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Good Manners Matter: Judith Martin and Letitia Baldrige Have a Successor

Roger Friedman
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Good Manners Matter: Judith Martin and Letitia Baldrige Have a Successor

My old friend Norah Lawlor writes in a new book: “Why do manner matter? … In an era where a message placed online can be transmitted world-wide and where modern cities are cultural melting pots comprised of people from many different nationalities, all with their own customs, the opportunity for making social errors is multiplied many fold…Good individual etiquette has a role at the larger level of society—if we were to all practice good manners, would not the world simply be a nicer place?”

Norah’s foreword is to a book called “Manners That Matter Most: The Easy Guide to Etiquette at Home and in the World” (Hatherleigh Press). It’s by June Eding, who asked Norah, a prominent New York publicist, to write an introduction. She was the perfect choice. Norah comes from an old world family in Canada, “properly raised,” as my grandmother would say. Norah and her lovely sisters are all successes in the Lower 48, but with a price. I’ve often seen them gap mouthed, slack jawed or wide eyed at some of the coarse things that go on here. We ignore them, being New Yorkers or Los Angelenos, because we’ve seen everything. But not everyone does.

Norah concludes: Good manners are in short supply today, not necessarily because people are less courteous, but because sources of guidance that are relevant to modern lifestyles and language are harder to come by.” June Eding picks up where my late friend Letitia Baldrige, Judith Martin (Miss Manners), and Dorothea Johnson leave off. Before we head into the full on holiday season, “Manners That Matter Most” seems like more urgent reading than “Mockingjay Part 2” or “Twilight: the Return of the Vampires.” Even the latter need to know where to put a napkin!

Tom Cruise’s Scientology Leader: “We are Everywhere and Everyone…We are the rock and fortress of humanity”

Roger Friedman
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Tom Cruise’s Scientology Leader: “We are Everywhere and Everyone…We are the rock and fortress of humanity”

You can’t make this up. Former Scientologist turned critic Mike Rinder posted this speech on his website earlier. It’s Scientology chief David Miscavige’s speech at the closing of the recent 30th anniversary cult gala in the UK. Your friends Tom Cruise and John Travolta were in attendance.

Miscavige, whom Cruise reveres, told the audience “We are everywhere and everyone.” In italics. He also said “You are witnessing a space time continuum where clocks stand still, and production hits levels that are are almost supernatural.”

I’m disappointed to hear that it’s just ‘almost.’ I feel let down by this information.

Miscavige adds: “We are the rock and fortress of humanity.”

Did you know– this is true– the name of the mental hospital on “General Hospital” is the Miscavige Clinic? It’s not a coincidence.

cob-30th-ias-closing-remarks

Rupert Murdoch Defends Moses Movie Casting: “Since When Are Egyptians Not White?”

Roger Friedman
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Rupert Murdoch Defends Moses Movie Casting: “Since When Are Egyptians Not White?”

Rupert Murdoch took to Twitter tonight to defend 20th Century Fox’s new movie “Exodus” that casts Christian Bale as Moses, and a variety of white actors as Egyptians. There’s been scuffle on Twitter ever since Murdoch made his observations. And a lot of this stems from a quote director Ridley Scott gave Variety about why he didn’t use Egyptian or Arab actors for the film. He said: “I can’t mount a film of this budget, where I have to rely on tax rebates in Spain, and say that my lead actor is Mohammad so-and-so from such-and-such,” Scott says. “I’m just not going to get it financed. So the question doesn’t even come up.”
The other main characters are played by Joel Edgerton, Sigourney Weaver, John Turturro, and Aaron Paul. It’s a little odd that, according to the imdb, black actors only seem to be playing “lower class civilians and a thief. But this is Hollywood. And this from the same company that released “12 Years a Slave.”

Now here are Murdoch’s comments:

Downton Abbey Fans: Watch Lord Grantham Talk to Paddington Bear (Video)

Roger Friedman
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Downton Abbey Fans: Watch Lord Grantham Talk to Paddington Bear (Video)

“Paddington Bear” opened in the UK today to rave reviews. It opens here Christmas Day courtesy of Harvey Weinstein, who may have his biggest hit yet. The movie looks hilarious.

Check out this clip of Hugh Bonneville, aka Lord Grantham, chatting with the Bear. Maggie Smith never gave him this much trouble!

“Hunger Games: Mockingjay” Still Number 1, But 25% Behind “Catching Fire”

Roger Friedman
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“Hunger Games: Mockingjay” Still Number 1, But 25% Behind “Catching Fire”

Katniss and friends are still kicking ass at number 1, but not as much as they did last year. “Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1” has a robust $168 million in the bank so far domestically. On Thanksgiving the third film in the series of four made $11 million– way more than anything else playing in a movie theater.

But by day 7 last year, “Catching Fire” was already at $222 million. The new movie is 25% off the pace of the last one, and the gap is widening. Still, no one associated with “The Hunger Games” is going hungry, or losing sleep, or worrying about their water bill. They’re just quietly preparing for next year’s finale and a hopeful return to form.

Star Wars: The Force Reawakens Trailer is Here! With John Williams Theme!

Roger Friedman
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Star Wars: The Force Reawakens Trailer is Here! With John Williams Theme!

John Williams! A baby R2D2– or something like it! Let’s go! I’ll say it– biggest movie of all time.

Cosby Accuser Joan Tarshis Was Network TV star Long Before She Met the Star

Roger Friedman
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Cosby Accuser Joan Tarshis Was Network TV star Long Before She Met the Star

As the Bill Cosby story continues to gather momentum, here’s an exclusive fascinating look at the person whose first-person recollection last Sunday and subsequent TV interviews on CNN, ET and Inside Edition put the story into overdrive – and inspired several other victims to come forward – Joan Tarshis.

Most media reports have described Tarshis as having been “an aspiring actress” at the time in 1969 that Cosby allegedly drugged and raped her.

But in 1969 she had already had a few years as a successful child TV star under her belt – including appearances in TV movies and a co-starring role for two seasons on the CBS Public Affairs TV series “Let’s Take A Trip” .

In her childhood years she went by her stage name – Joan Terrace.

By 1969, in addition to her acting carer she was also a budding comedy writer (for Godfrey Cambridge).

Here is a publicity photo of the 10-year-old Joan Tarshis in CBS’ acclaimed 1959 version of “Mrs Miniver” in which she starred alongside Maureen O’Hara.

joan tarshis joan_tarshis-1

Bill Cosby’s Silence Leads to Crushing Blow: UMass-Amherst Cuts All Ties with Comedian

Roger Friedman
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Bill Cosby’s Silence Leads to Crushing Blow: UMass-Amherst Cuts All Ties with Comedian

This is the end, my friend. The rape allegations and stories were bad enough. Even worse was the admission by Bill Cosby’s former assistant Frank Scotti that he was the bag man/wing man for Cosby’s girlfriends in the 1980s.

Now comes word via the Boston Globe that UMass Amherst has cut all ties with Cosby. Over the years, Cosby had been given both a master’s and a doctorate in education from the college. He was notably the honorary co-chairman of the school’s ongoing $300 million fund-raising campaign. Bill and Camille Cosby had donated several hundred thousand dollars to the school.

The UMass connection was set Cosby apart from everyone else in comedy and in showbiz. Education has been the underscore of his career. I cannot emphasize this enough. Parting with UMass must be killing Cosby. I have to say I feel bad for him now.

But it’s the silence that’s really killing him. Cosby’s insistence on shutting down, rolling over, and just taking these body blows is not doing him any favors. This is a tragic end for a beautiful career. For the school to end the association seems like the crushing blow, the final straw. That Cosby didn’t defend himself is chilling.

Oscars Update: “Imitation Game” Opens, Pieces of Puzzle Fall into Place

Roger Friedman
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Oscars Update: “Imitation Game” Opens, Pieces of Puzzle Fall into Place

The really great film “The Imitation Game” opens today, and now all Ognosticators are scrambling around with predictions and poses. This week we had the Independent Spirit Awards nominees. On Monday we get the Gotham Awards and the New York Film Critics Circle announcements. Soon after we’ll get the less reliable Golden Globe and National Board of Whatever nominees, awards, citations, and accolades based on a lot of things that have nothing to do with movies.

So where do we stand? No one, except some people in Australia, have seen Angelina Jolie’s “Unbroken.” That will also come on Monday. But for today, we’ll put that aside.

I do think the movies in the running for Best Picture stack up like this: Selma, Imitation Game, and Boyhood would be my top three choices. After that, you get Foxcatcher (which I just rewatched, and it’s even better than I remembered), The Grand Budapest Hotel, Into the Woods, Whiplash and The Theory of Everything. That’s 8. Birdman has a big following, but I’m not sure how it’s doing or if people outside of showbiz really care about it. American Sniper is a really well made movie, with a resounding performance by Bradley Cooper. So that’s where we are.

Best Actor– Four candidates are solid– Benedict Cumberbatch, Eddie Redmayne, David Oyelowo, and Steve Carell. After that, we’ve got two comic actors– Michael Keaton and Bill Murray. I’m a huge fan of Al Pacino in The Humbling. (All voters should get this DVD from Millennium.) Then there’s Bradley Cooper. And not to be missed is Oscar Isaac’s work in A Most Violent Year. Don’t count him out. Floating in the ether is Jack O’Connell in Unbroken. But he is really brand new to the game, and to movies. The line in front of him is long.

Best Actress– Everyone bemoans this category this year. But I have Julianne Moore up front in Still Alice; Emily Blunt knocked me out in Into the Woods. Felicity Jones is superb in Theory of Everything. Reese Witherspoon has a lot of support for Wild even if the movie is lacking. I am still hopeful that Patricia Arquette will jump to lead for Boyhood. And Gugu Mbatha-Raw is exceptional in Belle.

Best Supporting Actress– Arquette, if she stays here, leads the pack. Keira Knightley is a no-brainer for Imitation Game. Laura Dern is the heart and soul of Wild. Jessica Chastain– pick between Interstellar, and A Most Violent Year. She just has to be in the pack. Carmen Ejogo is just fine in “Selma.” And Meryl Streep looms over this crowd in Into the Woods. I mean, she needs her own category. By the way, The Humbling has Greta Gerwig and Nina Arianda, equally good.

Best Supporting Actor– Ethan Hawke in Boyhood is understated and charming. Channing Tatum and Mark Ruffalo are essential to Foxcatcher, but I think Ruffalo is more supporting and Tatum has a hard fight among the lead actors. James Corden is the engine in Into the Woods. Edward Norton will not go unnoticed in Birdman. JK Simmons would be an “overnight sensation” for Whiplash. Tim Roth and Tom Wilkinson are tremendous in “Selma” but maybe too good. This was the problem with James Woods in “Mississippi Burning.” You feel like you’re rewarding evil. Oh– special citation to Matt Damon in “Interstellar.” There, it’s ok to reward evil.

Best Director– Bennett Miller for Foxcatcher. Ava DuVernay for Selma. James Marsh for Theory. Morten Tyldum for Imitation Game. Richard Linklater for Boyhood. And we leave room for Angie.

One last thing about Interstellar — at the Sundance screening of Memento, I thought the Nolans were the future. Was that 14 years ago? They’ve never disappointed as far as making fascinating, lasting movies. I actually had an experience not unlike Jessica Chastain and Matthew McConaughey in the bookcase recently. I guess it can happen. I feel like Christopher Nolan is so close to victory– but in something smaller or more focused. See Spielberg, as in ‘we loved ET but had to wait for Schindler’s List.’

(Watch) Sting Scores Parade Success with Totally Reworked, Re-staged “Last Ship” Number

Roger Friedman
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0
(Watch) Sting Scores Parade Success with Totally Reworked, Re-staged “Last Ship” Number

Sting performed in his first Macys Thanksgiving Parade this morning– showing off a big, reworked number from his Broadway musical “The Last Ship.” And wow– what a lot of work was involved to re-choreograph and re-record the very catchy “Show Some Respect” bar scene. Right now in the show, the number features Rachel Tucker and Sally Ann Triplett, with Jimmy Nail. For the parade, the number has been changed to feature Sting, who joins the Broadway show on December 9th replacing Nail. But Sting, ever loyal, made sure Jimmy Nail was prominent in the parade version as well. As soon as the clip is available, I’ll add it below. My guess is a lot of Broadway tickets were sold this morning!

Here’s the PBS version in the meantime:

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