Roger Friedman

Friedman is the son of Arthur and Rosalind Friedman.{{Cite web|url=https://www.legacy.com/amp/obituaries/ctpost/197304261|title=Arthur Friedman Obituary (2020) |website= Connecticut Post & Trumbull Times |date=December 16, 2020}} He attended Trumbull High School in Connecticut.{{Cite web|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/1470858/the-bridgeport-post/|work=The Bridgeport Post|date=December 11, 1974|title=Trumbull Students Deny Big Drug Use|author=Dennis Schaal}} He is of Jewish background.{{cite web| url = https://www.jweekly.com/2006/02/10/celebrity-jews-90/| title = Celebrity Jews – J.| date = 10 February 2006}}

Friedman wrote the "Intelligencer" column at New York magazine in 1994{{Cite web|url=https://www.villagevoice.com/2004/02/17/friedmans-complaint/|title=Friedman's Complaint|date=February 17, 2004|author=Cynthia Cotts|website=The Village Voice}} and edited the short-lived Fame, where he wrote cover stories on various stars. His articles have appeared in numerous other publications, including The New York Times, the Daily News, the New York Post, Vogue, Details, The Washington Post, and the Miami Herald.{{cite web|url=https://www.criticschoice.com/members/rfriedman/|title=Roger Friedman|publisher=Critics Choice Association|access-date=February 20, 2021}}

With D. A. Pennebaker and Chris Hegedus, Friedman co-produced Only the Strong Survive, a 2002 documentary film about Memphis soul musicians, in which he also appeared. The film was shown in the Directors' Fortnight in parallel to the Cannes Film Festival.{{cite web|url=http://www.quinzaine-realisateurs.com/only-the-strong-survive-f13872.html |title=Only the Strong Survive |work=Quinzaine des Réalisateurs |date= |accessdate=December 20, 2011}} Reviewing the documentary, James Sullivan wrote for the San Francisco Chronicle: "With Friedman, the narrator and emissary, tossing questions as squishy as Jell-O and heaping praise on the performers for their unexceptional appearances on the oldies circuit, it's a wasted opportunity."{{Cite web|url=https://www.sfgate.com/movies/article/FILM-CLIPS-Also-opening-today-2617914.php|title=FILM CLIPS / Also opening today|first=Mick|last=LaSalle|date=May 9, 2003|website=San Francisco Chronicle}}

Friedman worked for Fox News as a freelance gossip blogger from 1999 until he was fired in 2009.{{Cite web|url=https://www.courthousenews.com/fox-fired-movie-critic-over-x-men-download-suit-says/|publisher=Courthouse News Service|title=Fox Fired Movie Critic Over 'X-Men' Download, Suit Says|first=Jonathan|last=Perlow|date=July 2, 2009}} In 2002, he was criticized by Mica Rosenberg of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency for writing a review of a film even though he had never seen it, but only read an advance copy of the screenplay.{{Cite web|url=https://www.jta.org/2002/12/05/lifestyle/film-portrays-hitler-the-artist|title=Film portrays Hitler the artist|author=Mica Rosenberg|date=December 5, 2002|publisher=Jewish Telegraphic Agency }} In 2004, New York Times reporter Sharon Waxman, whom he attacked repeatedly in his writing, opined about Friedman: "If he spent half as much time checking his facts as he did complaining about people stealing from him, there wouldn’t be so many errors in his reporting!" She added, referring to Fox: "Do they hold him to journalistic standards, or does he just get to slander people with impunity?" The New York Observer reported:

Mr. Friedman ... has been a controversial figure for negative things he’s written. But more often than not, he’s been criticized for the positive. In the book Down and Dirty Pictures: Miramax, Sundance, and the Rise of Independent Film, Peter Biskind quoted former Miramax SVP and co-head of publicity Dennis Higgins as saying, "There’s no one in the pocket like Roger. It’s almost, ‘Whaddya want him to write?'"{{Cite web|url=https://observer.com/2009/04/did-pirated-wolverine-review-get-fox-411s-roger-friedman-fired-update/|title=Did Pirated 'Wolverine' Review Get Fox 411's Roger Friedman Fired? [Update]|date=April 6, 2009|author= Matt Haber|work=The New York Observer}}

In April 2009, Friedman was fired by Fox News after he reviewed the unfinished film X-Men Origins: Wolverine based on viewing a bootlegged copy of the movie online.{{cite web |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/7987136.stm |title=Writer loses job over Wolverine; A US columnist is out of a job after posting an online review of an illegally downloaded copy of X-Men Origins: Wolverine. |date=April 7, 2009 |publisher=BBC News |accessdate=October 13, 2010}}{{Cite web|url=https://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/Movies/story?id=7268500&page=1|title=Fox News Columnist Roger Friedman Fired|website=ABC News|date=April 6, 2009|first1=Luchina |last1=Fisher |first2=Ki Mae |last2=Heussner |first3=Sheila |last3=Marikar }} The parent company of Fox News issued a statement that said:

Roger Friedman's views in no way reflect the views of News Corp ... When we advised Fox News of the facts they took immediate action, removed the post and promptly terminated Mr. Friedman ... This behavior is reprehensible and we condemn this act categorically.{{Cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2009/04/exclusive-fox-news-fires-showbiz-columnist-for-encouraging-piracy-8996/|title=EXCLUSIVE: Fox News Fires Showbiz Columnist For "Promoting" Piracy|work=Deadline|first1=Nikki|last1=Finke|date=April 5, 2009}}

When contacted, Friedman said, in contrast: "There was no action taken against me."{{Cite web|url=https://www.huffpost.com/entry/roger-friedman-fired-by-f_n_183293|title=Roger Friedman Fired Over Leaked "Wolverine" Review|first=Danny|last=Shea|date=May 6, 2009|website=The Huffington Post}} (Friedman later told Gawker that he had not downloaded the film, but had streamed it after finding a link to it online.{{cite web |url=http://gawker.com/5200958/its-official-roger-friedman-loses-his-job-over-wolverine-piracy |title=It's Official: Roger Friedman Loses His Job Over Wolverine Piracy |first=Gabriel |last=Snyder |date=April 6, 2009 |work=Gawker |accessdate=October 17, 2010}}) Friedman's column was perceived as an endorsement of film piracy and illegal file sharing, particularly by the film's distributor, 20th Century Fox, which was then a unit of News Corporation alongside Fox News.{{cite web |url=https://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2009/04/wolverine-the-curse-of-the-pirate-critic/7313/ |title=Wolverine: the Curse of the Pirate Critic |first=Peter |last=Suderman |date=April 7, 2009 |work=The Atlantic |accessdate=October 13, 2010}} His review of Wolverine was very favorable, including comments such as "I doubt anyone else has seen this film ... I am, in fact, amazed about how great 'Wolverine' turned out."{{cite web |url=https://nymag.com/daily/entertainment/2009/04/roger_friedman_loves_wolverine.html |title=Roger Friedman Loves Wolverine! |date=April 3, 2009 |work=New York Magazine|author=Mark Graham |accessdate=October 13, 2010}} Friedman's article was removed by Fox News.{{Cite web|url=https://screenrant.com/fox-news-fires-journalist-wolverine-review/|title=Fox News Fires Journalist For Bootleg Wolverine Review [Updated]|date=April 5, 2009|author=Bruce Simmons|website=Screen Rant}}

Bruce Simmons wrote in Screen Rant: "What was Friedman thinking?" Not only was it foolish for him to review the movie, but then "he bragged" about how easy it was to find and download the pirated version.{{Cite web|url=https://theweek.com/articles/506867/how-xmen-origins-wolverine-got-roger-friedman-fired|title=How 'X-Men Origins: Wolverine' got Roger Friedman fired|date=April 6, 2009|website=The Week}} "When you work for the bank, you should not brag that you stole their money!"

In June 2009, Friedman filed a lawsuit against Fox News Network, NewsCorp America, Twentieth Century Fox, and Rupert Murdoch, claiming wrongful termination, tortious interference with his employment contract, and defamation based on statements Fox News and 20th Century Fox made after his firing.{{cite news |title=Fired Fox Columnist Files Libel Lawsuit |first=Dave |last=Itzkoff |newspaper=The New York Times |date=July 2, 2009 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/03/arts/television/03arts-FIREDFOXCOLU_BRF.html |accessdate=October 13, 2010}}{{cite web |url=http://gawker.com/5304978/roger-friedman-vs-fox-news-networks |title=Roger Friedman vs. Fox News Networks |date=June 30, 2009 |work=Gawker |accessdate=October 13, 2010}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.vulture.com/2009/06/roger_friedmans_fox_lawsuit_fa.html|title=Roger Friedman's Fox Lawsuit Fails to Live Up to Prerelease Hype|date=June 30, 2009|first=Lane|last=Brown|website=Vulture}} John Cook wrote in Gawker: "When you sue someone for breach of contract, aren't you supposed to actually quote from the contract? Just asking! ... [T]he complaint] ... doesn't even quote from the contract, or lay out what, precisely, it obligated Fox to do or not do relative to Friedman. Which doesn't bode well for a breach of contract claim, does it?"{{Cite web|url=http://gawker.com/5304944/roger-friedmans-lawsuit-against-fox-is-weak|title=Roger Friedman's Lawsuit Against Fox Is Weak|date=June 30, 2009|first=John|last=Cook|website=Gawker}}

Friedman joined The Hollywood Reporter as a senior correspondent in May 2009.{{cite web|first=Dave |last=Itzkoff |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/19/arts/19arts-FIREDCOLUMNI_BRF.html?ref=arts |title= Fired Columnist Is Hired |work=The New York Times|date=May 18, 2009 |accessdate=December 20, 2011}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.vulture.com/2009/05/hollywood_reporter_hires_pirat.html|title=Hollywood Reporter Hires Pirate |date=May 18, 2009|first=Lane|last=Brown|website=Vulture}} Business Insider described it as a surprising and risky move.{{Cite web|url=https://www.businessinsider.com/the-hollywood-reporter-hires-fired-fox-columnist-roger-friedman-2009-5|date=May 18, 2009|title=Pirate-Loving Roger Friedman Lands At The Hollywood Reporter|first=Hilary|last=Lewis|website=Business Insider}} Editor Matt Goldberg at Collider questioned the hiring, writing: "You know, when you act badly at one place and everyone learns about it, I don't believe its common practice to hire you to do the same job at another place. If there's a news story about you dipping your balls in the Frosty mix at Wendy's, you don't get to work at Steak n' Shake."{{Cite web|url=https://collider.com/disgraced-journalist-roger-friedman-finds-work-at-the-hollywood-reporter/|title=Disgraced Journalist Roger Friedman Finds Work at The Hollywood Reporter|date=May 19, 2009|author=Matt Goldberg|website=Collider }}

In March 2010, after Friedman alleged a link between her Organic Liaison weight-loss system and the Church of Scientology, Kirstie Alley accused him of libelous statements about her company. In addition, Friedman alleged that the Organic Liaison weight loss system was a sham. That month, Friedman's employment agreement was not renewed by The Hollywood Reporter.{{cite web|last=Finke |first=Nikki |url=https://deadline.com/2010/03/friedman-blog-exits-hollywood-reporter-29686/ |title=Friedman Blog Exits Hollywood Reporter |work=Deadline |date=March 6, 2010 |access-date=December 20, 2011}}

• [http://www.showbiz411.com/ Roger Friedman's Showbiz411.com]
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Category:Living people

Category:American male journalists

Category:American film critics

Category:Jewish American journalists

Category:Place of birth missing (living people)

Category:Year of birth missing (living people)

Category:The Hollywood Reporter people