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CBS Sitcom Ratings Crash as Allison Janney “Mom” Returns 25% Off Last Season Average without Co-star Anna Faris

Roger Friedman
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CBS Sitcom Ratings Crash as Allison Janney “Mom” Returns 25% Off Last Season Average without Co-star Anna Faris

Yikes.

“Mom” was back last night without Anna Faris, and the ratings were disastrous.

The Allison Janney sitcom dropped roughly 25% or more from last season’s average. The total was 4.8 million versus over 7 million for last season’s spring finale. Last season’s average was 6.3 million per show.

What’s even more humiliating is that “Mom” LOST over 200,00 from its lead-in, the not very good “B Positive,” a pilot for a new series. “Mom” is in its 8th season.

But the whole premise of “Mom” has been wrecked by the sudden loss of Faris, who exited the series last minute in August after signing on for the season. Now Janney has no child to be a Mom to, is happily married, and has a bunch of nice friends. But the mother-daughter scenario is over.

Whatever happened to Faris, I hope she’s alright. But she’s almost certainly doomed the show to cancellation.

And what did they do with Faris’s character? The episode began last night with Janney and her husband, played by William Fichtner, coming home after dropping her at Georgetown Law School. LOL. Preposterous? Not really when you think Tiffany Trump graduated from there. And that was preposterous enough!

Barry Gibb’s New Album Features Olivia Newton-John Duet Plus Sheryl Crow, Dolly Parton, Little Big Town, Country Stars

Roger Friedman
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Barry Gibb’s New Album Features Olivia Newton-John Duet Plus Sheryl Crow, Dolly Parton, Little Big Town, Country Stars

Barry Gibb is going to be in the news a lot soon. A documentary about the Bee Gees debuts on Showtime on December 12th, produced by Frank Marshall. I’m looking forward to seeing it some time.

Today comes the news of a new album of Bee Gees hits recorded by Barry with country and pop stars. For some reason it’s called “Greenfields” and it has a cover that must be changed immediately. It looks like something from a funeral home. I don’t know what the art department is thinking at Universal Music.

But the album itself looks terrific. The featured guest stars are Alison Krauss, Brandi Carlile, David Rawlings, Dolly Parton, Gillian Welch, Jason Isbell, Jay Buchanan, Keith Urban, Little Big Town, Miranda Lambert, Olivia Newton-John, Sheryl Crow and Tommy Emmanuel.

Olivia Newton-John? When she started her career, Olivia was a country artist. I’m not sure but I don’t think she’s sung in a long time. So that’s pretty cool.

The first track available is “Words of a Fool,” featuring Grammy Award-winning Jason Isbell. The album hits on January 8th. So there’s plenty of time to change that cover art!

Barry says in a press release: “From the first day we stepped into RCA Studios in Nashville (the very place where Elvis, Willie, Waylon, Roy, the Everly Brothers and so many other legends made their magic) the album took on a life of its own. I couldn’t be more grateful for the opportunity to work with Dave and all the artists who stopped by. They were all incredibly generous with their time and talent. They inspired me more than words can express. I feel deep down that Maurice and Robin would have loved this album for different reasons. I wish we could have all been together to do it…but I think we were.”

But what the heck is that cover? Is Barry dead? Is this his repast dinner? This has a zero coolness factor. It should be like an old country western poster with all the artists’ names. And Greenfields? That’s a title? How about “Country Fever”?

 

Here’s the tracklist:

 1. “I’ve Gotta Get A Message To You” with Keith Urban
  2. “Words of a Fool” with Jason Isbell
  3. “Run to Me” with Brandi Carlile
  4. “Too Much Heaven” with Alison Krauss
  5. “Lonely Days” with Little Big Town
  6. “Words” with Dolly Parton
  7. “Jive Talkin’” with Miranda Lambert, Jay Buchanan
  8. “How Deep Is Your Love” with Tommy Emanuel, Little Big Town
  9. “How Can You Mend A Broken Heart” with Sheryl Crow
  10. “To Love Somebody” with Jay Buchanan
  11. “Rest Your Love On Me” with Olivia Newton-John
  12. “Butterfly” with Gillian Welch, David Rawlings

The Great Bernie Kopell, of “Get Smart” and “Love Boat” Fame, Had a Cameo Tonight on CBS Comedy Pilot

Roger Friedman
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The Great Bernie Kopell, of “Get Smart” and “Love Boat” Fame, Had a Cameo Tonight on CBS Comedy Pilot

Oh my god.

Well, this is what happens.

On tonight’s CBS pilot for “B Positive,” the great comedy legend Bernie Kopell had a cameo. I just happened to catch him in the final scene on a bus of old people. Bernie is 87 years young. He didn’t even get an “and” credit. Just lumped into the back credits.

Well, Bernie is a TV legend. He was on every great show of the 60s, starting with “Get Smart,” in which he played Siegfried, a wayward KAOS spy. He played Jerry, Ted Bessell’s best friend on “That Girl.” He’s in nine episodes of “Bewitched” playing different characters.

Of course, he’s probably best known to 80s TV audiences as Doctor Bricker from 250 episodes of the turgid “The Love Boat.”

So why isn’t he retired? I don’t know. He hasn’t missed a year of work, according to the imdb, ever. I didn’t know this by he’s been on “Mom,” and “Superstore,” and “Hawaii Five-O” in recent years. Maybe he just likes to work. Anyway, here’s to Bernie. I always wish the SAG Awards would honor actors like him and not the marquee stars. Bernie’s one of the people who make the TV industry an industry in Hollywood!

Disney Cancels Christmas Box Office, Moving “Death on the Nile” and Ryan Reynolds Film to Sometime, 2021

Roger Friedman
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Disney Cancels Christmas Box Office, Moving “Death on the Nile” and Ryan Reynolds Film to Sometime, 2021

Disney has cancelled Christmas. At the box office.

The Mouse House has moved Kenneth Branagh’s “Death on the Nile” and the Ryan Reynolds movie “Free Guy” to sometime in 2021. They were supposed to open on December 11th and 18th respectively.

This leaves only one big movie set for December 25th, “Wonder Woman 1984,” from Warner Bros. But that will be moved to 2021, as well.

The only other big release for December is Tom Hanks in “News of the World” from Universal. That will have to be moved, too. I can’t believe Tom Hanks will let two of his films– the first was “Greyhound”– be sent to streaming or into the abyss in the same year. His agents are too good for that.

Otherwise, the balance of November and December will have some Oscar fare, indie films, smaller releases like “Nomadland” and “One Night in Miami.”

The real victims are the owners of movie theaters. But it’s hoped if we get a Biden administration on January 20th they will bring relief for these businesses.

 

Donald Trump Press Conference Tonight: Lies About Every Aspect of Election, Blames Massive Conspiracy in Every City

Roger Friedman
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Donald Trump Press Conference Tonight: Lies About Every Aspect of Election, Blames Massive Conspiracy in Every City

Every single thing Donald Trump said at his press conference tonight was a lie except for maybe his own name.

Trump believes that any vote counted after polls closed on Tuesday are not valid. He says to his base, knowing this isn’t true, that all mail in votes counted after the polls close are invalid, that votes legally arriving in states where the law supports them, should not be counted. He lied about his “people” being able to watch the counting in the remaining states. And so on.

Trump is drowning in his own lies. In many case, he’s trying to invalidate votes that went his own way. He said this has been going on for 3 days. The election, in fact, ended less than 2 days ago. He’s out of his mind. Today all his lawsuits were rebuked in court. No court will stop the vote counting. That’s like saying in the 7th inning of a baseball game, we’re ahead, stop scoring.

Fox News is lying to its viewers. Nicholle Wallace called them out on MSNBC. Good for her. It’s time not only to fact check Trump, but fact check Fox News as well.

What’s really galling about this performance that Trump blamed an unspoken conspiracy in Detroit, Atlanta, Philadelphia, and Phoenix, as if every one in those cities organized his downfall. Randomly. He’s insane.

I couldn’t help but think of Richard Nixon in the summer of 1974, right before he was forced to resign the presidency. Alec Baldwin will have a field day with this speech on “SNL” this weekend.

Here’s the Washington Post fact check.

Justin Bieber’s Religious Guru, Carl Lentz, Admits to Cheating on Wife as Reason for Hillsong Church Dismissal

Roger Friedman
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0
Justin Bieber’s Religious Guru, Carl Lentz, Admits to Cheating on Wife as Reason for Hillsong Church Dismissal

Justin Bieber’s religious guru, “pastor Carl Lentz, has fessed up about why he was fired from Hillsong Church. He cheated on his wife.

He writes on Instagram: “This failure is on me, and me alone and I take full responsibility for my actions. I now begin a journey of rebuilding trust with my wife, Laura and my children and taking real time to work on and heal my own life and seek out the help that I need. I am deeply sorry for breaking the trust of many people who we have loved serving and understand that this news can be very hard and confusing for people to hear and process.”

Lentz lived it up as “pastor” to a lot of really gullible celebrities including Bieber and Chris Pratt. He already had a shady business past when he got mixed up with Hillsong, went to Australia, and married his wife, Laura.

He writes:
“Our time at HillsongNYC has come to an end. This is a hard ending to what has been the most amazing, impacting and special chapter of our lives. Leading this church has been an honor in every sense of the word and it is impossible to articulate how much we have loved and will always love the amazing people in this church. When you accept the calling of being a pastor, you must live in such a way that it honors the mandate. That it honors the church, and that it honors God. When that does not happen, a change needs to be made and has been made in this case to ensure that standard is upheld.

Laura and I and our amazing children have given all that we have to serve and build this church and over the years I did not do an adequate job of protecting my own spirit, refilling my own soul and reaching out for the readily available help that is available. When you lead out of an empty place, you make choices that have real and painful consequences.

“I was unfaithful in my marriage, the most important relationship in my life and held accountable for that. This failure is on me, and me alone and I take full responsibility for my actions. I now begin a journey of rebuilding trust with my wife, Laura and my children and taking real time to work on and heal my own life and seek out the help that I need. I am deeply sorry for breaking the trust of many people who we have loved serving and understand that this news can be very hard and confusing for people to hear and process.

“I would have liked to say this with my voice, to you, in person because you are owed that. But that opportunity I will not have. So to those people, I pray you can forgive me and that over time I can live a life where trust is earned again. To our pastors Brian and Bobbie, thank you for allowing us to lead, allowing us to thrive and giving us room to have a voice that you have never stifled or tried to silence. Thank you for your grace and kindness especially in this season, as you have done so much to protect and love us through this. We, the Lentz family, don’t know what this next chapter will look like, but we will walk into it together very hopeful and grateful for the grace of God…”

View this post on Instagram

Our time at HillsongNYC has come to an end. This is a hard ending to what has been the most amazing, impacting and special chapter of our lives. Leading this church has been an honor in every sense of the word and it is impossible to articulate how much we have loved and will always love the amazing people in this church. When you accept the calling of being a pastor, you must live in such a way that it honors the mandate. That it honors the church, and that it honors God. When that does not happen, a change needs to be made and has been made in this case to ensure that standard is upheld. Laura and I and our amazing children have given all that we have to serve and build this church and over the years I did not do an adequate job of protecting my own spirit, refilling my own soul and reaching out for the readily available help that is available. When you lead out of an empty place, you make choices that have real and painful consequences. I was unfaithful in my marriage, the most important relationship in my life and held accountable for that. This failure is on me, and me alone and I take full responsibility for my actions. I now begin a journey of rebuilding trust with my wife, Laura and my children and taking real time to work on and heal my own life and seek out the help that I need. I am deeply sorry for breaking the trust of many people who we have loved serving and understand that this news can be very hard and confusing for people to hear and process. I would have liked to say this with my voice, to you, in person because you are owed that. But that opportunity I will not have. So to those people, I pray you can forgive me and that over time I can live a life where trust is earned again. To our pastors Brian and Bobbie, thank you for allowing us to lead, allowing us to thrive and giving us room to have a voice that you have never stifled or tried to silence. Thank you for your grace and kindness especially in this season, as you have done so much to protect and love us through this. We, the Lentz family, don’t know what this next chapter will look like, but we will walk into it together very hopeful and grateful for the grace of God..

A post shared by Carl Lentz (@carllentz) on

Tonight’s TV Mystery: Anna Faris Leaves CBS Sitcom “Mom” with No Plans or Jobs Booked and No Explanation

Roger Friedman
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0
Tonight’s TV Mystery: Anna Faris Leaves CBS Sitcom “Mom” with No Plans or Jobs Booked and No Explanation

Tonight, two actresses leave their sitcoms in the middle of long runs.

America Ferrara is exiting “Superstore” on NBC with a wrap up episode and an explanation. In real life, Ferrara has lots of opportunities. “Superstore” was an ensemble, and she’s a star after “Ugly Betty.” Her contract was probably up and producers didn’t want to pay more.

But the big exit tonight is unexplained and a mystery: Anna Faris is leaving “Mom” after seven seasons. There is no adequate explanation. The show was renewed last spring and she was part of it. She plays the “daughter” in a show called “Mom.” Now Allison Janney’s Mom has no child.

Faris exits without an ending episode. She didn’t come back for a big farewell special. She just didn’t come back to work after th summer. The tabloids question whether there’s an issue with bulimia or drinking. Faris has nothing booked and no publicly known prospects. We can only hope she’s ok and getting the help she needs for whatever is wrong.

Meantime, “Mom” is one of those strange shows that no one you know watches, gets no reviews or awards, it’s just there until it’s not. Funny that Emmy award and Oscar winner Janney wound up there and no one pats attention to it. She gets an annuity and checks for the rest of her life. But wait till she’s free to resume her real career!

UPDATE They explained the character’s absence by saying she went off to grad school. LOL. At Georgetown University Law. Quite a leap of fiction!

 

Ratings: ABC Lets “The Conners” Drop Another 1 Million-Plus Viewers to Under 4 Million As Downward Spiral Continues

Roger Friedman
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Ratings: ABC Lets “The Conners” Drop Another 1 Million-Plus Viewers to Under 4 Million As Downward Spiral Continues

Here’s the weekly Why-is-ABC-killing-“The Conners” story.

The “Roseanne” spin off dropped below 4 million viewers on Wednesday night to 3.9 million. That’s a 4.8% decrease from last week and a 35% drop from the end of last season.

So what’s the deal? “The Conners” is now trapped on a weak night at a bad time. If this continues, they’ll be on the bubble to be cancelled. Maybe ABC is trying to get out of paying John Goodman, Laurie Metcalf, and Sara Gilbert. Who knows?

The only good news is that “The Conners” was the number 1 scripted show on network TV on Wednesday. It was beaten by a new competition music show called “I Can See Your Voice” on Fox, which has the benefit of picking up viewers from “The Masked Singer” hosted by anti-Semite Nick Cannon.

 

Review: Apple TV Throws Its Hat in the Oscar Animation Category with Glorious, Original “Wolfwalkers”

Leah Sydney
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Review: Apple TV Throws Its Hat in the Oscar Animation Category with Glorious, Original “Wolfwalkers”

Apple now is in the Animation game in a massive way with their glorious original movie, “Wolfwalkers.” Cartoon Saloon, the studio who did “The Secret of Kells,” “Song of the Sea” and “The Breadwinner” along with the Directors Tomm Moore and Ross Stewart complete their “Irish Folklore Trilogy” with rousing success with this unique film.

Artfully done, whimsical, heartwarming, scary and soulful, this visually exhilarating film shows scenes that look like water color paintings coming to life in every frame. Thankfully it shows the preciousness of the wondrous wolves. Mixing history and folklore, “Wolfwalkers” is set in 1650 Ireland which is colonized by England.  Sean Bean plays Bill Goodfellowe, a Yorkshire native and a hunter who sets out to kill the wolves that have been attacking a remote city.  That edict was ordered by the evil boss/the Lord Cromwell, played wonderfully by Simon McBurney. Bill’s daughter Robyn, played beautifully by Honor Kneafsey, wants to join her Dad and is frustrated because she is constantly left behind.

An outsider in all ways, Robyn quickly bonds with a new friend Mebh who turns out is a wolf walker, a girl during the day and a wolf at night, along with magical healing powers and a loyal wolfpack.  Mebh awaits her Mom’s return to lead her and her pack to a safe haven.  The story that follows is the girls trying to get them all to safety, away from the wicked hunters (aren’t they all?)  The lovely and profound score by French composer Bruno Coulais along with the Irish folk group Kila, is perfect.  “Wolfwalkers” not only shows strong female characters and bonding, it shows the sanctity of the majestic wolves and the cruelty of hunting/hunters.

The filmmakers weave all in an expert and glorious filmmaking experience.   The film premiered at the AFI fest and won the audience award for narrative feature.  Well deserved. “Wolfwalkers” will stay in your mind and heart.  That’s what true art does for children and adults alike.  The talented duo of Moore and Stewart have more than succeeded with their crowning jewel that is “Wolfwalkers.”

“Wolfwalkers” will debut in Theaters Nationwide on November 13th and on December 11th on Apple TV +

Justin Bieber’s “Pastor,” Carl Lentz, Fired from Sketchy Hillsong Church “in relation to leadership issues and breaches of trust, plus a recent revelation of moral failures.”

Roger Friedman
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0
Justin Bieber’s “Pastor,” Carl Lentz, Fired from Sketchy Hillsong Church “in relation to leadership issues and breaches of trust, plus a recent revelation of moral failures.”

Justin Bieber’s personal private “pastor,” Carl Lentz, was fired today by the sketchy Hillsong Church. The reason, says Brian Houston, head of the Australian based “church,” in a letter to parishioners (which you can see here): “in relation to leadership issues and breaches of trust, plus a recent revelation of moral failures.”

Lentz cultivated Bieber, married him to Hailey Baldwin. I’ve written several stories about these people. Here and here.These links will show you videos I dug up in 2015 about Bieber, a dim bulb on a good day, and Lentz, whose studied Bieber religiously.

I’m not surprised Lentz was fired. I can only imagine what his infractions were.

This is what I wrote 5 years ago:

Bieber’s pastor, Carl Lentz, only became involved with Hillsong four years ago. In the video above, he explains how he hooked up with the Houstons– that’s Frank Houston’s grandson Joel with Lentz in the video, looking like Jay from “Silent Bob and Jay.” These two are supposed to be religious leaders; they are Justin Bieber’s spiritual guides. Joel has been running Hillsong NYC with Lentz since 2010.

Before he hooked up with the Houstons, Lentz operated Cal Lentz Ministries out of Washington state. The IRS recently revoked the 501 c 3 status of that outfit after Carl Lentz Ministries failed to file tax returns for three years. Lentz runs Hillsong in New York as a straight ahead business with no tax free standing. He’s registered Hillsong out of his father’s law office in Virginia, but hasn’t filed any paperwork. There is no transparency at all.

The connection between Lentz and the Houstons, and the history of Houston’s father, finally came to a boiling point in October in New York at a Madison Square Garden conference of Hillsong followers. Not only was Frank Houston’s molestation case examined, but also multiple scandals about finances at Hillsong and the cult’s attitude toward homosexuality. Brian Houston’s sidestepping has caused a lot of controversy among the followers.

I spoke to Carl Lentz’s father, Stephen Lentz, an attorney in Virginia Beach. He couldn’t have been nicer. Mr. Lentz explained that churches don’t have to file Form 990s, so nothing is amiss. He said he knew nothing about Hillsong Australia, and very graciously invited me to the Manhattan Center. Entrance to the services, which run all day long every Sunday, he says, is free. You donate what you want. But the Manhattan Center isn’t free. They charge $17,000 a day for the Grand Ballroom where the Hillsong services take place. Someone is paying for that, most likely Hillsong Australia.

 

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