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Gladys Knight vs. Patti Labelle: The Most Amazing Verzuz Face Off Is Coming Live This Sunday

Roger Friedman
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Gladys Knight vs. Patti Labelle: The Most Amazing Verzuz Face Off Is Coming Live This Sunday

This may be the greatest singing match in history, with a death cage: Gladys Knight vs. Patti Labelle. This Sunday at 8pm the two legendary singers will face each other on Verzuz’s Instagram page. Who will win? I know both ladies so I can’t take sides. I do know that in heaven Miss Aretha Franklin is laying bets with Ruth Brown, Etta James, Mary Wells, and a number of her frenemies. Dionne Warwick will be watching this from New Jersey, no doubt. This is like Ali vs. Frazier.

There have been a number of Verzuz matches in the last few weeks, but this one should really pack a punch. It’s “Midnight Train to Georgia” vs. “New Attitude.” It’s “Neither One of Us” vs. “If Only You Knew.” Can they bring in backup? Will Gladys have her brother Pip, Bubba, in the corner? Patti get Sarah Dash or Nona Hendryx to help with “Lady Marmalade”? Will there be any mascara left at the Fillmore in Philadelphia?

Brace yourselves!

No More Keeping Up with the Kardashians: America’s Most Useless Family Ending Series After 20 Seasons

Roger Friedman
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No More Keeping Up with the Kardashians: America’s Most Useless Family Ending Series After 20 Seasons

Say goodbye to the Kardashians, America’s most useless family. They’re wrapping up their series next year after 20 seasons which seemed like 40.

“Keeping Up with the Kardashians” couldn’t keep up with the ratings. As I’ve noted the last couple of years, the numbers are in steep decline. So it’s time to wrap it up. The E! Channel will replace the show with test patterns.

In the last season maybe we’ll get to see Kanye West’s latest mental collapse, his threat to divorce Kim, his presidential run, and all of that. That should make for a good finale. The rest of them can light themselves on fire or whatever. Maybe their exit will dovetail with Trump’s. Rainbows!

Kim posted to her 188 million followers, most of whom are in comas: “Without ‘Keeping Up with The Kardashians,’ I wouldn’t be where I am today. I am so incredibly grateful to everyone who has watched and supported me and my family these past 14 incredible years,” she wrote. “This show made us who we are and I will be forever in debt to everyone who played a role in shaping our careers and changing our lives forever.”

 

Exclusive: Peter Travers Exits Rolling Stone after 36 Years as Chief Film Critic, Made Magazine Important in Hollywood: “It’s been a hell of a ride”

Roger Friedman
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Exclusive: Peter Travers Exits Rolling Stone after 36 Years as Chief Film Critic, Made Magazine Important in Hollywood: “It’s been a hell of a ride”

The great movie reviewer, Peter Travers, has exited Rolling Stone as full time movie critic after 36 years. He started there in 1984. Peter literally took Rolling Stone into Hollywood and made them a must read for his reviews. His critic’s quotes have been on every ad (for movies he liked). Peter has great taste, so that imprimatur meant a lot to filmmakers. And god forbid he didn’t like a film, watch out! Rolling Stone loses a lot of influence and importance now without him.

Travers told me this morning that he’s excited about the changes:

He said, “In addition to continuing my Popcorn interview show at ABC, remotely for the time being, I’m also doing reviews of movies and tv for the websites on ABC and GMA. Nice to have such a large audience. And to add TV and streaming reviews to my portfolio.  Re Rolling Stone, my contract was up and they wanted “new voices” across the platform.  No arguments from me on that score. I’ve been there for three decades. And will continue to be on masthead as a Contributing Editor for major film stories. Change is good. I feel fortunate to start at ABC exactly one day after my regular RS gig ended.
It’s been a hell of a ride. I’ll just be riding a new horse into a future none of us can predict.”

Peter’s “Popcorn” show is must see for cinema fans. Rolling Stone’s loss is ABC’s gain. As for Rolling Stone, they’ve named contributor K. Austin Collins as Peter’s successor. He’s stepping into big shoes.
 

Read Lupita Nyong’o’s Beautiful Tribute to “Black Panther” Star Chadwick Boseman: “His power lives on and will reverberate for generations to come”

Roger Friedman
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Read Lupita Nyong’o’s Beautiful Tribute to “Black Panther” Star Chadwick Boseman: “His power lives on and will reverberate for generations to come”

Oscar winner Lupita Nyong’o was Chadwick Boseman’s co-star in “Black Panther” and his friend. She attended his memorial service this weekend. Now she’s posted a moving tribute to him on Twitter. She says: “His power lives on and will reverberate for generations to come” and she’s so right.

Former Journalist Megyn Kelly Doubles Down on Racist Comments, Attacks Paralyzed Jacob Blake on Twitter

Roger Friedman
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Former Journalist Megyn Kelly Doubles Down on Racist Comments, Attacks Paralyzed Jacob Blake on Twitter

It’s nice to see that Megyn Kelly — fired from NBC for advocating wearing blackface– doesn’t change. She only gets worse. Responding to news that Senator Kamala Harris visited Jacob Blake’s family in Rochester and told him she was proud of him, Kelly wrote on Twitter:

“PROUD of him? He’s accused of breaking into a sleeping woman’s house, sexually assaulting her, humiliating her & later returning to harass her. Then the cops she called for help say he resisted arrest, assaulted them & went for his knife. How about a word for his victim, Senator?”

Kelly’s compassion for Blake is nil. He was shot seven times as he got in his truck. He was not resisting arrest. He also had not been arrested for anything. A warrant had been issued for him on July 7 for third degree domestic abuse. But on August 23rd, there had been no arrest.

Blake is now in a Kenosha hospital, paralyzed.

Kelly is a monster who succeeded in sucking $69 million out of NBC. But she will never be an anchor or correspondent for any legitimate news organization again. She’s limited to putting up her own interviews on YouTube, or working for Fox, Sinclair, or that OANN thing that Trump loves so much. Shame on her for this post.

Here is Jacob Blake’s charge sheet. He has not been tried or convicted of anything here. If Kelly were an actual journalist, she’d know that.

RIP Kevin Dobson, Star of “Kojak” and “Knots Landing” was 77, Was on CBS Screens for 20 Uninterrupted Years

Roger Friedman
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RIP Kevin Dobson, Star of “Kojak” and “Knots Landing” was 77, Was on CBS Screens for 20 Uninterrupted Years

Sad news that Kevin Dobson, a terrific actor and a great guy, has died at age 77. Dobson had a long run on “Knots Landing” as Mack Mackenzie, the good guy lead of the show, from 1982- 1993. His character was married to Michele Lee’s Karen, the “moral center” of the soap opera that ran 14 seasons. Dobson was the rare kind of blue collar macho guy who was also a romantic lead.

Before “Knots Landing,” Dobson was a breakout on “Kojak” starring Telly Savalas. He played Detective Bobby Crocker. Men and women loved him. I remember when the show started (I was a wee lad) but Kevin Dobson was the It Guy. And that never stopped. He was literally on CBS screens from 1973 to 1993, 20 years, without a break, doing movies of the week and every series where he could guest star.

“Kojak” overlapped with “Knots” because Dobson was not in the second show’s original cast. He replaced Don Murray, who played Michele Lee’s first husband. But Murray had been a movie star and didn’t want to re-sign his contract, so they killed off his character after two seasons. Ironically, Murray just turned 91. Three years ago he had a career Renaissance on the revived “Twin Peaks.”

Dobson is survived by his wife, Susan, who he marred in 1968, three children, and fans all over the world.

 

Box Office: Christopher Nolan’s “Tenet” Grabs $20 Mil in the US, $150 Mil Worldwide After Delayed Opening

Roger Friedman
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Box Office: Christopher Nolan’s “Tenet” Grabs $20 Mil in the US, $150 Mil Worldwide After Delayed Opening

It didn’t play in New York or a lot of New Jersey or California. But Christoper Nolan’s “Tenet” — which also didn’t use drive ins but regular theaters where it could — time traveled to hit status over the weekend.

“Tenet” earned $20,200,00 in 2,810 theaters from the previews that began Tuesday through Friday and Labor Day weekend. Worldwide,  it took in $146 million. With a $200 million budget, the signs are good for a break even $450 million worldwide take…over time.

“Tenet” should have “Legs”– especially with repeat viewings. I think you have to go back at least once to try and find the clues and Easter eggs. Enough people have seen it now to realize it’s Himesh Patel on the speedboat with Elizabeth Debicki toward the end. Patel starred in a movie called “Yesterday,” which I think was a clue and a little joke.

“Tenet” will be an Oscar nominee, and so should Nolan this year. If not, we’ll go back in time and fix it!

 

Exclusive: Tony Award Winners Elaine May, Mary Louise Parker, Danny Burstein Starring in Zoom Movie Written and Directed by Peter Hedges

Roger Friedman
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Exclusive: Tony Award Winners Elaine May, Mary Louise Parker, Danny Burstein Starring in Zoom Movie Written and Directed by Peter Hedges

There isn’t much movie production these days, and what there isn’t so interesting.

But I’m told that writer director Peter Hedges, whose top notch credits include “Ben is Back,” “Dan in Real Life,” and “What’s Eating Gilbert Grape,” is busy making a film right now.

There’s no title and the plot remains a secret, but Hedges is doing the whole thing via Zoom. I’m assuming we won’t see the little boxes, but it will be edited together to make it look like a film.

What I have heard is that it stars three Tony Award winners: Elaine May, Mary Louise Parker, and Danny Burstein. They play mother, son, and daughter– so it has to be a comedy. Danny won his Tony for “Fiddler on the Roof” and is starring in “Moulin Rouge” right now on Broadway in an alternate universe. Elaine is the legendary writer-director-actress, beloved by all. She was supposed to star in “Love Letters” this summer on stage in New York.

Mary Louise Parker’s Tony was for “Proof,” but if there had been Tonys this year, she would have won for “The Sound Inside.” Amazing performance.

We have to give credit to filmmakers who are doing something, anything of interest during this period of inertia. I can’t wait to see what the result is!

In the meantime, go check out Peter Hedges’ other movies on all the platforms including the very good “Pieces of April” with Patricia Clarkson and Katie Holmes, and “Ben is Back” with Julia Roberts and Lucas Hedges.

 

 

Movies Are Back in Theaters But People Not So Much: “Mulan” Doesn’t Excite Asian Audiences

Roger Friedman
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Movies Are Back in Theaters But People Not So Much: “Mulan” Doesn’t Excite Asian Audiences

Movies are back in theaters in some countries. The people, not so much.

“Mulan” is only playing on Disney Plus in North America, but out in the world you can see it with pop corn.

Asian-oriented, “Mulan” should have done well in those countries. But the top box office numbers over there aren’t too exciting.

According to Exhibitor Relations, “Mulan” was met with apathy, scoring just $5.9 million in 9 territories including Taiwan, Thailand, Singapore, and Malaysia. Of course, those countries may recall the original “Mulan,” and hold it close to their hearts.

“Mulan” won’t have box office results in the US because there is no reporting from Disney about streaming numbers.

Fox News Ignores Jennifer Griffin Appearance on Neil Cavuto, Refuses to Acknowledge Her Trump Military Scoop and “Unimpeachable Sources”

Roger Friedman
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Fox News Ignores Jennifer Griffin Appearance on Neil Cavuto, Refuses to Acknowledge Her Trump Military Scoop and “Unimpeachable Sources”

Remarkable: Fox News and its website, foxnews.com, continues to ignore the network’s national security correspondent, Jennifer Griffin. Griffin confirmed The Atlantic story by Jeffrey Goldberg citing Donald Trump’s disrespect to the US military and John McCain. Griffin also confirmed Trump’s comments about veterans who served in Vietnam as “suckers” and “Losers.”

If Fox News were a real network, Chris Wallace would be interviewing Griffin this morning on their Sunday news show.  Instead guest host Bret Baier — who has given vocal support to Griffin — is interviewing Trump lackey Steve Mnuchin.

Trump has called for Griffin to be fired, and must be getting some satisfaction from her disloyal treatment by her employer. But Griffin has fought back. On Cavuto’s show she said:

“My sources are not anonymous to me and I doubt they are anonymous to the president. I can tell you that my sources are unimpeachable.”

Cavuto told Griffin:  “you are a very good reporter—and then some. Jennifer Griffin following the story here. She’s pretty scrupulous when it comes to making sure all the i’s are dotted and all the t’s are crossed.”

Cavuto is not alone among Fox Newsers  in defending Griffin. Many besides Baier have Tweeted their support. But the really crazy hardcover company people– who may think Roger Ailes is still alive — are publicly attacking their colleague. No word yet from house cowards like Juan Williams who value their mortgage payments over the fate of the country.

Meantime, Foxnews.com pretends none of this ever happened. There is no clip from the Cavuto show and no reference to Griffin’s scoop anywhere on the site.

UPDATE: Griffin was just given a vocal endorsement from Howard Kurtz on his Sunday show.

 

 

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