Thursday, December 18, 2025
Donate
Home Blog Page 1730

UPDATE: Superstar Jennifer Lopez Made $8,584 This Week from CD Sales

Roger Friedman
-
1
UPDATE: Superstar Jennifer Lopez Made $8,584 This Week from CD Sales

Here’s the update on my story from yesterday. Jennifer Lopez made approximately $8,584 last week from sales of her “AKA” album. That’s also the number of copies she sold of that CD/digital download. Artists generally $1 per sold album. So that’s what JLO made. “AKA” dropped 75% in its second week. This means that total sales didn’t cover a night out on the town for Lopez.

Meanwhile, Robin Thicke’s “Paula” album is at number 33 on amazon. On iTunes, digital only, it remains at number 8. Ouch! Nothing is happening.

Mariah Carey’s “Me I Am Mariah” is just gone, period, after five weeks.

The new kids on the block: Ed Sheeran, Sam Smith, Lana del Rey.

PS The fifth anniversary of Michael Jackson’s death did not stimulate sales of his records. Why didn’t Sony or someone call for a moment of silence on June 25th, and ask radio stations to play “Gone Too Soon”?

Lady Gaga About to Have Huge Career Change, Biggest Success Yet (Watch)

Roger Friedman
-
0
Lady Gaga About to Have Huge Career Change, Biggest Success Yet (Watch)

Lady Gaga is officially out there somewhere, on her ARTPOP tour. But she just played the Montreal Jazz Fest with Tony Bennett, singing “Lush Life.” Watch the video below. She will blow you away. Gaga is about to have a massive success and a huge career change come September when her jazz duets album with Tony Bennett is released. I’m not sure anyone realizes what this is going to do for her. For Tony, turning 87. of course, it’s another “day at the office.” The album will make the Grammy deadline of September 30th. I wouldn’t be surprised if it wins Album of the Year in February 2015. Big, big stuff this fall for this duo. PS I am told she will be dressed “elegantly” with Bennett on tour, no eggs, no meat dresses. It’s going to be about her Voice.

WATCH

Pierce Brosnan Not Ready for Broadway, Beatles Manager Honored, Famed Acting Teacher Passes

Roger Friedman
-
0
Pierce Brosnan Not Ready for Broadway, Beatles Manager Honored, Famed Acting Teacher Passes

Pierce Brosnan isn’t ready for Broadway. The famed Irish leading man was in New York this week for the premiere of a new film, “Long Way Down,” which co-stars Toni Collette, Aaron Paul from “Breaking Bad,” and Imogen Poots. New York philanthropist Jean Shafiroff threw a dinner for the movie at East 58th St. hot spot B & Co where I chatted with Pierce and Toni.

Brosnan, a former James Bond, seems like an excellent candidate to do Broadway– a star who’s tall, good looking and can really project his voice. “You don’t think I’d need a microphone?” he intoned. “Should it be Irish theater?” Brosnan just isn’t ready to take a break from movies. He’s got five in the can, and two more ready to roll…

Toni Collette, meantime, ends her run on Broadway this weekend in “The Realistic Joneses” so she can get back to movies. She is so good in this little film. It’s time she had an Oscar…

The Beatles manager Brian Epstein was finally honored properly someone after being dissed by the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Epstein was honored on Sunday in London with the unveiling of a “Blue Plaque” on the building from which he managed the Beatles between 1964-1967.  The plaque was placed on Sutherland House in Argyll Street in the heart of London’s West End – next door to the famous London Palladium – the theatre where the frenzied reaction to a Beatles appearance on a live UK TV show in October 1963 inspired the word “Beatlemania”

Special messages were read from many of the people whose lives were transformed by his work – including Sir Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr and Sir George Martin.   Tributes were also paid by Pattie Boyd, Yoko Ono, Andrew Loog Oldham and many others.
The Blue Plaque salute to Epstein was organized by Britain’s prestigious Heritage Foundation whose mission is to honor the finest members of the UK’s entertainment industry.
Among those attending the salute to Epstein were 60s pop icon Dave Berry (“The Crying Game”), Lennon childhood pal and fellow founding member of the Quarrymen – Rod Davis, Epstein/Beatles associates Geoffrey Ellis and Tony Bramwell, Beatles pal and publisher of Mersey Beat magazine Bill Harry, Beatles biographer Mark Lewisohn.
Keynote speaker was humorist/producer and Beatles scholar Martin Lewis who instigated and ran the ultimately successful 15-year campaign to get Epstein into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and also the creator/host of the official Brian Epstein website.
Said Lewis: My pal Andrew Oldham (Rolling Stones manager/producer) sums it up best:  ‘The Beatles changed our lives.  Brian Epstein changed theirs…'”
FAMED ACTING Teacher George Morrison passed away this week at age 85. Morrison, with lifelong friends Paul Sills and Mike Nichols started the New Actors Workshop together in 1988. Among Morrison’s many successful students over his long, prestigious career was Stanley Tucci, Edie Falco, Gene Hackman, Ving Rhames, and Broadway “Pippin” and “Hair” director Diane Paulus…

Paul Mazursky, Brilliant Director and Actor, Dies at Age 84, Made Modern Film Classics

Roger Friedman
-
0
Paul Mazursky, Brilliant Director and Actor, Dies at Age 84, Made Modern Film Classics

You’d have to put Paul Mazursky in the category of Robert Altman, Hal Ashby, Sidney Lumet, Martin Ritt, Alan Pakula and Sydney Pollack. The director of “Down and Out in Beverly Hills” was 84, and a giant among modern filmmakers. His “Enemies: A Love Story,” “Next Stop Greenwich Village,” “Moscow on the Hudson,” “Harry and Tonto,” and of course “An Unmarried Woman” represent a career that can only be admired.

Without these guys there would be no film business today and no American cinema. Mazursky was top of his class, and a classy guy. He was nominated for 5 Oscars, four for writing, for “Enemies,” “Harry and Tonto,” “An Unmarried Woman,” and “Bob and Carol and Ted and Alice.” The 5th was for Best Picture for “An Unmarried Woman.”

Anyone would be thrilled, over the moon, to have his credits. “Blume in Love” with George Segal, is a little gem. His version of Shakespeare’s “The Tempest” with John Cassavetes and Gena Rowlands is out of this world. “Alex in Wonderland,” a Hollywood satire with Donald Sutherland, caused a sensation when it was released.

Mazursky was also a fine actor. He has 76 credits on the imdb, from “thirtysomething” to “2 Days in the Valley.” As writer and director and actor he was a risk taker, an original, a forceful voice. He was also a kind and lovely guy with whom I had many chats over the years. He will be sorely missed.


Pop Stars Go Bust: Robin Thicke Follows Mariah Carey, JLO Into Sales Abyss

Roger Friedman
-
4
Pop Stars Go Bust: Robin Thicke Follows Mariah Carey, JLO Into Sales Abyss

Yikes! It’s worse than I thought. Robin Thicke’s “Paula” album opened on iTunes today at number 8, and at 76 on amazon.com. That’s after his dreary appearance on the BET Awards this past weekend.

(By the way: this is for real time sales today. The number 1 album last week, just about to be announced, is from our favorite contemp pop balladeer Ed Sheeran.)

What a difference a year makes. “Blurred Lines” was last year’s ubiquitous song of the summer. The album didn’t sell that well, however. The total so far is just over 731,000 copies– not even a million although the single sold over 14 million digital copies.

But “Paula” looks doomed unless Thicke’s all day adventure tomorrow on ABC– “GMA,” “The View,” and “Jimmy Kimmel”–can stimulate sales. But the video for the first song is so weird and awful, and the lack of real build up for this release, spells a sales disaster come next Monday. After Mariah Carey and Jennifer Lopez’s failures, this is another misstep for the record biz this summer.

What does this all mean? For Thicke it means that without a real dance hit, and no Pharrell to help him, he’s squandered all the good vibes he got from “Blurred Lines.” He’s obviously turned off his base of female fans– already angry about the “rape” connotations from “Blurred Lines” and its X rated video. On “Paula” he pretty much admits to serial cheating on Patton. That’s not a way to woo a female audience.

For Carey and Lopez, it’s different things. Carey seems genuinely besotted with her kids and maybe just doesn’t care about chart positions right now. Lopez should take a cue from Janet Jackson and bow out gracefully now. Mechanized, tricked up music has run its course for those two.

 

As for Robin Thicke convincing Paula Patton to re-start their marriage, I don’t know: will it work if the record is a flop? I don’t think so unless she feels bad for him. Cue the puppy dog eyes.

Broadway: 2Pac Musical “Holler” Gets a Bad Rap, DeNiro Still With “Bronx Tale”?

Roger Friedman
-
0
Broadway: 2Pac Musical “Holler” Gets a Bad Rap, DeNiro Still With “Bronx Tale”?

It’s pretty much curtains for the 2Pac musical “Holler If Ya Hear Me.” Billboard prematurely announced the show was closing, which sent everyone into a tizzy. But the facts are there: “Holler” was down 18.5% last week from the previous week. It’s playing at 39% capacity. Last week’s take was just $159,571. I really liked this show, but why in the world was it opened after the Tony Awards? Couldn’t it have waited until the fall? Any why reconfigure the Palace Theater? Why not open off Broadway and build some buzz?

Why, why why? “In the Heights” started on 37th St. and then made its way over. Anyway, it’s all over but for the rapping. PS Aside from the 2Pac stuff, the show reminded me of a musical from the early 70s called “Inner City.” The great and not oft-remembered Linda Hopkins starred in that and won a Tony Award.  “Inner City” also closed quickly…

…Chazz Palminteri is readying a workshop of his “A Bronx Tale” musical this summer, from August 4th to the 27th. It’s unclear whether or not Robert DeNiro is still the director since he’s not listed anywhere in the materials I saw. Alan Menken wrote the songs with Chazz. Tommy Mottola is one of the producers. “A Bronx Tale” was already a DeNiro directed movie. Then Chazz brought it to Broadway as a one man show. Good material can be turned into any form. Next, “A Bronx Tale” will be a sweater! (Just kidding.) This could be a surprise hit next spring!

…”The First Wives Club” is back. The musical version of the hit movie has been under construction, it seems, since 1932. That’s at least when I feel like I started writing about it. Now Linda Bloodworth-Thomason is taking over. She, of course, created the TV series “Designing Women.” The show will appear in a new form next winter in Chicago. The music is from Holland-Dozier-Holland, the Motown legends, although that’s problematic. (We’ll wait and see what happens.) “First Wives Club” was also at one time a website for women that went along with this thing. That’s long gone. If this version is any good, I want to see Jan Maxwell, Donna Murphy, and Audra McDonald as the wives. Audra can play the Bette Midler part, and Norm Foster can be her husband. Otherwise, fuhgeddaboutit…

 

Adam Levine “Lost Stars” Here’s the Full Video from “Begin Again”

Roger Friedman
-
0
Adam Levine “Lost Stars” Here’s the Full Video from “Begin Again”

Here’s the full lyric video for “Lost Stars” from “Begin Again” performed by Adam Levine. Best song of the summer. An actual song! There are 10 more of these on the soundtrack. Written by Gregg Alexander and Danielle Brisebois of the New Radicals!

Watch Oscar Winner Lupita Nyong’o Braid Friends’ Hair, Wear a Gold Rolex

Roger Friedman
-
0
Watch Oscar Winner Lupita Nyong’o Braid Friends’ Hair, Wear a Gold Rolex

Lupita Nyong’o won an Oscar a few months ago. She’s 24 and hot as a pistol these days. In this Vogue video, she tells how she learned to braid hair. She does it while wearing a gold Rolex. While I was watching this, I kept thinking of Mira Nair telling me how Lupita was once an acting student of hers in Uganda. It’s a wonderful life. Next, Lupita is featured in the new “Star Wars.” She’s so smart and lovely. I wish I had hair.

Robin Thicke Sings to Ex on BET Awards: She Could Take Half His $15Mil Net Worth

Roger Friedman
-
0
Robin Thicke Sings to Ex on BET Awards: She Could Take Half His $15Mil Net Worth

Robin Thicke continued his public campaign to woo back wife Paula Patton last night on the BET Awards. He sat at a piano and played a new song, “Forever Love,” which he dedicated to Patton. He said “I’m sorry” to her. And listening to the new “Paula” album, it’s pretty clear what he’s sorry for. It’s a strange gambit: admitting that he cheated on and hurt her, acknowledging that she’s over it, and still he still goes on.

It also seems clear that he and Patton aren’t really talking. It’s just a public thing, and he’s involved us in it. But what’s it really about? Thicke is said to be worth $15 million. His biggest year was 2013, with “Blurred Lines.” Patton could grab half his worth plus have a stake in future earnings. They’ve been together since high school and have a child together. Robin is “thick.” If he can patch up the marriage, he saves a lot of money.

Am I cynical? These people grew up in Hollywood. He’s the son of a TV star who left his mother, a soap opera star.

 

Oscars: First Half of 2014 Ends with a Few Possibilities and Lots of Hope

Roger Friedman
-
0
Oscars: First Half of 2014 Ends with a Few Possibilities and Lots of Hope

It’s June 30th. The year is half over and, as Sting’s singers shout in “The Last Ship”: “Whadda we got?” Not much, but that’s always the case.

This is totally subjective. I’m going by what I’ve seen so far, not what’s been released. The two may not overlap.

So far there is a smattering of Best Picture candidates. Wes Anderson’s “Grand Budapest Hotel” leads that pack, followed by Richard Linklater’s “Boyhood,” John Carney’s “Begin Again,”  and Amma Asante’s “Belle.”

Two films played in Cannes that seem like cinches down the road this fall: Bennett Miller’s “Foxcatcher” and Damien Chazelle’s “Whiplash.” They are each brilliant. So is the original two-movies-in-one version of “The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby” from Ned Benson. These three films are going to require smart audiences, like from the 1970s. Are they out there? I hope so.

Woody Allen’s “Magic in the Moonlight” is next around the bend in a summer of action fare, super heroes, sequels, and movies about wind up toys.

In documentaries, we’ve had Joe Berlinger’s “Whitey Bulger,” Steve James’ take on Roger Ebert in “Life Itself,” and Mike Myers’ “Supermensch” about Shep Gordon as standouts.

Anyone in the lead for acting kudos? Mark Ruffalo in “Begin Again,”  and “Foxcatcher”; Patricia Arquette in “Boyhood,” Steve Carell in “Foxcatcher,” Gugu Mbatha-Raw in “Belle,” Jessica Chastain and James McAvoy in “Eleanor Rigby,” J.K. Simmons in “Whiplash.”

A special nod to Catherine Keener, just for being herself. She’s a gem as usual in “Begin Again.”

More to come, certainly…

1...1,7291,7301,731...2,323Page 1,730 of 2,323

Hollywood to the Hudson

Company

Trending

Categories

© Showbiz411.com