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Tony Bennett Celebrates the 70th Anniversary– Yes, 70th– of His First Hit Single for Columbia Records, “Boulevard of Broken Dreams”

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The amazing Tony Bennett today celebrates the 70th anniversary of his first hit single for Columbia Records, “Boulevard of Broken Dreams.” Tony, who will turn 94 on August 3rd, has been with Columbia nearly every day of those 70 years. (Will Dominic Fike be able to say that one day?)

Here’s a video recap of Tony’s extraordinary career:

Tony’s first really big hit was 65 years ago, when “Stranger in Paradise” went to number 1 in 1955:

(Listen) Lady Gaga Features Ariana Grande on a Hit Duet from Her Forthcoming “Chromatica” Album

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Lady Gaga’s coming with a new album, “Chromatica,” next Friday. Tonight she releases the second single, “Rain on Me,” a duet with Ariana Grande.

These two have pretty much the best voices of their generations. A duet seemed inevitable. Ariana is just coming off a duet with Justin Bieber, “Stuck with You,” but “Rain on Me” at least was recorded in the same studio, not over iPhones or whatnot.

Both women have their share of diva like disasters. Gaga has run through boyfriends and fiancees. She’s also dealing with serious incidents in her past including rape. Ariana broke up with Pete Davidson after her previous boyfriend, Mac Miller, died. She also had to go through having a concert in Manchester, England end with a bombing that killed 22 people.

Gaga told Apple Beats1 radio host Zane Lowe: “[Rain On Me] is also a metaphor for tears and for the amount of alcohol I was taking to numb myself. I’d rather be dry but at least I’m alive, rain on me.”

Anyway, here’s the song:

 

 

Netflix Movie Studio PR in Chaos as Chief Julie Fontaine Exits Her Post And Everything is Up in the Air

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Netflix’s PR office has been a mess for a long time. Tonight comes news that Julie Fontaine, formerly of Lions Gate, is out as publicity chief in Los Angeles.

Only a few weeks ago, Nancy Bannister, who everyone loved and depended on, formerly of Paramount, left the New York office.

What’s going on? Too many movies, too many cooks in the kitchen, no clear delineations. In Los Angeles, who remains is Lisa Taback, head of awards, whose surgically precise campaigns yielded Netflix dozens of nominations but just two Oscars last season, for Laura Dern, as Best Supporting Actress, and the documentary, “American Factory.” Taback’s budget was said to be north of $100 million.

Netflix really had a hot hand last season, with Martin Scorsese’s “The Irishman,” Noah Baumbach’s “Marriage Story,” Fernando Mereilles’s “Two Popes,” the documentary “American Factory,” and the animated film, “Klaus.”

Fontaine’s exit comes just a couple of weeks before Spike Lee’s “Da 5 Bloods” is going to hit the platform. It might have had a small theatrical release, but with the pandemic, that’s not happening. Still, Spike’s movie will be eligible for Oscars.

Whoever takes over the PR department, Netflix has some advantage this year since they can release movies without putting them in theaters and still be eligible. Thanks to the pandemic they also avoided their annual fight with the Cannes Film Festival.  Will this make the season more pleasant? I certainly hope so since last year was something no one wants to go through again.

And the question is, can anyone in the entertainment press and the “Oscar business” that has developed so grindingly over the last few years, can anyone endure the mishegos of past seasons post-pandemic? (Uh, not me, that ship has sailed.)

So hang on. It’s going to be a bumpy ride.

 

 

Cindy Bitterman Did it Her Way: One Time Girlfriend and Galpal to Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jr, Was 89

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EXCLUSIVE Cindy Lou Bayes (Sigman) grew up in Beverly Hills, CA. While still a teenager, she was named Miss Stardust of 1948. The contest had over 28,000 entries, and she was chosen by a distinguished panel of judges that included “Star Dust” songwriter Hoagy Carmichael. She was offered movie contracts by Columbia Pictures president Harry Cohn and others, according to her son, Michael, now 70. She died this week after a decade of fighting Alzheimer’s. She was 89.

Cindy’s uncle was Mack Miller, one of Frank Sinatra’s publicists, which may be how she met him. But by the late ’40s Cindy, who modeled, became fast friends with Sinatra and in time with Sammy Davis Jr., comedian Jack Carter, Mel Torme, Judy Garland and a host of celebrities. Before there was a Rat Pack, there was Cindy, dating the guys, partying with them, hanging with them. For a moment in 1950, she gave up the high life, married Leonard Bitterman, and had a baby. But the pull of Hollywood — and Sinatra — was too much for her. In short order she got a divorce, parked young Michael with her parents in Merrick, Long Island, and went back to the nightlife.

Author Wil Haygood puts Cindy with Sammy Davis Jr. the night he lost his eye in a 1954 car accident. Haygood writes in his Davis biography that it was Cindy who made Sinatra take Sammy to Palm Springs to recuperate. Kitty Kelley, one of Sinatra’s erstwhile biographers, mentions Cindy in her book, “His Way.” Sinatra is hearing Mel Torme sing in December 1954 at the Crescendo in Hollywood with a pregnant Judy Garland as a guest plus Cindy and a Texas oilman.

One reason Sinatra liked Cindy: “She reminded him of Ava Gardner,” Michael says. But by 1956, Cindy married Jack Sobel, who was, among other things, Lenny Bruce’s manager. He was also head of head of General Artists Corp, rival agency then to William Morris. Still, she was in regular contact with Frank and Sammy. Before she married Sobel, she even dated comedian Jack Carter. Cindy was never far from the center of the action in the entertainment world. The Sobel marriage didn’t last more than couple of years. When it was over, she returned to the father of her son, Mr. Bitterman. She and Bitterman had one more child, a girl, now deceased. By the early 1960s the door to Cindy’s showbiz life was closed for good. .

Or so it seemed. Michael Bitterman says he only learned later, around 15 years ago before his mother’s mind was affected by the Alzheimers, that she’d continued seeing Sinatra at least through the 1970s. “Barbara Marx, Sinatra’s wife, hated her,” Michael tells me. (Sinatra married Marx in 1976.) That didn’t stop Sinatra from giving Cindy presents. “I have a locket he gave my mother that’s inscribed “Come chase away the lonelies with me.” In the early days, Sinatra had a Bosendorfer grand piano delivered to Cindy’s parents house as a gift (cost was upwards of $100,000). “My grandfather made her send it back,” Michael says. “He said, We’re not taking gifts from that hooligan.” Michael adds: “My grandmother loved him.”

Sinatra, Cindy told her son, wanted to marry her. Why didn’t she? I asked. He was famously unmarried from the time Ava Gardner left him in 1957 until Sinatra hooked up with Mia Farrow in 1966. (In the intervening 9 years, he was engaged to Lauren Bacall and to Juliet Prowse.) “She said he was a manic depressive, and you can’t live with a manic depressive.” Cindy had a lot of violent scenes with Sinatra, he said, both public and private. They always ended with him sending her massive amounts of flowers.

A real friendship — a platonic one– Cindy had seemed to have been with Sammy Davis, Jr. Michael wrote in her obit, “She played the role of blunt-talking sister to Sammy. She took him around to Atlantic City in the early 50s and got the DJs to play his records.” Michael recalls, “She took me to see Sammy in “Mr. Wonderful” on Broadway and I met him backstage.” Michael was 6 and little idea who any of his mom’s were, and why they were important.

It’s too bad Cindy Bitterman wasn’t more forthcoming before became ill. She reminds me a little of the writer Joyce Johnson, who wrote about her relationships with Jack Kerouac and other beat poets in her great memoir, “Minor Characters.” Cindy Bitterman was a great minor character, a witness to history. And she didn’t completely give up showbiz. In 1994, her son says, Cindy became a trusted friend and mentor of the acclaimed jazz singer Mark Murphy; she co-produced several of his recording projects and performances.

Watch the New Trailer for Christopher Nolan’s “Tenet,” The Movie That Will Bring Everyone Back to the Theaters

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Christopher Nolan’s “Tenet” is coming to theaters July 17th, and people are going to show up with masks, without them, and who cares. Warner Bros. is counting on that from the looks of this trailer. John David Washington and Robert Pattinson star along with Elizabeth Debicki and Michael Freakin’ Caine. The trailer looks great. Like all non-Batman Nolan movies, it’s all about the reversal of time. Watch “Memento” while you’re waiting, just to feel the rhythm. I can’t wait, personally. PS Here’s a clue: Tenet is a palindrome. The whole movie is a palindrome.

Famed Hollywood PR Firm Baker, Winokur, Ryder Succumbs to the Economy, Consolidation, and Generational Change

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Baker, Winokur, Ryder was one of my favorite PR firms in the 90s and 00s. Nanci Ryder was simply the best there was in the biz. Larry Winokur was a pleasure to deal with. (I didn’t really know Paul Baker.) But as of today, the agency, founded in 1987, is gone.

They succumbed to the changing generations, the economy, and consolidation. All these PR agencies that handle movie, TV, and Broadway talent live on monthly or annual fees from studios and stars. But if no one’s making any entertainment, and everyone is laying low, no one want to pay. It’s as simple as that.

Leslie Sloane, who has her own firm now, was a BWR star. We always had a good time getting ourselves into trouble on a variety of issues. But she’s moved on. Cindy Guagenti is still with BWR, wherever she goes people will be lucky to have her. She steered Brad Pitt’s career through thick and thin. Nicole Perna and Melissa Raubvogel have made their Imprint with a new agency that includes Dominique Appel, Brett Ruttenberg, Jeffrey Chasen and Ashley Mokma.

Nanci Ryder has been battling ALS for some time now. She’s retired. She’s so loved that her star clients are looking after her. You can read all about it here. The end of BWR is probably hard for her in the abstract, but her health is more important. I hope she knows how many fans she has on the East Coast.

So farewell, BWR. You had a great run!

 

Daytime Emmy Award Nominations Are Here: Valerie Bertinelli, Alex Trebek, Susan Seaforth Hayes Among Most Buzzed About

The Daytime Emmy Award nomination were announced today, the day after CBS said they’d carry a virtual version of the Emmys on June 26th. What a coincidence. Among the most buzzed about nominees: Alex Trebek, who has to win because he’s made it this far with grace and elegance; Valerie Bertinelli, because she’s a breath of fresh air in those stale kitchens; and Susan Seaforth Hayes, who has waited 50 years in soap operas and was better than ever this season on that zany “Days of Our Lives.” Other should-wins in bold face.

OUTSTANDING DRAMA SERIES
The Bold and the Beautiful
Days of Our Lives
General Hospital
The Young and the Restless

OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTRESS IN A DRAMA SERIES
Finola Hughes (Anna, GH)
Katherine Kelly Lang (Brooke, B&B)
Heather Tom (Katie, B&B)
Maura West (Ava, GH)
Arianne Zucker (Nicole, Days)

OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIES
Steve Burton (Jason, GH)
Thorsten Kaye (Ridge, B&B)
Jon Lindstrom (Ryan/Kevin, GH)
Thaao Penghlis (Tony, Days)
Jason Thompson (Billy, Y&R)

OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A DRAMA SERIES
Tamara Braun (Kim, GH)
Rebecca Budig (Hayden, GH)
Susan Seaforth Hayes (Julie, Days)
Christel Khalil (Lily, Y&R)
Annika Noelle (Hope, B&B)

OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIES
Mark Grossman (Adam, Y&R)
Bryton James (Devon, Y&R)
Wally Kurth (Justin, Days)
Chandler Massey (Will, Days)
James Patrick Stuart (Valentin, GH)
Paul Telfer (Xander, Days)

OUTSTANDING YOUNGER ACTOR OR ACTRESS IN A DRAMA SERIES
Sasha Calle (Lola, Y&R)
Olivia Rose Keegan (Claire, Days)
Katelyn MacMullen (Willow, GH)
Eden McCoy (Josslyn, GH)
Thia Megia (Haley, Days)

OUTSTANDING GUEST PERFORMER IN A DRAMA SERIES
Elissa Kapneck (Sasha, Y&R)
Michael Knight (Martin, GH)
Eva LaRue (Celeste, Y&R)
Jeffrey Vincent Parise (Simon, Y&R)
Chrishell Stause (Jordan, Days)

OUTSTANDING DRAMA SERIES WRITING TEAM
B&B
Days
GH
Y&R

OUTSTANDING DRAMA SERIES DIRECTING TEAM
B&B
Days
GH
Y&R

OUTSTANDING DIGITAL DAYTIME DRAMA
After Forever
The Bay The Series
DARK/WEB
Eastsiders
Studio City

OUTSTANDING GAME SHOW HOST
Wayne Brady, Let’s Make a Deal
Steve Harvey, Family Feud
Alfonso Ribeiro, Catch 21
Pat Sajak, Wheel of Fortune
Alex Trebek, Jeopardy!

OUTSTANDING GAME SHOW
Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader?
Double Dare
Family Feud
Jeopardy!
The Price Is Right

OUTSTANDING CULINARY HOST
Valerie Bertinelli, Valerie’s Home Cooking
Frankie Celenza, Struggle Meals
Giada De Laurentiis, Giada Entertains
Ina Garten, Barefoot Contessa: Cook Like a Pro
Rachael Ray, 30 Minute Meals

OUTSTANDING CULINARY PROGRAM
Barefoot Contessa: Cook Like a Pro
Giada Entertains
Milk Street
30 Minute Meals
Valerie’s Home Cooking

OUTSTANDING LEGAL/COURTROOM PROGRAM
Hot Bench
Judge Judy
Judge Mathis
Lauren Lake’s Paternity Court
The People’s Court

OUTSTANDING MORNING SHOW
CBS Sunday Morning
CBS This Morning
Good Morning America
Sunday Today With Willie Geist
Today

OUTSTANDING ENTERTAINMENT NEWS PROGRAM
Access Hollywood
E! News
ET
Extra
Inside Edition

OUTSTANDING INFORMATIVE TALK SHOW HOST(S)
Whoopi Goldberg, Joy Behar, Sunny Hostin, Meghan McCain, Abby Huntsman & Ana Navarro, The View
Tamron Hall, Tamron Hall
Larry King, Larry King Now
Hoda Kotb and Jenna Bush Hager, Today With Hoda & Jenna
Jada Pinkett Smith, Willow Smith and Adrienne Banfield-Norris, Red Table Talk

OUTSTANDING INFORMATIVE TALK SHOW
The 3rd Hour of Today
Rachael Ray
Red Table Talk
Today With Hoda & Jenna
The View

OUTSTANDING ENTERTAINMENT TALK SHOW HOST(S)
Michael Strahan, Sara Haines and Keke Palmer, GMA3 Strahan, Sara & Keke
Kelly Clarkson, The Kelly Clarkson Show
Kelly Ripa and Ryan Seacrest, Live With Kelly and Ryan
Maury Povich, Maury
Sara Gilbert, Sharon Osbourne, Sheryl Underwood, Eve, Carrie Ann Inaba and Marie Osmond, The Talk

OUTSTANDING ENTERTAINMENT TALK SHOW
The Ellen DeGeneres Show
GMA3 Strahan, Sara & Keke
The Kelly Clarkson Show
Live With Kelly and Ryan
The Talk

Al Pacino’s Director Daughter Makes a Comedic Short Film Called “Hard Work” for PornHub, of All Places

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Julie Pacino is a nice girl and a good director. I’ve known her a long time. So she’s made an eleven minute film that’s more uncomfortable than pornographic, but she’s partnered with PornHub to show it.

Yes, Julie is Al Pacino’s daughter, and no, she’s not trying to embarrass anyone. Her film, called “Hard Work,” can be found on the PornHub site, which I can’t link to, and no, I cannot embed the film here. You can find it on your own.

It’s sort of a comedy about a porn actor who needs an injection from a production assistant so they can, ahem, get things going. Her collaborator is Max Meisel. Party promoter Noel Ashman is a producer on the film. Julie Pacino’s made a bunch of interesting short films. I’m looking forward to seeing a feature from her.

“Hard Work” is being released on Pornhub as part of the platform’s effort to expand and diversify into mainstream content.
According to a press release, Pornhub has huge numbers – 42 billion visitors last year, about a third of them women.  Given the challenges, especially now, of releasing  an indie or a short, Pornhub could be a viable option for struggling filmmakers.  Pornhub started last March with a documentary, “Shakedown,” about lesbian nightclubs in LA.  Although that doc had some graphic content,  it wasn’t a porn film.  In fact it was screened at MoMA.
PS Cindy Adams talked to Julie yesterday.Cindy: How’s Daddy feel about daughter making a film about the porn industry?

Julie: “He thinks it offers comic relief during this pandemic.”

Mission Mystery: Nicholas Hoult, 30, Replaced in Tom Cruise Franchise by Esai Morales, 57, as Film’s Villain

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Something stinks in Hollywood this morning.

Nicholas Hoult, a rising star, hot, young, just 30 years old was supposed to play a villain in the next two “Mission Impossible” movies. Now, he’s out.

Esai Morales, a very good actor we all like, who rose to fame in “La Bamba,” is replacing him without even a script change. Morales will be 58 in October, the same age Tom Cruise will achieve in six weeks, on July 3rd.

Deadline.com reported the news first but didn’t question it.

Is it a case of reverse age-ism? That would be a first. Or was Hoult making Tom Cruise nervous? The official word on this that Hoult couldn’t do it because of “scheduling changes.” Indeed, “Mission Impossible 7” is late starting its shoot because of the pandemic. But every movie is, and Hoult does not have another project listed on the imdb. He was scheduled for these two “Mission Impossible” movies, which would have given his career a gigantic boost.

But if you Cruise, you lose. “Mission Impossible” has already chewed up and spit out other younger actors like Jeremy Renner and Henry Cavill, each of whom was terrific in the series. Both of those actors got such good notices that fans wondered if they’d succeed Cruise in the franchise. But Tom Cruise, who will be 61 when the 8th installment appears, will play Ethan Hunt until he’s scaling a nursing home, don’t you worry.

As for Hoult, he’s hitting his stride. He’s probably bummed about this news, but youth will triumph. We’ll be seeing a lot him in the next fifteen years. His mission is not impossible.

 

Steven Spielberg to Produce First Ever Broadway Musical, “Smash,” Based on the Failed Cult NBC TV Show

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Steven Spielberg has produced dozens of movies and TV shows but just one Broadway play. “The Farnsworth Invention,” written by Aaron Sorkin, played 108 performances before it closed in March 2008. It was not a success.

But now Spielberg will produce his first musical. “Smash” is based on the failed but cult NBC TV show that starred Debra Messing, Angelica Huston, and a rotating cast of real Broadway performers as they attempted to open a musical called “Bombshell” on the Great White Way.

Bob Greenblatt, who was the head of NBC when “Smash” was on the air,” and Neil Meron, who produced the TV show, will be Spielberg’s co-producers. (Greenblatt now runs HBO.)

Excised from the production is playwright Theresa Rebeck, who created and executive produced “Smash” until she was fired.

According to a press release, Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman, who wrote over two dozen songs for the television show will provide the score. The musical’s book will be co-written by two of Broadway’s most seasoned craftsmen, Tony winner Bob Martin (The Prom, The Drowsy Chaperone) and Tony-nominated Rick Elice (Jersey Boys, Peter and the Starcatcher). “Smash’s” Emmy-winning choreographer Joshua Bergasse will reprise his role for the stage musical.

Well, that’s a lot of star power for one new show.

“I am personally thrilled to be a part of this musical and its road to Broadway,” said Steven Spielberg whose original idea led to the NBC series. “’Smash’ is near and dear to my heart, and it seems fitting that a new musical inspired by what we did on the show would eventually come to the stage. I’m beyond thrilled to be working with this incredible creative team and my producing partners, who began the ‘Smash’ journey with me over ten years ago.”

Neil Meron added, “Speaking for myself and Bob Greenblatt, our partner when he was running NBC, we’re thrilled Steven wanted to embark on this musical with us. We’ve all felt that Shaiman and Wittman’s incredible score for ‘Smash’ belonged on Broadway. Collaborating with first-class bookwriters Rick Elice and Bob Martin, and the world’s best choreographer Josh Bergasse, will be the icing on the cake.”