Steve Pond's Blog, page 192

Anjelica Huston Shares Private Cancer Battle: ‘I Managed to Survive It, and I’m Proud of Myself’

Anjelica Huston revealed she is four years removed from her private battle with cancer.

In an interview with People, the Oscar-winning actress shared that she was diagnosed with an undisclosed type of cancer following the release of 2019’s “John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum.” Huston said that the diagnosis shifted her viewpoint on life.

“I managed to survive it, and I’m proud of myself,” she said. “It made me conscious of what I shouldn’t do, of places I shouldn’t go. One of those places was taking life too seriously. So now when the opportunity arises, I laugh, and I try not to make a big deal out of things.”

She added that now that she is four years “in the clear” from her initial diagnosis she decided to speak out in hopes that her story will inspire others with their diagnosis or spur people into getting regular check-ups.

“Sometimes you feel like you don’t want to talk about it for the obvious reasons, but there’s a lot to be said for talking about it and getting it out there and celebrating the fact that one’s come through,” Huston said. “Life is tenuous and wonderful. It also gives you the idea that the world is big and you can somehow match up to it. That you’re ready for whatever happens.”

Huston won a Supporting Actress Oscar in 1986 for her role in “Prizzi’s Honor,” which was directed by her father John Huston – who also helmed films like “Maltese Falcon” and “The African Queen.”

She is most known for her role as Morticia Addams in the 1990s “Addams Family” films, but also starred in “Ever After,” “Lonesome Dove,” and “The Grifters.”

The post Anjelica Huston Shares Private Cancer Battle: ‘I Managed to Survive It, and I’m Proud of Myself’ appeared first on TheWrap.

Weezer Bassist’s Wife Shot by LAPD, Charged With Attempted Murder

Jillian Shriner, a bestselling author known professionally as Jillian Lauren and the wife of Scott Shriner, bassist for the alternative rock band Weezer, was shot during an apparent confrontation of some kind with Los Angeles Police Department officers on Tuesday.

The incident occurred while LAPD and California Highway Patrol were looking for suspects in a completely unrelated crime. Shriner was later hospitalized with non-life threatening injuries and booked in absentia on charges of attempted murder.

LAPD representatives didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment from TheWrap, but the department said a statement Wednesday afternoon that the hit and run accident occurred on the 134 freeway near the Figueroa exit. According to the department, three suspects exited their vehicle and fled on foot into the nearby northeast Los Angeles neighborhood of Eagle Rock, where they appear to have split up.

While searching for the suspects in the back yard of a house, police say they spotted a nearby woman, since identified as Shriner, in the yard of a neighboring resident, holding a handgun. LAPD asserts that Shriner ignored “numerous” orders to drop the gun and instead pointed it at them.

Officers then opened fire and Shriner was struck in one of her shoulders, at which point she ran back into her house. There has been no report that she ever fired on LAPD officers. There is also as of this writing no independent confirmation of this order of events.

LAPD acknowledged in the statement that Shriner had no involvement in the hit and run, and lived at the residence where she was shot. Officers recovered a 9mm handgun from her residence.

Eyewitnesses to the search told TheWrap that LAPD and CHP had a heavy presence in the neighborhood as they searched for the suspects, with streets and portions of the freeway blocked off.

The incident occurred just days before Weezer’s scheduled performance this Saturday during the first weekend of the Coachella music festival in Indio, California.

The post Weezer Bassist’s Wife Shot by LAPD, Charged With Attempted Murder appeared first on TheWrap.

James Toback Ordered to Pay $1.7 Billion in Sex Assault Verdict Following Lawsuit From 40 Women

James Toback was ordered to pay $1.68 billion following his sexual assault trial in New York.

On Wednesday, the director – who was among the first names levied when the #MeToo movement began back in 2017 – was accused of a decades-long abuse of power in a lawsuit from 40 women. The verdict found Toback responsible for sexual assault, false imprisonment, coercion, and psychological abuse.

“This verdict is about justice.  But more importantly, It’s about taking power back from the abusers — and their and enablers — and returning it to those he tried to control and silence,” Brad Beckworth, lead counsel for the plaintiffs, said. “Several years ago, when the Me-Too movement began, I think many of us thought that we were past the point where men in positions of power would prey on women and try to steal their dignity and honor in exchange for allowing them to advance in their careers. We now know that the movement didn’t go far enough. We still have a lot of people in this country who abuse their power — and there are many more who turn a blind eye to it.”

Beckworth continued: “Today, a jury from the greater New York Community spoke very clearly and sent a message that reverberates far beyond this courtroom: no one is above accountability.  The movement is not over.  There is more work to do.”

The six-member jury in the case awarded a total of $280 million in compensatory damages and $1.4 billion for punitive damages to the plaintiffs. The victorious attorneys believe the case could be the biggest sex assault verdict in New York state history.

“This is not just a verdict — it’s validation,” Mary Monahan, a lead plantiff, said. “For decades, I carried this trauma in silence, and today, a jury believed me. Believed us. That changes everything. This verdict is more than a number — it’s a declaration. We are not disposable. We are not liars. We are not collateral damage in someone else’s power trip. The world knows now what we’ve always known: what he did was real. And what we did — standing up, speaking out — was right.

Toback wrote the 1991 film “Bugsy” and both wrote and directed films like “Tyson,” “The Pick-Up Artist” and “Two Guys and a Girl.”

The post James Toback Ordered to Pay $1.7 Billion in Sex Assault Verdict Following Lawsuit From 40 Women appeared first on TheWrap.

‘Shark Tank’ Star Kevin O’Leary Says Current Tariffs on China Are Not Enough, Calls for 400%: ‘They Don’t Play by the Rules’

Kevin O’Leary does not think President Donald Trump has gone far enough with “Liberation Day” tariffs against China.

The “Shark Tank” host specifically pointed to China while appearing on CNN and stated the current tariffs on the nation simply are not high enough. O’Leary suggested that “104% tariffs on China are not enough” and that Trump should crank up the number by a couple hundred more percent.

“I’m advocating 400%,” he said. “I do business in China. They don’t play by the rules. They’ve been in the WTO for decades. They have never abided by any of the rules they agreed to when they came in, for decades. They cheat, they steal, they steal IP, I can’t litigate in their courts. They take product technology, they steal it, they manufacture it and sell it back here.”

Watch the Canadian businessman and TV personality’s CNN appearance below:

He continued: “I want Xi on an airplane to Washington to level the playing field. It’s just not about tariffs anymore. Nobody has taken on China yet … As someone who actually does business there, I’ve had enough.”

On Wednesday, Trump announced a 90-day pause on tariffs against 75 countries that reached out to negotiate with the U.S. He reduced all the tariffs for the compliant countries to 10% while ratcheting up China’s tariff to 125%.

“Based on the lack of respect that China has shown to the World’s Markets, I am hereby raising the Tariff charged to China by the United States of America to 125%, effective immediately,” he wrote on Truth Social. “At some point, hopefully in the near future, China will realize that the days of ripping off the U.S.A., and other Countries, is no longer sustainable or acceptable.”

Following news of the pause, the stock market rebounded with the S&P 500, Nasdaq and Dow Jones all showing healthy Wednesday gains.

Watch the full CNN clip above.

The post ‘Shark Tank’ Star Kevin O’Leary Says Current Tariffs on China Are Not Enough, Calls for 400%: ‘They Don’t Play by the Rules’ appeared first on TheWrap.

Richard Kahn, Former Academy President and Columbia/MGM Marketing Exec, Dies at 95

Richard Kahn, veteran marketing executive and former president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, died this past Saturday at the age of 95, the Academy announced Wednesday.

“Our Dad had a kind and generous soul, a wry sense of humor and was a wonderful father. We will miss him dearly,” said his daughters, Sharon Kahn and Lisa Kahn Feldstern.

“All of us at the Academy are deeply saddened to learn of Richard’s passing,” said Academy CEO Bill Kramer and Academy President Janet Yang.  “Richard was a devoted member of the Academy and the film community at large.  During his time on the board, both as our President and as a governor for many years, he played a vital role in establishing traditions that remain today.  His vision and leadership leave an indelible mark.  He remained a friend to so many, and our thoughts are with his family at this time.”

A graduate of the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School and a Navy officer during the Korean War, Kahn spent two decades as a marketing executive at Columbia Pictures, overseeing the ad campaigns for classics such as “The Bridge on the River Kwai,” “The Guns of Navarone,” and “Lawrence of Arabia.” While there, he became a member of the Academy’s marketing and public relations branch in 1964.

In 1975, Kahn moved to MGM, continuing his marketing work on films like “Network” and “Clash of the Titans.” He rose to become president of MGM International and later EVP of marketing for the combined MGM and United Artists after its 1981 acquisition.

At the Academy, he headed the Public Relations Coordinating Committee, which created the Academy’s first Nominees Luncheon in 1982.

After a tenure at the Film Academy that included 12 years as governor, five as vice president and one as secretary, Kahn was elected president of the Film Academy for one term from 1988-89.

In 1983, Kahn launched a film marketing consultancy with his wife, Marianne Kahn, and served as an adjunct professor at the University of Southern California’s Peter Stark Producing Program until 1989.  He also led the Film Information Council as executive chairman (1985–1995) and served on the Board of the Will Rogers Memorial Fund (1987–2001).  In 2000, he received the Hollywood Reporter’s Key Art Pioneer Award for his creative contributions to the entertainment industry.

He is survived by his two daughters, Sharon Kahn and Lisa Kahn Feldstern, his son-in-law, the Honorable Daniel Feldstern, and his grandson and his wife, Nick and Jenn Fasulo-Feldstern.

The post Richard Kahn, Former Academy President and Columbia/MGM Marketing Exec, Dies at 95 appeared first on TheWrap.

Elle Fanning Eyed to Play Effie Trinket in ‘The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping’

Elle Fanning is being eyed to play the younger Effie Trinket in “The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping,” as the actress currently has the offer to play the role, TheWrap has learned.

The role was previously portrayed by Elizabeth Banks in the first four films in the series.

According to Nexus Point News, which first reported the news, “Fanning would portray Effie before her time as the escort for District 12, 24 years before the events of the first film.”

“The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping” will be directed by Francis Lawrence, who has directed every “Hunger Games” movie since “Catching Fire,” including 2024’s prequel adaptation “The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes.”

“Sunrise on the Reaping” revisits the world of Panem 24 years before the events of “The Hunger Games,” starting on the morning of the reaping of the 50th Hunger Games, also known as the Second Quarter Quell. A young Haymitch Abernathy (played by Woody Harrelson in the previous films) is the protagonist.

The film will be produced by Color Force’s Nina Jacobson and Brad Simpson. Cameron MacConomy will executive produce. Meredith Wieck and Scott O’Brien are overseeing the project for Lionsgate.

Fanning, who most recently starred in “A Complete Unknown” opposite Timothée Chalamet, will next be seen fighting alongside the Predator in “Predator: Badlands” from director Dan Trachtenberg and 20th Century Studios. The film will hit theaters on Nov. 7.

Elle Fanning is repped by UTA and TFC Management.

Reps for Lionsgate did not respond to request for comment.

“The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping” hits theaters Nov. 20, 2026.

The post Elle Fanning Eyed to Play Effie Trinket in ‘The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping’ appeared first on TheWrap.

Pro-Trump Comics Poke ‘Woke’ in the Eye and Find a More Receptive Home in the Mainstream

If there was an effort to make stand-up comedy a bit more genteel a few years ago — with offensive words and phrases placed out of bounds — a second Trump administration has emboldened more transgressive voices who are willing to wind it back to the days when it was fine to have a laugh at the expense of women, trans people, people of color and the mentally disabled.

Tony Hinchcliffe generated a wave of controversy at a pre-election Trump rally when he called Puerto Rico “a floating island of garbage.” Shane Gillis was fired by “SNL” when audio surfaced of his homophobic comments and his use of derogatory term for Chinese people. Matt Rife drew heat for jokes in a Netflix special about domestic violence, quipping of a restaurant hostess, “If she could cook, she wouldn’t have that black eye.”

Comics like Gillis, Rife, Hinchcliffe and Theo Von possessed loyal audiences even before Donald Trump’s reelection, but now they seem to be finding wider opportunities. With Trump back in the White House, Hinchcliffe has signed a deal with Netflix for three “Kill Tony” comedy specials. Gillis has hosted “SNL” twice since his dismissal, and has made two specials for Netflix in addition to starring in his own sitcom, “Tires.”

Amid a wave of pushback against “wokeness” as well as efforts to broadly dismantle diversity, equity and inclusion policies, the question of where “the line” gets drawn appears to have shifted.

“You can offend a bunch of people, but if you still have enough fans to support you, and if streamers feel like that would help their subscription base, they might want your content on their platform,” said Wayne Federman, an L.A.-based comedian and actor who is also a professor at USC. “It’s as simple as that. It is just a numbers game.”

“Attention is attention,” a female executive at a major streamer, who asked not to be named, told TheWrap. “Hinchcliffe was selling out The Forum well before we knew who Tony Hinchcliffe was. We might think that these guys are fringe, and now they’ve come into the mainstream. More people now cover them because of the political environment we’re in.”

Changing Perceptions

The perception that comedy has been shackled by “woke” attitudes hasn’t been confined to the fringes of the stand-up world. Jerry Seinfeld, for example, griped on a New Yorker podcast last year about the “extreme left” and “PC crap” having homogenized network sitcoms, before walking that back in an interview with Entertainment Weekly in October, acknowledging that culture changes before adding, “You can’t say certain words, you know, whatever they are, about groups — so what?”

In 2021, Gillis told pal Von that he didn’t contest being fired at the time “because those are today’s rules.” But the rules are being rewritten, not just for Gillis, but comics like Hinchcliffe.

Per their publicly stated politics, Hinchcliffe and Von are firmly in the Trump camp, but in”Beautiful Dogs,” Gillis said that he’s not a Republican … “yet.”

After being fired by “Saturday Night Live,” Shane Gillis returned to host the show. (NBC)

Meanwhile, Rife celebrated when Trump lost the 2020 election, calling for his social media followers to “give this fat turd the goodbye he deserves.” By 2023, his public persona had changed so much that one female IG user commented, “Well, this didn’t age well.” And by 2024, Marc Maron described him as “the new It Boy of s–ty comedy” who “s–t on the mostly female audience that he accumulated through social media to kiss up to these pseudo edgelords.”

Not all comics that have lamented the influence of “woke” culture fall into the conservative camp. In some instances such as Bill Burr and Bill Maher they have simply grown tired — or irritated — with what they perceive as efforts to police their material and dictate what can or can’t be said.

Burr’s material picks on a wide range of targets, including Elon Musk. But he was recently confronted by NPR’s Terry Gross regarding his jokes directed at women, including the #MeToo Movement, the WNBA and feminism — or more to the point, the absurdity, in his eyes, of men referring to themselves as “male feminists.”

“See, this is where you lose me,” said Gross, referring to his anti-feminism. Burr retorted: “It does not surprise me that here, on this show, talking to a white woman, is where I lose you.

Comedy’s new wave is pro-Trump, but also pre-Trump

Reps for Gillis, Rife, Hinchcliffe and another transgressive comic, Tom Segura, declined to comment for this article. But they have found allies from others in the comedy world who might not share their ideology, such as Jon Stewart, who essentially defended Hinchcliffe’s dig at Puerto Rico, saying on “The Daily Show”:

“Obviously in retrospect, having a roast comedian come to a political rally a week before election day and roasting a key voting demographic, probably not the best decision by the campaign politically. But to be fair, the guy is really just doing what he does.”

Indeed, among comedians, the prevailing mindset has long been, as Seinfeld said in his initial remarks about “PC crap,” that it’s ultimately up to the audience to determine what’s funny. From that perspective, it’s perhaps not surprising that comics would rally around the notion of their contemporaries being unfettered in terms of saying what they want, even if they don’t necessarily support the sentiments expressed.

Although the current wave of conservative-leaning comics is heavily tied to Trump — on election night, UFC boss Dana White thanked Von and Joe Rogan for helping the GOP win — their brand of comedy is hardly new. 

“Comedy and what is acceptable and what isn’t acceptable, and what is mainstream and what is edgy and where is the line, all of these are constantly moving,” Federman told TheWrap. “This has been going on since the vaudeville days and even before that. That’s just the nature of this art form.”

“You can’t say [—-] anymore.”

Gillis was dinged in the past for using the word “retard,” which is sometimes referred to as “the R-word” since it’s deemed to be offensive, similar to “the N-word,” as a form of disparagement. He used the word freely in his 2023 Netflix special “Beautiful Dogs,” then half-apologized, saying, “My bad. I’m not trying to give myself a pass on being able to use that word.”

Gillis then turned that into a bit, saying, “I don’t know if you can tell by looking at me, but I do have family members with Down Syndrome,” before fondly talking about his Uncle Danny, who is always sneaking homemade grilled cheese sandwiches into restaurants.

Right-leaning media figures have embraced the new transgressive normal. “Gillis exposed the fraud of these cultural hall monitors by meticulously crafting his set to both lean into the controversy of his past and flip it on its head,” argued Steve Krakauer, an executive producer of the Megyn Kelly Show, offering a defense of Gillis in an opinion piece for The Hill.

Gillis is hardly the first comic to bring back the “R-word.” Tom Segura, who hosts the “Two Bears One Cave” podcast with fellow comedian Bert Kreischer, did a riff on the term in his 2018 special “Disgraceful.” “You can’t say retarded anymore,” he said. “People get very upset.” The crowd at the Paramount Theatre in Denver ate it up.

After Harvard Law professor Laurence Tribe, wrote, “I cannot recall encountering anything more hateful or painful than the stigma Segura has weaponized in the name of ‘comedy,'” Netflix chairman Reed Hastings defended Segura’s right to use the word.

“Even though many find Segura’s comments hurtful, in this instance they fall within the bounds of creative expression,” Hastings wrote in an email to Tribe.

Netflix has also defended what is perceived as anti-trans material by other, higher-profile comedians, including Dave Chappelle and Ricky Gervais, despite complaints —and even walkouts — from employees, saying the service caters to a wide variety of tastes.

Hastings added that “certain portions of any creative work including stand-up comedy can and do offend and are intended to evoke a range of responses,” adding that no one has to watch any particular show on Netflix.

Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos also defended working with both Hinchcliffe and Chappelle at a PaleyFest event in New York, picking up the mantra repeated by comedians in noting that stand-up is ultimately “defined by the audience. If the audience laughed, it worked … You can’t say, ‘That’s not funny’ if 18,000 people are laughing. You can say you disagree with it. You could say that it offends you. You can say that it hurts you. But you can’t say it’s not funny.”

“What am I going to do? Get canceled?”

In 2023, Matt Rife alienated his many female fans with a joke in his Netflix special “Natural Selection” about domestic violence. He then followed it up by referring anyone who was offended by the joke to a site selling helmets for people with special needs. 

After making a few transgender jokes at a subsequent show at the Hollywood Bowl, Rife quipped, “What am I going to do? Get canceled? Cool, I’ll do another Bowl show, awesome.” He added, “You know that’s not a real punishment … nothing happens. Prison’s a punishment.”

“Matt Rife: Natural Selection” (Netflix)

“I don’t really adhere to this whole sensitivity rumor in the comedy world that you can’t say anything anymore. That’s bulls–t. You can say whatever you want,” he told Variety in 2024.

In a recent appearance on “The View,” Rife said, “I don’t think anything is off-limits. The very thing you might think is off-limits — the thing that makes people uncomfortable — might be exactly what they need to heal. A loved one passing away, something that could be so emotionally devastating — there’s no cliché in saying that laughter is the best medicine.”

Federman, who penned the 2021 book “The History of Stand-Up: From Mark Twain to Dave Chappelle,” said what’s considered appropriate is always changing. “It used to be that swear words were absolutely taboo, until Lenny Bruce was like, ‘This is the way my jazz musician friends talk. This is the way I talk. Why can’t I bring this to the stage?’ Now no one blinks if you say the F-word. It’s not even a thing.”

He referenced a famous quote from late comedy legend George Carlin: “I think it’s the duty of the comedian to find out where the line is drawn and cross it deliberately.”

“Ultimately, you have to compete in the marketplace, and if enough people think you’re offensive and gross and not funny, then you won’t get booked, because there won’t be enough people going to your shows,” he said.

He added, “Shane Gillis is saying that word ‘retard,’ but it’s just part of an ongoing dance between audiences and performers, and as a performer, you eventually have to find out where that line is.”

The post  Pro-Trump Comics Poke ‘Woke’ in the Eye and Find a More Receptive Home in the Mainstream appeared first on TheWrap.

Susan Senk, Publicist and Executive Known for ‘Dirty Dancing,’ Dies at 75

Susan Senk, a publicist and marketing executive who worked on more than 400 films during her decades-long career, died April 5th in New York City. She was 75.

A member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and a former member of the Recording Academy, Senk began her career in the music industry before transitioning into film, where among other things she was part of the original Vestron Video startup team. She went on to serve as Vice President of Creative Services for Vestron International, based out of London, and ultimately became VP of Publicity and Promotion for Vestron Pictures.

She shepherded the release and awards campaigns for all of the company’s theatrically released films, most notably for the surprise sleeper hit “Dirty Dancing” in 1987. A massive hit both in theaters and for its soundtrack, it earned $213 million worldwide, the most of any independent film ever at that time.

Later she was Vice President, International Publicity and Promotion at Sony’s Columbia TriStar Film Distributors International, and ultimately founded her own agency, Susan Senk PR, based in New York.

Since 2015 she was a consultant for Sony Pictures International Releasing.

A 171/2-year survivor of a heart transplant, she’s survived by her sister and business partner, Linda Denk, brother-in-law Scott Altman, and her dog OP. Her family encourages people wishing to honor her memory to donate to the Camp Sloane YMCA Susan Senk Memorial Fund.

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Marvin Levy, Legendary Publicist Behind Steven Spielberg’s Biggest Hits, Dies at 96

Marvin Levy, the legendary Hollywood publicist known for his decades-long partnership with Steven Spielberg and for being the first member of his profession to receive recognition from the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts & Sciences, died Monday. He was 96.

“Marvin’s passing is a huge loss for me and our industry writ large. There are many talented PR executives, but Marvin was one of a kind. For over 50 years, he was a deeply loyal and exceptional collaborator who was respected and appreciated by all those who were lucky enough to learn from his counsel. When it came to handling the press, he had no peer,” Spielberg said in a statement. “To the media-and the world of exhibition, Marvin was the face of Amblin. We were opposite ends of the movie-making process. Every time i reached the end of production on a film, Marvin’s work had only begun. Through countless films, tv series, Amblin events, awards campaigns and our public relations strategy—this is where Marvin came alive. He loved his work—and was endlessly enthusiastic about our business. He was creative, innovative and respected for his knowledge and honesty. He was excited to figure how new and better ways to present films to audiences.  As a result, he was the first and only publicist to receive an Academy Award.”

“He was equally dedicated to his beloved wife of 73 years, Carol, and their children, Don and Doug as well as their grandsons Daniel and Brian. I am grateful for all our years together.  Marvin never failed to make me laugh, he never stopped smiling. We will miss you Marvin. You will always be in our hearts and your memory will always make us smile,” the director continued.

Born Nov. 16, 1928 in New York, Levy attended NYU and served in the Air Force, where he first worked in public relations and advertising out of Selfridge AFB in Michigan. He moved into entertainment in the late 1940s, working as a writer and producer before being hired in publicity for MGM. During his years with MGM, he handled local promotional efforts for legendary films including “Gigi” and “Ben-Hur.”

He moved to the PR firm Blowitz, Thomas and Canton in 1964, remaining with them until the company disbanded a decade later, after which he relocated to Los Angeles and ended up at Columbia Pictures. It was there that among his projects for the studio was marketing “Close Encounters of the Third King,” Spielberg’s follow up to his breakthrough hit “Jaws.”

The pair formed a close friendship, and in later years Spielberg would refer to Levy as a father figure. Levy eventually left Columbia to work for Spielberg full time, first at the director’s Amblin Entertainment and later at Dreamworks.

During their decades of collaboration, Levy handled promotion and awards season pushes for some of Spielberg’s most important work, including “E.T.,” “Jurassic Park,” “Schindler’s List,” “Saving Private Ryan,” “Munich,” “The Color Purple,” “Lincoln” and “Bridge of Spies.” He also handled promotion on the “Back to the Future” trilogy, “Gladiator,” and more.

His impact on Hollywood over his career is difficult to overstate, and appropriately, in 2018 he became the first, and as of this writing only publicist to receive Academy recognition. At that year’s Academy Awards, Levy received an honorary Oscar “for an exemplary career in publicity that has brought films to the minds, hearts and souls of audiences all over the world.”

In addition to serving on the Academy’s Board of Governors for 23 years, Levy was a supporter of the Shoah Foundation, Righteous Persons Foundation, and Starlight Children’s Foundation. He’s survived by Carol, his wife of 73 years, their two sons and grandsons.

Levy’s funeral is planned for Friday, April 11th at 10 am at Mount Sinai cemetery, 5950 Forest Lawn Drive in Los Angeles, CA 90068.

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‘Old Friends’ Broadway Review: Do We Need Another Stephen Sondheim Revue?

Yet another Stephen Sondheim revue is playing on Broadway. This one is called “Old Friends,” and it opened Tuesday at MTC’s Samuel J. Friedman Theatre after engagements in London and Los Angeles. This is the sixth Sondheim revue to open on Broadway. In recent decades, legendary composers from George Gershwin to Richard Rodgers have not received this kind of attention.

Hands down, the three best moments in “Old Friends” come when five wonderful singers (Jacob Dickey, Jasmine Forsberg, Kyle Selig, Maria Wirries and Daniel Yearwood) deliver a memorable “Tonight Quintet” from “West Side Story.” The two other great moments belong to Lea Salonga, who brings down the house twice, first with “Somewhere” from “West Side Story” and then “Everything’s Coming Up Roses” from “Gypsy.”  Salonga presents a great Rose, and what adds to the excitement is how different Rose is from the roles that made Salonga a star: Kim in “Miss Saigon,” Fantine in “Les Miz” and the singing voice of Jasmine in the film “Aladdin.” If there were any justice, Cameron Mackintosh, who “devised” this Sondheim revue, would have instructed Matthew Bourne, who directs, to include “Rose’s Turn” for Salonga to finish off the evening.

Tellingly, the best moments in “Old Friends” are for songs that Sondheim wrote the lyrics but not the music. Those composers are Leonard Bernstein and Jule Styne, and along with their contemporaries Richard Rodgers, Frederick Loewe and Frank Loesser, they came out of a German operetta and Italian verismo opera tradition where songs were set pieces that functioned within a plotline but could also be extracted in performance with great success. Opera galas are fueled by these kinds of vocal showpieces.

Sondheim took a more integrated approach to songwriting for the musical theater, and a lot of his best known numbers are a kind of elevated recitative. Sondheim famously didn’t like Verdi, in part, because there’s a lot of om-pah-pah in the great opera composer’s early works. Then again, what great composer ever relied on soft-shoe (the 20th century equivalent of om-pah-pah) as much as Sondheim, who overworked it right up to “Road Show” and “Here We Are,” his final works? “Old Friends” is replete with soft-shoe, unfortunately.

Sondheim did write full-blown arias, and it’s unfortunate that one of his best, the duet “Too Many Mornings” from “Follies,” is not included in this revue.

Others are, and this revue does not do them justice. Unlike what Salonga does with a song, other singers in “Old Friends” tend to overact every song. Beth Leavel sings “The Ladies Who Lunch” from what sounds like a cocktail shaker. The only thing that’s more overwrought than her vocals of this “Company” anthem is the dreadful costume (by Jill Parker) that has her wearing a gray fur jacket over a black sequined blouse with rhinestone cuffs. Joanne in “Company” is an East Side matron, she is not a drag queen.

In a grotesque bit of role reversal, Gavin Lee presents a mincing rendition of “Could I Leave You?” from “Follies.” Lee helps to present one of the evening’s other worse moments when he (and Dickey and Selig) turn “Everybody Ought to Have Maid” from “A Funny Thing” into a gay embarrassment.

Other numbers are also bizarrely cast for other reasons. When Bonnie Langford, Kate Jennings Grant and Joanna Riding sing “You Could Drive a Person Crazy,” I wondered if Bourne had reunited the understudies from the original touring production of “Company.”

When Bernadette Peters joins with Leavel and Riding to play strippers, I half-expected a Medicare card to be one of the gimmicks in, of course, “You Gotta Get a Gimmick” from “Gypsy.”

I last saw Peters on stage in the 2011 Broadway revival of “Follies.” She no longer had the vocal chops to deliver “Losing My Mind,” so she cried and sobbed her way through it. (Victoria Clark replaced her when the production played L.A.’s Ahmanson Theatre, and it remains the best “Follies” I’ve ever seen.) To sing “Send in the Clowns” in this revue, Peters cried and sobbed her way through it. Later, she cried and sobbed her way through, yes, “Losing My Mind.”

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