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Dept. of Fleeting Fame: “Kardashians” TV Show Ratings Tanking, Caitlyn Jenner’s Book A Bust

Roger Friedman
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Dept. of Fleeting Fame: “Kardashians” TV Show Ratings Tanking, Caitlyn Jenner’s Book A Bust

Is our long national nightmare over? The saga of the hideous Kardashian-Jenners is losing steam at last. People may finally be wearying of people who are famous for no reason.

First: Caitlyn Jenner’s book about going from Bruce Jenner, Olympic athlete to Caitlyn Jenner, trans heroine, has not rung up big sales in book stores. On amazon, “The Secrets of My Life” is stalled at number 296. The Kindle version is at 487.

Jenner’s own E! TV show “Life with Cait” was cancelled not long after it debuted.

More worrying for the Ks are the ratings for their mothership TV show. “Keeping Up with the Kardashians” finished at number 17 this past Sunday for total viewers out of the top 25 cable shows. The numbers week to week since its 13th season began in March are trending way down. And they are considerably off from last year. In 2016, the season premiere scored over 2 million viewers. Between 700,000 and 800,000 fans have tuned out.

What can Kris Jenner and company do? They’ve fabricated so many plot points at the expense of their “real lives” (if such things exist), there are potentially no limits. Of course, they could do what other TV shows do after many seasons, and kill off a main character. Maybe they could have a public referendum to make the choice. (I am kidding, but you never know.)

Another plot line not visited yet this season is what has happened to Kanye West, husband of Kim Kardashian. Or what’s happened to Kim’s face — no one comments on why she looks completely different than ever before.

But maybe the end is near for all these people. Their disappearance would be cause for celebration!

Broadway: “Hello, Dolly!” Breaks All Time Shubert Theater Records– Should It Get a Tony Award Or Is Money the Reward?

Roger Friedman
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Broadway: “Hello, Dolly!” Breaks All Time Shubert Theater Records– Should It Get a Tony Award Or Is Money the Reward?

Big announcement this morning: “Hello, Dolly!” with Bette Midler has broken the all time sales record for all Shubert Theaters in history and in the future, and for years to come. With a staggering $40 million advance, and premium ticket prices that are obscene, ne, grotesque–$525 at least– this version of “Hello, Dolly!” has transcended theater. It’s a beast.

The new record? They made $2.1 million in seven performances. Not 8, which is the Broadway norm. Just 7. And Bette Midler’s getting at least $100,000 a week to make that happen. Not bad!

And so the question becomes: does “Hello, Dolly!” deserve a Tony Award? Or is money the reward for this boondoggle? In the world of the Oscars, a movie this big would be considered a “studio” film or blockbuster. Think “Avatar” or “The Dark Knight.” Those movies generally do not get Oscars. Sometimes they get nominations. And a really great performance, like Heath Ledger’s, may be cited. But Best Picture? Never. Those nods go to humbler endeavors.

For “Hello, Dolly!” to win the Tony for Best Revival of A Musical seems overkill at this point. Wouldn’t it be better to give the gold statue to Lincoln Center for “Falsettos”? Or to “Miss Saigon” just for the helicopter and chutzpah? Something about this “Hello, Dolly!” avarice is unseemly. And it encourages future bloated money grabs. Broadway was never supposed to be this overt in pure greed.

PS And what happens when Bette Midler leaves? Eventually, she will. My choice: Queen Latifah. No kidding. Stay tuned…

Brad Pitt: “I could drink a Russian under the table with his own vodka. I was a professional”

Roger Friedman
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Brad Pitt: “I could drink a Russian under the table with his own vodka. I was a professional”

Brad Pitt’s cover story in the new issue of GQStyle is a mind blower. It’s an excellent Q&A accompanied by photos that show he’s still handsome but — I can’t believe I’m saying this– aged. And sure why not after everything that’s happened since last summer?

My own personal favorite revelation: he’s been listening a lot to Marvin Gaye’s famous divorce album, “Here, My Dear,” a bitter rebuke from the early 70s to ex wife Anna Gordy, sister of Berry. Gaye made the album to their divorce settlement, telling her in song ‘take my kids, take my money.’

But Brad also is disarmingly frank about therapy, alcohol, and drugs. He tells writer Michael Paterniti: “I could drink a Russian under the table with his own vodka. I was a professional.”

As for smoking pot, he observes: “Back in my stoner days, I wanted to smoke a joint with Jack and Snoop and Willie. You know, when you’re a stoner, you get these really stupid ideas. Well, I don’t want to indict the others, but I haven’t made it to Willie yet.”

Pitt opens up to promote his Netflix movie “War Machine,” but I don’t think he’s so open just because of that. It’s obvious he was ready to tell someone his story, and Paterniti was the lucky guy. Lucky GQ too! Quite a coup.

The actor reveals he’s been living either at a home owned by director David Fincher or in an art studio of Thomas Houseago in Los Angeles.

He says of his divorce: I was really on my back and chained to a system when Child Services was called. And you know, after that, we’ve been able to work together to sort this out. We’re both doing our best. I heard one lawyer say, “No one wins in court—it’s just a matter of who gets hurt worse.” And it seems to be true, you spend a year just focused on building a case to prove your point and why you’re right and why they’re wrong, and it’s just an investment in vitriolic hatred. I just refuse. And fortunately my partner in this agrees. It’s just very, very jarring for the kids, to suddenly have their family ripped apart.”

There’s lots more. And did I mention this is Paterniti’s first piece for GQ? I guess he’ll be back!

Doc Filmmaker Laura Poitras Says Julian Assange Has Nothing on Trump: “He’s an equal opportunity leaker”

Roger Friedman
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Doc Filmmaker Laura Poitras Says Julian Assange Has Nothing on Trump: “He’s an equal opportunity leaker”

Oscar winner Laura Poitras was already working on a film about WikiLeaks and Julian Assange when news of Edward Snowden broke. She switched gears, made “Citizen Four,” and won the Academy Award.

Last spring in Cannes Poitras showed a version of her Assange movie, “Risk,” which was met with acclaim. We learned a lot from her extraordinary access including that Lady Gaga had randomly turned up and interviewed Assange. “Who’s after you?” she asks rhetorically. Assange rattles off lists and lists of international crime fighting groups from the FBI to Interpol. Gaga observes, “So– a lot of people?”

But Poitras was smart. She sensed that Assange might play a part in the American election already underway. So she waited and watched as he dumped zillions of files about the Democrats and Hillary Clinton, and tried his best to upset the apple cart from his perch in the Ecuadorian embassy in London. He’s now been there five years, unable to leave without risking arrest and prosecution.

Poitras added a voice over, and some facts we didn’t know. Included among them: her access overstepped to the point where she says she had a “brief relationship” with Assange lackey Jacob Applebaum, who is now in exile in Berlin. Applebaum and Assange’s girlfriend, Sarah Harrison, each came to Cannes last year for the big screening. They seemed like Assange’s cult followers. In a word, they were nuts.

After Cannes, it seems like Assange closed the door to Poitras. Her updated film traces his possible connection to the Russians, and weaves in recent revelations about WikiLeaks interference in the election. But there’s no more hanging around in the Embassy. And there’s no reference at all to “Baywatch” star Pam Anderson dropping by for at home dates with Assange.

Still, Poitras’s “Risk” is powerful stuff. Unlike Snowden, Assange is not a sympathetic character. At least Snowden (and Chelsea Manning, who is named checked) is an American who was trying to do something patriotic. Assange comes off as a petulant trouble maker. But you won’t want to miss his escape through London into the Embassy, aided and abetted by his mom. Absolute genius filmmaking.

And what about the damage Assange did to Hillary Clinton? Doesn’t he have similar stuff on Trump? Poitras said after tonight’s Lincoln Center/Walter Reade Theater screening: “I don’t think so. Julian is an equal opportunity leaker. If has stuff, he releases it.”

Pop: Eddie Brigati is Still a Rascal at 70, But Sets His Sights on Broadway, Vegas

Roger Friedman
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Pop: Eddie Brigati is Still a Rascal at 70, But Sets His Sights on Broadway, Vegas

One of the great treats of living a while is seeing one of your heroes make a roaring comeback. Such is the case for the E Street Band’s Steve van Zandt and his wife Maureen who reunited the estranged Rascals a couple of years ago and put them on Broadway.

Now the van Zandts have been producing Monday nights at the Cutting Room with one of the vocally gifted Rascals, Eddie Brigati. For years and years Eddie was MIA while his former partner Felix Cavilliere was out and about. But the Broadway show reignited Eddie’s passion, and he’s picked up the microphone like he never left.

I didn’t know what to expect on Monday night, but pretty fast you’re seduced. At 70, Eddie is doing what he always wanted– Sinatra, Broadway songs, and some Rascals. He still has the voice, which has plenty of blue eyed soul that it takes corners you don’t expect. On the Rascals songs– “How Can I Be Sure,” “Groovin’,” and an inspired “Baby Let’s Wait” Brigati knows his way around blind folded and still finds the drama.

But it’s the Broadway numbers that really surprised me, especially “As If We Never Said Goodbye” from “Sunset Boulevard” and “Corner of the Sky” from “Pippin.” Eddie’s got the chops, and he’s got the heart. He’s also got a crack band, tight as a drum. Kudos to the van Zandts, who always know where the talent is.

Here’s a clip reel from last night. And yes, Eddie was introduced by Stevie’s “Sopranos” comrade, Vinnie Pastore. Don’t miss their last Monday next Monday at the Cutting Room.

Harry Styles Releases “Sweet Creature,” Another Song You Won’t Want to Hear Again

Roger Friedman
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Harry Styles Releases “Sweet Creature,” Another Song You Won’t Want to Hear Again

Harry Styles is turning into a real oddity. Instead of releasing catchy pop songs for his solo career, Harry continues to produce weird music you won’t want to hear more than once.

Maybe this is a new thing in pop.

Today, on a Tuesday and not at the end of the week, Styles releases a single called “Sweet Creature.” It’s as if Woody Guthrie warbled a bad pop song that sounded like an awkward attempt at the Beatles’ “Blackbird” and then was supposed to be that Extreme song “More than Words.” I don’t get it.

Maybe young girls will love this. Will they sing along to “Sweet Creature” in concert? Will they like being called ‘creatures’?

I can’t imagine “Sweet Creature” being played much on Z100.

What’s going on here? I’m not sure. The album is coming next Friday. This should be interesting.

 

Broadway: Sally Field, Cate Blanchett, Danny DeVito Reverse Tony Awards Trend Against “Hollywood” Actors

Roger Friedman
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Broadway: Sally Field, Cate Blanchett, Danny DeVito Reverse Tony Awards Trend Against “Hollywood” Actors

This year’s Tony Awards nominees include three names usually associated with Hollywood: Sally Field, Cate Blanchett, and Danny DeVito.

That’s a big change. In the past, “Hollywood stars” who come to Broadway looking for Tony appreciation are turned away at the door.

And plenty were this year, too, including (and wrongly) Allison Janney in “Six Degrees of Separation.” Glenn Close wasn’t eligible because she’d already won the Tony for “Sunset Boulevard” in 1994. Jake Gyllenhaal took his name out of contention for “Sunday in the Park with George.”

The Tony’s reward their own and tend to rebuff advances from “stars.” Hence, none of the movie names from “The Front Page” like John Goodman. (Who doesn’t love John Goodman?) Mark Ruffalo from “The Price” was aced out.

But there are exceptions, too. Three Broadway names who did excellent work were omitted: John Benjamin Hickey, Jessica Hecht, and Phillippa Soo, as well as Kate Burton and Kristine Nielsen. Don’t worry. They’ll all be back.

Tony Awards Nominations: Evan Hansen, Hello, Dolly! Score Big, Charlie, Anastasia, Amelie Wiped Out

Roger Friedman
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Tony Awards Nominations: Evan Hansen, Hello, Dolly! Score Big, Charlie, Anastasia, Amelie Wiped Out

keep refreshing. Unfortunately, the Live Stream from the Tony Awards did not work at all…

The biggest snubs: Allison Janney and John Benjamin Hickey in “Six Degrees.” Wow. They were terrific. Musicals snubbed deserved it: Amelie, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Anastasia.

Best Musical
Come From Away
Dear Evan Hansen
Groundhog Day
Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812

Best Revival of a Musical
Falsettos
Hello, Dolly!
Miss Saigon

Best Revival of a Play

August Wilson’s Jitney

Lillian Hellman’s The Little Foxes

Present Laughter

Six Degrees of Separation

Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical
Christian Borle, Falsettos
Josh Groban, Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812
David Hyde Pierce, Hello, Dolly!
Andy Karl, Groundhog Day
Ben Platt, Dear Evan Hansen

Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical
Denée Benton, Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812
Christine Ebersole, War Paint
Patti LuPone, War Paint
Bette Midler, Hello, Dolly!
Eva Noblezada, Miss Saigon

Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Play
Denis Arndt, Heisenberg
Chris Cooper, A Doll’s House, Part 2
Corey Hawkins, Six Degrees of Separation
Kevin Kline, Present Laughter
Jefferson Mays, Oslo

Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Play
Cate Blanchett, The Present
Jennifer Ehle, Oslo
Sally Field, The Glass Menagerie
Laura Linney, The Little Foxes
Laurie Metcalf, A Doll’s House, Part 2

Best Score
Come From Away, David Hein and Irene Sankoff
Dear Evan Hansen, Benj Pasek and Justin Paul
Groundhog Day, Tim Minchin
Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812, Dave Malloy

Best Book of a Musical
Come From Away, David Hein and Irene Sankoff
Dear Evan Hansen, Steven Levenson
Groundhog Day, Danny Rubin
Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812, Dave Malloy

Best Choreography
Andy Blankenbuehler, Bandstand
Peter Darling and Ellen Kane, Groundhog Day
Kelly Devine, Come From Away
Denis Jones, Holiday Inn
Sam Pinkleton, Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812

Best Orchestrations
Bill Elliott and Greg Anthony Rassen, Bandstand
Larry Hochman, Hello, Dolly!
Alex Lacamoire, Dear Evan Hansen
Dave Malloy, Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812

Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Play

Michael Aronov, Oslo
Danny DeVito, Arthur Miller’s The Price
Nathan Lane, The Front Page
Richard Thomas, Lillian Hellman’s The Little Foxes
John Douglas Thompson, August Wilson’s Jitney


Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Play

Johanna Day, Sweat
Jayne Houdyshell, A Doll’s House, Part 2
Cynthia Nixon, Lillian Hellman’s The Little Foxes
Condola Rashad, A Doll’s House, Part 2
Michelle Wilson, Sweat



Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Musical

Gavin Creel, Hello, Dolly!
Mike Faist, Dear Evan Hansen
Andrew Rannells, Falsettos
Lucas Steele, Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812
Brandon Uranowitz, Falsettos


Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Musical

Kate Baldwin, Hello, Dolly!
Stephanie J. Block, Falsettos
Jenn Colella, Come From Away
Rachel Bay Jones, Dear Evan Hansen
Mary Beth Peil, Anastasia

Best Scenic Design of a Play

David Gallo, August Wilson’s Jitney
Nigel Hook, The Play That Goes Wrong
Douglas W. Schmidt, The Front Page
Michael Yeargan, Oslo


Best Scenic Design of a Musical

Rob Howell, Groundhog Day The Musical
David Korins, War Paint
Mimi Lien, Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812
Santo Loquasto, Hello, Dolly!


Best Costume Design of a Play

Jane Greenwood, Lillian Hellman’s The Little Foxes
Susan Hilferty, Present Laughter
Toni-Leslie James, August Wilson’s Jitney
David Zinn, A Doll’s House, Part 2


Best Costume Design of a Musical

Linda Cho, Anastasia
Santo Loquasto, Hello, Dolly!
Paloma Young, Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812
Catherine Zuber, War Paint


Best Lighting Design of a Play

Christopher Akerlind, Indecent
Jane Cox, August Wilson’s Jitney
Donald Holder, Oslo
Jennifer Tipton, A Doll’s House, Part 2



Best Lighting Design of a Musical

Howell Binkley, Come From Away
Natasha Katz, Hello, Dolly!
Bradley King, Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812
Japhy Weideman, Dear Evan Hansen


Best Direction of a Play

Sam Gold, A Doll’s House, Part 2
Ruben Santiago-Hudson, August Wilson’s Jitney
Bartlett Sher, Oslo
Daniel Sullivan, Lillian Hellman’s The Little Foxes
Rebecca Taichman, Indecent


Best Direction of a Musical

Christopher Ashley, Come From Away
Rachel Chavkin, Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812
Michael Greif, Dear Evan Hansen
Matthew Warchus, Groundhog Day The Musical
Jerry Zaks, Hello, Dolly!


Best Choreography

Andy Blankenbuehler, Bandstand
Peter Darling and Ellen Kane, Groundhog Day The Musical
Kelly Devine, Come From Away
Denis Jones, Holiday Inn, The New Irving Berlin Musical
Sam Pinkleton, Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812


Best Orchestrations

Bill Elliott and Greg Anthony Rassen, Bandstand
Larry Hochman, Hello, Dolly!
Alex Lacamoire, Dear Evan Hansen
Dave Malloy, Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812

Missing in Action: Kanye West Skips Met Ball, Hasn’t Been Seen or Heard From in Months

Roger Friedman
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Missing in Action: Kanye West Skips Met Ball, Hasn’t Been Seen or Heard From in Months

Where in the world is Kanye West? The voluble, often excitable and never demur rapper skipped Anna Wintour’s annual Halloween in May party, leaving wife Kim K. to fend for herself. Kanye NEVER misses the Met Ball, or a chance to show off his designs on being part of the fashion world.

But Kanye been unusually silent for quite a while. He was last seen in November 2016, after cancelling his concert tour following Kim’s robbery in Paris. He was sent —  as they say on “Veep”– to a spa for rejuvenation. Exit Kanye.

West’s social media hasn’t been touched in months. His Instagram account hasn’t been updated for 23 weeks. All the pictures on it are odd fashion photos. His last Tweets were on February 3, January 26, and Christmas 2016. This from a man who in stages of mania used to Tweet several times an hour.

There was some hope– or fear– that Kanye would turn up at the Grammys in February to protest if Beyonce didn’t win Album of the Year. Adele won, yet there was no Kanye disruption.

It’s possible that Kanye is finally getting the help he needed to come to terms with his mother’s untimely death. But even before Donda West died, Kanye was a big blurter. Remember in 2005, two years before Professor West passed, Kanye told TV audiences that George Bush didn’t care about black people during the Hurricane Katrina telethon.

So Kanye, wherever you are, god bless, get well and come back soon. We miss you!

Janet Jackson Announces Resumption of Tour, Divorce From Wissam Al Mana: “We are in court, the rest is in God’s hands””

Roger Friedman
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Janet Jackson Announces Resumption of Tour, Divorce From Wissam Al Mana: “We are in court, the rest is in God’s hands””

Janet Jackson is back! She announced on Twitter that she’s resuming the tour she broke off last year when she got pregnant. Now it’s called “The State of the World” Tour. She recorded the video with brother Randy, whom she addresses in the video when she says she’s put on a few pounds. “More than few,” Randy says. Janet also says “Yes, I’ve separated from my husband. We are in court and and the rest is in God’s hands.” That does not sound like an amicable divorce.

On the upside: watch Janet talk about her new baby. She’s never looked happier. And she’s wearing a baseball cap that I think reads: “Bobby Taylor.” Bobby Taylor is who actually discovered the Jackson 5 in 1968 with Gladys Knight and brought them to Motown. He was the group’s first producer, and went on to influence a number of Motown hits. The rest is history. I have no idea why Janet had a cap made with his name.

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