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Trump Legacy Of Stupidity: Corporation for Public Broadcasting is Winding Down After Defunding

Roger Friedman
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Trump Legacy Of Stupidity: Corporation for Public Broadcasting is Winding Down After Defunding

Dreadful and tragic. Donald Trump has triumphed at the destruction of literacy and education.

Here’s the press release:

The Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) announced today that it will begin an orderly wind-down of its operations following the passage of a federal rescissions package and the release of the Senate Appropriations Committee’s FY 2026 Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies (Labor-H) appropriations bill, which excludes funding for CPB for the first time in more than five decades.

For nearly 60 years, CPB has carried out its Congressional mission to build and sustain a trusted public media system that informs, educates, and serves communities across the country. Through partnerships with local stations and producers, CPB has supported educational content, locally relevant journalism, emergency communications, cultural programming, and essential services for Americans in every community.

“Despite the extraordinary efforts of millions of Americans who called, wrote, and petitioned Congress to preserve federal funding for CPB, we now face the difficult reality of closing our operations,” said CPB President and CEO Patricia Harrison. “CPB remains committed to fulfilling its fiduciary responsibilities and supporting our partners through this transition with transparency and care.”

CPB informed its employees today that the majority of staff positions will conclude with the close of the fiscal year on September 30, 2025. A small transition team will remain through January 2026 to ensure a responsible and orderly closeout of operations. This team will focus on compliance, final distributions, and resolution of long-term financial obligations, including ensuring continuity for music rights and royalties that remain essential to the public media system.

“Public media has been one of the most trusted institutions in American life, providing educational opportunity, emergency alerts, civil discourse, and cultural connection to every corner of the country,” Harrison said. “We are deeply grateful to our partners across the system for their resilience, leadership, and unwavering dedication to serving the American people.”

CPB’s Board of Directors and management are working closely to address the legal, financial, and operational requirements of the closure. CPB will provide regular updates and guidance to stations and producers navigating the profound challenges ahead.

Pop Fizz: Justin Bieber’s “Swag” Album a Bust with Less than 300K Sold, CD Won’t Be Ready til December

Roger Friedman
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Pop Fizz: Justin Bieber’s “Swag” Album a Bust with Less than 300K Sold, CD Won’t Be Ready til December

Justin Bieber’s surprise comeback album is a bust.

“Swag” has dropped to number 25 on iTunes after just three weeks.

Approximate sales right now are 235,000 almost all from streaming. The number will update tonight but still be less than 300,000.

Bieber didn’t make any promotional appearances or perform any part of the album live. He no longer tours. So “Swag” didn’t have much of a chance.

Also, because it was dropped digitally without warning, “Swag” has no swag to sell — no CDs or LPs. The CD will be available December 12th. By that time, what little interest there was should be dissipated to zero.

“Swag” produced only one minor single — “Daisies” — which never really took off despite a big effort on social media.

The whole project has been hampered by Bieber’s own social media depicting him as tattooed shirtless pot-head who acts like’s a 16 year old delinquent. He’s actually 32, and a father.

Meanwhile, Bieber’s wife, the formerly Hailey Baldwin, has turned into a cosmetics magnate. She sold her company for nearly a billion dollars. Her insistence on being an adult has paid off.

Now that “Swag” is over, Bieber can turn to his interest: selling ugly slippers and sunglasses under the band “Skylrk.”

Mercy Killing: “Sex and the City” Sequel “And Just Like That” Will End for Good After Three More Episodes

Roger Friedman
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Mercy Killing: “Sex and the City” Sequel “And Just Like That” Will End for Good After Three More Episodes

Mercy killing:

“And Just Like That…,” the “Sex and the City” sequel, is over.

HBO says the show will end with a two parter after this week’s 10th episode, season three.

The show is a depressing disaster, hate watched by remaining fans.

From the beginning, it was a bad idea. Episode 1 kicked off with the death of Chris Noth’s Mr. Big on a Peloton bike. There was also the hovering absence of Kim Cattrall as Samantha.

Cattrall said she was done with the character, but she was also done with not getting the same amount as Sarah Jessica Parker.

The first two seasons were also more Woke than any liberal could stand. Cynthia Nixon’s Miranda became a lesbian and had a graphic sex scene with comedian Chi, played by Sara Ramirez, a total turn off to everyone of all genders and sexual orientations.

The only bright spot on the show was the little family that had developed with Charlotte and Harry — Kristin Davis and Evan Handler, their two daughters, and dog named Richard Burton. They could spin off that whole group as a separate show.

Even getting rid of Ramirez and toning down the wokeness this season didn’t help. The biggest blow was the re-introduction of John Corbett as Mr. Big’s replacement, Aidan. Even though Aidan was supposed to be Carrie’s hero, their relationship was torture. He finally left last week as the couple finally broke up.

How will it all end? Carrie will publish her book and realize she’s on her own. The rest of it doesn’t matter. Just pull the plug. I fast forwarded through a few episodes last night. Cynthia Nixon is so superior on “The Gilded Age,” it’s not funny. She’s outgrown this nonsense.

Kamala Harris’s Book, “107 Days” Starts at Number 2 on Amazon After Colbert Show Triumph — 2 Months Before Availability

Roger Friedman
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Kamala Harris’s Book, “107 Days” Starts at Number 2 on Amazon After Colbert Show Triumph — 2 Months Before Availability

How popular is Stephen Colbert’s show?

His only guest last night was former Vice President Kamala Harris. She was there to promote her surprise book, “107 Days,” which won’t be published for two months.

The book has shot to number 2 on the Amazon bestseller list overnight.

Even Harris’s booking on the show was last minute. At the beginning of the week, CBS sent out a press release with Colbert’s main guest listed as the head of National Public Radio.

That would have been interesting since NPR has been defunded by Donald Trump just as he’s gotten Colbert kicked off the air.

But there was Harris, making a lot of sense when she wasn’t punctuating her ideas with laughter. Overall, it was a great evening. Harris did put a good word out there – “capitulation” — something that she said surprised her, that so many media gatekeepers have just bowed to Trump rather than fight him.

One irony of the night is that her book is published by Simon and Schuster, which, like CBS, is part of Paramount. Of course, where else would she launch “107 Days” besides Colbert? It was the perfect forum.

“107 Days” sounds like it’s going to be a big hit.

Liam Neeson-Pamela Anderson Romance Rumor Doesn’t Do Much for “Naked Gun” B.O. Previews Despite “Man’s Laughter”

Roger Friedman
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The best line in the new “Naked Gun” involves Liam Neeson’s Frank Drebin not understanding a word he’s read.

Drebin thinks “manslaughter” is actually “man’s laughter.”

It takes the audience a beat to grasp Frank’s dimness. The audience’s laughter is actually a chuckle but the next scene is already in progress.

That may be the problem with the new “Naked Gun,” which doesn’t have the rhythm of the original, although it tries hard.

Last night, previews of the new movie brought in just $1.6 million, suggesting a $15 million opening weekend. We’ll see how that goes.

Paramount needs this hit. They’ve put a lot into stoking a real life romance fantasy between stars Liam Neeson and Pamela Anderson. Is it true? Does it matter? Or is it just part of the put-on? The notion of this romance replicated faster than COVID among the entertainment press. It seems unlikely, but there it is for our entertainment.

I just caught Pam Anderson’s forage in the Criterion Closet, which is far more interesting so far than any of the romance stuff. Her unexpected bid for respectability after decades of being a flibbertigibbet is kind of remarkable.

Motion Picture Academy Elects Top Movie Exec Lynnette Howell Taylor as New — and Youngest Ever –President, Produced 2020 Oscars

Roger Friedman
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Motion Picture Academy Elects Top Movie Exec Lynnette Howell Taylor as New — and Youngest Ever –President, Produced 2020 Oscars

Hurrah!

Lynnette Howell Taylor is the new president of the Motion Picture Academy.

Already a Governor in the Producers’ branch, Taylor has great taste. She is responsible for a number of great movies including “A Star is Born,” “Captain Fantastic,” and “Beasts of the Southern Wild.”

She’s also a big supporter of indie director Derek Cianfrance. She co-produced “Blue Valentine,” “The Place Beyond the Pines,” and the upcoming “Roofman.” I met her 20 years ago when she co-produced (with Jamie Patricof, often her partner) Ryan Fleck and Anna Boden’s wonderful “Half Nelson” starring Ryan Gosling and Anthony Mackie.

Lynnette knows her way around the Academy. She produced the 2020 Oscars. She’s the youngest person ever elected president of the Academy. Bravo!

Also elected to 2025-2026 officer positions by the Board: Lesley Barber (Music Branch), Vice President (chair, Membership Committee), Jennifer Fox (Producers Branch), Vice President (chair, Awards Committee), Simon Kilmurry (Documentary Branch), Vice President/Treasurer (chair, Finance Committee), Lou Diamond Phillips (Actors Branch), Vice President (chair, Equity and Inclusion Committee), Howard A. Rodman (Writers Branch), Vice President/Secretary (chair, Governance Committee).

“Lynette has been a vital part of the Academy Board of Governors for many years, most recently revitalizing our awards work as chair of the board’s Awards Committee. I so look forward to working with her as our new Academy President, as well as with these incredibly dedicated and strategic board officers. This is an exceptional group of Academy members who will advance the Academy’s mission, support our membership around the world, ensure our long-term financial stability, and celebrate the achievements of the global filmmaking community,” said Academy CEO Bill Kramer.

The Oscars return next March 15th, 2026 on ABC with Conan O’Brien as host again after a triumphant turn this past spring. Are there going to be big movies involved? You bet. We already have “Sinners” and a couple of others from the spring. Wait til you see the torrent starting after Labor Day.

Trump Spending $200 Mil of Americans’ Dollars on Unnecessary New White House Ballroom: How it Can Be Stopped

Roger Friedman
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Trump Spending $200 Mil of Americans’ Dollars on Unnecessary New White House Ballroom: How it Can Be Stopped

Feeling a bit of a pinch in the wallet lately?

Well, Donald Trump has new plans for our money.

He’s spending $200 million of our money on an unnecessary ballroom at the White House.

For 250 years, the White House has survived without a grand ballroom. But now Trump wants one for his ‘kingdom.’

This is after breaking the law and accepting a new Air Force One jet from Qatar. Retro-fitting the plane will cost between $400 million and $1 billion.

Again, this will be charged to the American people, along with $36 million this year for his weekend trips back and forth to his properties.

Trump has just recently paved over Jackie Kennedy’s famous Rose Garden at the White House, ruining it until it can be jack-hammered up by a new president in January 2029.

Hey MAGA: is this what you voted for?

Gas and grocery prices have not dropped at all since Trump took over on January 20th. Groceries are more expensive, and Trump has done everything to kill off electric cars in order to help the oil companies and drive up the cost of filling a car.

Trump’s White House website states:

“President Trump has chosen McCrery Architects as lead architect, which is well-known for their classical architectural design and based in our nation’s capital.

The construction team will be headed by Clark Construction, and the engineering team will be led by AECOM.

The project will begin in September 2025, and it is expected to be completed long before the end of President Trump’s term.

President Trump, and other patriot donors, have generously committed to donating the funds necessary to build this approximately $200 million dollar structure. The United States Secret Service will provide the necessary security enhancements and modifications.”

Can this be stopped? Call the White House at (202) 456-7041 and insist that the ballroom plan be scuttled.

Pop Star Justin Timberlake Says He Has Lyme Disease: “Relentlessly debilitating, both mentally and physically”

Roger Friedman
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Pop Star Justin Timberlake Says He Has Lyme Disease: “Relentlessly debilitating, both mentally and physically”

Justin Timberlake says he has Lyme Disease.

He says it’s been “relentlessly debilitating, both mentally and physically.”

No kidding. But he still almost all of the shows on his tour. Fans got ‘ticked’ off when he missed one, but now we know why.

Will the Documentary About Francis Ford Coppola’s “Megalopolis” Be Bigger than the Film? (See Trailer)

Roger Friedman
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Will the Documentary About Francis Ford Coppola’s “Megalopolis” Be Bigger than the Film? (See Trailer)

There’s a documentary about Francis Ford Coppola’s flop film from last year, “Megalopolis.”

“Megadoc,” directed by Mike Figgis, will open in September. “Megalopolis” was a total disaster that no one could follow. But the doc looks pretty interesting.

Maybe we’ll finally understand all of this. I sure hope so!

More to come…

Fireworks: Kamala Harris to Announce Her Surprise Book About 2024 Campaign on Colbert Show Tonight in Last Minute Booking

Roger Friedman
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Fireworks: Kamala Harris to Announce Her Surprise Book About 2024 Campaign on Colbert Show Tonight in Last Minute Booking

Kamala Harris is coming to the Stephen Colbert show tonight.

It’s a last minute booking for the announcement of Harris’s surprise book, “107 Days.”

Harris posted notice of the book this morning. It’s about, as she says, the shortest presidential campaign in history.

Given Colbert’s recent cancellation, and all the noise around it, this could be his highest rated show so far.

See Harris’s announcement about “107 Days,” to be published September 23rd, here:

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