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Bebe Neuwirth Kicks Off the Nominees Party for Broadway’s Chita Rivera Awards

Regina Weinreich
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Bebe Neuwirth Kicks Off the Nominees Party for Broadway’s Chita Rivera Awards

Last night, at the great Bond 45 restaurant in the theater district, in a roomful of notable talent from this year’s great shows, the late legend Chita Rivera would have felt quite at home.

The occasion: to announce the nominees for the Chita Rivera Award, honoring choreographers, dance ensembles, and featured dancers on stage and on screen. The Awards presentation is scheduled for May 19.

Kicking off the evening, Tony winner Bebe Neuwirth quoted Chita: “There’s nowhere I’d rather be than in a roomful of dancers.”

Veteran columnist Michael Musto introduced me to Donna McKechnie, the Tony winning star dancer of the landmark dance musical, “A Chorus Line”, now on the nominating committee.

I asked her, ‘Is it cheeky to ask which shows you like the most this season?’ She whispered yes, it is, and noted, she liked “Just in Time” a lot.

And then, on cue, Jonathan Groff, star of “Just in Time. descended the stairs. His role as hitmaker Bobby Darin is nominated for Outstanding Dancer in a Broadway show, as are the dancers for Best Ensemble in a Broadway show. Even a movie Groff is in, “A Nice Indian Boy,” is nominated for Outstanding Choreography in a Feature Film. “You’re the heartthrob, I venture,” to wit he grins, Imagine that.

For Outstanding Ensemble “Just in Time” competes with A Wonderful World: The Louis Armstrong Musical, Death Becomes Her, Pirates! The Penzance Musical, Smash, Boop! The Musical, and already a fan favorite, Buena Vista Social Club. Dancers Carlos Falu and Angelica Beliard enthused about their show: “Come see us backstage.” They are nominated for Outstanding Dancer in a Broadway show.

Nominated choreographers, Christopher Gattelli from “Death Becomes Her” and Joshua Bergasse from “Smash” spoke to me about the challenges and joys of working on these productions. Gattelli had to work out the intricate Megan Hilty falling down a flight of stairs from the “Death” script.

Bergasse had to collaborate with the multi-Tony winning Susan Stroman, a choreographer/ director. He had created the dance for the hit television show Smash, and “Stro” in her role as the Broadway musical’s director merely sat on his shoulder for him to bounce ideas to. They seemed to agree on everything.

I sat with a sample group from the “Boop”’s” ensemble: Courtney Arango, Gabriella Sorrentino, Nina LaFarga, and Lawrence Alexander, munching on pepperoni pizza and sauteed broccoli rabe. It’s hard not to exude about a musical featuring a song called the patron saint of short women.

“I’ll remember that,” said the star, Tony nominated Jasmine Amy Rogers. Did she know about Betty Boop growing up? She made her mom buy her a doll when they were at Universal Studios. “She was in my life, but now she’s much more.”

The Chita Rivera Awards take place on Monday, May 19th at the NYU Skirball Center with an all-star roster in the audience including Ben Vereen (Pippin), Donna Murphy (Passion), Stephen Schwartz (Wicked), Savion Glover (Bring in ‘da Noise…), Tituss Burgess (Oh, Mary!), Stephanie Pope (Fosse), Nathan Lee Graham (Mid-Century Modern), Joy Woods (Gypsy), Vy Higginsen (Mama, I Want to Sing!), Ahmaya Knoelle Higginson (Mama, I Want to Sing!), and Chita Rivera Award Nominees: Jonathan Groff (Just In Time), Robyn Hurder (Smash), Josh Bergasse (Smash), Warren Carlyle (Pirates! The Penzance Musical), Jasmine Amy Rogers (Boop! The Musical), Shannon Lewis (Just In Time), David Neumann (Douglas and Ethel Watt Critics Choice Award Honoree for his Choreography in Swept Away), and more.

Here are the nominees:

OUTSTANDING CHOREOGRAPHY IN A BROADWAY SHOW

Joshua Bergasse, Smash

Warren Carlyle, Pirates! The Penzance Musical

Patricia Delgado / Justin Peck, Buena Vista Social Club

Christopher Gattelli, Death Becomes Her

Shannon Lewis, Just In Time

Jerry Mitchell, Boop! The Musical

Rickey Tripp / DeWitt Fleming, Jr., A Wonderful World: The Louis Armstrong Musical

OUTSTANDING DANCER IN A BROADWAY SHOW

Angélica Beliard, Buena Vista Social Club

Kevin Csolak, Gypsy

Carlos Falú, Buena Vista Social Club

DeWitt Fleming, Jr., A Wonderful World: The Louis Armstrong Musical

Jonathan Groff, Just In Time

Robyn Hurder, Smash

Héctor Juan Maisonet, Buena Vista Social Club

Ilda Mason, Buena Vista Social Club

Marielys Molina, Buena Vista Social Club

Jasmine Amy Rogers, Boop! The Musical

OUTSTANDING ENSEMBLE IN A BROADWAY SHOW

A Wonderful World: The Louis Armstrong Musical

Boop! The Musical

Buena Vista Social Club

Death Becomes Her

Just In Time

Pirates! The Penzance Musical

Smash

FILM & DOCUMENTARY

OUTSTANDING CHOREOGRAPHY IN A FEATURE FILM

A Nice Indian Boy, Choreographers: Ziana D’Mello, Breanna English, Christian Lagasse

Emilia Perez, Choreographer: Damien Jalet

Sh’ma: A Story of Survival, Choreographer: Suki John

Snow White, Choreographer: Mandy Moore

Wicked, Part 1, Choreographer: Christopher Scott

OUTSTANDING DIRECTION OF A DANCE DOCUMENTARY

A Resilient Man, Director: Stephane Carrel

Better Man, Director: Michael Gracey

Liza: A Truly Terrific Absolutely True Story, Director: Bruce David Klein

Two Roads, Director: Susan Wittenberg

Who Cares About Pal Frenak, Director: Gloria Halasz

“Grey’s Anatomy” Rises in Slightly Total Viewers But Key Age Demo Falls Stunning 14% from Last Week

Roger Friedman
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“Grey’s Anatomy” Rises in Slightly Total Viewers But Key Age Demo Falls Stunning 14% from Last Week

The continuing saga of “Grey’s Anatomy” continues.

Last Thursday’s episode rose slightly, by 8.13% from the previous week. That’s a little improvement, with 2.085 million total viewers. It’s still one of the lowest of the season.

More worrisome is the key demo dropped 13.64% to just 190,000 of those two million. That tied a low for the season. The first two episodes of this had 300,000 people watching between 18 and 49. A third of them are gone.

“Grey’s” has been renewed for Season 22, but at this rate they should really start writing a big finale in which Patrick Dempsey is revealed to be alive, and Katherine Heigl bombs the hospital.

The White Lotus Cast Goes to the Met Ball: Who Were “The Uninvited” After All? Not Walton Goggins and Aimee Lou Wood

Roger Friedman
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The White Lotus Cast Goes to the Met Ball: Who Were “The Uninvited” After All? Not Walton Goggins and Aimee Lou Wood

This stuff, I don’t get into much.

But I had to watch 9 or 10 hours of “The White Lotus,” so I’m invested.

There’s been a scandal brewing between two cast members, Walton Goggins and Aimee Lou Wood. They played a couple on the show, Rick and Chelsea. The actors spent 6 months together in Thailand.

What do you think happened?

Suddenly, the rumor mill says there’s been a “falling out” between the two of them. They’ve each “unfollowed” each other.

Last night they came to the Met Ball. In the same car. Along with co-star Patrick Schwarzenegger, who for some reason left his long time fiancee, Abby Champion, back in Los Angeles and accompanied Aimee Lou.

If Champion were a medical resident or Supreme Court clerk, you could understand her not coming to fashion’s Super Bowl. But she’s a model. A fashion model. If Patrick weren’t being used as a beard, Champion would have attended even if she measles and COVID!

Walton’s wife, Nadia Conners, was also nowhere to be seen. Recently, Nadia directed a movie in which Walton appears, called “The Uninvited.” It seems like she and Patrick’s fiancee were actually The Uninvited last night.

Do we need to a play by play football chalkboard out for this discussion?

Goggins barely mentioned “The Uninvited” during the thrall of “White Lotus” publicity. He showed up for one or two small screenings. I was among those surprised it even existed. The movie was DOA.

Now People reports Walt and Aimee are “following” each other again on Instagram. It must have been quite a Ball last night!

Do I have to paint you a picture? What happened in Thailand didn’t stay there, did it?

Even if Goggins and Wood don’t get Emmy nominations, they deserve some kind of real life acting award. Am I cynical? Yes. But six months at a luxury resort halfway around the world? Even Melania would look good under those circumstances!

Summer Reading Bonanza: Christie Brinkley Sings, Barry Diller Confesses, Keith McNally Reveals, Tina Knowles Explains

Roger Friedman
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Summer Reading Bonanza: Christie Brinkley Sings, Barry Diller Confesses, Keith McNally Reveals, Tina Knowles Explains

It’s going to be a wild summer for beach readers in the Hamptons and Malibu.

And a lot of other places.

The celebs are dropping their memoirs, and they’re all churning up the headlines.

Today comes Christie Brinkley’s “Uptown Girl,” about the supermodel’s amazing rock and roller coaster life. Christie talks about her marriage to her happier marriage to Billy Joel and fearful one with the famous louse, Peter Cook.

Christie is like a bright yellow daffodil in any garden, so the book is a tell-some with an upbeat attitude. We still don’t know why she looks so amazing at 70. But God bless, really.

“Uptown Girl” enters the amazon best seller list at #143.

Barry Diller stirs the pot this morning with an excerpt from his memoir, “Who Knew,” in New York Magazine. An uber media mogul, Diller finally reveals the extraordinary story of his love life, from decades of romancing and marrying Diane von Furstenberg to being incredibly bisexual. He hit it all and now it’s being told.

Diller writes: “I’ve lived for decades reading about Diane and me: about us being best friends rather than lovers. We weren’t just friends. We aren’t just friends. Plain and simple, it was an explosion of passion that kept up for years. And, yes, I also liked guys, but that was not a conflict with my love for Diane. I can’t explain it to myself or to the world. It simply happened to both of us without motive or manipulation. In some cosmic way we were destined for each other.”

“Who Knew” hits the stands on May 20th.

New York restaurant owner Keith McNally arrives at #346 on amazon with “I Regret Almost Everything.” This memoir is about the Balthazar/Minetta Lane/Morandi owner’s also up and down life and career making and losing money, divorcing two wives, having two gay romances, and so on.

But McNally’s book is really about his life altering stroke that’s left him physically depleted but ever more astute, observant, and glib. He settles some scores, reveals others, and looks for a fight. A certified showman, he’s having not one but two book parties this week at Balthazar. And British actor Richard E. Grant voices the audiobook.

Also: Beyonce’s mom has a hit with her book, “Matriarch.” Tina Knowles has a lot to say, and many want to know how he raised one of the world’s superstars, and as well, in Solange, a great musician and creator. Last week, Tina got a launch from Oprah with an incredible musical performance of Jennifer Hudson singing “The Impossible Dream.”

Armie Hammer, Famous Non Cannibal, Announces Fake Film Project with Safdie Brothers: “Persona Non Grata”

Roger Friedman
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Armie Hammer, Famous Non Cannibal, Announces Fake Film Project with Safdie Brothers: “Persona Non Grata”

Armie Hammer, famous being labeled a cannibal, made an announcement yesterday.

With his career in tatters, Armie posted news of either a documentary or a narrative film called “Persona Non Grata.” He announced it tonight on Instagram. He said it would be made by Josh and Benny Safdie.

What is real? No.

Hammer escaped to the Cayman Islands but is back looking for work in Hollywood. He is Persona Non Grata. As he acknowledges, no one wants anything to do with him. How will he overcome that? He’s got a podcast and has picked up parts in B films. But maybe this film will do the trick and bring him back from the dead.

The movie does sound tasty. But it’s also kind of sad that Hammer published this post. He’s going to have to get real at some point.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by @armiehammer

Met Gala: Black Fashion is Theme But Most Famous Black Model, Naomi Campbell, Won’t Be There

Roger Friedman
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Met Gala: Black Fashion is Theme But Most Famous Black Model, Naomi Campbell, Won’t Be There

Reports may be premature that Anna Wintour has banned supermodel and celebrity Naomi Campbell from tonight’s Met Gala.

Why would Anna ban her? Originally it was said that Naomi looked at her funny or said something sarcastic to Anna in front of her last year. You can read it here.

Now Naomi’s rep says she wasn’t banned but declined several invitations.

Campbell is the most famous Black model or celebrity in fashion. She’s a superstar. But Wintour doesn’t care. The whole fortune of the Metropolitan Museum of Art rests on her whims tonight. But no Naomi.

The irony, of course, shouldn’t be lost on anyone. Theme of tonight’s Ball is Black fashion. It’s called “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style.” Every Black celebrity who can will be there. But not Naomi.

Anna, according to reports all over the world today, doesn’t think she’s Super Fine.

I love Naomi Campbell. She speaks her mind, takes a backseat to no one. She’s an icon. Every encounter with her I’ve had (we’re not friends, just good acquaintances) has been memorably good.

Meantime, Wintour has spent the last month exploiting the memory of Andre Leon Talley. She’s running features in Vogue and writing about him as if she never fired him and he didn’t write a book about her. YouTube is flooded with videos of Andre, the legendary expression of tonight’s event, complaining about his treatment when he was alive.

You wonder why the weather is so bad today? Karma.

Many other celebs passing on the Met Ball this year. Check back later when the Halloween Parade begins.

Watch Here: “60 Minutes” Chilling Report on Trump Shake Down, “Protection Racket” of Law Firms Who Oppose Him

Roger Friedman
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Watch Here: “60 Minutes” Chilling Report on Trump Shake Down, “Protection Racket” of Law Firms Who Oppose Him

This is tonight’s “60 Minutes” take down of Donald Trump in which one interviewee suggests a protection racket is going on from the White House.

Scott Pelley’s clearly and concisely explains what Trump is trying to do to kill The Rule of Law, and bring down law firms who have opposed him in the past.

Just watch it. “60 Minutes” is kicking ass now, rather than kowtow to the insanity.

Donald Trump Declares Tariff on Movies Made Outside US, Including Buddy Mel Gibson’s International “Passion of the Christ 2”

Roger Friedman
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Donald Trump Declares Tariff on Movies Made Outside US, Including Buddy Mel Gibson’s International “Passion of the Christ 2”

You look at his dull, bloated face slathered in some kind polyurethane and think, What else can he do to harm us?

Now Donald Trump, determined to cut world culture off from us and vice versa, has found a new lunatic scheme.

He’s going to put a tariff on all films made outside the United States. He’s obviously not voting in Best International Feature. His rationale is that “Hollywood is dying,” which it’s not.

But maybe his Hollywood ambassadors — or imbeciles — Mel Gibson, Jon Voight, and Sylvester Stallone — have convinced him this is their diplomatic duty.

Gibson should be thrilled. His “Passion of the Christ 2” is reportedly going to shoot at Rome’s Cinecittà Studios. Additional filming locations will include ancient Southern Italian towns like Matera, Ginosa, Gravina Laterza, and Altamura. Other reported locations include Malta, Israel, and Morocco.

Has anyone told Trump that “Passion 2” will need a tariff, according to his plan?

Trump is a buffoon who posts first, and never thinks later. But imagine that phone call from Mel right now. Or from Trump’s other buddies like Dennis Quaid, Vince Vaughn, and so on?

“60 Minutes” Tonight: Scott Pelley Explores Trump Court Loss and Permanent Ban on Attacking Law Firms

Roger Friedman
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“60 Minutes” Tonight: Scott Pelley Explores Trump Court Loss and Permanent Ban on Attacking Law Firms

All eyes will be on “60 Minutes” tonight.

One segment is on freezing the biological clock, with Lesley Stahl.

But it’s Scott Pelley”s report on “The Rule of Law” that will cause a stir.

This will be a searing look at Donald Trump’s major court loss this week. On Friday a federal judge permanently blocked President Trump’s executive order that targeted the law firm Perkins Coie, ruling the order was unconstitutional.

U.S. District Judge Beryl Howell, an Obama appointee, issued a permanent injunction barring the enforcement of any part of Trump’s order from March, which focused on the firm’s representation of 2016 Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton and its work with billionaire donor George Soros.

The judge wrote: “No American President has ever before issued executive orders like the one at issue in this lawsuit targeting a prominent law firm with adverse actions to be executed by all Executive branch agencies but, in purpose and effect, this action draws from a playbook as old as Shakespeare, who penned the phrase: ‘The first thing we do, let’s kill all the lawyers.'”

She said Trump’s order — another step in his vendetta against the government, and all of us, “violates the Constitution and is thus null and void.”

The judge’s order comes as many major law firms in got so scared of Trump that they started making onerous deals with him to avoid retaliation. Paul Weiss Rifkind and Skadden Arps are among them, causing backlash within the legal community. A protest letter was signed by dozens of the latter firm’s alumni.

Pelley will not quit investigating the corruption of the Trump government despite the ousting of the show’s executive producer — and his producer — Bill Owens. Pelley offered a seething commentary on the show last week against Paramount and owner Shari Redstone.

Redstone had reportedly complained that “60 Minutes” — currently being sued by Trump — was supposed to let her know about sensitive segments. (Pelley had just previously had a headline making interview with Ukraine president Zelensky.) It’s hard to believe she doesn’t know about tonight’s segment. The values of CBS — called the Tiffany network — and “60 Minutes” — the gold standard in news — must be upheld. Otherwise, we are cooked.

PS Scott Pelley rocks. His pieces are so well written you can listen to them on the radio and feel completely drawn in. He wasn’t appreciated when he was the anchor of “CBS Evening News.”

Kennedy Center Conan O’Brien Special Wall to Wall LOL Brutal Roast of Donald Trump from “Roy Cohn Pavilion”

Roger Friedman
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Kennedy Center Conan O’Brien Special Wall to Wall LOL Brutal Roast of Donald Trump from “Roy Cohn Pavilion”

Netflix has just dropped its Mark Twain Prize special for Conan O’Brien. There were no press links in advance and this is why: the 90 minute show is a brutal and brilliant roast of Donald Trump.

Since Conan accepted the prize before Trump announced he was taking over the Kennedy Center there was speculation this special would be heavily edited. It’s very well edited, but no one holds back eviscerating Trump and is administration. One comic says it’s probably “the last Mark Twain prize.” David Letterman invokes “the resistance.”

There’s a Murderer’s Row of A list comics starting Robert Smigel and his Triumph the Insult Dog, the night’s narrator. Then John Mulaney has a blistering opening, calling the Kennedy Center “the Roy Cohen Pavilion for Big Strong, Men Who Love ‘Cats’.” Immediately we know where we’re going.

Some of the more vicious comments come from Sarah Silverman, who jokes she liked it when Conan was “America’s only orange asshole.” She adds that “The guy who took over loves grabbing pussy.”

Silverman, the sweetest dirty comic ever, is outdone in the mildly filthy department by Adam Sander, has unprintable things to say about Conan’s freckled anatomy.

The only way out of this when Trump hears about it today is to say he “let” O’Brien and co have one last rodeo. But that’s not going to work. This special is a rare moment to let everyone who’s endured the last 100 days finally blow off steam and feel like a weight has been lifted.

The rest of the all-Star cast also includes David Letterman, Stephen Colbert, Conan sidekick Andy Richter, Bill Burr, Tracy Morgan, Kumail Nanjiani, plus Paul Rudd, and Fred Armisen sending up Conan’s matriculation at Harvard, Trump’s sworn enemy. Nikki Glaser, who’s having quite a year, introduces an O’Brien character, The Interrupter, who’s revealed as a member of the Trump cabinet (spoiler not here).

And don’t worry, the whole show starts with something Trump will secretly love but claim to hate, the Masturbating Bear. (The Bear dances around the stage vividly.)

I’d been asking people involved in the production if any censoring of material was going on backstage. It doesn’t seem like it, although maybe one day we’ll see the outtakes. Netflix has been brave (yes, I said it) in letting this rip, the result will be Emmy nominations and maybe some wins. Stay til the end for a terrific musical finale featuring O’Brien on electric guitar playing a song Trump tried to coop during his campaigns.

PS Leave the closed captions on. One of the comics mangles a word, but the caption writer interpreted it as “Dissension.” And they say there no coincidences!

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