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Yale Students Want $250 Mil Dorm Renamed for Aretha, Not Benjamin, Franklin

Roger Friedman
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Yale Students Want $250 Mil Dorm Renamed for Aretha, Not Benjamin, Franklin

This is a true story.

Students at Yale are demanding that a newly endowed $250 million dorm be named for Aretha Franklin, not Benjamin Franklin.

Billionaire Charles Bartlett Johnson, Yale ’54, has been an active and generous donor to his alma mater for years. He recently earmarked $250 million for a new residence hall. But he wants it to be called Benjamin Franklin College. This is the single largest donation to Yale ever.  Bartlett, whom I’ve reached out to, reveres Benjamin. The elder Franklin is Johnson’s “role model.” I’m not sure what he knows about Aretha.

Yale students, however, are saying they want it named Aretha Franklin College, after the legendary singer and writer. They’re circulating flyers all over campus, making t shirts, and basically causing a ruckus.

Benjamin Franklin received his honorary degree in 1953. He invented the lightning rod and discovered electricity.

Aretha Franklin received her honorary degree from Yale in 2010. She was named the greatest singer in the world by Rolling Stone, has dozens of Grammy Awards, hit records, and has performed for the Pope, presidents, and royalty. She’s also, uh, the Queen of Soul.

The Queen of Soul is on her way to Washington for the White House Correspondents Dinner and a jazz performance at the White House. I’ll let you know what she thinks when she surfaces.

UPDATE 5:46PM FRIDAY Aretha has sent a text: “Wowwaa unbelievable !!!!!ilove it yay to the Y,,,A,,,L,,,,,,E”

 

Photo courtesy of Yale News and Rachel Treisman

(Tip of the hat to David Friedman, and to Maya Sweedler)

David Gest: No Hollywood Stars or Famous Musicians Attend London Funeral of Michael Jackson’s Best Friend

Roger Friedman
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David Gest: No Hollywood Stars or Famous Musicians Attend London Funeral of Michael Jackson’s Best Friend

David Gest was one of the creepiest people I ever wrote about. And I wrote about him a lot during the height of Michael Jackson’s infamy. They were best pals. Gest produced Michael’s 30th anniversary solo shows and wound up marrying Liza Minnelli. Then it all came crashing down.

Gest’s funeral yesterday was attended by people you and I have never heard of– British reality stars from cheesy TV shows. Gest moved there several years ago and became a celebrity weirdo in the UK tabloid press. They liked the fact that he looked like Mr. Potato Head.

But in the US, Gest’s calling card for years was being buddies with aging Hollywood stars and retired R&B singers. He’d been the publicist in its latter days for Hi Records, where he represented Al Green and Ann Peebles. He was like a tour master for State Fairs later. At the Minnelli wedding, he brought in a slew of them.

None of them showed for the funeral, however. According to reports, even his sister didn’t come. It’s an ignominious ending for David Gest, who ran a charity here called the American Cinema Awards and listed dead people as officers to grab tax free salaries. He was a great character to write about because he had no conscience but he always had a scheme.

The British papers say he spoke at his own funeral. How appropriate. Who better to eulogize David Gest than David Gest?

Good characters are good copy. He will be missed.

Tony Awards Shoot Down “Shuffle Along,” Classified Original, Will Lose to “Hamilton”

Roger Friedman
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Tony Awards Shoot Down “Shuffle Along,” Classified Original, Will Lose to “Hamilton”

“Shuffle Along” is cooked at the Tonys. The Tony committee has announced they consider the George C. Wolfe musical new and original, not a revival. That puts “Shuffle Along” in direct contention with “Hamilton,” which will just about everything. While “Shuffle Along” will get a lot of nominations, their best best is maybe Best Actress in a Musical– Audra McDonald– and Best Choreography– Savion Glover. But even those are long shots. With McDonald leaving mid June for three months off, “Shuffle Along”– a pricey show– is now facing a long hot summer.

The Best Musical nominees should be:
Hamilton
Shuffle Along
School of Rock
Waitress

Kelly vs. Michael: Coincidence That It’s Timed With TV’s May Sweeps Ratings?

Roger Friedman
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Kelly vs. Michael: Coincidence That It’s Timed With TV’s May Sweeps Ratings?

Yes, Kelly Ripa brought up Michael Strahan’s divorce today on their show. But the show was taped yesterday. It’s much ado about nothing. The show is WRITTEN. Strahan knew they were going to discuss “bird nesting.”

I think it’s more interesting that this is all happening exactly as the May sweeps start in TV ratings. Kelly’s Tuesday return spiked the ratings. The next day the sweeps period began. Now they’re going to do a big finale with Strahan on May 13th in the middle of the ratings period.

Sweeps occur in February, May, July, and November. That’s when nighttime TV shows give you cliffhangers and guest stars. Soap operas kill or marry off characters to stir interest. And Kelly and Michael snipe at each other.

In the old days, publicists used to plant items in the supermarket tabs that Regis and Kathie “hated” each other. In fact, they were best of pals, and dined together on weekends.

Watch social media, etc get ginned up to a fever pitch over the next two weeks. This is genius old fashioned publicity. Everyone is talking about this show. It’s not an accident.

Paul Simon Drops a Couple of Ironic F Bombs in Great New Single “Cool Papa Bell”

Roger Friedman
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Paul Simon Drops a Couple of Ironic F Bombs in Great New Single “Cool Papa Bell”

Paul Simon drops a couple of F bombs and the word ‘shit’ in his new single “Cool Papa Bell.” The single is from Simon’s new album “Stranger to Stranger,” due June 3rd. Like its predecessor, “Wristband,” this song is bass heavy with an unusual construction that echoes Simon’s songs stretching from “Cecilia” to “50 Ways to Leave Your Lover” to “Boy in the Bubble.” The cursing is ironic. Simon probably thinks he can’t get played on radio anymore so why not do whatever he wants. What can I say? I think he’s brilliant, one of the greatest artistic innovators.

“Cool Papa Bell was a baseball player in the Negro Leagues from 1922 to 1950,” Simon observes in the album notes. “He was considered one of the fastest men ever to play the game. Legend has it that Bell could turn off a light switch and be in bed before the light went out. He once bunted a triple. A friend gave me a painting of Cool Papa Bell, and somehow he found his way into a song.”

Pop: Drake Zooms to Number 1, Knocks Off Beyonce “Lemonade” and Prince Catalog

Roger Friedman
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Pop: Drake Zooms to Number 1, Knocks Off Beyonce “Lemonade” and Prince Catalog

Well, it’s been a week since Prince died and his catalog of albums overwhelmed the top 10 on iTunes.

Then Beyonce released her album on Monday morning, and she knocked Prince off handily. Beyonce put a bunch of tracks on the singles chart, and went into a tug of war with Prince.

Now it’s Friday morning. At midnight, Drake’s “Views” was released just to iTunes and went straight to number 1. Bang! Zoom! Just like that. This is all in the space of eight days. Crazy, huh?

“Views” has helped push Drake’s latest single, “One Dance” up into the top 5. The album also contains “Hotline Bling,” Drake’s seminal track from this last year. It’s the last of 20 titles on “Views.”

No one can say the record business isn’t hopping! But where is it hopping? Albums are dropping without notice, or just on some services and not on others. It’s all kind of random, which makes marketing hard. What’s next? Alicia Keys is playing a new song next Saturday on “Saturday Night Live.” Maybe she’ll surprise release it.

But all this digital releasing means there really is no physical product anymore. The CD has become an adjunct. The digital download isn’t even important. Very, very weird.

PS At least Drake is on iTunes and not Tidal. The one album that’s really screwed up from all this chaotic mess is Kanye West’s “Life of Pablo.”

But just think — it’s the end of April and we already have potential Grammy nominees in Adele, David Bowie, Beyonce, Kanye, Rihanna, and Drake. That part is pretty exciting.

Review: “Shuffle Along” Is the Black “42nd Street” with No Plot and a Star Who Leaves in June

Roger Friedman
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Review: “Shuffle Along” Is the Black “42nd Street” with No Plot and a Star Who Leaves in June

The official title of the new musical “Shuffle Along: Or the Making of the Musical Sensation of 1921 and Everything that Followed” is just about as long as the show itself. Tonight’s reviews are omitting one salient point– the show clocks in at three hours. The first act is very good, and you could easily leave at intermission and never miss a thing. But with ticket prices up around $200, you’re going to come back and see what happens.

This is what happens: all these people we love from Broadway– George C. Wolfe, Audra McDonald, Brian Stokes Mitchell, Savion Glover, not to mention Eubie Blake– they’ve thrown themselves into a huge freakin’ mess of a show that could use another few months to sort itself out before the reviews come in. And you know, everyone in the theater community loves these guys, so no one is going to say it. But “Shuffle Along etc.” has no actual story or plot, undeveloped characters, and a lot of historical lectures.

It also has a star– Audra McDonald– who radiates on stage. You can’t get enough of her. The show’s website and the ads, etc splash her name everywhere. But she is leaving in six weeks for the summer. She doesn’t return until mid September. So good luck with that.

In Wolfe and Glover there is talent and genius to spare. Considering what they were given– a big history lesson and no idea what to do with it– they stage “Shuffle Along” as brilliantly as they can. And in the first act, which tells the story of how all these people put on the first ever real black musical in 1921, they just shine shine shine. We get the entire saga of how hard it was to bring “Shuffle Along” to New York in 1921, how they chose a theater on West 63rd St., how Blake and his songwriter partner, and the producers, were in debt and doubt.

And then the final number of Act 1– “Wild About Harry”– Audra McDonald brings down the house, “Shuffle Along” is a hit. George Gershwin even comes and nicks a few notes for his songs. Good night, and good luck.

But you spent $200 or more including the sitter and parking, etc. So you do come back. Act 2: After “Shuffle Along” became a hit, all of the people involved fought with each other. They had failures. Nothing lived up to their great success. The show grinds down and down until finally, the five leads– each of whom has to have a big number of their own– turns to the audience and tells you when and how  they died. I am not kidding. It’s like “Our Town,” the jazz version. The show ends with a lecture about black history. Eubie Blake (the excellent Brandon Victor Dixon) reveals that he wasn’t actually 100 when the world celebrated his centennial, he was really 96.

If you love tap dancing and syncopation (and need a primer about how they began) then “Shuffle Along” is the show for you. Savion Glover’s numbers– and there are a lot of them– make this the black “42nd Street.” Some numbers run back to back because there’s no story. But that’s ok. All of them are wonderful, especially the ones that use hard wooden luggage for percussion. I only wish they’d put one of these numbers at the very end, so you could leave the theater humming or tapping.

The importance of “Shuffle Along” is that like an August Wilson play or “Hamilton,” it fills in a big blank. Like much of black history in America, it’s unknown. So we’re relieved it’s finally being told. And yes, these performers are the creme de la creme. You can’t do better. Brian Stokes Mitchell? He’s like buttah. Also, you get this great extra book with the Playbill– a replica of the 1921 program with all kinds of extra information. It’s very helpful.

But this is not “Hamilton.” I have no idea who or what I was supposed to root for– for the show to go on? For Audra McDonald to get over the flu? (She’s missed a lot of performances.) For a list of songs to be provided? (Not in the Playbill.)

And is this a revival or original show? It’s original because really no one alive ever saw the original “Shuffle Along.” The whole thing is brand new as far as I’m concerned.

As for the length: keep cutting. The night I went, someone who works in theater told me: “Before our break, the show was three hours and ten minutes. I’m sure it’s shorter now.” It ain’t, by much. And it still needs an ending. But go, and be razzle dazzled by these players and the sheer ingenuity of how this has been attempted.

PS Like all Scott Rudin produced shows, there is no real opening night, no press invited, no photos, it’s all done in a kind of mean secrecy. So The Crucible, Blackbird, and The Humans all got this treatment this season. I paid $80 for two tickets to “Shuffle Along” on its Actors Fund night, and I’m glad I did.

 

Julia Roberts, Jennifer Aniston, Kate Hudson: 3 Female Movie Stars Headed to Box Office Disaster

Roger Friedman
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Julia Roberts, Jennifer Aniston, Kate Hudson: 3 Female Movie Stars Headed to Box Office Disaster

Who will see “Mother’s Day” this weekend?

So far, Garry Marshall’s star studded comedy is rating a 10 on Rotten Tomatoes, and sinking fast. Apparently it’s not very funny, and incredibly perfunctory. Are we shocked? No.

But the star power of Julia Roberts, Jennifer Aniston, and Kate Hudson was what put this film together. And now the three ladies– who could make a red carpet ablaze in lightbulbs– are about to go down with the ship.

Toronto Sun: “Mother’s Day seems more like a contractual commitment than a creative exercise.”

IndieWire: “Mother’s Day doesn’t feel like a movie so much as it does a cinematic adaptation of Walmart.”

Variety: “Atrociously written, begrudgingly acted, haphazardly assembled and never more backward than when it thinks it’s being progressive …”

And get this: there are 29 producer credits listed on imdb. Luckily there will be no fight over who accepts the Oscar. Just the Razzie.

Stay tuned for Saturday morning numbers. Aniston and Roberts get big paychecks. Like $5 million. Hudson didn’t do it for free. Jason Sudeikis gets a nice chunk of change. And Garry Marshall probably has a good quote. If they needed 29 producers, the budget for this is much higher than it should be. Uh oh. And Roberts has her three kids in there as credited small parts. Good lord.

Broadway: Drama Desk Snubs Most Big Name Black Actors Like Audra McDonald, Lupita Nyong’o, Forest Whitaker

Roger Friedman
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Broadway: Drama Desk Snubs Most Big Name Black Actors Like Audra McDonald, Lupita Nyong’o, Forest Whitaker

How very odd: in a year with a lot of black actors, stars, and shows, the Drama Desk nominations went very white. “Hamilton” wasn’t eligible since it won last year as an off Broadway show. But the Drama Desk folks pretty much ignored the play “Eclipsed,” with one acting nomination only. Nothing for the playwright Danai Gurira, or her off Broadway play, “Familiar.”

The Drama Desk snubbed Oscar winner Lupita Nyong’o. They also skipped the entire cast of “Shuffle Along,” although it was on the list for Best Musical. Forest Whitaker’s turn as “Hughie” was also ignored. “The Color Purple” did a little better, but there was nothing for Jennifer Hudson. Only three non-whites were nominated in the acting categories.

All I can say is, these people are tone deaf. They should not be giving out awards. Last year, haha, they did give “Hamilton” Best Musical and Renee Elise Goldsberry Best Featured Actress in A Musical, which was fine. But nothing in the acting for any of the men including Lin-Manuel Miranda. Embarrassing.

Also snubbed by the Drama Desk– “American Psycho” almost entirely, and “Tuck Everlasting” completely.

Outstanding Play
The Christians, Playwrights Horizons
The Humans, Roundabout Theatre Company
John, Signature Theatre
King Charles III
The Royale, Lincoln Center Theater

Outstanding Musical
First Daughter Suite, Public Theater
Daddy Long Legs
School of Rock
Shuffle Along
Waitress

Outstanding Revival of a Play
Cloud Nine, Atlantic Theater Company
Death of a Salesman, New Yiddish Rep
Henry IV, Donmar Warehouse at St. Ann’s Warehouse
Long Day’s Journey Into Night, Roundabout Theatre Company
A View From the Bridge
Women Without Men, Mint Theater Company

Outstanding Revival of a Musical
The Color Purple
The Golden Bride, National Yiddish Theatre Folksbiene
Fiddler on the Roof
She Loves Me, Roundabout Theatre Company
Spring Awakening

Outstanding Actor in a Play
Andrew Garman, The Christians, Playwrights Horizons
Avi Hoffman, Death of a Salesman
Frank Langella, The Father, Manhattan Theatre Club
Tim Pigott-Smith, King Charles III
Mark Strong, A View From the Bridge

Outstanding Actress in a Play
Georgia Engel, John, Signature Theatre
Mamie Gummer, Ugly Lies the Bone, Roundabout Undeground
Marin Ireland, Ironbound, Rattlestick Playwrights Theater/Women’s Project Theater
Jessica Lange, Long Day’s Journey Into Night
Nicola Walker, A View From the Bridge

Outstanding Actor in a Musical
Danny Burstein, Fiddler on the Roof
Robert Creighton, Cagney, York Theatre Company
Michael C. Hall, Lazarus, New York Theatre Workshop
Zachary Levi, She Loves Me
Benjamin Walker, American Psycho

Outstanding Actress in a Musical
Laura Benanti, She Loves Me
Carmen Cusack, Bright Star
Cynthia Erivo, The Color Purple
Jessie Mueller, Waitress
Annette O’Toole, Southern Comfort, Public Theater

Outstanding Featured Actor in a Play
Bill Camp, The Crucible
David Furr, Noises Off, Roundabout Theatre Company
Matt McGrath, The Legend of Georgia McBride, MCC Theater
Richard Thomas, Incident at Vichy, Signature Theatre
Michael Shannon, Long Day’s Journey Into Night

Outstanding Featured Actress in a Play
Brooke Bloom, Cloud Nine
Megan Hilty, Noises Off
Kellie Overbey, Women Without Men
Saycon Sengbloh, Eclipsed, Public Theater
Jeanine Serralles, Gloria, Vineyard Theatre

Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical
Nicholas Barasch, She Loves Me
Christopher Fitzgerald, Waitress
Baylee Littrell, Disaster!
Paul Alexander Nolan, Bright Star
A.J. Shively, Bright Star

Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical
Danielle Brooks, The Color Purple
Alison Fraser, First Daughter Suite
Rachel Bay Jones, Dear Evan Hansen, Second Stage
Jane Krakowski, She Loves Me
Mary Testa, First Daughter Suite

Outstanding Director of a Play
Rachel Chavkin, The Royale
Sam Gold, John
Rupert Goold, King Charles III
Joe Mantello, The Humans
Jenn Thompson, Women Without Men
Ivo van Hove, A View From the Bridge

Outstanding Director of a Musical
Michael Arden, Spring Awakening
John Doyle, The Color Purple
Rupert Goold, American Psycho
Bartlett Sher, Fiddler on the Roof
Bryna Wasserman, Motl Didner, The Golden Bride

Outstanding Choreography
Joshua Bergasse, Cagney
Spencer Liff, Spring Awakening
Lynne Page, American Psycho
Randy Skinner, Dames at Sea
Savion Glover, Shuffle Along

Outstanding Music
Sara Bareilles, Waitress
Michael John LaChiusa, First Daughter Suite
Andrew Lloyd Webber, School of Rock
The Lobbyists, SeaWife, Naked Angels
Steve Martin and Edie Brickell, Bright Star

Outstanding Lyrics
Sara Bareilles, Waitress
Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, Dear Evan Hansen
Glenn Slater, School of Rock
Michael John LaChiusa, First Daughter Suite

Outstanding Orchestrations
August Eriksmoen, Bright Star
Larry Hochman, She Loves Me, Roundabout Theatre Company
Joseph Joubert/Catherine Jayes, The Color Purple
Andrew Lloyd Webber, School of Rock
Michael Starobin/Bruce Coughlin, First Daughter Suite

Outstanding Music in a Play
Billie Joe Armstrong, These Paper Bullets!, Atlantic Theatre Company
Estelle Bajou, Please Excuse My Dear Aunt Sally, One Year Lease Theater Company
Shaun Davey, Pericles, Theatre for a New Audience
Philip Glass, The Crucible
Tom Kitt, Cymbeline, New York Shakespeare Festival

Outstanding Set Design for a Play
Riccardo Hernandez, Red Speedo, New York Theatre Workshop
Mimi Lien, John
G.W. Mercier, Head of Passes, Public Theater
Christopher Oram, Hughie
Derek McLane, Fully Committed

Outstanding Set Design for a Musical
Es Devlin, American Psycho
Emily Orling, Matt Saunders, Eric Farber, Futurity, Soho Rep/Ars Nova
David Rockwell, She Loves Me

Outstanding Costume Design for a Play
Jessica Ford, These Paper Bullets!
Martha Hally, Women Without Men
Constance Hoffman, Pericles
William Ivey Long, Shows for Days, Lincoln Center Theater
Anita Yavich, The Legend of Georgia McBride

Outstanding Costume Design for a Musical
Jane Greenwood, Bright Star
Katrina Lindsay, American Psycho
Jeff Mahshie, She Loves Me
Alejo Vietti, Allegiance
Ann Roth, Shuffle Along

Outstanding Lighting Design for a Play
Neil Austin, Hughie
Mark Barton, John
Bradley King, Empanada Loca, Labyrinth Theater Company
Tyler Micoleau, Antlia Pneumatica, Playwrights Horizons
Justin Townsend, The Humans

Outstanding Lighting Design for a Musical
Jane Cox, The Color Purple
Jake DeGroot, SeaWife
Ben Stanton, Spring Awakening
Justin Townsend, American Psycho
Jules Fisher/Peggy Eisenhauer, Shuffle Along

Outstanding Projection Design
Nicholas Hussong, These Paper Bullets!
Darrel Maloney, Tappin’ Thru Life
Peter Nigrini, Dear Evan Hansen
Finn Ross, American Psycho
Tal Yarden, Lazarus

Outstanding Sound Design in a Play
Fitz Patton, An Act of God
Fitz Patton, The Humans
Miles Polaski, Fulfillment, The Flea Theatre
Bray Poor, John
Ryan Rumery, Empanada Loca

Outstanding Sound Design in a Musical
Mick Potter, School of Rock
Brian Ronan, Lazarus
Nevin Steinberg, Bright Star
Dan Moses Schreier, American Psycho
Scott Lehrer, Shuffle Along

Outstanding Wig and Hair
David Brian Brown, She Loves Me
Jason Hayes, The Legend of Georgia McBride
Robert-Charles Vallance, Women Without Men
Charles G. LaPointe, The School for Scandal, Red Bull Theater
Mia M. Neal, Shuffle Along

Outstanding Solo Performance
Simon Callow, Tuesdays at Tesco’s, 59E59
Kathleen Chalfant, Rose, Nora’s Playhouse
James Lecesne, The Absolute Brightness of Leonard Pelkey
Daphne Rubin-Vega, Empanada Loca
Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Fully Committed

Unique Theatrical Experience
ADA/AVA, Manual Cinema/3LD/The Tank
Antigona – Soledad Barrio/Noche Flamenca
That Physics Show
The Very Hungry Caterpillar Show
YOUARENOWHERE – 3LD/The Tank

Exclusive: Antonio Banderas In the Mix for “Salvador Dali” Movie from “American Psycho” Director

Roger Friedman
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Exclusive: Antonio Banderas In the Mix for “Salvador Dali” Movie from “American Psycho” Director

Lots of talk and buzz last night at the premiere of Matt Brown’s “The Man Who Knew Infinity” starring Jeremy Irons and Dev Patel. The Merchant-Ivory-like story of India’s premiere mathematician opens tomorrow with gorgeous Devika Bhise (graduate of Manhattans’ tony Brearley School and Johns Hopkins, no less) featured prominently. I almost forget I had the pleasure of sitting next to Devika in January at Lynn Hirschberg’s W Magazine “It Girl” lunch in Hollywood. Now she’s a movie star!

Dev Patel, still just 26, has never stopped working after his memorable debut in “Slumdog Millionaire” at age 17. Between “Exotic Hotel” movies and “The Newsroom,” Patel is on a fast track. He plays Srinivasa Ramanujan Iyengar who went from poverty in India to becoming a Royal fellow at Cambridge University in England during World War I. He died at age 32. Ramanujan is revered in India, director Mira Nair told me last night. “He’s probably second to Gandhi in being a legend.”

The famous producer Ed Pressman, wife Annie and son Sam produced “Infinity” and their next project, fingers crossed, is “American Psycho” director Mary Harron’s take on “Salvador Dali.” Antonio Banderas may play Dali, which sounds like a great idea. (Mark Rylance’s name has been mentioned, too. He’s become an overnight Meryl Streep, but he’s not right for everything.) The Pressmans, by the way, assembled an all star crew to make “Infinity”– you won’t see another movie this sumptuous looking this year.

Also at “Infinity”– the original super model Lauren Hutton, director Simon Curtis, who’s going to make the American version of “The Untouchables,” as well as “Finding Neverland” Broadway star Laura Michelle Kelly, Bob Balaban and wife Lynn, Martha Stewart, and Blaine Trump, ex sister in law of Donald.

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