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It looks like Jay Z had some trouble getting anyone to play the Super Bowl.
The result is Usher, a lovely guy and a great performer but one who hasn’t had a hit in 20 years.
If Usher is just by himself, this is going to be problematic to say the least.
Jay Z couldn’t get a contemporary artist to perform at the biggest sporting event of the year: no Harry Styles, no Beyonce (she just did it), Taylor Swift, Miley, Adele, and so on. He also won’t go near a popular rock band like Maroon 5, or any country artist. What a mess.
I actually thought Jay Z could persuade Justin Timberlake and NSync to reunite for the show. And what about Diddy and all of his Off the Grid gang?
There’s a lot of pressure on Usher to pull this off with aplomb. I’m sure he can do it, but let’s hope he features some young people.
Donald Trump — the man ABC and the Washington Post says is ten points ahead of President Biden in a new poll — has posted his latest unhinged declaration about abortion.
I wonder if the pollsters asked about this phraseology. Trump says in his latest post that “without me. Roe v. Wade allowed the killing of a baby at any time, including the 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th month, and even after birth.”
After birth? When? Six or seven years? Or maybe 77?
The ABC/Washington Post poll is specious at best. It’s incomprehensible that anyone would want this madman back in office.
Carol Lombardini, chief negotiator for the AMPTP aka the Studios, wrote this on Twitter about an hour ago: “please WGA, just accept our last best and final offer so we’re not forced to come back again and give you the even-better last-last double-best bottomless oreo dream extreme offer-tini.”
Yes, very funny. Earlier this evening, the Studios said the offer they left with the WGA was their “best and final offer.”
Does that mean take it or leave it? Will Hollywood just cease to exist if the WGA doesn’t agree to these terms?
The two sides will congregate tomorrow again once the WGA lawyers and chiefs look every single point over. Every night there are leaks and signs the finale is coming. Everyone has a scoop and then nothing happens.
Will we wake up Monday with a resolution to this mess? Or more of the same? Monday ends the 10 days of atonement. Let’s see the studios atone for something, please.
I did dip in and out of the Global Citizen concert on You Tube.
When it started, there were 250,000 people watching. That number decreased quickly to the point when Lauryn Hill staged a surprise Fugees reunion she was at 50,000.
By the time the Red Hot Chili Peppers played, there were 31,000 people left online.
Too bad because both acts were excellent. Lauryn Hill was phenomenal. All I could think was, what if she’d had a real recording career instead of releasing one album 25 years ago?
Anyway, Hugh Jackman was a no show despite being this ridiculous group’s ambassador. The stars were mostly not super, though adequate. This wasn’t Woodstock or Live Aid. It was definitely a concert for K Pop fans.
Tomorrow night there’s a 10pm special on ABC which will have the highlights. It’s on against football, it’s a filler, and won’t have any ratings. And still the Global Citizen execs get paid those big bucks for putting on this meh event.
Now that the WGA strike may be wrapping up, it’s possible there will be an immediate turn of events.
This week, Martin Scorsese’s “Killers of the Flower Moon” is premiering in New York. “Maestro” from Bradley Cooper, is getting its first showing in Los Angeles before opening at the New York Film Festival. THE NYFF opens on Friday with Julianne Moore and Natalie Portman in “May December.”
Right along, the plan during the strike was no actors appearing to promote the films. Almost none went to Telluride, Venice, or Toronto. But that may all change now.
Even if the WGA agreement isn’t ratified, the resolutions in the final document may let business resume. Also, SAG AFTRA may relax the no-promotion rule if they think they’re going to get their deal.
The New York Film Festival may be happening too soon to benefit from all this. But the Hamptons Film Festival– which doesn’t start until October 6th — may be Ground Zero for the return of actors to the red carpets. The opening night film, the excellent “Nyad,” stars Annette Bening and Jodie Foster, each of whom would be welcomed very warmly.
Meanwhile, if SAG permits, Robert De Niro, Leonardo Di Caprio, and Lily Gladstone could possibly appear for “KIllers of the Flower Moon.” Cross fingers!
Jann Wenner’s new book — which sounds like it’s about golf — is a dud three days before publication.
“The Masters” now sits at around number 5,993 on Amazon. It will be published Tuesday and probably on remainder shelves by Thanksgiving.
Wenner destroyed the book and his reputation last when he told the New York Times he only had old white men subjects in the collection of interviews because Black and female artists weren’t articulate enough.
It was maybe the stupidest answer to a question from a non politician in 50 years. Wenner became an instant pariah. He was immediately disowned by Rolling Stone, the magazine he founded, and booted from the board of directors at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. He also cancelled all promotional activities.
Wenner”s poor publisher, Little Brown, must be hysterical. There’s nothing they can do to fight back. It’s a total loss. They can only hope the first edition was a small one.
Thirteen years ago, “The Expendables” seemed like a good idea. A movie about a team of mercenaries let loose by the CIA with Sylvester Stallone and Jason Statham looked cool. Worldwide box office was $268 million.
Two more films followed, successively collapsing at the box office. “E3” made just $39 million in the US, $209 mil total worldwide especially in places where English wasn’t necessary,
So why make another one? Answer: Greed.
LionsGate released number 4 on Thursday night. It’s a bomb, with an expected $8 million weekend. (In China, it made $10 million. They aren’t picky.) The budget was at least $100 million. The movie has a hilarious 16% on Rotten Tomatoes, off the high mark of “E2” which had a 67. These are not great films but you could probably doze through them at a 39% off matinee.
I’ve always harbored a grudge against this series. In 2014 they had a mega press conference at the Carlton Hotel in Cannes, and brought in Stallone, Schwarzenegger, Wesley Snipes, Dolph Lundgren and so on. The movie also featured Harrison Ford and the loathsome Mel Gibson. They had a parade of tanks come down the Croisette to deliver all these guys. It was a big stunt, and the Carlton was not careful about who they let into the press conference. At the end of it I realized someone had stolen my iPad mini right out of my shoulder bag! The Carlton didn’t care, probably because the iPad was…wait for it…expendable!
Donald Trump is calling Howard Stern names on social media.
Now he’s labeling the King of All Media as a “weak, pathetic, and disloyal guy” and “a broken weirdo.”
I hate to say it but that sounds like an accurate description of Trump!
What did Howard say to provoke such invective? Trump is responding a few days late to Howard’s comment to Variety that he’s “proudly woke” and anti-Trump. Stern has grown and matured by leaps and bounds since his days as a “shock jock,” and his audience has matured with him.
But Trump is gagged more or less from attacking his prosecutors and judges, so he’s turned to other celebrities he can malign. He also claims Joe Biden is “The Manchurian Candidate” and that China is bribing Biden and his family. LOL.
Now I’ll listen to Howard on Sirius XM on Monday to see what he has to say!
Denny Laine, former member of the Moody Blues and Paul McCartney’s Wings, is apparently very ill.
His wife, Elizabeth, has set up a Go Fund Me page to raise $100,000.
Elizabeth says:
:For the past two months, he’s been in and out of the hospital concerning an illness in his lungs that developed after his short bout with COVID last year. He’s had multiple tests, X-rays and scans that are ongoing, along with three surgeries, most recently for a collapsed lung, which includes an inserted chest tube that is temporarily needed until his lung heals. He recently contracted a bacterial infection in his blood, which he is still battling, but seems to be under control.”
Denny Laine started with the Moody Blues in the 60s and had a massive hit with them called “Go Now.” In 1972 he joined Paul and Linda McCartney in Wings. He was an essential part of the group all through the 70s, especially on “Band on the Run.” He co-wrote several songs with McCartney including the monster hit, “Mull of Kintyre.”
It’s unclear why Denny doesn’t have enough money from royalties or isn’t on Medicare. But apparently he doesn’t. I would hope MusiCares would step in from the Recording Academy. But no one puts up a GoFundMe page unless they are desperate.
Elizabeth adds:
“The doctors have explained once he’s medically well, he will need several weeks of physical and occupational rehabilitation. Denny does not have medical insurance. The hospital has been working with us regarding this problem, but a rehabilitation center, along with the multiple lab work and specialists, will not. I’m asking for financial help to get Denny the medical care and recovery time he requires. It’s important he concentrates on healing during this time. Our goal is to have Gypsy Den home in time for his birthday, October 29. He wants to be able to play his guitar again, presently, he’s too weak.”
