Finally, some useful advice on a morning show! Al Roken interviewed New York real estate queen Barbara Corcoran today. They took a call from Marsha in Barlett, New Hampshire who has a problem with her neighbor: there are several junked cars on the property causing an eyesore. Corcoran, who resembles chipper actress Sandy Duncan, had a great solution: “I would get a gun and kill the guy,” she advised Marsha. Al Roker almost had a stroke and started shouting: “She’s just kidding!” The Today show may have taken down the video, but just in case. it’s at www.today.msn.com/id/2618489/vp/41578728#41578728
Warner Music, For Sale, Deep in Losses, Throws Lavish Grammy Party
I guess Warner Music Group wants to go out with a bang. Steeped in losses, with few hit records and a reputation for being almost out of business, the struggling record company decided to celebrate the Grammys in style. Their second in command, Lyor Cohen, threw a lavish, expensive party after the Grammy Awards on Sunday night at Soho House on the border of West Hollywood and Beverly Hills. And I do mean expensive: Cohen and Warner Music rented out the entire facility, not just a small part of it.
And what did they get for their money? Just about no celebrities. Publicists checking names at the curb said their biggest “get” was WMG recording artist Bruno Mars. There was mention of an appearance by Beyonce and Jay Z. That was it. Overheard outside, the checker discussed the lack of almost any staff in Los Angeles, and the expected sale of the company now that Cohen and owner Edgar Bronfman Jr. had driven it into the ground.
Warner Music was once home to James Taylor, Bonnie Raitt, Carly Simon, Linda Ronstadt, Neil Young, Little Feat, The Grateful Dead, Led Zeppelin, Randy Newman,the B52s, Joni Mitchell, Paul Simon, Madonna, America, Rod Stewart, and dozens upon dozens of acts on Atlantic Records, Sire, Elektra, etc. Now it’s all boiled down to Bruno Mars.
By contrast, Sony Music–very successful, with hits–had a smallish cocktail gathering at the bar in the Beverly Hills Hotel. Tony Bennett and Clive Davis were seen, but mostly it was for execs and nominees. “It was fairly boring,” said a guest. Mostly attendees discussed the imminent departure of Rolf Schmidt Holtz, exiting leader of Sony Music. He won’t be replaced until July 1st by Doug Morris. “The company is a mess,” observed one insider.
Universal Music, the industry leader, had no official party. But Jimmy Iovine, head of UMG’s Interscope Records, had a 25th anniversary party for the company in a tent erected on the roof of the Hotel L’Ermitage in Beverly Hills. Lady Gaga, Justin Bieber, and Emimen were expected. So were hundreds of people who planned to fill a limited space. Iovine, who is now an advisor to “American Idol,” has been giving parties at his Holmby Hills mansion all week.
EMI Music, also for sale, and in play, with perilous financial outlook, tossed a massive get together at Milk Studios in Hollywood. The gala was low on celebs but thick with guests who received $200 earbuds from Ultimate Ears (one of my favorite products–I bought a pair a couple of years ago), as well as mountains of food from various specialty trucks. I did run into Tara Reid, the actress, who was sober and fun. She has a lot of projects in the works, but made no mention of “The Big Lebowski 2.” Reid often gets lampooned in the New York press, but she’s actually smart and funny. She needs someone to write a good sitcom for her.
The best post Grammy party was right in the Staples Center, thrown by AEG Live and hosted by their leader, Randy Phillips. The only singer I ran into was R&B star Anthony Hamilton. But there were lots of execs, the deejay was great, and the food was tasty but not over the top. It was nice to see Jerry Greenberg, who worked at Atlantic Records in its heyday with Ahmet Ertegun and Jerry Wexler, then ran Michael Jackson’s MJJ Records in the 80s and 90s. He reminisced with Frank DiLeo, Jackson’s manager, and Joyce Moore, who worked for the Jacksons in the late 70s and early 80s.
Also seen at the Staples Center during the Grammys, in the Chairmen’s Room: Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban, Heidi Klum, Seth Rogen, Pauley Perrette, Joel Katz, Greg Phillinganes, Paul and Jane Schindler, Tom Corson. The subject of conversation from everyone literally: Lady Gaga ripping off Madonna. And how great Mick Jagger was in the Grammy show. More to come…
PS I dedicated my whole Grammy week coverage to the late great Michael Klenfner. I really missed Michael’s wit and biting insight about the business this weekend. He was a sweet giant, and I sure hope no one ever forgets him.
Mary J. Blige Joins Tom Cruise for “Rock of Ages”
“Rock of Ages,” the Broadway musical about pop and rock music from the 1980s, is getting a surprise addition to its cast. Of course, you’ve read about Tom Cruise taking the lead role–and it’s true. I’m told Cruise has signed off on the project. And while there’s been speculation that Gwyneth Paltrow is joining Cruise, that still has not materialized. In the meantime, I can tell you exclusively that the Queen of Hip Hop, Miss Mary J. Blige has signed on to play Justice, the bartender and mother of the character named Sherrie. One of Justice’s main songs is the 80s chestnut, “Harden My Heart.” Mary J is absolutely perfect casting.
Blige, who has a huge following from her music career, has been trying to move into film for some time. She’s trying to put together a film bio the legendary singer, Nina Simone, which sources say may be coming together soon. But “Rock of Ages” will give her a chance to make a supporting splash and not have to carry the film on her back. Cruise, by the way, despite all the noise around his possible participation, only agreed finally to do the film on Friday.
Mary J is certainly busy these days. She also just filmed a video remix of Sean Diddy Combs’s “Someone to Love” with Combs and Lil Wayne that’s said to be amazing. On Saturday night, she sang Joni Mitchell’s “Free Man in Paris” as part of a tribute to David Geffen at Clive Davis’s pre Grammy gala.
“The King’s Speech” Sweeps British Academy Awards
“The King’s Speech” swept the BAFTA Awards–given by the British Film Academy–tonight in London. The film–heavily tipped to sweep the Oscars next week–picked up Best Picture, Best Actor for Colin Firth, Best Supporting Actress for Helena Bonham Carter, and Best Supporting Actor for Geoffrey Rush, as well as Best Original Screenplay for David Seidler. Best Actress went to Natalie Portman, Best Director and Best Adapted Screenplay went to “The Social Network.” There were also awards for “Toy Story 3” and “Inception.”
Whitney Houston, Dionne Warwick Head Clive Davis’s A Plus List Party
Whitney Houston and Dionne Warwick showed Clive Davis’s A list party crowd how superstars make history last night. In front of a double A list crowd in the Beverly Hilton grand ballroom, the two cousins (their mothers are sisters) brought down the house with “That’s What Friends Are For” in a tribute to Warwick’s 50 years in showbiz. It was the culmination of a magic night that included performances by Jennifer Hudson–who was amazing in her own tribute to Aretha Franklin— as well as Mumford & Son, Mary J. Blige, R Kelly, Janelle Monae, Cee Lo Green, and “Glee” star Matthew Morrison.
And the room was jammed with celebrities, from Cher (who came to honor David Geffen as an Industry Icon), to Warren Beatty, Jane Fonda, Peter Fonda, Quincy Jones, Sacha Baron Cohen and Isla Fisher, Jon Voight, Neil Young, David Crosby, Usher, Monica, Brandy, Jackie Collins, Lou Reed and Laurie Anderson, Randy Jackson, socialite Barbara Davis, Carole Bayer Sager and Bob Daly, David Foster, Leona Lewis, Toni Braxton, Verdine White (of Earth Wind and Fire), Jane Lynch, Suzanne de Passe, Penny Marshall, Jeffrey and Marilyn Katzenberg, Tracy Ullman, Gayle King, Ari Emanuel, Barry Manilow, Dave Grohl, Martina McBride, Bill Maher, Sharon Osbourne, Kelly Osbourne, Nick Lachey, songwriters Diane Warren and Desmond Child, Narada Michael Walden, Sam Moore, George Schlatter, Kathy Griffin, Nick Jonas, Les Moonves and Julie Chen.
Note to Justin Bieber: both Nick Jonas and Miley Cyrus were in the room and there was not a bit of commotion.
Also–so many legends of the record biz-Mo Ostin, Lou Adler, Doug Morris (who’s taking over Sony Music July 1st, as I exclusively reported), Berry Gordy, Marty Bandier, Evan Lamberg, Michael Lippman, Larry Jackson, Barry Weiss, LA Reid, Arnold Stiefel, Guy Oseary, Elliot Roberts, Richard Palmese, Tom Corson, Randy Phillips, Joel Katz, and so on.
And a stealth guest at the People magazine table: Facebook co-creator Sean Parker, who also invented Napster, the downloading service that brought down the music business. Parker confirmed for me he’s bought the big townhouse he’s been renting in Greenwich Village for a tidy sum of 20 –that’s twenty–million dollars. Welcome, neighbor!
The funniest line of the night about the music business, from Clive: “We had to do the place cards in pencil.”
And Cher, of course, at the podium, introducing one time lover Geffen, who now has a male partner: “I don’t even know what this f—– award is.”
And Clive, at the very end of the show, as Whitney and Dionne finished up, and Whitney had no stage direction: “I found you when you were 19 and I’m still your boss,” he said lovingly, and pulled her to his side.
Martin Short: “I’m Canadian. We’re the Aliens You Dont Deport”
Actor and comedian Martin Short got a lot of laughs last night at the “Umforgettable Evening” EIF dinner at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel–as he accepted the Courage award for his late wife Nancy. She died in August at age 58 after a three year battle with breast cancer. The couple had been together 36 years, Short said; Nancy was incredibly vibrant and popular. “I wish Nan were here to accept this herself,” Marty told me before the program began. After a heartfelt introduction from Steven Spielberg, Kate Capshaw, and Rita Wilson, Short gave a lovely speech about his wife. He explained that he hadn’t spoken in public before about such a personal episode. “Maybe it’s because I’m Canadian,” he said, and then added: “We’re the aliens you don’t deport.”
Short spoke eloquently about the need for universal health care. He blamed “purchased politicians” for attempting to undo Obama care. He said, “The courage of uninsured Americans is the most astounding thing of all.”
Short also cracked a funny, old joke about good marriages in Hollywood: “Always be sensitive to your wife’s needs, and make sure your personal assistant fulfills them.”
Annette Bening Not Totally Ready for Her “Third Act”
Annette Bening was honored in Hollywood last night by the Entertainment Industry Foundation in front of an A list crowd at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel. Bening accepted the Nat King Cole award for her work supporting breast cancer research, with husband Warren Beatty, Steven Spielberg and Kate Capshaw, Rita Wilson (Tom Hanks was AWOL, shooting a movie), plus Tobey Maguire, his wife Jennifer and father in law Ron Meyer (head of Universal Pictures) and Martin Short, whose late wife Nancy was honored with a Courage Award. Annette told me that despite Rob Reiner’s announcement in this column–we were first to report this–of her co-starring with Morgan Freeman in “The Third Act.”
“Apparently some one made an announcement fron Berlin,” Bening told me. “But it was a bit premature.”
On a more serious subject, the elegant Oscar nominee gave a beautiful speech when the time came, pointing out that Nat King Cole was only 45 when he passed away from cancer–and how important it is to keeping raising money for research. She is class all the way. Bening almost teared up during her speech. She may have been thinking about her father, who she told me was just diagnosed with prostate cancer.
It was not a somber evening, however. Emcee Conan O’Brien–filling in for Hanks, who usually hosts what is called “An Unforgettable Evening,” had to fend off good natured heckling from Tom Arnold. O’Brien said he asked Ricky Gervais for advice about hosting the event. “Insult the audience,” O’Brien faked Gervais’s answer. “We won’t be doing that,” he promised.
PS Cee Lo Green was a last minute substitute as the evening’s entertainment. He replaced Rihanna, who wasn’t feeling well and canceled at the last minute.