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All Star Monday in NYC: Smart Kids Honor Sidney Poitier, Dumb Kids Do Met Ball

Roger Friedman
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Where were you last night in New York says everything about who you are. The choices were the Film Society of Lincoln Center honoring Sidney Poitier, the Costume Institute Ball at the Metropolitan Museum, and the Stella Adler Foundation dinner for Liza Minnelli and Annette Bening. How did it all play out? The smart kids went to Lincoln Center, the Junior Prom went to the Met, and the money went to Stella Adler.

Basically, the Met Ball got Mick Jagger and Paul McCartney. Otherwise, it was the usual fashion competition among young actresses. Snore.

But the Lincoln Center tribute was phenomenal: it was the first time in their 30 year history that an African American was honored. Poitier, 84, was the logical choice. In what turned out to be a beautiful, moving, and funny tribute, these stars each took the stage: Bill Cosby, James Earl Jones, Chris Tucker, Morgan Freeman, Quincy Jones, Mary Louise Parker. Dan Aykroyd, Norman Jewison, Quentin Tarantino, Sir Ben Kingsley, Ruby Dee, Harry Belafonte, Chris Tucker, and Lulu, who sang “To Sir with Love.” Oprah Winfrey sent a taped message. Tony Bennett and director James Toback were in the audience, along with Joan Collins, Jim Belushi, Regis and Joy Philbin, and Sanaa Lathan, who has a major off Broadway hit with “Vera Stark” at the Second Stage Theater.

Meanwhile, at Denise Rich‘s Fifth Avenue aerie, Michael Douglas presented a Stella by Starlite award to Annette Bening, Liza Minnelli received hers from Elaine Stritch, Kate Mulgrew emceed, and awards also went to Wall Street legend Muriel Siebert and to United Airlines. Both Dan Lauria and Judith Light from Broadway’s “Lombardi” stopped by, and Liz Smith put in a rare appearance with pal Iris Love. Minnelli gave the loveliest, most cogent speech, was funny and off hand and totally had it together. It was impressive.

 

Stars Show Up For Phoebe Snow’s Send Off

Roger Friedman
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Phoebe Snow, the great singer and musician who died last week at age 60, got a great send off today in New York. Among the stars and friends who showed up to pay their respects at Phoebe’s Buddhist ceremony were Steely Dan’s Donald Fagen, Paul Shaffer, Lesley Gore, actor Bob Balaban and his wife Lynn, May Pang, singers Fonzie Thornton and Janice Pendarvis, legendary record exec Bruce Lundvall, Ellyn Harris and PR maven Melani Rogers, and a host of local musicians who’d played with Phoebe over the years. Former President Bill Clinton sent a message of condolence. Howard Stern couldn’t make the funeral, but came on Sunday night to the wake, as did producer Russ Titelman. Roger Butterley and some musicians who’d toured with Phoebe performed a lovely version of “Poetry Man.” Phoebe’s tour manager and executor, Tony Melfa, helped put it all together and showed a video of Phoebe on “CBS Sunday Morning.” One thing I learned after thirty years: Phoebe was named for the great actress Phoebe Brand, founder of the Group Theater and wife of Shakespearean actor Morris Carnovsky. The Carnovskys were famously blacklisted after director Elia Kazan gave their names to the House Un-American Activities Committee. Thanks to Phoebe’s Uncle Bob for that information, and to her two close friends who spoke so beautifully. Phoebe, RIP.

Steven Tyler: New Single (Hear It Here) and Book This Week

Roger Friedman
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The Honorable Steven Tyler, judge of “American Idol,” is cashing in like crazy this week on his new found fame and fun. He’s got a new single coming on May 9th called “It Feels So Good.” It’s his official first ever solo single, although he says he’s working on material with Aerosmith. Here’s the link to hear a clip of the single: http://www.amazon.com/It-Feels-So-Good/dp/B004Y52H3A It’s nice to hear his voice again! And then there’s the release tomorrow of his memoir, “Does the Noise In My Head Bother You?” The book is already causing trouble as a couple of people who are in it are complaining Tyler has not recalled certain anecdotes correctly. A full reading of the book may determine how much Tyler’s hazy memory has twisted a few stories. Already upset is New York Dolls rocker David Johannson, first husband of Tyler’s now deceased ex wife Cyrinda Foxe. There are others. And all of this comes conveniently as “Idol” enters sweeps month with big ratings anticipated for the finale. It’s quite a turnaround for Tyler, who was almost dead a year ago. It’s quite a nice comeback story. Dude looks like a survivor.

Now Madonna and Kabbalah Get New York Magazine Treatment

Roger Friedman
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I’ve been writing about Madonna and Kabbalah for several years now. I recently revealed that Kabbalah was under investigation by a grand jury in New York. Recently, Wayne Barrett, late of the Village Voice and now writing for the Daily Beast, got into the act. Today, New York Magazine jumps in with a piece that pretty much restates a lot of what we’ve already covered. Vanessa Grigoriadis also speaks to a couple of Kabbalah Center members and goes to a “service” in Los Angeles.

In the last week I spoke to a relative of a famous Kabbalah Center member–not Madonna–who is very upset about their loved one’s attachment to the Center. I also encountered the business associate of another prominent member, who defended the organization with glassy eyed determination. When I offered to take this person to an actual synagogue to see an actual rabbi, they demurred: “I don’t need that. I have the Kabbalah Center.” So you see what’s happening here.

Most of these reports have little effect, unfortunately, on current members. It’s not until people leave a cult that we find out — no matter which one it is–that they invulnerable to public criticism.

Remember this much going forward: according to the Associated Press in February 2010, 200 local Malawians were removed from their homes to make way for a school that has never been built in the impoverished African country. The locals were paid a pittance to leave. Millions of dollars have since evaporated without explanation. And American families have lost children to Kabbalah Center leader Karen Berg’s private team of young women who work directly for her– called Chevre.

New Music: Aretha Franklin, Garland Jeffreys Each Score

Roger Friedman
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Tomorrow comes Aretha Franklin‘s long promised “A Woman Falling out of Love,” on her very own Aretha’s Records. It’s available for now at Wal Mart and on WalMart.com. After a month it goes to the downloading services like ITunes and amazon.com. It’s Aretha’s first new album in a long time, and her 38th all together. Unlike her glossy releases on Arista over the last 25 years, “A Woman Falling out Love” takes Ms. Franklin  very back to the roots Aretha–lots gospel, her own songs, Aretha playing brilliant piano, and in house production by her own team. If there’s a hit single, I’d say it’s a tie between her own composition, “This You Should Know,” and Norman West‘s “Put It Back Together Again.” There’s also a potential hit in “U Can’t See Me,” written and produced by Curtis Boone. This is unvarnished Aretha, and a relief to know that the Queen of Soul still reigns supreme! Don’t miss gospel highlights: “Faithful,” with Karen Clark, and “His Eye Is on the Sparrow,” featuring Franklin’s son, Eddie.

Garland Jeffreys‘ show at the Highline Ballroom on Saturday was like a revival meeting–and it was definitely another step in the revival of Jeffreys’ long up and down career. His first album in eons, “The King of Inbetween,” will be available beginning June 7th. Right now the single “Coney Island Winter” is on ITunes. The video is in our player below. At Saturday night’s show, Garland kicked ass with some of his great hits like “Wild in the Streets” and “96 Tears,” fan favorites like “New York Skyline” and “I May Not Be Your Kind.” But it’s the new songs I’m interested in: Jeffreys has always been the king of in-between–not just black and white, but rock and soul. For 35 years he’s been a radio enigma. (You know radio hates the gray areas.) But outside of Paul Simon’s current album, there is nothing this smart, fun, or catchy for people who really love rock and roll music. www.garlandjeffreys.com

 

Donald Trump Makes New Enemies: Stutterers

Roger Friedman
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Donald Trump is already at war with Barack Obama, Jerry Seinfeld, and Robert DeNiro. Now he’s taken on a whole group of people: stutterers. On Sunday’s “Fox and Friends,” Trump said he didn’t like Seth Meyers’ roast of him at the White House Correspondents dinner. He said: “I didn’t know that I’d be virtually the sole focus. I guess when you’re leading in the polls that sort of thing tends to happen. You raise to a certain level in the polls and boy does the world come after you. But I was certainly in a certain way having a good time listening. I don’t think the American people are having a good time with $5 gas … I was thinking to myself as they were doing this, ‘You know, the American people are really suffering and we’re all having fun at a gala.'”

He added: “I thought Seth Meyers — his delivery frankly was not good. He’s a stutterer.” (This is via New York Magazine’s transcription.) Hmmm…Here’s the video of Meyers. At 12:00 he spends about three of his 20 minutes on Trump.

There is no stuttering as far as I can tell: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7YGITlxfT6s Trump used to have great timing. But attacking stuttering? Did he not see “The King’s Speech,” winner of Best Picture? This whole year has been about tolerance of stuttering. He’s just got to stop now. Trump’s lack of sense of humor and thin skin are going to be his undoing. And his own brand is now being harmed. Donald, it’s enough, come home.

Donald Trump Gave Himself Tax Break for Helping Contest Winner

Roger Friedman
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Donald Trump Gave Himself Tax Break for Helping Contest Winner

Donald Trump does say he’s worth more than $2.7 billion. On the most recent form 990 filing for his Donald Trump Foundation, the potential presidential candidate listed a $5,000 donation to a woman named Abby Feller among his over $900,000 worth of grants to institutions–not individuals. Her listing is nestled between “A Better Chance” and “Alzheimers Foundation.”

Noteworthy: Donald Trump didn’t donate any of his own money to the Donald Trump Foundation in 2009. One million dollars–$1,000,000–came from the World Wrestling Foundation. Another $50,000 was from the Charles Evans Foundation. And $4,000 came from something called Stark Carpet. This means that the $926,000 Trump gave away to Feller, as well as a bunch of big institutions, all of it came from other people. Not a penny of it was his.The only time he’s put money in the foundation was in 2008–and that was a mere $30,000.

Who is Abby Feller? She’s the 30 year old daughter of a prominent Philadelphia attorney, lives in New York, has a spray tanning business, and is engaged to a commercial real estate broker. In 2009 she  won a contest called “Donald Trump Will Pay Your Bills” on the syndicated program, “Extra.” When I asked Trump’s rep, Rhona Graff, why Feller’s prize money came from the Trump Foundation–which is for charitable, not marketing purposes–she replied by sending me legal wording about who can receive money from 501 c 3 organizations.

“… A grant to an individual for purposes other than those described in section 4945(d)(3) is not a taxable expenditure within the meaning of section 4945(d)(3). For example, if a foundation makes grants to indigent individuals to enable them to purchase furniture, such grants are not taxable expenditures within the meaning of section 4945(d)(3) even if the requirements of section 4945(g) are not met”

By Graff’s and Trump’s reasoning, the Foundation can send tax free money to individuals who are “indigent” for things like furniture. Feller tells me when she won the content with Trump she’d just moved to New York and had lost her job as a marketing director at BriteSmile. Was she “indigent”? Or just, technically, broke? Answer: broke. “Before the contest, I couldn’t afford to even get headshots,” she said. She’s also good at playing the “Extra” contests. Just a few months earlier, Feller had also won a $3,000 handbag on “Extra.”

One top notch accountant I spoke with, who handles lots of celebrity clients, laughed when I told him this story. “That’s marketing, not a donation. I wonder why he just didn’t write his own check and deduct it from his personal taxes?”

 

President Obama Socks it To Donald Trump in Hilarious Speech (Video)

Roger Friedman
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n9mzJhvC-8E&feature=player_embedded

Barack Obama socked it to Donald Trump Saturday night at the White House Correspondents Dinner. If you haven’t seen it, click on the link above. Whoever wrote this speech for Obama deserves an award. But his delivery and timing is excellent, too. Obama really goes after Trump very nicely, lampooning his position on “The Celebrity Apprentice.” making fun of “birthers,” and getting a lot of laughs from a very jaded crowd. Good for him! No one knows what Trump thought he’d achieve the last few weeks, but it certainly wasn’t this. He’s a smart guy, but he’s gone a long way down the wrong road. And I love Obama’s rebuke of Matt Damon– very funny.

On Trump: also poked fun at him over faked moon landings and the whereabouts of dead rappers Biggie and Tupac. Obama also showed a rebranded Trump White House as a hotel-spa.

Meantime, Vanity Fair and Bloomberg’s annual after party drew a lot of stars including Bradley Cooper, Scarlett Johannson, Kerry Washington, Salma Hayek, and director Joel Coen.

James Gandolfini On the Louds and “American Family” Director Craig Gilbert

Roger Friedman
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Do you remember the Loud family? They were the subjects of PBS’s wildly popular documentary series, “An American Family,” in 1973.The series followed the family’s total breakup and crack up. Think “The Real World” before anyone thought of it. The filmmakers were just flies on the wall, sort of. The parents, Bill and Pat, wound up getting a divorce. Lance Loud, the eldest son, was the first gay person anyone had ever seen on TV.  (He died of AIDS in 2001.)

Twelve hours were edited down from three hundred. Now HBO is airing “Cinema Verite,” a film about the series and the Louds and what happened to them. It’s a great film and makes for interesting closure. For example, Bill and Pat reunited after their divorce. Documentarian Craig Gilbert, who is credited with inventing the reality TV genre with this show, was so traumatized by the experience that he never worked again.

Our Leah Sydney went to the L.A. premiere recently, and got a bead on everyone. She talked to co-directors Robert Pulcini and Sheri Springer Berman (“American Splendor”): “This show when it aired , although it got 10 million viewers, was a scandal-and Craig had enough-he never worked again. He was a wealthy man before it but he was so upset about it all that he got out of the business.  It was a very difficult movie.  It was like Rashomon.  Everyone had a different perspective on what went down.   They were really burned by exposure.  Tonight was the first time I met them, and they were pleased with the way the way they were portrayed. I’ve never had an experience like this.  They’ve been living in my mind for years.”

James Gandolfini plays Craig Gilbert, the man who was behind the cameras for “An American Family.” He told Leah: “I’ve gone to lunch with him a few times in NYC. He’s a wonderful man, smart, honest incredibly intelligent.  Old fashioned way about  him, graduated from Harvard.  He was an  ambulance driver in World War 2- he’s old school.  I enjoy him immensely I love the guy. This experience really hurt him.  I think he was so astounded that the Loud family got so   destroyed and he got so destroyed by people.     They went after the Loud family so viciously.  All they were really were regular people and their family was not that much different than anybody elses.  He was just trying to document it and they went after both of them so viciously that he said the hell with this.”

Gandolfini says Gilbert didn’t realize what impact he would have on the Louds, the film world, or culture in general.  “He tried to do something that nobody else had ever done.  It ended up this exceptional thing.  Then they threw out all the rest of the footage, hours and hours they threw it all out-and he was incredibly  hurt by all of it.
I’m really pleased that they all seem to be ok with all of it. He’s more fascinating in person. He’s a bit of a freak-but a great guy.  He tells me what an asshole I am every time he sees me.  You’re an asshole Jim, you’re an idiot.    I say you’re absolutely right and I laugh-he’s a charming man. “

http://tinyurl.com/64xp6vz

Mariah Carey, Nick Cannon Have Babies, Get Lost at the Hospital

Roger Friedman
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Mariah Carey, Nick Cannon Have Babies, Get Lost at the Hospital

Congrats to Mariah Carey and Nick Cannon. Not only did they have their twins today at 9:07am pacific, they also got lost inside the hospital after arriving in their Rolls Royce Phantom. And it’s their wedding anniversary. As their rep Cindi Berger told me: “It was like something out of I Love Lucy.” No names yet, but they’re bound to be interesting. This has been a long haul for Mariah, who’s 41, and has been married to Nick for two years. You’ll recall her great career launch in 1989, followed by an unhappy marriage to her mentor, Tommy Mottola. When she tried to break free of Mottola and get into hip hop, critics and fans went crazy. Then she got in acting, and made “Glitter,” unintentionally hilarious. It looked like curtains for Mariah, but she came back strong first with the album “Charmbracelet” and then “The Emancipation of Mimi.” The latter was such an outsize enormous hit that it brought her back twice has big as before. And now the happy ending: twins. Plus she’ll have a new album before the end of year. After that. Carey will likely join L.A. Reid and return to Sony Music. Whew!

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