G.H. Harding

HONEY MONEY NO MORE? — News that Maria Bartiromo was fired from Fox reverberated around the world and generated a literal ton of ink.

Bryan Freedman

With high-powered pit-bull lawyer Bryan Freedman (fresh from the Blake Lively/Just Baldoni mess) on the case, who knows what will happen.

She first gained notoriety as ‘Money Honey’ and has been a star for years.

(Via Showbiz 411) Maria Bartiromo’s new Hollywood lawyer has something to say. Bryan Freedman says Maria was not fired by Fox News, that she’s still an employee, and all reports to the contrary are false.

You can see his statement below.

Freedman also says there’s no truth to the reports that Bartiromo was acting as a double agent, feeding Donald Trump and Fox News with info about each other. Believe me, I know that when Fox News breaks up with you, it isn’t pretty. It’s not their style. In the end, they will have to pay out her contract. But for now, lots of posturing on both sides.

For many years, Maria Bartiromo hosted three number one rated television shows on Fox channels. She has been, without question, one of the hardest working journalists throughout her award-winning career.

The irresponsible reports that have been published stating that Maria Bartiromo was fired or is no longer an employee of Fox are absolutely and unequivocally false. Make no mistake, we have the receipts and witnesses and they will come out whether through the courthouse or otherwise. Those reporting her firing or the incredulous facts supporting that fiction have exhibited a complete and utter reckless disregard for the truth.

Bryan Freedman, Attorney for Maria Bartiromo

Mandatory Credit: Photo by Derrek Kupish/Shutterstock (14186545bu)
Patti Labelle
2023 CMT Smashing Glass – Tributes to Tanya Tucker and Patti LaBelle, Arrivals, Nashville, Tennessee, USA – 15 Nov 2023

PATTI LABELLE — Common, Patti LaBelle and Public Enemy are the artists who will be honored at the 2026 Black Music Action Coalition Gala, presented by Live Nation, taking place on September 24, 2026, at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, California. She of course, front LaBelle with the late Nona Hendryx, but has remained a marquee-name for sure. So well deserved!

SHORT TAKES — (Via Billboard.com) Cassandra Wilson, the two-time Grammy Award-winning jazz singer, songwriter and producer has died. She was 70. Dubbed America’s best singer by Time magazine in 2001, Wilson was best known for her genre-bending voice, which expanded the boundaries of traditional blues-based jazz and worked effortlessly across folk, pop, R&B, country and beyond. At the heart of all her work was her idiosyncratic contralto, a soulful sound distinctly tied to her roots … (Via Deadline) As Simon Cowell continues to recover from back surgery, another America’s Got Talent alum is returning to the judge’s table. On Wednesday’s episode of the NBC reality competition series, it was announced that Heidi Klum will fill in for Cowell next week during a special three-hour broadcast of the Season 21 quarterfinals. Klum served as a judge on America’s Got Talent from 2013 to 2018, before returning from 2020 to 2024. She exited the AGT judge’s table last year, shortly after she was invited back to host Project Runway for Freeform and Disney+ …

Mr T

On Friday’s Today Show, Al Roker caught with the infamous Mr. T from The A-Team. Who says you can’t get a doc made? Mr. T’s one is out now on Netflix … Much ink this week about Miley Cyrus changing her name to just Miley; and a new album appears with the single “Bass Persuades.” The song is typical high-energy Miley, but the video looks like a combo of the best parts of Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” video and Debbie Gibson’s “Electric Youth” video. Funny! …

Micky Dolenz on KTLA

Here’s Micky Dolenz at LA’s KTLA being interviewed in advance of his show at The United Theater Downtown in LA next Saturday, February 12; and his new EP Timeless, featuring the singles “Terri” and “Any Way You Want Me To.” February 12 is the official date of the Emmy-award winning TV-show The Monkees debuting on NBC. L-R-Standing-Jasmine Simpkins and Dolenz -sitting- Samantha Cortese and John Fenoglio … Anthony Pomes and his Doors-tribute band Carnival Dogs played My Father’s Place Friday night.

Eppy and Anthony Pomes aka “Inner Jim”

Here’s Inner Jim with Eppy … (via Deadline) Prime Video has opted not to proceed with a second season of the superhero series Spider-Noir starring Nicola Cage. Spider-Noir was the second series ordered and first to make it to the screen under a multi-title deal between Amazon MGM Studios and Sony Pictures Television based on IP from Sony Pictures’ Universe of Marvel Characters. Too bad as I loved it and Cage was just superb as usual … Happy Bday Sharon White

 NAMES IN THE NEWS —– Anna Chan; Joe Lynch; Gary Graff; Paul Grein; Adam White; Anthony Pomes; Pierce Brosnan; Kevin Spacey; Kimberly Cornell; Amanda Naylor; Tom & Lisa Cuddy; Gary Graff; John Hughes; Dan Mapp; Paul Pierce; Judy Kaufman; Marjorie Schwartz; Lora Evans; Ben Kenney; Angela Tarantino; Lee Jeske; Randy Alexander; Peter Shendell; Romeo Escobar; Oleg Cassini; and CHIP!

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G.H. Harding

A WORLD WITHOUT DOLLY? — Pundit-Roger Friedman may have summed it up the best by saying: It’s hard to imagine but country superstar Dolly Parton has died. The great singer, songwriter, actress, philanthropist was 80 years old. She’d been ill for some time but retained her sense of humor and joie de vivre no matter what.

Tributes have poured in (all the linear networks immediately scheduled specials on her) – including everyone from Elton John; Paul McCartney and Jane Fonda, and Harry Styles in his opening show Wednesday night at his Madison Square Garden residency (30 shows!) did a special tribute to her.

Condolences to her family, friends, and legions of fans around the world. This is a huge loss. Parton was such a monumental fixture in our lives for what seemed like many lifetimes. “Jolene,” Whitney Houston; Dollywood; “Islands In The Stream”; 9 to 5 … the list goes on and on.

When she fell ill and numerous cancellations came in, the writing was on the wall. Trump, in maybe his first good humanitarian deed ever, had all the flags lowered for a week. Here in NYC, the Empire State Building turned its lights pink at 9:25 PM. Get it, 9-to-5.

More to come.

Tim Curry

TIM CURRY PASSES ON WEDNESDAY — If Parton’s passing on Tuesday weren’t enough, the terrific Tim Curry passed on Wednesday. He hadn’t been well since a severe stroke in 2012, but still, what a shock. I must confess, I never really got the whole Rocky Horror thing, but when I finally saw it and him in it, it was pure magic.

Personally, I always thought he was sensational in The Hunt For Red October with Sean Connery and Alec Baldwin. I also enjoyed his 3 albums on A&M Records; especially the third, Simplicity, produced by the late-great Michael Kamen.

What a week!

SHORT TAKES — Last week’s Tornado damage to Long Island beach club Sun and Surf was rather astounding as I really didn’t think they were still a thing. I know PR-pasha David Salidor first saw The Who in 1967 at the Lido Beach Club, but you really didn’t hear all that much about them

Bill Ayres

Bill Ayres, former radio-personality and organizer of WhyHunger -with Harry Chapin- has passed at 85. WOR’s Tom Cuddy first introduced me to him and he was just a delight. All things Must pass for sure. Check out their web-site here: https://whyhunger.org/team/bill-ayres/

Alison Martino (Spectrum 1) will introduce Micky Dolenz at his official 60th Anniversary Show on September 12 at The United Theater on Broadway in LA … (Via Forgotten Hits) Linda McCartney is going to be honored with a series of postage stamps featuring her photos. Now it’s true that Linda DID photograph some of the most important rock stars in rock and roll history, but none of those photos are being featured on the stamps. Instead, we get a series of five different “still” shots with nary a rock star in sight. The stamps will become available on September 25th.

Odd for sure, but at least the cover photo of the McCartney album is included … Kent Kotal’s totally enjoyable Forgotten Hits online-site starts a two-part interview with celebrity-biographer Mark Bego on his 2 Michael Jackson books: Michael! and On The Road with Michael. It might seem that the Jackson-furor has subsided somewhat since the release of that billion-dollar movie in April, but it’s available on cable right now and talk of a sequel remains in play. Check it out here: https://forgottenhits60s.blogspot.com/2026/08/a-forgotten-hits-exclusive-author-mark.html … Say what you will about AARP, but their current issue (with Danny DeVito) on the cover has article about The Triumph Of Discothat briefly recounts its heyday. Interviewed are Nile Rodgers; Howie Casey of KC & The Sunshine Band; Thelma Houston; and a short, but sweet piece on Studio 54 by Ron Tannenbaum. They also reference disco’s biggest hits, including Houston’s anthemic “Don’t Leave Me This Way.” They also mentioned The Village People …  Lindsey Buckingham did a surprise set at L.A.’s Club Largo Wednesday night, He sounded a tad-rusty, but great that he’s back out there again … and Happy Bday Debbie Gibson.

NAMES IN THE NEWS — Bruce Carbone; Anthony Sanfillippo; Perry Cooper; Linda Ferrando; Patti Conte; Steve Leeds; Tom & Lisa Cuddy; Race Taylor; Scott Muni; Dave Mason; Ed Kipling; Bill Ayres; Amanda Naylor; Steve Singer; Thomas Silverman; Thomas Jay; Gayle King; Carlos Santana; Chick Corea; Bruce Haring; Lyndsey Parker; Anthony Pomes; Sting; and Linda Bellamonte; Dan Zelinski and BELLA!

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Tim Curry, the deliciously subversive British actor whose Dr. Frank-N-Furter changed popular culture forever, died Tuesday night at his home in Los Angeles. He was 80.For millions, Curry will always be the corseted, fishnet-clad mad scientist of The Rocky Horror Picture Show, or the terrifying Pennywise of Stephen King’s It, the magnificently suspicious Wadsworth of Clue, Rooster Hannigan in Annie, or the demonic Darkness in Legend. But before Hollywood discovered that extraordinary face, voice and capacity for making danger irresistible, Curry belonged to the theatre. And throughout his career, he kept coming back to it.

Born April 19, 1946, in Warrington, England, Curry studied drama and English at the University of Birmingham before beginning his professional career in the original London production of Hair in 1968, appearing as Woof and as a member of the Tribe. From there came an astonishingly eclectic collection of classical, experimental and musical theatre: Titus Andronicus, Man Is Man, The Maids, Life of Galileo, Loot, Danton’s Death and A Midsummer Night’s Dream, in which he played Puck.

Then, in 1973, came the role that changed everything.

Curry originated Dr. Frank-N-Furter in Richard O’Brien’s The Rocky Horror Show at London’s tiny Royal Court Theatre Upstairs. The production moved through London, then to the Roxy in Los Angeles, and finally to Broadway’s Belasco Theatre in 1975. Broadway wasn’t ready for it: the show closed after only 45 performances. History, however, had considerably different plans. Curry’s Frank-N-Furter—seductive, outrageous, dangerous, funny and utterly unconcerned with anyone else’s definition of normal—became one of the defining theatrical creations of the era. Curry received a Drama Desk nomination for the Broadway performance, and the 1975 film adaptation transformed what Broadway had rejected into a cultural phenomenon.

It would have been easy for an actor to spend the rest of his career trapped inside those fishnets. Curry did precisely the opposite.

Later in 1975, he returned to Broadway as the Dadaist poet Tristan Tzara in Tom Stoppard’s Travesties, transferring with the Royal Shakespeare Company production from London to the Ethel Barrymore Theatre. It was an early demonstration of something audiences would discover repeatedly: Curry could be flamboyant without being frivolous and intellectually formidable without losing the wicked glint that made watching him such fun.

In 1980, Curry took on Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart opposite Ian McKellen’s Salieri in Peter Shaffer’s Amadeus on Broadway. His Mozart earned Curry his first Tony Award nomination for Best Actor in a Play as well as a Drama Desk nomination. The role demanded exactly the contradiction Curry did so well: vulgarity and genius occupying the same body, childishness sitting beside something almost touched by God.

London theatre continued to claim him. He played the Pirate King in The Pirates of Penzance at Theatre Royal Drury Lane, earning an Olivier nomination, and later worked extensively at the National Theatre in The Rivals, Love for Love, Dalliance and The Threepenny Opera, playing Macheath—Mack the Knife—in the latter. He was an actor who could move from Gilbert and Sullivan to Brecht without surrendering the unmistakable quality that made him Tim Curry.

He returned to New York theatre as William Hogarth in The Art of Success at Manhattan Theatre Club and then, in 1992, returned to Broadway in the musical My Favorite Year. As the drunken, fading movie star Alan Swann, Curry found both the comedy and sadness beneath the character’s theatrical excess and earned his second Tony nomination, this time for Best Actor in a Musical.

In 2001, he played Ebenezer Scrooge in A Christmas Carol at the Theater at Madison Square Garden. Then came the Broadway role that introduced an entirely new generation to Tim Curry onstage.

Eric Idle asked Curry to play King Arthur in Monty Python’s Spamalot. Curry led the original Broadway company alongside David Hyde Pierce, Hank Azaria and Sara Ramirez when the musical opened in 2005. His wonderfully exasperated, magnificently straight-faced Arthur earned him a third Tony nomination for Best Actor in a Musical. He subsequently took the role to London’s West End, earning another Olivier nomination.

Three Tony nominations across three very different performances—Mozart in Amadeus, Alan Swann in My Favorite Yearand King Arthur in Spamalot—tell their own story about his range.

His later stage appearances included The Player in Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead at Chichester and Reverend Whoopsie in Eric Idle’s What About Dick? in Los Angeles in 2012. That July, Curry suffered a major stroke that left him using a wheelchair and significantly altered the course of his performing life. He nevertheless continued working, particularly as a voice actor, and remained connected to Rocky Horror, including appearing as the Criminologist in Fox’s 2016 television version.

The screen career, of course, was extraordinary in its own right. The Rocky Horror Picture Show, Annie, Clue, Legend, Home Alone 2, Muppet Treasure Island and his unforgettable Pennywise in It made Curry recognizable to generations who may never have seen him walk onto a Broadway stage. His voice alone became an instrument, leading to decades of animation and voice work and a Daytime Emmy Award.

There was something inherently theatrical about Tim Curry even when no theatre was involved. He understood entrance. He understood timing. He understood that outrageousness works best when the performer underneath it possesses absolute control. And he possessed that rare quality that cannot be taught in acting school: when Tim Curry entered a scene, your eyes went to him.

He could be sinister and hilarious in the same breath. He could make villainy seductive, absurdity sophisticated and camp genuinely dangerous. Most importantly, he never seemed to apologize for taking up the space a performance required.

Yesterday we lost Dolly Parton. Today we have lost Tim Curry. They say these things come in threes. For once, I would be delighted for the old saying to be wrong.