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Brian Williams Leaving MSNBC and NBC Next Month, Follows Rachel Maddow Plan to Leave Daily Show

Roger Friedman
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Brian Williams Leaving MSNBC and NBC Next Month, Follows Rachel Maddow Plan to Leave Daily Show

Brian Williams is leaving MSNBC and NBC next month, he says. He’s been with NBC for 27 years, and MSNBC since 2016.

The network is saying he wants to spend more time with his family which is code for “we didn’t want to pay him more and he’s taking his chances elsewhere.” But Williams will turn up somewhere else after the new year. maybe CNN Plus.

MSNBC is crumbling before our eyes. Rachel Maddow has already said she’ll leave her daily show next year and appear monthly or occasionally or something. But she’s the lead ratings getter, and she wants out, too.

All of this suggests that Rashida Jones — not the really gifted comic actress who’s the daughter of Quincy Jones — is taking a wrecking ball to an already precarious structure. Consistency is the key to success on these nighttime news networks. That’s why Fox News does so well. The only people who leave are discovered to be part of a scandal and are forced out.

Williams started his 11pm MSNBC show in 2016 after a time out from the network after he was discovered to be a prevaricator and embellisher.

NBC isn’t alone in having problems with on air talent. CBS News is a mess under new leadership that let Norah O’Donnell be kicked around in the press last week. With audiences shrinking, the news shows will soon be hosted by game show celebrities. The evening news will be retitled “Press Your Luck.”

Think I’m kidding? Just wait.

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Adele Jettisons Grammy Winning Producer-Writer Paul Epworth from New Album Despite Past Hits

Roger Friedman
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Adele Jettisons Grammy Winning Producer-Writer Paul Epworth from New Album Despite Past Hits

The full list of songwriters and producers is out for Adele’s ’30” album, and so is Paul Epworth.

The man wrote and produced “Rolling in the Deep” and “Skyfall” has no credits on the new “30” album coming next Friday.

Epworth put Adele on the map with “Rolling in the Deep.” On the “21′ album he also had “I’ll Be Waiting” and “He Won’t Go.” On the “25” album Epworth brought “I Miss You” and “Sweetest Devotion.” The pair won six Grammys together. And 1 Academy Award.

But on “30,” five of the ten songs are by Greg Kurstin including “Easy On Me,” the kick off single currently at the top of the charts, Kurstin wrote “Hello.” Adele’s big hit from the “25” album six years ago.

The other big winner songwriter on “30′ is Dean Josiah Cover, aka Inflo. Cover has three tracks on the album including “Hold On,” now being used as an Amazon commercial.

There are also songs by Max Martn and Shellback, Ludwig Goransson, and Tobias Jesso Jr. The latter wrote “When We Were Young,” from the “25” album.

But no Epworth at all on “30” is a shock. Epworth definitely gave Adele a bluesier sound. Kurstin goes for the big weepy piano ballads. There’s nothing wrong with the latter, but for me, “Rolling in the Deep” is the jewel in Adele’s crown. It took her places vocally and instrumentally that she should be revisiting now. It’s also hard to believe Epworth didn’t have a song for the cockney accented diva.

This is kind of a tradition for divas, isn’t it? Mariah Carey’s big early hits were with Ben Margulies. Then she dumped him. Norah Jones wrote “I Don’t Know Why” with Jesse Harris, and that was it. Barbra Streisand never went back to the “Stoney End.” Only Dionne Warwick stuck with a good thing when she struck gold with Burt Bacharach and Hal David, becoming the standard bearer for their songs.

(Listen) Adele Cashes in with Amazon on Holiday Video for New Song, “Hold On,” About Pandemic Anxiety and Shopping

Roger Friedman
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(Listen) Adele Cashes in with Amazon on Holiday Video for New Song, “Hold On,” About Pandemic Anxiety and Shopping

The marketing of Adele’s “30” album took an interesting turn today. She’s licensed a new song, “Hold On,” to Amazon for a commercial video. The video is about pandemic anxiety and shopping. The song may be about that, too. I think the idea is, if you’re anxious about shopping in stores, “Hold On,” you can use Amazon. It’s very spiritual. The “30” album drops next Thursday night.

Oscars: Sublime “Belfast” Gets A List Hollywood Premiere, Jamie Dornan Whips Crowd into a Frenzy

Roger Friedman
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Oscars: Sublime “Belfast” Gets A List Hollywood Premiere, Jamie Dornan Whips Crowd into a Frenzy

Kids, Focus Features flew me to Hollywood for the premiere of “Belfast” last night at the new Motion Picture Academy museum. I never do this stuff, but Kenneth Branagh’s gorgeous movie is the best one I’ve seen all year and is likely to win many Oscars. How could I say no?

This was an old fashioned premiere, the kind we used to go to before the pandemic. Lots of stars, glamour, and of course, those damned masks. Masks everywhere. They didn’t hurt the experience in any way.

This was the second time I’ve seen “Belfast” after viewing it at the Hamptons Film Festival. (I still don’t understand why the New York Film Festival didn’t have it.) Branagh, famous for Shakespeare and Agatha Christie movies, has finally arrived at his moment. This is his coming of age story during “The troubles” in Northern Ireland in the 70s. It’s the most organic, completely realized film of the year, much like “Nomadland” last year. And it has Judi Dench, in a role that will earn her another Oscar nod. You cannot ask for more.

The highlight of last night’s premiere, besides the movie, was the party trick that should win Jamie Dornan a Best Supporting Actor nomination if not the award itself. The actor best known for the “50 Shades of Grey” series jumped on stage with the terrific house band and sang the R&B hit, “Everlasting Love,” just as he does in the film. It’s one of his many Oscar moments in the film, and in person, it’s a wowser. Women and men swoon equally. May I say he whipped the crowd into a frenzy? Very “Commitments” like.

Dornan told me that he knows how good the movie is, obviously. He’ll do something he’s never done before for Oscars season. “I’m moving my family out here in January,” he told me, from London. They’ll just hunker down to help with the publicity for the film. For Jamie, this is a major career change, a breakthrough that should set him on a very different path now. But this, not “50 Shades,” is what he wanted and hoped for.

“Belfast” is the Irish “Fiddler on the Roof.” It’s everyone’s immigrant story. What do you when the place where you were born is under siege and no longer possible to live in? Branagh is really telling the most relatable story of all. How do you leave people behind to make a better life for your family?

By the way, “Belfast” is studded with beautiful songs almost all by Van Morrison. This is the pre-pandemic anti-lockdown nutso Van. My advice is just forget about the current incarnation of the Irish soul and folk singer. These songs are so wonderful, and fit the mood of the film perfectly. Let’s pretend Van had a brain tumor that altered his reasoning this year. But pre-2020, Van Morrison’s records are gifts from the Gods. And the horn solos are enough to live on.

So here’s a little trivia: there’s an aside in the movie, Jamie’s character is carrying a racing form and someone asks him which horse to bet on. I didn’t hear this in the first screening, but last night I heard him reply, “Moondance.” That’s of course, the most famous Van Morrison song. It would be a good name for a winning horse. And “Belfast” is a winning movie!

Watch Jamie here.

TV: “Yellowstone” Gets Network-Like Numbers, “Succession” Has No Traction, “Curb” Collapsing

Roger Friedman
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TV: “Yellowstone” Gets Network-Like Numbers, “Succession” Has No Traction, “Curb” Collapsing

Everyone says to me, “Are you watching Yellowstone?” I am not. But someone is. Like, plenty of people.

“Yellowstone” is the Kevin Costner “Dallas” like drama on the Paramount Network channel. On Sunday night, the cable drama drew over 8 million people in its first showing, and over 7 million on its second showing an hour later. It also picked up viewers on related channels.

This shouldn’t come as a big surprise since when the last “Yellowstone” season finale ended in August 2020 the numbers set a record then with over 5 million viewers.

Sunday night’s premiere drew 8 million total viewers in Live+Same Day, a 104% increase from the Season 3 premiere (4.2 million), making it the most-watched cable series telecast since a 2018 episode of AMC’s “The Walking Dead.”

“Yellowstone” is an old fashioned soap opera like “Dallas” with cowboys and horses. It’s very American. Who doesn’t like that?

The success of “Yellowstone” is interesting because it has no “buzz,” gets no awards, doesn’t merit endless write ups and speculation and psychological theses about its characters. It’s the opposite of HBO’s “Succession,” which has all of the above and minuscule ratings by comparison. On Sunday night, “Succession” scored 480,000 viewers, a very small increase from week 3 of its third season.

Indeed, “Succession” seems like it’s very much a hit in two places, New York and Los Angeles, with maybe one or two followers elsewhere. It’s a cerebral show with the finest acting. It’s “Dallas” for the sitting crowd. Adrien Brody was the guest star Sunday night, but that didn’t do much to boost interest.

Later on HBO Sunday night, “Curb Your Enthusiasm” dropped to 370,000 viewers in its first showing, down almost 10% from last week, down 100,000 viewers in three weeks from its Season 11 premiere. “Curb” may have finally reached its end after a two decade run that included brilliant writing. This season, not so much.

Politicians beware: “Yellowstone” is a Heartland, GOP, 80s like show. “Curb” is the opposite. Look for trends here. With the chaos of the pandemic, viewers are looking for comfort food. It’s a very Reagan era response. And that could spell trouble in elections.

Trump Sign on West Side Highway Finally Removed After Years of Vandalism and Ire

Roger Friedman
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Trump Sign on West Side Highway Finally Removed After Years of Vandalism and Ire

We have Linda B. Rosenthal of the New York State Assembly to thank for a major development. She’s had the annoying and much vandalized Adopt a Highway sign with Donald Trump’s name on it removed from the 79th St. exit on the West Side Highway.

Rosenthal wrote to Henry Gutman, of the Department of Transportation, last July asking for the removal. She wrote, “Donald Trump’s presidency is a stain on our history.” Implicit in this is that New Yorkers, particularly on the Upper West Side, hate Trump. They had his name taken off their buildings.

Gutman wrote back this week that the contract between Trump Org and the city has expired, and the sign has been removed. The whole UWS can breathe a sigh of relief. And there will be no more back ups on the exit of drivers flipping the bird at the sign.

I say, Linda B. Rosenthal deserves a parade. Now, maybe she can bring back parking!

Digging Grave Deeper, “General Hospital” Actor Apologizes for Transphobic Post, Attacks “the Left,” Says Nothing About 4 Star Admiral

Roger Friedman
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Digging Grave Deeper, “General Hospital” Actor Apologizes for Transphobic Post, Attacks “the Left,” Says Nothing About 4 Star Admiral

“General Hospital” star is so full of himself, it’s great. He just keeps digging his grave deeper.

In this new Insta post, Rademacher sort of apologizes to actress Cassandra James for his transphobic post, attacks “the left,” but doesn’t mention that he called a four star Admiral who is a transgender woman “a dude.” He doesn’t say Admiral Rachel Levine’s name once.

Rademacher says he’s obviously not transphobic because he left his male child wear a Disney princess dress around “the property.” (Where do they live? A sanitarium?)

Rademacher has been let go from “GH” for this and for not having a vaccination. He doesn’t comment on the latter. He obviously doesn’t care.

Everything he says makes things worse. No one wants to have a debate with him on these subjects. If he just shut his mouth it would be fine. He is so up his own ass, there’s nothing to do but send his character off to Borneo where it can be eaten by a wild wooly mammoth.

The soap opera continues…

Jeff Bezos Warns Leonardo Di Caprio Away from Girlfriend After They Hit It Off at Museum Gala

Roger Friedman
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Jeff Bezos Warns Leonardo Di Caprio Away from Girlfriend After They Hit It Off at Museum Gala

Jeff Bezos, one of the world’s very richest men, didn’t like it when Leonardo DiCaprio hit it off with his girlfriend.

Bezos introduced Lauren Sanchez, the woman he broke up his marriage for, to DiCaprio at a gala for the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. So Bezos has posted to Instagram a picture of him all pumped leaning over a sign that reads Danger! Steep Cliff Fatal Drop. Uh huh.

Leo, meantime, looks like his tux jacket shrunk in the wash. Better talk to his dry cleaner or valet.

Sanchez is much too old anyway at age 51. And frankly, she and Leo likely know each other since she was married to WME partner Patrick Whitesell. They all moved in the same circles. Still, Bezos is a laugh a minute.

Some Leo news: his dad, George DiCaprio, makes a cameo in Paul Thomas Anderson’s new movie, “Licorice Pizza.” He plays the owner of a 1970s waterbed store. He looks perfect for the part. Congrats to George!

“General Hospital” Actor of 26 Years “No Longer Part of Cast” After Calling Four Star Transgender Admiral a “Dude” on Social Media

Roger Friedman
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“General Hospital” Actor of 26 Years “No Longer Part of Cast” After Calling Four Star Transgender Admiral a “Dude” on Social Media

“General Hospital” has ousted actor Ingo Rademacher, who’s played Jasper Jacks for 25 years.

Actress/activist Nancy Lee Grahn, also with the soap for a quarter century, confirmed the news on Twitter. She wrote:

“The fellow actor, #IngoRademacher, is mercifully no longer a part of the #gh cast. Transphobia & misgendering are disgusting & should be unacceptable in any industry, including soaps/acting. I stand with my costar, @cassandrajames, & the trans community.”
Grahn’s Tweet was in response to a first one from trans actor Cassandra James, who plays a doctor on the show. James had written: “I am aware of a transphobic post shared by a fellow General Hospital actor. Shame on you. You have some serious unlearning and education to do. I feel deeply disappointed that such a public display of ignorance could come from our GH family.“
James continued: “Misgendering trans folks is violence and if you come for one of us, you come for all of us. The cis world doesn’t get to decide which of us is valuable. I am so proud of the fans for always holding us to a high standard, for calling out transphobia and violence.”
Rademacher was already in hot water at ABC after continually posting anti-vax material, and calling his fans “bigots” and “morons” after calling for his firing. His current Instagram account is full of crazy right wing material that indicates he no longer cares what anyone thinks. But it’s unlikely Rademacher will find more acting work in the U.S. when word spreads about his behavior. I can’t see any of the other three soap operas hiring him, that’s for sure.
It’s unclear why Instagram hasn’t just shut him down completely since Rademacher is passing incorrect information about the vaccines and posing a health threat to his followers.
How will “Jax” be written out of the soap? I would guess his character’s death is imminent and permanent since he could never come back to the show after what’s transpired.  His “funeral” will probably be short and bitter. Good riddance to him.
PS I’ve seen Cassandra James on “General Hospital.” She’s really terrific. I doubt any of the show’s viewers care or know about anything else other than her acting talent.

But what tipped it over for ABC, I’m sure, and for James and Grahn is Rademacher’s reposting on his Instagram a vile post about four star admiral General Rachel Levine, calling her a “Dude.” Levine is openly transgender and to be much admired for her accomplishments. I’m reprinting the post here below because everyone must see this despicable behavior. Rademacher should never work in any town again.

UPDATED 11-15 : 95,000 People Have Signed a Petition to Keep James Corden Out of Movie of Broadway Hit “Wicked”

Roger Friedman
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UPDATED 11-15 : 95,000 People Have Signed a Petition to Keep James Corden Out of Movie of Broadway Hit “Wicked”

updated 11/15

The number is closing in on 95,000 now.

 

updated 11/8

Those change.org peeps are at it again!

Now 8,400 38,000 people have signed a petition to keep late night talk show host and erstwhile theater star James Corden from appearing in the movie version of “Wicked.”

You may have heard on Friday that Tony winner and Oscar nominee Cynthia Erivo and pop star Ariana Grande have signed on stars of the “Wicked” movie. I’ve no doubt that somehow their theatrical predecessors, Kristen Chenoweth and Idina Menzel, will at least make cameos.

But there are plenty of other roles in “Wicked,” namely the Wizard of Oz. And you can only imagine that Tony winner himself, Corden, has his eye on it.  Corden’s Tony wasn’t for a musical, it was for “One Man, Two Guvnors,” a hilarious theater performance piece. Still, he fancies himself a musical man and almost starred on Broadway in a revival of “A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum.”

Since then, he’s turned up in movie musical versions of “Into the Woods” and “Cats,” each to different outcomes.  More recently he was in the screen adaptation of “The Prom.”

In the original stage production back in 2003, Joel Grey played the Wizard. So you could see maybe even Harry Styles in the film. Or maybe someone under 50 from the Broadway world.  Corden is man of many talents, but maybe he’ll sit this one out.

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