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EXCLUSIVE: A “floater” working in WME Entertainment’s NYC office sent this goodbye email to the entire agency on Friday. 
My insider tells me he “got support from so many people afraid to speak up inside those quiet walls. Funny thing, it was the talk of our office. They eventually recalled the email and erased it from everyone’s computers… But by that time, everyone had already read it.” His name is Marcus Washington, he’s an African American, and his main area was music. He started off assisting for Cara Lewis. So why did he ultimately leave, especially at a time when a showbiz job, any job, is so prized? As one insider explained the situation to me, “diversity (no black agents in our office) and experience are not embraced so after that desk didn’t work out, those in control made it difficult for him to ever move up. Although he brought a client to the company BEFORE he even started there [7-time Grammy nominated artist Jazmine Sullivan]. He finally got fed up and when he told them he could make this a much larger issue, he got them to pay him for 5 months to basically look for another job.”
Here’s the email:
From: NY Trainee 17
Sent: Friday, April 09, 2010 2:29 PM
To: All
Subject: Goodbye WME!!!!On the train ride home yesterday to celebrate the days of no longer feeling bored, miserable, stifled, underutilized and looked over at WME, I heard a homeless woman sing these lyrics from WHITNEY HOUSTON’S “Greatest Love of All”:
I decided long ago
Never to walk in anyone’s shadow
If I fail, if I succeed
At least I’ll live as I believe
No matter what they take from me
They can’t take away my dignity…Although she didn’t hit any of the right notes and it was a horrible performance, the lyrics still resonated with me. It was reaffirming my belief that everything was going to be fine. I paid my dues and it got me nowhere inside these walls and now it’s time to do bigger and better things with my life and career….as I was doing before I got here. What the future holds? Only God knows, but whatever it is, I’m sure I’ll be much happier. I learned a great deal working here and I’m thankful for all of my experiences, good and bad.
Thank you Cara Lewis for giving me an opportunity to assist for you after being in the mailroom for only a few days….even if it was short lived. Haha. It wasn’t easy, but there’s a reason why you are one of the best agents in this business. Your work ethic is inspiring and I wish other agents would take note. I look forward to working with you in the future.
Thanks to PJP and the accounting department – for taking me in and making me an honorary member of your department. I enjoyed hanging out with you while I worked on “extra help” assignments for people who didn’t need it and were being extremely lazy.
Thanks Kate Coster for always being someone I could vent to about my frustrations with this company.
Thanks to the three or four generations of trainees and floaters I’ve shared the mailroom with – I’ve formed incredible friendships with some of you and I’m excited about seeing our paths cross down the road.
Geezy, thank you for inviting me into your family and being a great friend.
Thank you to Nick, Pam, Arthur, Chad, Manny, Frank, Jackie and Charlie.
Thanks Terry and Donna – I’ve enjoyed the many moments sitting with you at reception.
I can’t forget a special thanks to Chris Walsh, our extremely qualified and hard working “human resources” duo, JZH and others that tried to ruin my progress by being conniving, hateful and deceiving. Just know that it’s all going to come back to you….and you could never steal my joy or my dignity.
Assistants, support staff and the many agents I’ve gotten a chance to know – thank you.
Best of luck to you all and….
STOP THE MICROMANAGING AND GROUPTHINK…it’s leading to be the deterioration of this company.
Marcus Washington
Editor-in-Chief Nikki Finke - tip her here.
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I’ve been a floater before at a major agency. I can say from my (positive) experience, if you’re a ‘floater’ it’s a long haul – no matter what your race is – to climb. You’re barely an assistant at that point. You have to prove yourself and endure a lot of crap. I don’t know this guy. Don’t know who he is. But this sounds very ‘Boo Hoo’ to me.
Life doesn’t owe you. Especially in this business, and this economy.
he’s right. Cara Lewis IS a great agent. if he couldn’t make on her desk it’s all on him.
sounds like a baby!
That email caused a ruckus?
Wow. The irony that every agency in L.A. requires their assistants to have thick skin — and they can’t even handle a soft ball like that?
Again… wow.
He had to go through three or four generations of different mailroom classes??? I’ve never heard of that happening and I’ve been through the mailroom myself. Soft ball? Entitled? I think not. Those are the people whose parents get them into the company without any real experience. Hats off Marcus. You have courage and you actually stand for something. Great things are in store for you.
Often it’s those who shovel the most crap downhill that can’t deal with a trickle finding its way back up.
Float-bleh, you don’t get thick-skin migrating like that.
It’s a marathon, not a sprint.
Can you grow a beard?
That’s a harsh goodbye email? I’ve seen better.
Having been an assistant and trainee at the company for nearly three years, I simply want to let Mr. Washington know how proud I am that there is someone out there with the guts to say what I never could.
Marcus,
I know exactly what you went through, having gone through it myself, and want to thank you for clearly being one of the few true human beings at the company and in the industry. You’ll never know who I am, but I hope one day to know who you are. Best of luck with your future and more pleasant Endeavors (pun intended).
Warmest regards,
-Hope
P.S.: I’m was laid off a year ago and would love a job if you’re hiring!
He is my hero! Reading that letter inspired me!!
What exactly was “harsh” about that? Kid sounds like an entitled brat if you ask me … everyone at the bottom is treated like shit, get over it.
Perfect example of why the industry has turned to shit. The axiom was formerly “Be kind to the assistants because you never know when they’ll be running an agency or studio one day” and now it’s “Everyone at the bottom is treated like shit, get over it”. So glad I rose up when the axiom was the former one and not the latter but I still operate on the former in the way I treat people.
Welcome to the post Reagan world, or should is be “Fuck off in the post Reagan world”?
And the cream of the crop rise to the top? Bullshit. Hollywood lacks fresh talent and perspective and it’s stale. Gee, I wonder why.
Cream rises, but shit floats.
MJL, it’s interesting how whenever a person of color or a woman makes a valid complaint, the bigots whip out the “entitled” label. Take a look at the percentage of women and people of color holding jobs in this business. It’s a good ole white boys network and most certainly NOT a meritocracy.
Of course, people are going to immediately going to make this a racial issue. Maybe he was bad at his job – most likely, he was promoted too quickly, got over his head, and had to be demoted. He probably wasn’t treated any worse than any mailroom peeps, floaters, assistants, etc. I was a trainee at the same agency – they bent over backwards to try to promote African Americans. Unfortunately, they usually weren’t prepared or just weren’t good at the job. then they blame it on racism. Being in that job just plain sucks, no matter who you are.
Dear Assistants, Floaters and assorted Whiners,
Grow a pair. I’ve had many assistants over the years and year after year it seems like your sense of entitlement has only continued to grow. You don’t impress with me with knowledge. You don’t impress me at all. You come off lazy and sloppy, not wanting to put in the time or hours it truly takes to succeed. You don’t deserve a promotion just because you show up. I can get any one of the 300 people behind you in line to show up and take your place.
Seemingly somehow you made the cut in the first place. That right there is amazing to me. Had we all only known what a complaining lazy pain in the ass you truly are, we likely wouldve hired the homeless guy from in front of the office instead. At least he would appreciate having a job.
If you dont want to be here or in this business, leave. Leave right now. Go back to whatever god forsaken corner of the earth you came from and let us all get back to our work which has only grown since your lazy fuck self has been derelict.
Dear Cranky Bastard,
If you can’t take it, don’t dish it out.
Evil Helen
Uh…. George Benson not Whitney. Guy knows his music, don’t he?
Actually he does…Whitney also recorded a version in 1986, off her debut album “Whitney Houston”.
I guess you “know your music” don’t you?
I entirely agree with this letter. The “Yes Men”, “Yes Women”…”Group Thinking”, “Hive Mind” way of doing business, is a recipe for disaster. You must always allow for debate within a company, and encourage contrary opinions on ideas–as the very person, or persons, who have differing opinions than the majority, may help to expose a flaw in your business plans, operations, and or, a prized deal, or deals…that can make or break your company or organization.
Question: Why is Michael Jackson dead today? Answer: Because he surrounded himself with Yes Men and Yes Women who didn’t dare tell him “No!” when he needed to hear it…for fear of being fired or falling in disfavor with the boss. This ultimately led to his, Jackson’s, ruin via the child molestation accusations, and then to his ultimate overdose at the hands of a doctor, and perhaps, others? Why do I mention Mr. Jackson? I use the Howard Hughs-ization of Jackson, to point-out that what happens to astonishingly successful people, can, and does, often times…happen to astonishingly successful companies…once arrogance and the inability to listen to reason sets in by those who are in upper, middle, and lower management of said power bases. When individuals who run said companies begin seeing themselves as more than human, or above others, that cancer will manifest itself, spread, and kill…that company. Enron, anyone?
In the end, it is important to remember, that a person with a minority viewpoint within a business, with a lesser, or no college degree, may just be the very person with the key opinion that can save your company from failure, and save your job, career, reputation, and thus, your home, family life, and position in the community. It is up to you, the top brass…to come down from Mount. Olympus, and start listening to others who may not be Yes Men/Women–as those who cater to your egos, and fail to say, “The King Has No Clothes” are the worst enemies you have in your personal midst.
Well said!
Actually, most start from the bottom and some get treated like shit. Just because you went through it doesn’t mean everyone else should. You can call him an ‘entitled brat’ or say he has bad work ethic, but enough is enough when you are not appreciated. Even if he’s just an assistant, he’s still a human being. Is it a requirement to treat assistants like shit and pay them in pennies for 14 hour work days? They always say “pay your dues!”.. How about you’re cheap and if you don’t pay me more I’ll call the US Dept of Labor on your ass. Hollywood can be so gross. I want to high five Marcus.
Geez, what ever he did before being a floater, and through his time at WME, he didn’t seem to pick up a lot about writing, or grammar, or punctuation.
Finally, if WME WAS roiling and offended by this note, one wonders how life is today for those to whom Mr. Washington offered kind words and thanks.
Gotta love that email. Someone better recognize the kid has balls and respect him bc he’s probably gonna be in the mix of the business in some way, shape or form in the future.
So he was lucky enough to land a good desk, he fucked it up and they threw him in the floater pool until they could fire him. Jeeze, I’ve never heard that of that happening before…
Look, sometimes (in fact, most of the time) the HR people at these agencies are functionaries; they whisk people in and out at the behest of the agents. That doesn’t mean that this kid was the next Ari Emanuel or that he was unfairly passed over because he was black. Trust me, if he was spending his time down in the accounting department making friends or venting to one of the HR coordinators, he’s not cut out to work at a major agency.
This is the same stuff that every entry-level hire at every agency puts up with. The moral of the story? When you get a break (i.e. land a desk) make it work; don’t look for excuses as to why it isn’t a good fit.
When I first read this letter I was pretty happy with it, but reading it a second and third time just really makes this kid sound like he didn’t know what he was getting himself into.
“Yeah man, I’m gonna go work at WME for a year, become an agent, and within a couple years I’ll be managing Rhianna by day and fucking her by night!”
Don’t work like that bro. I’m young and black as well. I paid my dues through several internships and shitty paying jobs in and out of the entertainment industry and I got to where I want to be (recently getting into the writer’s guild and what not).
I don’t buy racism in Hollywood. I really don’t. I really believe that if you’re a strong networker and very talented, you’ll get where you need to be.
And anyone who thinks being an assistant at an agency, unless you want to be an AGENT, is the way to go… get an original idea, or a clue… or a delightful combination of both.
Are you trapped in a bubble or something? Numbers don’t lie. Get your head out of your ass and look around. Just because YOU landed a job as a writer in Hollywood as a minority, you can’t ignore the fact that there aren’t many like you on the payroll and in positions like that. And to think YOU’RE part of the 2% that’s so “talented”? GTFOH! You have to be kidding us and yourself. Hopefully you’re not writing for a one of the many shows that have resulted in the dramatic drop in TV viewership…. FYI. Agents aren’t managers so understand the business before you try to jump to conclusions.
You haven’t a clue if you say there is no racism in Hollywood. That just isn’t true. It is like saying there is no sexism….
Marcus Washington,
I have been a “floater”, assistand and agent. I know what you say in true. Look around the major agencies filled with “Liberals” and check the amount of African Americans working or training there. Especially NOT in the Music departments…practically none. When asked why there were not more African American interns, a partner in a major agency said “when we find qualifed ones”. Again another pathetic reason from a spinless Hollywood jerk. How many qualified spoiled brats are floating through the agencies each Summer and/or being promoted because they are the right kind and do not rock the boat.
I do not know Mr. Washington and perhaps he is not 100% correct and is a bit thin skinned. I say good for speaking up and like Joseph Campbell once said “follow you bliss”.
The IT folks recalled this e-mail for what reason? A comma splice? Too many initials?
I do not work in the entertainment business, but I shit meaner things than this e-mail. I thought entertainment folks were tough.
This preciousness of a human being got his feelers hurt. What happened? Did no one at the agency give you enough gold stars? Did no one give you enough props for all the effort you put into a task? Did no one see your specialness?
Well, good luck. McDonald’s could be hiring. Subway is for sure. Any one of those companies would be lucky to employ a precious, special someone like Marcus Washington. Jackhole.
Anyone who has ever gotten anywhere inside or outside of any agency has gotten there through their own ability to network. Look at who he spent his time building relationships with: people in Accounting (PJP), IT (Kate Coster), the mailroom staff (Nick, Pam, etc.) and the receptionists (Terry & Donna). Even if that’s only were HR assigned him, he should have used his free time building relationships with assistants and agents in the departments in which he wanted to work, by reading scripts or attending concerts or helping them file or whatever. Reads like this kid sat back and expected it all to come to him. It won’t, regardless of the color of your skin.
And missing from his accusation of why Jason Hodes or anyone else at WME wanted to ruin his career: motive. Why wouldn’t they want him, like any other aspiring assistant, floater or trainee (is there a difference, really?), to succeed? Where’s the possibility that maybe he wasn’t cut out to be an agent? Not everyone is.
the first sensible take on this letter that I have seen thus far… nice post Ghost.
J
My thoughts exactly. I don’t work in Hollywood, but Mr. Washington would have been met with the same exact problems of moving forward in any industry.
He may well have been working hard, but certainly not smart.
And I agree with bevo as well. This goodbye email was a bit sentimental and overly doe-eyed. If it was meant to be scathing, and to leave some sort of “I’ll show you all!” kind of message, he should have checked his references and grammar before hitting send. If anything, it only shows him to be sophomoric. And yes, he comes off as acting entitled, something one usually feels when very young and very inexperienced.
Before anyone starts attacking me here, YES – I am a minority. But you can only prove that you’ve got what it takes with tenacity.
Listing by name everyone in the firm he hated and befriended is highly inappropriate. He has pulled other people into his fight without their consent, and *right when he’s walking away from it*. Not cool. He would have made a much stronger statement if he had not named names.
Getting where you really want to be is not easy. You might initially “get in” with some help from a friend, but you can only stay if you suck it up and push hard, breathe steadily, and keep going.
Maybe I’m nitpicking, but someone who can’t even properly attribute a major hit song to its proper composer seriously does not belong in show business, particularly the music industry! Just another non-talent parasite wanna-be, entitled puke. Whaaaah!
Yeah right, being not in show business with no prospects and/connections is “bigger and better” than having at least a foot in the door. Sheesh…get some perspective…..
How old are you 70? Get a life.
It’s pathetic that in 2010, so many still operate from the premise that treating your employees/assistants/floaters whatever like shit is considered ‘normal’ behavior by supposed professionals.
Guess that’s why, whether it was a huge commercial art department or the creation of the first gourmet grocery/restaurant in downtown Dallas in 30 years or the present secret mission that’s about to succeed, Team Frank has always willingly performed above and beyond the call of duty – because, no matter what happens, the one thing they all know is that neither I, nor anyone other TF member, will ever treat them like shit.
BTW, NF, even in the worst job market, unemployment is always better than working for total assholes.
The lack of diversity at WME is unsettling and may be a much bigger issue. Other employees (who have left) felt this when I worked at William Morris . Really, unless you’ve worked there, you have no idea what it’s really like. There’s starting at the bottom and the there’s this, which is a whole new extreme.
Like others who are commenting here, I’m finding it hard to discern what is so controversial about this e-mail. It sounds petty at worst. Rather than being inspiring, I see it as utterly dismissable and, quite frankly, probably proof that this guy wasn’t cut out for the entertainment industry in the first place. Honestly, what am I missing here?
He went through “three or four” generations of trainees in the mailroom. That, to me, says he had thick skin and paid his dues…
Can anyone out there briefly explain what exactly a floater is? Classic DH to throw a word like that in the headline of the article and then never explain it.
respectfully yours,
DH Reader Not Employed at a Talent Agency
A floater is a mailroom worker who functions as a temp on various desks and has a minimal grasp on the systems of the company (as opposed to a temp from outside the company) but hasn’t mastered enough to warrant their own desk yet. Usually they have been there long enough to have outgrown the traditional mailroom tasks (coffee runs, delivering mail) that are reserved by the newbies, and have either been fired off a desk and waiting on the next opportunity for an opening (like the hero in our story) or are just unlucky. It’s a way of keeping someone on the payroll as opposed to throwing them out on their asses. At some point, if they don’t find a desk or some kind of support staff position (again, as in the case of Marcus), they either quit or get fired. At that point, they are usually pretty cynical and/or frustrated.
the thing to notate here, is the people he singles out as being human (for lack of a better word) are those who were from the old WMA… all the people listed above are good people (who avoided the ax)… not one addition from Endeavor at all…
Call Paradigm today Marcus…
Bravo!
Tell the willfully ignorant ‘yes men and women’ what it’s really like to toil under and suffer the fools of this industry who make it that much harder for the truly committed and inspired to make a difference.
Look forward to working with you in the future.