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With the completion of the William Morris-Endeavor merger a scant three weeks away, I can't believe anybody is still lending credence to the idea that this deal is going to fall apart at the 11th hour. (Though those opposed to the two agencies combining have emailed me, "Praying for a miracle!") As DHD previously reported, today was the first time that the Morris board officially heard a presentation about the merger. The board will vote next Tuesday. Then Endeavor's 28 partners will vote. Then there are the okays needed from the guilds and the government, etc.
WMA Board Heard Merger Presentation
By Nikki Finke | Category: Agents | Tuesday April 21, 2009 @ 8:09pm PST
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Rumors abound there’s a big NY contingent that’s going to hang out their own shingle.
Strong sources say NY is going to mostly become “independent,” now in the official sense out of worry they will become complete “second class citizens.”
Ask not what your agency can do for you, but ask what you can do for your agency.
if endeavor changes their name that is ass and they officially lose all cool points. they are the new school taking that old wma name is lame!!!
They are already slowly getting rid of agents at WMA. They asked Sara Bottfeld to leave, giving her an exit date months ago. We should all just hope Gaby Morgerman gets the AX!
any more chatter on what would happen with either firm’s NYC offices?
any word on what will happen to the two companies’ new york city literary agencies?
Does anyone know who they are talking about “letting go” at WMA and Endeavor. There are an awful lot of agents at both firms making mid six figures that aren’t really worth it. I would be interested to know a list of agents that are on the chopping block.
So you’re a 3rd or 4th year agent in tv lit at wma. Maybe you have 6 or 7 decent clients you can walk out the door with. But you’re gonna be SHOWN the door. Are you nervous? Know who else is nervous? Your counterpart at UTA, ICM and Paradigm. None of you have leverage in this situation and in this economy. Heads will roll at the other agencies to make room for new cheap labor from WMA. This will redefine rank-and-file compensation at all the agencies.
PREDICTIONS FROM AN INDUSTRY INSIDER:
Jim Wiatt becomes Norman Brokaw – meaningless. Which is fine. He can give his parties, and parade around like he is somebody. But he won’t have power, or a voice, and after awhile they’ll put him out to pasture. He’ll be remembered as an opportunist who never really wanted to agent. But loves the spoils.
Ari will take on CAA. He will be the first REAL competitor. And WMA will for the first time in 40 have an impact on the industry. ICM and UTA will talk about merging, but never do it. UTA and Paradigm will.
As CAA loses clout and mystery Kevin Huvane will no longer be able to rule by fear of “watch out Kevin’s mad” or “Kevin’s no longer talking to you.” His power will wane with his clients and he will be on the road to becoming the Diva that is Ed Limato.
NY agents will form their own agency and perhaps be a stallite for LA.
My grandmother had a favorite word…
“NINCOMPOOP”
DEFINITION:
nin.com.poop -noun {nin-kum m-poop}
“A Fool of Simpleton”
NEXT TIME THE DEFINITION OF:
“SAPSUCKER”
Wow, I could think of some agents who I would take pleasure in seeing let go.
Dan:
You hit the Jim Wiatt/Norman Brokaw point on the head. I think we worked at Morris at the same time. When the Cadavers, Norman, Sol Leon, Irv Weintraub, Zifkin were all on the first floor eating up the company profits and making senile decisions.
what will happen to the “non-core” NY assets like theater and broadcast that are holdovers from the golden days of wma?
Are you trying to tell everybody that “watch out Kevin’s mad” or “Kevin’s no longer talking to you” explains the guy’s phenomenal success? Dan, you gender-baiting (probably) self-loathing homophobe homosexual -
I have no doubt that you can only wish to be the force that Ed Limato has been. If this comment is an Endeavor plant designed to hack away at Limato’s power – says it all. The implication that you’re making is that what is perceived as William Morris’ weaknesses perhaps have been their strengths all along.
The backdrop of the story is : people are hard-pressed to come up with a definition of what the “industry” actually is anymore. William Morris was designed to morph with the times. With Emanuel there they’ll start to try to get the times to bend to Emanuel’s self-regarding “big ideas.” I call this era – Arnold Rifkin the Sequel. May pull a few new clients together but in the end that’ll be it. To have any comprehensive effectiveness you would have to reinvent the wheel and literally cut Morris in half by at least 50%. If you did that it wouldn’t be Morris anymore – that was appealing to a lot of names and stars for decades – they’ll all leave.
Start with people like Bill Cosby. Many of the names with Morris at the moment could deal with just a manager – just fine – and save a lot of money. Ari needs them more than they need him.
why wouldn’t UTA or ICM merge with Gersh – who needs to dump their lit division but has a salvageable talent force.
I’ve been to Paradigm before and think they are minor league. I can’t even name one “star” from there.
I think WMA/CAA will slowly eat up the ICM lit clients.
I was there in 1990 prior to the Triad merger. Ugh, it was grim. It’s typical agency deck chair reshuffling. Everyone will be fine and well-paid. Well, except for the chicks and the non-Jews. I’m a Jewess. I can say that.
Fred – I happily never worked at WMA. But if you did back in the 80’s, then you should write a book. Sam Haskell is!
Of course I’m right about Wiatt. Talk about THE EMPEROR HAS NO CLOTHES. He and his social climbing (”Jeff Berg’s office”) wife are all about show. Very little business sense. Very uncomfortable with people – Self centered. Self serving. How about this – as his first lieuentant he chose David Wirtshafter. A man who has the personality of a knat – on tranquilizers. Maybe that’s it. Dave makes Jim look socially smooth.
And Kevin Huvane (Mr. Warning Will Robinson) should be ashamed of what he’s done single handedly to the careers of NICOLE KIDMAN, MICHELLE PFEIFFER, and the woman who was the biggest star when she came to him, JULIA ROBERTS.