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Disney’s Searchlight Takes Wes Anderson’s Much Anticipated “The French Dispatch” Off the Schedule Again

Roger Friedman
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Disney’s Searchlight Takes Wes Anderson’s Much Anticipated “The French Dispatch” Off the Schedule Again

The French Dispatch has been dispatched.

Wes Anderson’s newest creation was supposed to be released today after opening in Cannes.

Alas, all of that went away and “The French Dispatch” was moved to October 16th. Now Disney’s Searchlight has been dimmed, and Anderson and pals are off the schedule.

Here’s one quality film that I think would be swell on Netflix or VOD. Even though we always want a big screen release, the Anderson oeuvre lends itself a smaller space. Eventually it could be released in theaters.

I don’t think we’ll see any of these movies until mid January through the end of February, when the new Oscar eligibility ends. Without a vaccine it’s just not going to happen. Wait for news about the James Bond “No Time to Die” gets pushed past November 20th.

“The French Dispatch” by the way has the usual cast of Anderson characters including Benicio del Toro, Adrien Brody, Tilda Swinton, Léa Seydoux, Frances McDormand, Timothée Chalamet, Jeffrey Wright, Mathieu Amalric, Bill Murray Owen Wilson, Liev Schreiber, Edward Norton, Willem Dafoe, Saoirse Ronan, Jason Schwartzman, and Anjelica Huston, .

Taylor Swift’s “Folklore” is Her First Release Not To Have a Physical CD, It’s Just for Downloads and Streaming

Roger Friedman
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Taylor Swift’s “Folklore” is Her First Release Not To Have a Physical CD, It’s Just for Downloads and Streaming

Here’s a first that’s a little alarming for people of a certain age: Taylor Swift’s new album, “Folklore,” has no physical product. There is no CD or LP so far for this album.

“Folklore” comes only digitally– as a download or on streaming services. But if you want to pop it into your car, home stereo, or turntable, forget it.

That hasn’t stopped her fans, who may not know what those things are anyway. On iTunes, Swift’s entire catalog including the clean and explicit versions of “Folklore” are in the top 100. Most of the tracks from the album are on the singles chart as well.

It’s not like there wasn’t enough time to make CDs. There was enough time make a whole merchandise site! But CD’s are expensive. Why make them if you don’t have to?

Will there ever be a CD or LP of “Folklore”? Maybe an LP that will retail high around $20 bucks. But so far there’s no indication on amazon that one is coming, or a CD. If you want one that badly, I guess make it home from your download. (Do people still do that?)

 

Hearst Publications Ousts Top Exec Troy Young After Reports of Inappropriate Behavior, Lewd Language in Workplace

Roger Friedman
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Hearst Publications Ousts Top Exec Troy Young After Reports of Inappropriate Behavior, Lewd Language in Workplace

The official word is that Troy Young, president of Hearst Publications– the company that gives Harpers Bazaar, Esquire, Cosmopolitan, Oprah’s O, Marie Claire, and Good Housekeeping– has resigned. But the truth is he was ousted after the New York Times took him down after reports of inappropriate behavior and lewd language in the workplace.

The Times story reported that Young had made suggestive comments about sex toys, emailed pornography to a senior editor and made explicit remarks to a junior employee.

There are no tears for Troy Young at Hearst. He was rude and disrespectful to all. He and his cohorts, who suddenly took over the running of the magazines because of their bs digital backgrounds, were responsible for carnage in the office suites. Since Young rose to power, great editors like Glenda Bailey, Joanna Coles, David Granger, Jay Fielden, and Ellen Levine all departed their posts and left the company. Young ripped out the heart and soul of Hearst to fulfill his skewed agenda.

I am thinking this morning of my late friend, Terry Mansfield, the eminence grise of Hearst, based in London. One of the great publishers of all time, Terry died early this spring from COVID-19.  He was a gentleman, which doesn’t mean he was out of touch. He had manners, and engaged with others as a human. He was appalled and insulted by Troy Young, which we discussed a lot. I have to think Terry’s arrival in heaven helped expedite Young’s exit.

What’s worse is that the brands’ online presences were diminished in the process. Stories are pumped out under “Esquire.com” or any of the titles that have no relationship to the magazines. They’re just tabloid regurgitations designed to use the brands as clickbait.

Of course, the most egregious thing that’s happened is the killing at Esquire of Maximillian Potter and Alex French’s detailed and lengthy investigation into “X Men” director Bryan Singer’s history of alleged crimes and misdemeanors. Hearst execs were said to have killed the story. The reporters published it in The Atlantic.

“We have been asked why a story reported and written by two Esquire writers is being published in The Atlantic,” they said. “This story began with our editors at Esquire. After months of reporting, this story went through Esquire’s editorial process, which included fact-checking and vetting by a Hearst attorney, and the story was approved for publication.”

They continued: “The story was then killed by Hearst executives. We do not know why.”

Young’s ouster should lead to the end for his handpicked people, none of whom were popular among the staff. If you have any thoughts, please direct them to me at showbiz411@gmail.com. A few years ago, when Young was simply head of digital Hearst, it was recommended we meet. To say the meeting was a failure was an understatement. He was the rudest person I ever met in publishing, and that says a lot. (He actually was ruder than the editor at Harper Collins who once said to me, “Maybe one day you’ll be a success, too” and then proceeded to take all the ideas I’d offered her.)

 

 

 

(Listen) Here’s Taylor Swift’s Surprise “Folklore” Album with Big Hit “Betty,” Fancy Video and Some Lyrics Maybe By Her Actor Boyfriend

Roger Friedman
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(Listen) Here’s Taylor Swift’s Surprise “Folklore” Album with Big Hit “Betty,” Fancy Video and Some Lyrics Maybe By Her Actor Boyfriend

Well, here it is: Taylor Swift’s surprise album, Folklore, along with a video for the first single, “Cardigan.” Button up! The National are primary collaborators, along with Jack Antonoff, Bon Iver, and Taylor’s boyfriend, actor Joe Alwyn, whose pen name is William Bowery. Presented as a spontaneous project, “Folklore” is marketed within an inch of its life. You can whittle away the hours listening to it. Since there were no press links, it’s news to us.

“Folklore” will be eligible for Grammy Awards this year. “Lover” was last year, but was snubbed completely as payback for Taylor making waves about her song rights being sold. But she’s got Grammys, so hey.

The big hit on the album comes toward the end. It’s called “Betty” and you almost think it’s a girl crushing on a girl in high school. But it’s 17 year old James who is having trouble saying goodbye to Betty. Sounds like a 70s single, opens with a harmonica, and it’s a story. Fans will be singing along to this for the rest of their lives.

 

Taylor Swift’s New Album, Recorded in April, Comes with a Full Line of Merchandise And a Fancy, Expensive Video

Roger Friedman
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Taylor Swift’s New Album, Recorded in April, Comes with a Full Line of Merchandise And a Fancy, Expensive Video

Taylor Swift’s new album, “Folklore,” dropping as a surprise tonight, was written and recorded just three months ago.

That was enough time, apparently, to develop a whole line of merchandise to bundle with the album, and a complete marketing plan. Not bad.

There’s also a fancy, expensive video to go with the song, “Cardigan,” that is debuting on all platforms simultaneously. Taylor wrote and directed it, but Oscar nominee Rodrigo Prieto did the cinematography.

There’s an actual Taylor Swift cardigan that you can buy on the site. It’s 100% acrylic, “Cream cable knit cardigan with black matte buttons, dark gray trim, light gray star embroidery on both arms, and light gray album title patch on left chest with dark grey font.”

Price: $49, and you get the album. There’s also a $60 hoodie, a $55 pullover, a phone case, a t shirt, a phone holder, and a black and white “lithograph” to pin up over your bed.

Carpe diem!

PS Remember when Joni Mitchell’s “Blue” came out and there was whole line of blue stuff? No, I didn’t think so. Or remember when Carole King was selling tapestries, and Carly Simon had ready make “Hot Cakes” at the supermarket? No? Maybe that’s why we took their music seriously.

 

The Great Jazz Singer Annie Ross was Director Robert Altman’s Favorite, Was Part of Greatest Jazz Vocal Trio

Roger Friedman
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The Great Jazz Singer Annie Ross was Director Robert Altman’s Favorite, Was Part of Greatest Jazz Vocal Trio

There have been a lot of tributes to Annie Ross in the last day or so. She died yesterday at age 89.

I got to know her a little bit because she came to Elaine’s with the great movie director Robert Altman and his wife Kathryn. They loved her. Bob was a huge jazz fan. He featured Annie in two of his biggest hits, back to back in “Short Cuts” and “The Player.” There was no higher tribute for him, or show of affection.

Annie Ross has a rich, deep catalog of her own records and solo performances. But she is part of two landmark albums from her time as part of the remarkable trio Lambert, Hendricks, Ross. Wikipedia has it wrong. The first album, 1957’s “Sing a Song of Basie”– as in Count Basie– won awards and was the first, but not the best.

Maybe the best vocal jazz album is something an older friend hands you in college. That’s the self titled “Lambert, Hendricks, and Ross” from 1960, with Annie singing “Twisted” and the group harmonizing on “Centerpiece” and “Charleston Alley.”

As it happened, in 1974 Joni Mitchell covered “Twisted,” and then in 1975, “Centerpiece” on her albums. So the realization for me, at 17, that they were covers, and who sang them originally, was a watershed. The “LHR” album became a touchstone for me. I still have the original LP. Later, you could get the “expanded CD” with lots of extra tracks. But for 20 years, I lived with just the original 11 tracks.

One night at Elaine’s, our proprietress said to me, “You know who that is, right? With Altman? It’s Annie Ross.” Elaine loved jazz and jazz musicians. “Go talk to her.” I asked Bob to introduce me. It was really weird to think she was a real person. (Later I met Jon Hendricks, too. This was a little like when I first met John McLaughlin. And Dave Brubeck. You can’t believe they’re real.)

I did talk to her, and a few times more, and I have no idea what I said because I was trying to be cool. But she was the coolest, and so were all these other people, and I’m so sorry they’re still not around because they can’t be replaced.

 

 

Movie Year 2020 Almost Completely Cancelled as Paramount Moves “Top Gun” and “Quiet Place” Sequels to Next Year

Roger Friedman
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Movie Year 2020 Almost Completely Cancelled as Paramount Moves “Top Gun” and “Quiet Place” Sequels to Next Year

The year 2020 is pretty much over, movie wise.

Paramount has moved “Top Gun: Maverick” and “A Quiet Place II” to next year. The former will come on July 2nd, the latter in April. I have a soft spot for “A Quiet Place II.” It was the last premiere I attended before the pandemic. I was about to run the review when everything came to a halt. Here’s my review: it’s really terrific and scary and sets up Part III, which we’ll see one day. I’m really glad Paramount didn’t put it on home video.

As for “Maverick,” Glen Powell will have to wait for his big close up til next year!

Disney has taken “Mulan” off their schedule indefinitely. That news came this evening.

The James Bond movie “No Time to Die” will be next. It’s no time to release. “Wonder Woman 1984,” etc are all going to move from fall dates.

The fact is, movies, like Broadway, can’t return to theaters until there’s a vaccine. So this business is crossing fingers and making new fake dates is just a waster of time. I think the MGM decision to move “Respect” to January 15th makes good sense. MGM also has “No Time to Die.” I think all the studios will hope for a vaccine by year’s end and go big in February. February will be the new December.

I do hope “Greyhound,” “Hamilton,” and a few others will get theatrical releases after the vaccine. Until then, it’s all going to be at home viewing.

UPDATE Donde “Donda”? No Sign of Album Kanye West Announced and Provided Song Tracklistings For

Roger Friedman
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UPDATE Donde “Donda”? No Sign of Album Kanye West Announced and Provided Song Tracklistings For

FRIDAY 12:40AM There is no sign of “Donda.” Did it ever exist? Will it seep out in a few hours or days? Who knows? But so far, Donda Nada.

EARLIER THURSDAY NIGHT Donde “Donda”?

That’s the name of Kanye West’s supposed new album, which he announced many times this week was arriving tomorrow. That means in 7 1/2 hours.

I’m told no one at his record company, Def Jam, has any idea if the record is coming. That’s a bad sign. The streaming services seem clueless, too. Kanye’s website offers no indication new music is about to arrive.

Plus, the usually voluble Kanye has vanished from social media today. No word about the album at all.

Of course, it’s possible the whole thing was a manic wish, and doesn’t exist. Or exists in parts but not ready for now. And this is despite Kanye releasing a tracklist over and over. He’s issued them in his own hand, and then type written.

This was already a busy week for Kanye, whose presidential non campaign ended with a frantic, senseless appearance in South Carolina and his denying that Harriet Tubman freed slaves. Then he had a Twitter barrage attacking his wife and her family.  Who has time to finish tracks?

A wrench in the works might have been Taylor Swift’s announcement that she’s dropping a surprise album tonight. And she’s really doing it. They are mortal enemies. Her “Folklore” may have have scared Kanye off.

I guess we’ll see at midnight if “Donda” is real. I guess if it’s not, we’re all learning about manic depression aka bipolar disorder. This is tough for his family first and him. As for the public, we can wait.

 

Report: Stephen Miller’s Grandmother Died of COVID-19, Her Son Blames the Trump Administration

Roger Friedman
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Report: Stephen Miller’s Grandmother Died of COVID-19, Her Son Blames the Trump Administration

This is such good reporting from David Corn in Mother Jones, I wanted to share it with you.

Corn breaks the story that Stephen Miller’s grandmother has died of COVID-19. It’s on her death certificate despite a rude denial from the White House.

Miller’s uncle, David Glosser, wrote about it on Facebook. Corn followed up. Glosser, who hates his alien nephew, blames the Trump Administration for his mother’s death. Yes, she was 97, but COVID-19 weakened her prematurely and hastened her death.

Glosser wrote on July 4th: “This morning my mother, Ruth Glosser, died of the late effects of COVID-19 like so many thousands of other people; both young and old. She survived the acute infection but was left with lung and neurological damage that destroyed her will to eat and her ability to breathe well enough to sustain arousal and consciousness. Over an 8-week period she gradually slipped away and died peacefully this morning.”

The White House responded to Mother Jones: “This is categorically false, and a disgusting use of so-called journalism when the family deserves privacy to mourn the loss of a loved one. His grandmother did not pass away from COVID. She was diagnosed with COVID in March and passed away in July so that timeline does not add up at all. His grandmother died peacefully in her sleep from old age. I would hope that you would choose not to go down this road.”

This was Miller’s mother’s mother. I don’t how she can look at her son. But you must remember, he was taken in when his spaceship abandoned him. The Millers never knew his planet’s peculiarities. This woman was his grandmother in name.

Read Corn’s story.

 

Justin Bieber Announces Scaled Down for Summer 2021 Replacing Postponed Dates from This Year

Roger Friedman
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Justin Bieber Announces Scaled Down for Summer 2021 Replacing Postponed Dates from This Year

Before we broke for Pandemic 2020, Justin Bieber was supposed to have a big tour beginning May 14th. The dates were not selling, big time. The pandemic caused the cancellation of the tour just in the nick of time.

Now Bieber has announced new dates for next year, scaled back from stadiums to arenas. There’s no more dates at the Meadowlands. It’s now two nights at Madison Square Garden. Also missing is Foxboro Stadium outside Boston. Now it’s TD Arena, The dates are below. No word yet on opening acts, but my guess is there will be at least one everywhere as a separate draw.

Bieber’s album was not a physical hit, but did great with streaming (182k/555K) and neither was his pandemic single with Ariana Grande. But he had one big monotonous radio hit called “Intentions.” Maybe between now and next summer there will be a new album that will fuel ticket sales.

JUSTIN BIEBER WORLD TOUR DATES:

NEW 2021 SHOWS – ON SALE THURSDAY, AUGUST 6th at 10am local time.

Date City Venue

June

7 San Jose, CA SAP Center at San Jose

8 San Jose, CA SAP Center at San Jose

11 Tacoma, WA Tacoma Dome

22 Chicago, IL United Center

23 Chicago, IL United Center

July

3 Toronto, ON Scotiabank Arena

8 Boston, MA TD Garden

9 Newark, NJ Prudential Center

11 Philadelphia, PA Wells Fargo Center

13 New York, NY Madison Square Garden

14 New York, NY Madison Square Garden

16 Toronto, ON Scotiabank Arena

17 Toronto, ON Scotiabank Arena

20 Brooklyn, NY Barclays Center

22 Atlanta, GA State Farm Arena

23 Atlanta, GA State Farm Arena

Aug

11 Los Angeles, CA Staples Center

12 Los Angeles, CA Staples Center

14 Inglewood, CA The Forum

RESCHEDULED 2021 DATES ON SALE NOW

June

2 San Diego, CA Pechanga Arena San Diego

4 Las Vegas, NV T-Mobile Arena

5 Glendale, AZ Gila River Arena

10 Portland, OR Moda Center

13 Salt Lake City, UT Vivint Smart Home Arena

16 Kansas City, MO T-Mobile Center

17 Tulsa, OK BOK Center

19 Minneapolis, MN Target Center

25 Grand Rapids, MI Van Andel Arena

26 Milwaukee, WI Summerfest, AmFam Amp

28 Detroit, MI Little Caesars Arena

29 Columbus, OH Schottenstein Center

July

1 Pittsburgh, PA PPG Paints Arena

5 Ottawa, ON Canadian Tire Centre

6 Montreal, QC Bell Centre

19 Buffalo, NY KeyBank Center

25 St. Louis, MO Enterprise Center

26 Nashville, TN Bridgestone Arena

28 Washington, DC Capital One Arena

29 Greensboro, NC Greensboro Coliseum

31 Miami, FL American Airlines Arena

Aug

2 Tampa, FL Amalie Arena

5 Houston, TX Toyota Center

6 Dallas, TX American Airlines Center

8 Denver, CO Pepsi Center

15 Sacramento, CA Golden 1 Center

Here was the original schedule

May 14 — Seattle, WA @ CenturyLink Field

May 17 — Portland, OR @ Moda Center

May 19 — Sacramento, CA @ Golden1 Center

May 22 — Santa Clara, CA @ Levi’s Stadium

May 26 — San Diego, CA @ Pechanga Arena San Diego

May 29 — Pasadena, CA @ Rose Bowl

June 2 — Las Vegas, NV @ T-Mobile Arena

June 5 — Glendale, AZ @ Gila River Arena

June 9 — Salt Lake City, UT @ Vivint Smart Home Arena

June 13 — Denver, CO @ Pepsi Center

June 16 — Lincoln, NE @ Pinnacle Bank Arena

June 19 — Chicago, IL @ Soldier Field

June 21 — Minneapolis, MN @ Target Center

June 24 — Milwaukee, WI @ Milwaukee Summerfest

June 27 — Houston, TX @ Toyota Center

June 28 — Dallas, TX @ American Airlines Center

June 30 — New Orleans, LA @ Smoothie King Center

July 6 — Kansas City, MO @ Sprint Center

July 8 — Tulsa, OK @ BOK Center

July 11 — Nashville, TN @ Bridgestone Arena

July 13 — St. Louis, MO @ Enterprise Center

July 15 — N. Little Rock, AR @ Simmons Bank Arena

July 18 — Atlanta, GA @ Mercedes Benz Stadium

July 21 — Miami, FL @ AmericanAirlines Arena

July 25 — Tampa, FL @ Amalie Arena

July 27 — Columbia, SC @ Colonial Life Arena

July 29 — Greensboro, NC @ Greensboro Coliseum

Aug. 1 — Philadelphia, PA @ Lincoln Financial Field

Aug. 4 — Pittsburgh, PA @ PPG Paints Arena

Aug. 6 — University Park, PA @ Bryce Jordan Center

Aug. 8 — Columbus, OH @ Schottenstein Center

Aug. 12 — Louisville, KY @ KFC Yum! Center

Aug. 14 — Cleveland, OH @ Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse

Aug. 16 — Grand Rapids, MI @ Van Andel Arena

Aug. 18 — Lexington, KY @ Rupp Arena

Aug. 21 — Washington, DC @ Capital One Arena

Aug. 24 — Buffalo, NY @ KeyBank Center

Aug. 26 — Albany, NY @ Times Union Center

Aug. 30 — Detroit, MI @ Little Caesars Arena

Sept. 1 — Ottawa, ON @ Canadian Tire Centre

Sept. 3 — Québec City, QC @ Videotron Centre

Sept. 10 — Toronto, ON @ Rogers Centre

Sept. 14 — Montreal, QC @ Bell Centre

Sept. 17 — Foxboro, MA @ Gillette Stadium

Sept. 26 — East Rutherford, NJ @ MetLife Stadium

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