James Franco is now dabbling in R&B music. Luckily he enlisted Smokey Robinson, who Franco met on a plane for vocals. The song is called “Crime.” It’s the second video Franco’s released this week from the upcoming album, which is recorded under the name Daddy with a music student pal. I’ll take anything with Smokey’s voice on it. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xYSqEd5dVe0 Here’s the other single, called “Love in the Old Days”: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lL-BhJcdJaE. The truth is, the songs aren’t bad. Which is a surprise. Or maybe not. Franco continues his quest to conquer everything. Soap operas, graduate school, novels. short stories, poetry and now soul music. And he’s doing it.
Whitney Houston Gets Grammy TV Special with Usher, Jennifer Hudson
I told you some weeks ago that Whitney Houston would get a memorial CBS special. Well, it’s just been announced officially. Jennifer Hudson and Usher are the first two stars announced. The show, We Will Always Love You, will tape on October 11th in Los Angeles at the Nokia Theater. The public can buy tickets in Ticketmaster. I expect R. Kelly will be added, as he’s featured on the new greatest hits package coming from RCA shortly. Kelly mixed up a new duet of the song he wrote for Whitney called “I Look to You.” The special will feature interviews and clips. They should really include Jermaine Jackson, Narada Michael Walden, and the original people from Arista who helped put together the first couple of Whitney Houston albums. The special will air in December on CBS.
Andy Williams, Legendary Singer, Entertainer, Dead at 84
Andy Williams has died. The clean cut, handsome entertainer was best known for his hit version of “Moon River,” for hosting a variety show, and for being the calm alternative in the late 60s and early 70s to the culture that changed around him. He launched the Osmond Brothers, Donny and Marie, and all of that. Williams was also married to beautiful Claudine Longet, who was the center of a scandal when she was accused of fatally shooting her lover, a skiing pro named Spider Sabich, in 1976.
But Williams should be remembered primarily as a singer, and the last of the crooners who held their own as the Beatles and rock and roll took over the entertainment world. He had a pure sound, kind of the all-American voice. He was also a sweet natured, nice guy who was later associated with Ethel Kennedy after Senator Robert Kennedy was assassinated.
Williams told Larry King in an interview: “We were friends for life, and are very good friends now, yes. I love Bobby and Ethel, and my wife, Claudine, and I were very close with them, and then when he was killed, I was a delegate for the — for Bobby, from the state of California. And I went to Chicago and did that part, and gave my vote to who Bobby really have done it to, George McGovern, and then I never got involved with politics after that, but I loved both of them very much.”
Williams had plenty of middle of the road hits besides “Moon River.” He did specialize in movie themes, taking “Born Free,” and “Love Story,” to the top of the charts, as well as “Happy Heart” and “Dear Heart.” In 2009 the Songwriters Hall of Fame presented Williams with the Towering Song award for “Moon River,” which was written by Henry Mancini.
“Call Me Maybe” 6 Million Copies, Carly Rae Jepsen’s Album Just 41,000
You wondered all summer: was “Call Me Maybe” a one hit wonder for Carly Rae Jepsen? Well, actually she had one other single, a minor echo called “Good Times,” with a group called Owl City. But all summer Carly Rae had no album. Her single was the fluke phenom of the summer, parodied, satirized, celebrated everywhere. YouTube is filled with hundreds if not thousands of amateur versions. The Olympic swim team even made a video.
But like “I’m Too Sexy,” “Spirit in the Sky,” “Sugar Sugar,” and vast quantities of other hit singles, “Call Me Maybe” is indeed a one hit wonder.
The single sold around 5.5 million copies. Add “Good Times’ and Carly Rae did about 6 million in sales this summer. At a dollar apiece, that’s not bad. She probably got a fraction of it, but it was better than hanging around Canadian pubs.
Unfortunately, her album is a stiff. “Kiss” sold 41,000 copies last week. The spell is broken. Kids went back to school, maybe wondering why they fell in love with “Call Me Maybe.” It was a summer romance. The album is composed of ten songs that sound just like “Call Me Maybe.” There was nothing there except the single.
By comparison, Pink–debuted at number 1 this week selling nearly 300,000 copies of her new CD.
Oh, it’s happened before. Kids, it happened back in the day over and over. Ask Lobo. Or The Jaggerz. Geoffrey Abbott literally disappeared after a long run at number 1 with “Shake You Down.” The Fine Young Cannibals had a monster hit with “She Drives Me Crazy,” put out a pretty good album with one more hit, and fell into the Bermuda Triangle. You never heard a peep out of them. Where is Outkast? “Hey Ya” — you couldn’t get away from it. And then, zzzzzz.
But Carly Rae is really different than some of those. She will be singing “Call Me Maybe” at state fairs until the cows come home. Justin Bieber’s cell phone will be changed by Friday. Hopefully whatever money she got, or will get, she will save and invest wisely. And we thank her for a lot of fun. And we’ll call her, maybe.
Exclusive: Lyrics for Adele’s First New Song Since “21”– James Bond “Let the Skyfall”
Exclusive: Adele’s theme song for the new James Bond film, “Skyfall,” written by Adele and a collaborator (probably Paul Epworth), is classic 007 in the manner of the best Bond songs of the past. It’s an ominous, dramatic ballad, with lots of gorgeous horn flourishes peeking out through Adele’s now trademark vocals. It’s also fresh, new, and original.
Thanks to record industry sources, I got to hear a bit of the song. Readers of this column know we already broke the story of Adele singing the “Skyfall” theme a couple of times.
Part of the chorus of the song goes: “Let the sky fall/Let it crumble/We will stand tall/And face it all/together.”
The introductory lines, which follow a piano solo, are: “This is the end/Hold your breath and count to ten/Feel the Earth move and then/Hear my heart burst again.”
Adele and Sony Music are set to launch the single during the first week of October. It’s the singer’s first new song since her “21” album debuted in January 2010. It’s unknown still how Sony will package “Let the Sky Fall” as a one off single since I don’t think Adele has recorded anything else to go with it. There is a “Skyfall” soundtrack score album scheduled from Sony for release on November 6th, but no information is available about tracks.
My sense, though, is that the single will hit #1 everywhere and pretty fast, and stay atop the charts for several weeks. It recalls the best kind of Bond hits by female vocalists like Carly Simon, Shirley Bassey, Tina Turner, Sheena Easton, and Rita Coolidge. Unlike more recent failed efforts by Madonna, and by Alicia Keys and Jack White, the song is tremendously catchy with a real sense of mystery.
One good thing: we’ll have Adele singing “Skyfall” at the Oscars next February. It’s a cinch for a Best Song nomination.
“The Butler” with Oprah, All Star Cast, Goes to Weinstein Company
Lee Daniels’ “The Butler” will be distributed by the Weinstein Company next Christmas 2013. With an all star cast of Oprah Winfrey, Forest Whitaker, and tons of cameos by people like Mariah Carey, Liev Schreiber, Jane Fonda, Alan Ricman, Vanessa Redgrave and Robin Williams, “The Butler” is already set up as the Oscar film of 2014.
Daniels has been shooting down in New Orleans for weeks. Obviously, Harvey Weinstein has liked what he’s seen of the footage and snapped up the rights. The screenplay is by Danny Sfrong, who just won an Emmy last night for “Game Change.” “The Butler” traces the life of a real life butler who served eight US presidents.
The Weinstein Company is already bracing for a huge Oscar march this winter with “The Master,” “Silver Linings Playbook,” “The Sapphires,” and “Django Unchained” among others.
Julia Louis-Dreyfus Makes Emmy Awards History
Yes it is some kind of historic moment. Julia Louis Dreyfus made Emmy Awards record books last night when she won Best Actress for “Veep.” She’s now won Best Actress three times for three different series. The others are “Seinfeld” and “The New Adventures of the Old Christine.”
Julia had formidable competition last night, especially from fellow “Saturday Night Live” alums Tina Fey and Amy Poehler. It was cute that she and Poehler had worked out a comedy “bit” about Poehler really winning, and Julia having her speec in hand.
“Veep” is brilliant satire, and I do hope it can go at least five seasons. Its creator, Armando Iannucci, is a genius from where else, Great Britain. If you’ve never seen his film, “In the Loop,” do rent it immediately. It is wicked.
Julia is lovely in person, but incredibly press shy. When you try to talk to her, she’s incredibly polite and nice but never stands still. She’s moving away. Maybe someone told her early on not to talk to press. I don’t know why–she’s had a great long marriage, a happy family and lots of success. But she’s like the female Woody Allen.
It doesn’t matter. Watching her on “Veep” is a treat beyond interviews.
Michael J. Fox Gets Standing Ovation at Emmy Awards
The one standing ovation in the Nokia Theater last night was spontaneous–and it was for Michael J. Fox. Anyone who knows anyone with Parkinson’s Disease (and everyone does) knows just a little of what Fox has suffered and conquered in the last fifteen years–and at a young age, far earlier than most. That he’s persevered and worked through brain surgeries and endless obstacles, and has done good work, is simply amazing.
LEAH SYDNEY reports that at the HBO gala–which was really a blockbuster built on the back of the Pacific Design Center in West Hollywood- Fox arrived with wife Tracy Pollan and son Sam, accepting congrats for his win as a special guest star on “The Good Wife.”
Meanwhile, Ricky Gervais washead over heels, telling Mel Brooks that he’s his hero. Even Nicole Kidman came over to Mel Brooks and told him what a fan she was.
LEAH reports: “Nicole told me that, “I didn’t expect to win. I came to support the movie.” Keith Urban told me that , “I’m excited about American Idol. I literally just met Nigel Lythgoe last week in New York. I’m looking forward to spending more time in Los Angeles.”
This event garnered the most celebrities, from the whole “Game Change” crowd, including Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson, Jay Roach and Susanna Hoffs, Julianne Moore, Jeremy Davies, James Gandolfini, Claire Danes, Sofia Vergara, Julianna Marguiles, Chuck Lorre and more.”
And Keith Urban is already getting accolades from Fox on “American Idol.” With all the hoopla surrounding Mariah Carey and Nicki Minaj, look for Keith to be the sea of tranquility when Idol re-starts on the air. So says Mike Darnell, the genius behind all the reality programming on Fox. He says Keith is already proving to be a success as he meets the potential candidates.
New Oscar Producers Promise: “There Will Be Music”
So who turned up at the Emmys last night? None other than newly minted Academy Award show producers Craig Zadan and Neil Meron. They were there to observe how a big awards show is made with Don Mischer, who ran the Emmys last night and will helm the Oscars in February.
The appointment of Meron and Zadan is one of the best announcements ever from the Academy. Oscar winners for Rob Marshall’s “Chicago,” this pair knows how to put on an enterainment. They promised me that music will be back in the Oscars this year in a big way.
Already there have been changes. No songs were performed last year, and only three songs were nominated for Best Song. Now the Academy has ruled that there will be five. With Zadan and Meron, all will be performed, and then some. This is the year of Tom Hooper’s “Les Miserables.” We are guaranteed a live performance of Anne Hathaway singing “I Dreamed a Dream.” And Hugh Jackman warbling away. So get ready.
Are these two guys popular? On the ramp leading into the Governors Ball at the Convention Center, they literally stopped traffic as tons of stars poured by.
Now all they need is a host. And I would not be surprised if Hugh Jackman got the job. With Zadan and Meron, it’s going to be about music and movement. Just sayin’…
James Gandolfini, Expectant Dad, Plans Film with Steve Carell
James Gandolfini is a happy man, I can report. He came to HBO’s big gala last night with not one but two wives. Yes, the once and always Tony Soprano has movies, projects, a baby about to be born and a happy family. He also told me he’s living in Los Angeles because his 13 year old son loves it. “We’re making it all work.” And indeed they are as first wife, Marcy, had just stopped his table to say hello and was leaving as I arrived.
Gandolfini and second wife, Deborah Lin, are expecting a baby girl in about three weeks. So that’s excellent news. They haven’t quite settled on a name yet. but both of the choices they mentioned sounded pretty good.
On the career front: I can tell you exclusively that Gandolfini is working on a comedy project with Steve Carell, from Carell’s production company. It’s called “The Bone Men” right now. The pair play paleontologists from the late 1800s. “It’s very funny,” says Gandolini. There are rumors that Fox2000 is interested, as well as HBO.
Meanwhile Gandolfini is working with HBO on a pilot called “Criminal Justice,” announced last week. And he’s about to be seen in “Killing Them Softly” with Brad Pitt. After a couple of tries, this is the first film the pair will have worked in together that’s an actual hit. He laughed when I reminded him that he said long ago every time the two actors were in a movie together, it bombed. No more.
The motto: to paraphrase “The Sopranos”: “Don’t stop believin”…Gandolfini always played being Tony Soprano the right away, shying away from becoming so intertwined with his character that he’d be stuck forever doing “Sopranos” conventions. He can do anything. And will.