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From March 16th: Katie Couric, 60 Minutes, and Syndication

Roger Friedman
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From March 16th: Katie Couric, 60 Minutes, and Syndication

I wrote this on March 16th, 2011:

What’s happening with Katie Couric and the CBS Evening News? Couric’s contract ends on June 4th, and everyone’s speculating about what will occur: she’ll stay, she’ll go, she’s going to become the next Oprah. Well, it turns out that possibly all of that is true.

Right now, Couric is awaiting offers from everyone: CBS, ABC, and even NBC, her old stomping grounds. Syndication companies want her for her own afternoon talk show, as well. So what’s the answer? I’m told that Katie is probably not going to be doing the news next September, whatever happens. I always said the Evening News was too confining for her. Couric’s forte is interviews, which is why her program shines now when she has almost anyone sitting next to her.

The feeling is that CBS will offer Couric a great package: leave the news, stay with “60 Minutes,” be available for 2012 election coverage, and get a rich syndication deal for that afternoon talk show. Since Les Moonves very wrongly sacked both “As the World Turns” and “Guiding Light,” the network has a lot of real estate in the afternoon. “The Talk” is horrendous, but Moonves could build on it by adding Katie to the lineup in major markets. In syndication, Couric wouldn’t be confined to CBS either. She’d be on the best deal channel in every location. And in the year leading up to her September 2012 talk show launch she could be scoring big political interviews.

But there’s a catch: CBS has to find someone to replace Couric on the Evening News. While Harry Smith is always my first choice, it’s doubtful that CBS will go there again. Scott Pelley? A tad boring. Indeed, we’d all be hard pressed to find someone home grown at CBS News who could take over for Couric. The solution may be to extend her contract for one or two years so that Moonves, et al. can find someone to take over the reins.

Woody Allen, Coen Brothers, Elaine May Plan Show Together

Roger Friedman
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Woody Allen, Coen Brothers, Elaine May Plan Show Together

Exclusive: The last time Woody Allen and Elaine May combined forces was about fifteen years ago. They put their one act plays together with another by David Mamet. “Death Defying Acts” ran at the now defunct Variety Arts Theater on Third Avenue and 14th St.

Now I’m told that Woody, Elaine, and this time the Coen Brothers will mount a triple play next fall. Details are sketchy, but I’m told Marlo Thomas will star in the Elaine May play. Even Woody’s publicist doesn’t know the name of his play, and the Coen Brothers — maybe Ethan writing and Joel directing–are like Sphinxes when it comes to information.

Elaine May’s long time producer Julian Schlossberg didn’t return calls, but the word is that he’s putting it all together. Michael Blakemore, who directed all three in 1995, may return before prepping “Rebecca” next winter. More info as it comes. But it’s something to look forward to in September.

Daniel Radcliffe “Succeeds” In His Broadway Musical Debut

Roger Friedman
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Daniel Radcliffe “Succeeds” In His Broadway Musical Debut

I do think the New York Times’s Ben Brantley has lost his mind. He loved (to an embarrassment) the rather underwhelming “Book of Mormon.” He didn’t like last night’s revival of “How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying.” He called the former sweet and kicked the latter in the shins. Of course the former carries a theme song called “F–k God,” has not one song you will remember when the show is done, and features one unmoving set. Sweet? That’s “How to Succeed,” which was like a breath of fresh air last night: great songs, great dancing, real laughs, and a terrific cast.

Daniel Radcliffe — in his musical debut after appearing in the drama, “Equus”–is the surprise of the night. He’s no chorus boy, Ben. He’s right on the money, singing and dancing with gusto. He has a perfectly fine voice, and his dancing is more than competent. He’s also keeping up with Frank Loesser’s songs, standards like “I Believe in You,” “Rosemary,” and “Brotherhood of Man.” I could not be more impressed. Radcliffe has an excellent supporting cast, too: John Laroquette, newcomer Rose Hemingway (who this column first announced a year ago would be in this show), Rob Bartlett, Michael Park, Ellen Harvey, and Tammy Blanchard–on her way to a Tony nomination as Hedy LaRue.

In the audience was Michele Lee, who played Rosemary, the female lead, on Broadway in the original run and in the movie; Marlo Thomas and Phil Donahue, Bernadette Peters, Garry Marshall, Liza Minnelli, David Hyde Pierce, John Stamos, Angelica Huston, Adam Duritz of Counting Crows, Clifton Collins Jr. (“The Event,” “Capote”), Neil Simon and wife Elaine Joyce, NBC chief Bob Greenblatt, former CBS exec Fred Rappoport, and producer Candy Spelling, who told me she’s been at dozens of rehearsals and previews since signing on to the project in 2009.

Folks, ignore Ben Brantley. He doesn’t know what he’s talking about. “How to Succeed” is effervescent, ebullient, and highly enjoyable. Run to the Al Hirschfeld Theater and see “How to Succeed” as soon as you can.

PS Swellegant after party at the Plaza Hotel. Classy.

Madonna’s Kabbalah Sued for $20 Million by Wealthy Alleged Victim

Roger Friedman
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Madonna’s Kabbalah Sued for $20 Million by Wealthy Alleged Victim

Exclusive: Courtenay Geddes, a wealthy heiress from Pasadena, California, has sued the Kabbalah Centre of Los Angeles and all of its entities alleging a major swindle. Geddes’s suit — for $20 million– was filed in Los Angeles Superior Court in February 2011. The news of the lawsuit comes on top of headlines concerning Kabbalah’s Raising Malawi charity reneging on a promise to build a girls academy in Malawi with pop star Madonna. As I reported exclusively yesterday, the Kabbalah Centre and Madonna have now hired a top spin doctor, Mark Fabiani, to protect the image of the singer and the organization.

Geddes didn’t name Madonna as a defendant in her suit, but she named everyone else from the Berg family to John Larkin of Larkin Business Management. Larkin is the accountant for Kabbalah. (His firm was sued in 2009 by the Black Eyed Peas for failing to file a decade’s worth of tax returns.)

In her suit, Geddes claims that in 2007, two years after she joined the Los Angeles chapter of Kabbalah, she proposed several ideas to the Bergs and to Larkin about educational projects for their subsidiary, Spirituality for Kids–now known as Success for Kids.

Geddes, whose grandfather was a German American billionaire whose considerable trust she inherited, says the Bergs and Larkin loved her ideas. She wound up investing around $500,00 in the effort. At the same time, she also became involved, she says, through other Kabbalah Center members, Donald and Orly May. She invested $800,000 with them in a real estate scheme. She’s now also suing them as well, separately. Geddes is suing the Centre, the Bergs, Larkin, and other defendants for $700,000 that she laid out, plus damages.

In her lawsuit, Geddes alleges the following: “Geddes, while looking for spiritual enlightenment and personal growth and improvement, was manipulated by Kabbalah Center and the other defendants who advantage of her sincere, trusting nature to deprive her of her monies…Kabbalah Centre has a historical pattern and practice of defrauding people by soliciting monies for various projects that never come to fruition. Geddes is but one of numerous people who have been taken advantage of the by Defendants by leveraging their position in the community as spiritual guides.”

Geddes complaint continues: “A confidential relationship existed between Geddes and Defendants due to the nature of her involvement with the Defendants–namely that was she was an active member of Kabbalah Center and attended classes and one-on-one teachings with the Defendants to increase her spiritual growth–and said nature of these relationships resulted in Geddes’ trust and confidence being reposed in the integrity and fidelity of the Defendants. Geddes shared confidential information about her financial assets with Defendant Larkin as he had presented himself to her as not only a friend, but as a financial advistor to Defendant Philip Berg and numerous other celebrity members of the Kabbalah Centre.”

Geddes’ allegation that money is raised for non existent projects is a stark parallel to the Madonna story. Millions of dollars were invested in Raising Malawi for the purpose of building Madonna’s school in Malawi as well. The school, like Geddes’ project, has never materialized.

PS Madonna and other Kabbalah celebrities like Demi Moore and Ashton Kutcher are not Jewish, and have never converted to Judaism. The Kabbalah Center and SFK (Success for Kids) are businesses and have nothing to do with mainstream Judaism.

More to come…

Exclusive: Madonna Puts NYC Apartment Up for Sale: $22 Mil

Roger Friedman
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Exclusive: Madonna Puts NYC Apartment Up for Sale: $22 Mil

Exclusive: Madonna may be in hot water over her charity for Malawi, but life goes on: I am told that in anticipation of her move to the East Side of New York, she’s selling her duplex apartment in a building called Haperley Hall at Central Park West and 64th St. The apartment–spread over 5500 square feet on two floors– has five bedrooms, two wood burning fireplaces. The monthly maintenance is said to be a whopping $11,000 a month. But with clear views of Central Park West, it may turn out to be well priced.

Madonna, meawhile, is packing up and getting ready for her move to a double wide townhouse with 26 rooms on East 81st St. She paid a reported $40 million for the house, which has 13 bedrooms and 14 bathrooms– important if you’re adopting more kids, and having young live in boyfriends. All this business of millions of dollars being spent on lavish homes does raise a question re the non built school in Malawi that Madonna promised that poor country. She seems to have abandoned the project over a misappropriated $3 or $4 million. The amount is a fraction of what she’s spending on just her New York residence. Charity does begin at home!

PS The move across town kind of screws things for Madonna’s Africa documentary, “I Am Because We Are” (aka “We Are Because I Am”). In the film she said the people of Africa were really nice, and nothing like them like could be found on Central Park West, in London’s Park Lane, or on Rodeo Drive–her points of reference. Maybe on the Upper East Side, among more private mansions, she can find that missing spirit. Good luck, Madonna!

Aretha Franklin Does Her 69th Birthday With Stars, Style, and Soul

Roger Friedman
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Aretha Franklin Does Her 69th Birthday With Stars, Style, and Soul

Friday night: Miss Aretha Franklin, Queen of Soul, dined with pals at the four star La Grenouille, took in a performance of “Driving Miss Daisy” with James Earl Jones, then took over the Park Room at the Helmsley Park Lane Hotel on Central Park South for an elegant, soul filled 69th birthday. Her guests included not only me (I was lucky enough to be invited) but also Clive Davis, Smokey Robinson, Bette Midler, Tony Bennett (who brought a portrait he painted of Ms. F), Roberta Flack, Al Roker and Deborah Roberts, Star Jones, plus Cissy Houston, Gayle King, Wendy Williams, Vaneese Thomas, Fonzie Thornton, Gwendolyn Quinn, Terry Stewart (of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Museum), and a couple dozen friends she’d brought from Detroit.

Our pal, ABKCO Records’ Tracey Jordan, did a fine job lining up the night which featured performances by Tito Puente Jr. and band, jazz singer Nnenna Freelon, and Motown great Dennis Edwards, who coaxed Aretha up to the foot of the stage to sing a little of “The Way We Were.” Franklin looks sensational, in a flowing white caftan, her hair cropped chic-short. She has lost a good amount of weight, looks rested and ready to hit the road again.

In fact, I’ve heard she’s coming back to New York on May 3rd to celebrate the release of her new album, “A Woman Falling Out of Love,” which Wal Mart will carry exclusively. When a cake was brought out, Aretha strutted over to cut it, and then shimmied as the deejay played “Respect” over the sound system. What a way to start your 70th year. All hail Aretha Franklin!

Madonna: Kabbalah Center Hires “Masters of Disaster” PR Firm to Protect Image

Roger Friedman
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Madonna: Kabbalah Center Hires “Masters of Disaster” PR Firm to Protect Image

Madonna–or rather the Kabbalah Center of Los Angeles–has hired a killer pr firm to help protect her image now that the truth about Raising Malawi has come out. Chris Lehane, of Fabiani and Lehane, confirmed to me that the Kabbalah Center hired him and his parter Mark Fabiani. Sources tell me that Madonna has actually hired the firm, using the Kabbalah Center as a “front.”

The pr pair has a nickname in the pr world– “Masters of Disaster.” Their clients have included Goldman Sachs, Lance Armstrong (for his doping accusations), Bill Clinton and Al Gore. Fabiani is the clean up guy, who makes it all go away. And right now, Madonna and Kabbalah are in hot water.

Despite attempts today in the New York Times to throw former Raising Malawi chief Phillippe van den Boscche under the bus for financial scandals in the charity. Madonna still has a lot of explaining to do. As I wrote last summer, it was van den Bossche who was questioning where all of Raising Malawi’s money was going.

van den Boscche left Raising Malawi, and returned, and I wrote about it. Consequently, on September 15th, 2010 a law firm representing the Kabbalah Center claimed in a letter to this reporter that van den Bossche still worked for SFK and Raising Malawi and that there had been no issues over money. Really? The Times today says van den Bossche “left in October amid criticism of his management style and cost overruns for the school.” So what’s really going on? The Times also says that van den Bossche is the boyfriend of Madonna’s trainer, Tracy Anderson. But sources tell me the couple has broken up for some time. “They did everything they could to isolate Phillippe,” says a source. “Tracy went back to Madonna.” More to come…

“Spider Man” on Broadway: Gutting Julie Taymor’s Show

Roger Friedman
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“Spider Man” on Broadway: Gutting Julie Taymor’s Show

The producers of “Spider Man: Turn off the Dark” are busy gutting the show they had, and trying to erase creator Julie Taymor‘s work. Good luck with that. Last night they announced that they’ve cut the “Geek chorus”–four young people who frame the show as they create their own “Spider Man” comic book story. Honestly, most audiences found them annoying, but the actors themselves did the best with what they had. This news follows the announcement that Chase Brock, an experimental choreographer with no Broadway experience, is replacing Daniel Ezralow. This was unnecessary, but Ezralow is from Taymor’s team, so he’s out. Too bad: his work was very good. There was nothing wrong with it. Next to go, or to be minimized, will be Arachne, the Spider Woman. Her portrayer. T.V. Carpio, was injured and is currently out of the show. When she returns, she will find her character mostly dethroned, I guess. Box office for the last couple of weeks of this “Spider Man” will be huge as people come to see the “Director’s Cut” version. It’s hard to imagine what will remain of the show when it reappears on May 11th after a three week shut down to implement these changes. It’s a hard deal for those four actors in the Geek Chorus–they have to chin up and do their best knowing they’re not coming back.

Madonna’s Rotten Charity: We Told You About This Last Year, and the Year Before

Roger Friedman
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Madonna’s Rotten Charity: We Told You About This Last Year, and the Year Before

The New York Times now reports that Madonna‘s Kabbalah-front charity, Raising Malawi, is a financial mess. That’s nice. I’ve written about this so many times my wrists are sprained. Last August twice, and several times before that in Showbiz411 and in my old column. Let’s review: http://www.showbiz411.com/2010/08/04/madonna-did-her-religion-send-former-honcho-a-warning — and here: http://www.showbiz411.com/2010/07/26/madonnas-religion-has-warning-for-whistleblowers — and here: http://www.showbiz411.com/2010/04/30/is-madonnas-new-spiritual-leader-named-muki

The facts are that Madonna and Raising Malawi have been involved in questionable activities for the last few years. Let’s not forget that in February 2008, Madonna corralled a bunch of famous people to donate $3.7 million at a specious charity fundraiser including UNICEF. She convinced Gucci to start its own foundation to accept the money because Raising Malawi still did not have approval as a registered charity. She didn’t just attend the event, as the Times says: it was hers from top to bottom. Read about it here, written by yours truly: http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,321228,00.html

In today’s New York Times story, reporter Adam Nagourney–a good reporter, but a little late to this game–may have been somewhat conned. He says the Kabbalah Center provided him with a report about mismanagement at Raising Malawi. The report conveniently blames– or scapegoats–Phillippe van den Bosche. Madonna and Michael Berg, son of Kabbalah Centre owners Philip and Karen Berg–escape notice. Yet, Raising Malawi was totally Michael Berg’s project.

According to the most recent tax filing for Madonna’s own Ray of Light Foundation, she donated $2.25 million to Raising Malawi in 2009, and another $200,000 to Spirituality for Kids, a Kabbalah Center subsidiary.

Right now, the most recent federal tax filing for Raising Malawi–year 2009– shows a charity in the red with only $505,000 in fund balances. It also shows almost $3 million in wire transfers for a school that was never built, and for unspecified “RM Trust.” Where this money went, who sent it, and who got it, are issues that are unresolved.

This past winter, a cry went out from Malawi because Madonna had forced local people off their land in order to build her Oprah-like leadership academy for girls. Now the school plan is dead. The people have been moved for no reason. It’s a disaster of the greatest magnitude: American celebrity goes to poor African country, scoops up two children, and leaves the place a mess.

Madonna and Raising Malawi have still not conceded defeat. On the group’s website, the most recent statement comes from January 2011: “Madonna, whose Raising Malawi charity has made substantial inroads helping over a million children orphaned from the AIDS epidemic in that African nation, is stepping up the pace considerably on all fronts — especially in regard to her plans for building the Raising Malawi Academy for Girls.”

More to come…

“Book of Mormon” Missing Playbill Page: The Song List

Roger Friedman
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“Book of Mormon” Missing Playbill Page: The Song List

For some reason, the Playbill for “The Book of Mormon” doesn’t have a song list. Who knows why? An usher told us during intermission on Wednesday night that the reason was “the songs are dirty.” Yeah, well, not so dirty, and their titles don’t give anything away. So here’s the missing page for opening night revelers. “Hasa Diga, Eebowai” translates into “F– You, God.”

ACT ONE:

Prologue: The Hill Cumorah

Scene 1: Missionary Training Center

“Hello”……………………………………………………                Elder Price, Elder Cunningham & Mormon Boys

“Two By Two”……………………………………………                Elder Price, Elder Cunningham & Mormon Boys

Scene 2: Salt Lake City Airport

“You And Me (But Mostly Me)”………………..                Elder Price & Elder Cunningham

Scene 3: A small village in Northern Uganda

“Hasa Diga Eebowai”               …………………..                 Mafala, Elder Price, Elder Cunningham & Ugandans

Scene 4: Mormon Missionaries Apartment

“Turn It Off”…………………….…………………….                  Elder McKinley & Missionaries

Scene 5: The village

“All American Prophet”…………………………..                Elder Price, Elder Cunningham, Joseph Smith, Moroni, & Company

Scene 6: Nabulungi’s House

“Sal Tlay Ka Siti”…………………………………………..                 Nabulungi

Scene 7: Mormon Missionaries Apartment

Scene 8: The Village

“Man Up”………………………………………………                 Elder Cunningham, Nabulungi, Elder Price & Company

ACT TWO:

Entr’acte………………………….………………………………                  Orchestra

Prologue: The Hill Cumorah

Scene 1: The Village

“Making Things Up Again”………………….……….         Elder Cunningham, Cunningham’s Dad, Joseph Smith, Mormon, Moroni & Ugandans

Scene 2: The Dream

“Spooky Mormon Hell Dream”…………………….          Elder Price & Company

Scene 3: Bus Stop/General’s Camp

“I Believe”……………………………….…………………          Elder Price

Scene 4: The Village

“Baptize Me”…………….……………………………….            Elder Cunningham, Nabulungi

Scene 5: A River

“I Am Africa” ……………….…………………………..             Elder McKinley, Missionaries, & Ugandans

Scene 6: Coffee Shop

Scene 7: The Mission

“Joseph Smith American Moses”………………….         Nabulungi & Ugandans

Scene 8: The Village

“Tomorrow Is A Latter Day”…………………………        Elder Price, Elder McKinley, Elder Cunningham, Nabulungi & Company

“Hello” (Reprise)…………………………………………        Company

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