Score for Netflix: Brad Pitt’s next feature will debut on the subscription service in 2016 as well as in theaters. “War Machine” comes from David Michod, director of the great “Animal Kingdom” and the lesser “The Rover.” This is big news for Netflix, which now will flex its muscle simultaneously on their own platform and in movie theaters. The latter part of this news is to mollify theater operators who feel more and more cut out of what’s happening in Hollywood. This is no longer just Adam Sandler putting his unwanted movies on Netflix. Watch and see if this isn’t a game changer. “War Machine” is based on a book called “The Operators: The Wild and Terrifying Inside Story of America’s War in Afghanistan” by the late Michael Hastings.
Tony Awards Ratings Lowest in History of Show, Down 25% from Last Year
So all that JLO and Josh Groban stuff didn’t work. The Tony Awards were down 25% last night from last year, the lowest ratings ever for the telecast. Lack of a star host was the issue, as Alan Cumming and Kristen Chenoweth were fun, but had no pull.
Total viewers were just over 6 million– that’s not a lot of eyes. I do remember thinking that when the ballet scene started from “An American in Paris,” a lot of people must be tuning out. They were.
NBA Finals, Game 2, had 15.65 million viewers. Next year, Hugh Jackman please come back. Neil Patrick Harris, all is forgiven.
Tony Awards: Anna Wintour Made Sure the Red Carpet Was Really “Red” This Year
The Tony Awards were a class act, as usual. But there were some weird things going on that had nothing to do with Broadway.
First, Vogue editor Anna Wintour. Why in the world did she involve herself with what nominees wore? She has nothing to do with Broadway. Sometimes she turns at premieres. But otherwise, how did she become the arbiter of taste?
I heard from various sources that Queen Anna didn’t like the actual red carpet that was chosen for the red carpet walkway and press interviews. So she demanded they change it to something really red and cushiony. No one’s sure if she knows these things are thrown out later.
Josh Groban: good voice, nice guy. But what the heck was he doing singing the In Memoriam? Broadway has dozens of golden throated top stars who could have sung “You’ll Never Walk Alone.” How about Norm Lewis, a Broadway superstar? You could tell how silly Alan Cumming and Kristen Chenoweth thought this was idea was– they lampooned “coming up, Josh Groban” at every promo.
I’m sorry who is Ashley Tisdale, whose best friend is Vanessa Hudgens? Huh?
Back to Anna: seems she’s responsible for the number of beautiful, long legged creatures who did walk the red carpet last night. Kendall Jenner? The girls were attractive, but got a lot of laughs. They were just there as decoration. “The Curious Incident of the Models in the Night-time.” They couldn’t agree if Arthur Miller was a better playwright than Eugene O’Neill (just kidding).
Many reporters did point out: hard to Tweet out #tonyawards when the Wi Fi in Radio City was closed. Very poor service in there. And again, no food or drinks even for sale during a four hour show– very unpleasant.
Backstage at the Tony Awards: Kelli O’Hara No Longer the Susan Lucci of the Tony Awards
Last night’s Tony Awards put an end to Kelli O’Hara’s long run as the Susan Lucci of the show. She won for “The King and I,” beating Kristen Chenoweth (who was co hosting the show with Alan Cumming) and Chita Rivera, who’s been waiting for another Tony since “Kiss of the Spider Woman” in 1923. Kelli’s speech was the best on a night when all the speeches were pretty fun.
Alex Sharp, who’s 25, won Best Actor in a Play — his first time on Broadway, his first job out of Juilliard School. When he came off stage he looked dazed and asked to be taken back to his seat where his parents were waiting. Later, at the Plaza Hotel Food Court, where part of the official party takes place, he huddled with Best Actress in a Play winner Helen Mirren and her famous director husband Taylor Hackford for advice.
Dame Helen, you know, beats even Meryl Streep for unpretentious. She came off the red carpet before the show started and sort of wafted into the little ante room on a sidestreet that was set up before you set foot into Radio City Music Hall. She did a little jig for the security ladies, who got a kick out of seeing Helen Mirren in a a gauzy dress pretending she could fly like an angel. She asked me, “Where is my husband?” Another security guard asked if she’d like to be accompanied to her seat. “Oh heavens no,” she said, “I have my ticket right here.” She marched off into the theater, no muss, no fuss.
Here’s a little aside about Dame Helen: it turns out famed actor Richard McCabe, who won Best Supporting Actor in “The Audience” playing Harold Wilson to Helen’s QE2, is her tenant in London. He rents out the Hackfords’ basement apartment. Also: after Dame Helen won her Tony, which was early on in the show, she went around the corner to a local bar and raised a glass with “The Audience” cast and crew who weren’t in Radio City. Nice!
Around the Plaza: Nominee Sting and wife Trudie Styler, Patricia Clarkson hanging with “Elephant Man” co-star Alessandro Nivola and of all people, Monica Lewinsky. More to come…
FULL LIST OF TONY AWARD WINNERS
Best Musical:
An American in Paris
Fun Home (WINNER)
Something Rotten!
The Visit
Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical
Michael Cerveris, Fun Home (WINNER)
Robert Fairchild, An American in Paris
Brian d’Arcy James, Something Rotten!
Ken Watanabe, The King and I
Tony Yazbeck, On the Town
Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical
Kristin Chenoweth, On the Twentieth Century
Leanne Cope, An American in Paris
Beth Malone, Fun Home
Kelli O’Hara, The King and I (WINNER)
Chita Rivera, The Visit
Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Play
Steven Boyer, Hand to God
Bradley Cooper, The Elephant Man
Ben Miles, Wolf Hall Parts One & Two
Bill Nighy, Skylight
Alex Sharp, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time (WINNER)
Best Revival of a Musical
The King and I (WINNER)
On the Town
On the Twentieth Century
Best Revival of a Play
The Elephant Man
Skylight (WINNER)
This Is Our Youth
You Can’t Take It with You
Best Play
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time (WINNER)
Disgraced
Hand to God
Wolf Hall Parts One & Two
Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Musical
Victoria Clark, Gigi
Judy Kuhn, Fun Home
Sydney Lucas, Fun Home
Ruthie Ann Miles, The King and I (WINNER)
Emily Skeggs, Fun Home
Best Direction of a Play
Stephen Daldry, Skylight
Marianne Elliott, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time (WINNER)
Scott Ellis, You Can’t Take It with You
Jeremy Herrin, Wolf Hall Parts One & Two
Moritz von Stuelpnagel, Hand to God
Best Direction of a Musical
Sam Gold, Fun Home (WINNER)
Casey Nicholaw, Something Rotten!
John Rando, On the Town
Bartlett Sher, The King and I
Christopher Wheeldon, An American in Paris
Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Play
Annaleigh Ashford, You Can’t Take It with You (WINNER)
Patricia Clarkson, The Elephant Man
Lydia Leonard, Wolf Hall Parts One & Two
Sarah Stiles, Hand to God
Julie White, Airline Highway
Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Musical
Christian Borle, Something Rotten! (WINNER)
Andy Karl, On the Twentieth Century
Brad Oscar, Something Rotten!
Brandon Uranowitz, An American in Paris
Max von Essen, An American in Paris
Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Play
Matthew Beard, Skylight
K. Todd Freeman, Airline Highway
Richard McCabe, The Audience (WINNER)
Alessandro Nivola, The Elephant Man
Nathaniel Parker, Wolf Hall Parts One & Two
Micah Stock, It’s Only a Play
Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Play
Geneva Carr, Hand to God
Helen Mirren, The Audience (WINNER)
Elisabeth Moss, The Heidi Chronicles
Carey Mulligan, Skylight
Ruth Wilson, Constellations
Best Book of a Musical
An American in Paris
Craig Lucas
Fun Home (WINNER)
Lisa Kron
Something Rotten!
Karey Kirkpatrick and John O’Farrell
The Visit
Terrence McNally
Best Original Score (Music and/or Lyrics) Written for the Theatre
Fun Home (WINNER)
The Last Ship
Something Rotten!
The Visit
Best Scenic Design of a Play
Bunny Christie and Finn Ross, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time (WINNER)
Bob Crowley, Skylight
Christopher Oram, Wolf Hall Parts One & Two
David Rockwell, You Can’t Take It with You
Best Scenic Design of a Musical
Bob Crowley and 59 Productions, An American in Paris (WINNER)
David Rockwell, On the Twentieth Century
Michael Yeargan, The King and I
David Zinn, Fun Home
Best Costume Design of a Play
Bob Crowley, The Audience
Jane Greenwood, You Can’t Take It with You
Christopher Oram, Wolf Hall Parts One & Two (WINNER)
David Zinn, Airline Highway
Best Costume Design of a Musical
Gregg Barnes, Something Rotten!
Bob Crowley, An American in Paris
William Ivey Long, On the Twentieth Century
Catherine Zuber, The King and I (WINNER)
Best Lighting Design of a Play
Paule Constable, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time (WINNER)
Paule Constable and David Plater, Wolf Hall Parts One & Two
Natasha Katz, Skylight
Japhy Weideman, Airline Highway
Best Lighting Design of a Musical
Donald Holder, The King and I
Natasha Katz, An American in Paris (WINNER)
Ben Stanton, Fun Home
Japhy Weideman, The Visit
Best Choreography
Joshua Bergasse, On the Town
Christopher Gattelli, The King and I
Scott Graham & Steven Hoggett for Frantic Assembly, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time
Casey Nicholaw, Something Rotten!
Christopher Wheeldon, An American in Paris (WINNER)
Best Orchestrations
Christopher Austin, Don Sebesky, Bill Elliott, An American in Paris (WINNER)
John Clancy, Fun Home
Larry Hochman, Something Rotten!
Rob Mathes, The Last Ship
Recipients of Awards and Honors in Non-competitive Categories:
Special Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre:
Tommy Tune
Special Tony Award:
John Cameron Mitchell
Regional Theatre Tony Award:
Cleveland Play House, Cleveland, Ohio
Isabelle Stevenson Tony Award:
Stephen Schwartz
Tony Honors for Excellence in the Theatre:
Arnold Abramson
Adrian Bryan-Brown
Gene O’Donovan
Hollywood Sex Lawsuit: Letters of Apology, Statement from Falsely Accused Exec David A. Neuman
Here are the letters of apology to David A. Neuman, also accused in the same suits as Garth Ancier. Again, to be a lawyer who has to pony up settlement money and letters like these…not good. All the cases were dismissed. But people’s reputations and careers were at risk. And again, there’s still a phoney baloney documentary out there, which I saw at a film festival, that uses Egan’s accusations and stories to bolster itself. I guess next we’ll see the letters of apology to Bryan Singer. The lawsuits became a lightning rod that Singer couldn’t do press for his own movie at the time, and his name was removed from promotions.
Statement from Hollywood Executive David A. Neuman
A year ago, a press conference was held announcing a lawsuit against me that was completely fraudulent and filled with whole cloth lies. The attorney who held that press conference, and then eventually dismissed the case (Jeff Herman), along with the attorney who worked alongside him in Hawaii (Mark Gallagher), have issued the following statements of apology:
Dear Mr. Neuman,
I sincerely apologize for bringing lawsuits against you on behalf of my former client Michael Egan. As you know, I withdrew from representing Mr. Egan two months after filing the complaints. Based on what I know now, I believe that I participated in making what I now know to be untrue and provably false allegations against you. Had I known what I learned after filing the lawsuits, I would never have filed these claims against you. I deeply regret the pain, suffering and damage the lawsuits and publicity have caused you, and your family, friends, and colleagues.
I sincerely regret my role in this matter and for the harm that I caused. I have resolved this matter with compensation to you. I am hopeful that you can recover fully.
Very Truly Yours,
Jeffrey M. Herman, Herman Law
And from the law office of Mark Gallagher:
I sincerely apologize to Mr. David Neuman for my part in bringing a lawsuit against him on behalf of my former client Michael Egan. Unfortunately, I now do not believe that the allegations in the lawsuit were true and accurate, I deeply regret the unjustified pain, suffering and significant damage the lawsuit and publicity has caused Mr. Neuman and his family, friends, and colleagues.
I sincerely regret my role in this matter.
Mark Gallagher
With these apologies, the truth is now clear.
I would like to thank my magnificent attorneys, Patty Glaser and Andy Baum, who lived up to their stellar reputations as my representatives, and shared the following with me:
Dear David,
This marks the first time in our firm’s history that we have filed a malicious prosecution suit, and my partner Andy Baum and I are thrilled at your vindication. Together we have achieved what we set out to do, which is to clear your good name. Mission accomplished.
All our best,
Patty Glaser Glaser Weil
Finally, I would like to thank my family, friends, and colleagues for their steadfast support through this. You have been amazing. You knew that these charges were all lies, and your support was unwavering. I thank you all with all of my heart.
David A. Neuman
Lawyers in Hollywood Sex Case Issue Apologies to Producer Garth Ancier, Pay “Seven Figures” in Damages Settlement
This just came in from the publicist representing producer Garth Ancier. He was sued by Michael Egan for sexual harassment. Egan has since dropped the case, but not before smearing Ancier. Since then, director Amy Berg has still used Egan as a main source for a documentary about producers preying on young men. Reading this, I can’t imagine how these lawyers, Herman and Egan, can go on. What a mess.
from Davidson Goldin PR:
Attorneys Jeffrey Herman and Mark Gallagher this week issued detailed apologies for filing what they now acknowledge were entirely false claims in a lawsuit against veteran television executive Garth Ancier. The apologies, which appear in their entirety below, are accompanied by an undisclosed monetary payment in the seven figures.
The allegations contained in the baseless lawsuit were fabricated by Michael Egan, who recently pled guilty in North Carolina federal court to running an unrelated Ponzi scheme where he lied to investors and forged documents. He is awaiting sentencing.
Ancier also discovered that as Egan’s Ponzi scheme fell apart, Egan had bragged to a witness that “if all else failed he could go after ‘Gay Hollywood’ and claim he was abused and they will have to settle because they cannot stand the publicity.” A federal judge also scolded Egan for lying in court.
Jeffrey Herman, an attorney for Egan, issued the following apology:
“I sincerely apologize for bringing lawsuits against you on behalf of my former client Michael Egan. As you know, I withdrew from representing Mr. Egan two months after filing the complaints. Based on what I know now, I believe that I participated in making what I now know to be untrue and proveably false allegations against you. Had I known what I learned after filing the lawsuits, I would never have filed these claims against you. I deeply regret the pain, suffering and damage the lawsuit and publicity have caused you, and your family, friends, and colleagues. I sincerely regret my role in this matter and for the harm that I caused. I have resolved this matter with compensation to you. I am hopeful that you can recover fully.”
Mark Gallagher, an attorney for Egan, issued the following apology:
“I sincerely apologize to Mr. Garth Ancier for my part in bringing a lawsuit against him on behalf of my former client Michael Egan. Unfortunately, I now do not believe that the allegations in the lawsuit were true and accurate. I deeply regret the unjustified pain, suffering and significant damage the lawsuit and publicity has caused Mr. Ancier, and his family, friends, and colleagues. I sincerely regret my role in this matter.”
Ancier stated:
“The lawyers who brought this false claim are now making a significant financial payment as part of their apology for bringing a case they acknowledge never had any merit, finally proving that a convicted scam artist’s claims about me were entirely made up. I said on day one this was all absolutely false and I’m certainly pleased that’s now been admitted by the lawyers responsible for transforming absurd fabrications into a real-life nightmare for me.”
Here’s the Free FBI File on Whitney Houston, You Don’t Need to Buy Bogus New Book
There’s a bogus new “biography” of Whitney Houston out this week, touted in today’s New York tabloids. There’s nothing new here. The big news is that someone tried extort money from Whitney. Her father may have paid it off, we don’t know. But the FBI file is old. Here it is, for free. Simon & Schuster should really be ashamed of themselves.
http://vault.fbi.gov/whitney-houston/whitney-houston-part-01-of-01/view.
Watch Trailer for “Bridge of Spies” Starring Tom Hanks and Mark Rylance, Directed by Steven Spielberg
“Bridge of Spies” is directed by Steven Spielberg from a script by Joel and Ethan Coen. Tom Hanks and Mark Rylance star, with the amazing Amy Ryan and up and coming Billy Magnussen. It looks great from this trailer. Best Pic nominee? Lookin’ good so far…
Miley Cyrus Finds a New Favorite TV Show– “Grace and Frankie”
Miley Cyrus has a new favorite TV show. After Tweeting that she needed a new show to watch, she found one– “Grace and Frankie” starring Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin. She’s a smart girl. Maybe she can help the ladies negotiate higher pay at Netflix than their supporting male stars, Martin Sheen and Sam Waterston. Miley will bring her wrecking ball to the conference table!
I found my show! #GraceandFrankie on a bender! Jane & Lily are so bad a$$!
— Miley Ray Cyrus (@MileyCyrus) May 25, 2015
Friday Box Office: Melissa McCarthy’s Well Liked “Spy” Beaten by a Nose by Junky Thriller
Well, there’s no sense underestimating the taste of the American people. On Friday night they chose junk over a decent comedy. “Insidious 3,” the sequel I guess to “Insidious” 1 and 2, nosed out Melissa McCarthy and Paul Feig’s “Spy” by $150,000. Maybe that will change tonight as escaped inmates are rounded up and returned to their facilities.
I haven’t seen “I3,” but I’m happy for the only actor in it who anyone’s ever heard of– Dermot Mulroney. Of course he’s been in lots of better films, but everyone has to pay the bills. And he’s a nice guy too.
Other news from Friday night at the movies: “Aloha” scored over $1 million last night! In wide release, the Cameron Crowe dramedy did $391 per screen. That’s like 45 people a show. The total take now is $14 million. That’s not bad, all things considered.
The Beach Boys movie “Love and Mercy” made $640K on 483 screens. It’s a slow start. But adults should really go and see this movie. Find those screens tonight. Bill Pohlad’s made a movie you will like.