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Motion Picture Fund Agrees: Long Term Care Facility to Stay Open

Roger Friedman
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Good news! The long running very contentious fight between the Motion Picture and TV Fund, and the patients who live in their long term care facility, is over. The MPTV Fund has caved in and found an outside operator which will run the hospital after two years of a public bruising war. In the time since this started, the number of patients has been reduced from about 100 to 37. But patients and family members stood their ground, since their contract promised them lifelong care.

The families started a website–www.savingthelivesofourown.org, and protested quite publicly. One person who must be very relieved that a compromise has been reached is Jeffrey Katzenberg. The Dreamworks Animation chief hosts the twice yearly celebrity benefits for the Fund–the next one is Saturday night at the Beverly Hills Hotel. For the last two years protesters have waved placards as A list movie stars arrived to mix, mingle, and get expensive gift bags. Katzenberg, who’s very philanthropic, was suddenly in the middle of this embarrassing situation.

So congrats to the families and patients and the people who hung in there! Let this be a lesson to greedy nursing homes and assisted living residences everywhere. Long term medical care is going to be a growing issue as people live longer.

Leon Russell, Garth Brooks Make Songwriters Hall of Fame

Roger Friedman
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Leon Russell, Garth Brooks, “Lady Marmalade” writer Allen Toussaint, John Bettis, and Tom Kelly and Billy Steinberg will be inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame. Russell was an enthusiastic choice of the Songwriters group, as opposed to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, where Elton John made sure Leon got in, if even as a side man. Russell and Elton John released a great album last year called “The Union.”

The other inductees are all terrific–and in full disclosure, this reporter is on the nominating committee. Kelly and Steinberg wrote “True Colors,” “Like a Virgin,” and dozens of hits including two of the Pretenders’ best: “I’ll Stand by You” and “Night in My Veins.” John Bettis’s credits include two of the Carpenters’ best: “Goodbye to Love” and “Yesterday Once More,” plus “Human Nature” for Michael Jackson.

Linda Moran has transformed the Songwriters Hall of Fame into a mega deal, and legendary songwriter Jimmy Webb is now the chairman, succeeding lyricist Hal David, who’s 90 years old going strong, and hasn’t left the building. Phil Ramone produces the show, a hot hot ticket, on June 16th at the Marriott Marquis. More announcements about the show are coming, including who’s performing (always an A list).

My guess–and I have no inside info yet–is that we could see Labelle, Cyndi Lauper, Elton John, and Trisha Yearwood on the stage. If Madonna were really cool, she’d come and sing “Like a Virgin” for the guys who put her on the map.

Kevin Costner Making a Comeback? Why Not?

Roger Friedman
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Suddenly, everyone wants Kevin Costner again. (Except of course Stephen Baldwin, who’s suing him. But that’s another story.) I’m told that Costner is being offered a role in a new film called “The Words,” in which he would play — possibly– the father of Bradley Cooper. Jeremy Irons also co-stars. It’s a very good role, and might be a kind of literary “Field of Dreams.” There are also rumors circulating that Costner is wanted for the next “Superman” movie, maybe to play Clark Kent’s dad. And Costner meanwhile tours with his country rock band; they’re playing at some industry events.

All of this is a good turnaround for an actor who once ruled the world with “Dances with Wolves,” “Bull Durham,” and about a half dozen hits in the 1980s early 90s. But then career disaster struck. Lots of flops followed “Wolves,” its Oscars, and financial windfall. From “Wyatt Earp” to “The War” to the two infamous grand calamities–“Waterworld” and “The Postman.” Hubris did him in.

More recently Costher has been in the news with a device he says can separate oil from sea water. He was going to save the Gulf of Mexicon from BP. But things went awry and now one investor, Stephen Baldwin, the grinning brother of Alec, is suing him. Someone’s going to need a machine to separate fact from fiction.

But Costner the actor was always a cool guy. Even his later releases (he’s only 55, this makes him seem ancient), he’s done okay. He was very good in “The Company Men.” And this fall he says he’s going to shoot a movie with his old pal Kevin Reynolds, who he replaced on “Waterworld” so he could utter this wonderful line to Jeanne Tripplehorn as they descended below the sea, Costner’s gills flapping: “I’ll breathe for you.”

Larry King: “CNN Is Making Me Go On With Piers Morgan”

Roger Friedman
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Larry King tells me that CNN is making him go on tonight with his successor Piers Morgan. I ran into Larry on Monday having a holiday lunch with the radio legend Norm Pattiz, chairman emeritus of Westwood One Radio, at the famed Grill on the Alley in Beverly Hills. They are cooking up something big for Larry, which is great: there was nothing better than listening to the King on radio in the old days, interviewing and giving opinions. If he came back, he’d be bigger than ever.

But forcing Larry to appear with his replacement? Apparently, he’s still under contract with CNN and pretty much can’t turn down what they ask him to do. So he will appear tonight for one half hour, thirty minutes, and deal with Piers Morgan. Why? Because Larry made a comment recently that “Piers Morgan was oversold.” Now he’s going to go back to his old studio and explain himself. The explanation? That CNN over hyped someone the American public knew little about. That Morgan should have been allowed to attract an audience on his merits, not by dint of constant pr and ads.

Larry has nothing against Piers Morgan. But I do think Morgan, who is obviously very talented, comes across on CNN a little like FM radio. Where Larry barked, Piers soothes. I watched his recent interview with Janet Jackson, but it was difficult: Janet speaks in a whisper, like Jackie Kennedy or Marilyn Monroe. Piers’s voice is like Celestial Seasonings. I went through two cappuccinos during the hour. If only someone from Altoona had called in!

Helen Mirren Thinks Maria Bello Will Be “Great” in “Prime Suspect”

Roger Friedman
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The magnificent Helen Mirren — an Oscar presenter this Sunday– tells me she’s thrilled that American producers have chosen Maria Bello to play Jane Tennison in the new version of “Prime Suspect” headed for NBC as a new series. Helen and her famed director husband Taylor Hackford were first among the guests last night at a Vanity Fair party for “The Fighter”–an event that included Oscar nominee Amy Adams as well as Gerard Butler, Nia Vardalos, Ryan Kwanten of “True Blood,” hot as a pistol Welsh actor Luke Evans, plus director Marc Forster (“Finding Neverland,” “Monster’s Ball”), “Rabbit Hole” co-producer Celine Rattray. But no sign of the rest of “The Fighter” crowd–they are all dispersed to many locales working on movies until Saturday when they fly in for the Oscars.

But back to Helen, Oscar winner for “The Queen,” who at one point was seen carrying a tray of nibbles she’d rounded up at the District club. She brought the tray to Hackford, careful not to drop them as she maneuvered her way through the crowd. So what about Maria? “I think she’s great,” said Mirren. “The right choice. Now they have to be careful  to get the right cinematographer, to get the proper mood and look. And of course a wonderful screenwriter. The original Prime Suspects were four hour miniseries,” Mirren observed. “I’m not sure how they’ll capture that in an hour for a series.”

And what of Taylor Hackford? More on this later, but I can tell you he’s developing a miniseries about Ahmet Ertegun and the history of Atlantic Records–a scripted drama, not a documentary. Hackford loves the history of pop music, having directed “Ray” and “Hail Hail Rock and Roll.” This is going to be just great–with actors playing all the Atlantic execs and stars like Aretha Franklin, Sam and Dave, Ruth Brown, Wilson Pickett, etc. And who will play Ray Charles? Hey, why not a cameo from Jamie Foxx, whom Hackford directed to an Oscar in “Ray”?

PS If you’re a Mirren fan, do rent “Red,” now out on DVD. It’s quite the rollercoaster ride, and Helen is a treat as a comic hit woman. Bravo!

James Franco: Oscar Co-Host Curates Gus van Sant Art Show in Beverly Hills

Roger Friedman
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There’s a gigantic billboard that’s gone up on Sunset Boulevard towering over the Chateau Marmont. It’s for a James Franco art exhibit that opens officially on Saturday at the Gagosian Gallery in Beverly Hills. Yes, the same James Franco who’s co-hosting the Academy Awards on Sunday and is taking classes at Yale and the Rhode Island School of Design. And who’s nominated for an Oscar for “127  Hours.”

Franco’s art exhibit is called “Unfinished” and is a collaboration with his “Milk” director, Gus van Sant. (“Milk” producer Bruce Cohen, who’s co-producing the Oscars, convinced Franco to do the show also.) There’s no description of the show yet, and the whole thing is a mystery beyond the sole photograph of the back of actor River Phoenix’s head, wearing sunglasses, taken by van Sant during the making of “My Own Private Idaho.”

All of the “unfinished” is actually paintings by van Sant and still photography from “Idaho,” a movie that Franco is obsessed with. He told me this afternoon, on a break from classes, that he and van Sant went back and watched all the dailies from “Idaho.” Gucci put up the money, van Sant got a deal, and now all the unused material from “Idaho” is digitized and assembled. van Sant even gave Franco a copy.

The show will be unveiled on Thursday night at the Gagosian Gallery, followed by a usual suspects dinner at Mr. Chow’s. On Friday night, there’s some more unveiling of some kind, followed by a sneak party at Franco’s new watering hole, The Writer’s Room, which apparently is right now under construction in Hollywood.

Rolling Stone Cover Contest Includes “Unknown” Band of Famous Names

Roger Friedman
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I was kind of shocked the bite sized nature of Rolling Stone. The magazine has turned into a loss leader for the website. But the funniest thing in there is this contest for readers to pick an unknown group for the cover. One of the groups, The Americans,  is so “unknown” that it’s produced by Sean Lennon and Mark Ronson. Do we really think they’re not going to win the contest? Remember Rolling Stone is owned by Jann Wenner, who’s so far up Yoko Ono’s Flux he can’t see straight. I feel bad for the other acts.

The Americans are fronted by Charlie Klarsfeld, 21. who’s described as the son of fashion photographer Pamela Hanson. That’s an understatement. He’s also the son of Georges Klarsfeld, the late head of L’Oreal in Paris who mysteriously committed suicide in 1996. Georges Klarsfeld’s uncle and and aunt are the famous Nazi Hunters, Serge and Beate Klarsfeld– still very much alive.  (Google them if you’ve never heard their amazing life stories–made into a TV movie years ago.) The elder Klarsfelds accused L’Oreal owner Andre Bettencourt of Nazi ties the year before their nephew –the rising star of the company — killed himself.

Will the music of The Americans reflect this incredible history? Sadly now. Songs like “Requiem” and “Antidote”–slickly produced by Ronson–and featuring Sean Lennon–are upbeat pop, Beatle-esque, and happily derivative of 60s pop. You know with the biographies of these guys there could be so much more — if they’d just get out of their own way.

Justin Bieber: 1969 Moon Trip Was “A Conspiracy” — One Small Step for Idiocy

Roger Friedman
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There’s more from the Rolling Stone interview with Justin Bieber, now on the stands. In the alarming thin magazine, the superstar teen role model tells writer  Vanessa Grigoriadis that he thinks the 1969 Apollo trip to the moon was “a conspiracy” because he saw something about it on the internet. Frankly, the whole interview is just one more small step for idiocy as we see how this kid was invented from nothing. He should really rent the NASA conspiracy movie “Capricorn One” with OJ Simpson and James Brolin.

He’s an illiterate backwoods kid from Canada whose two year trip into the “real world” has done nothing for him: instead of allowing it to open his mind, little Bieber has buried his nose in video games. He doesn’t read newspapers, knows nothing of current events, and doesn’t care. He’s the product of parents who had him at ages — maybe– 20 and 19. It’s actually unclear whether the parents ever did marry. The father, who calls himself Lord Bieber on websites and plays online fantasy games, is now married with two more children. The parents are living off the kid.

You just know this going to end in tears too since Bieber,who turns 17 in a few days, is tiny and doesn’t seem to be growing. He says he’s doing everything to emulate Michael Jackson, but remember: Michael was very tall. Also, in the article, Bieber has wrapped each of his fingertips in tape for no apparent reason. Of course, Jackson did this a long time ago. There isn’t an original thought in Bieber’s mind.

Spider Man Musical Not Getting New Director or Writer, Says Julie Taymor

Roger Friedman
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The continued sniping at “Spider Man: Turn off the Dark” by the New York Post has turned into a festival of untruths. The Post reported that “Spider Man” creator Julie Taymor was getting either a co-director and script doctor or both. It’s just not true. But it’s part of the Post’s campaign to kill “Spider Man,” something they can’t seem to do. Box office is booming, with “Spider Man” the number 2 show on Broadway, right behind “Wicked.” Everyone wants to see it. People come out humming songs like “Say Now,” “Rise Above,” and “Boy Falls from the Sky.”

I spoke to Julie Taymor this morning. She was working on some changes with her own co-writer, Glenn Berger. She told me she’s had lots of input about changes from friends and colleagues. “No one has been hired or is being hired,” Taymor said. “The director they mentioned is a friend of Michael Cohl’s. I’m sure he asked his opinion. When a show’s in previews, everyone gives their opinion. Try this, that. And the other guy, I’ve never even heard of him.”

Indeed, the Post chose two very obscure names as possible helpers for Taymor. As one observer put it, “If they’d said Mike Nichols or Jerry Zaks or someone big it would have made sense. But who are those people? No one’s heard of them.”

There’s no doubt that Taymor is under terrific pressure. Three weeks away from her official opening, she’s already had two dozen or so mixed to negative early reviews. The theater critics felt snubbed by the show and were clearly out to get her. The public clearly does not care. As I watched Cirque du Soleil’s “Love” show over the weekend, I kept thinking how amazing it was that Taymor was trying to pull off something similar in a Broadway house. If “Turn off the Dark” had opened in Montreal with Cirque du Soleil, it would hailed over and over.

Interestingly, the “Love” show operates on the same kind of pulleys for flying as “Spider Man.” In Saturday’s show, there were more than a few times when you could hear the aerialists landing hard, wires crunching, etc. In one sequence, acrobats bounce off trampolines and nets onto an English telephone booth. Sometimes they miss. They’re human.  So are the people from “Spider Man.”

NFL Says No To Charity Poker Game for Players

Roger Friedman
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The National Football League must have something against charity. On Saturday afternoon about 25 players turned up for the Starkey Hearing Foundation’s big poker for charity blitz at the Golden Nuggest Casino in Las Vegas. Big name celebrities like Steve Martin–who flew himself in and paid all his expenses– as well as Starkey stalwards like the original “Incredible Hulk” Lou Ferrigno and “Soul Man” Sam Moore–pitched in as well.

The NFL players were supposed to be scattered around the room at their own tables. All the money raised went to Starkey, the fantastic Minneapolis based foundation that brings hearing aids for free to childen and adults around the world. But then NFL got wind of what was happening, they issued an edict right away that the players were not allowed to participate. They could just watch. And they did–cheering on the event.

The Starkey event– called Raise Your Hand for Africa— brought a little buzz to Vegas this past weekend, and much needed. The once sizzling Sin City has really been hit by the recession. Even with new hotels like behemoth (and sort of soulless) Aria and Cosmpolitan, the town felt lacking for a focus. It didn’t help that there were no big entertainers showcased anywhere for Presidents Day weekend–Wayne Newtown, Siegfried and Roy, Celine Dion, where are you?

I went back to see the Beatles “Love” show at the Mirage for the fourth time. It is still magnificent. What a triumph for Cirque du Soleil, George and Giles Martin, and George Harrison (it was his idea).  And this show was totally sold out Why not? For “Within You, Without You” from “Sgt. Pepper,” a gigantic white sheet unfurls over the audience to make an enormous cloud. Extreme skateboarders make “Help!” a spine tingling celebration. When “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds” dances, the room dazzles. I still think this is the main reason to do a Vegas weekend.

But the Chamber of Commerce has to do something about this once great town. All the stores in all the hotels are the same–it’s just like a big repetitive mall. Everywhere you go it’s Chanel, Gucci, Prada. Las Vegas has lost its identity to corporate cold. And these stores are empty. The whole place is like a museum of shopping, Look, but you can’t possibly afford anything. That’s got to change if the town wants to come back.

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