Saturday, October 31, 2026
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The Emmy Nominated Star of Rosie O’Donnell’s Favorite Soap — Ilene Kristen from “Ryan’s Hope” — is Behind This Important New Doc (Watch)

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Rosie O’Donnell’s favorite TV soap from her early days was “Ryan’s Hope,” which ran on ABC for 13 years around noon time.

We often joke that Rosie thought the Ryans were her own family!

For most of that run, Ilene Kristen played bad girl Delia Ryan. Delia was an inventive schemer and liar, and drew huge ratings. Years later, Kristen was nominated for Daytime Emmys twice on “One Life to Live.” (She was hilarious.)

In real life, Kristen is behind a new documentary (you can watch it below) called “Heist.”

Ilene tells me: “We started shooting at the end of Feb. 2025 right after the St. Valentines Massacre, when thousands of Federal Civil Servants were sent emails that their jobs were approaching “a fork in the road” and maybe they just should retire before their inevitable firing was coming down the pike.

“You could cut the anxiety in Washington with a knife and many of the Feds could not even be interviewed for fear of being sued or jailed for violations of their contracts. So we (Rebecca Cammisa — Oscar nominated for docs Which Way Home and God is the bigger Elvis and me) followed every demonstration to see where the story would take us.

“We shot until July ‘25 so we could get this out fast…we wanted it out on YouTube rather than a streamer who might buy it and then buckle to the demands of this administration. It’s challenging getting the word out independently but so far so good. We were nominated for an Emmy back in May.”

“Heist” is just 40 minutes long, and is pretty riveting. It’s certainly got more dramas and cliffhangers than even the best soap — and it’s a true story about real people!

Sky’s the Limit: “Spider Man: Brand New Day” Swinging to $700 Million in the US Today, Closing in On $2 Billion Worldwide

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Today’s the day.

Peter Parker and pals are hitting the $700 million mark this very afternoon and evening with “Spider Man: Brand New Day.” The Tom Holland-Zendaya led comic book film moves to number 8 on the all time list.

Worldwide, the number is up to a shocking $1.7 billion.

Stan Lee is up there in heaven passing out cigars. He could never have imagined his creation going this far

And today is just Day 13. That’s it. This movie will be playing in theaters well past Labor Day. And it’s going into IMAX, where the ticket prices are something twenty five bucks.

At the same time, “The Odyssey” is heading toward $500 million. That’s pretty wild, and Homer — now 3,000 years old — may be taunting Stan if they run into each other. “The Odyssey” also features Holland and Zendaya. Chris Nolan’s epic is heading to massive awards attention.

What’s not happening? “Cookie Queens,” a documentary about Girl Scout cookies, is DOA. Meghan Markle is executive producer with Prince Harry. These two have no idea what they’re doing, do they? They let the documentary be distributed by Roadkill –er, Roadside — Attractions, a company that couldn’t Girl Scout cookies to Girl Scouts. I’m not sure if they even have an agent left in Hollywood who will work with them. It’s pretty clear that Princess Meghan does not take advice from others. That’s the way the cookie crumbles!

By the way, “Cookie Queens” sounds like it’s about drag stars.

Confirmed: Famed Actress Liv Ullmann, 87, Is Most Definitely Alive, Two Time Oscar Nominee Victim of Another Stupid Internet Hoax

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Liv Ullmann is alive, thanks.

Reports of her death have been much exaggerated.

Some stupid internet hoax claimed Ullmann, who is 87 and lives in Oslo, Norway, had passed away.

It’s just not true. I’ve confirmed the news through her office.

A great actress and beauty, Ullmann has twice been nominated for Oscars. She received a Lifetime Oscar in 2022.

Ullmann burst on the scene in 1966 with Ingmar Bergman’s “Persona.” She made several more movies with him including “Face to Face,” and “The Passion of Anna.” The actor and director made 12 movies together and their legendary romance produced a daughter, Lin Ullmann.

Other films include “Cries and Whispers,” “Autumn Sonata,” and “Scenes from a Marriage.” Ullmann famously turned down the lead in another Bergman classic, “Fanny and Alexander.”

Ullmann has also worked hard for the United Nations and UNICEF as a goodwill ambassador. She’s also starred in four Broadway plays and has one Tony nomination.

These death rumors are so stupid and embarrassing, and insulting. Believe me, if and when Liv Ullmann goes, the news won’t be on Twitter first!

CBS Chutzpah: Network Touts Stephen Colbert Late Show for Emmy Awards After Unceremoniously Cancelling it to Censor Trump Mockery

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Credit CBS for having a lot of nerve.

The dying network cancelled Stephen Colbert’s Late Show because they said it cost too much.

That was code for “Trump wants him off the air.”

Colbert wrapped up his run in May, and went out in style. Fans really miss him. Colbert has been replaced by a time buy from Byron Allen and his “Comics Unleashed.” CBS doesn’t care, they’re just happy to be rid of someone who erudite and had good taste.

Now, though, they want something out of this deal.

The former Tiffany network has started an Emmy campaign for the Colbert show. Even though they killed it, they still want the praise.

Now, that’s pretty funny.

If they win — and they probably will — CBS will no doubt tout the award(s) as part of their publicity.

Rest assured, while David Ellison owns the network, it will be the last Emmy they’ll get for almost anything.

But Ellison won’t care. He’ll be moving Paramount and CBS to Texas or Florida, and negating 100 years of history.

The Emmy Awards are on NBC this year. Let’s hope there are a lot of Paramount jokes.

Essence Magazine Shows No “Respect” with List of Best R&B Songs that Omits Aretha Franklin, Ray Charles, James Brown, Most of Motown

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Essence magazine has been kinda stupid for a long time.

Now they’ve issued a list of the top R&B songs of all time.

They’ve completed omitted Aretha Franklin, Ray Charles, all of Motown (Temptations? Four Tops?) and Stax Records. No Wilson Pickett, no Sam & Dave, no Isaac Hayes, not even James Brown. No Parliament? Ike and Tina? Otis Redding? 

No James Brown on the list of greatest R&B Songs? Come on, how can you even live after that decision? Essence editors, take it to the bridge!

These lists from every magazine are ridiculous, but this one is really dumb.

They also call a Michael Jackson song “Heave Can Wait.” Michael apparently didn’t want to heave. He had enough problems. They also may not know what R&B is. This is a list of easy listening songs from Black artists, songs without rhythm or blues, LOL.

Well, heave can wait. Bloody hell.

Oh yeah, just in case they’ve never heard it, Sam Cooke’s “A Change is Gonna Come” should be number 1. Stevie Wonder’s best R&B song? “Superstition”? “Higher Ground”? “I Wish.” “As” is lovely but really…

Twin Freaks: Sisters Rooney and Kate Mara Play Siblings Who Speak in Unison, Are in Love with the Same Man, in “Bucking Fastards”

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This should be good.

Real life sisters Kate and Rooney Mara play real life sisters Jean and Joan Holbrook in Werner Herzog’s “Bucking Fastards.”

The movie is playing film festivals this fall including the one in New York.

According to AI summary: “Jean and Joan share such a close connection that they talk in unison and even make the same slips of the tongue together.The Mission: The sisters attempt to dig a tunnel through a mountain range to reach an imaginary land where true love is possible. The Cast: Alongside Kate and Rooney Mara, the movie stars Orlando Bloom and Domhnall Gleeson. Real-Life Inspiration: The film is loosely inspired by the true story of English twins Freda and Greta Chaplin.”

The Mara sisters, whose family owns the New York Giants football team, have never acted together before. Should be good, especially when they do interviews and accept awards!

Rod Stewart Needed a Cardiac Stent! Now the Rhythm of His Heart is Repaired, Will Recover Over Next Few Weeks, Cancels Some Shows

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One of Rod Stewart’s biggest hit is “Rhythm of My Heart.”

But the rhythm of his heart was obviously blocked by a lifetime of eating and drinking like there’s no tomorrow.

For months, indefatigable Rod, age 81, has been huffing and puffing on stage during his shows. He loves to perform as if he’s 31, but recently looked like he was going to pass out any second.

Now comes news that Rod the Sod has gotten a cardiac stent. He’s cancelling shows for a while. Good idea. Blood and oxygen are now coursing through his body with all new avenues.

I can tell you that Rod will feel a lot better after he recovers. Breathing is pretty important even if you’re not mixing it up with dancers and a rock band while singing “Maggie May.”

Rod’s family must be relieved that he finally had the procedure — which by the way takes a few minutes, and once it’s over they give you a lollipop and send you on your way. Rod will be back on stage soon, you’ll see.

Rod’s social media says: “Following further medical evaluation, Sir Rod Stewart has successfully undergone a routine coronary stent procedure. Doctors are pleased with his recovery, and Rod is doing very well and has returned to his normal daily activities. On the advice of his doctors, he will take the next four weeks to recuperate and regain full fitness before returning to the stage. Unfortunately, this means he will be unable to continue his current tour dates. Information regarding affected performances will be communicated by the respective promoters and venues.”

Broadway’s New Prince: Ari Emanuel’s Company Buys 7 Theaters on the Great White Way, Formerly Jujamcyn, Plus 10 In London’s West End

Broadway has a new prince: Ari Emanuel, Hollywood power player, former chief of William Morris Endeavor (and still involved as CEO of WME Group).

Ari, whose brother is Chicago politician and ex mayor Rahm Emamuel, has purchased 7 Broadway theaters through his MARI company. The seller was ATG Entertainment, which purchased most of the theaters a couple of years ago from Jujamcyn.

This now makes Ari Emanuel the third largest holder of Broadway house leases. They include the Lyric, Hudson, August Wilson, Al Hirschfeld, St. James, Walter Kerr, and Eugene O’Neill theaters.

The deal is said to be worth $6 billion.

Emanuel’s MARI already owns TodayTix, Frieze, Barrett-Jackson, the Miami Open, the Mutua Madrid Open, Hyde Park Winter Wonderland, and the Hampton Court Palace and Blenheim Palace Festivals.

ATG’s holdings also include 64 venues in Britain, the US and Germany. That includes 10 theaters in London’s West End.

Welcome, Ari Emanuel to the Broadway game. The purchase is certainly an endorsement of the future of live theater despite a rash of shows that didn’t make it this season.

Ari, a very high profile figure in movies and TV already, says in a statement: “I’ve spent my whole career in entertainment, and I started out in theater. I’ve seen the industry reinvent itself many times, but live has only grown more powerful. Nothing connects great talent with audiences more directly. ATG has built one of the world’s great theater businesses around that experience. This is a long-term bet on where live goes next.”

Get On Your Lear Jets, Carly Simon Fans — Tomorrow Brings a Total Eclipse of the Sun, Like in “You’re So Vain” — Before Her New Album Drops

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Talk about publicity and marketing!

Tomorrow will come an actual total eclipse of the sun in Europe, Greenland, and parts of North America.

If you are real Carly Simon fan you’ll fly your Lear jet up to Nova Scotia to see it. That’s what the famed still concealed subject of Simon’s everlasting hit, “You’re So Vain,” did back in July 1972.

Fifty four years later, the same kind of eclipse is coming to the same place. When all of this went down in July of ’72, it came out in the song, which was released in November

We haven’t stopped talking about since then!

By coincidence Simon releases her first new album of her own songs this week. On Thursday at midnight, Simon drops “Comes in Waves,” which includes the songs “Howl” and “Peaches.”

Like all Simon’s music, the songs are instantly catchy and lyrically involving. You can’t stop humming them once you’re on the Lear jet.

“Comes in Waves” contains a lot of personal songs, because Simon was the forerunner of singers like Taylor Swift. There’s quite a bit about her family, her decade long marriage to James Taylor, and their children. Sally and Ben Taylor are also on the album.

So get ready for Carly Simon week, but don’t stare into the sun or the moon directly. And if you’re on that Lear jet don’t take the wife of close friend!

Vogue September Issue Cover Flops, Exploits Actor Kids of Richard Gere and Cindy Crawford from Terrible TV Soap Opera, “The Shards”

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Anna Wintour is desperate for readers. In May, visits to Vogue.com were down 41% from April, according to semrush.com.

Every year, fans of Vogue wait for The September Issue as if they were receiving Moses’s tablets.

It’s the thickest issue ad wise, and should have a cover subject taken by a famous photographer of a scintillating personality or model, styled to the hilt. The cover should also convey the beginning of the fall season.

Alas, the new September issue is a flop, a sad reminder of just how far Vogue has fallen.

The cover subjects are young actors Kaia Gerber and Homer Gere.

The pair star in the unlikable FX TV soap, “The Shards,” made by Ryan Murphy, which began airing this week.

On Rotten Tomatoes, critics give “The Shards” a foul 55%. Audiences are less kind, with a total of 36% on their meter.

I’ve personally fast forwarded through the first couple of episodes. First of all, it’s a bore. Second, it’s a retread. It’s like watching an old series like “Wild Palms.” There’s nothing new about it. “The Shards” is just pretty young things, jabbering about nothing, doing drugs and showing off an excessive Hollywood lifestyle. I doubt the characters — who are subhuman — cast votes, but if they do, it’s for Trump now, Reagan then.

The most insulting part of this is that Gerber and Gere — not exactly theater royalty* — have been thrown together solely for purposes of exploitation. Her mother — Cindy Crawford — was once married to his father, Richard Gere. That’s the publicity hook for the whole series, nothing else, not the plot, writing, or acting.

(*I’m trying to imagine Vogue editorial director Chloe Malle’s Emmy winning mother, Candice Bergen, watching this stuff without a stiff drink!)

Gerber and Gere together on screen equal less than zero, which coincidentally was the first and best selling book by the show’s creator, Brett Easton Ellis some 40 years ago. Ellis has kind of thrown “Less than Zero” into a Cuisinart with his “American Psycho,” and come up with “The Shards.” There’s just a lot of name dropping of high end designer brands, and some occasional violence cloaked in really nice cinematography.

“The Shards” also seems to be FX’s attempt to make a “Euphoria” — albeit the pristine, clean, upscale version. They’ve also got an actor named Igby who looks like “Spider Man” star Tom Holland as much as he can. But if Peter Parker saw this crowd, he’d swing away from them instantly.

What a waste of time for producer Ryan Murphy, no stranger to trash TV with a focus on kitsch. But for Vogue to heave itself into this mire instead of going high, they’ve gone low. Maybe it makes some crazy sense, since Vogue no longer represents the unattainable. It’s just Cosmopolitan, with a nasty attitude.