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Workers Unite: 100 Employees of Gizmodo, Jezebel, Other Unionized Sites Go On Strike

Roger Friedman
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Workers Unite: 100 Employees of Gizmodo, Jezebel, Other Unionized Sites Go On Strike

If you read the websites Jezebel, The Root, Lifehacker, Kotaku, Jalopnik or Gizmodo the workers there are asking you not to click on them. Or even think about them.

One hundred of the unionized employees at G/O Media have gone on strike as of midnight last night.

In a statement, the GMG Union said, “In 2015, this union broke new ground when it organized the first digital media union. Now, GMG Union will break ground yet again: We are the first digital media shop to go on an open-ended strike for a fair contract.”

You can read all about the Union’s demands here. They’re part of the Writers Guild East, and nothing they’re asking for is unreasonable.

G/O Media is owned by Great Hill Partners, an odious private equity firm from Boston. (Watch “Billions.” you’ll understand everything.) They used to be Gawker Media. with Gawker, Univision bought them, and tried to destroy the whole shebang. (Remember that Isaac Lee? I’m still waiting for a return phone call from him from two years ago at least.) Since becoming G/O they sold off the Gawker site. Then employees started coming and going like crazy. One guy who went to work there last week quit on the same day. Sounds like a fun place!

 

Pretty Pretty Bad: Larry David HBO Documentary Set for Tonight Surprisingly Cancelled By HBO

Roger Friedman
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Pretty Pretty Bad: Larry David HBO Documentary Set for Tonight Surprisingly Cancelled By HBO

HBO has abruptly cancelled the Larry David documentary that was supposed to play tonight and tomorrow in two parts.

They’ve even pulled the trailer from YouTube. It’s gone.

Larry Charles directed the doc. But if Larry David pulled it, he obviously wasn’t satisfied with the outcome.

On the poster, the tag line was “He remembers everything.”

This is pretty pretty pretty bad. Whoops!  And there is no explanation other than Larry “wants to do it on stage” whatever that means. Maybe at the last minute Larry decided to go out and do a one man show on stage. But why kill the film?

The doc was described: ​For over three decades, award-winning producer/writer/comedian Larry David has been one of TV’s defining talents. Now, this insightful two-part documentary finds the 74-year-old sitting down with friend/director Larry Charles for a peek behind the proverbial curtain, as David gets candid about his personal and professional highs and lows, from his humble beginnings as an unfunny Brooklyn kid to becoming America’s favorite misanthrope. In between reflecting on his bumpy road to success – and hit series “Seinfeld” and “Curb Your Enthusiasm” – David shares his thoughts on everything from metaphysics to parenthood. Genuine, hilarious, and eye-opening, THE LARRY DAVID STORY shines a new light on the infamous cynic who remains a singular voice in comedy today.

Ratings: “SAG Awards” Score About 1.8 Mil Viewers, “Euphoria” Rises to 6.6 Million For Finale

Roger Friedman
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Ratings: “SAG Awards” Score About 1.8 Mil Viewers, “Euphoria” Rises to 6.6 Million For Finale

The Screen Actors Guild Awards on Sunday night were a kind of private affair.

About 1.8 million people tuned in on a combination of TNT and TBS. What they saw was a well produced show but devoid of much entertainment. It was really for insiders.

Well, it’s cable, and there were a lot of other things going on. But still…it’s not a good omen for this Sunday’s Spirit Awards on the IFC channel. They never get more than 100,000 and sometimes as little as 65,000. Will anyone be watching? I doubt it.

Also on Sunday night cable, “Euphoria” had its season 2 finale. On HBO prime the number was 625,000. HBO says the real number was 10 times that– 6.6 million — because “Euphoria” fans don’t watch HBO, they watch HBO Max on their phones or other devices. There is no way of knowing this is true, but we’ll take their word for it.

Here’s what they say. If they’re happy, we should be happy:

  • The season 2 finale of EUPHORIA drew a series high 6.6 million viewers across all platforms, 30% above last week and 5.5x above season 1 finale night viewership in 2019. 
  • Season 2 episodes are now averaging 16.3 million viewers, the best performance for any season of an HBO series other than GAME OF THRONES since 2004. Viewership for the season 2 premiere is approaching 19 million viewers in the U.S. 
  • According to Twitter, EUPHORIA is now the most tweeted about show of the decade so far in the US with 34M Tweets. It was also the #1 most social series across all of TV throughout its season, including Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube. (Talkwater Social Content Ratings)
  • EUPHORIA ranked as the #1 title on HBO Max in the U.S. for the 7th week in a row, as well as the top series for the week in both LatAm and Europe.  

Oscars: Apple’s “CODA” Wins Hollywood Critics Award for Best Film. Leaps Ahead in Streamers’ Race for Gold

Roger Friedman
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Oscars: Apple’s “CODA” Wins Hollywood Critics Award for Best Film. Leaps Ahead in Streamers’ Race for Gold

If “CODA” were a racehorse it would be on its way to the Triple Crown.

Last night Sian Heder’s beautiful film won the Hollywood Critics Association award for Best Film. That’s just a day after winning the Screen Actors Guild Award for Best Ensemble.

“CODA” is shaping up as a potential Oscar winner for Best Picture very quickly now in the last leg of the long race to the Academy Awards.

Ironically, “CODA” comes from Apple, a streaming company. It’s had no presence in theaters. As a streaming studio, Apple has leapt ahead of its competitors like Netflix and Amazon in the quest to become the first streamer to get a Best Picture statue.

This season, Amazon Studios offered Aaron Sorkin’s “Being the Ricardos” as an entry. The film didn’t get a nomination but three of the four lead actors advanced to the Oscar finals. One of them, Nicole Kidman, may yet be pronounced Best Actress.

For Netflix, the stakes are higher. They had a handful of films in the Oscar competition, primarily “The Power of the Dog.” That film’s director, Jane Campion, has long been tipped for Best Director. But last night Campion tied with Denis Villeneuve of “Dune” for Best Director, which means there may be some erosion of Campion’s following.

If Apple does manage to pull off this Best Picture coup with “CODA,” Netflix may have to re-evaluate how their quest is going. Valiant efforts have been made in the recent past with films like “Roma” and “The Irishman,” without achieving the goal of gold.

Netflix can take some solace in Andrew Garfield winning Best Actor for “Tick Tick Boom” last night.

Best Picture – “CODA”

Best Actor – Andrew Garfield, “Tick, Tick … Boom!”

Best Actress – Kristen Stewart, “Spencer”

Best Supporting Actor – Troy Kotsur, “CODA”

Best Supporting Actress – Ariana DeBose, “West Side Story”

Best Cast Ensemble – “Belfast”

Best Director *Tie* – Denis Villeneuve, “Dune” and Jane Campion, “The Power of The Dog”

Best Original Screenplay – Fran Kranz, “Mass”

Best Adapted Screenplay – Siân Heder, “CODA”

Best Animated or VFX Performance – Stephanie Beatriz, “Encanto”

Best Action Film – “The Harder They Fall”

Best Animated Film – “The Mitchells vs. The Machines”

Best Comedy or Musical – “Tick, Tick … Boom!”

Best Documentary – “Summer of Soul”

Best Horror – “Last Night in Soho”

Best Indie Film – “Pig”

Best International Film – “Drive My Car”

Best First Feature – Lin-Manuel Miranda, “Tick, Tick … Boom!”

Best Short Film – “Us Again”

Best Score – Hans Zimmer, “Dune”

Best Original Song – “Be Alive,” “King Richard”

Best Cinematography – Greig Fraser, “Dune”

Best Production Design – Tamara Deverell, “Nightmare Alley”

Best Film Editing – Paul Machliss, “Last Night in Soho”

Best Stunts – “Shang-Chi and The Legend of the Ten Rings”

Best Costume Design – Jenny Beavan, “Cruella”

Best Hair & Makeup – Justin Raleigh, Linda Dowds, and Stephanie Ingram, “The Eyes of Tammy Faye”

Best Visual Effects – Brian Connor, Gerd Nefzer, Paul Lambert, and Tristan Myles, “Dune”

 

Honorary Awards

Acting Achievement Award – Nicolas Cage

Artisan Achievement Award – Greig Fraser

Artisan on the Rise – Alice Brooks

Excellence in Artistry – Kenneth Branagh

Filmmaker on the Rise – Natalie Morales

Filmmaking Achievement Award – Guillermo del Toro

Game Changer Award – Simu Liu

Inspire Award – Aunjanue Ellis

International Icon Award – Javier Bardem

Newcomer Award – Jude Hill

Spotlight Award – The Cast of “CODA”

Star on the Rise – Saniyya Sidney

Madonna, Helmer and Star of Flops, Will Direct Her Life Story If Someone Will Agree to Play Her

Roger Friedman
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Madonna, Helmer and Star of Flops, Will Direct Her Life Story If Someone Will Agree to Play Her

How many bad movies has Madonna, the performer, directed? Two: the dreadful “W.E.” and the forgettable “Filth and Wisdom.” (Domestic gross for the former $582,075, for the latter $22,406)

How many more will sihe destroy? At least one: her life story.

According to Jeff Sneider writing in Ankler, Madonna is going to direct the movie of her life co-written with Diablo Cody. It’s a recipe for disaster. Madonna, who has been proven not to be much of an actor or a director, is determined to make another stinker.

Actresses who’ve been approached to play Madonna to play her are obviously not impressed. Sneider says Emmy winner Julia Garner, of “Ozark,” and “Inventing Anna,” was approached but seems to have passed. So has Florence Pugh, a past Oscar nominee. That leaves two low level actresses from “Euphoria,” who are at best supporting players.

It’s hard to believe anyone will finance Madonna directing a movie about herself which she’s written. It’s like when they say ‘only a fool has himself for a lawyer.’ The Madonna movie will undoubtedly be a big, bloated vanity project with no objectivity whatsoever in which the singer portrays herself as a martyr, a saint, and an angel. God bless. It’s unclear why Universal Pictures is letting her do this: she’s not big enough anymore to bow to her wishes.

As for actresses, it might help if the woman they chose could sing or dance– not that Madonna is Whitney Houston. But she sings for a living, and has made a pretty good one at that.

Sunday Night Ratings: If “American Idol” Had Queen Latifah Sing on the Show, Everyone Would Win!

Roger Friedman
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Sunday Night Ratings: If “American Idol” Had Queen Latifah Sing on the Show, Everyone Would Win!

Sunday night on broadcast TV:

If ABC’s “American Idol” got Queen Latifah to come sing on their show, they’d each have hits.

As it is, QL’s “The Equalizer” on CBS beat the “Idol” return last night at 8pm by a million viewers–6.95 mil vs. 6.01 mil.

At 9pm, “Idol” pulled ahead of CBS’s “NCIS Los Angeles” by just a nose.

All in all, CBS won the night, but ABC narrowly beat them in the age demo. Younger people watched “Idol.” But more people watched the CBS line up.

Where was everyone else? On cable, watching the SAG Awards, “Euphoria,” and “Billions.” We’ll know more about that tomorrow.

Meanwhile, Zendaya has released a single with a UK singer named Labrinth, it’s a song that was on “Euphoria.” She has a lovely voice. He has issues. As in “Dune,” Zendaya only appears at the end of the song.

 

Review: “The Batman” Brings David Fincher-Like Darkness to a Young, Goth Bruce Wayne and a Woke Catwoman

Roger Friedman
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Review: “The Batman” Brings David Fincher-Like Darkness to a Young, Goth Bruce Wayne and a Woke Catwoman

Stately Wayne Manor is no more. Neither is stately Bruce Wayne.

In the latest iteration of the saga of the orphaned zillionaire turned caped crusader, Bruce Wayne, director Matt Reeves imagines a world in which David Fincher has taken over Gotham City.

“The Batman” is a darker knight than ever before. Reeves’ movie, wholly entertaining and full of surprises, features “Twilight” star Robert Pattinson as the youngest Bruce Wayne ever. He’s not that many years past his parents being killed, but the echoes of Thomas and Martha Wayne are everywhere. Wayne Manor looks more like The Limelight nightclub. All Bruce has left is loyal butler Alfred (Andy Serkis) who busier fixing complex electronics than dusting the china.

All of Batman’s enemies are introduced in this chapter: Catwoman (Zoe Kravitz), The Penguin (a totally unrecognizable Colin Farrell), the Riddler (Paul Dano) and yet a new Joker (Barry Keoghan). Of this quad, Catwoman and Penguin are given the most screen time. Riddler is depicted as unseen serial killer, very Hannibal Lecter, who doesn’t emerge until the last 45 minutes (of three hours). The whole Joker plot is more obtuse. There’s one more villain, too: John Turturro’s mobster, Carmine Falcone, for who the Jake Mottola-like Penguin — known here as Oswald Cobblepot — works.

Suffice to say, it’s Kravitz’s Catwoman who gets the most interaction with Batman as they flirt and even kiss as she tries to persuade him they are alike. But Batman has bigger issues. The Batman comics we all knew in the old days were billed not under his name but as “Detective Comics.” So here, based on recent comic books. Batman takes the lead as a detective and vigilante, someone who the public thinks of as a masked freak. (He is not yet Gotham’s beloved hero.) His Robin, so to speak, is police captain James Gordon (Jeffrey Wright) who not only believes in him but is an able assistant when necessary.

Pattinson is 36 and trying to get away from his hit vampire movies of a decade ago. He actually makes for a lively, engaged Batman who seems, when he puts on the cape and cowl, more sophisticated than young Bruce, who looks like a deer in headlights a lot of the time. Putting on that Batman suit, in this movie, does more for Bruce than it has in the past. And he needs it: Reeves imagines Bruce as a disaffected Kurt Cobain with dark circles under his eyes and nary a comb in sight.

Reeves plays part of the film like it’s “Seven” and some of it like “Silence of the Lambs.” Peter Craig’s screenplay advances the idea that the Waynes’ murder was not a random robbery but a planned hit based on Thomas’s run for mayor on the platform of Renewal. That at least gives the story a new direction and something more for Bruce to chew on as he avenges their memory. Reeves also brings out the best in the villains: Kravitz, tiny in real life, slinks around and seems a lot taller as a modern vixen. (She also has a woke moment, describing Gotham society as “rich, privileged white people.” ) Dano absolutely glows as the completely insane, murderous Riddler.

The three hour run time is no problem, the movie zips by without a moment of lag. It could have stopped at two hours-fifteen — there’s a beat where you see it. But that last 45 minutes is worth the wait even if there’s a bit of a watery shark jump. Still, I’d be up for parts 2 and 3 of this trilogy, and I think audiences will go back and see this one at least one more time.

PS Kudos to the Michael Giacchino score. It’s melodic, very Beethoven-esque and runs counter to the somber mood of impending doom. Keep it in mind next awards season.

 

 

 

Neil Diamond Says “I’m a Believer” and Sells Song Rights to Universal Music for Undisclosed Amount

Roger Friedman
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Neil Diamond Says “I’m a Believer” and Sells Song Rights to Universal Music for Undisclosed Amount

Now it’s Neil Diamond’s turn.

The famed Brill Building songwriter turned unlikely rock star in the 70s and 80s has sold his music publishing catalog and recordings to Universal Music Group for an undisclosed amount of money.

Diamond’s catalog would be a pretty sought after one considering all the hits he had and the ones he wrote for other people.

The former group includes “Song Sung Blue,” “Sweet Caroline,” “Cracklin’ Rosie,” “I Am..I Said,” “Play Me.” “America,” “Hot August Night,” “Holly Holy,” and “You Don’t Bring Me Flowers.”

The latter group includes “I’m a Believer,” “A Little Bit Me, A Little Bit You,” “Solitary Man,” “Red Red Wine,” and more.

The deal builds on Universal Music’s existing relationship with Diamond, as the company has served as his publishing administrator since 2014.  But also, Diamond has been in that company’s family since the 1970s when his first hits were on Uni Records and then MCA Records. Diamond was already such a force in the 1960s that he was tapped to introduce Elton John a new Uni artist.  in 1970 at the Troubadour.

Universal can do a lot with Neil Diamond’s songs. There’s already a musical about his life opening in Boston in June. And a tribute album would make sense (they better include Micky Dolenz).

 

Apple (TV Plus, Studios) Wins Four Big Awards at SAG, May Beat Netflix, Amazon to Oscar

Roger Friedman
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Apple (TV Plus, Studios) Wins Four Big Awards at SAG, May Beat Netflix, Amazon to Oscar

Apple — what do I call it? TV Plus? Studios? — whatever it is, Apple won four huge SAG Awards tonight and may beat Netflix and Amazon to the Oscars Best Picture.

“CODA” won Best Ensemble and Troy Kotsur won Best Supporting Actor tonight. It’s major. “CODA” snatched Ensemble from “Power of the Dog,” “Belfast,” and all the others. It’s now got the inside track for Best Picture.

Apple TV also picked up awards for best TV comedy, “Ted Lasso,” and its star, Jason Sudeikis.

At Sundance in January 2021, Apple paid a record $25 million for “CODA.” I don’t think it’s actually played in a movie theater yet but it will this weekend, for free, first come, first served. Check your theaters.

“CODA” has just been on Apple TV since last fall. There are huge numbers of people yet to see it and fall in love with it.

But what a crazy upset. Netflix has put everything into the campaign for “The Power of the Dog.” “Belfast” has been a front runner. I thought “West Side Story” would be this year’s blockbuster.

“CODA” is the movie with the Big Idea, as it turns out. It’s also beloved by anyone who sees it.

And now the race is on.

The 28th ANNUAL SCREEN ACTORS GUILD AWARDS® RECIPIENTS

The Motion Picture Winners are:
Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role
WILL SMITH / Richard Williams – “KING RICHARD”

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role
JESSICA CHASTAIN / Tammy Faye Bakker – “THE EYES OF TAMMY FAYE”

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role
TROY KOTSUR / Frank Rossi – “CODA”

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role
ARIANA DeBOSE / Anita – “WEST SIDE STORY”

Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture
CODA
EUGENIO DERBEZ / Bernardo Villalobos
DANIEL DURANT / Leo Rossi
EMILIA JONES / Ruby Rossi
TROY KOTSUR / Frank Rossi
MARLEE MATLIN / Jackie Rossi
FERDIA WALSH-PEELO / Miles

The Television Program Winners are:
Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Television Movie or Limited Series
MICHAEL KEATON / Dr. Samuel Finnix – “DOPESICK”

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Television Movie or Limited Series
KATE WINSLET / Mare Sheehan – “MARE OF EASTTOWN”

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series
LEE JUNG-JAE / Seong Gi-hun – “SQUID GAME”

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Drama Series
JUNG HO-YEON / Kang Sae-byeok – “SQUID GAME”

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Comedy Series
JASON SUDEIKIS / Ted Lasso – “TED LASSO”

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series
JEAN SMART / Deborah Vance – “HACKS”

Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series
SUCCESSION
HIAM ABBASS / Marcia Roy
NICHOLAS BRAUN / Greg Hirsch
JULIANA CANFIELD / Jess Jordan
BRIAN COX / Logan Roy
KIERAN CULKIN / Roman Roy
DAGMARA DOMINCZYK / Karolina Novotney
PETER FRIEDMAN / Frank Vernon
JIHAE / Berry Schneider
JUSTINE LUPE / Willa
MATTHEW MACFADYEN / Tom Wambsgans
DASHA NEKRASOVA / Comfrey Pellits
SCOTT NICHOLSON / Colin
DAVID RASCHE / Karl Muller
ALAN RUCK / Connor Roy
J. SMITH-CAMERON / Gerri Kellman
SARAH SNOOK / Shiv Roy
FISHER STEVENS / Hugo Baker
JEREMY STRONG / Kendall Roy
ZOË WINTERS / Kerry Castellabate

Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series
TED LASSO
ANNETTE BADLAND / Mae
KOLA BOKINNI / Isaac McAdoo
PHIL DUNSTER / Jamie Tartt
CRISTO FERNÁNDEZ / Dani Rojas
BRETT GOLDSTEIN / Roy Kent
BRENDAN HUNT / Coach Beard
TOHEEB JIMOH / Sam Obisanya
NICK MOHAMMED / Nathan Shelley
SARAH NILES / Dr. Sharon Fieldstone
JASON SUDEIKIS / Ted Lasso
JEREMY SWIFT / Leslie Higgins
JUNO TEMPLE / Keeley Jones
HANNAH WADDINGHAM / Rebecca Welton

The Stunt Ensemble Winners are:

Outstanding Action Performance by a Stunt Ensemble in a Motion Picture
“NO TIME TO DIE”

Outstanding Action Performance by a Stunt Ensemble in a Comedy or Drama Series
“SQUID GAME”

The 57th Annual SAG Life Achievement Award
Helen Mirren

“Euphoria” Season 2 Ends on Hopeful Note, But Also with a Violent Shoot out and Arrest

Roger Friedman
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0
“Euphoria” Season 2 Ends on Hopeful Note, But Also with a Violent Shoot out and Arrest

“Euphoria’ Season came to an end tonight– and it’s good news, bad news.

Rue lived. She’s clean. But someone died.

SPOILER ALERT

 

 

 

 

 

 

In a terrible violent shootout, Ashtray was killed in a shootout with the police after brutally murdering the drug dealer.  The police arrive, kill him and wound Fezco, possibly fatally. (We don’t know what happens for certain.)

All the other main characters survived, although Nate watched his father get arrested after turning him in.

Sam Levinson wrote a hopeful end for Rue so the series could come back for Season 3 if possible. But if not, the good guys won. The bad guys and iffy guys got punished. And Lexi finally saw the curtain come down on her play.

Lots of drama. Ratings come in tomorrow night.

 

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