On Day 3, Jimmy Fallon played Charades with Bradley Cooper, Emma Thompson, and Tim McGraw. You can hear Cooper shout out “Tits!” when guessing a clue. Also, Emma claims not to know American TV. But she got “Vampire Diaries” in two seconds. The Charades started with Fallon on “Late Night” and should be a weekly feature if the people are right. A solid episode, a little less action packed than the first two nights, but still very winning. The ratings will be good but, as a friend of mine who’s an expert at this says, they’re meaningless. Looking forward to tonight, with Michele Obama singing something.
The Rolling Stones Are Still on Tour Somewhere on this Planet
Like me, you probably thought the Rolling Stones were all at home counting their money in their respective mansions. They played New York for their 50th anniversary, then they did an 18 date tour in the US. That was followed by Hyde Park, which produced a DVD. After that, I guess I thought Mick Jagger went to Mustique.
Turns out, they’re still on tour somewhere on this planet. Tomorrow night the Stones play Abu Dabi. Then they head to three shows in Tokyo, plus Macau, Shanghai, Australia, and New Zealand. There are 14 dates in total on this leg. Who knew? It’s not all “Gloom and Doom” after all.
Good for the boys! In some of those places, the people may think they’re a new band!
Exclusive: Gus Van Sant First Name Director on Revived BMW Films Series
Remember the BMW Film series? Clive Owen played a James Bond like character in a series of short films, actually commercials, directed by a bunch of big names including Ang Lee, John Woo, Guy Ritchie (who used his wife at the time, Madonna, in his episode) and the late John Frankenheimer? The series ran online and in movie theaters from 2001-2002.
Now BMW is bringing it all back. I’m told the first director is the great Gus van Sant of “Good Will Hunting” and “Drugstore Cowboy” fame. This time, the series is about a couple. van Sant is looking now for big star names in their mid-30s. The man could be a little older. Sources say they’re looking for actors right on the cutting edge or maybe an older actor who’s acquired some hipness.
Knowing van Sant, he could choose James Franco or maybe even Matt Dillon.
Elaine Stritch, 89, Gets the Last Laugh at A List Celebration for Documentary
Elaine Stritch, 89, fresh from making trouble on the Today show with Kathie Lee and Hoda– she dropped the F bomb before the network censors could catch it–was back last night at the Paley Center in New York. The legendary Broadway performer is the subject of a new doc called “Shoot Me,” to be released Friday by IFC in 30 cities across the country. She gets the last laugh, believe me, on a number of topics in this raw, unvarnished look at her remarkable life.
And Stritch was present last night, albeit in a wheelchair needed because of a healing leg infection. She was pretty overwhelmed, too, by the turnout. Lots of other great names and famous faces turned out including Alec Baldwin, who exec produced, “30 Rock” alum Jane Krakowski, Broadway stars Nathan Lane and Alan Cumming, who greeted each other warmly; as well as a murderer’s row of actresses including Oscar winners Ellen Burstyn, Lee Grant, Dianne Wiest; Tovah Feldshuh, Barbara Barrie, Ilene Kristen, plus a glowing and ever youthful Liz Smith, archeologist Iris Love, cinematographer Ellen Kuras, and Vanity Fair’s Beth Kseniak. Lifetime Oscar winner DA Pennebaker, friends with Stritch since before he shot her in her famous “Company” documentary, was there with award winning filmmaker wife Chris Hegedus.
Stritch did address the audience at the end of the screening. I asked her, for everyone, if she missed New York since moving to Detroit. The answer is, she sure does. There’s a video I’ll try and attach shortly.
Director Chiemi Karasawa really did a great job capturing Stritch’s feistiness– and the loneliness of being a long distance runner in show business. It’s a movie with a lot of laughs, though, and real lessons in survival. Music for the doc was composed by Thelonious Monk award winner Chris Bowers.
Sad note: among the interviewees was James Gandolfini, in the year before he died.
PS No one ever mentions this but Carole Bayer Sager has a cameo walk on in this movie. I don’t even know if she knows it!
Philip Seymour Hoffman: NYPost Reads Will Wrong, What Else is New?
The main story on the New York Post front page this afternoon: “Philip Seymour Hoffman’s last wish…My son must grow up in New York, San Francisco, or Chicago…”
Well, that’s not what it says. But who cares? It’s the Post. The actual wording is that it was Hoffman’s “strong desire, and not Direction to my Guardian” that Cooper Hoffman be raised or reside in one of those places. Hoffman then says if the Guardian can’t do it, he hopes Cooper will visit these places.
So just as long as we can read the actual words in the Will, and not just make them up. The Post just leaves out “not Direction” because it’s a slow news day. All Hoffman wanted to do was make sure his son learned about culture and architecture. And maybe journalism!
More interesting is that Hoffman signed the will in 2004, before his two daughters were born. Most people update their Wills as new children come into the family. According to his attorney, whom I spoke to today, Hoffman simply didn’t get around to it. It won’t matter anyway. The mother of the children, Mimi O’Donnell, inherits Hoffman’s estate. She can draw up a new Will with specifics about the children.
TV: “American Idol” Down 10% from Last Week Against Olympics
Poor “American Idol.” Things just keep getting worse. Last night a special episode only managed a 2.7 rating and 9.6 million viewers. That was down ten percent from last Thursday, which itself was down from the prior night and the previous week.
Of course the Olympics aren’t helping. It’s more exciting to watch skiiers and skaters and lugers compete than singers. But the question is, is “Idol” being damaged beyond repair during this month? Can it come back from the Olympic drubbing?
On total viewers, “Idol” wasn’t just decked by the Olympics. A rerun of “NCIS” nosed it down to third place. ABC and CBS are just running reruns until the O’s are done. On the CW, ten people watched a “Vampire Diaries” rerun.
http://www.americanidol.com/share/video/159391299791?cmp=user_post
Exclusive: Sting, Trudie Styler Set Date for All Star Rainforest Concert in NYC
EXCLUSIVE: I’ve just gotten the info on this year’s Rainforest Foundation concert. Tomorrow (Thursday) Sting and his multi-talented actress/activist/producer wife Trudie Styler will announce an all star show for April 17th at Carnegie Hall. Guest artists will be revealed shortly, as well. In the past the guests have included Billy Joel, James Taylor, Brian Wilson, Sam Moore, Elton John, Bruno Mars, Jennifer Hudson and so on. Two years ago, at the last show, Meryl Streep even pitched in and performed. Sting has been on tour with Paul Simon (coming to MSG March 4th and 6th). No word yet on whether Simon will participate, but it seems like a good bet.
Jimmy Fallon Videos from Last Night: Seinfeld, R Kelly Barbershop, Kristen Wiig as Harry Styles
Here’s the R Kelly barbershop number from last night. Brilliant:
And Kristen Wiig as Harry Styles:
Jerry Seinfeld stand up:
ABC-Disney-Marvel Synergy As Jimmy Kimmel Debuts “Guardians of the Galaxy” Trailer
Yup. Kimmel-Marvel-Disney-ABC synergy brings us the “Guardians of the Galaxy” trailer. The music is “Hooked on a Feeling” the ooga-chakka version, from 1974 by Blue Swede. I liked B.J. Thomas’s original 1969 version better. This one was supposed to be funny. Or something. Whatever happened to Blue Swede? O the Ides of March? Or Vanity Fare? Or…
Jimmy Fallon Gets it Right for a Second Night in a Row: Seinfeld, Kristen Wiig, Lady Gaga Shine
I can’t wait for Jimmy Fallon’s barbershop quartet number to hit You Tube so I can post it here. On the second installment of his “Tonight Show” Fallon hit a home run with that sketch, a very good monologue, and guests Jerry Seinfeld, Kristen Wiig, and Lady Gaga.
I don’t think anyone’s ever seen a new show appear and be instantly relaxed, professional, engaging, and charming so fast. I guess five years of “Late Night” prepared everyone involved, especially Fallon. Night 1 was very good. Night 2 was a hundred times better. It makes you wonder what’s next.
Fallon led a barbershop quartet singing a raunchy R Kelly song. It was genius.
Then Jerry Seinfeld appeared as the show’s first stand up comic. Not only did Seinfeld kill, but he and Fallon had a great couch talk. Fallon imitated Seinfeld, which Jerry clearly loved. And Jay Leno was name checked in a very respectful off the cuff way. What a smart idea: it makes the TV viewer feel comfortable about liking the new Tonight show. I hope Leno can appreciate that.
Kristen Wiig did a hilarious bit coming out as Harry Stiles from the boy band One Direction. She didn’t even attempt an English accent, which made it funnier. And she and Fallon sang a garbled “What Makes You Beautiful.” Fallon’s willingness to jump in and sing or play an instrument is what’s going to make this show stand out every single night. Great bit.
Also, Questlove and another member of the Roots did a straight reading from “The Bachelor.” This is a throwback to Steve Allen reading lyrics of pop songs with a straight face. It works every time!
In this context, Lady Gaga seemed absolutely reasonable. Dressed in white against a white with billowing smoke she performed “Art Pop,” the title track of her latest (and maybe not greatest) album. The song is catchy, and she delivered. What’s more, you could tell the whole performance was LIVE.
Fallon and Seinfeld especially had that harken back to Steve Allen feel, even a little Letterman (whom we still love). And Seinfeld’s routine actually made me laugh out loud. He is sharp, sharp, sharp. I liked him calling the wooden set a “rich kid’s chess set.”
Night 2: A plus. Can’t wait for tomorrow night!
Here’s an older barbershop number: