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Kanye’s “Bully” Album Dropping 50% in Sales Second Week to 70K, Mostly from Streaming as Music Fans Wake Up

Roger Friedman
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Kanye’s “Bully” Album Dropping 50% in Sales Second Week to 70K, Mostly from Streaming as Music Fans Wake Up

Poor Kanye West.

The UK has blocked him from performing there. His Wireless Festival has been canceled.

Bad press is finally catching up to him. Social media is full of posts recalling his heyday — just last year — supporting Hitler and Nazis, carrying on with antisemitic posts.

Now his “Bully” album is starting to fade. The collection sold around 150,000 copies in first week.

Second week sales are predicted at around 70,000 or down 50%.

While first week sales were more CDs and downloads, second week has seen streaming taking over. Only 10% of this week’s sales are from downloads or physical media.

Even on streaming, Kanye’s not doing so well. The highest any track from the album stands at on the Spotify top 50 is 25.

“Bully” will finish this week at number 3 or 4. At this rate, Kanye won’t even get a gold record.

Keep in mind, the next trouble you hear about will be Gamma Records, which paid for “Bully” with investment money from Todd Boehly’s Eldridge Industries, and Apple.

Sorry, Kanye fans. And don’t forget, your hero says Slavery is a choice.

The Oscars Will Stay In March for the Next Two Years Despite Low Ratings and Nominated Films Already Out of Theaters

Roger Friedman
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The Oscars Will Stay In March for the Next Two Years Despite Low Ratings and Nominated Films Already Out of Theaters

A lot of people, including yours truly, would like the Oscars to move back to February.

This year, the show took place on March 15th. All the nominated movies were long gone from theaters. Interest in them had waned significantly.

The result was a big drop in the ratings.

It seems like this didn’t matter either to ABC or the Academy or both.

Next year, they say, the Oscars will be on March 14th. The following year, the last on ABC, will take place March 5th. The latter will be the 100th anniversary of the Oscars.

Then the show moves to YouTube. Perhaps the Academy will have more luck with an earlier date since there is no ratings sweep period streaming. February is a sweeps month for advertisers on TV.

In step with the Oscars, the SAG Actors Awards will take place on February 28, 2027 and February 20, 2028. SAG and Netflix are smart. This timing will actually make the Actors Awards important again. Now they will happen halfway through final Oscar voting. I’ll bet a lot of Academy voters will wait and see the SAG results before casting their Oscar ballots.

Of course, we will need good movies. For 2027, we have the possibilities of “Dune 3,” “Project Hail Mary,” “Disclosure Day,” “The Odyssey,” “Digger,” and more. If you go by the Oscar projection sites, we already know who won!

Broadway Booms with A List Opening of Hit Comedy “Becky Shaw” Starring Alden Ehrenreich, Patrick Ball, Linda Emond

Roger Friedman
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Broadway Booms with A List Opening of Hit Comedy “Becky Shaw” Starring Alden Ehrenreich, Patrick Ball, Linda Emond

Usually no one on Broadway can agree on anything.

But the Broadway debut of “Becky Shaw” last night has brought everyone together. There are no negative or even mixed reviews.

Two-time Pulitzer Prize finalist Gina Gionfriddo’s multi-layered comedy is a hit, and probably on the way to a lot of Tony nominations.

The star packed audience at the Helen Hayes Theater last night thought so, too. They included Kelly Bishop — who starred in the original 2009 off Broadway production, plus Danny Burstein, Anthony Edwards and Mare Winningham, Jesse Eisenberg, Peter Dinklage, Cherry Jones, Tom Sadoski, Merritt Weaver, and many more friends of the amazing Second Stage Theater Company.

A lot of the actors who came to opening night were there from the cast of “The Pitt” to support the Broadway debut of Patrick Ball, who’s part of this gifted and hilarious ensemble. The other cast members are Alden Ehrenreich, Linda Emond, Lauren Patten, and Madeline Brewer, each of whom outdoes the others at any time during Giofreddo’s sneakily deceptive story about dating and families.

You may know Ehrenreich’s name from Warren Beatty’s “Rules Don’t Apply” or Ron Howard’s Han Solo movie. He was most recently in the hit movie, “Weapons,” and “Oppenheimer,” among others. But he’s never had a breakout role like this one.

As Max, the character around whom “Becky Shaw” revolves, Ehrenreich has found his true calling as a charming but empty finance guy who was once sold by his white collar criminal father to the wealthy Slater family. He’s now their financial adviser since their patriarch has died.

Max is connected on many levels to both Susan Slater, the mother played by show stopper Linda Emond, and the daughter, Susannah (Lauren Patten). Soon into the play Susannah marries sweet but dim Andrew (Patrick Ball), who introduces them all to the titular Becky Shaw (the outstanding Madeline Brewer).

All you need to know is that Becky Shaw, who comes in late, is described by Andrew as “fragile.” She turns out to be anything but fragile. Gionfreddo peels back Becky’s layers as her presence unravels this group in very shocking ways.

What a thrill to have a great new play, so well executed by top notch players. Kudos to director Trip Cullman.

One more thing: Last year the Hayes Theater hosted the award winning play, “Purpose.” Before that, it was “Appropriate.” There must be something in the air, or Helen Hayes is sending blessings from above. “Becky Shaw” is supposed to end in mid June, but I have a feeling it may stick around longer. I hope so! I want to see it again!

PS The Tony category of Best Actor in a Drama is going to be amazing with Ehrenreich, John Lithgow, Adrien Brody, Daniel Radcliffe, and Nathan Lane.

UPDATED The Rolling Stones Will Drop New Rock Single on April 11th, Announce Coming Album, “Foreign Tongues, No Tour Yet

Roger Friedman
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UPDATED The Rolling Stones Will Drop New Rock Single on April 11th, Announce Coming Album, “Foreign Tongues, No Tour Yet

UPDATED EXCLUSIVE Reports are everywhere but I’ve confirmed:

On April 11th, the Stones will drop a new single, but not the song called “Mr. Charm.” The lead track is a rock and roll song, from a new album, not their last one, called “Foreign Tongues.” Andrew Watt is the producer.

“Mr. Charm” is said to be more of a ballad, and will be an album track.

Since a tongue is the Stones logo, the name of the album would be fitting.

I can’t imagine this is last album. Like their contemporaries — McCartney, Ringo, even Elton (a little younger) — they will keep writing and recording right up the moment they can’t do it anymore.

Why shouldn’t they? Especially since their last album, “Hackney Diamonds,” was a huge success.

What about touring? That will NOT be part of the announcement. I’m told a tour is possible, but there is no plan right now.

Review: Hoary “Hacks” Should Have Ended with 3rd Season, Finale’s Best Moment is a Hit Song by Diane Warren

Roger Friedman
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Review: Hoary “Hacks” Should Have Ended with 3rd Season, Finale’s Best Moment is a Hit Song by Diane Warren

“Hacks” was an inspired idea when it started:

Jean Smart of “Designing Women” fame finally gets her due in a comedy about a Joan Rivers-like comedian over 60 trying to keep her career alive.

The main character, Deborah Vance, is a star in Las Vegas, and loaded. She has a QVC deal, she’s a guest on TV, she plays sold out shows on the Strip.

Needing to freshen up her act she hires an annoying young sitcom writer named Ava (Hannah Einbeinder) who’s kinda gay or fluid and fights with Deborah about everything.

For two seasons, this really worked, seemed fresh and new. It could have ended there. But of course, there had to have a third season, which sputtered toward the end.

Stop, we cried! Season 4 was torture as the two women fought like it a season of “Dynasty.” The premise was that Deborah gets a late night talk show, doesn’t offer head writer to Ava, who then blackmails her to get the job. Then they are at loggerheads for the season. It was not funny, and basically unwatchable.

Now we get to the final season, which starts Thursday on HBO. There’s nothing left to say, but that’s not going to stop anyone. Einbeinder is like chalk on a blackboard. The annoying supporting players are charmless, especially Megan Stalter — a sort of cut rate Beanie Feldstein — as an assistant agent who seems to be in some other show.

Whatever bite the first two season had is gone. Season 5 is just a recap of the first four as storylines are tied up. For some reason, “Angels in America” playwright Tony Kushner turns up to help Deborah write a memoir. He’s a pleasant diversionary player although the book never happens.

There’s good news, bad news. At the end of the second episode, over the credits, there’s a new Diane Warren song sung by Izzy Escobar. (For some reason Deborah needs a song and shouts, “Call Diane Warren!”) The song, called “Hate to Be The One Losing Me,” should go viral on TikTok. You could see people making their own videos for it. Also, it’s a radio pleaser. (See below)

The bad news is that the final episode is one of the worst series enders I’ve ever seen. Self indulgent doesn’t begin to describe it. The episode is also 15 minutes longer than all the others, and you can see the fat that should have been cut. Hoary, schmaltzy, and a little offensive. I wish I could get that time back.

I know we’ll see Jean Smart do more great things now that this albatross is off her neck. Armed with Emmy Awards she can do anything. But it’s way past time to put “Hacks” out to pasture. Enough!

Izzy Escobar:

Anna Wintour Puts HERSELF on the Cover of Vogue with Meryl Streep for “Devil Wears Prada 2” Promotion: Genius or Backfire?

Roger Friedman
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Anna Wintour Puts HERSELF on the Cover of Vogue with Meryl Streep for “Devil Wears Prada 2” Promotion: Genius or Backfire?

The last time Anna Wintour pushed herself into a movie, it was a failure.

Remember “Ocean’s 8,” the all female version of that series? It went down like the Titanic with Wintour as the captain.

Now the empress of Conde Nast has put HERSELF on the cover of Vogue with Meryl Streep, whose caricature of Wintour in “The Devil Wears Prada” was so delicious. The original novel was a roman a clef, satirizing Wintour’s domineering ways at Vogue.

Now, it seems, the joke’s on us. Wintour may be a genius — or this will backfire. The movie people have gotten in bed with their subject to the extent that now Wintour and the cast are buddy buddy. There’s no hostility — quite the contrary, and Wintour’s hubris is being gambled for box office.

The movie opens right before Wintour’s Met Ball, and you can bet the cast will be on the red carpet. This is a promotional dream. That is, until the movie is seen.

Kanye West Banned from Performing in UK by Brits as Transactional Apology Not Accepted by Government

Roger Friedman
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Kanye West Banned from Performing in UK by Brits as Transactional Apology Not Accepted by Government

All is not forgiven.

The British government has banned Kanye West from entering their countries. The Wireless music festival is cancelled.

Kanye was set to play three shows in London in July at the Festival. But once the announcement was made, all the festival’s sponsors pulled out — some on Easter Sunday.

The British government condemned the idea of avowed antisemite and racist being allowed to perform as well as visit the country. West, who calls himself Ye, is already banned in Australia.

Yesterday, the head of the Wireless Festival shamelessly tried to endorse Kanye in order to keep his business alive. Melvin Brenn showed himself to be an unmitigated coward in the process. West offered to meet with Jewish leaders in the UK, but the response was that would only happen if the concerts were cancelled.

It’s only a year ago that Kanye West released a song called “Heil Hitler,” and sold Nazi t shirts. For years he embraced Hitler and blamed all of his problems on Jews.

A few weeks ago he thought he could overcome his status as a pariah by taking out an ad apologizing in the Wall Street Journal. But the apology was transactional. He just wanted to make money again.

The Brits have made a wise decision where the owners of Los Angeles’s SoFi Stadium did not, and let Kanye perform on the first night of Passover.

Meantime, West’s album, “Bully,” is in the top five on albums charts with sales last week of 145,000. But sales this week won’t be as strong.

The statement:

“The Home Office has withdrawn YE’s ETA, denying him entry into the United Kingdom. As a result, Wireless Festival is cancelled and refunds will be issued to all ticket holders. As with every Wireless Festival, multiple stakeholders were consulted in advance of booking YE and no concerns were highlighted at the time. Antisemitism in all its forms is abhorrent, and we recognize the real and personal impact these issues have had. As YE said today, he acknowledges that words alone are not enough, and in spite of this still hopes to be given the opportunity to begin a conversation with the Jewish community in the UK”

Kanye Still on the Bill But Wireless Festival Removes Names of ALL Sponsors as All Defect Rather than Endorse Rapper

Roger Friedman
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Kanye Still on the Bill But Wireless Festival Removes Names of ALL Sponsors as All Defect Rather than Endorse Rapper

This summer’s Pepsi Wireless Festival in London is no more.

Now it’s just the Wireless Festival as Pepsi’s name has been removed.

All other sponsors’ names have been pulled as well.

But the Wireless Festival is still advertising Kanye West for three nights in July.

They may be waiting for the UK government to ban Kanye from entering the country. That way he won’t be able to sue them for being dropped from the shows.

It’s a cowardly way out but they have few choices after they made the egregious decision to feature him in the first place.

Tickets are supposed to go on sale on the 8th, Wednesday. Let’s see if that happens at all.

Stay tuned…

Are the Rolling Stones Touring After All? Has Keith Richards Been Cloned? New Image on Website Suggests April 11th Announcement

Roger Friedman
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Are the Rolling Stones Touring After All? Has Keith Richards Been Cloned? New Image on Website Suggests April 11th Announcement

We knew the Rolling Stones were making a big announcement on April 11th.

We thought it was a new album. It may still be, anyway.

But the Stones website now indicates a tour could be coming. There’s a new image on the site that’s emblazoned with the words “The Tour” over an airplane. There’s an update Stones tongue logo. And a note saying to check back for tour dates.

Yes, we thought Keith Richards was done with touring. But maybe he’s feeling better. Or maybe the Stones will just do residencies in a couple of cities.

We can only hope!

Music Mogul Clive Davis Takes a Much Deserved Victory Lap with Spur of the Moment 94th Birthday Party in New York

Roger Friedman
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Music Mogul Clive Davis Takes a Much Deserved Victory Lap with Spur of the Moment 94th Birthday Party in New York

Clive Davis loves a good party, we know that.

He’s famous for his pre-Grammy parties in Los Angeles every winter.

The legendary music mogul doesn’t mind celebrating his birthday every year, too. Why not? He was an orphan from an early age, and built a big family around him.

On Saturday night, Davis — the man who brought us hundreds of superstars from Janis Joplin to Whitney Houston — celebrated his 94th turn around the sun with a spur of the moment gathering at Prive at Le Bernardin restaurant in midtown. Yes, it’s the number 1 dining establishment in America. Did you expect anything less?

It was all family and friends, including a few people from show business like Broadway producers Fran and Barry Weissler, actress Brenda Vaccaro, entertainment mogul Charles Goldstuck, philanthropists Francine LeFrak and Rick Friedberg, and so on. Pat Houston, Whitney’s sister-in-law who runs her estate, flew in from Atlanta.

Everyone in the room had a Clive story. There were plenty of accounts of his nightly going out in Miami this winter. A group from down there recounted going to see Lady Gaga’s show recently.

From LA, there was talk of Davis recently having dinner at Joni Mitchell’s house (that’s where this picture comes from).

Clive thanked philanthropist Iris Smith for underwriting the NY Philharmonic when they played in Central Park for his “Welcome Back” concert a couple of years ago. He also gave a beautiful shout out to his remarkable partner of 21 years, Greg Schriefer. There were loving toasts from Clive’s sons, Fred and Douglas, and grandson Charlie. Davis is a great grandfather now!

Pat Houston was summoned to the microphone where she expressed her thanks and gratitude for their long relationship. “If Whitney were alive, she’d be sitting right next to Clive at his table,” she said. “That’s how close they were.”

What’s next? “Knock wood,” Clive declared, “95!”

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