THE TAILOR’S TABLE: Canali is ramping up its global lifestyle proposition with a new venture in food and hospitality.
After last month naming tennis player Stefanos Tsitsipas its first brand ambassador, the Italian menswear tailoring brand has revealed the opening of its first branded restaurant in Hong Kong.
Dubbed Locanda Canali, the Italian word for inn, the dining space curated by chef Gianni Caprioli is located inside Harbour City Gateway Arcade, one of Hong Kong’s leading shopping destinations.
“The opening of Locanda Canali represents a strategic step in our lifestyle journey. This concept enhances our customer experience by integrating hospitality into our identity,” said Stefano Canali, president and chief executive officer of the brand.
“We believe strongly in the cultural vitality and economic relevance of Hong Kong and the Greater Bay Area and are pleased to continue our development in this dynamic region,” he added.
The space is decked in soft and soothing tones, ranging from champagne-toned tapestry and wavy curtains on the walls to forest green upholstery on the wooden seats and banquettes. The checkerboard flooring is done in marble, a material reprised also in the tabletops and bar counter. Artworks and photographs hanging on the wall depict Milan landmarks.
Inside the Locanda Canali in Hong Kong.
Courtesy of Canali
Serving food from breakfast through dinner, the restaurant’s menu revisits Italian and Milanese cuisine with an international flair, building on Caprioli’s previous experiences across Italy, Europe and the U.S.
The unit is located next door to the existing Canali boutique in Hong Kong’s luxury shopping mall.
At a time of sluggish sales for luxury, hospitality is viewed as a strategic avenue to revive business, as customers increasingly pour their money into experiences rather than products.
Inside the Locanda Canali in Hong Kong.
Courtesy of Canali
Last month, the Canali CEO told WWD that despite the complex scenario the company is not skimping on investment. This month the brand will inaugurate a new store in Los Angeles, proving the centrality of the U.S., he said, while India and Italy remain solid markets.
Canali was founded in 1934 and, now in its third generation, it remains an independent family-run business that retains tailoring at the core, integrating technology into the artisanal process.
Lewis Capaldi dropped in to Good Morning America on Monday morning (July 7) for his first TV performance in more than two years as part of the show’s Summer Concert Series. In addition to performing a pair of songs with a full band during the visit — including an emotional run through his new single, “Survive,” as well as his breakthrough 2019 smash “Someone You Loved,” the most-streamed song of all time in the U.K. — Capaldi broke some news during the chat.
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“I don’t know about an album, but hopefully it will be… I’m doing an EP at some point this year,” he said, joking that he wasn’t sure if he was allowed to share the news, but was going to do it anyway. “And then an album will follow maybe next year.” Capaldi did not provide the name of the EP or a targeted release date, but he also teased that there will be a another new song later this summer and then, “another song after that and another song after that until the day I die.”
Capaldi gingerly stepped back into the spotlight at the Glastonbury Festival on June 27 with a brief set two years after the 28-year-old’s last full show, which was also at the famed festival in 2023. During the previous gig, he’d struggled with a strained vocal cord and his Tourette’s syndrome diagnosis, which manifested in a series of tics during his performance. That same day Capaldi announced that he was taking a break from touring to focus on his health.
“The fact that this probably won’t come as a surprise doesn’t make it any easier to write, but I’m very sorry to let you know I’m going to be taking a break from touring for the foreseeable future,” he wrote to fans in June 2023. “I used to be able to enjoy every second of shows like this and I’d hoped 3 weeks away would sort me out. But the truth is I’m still learning to adjust to the impact of my Tourette’s and on Saturday it became obvious that I need to spend much more time getting my mental and physical health in order so that I can keep doing everything I love for a long time to come.” Prior to his 2023 Glastonbury set, Capaldi had canceled a series of planned, sold out shows in Glasgow, Dublin, Norway and London.
The singer discussed the intensive therapy he’s been undergoing over the past two years on GMA, saying that his time out of the spotlight has involved, “lots and lots of therapy. It’s been nice, talking a lot about myself. Crying quite a lot over the last two years… I’ve just been locking in and putting it all together and here we are.”
In case anyone was wondering if the headline-grabbing Irish hip-hop insurgents Kneecap were backing down in light of blowback for their pro-Palestine beliefs, the band’s new video makes that answer clear: No.
Two weeks ago, the band officially released “The Recap,” a collaboration with British drum-and-bass producer Mozey that was first heard as a “bootleg” on Soundcloud in May. The group has now followed it with a video, which further addresses the blowback the group has faced during some of its recent live shows at the Coachella and Glastonbury festivals. (At the former, a sign reading “Fuck Israel. Free Palestine” appeared behind them.)
Over frenetic beats, the “Recap” single addressed criticism from the British government and Tory party leader Kemi Badenoch: “It’s Kneecap the Recap/West Belfast/Na na na/Disappear forever you Tories.” Referencing much-despised former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, they went on, “The writings on the walls/You like to think that you’re fooling everybody/But you’re not/Just like the iron lady/Your career is gonna rot/You’re just shit/Not in control.” The song ends with: “Onwards and upwards/Free Palestine.”
The video, directed by Finn Keenan, takes those lyrics to the next level. After opening with a barrage of newspaper headlines (“Rapper in court over use of flag”), the clip includes surveillance-camera footage, clips of Buckingham Palace and the Royal guards, an altered sign for a statue of Queen Victoria (“A million Irish dead under her reign”), and a cartoon of British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who said the thought of the group playing Glastonbury was not “appropriate.” The clip ends with a crowd chant of “Free Palestine” at one of their festival gigs.
The Belfast band, who rap in Gaelic as a political statement of its own, has been in the crosshairs this year more than ever. At Coachella in April, they started one of their sets with a screen message that read, “Israel is committing genocide against the Palestinian people,” followed by, “It is being enabled by the U.S. government who arm and fund Israel despite their war crimes.” At Glastonbury last month, the band led the crowd in a chant of “Fuck Keir Starmer.”
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The description of Israel’s reprisals in Gaza after the Hamas attacks of Oct. 7, 2023, as genocide has been highly contentious. Humanitarian groups including Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have used that term, as have many others; former president Joseph R. Biden and the American Jewish Committee, among other groups that support Israel, have strongly objected to this framing.
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Following the group’s set at Glastonbury, Kneecap (along with fellow festival act Bob Vylan) are reportedly being investigated by police, who will “consider all appropriate legislation, including relating to hate crimes.” Earlier, band member Mo Chara was charged with a terror offense after he allegedly held aloft a Hezbollah flag onstage last year, and the video for “The Recap” includes footage of him exclaiming, ““Glastonbury I’m a free man!”
Two nights ago, Kneecap opened for fellow Irishmen Fontaines D.C. in London, again accompanied by screen signage that read, “Israel is committing genocide against the Palestinian people.” They once more led the crowd in an anti-Starmer sing-along, but the performance has been described as less incendiary than those in the past.
Crazy Rich Asians and Wicked director Jon M. Chu is set to helm the live-action Hot Wheels feature, the big screen take on Mattel’s iconic toy cars for Warner Bros.
The screenwriting duo of Juel Taylor and Tony Rettenmaier will pen the script, with J.J. Abrams’ Bad Robot Productions, which has longstanding ties with Warner Bros., and Chu’s Electric Somewhere producing.
The hiring of the director and writers is a major development for the project that originated with Warner teaming with Mattel Studios in January 2019 to develop and produce a big-screen project. The action film promises to bring the iconic Hot Wheels franchise to the movies screen.
“Jon’s ability to craft rich, elaborate worlds with a distinct point of view makes him the ideal storyteller to bring Hot Wheels to life. His films are visual spectacles — true eye candy — but what sets them apart is how he weaves unforgettable narratives within those stunning frames. Paired with Juel and Tony’s compelling storytelling, this team is uniquely positioned to capture the heart, adrenaline, and spirit of Hot Wheels, a leading brand in car culture.,” Robbie Brenner, president of Mattel Studios and chief content officer, said in a statement on Monday.
The collaboration between Warner Bros. and Mattel Studios follows the box-office success of the Greta Gerwig-directed Warner Bros. tentpole Barbie.
Chu added in his own statement: “Hot Wheels has always been about more than speed — it’s about imagination, connection and the thrill of play. Bringing that spirit to the big screen is an incredible opportunity. I’m excited to partner with Mattel Studios, Warner Bros. Pictures and Bad Robot to create an adventure that honors Hot Wheels’ legacy while driving it somewhere entirely new.”
Chu recently directed Universal Pictures’ Wicked starring Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande. He also directed In the Heights for Warner Bros.
The film’s producers — including Mattel as it looks to its toy properties to become a franchise-driven entertainment giant — have yet to lift the hood on the movie’s plotline. “We already felt incredibly lucky to collaborate with Mattel on this special film. Having Jon, Juel and Tony come aboard takes our excitement to a whole new level,” said Abrams in his own statement.
Taylor and Rettenmaier have worked on projects like Creed II and They Cloned Tyrone, which marked Taylor’s directorial debut. Brenner is producing for Mattel Studios alongside Chu, Abrams and Michael Bostick.
The revered Swedish actor Stellan Skarsgård will sit down with yours truly to record a special episode of The Hollywood Reporter’s Awards Chatter podcast in front of an audience at the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival on Friday, July 11. The taping will take place at 11 a.m. local time, at Karlovy Vary’s historic Congress Hall. No ticket or pass is required for entry — admission is free — but seating is limited to the first 250 people to arrive.
The 74-year-old is at the fest to receive KVIFF’s Crystal Globe for Outstanding Artistic Contribution to World Cinema, previous recipients of which include Robert De Niro, Judi Dench, Michael Caine, Isabelle Huppert, Richard Gere, Helen Mirren, John Travolta, Willem Dafoe, Julianne Moore, Mel Gibson, John Malkovich, Susan Sarandon, Johnny Depp, Jude Law and Russell Crowe.
He is being celebrated for a film career that has included standout performances in numerous Lars von Trier projects (1996’s Breaking the Waves, 2000’s Dancer in the Dark, 2003’s Dogville, 2011’s Melancholia and 2013’s Nymphomaniac), as well as 1988’s The Unbearable Lightness of Being, 1990’s The Hunt for Red October, 1997’s Good Will Hunting and 2011’s The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo; the Dune, Pirates of the Caribbean and Mamma Mia! franchises; and several Marvel films. His TV credits include the 2019 limited series Chernobyl, for which he won a Golden Globe and was nominated for an Emmy, and the drama series Andor, which ran from 2022 through 2025.
The honor comes at the outset of an awards season that could bring Skarsgård his first Oscar nomination. Indeed, he has received some of the best reviews of his career for his portrayal of a famous filmmaker who has a complicated relationship with his daughters (Renate Reinsve and Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas), but has charmed the star of his latest film (Elle Fanning), in Joachim Trier’s dramedy Sentimental Value. It premiered — and was awarded the Grand Prize — at May’s Cannes Film Festival, and will be released by Neon in the U.S. on Nov. 7.
Feinberg’s Awards Chatter podcast is nearing its 10th anniversary and 600th episode. Past guests have included Martin Scorsese, Sean Penn, Oprah Winfrey, Elton John, Barbra Streisand, Jerry Seinfeld, Al Pacino, Meryl Streep, Steven Spielberg, Jennifer Lawrence, Bruce Springsteen, Snoop Dogg, Julia Roberts, Norman Lear, Sophia Loren, George Clooney, Will Smith, Carol Burnett, Robert De Niro, Angelina Jolie, Kevin Hart, Lorne Michaels, Kate Winslet, David Letterman, Lady Gaga, Eddie Murphy, Will Ferrell, Natalie Portman, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Bono, Nicole Kidman, Daniel Craig, Dolly Parton, Spike Lee, Tom Hanks, Margot Robbie, Denzel Washington, Ariana Grande, Kevin Costner, Jane Fonda, Robert Downey Jr., Olivia Rodrigo, Quincy Jones, Billie Eilish, Michael B. Jordan, Selena Gomez, Timothée Chalamet, Tina Fey, Adam Sandler, Ken Burns, Malala Yousafzai, Bill Gates, Hillary Clinton, Al Gore, Jane Goodall, Kobe Bryant, Gloria Steinem and Buzz Aldrin.
Three previous episodes of the podcast were recorded at KVIFF: Clive Owen (2024), Robin Wright (2023) and Liev Schreiber (2022).
David Corenswet, (bottom left photo by Joshua Gunter, cleveland.com), is the latest actor to don the iconic blue suit and red cape and play Superman on the big screen, joining a fraternity that includes, clockwise from top left, Christopher Reeve, Henry Cavill and George Reeves. James Gunn’s “Superman” opens July 11.Photos courtesy cleveland.com and Getty Images
CLEVELAND, Ohio – James Gunn’s new “Superman” film is making headlines all over the world this summer, but the character’s appearances across radio, television and film stretch all the way back to the late 1930s.
Many readers’ awareness begins with entries from the 1970s – namely the 1978 feature film “Superman: The Movie” starring Marlon Brando, Gene Hackman and Christopher Reeve.
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UNIMÁS will air its first ever K-drama, starring Korean actors Gong Yoo and Kim Go-eun.
TelevisaUnivision/UNIMÁS
In a push to attract younger viewers and diversify its programming strategy, UNIMÁS is betting on the global Korean drama phenomenon, bringing K-dramas to its Spanish-language audience for the first time.
TelevisaUnivision’s secondary U.S. broadcast network — formerly known as Telefutura — will premiere Goblin, el guardián (Guardian: The Lonely and Great God) on July 9 at 10 pm ET, followed by W, Dos Mundos this fall. Both series will be dubbed in Spanish.
Goblin, el guardián follows Kim Shin (Gong Yoo), an ancient warrior who was betrayed, killed and cursed to live forever as an immortal Goblin until he finds his destined bride to break the curse. When he meets Ji Eun-Tak (Kim Go-eun), a young woman who can see spirits, their love story unfolds alongside supernatural dynamics with a Grim Reaper roommate. Fans of Squid Game may recognize Gong Yoo as the recruiter from the hit Netflix series.
Barbara Musa Ruiz, TelevisaUnivision’s SVP of Programming Strategy and Scheduling, says the decision to bring K-dramas to UNIMÁS is rooted in the genre’s global appeal and production quality.
“K-dramas stand out due to their high production quality, including impressive cinematography and settings, and visual effects that enhance the viewer’s experience, in addition to their emotional stories with surprising twists that will deeply connect with our audiences,” she explains.
The selection of Goblin and W, Dos Mundos was intentional.
“These titles reflect the emotional depth and cinematic storytelling that have made K-dramas globally appealing, while aligning with the kind of character-driven narratives that perform well on our network,” says Musa Ruiz.
UNIMÁS has already begun promoting Goblin with a 360-degree campaign, aiming to build anticipation and awareness among viewers.
“We aim to offer innovative and culturally enriching content that resonates with our diverse audience, especially the younger demographic, who represent the natural target for this phenomenon,” notes Musa Ruiz.
UNIMÁS Looks to Diversify and Evolve
While this marks UNIMÁS’s debut in airing K-drama series (Univision has never aired one), Korean content isn’t entirely new to Spanish-language television. The now-defunct MundoFox network previously broadcast the Korean drama Escalera al Cielo (Stairway to Heaven) in 2013.
International programming, however, has been a staple for UNIMÁS. The network has aired numerous Turkish series over the years, including Entre Dos Amores (2018), ¿Qué Culpa Tiene Fatmagül? (2020), Pajaro Soñador (2020), Las Mil y Una Noches (2021), La Hija del Embajador (2022), Amor Prohibido (2023), and Pecado Original (2025). Sister network Univision has also embraced Turkish content, airing series starting in 2019.
Musa Ruiz emphasizes that the introduction of K-dramas is a natural extension of UNIMÁS’s ongoing commitment to offering diverse storytelling and evolving alongside its audience’s interests.
“International content has always played a key role in UNIMÁS’s programming strategy. While this marks our first launch of K-dramas, we’ve previously introduced acclaimed series from Brazil, Colombia, Turkey, and Mexico,” she states. “Our mission remains the same: to deliver powerful, relatable stories, no matter where they come from.”
The move also serves to differentiate UNIMÁS from its sister network Univision.
“UNIMÁS programming strategy is designed to push creative boundaries, offering diverse content that’s distinctive, edgier, and often more experimental in format or origin,” explains Musa Ruiz. At the same time, the goal is “to keep viewers engaged within the TelevisaUnivision ecosystem by offering complementary content experiences.”
So, why introduce K-dramas now? Musa Ruiz says that after monitoring trends and the global popularity of Korean content over the past decade, particularly in Latin America, the timing felt right.
“In Mexico, for instance, K-dramas have strongly resonated with audiences, providing a solid foundation for introducing this genre to UNIMÁS viewers.”
As the death toll rises in the aftermath of devastating flash floods that have ravaged areas of central Texas, celebrities are taking to social media to share relief resources and express sympathies for the impacted communities.
“Dear San Antonio, our hearts and prayers are with those affected by the flood in Central Texas,” Shakira said on social platform X. The musician performed at the Alamodome on July 5. “We are donating a portion of tonight’s show proceeds to Catholic Charities of San Antonio, who are providing disaster relief to the families impacted,” she continued. “If you would like to join me in donating, please click on the link below. Your help is important and appreciated.”
Maren Morris, an Arlington, Texas native, spotlighted the impact fund Texas Hill Country Community Foundation on Instagram. “Thinking of my home state right now. the floods are devastating and people are still missing,” she wrote. The foundation has set up funding resources for local efforts including nonprofits, local government, first responders, and shelters.
Uvalde, Texas native Matthew McConaughey reflected on the tragedy in a social media statement shared on X and Instagram. “At least 70 lives have been lost, many more are unaccounted for, and countless Texans are hurting – inside and out,” he wrote. “If you’re able, please lend a helping hand where and how you can. It’s gonna be a long road ahead, but right now the shock, the pain, and the chaos need the steady hand of a neighbor. Texans are some of the most resilient and generous people on the planet.”
On Instagram, Khloe Kardashian expressed sympathies for “the families in Texas and the overwhelming pain they’re going through right now.” Of the dozens dead, at least 30 are children. Others remain unaccounted for, Gov. Greg Abbott said in a press conference.
“As a mother, this kind of tragedy hits in a place words can’t reach,” Kardashian continued. “The loss of those sweet, innocent children is something I can’t fully process. there are just no words for this. My heart is so deeply aching for every parent, every family member, and every community. Please know that so many of us are carrying you in our hearts right now and I’m praying with everything I have in me for those still missing. Texas, we are holding you close.”
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Lana Del Rey shared her reacton to the tragic event on Instagram. “I want to say how sorry I am for so many people’s losses in Kerr County and beyond in Texas. We’ve been thinking of you every day since the floods,” she wrote. “All of my prayers are with you every moment of the day this week and may all the angels be with you as you search for even more lost loved ones. I’m so sorry for everyone who’s going through this. It’s truly unprecedented and I can’t even imagine it.”
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In a separate Instagram Story post, the musician directed followers to the Texas Hill Country Community Foundation website.
Miranda Lambert, who hails from Longview, Texas, is raising funds through her MuttNation foundation to help displaced pet owners. “I can’t even come up with any words for the loss that everybody’s suffering,” Lambert said on Instagram.
Last week, Jon Bauman paused in the middle of a Zoom call with Rolling Stone, put on his glasses and glanced up at a TV screen in his home. “You and I are right now in the middle of the vote on the Big Ugly Bill,” he said as the Senate cast its ballots for or against Donald Trump’s so-called “Big Beautiful Bill.” “This is the greatest loss of healthcare in the history of the country. No one’s ever tried to do anything like this before. It’s a horrible idea, and it’s all in service of giving the wealthiest Americans a tax cut they don’t need. That’s not a good enough reason. Sorry.”
If Bauman’s name doesn’t immediately ring any bells, his alter ego should. From 1970 until a farewell tour earlier this year, he was known to several generations as “Bowzer,” the cocky greaser with the flexed bicep, comically agape mouth, and heart-of-hoodlum-gold pose that made him the most iconic member of Sha Na Na, the long-running Fifties tribute band. Boomers remember Sha Na Na as the first retro oldies band, one that even appeared at Woodstock; Gen X knows Bowzer for his starring role on Sha Na Na’s syndicated TV show, which lasted into the early Eighties.
But these days, Bauman has his fist raised for a different reason. When he wasn’t on tour hosting an oldies revue, he’s spent the last two decades advocating for health-care issues. That phase of his life kicked in even harder in 2017, when he joined the Social Security Works Political Action Committee (PAC), an advocacy group that endorses and donates to candidates supportive of Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid, some of which are now imperiled by last week’s vote. “I really am part of the resistance,” Bauman, 77 and a Medicare and Social Security recipient himself, says. “Besides being Bowser, I’m pretty much a public policy wonk. And for better or worse, I do understand how this stuff works, and I do understand who you elect to public office makes all the difference in the world and how these things play themselves out.”
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And he’s not shy about it. As he wrote in one of his many vitriolic recent X posts, “Some Trumpers want to know what we learned from the last election. We learned you don’t give a f*ck about anything but beating us. You don’t give a f*ck about your Social Security. You don’t give a f*ck about your Medicare. You don’t give a f*ck about your drug prices.” (When another questioned his expertise and relevance, he replied, “Eat shit. Blocked.”)
Bauman’s past is never that far back in the rearview mirror. In 1972, John Lennon and Yoko Ono headlined a benefit concert at New York’s Madison Square Garden to help a a home for disabled children and adults. In this year’s One to One: John & Yoko doc, about the show and their lives in New York during that period, we see the concert’s climactic moment: a sing-along of “Give Peace a Chance,” with … Sha Na Na? “I don’t know who asked us to do it, but we always had a great show,” Bauman says. “So I’m not surprised that people wanted us to do stuff. But I was a little surprised when we were singing ‘Give Peace a Chance’ and John turns as he’s playing and looks at me and goes, ‘Hey, come over here,’ and invited me to the mic.”
That clip was a reminder of how big Sha Na Na were, for a time, part of a retro nostalgia movement that also included American Graffiti, Happy Days, and the original Grease stage show. At least three times in 1973, one of Sha Na Na’s opening acts was a relative newcomer named Bruce Springsteen. “People on our crew were saying, ‘You gotta check out this local guy, he’s really good,’” Bauman says. “The stagehands said it. The woman putting the soft drinks in the cooler in the dressing room said it. So I stick my big nose out and see this guy with a saxophone player, and I listen to the first song and go, ‘Oh, that’s pretty good.’ You listen to the second song, ‘That’s really good.’ By the fifth song, you’re going, ‘ I hope we can follow this guy.’”
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Bauman left Sha Na Na in the Eighties, moving on to a career that came to include acting roles (one episode of Miami Vice), voiceover work (My Little Pony), a brief VJ stint (on VH1), and years of touring as part of his Bowzer-fronted oldies show. He became a proponent of the Truth in Music initiative, a series of bills passed in more than 30 states that helped shut down unauthorized versions of classic R&B and doo-wop groups of the Fifties and Sixties. “The names weren’t properly protected, and [the original members] were just getting savaged by unscrupulous people who were pumping out dozens of Coasters and dozens of Drifters and dozens of Platters,” he says. “In the meantime, the audience is also being deceived, because they think they’re going to see something that has some connection to the actual group, and they’re actually just seeing a tribute show.” The bills have allowed state attorneys general to contact a venue about a pending “imposter” show, resulting in many being canceled.
The turning point in Bauman’s unexpected pivot to health-care advocate came with the 2000 presidential election, where George W. Bush prevailed over Al Gore. “It should never have gone to the United States Supreme Court,” he says. “I just said to myself, ‘Okay, I’m never sitting another one of these things out. I’m going to become involved in this.’” Bauman campaigned for John Kerry in 2004, and partook in rallies in support of Barack Obama’s Affordable Care Act. On social media he regularly went after waffling politicians like Maine senator Susan Collins, whom he dubbed “Coward Collins.”
In the process, Brauman educated both himself and his assistance-inclined fan base about programs that Republicans have, to his disgust, called “entitlements.” “I understood that this was where my best usefulness was, and made myself an expert on senior issues, which you have to be if you’re going to do this kind of work,” he says. “I start every speech that I give with, ‘I love the music of the Fifties and early Sixties. But that does not mean I actually want to return to the Fifties or the early Sixties.’ I did not want to return to a time before Medicare was passed in 1965 when over 35 percent of American seniors had incomes below the poverty line.”
After Bauman resurrected the Bowzer character in 1987, his touring schedule brought him several times to what was called the Trump Taj Mahal in Atlantic City in the early 2000s. Back then, Bauman says he barely knew anything about the person whose name was on the building. “It was just some guy who owned a bunch of casinos,” he says. “I did make the remark at the time, when I played there three years in a row or something, ‘If this is a Taj Mahal, I’m a big red steam shovel.’ The lamps were falling down. You could barely sleep in the bed. This was no kind of Taj Mahal. It was a dump.”
But Bauman was destined to reacquaint himself with Trump, especially once he won the presidency the first time in 2016. “I was known to say I have no interest in him whatsoever,” Bauman says. “That [Atlantic City work] was just a booking. Now I have interest in him because I think he’s a really awful person doing a really awful job. This is a guy who said, ‘I will not cut Medicaid,’ and they’re busy throwing at least 12 million people off it, and 17 million people altogether off of their health insurance. So, I mean, this guy just seems to be an inveterate liar.”
Like many, Bauman says he struggles to understand Republican support for the bill that was signed into law last week. “Donald Trump’s Big Ugly Bill makes the largest Medicaid cut in history, leaves kids and seniors to go hungry and blows up the national debt to give tax breaks to billionaires,” he says. “Why would anyone vote for that? I don’t know. I can’t answer that. Well, I can answer that. It’s because their donors want the tax cut, and they gotta figure out how to pay for it. It’s all money driven. It’s disgusting.”
So far this year, Bauman participated in almost a dozen events in swing districts with rural hospitals that could face closures once Medicaid cuts kick in. “This Big Ugly Bill is going to have terrible consequences for rural hospitals and nursing homes,” he says. “If this bill passes, and Medicaid is attacked in the way they’re proposing and those hospitals close, don’t think you’re escaping because you go to another hospital. Your hospital is going to get overrun by patients from the hospitals that close. Everybody’s going to be out on the street when that nursing home closes. This is something that affects everybody.”
Now that Trump has signed the bill into law, Bauman is putting his hope in what the calls “our consolation prize,” a backlash that would benefit Democrats in next year’s midterms. He’s also intrigued by Elon Musk’s proposal to start a third political party. “I have always felt that this is a coalition of the greediest among us and the most bigoted among us,” he says. “So anything that fractures that coalition is good.” And Bauman isn’t happy with the email the Trump-led Social Security Administration sent out, claiming the bill “reaffirms President Trump’s promise to protect Social Security”: “Someone like me is used to the hyperbolic marketing bullshit that’s at the heart of his regime. That’s exactly what this new Social Security propaganda actually is.”
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Early this year, Bauman wrapped up his long-running “Rock ‘n’ Doo Wop Party,” a tour that featured him and other period legends like Chubby Checker and Gary “U.S” Bonds. The wear and tear of age had something to do with Bauman’s retirement from the road, although he gives props to those even older veterans still out there: “If I had the repertoire of a Paul Simon, I would probably still be doing it too.”
Bauman largely kept his political raps out of the show but admits that in the final performances in January, he couldn’t help himself. “I started talking much more about Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, and senior issues, because my audience is older, and these things apply to them in a very direct and not particularly partisan way,” he says. “A few maybe thought that the Bowzer character was a real guy stalking the streets of Brooklyn. I seem to get more positive feedback than not, and frankly, I don’t care. The country is in a very dangerous spot where we’re facing an attempt at an authoritarian takeover in every way, shape, matter, or form. And if I’ve lost some old fans over it, so be it. I would like to convince them that our country is worth saving.”
