The Hollywood Foreign Press Association is having a bad day, and a bad year. First of all, it does look like NBC is forcing them to take Ricky Gervais back as host. Gervais was spotted in Paris having lunch with NBC’s Doug Vaughn (we love Doug, who started out at Newsday on a gossip column), and the new president of the HFPA. Bringing Ricky back will mean high ratings. But the HFPA will have to endure the jokes he makes about them and about Hollywood stars. The public loves it. The HFPA does not. But NBC foots the bill, and it looks like they’re enforcing the rules. Good for them! At the same time, a judge has ruled that the lawsuits against the HFPA from their former publicist and from a charity can go forward. The suits are for breach of contract and for defamation. Discovery and depositions will now take place. It’s doubtful that the HFPA will do anything but settle the cases because, really, if their practices made it to deposition and trial, the whole thing would be over. All those years of letting Michael Russell do their dirty work means he has everything on them. (Their current publicist, Sunshine Sachs, should take note.) Circle January 15th, 2012–it’s going to be quite a night on NBC. Ricky, don’t lose that number! PS Also circle December 15th, 2011 for the Golden Globe nominations. Last year, the big gaffe was a nom for the awful movie “The Tourist” with Johnny Depp and Angelina Jolie. Let’s see what they come up with this year…
Clint Eastwood’s “J. Edgar” Gay Love Story Premieres to Mixed Reviews
Clint Eastwood’s “J. Edgar,” a movie rapidly being labeled as a gay love story about J Edgar Hoover and Clyde Tolson (Leonardo DiCaprio and Armie Hammer playing them) premiered last night to mixed reviews. The premiere at the American Film Institute was supposed to be embargoed, and New York press won’t see the movie until Monday. But of course no one obeyed the rules, so Variety and other trades published their reviews. They aren’t so good. They do follow reaction from the New York critics’ screening on Tuesday. Awards wise, it does feel like with the right backstage touting the Golden Globes and National Board of Review will probably be all over it.
From Variety: “While not exactly coy, Eastwood’s classically styled look at Hoover’s life takes a long time to arrive at questions of the character’s proclivities. When it does get there, however, this new dimension of the character so enlivens what has been a mostly dry portrayal of one man’s crusade to reform law enforcement that it becomes the pic’s focus”
From Todd McCarthy: “DiCaprio projects this odd authority figure with energetic earnestness, a strong grip on the man’s mindset and purpose, and an attentiveness to Hoover’s power to prevail over others in matters big and small. It’s a vigorous, capable performance, one that carries the film and breathes new life into the old tradition of plain real folk achieving retroactive allure by being played by attractive stars. But the characterization remains external, one of solid technique blocked from going deep because Hoover remains a fixed figure closed to taking a personal journey.”
Screen International’s Mike Goodridge was also mixed on the subject. “Clint Eastwood’s latest film, a portrait of the controversial FBI founder and chieftain J Edgar Hoover, is both admirable and frustrating, a murky muddle of selective historical moments which comes alive when its compelling human story of sexual repression and dedicated love is at the forefront. Its biggest achievement is to look at recent US history through a personal and distinctively gay lens. In fact, Eastwood delivers the most un-self-conscious depiction of a gay relationship in a mainstream studio movie to date, although gay rights activists will hardly be looking to promote J Edgar Hoover as any sort of role model.”
Charles Edwards, The Future Stuttering King, Has a NY Triumph
Charles Edwards–you do not know who he is because you are not British. Last night he completed the second of two performances at NYU’s Skirball Center with better known actor Joseph Fiennes in a cool art theater piece called “Happy Days in the Art World.” Edwards is well known in England, and he may be here soon on Broadway. He’s set to play stuttering King George VI in “The King’s Speech,” starting this winter in Britain.
If all goes well, he won’t get replaced by a big TV star and keep the role on Broadway a year from now. He should. In last night’s piece, part of the “Performa” series, was terrific. He’s already been on Broadway in “The 39 Steps.” Even his co-star’s brother, Ralph Fiennes, was impressed at last night’s show.
Edwards is well suited to the King George part. He looks enough like Colin Firth, who won the Oscar for the movie. But he’s about 8 years younger, and has his own definite personality. He is not a Firth substitute. With Fiennes, he had a great stage presence as they acted out a kind of Donmar W
arehouse-type “Welcome to Godot” by Danish playwrights. If anything, when Edwards comes to Broadway he’ll probably be a big “discovery” like Mark Rylance.
By the way, Kim Criswell pops up in the second half of “Art World” and sings the U2 song, “One.” Apparently the group — via Larry Mullen–gave the song without charge for this production. Criswell just kills it. Evidently, Criswell–who’s American–is well known in the West End musical circles. She’s a huge talent who should be working on Broadway and on TV and in music here. Someone do something–don’t let her go back to Britain!
“Funny Girl” Cancelled: Broadway, Soap Operas Affected by Bad Economy
The economy is bad, and maybe worse than we thought. On Thursday evening, the producers of the revival of “Funny Girl” on Broadway–set for this winter–announced they were aborting plans. They simply cannot raise the required $12 million, a high price for a revival. Lauren Ambrose and Bobby Cannavale were set to star as Fanny Brice and Nicky Arnstein. The show would have opened on April 12th, and it would have been a big deal for the Tony Awards in June. It may happen in 2013, but who knows?
Meantime, Peter Kafka reports in All Things Digital that Jeff Kwatinetz of Prospect Park Productions doesn’t really have the dough to put “All My Children” and “One Life to Live” on the internet as planned. http://allthingsd.com/20111103/can-one-life-to-live-get-new-life-on-the-web-heres-the-pitch/ This is not a surprise, but it is a shame. ABC was wrong headed to dump the shows, and replace them with junk like “The Chew.” (Same for CBS and “The Talk.”) There was a glimmer of hope that Prospect Park could pull this off. But apparently Kwatinetz has not been able to convince regular Hollywood investors to cough up the funds. So he’s turning to Silicon Valley. Let’s hope it works.
Prospect Park has announced more cast signings for “One Life” but very few for “All My Children.” Money is obviously at the root of everything here. Susan Lucci and “One Life” stars Robin Strasser, Bob Woods, and Hilary Smith don’t have deals–they would be expensive. Most of the actors signed so far are the less pricey ones. Kwatinetz is going to have problems if he can’t sign the heavy hitters. He’s no doubt hyper aware of this. But Strasser keeps Tweeting that she has no offer–maybe not realizing that Kwatinetz has no money.
No one wants to be a downer, but it’s always the economy that affects everything. New York City restaurants look a lot quieter a lot earlier at night lately. I walked past the much ballyhooed Lion on Thursday night. They still have the obnoxious guy at the door, waiting to interrogate potential customers. The only problem is, the place didn’t look very full. Soon that guy will be wearing a sandwich board out front.
Jake Gyllenhaal, Amy Ryan Help Stars “Take Shelter”
You know you’ve got a hot film when hot young stars like Jake Gyllenhaal and Amy Ryan show up for a premiere. But they were among the A listers last night who helped screen Jeff Nichols’s “Take Shelter” for Peggy Siegal. Michael Shannon and Jessica Chastain star in this remarkable little film about a coming storm–I don’t want to give too much away. “Take Shelter” is nominated for a Gotham Award at the end of this month, and will undoubtedly get Indie Spirit nominations. Shannon, Chastain, and Shea Wigham all give outstanding performances. After last night’s screening, Sony Pictures Classics’ Michael Barker–who has his hands full with Woody Allen’s “Midnight in Paris” and David Cronenberg’s “A Dangerous Method”–brought the guests to the private room below Rue 57. Gyllenhaal told me his mom, screenwriter Naomi Foner (“Running on Empty”) is prepping her new film with Elizabeth Olsen, Dakota Fanning, and Anton Yelchin. What’s Jake up to? “Just spending time with family”–meaning sister Maggie, and brother in law Peter Saarsagard–the latter will also be in Naomi’s film. Amy Ryan, meantime, is exited about the new Drake Doremus film she just finished with Guy Pearce and Felicity Jones. But it has to wait to be shown–maybe at Cannes–because Doremus’s “Like Crazy” is a hit. “Everyone’s talking to Felicity about it,” Amy said. That’s all right–Ryan’s daughter, Georgia, just turned two, and is keeping Amy and husband Eric Slovin pretty busy. Has she watched “The Office”? “Not really,” Amy told me. “I really miss working with Steve Carell, though.” Yes–someone should pair them in a film quick!
Tony Awards Final Answer: Julie Taymor Is “Spider Man” Director
(With update) The Tony Awards committee has met and made an important decision: Julie Taymor, not Philip William McKinley, is the director of “Spider Man: Turn off the Dark.” As I told you yesterday, the producers of “Spider Man” had recently put the director’s title underneath McKinley’s name and redubbed Taymor as a demotion. But it’s her show, and the Tony’s agree. The “Spider Man” producers must accept this decision, there is no turning back or appeal. And that should carry a lot of weight in Taymor’s arbitration. She still hasn’t been paid! The Committee also ruled that stars Reeve Carney and Jennifer Damiano will be considered lead actors in a musical. They also ruled that Tyne Daly is a lead actress in “Master Class”–although I’m not sure why–she was certainly the lead.
Also read: http://www.showbiz411.com/2011/11/02/spider-man-on-broadway-update-taymor-still-unpaid-directors-credit-goes-to-mckinley
Kardashian, Madoff Books: PR Blitz Not Necessarily Helping
All publicity may not be good publicity after all. Despite her efforts to flog her “book,” Kris Kardashian Jenner is not producing a runaway bestseller. Perhaps sensing that Jenner’s book release is timed to her daughter’s divorce announcement, the public has kept Jenner’s book, “And All Things Kardashian.” at number 40 on both the Amazon and Barnes and Noble online book stores.
For the customers who’ve bought it the Jenner book is more interesting for what’s not in it. No mention of Kim Kardashian’s sex tape, and her first husband’s name–Damon Thomas–is omitted. He’s referred to as “Kim’s husband.” Also, Kim’s ex boyfriends Ray J and Reggie Bush are absent entirely.
Meantime, Jenner just keeps selling and plugging, showing no shame or consciousness that the public has had it with her and her self-aggrandizing family. Her two part interview on the Today show yesterday was a joke, too. But maybe Ann Curry thought, give her enough rope and she’ll hang herself. The second part, with Kathie Gifford, was a bad idea. There are almost two dozen references to Gifford in the book, as Jenner’s “close friend.”
Then the Madoff books. The one featured on “60 Minutes” featuring Ruth and Andrew Madoff is doing so-so. The show didn’t give it much of sales bounce. On amazon it’s around number 200. On Barnes and Noble, it’s closer to 400. Mark Madoff’s widow’s book is doing a little better, hovering around 90 on both lists. Stephanie Madoff Mack may seem like she’s being more truthful than her former in-laws. And book buyers may not want to reward Ruth and Andy with money from sales, even though the book is credited to a free lance writer.
Regis Philbin Named NYC Living Landmark, Dedicates Poem to Katie Couric
After two days of the idiotic Kardashians, Justin Bieber’s weird faux-pregnancy problem and god knows what else, it was nice to spend some time with people of actual accomplishment last night. Regis Philbin and Angela Lansbury were two of the six people who were named Living Landmarks by the Landmarks Conservancy at a swanky black tie dinner at the Plaza Hotel in the ballroom. Peter Duchin and his swinging orchestra were on the stage, there was filet mignon on the plate, and my table was hosted by Liz Smith, who also hosted the evening. What could be nicer?
Regis and Joy Philbin, Michael and Laurie Gelman, and Art Moore were seated next to us, Angela Lansbury and her brother Edgar were nearby. Katie Couric, dressed in a an off the shoulder gown and looking like a million bucks, presented Regis with his award. She was pretty funny, but Regis ‘got’ her with a poem he read about Katie and had the place in stitches. Famed film and theater critic Rex Reed toasted Lansbury, restaurateur Danny Meyer (Gramercy Park Tavern, Union Square Cafe, Shake Shack) brought the median age down to about 70. (Danny’s, like, 50.) I had a long, fascinating talk with archeologist Iris Love. I chatted with the great veteran journalist Garrick Utley, who made his name at NBC News, and Joni Evans, famed editor/publisher/agent updated me on her all -star web site, www.wowowow.com. Legendary Le Cirque impresario Sirio Maccione told us all about his new restaurant in New Delhi.
The other honorees were extremely notable: former Mayor David Dinkins, philanthropist Lewis Cullman, and his new wife, Louise Kerz Hirschfeld, widow of famed caricaturist Al Hirschfeld. (Yes, these two “older” people just got married–why be lonely? Their respective spouses are gone, and they met and fell in love. So cool.)
Liz Smith is 88 years young. She came out in a cowboy hat and performed a singing opening number to a Sondheim tune with new lyrics. The audience roared. She also mentioned that she was named in Rex Reed’s parents’ divorce. (That must be some story. They’re all from Texas.) Lansbury noted that no matter how many Tony Awards she’s won or will win, her obit will always start with “Murder She Wrote.”
But it was Regis–my favorite all time celebrity–who really put on a show. First, he asked Katie when she was starting at ABC. (She’s already started. And she’s doing a “20/20” special on Reege on November 17th.)
Here’s Regis’s poem to Katie: “I know now what it’s like be under the Katie Couric curse/Like when she crashed, or trashed, Trump’s wedding with a camera in her purse/She’s smart as a whip and beautiful as can be/But I’m starting to think she wants to be ME!/You may not know that she once served Pizza Hut pies/Learned to handle cheese like Matt, and Al, and all the rest of those Today show guys/With politicians and presidents she certainly hob nobbed/But why oh why I ask you ladies and gentlemen, can’t she keep a job?”
The last line stopped the show with peals of laughter Katie turned red, but was a sport. She’d made a joke about Regis being cheap. Now he was getting her back.
“With their new gal, ABC better hold on tight/God only knows she can put up a hell of a fight/I hear there’s a job open and I really hate to admit/Live with Katie and Kelly has a nice ring to it.”
Woody Harrelson Gets An Old Fashioned Hollywood Night in NYC
Woody Harrelson may be on his way to an Oscar nomination for his work in “Rampart.” That was the consensus on Tuesday night when the Oren Moverman film premiered downtown at the Landmark. Then the A list gang hustled over to the Soho Mondrian Hotel, where Harrelson, Moverman, and pal-producer-actor Ben Foster got more kudos at a fete put together by Peggy Siegal, ‘natch. Beautiful and talented Liv Tyler came with boyfriend Theo Wenner, Diane Sawyer and Mike Nichols stopped in, co-star Sigourney Weaver made a quick appearance. Courtney Love and Woody reminisced about their “Larry Flynt” movie of days gone by with their director Milos Forman (Oscar winner for “Amadeus”), and some others of note included Steve and Jo Buscemi, Ben Stiller and Christine Taylor, Tom Freston, “ET” and “Black Stallion” screenwriter Melissa Mathison, Michael Shannon, Griffin Dunne, Bob Dishy and Judy Graubart, Robert Wuhl, Richard Kind, Celia Weston, Tovah Feldshuh, Billy Crudup, and Stanley Tucci with his fiancee–Felicity Blunt, sister of actress Emily Blunt. The pair met during the filming of “The Devil Wears Prada” and plan to marry next year. PS Liv Tyler says her dad, Steven Tyler, is fine after his fall in the shower in Paraguay. Liv, more importantly, is off to Europe to film a Givenchy commercial. She’s going to sing an INXS song for it, a cover of “Need You Tonight” that may be released as a single. Liv’s parents–Bebe Buell and Steven Tyler–are each vocalists, and the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. “Glee”–that’s a hint!
Spider Man on Broadway Update: Taymor Still Unpaid, Director’s Credit Goes to McKinley
It’s almost a year since “Spider Man: Turn off the Dark” started previews on Broadway. Flashback if you will to November 21st, no, 28th to that fateful, postponed performance. The show didn’t “open” officially until June 14th, after closing down for three weeks. That’s when director and creator Julie Taymor was forced out. Taymor retained her credit. Philip Wm. McKinley, formerly the director of the low brow “Boy from Oz,” was brought in as “creative consultant.” And while the show’s script was rearranged, the basics of the show remained — and they were Taymor’s. So it’s instructive to point out two things: Taymor has still not been paid for her work beyond $200,000 $125,000 salary. She worked on the show for 9 years.
And, even more curiously, McKinley is now listed as the show’s director on the musical’s website. Taymor has been re-dubbed with the rubic: “Original Direction by.” She also gets credit for the masks.
The credit change, which has turned up in other places lately, happened surreptitiously. Even though McKinley was brought in to do “fine tuning,” and didn’t create any aspect of the show, he’s simply morphed into the director’s title.
One reason given by Broadway insiders: there may be a thought of trying to get McKinley nominated Best Director of a Musical at the Tony Awards.
Good luck with that.
On the payment front, I’m told the arbitration complaint filed by Taymor has had just two days’ official discussion. It will resume in…February 2012. The “Spider Man” producers still don’t want to pay Taymor, apparently.The show has taken in an average of $1.5 million almost every week it’s been open. Of course, it’s also cost $70 million.
Meantime, as I reported first a couple of weeks ago, the female leads of the show–Jennifer Damiano and T.V. Carpio–are leaving the roles of Mary Jane and Arachne this month. Carpio, especially, had reason to leave: her role was cut to shreds. Sticking around is Patrick Page, aka the Green Goblin, who has hopes of a Tony nomination. Star Reeve Carney is awaiting word that financing is complete on the Jeff Buckley “Dream Brother” project before he takes a break to make the film. A casting call recently went out for that movie, so his absence may be imminent.