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Kate McKinnon’s “Tiger King” Mini-Series Lands at NBC, So She’ll Probably Remain at “SNL” This Season

Roger Friedman
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Kate McKinnon’s “Tiger King” Mini-Series Lands at NBC, So She’ll Probably Remain at “SNL” This Season

We haven’t heard any rumblings from Kate McKinnon this season about re-upping with “SNL” on NBC. Last year, in May, she made renegotiation noises as early as May.

But the silence looks like it can be explained, Kate’s “Tiger King” miniseries– in which she plays Carole Baskin– has landed at NBC and across all Universal properties including Peacock and USA Network. So NBC Universal has stepped up. And that would mean McKinnon wouldn’t be leaving “Saturday Night Live.”

That’s a relief because even though the whole “SNL” cast is terrific right now, Kate is the stand out. Also, losing her in the election year would be terrible.

Of course, McKinnon was dealt a couple of blows she had no control over recently. Her characters– imitating Elizabeth Warren and Kellyanne Conway– are not going to be part of the election centrally. Warren wasn’t chosen for VP, and Conway is leaving the spotlight after tonight. Maya Rudolph will likely be playing Kamala Harris.

But McKinnon can pivot and do almost anything. Like Kristen Wiig, she’s a star. But even “SNL” stars will have a hard time this fall as nothing is in production. So staying at “SNL” is a good move. She’s still got Ruth Bader Ginsburg and lots of possibilities.

We haven’t heard the usual “I can’t do this anymore” squawk from Alec Baldwin either. I’m sure he’s been recompensed for staying to play Donald Trump. And hopefully Joe Biden will be portrayed by Jason Sudeikis.

 

Kimberly Guilfoyle, Failed Newscaster, Paid Trump Staffer, Explodes on Stage During First Night of 2020 Republic Convention

Roger Friedman
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Kimberly Guilfoyle, Failed Newscaster, Paid Trump Staffer, Explodes on Stage During First Night of 2020 Republic Convention

Kimberly Guilfoyle is Donald Trump Jr’s lady friend. She’s also a failed newscaster who’s reportedly paid $180,000 by the Trump campaign. Last night she exploded on stage during the Republican convention. She stopped short of singing “Don’t Cry for Me, Argentina,” but she came damn close. Perhaps imitating Judge Jeanine “Box Wine” Pirro, Kim didn’t realize there were NO PEOPLE In the auditorium as she shouted out her speech endorsing the man she prays will be her father in law one day. How did she prepare for this performance? Was it a case of Red Bull? Or was it something more? I’m told she had to be scraped off the ceiling later and reassembled at a Scientology retreat.

Here now, hear now, Kimberly Guilfoyle. And after, I’ve given you Donald Trump Jr.’s red-eyed remarks, also shall we say caffeinated beyond normal levels:

PS Some say that Jerry Falwell, Jr went home with these two last night and watched them have fully clothed relations for ten seconds before passing out. Luckily, Falwell was there to call the ambulance.

RIP Gail Sheehy, Best Selling Author of “Passages,” Famed Writer Was Also Wife of New York Magazine Founder Clay Felker

Roger Friedman
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RIP Gail Sheehy, Best Selling Author of “Passages,” Famed Writer Was Also Wife of New York Magazine Founder Clay Felker

Sad news: Reports on Facebook that bestselling author and famed writer Gail Sheehy has died at age 83. Her book, “Passages,” in 1976, was a monster hit that transcended the culture of non fiction writing and reporting. She captured a moment in the zeitgeist for women and for men talking about life’s changes decade by decade in frank detail that had never before been examined so intimately or frankly. For the Baby Boom generation, “Passages” was a revelation. Her interviews were among the first in the world of New Journalism that sprang up with Tom Wolfe and other writers who transformed non fiction writing and reporting in the late 60s.

Gail was also a feminist whose work dovetailed with the times of Gloria Steinem, Jane Fonda, Betty Friedan, and so on. The majority of her writing was in New York magazine, for which she wrote in the 70s. She married New York’s founding editor Clay Felker, and they became a hot society media couple in New York during a halcyon time. In the 80s and 90s Sheehy wrote for Tina Brown at Vanity Fair extensively.

Maybe Gail’s most famous magazine story, at New York, was about Jackie Kennedy’s cousins, the Beale sisters. Her story inspired Albert and David Maysles’ famous documentary, “Grey Gardens,” which later also became a hit Broadway musical.

From what I can tell on Twitter this morning, Gail died suddenly, of pneumonia possibly linked to COVID-19. She leaves two daughters and an extraordinary legacy. Condolences to her family and friends.

Gail’s death is even more of a shock considering it was only 6 days ago that she posted this message to Facebook. She went out with a bang. Bravo!

DEATH ANXIETY REPLACES PRE-COVID-19 WORLD
by Gail Sheehy
COVID-19 has linked in our minds with nuclear fear. The two silent and invisible menaces combine to infect many of us with a rising death anxiety.
COVID-19 creates a universal sense of dislocation. Even the privileged among us feel that dislocation as they flee from areas of high infection, or work from home, or socially distance themselves even from family and friends.
We put distance between our work arrangements, which may collapse or be radically altered. We struggle with excruciating decisions about teaching and learning and the function of schools in preparing our children for the adult world.
What we’ve lost is the relative safety of a pre-COVID world.
We Americans are twice-dislocated from national authority: misguided by a president who has responded to the virus with extraordinary incompetence, cruelty, and corruption. His ignorant and destructive approach to our institutions gravely endangers our political and psychological capacity to function as a democratic society.
We must ignore the pre-existing conditions (Trump’s lies and ignorance of science) and learn how to resist the death anxiety that has infected so many of us.
We can do this — together – by joining scientifically authentic
groups that will keep us informed of the intelligent way to respond to this period of lies and chaos.
DO NOT FALL VICTIM TO THE DEATH ANXIETY!
WE SHARE THE RESPONSIBILITY OF WRITING ABOUT
THE IMPORTANCE OF LIVING WITH OUR EYES WIDE OPEN!

Freeway of Love: In Detroit, the Great Aretha Franklin Has a Section of Highway Dedicated to Her Memory

Roger Friedman
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Freeway of Love: In Detroit, the Great Aretha Franklin Has a Section of Highway Dedicated to Her Memory

Just a few days after the 2nd anniversary of her death, Aretha Franklin received a new honor in Detroit.

A section of the M10 Highway was dedicated in her memory as the Aretha Louise Franklin Highway.  Of there was a line of pink Cadillacs there plus local officials.

Photographer Montez Miller sent me some pictures and posted a few to his Facebook page.

The area is a stretch of the Lodge Freeway between Livernois and I-94, not far from her father’s New Bethel Baptist Church. Guests included sons Edward and Kelf Franklin, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist, Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan and U.S. Rep. Rashida Tlaib.

“From now on, anybody who passes through this city, no matter how briefly, will be reminded that Aretha Franklin came from the great city of Detroit,” said Duggan.

Aretha’s granddaughters sang, and Sam Cooke’s “A Change is Gonna Come” was played as one of the highway signs was unveiled, according to reports. Aretha’s son, Edward, spoke as well.

I know Aretha would be thrilled. She was alive to see another street named Aretha Franklin Way a few years ago. This winter we’ll have two Aretha movie projects: “Respect,” starring Jennifer Hudson, opening in theaters (fingers crossed) on January 15th. And “Genius,” an 8 part mini series starring Cynthia Erivo, will come to National Geographic we hope in December.

Just one PS: I know for a fact that Aretha would be so thrilled about Kamala Harris running for Vice President. Aretha was very political, very liberal, and backed every Democrat who ran for president. I know she’d be excited about Biden and Harris. And Aretha was a former friend of Donald Trump. She often stayed in his hotel on Columbus Circle. But when he announced his candidacy, and began to show his true colors about black and brown people, she moved down the street to the Ritz Carlton and never looked back.

 

All photos courtesy of Montez Miller

Young and Watchless: The Soap Operas Are Back But Ratings Are Half What They Were Pre-Pandemic Break

Roger Friedman
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Young and Watchless: The Soap Operas Are Back But Ratings Are Half What They Were Pre-Pandemic Break

The three daytime soaps that went into reruns are back on the air with new episodes after a three month long pandemic break.

“Days of our Lives” never stopped showing first run episodes.

And the news is not great. All four shows have about half the viewers they left off with in May.

It’s not like all the actors and stories aren’t going full throttle. But August is always a low viewing month. And this August people got out of the habit of watching their shows.

The networks are going to have to step up promotion if they want their audience to return.

Number 1 show “The Young and the Restless” is really suffering with their lowest ratings ever. For the week of August 10th-14th, the total viewers were 2,685,000. “Y&R” should be up at least around 4.1 million.

The soaps have taken a lot of blows this year, starting with interruptions because of the impeachment hearings. The pandemic break was devastating.

So get back to your shows, fans! All the scheming and manipulating and sexy time is back!

 

Skip RNC, Instead Zoom Tonight with Beloved NY Actor Fred Melamed (Curb Your Enthusiasm) and Chef Eric LeVine

Roger Friedman
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Skip RNC, Instead Zoom Tonight with Beloved NY Actor Fred Melamed (Curb Your Enthusiasm) and Chef Eric LeVine

Looking for something to watch tonight besides the horrid Republican convention?

There’s a mouth watering Zoom tonight with beloved New York actor Fred Melamed and famed chef Eric LeVine.

Hope at Home is a virtual series for the American Cancer Society’s Taste of Hope, a New York tradition. You can get the info at tohhopeathomechefericlevine.eventbrite.com. You’ll get a lot of gossip from Fred about his great movie roles including “Curb Your Enthusiasm” and the Coen Brothers’ “A Serious Man.” Eric Levine — a cancer survivor and James Beard nominated chef of the year — will cook up a storm. We may learn to do something more than flip hamburgers!

Here’s Eric in action:

and Fred, of course:

 

Vanity Fair Follows Oprah Magazine with Breonna Taylor Cover, Debuts Black-Centric Issue But Does Their Audience Want It?

Roger Friedman
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Vanity Fair Follows Oprah Magazine with Breonna Taylor Cover, Debuts Black-Centric Issue But Does Their Audience Want It?

Last month, Oprah’s O Magazine put Breonna Taylor on the cover. The African American woman was murdered in her own home by police on March 13, 2020 and no one has been arrested. It was the first time Oprah herself wasn’t the cover subject. Brilliant.

Now, Vanity Fair has followed Oprah’s lead and put Taylor on their cover. Instead of a photograph of Taylor, they commissioned a painting.

The September issue of Vanity Fair is black centric, guest edited by Ta-Nehisi Coates, with stories and contributions by at least 40 African American writers whose names are largely unknown to Vanity Fair readers. It’s an unusual move for editor Radhika Jones, who’s facing declining circulation and low online numbers. She’s clearly aiming for magazine awards, a la the New York Times Magazine’s historic 1619 project. The question is, Do Vanity Fair readers want this?

Coates writes of Black Lives Matter in his searing Guest Editor’s Letter: “A thousand Eric Garners will be tolerated, so long as they are strangled to death in the shadows of the American carceral system, the most sprawling gulag known to man. And so evil does its business in the shadows…”

Last month, Oscar, Tony and Emmy winner Viola Davis — one of my favorite all time people — graced Vanity Fair’s cover. Change is here. The old Vanity Fair of Graydon Carter and Tina Brown is officially dead. Jones is declaring that and so is Conde Nast. Today we are seeing the grisly video of police shooting Jacob Blake in the back as he’s in his car with his three sons. There is no going back. No more celebrating white wealth and whim.

I’m looking forward to reading “The Great Fire” issue — and seeing “carceral” become a word that Microsoft 360 doesn’t run a wavy red line under.

Vanity Fair video

Shepard Smith — Former Voice of Reason on Fox News– Starts Nightly CNBC News Show Begins September 30th at 7pm

Roger Friedman
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Shepard Smith — Former Voice of Reason on Fox News– Starts Nightly CNBC News Show Begins September 30th at 7pm

“The News with Shepard Smith.”

For some reason, I can hear Regis Philbin imitating Ted Baxter announcing this serious title.

But really, Shep’s new CNBC show begins September 30th at 7pm. That must be the minute his non compete with former employer Fox News ends. Smith was the voice of reason at Fox for eons until they finally forced him out.

Sanford Cannold and Sally Ramirez have been tapped as the Senior Executive Producer and Executive Producer, respectively.

CNBC traditionally tunes out when all the markets close, so this will revive their fortunes in the evening. If the Shep show works, it can be a building block for more programming. As long as they’re not going crazy conservative to compete with Fox, that’s fine. Maybe it will just be down the middle, sane stuff. Not a bad idea!

Berlin Film Festival Wipes Out Best Actor/Actress, Goes Non-Gender in All Awards, Will This Be a Trend for All Awards?

Roger Friedman
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Berlin Film Festival Wipes Out Best Actor/Actress, Goes Non-Gender in All Awards, Will This Be a Trend for All Awards?

Best Actress, Best Actor? No more. At least at the Berlin Film Festival. They’re going non-gender and handing out one acting prize for lead and supporting this winter.

I think it’s just a way of saving money making statues. Cheap Germans.

“The Berlinale has reorganised the prizes awarded by the International Jury in the Competition. For the first time, the performance awards will be defined in a gender-neutral way. Instead of the awards for the Best Actor and the Best Actress, a “Silver Bear for Best Leading Performance” and a “Silver Bear for Best Supporting Performance” shall each be awarded on a gender-neutral basis.”

So there’s no longer a distinction between men and women, and all the gradations. Will this become the norm now for all awards shows? (If you have an opinion on this, all hell will break out, so tread carefully.)

The Berlin Film Festival also says they’re planning a physical film festival despite the high rate of COVID in Europe,  and Americans’ inability to travel there. Good luck!

2nd Claudia Conway Update: Kellyanne Conway Is Leaving Trump White House at End of August to Take Care of Family

Roger Friedman
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2nd Claudia Conway Update: Kellyanne Conway Is Leaving Trump White House at End of August to Take Care of Family

Kellyanne Conway has bent to the will of her 15 year old daughter. She’s leaving the Trump White House at the end of August to take care of her family.

I guess Claudia’s threats to seek emancipation, plus her other observations about her mother’s nefarious work have done the trick.

We owe Claudia a great thank you for ridding us of Kellyanne braying her way through the election. I can only hope we never see her or hear from her again.

Kellyanne’s estranged husband, George Conway, says he’s taking a break from Twitter. But not from the Lincoln Project, I hope. Maybe they’ll get that divorce.

The whole soap opera of Kellyanne and George has taken its toll on their family, not to mention all of us. But it was Claudia who was brave enough to stand up and say Enough! That girl is going places.

Ding dong the witch is dead. Bannon is on bail pending trial. Cohen is serving time at home. Manafort’s in jail. Roger Stone is in limbo. And so on. How lovely. Sean Spicer, I hope, has no career. Sarah Huckabee is waiting tables. Just brilliant.

Kellyanne’s statement:

“The past four years have allowed me blessings beyond compare as a part of history on Election Night 2016 and as Senior Counselor to the President. It’s been heady. It’s been humbling. I am deeply grateful to the President for this honor, and tothe First Lady, the Vice President and Mrs. Pence, my colleagues in the White House and the Administration, and the countless people who supported me and my work. As many convention speakers will demonstrate this week, President Trump’s leadership has hada measurable, positive impact on the peace and prosperity of the nation, and on millions of Americans who feel forgotten no more.The incredible men, women and children we’ve met along the way have reaffirmed my later-in-life experience that public service can be meaningful and consequential. For all of its political differences and cultural cleavages, this is a beautiful country filled with amazing people. The promise of America belongs to us all. I will be transitioning from the White House at the end of this month. George is also making changes. We disagree about plenty but we are united on what matters most: the kids. Our four children are teens and ‘tweens starting a new academic year, in middle school and high school, remotely from home for at least a few months. As millions of parents nationwide know, kids “doing school from home” requires a level of attention and vigilance that is as unusual as these times. This is completely my choice and my voice. In time, I will announce future plans. For now, and for my beloved children, it will be less drama, more mama.”

 

 

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