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Bari Weiss’s Embarrassing CBS Christian Hour with Erika Kirk Sends Charlie Kirk Book to Number 2, and Temporarily Sold Out

Roger Friedman
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Bari Weiss’s Embarrassing CBS Christian Hour with Erika Kirk Sends Charlie Kirk Book to Number 2, and Temporarily Sold Out

Seventy years of CBS News was chucked out the window tonight by Bari Weiss.

Could there have been anything more cringe and embarrassing as Weiss’s Christian Hour interview with Erika Kirk, widow of right wing evangelist Charlie Kirk?

My favorite part was when the closed captioning misread the word ‘intifada’ as ‘frittatta.”

Everyone of the great CBS legends in heaven rose out of their graves.

The purpose of Weiss’s Town Hall was to sell copies of Charlie Kirk’s latest book. Now “Stop in the Name of God” is number 2 on amazon. The bookseller says the title now sold out — temporarily. Self published, Kirk’s book probably had a low first print run so they could claim a sell out.

Weiss’s Town Hall had an audience, but they looked like they’d been pulled in from a cosmetics infomercial. None of them were allowed to speak or question Kirk. They just shook their heads in assent to anything mentioned. For all we know, they were applauding a new copper sauce pan.

Those who did speak were split between Christian fans, and a couple of people who did throw Kirk curveballs. One was a Jewish man whose daughter and fiancee were killed on the streets of Washington DC in an antisemitic attack. He asked Kirk what Turning Point, her loony tune cult, was doing about antisemitism on the right. He didn’t get an answer.

Another questioner was the man who was asking Kirk a question when he was assassinated. He asked Kirk what she thought of Donald Trump’s divisive and violent rhetoric. She sidestepped that question, too.

The Town Hall show was full of Christian advertising. It was another embarrassment, but definitely a step — made by Weiss — to turn CBS into a new Fox News. Weiss has come off not as a professional journalist, but as Velma from “Scooby Doo,” thinking her career has been made. Or Andrea from “Beverly Hills 90210,” who fizzled in adulthood.

Kirk was antisemitic, and so is his wife. I LOL at the idea of her having Jewish Sabbath dinner at home. These people are phonies.

Box Office: “Zootopia,” “Freddy’s 2” Have Strong Fridays, “Wicked” Magic Ebbing, “Ella McCay” a Tragedy in the Making

Roger Friedman
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Box Office: “Zootopia,” “Freddy’s 2” Have Strong Fridays, “Wicked” Magic Ebbing, “Ella McCay” a Tragedy in the Making

Friday night box office was big big big for the top two releases.

Both “Zootopia 2” and “Five Nights at Freddy’s” had great nights, each up 147% from last Friday.

Those films have legs that will walk them past New Year’s weekend.

Alas, it’s not so great for “Wicked For Good.”

Finishing in 3rd place, “WFG” took in just $2.2 million on Friday, inching up to $305 million. It’s going to be a long broom flight to $400 mil. Maybe it’s time for an incantation.

The new movie of the week is “Ella McCay” from Disney-20th. It’s sadly DOA with just $850,000 on Friday night. The weekend outlook is bleak. James L.Brooks has directed classic movies in the past, so rent one this weekend, like “Broadcast News” or “Terms of Endearment.”

We wait now for “Marty Supreme,” “Song Blue,” “Avatar Fire and Ash,” and “Anaconda” to finish up the year.

PS Happy 85th birthday to Dionne Warwick and 100th Birthday to Dick van Dyke!

“Ella McCay,” from Famed Producer Director James L. Brooks, Splats at Rotten Tomatoes with 18%, Dumped by Disney-20th

Roger Friedman
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“Ella McCay,” from Famed Producer Director James L. Brooks, Splats at Rotten Tomatoes with 18%, Dumped by Disney-20th

It’s a sad fate for “Ella McCay.”

A movie no one knows about or understands, what seems like the final project for a famous director is a strike out.

James L. Brooks has the most remarkable resume, from “Mary Tyler Moore,” “Taxi,” “Tracey Ullman” and “The Simpsons” to “Terms of Endearment,” “Broadcast News,” and “As Good as It Gets.”

Even “Spanglish” has its charms.

But “Ella McCay” is an enigma. Disney just dumped it into the abyss. Sixty critics have seen it, and most of them disliked it intensely.

The only person aside from Brooks who seemed to care about this movie was Jamie Lee Curtis, who became the marketing point person

One day maybe I’ll see it on VOD and have a better idea of what this movie was even about. There’s no way of figuring it out from the publicity or marketing.

There are some predictions of a $4 million weekend, but we’ll see what happens. If the weather is very bad Saturday night, “Ella” won’t even by O’Kay.

Broadway: Scott Rudin’s Comeback Play, “Little Bear Ridge Road,” Starring Laurie Metcalf, Closing Next Week Instead of February

Roger Friedman
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Broadway: Scott Rudin’s Comeback Play, “Little Bear Ridge Road,” Starring Laurie Metcalf, Closing Next Week Instead of February

Broadway producer Scott Rudin’s big comeback project has failed.

“Little Bear Ridge Road,” starring Laurie Metcalf, was supposed to play through February 2026.

Instead, the Road will close on December 21st. During its short run “Little Bear Ridge Road” never made money, and last week played at 68% capacity. Total take last week was just $422,901.

Rudin, exiled from producing Broadway shows after the toxic nature of his business was revealed just before the pandemic, was collaborating on the production with Barry Diller.

Rudin was very excited about working with Metcalf, a two time Tony winner, Emmy winner, and Oscar nominee. Their next project, a revival of “Death of a Salesman” with Nathan Lane as an unlikely Willy Loman, will come in March 2026. Both productions are directed by Joe Mantello.

As for “Death of a Salesman,” it seems a little soon for another revival after the 2023 production starring Wendell Pierce. This new one is set for a short run designed just to swoop in for Tony Awards and close right after they’re handed out.

Hugh Jackman, Kate Hudson Perform at A List After Party for NY “Song Sung Blue” Premiere, Cheered on by Goldie Hawn, Kurt Russell

Roger Friedman
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Hugh Jackman, Kate Hudson Perform at A List After Party for NY “Song Sung Blue” Premiere, Cheered on by Goldie Hawn, Kurt Russell

What an old fashioned A list night in New York!

Kate Hudson and Hugh Jackman performed Neil Diamond songs at a swanky after party for their new movie, “Song Sung Blue.”

They were cheered on by Kate’s parents, Oscar winner Goldie Hawn and the great Kurt Russell, who today are hosting another event for the movie here in Manhattan.

All the “Song Sung Blue” co-stars were there, too, for the NY premiere screening including Jim Belushi, director Craig Brewer, Michael Imperioli, Hugh’s Tony award winning girlfriend Sutton Foster, and the real Claire Stengl, whose life story the movie is based on — and who Kate plays so well in the movie — singing like crazy — she’s closing in on a SAG Actors nomination and maybe even an Oscar nod.

(Other guests included a slimmed down Richard Kind, and Justin Theroux with his very pregnant wife, Nicole Bloom.)

Goldie Hawn, looking great and as cute as she was on “Laugh In,” couldn’t have been more supportive. She told me about Kate, “She is so serious about her singing, and what a voice!”

So Tony nominee and “Wolverine” star Hugh and Kate hit the stage at the very private ZZ Club on 11th Avenue –owned by the famously delicious Carbone’s restaurant in Greenwich Village — to sing rowdy renditions of three Neil Diamond songs with a top notch band last night including, of course, “Sweet Caroline.”

Focus Features definitely wins party of the season, and looks like it will have a pair of hits with “Hamnet” already in theaters in “Song Sung Blue” coming on Christmas Day.

There are so many things I love about “Song Sung Blue,” the story of the late Mike Sardina and his wife, Claire (still very much alive), who became local legends as Lightning and Thunder in Wisconsin singing Neil Diamond songs in the 90s. Mike and Claire were such a hit that they actually opened for Pearl Jam at Eddie Vedder’s request. Brewer — famous for “Hustle and Flow” — has pulled off an openhearted film filled with great music (hits by Diamond, score by Scott Bomar) and a sensational screenplay.

(One of my favorite things is a subplot of Mike performing with the legendary real life R&B group, the Esquires. Their signature hit, “Get On Up,” co-written the late great Johnny Taylor, is featured in the film.)

Hugh Jackman isn’t as much of a surprise as Kate Hudson in “Song Sung Blue” because he’s had a big musical stage career. It’s Hudson who’s really the revelation, especially since her 2024 album, “Glorious.” She told me last night she’s getting the material together for a follow up, but when you hear her on “Song Sung Blue” soundtrack, you know she has ‘it.’

Kennedy Center Claiming “Sold Out” Shows While Giving Away Tickets, Can’t Sell Seats to Christmas Show Even Adding Animals

Roger Friedman
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Kennedy Center Claiming “Sold Out” Shows While Giving Away Tickets, Can’t Sell Seats to Christmas Show Even Adding Animals

The Kennedy Center’s holiday season is a mess.

They’re giving away tickets to shows, and claiming “sold out” performances.

But even the shows with no price for tickets aren’t drawing audiences.

Next week, Jesus-obsessed Trump lackey Dickie Grenell is flagging tickets for his Noel: Jesus is Born night so desperately that they’ve added live animals on stage. (Unclear how PETA feels about that.)

Despite the promise of a zoo, the show is mostly unsold. About half the orchestra floor is open, and the first tier is entirely unsold. The other two floors are closed.

On Thursday night, the Kennedy Center presented singer Melinda Doolittle with the National Symphony Orchestra in a program called “Notes of Honor: NSO Salutes the Military.”

Free tickets were distributed to military families. Fox News touted the show as “Sold out.”

Tonight, tomorrow afternoon, and tomorrow evening there are three more performances. The theater is wide open with unsold seats, although only the orchestra level is being used.

Tomorrow afternoon, on the Millennium Stage, the Kennedy Center is giving away tickets to a show with someone named Randy Barrett. According to the website, Barrett “has spent the last 40+ years playing music that makes people feel good.”

They’ll certainly feel good getting a free show!

Also free this week on that Millennium Stage, the Peace and Carol Ringers. And another show called “Gerdan’s The Wheel of Holidays.”

Olivia Nuzzi vs. Cheryl Hines: Who Sold Fewer Books About RFK Jr? And What About Kevin Federline’s Britney Tell All? Louis CK’s First Novel?

Roger Friedman
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Olivia Nuzzi vs. Cheryl Hines: Who Sold Fewer Books About RFK Jr? And What About Kevin Federline’s Britney Tell All? Louis CK’s First Novel?

It’s been a hard fall for celebrity books.

Mostly, it’s been an uphill battle for the women in Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s life.

RFK’s wife, Cheryl Hines, sold just 3,200 copies of her memoir, “Unscripted.” It never got much better as “Unscripted” sales sent the book to the lower regions of Amazon’s best seller list.

Then there’s Olivia Nuzzi, Kennedy’s digital lover. She wrote “American Canto,” which also found no audience. NPD BookScan says it “Canto” has sold 1,500 copies. It’s also fallen to the bottom of the bottom of the Amazon list.

And there’s more: Britney Spears’s ex, Kevin Federline, tried to throw her under the bus. It didn’t work. Federline sold just 2,400 copies of — my title — “How I Made a Living off a Pop Star and Then Tried to Get More Money.”

Finally, what happened to Louis CK’s novel, called “Ingram”? Panned by critics, “Ingram” someone made the NY Times Best Seller list for one week. It was simultaneously past number 1,000 on amazon. BookScan says it sold 14,700 total. “Ingram” is now also a memory on Amazon.com at 1,501.

To all these publishers: what were you thinking?

Shen Yun Coming Back to the Kennedy Center Despite Last Year’s Bomb Threat: CFO Accused by DOJ of Money Laundering Scheme

Roger Friedman
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What do you when your theater gets a bomb threat over a dance company?

Why, invite them back!

Last year Shen Yun, the colorful dance troupe that may be a front for money laundering, kicked off its Kennedy Center run with a bang.

The theater got a bomb threat and had to evacuate the building.

You’d think that would be enough for the beleaguered Kennedy Center, which can’t even get “Hamilton” to perform there and is the subject of daily scandals. But they can’t entice much programming since Donald Trump, Tricky Dick Grenell, and the rest of the Christian right took over.

So Shen Yun is returning next month for more fun. Shows were announced for January 7th through the 14th, but that last show has already been cancelled.

I told you in June 2024 that Shen Yun was caught in accusations of a money laundering scheme that included the Epoch Times and Chinese dissidents Falun Gong. The chief financial officer was indicted by the Justice Department for laundering $67 million.

U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “As alleged, Bill Guan, the Chief Financial Officer of a global newspaper and media company, conspired with others to benefit himself, the media company, and its affiliates by laundering tens of millions of dollars in fraudulently obtained unemployment insurance benefits and other crime proceeds. When banks raised questions about the funds, Guan allegedly lied repeatedly and falsely claimed that the funds came from legitimate donations to the media company.

Might that not have something to do with the bomb threat? They’ve had similar situations in other cities.

This what’s happened to the Kennedy Center. From January through the end of April they have almost no programming except their subscription series. A B level tour of the musical, “Chicago,” is coming in for a week.

But there’s a lot of competition in Washington. Both Arena Stage and the National Theater have a lot of hits on their schedule. The Kennedy Center will be looking like a ghost town through the winter.

Poor Shen Yun. It’s a beautiful show, but it’s so wrapped up in cults and Department of Justice lawsuits, not to mention bomb threats, it might be better to go somewhere else!

Tricky Dick Grenell is doing a great job at the Kennedy Center when he’s not helping launch World War III with Venezuela.

Epoch Times CFO May Have Laundered Millions Through Shen Yun Dance Troupe and Conspiracy Fueled Chinese TV Channel

https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdny/pr/chief-financial-officer-multinational-media-company-charged-participating-scheme

“SNL” Continued Ratings Comeback with Melissa McCarthy and Dijon Last Week: Josh O’Connor and Lily Allen Next While Cher Warms Up

Roger Friedman
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“SNL” Continued Ratings Comeback with Melissa McCarthy and Dijon Last Week: Josh O’Connor and Lily Allen Next While Cher Warms Up

This past Saturday’s “SNL” showed the 51 year old show is on a comeback.

For some reason, maybe because there’s a lot of new cast members, season 51 hasn’t been easy. After Bad Bunny opened with 4.4 million viewers, the show trended downwards until Miles Teller and Brandi Carlile bottomed out with 3.36 million. That was pretty shocking.

But every episode since then has restored order, with the most recent episode, featuring Melissa McCarthy and singer Dijon, getting back to 4.3 million again.

Still, “SNL” has not had a blockbuster episode this season so far.

This Saturday brings actor Josh O’Connor and singer Lily Allen, which looks perilous. O’Connor is the star of “Wake Up, Dead Man” and a few other films this fall, but his appeal is unknown. Lily Allen made a splash with an album about her divorce from “Stranger Things” actor David Harbour.

Even if this weekend is a bust the big pre-Christmas ender should go through the roof. Ariana Grande is hosting, and Cher is the musical guest. If they don’t bring in viewers, no one can, particularly if they sing “I Got You, Babe” and Cher — the queen of all celebrity — is in some sketches.

Who knows? Maybe Jeff Goldblum will show up. He and Ariana are releasing a single together this week. And Cynthia Erivo? What about a “Wicked” reunion with Cher? The mind boggles.

Vanity Fair Ditches Famous Oscar Party Tent for Deal with LACMA After Leaving Women off Hollywood Cover: Olivia Nuzzi Invited?

Roger Friedman
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Vanity Fair Ditches Famous Oscar Party Tent for Deal with LACMA After Leaving Women off Hollywood Cover: Olivia Nuzzi Invited?

Vanity Fair is ditching its famous Oscar party tent.

The floundering magazine is moving the party from its long held spot at the Wallis Annenberg Center on Santa Monica Boulevard to the Los Angeles County Museum of Art.

LACMA could be a fun place, but not the behemoth of the massive tents. It’s unclear if they’ll let guests eat In-and-Out Burgers near all that expensive art.

One guest who won’t be on the list: now ex West Coast editor Olivia Nuzzi. Although you never know: her notoriety of having a big flop of a book and being fired might be just what new editor Mark Guiducci wants on his red carpet.

Vanity Fair’s whole relationship with Hollywood has changed since Guiducci took over from the former editor. The magazine has mostly ignored all the new releases heading to awards season. For its Hollywood issue — out now — they couldn’t get a lot of stars. All actresses turned them down. Only a couple of the male stars warranted a cover.

From Guiducci’s quote on the VF website today, it does seem like doesn’t care about Hollywood per se. He’s looking at tech bro’s as the new stars. I’m surprised no one’s decided yet to launch their own big Oscar winner party now that VF is fading away.

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