EXCLUSIVE: Ellen DeGeneres And Manager Eric Gold Part After She Tried To Cap Him
EXCLUSIVE: Eric Gold has been manager to the popular TV daytime talk show star Ellen DeGeneres since after her ABC sitcom was cancelled in 1998 and she was out of work. I’ve learned today they parted ways after the first of the year but kept the news quiet. But it leaked out through rival reps to me. There are two sides to every story like this, but I’m told Ellen tried to cap Gold – and he said no, so they no longer work together. (‘Capping’ is an agreement to put a maximum dollar or percentage number on a rep’s earnings from a client.) Over the last decade DeGeneres has earned a reported half a billion dollars from her hugely successful 10-year-old TelePictures syndicated daytime talk show Ellen, endorsements (JC Penney reportedly paid her $20M for the two-year campaign), and other activities. “After her sitcom ended and Ellen was out of work, Eric is credited with helping put together her comeback,” one source explains. “When she tried to cap him about four months ago, he wouldn’t accept what she wanted to do so they parted. America’s sweetheart ain’t such a sweetheart.” Others claim Gold “did nothing for her, didn’t deliver guests, didn’t make the show better, wasn’t on set, and didn’t create any showbiz opportunities outside the show for her.” Ellen remains with ICM Partners agent Eddie Yablans and Morris Yorn Barnes & Levine attorney Kevin Yorn. Gold still manages Jim Carrey with Jimmy Miller (though Gold/Miller are no longer in business together).) He has also produced Scary Movie, She’s Out Of My League, My Wife And Kids, and In Living Color. He is currently producing a Broadway musical based on the music and life of the late Tupac Shukar’s music, Holla if You Hear Me, written by August Wilson protégé Todd Kreidler.
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