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Oscars: There’s a Gathering Storm for Jennifer Hudson as Aretha Franklin in “Respect” as Voters Catch Up

Roger Friedman
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Oscars: There’s a Gathering Storm for Jennifer Hudson as Aretha Franklin in “Respect” as Voters Catch Up

For months now we’ve been told told told by Oscar prognosticators that Kristin Stewart was in the lead for “Spencer.” It’s been hammered home over and over. I have no problem with Stewart getting a nomination but there are other movies and performances.

Right now the Best Actress race is very white. In addition to Stewart, there’s Lady Gaga for “House of Gucci,” Nicole Kidman for “Being the Ricardos,” Olivia Colman for “The Lost Daughter,” and Penelope Cruz for “Parallel Mothers.”

But no Jennifer Hudson as Aretha Franklin in “Respect.” So far, there’s been little excitement in the Gold Derby world. But I’m starting to see it among Oscar voters and those who are catching up with “Respect” on VOD, etc.

“Respect” is a bunch of great performances lurking in a mediocre movie. Liesl Tommy and her screenwriter did a poor job when it came to accuracy, and they resisted any assistance. So that made for a disappointment in the telling of Aretha’s story.

But is in a league by herself. Her singing is rapturous. She fully conveys Aretha’s artistry and voice. Forget all that hype about Franklin selecting Hudson. The fact is, Hudson studied Aretha. She gets her intonations, her attitude. It’s not a matter of singing. It’s one of delivery. So Tommy made mistakes about who sang background or whatever. JHud made no mistakes.

I knew Aretha pretty well. There are times in this performance that I could see Hudson understood things about Aretha and translated them. You know, Aretha Franklin was very smart. Once she got control of her life, after two children were born, she asserted herself. She knew the power of her gift. I think JHud saw inside of Aretha. In puzzling her out — because the Queen of Soul was a 1,000 piece jigsaw puzzle– Hudson put the pieces together. And they fit,

Aside from Jessica Chastain and “Tammy Faye,” no other actress threw herself into a role like Hudson. For me, these two actresses, Hudson and Chastain, plus Kidman, Cruz, and either Gaga or Stewart should make the top 5 this time around. Not having a Black actress would be a shame, but not having an actress who deserves the recognition, whatever race, would be worse.

 

New York Times: What’s Been Going On Besides COVID– Some People Are Out There Having Fun, Doing Good Things

Roger Friedman
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New York Times: What’s Been Going On Besides COVID– Some People Are Out There Having Fun, Doing Good Things

Young Friends of Save Venice Murano Nights event, held at Casa Cipriani, received a surprise guest when Jay-Z walked through the event treating Chair Lizzie Asher, host Casey Kohlberg and actress Patina Miller to an added dose of star power.

We hear former supermodel Ivy Nicholson, whose images were recently exhibited at a retrospective tribute to photographer Victor Arimondi by Artist Don Hershman at Salomon Arts Gallery, has passed away. Before becoming homeless in her later years, she was most known during her career as a Factory regular performing in many Andy Warhol films.

The 24th Annual Samuel Waxman Cancer Research Foundation Gala in New York City featured a live musical performance by Jason Isbell and The 400 Unit and very special guest artist Warren Haynes.

Notable attendees included: Dr. Samuel Waxman, Marion Waxman, Dr. Kevan Shokat, Deborah Kamali, Mark Fedyk, Erica Feinberg, Matthew Waller, Michael Nierenberg, Elin Nierenberg, Jonny Chris Wragge and Vinnie Cammarata.

The Viennese Opera Ball hosted a Swing Dinner Dance Gala, a change up to their traditional Opera Ball, at a private club in Manhattan. Notable attendees included: President of the Viennese Opera Ball Silvia Frieser, event chair and philanthropist Jean Shafiroff, Consul General of Austria in New York The Honorable Helene Steinhaeusl, Director of the Austrian Cultural Forum New York Michael Haider, Sonia Nassery Cole, Michele Herbert and Richard Johnson.

Baron of dining Nello Balan just off the plane from visiting Princess Rita Boncompagni Ludovisi rushed to Casa Cipriani.

We hear Keiko Aoki, widow of Rocky Aoki of Benihana is elevating New Yorker dinner parties this holiday seasons with her new concept for dining at Home. Chef Omakase customers experience a meal prepared by a private chef in their home from a choice of cuisines and menus.

Mike Milken’s Prostate Cancer Foundation celebrated its 25th Annual New York Gala at the Plaza Hotel bringing together the Worlds of Finance, Sport and Entertainment with Wall Street Titans including John Paulson, Leon Black, and Todd Boehly; Sports legends Yankees Joe Torre, Pittsburgh Steelers Owner Robert Citrone, and Anaheim Angels baseball team owner Arte Moreno. Entertainer Whoopi Goldberg helped Emcee the event which raised a breathtaking $5 Million for cancer research. The Entertainment centerpiece of the evening was Andrea Bocelli’s performance with his 10-year-old daughter Virginia Bocelli of ‘Hallelujah’ alongside David Foster and his wife Katharine McPhee.

Broadway Beat: COVID Stops “Come From Away” Again, Michael Jackson Actor Replaced at Intermission

Roger Friedman
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Broadway Beat: COVID Stops “Come From Away” Again, Michael Jackson Actor Replaced at Intermission

COVID: The Musical keeps going.

Last night at “MJ: The Michael Jackson Musical” actor Myles Frost, who plays adult Michael, didn’t come back for Act 2. He presumably tested positive for coronavirus. He was replaced by understudy Aramie Payton, who is said to have acquitted himself very well. Imagine being an understudy and being pressed into duty with no notice while the audience is busy peeing and getting drinks. These people are Talented and Brave!

Meantime. “Come from Away” has stopped again and will resume January 4th.

It’s a mess out there!

Review: “Sex and the City: And Just Like That” Goes There and There and There: Samantha Spoiler Included

Roger Friedman
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Review: “Sex and the City: And Just Like That” Goes There and There and There: Samantha Spoiler Included

WITH SPOILERS

Episode 5 of “Sex and the City And Just Like That” appeared in my email as a press link the other day from HBO. But when I clicked on it out of curiosity, it didn’t work. No one from HBO responded. Now i know why.

Episode 5 is called “Tragically Hip” and a lot happens in it. Miranda’s drinking and her attraction to Che (Sara Ramirez) is explored quite thoroughly. It may be a little too thoroughly for some. And just like that, we will all have to grow up.

Carrie has a hip operation after talking like and acting like “an old lady” at 55. That’s the scariest part of the episode. Also, the fact that she returns to a brownstone with a huge front staircase and more stairs inside seems impractical for someone with her financial resources. (Also, no mention of Mr. Big, the reason she is now rich. So much for that.)

Charlotte has the most interesting story. Her 12 year old biological daughter (they haven’t addressed that part yet) is fluid. They have changed their name to Rock from Rose. The story is being handled with sensitivity (I think, I hope). Evan Handler and Kristin Davis could get a ‘This is Us’ type spin off out of this.

And then there’s the return of Samantha Jones, sort of. Carrie mentions her in her podcast, Charlotte says she’d better warn her in London. So Carrie texts Samantha, who instantly responds with “Miss you.” For the first time in five episodes, the old theme music plays. Will there be a Kim Cattrall rapprochement before these 10 grueling episodes come to an end?

“And Just Like That” is certainly a show-by-show “woke” extravaganza. Nothing happens that isn’t on-the-nose about sex, gender, or race. Carrie wakes up to quite a scene in her apartment between Miranda and Che, and kind of loses it. I can see why. The fantasy is over.

PS Cynthia Nixon gets a great speech, and really gets to act. So that was worth it. (But once the character of Steve has to get all this news, he’ll be glad he has hearing issues. Sorry, my bad. I needed a joke somewhere!)

Jury Finds Ghislaine Maxwell Guilty on Five Counts for Aiding Jeffrey Epstein in Underage Sex Ring

Roger Friedman
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Jury Finds Ghislaine Maxwell Guilty on Five Counts for Aiding Jeffrey Epstein in Underage Sex Ring

Ghislaine Maxwell will spend the rest of her life in prison. She’s 60, but she could live a long time.

Maxwell was found guilty this afternoon in New York by a jury is aiding Jeffrey Epstein in his underage sex ring. Epstein “committed suicide” last year at age 66, so he can’t be prosecuted for his vast array of crimes. Maxwell’s lawyers argued that she was a scapegoat who was being punished in his place. They are right. Lie down with dogs, get up with fleas, Ghislaine.

Maxwell is guilty on five of six charges. Interesting, she’s not the first Maxwell sibling who’s gone through a trial. After her father, billionaire Robert Maxwell, mysteriously died on his boat years ago, her brothers stood trial for dad’s crimes. They were acquitted. But what a family, huh?

Here’s the link to the NY Times coverage.

Maxwell operated freely through New York society from around 2008 to 2016. She had accomplices who worked for her, and accomplices that helped her pull off her crimes. A lot of people I saw her with during that time have gotten off scot-free. Their names disappeared into the swirl of more famous or infamous ones like Trump and Clinton accused of flying on Epstein’s plane or being entertained by him.

But there were plenty more, starting with socialites Glenn and Eva Dubin, who’ve been partially exposed in some press reports but still haven’t answered for their participation. Eva Dubin’s testimony, noted in the New York Times, is just the tip of the iceberg, I’ve been told numerous times by a variety of people.

I guess for tonight the main thing is Maxwell is guilty and staying in prison. More to come, I’m sure.

Sunday Ratings: “Yellowstone” Avalanche Continues with 8 Mil Plus, “Curb, “Insecure” Stay Low But Loyal

Roger Friedman
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Sunday Ratings: “Yellowstone” Avalanche Continues with 8 Mil Plus, “Curb, “Insecure” Stay Low But Loyal

Sunday TV ratings, it was all about football. Huge numbers all day. In the afternoon CBS got up over 24 million viewers, which led into “60 Minutes” having 9.3 million. Lesley Stahl‘s wine report got two segments, I hope everyone raised a glass!

“Yellowstone” is the story. Another 8 million-plus tuned into Kevin Costner‘s horse opera Sunday night on the Paramount channel. “Yellowstone” and its spin off, “1883,” with another 4.5 million, score higher than most network shows on weeknights. So giddy-up! If CBS shows the reruns this summer, they’ll have good numbers without expenses.

Over on HBO, “Curb Your Enthusiasm” finished the season with 450,000 viewers, about the average for the 11th season. The final episode was sheer genius, an Emmy magnet for sure. Tracey Ullman gets all praise for her supporting role, or guest role. It was nice to see Cheryl Hines but it’s hard to imagine her real world home life. The ending plot line– with the shoes, the Holocaust museum, and Larry ending up in the pool deserves Writers Guild awards.

Issa Rae wrapped up her “Insecure” series after 5 seasons, ending with 300K viewers. I really think she’s an enormous talent. I will miss her show and hope she has another one soon. The series had a happy ending, which these days is rare and was welcomed.

The HBO shows have loyal fans that’s for sure!

Los Angeles “Hamilton” Not in the Room Where it Happens: Performances Cancelled Through January 23rd

Roger Friedman
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Los Angeles “Hamilton” Not in the Room Where it Happens: Performances Cancelled Through January 23rd

The Los Angeles cast of “Hamilton” does not want to be in the room where it happens.

The Tony Award winning show has cancelled all performances through January 23rd. COVID has ravaged L.A. enough that the Hollywood Pantages Theater has closed its doors for the next month.

Producer Jeffrey Seller said in a statement, “With COVID-19 cases still rising in Los Angeles each day, the Omicron variant has yet to peak, and we expect many refunds and suppressed sales for the next several weeks. In consultation with our epidemiologist, we are proactively and immediately cancelling performances thru January 23. We look forward to resuming performances at the Hollywood Pantages Theatre with a complete and healthy company in 2022.”

Here in New York, many shows are still paused including “The Music Man.” Several shows have just closed for good. Some, like “American Utopia,” are temporarily downsized and reconfigured. Check with theaters for more cancellations. We keep updating as they happen.

PS Phillipa Soo, Tony winner from the original “Hamilton,” is featured in Hulu’s excellent new mini series, “Dopesick.”

 

Michael Jackson Fans Will Want to Hear Soap Actor Bryton James on Sleeping in Michael Jackson’s Bedroom

Roger Friedman
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Michael Jackson Fans Will Want to Hear Soap Actor Bryton James on Sleeping in Michael Jackson’s Bedroom

“The Young and the Restless” actor Bryton James was one of Michael Jackson’s child pals, kids who went into Jackson’s orbit, stayed at Neverland, and traveled with the King of Pop.

In a new video interview with “General Hospital” actor Maurice Benard, James talks about those days, that nothing untoward happened, that he and his dad were invited to sleep in Michael’s two story bedroom at Neverland.

The Jackson part starts just around 10:30 in this video. Among other things, James says he knew two of the men who later accused Jackson of malfeasance, and shakes his head to indicate they made up their stories.

If only James had spoken about all this when Jackson was alive. It seems like he’s also in touch with Macaulay Culkin, and they’re on the same page. This is valuable testimony, albeit much too late.

Jackson fans will really want to listen to James on this subject, I think.

UPDATED “The Music Man” Won’t Resume Until Hugh Jackman’s Return on January 6th, No Understudy for Star

Roger Friedman
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UPDATED “The Music Man” Won’t Resume Until Hugh Jackman’s Return on January 6th, No Understudy for Star

WEDNESDAY UPDATE 8PM “The Music Man” will not return until Hugh Jackman’s vacation is over on January 6th. They just announced this after reading our story. No understudy for Hugh! And no shows Jan 2-5.

 

TUESDAY Here’s a little PS on Hugh Jackman, whose COVID diagnosis was the last straw in closing down “The Music Man” on Broadway.

The show says it’s returning on January 2nd. But Jackman is out through January 5th.

Ticket holders for shows on the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th have received notice of this already. It’s also listed with Jackman’s vacation dates on the Telecharge website.

So Jackman’s understudy will be there if the show returns from COVID clean up on January 2nd. And forgive me, I know we love the understudies, but if you’re paying hundreds of bucks to see Hugh Jackman, and Sutton Foster, well then, understudies are not acceptable — especially when it takes voodoo, Penn & Teller, and a rabbit’s foot to get these tickets anyway.

*Yes we love understudies.

When Scott Rudin (he’s the producer whether you like it or not), had Bette Midler in “Hello, Dolly!” he at least brought in Donna Murphy for Bette’s breaks and vacations. She was great. But for Hugh? A fine performer, no doubt, will play Harold Hill. But it won’t be a Tony winner or nominee.)

Here’s the proviso on the Telecharge site. At least they expect Mr. Wolverine to still be there next fall.

 

RIP John Madden, Famed NFL Football Super Bowl Winning Coach and Legendary Broadcaster, Dies at Age 85

Roger Friedman
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RIP John Madden, Famed NFL Football Super Bowl Winning Coach and Legendary Broadcaster, Dies at Age 85

John Madden has been such an institution in our lives it’s hard to imagine he could die. But he has, sadly, at age 85.

from the NFL:

Earlier today we received the sad news that the great John Madden died unexpectedly this morning.
He was 85.
“On behalf of the entire NFL family, we extend our condolences to Virginia, Mike, Joe and their
families,” said NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell. “We all know him as the Hall of Fame coach of the
Oakland Raiders and broadcaster who worked for every major network, but more than anything, he
was a devoted husband, father and grandfather.
“Nobody loved football more than Coach. He was football. He was an incredible sounding board to
me and so many others. There will never be another John Madden, and we will forever be indebted to
him for all he did to make football and the NFL what it is today.”
Memorial service information will be announced when available.

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