Rambling Reporter: Lenny Kravitz Clarifies BET Slam

This week in Rambling Reporter: On the heels of Sunday’s Creative Arts Emmy Awards ceremony where Netflix’s Queer Eye picked up a sixth straight trophy in the structured reality category, we’ve learned why the new season will be one episode short; Lenny Kravitz sets the record straight again on his BET Awards comments to Esquire; a pair of Quiet Place scribes make some noise in Iowa of all places; and Mauro Café’s owner has no plans to close anytime soon.

Why Queer Eye’s Next Season is One Episode Short

A new season of Queer Eye hits Netflix on Jan. 24, and the rollout is underway with Fab Five member Tan France recently teasing on Instagram, “Get ready, folks, this season’s a great one.” Per multiple sources, it was also pretty scary. A string of crime around the New Orleans set caused panic among staff and led producers to implement heightened security protocols during the final weeks of filming in summer 2022. The cost of increased security (including such measures as a round-the-clock detail for the stars) caused producers to trim the episode order from seven to six, a decision that sparked friction over lost pay. Things took a turn on July 2, 2022, when five men in ski masks attempted to steal a vehicle outside a field production office while two crewmembers were unloading it. The following day, ITV America engaged the services of Tectus Security and Private Investigations to provide guards at the production office as well as increased presence at field locations. On July 7, two assailants tried to steal a production vehicle (“a fully decked-out GMC truck”) but were unsuccessful as staff acted quickly to lock the doors. The perpetrators allegedly sprinted to another Queer Eye vehicle nearby, where a PA was pulled from inside and the men made off with it. Police were called, and authorities recovered the vehicle. An “emergency meeting” ensued with crew and all Fab Five members. “The carjacking was such a serious thing, and everyone was on high alert,” explained a source, who called the meeting “intense.” According to two sources, style guru France threatened to walk away from filming if additional measures were not taken, and his fellow hosts were ready to follow him. THR reached out to Netflix, New Orleans police, reps for Queer Eye’s France, Jonathan Van Ness, Antoni Porowski, Bobby Berk and Karamo Brown, and none offered comment. “Following the attempted carjacking and carjacking during Queer Eye filming in New Orleans, production took immediate and extensive action to secure the safety of all personnel,” a representative for ITV America told The Hollywood Reporter. “Measures were taken not only to provide ample security, but also so everyone would feel comfortable continuing to film in the city. Due to the collective steps taken, Queer Eye was able to resume filming safely and without further incident.”  Read more coverage here.

Quiet Place Scribes Noise in Iowa

Spending the holidays sweeping up popcorn and selling concessions might not be everyone’s idea of a dream vacation, but for filmmakers Scott Beck and Bryan Woods, it was indeed a dream. After years of planning, the duo opened the doors to The Last Picture House on Dec. 9, a boutique movie theater in their hometown of Davenport, Iowa. Built in a century-old building that was falling apart, the art-deco inspired theater boasts a rooftop screening space (complete with a bar and views of the Mississippi River), as well as theaters with Dolby Atmos sound. It’s a chance for the duo, best known for writing the 2018 horror hit A Quiet Place, to curate classics they like (they acquired a 35 mm print Paul Thomas Anderson’s Magnolia) while bringing early screenings and talent to their corner of the Midwest, a place often overlooked by Hollywood. They kicked things off with an early screening of The Iron Claw, which they convinced studio A24 to let them show early — an easy sell, as they are directing the horror movie Heretic for the indie outfit. They hope to stage a screening (with talent) when the film arrives later this year. “We were telling Hugh Grant on set in Vancouver, ‘You better come to Iowa now,’ Beck says of his Heretic leading man. (Yes, Davenport — population of around 100,000 does have an international airport.) For Beck and Woods, opening a theater is a full circle moment. Before they made livings as filmmakers, they worked in movie theaters around Los Angeles, where they served patrons such as Janet Jackson, Hans Zimmer, Fergie and Josh Duhamel. Quentin Tarantino, who owns the New Beverly in Los Angeles, once famously stated, “As long as I’m alive, and as long as I’m rich, the New Beverly will be there, showing double features in 35mm.” While the duo would not say they have 35 mm collections (or bank accounts) to rival Tarantino’s, they acknowledge that they do not see the theater as a money-making operation for them. After the challenges theaters faced in 2020, they wanted to ensure they could play a role in keeping at least one going. Says Woods: “We love movies so much, too much, arguably, and we’re just trying to spread that love.” — Aaron Couch

Lenny Kravitz on BET Awards Dig: “It Was Just an Isolated Thing”

In November, Lenny Kravitz aired a long-held grievance when he told Esquire that throughout his career, he had “not been invited to a BET thing or a Source Awards thing.” He told the magazine, “It’s like, here is a Black artist who reintroduced many Black art forms, who has broken down barriers — just like those that came before me broke down. That is positive. And they don’t have anything to say about it?” After the comments came under fire online, Kravitz clarified them on Instagram: “The comment I made was not about ‘Black media’ or the ‘Black community.’ I was specifically referring to Black award shows in particular,” he wrote. “My comment was meant to express a concern about ensuring that Black artists are being recognized for their work in what is now being called ‘nontraditional’ Black music, which it is not.” At the recent Palm Springs Film Awards, Kravitz clarified further by telling THR that “it was just an isolated thing I was talking about. I think it just really refers to rock ’n’ roll sort of being put to the side by a lot of my own people. We are innovators and we tend to move on, and the same thing happened to jazz, but rock ’n’ roll is obviously a Black art form and should be recognized as such. That’s all.”

What’s Next for Mauro Café After Ron Herman Closure?

Ron Herman — the trend-setting Melrose Avenue shopping destination that stocked high-profile fashion brands alongside up-and-coming designers — bowed out of L.A.’s retail scene in November after more than 45 years in business. While that may not have been a shock amid challenges facing brick and mortar businesses, it immediately raised a question about the fate of industry-favored Mauro Café. The restaurant, which has long been a conveniently located power lunch destination for executives and stars alike, has been run by owner Evelyne Joan since 2001. She tells Rambling Reporter that she’s keeping the lights on and is optimistic about the future. Per a text message: “We are planning on staying open for another decade!!!”

Where Crossroads Kids Are Headed After Graduation

A new Instagram page popped up in December that offers proud grads (relatives, friends or anyone for that matter) the chance to announce where Crossroads School graduates are going to college. In less than a month, the page has nearly three dozen listings including high-profile industry offspring. For example, J.J. Abrams and Katie McGrath’s son August is off to Northeastern University in Boston to study business; producer Brad Falchuk’s son Brody will major in history at Yale University while his stepbrother, Moses Martin, son of Gwyneth Paltrow and Chris Martin, will major in music at Brown University; and actress Embeth Davidtz’s son, Dylan Sloane, will also study business at Tulane University. It’s unclear who’s operating the public account but submissions (including cute pics) can be sent in via a Google doc.

This story first appeared in the Jan. 10 issue of The Hollywood Reporter magazine. Click here to subscribe.