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Wait til the Beckhams Meet the Parents: Nicola Peltz’s Aunt Inherited $65 Mil from Doris Duke in Infamous Adoption

Roger Friedman
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Wait til the Beckhams Meet the Parents: Nicola Peltz’s Aunt Inherited $65 Mil from Doris Duke in Infamous Adoption

I’d love to be a fly on the wall when David and Victoria Beckham meet their son’s fiancee’s family.

Brooklyn Beckham, who’s 21, has announced he’s marrying Nicola Peltz, 25. She’s the daughter of billionaire Nelson Peltz. For the Beckhams, this marriage is like sinking the best goal ever.

Nicola has an eclectic family, worthy of a Robert Altman movie a la “A Wedding.” On the plus side, there’s the money. And Nicola’s first cousin on her father’s side is the great New York broadcaster and filmmaker Perri Peltz, whose father was Nelson’s older brother.

But on Nicola’s mother’s side, things get more interesting. Nicola’s mother, Claudia, has a sister we haven’t forgotten about. Charlene Gail Heffner goes by the name Chandi Duke Heffner. A Hare Krishna, sort of, Chandi went to Hawaii in the late 1980s and inveigled herself into the life of another billionaire, Doris Duke, the richest woman in the world. The incredibly eccentric Duke —  who used to throw lawn birthday parties for her llamas complete with cake and funny hats —  adopted adult Chandi, after being convinced she was the reincarnation of her dead baby.

Once Chandi was adopted she took over Duke’s life. Doris bought her a sprawling horse farm worth then– 30 years ago– over a million bucks. When Doris died, there was a well publicized estate fight between Chandi and Doris’s ex butler, Bernard Lafferty. Chandi sued Duke’s estate and wound up inheriting $65 million. (We covered the story in Fame magazine in 1990, and New York magazine did it again in 1993.)

Chandi lives on the horse farm now and operates a very modest charity called the CDH Foundation, with total assets of $ 2 million. This gives her the air of philanthropy. Last year she gave $40,000 to help people in India, $45,000 to Bronx Veterans Medical Research, and $2000 to the Hawaii Saddle Club. That’s not much considering what she’s worth. According to financial accounts she’s posted on her website, she has about $700,000 parked in CDH to help India. If I were Victoria Beckham, I wouldn’t count on a big wedding present.

Here’s a description of Chandi (seen in the picture here on the right, with Duke and Imelda Marcos) from her website. This should be some rehearsal dinner!

With a love for all living things, Ms. Heffner maintains a U.S. ranch that takes in rescued horses, birds, donkeys, pigs, and many other animals. She has also been involved in equestrian sports and was the owner of the horse Authentic, whose rider took home the Gold Medal in show jumping for Team USA at the 2004 Athens Olympics. Although polo and horse jumping are her favorite equestrian activities, Chandi Heffner currently spends the majority of her time overseeing CDHIF USA and CDHIFI.

If anyone has news on Chandi from the far reaches of Hawaii, drop us a line at showbiz411@gmail.com

 

 

Movie Release August Schedule for “Tenet,” “Mulan” Will Be Scuttled as Gov. Newsom Closes California Theaters

Roger Friedman
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Movie Release August Schedule for “Tenet,” “Mulan” Will Be Scuttled as Gov. Newsom Closes California Theaters

California Governor Gavin Newsom has pretty much finished off the summer movie season. He just closed all theaters in the state.

That should be the end of Warner Bros’s “Tenet” and Disney’s “Mulan,” among other films, opening before Labor Day.

Both films have been moved several times. For Warner’s, which has struggled with getting the Christopher Nolan movie out, this will be a tremendous frustration. But it would be impossible to open movies this summer without open theaters in New York, California, or Florida.

“Tenet” was set to open on August 12th. But now the studio should really aim for the end of the year. The 10th anniversary release of Nolan’s “Inception” set for July 31st doesn’t look very likely either.

“Mulan” has been moved many times by Disney, which now will likely release it on DisneyPlus after the huge success of “Hamilton.”

With Newsom’s latest decision, all movie releases for theaters are now up in the air. But keeping people healthy is more important.

The Governor is rolling back most of the situations in California as COVID continues to spike. Nearly every county is affected. All indoor dining is ceased. All bars are closed, indoor and outdoor.

 

Focus Features Buys Oscar Winner Paul Schrader’s “The Card Counter” Starring Oscar Isaac, After Film is Finished Post-COVID Break

Roger Friedman
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Focus Features Buys Oscar Winner Paul Schrader’s “The Card Counter” Starring Oscar Isaac, After Film is Finished Post-COVID Break

Focus Features has bought Oscar winner Paul Schrader’s “The Card Counter.” The film stars Oscar Isaac, Tiffany Haddish, Tye Sheridan, and Willem Dafoe. Martin Scorsese, Paul’s long time friend and collaborator, is executive producer.

“The Card Counter” is a bit of a miracle story. Schrader was down in Mississippi shooting in a casino when the pandemic started. He was just days away from finishing and everything had to stop. What followed was a terrible period of uncertainty for him since no one knew when lockdowns would be lifted. When I spoke to Paul a couple of months ago, he was feeling very bleak.

But last week Schrader reported on Facebook that he’d returned to Mississippi was finally wrapping up. Now Focus has bought the movie. It’s a happy ending!

Paul says in the press release: “The folks at Focus are the best at what they do. Over the years I’ve been jealous of directors in the Focus fold. Now happily I am one.”

“At a time when many of us are left wondering whether it’s our circumstances that corrupt souls or if it’s corrupt souls that create the circumstances, no one can say for sure, but has anyone explored this more in film than Paul Schrader?” commented Focus chairman Peter Kujawski.  “All of us at Focus can’t wait to hear and see what Paul has to say now more than ever before, and we’re very proud to help him bring this story to the world.”

Paul Schrader has a big fan club among cineastes and critics. He’s the real deal, not just from the Scorsese movies but go watch “First Reformed.” It’s just mind blowing. I can’t wait to see “The Card Counter.” Bravo!

Clive Davis Says Whitney Houston BioPic is Moving Forward with Financing Closed and Anthony McCarten Screenplay Done

Roger Friedman
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Clive Davis Says Whitney Houston BioPic is Moving Forward with Financing Closed and Anthony McCarten Screenplay Done

I told you back on November 26, 2019 exclusively that Anthony McCarten was writing the screenplay for the official Whitney Houston biopic.

On Saturday night, Whitney’s close friend, mentor, and advisor, as well as record producer Clive Davis commented on the Richard Weitz Quarantunes Zoom show the screenplay was done, and financing was in place for the film. Clive will executive produce.

Today on SiriusXM’s Clay Cane Show, Davis reiterated the Whitney news. He said: “I have just closed the deal with Anthony McCarten, who was the writer of ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ and ‘The Two Popes’…this is the full Biopic of Whitney Houston, where, yes, we will graphically and honestly tell the story of her fight and battle against drug addiction, but we will also show why she was loved by millions. We will also show a musical genius and we will also show insights as to her dreams for herself. So that has just been closed. We break the financing for Whitney’s Biopic, and we’re really literally this week out to the studios for distribution.”

Clive also talked about his history with black music and how he managed to get R&B records “broken” on Top 40 radio without waiting to cross over from black radio. This is true, but he really did this when he brought Philadelphia International into Columbia Records in the early 70s. He also broke Earth Wind & Fire as a pop act. Don’t forget, “Shining Star” and “That’s the Way of the World” came straight to WABC back in those days.

He told Clay: “African American artists, black artists had to prove themselves in and with R&B stations before they ever had a shot at going in Top 40. Now, the reason that that’s relevant, is that the big money to these artists came with a quote pop record. And, I didn’t like that sort of racial approach that if you were African American, you could not go to a Top 40 first..I believe music is universal and I’ve felt very sympathetic to those African American orders that were only limited to R&B because they didn’t make great money..”

Clive gives some props to Sean Puffy Combs, but it was Clive at Arista who really used his successful Columbia formula that put hip hop on top 40, just the way he’d done for all those Philly artists– The O’Jays, Teddy Pendergrass, etc. We have so much of “classic soul” from the 70s because of Clive Davis. He likes to say songs are “great copyrights.” But they’re really just great records that have been as Clive would say ‘the soundtrack of our lives.’

 

Listen (Watch) to Chrissie Hynde’s Gorgeous 7 Minute Take on Bob Dylan’s “Don’t Fall Apart On Me Tonight”

Roger Friedman
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Listen (Watch) to Chrissie Hynde’s Gorgeous 7 Minute Take on Bob Dylan’s “Don’t Fall Apart On Me Tonight”

While we wait for a new Pretenders album this Friday. Chrissie Hynde and guitarist James Walbourne have released their 7th song in their “Dylan Lockdown” series on YouTube. “Don’t Fall Apart on Me Tonight” is the closing masterpiece on Bob Dylan’s “Infidels” album. Chrissie has a way of making her records flow. This is a beautiful take. I do hope one day all these Lockdown performances are put in a collection of their own.

Meanwhile, no one– at BMG, at the Pretenders management– can supply information on Friday’s release of “Hate for Sale.” I’ve sent all the emails I can. No one involved with it seems to care one way or another. So we’ll just wait til Friday and see if it pops up on Spotify. This is the new NEW. And you wonder why music sales are so low. Don’t get me wrong. The album could be the talk of the town. Or just a mystery achievement.

Donald Trump Agrees with Chuck Woolery, Former Host of “Love Connection,” Over Dr. Fauci, CDC, and Scientists

Roger Friedman
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Donald Trump Agrees with Chuck Woolery, Former Host of “Love Connection,” Over Dr. Fauci, CDC, and Scientists

This morning, the president of the United States agreed on Twitter with has been game show host Chuck Woolery over Dr. Fauci, the CDC, scientists and professionals. Woolery hosted low rent game show “The Love Connection” sometime in the distant past.

Woolery wrote: “The most outrageous lies are the ones about Covid 19. Everyone is lying. The CDC, Media, Democrats, our Doctors, not all but most ,that we are told to trust. I think it’s all about the election and keeping the economy from coming back, which is about the election. I’m sick of it.’

He added: “There is so much evidence, yes scientific evidence, that schools should open this fall. It’s worldwide and it’s overwhelming. BUT NO.”

If Woolery is on the Game Show Network — I don’t know if he is — he should be removed at once. If Trump is President– same thing.

Washington Redskins Announce Dropping Their Racist Name and Logo On Letterhead with Racist Name and Logo

Roger Friedman
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Washington Redskins Announce Dropping Their Racist Name and Logo On Letterhead with Racist Name and Logo

It’s hard to give up the “old ways,” as Bradley Cooper sang in “A Star is Born.”

And so it is for the Washington Redskins. They announced they are dropping their racist name and logo this morning. The press release came on stationery featuring… their racist name and logo.

I mean, just so we don’t forget what it all looked like.

One of the new names they’re considering is “Red Skin Potatoes.” That way they can call each other “Bud” and there’s a beer tie in. I joke, but you never know.

John Travolta Announces Death of Wife Kelly Preston, “Jerry Maguire” Actress, Mother, Devoted to Scientology

Roger Friedman
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John Travolta Announces Death of Wife Kelly Preston, “Jerry Maguire” Actress, Mother, Devoted to Scientology

John Travolta has announced on Instagram the death of his wife of 28 years, Kelly Preston. Preston was an actress who was well known for her roles in “Jerry Maguire,” among other films. She leaves two children, Ella and Ben. Her son, Jett, died a few years ago. Preston, like Travolta, was devoted to the cult of Scientology. She took at least 25 courses from 1988 to 2015. Her last course was to become an OTVIII, or an Operating Thetan. That’s when you reach “Spiritual Freedom” by experiences past lives.

For Travolta, this is really a terrible tragedy on so many levels. His first great love, as he describes her, Diana Hyland, died of cancer in the early 1980s. He and Kelly lost son Jett. Condolences to their family and friends.

Travolta wrote: “It is with a very heavy heart that I inform you that my beautiful wife Kelly has lost her two-year battle with breast cancer. She fought a courageous fight with the love and support of so many. My family and I will forever be grateful to her doctors and nurses at MD Anderson Cancer Center, all the medical centers that have helped, as well as her many friends and loved ones who have been by her side. Kelly’s love and life will always be remembered. I will be taking some time to be there for my children who have lost their mother, so forgive me in advance if you don’t hear from us for a while. But please know that I will feel your outpouring of love in the weeks and months ahead as we heal.
All my love, John”

View this post on Instagram

It is with a very heavy heart that I inform you that my beautiful wife Kelly has lost her two-year battle with breast cancer. She fought a courageous fight with the love and support of so many. My family and I will forever be grateful to her doctors and nurses at MD Anderson Cancer Center, all the medical centers that have helped, as well as her many friends and loved ones who have been by her side. Kelly’s love and life will always be remembered. I will be taking some time to be there for my children who have lost their mother, so forgive me in advance if you don’t hear from us for a while. But please know that I will feel your outpouring of love in the weeks and months ahead as we heal. All my love, JT

A post shared by John Travolta (@johntravolta) on

Lisa Marie Presley’s Son, Ben, Dies of Suicide, Age 27, Like Family Had Been Involved with Scientology, Taken Courses

Roger Friedman
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Lisa Marie Presley’s Son, Ben, Dies of Suicide, Age 27, Like Family Had Been Involved with Scientology, Taken Courses

Earlier today it was reported that Ben Keough, the 27 year old son of Lisa Marie Presley, had committed suicide. Ben was the grandson of Priscilla Presley and the late mega star Elvis Presley. His sister was actress Riley Keough.

According to reports, Ben shot himself in a house in posh Calabasas, California.

Priscilla and Lisa Marie have each been for a long time associated with the cult of Scientology. Danny Keough as Lisa Marie’s first husband, which she followed with short marriages to Nicolas Cage and to Michael Jackson. Danny Keough was a very active Scientologist, taking two dozen courses from at least 1989 to 2005.

Riley, who’s won accolades as an actress in many projects, has no published history with Scientology. But her brother Ben took classes at least in 2004 and 2014, even as Lisa Marie tried to break free of the cult. It’s unclear what her relationship is to them now, although she still promotes one of their phony charities on her website.

After Keough, Lisa Marie married one more time, for 10 years, to Michael Lockwood, divorcing him in 2016 after having twins. At one point she claimed she was broke after selling the rights to Elvis’s name and likeness. After making a few albums of her own, she’s been fairly low profile the last couple of years.

Lisa Marie’s manager Lisa’s manager, Roger Widynowski, said in a statement:  “She is completely heartbroken, inconsolable and beyond devastated but trying to stay strong for her 11 year old twins and her oldest daughter Riley. She adored that boy. He was the love of her life.”

Elvis Presley died of a drug overdose that caused a heart attack, on August 17, 1977. He was 42, and his legacy has hung like a shadow over his family ever since then.  The picture here was taken three years ago at Graceland on the anniversary of Elvis’s death. That’s Ben, 24, with the curly hair. A weird way to honor granddad? You decide.

PS The street where this happened looks like the fictional “Knots Landing” from the TV show. Yikes!


 

Melissa Etheridge, Cheap Trick, Charlie Puth, Marilyn McCoo, Charlie Wilson, Alan Parsons, Gavin DeGraw Help Hollywood Quarantunes Zoom Up $100,000 for Musicares

Roger Friedman
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Melissa Etheridge, Cheap Trick, Charlie Puth, Marilyn McCoo, Charlie Wilson, Alan Parsons, Gavin DeGraw Help Hollywood Quarantunes Zoom Up $100,000 for Musicares

WME agent Richard Weitz and daughter Demi raised $100,000 last night in their weekly four hour Zoom call that had around 400 guests and what seemed like 400 stars.

As usual Clive Davis served as Musical Director, with Tracey Jordan of SiriusXM helping wrangle the talent. “Regulars” included Jimmy Jam Harris, Sherry Lansing, Carole Bayer Sager, and record producer Kerry Brown kept the musical performances going even though it’s little like herding cats on Zoom.

The performers as usual were a wild gang: Charlie Puth, Cheap Trick, Charlie Wilson, Gavin DeGraw, international sensation Juanes, Alan Parsons, famed pianist Mike Garson, Melissa Etheridge, Chloe x Halle, Broadway’s Norm Lewis, Andy Karl and his wife Orfeh (who if they really let loose would shake the whole Zoom system!). They all spoke and sang from their bedrooms, living rooms, basements– live!

There were some pop-ins, too, from LLCool J and Grammy chief Harvey Mason, Jr.

For donating a lot and being extra generous, party guests got their money’s worth, I’d say. When Marilyn McCoo and Billy Davis Jr of the Fifth Dimension sang a perfect “Up Up and Away” pretty much everyone kvelled like mad and cheered like crazy. They also honored Whitney Houston for Clive with “I Believe in You and Me,” and Marilyn sang a little bit of “Saving All My Love for You” acapella. (Trivia note: She recorded it before Whitney!) Marilyn is one of our greatest singers ever, but Billy is really an unsung hero. He could have had a solo career easily. All the 5th Dimension were so talented. PS Jimmy Jam “fanboyed” all over them!

But I digress.

Over the four hours, Robin Zander led Cheap Trick through their hits and was hilarious. How did they get their name? They went to a Slade concert, which had a lot of special effects. “I said, they used every cheap trick in the book,” recalled Zander, and thus a new band was born. “Surrender” still kills.

Melissa Etheridge came on toward the end, she lost a kid two months ago. She’s a trooper. She dedicated “Me and Bobby McGee” to Clive as a tribute to Janis Joplin. They could release it as a single, and should. Mindblowing. Also, a medley of Melissa’s “Come to My Window” and Janis’s “Piece of My Heart.” I could listen to Melissa Etheridge all day. When Clive heaped praise on her, she nearly fainted.

So you get the idea. This was maybe the 17th or 18th of these Saturday Zoom parties. They let me in so I can tell you about it, but it’s about raising lots of  money for great causes. The Weitzes have pulled together over $6 million so far, which is literally amazing. Richard Weitz as the main host is indefatigable. He says on every call — I paraphrase– “24 hours ago we had no one.” His 17 year old daughter, Demi, has so much poise and smarts. There’s a rumor she’s going to get her own podcast now. I’ll listen!

Who’s next? I heard a rumor that Al Stewart may be in the mix. Alan Parsons– who only engineered Beatles and Pink Floyd albums– told Clive last night that he was the one who put the horns on “Year of the Cat,” turning it from a folk song into “Casablanca” for the ears. And who knows? The world is their oyster.

PS If I understood him correctly, Charlie Wilson said he never got paid anything for his work with the Gap Band. It was only after he met his manager and went solo that things changed. He is very very cool. He also sang “You Dropped a Bomb on Me” spontaneously! 

PSS Gavin DeGraw is still the same 20 years after I met him. Affable, fun, and so talented. Clive signed him after seeing him play at Wilson’s, a great club back in the day. Debbie Wilson was Gavin’s manager. Those were the days!

 

 

 

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