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Rival Networks Brace for “Game of Thrones” Finale: Showtime Gives “Billions” A Rest, “American Idol” Will Declare Winner Even If No One Watches, CBS Puts on New Show

Roger Friedman
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Rival Networks Brace for “Game of Thrones” Finale: Showtime Gives “Billions” A Rest, “American Idol” Will Declare Winner Even If No One Watches, CBS Puts on New Show

The networks are bracing themselves for the series finale of “Game of Thrones” next Sunday at 9pm.

Tonight, “Thrones” killed off two main characters and a few minor ones. But the two that died show anything can happen in the finale. All eyes will be on HBO in that hour. The ratings should set a record to see who sits on the Iron Throne. (My guess: Arya.)

Showtime, HBO’s chief competitor on cable, has made a smart move. They’re giving their best show, “Billions,” the week off. New episodes will return the next week. “Billions” has been holding its own with around 760,000 viewers each week. With “Thrones” gone, their numbers could increase in their their last three showings.

NBC will offer Ellen Degeneres’s game show to anyone who’s not watching “Thrones.”

CBS has a new series, “The Red Line,” fro 8 to 10pm.  Season 5 of “Madam Secretary” ended a couple of weeks ago. “The Red Line” is filler, basically.  Last week, “Red Line” had just 3.8 million viewers. That’s less than a daily episode of “The Young and the Restless.”

ABC is taking the biggest risk. They’re airing the season finale of “American Idol.” The winner will be revealed. Only, will anyone be watching? “Idol” numbers are already in decline. This won’t help.

Review: “Veep” Comes to a Brilliant End After 7 Seasons, As Selina Does the Worst Thing Ever and Is Eclipsed by Tom Hanks

Roger Friedman
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Review: “Veep” Comes to a Brilliant End After 7 Seasons, As Selina Does the Worst Thing Ever and Is Eclipsed by Tom Hanks

SPOILERS AHEAD

*****************************************************************

SPOILERS AHEAD

“VEEP” is done and it has more shocking deaths in its finale than “Game of Thrones” in tonight’s episode.

Cheers to David Mandel and the writing staff for creating a perfect ending to the best sitcom HBO has ever produced, and one of the best of all time. We will so miss “Veep”as it not just mirrored the insanity of presidential politics, but became prescient about them too.

Selina Meyer, a terrible person, finally gets what she wants: to be elected president. Remember, her brief previous stay in the White House was because she was vice president, and the president had to resign.

After losing her election, Selina licked her wounds and plotted a comeback. Tonight, she fulfilled her destiny. Just when it looked like she’d lose her party’s nomination and all was lost, Selina had an epiphany and let loose. She did the worst thing ever in her seven seasons, and threw her devoted aide, Gary, under the bus. That was after selling out to the Chinese, agreeing to let Tibet be returned to the Chinese, and backing a platform change to ban gay marriage– even though her gay daughter is married.

But Selina’s garnering of the nomination means she’ll have to fix the scandal surrounding her Selina Fund (a gloss on the Clinton Foundation). It’s her only way to win the presidency with her slogan, “Man Up.” So she turns on her best friend and most loyal servant, Gary (Tony Hale), who is dragged away by the FBI as Selina accepts the nomination.

It’s what Trump has done to his allies, to Manafort and Cohen, so it makes sense. Later, during a flash forward, Dan says of Selina and Gary in prison: “I heard she never even visited him.”

Selina’s epiphany gives Julia Louis Dreyfus scenes every actor would beg for. JLD literally turns colors and burns bright as she sets in motion these last few scenes where she brokers her future. She destroys candidate Tom James (Hugh Laurie) with a #MeToo scenario that peels the wallpaper off the walls. It’s a glorious moment as Selina convinces Tom’s aide to fess up on TV about their affair.

And then there’s Jonah (Timothy Simons) who has worked his way up from lowest of the lowliest aides on Capitol Hill to unlikely congressman and presidential candidate. Simons is more than hilarious. He is gifted. Jonah is now married to his own sister. He is vile in every way imaginable, on the wrong side of every topic. He has no IQ. He’s the perfect satire of a congressman. He’s waging war against “Math,” saying it’s an Islamic invention, just as Trump has denounced science.

And so Jonah is offered the role of Selina’s Veep. Her explanation of why that’s a safe place to stick him– her description of a vice president, her original role– is a clip that must be played over and over. JLD has never been better. Horror comedy at its best.

In the end, the show flashes forward 24 years to Selina’s state funeral. Her old PR guy, Mike, is now anchor of the CBS Evening News. He’s narrating the funeral live, when suddenly there’s Breaking News. Someone far more famous has died: Tom Hanks. Mike drops the Selina funeral and starts eulogizing Hanks, who’s died at age 86. Once again, Selina is forgotten, relegated to secondary news.

BIG SPOILER: The series finale has a lovely Easter egg, the return of Sufe Bradshaw as Sue, who is once again Selina’s secretary. Bradshaw was on for four seasons, from 2012-2016, and then left for health reasons. Sue’s absence wasn’t really explained (if I’m wrong, forgive me). Tonight she returns and there’s a scene that parallels her first one from Season 1. Nice. Bradshaw looks great, too.

 

 

 

 

 

Actress Selma Blair Takes the Stage at Nancy Davis’s Stunning Annual Race to Erase MS Gala: “My dream is to be a useful mom”

Leah Sydney
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Actress Selma Blair Takes the Stage at Nancy Davis’s Stunning Annual Race to Erase MS Gala: “My dream is to be a useful mom”

Nancy Davis has been front and center in the fight against MS for 26 years with her annual ‘Race to Erase’ Multiple Sclerosis gala this past Friday at the Beverly Hilton. Nancy was diagnosed with MS when she was 33, not given little hope from her doctors. But determined Nancy, with the support of her philanthropic and much loved mother Barbara Davis, opened the Center Without Walls to further MS research. Nancy told the crowd that “there were 15 drugs last year to help stop the progression of MS, now there are 17.  It can take 10 years to get these drugs approved.  That’s how much research is going on.”

“Big Bang Theory’s” Johnny Galecki (his pregnant girlfriend Alaina Meyer was his date) hosted the event. Sarah Michelle Gellar and ABC’s “Good Morning America” anchor Robin Roberts introduced Selma Blair, who was herself recently diagnosed with MS.

Gellar has known Blair for over 20 years, they starred in the cult hit movie “Cruel Intentions” together. She said: “I thought I knew everything there was to know about [Selma], mostly because has no filter. But in the last year, I have a seen a new side to her.  Sure she’s an incredible mother and friend, but now I know how brave she is.  It would have not only been easy but understandable for someone to hide once they were diagnosed with MS, but instead she has done amazing things. She is facing this head on and sharing this journey with the world.  In this day and age when nobody shares a picture unless it’s been edited and faceted and filtered, Selma is choosing to share the raw truth.”

Selma Blair, 46, appeared on stage with a cane, a little shaky, but stalwart in her convictions. She had her adorable, long haired 7 year old son Arthur Saint Bleick by her side. Blair spoke off the cuff because,  as she explained, “I have double vision now, so I can’t see the Teleprompter.” Blair noted all the people that have been supportive of her including actress Jaime King who “sends me flowers every week, but who I forgot to invite tonight because I have MS!”

Selma went on to say that her son “is the reason for everything, my dream is to be a useful mom as long as this kid wants me, which is about one more year.” Arthur, hearing this, grimaced as if to say: not so fast, mom!

On stage, an alice + olivia fashion show included Nancy’s twin daughters Mariella and Isabella with their Peace and Love dancers. When a technical glitch cut off the music, the girls–just like their mother– didn’t miss a step. They completed their choreographed routine with aplomb, the audience clapping along. After all, they are the granddaughters of the late billionaire Marvin Davis and very much alive and kicking Barbara Davis, the elegant high priestess of Hollywood charity.

Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne‘s son Jack (who has MS) and record producer David Foster brought on R&B -pop star Aloe Blacc, who sang three songs and ended with his massive hit, “Wake Me Up (When It’s All Over).”  Athletic rapper Flo Rida followed and got the crowd gyrating throughout his energetic, frenetic performance. At one point his bodyguard, the size of a Viking fridge, carried Flo Rida (who’s not exactly small) on his shoulders through the crowd.  Nancy Davis danced up front on stage, leading her bejeweled guests, showing that MS isn’t a death sentence, quite the contrary. There was so much enthusiasm, Flo Rida ran 45 minutes over his allotted time.

Other notables attending  were Tommy Hilfiger, whose late sister Susie was afflicted with MS, and has often worked with Nancy on the event, as well as producer Jimmy Jim Harris, Diane Warren, Frances Fisher, Melora Hardin, Nikki Haskell, Jamie-Lynn Sigler, (who also has MS), super realtor Robert Morton (formerly EP of “David Letterman”), talent manager Harriet Sternberg, Rumer Willis, Camille Grammer, LaToya Jackson, Brenda Ritchie, Lea Thompson, Avril Lavigne, Kathy and Rick Hilton, “DWTS” stars Peta Murgatroyd and Maksim Chmersovskiy, Garcelle Beauvais, Tia Carrere, Garcelle Beauvais, Constance Zimmer, Harry Hamlin, Keri Selig and Keith Addis and Kris Jenner, whom Selma portrayed in the 2016 FX miniseries, ‘American Crime Story: The People vs. OJ Simpson.”Cosmetics entrepreneur Peter Thomas Roth made the rounds wife his old friend, Brooke Mueller, former wife of Charlie Sheen.

Nancy Davis is a true warrior who is  making a difference for those around the world afflicted with MS.  The evening raised $1.8 million.

with additional reporting from Roger Friedman

Flo Rida leads the crowd:

Garth Brooks Flies in to Salute Sam Moore for Grammy Legends Show in Hollywood, But Julio Iglesias, Ozzy Osbourne Are AWOL to Pick Up Their Awards

Roger Friedman
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Garth Brooks Flies in to Salute Sam Moore for Grammy Legends Show in Hollywood, But Julio Iglesias, Ozzy Osbourne Are AWOL to Pick Up Their Awards

It was a grand night for the Grammy Awards’ 2019 Lifetime Achievement Award winners. A slew of stars showed up at the Dolby Theater in Hollywood, where the Oscars take place, to tape a PBS special for this fall featuring Garth Brooks and Soul Man Sam Moore (who lit the theater up), Dionne Warwick, George Clinton and Parliament- Funkadelic, famed songwriter Valerie Simpson, and 93 year old composer Johnny Mandel.

It was a colossal achievement that no one would miss, right? But Julio Iglesias was AWOL, sending just a video instead of showing up and collecting his prize. And the new head of the Grammys, Deborah Dugan, whom everyone was hoping to meet, couldn’t make it out from the East Coast.

The most egregious absence of the night was Ozzy Osbourne, whose group, Black Sabbath, was honored. Neither Ozzy–who’s been ill– or Sharon Osbourne were present. To make matters stranger, the members of Black Sabbath who did show up didn’t mention the Osbournes at all. They’re obviously angry that the Osbournes ended the band in 2017.

Regardless, the people who did show up were much more important. There are many highlights that you’ll see this fall starting with Sam Moore and Garth Brooks’ duet on “Soul Man” and “Hold On I’m Coming,” but even better, Sam’s solo outing on “I Can’t Stand Up for Falling Down.” Recovering from back surgery, Sam performed from a stool center stage and brought the audience to their feet. His voice soars still at age 83.

Garth, by the way, loves Sam so much he flew up from Nashville specially to be at the show. He had to get right back when he was done; Trisha Yearwood and the kids were waiting for him to celebrate Mother’s Day.

Other voices that impressed were honoree Dionne Warwick, performer Patti Austin, inductee Valerie Simpson and Kenny Latimore on Valerie and late husband Nik Ashford’s “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough,” Broadway star Jessie Mueller, and of course George Clinton and Bootsy Collins bringing down da funk with stunning ornamental headdresses and a great sense of humor. Snoop Dogg introduced them.

Late star Donny Hathaway must be smiling in heaven as his daughters, Lala and Kenya, are sensational honoring their dad. Donny Hathaway’s political-tinged R&B was actually a forerunner of Marvin Gaye’s “What’s Going On.” Everyone should spend the summer listening to his music, getting ready for this special.

The taping last night was Grammy chief Neil Portnow’s swan song after a long and illustrious career keeping the ship on course for the Recording Academy. He will be missed, but he goes out on a high note with this last project.

When “Grammy Salute to Music Legends” does air, don’t miss it. There was a wonderful vibe in the audience last night, a mixture of the inductees’ families and music lovers. It’s a very warm evening with a  lot of laughs and some tears.

PS I’ll have a full review this fall when the special is all put together.

Box Office Boffo: “Avengers Endgame” Surpasses “Black Panther” to Become 3rd Biggest Movie Ever, Eyes “Avatar” at Number 2

Roger Friedman
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Box Office Boffo: “Avengers Endgame” Surpasses “Black Panther” to Become 3rd Biggest Movie Ever, Eyes “Avatar” at Number 2

Stunning: “Avengers: Endgame” now in its 3rd week, made $63 million this weekend. WTH? Most movies are happy to earn that much period, for their entire run.

“Endgame” moved past “Black Panther” on the all time box office list, and took the number 3 spot in so doing. The Avengers now eye the number 2 spot, held by “Avatar.”

That’s only $27 million away from here, so it seems likely James Cameron will have to issue another congratulatory message soon. “Endgame” is at $723 million, with no evidence of slowing down. Could it hit number 1 and supplant “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” at $936 million? Anything is possible!

Look how times have changed. The former number 1 movie, “ET: The Extra Terrestrial,” which had characters and a story, is way down the list now at number 20. It’s the Empire State Building of movies: still the tallest and most majestic even though it’s been eclipsed by all kinds of tom-foolery.

The number 100 movie is now “Gravity,” one of the few ‘straight’ films on the all time list.

Beloved “Mod Squad” and “Twin Peaks” Actress Peggy Lipton Dies at 72, a New Yorker Who Conquered Hollywood

Roger Friedman
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Beloved “Mod Squad” and “Twin Peaks” Actress Peggy Lipton Dies at 72, a New Yorker Who Conquered Hollywood

Peggy Lipton was a nice Jewish girl who went to Hollywood and made good, as they say. Her death yesterday at age 72 is all the sadder because everyone who knew her loved “The Mod Squad” star immensely, starting with her ex husband Quincy Jones. They had two daughters, Rashida and Kidada Jones, who each went on to successes.

I wrote about a lunch I had with Peggy in September 2002 on one her rare trips to New York. She was looking for projects– this was after her famous run on TV in David Lynch’s “Twin Peaks.” As usual, her sweet disposition shone through, but she was wanted to be edgier. Lorraine Bracco was going into “The Graduate” on Broadway as Mrs. Robinson. Peggy declared: “I want to do The Graduate!hen Lorraine Bracco’s finished, I’m up for it.”

She stayed in New York that fall, and had a five week run in a two-hander at the Flea Theater. She was so happy to be in New York, which was ironic because she’d always wanted to leave the East Coast when she was a teenager.

“I hated Long Island and I had to get out,” she told me. So she became a Ford model at 17, and between classes went on go-sees. She also studied acting. When she started getting work, her parents picked the family up and moved to the west coast. (Her brother, Robert, was a well-known soap actor on “As the World Turns” for years.)

She made a lot of movies and appeared in a lot of TV shows after that. But the former never really worked out. She told me: “I’ve been in some terrible movies. I ran into Neal Patrick Harris recently. We were in something called The Purple People Eater about twelve years ago. He was maybe ten, but he still remembered it as the worst experience of his life!”

She married Quincy Jones in her parents’ Los Angeles apartment and never looked back. They remained friends after their divorce (they were married for 15 years). When David Lynch and Mark Frost revived “Twin Peaks” a few years ago, it was Peggy’s character of Norma Jennings, who ran the diner, who the creators used to anchor the show. Fans were delighted to see her again.

But we’ll never forget Peggy as Julie Barnes, the cool chick from “The Mod Squad,” just 22 years old and holding her own with Michael Cole and Clarence Williams III, pretty much the only girl in the show and in action role, not a sitcom romcom. In 1968, she was very much a first crush for a lot of little boys and grown men.

Condolences to Peggy’s family and friends. She will be sorely missed and never forgotten.

Constance Wu Says “Whoa!” Backtracks on Her F-Word Laden Reaction to Sitcom Series’ Renewal

Roger Friedman
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Constance Wu Says “Whoa!” Backtracks on Her F-Word Laden Reaction to Sitcom Series’ Renewal

“Fresh off the Boat” actress Constance Wu must have been read the riot act yesterday by ABC and her agents. Wu was so upset that “Boat” was renewed for a sixth season, thus binding her to a sitcom while she is now a movie star (we’ll see), that she fired off Tweets dropping the F bomb twice.

Now, chastened by her employers, Wu has backtracked. First she Tweeted: “Todays tweets were on the heels of rough day&were ill timed w/the news of the show. Plz know, Im so grateful for FOTB renewal. I love the cast&crew. Im proud to be a part of it. For all the fans support, thank u & for all who support my casual use of the word fuck-thank u too”

Then she added: “That was not a rampage, it was just how I normally talk. I say fuck a lot. I love the word. Y’all are making a lot of assumptions about what I was saying. And no, it’s not what it’s about. No it’s not..what this is all about. Stop assuming.”

 But now she’s added a whole statement this morning to dig herself out of this PR mess. I don’t think it will work. Those Tweets are going to follow her to the TCAs and all interviews for the new season.

 

Friday Night Box Office: Ryan Reynolds’ Detective Pikachu Vanquishes “Avengers: Endgame” At Least For One Night

Roger Friedman
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Friday Night Box Office: Ryan Reynolds’ Detective Pikachu Vanquishes “Avengers: Endgame” At Least For One Night

Last night, for the first time since it opened, “Avengers: Endgame” was not number 1 at the box office.

That distinction fell to “Pokemon: Detective Pikachu,” which made $20,700,000 on its opening night, beating the Avengers by about $4 million.  It remains to be seen if Detective Pikachu, played by Ryan Reynolds, will take the weekend. It’s more than likely the Avengers will rally and win the three days.

But it is a sweet irony for Ryan Reynolds, who also famously plays Marvel’s Deadpool character and must be grateful he’s not an Avenger himself. Deadpool/Reynolds’ whole shtick is making fun of Marvel and its other characters. So technically, Deadpool has triumphed over the Avengers for once.

The box office otherwise isn’t so great, especially for films led by women. “The Hustle,” which is said to unwatchable, is struggling with a $4 million open. A $10 million weekend is likely. The filmmakers should be aware that audience is only coming to see Anne Hathaway and Rebel Wilson despite the film’s scathing reviews.

And then there’s “Poms,” which is really dead on arrival. Why Diane Keaton made it is another story. But the senior citizen cheerleader movie made $1.5 million on Friday, it won’t hit $5 million total for the weekend. And this is doing nothing for STX Studios which continues to send garbage into the world. The exception is “The Upside,” which they bought out of bankruptcy but was based on Harvey Weinstein having made the movie for his own former company.

Also cooked like a goose is LionsGate’s “Long Shot” which has just $15 million banked and not much more coming. Charlize Theron and Seth Rogen’s romcom got nice reviews, but no marketing. I didn’t see this movie (no one asked me to) but maybe if it had been presented to the press as smart and sophisticated, it would have done better. Certainly Seth Rogen appearing stoned on “Colbert” and yakking about marijuana didn’t help. This wasn’t “Pineapple Express.”

Jazz Star Kenny Burrell’s GoFundMe Appeal for Money Raises More Questions Than It Answers

Roger Friedman
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Jazz Star Kenny Burrell’s GoFundMe Appeal for Money Raises More Questions Than It Answers

A GoFundMe page started by Katherine Burrell, wife of 87 year old legendary jazz guitarist Kenny Burrell, has raised more questions than it answers.

The Burrells are asking for money for rent and health-related issues. But it doesn’t quite make sense. Last September, UCLA endowed a chair at its Herb Alpert music school for $1.2 million in Kenny’s name. (Burrell doesn’t get that money.) UCLA was caught off guard by the appeal when I asked. They responded with this statement:

“UCLA was unaware of Katherine Burrell’s crowdfunding activity on behalf of herself and husband, Kenny. UCLA is concerned and is looking into the circumstances of this matter. Kenny Burrell is a Distinguished Professor of Music and Global Jazz Studies at UCLA’s Herb Alpert School of Music. Professor Burrell is currently on sabbatical, and is scheduled to return to UCLA for the Spring Quarter in March 2020. He remains a full-time faculty member with related compensation and health benefits.”

Katherine Burrell has already raised $71,979 toward a goal of $100,000. She writes on GoFundMe a tale of surprising woe: “We are facing possible foreclosure and homelessness if the HOA wins a judgment against us. If we are unable to pay the judgment, they have the right to foreclose on our property. I am fearful of homelessness for Kenny’s sake, and terrified of how I will care for him if left without a home. We will have to move out of our apartment in the next 1-2 weeks for demolition, which will include mold remediation, lead abatement, and major construction. None of this will be covered by insurance, and the HOA may be successful in passing all of the costs to us. I can’t maintain Kenny’s health and safety in that kind of environment.”

If Burrell is truly in need, there’s no question that his fans and friends should come to his rescue. But the appeal doesn’t completely make sense since he definitely has resources starting with UCLA as well as MusiCares and many devoted patrons. It remains to be seen what’s actually going on here. It could be that Mrs. Burrell, who says she’s the sole caregiver, is overwhelmed and needs help.

Stay tuned…

 

Sitcom Star Doesn’t Sound Happy About Renewal: Does Constance Wu Want off the “Boat” Now that “Crazy Rich Asians” is a Hit?

Roger Friedman
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Sitcom Star Doesn’t Sound Happy About Renewal: Does Constance Wu Want off the “Boat” Now that “Crazy Rich Asians” is a Hit?

Last year “Fresh off the Boat” sitcom star Constance Wu was thrilled to learn her show was renewed for a fifth season.

But since then, Wu starred in the mega hit movie comedy “Crazy Rich Asians.” There will be at least two sequels.

So when “Fresh off the Boat” was renewed today by ABC for a sixth season, Wu didn’t sound as thrilled as she did last year. She Tweeted: “So upset right now I’m literally crying. Ugh. Fuck.” She added on a second Tweet: “Fucking hell.”

Her response was quite different from last year, when she told an interviewer: “It’s kind of nice to have the stability and the family-like atmosphere of our show. Everyone there, we’ve known each other for over four years, most of the crew and all of the cast, so it’s very familiar,” she shared. “We’ve done four seasons, so there’s not that much pressure. And when you don’t have pressure, you can be free and experiment with the characters and play around.”

But a movie hit can change your life. Wu may get pushed off the Boat after these comments. Or they will make her stay and finish her contract. Unfortunately, “Boat” is made for ABC-Disney, “Crazy” is at Warner Brothers. ABC isn’t going t make it easy for her to leave the show. I do wonder, Can no one in this generation restrain themselves from social media suicide?

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