Ari Emanuel Takes Aim At CAA Over Harvey Weinstein Handling, Teases Netflix Deals, Urges Actors, Studios To Strike Deal & Condemns Benjamin Netanyahu

Peter White
·2 min read
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Ari Emanuel took some shots during his latest public appearance.

The Endeavor CEO took aim at CAA over their handling of issues related to Harvey Weinstein, calling for Bryan Lourd and Kevin Huvane to “take a leave of absence” while the matter is investigated.

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He also urged the studios and actors to get a deal done even if it means getting “half a loaf”, saying that, “You’re not winning an Oscar for this negotiation”.

Speaking at the Bloomberg Screentime event, he also talked up interest in the rights to WWE’s Raw and teased deals with Netflix for Tyler Perry and David Ellison.

He also took aim at Benjamin Netanyahu over the terror attacks in Israel.

It was a short, but, as ever, wildly entertaining conversation with Emanuel.

On CAA, which along with Disney and Miramax, is being sued by Julia Ormond over an alleged sexual assault by Weinstein in 1995, he said that there should be a full investigation. “They should take a leave of absence,” he said, referring to Lourd and Huvane.

“I don’t know where Margot Robbie is, where Meryl Streep is on this issue,” he said.

“We have more morals,” he added.

Asked whether he was still a Hollywood agent, Emanuel said he was and he’d just closed “significant” deals with Netflix for Tyler Perry and David Ellison, although he didn’t give any further details.

On the strike front, Emanuel said that there are “big issues” to be addressed. “I just hope that they all get in a room, lock the door and don’t leave,” he said.

“When you’re in a negotiation, get half a loaf and move on,” he added. “You don’t have to solve every issue right now.”

Asked which companies he would buy or sell in a hypothetical game, Emanuel said that he believed YouTube and owner Google, Microsoft and Netflix “would be fine” but was less rosy on Paramount and Fox, adding that he believed Warner Bros. Discovery boss David Zaslav had “figured it out” after a tough year.

Emanuel confirmed that Endeavor put in a bid for a stake in the PGA Tour Golf after talking up rights positions for WWE’s Raw and other events, particularly as these competitions don’t have seasons like other sports. “There’s plenty of interest in Raw right now,” he added.

Emanuel opened his chat discussing the situation in Israel. He condemned Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu for leaving the country vulnerable and called him “morally corrupt”. “I don’t think this man deserves to be in power,” he added.

Finally, asked about succession at Endeavor, Emanuel praised President Mark Shapiro, calling him a “fantastic” executive, but adding, “I’m not going anywhere”.

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