Shock and awe and disappointment and the expected knee-jerk anti-Semitism greeted our photographic confirmation of the rock 'n' roll and rap stars whoring and pimping for easy money playing a daddy warbucks' little rich girl’s bat mitzvah bash.
But as we'd explained, pop stars have been quietly pocketing big bucks for playing private parties for years.
Brett Hudson, formerly of the Hudson Brothers (along with Bill & Aerosmith collaborator/producer Mark), recalls being offered up as a “birthday present” after performing at a Sweet Sixteen party for a Mafioso’s daughter in the group’s Seventies heyday.
Of all the gigs he played, that’s one Brett remembers most fondly.
(Now Brett’s producing big movies, like the hilarious ‘Cloud 9,’ out on DVD January 3rd.)
In June, Forbes offered moguls tips on booking pop stars for parties (this could be where Brooks got the idea).
The menu included Bon Jovi ($850,000 to $1 million), the Beastie Boys ($500,000 to $600,000) and Modest Mouse ($100,000).
The Rolling Stones charged $7 million to do 40 minutes at Texas billionaire David Bonderman's 60th birthday at the Vegas Hard Rock in 2002. Robin Williams and John Mellencamp opened.
In 2003, Elton John was charging between £300,000 and £1 million to play private parties (he did about a half-dozen a year).
Sting got $500,000 to wail at a Bill Gates bash in 2004.
And Paul McCartney reportedly got $1 million to perform at a birthday party for TV executive Wendy Whitworth (a nice twist for the ones who didn’t know that was the “Beatles for Sale” album cover posted yesterday).
Forbes warns:
“Every performance contract has a production rider, which spells out the nuts and bolts required: staging, lights, sound equipment and the rest. For ‘one-off’ private gigs that are not coordinated within a tour schedule, bands typically prefer to rent sound equipment rather than transport their own… Every band needs a green room…and dressing rooms-- and chances are your master bedroom won't cut it. Then there are the catering necessities… for both band and their crew. And don't forget… parking for all the semis and catering trucks…
“Want to assure you and your friends get to hang out with the band? A ‘meet and greet’ will have to be spelled out in the contract ahead of time. Hoping for an invite to hop up on stage and join the band for a song? Better put that in the contract, too…
"Then there's insurance. John Roskopf, senior director of Tave Risk Management in Northbrook, Ill., recommends adding a $20 million personal umbrella to the typical $500,000 to $1 million homeowners' liability. 'If a child falls off the stage and hits his head, you can go through $3 million to $4 million pretty quickly.' You may want to look into a special-events policy. 'All it takes is for the lead singer to toss a Champagne bottle into the crowd to ruin everything.'"
For Beatles, Aerosmith and related stories about various media sell-outs and stars, check out Tabloid Baby.
(photos copyright tb)
Wednesday, November 30, 2005
Tuesday, November 29, 2005
Exclusive Photos! Mitzvahpalooza!
Big news over the weekend, when "Long Island defense contractor David H. Brooks booked two floors of the Rainbow Room, hauled in concert-ready equipment, built a stage, installed special carpeting, outfitted the space with Jumbotrons and arranged command performances by everyone from 50 Cent to Don Henley to Stevie Nicks to Aerosmith..."
Brooks got better talent than the NBC Katrina relief benefit.
It’s the little secret of pop music.
Be they rockin’ rebel, gangsta rapper, tabloid witch, or hifalutin’ media-bashing prick who hasn’t been allowed near a 13-year-old girl since one turned up comatose in his hot tub, you pay them enough money and they’ll play at your little girl’s bat mitzvah.
Steven and Joe, we give you a pass because of Honkin’ on Bobo and Mark Hudson.
And because you’ve been refreshingly candid about rock ‘n’ roll whoredom.
Ciara, you’re cool because we never heard of you.
But 50 Cent? Oy! (Isn't this from that James Toback flick, "Get Rich or Die Shrayen"?)
And Don Henley? Live this one down!
Ha! Forty one years ago, this was commentary:
Brooks got better talent than the NBC Katrina relief benefit.
It’s the little secret of pop music.
Be they rockin’ rebel, gangsta rapper, tabloid witch, or hifalutin’ media-bashing prick who hasn’t been allowed near a 13-year-old girl since one turned up comatose in his hot tub, you pay them enough money and they’ll play at your little girl’s bat mitzvah.
Steven and Joe, we give you a pass because of Honkin’ on Bobo and Mark Hudson.
And because you’ve been refreshingly candid about rock ‘n’ roll whoredom.
Ciara, you’re cool because we never heard of you.
But 50 Cent? Oy! (Isn't this from that James Toback flick, "Get Rich or Die Shrayen"?)
And Don Henley? Live this one down!
Ha! Forty one years ago, this was commentary:
photos © Tabloidbaby.com
UPDATE!! Click here and scroll down for more exclusive and shocking Brooks bat mitzvah photos!Scheer's back-- in a Huff!
We got an email this morning from Robert Scheer, the lefty columnist fired by the LA Times a few weeks ago.
He's bounced back with another lefty "web magazine."
"Truthdig" looks to be a lot like his pal Arianna Huffington's blogsite, without all the annoying, moronic celebrities.
Random words from the inaugural homepage:
Iraq... Saddam... Venezuela... Fidel Castro... white phosphorous... agonistes... sexual freedom... homosexuality... Alito... Frist... China... athiest... toxic spill...
You get the picture. Village Voice stuff. And lots of journalists who don't get on Fox News. So good for Scheer. He's always been sincere. He's a good read. And he sticks up for the little guy. Unlike those assholes, John & Ken. And Sean Hannity!
Best of luck. The more points of view the better.
Here's a link to Truthdig.
And here's the email release:
***************************************
Truthdig.com - Drilling Beneath the Headline
***************************************
NEW WEB MAGAZINE LAUNCHES
truthdig.com focuses on in-depth coverage of current affairs
Los Angeles... This morning at the stroke of midnight, truthdig.com, a new Web magazine, launched its inaugural issue promising to provide its readers with provocative content and in-depth coverage of current affairs.
Co-Founder and Editor Robert Scheer, the award winning journalist, commented on the launch: "In this hyper-linked, blog-filled, talk-show-dominated world, it is increasingly difficult to find stories with depth, told by those who know their topic best." "We know that there will always be people who are digging for the truth and if we respect a story and present it in a clear way, it will find an audience."
Truthdig.com is the brainchild of Scheer and co-founder Zuade Kaufman, a former journalist who has long wanted to create a new publication. "A media outlet that is free to dig deep -- to ask the questions that remain unasked -- to raise the issues that remain hidden --- to bring attention to the stories that remain invisible -- that's what we are trying to create."
The site's purpose is to provide a variety of thoughtful, provocative content assembled from a progressive point of view. The site is built around major "digs," led by authorities in their fields, who will "drill" down into contemporary topics and assemble packages of content -- text, links, audio, video -- that will grow richer with time and user participation. The inaugural issue's featured Dig is China: Boom or Boomerang? by Asia expert Orville Schell.
To offer frequent change to its readers, truthdig.com also presents a diversity of original reporting and aggregated content culled by the site's editors and staff. This material is divided into categories.
The inaugural issue offers the following compelling selections:
UNCOVERED -- Dossiers of ongoing news subjects -- including GOP supporter Jack Abramoff, the Alito Nomination and the Frist File.
EAR TO THE GROUND -- Robert Scheer's weekly column and his take on other issues in the news.
REPORTS -- Original articles and opinion pieces unique to truthdig. com. This week's features include Iraq expert Juan Cole's article Hussein's Facing Charges, But Will Rumsfield Be on Trial? a behind the story look at Saddam Hussein's trial and Chicago Agonistes: The Plight of the Los Angeles Times, by former Times Editor Steve Wasserman.
A/V BOOTH -- Audio interviews, video clips, photo essays and more. Features include Inside Chavez's Venezuela by Sharmini Peries, journalist turned foreign policy advisor to Venezuela President Hugo Chavez and It's War, Not Hollywood by former Florida Guardsman and author John Crawford.
Editor Bob Scheer, when asked what motivated the creation of the site, refers to legendary media critic A.J. Liebling's quote, "Freedom of the press is guaranteed only to those who own one."
***************************************
He's bounced back with another lefty "web magazine."
"Truthdig" looks to be a lot like his pal Arianna Huffington's blogsite, without all the annoying, moronic celebrities.
Random words from the inaugural homepage:
Iraq... Saddam... Venezuela... Fidel Castro... white phosphorous... agonistes... sexual freedom... homosexuality... Alito... Frist... China... athiest... toxic spill...
You get the picture. Village Voice stuff. And lots of journalists who don't get on Fox News. So good for Scheer. He's always been sincere. He's a good read. And he sticks up for the little guy. Unlike those assholes, John & Ken. And Sean Hannity!
Best of luck. The more points of view the better.
Here's a link to Truthdig.
And here's the email release:
***************************************
Truthdig.com - Drilling Beneath the Headline
***************************************
NEW WEB MAGAZINE LAUNCHES
truthdig.com focuses on in-depth coverage of current affairs
Los Angeles... This morning at the stroke of midnight, truthdig.com, a new Web magazine, launched its inaugural issue promising to provide its readers with provocative content and in-depth coverage of current affairs.
Co-Founder and Editor Robert Scheer, the award winning journalist, commented on the launch: "In this hyper-linked, blog-filled, talk-show-dominated world, it is increasingly difficult to find stories with depth, told by those who know their topic best." "We know that there will always be people who are digging for the truth and if we respect a story and present it in a clear way, it will find an audience."
Truthdig.com is the brainchild of Scheer and co-founder Zuade Kaufman, a former journalist who has long wanted to create a new publication. "A media outlet that is free to dig deep -- to ask the questions that remain unasked -- to raise the issues that remain hidden --- to bring attention to the stories that remain invisible -- that's what we are trying to create."
The site's purpose is to provide a variety of thoughtful, provocative content assembled from a progressive point of view. The site is built around major "digs," led by authorities in their fields, who will "drill" down into contemporary topics and assemble packages of content -- text, links, audio, video -- that will grow richer with time and user participation. The inaugural issue's featured Dig is China: Boom or Boomerang? by Asia expert Orville Schell.
To offer frequent change to its readers, truthdig.com also presents a diversity of original reporting and aggregated content culled by the site's editors and staff. This material is divided into categories.
The inaugural issue offers the following compelling selections:
UNCOVERED -- Dossiers of ongoing news subjects -- including GOP supporter Jack Abramoff, the Alito Nomination and the Frist File.
EAR TO THE GROUND -- Robert Scheer's weekly column and his take on other issues in the news.
REPORTS -- Original articles and opinion pieces unique to truthdig. com. This week's features include Iraq expert Juan Cole's article Hussein's Facing Charges, But Will Rumsfield Be on Trial? a behind the story look at Saddam Hussein's trial and Chicago Agonistes: The Plight of the Los Angeles Times, by former Times Editor Steve Wasserman.
A/V BOOTH -- Audio interviews, video clips, photo essays and more. Features include Inside Chavez's Venezuela by Sharmini Peries, journalist turned foreign policy advisor to Venezuela President Hugo Chavez and It's War, Not Hollywood by former Florida Guardsman and author John Crawford.
Editor Bob Scheer, when asked what motivated the creation of the site, refers to legendary media critic A.J. Liebling's quote, "Freedom of the press is guaranteed only to those who own one."
***************************************
Bah! Humbug! No Christmas present from Blanco!
To the certain disappointment of thousands of children, it appears that performance artist Joaquin Blanco will not top last year’s massive “Garbage Cane” Christmas art installation with a new work of art in L.A.’s Westchester neighborhood.
A reader reports on his conversation with the tabloid prankster:
“Peggy Hippdom, mentioned in last year's press release as Blanco's longtime companion, has put her foot down. A massive canister lid sculpture (Blanco always tries to reuse old pieces), mounted on the house roof depicting a 40-foot Rudolph peering over the top, was rejected. Blanco spent four nights on the couch before relenting and agreeing to string only five sets of lights from Sav-on. He's devastated and has returned to his other job as a handyman to the stars. However, I get the impression there might be some mischief in his future. Just don't tell Hippdom.”
A reader reports on his conversation with the tabloid prankster:
“Peggy Hippdom, mentioned in last year's press release as Blanco's longtime companion, has put her foot down. A massive canister lid sculpture (Blanco always tries to reuse old pieces), mounted on the house roof depicting a 40-foot Rudolph peering over the top, was rejected. Blanco spent four nights on the couch before relenting and agreeing to string only five sets of lights from Sav-on. He's devastated and has returned to his other job as a handyman to the stars. However, I get the impression there might be some mischief in his future. Just don't tell Hippdom.”
Monday, November 28, 2005
Arthel Neville does good
Arthel Neville was a West Coast reporter for A Current Affair, covering the usual Hollywood, murder and scandal stories, until the last week of August when Hurricane Katrina hit and her hometown, New Orleans, got flooded.
Arthel spent the next few weeks covering the aftermath. Being a member of the first family of New Orleans music, the story was especially personal to her. She lost possessions, memories and friends.
Meanwhile, Geraldo Rivera showed up in New Orleans at the end of that first week and stole a lot of attention by grabbing babies, weeping and other hammy ploys. A couple of months later, A Current Affair got canceled and Roger Ailes gave his boy Geraldo the time slots.
How and why sexagenarian Geraldo Rivera replaced A Current Affair is a different story. Look at his dud of a show to see what he did with it.
Arthel has gotten a lot of response because of her connection to the story. And because of the way she covered the story.
She covered the story because she had to. Not because it was an opportunity. She covered it regretfully and with a real piece of her heart. And when it was over--when the gig was over-- she did some good with it.
She started a website. Check it out.
CLICK here to visit Arthel's Angels website
"The mission of Arthel's Angels is to provide information and easy access to established charity organizations that will effectively get donations to relief efforts and specific causes to help heal and rebuild the people, businesses, and cities that were deeply affected by Hurricane Katrina."
Arthel spent the next few weeks covering the aftermath. Being a member of the first family of New Orleans music, the story was especially personal to her. She lost possessions, memories and friends.
Meanwhile, Geraldo Rivera showed up in New Orleans at the end of that first week and stole a lot of attention by grabbing babies, weeping and other hammy ploys. A couple of months later, A Current Affair got canceled and Roger Ailes gave his boy Geraldo the time slots.
How and why sexagenarian Geraldo Rivera replaced A Current Affair is a different story. Look at his dud of a show to see what he did with it.
Arthel has gotten a lot of response because of her connection to the story. And because of the way she covered the story.
She covered the story because she had to. Not because it was an opportunity. She covered it regretfully and with a real piece of her heart. And when it was over--when the gig was over-- she did some good with it.
She started a website. Check it out.
CLICK here to visit Arthel's Angels website
"The mission of Arthel's Angels is to provide information and easy access to established charity organizations that will effectively get donations to relief efforts and specific causes to help heal and rebuild the people, businesses, and cities that were deeply affected by Hurricane Katrina."
Saturday, November 26, 2005
Joaquin Blanco, Ho! Ho! Ho!
Forget Candy Cane Lane.
Westchester is where it’s at when it comes to Christmas sightseeing in L.A.
And let us be the first to ask: What will Joaquin Blanco do for an encore?
Last Christmas season, the tabloid conceptual artist stunned the art world— and delighted neighbors— when he created a monumental “Garbage Cane” sculpture in the front yard of a friend.
A giant candy cane, made up of thirty garbage cans and adorned by faux-crystal lamps, lit up the area and attracted Christmas car traffic from miles around.
The garbage candy cane made headlines around the world, and sent a Yuletide buzz through the New York City art scene when it was featured in the New York Post's Page Six column.
Blanco told the LA Times he was also going to create a grouping of lollipops made from the canister lids but decided against it. "I'm pooped," he said.
See the night and day shots above. And stay tuned here for news on what Joaquin Blanco plans for Christmas 2005!
Friday, November 25, 2005
Turkey time!
It's a good thing they put America's most trusted tabloid news family at the helm of Thankgsiving parade coverage.
I guess if there'd been a terror attack at Macy's, they'd have cut to 'Miracle on 34th Street.'
From today's New York Times:
NBC did not interrupt its broadcast of the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade yesterday to bring viewers the news that an M&M balloon had crashed into a light pole, injuring two sisters.
In fact, when the time came in the tightly scripted three-hour program for the M&Ms' appearance, NBC weaved in tape of the balloon crossing the finish line at last year's parade - even as the damaged balloon itself was being dragged from the accident scene. At 11:47 a.m., as an 11-year-old girl and her 26-year-old sister were being treated for injuries, the parade's on-air announcers - Katie Couric, Matt Lauer and Al Roker - kept up their light-hearted repartee from Herald Square, where the parade ends...
At 11:47 a.m., about 7 minutes after the accident, the screen image faded from live coverage of a high school marching band from Kennesaw, Ga., to last year's tape of the M&M balloon. Ms. Couric, advising the audience that it was now looking at old tape, riffed on the balloon's concept of M&M's in distress.
"Now, because of today's windy conditions," Ms. Couric told viewers, "these characters are on video, and if we told you they were not in a panic, we'd be full of hot air."
Mr. Lauer, Ms. Couric's co-anchor on the "Today" show, chimed in: "You may be thinking 'color us clueless' as they flirt with trouble, with Yellow hanging on by a thread and Red struggling to keep his best buddy from flying off into the blue."
Mr. Roker then spoke his lines: "Will these classic candymen get out of this delicious dilemma? Hard to say, but when it comes to sweetness, Yellow and Red continue to melt your heart, but not in your hand."
...After that, it was on to the Pillsbury Doughboy, and, bringing up the rear, Santa and his wife. "Old Saint Nick and Mrs. Claus, his wife of, what, 200 years?" Ms. Couric said. "What a marriage. What a team!"
With that, the parade was over.
"It's obvious the three of us have had a great time today," Mr. Lauer concluded, "and we hope all of you did as well."
I guess if there'd been a terror attack at Macy's, they'd have cut to 'Miracle on 34th Street.'
From today's New York Times:
NBC did not interrupt its broadcast of the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade yesterday to bring viewers the news that an M&M balloon had crashed into a light pole, injuring two sisters.
In fact, when the time came in the tightly scripted three-hour program for the M&Ms' appearance, NBC weaved in tape of the balloon crossing the finish line at last year's parade - even as the damaged balloon itself was being dragged from the accident scene. At 11:47 a.m., as an 11-year-old girl and her 26-year-old sister were being treated for injuries, the parade's on-air announcers - Katie Couric, Matt Lauer and Al Roker - kept up their light-hearted repartee from Herald Square, where the parade ends...
At 11:47 a.m., about 7 minutes after the accident, the screen image faded from live coverage of a high school marching band from Kennesaw, Ga., to last year's tape of the M&M balloon. Ms. Couric, advising the audience that it was now looking at old tape, riffed on the balloon's concept of M&M's in distress.
"Now, because of today's windy conditions," Ms. Couric told viewers, "these characters are on video, and if we told you they were not in a panic, we'd be full of hot air."
Mr. Lauer, Ms. Couric's co-anchor on the "Today" show, chimed in: "You may be thinking 'color us clueless' as they flirt with trouble, with Yellow hanging on by a thread and Red struggling to keep his best buddy from flying off into the blue."
Mr. Roker then spoke his lines: "Will these classic candymen get out of this delicious dilemma? Hard to say, but when it comes to sweetness, Yellow and Red continue to melt your heart, but not in your hand."
...After that, it was on to the Pillsbury Doughboy, and, bringing up the rear, Santa and his wife. "Old Saint Nick and Mrs. Claus, his wife of, what, 200 years?" Ms. Couric said. "What a marriage. What a team!"
With that, the parade was over.
"It's obvious the three of us have had a great time today," Mr. Lauer concluded, "and we hope all of you did as well."
Wednesday, November 23, 2005
A couple of assholes
Today’ s L.A. Times: “Community activists plan to hold a protest today against KFI-AM (640) for what they contend is the local station's race-baiting in airing a popular afternoon talk radio show that has turned the execution of former gang leader Stanley Tookie Williams into entertainment. A multiracial coalition... hopes… it can pressure the Clear Channel-owned station into canceling "The John and Ken Show's" daily 5 p.m. observance of the "Tookie Must Die/Kill Tookie" hour. The producers of the show said Tuesday that the station had no plans to cancel the program…”
John and Ken are an afternoon drive radio team in L.A. They’re a couple of boobs who like to pick on poor people: Chardonnay racists, cappuccino bigots, cynical blue collar blockheads who cater to the misplaced anger of middle-class male commuters in Mercedes, while kissing Arnold Schwarzenegger’s ass because he’s in power.
They spew it, but they don’t mean it. And that's part of the problem. If they meant it, if they were idealogues or even funny, they'd at least be compelling. These guys are radio squares, one of those sad teams who usually work with a bicycle horn and crash cymbal. In the old days, they’d each take a different side of an issue so not to offend any portion if the radio audience. But after right wing and hate radio came into vogue, they changed their tunes and climbed onboard.
Like Sean Hannity, they’re radio guys who were stranded in a lower rung of show business and found a schtik to get attention.
They stir up hatred against Mexican immigrants and black people.
In L.A.
For ratings.
Will Tookie Williams be executed? We’ll see what constituency Arnold’s handlers tell him to please. But “Tookie Must Die/Kill Tookie?” John and Ken would wet their relaxed-fit Dockers if they stepped into the visiting room of a prison.
Tuesday, November 22, 2005
Kate Moss Topless Dance
A mystery clip, in celebration of her "recovery"
and certain return to tabloid headlines.
CLICK HERE to dance along with Kate Moss
and certain return to tabloid headlines.
CLICK HERE to dance along with Kate Moss
Tabloid Nightline
"Goldston took pains, however, to 'refute utterly' any speculation that Nightline is headed in a more tabloid-like direction, saying the revamped show will be true to the Nightline tradition'..."
That's from today's L.A. Times, a story about the new Nightline that premieres next week.
"Goldston" is Nightline's new producer, a Brit named James Goldston. Goldston isn't one of those ABC in-house producers. He comes from London, where he produced "Tonight with Trevor McDonald." McDonald is a Trinidadian television presenter with ITN, notable for being the first black newsreader in the UK (they call them "newsreaders," not the lofty "anchors" in Britain). Like Koppel, he's a stuffy type.
But there's another Brit in the Nightline line-up. Hosting from Times Square: Martin Bashir. The Oompa Loompalike guy who brings tabloid tactics to a sublime new level, whose m.o. was exposed and mocked during the Jacko trial, whose reports are hilariously edited to drive his preconceived points home, step by step-- the man who Jacko hired Maury Povich to refute!
Bashir's co-anchors?
Cynthia McFadden, for years rumoured to be the illegitimate daughter of Katharine Hepburn and Spencer Tracy (a fascinating real-life mystery. Bashir should check on it), and Terry Moran, who looks like the kid from Home Alone.
Make no mistake, these "anchors" and their producers are all tabloid babies, weaned and trained on the prime time tabloid magazines Dateline and 20/20, the phony-edgy news shows that hit all the tabloid topics, pump them up like we used to in the old days, while thumbing their noses at the circus they perform in.
A Tabloid Nightline has come to pass.
Dave Marash, no longer invited to the party, must be rolling in his beard. Remember the good old days when Nightline could refuse to cover stories like O.J. Simpson?
Check out the book, Tabloid Baby. See Chapter 27, "Butthole Surfers & A Mad Dog Nightline," starting on page 319, and of course, Chapter 30, "Jeff Greenfield is A Big Fat Humorless Putz," on page 365.
There's also the Tabloid Baby website at http://www.tabloidbaby.com/. There are priceless embarrassing videos of Greenfield chapter and former Nightline hatchet gal Judy Muller, and an excerpt from the Greenfield chapter. Plus it tells you how to buy the book.
Monday, November 21, 2005
Sunday, November 20, 2005
One Brief Shining Photo Op
Saturday, November 19, 2005
Howard Stern's incredible final weeks
You’ve got to tune in to Howard Stern’s final radio shows.
They are killers. Historic. Captivating. Very, very funny. And very real.
If you’ve been listening to Stern’s show for the past fifteen or twenty years, you don’t want to miss this final valedictory lap. Everything is being wrapped up, confessions are revealed, cliffhangers are set in place—and it’s hard to turn off the radio and get out of the car.
You get the idea. Stern’s farewell to radio is cultural milestone, a transition in entertainment on par with Carson leaving The Tonight Show or the Hudson Brothers ending their summer replacement run. Stern leaves radio on December 16. He shows up on satellite in January. He’s already running satellite channels, including a news channel, Howard 100, dedicated entirely to news about Stern.
One of the Howard 100 reporters is Steve Langford, who was a reporter and producer for A Current Affair. (That’s Steve, second yellow jacket from the right.) Small world. But tabloid television and Stern have always had a close relationship.
Check out Tabloid Baby and the chapter “Howard Rules & Elton Sues,” beginning on page 238. And there’s an interesting tidbit about Stern and Tabloid Baby author Burt Kearns on page 303.
Back in the Hard Copy days, and even in this year’s short revival of A Current Affair, we’d run a story on Howard Stern because we knew he’d talk about it on the radio and give us publicity.
On page 302 of his book, Miss America, Stern reprints the script of an early 90s Doug Bruckner Hard Copy segment. Howard writes, “The narrator sounded like he was right out of the film Reefer Madness.”
Back in May, A Current Affair ran-- and Doug wrote and voiced, Reefer Madness style-- a segment on Stern’s girlfriend, Beth O. It was chock full of ”Beauty and The Beast” references. Predictably, Stern did a bit on it the next morning, claiming to be offended that we focused on his ugliness. He railed about Rupert Murdoch and his young bride and said he was going to seek out embarrassing photos of the Murdochs and A Current Affair personnel. He vowed to “make their lives miserable.”
The next day, Stern said he’d no longer discuss the segment. We later got a tip that Stern’s people had gotten a call from someone at Fox, warning that if he took on Mr. Murdoch, A Current Affair would run a story on Howard’s daughters. Case closed.
Tune in these last shows. This is radio like it never was before and never will be again.
The morning drive is going to be very empty without the Stern show. How long til we buy a Sirius receiver?
Friday, November 18, 2005
"Death of A Beatle" shows up on DVD
An update on NBC Dateline’s claim that the tabloid magazine will feature exclusive audiotaped interviews with John Lennon’s killer:
We reminded you that the tapes were unleashed five years ago in John Parsons Peditto’s film, Death of A Beatle. (Tabloid Baby’s Burt Kearns produced the film). The two-hour film aired on Court TV in October 2000.
Well, we just found out that the film was released on DVD last week— beating Dateline to the punch a second time!
Unfortunately, it seems to be available only in international formats. Google the title. They’re selling it as a deluxe, “limited edition” two-DVD set in Australia, in Germany as “Killing A Beatle,” and in Russia-- under a Russian title!
Here’s the description from Australia’s sanity.com.au:
“…DEATH OF A BEATLE, an extraordinary documentary film… celebrates the remarkable life of the 20th century icon while investigating the motivations, forensic evidence and tragic final actions that forever linked John Lennon to Mark David Chapman; the deranged man who shot and killed Lennon on December 8, 1980 outside his home in New York City. A Stunning 2 DVD set, DEATH OF A BEATLE features rare archival footage including never-before-seen photographs from Lennon’s time with the Beatles, his extraordinary solo career and of the public’s overwhelming display of grief at the news of his murder, while close friends and collaborators including Pete Best, the original drummer for the Beatles, Live Aid Promoter Harvey Goldsmith, musician and humorist Neil Innes and BBC radio personality Andy Peebles…”
This is from a German site:
“…In KILLING A BEATLE wordt het verhaal rond de moord op John Lennon verteld. Naast enkele bekenden van Lennon komt moordenaar Mark David Chapman aan het woord over het hoe en waarom. Als Beatle-fan in het algemeen en Lennon-fan in het bijzonder was ik daarom extra benieuwd naar de DVD-uitgave. Er is een ding dat meteen opvalt bij het zien van KILLING A BEATLE. Bij de aftiteling staat dat de documentaire voor de serie Mugshots van Court TV is gemaakt, al in 2000. Dat verklaart dan wel dat het meer een Mark David Chapman-documentaire was dan een Lennon-documentaire. Geeft op zich niet, maar de vormgeving van de hoes doet anders vermoeden. Men probeert zo natuurlijk de dvd te slijten aan Beatlesfans. Maar nergens op de hoes staat vermeld dat het om een tv-docu uit 2000 gaat…”
Legendary journalist and producer John Parsons Peditto always seems to be a step or two ahead of the pack. Watch out for his latest documentary, BIN LADEN’S ESCAPE. It will rock your world and show you things you did not know. More on that ahead. Meanwhile, let’s see if Dateline tries to take credit for that one, too.
(Click to see Court TV’s Death of A Beatle page, with clips)
Thursday, November 17, 2005
Marilyn's back door murder: News. 13 years ago.
So Playboy has Marilyn Monroe on the cover of its December issue, calling for an exhumation to prove she was murdered with a Nembutal enema.
And CBS’s tabloid newsmagazine 48 Hours is taking up the rear, prepping a story on the same. That’s because the LA Times already did their legwork back in August, when it ran the original interview with former LA County prosecutor John Miner, who attended Marilyn’s autopsy. Miner claimed he had transcripts of tapes of private conversations between Marilyn and her psychiatrist. Of course, he says the transcripts were based on notes. And he didn’t tell anyone about the transcripts for 43 years.
The LA Times noted that “to accept Miner's story, one must make a leap of faith — he is the only one still alive who claims to have heard the tapes. Greenson died in 1979, and Miner believes that he destroyed the tapes.”
The late, lamented A Current Affair interviewed Miner shortly after the LA Times segment (all TV news shows rip off stories from newspapers. You didn’t think they have imaginations and original ideas, did you?). Put it this way. He’s an old, old man. And he comes off much better in print.
Sorry, 48 Hours.
And, oh yeah. All you newsbreakers. You’re only THIRTEEN YEARS late on the story.
The “Marilyn backside murder” story was broken by Peter Brennan and the crew at Hard Copy. It ran over three consecutive nights in February 1992, and was a big production, shot on film, full of lavish re-enactments, a great actress playing Marilyn, and scenes shot in the actual house-- and bedroom-- where Marilyn died. The series got Hard Copy its highest ratings ever.
And it wasn’t an enema. It was a suppository.
See Tabloid Baby for details. Read the chapter, “A Fatal Suppository,” starting on page 209.
Back then, the news nabobs at 48 Hours and the LA Times thumbed their noses because it was a "tabloid story." I guess times change. Well, we know times change, don't we.
By the way, the entire Hard Copy series has been available on video since 1994. “Marilyn-- The Last Word” is on sale at Amazon.com. Joe Tobin directed the dramatized scenes.
Tabloid Baby author Burt Kearns co-wrote the series with Brennan. No, he didn’t get a writing credit or any residuals. He gets a “managing editor” credit on the video.
Wednesday, November 16, 2005
Dateline's Lennon "scoop" is old news
NBC’s tabloid news magazine “Dateline” announced it’s airing taped interviews with John Lennon’s killer as part of a two-hour documentary special set to cash in on the 25th anniversary of Lennon's death.
The interviews with Mark David Chapman were conducted in Attica prison by author Jack Jones, who wrote the Chapman biography "Let Me Take You Down."
First of all, they’re audiotapes. Second, it’s old news.
The tapes were first unveiled five years ago, in the Court TV documentary film, “Death of A Beatle.” The film was produced by John Parsons Peditto, Alison Holloway and Tabloid Baby author Burt Kearns.
The two-hour film and the Chapman tapes were aired on October 2, 2000 in conjunction with Chapman’s first parole hearing. When parole was denied, the board cited Chapman’s statements in the film.
The special film not only traced Chapman’s days in New York City as he stalked and killed our hero, but it also told Lennon's story, from Liverpool to the Upper West Side, through never-seen photographs and interviews with his close friends and collaborators-- including Pete Best, Neil Innes (who played the Lennon character in The Rutles) and BBC radio host Andy Peebles, who conducted and played clips from Lennon’s last interview.
"Death of A Beatle" also contained an interview with the surgeon who held Lennon's heart in his hands as he tried to save his life.
The film was a special presentation in John Parsons Peditto’s Mugshots series. Mugshots helped put Court TV on the ratings map. John Parsons Peditto is a great independent journalist and producer. He beat Dateline by five years and change.
You haven’t seen "Death of A Beatle" on Court TV again because Yoko Ono made a few calls. She likes to control the legacy.
I don’t like writing Mark David Chapman’s name. He’s a pathetic loser who killed a great man. He and his name should be forgotten. Now Stone Phillips will show us “both sides of the story” and probably hype the fact that Jared Leto is going to glorify Chapman in the movies.
Just gimme some truth.
The interviews with Mark David Chapman were conducted in Attica prison by author Jack Jones, who wrote the Chapman biography "Let Me Take You Down."
First of all, they’re audiotapes. Second, it’s old news.
The tapes were first unveiled five years ago, in the Court TV documentary film, “Death of A Beatle.” The film was produced by John Parsons Peditto, Alison Holloway and Tabloid Baby author Burt Kearns.
The two-hour film and the Chapman tapes were aired on October 2, 2000 in conjunction with Chapman’s first parole hearing. When parole was denied, the board cited Chapman’s statements in the film.
The special film not only traced Chapman’s days in New York City as he stalked and killed our hero, but it also told Lennon's story, from Liverpool to the Upper West Side, through never-seen photographs and interviews with his close friends and collaborators-- including Pete Best, Neil Innes (who played the Lennon character in The Rutles) and BBC radio host Andy Peebles, who conducted and played clips from Lennon’s last interview.
"Death of A Beatle" also contained an interview with the surgeon who held Lennon's heart in his hands as he tried to save his life.
The film was a special presentation in John Parsons Peditto’s Mugshots series. Mugshots helped put Court TV on the ratings map. John Parsons Peditto is a great independent journalist and producer. He beat Dateline by five years and change.
You haven’t seen "Death of A Beatle" on Court TV again because Yoko Ono made a few calls. She likes to control the legacy.
I don’t like writing Mark David Chapman’s name. He’s a pathetic loser who killed a great man. He and his name should be forgotten. Now Stone Phillips will show us “both sides of the story” and probably hype the fact that Jared Leto is going to glorify Chapman in the movies.
Just gimme some truth.