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Exclusive: “Breaking Bad” Sequel “Better Call Saul” Intro’s New Characters

Roger Friedman
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Exclusive: “Breaking Bad” Sequel “Better Call Saul” Intro’s New Characters

“Breaking Bad” fans are no doubt chomping at the bit for the spin off series “Better Call Saul.” The AMC series will star Bob Odenkirk and Jonathan Banks as Saul and Mike, two of the few people who didn’t get killed in the crossfire of “Breaking Bad.” in prequel roles. They reprise their roles as oily lawyers who will do anything to stay out of court. (Mike, thanks to notes from readers, was indeed killed during “Breaking Bad.”)

Now I’m told Vince Gilligan, Peter Gould et al have added some characters to the new show, which will revolve around the law office and the court.

They include regular players named Burt, Dr. Thurber, Beth, Eddie, and Zak and Luke.  Burt is described as a “Kennedy” type lawyer in a white-shoe law firm. Dr. Thurber and Beth are also supposed to be lawyers. Eddie is a career criminal, a cool guy who speaks Spanish. Zak and Luke are skateboarding twins around 20 years old.

There’s no word yet on whether Aaron Paul or any of the other “Breaking Bad” survivors will appear on the new show. It’s too early to say if this spin off will be a success like “Frasier,” or a disappointment like “AfterMASH.” But I really like Bob Odenkirk, and hope for the best.

Toni Braxton Will Play Darlene Love in Oprah Produced TV Film About “20 Feet” Singer

Roger Friedman
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3
Toni Braxton Will Play Darlene Love in Oprah Produced TV Film About “20 Feet” Singer

Well, this is a little different. Toni Braxton, perennially bankrupt pop R&B star, is going to play Darlene Love in Oprah Winfrey’s TV Movie about the Phil Spector superstar. Darlene has had a Renaissance in the last year because of her participation in the Oscar winning doc “20 Feet from Stardom.”

Braxton is a little old to play Darlene during her Phil Spector days– she’s 46–but the magic of Hollywood will deal with that. Toni has a new album out with Kenny “Babyface” Edmonds. And the two of them were just on Broadway in “After Midnight.”

It will be interesting to see if Oprah and OWN can get the rights to Darlene’s music with Phil Spector, back when she was the lead singer of the Crystals. I’m a little surprised that Toni was chosen, not just because of her age. Braxton is more of a ballads singer. Darlene is a power singer. We’ll see how that works out.

Oprah’s OWN also announced a bunch of new shows, including interviews with Justin Timberlake, Lionel Richie, Whoopi Goldberg, Barbara Walters, and Vanessa Williams on her “Master Class” shows.

Sting, Trudie Styler Add Patti Scialfa, Kevin Spacey to Rainforest Concert

Roger Friedman
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0
Sting, Trudie Styler Add Patti Scialfa, Kevin Spacey to Rainforest Concert

Some news on the Rainforest Foundation concert April 17th at Carnegie Hall. Sting and his wife Trudie Styler have added more guests to the show. Kevin Spacey will sing (as he did in “Beyond the Sea”) and maybe do his Johnny Carson imitation. (I hope so, it’s hilarious.) Also added is Patti Scialfa of the E Street Band (and also Mrs. Bruce Springsteen.) Patti is one of my favorite rockers, so that should be hot stuff. And no, Bruce will not be there. This is Ms. Scialfa as the solo rock star she deserves to be!

The Rainforest concert is always a family affair for Sting and Trudie. So Sting’s eldest son, Joe Sumner, of the rock group Fiction Plane, will perform. And one of the couple’s two talented daughters, Eliot, a budding rock star herself, will sing one of her many amazing songs.

Also added to the night are two ballet dancers: Alessandra Ferri (ballet dancer) and Herman Cornejo (ABT). They join Sting, James Taylor, Paul Simon, Renee Fleming, Dionne Warwick and Stephen Stills, who’d better sing “Love the One You’re With.”

Sting and Trudie will talk about their 25 years supporting the Rainforest and its indigenous people on “The Colbert Report” on April 10th at 11:30pm. Sting will also perform a couple of songs from his upcoming Broadway musical “The Last Ship,” which starts previews in June in Chicago. The whole saga of the Rainforest Foundation is really stunning. I hope they issue a book soon of their many accomplishments. Sting and Trudie had a lot of foresight 25 years ago, considering the recent climate change report.

Here Are All The “New” Michael Jackson Songs, Including Rip off of “A Horse with No Name”

Roger Friedman
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Here Are All The “New” Michael Jackson Songs, Including Rip off of “A Horse with No Name”

All the songs from Michael Jackson’s posthumous “Xscape” album have been available for eons on YouTube and other places. Not only that, one of them is a total rip off of America’s 1972 classic “A Horse with No Name.” I’d like to know what it cost to license those rights. What a payday for Dewey Bunnell. He must be thanking his lucky stars. I hope his lawyer and his music publisher got him seven figures.

“Slave to the Rhythm” — there was a controversy about this track because one of Michael’s kids gave it to Justin Bieber, who then released his own bootlegged version with his vocals added. I wrote about that at least 18 months ago. Now it’s back.

You can make your own “Xscape” album at home, for free. Start with these tracks:

 
“She Was Loving Me”
 

“Xscape”

“A Place with No Name” — from America’s “A Horse with No Name”

“Slave to the Rhythm”

“Do You Know Where Your Children Are”

“Blue Gangsta”

Rock Hall Mess: Lots of Seats Available, Inductees Either Not Coming or Not Performing

Roger Friedman
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7
Rock Hall Mess: Lots of Seats Available, Inductees Either Not Coming or Not Performing

Next week’s Rock and Roll Hall of Fame show looks like it’s going to be a mess. Many of the inductees are fighting, some aren’t coming, and many aren’t playing.

On top of that, there are roughly 2,900 seats at the Barclays Center on Stubhub.com right now. Plus, on Ticketmaster, I was able to locate many good seats at face value in sections close to the stage. The 200 sections in the upper tier are at this point pretty open.

The only place tickets aren’t being sold are on the floor, where Jann Wenner is conducting his usual expensive dinner for what remains of the record business. In recent years, Wenner has start bringing in corporate friends as the record companies have consolidated and vanished.

Of the nominees, Linda Ronstadt isn’t coming at all. Cat Stevens is still considering his options. KISS won’t perform because they’re all fighting with each other. Nirvana can’t perform because Kurt Cobain is dead. That leaves Peter Gabriel, and Hall & Oates.

It does seem like Bruce Springsteen will be there to induct his E Street Band. Tom Morello will be on hand, too. So it’s likely they will all perform together.

Not coming: Brian Epstein, the Beatles’ long dead manager. I’m told his family ( he had a family) weren’t even invited. Paul McCartney or Ringo Starr could show up to induct him. Epstein is getting in this year because of the Beatles’ 50th anniversary. But Ringo’s probably miffed because he’s the only Beatle not in the Hall of Fame as a solo act.

Meanwhile, April 10th is also the opening of Woody Allen’s “Bullets Over Broadway” on Broadway. Most media attention will be focused there, since the Hall of Fame doesn’t sound so promising.

You can watch the whole thing on HBO a couple of weeks later. For, essentially, free.

 

TV Ratings: “How I Met Your Mother” Finale Hits Series High

Roger Friedman
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0
TV Ratings: “How I Met Your Mother” Finale Hits Series High

Some people didn’t like it, but everyone watched it. “How I Met Your Mother” went out on a high last night. The show scored almost 13 million viewers and a 5.3 rating. In total viewers, they were still edged out by “Dancing with the Stars” on ABC. But “HIMYM” did beat “The Voice.”

In other ratings news, Jimmy Fallon is still considerably ahead of David Letterman, and way ahead of Jimmy Kimmel in the late night wars.

As a complete non sequitur, I will tell you this: I was a huge “Dallas” fan during its original run. I didn’t quite care for it when it came back on TNT. The new producers tried to make it very slick, and got away from the basic soap opera that made “Dallas” a cheesy success. But this season has been very, very good. It’s largely due to Linda Gray and Patrick Duffy, who are still playing the hell out of Sue Ellen and Bobby. But also the story telling this season is very much back to the tone of the old show. They still need to bring back Val and Gary from “Knots Landing.” But as a pure guilty pleasure, “Dallas 2.0” is good stuff.

 

Mariah Carey, Kanye West’s Record Label Gets Big Overhaul

Roger Friedman
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3
Mariah Carey, Kanye West’s Record Label Gets Big Overhaul

The record business keeps spinning: Island DefJam is no more as of today. This is not an April Fool’s joke. Universal Music has made some big changes to Mariah Carey and Kanye West’s record label. Island and DefJam are splitting up, with Island going west. DefJam will be run by Steve Bartels, one of the hardest working guys in show biz. Barry Weiss, who had been president of Island DefJam after coming over from RCA a few years ago, is stepping down.

And there’s more: not only is Island heading west, but so is the label still known as Motown. They will both be separate record labels. Motown isn’t really Motown anyway, as we all know. Those days are over. But the woman who will be running it, Ethopia Habtemarian, is very popular. Karen Kwak, also a great player in the UMG family, will be overseeing everything. As she should!

If success is 99% about showing up, then Steve Bartels is really successful. A jolly easy going “big guy,” Steve loves his artists and support them like crazy– even when Kanye West wanders into his office one day and announces he’s dropping an album called “Yeezus” in five days! (Or as I call it “Meezus.”) Kanye, Mariah and all of the DefJam are lucky to have him. And of course, Steve is a graduate of the Clive Davis School of Music Execs. He has good training.

Rosie O’Donnell to Get Much Deserved Honorary Tony Award

Roger Friedman
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0
Rosie O’Donnell to Get Much Deserved Honorary Tony Award

Good news! Rosie O’Donnell will receive a much deserve honorary award at this year’s Tony Awards. She’s getting the Isabelle Stevenson award for her incredible contributions to musical theater– specifically her Rosie’s Theater Kids foundation and Maravel School for theater on West 45th St. This school is such a gem. Kids from all over New York come there on afternoons after school for theater training. The Maravel school has literally changed the lives of hundreds of kids over the last few years!

Congrats Rosie!

Here’s the release:

Rosie O’Donnell will be presented with the 2014 Isabelle Stevenson Award for her commitment to arts education for New York City’s public school children.   In 2003, Rosie’s For All Kids Foundation launched Rosie’s Broadway Kids, which is now known as Rosie’s Theater Kids (RTKids).  Rosie’s Theater Kids is a non-profit arts education organization which continually provides training in dance, music and drama for students attending public school in New York City.  RTKids serves students who otherwise would not have the opportunity to experience theater, positively changing the trajectory of their lives by providing comprehensive classes in music, dance and drama; thoughtful mentoring; and structured academic guidance.   Dedicated to enriching the lives of children though the arts, their goal is to inspire excellence, motivate learning, uplift the human spirit, build confidence, and spark a lifelong appreciation for the arts. 

 

RTKids provides a number of programs, including:

·         PS Broadway – An in-school program for NYC public school fifth-graders.  During the year, RTKids staff members teach dance and music as part of a 15-week program that serves 22 schools throughout Manhattan.  Every class of students takes a free trip to see a Broadway musical and participates in a question-and-answer session with performers, directors, conductors and members of the production’s technical staff.  Each semester this program is wrapped up with a school assembly where the students perform for their peers, parents and teachers.

·         ACTE II (A Commitment to Excellence) – A scholarship program in which outstanding graduates of PS Broadway have the opportunity to receive further training in free after-school classes in ballet, tap, jazz, voice and drama.   The program includes a Summer Intensive program that provides group classes and private lessons, preparing students for a final performance for family, friends and industry professionals.

·         Spotlight on Fitness (SoFit) – Developed in collaboration with a school-based health care program and the NYC Department of Education, SoFit is a physical education program that fulfills state and local curriculum requirements in both the arts and physical education.

·         A+ (Arts Plus) – This program provides supplementary tools to enhance the academic achievement of the ACTE II Students at the secondary level. A+ includes after-school tutoring, High School admission guidance, private coaching and preparation for performing arts school auditions (both high school and collegiate) and professional PSAT and SAT preparatory classes.  To date, with the individual coaching and assistance from RTKids, 100% of the 8th grade students were placed in competitive New York City performing arts high schools for the past two years.

“Girls”: Shoshanna Will Get Parents in New Season, Why Not Cast Her Own?

Roger Friedman
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1
“Girls”: Shoshanna Will Get Parents in New Season, Why Not Cast Her Own?

Almost of all of Lena Dunham’s “Girls” principals have fictional parents. Peter Scolari is Hannah’s dad. Rita Wilson is Marnie’s mom. Now the show is casting for Shoshanna’s parents for Season 4.

That’s right. Zosia Mamet’s character is getting a mother and a father. But of course, Mamet has two famous parents who could play the characters named– and I can reveal this here– Mel and Melanie. Playwright David Mamet and actress Lindsay Crouse created Zosia 20 odd years ago.

Shoshanna’s dad, Mel, is described according to a source as a “disheveled Jersey guy now living on Long Island, passionate about old time rock n’ roll, Snackwells cookies and classic sitcoms. Living but vacant, with a vaguely cheesy sense of humor.”

Snackwells, really? They seem so 1999. I think he and Melanie would be lapping up Skinny Cow ice cream.

Shoshanna’s mom, Melanie is supposed to be “a career woman with a lot of rage.”  My source says Melanie “considers herself the superior of almost everyone she meets and has very little sense of the effect she’s having on other
people, most notably her daughter.” Melanie dresses like an Upper West Side Earth mother, too.

Mamet senior and Crouse sound perfect for these roles! Call ’em in!

Soul Man Sam Moore, 78, Steals Paul Simon Show at Carnegie Hall

Roger Friedman
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0
Soul Man Sam Moore, 78, Steals Paul Simon Show at Carnegie Hall

Quite a night at Carnegie Hall, where producer Michael Dorf staged one of his famous all star tributes last night. The honoree was Paul Simon, whose songs were sung by 20 or more acts ranging from Very Well Known to Completely Unknown. The big names: Judy Collins, Ann and Nancy Wilson of Heart, Richard Marx, Anjelique Kidjo, Betty Lavette, Bob Mould and Madeline Peyroux with Jon Herington.

Allen Toussaint made a big showing of “Take Me to the Mardi Gras,” a natural number for the New Orleans native.

But it was Sam Moore who got the audience on their feet with a gospel flavored “Loves Me Like a Rock.” He was antidote to some of the sleepier acts who took soft rock seriously. Still, it was a fun night that ended with all the acts– sans Collins– leading the crowd with “Feeling Groovy.”

Now Moore will show New York real R&B tonight at the City Winery on Varick and Spring Streets. The Grammy winning member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame will make tonight’s show his second of three appearances in New York this month. On April 23rd he appears with Italian singer Zucchero at Madison Square Garden.

Tonight’s show features the Uptown Horns and Sam’s regular band. Some of Monday night’s performers are already threatening to show up. You know, everyone wants to sing “Soul Man.”

Moore is 78 and still rocking like it was 1966. He just recorded a new song called “They Killed a King” in memory of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. (The anniversary of King’s death is April 4th.) “They Killed a King” was record in Memphis at the legendary Royal Studios, now run by Willie Mitchell’s son, Boo.

Here’s the video. Go to www.citywinery.com for tickets.

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