Today's Blind Items - The Cartoon
Dear Parents/Potential Momagers &Dadagers,
I am going to tell you a little story. The warning is for parents with children who want to get them into show business. The rest of you will like it because this involves some big names who are in on the scam. Oh, it is a scam. A big scam.
There is a "manager" who targets kids for these scams. Why? Kids have parents who have money. Starving artists don't have money.
What this manager does is to sign up kids for their workshops. Of course you have to pay to attend these workshops. Many parents are leery of having to pay for things like this, but the manager has an answer for it. There is an animated movie set to be made. It is going to star this A- list mostly movie actress ALL of you know and her husband who is A list. They are going to be the voices. They know their names are being used for this, but have done nothing about it because apparently the mother of the manager "discovered" the actress. It has also been suggested that the mother of the actress makes some bucks from it too.
If you sign up for the workshop, not only are you learning some acting but you are helping to finance the movie and of course you will get a role. Nothing could be further from the truth. They have been running the scam for years and hundreds, if not thousands of people have given their money to these people.
I am going to tell you a little story. The warning is for parents with children who want to get them into show business. The rest of you will like it because this involves some big names who are in on the scam. Oh, it is a scam. A big scam.
There is a "manager" who targets kids for these scams. Why? Kids have parents who have money. Starving artists don't have money.
What this manager does is to sign up kids for their workshops. Of course you have to pay to attend these workshops. Many parents are leery of having to pay for things like this, but the manager has an answer for it. There is an animated movie set to be made. It is going to star this A- list mostly movie actress ALL of you know and her husband who is A list. They are going to be the voices. They know their names are being used for this, but have done nothing about it because apparently the mother of the manager "discovered" the actress. It has also been suggested that the mother of the actress makes some bucks from it too.
If you sign up for the workshop, not only are you learning some acting but you are helping to finance the movie and of course you will get a role. Nothing could be further from the truth. They have been running the scam for years and hundreds, if not thousands of people have given their money to these people.
Biel and Timberlake?
ReplyDeleteJada?
ReplyDeleteMila and Ashton?
ReplyDeleteWhen I was in third grade after school one day, there was a guy standing outside with an offer to attend acting school to become actors and actresses. He showed us all, took our names and addresses and went to each of our houses trying to pitch, mostly our moms that we could all have careers in acting, commercials, models, tv shows, theatres, movies. He didn't get one customer.
ReplyDeleteThis is done a lot by casting agents for adult actors. It's kind of pay to play, casting directors do these workshops so young actors can get their foot in the door.
ReplyDeleteA lot of these workshops are run by casting agents associated with Scientology.
LA recently made this practice illegal though, I think last year.
Blake and Ryan?
ReplyDeleteI immediately thought of Blake and Ryan for the A list couple too
ReplyDeleteI like the Mila/ Ashton guess.
ReplyDeleteKristen & Dax?
ReplyDeleteNearly every other acting class in LA is a scam designed to take every last penny from naive kids fresh off the bus. Been that way from the beginning of time.
ReplyDeleteWill & Jada
ReplyDeleteActually maybe the Travoltas. But I don't think that Kelly has ever been A-.
ReplyDeleteBut the shadiness adds up and matches some past Kelly Preston blinds:
-The manager's mom who "discovered" the actress was maybe a madam.
-The actress' mom getting a kickback is relevant if she is raising her secret grandchild.
I have a very hard time believing Kristen/Dax. I think she would be mostly TV anyway. I could see Mila/Ashton or Will/Jada
ReplyDeleteI Mike the Beil/Timberfake guess
ReplyDeleteAt least they're only fucking the kids financially.
ReplyDeleteWill is in a new animated movie next year. Jada’s mom sometimes acts and does a lot of stuff on social media.
ReplyDeleteJessica Biel is NOT a mostly movie anything.
ReplyDeleteFools and their money are soon parted.
ReplyDeleteHow could you not smell this scam a mile away?
If they're helping to keep kids out of Hollywood then it's probably worth the fee, for the kids' well being at least.
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ReplyDeleteDebbie Allen
ReplyDeleteKim Fields' mother
ReplyDeleteNebula and Dax the Destroyer as the couple.
ReplyDeleteIs the implication that the couple is involved? Otherwise, who cares what some grifter is saying.
ReplyDeleteThat said, I'm guessing Sarah Michelle Gellar & Freddie Prinze jr.
Catherine Zeta Jones
ReplyDeleteBarbizon uses the ploy that Justin Bieber took their classes. Just saying. Not that they are part of the blind.
ReplyDeleteA sleazeball came up to my 17 year old daughter as she was working hostess at an upscale eatery in town and told her he was looking for models, owned an agency, and she could get work immediately. Gave her his card. My very pretty (and extremely smart) daughter gave me the card and I researched him. He owned an agency all right, but posted pics of his models on Facebook wearing no or very little clothes (hair covering “parts”). It was a good, safe lesson for my daughter. Creep!
Should be listed as kindness for teaching folks the most important thing about show business: don't trust anybody in show business...
ReplyDeleteI know exactly who this is, and it has been running since they started the business about 6-7 years ago in DC. It appears that they now target young adults as well. I hesitate to write this because I don't want to give them any press that will help them in any way. However, the truth needs to come out! The problem is that they not only hoodwinked the families but also agents and CDs to participate in their promised showcase thereby giving them "credibility" along with the A-list names that they tout as supporters and participants in their "animated project". They also tout connections to "old Hollywood" to lend further credibility ... saying the owner worked for this A+ deceased actor (though I would suggest probably only as a minor assistant). They also include the mother of one of the actors mentioned by Enty in their promotions and sometimes their events - I assume she is paid for this, otherwise WHY...?
ReplyDeleteMy child had a top-tier agent in NYC, and we scheduled to meet with this group upon recommendation of a CD we know. The thinking was that having a manager would round out his representation and help us focus his career efforts. Before the owner even sat down to interview my child, he offered management representation AND his business partner (his Mom) began pitching their training/classes AND the opportunity to be part of the upcoming animated film AND the opportunity to showcase in front of even higher tier agents. Ohhhh, and could I pay with Visa that day - they only had limited spots available and wanted to make sure my child was confirmed. That's right - they wanted me to give them $2,000 within 10 minutes of meeting them. Needless to say, the red flags were flying on many fronts. So I heeded the good advice of many professionals who say NEVER pay upfront. The owners agreed to do a couple of stand-alone classes and to set up meetings with “their” NY agents. Thankfully we never signed a contract with them. We learned very quickly that their real priority was getting ready for the next showcase and then the next one and on and on. So we exited very quickly and were able to secure a top-quality manager in L.A. I am soooo glad we never signed with them - from what I saw of the contract draft, it would be an anchor for the rest of one's career.
YES - they do promise that as represented talent you can be part of their animated project with their big name stars that are already attached. In fact, my child was told: you would be "perfect in the role of xxx". The owner even states on his LinkedIn.com profile: "As their television and film projects are developed, they will be considering xxx talent in their productions." In addition to the two A-list celebs Enty mentions, they also touted (at least to us) that another A-list celeb was attached (I'll call him A3). I recall that other big names were floated as well, along with “waiting by the phone” for confirmation of supposed $18 million in investor financing. This was several years ago, and of course … haven’t seen anything come of it.
And further, I believe that the primary connection that the owner's mom has to the "discovering the actress" is that she took a dance (or other class) from her when she was very young. However, there is obviously some connection that has remained with the mom of the actress - perhaps that it's mutually beneficial from a financial standpoint.
There's so much more that I could share, but it might bore you. Anyway ... here's what you really need to know:
A-list Actress/Actor: Biel/Timberlake
A-list Actress Mom: Kim Biel
"Manager": MdM Talent, located in D.C. - Michael McDavitt and Diane McFarland (Mom)
A+ Old Hollywood: Walter Matthau
Animated project: "Canario"
A3: Chris Rock
Ohhhhhh snap thanks for the insider info! Not boring at all spill alllll the tea!
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