I was surprised when Selena Gomez and Benny Blanco called their new single, “Sunset Blvd.”
The song is as short as the title. Why didn’t they spell out ‘boulevard’?
Now we know: the song has no bridge. It’s missing a whole section. That’s why it’s only 2:48.
Maybe they were in a hurry.
Also, do they not know there’s a Broadway musical with a title song called “Sunset Boulevard”?
I wrote this back on Feb 23, 2010, 6:02 pm.
It’s elucidating considering Howard Lutnick, who became a Trump lackey, now says ridiculous things ever day as Secretary of Commerce.
BTW this was stopped in its tracks in 2010 after I scooped it.
Here’s the article:
People in the industry like to place little wagers on the weekend boxoffice. They’re probably nothing more than five bucks, or a coffee shop lunch if “x” beats “y” this weekend. That sort of thing.
That’s about to change, though, in a major way. Soon, everyone will be able to bet on the boxoffice, and make or lose lots of money on the outcome.
Cantor Fitzgerald’s Howard Lutnick is right now beta testing something called The Cantor Exchange. Lutnick already operates the Hollywood Stock Exchange, where players trade “virtual” shares of everything including stars, directors, films, etc. (See more below.)
CX, as it will be known, is a different story. Cantor is awaiting regulatory approval before it launches officially. When it does, the box office could become an interesting, maybe even dangerous, game. It’s real money, and it sure looks like anyone can play, even studio execs and theater distributors.
From now until December 31, the firm has something called “It Pays to Practice,” in which they give traders fake money but convert it into small amounts of real cash winnings.
The trading on this market will go on 24/7, meaning as a weekend progresses, a film’s values will go up and down along with investors. For a surprise hit like “The Blind Side,” this could be a bonanza.
More importantly, speculating on films’ futures will begin six months before their release dates. If CX were live now, believe me, the betting on James Cameron’s looming, maybe $500 million, gamble on “Avatar” would be the main focus of the site. And that should prove controversial, because there will inevitably be reports on what a film’s perceived business will be even as it’s being prepared and marketed.
The effect of all this could be harrowing, to say the least, especially for a studio’s finances. PR wars could become intense in a whole new way to spin advance word one way or another.
Hollywood Stock Exchange set to launch real-money stakes
Hollywood Stock Exchange is tentatively set to launch as a real-money commodity exchange April 20.
A spokesman said the exchange is “on track” to begin listing films’ boxoffice projections for live trading from that date. HSX filed with the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission for approval as an active trading site in November 2008 and recently entered the final phase of regulatory review.
Since 1998, HSX has allowed just-for-fun traders to buy and sell valueless shares in Hollywood films based on forecasts of what the pics will ring up. Once launched, a new HSX site will list current and imminent movie releases with their projected four-week domestic grosses and allow exchange users to take long or short positions on the films.
A formal announcement about rules and guidelines for HSX users is expected closer to the launch. The exchange hopes to lure hobbyist investors as well as industry professionals, though the latter will be prohibited from improper insider activity.
For instance, distribution execs with access to early boxoffice data will be barred from making trades on the exchange after a film has opened. But film financiers will be allowed to invest in HSX an amount equal to a minority percentage of their total investment in a movie.
Investors wishing to participate in the exchange will buy “contracts” priced at one one-millionth of a film’s projected boxoffice, with films to be listed on the exchange from the time productions are announced in the industry trade papers. Trading will begin six months before a movie’s anticipated wide release.
HSX is owned by U.K.-based investment firm Cantor Fitzgerald.
“The number of people who visit movie theaters each year and form opinions about a film’s success is in the tens of millions,” Cantor Exchange president Richard Jaycobs said. “We believe that’s the reason the public response to this product has been very positive.”
Cantor Entertainment chief Andrew Wing said the exchange targets movie distributors, exhibitors, producers and other investors seeking “an unprecedented public market to create liquidity and hedge their daily business activities.”
Until now, HSX revenue has come from industry ad sales and the sale of customer-use data to Hollywood marketing outfits.
Two new movies previewed last night.
One did pretty well, the other not so much.
“Novocaine” had a painless preview with $1.75 million. Jack Quaid, son of Meg Ryan, is starting to turn into a movie star. He was great on Jimmy Kimmel last week. His appearance paid off nicely. The movie from Paramount is expertly marketed.
“Black Bag” is a 90 minute heist movie (I think) from Oscar winner Steven Soderbergh. Michael Fassbender and Cate Blanchett star. Focus Features sort of dumped the black bag onto the table. The result was $850,000 in previews last night. Those actors don’t come cheap, neither does the director. So this is not a good omen.
Hey! Sony Pictures Classics has finally put Pedro Almodovar’s “The Room Next Door” into 14 theaters. Julianne Moore, Tilda Swinton, Alessandro Nivola, and John Turturro are all very good in it. So far they’ve made $2.5 million in the US and $1 7mil worldwide. This is a serious film, Pedro’s first full length in English, and should have been in the Oscar mix. Find it!
JD Vance and wife Usha were booed loudly tonight at the Kennedy Center before a performance by the National Symphony Orchestra of Russian composer Igor Stravinsky’s “Petrushka.”
It serves them right.
Usha is now on the board of the Kennedy Center after Donald Trump installed himself as chairman and fired everyone else. The rest of the new board are all white, wealthy Republicans.
Many artists and shows have subsequently cancelled their dates at the Center in protest.
Not Usha trying to play it off pic.twitter.com/lcP6HsCKe4
— Jackie Singh (@HackingButLegal) March 14, 2025
Uncouth Libs boo VP Vance at the Kennedy center pic.twitter.com/qgvSHdIS09
— Circe (@Circe53885829) March 14, 2025
Remember when Broadway’s “Gypsy” was cancelled for all of Christmas week?
Now they’ve suddenly cancelled tonight’s show.
COVID ran rampant last time, taking out star Audra McDonald.
Tonight’s cancellation suggests McDonald is ill again.
Maybe this show needs a COVID coordinator, or a flu monitor. They’ve had the worst luck of any show since the pandemic.
Speedy recovery!
Due to illnesses within the company, tonight's performance is cancelled. We apologize for the inconvenience. Please check with your point of purchase to exchange or refund your tickets. pic.twitter.com/kLb3Xo3TIB
— Gypsy on Broadway (@gypsybway) March 13, 2025
Doesn’t Benson Boone seem omnipresent right now?
He’s been back flipping everywhere, turning cartwheels while looking like a musical Jack Lalanne (Look it up kids.)
Boone’s song, “Beautiful Things,” is celebrating a year on the charts. It’s streamed enough to have sold over 7.4 million equivalent copies. About 400,000 are actual paid downloads.
But what else is new? Since Boone’s album, “Fireworks & Rollerblades,” hit the charts in April 2024, the singer has made a fortune touring and singing his hit for fans.
Now, however, it seems like he might be a one hit wonder. He released his first new song, “Pretty Slowly,” in August 2024. It did nothing.
Less than a month ago — on February 27th — Boone issued “Sorry I’m Here for Someone Else.” He was interviewed about it by Zane Low on Apple Radio, and there is a video.
But “Sorry” has never charted. There’s no indication that anyone knows it was released. The video has just 1.7 million views, which translates to not much.
Is that it? Or does Boone have any surprises? I guess we’ll wait and see. In the meantime, “Beautiful Things” is still in the top 20. He’ll be singing it long after we’re all gone.
George Clooney and his wife Amal must have been inspired by either “Knives Out: Glass Houses” or “White Lotus” in Italy for this event.
They’re inviting 12 gazillionaires to Lake Como this summer for a meeting of philanthropists. The money will go to their Clooney Foundation for Justice.
The price starts at $173,000 per person for the five day event, but the real price is probably around three times that even for a studio room. That means $356,000 per couple. (This includes a $60,000 per person charitable donation to Clooney’s foundation.)
The guests have to fly to Milan first, and they will come either four star first class or on their own planes, trust me.
They’ll stay at the new brand new luxury Hotel Passalacqua in Como, a lavish over the top villa designed to take business away from the famous nearby Villa D’este which is sold out for next decade.
I love the description of the hotel — which boasts a 250 square meter villa — and has rooms so ornate royals would blush.
“Immerse yourself in an inspiring journey to Lake Como with the Clooney Foundation for Justice. Hosted by Amal and George Clooney, this exclusive experience blends a profound commitment to philanthropy and social change with breathtaking beauty, and warm hospitality. This 5-day event offers a unique opportunity to engage with global philanthropists, expand your understanding of strategic philanthropy, and contribute to meaningful change. Join CFJ founders in creating meaningful change while enjoying unparalleled elegance at Italy’s most beautiful destination.”
On “The White Lotus” or “Knives Out,” there would be at least one murder over the five days. It’s unclear if the Clooneys will offer that feature.
The Clooneys, who raise money for common people, do love “exclusive.” They host a lot of very A list events for the most wealthy, like their annual over the top justice awards called The Albies.
The Clooney Foundation according to their Form 990 has $8.4 million in net assets. The Form 990 indicates $2.1 million in salaries. No money was paid in grants according to their line items. Maybe this conference will help!
THURS NIGHT UPDATE: “Careless People” is now number 3. Congrats to the Meta lawyers!
Book publisher Macmillan and Flatiron Books just got the gift for which every book company prays.
An arbitrator has ruled that “Careless People: A Cautionary Tale of Power, Greed, and Lost Idealism” by Sarah Wynn Williams, can no longer be promoted or distributed by the author.
But the ruling has no bearing on the publisher, which is continuing to sell the book.
The result is that “Careless People” has jumped to number 6 on amazon. It’s a hit! A big hit! More people will buy this book now than ever would have prior to the decision.
It’s also number 59 on Kindle, which means curiosity seekers are downloading it like crazy for just $16.99. “Careless People” is number 15 on Audible as well. LOL
The book, by Facebook’s former employee, has all kinds of lurid stories about what has gone at Mark Zuckerberg’s company. Of course, Facebook denies all of it.
But what a mistake they made here. Book publishers don’t like to spend money on promotion anyway. Now they don’t have to! Meta has done it for them!
Just watch “Careless People” climb to number 1 today.
Good morning.
Donald Trump edged closer to senility and madness this morning. He attacked the Wall Street Journal — meaning Rupert Murdoch.
He also threatened a 200% tariff on all European liquor and Champagne.
On the latter, Trump declared: “This will be great for the Wine and Champagne businesses in the U.S.”
Since Trump doesn’t drink he has no idea what he’s talking about. There is no US Champagne business. Champagne is a region in France and only that region can produce anything called Champagne. Americans will not be putting down their Veuve Cliquot for bubbly drinks made here.
Also, sorry, I know there are fans of California and Oregon wines, but nothing will replace actual wine from France and Italy, Spain, and so on.
As for the Wall Street Journal, owned by Rupert Murdoch, upon whom Trump depends for backing on Fox News, this whole post is insane. He actually quotes FDR at the end. Roosevelt would have had Trump arrested for treason by now.
“The Globalist Wall Street Journal has no idea what they are doing or saying. They are owned by the polluted thinking of the European Union, which was formed for the primary purpose of “screwing” the United States of America. Their (WSJ!) thinking is antiquated and weak, and very bad for the USA. But have no fear, we will WIN on everything!!! Egg prices are down, oil is down, interest rates are down, and TARIFF RELATED MONEY IS POURING INTO THE UNITED STATES. “The only thing you have to fear, is fear itself!”
John Mulaney’s talk show, “Everybody’s Live,” just ended on Netflix.
It was an mitigated disaster.
He made a joke about the murder of a healthcare executive and used the slur ‘wop’ for alleged killer Italian American Luigi Mangione. Mulaney claimed he’d done the killing and then “pinned it on a gorgeous young Wop.”
The show featured a random selection of celebrities — Michael Keaton, Joan Baez, Fred Armisen, and a female financial advice columnist. They were all of them more lost than a panel on the old Joe Franklin Show.
The theme for some reason was finances and lending money to friends, hence the columnist. It made no sense whatsoever, was forced, and the celebrities seems clueless.
To make matters worse, Tracy Morgan appeared — stoned out of his gourd– and made no sense at all.
Richard Kind, always a welcome sight, played the side kick.
They might as well have made an episode of “Fernwood Tonight.”
To waste 80 year old Baez on this crap should result in arrests. She was very gracious as she responded to pointless questioning. She managed to get in one statement: “We’re all here to be silly and have fun, and as long as we recognize the fact that our democracy is going up in flames. . .we’re being run by a bunch of really incompetent billionaires.”
Keaton, who told a pointless story about Jack Nicholson must be horrified. He can’t be blamed. He was trapped in an untenable situation.
There was also a sketch in which Mulaney interviewed a bunch of actors — including Christopher Lloyd — dressed as the character Willy Loman — who they’d played on stage once — from “Death of a Salesman.” Arthur Miller is rolling in his grave.
John Mulaney can be utterly brilliant. He is on “SNL” with his musicals, his monologues are gems. But here was just adrift. The show seemed like it was written by people who’d been up all night smoking dope. Kind read off birthdays and saluted late singer Al Jarreau as if he were alive. Then they made a lame joke about that. Poor Richard. He’s better than that.
I’ll put up a video asap– Mulaney actually said ‘wop’– which I can’t believe. He’s a smart, sensitive guy. What a disappointment. Whoever wrote the closed captions stopped, then typed in “debacle.”