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Happy Birthday Neil Sedaka! Listen to “The Immigrant,” His Very Timely Song from the 1970s

Roger Friedman
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Happy Birthday Neil Sedaka! Listen to “The Immigrant,” His Very Timely Song from the 1970s

Neil Sedaka is 78 today. Happy Birthday, Neil!

Sedaka wrote “The Immigrant” when John Lennon was having issues with his citizenship in the 1970s. I always loved this song (I never knew this was the title.) Listen to it now. “The Immigrant” has never been more timely.

And of course, thanks, Neil for “Laughter in the Rain,” “Solitaire,” “Breaking Up is Hard to Do” and all the others. You should be in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. You’re in our Hall of Fame!

Harbors opened their arms to the young searching foreigner
Come to live in the light of the beacon of liberty
Planes and open skies, billboards would advertise
Was it anything like that when you arrived
Dreamboats carry the future to the heart of America
People were waiting in line for a place by the river
It was a time when strangers were welcome here
Music would play, they tell me the days were sweet and clear
It was a sweeter tune and there was so much room that people could come from everywhere
Now he arrives with his hopes and his heart set on miracles
Come to marry his fortune with a hand full of promises
To find they’ve closed the door, they don’t want him anymore
Isn’t anymore to go around
Turning away he remembers he once heard
A legend that spoke of a mystical magical land called America
There was a time when strangers were welcome here
Music would play, they tell me the days were sweet and clear
It was a sweeter tune and there was so much room that people could come from everywhere
There was a time when strangers were welcome here
Music would play, they tell me the days were sweet and clear
There was a time when strangers were welcome here
Music would play, they tell me the days were sweet and clear

Songwriters: Neil Sedaka / Phil Cody
The Immigrant lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC

Heinz is Using Fictional Ad Campaign from “Mad Men” in Real Life, No Kidding

Roger Friedman
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Heinz is Using Fictional Ad Campaign from “Mad Men” in Real Life, No Kidding

Heinz ketchup is using the ad campaign created for them by fictional characters on “Mad Men.” Remember when Don Draper pitched his Heinz campaign? You know that Don is not a real person. But now Heinz, the real company, is using Don’s campaign in 2017 in real life.

“Pass the Heinz” was obviously developed by Matthew Weiner, the creator of “Mad Men,” and his writers. The episode aired originally in April 2013. Anselmo Ramos of an agency called David (just David) told Ad Age that they watched the episode and decided that was the best campaign they could come up with.

MTV Movie Awards, Basically An Affront to the Culture and All That is Holy, Will Now Include TV Shows

Roger Friedman
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MTV Movie Awards, Basically An Affront to the Culture and All That is Holy, Will Now Include TV Shows

The MTV Movie Awards, an affront to the culture and all that is holy, will return May 7th with two changes. First, they will include TV shows– meaning “Game of Thrones” has already won– and they’ll be live. Apparently they were pre-taped last year. Who knew?

MTV continues to struggle with finding a purpose. Last year this was a summary of what won:

Films with multiple nominations

  • Eleven – Star Wars: The Force Awakens
  • Eight – Deadpool
  • Six – Avengers: Age of Ultron
  • Four – Mad Max: Fury Road, Pitch Perfect 2, The Revenant, Trainwreck
  • Three – The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2, Jurassic World, Straight Outta Compton
  • Two – Concussion, Creed, Fifty Shades of Grey, Furious 7, Joy, San Andreas, Spy.

Multiple winners

  • Three – Star Wars: The Force Awakens
  • Two – Pitch Perfect 2, Deadpool

This year, “Star Wars: Rogue One” will win most of the awards. Also nominated will be “Logan,” and all the the other comic book movies and movies that had soft core sex and came out since May 2016 including Doctor Strange, Suicide Squad, Fast and Furious 8, Beauty and the Beast, Fifty Shades Darker, and Guardians of the Galaxy 2, which releases two days earlier.

It’s doubtful that La La Land and Moonlight will have much to do with this awards show. Maybe for fun, at the end, they could say La La Land won, and then give the award to Rogue One. Best Kiss will go to Ryan Gosling and Andrew Garfield at the Golden Globes.

 

Obamas’ $60 Million Book Advance Will Get Tax Breaks from Massive Donations to Charities

Roger Friedman
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Obamas’ $60 Million Book Advance Will Get Tax Breaks from Massive Donations to Charities

Barack and Michelle Obama are each getting $30 million book deals from Penguin Random House. So how will that affect taxes for all concerned? This morning a press release from the book company gives some idea;

“In support of the mission of The Obama Foundation and Penguin Random House’s own commitment to social responsibility, the company will donate one million books in the Obama family’s name to First Book, a longstanding Penguin Random House non-profit partner and the Washington, DC-based partner for the 2016 White House digital education initiative, Open eBooks. First Book is dedicated to promoting equal access to education by providing new books, learning materials, and other essentials to children in need in the United States and Canada. Consistent with their past practice, the Obamas also plan to donate a significant portion of their author proceeds to charity, including the Obama Foundation.”

I’ve never heard of First Book, but according to GuideStar, which is funny because they pay a PR firm called Drascena Communications $956K in fees.

Even funnier: Drascena has no website or any footprint on the internet. But according to Politico, which mentioned them in another context a couple of years ago they’re part of the Pearson Foundation. Pearson owns Random Penguin etc. First Books claims $37 million in net assets.

And get this: Pearson paid Drascena $5 million in fees in 2012-2013 according to documents. Drascena’s only listed address is an apartment in Mill Valley, California.

The other news from Random Penguin is that the books will be issued under the Crown Books logo. That’s surprising because Crown is a lot less prestigious than Random House, Penguin or Viking. When I think of Crown, I think of cookbooks and so on. But maybe that’s changed. In English language territories, however, the books will under Viking Press. Those include the United Kingdom, Australia, India, Ireland, New Zealand, and South Africa.

In every other territory around the world, different Random Viking Penguin labels will handle the books.

I’m hopeful that these books will describe the reason that Valerie Jarrett has moved into the Obamas’ new home in Washington, DC instead of Ms. Jarrett getting her own pad. You’d think after 8 years in the Whie House, the Obamas would want to be alone. Very “Three’s Company.”

Broadway: “Come from Away” is the Pleasing Sleeper Hit of a Very Busy Season

Roger Friedman
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Broadway: “Come from Away” is the Pleasing Sleeper Hit of a Very Busy Season

“Come from Away” has no stars and no big songs that stop the show. Still, it’s the sleeper hit of a very Broadway season in which musicals that stayed away last year while “Hamilton” ate up all the attention are coming in one after another.

This is the story of what happened when more than 7,000 airline passengers descended on Ganderm a small town in Newfoundland, Canada on September 11. 2001– when US airspace shut down and the planes had just one place to land. Maybe I’m particularly sensitive to this because my own parents wound up spending several days in neighboring St. John.

The passengers were terrified of being cut off from US news, and their families. But the Canadians responded with a huge amount of hospitality and warmth. (It was warm anyway, thank goodness, in September.)

About a dozen cast members, mostly unknown, play the passengers of one flight and their famous female captain; the townspeople; and miscellaneous other roles including George W. Bush. Christopher Ashley directs. The songs are by first timers, a married Canadian couple named Irene Sankoff and David Hein.

“Come from Away” is described by some as earnest and hopeful. But this isn’t “Mayberry RFD.” The Ganderians are smarter than that, and more resourceful, and though they live in an isolated place they’re not out of touch with the world. They ‘get it’ faster than the exhausted and mystified passengers. And they’re on the move right away.

There’s an indescribable charm to “Come from Away” despite the fact that it’s an ensemble, and that there are no big “eleven o’clock” songs. You will not come out humming. The songs, as such, are sort of a continuously pleasant loop. But I do think the ensemble is so well directed, and energized, that they manage to infect the audience with a real sense of pathos about the situation.

Also, and this to thanks to Sankoff and Hein’s book, there’s nothing maudlin going on. Indeed, the words “World Trade Center” aren’t uttered almost until the very end. Instead of exploiting the various 9-11 cliches, the pair concentrate on what’s happening in Gander. You learn just enough about the passengers and the townspeople to follow their brief adventure together and care about it.

Among the standouts: Q. Smith as the mother of a missing NYFD firefighter, on her way home from a vacation; Lee McDougall and Sharon Whealtey as a mismatched couple who meet on the plane; Chad Kimball and Caesar Samayoa as a gay couple; and Jenn Colella as the captain of the flight. (All the actor play multiple roles.) For awards consideration, Kimball and Colella will likely go into featured categories. But the whole cast should be praised. This is a show with a lot of heart. I wouldn’t be surprised if it turns into quite the little surprise hit of the season.

Box Office: “Kong: Skull Island” Scares Up $60Mil on $185Mil Budget, Wolverine “Logan” Falls 57% Second Weekend

Roger Friedman
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Box Office: “Kong: Skull Island” Scares Up $60Mil on $185Mil Budget, Wolverine “Logan” Falls 57% Second Weekend

The folks at Warner Bros. must be happy. “Kong: Skull Island” brought in a robust $61 million over the weekend. That’s about one third of its $185 million budget. “Skull Island” hasn’t been released abroad yet, but those numbers should drive international audiences to theaters. Then, look out.

Fox’s “Wolverine” made $88 million last weekend, but it fell 57% this weekend. Still, it’s up to $343 million worldwide, so who cares? The $400 mil mark is still in sight.

Despite winning the Oscar, “Moonlight” remains a niche movie. With $26 million total, Barry Jenkins’ moving triptych is one of the lowest ever grossing Best Pictures. “La La Land,” which won then didn’t win, is up to $148 million.

That must sting for LionsGate. That’s the closest they ever got to winning Best Picture. But a worldwide total of $416 makes up for it. At LionsGate, they’re used to sequels– see “Twilight” and “Hunger Games.” I asked Damien Chazelle about the possibility of it a few weeks ago. He just said, “You mean La La La Land?” and shook his head.

“SNL” Goes All in On Trump: Ivanka “Complicit,” ScarJo Calls Donald “A Racist,” Sean Hannity Described as “Thumb Up” Inside Trump

Roger Friedman
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“SNL” Goes All in On Trump: Ivanka “Complicit,” ScarJo Calls Donald “A Racist,” Sean Hannity Described as “Thumb Up” Inside Trump

Scarlett Johansson’s night hosting “SNL” for the 5th time went all in on Donald Trump. And I mean, big time. On a very funny episode, ScarJo called Trump a “racist” to her dog, who revealed himself to be a Trump supporter:

ScarJo also played Ivanka Trump, whose new perfume is called Complicit:

Pete Davidson was scathingly hilarious. He said Steven Miller was voted in high school as Most Likely to Have a Cigar Box Full of Missing Girls’ Drivers Licenses. He also said Sean Hannity looks like a thumb “which is why he’s so far up Trump’s ass”:

And of course Alec Baldwin was back as Trump, defending the planet from aliens– the space kind:

Movies: Jordan Peele’s “Get Out” Crosses $100 Mil Line Today, Made for $4.5 Million

Roger Friedman
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Movies: Jordan Peele’s “Get Out” Crosses $100 Mil Line Today, Made for $4.5 Million

This is the kind of box office story Hollywood loves.

Jordan Peele’s “Get Out” crosses the $100 million line today. It finished the weekend at $111 million. It was made for $4.5 million.

“Get Out” comes from the demonic production company owned by Jason Blum, and his Blumhouse. I knew Jason when he was working for Harvey and Bob Weinstein. He obviously learned a lot.

Blumhouse has its name on series like “Paranormal Activity,” “The Purge,” and “Insidious.” They’re the kings of low budget high quality horror films. This year they’re going to bring back a new “Amityville Horror” film. Next year they’ve gor “Halloween.”

“Get Out” has only been in theatres for two weeks, so they’re just getting started. And sequels are a dead certainty as Peele & Co. have built in many possibilities. Plus Peele says he has ideas for four other movies along the lines of “Get Out.” I’m just wondering if the white audiences are getting the message of the film– especially in the current political environment. But Hollywood will get the message as the money flows in.

And star Daniel Kaluuya? His career is set now. Congrats!

Reclusive Director Terrence Malick Makes Rare Appearance But His New Film is As Self-Indulgent as Ever

Roger Friedman
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Reclusive Director Terrence Malick Makes Rare Appearance But His New Film is As Self-Indulgent as Ever

This morning reclusive director Terrence Malick is part of a public panel at the South by Southwest Film Festival in Austin, Texas. Malick was once a legend for directing the most beautiful film of the 70s, “Days of Heaven,” and for “Badlands.” Malick hasn’t been seen in public or interviewed in YEARS. Decades, really. So this is a big deal down in his hometown of Austin.

Today he’s promoting his new film, “Song to Song.” It’s the latest of his self indulgent films og the 2000s that has big Hollywood stars doing nothing and speaking little dialogue. I’m sure it looks great. But the reviews overnight were tepid, to say the best of them. Twitter reaction to the two and a half hour vanity project: boring and awful.

He said at the panel this morning that the first cut of “Song to Song” was eight hours. That says everything.

As I’ve said before I hope Del Shannon’s family really got paid well for use of “Runaway.” It makes the whole trailer. I doubt the movie has that kind of energy.

Erik Davis from Fandango is posting a lot from the panel. He obviously likes the movie on some level. The adrenaline from seeing Malick in public must be overwhelming. No one has seen him in years. But the reality of the film will be like “To the Wonder,” “Knight of Cups,” “Tree of Life,” and “Voyage.”

CBS Dumps “Training Day” to Saturday Night Following Death of Bill Paxton

Roger Friedman
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CBS Dumps “Training Day” to Saturday Night Following Death of Bill Paxton

“Training Day” is basically over.

Following the death of Bill Paxton, CBS is dumping the series by sending it to Saturday nights. The show wasn’t a ratings hit yet, but with time it might have built an audience. The chances of that are over, so that’s that.

“Training Day” is based on the Antoine Fuqua movie that brought an Oscar to Denzel Washington and a nomination for Ethan Hawke. Had it morphed into a success, the series would have been a sweet payoff to the original producers. But then came what no one would have predicted: Paxton dying. And that’s that.

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