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Kennedy Center Plans Memorial Service Tonight for Charlie Kirk Featuring MAGA All Stars, Trump and Vance Still Unconfirmed

Roger Friedman
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Kennedy Center Plans Memorial Service Tonight for Charlie Kirk Featuring MAGA All Stars, Trump and Vance Still Unconfirmed

The Kennedy Center continues its move to the right and into politics.

The new chiefs there are holding a memorial service tonight for Charlie Kirk.

Lots of MAGA All-Stars are set to appear including the most vile, including: Speaker Mike Johnson, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Senior Advisor for U.S. AGM Kari Lake, Reps. Andy Biggs, Anna Paulina Luna, and Eli Crane, and Arizona state Sen. Jake Hoffman.

No word on Trump or Vance, although I’m sure one if not both will attend because it’s a great photo op.

Kirk was not elected to any office. There was no memorial service for Minnesota State Representative Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark. They were gunned down just a short time ago in act of political violence.

Kirk’s only tie to Washington was as an advocate for conservative beliefs that would have horrified the late President John F. Kennedy.

JFK would have empathized with Kirk because they were each assassinated, which is unacceptable for anyone of every party.

But Kirk’s beliefs are the antithesis of what reasonable people believe in. He was a supporter of gun violence, racism, and misogyny.

This is the new Kennedy Center, however. They just fired the head of the jazz department after letting go the chief of the dance department in a continuing effort to minimize the arts and scare off actual artists who usually appear at the Center.

As for Trump: A few hours after Kirk was murdered, a grieving Trump could be seen at Yankee Stadium dancing a jig in his seat, smiling like a jackal. When asked earlier at the White House how he was holding up after Kirk’s death, Trump proceeded to point out construction on the unnecessary $200 million ballroom being built on the property.

Crushing Blow for “Spinal Tap” Sequel: No One Went, Weekend Box Office $1.6 Mil, Studio Dumped It Unceremoniously

Roger Friedman
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Crushing Blow for “Spinal Tap” Sequel: No One Went, Weekend Box Office $1.6 Mil, Studio Dumped It Unceremoniously

The group, Spinal Tap, isn’t real. In fiction, they are sort of bumbling losers who don’t get their own joke.

Their original 1984 movie, “This is Spinal Tap,” directed by Rob Reiner, remains a massive hit and the first “mockumentary.”

But the sequel, “Spinal Tap II: The End Continues,” released this weekend by Bleecker Street Films, has been an utter disaster. More like if Spinal Tap had made a movie within a movie.

Total box office was $1,674,926 million — for four days! No one went!

Why? Because Bleecker Street dumped it without promotion or marketing. It’s their fault. The movie had decent reviews, a huge possible pool of goodwill from fans who would have gone if encouraged — or if they knew it existed.

Reiner and the cast should be properly enraged. The movie has appearances by superstars Elton John and Paul McCartney. The main cast is beloved.

This is worse than a mini Stonehenge dropped from the sky during a Spinal Tap performance, or an all black colored album cover.

Poor Bleecker Street. They must be out of money. Their own beloved leader, Andrew Karpen, died of cancer this spring, and that clearly wrecked the company.

We knew this was coming. Bleecker Street didn’t report numbers on Friday or Saturday morning. There were no ads and almost zero promotion. What could have been a very funny campaign didn’t materialize, and this is the pathetic result.

More to come…

Oscar Buzzed “Hamnet” by “Nomadland” Director Chloe Zhao Wins Toronto Film Fest, Netflix’s “Frankenstein” Runner Up

Roger Friedman
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Oscar Buzzed “Hamnet” by “Nomadland” Director Chloe Zhao Wins Toronto Film Fest, Netflix’s “Frankenstein” Runner Up

Here are the winners of the Toronto Film Festival.

“Nomadland” director Chloe Zhao is said to have a very strong Oscar contender in “Hamnet,” the story of William Shakespeare writing “Hamlet” starring Paul Mescal and Jesse Buckley.

Runner up is Netflix’s Oscar entry, Guillermo del Toro’s “Frankenstein.”

Keep an eye on the international winners, “Sentimental Value” and “No Other Choice.” They are each high on the list for Oscar contenders as well.

*The big money is on Paul Thomas Anderson’s “One Battle After Another,” but we can’t say that til Wednesday.

People’s Choice Award presented by Rogers: Hamnet, dir. Chloé Zhao

First runner-up: Frankenstein, dir. Guillermo del Toro

Second runner-up: Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery, dir. Rian Johnson

International People’s Choice Award presented by Rogers: No Other Choice, dir. Park Chan-wook

First runner-up: Sentimental Value, dir. Joachim Trier

Second runner-up: Homebound, dir. Neeraj Ghaywan

People’s Choice Documentary Award presented by Rogers: The Road Between Us: The Ultimate Rescue, dir. Barry Avrich

First runner-up: EPiC: Elvis Presley in Concert, dir. Baz Luhrmann

Second runner-up: You Had to Be There: How the Toronto Godspell Ignited the Comedy Revolution…, dir. Nick Davis

People’s Choice Midnight Madness Award presented by Rogers: Nirvanna the Band the Show the Movie, dir. Matt Johnson  

First runner-up: Obsession, dir. Curry Barker

Second runner-up: The Furious, dir. Kenji Tanigaki

Box Office: “Downton Abbey” Finale Gets Huge 96% Audience Rating — $20 Mil Weekend, “Spinal Tap” Studio Acting Like Movie Doesn’t Exist

Roger Friedman
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Box Office: “Downton Abbey” Finale Gets Huge 96% Audience Rating — $20 Mil Weekend, “Spinal Tap” Studio Acting Like Movie Doesn’t Exist

The box office is the usual mixed bag.

“Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale” is heading toward a $20 million opening weekend after a robust Thurs-Fri take of $8.85 million.

It doesn’t hurt that this is a movie fans really want to see — a whopping 96% audience response on Rotten Tomatoes, not to mention a very high 90% critics rating.

Julian Fellowes and Simon Curtis really poured themselves into making a perfect ending to this 16 year saga.

The weekend total may be even more than $20 million. Keep an eye on this one. And let’s hope Fellowes gets some nods for his excellent screenplay come awards season.

Focus Features has done a great job with this one.

On the other hand, “Spinal Tap II: The End Continues” remains as much a mystery as the origins of Stonehenge. It opened Thursday night and there are still no box office reports from Bleecker Street Films.

“Spinal Tap II” is actually being made into a cult film. The studio has all but ignored it. Producers must be furious. Reviews are B, which ain’t bad, with even the NY Times’ tough Manohla Dargis sending some nice notes.

All this despite a very good 88% audience rating on Rotten Tomatoes — a lot of movies with bigger pushes would be jealous.

Not sure if most people realize the photo of Spinal Tap is a parody of Crosby, Stills & Nash’s first legendary album cover by the famed Henry Diltz– as if the latter group could hold a candle against the former. But that’s the joke.

“Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale” Has Biggest Preview Night of the Three Post-Series Movies, Looks at $17 Mil Weekend

Roger Friedman
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“Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale” Has Biggest Preview Night of the Three Post-Series Movies, Looks at $17 Mil Weekend

“Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale” opened in royal style last night.

The last of the trio of films post-TV series had the best preview night of the three. “DAGF” brought in $2.6 million.

That’s more than double the prior installment, in 2022. And $500,000 more than the original “DA” film in 2019.

All signs point to a pretty swell weekend, with a possible $17 million take.

The new film is creator Julian Fellowes’ piece de resistance, and Focus Features knows it. They threw him and the cast an old fashioned premiere Monday night with a screening at Jazz at Lincoln Center followed by a lavish party at the NY Public Library.

You always know the studio means business if they take over the Library, by the way.

Fellowes was there, eating, meeting, and greeting. He’d never met Tony nominee Kristine Nielsen, who plays Mrs. Bauer on his HBO hit, “The Gilded Age,” and was thrilled when she came to say hello.

Other “Gilded Age” cast included Christine Baranski, aka Aunt Agnes, who came over from a fundraiser for the American Theater Wing.

There was plenty of “Downton Cast” on hand to celebrate including director Simon Curtis and his wife, Elizabeth McGovern, aka Lady Grantham, as well as Laura Carmichael (Edith), Hugh Bonneville (Lord Grantham), Michelle Dockery (Mary), Alessandro Nivola (he plays a sexy scoundrel), Paul Giammatti (Lady Grantham’s sad sack brother from America), Kevin Doyle (Mr. Moseley), and so on.

At the screening, Curtis and Fellowes gave a special shout out to Bob Balaban, who got all this started. In 1995 he went to famous director Robert Altman with the idea for what became “Gosford Park,” which he and Fellowes wrote and was a smash hit. “Downton” is really the TV version. So all kudos to Balaban, who was there with wife Lynn Grossman.

Fellowes has written every word of “Downton.” With “Gilded Age,” he gets ‘final pass’ on the scripts. He told me he’s completely stunned about how “Gilded Age” has taken off. No one was sure it would happen. In “Downton” Mr. Moseley — who’s now a screenwriter — makes several inside jokes about writers and actors, who’s most important, and so on. It was ironic, then, that Fellowes and Baranski disagree about the imperious Aunt Agnes — he thinks she does things for the right reasons. Her portrayer is a lot harder on her. Interesting.

After 16 years, I will really miss all these people. The “Downton” crowd was the nicest — except for “The Sopranos” — we ever dealt with. Every one of them was a pleasure to interview and review. But at least they’ve given us this one, last great send off.

PS When you see “The Grand Finale” this weekend, bring tissues. The ending deserves a whole box!

“SNL” Exit: Ego Nwodim Says She’s Out After 7 Years: “The hardest part of leaving a party is knowing when to say goodbye”

Roger Friedman
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“SNL” Exit: Ego Nwodim Says She’s Out After 7 Years: “The hardest part of leaving a party is knowing when to say goodbye”

“SNL” has lost another key player.

The great Ego Nwodim is out after seven years. Nwodim joins Heidi Gardner, Michael Longfellow, Emil Wakim, and Devon Walker who’ve either left or been let go by Lorne Michaels this month.

She wrote on Instagram: “The hardest part of leaving a party is knowing when to say goodbye”

She thanked Lorne Michaels, as well.

Nwodim’s seven year contract was up, and I guess renegotiation did not go well.

She’s a star, turning everything she did into magic. Her Dionne Warwick talk show was one of the great sketches of the last few years.

On the closing Weekend Update last May she went balls out in a performance that should have earned her an Emmy.

Nwodim’s exit is bad also because she’s a black woman, something “SNL” does not specialize in. She’s leaving several voids at once. But let’s hope we see her again soon in new triumphs.

Charlie Kirk Cash In Begins: Right Wing Singer Tom MacDonald Releases “Charlie” Hours After Activist’s Assassination

Roger Friedman
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Charlie Kirk Cash In Begins: Right Wing Singer Tom MacDonald Releases “Charlie” Hours After Activist’s Assassination

Right wing singer and Canadian white rapper Tom MacDonald didn’t waste any time exploiting Charlie Kirk’s death.

MacDonald — who issues MAGA recordings every few months unknown to the mainstream — has released a digital single called “Charlie” that blames “woke people” for the podcaster’s death. (I’m actually surprised he didn’t call the record “Captain Kirk.” Missed opp!)

MacDonald has no idea who killed Kirk but he was willing to write any lyrics if he could make a buck off what’s happened.

On the video McDonald writes: “All proceeds to be donated,” but he doesn’t say to whom. Kirk’s lawyers should get on that one fast.

What happens when the killer doesn’t fit McDonald’s description? Well, never mind!

PS Get a load of this guy. He is #MAGA from tip to toe. Even from Canada. They have loonies, too. Yeesh.

Charlie Kirk Death A Boon For Donald Trump Jr’s Vanity Book Company: Three of Them Are On Amazon’s Top 10 Including One That Sells for $49

Roger Friedman
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Charlie Kirk Death A Boon For Donald Trump Jr’s Vanity Book Company: Three of Them Are On Amazon’s Top 10 Including One That Sells for $49

EXCLUSIVE Charlie Kirk’s tragic killing turns out to be an unexpected windfall for Donald Trump Jr.

Junior and Trump Sr. lackey Sergio Gor own a right wing book company called Winning Team Publishing. They own the rights to Kirk’s books.

Now three of those books have shot to the amazon top 10 in the aftermath of Wednesday’s horror.

“The College Scam: How America’s Universities Are Bankrupting and Brainwashing Away the Future of America’s Youth ” is number 3 in overall bestsellers, in a paperback edition. It sells for $16.64. Easy peazy. If you want your kid to be totally illiterate and removed from reality, this is the book for you.

At number 5 comes “Right Wing Revolution,” which was published by Winning Team in 2022.


“Right Wing Revolution,” subtitled “How to Beat the Woke and Save the West,” is only available on amazon in collectible editions, whatever that means, starting at a formidable $49.95. Prices run up to a stunning $350 per book. (Buy food and gas first, people, and toothpaste.) Advice: on the Winning Team website, you can get it for 19.99.

At number 7 comes a Kirk book not set for publication until December 9th. That’s “Stop, in the Name of God: Why Honoring the Sabbath Will Transform Your Life.” List price is $29.99, which is a little high but in keeping with books these days.

With Kirk’s death pumping interest in his writings, Trump Jr. turns out to be a clever investor. Winning Team — created when Trump Jr couldn’t find a publisher for his own books — also publishes books by his father, with signed versions coming to a shocking $999.99. It’s unclear if anyone reads any of this stuff or these are just considered MAGA souvenirs.

Winning Team also offers literary refreshments from Judge Jeanine Pirro, Kari Lake, and wordsmith Marjorie Taylor Greene. I am serious.

Are there more writings that Trump Jr can profit from? You know there must be potential collections of speeches, and when she’s ready, an inevitable book by his grieving wife.

Superstars Earth Wind & Fire Getting a Live Two Hour Special on the 21st Day of September, of Course, on CBS, Plus Cyndi Lauper Show Coming

Roger Friedman
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Superstars Earth Wind & Fire Getting a Live Two Hour Special on the 21st Day of September, of Course, on CBS, Plus Cyndi Lauper Show Coming

Do you remember the 21st day of September?

You will now.

CBS and the Recording Academy are putting on a live two hour special celebrating Earth Wind & Fire on September 21st.

Of course, that lines up with EWF’s probably most famous song, “September.”

Stevie Wonder, Jonas Brothers, Jon Batiste, and Janelle Monáe are among the artists set to make special appearances on the stage at the Hollywood Bowl.

They should really get Mariah Carey, who appropriated several of their songs for own records.

EW&F was originally composed of brothers Maurice White — the genius songwriter — and his brother, Verdine, a celebrated bass player who runs the show since Maurice’s death. The other main members are star vocalist Philip Bailey and the legendary Ralph Johnson.

The group released albums first on Warner Bros and then Columbia Records, where Clive David championed them. After a series of R&B hits, they broke out in 1975 with “That’s the Way of the World,” which featured the title track and “Shining Star,” which was number 1 for weeks.gon

After that EWF racked up hit after hit including “Let’s Groove,” and “After the Love Has Gone,” “Boogie Wonderland,” and “Fantasy,” which Mariah helped herself to as if — to paraphrase what Maurice once said to me — she was not just sampling but taking the whole buffet.

What a show this will be! No one deserves it more.

CBS and the Recording Academy are also giving Cyndi Lauper a long overdue special on October 5th. Taped recently at the Hollywood Bowl, special guests include Joni Mitchell, Cher, Angélique Kidjo, John Legend, SZA, Mickey Guyton, Trombone Shorty, and Jake Wesley Rogers, with a video tribute from Brandi Carlile.

Ben Winston, Patrick Menton and Harvey Mason jr. are executive producers of EW&F.For the second special Ken Ehrlich, Cyndi Lauper, Harvey Mason Jr., Brian Burke, and Lisa Barbaris — Cyndi’s fantastic manager — are executive producers. Ken Ehrlich Productions and GRAMMY Studios are producing.

CBS is seeing the end of these specials as they’ve lost the rights to the Recording Academy’s Grammy Awards and other shows to ABC beginning after January’s Grammy Awards. CBS really blew it, but at least they still have the American Music Awards and MTV specials. Yikes.

Media Madness: Report Says Graydon Carter is Selling His Air Mail to Newsletter Puck, Bid is In and Agreement Made

Roger Friedman
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Media Madness: Report Says Graydon Carter is Selling His Air Mail to Newsletter Puck, Bid is In and Agreement Made

Leave it to intrepid Lachlan Cartrwright and his Breaker newsletter.

He’s scooped that the famed former Vanity Fair editor Graydon Carter is selling his Air Mail web magazine to the Puck newsletter.

Apparently, they share many of the same investors.

The irony here is that Puck was started by Carter’s former Vanity Fair assistant, Jon Kelly. Now it’s grown into a scoop making machine, especially about Hollywood thanks to Matthew Belloni and other contributors.

Carter has been trying to sell Air Mail — which I write for occasionally — for some time. Now in his 70s, he could be living in the south of France instead of dealing with the daily grind.

Yet Air Mail has been a very classy effort and probably has a high demographic subscription base. Merged with Puck, the whole enterprise is very appealing.

The contracting of the media business continues. But a Puck/Airmail combo might also make for profitability, which is always preferable to other alternative.

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