Ari Emanuel

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Ariel "Ari" Emanuel is a prominent talent agent and founder of the Endeavor Agency in Beverly Hills, California. He represents Larry David, Michael Moore, Sacha Baron Cohen, and Mark Wahlberg, among others. His stature in the industry has prompted various homages and parodies over the years, including *Bob Odenkirk's character Stevie Grant on The Larry Sanders Show[1] and the character Ari Gold, played by Jeremy Piven, on the HBO television show Entourage[2]

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[edit] Background

Raised in suburban Wilmette, Illinois, outside Chicago, Emanuel is the brother of U.S. Congressman Rahm Emanuel, and NIH bioethicist Ezekiel J. Emanuel; his father, the Jerusalem-born Dr. Benjamin M. Emanuel is a pediatrician, who was active in the pre-independence Israeli underground[3] on behalf of the Irgun,[4] a Zionist paramilitary organization. His mother, Martha Emanuel (née Smulevitz), was a civil rights activist, and the one-time owner of a Chicago-area rock and roll club.[4] He is a graduate of New Trier West High School and of Macalester College in St Paul, Minnesota.

[edit] Public Advocacy

Ari Emanuel gained widespread media attention in July 2006 when he called on Hollywood to blacklist Mel Gibson because of Gibson’s anti-Semitic remarks during his DUI arrest. Emanuel wrote, “People in the entertainment community, whether Jew or gentile, need to demonstrate that they understand how much is at stake in this by professionally shunning Mel Gibson and refusing to work with him, even if it means a sacrifice to their bottom line.”[5] At the time Gibson was represented by rival talent agency ICM. Gavin de Becker responded with a two-page open letter to Emanuel in the Hollywood Reporter.[6]

In 2007 Emanuel publicly backed Chris Albrecht after Albrecht was fired from HBO for a domestic violence arrest, preceded by rumors of three earlier incidents of violence against women.[7] Emanuel wrote, “If Hollywood is going to give Mel Gibson a second chance, and sports fans are going to cheer on stars like Jason Kidd, Latrell Sprewell, and Stephen Jackson who have made similar mistakes, why not Chris Albrecht?”[8] Emanuel later helped Albrecht land his next job at IMG[9]

Ari Emanuel has hosted fundraisers for Democratic candidates, including a $2,300 per plate fundraiser for Barack Obama at his home.[10]

[edit] References

  1. ^ interview from Not Just the Best of The Larry Sanders Show DVD
  2. ^ Horn, John. "A Green Light for 'Aqua'?". The Los Angeles Times. Retrieved on 2006-07-28.
  3. ^ Hendrix, Steve. "Fighting for the Spoils", Washington Post, October 22,2006, p. D01.  Retrieved on Jan. 9, 2007
  4. ^ a b Elisabeth Bumiller. "The Brothers Emanuel", June 15, 1997.  Retrieved on Feb. 12, 2007
  5. ^ [1] “The Bottom Line on Mel Gibson's Anti-Semitic Remarks” by Ari Emanuel, July 30, 2006
  6. ^ [2] “Gavin de Becker Gives Ari Emanuel the Gift of Rhetorical Whoop-ass” August 4, 2006
  7. ^ [3] Ari Emanuel Defends Fired Chris Albrecht
  8. ^ [4] “In Defense of Chris Albrecht” by Ari Emanuel, May 10, 2007
  9. ^ [5] Is Endeavor Playing Into IMG's Hands?
  10. ^ [6] Hollywood superagent Ari Emanuel hosts L.A. fund-raiser for Obama Saturday night

[edit] External links

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