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EXCLUSIVE Al Pacino: “Mike Nichols Was the Best Director I Ever Worked With”

Roger Friedman
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EXCLUSIVE Al Pacino: “Mike Nichols Was the Best Director I Ever Worked With”

The whole world of showbiz is reeling from the death of Mike Nichols. Simply, he was beloved. A lot of his actors and friends are still adjusting to the news. At lunch today at the 21 Club for his new movie “The Humbling,”

Al Pacino told me: “Mike Nichols was the best director I ever worked with.” Pacino was really shattered by this morning’s news. Nichols directed him to several awards including an Emmy for their HBO  adaptation of “Angels in America.”

Pacino explained: “I’m really devastated by this. He was my friend, I loved him. I’m just trying to compute it.” He paused. “I’ve never met anyone as civilized. That was the epitome of what you wanted in a human being. He was the best director I ever worked with. It wasn’t necessarily the end result. Just the feeling he gave actors when they were around on set. It was the highest form of acting, being around him….There are people who when they go, you really feel it. Like Joe Papp, Sidney Lumet, Lee Strasberg, Marlon [Brando]. When they’re gone, there’s this emptiness. And it’s palpable.”

Pacino, by the way, is very much in the Oscar race this year for his phenomenal performance in Barry Levinson’s “The Humbling.” Millennium is releasing the comedy with Pacino, Greta Gerwig, and Nina Arianda in Los Angeles for one week in mid December to qualify for the Academy Awards. The movie’s full release is mid January. I am hopeful that Bill Lee, Avi Lerner, and Mark Gill of Millennium do a December week in New York too. It’s Pacino’s best work in years. The film itself is terrific. Levinson is an Oscar winning director. Pacino is a double Oscar winner. Nina Arianda has a Tony Award. “The Humbling” may be the dark horse of this Oscar season!

I was enlisted to interview Pacino and Levinson today at the ’21’ lunch and it was a lot of fun. I asked if either had met Philip Roth, the famed author of “The Humbling.” Pacino said they were introduced. Roth’s reaction? “He said, I know who you are.” Al recalled. Roth didn’t mention liking “The Godfather” or any of Pacino’s classic films. “It ended there,” Pacino said, getting a big laugh from the crowd that included Regis and Joy Philbin, James Toback, Lawrence O’Donnell, Rosanna Scotto, Dan Hedaya, and Alan Alda.

Justin Bieber’s “Pastor” Runs NYC Branch of Controversial Aussie Cult “Church” Whose Founder Confessed to Molestation of a 7 Year Old Boy

Roger Friedman
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Justin Bieber’s “Pastor” Runs NYC Branch of Controversial Aussie Cult “Church” Whose Founder Confessed to Molestation of a 7 Year Old Boy

You cannot make this up. Justin Bieber, not exactly the brightest bulb in any lamp, is a follower of a sketchy Virginia man who calls himself a pastor and runs a church every Sunday at the Manhattan Center on West 34th St. Carl Lentz portrays himself as the Punk Pastor, and says he’s Pentacostal. His latest iteration is called Hillsong NYC church. But what his American, Canadian followers– and Bieber– may not know is Hillsong NYC is a branch of Hillsong Australia. That organization is considered by many in that country to be a cult.

Hillsong’s founder, Frank Houston, had to resign in 2000 after confessing to having molesting a 7 year old boy in 1969. He was never prosecuted, and the case haunts Hillsong and the Houstons, and now Lentz to this day. Even though Frank Houston is now dead. the story isn’t over. A recent hearing in Australia revealed that Frank’s son Brian, who now runs Hillsong. trivialized the incident and let his father continue to preach as part of their church, albeit surreptitiously. http://www.nzherald.co.nz/world/news/article.cfm?c_id=2&objectid=11339319 He is also accused of trying to bribe the victim.

Bieber’s pastor, Carl Lentz, only became involved with Hillsong four years ago. In the video above, he explains how he hooked up with the Houstons– that’s Frank Houston’s grandson Joel with Lentz in the video, looking like Jay from “Silent Bob and Jay.” These two are supposed to be religious leaders; they are Justin Bieber’s spiritual guides. Joel has been running Hillsong NYC with Lentz since 2010.

Before he hooked up with the Houstons, Lentz operated Cal Lentz Ministries out of Washington state. The IRS recently revoked the 501 c 3 status of that outfit after Carl Lentz Ministries failed to file tax returns for three years. Lentz runs Hillsong in New York as a straight ahead business with no tax free standing. He’s registered Hillsong out of his father’s law office in Virginia, but hasn’t filed any paperwork. There is no transparency at all.

The connection between Lentz and the Houstons, and the history of Houston’s father, finally came to a boiling point in October in New York at a Madison Square Garden  conference of Hillsong followers. Not only was Frank Houston’s molestation case examined, but also multiple scandals about finances at Hillsong and the cult’s attitude toward homosexuality. Brian Houston’s sidestepping has caused a lot of controversy among the followers.

I spoke to Carl Lentz’s father, Stephen Lentz, an attorney in Virginia Beach. He couldn’t have been nicer. Mr. Lentz explained that churches don’t have to file Form 990s, so nothing is amiss. He said he knew nothing about Hillsong Australia, and very graciously invited me to the Manhattan Center. Entrance to the services, which run all day long every Sunday, he says, is free. You donate what you want. But the Manhattan Center isn’t free. They charge $17,000 a day for the Grand Ballroom where the Hillsong services take place. Someone is paying for that, most likely Hillsong Australia.

Watch this video about Hillsong Australia:

Mike Nichols Dies at 83, the Great– Brilliant– Director of Plays and Movies

Roger Friedman
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Mike Nichols Dies at 83, the Great– Brilliant– Director of Plays and Movies

UPDATE: just a little update…Mike was just about to shoot “Master Class” with Meryl Streep for HBO…and I can tell you exclusively that he and Diane had visited Steve Martin in San Diego at his musical with Edie Brickell called “Bright Star.” Steve wanted Mike to produce the show on Broadway. Mike would probably have been executive producer, putting his name above the title to entice ticket buyers…

Mike Nichols has died at age 83. I almost don’t know how to categorize him– brilliant director, comedian, person? He’s been such a big part of our lives for so long, and has given us so much in the way of smart entertainment. Director of The Graduate and The Birdcage on film, to begin with. Director of The Real Thing and Death of a Salesman on Broadway. Angels in America on TV for HBO. Husband of Diane Sawyer. Hilarious comedic partner of Elaine May. His health has been in question for the last several years. But there he was just a couple of weeks ago in the audience on opening night at the revival of The Real Thing. He was so enthusiastic and generous at intermission about the new cast and the new director. “They’ve really got it, don’t you think?” he said.

Mike won 9 Tony Awards, 1 Oscar and 1 Emmy, by the way.

RIP Jimmy Ruffin, Motown Singer of “What Becomes of the Broken Hearted?”

Roger Friedman
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RIP Jimmy Ruffin, Motown Singer of “What Becomes of the Broken Hearted?”

Jimmy Ruffin has died at age 78. His biggest Motown hit was “What Becomes of the Broken Hearted”– one of the great classics of all time. He was the older brother of David Ruffin of the original Temptations, who died much too young in 1991. Rest in peace. There must be some reunion in heaven, with the Ruffins, Eddie Kendricks, Levi Stubbs, Marvin Gaye, Paul Williams, Melvin Franklin, Florence Ballard, Harvey Fuqua, Cholly Atkins and Mary Wells et al…

 

Broadway: Glenn Close and Cast Strike “A Delicate Balance” on Roughest Critics Night Ever

Roger Friedman
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Broadway: Glenn Close and Cast Strike “A Delicate Balance” on Roughest Critics Night Ever

I bought a ticket to see Glenn Close, John Lithgow, Bob Balaban, Martha Plimpton and Lindsay Duncan in ” A Delicate Balance.” It cost $225, so I still haven’t gotten over that. My intention was to review the play, which opens tonight on Broadway. But what happened made it impossible. Lax producers, publicist and theater managers allowed a woman– albeit a courageous one– in a motorized wheelchair to sit up front around the fifth row. It was an impossible situation. The woman’s breathing apparatus echoed through the theater, loudly.

It sounded at first like someone was snoring, and it was being broadcast over the PA system. The actors, who did not know what was going on, struggled to be heard over the machine. This is a two and a half hour Edward Albee masterpiece that requires focused attention. And what can you do? Complain? It was like an episode of “Curb Your Enthusiasm.” It might have been funny but it was the performance before opening night, many critics and press were there, as well as some well known actors. It was a mess. No one was in charge.

On top of that,  a woman’s phone went off in Act 2, and she answered. Plus an adult man across the aisle from me was playing a video game with his iPad during the breaks. What has happened to this world? The guy reminded me of the fellow who makes a bouquet of a shredded TV Guide for Elaine on “Seinfeld.”

Through it all the cast maintained a very delicate balance. The play opens tonight but I will tell you now that you can’t miss these performances– including British actress Clare Higgins. Albee’s play is a masterpiece and this group conveys it very well. There is some shaky direction by Pam McKinnon, but again, it was hard to really judge because of the racket in the theater. (We felt so bad for this woman. It was maybe the worst experience I’ve ever had in the theater.)

Albee’s play about family, friendship, love, and loss is devastating. “Balance” maintains its own balance as a conventional drawing room comedy of manners that becomes an existential jigsaw puzzle.  Close and Lithgow have an amazing rapport, as do Balaban and Higgins.  Martha Plimpton gives it all heft as the voice of reason. The amazing Lindsay Duncan is there for upheaval, and for playing the accordion. I wish she did more on Broadway.

A trivia note: Close and Duncan each have played the same character from another work– The Marquise de Merteuil. Duncan played it on Broadway in the famous 1988 “Les Liaisons Dangereuses.” Then Close played her in the movie version, “Dangerous Liaisons.”  Close told me last night after the show that if the Broadway show had been extended, she was set to replace Duncan. “Now we’re playing sisters in the same play,” she observed, with a big grin.

All’s well that ends well– a spontaneous party followed at Bar Centrale, where Close and Balaban dined with producer Bonnie Timmerman and British director Adrian Noble. They had a  “Damages” reunion with Rose Byrne, currently on Broadway in “You Can’t Take it With You” and the very funny Stephen Merchant (he’s on HBO this weekend). Matthew Broderick and Stockard Channing came over from the hilarious “It’s Only a Play.” Everyone had deviled eggs and commiserated about a long Wednesday– matinee day.

Someone at the Golden Theater had better get it together for opening night tonight, that’s for sure.

 

Chris Penn, Dead for Almost Nine Years, Being Touted in the Long-Shelved “Aftermath”

Roger Friedman
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Chris Penn, Dead for Almost Nine Years, Being Touted in the Long-Shelved “Aftermath”

A decade after it was made, a movie called “Aftermath” is being released at the end of this month featuring Chris Penn. The brother of Sean and Michael Penn died in January 2006. He’s not even on the imdb cast list for this film, but he’s being touted in the press release and promo clip. The movie stars a much younger Anthony Michael Hall and a lot of people who are a decade older like Lily Rabe, Tony Danza, and Frank Whaley, who plays a character called Ray Donovan. Freestyle Releasing, exhumation experts, are sending “Aftermath” into the world for one week in New York and then Los Angeles probably before a DVD and cable launch. Chris Penn was a good actor who died much too soon. We’ll see how much he’s really in this movie….

Broadway: Hugh Jackman’s “The River” So Big It Extends Run for a Month

Roger Friedman
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Broadway: Hugh Jackman’s “The River” So Big It Extends Run for a Month

“The River” runs through it– that is, Hugh Jackman has brought so many people to Circle in the Square that he’s extending his run by a month. “The River” now goes until February 8th. Producers put a new block of tickets on sale for $95, which is pretty cool since the theater is small and there are no bad seats. This extension should give Hugh a nudge toward a Tony nomination. His performance is excellent, even if the play is wanting.

He’s not alone. The two women with him in that cabin– Laura Donnelly and Cush Jumbo– are very very good. Cush Jumbo, it seems to me, is headed for even bigger things. She lights up the stage. Something about Hugh Jackman–two years ago, he was so good that Daniel Craig benefited from the rapport in “A Steady Rain.” This time, it’s Cush Jumbo. That means that Hugh is aces, and his strong presence is lifting, ah, all boats.

Anyway, one thing you might ask, if you’re being silly, is why Hugh can’t slice up that meal he makes on stage with his claws. Ouch! It’s a “Wolverine” joke.

Janice Dickinson’s 2008 Memoir Quotes Cosby: “After All I’ve Done for You, This is All I Get?”

Roger Friedman
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Janice Dickinson’s 2008 Memoir Quotes Cosby: “After All I’ve Done for You, This is All I Get?”

Bill Cosby’s name appears at least 25 times in Janice Dickinson’s 2008 memoir called “No Lifeguard on Duty.” He pursues her, helps her, grooms her, invites her to a meeting to see if she can sing– she can’t. He knows it. It’s a ruse. This is a married family man. Her friend says, “He wants to sleep with you.”

In a hotel, he tries to close the deal. He says, “After all I’ve done for you?” In the book, Cosby gets angry when Dickinson backs off. Now in 2014 Dickinson says what followed was rape. She was told by her publisher not to mention it. Cosby’s lawyers threatened her. But what she left in does make sense.

Cosby answered the door in nothing but a white towel. He was fresh from the shower, too; his black skin was glistening. He hugged me, a little too enthusiastically; told me how much he’d missed me, and how nice it was to see me. I believed him. Liquor does that to a girl. “God, you’re beautiful.”

He kissed me, full on the lips, then went off to dress and we went downstairs, to dinner, where Cosby spent the next two hours talking about himself. It was An Evening with Bill Cosby. A Tribute to Bill Cosby. And suddenly I remembered something Andy Warhol once told me. It was his definition of an actor. He said, “An actor is a person whose eyes glaze over when the conversation is no longer about them.” And I thought, Well, then, Bill Cosby is an actor’s actor.

After dinner he asked me back to his room, and I went. But I stopped myself at the door. “I’m exhausted,” I said, begging off. His eyebrows went a little funny. “Exhausted?” he asked, and it was clear he was trying hard to keep his temper in check. “After all I’ve done for you, that’s what I get? I’m exhausted.” “Well, gee, Bill,” I stammered. “If I had known it was going to be like this—” He waved both hands in front of my face, silencing me. Then he gave me the dirtiest, meanest look in the world, stepped into his suite, and slammed the door in my face. Men.

 

UPDATE: New Hunger Games Film 33% Off on Opening Night from Last Year, Soundtrack Not Selling

Roger Friedman
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UPDATE: New Hunger Games Film 33% Off on Opening Night from Last Year, Soundtrack Not Selling

UPDATE FRIDAY MORNING NOV 21st: Overnight “Mockingjay Part 1” earned $17 million– 33% off of last year’s Thursday night opening for “Catching Fire.”  Not a good sign. And the teens around me are not clamoring to go tonight, as they did last year.

EARLIER: Are people — I mean, teens– tired of “The Hunger Games”? The new soundtrack to “Mockingjay Part 1” is curated by hot teen singer Lorde. Yet it’s listed atnumber 92 on amazon.com. On iTunes, “Mockingjay” is at number 14, even with the Lorde imprimatur. Hitsdailydouble..com is predicting sales of only 20-25,000 for its debut week. The last “Hunger Games” CD sold 55,000 copies– and that was just a year ago– in its first week.

FYI: The first “Hunger Games” CD sold 180,000 copies in its first week back in March 2012, and entered the charts at number 1.

Meantime, the movie itself is not catching fire with reviewers. On Fandango, “Mockingjay Part 1” rates an average of a 67 among reviewers. This may be a better indication than Rotten Tomatoes, where often negative reviews don’t correlate with “Fresh” or “Rotten” status. The consensus so far is that “Mockingjay” is well made but dull. It’s the first part of a book that most fans of the series agree doesn’t kick in until the end.

Of course no one doubts “Mockingjay Part 1” will have a big first weekend. But after that, it may not be so easy. Meantime, it’s interesting that Lions Gate had a premiere only in L.A., and just a stealth screening in New York at the very down-market AMC theater in Times Square. A good movie gets trumpeted with a Ziegfeld red carpet or something up at AMC Lincoln Square.

Broadway Legend Elaine Stritch Gets A List Send Off at Star Studded Memorial

Roger Friedman
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Broadway Legend Elaine Stritch Gets A List Send Off at Star Studded Memorial

If Elaine Stritch had seen the crowd yesterday afternoon at the Al Hirschfeld Theater, she’d have had a whopping good laugh. Her memorial service was just terrific, and the audience wasn’t bad either. Sitting in the seats were Matthew Broderick, F. Murray Abraham, Cynthia Nixon, John Turturro, John Lithgow, David Hyde Pierce, Christine Baranski, Carol Kane, Tommy Tune, Lois Smith, Joy Behar, DA Pennebaker (who filmed Elaine twice–once in the landmark film about “Company” and the for HBO’s “At Liberty” with Chris Hegedus) and HBO’s Sheila Nevins. I may have missed a few people.

On stage: Nathan Lane, the incomparable Liz Smith, Christine Ebersole and Bernadette Peters each sang, Laura Benanti and Michael Feinstein sang, Hal Prince spoke, so did Holland Taylor. Liz revealed that Elaine left her a little money in her will “to take Barbara Walters out to lunch.” Nathan Lane, hilarious as usual, teared up twice and paused in his hysterical remembrances of Stritch. Betty Buckley recalled Elaine critiquing her show at Cafe Carlyle, out loud, while the show was going on. Alec Baldwin and Cherry Jones sent video tapes.

Here’s some video courtesy of Playbill. I knew Elaine Stritch for the last 15 years. She spoke at Elaine Kaufman’s memorial service and reminisced about being a bartender, briefly. She was one of a kind. We’ve lost a lot of people this year. Tough stuff. She will never be forgotten in part due to the documentary “Just Shoot Me” which is eligible for the Oscar this year.I hope it’s nominated.

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