In 30 Rock's third season, Jenna Maroney is cast in a Janis Joplin biopic —without the rights to Joplin's name, life story or music — called Sing Dem Blues, White Girl: The Jackie Jormp-Jomp Story.
The Simpsons is often credited with spookily predicting future events, but it looks like 30 Rock beat them to the punch this time, because Michael Jai White's Jaigantic Studios has just greenlit a Billy Joel biopic that, somehow, is going forward without Billy Joel's music, likeness, name or life story rights.
As reported by Variety, Billy Joel is not involved in the film — called Piano Man, it's being written and directed by Adam Ripp — in any capacity.
Joel's absence might make a little more sense when you remember that Adam Ripp is the son of Artie Ripp, who produced Joel's infamously botched first solo album, 1971's Cold Spring Harbor. Joel has blamed the commercial failure of the album on Ripp in the past, and Ripp's mastering mistake — wherein the final songs were accidentally sped-up slightly, causing Joel's voice to sound unnaturally high — ended the pair's friendship and Joel's contract with Ripp's Family Productions.
Piano Man is said to follow Joel's early years, "from being discovered by his first manager Irwin Mazur at age 16, to playing in a Long Island cover band in the 1960s, to his breakout performance in 1972 that captured the attention of Clive Davis." Jaigantic has reportedly acquired the life rights to Mazur, so at least they've got that going for them.
"Billy Joel has been a part of my life since my father signed him to his record label when I was 4 years old," Adam Ripp said in a statement. "His music is ingrained in my DNA and it's been a dream of mine as a filmmaker to explore and celebrate the untold story of how Billy Joel became the Piano Man."
This should be an interesting one, so buckle up and get ready to meet Bobby Jowl, the keyboard gentleman.
The Simpsons is often credited with spookily predicting future events, but it looks like 30 Rock beat them to the punch this time, because Michael Jai White's Jaigantic Studios has just greenlit a Billy Joel biopic that, somehow, is going forward without Billy Joel's music, likeness, name or life story rights.
As reported by Variety, Billy Joel is not involved in the film — called Piano Man, it's being written and directed by Adam Ripp — in any capacity.
Joel's absence might make a little more sense when you remember that Adam Ripp is the son of Artie Ripp, who produced Joel's infamously botched first solo album, 1971's Cold Spring Harbor. Joel has blamed the commercial failure of the album on Ripp in the past, and Ripp's mastering mistake — wherein the final songs were accidentally sped-up slightly, causing Joel's voice to sound unnaturally high — ended the pair's friendship and Joel's contract with Ripp's Family Productions.
Piano Man is said to follow Joel's early years, "from being discovered by his first manager Irwin Mazur at age 16, to playing in a Long Island cover band in the 1960s, to his breakout performance in 1972 that captured the attention of Clive Davis." Jaigantic has reportedly acquired the life rights to Mazur, so at least they've got that going for them.
"Billy Joel has been a part of my life since my father signed him to his record label when I was 4 years old," Adam Ripp said in a statement. "His music is ingrained in my DNA and it's been a dream of mine as a filmmaker to explore and celebrate the untold story of how Billy Joel became the Piano Man."
This should be an interesting one, so buckle up and get ready to meet Bobby Jowl, the keyboard gentleman.