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Chris Noth Refutes Article Claiming Long Ago Allegations from Two Women: “No Means No…I Did Not Assault These Women”

Roger Friedman
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Chris Noth Refutes Article Claiming Long Ago Allegations from Two Women: “No Means No…I Did Not Assault These Women”

So here’s Chris Noth, in the press this week for his dying in “Sex and the City” and his Peloton ad.

Two women are making charges of rape against him, one from 2004 and the other in 2015, in The Hollywood Reporter. Kim Masters, an excellent journalist, wrote the story. The timing is a little suspect, though. The women say all the Noth press in the last week triggered them and they stepped forward.

Noth says in a statement: “The accusations against me made by individuals I met years, even decades, ago are categorically false. These stories could’ve been from 30 years ago or 30 days ago — no always means no — that is a line I did not cross. The encounters were consensual. It’s difficult not to question the timing of these stories coming out. I don’t know for certain why they are surfacing now, but I do know this: I did not assault these women.”

At this point, these two women are a decade apart with their stories. Will others turn up or are these just two random allegations? And aren’t we smarter in almost 2022 than we were in 2017? All the facts have to come in.

Star Jeff Garlin’s Enthusiasm Curbed, Fired from “The Goldbergs” For Using Bad Language in Jokes on Set

Roger Friedman
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Star Jeff Garlin’s Enthusiasm Curbed, Fired from “The Goldbergs” For Using Bad Language in Jokes on Set

For 20 years, Jeff Garlin has played Larry’s manager on “Curb Your Enthusiasm” and he’s always seemed incredibly popular.

But over on ABC’s “The Goldbergs,” Garlin has also been playing the Dad, Murray, for nine seasons. There are kids and women on the set. It seems they didn’t like his language between scenes. And now he’s fired.

Garlin will not return for the balance of the 9th season. It’s doubtful that the show will be renewed anyway for a 10th season without him and without George Segal, who died last year. And their ratings are pretty bad. So this is is just a last minute PR thing for ABC, which has to be politically correct.

It’s unclear how they’ll explain the absence of Murray’s large presence going forward. The rest of the cast is fairly uninteresting, I don’t think they could be picked out of a line-up.

Garlin was asked about his status recently in an online Vanity Fair article. He denied he was being fired, and the magazine couldn’t confirm it. It does seem there were complaints made to HR about him starting at least in 2019 he ignored them.

I’m trying to imagine a crossover between “Curb” and the insipid “The Goldbergs.” It would make a great sketch on “SNL” if they were brave enough to do it. The latter characters would go running for cover and start crying. Or better yet. a “Goldbergs” in which everyone talked like Susie Essman’s character. Now, that would be funny!

PS UPDATE A source says Garlin’s issues were just about using bad language and nothing worse than the word “vagina.” My source says a stand-in was on the set one day, heard Garlin blurting out jokes, and reported him. “It was no one in the regular cast and crew.” Things snowballed from there.

Broadway Struggles with COVID Outbreaks as Even “Hamilton” Shuts Down for a Day

Roger Friedman
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Broadway Struggles with COVID Outbreaks as Even “Hamilton” Shuts Down for a Day

Even with vaccine mandates and testing, COVID is affecting Broadway shows.

Today, “Hamilton” joined the list of shows taking a breather after a virus outbreak in the cast and crew. They’ll be back soon.

Other shows have cancelled performances including “Tina: The Tina Turner Musical,” “Ain’t Too Proud,” “Freestyle Love Supreme,” and the revised “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child.”

Maybe mercifully paused is “Mrs. Doubtfire,” the panned musical taken from the Robin Williams movie.

I see a lot of people griping about all this on social media. But shutting down for a performance or two is the exact right thing to do. That and daily testing so everyone backstage is protected.

What we don’t want is for Broadway to shut down again for the winter. With “The Music Man” and “MJ The Michael Jackson Musical” on their way in, the shows will have to be more vigilant than ever.

Bruce Springsteen Reportedly Sells Everything, Publishing, Masters, to Sony Music for $500 Mil

Roger Friedman
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Bruce Springsteen Reportedly Sells Everything, Publishing, Masters, to Sony Music for $500 Mil

BREAKING

From small things, mama, big things one day come.

Bruce Springsteen has reportedly sold the rights all his publishing, plus his master recordings, to Sony Music for $500 million.

It may be the most money ever for a solo act, although I’d wager that Paul McCartney could top that. Still, half a billion dollars is breathtaking. It’s about $200 million more than Bob Dylan got, for example. And no one else would be closer.

You know what that means. Everything from “Born to Run” to “Dancing in the Dark,” “Blinded by the Light,” “Fire,” the first two albums, plus “Darkness on the Edge of Town,” “Hungry Heart,” and so on. Not to mention “Born in the USA.” It’s the kit-and-kaboodle. The story broke in the trade paper, Billboard.

The deal makes Springsteen’s family financially independent forever. I’ve no doubt that the members of the E Street Band will be appropriately taken care of, as always. So will Bruce’s longtime managers. It’s the deal of a lifetime.

Springsteen’s music will be repurposed by Sony in every manner possible, from other artists covering his songs, to commercials like crazy. Get ready for “Glory Days” to be used for everything from Walmart to stain remover to hot dogs.

The sale is a bit of a blow to EMI Music Publishing, which has published Springsteen’s songs for decades. But this deal with Sony also includes the records, and Sony had the upper hand there since Bruce’s entire recording catalog is already there. He’s the rare bird who’s not made records for any other company in his nearly 50 year career. (EMI will be just fine, mind you.)

Now Bruce can have all the free Sony music equipment he wants, I guess.

More details coming…

Don’t Panic Yet: New “West Side Story” Has Excellent Monday & Tuesday at the Box Office

Roger Friedman
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Don’t Panic Yet: New “West Side Story” Has Excellent Monday & Tuesday at the Box Office

Let’s put a stop to the panic.

“West Side Story” had an excellent Monday and Tuesday after a tough weekend. Adults — the main patrons on those days — got up and got out and went to theater.

On Monday, the Spielberg musical made just over $1 million. The fall off from Sunday to Monday was the same or less than other films in the top 20.

Then yesterday, “WSS” had a nice 28% increase, and made $1.3 million. All of this is good. The fact that it’s up over a mil a day and climbing is very positive. This is going to be a long race. “Spider Man” is going to come roaring in and run over everything this weekend. No comparisons please!

Meantime, “WSS” has 11 nominations from the Critics Choice, more to come from other places. In Supporting, Mike Faist and Ariana DeBose are just getting started. So is Rachel Zegler. “WSS” 2.0 is a landmark film, and also so entertaining and enjoyable. Word of mouth is spreading!

 

Fired “General Hospital” Actor Sues ABC, Lampooned on Colbert, Does Interview with Tucker Carlson, Waves Goodbye to Career

Roger Friedman
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Fired “General Hospital” Actor Sues ABC, Lampooned on Colbert, Does Interview with Tucker Carlson, Waves Goodbye to Career

This is how you tank your Hollywood career after 25 years. You refuse to be vaccinated so ABC fires you from “General Hospital.” (You also post transphobic remarks about a castmate.)

After being fired, you sue ABC, saying they didn’t allow your “religious exemption.” Then you appear not on Fox News but on their crazy right wing other channel, Fox Nation, with conspiracy theorist Tucker Carlson.

To make the whole thing perfect, Ingo Rademacher, who played Jax on “General Hospital” on and off since 1996, was lampooned last night by Stephen Colbert for being a “dingus.”

Rademacher will not win his lawsuit, it won’t even get that far. No network will hire him now. No other soap opera will take him. He’s also totally thrown in with whack job Robert Kennedy Jr.’s anti-vax campaign, promoting his full-of-fallacies book against Dr. Fauci.

If this happened on a soap they would blame it on a benign brain tumor that would be removed at the 11th hour. But this not a soap, it’s real life, and Rademacher has no respect for his castmates or crew, his fans, or himself. By September he will be recast, and no one will remember who he was.

First, the Colbert video begins at 11:19.

 

Will “Spider Man” Go Through the Roof? Fandango Says Biggest Ticket Sale Since “Avengers Endgame” in 2019

Roger Friedman
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Will “Spider Man” Go Through the Roof? Fandango Says Biggest Ticket Sale Since “Avengers Endgame” in 2019

Is that our Spidey sense tingling?

After two years of doldrums, the box office will start buzzing again on Thursday. Advanced ticket sales are through the roof. I can see it on Fandango, which is showing sold out show after sold out show everywhere.

Even the shows not sold out are down to just a few seats in each theater. Some theaters in New York are showing “Spider Man: No Way Home” literally every fifteen minutes.

So I asked Fandango what was happening. This is the response I got:

“Spider-Man: No Way Home” is our biggest pre-seller of the year, and the best performer we’ve seen since “Avengers: Endgame” back in 2019.”

Got that? (Do I wish this was for “West Side Story”? Yes.)

Just to get us all on the same page: “Avengers Endgame” had $60 million in previews on its Thutsday night. On the next day it added $117 million. Weekend total was $357 million. Can “No Way Home” get close to that with the pandemic ever present in people’s minds? Probably not. But if it comes reasonably close, Sony will go bonkers. So hold on. And wait til word spreads about who’s in the movie and what happens. Cowabunga!

Hollywood Mega Music Manager Ken Kragen Dies at 85, Put Together “We Are the World” Had Clients Lionel Richie, Kenny Rogers, More

Roger Friedman
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Hollywood Mega Music Manager Ken Kragen Dies at 85, Put Together “We Are the World” Had Clients Lionel Richie, Kenny Rogers, More

Ken Kragen, a beloved Hollywood mega manager, has died at age 85. The manager of both Kenny Rogers and Lionel Richie among others, Kragen put together the “We Are the World” project in 1985. He was involved in the top of showbiz from the 1960s when he produced “The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour” on CBS. In addition to Lionel and Kenny he also managed acts like The Bee Gees, Olivia Newton-John, Burt Reynolds, and Trisha Yearwood.

Kragen was also involved in many charities. He knew how to raise money and was a star at getting other stars to participate. He organized Hands Across America and worked with the late Harry Chapin on hunger causes. His USA for Africa, the group that made “We Are the World” — with a star studded cast singing a song written by Lionel Richie and Michael Jackson — made $64 million that was given to charities in Africa.

All the hits from Lionel Richie and Kenny Rogers, together and apart, were masterminded by Kenny Kragen. RIP. He was married for 43 years to the same woman, Cathy Worthington. Their daughter Emma posted the notice below.

The Great 70s Soul Singer Joe Simon Has Died at Age 85, Had Hits with “Drowning in a Sea of Love,” “Power of Love”

Roger Friedman
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The Great 70s Soul Singer Joe Simon Has Died at Age 85, Had Hits with “Drowning in a Sea of Love,” “Power of Love”

The great 1970s soul singer Joe Simon has died at age 85. He had a bunch of R&B chart hits but his breakthrough hits in pop were the classics “Drowning in a Sea of Love” and “Power of Love.”

Simon’s buttery voice powered those hit singles to the top of the charts. I had the pleasure of meeting him in the 90s after he’d become a full time preacher. He was a lovely guy and leaves a huge legacy. Here’s a link to his obit from Billboard

Rest in peace, Joe. You were just great.

Betty Lavette wrote on Facebook: “I’m so sorry to hear of the passing of rhythm & blues legend, Joe Simon. In the last several years, he had become a minister. While I don’t know him in that capacity, I do know him from the many recordings that he made. One of my best and most popular songs, was a song written by, as well as recorded by, him:Your Turn To Cry. I have not spoken to him in years, but just before I moved to NJ, I got a call from him, asking me to sing either with him, or at his church. Some gospel song-I can’t remember which one. Though I don’t do church, I was so happy and flattered to hear from him. He was one of the NICEST guys that I ever met in show business. RIP.”

 

“Succession” Finale Hits Series High Thanks to HBO Max Viewers, Finishes Even on Regular Channel

Roger Friedman
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“Succession” Finale Hits Series High Thanks to HBO Max Viewers, Finishes Even on Regular Channel

“Succession” finished its third season with a series high thanks to viewing from HBO Max.

On HBO, “Succession” had 634,000 viewers at 9pm on Sunday, which was average for them this season.

But HBO says that another 1.1 million people tuned in thanks to streaming and delayed viewing. They say the total with everything combined was 1.7 million people.

The company says: Total viewing increased 47% versus the season two finale, 21% from the season three premiere and 8% from last week’s episode. Season 3 episodes are averaging 6.1 million viewers to-date, up 56% from season 2 after a similar period of time, with the Season 3 premiere episode now approaching 7 million viewers.

On balance it’s all good. “Succession” will yield a dozen or more Emmy nominations and win most of them. It will win Best Drama, Actor, Actress for Sarah Snook, supporting probably for actor (Matthew MacFadyen), directing and writing. Mazel tov.

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