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Surprise! 60s Activist Angela Davis Discovers She’s Descended from the Mayflower Thanks to Henry Louis Gates and History Gets a Proper Jolt

Roger Friedman
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Surprise! 60s Activist Angela Davis Discovers She’s Descended from the Mayflower Thanks to Henry Louis Gates and History Gets a Proper Jolt

I’m a huge fan of Angela Davis, the great activist and educator. I was honored to sit at her table at a lunch for a documentary about her a few years ago. We discussed how she became a target for the right back in the 60s. She was never part of the Black Panthers. But her image became entwined with theirs. She was a young trailblazer.

Tonight on “Finding Your Roots” with Dr. Henry Louis Gates on PBS, Davis learned something very surprising: she is descended from the families who came to America on the Mayflower. Shut the front door, as they say! The clip is below.

Gates is a hero with this Ancestry show. All kinds of people have learned all kinds of things sitting across from him. But this is the ultimate irony. Angela Davis is an OG American. She was always a patriot who questioned what direction this country was going in. The most American thing is to be an activist. This country owes her an apology for the way she was treated in the 60s and 70s.

Watch this. Irony is so hilarious.

Box Office: “Ant Man Quantumania” Falls 45% on First Monday, and No One is Buying Scott Lang’s Memoir Because of It

Roger Friedman
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Box Office: “Ant Man Quantumania” Falls 45% on First Monday, and No One is Buying Scott Lang’s Memoir Because of It

It’s a mixed bag for Scott Lang aka the Ant Man.

On Monday, box office for “Ant Man and WASP Quantumania” fell 45% from Sunday– the biggest drop of all new movies. That makes for three days in a row of drops, but this one was the biggest. Will “Quantumania” bounce back mid week?

Monday’s take was $14 million, pushing the US total to $120 million.

Meanwhile “Scott Lang,” who is not a real person, has authored a memoir under his own name, published by PenguinRandom’s Hyperion Avenue Books. It’s featured in the movie. Actor Paul Rudd’s picture is on the cover.

But the book has not attracted many potential readers in real life. The book — called “Look out for the Little Guy”– is supposed to be published on September 5, 2023. But so far it’s number 72 on Amazon.com. Either no one knows about or no one wants it. Who really wrote it? Who knows? And why September 5th — months and months from now? By then, “Quantumania” will be long forgotten, or playing on Disney Plus.

Starsky and Hutch Reboot? Original Actor David Soul Says of Himself and Paul Michael Glaser: “Don’t Give Up On Us” to Network

Roger Friedman
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Starsky and Hutch Reboot? Original Actor David Soul Says of Himself and Paul Michael Glaser: “Don’t Give Up On Us” to Network

David Soul, original star of “Starsky and Hutch,” once had a hit record called “Don’t Give Up On Us.”

Now, hearing that Fox TV is thinking of a reboot, Soul says — to paraphrase– Don’t give up on us! That’s in reference to him co-star Paul Michael Glaser.

Fox is saying in the new version Starsky and Hutch will be female undercover cops. Really? Why not just call it “Cagney and Lacey”? Fox is woke? What’s up with that?

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Anyway, Soul writes on Twitter: “Every article mentions the ‘original’ actors by name. So why not just reboot Paul and me—as a couple of old farts solving piddly-ass crimes at the assisted living facility where we would now live? Who can do Starsky and Hutch better than him and me?”

Hey– why not make these ladies the daughters of the respective older guys, and have the guys as advisers?

TV will not be satisfied until every show from the 60s and 70s is rebooted in some unfamiliar way. Where is My Mother the Car? It’s time!

CBS Renews NCIS For Season 225, Plus, Of Course, 60 Minutes, NCIS Hawai’i, 48 Hours and More, Plus Notes on a Hilarious “Bachelor”

Roger Friedman
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CBS Renews NCIS For Season 225, Plus, Of Course, 60 Minutes, NCIS Hawai’i, 48 Hours and More, Plus Notes on a Hilarious “Bachelor”

“NCIS” is coming back for its 400th season. Actually it’s 21st, and third without Mark Harmon.

CBS also renewed a bunch of shows including NCIS Hawai’i, both 60 Minutes and 48 Hours, CSI: Vegas, The Amazing Race, Tough as Nails, and Lingo.

CBS is easily the most stable network, They’ve already renewed 19 shows for the 2023-24 season including Young Sheldon, Ghosts, The Neighborhood, Bob Hearts Abishola, So Help Me Todd, The Equalizer, FBI, FBI: Most Wanted and FBI: International.

Still awaiting word are Blue Bloods and East New York. The former has been on the air forever and still does good numbers. East New York is one show I’d like to see come back. Even though it’s a fantasy, it’s pretty damn good. It’s a perfect Sunday night show.

Last night on ABC I caught “The Company You Keep,” which is very well cast and has a lot of potential. It’s a terrible title, but there’s nothing we can do about it now.

Before “Company” came the most howling out loud funny episode of “The Bacheor” ever. The whole gang was in London for romantic getaways when the Bachelor– let’s call him Chip — came down with COVID. The 20 attractive young women, who together have not a brain cell, immediately complained about not getting their “alone time” with him! Not one of them asked if he was ok, if he symptoms, were they exposed? Nothing.

This went on for an hour and it just got funnier and funnier. Not one of these girls suggested that since they were in London they could go clubbing, to a museum or theater, dinner, or to like Westminster Abbey. They went on a double decker bus tour and were surprised when it started raining. Meantime, “Chip” slept and isolated, and worked on his large teeth.

It’s the best. Watching it is better than being on drugs

Pop: American Idol Contestant Brings Judges to Tears and Gives James Blunt His First Hit In 13 Years

Roger Friedman
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Pop: American Idol Contestant Brings Judges to Tears and Gives James Blunt His First Hit In 13 Years

It’s been 19 years since James Blunt hit it big with his song, “You’re Beautiful.” That was 2004. He’s struggled since then to find a hit record. “You’re Beautiful” haunted him.

Well, Blunt gets the last laugh. Sunday night on American Idol contestant Ian Tongi sang an unknown Blunt song called “Monsters” on the show. The performance was so moving all the judges started crying.

That’s not all — now Blunt’s “Monsters” is number 2 on iTunes. To be Blunt, James is back. It only took a totally unknown 18 year old and a fluke. (I think it’s a fluke, unless Blunt’s publisher pitched the song. But Tongi tells a story similar to Blunt’s, of a dying father.)

It’s been 13 years since Blunt had a single in the top 100. “You’re Beautiful” was really his only hit.

As for the show: Not since “Cat’s in the Cradle” have grown men wept openly.

PS I met Blunt years ago in LA at the original Soho House with Petra Nemcova. He was a lovely guy. Bravo to him!

Justin Bieber Makes Catalog Deal I Told You About on January 24th, Youngest Star to Cash in His Chips

Roger Friedman
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Justin Bieber Makes Catalog Deal I Told You About on January 24th, Youngest Star to Cash in His Chips

I told you on January 24th that Justin Bieber was selling the rights to his catalog etc to Hipgnosis Songs. It was announced a couple of hours ago.

UPDATE Alec Baldwin Isn’t Off the Hook on “Rust” Shooting, But the Worst Charges Against Him Are Gone

Roger Friedman
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UPDATE Alec Baldwin Isn’t Off the Hook on “Rust” Shooting, But the Worst Charges Against Him Are Gone

Alec Baldwin isn’t off the hook in the “Rust” killing of cinemaographer Halyna Hutchins.

But the worst charges against him have been dropped by the Santa Fe District Attorney. The firearm enhancement part of involuntary manslaughter is gone for him and for Hannah Guitierrez Reed. They’re still accused of involuntary manslaughter, but the jail time for that would be 18 months, not 5 years.

“In order to avoid further litigious distractions by Mr. Baldwin and his attorneys, the District Attorney and the special prosecutor have removed the firearm enhancement to the involuntary manslaughter charges in the death of Halyna Hutchins on the Rust film set,” Heather Brewer, spokesperson for the New Mexico First Judicial District Attorney, said in a statement. “The prosecution’s priority is securing justice, not securing billable hours for big-city attorneys.”

Baldwin’s first date in Santa Fe court remains February 24th. Among the state’s listed witnesses is Matthew Hutchins, widower of Halyna, who already settled with Baldwin out of court. If “Rust” resumes shooting, er, filming, Hutchins would serve as an executive producer.

RIP The Great R&B Singer Chuck Jackson, Hits Included “I Keep Forgetting,” “Any Day Now,” Age 85

Roger Friedman
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RIP The Great R&B Singer Chuck Jackson, Hits Included “I Keep Forgetting,” “Any Day Now,” Age 85

One of the great heroes of classic R&B and soul, Chuck Jackson, has died at age 85. He was living in Atlanta.

Chuck was a friend, a great guy who really lived in New York and made the Apollo Theater his home in later years.

In the early 60s, Chuck had major, major hits with “I Keep Forgetting,” “Any Day Now,” and “I Don’t Wanna Cry.” The songs never went out of fashion. In fact, “I Keep Forgetting” was so lodged in Michael McDonald’s head that he wrote and recorded a new version of the song and released it– until someone reminded he’d actually forgotten Chuck’s song.

Chuck Jackson recorded for Florence Greenberg on the Sceptre label with Dionne Warwick. He also sang a lot of Bacharach- David songs. His beautiful baritone could handle anything. He often recorded with close friends like Dionne Warwick and Cissy Houston.

Nattily dressed at all times, Chuck cut an imposing figure with his trademark mustache. He left Sceptre in 1968 for Motown, where he stayed for two years. Through the 70s and 80s he continued to release records on a variety of labels.

Chuck was inducted into the R&B Hall of Fame, and won a Pioneer Award from the Rhythm and Blues Foundation. He was married twice and had two kids from his first marriage. His second wife was the late Helen Cash Jackson, a much respected educator in New York. Her sister was the great Rosalind Cash. All these people are gone now, but they were amazing, and never to be forgotten.

Cannes Exclusive: Scorsese In, Indiana Jones, Almodovar, Depp, Nolan Oppenheimer, All Point to Blow Out Festival This Spring

Roger Friedman
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Cannes Exclusive: Scorsese In, Indiana Jones, Almodovar, Depp, Nolan Oppenheimer, All Point to Blow Out Festival This Spring

Cannes do!

The next Cannes Film Festival, set for mid- May on the Cote d’Azur, will be fairly sensational from what I hear.

Sources tell me that Martin Scorsese’s “Killers of the Flower Moon” — long or short, whatever length it is– is in, definitely. It won’t be the opening film and probably not in competition, but Cannes impresario Thierry Fremaux will have Scorsese, De Niro, and DiCaprio on his his red carpet at the Palais du Festivals!

The opening night film will be very special. Pedro Almodovar’s short, “A Strange Way of Life,” will be the premiere, with Ethan Hawke and Pedro Pascal in the famed Spanish director’s first movie with English spoken. A short film — 40 minutes? — is unusual and not easy for theaters to program without a companion piece. But for Cannes opening night, it’s perfect!

I’m told other titles headed for Cannes 2023 include possibly Christopher Nolan’s “Oppenheimer,” James Mangold’s “Indiana Jones Dial of Destiny,” and Johnny Depp in “Jeanne du Barry.” The latter is said to be set for the night after Almodovar.

Sacre bleu! Stay tuned. All those stars in one place. Cannes is back, baby!

Source: Scorsese’s “Flower Moon” Will Go to Cannes If He Can Cut it Down from Three Hours, 20 Minutes

Roger Friedman
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Source: Scorsese’s “Flower Moon” Will Go to Cannes If He Can Cut it Down from Three Hours, 20 Minutes

With the Oscars coming into view, and the end of the 2023 awards season, we turn out attention to the next round of movies.

Martin Scorsese’s “Killers of the Flower Moon” is at the top of all lists for this year’s new crop. Starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Robert De Niro, “Flower Moon” is set in the West in the 1920s, and it’s based on the book by David Grann. The story concerns the real life murders of Native Americans in Oklahoma when their land is discovered to be sitting on oil fields.

I’m told that the Cannes Film Festival is chomping at the bit to premiere the film, not in competition and not for opening night. It would be just the prestige of that trio walking the red carpet.

So what’s the issue? I’m told by sources that “Flower Moon” is currently clocking in at three hours, twenty minutes. This is nothing new for Scorsese, whose every new film starts at super sized until Oscar winning editor Thelma Schoonmaker summons a succinct two and a half hour final cut out of Scorsese’s masterful shots. But Cannes can’t program such a long film, so they’re waiting to see how this all works out.

So is Apple. They wrote the check for all this. And they’ve got to promise Cannes the film will have a real theatrical run before streaming, and in every country, especially France. Stay tuned…

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