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SNL: (Watch) Louis CK Brilliant Monologue, But NBC Crosses Line with Jeep Ad

Roger Friedman
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SNL: (Watch) Louis CK Brilliant Monologue, But NBC Crosses Line with Jeep Ad

“Saturday Night Live” was a mixed bag last night. The show is definitely suffering from the loss of Seth Meyers to “Late Night.” Host Louis CK obviously performed his own stand up routine in the host monologue. It was really brilliant. This guy just gets better and better.

On the other hand, NBC crossed an editorial line last night. A Jeep ad featured two “SNL” players. Very strange, the whole thing. It was a real ad, not a parody. I can’t imagine Bill Murray, Gilda Radner, or Dan Aykroyd doing something like that. Or any of the other great “SNL” players of the past. I guess this is the new, strange blurred lines world of “native advertising.” Not a good like for new player Cecily Strong.

Here’s the ad:

Here’s the Louis CK monologue:

Strike Three for Arnold Schwarzenegger: “Sabotage” 3rd Bomb in a Row

Roger Friedman
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Strike Three for Arnold Schwarzenegger: “Sabotage” 3rd Bomb in a Row

SUNDAY MORNING UPDATE: Total was $5.3 million. Released by Open Road. They should have called it “Nut Job 2” after their big hit.

EARLIER: It’s strike three for Arnold Schwarzenegger. The former governor of California used to be a movie star. But that was a long time ago. His latest, “Sabotage,” is his third bomb in a row after “The Last Stand” and “Escape Plan.” It’s hard to believe any studio would let him star in a movie at this point. Arnold has some involvement in the new “Terminator” but the real stars are Jason Clarke and Emilia Clarke (not related to each other).

Arnold will be more like a seasoning from the past. But “Sabotage” opened last night to $1.8 million and will do around $5 million for the weekend. In the old days, Arnold would spend $5 million on partying over the weekend of a new release.

Of course there are many reasons for his decline, not the least of which is that women who’ve followed the story of his break up with Maria Shriver are not going to go see him. This leaves nostalgic 50 year olds and people who cut out of seeing other  movies playing in the same cineplex.

Next career move: run for mayor of Toronto.

By the way, it wasn’t like Arnold was such a big draw before he left showbiz for politics. “The 6th Day,” “End of Days,” and “Collateral Damage” weren’t hits either. And that dates back 15 years.

Broadway: “Rocky” Getting Three Days Next Week on “Today” Show

Roger Friedman
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Broadway: “Rocky” Getting Three Days Next Week on “Today” Show

More and more people are yakking about the hit Broadway musical, its star Andy Karl, and the amazing sets including the now famous boxing ring. There’s so much buzz that Willie Geist came to a performance, went backstage and signed up the show, cast, and Sylvester Stallone for a three part series next week.

The segments will air Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday at 8am. I’m told Willie ran up and down the stairs of the Philadelphia art museum with Andy Karl, and even gets into the ring for a round or two.

The series includes an exclusive interview from L.A. with Sylvester Stallone.

Last week, record mogul Clive Davis stopped in to see “Rocky” and went nuts for Andy Karl, a probable Tony nominee as Best Actor in a Musical. Clive is always looking for new musical talent. He could just as well look at Andy’s talented wife, singer Orfeh, who he co-starred with in “Legally Blonde.”

I asked Clive where he sat during the show? Turns out he volunteered for one of those Golden Circle passes in the front and wound up moving during the second to become part of the “boxing audience.” He loved it. You have to see this thing to believe it!  You also have to see adult people leap to their feet during the big boxing match (it’s not violent, all choreographed beautifully). It’s wild!

 

Ratings: “American Idol” Really Does Drop Below 8 Million Viewers

Roger Friedman
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Ratings: “American Idol” Really Does Drop Below 8 Million Viewers

Well, that’s it. Painful to watch and to report. “American Idol” did a 1.9 rating last night, and dropped below 8 million total viewers– to 7.94. Even if it’s adjusted up later today, that number says too much. It means that viewers aren’t interested in Thursday results. If they are, the 9pm spot is too late. They have to see it at 8pm. A 1.9 means they are older, and aren’t waiting until 9 to take their pills and stay up. Ouch!

“Grey’s Anatomy” beat “Idol” handily. They had 8.13 million viewers who were young– 2.5 rating, same as NCAA basketball on CBS. “Grey’s Anatomy” like “Idol” is a competition show. Every season, the doctors compete to see who will survive the season. In the season finale, several are cut, and Ellen Pompeo and Patrick Dempsey get to keep the money saved from whatever actors are killed off.

Why not try this on “Idol”? Kill off several contestants, sort of like “The Hunger Games.” Ratings will soar.

By the way. “Grey’s” is still on TV? I watched its first season in 2005 while covering the Michael Jackson trial in Santa Maria, California. That was NINE years ago. Amazing!

Biggest audience of the night, beating basketball: Kerry Washington in the lunatic “Scandal.” Good for her! Brav-oh!

ABC News Hires Ray Kelly, Ex NYPD Commish, as Consultant

Roger Friedman
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ABC News Hires Ray Kelly, Ex NYPD Commish, as Consultant

They’re coming and going at ABC News: the network news department has hired Ray Kelly, former New York City Police Commissioner, to be a consultant. Kelly’s going to be all over the place at ABC. TV is in his blood: his son, Greg Kelly, co-anchors the high rated Fox 5 morning show here in New York with Rosanna Scotto. In fact, “Good Day New York” has been beating both ABC’s “Good Morning America” and “Today” in local ratings. The Kelly dinner table should be hot stuff now!

At the same time, my old friend Cynthia McFadden is leaving “Nightline” and ABC News for NBC. She’ll be chief legal correspondent and a regular on all the news programming. Cynthia has been with ABC for 20 years. But with “Nightline” now on against Seth Meyers, and well after Jimmy Kimmel, Cynthia probably wanted to be seen by people who were awake. Poor “Nightline.” Anyway, it’s NBC’s gain as Cynthia is multi-talented and one of the hardest working journalists anywhere.

PS New York is a safer place because of Ray Kelly. Now ABC will be murder free too!

Time Passages: Jude Law’s Eldest Child Turns 18 This Year!

Roger Friedman
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Time Passages: Jude Law’s Eldest Child Turns 18 This Year!

Jude Law? Isn’t he pretty young? Yup, he’s 42. And guess what? The eldest of his three children with actress Sadie Frost turns 18 this fall. Hard to believe, no? You feed these kids and this is what happens.

I think all this was conveyed by the look in my eyes when Jude told me he had a 17 year old son who’s in a band and thinking about his future. He shook his head, with an air of acknowledged self pity. “I’m old,” he pleaded. He was 23 when Raff was born.

Jude La is one of our most underrated (but at one time most hyped) actors. He opens in a new movie on April 2nd. “Dom Hemingway” gives Jude an actor’s showcase. Dom is a petty thug with a lot of charm, released from prison after 12 years. He wants to reunite with his adult daughter, played by “Game of Thrones” star Emilia Clarke. He’s already back with his second banana (Richard E. Grant, looking like Peter Fonda with tinted aviators) and his mob boss (Demian Bachir).

The movie is a little coarse in the sex and violence department. But it’s got an enjoyable edge. Jude is memorable as Dom Hemingway chews his way through the scenery. He gives what we call an out-sized performance. It’s a good antidote to the long, long winter.

 

 

Watch Joan Rivers’ First Appearance on the “Tonight Show” Since 1986

Roger Friedman
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Watch Joan Rivers’ First Appearance on the “Tonight Show” Since 1986

Joan Rivers last appeared on the Tonight show with Johnny Carson in 1986. That was 28 years ago. Last night she returned. The jokes were about the Holocaust and vaginas. It was just like the old days. Watch Jimmy Fallon do a very subtle Carson imitation. Lovely. Joan was played on by a tape of the old Tonight show theme as played by Doc Severinsen and written by Paul Anka. That was a really classy touch. Welcome back Joan!

Gwyneth Paltrow’s Website Features 60 Designers: I’ve Only Heard of 9 of Them

Roger Friedman
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Gwyneth Paltrow’s Website Features 60 Designers: I’ve Only Heard of 9 of Them

Gwyneth Paltrow’s website Goop.com– I’ve never looked at it until today. She features 63 designers you can buy clothes from. I’ve only actually heard of 10 of them–obviously Stella McCartney (Beatles), Michael Kors, Rag and Bone (sweater from Target received as gift), Warby Parker, Cynthia Rowley, Helmut Lang, Jennifer Meyer (wife of Tobey Maguire), Me & Ro (only because they were once somehow involved with swindler Dana Giacchetto), Alice & Olivia (see their signs, don’t know what they do). Who are these people? One of them sells a small green box for $1,200. I don’t know the actual dimensions because they’re in metric! Description: “exclusive malachite andu.” Andu?

How many of these designers can you I.D.? No Prada, Gucci, or Kenmore (Sears) here!

Alice & Olivia
Amour Vert
Araks
Ashley Pittman
Banjo & Matilda
Bespoke Home
Beyond Yoga
BoPeeps
Busy Bees
Carolina Bucci
Chinti & Parker
Clare Vivier
Crippen
Cynthia Rowley
Diemme
ECOALF
Edition01
Esquivel
Foundwell
Free Your Mane
Hansel from Basel
Helmut Lang
House of Harlow, 1960
Jennifer Meyer
Kain Label
Kings of Cole
L’Agence
Loeffler Randall
Lolë
LoveShackFancy
Marie Chantal
Matthew Williamson
Me&Ro
Melissa Odabash
MiH Jeans
Michael Kors
Monrow
Mud Australia
Natasha Law
Oyuna
Peter Dunham
Portolano
Rablabs
Rag & Bone
Restorsea
Sarah Chloe
Seedling
Sheryl Lowe
Solange Azagury-Partridge
Soludos
Stella McCartney
Sugar Paper
Supergoop
Tammy Fender
Thornback & Peel
Turkish-T
Veronica Beard
Warby Parker
butter LONDON
iomoi
lemlem

Geraldo Rivera Wins Case: “A Body Blow to Sleazy Hollywood Talent Agencies”

Roger Friedman
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Geraldo Rivera Wins Case: “A Body Blow to Sleazy Hollywood Talent Agencies”

Geraldo Rivera has won his case in Hollywood. Or rather, Rivera has triumphed because a lawsuit filed against him by the William Morris Endeavor Agency– WME– was dismissed by a New York judge this afternoon. On Twitter, Geraldo called the decision “a  body blow to sleazy Hollywood talent agencies.”

WME claimed that Rivera owed them commissions starting from 2010 because they are his talent agency. But Rivera argued that he had a key man clause with agent Jim Griffin starting in 1994. Griffin had been his agent starting in 1985. When Griffin left WME for Paradigm in 2010, Rivera said he had no agreement with WME and stopping paying them commissions.

WME said they had an oral agreement that they were Rivera’s agent. But Judge Charles Ramos disagreed. He pointed to the last signed contract Rivera had with WME– from 1994 to 1997– which specified Griffin as his key man. After 1997, there was so signed contract but Rivera kept paying Griffin until left in 2010.

Rivera sent out a couple of Tweets this afternoon including one that said: “I feel like the Curt Flood of the news business”– a reference to the baseball player who challenged Major League Baseball’s reserve clause in 1969 and invented free agency. Rivera is right in a sense, but I hope he remembers that the lawsuit — no matter how historic– ended Flood’s career. That shouldn’t be a problem for Geraldo.

 

Joan Rivers Is On The Tonight Show– Tonight– First Sit Down in 28 Years

Roger Friedman
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Joan Rivers Is On The Tonight Show– Tonight– First Sit Down in 28 Years

Joan Rivers will be on “The Tonight Show” tonight as guest. It’s her first real appearance since 1986, when she left Johnny Carson to have her own show on what was then the new Fox network. Carson never spoke to her again, and she was banned from “Tonight” for the rest of his run and all the way through Jay Leno, Conan O’Brien, and Leno again.

Last month she was one of a parade of stars who helped Jimmy Fallon inaugurate his run on “Tonight.” But this appearance will constitute her real return.

Since 28 years is a long time ago, let me fill you in: Joan was Johnny’s permanent guest host on Monday nights for years. She was a huge hit, hysterically funny always, and on top of her game. But Joan’s mistake was not asking Carson’s permission to leave, or even telling him about it at all. When Carson heard Joan was going to Fox, he never spoke to her again. He refused to take her phone calls even.

But everything about Jimmy Fallon’s run has been astute, clever, and fresh. Tonight’s installment should be historic– and a riot. The ratings will be great, too. But then again, as Fallon has settled down from his debut, he maintains a healthy lead over David Letterman, and a big lead over Jimmy Kimmel.

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