UPDATE: Nikki Finke, who’s ill, reports that CAA is not apologetic for the party.
PREVIOUS: Now it’s clear why CAA doesn’t invite the media to its annual Sundance talent agency event. The Hollywood Reporter‘s Matt Belloni is reporting that CAA’s Sunday night packed party featured “a
team of pole-shimmying, barely-dressed burlesque dancers. At least one of them upped the ante by dancing with a strap-on penis, which sources say she used during an extended routine to tease the photo-snapping crowd of CAA clients, film executives and other festival-goers. Two dancers also performed what was described by a source as a simulated sex act on a bed in the party space… The act was too suggestive for at least one female party-goer
who tells THR she was offended and left the event… “The performance by Simon Hammerstein’s The Act LV was more explicit than intended,” a CAA rep tells THR. “We regret if this created an uncomfortable setting for any of our guests.’” The risque revue is based at the Palazzo Hotel in Las Vegas. The CAA event was held at the Claim Jumper on Main Street on a night when several major agencies were vying for major Hollywood players. Here is an Internet photo of CAA principal Kevin Huvane, CAA’s Chris Andrews, and movie producer Harvey Weinstein attending the party where guests according to THR were busy snapping photos of the women performing. Hard to believe this is 2013 and the industry’s grown men still act like this.


“Hard to believe this is 2013 and grown men still act like this.” You do realize that these performers are female, right? And judging by their performance, they are not ashamed of their sexuality. Your attempt at shaming people for their sexuality is backwards and misguided. Hard to believe this is 2013 and grown adults still get upset about sex.
Don’t really see how it’s the performers’ own sexuality, since they’re getting paid for it. Nowhere in the article do I see any comments on the performers or their own sexuality or having sex. You have to wonder what this performance says about the company and why they felt it was a good representation of what they offer, but I guess dumb shit happens when people try to be edgy for the sake of being edgy.
Aww. These show biz studs never tire of reminding the world of just how sexy they are.
This is why women don’t get hired to write, direct, and produce in Hollywood and when they do they are paid less.
Why isn’t public knowledge that the world of movies and TV doesn’t hire women. Mad Men looks advanced compared to the real world of Hollywood.
Is Nikki Finke the only member of the media who isn’t in awe of Hollywood so she is willing to report on the truth of Hollywood?
The Agencies are so sexist. UTA is just as bad. The studios. I know so many writers rooms where they watch porn all day. Same with producers offices.
In any other business this wouldn’t be tolerated and the media would write about it.
What gives?
Well I am a woman and I would have felt uncomfortable had I attended such a party. It was clearly designed for men to take pleasure from it and can make female guests feel uncomfortable. Seeing that it was a business party they should have shown some respect. This is why Hollywood is often accused of sexism.
And your attempt at shaming others for “shaming sexuality” is an equal, sheep-like expression of stupidity. Want to continue the zero sum game?
“Hard to believe…?” Have you ever been to an agency? They’re run like frat houses. Even the strong, smart women have to put up with crude sex jokes and harrassment at worst, non-stop sports talk at best. I’m just shocked that CAA didn’t use better judgment–I’m sure it was their old school idea of “being cool.” Wrong again.
I guess violent acts would be better? grow the f-up.
Oh, c’mon — relax.
Yeah… what’d they expect from the Hollywood folk? Like, prim & proper?
Thank you. There should be no surprise here. At least it was a “show”. It’s actually much better than the usual parties/clubs where naive, aspiring actresses are invited to “network”.
As for CAA, a bit tasteless and unfitting for a Sundance party.
JEEZ MAREEZ!!! Producer, sweetheart, PuhLEEZZ! “…unfitting for a Sundance party.” ?!?! REALLY?? Same people as H’wood plus wannabes, pseudo-sophisticates and “cineophiles” that all want in on the scam…I mean action. “…a bit tasteless”. C’mon, get out of your own way. Sheesh!
“Hard to believe this is 2013 and grown men still act like this.” ARE YOU SERIOUS with that comment? It’ll be 2213 and we’ll still be attracted to hot naked women gyrating on just about anything. Get real.
“Hard to believe”? Seriously? You cover Hollywood, guys. Enough with the fake outrage.
“Hard to believe this is 2013 and grown men still act like this.”
Are you talking about the assholes who hosted the event or the ones who attended it?
Don’t forget to include those who would like to attend an event like this but were not invited.
Glad to see Harvey hung around Sundance for this rather than heading back to DC for Obama’s big day. Harvey knows where the best talent is.
What i find more offensive is the fact that CAA held a party at Claim Jumper.
Were you hoping for something classier like Red Lobster?
They are Craft-adjacent all the time so the CAA folks were dying for good food.
I was working on a show at the Disney lot (Stage 3 in 1995—guess what show) and the grips hired a stripper to perform for one of the guys birthday. The whole crew got fired.
I don’t think that the Park City Claim Jumper is affiliate with the chain. The first time i went to that Claim Jumper was 40 years ago.
Nasty! And this party was thrown for their clients. Does Hollywood have NO shame?
NO.
NO, they don’t. Money, money, money. That’s all that matters.
Sex, sex, sex. Power, power, power…
Not from around here, are ya?
I laughed when I got to the Claim Jumper part.
Why are you guys faking outrage at something so trivial?
I doubt Chris Andrews was interested in any female performer that he couldn’t sign.
What’s really indecent and scandalous about CAA, is the obscene profits they make!
Too many deals, that have turned the once classy Sundance Film Festival, into just another whore market of buying and selling.
BEST PARTY EVER!!!! Hats off to CAA. How will anyone ever top this one…
Actual sex onstage. Obviously. Not that there’s anything wrong with that. And anybody who says otherwise is a prude. Am I getting the script right?
I like it, let’s take it to Warner Brothers as a pitch.
Look at that picture accompanying this article. Are you surprised that group would throw a party featuring nearly naked women dancing in strap-on dildo’s, people performing live sex acts for the crowd, etc? It’s one thing if you represent porn stars and other animals, it’s another if you represent decent human beings. Decent human beings would not want to be seen in such surroundings. Decent human beings think about the consequences of being around and taking in the lifestyles of freaks, perverts, lowlifes, dogs, and other such depraved idiots with no morals whatsoever. A piece of shit lowlife has no morals, no conscience, and will do anything and proudly say, ” See, nothing wrong with that.” except for the fact that you don’t even respect yourself yet you want others to.
What do you have against dogs?
Yeah, preach preacher. Some day a real rain will come and wash all this scum off the streets.
WME and UTA are just jealous because their parties sucked
Who cares? Why let one prude female guest ruin the fun for everyone. CAA thre the biggest and best party in festival history. WME and UTA should take notes
Seriously! Only ONE woman left in a huff? Must have been pretty well accepted that it was all in fun then.
Yeah, and for the sake of that one woman they felt the need to issue a half-assed apology. Logic at work.
Yeah, three cheers for mob … err … majority rule!
Agreed!
You know who cares? Employment discrimination lawyers who just saw big, honkin’ dollar signs. How the hell is CAA going to defend itself against ANY female employee who claims discrimination or harassment? They might as well just start cutting the settlement checks now…
THAT’S why you don’t do this stuff, aside from it being sexist and making you look like a twelve-year-old. If you’re any kind of smart executive, you realize you have a fiduciary duty not to let your company be lawsuit bait.
Trivial? Not at all. It is classless. This wasn’t the AVN Convention. Has everyone taken an ignorant pill? Please raise the bar just a little.
Agreed Lysette. Absolutely classless is the best way to describe it.
You guys do work in Hollywood right? Go to any Hollywood after-party. Dildos Galore.
Isn’t Dildos Galore the name of the new Bond girl?
Ha! I cracked up when I read that!
“We regret if this created an uncomfortable setting for any of our guests.”
How is “CAA Not Sorry” as the headline suggests? Seems like they covered themselves. It is a party full of adults; if you don’t like what you see, you are free to leave. Were there hostages there or something? People need to relax.
You missed the point of the Update. Nikki (been sick a bit lately, hope it’s not serious) reports that CAA is NOT sorry after all.
You spelled CAA correctly in the article.
That’s all that matters.
No other agency party is getting any press, right?
Job done.
You’re right, Casey, UTA and WME PARTIES aren’t getting press… only their film sales are.
That’s (actually) all that matters.
+1, Casey. Mission accomplished.
Why apologize? And apologize to whom? It was a private industry party with a burlesque theme. I’m a fairly boring 43 yr old suburbanite & I don’t think I’d have been all that shocked by what you described at the party given the theme.
It’s not like minors were present. And I’m willing to bet that there were corners or rooms at the party where you weren’t face to face with strap-on’s or simulated acts.
People need to just be adults sometimes. Nobody is forcing you to be there. Nobody is forcing you to stay. Nobody is forcing you to participate. Nobody is forcing you to even look! Lots of options, so no big deal if you ask me!
GirlnamedJake. Your argument is completely wrong. ‘Nobody is forcing you to be there’? That’s not the case. It was a business party thrown by one of the biggest, most influential agencies in Hollywood. Some of the guests were people who were hoping to sign as their clients so they stayed no matter what their opinion about the burlesque antics were. That argument would stand at a college party, but at a business party it’s wrong to make clients or potential clients uncomfortable.
+1
“No big deal”? If the party was for the purpose of conducting business, then the playing field was not “even”. I’d say make it even by having some men-on-men action but I’m pretty sure that would only offend a few men… If all the big players in Hollywood were women I’m pretty sure CAA would have had a much tamer party, not wanting to take the risk of offending any potential female deal-makers. Evidentially, they don’t care what women think or they’re aren’t enough female dealmakers. Take your pick.
jf, I would say there aren’t enough female deal makers because they don’t care what women think or what work they do.
Stay classy, CAA. Stay classy.
Was CAA client Manti Te’o’ there? Sounds like there were plenty of nice, though possibly not Mormon, girls to talk to.
Sounds like the point was they weren’t looking for women to TALK to…
CAA not sorry?? Gee, I can’t understand their lack of remorse.
The nerve of adults having an adult party….Nikki……for shame. Go after them!
Cult of Adolescent Audacity
Normally I’m comfortable seeing sexy women perform at parties and clubs. They’re lovely, confident and entertaining. But as a young professional women trying to network at an industry event it’s awkward to be chatting with a male executive while he’s gawking at a stripper over your shoulder. It’s already tough enough to get their attention and respect. Agencies are already boys clubs, no need to make them Gentlemen’s clubs as well.
Truly disgusting. And Robert Redford was indignant about Paris Hilton showing up? He needs to talk about this and disinvite CAA to all future parties until they apologize.