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“General Hospital” Star Kirsten Storms Recovering from Brain Surgery at a Real Hospital with Real Doctors

Roger Friedman
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“General Hospital” Star Kirsten Storms Recovering from Brain Surgery at a Real Hospital with Real Doctors

Actress Kirsten Storms, who’s been playing Maxie Jones on “General Hospital” for years, is recovering from brain surgery.

She writes on Instagram right now:

“I spent the last few years having random health issues that I disregarded as side effects to my medications or just something I was experiencing due to age. When I went to get an MRI for some severe neck pain I have been experiencing for the last few months (I assumed this neck pain was also causing my frequent “migraines”) my amazingly thorough orthopedist ordered an MRI of my head just to be on the “safe side” – even though that isn’t his area of expertise.

“Truly a great doctor.

“That’s when we stumbled upon a rather large, very full of fluid, cyst that was attached to the lower portion of brain. I feel very fortunate that my situation wasn’t more serious and that I had a wonderful neurosurgeon who immediately knew how to fix it. I’m not gonna lie, brain surgery had me nervous, but I’m immensely thankful to my family, friends, and incredible “work family” who have been supportive, kind and loving during a time when I’ve been feeling a lot of emotions. Work is a great place to be everyday and for the 2 months leading up to my surgery I found a lot of comfort being around the people I’ve worked beside for so many years. I’m excited to get back to it after my recovery. (Yes, they shaved a portion of my head, so please no comments if you don’t like my hair. It’s temporary.)

Again, thank you to everyone for sending positive vibes my way. It’s not gone unnoticed. ♥️

“Fun fact: I now firmly believe the new plates in my brain will give me some sort of special ability. Fingers crossed I can suddenly knit a sweater in 1 day. Ooo maybe 1 hour. 😮”

Storms said in a previous posting that her pal, Emme Rylan, also of “GH” fame, was taking care of her.

Wishing her a speedy recovery. So she can get back to the fictional hospital. And those doctors usually lose their patients. Good thing she was in real hospital!

Box Office: Horrors as “A Quiet Place 2” May Lose Weekend to “Conjuring 3,” Major Fall of for “Cruella”

Roger Friedman
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Box Office: Horrors as “A Quiet Place 2” May Lose Weekend to “Conjuring 3,” Major Fall of for “Cruella”

Horror of horrors!

As big as “A Quiet Place Part 2” was last weekend, it may not repeat at number 1.

Last night “The Conjuring 3” arrived and swept up $10 million to $6 million for John Kraskinski’s gem of a sequel. So it looks bad “AQP2” but we’ll see how things shake out. But fear not, “AQP2” has now passed “Tenet” as the number 2 movie of the pandemic era.

The movie having real trouble is “Cruella” which fell by more than 60% last night from last Friday. The numbers were only $3.2 million, down from $7.8 million. And it’s fun! Go see it, by all means! We knew “Cruella” was in trouble from the get go, and this confirms. But Disney has committed to the sequel, so they’ll look for ways to improve the next chapter.

Stay tuned for tomorrow…

 

The Biz as Usual: “Cruella,” “A Quiet Place” Will Be Back in 2023, “Mare” Will Get a Sequel When the Dough Is Sorted Out

Roger Friedman
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The Biz as Usual: “Cruella,” “A Quiet Place” Will Be Back in 2023, “Mare” Will Get a Sequel When the Dough Is Sorted Out

I have to LOL when I read these trade reports of “surprise” sequels. Or whether a hit show will get a second season when the doors have been left open and hurricane winds are blowing in.

So “Cruella” will be back in 2023, Disney announces. Uh huh, it was planned as a trilogy and unless number II completely bombs we’ll see a third film. This is how these things are planned in the first place. Emma Stone didn’t go into it thinking just one movie and she was done.

This might have been the case for “Solo: A Star Wars Story” if people had liked the movie. Alden Ehrenreich was all set to become a franchise star. But there was so much negative sentiment, no one will come back for more.

“A Quiet Place Part 3” we’ll see in March 2023. It was always planned. Part 2 ended on a cliffhanger and was clearly a bridge to a finale. Emily Blunt and Cillian Murphy have to get together, the aliens must be defeated, and so on. The only difference here is that John Krasinski is turning over the project to director Jeff Nichols. I’m surprised Krasinski isn’t finishing the trilogy, since this is his idea. Maybe this is a one off before the trilogy is finished. Anything to extend the life of the series.

As for “Mare of Easttown,” HBO is now saying exactly what it said when “Big Little Lies” finished and everyone wanted a sequel. The whole let’s see if there’s an idea thing is a fake off until the money is sorted out for this incredible to success to return with the same creative people. But they will do it, and “Mare” will be back before us at least by 2023. There’s plenty of life left in those characters. But wait til those Emmys come rolling in. Salaries will be renegotiated.

“Jeopardy!” Sinking Ratings Draw a Competitor in NY and LA: New 7pm NBC Local News Starts Monday

Roger Friedman
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“Jeopardy!” Sinking Ratings Draw a Competitor in NY and LA: New 7pm NBC Local News Starts Monday

I’ve been telling you for months that “Jeopardy!” was sinking in the ratings and was in trouble.

I guess someone listened. Starting Monday, WNBC Channel in New York and KNBC in Los Angeles will launch a 7pm local half hour newscast to compete with the quiz show.

No one’s tried this since 2007. It didn’t work because Alex Trebek crushed them.

But now with the rotating guest hosts in a long ratings decline, NBC Local News decided to take advantage of the situation. In New York that means Lester Holt will hand the news back to David Ushery and Natalie Pasquarella, who can update whatever people missed earlier, before Holt’s NBC Evening News.

Last week, “Jeopardy!” fell back to just a 5.1 in the ratings, down a million viewers since January when Ken Jennings took over for Trebek.

It’s a good idea since “Jeopardy!” is only going to do worse before it gets better. There is no host coming with buzz until LeVar Burton hits on July 26th. NBC can make some inroads between now and then especially if they offer some special material during that half hour. With the mayoral primary on June 22nd, and the election in November, there’s lots to talk about!

And “Access Hollywood” will follow at 7:30pm.

Kanye Snapped Wearing a Full Head-Covering Mask and Nike’s Despite Rich Sneaker Deal with Adidas

Roger Friedman
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Kanye Snapped Wearing a Full Head-Covering Mask and Nike’s Despite Rich Sneaker Deal with Adidas

A Kanye West Twitter account posted this picture of the mostly AWOL MIA rapper designer today. He’s wearing full mask and hood covering his face and it looks suffocatingly hot.

He’s also wearing a pair of black Nikes with a white swoosh– despite his rich rich deal with Adidas to produce expensive, uncomfortable Yeezy sneakers. And he’s wearing a puffer jacket in Los Angeles on a summer day.

But the Nike’s– Adidas might object, but Nike will be happy. God knows the Yeezy’s look unwearable. They’re collectible, certainly. But if you want support, New Balance is the only way to go. (Yes, I know, the politics, but feet come first.)

Taylor Swift Sandbags Olivia Rodrigo with Record Breaking Vinyl Release and Retakes Number 1 with “Evermore”

Roger Friedman
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Taylor Swift Sandbags Olivia Rodrigo with Record Breaking Vinyl Release and Retakes Number 1 with “Evermore”

Quoth the Swifties: “Evermore.”

Taylor Swift released the vinyl edition of her album, “Evermore,” rode a wave back to number 1 this week.

Out of the blue, “Evermore” sold more than 100,000 LPs — records, the kind you turn over– and blew past Olivia Rodrigo to the top of the album charts.

“Evermore” broke the record, excuse the pun, for LPs sold in a single week since SoundScan, Buzz Angle, and modern measurement took over from hiding cartons of albums in your A&R guy’s garage.

Swift sold 187,000 copies of “Evermore”– which wasn’t even in the top 50 last week — vs. Rodrigo selling 184,000 units of “Sour.”

The irony here is that Rodrigo has a song on her album credited to Swift and producer Jack Antonoff. I’m told it’s not because she wanted to cover it. It’s because she recorded it and realized she’d lifted it. Arrangements were made among the parties for Swift and Antonoff to get the proceeds.

Even with that mistake, Olivia has made a pretty good album with “Sour,” largely thanks to producer Dan Nigro.

Swift’s merchandise machine and fan club, meanwhile, pushed that vinyl edition of “Evermore,” which sells for $22.98. (When us old folks bought records, they cost $5.98 tops.) So she’s found a second life for “Evermore” and a new revenue stream.

Now Swift is also busy being part of David O. Russell’s film, tentatively titled “Canterbury Glass,” and maybe writing and singing a theme song for it. And it’s only June. The betting is good that Taylor has an album of new material ready this fall, maybe even before September 30th Grammy deadline. And Adele? She’s at home trying to make it six years in November since her last album.

Ratings: Chris Meloni’s “Law & Order: Organized Crime” Season Finale Craters as Story Arc Fizzles

Roger Friedman
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Ratings: Chris Meloni’s “Law & Order: Organized Crime” Season Finale Craters as Story Arc Fizzles

“Law & Order Organized Crime” ended with a disorganized finale and its lowest ratings yet.

Chris Meloni is great as Stabler, but the fans of the “L&O” franchise don’t care for his setting. Last night’s show dropped to 3.89 million.

Forget the big 7.8 million premiere. From the second episode, the show has ratcheted down 1 million more viewers ending up here. And here is no good. “OG” is getting lower ratings that the OG “SVU” that precedes it despite Mariska Hargitay appearing in all of the episodes.

Everyone loves that Meloni is back as Stabler. But chasing Dylan McDermott every week like Coyote and Roadrunner has worn itself out. McDermott is a fine actor but let’s wrap this up. New York’s organized crime has more than one antagonist. The story of Richard Wheatley and his family is over.

EP Fred Berner has already said that next season there will be three 8 episode arcs. Let’s hope the show opens up into more characters and stories and it isn’t just Stabler being unstable. The audience just isn’t there. They want to see Stabler as a hero, not an anti-hero. The proof is, they left. It’s a Law & Order Show but we’re not seeing any Order. Enough already with Benson and Stabler’s “romance” and long looks. They’re 50 years old for gosh sakes.

Kudos to “SVU” which was great all season, knows how to weave in the soap opera stuff, and keeps it real. The result is strong, steady ratings holding their own against other weary vet, “Grey’s Anatomy.” Mariska deserves an Emmy nod this year. NBC, do something.

Broadway’s Back But the Audience is Tentative: Except for “Music Man” Ticket Sales Are Slow So Far, Even for “Hamilton”

Roger Friedman
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Broadway’s Back But the Audience is Tentative: Except for “Music Man” Ticket Sales Are Slow So Far, Even for “Hamilton”

It used to be you could not get a ticket to “Hamilton” to save your life.

Then the pandemic hit. And the filmed version of the award winning musical on Disney Plus.

Now, when “Hamilton” returns in the fall, you’ve pretty much got your choice of dates and prices. The first few weeks beginning September 29th are backed up with old orders. But as the calendar pages fly through October, November and hit December 1st, a chance to be “in the room” with Alexander H and all his friends is wide open.

Old shows that are selling tickets are having a tough time. But new shows are finding it even more difficult. So far tickets for “MJ: The Michael Jackson Musical” are stagnant. Even “Company,” the most anticipated holdover from the 2020 season, shows seas of blue — meaning open seats for sale — on telecharge.com. Same for “Diana: The Musical.” And the brilliant “Girl from the North Country.”

The only show with sold out dates? “The Music Man” with Hugh Jackman and Sutton Foster. But you know, of course. “The Music Man” with those stars is beyond reviews, pandemics, tornadoes.

Want to see “The Lion King” on September 30th at 8pm? It’s yours, the whole house. Or how about “Wicked”, same night? Same thing.

So what’s going on? Prices are high, and obviously people are wary about returning to the tight seating of a Broadway theater. But if they’re vaccinated there should be no issue, and you can always wear a mask if you’re concerned.

But Broadway will need momentum and a shot of Adrenalin to get re-started. It will take more than a two hour special on CBS on September 26th. All summer the shows will have to be promoting themselves on TV, radio, and social media, priming interest in a return to the glories of Broadway.

Meantime, this is the moment, that very moment, to take advantage of ticket availability. This temporary lull in buying won’t last. The early bird will get that worm.

Broadway’s New “Lehman Trilogy” Adds Great British Actor Adrian Lester, Subtracts Ousted Producer Scott Rudin

Roger Friedman
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Broadway’s New “Lehman Trilogy” Adds Great British Actor Adrian Lester, Subtracts Ousted Producer Scott Rudin

The great British actor Adrian Lester, who is Black, will now play Jewish banker Ernest Lehman in the returning “Lehman Trilogy” when the play returns to Broadway this fall. It’s the new reality of Broadway: color blind casting. Very cool. (If it was good for Hamilton it will be good for Lehman!)

Lester replaces actor Ben Miles, who’s been playing one of the Lehman brothers since its first English production at the National Theater in 2018. Miles went with the production to the Armory in New York, and then at the Piccadilly Theater in London. He’s also in the filmed version.

Lester is making his Broadway debut after a huge TV, film and theater career. In 2012, Lester was stunning as Ira Aldridge, the first Black actor to play Shakespearean roles, in the play “Red Velvet” imported here to off off Broadway by the Tricycle Theater. Aldridge was a trailblazer, as is Lester.

(I feel bad for Ben Miles. He was also yanked from “Mare of Easttown” at the last minute and replaced by Guy Pearce. Both times the given reason was “scheduling conflict.”)

Director Sam Mendes says that when he directed the National Theater production, Lester was the first actor he talked to. They’d worked together 25 years ago in “Company.” He said, “It couldn’t be more perfect that Adrian Lester will be joining our production of “The Lehman Trilogy” on Broadway. He was the first person I offered the role to, way back when we first mounted the production in London at the National Theatre, so on some level it feels like destiny.”

The changing of actors for Emanuel Lehman in the five hour multi-generational play isn’t the only difference in the returning production. Producer Scott Rudin is gone, too, along with partners Barry Diller and David Geffen. “The Lehman Trilogy” now lists no actual New York producer. Like all of Rudin’s shows, including “The Book of Mormon,” “West Side Story,” “The Music Man,” and “To Kill a Mockingbird,” it’s a mystery as to who will actually be the producer. “Lehman” is the first to resume selling tickets.

Following a 14-week run on Broadway beginning October 14th, The Lehman Trilogy will visit Center Theatre Group’s Ahmanson Theatre in Los Angeles (3 March – 10 April 2022) and American Conservatory Theater’s Geary Theater in San Francisco (20 April – 22 May 2022), with casting to be announced.

 

NCIS Los Angeles: Gerald McRaney’s Promotion Suggests Linda Hunt May Be Stepping Down or Cutting Back Next Season

Roger Friedman
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NCIS Los Angeles: Gerald McRaney’s Promotion Suggests Linda Hunt May Be Stepping Down or Cutting Back Next Season

“NCIS Los Angeles” is going through some changes.

Gerald McRaney, TV veteran and Emmy winner, was just promoted from recurring to regular for next season. McRay, who’s 73, plays retired Adm. Hollis Kilbride, who advises and counsels the Los Angeles division of the NCIS Special Projects unit during their undercover operations.

But why need McRaney full time when Linda Hunt, who’s been playing Hetty since 2009, runs that NCIS? Hetty is beloved, and the audience tunes in for her.

But Hunt, who’s 76, didn’t really participate this season because of COVID. She appeared just in the last episode, fully vaccinated, and sparkling as usual. But at 76, the much awarded actress has had a phenomenal career and may not want to have a grueling schedule.

McRaney’s promotion suggests that he will be running NCIS Los Angeles in the next season, with Hetty semi-retired. Hunt could make occasional appearances. McRaney certainly isn’t replacing the two younger actors who just got written out of the show. He and Hunt would be the same demographic.

Linda Hunt should get a special Emmy or something this fall. She was Oscar nominated years ago for “The Year of Living Dangerously.” She’s a gem in Hollywood.

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