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Charts: Despite Slow Start, Lady Gaga’s “Chromatica” Debuts at Number 1 with Most Sales in CDs, Paid Downloads

Roger Friedman
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Charts: Despite Slow Start, Lady Gaga’s “Chromatica” Debuts at Number 1 with Most Sales in CDs, Paid Downloads

Lady Gaga’s “Chromatica” didn’t have an easy launch. After a six week postponement, the album had a slow start saleswise.

Then came George Floyd and Black Lives Matter. Suddenly all attention was turned away from pop music and other frivolities to more serious problems.

On Wednesday, “Chromatica” met another problem: the release of “RTJ4” by Run the Jewels. The rap duo vaulted to number 1 on iTunes, overtaking Gaga. And this episode had a weird curve ball: the album is free on RTJ’s website, and for sale on iTunes. Why would anyone pay for it? But enough did that it jumped over “Chromatica.”

Still, in the end, Gaga sold roughly 275,000 albums. More than two thirds were CDs and paid downloads– 204,000. The total all together is 295,000 since release.

The “Chromatica” sales are strong, even if they’re nowhere near Taylor Swift or Adele numbers. Lady Gaga was going to make her money on the road with a big tour but that’s not going to happen until next year. That might be a good thing. Pent up demand to see her should sell out stadiums.

Aside from RTJ, “Chromatica” has no competition coming up this week. Friday’s releases are pretty meh, although Norah Jones could be a surprise with her “Pick Me Up off the Floor.” You never know.

One little twist to this story: The Gaga-Ariana Grande duet, “Rain on Me,” is still in the iTunes top 5. But “Sour Candy,” which should be a big hit, is floundering a little. The surprise is that “Shallow,” Lady Gaga’s Oscar winning hit with Bradley Cooper, has jumped back into the top 20. You’d think everyone who wanted that song had it in every form possible. But a great record never dies.

 

Cops Arrest Elton John’s Broadway Songwriting Partner on “Devil Wears Prada” for Cheering on Protestors from Stoop

Roger Friedman
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Cops Arrest Elton John’s Broadway Songwriting Partner on “Devil Wears Prada” for Cheering on Protestors from Stoop

NYPD over zealousness hit a really sour note Thursday. Cops arrested songwriter Shaina Taub, who’s writing the musical “The Devil Wears Prada” with Elton John. They also arrested her husband and possibly a delivery boy. Cops arrested Taub and husband Matt Gehring, a Broadway performer and writer, while they encouraged peaceful protestors on the Upper West Side.

Shaina wrote on Twitter: “last night my husband and I got arrested on the stoop of our building on the UWS just after 8 pm. we were cheering on a peaceful protest on our block. this was my small visceral window into the police brutality black folks have experienced for centuries…”

The cops also also arrested a delivery boy. Shaina observed: “we were in the cop car with this young gentleman. he had every right to be out there and the way the cops treated him was disgusting.”

Eventually Taub reported: “we were in the cop car with this young gentleman. he had every right to be out there and the way the cops treated him was disgusting.”

Needless to say, NYPD will be welcome next year when “The Devil Wears Prada” opens on Broadway.

 

 

Elvis Costello is Back with His First Single Since Winning the Grammy Award: He’s Rocking and Angry

Roger Friedman
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Elvis Costello is Back with His First Single Since Winning the Grammy Award: He’s Rocking and Angry

Elvis Costello is back with his first single since winning the Grammy Award last January for his superb “Look Now” album. “No Flag” is rockin’ and angry. Elvis’s aim remains true. It’s been an amazing 43 years and it feels like it’s just getting started again. I want to hear THIS album.

Lyrics:
I’ve got no religion
I’ve got no philosophy
I’ve got a head full of ideas and words that don’t seem to belong to me

You may be joking but I don’t get the gag
I sense no future
But time seems to drag

No time for this kind of love
No flag waving high above
No sign for the dark place that I live
No God for the damn that I don’t give

I’ve got no illusions
I’ve had no epiphany
Why should anybody listen to me

She said, “I’m tearing up the sheets that your love letters stained
All of your magic powers have drained”

No time for this kind of love
No flag waving high above
No sign for the dark place that I live
No God for the damn that I don’t give

Here’s a line in the sand
A word or two in the aftermath
I’m an arrow that shoots up and down
On an advertising graph

I could write you verses and recite more than one
But they’re not worth the paper that they’re written on

No time for this kind of love
No flag waving high above
No sign for the dark place that I live
No God for the damn that I don’t give

We want everything and we don’t want to share
Outer space for the faces we fear

I look in the mirror and see who I used to be
Made out of plastic in a factory

John Travolta Sets a Record: Last Five Movies Each Has a Zero Rating on Rotten Tomatoes, A Sixth One Wasn’t Shown to Critics

Roger Friedman
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John Travolta Sets a Record: Last Five Movies Each Has a Zero Rating on Rotten Tomatoes, A Sixth One Wasn’t Shown to Critics

John Travolta has set a record, I think, on Rotten Tomatoes.

The follically challenged has been movie star brag that his last fives movies were given a zero 0 rating by critics and bloggers.

A sixth film, apparently being released in the UK, was never released here nor submitted to critics. Called “The Fanatic,” and directed by rocker Fred Durst, it simply doesn’t exist.

The five films with zeroes are: “Life on the Line” in 2016, “Gotti” in 2018, “Speed Kills” also 2018, “The Trading Point,” and “The Poison Rose” each 2019.

Those aren’t Travolta’s only stinkers, but a few others did better. “I Am Wrath” merited an 11% in 2016. “The Forger” earned a 9 in 2015, and “Killing Season” had a 10 in 2013. In 2009, “Old Dogs” was awarded a 5 out of 100 rating.

Not everyone has these bragging rights. Scientology has sure helped his career.

Here’s a clip from “The Fanatic” for our UK pals.

Paramount Streaming Ava Duvernay’s Snubbed “Selma” for Free After Warner’s Does Same for “Just Mercy”

Roger Friedman
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Paramount Streaming Ava Duvernay’s Snubbed “Selma” for Free After Warner’s Does Same for “Just Mercy”

Paramount did little for Ava Duvernay’s “Selma” when it came out several years ago. They gave it to no Oscar campaign and allowed a negative whispering campaign about LBJ’s portrayal in the film to wreck its chances. The film should have won Best Picture, Duvernay and star David Oyelowo should have been nominated for Best Director and Actor. Bradford Young should have been nominated for Best Cinematography.

I take that back: Oyelowo, who wasn’t even nominated, should have won Best Actor.

Now, in light of what’s going on, Paramount has put “Selma” on all digital platforms for free, for the month of June. It’s a phenomenal achievement. You have no excuses now for not seeing it.

This news comes as Warner Bros. has put “Just Mercy” on all platforms for free.  This movie came out last fall with very little enthusiasm from Warners. Oscar winner Jamie Foxx, Oscar winner Brie Larson, and the young superstar Michael B. Jordan are featured in Destin Daniel Cretton’s shoulda been a contender. When “Just Mercy” was shown at the Toronto Film Festival, I was convinced it would win the Oscar. But it was abandoned.

Now that Black Lives Matter has become in vogue, we’re going to see the studios go back and find their black films, the ones they ignored, and trot them out like prize ponies.

What else? Whoever got “Fruitvale Station” in the Weinstein Company bankruptcy, let’s see you do the same thing. And that’s just the start. Jordan made his debut in that one, directed by Ryan Coogler, before they went on to “Black Panther” together. I’d like to see Denzel Washington’s “Antwone Fisher” and “The Great Debaters” get that treatment, too.  Let’s bring back all the films that were black-centric but failed to catch fire after critics loved them early on.

Well, if you wait long enough, everything comes around again. And just a PS, David Oyelowo has just told a story about the cast of “Selma” being snubbed at its Hollywood Premiere because in sympathy they wore “I Can’t Breathe” t shirts to memorialize Eric Garner. The story’s been confirmed. How atrocious.

 

Paul McCartney on Black Lives Matter: Recalling How the Beatles Refused to Play in Front of a Segregated Audience

Roger Friedman
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Paul McCartney on Black Lives Matter: Recalling How the Beatles Refused to Play in Front of a Segregated Audience

Paul McCartney recalls below how the Beatles refused to play in front of a segregated audience back in the mid 60s. On Black Lives Matter, Paul says “I feel sick and angry about what happened to George Floyd.” You may recall that Paul’s song “Blackbird” was written as a song for racial equality. The only time the Beatles had a fifth member was Billy Preston, who played on “Get Back” and sessions for “Abbey Road” and “Let it Be.” And it was 38 years ago this week that Paul topped the charts with Stevie Wonder on “Ebony and Ivory,” a song that preached equality.

Broadway Star Nick Cordero’s Wife Reaches Out to Insta Family for Medical Help: “Real medically based information from credited sources please!”

Roger Friedman
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Broadway Star Nick Cordero’s Wife Reaches Out to Insta Family for Medical Help: “Real medically based information from credited sources please!”

Broadway star Nick Cordero’s wife is obviously unhappy with what’s going at Cedars Sinai Hospital.

She’s reaching out on Instagram to readers for any referrals of doctors with an expertise on carbon dioxide in the lungs.

She writes: “What Nick needs help with MOST right now is someone is or has researched the release of carbon dioxide from the lungs. If you think you know of a doctor or trial to help ONLY that please reach out to me.

The Cedars Sinai doctors can’t be too pleased with this SOS but maybe someone on the outside can give a fresh look at Nick’s condition. He’s basically been in a coma for around 64 days.

Of course this kind of message can attract tons of quacks and people with crazy ideas. But the wife is obviously desperate, and the clock is ticking.

George Floyd Now Has THREE Different GoFundMe Campaigns as Soho House New York Donates $100,000 to Largest Fund

Roger Friedman
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George Floyd Now Has THREE Different GoFundMe Campaigns as Soho House New York Donates $100,000 to Largest Fund

There are now THREE separate GoFundMe campaigns raising money in the name of the late George Floyd.

The largest one, now totaling $12 million, is run by George’s brother, Philonise Floyd. That’s the one I’ve been writing about. The newest top donor is Soho House New York, with $100,000. Soho House is owned by billionaire Ron Burkle and was created by Nick Jones. They have private clubs all over the country and the world.

That fund is run Ben Crump, the lawyer who speaks for George’s family.

A second fund has raised $1.5 million, called Gianna’s Fund, for George’s 6 year old daughter. It’s run out of Atlanta by Tiffany Lee of Stewart Trial Attorneys on behalf of Roxie Washington, Gianna’s mother. Like the big fund, this one has attracted celebrity donations as well. P.K. Subban of the New Jersey Devils hockey team leads the list with $50,000.

A third fund run by George’s sister, Bridgett Floyd, has raised $362,000. Canadian cyclist Radek Burkat is the top donor with $5,000.

How will all these funds operate? Will the money go to George Floyd’s children? Will there be a foundation set up in his name? And who will run it? Stay tuned.

If anyone knows what’s going on with the fundraising, please feel free to contact me at showbiz411@gmail.com.

 

Lady Gaga’s “Chromatica” Quickly Replaced at Number 1 By “Free” Rap Album, Group Donates $100K to Causes

Roger Friedman
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Lady Gaga’s “Chromatica” Quickly Replaced at Number 1 By “Free” Rap Album, Group Donates $100K to Causes

Lady Gaga’s “Chromatica” got another surprise today. A new album by rap duo Run in the Jewels literally dropped out of the sky, went to number 1, and raised money for Black Lives Matters charities.

Crazy but true: the group’s fourth album, RTJ4, was supposed to release Friday at midnight. But given the situation with the murder of George Floyd, and all the protests, they decided to just let it go this morning. The album shot right to number 1 on iTunes despite the fact that it’s also available for FREE on their website.

Yes, you read that right. But on the website you’re asked to make a donation to a group of charities that will fund Black Lives Matter causes, legal defense funds, and so on. But 11pm, according to Run the Jewels partner El-P, they’d raised over $100,000.

RIP Oscar Nominee Bruce Jay Friedman, 90, One of Our Great Writers, Brought Nudity to PBS in 1973 with “Steambath”

Roger Friedman
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RIP Oscar Nominee Bruce Jay Friedman, 90, One of Our Great Writers, Brought Nudity to PBS in 1973 with “Steambath”

Bruce Jay Friedman passed away today. He was 90 years old, and one of our greatest writers. There are many tributes to Bruce, particularly because of his movie connections. He was nominated for an Oscar for the screenplay to Ron Howard’s “Splash” with Tom Hanks and Darryl Hannah.

A short story of his was the basis for one of my all time favorite films, “The Heartbreak Kid,” adapted for the screen by Neil Simon and directed by Elaine May. He wrote “Stir Crazy,” a great movie directed by no less than Sidney Poitier, starring Richard Pyror and Gene Wilder.

Bruce co-wrote “Doctor Detroit,” a comedy hit starring Dan Aykroyd. His book, “The Lonely Guy’s Guide to Life,” was turned into a movie called “The Lonely Guy,” starring Steve Martin and get this– Neil Simon adapted the screenplay, then “Mary Tyler Moore” stars Ed. Weinberger and Stan Daniels fleshed it out.

I mean, that’s a career. Is there any wonder Elaine Kaufman loved him among her many writers who hung out at Elaine’s? Bruce was gold. I wasn’t related to him, but I admired him, and when I met him in the late 80s I didn’t want to talk about any of those credits. All I wanted to talk about was “Steambath.”

“Steambath” was an off Broadway play that was filmed for PBS and shown in May 1973. I was 16.  It took place in a steambath, and all I was interested in was that Valerie Perrine was naked. I mean, she showed a nipple, sideways. We didn’t have VCRs yet. You had to study TVGuide to see when it would be repeated. As far as I was concerned, Bruce was a hero, he was Shakespeare, and “Steambath” was the best play I’d ever see.

Interestingly, I just see now that one of the producers of “Steambath” was actor Norman Lloyd. He’s one hundred and five years old. I’ll bet the memory of it keeps him alive.

Bruce’s memoir’s “Lucky Bruce,” was published in 2011. There’s a lot about Elaine’s in the heyday. I know she loved Bruce, but he writes in the book– published after her death– that he was really eleventh among her favorite patrons “if for no other reason than the frequency of my appearances. (Over years, and with the thinning out of ranks, I may have moved up a few notches.)” In the next generation, I felt the same way. Bruce, we weren’t related, but I always felt we were. Rest in peace.

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