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Anna Wintour’s Winter of Discontent: Insults Kamala Harris as Vogue Steers Clear of Models, Attempts Seriousness

Roger Friedman
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Anna Wintour’s Winter of Discontent: Insults Kamala Harris as Vogue Steers Clear of Models, Attempts Seriousness

Anna Wintour is having a bad winter.

She’s insulted Vice President elect Kamala Harris by using a cover photo on Vogue that the VP’s staff didn’t approve. And, of course, they hate the one she chose.

This is for February Vogue, following January Vogue with Oscar winning actress and notorious sourpuss Frances McDormand on the cover. We love McDormand existentially, but for Vogue? Maybe the New Republic, or the Atlantic. (Is the New Republic still in business?)

Harris is presented in casual clothes with sneakers on. She’s giving her million dollar smile, so that helps. But couldn’t Wintour and her minions have come up with a clever way to make her look great and on a budget?

You see AOC was on the cover of Vanity Fair wearing very expensive, albeit borrowed, clothes. And readers went wild accusing her of abandoning her working class persona. Harris certainly wouldn’t want the same blow back. But how about some lighting? How about some effort?

Of course, Harris is Black, which isn’t Wintour’s forte in the first place. So she’s really getting creamed PR wise for blowing this project. And this, after Anna was appointed or anointed head of all Conde Nast editorial. This is like being named captain of the Titanic after they hit the iceberg.

And McDormand, then Harris– this isn’t Anna’s Vogue. This is Edward Enninful’s Vogue. The editor of British Vogue can pull off these intellectual race-crossing covers. Wintour cannot. She seems to have dropped celebrities and models in favor of Being Smart like Enninful, only to make a mess of it.

On top of all this, it’s February 1st. May 1st — the time of the Met Ball– is around the corner. Either plan it or abandon it. There’s just no way it’s going to happen until at least the fall, if ever. So Wintour really has her hands full. Enninful.

 

Anna Rose King, Filmmaker, Daughter of Late Syndication Exec Roger King, Dies at 35 from Lung Cancer

Roger Friedman
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Anna Rose King, Filmmaker, Daughter of Late Syndication Exec Roger King, Dies at 35 from Lung Cancer

Three years ago this past October I was invited to a small private screening for a movie called “Good Enough,” directed by Anna Rose King. She was the daughter of Roger King, the late syndication titan who put Oprah on the map. I thought, this has to be terrible but I’ll go, it’s near my house.

“Good Enough” was wonderful, as it turned out, and so was Anna Rose King. Not cashing in on her father, she was a self-starter with lots of great ideas. And she was just lovely– funny, open, articulate. Smart. Beautiful. I thought, she could be s a star. Anna Rose made a very good movie, one that I thought should have been at Sundance and released properly. We spent the evening talking about all this, and then, life went on.

Tonight I’ve learned that Anna Rose, 35, has died of lung cancer. What??? She was married and had a 4 year old daughter.

I did lose track of her but often wondered what had happened after that screening. She must have been diagnosed not long after that night. She had a few other directing credits, and last year she was selected as a 2020 Sundance Institute FilmTwo Fellow for her screenplay about a New York woman who seeks to cure her cancer by participating in an experimental treatment in Houston.

This is heartbreaking for her family and friends, and her admirers, of which I count myself as one. What a shame. So far, 2021 isn’t much better than 2020.

Read my original piece here. I took this photo, we set it up after the screening.

PS I don’t know if “Good Enough” is on iTunes, but if it is, take a look. You won’t be disappointed.

“Nomadland” Sweeps Gotham Awards with Best Feature, Audience Award on Its Way to the Oscars

Roger Friedman
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“Nomadland” Sweeps Gotham Awards with Best Feature, Audience Award on Its Way to the Oscars

“Nomadland” directed by Chloe Zhao swept the Gotham Awards tonight, winning Best Feature and the Audience Award.

The only award Nomadland lost was Best Actress. In an upset, Nicole Beharie won Best Actress for “Miss Juneteenth.”

The late Chadwick Boseman lost Best Actor to Riz Ahmed, for “The Sound of Metal.” They will each likely get Oscar nominations.

Presented virtually in a very clever way, the Gothams ran two hours and fifteen minutes and were full of fun, surprise winners, and lots of taken aback speakers. It wasn’t as good as being there live, but they did alright.

The Gothams are usually presented on the Monday after Thanksgiving, so they were late. The juries decide the awards in early fall, so many films weren’t available to them yet. But that’s ok this year.  “Nomadland” is exceptional, and on its way to the Oscar win for Best Picture.

There were tributes to Viola Davis, Ryan Murphy, and an Ensemble Award to Aaron Sorkin’s excellent “Trial of the Chicago 7.”

Best foreign film went to “Identifying Features.”

There were two ties: for screenplay, and for documentary. The screenplay awards went to “Forty Year Old Version” and “14.”

The documentary winners were “Time,” produced by the Obamas for Netflix, and “A Thousand Cuts.”

Compete official list coming….

 

 

Nicole Kidman In, Cate Blanchett Out as Lucille Ball in “I Love Lucy” Movie Written and Directed by Aaron Sorkin

Roger Friedman
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Nicole Kidman In, Cate Blanchett Out as Lucille Ball in “I Love Lucy” Movie Written and Directed by Aaron Sorkin

Can we handle the truth? We may never know why Nicole Kidman is in and Cate Blanchett is out as Lucille Ball in Aaron Sorkin’s movie about “I Love Lucy.”

Deadline reports that Sorkin will direct Kidman and Javier Bardem as Lucy and Desi Arnaz as they shoot an episode of “I Love Lucy” in a film for Amazon Studios.

“Being the Ricardos” is set for a spring production.

The news is a little startling because Blanchett was all signed up for the project three years ago. Lucy’s actress daughter, Lucie Arnaz, was thrilled and gave her blessing. Just last year, in December 2019, Arnaz told “Good Morning America” how excited she was about Blanchett.

“The first person they mentioned they wanted to inquire about playing [my mother] said, ‘Oh my God. Yes.’ And that was Cate Blanchett,” she said.

“She totally gets where my mother was coming from, and she’s going to be magnificent in this,” Arnaz said of Blanchett.

This last minute change is strange, too, because both of these Oscar winning Australian actresses are represented by CAA, Creative Artists Agency, and are at top of the heap in getting roles they want.

Cate would have been great, Nicole will be great. The main thing is Sorkin has got to show Lucille Ball as a gifted comedian who was also a shrewd businesswoman in a tempestuous marriage.

Arnaz told “GMA” that after seeing this movie, she wanted audiences to say: ‘I understand Desi. I understand Lucy I understand why they fell in love. I understand why they couldn’t stay married. And I understand why that show worked the way it did.’

Now Sorkin and co. have to find Fred and Ethel Mertz, which could be the scene stealing roles. Michael Chiklis must be emailing Sorkin every ten minutes– he’d be a great Fred. For Ethel, I’d cast Marielle Heller in a heartbeat. But no one asked me!

(Watch) Lana del Rey Drops Title Track from Forthcoming Album, “Chemtrails Over the Country Club”

Roger Friedman
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(Watch) Lana del Rey Drops Title Track from Forthcoming Album, “Chemtrails Over the Country Club”

See? Things aren’t so bad! Lana del Rey dropped the title track to her new album, “Chemtrails over the Country Club” today.

The album is coming March 19th and includes “Let Me Love You Like a Woman,” which should be a freakin’ hit already!

Here’s the tracklist:
1. White Dress
2. Chemtrails Over The Country Club
3. Tulsa Jesus Freak
4. Let Me Love You Like A Woman
5. Wild At Heart
6. Dark But Just A Game
7. Not All Who Wander Are Lost
8. Yosemite
9. Breaking Up Slowly
10. Dance Till We Die
11. For Free

CNN’s Jim Acosta, Fox News’s John Roberts Promoted to Anchors, Rewarded for Battle Duty in White House Press Corps

Roger Friedman
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CNN’s Jim Acosta, Fox News’s John Roberts Promoted to Anchors, Rewarded for Battle Duty in White House Press Corps

War is over. Now come the Purple Hearts for the White House press corps.

The four year battle with Donald Trump and his lying, contentious press secretaries has earned a few of the journalists who had to endure that torture some nice rewards.

At CNN, the great Jim Acosta is leaving the press corps to be a weekend anchor and front and center correspondent. He deserves. Acosta stood his ground, even as he was “accosted” so to speak by the Trump White House. At one point he had to fight to get his credentials returned after they were pulled. He did a great job.

Fox News is bringing their most moderate, and literate, reporter, John Roberts, into the studio. He’ll anchor a new show at 1pm daily. Roberts hung in there day after day in a tough spot. He represented a crazy right wing network, but he managed to walk a fine line and voice his skepticism about what the hell was going on in that press room. It couldn’t have been easy.

NBC is promoting Peter Alexander and Kristen Welker to the White House. They worked hard also during the Trump four year debacle and will now have a presumably easier time with Biden and Harris. Leaving the NBC White House gig is Hallie Jackson, who also did a great job as Senior White House correspondent. She’s promoted to senior Washington correspondent, and anchors at MSNBC. I hope we see a lot of her.

Andrea Mitchell– I’m sorry, but how long has she been at NBC? Since General Sarnoff started the place? And she looks like she’s 39. Anyway, Alexander and Welker are under her now, she’s the chief White House Correspondent. I’m just joking, of course. Andrea Mitchell is amazing.

No word yet on Paula Reid at CBS or Jon Karl at ABC, both of whom did outstanding work as they tried to peel back the rotten onion of Spicer, Huckabee, McEnemy, etc. And Yamiche Alcindor should get the Medal of Freedom, frankly. Seeing her in that room, watching her jump in without fear, made the last year, especially, possible to tolerate. In the old days, if I met her, I’d hug her. Now I’d give her a very friendly elbow!

We can only hope there will be a White House correspondents dinner live in 2022. What a celebration! Without these indefatigable journalists, we would have been sunk. God bless ’em for maintaining their integrity and keeping their cool!

Kim Cattrall is to Sex and the City What Mary Wilson Is to the Supremes: Speaker of the Truth

Roger Friedman
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Kim Cattrall is to Sex and the City What Mary Wilson Is to the Supremes: Speaker of the Truth

Many years ago, the great singer Mary Wilson, founding member of the Supremes, refused to go on an anniversary tour with Diana Ross. The reason? Diana would be paid three times as much Mary. Wilson, choosing integrity, said no. She was either equal to Diana Ross or not going.

Kim Cattrall has played the Mary Wilson role in the story of “Sex and the City.” She was always paid substantially less than Sarah Jessica Parker in her role as Samantha. Presumably, Cattrall was remunerated equally to Cynthia Nixon and Kristin Davis. The three “SATC” back up singers were paid good money, but Parker was the star.

Cattrall stuck with Samantha for the television series and two movies. But for a third movie she balked. She wanted equal pay, otherwise she was done. Obviously it didn’t happen.

So Parker and writer Michael Patrick King, and HBO, knowing there was still gold to mine from “SATC” apparently went ahead and wrote a new series without Samantha. This couldn’t have been easy. Samantha was the Sex, in the city.

We don’t know the plot of the new 10 episode series. Presumably Charlotte and Miranda’s kids have grown up. Carrie has probably had a kid or two with Mr. Big. Have they time jumped to make all the kids teenagers? Will there be a sexy character to take Samantha’s place? We’ll have to wait and see.

On Instagram, SJP– whom I’ve known for years and like very much– disputed a fan’s claim that she and Cattrall don’t get along. “I don’t dislike her. I’ve never said that. Never would. Samantha isn’t part of the story. But she will always be part of us. No matter where we are what we do.X heart.”

That’s a very nicely worded statement. Cattrall will always be part of SATC because, look, she’s in the reruns, she’s in the movies, and she’s paid residuals. Samantha isn’t part of the story because she was written out. Soap operas do that all the time. It’s not new. Robert Duvall wouldn’t do “The Godfather III” because he wasn’t offered Al Pacino money. George Hamilton played a substitute.

As for Mary Wilson, she’s respected and loved, and has had a wonderful career without Diana Ross. She’s held her head high. Same for Kim Cattrall, who just starred in the series “Filthy Rich” and is always generating new shows. She doesn’t need “SATC.” They need her. I have a feeling the new series will be quite bland without her.

Rudy Giuliani May Be Disbarred: NY State Bar Association Launches Inquiry into Removing Him from Membership

Roger Friedman
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Rudy Giuliani May Be Disbarred: NY State Bar Association Launches Inquiry into Removing Him from Membership

The New York State Bar Association is making a move to oust Rudy Giuliani.

They announced it this morning on their website.

The article reads: “NYSBA has received hundreds of complaints in recent months about Mr. Giuliani and his baseless efforts on behalf of President Trump to cast doubt on the veracity of the 2020 presidential election and, after the votes were cast, to overturn its legitimate results. As widely reported, these efforts included the commencement and prosecution of court actions in multiple states without any evidentiary basis whatsoever. In each and every instance, these actions were appropriately dismissed by the courts in which they were brought.”

It continues:

“NYSBA’s bylaws state that “no person who advocates the overthrow of the government of the United States, or of any state, territory or possession thereof, or of any political subdivision therein, by force or other illegal means, shall be a member of the Association.” Mr. Giuliani’s words quite clearly were intended to encourage Trump supporters unhappy with the election’s outcome to take matters into their own hands. Their subsequent attack on the Capitol was nothing short of an attempted coup, intended to prevent the peaceful transition of power.

“Mr. Giuliani will be provided due process and have an opportunity – should he so choose – to explain and defend his words and actions.

“This decision is historic for NYSBA, and we have not made it lightly. We cannot stand idly by and allow those intent on rending the fabric of our democracy to go unchecked.”

From Giuliani supporting the riots last week in Washington to his crazy appearance in “Borat 2,” not to mention his Four Seasons press conference, this action doesn’t seem unreasonable. Guiliani’s interviews on Fox News and CNN will all undoubtedly be used against him. The story cites one particular line, uttered by Giuliani about the “fake” election during the riots at the Capitol: “If we’re wrong, we will be made fools of, but if we’re right a lot of them will go to jail,” Mr. Giuliani said. “Let’s have trial by combat.”

 

Fake: Armie Hammer Circling Remake of Terrible 1960 Movie “All the Fine Young Cannibals” with Soundtrack by Group of Same Name

Roger Friedman
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Fake: Armie Hammer Circling Remake of Terrible 1960 Movie “All the Fine Young Cannibals” with Soundtrack by Group of Same Name

Armie Hammer is the talk of the tabloids.

Someone has posted a bunch of DM’s from Twitter in which he allegedly says to a lover, possibly a fan, that’s he’s a cannibal. Among other things.

But I’m told– this is a wild rumor– that Armie is going to play the Robert Wagner part in a remake of the very terrible 1960 faux Tennessee Williams movie, “All the Fine Young Cannibals.”

I’m even hearing that the soundtrack will be supplied by early 90s R&B pop group, “Fine Young Cannibals.” Their big, “She Drives Me Crazy,” will be played as the actress who takes the Natalie Wood role — this was the movie that first starred soon to be couple Wagner and Wood — makes her appearance.

The film features the immortal line, said by Wagner to Wood in a fake Southern accent: “If I can’t have you, then I wanna hurt you. And I will.” (No comment.)

“All the Fine Young Cannibals” was directed by Michael Anderson, who is actually still alive at age 98. He knows nothing about it the Tweets or a possible remake. Liza Minnelli’s father, and Judy Garland’s husband, Vincent Minnelli, also worked on the film but received no credit. Besides Wagner and Wood, George Hamilton is featured and Pearl Bailey actually sings!

Based on a novel by Rosamund Marshall that no one remembers, “All the Fine Young Cannibals” was a huge flop, losing all its money. But its legacy as a D movie inspired the group to take the name Fine Young Cannibals. They released one admired album, one mega hit, and broke up before they did anything else. But “She Drives Me Crazy,” “Good Times,” a cover of Elvis Presley’s “Suspicious Minds,” and “Johnny Come Home” are all classic hits.

Whether Hammer will sing in the remake remains unclear. Madonna is considering directing, and may co-star. (Again, I’m just making this up.) He may have to play the trumpet, as his character, Chad, is based loosely on famed jazz man Chet Baker.

Meantime, Armie will have to explain if the leaked Tweets are really his– that part really happened– and whether his personal interests extend beyond produce molestation (see Timothee Chalamet, “Call Me By Your Name.”)

Trudie Styler on the Magnificent Director Michael Apted: “We have lost a great artist, a great thinker, a great director”

Roger Friedman
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Trudie Styler on the Magnificent Director Michael Apted: “We have lost a great artist, a great thinker, a great director”

I wanted to write something about Michael Apted, the magnificent director of “Coal Miner’s Daughter” and the “Up” series, and many other things. He died on Friday at age 79. A year and a half ago, Trudie Styler invited me to a screening downtown of “Moving the Mountain,” and I was honored to spend a little time with Michael, and Trudie, and heard them reminisce about that experience. You can read that here.

Trudie has posted a remembrance to Instagram which I am copying here, below. She and Sting remained close friends with Michael the last 35 years. As for me, when I saw “21 Up,” I was floored. I went back and watched the first two installments and kept up with the series, always anxious for more. Those kids were only one or two years older than me. “Coal Miner’s Daughter” is one of the great films of all time. Loretta Lynn was already a legend and just 49 when that movie came out. (She seemed so old!) And she’s still with us, thank goodness, 11 years older than Michael.

Michael Apted was the rare filmmaker– like the late Jonathan Demme and Spike Lee– who could move back and forth between documentary and narrative filmmaking. It’s like being ambidextrous. He leaves a huge legacy and also a hole in the world of cinema.

Here’s what Trudie — always articulate and brilliant – has to say:

“I first met Michael in 1985 when he shot the documentary Bring on the Night with Sting, which included a scene of me giving birth to my son Jake— Not surprisingly we had a special bond after that.
A few years later I asked him if he would make a film with me about the Tiananmen Square massacre of 1989, a documentary based on the autobiography of Li Lu who was one of the leaders of the student protest in China.
As an interviewer, Michael was an amazing listener. He engaged intellectually and emotionally with his subject, and the depth of his listening somehow brought out the profoundest truth. One of the reasons I’m sure that Moving the Mountain was such a lauded movie was that he brought together for the first time the group of student leaders, and gave them the space to explore their trauma, their survivor guilt, their pain. Their roles in Chinese history were suddenly enclosed within four walls on another continent, and it was almost too much to bear. Michael’s films were powerful and curious and ultimately told us truths about ourselves. We have lost a great artist, a great thinker, a great director. And Sting and I have lost a beloved friend.”

 

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A post shared by Trudie Styler (@trudiestyler)

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