Kanye West documentary-maker 'disappointed' by Netflix editing row

The director of Netflix's new Kanye West documentary was left disappointed -- though not surprised -- by the controversial rapper's last-minute demand to recut a movie decades in the making, he told AFP.

Clarence "Coodie" Simmons started following his friend West with a camera in 2001, curious to see how far the ambitious young music producer from Chicago could go, and eventually amassed 320 hours of behind-the-scenes footage of his journey to international stardom.

The first part of seven-hour movie "jeen-yuhs: A Kanye Trilogy" will be released by Netflix on Wednesday, but the famously perfectionist West last month took to Instagram demanding "final edit and approval" on the project, in order to "be in charge of my own image."

"I told Kanye he had to have 100 percent trust in this film ... he said he trusted," said Simmons. 

"So when I seen that Instagram, I was a bit disappointed."

As recently as last week, West -- now known as Ye -- continued to issue demands, such as having fellow rap superstar Drake take over the narration. 

Ironically, Simmons had gone to significant lengths to ensure West was happy, scrapping plans to first release the footage back in 2005 because West "said he wasn't ready for the world to see the real him."

The pair later grew apart and Simmons had little access to West for the next decade or so.

But in a seeming reconciliation, West showed up at a Hollywood screening of the documentary Friday, hugging Simmons and telling the audience that "people try to cancel us and we all run away from each other and scatter or we be not talking to each other, not communicating."

'Put the camera down'

The documentary touches on West's mental health issues, including a bi-polar disorder, which led to him being hospitalized in 2016 and came under renewed spotlight during his bizarre run for the US presidency in 2020.

Filming a meeting two years ago in which West ranted to real estate investors that he had taken bi-polar medication to "have a normal conversation and turn alien into English," Simmons felt concerned enough by his friend and subject's behavior to turn off the camera.

"It was my first time ever capturing Kanye in that light," Simmons, a former comedian and television host, said.

"I just felt like I had to put the camera down so I could listen and be there for him as a brother and not as a director, so that's the reason I put it down.

"It happened a couple other times where I'm like, 'Okay, let me pay attention.'"

At Friday's screening, West said he had made "what y'all might think are mistakes in public" to show the world that limits imposed on Black people are "just a smokescreen."

"We on labels we don't own, play for basketball teams we don't own. The time is now," he said.

'Carefree' Kanye

The controversy surrounding West's demands for creative control over "jeen-yuhs" has undoubtedly drawn more publicity to the documentary.

But Simmons and co-director Chike Ozah hope that showing West's more vulnerable and sometimes embarrassing moments during his rise to greatness will help the world reassess a figure known for frequent arrogant and egocentric outbursts.

For instance, Ozah highlights an early scene at diner chain Denny's, where West is celebrating the removal of wires from his jaw following a serious car crash.

"He's only been taking liquid foods so he's dropped some considerable amounts of weight, he's got a little six pack," recalled Ozah.

"It's a moment you share with Kanye, where he even takes the camera from Coodie and starts filming Coodie, and he just seems so carefree and so happy.

"That's a moment that you just cherish, to see him in that space."

So, after all these years, is West now ready for the world to see the real him?

"It's not really about him being ready ... I would hope that he will see this film," said Simmons.

"The world needs to see this," he added. "It's not about me and Kanye."

Agence France-Presse

Tennis: Ninth time lucky as Auger-Aliassime wins maiden ATP title

ROTTERDAM, Netherlands -- Canada's Felix Auger-Aliassime ended his eight-final losing streak to capture his first ATP title in Rotterdam on Sunday with victory over world number four and top seed Stefanos Tsitsipas.

The 21-year-old triumphed 6-4, 6-2 in 78 minutes, backing up his semi-final win over second seed and defending champion Andrey Rublev.

"It has not been the smoothest road since my first final three years ago," Auger-Aliassime said during the trophy ceremony. 

"It is an amazing day for me to get my first title and especially here. I played my first ATP main draw here a couple of years ago, so it is right I won my first title here."

Before Sunday, world number nine Auger-Aliassime held an 0-8 record in tour-level finals, failing even to win a single set.

However, he has been in solid form in 2022, helping Canada to the ATP Cup title in January, before he reached the quarter-finals at the Australian Open, where he pushed world number two Daniil Medvedev to five sets.

He now also boasts a season-leading 12 wins on tour.

Sunday's victory took his head-to-head record against Tsitsipas to 3-5. His last win over the 23-year-old Greek had come back in 2019 on grass at Queen's Club in London.

"I have a lot of good memories playing here in front of you, so thank you for making it a special week for me that I will remember for the rest of my life," Auger-Aliassime told the Rotterdam crowd.

"It's the happiest day of my career and hopefully it is the first of many to come."

Agence France-Presse

Dollar idles after tumble from 19-month peak; Aussie firm before RBA

TOKYO - The US dollar nursed its wounds on Tuesday following its biggest drop in nearly three weeks against major peers, as Federal Reserve policymakers allayed investor fears of a very rapid tightening of monetary policy.

The Australian dollar remained firm after its biggest jump in eight months overnight ahead of a Reserve Bank of Australia policy decision later on Tuesday, with expectation building that Governor Philip Lowe will capitulate on his prior conviction that an interest rate rise this year was unlikely.

The dollar index, which measures the greenback against six rivals, ticked 0.05 percent higher to 96.715, barely making a dent in Monday's 0.59 percent tumble. It was at an almost 19-month high of 97.441 at the end of last week, as investors pondered chances the Fed could raise rates by 50 basis points in March.

Trading in Asian hours may be subdued with several markets on holiday for the Lunar New Year.

A chorus of Fed officials on Monday backed a lift-off in rates in March, but spoke cautiously about what might follow.

Money markets price in a quarter-point rise for March, and four more by year-end.

"Recent Fed remarks appeared to push back on the odds of a 50bp rate hike in March," putting the focus on economic data this week for clues on the pace of policy tightening, including the closely watched monthly payrolls report on Friday, TD Securities strategists wrote in a note.

US payrolls are forecast to show a gain of 153,000 jobs for January, down from 199,000 in December, with the unemployment rate holding steady at 3.9 percent, according to a Reuters poll.

Meanwhile, the Aussie was little changed at $0.7067 after soaring 1.06 percent on Monday, its biggest gain since early June.

Australian inflation is surging at the fastest annual pace since 2014, suggesting price pressures are not as benign and transitory as policymakers thought they would be.

"It is impractical and unlikely the RBA can continue to hold a dovish stance," the TD Securities strategists wrote, predicting a hike in August or earlier.

A Reuters poll of economists puts the odds of a first hike in November.

The Bank of England holds its policy meeting on Thursday, with a Reuters poll predicting a second rate hike in less than two months after UK inflation jumped to its highest in nearly 30 years.

The European Central Bank also meets on Thursday. While no policy change is expected, analysts said the Fed's looming rate hikes will narrow the ECB's window for action.

The euro slipped 0.11 percent to $1.12235, following a 0.80 percent jump on Monday.

Sterling was flat at $1.34385 after gaining 0.33 percent in the previous session.

The greenback was little changed at 115.125 yen.

(Editing by Jacqueline Wong)

-reuters

Tennis: Nadal, Barty give Australian Open desperately needed happy ending

MELBOURNE, Australia -- An Australian Open like no other began in controversy with the deportation of Novak Djokovic but culminated in one of the greatest comebacks in tennis history by Rafael Nadal on Sunday. 

Throw in Ashleigh Barty becoming the first home winner for 44 years, and local heroes Nick Kyrgios and Thanasi Kokkinakis winning the men's doubles, this was a Grand Slam that will live long in the memory for myriad reasons.

After the chaos that preceded the tournament, Tennis Australia couldn't have dreamt of a happier ending -- and it was one they desperately needed, after a competition riddled with unforced errors on the organizers' parts. 

It began with the spectacle of the nine-time Australian Open champion Djokovic being detained in a notorious immigration hotel, suffering multiple court cases and eventual deportation -- shocking no matter which side you sit in the Covid-19 vaccination debate.

When the first serve at Melbourne Park was struck on January 17, the world number one was in a Dubai airport transit lounge waiting for his connecting flight home to Belgrade.

It wasn't just the Djokovic saga that cast a shadow over the first Grand Slam tournament of 2022. 

Tennis Australia had to make a hasty and embarrassing U-turn after instructing staff to prevent spectators wearing "Where is Peng Shuai?" T-shirts to highlight concern for the Chinese player.

They also had to justify a largely voluntary Covid-19 testing protocol that came in for criticism from some players, notably world number three Alexander Zverev.

They may count themselves extremely lucky that there were only a handful of virus cases.

- Booing and screaming -

Tennis Australia will no doubt bask in the glory of their two historic champions, Nadal and Barty. 

Tournament director Craig Tiley was beaming through his mask during the presentation ceremonies.

But as a central figure in the pre-tournament chaos he, or his successor, must make sure the extraordinary scenes in the run-up to the tournament are never repeated.

Crowds were back in numbers after days of pandemic-enforced empty arenas the year before, but spectators came in for flak for their raucous behavior.

Kyrgios's opponents in particular complained of yobbish jeering, whipped up by the Australian bad boy. 

And in the final, booing and screaming between serves to try to put off Daniil Medvedev made Rod Laver Arena seem more like Madrid during a Davis Cup tie -- a feverishly pro-Nadal cauldron.

The atmosphere degenerated further as the beer began to talk ever louder, with the epic match grinding on past 1:00 am Monday. 

Medvedev became agitated, Nadal had to appeal for calm and the chair umpire had to threaten miscreants with removal by security staff.

- Monumental achievement -

But in the end, the abiding memory will be of Nadal's monumental achievement in winning that unprecedented 21st Grand Slam after an astonishing final lasting 5hr 24min.

It was Nadal's second Australian Open, but came 13 years after his first. 

It was his first win from two sets down in almost 15 years, and a first in a Slam final.

When he touched down in Melbourne, the 35-year-old had played no competitive tennis since early August because of a chronic foot injury. 

Eleven unbeaten matches later he has two more tournament wins and has moved ahead of Djokovic and Roger Federer as the all-time men's Grand Slam leader.

The absence of that pair -- Federer through injury, Djokovic through deportation -- will mean detractors will try to diminish Nadal's achievement, unparalleled as it is in the men's game. 

Surely to be the best, you have to beat the best? 

Nadal has good cause to say he did. 

Medvedev, the Russian world number two, blew Djokovic away in New York four months earlier to prevent the Serbian becoming first to strike 21.

The de facto top seed, Medvedev is 10 years Nadal's junior, was the most recent Grand Slam champion and looked unstoppable as he led by two sets and held three break points in the third.

TV's computerised "Win Predictor" put Nadal's chances of triumphing from there at four percent. 

But though Nadal was down, he was not quite out. 

Slowly his determination and sheer will to win enabled him to claw the match back from the brink. 

The result was on a knife-edge until the dying moments, and could have gone either way in the final set as the pair exchanged multiple service breaks.

But in the end four percent was all Nadal, and the Australian Open, needed.

Agence France-Presse