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Steven Tyler, Aerosmith Make Accidental History with Sean Lennon

Roger Friedman
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Steven Tyler, Aerosmith Make Accidental History with Sean Lennon

It was 38 years ago this week–Thanksgiving 1974– that John Lennon surprised Madison Square Garden and joined Elton John on stage for a couple of historic numbers. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2zWSJQvFTg4

Last night, by accident, Sean Lennon, John and Yoko Ono’s 37 year old son, strapped on a guitar quite on the spur of the moment and joined Aerosmith on stage at the Garden for his father’s Beatles song “Come Together.”

Sean and his girlfriend Charlotte had come to the Garden on a last minute invite from Liv Tyler, Steven Tyler’s daughter with Bebe Buell. No one had thought of the date or the meaning, and Sean had no intention on his way downtown to the Garden of playing with Aerosmith. But Tyler suggested it when he arrived, since Aerosmith had had a hit with “Come Together” years ago. Sean took to the stage with disarming confidence, and walked right into the number. The audience went wild. It was only when young Lennon was done that this reporter recalled the date to him.

Sean, an affable, pleasant young man, then recalled for the group assembled backstage–Steven Tyler and most of his family including Liv, her 7 year old son Milo, daughter Mia, son Taj, Tyler’s sister Lynda with her husband and friends, plus Liv’s mom Bebe (the unofficial First Lady of Aerosmith) and her husband Jim Wallerstein–the whole story of how Yoko Ono, separated from Lennon had sent her husband a white gardenia backstage, and they reunited after almost two years apart. (The actual reunion took place in January 1975.) “That’s when I was conceived,” said Sean, with a gentle laugh. “They probably talked right here in this dressing room.”

Lennon was impressed with how friendly and comfortable it was to play with Aerosmith. “It was very nice.” he said to Steven Tyler, who’d come off the stage after two hours of rocking the absolutely sold out Garden wild. He’s 64 years old. Tyler looked at Lennon and said, “Nice? Nice? Where was the Devil?” he joked.

The Devil was in just about every number as Aerosmith, still with the same members after 400 years, didn’t let up for the entire show following opening act Cheap Trick. They turned the place upside down with “Mama Kin,, “Rag Doll, “Walk this Way,” “Dream On,” and “Sweet Emotion.” “You have incredible catalog,” Lennon said to Tyler. “It’s just hit after hit.”

If there were still a radio business, Aerosmith’s “What Could Have Been Love” would already be a massive hit.

But it was a night of celebration. Tyler is clean, sober, and never better. He and the band, including Joe Perry, are solid. There’s a lot of camaraderie backstage. There is no tension– and believe me, I’ve been witness to backstage travails with lots of bands over the years. Backstage is pretty much open door– with people coming and going. The shows are sold 95% right from the floor to the top top top. And when the show was over most everyone headed downtown to the Darby for an after hours party.

PS Sean Lennon has amazing stage presence, and looks terrific up there. Let’s hope he makes a commercial record soon.

Also take a look at that picture. This is what rock stars look like. Steven Tyler and Joe Perry. Perry, by the way, is writing a book with David Ritz. It will be out next fall 2013.\

 

Both pictures with this story c2012 Showbiz411

And So It Begins: SAG Mails Nomination Ballots Tomorrow

Roger Friedman
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0

The ballots for nominations in the Screen Actors Guild Awards go into the mail tomorrow. And so awards season begins. Of course, several movies have not been seen yet including Les Miserables, Zero Dark Thirty, Django Unchained a couple more. SAG voters this round are on nominating committees. They pare down all the different possible candidates into a ballot that the membership votes on after nominations. The SAG Awards take place on January 27th. and pretty much indicate the direction of Academy voters since a lot of them are also in SAG. And the biggest SAG Award is Best Ensemble. That’s going to be a tight race. Silver Linings Playbook, Argo, Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, The Master, and Lincoln are certainly the strongest contenders.

“Scandalous,” Musical Backed by Amway Family and Christian Right, Barely Holding On

Roger Friedman
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“Scandalous,” Musical Backed by Amway Family and Christian Right, Barely Holding On

“Scandalous,” the musical co-written and labored over by Kathie Lee Gifford for a dozen years, is barely holding on. Despite bravura performances by Carolee Carmello and Roz Ryan, and mixed–not negative–reviews, “Scandalous” took in the least amount of money of any Broadway show last week–just $147,000, down considerably from the previous week. “Scandalous” tells the saga of Christian evangelist Aimee Semple McPherson, who rose to fame in her live shows and on radio in the 1930s. She died in 1944 at age 54. The show takes a realistic look at her successes, failures, and complicated personal life.

But the funding of “Scandalous” is not typical. There are just four producers, and they are all connected to Christian or right wing organizations. The show is funded  by the church that McPherson founded and has since turned into a giant money maker– the FourSquare Church of Santa Monica, California.

But the main backer of the musical is connected to Amway, the controversial direct marketing company from Michigan that is often accused of being a pyramid scheme and worse. Amway has been embroiled in many lawsuits, such as the one where they had to pay Procter and Gamble damages for telling people they were a Satanic organization. (Fans of “As the World Turns” may feel that way, but that’s another story.)

Amway was founded by by Richard Devos and his wife Helen. Now Devos’s son Dick and his wife Betsy are the backers of “Scandalous.” The arch conservative couple’s interest in Broadway and Gifford has not gone unnoticed up in Michigan, where there’s been much blogging on the subject: http://www.mlive.com/business/west-michigan/index.ssf/2012/08/dick_and_betsy_devos_get_scand.html

The Devos family is very, very wealthy thanks to Amway. Together, all the members of the family are involved in charitable funds with total assets of close to $300 million that back Christian causes. Lately, the Devos’s have been donating big amounts to arts causes and the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC– hoping to spread the Christian message.

Another website has noted that the right wing Christian values are very much behind Aimee Semple McPherson coming to Broadway. It’s funny, too, because Gifford’s idea is a good one. And her presentation of McPherson is pretty even handed. But it’s been noted that FourSquare Church, which McPherson founded in 1923 has money in the show, has changed a lot since then.

Jeff Smith of the Grand Rapids Institute for Information Accuracy writes: “Foursquare Church continues to promote hyper-conservative religious values such as anti-abortion, anti-gay marriage and the dominance of Christian values in public life. Former Foursquare pastor Jack Hayford, now the head of Kings College and Seminary, embraces Dominion theology, a theology that believes that religious doctrines should govern civic life. Essentially, those who embrace Dominion theology in the US would like to replace the US system of laws with the 10 Commandments. Hayford and other Foursquare leaders have also been involved with the patriarchal Christian movement known as the Promise Keepers.”

Indeed, the average Broadway theatergoer might be surprised if they actually read the website at www.foursquare.org.

The question now is whether the Devos’s, Amway, and Foursquare–all with deep pockets–will keep “Scandalous” going to see if it can find its own flock.

Bradley Cooper Will Work “Again and Again” with “Silver Linings” Director David O. Russell

Roger Friedman
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0
Bradley Cooper Will Work “Again and Again” with “Silver Linings” Director David O. Russell

Hmmm…Doesn’t seem like yesterday when David O. Russell was in contretemps with actors like George Clooney, Dustin Hoffman, and Lily Tomlin? Well, people mellow and mature, and that’s certainly the case with Russell. First it was “The Fighter.” Now with “Silver Linings Playbook,” Russell has come of age. Everyone loves the movie. Everyone loves working with him. It’s a happy ending.

At last night’s “Silver Linings” premiere in Los Angeles, star Bradley Cooper only sang Russell’s praises. “I’m going to work with him again and again.  That’s the biggest testament,” Cooper told our LEAH SYDNEY.

Cooper is riding high towards an Oscar nomination for Best Actor in “Silver Linings,” along with all three of his co-stars Jennifer Lawrence, Jacki Weaver, and Robert DeNiro. Lawrence and Russell were there last night, as well as Chris Tucker, who comes of age himself as an actor in the great ensemble piece.

Also at the screening: producer of the film Bruce Cohen, co-star John Ortiz, songwriter Diane Warren, who wrote the ‘Silver Lining, Crazy ‘Bout You,’ song, composer for the film Danny Elfman, plus Peter Fonda, Jacqueline Bisset, Dermot Mulroney, Robert Loggia, Sharon Lawrence, Sally Kellerman, Dane Cook, Jane Seymour, Ron Burkle and more.

Jennifer had to jet back to shooting ‘Hunger Games’ but she helped introduce the film and quipped to the crowd, “Thanks for coming and please don’t judge my dancing.”  There’s a lot of dancing in “Silver Linings” in the mode of the various reality shows on TV. But it’s far less tacky and very funny.

Cooper very much dug the surroundings last night– the famed Academy of Motion Pictures in Beverly Hills. “I was here for a Q and A recently for the first time. And there’s an amazing feeling here.  You definitely feel the history, look around, there’s a great Stanley Kubrick exhibit here and it’s so exciting. I’m kind of overwhelmed by it all, and really grateful. ”

He could see that the audience has embraced “Silver Linings,” too. Cooper:  “People seemed to really like this movie.  It’s connected in a way that I’m not used to.  That’s the goal though.  To make movies that people appreciate. You don’t always do that.  But I think we did with this one.  I think this one really scored.”

Coincidentally, Cooper and Lawrence have another coming up– they’re a team now. They costar has husband and wife in a Depression-era piece directed by Suzanne Bier called “Serena.” And then Cooper works with Cameron Crowe. What’s his favorite Crowe film?  “Jerry Maguire.  The show me the money scene, every scene really.  But that’s hard to pick one, because Cameron’s work is so interesting to me. ”

Oscars: Matt Damon Screens in “Promised Land,” Plus Best Actress Notes

Roger Friedman
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Oscars: Matt Damon Screens in “Promised Land,” Plus Best Actress Notes

Gus van Sant’s “Promised Land” has just started screening, and there’s an embargo on reviews until December 5th. I’ve seen it, and I’m not reviewing it until then. That said, Matt Damon could throw a monkey wrench into the Best Actor race. As I said last week, we already have Joaquin Phoenix, Bradley Cooper, Daniel Day Lewis, and Denzel Washington. A fifth slot could now pit Damon against his buddy Ben Affleck. And that doesn’t take into account Hugh Jackman from “Les Miserables.”

A lot will depend on Damon’s own campaign–he wrote the movie with actor John Krasinski, who’s also his co-star. The pair should get a screenplay nomination. I love Rosemarie DeWitt in anything, so I can’t be objective (but I’m not reviewing). “Promised Land” is about fracking in the New York-Pennsylvania farmland, so it has a topical slant. It’s got echoes of the great Bill Forsyth film, “Local Hero.” It could almost be a continuation of Damon’s character from “Good Will Hunting.” He is incredibly likeable in it.

Best Actress is shaping up. Jennifer Lawrence is way in the lead, with Marion Cotillard, Helen Mirren, and possibly Judi Dench from “Exotic Marigold Hotel” right behind her. Who’s the fifth? It looks like Jessica Chastain from “Zero Dark Thirty,” which screens this Sunday, is very, very poised for that position. I don’t think Helen Hunt from “The Sessions” will make it. There’s no buzz on Meryl Streep from “Hope Springs” even though there should be. Ditto Viola Davis. I was really impressed by Halle Berry in “Cloud Atlas,” but that movie is in a quandary for a lot of people. And the child from “Beasts of the Southern Wild” doesn’t seem like a fair thing to do to the adults.

If there’s one question mark here it’s Emmanuelle Riva, from “Amour.” The French film is a stunner, but it’s also quite depressing. I don’t feel a lot of buzz around her, whereas Dench is beloved and “Hotel” was a big hit. “Amour” may have to settle for a Best Foreign Film nomination.

Best Supporting Actress surely puts Sally Field in the lead from “Lincoln.” From there, you get Amy Adams in “The Master,” and maybe Jacki Weaver from “Silver Linings Playbook” — her performance is terrific and almost overshadowed by Lawrence, DeNiro and Cooper. Anne Hathaway is going to score big time from “Les Miz.” Field, Adams, Weaver, Hathaway, and then…the fifth slot remains open.

The jockeying has already begun. But the big screenings are right after Thanksgiving. “Les Miz” is shown on Friday twice on both coasts, and again in New York on December 2nd. On Sunday the 25th, Kathryn Bigelow’s “Zero Dark Thirty” gets a wider airing than its very early, advanced showing. And then there’s “Promised Land,” which I haven’t reviewed, remember?

Do you remember “Local Hero”? Rent it immediately. Peter Riegert and the late legend Burt Lancaster star.

 

American Music Awards Score Lowest Ratings Ever

Roger Friedman
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78
American Music Awards Score Lowest Ratings Ever

The American public rejected junk pop music last night in a stunning referendum. The American Music Awards scored their lowest rating ever– a 3.4–and lost to everything else that was playing on television. Apparently, even tweens couldn’t make Justin Bieber a hit, let alone the rest of the motley crew that showed up for this second tier awards bonanza.

The ratings were twenty percent lower than last year. And they reflect the fact that aside from Stevie Wonder’s tribute to Dick Clark with two songs, there was nothing for a normal person to watch on that show. Instead it was a celebration of bubblegum pop and bad acts from long ago like M.C. Hammer.

This response should give radio and record labels something to chew on. These young throwaway performers get a lot of tabloid attention, but they aren’t necessarily musicians who people over 21 want to watch or listen to. The constant spectacle of noise and fireworks, special effects and gyrating dancers is  a turn off.  The AMAs were simply a showcase for style over substance– and they were rejected.

Hopefully the Grammy Awards will include a variety of acts and ages– from Adele to Aerosmith to Janelle Monae and, of course, Justin Timberlake. Also, the AMAs were suspiciously devoid of Gotye and his best single of the year, “Somebody That I Used to Know,” as well as boy band phenom One Direction. But the Grammys also attract a wider following because they feature a little of everything, always mixed and matched by Ken Ehrlich (following the late Pierre Cossette’s lead) into interesting combinations.

Steven Soderbergh Makes an Awards Plea for Matthew McConaughey: Performance was “Bananas”

Roger Friedman
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1
Steven Soderbergh Makes an Awards Plea for Matthew McConaughey: Performance was “Bananas”

Oscar DVDs pouring in. This writer votes with the Broadcast Critics for the Critics Choice Awards (airing January 10th on the CW network). In today’s package from Warner Bros: a sealed envelope containing a letter signed by director Steven Soderbergh.

“Dear Broadcast Film Critics: I’m breaking my long standing embargo regarding pleas for recognition because the core creative team of MAGIC MIKE really hopes people are reminded at the end of the year of Matthew McConaughey’s performance as Dallas, which we found completely bananas in the best sense of the word. As he says in the film, “The moon is just a chip shot away!”

I totally agree with Soderbergh. But that first is a very long run-on, in sore need of editing. But it’s nice of him to write to us. Best Supporting Actor is a tight race this year. Robert DeNiro, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Alan Arkin, Scoot McNairy (“Killing Them Softly”), plus possible entries for Leonardo DiCaprio (“Django”) and Russell Crowe (“Les Miz”) and we don’t know anything about “Zero Dark Thirty” or “Promised Land” yet. I really liked Jim Broadbent in “Cloud Atlas.”

But into the race we will now enter M McConaughey. And who knew Steven Soderbergh worked out of New York? That was an even bigger surprise!

Scooter Braun, Justin Bieber’s Manager, Wins the American Music Awards

Roger Friedman
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5
Scooter Braun, Justin Bieber’s Manager, Wins the American Music Awards

So last night the real winner of the AMAs was Scott “Scooter” Braun, the manager of the acts that took up the bulk of the show: Bieber, Jepsen, Psy. He also manages a boy band called The Wanted. Braun was recently profiled in The New Yorker by Lizzie Widdicombe. It’s a terrific piece about a 31 one year with limited education who is now buying mansions in the Hollywood Hills, $100,000 electric cars, and purchasing art in Beverly Hills dressed in flip flops and Mickey Mouse t shirts. (The “art” he buys is Mickey Mouse toys.) Here’s the link: http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2012/09/03/120903fa_fact_widdicombe

It’s not hard to win the American Music Awards. They aren’t the Grammys. They’re kind of a promotional tool offered by Dick Clark Productions, same as the Golden Globes and People’s Choice Awards. No one takes them seriously. And if an an act performs at the AMAs, they’re not allowed on the Grammys. So when you see someone on stage at the AMAs, as they were last night, you can surmise a couple of things: their new album came out too late to qualify for a Grammy (Taylor Swift) or they’re too shlocky to get a Grammy (Justin Bieber, Carly Rae Jepsen, Psy.)

Braun is the manager of the moment. He’s cornered the market on one-off top 40 phenoms with Jepsen (“Call Me Maybe”) and the Korean Psy (“Gangnam Style”). Will these people ever have another hit? For Jepsen it’s already questionable. For Psy, it’s likely he’ll be doing that one number at state fairs in two years. For Bieber, it’s unknown how long this can continue. His transition to adulthood is the X factor. He’s small and androgynous, he doesn’t really have a song anyone outside of the tween girl world can hum, and his records — like most records now– are not huge sellers. Braun has him on the road selling concert tickets, and has diversified into perfume and other gimmicks. But Justin Bieber in five years? Unless he has a Stevie Wonder moment planned–where he turns out to be a musical genius and starts producing amazing adult music–Bieber’s shelf life is not long.

But last night Braun literally won the AMAs. Maybe, as he’d like to think, he’s the next David Geffen. More power to him. The AMAs were a perfect venue for his “clique,” as he called them on Twitter. But they didn’t do a lot for his sales. On iTunes, where teens are an instant referendum, Bieber and Jepsen are pretty much nowhere and number 58 and 135 respectively. But “Gangam Style” is number 1. And Braun goes looking for his next novelty hit.

“The Lion King” Growls to Its 15 Year on Broadway

Roger Friedman
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“The Lion King” Growls to Its 15 Year on Broadway

Number 1 on Broadway this week: “The Lion King.” Number 1 five years ago: “The Lion King.” Ten years ago: “The Lion King.” 15 Years ago; yup. “The Lion King,” with shows playing most everywhere all over the world, celebrated its 15th anniversary last night at the Minskoff Theater, a cavernous, cold modern space that is defeated by the musical’s simplicity, elegance, and heart. I was actually a little surprised how good the show looks and how well it runs. We were told that creator Julie Taymor had come in a few days earlier to tune it up for the big night. In particular she worked with Patrick Brown, the actor who currently plays the villiain Scar–and he kind of stole the show, although I really loved Tshidi Manye, who plays Rafiki, the medicine woman, with abundant charm.

Everyone was present from Taymor to Disney Theatrical chief Tom Schumacher, who produced “The Lion King” with Peter Schneider. Also Irene Mecchi and Roger Allers, who wrote the book, and Tim Rice, who co-wrote the now famous songs like “Can You Feel the Love Tonight?” and “The Circle of Life” with Elton John. (Sir Elton was MIA, I’m, maybe due to a dispute with Disney.) Cast members from all the years were in the audience, especially the originals, which gave the show an electric feel. There was definitely a snap in the air. Also in the audience: former “Scar” Patrick Page, also now the former Green Goblin of “Spider Man” and a Tony nominee. The last time we saw him he was hanging from the ceiling.

“The Lion King” is a fairly spare, sophisticated enterprise for something so popular. It is not “Wicked” or “Cats.” Starting with a strong book and songs, Taymor has created one of those rare pieces of art that transcends commercialism. Still brimming in traditional colors and music of South Africa, “The Lion King” is a joyous adventure. When the lights go down and the safari “animals”– the first of Taymor and co’s many dazzling puppets–come down the aisles, the effect is still breathtaking. Several of the creators had tears in their eyes at that moment. They’ve made something that even transcends language. In April  2013, “The Lion King” opens in Brazil, translated into Portugese.

Reminder: Justin Timberlake Working On New Album, Maybe a Grammy Show Appearance

Roger Friedman
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Reminder: Justin Timberlake Working On New Album, Maybe a Grammy Show Appearance

Because work is progressing, and Justin Timberlake is dropping coy hints, here’s a redux flashback to my story on September 30th. Justin is working away on on his new album, a “secret” set for first quarter 2013. Maybe in time for the Grammy Awards, and a big splash on the show come February. http://www.showbiz411.com/2012/09/30/exclusive-justin-timberlake-finally-recording-new-album-after-six-years. It’s time for a new album. Justin’s acting career has been, let’s say, not the world beater of all time.

From September 30, 2012:

Exclusive: Justin Timberlake is in the studio making a new album. There’s no title yet, but I’m told Timberlake has been working around the clock with Timbaland and other producers. The album, which could have “many more than a dozen new tracks” would be ready for the first quarter of 2013 for Sony’s RCA label.

The project is considered very “hush-hush” at Sony, and very much low profile as it’s being done quickly.

It’s been six years since Timberlake’s second album, “Future Sex/Love Sounds,” came out in 2006. It yielded several hits like “What Goes Around Comes Around” and “Sexyback” (more a riff than a song, but whatever). But then Timberlake went into movies and made only occasional appearances as a guest star on other people’s records.

The album is being recorded in Los Angeles. A new Timberlake album would be an adrenaline shot in the charts. A gifted singer and dancer, Timberlake should easily have retained his following even after more than half a decade.

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