UPDATE: Those promoted to agents were Alec Botnick (TV Lit), Justin Ongert (TV Alt), Matthew Horowitz (TV Alt), Simon Faber (MP Lit), Derek Zasky (Theater), Josh Bider (Branded Lifestyle), Andrew Finkelstein (Talent), Andrew Dunlap (Talent), Annabel Gualazzi (Talent), Bethany Dick (PA/ Lectures), Nick Cave (Music), Cameron Keiser (Music).

wme-new-logo-final smallerWME's post-merger pains following massive layoffs have been news for most of 2009 on my website. Now I've learned that yesterday's motion picture staff meeting set out to foster better relations between the remaining staff of the two combined agencies as the year closes.

Everyone at Endeavor knows that Patrick Whitesell is a longtime Green Bay Packers fan. Still, it seemed bizarre that he opened the meeting talking about what a great MVP season that veteran QB Brett Favre, aka the Iron Man, is having with the Minnesota Vikings right now. "And we have our own iron man, Ed Limato," Whitesell segued. With that, he held up a Minnesota Vikings jersey emblazoned with the name "Limato" on the back and handed it to the veteran tenpercenter as everyone stood and applauded. Now, if you know Ed, you also know he'd rather go to the symphony than a football game. But the former William Morris agent (who reps Denzel Washington, Steve Martin, Richard Gere and Mel Gibson among others) gamely accepted the jersey and exclaimed, "I can't wait to wear it on Saturday night."

UPDATE: A day later, at the all-company meeting which are held at the Beverly Wilshire hotel, WME watched a video made by WME client Jim Cramer of CNBC's Mad Money fame. He fielded a call from a phoner wanting to know "what the trends for 2010 are for a recently merged entertainment company". Cramer replied that the firm "needs to be promoting its best and brightest". With that, about half a dozen photos of WME staff began flashing on the screen, and, one by one, Cramer announced their promotions to agent status.