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Take it to the Limit: Wife of Ex-Eagles Bassist Randy Meisner Dead from Gun Shot

Roger Friedman
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Take it to the Limit: Wife of Ex-Eagles Bassist Randy Meisner Dead from Gun Shot

UPDATE: Reports are that LAPD have cleared Meisner in the accidental shooting. Lana Rae was moving the rifle in its case, and the gun went off.  How completely strange.

EARLIER: RadarOnline broke the story this morning: the Lana Rae Meisner, wife of the Eagles’ founding member and bassist Randy Meisner, died from a gunshot last night at home in Los Angeles.

Earlier in the evening, the police had been called to the Meisner for a domestic dispute. An hour later, Lana Rae was dead.

Meisner helped form the Eagles in 1971 after being kicked out of Poco, another Southern Los Angeles country rock group. He wrote the hit “Take it to the Limit,” which borrowed heavily from the Gamble and Huff hit “If You Don’t Know Me By Now.” He left the group after “Hotel California” in 1977.

Meisner has a history of trouble, with suicide threats, alcohol, and erratic behavior. He told police that Lana Rae was rummaging around in a closet and a gun suddenly fell and blew her head off.

The Meisner scandal comes just a short time after the tragic death of the Eagles’ main founder, Glenn Frey, from a combination of illnesses.

#BroadwaySoBlack: “Eclipsed” Joins “Hamilton,” “The Color Purple,” “Shuffle Along” in a Historic Tony Awards Race

Roger Friedman
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#BroadwaySoBlack: “Eclipsed” Joins “Hamilton,” “The Color Purple,” “Shuffle Along” in a Historic Tony Awards Race

You never know what’s going to pan out in a Broadway season. But now the Public Theater has sent us the likely Best Play and Best Musical of this Tony season, and they are each created and acted by non white, dare we say mostly black, artists.

On Sunday night, an amazing quintet of women opened on Broadway in “Eclipsed,” a play about female warriors of the Liberian Freedom movement circa 2003. Oscar winner Lupita Nyong’o stars in it, but all of the women in this remarkable play are superstars. Playwright Danai Gurira (you may know her as an actress from TV’s “The Walking Dead”) is the star of the spring season. Liesl Tommy directs with enormous imagination and sensitivity.

We know Lupita as the “overnight star” from “12 Years a Slave.” But the Yale Drama School grad was already a theater sensation when she won her Oscar. The four other actresses–Saycon Sengbloh, Akosua Busia, Zainab Jah, and (my personal favorite) Pascale Armand are absolutely sensational. These Liberian women are held hostage, raped, and treated like animals. Still their sense of humor is intact. And Gurira has woven in a witty bit about the Clintons and Monica Lewinsky to lighten the darkness.

So here we have “Eclipsed.” But the Public also gave us “Hamilton,” the presumptive winner of any award available and certainly the Tony for Best Musical. The soundtrack is a bestseller, the show was featured on the Grammy Awards, tickets are impossible. The Pulitzer Prize is looming for Lin-Manuel Miranda’s work of genius.

And lest we forget– coming shortly is “Shuffle Along,” directed by George C. Wolfe, with an all star black cast starting with Audra McDonald, Brian Stokes Mitchell and Billy Porter. What a group!

Plus, the revival of “The Color Purple” is a knockout, with plenty of awards coming, including Best Actress in Musical for Cynthia Erivo and Supporting Actress for Jennifer Hudson– nominations if not the actual awards.

And Oscar winner Forest Whitaker may be closing in “Hughie.” But his performance will certainly be remembered in the awards mix.

#BroadwaySoBlack? or The Great Black Way. What a nice surprise that the theater can show movies the path to the future.

“Downton Abbey” Gets A Perfect Finale, and Send Off– For Now

Roger Friedman
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“Downton Abbey” Gets A Perfect Finale, and Send Off– For Now

What can you say? Julian Fellowes really deserves all kudos and accolades. The finale of “Downton Abbey” couldn’t have been better. The show gets a fitting ending–at least for now, because there will most certainly be a movie that brings it all to an end.

But everyone got a happy ending, even miserable Barrow. (I kept thinking Miss O’Brien would return at the last minute and blow it all up.) Edith married into quite a scene with Bertie, didn’t she? An actual castle trumps Downton Abbey. Even her new mother in law got with the program.

All of the “Downton” characters were so well developed over time, and never ever stepped out of their personas. Even Isobel, at the very end, gave a kind of kick to Violet. Maggie Smith and Penelope Wilton were really the super couple of the show. We could watch them bicker into the next century.

I do think my favorite story arc was that of Mr. Molesley. Remember when he was sweeping up in the village, unemployed and bereft? His life became a triumph. You can only imagine that he marries Baxter. His life wasn’t over, after all.

And while the whole cast is superb, special mention always goes to Maggie Smith. The scene two weeks ago with Lord Merton’s daughter in law, and then the conversation in her drawing room tonight with Isobel– in which she revealed that she will reveal nothing– were beyond sublime.

We’ve seen in this and in the penultimate episode the probable winner of the Emmy award for Best Drama. I don’t think there’s anything on TV or any other “platform” that could touch the production, writing, acting, etc. Just wait now til the ratings come out. What a night for PBS.

I met Julian Fellowes back around 2000, when he wrote (with Bob Balaban) Robert Altman’s movie “Gosford Park.” That movie is sort of the template for “Downton.” And just think– he wrote the book for the hit Broadway show “School of Rock” in the last couple of years while he was writing every single episode of “Downton Abbey.” He and his beautiful wife Emma two of the loveliest people you could hope to meet or write about it. All we can do is thank him for such a great addition to the culture.

And PS– we learned something: the hand held hair dryer went on sale around 1915. By 1925, it was not uncommon to have one.

Box Office: Tina Fey’s “Whiskey Tango Foxtrot” Dances Paramount Into More Trouble

Roger Friedman
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Box Office: Tina Fey’s “Whiskey Tango Foxtrot” Dances Paramount Into More Trouble

Yes. Disney’s “Zootopia” finished number 1 and set a record for animated movies released in March when warm weather was near.

But Tina Fey’s “Whiskey Tango Foxtrot” made just $7.6 million for the entire weekend, and joined “Zoolander 2” in Paramount’s winter of discontent.

Even though “WTF” cost less than “Z2”– $35 million to $45 million — the prospect of breaking even is a dream. Foreign interest is probably nil. Everyone loves a funny Tina Fey, and she is a brilliant writer. But that kind of vehicle might have worked a little better with a movie star to pull it along. Whatever happened to Renee Zellweger?

Anyway, Paramount has “Star Trek” in the summer and strong slates coming for 2017 and 2018. But we still have to get through 2016.

Meanwhile “London Has Fallen” made $21 million, far more than it deserved. Prospects are not pleasant, however. Weird how Focus Films went from indie gay-themed minor attractions to overblown studio films. Focus needs focus.

Madonna Posts Disturbing Video, Message on Instagram Relating to Custody Case Over Son

Roger Friedman
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Madonna Posts Disturbing Video, Message on Instagram Relating to Custody Case Over Son

What is Madonna doing? She’s pouring fat onto the fire as they used to say. She’s using social media to antagonize her 15 year old son Rocco and his father Guy Ritchie.

This past week, a New York judge ruled that Rocco should stay in London and in school. The kid is happy there. Madonna, it should be pointed out, is on a worldwide tour. Maybe Rocco just wants to be in a house with people and a school with friends, and be a teenager. Maybe he doesn’t want to go from city to city with the “Rebel Heart” tour. He has that right. The tour has been going on since September and doesn’t end until March 20th in Australia. There are reports that she sang “La Vie En Rose” the other night in relation to Rocco. That’s kind of ironic since she sang it in January for ex husband Sean Penn at his Haiti fundraiser in Los Angeles.

Madonna, however, won’t stop. She posted this eerie clown video over the weekend:

Tears of a Clown. 😂❌ 🍷

A video posted by Madonna (@madonna) on

She also posted this vulgar cartoon, suggesting that she’s got some thing on Ritchie. Rocco uses social media. He can see this. But Madonna doesn’t seem to get it.

Box Office: No Boost for Oscar Players Except (Sorta) “Spotlight” plus, “Zoolander 2” FInal Sale

Roger Friedman
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Box Office: No Boost for Oscar Players Except (Sorta) “Spotlight” plus, “Zoolander 2” FInal Sale

Friday’s box office carried a few messages.

First, “Zoolander 2” says goodbye, losing $80 million. This is the last weekend anyone will be able to see “Z2” on a big screen, and most people will continue to ignore it. The Ben Stiller – Owen Wilson comedy will finish its run with less than $30 million domestic, and around $50 mill worldwide. The write down at Viacom will make headlines.

Zecond, The Oscars didn’t give a boost to any nominee except maybe Best Picture “Spotlight.” Open Road upped its theatres for a week, and the increase helped a little bit at the box office. But not much. “Spotlight” will fall into the future headlines of Oscar movies like “The Hurt Locker” that were small earners.

But the Oscars didn’t help “The Revenant” at all. Neither did Leonardo DiCaprio’s Oscar. They did less well this weekend than last. Some days you eat the bear, some days the bear eats you.

Disney’s “Zootopia” is an another huge hit for the Maus Haus.

“London Has Fallen” but so has Focus Features.

Alicia Keys’ and Swizz Beatz’ 5 Year old Son Egypt is a Producer on Kendrick Lamar’s New Album

Roger Friedman
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Alicia Keys’ and Swizz Beatz’ 5 Year old Son Egypt is a Producer on Kendrick Lamar’s New Album

Watch this Instagram posted by Kenrick Lamar. Egypt, Alicia Keys’ and Swizz Beatz’s five year old son, is listed as a producer on Kendrick’s new album released today on iTunes. Egypt is shown playing keyboards. Kendrick writes: “Shout out to the youth! No help on the beat!” Clive Davis is signing him even as we speak…

#HollywoodSoWhite: “The Intern” Doesn’t Have One Black Actor Except Robert De Niro’s Stepdaughter

Roger Friedman
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#HollywoodSoWhite: “The Intern” Doesn’t Have One Black Actor Except Robert De Niro’s Stepdaughter

Well, I just finally watched Nancy Meyers’ charming all-white fantasy, “The Intern.” Robert De Niro and Anne Hathaway are lovely, Rene Russo was a welcome surprise. Anders Holm is fine as Anne’s house husband.

But if you want to know why #Oscarsowhite exists, “The Intern” is the reason. There isn’t a single black person in it except for Drena De Niro, Robert De Niro’s stepdaughter — and in a minor role.

The movie is set in Brooklyn, where I am sure I have seen black people in the past. Anne Hathaway runs a big internet company that sells some kind of clothes– they fit you, I don’t know. She has 216 people working for her in this company and not one of them is black– not her assistant, or the three other “interns” who come in with DeNiro, not the Andrew Rannells character who’s her second in command, not even her driver, whom De Niro dismisses.

Why are black actors fed up? “The Intern” is why. I’ve worked in a few offices in New York City in the last couple of decades. I have never seen an office as white as Anne Hathaway’s in that movie. It’s not unrealistic, it’s insulting. I know Nancy Meyers is famous for constructing these upper middle class Anglo fantasies. But really.

If Hollywood is going to change, then it’s not when the movies get to Oscar season. It’s when they are made. Casting directors, studio executives, directors, must make an effort to integrate their movies. And don’t tell me there are black actors for these roles. I will send you five for each of those supporting roles right now.

PS. Good lord: Anne and Anders live in a $5 million townhouse. So does Robert De Niro’s character, a retired middle manager who used to sell ads for the Yellow Pages. And his house looks like it was decorated by Williams Sonoma and Pottery Barn. LOL. They should have called it “Miracle on Montague Street.”

Pop Charts: Adele Knocked Off Number 1 By Upstart Rock Group The 1975– Time to Start Streaming?

Roger Friedman
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Pop Charts: Adele Knocked Off Number 1 By Upstart Rock Group The 1975– Time to Start Streaming?

Adele’s days of staying off of streaming services may be coming to an end. Her “25” album has been knocked off its perch at number 1 by upstart rock group The 1975. They beat her by a wide margin this week– over 40,000 units.

Indeed, Adele’s physical sales are draining. This week she sold just 59,000 copies according to hitsdailydouble.com. The “25” album has also fallen to number 9 on iTunes. Well, whaddaya want? She’s sold 9 million of those albums in the U.S. in less than four months. Sales on Jupiter aren’t counted by SoundScan.

It may be time for Adele to give in and let the streaming money come in. Spotify, Tidal, and AppleMusic are all clamoring to get “25.” Streaming sales would push “25” back up the charts, certainly.

Streaming, by the way, is what keeps Justin Bieber afloat. He only sold 20,000 copies of “Purpose” in physical and digital, but streaming added over 30K more to his chart position.

 

Broadway: “Hughie” With Oscar Winner Forest Whitaker Closing Ten Weeks Early

Roger Friedman
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Broadway: “Hughie” With Oscar Winner Forest Whitaker Closing Ten Weeks Early

The bar is closing for Eugene O’Neill’s “Hughie” revival starring Forest Whitaker. The production will close on March 27th, ten weeks earlier than planned.

It’s not Whitaker’s fault. Whoever thought a 65 minute play set in a darkened bar and priced like a Broadway show was a good idea, well…

“Hughie” has never been a hit. It’s had three productions over the last fifty years, and all them were flops– even starring Jason Robards or Al Pacino. “Hughie” always plays for about 50 performances on Broadway before someone pulls the plug.

This production got a few good reviews. The rest were terrible. Maybe if it had been paired with another one-acter the production might have made it. Whitaker could still get some awards mention later this spring depending on how other shows fare.

 

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