Bragman speaks

Howard Bragman of Fifteen Minutes Public Relations, co-founder of what used to be Bragman Nyman Cafarelli, talks with the Los Angeles Business Journal's Anne Riley-Katz about being a celebrity PR fixer in this town. It's in this week's issue; here are some excerpts I liked:

Q: As an openly gay publicist, what has it been like to represent actor Isaiah Washington, who got fired for homophobic slurs he directed at fellow cast member T.R. Knight on the ABC TV show “Grey’s Anatomy”?

A: I adore Isaiah. Before any of this happened, a mutual friend said “You should talk to Isaiah,” so I did. We talked on the phone for hours and met for breakfast for two hours. My biggest issue was that I didn’t want to represent someone who is homophobic. His history, his life – I’ve met his friends, his family – this man is not homophobic. Somebody who’s homophobic does not play gay in movies, does not have gay friends. I think Isaiah has more gay friends than I do. I do not think he is homophobic; I couldn’t. I believe he really used the wrong word in a situation and he will acknowledge that.

[snip]

Q: Is public relations different in Los Angeles?

A: The problem for a lot of PR firms is that they don’t realize L.A. is very much its own market. For example, in PR a lot of the big firms like to bill hourly. Well, most L.A. clients like to have you on retainer, they don’t like the hourly thing. Another thing, a lot of firms like to do strategic consulting, but most people who hire PR firms here want publicity work.

[snip]

Q: What’s with the obsession with celebrities like Paris Hilton, Lindsay Lohan and Britney Spears?

A: They’ll be replaced. Right now, it’s like a reality show, and it moves so fast. People like to follow it. The magazines like People and US and OK, they are really smart because they pick about a dozen characters – Angelina, Brad, Jennifer, Britney Lindsay, Paris – because people’s attention is limited. And we continue to follow these people, in spite of the fact that we should be paying attention to other things and other people. And it will continue until the ratings go down, in whatever way.

Q: Have you ever had to lie for a client?

A: Of course I have. Any publicist, or any person, who says they don’t lie is a liar. I try not to lie for a client, 99 percent of the time I’ll say, “I think that’s too personal to answer.” If I do have to lie for a client it’s to protect somebody’s dignity. That’s the time when I don’t feel bad.

Also in the issue: LABJ Editor Charles Crumpley calls media coverage of the Villaraigosa affair a product of our times.