The saga of Madonna’s “MDNA” just keeps getting stranger. Even as Madonna launches her world wide tour–very successful, looks like a hit–“MDNA” is suffering. The latest situation: the album is being offered on amazon.com for 41 cents. That’s right–forty one pennies. The shipping is actually more expensive–$2.98. A couple of different companies are offering “MDNA” at this price. I emailed AbundaTrade in South Carolina. Their owner advised me: “Yes, there was a flaw in our purchasing calculator. We paid $4.86 each. We have 111 left in stock and can sell them all to you for $0.41 plus $2.98 shipping each as per our Amazon listing.” That’s pretty much as low as you can go. Poor “MDNA.” The indignities don’t stop. At least these copies won’t be counted in SoundScan again.
Sarah Jessica Parker Obama Party Adds Mariah Carey Concert to Package
Click on the above link to see Sarah Jessica Parker’s ad for Barack Obama. SJP is hosting a fundraiser at her Manhattan home next week. It’s going to be star-studded. But the campaign is also offering a raffle so regular people can attend, too.
SJP says: “OK, the guy who ended the war in Iraq, the guy who says you should be able to marry anyone you want, and the guy who created 4 million new jobs, that guy, President Obama and Michelle, are coming to my house for dinner on June 14th. We need him and he needs us.”
UPDATE: Now they’ve added a Mariah Carey concert to the SJP party. The concert– at the Plaza Hotel– follows the party. It’s unclear how many songs Mariah will perform.
Charlize vs. Julia: “Show White” Movies Show Who’s the Fairest of them All
The rule of thumb in Hollywood. If you have two movies with similar themes or the same concepts, the first one to get released wins. The second one will bore audiences, and die a swift death.
Apparently, not so anymore. Julia Roberts opened in “Mirror Mirror” back in March. She played the Evil Queen. The movie made $18 million on its first weekend. Now, out of theaters, its total US take was $62 million. Audiences didn’t embrace it. Foreign sales totaled $98 million, so “Mirror Mirror” will break even. But it wasn’t an event.
Compare it to “Snow White and the Huntsman.” With Charlize Theron now wrecking havoc, “Snow White” did $56.2 million in the US on its opening weekend. Foreign sales are already at almost $40 million.
The winner? Who’s the fairest–or maybe the least fair — of all? Charlize Theron and company. And it disproves the theory of two movies with the same concept.
HBO Advertises New Sorkin Series on AMC During “Mad Men”
With all the crazy stuff going on last night on “Mad Men,” there was even a bigger shocker: a commercial for HBO’s upcoming series called “News Room.” It came at around 53 minutes into “Mad Men” right before the final segment. This is the show written by Aaron Sorkin and starring Jeff Daniels. Maybe it was a local cable commercial. But it seemed like a national buy. What a strange irony. HBO famously turned down “Mad Men” years ago from Matt Weiner, who was a “Sopranos” writer.
On top of that HBO has had a lot of difficulty launching hour long dramas. “Luck” ended ignominiously with the deaths of horses. The much anticipated “The Corrections”–with an all star cast–was scrapped after the pilot was shot. Their big successes right now are “Game of Thrones”–people are obsessed with it–and “True Blood,” which is starting to show signs of age. (Although I guess techinically it never ages, right?)
“Newsroom” starts June 24th and has a lot of positive buzz. It’s also got a very liberal slant: Daniels, playing a Charlie Rose-type anchor (with a pinch of Keith Olbermann), decides to go after the Tea Party. I’m told the show uses interspersed real footage of Tea Party ranters. The irony is that Jane Fonda plays the owner of the network, and she’s a conservative media billionaire who does a lot of business with the people Daniels’ character is criticizing on his show.
So how else to alert the public that a smart drama is coming? Advertise it during “Mad Men,” the show with the most appropriate demographic. But it was a little like Macy’s telling Gimbels, or NBC advertising its new comedy line up during CBS’s “Two and a Half Men.” Networks usually don’t cross lines into enemy camps to promote their shows. Maybe it’s a new trend.
Jon Cryer: He’s Never Heard One Word from Charlie Sheen
Jon Cryer came to New York last night and did a nice favor for his mother, actress Gretchen Cryer. He was the host of the 50th annual Dramatists Guild Fund dinner. Gretchen runs the event, and needed a star host. It was one of those amazing New York night, as the Guild honored composer John Kander, co-author with the late Fred Ebb of “Chicago” and “Cabaret.”
Before the show started, I asked Cryer if he ever did hear from Charlie Sheen, his partner for 9 seasons on “Two and a Half Men.” And the answer? “Never.” Cryer said he’d heard from others that Sheen had tried to call him. “But my phone indicates otherwise,” he said. It’s a puzzlement, that’s for sure. Sheen simply left the show and the cast, went crazy nationally, and has never circled back to apologize or pick up the pieces.
Meanwhile, the Dramatists dinner, in the ballroom on the 36th floor of the Mandarin Oriental Hotel, was like an old fashioned New York night. Joel Grey performed “Wilkommen” from “Cabaret,” and other terrific performers included Karen Mason, Chita Rivera, Bebe Neuwirth, and Karen Ziemba. Christie Brinkley, who’s been in “Chicago” lately, introduced Neuwith and Ziemba.
But the star of the night was Liza Minnelli. She arrived on time, sat through the dinner, and then closed the show with three boffo numbers– “Cabaret,” “And the World Goes Round,” and finally, “New York New York.” She was sensational. Liza also sang “Anywhere You Are” from her new “Liza Minnelli Live At The Winter Garden CD.” She told me: “John Kander invented me. He didn’t want me to Judy Garland’s daughter. He wrote Liza with a Z for me. It took him two hours and I learned it in 20 minutes. It changed my life.”
As for “New York, New York”– it was written for Liza to be used in Martin Scorsese’s movie of the same name. Hers was the original recording. She told me: “One day Uncle Frank (Sinatra) called me and said he was playing New York and he needed a good opening number. Could he do my song? What could I say? He was my uncle Frank.” She paused. “The difference is, with him it sounds like he’s already in New York. With me, it’s the promise of coming to New York.” And you know what. she’s right. And despite everything that’s happened in her crazy life, Minnelli rocks. I’ve rarely been that impressed.
By the way: what does the Dramatists Guild Fund do? It’s a little like MusiCares for theater people. It takes care of actors, playwrights etc who need medical care or housing or other necessities but can’t afford them.
“Mad Men”: Suicide, Adulthood, and Why Jaguars Always Had a Bad Rep
The second to last episode of “Mad Men” season 5: all the talk of suicide led to the unfortunate demise of Lane Pryce, played so beautifully by Jared Harris for almost three seasons. Harris and Embeth Davidtz made for a handsome couple, Brits trapped in America by circumstances. But the writing was on the wall last week when Lane forged Don’s signature and embezzled money from the company. Of course, Matt Weiner gave the suicide a twist. For as many times as suicide has been mentioned recently, so too have Jaguar’s mechanical problems. When Lane tries to gas himself in a Jaguar, he can’t: the car won’t start. The indignity of it all. Harris will be missed.
But “Mad Men” has too many characters and not enough time to give then. So Matt Weiner had to make a choice. In the meantime, something unusual happened, I thought. January Jones, who hasn’t been on much this season and comes across coldly, had two scenes that could actually win her some awards. Her response to Sally’s hug was classic Betty, but it was also a superior bit of acting. The same when Sally was in bed with her. Betty the ice queen almost looked as if she’d been shocked into being human. January Jones is full of surprises, after all. It could be she’s studying Mary Tyler Moore in “Ordinary People.”
It should be noted, this was the first episode without Peggy in a long, long time. Maybe ever.
And with the suicide, came life: Sally, as Betty put it, “became a woman.” And she turned to the woman she claims to despise the most, her mother.
“Mad Men” seemed soft and maybe drifting from episodes four through eight. But the show found its footing again in Episode 9, “Dark Shadows.” Now as we come to the season finale, it’s back on track. The last episode of the season is called “The Phantom.” Who knows why? And even though Don and Meghan have fought, it seems like their marriage will make it to next season. So it’s been a slightly confusing season, a little meandering, and unclear what the purpose of all this is. But we’re now in February 1967. There are two more 13 episode seasons left. The show will end at the conclusion of the 1960s. Historically there are two very tumultuous years ahead for the survivors of Sterling Cooper.
Drew Barrymore, Pregnant, Marries into Society, Money
Joan Rivers would approve. Drew Barrymore, 36 and pregnant, got married last night to Will Kopelman at her own $6 million home in Montecito, California–the same posh annex to Santa Barbara where Oprah Winfrey and Rob Lowe are among her neighbors. It’s Drew’s third marriage, but three’s a charm. Will Kopelman is the son of former Chanel CEO Arie Kopelman and his famous society wife, Coco (real name Corinne). The Kopelmans are very wealthy and have a high standing in New York society. They are among the most beloved couples on the society circuit.
According to reports, both Drew and Will wore Chanel, naturally. There were plenty of celebs at the gathering, not to mention the Kopelman’s no doubt long list of friends and family. Their daughter, Jill Kopelman Kargman, is a successful novelist.
So, good for Drew. Her father, the son of the late great actor John Barrymore, also named John Barrymore, died a few years ago after battling alcoholism and homelessness. Drew’s been on the outs with her mother, Jaid, a New York party fixture, since she was about 15. That’s when Drew emancipated herself. She’d already been to rehab. (There’s no word on whether Jaid was invited to the wedding.)
Drew recently told Ellen DeGeneres on her talk show that she was in love with not just Will, but the Kopelmans. She lucked out, that’s for sure. The former “ET’ star has had a slowly declining movie career. Her last film, “Big Miracle,” was released in February. It made about $7.5 million on a $50 million budget. Although she was praised for her work in HBO’s “Grey Gardens,” Drew hasn’t had a hit since the “Charlie’s Angels” sequel in 2003. She co-produced a Tv version of “Charlie’s Angels” that flopped last year.
While the Kopelmans get a lot of ink for good works, they’re not part of the Hollywood circuit. The marriage of their son to a movie star, so to speak, changes all that. Arie Kopelman recently told the website The Improper Bostonian: “…the only thing that can drive you a little nuts is if you go out to dinner and the paparazzi’s waiting for you. That’s fine, and you learn to deal with it, but we’ve been in really nice restaurants when people come running over with iPhones, and it’s hard to believe. But it comes with the territory and Drew handles it beautifully and graciously.”
Mazel tov!
PS The Daily Mail has a great set of pics from the wedding at http://tinyurl.com/87f5b2u
Kathryn Joosten, of “Desperate Housewives,” Passes Away at 72
Kathryn Joosten the veteran actress who played the nosy Mrs. McCluskey on “Desperate Housewives,” is dead at 72. Joosten won two Emmys for her work on “Housewives” for her delicious portrayal. She had also worked consistently for the last 30 years on every major TV show from “The West Wing” to “Murphy Brown.” There are some unusual trivia items about her on the imdb–including the fact that when she was starting out as an actress she moonlighted hanging wallpaper. She hung the wallpaper in the room of now- well known writer Dave Eggers. I think her great achievement is that she didn’t really take off until she was around 50, which should give hope to all of us.
“Snow White” Beats “MIB 3” and “Avengers” Now 3rd Biggest Movie Ever
“Men in Black 3” took a drubbing Friday night. “Snow White and the Huntsman” finished first with $20.3 mil. Charlize Theron and crew sent Will Smith and their gang back to number 2, a real fall, with just $8.1 million. “MIB3” is fading. So weird. Anyway, “Snow” is on her way to a $55 mil weekend not counting its foreign sales. “The Avengers” became the 3rd biggest movie in history last night with almost $600 mil domestic take. Both “Battleship” and “Dark Shadows” are fading. But doing well are “The Dictator,” and “The Best Exotice Marigold Hotel.” It looks like the documentary “Bully” is done, but it took a very respectable $3.2 million. Nicely done. It will have a big life on DVD, cable, and in classrooms.
The Great Teri Garr Gets the Star Treatment in Hollywood
If you’re a little too young, you may not know who Teri Garr is. She was the star of “Mr. Mom” with Michael Keaton. She was David Letterman’s favorite and constant guest when he had his NBC show. Garr was also in countless movie and TV shows until she was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis. She was cute and funny, and she still is. Last week Teri was honored for her work on MS by Nancy Davis at the 19th annual ‘Glam Rock to Erase MS,’ in Century City.
Our LEAH SYDNEY reports that, “The indefatigable Nancy Davis (daughter of Barbara and the mogul Marvin Davis) hosted the event. Nancy is a survivor and advocate of Multiple Sclerosis, and has worked tirelessly to find a cure for MS. Her Nancy Davis Foundation has raised upwards of $24 million. Nancy spoke and then introduced Teri Garr, who was honored for her work on MS which she has.
Before Teri spoke, a taped tribute was shown where David Letterman quipped, “Teri was one of the first people to our show when no one would come on cause no one liked us. ” Normally reserved David then said a heartfelt, “Teri, I just love you.”
Buck Henry echoed that sentiment and told her, “Teri, I’ve been in love with you for 50 years.” Teri then came to the stage and called MS, “this scum sucking pig of a disease. I hope the doctors will change everything and make it better for me…they will won’t they?” To which the enthusiastic audience shouted….”yes!”
That exuberance lasted throughout the night as Fitz And The Tantrums, The Tenors, David Cook and Stevie Wonder played. Stevie told the crowd, “Nancy asked me a year ago to play and I promised I would. You all know, you don’t say no to Nancy!” Stevie played ‘Higher Ground,’ ‘Isn’t She Lovely,’ and more.  The event raised $1.8 million.