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“X Factor” Returns And Loses 2 Million Viewers Since Before World Series

Roger Friedman
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“X Factor” Returns And Loses 2 Million Viewers Since Before World Series

Oh gosh, the poor ” X Factor.” Before the World Series, Simon Cowell’s show on Fox was averaging 6.5 million viewers. And that was on a good night. Most of them were my age (over 49) and just didn’t have the energy to get up and change the channel.

Last week, “X Factor” returned after its time out on the mound. On Tuesday October 30th the show had 4.76 million fans from 8 to 10pm. At 9pm “The Voice” came on and scored over 11 million peeps. Oy vey! Mark Burnett must have called in help from “The Bible.” Because the trouncing was biblical.

Last night, Wednesday, “The X Factor” declined more, to 4.51 mil. It was beaten by just about everything except the nightly farm report. Even “Law & Order SVU” knocked it off between 9 and 10pm.

Tonight: Selena Gomez is a guest star. I don’t know if that will help. It’s like three months too late. The “Royals” singer Lorde is the star of the week. Selena Gomez is so pre-World Series. Around noon EST Friday we’ll know if Selena helped. Otherwise, I think “X Factor” may need Megyn Kelly as a guest judge if it wants to return.

Tom Cruise Testifies Katie Holmes Left Him to Protect Suri From Scientology

Roger Friedman
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0
Tom Cruise Testifies Katie Holmes Left Him to Protect Suri From Scientology

Tom Cruise testified under oath in September at a deposition that Kate Holmes left him to protect daughter Suri from Scientology. He also admitted that Suri, unlike his two other children, is not studying Scientology. Cruise also conceded that he didn’t see Suri from August through late November 2012 and missed her first day of school.

That’s not all. The revelations are thanks to good reporting from RadarOnline.com. They unearthed the deposition in a lawsuit Cruise brought against Life & Style magazine, and its publisher Bauer magazines. Life & Style published an article claiming Cruise had “abandoned” Suri. Cruise sued. The deposition was taken in September. Bert Fields’ office represented him in the deposition. Life &Style/Bauer is represented by Elizabeth McNamara.

RadarOnline.com has posted some of the papers, and will have more tomorrow. McNamara managed to ask the most revealing questions ever with Cruise–about his marriage, children, Scientology, etc. It’s more than just fascinating. It actually made me feel bad for him a little bit. Scientology seems to have wrecked his life, and he has no idea of it.  You wonder when he gives the answers if he knows what they mean.

But here’s the main thing. McNamara gets Tom to concede that Katie Holmes left him to protect their daughter from Scientology. He admits that she has never again spoken to anyone in his family since she left, including his two older childen. There is a long discussion of suppressive persons and what that means in Scientology.

More to come.

Here’s a link to the deposition: http://amradaronline.files.wordpress.com/2013/11/depo20001.pdf

 

Star Wars Episode 7, Directed by JJ Abrams, Set for December 18, 2015

Roger Friedman
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Star Wars Episode 7, Directed by JJ Abrams, Set for December 18, 2015

“Star Wars: The George Lucas Pension”– no, whoops– Episode 7, directed by JJ Abrams– has gotten a release date: December 18, 2015. That’s two years from now. What shall we do while we wait? Will the economy get better? Will the Yankees get some young players and a couple of good pitchers? Who will replace Matt Lauer between now and then? Will Luke and Laura reunite? So many things to contemplate. How many Apple product updates will occur? iPhone 8? iPad with time travel? Will Britney Spears’ conservatorship be lifted? Will anyone explain what happened on “Lost”? “Homeland”? “Mad Men”?

All My Children, One Life to Live May Be Dead for Good This Time: Kwatinetz Said to Be Pulling Plug

Roger Friedman
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All My Children, One Life to Live May Be Dead for Good This Time: Kwatinetz Said to Be Pulling Plug

Stay tuned for updates: The online versions of “All My Children” and “One Life to Live” may be dead for good this time. Jeff Kwatinetz’s Prospect Park Productions is said to be on the verge of announcement that they’re done. The company built a big studio in Stamford, Connecticut, fought with the local IATSE union people, as well as other unions. They produced around 40 or episodes of each show.

But throughout the run of the shows on Prospect Park’s Online Network, via Hulu, the production company had problems. They almost immediately cut back the run from four episodes a week to two per soap, claiming “research” said viewers couldn’t keep up with the pace. Prospect Park also conducted an unnecessary fiat war with ABC, which licensed the show to them. Prospect said they had trouble writing “One Life to Live” because ABC had killed off three of their characters on “General Hospital.”

This argument was ridiculous since soap fans know soap characters can be killed off on camera and return several days later. (See “SoapDish” Kevin Kline, Whoopi Goldberg and “I can’t write for a man who doesn’t have a head.”)

Once Prospect sued ABC it gave them an excuse to “shelve” “One Life to Live.” Now the word is that on Friday they will do the same with “All My Children.” A union insider said they’ve heard Prospect Park is pulling out entirely.

Kwatinetz has a long checkered history in showbiz, well chronicled by Google, including the downfall of his agency The Firm, its successor agency with Mike Ovitz, his brief management of Kelly Clarkson and Britney Spears, rehab, and his engagement to the later Brittany Murphy. (If he’d used any of those story lines for the soaps, they might have stayed on the air.)

Considering the ratings rebound of soaps, and the terrible ratings from their replacements, ABC would do well to reboot the shows at 30 minutes apiece. Their “General Hospital” is booming now.

Judi Dench “M” Character from James Bond: Not So Dead After All

Roger Friedman
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0
Judi Dench “M” Character from James Bond: Not So Dead After All

“Philomena” is a lovely movie starring Judi Dench. It couldn’t be more benign. It’s also won audience prizes at a lot of film festivals. Dame Judi is a shoo-in for a Best Actress nomination. But “Philomena” is also being released by The Weinstein Company. So, of course, there’s a controversy. Apparently two uses of the “F” word have resulted in an “R” rating. Rather than remove one of the expletives, Harvey Weinstein has decided to appeal the ruling. He went on CBS This Morning just now. And here’s a video he’s made of stars Judi Dench and Steve Coogan, with Dame Judi playing her “M” character from the James Bond movie. It’s just like the “controversy” over the title of “The Butler.” Genius!

 

Springsteen Guitar Auctioned for $250K to NJ Realtor at Soldiers Event

Roger Friedman
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Springsteen Guitar Auctioned for $250K to NJ Realtor at Soldiers Event

Bruce Springsteen auctioned off his guitar, one hour of free lessons, and a recording session last night for a whopping $250,000. The winning bidder was New Jersey realtor Jerry Raffa, who looked as stunned as Springsteen’s wife, Patti Scialfa, as he came backstage. “Two fifty!” Patti said to Bruce, who was shaking his head. But right before that she said, laughing, “Wait! What did he promise them?” There was mention of an elaborate recording session at Bruce’s studio.

Scialfa hersellf had just come off stage after singing a duet with Bruce in The Theater at Madison Garden. They were the final performers in all star parade for Bob and Lee Woodruff’s annual Stand Up for Heroes, one of the great events of the year. This year the event was so big the Woodruffs moved it from the Beacon Theater down to the 5600 seat MSG Theater and sold the place out. They made just under $5 million.

For the price of a ticket guests got to hear not only Bruce and Patti, but Pink Floyd’s Roger Waters leading his band and about 20 active and wounded soldiers in a mini concert that included John Lennon’s “Imagine,” Sam Cooke’s “A Change is Gonna Come.” Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah” and Pink Floyd’s “Comfortably Numb.” Waters has become devoted to the soldiers in the last couple of years, and has turned their music hobby into something grand and poignant. In addition to his own band, Waters had five guitarists from the Army and Marines, several singers, two lead singers (including a very talented guy named Tim and another one named J.W. Cortes).

The other performers included a comedy A list: Bill Cosby, Jon Stewart, Jerry Seinfeld, and Jim Gaffigan. In the audience the celebs including direct0r-comedian David Steinberg, plus John McEnroe and Patti Smythe.

Meanwhile, Springsteen’s three song set was unusual in that featured the Boss on pump organ playing a cover of Suicide’s “Dream  Baby Dream,” accompanying himself on acoustic guitar to an unplugged “Dancing in the Dark,” and the poignant duet with Patti on “If I Should Fall Behind” which featured Scialfa’s beautifully bluesy vocals. Since it’s rare to see Bruce play a pump organ, I asked Scialfa about it. She told me, “We bought in a thrift shop in Asbury Park.” And there ya go.

The guitar auction matched the price paid last winter by Steve Jobs’s sister in law at a MusiCares event. http://www.showbiz411.com/2013/02/10/steve-jobss-sister-in-law-pays-250k-for-springsteen-guitar

 

Sienna Miller Gets Her Breakout Role with Ryan Reynolds in Fleck-Boden’s “Mississippi Grind”

Roger Friedman
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0
Sienna Miller Gets Her Breakout Role with Ryan Reynolds in Fleck-Boden’s “Mississippi Grind”

Sienna Miller’s fans (I count myself among them) should be happy now. The talented British actress has landed a breakout role in Ryan Fleck and Anna Boden’s “Mississippi Grind.” She’ll star with Ryan Reynolds and Ben Mendelsohn. Jamie Patricof and Lynnette Howell are producing. Jamie produced Fleck and Boden’s “Half Nelson” and “Sugar,” two really great indie films.

Sienna has done a lot of good work, particularly in the little seen Lasse Hallstrom movie “Casanova,” and in the very underrated “Factory Girl.” She was recently in HBO’s “The Girl” with Toby Jones. When Bennett Miller’s “Foxcatcher” debuts next spring, Sienna is said to be marvelous in that, too.

Meanwhile, Patricof and Howell are hoping that the Indie Spirit Awards and critics panels (and maybe the Oscars) will not forget Derek Cianfrance’s “The Place Beyond the Pines.” Focus shouldn’t have released this ambitious and engaging drama so early in the season. Bradley Cooper, Ryan Gosling, and Eva Mendez turn in awards-worthy performances. Cianfrance is a hot director with a great eye. Maybe someone will get a campaign going for “Pines.” It’s good to be forgotten.

Eminem’s Expected 750K Sales Week: It’s All About “The Monster”

Roger Friedman
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Eminem’s Expected 750K Sales Week: It’s All About “The Monster”

Eminem’s new album, “Marshall Mathers LP2,” went on sale yesterday. Hitsdailydouble.com is projecting a debut week sale of 750,000 copies. That’s about 2 or 3 times Katy Perry or Justin Timberlake any of the other number 1s of the last several weeks. It’s more even than the 658K from Drake. Why is “MMLP” doing so well? One reason only: “The Monster” featuring Rihanna is a monster hit single. I love it. Who doesn’t?

It’s totally fresh and original. Rihanna does no yodeling, and sings the hell out of it. Eminem raps, but isn’t offensive. It’s just nice to hear his voice. Most of Eminem’s album is derived from samples, too. But “The Monster” is an original song by up-and-comer Bebe Rexha and Brian Fryzel. There are a lot of other songwriting credits, like Rihanna and Eminem, but those first two wrote the song. (No one just writes a song in hip hop without giving up points.)

Anyway, Eminem should be thrilled. “The Monster” will help propel the album over a million copies very quickly. It’s already number 1. Now I want to hear more songs from Bebe and Fryzel.

 

Pop Star Ed Sheeran Closes the Door (Literally) On Old Rockers

Roger Friedman
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0
Pop Star Ed Sheeran Closes the Door (Literally) On Old Rockers

It was a wild night at the Cutting Room on East 32nd St. last night: famed record producer and manager Peter Asher’s one man show was so popular that owner Steve Walter had to open the dividing wall between the bar-restaurant and his rock club so everyone could see the show. Fans poured into all the Cutting Room spaces as Asher–who was a pop star as Peter & Gordon, discovered James Taylor for the Beatles’ Apple Records, and a hit last year from “Madagascar 3”–recalled his life story with his crack band and amusing rare videos and pictures.

But wait! Newish pop star Ed Sheeran was there on a furlough from his Madison Square Garden gigs. He enjoyed Asher’s show so much that Sheeran was a little annoyed by some old guys just behind him in an ante room all talking loudly to each other while Asher performed. So he got up and quietly shut the doors, leaving the old guys to their business.

What Sheeran didn’t realize: the “old guys” were the Rolling Stones’ Mick Taylor, Bad Company’s Simon Kirke, and the Kinks’ Dave Davies, all catching up with each other! The doors were re-opened, and the delighted Sheeran got to meet some of his rock idols.

Meantime, also in the audience were May Pang, Seymour Stein, actor Michael Murphy and Kathryn Altman, widow of director Robert Altman, as well as famed art dealer and co-founder of Rolling Stones Records (circa 1971) Earl McGrath.

Asher’s show, by the way, continues to be a hit. Last night he brought original Moody Blues member and Wings star sideman Denny Laine on stage to sing “Go Now” with the band. And Jeffrey Alan Ross, who leads Asher’s band, sang Badfinger’s “Baby Blue” in honor of its inclusion in the finale of “Breaking Bad.”

We also learned something no one knew before– that Mike Myers partially modeled Austin Powers on Peter Asher’s look from the 60s, big glasses, bangs and all!

 

photo c2013 Showbiz411

People’s Choice Awards Joke: Timberlake, Thicke Nominated for “Best R&B Artists”

Roger Friedman
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0
People’s Choice Awards Joke: Timberlake, Thicke Nominated for “Best R&B Artists”

You know and I know that the People’s Choice Awards are a joke. They’ve just released their “nominees” for 2014 and the funniest category is in music for Best R&B artist. Robin Thicke and Justin Timberlake, who at best do send ups of soul music, are included with Alicia Keys, Rihanna and Ciara. The idiots at People’s Choice couldn’t find one black male singer to put in the category. No Drake or Jay Z or Miguel or John Legend, Frank Ocean, or the great Charlie Wilson.

So now R&B has even been taken away from black singers. They’ve been replaced by two white guys who are doing tributes to black music. We haven’t come very far from Pat Boone stealing songs from Little Richard, have we?

If those women are smart, they’ll excuse themselves from the category.

Meantime, the Best Dramatic actor could be Channing Tatum or Chris Hemsworth. Hello?

And the five picks for Best Movie are all sequels. All of em. They didn’t even include “Gravity.”

People’s Choice is the 7-11 of Awards shows, and even that’s insulting to 7-11. The whole thing is based on the very least common denominator. The so-called winners are arranged for and are the only guests who attend. They are “surprised” when they reach the podium. It’s a hoot.  I would cover it, but I have to wash my hair that night.

Favorite movie

Despicable Me 2
Fast & Furious 6
Iron Man 3
Monsters University
Star Trek Into Darkness

Favorite movie actor

Channing Tatum
Hugh Jackman
Johnny Depp
Leonardo DiCaprio
Robert Downey Jr.

Favorite movie actress

Gwyneth Paltrow
Jennifer Aniston
Melissa McCarthy
Sandra Bullock
Scarlett Johansson

Favorite movie duo

Chris Pine & Zachary Quinto (Star Trek Into Darkness)
Jennifer Aniston & Jason Sudeikis (We’re the Millers)
Robert Downey Jr. & Gwyneth Paltrow (Iron Man 3)
Sandra Bullock & George Clooney (Gravity)
Sandra Bullock & Melissa McCarthy (The Heat)

Favorite action movie

Fast & Furious 6
Iron Man 3
Star Trek Into Darkness
The Wolverine
World War Z

Favorite action movie star

Brad Pitt
Channing Tatum
Hugh Jackman
Robert Downey Jr.
Vin Diesel

Favorite comedic movie

Grown Ups 2
The Hangover Part III
The Heat
Instructions Not Included
We’re the Millers

Favorite comedic movie actor

Adam Sandler
Bradley Cooper
Chris Rock
James Franco
Zach Galifianakis

Favorite comedic movie actress

Watson
Jennifer Aniston
Melissa McCarthy
Sandra Bullock
Scarlett Johansson

Favorite dramatic movie

Captain Phillips
Gravity
The Great Gatsby
Lee Daniels’ The Butler
Prisoners

Favorite dramatic movie actor

Channing Tatum
Chris Hemsworth
Hugh Jackman
Leonardo DiCaprio
Ryan Gosling

Favorite dramatic movie actress

Amy Adams
Emma Stone
Halle Berry
Oprah Winfrey
Sandra Bullock

Favorite network TV comedy

2 Broke Girls
The Big Bang Theory
Glee
How I Met Your Mother
Modern Family

Favorite comedic TV actor

Chris Colfer
Darren Criss
Jesse Tyler Ferguson
Jim Parsons
Neil Patrick Harris

Favorite comedic TV actress

Jane Lynch
Kaley Cuoco
Lea Michele
Melissa McCarthy
Zooey Deschanel

Favorite network TV drama

Chicago Fire
The Good Wife
Grey’s Anatomy
Nashville
Parenthood

Favorite dramatic TV actor

Jim Caviezel
Josh Charles
Kevin Bacon
Mark Harmon
Patrick Dempsey

Favorite dramatic TV actress

Julianna Margulies
Mariska Hargitay
Pauley Perrette
Sandra Oh
Stana Katic

Favorite actor in a new TV series

Andy Samberg
Jonathan Rhys Meyers
Joseph Morgan
Michael J. Fox
Robin Williams

Favorite actress in a new TV series

Allison Janney
Anna Faris
Ming-Na Wen
Rebel Wilson
Sarah Michelle Gellar

Favorite TV crime drama

Bones
Castle
Criminal Minds
The Mentalist
NCIS

Favorite competition TV show

America’s Got Talent
Dancing with the Stars
MasterChef
The Voice
The X Factor

Favorite cable TV comedy

Awkward.
Cougar Town
Hot in Cleveland
Melissa & Joey
Psych

Favorite cable TV drama

Downton Abbey
Pretty Little Liars
Sons of Anarchy
The Walking Dead
White Collar

Favorite premium cable TV show

Californication
Game of Thrones
Girls
Homeland
True Blood

Favorite on-screen chemistry

Castle & Beckett (Castle)
Damon & Elena (The Vampire Diaries)
Derek & Meredith (Grey’s Anatomy)
Emma & Hook (Once Upon A Time)
Kurt & Blaine (Glee)

Favorite daytime TV host(s)

Ellen DeGeneres
Kelly Ripa & Michael Strahan
Dr. Phil McGraw
Rachael Ray
Steve Harvey

Favorite new talk show host

Arsenio Hall
Bethenny Frankel
Jenny McCarthy
Queen Latifah
Ross Mathews

Favorite series we miss most

30 Rock
Breaking Bad
Dexter
Fringe
The Office

Favorite male artist

Avicii
Blake Shelton
Bruno Mars
Justin Timberlake
Michael Bublé

Favorite female artist

Britney Spears
Demi Lovato
Katy Perry
P!nk
Selena Gomez

Favorite pop artist

Britney Spears
Bruno Mars
Demi Lovato
Justin Timberlake
Katy Perry

Favorite country artist

The Band Perry
Blake Shelton
Carrie Underwood
Lady Antebellum
Taylor Swift

Favorite hip-hop Artist

Drake
Jay Z
Kanye West
Lil Wayne
Macklemore & Ryan Lewis

Favorite R&B artist

Alicia Keys
Ciara
Justin Timberlake
Rihanna
Robin Thicke

Favorite band

Imagine Dragons
Maroon 5
One Direction
OneRepublic
Paramore

Favorite song

Just Give Me A Reason (P!nk feat. Nate Ruess)
Mirrors (Justin Timberlake)
Radioactive (Imagine Dragons)
Roar (Katy Perry)
When I Was Your Man (Bruno Mars)

 

 

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