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”
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
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
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
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.
Tart Pop: Madonna Sings Back Up with Missy Elliot on Dua Lipa’s Remixed “Levitating” Coming in 10 Days
Madonna says on Instagram she’s part of a trio– a trio!– of pop singers who will release a single on August 14h. The song is called “Levitating” and it’s a remix of a Dua Lipa track also featuring Missy Misdemeanor Elliott. It was obviously recorded in separate places. It will either be brilliant or crap. We have to wait ten days to find out. I’ll let you know if there are updates.
Here’s Dua Lipa’s original “Levitating”
DisneyPlusPlusPlus: Studio Will Charge 30 Bucks Extra Over Subscription Fee to Stream Long-Delayed “Mulan” Next Month
Disney– look, they’re suffering. The theme parks are losing money, no one’s going to movie theaters, Mickey and Minnie can’t even get stimulus checks.
So on September 24th the Mouse House will offer the long delayed “Mulan” on its DisneyPlus service for — wait– 30 bucks. On top of the subscription price. They didn’t even do this with “Hamilton.” So if you’re paying monthly or annually, that just gives you the opportunity to plunk down 30 clams to see “Mulan.”
“Mulan” will play in theaters where available for what I presume is a regular ticket price. But theaters won’t be open in New York, California, Texas, or Florida. And it’s unclear who will bring children to a cineplex in a state where theaters are open, especially if they don’t want them going to school.
“Mulan” was ready last year, but it got postponed. And then re-dated many times because of the pandemic. It has a $200 million budget, so Disney has to make that money somehow. And even the regular $20 VOD charge I guess wouldn’t be enough.
Niki Caro directed, and it’s all Asian actors doing the voices, no stars even or recognizable names. So the movie will have to stand on its own.
Whitney Houston Biopic Gets a Studio, After We Told You Exclusively About the Project Last November
I told you on November 19, 2019 that Anthony McCarten was writing the screenplay for the Whitney Houston biopic. Exclusively.
I told you in April that the movie was a ‘go’ with Clive Davis executive producing. And Stella Meghie directing. Anyone remember that?
Deadline.com is trying to take credit. No.
Now today comes the official word that the movie will come from Sony’s Tri-Star division. It’s set for Christmas 2022. Casting is a long way off. My guess is there will be an unknown playing Whitney. It’s unclear how much editorial control Whitney’s estate– meaning her sister in law, Pat Houston– will exert. Will it be a just big kiss? Or will it tell the truth about how Whitney’s brothers hooked her on drugs?
Will the movie also perpetuate the story from the estate’s documentary that Whitney and one brother were molested by their cousin, Dee Dee Warwick? Dee Dee’s sister, Dionne, will be furious if so. (No one knows if this is true, so, they have to be careful.)
And who will play Clive Davis? When Clive first signed Whitney he was around 50. I think they should get Stanley Tucci, but no one asked me. And Kevin Costner? (Logan Marshall Green, call your agent.)
Titles? You know they want to call it “I Will Always Love You.” Dolly Parton would be thrilled because she’ll get more money for the license if they name the movie after her song. And who will the musical director be? I’m sure David Foster is all over it. (He probably wants to play himself!)
Reality Hits: Radio City Music Hall Cancels Christmas Spectacular 1st Time Since 1933, Bad Omen for Movies, Theater
Reality has set in: Radio City Music Hall has cancelled the Christmas Spectacular for the first time since 1933.
I give them credit for acknowledging the inevitable instead of saying it might happen or could be virtual. No. It simply can’t happen. They can’t have 5,000 people jam into the world’s most famous theater during this pandemic.
And this should tell us what’s going to happen with movie theaters. If Radio City isn’t opening, neither are they. “Tenet” is not going to play in New York over Labor Day weekend. Until there’s a vaccine, there will be no Broadway or any other live theater. Not this fall, and not this winter.
New York– and most cities– are going to be very different this holiday season. It’s time to face facts. This means a stunning amount of unemployment– not just for the Rockettes, but for the entire production.
“We regret that the 2020 production of the Christmas Spectacular Starring the Radio City Rockettes … has been canceled due to continued uncertainty associated with the COVID-19 pandemic,” said a Tuesday statement from MSG Entertainment.
“We are disappointed for everyone involved with the show, as well as for the many fans who make the Christmas Spectacular a cherished part of their holiday tradition.”
Justin Bieber Goes All in On Christian Worship, Posting Long Jesus Message to Instagram Followers
Justin Bieber was famous in his teens and early 20s for starting fights with neighbors, pouring buckets of water on unsuspecting fans, and causing general mayhem. He ran into some big legal problems because of it.
He has since turned to religion. He’s famous for his devotion to Hillsong church and their celebrity pastors. So far his music hasn’t reflected the transition, but maybe it will coming up. Yesterday he posted his first all out Christian message to his Instagram followers.
How will the non-religious or non-Christians feel about a new proselytizing Bieber? And will this new very public devotion be reflected in his stage show next year? Stay tuned…
Bieber wrote:
“Jesus is the answer to our shame, guilt, condemnation, jealousy, bitterness, unforgiveness, selfishness the list goes on.. Jesus came to bring healing! I don’t know what idea of Jesus you have but Jesus came to save us. He came to sacrifice himself on the cross so that you and I could have a way out. Jesus took the punishment of our wrongs so that we can walk with God with no insecurities or shame. So we can walk in the FULLNESS OF ALL THAT GOD HAS FOR US!! God has a full extraordinary life for you. Do you trust God enough to let go of some things? (greed, bitterness, unforgiveness etc) give it to God he welcomes us with open arms and he isn’t surprised by our mess. My hope is in a person and his name is Jesus”
