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Review: Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga’s Grand “Love for Sale” Is the Booster Shot We Need So Badly Right Now

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Tonight, Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga‘s “Love for Sale” drops in all formats including CD, vinyl, streaming and downloads like iTunes. Listen, kids, you’d better hit that button and make it number 1. There are a lot of reasons.

He’s 95, she’s 35, this is unprecedented. Their first album, “Cheek to Cheek,” came to us in 2014. That’s when Tony told me they would absolutely follow up with a Cole Porter collection. “Cheek to Cheek” sold like crazy and won lots of awards, as it should.

“Love for Sale” is a crowning achievement for both of them, and Tony’s producer son, Dae Bennett. Working with the best musicians, they’ve made a lasting record of great beauty. If people are still listening to jazz in 50 years, “Love for Sale” will have to be at the top of every list.

Bennett is capping off the most remarkable career of all time, 70 years, all of our lifetimes, all of his. No other American singer can lay claim to his longstanding at peak quality. While Sinatra lurks out there as the Chairman of the Board, Tony is Chief Operating Officer of Jazz. The whole cosmic twist of his living this long was to prove a voice can only get richer as a heart grows deeper. Listen to him on some of these tracks, whether he recorded them six years ago or yesterday it doesn’t matter. The instrument is genuine. As much I have Frank’s “I’ve Got You Under My Skin” under mine, this new Gaga-Bennett duet is going to occupy a place there, too.

On first listen I’m focused on two tracks featuring Tony: “Dream Dancing” and “I Concentrate on You.” They’re lesser known Porter and sound fresher because of it. They bounce. Tony swings. He not only keeps up with Gaga, he outpaces her often. You can feel the energy he’s getting from her newness to the material. But for Tony, the piece de resistance is his solo number, “Just One of those Things.” I think this is the fourth time he’s recorded this song, who knows. But in 1969 he titled an album with this number, and going back there comparing to the new recording, Mr. Benedetto hasn’t lost a step. The earlier version is a younger man’s voice. The new one is a man who’s weathered all those things and come through it a winner. When Tony sings

When fortune cries “Nay, nay” to me
And people declare “You’re through”
Whenever the blues become my only songs
I concentrate on you
it’s enough to send you overboard. Many people declared he was “through” a long time ago. Guess who gets the last laugh?

Lady Gaga is a great jazz singer. I love her early music, the hit 45s, but I could listen to her sing like this for the rest of time. She’s done what Mariah Carey never bothered to do: she’s used her super powers for the good of mankind. If Natalie Cole were alive, she’d be Gaga’s only competition. With Tony she’s playful but never campy. This is a serious endeavor. Rosemary Clooney must be sending her signals from heaven. Rarely has there been a pairing that’s been so well matched. You know, she’s a good actress, Gaga, but you can tell she really gets a kick out of Tony. It’s very charming.

Gaga’s standout solo is “Do I Love You.” She has to compete with the ghosts of Ella Fitzgerald, Judy Garland, Peggy Lee, and Vera Lynn. Who else would have the guts to take this on? This Stefani Germanotta doesn’t shy away from the challenge. She has nothing to fear in comparison. Gaga’s voice has all the vibrato and texture of the greats. You can’t imagine her every screaming again through a “Chromatica” or “Edge of Glory.” Why bother when you can do this?

Dae Bennett’s production on “Love for Sale” will win him another Grammy. He’s got the secret sauce to make this all come together. “Love for Sale” may be a cure for the pandemic. Please get the shots. But this is the extra booster we all need so badly.

Needless to say but A Plus. Plus.

 

story photo courtesy of Kelsey Bennett

@kelseybennett333

 

News Anchor Ashleigh Banfield Responds With Grace and Eloquence to Katie Couric Slagging in Book

Ashleigh Banfield, who I’ve always liked so much but haven’t seen in some time, really came through today.

Banfield responded with grace and eloquence to news that Katie Couric slagged her in her upcoming memoir.

Couric writes that she turned against Banfield when she heard that that Ashleigh’s father said in the New York Post that NBC should give her Katie’s job. That’s the gist of it. Katie said she wouldn’t mentor Ashleigh because of it.

If only Katie had called Banfield. Today Ashleigh says a Post reporter called her dad, who was senile in a care home for a quote when Banfield was on assignment in Afghanistan. The poor man was confused, and misquoted on top of that.

Banfield doesn’t care. She goes on to praise Katie, say she’s the gold standard in broadcasting, has always admired her, and hopes she’ll set the record straight.

Ashleigh is a five star reporter, and should be back on a major network. She’s terrific!

Taylor Swift Moves Up Release of Rerecorded “Red” Album by One Week, to November 12th

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Taylor Swift can’t wait to sock it to Scooter Braun, Scott Borchetta and the financial group that bought her masters.

She’s moved up the release date of her re-recorded “Red” album by a week to November 12th. There’s lots of extra stuff and new unreleased material to make the album a hit. And to make the old “Red” turn pink and fade away.

Heaven: Rolling Stones Release Unheard Track “Trouble’s a Coming” from 1981 Classic “Tattoo You”

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There are few better sounds than the Rolling Stones circa 1981. This is “Trouble’s a Coming” from the 40th anniversary of “Tattoo You.” It’s a cover of the Chi-Lites record, made in 1979.

The Chi-Lites were led by Eugene Record (his real name), a genius who wrote the group’s hits like “Have You Seen Her” and “Oh Girl.” Eugene, who I was lucky enough to know, also wrote the song “Are You My Woman” which Jay Z and Beyonce lifted for “Crazy in Love,” her biggest hit. I hope Eugene’s estate gets some dough from the Stones release today.

There are 8 more unreleased tracks coming on the 40th anniversary set October 22nd.

Here’s the original:

Grey’s Hubris: Ellen Pompeo Outs Herself for Shouting “It’s My Show!” at Director Denzel Washington

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You wanted to know why literally everyone has been killed off or rode out into the sunset on “Grey’s Anatomy.”

Now Ellen Pompeo herself has explained it on her own podcast. Pompeo, the queen of hubris, admitted on her own little radio show that she once yelled, “It’s my show!” to Oscar winner Denzel Washington when he, for some reason, directed an episode of “Grey’s” in 2016.

The extra weird part of this is that her podcast guest was former “Grey’s” star Patrick Dempsey, who was her co-star until she forced him off the show several years ago. Last season, Dempsey returned for a few “death” episodes. Now he’s on the podcast. He is really a glutton for punishment. Or maybe he elicited this conversation.

But on Pompeo’s “Tell Me with Ellen Pompeo” the Godzilla of Grey’s recalls she didn’t like the way another actor was delivering lines in the Denzel-directed episode.

“He [the actor in question] made this choice to speak very softly — and I was pissed that I had to sit there and listen to this apology. And he wasn’t looking at me in the eye. Again, we love actors who make choices. And I yelled at him, I was like, ‘Look at me! When you apologize, look at me!’ And that wasn’t in the dialogue.”

Washington, director of several well regarded movies and a two time Oscar winner, also a Tony Award winner, didn’t like Pompeo speaking to one of his actors. Pompeo recalls: “Denzel went ham on my ass. He was like, ‘I’m the director! Don’t you tell him what to do!’”

But Pompeo, who’s become out of control as “Grey’s” has turned her into an unlikely and by the way no award winning star of a soap opera that is strangely still on the air, told Denzel Washington: “I was like, ‘Listen, motherf–ker, this is my show! This is my set! Who are you telling? You barely even know where the bathroom is!’”

This actually happened in 2016, the same year Denzel’s Oscar nominated “Fences” was released. He was nominated for Best Actor, Viola Davis won for Best Supporting Actress. I have new respect for DW for not walking off the set of this two bit TV drama. My guess is he took the job to warm up for directing “Fences,” or as a favor to Shonda Rhimes.

Dozens of actors besides Dempsey have been tossed off of “Grey’s” over 18 years, not to mentioned maligned so badly in their exits that they’ve had to fight bad reputations. Let’s start with Katherine Heigl. And there’s a reason Sandra Oh hasn’t returned even for a cameo. Anyone who returned last year did it for SAG Insurance points.

The funny thing is, the departed actors probably all have NDA’s, or are too scared to speak out about Pompeo. So the fact that she admitted this herself is too funny.

Like it or not, “Grey’s Anatomy” continues tonight. (I’ll be watching “SVU.”) Kate Burton, a real actress, returns tonight to play her dead character after a decade away, for four episodes.

 

Superstars Elton John and Stevie Wonder Release First Ever Duet, “Finish Line” as Part of Elton Chart Renaissance

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Elton John and Stevie Wonder together. Bliss. “Finish Line” is their first ever duet and it’s a hit, of course. So amazing to hear them together on a record, although Stevie did play harmonica on “I Guess That’s Why They Call it the Blues” and they also appeared on “That’s What Friends Are For.”

But this is their first real single together. Bravo! It’s part of Elton’s chart renaissance. He has a huge hit right now with Dua Lipa in “Cold Heart.” He has another single with Charlie Puth.” And an album coming in three weeks called “The Lockdown Sessions.”

I thought Elton was retiring or something! Nonsense! And he’s having hip surgery this week. He’s still the most hip!

Note to Stevie Wonder: you need a new album, my friend. We miss you!

“General Hospital” Actor Mysteriously Recast on Today’s Show Revealed as Longtime, Hardcore Scientologist

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There was a lot of noise today about the temporary recasting of actor Marcus Coloma, a newer member of the cast of “General Hospital” on ABC.

Coloma was suddenly and without explanation not on today’s episode, replaced by another actor. “General Hospital” has had issues recently with actors getting COVID, and one actor< iIngo Rademacher, being a vocal anti-vaxxer.

But now it turns out that whatever sidelined Coloma, he has something else in his background of interest. For 15 years he’s been a major player in Hollywood’s creepy Scientology crowd.

He teaches acting at the “church” of Scientology, where he regularly advertises the “tools” he’s gleaned from the religious cult to gain success.

This hasn’t turned up in any of his interviews since joining the ABC soap. But the website truthaboutcientology.com shows that Coloma began taking classes in 2005 and his most recent class was a year ago. He’s taken about 20 courses over the 15 years.

Coloma’s worked his way to something called Class V Auditor. He’s also an “Operating Thetan” at Level V. In other words, he believes this mumbo jumbo and worships L. Ron Hubbard and Tom Cruise. It’s hard to imagine, but he believes in aliens.

There are few soap actors involved in Scientology including two from “The Young and the Restless”– Michelle Stafford and Sharon Case. There are more than a few in mainstream entertainment, from Tom Cruise and John Travolta to Jenna Elfman and Kirstie Alley. Some have left or escaped, like Jason Beghe of “Chicago PD” and Oscar winner Paul Haggis.

Most notable is Leah Remini, who’s won awards and Emmys for her outstanding documentary series about the cult. Other famous Scientologists in Hollywood are actress Elizabeth Moss, and Nancy Cartwright, the voice of Bart Simpson.

One thing is clear: Coloma’s character, if played by him, won’t be visiting the General Hospital shrink or spending time, as many characters do, in the nuthouse. Scientology doesn’t believe in psychiatry and regularly denounces it. (See Lawrence Wright’s documentary, “Going Clear,” and his book with the same title. Or check out Tony Ortega’s website.)

What isn’t clear: if Coloma has been vaccinated, or believes or doesn’t believe in the COVID vaccine. Scientology has not directly addressed their stance on the vaccine although there’s anecdotal evidence they’re against it. If a Scientology spokesperson wants to clarify the position about COVID vaccines, please email us at showbiz411@gmail.com.

 

Broadway’s Back But Struggling: Disney’s “Aladdin” Cancels Show After COVID Discovered Among Company

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Disney’s “Aladdin” cancelled tonight’s show because COVID cases broke out among the company.

It was their second night of resumed performances.

Broadway has reopened in earnest with a handful of shows all taking precautions, requiring masks and vaccinations and strict protocols backstage.

But even the Genie couldn’t stop COVID. Unclear if the show is back on tomorrow night or what will happen. Stay tuned…

Britney Spears Free After 13 Years as Father is Suspended as Conservator After Pressure

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Britney Spears is free to wreck her life on her own terms.

In Los Angeles, Judge Brenda Penny has granted a petition by the singer’s new lawyer suspending Jamie Spears, Britney’s father, from his position as conservator of his daughter’s $60 million estate.

In court, Mathew S. Rosengart, who took over as the singer’s lawyer in July, saidL “This man does not belong in her life, your honor, for another day. Please hear the plea of my client.”

The court named John Zabel, a California account previously disparaged by Jamie Spear, as the temporary conservator of the singer’s finances. This was Britney’s request.

A date was set for November 12th to end officially this conservatorship that’s been in place for 13 years. Public pressure caused everyone involved to cave despite the evidence that Britney has mental issues and probably cannot run her own estate.

But she’s old enough to take that chance and succeed or fail on her own terms. Whatever happens now, it’s on her. As for her father, I’m there will be investigations into how he handled her money and how much he benefited from his position.

Zabel will be the new man in charge of working with Britney and her lawyers. His company is called Media Finance Structures, and he’s well known in the movie and entertainment business.

“NCIS” Wins Monday Night But Loses 400,000 Viewers from Last Week: Lowest Ratings Ever for Powerhouse Show

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Monday night:”NCIS” led the network shows with 8.055 million viewers, a big number for TV these days.

But it’s also the lowest ever rating for “NCIS,” which was down 400,000 viewers from last week and 900,000 from its Season 18 season finale last May.

“NCIS” also introduced Gary Cole as Mark Harmon’s eventual successor. They’re not saying it but the audience knows that Gibbs is going to be in many fewer episodes for Season 19. Cole’s new character is going to run the show.

Will “NCIS” fall below 7 million  next week? That’s still a good number most shows would be thrilled about. If this continues, season 20 will be the last. Also, “Law & Order” is being revived so it can break the “Gunsmoke” record of 20 seasons with number 21, maybe next spring. So “NCIS” will never be able to catch up.