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Jerry Seinfeld on How Jerry Stiller as Frank Costanza: “I don’t know why he screamed on that line. It doesn’t matter. It’s funny. So funny.”

Roger Friedman
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Jerry Seinfeld on How Jerry Stiller as Frank Costanza: “I don’t know why he screamed on that line. It doesn’t matter. It’s funny. So funny.”

Jerry Seinfeld gave an interview to Sirius XM’s Netflix is a Joke station today and talked about Jerry Stiller as Frank Constanza. Just a note: I’m so glad that Jerry and Anne are getting so much love all week from people everywhere. I was very lucky to know them. Particularly in the decade before Anne became ill, they came to a lot of Broadway openings and some movie premieres. They were friendly with the late actors Eli Wallach and Anne Jackson. Imagine this foursome, with a such history in theater and acting, and I got to hang out with them at these events. It was magic. Now they’re all in heaven, laughing, eating, putting on shows, entertaining themselves and each other. And we will never see the likes of them again.

Seinfeld, promoting his current (excellent) Netflix special said:

“You know, there was a writer on the show, Larry Charles, was the guy who came up with the idea– it was his thinking, we need, who should we get to play George’s father? And he kept saying, Jerry Stiller, Jerry Stiller. And I remember Stiller and Meara from the 60’s, but I hadn’t seen Jerry in a while and I just didn’t– and I thought, well, but he’s not bald. But Larry just kept mentioning him and finally we brought him in and he was so perfect. And those packages of just Jerry Stiller bits on my show are so unbelievably funny.

“What I loved about him is he so completes the George story. When you meet the father, you go, “Oh, now I understand why he’s like that.” It was the perfect finishing of the painting of George Costanza was Frank Costanza. He had the most amazing comedic stuff that he– we didn’t know if he was planning it or it just came out that way, or he couldn’t remember the line, or we didn’t know what it was, but we did not want to disturb it in any way. We never gave Jerry Stiller a note. I never adjusted his performance once.

“Whatever he did, that’s it. We’re putting that out there. I don’t know why he did it like that. I don’t know why he screamed on that line. It doesn’t matter. It’s funny. So funny. I am such a dedicated believer in if it’s funny, don’t touch it. I don’t care why it’s funny. I don’t care what the line was supposed to be. He said it that way, we’re doing it that way.”

I couldn’t embed it, but you can hear Jerry say these words here.

Read British Pop Star Joss Stone’s Haunting Poetic Tribute to R&B Star Betty Wright, Who Was Instrumental to Her Career

Roger Friedman
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Read British Pop Star Joss Stone’s Haunting Poetic Tribute to R&B Star Betty Wright, Who Was Instrumental to Her Career

The great singer-songwriter-producer Betty Wright died last week from cancer at age 66. Her death was a blow to many but especially to Joss Stone. The British born 33 year old has written a lovely poetic tribute to Betty, who co-produced and co-wrote her 2003 breakthrough album, “The Soul Session,” and the follow up in 2004, “Mind, Body, and Soul.” What a career Betty had– from her own hit singles in the 70s to three decades later with Joss. Her loss is immense, no less than Little Richard.

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How can she be gone when her spirit was so strong How can she not speak When her voice was never weak. How can she not dance When she always took the chance To be free How can this be true That I’ll never speak to you How can life be done Just like that, your over come How can you just leave When you taught me how to breathe And be free What will now become Of the world you doted on Who will take your throne If they have to do it alone So many lost with out your look There’s no song there’s no hook But your free How can you be kept Even though you left How can we make time when its no longer yours or mine How can we go back And fix all of those cracks to feel free How can I forget The moments I regret How can I not drink When my hearts about to sink How can I not weep When I am falling into sleep How can I not wonder If your the light and the thunder Now Your free ‘If I never see you again stone , know that I love you like one of my own’ Those words mean so much to me. Now your free …. Rest in peace Ms B , I hope you know how much you are loved xxx

A post shared by Joss Stone (@jossstone) on

Melissa Etheridge Says Her 21 Year Old Son Beckett Died of a Drug Overdose: “We struggle with what we could have done”

Roger Friedman
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Melissa Etheridge Says Her 21 Year Old Son Beckett Died of a Drug Overdose: “We struggle with what we could have done”

This is very sad news. Melissa Etheridge has announced her 21 year old son, Beckett, has died of a drug overdose. Beckett was one of two children Melissa had with Julie Cypher. David Crosby was the biological father. Etheridge and Cypher split up right after the children were born in 2001. Crosby, for what it’s worth, has had a lifetime of struggling with drugs. It sounds from Melissa’s post that Beckett struggled with drugs, too. There’s obviously a lot going on here. We can’t and shouldn’t judge. Tragic.

Etheridge wrote on Facebook:

“Today I joined the hundreds of thousands of families who have lost loved ones to opioid addiction. My son Beckett, who was just 21, struggled to overcome his addiction and finally succumbed to it today. He will be missed by those who loved him, his family and friends.
My heart is broken. I am grateful for those who have reached out with condolences and I feel their love and sincere grief.
We struggle with what else we could have done to save him, and in the end we know he is out of the pain now.
I will sing again, soon. It has always healed me. – Melissa”

Hollywood Bowl Cancels 2020 Season Despite Being Outdoors, Summer in Los Angeles is Cancelled

Roger Friedman
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Hollywood Bowl Cancels 2020 Season Despite Being Outdoors, Summer in Los Angeles is Cancelled

The Hollywood Bowl has cancelled its summer season with the LA Philharmonic, and all other performances. This, despite the Bowl being outside. They don’t want the crowds to infect each other. So summer in L.A. is over. If all outdoor performances in Los Angeles and New York as well other cities are cancelled, we are really like Pepperland after the Blue Meanies took over. Sgt Pepper and the band are frozen in time on the bandshell. Only this time, the Beatles can’t save us.

Surprise! Woody Allen’s Very Funny “Rainy Day in New York” Has Made $20 Mil Worldwide, with UK Release Coming

Roger Friedman
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Surprise! Woody Allen’s Very Funny “Rainy Day in New York” Has Made $20 Mil Worldwide, with UK Release Coming

I told you Woody Allen’s “Rainy Day in New York” was very very good some months ago.

Now I can tell you that according to boxofficemojo.com, the comedy starring Timothee Chalamet, Selena Gomez and Elle Fanning has made $21 million around the world. It opens next in the UK. I’m sure Australia will embrace it, too!

“Rainy Day” still has no US distributor because, because because…And right now, of course, no theaters are open. But this fall, someone with a little vision should pick this film up. The leads are super, and there’s a wonderful star turn by Cherry Jones.

I know, when #MeToo started, a lot of actors were cornered into saying they’d never work with Woody again. But now that his memoir, “Apropos of Nothing,” has stated his case and explained his side of things, it’s time to move on.

I do have it on good authority that Chalamet has seen the film, and loved it. He is said to have remarked he thought it was his best work so far. I totally agree. Elle Fanning is always good, she’s lovely in this and very funny. Selena is the revelation. What a film career she could have playing a smart cookie in smart comedies.

Here’s my original review of “Rainy Day.” Let’s get this film into theaters before 2020 is over.

Watch Trailer for Netflix’s Jeffrey Epstein Documentary Series “Filthy Rich” Debuting May 27th

Roger Friedman
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Watch Trailer for Netflix’s Jeffrey Epstein Documentary Series “Filthy Rich” Debuting May 27th

The Netflix documentary series about Jeffrey Epstein debuts on May 27th. “Filthy Rich” is directed by Lisa Bryant
written by Peter Landesman. Executive Producers are Joe Berlinger, Lisa Bryant, Jon Doran, Jon Kamen, Bill McClane, James Patterson, Peter Landesman, Bill Robinson, Leopoldo Gout.

From the press release: Leading up to his 2019 arrest, mysterious tycoon Jeffrey Epstein was accused of abusing women and underage girls for decades, assembling a network of enablers to help carry out and cover up his crimes. Epstein came from humble beginnings yet managed to lie and manipulate his way to the top of the financial world. He eventually gained tremendous wealth and power while running an international sex trafficking ring. The serial sex abuser made a secret plea deal with the government in 2008 avoiding a potential life sentence and continued to abuse women. With their frightening firsthand accounts, Epstein’s accusers are the leading voices in director Lisa Bryant’s four-part docuseries JEFFREY EPSTEIN: FILTHY RICH. By revealing their emotional scars, some for the very first time, the sisterhood of survivors intend to stop predators — and the American justice system — from silencing the next generation. A RadicalMedia and James Patterson Entertainment production made in association with Third Eye Motion Picture Company, the series is executive produced by Joe Berlinger (Conversations with a Killer: The Ted Bundy Tapes).

The 2020 John Legend Onslaught Continues: New Single is Title Track of Album, “Bigger Love” Coming in June

Roger Friedman
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The 2020 John Legend Onslaught Continues: New Single is Title Track of Album, “Bigger Love” Coming in June

John Legend is everywhere. All the time. Well, why not? He’s very talented, has a beautiful family, they were on the cover of Vanity Fair. His wife, Chrissy Teigen, is beautiful and funny. And successful.

John’s new single “Bigger Love” is pretty good, and it’s the title track to his new album coming in June. We could do worse. The album is produced by Raphael Saadiq, who’s also quite brilliant.

I hope this song is on the album:

Robin Hood Foundation: Paid Six Figure Salary to Jeff Bezos’s Brother for Years, Gave Ex CEO $1.7 Million Exit Package

Roger Friedman
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Robin Hood Foundation: Paid Six Figure Salary to Jeff Bezos’s Brother for Years, Gave Ex CEO $1.7 Million Exit Package

EXCLUSIVE Did you see Tina Fey crying on the Robin Hood Foundation special Monday night? She’d really be crying if she looked at their Form 990 tax filings. Not “every penny of the money we take in goes to charity,” I’m afraid.

For years, from at least 2006 to 2016, Robin Hood was paying a six figure salary to Mark Bezos, brother of Jeff, owner of Amazon and the Washington, and the Richest Man in America ($145 billion). Mark Bezos was listed as their communications director. His salary was around $140,000 in 2013 and 2014, and then jumped up to $240,000 for 2015 and 2016. It’s possible Mark Bezos earned around a million bucks in salary from the Robin Hood Foundation, money that might have gone to New Yorkers in need of food or shelter.

From his Linkedin page, Mark Bezos’s bio: “Mr. Bezos serves on the boards of multiple technology companies and as a director of the Bezos Family Foundation. Prior to co-founding HighPost Capital, Mr. Bezos served as a strategic advisor to several start-ups and tech-enabled multimedia companies. Previously he was head of communications for the Robin Hood Foundation, where he helped establish the non-profit organization as a role model for impact investing.”

Bezos had his own advertising firm that closed in 2006. He told a magazine: “I had to figure out somewhere to go and I got a phone call from a guy named David Saltzman who was executive director at Robin Hood, and I guess through friends of friends, he heard I was looking for what’s next. Robin Hood was looking for someone to help with communications and marketing, so that began a 10-year adventure.” (Bezos is also a volunteer fireman in Scarsdale, New York, where he lives in a sprawling $6 million estate.)

“The guy” Mark Bezos was referring to was David Saltzman, Executive Director of Robin Hood. It wasn’t a random call since Jeff Bezos has given plenty to the foundation and their mother, Jacklyn, has been on the board of directors.

Saltzman retired from Robin Hood at the end of 2017. His payout was $1.7 million, about triple the $600,000 or so annual salary he’d been receiving up til then. Robin Hood is nice work if you can get it. The most recent top executive listed in their filings is Reynold Levy, who was earning just under $1 million from 2015 to 2017. Total salaries for Robin Hood came to $18 million in 2017, down a bit from 2016, but up up up from 2015. Robin Hood has a huge staff– it takes a lot of people to do good– and they are paid very, very well.

Robin Hood is a largely secretive place with little public relations, which is why Mark Bezos’ listed job sounds so odd. Their only transparency is through their tax filing which shows a steep drop in revenue from 2016’s $170 million to 2017’s $120 million. At the same time, their grants to charitable organizations dropped from $181 million in 2016 to $115 million in 2017.

That makes Tina’s announcement on Monday’s show that they’d pulled in $115 million in one hour more than a little suspect– although Tina wouldn’t have known any of this. Who could blame her for crying? There was no delineation during that crazy hour– with very good musical performances– between corporate donations and money that came in from the public. The PR spin was magnificent — even if Mark Bezos is no longer doing the communications job.

 

Michael Jackson Broadway Musical “MJ” Moves from This Summer to Next March 2021 with April Opening Night

Roger Friedman
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Michael Jackson Broadway Musical “MJ” Moves from This Summer to Next March 2021 with April Opening Night

The Michael Jackson Broadway musical, “MJ,” was supposed to open this summer. But those plans have gone awry, and now “MJ” will start previews in March 2021, and open on April 15th.

The show is produced by the Jackson estate with Lia Vollack Productions. Lia was a very popular and successful record executive and sound expert who was once a roadie for groups like the Ramones and Johnny Thunders. She worked her way up to a top spot at Sony Music. Now she’s producing this show, and her husband, Tony winner Derek McLane, has designed the sets. Lynn Nottage wrote the book for the musical, which presumably stops at the end of the 1980s before Jackson’s scandals began.

I was tracking sales for “MJ” for this summer and they weren’t that great. But maybe with time delay and pent up interest in all returning Broadway shows, “MJ” will make people got to be there.

Happy Birthday to Stevie Wonder: The Great Singer-Songwriter Turns 70 Years Young Today

Roger Friedman
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Happy Birthday to Stevie Wonder: The Great Singer-Songwriter Turns 70 Years Young Today

There is only one Stevie Wonder, and he turns 70 today. A child star since 1963, he’s the youngest of all the “classic” music stars of his generation.

There’s nothing he can’t do or hasn’t done. So many Grammys, best selling albums, great songs covered by other artists– he’s tops in every category.

His first hit was “Fingertips, Pt. 2” when he was 12 years old, with his harmonica solo composed by legendary Beans Bowles, and the rest was history.

Through the 60s Stevie had a string of hits like “Ma Cherie Amour” and “Signed, Sealed, Delivered,” but none that he wrote. But “If You Really Love Me,” written by Stevie and Syreeta Wright, was a smash hit. It came from the first album he totally wrote, with Syreeta, called “Where I’m Coming From.” The floodgates opened. “Music of My Mind” and “Talking Book” came in ’72, “Innervisions” in ’73, “Fulfillingness’s First Finale” in ’74, and “Songs in the Key of Life” in ’76. It’s one of the greatest runs of albums ever in history. Listen to them now, in order, and they will blow your mind.

We could write a book about Stevie, but he’s the one who got the Martin Luther King Holiday passed nationally. He wrote the song, “Happy Birthday,” for MLK, but we can sing back to him today. At Tony Bennett’s 90th birthday dinner, three summers ago, at the Rainbow Room, Stevie put headphones on my ears, produced a small music mixer from under the table, and played me new songs he was working on. They were brilliant, and I can only hope we hear them soon. He had a successful kidney transplant last fall, and looks great these days. He’s a national treasure, a world treasure, a planetary magnificence.

Happy birthday, Stevie!

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