You know Bo Burnham. He’s the nice guy who meets Carey Mulligan in the coffee shop in “Promising Young Woman” and she treats like dirt. That guy. He also directed and starred in “Eighth Grade.” Now it seems he’s made a musical special for Netflix coming soon. He shot it himself during the pandemic. That’s all we know. Here’s his teaser for it.
Glenn Close Explains How Oscar Tablemates Daniel Kaluuya, Chris Terrio, & Darrell Britt-Gibson Schooled Her on Da Butt
People are still talking about well versed Glenn Close was on the subject of Da Butt during the Oscars. Was it scripted when she got up and shook her butt? Well, she explained a little on Instagram:
We had the MOST FUN at our table at the Oscars last night. Chris Terrio, one of my best friends, who won an Oscar for the screenplay of ARGO, was my gallant escort. Daniel Kaluuya and Darrell Britt-Gibson were wonderful table mates. I knew that Lil Rel was going to quiz me about Da Butt and all three guys helped me run through what I was to say. Darrell insisted that I mention the Backyard Band, on top of E.U., Suga Bear and the whole DMV. I had googled “Da Butt” and watched Spike’s music video so when Lil Rel asked if I could do the dance…you can actually see me think of the video. That part was completely spontaneous. Daniel, Darrell and Chris egged me on!!! It was ALL their fault. CONGRATULATIONS DANIEL on your BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR Oscar. You are completely brilliant. I now consider both Daniel and Darrell to be friends-for-life!
Kate Winslet’s “Mare of Easttown” Follows “The Undoing” as Must-See Hit, Jumps 28% on HBO, 25% Including HBO Max
Either way you look at it, Kate Winslet’s “Mare of Easttown” on HBO is turning into a massive hit.
I’d say a watercooler hit, but no one’s in their office. Nevertheless, the murder mystery is following “The Undoing” recipe with everyone trying to figure out whodunit.
Sunday’s episode increased 28% on HBO from Week 1, and 25% across all HBO platforms including HBO Max.
On HBO alone, the number grew from 600,000 the first week to 735,000 the second. Now during the week there will be catch up viewing leading to week 3. With other platforms, the number was 1.2 million up from 1 million total.
And that’s pretty good considering “Mare” was up against the Oscars, same audience, you’d think.
All this points to a big conclusion on May 30th, with the seventh and final episode. The eighth episode will be the Emmy Awards on September 19th, when Winslet and crew sweep through their categories. HBO has really figured out this limited series thing.
Well played, HBO!
Oh who did it? PS I think Guy Pearce. But we’ll see…
Veteran NY Post Reporter Quits, Says She Was Forced to Write Untrue Story About Kamala Harris’ Children’s Book at Border
Veteran NY Post reporter Laura Italiano has quite the paper today. She says was ordered to write an untrue story about Kamala Harris.
“An announcement: Today I handed in my resignation to my editors at the New York Post. The Kamala Harris story — an incorrect story I was ordered to write and which I failed to push back hard enough against — was my breaking point. It’s been a privilege to cover the City of New York for its liveliest, wittiest tabloid — a paper filled with reporters and editors I admire deeply and hold as friends. I’m sad to leave.”
The story, which appeared on the cover, was called “Kam On In.” It claimed that Vice President Harris, though she wasn’t at the border, had ordered copies of her children’s book for abandoned kids who were there. It made it seem like Harris had ordered hundreds of her books at the government’s expense.
In fact, there was one copy of her book at a Long Beach, California facility.
After Italiano complained, an addendum was later affixed that read: “The original version of this article said migrant kids were getting Harris’ book in a welcome kit, but has been updated to note that only one known copy of the book was given to a child.”
But it was typical of the Post’s way of bending the news, writing fiction, creating stories to make one side look bad.
Bravo to Italiano, who is incredibly principled and has worked, as they, like a dog as a top notch reporter for the Post for years. I’m sure she’ll be snapped up in a minute by the Times or a national outlet. Just a search of her name in the Post library will show thousands of bylines as Italiano trudged all over New York seeking the truth for a paper that relies on lies.
More to come…
Spotted: Oscar Winner on Set of Hot HBO Show “Succession,” Adrien Brody in as Guest Star?
EXCLUSIVE Now that all the awards stuff has calmed down, and we’re waiting for “Mrs. Maisel” to return, what’s the hottest show everyone’s pining to see return to cable?
Answer: HBO’s “Succession.”
A couple of weeks ago they were filming Season 3 down in Greenwich Village. But the last few days they’ve been seen all over East Hampton and Montauk out on the East End of Long Island.
And among the actors spotted by sharp eyed villagers: Oscar winner Adrien Brody. Apparently, Brody is a guest star on the show and maybe not for just one episode. There’s been so much activity out East that Brody could possibly be in a story arc about a wealthy businessman with whom the Roy family — particularly Kendall Roy aka Jeremy Strong — is trying to ‘strong’ arm, get it? Strong and Brian Cox, patriarch of the Roys, were also spotted.
Brody has a new deal with HBO, so this makes sense. He’s going to play famed basketball coach Pat Riley in a mini series about the Lakers. He’s waiting, too, like all of us, for his Wes Anderson movie, “The French Dispatch,” to be released this fall after an 18 month pandemic delay. Brody has a bunch of other projects in the hopper as well. But this way he gets right on cable’s hottest show fast. It’s good for everyone!
PS Spies around the “Succession” trailers have heard a lot of talk about a possible trip to Italy. The show is very popular there, so maybe we’ll see the Roys in Venice or Florence or Rome next season. Ciao bella!
Ratings: “Jeopardy!” Aaron Rodgers 2nd Week Falls, “Ellen DeGeneres” Stays Under a Million, Tamron Up, Top Shows Down
Syndication ratings are in for two weeks ago, and they weren’t good for Aaron Rodgers.
The Green Bay quarterback didn’t complete his passes as “Jeopardy!” fell in his second week to 5.5 million, down from 5.6 in his first week.
“Jeopardy!” has lost 500,000 viewers since Ken Jennings exited many weeks ago.
Meanwhile, Ellen DeGeneres stayed below 1 million viewers, at 900,000. Ellen’s show is stuck in a downward spiral as she heads inti May sweeps and the end of her season.
But the top syndicated shows are off, too. Both “Live with Kelly and Ryan” and “Dr.Phil” were at 1.7 million, off by two or three hundred thousand viewers. Maybe everyone is just worn out. Only Tamron Hall was up, 14%, for her 300th episode. Congrats!
Oscars Ratings Were Higher Than Thought, 10.4 Million with Largest Numbers of the Night
It should be of some consolation to the Oscars producers that the ratings were a little higher than originally thought.
The final number was 10.4 million, not 9.8 million. And the key demos were the largest of any show Sunday night. All the numbers were larger than anything else on TV.
The show wasn’t perfect and everyone loves snarking about it. But Soderbergh, Sher, and Collins made lemonade from lemons, frankly. To use another cliche, they took the cards they were dealt and played them as best they could.
The main complaint was about the In Memoriam segment, which seemed like it was on fast forward. But the whole show seemed untimed. Sometimes there were clips, sometimes there weren’t. No one seemed to know if the show was running over and or under time.
I’m surprised about the NYPost trying to suggest that anyone is angry over Anthony Hopkins beating Chadwick Boseman. Hopkins was certain Boseman was winning, and left the country, got out of the way, did almost nothing to interfere with Chadwick’s win.
So what happened? A lot of voters saw “The Father” late, and related to the whole dementia issue, caregiving for parents, etc. It’s that simple. And obviously that story appealed to all Oscar voters regardless of race.
RIP Legendary Recording Engineer Al Schmitt, 91, Won The Most Grammys, Worked with Steely Dan, Jackson Browne, Jefferson Airplane, Henry Mancini, More
Al Schmitt was beloved in the music biz, the most awarded recording engineer in history. He has died at age 91.
Mentored by the great Atlantic producer Tom Dowd, Al worked with everyone from Henry Mancini– on “Moon River” to Steely Dan, Jackson Browne, Jefferson Airplane, George Benson. Dozens of hits you hear on the radio came from Al’s work.
Just to give you an idea, he engineered Ray Charles’s monster hit, “Genius Loves Company,” for which he won a Grammy. His Grammy works also included Diana Krall, Norah Jones, Paul McCartney. Natalie Cole, Chick Corea. You get the idea– lush, gorgeous records that will stand the test of time.
There are so many records. He was responsible for all those amazing Jefferson Airplane records like “Volunteers” and “After Bathing at Baxter’s.” Jackson Browne’s masterpiece, “Late for the Sky,” I get chills thinking about it.
I do have a favorite Al Schmitt recording. Spirit’s “Nature’s Way.” I’m afraid if I put it here, I’ll be singing it all day. Thank you, Al, for giving us a soundtrack. Condolences to his family and friends.
Pop Waif Billie Eilish, New Song, Album “When I’m Away from You, I’m Happier Than Ever” Coming This Week: SNL Soon?
It’s no time to rest on laurels.
Billie Eilish will release a new song on Thursday, and a new album on July 30th. The now platinum blonde offers a clip with the lyrics, “When I’m away from you, I’m happier than ever.”
LOL. This should be good.
Presumably, brother Finneas– I call them the Emo Carpenters — wrote the songs. Since Adele released her last album, this pair has won about 50 Grammys and released about 15 records. Just sayin’…
PS I’ve no doubt Eilish will bat an eyelash before the season finale “SNL” next month…
Happier Than Ever pic.twitter.com/vaIbjfIvEb
— billie eilish (@billieeilish) April 26, 2021
Damn the Pandemic and Everything Else! Sir Ian McKellen, 81, Playing Hamlet, 30, in “Reimagined age, colour and gender-blind production”
Well, you know, Sir Ian McKellen can do anything. And he is forever young.
So it’s no surprise that he’ll be playing boyish Hamlet, thought to be 30 years old or a little younger, all summer in a UK production.
Sir Ian is a youthful 81. He first played Hamlet on stage when he was 29! Maybe he’ll get it right this time…
The production takes place from mid June through September at Theatre Royal Windsor on the outskirts of London, just across from the walls of Windsor Castle. If Queen Elizabeth is looking for some entertainment and take her mind off of grieving Philip, she can just walk over there!
This “Hamlet” cast includes Francesca Annis, 75, Jenny Seagrove, 63, and Steven Berkoff, 83. It’s described as a “reimagined age, colour and gender-blind production.” It’s directed by the great Sean Mathias, famed theater and film director, Sir Ian’s bestie (and long ago partner). Hamlet’s father will be played by Lionel Barrymore. (Just kidding!) Rosencrantz and Guildenstern in wheelchairs! (Joking!)
There will be seats on the stage, and everyone has to wear a mask. There’ some kind of social distancing involved. Most of the tickets are sold out.
Wish I could be there! (Wish I could be anywhere!)
You all know Sir Ian from “Lord of the Rings” and “X Men,” but the first time I saw him on stage was in 1981, on Broadway, starring in his Tony winning performance as Salieri in “Amadeus” and then in 1986 in Chekhov’s “Wild Honey.” He’s worth the trip!