Why The Publishing Industry Is Troubled

COMMENTS (19)

• oh please. the troubles already started when that prostitot, Miley Cyrus, snagged a publishing deal to write a so-called “memoir” when she’s only 16 years old.

  Comment by UGLY DEAF MUSLIM PUNK GURL! — Thursday February 26, 2009 @ 1:07pm PST  Reply to this post

• Read ‘Hit and Run’ and you’d have to agree that the dude knows how to turn bullshit into bucks…

  Comment by shootasdirected — Thursday February 26, 2009 @ 1:17pm PST  Reply to this post

• It’s simple: The gas bag, con man has a weekly national platform from which to sell it, the incredibly stilted “Shoot Out,” so the publisher knows it will sell at least enough copies to cover the advance. That’s all pubs care about these days: If the author can self-generate enough buzz to move books, not whether the subject matter has any real merit. And yea, as if he needs the money….

  Comment by RandomHouser — Thursday February 26, 2009 @ 1:42pm PST  Reply to this post

• While I don’t hold anything against Peter Guber getting a “significant deal.” I don’t get his show where I am in Canada, but I’ve seen him interviewed and he does have some insight into the industry, and can be an entertaining raconteur.

  What I don’t understand are reports that a publisher has given Kathy Griffin a $2 million book deal. I don’t begrudge her a book deal, somebody might actually read it, but is her “D-List” level of celebrity worth a $2 million advance?

  Comment by Furious D — Thursday February 26, 2009 @ 1:46pm PST  Reply to this post

• To be fair, stupid memoirs have been a going concern for several decades. Barbara Bush’s Water Spaniel “Milly” had a memoir, too. If a bitch can, a prostitot is surely entitled to a cut-o-the-pie. And we’re not even getting into the chilidren’s reading bio knockoffs, like the five or six Kristen Stewart OMG WLUVUBELLA! picture-books-with-occasional-sentences I saw on a rack at Toys-R-Us this weekend.

  Comment by jamie — Thursday February 26, 2009 @ 1:52pm PST  Reply to this post

• peter guber inhabits the guru robbins universe…..hes always been one of the great con men in hollywood…he spent more fixing up his office at columbia than he did on the average motion picture…..why does it surprise anyone that he has found someone new to con

  Comment by elderstatesman — Thursday February 26, 2009 @ 2:10pm PST  Reply to this post

• God! Shame on you Goobs. You’re a parasite.

  Comment by Suck me dry. — Thursday February 26, 2009 @ 2:48pm PST  Reply to this post

• “turned mogul again”…?

  Comment by notbuyingit — Thursday February 26, 2009 @ 3:26pm PST  Reply to this post

• that book title sounds like more bullshit…

  Comment by questionable content — Thursday February 26, 2009 @ 3:29pm PST  Reply to this post

• Seriously…who buys these books? WTF?

  Comment by michael dobrofsky — Thursday February 26, 2009 @ 3:32pm PST  Reply to this post

• What was the last hit Guber was a part of?

  Those who can’t do, write!

  Comment by Steve the Cat — Thursday February 26, 2009 @ 4:11pm PST  Reply to this post

• Guber-san cost my company two billion dollars when he rann Sony Pictures into the ground. He charged the studio over a million dollars to redecorate his house. Jon Peters was even worse. I’m sure his book will explain this to the vast reading audience.

  Comment by Sony Fujitsu — Thursday February 26, 2009 @ 7:41pm PST  Reply to this post

• FYI, in the publishing industry trades, “significant deal” usually just means low-to-mid 6 figures. It’s not like they’re breaking the bank for him.

  Yeah, who knows if they’ll ever recoup the advance (most don’t), but it’s not like they’re paying him, say, Kathy Griffin money.

  Comment by Eric — Friday February 27, 2009 @ 12:02am PST  Reply to this post

• One of the greatest ‘showmen’ around, Guber will sell enough books cuz Hwood types and wannabes will read it. He sure doesn’t need the money but somehow he always WANTS more. But as for his current acumen of making product? Eh, not so much…

  Comment by F. — Friday February 27, 2009 @ 7:14am PST  Reply to this post

• Frankly my dears or dams as often happens maybe, I like Peter Guber, I remember when he spoke at one of the Script writing expos. He said the industry was open to talent and anyone. I am still waiting.

  But Peter, I hope when I finish my book on Screenwriting we can do a tour together.

  Comment by 8movies5plays — Friday February 27, 2009 @ 7:26am PST  Reply to this post

• So Peter Guber is going to tell us about the magic and power of story… and we are supposed to care?
  please, pass me a bucket

  Comment by industryinsider — Friday February 27, 2009 @ 8:51am PST  Reply to this post

• is Peter Guber really a mogul? this book sounds like bullshit

  Comment by whatascam — Friday February 27, 2009 @ 8:59am PST  Reply to this post

• Although it’s never mentioned, Peter will be 67 on Monday. Remember what 67 used to look like? He looks twenty years younger. That’s what he should really be writing about. But, still, a great career, a brilliant and passionate teacher, why all the animosity about someone so obviously and remarkably gifted? The animus orchestrated by you, Nikki, is patently sour grapes. Dumb books have been around since the first printing press. Axe

  Comment by Arthur Axelman — Friday February 27, 2009 @ 3:05pm PST  Reply to this post

• Frankly, Guber has done what so many in this industry hasn’t done, or most important, CAN’T do: at the end of the day, working in Hollywood isn’r rocket science, but to survive as long and as well as Guber has, the man has to have amazing instincts. He’s successfully changed hats so many times, and for those who have been around for a long time. Look at how many “celebrated” high rollers and young Turks the guy has outlived from the 80′s, 90s into now. Con man, bullsh*tter, whatever. To keep rolling in Hollywood for this long makes him SMART. And the big talkers slinging the words around here would love to have this man’s bank account. As to who buys these books? There are audiences for virtually EVERYTHING. Hell, MILEY CYRUS? ANN COULTER? VANNA WHITE? Why NOT Peter Guber? At least he’s got SOMETHING to talk about and believe me, SOMEONE will buy it. They always have, they always will.

  Comment by Julia — Friday February 27, 2009 @ 4:45pm PST  Reply to this post