Tribute Concerts Head to Retailers

The fruits of unprecedented cooperative efforts among the major record companies and television and cable networks will arrive in record stores starting Tuesday, when the all-star double-CD “The Concert for New York City” is released by Columbia Records. That was the Oct. 20 concert at Madison Square Garden, a collaborative effort among VH1, Cablevision, Miramax and America Online whose lineup included Paul McCartney, the Who, David Bowie, Elton John, Destiny’s Child and Billy Joel.

A week later comes “America: A Tribute to Heroes,” a two-disc set from Interscope packed with rock luminaries including Bruce Springsteen, U2, Stevie Wonder, Alicia Keys, Dave Matthews, Dixie Chicks and Wyclef Jean. The performances are from the Sept. 21 telethon shown on 35 U.S. broadcast and cable networks, including ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox. It was also carried over the Internet, on 8,000 radio stations, on the Armed Forces Network and on TV outlets in more than 200 countries. (DVD and video versions come out the same day, with the DVD-video release of “The Concert for New York City” still pending.)

“We’ve been getting a lot of requests from customers for both records, so we’re anticipating very big things for both,” says Wherehouse Entertainment senior pop buyer Bob Bell. Although both should be shoo-ins for Top 10 debuts on the sales chart, “America: A Tribute to Heroes” figures to have stronger sales initially, according to Bell. “That one certainly had a high profile, being the week after Sept. 11 and airing on multiple [television networks] simultaneously.”

Competition from other major fall releases shouldn’t be a big factor on these benefit albums. “They’ll pretty much be in a class by themselves,” Bell says. “I know all the retailers will be supporting them. I don’t think the record companies are worrying about how they do versus other releases. I think everybody is doing them for the right reasons.”

‘Schwartz’ Faces Tough Challenge

After being benched all month, “Inside Schwartz” returns to NBC’s lineup Thursday, making what amounts to a last-ditch run for the latest occupant of the post-”Friends” time slot.

In familiar fashion, the new sitcom--about a young man (Breckin Meyer) whose fantasies play out in cameos by sports figures--has struggled to retain the “Friends” audience, losing roughly 40% of those watching the long-running hit to CBS’ “Survivor: Africa.”

In partial defense of “Schwartz,” the only thing NBC has found that reliably keeps “Friends” viewers is more “Friends,” with the network inserting reruns of the show at 8:30 during sweeps (which ends Wednesday). Moreover, a test of another new NBC comedy, “Scrubs,” fared no better after “Friends” a few weeks ago, although the series has received a warmer reception from critics than “Schwartz.”

With both “Schwartz” and “Emeril” preempted this month and looking shaky, the expectation is that NBC will make some scheduling changes in January, though the network also intends to hold back a few new series until March to capitalize on the promotional platform the Winter Olympics will provide in February. Whatever NBC’s plans, “Schwartz” will need to exhibit more promise over the next few weeks if its sports-fan protagonist wants to see the Olympic torch lit.

Forster Polishes His New ‘Diamond’

Pictures often survive or die by word of mouth, and Robert Forster is hoping his new film will attract some attention. Since his Oscar nomination for best supporting actor in “Jackie Brown,” Forster has, he says, done some “really nice stuff” that stands in stark contrast with many of his previous roles.

“I’ve stopped doing bad guys,” Forster said. “I got stuck doing those kinds of roles in ‘The Delta Force’ [in 1986] and couldn’t get a good-guy role for another 13 years.” Forster has recently been seen in films as diverse as the Farrelly brothers’ raunchy comedy “Me, Myself and Irene,” David Mamet’s new drama “Lakeboat” and the David Lynch mystery “Mulholland Dr.”

But perhaps nothing is closer to Forster’s heart than a small, low-budget film called “Diamond Men,” which opens for a one-week run Friday at the Laemmle Fairfax Cinemas.

Written, produced and directed by Daniel M. Cohen (“The Whole Truth”), the film concerns a down-on-his-luck small-time traveling jewelry salesman named Eddie Miller (Forster) who clings to his job by breaking in a brash young replacement, Bobby Walker (the feature debut of Donnie Wahlberg, brother of actor Mark Wahlberg). The film also features Bess Armstrong, Jasmine Guy and George Coe.

Forster said “Diamond Men,” which opened in Washington, D.C., the weekend before the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks on the East Coast, has received such strong reviews that the backers are attempting an Oscar push. “Word of mouth seems to be really, really strong,” Forster said.