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The weird shooting schedule at “Days of our Lives” may pay off for the wrong reasons.
The NBC soap shoots almost six months in advance, so they are well set with new episodes through the fall of 2020. There have often been complaints that the show can’t respond to audience reaction like the other soaps, which shoot about six weeks ahead of airtime.
But now that irksome schedule may come in handy. Turns out the two CBS soaps, “The Young and the Restless” and “The Bold and the Beautiful” will air their last new episodes on Thursday. Yes, this Thursday. So whatever is going on on those shows will freeze in time until the shows can return to their studios.
Similarly, ABC’s “General Hospital” will reach the end of the line in mid to late May. They’ve been padding out shows with big flashback sequences to try and stretch out what’s left of their inventory.
Starting Monday, the CBS shows will air theme weeks taken from their enormous histories. Cast members will film interstitial bits commenting on the old episodes. It should be fun to see the hairstyles and make up from the 80s, 90s, and so on.
All of this should boost “Days of our Lives” if they’re the only soap with new material. And wouldn’t that be a twist worthy of a soap? No one saw that coming. If only “Days” looked better. It’s got terrible lighting and even worse sets. Characters meet on the same set over and over, redressed to look like it’s different from another scene. But that’s another story.
Reports from Italy that Sirio Maccioni, the towering restaurateur, the man who gave us Le Cirque (and its children, like Osteria del Circo) has died at age 88, it seems like on his birthday. He’d been ailing for some time. But wow, in his heyday, Sirio was king. The original Le Cirque on East 65th St. was a small room that burst every day with flavor and fame. Incredible food, a standout French restaurant owned by an Italian. The birthplace of Daniel Boulud as a chef.
Le Cirque was the clubhouse for every star, VIP, the likes of which no one has seen again on a daily basis. Sirio was the impeccable host, gracious and fun, yet stentorian and regal. And he would let me sit there and watch while Diana Ross, Henry Kissinger, evil Roy Cohn, stars of all kinds crowded into the room– the tables were close and you see and hear everyone. What an experience.
He was a good friend to so many, not just celebrities. And he gave us his family: his wife Egidiana, who made the best lasagna, his sons Marco, Mauro, Mario, of whom became friends and took such good care of their father. Condolences to all of them. Marco, I always owe a thank you– we ran into each other in front of Michael’s one day, I told him it was my father’s birthday. Three hours later a knockout chocolate cake was whipped up. Many years earlier I called Sirio and told him I’d just taken my grandmother to a doctor nearby Le Cirque. Come over, he said. And it was a busy day. That’s the way it always was with the Maccioni’s.
Sirio opened the first Le Cirque, the really fabled one, in 1974 at the Mayfair Hotel on East 65th St. (This now the site of Daniel Boulud’s private dining room.) In time, Sirio added a private dining room, L’Orangerie. In 1997, he left the Mayfair and moved into the Palace Hotel on Madison Avenue, part of the Villard houses that once were home to Random House. With designer Adam Tihany Maccioni created a sensational new venue called Le Cirque that was much larger, but no less exclusive. It was futuristic and also traditional. That version of Le Crique ran until 2008 when he moved into the Bloomberg building on East 58th St. between Third and Lexington.
In 1995, the original Le Cirque– at the height of its popularity– was awarded the James Beard Foundation Award for Outstanding Restaurant.
I was lucky. I was introduced to Sirio by the late Pierre Franey, chef, New York Times writer and author of “The 60 Minute Gourmet,” in 1983. We formed a quick bond, and throughout the years the friendship continued. One of my great memories was from the Palace Hotel opening nights, which were just overrun with stars. Sirio took me on a private tour with Woody Allen and Soon Yi, and we all marveled at this petit palace he’d created inside the Villard House.
Sirio had gotten his start at Oscar’s Delmonico.
Oscar Tucci’s grandson wrote on Facebook today:
“The Tucci family and The Maccioni family have a very beautiful friendship. Sirio and Egi were married at the Tucci’s penthouse at 1165 Park Ave, Mario & Sirio were great pals and of couse Oscar adored Sirio, one of the many reasons was that Sirio came from Tuscany, like Oscar.
From the Tucci family, we send our love and condolences to the entire Maccioni Family. The history our families shared and contributed to the restaurant industry is outstanding.
My grandfather Oscar knew Sirio was going to be a star and that’s why he wanted him to work at Delmonico’s and of course Mario & Sirio’s friendship was in true Italian style, chic and elegant while always eating great food!
We are sad indeed, but we know that Oscar, Sirio & Mario are planning a massive dinner party. The aromas of fine cuisine are permeating the heavens.
For the soul there is neither birth nor death. It is eternal and everlasting like our love for The Great Sirio!”
But that era had passed as Sirio opened the third iteration in the Bloomberg building. The time of formal meals, men wearing ties and jackets, was well by 2008. I remember how when I first went to fine restaurants in the early 80s, if I didn’t have a jacket on, they’d bring me one. Fine manners, graciousness were giving away to sweat suits and sneakers. This was not Sirio’s world. Nevertheless, he was there every day at Le Cirque until the Bloomberg edition closed, and he even came to Elaine Kaufman’s memorial service. He loved Elaine. He loved life, and his family, and I am so sorry to see him go.
The tragic story of Peter Beard‘s disappearance was a lead in this week’s New York Times arts section. Now some ten days after he vanished, and search parties including helicopters have given up their trawling the rocky coast, the erstwhile adventurer has just turned up. Some supposed he went into the sea, lunch meat for sharks, if there are such fish at these shores, or he’d gone into some secret corner of the woods, and like Beat poet Neal Cassady, another legend, died of exposure. No body, no news. But now all that may change.
The East Hampton Star reports that police found a body today in the Montauk woods matching Peter’s description. “Town detectives were called after a hunter familiar with the woods off Old Montauk Highway near Montauk Point found a piece of clothing that matched what Mr. Beard had been wearing on March 31. Police searched the area and eventually found what they believed was Mr. Beard’s body.”
Peter Beard occupied the last house on the East End, and from his perch the expanse of the Atlantic Ocean is compelling. Having made art, collages and photography for decades, both here and on exotic travels, and featuring an array of celebrities including Mick Jagger, Jerry Hall, Bianca Jagger, Lee Radziwill, the two Edie Beales, Karen Blixen, Kamante Gatura, his wife Nejma, and himself often with his head in a fish, he’s taken more than a note about fame from Andy Warhol, his erstwhile neighbor.
The Times retold an anecdote about Beard, that while working in the city, when he was told his house had gone up in flames, he just continued his work. What the Times failed to say, and what might merely be Montauk rumor, was that the house had been burnt down by workers, locals disgruntled that they had not been paid. Legends abound about such the adventurer: some saw the house lifted off the nearest cliff by Sikorsky helicopter, moved to the most remote point, a piece of property jutting farther into the sea than the lighthouse.
At the East Hampton Guild Hall’s 2016 exhibition, “Last Word from Paradise,” celebrities and animals mixed it up: there’s more than a hint of nostalgia for travels to remote places. Peter held court in the garden, warmly greeting guests in a blue linen shirt. Beard’s artwork juxtaposed party photos from Studio 54 with pictures of endangered animals like the elephant, or alligators that live best in the wild suggesting lost worlds: What about precious, fragile Nature on our planet?
Jackie Kennedy’s now recently deceased sister, Lee Radziwill, who Peter famously dated, paid homage to Beard in her final book Lee (Assouline, 2015): “Peter Beard changed my whole life. He opened up so many windows for me, because he taught me to be insatiably curious.” At the time he was living between America and Africa often taking people out on safari: “Peter thought of everything as a photograph.” Displaying each of his worlds, the Guild Hall show was a valuable documentation of imperiled beauty.
If the reports are right, the saga is over. Condolences to his wife, Nejma, daughter Zara, and Peter’s family and followers around the world. He had a stunning life.
The Kardashians can no longer keep up with themselves.
Now in its 18th “season,” and 13th year, “Keeping Up with the Kardashians” sinking in the ratings on the E! channel.
This season E! moved the avaricious family of shoppers and complainers from Sunday nights to Thursdays. The ratings have been in decline for some time, so a change was probably deemed necessary.
The first couple of episodes scored just about 1 million viewers, down from the 1.4 million “KUWTK” had fallen to in recent seasons. But then things went sour. Last Thursday, the show was down to 871,000 viewers. (That’s the 4th lowest rated episode ever.) The prior two weeks had been around 910,000. About 130,000 viewers have tuned out since the 1st episode on March 26th. Even in quarantine, people are leaving.
To gin up interest, a couple of weeks ago two of the sisters (not sure which ones) had a an actual physical fight. Or seemed to. Nothing is not scripted in this family’s life. They tried to generate some publicity, but most everyone yawned.
And it’s all gone downhill from there.
It’s really time to stage a kidnapping. Or a death. Or maybe Kanye will disappear. Maybe they’ll be exposed to COVID-19!
This Thursday’s episode may be the last for some time. There’s word that it will be filmed on iPhones since all the players must remain in their respective tacky suburban McMansions because of the virus. Could this be the end? Or will the family, the E! channel, and producer Ryan Seacrest keep wringing what they can out of it?
And will they ever tell us how OJ killed Nicole and Ron? That’s the only episode I want to see.
Julia Fordham is one of our greatest singer songwriters. Her biggest hit, “Happy Ever After,” is an international sensation to this day. She’s a Brit who lives in LA, and is popular around the world. After years on Virgin Records, she went to Atlantic and then Vanguard. I wish some big label would sign her, although maybe she doesn’t want that!
Anyway, every day on YouTube Julia issues a Live from the Living Room song. This is today’s, and one of my favorites, “Manhattan Skyline.” If you’re interested in checking her out on Spotify, fans love albums like “Porcelain” and “Concrete Love,” among others.
Lady Gaga’s One World Together at Home scored about 14 million over the three networks last night. On ABC the two hour average was 5 million, just as it was on NBC. On CBS it was a little lower, just above 4 million. A huge hit? For network TV, if it were all on one channel, yes. Spread out among the three, not so much.
The demos were low numbers for young people, very high for over 50. All 7s for the older crowd. Luckily no one was harmed during JLO’s performance. Ouch. But there was not much draw for Billie Eilish fans to hear her whisper Bobby Hebb’s “Sunny.”: Ditto, Taylor Swift’s “I’m being held hostage” didn’t bring in her fans in droves. The Stones, McCartney, Eddie Vedder, that’s where the interest was.
Global Citizen is now touting $127 million raised somehow. It has nothing to do with them. The money is corporate donations made before the show. Global Citizen didn’t make the money, doesn’t donate money to anyone. They are at best a PR company. It’s one of the best cons ever invented.
And while 100 stars performed or pitched for peace and love across three networks, Madonna did what? She posted this irrelevant, ugly picture to Instagram. It was literally just as the all-star show was starting. What is she thinking? What the heck is going on? Why is someone who used to be so savvy so tone deaf now?
So what about this two hour all network concertcalled “Together at Home” put on by the World Health Organization and Global Citizen?
Lady Gaga organized it. Her opening rendition of Charlie Chaplin’s “Smile” was for the ages. She is such a gifted singer. Just lovely.
Well, JLo was the only artist who lip synched to track. Her thin voice was no match for “People” or Barbra Streisand. This was a bad idea.
The Rolling Stones stole show with “You Can’t Get Always Get What You Want.” Their number had the most vibrancy.
Paul McCartney and Stevie Wonder, as well Elton John: each terrific. McCartney was very charming. Stevie looked and sounded good six months after his kidney transplant. Elton is a force of nature.
Keith Urban’s triptych was a great idea. “Higher Love” was a very good choice, and it was swell to see Nicole Kidman.
Billie Eilish– sing out, Louise. No one could hear you. And are the Emo Carpenters now called Billie Eilish and Finneas, like the Captain and Tennille? Poor Finneas.
Lizzo was so good on Sam Cooke’s classic “A Change is Gonna Come” I got goosebumps. But why no Jennifer Hudson? Were they two scared?
Eddie Vedder was just fine. Taylor Swift was not. Who was she auditioning for? How ’bout mic? A light? An amp? Something?
Where was Sting? Bruce? (He’s doing that Jersey thing on Tuesday.) Katy Perry? Carole King? Gladys? Dionne? Smokey?
Lopez holds the mic close to cover her not singing, a track swells around her. Or am I missing an orchestra in the room?
UPDATE from Amanda: “AND right after we finished singing tonight I got a phone call from the hospital saying that Nick made it out of surgery alive and he is headed to his room to rest and recover! AMEN! He is hearing us!!! He is hearing the support, the love and your voices everyday. I just know it. Thank you God for watching over him and for the incredible doctors and nurses @cedarssinai hospital! ❤️ I may sleep tonight.”
EARLIER It’s good news, bad news as Nick Cordero struggles through his battle against COVID-19.
The Broadway star of “Waitress” and “A Bronx Tale” is having a leg amputation caused by blood flow and clotting issues. His wife, Amanda Kloots, posted the news to Instagram.
“We got some difficult news yesterday. Basically we’ve had issues in his right leg with clotting and getting blood down to his toes and it just isn’t happening with surgery and everything. So they had him on blood thinners for the clotting,” Kloots said.
“Unfortunately, the blood thinners were causing some other issues — blood pressure and some internal bleeding in his intestines. So we took him off the blood thinners. But that again was going to cause some clotting in the right leg, so the right leg will be amputated today.”
As long as Nick lives, and can get back on stage, that’s what’s important. Maybe he won’t tap dance, but he can sing and act. And his family will have him with them.
Today and tonight, Lady Gaga, Taylor Swift, Paul McCartney, and a bunch of other celebrities who think they’re helping the world learn about hunger and poverty. Does anyone know where the money is going? I don’t think so. The whole enterprise, glommed onto the now controversial World Health Organization, is simply out of control.
There’s no question that Lady Gaga has had the best of intentions organizing this Together at Home show, which will air on TV tonight from 8 to 10pm. But the involvement of Global Citizen is a head scratcher. Why does no one vet them? Everything they say is taken at face value. I will reiterate here will be stated below and in links: GLOBAL CITIZEN DOES NOTHING. They do not feed the hungry or poor. They simply rake in money, pay salaries, and put on concerts. I think it’s an enormous con. The guy who runs it, Hugh Evans, is the Wizard of Oz, and not just because he comes from Australia.
Global Citizen, which started out calling itself the Global Poverty Project, is UNRATED on Charity Navigator. It has NO RATING. Why? Click here and you can read for yourself. “…the organization does not meet our criteria. A lack of a rating does not indicate a positive or negative assessment by Charity Navigator.”
One reason Global Citizen might be unrated is because on its Form 990 tax filing, the section for fundraising details for specific events, i.e. their concerts, is left BLANK.
I don’t know why no one seems to get this: Global Citizen, aka the Global Poverty Project, is not what it seems. On the eve of their annual rock concert in Central Park, the foundation’s latest tax filing shows huge salary increases for their executive and no money donated to any charity, or to solve poverty or hunger.
According to Global Citizen’s Form 990 for 2017, their top execs got a $2 million rise from the prior year. TWO MILLION DOLLARS. Total salaries now come to $9 million. NINE MILLION DOLLARS. CEO Hugh Evans is now getting $400,000 a year. COO Elizabeth Henshaw is getting almost as much. Chief Marketing Officer Richard Wolffe is, too.
They’re spending $4 million on contractors for the concert in Central Park. FOUR MILLION DOLLARS. Get it?
And despite revenue being up, and salaries being up, Global Citizen gave ZERO DOLLARS in Grants to anyone. In fact, somehow they’re saying they’re in the red. On paper, they lost money. Their revenue less expenses was MINUS $849,984. Their liabilities TRIPLED to $3.8 million. Net fund balances were down by $900,000.
Let’s take a look at those salaries, direct from the tax filing: :
and here’s their summary of revenue and expenses, also from the tax filing:
