Howard Bragman, Public Relations Veteran and Notable LGBTQ Advocate, Dead at 66

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Howard Bragman, a beloved Hollywood public relations rep with decades of experience and a notable LGBTQ advocate, has died. He was 66.

According to Deadline, Bragman died from acute monocytic leukemia before his 67th birthday.

Bragman's partner Mike Maimone confirmed the public relations veteran died on Saturday in a journal entry.

"It is with our heaviest hearts we share that our dear Howard passed away peacefully in his sleep," Maimone wrote. "The enormity of our shared loss can't be overstated — Howard was a constant in so many of our lives and the brightest star in his wide constellation of friends and family."

John Duran, friend and the former mayor of West Hollywood, also commented on Bragman's death.

"My dear old friend for the last 30 years passed away tonight. RIP Howard Bragman. LBGT warrior. Gentle giant. Wicked humor. Love you eternally. See you on the other side," Duran wrote alongside a photo of Bragman smiling.

On Sunday, GLAAD's President and CEO Sarah Kate Ellis released a statement in response to the news.

"Howard Bragman was an industry leader who masterfully used the power of the press to create positive change and visibility for LGBTQ people," Ellis said. "Throughout his long career, he worked with many LGBTQ notables to ensure their coming out stories were treated with dignity and created impact for the entire community. His own visibility as an out executive, paired with a trademark humor and bold approach to public relations, made unforgettable marks on media, entertainment, and public relations industries."

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Regarded as a PR guru, Bragman was one of the top crisis management experts in Hollywood. As an advocate of LGBTQ causes, Bragman was known for advising celebrities on coming out, including actor Meredith Baxter, former WNBA player Sheryl Swoopes and country singer Chely Wright.

Bragman helped then-University of Missouri defensive player and top NFL Draft prospect Michael Sam publicly come out ahead of the 2014 draft, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

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In 2021, Bragman endowed $1 million to establish the Howard Bragman Coming Out Fund at his alma mater's Spectrum Center, an LGBTQ support center established in 1970.

During his announcement of the fund, Bragman said, "As a fat, Jewish, gay kid in Flint, Michigan, I always felt like a Martian. … This campus allows you to be yourself. It allows you to spread your wings in the way you want to spread your wings. I tell people, 'Stay strong, even when it hurts.' And, I promise, it hurts sometimes. But, there are places that will help you ease the pain sometimes. That's what the Spectrum Center did. That's what Michigan did."

He continued: "I don't care how liberal the school is. I don't care how accepting and loving your parents are. I don't care how 'woke' the times are. Coming out is this most personal of journeys, and it's a challenging journey," he said. "It's so important for students to know they are not alone and that the Spectrum Center is there for them. I want to assure that other people get that same access that I had; life-changing, life-saving access."

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According to Variety, Bragman's clients included Cameron Diaz, Paula Abdul, Stevie Wonder, Sharon Osbourne, Monica Lewinsky, Joe Manganiello, Anna Kendrick, Terrence Howard, Ricki Lake and Melissa Rivers.

Bragman was born and raised in Michigan and graduated from the University of Michigan in 1978. He worked in Chicago before joining Burson-Marsteller Public Relations in Los Angeles, per Variety.

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He founded Bragman Nyman Cafarelli (BNC) in 1989 and left after Interpublic Group purchased the PR firm in 2001. Bragman then served as an adjunct professor in public relations at USC's Annenberg Center for Communication from 1998 to 2003.

In 2005, he established the media and public relations agency Fifteen Minutes before most recently founding LaBrea Media in 2018.