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Justin Bieber Can’t Win: Sings 19 Songs at Coachella And Medley of 12, Gets Ripped by British Press for “Karaoke” and “Laziness”

Roger Friedman
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Justin Bieber Can’t Win: Sings 19 Songs at Coachella And Medley of 12, Gets Ripped by British Press for “Karaoke” and “Laziness”

I can’t believe I’m defending Justin Bieber.

However:

He performed 19 songs — albeit in a low-fi way — and another 12 in a medley last night at Coachella.

He looked looked very happy and confident. His voice ranged from full to nasal depending on the song. When they were full compositions, the vocals were not bad. When they were fake rap songs, the material failed him so he rushed and muttered.

It didn’t matter. Either way, the massive crowd sang along with him.

Despite all this, the British press and some fans on social media criticized the medley. Bieber sat at a table on stage, with smoke and lights swirling around, and scrolled through YouTube on his laptop looking for videos of old hits to sing along with.

I guess no one picked up on the connection that YouTube was paying millions to show this concert for free. This was a product placement for YouTube. It wasn’t lazy or arbitrary. It was a way for Bieber to include songs he didn’t want to sing, and pay back YouTube.

Bieber’s set design at Coachella recalled Kanye West’s last week at SoFi Stadium. Maybe each of those was inspired by the design of “Sunset Boulevard” on Broadway last season. Lots of lights and smoke, very moody. The physical set, like Kanye’s, was a moonscape.

There was no choreographed dancing, which was just fine. I liked the spare guitar playing on stage by three musicians. I really liked the Nigerian singer Tems, who accompanied Bieber on “I Think You’re Special.” A song from “Swag” called “Butterflies” came off very well. The pop medley of old hits seemed silly, but it could have been worse.

Was he singing Karaoke? No. But after Sabrina Carpenter’s incredibly crafted show on Friday night, and Giveon’s production two acts before Justin hit the stage, it was all less than fans expected. According to reports they paid thousands of dollars for passes, so they were severely disappointed.

Watching at home for free, Bieber just seemed to be fulfilling his duties and having fun in order to get $10 million. He’s not up for audience interaction. He’s just trying to give his fans what they want and get off stage. If this was the template, a tour doesn’t seem possible unless prices are much, much lower. It’s ironic that the so called fans know he has issues, that he hasn’t performed for four years, and then turned on him.

PS Strange that Giveon — who’s sung with Bieber on his hit, “Peaches” — wasn’t enlisted for a guest spot. That’s a good story right there.

The Cockroaches aka the Rolling Stones Drop New Blues Rock Stomp Single, “Rough and Twisted,” Listen Here

Roger Friedman
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The Cockroaches aka the Rolling Stones Drop New Blues Rock Stomp Single, “Rough and Twisted,” Listen Here

The Rolling Stones announced their new single this morning.

But “Rough and Twisted” is not streaming anywhere.

It’s only available on a single, aka physical record. You can buy that record in pop stores, perhaps in Rockefeller Center, maybe at the Rough Trade shop.

Here’s the link

Updates coming if relevant. This is a weird marketing plan. But, as they say, you can’t always get what you want. KEEP SCROLLING DOWN AND PLAY THE SONG WHEN YOU SEE THE WHITE ARROW ON BLACK

I also did find this, which is totally irrelevant:

Lady Gaga Sells Out MSG Completely for Last Mayhem Ball Show, Drops New Single with Doechii, “Runway,” from “Devil Wears Prada 2”

Roger Friedman
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Lady Gaga Sells Out MSG Completely for Last Mayhem Ball Show, Drops New Single with Doechii, “Runway,” from “Devil Wears Prada 2”

Lady Gaga plays her final Mayhem Ball Tour show Monday night.
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Fittingly, the wildly successful tour ends with a return visit to Madison Square Garden.

Every single seat is gone. The whole place is sold out, right up to the rafters. This rarely happens, but the fans are Gaga for Gaga.

Friday, Gaga released the first of a few songs she recorded for “The Devil Wears Prada 2.” This is one is called “Runway.” It features Doechii. Unlike most songs by Stefani Germanotta, “Runway” has seven writers and five producers including Bruno Mars.

More “Prada” – Gaga songs are coming from the soundtrack. Stand by.

Kanye’s “Bully” Album Drops 53% in One Week, Biggest Fall For Any Release in the Top 20, After UK Outrage and Ban

Roger Friedman
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Kanye’s “Bully” Album Drops 53% in One Week, Biggest Fall For Any Release in the Top 20, After UK Outrage and Ban

It was not a good week for Kanye West.

He was banned from entering the United Kingdom.

That meant the end of his July dates at the Wireless Music Festival, and the collapse of the festival itself.

That’s a lot of bad publicity for a man who released a song last year called “Heil Hitler.”

The negativity resonated in the music business. Kanye’s album, “Bully,” fell 53% in sales from the prior week. That was the biggest drop of any album in the top 20.

“Bully” sold 72,000 copies — most of which were streaming equivalent. Physical sales came to just over 13,000 copies.

We have to give Kanye credit. He really pounced on a comeback before reasonable people could stop him. But now they have, and he’s relegated to shows this summer far, far away in countries that either don’t remember the Nazis or don’t care.

But he’s banned from performing in the UK and Australia. And I doubt Kanye will be welcomed anywhere in the US again for a long time. The main picture in this story is not fading from memory any time soon.

Michael Jackson “Michael” Movie Dedicated to the Memory of Uncle Tito Jackson, Gifted Guitarist Who Never Got His Due

Roger Friedman
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Michael Jackson “Michael” Movie Dedicated to the Memory of Uncle Tito Jackson, Gifted Guitarist Who Never Got His Due

EXCLUSIVE Tito Jackson was one of the few of Michael’s siblings who had talent beyond singing and used it.

Tito — who died unexpectedly in October, 2024 at 70 — was a gifted jazz guitarist who didn’t hang around waiting for the Jackson 5 to get back together.

He gigged all over the place in jazz clubs, showing off his passion and skill.

Tito was also the father of the 3Ts — TJ, Taj, Taryll — who had hits on their own. Michael trusted them so much that TJ became the guardian for his children after he died.

Now, in a sense, Michael has returned the favor. The new “Michael” movie is dedicated to Tito. If you wait til the end of the credits, I am told, the last line reads “Dedicated to Tito Jackson.”

It’s a fitting nod to the least avaricious of the Jacksons.

“Michael” opens April 24th, directed by Antoine Fuqua and starring Michael’s nephew, Jaafar. Look for social media posts soon. See mine on Twitter at @showbiz411

Rolling Stones Drop Clip from Exciting New Blues Rocker, “Rough and Twisted,” Dropping Tomorrow with Album News

Roger Friedman
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Rolling Stones Drop Clip from Exciting New Blues Rocker, “Rough and Twisted,” Dropping Tomorrow with Album News

The Rolling Stones will drop their new blues rocker, “Rough and Twisted,” tomorrow morning at 9:40am Eastern.

Here’s a clip they posted to WhatsApp in a continuous game of social media marketing.

Tomorrow they’ll announce their new album, “Foreign Tongues,” set for a July release.

As I’ve said for days, there’s no tour scheduled. Sorry. Dozens of outlets have taken that news from me without credit.

The riff below is as Mississippi delta as it gets, rough and rowdy, as Bob Dylan would say. Twisted, I hope not!

Exclusive: Natasha Lyonne Keeps a “Poker Face” at Lorne Michaels Movie Premiere, Explains What Happened on Flight Yesterday

Roger Friedman
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Exclusive: Natasha Lyonne Keeps a “Poker Face” at Lorne Michaels Movie Premiere, Explains What Happened on Flight Yesterday

In the middle of many A listers and celebs last night, there was actress Natasha Lyonne bright eyed to Lorne Michaels’ documentary premiere.

I was a little surprised to see her since I’d just read — maybe like you — that she’d been escorted off a plane this week.

The New York Post said she was removed from overnight flight from Los Angeles to New York. The Post said Lyonne was “out of it.”

Earlier that night she’d been at the premiere of “Euphoria” in Hollywood. (She’s in 8 episodes of Season 3.)

“Are you all right?” I asked the star of “Poker Face.”

“Am I all right? Do I look all right? ICE threw me off a plane after I took a sleeping pill! It was an overnight flight. I wanted to sleep!”

ICE, as we know, is not nice.

Anyway, she made the next flight and there she was at Lincoln Center, no problem, with that red hair and smokey voice.

What happened to “Poker Face,” I asked? “It’s over,” Natasha said. Too bad it was unique.

We ran into the great Steve Buscemi and the two actors hugged. “We’re in five movies together!” Natasha said, which Steve confirmed. Her next big release is “Roomates,” produced by Adam Sandler for Netflix.

As for the NY Post, seems like they’re a little “Out of it.”

Exclusive: Famed “SNL” Creator Lorne Michaels Says After 52 Years He Has No Plan to Retire, Stars in Revealing New Documentary

Roger Friedman
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Exclusive: Famed “SNL” Creator Lorne Michaels Says After 52 Years He Has No Plan to Retire, Stars in Revealing New Documentary

A lot of speculation can stop now.

Lorne Michaels, creator and Executive Producer of “Saturday Night Live,” is not going anywhere.

The famed 79 year old has been with “SNL” since he created it in 1974.

Last night at the star studded premiere of a documentary about him called “Lorne,” directed by Morgan Neville, he has no intention of retiring any time soon.

Every year there is speculation that Michaels will step down and hand the reins over to one of his favorite performers, like Seth Meyers or Tina Fey.

“I don’t see it,” he told me at dinner at the swanky Lincoln Ristorante in Lincoln Center — across West 65th St from Alice Tully Hall, where celebs from David Letterman, Natasha Lyonne, Diane Lane, Candace Bushnell, Amy Schumer, and Steve Buscemi filled the fabled theater to the brim.

They were joined by members of the “SNL” family like Seth Meyers, Kenan Thompson, Colin Jost, Mikey Day the guys from Please Don’t Destroy, Marcello Hernandez, Chloe Fineman, James Austin Johnson, Andrew Dismukes, Ashley Padilla, Kam Patterson, Tommy Brennan, Robert Smigel.

“Lorne” is a surprising documentary because Michaels really didn’t want to do it in the first place, and is very elusive on camera. But Neville spent two years wearing him down and filming him to the point where Michaels really opens up for the first time. You learn a lot about his interaction with five decades of cast members, and his total immersion in the production of every episode. (Now we know what it looks like in the control room when a sketch is bombing.)

The subject of retirement comes up in the film, in which Michaels suggests that “SNL”‘s time will end one day, like everything else. He told me later, “I love everyone I’m working with, and I can’t imagine not doing it.”

The film is well constructed because we know so much about “SNL” at this point from other films and articles. Neville makes it fresh, alternating between Michaels producing a run of shows, and telling some of his back story — from Toronto, Michaels had a disagreement with his father when he was a teen. His father had a heart attack and died shortly thereafter.

Michaels had his own comedy show in Toronto when he was starting out, which is how he met a lot of the soon to be Not Ready for Prime Time Players. He pitched a sketch show about comedy and politics to NBC in 1974, and the rest is history.

A running gag throughout the film — which appears to be true still — is that Michaels is largely unknowable. He keeps his own counsel, even with very close friends like Paul Simon, who’s interviewed along with Conan O’Brien, ex wife Rosie Shuster, plus Chevy Chase, and groups of actors from the show.

Neville hits most beats in “SNL” history, including the five years Michaels was gone (1981-86) and a moment when he brought it back from the brink. There’s also quite a sharp slap at late NBC overlord Don Ohlmeyer, who fired popular stars like Adam Sandler and Norm MacDonald.

“Lorne” opens next Friday in theaters. I’ve always said, through all of NBC’s ups and downs in late night, the one person who knows everything and always comes out on top is Lorne Michaels. Neville’s movie explains in some ways why keeping your nose down and doing the job is the secret of success. More on it later today…

PS There was a surprise guest out of left field who everyone at the party wanted to talk to — Al Jardine of the Beach Boys! He’s on tour right now with the Pet Sounds Band. Click here to find out more. Very Very cool.

 

Broadway: Scott Rudin is Back Tonight with His Second Play Post-Cancellation — The First One Flopped, Attention Must Be Paid!

Roger Friedman
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Broadway: Scott Rudin is Back Tonight with His Second Play Post-Cancellation — The First One Flopped, Attention Must Be Paid!

Scott Rudin is back tonight on Broadway.

“Death of Salesman” is the second play he’s producing in his post-cancellation phase. The first one, “Little Bear Ridge Road,” starred Laurie Metcalf. It was a new play, no one wanted to see it, and it closed prematurely.

Try, try, again. Now Metcalf stars in yet another revival of Arthur Miller’s “Death of a Salesman,” last seen four years ago with Wendell Pierce. Before that, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Dustin Hoffman, and so on.

Rudin was exiled from Broadway in 2021 for being nasty, mean, vindictive, and just an all around bully. The brother of a deceased former assistant blamed him for his suicide. Actors who’d worked for Rudin declared him a monster. It wasn’t pretty.

Rudin was irrational most of the time. If you got on his bad side, he wouldn’t let you have press tickets to his shows. He once called me a “mooch” in an email. For some time, I had to buy tickets to his shows just to review them. He was also cheap. He wouldn’t donate performances to the Actors Fund — now called the Entertainment Industry Fund — something all producers did. He’d put them on at midnight, and charge nothing so the fund would get little money.

Nice, right?

Rudin is back thanks to Barry Diller, who’s paying for these shows. “Salesman” has been making about a million bucks every week in previews, although last week it dipped down to $928,000. On social media people seem to like it. Rudin’s put it in the cavernous Winter Garden Theater, which is made for musicals. The sight lines aren’t great unless you’re sitting dead center.

The producer is famous for charging a bundle for plays, forget musicals. If you want a good seat tomorrow night, it will run you 400 clams. It seems like every show has available tickets up front but obstructed (you’d need periscope) and the upper balcony is always empty, but it’s in the Bronx. Last row center is $196 plus a $17 service charge. The good news is, a cherry picker will bring you back and forth to your seat.

Movie Stars Zendaya, Jacob Elordi, Sydney Sweeney All Came Back for a Last Season of “Euphoria” — Critics Hate It

Roger Friedman
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Movie Stars Zendaya, Jacob Elordi, Sydney Sweeney All Came Back for a Last Season of “Euphoria” — Critics Hate It

On paper, this seems incredible.

Sam Levinson’s “Euphoria” was such a hit with its two seasons that many of the actors became stars.

The main ones were Zendaya, Jacob Elordi, and Sydney Sweeney. They’ve each developed major movie careers since “Euphoria” first aired.

Rounding all of them up for an affordable third and last season seemed impossible. But it happened. They’re all back for an adult version of the series, which previously was about teens getting into sex and drugs.

Alas, the reviews are in for “Euphoria” Season 3. They are terrible. On Rotten Tomatoes, the score is just 48%. Not good.

It won’t matter. The star power is enough to draw huge audiences, don’t worry. Expect “Euphoria” numbers to go through the roof when it debuts Sunday night. The fans won’t care if it doesn’t make sense.

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