Steve Martin and Edie Brickell joined their star Carmen Cusack on stage last night at the Cort Theater. Steve picked up his banjo and the whole cast of “Bright Star” performed “Sun is Gonna Shine Again” from the show, which received a standing ovation.
Happy Birthday to the Queen of Soul, Miss Aretha Franklin!
Happy Birthday to the Queen of Soul, Miss Aretha Franklin. She turns 74 years young today, and she’s still rocking. The Queen was voted number 1 singer of all time by Rolling Stone, and she keeps rolling! Born in Memphis, raised in Detroit, Aretha is the standard bearer of all great American performers. She’ll celebrate today with her kids and grandkids in Detroit, then come to New York in mid April for her annual gala.
Here’s her beautiful tribute to Natalie Cole from New Year’s Day this year
And the Kennedy Center 1992
1975 Grammy Awards
and this past Kennedy Center Honors
Broadway Review: Steve Martin, Edie Brickell Score A Hit with Bluegrass “Bright Star”
So yes a star studded crowd came to see what Steve Martin and Edie Brickell have been up to for the last three years with “Bright Star.” Their bluegrass Broadway musical finally opened, directed by Walter Bobbie, music supervised by Peter Asher.
And the good news it’s all good news. The songs are lush and catchy, the performers are spot on. The show has a real star in Carmen Cusack, who — if you closed your eyes– could be a country superstar from Nashville. In fact, if “Nashville” comes back to TV this fall, the shows should cross-promote.
“Bright Star” however is set in and around Asheville, North Carolina just after World War II ends, and also about 23 years earlier. The people dress like they’re in “The Waltons.” There’s a lot of flannel, a lot of gingham, hats, gloves, fussy old fashioned furniture. It’s the world of Thomas Wolfe, and Carson McCullers, and Eudora Welty. The whole thing could be a novel from Algonquin Books.
Luckily. the songs are strong given Steve Martin’s banjo interests of the last 40 years and Edie Brickell’s ability to write hooks (go back to her lovely albums with the New Bohemians– they are full of gems). Plus Steve has taken the sometimes on-the-nose story and peppered it with enough humor to lighten the gloom that threatens to overcome the proceedings like a storm cloud but never does.
Oh yes, the audience: Paul Simon (Mr. Brickell) was present, as was Paul Shaffer, Diane Sawyer, director Barry Levinson, Steve and Jo Buscemi, Joel Grey, and Andrea Martin. Plus, there was value added– Howard Stern and wife Beth took aisle seats. And even more value added– famed artist Eric Fischl, as well as New York’s most important art patron, Agnes Gund, and art critic Peter Schjeldahl. Yes, Agnes Gund. That kicked our little Broadway world up several notches.
But back to the show: we know Steve Martin can play banjo and write music in his sleep. But Edie Brickell went into low profile mode after she married Paul Simon in the early 90s. What a pleasure to have her back. A lot of the songs in “Bright Star” are eminently hummable and should be covered by real country stars. “Always Will,” “Asheville,” and “At Long Last” are all hits.
The cast is top notch, from Carmen Cusack to the much too modest Dee Hoty. Paul Alexander Nolan is one of Cusack’s two leading men– he comes to us from “Dr. Zhivago” and A.J. Shively hold up their end for the guys admirably. Emily Padgett kind of steals the show in the supporting category– too bad she’ll have to go up against Jane Krakowski and Jennifer Hudson this year at the awards shows. That will be a hot category.
Beloved Comic, Actor Garry Shandling Dies Suddenly At Age 66: Report
This sucks: Garry Shandling has died at age 66.
American’s Official Ambulance Chaser, TMZ, reports that Shandling called an LA hospital (probably Cedars Sinai) and was whisked there. He died shortly thereafter. So far no one thinks he was ill with anything. What a shame.
Shandling is best known for “The Larry Sanders Show,” but also for many movies and TV appearances. He starred in a bad Mike Nichols movie called “What Planet Are You From?” But Nichols loved him, and there were lots of bright moments. In person he was always fun, always with a big smile.
Garry had a very funny Twitter feed. His last Tweet was a reTweeted photo from four days ago of him with Kathy Griffin and Bob Odenkirk. His last actual Tweet was about Kanye West
So @GarryShandling & I had to call Saul @mrBobOdenkirk pic.twitter.com/DcLhvfvaJZ
— Kathy Griffin (@kathygriffin) March 21, 2016
More to come, I guess. RIP Garry. Just terrible.
Daytime Emmy Awards Nominations (Full List) From “General Hospital” to ‘”Ellen”
Here’s the list of nominations for the Daytime Emmy AWards, from soap operas to talk shows to game shows. I don’t know how they come up with these nominees, and I don’t think I want to know. I do know from my limited observations that Finola Hughes, who basically plays Mrs. Peel from The Avengers on “General Hospital,” is the Best of the actresses. I’m sure everyone else is great too!
Outstanding Drama Series
The Bold and the Beautiful
Days of Our Lives
General Hospital
The Young and the Restless
Outstanding Culinary Program
America’s Test Kitchen
Cook’s Country
Giada In Italy
Mexico One Plate At A Time
Pati’s Mexican Table
Patricia Heaton Parties
Outstanding Legal/Courtroom Program
Divorce Court
Hot Bench
Judge Judy
Lauren Lake’s Paternity Court
The People’s Court
Outstanding Game Show
Jeopardy
Let’s Make A Deal
Monopoly Millionaires’ Club
The Price Is Right
Who Wants To Be A Millionaire
Outstanding Morning Program
CBS Sunday Morning
CBS This Morning
Good Morning America
Today
Outstanding Morning Program in Spanish
Café CNN
Despierta America
Un Nuevo Dia
Outstanding Talk Show/Informative
The Chew
The Dr. Oz Show
Larry King Now
The Doctors
The Kitchen
Outstanding Talk Show/Entertainment
The Ellen DeGeneres Show
The Real
The View
The Wendy Williams Show
The Talk
Outstanding Entertainment News Program
Access Hollywood
Extra
Entertainment Tonight
The Insider
TMZ
Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series
Tracey E. Bregman
Kassie DePavia
Mary Beth Evans
Finola Hughes
Maura West
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series
Tyler Christopher
Anthony Geary
Justin Hartley
Christian LeBlanc
Kristoff St. John
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series
Lauralee Bell
Jessica Collins
Linsey Godfrey
Peggy McCay
Melissa Reeves
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series
Sean Blakemore
Steve Burton
Bryton James
Jacob Young
Dominic Zamprogna
Outstanding Younger Actress in a Drama Series
Reign Edwards
Hunter King
True O’Brien
Ashlyn Pearce
Brooklyn Rae Silzer
Outstanding Younger Actor in a Drama Series
Nicholas Bechtel
Bryan Craig
Max Erich
Pierson Fode
Tequan Richmond
Outstanding Game Show Host
Craig Ferguson
Steve Harvey
Wayne Brady
Billy Gardell
Brooke Burns
Outstanding Entertainment Talk Show Host
Kelly Ripa and Michael Strahan
The Real co-hosts
The View co-hosts
Wendy Williams
The Talk co-hosts
Outstanding Informative Talk Show Host
The Chew co-hosts
Dr. Oz
Larry King
Peter Salgo
Steve Harvey
Outstanding Musical Performance in a Talk Show/Morning Program
Jeff Lynne’s ELO on CBS This Morning
Bruno Mars feat. Mark Ronson on The Ellen DeGeneres Show
Rachel Platten on Good Morning America
Adele on Today
Annie Lennox on The Talk
Outstanding Drama Series Writing Team
The Bold and the Beautiful
General Hospital
The Young and the Restless
Outstanding Drama Series Directing Team
The Bold and the Beautiful
Days Of Our Lives
General Hospital
The Young and the Restless
Outstanding Guest Performer In Drama Series
Anna Maria Horsford
Obba Babatunde
Adam Leadbeater
Dee Wallace
Frank Runyeon
Outstanding Digital Daytime Drama Series
East Los High
EastSiders
The Bay The Series
Vanity
Winterthorne
Outstanding Actress in a Digital Daytime Drama Series
Mary Beth Evans
Kathleen Gati
Elizabeth Hubbard
Lilly Melgar
Patsy Pease
Outstanding Actor in a Digital Daytime Drama Series
Kristos Andrews
Van Hansis
Rick Hearst
JD Pardo
Kevin Spirtas
Harvey Weinstein Will Pull Richard Pryor Bio Pic from Georgia if Anti-Gay Bill Passes
Harvey Weinstein has joined the chorus of movie industry people threatening to pull movies from the state of Georgia if their anti-gay rights bill passes.
Weinstein has just issued this statement:
“The Weinstein Company will not stand behind sanctioning the discrimination of LGBT people or any American. We have plans in place to begin filming Lee Daniels’ new film in Georgia later this year, but will move the production if this unlawful bill is enacted. We hope Governor Deal will veto bill HB 757 and not allow sanctioned bigotry to become law in Georgia.”
Disney and Marvel have also threatened to pull up stakes if the so called religious liberty bill passes. Marvel is currently shooting “Guardians of the Galaxy II” there. Georgia offers great tax incentives to film companies. But if that bill does pass, the large number of movie and TV productions will probably leave. The bill could also affect the recording industry down there.
Ken Howard aka “The White Shadow,” President of SAG-AFTRA, Has Died at Age 71
What a shame. Ken Howard, president of SAG-AFTRA, star of TV’s “White Shadow,” has died at age 71. He was just the nicest guy in the world. He was also a Broadway star, having a huge long resume that included the original “1776” and “See Saw” with Michele Lee. He had a long list of movie credits too including most recently “The Judge.”
You might not know this but among Ken’s ex wives were “Days of Our Lives” actress Louise Sorel, and Margo Howard, daughter of Eppie Lederer aka daughter of Ann Landers and niece of “Dear Abby” Abigail van Buren.
Condolences to his family. He really was a swell guy. I saw him at the BAFTA tea in January, and he was gregarious and open and friendly as usual. He will be missed.
Here’s the release from SAG:
We are deeply saddened to announce that SAG-AFTRA President Ken Howard passed away today.
Ken was an accomplished actor, author, teacher and unionist whose steady leadership as president of Screen Actors Guild positioned him to guide the union’s historic 2012 merger with American Federation of Television and Radio Artists. In addition to his many professional credits, awards and other laudatory work, he led the union for nearly seven years and was devoted to the interests of its membership.
SAG-AFTRA Acting President Gabrielle Carteris said, “Ken was an inspirational leader and it is an incredible loss for SAG-AFTRA, for his family and for everyone who knew him. He was a light that never dimmed and was completely devoted to the membership. He led us through tumultuous times and set our union on a steady course of excellence. We will be forever in his debt.”
National Executive Director David White said, “Ken was a remarkable leader and his powerful vision for this union was a source of inspiration for all of us. He was an exceptional person and we are deeply saddened by his passing. He had a remarkable career and he never forgot what it was like to be a working performer. The merger of SAG and AFTRA was something of a “North Star” for him and, once he fixed upon it, he never wavered from that goal. My heart goes out to his loving wife, Linda, and to their family. He will be deeply missed.”
Ken leaves a legacy of service, commitment and superlative success. He was an extraordinary actor whose career spanned Broadway, motion pictures and television. He was a Tony and Emmy Award winner and is best remembered for his groundbreaking network series “The White Shadow.”
Ken was elected to the national board of directors of Screen Actors Guild in 2008 and to the SAG presidency in 2009. He served two terms and was widely viewed as the leader of the 2012 merger that created SAG-AFTRA, ensuring meaningful representation for nearly 160,000 actors, broadcasters and recording artists now and into the future. He was appointed co-president upon merger and in 2013, became the first elected president of SAG-AFTRA and was reelected in 2015.
He led numerous union committees including chairing the television and theatrical negotiating committee through several rounds of bargaining resulting in nearly $1 billion in gains for members.
He was a hands-on leader and worked closely with national executive director David White in returning the union to fiscal stability. Howard was recognized with the George Heller Memorial Gold Card in 2015 – the union’s highest service honor, and in 2013 received the Leadership Recognition Award for his work on merging the unions.
Ken was active in the International Federation of Actors and served SAG-AFTRA and the national labor movement as vice president of the American Federation of Labor-Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO) and the Department of Professional Employees, AFL-CIO.
Broadway: Highly Touted “Shuffle Along” Shuts Down For Audra McDonald Sick Days, Etc
with updates
It’s not easy putting on a new Broadway show. They’re learning that the old fashioned way at the Music Box Theater.
“Shuffle Along,” the highly touted revival of a show no one knows, has shut down in previews for a variety of reasons including some retooling. The official opening night is April 28th, but the show stopped performances on Monday and may not be back in previews until April 2nd.
A release says the show only cancelled previews on Monday and Tuesday. “Shuffle Along” had already built in a hiatus from March 27th through April 1st for tweaking, rewrites, retooling, etc.
Update: A press rep says Audra McDonald is ill, which is why the show canceled performances Monday through today. They hope to come back before the hiatus begins on Sunday. In other words, there’s a chance of shows tomorrow, Friday and Saturday. We’ll stay on top of that.
George C. Wolfe directs Audra McDonald, Brian Stokes Mitchell, and Billy Porter in a musical about the making of the musical “Shuffle Along,” which was the first black musical on Broadway. Scott Rudin is the lead producer.
“Shuffle Along” will compete with the much loved “The Color Purple” and “She Loves Me” for Best Revival of a Musical if it makes it that far. And even if it does open on April 28th, McDonald leaves soon after for a three month hiatus. That significantly changes the box office popularity.
Theater: John Legend Will Produce Joe Morton Starring as Dick Gregory Off Broadway
The coolest political humorist of all, Dick Gregory, is about to get profiled in an off Broadway play.
John Legend and his producing partner Mike Jackson are bring Gregory to life — he’s still alive, thanks, and kicking at 83–in a play called “Turn Me Loose,” written by Gretchen Law.
The great Joe Morton stars as the comedian and civil rights activist. John Carlin co-stars, and John Legend has a new original song in the show.
Performances begin May 3rd at the Westside Theater, and opening night is May 19th.
John Legend says in a press release, “People like Dick Gregory, Paul Robeson, Harry Belafonte and Nina Simone show me what the definition of an artist is – it isn’t just to make art but to speak truth to what’s happening, speak beauty into the world, speak love into the world and also… get involved.”
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R&B Legend Luther Ingram’s Nephew Murdered 2 Years Ago in Atlanta, Still No Justice or Trial
The great R&B singer Luther Ingram sang “If Loving You is Wrong (I Don’t Want to be Right)” and co-wrote the Staples Singers hit “Respect Yourself.” But Ingram– a soft spoken star who died nine years ago– could never have imagined this situation: his nephew, Earl Michael Clemons, a student at DeVry Institute in Decatur, Georgia was murdered in January 2014. His alleged killer has never stood trial, and in Decatur– a leafy suburb of Atlanta– there has never been a single report about what happened.
Earl Michael, 28, was a semester away from graduation, studying Computer Forensics. He aspired to a job with the FBI. After not finishing school in his early 20s, he decided to join his sister in Decatur, at DeVry, where they shared an apartment while he worked toward his degree. He was all the things you might guess: outgoing, friendly, rational, a great young man with a bright future.
But on January 24, 2014 Clemons was allegedly lured to an abandoned construction site by an acquaintance named Andrew Jerome Troutman. Construction workers found Clemons’ body, dead from a brutal multiple stabbing. His alleged killer, Troutman, was arrested six days later, along with his mother– who lied to police and to obstruct his arrest.
What makes Troutman’s situation even more frustrating for Clemons’ parents, they say, is that they have been told he confessed to killing their son back in January 2014. (Peters, in the minute that we spoke, wouldn’t answer my questions.)
Troutman sat in prison until July 2015 until he finally made bail, which had been posted at $100,000. On a $10,000 bond he was set free. In October he was arrested for “simple battery” but that wasn’t enough to revoke his bail.
Troutman remained free until two weeks ago, when he was arrested for allegedly threatening a witness in the case. Now he’s back in jail, with no court date assigned. The prosecutor, Helen Peters, refuses to talk about the case. The judge, Clarence Seeliger, 35 years on the bench, has not returned calls.
Clemons’ parents, William and Michelle Langford– and other people I spoke to at the DeKalb County Courthouse– can’t figure out why Troutman was given a bond in the first place. Judge Seeliger, 70, faces re-election in May, and sources say feel he may be stalling on overseeing a controversial case. But no one really can explain it.
How could this happen in a well to do suburb of Atlanta? For one thing, no one — and I mean absolutely no one reported the murder in the press. Not any local TV, and absolutely not the Atlanta Journal Constitution.
Last week, knowing they wouldn’t get press in Atlanta, the Langfords were wise: they contacted their local CBS TV station in Illinois, which tipped off an Atlanta station. A camera crew arrived at the Decatur courthouse. “We think Judge Seeliger realized the case was finally getting some attention,” the Langfords told me.
| WBTV Charlotte
Will Earl Michael Clemons ever get real justice? Will Andrew Jerome Troutman ever stand trial? In the meantime, take a look at the video clip above, around 1:50, when the seemingly unrepentant Troutman– wearing a three piece suit– appears to be whistling as he’s taken to his jail cell.