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Future Shock: “Backrooms” Movie Studio A24 Takes $75 Million Investment from Google to Use AI Tools, Like Making Movies (Report)

Roger Friedman
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Future Shock: “Backrooms” Movie Studio A24 Takes $75 Million Investment from Google to Use AI Tools, Like Making Movies (Report)

So here it is.

A24, a studio known for making independent films with auteurs and good actors, is going AI.

They’ve taken a $75 million investment from Google to start using AI tools for storyboards and eventually movies.

SAG and the other Guilds should have a proper fit when they read this in the Wall Street Journal.

The studio has started something called A24Labs. They do not mean Labrador retrievers. They means ways to make cheap, fast movies without getting people involved.

The Journal says: “The new collaborators hope their partnership will include the studio’s roster of artists. A24 works with some of the biggest names in Hollywood including Timothée Chalamet and “Backrooms” director Kane Parsons.”

Not so fast. Maybe I’m wrong about the under 30 crowd. Are they really going to make movies with fake everything? Is this where we’re headed? (Could be.)

A24 is indeed having a fluke hit right now with “Backrooms,” which has made $277 million worldwide on a $10 million budget. But they’ve also had a long list of also-rans recently, too, including the current “Death of Robin Hood,” which made just $2.6 million this weekend, and 7 other clunkers since January 1st including “How to Make a Killing,” “Pillion,” and “The Moment.” A new one, “The Invite,” could put them back on track.

Who knows? Maybe AI could help the dull, pointless movies made by Ari Aster, like “Eddington” and “Beau is Afraid.”

Madonna Says She Had to Get Her Movie Back from Universal Because They Said It Was Too Expensive: “I bought it from them for an extortionist’s price”

Roger Friedman
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Madonna Says She Had to Get Her Movie Back from Universal Because They Said It Was Too Expensive: “I bought it from them for an extortionist’s price”

Madonna continues her PR tour for her “Confessions II” tour in Interview magazine this month. She goes over her life story (for the umpteenth time) with editor in chief Mel Ottenberg, who mostly sits and listens and sometimes says “Uh huh, go on.”

Anyway.

We do learn that Madonna — who dressed up for the cover as a character she invented called “Dee Dee” — had to buy back the rights to her biopic from Universal Pictures because they thought it was too expensive.

First she says: “I’ve had an extraordinary life. I’ve had a huge life, so I needed a big budget. You know what I mean?”

We do.

She continues “They couldn’t get their heads around it. I found a way to make it for less money in Serbia, but I don’t think they were into the idea of—I don’t know. Maybe they just didn’t believe in me. One of their first reactions was, “We don’t believe you’d stay in Serbia more than four days.” And I said, “Did you read the script?” My whole life has been survival. I’m not going there for a holiday. But anyway, I was in limbo when that fell apart, and then Netflix reached out to make a series. That was a whole other long process, because I couldn’t use the script I had with Universal unless I bought it from them for an extortionist’s price, even though I wrote it. Don’t ask.”

We won’t, and neither did Ottenberg, who doesn’t really interview Madonna but act as a silent sounding board.

Anything else? Plenty. She says for new album her daughter, Lourdes, “approached” her about writing a song together “to heal” their relationship. She makes it sound like Lourdes contacted her through management. And what had to be healed? No one asks.

The rest of it is Madonna recounting her OG story in case you’re very young or have just joined our story in progress. Did you know she was Catholic? She also practices Kabbalah. Who knew?

The interviewer does say: “I’m really having fun talking to you, Madonna. Does anyone call you Madonna? I just love calling you Madonna because I’m with Madonna.” Ottenberg also tells his subject: “I’m really star struck.”

Andy Warhol would be proud.

Carly Simon’s Not Saying Whether She’s Going to Pal Taylor Swift’s Wedding: After All, She’s Kept the Secret of “You’re So Vain” for Five Decades

“Cancel Kanye Show”: San Antonio Mayor Chimes in HOURS After This Site Reported City-Funded Stadium Was Hosting Antisemitic Rapper

Roger Friedman
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“Cancel Kanye Show”: San Antonio Mayor Chimes in HOURS After This Site Reported City-Funded Stadium Was Hosting Antisemitic Rapper

You can thank US.

Yesterday, just before noon Eastern, I reported that San Antonio, Texas was hosting a Kanye West concert on July 4th.

The antisemitic rapper was booked for America’s 250th birthday. The Alamo Stadium is owned by the city.

Listen, they knew about it for quite a while at the office of Mayor Gina Ortiz-Jones.

But it wasn’t until I reported it, that the city announced they weren’t so sure that having a Hitler loving headcase taking over their historic town. click here

So SEVERAL Hours later came news from San Antonion TV stations: the mayor she would endorse canceling the show.

She wrote on social media: “I support canceling the Ye concert. Military USA should not host someone with a record of hate speech and anti-semitic comments in a city-funded facility…” see her post below…

Will the show be canceled? Or is this just political lip service?

Remember that Alamo!

San Antonio, TX Will Celebrate July 4th with Hitler-Loving Kanye West, Joins Tampa, FL Where Raymond James Financial Approves of Antisemite

“Toy Story 5” Scores Record $160 Million Opening Weekend, $40 Mil Bigger than Previous Release, Thanks to Invisible Star Taylor Swift

Roger Friedman
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“Toy Story 5” Scores Record $160 Million Opening Weekend, $40 Mil Bigger than Previous Release, Thanks to Invisible Star Taylor Swift

It would seem inexplicable.

Why, after seven years, would a “Toy Story” movie score $40 million more than its predecessor on opening weekend?

“Toy Story 5” made a whopping $160 million this weekend. Wow. An almost equal amount was logged internationally. Where did that come from?

Well, from its invisible star, Taylor Swift. She wrote the main song, “I Knew It, I Knew You,” which has 60 million streams on Spotify and 8.2 million views on YouTube. (We don’t know the actual sales yet, but the single is in the top 3 on iTunes.)

Swift’s marketing power is unparalleled. Beginning immediately after Memorial Day she started dropping hints to her fans that she’d recorded the song. By the time “I Knew It” dropped on June 5th, her Swifties were marshalled for war. It’s likely many of them had never heard of “Toy Story,” but the presence of Swift raised the recognition level to an all time high.

How many Swifties went to the movie this weekend just to hear their favorite singer? I’m sure soon we’ll know. But nothing else would account for such a renewed interest in a shop worn brand. Without Swift, a new “Toy Story” would have come in equal to or a little under the numbers of the 2019 movie.

What does Swift get out of it? Ka-ching, baby. Now she can pay for that Madison Square Garden wedding on July 3rd. Sit down dinner for 500 people? Concert for 1,000? Easy peazy now!

Carly Simon’s Not Saying Whether She’s Going to Pal Taylor Swift’s Wedding: After All, She’s Kept the Secret of “You’re So Vain” for Five Decades

EXCLUSIVE: Why Donald Trump Posted A Picture of Margo Catsimitidis, Wife of Supermarket King, to Social Media, and How It Also Involves Bill Clinton

Roger Friedman
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EXCLUSIVE: Why Donald Trump Posted A Picture of Margo Catsimitidis, Wife of Supermarket King, to Social Media, and How It Also Involves Bill Clinton

Well, the mystery is solved exclusively here. Why did Donald Trump post a picture of an unidentified blonde woman in the middle of the night?

The woman turns out to be Margo Catsimitidis, wife of John, owner of the Gristedes/Red Apple supermarket chain here in New York, and owner of WABC. John and Margo are a legendary New York couple (not my politics, but I like them a lot).

John explained to me just now what’s going on.


“That picture was taken a long time ago at Camp David,” John says. “When I heard that Trump was going to Camp David — which he rarely does — I sent it to him last night.”

Around 1991, the Catsimitidises attended a get together at Camp David assembled by President George H. Bush, around 1991, with a bunch of heavy hitters. The photo was not taken then. It was taken a couple of years later, when Bill Clinton was president.

And the State of Arkansas flag seen in the photo?

“After Bill Clinton was elected, he heard we’d been there under Bush, so he invited us back. And that’s when the picture was taken.”

The Trump post was supposed to be a Father’s Day tribute to John concerning the couple’s daughter, Andrea, head of the NY State Republican party. But some wire in Trump’s head got crossed, probably from posting after midnight.

By the way, John told me that Andrea was cut off the guest list for the UFC fight at the White House last week. Someone on Trump’s staff didn’t know she was the chairman of the New York Republican party. “I had to call Trump myself to get her back on the list,” John told me.

So that at least explains some of it.

Carly Simon’s Not Saying Whether She’s Going to Pal Taylor Swift’s Wedding: After All, She’s Kept the Secret of “You’re So Vain” for Five Decades

UPDATE: Trump’s Post of Mystery Woman Solved, Wife of NY Supermarket Owner: “My Honor!!!” President May Have Answered Email Reply on Social Media

Roger Friedman
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UPDATE: Trump’s Post of Mystery Woman Solved, Wife of NY Supermarket Owner: “My Honor!!!” President May Have Answered Email Reply on Social Media

UPDATE The woman in question seems to be Margo Catsimitidis, wife of John, the man who owns Gristedes and Red Apple Markets in New York, longtime Republican supporter and also owner of conservative WABC Radio in New York.

It’s possible that the doddering fool was replying to an mail from Margo, but posted it to social media instead. Maybe this was in response to her query about grocery prices. I don’t know.

Margo’s daughter is Andrea, 36, was previously married to Tricia Nixon Cox’s son. She’s the chairman of the New York Republican party. 

I’ve confirmed the picture was taken at Camp David a few years ago.

THE BIG UPDATE — EXCLUSIVE EXPLANATION FOR THE WHOLE SAGA — SORT OF–CLICK HERE

Earlier: Donald Trump likes this woman. She’s someone’s daughter.

Does he think it’s one of his own? She doesn’t look like Tiffany or Ivanka.

The blonde woman looks like she’s sitting in a room with a blanket or flag from The Great State of Arkansas.

If you know who this is, please email me at showbiz411@gmail.com. Then we’ll tell Donald.

The “Friends” Cast Remembers “Papa” Burrows: Courteney Cox, Jennifer Aniston, David Schwimmer, Matt LeBlanc Tribute the Famed Director

Roger Friedman
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The “Friends” Cast Remembers “Papa” Burrows: Courteney Cox, Jennifer Aniston, David Schwimmer, Matt LeBlanc Tribute the Famed Director

The tributes keep pouring in for director James Burrows, aka Jim, who died Friday at 85.

The 11 time Emmy winner piloted “The Mary Tyler Moore Show” and all its off shoots, “Taxi,” “Friends,” “Will & Grace,” “Frasier,” and just about every quality sitcom from 1970 until now. Wow.

Here are tributes from four “Friends” actors: Courteney Cox, Jennifer Aniston, David Schwimmer, and Matt LeBlanc. Lisa Kudrow hasn’t published one yet, but she may be the most affected since Burrows worked an an actor with her on her just ended series, “The Comeback.”

What’s It All About, Algae? Trump’s Goons Arrest 3 Time Olympian Who Pulled Up Flapping Piece of Paint from Reflecting Pool (He’s Free Now)

Roger Friedman
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What’s It All About, Algae? Trump’s Goons Arrest 3 Time Olympian Who Pulled Up Flapping Piece of Paint from Reflecting Pool (He’s Free Now)

What’s it all about, algae?

Donald Trump’s goon squad park police are in full swing at the reflecting pool near the Lincoln Memorial.

(It is not the ‘reflection pool’ as one young MAGAt called it today.)

The government thugs arrested a three time Olympian canoeist who biked past the pool, stuck his hand in, and came up with a flapping piece of blue paint that had been laid down by Trump’s goon workers.

Trump was told that painting the pool his “American blue” color would encourage algae, but he wouldn’t listen. The pool has turned green in just a couple of days. Then Trump sent in workers who poured hydrogen peroxide into the green pool. And that started stripping the paint and sending it to the surface.

The cyclist is 67 year old David Hearn, who was accused of a misdemeanor and then went home.

Emily Miller, the Mrs. Kravitz* (*IYKYK) of the pool, self described conservative journalist filmed the whole thing and is now advocating capital — as in The Capital — punishment.

Meantime, poor government workers are battling the algae without luck. Ducks refuse to swim in the pool and are now using chaise longues on the pavement. Trump has demolished the East Wing of the White House, put the Kennedy Center in danger, proposed a massive arch in his honor, and defiled the pool– which was just fine.

Oh, he also lost the war with Iran and surrendered. And his kid — appearing with murderous, sleep deprived eyes — looks he was fathered by Justin Trudeau.

And that’s all in the last few days.

Kennedy Center’s Final Show Selling at Around 45% as Trump Refuses to Allow New Programming, Will Keep Theaters Shut, and Tarp Masking Name

Roger Friedman
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Kennedy Center’s Final Show Selling at Around 45% as Trump Refuses to Allow New Programming, Will Keep Theaters Shut, and Tarp Masking Name

The Kennedy Center’s final musical, for now, is a road company of “Moulin Rouge.”

Ticket sales are terrible. Most shows are sold at 45%. There are chunks of empty seats everywhere, for every performance.

It’s not because “Moulin Rouge” is no good. It’s because the core audience of the Kennedy Center has been driven away by Donald Trump and his handpicked board.

Until a court order stopped him, Trump was shutting the Kennedy Center down on July 7th for grossly overstated repairs. Now the court has told him to remove his name from the building, and not to close the Center.

As retribution, Trump is refusing to allow new entertainment to be booked. The doors will be open for the exhibit honoring President John F. Kennedy. But that”s it. Also, a tarp covers the name of the Center, so that Kennedy’s name is blocked. If Trump’s name is still there, no one knows. Trump, like a two year old screaming in a supermarket aisle, won’t listen to reason. He wants to render the Kennedy Center dead.

There will one more big event at the Center: taping of the Mark Twain Prize for Humor on June 28th. Bill Maher is the recipient. The special will be shown Netflix shortly thereafter. So far the guests are lame and tame, with little possibility of a repeat of last year’s hilarious takedown of Trump while honors went to Conan O’Brien.

Trump is basically gutting as much of our cultural institutions and media as possible. This must be so heartwarming for his backers — not just the redneck crowd of MAGA, but the wealthy people who’ve made him possible and think this is all very satisfying. (Hollywood’s Brian Grazer, I mean you.)

Every performance of “Moulin Rouge” looks like this:

Trump Getting Kicked Around by Italian PM Georgia Meloni After Embarrassing Himself: “These Constant, Unprovoked Attacks Are Useless”

Roger Friedman
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Trump Getting Kicked Around by Italian PM Georgia Meloni After Embarrassing Himself: “These Constant, Unprovoked Attacks Are Useless”

Donald Trump will never be allowed in Italy again. Melania had better get used to the idea she will never see Florence, Venice, or Tuscany again.

Trump has insisted on sending nasty messages to Italy’s PM Georgia Meloni. He claims that she took him aside at the G7 meeting in Geneva because she wanted a picture with him because she’s become unpopular in her country.

This is a flat out lie that Trump has invented.

Meloni is beside herself. She says Trump is lying — and we believe her. Her side has been taken by the Italian people, and now the media there is having a field day with it.

Trump is a lying buffoon.

This has caused a diplomatic issue. According to the AP: “Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani abruptly cancelled a planned trip to the United States this weekend, calling Trump’s claims “serious and offensive” toward Meloni and all of Italy. The Foreign Ministry later announced that the business and scientific forum Tajani was to attend in Miami had also been called off.”

Here’s what Meloni says now.

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