Thursday, December 18, 2025
Home Blog Page 1129

THIS is Music: New Single from Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis (Janet Jackson’s Producers) “Til I Found You” Featuring Sounds of Blackness

0

There is so much bad music now. So much. But there’s still a lot of great soul out there. The O’Jays have a new album coming any minute. Curtis Mayfield’s estate has just re-released four of his solo albums.

And now, here come Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, known as Janet Jackson’s producers. Jimmy Harris is said to be in the running to replace Neil Portnow at the Recording Academy, which would be just great.

“It felt great to be back in the studio with Sounds of Blackness and create new music we’re really proud of,” said Terry Lewis. “The track definitely sets the tone for the album, and we can’t wait for our fans to hear what’s next.”

Just the sounds of this record have made my day, if not my month:

Here’s their new single, from a forthcoming album, called “Til I Found You.” Vocals are from The Sounds of Blackness featuring Ann Nesby, the late Big Jim Wright, and Lauren Evans.

Photo Credit: Marselle Washington / Marco Imagery

Roseanne Barr’s Raleigh, North Carolina Arena Comedy Show Cancelled For Lack of Sales, Two Other Dates Remain in Question

0

I told you last week that Roseanne Barr’s stand up comedy shows in May were in peril.

Now her show on May 2nd at the Raleigh, North Carolina Duke Arena has been cancelled. The reason? No sales.

Coming up fast are two shows in danger of imminent cancellation. They are in Ft. Wayne, Indiana on May 16th and Detroit, Michigan on May 17th.

Only one show has sold tickets, in Jim Thorpe, Pennsylvania. It’s a much, much smaller theater.

A separate show in Elkhart, Indiana, at the small Lerner Theater, set for May 17, is about half-sold.

If the Ft. Wayne and Detroit shows don’t pick up by next week, they will be cancelled, too.

It’s an unfortunate situation, but Barr has done herself no favors. It’s almost a year since she sent that racist Tweet about Valerie Jarrett. Then she started blaming everyone else instead of taking responsibility. The rest is misery as ABC cancelled “Roseanne” reboot and launched “The Conners,” which started slowly but became a hit.

So stand by for more updates…

Victorious: Oscar Winner Geoffrey Rush Wins $850K from Murdoch Owned Australian Newspaper That Dubbed Him “King Leer”

0

Geoffrey Rush, Oscar winner for the movie “Shine” and beloved actor all over the world, was slimed by Rupert Murdoch’s Australian newspaper, The Guardian.

Rush has won $850,000 from News Corp., Murdoch’s company, for articles in which he was described as “King Leer” for letting an actress call him “a pervert”, “a sexual predator” and “committed sexual assault in a theatre” during a production of King Lear in 2015-16.

The article in The Guardian was published at the end of 2017, when the #MeToo movement had broken wide and accusations of sexual misconduct were suddenly being aimed to every famous man in the world.

Justice Michael Wigney handed down his judgment after the Academy Award-winner sued The Daily Telegraph and its journalist Jonathon Moran over the claims.

Wigney said the actress, Eryn Jean Norvill, was “prone to exaggeration and embellishment,” and had been “contradicted” by the director, Neil Armfield, and cast members Robyn Nevin and Helen Buday.
Wigney awarded Rush aggravated damages because of the Telegraph’s poor journalistic conduct, calling it “a recklessly irresponsible piece of sensationalist journalism of the worst kind.”

In a Murdoch newspaper? Unbelievable!

Rush will get more in damages, too, from News Corp for lost wages and damage to his career. Rush had sued the paper and the writer of the article– I won’t call him a journalist– Jonathon Moran. Wigney ruled News Corp’s Nationwide News, the publisher of the Daily Telegraph, “did not make out their truth defense” in fighting the suit. The judge said the actress and a fellow actor had been dragged into the story by Moran, and nothing they said could be corroborated.

I’ve known Geoffrey Rush for more than 20 years. The whole thing seemed like a hoax and fake news. Many congrats to him. Let’s hope we see him back in the US in movies and plays as soon as possible!

What a nice for Murdoch to start his new company!

Julian Assange Arrested in London, Pamela Anderson React, Spells Name of Country Wrong: “I am in shock. How could you, Equador?”

0

Pamela Anderson, the Donald Trump of diplomacy, is furious that Ecuador– which she spells Equador–has kicked Julian Assange out of their London embassy. He’s been arrested by the UK after six years, and will likely be extradicted to the US.

Anderson writes on Twitter: “I am in shock.. I couldn’t hear clearly what he said? He looks very bad. How could you Equador ? (Because he exposed you). How could you UK. ? Of course – you are America’s bitch and you need a diversion from your idiotic Brexit bullshit”

She added: “And the USA ? This toxic coward of a President He needs to rally his base? – You are selfish and cruel. You have taken the entire world backwards. You are devils and liars and thieves. And you will ROTT And WE WILL RISE ✊”

The WikiLeaks Twitter feed predicted the arrest on April 4th. They wrote today: “Powerful actors, including CIA, are engaged in a sophisticated effort to dehumanise, delegitimize and imprison him.”

From the looks of her Twitter account, Anderson — not a powerful actor — seemed to know something was coming. The aging pin up and one time star of the TV show “Baywatch” posted a pin up picture with a quote from the late writer Charles Bukowski yesterday:

See the Trailer for “Live Action” and Computer Generated “Lion King” with Voices from Stars James Earl Jones, Beyonce, Donald Glover

0

Here’s the trailer for “The Lion King,” coming in July from Disney. Yes, the lions and other animals are all talking thanks to James Earl Jones, Donald Glover, Beyonce and an all star cast. This time around, they’re not animated, they’re CGI. The word is that this version is a line for line reproduction of the animated film. Doesn’t matter. People will flock to it.

Exclusive: Ten Days from the Big Announcement, Tarantino’s “Once Upon a Time” is Not a Lock, Ready for Cannes

0

We all want it, believe me. Everybody wants it.

But the reality, I am told, is: Quentin Tarantino’s “Once Upon a Time…in Hollywood” is not a lock for the Cannes Film Festival next month. Sony is set to release the potential blockbuster on July 26th.

Ten days from the big announcement of Cannes  movies, the word is that the film may be “OUT” for the time being.

It’s not a surprise. “OUT” is a major undertaking, with a huge cast, lots of working parts, as they say. It’s not easy to put a Tarantino movie together. Ask Fred Raskin, who edited “Django Unchained” and “The Hateful Eight.” He maybe the editor of this one, but so far there’s no name listed as editor on the imdb. It’s just assumed Raskin is heading the team.

But getting “OUT” right may take longer than April 18th or even May 21st, when it’s supposed to show at Cannes on the 25th anniversary of “Pulp Fiction” at Cannes. Of course, Cannes could show the classic film with Tarantino and the cast. They may, anyway. But having the new film would be a coup.

Cross fingers. There’s nothing more exciting than bringing a “wet” print to Cannes at the last minute. Quentin Tarantino is most wanted on the Croisette.

Stay tuned…

Fuller Mess: Actress Lori Loughlin and Husband Now Accused of Money Laundering, Could REALLY Being Facing Prison Time After New Indictment in College Admissions Scandal

0

Yesterday, Felicity Huffman and a group of parents pleaded guilty in the college admissions scandal. They could get jail time, but it’s unlikely. They seem to be facing fines and probation.

We wondered what had happened to Lori Loughlin, her busband, and the other parents.

Now that other shoe has dropped, so to speak. Loughlin, husband Massimo Gianulli, and 14 other parents have been indicted a second time, this time the charge includes fraud and money laundering. The Gianulli’s used a half a million bucks to bribe ringers to take their daughters’ SAT tests and so on. That $500,000 was a lot of money compared to Huffman’s meager $15,000. Now we know why.

According to the US Attorney in Boston:

“The defendants, all of whom were arrested last month on a criminal complaint, are charged with conspiring with William “Rick” Singer, 58, of Newport Beach, Calif., and others, to bribe SAT and ACT exam administrators to allow a test taker to secretly take college entrance exams in place of students, or to correct the students’ answers after they had taken the exam, and with bribing university athletic coaches and administrators to facilitate the admission of students to elite universities as purported athletic recruits.

“The second superseding indictment also charges the defendants with conspiring to launder the bribes and other payments in furtherance of the fraud by funneling them through Singer’s purported charity and his for-profit corporation, as well as by transferring money into the United States, from outside the United States, for the purpose of promoting the fraud scheme.”

This group includes:

  1. Gamal Abdelaziz, 62, aka “Gamal Aziz,” of Las Vegas, Nev.;
  2. Diane Blake, 55, of Ross, Calif.;
  3. Todd Blake, 53, of Ross, Calif.;
  4. I-Hsin “Joey” Chen, 64, of Newport Beach, Calif.;
  5. Mossimo Giannulli, 55, of Los Angeles, Calif.;
  6. Elizabeth Henriquez, 56, of Atherton, Calif.;
  7. Manuel Henriquez, 56, of Atherton, Calif.;
  8. Douglas Hodge, 61, of Laguna Beach, Calif.;
  9. Michelle Janavs, 48, of Newport Coast, Calif.;
  10. Elisabeth Kimmel, 54, of Las Vegas, Nev.;
  11. Lori Loughlin, 54, of Los Angeles, Calif.;
  12. William McGlashan, Jr., 55, of Mill Valley, Calif.;
  13. Marci Palatella, 63, of Hillsborough, Calif.;
  14. John Wilson, 59, of Lynnfield, Mass.;
  15. Homayoun Zadeh, 57, of Calabasas, Calif.; and
  16. Robert Zangrillo, 52, of Miami, Fla.

  17. Again: this is SERIOUS.
    All these people will be arraigned again will have to plea guilty or not guilty. The charge of conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud and honest services mail and wire fraud provides for a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater. The charge of conspiracy to commit money laundering provides for a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of $500,000 or twice the value of the property involved in the money laundering. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Lil Nas X-Billy Ray Cyrus Hit Is Number 1 on Billboard, Trade Mag Sticks to Its Guns Refusing Country Chart Entry

0

Here’s a little update:

The remix of “Old Town Road” with Lil Nas X and Billy Ray Cyrus, has hit number 1 on the Billboard Top 100 singles charts. But that’s a combined chart of all genres.

Billboard, which calls itself the “bible” of the music biz, refuses to put “Old Town Road” on the country chart. So it’s not there at all.

Meantime, iTunes lists the song at number 1 on its country and pop charts. iTunes is far more important at this point, so the Billboard exclusion is just a sad reflection of their status as out of it. And maybe, racist. Because why else keep a hip hop artist off the country charts?

It’s not a good look for Billboard, which is far from its roots. Its late great editor, Timothy White, must be rolling in his grave.

But now Lil Nas X– I like this guy– is stirring things up again. He says on Twitter he’s making music with Ryan Tedder and OneRepublic. He’s just going to cross all genres and make everyone crazy. We need this!

 

UPDATE: Elton John’s “Rocketman” BioPic Going to Cannes, As I Told You Twice Last Month

0

I told you twice last month that Elton John’s biopic, “Rocketman,” was going to Cannes. Once on March 7th, and the next time on March 20th.

That didn’t stop the Hollywood Reporter from writing it today, with no mention of my stories. Of course, they don’t tell you that Sir Elton cleared dates on his European tour so he would be available to appear on the red carpet the first week of Cannes.

They also didn’t tell you that he will play the piano, maybe on the red carpet, which would be amazing. In any case, you know the deejay at the Palais des Festivals will have an all-Elton set booming that night.

“Rocketman” will premiere either on Wednesday or Thursday after opening night. Bernie Taupin will be on hand, as will Elton’s partner, David Furnish, maybe their little boys, which would be swell, and the whole cast. Director Dexter Fletcher will be there, too.

And by the way, “Rocketman” opens in the US on May 31st, not on the 24th, as the Reporter claims.

 

“American Idol” in Steep Ratings Decline Hits Season Low, Loses 15.6% from Last Week, Beaten by Academy of Country Music Awards, Which Hit Their Own All Time Low

0

The new “American Idol” is having big ratings problems in its second season on ABC.

Last night, Idol had its low for the season in its sixth episode. They dropped from 7.2 million viewers to just 6 million– an incredible decline of 15.60%.

“Idol” also lost to CBS’s “Academy of Country Music Awards”– which itself had its lowest ratings ever. But they still beat “Idol” handily.

I don’t know what’s going on with “Idol,” but I do know Katy Perry should be making records and touring, and getting herself out of there. She’s wasting her own music career.