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Golden Globes: At Least Two Members in Coppola Film Are Members of Screen Actors Guild

Roger Friedman
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Golden Globes: At Least Two Members in Coppola Film Are Members of Screen Actors Guild

The seven members of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association who appear as credited roles in Sofia Coppola’s “Somewhere”– at least two of them are members of the Screen Actors Guild, where they are presumably eligible for health benefits and other perks.

They could also conceivably be voting in the Screen Actors Guild Awards. If they’re actors, and not critics, why are voting with the HFPA? Can they be the only “press” from their respective countries living in Los Angeles?

Both Noel de Souza and Alexander Nevsky are registered with SAG. de Sousa has an agency rep, but the folks at CESD Talent say they just work with him for on camera commercials and not movies.

de Souza, according to the Internet Movie Data Base, has appeared in movies for years. He has a long list of credits. Nevsky, named for the historic Russian prince, also a list of credits. He apparently wants to be the next Arnold Schwarzenegger. His website is http://nevsky.ru/.

Conflict of interest? It sure seems like it when you have reviewers judging films in which they’ve played parts, been paid, and accrued union perks. But NBC may be okay with this since “Somewhere” is released by Focus Features, part of the NBC Universal family.

Here’s a note from SAG on their credit rules: “For theatrical films, our contract requires the production company to give credit to a minimum of 50 principal performers (principal performers may include speaking roles, stunt performers, stunt coordinators, dancers, singers, airplane/helicopter pilots, puppeteers etc.) or if the cast is less than 50, to all principal performers who are in the final version of the theatrically released film. There is no contractual requirement to give credit to background actors – a background actor would need to individually negotiate credit.”

We’re unable to provide information on specific casts or films, but can say that it is up to the company to provide credit for performers who fall under the above guidelines or who negotiation separately for credit.

PS Years ago, when it was discovered that Hollywood Reporter columnist George Christy‘s name was appearing in film credits so he could get SAG insurance, he was fired immediately.

No “Grit” or Amputation for the Golden Globes, Thanks

Roger Friedman
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No “Grit” or Amputation for the Golden Globes, Thanks

The Hollywood Foreign Press didn’t like the Coen Brothers’ remake of “True Grit.” The western starring Jeff Bridges, Matt Damon and Hailee Steinfeld got nothing from them. It’s a little surprising, since the Coens are getting attention everywhere else. Also, Steinfeld has been racking up citations.

The HFPA–90 members, more or less, depending on age and mortality status–also didn’t care for Debra Granik’s “Winter’s Bone.” They did acknowledge actress Jennifer Lawrence, however.

Ditto for Danny Boyle‘s excellent “127 Hours.” Just actor–James Franco–and screenplay. “127”is having trouble overcoming the perception that it’s just about the main character’s cutting off of his arm. IT’S NOT! I hope Academy voters are smarter than that. I think they are.

Is it that these movies were just too difficult for the HFPA members to understand? It’s possible. How then did they go for “Inception”? The sleeping part could be relate-able.

What they did get right: Ryan Gosling and Michelle Williams in “Blue Valentine.” Long before The Weinstein Company bought this film, it was obvious that these actors would get all kinds of nominations. They are much deserved.

Of course, in comedies, the Globes are comical. They could have had “Tamara Drewe” and “Dinner for Schmucks.” Alas, that would have been asking far too  much.

Golden Globes Go for Kings, Social, Swan, Fighter, Inception; Snubs for “127,” “Grit”

Roger Friedman
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Golden Globes Go for Kings, Social, Swan, Fighter, Inception; Snubs for “127,” “Grit”

The Golden Globe nominations are out, and they’re down the line pretty straightforward.

Of course, just for laughs, the Hollywood Foreign Press included Angelina Jolie and Johnny Depp-Depp twice–and “The Tourist,” the most laughably reviewed film of the year. The HFPA wants those stars for their NBC show. It’s unlikely that Jolie, especially, will put herself through that.

Otherwise, the Best Drama nominees were “The King’s Speech,” “The Social Network,” “Black Swan,” “The Fighter,” and “Inception.”

The HFPA snubbed director Danny Boyle and his great film, “127 Hours.” They did give James Franco a Best Actor nod, however.

The nominees for Comedy/Musical are “Alice in Wonderland,” “Burlesque,” “The Kids Are All Right,” “Red,” and “The Tourist.” So you can get the statue out now for “Kids.” It’s the only reasonable choice in that group.

Best Director: Darren Aronofsky, David Fincher, Tom Hooper, Christopher Nolan, David O. Russell.

Best Actor Drama: Jesse Eisenberg, Colin Firth, James Franco, Ryan Gosling, Mark Wahlberg.

Best Actress Drama: Halle Berry, Nicole Kidman, Jennifer Lawrence, Natalie Portman, and Michelle Williams. For the Oscars, Berry will drop out for Annette Bening, whose Best Actress nomination here came in Comedy/Musical. The other nominees in that category are Julianne Moore, Anne Hathaway, Angelina Jolie, and Emma Stone. So Bening can start writing her acceptance speech.

Best Actor, Comedy/Musical is funny, in keeping with the award: Johnny Depp twice, Paul Giamatti, Jake Gyllenhaal, and Kevin Spacey. Will the lure of two nominations bring Depp to the show? I doubt it. Giamatti deserves to win for “Barney’s Version.” But Depp will win.

Supporting Actress: Amy Adams, Helena Bonham Carter, Mila Kunis,Melissa Leo, Jacki Weaver.

Supporting Actor: Christian Bale, Michael Douglas, Andrew Garfield, Jeremy Renner, Geoffrey Rush.

There were no nominations for Sofia Coppola‘s “Somewhere” despite seven members of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association appearing in the movie.

Paul McCartney: Apollo Theater Debut Brings Two Rolling Stones, Paul Simon, and Howard Stern

Roger Friedman
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Paul McCartney: Apollo Theater Debut Brings Two Rolling Stones, Paul Simon, and Howard Stern

“A long time ago in Liverpool I dreamt about this,” Paul McCartney, now 68, told the audience of A listers and Sirius XM Radio fans at the Apollo Theater last night. As a Beatle and a Wing, he’d never played the Apollo. For the occasion, he pulled off a magical show of Beatles and Wings songs, as well as a tribute to Marvin Gaye–a nod to the theater’s history.

Looking into the audience, Paul remarked that he was having trouble remembering lyrics and chords, he joked, when so many people were holding up signs. It wasn’t like the stadiums and arenas he’s used to playing: the Apollo is small, and the audience is right up close. They were so close, in fact, that Paul did a couple of shout outs to pal Tony Bennett, who was sitting up front, and Jimmy Fallon, with whom he’d performed last Thursday in a hilarious bit on Fallon’s talk show.

He probably could see the rest of the people up front, too, including Rolling Stones Keith Richards (with Patti Hansen) and Ronnie Woods, Jerry Seinfeld and comedian pal George Wallace, Lorne Michaels, Ben Stiller (with his real estate agent). Howard Stern, Chris Rock, Brian Williams, Steve Buscemi (with wife Jo), Aidan Quinn and wife Elizabeth Bracco, Steve and Maureen van Zandt, matchbox twenty’s Rob Thomas. Kevin Bacon and Kyra Sedgwick, Alec Baldwin, newly engaged David Lauren and Lauren Bush, incoming school chancellor Cathleen Black, and famed record producer Tommy LiPuma.

Some other notables: Linda Moran, head of the Songwriters Hall of Fame, record exec John Titta, “SNL” players Fred Armisen and Jason Sudeikis, also Alan and Susan Patricof, NBC’s Vic Garvey, and Citigroup chief/Apollo chairman of the board Richard Parsons.

The piece de resistance? Paul Simon and Edie Brickell. To have Simon and McCartney in the same room, the two greatest songwriters of the rock generation, was kinda mind blowing.

McCartney lived up to the challenge: He mixed Beatles songs with solo efforts, and threw in Gaye’s “Hitch Hike.” On latter, the band blew out the mics, and had to start over a couple of times. McCartney was of good cheer, though, and effortlessly spry. His voice has never sounded better, either. And the band, as Max Weinberg of the E Street Band observed, is maybe the best he’s ever had.

The list of songs: “Magical Mystery Tour,” “Jet,” “Drive My Car,” “All My Loving,” “One After 909,” “Let Me Roll It,” “Long and Winding Road,” “Nineteen Hundred and Eighty Five,” “Maybe I’m Amazed,” “Blackbird,” “I’m Looking Through You,” “And I Love Her,” “Dance Tonight,” “Eleanor Rigby,” “Hitch Hike,” “Band on the Run,” “Obla-di Obla-da,” “Back in the USSR,” “A Day in the Life/Give Peace a Chance,” “Let it Be,” “Hey Jude,” “Wonderful Christmas time,” “I Saw Her Standing There,” “Get Back,” “Yesterday,” “Sgt. Pepper (Reprise),” and “The End” (not “Carry That Weight” listed elsewhere) from “Abbey Road.”

(Note: Paul did not play “Eight Days a Week” unless I fell into a coma at that point. Was the New York Times’s Ben Ratliff even there?)

He came, he saw, he conquered. He led the audience in a singalong Russian folk song called “Petruska.” told jokes, and led his band with the energy of a 30 year old. “A Day in the Life” was chilling. “Let it Be” and “Long and Winding Road” just seemed more outstanding than ever. It was cool hearing “One After 909” resurrected.

Kudos to Scott Greenstein of Sirius XM: he pulled off a coup. Later, at Marcus Samuelsson‘s new Harlem restaurant, the Red Rooster, guests dined on veggie dishes. Paul and his lovely girlfriend Nancy Shevell made the rounds, and settled down to eat with Keith, Patti, Ronnie and Keith’s longtime manager Jane Rose. It’s about 46 years since most of them met, and they’re still going strong. Amen.

PS Yes, it was ironic: McCartney’s show occurred simultaneous to the Roseland launch party of Michael Jackson’s first posthumous album. It was weird how the two events dovetailed since Jackson’s estate infamously owns McCartney’s Beatles songs. And one of the last times Jackson ever performed live was at the Apollo in 2002.

Michael Jackson Exclusive: See the Full Mural Featuring Lisa Marie Presley, Brooke Shields, Tatum O’Neal, Diana Ross

Roger Friedman
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Michael Jackson Exclusive: See the Full Mural Featuring Lisa Marie Presley, Brooke Shields, Tatum O’Neal, Diana Ross

Brooke Shields, Lisa Marie Presley, Tatum O’Neal, Diana Ross, Marvin Gaye and the Jackson 5 are among the many celebrities featured in a mural included with the new Michael Jackson album, “Michael.”

I told you months ago that Jackson co-executor John McClain had commissioned the mural from artist Kadir Nelson. Originally it had included drawings of Jackson’s legal team and other miscellaneous participants in the Jackson saga. But now it’s just celebrities. Here’s the full mural for the first time, with Naomi Campbell, Janet Jackson, animals from Neverland, and even a little ad for Cirque du Soleil. There are also pictures of Berry Gordy, the Temptations, James Brown, Bubbles the Chimp, Liza Minnelli, and some Motown artists.

There are no portraits, however, of some key Jackson players: Debbie Rowe and Macaulay Culkin. Too bad. In 2005, their testimony helped save Michael from going to to jail. Also, no Liz Taylor or Marlon Brando.

For a mural that’s supposed to depict Jackson’s life, there is also no nod to his facial appearance post-2000–no white face. Click on the mural below for a bigger version.

click again for full picture

Social Network, Firth, Bening Get New York Film Critics Awards

Roger Friedman
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Social Network, Firth, Bening Get New York Film Critics Awards

“The Social Network” has picked up another Best Picture nod from a critics group.

The New York Film Critics gave the film and its director David Fincher each awards this afternoon.

Best Actor and Actress are, respectively, Colin Firth and Annette Bening.

Supporting Actor and Actress: Melissa Leo, and Mark Ruffalo, for “The Fighter” and “The Kids Are All Right.”

Best Non Fiction film went to “Inside Job.” Foreign Film went to “Carlos.” First feature was awarded to “Animal Kingdom.”

It’s a reasonable list, although most of these critics groups do not predict the Academy Awards. Still, “The Social Network” is certainly popular with critics everywhere. But it may fall into the category of critics’ pets like “Milk” and “Brokeback Mountain,” which had a lot of heat from the various cities but didn’t win the Academy Award.

Meanwhile, Firth and Bening are looking strong as Oscar contenders, although Nicole Kidman may yet a post threat to Bening’s long sought after gold statue. It’s a race to the finish!

Golden Globe Scandal II: Former PR Firm Outs The HFPA

Roger Friedman
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Golden Globe Scandal II: Former PR Firm Outs The HFPA

TheWrap.com has published this letter, sent to the Golden Globes by their former PR firm, Michael Russell Group, last February. Michael Russell repped the Globes for 17 years and carried out their bidding. They mysteriously resigned the account last year right after the Globes show. Russell accuses HFPA president Philip Berk of all sorts of things. Add this to our story below that seven Globes “critics” have credited roles in Sofia Coppola‘s new movie, “Somewhere.”

All this, and the HFPA is suing its own production company, Dick Clark Productions, on the eve of its January broadcast on NBC. The network’s new owner, Comcast, can’t be too pleased.

Here’s the letter:

February 23, 2010

Philip Berk

Hollywood Foreign Press Association

Phil,

I’m sure you’ll understand my disappointment and distress at receiving the fax from your counsel Joseph Calabrese at O’Melveny and Myers LLP informing me of the decision not to renew our contract in connection with the HFPA/Golden Globe Awards after 17 years of dedicated service and a public relations campaign that the industry and media have hailed unanimously. We were an integral part in this year’s very successful campaign that resulted in a huge 14% increase in national viewership on NBC.

The amount of media coverage we generated was the biggest ever, including such effective publicity activities as the announcement of Ricky Gervais as this year’s host (although it was my idea,  I was happy to let you take credit for it) and the first Young Hollywood party in which Miss Golden Globe was crowned.  And there was an abundance of effective and innovative promotional successes we initiated including the deal we negotiated with Lynne Segall at the Los Angeles Times that resulted in two free page ads (worth in excess of $120,000) and a national online campaign in the Tribune network of websites.  We also initiated a $100,000 Glaceau/Smart water sponsorship for which you promised us a 15% commission only to later inform us that the membership nixed the commission.

Of all people, you know how hard we had to work especially since there was frequent drama as you clashed needlessly and repeatedly with HFPA members, DCP, NBC, Chrysler, and members of the media.  This is the fifth year I have handled PR for the HFPA and Golden Globes with you as President and this year was by far the worst as your conduct climbed to a new outrageous level.

There were non-stop battles as you clashed with Yoram in the hope you could figure out a way to take back the $100,000 grant that the HFPA membership had voted to save LACMA’s film program, incurred the anger of DreamWorks when you incorrectly announced that Steven Spielberg would be a presenter at the Golden Globe Awards telecast, without ever clearing it with his publicist, argued incessantly with Orly and Barry about a number of issues including the HFPA getting a larger percentage of the E! and TV Guide Channel TV pre-show deals, to name just a few.

And don’t forget all the embarrassments with the media including the time you sent editor Steve Gaydos an email blasting Variety (you wrote “They don’t do us any favors, we give them LOADS of advertising”) or had Frances Schoenberger send Lynne Segall a barrage of emails demanding a suitable explanation for the LA Times promo deal (Frances wrote “Phil and co are wondering why 5 tickets – $100,000”).  Equally distressing was the hard time you gave the wonderful Laurie Bernhard who so beautifully guided the HFPA in matters of philanthropy.  I did my best to minimize the fallout from your disruptive activity.

And what was all the bizarre hysteria about Chrysler and the 501 ( c)(3) organization “Stars For A Cause”?  It was your decision to place the Chrysler 300 on the Red Carpet at the Globes for all the celebrities to sign.  And then you were furious that “Stars For A Cause” was involved and demanded that Chrysler no longer promote the HFPA’s association with the fundraiser auction that last Saturday successfully resulted in $110,000 being donated to the American Red Cross for their Haiti relief efforts (100% of the proceeds going to the Red Cross organization) following an appearance of the car on “The Oprah Winfrey Show.”
You had full knowledge that we have worked with SFAC on well-publicized charity campaigns at Golden Globe events since 2007.  You publically defamed the president of Stars for a Cause, a noted attorney and judge, you defamed the charity, and you made disparaging statements about both me and Mr. LoCascio.  You then circulated false statements to the president of Chrysler, their executive staff, and many others.  There is absolutely no excuse for such false and damaging behavior on your part that has exposed you and the HFPA to substantial damages.  When I recently pointed out how you put the HFPA in jeopardy with your defamations, you simply ignored me.

For 17 years we have brought you and former presidents a wealth of advice to boost the integrity and credibility of the organization. As you well know, there are a number of questionable business practices of the HFPA which we have brought directly to your attention this year that need to be changed or they would imperil both the telecast and the legitimacy and integrity of the organization if the news ever leaks out.  When I brought these questionable business practices to your attention in the hope they would be changed, you clearly did not seem to be motivated to make any corrective changes.  It is apparent that our discussions of the association’s unsavory business dealings have prompted you to order your counsel to send us the letter severing all ties and hopefully silence us.

To add insult to injury, we have been recently alerted by members of the organization that members of the board have  made disparaging remarks about us and are in the process of trying to damage our reputations.  Our concerns were amplified by Friday’s incredibly insensitive fax.  Since we have worked so closely with the HFPA for the past 17 years and are obviously an integral part of the organization, we deserved the courtesy to discuss the situation with you and the board in person.

Within 48 hours we demand a formal letter of apology and for all inappropriate and defamatory communications to cease.  We want your written assurance that a mutually agreed upon press release informing the entertainment industry and the media of The Michael Russell Group’s departure will be issued at the appropriate agreed-upon time.

We have done a superb job for the HFPA for the past 17 years.  The letter to us without a phone call or meeting and your defamatory conduct is indicative of the dysfunctional, mean-spirited behavior that has plagued the association for many years.

Sincerely, Michael Russell

cc: Jorge Camara. Meher Tatna

Critics Choice Awards Nominations: “Black Swan,” “King’s Speech,” “True Grit,” “Social Network” Lead

Roger Friedman
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Critics Choice Awards Nominations: “Black Swan,” “King’s Speech,” “True Grit,” “Social Network” Lead

Here are the nominees from the Critics Choice Awards. The awards ceremony is broadcast on January 14th at 9pm on VH-1. “Black Swan,” “The King’s Speech,” and “The Social Network” got the most nominations. The biggest disappointment: Julianne Moore not making Best Actress. Focus should put her in Best Supporting Actress. And “Greenberg,” one of the best written screenplays, is missing. Otherwise, these nominations are pretty much dead on right.

BEST PICTURE

127 Hours, Black Swan, The Fighter, Inception, The King’s Speech, The Social Network, The Town, Toy Story 3, True Grit, Winter’s Bone

BEST ACTOR

Jeff Bridges – “True Grit”

Robert Duvall – “Get Low”

Jesse Eisenberg – “The Social Network”

Colin Firth – “The King’s Speech”

James Franco – “127 Hours”

Ryan Gosling – “Blue Valentine”

BEST ACTRESS

Annette Bening – “The Kids Are All Right”

Nicole Kidman – “Rabbit Hole”

Jennifer Lawrence – “Winter’s Bone”

Natalie Portman – “Black Swan”

Noomi Rapace – “The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo”

Michelle Williams – “Blue Valentine”

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Christian Bale – “The Fighter”

Andrew Garfield – “The Social Network”

Jeremy Renner – “The Town”

Sam Rockwell – “Conviction”

Mark Ruffalo – “The Kids Are All Right”

Geoffrey Rush – “The King’s Speech”

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS

Amy Adams – “The Fighter”

Helena Bonham Carter – “The King’s Speech”

Mila Kunis – “Black Swan”

Melissa Leo – “The Fighter”

Hailee Steinfeld – “True Grit”

Jacki Weaver – “Animal Kingdom”

BEST YOUNG ACTOR/ACTRESS

Elle Fanning – “Somewhere”

Jennifer Lawrence – “Winter’s Bone”

Chloe Grace Moretz – “Let Me In”

Chloe Grace Moretz – “Kick-Ass”

Kodi Smit-McPhee – “Let Me In”

Hailee Steinfeld – “True Grit”

BEST ACTING ENSEMBLE

The Fighter

The Kids Are All Right

The King’s Speech

The Social Network

The Town

BEST DIRECTOR

Darren Aronofsky – “Black Swan”

Danny Boyle – “127 Hours”

Joel Coen & Ethan Coen – “True Grit”

David Fincher – “The Social Network”

Tom Hooper – “The King’s Speech”

Christopher Nolan – “Inception”

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY

“Another Year” – Mike Leigh

“Black Swan” – Mark Heyman and Andres Heinz and John McLaughlin

“The Fighter” – Scott Silver and Paul Tamasy & Eric Johnson (Story by Keith Dorrington & Paul Tamasy & Eric Johnson)

“Inception” – Christopher Nolan

“The Kids Are All Right” – Lisa Cholodenko and Stuart Blumberg

“The King’s Speech” – David Seidler

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY

“127 Hours” – Simon Beaufoy and Danny Boyle

“The Social Network” – Aaron Sorkin

“The Town” – Ben Affleck, Peter Craig and Sheldon Turner

“Toy Story 3” – Michael Arndt (Story by John Lasseter, Andrew Stanton and Lee Unkrich)

“True Grit” – Joel Coen & Ethan Coen

“Winter’s Bone” – Debra Granik and Anne Rosellini

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY

“127 Hours” – Anthony Dod Mantle

“Black Swan” – Matthew Libatique

“Inception” – Wally Pfister

“The King’s Speech” – Danny Cohen

“True Grit” – Roger Deakins

BEST ART DIRECTION

“Alice in Wonderland” – Stefan Dechant

“Black Swan” – Therese DePrez and Tora Peterson

“Inception” – Guy Hendrix Dyas

“The King’s Speech” – Netty Chapman

“True Grit” – Jess Gonchor and Nancy Haigh

BEST EDITING

“127 Hours” – Jon Harris

“Black Swan” – Andrew Weisblum

“Inception” – Lee Smith

“The Social Network” – Angus Wall and Kirk Baxter

BEST COSTUME DESIGN

“Alice in Wonderland” – Colleen Atwood

“Black Swan” – Amy Westcott

“The King’s Speech” – Jenny Beavan

“True Grit” – Mary Zophres

BEST MAKEUP

Alice in Wonderland

Black Swan

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1

True Grit

BEST VISUAL EFFECTS

Alice in Wonderland

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1

Inception

Tron: Legacy

BEST SOUND
127 Hours

Black Swan

Inception

The Social Network

Toy Story 3

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE

Despicable Me

How to Train Your Dragon

The Illusionist

Tangled

Toy Story 3

BEST ACTION MOVIE

Inception

Kick-Ass

Red

The Town

Unstoppable

BEST COMEDY

Cyrus

Date Night

Easy A

Get Him to the Greek

I Love You Phillip Morris

The Other Guys

BEST PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION

The Pacific

Temple Grandin

You Don’t Know Jack

BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM

Biutiful

I Am Love

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE

Exit Through the Gift Shop

Inside Job

Restrepo

Joan Rivers: A Piece of Work

The Tillman Story

Waiting for Superman

BEST SONG

“I See the Light” – performed by Mandy Moore & Zachary Levi/written by Alan Menken & Glenn Slater – Tangled

“If I Rise” – performed by Dido and A.R. Rahman/music by A.R. Rahman/lyrics by Dido Armstrong and Rollo Armstrong – 127 Hours

“Shine” – performed and written by John Legend – Waiting for Superman

“We Belong Together” – performed and written by Randy Newman – Toy Story 3

“You Haven’t Seen the Last of Me Yet” – performed by Cher/written by Diane Warren – Burlesque

BEST SCORE

“Black Swan” – Clint Mansell

“Inception” – Hans Zimmer

“The King’s Speech” – Alexandre Desplat

“The Social Network” – Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross

“True Grit” – Carter Burwell

Golden Globe Scandal: HFPA Members Have Credited Roles in New Sofia Coppola Movie

Roger Friedman
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Golden Globe Scandal: HFPA Members Have Credited Roles in New Sofia Coppola Movie

Seven members of the notoriously unprofessional Hollywood Foreign Press have credited roles in Sofia Coppola‘s new film, “Somewhere.”

Outrageous? You betcha. Who do you think the big celebrity was at last week’s HFPA/Golden Globes event at Cecconi’s restaurant to introduce the new Miss Golden Globes? Why, Sofia Coppola. She was the only A-lister and the only director.

The credited roles in “Somewhere” went to Silvia Bizio, of Italy; Noel de Souza, India; Lisa Lu, of China; Alexander Nevsky, of Russia; Aida Takla-O’Reilly, of Egypt; Emanuel Levy, of Israel; and H.J. Park, of Korea. In the movie, they are used to re-create one of their own idiotic press conferences. You don’t even see their faces, but they got name credit at the end of the film.

Nevsky isn’t even a journalist; according to his imdb.com bio, he’s a former Russian bodybuilder who changed his name to that of the famed Russian Prince of the 13th century. He actually gets to ask the movie’s fake movie star what his work out secrets are because he’s writing a book on celebrity exercise. Levy, who is one of the few real journalists on the HFPA, should know better.

Is it funny? No. The HFPA is held in low esteem by real journalists. I’ve written about them before. They’re mostly interested in getting their pictures taken with celebrities. One of them, Scott Orlin, is American but writes for a German publication. He’s a nice fellow, but he isn’t even ‘foreign.” Many members of the HFPA would be hard pressed to produce more than four articles that they’ve published each year.

But to appear in a studio release: unethical and laughable.

But the HFPA is empowered and enabled by money. NBC has been paying them $6 million a year to license the Golden Globe name. According to a recent lawsuit filed the HFPA against Dick Clark Productions, the group will be paid millions more in coming years.

The group has a fine time with the money. They boast in their 2009 Federal Tax Filing nearly $20 million in assets. And even though they’re supposed to be a not for profit organization, the inner circle does well. The president of the HFPA gets $72,000 a year; all the other officers are paid, as well. To offset this, the HFPA gives between $750,00 and $1 million a year to charity.

It’s unclear whether the seven members of the HFPA were paid for their roles in “Somewhere,” which will be released by Focus Features this month. But just their appearance in the film–which has surely been considered by them for awards to be announced tomorrow morning–reeks of impropriety. This is what separates the members of the HFPA from real journalists, a concept they surely don’t understand. A new film is not going where you’re going to find David Denby, Richard Schickel or Tony Scott.

(And yes, retired journalists, and those out of work, have appeared in films. The late Howard K. Smith was in Robert Altman’s “Nashville,” for example. Walter Cronkite once made a cameo on “The Mary Tyler Moore Show.”)

Last week veteran TV producer Peter Tolan called the HFPA “just a group of whores from other countries… I’m not prone to hyperbole, but the Foreign Press [Assn] really is a bunch of whores. They can be bought… It’s really an excuse to go out with people who don’t speak English that well and maybe win a trinket. [A Golden Globe] means shit. F— the Globes.”

This should give Ricky Gervais some good material when he hosts the Globes in January.

AFI Picks Top Movies of the Year Including “King’s Speech” and “Social Network”

Roger Friedman
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AFI Picks Top Movies of the Year Including “King’s Speech” and “Social Network”

Are these the Oscar nominees?

The American Film Institute has chosen its top 10 films, plus 2 special selections. “The King’s Speech” and “Waiting for Superman” got Special Awards because the former is considered a British film and the latter is a documentary. They are now solidly in the Oscar game.

The 10 American features are “Black Swan,” “127 Hours,” “The Fighter,” “Inception,” “Winter’s Bone,” “The Town,” “Toy Story 3,” “The Social Network,” “The Kids Are All Right,” and “True Grit.”

This really sets it all up, I think. When the Academy Awards do their nominations, one of the American 10 will have to drop out to make room for “The King’s Speech.” I can’t say which one now because they’re all so good. But I do think “The Town” and “True Grit” are the weakest in the bunch.

Meanwhile, the Los Angeles Film Critics are issuing their votes this afternoon. “The Social Network” won Best Picture, but not Best Director. That went to Oliver Assayas for “Carlos,” a pretty bad movie. Colin Firth won Best Actor, Kim Hye-ja won Best Actress for a movie most people haven’t seen called “Mother.” Jacki Weaver (yay!) won Best Supporting Actress for “Animal Kingdom” and Niels Arestrup won Best Supporting Actor for another movie few have seen called “A Prophet.” The runner up was Geoffrey Rush for “The King’s Speech.” The LA Film Critics are weird, so they had to give the award to Niels and Kim Hye-ja and Assayas just to be contrary.

The Boston Film Critics, meantime, voted for “The Social Network” for Best Picture, Director and Actor. More amusing: they chose Christian Bale from “The Fighter” and Juliette Lewis from “Conviction” for Best Supporting Actor and Actress. Those movies are set in Boston, and the characters played by these actors have severe–or sev-eah–Boston accents. F—-‘ A, as they’d say in Beantown!

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