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Kanye West Postpones Show in Marseilles, France Rather Than Be Banned from the Country Entirely, Wants to Make “Amends”

Roger Friedman
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Kanye West Postpones Show in Marseilles, France Rather Than Be Banned from the Country Entirely, Wants to Make “Amends”

Kanye West just posted: “After much thought and consideration, it is my sole decision to postpone my show in Marseille, France until further notice.”

Well, the country of France was on the verge of banning him entirely, just like the UK and Australia.

Kanye was set to perform in Marseilles on June 11th. He’s booked a bunch of shows this summer across Europe in Italy, Portugal, the Netherlands, Spain, Turkey, and India. Those countries would be wise to follow suit.

Somehow Kanye managed to slip two shows into Los Angeles before sponsors and others in the community realized what was going on. A man who a year ago was singing “Heil Hitler” and selling Nazi t shirts shouldn’t be welcome anywhere.

This became apparent when London’s Wireless Festival booked the rapper for three nights in July. Sponsor Pepsi quickly canceled, with other sponsors following. The Festival was cancelled because owner Melvin Brenn was too interested in making money than having integrity of any kind.

West added as a PS to his first Tweet: “I know it takes time to understand the sincerity of my commitment to make amends I take full responsibility for what’s mine but I don’t want to put my fans in the middle of it My fans are everything to me Looking forward to the next shows See you at the top of the globe.”

Sorry, Kanye. Amends is not the issue.

HBO’s Much Anticipated “Euphoria” Returns with Just 356,000 Linear Viewers — Despite Movie Stars Jacob Elordi, Zendaya, Sydney Sweeney

Roger Friedman
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HBO’s Much Anticipated “Euphoria” Returns with Just 356,000 Linear Viewers — Despite Movie Stars Jacob Elordi, Zendaya, Sydney Sweeney

HBO’s “Euphoria” got a push last week rivaling any feature film.

The third and probably final season marked a huge return. Since Season 2, three of the actors — Zendaya, Jacob Elordi, and Sydney Sweeney — had become movie stars.

Elordi even had an Oscar nomination for “Frankenstein.”

So Sunday night’s debut seemed ripe for huge ratings, like “Game of Thrones.”

But only 356,000 linear viewers turned up on the HBO channel. The ratings were more anemic than some of the characters.

“Euphoria” boasts a younger audience, so HBO will say that a million or more saw the show on HBO Max, or are still seeing it now in delayed viewing. But the linear number is not so good.

It didn’t help that “Euphoria” season 3 was universally panned by critics. On Rotten Tomatoes, the average was just 44% among critics who’d seen it in advance. (I was not one one of them. HBO sent few screening links out, I guess.) The audience meter was just 50%.

So much for influencers who evidently did screen it in advance. They hated it. One said, “Virtually unwatchable. The story is unrealistic and unappealing. The characters are flat, one dimensional losers.’

Another said of director Sam Levinson: “[he]” clearly hated women. He killed two half naked women in the first episode, had two other women shoving their fingers down their throats and had the other making OF content pretending to be a dog. This season is so obviously him fulfilling his weird fetishes that he just wants to see the actresses degrade themselves with doing. It’s gross I won’t continue to watch.”

Another: “This is a testament to Zendaya’s greatness. She really is a beacon of talent in the middle of this sea of waste – of time, of money, of production, of fame.”

I’ll try and catch up with the first episode tonight. But this sounds like an idea that was envelope pushing during its time, and that time is over.

TODAY’S NEW MUSIC

Kanye Krushed: Fans Reject Rapper’s “Bully” Album, Falls Another 60% This Week in Sales Barely Clearing 300K Copies Total

Roger Friedman
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Kanye Krushed: Fans Reject Rapper’s “Bully” Album, Falls Another 60% This Week in Sales Barely Clearing 300K Copies Total

The public at large is not interested in Kanye West.

After those two crazy shows in Los Angeles at SoFi Stadium, reality has finally set in for the antisemitic, racist rapper.

Kanye’s “Bully” album sales have slowed to a trickle. He’s on track to sell just 33,000 copies this week, almost all from streaming. Only 1,000 of those will be CDS or downloads. His total sales as of this week will be around 320,000. The proceeds should pay for all the samples on the album.

Gamma Records is really left on the hook because whatever advance they paid Kanye has turned to dust. The money he’s made has come from the LA performance, particularly the second night.

Meantime, Kanye is making his usual wild proclamations. He’s offered to pay to perform at the next Super Bowl, which will not happen unless Roger Goodell, head of the NFL, is kidnapped. Also, France is now threatening to ban Kanye from performing in their country, following the UK and Australia.

It couldn’t happen to a worse person.

Shining Stars Earth Wind & Fire Will Open Tribeca Fest With Documentary “That’s the Weight of the World,” Performance with The Roots

Roger Friedman
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Shining Stars Earth Wind & Fire Will Open Tribeca Fest With Documentary “That’s the Weight of the World,” Performance with The Roots

Now we have a Tribeca opening night!

Circle June 3rd at the Beacon Theater for the opening of the 25th anniversary run of the festival created by Jane Rosenthal and Robert DeNiro.

The occasion will be a documentary about the superstars Earth Wind & Fire, followed by a performance by the group with The Roots.

The title is a little long — “To Be Celestial VS That’s the Weight of the World.”

But that’s ok. The director is QuestLove of The Roots, a man who loves archival footage.

Earth Wind & Fire was captained by the great Maurice White, who not only wrote the songs and sang on them, but also wrote The Emotions’ “Best of My Love,” and other hits.

Maurice died in 2016 but the remaining members have thrived in his memory and absence. They include his dashing brother Verdine, famed singer Philip Bailey, and the great Ralph Johnson, plus their incredible band.

We want to hear the whole story of their career, plus all the hits like “September” — now an international anthem, as well as “Shining Star,” “Let’s Groove,” “That’s the Way of the World,” and so many more.

2026 Festival Passes Available at TribecaFilm.com; Single Tickets on Sale on April 28

UPDATED Madonna Changes Social Media, Announces New Album, “Confessions on a Dance Floor 2,” One Last Try for a Hit

Roger Friedman
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UPDATED Madonna Changes Social Media, Announces New Album, “Confessions on a Dance Floor 2,” One Last Try for a Hit

UPDATED WEDS: The album is coming on July 3rd. Just in time for America250.

Madonna is back!

She’s cleared all her social media and website for “Confessions on a Dance Floor 2,” the sequel to one of her best selling albums., from 2005.

Can she make a comeback at nearly 68? Is it possible Madonna is that old? What happened?

Anyway, the former queen of pop hasn’t had a hit in a long, long time. But a dance album might be the way for her to conquer clubs, if not radio, again!

PS There’s a rumor of a duet with Sabrina Carpenter. That should help. Madonna desperately needs to connect with a new generation.

Door Dash Chief Tony Xu Is a Major Democratic Donor, So Why Is He Supportive of The White House Delivery Charade?

Roger Friedman
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Door Dash Chief Tony Xu Is a Major Democratic Donor, So Why Is He Supportive of The White House Delivery Charade?

So many questions about DoorDashGate.

Big scene today at the White House with a staged delivery from Door Dash rep Sharon Simmons bringing McDonald’s to the heap of grease, Donald Trump.

If we didn’t know better, we’d think it was an assassination attempt. That stuff will kill you.

Simmons has been widely exposed all over the internet as a professional stooge who testifies for MAGA issues.

No surprise.

But the big surprise is that Door Dash CEO and Owner Tony Xu is all over this, excited for the publicity.

Only Xu has been a HUGE Democratic donor. He’s given money to GAvin Newsom, Joe Biden, Pete Buttiegi.eg Scroll down and see a sampling. So how did he get involved in this mishegos? Has he flipped to MAGA? Doesn’t make sense.

Maybe he has: According to Influence Watch, Tony recently contributed $2 million to a California political action committee opposing a proposed wealth tax on billionaires.

Lady Gaga Ends Mayhem Tour at MSG Live on YouTube, Drops Trailer for Apple TV Special, Gets Stars Like Stephen Colbert, Andy Cohen

Roger Friedman
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Lady Gaga Ends Mayhem Tour at MSG Live on YouTube, Drops Trailer for Apple TV Special, Gets Stars Like Stephen Colbert, Andy Cohen

Lady Gaga is wrapping up her Mayhem tour tonight at Madison Square Garden.

Celebs like Stephen Colbert and Andy Cohen are in the crowd. So is Sofia Coppola’s daughter, Romy Mars, who I guess is an influencer.

On stage, Gaga opened the show by debuting the trailer for “Mayhem Requiem,” the doc of the live show headed to Apple TV+.

The voice is better than ever. Congrats to producer Arthur Fogel and everyone involved in the Mayhem tour including Manager Bobby Campbell. Gaga tearfully thanked her fiance, Michael Polansky, at the end of the show.

two videos below:

Rock Hall Inductees: Oasis, Wu-Tang Clan, Phil Collins, Joy Division, Sade, Iron Maiden, Billy Idol, and Luther Vandross

Roger Friedman
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Rock Hall Inductees: Oasis, Wu-Tang Clan, Phil Collins, Joy Division, Sade, Iron Maiden, Billy Idol, and Luther Vandross

The new class of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame ranges from the sublime to the ridiculous.

Phil Collins is pretty much the only deserving new inductee.

The others are a toss up.

The late Luther Vandross and Sade represent R&B.

Billy Idol and Oasis, I guess, are “new rock.” So is Joy Division, which became New Order after lead singer Ian Curtis’s suicide 40 or more years ago.

Wu Tang Clan is a weird cult thing thing in rap. Some of the members, like Method Man, have had careers in the real world. But some of the others, yikes.

Iron Maiden is just beyond my comprehension, but every dog has its day.

Fela Kuti, Gram Parsons, Queen Latifah, MC Lyte, and Celia Cruz will be inducted into the Hall of Fame in the Early Influence category, while Rick Rubin, Linda Creed, Arif Mardin, and Jimmy Miller will be enshrined in the Music Excellence category. Finally, Ed Sullivan will be posthumously be inducted with the Ahmet Ertegun Award. Topo Gigio will accept on his behalf.

Still not in and probably never will be: R&B superstars War (hello!), J. Geils Band (outrageous), Beck, Sting, Stevie Winwood, Nile Rodgers, Bachman Turner Overdrive/The Guess Who, The Monkees, Jethro Tull, Iggy Pop (wtf?), Edgar Winter or Johnny Winter, and so on.

Oasis had a big year because of its reunion tour, but they basically have two hit albums and “Wonderwall.” Tom Jones belongs in before them or Billy Idol as far as influences. None of the Dunhill Records groups are in like Three Dog, the Grass Roots, and Steppenwolf, all of whom ruled the airwaves. Motown’s late Mary Wells never made it. Neither did the Marvelettes.

It’s a great relief, actually, that the new members no longer mean anything to me. I used to love going, when I could get in, to the Waldorf Astoria. Those were landmark evenings. But if these artists mean a lot to you, God bless.

Pink Comes to New York, Buys a $21.5 Mil Townhouse, Hosts the Tony Awards, But Will She Be the Next Kelly Clarkson?

Roger Friedman
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Pink Comes to New York, Buys a $21.5 Mil Townhouse, Hosts the Tony Awards, But Will She Be the Next Kelly Clarkson?

I ran into the popstar singer Pink last week.

She was a guest at the screening for the new documentary about Lorne Michaels.

Indeed, Pink is so tiny and unassuming that the people around her leaving Alice Tully Hall didn’t who she was at all.

But I did. I reminded her of our first meeting years ago at the (real) Vanity Fair Oscar party. I told her I loved the song, “Try,” and she said, “I didn’t write that one.”

Whoops!

“I’m sorry,” she said. No offense taken at all, I replied. I didn’t realize when we were talking that Pink is my new neighbor in Greenwich Village. I would have welcomed her to the nabe! (She’s in a $21.5 million townhouse, according to the Wall Street Journal. I’m in a writer’s garret.)

So how about hosting the Tony Awards? “I’m very excited,” she said, “I love Broadway.” There are reports her 14 year old daughter wants to be on Broadway, in fact. But there are also reports that Pink could be taking over Kelly Clarkson’s talk show.

How about that?

“I don’t think so,” the charming singer told me. We’ll see.

Anyway, Pink is now perfectly situated in the Village, with a good pizza place at the corner. If she reads this, I recommend Jerri’s drycleaners, and also the Greenwich Village Art Gallery for framing on West 10th. Maybe I’ll see her in the hardware store.

Call me, Pink!

Justin Bieber’s Coachella YouTube Laptop Promo Sends Old Songs, Albums Up the Charts But He Won’t Get Paid for Those

Roger Friedman
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0
Justin Bieber’s Coachella YouTube Laptop Promo Sends Old Songs, Albums Up the Charts But He Won’t Get Paid for Those

The whole Justin Bieber fandom freaked out when the pop star used his laptop at Coachella.

It seemed like Bieber was sitting at the computer randomly pulling up old songs to sing along to on YouTube.

But it was all planned. YouTube sponsored Justin’s $10 mil appearance. This was their product plug. It was actually kind of clever.

A YouTube exec even thanked Bieber today on Twitter!

The result of Bieber’s overall show is that the old songs — like “Beauty and a Beat” and “Baby” — have jumped onto the iTunes and Spotify top 100 charts.

Also, a greatest hits album package called “My World 2.0.”

Four old songs are currently lodged on iTunes, as well as two recent ones — “Daisies” and “Yukon.”

But it does appear that Bieber’s YouTube medley of old hits struck a nostalgic chord. That’s good news for Hipgnosis music publisher, which bought the rights to those songs for $200 million. They get paid now, not Justin, for sales of the old records.

Will Bieber do that again this Saturday for his second Coachella weekend? He really wants to the “Swag” songs to sell, since he owns them.

As for YouTube, they’re no doubt thrilled that the fans think it was all spur of the moment. Makes it seem less corporate!

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