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A&E Cancels KKK Documentary Series, Not Because It’s Offensive, But Because Producers Paid Participants

Roger Friedman
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A&E Cancels KKK Documentary Series, Not Because It’s Offensive, But Because Producers Paid Participants

A&E has wisely cancelled “Escaping the KKK,” previously known as “Generation KKK” (or maybe kickin it with the KKK) not because it was offensive and a stupid idea but because it came to their attention that some of the participants were paid, they say, by third party producers. It’s hard to describe how far A&E has fallen over the years. Remember how great the A&E Biography series was with Bill Kurtis. But the network has fallen prey to the reality TV syndrome. Listen, we don’t want to see how the KKK or neo-Nazi’s live, TV producers. We want to see them being expunged. Period.

Here’s the A&E statement:

The documentary ‘Escaping the KKK’ was intended to serve as a close look at anti-hate extractors focused on helping people leave the Ku Klux Klan—the racist hate group with a long history of violence against African Americans and others. Our goal with this series has always been to expose and combat racism and hatred in all its forms.

However, A&E learned last night from the third-party producers who made the documentary that cash payments — which we currently understand to be nominal — were made in the field to some participants in order to facilitate access. While we stand behind the intent of the series and the seriousness of the content, these payments are a direct violation of A&E’s policies and practices for a documentary. We had previously provided assurances to the public and to our core partners – including the Anti-Defamation League and Color of Change – that no payment was made to hate group members, and we believed that to be the case at the time. We have now decided not to move forward with airing this project.

A&E takes the authenticity of its documentary programming and the subject of racism, hatred and violence very seriously. Just because this particular show goes away, the issues of hate in America do not. We will still seek to fight hate in America through on-air programming including town halls and documentary programs produced in partnership with civil rights organizations, as well as continue to work with the civil rights community to facilitate a deeper dialogue on ending hate through comprehensive educational and outreach campaigns.

Box Office: Carrie Fisher is the Reason “Rogue One” Continues to Soar. “Force Awakens” Was So Good

Roger Friedman
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Box Office: Carrie Fisher is the Reason “Rogue One” Continues to Soar. “Force Awakens” Was So Good

It’s a cruel irony this morning that Carrie Fisher is fighting for her life at UCLA Medical Center after a heart attack yesterday.

Carrie is the reason people love “Rogue One; A Star Wars Story” and made “The Force Awakens” such a huge hit. It’s the surprise ending of “Rogue One” that puts a smile on the face of every fan, and makes them want to see it again. And that’s Carrie’s moment.

Equally, Fisher’s much bigger than expected role in “Force Awakens” drives the movie after Han Solo’s tragic death. General Leia passes the baton of history to Rey. And in next year’s Chapter 8, we may learn more about their relationship.

Meanwhile, “Rogue One” is soaring to around $460 million worldwide today and should pass $500 million shortly. Through last night the US take is $245 million.

Fisher is so talented as an actress but that’s overshadowed often by her witty writing, caustically fun interviews, and her sharp sense of humor. She had to develop that part of her personality early on as the child of Hollywood parents who were involved in scandals that would make Brangelina and Tom Cruise blush. That toughness gave her a sense of irony which she’s conveyed on screen and on stage so adeptly– there is just nothing funnier than Carrie using a pointer and blackboard to describe the Liz Taylor-Mike Todd-Eddie Fisher-Debbie Reynolds saga.

So today, to support Carrie, if you’ve already seen “Star Wars,” let’s re-read “Postcards from the Edge” or “Surrender the Pink,” or take a look at her in “When Harry Met Sally” or “Shampoo.”

Pat Collins interviewing Carrie on “GMA”

Prayers for Carrie Fisher After Actress-Writer Has Heart Attack on Plane London-Los Angeles

Roger Friedman
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Prayers for Carrie Fisher After Actress-Writer Has Heart Attack on Plane London-Los Angeles

Everyone is praying for Carrie Fisher. The writer-actress-humorist had an apparent heart attack on a flight home to Los Angeles from London this afternoon. TMZ and Radar report she was given CPR on the flight 15 minutes before landing. Its all ironic I guess because 40 years after the first “Star Wars” Carrie is famous right now for making “Rogue One” a huge hit. She’s also published “The Princess Diarist” a bestselling memoir about making the original movies. She got a lot of headlines for writing–hilariously– about sleeping with Harrison Ford.

keep refreshing…

Rockettes’ Union Has Big Problem: Several Board Members Like George Burns, Rod McKuen Are Deceased

Roger Friedman
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Rockettes’ Union Has Big Problem: Several Board Members Like George Burns, Rod McKuen Are Deceased

The Rockettes are going to have a big problem with this union thing and the inauguration. Several board members of the American Guild of Variety Artists are dead. They include George Burns, Rod McKuen, and Gloria deHaven.

It’s unclear if they had a say overnight in whether the dancers should appear for Trump on January 20th. I don’t know what Burns might say but McKuen was a liberal and deHaven was a woman. I have to think that Gracie Allen would tell George to let the ladies make up their own minds.

So the Rockettes must face a bigger question than the one about the inauguration. And that is, why aren’t any of them on the National Board of AGVA? And why are there dead people on the National Board? Let’s ponder that one.

American_Guild_of_Variety_Artists_-_2016-12-23_10.09.25

Radio City Rockettes Kicking Up a Storm About Dancing for Trump: Union and MSG May Make Them Do It

Roger Friedman
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Radio City Rockettes Kicking Up a Storm About Dancing for Trump: Union and MSG May Make Them Do It

I told a while back Donald Trump would have trouble getting celebrities or performers for his Inauguration.

Late Thursday it was announced the Radio City Rockettes would dance on the program. But now it seems there’s a huge brouhaha brewing as some of the Rockettes don’t want to do it. Several posts went up on Twitter after midnight Friday claiming that if a Rockette declines to dance for Trump, they will be fired or sued.

There’s no word yet from Madison Square Garden, which owns the Rockettes, or their union, AGVA. James Dola, owner of all that stuff, was a major Republican donor in 2016. Just FYI. He gave around $150,000 to various state Republican committees. (But just $2,700 to Trump himself.) Dolan also donated $100,000 to a Republican SuperPAC called Long Islanders for Truth.

Madison Square Garden productions issued this statement: “The Radio City Rockettes, an original American brand, have performed at Radio City Music Hall since 1932 and, as treasured American icons, have taken part in some of the nation’s most illustrious events such as Super Bowl halftime shows, Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parades and presidential inaugurations, including in 2001 and 2005. We are honored that the Rockettes have again been asked to perform in the upcoming inauguration festivities.”

So far the Trump camp has an embarrassing list on their hands: just 16 year old Jackie Evancho and the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. Everyone’s turned them down. If they get the Beach Boys, it will be very publicly without Brian Wilson or even guest star John Stamos. The very disliked Mike Love might do it– might.

There’s been no word yet on right wingers Kid Rock or Ted Nugent.

The artists who decline are not doing it because “liberals are telling them to.” That’s the dumbest thing I’ve read on right wing alt-right press. They’re declining because they don’t want to endorse a presidency that bodes disaster, as well as civil unrest. There is no upside to performing at this inauguration.

Movie Execs Booted: Social Media May Have Done in Ryan Kavanaugh, Dana Brunetti at Sinking Relativity Studio

Roger Friedman
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Movie Execs Booted: Social Media May Have Done in Ryan Kavanaugh, Dana Brunetti at Sinking Relativity Studio

The long, twisted saga of Relativity Media, a studio with no hits and lots red tape, came to a climax this week. Reportedly out of the building are Ryan Kavanaugh, the controversial exec who started Relativity, and Dana Brunetti, Kevin Spacey’s former partner who arrived earlier this year to help Kavanaugh steer the ship.

Social media may have done these hard charging, outspoken lone rangers in.

Last week, while Relativity was sinking, Brunetti posted this to Instagram. It was a photo of a private plane with this caption: “Taking a group of strangers on the Relativity Jet to Cabo for a few days.” A friend responded: “You’re like Santa. With Ferrari’s. And rare firearms.”

Taking a group of strangers on the Relativity Jet to Cabo for a few days. #givingbackfeelsgood 🇲🇽

A photo posted by Dana Brunetti (@dana) on

Relativity, already bankrupt and bleeding, hasn’t had a hit in a long time. Their “Masterminds” made $17 million. “The Disappearance Room” made just over $2 million. That was all they were allowed to release in 2016. Their four 2015 releases made a total of $74 million. “Shut In,” released by EuropaCorp, made around $6.8 million bucks. EuropaCorp entered into a deal in 2014 with foundering Relativity to release movies through the American company using their marketing and PR tools. They’ve released four movies that way this year, with a total of $46 million. It’s mess.

While Brunetti may have shot himself in the foot with the plane Tweet, Kavanaugh has not been making friends with the Europa Corp team. In October, the fervent author of anti-Hillary Clinton Tweets, coughed up this fur ball about a EuropaCorp exec:

 

Relativity has now put all its employees on holiday furlough– unpaid two weeks of non-employment, returning January 3rd to who knows what…

Watch Emma Stone Make A Surprise Appearance–And Dirty Joke– At Paul McCartney’s Roadhouse Show

Roger Friedman
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Watch Emma Stone Make A Surprise Appearance–And Dirty Joke– At Paul McCartney’s Roadhouse Show

When she’s not in La La Land, the delightful Emma Stone is in Pioneertown. The potential Oscar winner makes a surprise appearance in a video from Paul McCartney when he played a roadhouse show in October at Pappy and Harriet’s. This was after his Desert Trip shows. Three hundred fans got in to see him play in Pioneertown, California near Joshua Tree. Stone wasn’t the only celebrity. Famed British painter David Hockney was also a guest.

Emma comes in toward the end of the video. Paul makes a G rated joke, which Emma turns into a dirtier one:

Good Night America: Watch David Muir Conduct Worst Interview In History of TV News

Roger Friedman
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Good Night America: Watch David Muir Conduct Worst Interview In History of TV News

What the hell is going on here? Has David Muir’s hair shellac seeped into his head? This is by far the most embarrassing and worst interview I can remember on “Good Morning America” and that’s saying a lot. On vacation somewhere, George Stephanopolous must have had an aneurysm. How much more can Muir suck up to this woman? His gleefulness is vomit inducing.

Peter Jennings and Frank Reynolds are rolling in their graves.

UPDATE Famed Greenwich Village Eatery Da Silvano Shuts Doors After 40 Years– Owner’s Divorce Pending

Roger Friedman
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UPDATE Famed Greenwich Village Eatery Da Silvano Shuts Doors After 40 Years– Owner’s Divorce Pending

THURSDAY 12/22 More going on here than rent hikes according to NY Post. Silvano’s wife of 12 years, Marissa Acocella, is divorcing him. She wanted to see the restaurant’s books. But the restaurant is now closed, and so are the books. Silvano’s talking about moving to Italy. There will be a lot more going on here…Arrivederci, Silvano!

WEDNESDAY 12/21 Da Silvano is no more.

The New York Post reports that Silvano Marchetto has shut down his famed celebrity spot, overpriced but always fun, after 4o years.

Da Silvano was the home of the $52 lambchop, so let’s start there. It was unaffordable even if you were rich. But it didn’t matter. Between the wonderful outdoor patio and the cozy Tuscan restaurant indoors, you were always bound to see someone famous, a movie star, a media star, whoever.  Madonna, Sean Penn, Rihanna, Graydon Carter– you name it.

And while Silvano was crotchety, he was also fun and welcoming.

Cause of death: the rent. The Post says it was up to $41,000 a month. And this is a small restaurant.

What will replace it? A bank? Another CVS? Thanks to greedy landlords, New York is being destroyed. There are dozens of open storefronts for rent everywhere. On Bleecker Street in particular, many signs are up. Small businesses, artisans, designers, all the “interesting places” that people come to see on the weekends– they are disappearing very quickly.

You can thank Mike Bloomberg. He put this in motion. DeBlasio has done nothing. In the era of Trump, it will just go on and on.

Exclusive: Family of Murdered “Voice” Singer Christine Grimmie Files Suit Against AEG Live, Orlando Philharmonic

Roger Friedman
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Exclusive: Family of Murdered “Voice” Singer Christine Grimmie Files Suit Against AEG Live, Orlando Philharmonic

Today in Florida the bereaved family of Christina Grimmie has filed suit against concert promoter AEGLive SE and the Orlando Philharmonic. Grimmie, 22, a singer from “The Voice” whose star was rising fast, was murdered in cold blood last June 10th by a crazed fan while she signed autographs following a performance at Orlando’s Plaza Live Theater. The killer, who committed suicide, was identified as Kevin James Loibl, 27.

The suit was filed by Grimmie’s estate including her parents and brother. The defendants listed are AEG Live and the Orlando Philharmonic, owner of Plaza Live Theater.

The complaint claims that the promoters had no metal detectors and didn’t perform body pat downs to prevent fans from bringing weapons into the facility. They just performed cursory bag inspections. Loibl was thus able to bring in two Glock handguns, two full magazines of bullets, and a large hunting knife. Loibl shot Christina three times before being subdued by her brother. Loibl killed himself on the spot. Grimmie died later at the hospital.

Christina Grimmie was on the fast track to a great career. She was managed by Selena Gomez’s mother, who’d seen her performing on YouTube. The suit details her rapid rise, and how her parents and brother went to work for her in establishing and maintaining the career.

The lawsuit claims that in the past, the Orlando Philharmonic and its security team have used metal detectors and body pat downs for events, but this time, for some reason, did not. The complaint points out that 40% of Florida households contain at least one firearm.

If the lack of security turns out to be true, it’s pretty shocking. Just last night at Jazz at Lincoln Center, we were wanded and sent through a metal detector for the premiere of Denzel Washington’s “Fences.” It’s unfortunately a common occurrence these days.

The Grimmies’ suit was filed by Brian D. Caplan of Reitler, Kailas and Rosenblatt, in New York.

 

 

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