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Jimmy Kimmel to Host Oscars as Awards Shows Are Now Dictated to by Networks for Their Stars

Roger Friedman
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Jimmy Kimmel to Host Oscars as Awards Shows Are Now Dictated to by Networks for Their Stars

Jimmy Kimmel will host the Oscars, and he’ll be great. It was inevitable he’d host and he probably should have done it sooner.

But we are now in the generation of the networks using all the awards shows to promote their stars, particularly the talk show hosts. NBC’s Jimmy Fallon is hosting the Golden Globes, on NBC. CBS’s James Corden will host the Grammys, on CBS. Last year Corden hosted the Tony Awards on CBS, and he will likely again. Stephen Colbert, also on CBS, is hosting the Kennedy Center Honors on CBS. You get the picture.

It’s amazing when you think about it that Johnny Carson, who was an NBC star, used to host the Oscars. Or that David Letterman did it. But the biz has changed. Knowing ABC we’re not far from Michael Strahan as Oscars host. You say impossible? Donald Trump is…you know…

With Kimmel, expect lots of Matt Damon and the Afflecks. And that should work out nicely since Matt Damon is the nominal producer of “Manchester by the Sea” starring Casey Affleck.

Kennedy Center Honors Features JFK’s Grandkids, Aretha in the Audience, But Some Complain “It’s Become the Grammys”

Roger Friedman
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Kennedy Center Honors Features JFK’s Grandkids, Aretha in the Audience, But Some Complain “It’s Become the Grammys”

The second year of George Stevens Jr. not producing the Kennedy Center Honors yielded some interesting things, spies tell me.

It was the first time in a while that any Kennedys participated. Caroline Kennedy sent her three kids– JFK’s grandkids– to do a reading. Aretha Franklin was in the audience, not on stage, but they cut to her “a lot” during the show especially when Brian Stokes Mitchell sang the national anthem. Aretha’s dates for the night were Clive Davis and Isiah Thomas. I’m told “Color Purple” star Cynthia Erivo was magnificent singing “The Impossible Dream.”

Despite Al Pacino’s induction (by Kevin Spacey, Chris O’Donnell, and Bobby Cannavale) some people complained that the new Kennedy Centers Honors has become “like the Grammys.” There was a nod to classical music with the induction of Martha Argerich. But otherwise, the show is like a jukebox– the Eagles, James Taylor, and Mavis Staples were all inducted, with lots of acts performing their songs.

Oddly, Ringo Starr showed up for the Eagles (Joe Walsh is his brother-in-law) but never mentioned that James Taylor was the first act signed to the Beatles’ Apple Records. Bob Seger, from Detroit like the late Glenn Frey, performed a song the two wrote together– “Heartbreak Tonight.”

James Taylor was inducted by President Bill Clinton, and Taylor was feted by Garth Brooks (but not Carole King and certainly not Carly Simon). Taylor brought his twin boys from his marriage to Caroline Reynolds. Sheryl Crow and Darius Rucker also performed for Taylor, even though they have little connection to him. Like, Mavis Staples’ two biggest hits were sung by Elle King, whose “Exes and Ohs” is a great song, but really? (The Washington Post said she was a “country star.” Maybe because she lives in this country.) All the great R&B stars and they got Elle King to sing “I’ll Take You There.” Hmmm….

With three pop acts, there was no nod at all to Broadway.  Pacino represented both theater and movies, I guess. Opera was covered in the Argerich section by Placido Domingo not singing but introducing a pianist, and Itzak Perlman performed for Argerich as well. But actual opera or jazz?  Gone are the days of things like the fantastic Herbie Hancock tribute of a few years ago. Now it’s the hits, nothing but the hits.

 

How “Dear Evan Hansen” and “La La Land”– Maybe the 2017 Tony and Oscar Winners– Are Related

Roger Friedman
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How “Dear Evan Hansen” and “La La Land”– Maybe the 2017 Tony and Oscar Winners– Are Related

You haven’t seen “La La Land” yet because it hasn’t opened, but when that movie hits theatres in the next couple of weeks, you’ll see what all the excitement’s about.

Tonight (Sunday) brought that movie’s cousin, “Dear  Evan Hansen,” to Broadway and it’s a smash hit. Star Ben Platt is really a star, the whole cast is wonderful, and the songs– especially “For Forever”– are going to be almost as big as the songs from “Hamilton.”

But the show and the movie — prospective 2017 Tony and Oscar winners– are related in more ways than one. You see, veteran producer Marc Platt is the producer of each. His son is Ben Platt, now the overnight sensation of “Evan Hansen.” The kid is going to the Tony Awards in June regardless of his lineage.

Now follow this: Damien Chazelle directed “La La Land.” His pal, Justin Hurwitz, wrote the music, but not the lyrics, to all the amazing songs like “City of Stars.” The lyrics were written by Justin Paul and Benje Pasek. And that duo wrote the songs– music and lyrics– to “Evan Hansen.”

Got that?

Talking to everyone last night at the very swanky after party at the Pierre Hotel for “Evan Hansen,” it’s still unclear how all these things came together. Damien and Justin Hurwitz were sent by Lionsgate to Platt to produce “La La Land.” It was a coincidence that Paul and Plasek were working on both projects. It was another coincidence that Ben Platt was Marc’s son and he was starring in the musical. Or something like that.

The main thing to know right now is that the Platts wake up happy Monday morning with a huge hit in “Evan Hansen.” Chazelle was also there last night at the Pierre, everyone knows each other now, and it’s major synergy and synchronicity. The three guys in the picture are Chazelle in the middle surrounded by Pasek and Paul. Hurwitz is in L.A., or La La Land itself.

All the guys are 30, 31. It’s horrifying. I have shoes that old! But the whole thing also reminds me of that moment circa 1973-1974 when Marvin Hamlisch was involved with “The Sting,” “The Way We Were” and Carly Simon’s James Bond song “Nobody Does it Better.” Lots of young writers were all attached to that hub and there so much creativity. Is that moment back? Wouldn’t it be nice if it were?

Also at the “Evan Hansen” premiere: Tina Fey, Aaron Tveit, Sutton Foster, and my old pal Zachary Quinto. And the party at the Pierre? I haven’t seen a dessert table like that since Jason Schwartz’s bar mitzvah in 1970. These people know they have a hit!

PS “Evan Hansen” has an impressive supporting cast including Rachel Bay Jones, who is quite wonderful as Evan’s mom, and Michael Park of “As the World Turns” fame who finally gets a meaty featured role. He’s been working hard on Broadway since the soap folded in 2013.

Box Office: “Moana,” “Beasts” Continue Run, Brad Pitt “Allied” Hangs In, “Hacksaw” Drops

Roger Friedman
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Box Office: “Moana,” “Beasts” Continue Run, Brad Pitt “Allied” Hangs In, “Hacksaw” Drops

Weekend box office: blockbusters “Moana” and “Fantastic Beasts” continue their hit runs, raking millions and millions. “Moana” has made $177 million worldwide so far in two weeks. “Beasts” has $608 million so far, $183 million of it in the US.

The Harry Potter thing just goes on and on. The Harry Potter play “Cursed Child” will come to Broadway in 2018 at the Lyric Theater, which will be renovated especially for the show. The Lyric owners are not the usual Broadway theater people– Shubert, Nederlander, Jujacymyn. No, this is the Ambassador Theater Group, which wants in to the Great White Way in a big way. This should help.

Back to movies: Brad Pitt and Marion Cotillard are hanging in there with “Allied.” Not a great movie, but okay. Paramount’s doing a good job of keeping it alive. Their real hit, “Arrival,” is booming and heading to Oscar status. Nicely done.

“Arrival” has been out one week less than “Hacksaw Ridge” but is already out grossing it. “Hacksaw,” violent, hokey, etc., is struggling to stay in business. The $60 million goal is looking less likely every day.

I am surprised that in the very persistent stealth Oscar campaign of Q&As for the guilds– SAG, DGA, etc– no one asks Mel Gibson whether he thinks the Holocaust happened or how many were killed, or his father’s denial of it. Didn’t the Holocaust occur during World War II, while Mel’s hero Desmond Doss was fighting in the Pacific? It sure did! The moderators of those Q&A’s can’t ask upsetting questions because they’re paid by the studios. Tsk, tsk. PS this discussion is not going away.

Madonna Says “Don’t Say No to Me,” Gives Manager Hawaii Holiday Home During Intimate 90 Min Charity Show for African Children

Roger Friedman
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Madonna Says “Don’t Say No to Me,” Gives Manager Hawaii Holiday Home During Intimate 90 Min Charity Show for African Children

Madonna’s intimate 90 minute charity show from Miami was streamed live on Facebook last night,or this morning depending on how you think about it.

Yes, Madonna is still dressed as a clown. This is her new thing. The pants don’t do a lot for her. She also insists on singing “Send in the Clowns” with a processor. This is like sucking caviar through a straw.

This was a fundraiser for her questionable Raising Malawi Foundation. Toward the end of the night, she praises manager Guy Oseary, and then tells him she’ll buy him the holiday home he rents in Hawaii. Oseary also manages U2. My guess is he can afford his own house. But this seems right during a fundraiser for African children. There’s a catch though and you can hear how Madonna plans to buy the house for him at around 1:00.

Madonna’s heart is in the right place. I’ll give her that. But the road to hell is paved with good intentions. She also says she drove everyone who worked on the event crazy because they couldn’t find red lampshades that lit up. It took two weeks for her to get her away. “Don’t say no to me,” Madonna concluded.

Pop Charts: The Weeknd Feels His Face, Scores Huge Number 1 Debut for “Starboy” Album

Roger Friedman
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Pop Charts: The Weeknd Feels His Face, Scores Huge Number 1 Debut for “Starboy” Album

The Weeknd — no e, old people– can feel his face, and his sales power! Canadian R&B star Abel Makkonen Tesfaye, who goes by the moniker The Weeknd– scored a huge number 1 debut for his follow up album to the mega hit Beauty Behind the Madness.

The new album, “Starboy,” sold 366,000 copies including about 140,000 streams. For a year with few hits, The Weeknd turned out to be a juggernaut. His 227,000 physical CDs and paid digital downloads were quite an accomplishment. Where other contemporary acts like Lady Gaga and Alicia Keys have found the charts to be problematic this fall, The Weeknd gave the one thing that was needed– a hit single. The title track from the album is a massive hit.

Also, his haircut helped.

In keeping with the new paradigm, last week’s number 1– Metallica’s “Hardwired…to Self Destruct”– fell 76% to number 5.

Good news: Lady Gaga’s Renaissance continues. Her “Joanne” album was up 34% over last week. That album will be a Grammy contender in 2018 because it missed the September 30th cut off by three weeks.

Tuesday brings Grammy nominations. In a perfect world, both David Bowie and Paul Simon would be Album of the Year noms along with Beyonce, Drake, and Adele. But that’s in a world where quality is recognized. Bowie may wind up in rock. and Simon in Traditional American. There’s a big push for Justin Bieber’s album of bird calls, called Porpoise–er, Purpose–to get a nomination.

Erica Kane Wins! ABC Regains Control of “All My Children” and “One Life to Live” from Prospect Park

Roger Friedman
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Erica Kane Wins! ABC Regains Control of “All My Children” and “One Life to Live” from Prospect Park

It’s like a soap opera miracle, but one that doesn’t include hysterical pregnancy, amnesia or blindness. ABC has regained control of the daytime dramas “One Life to Live” and “All My Children” from Prospect Park Productions. It’s kind of a sad irony that the shows’ creator, Agnes Nixon, passed away a few weeks ago without seeing them returned to their proper owner.

But the long and winding case of Prospect Park (owned by Jeff Kwatinetz) against ABC has been dismissed. In what seemed like a case right out of a soap opera, ABC cancelled the shows in 2013 after 40 years or so on the air. Prospect Park licensed the titles for airing online. The original deal provided that the soaps would return to ABC if Prospect Park was unable to produce shows for 18 months. But in the end they failed to produce more than 13 weeks of episodes for their online network. Prospect Park wouldn’t let go, but now it seems the case has been dismissed in ABC’s favor.

Now ABC has an interesting scenario on its hands– a full hour at 1pm that is currently filled by a daytime version of “Who Wants to Be A Millionaire” and something called “RighthisMinute,” a half hour show billed “for the internet generation.” I’m not sure if you asked Bob Iger, who runs Disney, he could answer the question of what runs between “The Chew” and “General Hospital.” The network would be smart to invent some hybrid of the two soaps, or give them each hour half slots. The publicity alone would be worth millions.

There was also a problem at “General Hospital” when ABC tried to graft characters from “One Life to Live” onto the third program. When the license deal happened, ABC kept the actors but had to make them into new characters since the old ones belonged to Prospect Park. All of that could be unwound now, which would make a lot of soap fans — and probably the actors– very very happy.

So stay tuned. Will Erica Kane– aka Susan Lucci– return to “AMC”? The Emmy winning star of that show has demonstrated drawing power on other shows — prime time shows– since the soaps were cancelled. She just appeared on “Live with Kelly” and looks remarkably younger than she did when the soap was cancelled. In these situations, you never never know…

Billy Joel Makes a Surprise (to Him) Appearance at Afternoon Tea for Robert DeNiro’s “Comedian”

Roger Friedman
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Billy Joel Makes a Surprise (to Him) Appearance at Afternoon Tea for Robert DeNiro’s “Comedian”

It’s not like there weren’t enough stars in the Plaza Athenee dining room this afternoon. Besides Robert DeNiro and Danny DeVito, who headline Taylor Hackford’s “The Comedian,” there was Edie Falco, Leslie Mann, Lois Smith not mention Danny’s actress daughter Lucy DeVito, plus Danny’s old “Taxi” co-star Carol Kane, Michael Barker and Tom Bernard from Sony Pictures Classics, Sean Stone (son of Oliver), and so on. They’d just been to a very full screening of “The Comedian.”

But right as guests were filing in for afternoon tea, a familiar face stood before me. “What’s going on in here?” asked none other than Billy Joel, who has nothing to do with the movie, but had been staying in the hotel overnight. (If you want to find stars, always check the Plaza Athenee.)

Billy had been in town from Long Island to have dinner last night with daughter Alexa. He looks great. Suddenly, guests for the DeNiro tea are lining up to take photos with Billy.

Billy, I asked, have you ever seen “SoapDish”?

He said, “You mean with Sally Field? Where she goes to the mall to get attention?”

Billy was having his “SoapDish” moment.

Last night Billy had been a guest, coincidentally, at DeNiro’s Broadway opening of “A Bronx Tale.” It’s a small town, New York.

“I loved that show,” he told me. “Originally they’d asked me to work on some of the songs,” he said. Eventually Alan Menken wrote the score. Some of the songs do have a Billy Joel feel to them.

“Hey, isn’t that Billy Joel?” someone asked as the famed composer and rock star faded out the front door and “The Comedian” took over.

Only in New York, kids.

Watch Kristen Stewart and a Zebra Star in New Video from the Rolling Stones “Blue and Lonesome” Album

Roger Friedman
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Watch Kristen Stewart and a Zebra Star in New Video from the Rolling Stones “Blue and Lonesome” Album

Kristen Stewart and a zebra star in the first video made for the Rolling Stones’ new “Blue and Lonesome” album, out today. The song is “Ride Em Down.” It’s directed by Francois Rousselet and shot by Newton Thomas Sigel. No expense was spared– and it shows. I hope the zebra has a publicist!

Broadway: Robert DeNiro Brings Out the A List for Musical Adaptation of “A Bronx Tale”

Roger Friedman
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Broadway: Robert DeNiro Brings Out the A List for Musical Adaptation of “A Bronx Tale”

If you want the A list, Robert DeNiro can bring ’em out. He co-directed the musical version of Chazz Paliminteri’s “A Bronx Tale” with Jerry Zaks, after directing the hit 1993 movie. So of course, people came out to support him last night as the musical — full of doo wop and catchy pop songs by Alan Menken– opened at the Longacre Theater.

DeNiro’s old pal, Harvey Keitel, who stars with him in “The Comedian” was there, as well as their director, Taylor Hackford. The latter’s movie star wife, Helen Mirren, joined the group at the massive after party at the Marriott Marquis.

Also in attendance: the great Grace Hightower DeNiro, Palminteri and beautiful wife Gianna, Maureen and Little Steven van Zandt, plus Jimmy Fallon, Billy Joel, Harry Connick Jr., Danny DeVito, Vincent Pastore (Big Pussy from The Sopranos), actor Robert Wuhl, Jamie deRoy, Jane Rosenthal, Harvey Weinstein (who was overheard telling someone that “Hugh Jackman is the nicest guy in the world, literally”) and famed “Saturday Night Live” writer Alan Zweibel. Former Sony Music honcho Tommy Mottola, a producer on the show, brought out the music industry including current Sony Music CEO Doug Morris, Republic Records’ Charlie Walk and Monte Hellman, and Michelle Anthony.

DeNiro downplayed his involvement in the musical at the after party. “I didn’t do anything!” he said, but there are DeNiro like touches throughout. “A Bronx Tale” wasn’t easy to translate for the stage, but it’s those little things that count. Needless to say, New Yorkers will love the “Jersey Boys” meets “West Side Story” aspects of the show.

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