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Kanye West Claims Financial Firm Eton Ventures Says He’s Worth $2.77 Billion

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Kanye West says an Austin, TX based firm called Eton Ventures says he’s worth $2.77 billion.

He’s posted a statement from them, and released it on PRWire.

According to the post, Eton claims his value is from his music, and from owning the name Yeezy.

It’s hard to imagine this is true.

On the music side, Kanye’s catalog contains innumerable samples of other people’s songs and beats. The “songs” can’t be covered by other artists. Kanye’s lyrics aren’t adaptable to another performer.

As for Yeezy, the brand was destroyed by his antisemitic rants. Adidas fired him and sold off Yeezy products at a deep discount. Recent pictures of Kanye designed clothing look unremarkable.

So what is going on? I’ve sent an email to Eton’s Chris Walton for an explanation.

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Family Says They Hope to See Declassified Assassination Files Before the Public

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Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s family has responded to Donald Trump’s decalssification of files surrounding their father’s 1968 murder.

In a statement just posted, the Kings say they hope to see the files before they are made public.

Whether Trump will show the files to the Kings, and the Kennedy families, remains unclear. He’s only releasing the files to get publicity for himself. He’s not known for graciousness.

At the ceremony in which he signed the Executive Order to release all the files, Trump made an odd comment about Dr. King. “Oh, that’s a big one.” You can only imagine how much he wants to embarrass the family and sully Dr. King’s name and reputation.

Despicable

Trump Hollywood Ambassador Mel Gibson’s Latest Film, “Flight Risk,” Box Office Bust

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As you know, Donald Trump says Mel Gibson must be addressed as “ambassador” now.

Well, Ambassador Gibson’s new movie, called “Flight Risk,” is a dud. Rotten Tomatoes gives it a 26% rotten splat.

Last night in previews, “Flight Risk” made just $950,000. It couldn’t even crack $1 million.

Gibson wrote, directed, and stars in this piece of junk which also stars Mark Wahlberg.

Critics who’ve seen “Flight Risk” have been unsparing in their dismissal of it.

Variety says: “If one is compelled to inextricably correlate the art and the artist, there are any number of reasons for viewers to avoid new work from Mel Gibson. But the strongest in this particular case is that it’s artistically bereft — devoid of suspense, style or even a rudimentary mastery of technique.”

Reviewer Todd Gilchrist adds: “What [Gibson] delivers is a crude, unimaginative, suspenseless adventure whose tension mostly derives from deciding which of its three main characters will prove the most unlikable by the time it ends.”

I’m sorry to learn that two very good actors — Michelle Dockery and Topher Grace — find themselves mired in this misery. There must be better projects for them.

Lionsgate is dumping this morass into 3,000 theaters this weekend. We’ll be seeing it on airplanes by the end of February — and ignoring it.

Kennedy Grandson Says Trump is “Using JFK as a political prop” by Releasing Assassination Files

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Jack Schlossberg, son of Caroline Kennedy and grandson of President John F. Kennedy, has weighed in on Donald Trump releasing JFK’s never seen official assassination repors.

Schlossberg wrote in an unusuall serious social media post “JFK conspiracy theories — The truth is alot sadder than the myth — a tragedy that didn’t need to happen. Not part of an inevitable grand scheme. Declassification is using JFK as a political prop, when he’s not here to punch back. There’s nothing heroic about it. Jack”

Today Trump signed an Executive Order that will release all the previously sealed reports on the assassinations of John F. Kennedy, Robert F. Kennedy, and Dr. Martin Luther King.

This has nothing to do with transparency in government. Trump only wants to create massive distractions in the media so that he can continue dismantling the country. He’s a genius when it comes to misdirects, like a great magician. He knows that if he cause an explosion, the public will pay attention only to that while he’s breaking up families, etc.

Does Trump’s lackey, Robert Kennedy Jr., want his father’s report revealed? He shouldn’t but you never know with him. As Trump finished signing the documents today, he handed a pen to an assistant and said, “Give this to RFK Jr.”

Oscars: Will Best Picture and Best Director Split? Can a Best Picture Not Have a Best Director?

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This morning’s Oscar nominations broke in many directions.

“Emilia Perez” and “Wicked” led the list with the most nominations.

But only “Emilia” picked up Best Director, as well, for Jacques Audiard. Jon M. Chu, of “Wicked” was left behind.

That’s a head scratcher.

Of the 10 movies that made Best Picture, only five also had Best Directors. They were “Anora,” “The Brutalist,” “A Complete Unknown,” “The Substance,” and “The Brutalist.”

Knocked out of the directing race were Edward Berger, for “Conclave,”Denis Villenueve for “Dune Part 2,” Walter Salles for “I’m Still Here,” and RaMell Ross for “Nickel Boys.”

Strange? Yes, since those directors really had ‘director’s movies.” They are personal visions very dependent on the person behind the camera.

It’s hard to imagine that the ultimate Best Picture and Director won’t be either from the same movie, or from the list of the top 5.

How would it split? Brady Corbet seems like the odds on favorite for Best Director. “The Brutalist” is a mighty project, and he would be rewarded for even thinking of it.

If Corbet takes Best Director, what about Best Picture? If it’s from the five which share the Directing noms, it could go to “The Brutalist.” Nut the movie is very long, not many have finished it, and it’s not pleasant. In that case, I’d go for “A Complete Unknown,” and spread the riches around.

And what “Emilia Perez”? And “Anora”? Are they too edgy for Best Picture? Remember, the winner of Best Picture is the one you’re stuck with forever, at festivals, on TV, and so on. They’re each superior films. But what life will they have beyond March 2nd?

Now the race begins!

16th Oscar Nomination for Songwriter Diane Warren for “The Journey” — and This One Looks Good

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Diane Warren just got her 16th Oscar nomination as a songwriter.

She’s never won, but a couple of years ago the Academy gave her the first ever Lifetime Achieveemnt Oscar for songwriting.

This year Warren is up against Elton John and two songs from “Emilia Perez.”

But her song, “The Journey,” sung by HER, aka Gabi Wilson, sounds like a winner. It comes from the war drama, “Six Triple Eight.”

We love Elton John, but he an Oscar for “The Lion King.” “Emilia Perez” — the songs will cross each other out. “The Journey” may end Diane’s journey to an Oscar!

Even if she wins, that doesn’t mean she’ll stop. She’s the most dedicated hard worker ever. Diane Warren will be back for at least every one of the next 10 years, maybe more!

Hollywood Rebukes Trump, Saves “The Apprentice” With Nominations for Sebastian Stan, Jeremy Strong

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Hollywood has rebuked Donald Trump.

Despite all efforts to kill it, “The Apprentice” received two Oscar nominations this morning.

Sebastian Stan was nominated for Best Actor, Jeremy Strong for Supporting Actor.

Stan plays Donald Trump and Strong plays Roy Cohn in their early days when Trump was making his rise through New York media.

The movie depicts Donald raping wife, Ivanka.

Briarcliff Entertainment picked up the film when no one else would. But with no money to promote it, and heavy resistance from the movie’s financiers, “The Apprentice” had a short, sad run in the box office.

But now “The Apprentice” is back in the conversation, big time!

The irony is that in real life Trump thinks he’s going to have an influence on Hollywood by appointing “ambassadors,” the town really hates him.

Trump’s “ambassadors” — Stallone, Gibson, Voight — are meaningless in the real world.

Oscar Noms! Denzel, Daniel Craig, Pamela Anderson, Angelina Jolie, Jamie Lee Curtis, Snubbed!
Remembering Sam Moore, R&B Legend, at an Intimate Miami Funeral With Guests Gloria Estefan, Larry Little, Michael Bolton

Oscar Noms! Denzel, Daniel Craig, Pamela Anderson, Angelina Jolie, Jamie Lee Curtis, Snubbed!

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Oscar nominations are here at 8:30am Eastern and again at 8:41am.

Early notes: Denzel Washington snubbed his excellent work in “Gladiator II.” Also nothing for Daniel Craig in “Queer,” Angelina Jolie in “Maria,” Pamela Anderson and Jamie Lee Curtis for “The Last Showgirl,” or Nicole Kidman for “Babygirl.”

Selena Gomez missed out for “Emilia Perez.”

Surprising: nothing for Mike Leigh’s “Hard Truths” and star Marianne Jean-Baptiste.

A complete list of this year’s nominees are as follows: Actor in a Leading Role Adrien Brody The Brutalist Timothée Chalamet A Complete Unknown Colman Domingo Sing Sing Ralph Fiennes Conclave Sebastian Stan The Apprentice Actor in a Supporting Role Yura Borisov Anora Kieran Culkin A Real Pain Edward Norton A Complete Unknown Guy Pearce The Brutalist Jeremy Strong The Apprentice Actress in a Leading Role Cynthia Erivo Wicked Karla Sofía Gascón Emilia Pérez Mikey Madison Anora Demi Moore The Substance Fernanda Torres I’m Still Here Actress in a Supporting Role Monica Barbaro A Complete Unknown Ariana Grande Wicked Felicity Jones The Brutalist Isabella Rossellini Conclave Zoe Saldaña Emilia Pérez Animated Feature Film Flow Nominees to be determined Inside Out 2 Kelsey Mann and Mark Nielsen Memoir of a Snail Adam Elliot and Liz Kearney Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl Nominees to be determined The Wild Robot Chris Sanders and Jeff Hermann Animated Short Film Beautiful Men Nicolas Keppens and Brecht Van Elslande In the Shadow of the Cypress Shirin Sohani and Hossein Molayemi Magic Candies Daisuke Nishio and Takashi Washio Wander to Wonder Nina Gantz and Stienette Bosklopper Yuck! Loïc Espuche and Juliette Marquet Cinematography The Brutalist Lol Crawley Dune: Part Two Greig Fraser Emilia Pérez Paul Guilhaume Maria Ed Lachman Nosferatu Jarin Blaschke Costume Design A Complete Unknown Arianne Phillips Conclave Lisy Christl Gladiator II Janty Yates and Dave Crossman Nosferatu Linda Muir Wicked Paul Tazewell Documentary Feature Film Black Box Diaries Shiori Ito, Eric Nyari and Hanna Aqvilin No Other Land Basel Adra, Rachel Szor, Hamdan Ballal and Yuval Abraham Porcelain War Brendan Bellomo, Slava Leontyev, Aniela Sidorska and Paula DuPre’ Pesmen Soundtrack to a Coup d’Etat Johan Grimonprez, Daan Milius and Rémi Grellety Sugarcane Nominees to be determined Documentary Short Film Death by Numbers Kim A. Snyder and Janique L. Robillard I Am Ready, Warden Smriti Mundhra and Maya Gnyp Incident Bill Morrison and Jamie Kalven Instruments of a Beating Heart Ema Ryan Yamazaki and Eric Nyari The Only Girl in the Orchestra Molly O’Brien and Lisa Remington Film Editing Anora Sean Baker The Brutalist David Jancso Conclave Nick Emerson Emilia Pérez Juliette Welfling Wicked Myron Kerstein International Feature Film Brazil I’m Still Here Denmark The Girl with the Needle France Emilia Pérez Germany The Seed of the Sacred Fig Latvia Flow Makeup and Hairstyling A Different Man Mike Marino, David Presto and Crystal Jurado Emilia Pérez Julia Floch Carbonel, Emmanuel Janvier and Jean-Christophe Spadaccini Nosferatu David White, Traci Loader and Suzanne Stokes-Munton The Substance Pierre-Olivier Persin, Stéphanie Guillon and Marilyne Scarselli Wicked Frances Hannon, Laura Blount and Sarah Nuth Music (Original Score) The Brutalist Daniel Blumberg Conclave Volker Bertelmann Emilia Pérez Clément Ducol and Camille Wicked John Powell and Stephen Schwartz The Wild Robot Kris Bowers Music (Original Song) El Mal from Emilia Pérez; Music by Clément Ducol and Camille; Lyric by Clément Ducol, Camille and Jacques Audiard The Journey from The Six Triple Eight; Music and Lyric by Diane Warren Like A Bird from Sing Sing; Music and Lyric by Abraham Alexander and Adrian Quesada Mi Camino from Emilia Pérez; Music and Lyric by Camille and Clément Ducol Never Too Late from Elton John: Never Too Late; Music and Lyric by Elton John, Brandi Carlile, Andrew Watt and Bernie Taupin Production Design The Brutalist Production Design: Judy Becker; Set Decoration: Patricia Cuccia Conclave Production Design: Suzie Davies; Set Decoration: Cynthia Sleiter Dune: Part Two Production Design: Patrice Vermette; Set Decoration: Shane Vieau Nosferatu Production Design: Craig Lathrop; Set Decoration: Beatrice Brentnerová Wicked Production Design: Nathan Crowley; Set Decoration: Lee Sandales Live Action Short Film A Lien Sam Cutler-Kreutz and David Cutler-Kreutz Anuja Adam J. Graves and Suchitra Mattai I’m Not a Robot Victoria Warmerdam and Trent The Last Ranger Cindy Lee and Darwin Shaw The Man Who Could Not Remain Silent Nebojša Slijepčević and Danijel Pek Sound A Complete Unknown Tod A. Maitland, Donald Sylvester, Ted Caplan, Paul Massey and David Giammarco Dune: Part Two Gareth John, Richard King, Ron Bartlett and Doug Hemphill Emilia Pérez Erwan Kerzanet, Aymeric Devoldère, Maxence Dussère, Cyril Holtz and Niels Barletta Wicked Simon Hayes, Nancy Nugent Title, Jack Dolman, Andy Nelson and John Marquis The Wild Robot Randy Thom, Brian Chumney, Gary A. Rizzo and Leff Lefferts Visual Effects Alien: Romulus Eric Barba, Nelson Sepulveda-Fauser, Daniel Macarin and Shane Mahan Better Man Luke Millar, David Clayton, Keith Herft and Peter Stubbs Dune: Part Two Paul Lambert, Stephen James, Rhys Salcombe and Gerd Nefzer Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes Erik Winquist, Stephen Unterfranz, Paul Story and Rodney Burke Wicked Pablo Helman, Jonathan Fawkner, David Shirk and Paul Corbould Writing (Adapted Screenplay) A Complete Unknown Screenplay by James Mangold and Jay Cocks Conclave Screenplay by Peter Straughan Emilia Pérez Screenplay by Jacques Audiard; In collaboration with Thomas Bidegain, Léa Mysius and Nicolas Livecchi Nickel Boys Screenplay by RaMell Ross & Joslyn Barnes Sing Sing Screenplay by Clint Bentley, Greg Kwedar; Story by Clint Bentley, Greg Kwedar, Clarence Maclin, John “Divine G” Whitfield Writing (Original Screenplay) Directing Anora Sean Baker The Brutalist Brady Corbet A Complete Unknown James Mangold Emilia Pérez Jacques Audiard The Substance Coralie Fargeat Best Picture Anora Alex Coco, Samantha Quan and Sean Baker, Producers The Brutalist Nominees to be determined A Complete Unknown Fred Berger, James Mangold and Alex Heineman, Producers Conclave Tessa Ross, Juliette Howell and Michael A. Jackman, Producers Dune: Part Two Mary Parent, Cale Boyter, Tanya Lapointe and Denis Villeneuve, Producers Emilia Pérez Nominees to be determined I’m Still Here Nominees to be determined Nickel Boys Nominees to be determined The Substance Nominees to be determined Wicked Marc Platt, Producer

Oscars: No Singing of Best Song Nominees This Year, To Make Time for a Celebration of Los Angeles

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There will no Best Song nominees sung at this year’s Oscars.

Tomorrow come the Oscar nominations. The nominees are going to be disappointed, that is for sure.

Possible artists who won’t get to sing include the actresses from “Emilia Perez,” HER, Elton John, Maren Morris, and others.

The Oscars are stuck for time, so something had to go this year. No one would want who categories not acknowledged. This is tough because the musical performances — if they’re from big stars — are value added for the ratings. But this year is unlike almost any except the pandemic because of the wildfires.

Here’s the memo from the Academy that went out to members.

Dear Academy members,

Our deepest thanks to all of you for your compassion and support over the last few weeks. Our thoughts remain with those who were impacted by the recent Los Angeles-area wildfires. If you would like to join the Academy in supporting the ongoing relief efforts, please click here for a list of aid resources.

After continued consultation with ABC, our board, and other key stakeholders in the Los Angeles and film communities, planning continues for the 97th Oscars ceremony on Sunday, March 2. This year’s Oscars will celebrate the work that unites us as a global film community and acknowledge those who fought so bravely against the wildfires.

As a reminder, our 97th Oscars Nominations will be announced tomorrow, January 23, at 5:30am PT via global live stream on Oscar.com, Oscars.org, the Academy’s digital platforms (TikTok, Instagram, YouTubeFacebook), ABC’s Good Morning America, and ABC News Live, Disney+ and Hulu. American Sign Language (ASL) services will be available on YouTube.

As a precursor to tomorrow’s announcement, we wanted to share a little bit about this year’s show. Hosted by the incredible Conan O’Brien, our 97th Oscars will be a celebration of connection and collaboration – honoring the unifying spirit and creative synergy of moviemaking. We will highlight the transformative power of the teamwork that brings cinematic visions to life.

As part of this, we are thrilled to bring back our “Fab 5” moments, where individual film artists recognize nominees. Also, this year the Best Original Song category presentation will move away from live performances and will be focused on the songwriters. We will celebrate their artistry through personal reflections from the teams who bring these songs to life. All of this, and more, will uncover the stories and inspiration behind this year’s nominees.

And we will honor Los Angeles as the city of dreams, showcasing its beauty and resilience, as well as its role as a beacon for filmmakers and creative visionaries for over a century. We will reflect on the recent events while highlighting the strength, creativity, and optimism that defines Los Angeles and our industry.

There is so much more in store, including powerful musical moments that connect film’s rich history to its bold and inspiring future. We hope you will tune in tomorrow morning to watch the Nominations Announcement, and we greatly appreciate your ongoing commitment to the Academy and our film community. We are stronger together.

Bill Kramer and Janet Yang

Trump Says 60 Million Russians Died During World War II– He’s Wrong By More Than Half, of Course

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Donald Trump says he really likes Russia today on his social media.

He says that 60 million Russians died during World War II.

He’s wrong, of course. The estimate has always been 27 million including both civilian and military deaths. Trump is a graduate of Wharton.

Still, that’s a lot of people. Trump says even though he likes them, if they don’t stop the war in Ukraine he’ll do everything he can to hurt them with tariffs, taxes, and sanctions.

Today is Day 3 of the Trump Administration. You do recall Trump said he would end the war on Day 1.

He’s also fighting with Episcopal bishop in Washington, DC, trying to deport millions of people, firing people left and right, and so on.

Egg prices remain steady with no reduction in sight.