Will Ferrell to play an addled Ronald Reagan in movie comedy
Also in Tattle: Stevie Nicks, Kelli OHara, Linda Fairstein and a gay dinosaur
OH, LIBERAL Hollywood, there you go again.
Will Ferrell, who's become a star playing a variety of lunkheads, is sure to anger a portion of the population having signed on to play President Ronald Reagan in the simply titled movie comedy "Reagan."
Variety reports that the fictional script by Mike Rosolio was on the infamous Hollywood Black List of the best unproduced scripts. It deals with Reagan's second term when he begins to suffer from dementia. An intern must then convince the leader of the free world that he's an actor playing a president.
Ferrell also will produce. The project soon will be shopped to studios.
In addition to characters like Ron Burgundy, Ricky Bobby, Buddy the Elf and James Lipton, Ferrell also played President George W. Bush on Saturday Night Live and in the Broadway play You're Welcome America.
Given where the Republican party is this year, a funny, demented Ronald Reagan is looking pretty good.
Stevie goes to 'School'
Stevie Nicks surprised the audience at Broadway's School of Rock with a riveting performance of "Rhiannon" Tuesday night after the cast took its curtain call.
Backed by the show's very young band, Nicks brought the house to its feet. Afterward, she praised the young musicians.
"I have Fleetwood Mac, and then I have my solo band that I've been playing with since 1980, and now I have one more fantastic band to add to my roster, so I'm very happy," Nicks said backstage at the Winter Garden Theater.
After seeing the show on opening night and again on Tuesday, Nicks said performing at the show was something she wanted to do, especially because her appearance would help raise money for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights Aids. The organization provides financial support for people with AIDS, HIV and HIV-related diseases.
"It's not work, it's just great fun . . . so it's a great, easy way to make money to give to people that really need it," Nicks said.
* In other Broadway good-deed news, Tony Award winner Kelli O'Hara will host the first Arts For Autism Benefit Concert at the Gershwin Theatre on June 20, at 7:30 p.m.
O'Hara, along with other soon to be announced Broadway performers, will "Light It Up Blue" to support Autism Speaks. They will be joined by young performing arts students from around the country who have auditioned for the opportunity to perform on a Broadway stage and support Autism Speaks.
"My best friend since before I can remember has an 8-year-old son with autism. Quite severe," O'Hara said in a statement. "She has educated me so much about the journey she has taken. It means more than anything to be a part of this event."
For more info, contact Autism Speaks/New Jersey at NewJersey@autismspeaks.org
or 609-228-7599.
TATTBITS
* The latest sleuth for best-selling crime writer (and former prosecutor) Linda Fairstein is relatively new to the mystery game.
Fairstein's next series will be for readers ages 8 to 12, and feature 12-year-old Devlin Quick. Dial Books for Young Readers told the Associated Press on Wednesday that the first book in the series, Devlin Quick: Into the Lion's Den, will come out Nov. 1. The books will feature Devlin and her best friend Booker as they take on cases in New York City, including a caper at the New York Public Library.
Fairstein is best known for her Alex Cooper crime series. In a statement issued through Dial, she said the new books are inspired in part by her childhood affection for Nancy Drew.
We'd add that the 'tween market is still one of the best for books and a great way to hook readers early, but we are sure that's just a coincidence.
* The Washington Post reports that among the nominees for a Hugo Award this year, honoring the best in science fiction, are the movie Star Wars: The Force Awakens, the Netflix series Jessica Jones and a 4,100-word piece of erotica titled "Space Raptor Butt Invasion," written by Chuck Tingle, about a man named Lance and a gay dinosaur.
The Hugo nomination process it seems is a bit like the presidential nomination process with niche voting blocs wielding great power as they try to take back the awards from the asteroid beltway insiders.
- Daily News wire services
contributed to this report.