Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: defamation, eva longoria parker affair, paressant affair, parker lawsuit, tony parker affair, X17online apology
In an apology statement somewhat buried in their Web site, X17online.com admitted on April 5, 2008 that almost a dozen stories concerning NBA star Tony Parker’s alleged affair with French model Alexandra Paressant were completely false. Whew.
The statement reads, “In December 2007, X17online.com published over ten articles concerning Tony Parker and a woman named Alexandra Paressant. Various articles asserted that, after Mr. Parker was introduced to Ms. Paressant by Thierry Henry at this wedding to Eva Longoria, Mr. Parker engaged in sexual relations with Ms. Paressant. Since the publication of these articles, X17online.com and X17, Inc. have discovered that Mr. Parker has never met with, or spoken to, Ms. Paressant nor has he ever had sexual relations with her. X17online.com and X17, Inc. regret having been misled by Ms. Paressant and her representatives and apologize to Mr. Parker for any damage or inconvenience this may have caused him or his wife.”
Paressant originally reported to the celebrity blog site that she and Parker met at the ceremony where he wed his current wife, Eva Longoria, in July 2007. The scandal started in December 2007, when Paressant claimed to have had several steamy sexual encounters with Parker in Paris and San Antonio, Texas following their introduction at the wedding.
These articles posed problems for Parker and Longoria, as they quickly resulted in a slew of coverage within the blogosphere that was then picked up by more prominent news outlets, such as E! Online. This scenario goes to show that a publicist must remain vigilant in monitoring the usually unofficial, opinionated blogs for information concerning his or her clients. By remaining aware of the chatter, a publicist heightens his or her chance of squashing inaccurate information in its infancy. Quick recognition allows for a quick response that can re-frame an issue in a more positive light and increase the amount of control both the publicist and client have of the topics being discussed.
Soon after Parker realized the situation, he repeatedly made statements denying all claims of an extra-marital affair. He did the right thing in responding to the public with his side of the story, as it was a proactive way to take control of the situation and dispel the rumors to prevent any further damage to his reputation.
The numerous celebrity coverage blogs would be wise to check their sources before publishing. X17online.com has now lost much credibility that will prove difficult to gain back. Inaccurate information has no place in journalism nor public relations, and no professional in either field can afford to work with entities they are even remotely unsure of.
X17online.com is now being sued by Parker for $40 million in damages for posting “false and defamatory” stories, proving just how valuable a reputation can be.
Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: celebrity support, Jessica Simpson, Jessica simpson publicity, troop support
Jessica Simpson’s visit to U.S. troops stationed outside of Kuwait City finished with a three-hour performance that was broadcast live on MySpace. With all regards to the troops, Simpson said she was “signing autographs, meeting them, and showing all the support I can.”
Concerning this visit, which took place in early March 2008, Simpson’s publicist, Cindy Berger, rebutted reports that the young star was enjoying luxuries such as a private jet and large personal entourage while in Kuwait. “She flew commercially, she is staying in the barracks,” Berger tells PEOPLE. “She’s been with the troops all day. She’s had her meals with them.”
Berger adds that performing for the troops is a genuine desire of the Texas-born celebrity. “This was done purely to support the troops and entertain them.”
This is not Simpson’s first troop visit. She and then-husband Nick Lachey visited Ramstein Airforce Base in Germany as part of a USO-hosted tour in 2005.
Independent of Simpson’s intentions, appearances such as this one, especially when done voluntarily, serve to create positive attitudes of a celebrity in the minds of their fans and the general public.
The public generally enjoys stories of celebrities taken out of their impeccable A-list existence in order to get down and dirty with real people. This type of story is outside of the typically reported celebrity spending spree or “party like a rock star” coverage. As such, the public can see a real individual emerge from a celebrity’s A-list aura, someone with whom they can better identify with. Additionally, this meaningful and novel media coverage, more often than not, will rise above the clutter of a mundane, and I must say less impacting celebrity piece, such as this one entitled “Penelope Cruz Takes Dog to the Vet.”
Gen. William Tecumseh Sherman famously said “war is hell.” Relative to Simpson and similar entertainers though, troop presence in the Middle East is actually an opportunity for publicity, providing an audience to communicate with and plentiful media coverage. Additionally, Simpson captures this opportunity in a fairly benign manner. That is, she shows support for the troops by entertaining them without having risk her image to explicitly state her own feelings concerning the notorious war and its validity.
Simpson’s image conveys compassion through her actions and appreciation of her fans through her words; As Simpson recently posted on a fan site: “I love you all and am so blessed by the support and love you show me everyday!! xoxo Jess.” I predict she will continue to be admired not solely for her talents as a singer-actress, but for her refreshing commitment to others besides herself.
Highlights of her performance in Kuwait can be seen here.
Image may be found in it’s original context here.
Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: baseball, mlb, performance drugs, roger clemens, steroids
Roger Clemens, most recently pitcher for the New York Yankees, is facing accusations of steroid use from both the Mitchell Report and José Canseco’s 2005 book, Juiced: Wild Times, Rampant ‘Roids, Smash Hits & How Baseball Got Big.
Clemens’ name is mentioned 82 times within the Mitchell Report for steroid use in baseball, citing references from former Yankees’ teammate and pitcher Andy Pettite as well as professional strength trainer Brian McNamee.
McNamee is accused in the Mitchell Report of helping acquire performance enhancing drugs for some or all of the players he personally trained, including both Andy Pettite and Roger Clemens. Mr. Clemens’, in an effort to communicate his innocence in the matter, appeared in an interview by journalist Mike Wallace on 60 Minutes, where he denied all assertions that he injected steroids, saying they “never happened.”
Furthermore, player Roger Clemens’ and trainer Brian McNamee testified in front of a House of Representatives oversight committee on February 13, 2008, where they both reinforced claims that they other was lying during the hearing. The case, unresolved, is now in the hands of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Most of the coverage received in the mainstream media has been objective, with articles not necessarily expressing favor towards any side of the issue. Pictures are almost always stock footage of Clemens on the field, which is how the public knows him best. These photos show Clemens in his natural element, which in my opinion is better than pictures of him testifying in front of a House committee, because that would just scream that something is awry. Also, a majority of the mainstream media articles did quote some form of Clemens’ denial of performance enhancing drug (PED) use statement, with other quotes being from industry insiders, players, or Clemens’ lawyer. Clemens’ long-time friend Andy Pettite is now his worst enemy as he peppers these articles with recalled snippets of conversations between himself and Clemens concerning steroid use. These articles usually tie Clemens’ own crisis into a nostalgia for baseball and its great players before it was rampant with dishonest competitors and seedy practices.
Blog coverage, as a more personalized medium, gives mostly unfavorable opinions concerning Roger Clemens and this incident. No sympathy is extended to Clemens, with blogs expressing dissatisfaction and even boredom with the seemingly endless claims of PED use that have recently become ubiquitous to the MLB and other professional sports leagues. Of the four blogs I visited, only two actually featured a photo of Clemens. One was an action shot of Clemens reigning on the pitcher’s mound, while another blog offered links to two pictures supposedly before and after the alleged steroid use. Blog coverage is focused mostly on speculation from the Web site author on whether or not Clemens did actually engage in the use of PED’s. Blogs frame the crisis as just another fallen hero, not unlike prominent stars in the past who have been knocked-down from their demi-god status.
The mainstream media coverage features articles that are lengthy when compared to those blog postings on this subject. I believe this is because the mainstream media is trying to offer all of the facts, which there are many, and provide some consistency to a story that suffers discrepancies from all persons involved. Bloggers are merely offering up their opinion of the story, which unlike a traditional news article, doesn’t necessitate hammering out all of the details to educate a reader so they can make their own informed opinion. The mainstream media coverage, in contrast to the blogosphere, seems to be a more reliable source of “official information” concerning the allegations of Clemens’ alleged drug-use. I say this because use of quotes from top-ranking officials, such as Bud Selig, MLB commissioner, and even President George W. Bush, are prevalent in the articles offered by traditional news media, whereas they are mostly absent in the blog entries.
I did not encounter any statements from a personal manager or publicist employed by Roger Clemens. On the other hand, statements from his lawyer were frequently used. This must be because of the legal sensitivity surrounding the issue of illegal drug-use. As such either Clemens or his attorney is wise to screen
all statements though somewhat of a “legality lens” before releasing them to the media. Clemens has also been communicating a consistent message denying his alleged drug use to the media and law enforcement, which is far more helpful than if he had remained mute on the matter. People will likely extend the benefit of the doubt to a celebrity during a crisis if they are in constant communication, whereas if they are not, people begin to wonder “What is THIS celeb hiding”?
Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: celeb moms, celebrity pregnancy, motherhood, celebrity image
Guess which Hollywood leading lady I heard is pregnant….Give up? All of them.
Ok. Ok. Not literally every one of them, but there is definitely more media focus on baby as of late. Due in 2008: Jessica Alba, Halle Berry, Jamie Lynn Spears, Nicole Kidman, Gwen Stefani. Not to mention those starlets that have just recently delivered: Nicole Richie, Jennifer Lopez, Christina Aguilera.
Nicole Richie received $1 million for her son, Harlow, to be featured on the cover of People magazine. Christina Aguilera was reportedly paid $2 million for pictures of her newborn son, Max. It is Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie’s baby Shiloh that takes the cake though, with People giving up $4.1 million to feature the girl on a June 2006 cover.
Being showcased as a new or expectant celebrity mother certainly has its benefits. Ignoring the obvious ( and extremely) easy money, the portrayal of a celeb in the “mom role” allows for those similar individuals in the general public to find commonalities and identify with A-list celebrity women. A simple assumption is that moms relate and listen to other moms. This can increase a star’s fan base. Also, when the public identifies with a famous figure, they are likely to extend a fair amount of sympathy towards that same individual if and when a crisis occurs. Public sympathy can be priceless from a PR perspective.
A story featuring a new or expectant celebrity mother is able to transform an image for the better. Take Nicole Richie for example, who has received plenty of negative publicity. However, a cover article in the March 2008 issue of People magazine features a quote from Richie concerning her daughter, Harlow: “She gives life a whole new meaning and purpose.” There you have it, an official statement that has charged both Nicole’s fans and the general public alike with optimism for her new life and family. As such, flub-ups from the past will most likely remain in the past. “Mommy coverage” like this is refreshing for both the public and stars in the public eye.
Celebrity motherhood and pregnancy is like the new rehab. I mean, a baby can change lives for the better and it gets you on the cover of major magazines!
Seriously though, celebrity moms are substituting a positive image of life in Hollywood in place of the predominantly negative coverage, like enough celebrity meltdowns in 2007 to warrant a “Top Ten” listing. Geez.
I admire them for bringing such a balance.
Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: jackson children, jackson kids, prince michael, unmasked children, unveiled kids
During the last days of January, Michael Jackson let two of his kids, Paris and Prince Michael, roam the Luxor Casino in Las Vegas without their usual masks. I have to say too that these kids are quite white, so it makes me wonder. Heck, maybe it should make Michael wonder too.
Anyways, what could his motive be for doing such a thing? It is good for his image I guess, considering most of the public thought the whole “mask over the kids faces” thing was a bit strange. Perhaps a comeback is in the making? King of pop takes back the crown?
Regardless, this was indeed publicity for Michael, and it was a whole lot more positive than the “dangle my baby child over a balcony from the top floors of a hotel” shenanigan. This unmasking also puts MJ back in the public eye following his hiatus, where he traveled to countries such as Bahrain. His return in the media has coincided with the release of “Thriller 25,” his anniversary album, so maybe the unveiling of his brood was all just a way to get some chatter going on around Michael and some resultant buzz about the album. I did notice another blog covering this actually had “Thriller 25″ advertisements below the story, so the idea can at least be entertained.
Usually when “Michael Jackson” and “children” are used in the same sentence, it’s in some way negative. After a long history of negatively-lit incidents involving kids, doing something positive for his own children by allowing them to be “normal” for a day definitely can’t hurt his image. So I say he made a smart move and it’s about time.
Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: image, pr, public relations, visa, winehouse
Amy Winehouse’s visa was denied as she attempted to come stateside in order to attend the Grammy awards this year. However, she will still perform at this Sunday’s show via satellite.
Is it just me or is the government getting pickier concerning who they will let in the country? This is not the first time Winehouse has been unable to appear in the US “due to visa issues.” Nor is she alone in her plight. London based rappers M.I.A. and Lily Allen have also suffered from not being granted entry into the US.
It seems that M.I.A. has lyrics that mention LTTE, deemed a terrorist organization by the US government, and I guess Winehouse just plain isn’t conducting herself like a lady, with her chaotic personal life increasingly upstaging her music.
Anyone directing public relations efforts with a client like Winehouse must constantly be releasing official statements concerning her status simply to avoid the rampant rumors that will inevitably fill-up any information vacuum. Also, these missed performances let down the fans as much as the artists themselves. A show cancellation is not the greatest memory one can hope to linger in the minds of their supporters.
As this scenario demonstrates, artists personal lives are converging with and affecting their professional careers for better or worse. Look to Britney Spears for an ideal case study of the effects of personal shenanigans on one’s professional image.
As such, PR practitioners need to give their clients a helpful clue: ANYthing is fair game!
