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Entourage Movie: We Told You Last December

Roger Friedman
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Entourage Movie: We Told You Last December

http://tinyurl.com/24at328

Remember last December when Mark Walhberg told us all about the inevitable “Entourage” movie? Well, the subject came up recently with the Television Critics Association. And it was confirmed, of course, that the movie is in focus.

That “Entourage” will follow “Sex and the City” to the big screen is no surprise then to readers of this column. Wahlberg brought it up last December at the premiere of “The Lovely Bones.”

And it makes sense: “Entourage” probably has more flexibility going to the silver screen than “SATC.” For one thing it’s not locked into the Carrie- Mr. Big romance. The boys can sow their wild oats over and over. And there’s plenty of room for parodying the film business.


Mad Men: Bewitched, But Not Bewitching

Roger Friedman
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Mad Men: Bewitched, But Not Bewitching

Mad Men, Season 4, Episode 3: I’m starting to get a little worried that we don’t have a plan for Season 4. Three episodes in to Season 4 of a 13 episode season, Don Draper is revisiting his fake family in California. I know: he feels comfortable with Anna, but now he’s hitting on her ripe niece. Is that nice? Does Don just hit on every piece of ass put in front of him?

He gave the niece that “I love Anna but not in that way” speech. It was lecherous and uncool. And the news that Anna has massive cancer: is this Matt Weiner’s way of saying goodbye to the old “secret” story line? Or is the niece coming to New York?

And so much time spent with these people in California, when back home we have lots of characters with no storylines. It was great to see Joan have an episode, but still she’s with this idiot doctor. Wasn’t he supposed to die in Vietnam already? Jared Harris did a superb job playing out Lane Pryce’s story, but again: Don pays for all this sex? Where’s the ladies’ man? Weiner is making him creepy.

Yes, there was the “Bewitched” moment as previously discussed, but what we’re missing is a story arc for Season 4 a la Conrad Hilton. And where is Betty with Henry Francis trying to fit in at a New Years party? Why isn’t Duck trying to worm his way into Peggy’s personal and professional life? Where is Sal? And no repartee between Cooper and Sterling? We live for that. Maybe “The Good News” was a little filler, and we’re going to get going next week. But the world of “Mad Men” felt shrunken this week.

Mark Ruffalo Marvels at Hulk Role in “The Avengers”

Roger Friedman
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Mark Ruffalo Marvels at Hulk Role in “The Avengers”

Mark Ruffalo is a lot of fun, and it was great to see him and his beautiful wife, Sunrise (yes, that’s her name and she’s super), at the Hamptons premiere over the weekend for Showtime’s new series, “The Big C.”

Of course, the series stars Laura Linney, Oliver Platt, Phyllis Somerville, Gabby Sidibe, and John Benjamin Hickey were all there at Donna Karan‘s zen like beach front estate for the serene outdoor screening. So were Linney pals Matthew Broderick and Sarah Jessica Parker, Richard Kind . But it was Ruffalo we wanted to see, and ask about his role in Marvel comics’ “The Avengers.” He’s playing the Hulk.

“The Hulk,” Mark observed, “has become my generation’s Hamlet.” Indeed, Bruce Banner has already been played in movies by Edward Norton and Eric Bana. Now it’s Ruffalo’s turn to turn green. He told me, also that he’s a big fan of the late Bill Bixby, who played Bruce famously on TV. And he wants to meet the great Lou Ferrigno, Bixby’s green other self.

Most of the time, Ruffalo was busy chatting about trying to stop the proposed oil and gas drilling in upstate New York. We’re with him on that.

As for “The Big C,” Bill Condon (who was not there) directed the pilot. He and Linney and company have made a top notch new series, I think, that will join “Nurse Jackie” (Edie Falco was in attendance) and “The United States of Tara” in the Showtime constellation of hits. Showtime’s Matt Blank, who runs the place, introduced new creative chief David Nevins and cracked wise: “David’s only been here a couple of weeks but he’s already taking credit for The Big C.”

Also bouncing around Donna K’s pool: Gerry and Liz Byrne, Caroline Hirsch and Andrew Fox, super agent (the much loved) Toni Howard, Kathy Schenker, Sheila Jaffe, Rosanna Scotto and her husband Lou Ruggiero, and about three dozen people I have never seen in my life. The latter group looked shocked by the subject matter of “The Big C” — it’s cancer, you know, and its handled deftly and with great wit. Laura Linney can do no wrong. You’ll see when it airs next August 16th on Showtime.

After the screening–great minds think alike– we ran into Donna Karan and her gang dining with Ingrid Sischy and Sandy Brandt at this year’s hot hot hot restaurant Tutto il Giorno in Sag Harbor.

PS Laura Linney goes back to Broadway for 10 weeks soon in “Time Stands Still.” Don’t miss it! And while you’re it, rent “The Savages.”

Paula Abdul Will Join Simon Cowell on “X Factor”

Roger Friedman
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Paula Abdul Will Join Simon Cowell on “X Factor”

Well, the peanut gallery is starting to speak up.

It seems that Fox TV may have a predicament on its hands when Simon Cowell’s “X Factor” comes to their network in September 2011.

I’ve been told by an inside source that Paula Abdul will be a judge on “X Factor” with Simon, reuniting them in all their glory. The show will play in the fall, while “American Idol” has its spring outing.

It does like the tide is turning against “American Idol” with every new announcement. Will Randy Jackson –who’s remained mum so far–wind up joining his ex comrades on “X Factor”? Who knows?

But last week’s announcement that “American Idol” was moving its recording contracts to Universal Music were met with headlines in many places and silence from its old haunt, Sony/Columbia.

What we all sort of forgot is that back in January, Cowell cut a deal with Sony for the “X Factor” deals. A Sony source didn’t even stifle a chuckle when I bemoaned the loss of future Idols. “We have X Factor!” they said, with glee (small g).

Indeed, “X Factor” a year from now will seem fresh and new and have lots of hype. At the rate things are going, who knows if “American Idol” will still be on the air. And still, I don’t get how Fox handles all this in-house.

Paula, meantime, is revving up auditions for her dance competition show on CBS. I’m told that won’t interfere when “X” marks the spot.

Patricia Neal, One of the Great Hollywood Ladies

Roger Friedman
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0
Patricia Neal, One of the Great Hollywood Ladies

Patricia Neal, Oscar winner in 1963 for “Hud,” died on Sunday at age 84.

I can tell you that knowing her over the years, talking to her at dinners and premieres, she was quite remarkable.

She loved the movie, “The Fantastic Mr. Fox,” based on the work of her late (and divorced late in life after 30 years of marriage) husband, Roald Dahl. She came to the premiere and enjoyed all of it.

For Michael Jackson’s 30 th anniversary concert on September 7, 2001, a cab dropped her and granddaughter Sophie Dahl on the wrong side of Madison Square Garden. I helped walk her around to the Eighth Avenue side, and we discussed how much she liked Michael’s music.

This was despite a debilitating stroke from which she’d battled back in 1965– several strokes, in fact. She’d been pregnant at the time.

She had a terrific, long acting career. Trivia: she played Olivia Walton, the mother, in the pilot movie for “The Waltons.” A wonderful person, and a New Yorker whom we will miss tremendously. Rest in peace.

Bill Clinton’s Wedding Toast: Jokes About Maksim’s Dirty Dance

Roger Friedman
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Bill Clinton’s Wedding Toast: Jokes About Maksim’s Dirty Dance

Here’s some last little tidbits from Chelsea Clinton‘s wedding. Remember? It was a week ago, and it took up everyone’s attention. Now, hey…it’s been a week!

Apparently, Bill Clinton was very moved after seeing Chelsea and Marc do a dirty dance to “At Last,” choreographed by Maksim Cherchmerkovskiy from “Dancing with the Stars.” He said:”I just talked to the priest and he told me as long they were married before did that sexy dance it was still a PG wedding.” The father of the bride also added, according to a wedding guest: “As long as Chelsea could articulate a thought–which was about when she was 8 years old–I’ve been outnumbered two-to-one. Now it’s two-to-two and I’m so grateful to you, Marc.”

A little more on the groom’s father, Edward Mezvinsky. As I told you, he didn’t walk his son down the aisle. “He is shunned by the family,” says a source. The ex-con congressman got to sit at the main table–a long dais–but at the far end, away from the happy couple and his ex wife.

And Chelsea’s matron of honor was Nicole Davison Fox, her former roommate, married to a hedge fund guy.

PS I really knew nothing about this guy Maksim before I heard this story. A dance instructor from Odessa is now a TV superstar. America is really a great country!

Caroline Giuliani’s Troubles Started When She Was Six

Roger Friedman
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Caroline Giuliani’s Troubles Started When She Was Six

Perhaps you’ve been reading about the shoplifting arrest of Harvard senior Caroline Giuliani, daughter of our ex mayor Rudy Giuliani and his wife Donna Hanover.

Caroline hasn’t had it easy, let me tell you. Starting when she was 6 years old, there was trouble.

I reported this story from April 27, 1995 in New York Magazine. That was the day Caroline was used by Daddy and his staff as comic relief to break up two presentations of the city budget — first to Wall Street and then to the press.http://tinyurl.com/297mvr8

Caroline was seated next to Rudy’s then girlfriend Cristyne Lategano, who was also his spokesman, during the morning presentation to Wall Street analysts. Lategano tapped Caroline on the back. The little girl ran to the podium and interrupted her father’s delivery of the grim budget news. Everyone laughed. The Mayor said, “Did you learn that from Andrew?” He was referring to Caroline’s older brother, Andrew, who’d famously interrupted a Mayoral speech earlier. The solemn mood in the room was broken.

Giuliani must have liked the effect. Later that day, at the press conference, Lategano did the same thing. She sent poor Caroline “spontaneously” to the podium at the same time as before. The Mayor said the same thing. “Did you learn that from Andrew?” Everyone laughed.

Last year, Caroline went against her father publicly and backed Barack Obama for president. It’s no secret that the former Mayor and his children are estranged. But considering that during their childhood Caroline and Andrew’s dad had two affairs while in office, they might be excused. Let’s just hope Caroline can get some help so she doesn’t have to act out her pain in public.

Madonna: Watch Kabbalah Members Dance to “Like a Prayer”

Roger Friedman
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Madonna: Watch Kabbalah Members Dance to “Like a Prayer”

Really, you have to see this to believe it. Members of the Kabbalah Center dancing to Madonna‘s “Like a Prayer.”The first people you see in this video, which I stumbled on, on You Tube: Karen Berg leading elderly Philip Berg, who’s said to have been hit by several strokes, into his birthday party last year. There’s no sign of Muki Oppenheimer, Karen’s best pal. You couldn’t make this up. I guess these people needed something to atone for come Yom Kippur.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=55_BcJaPtr0

Richard Belzer Expands Brand; Eddie Izzard is a Winner

Roger Friedman
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Richard Belzer Expands Brand; Eddie Izzard is a Winner

Richard Belzer (picture with dog below) celebrated his birthday on Thursday by having lunch with best pal Paul Shaffer at Michael’s. Shaffer drove in from upstate New York since “Late Night with David Letterman” only has a three day tape schedule during the summer.

“It could be How Munch Met Your Mother,” Belzer joked. And then, to make him feel really old, a diner came up and told Belzer he saw him open for Warren Zevon in 1979. “Thirty years ago,” Belzer sighed…

Also at Michael’s on Thursday: Newsweek’s Jonathan Alter, with his book editor, Alice Mayhew...movie producer Meryl Poster…and media man Gerry Byrne...plus Peggy Siegal showing pictures of her summer aboard various yachts in Europe…

Eddie Izzard (pictured) celebrated his Emmy nominations last week at Oceana restaurant on West 49th St. “Believe: the Eddie Izzard Story”– directed by Sarah Townsend— tells the comic actor/performer’s life’s tale, and it’s a good one.

I think Eddie–who is a superstar in the UK and has a strong following in the US–could be a character on “The Office.” In real life, he’s a “straight transvestite”– he likes put on a dress occasionally. At lunch, put on by Epix, he wore a blue blazer, white shirt with cufflinks, and nice trousers, however…

John Lennon’s Recording Engineer Has Heart But Needs One

Roger Friedman
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1
John Lennon’s Recording Engineer Has Heart But Needs One

John Lennon‘s legendary music engineer Dennis Ferrante needs a new heart. So his friends and fans gathered at the Highline Ballroom for a show to raise money to help defray his costs. This is where the inner circle of the New York music scene really is like a small town community.

Dennis–a Grammy winner for his work on a Duke Ellington box set– was the engineer on all of Lennon’s solo hit albums from “Imagine” to “Walls and Bridges” and “Mind Games.” He engineered Elvis Presley from 1970 to 1977, and has worked with Joe Jackson, the Temptations, Labelle, Judy Collins’ crowning achievement on “Send in the Clowns,” The Who, Harry Nilsson, and Linda Ronstadt‘s seminal “Heart Like a Wheel” album with “You’re No Good.”

That’s just a bit of his resume!

On stage: three-fourths of the Fab Faux–Will Lee, Rich Pagano, Frank Agnello— plus LaLa Brooks, Lou Christie-who sang “Lightning Strikes,” Denny Laine of the Moody Blues and Wings did “Go Now” like it was yesterday, my pal Vaneese Thomas was amazing on “Come Sunday,” and there were great offerings from Gordon Chambers, Richard Barone, Janice Pendarvis, Nicola Sica, and an all star band composed of cool musicians. Bill McCuddy emceed.

Off stage: May Pang, Steve Walter (getting ready to announce a new Cutting Room), Ray Chew Claudia Koal, Michael Cartellone.

Jimmy MacElligot played with Dennis on “Mustang Sally.” There was also a film clip from… John Lennon! Why? Because Dennis was close to John even did some uncredited background singing on Lennon’s solo work. Everyone loves Dennis Ferrante.

If you want to make a donation, send it to Play 4 Life Inc., POB 2518, NYC, NY 10108. Or email me here under comments and I’ll forward the info.

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