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Read Lady Gaga’s Touching Tribute to Tony Bennett: “Tony & I had this magical power. We transported ourselves to another era”

Roger Friedman
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Read Lady Gaga’s Touching Tribute to Tony Bennett: “Tony & I had this magical power. We transported ourselves to another era”

Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga‘s extraordinary friendship and musical collaboration dates back to 2011. Their meeting changed both of their lives and led to huge success with two albums, a tour, two MTV shows, and two amazing Bennett birthday performances at Radio City Music Hall.

When Tony died last week there was no word from Gaga among the hundreds of tributes. tony’s son, Danny, told me they’d been on the phone all day after his passing was announced. She was obviously grieving her great pal. But now she’s written a tribute on Instagram. I’ve broken it into paragraphs.

“I will miss my friend forever. I will miss singing with him, recording with him, talking with him, being on stage together. With Tony, I got to live my life in a time warp. Tony & I had this magical power. We transported ourselves to another era, modernized the music together, & gave it all new life as a singing duo. But it wasn’t an act. Our relationship was very real. Sure he taught me about music, about showbiz life, but he also showed me how to keep my spirits high and my head screwed on straight. “Straight ahead,” he’d say. He was an optimist, he believed in quality work AND quality life. Plus, there was the gratitude…Tony was always grateful. He served in WWII, marched with Martin Luther King Jr., and sang jazz with the greatest singers and players in the world.

“I’ve been grieving the loss of Tony for a long time. We had a very long and powerful goodbye.

“Though there were 5 decades between us, he was my friend. My real true friend. Our age difference didn’t matter– in fact, it gave us each something neither of us had with most people. We were from two different stages in life entirely–inspired.

“Losing Tony to Alzheimer’s has been painful but it was also really beautiful. An era of memory loss is such a sacred time in a persons life. There’s such a feeling of vulnerability and a desire to preserve dignity. All I wanted was for Tony to remember how much I loved him and how grateful I was to have him in my life. But, as that faded slowly I knew deep down he was sharing with me the most vulnerable moment in his life that he could–being willing to sing with me when his nature was changing so deeply. I’ll never forget this experience.

“I’ll never forget Tony Bennett. If I could say anything to the world about this I would say don’t discount your elders, don’t leave them behind when things change. Don’t flinch when you feel sad, just keep going straight ahead, sadness is part of it. Take care of your elders and I promise you will learn something special. Maybe even magical. And pay attention to silence—some of my musical partner and I’s most meaningful exchanges were with no melody at all.

“I love you Tony. Love, Lady”

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Lady Gaga (@ladygaga)

Review: The “Mother Theresa of Honduras,” First Central American to Gain Sainthood, Portrayed in “With This Light”

Leah Sydney
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Review: The “Mother Theresa of Honduras,” First Central American to Gain Sainthood, Portrayed in “With This Light”

“With This Light” is an upcoming documentary which tells the story of the spitfire Honduran nun Sister Maria Rosa Leggol. Pope Francis has authorized for the canonization process to commence, so the Sister is on her way to be sainted. Sister Maria will be feted posthumously (she passed away from Covid in October 2022 at the age of 93) at the upcoming premiere this Wednesday at the noted Museum of Tolerance in LA.

For over 70 years, Sister Maria helped over 87,000 Honduran children escape poverty and fortified her legacy as an activist and visionary. Powerhouse Social Impact Producer Bonnie Abaunza arranged a screening of the film at the Vatican. The film is the brainchild of billionaire entrepreneur and social impact investor Jessica Sarowitz, the Executive Producer on the film. Jessica’s wealth came from the payroll company, Paylocity, she founded with her husband Steve. Jessica was born in Honduras and was raised in Chicago, and she most certainly knows about humble beginnings. Her father came to the US with just $45 in his pocket. Jessica knew about Sister Maria since childhood and enlisted Honduran based director Laura Bermudez and Chicago based producer/director Nicole Bernardi-Reis to co-direct the doc.

“With This Light” is a meaningful documentary which shows this spitfire of a nun plowing through military coups, dictatorships, civil wars, natural disasters. Nothing and nobody stopped her. Sister Maria Rosa Leggol powered through it all, with the well-being of the children first and foremost for her. It’s a worthy watch.

Miraflores Films will release the film in LA, Chicago and NYC on August 11th and will be on VOD on August 15th.

Madonna Thanks Her Kids for Getting Her Through Crisis: “I saw a side to them I had never seen before. It made all the difference”

Roger Friedman
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Madonna Thanks Her Kids for Getting Her Through Crisis: “I saw a side to them I had never seen before. It made all the difference”

Madonna is thanking her kids on line for getting through her medical crisis. She writes: “I saw a side to them I had never seen before. It made all the difference.”

Madonna has six kids: Rocco and Lourdes, plus David Banda and Mercy James, whom she adopted first, then twin girls who she also adopted.

The 80s pop star was hospitalized at the end of June for “a bacterial infection.” The word was she was found “unresponsive” and was rushed to the ICU. A month later, she seems like she’s in good shape and getting ready for her tour to begin in October.

She writes:

“Love from family and friends is the best Medicine. One month out of the hospital and I can reflect.
As a Mother you can really get caught up In the needs Of your children and the seemingly endless giving……….. But when the chips were down my children really showed up for me. I saw a side to them I had never seen before. It made all the difference.
So did the love and support from my friends. If you zoom into this Picture I am holding You will see A Polaroid taken by Andy Warhol of Keith Haring wearing a jacket with Michael Jackson’s face painted on it. A perfect triangle of Brilliance.
Artist who touched so many lives including my own.
I sobbed when I opened this gift because I realized how lucky I am to be alive. And how fortunate I am to have known these people and so many others who are also gone.
Thank you @guyoseary for this gift!
And Thank you to all my angels who protected me and let me Stay to finish doing my work!”

Will Smith’s Delusional Post About the SAG Strike Pictures Him Surrounded by Non-Black Actors, Offers No Apology for Hitting Union Member

Roger Friedman
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Will Smith’s Delusional Post About the SAG Strike Pictures Him Surrounded by Non-Black Actors, Offers No Apology for Hitting Union Member

You have to hand it to Will Smith. He’s living in his own world.

Smith has posted to Instagram his support of SAG-AFTRA members which is very nice. He took a picture of himself in the middle of a group of members. He is surrounded by smiling, white faces. It’s hilarious. There are two Black men, way up top. Otherwise Will looks like he’s bringing back Up with People.

He also doesn’t apologize for hitting a SAG member on national TV, live, at the 2022 Oscars. Surely what he did would drum him out of most unions.

Smith writes:

“I wanna talk for a second about ACTING. As some of yall mighta heard, my guild, @SAGAFTRA are on strike along with our writer colleagues in the WGA. It’s a pivotal moment for our profession. 33 years into my career as an actor and there are still some days when I feel like I’m that kid from Philly who’s on borrowed time, even though I know I’ve been extraordinarily blessed and lucky to have worked as an actor all this time. It’s thanks to my friend, my teacher and my mentor @aaronspeiser whom I fondly refer to as ‘coach’ that those days when I feel like I don’t belong are fewer and further between.

Coach invited me to an acting class the other day and I met a group of our talented next generation of actors and they amazed and inspired me!

“

You’ve got to be kidding.

Another Disney Disaster: “Haunted Mansion” Remake Cost $150? Very Scary First Weekend Reaps Just $24 Million

Roger Friedman
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Another Disney Disaster: “Haunted Mansion” Remake Cost $150? Very Scary First Weekend Reaps Just $24 Million

Disney is already reeling from “Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny” not panning out.

Now, the Mouse House is dealing with the remake of “Haunted Mansion.” No stars, no publicity. nothing. A price tag of at least $150 million.

By no stars, I don’t mean to denigrate Owen Wilson, Rosario Dawson, or Tiffany Haddish. Also, there are unbilled cameos from Jared Leto and Marilu Henner. But there’s no one on the level of Eddie Murphy, who toplined the original movie.

And the result? Just $24 million for the opening weekend. Unless it suddenly goes viral, “Haunted Mansion” is about to be repossessed.

The writing was on the walls of the mansion. Rotten Tomatoes critics gave it a 41%. The audience score is 85%. No one liked it, or wanted it.

Why even remake “Haunted Mansion”? The original, in 2003, starred Eddie Murphy, Terrence Stamp, Jennifer Tilly, and Wally Shawn. It got a 13% on Rotten Tomatoes. It was a bad, bad movie. It made $75 million over 21 weeks. With Murphy and special effects, it undoubtedly lost money

But studios figure Why not just keep remaking the same old stuff?

Disney has had one stroke of luck: the animated “Elemental” started out very slow, but picked up steam as the summer dragged on. Parents took their kids, and “Elemental” managed to make $144 US and almost $400 million international. Maybe “Haunted Mansion” can follow that path.

“Oppenheimer” Box Office Blows Up Across the Globe in Over 70 Countries, But Still Not in Japan

Roger Friedman
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“Oppenheimer” Box Office Blows Up Across the Globe in Over 70 Countries, But Still Not in Japan

“Oppenheimer” is a massive hit around the world.

Besides the United States, Christopher Nolan’s epic has blown up in over 70 countries. There are only two places it hasn’t opened yet:

Japan, and China.

There seems to be plan for China beginning August 30th. That could change, of course, or China could ask for plot revisions. But the date is reserved.

There’s no such plan for Japan, which doesn’t seem surprising. Of all World War II movies, “Oppenheimer” would be the most upsetting for the Japanese people. It’s hard to imagine them welcoming a film that shows not only two of their biggest cities being obliterated, but generations of radiation causing cancer and other illnesses.

No Japanese people are seen in “Oppenheimer” and why would they? All the points of view are the Americans. And the actual bombings are handled without showing the destruction in Japan. But still,
“Oppenheimer” if it’s ever allowed in Japan may just come in through streaming or DVDs.

Kanye West Is Back on Twitter, Here’s Where We Left Off in Dec 22: He Claimed Ex Wife Had an Affair with Billionaire’s Son, or NBA Player

Roger Friedman
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Kanye West Is Back on Twitter, Here’s Where We Left Off in Dec 22: He Claimed Ex Wife Had an Affair with Billionaire’s Son, or NBA Player

Kanye West is back on Twitter.

Elton Musk has reinstated his account despite the rapper being an avowed antisemite and all around bad guy. I guess Musk thinks West’s outrageous posts will bring in eyes, and money, to the site.

He’s wrong,, of course. Once Kanye ramps up, more X users will flock to Threads and just leave in exasperation and horror.

But where were we when West was tossed off Twitter last December?

His final Tweet accused ex Kim Karadashian of cheating with someone, either NBA star Chris Paul or Paul Dalio, son of billionaire Ray Dalio. It was unclear. Maybe it was both of them. Who knows?

Here’s the story from months ago.

Since then, by the way, Kanye married someone, Kim broke up with Pete Davidson and was eyeing Tom Brady, and the world has moved on. With West’s businesses all gone, and his music career halted, what will he do next? Run as Robert Kennedy Jr’s vice president?

“Barbie” Has Biggest Second Weekend in Warner Bros History, Total So Far for Two Weeks at $351 Million. “Oppenheimer” Explosive

Roger Friedman
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“Barbie” Has Biggest Second Weekend in Warner Bros History, Total So Far for Two Weeks at $351 Million. “Oppenheimer” Explosive

Throw another weekend on the “barbee” as they say somewhere.

“Barbie,” the movie that won’t quit, made $93 million this weekend, bringing the total to $351 million in just two weeks.

That’s the biggest second weekend in Warner Bros’ history. And that includes all the Harry Potter movies, Batman extravaganzas, and “The Flash.”

The top locations for “Barbie” are, appropriately, New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, and San Francisco. It’s all the top urban markets. “Barbie” is not a huge hit in the red states, But is that a surprise? Barbie lives in Malibu, not Lincoln, Nebraska!

“Barbie” made approximately twice the amount of “Oppenheimer,” which has been the formula so far. But “Oppenheimer” has a total of $174 million in two weeks, which is dazzling considering the subject matter and length of a serious film that has crossed into the mainstream.

Elon Musk Says Despite Everything He Will Keep His Company (Whatever It’s Called) in San Francisco

Roger Friedman
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Elon Musk Says Despite Everything He Will Keep His Company (Whatever It’s Called) in San Francisco

Elon Musk finally posted something positive on Twitter X. He says despite everything, he’s staying loyal to San Francisco, and keep his heart there.

There were rumors that Musk would move his company to Texas. But he’s emphatic about sticking it out even though “the city is in a doom spiral.”

That does not mean you have to buy one of his weird looking electric trucks.

Real Life Soap Opera: “Days of our Lives” Goes on 1 Week Break To Sort out Claims Against Executive Producer — Fans Want Him Out

Roger Friedman
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Real Life Soap Opera: “Days of our Lives” Goes on 1 Week Break To Sort out Claims Against Executive Producer — Fans Want Him Out

“Days of our Lives,” the 58 year old soap, has gone on a one week break, which is very unusual.

But the Ken Corday produced show, in conjunction with Sony TV, has to sort out the saga of EP of Albert Alarr.

The show’s longtime EP has been accused of creating a toxic atmosphere backstage, with accusations of bullying and touching or groping actresses.

Alarr may be the reason actresses seem to come and go on the show almost without logic. There have been dozens of complaints about him that insiders say Corday has ignored over the years.

In a recent deleted post Lisa Rinna, outspoken as ever, complained about her recent return for a short run.

The older veteran actors on “Days” are exempt from Alarr’s behavior. It’s the young actresses who’ve had to put up with it.

Fans of “Days,” which NBC airs on Peacock now, are clear about how they feel: they want Alarr out ASAP. On Twitter, they can’t believe he hasn’t already been fired.

Missing a week of shooting on a daily soap is a big deal. Maybe when the break is over, Alarr will be, too. Stay tuned…

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