“I’ve been listening. Let’s keep the conversation going.” Janet Jackson has posted her comeback announcement. Fans will be thrilled. (So am I.) Over moody music that sounds a little like “Pillow Talk,” Janet says there will be new music, a world tour, a new vision.” Janet’s been AWOL for a while since she married Arab billionaire Wissam al Mana–8 years her junior– in 2012. If that marriage is over (and likely is if she’s coming back) that will be her third. My guess is she reconnects with L.A. Reid at Epic, where Mariah Carey and some other well known divas are having reunions. Janet’s DefJam career has expired after a couple of flop albums. Welcome back Janet!
Cannes Report: Sharon Stone AWOL from amFAR, Sylvester Stallone Shows His Paintings (Including One of Michael Jackson)
Here’s the report from Cannes, where I am not in attendance this year but hearing a lot from everyone: Sharon Stone will not be at Thursday’s amFAR annual snake dance for Eurotrash in Antibes. Stone has an on again, off again relationship with the amFARians.
This year, her absence is explained by a movie shoot in Los Angeles for a film called “Mother’s Day,” a series of vignettes with Susan Sarandon, Laura Dern, and Christina Ricci. I’m told Natalie Portman was supposed to take her place at the auction podium, but she probably won’t stay as long as Thursday because her film didn’t get great reviews. Cate Blanchett may be persuaded to participate as her film, “Carol,” opens tonight.
Tonight in Nice, at the Modern Art museum, there will be an exhibition of paintings by noted artist Sylvester Stallone, followed by a VIP dinner.Among his works are this featured interpretation of Michael Jackson.
Last night, Stallone skipped the annual dinner at the Eden Roc (Hotel du Cap) hosted by man for all seasons Charles Finch. Stallone dined downstairs at Eden Roc, while a bevy of stars who are in town chowed down including Portman and Naomi Watts.
So far, only the Woody Allen movie has impressed the English speaking crowd on the Croissette. Gus van Sant’s movie was booed, and Natalie Portman’s was met with indifference. Todd Haynes’s “Carol” is going to be big tonight, and there’s hopeful talk of Denis Villeneuve’s “Sicario” with Emily Blunt, Josh Brolin, and Benicio del Toro. Hope springs eternal at Cannes.
UPDATE: Natalie Portman’s publicist says she can’t stay away from her child so long, her movie has premiered and she must go home.
“Mad Men” Sorta Sequel: Amazon Greenlights “Good Girls Revolt” Pilot About Women at Newsweek in 1970
This could not be better timed. Two weeks ago, Joan — in her fiery exit speech– told the head of McCann Erickson that the women at Newsweek (this was 1970) had revolted and demanded to be treated as equals to the men. This really happened in 1970. Forty six women filed a sexual discrimination suit against Newsweek. It was considered an uprising and a key moment in the women’s rights movement.
And now Amazon has greenlit a new series pilot, produced by Lynda Obst– based on the book “Good Girls Revolt.” The book was written and published recently by Lynn Povich, sister of Maury, a long time journalist and someone I remember fondly as being the only normal person when MSNBC.com started operations. She was at Newsweek at the time and was one of those women.
I had no idea Lynn had written this book, or that it would be the “sequel” to “Mad Men.” What a coincidence that Joan (Christina Hendricks) mentioned the Newsweek incident in that episode. She should be the star of that series. Everyone would watch. Congrats to Lynda, a great producer.
But times don’t really change. In 1994, new management at New York magazine fired all the women over the age of 40Â by fax. Most of them had been there from Day 1. Good times!
Report: Rupert Murdoch’s Son, Company, NY Times, PBS Anchor All Gave Money to Clinton Foundation
Politico.com reports that all the wealthy media barons have given money to the Clinton Foundation including James Murdoch, New Corp, the New York Times, the Washington Post, conservative group Newsmax, Reuters news service, Google, publisher Harcourt-Houghton Mifflin (which doesn’t have a pot to piss in), Time Warner, a Disney relative, NBC and its parent Comcast, Hearst Corporation, AOL Huffington Post. The only media outlet missing is Highlights for Children. And not to be outdone, they got money from the Golden Globes so Bill would come on the show and present “Lincoln” in 2013– on NBC, which also gave him dough. Even the owner of Politico gave money. Everyone had a reason.
$1,000,000-$5,000,000
Carlos Slim
Chairman & CEO of Telmex, largest New York Times shareholder
James Murdoch
Chief Operating Officer of 21st Century Fox
Newsmax Media
Florida-based conservative media network
Thomson Reuters
Owner of the Reuters news service
$500,00-$1,000,000
News Corporation (now 21st Century Fox / News Corp)
Parent company of Fox News Channel and Fox Television
$250,000-$500,000
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Publisher
Richard Mellon Scaife
Owner of Pittsburgh Tribune-Review
$100,000-$250,000
Abigail Disney
Documentary filmmaker
Bloomberg Philanthropies
Howard Stringer
Former CBS, CBS News and Sony executive
Intermountain West Communications Company
Local television affiliate owner (formerly Sunbelt Communications)
$50,000-$100,000
Bloomberg L.P.
Discovery Communications Inc.
George Stephanopoulos
ABC News chief anchor and chief political correspondent
Mort Zuckerman
Owner of New York Daily News and U.S. News & World Report
Time Warner Inc.
Owner of CNN parent company Turner Broadcasting
$25,000-$50,000
AOL
HBO
Hollywood Foreign Press Association
Presenters of the Golden Globe Awards
Viacom
$10,000-$25,000
Knight Foundation
Non-profit foundation dedicated to supporting journalism
Public Radio International
Turner Broadcasting
Parent company of CNN
$5,000-$10,000
Comcast
Parent copmany of NBCUniversal
NBC Universal
Parent company of NBC News, MSNBC and CNBC
Public Broadcasting Service
$1,000-$5,000
Robert Allbritton
Owner of POLITICO parent company Capitol News Group
$250-$1,000
AOL Huffington Post Media Group
Hearst Corporation
Judy Woodruff
PBS Newshour co-anchor and managing editor
The Washington Post Company
Cannes Bomb (The Movie Kind): Gus van Sant’s “Sea of Trees” Booed, Loudly
It’s been a mixed bag of a day. First Woody Allen’s “Irrational Man” got ovations at its Cannes premiere tonight according to reports from my sources. Now Gus van Sant’s “Sea of Trees” with Matthew McConaughey and Naomi Watts has been just about booed out of the festival. Gus van Sant has directed terrific movies like “Good Will Hunting” and “Drugstore Cowboy,” but he’s also made terrible ones like “Gerry.” This sounds like it falls into the latter category. The reviews sound pretty bad. Roadside Attractions will try and distribute this one. Doesn’t sound promising. So much for Oscar race. McConaughey will have to hope the “Magic Mike” sequel has something in it for him.
SEA OF TREES: Dimestore mysticism of a highly maudlin and unpleasant order, passionately and deservedly booed. #Cannes
— Scott Foundas (@foundasonfilm) May 15, 2015
Sea of boos: Gus Van Sant, Matthew McConaughey's new movie gets chilly reception in #Cannes http://t.co/R94T2QL9cS pic.twitter.com/NyPbixnAyY
— Variety (@Variety) May 15, 2015
“Mad Men” Bids Goodbye with Paul Anka Song (Watch Video)
Yes, that’s Paul Anka singing one of his best songs, “The Time of Your Life.” The internet will explode starting around 10pm on Sunday. Get the hankies.
Review: Joaquin Phoenix, Emma Stone, Parker Posey Do Their Best Work in Woody Allen’s Existential Morality Tale
Woody Allen is back in the land of “Crimes & Misdemeanors” and “Match Point” with “Irrational Man.” His latest film, a morality tale murder mystery, was shown this morning in Cannes for the press and tonight opens out of competition. I thought it was certainly on the level of “Blue Jasmine,” a real Woody winner that is disturbing and totally involving. I predict a massive ovation in the Palais des Festivals tonight.
The title “Irrational Man” is a nod to William Barrett, an American legend who brought the existentialists (Sartre, Kierkegaard, Nietzsche, etc) here in 1958 with a book of the same name. The movie also embraces Immanuel Kant (1724-1804) who wrote about ethics and lying. Much is made of all of this in the film but you don’t have to know more than Philosophy 101 to get this movie.
Joaquin Phoenix plays a washed up alcoholic womanizing philosophy profession who arrives at a liberal arts college in Newport, Rhode Island with more baggage than Kim Kardashian on a weekend holiday. Right away he gets involved with two women: Parker Posey is a married professor on campus who pursues him in an affair; Emma Stone is a student who falls for him before they even meet.
As Phoenix’s Abe Lucas devolves (he’s drunk, impotent and not much of what he was) he searches for a way to restart his life. He and Stone’s Jill overhear a conversation in a diner that makes the movie take a sharp left. “Irrational Man” is not about a love triangle, but about Abe’s overreach for redemption. He does something terrible, tries to rationalize it, and must live with consequences.
Woody’s screenplay is deceptive because it’s much more sophisticated than it appears at first. Forget all this older man-younger woman stuff (Phoenix is hardly an old man). The movie is about Abe thinking he’s avenging a wrong (we never learn if that happens) and in the course of this, committing the most egregious act. Is he a hero or a villain? Or just a self-absorbed slob who cannot navigate life?
The fact remains that Phoenix is exceptional, Stone does maybe her best work, and Parker Posey makes us wonder why she’s never been in a Woody Allen film before. The three of them anchor the film perfectly. There are several good supporting players, including Ethan Phillips and Betsy Aidem as Stone’s parents. Plus, Bette Midler’s real life daughter, Sophie von Haselberg, makes a sweet feature film debut as one of Stone’s student friends. She’s got a million dollar cherubic smile.
“Irrational Man” could teeter toward what we call the “smaller” Woody Allen films. But it’s a movie of ideas that are framed in actual plot– very economically told. It falls into place much like “Match Point,” effortlessly. And even though you know what Abe is going to do– and he does it– you still want to see what the outcome is. The ending, which you can guess once you’re toward the end, but I won’t tell you here– is sort of perfect for an existentialist.
Allen punctuates the film not with his usual New Orleans jazz or classic songbook, but Ramsey Lewis’s jazz instrumental “The In Crowd” and other Lewis numbers that give the story an out of time feel. Cell flip phones are used occasionally but otherwise this movie could be taking place at any time before smartphones ruined our lives.
The Legend is Gone: B. B. King Dies at Age 89
B. B. King died late last night in Las Vegas. He was 89. He won 15 Grammy Awards. But more importantly, he left an incredible legacy and a canon of work that will continue to influence musicians for ages. I had a great moment once with BB, on the stage at Radio City Music Hall. There was a break during the taping of Martin Scorsese’s blues documentary. I was talking to Bonnie Raitt, and BB, who did not know who I was from a hole in the wall, motioned for me to get Bonnie’s attention. She came over, and he said, “I just want you know you’re the best slide guitarist I’ve ever heard.” Wow. Bonnie was startled and grateful. The King had bestowed this honor on her. And he was happy to do it. Now that BB is dead, let’s just sit back and remember his incredible gift.
Mariah Carey Has Bronchitis, Cancels Show at Las Vegas Caesar’s Palace
Mariah Carey has had to cancel at least one show in Las Vegas. She says she’s been struggling to fight a bad case of bronchitis.
Carey wrote on Instagram: “Hey guys.. I’ve been fighting bronchitis for the past few days.. almost better but on mandatory vocal rest per doctor’s orders. I’m so sorry to cancel tonight’s show but I promise to make it up to you!!! Love you always, MC”
We’ll see what happens next. Her new greatest hits album comes out next Tuesday. She has shows scheduled for this Saturday and Sunday in Vegas. On Twitter, her fans are sending Mariah get well messages by the bucket.
Harry Shearer Is Leaving “The Simpsons” After 27 Years, He Says Over Schedule
Harry Shearer has been with “The Simpsons” since Day 1, 27 years ago, when the comic series was part of “The Tracy Ullman Show.” He’s voiced Ned Flanders, Mr. Burns, Principal Skinner, Otto, Smithers, and many other characters over the years. But on Twitter this morning he announced that he’s leaving. He says his departure is not about money, but about time.
Shearer has always been involved in other projects including his excellent You Tube series, “Nixon’s the One.” He also regularly tours with singer songwriter wife Judith Owen. Apparently negotiations have been going on for a while. But the whole thing exploded this morning at the Fox upfronts.
The show says they’ll replace him. But Shearer, who famously starred in “This is Spinal Tap” and often appeared on “Saturday Night Live” in its early days, is irreplaceable. Maybe the two sides can still work it out. Springfield won’t be the same!