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Ariana Grande Ditches Jonathan Bailey and UK “Sunday in the Park With George,” Will Lay Low After Current Tour Because of “Scrutiny”

Roger Friedman
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Ariana Grande Ditches Jonathan Bailey and UK “Sunday in the Park With George,” Will Lay Low After Current Tour Because of “Scrutiny”

I made a huge mistake. You’re not supposed to sit on stories, and publish ASAP/

I knew for a bit that Ariana Grande was not going to remain with the coming “Sunday in the Park with George” in London for 2027.

Her co-star was going to be “Wicked” alum Jonathan Bailey.

But a couple of weeks ago, the production announced it would not start selling tickets until this fall. I confirmed that Ariana had dropped out, and producers wee looking for Bailey’s new partner.

Today, it was confirmed by People magazine that Ariana has ankled the project. She’s on tour now promoting her new album, the number 1 “Petal.” When that’s over, she says she’s going to take a “break.”

One reason for her break, they say, is because of “scutiny” when she appears in public. Her fans constantly note that Ariana looks emaciated, and needs help with food issues. She’s skin and bones in pictures. Yesterday fans were pointing out she looked less well than Karen Carpenter before her death.

This is ominous. It’s time to get well if, for no other reason, she has to promote the new “Fockers” movie in November. More importantly, it’s for her survival.

Ariana still has 3 shows left in the US on this tour, followed by a run of 10 shows at London’s O2 Arena. Will she make it to the end? Let’s hope she’s got a qualified team, including a nutritionist, whether she completes the tour or not.

As for “Sunday in the Park,” producers will be smart to find a theater pro who can handle the rigors of 8 performances a week, with Bailey.

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Former “60 Minutes” Correspondent Sharyn Alfonsi Says She’ll Announce New Gig This Week, Living Well Is the Best Revenge This Summer

Roger Friedman
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Former “60 Minutes” Correspondent Sharyn Alfonsi Says She’ll Announce New Gig This Week, Living Well Is the Best Revenge This Summer

Sharyn Alfonsi is not letting Bari Weiss get to her.

Alfonsi, fired from “60 Minutes” for being an outstanding journalist, is proving the adage “Living well is the best revenge.”

She’s posted very happy pictures of her vacation to social media.

She also says she’ll be announcing a new gig this week. “Any guesses?” she asks. Mine would be either NBC or ABC, where she would have a huge impact. She might also be launching something on YouTube.

Alfonsi crossed new CBS News chief and Trump lackey Bari Weiss this past season when her report on the US sending prisoners to a violent El Salvador prison was pulled, then finally aired. Weiss didn’t want Trump to look bad. Eventually the piece ran, and the CECOT prison became an international scandal. (See below.) The real insult to CBS was when the Canadian feed went out anyway, despite Weiss’s censorship.

Again, below Alfonsi’s Instagram post, her report.

Sharyn, we are standing by!


Box Office: “Spider Man” Swings to a Close 2nd Place All Time Opening Weekend with $355 Mil, Almost as Much as “The Odyssey” Total After 3 Weeks

Roger Friedman
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Box Office: “Spider Man” Swings to a Close 2nd Place All Time Opening Weekend with $355 Mil, Almost as Much as “The Odyssey” Total After 3 Weeks

“Spider Man: Brand New Day” came thisclose to becoming the film with the highest opening weekend ever.

Spidey took in a stunning $355 million this weekend! Rounds of applause, please!

But “Avengers: Endgame” still holds the record with $360 million. Ouch!

Still, “Brand New Day” could leave theaters now, and they’d be fine. But it won’t– Marvel/Disney will try to double their luck before the run is over.

Now, still out there cooking is “The Odyssey” with a $51 million weekend. The total in the US is $395 million after three weeks. “Brand New Day” did in one weekend what “Odyssey” has done over three weekends.

The popcorn is popping!

And then there’s “Toy Story 5,” already at $461 million after six weeks.

What a summer!

And these last two have incredible holds. Only down 43% for “Odyssey,” and 38% for “TS5.” Insane!

Even “Minyans and Monsters,” the story of a shiva gone wrong, is up to $168 million after a month. And the much maligned “Moana” is up over $114 million — even thought that’s a new low for Pixar/Disney.

It’s a box office summer to remember, unless you’re Neon and have “Her Private Hell,” directed by Nicolas Winding Refn. It’s DOA, and will make less than $1 million before Neon ditches theaters. If only they’d had Zendaya and Tom Holland!

Shock: “Sopranos” Star Vinnie Pastore, aka “Big Pussy,” Dead At Age 80, Found in His Apartment, A Sweet Man Who Was a Fan and NY Favorite

Roger Friedman
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Shock: “Sopranos” Star Vinnie Pastore, aka “Big Pussy,” Dead At Age 80, Found in His Apartment, A Sweet Man Who Was a Fan and NY Favorite

I am so sorry to read that Vinnie Pastore has died.

The famed “Sopranos” actor was 80 years old. According to reports, he was found in his Bronx apartment.

Vinnie, of course, played Sal “Big Pussy” Bonpensiero on the Emmy winning HBO series. His character was violent, but in real life he was a lovely guy who was a New York favorite and incredibly popular.

On the show, Tony (James Gandolfini) loved him until, well, he didn’t. Amazingly, Sal died in season 2, but his presence never abated. He made that big an impression.

Vinnie has participated in many post-“Sopranos” activities since the show went off the air along with his former castmates like Dominic Chianese, Lorraine Bracco, Steve Schirripa, and so on. It was always a thrill to run into him.

Pastore won several acting awards post-“Sopranos” from regional film festivals for smaller movies. He was also part of the cast when the show won Best Ensemble for a TV series in 2000 from the Screen Actors Guild.

I’ll post tributes below. Condolences to his friends and family.

Statement from his longtime manager Robert Attermann:
“Vinny was one of the kindest, most generous people I have ever known. He treated everyone with warmth and respect, never turning down a fan who wanted a photograph or an autograph. He genuinely appreciated the people who supported him and always made them feel valued.

“He loved being an actor. He was passionate about his craft and was always encouraging, respectful, and generous with young actors, taking the time to offer guidance and support whenever he could.

For me, losing Vinny is deeply personal. Over more than three decades, I had the honor of watching not only his remarkable career but also the incredible person he was. I will miss his friendship, his loyalty, his humor, and his heart.

“My deepest condolences go out to his family, friends, colleagues, and the countless fans whose lives he touched. He leaves behind a legacy that extends far beyond his memorable performances. He will be greatly missed and never forgotten.

“Rest in peace, my dear friend.”

UPDATED “Spider Man: Brand New Day” Vanquishes “Avengers: Endgame” with All Time High Opening Day of $168 Million, Heads Toward Record Weekend

Roger Friedman
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UPDATED “Spider Man: Brand New Day” Vanquishes “Avengers: Endgame” with All Time High Opening Day of $168 Million, Heads Toward Record Weekend

SUNDAY UPDATE CLICK HERE — SPIDEY OPENING WEEKEND $355 MILLION!!!

SATURDAY: Tom Holland and Zendaya must think this is normal.

They are starring in the two biggest movies of 2026, which I call “Spodyssey.”

In the case of “Spider Man: Brand New Day,” they broke a record yesterday for biggest opening weekend ever. The total was $168 million.

“Brand New Day” may yet set the record for biggest opening weekend of all time if it can cross the $368 million line tomorrow. It’s possible. Theaters are filled to the brim with fans.

For both records, Spider Man beats “Avengers: Endgame” for the title.

And then there’s “The Odyssey,” now up to $360 million and headed to $400 million shortly. It’s also still playing to packed houses, especially IMAX theaters.

The newly married couple are each 30 years old. She’s nominated for an Emmy for “Euphoria.” They are the homecoming king and queen of Hollywood. You can’t do any better. I hope they don’t take it for granted. I’m sure they won’t.

There isn’t much else going on right now. But I do recommend seeing “Hadestown” while it’s in theaters. This is note perfect filmed version of the Broadway musical, with a sensational cast of Andre De Shields, Reeve Carney, Eva Noblezada, Amber Gray, and Patrick Page.

They are all from the original Tony-winning cast. Carney and Page play adversaries, just as they did in “Spider Man: Turn off the Dark” on Broadway. Carney and Noblezada are a married couple. Amber Gray could get an Oscar nomination, I think. Why not? The music soars and the direction is flawless. What an experience!

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Anna Wintour, Met Museum to Honor Antisemitic Designer John Galliano Who Said “I Love Hitler” on Video (Watch) at Next Year’s Met Gala

Roger Friedman
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Anna Wintour, Met Museum to Honor Antisemitic Designer John Galliano Who Said “I Love Hitler” on Video (Watch) at Next Year’s Met Gala

It’s time for the return of the antisemites.

Kanye West, after all, has been un-cancelled in places like San Antonio and Tampa.

So Anna Wintour, who pretends to be a liberal and has half-Jewish children, is going to honor her own antisemite in May 2027.

The Met Gala will celebrate designer John Galliano, who’s a pig on a good day. But in 2011, he was captured on film saying “I love Hilter” and other things about people being gassed, in a Paris bar. Of course later he apologized and said he was drunk.

Galliano wound up standing trial in Paris for his remarks and paying a fine of $6,000. Here’s a link to that report.

To be clear, the Guardian reports: “In the February incident, a French couple having a beer outside La Perle bar in Paris’s Marais district said he repeatedly insulted them with lines including “fucking ugly Jewish bitch” and “fucking Asian bastard”. Geraldine Bloch, 35, said he first asked her to shut up, then criticised her clothes, hair, thighs, eyebrows and makeup. He made 30 anti-Jewish insults in the space of 45 minutes, she said. Another woman said he made similar insults to her in the same bar in October.”

But, you know, he makes nice dresses, so his cancellation wasn’t going to last long. After his conviction at the trial, Galliano went to rehab, and worked with a rabbi in London, as well as Abe Foxman of the Anti-Defamation League in New York, to learn about Judaism, antisemitism and the Holocaust, according to the New York Times.

I’m glad he’s sorry, but that doesn’t mean using him to raise $5 million and see celebrities wear his clothes. Yuck.

Wintour has no conscience or inner life, so it’s not surprising she’d go in this direction. It doesn’t occur to her that her children’s father, Dr. David Shaffer, was Jewish. I doubt she understood Tom Stoppard’s play, “Leopoldstat,” which she watched wearing sunglasses.

Donors and patrons of the Metropolitan Museum of Art should be outraged. I don’t care if Galliano’s PR team has worked with the Anti-Defamation League. And let’s hope that Jewish celebrities who regularly show up at the Met Ball do have a conscience, and refuse to support this really stupid idea.

“Spider Man: Brand New Day” Box Office Update: Setting a Record Today for BIGGEST Opening Ever with $170 Million from Thursday-Friday

Roger Friedman
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“Spider Man: Brand New Day” Box Office Update: Setting a Record Today for BIGGEST Opening Ever with $170 Million from Thursday-Friday

Wow.

Who would think that the new “Spider Man” movie would be so much bigger than the last one.

After all, “No Way Home” had all three Spider men and lots of familiar villains.

But now “Brand New Day” is setting a record for the BIGGEST opening day ever in movie history. When it’s all counted up tonight. “BND” should have taken in $170 million from Thursday and Friday.

Amazing.

What happened? First of all there was a need for some good, familiar escapism. Then, the reviews are off the charts. It’s got a 90% on Rotten Tomatoes.

And let’s factor in that the two stars — Tom Holland and Zendaya — got married recently in an opposite situation to Taylor’s pageant. T&Z did it mysteriously, enough to grab attention just for being so secretive.

All that, plus great marketing from Sony Pictures, which had needed a hit since “No Way Home.”

The weekend total could break $357 million, set by “Avengers: Endgame.”

“Spider Man” will have exceeded all the “Avengers” movies, too. Stan Lee is in heaven, handing out cigars. In the end it was all about him!

Meanwhile, “The Odyssey” picked up another $10 million last night, and stands at $707 million worldwide (about half here and half abroad). It will finish the weekend at $400 million US, and remains in the lead for all awards this winter.

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“Spider Man” Gets An “A” Rating from Cinemascore, Looks at $72 Million, Record Set for Previews from Last Night, Massive Opening Weekend!

Roger Friedman
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“Spider Man” Gets An “A” Rating from Cinemascore, Looks at $72 Million, Record Set for Previews from Last Night, Massive Opening Weekend!

UPDATING 10AM — KEEP REFRESHING!

Audiences are loving “Spider Man: Brand New Day.”

They gave it an “A” on Cinemascore as they exited theaters last night.

That should add to the box office furor over “Brand New Day,” which just set a record for previews with $72 million!

Over on Rotten Tomatoes, the Tom Holland-Zendaya blockbuster as a 90% critics rating, and 98% audience meter.

Theaters were packed and today’s shows are even tighter. So far “Spodyssey” is going gangbusters as both “Spider Man” and “The Odyssey” have turned movie theaters into Grand Central Station. There are lines for popcorn and candy. Theater owners must be beside themselves after six years of drought.

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NY Times Wrote An Article About the Kennedy Center’s Free Tours, So Trump Backed Administration Stopped Them: Honors Next?

Roger Friedman
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NY Times Wrote An Article About the Kennedy Center’s Free Tours, So Trump Backed Administration Stopped Them: Honors Next?

This week, the New York Times published an article about the free tours at the Kennedy Center.

They said that despite the Kennedy Center having no shows scheduled, life went on, and the public could still come and see everything inside and hear the history of the famed arts and culture institution.

People who were quoted anonymously in the story said they worried there would be retribution for their participation.

They were right. Now the Kennedy Center has stopped the tours, which have been going on for 50 years.

You can read about in the Times.

One hundred forty volunteer guides who gave tours in 10 languages to up to 400,000 people a year. Now there are none.

Trump received a court order to keep the Kennedy Center open, even during renovations. The tours would have been the only example they were obeying the order. I’m sure this will all wind up back before a judge shortly.

Meantime, the 2025 Kennedy Centers inductees were announced on August 13th last year. Will the new class be presented in two weeks? And where will the Honors be held? At the actual theater — which is now not hosting anything — or somewhere else?

And who will accept the award? Liza Minnelli told me earlier this year she’d accept even if Trump was in office. That might help her chances. Mel Gibson and Jon Voight were named Trump’s “Hollywood ambassadors,” along with Sylvester Stallone, who was inducted last year. They are possibilities. But so, too, are any number of criminals and dictators.

Stay tuned…

Kim and Kanye’s 13 Year Old Daughter, North West, Sees All 12 Dates of Summer Tour Cancelled: Did Someone Call CPS?

Roger Friedman
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Kim and Kanye’s 13 Year Old Daughter, North West, Sees All 12 Dates of Summer Tour Cancelled: Did Someone Call CPS?

If you’re planning to see North West perform next month, you’re out of luck.

Kim Kardashian and Kanye West’s 13 year old daughter has seen her dozen dates with singer Molly Santana, 21, cancelled.

The cities and dates are below. If you get your money back, I’m sure there’s a monster truck rally somewhere instead.

Maybe someone finally called Child Protective Services.

North, who wears a blue wig and seems to have trouble walking, is far too young to be headlining a rap tour. But the dates were booked, and tickets were presumably sold.

What a travesty.

There’s still link to their San Francisco show on North’s website for August 25th. There are 89 tickets available on secondary seller VividSeats.com. But the whole schedule has disappeared from Ticketmaster, so I don’t think that’s happening. Molly Santana sees her part of this cancelled, as well. (She’s managed by a guy who says on his website that he “oscillates.” Maybe he’s just a fan.)

Now maybe Kim can get her daughter to a pediatric orthopedist, and remove her wig and grill. This kid doesn’t stand a chance of being normal the way things are now.

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