Cash Windfalls For WME Agents, Assistants 
A&E IndieFilms Sets ‘Happy Valley,’ … 
Hot Cannes Property: Natalie Portman, Lynne Ramsay Team On … 
Brad Pitt Hits Cannes With ‘Killing Them … 
CNN Hits 20-Year Weekday Primetime Low 
Longtime TV Exec Rod Perth Named NATPE President & CEO 
RATINGS RAT RACE: ‘House’ Ends Run On High-Ish … 
Does Cable News Clarify Or Confuse The Public’s … 
Mark Burnett’s Company Launches Scripted Unit, Taps … 
‘Mary Mother Of Christ’ In Lionsgate Deal 
Icon UK Group Joins ‘The Butler’; Forest … 
Best Buy Shares Up Pre-Market As Q1 Earnings Beat Estimates 
HBO Developing Comedy Series Starring Catherine Keener And … 
Will ‘Paperboy’ Heat Domestic Buying At Cannes? … 
Millennium Films Buys Spec Thriller ‘Playing … 
Will ‘American Idol’s’ Jessica Sanchez … 
Legendary’s Thomas Tull Among Just 3 Contenders … 
Harvey Weinstein Unveils ‘The Master’, … 
CBS’ ‘Rules Of Engagement’ Renewed For … 
Facebook Shares Fall Below Offering Price Even As Market … 
UTA Signs ‘Intouchables’ Star Omar Sy 
So let’s spend a few minutes looking at the fate of the William Morris TV kingpins since everyone at the top of the about-to-merge agency wants Endeavor’s Rick Rosen to run the TV department. CAA is prepared to welcome reality kingpin Mark Itkin with open arms. Sources tell me that John Ferriter may strike out on his own. But the real surprise is that I’ve confirmed Aaron Kaplan has as much as 3 1/2 years left on an $11 million/5-year contract. With no mitigation. That certainly changes any plan to just send him on his way without cutting him a huge check. So now I’m told the Kaplan situation is “fluid”. As for movie agents, it looks like a lock that Steve Rabineau will head to United Talent because Jeremy Zimmer is courting him hard. David Lonner is considering becoming a manager for a top firm. Meanwhile, the mantra repeated about all these guys is: “They’re still under contract.”
Editor-in-Chief Nikki Finke - tip her here.
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Aaron is worth every cent he makes. He’s loyal, hard-working, and doesn’t take “no” for an answer. Even when his clients work, he continues to pound the pavement on their behalf. He never take anything for granted. William Morris, Endeavor, WME Entertainment… whatever the hell it’s going to be called is lucky to have him.
Kaplan DOES burn bridges — hence his bad rep and the recent backlash. He should just handle alternative programming, something which he’s decent at. He sucks in scripted TV.
Kaplan was my agent for years and he was great. Even after I left him, he was pitching me for stuff that he felt was right for me. He’s a good agent.
Peter
Kap is a great professor and has contributed “real world education” to my academic experience at USC! He has been very generous to spread his knowledge with the future generation of media executives. I truly respect him.
having been opposite the guy in many negotiations, i can say first hand: he is not impressive. most of us think he is a real douchebag. put him next to ari greenberg for a real contrast. that guy knows what he is doing.
KAP is one asshole. There’s no denying that. Classless, uncouth, and a prick.
Ex-WMA
CAA will be lucky to have Mark Itkin and WME will lose an incredible agent when and if he leaves. He has the most integrity of any agent I have ever worked with. and is genuinely a great person…and he has the coolest BUlldog ever, yo “Dudley”.
props given- let’s face it
he broke the Spelling curse on WMA
think he wasn’t equity then?
dont hate , participate
i do agree with many of the comments,
both good and bad
noone can take anything away from him on the business side, and what are we here for , aficking picnic?
thought so- next time i see him he is buying lunch
Aaron is an a-hole, but who cares! He is the man and we are proud of him. Keep up the great work Aaron and dont let any of the other assholes bring you down.
Flurb!