Lawyer Takes Charge of Frustaci Story
The man behind the marketing of the Frustaci babies is named, appropriately enough, Wallet.
And Andrew Wallet, a 32-year-old Beverly Hills lawyer, considers it his job to increase the market value of his clients and their story.
Wallet, who has been a friend of Samuel Frustaci since the two met at a Mormon church six years ago, has maintained tight-fisted control over photographs and film footage of the infants and mother, dribbling out only two black and white print photographs, one color print and brief videotaped footage.
“I don’t want to dilute the market,” Wallet explained. “I want to increase it as much as possible. Let’s face it, we are looking at immense expense here. It’s going to be astronomical.
“I’m the attorney. I can be mercenary. That’s my job.”
Samuel Frustaci, 32, said he has been warned that he will be deluged with offers to endorse everything from diaper services to baby food.
Before Tuesday morning’s birth of six of the septuplets, he was contacted by various publications in the United States and abroad seeking exclusive rights to the story of Mom, Dad and the world’s first surviving septuplets.
Wallet said, “I have not finalized anything yet because everybody was still uncertain about what would happen.”
Six of the seven fetuses survived birth Tuesday. The seventh and smallest fetus was stillborn and doctors said the baby had apparently been dead in the womb for several days.
Wallet said he and the Frustacis decided to wait until after the birth before signing any contracts because “the value only becomes a reality after the birth.”
So far, no one has beaten down their doors, Frustaci said. But they have received a donation from a young girl in Amsterdam, a quilt from a New Hampshire woman and a few small contributions locally. The family’s medical insurance policy with New York Life is covering most of the costs, which Frustaci said he has heard could be “close to $700,000.”
“We will be seeking help from any and all sources,” the new father said, announcing the formation of the Frustaci Septuplet Account. He said people interested in contributing to a trust fund for the surviving six infants can write to P.O. Box 7667, Riverside, Calif. 92513-7667.
Wallet said he was unaware of any donations by late Tuesday afternoon.
The attorney is attempting to protect the family’s privacy a well as the financial rights to any film or publication.
“This is a traumatic situation--facing the birth of septuplets has thrust them to quasi-celebrity status,” Wallet said of Samuel and Patty Frustaci.
“No one is really sure what’s going on now, though I’m sure it is going to sink in later,” he said. “So I’m here as an uninvolved sort of person to make sure the floodgates are not opened.”
Wallet said he did not feel the press had a right to inquire into every aspect of a person’s life. But, he said, “The media has the attitude that ‘if you don’t give us everything we want, we will take it.’ ”
Peeved at NBC
Wallet was most peeved at NBC, which he said had surreptitiously stationed a photographer in the underground corridor linking St. Joseph Hospital (where the babies were born) with Childrens Hospital of Orange County.
“NBC wrongfully ripped off still color photographs of some of the children,” Wallet charged. “Then they pan with a video camera to make it appear the still photographs were part of video camera footage. We were, needless to say, extremely upset.
“I believe in the First Amendment and the press’s right to get information. But I also believe in their (the Frustacis’) right to privacy.”
When word leaked out of the unauthorized film, the incident set off jockeying between reporters from major networks and representatives of the morning network interview programs. Wallet did not appear pleased by any of the seekers of exclusive interviews. But he glowered at a business card of NBC’s “Today” show representative.
“Things have to be on our terms,” Wallet said. “We want things to be wholesome and family-oriented.”
Videotapes Withheld
For that reason, Wallet said, he and Samuel Frustaci withheld early videotapes of the infants because of their “explicitness,” described by hospital authorities as showingcloseups of the babies still bloody from birth.
“We both felt, I think, that those shots were not in the best of taste,” Wallet said.
Defending himself against a barrage of criticism from media representatives with whom he had had dealings in the days before the births, the attorney said, “I have to consider the long-range exclusive rights to these photographs and this story. This is going to be a good story for a long, long time. I don’t want to eat into that.”
As for Mom and Dad, Sam Frustaci said every effort will be made to prevent a circus atmosphere from surrounding the surviving children.
Said Frustaci: “We will try as much as possible not to have the children exploited.”
