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“The Whale” Star Brendan Fraser Won’t Attend Golden Globes if Nominated After Having Horrible Experience with Them

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Brendan Fraser is on the awards fast track this season with a movie called “The Whale.” He’s gotten great reviews playing a 600 pound man contemplating the end of his life.

But now Fraser has told GQ Magazine that if the Golden Globes nominate him for Best Actor he will not attend the ceremony.

“I have more history with the Hollywood Foreign Press Association than I have respect for the Hollywood Foreign Press Association,” Fraser says “No, I will not participate.”

Fraser added, “It’s because of the history that I have with them. And my mother didn’t raise a hypocrite. You can call me a lot of things, but not that.”

Back in 2018 when #MeToo revelations were pouring out in Hollywood Fraser alleged that in 2003 Hollywood Foreign Press member Philip Berk groped him during a press conference. Berk denied it and the HFPA kept him until 2021 when he was finally ousted over making racist remarks. Fraser made the allegation in GQ to the very same reporter, and says the fallout was incredibly damaging. So you can’t blame him for not wanting to go there again.

The HFPA has gone through two years of scandal and reorganization. There was no Golden Globes show this past year, and NBC has allowed it return provisionally this coming January. Fraser’s announcement doesn’t do much to help the already battered institution. I would be surprised if Todd Boehly, who basically owns the Globes now, doesn’t do something to reach out to the actor to persuade him to change his mind.

Ivanka Trump Says She’s Out of Politics After Grifting Millions Last Time, Will Not Return to the Scene of the Crime

Ivanka Trump is outta here.

The avaricious daughter of the former president says she’s not going back to Washington and doing what she did last time — grift millions while operating as his faux first lady.

Ivanka, who enabled her father’s villainy, actually said in a statement last night: “While I will always love and support my father, going forward I will do so outside the political arena.”

Ivanka and husband Jared Kushner made millions personally during their four year run at the White House. They moved from New York to Washington. They couldn’t return to New York because they’re social pariahs, so they emigrated to Florida — the equivalent of when the Nazis ran to South America. The couple also evidently have children whom Ivanka has suddenly remembered.

“This time around, I am choosing to prioritize my young children and the private life we are creating as a family,” she said. “I do not plan to be involved in politics.”

The timing of the posting to Instagram was sweet, too — while her father was giving an inane speech full of lies and fictions as he announced his intended run for the 2024 presidential election. Ouch! She couldn’t have waited a few days? Ivana and Jared, whose book is now number 3,495 on amazon, were absent from Trump’s speech, as was Donald Trump Jr., whose own social media posts have become hilarious memes among the Medellin cartel.

During her run at the White House, Ivanka secured all kinds of patents and trademarks from China and the Philippines including sunglasses, handbags, shoes and jewelry, as well as beauty services, voting machines, and coffins (of all things).

As for the grift: Government watchdog Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) ran the numbers. They say that while working in the White House, the former first daughter and son-in-law reported between $172 million and an a stunning $640 million. So they’re done. The best cat burglars know not to return to the scene of the crime.

Oscar Winner Jessica Chastain is Coming Back to Broadway in a New Production of “A Doll’s House”

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Jessica Chastain doesn’t take a minute off from interesting work. This year’s Oscar winner for Best Actress is returning to Broadway this spring in a new production of “A Doll’s House.” She was last here in 2012-13’s “The Heiress.”

The new production of the Henrik Ibsen classic is from director Jamie Lloyd and directed by Amy Herzog.

Jessica says:

Jessica Chastain says in a release, “When I sat down with the brilliant Jamie Lloyd five years ago to discuss a possible collaboration, I was over the moon when we decided on A Doll’s House. We were set to start rehearsals in London in April 2020, but little did we know what the world (and a pandemic) had in store for us. 

“While home in New York, walking around the empty theater district made my heart hurt. New York has been my home for over 20 years and it’s immensely important to me to take care of this city and support my artist neighbors.

“So, I couldn’t be happier to play Nora in A Doll’s House on Broadway! I’m very excited to work with Jamie and the incredible Amy Herzog in this city that formed me. I hope in the future to work in the West End but for now I can’t wait to be together with all of the wonderful people of New York and my artistic community on Broadway.”

Chastain has her work cut out for her. Janet McTeer’s turn as Nora in 1997 remains a towering moment in theater. And the last time we saw Nora was in “A Doll’s House Part 2,” the faux sequel starring Laurie Metcalf. Each of those actresses won Tony Awards. I’ve no doubt Jessica can do the same!

Dave Chappelle’s Antisemitic “SNL” Monologue Called Out by”Hacks” Star Whose Mother Was in Original Cast, Ratings At Season High

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This is not good news.

Dave Chappelle’s antisemitic monologue this weekend drove the “Saturday Night Live” ratings to their season high. Chappelle’s appearance brought the audience up to 4.8 million. That’s a million people higher than when the season began on October 2nd.

Chappelle very cleverly weaved a low key antisemitic rant into his monologue. At first it seemed like he was criticizing Kanye West, but quickly it became clear he agreed with the rapper. The way Chappelle did it was low key enough to register slowly. But several people have started speaking out about it. “Hacks” star Hannah Einbinder, the daughter of original “SNL” star Laraine Newman, was quite eloquent about it. (See below.)

Lorne Michaels should pull this episode from reruns, frankly. What Chappelle did here wasn’t funny, it was incredibly dangerous. Michaels is currently producing a play on Broadway called “Leopoldstadt” which shows what happened to Jews in Vienna when they ignored signs of antisemitism in 1937. They were murdered.

Review: Carey Mulligan, Zoe Kazan Are Sensational as Intrepid NY Times Reporters in Shattering “She Said”

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“She Said “ is a straightforward gem of a film determined to show that  with determination, professionalism and dogged truth seeking, the Goliath that was the powerhouse producer Harvey Weinstein could be brought down. 

Sharply directed by Maria Schrader (I’m Your Man, UnOrthodox) and crisply written by Rebecca Lenkiewicz, the film is based on the book of the same name by New York Times journalists Jodi Kantor and Megan Twohey. On October 5th 2017, The New York Times published a bombshell report about a semi-open Hollywood-and-beyond secret; that Weinstein had been sexually assaulting women for decades.  The article and the subsequent ones not only earned them the Pulitzer but more importantly served as the catalyst for the #MeToo movement, opening the door for women to end the silence around sexual harassment and assault.

Carey Mulligan as Twohey is simply captivating.  Wry, tough Zoe Kazan as Kantor is equally so.  The duo portrays these reporters as the real deal.  Not glamorized, not saints, but women who want to right a longtime wrong.  The mountains of obstacles, push back, dead ends, and walking the tightrope of uncertainty and doubt in every moment they face is fascinating and gripping to watch.  The complicity and how he was protected by layers of power, the intimidation that was supported in numerous ways, including numerous secret settlements and NDA agreements.  All would have gone ‘unnoticed ‘save for these hard-working journalists with integrity and honesty and steel like tenacity. 

Schrader tells the story in an expertly artful and purposeful way. The courageous victims, many who came forward included Ashley Judd playing herself.  All are part of the incendiary narrative.  When Megan tells one woman that “I can’t change what happened to you in the past, but together we may be able to help protect other people,” it’s a cinematic shattering moment. 

The journalists also had personal lives that needed tending.  Megan dealt with postpartum depression after the birth of her first child and Kantor had two young daughters at home. Their camaraderie and their willingness to go all in is truly admirable, but the pressure of it all of course gets into their bloodstream at times.  Mulligan lets pent up anger boil over in a memorable bar scene.  The supporting players are equally as formidable. Peter Friedman as Weinstein lawyer Lanny Davis, Jennifer Ehle as Lauran Madden, Angela Yeoh as Rowena Chiu are all terrific.  Samantha Morton as Zelda Perkins and Ashley Judd playing herself are sincere standouts of the film.  Their scenes are gut-wrenching.  Patricia Clarkson as The New York Times editor Rebecca Corbett and Andre Braugher as the tough as nails executive editor Dean Baquet are equally good, more of them would have been most welcome.

The film is a call-to-action and Nicholas Britell’s haunting score beautifully adds to the drama.  Twohey and Kantor’s sincere dedication, relentlessness and professionalism to seek the truth and justice for the many women that were wronged are shown perfectly in this deftly written and impeccably directed gem of a film.

“She Said,” is a Universal Pictures Film which will be released in theaters on Nov, 18th, 2022.

Michelle Obama’s New Book At Number 1 on Amazon, Holds off Mike Pence’s Faux Apologia

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Good has triumphed over evil, I am happy to report.

On the Amazon best seller list, Michelle Obama’s new book is number 1. It’s kept Mike Pence’s insincere apologia at number 1.

Michelle’s book is called “The Light We Carry.”

Pence’s book is called “I Won’t Criticize Trump Even Though He Tried to Have Me Killed.” Both books were released today. Pence was all over ABC News with David Muir last night pretending to say something but in reality saying nothing.

Pence wants to run for president, so he’s trying to distance himself from Trump while at the same time run scared. He tapped his foot wildly during Muir’s interview, and clasped his hands. He wants to leave everything up to Jesus. Forget it.

Michelle Obama — I loved her first book, I’d be happy to read this one. I’m very glad it’s number 1.

Grammy Awards Ignore Taylor Swift Sold 2 Million Copies of Re-Recorded Red Album, Give it 1 Nomination

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Taylor Swift got the cold shoulder from the Grammys today, just two nominations — one for Best Song and one for a song in a movie.

But the big ones she expected, for her “Red (Taylor’s Version),” did not come through. The re-recorded album, with extra and new tracks, was thought to be in the running for Album, Record, and vocal nominations. It got none of them.

The new “Red” album sold 2 million copies and has been one of the biggest hits of the last year.

But recording industry insiders may be tilted against re-recorded albums. The only nomination from the record is “All Too Well,” a 10 minute version of a previously recorded song. They had to vote for that one and it might even win in its category.

Of course, next year Swift will be back in the Grammy business with “Midnights,” her current hit album. So we won’t cry too much for her now.

ABBA, Disbanded 40 Years Ago, Gets Major Grammy Nods for New Album That Didn’t Sell

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ABBA broke up in 1982. Their hits lived on, but they disappeared.

Last year they released a reunion album called “Voyage.” It was met with indifference and sold around 212,000 copies in the US according to Luminate. It was a bad album with no hits. It disappeared quickly.

Today, “Voyage” received three major Grammy nominations including Album of the Year, Pop Vocal for a Group, and Record of the Year.

What the heck? Kudos to their marketing team. They resurrected the dead, literally.

If anything, ABBA could have turned up in Traditional Pop or something. It’s unheard of for legacy acts with great albums — see Bruce Springsteen, Paul McCartney and dozens more — to make it into the contemporary categories. So however ABBA pulled this off, bravo.

“Yellowstone” Returns with a Roar: 20 Million People Watched Over 14 Channels Sunday Night

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“Yellowstone” came back Sunday night for Season 5, and it was a hit with a capital H.

Over 20 million people watched over 14 different Viacom channels on Sunday night. The main channel, Paramount Network, garnered 9.4 million viewers at 8pm. At 9:14pm, 8.4 million either stayed or tuned in for a second showing.

In addition to those two, 12 other Viacom channels showed the premiere. The total comes more or less to 20 million. So people really wanted to see this show. They watched it on MTV, VH1, Comedy Central, all really odd places. But it helps to have a monopoly on cable channels.

So the fix is in as they say. The show’s fans are going to watch this season in the millions. But questions linger about Kevin Costner, whether he’s gotten all he can get from it and wants out. There’s a lot of speculation. Can “Yellowstone” survive without John Dutton? That will be the season cliffhanger, for sure

Grammy Noms, Album of the Year: Adele, Beyonce, Harry, Lizzo, Bad Bunny, Coldplay, Kendrick Lamar, and ABBA (Full List)

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For some reason, the Grammys have resurrected ABBA’s “Voyage” album for Album of the Year. It didn’t sell, wasn’t good, and basically forgotten. Go figure.

Other nominees for Album of the Year include Beyonce, Adele, Coldplay, Bad Bunny, Brandi Carlile, Lizzo, Mary J. Blige, and Kendrick Lamar.

Some bright spots: Elvis Costello for Best Rock Album for “The Boy Named If.” Sting and Shaggy were nominated for Best Reggae Album for their album of Sinatra gone reggae “Come Fly Wid Me.” They’re each terrific and deserve it.

A lot of albums were snubbed. But a lot weren’t. Full list coming.

Record Of The Year
“Don’t Shut Me Down” — ABBA
“Easy On Me” — Adele
“BREAK MY SOUL” — Beyoncé
“Good Morning Gorgeous” — Mary J. Blige
“You And Me On The Rock” — Brandi Carlile Featuring Lucius
“Woman” — Doja Cat
“Bad Habit” — Steve Lacy
“The Heart Part 5” — Kendrick Lamar
“About Damn Time” — Lizzo
“As It Was” — Harry Styles

Album Of The Year
Voyage — ABBA
30 — Adele
Un Verano Sin Ti — Bad Bunny
RENAISSANCE — Beyoncé
Good Morning Gorgeous (Deluxe) — Mary J. Blige
In These Silent Days — Brandi Carlile
Music Of The Spheres — Coldplay
Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers — Kendrick Lamar
Special — Lizzo
Harry’s House — Harry Styles

Song Of The Year
“abcdefu” — Sara Davis, GAYLE & Dave Pittenger, songwriters (GAYLE)
“About Damn Time” — Melissa “Lizzo” Jefferson, Eric Frederic, Blake Slatkin & Theron Makiel Thomas, songwriters (Lizzo)
“All Too Well” (10 Minute Version) (The Short Film) — Liz Rose & Taylor Swift, songwriters (Taylor Swift)
“As It Was” — Tyler Johnson, Kid Harpoon & Harry Styles, songwriters (Harry Styles)
“Bad Habit” — Matthew Castellanos, Brittany Fousheé, Diana Gordon, John Carroll Kirby & Steve Lacy, songwriters (Steve Lacy)
“BREAK MY SOUL” — Beyoncé, S. Carter, Terius “The-Dream” Gesteelde-Diamant & Christopher A. Stewart, songwriters (Beyoncé)
“Easy On Me” ­— Adele Adkins & Greg Kurstin, songwriters (Adele)
“GOD DID” — Tarik Azzouz, E. Blackmon, Khaled Khaled, F. LeBlanc, Shawn Carter, John Stephens, Dwayne Carter, William Roberts & Nicholas Warwar, songwriters (DJ Khaled Featuring Rick Ross, Lil Wayne, JAY-Z, John Legend & Fridayy)
“The Heart Part 5” — Jake Kosich, Johnny Kosich, Kendrick Lamar & Matt Schaeffer, songwriters (Kendrick Lamar)
“Just Like That” — Bonnie Raitt, songwriter (Bonnie Raitt)

Best New Artist
Anitta
Omar Apollo
DOMi & JD Beck
Samara Joy
Latto
Måneskin
Muni Long
Tobe Nwigwe
Molly Tuttle
Wet Leg

Best Pop Vocal Album
Voyage — ABBA
30 — Adele
Music Of The Spheres — Coldplay
Special — Lizzo
Harry’s House — Harry Styles

Best Dance/Electronic Music Album
RENAISSANCE— Beyoncé
Fragments — Bonobo
Diplo — Diplo
The Last Goodbye — ODESZA
Surrender — RÜFÜS DU SOL

Best Rock Song
“Black Summer” — Flea, John Frusciante, Anthony Kiedis & Chad Smith, songwriters (Red Hot Chili Peppers)
“Blackout” — Brady Ebert, Daniel Fang, Franz Lyons, Pat McCrory & Brendan Yates, songwriters (Turnstile)
“Broken Horses” — Brandi Carlile, Phil Hanseroth & Tim Hanseroth, songwriters (Brandi Carlile)
“Harmonia’s Dream” — Robbie Bennett & Adam Granduciel, songwriters (The War On Drugs)
“Patient Number 9” — John Osbourne, Chad Smith, Ali Tamposi, Robert Trujillo & Andrew Wotman, songwriters (Ozzy Osbourne Featuring Jeff Beck)

Best Alternative Music Album
WE — Arcade Fire
Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe In You — Big Thief
Fossora — Björk
Wet Leg — Wet Leg
Cool It Down — Yeah Yeah Yeahs

Best R&B Performance
“VIRGO’S GROOVE” — Beyoncé
“Here With Me” — Mary J. Blige Featuring Anderson .Paak
“Over” — Lucky Daye
“Hrs & Hrs” — Muni Long
“Hurt Me So Good” — Jazmine Sullivan

Best R&B Song
“CUFF IT” — Denisia “Blu June” Andrews, Beyoncé, Mary Christine Brockert, Brittany “Chi” Coney, Terius “The-Dream” Gesteelde-Diamant, Morten Ristorp, Nile Rodgers & Raphael Saadiq, songwriters (Beyoncé)
“Good Morning Gorgeous” — Mary J. Blige, David Brown, Dernst Emile II, Gabriella Wilson & Tiara Thomas, songwriters (Mary J. Blige)
“Hrs & Hrs” — Hamadi Aaabi, Dylan Graham, Thaddis “Kuk” Harrell, Brandon John-Baptiste, Priscilla Renea, Isaac Wriston & Justin Nathaniel Zim, songwriters (Muni Long)
“Hurt Me So Good” — Akeel Henry, Michael Holmes, Luca Mauti, Jazmine Sullivan & Elliott Trent, songwriters (Jazmine Sullivan)
“Please Don’t Walk Away” — PJ Morton, songwriter (PJ Morton)

Best Rap Performance
“GOD DID” — DJ Khaled Featuring Rick Ross, Lil Wayne, JAY-Z, John Legend & Fridayy
“Vegas” — Doja Cat
“pushin P” — Gunna & Future Featuring Young Thug
“F.N.F. (Let’s Go)” — Hitkidd & GloRilla
“The Heart Part 5” — Kendrick Lamar

Best Rap Song
“Churchill Downs” — Ace G, BEDRM, Matthew Samuels, Tahrence Brown, Rogét Chahayed, Aubrey Graham, Jack Harlow & Jose Velazquez, songwriters (Jack Harlow Featuring Drake)
“GOD DID” — Tarik Azzouz, E. Blackmon, Khaled Khaled, F. LeBlanc, Shawn Carter, John Stephens, Dwayne Carter, William Roberts & Nicholas Warwar, songwriters (DJ Khaled Featuring Rick Ross, Lil Wayne, JAY-Z, John Legend & Fridayy)
“The Heart Part 5” — Jake Kosich, Johnny Kosich, Kendrick Lamar, & Matt Schaeffer, songwriters (Kendrick Lamar)
“pushin P” — Lucas Depante, Nayvadius Wilburn, Sergio Kitchens, Wesley Tyler Glass & Jeffery Lamar Williams, songwriters (Gunna & Future Featuring Young Thug)
“WAIT FOR U” — Tejiri Akpoghene, Floyd E. Bentley III, Jacob Canady, Isaac De Boni, Aubrey Graham, Israel Ayomide Fowobaje, Nayvadius Wilburn, Michael Mule, Oluwatoroti Oke & Temilade Openiyi, songwriters (Future Featuring Drake & Tems)

Best Country Solo Performance
“Heartfirst” — Kelsea Ballerini
“Something In The Orange” — Zach Bryan
“In His Arms” — Miranda Lambert
“Circles Around This Town” — Maren Morris
“Live Forever” — Willie Nelson

Best Jazz Vocal Album
The Evening : Live At APPARATUS — The Baylor Project
Linger Awhile — Samara Joy
Fade To Black — Carmen Lundy
Fifty — The Manhattan Transfer With The WDR Funkhausorchester
Ghost Song — Cécile McLorin Salvant

Best Música Urbana Album
TRAP CAKE, VOL. 2 — Rauw Alejandro
Un Verano Sin Ti — Bad Bunny
LEGENDADDY — Daddy Yankee
La 167 — Farruko
The Love & Sex Tape — Maluma

Best Latin Rock or Alternative Album
El Alimento — Cimafunk
Tinta y Tiempo — Jorge Drexler
1940 Carmen — Mon Laferte
Alegoría — Gaby Moreno
Los Años Salvajes — Fito Paez
MOTOMAMI — Rosalía

Best American Roots Song
“Bright Star” — Anaïs Mitchell, songwriter (Anaïs Mitchell) 
“Forever” — Sheryl Crow & Jeff Trott, songwriters (Sheryl Crow)
“High And Lonesome” — T Bone Burnett & Robert Plant, songwriters (Robert Plant & Alison Krauss)
“Just Like That” — Bonnie Raitt, songwriter (Bonnie Raitt)
“Prodigal Daughter” — Tim O’Brien & Aoife O’Donovan, songwriters (Aoife O’Donovan & Allison Russell)
“You And Me On The Rock” — Brandi Carlile, Phil Hanseroth & Tim Hanseroth, songwriters (Brandi Carlile Featuring Lucius)

Best Americana Album
In These Silent Days — Brandi Carlile
Things Happen That Way — Dr. John
Good To Be… — Keb’ Mo’
Raise The Roof — Robert Plant & Alison Krauss
Just Like That… — Bonnie Raitt

Best Global Music Album
Shuruaat — Berklee Indian Ensemble
Love, Damini — Burna Boy
Queen Of Sheba — Angélique Kidjo & Ibrahim Maalouf
Between Us… (Live) — Anoushka Shankar, Metropole Orkest & Jules Buckley Featuring Manu Delago
Sakura — Masa Takumi

Best Spoken Word Poetry Album
Black Men Are Precious — Ethelbert Miller
Call Us What We Carry: Poems — Amanda Gorman
Hiding In Plain View — Malcolm-Jamal Warner
The Poet Who Sat By The Door — J. Ivy
You Will Be Someone’s Ancestor. Act Accordingly. — Amir Sulaiman

Best Score Soundtrack For Video Games And Other Interactive Media
“Aliens: Fireteam Elite” — Austin Wintory, composer
“Assassin’s Creed Valhalla: Dawn Of Ragnarök” — Stephanie Economou, composer
“Call Of Duty®: Vanguard” — Bear McCreary, composer
“Marvel’s Guardians Of The Galaxy” — Richard Jacques, composer
“Old World” — Christopher Tin, composer

Best Song Written For Visual Media
“Be Alive” [From King Richard] — Beyoncé & Darius Scott Dixson, songwriters (Beyoncé)
“Carolina” [From Where The Crawdads Sing] — Taylor Swift, songwriter (Taylor Swift)
“Hold My Hand” [From Top Gun: Maverick] — Bloodpop® & Stefani Germanotta, songwriters (Lady Gaga)
“Keep Rising (The Woman King)” [From The Woman King] — Angélique Kidjo, Jeremy Lutito & Jessy Wilson, songwriters (Jessy Wilson Featuring Angélique Kidjo)
“Nobody Like U” [From Turning Red] — Billie Eilish & Finneas O’Connell, songwriters (4*Town, Jordan Fisher, Finneas O’Connell, Josh Levi, Topher Ngo, Grayson Villanueva)
“We Don’t Talk About Bruno” [From Encanto] — Lin-Manuel Miranda, songwriter (Carolina Gaitán – La Gaita, Mauro Castillo, Adassa, Rhenzy Feliz, Diane Guerrero, Stephanie Beatriz & Encanto – Cast)

Songwriter Of The Year, Non-Classical
Amy Allen
Nija Charles
Tobias Jesso Jr.
The-Dream
Laura Veltz

Best Classical Compendium
An Adoption Story — Starr Parodi & Kitt Wakeley; Jeff Fair, Starr Parodi & Kitt Wakeley, producers
Aspire — JP Jofre & Seunghee Lee; Enrico Fagone, conductor; Jonathan Allen, producer
A Concert For Ukraine — Yannick Nézet-Séguin, conductor; David Frost, producer
The Lost Birds — Voces8; Barnaby Smith & Christopher Tin, conductors; Sean Patrick Flahaven & Christopher Tin, producers

GREY GOOSE Vodka is the Official Spirits Partner of the 65th