Bradley Cooper Says He’d Trade Maestro Oscars for Eagles Super Bowl Win

Philadelphia Eagles fan and Jenkintown native Bradley Cooper, who is starring in Maestro, with Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie at an Eagles game. Cooper appeared in a Howard Stern Show interview on Monday. (Getty Images)

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During Howard Stern Interview, Bradley Cooper Says He’d Trade Maestro Oscars for Eagles Super Bowl Win

I have to be honest: Until yesterday, I hadn’t heard a single Howard Stern interview since the most highly paid shock jock ever left the terrestrial airwaves. But I just heard tidbits from his recent interviews with legends Barbra Streisand and Dolly Parton and was impressed. So I decided to give SiriusXM my credit card number yesterday to check out Monday’s episode of The Howard Stern Show, which featured an interview with Jenkintown native Bradley Cooper. He has been on a publicity tear for Maestro ever since the big Hollywood strikes ended.

Stern and Cooper naturally talked a lot about Maestro, which Cooper directed and in which he plays famed director Leonard Bernstein opposite Carey Mulligan, who portrays Bernstein’s wife.

Maestro co-stars Bradley Cooper and Carey Mulligan during the filming of the movie (Getty Images)

Cooper and Stern went back and forth a few times about the movie’s Oscar chances. The Oscar buzz is that Cooper, who has never won an Oscar but has received nine nominations for previous films, could very well pick up Oscars for Best Director and Best Actor and that Mulligan is a front-runner for Best Actress. Eventually, Stern managed to connect the Oscars conversation with Cooper’s love for the Philadelphia Eagles.

“Here’s the big question, and I really want you to answer in a serious manner,” Stern told Cooper. “Sophie’s Choice for 2024. You win the Oscar, not only for Best Director but also for Best Actor and Carrie wins Best Actress. Or, an Eagles Super Bowl victory.”

Cooper didn’t pause even for a second before choosing the Eagles Super Bowl win.

“You’re lying,” Stern replied.

“I don’t think so, bro,” Cooper said. (He used the word “bro” a lot in the interview.)

“You know you live in New York now, right?” Stern said. “Why don’t you root for the Jets and the Giants?”

“Why would he waste his time?” joked Robin Quivers, longtime co-host of The Howard Stern Show.

Some other key moments:

• • Cooper revealed that he’ll be in Jeffrey Lurie’s box for this Sunday’s Eagles home game against the 49ers. Stern asked him what kind of food they serve in Lurie box. Cooper said there’s prime rib but that he generally sticks to popcorn. He added that his daughter, who attends some the games with him, is finally old enough to understand when we are on offense and when we are on defense.

• • When Stern asked Cooper about any future projects, Cooper said that he imagined he has about four big projects left in him, based on his age and the amount of time it takes him to write, direct, and complete a film. A Star Is Born and Maestro both gave a new meaning to the term long-term project. “So I have to choose wisely and choose only what moves me,” Cooper explained to Stern. “I’d rather spend six years on something I’ve done everything for.”

• • Maestro has been the subject of positively rave reviews. In fact, Stern said he tried his best but couldn’t find one negative review. But Cooper insists he won’t read any reviews and that he has only read one review since 2007. That was the year that he says the New York Times ripped him a new one for his performance in a theater show. (Note: It was actually 2006.) The one review he did read since then was a New Yorker review of A Star Is Born. “It gutted me,” Cooper told Stern. “Basically saying I made A Star Is Born as a vanity project… There’s no question that reading anything in writing about what you’ve done is going to infect you… I don’t read anything. It won’t serve me. How does it serve the artist?”

To listen to the full interview, go here. Stern also talked about the Great Hall & Oates Feud of 2023.

Delco Fraudster Pleads Guilty to Stealing $1 Million from the Elderly

It’s been years since I first started following the accusations against Gloria Byars, a Delco woman who was charged with stealing more than $1,000,000 from elderly people between 2012 and 2018. That’s when Byars was working as a court-appointed guardian to her elderly victims. The scheme involved shell companies, fake medical services firms and, of course, dozens of gold Krugerrand coins minted in South Africa in the 1960s. Because who doesn’t have them sitting around, right? On the eve of her trial, Byars pleaded guilty. A jury just convicted her Virginia-based co-conspirator, who decided to go to trial. Sentencing is expected to happen in early 2024.

Local Talent

You know that giant mural of Joel Embiid, Bryce Harper, and Jalen Hurts in South Philly? Well, that trio has now become a quartet, with Jason Kelce getting the wall treatment.

By the Numbers

23: Forecasted low for Tuesday. Brrrr. Philadelphia has declared a Code Blue.

668: Days since Philadelphia has seen an inch of snow in one day.

$100,000: What somebody just paid for a replica of the Eagles jacket Princess Di famously wore, signed by Kylie Kelce, aka wife of Jason Kelce. Now if only they could have convinced alleged Eagles fan Taylor Swift to sign it. Proceeds benefit the Eagles Autism Foundation.

And from the YOU-Hit-a-3-and-YOU-Hit-a-3 Sports Desk …

LeBron and the Lakers were in town last night for a showdown with the Sixers — the first of two slated for this season. Nick Nurse pitted Embiid, Melton, Maxey, Batum and Harris to start vs. James, Anthony Davis, D’Angelo Russell, Max Christie and Taurean Prince. Joel picked up two fouls in the first four minutes, which did not bode well. Maxey was accurate and aggressive early, and the Sixers closed the quarter on a 22-6 run, up 32-19. Well, look what else happened in the first quarter:

https://twitter.com/espn/status/1729296414377697289

Hey, Jalen Hurts was at the game! Pat Beverley was hitting threes just like Maxey, and suddenly the lead was 52-29 halfway through the second. Marcus Morris Sr. had three threes, too. The Lakers went on a 9-2 flurry of a run, though, and at the half, it was 68-53.

In the third, De’Anthony Melton caught fire and sank three threes, and LeBron didn’t quite deliver Brickin’ for Chicken, alas. Leading all scorers?

Joel Embiid with 2:07 left in the 3rd quarter:

– 29 Points
– 10 Rebounds
– 11 Assists

MR. TRIPLE DOUBLE pic.twitter.com/TE5biEXedA

— Josh Reynolds (@JoshReynolds24) November 28, 2023

Five minutes into the fourth, the Lakers pulled all their starters. Maxey wound up the game’s high scorer, with 31 points — one more than Embiid — in his 36 minutes. It was raining threes all game; we hit 22, one off the franchise’s all-time high. One of the more relaxing Philly sporting events I’ve seen lately — especially compared to, say, Sunday’s Eagles game. You had to blink at that final score.

The Lakers lost by 44 points to the Sixers tonight. pic.twitter.com/msiMOj3qbA

— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) November 28, 2023

Anything on the Schedule Tonight?

Not really. The Flyers, that’s all.

All Philly Today sports coverage is provided by Sandy Hingston.