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Paul McCartney on Little Richard, A Huge Influence for Him: “I owe a lot of what I do to Little Richard and his style, and he knew it”

Roger Friedman
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Paul McCartney on Little Richard, A Huge Influence for Him: “I owe a lot of what I do to Little Richard and his style, and he knew it”

Paul McCartney has posted his tribute to Little Richard this morning. The Beatles opened for Richard in Hamburg in 1962. Billy Preston was a teenager who came with Richard in his band. That’s how Billy met the Fab Four. Seven years later he’d be on a rooftop in London with them making history. In the interim, the Beatles immediately recorded “Long Tall Sally.” So many of John and Paul’s vocal stylings were influenced by Richard’s shrieks and woops.

Paul writes:
‘From ‘Tutti Frutti’ to ‘Long Tall Sally’ to ‘Good Golly, Miss Molly’ to ‘Lucille’, Little Richard came screaming into my life when I was a teenager. I owe a lot of what I do to Little Richard and his style; and he knew it. He would say, “I taught Paul everything he knows”. I had to admit he was right. In the early days of The Beatles we played with Richard in Hamburg and got to know him. He would let us hang out in his dressing room and we were witness to his pre-show rituals, with his head under a towel over a bowl of steaming hot water he would suddenly lift his head up to the mirror and say, “I can’t help it cos I’m so beautiful”. And he was. A great man with a lovely sense of humour and someone who will be missed by the rock and roll community and many more. I thank him for all he taught me and the kindness he showed by letting me be his friend. Goodbye Richard and a-wop-bop-a-loo-bop.’

Elton John on the Passing of Little Richard: “Without a doubt– musically, vocally and visually’–he was my biggest influence”

Roger Friedman
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0
Elton John on the Passing of Little Richard: “Without a doubt– musically, vocally and visually’–he was my biggest influence”

Elton John’s Twitter tribute to Little Richard is especially poignant because clearly Elton’s piano style, a lot of which came from Leon Russell, originally was influenced by Little Richard. Not only that. Elton’s landmark costumes and flamboyant stage routines are part Liberace, part Little Richard. Elton’s tribute is typically gracious and moving:

“Without a doubt – musically, vocally and visually – he was my biggest influence. Seeing him live in my teens was the most exciting event in my life at that point. Goosebumps, electricity and joy came from every pore.

“His records still sound fresh and the opening few seconds of “Tutti Frutti” are the most explosive in music history. I was lucky enough to work with him for my “Duets” album in 1993. He was shy and funny and I was SO nervous.

“The track we recorded “The Power” is a favourite in my catalogue. We also played live at the Beverly Hilton and I felt like I’d died and gone to heaven. He influenced so many and is irreplaceable. A true legend, icon and a force of nature. #RIP Little Richard Love, Elton x”

Bob Dylan Tributes Little Richard: “He was my shining star and guiding light when I was only a little boy”

Roger Friedman
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Bob Dylan Tributes Little Richard: “He was my shining star and guiding light when I was only a little boy”

There are many tributes today to Little Richard today, all from the major rock stars like Mick, Keith, Elton, Ringo, etc. All of them are heartfelt, but they are also from people who regularly post to Twitter. It’s rare to hear from Bob Dylan. I’ve combined his three tweets

“I just heard the news about Little Richard and I’m so grieved. He was my shining star and guiding light back when I was only a little boy. His was the original spirit that moved me to do everything I would do. I played some shows with him in Europe in the early nineties and got to hang out in his dressing room a lot. He was always generous, kind and humble. And still dynamite as a performer and a musician and you could still learn plenty from him. In his presence he was always the same Little Richard that I first heard and was awed by growing up and I always was the same little boy. Of course he’ll live forever. But it’s like a part of your life is gone.”

Ransomware Attack Shuts Down Rock and Roll’s Largest Law Firm, Hackers Grab 756 GIGABYTES of Stars’ Info

Roger Friedman
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Ransomware Attack Shuts Down Rock and Roll’s Largest Law Firm, Hackers Grab 756 GIGABYTES of Stars’ Info

All the contracts, emails, personal info of stars like Madonna, Elton John, and Lady Gaga have been hacked from the famous law firm of Grubman, Shire, Meiselas, and Sacks in New York. Reports from Cointelegraph.com and Info-security Magazine were first to report the massive looting of files, 756 GIGABYTES of information.

Read today’s headlines here: www.showbiz411.com

According to Info-security.com:
“Cyber-thieves claim to have used REvil ransomware (also known as Sodinokobi) to steal 756GB of data that includes contracts, telephone numbers, email addresses, personal correspondence, and non-disclosure agreements. The attackers are threatening to publish the data in nine staggered releases unless they are paid an undisclosed sum in bit coin.”

Right now, the law firm’s website is down, with just a holding place card up with their logo.

The client list also includes Facebook, Activision, iHeartMedia, IMAX, Sony, HBO, and Vice Media and sporting stars LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony, Sloane Stephens, and Colin Kaepernick, Bruce Springsteen, Lady Gaga, Jessica Simpson, Nicki Minaj, Priyanka Chopra, Mariah Carey, Mary J. Blige, Run-DMC and Outkast.

“Previous victims of REvil ransomware attacks include 10x Genomics, Brooks International, Kenneth Cole, and National Association of Eating Disorders. In each case, data stolen from the victims was published online when the targeted business refused to pay up. One victim, Travelex, paid $2.3m to recover files stolen in an attack.”

The hackers have apparently published contracts regarding Madonna and Christina Aguilera on the dark web. This could mean an avalanche of information coming a la Wikileaks. If that’s the case, it won’t be pretty.

 

Little Richard (Richard Penniman) An Inventor of Rock and Roll, Influenced the Beatles, Everyone, Dead at 87

Roger Friedman
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Little Richard (Richard Penniman) An Inventor of Rock and Roll, Influenced the Beatles, Everyone, Dead at 87

The real King is dead. Little Richard, born Richard Penniman, has died at age 87. Don’t be fooled by anyone else: he invented rock and roll with Chuck Berry, Bo Diddley, Fats Domino, and Jerry Lee Lewis. There is only one Little Richard, he was so unique that the Beatles literally created themselves in his image. He’d been living in a penthouse suite at the Nashville Hilton for the last decade or more.

I was lucky enough to see Richard perform twice. I was at his last show ever at the Apollo (June 2006). He had to be ferried out to the stage, but when he sat down his fingers found the keys and he was off in a blaze of glory. The other time was earlier, at Lou Rawls’s famous funeral in Los Angeles, where families were fighting, it was a scene. Into the middle of this, Richard came swanning in and took over. It was surreal.

Richard’s songs — “Long Tall Sally,” “Tutti Frutti,” “Slippin’ and Sliding” and dozens more are part of the foundation of rock and roll. It’s what everyone built on. Paul McCartney, Elton John, Billy Joel and so many stars who could play a piano, and then turn it into vehicle, worshiped at his feet. It was the music and the showmanship. And the yell. Good Golly miss Molly.

He’s in every Hall of Fame, and remembered for history on video. Grammy Awards? Who cares? He IS the Grammy Award. PS Many people don’t realize this but Billy Preston, the “Fifth Beatle,” joined Richard’s band as a kid after recognizing Billy’s genius at 15. That’s how Billy met the Beatles when Richard took with him to Hamburg in 1962. The Beatles were Little Richard’s opening act.

 

Shock and Sadness in the Music World: Andre Harrell, Founder of Uptown Records, Father of Modern R&B, Dies Suddenly at 59

Roger Friedman
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Shock and Sadness in the Music World: Andre Harrell, Founder of Uptown Records, Father of Modern R&B, Dies Suddenly at 59

There’s a lot of shock and much sadness over night as word of the death of Andre Harrell spreads. He was 59 years old.

Andre–one of the best dressed, most articulate and intelligent record men– came into the business working with Russell Simmons at the original DefJam Records. He spread his wings in the 90s and started Uptown Records, introducing Mary J. Blige, among other artists.

But what Harrell really did was launch Sean Puffy Combs before Combs started Bad Boy Records. It was just this past January in Los Angeles at Clive Davis’s pre Grammy dinner when Puffy gave his long speech and reminisced about Andre giving him his big break. I was sitting just a few feet from Andre, and he overwhelmed by Puffy’s stories. This is much too soon.

In the mid 90s, Andre ran Motown Records, where he gave us BoyzIIMen, Johnny Gill, and many other hit acts. I can only say that in the late 80s and early 90s the only name you heard over and over was Andre Harrell. He was like the Berry Gordy of hip hop. Launching Puffy made Andre Harrell a legend literally in his own time.

More recently he’d been working for Combs on his Revolt TV project.

Yesterday, he wrote on Instagram: “Skip the virus and Let’s Pick it up again at the top of the year.” Cause of death is not confirmed but many social media accounts are saying it was a heart attack.

You can read an excellent Q&A with Andre here from 2016.   

Andre leaves his wife, choreographer to the stars Laurieann Gibson, and their son. Condolences to Andre’s friends and family, particularly Sean Combs, who’s now lost the mother of his children, Kim Porter, and his best friend, at relatively young ages. Just terrible.

 

Broadway Star Nick Cordero’s Wife Summarizes His 38 Days in the ICU Including 2 Strokes and Leg Amputation–And He’s Still in a Coma

Roger Friedman
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Broadway Star Nick Cordero’s Wife Summarizes His 38 Days in the ICU Including 2 Strokes and Leg Amputation–And He’s Still in a Coma

Broadway star Nick Cordero’s wife, Amanda Kloots, has been detailing his long stay in the hospital with corona virus on Instagram. She’s also been raising their toddler son, and trying not lose it. Tonight she summarized Nick’s condition so far. Keep in mind, he’s still unconscious.

Kloots writes: “What this man has gone through! Nick is 41 years old. He had no pre-existing health conditions. We do not know how he got COVID-19 but he did. He went to the ER on March 30th and intubated on a ventilator on April 1. Since then has he has suffered an infection that caused his heart to stop, he needed resuscitation, he had two mini strokes, went on ECMO, needed surgery to removal an ECMO cannula that was restricting blood flow to his leg, a faciatomy to relieve pressure on the leg, an amputation of his right leg, an MRI to further investigate brain damage, several bronchial sweeps to clear out his lungs, a sepsis infection causing septic shock, a fungus in his lungs, holes in his lungs, a tracheotomy, blood clots, low blood count and platelet levels, and a temporary pacemaker to assist his heart. He has spent 38 days now in the ICU. This disease does not only effect old people. This is real. A perfectly healthy 41 year old man! “

The latest is that Amanda goes to the hospital every day and sits outside in her car because she’s not allowed inside. She plays Nick’s record, “Love Your Life,” at full blast. All their friends do, too, all over the country, and on her Instagram stories. Their kid, Elvis, is very cute, and she never shows us that she might break down. But she keeps being upbeat, and encouraging Elvis, and recording videos to show Nick when he wakes up. All she wants is for him to wake up. Everyone who’s ever seen Nick on stage or met him is rooting for him and sending prayers and love to this family. There has to be a happy ending to this story.

 

View this post on Instagram

Our last family photo before Nick got sick. What this man has gone through! Nick is 41 years old. He had no pre-existing health conditions. We do not know how he got COVID-19 but he did. He went to the ER on March 30th and intubated on a ventilator on April 1. Since then has he has suffered an infection that caused his heart to stop, he needed resuscitation, he had two mini strokes, went on ECMO, needed surgery to removal an ECMO cannula that was restricting blood flow to his leg, a faciatomy to relieve pressure on the leg, an amputation of his right leg, an MRI to further investigate brain damage, several bronchial sweeps to clear out his lungs, a septis infection causing septic shock, a fungus in his lungs, holes in his lungs, a tracheostomy, blood clots, low blood count and platelet levels, and a temporary pacemaker to assist his heart. He has spent 38 days now in the ICU. This disease does not only effect old people. This is real. A perfectly healthy 41 year old man! Bring awareness to his story. STAY HOME! FOLLOW GUIDELINES! This journey with Nick has been the hardest thing we’ve ever had to go through. I ask God for a miracle and my Dad reminded me that God is answering my prayer everyday because he is still with us! Nick is a fighter and has not given up. His doctors and nurses have been truly incredible. Thank you @cedarssinai ❤️ We will get our CODE ROCKY! #wakeupnick

A post shared by AK! ⭐️ (@amandakloots) on

This is How a Rumor Starts: Robert DeNiro to Play Andrew Cuomo In a Movie He Directs, with Mira Sorvino as Dr. Birx (and Phil Rizzuto as Fauci)

Roger Friedman
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This is How a Rumor Starts: Robert DeNiro to Play Andrew Cuomo In a Movie He Directs, with Mira Sorvino as Dr. Birx (and Phil Rizzuto as Fauci)

Well, this is how a rumor starts.

First, Robert De Niro told Stephen Colbert on his show that he would play Andrew Cuomo in a movie about the pandemic. Go to 1:50 in the clip.

Then Stephen Colbert told New York Governor Andrew Cuomo on his show that Robert De Niro wants to play him in a movie. Cuomo, who’s at least a decade younger than De Niro, was still thrilled.

Then a cab driver with a Twitter account told Mira Sorvino, who follows him, that De Niro would direct a movie about COVID-19, and play Cuomo. The Tweeting driver said Mira Sorvino would play scarf wearing Dr. Deborah Birks. Sorvino liked it, so she emailed De Niro’s producing partner, Jane Rosenthal.

Rosenthal responded to Sorvino that Bob was just joking, but hey, you never know.

And even though Brad Pitt played Dr. Fauci on “SNL,” I say, exhume Phil Rizzuto, the late Yankee catcher and sportscaster. Fauci is channeling him or something. Get Scorsese to direct and use old footage of Rizzuto CGI’d onto Joe Pesci. Someone call Netflix now!

And that’s how movies are made.

Adele’s Former Personal Trainer Speaks About Her Dramatic Weight Loss: “Disheartening to read negative commentary”

Roger Friedman
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0
Adele’s Former Personal Trainer Speaks About Her Dramatic Weight Loss: “Disheartening to read negative commentary”

I’ll tell you the truth: I was shocked, gobsmacked when I saw the picture Adele, the great singer and all around dame, posted to Instagram this week. Her weight loss was dramatic, far beyond dieting. It was one thing to lose weight, but her face seemed unnaturally different than the Adele we knew. I still think some kind of bariatric surgery may be involved.

But we love Adele, and not just for her amazing voice. She is a free wheeling spirit. I just hate to think of her suffering from poor body image and going overboard. Those are my two cents.

Now Adele’s former personal trainer in London has posted his thoughts to Instagram. Pete Geracimo is defending his friend and client. I thought he deserved his say here.


“As Adele’s former London-based personal trainer, it’s disheartening to read negative commentary and fat-phobic accusations questioning the genuineness of her amazing weight loss.

“In my personal experience of working with her through many highs and lows, she always marched to the beat of her own drum on her own terms. She never undermined her God-given talent in any way. She let her incredible voice do the talking, or should I say singing! She never once pretended to be something that she wasn’t. What you saw was what you got. And we all LOVED it!

“When Adele and I started our journey together, it was never about getting super skinny. It was about getting her healthy. Especially post pregnancy and post surgery. When 25 dropped and the tour announced, we had to get ready for a 13 month gruelling schedule. In that time, she warmed to training and made better food choices. As a result, she lost considerable weight and people took notice. Her body transformation was splashed across every media outlet. The attention it generated was mind-blowing.

“Since she moved to LA, it’s been well documented that she underwent some tough personal changes. It’s only natural that with change comes a new sense of self and wanting to be your best possible version. She embraced better eating habits and committed to her fitness and “is sweating”! I could not be prouder or happier for her! This metamorphosis is not for album sales, publicity or to be a role model. She is doing it for herself and for Angelo.
My hope is that people appreciate the hard work that Adele has done to improve herself for the benefit to her and her family only. She did not lose the weight to make others feel bad about themselves. This personal transformation has nothing to do with me or you. It’s about Adele and how she wants to live her life. She has not changed from the Adele we grew up with and have loved. There is just a little less of her to go around. ”

View this post on Instagram

As Adele’s former London-based personal trainer, it’s disheartening to read negative commentary and fat-phobic accusations questioning the genuineness of her amazing weight loss. In my personal experience of working with her through many highs and lows, she always marched to the beat of her own drum on her own terms. She never undermined her God-given talent in any way. She let her incredible voice do the talking, or should I say singing! She never once pretended to be something that she wasn’t. What you saw was what you got. And we all LOVED it! When Adele and I started our journey together, it was never about getting super skinny. It was about getting her healthy. Especially post pregnancy and post surgery. When 25 dropped and the tour announced, we had to get ready for a 13 month gruelling schedule. In that time, she warmed to training and made better food choices. As a result, she lost considerable weight and people took notice. Her body transformation was splashed across every media outlet. The attention it generated was mind-blowing. Since she moved to LA, it’s been well documented that she underwent some tough personal changes. It’s only natural that with change comes a new sense of self and wanting to be your best possible version. She embraced better eating habits and committed to her fitness and “is sweating”! I could not be prouder or happier for her! This metamorphosis is not for album sales, publicity or to be a role model. She is doing it for herself and for Angelo. My hope is that people appreciate the hard work that Adele has done to improve herself for the benefit to her and her family only. She did not lose the weight to make others feel bad about themselves. This personal transformation has nothing to do with me or you. It’s about Adele and how she wants to live her life. She has not changed from the Adele we grew up with and have loved. There is just a little less of her to go around. #adele #fabulous #strong #songbird #transformation #powerful #voice #love #rumorhasit #pt

A post shared by Pete Geracimo (@petegeracimo) on

Swinging “Silicon Valley” Star Thomas Middleditch Lands a Family Sitcom on CBS, Too Bad There Weren’t Any Upfronts This Year

Roger Friedman
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0
Swinging “Silicon Valley” Star Thomas Middleditch Lands a Family Sitcom on CBS, Too Bad There Weren’t Any Upfronts This Year

CBS has greenlighted a new sitcom for this fall with an unusual star.

Thomas Middleditch, who comes HBO’s “Silicon Valley” and cell phone commercials, will star with Broadway great Annaleigh Ashford in “B Positive.” The title refers to his blood type as Middleditch’s character is described as a therapist and newly divorced dad who needs a kidney donor, and Ashford is “a rough-around-the-edges woman from his past who volunteers her own.”

They should have called it “You’re Kidneying.” Bah bum!

Anyway, last September Middleditch made headlines with an interview he gave to Playboy, when it was still a magazine.

He and his wife, Mollie, are swingers. As, in they go to orgies, have sex with strangers, and so on. They swap partners. This is not a joke.

Middleditch said: “To be honest, swinging has saved our marriage. We have different speeds, and we argue over it constantly, but it’s better than feeling unheard and alone and that you have to scurry in the shadows. By the way, it’s now called being “part of the lifestyle.” The term swinging is old.”

The actor continued: ” I self-deprecatingly call myself a pervert, but that’s not what it is. I just like it. I’m sexual. I’d always thought I was a romantic and that when I fall in love, that stuff fades away. It does for some years—enough to be like, “I should get married, and I’ll be different.” But it’s part of me. If that’s part of your being and it feels important to you, find a way to explore it, because repression sucks.”

It’s too bad there were no upfronts this year for CBS. There probably won’t be TCA interviews this summer, either, but if there are, I’d like to ask Middleditch to expound on this subject. Maybe they can work it into the show once his character gets the new kidney. “Meet cute” takes on all new meaning!

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