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Madonna, One Week Away from 62nd Birthday, Reminds Fans She Made it On Her Own Without Any Help from Anyone

Roger Friedman
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Madonna, One Week Away from 62nd Birthday, Reminds Fans She Made it On Her Own Without Any Help from Anyone

Madonna is one week away from her 62nd birthday. She’s supported Louis Farrakhan and in the last few weeks also crazy Dr. Immanuel, the demon sperm doctor.

She hasn’t had a hit in a long time. But she’s made hundreds of millions of dollars, and was once the Queen of Pop. So she wants to remind us she did it on her own. She posted a picture of herself circa 1985 and wrote: “No YouTube, No Vine, No The Voice, No American Idol, No Disney. Just $35 and a dream.”

Madonna did it all on her own. No songwriters, no producers, no Seymour Stein or Sire Records at Warner Bros., no Liz Rosenberg, no other publicists, managers, Freddy DeMann, no Jellybean Benitez, no fans, no Susan Seidelman. No Guy Oseary, I guess, either.

Just her. Gotcha.

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No IG, Twitter or Tik Tok either! 🚀🚀🚀

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Solid as a Rock: Remembering Tee Alston, Friend, Family, Manager of Ashford & Simpson’s Sugar Bar, Gone at 82

Roger Friedman
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Solid as a Rock: Remembering Tee Alston, Friend, Family, Manager of Ashford & Simpson’s Sugar Bar, Gone at 82

It is with deep sadness that I must tell you today that the great Tee Alston has passed away less than a month before her 83rd birthday.

We called her Tee, but her real name was Altomese, and she was the Major Domo of the world of Ashford & Simpson for over 50 years. She was the best friend of Nik and Val, their consort, cohort, organizer, family member, Grand Poobah of the Sugar Bar on West 72nd St. and before that the 20/20 club.

I’m sure I’m not alone when I say I had Tee’s phone number memorized for all these years. If I asked everyone in New York or the music world to raise their hands if they had that number, the whole place would rise. Everyone loved her, and the love went back and forth. She was one of those people who glowed from within.

I asked Valerie Simpson today– she’s in shock, by the way– how she met Tee. “It was before there was a Nik and Val,” she told me. “I was playing piano for a gospel group in Harlem. Tee and her friends were walking by and they stopped in because they heard the music. I told her she had great shoes. And that was it.” Best friends forever.

Tee apparently passed in her sleep, she was otherwise perfectly fine. The Sugar Bar has been closed because of the pandemic, but she’d been taking care of herself and quarantining.

We all had a long running inside joke with Tee. She loved Sam Moore, had a had mad crush on him. She’d always say to me, batting her big brown eyes, “How’s that Sam?” and give me a wink. Then we’d hug.

Tee has a daughter, Sharon, to whom we send condolences. But also to Val and her daughters Asia and Nicole, to everyone at the Sugar Bar, to everyone who loves Ashford & Simpson. To Nik in heaven, who greeted Tee with open arms. I know they are having a good time but we wish they were here.

Tee maybe best exemplified Ashford & Simpson songs herself. She was “Sold as a rock.” She was “the real thing” from “Ain’t Nothing Like the Real Thing,” and she was all everybody needed to get by. This picture above was from Val’s birthday party one year ago on a boat we sailed around New York at midnight. And Tee — look at the smile — was always getting the cakes, putting it all together. My friend, bless you. You will not be forgotten.

Tee uploaded one video to YouTube (she wasn’t really a computer person). I’m including it here, of all Ashford & Simpson’s performances.

 

 

Pictures courtesy of Valerie Simpson c2020

See the Trailer for Charlie Kaufman’s Very Very Dark Comedy “I’m thinking of ending things” Starring Jessie Buckley, Jesse Plemons, Toni Colette

Roger Friedman
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See the Trailer for Charlie Kaufman’s Very Very Dark Comedy “I’m thinking of ending things” Starring Jessie Buckley, Jesse Plemons, Toni Colette

Charlie Kaufman has written and directed a very very dark comedy. Are we surprised? “I’m thinking of ending things” stars Jesse Plemons, Jessie Buckley, Toni Collette, and David Thewlis. It’s coming to Netflix on September 4th. Is this girl suicidal or just ending things with her boyfriend? Either way, this has real “Harold and Maude” vibes.

Tonight’s Ratings for “Game of Games” Will Be 1st Referendum on Ellen DeGeneres Since Scandal Broke Wide Open

Roger Friedman
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Tonight’s Ratings for “Game of Games” Will Be 1st Referendum on Ellen DeGeneres Since Scandal Broke Wide Open

All eyes will be on the ratings tomorrow morning for tonight’s (Thursday’s) rerun on NBC of “Ellen’s Game of Games” show. It airs at 9pm.

This is the first referendum Ellen DeGeneres will face since the scandal of “toxic behavior” broke on her syndicated daily “Ellen Show.”

“The Ellen Show” has been reruns for most of July so its low ratings aren’t really important. If that show returns with new episodes on September 9th, believe me, those numbers will be scrutinized like never before.

But tonight’s “Game of Game Shows” is the first since May 12th. And even though it’s a rerun, this is the first time NBC can measure what if any damage has been done to DeGeneres regarding their investment in her.

The same producers accused of much malfeasance on the syndicated show produce this one, as well. The “Game of Game Shows” is a spin off of the talk show.

Tonight’s guest is singer Usher, who so far hasn’t said a word in DeGeneres’s defense. Some celebrities have, including Jay Leno, Ashton Kutcher, manager Scooter Braun, and singer Katy Perry.

But the reports of mental abuse, harassment and majpr unpleasantness backstage at “The Ellen Show” have been far reaching. They included complaints from TV stars Brad Garrett and Lea Thompson, as well as dozens of former employees.

The ratings for the May 12th “Game of Game Shows” were down from the previous week by 2.06%. The previous week’s ratings were down by 5.57%. The whole month of April showed the ratings sliding, one week by as much as 15%. Word was just starting to seep out then that there was trouble in the world of the talk show host. On March 24th the show had reached a season high of 6.2 million viewers. By May 13th, they were down to 3.9 million. Ouch!

Ellen DeGeneres’s Brother Vance is Angry No One Supported His Facebook Defense of His Sister

Roger Friedman
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Ellen DeGeneres’s Brother Vance is Angry No One Supported His Facebook Defense of His Sister

Ellen DeGeneres’s brother, Vance, has come to her defense. But he’s upset that none of his Facebook friends have rallied behind him, or her.

First Vance put a simple sentence: “I stand with Ellen.”

Then he wrote on Facebook: “Ok, I need to say something. My sister is being viciously attacked. And let me assure you – it is all bullshit. I put up a simple statement yesterday that said “I stand by Ellen.” Only a handful of my Facebook “friends” responded to it. If you don’t support Ellen, then you don’t support me, so please unfriend me. I’m sick and tired of my sister being attacked. She always has – and always will – stand against bullying of any kind. She’s a smart, strong woman who has made a positive difference in the world. And to my friends who did respond with support for Ellen and my family, thank you so much. It means a lot.”

Later he added on Twitter: “If you think Ellen would knowingly allow bullying or racism on her show, you don’t know my sister. She has been and continues to be a bright light in a dark world. She’s one of the kindest, most generous people you’ll ever meet. And one of the funniest.”

Well, at least he took his sister’s side. But it must be frightening that everything could be coming to an abrupt end.

Remembering Pete Hamill, the Journalist We All Wanted to Be, Living the High Life and Getting the Scoops

Roger Friedman
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Remembering Pete Hamill, the Journalist We All Wanted to Be, Living the High Life and Getting the Scoops

Pete Hamill has died at age 85. He was The Guy. At Elaine’s he was revered. At the Lions Head in the West Village, same thing. But so too at the Daily News and the Post, as a reporter, editor, leader, friend, and stud. He dated Jackie Onassis and Shirley MacLaine. I mean, come on! Pete was sick for a long time, but he soldiered on. He was a New York institution. I direct you to the interview below, and to the great documentary about him and Jimmy Breslin on HBO from last year. Pete was one of a kind at a time when New York was, too. Peace, Pete.

This is Very Bad: Former Ellen DeGeneres On-Air DJ Tony Okungbowa Calls Out Show for “Toxicity of Environment”

Roger Friedman
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This is Very Bad: Former Ellen DeGeneres On-Air DJ Tony Okungbowa Calls Out Show for “Toxicity of Environment”

Was The Ellen Show never a good place to work? DJ Tony Okungbowa was there on air with Ellen from the beginning, from 2003 for three years, and then from 2007- 2013. He was a very buoyant pleasant Ed McMahon/Doc Severinsen foil for Ellen and helped create her whole “dance” persona that really lifted her up in the ratings.

But now Tony says on Instagram and Twitter that it was all an act, and calls out the show for its “toxicity of environment.” What he doesn’t say is why he left for four years, why he returned, and left again after six years. But his statement leaves a lot to the imagination. What a shame. All that dancing looked so happy.

Tony writes:

“Hey Guys,
I hope you are all keeping safe out there during these trying times. I have been getting calls asking me about the Ellen Degeneres Show and I would like to address the time I spent there. I was on air talent from 2003-2006 and from 2007 -2013. While I am grateful for the opportunity it afforded me, I did experience and feel the toxicity of the environment and I stand with my former colleagues in their quest to create a healthier and more inclusive workplace as the show moves forward.”

Paris Jackson’s Soundflowers Project is Over, Breaks Up with BF-Partner After Selling 782 Copies of EP

Roger Friedman
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Paris Jackson’s Soundflowers Project is Over, Breaks Up with BF-Partner After Selling 782 Copies of EP

That was fast.

Paris Jackson’s project, The Soundflowers, is over. Paris and her musician boyfriend, Gabriel Glenn, have broken up according to TMZ. Paris, an inveterate Tweeter, has been mostly silent for the last 10 days. Breaking up is hard to do.

The Soundflowers released their EP on June 23rd, two months ago. It sold 782 copies including streaming. Most of it was from paid downloads.

How many romances manifested in bad movies or failed music have hit the wall? Nearly all of them. Paris can call Jennifer Lawrence, who was so wrapped up with director Darren Aronofsky on the movie, “Mother.” But when the movie capsized, so did their relationship. Jennifer subsequently married someone else. Happy ending for her. Paris can also read Elizabeth Taylor’s life story. Her whole movie career was based around men she was involved with.

Paris is a star, she’ll do fine. This was not an embarrassing episode. She’s young enough to try lots of things. At 22, she should call her father’s great friend, Brooke Shields, to get advice about maybe some college now. But whatever she does, she’ll shine.

Vanity Fair Eschews Conventional September Fashion-Movie Cover for One with Guest Editor Ta-Nehesi Coates and 40 Black Writers, Artists, Photographers

Roger Friedman
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Vanity Fair Eschews Conventional September Fashion-Movie Cover for One with Guest Editor Ta-Nehesi Coates and 40 Black Writers, Artists, Photographers

Vanity Fair is throwing a Hail Mary pass in about 2 days.

That’s when we’ll see their September 2020 issue. It will be much different than any issue in the past. They are eschewing the usual movies-fashion theme that usually launches the fall season for something quite a bit more ambitious and exciting.

Today they announced a guest editor, which is unusual in itself. Ta-Nehisi Coates, award winning writer and author and thinker, has taken over for the month. I can’t recall a time when Tina Brown or Graydon Carter ever had a guest editor. But Radhika Jones has gone for something special here. Coates could not be more important in the culture, especially right now. He’s a major voice.

VF says Coates will be joined by 40 prominent writers, photographers, and artists. What they don’t say is that they are almost all are not-white. This is a stop-and-applaud landmark move by a magazine that rarely if ever has a black cover subject or contributor. (I loved Toni Morrison but they considered her cutting edge.)

The list includes one recognizable name, Ava Duvernay, and the following intriguing players: Eve L. Ewing, Bomani Jones, Josie Duffy Rice, Jesmyn Ward, Danez Smith, Deana Lawson, LaToya Ruby Frazier, Kiese Makeba Laymon, Jacqueline Woodson, Franklin Leonard, Kimberly Drew, Hank Willis Thomas, Diana Ejaita, Marjon Carlos, Zerina Akers, Ruth Ossai, Shawn Martinbrough, Ola Ebiti, Calida Rawles, Renell Medrano, Lynsey Weatherspoon, Jason Bolden, Dana Scruggs, Phylicia J. L. Munn, Levi Walton, Lawrence Agyei, Braylen Dion, Bruce Bennett, Paul Octavious, Shan Wallace, Djeneba Aduayom, Wulf Bradley, Miranda Barnes, Arielle Bobb-Willis, Sophia Wilson, Erik Carter, Kennedi Carter, Myles Loftin, Quil Lemons, Adrienne Raquel, Andrea Ellen Reed, John Edmonds, Otis Kwame Kye Quaicoe, and Monica Ahanonu.

August Vanity Fair cover is still on sale, with the amazing Viola Davis on the cover. The September cover seems like it will be just as riveting. (Beyonce would make sense, but we’ll see.)

Taylor Swift’s “Folklore” Expecting Stunning 85% to 95% Second Week Drop in Sales without Usual Promotional Activities

Roger Friedman
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Taylor Swift’s “Folklore” Expecting Stunning 85% to 95% Second Week Drop in Sales without Usual Promotional Activities

Taylor Swift’s “Folklore” came out of gate unexpected and hot in its first week. Total sales including streaming of singles came to 835,000. Around 627,000 of that was digital album sales on iTunes and other downloading services.

But there will be a HUGE drop in the second week according to hitsdailydouble.com and Buzz Angle/Alpha Data. Total sales will be around 125,000 all in. And only 25,000 of those will be from downloads. The rest will be attributed to streaming.

That means a 95% drop in digital downloads, and an over all drop by 85% including streaming. Pretty much everyone who wanted “Folklore” bought it in week 1. The stragglers are here for week 2.

What happened? Taylor couldn’t promote the album. I mean, she could have if she wanted to be clever. But all regular conventional means were unavailable thanks to the pandemic. And her four big stadium concerts for mid summer were long ago cancelled.

There were no CDs, either. I don’t know why. That really hurt her. It’s not too late, but I doubt even the most ardent fans are going to double buy.

At least a lot of celebrities got cardigans. That’s some consolation.

 

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