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Beyonce Bust? “Renaissance” Anything But as Sales Predicted Down 60% from 2016’s “Lemonade”

Roger Friedman
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Beyonce Bust? “Renaissance” Anything But as Sales Predicted Down 60% from 2016’s “Lemonade”

Beyonce is not having a great time right now.

Her “Renaissance” album was released Thursday night and has not been a wild success. Indeed, the album has faced a lot of criticism. We’ll get back to that in a minute.

The bigger news is Beyonce has not turned the lemons from “Renaissance” into Lemonade. That was the title of her last album, in 2016, and it sold 650,000 in its debut week. “Renaissance” is not going to come near that number. Hitsdailydouble.com has predicted today between 275K and 315K copies. The number will fall on the low side. It’s about a 60% decline in sales.

Today’s scandal concerns a “song” on the album called “Heated” in which Beyonce warbles the words “spazzing out.” Using this expression is called “ableist” now in the PC world, but frankly it’s just stupid, coarse, and mean. Who would sing such a thing? A 10 year old?

Then we have Kelis, the female singer songwriter, complaining that Beyonce “interpolated” or covered a song she wrote with Pharrell but wasn’t credited for in the first place. And then there are all other samples and “interpolations” on “Renaissance.” The entire album is like musical particle board, the kind of junk wood you wouldn’t allow in your walls or furniture for fear of it falling apart.

And let’s not forget– I can’t even use the album cover of a nearly naked Beyonce on a clear horse. Google’s ad company censored it, calling it “sexual material.” I’ll have to find a horse with no name or no rider.

Pop Fizz: Johnny Depp’s Rock Star Career Won’t Pay the Bills as Album with Jeff Beck Flops

Roger Friedman
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Pop Fizz: Johnny Depp’s Rock Star Career Won’t Pay the Bills as Album with Jeff Beck Flops

In Hebrew, the number 18 spelled out translates into “life.”

But naming Johnny Depp and Jeff Back naming their album “18” hasn’t given any life to sales. Johnny Depp’s record with guitar ace Jeff Beck is not going to pay any legal bills, either, that’s for sure. Total sales after two weeks is just under 13,000 according to Luminate.

About the half sales were from streaming. The individual tracks haven’t gotten much traction, either. The most streamed song, “Isolation,” sold the equivalent of around 31,000 copies. The other tracks, not so much. The one named for actress-inventor-spy Hedy Lamarr didn’t sell at all. One reason might be no one who’d buy a single knows who Hedy Lamarr was.

Depp has always imagined that he’s a rock star, but that was only in his mind. He’s an average guitarist and not much of a singer, but he has the look. And that’s something!

As for Jeff Beck, he’d be smart to erase Depp’s vocals and re-record the “18” songs with a real singer. It could be called “18.2.”

Box Office: “Super Pets” Fall Short, “Nope” Takes Big Drop, “Crawdads” Still Singing

Roger Friedman
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Box Office: “Super Pets” Fall Short, “Nope” Takes Big Drop, “Crawdads” Still Singing

The weekend box office is an omen for the rest of August: these are the dog days of summer.

“DC League of Super Pets” made $23 million, which is a lot less than an animated movie should make mid summer. Where did all the parents dump their kids? Not here. This movie cost a reported $90 million. Kind of a big disappointment.

“Nope” is a horror. Well, not really. Jordan Peele’s third film has already made a shocking $80.5 million in two weeks, but the drop off in week 2 was 58%. While $100 million is lurking out there, the numbers could have been higher if the movie had been, uh, good.

But the big hit is “Where the Crawdads Sing.” Not well reviewed but popular because of the book. The movie cost $25 million and has made $53 million. There’s no sign of major slowdown. Nice bit of counter programming.

What’s next? “Bullet Train” is coming this Friday. And then, not much through Labor Day.

RIP Pat Carroll, 95, Emmy Winner, Tony Nominee, Drama Desk Winner, Grammy Winner

Roger Friedman
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RIP Pat Carroll, 95, Emmy Winner, Tony Nominee, Drama Desk Winner, Grammy Winner

Pat Carroll has died. The earthy actress with a roaring laugh was also a drama star as well. I cannot forget seeing her in 1980 at the Provincetown Playhouse in Greenwich Village as the star of a woman show called “Gertrude Stein Gertrude Stein Gertrude Stein.” She won the Drama Desk Award for Best Actress. (She won a Grammy award for the play’s recording.)

Carroll was a fixture on TV through the 60s, 70s, and 80s. She won an Emmy Award in 1957 appearing on Sid Caesar’s “Caesar’s Hour” and was nominated again the next year. Her career was comprehensive and long lasting. In 2001, she was nominated for an Independent Spirit Award in the movie “Songcatcher.” In 2005 she had a recurring role on NBC’s “ER.”

With all those credits — she was a regular on the classic “Danny Thomas” show in the early 60s (her character, Bunny Halper, was somehow related to the “Dick Van Dyke” show characters with the same last name), Pat Carroll is being remembered today for being the voice of Ursula in “The Little Mermaid.” Okay.

Condolences to her family and friends. She will be sorely missed and fondly remembered.

“Royal Pains” Star Mark Feuerstein Joining Natalie Portman Limited Series at Apple TV (Exclusive)

Roger Friedman
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“Royal Pains” Star Mark Feuerstein Joining Natalie Portman Limited Series at Apple TV (Exclusive)

Mark Feuerstein is one of Hollywood’s hardest working actors. He starred in the TV series, “Royal Pains,” on USA Network for 8 seasons. He just wrapped two seasons of “The Baby Sitters Club” with Alicia Silverstone on Netflix, and two more seasons of “Power Book II: Ghost” on Starz.

On Saturday night I ran into Mark with his charming parents and brother all dining at Nick and Toni’s in Easthampton. Mark informs me that he’s joined the cast of a new limited series on Apple TV Plus called “The Lady in the Lake” starring two Oscar winners– Natalie Portman and Moses Ingram. The director is Alma Ha’rel, who made a sensation directing Shia LaBeouf’s “Honey Boy” film a couple of years ago.

In the Hamptons, Nick and Toni’s is where the stars the power players go. So I wasn’t surprised to find that the table next to the Feuersteins was filled with the Broadway A list. The table itself needed a Playbill of its own! Two Lifetime Tony Award winners — the Shubert Organization’s Robert Wankel and Jujamcyn Theaters’ Paul Libin — Broadway giants were joined by their beautiful wives, Tony winning lighting designer Ken Billington (“Chicago” plus only eight other nominations) and one more special guest: the living legend director and choreographer Susan Stroman. She’s won just five Tony Awards.

Susan’s latest hit, “POTUS,” is finishing its limited run at the Shubert Theater. Her famed Gershwin musical, “Crazy for You,” is having a rave review revival at the Chichester Theater in the UK right now, which means it could be headed back to Broadway soon.

And this all before appetizers were served!

PS On the way out, I spotted comedian and actor Leslie Jordan darting over to a table on the terrace. Quite the scene for one night in the post-pandemic Hamptons!

More Stallone Madness: “Rocky” Star Calls Himself an “Exploited Artist” Despite $400 Mil Net Worth

Roger Friedman
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More Stallone Madness: “Rocky” Star Calls Himself an “Exploited Artist” Despite $400 Mil Net Worth

Very little can explain Sylvester Stallone’s continued social media attacks against “Rocky” producer Irwin Winkler and his family. I’m starting to think Stallone is having some kind of problem that requires medical attention.

This afternoon, Stallone added a new post calling himself an “exploited artist.” Stallone keeps attacking Winkler who bought the “Rocky” screenplay in 1975 along with his producing partner Bob Chartoff. That gave Winkler the rights to “Rocky” but it also made Stallone a very wealthy man and international superstar. Up to that time he’d made a fleeting cameo in a Woody Allen movie.

By all reports, Stallone is worth at least $400 million. Everyone would like to be exploited to that extent.

Stallone keeps posting nasty illustrations of the Winkler family. It’s unbecoming and petty. He’s totally out of line. He’s acting like a child. If he has a problem, he should use his expensive lawyers and publicists to pursue the matter. I’m very disappointed by his behavior.

Stallone Posts Another Attack on “Rocky” Producers, But Sources Say He’s Been Offered the Moon — and Turned it Down (Exclusive)

Roger Friedman
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Stallone Posts Another Attack on “Rocky” Producers, But Sources Say He’s Been Offered the Moon — and Turned it Down (Exclusive)

Sylvester Stallone has gone a little wonky.

Responding to news of a “Rocky” spin off movie called “Drago” written by Robert Lawton, Stallone has posted a new diatribe excoriating executive producer Irwin Winkler and his family. “Drago” would be the origin story of the Dolph Lundgren character who battled Rocky Balboa.

Stallone wrote on Instagram tonight: “Another Heartbreaker… Just found this out…ONCE AGAIN , PATHETIC 94 year old PRODUCER and HIS SELFISH USELESS CHILDREN are once again picking what is left OFF THE BONES of another wonderful character !!! Seriously , how do you weasels look in mirror ???. I am sorry to the FANS , I APOLOGIZE to the FANS I never wanted ROCKY to be exploited FOR THIS GREED .. # no shame #sad day #Parasite.”

But I’m told that Stallone’s producing partner, Braden Aftergood, sat in a Zoom pitch meeting in April with Lawton and signed off on the project, giving Stallone’s approval. According to my sources, MGM would not proceed with a “Rocky” spin off movie unless Stallone gave permission.

 

Now everyone involved is wondering why Stallone keeps attacking Winkler. Last week, Stallone claimed that Winkler was preventing Stallone from making more of his own “Rocky” movies. But I’m told exclusively that Stallone pitched a new movie about Rocky running for mayor of Philadelphia, and MGM signed off on a $2 million fee for the screenplay. The deal, they say, never happened because Stallone backed off and didn’t take the money.

Stallone does not appear in “Creed III,” directed by Michael B. Jordan, which was just moved from Thanksgiving to March 2023. Sources say he was offered the chance to play Rocky in the film — this is the first “Rocky” oriented movie without Stallone since the franchise launched in 1976. They say it was Stallone’s choice not to be included.

Even more interesting: now I’m told that “Creed III” is not “locked” as they say in the business. The producers have left a space for Stallone to appear in the film. All he has to do is say the word. “They’ve begged him to do it,” says the insider.

As for “Drago,” let me point out the news of its existence should not be a surprise to Stallone. Lundgren talked about it last year in an interview.

I don’t get it. I’ve had many excellent experiences with Sylvester Stallone over the years. What he’s doing now just doesn’t make sense. Maybe his people will put him in touch with me so we can unravel all these mysteries and strange social media posts. After the last story I wrote, by the way, Stallone took down his previous rants against Winkler. But now there’s a new one.

What still doesn’t make sense about this? Stallone could handle all this through the top lawyers and agents in Hollywood. Why has he chosen the route of a public fight? It’s not reflecting well on him, right or wrong.

Beyonce Under Attack from Singer Songwriter Kelis for “Thievery” Over Unlicensed Use of Old Hit “Milkshake”

Roger Friedman
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Beyonce Under Attack from Singer Songwriter Kelis for “Thievery” Over Unlicensed Use of Old Hit “Milkshake”

You may have heard Beyonce released a new album yesterday called “Renaissance.” It’s already number 1.

I told you last week that “Renaissance” was full of samples and covers, aka “interpolations.” Meaning Beyonce’s producers threw a lot of pieces of old songs into a musical Cuisinart and came up with new “songs” that stitch together oldies.

One of those oldies is singer songwriter Kelis’s 2003 hit, “Milkshake,” credited to Pharrell Williams and Chad Hugo as the Neptunes. The only problem is that no one asked Kelis, who is no wallflower. She’s smart and articulate and mad. She calls what Beyonce’s done “thievery” and accuses Pharrell of never writing a song. (You may also recall Pharrell’s involvement in the Robin Thicke theft of Marvin Gaye’s “Got to Give It Up” for his “Blurred Lines.”)

Kelis says she’s not mad at Beyonce per se but annoyed that no one called to say Bey had covered her hit in this melange. She is furious at Pharrell.

But all of this speaks to the really bizarre world of hip hop. Since this form of recording began 30 plus years ago, there’s not much in catalogs that’s original. Almost all the hip hop songs are re-purposing of old material. Case in point: back when Sean Puff Daddy Combs came to prominence it was because of his single, “I’ll Be Missing You.” But that was an interpolation/cover of Sting’s “Every Breath You Take.” Sting would up getting all the royalties. “I’ll Be Missing You” doesn’t actually exist. Puffy made money only from the sale of records. When the song is played now on the radio, only Sting benefits.

There are hundreds and hundreds of cases like that, a lot involving Jay Z and Kanye West who do not write music but sample or “interpolate.” Jay Z’s biggest hit, “Hard Knock Life,” sends royalties to its composers, the men who wrote the musical “Annie,” for example.

Kelis doesn’t have a legal case against anyone here. But she has a point. This happens whenever a new hip hop album comes out. Songwriters turn on their radios or whatever and hear their old songs reborn without their knowledge and sometimes permission.

As for Beyonce, I can’t see how “Renaissance” would win Album of the Year. If only Beyonce, whose voice is amazing, would record an album of original songs. Her talented sister could write them. Then she would get the the awards she’s always wanted.

Below, listen to “Milkshake” and “Energy”

Broadway Exclusive: “Mockingbird” Not Returning, Producer Scott Rudin Blamed for Collapse of Hit Show

Roger Friedman
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Broadway Exclusive: “Mockingbird” Not Returning, Producer Scott Rudin Blamed for Collapse of Hit Show

You might be wondering whatever happened to “To Kill a Mockingbird.”

The hit Broadway play, sort of rewritten by Aaron Sorkin, reopened after the pandemic break with Jeff Daniels back as Atticus Finch. But a few weeks later, Daniels departed and was succeeded briefly in January by Greg Kinnear.

But at the time COVID was raging, audiences were staying away from Broadway. So producers shut down the play and promised it would return on June 1st. That date has come and gone, and nothing has happened.

Now I’m told “Mockingird” will not be returning. Sources say Scott Rudin, who was supposed to step away from his shows after the scandal broke that he’d caused toxic situations in his office and backstage at shows, has never gone away. He controls the rights to Sorkin’s version of Harper Lee’s story and has decided to pull the plug.

“Scott has never gone away,” says another source. “There was a long negotiation to turn the production over to other producers, but in the end, Scott just petulantly said No.”

I’m told investors are furious. Even though Kinnear was not a draw, plenty of other name actors could have been enticed to play Atticus Finch. “Mockingbird” has a built in audience and this version by Sorkin is very popular. When Daniels was in the show, it was considered the most successful production of a play ever on Broadway. With the closing, sources say, at least 100 jobs will be lost in cast and crew.

Meanwhile, this latest episode indicates, from my conversations, that Rudin is still hovering over his shows despite being physically absent. I’m not surprised. All that talk about Rudin being gone didn’t make sense considering his office is still open and his main staff is still in place.

Will Smith Says He Didn’t Apologize to Chris Rock in Speech for Oscar Slap Because “I was fogged out”

Roger Friedman
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Will Smith Says He Didn’t Apologize to Chris Rock in Speech for Oscar Slap Because “I was fogged out”

Four months after he slapped Chris Rock during the Oscars telecast, Will Smith finally has something to say. He’s posted a video to Instagram — in the most difficult way to disseminate — in which he really doesn not make the situation better.

Smith was suspended from the Motion Picture Academy for 10 years for the slap. His career is in the toilet. Apple does not know what to do with a very expensive release called “Emancipation.” Everything is up in the air. Smith is a pariah. Does this video help? You tell me.

There’s a certain arrogance in the way this was done. It’s all scripted. Smith is not being interviewed by an objective party. He controls the narrative. Nothing else can be asked or explored. Consider that.

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