WMA/Endeavor Merger Update

Supreme Gossip Goddess Nikki Finke says today's a big decision day for this possible merger. According to her sources, enthusiasm from Endeavor has been wavering as they weigh the pros against the cons. WMA has been "obstinate" about who would remain employed at the new agency, and everybody knows that Ari Emanuel doesn't play well with obstinate - especially when the bullheaded WMA chiefs are generally regarded as failed leaders. I'm hearing that the new company would still be called William Morris, but Ari would be running the show, which makes sense - Ari might not be warm and cuddly, but everyone agrees that he runs a very tight ship.

In addition to Nikki's comprehensive diary of the whispering gallery that Endeavor has become, her comments section provides a whole additional canvassing of opinions on the potential merger. One comment in particular was so noteworthy, Nikki twittered it last night. It's titled, "Dear W.M.A., I Quit!" It's an entertaining read, check it out.

WMA/Endeavor Merger?

My sources are saying that a William Morris/Endeavor merger is more and more likely every day. Nikki Finke noticed that someone went and bought both williammorrisendeavor.com and endeavorwilliammorris.com.

Personally, I think Endeavor + William Morris = Endorse. Not too bad, eh?

Update: Now I'm hearing that a merger announcement can be expected on Monday.

Ouch

According to VIP Hollywood Insider Nikki Finke, Frank Langella waited until Oscar voting was closed to leave his long, long, longtime agent at Innovative and move to William Morris. Langella seems like a perfect fit for WMA, notorious for repping those serious (stodgy) and seasoned (old) actors.

Why did he wait to leave until the voting was closed? Perhaps he was afraid that the academy members are hardcore Innovative supporters? Oooh, maybe there will be a big showdown of "Team Innovative" and "Team WMA" t-shirts on the red carpet. Or everyone will just stare slack-jawed at Robert Pattinson, as originally planned. Probably the latter.

Blogging the Oscars '08

Here I am folks, liveblogging the Oscars, again! Don't be fooled, there are countless swanky parties I could be at, but I CHOOSE to be here, with you, dear blog reader. Okay fine, I got nothing. Oh it's starting! I'm always surprised by just how much I love Jon Stewart. I love that little look he gives the camera after one of his nastier jokes, the look that says "kidding... yikes".

I can't BELIVE how well Amy Adams pulled of "Happy Working Song"! She walked out there so alone on that big huge stage, no projections of little cartoons rats and roaches or anything to amuse us but her - but she sounded amazing and acted the hell out of it! Props to her! Huge props!

Is it weird that I get really psyched for Outstanding Achievement in Art Direction? Sweeney Todd really deserved it - the whole films was so beautifully, meticulously designed that the less effective factors in the movie were barely even noticable.

Javier Bardem - what a shoo-in. Anyone else notice when Regis called his Xavier Bardem in the pre-show?

Ooh it's the song from August Rush. Maybe this will make me want to see the movie? Uh oh. There's an alto in there who is horribly flat. Wow. These kids can sing. Too bad they get to sing a catchier song to sing at the freakin' Oscars. Oh, it's over. Nope. Still don't want to see August Rush.

A bee montage? The periscope montage from earlier got me all confused. I can't tell if these are joke montages or not anymore.

Supporting actress time. Oscar loves little girl thesps, but Oscar also loves cross-dressing... who will it be?!?! (Fingers crosses for Amy Ryan)... Ah, but Oscar also loves a class-action lawsuit, so Tilda Swinton wins. She looks like a very beautiful grasshopper. And she's talking about her agent whose got Oscar's ass! Brian Swardstrom of Endeavor is getting a lot of ass-related texts right now.... and hey, a little googling reveals that he DOES look like the Oscar! Here he is with my girlcrush Eva Green in Cannes (courtesy of wireimage):

Mmm Josh Brolin and James McAvoy. Can't... blog... so.... sexy... No Country for Old Men wins Best Adaptation. The Coens are so nerdy and funny! Still thinking about James McAvoy's accent though. Good lord. Ridiculously attractive.

And now, the moment us musical theater superfans have been waiting for, Kristin Chenoweth performing "That's How You Know" from Enchanted! That dress she's wearing is so serious and muted, though. Why? Where's the Disney palette? Where's the fun? Ooh, I don't know about this. I don't feel the magic. I miss Amy Adams! They should have combined both Enchanted songs into one big Dreamgirls-style montage and had Amy do the whole thing.

Julie Christie seems like a big shoo-in, too. But my heart is with Marion Cotillard. YES! YES! YES! She wins! If you haven't seen this film yet, please do. She is luminescent, miraculous, and unrecognizable, she disappears so completely into the character.

Once. "Falling Slowly". They give me chills. Love, just love those two.

You know what's striking about the Best Picture montage? 79 best pictures, and so many of them musicals. Gigi, West Side Story, My Fair Lady, The Sound of Music, Chicago, and more. We are such romantic emotional creatures, we humans, and a truly great movie musical gets us every time. I love that.

Another song from Enchanted? I forgot about this one. Too bad the kid can't really sing. How'd they find a dancer who looks just like Amy Adams? Millions of viewers think it's really her dancing right now. OH my god that high falsetto note was AWFUL! They wish they hired Gavin DeGraw to sing that song.

Scientologist John Travolta presents the Oscar to Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova for their song from Once! Yes! Yes! Three cheers! I love them! Hooray! "Make art!" says Glen Hansard. ...and, I LOVE that she came back out to give her thanks! She speaks beautifully about hope, and how great achievement is fair play for those who dare to dream. Fantastic!

A sad moment to remember those cinema greats we've lost this year. Kitty Carlisle Hart, I'll miss you. Suzanne Pleshette. Deborah Kerr. Ingmar Bergman. Heath Ledger, whose name fills the screen over a glorious, triumphant swell of music that feels all wrong.

Amy Adams is delightful, even as a presenter for Best Original Score. She explains the great artistic achievement that is an incredible score. They play Rocky. Everyone nodds their heads in agreement, it is awesome. Atonement wins the Oscar. Okay.

Tom Hanks tells us that the troops are still at war, and we want to include the kids in Baghdad in the 80's Annual Academy Awards. They present best docu short. They look so young. Gotta see No End In Sight. Sicko is great. Don't be scared! See it!

Now seems like a good time to mention that this year's Oscars set looks a lot like a prettier, more tasteful version of The Little Mermaid on Broadway. Those ugly columns under the sea that everyone complains about? They look like that, but more embellished and translucent.

Defamer is also liveblogging the Oscars, check it out.

Diablo Cody wins the Oscar! Holy Shit! She clasps hands with Ellen Page and Jennifer Garner is falling out of her seat. "What is happening?!?" she says, as she thanks the writers. The room is filled with love. Diablo cries and thanks her family "for loving me exactly the way I am."

Have to share what Defamer's livebloggers said about the final Enchanted performance:

We get it. Enchanted is an enchanting movie with lots of wonderful songs. Now can someone shoo Lumière and the rest of the gang of the stage? And we're officially drunk, so can someone clarify: Is that Amy Adams? Or an Amy Adamalike? And who the hell is singing? Where's Simon Cowell when you need him?! OK, we think we need a bathroom break.

Lumiere! Hilarious! Great minds, Defamer.

Lead Actor time. Helen Mirren struts out, walking like she's got a dagger in her bodice. Roll the nominees. Wouldn't Johnny Depp be a surprise? He will have vengance. He will have salvation. The shoo-in, Daniel Day-Lewis wins, of course.

Joel Coen and Ethan Coen win the Oscar for Best Achievement in Directing. Martin Scorcese looks very, very short when standing next to them.

Denzel Washington will tell us which film will become the 80th Best Picture. Atonement, Juno, Michael Clayton, No Country for Old Men, or There Will Be Blood? No Country for Old Men wins the Oscar! Cormack McCorthy is on his feet in applause! Scott Rudin says this is a big surprise!

And that's the night. No, thank YOU, Jon Stewart.

Gypsy Gossip: Benanti "unavailable" for other projects

I heard through the grapevine that Laura Benanti's agency is a little harried these days. Her manager is saying Ms. Benanti is unavailable for projects in late winter/early spring '08, but they won't tell anyone, not even her agents, what she's got going on.

Looks like Gypsy is on, folks.

In actual casting-related news...

Endeavor has dumped somewhere between 15% and 25% of their client roster. Comedy writer and super-blogger Ken Levine says:

The next time you watch ENTOURAGE and laugh at Ari Gold and think that character is such a funny exaggeration, just know that the real Ari (Emanuel) heads up the endeavor agency and this week they dumped 25% of their clients – writers, directors, actors. Endeavor now wishes to just represent “the best of the best”. Yeah, that Ari is a stitch!

As usual, Variety is singing a slightly more conservative tune:

Endeavor has trimmed over 100 clients from its roster, covering talent and lit clients in both film and TV... Insiders said this round of herd-thinning will claim less than 15% of the agency roster... Agents were told two months ago to begin jettisoning clients "whose interests are not being well served by the agency," to use the usual tenpercentery lingo.

Huh. I wonder who's been axed? Probably not Jessica Alba, Christian Bale, Ben Affleck, or any of the other standard Endeavor hotties. But what of the fate of Hank Azaria? Heather Goldenhersch? MACAULAY CULKIN????

UPDATE: Jesse Metcalfe got the boot, and if anyone actually cares about Jesse Metcalf, he's with Gersh now.

Will Roger Bart play Dr. Frankenstein? Yes, he will.

At least I think so. Variety's Gordon Cox says that "word on the rialto" has Roger Bart as Dr. Frankenstein, and Christopher Fitzgerald as Igor, in the new Brooks/Stroman/Meehan musical behemoth Young Frankenstein.

I spoke with Bart's agent last week, who said that Bart will not be available this winter because of an unannounced project on Broadway. Variety confirms my suspicion that the project is Frankenstein. That is, unless he's playing Shrek.

The supporting cast will include Megan Mullally in the Madeline Kahn role, Sutton Foster in the Teri Garr role, and Shuler Hensley as Frankenstein's monster.

Office Holiday Gift Envy

Moxie's office is overflowing with sickly-sweet chocolatey treats sent by actors, agents, and managers (several of whom I've never spoken to in my life - do these people think stale nougat will make 2007 the watershed year for their clients?). The sugary onslaught at first seemed like it would be a wonderland, until Moxie devoured six brownies in one afternoon and then felt like a few of Santa's elves were getting rambunctious in her belly. Fat Witch Brownies, I'm putting you on notice, and your adorable blondie cousins, too.

From the office itself, Moxie was looking forward to some kind of company emblem-embroidered denim button-down or the like, but instead was surprised to receive an extra paid vacation day, which is sort of a cool treat and a let down at the same time. Moxie was satisfied until she heard what a friend of hers got from his boss, who happens to be Conan O'Brien. Apparently, the king of late-late-night got his whole staff XBox 360s, along with a year-long subscription to the online gaming thingie that sounds supercool. Well, poopiepants... score one for television, zero for not-for-profit theater.

Roundup: Cruise's Behavior "not acceptable" to Paramount

Tom Cruise got the axe today. Paramount dumped Cruise/Wagner after 14 years together. In a stunning demonstration of typical agent grammar, CAA say, "What is the issue is Paramount's behavior over the last 12-18 months. We got fed up." Paramount says that although they really, really like Tom personally, "His recent conduct has not been acceptable to Paramount."

Craptastic Superman Brandon Routh is "engaged" to his "girlfriend". Routh says his lady is his "personal kryptonite". MmmHmm.

Britney Spears says she wants to be buried with her dog, Lucky. Somewhere, Kevin Federline cries, cries, cries in his lonely heart. Britney says, "You know how the Pharaohs used to get buried with things they loved? I want to do that with Lucky. She should be laid to rest with me when the time comes."

And finally, this cartoon from defamer... splendid.

Brownouts at Gersh

One of New York's hottest agencies is a bit hotter today- the Gersh office is having brownouts, so all their agents are heading home for the day. Moxie dares to say she wouldn't mind one tiddlywink a litte brownout at her own office, located just a hop skip and jump from Gersh!