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The 51st premiere of “Saturday Night Live” should have ratings through the roof.
Donald Trump has guaranteed it.
Saturday’s show will be hosted by Bad Bunny, who’s making history. He’s the first performer since 1988 to host consecutive episodes. He closed last season in May and now opens the new one.
Bad Bunny’s popularity is huge. His new album is number 1 in advance sales on amazon.com, ahead of Taylor Swift’s coming release on Friday morning.
More importantly, Bad Bunny’s announcement that he will star at the Super Bowl halftime show in February has turned into an event.
Benito Ocasio — his real name — is Puerto Rican, which makes him a US citizen. Nevertheless, Trump stooge Corey Lewandowski has announced that ICE will blanket the Super Bowl looking illegal immigrants to detain, arrest, or deport.
Puerto Rican fans who might have hoped to attend the Super Bowl in person are now dissuaded from going, facing enormous risks. Even if they come with passports and papers, the Nazi-like ICE could disrupt their celebration.
Bad Bunny had already announced he would not tour the US under the current immigration cloud. He doesn’t want his fans to face legal trouble. Lewandowski said, “It’s so shameful they’ve [the NFL] decided to pick somebody who just seems to hate America so much to represent them at the halftime game.”
This will no doubt be subject of some comedy for Bad Bunny this Saturday. “SNL” could not shy away from this topic on Saturday. This is because NBC — unlike ABC or CBS — doesn’t fear Trump’s retaliation. Trump already hates Comcast, which owns NBC, and the feeling is mutual.
By the way the last time a host on “SNL” helmed two consecutive episodes was Tom Hanks in 1988.
By the time Taylor Swift’s promotional for her “The Life of a Showgirl” album hits theaters on Friday, the album will already be number 1 on every chart.
The 90 minute commercial — playing only this weekend — will show the album’s first video, for a song called “The Fate of Ophelia.” Right now, millions of girls are looking up ol’ Ophelia and her “stan” with Hamlet. (Hint: Ophelia is in the Shakespeare multiverse.)
So far, Friday’s shows are mostly sold out, particularly the prime time ones between 4 and 7pm. It looks like big groups of girls (and maybe a boy or adult, also) have booked out shows. Of course, the ticket is a reasonable $12, a loss leader that will generate album sales.
In Manhattan, the best place to go when everything else is sold out is the Magic Johnson Theater in Harlem. Seems like Swift fever has not spread there yet.
But on the Upper West and East sides, forget about it. AMC, Regal, and Cinemark are going to make all their popcorn, candy, and soda money in one swing.
Alas, there’s no popcorn bucket or special cup for this limited release. Taylor would prefer every young person spend their disposable income on the album — CD, LP, cassette, or download — not to mention items that can be found on Taylor’s website.
The whole Swift phenomenon will be studied for years to come. She turns 35 in December. It’s been 19 years since her the release of her first album. Swift has survived four generations of school kids. Most everyone who had hits from 2006-2010 has been done a long time ago. But she just keeps on ticking.
Is “Showgirl” any good? Who cares? Of course it is It’s a fait accompli.
Let’s face it, Madonna’s pop career is over. We know it and she knows it.
According to Luminate, she’s sold 36,601 actual downloads and CDs this year. With streaming, the number is 317,402. Her physically demanding touring days are done, although she will always have a faithful core audience. She is living like a Material Girl thanks to publishing, all of which she shares with a variety of songwriters and producers who collaborated on her projects.
It’s called The Mystical Studies of the Zohar. I don’t think she means mayoral candidate Zohar Mamdani, who is not Jewish and won’t denounce Hamas.
She could mean the Adam Sandler character from “Don’t Mess with the Zohar,” an Israeli soldier who dreamed of becoming a hair dresser.
Sandler is Jewish. Madonna, like Mamdani, is not.
Madonna has managed to ignore decades of lawsuits and investigations against the Kabbalah Center. The current leader, and owner of the Kabbalah Centre, is Michael Berg. A decade ago, his brother Yehuda Berg, was accused of and sued over sexual harassment. He had to resign, although apparently he’s still around.
Over the years, Madonna has given millions to the Kabbalah Center, which is popular with dim witted celebrities but has no connection to actual Judaism. Let’s remember, Madonna herself is Catholic.
But now she’s teaching the master class with Eitan Yardeni, who’s worked his way up in the cult.
The come on: “Join Madonna for a deep study to reveal ancient spiritual secrets to help accelerate your spiritual growth and manifest your higher purpose.”
There are no dance lessons.
“Step inside Madonna’s home as she and her longtime teacher, Eitan Yardeni, invite you for a rare look at her deep, intimate study of the Zohar.”
Something tells me no one will be stepping inside Madonna’s home.
“Join Madonna, her partner Akeem, and teacher Eitan as she shares intimate reflections and stories from her own life with deep empathy, vulnerability, and powerful insights to empower and inspire anyone on their spiritual path.”
That would be Akeem Morris, Madonna’s boyfriend, 38 years her junior, a former Jamaican soccer player. He will also be your spiritual adviser in this kooky endeavor.
I wrote extensively about Kabbalah and Madonna for years until it seemed to peter out. But nothing keeps a good cult down for good.
But what else is Madonna to do with herself?
As for the Kabbalah Centre, they no longer file Form 990s as a 501c3. Better that they don’t, I guess, since their old ones were hilarious. They are no longer rated by Charity Navigator.
Mariah Carey is in the same boat as most recording artists of her generation.
Of course, she’s in first class.
But seriously, Mariah released a well reviewed, well sung album this week called “Here for It All.”
For a couple of says, the album hit number 1 on iTunes, meaning fans were downloading it. But there was no streaming, and no radio. None of the songs got any singles traction.
Now hitsdailydouble.com predicts 65,000 in sales. Of that only 10,000 come from streaming. The rest is iTunes and amazon.com. That’s it.
I’m a little surprised because there’s such a vocal fan group called Lambs who go crazy every time Mariah sneezes. They certainly drive annual sales of her “All I Want for Christmas” song and album. If anything negative is written they lose their minds. But they didn’t come through hyping this album.
At least Christmas isn’t too far off.
Well, 65,000 is better than nothing. But radio should have responded to this album. The songs are strong and Mariah sounds great.
Taylor Swift’s “Life of a Showgirl” is already the number 1 CD on amazon.com some two days and 10 hours before its official release.
The vinyl version is number 5 overall. The CD is outsold right now by one entry, a double vinyl edition of Bad Bunny’s album from last January.
Swift has several iterations of “Showgirl” coming. The album is variously packed with posters, photos, sweaters, and whatnot, in CD, LP, and cassette, as well as streaming. The marketing is through the roof.
Little is known about the songs included in “Showgirl.” But one song, “Father Figure,” appears to be some kind of interpolation of the George Michael hit of that name. Swift did something to it so she could her name to the writing credits. (She probably inverted it to “you don’t have to be my father figure.”)
Are we ready for non stop Taylor Swift? She appears on Jimmy Fallon’s Tonight show October 6th and Seth Meyers’ Late Night October 8th. It’s unclear if she’s performing or just stopping by as a seated guest (more likely that on Late Night since NBC took away the band).
Swift reportedly couldn’t come to terms with the NFL over a Super Bowl show because she wanted to own the footage. She could have just bought the stadium or the team, I suppose. The only way we’ll see her on the Super Bowl is if the Kansas City Chiefs can get their act together.
After the kind of meh response to Noah Baumbach’s “Jay Kelly” in Venice a month ago, I didn’t know what to expect.
But seeing the comedy about fame, friendship, and the meaning of life last night at the New York Film Festival, I’m relieved to say “Jay Kelly” is a tremendous film.
George Clooney and Adam Sandler lead a really stunning cast who never miss a beat. Baumbach, directing from a screenplay he wrote with actress Emily Mortimer, has made maybe his most accessible and embracing film, certainly since “The Meyerowitz Stories,” which featured Sandler in a similarly sympathetic role.
There was much talk out of Venice that “Clooney plays himself” in “Jay Kelly,” which, of course, isn’t correct. He does play a very successful aging movie star who’s grown disillusioned with a life that includes three failed marriages, two daughters, and an entourage that trails around after him. Sandler is part of that entourage as Jay Kelly’s loyal manager and personal fixer, Ron, upon whom Jay relies entirely.
Even though other people trail around after Jay, like Laura Dern as his long time publicist, the movie is basically a two hander supported by wonderful players who come in and out of the picture. Apart from Dern, there’s also the great Stacy Keach as Jay’s father, Riley Keough and Grace Edwards his daughters, and Jim Broadbent as his mentor.
The linchpin supporting player, though, is Billy Crudup as a former acting school friend turned rival who believes Jay stole his life from him. As in every movie, TV show, and play, Crudup memorably lights up the proceedings, creating an entire backstory for the movie in just a couple of pungent scenes.
This whole gang lives and dies on Baumbach and Mortimer’s inventively constructed screenplay. A big chunk of the movie takes place on a train from Paris to Florence, Italy where Jay — who’s genially stalking his youngest daughter on a summer vacation before she goes to college — will receive a lifetime achievement award. (This is very funny sunplot featuring Patrick Wilson as a younger star getting the same honor.)
There are a number of well woven flashbacks to Jay’s early days, so we can see how he got to this summer of discontent. There also several tropes that play back and forth in that screenplay, all very gentle send ups of stars’ lives including contract riders that insist on slices of cheesecake that Jay doesn’t even like, and so on.
Both actors are revelations. Clooney has needed a part like this for a long time. It’s his best work since his “Up in the Air”/”Michael Clayton” days. There’s none of that self-referential goofiness that sometimes pervades his roles. He’s restrained and dead serious, which makes the laughs and tears around him and from him so much more pungent. This is Clooney’s best role since “Gravity” in 2013, and “The Descendants” in 2011, roughly 12 years.
Sandler — whose main career is built on juvenile silliness — is a wise owl here, just as he was in “Meyerowitz.” He’s a mensch juggling is life and Jay’s. As Jay is having a late in life crisis he sets off Ron’s own questioning if, after maybe 30 years, is this all worth it? Ron is constantly trying to placate Jay while rationalizing his own investment in a career he’s helped to create. Jay and Ron’s friendship reminded me of Rick Dalton and Cliff Booth’s duet in “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood.” They can’t live without each other, and it’s vexing.
I shouldn’t leave out Nicholas Britell’s lovely score and Linus Sandgren’s rich cinematography. Production designer Mark Tidlesley’s gets kudos for making a train its own character.
“Jay Kelly” joins my list of “Sinners,” “One Battle After Another,” “Blue Moon,” and “Deliver Me from Nowhere,” and — yes, “Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale” — as one of the best films of what”s turning into an excellent year. See it on a big screen starting November 14th, and then on Netflix December 5th.
Mel Gibson, Donald Trump’s Hollywood ambassador, will have trouble with his latest movie.
Trump has announced a 100% tariff on all movies made outside the United States.
Gibson is shooting his two part “Passion of the Christ” sequel, and it’s not in Altoona, trust me.
Shooting is set for Rome, other locations in Italy, Morocco, and Israel.
It’s a two part movie that is costing Gibson, a Hollywood pariah, hundreds of millions of dollars.
Trump knows nothing about the movie business, but he likes to make random declarations which have to be walked back later.
I can’t wait to hear how “Passion of the Christ 2” will get some exemption from Trump, who’s obviously forgotten that cronies like Jon Voight and Sylvester Stallone also make movies abroad.
Another movie this will likely affect: Christopher Nolan’s “Odyssey,” shooting in Greece, Morocco, Sicily, and the United Kingdom.
There are plenty more, too. And who will pay for it? Moviegoers. Just like people who like to eat are paying for higher grocery bills!
Donald Trump’s latest insane rant on Truth Social:
“Our movie making business has been stolen from the United States of America, by other Countries, just like stealing “candy from a baby.” California, with its weak and incompetent Governor, has been particularly hard hit! Therefore, in order to solve this long time, never ending problem, I will be imposing a 100% Tariff on any and all movies that are made outside of the United States. Thank you for your attention to this matter. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN! President DJT”
Former Cat Stevens aka Yusuf Islam has had to cancel his US book tour.
Stevens was coming to the US in October to promote his memoir, “On the Road to Find Out.”
A lightning rod Muslim who once had his hit records bulldozed into dust by radio stations, Stevens has performed here in the past.
But with the Trump administration blocking Muslims and anyone with an opinion contrary to theirs, Cat Stevens’ peace train has been derailed. He’s been denied entry into the US before — in 2004 — but was approved in 2006.
He’s been back a few times since then. I interviewed him in 2006 when he played at Jazz at Lincoln Center. He was a charming subject. But his pro-Palestinian, anti-Israel stand is objectionable.
We are all great fans of Cat Stevens’ records from the 1970s, not so much his politics since then. Still, he shouldn’t be denied entry to the US. However, under Trump, it may be impossible.
The cancellation is certainly a blow to Genesis Publications, which publishes the $35 tome on October 7th.
Meantime, Cat Stevens’ music is heard everywhere, reflecting an innocent time before the former Steven Demetre Georgiou, born in London to Greek parents, became politicized and changed his name.
Yes, that was Bruce Springsteen on stage last night with just his guitar at Alice Tully Hall.
Bruce made some nice remarks and then serenaded the crowd at the NY Film Festival after a big standing ovation for the opening of Scott Cooper’s movie, “Deliver Me from Nowhere.”
Jeremy Allen White of “The Bear” plays Bruce circa 1982 and Jeremy Strong of “Succession” is his manager and closest friend, Jon Landau in a film about creativity, depression, loss, and friendship.
“Deliver Me” — based on the book by Warren Zanes — is a very different music film than last year’s “A Complete Unknown” because Springsteen was a decade into being a star when ghosts of his childhood haunted him, and he decided to make a stripped down, personal album called “Nebraska.”
This was right before “Born in the USA” turned him into a worldwide superstar in 1984.
Cooper, director of “Crazy Hearts” which gave us Jeff Bridges’s Oscar winning performance, has shaped a moody movie of rich colors that never loses sight of the friendship between the two men and the pain of creating an album that satisfies an artist’s vision. It’s beautiful work.
White is smaller than Springsteen in real life, but he projects himself as a big presence on screen. He sings the “Nebraska” songs when Bruce is writing and recording, although Cooper uses the real Bruce recordings when they’re playing the music back.
Bruce is just coming off his big hit, “Hungry Heart,” when he decides to pull back and re-evaluate his burgeoning career. He is indeed haunted memories of abusive father — who’s still alive in the movie and played by “Adolescence” star Stephen Graham — and a kind, put upon mother (Gaby Hoffman).
Returning to Asbury Park, Bruce hooks up with the sister of an old friend, played with a lot of warmth and appeal by Odessa Young. Paul Walter Hauser is guitar tech and buddy Mike Batlan who helps Bruce set up a makeshift studio in the bedroom of a rented house where Springsteen can be alone while he composes the album. David Krumholtz is Sony records exec Al Teller who’s not too happy when he hears “Nebraska” for the first time.
“Deliver Me” is less about plot — not a lot really happens — than it is about mood, and the way a real artist finds his way into the great unknown of creating a project. There’s the subplot of the girlfriend, and the father, but really it’s about Bruce emerging from his cocoon into a full grown Monarch butterfly.
Watching “The Bear,” we know no one does angst like White. He is the real Tortured Poets Department, which makes the way he creates Springsteen’s arc so fascinating. He’s very charming as he plumbs the depths of his soul. There’s a heart wrenching scene I don’t want to give away involving father and son, White and Graham, that is unexpected and disarming. It’s what makes “Deliver Me” a great, not a good, movie.
Strong, of course, brings Landau to life, and it’s very key to see how much the singer depends on the manager for support and guidance.
You’re not going to hear the Springsteen catalog, this is no jukebox musical. “Born in the USA” is the only that gets the star treatment. Otherwise, it’s all “Nebraska,” a work of art that echoes Springsteen’s interests in Pete Seeger and Woody Guthrie. The record company has no hope for a hit but “Nebraska” — without any singles — made it the top 3 and remains a Springsteen staple.
In the audience was Bruce’s famed drummer Max Weinberg, also Clive Davis, who was so instrumental in Bruce’s early career. Also on hand: famed artist and director Julian Schnabel. I was thrilled to run into my old friend, Molly Sims, who’s married to Scott Stuber, one of the producers.
Strong and Graham put in appearances at the after party at Ascent in the Time Warner Center, but Bruce, White, and Cooper were all absent. (Also the after party turned out to be an A list, B list affair, which was very weird.)
The most interesting guest: famed director and screenwriter Paul Schrader, who back in 1982 sent Springsteen a screenplay the singer never read called “Born in the USA.” Schrader wanted Bruce to sing and star in the movie. Bruce declined. Schrader told me later that he was in Japan and saw the “Born in the USA” album on sale, with his title and the art work from the unmade screenplay.
Was Schrader mad, I asked? “No,” he said, “I got him to write the title song for another movie I made, Light of Day, with Michael J. Fox and Joan Jett.”
Can Disney — which isn’t really part of the annual awards marathon unless it’s with animation — make this 20th Century Studios film a contender? I sure hope so. It deserves to be in the conversation.
Bruce gave Schrader a sweet shout out, as you’ll see below.
