Every famous name has a team speaking for them: an agent, a manager, a publicist and, when things turn sour, a lawyer. When it works, you never see them. When it doesn't, they become the story. In this episode, we're lifting the bonnet on the Hollywood publicity machine with the amazing Paula Froelich, former deputy editor of the New York Post's legendary Page Six and host of The Scoop on NewsNation, to reveal who really holds the power when a celebrity narrative starts to unravel.
Instead of the polished statements and carefully staged appearances we're used to, this month Hollywood's representatives have been doing the talking, and not always kindly. Proving that sometimes, the people behind the curtain say the most. We analyse WME boss Ari Emanuel's brutal admission that he no longer has to think about Meghan Markle, Blake Lively ending her 20-year partnership with publicist Leslie Sloane in favour of Kelly Bush Novak, and why the Sussexes are now running two separate communications teams on two continents. From the "reality" TV mention that landed as the ultimate Hollywood diss, to a Malala photo op and As Ever charity pledge that never quite landed, this episode is a masterclass in celebrity management, crisis communications and the real power dynamics of Hollywood PR.
In this episode
The agent who stopped answering: Why Ari Emanuel blocked Meghan Markle's calls, and what his very public "I don't have to think about her" comment reveals about her standing at WME.
The end of a 20-year partnership: Blake Lively's split from Leslie Sloane, the move to Kelly Bush Novak, and whether any publicist can separate her from the Baldoni saga.
Two teams, two continents: What the Sussexes' separate UK and US PR operations say about Harry and Meghan, and why a "yes, sir" approach isn't winning over the British public.
Borrowed legitimacy: How Meghan's Claridge's outing with Malala and a one-day As Ever charity pledge fell flat with audiences and the press.
When the lawyer takes the mic: Why bringing in a lawyer instead of a publicist signals a serious situation, and the behind-the-scenes horse trading between PRs, journalists and legal teams.
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Chapters
00:00 Introduction and the people behind the famous
01:03 Welcoming Paula Froelich
02:36 Ari Emanuel, WME and Meghan Markle
04:47 Why Meghan signed with WME
05:24 Blocked calls and the agency relationship
07:49 The "reality" diss and what it signals
08:32 Ryan Reynolds and Ari Emanuel in the Baldoni fallout
10:20 Blake Lively's split from Leslie Sloane
13:35 Can Blake Lively move on from the Baldoni story?
14:41 Harry and Meghan's two separate PR teams
17:40 Harry's grief narrative and public perception
20:17 Meghan, Malala and the Claridge's photo op
21:45 The As Ever charity pledge
22:46 When the lawyer replaces the publicist
24:17 Lightning round: red lobster or dead lobster
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