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Oscar 2010 Update: Best Actor, Best Actress

Roger Friedman
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Oscar 2010 Update: Best Actor, Best Actress

So many Oscar blogs, and everyone has their own axe to grind!

Here’s where things stand now among films that have been seen, for Best Actor and Best Actress.

Best Actor:

Colin Firth (“The King’s Speech”), James Franco (“127 Hours”), Ryan Gosling (“Blue Valentine”), Robert Duvall (“Get Low”), Mark Wahlberg (“The Fighter”), Jesse Eisenberg (“The Social Network”), Leonardo DiCaprio (“Shutter Island”– or — “Inception”), Michael Douglas (“Solitary Man”), Javier Bardem (“Biutiful”), Kevin Spacey (“Casino Jack”)

Best Actress:

Annette Bening (“The Kids Are Alright”), Nicole Kidman (“Rabbit Hole”), Natalie Portman (“Black Swan”), Julianne Moore (“The Kids Are Alright”), Michelle Williams (“Blue Valentine”), Patricia Clarkson (“Cairo Time”), Hilary Swank (“Conviction”), Jennifer Lawrence (“Winter’s Bone”), Sally Hawkins (“Made in Dagenham”), Halle Berry (“Frankie and Alice”)

More names on Monday. And this list doesn’t reflect the still unseen Coen brothers remake of “True Grit,” or James L. Brooks’s “How Do You Know,” Andrew Jarecki’s “All Good Things.”

TMZ: We Did the Katherine Jackson Contract Story…In June!

Roger Friedman
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TMZ: We Did the Katherine Jackson Contract Story…In June!

Dear TMZ:

You’re so good at following celebrities around with little cameras. Go back to what you do best.

But when it comes to the Jackson family and Howard Mann: no no no. It was only last week that you got snookered into thinking a Michael Jackson track you posted was “new.” It was 32 years old!

Now you’re telling the story of Katherine Jackson’s “Secret contract.” Unfortunately, that story has already been written–by us, last June. Here’s the link:

http://tinyurl.com/23gjxy4

Here’s another scoop for you, TMZ. There’s going to be a really big Christmas tree in Rockefeller Center this year. Get right on it!

Mariah’s Xmas Album #1 R&B, #4 Pop; Rosie Has a Name Change; Philly Giving

Roger Friedman
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3
Mariah’s Xmas Album #1 R&B, #4 Pop; Rosie Has a Name Change; Philly Giving

Mariah Carey was very clever to record a new holiday album. Her “Merry Christmas II You” debuted this week at #1 on the Billboard R&B/Hip Hop album chart. It’s the first time a holiday album has done that. “MCIIYou” also came in at #4 on the pop chart. The timing here was perfect. The album will be top of the pops for the next several weeks. By the way, it also outsold its predecessor in its first week. Sixteen–that’s right, 16– years ago, Mariah’s first Christmas album entered the charts at #44 and sold 44,960 copies. The new one did over 55,000 copies. Ho ho ho…

Rosie O’Donnell’s wonderful arts charity is officially changing its name. I told you this was going to happen back in September. Rosie’s Broadway Kids is now Rosie’s Theater Kids. This means her For All Kids foundation is dissolving. Now all of the focus is on the Theater Kids foundation. The Theater Kids project is huge and very successful, taking place at the Maravel Center in the West 40s. Kids come from all over the city to participate in theater programs. A great group, worthy of end of the year donations. www.rosiesbroadwaykids.org is still the web address.

A friend writes from Philadelphia: “Was at a cool fundraiser last night in Philadelphia for Eddie’s House (www.eddieshouse.org). Founded by a friend of mine, Sharon McGinley. Susan Saint James (“Kate & Allie” and Dick Ebersol’s wife), Agnes Nixon (“All My Children” creator), and Ari Meyers (“Kate & Allie”) were all there and looking great!  Also, most of the Comcast execs and a lot of generous Philadelphia society.  At the Union Club in Philadelphia.  Can we do a shout out for a good organization?”

Yes, we can. Eddie’s House helps young adults transition through pregnancy, unemployment, educational issues, homelessness–this is so important. What a great idea, and so needed in every city.

DeNiro, Pesci Reunion for Movie Made from Video Game

Roger Friedman
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DeNiro, Pesci Reunion for Movie Made from Video Game

Robert DeNiro and Joe Pesci may finally be reuniting.

There’s a plan afoot for them to co-star in “Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune.”

David O. Russell–who’s just about to release “The Fighter”–has been developing a film from the popular video game.

Russell also may have Mark Wahlberg on board for the Columbia Pictures film.

Right now, the script is being composed from scratch. Word is the actual video game didn’t have much there aside from a concept and a name.

Russell didn’t fork over any plot points at last night’s premiere of “The Fighter.” But sources say the story will have something to do with antiquities dealers in New York.

DeNiro and Pesci famously teamed up in five movies: GoodFellas, Casino, Once Upon a Time in America, A Bronx Tale, and Raging Bull.

Mark Wahlberg Is Producer, Star on Oscar Certain Film, “The Fighter”

Roger Friedman
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Mark Wahlberg Is Producer, Star on Oscar Certain Film, “The Fighter”

The new Oscar season just got a little hotter.

Adding to the existing titles like “The Social Network” and “The King’s Speech” is a new contender called “The Fighter.”

Directed by David O. Russell, “The Fighter” is an A plus effort, the missing piece in this year’s Oscar puzzle. All the main performers–Mark Wahlberg, Christian Bale, Amy Adams and Melissa Leo–are headed to nominations.

This is the film about real life Boston boxer Micky Ward (Wahlberg), his crack addicted trainer brother (Bale), their flamboyant mother (Leo), and Ward’s girlfriend (Adams).

Set in the Boston suburb of working class Lowell (birthplace of Jack Kerouac, FYI) in the early 90s, “The Fighter” is a huge leap forward for Russell, whose best film up til now had been “Three Kings.”

“The Fighter” is so absorbing that it wasn’t until ten minutes had passed that realized Alice Ward wasn’t a real person, but Melissa Leo playing her. Leo scores a grandslam home run.

Also: the film opens with Bale, and he’s so far already into the role of Dickie Ecklund, Ward’s half brother, that you almost feel like you have to catch up with him. Like Leo, Bale is working on a different planet.

Wahlberg and Adams are just as good, but there are parts aren’t quite as showy. Wahlberg told us at last night’s dinner following the movie, at the Porter House, that he’d been working on this project for five years. His boxing scenes are incendiary. Adams really wanted this part, Russell told me. It’s a breakout for her since Amy usually plays good girls.

Director James Toback, Robert Wuhl, actors Bob Dishy and Judy Graubart, were among those in the audience. I do think when “The Fighter” finally releases on December 10th it’s going to be a smash. I’d put it with “King’s Speech,” “The Social Network,” “127 Hours,” and “The Town” as — so far– the top 5 films of 2010. And that’s quite an impressive group!

50 Cent Raps on Michael Jackson New Track

Roger Friedman
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30
50 Cent Raps on Michael Jackson New Track

Michael Jackson‘s new album, “Michael,” features rapper 50 Cent on one track called “Monster” produced by Teddy Riley and written by Eddie Cascio.

The track listing for “Michael” is as follows:
1.           Hold My Hand (Duet with Akon)
2.           Hollywood Tonight
3.           Keep Your Head Up
4.           (I Like) The Way You Love Me
5.           Monster (Featuring 50 Cent)
6.           Best Of Joy
7.           Breaking News
8.           (I Can’t Make It) Another Day (Featuring Lenny Kravitz)
9.           Behind The Mask
10.        Much Too Soon

As I reported exclusively, “Hold My Hand” will be released on Monday, November 15th as the official first single. The album comes on December 14th. All the tracks are “assembled” since Michael could not participate himself. But they’re no different than the Beatles tracks “Free as a Bird” and “Real Love” which were issued some 25 years after the group disbanded and John Lennon had died.

The producers on the album include Neff-U, Akon, Tricky Stewart, and Teddy Riley.

Tony Awards Get Short Straw with Beacon Theater Choice

Roger Friedman
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Tony Awards Get Short Straw with Beacon Theater Choice

The 2011 Tony Awards have drawn the short straw for their June 2011 broadcast.

Yesterday it was announced they’d been forced to take the Beacon Theater on Broadway and 74th St. for their annual show. It turns out that Radio City has a Cirque du Soleil show that can’t be moved or shut down already set for June 12, 2011.

Yikes! This comes as “Spider Man: Turn off the Dark” would likely be a Tony nominee and have to reproduce a scene or two in the tiny Beacon. The Tonys may wind up having to let “Spider Man” do their thing live from their own Foxwoods (I hate that name) Theater on 42nd St.

The Beacon also has half has many seats as Radio City, which means there will be a lot of fighting over who gets to attend. The Beacon is also not near any place for an official Tony after party–miles from Rockefeller Center, where the party always is set in the skating rink.

What’s even more complicated is that, for the performers involved, the Beacon backstage is a disaster area. It’s a cramped, narrow, vertical place with tiny dressing rooms. and a very small elevator–very small. Let’s not forget that the warrens of the Beacon backstage are where the legendary Ahmet Ertegun fell and hit his head during the filming of the Martin Scorsese documentary about the Rolling Stones– putting him in a coma that turned out to be fatal.

Certainly there must be a better choice in all of New York City for the Tonys. They deserve better.

Michael Jackson Album Gets Lenny Kravitz, But No Will.I.Am

Roger Friedman
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31
Michael Jackson Album Gets Lenny Kravitz, But No Will.I.Am

The Michael Jackson album of unreleased songs, called “Michael,” has an unexpected surprise: a Lenny Kravitz produced track.

Kravitz and Jackson worked on a few songs together. But the one called “Another Day,” is a killer. Kravitz sings and plays guitar on it. But “Another Day,” like all of the “Michael” tracks, has the Jackson signature sound.

Kravitz is lucky that his work with Jackson came to a result. The Black Eyed Peas’ will.i.am went to Ireland and famously worked with Jackson in a studio there. If you recall, Jackson’s then manager, Raymone Bain, even had Billy Bush from “Access Hollywood” do a piece from Ireland, showed the studio and interviewed the two men.

But as it turns out, very little happened. “There was nothing really finished or accomplished,” a source tells me. “Sony paid to keep the studio open around the clock for Michael, but he really never went there.”

We can add the Kravitz track to the list of songs on Michael including three from Eddie Cascio, three from Theron Feemster aka Neff U, and one from Akon. That makes eight of the twelve that will likely round out “Michael.”

Yesterday Sony spent a lot of time removing snippets from songs, videos, and other miscellany that was uploaded to the ‘net — purportedly from “Michael.” No one knows who’s causing all the trouble, but you can guess from the list of people whose work didn’t make it onto the finished album.

Oprah Gets Barbra To Sing On Her Show; Russell Crowe Has Lots of Friends

Roger Friedman
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1
Oprah Gets Barbra To Sing On Her Show; Russell Crowe Has Lots of Friends

Barbra Streisand usually doesn’t sing for free. But I guess she was convinced by Oprah Winfrey that to get a whole hour for her book, “My Passion for Design,” a little warbling wouldn’t hurt.

I am told that Babs performed “The Way We Were” when she taped Oprah’s show yesterday in Chicago. The hour is said to be a total retrospective of Streisand’s career. It airs November 16th, the same day the book is published.

It’s a busy winter for Babs. In December she returns to the big screen, this time as a grandmother in “Little Fockers.” Her holiday present was getting Dustin Hoffman back as her husband. He came in at the last minute and filmed scenes with her…

RUSSELL CROWE has lots of friends. Among them: Edward Norton, Viola Davis, Patti Smith, Gerard Butler, and Oscar Isaac, all of whom helped him celebrate “The Next Three Days” on Tuesday night at the Oak Bar in the Plaza Hotel. Along with director Paul Haggis and co-stars Elizabeth Banks, RZA of the Wu Tang Clan, and Olivia Wilde, Crowe pulled quite a crowd. And this is a much more mellow Crowe than in the old days. He signed everything, shook everyone’s hand, was jolly and cooperative. He spent a quantity of time hanging out with Norton.

Meanwhile, two time Tony winner Davis (and one time Oscar nominee but more to come, certainly) arrived looking grand with husband Julius Tennon. Viola just finished shooting “The Help.” Next she’s considering an HBO series in which she’d play the headmaster of a girls’ school. Today, Davis is participating in a play reading with a bunch of other A list actors at the home of director Mike Nichols. No one deserves success more. Bravo, Viola!

Bon Jovi Lights Up Times Square With 90 Minute Greatest Hits Show

Roger Friedman
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5
Bon Jovi Lights Up Times Square With 90 Minute Greatest Hits Show

Bon Jovi–the whole group–lit up Times Square last night with a ebullient, athletic 90 minute live show from the Best Buy (formerly Nokia) Theater on Broadway and West 44th St.

This is a smallish venue converted from a movie theater–the beloved Loew’s 44th St where I saw all the “Star Wars” and “Raiders of the Lost Ark” movies. And Bon Jovi is a kick ass bigger-than-life band, launching their first greatest hits record in 27 years with the show simulcast on YouTube and local WPLJ radio.

You haven’t heard anything until a thousand people are screaming the words to “Living on a Prayer” and “It’s My Life” in your ear. Bon Jovi started out as a bar band and on some level they remain the Greatest Bar Band ever. Not only did they perform more than a dozen of their own hits, they mixed in “Pretty Woman” and “Shout” with the punch and drive of 20 year olds.

It was great to hear “Wanted Dead or Alive (I’m a Cowboy),” “Who Says You Can’t Go Home,” and “Keep the Faith” in this intimate setting. You could tell Jon, Richie, Dave and Tico were having fun, too. They had plenty of friends and family in the audience as well, including Richie’s mom, aunt and a family friend affectionately known as Eddie the Hat.

After the show, Jon Bon Jovi and Dave Bryan headed right home. But Richie Sambora and Tico Torres headed downtown to the Waverly Inn. They took up a table for about 12 people including Little Steven van Zandt. wife Maureen van Zandt, music publisher John Titta, and “American Idol” past winner David Cook.

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