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Elton John and David Furnish Donate $1 Million to the COVID-19 Emergency Fund, Plus Last Week’s TV Living Room Show Raised $10 Million

Roger Friedman
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Elton John and David Furnish Donate $1 Million to the COVID-19 Emergency Fund, Plus Last Week’s TV Living Room Show Raised $10 Million

Elton John’s AIDS Foundation, EJAF, is one of the best charities in the world. Today Sir Elton announced that they’re donating $1 million to the COVID 19 Emergency Fund. On top of that, the “Living Room” concert that Elton hosted on Fox last week raised $10 million!

“Today, I’m proud to announce that my Foundation @EJAF is launching a $1million COVID-19 Emergency Fund to make sure that our frontline partners can respond to the effects of COVID-19 on HIV care for the most marginalised communities around the world. Now and always, I’m committed to not leave anyone affected by HIV behind. Click on the link in my bio for more info. Sending love to all of our Foundation’s partners, grantees, supporters, frontline workers and members of our community during this time. xx”

Struggling Once Legendary Friars Club Finally Ousts Embattled CEO, “Furloughs” Main Employees As It Waits Out Pandemic

Roger Friedman
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Struggling Once Legendary Friars Club Finally Ousts Embattled CEO, “Furloughs” Main Employees As It Waits Out Pandemic

EXCLUSIVE The Friars Club, struggling to stay afloat, has finally wised up and “retired” embattled CEO Michael Gyure. His ousting wasn’t because he was found guilty of tax evasion last year, or countless other things he’s done to destroy the club. No, it seems that the pandemic did him in.

Gyure, according to a memo to Club members, “has decided it would be beneficial for him to leave the club in retirement at this time. It is with enormous gratitude for his long service to our club that we accept Michael’s decision.”

The Friars Club has been closed for months after a suspicious flood closed the place. According to sources, the insurance money has come in but no vendors have been paid– and this was just before the city shut down all non essential businesses.

The Friars “furloughed” Banquet Manager Giuseppie Tarillo, Director of Entertainment Bob Spiotto, and Chef Daniel Misiti. They say they expect to bring them back one day.

The letter to members comes from “Prior” Marvin Scott, a long time local New York newsman for Channel 11. The Friars have titles like “Prior,” “Abbott,” “Scribe.” Ralph Kramden would have loved it.

Scott writes: “We want to assure our members that the Friars Club is still here, and we are going to be back, along with all our beloved New York institutions, as soon as we can. ”

He adds: “With heavy heart, The Board of Governors has found it necessary to furlough a few of our dedicated staff members while our club is closed, and with the expectation and hope that we will be able to bring them back when we can. These furloughs follow the previous notice to our longtime union employees.”

This may be the first step in that direction, although a total cleaning of house will be needed before the Club re-opens and real members of the show business world come back to it.  They still haven’t jettisoned Bruce Charet, the man who caused them to settle a sexual harassment suit for close to $1 million. Charet is still considered the group’s celebrity wrangler. He’s living in a sketchy hotel in Los Angeles where he threw a “roast” last year for “dean” Larry King.

King, by the way, is still alive. He has a quote in the members’ memo thanking Gyure for his service. But the next thing I’m sure we’ll hear about is the severance package Gyure received, and how much he was paid not to discuss the Friars’ last five or six years of chaos.

 

Singer PiNK Says She and Son Are Negative Now After Testing Positive 2 Weeks Ago, Donating $1 Million for COVID Care

Roger Friedman
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Singer PiNK Says She and Son Are Negative Now After Testing Positive 2 Weeks Ago, Donating $1 Million for COVID Care

Singer PiNK says she and son Jameson tested positive for COVID-19. Now, re-tested, they are negative. Pink says she’s donating a total of $1 million to the cause. Temple University’s Emergency Hospital Fund will receive $500,000. Another $500,000 will go to the city of Los Angeles Mayor’s Emergency Fund.

 

Peter Beard’s Daughter, Zara, Posts Update as Police Conclude Search: “My father is out there somewhere”

Roger Friedman
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Peter Beard’s Daughter, Zara, Posts Update as Police Conclude Search: “My father is out there somewhere”

Zara Beard, daughter of missing photographer Peter Beard, posted to Instagram late this afternoon. The East Hampton police have ended their search for her father. Whatever happened to him remains a mystery that will be solved if not now, soon enough. Sadly, Zara admits, “I am afraid that as every minute passes by so does the hope that he is able to survive.” Zara, we are all with you and your mother.

Zara’s post:

We are so thankful for the help of both local and state police, the DEC, homeland security, the coast guard, marine patrol, K-9 units, and all volunteers who have been working tirelessly trying to find my dad. At this point, past the 3 day mark, they have exhausted all of their resources and their search has been concluded. I know this is the most difficult time, amidst a pandemic, to ask for your help. It is a time when we need to stay at home for the good of everyone around us, but my father is out there somewhere, missing. He is strong but the nights have been cold and he has a heart condition and I am afraid that as every minute passes by so does the hope that he is able to survive. I am asking for all those who are healthy, and able bodied to please aid us in a socially responsible way, as we continue the search for my father. Please keep in mind out of respect for our healthcare workers and covid protocols to only go out responsibly and practice social distancing. I know he is out there, and with your help we can bring him home. Anyone who would like to join our rescue mission please text me at 917-586-0718. It is just in our hands now…He has been missing since March 31st, last seen around 4:45pm

Bonnie Raitt Urges Fans to Keep John Prine “in Your Prayers,” Wife Fiona Says She Remains “Hopeful That He Can Continue to Fight”

Roger Friedman
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Bonnie Raitt Urges Fans to Keep John Prine “in Your Prayers,” Wife Fiona Says She Remains “Hopeful That He Can Continue to Fight”

Bonnie Raitt urged fans today keep John Prine in their prayers. This was based on an earlier post from John’s wife Fiona that she “remains hopeful he can continue to fight this devastating virus.”

Both of their messages are below. Actually I do hope Bonnie well, too, after playing the same show as Jackson Browne at the Beacon Theater a couple of weeks ago. Jackson is recovering from COVID-19 as well. At bottom, a John Prine video.

This is John’s 8th day in ICU . He is receiving excellent medical care and being treated with kindness and compassion by the entire team looking after him day and night.
I cannot be with him which makes this nightmare all the more distressing for me.
As you know, John was put on a ventilator last Saturday. He still needs quite a bit of help with his breathing. Like many patients currently in ICU beds all around the world, John has pneumonia in both lungs. He has also developed some peripheral issues that are being treated with meds, including antibiotics.
He is very ill and yet I remain hopeful that he can continue to fight this devastating virus and come home where we can care for him.
I don’t have the words to adequately Thank You all for the outpouring of love and prayers that John and our family has received this last week. It means the world to us to have your love and support at this difficult time.
On behalf of me and our boys- Jody Jack and Tommy – please know that we are keeping you all in our hearts with a prayer that you stay safe and healthy. Please continue to send Love, Prayers and Positive Energy to John. He needs us now more than ever.
John loves you and I love you too.🙏🏼❤️💚

Literary Star Patricia Bosworth, 86, Passes Away from Coronavirus, Wrote Acclaimed Biographies of Diane Arbus, Montgomery Clift, Jane Fonda

Roger Friedman
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Literary Star Patricia Bosworth, 86, Passes Away from Coronavirus, Wrote Acclaimed Biographies of Diane Arbus, Montgomery Clift, Jane Fonda

Famed biographer, literary star, and beloved friend of so many (myself included) included in New York. Patricia Bosworth has died at age 86. She was three weeks away from her 87th birthday.

Patti– I knew her for 30 years– was simply a force to be reckoned with, all in the best ways. She wrote bestselling biographies about Diane Arbus, Montgomery Clift, Jane Fonda. She also wrote her own amazing story- -her father was the lawyer for the Hollywood 10 screenwriters during the Blacklist. She was absolutely remarkable, and she will be sorely missed.

She was also an actress in her younger life, a successful one. She studied under Lee Strasberg at the start of the Actors Studio and they were all her pals– Monroe, Brando, Kazan, all of them. She appeared in lots of golden age TV, but her biggest job was in Fred Zinneman’s “The Nun’s Story.” She also appeared on stage with Helen Hayes in “The Glass Menagerie.”

In 1988, I’d already known Patti for a while and I asked her if she’d write a profile of Steve Martin for me in Fame magazine. He was appearing in “Waiting for Godot” directed by Mike Nichols at Lincoln Center. It was one of the best things I’d ever read, but Steve was upset, he was sure he hadn’t said things like “how can actors really do 8 performances a week?” Well, Patti had taped the whole thing, and listening to later he had said all those things. She was an excellent journalist, among her other great traits.

She wrote a lot of wonderful books but she was mesmerized by Jane Fonda, who’d already published her own book. Patti’s take was uniquely hers, and very informed by her own history in Hollywood. Everyone should read it.

They should lower the lights somewhere tonight for Patti Bosworth. They broke the mold when they made her. I was lucky to know her.

 

 

Peter Duchin, Peter Beard: Two Great New Yorkers in Trouble, Artists with a Long Friendship and History

Roger Friedman
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Peter Duchin, Peter Beard: Two Great New Yorkers in Trouble, Artists with a Long Friendship and History

It’s not just a little ironic that as New York suffers, two of its great artists and luminaries are having serious problems.

Peter Duchin, the bandleader and author, and Peter Beard, the photographer and world traveler, are at literal (in the case of Beard) cliffhanger moments in their lives. The irony is that they are the same age– 81– and have known each other for 75 years, since they were six years old.

Peter Duchin is hospitalized and fighting coronavirus in Manhattan. His wife, Virginia Coleman, and his sons, Colin and Jason, are praying for him. Colin Duchin posts updates to Instagram every other day. Today he wrote: “ICU, still fighting…all of your Love and Grace is amazing.”

Duchin is a fighter. His mother died when he was five days old. His father, the bandleader Eddie Duchin, died at 40. Peter was raised by New York billionaire statesman W. Averell Harriman and his wife, Marie Norton Harriman. This put him squarely in New York society among all the most famous and powerful people of the last three quarters of a century. Despite all that wealth and power, Peter turned out to be a swell guy, a great musician, and incredibly popular personality.

Peter Beard is also a fighter. A famous photographer, rabblerouser, playboy, raconteur, Peter has traveled the world many times over. His affinity for Africa led him to be mauled by an elephant in 1996. That didn’t stop him. His wild life included three marriages, the second to Cheryl Tiegs. Beard, like Duchin, graduated from Yale. He is also from an aristocratic New York family.

Three days ago, Peter, who suffers from dementia, vanished his home in Montauk. I’m told his wife, Nejma, literally turned her back for a minute and he was gone. She immediately called the police. Since then, despite a massive manhunt, there’s been no luck finding him. The Beards’ home is isolated, and up against thick woods and a cliff that leads to the ocean. The search continues but there’s no good news. East Hampton Police Capt. Christopher Anderson told Newsday this morning that they were scaling back, however. “The harsh reality of this particular search and situation is that this property is surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean,” Anderson said. “Basically, his property goes out to a sheer cliff and bluff, and that’s something that we also need to consider.”

Two towering figures of New York nightlife and history, with a shared history as well. Their friends, families, and fans are all praying for miracles.

“NCIS” Star Pauley Perrette Has Hit Debut with “Broke” Sitcom on CBS, “Law & Order SVU” Wins NBC’s Night with Most Viewers

Roger Friedman
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“NCIS” Star Pauley Perrette Has Hit Debut with “Broke” Sitcom on CBS, “Law & Order SVU” Wins NBC’s Night with Most Viewers

Pauley Perrette is back! The 15 season star of “NCIS” left that show with a lot of issues (hers, about them). She had a nice gift for comedy on the procedural hour, and was determined to get her own sitcom.

Well, the debut of “Broke” last night pulled in 7 million viewers at 9:30pm. Success! Granted, “Broke” benefits from CBS’s hit lineup, but Perrette and co. held on to their lead in from “Young Sheldon” with 9 million, “Man with a Plan,” and “Mom” each with over 7 million. “Broke” already feels like a hit that will play nicely in the CBS lineup for a long to come. Good for Pauley. She deserves the success after putting up with that nonsense at “NCIS.”

Unfortunately, Pauley’s success comes at a price for NBC’s “Indebted,” Fran Drescher’s comeback vehicle. That new sitcom scored just 1.3 mil viewers against “Broke.” Fran Drescher should be in a hit. So NBC had better move it earlier and retool it a bit. But Fran v Pauley is a little too much of the same programming.

Fortunately for “Law and Order SVU,” their fans were indebted to their show. The 24 year old hit brought back 3.5 million fans at 10pm and won the night at NBC. Yes, it’s half the viewers CBS had, but it’s a better than a sharp stick in the eye. “SVU” really deserves an Emmy campaign this season. Week to week it’s high quality on every front.

 

The Great Bill Withers, Dead at 81, Singer Songwriter of “Lean on Me,” “Ain’t No Sunshine,” Winner of 4 Grammy Awards

Roger Friedman
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The Great Bill Withers, Dead at 81, Singer Songwriter of “Lean on Me,” “Ain’t No Sunshine,” Winner of 4 Grammy Awards

The great R&B singer-songwriter Bill Withers has died at age 81. Literally, ain’t no sunshine when he’s gone.

Withers’ long list of classic hits includes “Lean on Me,” “Ain’t No Sunshine,” “Grandma’s Hands,” “Use Me,” “Just the Two of Us,” “Lovely Day.”

Bill’s family issued a statement. He is survived by his wife Marcia Johnson and their two children, Todd and Kori. The family statement reads:

“We are devastated by the loss of our beloved, devoted husband and father. A solitary man with a heart driven to connect to the world at large, with his poetry and music, he spoke honestly to people and connected them to each other. As private a life as he lived close to intimate family and friends, his music forever belongs to the world. In this difficult time, we pray his music offers comfort and entertainment as fans hold tight to loved ones.”

Withers, who was very much a loner in the music world, was married twice. His first wife was the gorgeous Denise Nicholas, of “Room 222” fame. They had a tempestuous one year marriage when each was at the top of their fame.

Bill won 4 Grammy Awards. His last one, in 1987, was 15 years after “Lean on Me” came out. But Club Nouveau had covered the classic, and it won Best R&B song.

Daytime Soaps: Self-Quarantining is Answer to Ratings Prayers as “Young and Restless” Adds 768K Viewers, All Shows Rise

Roger Friedman
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Daytime Soaps: Self-Quarantining is Answer to Ratings Prayers as “Young and Restless” Adds 768K Viewers, All Shows Rise

Corona virus is no joke, but it’s the best thing to happen to daytime TV maybe ever.

After OJ Simpson’s 1995 trial destroyed the soaps’ ratings, and the Impeachment hearings threatened to finish the job, afternoon soaps were having their own cliffhanger. Four major shows vanished in 2009-2010: “All My Children,” “One Life to Live,” “As the World Turns,” and “Guiding Light.”

Two weeks ago, “The Young and the Restless” had its run at number 1 broken for the first time since 1998.

But then, the world was sent home. Suddenly no one had anything to do. And apparently a lot of them watched TV.

For the week of March 23-27th, “Y&R” added 768,000 viewers. It returned to number 1.
“The Bold and the Beautiful” picked up 40,000. “General Hospital” was upped by 103,000. “Days of our Lives” went up 152,000.

Here is a unique moment for the remaining four soaps. As long as people are kept home from work, the soaps should rise dramatically in the ratings. If only they could react to it. But the shows tape six weeks in advance, and now they are on hiatus. “Days of our Lives” tapes six months in advance, so they’ve got shows through the fall.

To parse out what’s left of their taped shows, “General Hospital” is cutting back to 4 days a week of new episodes, and showing “classic” episodes on Fridays. “”Y&R” and “B&B” will likely do the same.

Of course, the funny part of fans returning after many years is seeing the same actors still playing those parts from 20 years ago. That actually may prove to be comforting in this unsettling time. It’s unusual, but, yes, comforting to see Deidre Hall hasn’t aged since 1985. But that’s the magic of TV.

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