When Celebs Arm twisted the media
April 16, 2015 Archita Kashyap 1932 reads 0 comments
Instances- of Arm twisting/ Celebrity Clout Used On Media
We reiterate that here, we haven't used names and will let you guess to protect the privacy of media houses that have had to bend or face the ire of celebrities.
1. Upcoming Actor Uses Pressure Tactics/Charm Offensive to Keep Unfavorable Coverage in Control
He is a promising young star with a charming smile & a solid number of films under his belt. But his PR tactics verge on control freak behavior. He has once threatened a reporter and then his entertainment editor (editor of supplements) of a leading national newspaper over a question about his personal life and ex girlfriend. Much to the shock of the reporter, his editor gave in and actually adjusted to send out positive coverage. Thankfully, that editor is no longer in charge of this mainstream supplement. I have faced his charm offensive a couple of times. Anything even remotely around topics that he doesn't like, he requests you to remove. On the first occasion, his request seemed fair. On the second, it simply irked. Charming or not, I dropped significant portions of the interview. This gentleman should know that natural touches work better than controlled media strategy for artistes.
2. Entertainment Editor Tackles Phone Calls Endlessly Over Blind Item!
For those in the media, the blind item is today's only recourse to reporting gossip around stars. They are read and followed voraciously. However, supersensitive superstar (with a flavor for Zen things) & an accomplished actress known for her sartorial style, both got their staff to call an entertainment editor of a leading national newspaper repeatedly to express their ire over one such blind item! The story had stated that these two stars are having a good time together. While the superstar's personal life had kept him in the news last year, the actress was riding a crest with a much-applauded performance. While this spunky editor tackled calls for most of her day the next morning, the newspaper might still need to make some concessions to assuage the combined egobomb of both these stars!
3. Ex Editor Turned Film Producer Uses Clout to Assuage Petty Issue of Bollywood Diva
This is an experience from my broadcast journalism days. At a book launch, a ruling diva who had just switched boyfriends (both being stars), was attending an ex editor turned movie producer's reading. A cub reporter from my team, set to prove her chops, asked two direct questions- one on her personal life; the second on a raging controversy around womens' rights at that point. This ruling diva who has a particular knack for cribbing till kingdom come, and sulking along with it, didn't like the questions and basically avoided answering. Soon after, multiple PR folk started calling for removal of even her no comments' reaction! I was stunned and annoyed beyond words. I categorically said no and congratulated the cub reporter. Next thing I know our editor in chief gets a call from the filmy editor- producer requesting him to remove the diva's quotes. Our editor is a man of steel. He simply walked up to us, congratulated the cub reporter & told me, well done'. We were delighted, that our boss had stood by us. The issue was a non-issue in the first place. And then, we headlined the diva's reactions. Tee Hee Hee!
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