AMC Theaters wants us back in their seats. So they’re spending $25 million on a promo campaign to get us excited. And they’ve made their first ever commercial, with Oscar winner and multiple nominee Nicole Kidman. If Nicole says come back, we’re going back!
RIP Michael Constantine, Legendary Character Actor, Great Star of “Room 222” and “My Big Fat Greek Wedding”
Michael Constantine is the legendary character actor who played the ultra sympathetic principal on “Room 222” back in the day. He won an Emmy Award for his work there in 1970. Thirty two years later he was a star again as the father in “My Great Big Greek Wedding.” He died yesterday at age 94.
Constantine whether young or old always made his characters seem wise and understanding. He was also very funny. He was Greek American but really he was all American, born in Reading, Pennsylvania in 1927. But he always seemed like an old soul, and in touch with his roots. He was the kind of journeyman actor that makes Hollywood work. He was in every TV show, and you’d always say, That guy, I love that guy.
Constantine also had his own short lived series in 1977, called “Sirota’s Court.” Before “Room 222” he was in dozens of series in the 60s, too including “Perry Mason,” “Gunsmoke,” and both “Dr. Kildare” and “Ben Casey.”
Rita Wilson, who produced “My Big Fat Greek Wedding,” posted a lovely tribute to Constantine on Instagram. I include it here.
Ratings: “Billions” Returns to Showtime with No Promotion and No Viewers, Drops 73%
It’s a good thing my favorite show, “Billions,” was already renewed for a sixth season.
When the fifth season returned on Sunday after an 18 month pandemic break, ratings dropped 73% in total viewers and 80% in the key age demo. Is it possible only 192,000 people tuned in on Sunday?
On June 14, 2020, “Billions” had crested to a high on Showtime of 660,000 viewers. The show was killing it. Everything looked promising. But the pandemic hit, shooting stopped, and everyone went home.
During the time off, we missed Chuck and Axe and Taylor and Wendy and all of them. Paul Giamatti, who plays Chuck, dropped a ton of weight and shaved his beard. When he came back on our screens Sunday, he looked terrific. But bad things happened, too. Damian Lewis’s beloved wife, the talented actress Helen McCrory, died from cancer.
The first two new episodes of season 5 pick up where the season stopped in June 2020. The show is just as deliciously acted, written, and directed as ever. I like to say it’s the thinking man’s “Dallas.” “Billions” is a smart soap opera, and definitely as good as “Succession” on HBO. It just doesn’t have the hype machine.
This blow out ratings drop on Sunday is thanks to Showtime getting no love from CBS/Viacom promotions. “Billions” gets no Emmy nods because this gang does nothing to appeal to voters. Now they’re doing nothing to appeal to viewers. This is terrible. Giamatti and Lewis should each be nominated for Best Actor in a Drama every year. Asia Kate Dillon (who prefers ‘they’) and Maggie Siff should be up for supporting. Same for David Costabile and Jeffrey DeMunn.
You can jump into “Billions” with any episode. If you love good TV, like “The West Wing,” you can always start watching and catch up later. There’s a great twist at the end of Sunday’s episode regarding the kidney donor Chuck has been trying to get for his father. Chuck has turned the world upside down looking for that kidney. You’ll never guess who the donor is. I did a spit take when it was revealed!
Brian Koppelman and David Levien are the killer creators and writers of this show. They deserve better than 192,000 viewers. “Billions” fans, I know you’re out there, come home!
PS Bring back Malin Akerman! And Nina Arianda!
It’s Come to This: Latest Bruce Willis D Movie Sold to Fox’s Free Streaming Site Called Tubi
Bruce Willis is in the middle of a run of D movies, unprecedented in film history. Dozens and dozens of shlock films made for video and countries and planets where no discernible language is necessary.
Today they announced a new one called “Corrective Measures,” which has been placed with a streaming service you’ve never heard of, called Tubi. It’s a free service owned by Fox Entertainment. Michael Rooker, who’s pretty good right now in “Suicide Squad,” will star. Bruce will lend his name and likeness and appear in a few scenes shot over the course of a day.
“Corrective Measures” will be seen by no one in 2022.
Since 2015 Bruce has “starred” in a dozen or so of these things, all produced by him and Stephen J. Eads. There is no thought to Bruce’s screen legacy, which has been dismantled by these loony tune movies. I guess they make some money from them, people in banana republics have no idea what’s going on but see Bruce’s bald pate and think they’re getting “Die Hard 17.”
Sad.
Wednesday UPDATE: Drake’s “Certified Lover Boy” at 451K Copies, Could Hit Half a Mil, “Donda” Still Selling
Drake’s “Certified Lover Boy” is outta control.
Drizzy’s new album is at 451,000 in streaming equivalent units sold. And it’s just Wednesday. There’s another day left for sales. He could hit 500,000.
“CLB” is a streaming giant. In sales though, not so much Paid downloads come to 18,000.
The individual tracks are monsters. “Champagne Poetry,” with the Beatles’ “Michelle,” is at 270,000 streaming equivalent copies. Paul McCartney is popping Champagne right now! “Girls Want Girls” is at 320,000. All the other tracks are streaming away!
And Kanye? “Donda” is more of a shonda, selling just 405K in two weeks. Second week is 90,000. The tracks like “Hurricane,” “Jail,” and “Off the Grid” are booming, however. Def Jam keeps issuing notices for “Donda” breaking streaming records. (‘Streaming records’ is a contradiction in terms, no?)
Will see Kanye and Drake at the Grammys? I don’t care if a stranger on the street has to nominate them, NARAS has to acknowledge these two releases BIG TIME. If Pierre Cossette were still alive, he’d have McCartney come and perform the “Michelle” part of “Champagne Poetry.”
RIP In Memory of Jerry Blair, Music Man Extraordinaire from Mariah to Ricky Martin and More
A lot of people in the music world lost a huge friend today. Jerry Blair has passed away at age 60 from COVID. Apparently he was not vaccinated, for his own reasons. I’m told he spent the last four weeks on a ventilator. I am in tears but I am also so angry with him.
Every fan of Mariah Carey should light a candle for Jerry. He was the one who put her records on the radio. And when he and Mariah were discharged from Columbia Records, they basically left together. It was Jerry who kept her on the radio, started a label called MonarC with her, and so on and on.
Jerry’s 11 years at Columbia were halcyon days. His acts included The Fugees, Destiny’s Child, Jessica Simpson and Aerosmith, who he put together with Diane Warren for “I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing,” the single that re-started their career. He also orchestrated the promotion and marketing campaigns for legendary artists Bruce Springsteen and Billy Joel.
Jerry also lit the fuse for the Latin-pop explosion by launching Ricky Martin’s U.S. career with his signature hit, “Livin’ La Vida Loca..” This paved the way for Shakira, Marc Anthony, Jennifer Lopez and Enrique Iglesias, to cross over into the English market.
When Mariah was leaving Tommy Mottola and Sony, it was Jerry who backed her. Seeing the end of an era coming, he also made contact with Arista Records. Mottola and Donnie Ienner, catching wind of this, retaliated and fired Jerry, and removed him from the Sony building. How do I know this? I was there. After Jerry exited the building I hung out with him in his SoHo loft. He was in shock, but Arista was waiting, and beyond that Mariah. He launched her “Charmbracelet” album after “Glitter” crashed, started the MonarC Label, and never looked back.
Since then, Jerry has remained a force in the business, navigating radio and marketing like a whiz. The last time I spoke to him was after Mariah published her memoir and left him out of it. We laughed about it heartily. (Jerry had to sue Mariah at one point because she stiffed him. That was the end of MonarC).
The news that Jerry is dead at 60 really stings. Whatever his reasons were for not getting the vaccine, they were wrong. I can’t believe it because he was on the cutting edge of everything. He had the first Blackberry, which he operated frantically with two thumbs texting a mile a minute. He would crack me up. “Jerry, can you look up for a minute?” I bet everyone he knew said that to him. He was mesmerized by it.
We were at each other’s birthdays back when we celebrated birthdays, always laughing, toasting, and I will remember him enjoying life. This is a miserable ending, much too soon. I will miss him a lot. A lot. Jerry is survived by his wife Karen and daughter Suzette, 9, son Josh, 26, and sister Michelle. Condolences to all of them.
Review: Sting Puts the Swing in Hulu’s “Only Murders in the House” But Martin Short Dances Away With Hit Mystery Comedy
I finally got organized to watch Hulu’s “Only Murders in the Building” last night, and even bumped up my subscription to $11.99 to be free of commercials. It was worth it.
The big surprise is that in the four episodes currently available, numbers 3 and 4 concern Sting, yes, Sting, and he puts an expected zing and swing into the already splendid mystery comedy. More on him in a minute.
Steve Martin, Martin Short, and Selena Gomez are the stars of this very elegant, funny limited series. Martin wrote with John Hoffman, and it has a lot of Woody Allen vibes to it. For one, Woody’s wonderful “Manhattan Murder Mystery” is its precedent for New Yorkers trying to solve a crime in their building. For another, it was Woody who gave us Selena Gomez recently, so good in “A Rainy Day in New York.” Her movie persona from that film has moved over here.
The three, as well as Nathan Lane and god knows who else are living in the Arconia on the Upper West Side, although we all know this to be some combination of the Ansonia and the Apthorp. No matter. Both buildings should look so good on the inside.
A young man has died in the building, maybe it was murder, although it’s labeled suicide. These three, all fans of a murder podcast hosted by Tina Fey, commence their own investigation. Selena’s Mabel knows more than she’s letting on. The plot, explained a few times, is simple enough. The richness is in the detail– the characters, their apartments, the dialogue. For old time Woody fans, “Only Murders” is a throwback to the halcyon 80s of “Hannah and Her Sisters,” “Zelig,” and “Broadway Danny Rose.”
That Sting also lives in the building– a fictional Sting, no Trudie, up in the penthouse– is the cherry on the sundae. He quickly becomes the trio’s suspect, although they have no evidence. To ingratiate themselves with him they bring the rock star a cooked turkey as a neighborly gesture. The resulting scene is hilarious as Sting breaks down like a witness on Perry Mason’s stand. Also, the little song he cooks up on the spot is delightfully dreadful. “Songwriting is hard!” he complains. He deserves a guest Emmy award.
Martin and Gomez are great fun to watch, of course, and Nathan Lane, recurring, is his own gift. But “Only Murders” belongs to Martin Short, the way “Hacks” was all about Jean Smart. This is Martin Short’s piece de resistance, his capping achievement. He can thank Martin and Hoffman for giving him this moment. He can thank himself for not going over the top, for playing his Oliver, a failed theater director, down just at the spots where he’s ready to jump several sharks. His mannerisms, one liners, costumes, and hair — oh the hair (I’m pretty sure in one scene with a pony tail he was lampooning someone we all know).
There are more episodes coming, and I can’t wait to see who killed Tim Kono. I suspect it was the great Amy Ryan, who plays a sexy bassoonist neighbor flirting with Martin’s Charles, a former and faded TV actor. Ryan’s eyes are devilish and they dart all over the place when she’s in the presence of the main trio. She’s also damned sexy, I see trouble ahead with her. Plus, she goes the whole 10 episodes.
Hulu is on a roll. The McCartney documentary series was a smash, and they’ve got “Handmaid’s Tale” turning Margaret Atwood into an institution. Nicely done.
Lana del Rey Drops New Version of “Arcadia” Single, Sets Delayed “Blue Bannisters” Album for October
Do I know what’s going on here? I do not.
Lana del Rey has dropped a new version of her single, “Arcadia,” today in advance of her “Blue Banisters” album.The album was previously set for July 4th, but at the last minute Lana delayed it. She’d already had an award winning album out a few weeks earlier with “Chemtrails Over the Country Club.”
So “Blue Banisters” is coming out after all, on October 22nd. “Arcadia” already existed in a shorter form on YouTube as a duet, but this seems to be the official version now, Looking forward to the whole collection.
Arcadia Original version
(Watch) John Mulaney Announces He’s Having a Baby with Olivia Munn on “Seth Meyers” Late Night Show
Capping off a bizarre and different year, comedian John Mulaney appeared on Seth Meyers’ late night talk show tonight and had an announcement. He’s having a baby with actress Olivia Munn.
As most people know, Mulaney is in the process of divorcing his wife of six years, Anna Marie Tendler. He famous went into rehab a year ago and then again in December 2020. He came out of it in February 2021, and launched a sold tour of shows in which he described his rapid descent into drugs and alcohol, his intervention, and recovery.
If Munn is announcing the pregnancy now, it means she became pregnant in mid May. She and Mulaney have his set social media aflame because they claim to have started dating in February. But there are numerous stories about Munn contacting Mulaney as far back as 2015.
What’s the difference? I guess you say, congratulations and we hope it all works out. But the Meyers interview — totally not advertised in advance — is meant to soften the blow of this latest development. Mulaney’s happy marriage was part of his act, and he seemed above things like serious drug addiction and its fallout.
The interview, like his current show, was depressing. He kept laughing, Meyers tried to put on a good face, but you feel it in the pit of your stomach. This is all some kind of disaster. Yes, people are paying to see Mulaney in theater and clubs because they want to see a car crash. They are rubber necking. He doesn’t get that. When I saw him at City Winery in NYC on May 10th he was was accompanied to the by his interventionist. That seems to be around the time he started a family.
So here we are. Everyone hopes for the best, but as a friend of mine used to say, this is going to end in tears.
WHAT??? Chrissie Hynde Turns 70! Remember When She Bemoaned Being 33 in “Middle of the Road”?
Chrissie Hynde turns 70 years old today. I am gobsmacked. But god bless her, she’s still the most kick ass rocker and my favorite voice.
This means it was 37 years ago when she sang, “I got a kid/I’m 33” in “Middle of the Road.” Seems like yesterday.
The Pretenders were part of the New Wave, the people who were supposed to kick Fleetwood Mac and Rumours to the ground and take no prisoners. So they did, thanks to Seymour Stein at Sire Records.
I could listen to Chrissie sing the phone book. I hope she’s having a rocking, great birthday. Sting turns 70 in October. The end of the classic rock star era is beckoning with only Elvis Costello still a young un. R&B legend Sam Moore turns 86 on October 12th. We have to wrap everyone in Saran Wrap!
One of my faves: