justin Bieber, he’ll be named in a paternity suit. Uggie is a superstar. The Academy may balk at nominating him simply because the horse in “War Horse” may then ask to toss his name in the hat.

Aside from Uggie, there are many human choices for Best Supporting Actor. Corey Stoll, as Hemingway, in “Midnight in Paris,” is a find. Albert Brooks just about steals “Drive” from Ryan Gosling and the very good Bryan Cranston. Sacha Baron Cohen, aka Borat, simply lights up “Hugo.” Kenneth Branagh does some of his best work ever in “My Week with Marilyn.” And there are more. Both actors from “Carnage”–John C. Reilly and Christoph Waltz. James Badge Dale in “Shame.”  And Jim Broadbent is outstanding as Denis Thatcher in “The Iron Lady.”

There are more to add to the list. But that’s a good start. And really, Academy voters, the dog gets a write in.

Why Tom Cruise-Denzel Washington “Matarese Circle” Won’t Happen

Roger Friedman
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Why Tom Cruise-Denzel Washington “Matarese Circle” Won’t Happen

Whatever happened to the planned film of Robert Ludlum‘s “The Matarese Circle”? Back in the day (as they say), “Matarese” was a much bigger book than Ludlum’s “Bourne Identity.” But famed director David Cronenberg recently explained to our LEAH SYDNEY:  I was working on “The Matarese Circle,” the novel by Robert Ludlum, which was going to star Denzel Washington and Tom Cruise, before MGM went belly up. So I don’t think that’s going to happen now.  Tom still likes the idea though. “

Cronenberg’s “A Dangerous Method” opens today– a spectacular if smallish film with knockout performances from Keira Knightley, Michael Fassbender–this year’s ‘it’ guy-and Cronenberg favorite Viggo Mortensen. It’s Cronenberg’s latest gem, following such recent modern classics as “Eastern Promises” and “A History of Violence.” Academy Award and Tony winner Christopher Hampton wrote the screenplay, about Sigmund Freud, Carl Jung and one of their famous patients. Howard Shore adapted the magnificent score.

Cronenberg’s “Matarese” problem is typical of is iconic career.He’s not a studio player. “I never managed to do that. I’ve flirted with that for many years, but it’s never worked out.  I’ve talked to directors who have had a lot of fun with that, and some have had hellish experiences. The things that interest me seem not to be the things big studios are not interested in. Could be as simple as that.”

He does garner a lot of controversy. Cronenberg said: “I don’t think I’m controversial, even though that is somewhat of my public persona.  That’s just my movies, that’s not me.  You can’t confuse the two. I’m very non controversial.  I know I’m considered a cult director, but my last few movies have been somewhat mainstream.  “Cosmopolis” is not mainstream though. I don’t worry about those categories frankly.  I do the films that I’m intrigued by.  Categorization doesn’t help me decide.”

How did he choose this story? “For me it’s normal, it’s coming full circle.The first movie I ever made, which was a seven minute short called, “Transfer, ‘ was about a psychiatrist and a patient In my film, “The Brood,” the late Oliver Reed played a psychotherapist of a very different kind. It’s a fascinating relationship, between an analyst and a patient. I’ve also done costume period pieces, “Spider,”  “Naked Lunch,” “M Butterfly,’ so it just does not feel not that differently for me. ”

 

Hear Oscar Gossip and Predictions In Latest Podcast

Roger Friedman
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Hear Oscar Gossip and Predictions In Latest Podcast

Scott Feinberg, who does awards reporting for the Hollywood Reporter, called me up the other day for a podcast interview. Feinberg has been interviewing all the various Oscar prognosticators about this season, what we think will happen. The link has just gone up on his website at http://scottfeinberg.com/feinberg-friends-scott-showbiz411s-roger-friedman-on-awards-race. It’s a lot of fun, and worth checking out if you get the chance.

“The Artist” Scores Higher Than “Social Network” or “King’s Speech”

Roger Friedman
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“The Artist” Scores Higher Than “Social Network” or “King’s Speech”

Wednesday brings the release of “The Artist,” the most satisfying and unusual film of 2011. Michel Hazanaivicius’s black and white homage to silent films is hilarious and poignant. It features, I think, the potential Oscar nominees: Best Actor for Jean Du Jardin, Best Supporting Actress for Berenice Bejo, and Best Supporting Actor for Uggie the Dog.

A dog? Yes! I see no reason why Uggie cannot be nominated and win, frankly. His work on “The Artist” is superb. More audience members will exit theaters talking about him than about any other supporting actor this season. Plus, the director says he was easy to work with. “It’s all a matter of sausage,” says Hazanavicius. Certainly, Uggie could get Golden Globe and National Board of Review citings. And unlike Ricky Gervais, he won’t bite the hand that feeds him.

“The Artist” also has a 97% ranking on rottentomatoes.com. This is just about the highest rating of the year. It’s higher than either “The Social Network” or “The King’s Speech.” It’s also a movie built for publicity stunts. This week, Charlie Chaplin’s granddaughters hosted a screening in Hollywood. How long before the descendants of Harold Lloyd and Buster Keaton also show their approval? “The Artist” is full of riffs on silent films, recalling all the old masters. At the same time, Hazanavicius creates new iconic moments–and you’ll see them.

When we saw “The Artist” in Cannes last spring, everyone wanted to know who the main actors were–they are French and unknown to us. DuJardin is the star of a popular French TV comedy with his wife. Bejo is well known in movies and married to Hazanacius. All of them are studying English quickly, getting ready to meet Americans. They are a wordly, sexy, fun bunch. By the time they start picking up gold trophies, I think they will be well versed.

“The Artist.” I predict will become the must-see movie of this season very quickly. And then everyone can start guessing which movies it’s riffing on. (Hint: there’s a lot of “Citizen Kane.”)

ABC Prepares “General Hospital” for Its End By Killing Off Main Character

Roger Friedman
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ABC Prepares “General Hospital” for Its End By Killing Off Main Character

ABC Daytime is just about over. They announced today that they’re writing out a major “General Hospital” character. Kimberly McCullough, 33,  has been on the show on and off since 1985, starting as a child.McCullough’s character, Robin Scorpio, became infected with HIV in the late 1980s from her boyfriend. Now it seems “GH” will likely kill her off from AIDS–and this should make everyone everywhere pretty angry since AIDS deaths have been reduced greatly over the years. The Robin character was a symbol of hope.

McCullough joins Jonathan Jackson, another young actor with a long history on the show, heading for the exits. “General Hospital” is only weeks away from its cancellation notice, as it will be replaced by Katie Couric‘s talk show in September 2012. ABC has successfully destroyed its fifty year history of soaps in the afternoon, loyal viewers, and consistency. “All My Children” is gone. “One Life to Live,” which has had a big resurgence this year, ends on January 13, 2012.

Congratulations to Brian Frons, the ABC exec who over saw the dismantling. He masterfully figured out ways to drive fans from the shows in order to lower their ratings, and kill them. The good news is, whoever’s left watching ABC daytime will know how to cook a chicken and how to execute a wine reduction. This is valuable information.

The question now is where Prospect Park Productions–run by Jeff Kwatinetz and Rich Frank–will ever be able to bring any of the ABC soaps to the internet as promised and planned. Recent reports indicate that they don’t have the funding to pull it off. “All My Children” star Susan Lucci says no one from Prospect Park has contacted her since September 8th. It may be that Prospect Park never had the money to back up their plans.

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