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Reviled Trump Appointee Stephen Bannon Once Worked in Hollywood, Produced Sean Penn Movie

Roger Friedman
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Reviled Trump Appointee Stephen Bannon Once Worked in Hollywood, Produced Sean Penn Movie

Stephen K. Bannon, the reviled Trump appointee, had a long history in Hollywood before joining Breitbart News and then the Trump campaign.

Long before he was known as anti-Semite or white nationalist, Bannon lurked around in Tinseltown. His name is listed on two movies, back to back, as Executive Producer.

The first one was Sean Penn’s “The Indian Runner,” from 1991. Penn directed the film that starred David Morse. It’s hard to believe Bannon and Penn had much to say to each other. Penn is avowed liberal, and half-Jewish. He’s also a man of principle.

Bannon was also involved with Julie Taymor’s 1999 film “Titus,” starring Jessica Lange and Anthony Hopkins, adapted from Shakespeare. Bannon’s partners on that film included Paul Allen and his sister Jody Patton. Again, hard to imagine those conversations.

In both films, Bannon was partnered as executive producer with attorney Mark Bisgeier, who has worked in Washington for the Obama administration and in Los Angeles. In 2015, records show he donated $2,700 to the Hillary Clinton campaign.

Bannon worked for a time at Castle Rock, Rob Reiner’s production company. Reiner couldn’t be farther from Bannon on any subject. There’s some non specific talk about Bannon getting a piece of “Seinfeld,” which was produced by Castle Rock.

In 1996, Bannon was accused by his wife of attacking her. The case was dropped when she didn’t show up in court. She also claimed that Bannon said he didn’t want his kids going to school with Jewish kids.

It’s hard to imagine how any of these people worked with Bannon, or how Trump plans on working with now. Like him or not, that simply is not Donald Trump’s temperament.

Gwen Ifill Dies at 61, Respected Journalist Joined PBS and NBC From NY Times, Wash Post

Roger Friedman
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Gwen Ifill Dies at 61, Respected Journalist Joined PBS and NBC From NY Times, Wash Post

Gwen Ifill has died after a long battle with breast cancer. The PBS journalist was 61 years old, much too young. This is just a shame. She was one of the most respected journalists in the world.

Ifill was the host with Judy Woodruff of PBS Newshour and also hosted Washington Week on the network. She’d previously been on air contributor on NBC, and was heralded as a print columnist for both the New York Times and Washington Post.

Considering what we’re in the middle, this is a terrible loss for the press, and for the country. Condolences to her friends and family.

Samsung Pays $8 Billion for Harman Kardan, JBL Etc Adding Car Connectivity and Hi End Headphones to Roster

Roger Friedman
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Samsung Pays $8 Billion for Harman Kardan, JBL Etc Adding Car Connectivity and Hi End Headphones to Roster

Samsung is buying the company we might think of as Harman Kardan for $8 billion. That includes AKG Audio and JBL Audio, two of the best names in hi end audio. Those Quincy Jones headphones I love so much go with the sale, as do the AKG N60 Noise Cancelers that you can’t travel without.

Harman is an American company founded by the late Sidney Harman. You may recall that Sidney bought Newsweek before he died, and Tina Brown edited it. Then Sidney, who was 92, died (what a surprise!), and his family sold Newsweek to Barry Diller for a dollar and a dream. Sidney’s widow, Jane, was a U.S. congresswoman.

Eight billion dollars doesn’t sound like much for all those brands. Harman includes a lot of high end audio for home use. The issue here is that millenials don’t know from stereo systems. They plop an iPhone or maybe an iPod into a Bluetooth speaker, and voila! Luckily, JBL makes really great Bluetooth speakers. The other thing Harman makes is headphones, and they are quite good. The AKG line has gotten better and better. (I rely on them as much as I do Grado.)

Samsung is more interested in auto connectivity, as cars become more and more computerized. Harman has been developing that end for years. I just hope the AKG Harman quality won’t suffer but I think Samsung will realize that’s very important.

Critics Choice TV Nominees: Only One Network Nominee for Best Drama Series, Two for Comedy Series

Roger Friedman
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Critics Choice TV Nominees: Only One Network Nominee for Best Drama Series, Two for Comedy Series

If you’re in the network TV business this morning, congrats if you’re from ABC or NBC. The former network scored two nominees for Best Comedy with “Blackish” and “Modern Family.” The latter has one entry for drama series for the new “This is Us.” That’s it. CBS got nothing. Nada. Zip.

All the other nominees are from cable or whatever– Netflix, Amazon.

The group included a show called “Fleabag” made by Amazon. I’ve never heard of it. Maybe you have. Amazon did not yield any nominations for Woody Allen’s series with Miley Cyrus and Elaine May, however.

The Critics Choice Awards are shown live on A&E December 11th. They will announce movie nominees on December 1st although it’s likely a couple of movies won’t be ready yet for screening.

TELEVISION NOMINATIONS FOR THE 22nd ANNUAL CRITICS’ CHOICE AWARDS

BEST COMEDY SERIES

Atlanta – FX

Black-ish – ABC

Fleabag – Amazon

Modern Family – ABC

Silicon Valley – HBO

Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt – Netflix

Veep – HBO

BEST ACTRESS IN A COMEDY SERIES

Ellie Kemper – Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt – Netflix

Julia Louis-Dreyfus – Veep – HBO

Kate McKinnon – Saturday Night Live – NBC

Tracee Ellis Ross – Black-ish – ABC

Phoebe Waller-Bridge – Fleabag – Amazon

Constance Wu – Fresh Off the Boat – ABC

BEST ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIES

Anthony Anderson – Black-ish – ABC

Will Forte – The Last Man on Earth – FOX

Donald Glover – Atlanta – FX

Bill Hader – Documentary Now! – IFC

Patrick Stewart – Blunt Talk – Starz

Jeffrey Tambor – Transparent – Amazon

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A COMEDY SERIES

Julie Bowen – Modern Family – ABC

Anna Chlumsky – Veep – HBO

Allison Janney – Mom – CBS

Jane Krakowski – Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt – Netflix

Judith Light – Transparent – Amazon

Allison Williams – Girls – HBO

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIES

Louie Anderson – Baskets – FX

Andre Braugher – Brooklyn Nine-Nine – FOX

Tituss Burgess – Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt – Netflix

Ty Burrell – Modern Family – ABC

Tony Hale – Veep – HBO

T.J. Miller – Silicon Valley – HBO

BEST GUEST PERFORMER IN A COMEDY SERIES

Alec Baldwin – Saturday Night Live – NBC

Christine Baranski – The Big Bang Theory – CBS

Larry David – Saturday Night Live – NBC

Lisa Kudrow – Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt – Netflix

Liam Neeson – Inside Amy Schumer – Comedy Central

BEST ANIMATED SERIES

Archer – FX

Bob’s Burgers – FOX

BoJack Horseman – Netflix

Son of Zorn – FOX

South Park – Comedy Central

The Simpsons – FOX

BEST REALITY COMPETITION SERIES

America’s Got Talent – NBC

MasterChef Junior – FOX

RuPaul’s Drag Race – Logo

Skin Wars – GSN

The Amazing Race – CBS

The Voice – NBC

BEST STRUCTURED REALITY SERIES

Chopped – Food Network

Inside The Actors Studio – Bravo

Penn & Teller: Fool Us – The CW

Project Runway – Lifetime

Shark Tank – ABC

Undercover Boss – CBS

BEST UNSTRUCTURED REALITY SERIES

Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown – CNN

Chrisley Knows Best – USA Network

Deadliest Catch – Discovery

Ice Road Truckers – History

Intervention – A&E

Naked and Afraid – Discovery

BEST TALK SHOW

Full Frontal with Samantha Bee – TBS

Jimmy Kimmel Live! – ABC

Last Week Tonight with John Oliver – HBO

The Daily Show with Trevor Noah – Comedy Central

The Late Late Show with James Corden – CBS

The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon – NBC

BEST REALITY SHOW HOST

Ted Allen – Chopped – Food Network

Tom Bergeron – Dancing with the Stars – ABC

Anthony Bourdain – Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown – CNN

Nick Cannon – America’s Got Talent – NBC

Carson Daly – The Voice – NBC

RuPaul – RuPaul’s Drag Race – Logo

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIES

Peter Dinklage – Game of Thrones – HBO

Kit Harington – Game of Thrones – HBO

John Lithgow – The Crown – Netflix

Mandy Patinkin – Homeland – Showtime

Christian Slater – Mr. Robot – USA Network

Jon Voight – Ray Donovan – Showtime

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A DRAMA SERIES

Christine Baranski – The Good Wife – CBS

Emilia Clarke – Game of Thrones – HBO

Lena Headey – Game of Thrones – HBO

Thandie Newton – Westworld – HBO

Maura Tierney – The Affair – Showtime

Constance Zimmer – UnREAL – Lifetime

BEST ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIES

Sam Heughan – Outlander – Starz

Rami Malek – Mr. Robot – USA Network

Bob Odenkirk – Better Call Saul – AMC

Matthew Rhys – The Americans – FX

Liev Schreiber – Ray Donovan – Showtime

Kevin Spacey – House of Cards – Netflix

BEST ACTRESS IN A DRAMA SERIES

Caitriona Balfe – Outlander – Starz

Viola Davis – How to Get Away with Murder – ABC

Tatiana Maslany – Orphan Black – BBC America

Keri Russell – The Americans – FX

Evan Rachel Wood – Westworld – HBO

Robin Wright – House of Cards – Netflix

BEST DRAMA SERIES

Better Call Saul – AMC

Game of Thrones – HBO

Mr. Robot – USA Network

Stranger Things – Netflix

The Crown – Netflix

This Is Us – NBC

Westworld – HBO

BEST GUEST PERFORMER IN A DRAMA SERIES

Mahershala Ali – House of Cards – Netflix

Lisa Bonet – Ray Donovan – Showtime

Ellen Burstyn – House of Cards – Netflix

Michael J. Fox – The Good Wife – CBS

Jared Harris – The Crown – Netflix

Jeffrey Dean Morgan – The Walking Dead – AMC

BEST MOVIE MADE FOR TELEVISION OR LIMITED SERIES

All the Way – HBO

Confirmation – HBO

Killing Reagan – National Geographic

Roots – History

The Night Manager – AMC

The People v. O.J. Simpson – FX

BEST ACTOR IN A MOVIE MADE FOR TELEVISION OR LIMITED SERIES

Bryan Cranston – All the Way – HBO

Benedict Cumberbatch – Sherlock: The Abominable Bride – PBS

Cuba Gooding Jr. – The People v. O.J. Simpson – FX

Tom Hiddleston – The Night Manager – AMC

Tim Matheson – Killing Reagan – National Geographic

Courtney B. Vance – The People v. O.J. Simpson – FX

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A MOVIE MADE FOR TELEVISION OR LIMITED SERIES

Sterling K. Brown – The People v. O.J. Simpson – FX

Lane Garrison – Roots – History

Frank Langella – All the Way – HBO

Hugh Laurie – The Night Manager – AMC

John Travolta – The People v. O.J. Simpson – FX

Forest Whitaker – Roots – History

BEST ACTRESS IN A MOVIE MADE FOR TELEVISION OR LIMITED SERIES

Olivia Colman – The Night Manager – AMC

Felicity Huffman – American Crime – ABC

Cynthia Nixon – Killing Reagan – National Geographic

Sarah Paulson – The People v. O.J. Simpson – FX

Lili Taylor – American Crime – ABC

Kerry Washington – Confirmation – HBO

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A MOVIE MADE FOR TELEVISION OR LIMITED SERIES

Elizabeth Debicki – The Night Manager – AMC

Regina King – American Crime – ABC

Sarah Lancashire – The Dresser – Starz

Melissa Leo – All the Way – HBO

Anna Paquin – Roots – History

Emily Watson – The Dresser – Starz

Review: “Fantastic Beasts” Will Do Well Over $80Mil Next Weekend and Save Warner Bros.

Roger Friedman
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Review: “Fantastic Beasts” Will Do Well Over $80Mil Next Weekend and Save Warner Bros.

David Yates’s “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” is coming on Friday to save Warner Bros. from a terrible year.

The Harry Potter-esque intro to a series of five J.K. Rowling films premiered Thursday night at Alice Tully Hall to a wildly enthusiastic crowd, then repaired to a big tent in the Central Park Zoo for lavish refreshments. Aside from the cast– Eddie Redmayne, Dan Fogler, Alison Sudol, and Katherine Waterston– the only other celeb I really saw was comedian Jim Gaffigan with his kids.

There were a lot of kids at this premiere. And why not? Part of the movie reads like “Who Framed Roger Rabbit?” with extraordinary graphics and animation. The other part is aimed for a more adult crowd, so parents won’t get itchy and scratchy. J.K. Rowling’s adaptation of her own idea runs from tight to loose depending on how much Yates could rein in. But the overall movie is a big home run for everyone involved, starting with the studio.

Warner Bros. is having an iffy year, like a lot of studios except Disney with its Marvel movies. WB’s two DC Comics films– “Batman v. Superman” and “Suicide Squad” — did well, not great, and didn’t win over the fanboys. Other than those two, WB hasn’t had a stellar year with the exceptions of “Sully” and “Central Intelligence.” So the Rowling series is a gift from the heavens. “Harry Potter” was considered over. But now it’s back, with five stories as prequels to the first “Harry Potter” movie. Hallelujah!

The studio has been low balling expectations with an $80 million opening this coming weekend. I think $100 mil is more like it. “Fantastic Beasts” is simply fantastic. Everyone who sees it will want to see it again, immediately. Even when the plot wobbles, the overall tone is so charming, the actors so lovely, and the production so engaging that it doesn’t matter.

Eddie Redmayne plays Newt Scamander– the nerd who comes to New York from Britain with a suitcase full of magical beasts– like a young Stephen Hawking. This works because Newt is an egghead who will need five films to emerge as a person. For now, he’s blinking a lot. At least he has his magic wand to help him out of jams. Katherine Waterston is fine as Tina, his female counterpart, who may or may not turn into a romantic partner.

But this first movie revolves around a more compelling couple– Newt’s new New York pal Jacob Kowalski (Fogler) and Tina’s sizzling sister Queenie (Sudol). Their little pas de deux is what drives the plot among the humans, and turns this pair into a hot commodity. Sudol is particularly a revelation– she’s 31, a singer from Los Angeles, this is her first film. I do think Queenie is going to be a huge character in the “FB” saga.

I wanted to talk to Rowling on Thursday night, but she refused even to say hello and stayed behind a well guarded barrier. Oh well, you can’t have everything. Eddie Redmayne was upbeat and open as usual. When I mentioned the rapport among the four leads he said, “I’m happy about that. They cast the movie like they were casting for a band.”

So let the band play on. And kudos to all the artists, designers and cinematographer Phillippe Rousselot. Also, I’m wild about the score from James Newton Howard. Many nominations to come….

PS Yes there is a cameo from Johnny Depp. Not sure why. Didn’t bother me, but on the other hand, he’s bad luck at this point.

Leonard Cohen’s Son Announces Dad’s Burial in Montreal, in a “Traditional Jewish Service”

Roger Friedman
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Leonard Cohen’s Son Announces Dad’s Burial in Montreal, in a “Traditional Jewish Service”

Leonard Cohen was buried today, Sunday, in Montreal next to his parents, grandparents and great grandparents according to the Toronto Star. The family had a traditional Jewish service with just close family.

Leonard’s son Adam Cohen posted this to Facebook:

My sister and I just buried my father in Montreal. With only immediate family and a few lifelong friends present, he was lowered into the ground in an unadorned pine box, next to his mother and father. Exactly as he’d asked. As I write this I’m thinking of my father’s unique blend of self-deprecation and dignity, his approachable elegance, his charisma without audacity, his old-world gentlemanliness and the hand-forged tower of his work. There’s so much I wish I could thank him for, just one last time. I’d thank him for the comfort he always provided, for the wisdom he dispensed, for the marathon conversations, for his dazzling wit and humor. I’d thank him for giving me, and teaching me to love Montreal and Greece. And I’d thank him for music; first for his music which seduced me as a boy, then for his encouragement of my own music, and finally for the privilege of being able to make music with him. Thank you for your kind messages, for the outpouring of sympathy and for your love of my father.

What a week: Leonard Cohen and then Leon Russell, not to mention the election. Life is looking grim right now. Trump seemed unusually subdued on “60 Minutes” and clueless about the reaction to what he’s planning to unleash. Protests are growing exponentially. Who will replace the great artists of the 60s and 70s who joined the ranks of the disaffected and led them? Will any of our current performers grow a backbone?

Leon Russell Dies at 74, Legendary Rocker, Blues Man, Influenced Elton John Among Others

Roger Friedman
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Leon Russell Dies at 74, Legendary Rocker, Blues Man, Influenced Elton John Among Others

The great Leon Russell has died at age 74. The amazing rocker, blues man, pianist extraordinaire wrote his own hits like “A Song for You” and “This Masquerade” which were covered by many. He also had his own hits including “Tightrope” and “Delta Lady.” He was a member of Phil Spector’s Wrecking Crew that created the famous Wall of Sound, and influenced Elton John so much that the two made an award winning album called “The Union.” What a shame. This was an Artist. Add his name to the long list of music stars who’ve passed away in 2016.

Watch these videos below. After this incredible career, Russell was a little forgotten. Then Elton John told me he was making an album with Leon, who’d influenced him greatly. Elton told me, “Just listen to Tumbleweed Connection or Honky Chateau”– two of his beloved early albums– “it all comes from Leon.”

Because of Elton, Leon was finally inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. I was on the nominating committee that put Russell into the Songwriters Hall of Fame even before that happened. Russell was rediscovered. He made one last album produced by Don Was, called “Life Journey.”

Keep refreshing…

George Harrison and Leon Russell– Concert for Bangla Desh– one of the best recordings ever

Elton John and Leon:

Elton and Leon on The View

Leon was a huge part of Joe Cocker’s Mad Dogs and Englishmen. He was a Mad Dog, playing the piano here, his famous hat in place:

Leon talks about Phil Spector’s Wrecking Crew:

“SNL” Brilliant Opening: Kate McKinnon as Hillary Clinton Singing Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah”

Roger Friedman
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“SNL” Brilliant Opening: Kate McKinnon as Hillary Clinton Singing Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah”

“Saturday Night Live” serves up a brilliant cold opening night. Kate McKinnon, in another Emmy performance, is Hillary Clinton singing and playing the late Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah.” Just gorgeous. And then Dave Chappelle delivered the best monologue ever.

Watch Michael Moore’s Broadcast from Trump Tower– Including Trying to see The Donald

Roger Friedman
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Watch Michael Moore’s Broadcast from Trump Tower– Including Trying to see The Donald

Michael Moore visited Trump Tower early this morning, tried to see Donald, and was turned away. Fifth Avenue was fitted out for a riot, but no one was there. Then the protesters came. See the whole thing here:

(Watch) Sting Re-Open Paris’s Bataclan Theater with “Message in A Bottle” A Year After Terrorist Attack

Roger Friedman
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(Watch) Sting Re-Open Paris’s Bataclan Theater with “Message in A Bottle” A Year After Terrorist Attack

Sting is playing Paris’s Bataclan Theater in Paris– one year after the terrorist attack.

Here is singing “Message in a Bottle”:

Sting’s new album “57th and 9th” is full of hits. He appeared on Stephen Colbert’s Late Show on Thursday and performed “I Can’t Stop Thinking About You”:

There are plenty of instant classics on the album. Here’s one that I really love, called “Down Down Down”

There’s also a potential number 1 single with “One Fine Day”:

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