Hollywood and Media

Re David Shaw’s series on Hollywood, Feb. 12-15: Wow, it turns out that studios in Hollywood lie about costs, sales and business negotiations (Feb. 13)? Not only that, but this apparently presents a serious challenge to reporters who say they rely on information from stars and insiders in order to cover the entertainment industry.

As long as reporters buy into the notion that they must have “access” to stars and executives--within the existing narrow framework for Hollywood reporting--they’re only going to get the stories those sources want to tell, being, in effect, public relations mouthpieces for the industry.

The real stories in Hollywood are not about celebrities, studio bickering or inflated box office numbers. They are, among others, about racism and sexism in the workplace and hiring processes both in front of and behind the camera; concealment of labor and safety violations, including the employment of children; and the industry approval of and contribution to work-related alcoholism and drug abuse among the people who live and work there.

KEVIN DONEGAN

Berkeley

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In 1992, after losing my job as press secretary to Barbara Bush (actually, we all lost our jobs), I became the “house flack” at Creative Artists Agency. After 12 years in Washington and five in Hollywood, I can honestly say I never lied to a reporter. By following, when necessary, Marlin Fitzwater’s most important rule of engagement with the media--don’t lie, hide--I maintained credibility (if not always visibility) with both reporters and my boss.

ANNA PEREZ

Mill Valley, Calif.

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I read the article and was amazed. I thought everybody knew the old truism: You can take all the sincerity in Hollywood and put it in a flea’s navel and still have room for six caraway seeds and an agent’s heart.

JIM GOODENOUGH

Canoga Park

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I read with great interest Shaw’s article, “For Film Publicists and Magazines, It’s Mutual Exploitation” (Feb. 13)--great interest and not a small bit of surprise. I am a writer and the West Coast editor of both Cinefantastique and Femme Fatales magazines. I have covered many a story about a forthcoming film and have interviewed a considerable number of celebrities. It has been my experience that 99% of my contacts have been cooperative and undemanding in regard to his or her latest film effort.

True, the magazines do not have the circulation that Time or Newsweek or even Entertainment Weekly have, and therefore perhaps are not considered in the mainstream, but I have sat down with the likes of Jerry Bruckheimer, John Dykstra and Sigourney Weaver, all well aware of what publication was being represented, and have been treated with nothing but courtesy and respect. There have been only three instances in which I have ever run into anything resembling temperament. Three incidents out of hundreds do not make a case, in my book.

I am sure that with the research Shaw did, he came up with some very pertinent facts regarding exploitation on both sides of the word processor. However, as a reporter whose job it is to entice people to see films, this has not been my experience.

MITCH PERSONS

Covina