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Beyonce, Taylor Swift, Ariana Grande Pay RESPECT to Aretha Franklin at Billboard Awards

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It was quite an afternoon at the Billboard Women in Music Awards. Aretha Franklin received the first ever Icon Award. And before she did, Beyonce, Taylor Swift, and Ariana Grande, among others, came to pay her some R-E-S-P-E-C-T.

Beyonce– just stunning– came right over to the Queen of Soul’s table and just about bowed down. All of 55 Wall Street had eyes on these two as Aretha– wearing a periwinkle blue Chanel suit and sporting blonde highlighted hair– graciously received her. Taylor Swift followed suit. Ariana Grande and Jesse J each called out Franklin’s name from the stage.

Meanwhile, Clive Davis came to introduce Franklin, who received a thunderous standing ovation. Aretha got a chance to hear several of today’s singers live, too, since there were many performances. The best one was Hayley from Paramore with Joy Williams on a stunning acoustic number. Jesse J, whom I’d never seen before, has an amazing voice but a really terrible hit song. Ariana Grande is sort of a Mariah Carey in waiting. She also has a big voice with a lot of potential.

Stevie Wonder, by the way, sent a video for Aretha. He rewrote the lyrics of “Until You Come Back to Me,” his song that Franklin had a massive hit on back in 1972. Very clever stuff from Stevie.

 

Photo c2014 Showbiz411.com

Sony Hack, Angelina Jolie vs. Scott Rudin: At Least He Didn’t Threaten to Strangle Her

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Everyone’s so excited about Scott Rudin’s emails in the Sony hacking scandal. He called Angelina Jolie a spoiled brat. Big deal! You should see the emails I get from Scott Rudin. He is legendary for pushing ‘send’ before thinking.

Back in 1998 he sent Paramount Pictures publicist Allison Jackson a memo that was leaked everywhere. This is what it said: “The only thing separating my hands from your neck is the fact that there are three thousand miles between us.” This was because he didn’t like the way she was handling the premiere of “The Truman Show.”

Rudin continued:

“Be aware that this is the last movie of mine you will have anything to do with because the prospect of having to go through another one of these events with you makes my skin crawl.”

He said she was nothing but “a hostess, nothing more; you create nothing of value except hors d’oeuvres and guest lists. You’re not even smart enough to know who not to offend. You may have kissed enough ass to get you to where you are but . . . you’ve got a lot to learn.”

Jackson went on to do many other projects for Rudin’s films, and her big client nowadays is Paul Allen. So there.

At least he didn’t threaten to strangle Angie!

I don’t know why all these emails are taken seriously. If you go back to Julia Phillips’s classic “You’ll Never Eat Lunch in this Town Again” you’ll find that everyone eats lunch in this town again. Murderers walk free. Grandmothers are sold down the river for rights to a good project. And grandchildren too!

 

Julianne Moore Gets Toasted at the 2nd Annual Oscar Lunch at Le Cirque

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Last year, Cate Blanchett was feted at lunch at the famous Le Cirque restaurant. A few months later she won the Oscar for “Blue Jasmine.”

This year, it was Julianne Moore’s turn. Ellen Barkin and Kate Capshaw were among the guests who toasted Moore on her two Golden Globe nominations– in drama for “Still Alice” and in comedy for “Maps to the Stars.” Moore is the odds on leader in the Best Actress race for the Oscar this year in “Still Alice.”

Alec Baldwin, Moore’s costar in “Alice” also showed up to lend support at the world famous French restaurant. “Still Alice,” Moore explained, was a quick turnaround. They shot it fast, and just made the Toronto Film Festival. Michael Barker and Tom Bernard of Sony Pictures Classics bought it on the spot and knew that Moore would go right into the Oscar race.

Moore got her start on “As the World Turns” in 1985, and took off like a rocket. Her co-stars on the soap included Meg Ryan, Marisa Tomei, and Steven Weber. When “ATWT” was ending its 55 year run in 2010, Moore did the menschy thing– she returned and played the same character she’d created.

Since then, Julie– that’s what everyone calls her– has had a series of hits from Robert Altman’s “Short Cuts” to Stephen Daldry’s “The Hours.” She won about 12 awards for playing Sarah Palin in HBO’s “Game Change.”

Moore said she worried that no one would see “Still Alice” when Toronto scheduled it at 4:30pm against Jon Stewart’s “Rosewater” and Jennifer Aniston in “Cake.” “We did a red carpet and there were like three people from the Toronto press,” she said. But Barker and Bernard were there, and the rest is history.

Moore will be honored in mid January at the Museum of the Moving Image, right after the Globes and before the SAG Awards. What a winter! o

Golden Globes: Angelina Jolie Totally Snubbed for Unbroken, Clint Eastwood, Chris Rock Ignored

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Brad and Angelina won’t be going to the Golden Globes. Neither will Bradley Cooper or Clint Eastwood. The Golden Globes took a big leap forward this year and omitted their hugest stars. They did include “Selma” and Ava Duvernay. But they left out Chris Rock’s “Top Five” from comedy. They also left out “The Interview” with James Franco and Seth Rogen. A LOT of the usual suspects will be missing from the NBC show this year. HFPA prez Theo Kingma is really making an effort here. For the first time, I have to give them credit.

1. BEST MOTION PICTURE – DRAMA

a. BOYHOOD
IFC Productions and Detour Filmproduction; IFC Films

b. FOXCATCHER
Annapurna Pictures; Sony Pictures Classic

c. THE IMITATION GAME
Black Bear Pictures; The Weinstein Company

d. SELMA
Paramount Pictures and Pathé; Paramount Pictures

e. THE THEORY OF EVERYTHING
Working Title Films; Focus Features

2. BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A MOTION PICTURE – DRAMA

a. JENNIFER ANISTON CAKE

b. FELICITY JONES THE THEORY OF EVERYTHING

c. JULIANNE MOORE STILL ALICE

d. ROSAMUND PIKE GONE GIRL

e. REESE WITHERSPOON WILD

3. BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A MOTION PICTURE – DRAMA

a. STEVE CARELL FOXCATCHER

b. BENEDICT CUMBERBATCH THE IMITATION GAME

c. JAKE GYLLENHAAL NIGHTCRAWLER

d. DAVID OYELOWO SELMA

e. EDDIE REDMAYNE THE THEORY OF EVERYTHING
4. BEST MOTION PICTURE – COMEDY OR MUSICAL

a. BIRDMAN
Regency Enterprises and M Productions and Le Grisbi Productions; Fox Searchlight Pictures

b. THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL
American Empirical Picture; Fox Searchlight Pictures

c. INTO THE WOODS
Disney; Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

d. PRIDE
Pathé Productions Limited, British Broadcasting Corporation, The British Film Institute and Calamity Films; CBS Films Inc.

e. ST. VINCENT
Chernin Entertainment; The Weinstein Company

5. BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A MOTION PICTURE – COMEDY OR MUSICAL

a. AMY ADAMS BIG EYES

b. EMILY BLUNT INTO THE WOODS

c. HELEN MIRREN THE HUNDRED-FOOT JOURNEY

d. JULIANNE MOORE MAPS TO THE STARS

e. QUVENZHANÉ WALLIS ANNIE

6. BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A MOTION PICTURE – COMEDY OR MUSICAL

a. RALPH FIENNES THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL

b. MICHAEL KEATON BIRDMAN

c. BILL MURRAY ST. VINCENT

d. JOAQUIN PHOENIX INHERENT VICE

e. CHRISTOPH WALTZ BIG EYES

7. BEST ANIMATED FEATURE FILM

a. BIG HERO 6
Walt Disney Animation Studios; Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

b. THE BOOK OF LIFE
Twentieth Century Fox and Reel FX Animation Studios; Twentieth Century Fox

c. THE BOXTROLLS
Laika; Focus Features

d. HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON 2
DreamWorks Animation LLC; Twentieth Century Fox

e. THE LEGO MOVIE
Warner Bros. Pictures / Village Roadshow Pictures / RatPac-Dune Entertainment / Lego System A/S / Vertigo Entertainment/Lin Pictures; Warner Bros. Pictures

8. BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM

a. FORCE MAJEURE TURIST (SWEDEN)
Coproduction Office; Magnolia Pictures

b. GETT: THE TRIAL OF VIVIANE (ISRAEL)
AMSALEM GETT
Arte France Cinéma; Music Box Films

c. IDA (POLAND/DENMARK)
Phoenix film investments; Music Box Films

d. LEVIATHAN (RUSSIA)
(Левиафан)
Non-Stop Production, Ministry of Culture of the
Russian Federation of the Cinema Funds, RuArts
Foundation; Sony Pictures Classics

e. TANGERINES MANDARIINID (ESTONIA)
Allfilm

9. BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A MOTION PICTURE

a. PATRICIA ARQUETTE BOYHOOD

b. JESSICA CHASTAIN A MOST VIOLENT YEAR

c. KEIRA KNIGHTLEY THE IMITATION GAME

d. EMMA STONE BIRDMAN

e. MERYL STREEP INTO THE WOODS

10. BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A MOTION PICTURE

a. ROBERT DUVALL THE JUDGE

b. ETHAN HAWKE BOYHOOD

c. EDWARD NORTON BIRDMAN

d. MARK RUFFALO FOXCATCHER

e. J.K. SIMMONS WHIPLASH

11. BEST DIRECTOR – MOTION PICTURE

a. WES ANDERSON THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL

b. AVA DUVERNAY SELMA

c. DAVID FINCHER GONE GIRL

d. ALEJANDRO GONZÁLEZ BIRDMAN
IÑÁRRITU

e. RICHARD LINKLATER BOYHOOD

12. BEST SCREENPLAY – MOTION PICTURE

a. WES ANDERSON THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL

b. GILLIAN FLYNN GONE GIRL

c. ALEJANDRO GONZÁLEZ BIRDMAN
IÑÁRRITU,
NICOLÁS GIACOBONE,
ALEXANDER DINELARIS,
ARMANDO BO

d. RICHARD LINKLATER BOYHOOD

e. GRAHAM MOORE THE IMITATION GAME

13. BEST ORIGINAL SCORE – MOTION PICTURE

a. ALEXANDRE DESPLAT THE IMITATION GAME

b. JÓHANN JÓHANNSSON THE THEORY OF EVERYTHING

c. TRENT REZNOR, GONE GIRL
ATTICUS ROSS

d. ANTONIO SANCHEZ BIRDMAN

e. HANS ZIMMER INTERSTELLAR

14. BEST ORIGINAL SONG – MOTION PICTURE

a. “BIG EYES” — BIG EYES
Music by: Lana Del Rey
Lyrics by: Lana Del Rey

b. “GLORY” — SELMA
Music by: John Legend, Common
Lyrics by: John Legend, Common

c. “MERCY IS” — NOAH
Music by: Patti Smith, Lenny Kaye
Lyrics by: Patti Smith, Lenny Kaye

d. “OPPORTUNITY” — ANNIE
Music by: Greg Kurstin, Sia Furler, Will Gluck
Lyrics by: Greg Kurstin, Sia Furler, Will Gluck

e. “YELLOW FLICKER BEAT” — THE HUNGER GAMES:
Music by: Lorde MOCKINGJAY – PART 1
Lyrics by: Lorde

15. BEST TELEVISION SERIES – DRAMA

a. THE AFFAIR SHOWTIME
SHOWTIME Presents, SHELEG, HIGLEWATER

b. DOWNTON ABBEY PBS
A Carnival Films/Masterpiece Co-Production in association
with NBCUniversal

c. GAME OF THRONES HBO
HBO Entertainment in association with Bighead, Littlehead;
Television 360; Startling Television and Generator Productions

d. THE GOOD WIFE CBS
CBS Television Studios with Scott Free Productions and King
Size Productions

e. HOUSE OF CARDS NETFLIX
Donen/Fincher/Roth and Trigger Street Productions, Inc. in association
with Media Rights Capital for Netflix

16. BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A TELEVISION SERIES – DRAMA

a. CLAIRE DANES HOMELAND

b. VIOLA DAVIS HOW TO GET AWAY WITH MURDER

c. JULIANNA MARGULIES THE GOOD WIFE

d. RUTH WILSON THE AFFAIR

e. ROBIN WRIGHT HOUSE OF CARDS

17. BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A TELEVISION SERIES – DRAMA

a. CLIVE OWEN THE KNICK

b. LIEV SCHREIBER RAY DONOVAN

c. KEVIN SPACEY HOUSE OF CARDS

d. JAMES SPADER THE BLACKLIST

e. DOMINIC WEST THE AFFAIR

18. BEST TELEVISION SERIES – COMEDY OR MUSICAL

a. GIRLS HBO
HBO Entertainment in association with Apatow Productions and
I Am Jenni Konner Productions

b. JANE THE VIRGIN THE CW
CBS Television Studios and Warner Bros. Television in association
with Electus

c. ORANGE IS THE NEW BLACK NETFLIX
Lionsgate Television for Netflix

d. SILICON VALLEY HBO
HBO Entertainment in association with Judgemental Films, Alec
Berg, Altschuler Krinsky works, and 3 Arts Entertainment

e. TRANSPARENT AMAZON
Amazon Studios INSTANT VIDEO

19. BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A TELEVISION SERIES –COMEDY OR MUSICAL

a. LENA DUNHAM GIRLS

b. EDIE FALCO NURSE JACKIE

c. JULIA LOUIS-DREYFUS VEEP

d. GINA RODRIGUEZ JANE THE VIRGIN

e. TAYLOR SCHILLING ORANGE IS THE NEW BLACK

20. BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A TELEVISION SERIES – COMEDY OR MUSICAL

a. LOUIS C. K. LOUIE

b. DON CHEADLE HOUSE OF LIES

c. RICKY GERVAIS DEREK

d. WILLIAM H. MACY SHAMELESS

e. JEFFREY TAMBOR TRANSPARENT

21. BEST MINI-SERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION

a. FARGO FX
FX Productions & MGM Television

b. THE MISSING STARZ
New Pictures, Company Pictures, Two Brothers Pictures,
Playground Entertainment, BBC

c. THE NORMAL HEART HBO
HBO Films in association with Plan B Entertainment,
Blumhouse and Ryan Murphy Productions

d. OLIVE KITTERIDGE HBO
HBO Miniseries in association with Playtone

e. TRUE DETECTIVE HBO
HBO Entertainment in association with Neon Black,
Anonymous Content, Parliament of Owls and Passenger

22. BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A MINI-SERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION

a. MAGGIE GYLLENHAAL THE HONORABLE WOMAN

b. JESSICA LANGE AMERICAN HORROR STORY:
FREAK SHOW

c. FRANCES MCDORMAND OLIVE KITTERIDGE

d. FRANCES O’CONNOR THE MISSING

e. ALLISON TOLMAN FARGO

23. BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A MINI-SERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION

a. MARTIN FREEMAN FARGO

b. WOODY HARRELSON TRUE DETECTIVE

c. MATTHEW MCCONAUGHEY TRUE DETECTIVE

d. MARK RUFFALO THE NORMAL HEART

e. BILLY BOB THORNTON FARGO

24. BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A SERIES, MINI-SERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION

a. UZO ADUBA ORANGE IS THE NEW BLACK

b. KATHY BATES AMERICAN HORROR STORY:
FREAK SHOW

c. JOANNE FROGGATT DOWNTON ABBEY

d. ALLISON JANNEY MOM

e. MICHELLE MONAGHAN TRUE DETECTIVE

25. BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A SERIES, MINI-SERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION

a. MATT BOMER THE NORMAL HEART

b. ALAN CUMMING THE GOOD WIFE

c. COLIN HANKS FARGO

d. BILL MURRAY OLIVE KITTERIDGE

e. JON VOIGHT RAY DONOVAN

NOMINATIONS BY MOTION PICTURE DISTRIBUTOR AND TELEVISION NETWORK

MOTION PICTURE DISTRIBUTOR Nominations
FOX SEARCHLIGHT PICTURES 12
THE WEINSTEIN COMPANY 10
SONY PICTURES CLASSICS 6
TWENTIETH CENTURY FOX 6
FOCUS FEATURES 5
IFC FILMS 5
PARAMOUNT PICTURES 5
WALT DISNEY STUDIOS MOTION PICTURES 4
WARNER BROS. PICTURES 4
MUSIC BOX FILMS 2
SONY PICTURES RELEASING 2
A24 1
CBS FILMS INC. 1
CINELOU FILMS 1
ENTERTAINMENT ONE 1
FOCUS WORLD 1
LIONSGATE 1
MAGNOLIA PICTURES 1
OPEN ROAD FILMS 1
TOUCHSTONE PICTURES 1

TELEVISION NETWORK Nominations
HBO 15
SHOWTIME 9
FX 8
NETFLIX 7
CBS 4
AMAZON INSTANT VIDEO 2
PBS 2
STARZ 2
THE CW 2
ABC 1
CINEMAX 1
NBC 1
SUNDANCETV 1

NOMINATIONS BY MOTION PICTURE
AND TELEVISION SERIES OR PROGRAM

MOTION PICTURE Nominations
BIRDMAN 7
BOYHOOD 5
THE IMITATION GAME 5
GONE GIRL 4
THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL 4
SELMA 4
THE THEORY OF EVERYTHING 4
BIG EYES 3
FOXCATCHER 3
INTO THE WOODS 3
ANNIE 2
ST. VINCENT 2
A MOST VOILENT YEAR 1
BIG HERO 6 1
THE BOOK OF LIFE 1
THE BOXTROLLS 1
CAKE 1
FORCE MAJEURE TURIST 1
GETT: THE TRIAL OF VIVIANE AMSALEM GETT 1
HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON 2 1
THE HUNDRED-FOOT JOURNEY 1
THE HUNGER GAMES: MOCKINGJAY – PART 1 1
IDA 1
INHERENT VICE 1
INTERSTELLAR 1
THE JUDGE 1
THE LEGO MOVIE 1
LEVIATHAN 1
MAPS TO THE STARS 1
NIGHTCRAWLER 1
NOAH 1
PRIDE 1
STILL ALICE 1
TANGERINES MANDARIINID 1
WHIPLASH 1
WILD 1

NOMINATIONS BY MOTION PICTURE
AND TELEVISION SERIES OR PROGRAM

TELEVISION SERIES OR PROGRAM Nominations
FARGO 5
TRUE DETECTIVE 4
THE AFFAIR 3
THE GOOD WIFE 3
HOUSE OF CARDS 3
THE NORMAL HEART 3
OLIVE KITTERIDGE 3
ORANGE IS THE NEW BLACK 3
AMERICAN HORROR STORY: FREAK SHOW 2
DOWNTON ABBEY 2
GIRLS 2
JANE THE VIRGIN 2
THE MISSING 2
RAY DONOVAN 2
TRANSPARENT 2
THE BLACKLIST 1
DEREK 1
GAME OF THRONES 1
HOMELAND 1
THE HONORABLE WOMAN 1
HOUSE OF LIES 1
HOW TO GET AWAY WITH MURDER 1
THE KNICK 1
LOUIE 1
MOM 1
NURSE JACKIE 1
SHAMELESS 1
SILICON VALLEY 1
VEEP 1

Franco-Rogen Movie “The Interview”: Kim Jung Un Revealed as Katy Perry Fan

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Sony finally unveiled “The Interview” last night. It opens Friday, when real reviews will run. But I got to see it, mostly out of curiosity. Could this movie be causing North Korea to hack into Sony’s computers, wreck their phone lines and steal their emails? It doesn’t seem possible. If you ask me– and no one has– it’s an inside job. But it’s great publicity for “The Interview.”

The Seth Rogen- James Franco vehicle is a hoot, of course. It’s very silly and totally improbably. The premise is that Kim Jung Un watches Franco’s syndicated celebrity show on satellite and loves it. He wants Franco’s insipid Ted Baxter like character to interview in North Korea. So off goes Dave Skylark (Franco) with his producer Aaron Rapaport (Rogen). Ultimately they come in contact with a beautiful CIA agent (Lizzy Caplan, from “Masters of Sex,” who’s just great) and nutty Kim Jung Un himself (Randall Park).

The movie is hilarious and coarse, of course. But it’s Franco’s best and least pretentious work in a long time. Dave Skylark is vain, daffy, uneducated, and totally unprepared. But he dresses impeccably. At least once he changes the pronunciation of Rapaport by silencing the ‘t’ as if it were French. He’s a slicker, smarter version of Will Ferrell’s Anchorman.

“The Interview” is also a kind of kitschy buddy movie, as if Cosby and Hope were in a MAD magazine send up of their movies in which there’s a slight suggestion of a gay relationship. But Aaron gets involved with a beautiful Korean TV producer. And Skylark flirts with the CIA agent.

The Korean stuff is tame, I think. There are some standard off putting jokes, like about cooking dogs. But there’s also a nasty Jewish joke to even it out. Mainly, “The Interview” is just a good refreshing laugh, short and to the point. It all gets wrapped up in a nice package but I won’t tell you how it ends. Suffice to say, Kim Jung Un turns out to be a huge Katy Perry fan.

Amazing Orson Welles Doc Opens Today in New York: A Controversial Genius’ Story

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“Magician: The Astonishing Life and Work of Orson Welles” opens today and this weekend around the country. Chuck Workman, better known for his own astonishing archival projects, made the film about genius Welles because- -he had to, that’s all. Chuck, if you don’t know, edits all the clip packages for the Oscars, edits the Academy Awards show, and makes his own films. He’s the Citizen Kane of clips. (I don’t know what that means but it sounds good.)

“Magician,” like “Red Army” and a few others, didn’t make the Oscar shortlist this year. But it’s more than well-worth seeing. Welles died in the mid-80s. He seemed old then and seems old now. He’s mythic. That’s why it’s surprising to know his daughter, Chris Welles, is 76 and has lived in downtown Manhattan for 40 years. Welles had three girls, each with a different wife. His second daughter, by Hollywood icon Rita Hayworth, died a few years ago. His other living daughter, Beatrice, I gather lives in Europe and is not happy about “Magician.” (She couldn’t control it. That’s what makes it a documentary.)

But she should be. There’s nothing derogatory about her mother. Workman simply tells Welles’ story. The director was 26 and new to Hollywood when he made his first film, “Citizen Kane.” Imagine that his first film is considered the greatest cinematic achievement of all time. Now what? Welles battled excesses, battled himself, and the studios for the rest of his life.

The fact is, he was a genius, outsized and well beyond anything we have today. “Magician” is kind of a must-see for anyone interested in film. It’s incredibly entertaining, and fills in some major blanks — this is stuff than can’t be found on Wikipedia.

Pop: Mary J. Blige Is the Only R&B Act in the Top 30 Albums; Taylor Swift Keeps Selling

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If you’re my age you remember the days when Stevie, Aretha, Smokey, Al Green, Santana, Marvin Gaye, Earth Wind & Fire, The O’Jays all ruled the charts.

Today, after two or more decades of throwaway, disposable rap, the only R&B artist in the top 30 albums is Mary J. Blige with her excellent “London Sessions.”

The only other black artist is Darius Rucker, who’s considered “country” or “pop” and has a Christmas album. Beyonce is at number 32. A couple more black artists are scattered at the bottom of the top 50.

Of Mary J’s 50,000 copies sold in her debut week, only 2,000 are streamed. That’s interesting. Because of Taylor Swift’s 272,000 copies sold last week, fifty thousand were streamed. Are only white people using Spotify?

What the heck is going on? If anyone knows, I’d like to hear it. (Comments must be clean and not derogatory.)

PS Last year Jay Z skipped the chart entirely, and gave his album away to Samsung.

 

SAG Nominees: Imitation, Boyhood, Birdman, Theory, Budapest Hotel– Snubs All Black Movie Actors

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SAG Awards nominees for Best Cast/Ensemble often indicate nominees for the Oscar Best Picture. This year they are The Imitation Game, Boyhood, Birdman, Theory of Everything, and the Grand Budapest Hotel. Biggest snub was “Selma,” which didn’t start screening until late, and “Into the Woods,” which SAG audiences loved. They will each be Best Picture nominees anyway.

Some surprises among the actresses. Naomi Watts in St Vincent is very nice. Jennifer Aniston for Cake–I didn’t think it was possible, but good for her. Nothing for Emily Blunt or anyone else in Into the Woods except Meryl Streep. Rosamund Pike in Gone Girl also a stretch.

And no Gugu Mbatha Raw or David Oyelowo.

Indeed, it’s an all white SAG this year in the movie categories. Black actors only rated on TV. “Selma” has a 100% on RottenTomatoes.

Read this too: http://www.showbiz411.com/2014/12/02/national-board-of-review-disgraceful-omission-of-martin-luther-king-in-favor-of-lego

Here’s the full list:
Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role
STEVE CARELL / John du Pont – “FOXCATCHER” (Sony Pictures Classics)
BENEDICT CUMBERBATCH / Alan Turing – “THE IMITATION GAME” (The Weinstein Company)
JAKE GYLLENHAAL / Louis Bloom – “NIGHTCRAWLER” (Open Road Films)
MICHAEL KEATON / Riggan – “BIRDMAN” (Fox Searchlight Pictures)
EDDIE REDMAYNE / Stephen Hawking – “THE THEORY OF EVERYTHING” (Focus Features)

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role
JENNIFER ANISTON / Claire Bennett – “CAKE” (Cinelou Films)
FELICITY JONES / Jane Hawking – “THE THEORY OF EVERYTHING” (Focus Features)
JULIANNE MOORE / Alice Howland-Jones – “STILL ALICE” (Sony Pictures Classics)
ROSAMUND PIKE / Amy Dunne – “GONE GIRL” (20th Century Fox)
REESE WITHERSPOON / Cheryl Strayed – “WILD” (Fox Searchlight Pictures)

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role
ROBERT DUVALL / Joseph Palmer – “THE JUDGE” (Warner Bros. Pictures)
ETHAN HAWKE / Mason, Sr. – “BOYHOOD” (IFC Films)
EDWARD NORTON / Mike – “BIRDMAN” (Fox Searchlight Pictures)
MARK RUFFALO / Dave Schultz – “FOXCATCHER” (Sony Pictures Classics)
J.K. SIMMONS / Fletcher – “WHIPLASH” (Sony Pictures Classics)

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role
PATRICIA ARQUETTE / Olivia – “BOYHOOD” (IFC Films)
KEIRA KNIGHTLEY / Joan Clarke – “THE IMITATION GAME” (The Weinstein Company)
EMMA STONE / Sam – “BIRDMAN” (Fox Searchlight Pictures)
MERYL STREEP / The Witch – “INTO THE WOODS” (Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures)
NAOMI WATTS / Daka – “ST. VINCENT” (The Weinstein Company)

Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture
BIRDMAN (Fox Searchlight Pictures)
ZACH GALIFIANAKIS / Jake
MICHAEL KEATON / Riggan
EDWARD NORTON / Mike
ANDREA RISEBOROUGH / Laura
AMY RYAN / Sylvia
EMMA STONE / Sam
NAOMI WATTS / Lesley

BOYHOOD (IFC Films)
PATRICIA ARQUETTE / Olivia
ELLAR COLTRANE / Mason
ETHAN HAWKE / Mason, Sr.
LORELEI LINKLATER / Samantha

THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL (Fox Searchlight Pictures)
F. MURRAY ABRAHAM / Mr. Moustafa
MATHIEU AMALRIC / Serge X.
ADRIEN BRODY / Dmitri
WILLEM DAFOE / Jopling
RALPH FIENNES / M. Gustave
JEFF GOLDBLUM / Dep. Kovacs
HARVEY KEITEL / Ludwig
JUDE LAW / Young Writer
BILL MURRAY / M. Ivan
EDWARD NORTON / Henckels
TONY REVOLORI / Zero
SAOIRSE RONAN / Agatha
JASON SCHWARTZMAN / M. Jean
LÉA SEYDOUX / Clotilde
TILDA SWINTON / Madame D
TOM WILKINSON / Author
OWEN WILSON / M. Chuck

THE IMITATION GAME (The Weinstein Company)
MATTHEW BEARD / Peter Hilton
BENEDICT CUMBERBATCH / Alan Turing
CHARLES DANCE / Commander Denniston
MATTHEW GOODE / Hugh Alexander
RORY KINNEAR / Nock
KEIRA KNIGHTLEY / Joan Clarke
ALLEN LEECH / John Cairncross
MARK STRONG / Stewart Menzies

THE THEORY OF EVERYTHING (Focus Features)
CHARLIE COX / Jonathan Hellyer Jones
FELICITY JONES / Jane Hawking
SIMON McBURNEY / Frank Hawking
EDDIE REDMAYNE / Stephen Hawking
DAVID THEWLIS / Dennis Sciama
EMILY WATSON / Beryl Wilde

TELEVISION PROGRAMS

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries
ADRIEN BRODY / Harry Houdini – “HOUDINI” (History)
BENEDICT CUMBERBATCH / Sherlock Holmes – “SHERLOCK: HIS LAST VOW” (PBS)
RICHARD JENKINS / Henry Kitteridge – “OLIVE KITTERIDGE” (HBO)
MARK RUFFALO / Ned Weeks – “THE NORMAL HEART” (HBO)
BILLY BOB THORNTON / Lorne Malvo – “FARGO” (FX)

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries
ELLEN BURSTYN / Olivia Foxworth – “FLOWERS IN THE ATTIC” (Lifetime)
MAGGIE GYLLENHAAL / Nessa Stein – “THE HONORABLE WOMAN” (Sundance TV)
FRANCES McDORMAND / Olive Kitteridge – “OLIVE KITTERIDGE” (HBO)
JULIA ROBERTS / Dr. Emma Brookner – “THE NORMAL HEART” (HBO)
CICELY TYSON / Carrie Watts – “THE TRIP TO BOUNTIFUL” (Lifetime)

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series
STEVE BUSCEMI / Enoch “Nucky” Thompson – “BOARDWALK EMPIRE” (HBO)
PETER DINKLAGE / Tyrion Lannister – “GAME OF THRONES” (HBO)
WOODY HARRELSON / Martin Hart – “TRUE DETECTIVE” (HBO)
MATTHEW McCONAUGHEY / Rust Cohle – “TRUE DETECTIVE” (HBO)
KEVIN SPACEY / Francis Underwood – “HOUSE OF CARDS” (Netflix)

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Drama Series (6 nominees)
CLAIRE DANES / Carrie Mathison – “HOMELAND” (Showtime)
VIOLA DAVIS / Annalise Keating – “HOW TO GET AWAY WITH MURDER” (ABC)
JULIANNA MARGULIES / Alicia Florrick – “THE GOOD WIFE” (CBS)
TATIANA MASLANY / Sarah/Coxima/Alison/Rachel/ – “ORPHAN BLACK” (BBC America)
Helena/Tony/Jennifer and Various Others
MAGGIE SMITH / Violet, Dowager Countess of Grantham – “DOWNTON ABBEY” (PBS)
ROBIN WRIGHT / Claire Underwood – “HOUSE OF CARDS” (Netflix)

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Comedy Series
TY BURRELL / Phil Dunphy – “MODERN FAMILY ” (ABC)
LOUIS C.K. / Louie – “LOUIE” (FX)
WILLIAM H. MACY / Frank Gallagher – “SHAMELESS” (Showtime)
JIM PARSONS / Sheldon Cooper – “THE BIG BANG THEORY” (CBS)
ERIC STONESTREET / Cameron Tucker – “MODERN FAMILY” (ABC)

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series
UZO ADUBA / Suzanne “Crazy Eyes” Warren – “ORANGE IS THE NEW BLACK” (Netflix)
JULIE BOWEN / Claire Dunphy – “MODERN FAMILY” (ABC)
EDIE FALCO / Jackie Peyton – “NURSE JACKIE” (Showtime)
JULIA LOUIS-DREYFUS / Vice President Selina Meyer – “VEEP” (HBO)
AMY POEHLER / Leslie Knope – “PARKS AND RECREATION” (NBC)

Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series
BOARDWALK EMPIRE (HBO)
STEVE BUSCEMI / Enoch “Nucky” Thompson
PAUL CALDERON / Arquimedes
NICHOLAS CALHOUN / Sean
LOUIS CANCELMI / Mike D’Angelo
JOHN ELLISON CONLEE / Commodore
MICHAEL COUNTRYMAN / Frank Wilson
STEPHEN GRAHAM / Al Capone
DOMENICK LOMBARDOZZI / Ralph Capone
NOLAN LYONS / Enoch Thompson (young)
KELLY MACDONALD / Margaret Thompson
BORIS McGIVER / Sheriff Smith Johnson
VINCENT PIAZZA / Charlie “Lucky” Luciano
PAUL SPARKS / Mickey Doyle
TRAVIS TOPE / Joe Hardy
SHEA WHIGHAM / Eli Thompson
ANATOL YUSEF / Meyer Lansky
MICHAEL ZEGEN / Benny Siegel

DOWNTON ABBEY (PBS)
HUGH BONNEVILLE / Robert, Earl of Grantham
LAURA CARMICHAEL / Lady Edith Crawley
JIM CARTER / Mr. Carson
BRENDAN COYLE / Mr. Bates
MICHELLE DOCKERY / Lady Mary Crawley
KEVIN DOYLE / Mr. Molesley
JOANNE FROGGATT / Anna Bates
LILY JAMES / Lady Rose
ROBERT JAMES-COLLIER / Thomas Barrow
ALLEN LEECH / Tom Branson
PHYLLIS LOGAN / Mrs. Hughes
ELIZABETH McGOVERN / Cora, Countess of Grantham
SOPHIE McSHERA / Daisy
MATT MILNE / Alfred
LESLEY NICOL / Mrs. Patmore
DAVID ROBB / Dr. Clarkson
MAGGIE SMITH / Violet, Dowager Countess of Grantham
ED SPELEERS / Jimmy Kent
CARA THEOBOLD / Ivy
PENELOPE WILTON / Isobel Crawley

GAME OF THRONES (HBO)
JOSEF ALTIN / Pyp
JACOB ANDERSON / Grey Worm
JOHN BRADLEY / Samwell Tarly
DOMINIC CARTER / Janos Slynt
GWENDOLINE CHRISTIE / Brienne of Tarth
EMILIA CLARKE / Daenerys Targaryen
NIKOLAJ COSTER-WALDAU / Jaime Lannister
BEN CROMPTON / Dolorous Edd
CHARLES DANCE / Tywin Lannister
PETER DINKLAGE / Tyrion Lannister
NATALIE DORMER / Margaery Tyrell
NATHALIE EMMANUEL / Missandei
IAIN GLEN / Ser Jorah Mormont
JULIAN GLOVER / Pycelle
KIT HARINGTON / Jon Snow
LENA HEADEY / Cersei Lannister
CONLETH HILL / Varys
RORY McCANN / Sandor “The Hound” Clegane
IAN McELHINNEY / Ser Barristan Selmy
PEDRO PASCAL / Oberyn Martell
DANIEL PORTMAN / Podrick Payne
MARK STANLEY / Grenn
SOPHIE TURNER / Sansa Stark
MAISIE WILLIAMS / Arya Stark

HOMELAND (Showtime)
NUMAN ACAR / Hassan Haqqani
NAZANIN BONIADI / Fara Sherazi
CLAIRE DANES / Carrie Mathison
RUPERT FRIEND / Peter Quinn
RAZA JAFFREY / Aasar Khan
NIMRAT KAUR / Tasneem Qureishi
TRACY LETTS / Sen. Andrew Lockhart
MARK MOSES / Dennis Boyd
MICHAEL O’KEEFE / John Redmond
MANDY PATINKIN / Saul Berenson
LAILA ROBINS / Martha Boyd
MAURY STERLING / Max

HOUSE OF CARDS (Netflix)
MAHERSHALA ALI / Remy Danton
JAYNE ATKINSON / Catherine Durant
RACHEL BROSNAHAN / Rachel Posner
DEREK CECIL / Seth Grayson
NATHAN DARROW / Edward Meechum
MICHEL GILL / President Walker
JOANNA GOING / Tricia Walker
SAKINA JAFFREY / Linda Vasquez
MICHAEL KELLY / Doug Stamper
MOZHAN MARNÒ / Ayla Sayyad
GERALD McRANEY / Raymond Tusk
MOLLY PARKER / Jackie Sharp
JIMMI SIMPSON / Gavin Orsay
KEVIN SPACEY / Francis Underwood
ROBIN WRIGHT / Claire Underwood

Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series
THE BIG BANG THEORY (CBS)
MAYIM BIALIK / Amy Farrah Fowler
KALEY CUOCO-SWEETING / Penny
JOHNNY GALECKI / Leonard Hofstadter
SIMON HELBERG / Howard Wolowitz
KUNAL NAYYAR / Rajesh Koothrappali
JIM PARSONS / Sheldon Cooper
MELISSA RAUCH / Bernadette Rostenkowski-Wolowitz

BROOKLYN NINE-NINE (FOX)
STEPHANIE BEATRIZ / Det. Rosa Diaz
DIRK BLOCKER / Hitchcock
ANDRE BRAUGHER / Capt. Ray Holt
TERRY CREWS / Sgt. Terry Jeffords
MELISSA FUMERO / Det. Amy Santiago
JOE LO TRUGLIO / Det. Charles Boyle
JOEL McKINNON MILLER / Scully
CHELSEA PERETTI / Gina Linetti
ANDY SAMBERG / Det. Jake Peralta

MODERN FAMILY (ABC)
AUBREY ANDERSON EMMONS / Lily Tucker-Pritchett
JULIE BOWEN / Claire Dunphy
TY BURRELL / Phil Dunphy
JESSE TYLER FERGUSON / Mitchell Pritchett
NOLAN GOULD / Luke Dunphy
SARAH HYLAND / Haley Dunphy
ED O’NEILL / Jay Pritchett
RICO RODRIGUEZ / Manny Delgado
ERIC STONESTREET / Cameron Tucker
SOFIA VERGARA / Gloria Delgado-Pritchett
ARIEL WINTER / Alex Dunphy

ORANGE IS THE NEW BLACK (Netflix)
UZO ADUBA / Suzanne “Crazy Eyes” Warren
JASON BIGGS / Larry Bloom
DANIELLE BROOKS / Tasha “Taystee” Jefferson
LAVERNE COX / Sophia Burset
JACKIE CRUZ / Flaca
CATHERINE CURTIN / Wanda Bell
LEA DELARIA / Carrie “Big Boo” Black
BETH FOWLER / Sister Ingalls
YVETTE FREEMAN / Irma
GERMAR TERRELL GARDNER / Charles Ford
KIMIKO GLENN / Brook Soso
ANNIE GOLDEN / Norma Romano
DIANE GUERRERO / Maritza Ramos
MICHAEL J. HARNEY / Ofc. Sam Healy
VICKY JEUDY / Janae Watson
JULIE LAKE / Angie Rice
LAUREN LAPKUS / Susan Fischer
SELENIS LEYVA / Gloria Mendoza
NATASHA LYONNE / Nicky Nichols
TARYN MANNING / Tiffany “Pennsatucky” Doggett
JOEL MARSH GARLAND / Scott O’Neill
MATT McGORRY / Ofc. John Bennett
ADRIENNE C. MOORE / Black Cindy
KATE MULGREW / Galina “Red” Reznikov
EMMA MYLES / Leanne Taylor
JESSICA PIMENTEL / Maria Ruiz
DASCHA POLANCO / Dayanara Diaz
ALYSIA REINER / Natalie “Fig” Figueroa
JUDITH ROBERTS / Taslitz
ELIZABETH RODRIGUEZ / Aleida Diaz
BARBARA ROSENBLAT / Miss Rosa
NICK SANDOW / Joe Caputo
ABIGAIL SAVAGE / Gina
TAYLOR SCHILLING / Piper Chapman
CONSTANCE SHULMAN / Yoga Jones
DALE SOULES / Frieda
YAEL STONE / Lorna Morello
LORRAINE TOUSSAINT / Yvonne “Vee” Parker
LIN TUCCI / Anita DeMarco
SAMIRA WILEY / Poussey Washington

VEEP (HBO)
SUFE BRADSHAW / Sue Wilson
ANNA CHLUMSKY / Amy Brookheimer
GARY COLE / Kent Davidson
KEVIN DUNN / Ben Cafferty
TONY HALE / Gary Walsh
JULIA LOUIS-DREYFUS / Vice President Selina Meyer
REID SCOTT / Dan Egan
TIMOTHY SIMONS / Jonah Ryan
MATT WALSH / Mike McLintock

 

Sting Makes A Sensational ‘Debut’ on Broadway in His “Last Ship” Musical

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Tuesday night marked Sting’s debut in his own Broadway musical, “The Last Ship.” He was on Broadway over twenty years ago in a failed production of “The Threepenny Opera.” So coming into “The Last Ship” took guts and it also showed time heals all wounds. In his first performance, the composer of what is invariably the best new score on Broadway in some time, acquitted himself beautifully.

He’s taking over not the lead, but the part Jimmy Nail plays as the foreman of the Wallsend shipyard that’s being shut down. When Sting first appeared on a set of stairs and looked down at the audience, I really thought his thought balloon was “Holy cow, what did I agree to?” But a few minutes in and he settled down, loosening up and belting his own songs with his strong, trademark voice. In short order Sting did the impossible: he blended in and stood out.

“The Last Ship” is a bewilderment. The music and staging are phenomenal, the cast is top notch. Everyone who sees it loves it. But a marketing misstep early on may have turned off female ticket buyers. The show seemed like it was just about ships, and men in peacoats. FALSE. It’s a romantic triangle with gorgeous melodies and many women in the cast who give award winning performances. It’s also about fathers and sons and legacies. And “The Last Ship” is also a fairy tale in many regards. It’s not meant to be realistic.

Next Tuesday the cast CD comes out. One listen will explain all to potential ticket buyers. It’s just hit after hit. Besides Sting’s well known songs like “All This Time” and “When We Dance,” all the new songs classics in the making. You can’t stop humming them or singing them. They’re that good.

Sting will be in the show until January 9th. Then Jimmy Nail comes back. Either way you can’t lose. “The Last Ship” has to sail through the spring, when it will pick up momentum in Tony Awards season. And the nice thing, parents can go with teens 12 and up.

As for Sting, after a weekend at the Kennedy Center, he sailed through his first show and got the right laughs, too. No mistakes, no one fell off a ladder or missed a cue. Good stuff. We’ll keep checking in.

Jail Time: Leo DiCaprio’s BFF Gets Out Early, Madoff’s Secretary is Going In

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Helly Nahmad is out of the clinker. Leonardo DiCaprio’s best friend– and his second friend to go to federal prison– is out and about. The New York Observer reports that Helly got out early. He only served five months of a one year-and-a-day sentence, is now in a Bronx half way house. He may come and go to work, and soon will be free to resume his high flying life.

Benjamin Brafman represented him, the same guy who got Diddy/Sean Combs out of his famous shoot-em-up deal years ago. If you’re ever in trouble and can post Brafman’s retainer, he’s the guy. Art dealer Helly participated in a worldwide gambling scheme. He used $1.5 million of his dad’s money to do it. And yet, the Nahmad Gallery is booming award at Madison and 76th. They had a big set up at Art Basel, and even bigger one in Paris at FIAC.

Anyway, jail is so boring. By New Year’s we’ll see Helly in pix from St. Bart’s. Justice!…

Meantime, Annette Bongiorno, Bernie Madoff’s assistant, is going to jail for six years. The judge said she knew exactly what was going on, or looked away so Madoff could get away with his crimes. The six year sentence is short, but so is Bongiorno. The judge said he was being lenient because Bongiorno’s height could get her into trouble in jail. Keep that in mind, all short people, when you’re thinking of breaking federal laws!

Meantime, innocent people with no money go to prison for years. They either die there or are saved by the Innocence Project. Then they get out of jail and die. That is life.