Friday, December 19, 2025
Donate
Home Blog Page 1662

Mel Gibson to Direct Jewish Actor, Andrew Garfield, in New Movie Despite 2006 Scandal

Roger Friedman
-
1
Mel Gibson to Direct Jewish Actor, Andrew Garfield, in New Movie Despite 2006 Scandal

This should be interesting. There are reports that Mel Gibson is making a deal with LionsGate to direct a new movie called “Hacksaw Ridge.” The actor set to lead the cast is said to be Andrew Garfield, who most recently starred in of two “Amazing Spider Man” movies.

Garfield is currently shooting “Silence” with Martin Scorsese. He also happens to be Jewish. He is completely Jewish, too, with a lovely family whom I’ve met. This could pose a problem for Gibson, who is now more famous for making anti-Semitic remarks– and having a father who is an avowed Holocaust denier and anti Semite– than being a director or an actor.

In 2006, after being arrested for a DUI in Malibu, Gibson told the arresting office– who was Jewish– “Fucking Jews… the Jews are responsible for all the wars in the world. Are you a Jew?”

Thus began an explosive chapter in Gibson’s life. He owns a church in Malibu, not recognized by the Catholic archdiocese, that doesn’t believe in the pope or what’s known as Vatican II. The members of Gibson’s Holy Family church believe the Jews were responsible for the death of Christ. Gibson’s AP Reilly Foundation maintains the church, with a $70 million tax free war chest.

Gibson’s father, Hutton Gibson, was initially written about by Christopher Noxon in the New York Times Magazine around the time Gibson released his “Passion of the Christ,” a movie criticized for being anti-Semitic. Hutton Gibson has openly questioned “how the Nazis could have disposed of 6 million bodies.”

From Noxon’s article:
“Go and ask an undertaker or the guy who operates the crematorium what it takes to get rid of a dead body,” he said. “It takes one liter of petrol and 20 minutes. Now, six million?”

Across the table, Joye [Gibson’s wife] suddenly looked up from her plate. […] She had kept quiet most of the day, so it was a surprise when she cheerfully piped in. “There weren’t even that many Jews in all of Europe,” she said.

“Anyway, there were more after the war than before,” Hutton added.

The entire catastrophe was manufactured, said Hutton, as part of an arrangement between Hitler and “financiers” to move Jews out of Germany. Hitler “had this deal where he was supposed to make it rough on them so they would all get out and migrate to Israel because they needed people there to fight the Arabs,” he said.

Whether Garfield has actually agreed to be in the movie remains unknown. Producers may be using his name as bait. Two years ago Robert DeNiro backed out of being in a film with Gibson after his name was announced. He’d sworn never to work with Gibson not just because of his anti Semitic rants but because of his severely racist ones, too.

Kanye West Attacks Beck, Grammy Awards Over Beyonce Not Winning: “We’re Not Gonna Play Anymore”

Roger Friedman
-
1
Kanye West Attacks Beck, Grammy Awards Over Beyonce Not Winning: “We’re Not Gonna Play Anymore”

Kanye West WAS trying to get on stage to stop Beck as he accepted his Grammy Award. Prince actually waved him off. He went crazy on E! during an interview afterwards. A few years ago, Kanye actually did get to the mic to attack Taylor Swift when she won Album of the Year. Kanye says that Beck should be a gentleman and give Beyonce his Grammy.

Kanye: “All I know is if the Grammys want real artists to keep coming back, they need to stop playing with us. We ain’t gonna play with them no more. ‘Flawless,’ Beyoncé video. Beck needs to respect artistry and he should have given his award to Beyoncé, and at this point, we tired of it..”

“Because what happens is, when you keep on diminishing art and not respecting the craft and smacking people in the face after they deliver monumental feats of music, you’re disrespectful to inspiration and we as musicians have to inspire people who go to work every day and they listen to that Beyoncé album and they feel like it takes them to another place.”

“Then they do this whole promotional event, they’ll run the music over somebody’s speech, the artist, because they want commercial advertising. Like, no, we not playing with them no more. By the way, I got my wife, my daughter and my clothing line, so I’m not going to do nothing to put my daughter at risk but I am here to fight for creativity. That’s the reason why I didn’t say anything tonight. But you all know what it meant when ‘Ye walks on the stage.”

Grammys: Sam Smith Wins Best Song, Best Record Even Though It Was “Stolen” From Tom Petty Hit

Roger Friedman
-
0
Grammys: Sam Smith Wins Best Song, Best Record Even Though It Was “Stolen” From Tom Petty Hit

Sam Smith just won Best Song and Best Record for “Stay with Me,” his big summer hit. Only one problem: after Grammy voting closed it was revealed that “Stay with Me” was interpolated from Tom Petty’s classic FM hit “I Won’t Back Down,” written with ELO’s Jeff Lynne. Smith and co. said they never heard of Petty’s song. But how is that possible?

Petty and Lynne are now listed as co-writers, and are receiving royalties. The songs are nearly identical, especially in the chorus. But when Smith took the stage, he and his co-writers didn’t mention this. On an otherwise pretty scandal free Grammy night full of good winners, this is a mistake.

Of course, this has happened before– and recently. Coldplay’s “Viva La Vida” turned out to be lifted, instrumentally, from a guitar record of Joe Satriani’s. A settlement occurred, and “Viva La Vida” went on to get lots of awards. Crazy.

Grammys: Album of the Year Goes to Beck (Full List of Winners)

Roger Friedman
-
0
Grammys: Album of the Year Goes to Beck (Full List of Winners)

Beck, who’s really been out of it for some time, has won the Grammy for Album of the Year. His collection is called “Morning Phase,” and it won this afternoon for Best Rock Album, as well. Beck pulled off quite a coup, beating Beyonce and Sam Smith. Kanye West almost interrupted Beck’s win, then thought better of it.

All the awards were almost secondary to the show itself, which full of music and lots of terrific performances. Even the misses worked. You can quibble about the mistakes, and the weird off topic things like Enrique Iglesias giving Song of the Year. But somehow the show represented the best of pop music of all kinds for 2014.

That Sam Smith won for Best Song after it turned out he nicked it from Tom Petty and Jeff Lynne– who now get songwriting credit and royalties– is a sad state of affairs, however.

Highlights: Paul McCartney-Rihanna-Kanye were lovely. Annie Lennox was perfection. Lady Gaga and Tony Bennett a class act. Jeff Lynne and Ed Sheeran were so much fun. Madonna is still a great show-woman. I really liked Brandy Clark and Dwight Yoakam.

Headscratcher: Kanye’s “Only One” sung in darkness. Katy Perry’s turgid ballad. And the cutting off of Tom Jones and Jessie J on what could have been an outstanding version of “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feeling.”

Here’s the full list of winners:

 

Album of the Year

Beck, Morning Phase — WINNER
Beyonce, Beyonce
Ed Sheeran, x
Sam Smith, In the Lonely Hour
Pharrell Williams, Girl

Best New Artist

Bastille
Iggy Azalea
Brandy Clark
Haim
Sam Smith — WINNER

Best R&B Performance

“Drunk In Love,” Beyoncé ft. Jay Z — WINNER
“New Flame,” Chris Brown ft. Usher & Rick Ross
“It’s Your World,” Jennifer Hudson ft. R. Kelly
“Like This,” Ledisi
“Good Kisser,” Usher

Best Rock Album

Ryan Adams, Ryan Adams
Morning Phase, Beck — WINNER
Turn Blue, The Black Keys
Hypnotic Eye, Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers
Songs of Innocence, U2

Best Pop Solo Performance

“All of Me,” John Legend
“Chandelier,” Sia
“Stay With Me,” Sam Smith
“Shake It Off,” Taylor Swift
“Happy,” Pharrell Williams — WINNER

Best Country Album

Riser, Dierks Bentley
The Outsiders, Eric Church
The Way I’m Livin’, Lee Ann Womack
12 Stories, Brandy Clark
Platinum, Miranda Lambert — WINNER

Best Pop Vocal Album

Ghost Stories, Coldplay
Bangerz, Miley Cyrus
My Everything, Ariana Grande
Prism, Katy Perry
x, Ed Sheeran
In the Lonely Hour, Sam Smith — WINNER

Record of the Year

“Fancy,” Iggy Azalea ft. Charli XCX
“Chandelier,” Sia
“Stay With Me (Darkchild Version),” Sam Smith — WINNER
“Shake It Off,” Taylor Swift
“All About That Bass,” Meghan Trainor

Song of the Year

“Chandelier,” Sia
“All About That Bass,” Meghan Trainor
“Shake It Off,” Taylor Swift
“Stay With Me (Darkchild Version),” Sam Smith — WINNER
“Take Me to Church,” Hozier

Best Rap Album

The New Classic, Iggy Azalea
Because the Internet, Childish Gambino
Nobody’s Smiling, Common
The Marshall Mathers LP2, Eminem — WINNER
Oxymoron, ScHoolboy Q
Blacc Hollywood, Wiz Khalifa

Best Pop Duo/Group Performance

“Fancy,” Iggy Azalea ft. Charli XCX
“A Sky Full of Stars,” Coldplay
“Say Something,” A Great Big World ft. Christina Aguilera — WINNER
“Bang Bang,” Ariana Grande, Jessie J & Nicki Minaj
“Dark Horse,” Katy Perry ft. Juicy J

Best Rap Performance

“3005,” Childish Gambino
“0 to 100/The Catch Up,” Drake
“Rap God,” Eminem
“i,” Kendrick Lamar — WINNER
“All I Need Is You,” Lecrae

Best Alternative Music Album

This Is All Yours, alt-J
Reflektor, Arcade Fire
Melophobia, Cage the Elephant
St. Vincent, St. Vincent — WINNER
Lazaretto, Jack White

Best Rock Song

“Ain’t It Fun,” Paramore — WINNER
“Blue Moon,” Beck
“Fever,” The Black Keys
“Gimme Something Good,” Ryan Adams
“Lazaretto,” Jack White

Best Rap/Sung Collaboration

“Blak Majik,” Common ft. Jhené Aiko
“The Monster,” Eminem ft. Rihanna — WINNER
“Tuesday,” I Love Makonnen ft. Drake
“Studio,” ScHoolboy Q ft. BJ The Chicago Kid
“Bound 2,” Kanye West & Charlie Wilson

Best Rap Song

“Anaconda,” Nicki Minaj
“Bound 2,” Kanye West & Charlie Wilson
“i,” Kendrick Lamar — WINNER
“We Dem Boyz,” Wiz Khalifa
“0 to 100/The Catch Up,” Drake

Best Country Song

“American Kids,” Kenny Chesney
“Automatic,” Miranda Lambert
“Give Me Back My Hometown,” Eric Church
“I’m Not Gonna Miss You,” Glen Campbell — WINNER
“Meanwhile Back at Mama’s,” Tim McGraw ft. Faith Hill

Best Country Duo/Group Performance

“Gentle On My Mind,” The Band Perry — WINNER
“Somethin’ Bad,” Miranda Lambert with Carrie Underwood
“Day Drinking,” Little Big Town
“Meanwhile Back At Mama’s,” Tim McGraw ft. Faith Hill
“Raise ‘Em Up,” Keith Urban ft. Eric Church

Best Country Solo Performance

“Give Me Me Back My Hometown,” Eric Church
“Invisible,” Hunter Hayes
“Automatic,” Miranda Lambert
“Something In the Water,” Carrie Underwood — WINNER
“Cop Car,” Keith Urban

Best Urban Contemporary Album

Sail Out, Jhene Aiko
Beyonce, Beyonce
X, Chris Brown
Mali Is, Mali Music
G I R L, Pharrell Williams — WINNER

Best Dance/Electronic Album

Syro, Aphex Twin — WINNER
While (1, Deadmaus
Nabuma Rubberband, Little Dragon
Do It Again, Röyksopp & Robyn
Damage Control, Mat Zo

Best Dance Recording

“Never Say Never,” Basement Jaxx
“Rather Be,” Clean Bandit ft. Jess Glynne — WINNER
“F for You,” Disclosure ft. Mary J. Blige
“I Got U,” Duke Dumont ft. Jax Jones
“Faded,” Zhu

Best Latin Pop Album

Tangos, Ruben Blades — WINNER
Elypse, Camila
Raiz, Lila Downs, Niña Pastori & Soledad Pastorutti
Loco de Amor, Juanes
Gracias Por Estar Aqui, Marco Antonio Solis

Grammy Latin Nominations Cast a Wide Net

Best Compilation Soundtrack for Visual Media

American Hustle
Guardians of the Galaxy
Frozen — WINNER
Get On Up: The James Brown Story
The Wolf of Wall Street

Best Music Video

“We Exist,” Arcade Fire
“Turn Down for What,” DJ Snake & Lil Jon
“Chandelier,” Sia
“Happy,” Pharrell Williams — WINNER
“The Golden Age,” Woodkid ft. Max Richter

Best Music Film

Beyoncé & Jay Z: On The Run Tour, Beyoncé & Jay Z
Ghost Stories, Coldplay
20 Feet From Stardom, Darlene Love, Merry Clayton, Lisa Fischer & Judith Hill — WINNER
Metallica: Through The Never, Metallica
The Truth About Love Tour: Live From Melbourne, Pink

Best Reggae Album

Fly Rasta, Ziggy Marley — WINNER
Back on the Controls, Lee “Scratch” Perry
Full Frequency, Sean Paul
Out of Many, One Music, Shaggy,
The Reggae Power, Sly & Robbie & Spicy Chocolate,
Amid the Noise and the Haste, Soja

Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album

Cheek to Cheek, Lady Gaga & Tony Bennett — WINNER
Sending You a Little Christmas, Johnny Mathis
Nostalgia, Annie Lennox
Partners, Barbra Streisand
Night Songs, Barry Manilow

Best Americana Album

The River & The Thread, Rosanne Cash — WINNER
Terms of My Surrener, John Hiatt
Bluesamericana, Keb’ Mo’
A Dotted Line, Nickel Creek
Metamodern Sounds in Country Music, Sturgill Simpson

Best Spoken Word Album

Actors Anonymous, James Franco
A Call to Action, Jimmy Carter
Carsick: John Waters Hitchhikes Across America, John Waters
A Fighting Chance, Elizabeth Warren
Diary of a Mad Diva, Joan Rivers — WINNER
We Will Survive: True Stories of Encouragement, Inspiration and the Power of Song, Gloria Gaynor

Joan Rivers & 5 More Posthumous Grammy Award Nominees

Best Gospel Album

Help, Erica Campbell — WINNER
Amazing, Ricky Dillard & New G
Withholding Nothing: Live, William McDowell
Forever Yours, Smokie Norful
Vintage Worship, Anita Wilson

Best Rock Performance

“Gimme Something Good,” Ryan Adams
“Do I Wanna Know?”, Arctic Monkeys
“Blue Moon,” Beck
“Fever,” The Black Keys
“Lazaretto,” Jack White — WINNER

Best Metal Performance

“Neon Knights,” Anthrax
“High Road,” Mastodon
“Heartbreaker,” Motörhead
“The Negative One,” Slipknot
“The Last In Line,” Tenacious D — WINNER

Best R&B Song

“Drunk In Love,” Beyonce ft. Jay Z — WINNER
“Good Kisser,” Usher
“New Flame,” Chris Brown ft. Usher & Rick Ross
“Options (Wolfjames Version),” Luke James ft. Rick Ross
“The Worst,” Jhené Aiko

Best R&B Album

Islander, Bernhoft
Lift Your Spirit, Aloe Blacc
Love, Marriage & Divorce, Toni Braxton & Babyface — WINNER
Black Radio 2, Robert Glasper Experiment
Give The People What They Want, Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings

BAFTA “British Oscars” Go to Boyhood (Best Pic) Julianne Moore, Redmayne, Boyhood (Director), LEGO, Simmons, Arquette

Roger Friedman
-
0
BAFTA “British Oscars” Go to Boyhood (Best Pic) Julianne Moore, Redmayne, Boyhood (Director), LEGO, Simmons, Arquette

“Boyhood” beats “Birdman.” I do think that’s the Oscar for Best Picture. Eddie Redmayne seems to have knocked out Michael Keaton, destabilizing “Birdman.” “Boyhood” has the edge with Arquette and Linklater. Innaritu’s DGA win I think ends there. “Birdman” flew very high for a small art house picture. The themes in “Boyhood” are more universal. I still feel “Selma” was the Best Picture.

keep refreshing...The British Academy Awards– BAFTA– are being given out in London.

Best Picture– Boyhood

Best Actress– Julianne Moore

Patricia Arquette and JK Simmons have won Best Supporting Actor prizes for “Boyhood” and “Whiplash” respectively.

Best Actor– Eddie Redmayne, “Theory of Everything”
Best Director– Richard Linklater, “Boyhood”

“Birdman” won Best Cinematography, but “The Grand Budapest Hotel” has swept through many awards including Costume Design, Editing, Original Screenplay, Production Design and Score.

“The LEGO Movie” won Best Animated Feature.

Best Foreign Film– Ida

Adapted Screenplay– Theory of Everything

Bill Cosby: Boston Theatre Cancels Two Shows Scheduled for Today, Offers Refunds

Roger Friedman
-
0
Bill Cosby: Boston Theatre Cancels Two Shows Scheduled for Today, Offers Refunds

The Wilbur Theater in Boston canceled Bill Cosby’s two shows scheduled for today. The cancellations came after protests by women’s groups. The shows had been mostly sold out, but the theater is offering refunds to anyone who was foolish enough to buy a ticket. Many shows on Cosby’s tour have been cancelled, or theaters have offered refunds in advance of the shows. Cosby’s next dates are in Bakersfield, CA; Pittsburgh PA; and Charlotte NC. It’s doubtful they will go forward, but they’re still listed as active. Why Cosby continues to put himself through this is a mystery.

Yesterday Cosby issued a warning to his fans that he was far from finished:

“Dear Fans: GOD has Blessed me with a wonderful gift to share with all of you,” Cosby said in a statement released to the Herald. “For 53 years I have continued to master this gift, which heals the soul and warms hearts. Laughter! I thank you, the theatre staff (Wilbur Theatre), the event organizers and the Boston Community for your continued support and coming to experience family, fun entertainment. Hey, Hey, Hey — I’m Far From Finished.”

But the Wilbur no doubt didn’t want the planned protests that were forming for today’s show. Neither will other theaters.

Rosie O’Donnell Explains Her View Exit, Marital Split, Compares Brian Williams to Lance Armstrong

Paula Schwartz
-
16
Rosie O’Donnell Explains Her View Exit, Marital Split, Compares Brian Williams to Lance Armstrong

In her first public appearance since she announced her marital split from Michelle Rounds and her exit from The View, Rosie O’Donnell looked chipper and healthy at the premiere of her documentary,“ Rosie O’Donnell: A Heartfelt Stand Up,” Saturday evening at the Athena Film Festival at Barnard College. (The documentary airs on HBO Valentine’s Day.)

 

 

Later that evening at the festival’s awards ceremony, O’Donnell presented the President’s Visionary Award to Sheila Nevins, President of HBO Documentary Films.

 

Other honorees included “Beyond the Lights” writer-director Gina Prince-Bythewood and producer Cathy Schulman. The night before Jodie Foster received the Laura Ziskin Lifetime Achievement award.

 

click here for more headlines 

On the red carpet O’Donnell explained why she decided to leave the popular daytime talk show. She also told journalists about her marital problems. She also made some cracks about Brian Williams and the Iggy Azalea Grammy controversy.

 

On why she decided to leave The View:

 

“I work out for my heart and my doctor were noticing was that there was an uptick on some of my numbers since I started on the show. And as it got a little bit worse right before the holidays she was kind of concerned, so that when I came back after the holiday break she said to me, ‘You know, the stress level is too much.’ And I’ve got a lot going on in my personal life that’s kind of stressful. And you know with five kids, four of them teenagers, it’s a lot of attention you need… and I am going through some hard stuff, so I can’t really fix those things right away but I can fix this.

 

On the network’s reaction:

 

“I talked to them at ABC and I told them and they understood. They’ve been unbelievably supportive and loving and I’m still going to do The Fosters on ABC Family.”

 

On how the rest of the cast reacted when she told them she was leaving:

 

“Actually they were told when it was (ABC) released (the press release) on Friday. We don’t shoot on Friday so I’ve heard from everybody since then over the weekend and 99,000 people that I know but, you know, everybody cares about me and nobody wants to do anything that’s going to effect someone’s health right? So they get it and they know. You know? It’s ok. Not everything works out as you plan but you never know what’s going to happen tomorrow. You don’t know if you’re gonna be here. You don’t’ know anything.”

 

 

On her next gig:

 

“I’m going to host the Disney ‘Frozen’ cruise, the inaugural one…. I don’t care what I have to do, but I want to host with the other ‘Frozen’ freaky families like me. “ (Disney launches the Frozen Cruise, a trip head to northern destinations including Norway, Iceland, Scotland and Alaska, inspired by the film, this summer.)

 

 

Is she taking her entire family of five kids?

 

“Yeah, you kiddin me? My oldest boy probably won’t go, Parker’s 19, but the rest of them will go. Are you kidding me?”

 

 

She weighs in on the Iggy Azalea controversy. The Australian rapper is up for four Grammy Awards:

 

“How bad is this? Who she’s against, Kanye? Well I have to say as a 52-year-old woman I’m not up I’m not up on Iggy Azalea controversy but I have seen it on Huffington Post when I look quickly…. But I think she’s pretty good. My daughter, who is 12, knows every lyric.” And then from Azalea’s song “Fancy,” O’Donnell started rapping, “First thing’s first, I’m the realest (realest) First things first.”

 

On whether she thinks Brian Williams should resign:

 

“I think he said he stepped down,” she replied. When told he was just going to sit out a few nights, O’Donnell added, “I don’t know how you can have somebody embellish and have the trust eroded when they’re delivering the news. But I hope that everyone in America wakes up to the fact that what we get as news is not often true.”

 

On announcing her marital split after the New York Post called her publicist Cindi Berger for confirmation:

 

“You have to say something. It’s like in this day and age, as Brian Williams knows, you can’t claim something’s true if something’s not true. All you have to do is go on Instagram. You can see she’s not in the house with me. Right? It’s been since Thanksgiving. People are not idiots, so I don’t want to lie and fabricate, but, you know, I also needed some time to sort of both of us figure it out. We’re separated. We’re not living together. And like most married couples I know, we’re trying to figure it out. And I love her very much as you can see on there and she loves me as well. So what it can be and in what way, we’ll figure out.”

 

 

Later at the awards ceremony when she presented Sheila Nevins with her award she turned her speech into a stand-up comedy routine and cracked up the room, compromised almost entirely of women.

 

“Wow this is really fun!” she enthused. “All these young, smart women in college number one. That’s inspiring! And all these amazing filmmakers getting awards, looking fly in those tan boot things.”

 

Then she turned her attention to a group of attractive women sitting at the front row table with Gina Prince-Bythewood.

 

“The woman I admire the most is the woman in those boots. I like this whole area. I especially like the one with the grey hat. I saw you walking by and I’m like, ‘I don’t know who she is, but she might be my next wife.’” The audience roared. “I don’t know. I just had a feeling. I’m not saying you have to feel that way back. But I did see you walking and I thought we had a moment. Was it only me?”

 

 

“Maybe that’s the problem in my relationships,” she cracked. “I see someone and I make shit up like Brian Williams. I escaped on 9/11 from the Twin Towers. Oh No, I didn’t. I got mixed up. F—ing Lance Armstrong liar.”

 

Directors Guild: Women Rule with 4 Main Prizes, “Birdman” Director On Oscar Track

Roger Friedman
-
0
Directors Guild: Women Rule with 4 Main Prizes, “Birdman” Director On Oscar Track

Four women scored big time last night at the Directors Guild Awards. They scooped up prizes for Best Documentary, Best Directed TV Drama and Comedy, and Mini-Series. That would be Laura Poitras for “CitizenFour,” Lisa Cholodenko for “Olive Kitteridge,” Jill Soloway for “Transparent,” and Leslie Linka Glatter for “Homeland.”

Of course, the big news was Alejandro Innaritu’s win for Best Feature Film for “Birdman.” This puts Innaritu on track for the Oscar two weeks from tonight. Richard Linklater’s chances for directing “Boyhood” may have been quashed, sadly. But “Boyhood” could still win Best Picture if Academy voters decide to rally around the extraordinary film.

Other DGA winners include Glenn Weiss, for the Tony Awards on CBS; David Diomedi, for the Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon; and Anthony B. Sacco for reality show; Nicolai Fuglsig for commercials, and Jonathan Judge for children’s programs.

Magic Johnson Starts Clive Davis Dinner with Moment of Prayer for Whitney Houston’s Daughter

Leah Sydney
-
0
Magic Johnson Starts Clive Davis Dinner with Moment of Prayer for Whitney Houston’s Daughter

Clive Davis‘s annual all star dinner was full of performance thrills. But it also had bittersweet moments. It opened with Magic Johnson asking the audience to take a moment of prayer for Whitney Houston‘s daughter, Bobbi Kristina. It was a tearful few seconds as the celebrity crowd recalled Houston’s death three years ago this week, just hours before the 2012 dinner. Melissa Rivers also came as a guest of Davis’s, as Clive remembered her mother, Joan Rivers, a regular guest at this annual soiree.

The evening also marked the low key return of Chris Brown. He was last at the Davis party in 2009. That night, he and Rihanna left early and wound up in their now infamous domestic scuffle. But Brown was on his best behavior among a crowd of guests that also included Gladys Knight, Indie Arie, Toni Braxton, Jordin Sparks, and Janelle Monae.

But then it was a night of celebration with hit after hit sung by star after star and a sharp band led by Rickey Minor. The great Joni Mitchell blew air kisses to Clive and then the show began.  Sam Smith came on and started it with a soulful “My Funny Valentine” and then performed his mega hit, “Stay With Me.” The British boy wonder quipped, “Is everyone excited?  I’m shittin’ myself.”

Motown great Smokey Robinson was next with ‘My Girl,’ helped by superstar Miguel, a game Jamie Foxx,  and Earth Wind and Fire’s Philip Bailey who chimed in from the audience.  Mary J. Blige, in shimmering gold and sounding truly amazing, sang “Being with You” with Smokey and then gave an impassioned rendition of her intense new hit, ‘Doubt.’

Clive came to  the podium on to a rousing ovation  and told the crowd, “this is always an
amazing night and it never gets old, and it shouldn’t ever get old.”  Clive then spoke about the history of this famed soiree, which is in its 39th year.  He pointed out some VIP’s in the audience including the professional facetious Kathy Griffin, who earlier told me, “I’m having a great time on Fashion Police, but half the bitches in this room are mad at me.” Music industry VIP’s Irving Azoff, Lucian Grainge, and Michael Rapino all got shout-outs, and  Clive lauded famed producer Richard Perry for his Special Merits Trustees award, given out earlier by the Grammys. He gave kudos to Joan Collins on the occasion of her being dubbed a Dame by Queen Elizabeth, then introduced the legendary crooner Johnny Mathis.
Davis said: “He doesn’t appear in public much anymore, but here he is 50 years after his debut.” Mathis had told me earlier that he hadn’t been performing much lately. “I love to golf, that takes up a lot of my time.”  Johnny sang and the crowd went crazy.  He started with “Chances Are,” then “Wonderful, Wonderful,” and ended with “Misty.” That was the first standing ovation of the night. And who led it? The best behaved and the biggest fans of the night, Taylor Swift’s table with the Haim girls, and Miley Cyrus. Miley and Taylor both were class acts all night.  They showed respect, led the standing ovations and sang along to each and every artist.
But the two Miley and Taylor were most excited about were Mathis and later Carole King.  Carole, the ageless songstress she is, sang, ‘Beautiful’ and ‘You Got A Friend,’ which John Legend and Mary J helped with from  the audience. Pharrell followed with  “Get Lucky.”
Then a first happened at a Clive party.  The schedule called for the honor for Sony Music Publisher Martin Bandier. So the video voice over of Bob Costas started.  But the audience had only one thing on their minds, and that was for Pharrell to sing his gigantic hit, “Happy” — which they would not stop chanting.  A somewhat confused Pharrell was on the stage and quipped, “This is definitely one of the most awkward moments.”
As confusion reigned for the next 30 seconds, Grammy CEO Neil Portnow took the mic and said, “Pharrell, if you are happy, we are happy.”  So Pharrell and band winged a spirited version of the hit song.
Bandier then accepted his award, after a hilarious video with appearances by a biting Susie Essman, Sting, Taylor Swift and the aforementioned Pharrell. The video showed Marty advising Pharrell not to do
“Happy,” but do a song instead called ‘Anxiety,” since Marty said, “most people are sick to death of happiness.”
Performances by Iggy Azalea, Rita Ora, Jennifer Hudson, John Legend and Meghan Trainor followed. The Bee Gees’ only surviving brother Barry Gibb ended the night with a moving take on the band’s most covered hit, “To Love Somebody.”  After the party ended at the stroke of midnight, the VIPS still mingled. Davis, 82, did it again– miraculously. His parties will be remembered as legendary years from now. Now we are all waiting for the 40th one next year!

Melanie Griffith Will NOT See Daughter Dakota Johnson in “Fifty Shades of Grey”

Roger Friedman
-
0
Melanie Griffith Will NOT See Daughter Dakota Johnson in “Fifty Shades of Grey”

Live from the Clive Davis dinner at the Beverly Hilton: LEAH SYDNEY is talking to the massive number of celebs who’ve turned out for this ultimate pre-Grammy gala. Melanie Griffith, our pal, told Leah she will NOT be seeing daughter Dakota Johnson in “Fifty Shades of Grey.” “It’s just took awkward,” says the nevertheless proud mom. We can only imagine that dad Don Johnson will take the same tack.

Meanwhile, Clive’s party is a Who’s Who– the A listers are flooding through the entrance. Al Gore is in deep conversation with Taylor Swift, who’s sitting with the group Haim. Gore, Nancy Pelosi, and Tim Cook from Apple are all sitting together in the “first ring” above the orchestra. Jamie Foxx and Mary J. Blige are together in prime seats. Miley Cyrus is right by the stage. As usual, no one is eating, says Leah. They are all shmoozing.

Some other guests include Ricky Martin (who’s chatting up Miley), Peter Asher, Richard Perry and Jane Fonda, Denise Rich, Nikki Haskell, Barbara Davis, Ryan Cabrera, Smokey Robinson, Ace Frehley from KISS, Don Was, Common, Paula Abdul, Valerie Simpson, Chaz Palminteri, Diane Warren, and Rita Ora. Plus, Sheryl Crow is chatting up Joni Mitchell. Jennifer Hudson and Iggy Azalea have arrived — they’re performing together. Famed music exec Irving Azoff is having fun with Lorraine Bracco.

And the show hasn’t even started.

Check back in the AM for more from Clive’s big night…

1...1,6611,6621,663...2,324Page 1,662 of 2,324

Hollywood to the Hudson

Company

Trending

Categories

© Showbiz411.com