The Cruise Flap
The only people who don’t know Tom Cruise is loopy work for him. Oh, they know it too, but they deny it just like an abused wife claims her bruises are a result of clumsiness.
In case you missed it, Sumner Redstone, who controls Viacom, went on record that Viacom’s movie studio Paramount wouldn’t renew its deal with Mr. Cruise, because…well, he’s loopy. And as a result of his loopiness, he’s hurt the fortunes of the studio.
And now all the Hollywood insiders are pissing in their pants, angry that Mr. Redstone BROKE THE CODE!
What code IS that exactly? Certainly not the one from the fifties. Where gay stars had wives and there was no TMZ to out Mel Gibson.
The movie industry goes on and on how it’s learned its cyber-lessons, by taking note of what happened to the music industry, yet flaps like this show that the players are still completely clueless.
The music industry got fucked up when it started to imitate the movie business. When execs got all confused and thought THEY were the talent. Used to be many executives despised the talent, for its ability to get laid whenever it wanted and be high on drugs, but it was clear, they had no talent, they couldn’t write the songs, they just had to seethe privately. But then, with the rise of Tommy Mottola, and the reascension of Clive Davis, the execs became the stars. Hiring publicity agents. Signing acts that didn’t write their own material and would do what they were told in order to make it. And, if you didn’t play ball, you were frozen out. Oftentimes not dropped, but put in limbo, your album never being released until you delivered something the suits deemed a hit.
And this worked for a while. Until there were alternatives. Like the Internet.
The movie execs have ALWAYS thought they were the talent. With their designer apparel and fancy lifestyles. They believe they’re the integral element of the business. For a moment there, in the seventies, auteurs got a modicum of control, but that was ultimately too risky, after a few flops, the studios took the reins back.
And then the system got all fucked up. The AGENTS started making movies. By packaging them with their clients. The classic example being CAA’s "Legal Eagles", loaded with talent, but a dud not only creatively, but at the box office too.
And then, studios wanted NO risk. So they started remaking old TV shows and doing sequels. ANYBODY can direct "Spider-Man XX". We’re not entangled with ANY talent.
And now times are tough. So, the studios are tightening their belts.
In case you didn’t know, Hollywood is in a crisis. DVDs have stopped selling like gangbusters. Oh, the industry would like to blame this on piracy…it’s just that it started a while back, before most people knew how to download movies, never mind have the broadband connections to effectively do so.
So now, the studios are cutting back. Disney most particularly. The Mouse House essentially halving its film production. To save itself. Because the production and marketing costs were SO steep, that a few hits really didn’t make up for a string of losses.
But are the agencies and the talent they represent in on this deal? Of course not. They just want what they used to get.
Should Tom Cruise get what he used to? When he’s trashed his image throughout the media? Should he pay no price for firing the protector of his image, Pat Kingsley, and driving the grosses of his recent films down? No, this is one instance where the company is right. Fuck Tom Cruise. Like he hasn’t got enough money. He’s looney-tunes and everybody knows it, why can’t Sumner Redstone say so?
Just like James Robinson sent that letter to Lindsay Lohan saying she was partying too much.
It’s funny that these oldsters, hell, Sumner’s eighty three, are hipper than the traditional Hollywood infrastructure, in most cases MUCH younger than they are. Yup, the young pups are addicted to "Entourage", believing, like Ari Emmanuel, that THEY are the stars.
But Sumner and James own their companies. Which they built. Via hard work. It appears to me that THEY’RE right.
Kind of like the record business used to be. When it was run by entrepreneurs who’d say and do ANYTHING! That’s what ownership/building something does for you. No one running a major label today built the edifice they rule. They’re caretakers. Playing by the rules. Risk-averse, to their detriment.
Everybody knows Paris Hilton can’t sing. But you wouldn’t know this based on the Warner Brothers hype. You wonder why people think music is a joke? The only people who DON’T believe this are those inside. Begging the customer not to steal, to still buy overpriced discs.
Or go to the movie theatre to see crap.
People follow creativity. And stars. And Tom Cruise faltered in this game. And Sumner said so. Touche.
As for those saying that this demonstrates that Brad Grey and Tom Freston are out of the loop and essentially powerless, I say HOGWASH! It’s like Ahmet Ertegun going on record. Only he can state the truth, for he’s ABOVE THE GAME! It’s BEST that Sumner dove in on this, crossed the line, broke the taboo. We have to look to our elders for guidance.
But we must not ignore our young ‘uns or the landscape they inhabit.
Not that Sumner has. He’s even invested in video games.
We’re in a new era. One of sunshine. Especially when it comes to celebrities. With egotastic.com and perezhilton.com and endless tabloids in the supermarket checkout line who is being denied the truth? Who is out of the loop? How much image steering can the power brokers effect?
Now more than ever, it’s not about the penumbra, but the center. Make good movies and people will see them. Make good music and people will want to own it. Focus on marketing rather than the essence and you’re in trouble.
As for Bert Fields… Don’t you realize your credibility’s been jeopardized by that "Vanity Fair" article? Don’t you realize people don’t take you seriously anymore? That you’re seen as the bulldog who will stop at nothing to avoid losing? You’re old. You’ve lived long enough to have the veil lifted from your act. YOU might be incredulous that Sumner went on the record, but almost no one knows who you are. Whereas every potential moviegoer knows that Tom Cruise jumped on Oprah’s couch and dissed not only Brooke Shields, but psychiatry, on the "Today Show".
You can only triumph if you respect the audience.
But it seems that those presently in power in entertainment circles only respect themselves. This is catching up with them. As more nimble players, younger and less greedy than the old guard, zero in on what the public truly wants and take control of the business, using the Internet to accomplish their goals.
Hell, you can see it in clothing. Did anybody at CAA know what Hurley was years back? No. But kids on the street did. Kids on the street now know everything. It’s all available on the Web. To act like this isn’t so is to demonstrate such extreme arrogance as to put one’s career in jeopardy.
Like we’ve got to protect Tom Cruise’s image/career. Who’s lining up to make movies with the star? Who’s lining up to invest in his career (Paula Wagner says hedge funds, but her attorney Fields knows nothing about this)? One thing the street knows is Tom Cruise is rich. Consumers have got no sympathy. Funny how a notoriously cold industry seems to care about him. Oh, we know the truth, as stated above, the players only care about themselves. And it shows. Sumner’s trying to right the ship, but the usual suspects would rather have it take on water. Enough with the insiders closing ranks. It didn’t prevent P2P and it’s not going to resuscitate Tom Cruise’s career, which he single-handedly destroyed. MOVE ON!
