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Brooke Baldwin Out at CNN After 13 Years, Replaced by Brianna Keilar: “Yes, I’m feeling very vulnerable”

Roger Friedman
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Brooke Baldwin Out at CNN After 13 Years, Replaced by Brianna Keilar: “Yes, I’m feeling very vulnerable”

I really liked Brooke Baldwin on CNN. She’s been there since 2008, working her way up to hosting the 1 to 3pm slot. But before the election she got edged out by Flavor of the Month Brianna Keilar. And now, Brooke is leaving the network. The television business is gruesome, isn’t it? Back in October, when Natalie Allen left, Brooke knew what was coming. She wrote on Instagram: “It’s been a dream of mine to work at CNN… I’m a home town girl (ATL 🍑), and this has always been my hometown network. In the last ten years, we’ve witnessed history together. I’ve laughed and cried with you… I’ve rung in many a New Year with you 🥂. I’ve been sick with you. I have GROWN with you.”

Little by little, CNN is remaking the mid afternoon. Jake Tapper has now cornered Wolf Blitzer, whose time has shrunk. It’s clear they’re trying to retire Wolfie, even though he will always be my guy. Wolf is almost 73, and TV is no country for old men. (Jake has stopped dying his hair and has a big gray wave in front. He’d better think about that.)

Brooke leaves officially in April, although we’ll probably see less and less of her. That’s what they do on soaps before they kill you off.

Here’s her statement:

“I will be leaving CNN in April. Let me back up. After most of my 20s working my way up in local news, I came to this network in 2008 – in the midst of the Great Recession as a freelancer. I remember I scribbled my name on a Post-It note and stuck it outside of this temporary office, determined to fulfilling my dream of becoming a full-time CNN correspondent.

“I wanted to be part of the best of the best in cable news and journalism, and, as a native Atlantan, this would be my hometown dream. Little did I know, I would not only go one to fulfill that dream, I would flourish in this environment and land my own two-hour show in the afternoon at the age of 31.

“For a decade I’ve never taken for granted the enormous responsibility and privilege I’ve had to work with some of the most talented producers and photojournalists and correspondents and anchors out there as we have covered our era’s most urgent and important stories, conflicts, terrorism, environmental and natural disasters, the wrath of gun violence, royal weddings, my American Women series, the social justice movement that defines our culture and a pandemic that changed the world and politics – lots of politics.

“You have been with me every step of the way – never more so than when I was incredibly sick with Covid last year. I am so grateful for your loyalty and passion for the world we cover. I am so grateful to my show team – you know who you are. You know who you are. To Jeff Zucker, to my very large CNN family and to you. To you.

“The next chapter of my life will be focused on what I love most about my work: amplifying the lives of extraordinary Americans and putting my passion for storytelling to good use. For the last two years, I’ve been working on my first book; it’s called Huddle: How Women Unlock Their Collective Power, and, you know, there’s just more I need to do – more I need to do outside of this place, outside of the walls of this place, a place I have been privileged to call home now for 13 years.

“And, yep, we still in a pandemic, and nope, I don’t have a job I’m jumping right into, and yes – yes, I’m feeling very vulnerable. But what is it Brene Brown says? ‘Vulnerability is the birthplace of innovation, creativity and change,’ and I am so excited about what is to come. So, here it goes: I really do hope you’ll join me, and in the meantime, I’ll be right here with you, right her until mid-April. Now, to the news.”

Writers Guild Nominees: Include Chicago 7, Borat 2, Judas, Sound of Metal But Exclude Nomadland, Minari

Roger Friedman
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Writers Guild Nominees: Include Chicago 7, Borat 2, Judas, Sound of Metal But Exclude Nomadland, Minari

The Writers Guild Awards 2021 nominations are out. You can peruse them here. Excluded because the writers aren’t in the Guild are top Oscar buzzes “Nomadland” and “Minari.” Also “Da 5 Bloods.” WGA noms are always a disappointment because this happens every year, the Oscar winner is rarely foreshadowed here.

From these nominees, I’d give Original Screenplay to Aaron Sorkin, and Adapted to Ruben Santiago Hudson. .


2021 Writers Guild Awards Nominees
SCREENPLAY NOMINEES
ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY

Judas and the Black Messiah, Screenplay by Will Berson & Shaka King, Story by Will Berson & Shaka King and Kenny Lucas & Keith Lucas; Warner Bros.

Palm Springs, Screenplay by Andy Siara, Story by Andy Siara & Max Barbakow; Hulu

Promising Young Woman, Written by Emerald Fennell; Focus Features

Sound of Metal, Screenplay by Darius Marder & Abraham Marder, Story by Darius Marder & Derek Cianfrance; Amazon Studios

The Trial of the Chicago 7, Written by Aaron Sorkin; Netflix

ADAPTED SCREENPLAY

Borat Subsequent Moviefilm, Screenplay by Sacha Baron Cohen & Anthony Hines & Dan Swimer & Peter Baynham & Erica Rivinoja & Dan Mazer & Jena Friedman & Lee Kern, Story by Sacha Baron Cohen & Anthony Hines & Dan Swimer & Nina Pedrad, Based on Characters Created by Sacha Baron Cohen; Amazon Studios

Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, Screenplay by Ruben Santiago-Hudson, Based on the Play Written by August Wilson; Netflix

News of the World, Screenplay by Paul Greengrass and Luke Davies, Based upon the Novel by Paulette Jiles; Universal Pictures

One Night in Miami, Screenplay by Kemp Powers, Based on the Stage Play “One Night in Miami” by Kemp Powers; Amazon Studios

The White Tiger, Screenplay by Ramin Bahrani, Based on the Book “The White Tiger” by Aravind Adiga; Netflix

DOCUMENTARY SCREENPLAY

All In: The Fight for Democracy, Written by Jack Youngelson; Amazon Studios

The Dissident, Written by Mark Monroe and Bryan Fogel; Briarcliff Entertainment

Herb Alpert Is…, Written by John Scheinfeld; Abramorama

Red Penguins, Written by Gabe Polsky; Universal Pictures

Totally Under Control, Written by Alex Gibney; Neon

TELEVISION, NEW MEDIA, AND NEWS NOMINEES
DRAMA SERIES

Better Call Saul, Written by Ann Cherkis, Vince Gilligan, Peter Gould, Ariel Levine, Heather Marion, Thomas Schnauz, Gordon Smith, Alison Tatlock; AMC

The Boys, Written by Eric Kripke, Ellie Monahan, Anslem Richardson, Craig Rosenberg, Michael Saltzman, Rebecca Sonnenshine; Amazon Studios

The Crown, Written by Peter Morgan, Jonathan Wilson; Netflix

The Mandalorian, Written by Rick Famuyiwa, Jon Favreau, Dave Filoni; Disney+

Ozark, Written by Laura Deeley, Bill Dubuque, Paul Kolsby, Miki Johnson, Chris Mundy, John Shiban, Ning Zhou, Martin Zimmerman; Netflix
COMEDY SERIES

Curb Your Enthusiasm, Written by Larry David, Justin Hurwitz, Steve Leff, Carol Leifer, Jeff Schaffer; HBO

The Great, Written by Vanessa Alexander, Tony McNamara, Tess Morris, Amelia Roper, Gretel Vella, James Wood; Hulu

PEN15, Written by; Alyssa DiMari, Maya Erskine, Anna Konkle, Josh Levine, Gabe Liedman, Rachele Lynn, Vera Santamaria, Diana Tay, Sam Zvibleman; Hulu

Ted Lasso, Written by Jane Becker, Leann Bowen, Brett Goldstein, Brendan Hunt, Joe Kelly, Bill Lawrence, Jamie Lee, Jason Sudeikis, Phoebe Walsh, Bill Wrubel; Apple TV+

What We Do in the Shadows, Written by Jake Bender, Jemaine Clement, Zach Dunn, Joe Furey, Shana Gohd, Sam Johnson, Chris Marcil, William Meny, Sarah Naftalis, Stefani Robinson, Marika Sawyer, Paul Simms; FX Networks
NEW SERIES

Dave, Written by Dave Burd, Vanessa McGee, Saladin Patterson, Luvh Rakhe, Alex Russell, Jeff Schaffer, Max Searle, Yamara Taylor; FX Networks

The Flight Attendant, Written by Kara Lee Corthron, Michael Foley, Ryan Jennifer Jones, Ticona S. Joy, Meredith Lavender, Jess Meyer, Daniele Nathanson, Marcie Ulin, Ian Weinreich, Steve Yockey; HBO Max

The Great, Written by Vanessa Alexander, Tony McNamara, Tess Morris, Amelia Roper, Gretel Vella, James Wood; Hulu

Lovecraft Country, Written by Misha Green, Shannon Houston, Jonathan Kidd, Kevin Lau, Ihuoma Ofordire, Wes Taylor, Sonya Winton; HBO

Ted Lasso, Written by Jane Becker, Leann Bowen, Brett Goldstein, Brendan Hunt, Joe Kelly, Bill Lawrence, Jamie Lee, Jason Sudeikis, Phoebe Walsh, Bill Wrubel; Apple TV+
ORIGINAL LONG FORM

Dirty John: The Betty Broderick Story, Written by Aaron Carew, Alexandra Cunningham, Lex Edness, Kevin J. Hynes, Juliet Lashinsky-Revene, Stacy A. Littlejohn, Katherine B. McKenna; USA

Hollywood, Written by Ian Brennan, Janet Mock, Ryan Murphy, Reilly Smith; Netflix

Mrs. America, Written by Tanya Barfield, Joshua Griffith, Sharon Hoffman, Boo Killebrew, Micah Schraft, April Shih, Dahvi Waller; FX Networks

Safety, Written by Nick Santora; Disney+

Uncle Frank, Written by Alan Ball; Amazon Studios
ADAPTED LONG FORM

Bad Education, Written by Mike Makowsky, Based on the New York Magazine article ” The Bad Superintendent” by Robert Kolker; HBO

Clouds, Screenplay by Kara Holden; Story by Casey La Scala & Patrick Kopka and Kara Holden, Based on the book entitled “Fly A Little Higher’ by Laura Sobiech; Disney+

The Good Lord Bird, Written by Jeff Augustin, Ethan Hawke, Erika L. Johnson, Mark Richard, Kristen SaBerre, Lauren Signorino, Based on the Novel by James McBride; Showtime

Little Fires Everywhere, Written by Harris Danow, Rosa Handelman, Shannon Houston, Attica Locke, Raamla Mohamed, Amy Talkington, Liz Tigelaar, Nancy Won, Based on the book by Celeste Ng; Hulu

The Queen’s Gambit, Written by Scott Frank, Allan Scott, Based on the novel by Walter Tevis; Netflix
ORIGINAL & ADAPTED SHORT FORM NEW MEDIA

#FREERAYSHAWN, Written by Marc Maurino; Quibi

Better Call Saul Employee Training: Legal Ethics with Kim Wexler, Written by Ariel Levine; AMC Digital on YouTube

Most Dangerous Game, Written by Nick Santora, Josh Harmon, Scott Elder; Quibi

* Per Writers Guild Awards submission rules, if there are insufficient entries in any category, those entries may be placed in another category.
ANIMATION

“A Springfield Summer Christmas For Christmas” (The Simpsons), Written by Jessica Conrad; Fox

“Bart The Bad Guy” (The Simpsons), Written by Dan Vebber; Fox

“I, Carumbus” (The Simpsons), Written by Cesar Mazariegos; Fox

“Prank You for Being A Friend” (Bob’s Burgers), Written by Katie Crown; Fox

“Three Dreams Denied” (The Simpsons), Written by Danielle Weisberg; Fox

“Xerox of a Xerox” (BoJack Horseman), Written by Nick Adams; Netflix
EPISODIC DRAMA

“Bad Choice Road” (Better Call Saul), Written by Thomas Schnauz; AMC

“Fire Pink” (Ozark), Written by Miki Johnson; Netflix

“JMM” (Better Call Saul), Written by Alison Tatlock; AMC

“Raised by Wolves” (Raised by Wolves), Written by Aaron Guzikowski; HBO Max

“Something Unforgivable” (Better Call Saul), Written by Peter Gould & Ariel Levine; AMC

“Trouble Don’t Last Always” (Euphoria), Written by Sam Levinson; HBO
EPISODIC COMEDY

“Grandma & Chill” (Awkwafina Is Nora from Queens), Written by Kyle Lau; Comedy Central

“The Great” (The Great), Written by Tony McNamara; Hulu

“It’s Not You, It’s Me” (Dead to Me), Written by Liz Feldman & Kelly Hutchinson; Netflix

“Pilot” (Ted Lasso), Teleplay by Jason Sudeikis & Bill Lawrence, Story by Jason Sudeikis & Bill Lawrence & Brendan Hunt & Joe Kelly; Apple TV+

“The Tank” (Grace & Frankie), Written by Alex Kavallierou; Netflix

“Trick” (High Maintenance), Written by Isaac Oliver; HBO
COMEDY/VARIETY TALK SERIES

Desus & Mero, Writers: Daniel “Desus Nice” Baker, Claire Friedman, Ziwe Fumudoh, Josh Gondelman, Robert Kornhauser, Joel “The Kid Mero” Martinez, Heben Nigatu, Mike Pielocik, Julia Young; Showtime

Full Frontal with Samantha Bee, Writers: Kristen Bartlett, Samantha Bee, Pat Cassels, Sean Crespo, Mike Drucker, Mathan Erhardt, Joe Grossman, Miles Kahn, Sahar Rizvi, Chris Thompson, Holly Walker, Alison Zeidman, Special Materials by: Michael Rhoa; TBS

Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, Writers: Johnathan Appel, Ali Barthwell, Tim Carvell, Liz Hynes, Greg Iwinski, Mark Kramer, Daniel O’Brien, John Oliver, Owen Parsons, Charlie Redd, Joanna Rothkopf, Chrissy Shackelford, Ben Silva, Seena Vali; HBO

Late Night with Seth Meyers, Head Writer: Alex Baze Writing Supervised by: Seth Reiss Closer Look Writing Supervised by: Sal Gentile Writers: Jermaine Affonso, Karen Chee, Bryan Donaldson, Matt Goldich, Dina Gusovsky, Jenny Hagel, Allison Hord, Mike Karnell, John Lutz, Seth Meyers, Ian Morgan, John Mulaney, Amber Ruffin, Mike Scollins, Mike Shoemaker, Ben Warheit, Jeff Wright; NBC

The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, Head Writers: Ariel Dumas, Jay Katsir Writers: Delmonte Bent, Michael Brumm, River Clegg, Aaron Cohen, Nicole Conlan, Stephen T. Colbert, Paul Dinello, Glenn Eichler, Django Gold, Gabe Gronli, Barry Julien, Michael Cruz Kayne, Eliana Kwartler, Matt Lappin, Felipe Torres Medina, Opus Moreschi, Asher Perlman, Tom Purcell, Kate Sidley, Brian Stack, John Thibodeaux, Steve Waltien; CBS
COMEDY/VARIETY SPECIALS

30 Rock: A One-Time Special, Written by Tina Fey & Robert Carlock; NBC

Father of the Bride Part 3 (ish), Written by Nancy Meyers; YouTube

Stephen Colbert’s Election Night 2020: Democracy’s Last Stand: Building Back America Great Again Better 2020, Head Writers: Ariel Dumas, Jay Katsir Writers: Delmonte Bent, Michael Brumm, River Clegg, Aaron Cohen, Stephen T. Colbert, Nicole Conlan, Paul Dinello, Glenn Eichler, Django Gold, Gabe Gronli, Barry Julien, Michael Cruz Kayne, Eliana Kwartler, Matt Lappin, Felipe Torres Medina, Opus Moreschi, Asher Perlman, Tom Purcell, Kate Sidley, Brian Stack, John Thibodeaux, Steve Waltien; Showtime

Yearly Departed, Head Writer: Bess Kalb Writers: Karen Chee, Akilah Green, Franchesca Ramsey, Jocelyn Richard; Amazon Studios
COMEDY/VARIETY SKETCH SERIES

At Home with Amy Sedaris, Writers: Jeremy Beiler, Cole Escola, Peter Grosz, Amy Sedaris; truTV

How To with John Wilson, Writers: Alice Gregory, Michael Koman, John Wilson; HBO

The Amber Ruffin Show, Head Writer: Jenny Hagel Writers: Demi Adejuyigbe, Shantira Jackson, Dewayne Perkins, Amber Ruffin Additional Material by John Lutz; Peacock Originals
QUIZ AND AUDIENCE PARTICIPATION

Hollywood Game Night, Head Writers: Ann Slichter, Grant Taylor Writers: Michael Agbabian, Allie Kokesh, Dwight D. Smith; NBC

Jeopardy!, Writers: Matthew Caruso, John Duarte, Harry Friedman, Mark Gaberman, Debbie Griffin, Michele Loud, Robert McClenaghan, Jim Rhine, Mike Richards, Billy Wisse; ABC

Weakest Link, Head Writer: Ann Slichter Writers: Chip Dornell, Paul Greenberg, Joyce Ikemi, Stuart Krasnow, Jon Macks, Mona Mira, Scott Saltzburg, Aaron Solomon, Chris Sturgeon, Grant Taylor; NBC

Who Wants to Be a Millionaire Celebrity Season, Head Writer: Bobby Patton Writers: Alan Bailey, Josh Halloway, Seth Harrington, Shawn Kennedy; Disney/ABC Syndication
DAYTIME DRAMA

Days of Our Lives, Head Writer: Ron Carlivati Writers: Lorraine Broderick, Joanna Cohen, Carolyn Culliton, Richard Culliton, Rick Draughon, David Kreizman, Rebecca McCarty, Ryan Quan, Dave Ryan, Katherine D. Schock, Elizabeth Snyder; NBC

General Hospital, Head Writers: Dan O’Connor, Christopher Van Etten Associate Head Writer: Anna Theresa Cascio Writers: Barbara Bloom, Suzanne Flynn, Charlotte Gibson, Lucky Gold, Kate Hall, Elizabeth Korte, David Rupel, Lisa Seidman, Donny Sheldon, Scott Sickles; ABC
CHILDREN’S EPISODIC, LONG FORM AND SPECIALS

“Countdown” (The Astronauts), Written by Dan Knauf; Nickelodeon

“Mo Willems And The Storytime All Stars Present: Don’t Let The Pigeon Do Storytime,” Written by Mo Willems, Based on the children’s books and published by Hyperion: Leonard the Terrible Monster; Knuffle Bunny: A Cautionary Tale; A Busy Creature’s Day Eating!; Elephant and Piggy’s Waiting is Not Easy!; and Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus; HBO Max

“The Not Too Late Show with Elmo,” Writers: Geri Cole, Scott Gray, Benjamin Lehmann, Wendy Marston, Andrew Moriarty, Ken Scarborough, Moujan Zolfaghari; HBO Max

“The Power of We: A Sesame Street Special,” Written by Geri Cole; HBO Max

“The Sleepover,” Written by Sarah Rothschild; Netflix

“Speaking of Cancer” (Alexa & Katie), Written by Leo Chu & Eric S. Garcia & Julia Miranda; Netflix
DOCUMENTARY SCRIPT – CURRENT EVENTS

“Agents of Chaos, Part I,” Written by Alex Gibney & Michael J. Palmer; HBO Documentary Films

“Agents of Chaos, Part II,” Written by Alex Gibney & Michael J. Palmer; HBO Documentary Films

“The Choice 2020: Trump vs. Biden” (Frontline), Written by Michael Kirk & Mike Wiser; PBS

“Whose Vote Counts” (Frontline), Written by Jelani Cobb, June Cross & Tom Jennings; PBS
DOCUMENTARY SCRIPT – OTHER THAN CURRENT EVENTS

“Opioids, Inc” (Frontline), Written by Tom Jennings; PBS

“The Poison Squad” (American Experience), Written by John Maggio; PBS

“The Violence Paradox” (Nova), Written by Michael Bicks and Anna Lee Strachan; PBS
NEWS SCRIPT – REGULARLY SCHEDULED, BULLETIN, OR BREAKING REPORT

“Anger in America” (World News Tonight with David Muir), Written by Dave Bloch, David Muir, Karen Mooney, David Schoetz; ABC News

“Critical Condition” (60 Minutes), Written by Katie Kerbstat Jacobson, Scott Pelley, Nicole Young; CBS News

“Gale Sayers Obit,” Written by Joe McLaughlin; WCBS-TV

“The Wild West of Covid Testing” (60 Minutes), Written by Sharyn Alfonsi, Oriana Zill de Granados, Emily Gordon; CBS News
NEWS SCRIPT – ANALYSIS, FEATURE, OR COMMENTARY

“Exhume the Truth” (60 Minutes), Written by Katie Kerbstat Jacobson, Scott Pelley, Joe Schanzer, Nicole Young; CBS News

“Juneteenth: A Celebration of Overcoming,” Written by Dave Bloch; ABC News

“The African Basketball Trail” (60 Minutes), Written by Oriana Zill de Granados, Emily Gordon; CBS News
DIGITAL NEWS

“Pornhub Doesn’t Care,” Written by Samantha Cole and Emanuel Maiberg; Vice.com

“This Week Has Happened Before,” Written by Julia Craven; Slate.com

“The Store That Called the Cops on George Floyd,” Written by Aymann Ismail; Slate.com

“Why Did the Government Separate This Family?” Written by Jeremy Stahl; Slate.com
RADIO/AUDIO NOMINEES
RADIO/AUDIO NEWS SCRIPT – REGULARLY SCHEDULED, BULLETIN, OR BREAKING REPORT

“CBS News on the Hour with Norah O’Donnell, March 10, 2020,” Written by James Hutton; CBS New Radio

“Changemakers: Leaders Who Made a Difference,” Written by Gail Lee; CBS News Radio

“World News This Week, November 13, 2020,” Written by Joan Harris; ABC News Radio/WNTW Podcasts
RADIO/AUDIO NEWS SCRIPT – ANALYSIS, FEATURE, OR COMMENTARY

“Instrument of Hope,” Written by Christopher Barry; ABC News Audio

“Against Those Thugs: Delores Tucker and Bill Bennett” (Slow Burn) Written by Joel Anderson, Christopher Johnson; Slate Podcasts

“The Gist: Spiel, April 3, 2020,” Written by Mike Pesca; Slate Podcasts
PROMOTIONAL WRITING NOMINEES
ON AIR PROMOTION

“Can You See It?” Written by Meghana Reddy and Angad Bhalla; Facebook

“Get Out The Vote – Check Out Those Moves,” Written by Meghana Reddy and Angad Bhalla; Facebook, Instagram, YouTube

“Launch Trailers,” Written by Molly Neylan; CBS All Access

Flashback: How Barbra Streisand Recorded Her One and Only Rock Hit, “Stoney End” Even Though She Didn’t Want To

Roger Friedman
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Flashback: How Barbra Streisand Recorded Her One and Only Rock Hit, “Stoney End” Even Though She Didn’t Want To

Barbra Streisand has plenty of hits and signature songs. But she’s pretty much known for ballads and show tunes, not rock songs or anything considered “contemporary.” In the 60s she made her name with “Don’t Rain on My Parade,” “People” and “Happy Days Are Here Again.”

But in 1970 she asked producer Richard Perry — whom she’d met through Clive Davis, then the head of Columbia Records —  to “Get me the new Van Morrison, Marvin Gaye, Randy Newman, Johnny Cash, and the new Joni Mitchell—and by the way, I think she’s a gas!” Barbra, Perry writes in his memoir, “Cloud Nine,” out today, had totally immersed herself in the pop culture.

Perry writes that he “brought Clive seven songs to begin with, including three by Laura Nyro: “Stoney End,” “Time and Love,” and “Flim Flam Man.” Laura was the hottest songwriter in the business at the time, and Barbra had a great affinity for her music. There were two Randy Newman compositions: “I’ll Be Home” and “Let Me Go,” a personal favorite of mine. I also included Gordon Lightfoot’s “If You Could Read My Mind,” a gem of a song that Warner Brothers hadn’t thought of releasing as a single by Lightfoot until Barbra recorded it.”

“Stoney End” would become Barbra’s one and only rock hit, still demanded by fans after 50 years. But when it came to record it, Barbra, Perry recalls, broke down in the stuio. “I can’t do this,” she exclaimed. “This isn’t me…I just don’t feel it!”

Perry writes: “Stoney End” was the third song we recorded that night, and certainly the biggest stretch for her artistically… All of Barbra’s first takes in the studio were pure magic—hearing that voice singing these songs—but the moment we ran down the first take of “Stoney End,” it felt like a lightning bolt was going through me. I swear, my hair stood on end. It was one of the most amazing feelings I have ever had in the studio.”

“As we were listening to the playback, Barbra leaned over and whispered in my ear, “You were right, and I was wrong. But it’s nice to be wrong.” It was a moment I will remember for the rest of my life.”

Cloud Nine is out today on amazon.com and booksellers.

 

 

Exclusive: Carly Simon’s Producer, Richard Perry, Fesses Up About You’re So Vain, Mick Jagger, and Warren Beatty

Roger Friedman
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Exclusive: Carly Simon’s Producer, Richard Perry, Fesses Up About You’re So Vain, Mick Jagger, and Warren Beatty

EXCLUSIVE

Landing on amazon.com and in bookstores tomorrow is just about the most explosive, detailed account of 1970s pop I’ve ever read. Famed record producer Richard Perry is landing with “Cloud Nine,” his memoir of working with Carly Simon, Ringo Starr, Harry Nilsson, Rod Stewart, Fats Domino, the Pointer Sisters, Leo Sayer, and dozens more acts.

As good if not better than Keith Richards’s juicy tome, “Life,” Perry’s “Cloud Nine” had me on Cloud Nine literally. Perry is one of the most successful record producers of all time, and probably the most successful of the 70s and 80s. Carly’s “You’re So Vain,” Nilsson’s “Without You,” The Pointers’ “Jump,” Ringo’s “Photograph,” are just a few of his many, many chart hits. The list goes on and on.

It was Perry who pitched Clive Davis on the idea of Rod Stewart singing the Great American Songbook. They got five chart topping albums out of this idea, not to mention one with the late Phil Ramone.

Beatles fans will go crazy about the behind the scenes stuff Perry did to make Ringo’s “Ringo” album with contributions from Paul McCartney, George Harrison and John Lennon, just two years after the Beatles broke up.

But the big news is about “You’re So Vain,” which Perry says in the book he can’t believe that 48 years later people are still talking about. He writes: “I consider this to be the closest I’ve come to making a perfect record and it is the one of which I am most proud.”

He writes about how Carly brought Mick Jagger to the studio to sing back up, which you can hear clearly now on remastered versions. Says Perry: “Most people are unaware that Mick is on the record—but now that you know, play it for anyone and see how shocked they are. I must say that the sound of Mick’s voice adds a unique edge to the sound of the record, especially when he and Carly sing, “Don’t you, don’t you, don’t you!”

But let’s cut to the Big Question. Who is “You’re So Vain” about? Perry weighs in: “The final chapter of the “You’re So Vain” saga would not be complete without answering the question that continues to fascinate people forty-eight years later. I am still asked all the time who the song is about. Even when they are told the answer, it’s as if they don’t really want to know. They’d rather keep asking than put the matter to rest once and for all. It’s more exciting! Since it’s been revealed numerous times, I’ll take this opportunity to give my insider’s scoop: the person that the song is based on is really a composite of several men that Carly dated in the ’60s and early ’70s, but primarily, it’s about my good friend, Warren Beatty.”

“Cloud Nine” is a winner. Perry, you realize, was quite the ladies man in the Warren Beatty- Jack Nicholson circle. He dated Cher, and Diana Ross. And then, Jane Fonda. I mean, hello? I’ll try to dig out a couple more gems before tomorrow’s publication.

 

 

photo c2021 Showbiz411

Ratings: Queen Latifah’s “Equalizer” Takes Out “American Idol,” But Claudia Conway Trumps “NCIS” Spin Offs

Roger Friedman
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Ratings: Queen Latifah’s “Equalizer” Takes Out “American Idol,” But Claudia Conway Trumps “NCIS” Spin Offs

It was a rocky night last night for network shows.

CBS sent Queen Latifah in to take out “American Idol” and it did the trick. “The Equalizer” knocked off the first half of “Idol” easily at 8pm, which was a shame. The first hour of “Idol” had pretty good singers.

The second half of “Idol” at 9pm was not so good, but it featured The Conway Family starring teen Claudia, her out of it father, and mother who no one ever wants to see again.

“Idol” has evidently bought in to exploiting Claudia for ratings, and this paid off. “Idol” at 9pm beat both “NCIS Los Angeles” and “New Orleans.” Two of the three judges went along with keeping Claudia on the show for another week. Luke Bryan was the dissenting vote but he was overruled.

More worrisome is that the “NCIS” spin-offs are fading. “Los Angeles” came in just under 6 million viewers, and “New Orleans” just under 5 million. And those are sweeps episodes. Now that there’s word going around that Scott Bakula is eyeing a return to the “Star Trek” franchise, he may be preparing for an “NCIS NO” ending. So hold on.

Next Sunday pits Queen Latifah against Claudia Conway directly as “Idol” will be just an hour at 8pm. Will the Queen equalize the singers? Stay tuned…

 

UPDATE “American Idol” Gives Claudia Conway the Golden Ticket to the Next Round, But Are They Using Her? (Yes)

Roger Friedman
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UPDATE “American Idol” Gives Claudia Conway the Golden Ticket to the Next Round, But Are They Using Her? (Yes)

We’ll see how the ratings were tomorrow for tonight’s “American Idol.” But the gimmick of letting 16 year old Claudia Conway advance to the next round is not funny.

Claudia got her Golden Ticket, but not before Luke Bryan was brave enough to say she wasn’t ready for the show.

Katy Perry and Lionel Richie overruled Luke, and let Claudia in. I think this is a mistake. The show is using her for ratings, Period.

Claudia is already a social media star of infamy. Her young life is dissected daily because her parents are letting her cause chaos on TikTok. Now, this.

Luke Bryan was right. Her voice isn’t ready. Her delivery isn’t either. She twists her mouth in a very unattractive way. A coach might help, but two more years would, also. The Conways are exposing Claudia to public criticism.

She was so bad on her first song that the judges stopped her. Then they acquiesced and let her sing Adele’s “When I Was Young.” It was okay, but not great. And now she’s made the cut. She’s never going to be a great pop singer. But the time her teen years are over, she’s going to have a tough hide.

PS If we have to see Kellyanne Conway again on a big screen, I will throw the TV out the window.

 

 

Jared Leto’s Joker Revived in Hot New Justice League Teaser: “We live in a society where honor is a distant memory”

Roger Friedman
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Jared Leto’s Joker Revived in Hot New Justice League Teaser: “We live in a society where honor is a distant memory”

Wait for it. At the end of this trailer for Zack Snyder’s cut of “Justice League,” Jared Leto reappears as the Joker. He utters these immortal words: “We live in a society where honor is a distant memory. Isn’t that right, Batman?”

Leto’s Joker cut got out of the 2017 “Justice League” by the now disgraced replacement director Joss Whedon when a tragedy in Snyder’s family forced him to turn over the movie.

But now, after a campaign that went on and on, Snyder has restored the film to his four hour directors cut, coming next month to HBO Max. Leto is back in, and so are a few more Easter eggs. Fans are going crazy.

It’s amazing how many people are now running around as The Joker. My Joker was always Cesar Romero. He’d be shocked if he saw what he wrought.

Anyway, the real hero of these movies is Jeremy Irons as Alfred.

“Saturday Night Live” Ratings Tumble with Regina King and Nathaniel Rateliff to Season Low Without Trump or Much Politics

Roger Friedman
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“Saturday Night Live” Ratings Tumble with Regina King and Nathaniel Rateliff to Season Low Without Trump or Much Politics

“Saturday Night Live” wasn’t very funny last night, and that showed in the ratings.

The numbers for the Regina King- hosted, Nathaniel Rateliff episode were lower than they’ve been all season. Total viewers were 4.1 million. The average this season has been 4.3 million, and the highs were really high at one point.

I’m not surprised that “SNL” is starting to wear down. Trump fueled their ratings for four years. It gave them a reason to exist. There was buzz every week about what they would say about some Trump scandal.

But with Trump gone, the jokes are, too. The sketches are very lame. And while I love Regina King, she wasn’t a draw. If they really wanted her, a buzzy musical guest would have helped. But I find Rateliff to be a yawn. He sounds like a cover band of The Band. Snore. He’s musical but dull.

The only nod to politics last night was in the cold opening. But after that, the show consisted mostly of pedestrian comedy.

Why aren’t Mikey Day and Alex Moffat doing Trump brothers from Mar-a-Lago? Where is Kate McKinnon? Her witch was fun, but we’re missing her upfront and all through the show.

This coming week should kick things up with “Bridgerton” star Regé-Jean Page and music guest Bad Bunny. But it’s the writing. “SNL” needs some good parodies. A big “Bridgerton” number should help, or several. Where was the Regina King “Watchmen” skit? Or “One Night in Miami” reimagined? That could have been daring as an updated meeting of all kinds of people. Chris Redd could have played Sam Cooke so easily!

Well, on to next week.

 

MONDAY UPDATED Taylor Swift Socks it to Scooter Braun, Shamrock Cap with 6 Million Streams in One Day for New “Love Story”

Roger Friedman
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MONDAY UPDATED Taylor Swift Socks it to Scooter Braun, Shamrock Cap with 6 Million Streams in One Day for New “Love Story”

MONDAY FEB 15 2021: The new “Love Story” sales are at around 84,000 just Friday and Saturday.

SUNDAY: Wherever Taylor Swift is today. she’s cackling and petting one of her cats. She’s won. She’s socked it to Scooter Braun, SCott Borchetta, and Shamrock Capital Holdings.

Her re-recorded “Love Story” had 6 million streams on Friday, its debut day. That translated into sales of 52,000 including streaming. Downloads came to 10,000. That was one day with little notice. “Love Story (Taylor’s Version)” is number 1 on iTunes since Friday.

This leaves the aforementioned group of men scratching their heads about what to do next. Their $300 million investment has gone up in smoke. To wit: Scooter bought Scott’s record company, the main asset of which was Taylor’s master recordings of six albums. Then Scooter turned around and sold the masters to Shamrock for $300 million.

And now it’s all worthless. Taylor will release the whole remade “Fearless” album with he new “Love Story” and six more unreleased songs. That will nullify the old album. Then she’ll do that with five more albums.

Not to mention that Taylor’s biggest albums– “Lover,” “Folklore,” and “Evermore”– aren’t even part of the Scooter pie. And when she releases a new version of the now Shamrock owned “1989” there will be skyrocketing sales.

They’re going to study all this one day at Harvard Business school. With Taylor getting an honorary doctorate. (And Don Passman, PhD.)

Read Joe Biden’s Classy Statement About Donald Trump’s Impeachment Trial: “The substance of the charge is not in dispute”

Roger Friedman
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Read Joe Biden’s Classy Statement About Donald Trump’s Impeachment Trial: “The substance of the charge is not in dispute”

I like Joe Biden. Here is his classy statement following the trial of Donald Trump. “While the final vote did not lead to a conviction, the substance of the charge is not in dispute.”

That’s right. I really feel Biden conveyed to Nancy Pelosi to wrap this thing up so he could get on with his plans. Enough already.

President Biden:

It was nearly two weeks ago that Jill and I paid our respects to Capitol Police officer Brian Sicknick, who laid in honor in the Rotunda after losing his life protecting the Capitol from a riotous, violent mob on January 6, 2021.

Today, 57 Senators – including a record 7 Republicans – voted to find former President Trump guilty for inciting that deadly insurrection on our very democracy. The Senate vote followed the bipartisan vote to impeach him by the House of Representatives. While the final vote did not lead to a conviction, the substance of the charge is not in dispute. Even those opposed to the conviction, like Senate Minority Leader McConnell, believe Donald Trump was guilty of a “disgraceful dereliction of duty” and “practically and morally responsible for provoking” the violence unleashed on the Capitol.

Tonight, I am thinking about those who bravely stood guard that January day. I’m thinking about all those who lost their lives, all those whose lives were threatened, and all those who are still today living with terror they lived through that day. And I’m thinking of those who demonstrated the courage to protect the integrity of our democracy – Democrats and Republicans, election officials and judges, elected representatives and poll workers – before and after the election.

This sad chapter in our history has reminded us that democracy is fragile. That it must always be defended. That we must be ever vigilant. That violence and extremism has no place in America. And that each of us has a duty and responsibility as Americans, and especially as leaders, to defend the truth and to defeat the lies.

That is how we end this uncivil war and heal the very soul of our nation. That is the task ahead. And it’s a task we must undertake together. As the United States of America.

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