Pretty Woman

 

 

Last summer, George Clooney shocked everyone when he began dating 29-year-old Sarah Larson. The couple met at the Ocean’s Thirteen premiere party on June 6, 2007, and have been inseparable ever since.  The premiere party was held at the Las Vegas Palms Casino Resort, where Larson was working as a cocktail waitress.  Because of their atypical meeting and obvious socio-economic differences, a lot of negative buzz has surrounded the couple.  Shortly after the two got together, rumors spread across the Internet that Sarah Larson was formerly a Las Vegas go-go dancer.  In response to the false accusations, Sarah made the following statement: “They say that I’m a stripper. There’s a ton of stuff about that. I’ve never been a stripper. You know, just because I’m from Las Vegas, I must be a stripper. Because I’m a cocktail server that means I’m an escort.”

 

In addition, Clooney recently received a voicemail from an unknown number saying “Dude, your friends asked me to give you a message: Dump the bitch before you’re sorry!”  Clooney adamantly defended his girlfriend and went as far as to have the number traced to see who was responsible.

 

Does this story sound familiar yet?  A handsome older man falls in love with a younger “stripper” in Las Vegas.  His friends disapprove, and it is nearly impossible for the two to escape the negative attention that surrounds their relationship.  I believe that we are witnessing a remake of the 1990 blockbuster, Pretty Woman.  But wait, the story goes on.  George Clooney is currently overseas promoting his latest movie, and where is his diamond-in-the-rough girlfriend?  Sarah stayed behind to model in a charity fashion show luncheon at the Four Seasons Hotel in Las Vegas.  This is quite a step up in society for the former cocktail waitress!

 

Over the past several months, George Clooney and his girlfriend have participated in numerous charity events.  From fashion shows to Clooney’s work in Darfur, the couple has kept busy in their efforts make a difference.  As Clooney’s publicist, I would make it a point to publicize every charitable endeavor that both he and his girlfriend undertake.  By having the public eye focus on the good that the pair is doing for society, it will take the attention off of Sarah Larson’s shaky reputation.  I would contact major entertainment magazines and push for them to run a story featuring the couple and their charitable contributions.  I would also encourage George and Sarah to put themselves in the public eye through televised interviews.  A personal interview with the couple would show the skeptical public how mature and selfless their relationship is, and put both George and Sarah in a more positive light.

Tyra…we have a problem

Yesterday, April 3, supermodel Naomi Campbell was arrested at Heathrow Airport in London.  The incident began in British Airline’s first-class lounge when a British Airline’s employee informed Naomi that one of her three bags had not made it onto the connecting flight.  Even though the employee assured Naomi that she would be reconnected with her bag, the damage had already been done.  Naomi instantly began yelling at and harassing all of the British Airline’s staff.  In a fit of rage, she boarded the plane, took her seat, and continued to make a scene.  The 37-year-old British supermodel created a huge disturbance on the plane causing the flight attendants to call the police.  Within minutes, three officers from Aviation security boarded the plane.  The Sun states that “they tried to calm the model down, but she is alleged to have reacted by spitting at an officer and then laying into him with her fists.”  Moments later, Naomi was physically hauled off the plane and taken to Heathrow police station.Naomi Campbell has a history of similar heated incidents.  In 2000, Naomi was charged with assault for beating an assistant while making a film in Canada.  Then, in 2007, Naomi plead guilty to assault for throwing her cell-phone at her maid for losing a pair of jeans.  Apparently her court-ordered two-day anger-management program was not terribly effective.In my opinion, there is no amount of counseling or punishment that will change Naomi Campbell’s personality.  The fact of the matter is that she is a high-strung woman who angers easily, and will remain that way.  What can be changed, however, is the public’s current perception of her.  Naomi’s publicist needs to take immediate action to rebuild a positive image for the supermodel.  Because Naomi’s actions caused the plane to be delayed for over an hour, it is necessary for her to make a public apology to both British Airlines and all of the people who were on the flight.  I also think that it would be a good idea for Naomi to voluntarily admit herself to another anger-management program.

In addition, the one person who I really think could turn this situation around and put Naomi back in a positive light is Tyra Banks.  Let me explain.  The Tyra Banks Show focuses on helping women through problems such as eating disorders, addictions and divorce.  If Naomi’s publicist pitched the idea of running a special on anger management, I definitely think that Tyra would go for it.  Anger is something that all women have to deal with at some point in their lives, so the topic would fit the theme of the show perfectly.  Tyra could have Naomi come on the show as a special guest, and discuss her struggles with anger management.  Because both Tyra and Naomi are supermodels, they have shared similar experiences and could definitely relate well to one another.  Being on the Tyra Banks show would also allow Naomi to explain herself to the public and apologize again for the British Airlines incident. 

 

Hogan doesn’t know best

Should parents be held responsible for their child’s actions?  Are celebrities unfairly targeted as easy people to sue and make a quick buck?  Questions such as these have surfaced after Monday’s announcement that Hulk Hogan is being sued over his son’s car accident that occurred last year.  On Aug. 26, Hogan’s 17-year-old son, Nick Bollea, crashed his Toyota Supra into a palm tree and critically injured his passenger and friend John Graziano.  It has been confirmed that John, 23, was not wearing a seatbelt, and that the two were street racing.

Immediately following the incident, Nick was charged with reckless driving involving serious bodily injury, but no trial date has been set.  In response to the criminal charges, Hogan’s lawyer made the following statement: “Nick and the entire ‘Hogan’ Bollea family are saddened that criminal charges have been filed in regards to the tragic single car accident on August 26, 2007. The family’s primary focus and concern still remains for the continued recovery of Nick’s longtime friend John Graziano. The Bolleas will also continue to stand by the Graziano family and help them in any way they can.”

Ironically, only 7 months after Hogan considerately said that he would “stand by the Graziano family and help them,” the Grazianos sued Hogan for millions.  According to Graziano’s lawyer, Hogan is responsible for the crash because he knew that his son Nick liked to speed and race and did nothing about it.  Because of Hogan’s irresponsible parenting, Jon Graziano ”never will be fully the John he was before.”  John will require nursing home care for the remainder of his life.

The entire situation is sad and unfortunate, but I do not believe that Hulk Hogan is in any way responsible.  The individual responsible for the crash is Hogan’s son, Nick who was driving recklessly on a wet road.  If I were his publicist, I would encourage Hogan to make a public statement again expressing his sorrow and support for the Graziano family.  I would then encourage him to make a large donation in Jon Graziano’s name to the “Click It or Ticket”campaign.  Not only would this be a nice gesture toward the Grazianos, but it would also give Hogan some very positive publicity.

Vanessa Hudgens – Crisis or Publicity Stunt?

In September 2007 nude photos of  High School Musical star Vanessa Hudgens leaked into the media.  The National Enquirer was the first to report that the nude photos existed, and then several days later they leaked out to the Internet.  Fortunately for Vanessa, she was out of the country when the crisis struck, but she had a lot of damage control to take care of when she returned Los Angeles.  The incident received a tremendous amount of publicity, and according to the Wall Street Journal, was one of the top 10 Google queries of 2007.

The mainstream media coverage of the crisis was all very favorable to the young actress.  Headlines such as “Vanessa Hudgens apologizes for nude photo” and “Vanessa Hudgens: Nude pic was ‘taken privately’” portray Vanessa in positive light.  The mainstream media emphasized that the picture was taken in privacy and intended only to be seen by her boyfriend and costar Zac Efron.  “This was a photo which was taken privately,” one of Vanessa’s reps told TMZ.com. “It is a personal matter and it is unfortunate that this has become public.”  Walt Disney debated firing Vanessa from Highschool Musical but ultimately decided to keep the young actress, referring to the photo as a simply a “lapse in judgment.”  Vanessa’s formal apology to her fans was included in nearly all of the mainstream articles.  She said, “I want to apologize to my fans, whose support and trust means the world to me.  I am embarrassed over this situation and regret having ever taken these photos. I am thankful for the support of my family and friends.” 

The blog coverage of Vanessa’s crisis was much different than the mainstream coverage.  One blog, Perez Hilton, covered the story in a very positive and respectful light.  The post included tasteful pictures and multiple quotes from Vanessa including one to Seventeen magazine saying, “I’m much better now. But truthfully I don’t like talking about it. It was something that was meant to be private, and even though it isn’t anymore, I’d still like to keep it as private as I can.”  The majority of the other blogs, however, displayed the nude photo as well as other inappropriate pictures of the High School Musical star.  Instead of portraying Vanessa as victimized by the situation, the blogs tended to think that the entire thing was a premeditated publicity stunt.  “I personally believe this whole nude photo thing was orchestrated for maximum publicity, especially considering that we were told that the photos were coming so that it could generate buzz,” commented blogger Celebitchy.  One thing that all of the blogs focused on was that Hudgens’ publicist, Jill Fritzo, wouldn’t say anything about who took the pictures and how they slipped out to the Internet. 

I believe that Vanessa Hudgens acted well during this crisis.  The majority of the quotes in both the mainstream media as well as the blogs were directly from her.  By not relying on her publicist to fix her mistakes and taking responsibility for what happened makes Vanessa appear very mature.  Hollywood image consultant Michael Levine said “What they shouldn’t do is make a bigger deal out of it than is necessary.  The picture is not salacious.”  I agree with Michael’s advice and believe that Disney was smart in not overreacting or firing Vanessa for simply an unfortunate circumstance.  

Main stream sources used: People, TMZ, National Ledger, National Enquirer, Wall Street Journal, MSNBC 

Blogs Used: Perez Hilton, Allie is wired, Celebitchy, Pink is the new blog

The Reality Television Presidential Campaign

With their favorite television shows in limited supply, TV watchers are forced to find other programs to watch.  Yes, it is true that the writers’ strike has led to an increased viewership of this year’s presidential campaign.  In fact, when watching the presidential race on TV, it is hard not to confuse it with a new political reality show!  Real World-Washington, D.C., starring Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, and John McCain, with special guests Chuck Norris, Oprah Winfrey, and Barbara Streisand.

Celebrities such as Oprah Winfrey and Barbra Streisand are trying to appear more politically savvy by getting involved in the election.  They believe that they can use their popularity to influence voters and make a substantial difference in the outcome of the 2008 presidential election.  Or do they?  I am going to have to be a pessimist and argue that these celebrities are using the election simply as their own personal publicity tool.  Oprah Winfrey, Barbara Streisand, Chuck Norris, and countless other celebrities have gotten an enormous amount of free publicity from the election.  In fact, in certain media outlets I believe that Oprah has made the headlines more than Obama!

Although there might be an underlying good intention behind the celebrity support, it does not change the fact that it has effectively turned the election into a glorified reality TV show.  People tune in to watch what celebrity guests will be on tonight’s show and what new drama will unfold.  It is not the issues of each candidate’s campaign that the viewers are interested in, but the glitz and entertainment value of the program.

In my opinion, having celebrity support distracts from importance of the campign.  It dumbs down a serious issue into an entertaining TV show.  The new president of the United States should be elected because he or she has good plans for the future of our country, not because Oprah or Chuck Norris said to vote.  Therefore, as the campaign manager of any of the candidates I would strongly disuade celebrity participation. 

Photo courtesy of http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20175322,00.html

Going Green

Actresses Mia Maestro and Salma Hayek (pictured above) attended the Global Green USA’s 5th Annual Pre-Oscar Party.  The event was held to raise awareness about climate control, and to address the green re-building of New Orleans.

Going green is a fad that has hit America and has ample support from individuals, companies, and organizations across the nation.  Making an appearance at the Global Green USA’s 5th Annual Pre-Oscar Party was a very smart move of Maestro and Hayek.  The publicity that they will receive for attending the event will put them both in a very positive light.

As their publicist, I would promote Maestro and Hayek as environmentally aware, intelligent women.  I would send in the picture taken at the party (above) as well as a few statements regarding how much they care about the environment to various niche media sources that encourage readers to go green.  A catchy magazine cover or article title would be They’ve gone green…have you? 

Pro or Amateur?

Carly Hennessy or Carly Smithson?  Professional singer or American Idol amateur?  The recent announcement of American Idol’s top 24, has gotten a lot of people talking about Irish contestant Carly Smithson.  Under her maiden name, Carly Hennessy produced a pop album in 2001 entitled Ultimate High.  The album, targeted at the already saturated teen demographic, was a bust selling only a few hundred copies.

People are arguing that because Carly has already produced a major label she is not fit for American Idol.  Come on…let the girl sing!  The whole point of American Idol is for aspiring musicians to be discovered and have the chance to make it big, which is exactly what Carly is trying to do.  Yes, she has already produced a record, but no she has not made it big.  She produced an album when she was 18 years old and sold a few hundred copies.  Big deal, it is not as if Celine Dion is trying out for American Idol!

It has also been circulating that Carly is a pre-arranged plant in this season of American Idol.  Critics claim that Carly is now going by her new married name, Carly Smithson, as a way of hiding her past.  Also, the bio videos on American Idol have failed to mention Carly’s past singing experience.  The way I see it, there is more substance to Carly’s life for her bio videos than the fact that she failed once in the past.  Carly has just as much of a right to be on American Idol as anyone else.

Although this might look like the beginning of the end for Carly Smithson I am going to argue the exact opposite.  Viewers might be be angry and feel that the competition is unfair because of Carly’s past.  Therefore, her chances of winning American Idol are probably slim.  Carly’s dream, however, is not to win some reality television show, but to become a professional singer with a hit record.  All of the publicity about her past has gotten Carly’s name into every blog, newspaper, magazine and radio show you can think of.  Not only her name, but her album has gotten more publicity in the past 2 days than it ever did in 2001.  One blogger even commented that her album, Ultimate High, can be purchased on Amazon.com.

The majority of what is being said about Carly is negative, revolving around the fact that she should not be on the show.  To me though, negative publicity is better than no publicity.  I am not an American Idol watcher, and I now know who Carly Smithson is.  As a result of this publicity, I along with many other people will probably tune in to the next episode of American Idol to see if this girl is really worth the all fuss!  So I guess if Carly was in fact a prearranged plant, it was a smart idea.  Hats off to you FOX, for your crafty ways of increasing American Idol viewership. 

Paris “Frats Out”

Paris Hilton was recently named Woman of the Year by National Lampoon, the world’s oldest humor magazine.  Although I consider Woman of the Year to be somewhat of an overstatement for the socialite, at least the award kept in touch with the magazine’s objective by providing comic relief.  

Paris’s disastrous acceptance speech was well attended by Harvard students and faculty.  Unsuprisingly, several things were wrong with her speech.  First of all, the speech was prewritten (most likely not by her) and read word-for-word off of a large piece of paper.  One would think that Paris Hilton, of all people, could have at least afforded to buy note cards.  In the body of the speech, Paris referred to herself as ”an international icon.”  At least she is modest right?  Finally, I guess Paris missed the day of speech class where you learn the importance of researching your audience before delivering a speech.  She was delivering a speech to intelligent Harvard students and concluded with the statement ”you guys are so hot.” Enough said.

Although the speech could have been improved, Paris visiting Harvard was a very smart publicity stunt.  If I were her publicist I would continue to pitch the story and provide photos of Paris on Harvard’s campus interacting with students.  I would however, try to avoid any video clips of the actual speech.  The fact that she went to a fraternity party while at Harvard makes her seem more like a real college-aged person and less like a socialite.  I would pitch this aspect of the story to magazines to help fight her stereotype of being stuck up.     

To see Paris’s speech, visit: http://omg.yahoo.com/Paris+Hilton+Rocks+the+Frat+House/videos/2925