Nicole Kidman and her family are mourning the loss of her father. Dr. Antony Kidman reportedly died of a heart attack after a workout at a Singapore hotel. Dr. Kidman was visiting his other daughter, Antonia, and her children. It’s unclear if Nicole’s mom was with him. Dr. Kidman was in his 70s and fairly well known in Australia. Nicole’s husband, singer Keith Urban, cancelled a gig and flew off to join the family in Australia. Nicole’s publicist issued a statement saying she and the family are in shock and request privacy. I met Dr. Kidman a few times over the years with Nicole. The family is very close, and this has to be devastating. Sending prayers and good wishes to the Kidmans at this terrible time…
Roy Orbison “Pretty Woman” Celebrates 50 Years Since it was Number 1
We are in the middle of the three week period, 50 years later, of Roy Orbison’s great number 1 run with “Oh, Pretty Woman.” Along the years the “Oh” has dropped off ( I never understood it anyway). The song was written with Orbison’s friend Bill Dees in honor of Roy’s first wife Claudette. (I know this because the indefatigable Bob Merlis sent me a nice press release.)
Dees said once in an NPR interview: “[Claudette] came bopping down the stairs and said, ‘Give me some money’. ‘What do you need money for?’ [Roy] said. She said ‘Well, I’ve got to go to the store’, and as she walked away they were whispering and kissing bye bye, away from me. I stood up at the table, and he came back to the table, and I said ‘Does this sound funny? [singing] Pretty woman, don’t need no money’. He laughed, and he said ‘There’s nothing funny about pretty woman’. He right away started, [singing] ‘Pretty woman, walking down the street’. By the time she got back, we had it written.”
Roy died much too young, at age 52, of a heart attack in 1988. I must admit when I hear his voice I still get goosebumps. He was one of the founding fathers of rock and roll at a very young age. I never knew him, but for many years I was close friends with his smart and beautiful second wife Barbara. She passed away a three years ago after a short bout with cancer. “Pretty Woman” could easily have been about her. She was devoted to Roy, and made sure his legacy lies on.
If you’re not sure who Roy Orbison was, look him up. “Pretty Woman” was just one of many great songs including “Crying,” and “Blue Bayou.” Everyone has a favorite. I love “In Dreams.”
Roy and Barbara, and Claudette, this is for you:
Jessica Chastain, James McAvoy Make “Eleanor Rigby” A Must See Right Now
A year ago I sat through Ned Benson’s three hour two film project, “The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby” in awe. Benson had made two films about a marriage breaking up, each one told from the wife and husband’s perspectives. It was like something from 1977. You were just grateful that anyone cared enough at this point to try it.
Harvey Weinstein bought the movies and had a great idea– why not make a third movie that combined the two? That’s what’s out this weekend, with Jessica Chastain and James McAvoy leading an exceptional cast that includes Ciaran Hinds, Nina Arianda, and Bill Hader. The single film is adventurous, comedic and very sexy. It also has one of the most romantic endings in movies.
The single “Eleanor Rigby” actually works very well. Benson now combines the best of all his worlds, and comes to his original point. I think real fans will go back and watch the two movies when they’re released next. But to miss this two hour version would be a shame. Also, with nothing but praise for McAvoy, I must say that Chastain is even more luminous than I remembered. She is certainly on the short list for an Oscar nomination.
Benson is to be commended and encouraged. He’s a fine new filmmaker. He has a lot of sophistication and maturity. “Eleanor Rigby” is full of air and space in the right places. We forget that movies used to have places where we just looked around, or listened, not in a hurry. Don’t bring a smart phone with you to this movie. Just concentrate.
Jennifer Hudson May Have Pharrell’s Next Big Hit on Her New Album
Attention Pharrell fans: you liked “Happy,” “Blurred Lines,” and “Get Lucky.” Now Mr. Williams with the hat– the Cat in the Hat–has written and produced a new hit for Jennifer Hudson. “Just That Type of Girl” is one of 10 tracks on “JHUD,” Hudson’s new, succinct, and excellent R&B offering on RCA.
“JHUD” drops September 23rd. Pharrell worked on three tracks, but “Girl” seems so radio and dance friendly, I wouldn’t be surprised if it takes off on its own. It’s original, too, with a little bass line nod to Stevie Wonder’s “Do I Do” added for good measure.
“JHUD” also contains three contributions from Kourtney J. Pollard including the final track, “Moan,” a six minute gospel tinged ballad that’s a bit of a tour de force.
Ten tracks, forty minutes? Yup. But no filler, so that’s cool. And absent of its dreadful video, “Dangerous” turns out to be a pretty great song.
Hudson is young, and wants to record young music. But she’s also an Oscar winner. And she may just be the great voice of her generation. Next time, it would be great to hear some covers of amazing classics, some off beat choices. When she’s done Neil Diamond’s “Holly Holy” and Michael Jackson’s “Will You Be There,” live, roofs have exploded. Next time perhaps.
Theatre: “American Psycho” Musical Pulled from Scheduled Off Broadway Run
I was really looking forward to Patrick Bateman tap dancing while he chopped up various sex partners on stage this year. But Carole Rothman’s Second Stage Theater has announced that “American Psycho” is a no-go.
“We are disappointed that we will not be producing American Psycho this season, but the rights holders, Act 4 Entertainment, have decided to not move forward with the production at Second Stage,” said Artistic Director Carole Rothman in a statment. “We will be announcing a new production in its place in the coming weeks.”
Duncan Sheik wrote the music– “I Am Barely Breathing” would have been a perfect funny nod in the show. The book was by Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa, the guy the “Spider Man: Turn off the Dark” producers tried to replace Julie Taymor with.
This was a much anticipated show. The Max Factor red blood alone would have been spurting everywhere and worth the price of admission. So funny, but if you look back, “American Psycho” — the novel by Brett Easton Ellis– was prescient. I hope the producers can figure this out.
Nicki Minaj vs. Her Old High School: She’s Not Telling the Whole Story About Declined Offer to Speak
EXCLUSIVE Apparently hip hop celebrity and former “American Idol” judge Nicki Minaj is not telling the whole story about her offer to speak to the students at her high school alma mater. Minaj wanted to lecture the kids at New York’s LaGuardia School, aka High School for Performing Arts. The school declined, and Minaj took to Twitter denouncing them. (She wasn’t valedictorian, by the way.)
She’s also launched a barrage of anti-La Guardia press on various blogs.
Tonight, the school sent out this message to parents:
September 11, 2014
Dear LaGuardia Community,
It has been brought to our attention that Nicki Minaj is attempting to generate publicity for herself by posting negative information about our principal, Dr. Lisa Mars, and LaGuardia Arts High School.
The fact is that Ms. Minaj was told by the NYC Department of Education (DOE) that she would not be allowed to enter the school with a television crew. The DOE has policies in place to protect the privacy and security of all its students. I’m sure we all appreciate the strict enforcement of these policies with regard to the safety of our children.
Yes, Nicki’s offer wasn’t entirely selfless. She was planning on filming the whole thing. I don’t blame the school for saying no.
If it’s a PR war Miss Nicki wants, she’s going to lose. What if she had just played by the DOE’s guidelines? That would have been too easy.
Bob Crewe, Hit Songwriter of Frankie Valli-Four Seasons Fame, Has Died at Age 82
Bob Crewe, the writer- producer along with Bob Gaudio of Frankie Valli’s biggest hits, is dead at age 82 according to reports from Los Angeles. Crewe had been ailing for some time had missed the premiere this past June of “Jersey Boys.” But he was a huge part of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons’ success, co-writing with Bob Gaudio all their huge hits like “Rag Doll,” “Sherry Baby,” “Walk Like a Man” and of course “Can’t Take My Eyes Off of You.” He also co-wrote Labelle’s famed “Lady Marmalade” and Mitch Ryder’s “Devil with Blue Dress On.” There should be some announcement tonight at “Jersey Boys” on Broadway. Bob Crewe was one of the giants of classic pop music.
Exclusive: Sharknado 3 Will Likely Take a Bite Out of the White House, Washington DC
EXCLUSIVE: Well, all the people who signed online petitions are going to be very happy. “Sharknado 3,” the next installment of the now classic B movie series, is likely being set in Washington DC. Sources say that Ian Ziering, Tara Reid, and co. are headed to the nation’s capital for a work out with their shiny, sharp toothed friends.
After the success of the first two classic “Sharknado” films. fans started clamoring for a Washington setting. And why not? There are plenty of sharks in Washington already, so filling the Potomac with more of them shouldn’t be too difficult. And you can just about imagine the movie’s sharks jumping around in the reflecting pool between the Lincoln Memorial and the Washington Monument.
“Sharknado 3” is supposedly the precursor to number 5, after Los Angeles and New York. Number 5 should be in Las Vegas- or even better the Jersey shore. Just think of Chris Christie warding off sharks in his windbreaker! Eventually, no doubt, “Sharknado” will head to European capitals like London and Paris. Can’t wait!
U2 Had to Give New Album Away: Last One Was Heavily Discounted and Not a Hit
Much talk today about U2 giving away “500 million free albums” on iTunes. There’s speculation they received between $10 and $30 million on some blogs. I don’t think so. Today’s estimate is that of those “500 million” people, only 200,000 downloaded the album even though it was free. Funny, but that number sounds right.
In 2009, the last U2 album, “No Line on the Horizon” opened with 480,000 copies. That was half as many as their previous album. So 200,000 now seems accurate, even a little high.
Add in the fact that around 160,000 of the “Horizon” sales were downloads. And Amazon sold theirs for just $3.99. U2 was already in sales decline. It didn’t help that the album wasn’t very good. It had no hits. Still, U2 managed to sell 1.1 million copies in the US.
The fan base has aged. The number of people who want to hear new U2 songs, as opposed to their 30-odd hits, is limited. “Songs of Innocence” happens to be a terrific collection. U2 may get singles off of it– although I don’t think the lead single, “The Miracle (of Joey Ramone),” will be the one.
Still, giving away “Songs of Innocence” will set a precedent I think for other legacy acts. Who needs the embarrassment of releasing an album to much publicity, and then striking out? Even a contemporary band, Maroon 5, couldn’t open with more than 160,000 copies. Think how bad that is– they have enormous pr, Adam Levine is everywhere, they’re played on the radio. And all they could do was 160K. What did you think U2 would sell in 2014?
As for some other stories I’ve read: only Americans would complain about getting something for free. I’ve read a few snarky missives about iTunes subscribers who were actually mad that “Songs of Innocence” was sitting in their Purchased queue ready to be downloaded. Really? That takes nerve. Just say thank you.
Paris Jackson is NOT Pregnant But So- Called “Media” Are Idiots
Paris Jackson is not pregnant. I am assured of this by Jackson family sources. But really– look around the internet. Not only have idiot bloggers written this. There are “video” reports from stand up clowns speculating about Paris’s pregnancy. A 16 year old toasts with water, and this must mean she’s pregnant. The angle of a telephoto lens is bad, and she must have a baby bump. The internet is now just a sludge fest at this point. Is there really an economy for this crap? If you search for Paris on Yahoo! you’ll see some nitwit young woman in a video from Webpro News– what is this thing? — questioning “Is Paris Jackson pregnant?” Someone else “wrote” the story. Utterly idiotic and ridiculous. Get jobs, ladies. Go to school. Join the Peace Corps. for god’s sake!