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The cold wind was whipping off the Hudson River Friday afternoon.
But it was pretty hot at Boulevard Carroll, just off the river on West 55th St. That’s where a rehearsal room was packed to the gills for a workshop presentation of a new Broadway show.
“The Wanderer” is the story of legendary rock and doo wop singer Dion DiMucci, leader of the group The Belmonts.
Dion and the Belmonts remain in the firmament of rock history with songs like “The Wanderer,” “Runaround Sue,” “A Teenager in Love,” “Ruby Baby,” and many more. Then Dion struck his own high note in 1968 with the moving “Abraham, Martin, and John.”
But did you know that Dion was supposed to be on the plane “The Day the Music Died” in 1959 with Buddy Holly, The Big Bopper and Richie Valens? He won a coin to get on the plane, then decided it was too expensive — $36! — and gave his seat up to Valens.
Dion also survived a crippling heroin addiction, finally beating it in 1968.
Over the years, DiMucci — inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame early on — has become a senior statesman in the rock and pop world, releasing dozens of highly respected albums including 2015’s “New York Is My Home” featuring Paul Simon, and the excellent “Blues with My Friends” in 2020.
The workshop for “The Wanderer” was the culmination of a few years of gestation on its way to Broadway. The show is full of laughs and tears, produced by Jill Menza with Stevie and Maureen van Zandt, and writer Charles Messina.
They were all there on Friday, as well as the famed guitarist and producer Lenny Kaye of the Patti Smith Band.
Friday’s workshop showcased a bunch of Broadway regulars as well as what I called “ringers” — young stars Olivia Holt (a Disney star who’s been in “Chicago”) and Morgan Dudley (currently appearing in “Hadestown”). I was knocked out by the actor who played Dion — Mike Wartella — and Broadway vet Kingsley Leggs, who should be “discovered” liek recent Tony Award winner Kecia Lewis.
If anything, “The Wanderer” — which includes one song each from Bruce Springsteen and Tom Waits — shows off Dion’s deep, unexpected song catalog. Very impressive.
And PS, Dion was right there Friday, a young 86, clearly loving the fact that his career has lasted so long. And did you know that he and his wife, Susan — the real “Runaround Sue” — have been together since the song’s popularity? Amazing.
Kanye West has taken out an ad apologizing for and explaining his reign of terror the last few years.
It’s a wrenching statement blaming a car accident 25 years for his wildly negative behavior that caused him to become vocally antisemitic and self destructive.
His statement is below. Who knows what to make of it? But no one wishes Kanye the pain he claims he’s been in.
“To Those I’ve Hurt: Twenty-five years ago, I was in a car accident that broke my jaw and caused injury to the right frontal lobe of my brain. At the time, the focus was on the visible damage—the fracture, the swelling, and the immediate physical trauma. The deeper injury, the one inside my skull, went unnoticed.
“Comprehensive scans were not done, neurological exams were limited, and the possibility of a frontal-lobe injury was never raised. It wasn’t properly diagnosed until 2023. That medical oversight caused serious damage to my mental health and led to my bipolar type-1 diagnosis. Bipolar disorder comes with its own defense system. Denial. When you’re manic, you don’t think you’re sick. You think everyone else is overreacting. You feel like you’re seeing the world more clearly than ever, when in reality you’re losing your grip entirely.
“Once people label you as “crazy,” you feel as if you cannot contribute anything meaningful to the world. It’s easy for people to joke and laugh it off when in fact this is a very serious debilitating disease you can die from. According to the World Health Organization and Cambridge University, people with bipolar disorder have a life expectancy that is shortened by ten to fifteen years on average, and a 2x-3x higher all-cause mortality rate than the general population. This is on par with severe heart disease, type 1 diabetes, HIV, and cancer – all lethal and fatal if left untreated.
“The scariest thing about this disorder is how persuasive it is when it tells you: You don’t need help. It makes you blind, but convinced you have insight. You feel powerful, certain, unstoppable. I lost touch with reality. Things got worse the longer I ignored the problem. I said and did things I deeply regret. Some of the people I love the most, I treated the worst. You endured fear, confusion, humiliation, and the exhaustion of trying to have someone who was, at times, unrecognizable. Looking back, I became detached from my true self. In that fractured state, I gravitated toward the most destructive symbol I could find, the swastika, and even sold T-shirts bearing it.
“One of the difficult aspects of having bipolar type-1 are the disconnected moments – many of which I still cannot recall – that led to poor judgment and reckless behavior that oftentimes feels like an out-of-body-experience. I regret and am deeply mortified by my actions in that state, and am committed to accountability, treatment, and meaningful change. It does not excuse what I did though. I am not a Nazi or an antisemite. I love Jewish people.
“To the black community – which held me down through all of the highs and lows and the darkest of times. The black community is, unquestionably, the foundation of who I am. I am so sorry to have let you down. I love us.
“In early 2025, I fell into a four-month long manic episode of psychotic, paranoid and impulsive behavior that destroyed my life. As the situation became increasingly unsustainable, there were times I didn’t want to be here anymore. Having bipolar disorder is notable state of constant mental illness. When you go into a manic episode, you are ill at that point. When you are not in an episode, you are completely ‘normal’. And that’s when the wreckage from the illness hits the hardest. Hitting rock bottom a few months ago, my wife encouraged me to finally get help. I have found comfort in Reddit forums of all places. Different people speak of being in manic or depressive episodes of a similar nature. I read their stories and realized that I was not alone. It’s not just me who ruins their entire life once a year despite taking meds every day and being told by the so-called best doctors in the world that I am not bipolar, but merely experiencing “symptoms of autism.” My words as a leader in my community have global impact and influence. In my mania, I lost complete sight of that.
“As I find my new baseline and new center through an effective regime of medication, therapy, exercise, and clean living, I have newfound, much-needed clarity. I am pouring my energy into positive, meaningful art: music, clothing, design, and other new ideas to help the world. I’m not asking for sympathy, or a free pass, though I aspire to earn your forgiveness. I write today simply to ask for your patience and understanding as I find my way home.” With love, Ye”
It’s Grammy Awards week and as usual, all eyes are on Clive Davis’s night before gala.
This is the 51st year of the dinner hosted and produced by legendary music mogul Davis, who’s 93 (almost 94) and more on top than ever, with the Recording Academy.
I’ve put together a list of stars who are coming and maybe even performing that run the gamut from new hot acts to legends of the music business and show business.
They include — confirmed, I’m told — Brandi Carlile, Kenny “Babyface” Edmonds, Olivia Dean, Lana De Rey, Karol G, Charlie Puth, Cameron Crowe, Tyrese, Bill Maher, Smokey Robinson, Busta Rhymes, Jeff Ross, Mr. Brainwash, and Jennifer Hudson.
Also Gayle King, Gladys Knight, David Foster and Katharine McPhee, JC Chasez, Taylor Dayne, Billy Zane, Melissa Manchester, Valerie Simpson, Max Martin, Gloria and Emilio Estefan, and new Oscar nominee Diane Warren.
From past experience, I can tell you this is the tip of the iceberg.
Actual performers for the night — which honors Republic Records’ Monte and Avery Lipman — is kept a secret right up to the last minute. But Republic is the hottest record label in the world, so there’s always a possibility of someone like Taylor Swift or Ariana Grande or even Mariah Carey turning up. When Cher hit the Beverly Hilton Ballroom a couple of years ago, it was like royalty had entered the hallowed atmosphere.
And just remember, Nancy and Paul Pelosi are two frequent flyers at this gathering. So is Joni Mitchell. So you can expect anyone and never be disappointed!
PS Guests may get a little taste of the terrific film Mark Ronson put together for Clive of all his hundreds of hits — like a triple A jukebox, called “Do You Remember?” I’m hoping everyone gets to see it soon on a streaming service!
The Nobel and Pulitzer prize winner has posted a mysterious and puzzling nod to something coming down the line.
Is “The Articles of Faith” a new album? A novel?
So far there’s no other listing for whatever this, anywhere on the internet.
I guess we’ll find out soon enough.
The actual Articles of Faith refer to Mormon found Joseph Smith, whose 13 statements explain the basic doctrines and practices of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
So really, anything is possible.
PS Around 4pm today, Bob also posted a clip from the Danny Kaye movie “The Secret Life of Walter Mitty” in which Mitty is a riverboat gambler.
You know by now that few people have bought tickets to see Melania Trump’s documentary — infomercial — when it arrives on Friday.
Sales are sparse, to say the least.
So the Republican party has been buying out showings in red areas where they think they can attract crowds.
One screening party is set for January 31st in Bakersfield, California. The local Republican Party is making a night of it for the 7:30pm show, offering free tickets to members and $10 ducats to non members.
So far they’ve managed to reserve just 14 seats. Otherwise, two of the other four shows that day are totally unsold. The 1pm show has six tickets sold.
Down in Miami, the 6:30pm show on January 30th was bought the local GOP club, which is offering $35 tickets through their website.
The Coconut Grove showing is supported by the Federated Republican Women of Miami and The Old Cutler Republican Womens Club, each of which sound ominous. They meet at the Elks Club. Their website is all about preserving conservative values.
For some reason, this party is asking for personal information from ticket buyers, like Employer Information and Occupation. You can never be too careful.
Me, I’ll be having my wisdom teeth removed — again!
PS If you know of more Melania premiere parties, please forward all invites to showbiz411@gmail.com
Here’s the current seat map for the Bakersfield party:
Donald Trump hosted a secret movie premiere last night at the White House.
This was despite Trump having destroyed the White House movie theater when he demolished the East Wing for his $400 million ballroom.
The event was for “Melania,” the $40 million infomercial directed by Brett Ratner, which opens this Friday to mostly empty theaters.
Meantime, the violence and protests in Minneapolis are at an all time high after ICE murdered Alex Pretti, a medical ICU nurse who was trying to help a woman caught in their crosshairs.
Trump has not addressed the killing, but his thugs are calling Pretti, a cyclist who is mourned by family and friends, ridiculously as a “domestic terrorist.”
Trump even laid on an orchestra to play the theme music for “Melania” composed by pariah Tony Neiman.
Among the guests — usual suspects: the now reviled Apple chief Tim Cook. Ratner brought his mother, who is Cuban, despite Cubans being deported from Miami in droves.
The biggest disappointment: photographer Ellen VonUnwerth, who was happy to take Trump’s money to snap Melania for the movie’s poster. Shame on her. She’s “unwerthy.”
The weekend numbers are rough because no one is going to a movie theater today outside of walking to one in a city.
Maybe.
The result is that Chris Pratt’s “Mercy” is coming in below estimates, which were already pretty low.
Total seems to be $11 million. “Mercy” cost $60 million at least. Good night, and good luck.
“Mercy” is an MGM/Amazon release in theaters, so the company is reporting box office. It’s unclear if they’ll do the same next weekend with their “Melania” movie. Few tickets have been sold in advance, as I’ve reported. So far, there are estimates of a $5 mil weekend coming. We’ll see.
Meanwhile, “Marty Supreme” continues to have excellent week to week holds. This week there was a very small 36% drop from last week. Not bad. “Marty” — with Timothee Chalamet in his Oscar nominated role — is up to $86 million, should hit $90 mil in the next week and get near to $100 mil by the middle of March, for the Oscars.
“Wicked: For Good,” with no Oscar noms, will top out now around a respectable $350 million. Not magical, but good enough.
There will be no new episode of “60 Minutes” tonight.
Instead, the Emmy winning, venerated news program is showing three archived movie star profiles with no relevance to anything current.
The profiled actors are Timothee Chalamet from last year, Jamie Lee Curtis from May 2025, and Kate Winslet from 2024. Only one, Chalamet, is an Oscar nominee this year. But his interview isn’t for “Marty Supreme,” but for last year’s “A Complete Unknown.”
(I was actually assured some time ago that a new Chalamet piece about “Marty Supreme” was coming during this Oscar campaign. That may not be the case now.)
This comes as there’s been another ICE killing in Minnesota, riots and protests in Minneapolis, and a week when Donald Trump was mocked in Davos over his obsession with Greenland. Measles is spreading in South Carolina, as well. Any of these topics would have made for a scintillating new episode tonight.
Clearly, a show that was supposed to air tonight simply has been pulled. Under CBS news shill Bari Weiss and CBS owners David and Larry Ellison, “60 Minutes” is being destroyed, quickly, from within.
There is absolutely no reason why a new show wouldn’t be on tonight. It should be obvious that there is no promo for tonight’s show. (Promos are usually dropped on Thursday or Friday.) And nothing on the “60 Minutes” website page has been updated since last Sunday.
Last week, “60 Minutes” finally aired its censored piece by Sharyn Alfonsi on the CECOT prison in El Salvador. The whole show was up against the NFL, had no football lead in of its own, was disposed of a sop to critics and Alfonsi. The result was one of the lowest rated episodes in years.
Since then, Weiss has made it clear she wants to remove Alfonsi, Bill Whitaker, Scott Pelley, and any of the staff that comes from established and respected “60 Minutes.” As far as Weiss is concerned, they could be replaced by seals. Her goal, her mission, is to undermine the legacy of CBS News.
Weiss has been doing this for three weeks now at the CBS Evening News, which has turned into a circus under new host Tony Dokoupil.
Meanwhile, I’m curious to see what the CBS Sunday Morning piece is today on Shen Yun. I written extensively about this cult that’s tied to the Epoch Times. See below.
The acting CEO of The Epoch Times is on the board of the Kennedy Center under Donald Trump. Coincidence? Nope.
Florida Congressman Maxwell Frost, who is Black, said he was assaulted at the Sundance Film Festival thrown by Creative Artists Agency.
“Last night, I was assaulted by a man at Sundance Festival who told me that Trump was going to deport me before he punched me in the face. He was heard screaming racist remarks as he drunkenly ran off. The individual was arrested and I am okay. Thank you to the venue security and Park City PD for assistance on this incident.”
Frost’s account confirms the report from Park City, Utah police that a man had been punched in the face in the bathroom of a local saloon who shouted he was “glad to be white.”
Of course this was a crasher, not a guest. But it’s one more reason the film festival is pulling up roots from the Utah ski town and heading to the far more hospitable Boulder, Colorado next year. Sundance is the epitome of diversity and tolerance, while Utah has increasingly become a red state that leaves little room for civil rights.
So far, the Salt Lake City Tribune has yet to report an assault on a Congressman. They’ve barely acknowledged the killing of a 37 year old ICU nurse today by ICE agents in Minneapolis.