Jerry Seinfeld
Dan Strone, Seven Figure Lit Agent for Seinfeld and Silverman: 'I Don’t Make People Spend the Money'
Trident Media Group C.E.O. and literary agent Daniel Strone oversaw two of the season's most high-stakes book auctions last week, fielding eye-popping offers from publishers across the city without giving them so much as a proposal for either project. Sarah Silverman's book, which Mr. Strone sold to HarperCollins on Thursday, went for about $2.5 million dollars. Jerry Seinfeld's, which publishers found out about last Monday, is said to have attracted bids over $7 million.
At this point, Mr. Seinfeld's deal looks like it still hasn't closed, but the sheer number of commas Mr. Strone is juggling has stunned many in the publishing industry. read more »
Morning Memo: Madonna and Alex Rodriguez's Double Date; Tracy Morgan Giving Up Strip Clubs; The McCains' Election Day Plans
Madonna and Alex Rodriguez took seperate helicopters to Jerry and Jessica Seinfeld's house in East Hampton. The two couples stayed for four hours before all returning in the same helicopter. [P6]
Ivana Trump has been spending time with 23-year-old Belgian model Marius Rusovici while her new husband, Rossano Rubicondi, films a reality show in Italy. [P6]
In an effort to save money, Tracy Morgan says he has given up strip clubs. His plan to make up for the loss involves telling his next wife "to get on the bed and put big [underwear] on and throw $400 at her -- then take the money back and go food shopping." [R&M] read more »
Morning Memo: Joe Francis Attacks Samantha Ronson; The Seinfelds Get Sued; Britney Spears's Father Keeps the Reins
Joe Francis called Samantha Ronson "jealous" and "wretched," to which Ms. Ronson responded, "I think he's one of the more disgusting human beings in the world because of what he does . . . He's a [bleep]bag." She also recalled a recent run-in when Mr. Francis "said hello to Lindsay [Lohan] and looked over at me as if I wasn't a human being. He's got no manners." [P6]
Missy Chase Lapine, author of children's cookbook The Sneaky Chef, is suing Jessica Seinfeld for copyright infringement. She is also suing Jerry Seinfeld for joking about it. [NYDN]
Brtiney Spears's father Jamie was granted "permanent legal control" of her. He has been acting as his much-improved daughter's "temporary [conservator]" since Feburary, so we guess the move is more positive than creepy. [US Weekly] read more »
Microsoft Dumps Jerry Seinfeld for Pharrell and Eva Longoria
Less than a month ago, Microsoft announced that it had tapped comedian Jerry Seinfeld for its "hip" new Windows Vista ads (also featuring Microsoft chairman Bill Gates) that were going to finally stand up to Apple's wildly popular "I'm a Mac, I'm a PC" commercials. But now, the Wall Street Journal, which originally broke the story, reports that Windows is moving into "phase two" of their $300 million ad campaign—and the 54-year-old comic has gotten the boot.
Perhaps realizing that the odd ads featuring Mr. Seinfeld and Mr. Gates shopping for shoes and moving in with a suburban family because they "need to get in touch with the people" were entirely ineffective—the self-deprecating ads seemed to drive the point of Microsoft being "out of touch" only further—the company has now summoned Deepak Chopra, actress Eva Longoria and musician Pharrell Williams for the new ads. read more »
Jerry Seinfeld to Hawk Windows Vista
Microsoft Corp. has retaliated against Apple's clever, youth-targeted ads by writing a $10 million check to Jerry Seinfeld to appear in its new ad campaign, according to The Wall Street Journal.
The company, whose recent quarterly profit growth has been upstaged by Apple, is hoping that the 54-year-old comedian will help make Windows seem less stale and outdated. But the choice of Mr. Seinfeld--who is most associated with his eponymous, and quintessentially '90s, New York-based sitcom--has left more than a few industry observers scratching their heads, especially since Mr. Seinfeld will reportedly appear in ads with 52-year-old Microsoft chairman Bill Gates. read more »
Morning Memo: Wedding Bells For Jay-Z and Beyoncé; Zac Posen Waxes On
Jay-Z and Beyoncé really did get married on Friday! Well, we think. Mary J. Blige supposedly confirmed the news to her fans while performing in North Carolina over the weekend and witnesses have been leaking details to US Weekly and People.com. [NY Daily News]
Socialites coping with recession: Ivanka isn't the type of person to buy Ferraris and large hats, Claire Bernard will walk her own dog, Arden Wohl thinks it's one big lie. [Intelligencer] read more »
Jerry Seinfeld Makes Waves During Israel Visit
Comedian Jerry Seinfeld made such a stir during his trip to Israel over the weekend, talk of his visit threatened to eclipse media chatter surrounding major upcoming Mideast peace negotiations, the AP reports today. Mr. Seinfeld was in the Holy Land to promote his new animated feature, Bee Movie, but the sojourn apparently seemed more like a state visit by a foreign dignitary. Very few entertainers who visit the country are able to meet with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert or President Shimon Peres. Mr. Seinfeld, on the other hand, hung out with both men. He also toured the Israeli Holocaust memorial in a fashion normally reserved for heads of state.
His visit marked quite a change from Mr. Seinfeld’s last visit to Israel in 1971 as a 15-year-old on kibbutz. Speaking to reporters, the funnyman said, “I would be in the fields, and nobody wanted my autograph and nobody wanted to take their picture with me…They just let me hack away at those banana leaves, and no, I didn't meet the prime minister even once."
Referring to the regional political meeting requested by President Bush, which began today, an Israeli political analyst named Amon Abramovitz had only one thing to say: “Yada, yada, yada.”
Manhattan Weekend Box Office: Beowulf Reigns, While Cholera Looks Sick
Robert Zemeckis used Beowulf (No. 1), once the scourge of high-school English classes nationwide, to lure unsuspecting children and families to the box office this weekend, promising a 3-D spectacle the likes the which they had never seen. Improbably, he ended the weekend at the top of the box-office charts both in Manhattan and across the country. What's next? The Finnish national epic, the Kalevala? read more »
Manhattan Weekend Box Office: Josh Brolin's a Hit in the City
It seems like New York is in love with Goonies star Josh Brolin. He delivers Oscar-worthy performances in American Gangster (no. 1) and No Country for Old Men (no. 2), both of which sit atop the Manhattan box office chart. American Gangster captured the top spot with an impressive $50,000 per screen average in its second week, while the Coen brothers’ No Country, in limited release and playing at only 4 theaters, put up an eye-popping $79,000 per screen average. Hey, Josh, we may not control the Academy, but treat us nice and we can get you a Gotham Award. Yay!
But here on his own home turf, Jerry Seinfeld didn't do nearly as well. His Bee Movie (no. 3) may have captured the top spot on the country’s box office charts, but it slid down a spot here. The good news: it still managed to outgross its competition, Fred Claus (no. 5), in its first week. The Christmas-themed movie starring Vince Vaughn and Paul Giamatti posted a disappointing $14,000 average. But as executives at Warner Bros., who are distributing the movie, will tell anyone who’ll listen, releasing a Christmas movie in November is like running a marathon. It’s all about the slow build to Dec. 25.
Bad reviews and poor word-of-mouth doomed Lions for Lambs (no. 4), which did decent business here in the city, but failed to connect with a national audience, grossing close to $7 million on 2,200 screens. In the city, it’s per screen average equaled that of Bee Movie. Nationally, however, it’s per screen average was in the range of Dan in Real Life (no. 8), which was entering its third week.
Before the Devil Knows Your Dead (no. 6) expanded into a fourth theater, slowing its momentum slightly. It’s per screen average dipped $10,000 in the city, while its overall gross dropped five percent.
And an honorable mention to Holly, the Ron Livingston drama, which managed to gross $35,000 at one theater. It may not have made our top ten, but maybe we’ll see you next week!
List of theaters: Paris, Zeigfeld, Oprheum, East 85th St., 86th St. East, 84th St., Lincoln Plaza, 62nd and Broadway, Lincoln Square, Magic Johnson, 72nd St East, Cinemas 1, 2 &3rd Ave, 64th and 2nd , Imaginasian, Manhattan Twin, First and 62nd St., Angelika Film Center, Quad, IFC Center, Film Forum, Village East, Village Seven, Cinema Village, Union Square, Essex, Battery Park 11, Sunshine, 34th Street, Empire, E-Walk, Chelsea, 19th Street East, and Kips Bay.
Manhattan Weekend Box Office: How moviegoers in the multiplexes of middle America choose to spend their ten-spot is probably a big deal in Hollywood. But here in Manhattan, the hottest movies aren't always the ones making the big bucks nationwide. Using Nielsen numbers for Manhattan theaters alone and comparing them to the performance of the national weekend box office can tell you a lot about our Blue State sensibilities. Or nothing at all! Each Monday afternoon, we will bring you the results.
Manhattan Weekend Box Office: Great Scott! Gangster Opens With Bang; Bee Flies and Lumet Thrives
The box office was awakened this weekend from its fall slumber, as if it too had just been hit by the first cold spell of the season. American Gangster (No. 1) may have only grossed one and a half times as much as Bee Movie (No.2) nationally, but here in the city, it almost tripled the cartoon’s gross, averaging an astronomical $91,969 per theater. Gangster, starring Denzel Washington and Russell Crowe and directed by Ridley Scott, broke all types of genre-specific records, en route to smashing the personal opening weekend records for both actors.
A thanks from Universal, who are distributing the film, is in order to the New York Post, who keep giving wood to organized crime and feeding the city’s unquenchable thirst for news about its dons. Like one of Frank Lucas’ finely tailored suits, this film was made for Manhattan. read more »
Girl on Film: Halloween Is Behind Us, But Gangster Continues the Bloodbath; Bees and Children From Mars
This weekend, with Halloween safely behind us, along with the obligatory blood-spurting-zombies-eat-your-face-and-rip-your-guts-out gore flicks (please see Saw IV’s $32 million-plus box office gobble last weekend), we can happily hunker down and see a bloodbath the way we like it—all artistic like! The violent, gripping, and thoroughly entertaining American Gangster hits theaters this weekend, bringing the unsurprisingly stellar performances of Denzel Washington—who truly is a movie star, and for our money could out-charisma a Pitt or a Clooney if he had the opportunity—and Russell Crowe. This is the third teaming between Gangster director Ridley Scott and Mr. Crowe (Gladiator in 2000 and the mostly unseen A Good Year in 2006, which had the burly Aussie going for a bit of ill-advised physical comedy). read more »
Bzzzzz! Honey, You’re Gonna Love Seinfeld’s Fuzzy Comeback
Celebrity cameos—Chris Rock! Sting! (har-har)—and clever writing really make this hive jive. read more »
Jerry Seinfeld: Late Night Talk Show Host?
For one night only, Jerry Seinfeld will host a late-night talk show for Fox, according to Variety. It should make for a good drinking game: one shot for every mention of Bee Movie!
Seinfeld will host Saturday's edition of "Talkshow With Spike Feresten," which airs at midnight following "Mad TV." It's part of the comic's exhaustive efforts to tubthump for his upcoming "Bee Movie."
Feresten will still be a part of the action: He'll serve as a "guest" on his own show. Patrick Warburton (a "Seinfeld" alum who also supplies a voice for "Bee Movie") will also stop by.
Luring Seinfeld probably wasn't too tough for Feresten, a former "Seinfeld" scribe who also served as a co-writer on "Bee Movie."
Was Seinfeld's Stint 30 Rock's Way of Jumping the Shark?
It's death by metashtick! Seinfeld, Fey stir up trouble by, well, acting like themselves. read more »
NBC at the Upfronts: 'Frankly, We Need To Be More Better'
“The buzz was loud and clear, we struck a chord,” said president of NBC Entertainment Kevin Reilly at the network’s Upfront presentation yesterday afternoon. But: “Frankly, we need to be more better.”
Mr. Reilly was saying what the hundreds of ad executives milling around Radio City for the first day of the Upfronts already knew. read more »
The Afternoon Wrap: Tuesday
- Poor Jerry Seinfeld had to learn the hard way that Manhattan brokers don't broker on the Sabbath. A judge has ruled that he'll have to pay the normal $100,000 fee (give or take) for his new $3.95 million townhouse on West 82nd Street. Larry David would be proud. [New York Law Journal, via Gawker]
- Thank god. New York has made it onto Forbes' list of Most Expensive Rentals. Our local honors go to the $70,000-per-month Trump International penthouse, where panoramic views do not at all make up for the harsh fact that it would cost $840,000 to live there for one year. [Forbes]
- Meet a New Yorker named Fitz-Greene Halleck: He has his own statue in Central Park, and he may or may not have been a big fan of Grand Central Station. [L Magazine]
- As if Costas Kondylis' 3,854 Trump high-rises weren't enough (see above), he's designing the richly-named Platinum at 247 West 46th Street. Sadly, the "crazed fireplace lobby decor" is a deal breaker. [Curbed] - Max Abelson
Kramer vs. Kramer: Five Theories on Michael Richards
A Fair-Weather Friend Weighs the Value of Amity
Seinfeld Unloads C.P.W. Crash Pad
Did you ever notice I still owned this apartment?
Nevertheless, Mr. Seinfeld recently sold the two-bedroom apartment--which he bought around the time his show was getting off the ground-- for $2.35 million, according to the New York Times. read more »
"I think he really liked it," said his publicist, Elizabeth Clark Zoia. "They used it for friends, out-of-town guests, family."- Michael Calderone
