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Vile Donald Trump Signals that Crime Pays as He Pardons The Joker, The Riddler, The Penguin and Other Gotham City Criminals

Roger Friedman
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Vile Donald Trump Signals that Crime Pays as He Pardons The Joker, The Riddler, The Penguin and Other Gotham City Criminals

It’s hard to imagine what comes next.

But for tonight, Donald Trump, vile soon to be ex president, has pardoned his versions of The Joker, the Riddler, the Penguin and other Gotham City criminals.

Tonight, the trio comprises Paul Manafort, Roger Stone, and Charles Kushner. The latter is the tax evading father of Trump’s feral son-in-law, Jared Kushner.

All three men were convicted of crimes and dealt prison sentences. But ‘crime pays’ is the Trump motto.

Kushner had been prosecuted by then-US Attorney for New Jersey Chris Christie in the early 2000s for tax evasion, witness tampering and illegal campaign contributions. He pleaded guilty to 16 counts of tax evasion, one count of retaliating against a federal witness — his brother-in-law — and another count of lying to the Federal Election Commission.

There were 26 new pardons tonight, adding to the long list from earlier this week that included former campaign aide George Papadopoulos, former US congressman Chris Collins, and the four Blackwater guards involved in the Iraq massacre.

Also included in Trump’s pardon list Wednesday evening is former California GOP Congressman Duncan Hunter’s wife, Margaret, who had pleaded guilty last year to conspiring “knowingly and willingly” to convert campaign funds for personal use. Yesterday Trump pardoned her husband. They are laughing in the faces of all Trump voters, as are all these people. They got away with it.

For all the Trump voters who were convinced he was “draining the swamp,” you are idiots who deserve to be laughed at. We told you this would happen.

What’s next? Trump will pardon himself and all of his family. It’s coming. Only that will not exempt him from prosecution in New York.  Stay tuned.

Another title for this would have been “Dirty Rotten Scoundrels.”

RIP Rocker Leslie West, Founder of the Group Mountain with Hit “Mississippi Queen,” Dies at Age 75

Roger Friedman
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RIP Rocker Leslie West, Founder of the Group Mountain with Hit “Mississippi Queen,” Dies at Age 75

“Mississippi Queen” — I realized just as I watched it on YouTube last night– played a big part in my early rock education. When I was 14, it was a riff you could not escape. Steve Karas, a great rock PR man, sent this obit for West, and I’ll run it here:

Leslie West, born Leslie Weinstein, has passed away. The iconic guitarist, vocalist, songwriter and storyteller has left a legacy that to this day is celebrated by peers and fans across The World.
Weinstein was born in New York City, and first emerged in the scene as a member of The Vagrants. A few years later he and Felix Pappalardi formed Mountain, a band that was amongst the first to pioneer the genre later to become known as Heavy Metal. Hits that include “Mississippi Queen,” “Theme From An Imaginary Western,” and others established an indelible voice and guitar tone that remains legendary to this day. In 1969, West brought his presence to the stage at Woodstock.
As the decade turned, he formed West, Bruce and Laing with his band-mate from Mountain drummer Corky Laing and Cream’s Jack Bruce. In, 1971 West contributed to The Who’s Who’s Next sessions in the city, performances which can be heard on the 1995 and 2003 reissues of that cornerstone album.
Alongside his significant contribution to pop culture as the face of Mountain, West appeared in films that include Family Honor (1973) and The Money Pit (1986).  He was a regular guest on the Howard Stern Show, and over the course of decades remained a periodic visitor alongside enjoying a decades-long friendship with the talk show host.
West was inducted in to the Long Island Music Hall of Fame in 2006, and appeared on dozens of other recordings from a vast universe of artists. Samples of his performances lived a secondary life on the masters of a who’s who of hip-hop and rap stars.
The guitarist is renowned for helping popularize the Gibson Les Paul Jr. model with P-90 pick-ups to create a tone that is undisputedly his own. More recently, he enjoyed a long relationship with Dean Guitars, releasing several signature models.
Leslie West is survived by his wife Jenni, whom he married on stage after Mountain’s performance at the Woodstock 40thAnniversary concert in Bethel, NY on August 15, 2009. And, brother Larry and nephew Max.
From 1964 through today, few artists have left a more significant mark on music as we know it. Guitarists across the globe together will unite in sadness as The World says goodbye to a true original.

Awards Season Fracas: Oscars and Golden Globes Debate What’s Foreign? American? Who’s In Lead, Supporting? Meryl vs. Meryl

Roger Friedman
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Awards Season Fracas: Oscars and Golden Globes Debate What’s Foreign? American? Who’s In Lead, Supporting? Meryl vs. Meryl

This year already has been so awful for the movie business, what’s left to debate? Seems like everything when it comes to the awards season.

Ironically, most of the films now under discussion haven’t been seen by the public yet. And the ones that could be, on a streaming platform, who knows who’s actually watched them?

The biggest debate today is about Lee Isaac Chung’s “Minari.” To me, there’s no question this could be one of the 10 Best Picture nominees at the Academy Awards. “Minari” is mostly spoken in Korean, but it’s an American movie set in Arkansas and has American actors and Korean actors. This is not a foreign film.

But the Golden Globes think so. They’ve ruled that it will go into their Foreign Film category. There’s outrage over this. It’s especially ironic coming from the Hollywood Foreign Press Association. Many of their members are Americans. They’re not foreign. Crazy.

The HFPA has also taken a comic horror film, “Promising Young Woman,” and moved into drama, not comedy where it belongs. Oy vey. Star Carey Mulligan has a shot in the Best Actress/Comedy-Musical category, but in drama she’ll be out run by Frances McDormand in “Nomadland.”

I’m also seeing the hand of Netflix behind posts that Meryl Streep should get an Oscar nomination for her role in the musical, “The Prom.” Uh, no. “The Prom” is made for the Golden Globes comedy-musical slots. Streep’s Oscar nomination should be for her far more sublime work in Steven Soderbergh’s “Let Them All Talk.” She and Candice Bergen should be heading to lead/supporting Oscar nods from that film, which I’d also be happy to see as a Best Picture nominee.

What’s happening with “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom”? The film is a cinch for Best Picture nomination at the Oscars. But what about the actors? Critics groups can’t decide if Chadwick Boseman, the male lead, is a lead, or supporting? Let me clear this up: He’s the lead. Glynn Turman is the supporting actor. And Viola Davis? Listen, she plays MA RAINEY. She’s a lead. She has less screen time, but that is a star performance. And you can’t have the movie without Ma Rainey. Lead.

Meantime, two films from 2021 I’m not hearing about in all this awards talk: Armando Iannucci’s “David Copperfield,” and Rod Lurie’s “The Outpost.”

“Copperfield” is a work of comic genius. Dev Patel is absolutely splendid as the title character. Hugh Laurie is slyly funny as Mr. Dick. But Searchlight dropped the ball on this release in the US. If you’re in the Academy, watch it on a streaming platform. You’ll love it.

Rod Lurie’s “The Outpost” is one of the best modern war movies ever made. There’s an ensemble cast, but Caleb Landry Jones earned excellent notices as Carter, the troubled soldier. I’d hate to think this is all forgotten because “The Outpost” came out on Netflix months ago. If “The Hurt Locker” was Oscar material, then “The Outpost” certainly is.

More to come. But I want to see some enthusiasm for Valerie Mahaffey’s wonderfully eccentric pal to Michelle Pfeiffer in “French Exit,” too. We can’t control what the HFPA does with the Golden Globes. But with the Academy, remember, voters can put an actor in category they wish, supporting or lead. And Academy members are smart enough to do right by their peers.

To that end, I’m not happy that all the actors from “The Trial of the Chicago 7” decided to go supporting. They’re going to cancel each other out. Mark Rylance should be in lead. He’s too British and politely reticent to suggest otherwise. But I’ll say it for him, Lead.

 

 

RIP Rebecca Luker, 59, Broadway Star, 3 Time Tony Awards Nominee, Mom, Wife of Tony Winner Danny Burstein

Roger Friedman
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RIP Rebecca Luker, 59, Broadway Star, 3 Time Tony Awards Nominee, Mom, Wife of Tony Winner Danny Burstein

Rebecca Luker was literally a light on Broadway. Beloved by all, with a gorgeous voice, she was nominated for three Tony Awards and was a magnificent presence in New York theater. The wife of Tony winner Danny Burstein, Rebecca was also a devoted mother. She died today at age 59 after being diagnosed with ALS last February. This is a real tragedy. Much love and condolences to Danny, her family, kids, and friends. Her NY Times obit is here.


Michael Jackson’s Eldest Son, Prince, Fulfills King of Pop’s Charity Work, Distributes to Toys to LA Kids

Roger Friedman
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Michael Jackson’s Eldest Son, Prince, Fulfills King of Pop’s Charity Work, Distributes to Toys to LA Kids

Michael Jackson and Debbie Rowe’s son, Prince, is actually a real prince of a kid. He spent yesterday handing out toys donated by Mattel to kids in Los Angeles. Michael would be so pleased.

Here’s Prince’s report on Instagram:

“Every year, since we were a student organization @heallosangelesfdn has put on a holiday event. We feel that it’s an opportunity to end a year on a positive note, to spend time with your loved ones and your family and to celebrate coming together and community. With this year being as hectic and chaotic as it was we felt that a holiday event was needed more than ever to share some love and joy with the youth of Los Angeles. Yesterday with the @lapd_baseball and @mattel we brought 25 kids from 9 families to go on a holiday shopping spree. Each kid had $120 budget plus a 50% discount from Mattel AND on top of that they got a FREE toy of their choosing and a goodie bag. I tell you I can’t say enough great things about this event yesterday, but I will try. Join me live tonight on my Instagram as I recap this incredible event with @johnjunmuto and @heallosangelesfdn at 7pm PST”

Rockers Eric Clapton, Van Morrison Fail in Anti-Lockdown Effort, Song “Stand and Deliver” Sells Just 1,100 Copies

Roger Friedman
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Rockers Eric Clapton, Van Morrison Fail in Anti-Lockdown Effort, Song “Stand and Deliver” Sells Just 1,100 Copies

Eric Clapton made a big mistake recording Van Morrison’s “Stand and Deliver” song.

The anti-lockdown anthem was met with apathy, if not disgust, upon its Friday release. Over the weekend the song sold a mere 1,100 copies.

For the creators of “Layla” and “Moondance,” the total snub by the music community is a sharp rebuke to their short-sighted, nearly racist take on what governments must do to protect everyone from COVID.

The song is so nit-witty that it compares the lockdown to slavery.

Do you wanna be a free man
Or do you wanna be a slave?
Do you wanna be a free man
Or do you wanna be a slave?
Do you wanna wear these chains
Until you’re lying in the grave

Clearly, their cultural appropriation of black music all these years has turned their heads into empty gourdes. What a shame.

Most people would rather hear Adam Ant’s long ago hit, “Stand and Deliver.”

Review: Joining the Chorus of Raves for “Minari,” Lee Isaac Chung’s Beautiful, Unique Drama, the anti-“Parasite”

Roger Friedman
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Review: Joining the Chorus of Raves for “Minari,” Lee Isaac Chung’s Beautiful, Unique Drama, the anti-“Parasite”

I’m very late to the party on Lee Isaac Chung’s “Minari” and don’t ask me why. A hit at last January’s Sundance, it didn’t start screening until November 23rd. I think it had an Oscar qualifying run for the week of December 11th. It will really be released on February 12, 2021 on Korean New Year.

A beautiful, unique drama, “Minari” is the anti-“Parasite.” In that depicts Koreans, “Minari”‘s earnest, hardscrabble people couldn’t be more different than the greedy, avaricious, violent sorts from “Parasite.”

The story is about Jacob (Steven Yeun, from “The Walking Dead,” in an Oscar worthy performance) bringing his Korean family to Arkansas in the 1980s to farm the land. This about as American a story as you can imagine, and Chung — who wrote the screenplay — deftly bypasses cliches and still recalls all the great, tough films in this category from “The Grapes of Wrath” to “Days of Heaven.” When Jacob, his wife, small son, and teen daughter arrive to find they are living in a house on wheels, the point of their journey is made fast: the dirt is fertile, the land is rich, and Jacob is going to grow crops in his Garden of Eden.

To mix things, Chung adds Jacob’s eccentric mother in law, Soonja, played serenely for an Oscar nomination by Yuh-jung Youn. It would seem she’s a revered actress in South Korea. Here, she’s already winning awards. Soonja, as David, her precocious 7 year old grandson (Alan S. Kim, a fine little actor), says, is not a “normal grandmother.” She curses and gambles, can’t bake cookies or cook anything. She’s not warm and fuzzy. But she provides Chung with equal weight to his story of the striving farm family.

Chung has populated his Arkansas farm town with colorful folks, most especially Will Patton as the off beat farmer who helps Jacob try to realize his dream. I didn’t realize how much I missed Will Patton until I saw him on screen. He really marches to his own drum. Where does he go between high profile jobs? I’m so glad to see him back, front and center, as Paul, a religious man who is definitely hearing jazz while carrying a huge wooden cross up and down dusty dirt roads.

Chung’s screenplay is really the star of “Minari” (a Korean vegetable like parsley). I loved the people in the town who welcome Jacob’s family. There is never a negative note about “foreigners” coming to their town. There is really just love. This isn’t to say the film is shmaltzy at all, it has its tough moments. Chung just explores family, what binds couples together during extreme stress, and again, the American dream that was possible to pursue in the 1980s– and maybe even now in the Biden era.

“Minari” has a 100% on Rotten Tomatoes, and all I can do it add to that.

PS Kudos to Emile Mosseri for his score. It should be in everyone’s top 5 this year.

Report: John Mulaney Checks into Rehab for Cocaine and Alcohol Abuse, Comedy’s Golden Boy Succumbed to Pandemic Limitations

Roger Friedman
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Report: John Mulaney Checks into Rehab for Cocaine and Alcohol Abuse, Comedy’s Golden Boy Succumbed to Pandemic Limitations

Charming and sort of brilliant comic John Mulaney has checked himself into rehab.

New York Post’s Page Six reports that Mulaney has gone into rehab in Pennsylvania for cocaine and alcohol abuse. Sober at age 23 after hard partying, Mulaney is now 38. This year he’s hosted “Saturday Night Live” twice. He recently appeared on Seth Meyers’ late night talk show, where they announced — oddly enough– that he’d joined the writing staff.

“During quarantine, I was like, ‘Why am I going totally crazy and why am I suddenly telling my own wife my accomplishments?’” Mulaney said on “Jimmy Kimmel Live!,” while describing how a lack of routine can negatively affect a person’s well-being. “I really needed a job.”

Mulaney not only has a solo career but a thriving comedy teaming with Nick Kroll. They starred together on Broadway in “Oh Hello,” and have a podcast based on the show.

Not being able to perform live, and being stuck inside, isn’t easy for anyone has taken its toll on so many people.

“One, I like having a boss and having assignments to do,” he added to Kimmel. “When I’m in charge of something, not so much the best thing.”

He said his psychiatrist agreed with the move.

“She said to me, ‘Without external structure, I don’t have any confidence in you thriving’ … and she would know, because I told her everything in my brain,” he said.

So we’re sending the best wishes to Mulaney and his family.

 

Amazon Drops “McCartney III” to $3.99 to Boost Sales for First Number 1 Album in 31 Years

Roger Friedman
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Amazon Drops “McCartney III” to $3.99 to Boost Sales for First Number 1 Album in 31 Years

Will Paul McCartney have his first number 1 album in 31 years?

Amazon is pitching in to make it happen. They’ve dropped the price of a “McCartney III” download to $3.99. The CD is still $13.49 and streaming is part of Amazon’s platform. But an avalanche of downloads should be enough to push “McCartney III” over the top.

Right now, “McCartney III” is number 1 on the Amazon CD and Vinyl chart. It’s number 4 on iTunes. And number 1 on Buzz Angle Music, which measures all formats.

Until last Friday, McCartney’s only competition that we knew of was Taylor Swift’s second week with “Evermore.” But then Eminem sandbagged him with a surprise release that went straight to number 1. I don’t know if Universal Music — which knew Eminem was coming — told McCartney. All three- Swift, Mathers, and McCartney — were released by Universal. You’d have thought they’d hold Eminem off. That’s what happens when you’re the number 1 record company!

So now’s good a time to get “McCartney III” — a great album– on Amazon and help make it number 1.

Grammys Exclusive: Harry Styles, Taylor Swift, Beyonce, and Adele — Performing New Music?–Said to Be on Board

Roger Friedman
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Grammys Exclusive: Harry Styles, Taylor Swift, Beyonce, and Adele — Performing New Music?–Said to Be on Board

James Corden producer Ben Winston has really taken Hollywood by storm.

Now that he’s taken over as executive producer of the Grammy Awards, Winston has lost no time signing VERY BIG names, I am told, to the January 31st broadcast.

Winston is said to have already brought on board the likes of Harry Styles, Taylor Swift, and Beyonce. They will all perform or appear in some capacity. Remember, the Grammys will be done in some virtual style. They can’t have an audience at the Staples Center. Can you imagine, though, if all these people were backstage?

But the big news is that Adele has signed on for the show. It’s unclear if she’ll be singing a new song or an old one, or performing in some kind special pairing. How about an Adele-Beyonce duet?

Trevor Noah is already signed to host, so you know the show will have witty banter. The real achievement would be doing something for The Weeknd as a signal since he was shut out of nominations. But I have every confidence Recording Academy acting chief Harvey Mason, Jr. is going to pull off a success here.

So stay tuned for the official announcements. And remember, you read it here first.

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