Gossip Central

Netflix’ Bobby Kennedy for President at the Tribeca Film Festival: Is it Too Late?

What is presidential? This week at the Tribeca Film Festival, a special screening featured part one of four of the Netflix series, Bobby Kennedy for President, marking the 50th anniversary of his 83-day presidential run. Filmmaker Dawn Porter deftly intercut archival footage with key interviews, with John Lewis, for example, William vanden Heuvel, and D. A. Pennebaker in this first segment, focusing particularly on Robert Kennedy’s history with racism, that pernicious American disease that simply does not go away. The film forces a reevaluation of this Kennedy brother, what might have been had he not been murdered and gone on to serve in our government’s highest position, and how the dignity of this man reflects upon the man in that office today.

Mary Kay Place Stars in Diane: Indie Gem at the Tribeca Film Festival

The movie Diane happens to be about a woman of a certain age, played to perfection by Mary Kay Place, in one of the most compelling performances of the year. Diane happens to be based on writer/director Kent Jones’ mother, dealing with friends and family around her in dramatic circumstance or dying, and a son (Jake Lacy) struggling with drug addiction in rural Massachusetts, where, by the way, a good deal of Bible thumping serves as a threat.

Rory Kennedy Premieres her NASA Documentary for Sarasota Film Festival’s Awesome Closing Night

Planet Earth was the star of the Sarasota Film Festival’s closing night film, Rory Kennedy’s Above and Beyond: NASA’s Journey to Tomorrow, just in time for Earth Day. Following up on an aspirational speech given by her uncle, President John F. Kennedy, about going to the moon at Rice University, Kennedy’s documentary tells the history of NASA from the ‘60’s to the present, how space, the planets, and the universe, have been explored and what scientists have learned about the Earth. David Bowie may sing his query, Is there life on Mars? And the answer is still looking for signs. For sure, the Earth is vulnerable. Global warming is irrefutable. Following the screening, a panel featuring Kennedy, Mark Bailey, her husband and the film’s producer, and scientist Dr. Ellen Stofan answered questions about the possibilities of life beyond our planet, and the excitement of continued exploration. What about space tourism?

Megan Hilty at the Café Carlyle: Incurably Soprano

Introducing her song, “Popular,” on her opening night at the Café Carlyle, Megan Hilty quipped, ““Wicked” is about a beautiful blond who helps others.” Tweaking the theme of the popular Broadway musical, making her Glinda the star, was a glimpse into the humor and charm Hilty brings to her intimate supper club act. At the Café Carlyle, it would be odd to have an evening of musical theater from Megan Hilty without this signature number, this being her fourth time at the Carlyle, she says proudly, “and I’m not pregnant.” She studied opera, she tells us, and learned she loved musical theater. Revealing the demands of the genre for a soprano, she goes low for the tune “Alto’s Lament,” obsessed with the songwriters Zina Goldrich and Marcy Heisler, and warning everyone, this would be a weird, eclectic set.

At Lunch with Priscilla Presley: HBO’s Elvis Presley: The Searcher

At lunch at the Rainbow Room recently, Priscilla Presley joined a panel of Elvis experts, journalists and filmmakers to illuminate "The King's" rags to riches career. Certainly an American original, Elvis Presley was a dreamboat to teens when he first began to sing, swiveling his hips on the Ed Sullivan Show. Of course they famously photographed him from the waist up for television’s primetime viewing. But on stage, that was something else. Music aficionados knew his sources, gospel, country, and rhythm and blues, idioms of the South. While many thought his moves brazen, no one contested his musicianship. Priscilla Presley, keeper of the flame who has worked well to maintain his legacy in the public eye, wants everyone to know he was a “Searcher,” the theme of the new two-part HBO documentary about him, that she hopes will force a reappraisal of his art.

Glenda Jackson, Laurie Metcalf and Alison Pill in Edward Albee’s Three Tall Women: “Be Nice!”

Playwright Edward Albee wrote many plays and won the Pulitzer Prize for three of them. When I asked him about these honors, he replied, “You never know why you get them, and why you didn’t.” Anyone who sees Three Tall Women from 1994, now elegantly revived at the Golden Theater, will understand why this three-hander did. Much has been made of the actress Glenda Jackson in the formidable role of “A,” and Laurie Metcalf in the bridge role of “B,” and Alison Pill as the 26-year-old “C.” Line up the Tony Awards now. Albee’s words, both abstract and specific circle around an emblematic woman’s history, her wiles, excesses, entitlements, and deprivations. Deeply funny, just hear “A” recounting how her husband appeared naked to her with a diamond bracelet hanging on his stiff “pee pee” aimed at her face. “I just couldn’t do that,” she cries proclaiming herself a “good girl,” astonished that she is revealing this intimacy. “Oh keep the bracelet,” she remembers him saying, as the audience howls.

Sarasota Film Festival Celebrates 20

“In our 20^th year, we have more films than ever,” Mark Famiglio, Chairman and President of the Sarasota Film Festival said in a phone interview about the two-week event now underway until April 22. While many beautiful locations world over can boast of a film festival, SFF is often noted as a well-kept secret for its intimacy, and inspired audiences, reflecting the community’s commitment to the arts. This year Sarasota is especially popular for the new boutique hotels gracing the city’s downtown, and a new building space designated for the festival. “We were at the epicenter of financial collapse in 2008,” Famiglio exclaimed. “We recovered. Today we are well programmed, well conceived and FUN. Maybe we will last another 20 years.”

Variety Power of Women Luncheon Honors Emily Blunt, Tarana Burke, Padma Lakshmi, Margaret Atwood, Tamron Hall, Alicia Keys, and Tina Fey

“I have a vagina,” Padma Lakshmi announced, calling female genitalia by as many names as she could muster including the “c” word. The food network impresario was accepting the KARMA award for her work as founder of the Endometriosis Foundation of America, and revealing years of pain and bleeding with no relief because the condition—and many women suffer it—had not yet been diagnosed. By the time this year’s Variety’s Power of Women M. C.Samantha Bee hit the podium, noting that this jam packed Cipriani Wall Street was Mike Pence’s idea of hell, I had been treated to one Bellini and a hand massage by Z’nea in a pop up spa for SheaMoisture in a corner of the spacious former bank. Feeling no pain, I found out SheaMoisture, a premiere sponsor of this yearly luncheon presented by Lifetime, not only smoothed out every gnarl on my hands, this is a company that sends 10% of its profits to African women.Yes, there were big names featured at this luncheon from Emily Blunt to Tamron Hall, who was awarded the Commerce Impact Award by SheaMoisture, to Tina Fey. With its high-octane focus on promoting reading and education for girls, the safety, nourishment, and education of children, and yes, “me too,” this was no ordinary event. Each speaker was an inspiration for empowering others. U. S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand made opening remarks assuring everyone, time’s up. Viola Davis introduced Tarana Burke who explained how this was the next chapter of the women’s movement, that after the violence of sexual assault, survivors need to be heard and believed and to keep going. Billie Jean King is giving her $100,000, she said tearing up. “If you are ready to help, I have two words for you, ‘me too.’”

Carousel: A Celebratory Revival

The revival of Rodger’s and Hammerstein’s classic Carousel at the Imperial Theater is a vivid a reminder of what the Broadway musical can do, simply good storytelling in song and dance. Old school and fresh, Carousel has you in its grip from the moment you see an ornate canopy descend and umbrella into the carny top of a ride, a-spin for the dazzling romance that unfolds. A girl, Julie Jordan meets a boy, Billy Bigelow and the rest is the pure pull of irresistible, young love and consequent tragedy. While we all remember the songs “You’ll Never Walk Alone,” and “If I Loved You,” with Renee Fleming, Jessie Mueller, and exceptionally gifted voices from Lindsay Mendez and Alexander Gemignani, you are reminded of this works’ operatic soul. It’s gorgeous, but most exceptionally for Joshua Henry as Billy, intense, damaged, and lost. During intermission you could hear murmurs of comparison with Paul Robeson; this actor has it all, and can he dance!

MATA Celebrates 20

At the Paula Cooper Gallery for MATA’s 20^th birthday celebration, Mexican percussionist Diego Espinosa faced the challenge of performing a 1967 work by Philip Glass, with the world-class composer seated several feet away. Instrument: an ordinary caterer’s foldup table. Soon in the cathedral style space, the sound of rhythmic scratching rose to the skylights. The piece, “1 x 1,” had been created on a kitchen table, Espinosa explained later, and he memorized the notes, applying them freely. Crouching down, he added the metal of the table’s spindly legs to the act, improvising on every surface. If a definition of “new music” were needed to kick off MATA’s week of experimental music concerts, this opening performance illuminates.