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Twitter Makes the Right Decision and Permanently Suspends Marjorie Taylor Greene From Spouting Disinformation

Roger Friedman
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Twitter Makes the Right Decision and Permanently Suspends Marjorie Taylor Greene From Spouting Disinformation

Marjorie Taylor Greene has been silenced.

In a very right move, Twitter has suspended the crazy Georgia congresswoman from spouting disinformation via her social media account. All other social media outlets should do the same immediately.

Greene isn’t just crazy. It’s easy to make fun of her stupidity. But she’s also dangerous. She stands for everything that is unAmerican. She’s racist, anti-Semitic, and anti-science. She disseminates lies that seep into the psyches of the uneducated and unsuspecting.

The Twitter ban is over Greene’s spreading of misinformation about COVID-19. But it’s not a complete ban. She she still has access to her government account. When Twitter turns that one off, we’ll be rid of her at least on this platform.

But look at her December 24th Tweet on that account. It reads: “Let us celebrate the true reason for the season, the birth of our Lord, Jesus Christ! Merry Christmas, Northwest Georgia!” Greene doesn’t care that there’s a separation between church and State. She is a miserable redneck who must be unseated in her next election, if not removed by Congress before then.

Here’s Twitter’s statement:

 

Box Office: “Spider Man” Leaps to $610 Mil US, Number 10 on All Time List Eyeing “Last Jedi,” “Avengers”

Roger Friedman
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Box Office: “Spider Man” Leaps to $610 Mil US, Number 10 on All Time List Eyeing “Last Jedi,” “Avengers”

Records are made to be broken in movie land.

This weekend, “Spider Man: No Way Home” hit $610 million in the US, putting it at number 10 on the all time box office list.

Very soon, “No Way Home” will surpass “Star Wars: The Last Jedi” and “The Avengers.” If Spidey keeps going, it could approach “Black Panther” at $700 million.

Its only obstacles will be COVID and the return of school this week. The webslinger numbers are certainly slowing down after having a landmark run during the holidays.

At this rate, we are destined to have more “Spider Man” movies without a doubt over the next 7 years.

Considering that the original number 1 movie of all time, “ET: The Extra Terrestrial,” is now number 24 on the list, it’s pretty great that Steven Spielberg was never persuaded to make a sequel. An “ET 2” and “ET 3” would have put him at the top of the list. I’m surprised no one’s pitched a modern version with Drew Barrymore as the mom.

The other big ticket from this holiday was “Sing 2,” now just under $90 million. Universal should be pleased. It was good programming for families who had to get out of the house. Everything else was kind of blah, with adults obviously concerned about going to theatres with Omicron prevalent. “West Side Story” is still a notch under $30 million and “Belfast” hasn’t hit $7 million yet. They were the best films of 2021.

And Just Like That…Mariah Carey’s Annual Christmas Cash In Ends as “All I Want etc” Leaves All Charts

Roger Friedman
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0
And Just Like That…Mariah Carey’s Annual Christmas Cash In Ends as “All I Want etc” Leaves All Charts

and just like that…Mariah Carey is gone from the charts…

Back on November 3rd, Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas” appeared at number 25 on the iTunes charts. Carey hadn’t been on the top 100 all year, since Christmas 2020.

The annual Christmas cash in began. And now, on January 1st, it’s over. “All I Want” is gone from the charts. It reached number 1 around Christmas but, like other novelty holiday songs, it’s vanished into thin air. The Carey Christmas cash in is over.

It was mighty prescient of Mariah’s writer, Walter Afanasieff, to fashion a song for her that sounded like it was right off Phil Spector’s Christmas album. If you didn’t know it was Mariah singing you’d think it was Darlene Love or Ronnie Spector circa 1961. The production is very similar. Afanasieff did a good job.

Carey doesn’t sell records anymore. She’s in the same boat as a lot of legacy artists who release new music to deaf ears. This winter, Diana Ross, Alicia Keys and Rod Stewart were among those with that situation. So having “All I Want” is all gravy, a terrific annuity. And once the holiday season is over, so is the song.

Til next November then…

NBC Will Rerun “Saturday Night Live” with Betty White Tonight from 2010 as a Tribute

Roger Friedman
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NBC Will Rerun “Saturday Night Live” with Betty White Tonight from 2010 as a Tribute

NBC will rerun “SNL” tonight with Betty White as host from 2010 as a tribute to the late great star.

At the time there was a petition signed by 1 million people to get her on the show. The monologue is below.

Betty was the oldest guest host of the show, and she pulled it off with aplomb.

Jay Z is the musical guest. The show aired May 8, 2010. Even if you can see it all on YouTube, tune in tonight so the ratings are high– a fitting memorial.

They want us to note this is real SNL at 11:30pm, not the rerun at 10pm.

New Year’s Eve: “Spider Man” Makes 15 Times “Matrix” Box Office, Heads Home to $600 Mil

Roger Friedman
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New Year’s Eve: “Spider Man” Makes 15 Times “Matrix” Box Office, Heads Home to $600 Mil

People went to the movies last night, on New Year’s Eve. At least, they went to one movie.

“Spider Man: No Way Home” raked in another $15 million, and heads to a total of $600 million by Sunday night. The party is slowing down, of course, because at this point anyone who wanted to see the three Peter Parkers has seen it. But there will be a push toward $700 million. We’ll see how far that gets.

In the process of scaling box office heights, “No Way Home” made 15 times as much as “Matrix:Resurrections” last night. “Matrix 4” aka stands at $28 million. They will crack $30 million this weekend, but Warner’s has lost millions here even with HBO Max showings. “Matrix 5” will be performed in wheelchairs and walkers, a la the old lady dance number in “The Producers.”

Welcome to 2022. We are days away from seeing “355,” and “Ocean’s” type movie Jessica Chastain has put together. Reviewers see it at the last minute before its release. I’m sure it’s fun. And that’s all it has to be.

Beloved Actress, Activist Betty White Dies at 99, Famous For “The Golden Girls,” Mary Tyler Moore Show, and Being Herself

Roger Friedman
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Beloved Actress, Activist Betty White Dies at 99, Famous For “The Golden Girls,” Mary Tyler Moore Show, and Being Herself

Three weeks before her 100th birthday, Betty White has died. She was 99 and 9/10.

A huge animal activist, Betty was probably the most beloved of all Hollywood celebrities. An actress with numerous awards for “The Mary Tyler Moore Show” and “The Golden Girls,” she’d become famous on the game show “Password,” when she met her husband, Allen Ludden.

Betty won five Primetime Emmy Awards: two for playing Sue Anne Nivens, the Happy Homemaker, on “MTM.” Two more for playing ditzy Rose Nylund on “The Golden Girls.” And one more for guest hosting “Saturday Night Live” in 2010 after a public outcry to get her on the show. She had over a dozen nominations throughout her career, her last three being in 2012, 2014, and 2015 for a reality show she hosted. Her first Emmy nomination was in 1951!

What a life she lived. Her marriage to Ludden was cut short when he died of cancer and she never remarried. She just refocused her life on her animal activism, which was known worldwide. And in 1974, with Cloris Leachman leaving “The Mary Tyler Moore Show” as acerbic Phyllis, White was introduced as man-crazy Happy Homemaker Sue Anne Nivens, a Martha Stewart before her time. Producers were so jarred by White’s makeover from “Password” princess to edge Sue Anne they hired her immediately.

A few years later, White’s other high point came when she joined Bea Arthur, Estelle Getty, and Rue McClanahan in “The Golden Girls.” Her Rose was from Minnesota, was Norwegian, and had endless, pointless, and hilarious stories about growing up with that background. With those two shows, White left her mark permanently on the history and culture of television.

Two days ago People magazine ran a funny story about Betty and her “The Proposal” co-star Ryan Reynolds. I doubt Betty was giving quotes or interviews, but it was still cute. And the perfect way to exit.

 

 

 

 

Year End: Adele Sales of “30” Album Finally Exhausted with 49% Drop, Everyone Has Their Copy

Roger Friedman
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Year End: Adele Sales of “30” Album Finally Exhausted with 49% Drop, Everyone Has Their Copy

Sales of popular music came to an end last night for the week with a twist: Adele’s “30” album fell 49% after Christmas to 100K. Total sales are around 1.6 million in the US.

Takeaway: everyone who wanted a copy of “30” now has one. Supply and demand have met each other.

Sales dropped precipitously in the post-Christmas blahs, what with COVID and the Cron stalking us. Adele’s “30” was the only album to sell 100,000 copies. The number 50 album, according to hitsdailydouble, was Dua Lipa’s “Future Nostalgia,” with 17,224 copies.

So now what? We’d better get some surprise releases because there’s nothing too exciting coming up in the next 90 days. I can tell you that Elvis Costello’s “The Boy Named If” is a five star recording equal to the best material in Costello’s 40 plus year career. It’s coming from Capitol, not Concord– the Capitol Universal people obviously heard it and went crazy.

Otherwise, it’s time for a Beyonce album to jolt the marketplace. And Bruce Springsteen’s E Street Band album is out there somewhere.

And the Grammys? I think we’ll know what’s going on by next week.

Julian Lennon Says He Has Omicron, Taking Ivermectin as a Cure Despite FDA Warnings

Roger Friedman
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Julian Lennon Says He Has Omicron, Taking Ivermectin as a Cure Despite FDA Warnings

John Lennon’s eldest son, Julian, a successful musician and artist, says on social media that he has COVID. Instead of heeding the advice of doctors, however, Lennon says he’s using ivermectin as a cure. This is despite FDA warnings not to take the drug commonly used for horses.

Julian writes on Instagram: “The Beginning of the End…. Hopefully 🙏🏻 (I decided this course of healing, after consultation with DRs outside of the US, where treatment, administered correctly, helped greatly & swiftly with recovery… Each to their own, but insulting my intelligence because of MY choices, well, there’s not enough medication in the World for that).”

Julian’s younger half brother, Sean Ono Lennon, responded  quickly on the same Instagram thread. He wrote: “People saying Ivermectin is for horses here have never looked into this at all. It is not ‘for horses.’ Especially not the ivermectin humans take. In fact it is ‘for humans.’ And the one for horses is ‘for horses.’”

Julian had previously written, on December 30th around 3am New York time: “Omicron finally got me. Happy Holidaze they are not 😢Stay Safe out there! ”

Lennon is thought not to be in the United States even though he lives in Los Angeles and also the south of France. In February 2020 there were reports that he had a cancerous growth removed from the top of his head.

I always thought of Julian as incredibly sensible so this ivermectin news is a little alarming.The Food and Drug Administration is quite clear warning people not to use this drug in the treatment of COVID. No one is trying to insult Julian’s intelligence. But everyone hopes he doesn’t cause harm to himself in the use of ivermectin. Even though the drug has been roundly criticized by the CDC and health professionals, some people have sought it out after taking the advice of right wing pundits and unqualified influencers. Those include people Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers and conservative radio host Joe Rogan, each of whom is a total nutcase and not to be taken seriously about anything but football and beer.

Let’s hope Julian, who had a hit song called “Too Late for Goodbyes,” gets proper medical care immediately.

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Julian Lennon (@julespicturepalace)

Dangerous: “MJ” MIchael Jackson Musical Cancels Tonight’s Show for “Non-COVID Related Reason”

Roger Friedman
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0
Dangerous: “MJ” MIchael Jackson Musical Cancels Tonight’s Show for “Non-COVID Related Reason”

Very smart of “MJ The Michael Jackson Musical.”

They don’t wanna be startin’ something. So there’s no show tonight after last night’s show had two performers out with an undisclosed malady.

Their announcement says “non COVID related.” Uh huh. But as I wrote earlier today, last night the main adult actor who plays Michael, Myles Frost, did not return from Act 1. After intermission, his understudy went on. Before the show, five other understudies replaced sick cast members.

Maybe Patti Lupone’s toilet can explain all of this to us!

“MJ” had no show scheduled for December 31st, so they’ll be back on New Year’s Day.

Also, “Moulin Rouge” is out tonight.

Here’s the insert from last night’s Playbill before Frost got frozen

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.

 

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