27 Comments
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J.E. Petersen's avatar

I've never felt more grateful to be unrepresented.

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Jonathan Kieran's avatar

Damn. I wondered if you would eventually tell of that infamous period. I don’t know how you kept your sanity. True artists are cattle to so many of these ethical derelicts. It’s not about representation, anymore, it’s about building illusory castles with disreputable behavior and narcissism mixed-in with the mortar. And about machinations and stealing opportunities outright from their own clients … when the fact has always been: a proper agent is the artist’s client, the artist’s employee.

How does one ever reclaim even a shred of trust again? I don’t blame you. What hulking dysfunction. Good on you for not naming names, Cintra, but anyone who was remotely sniffing around NYC agencies in the Aughts knows who the Dastardly Mess was/is. That was his goal, apparently, to bake a Shit-Pie with a flaky crust of irony. Insufferable.

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Dr Pichello Heintz's avatar

I think we all would have been better served if Cintra HAD named names.

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Cintra Wilson's avatar

Oh, honestly, it is so obvious if you're in that scene at all. People on Twitter already figured it out.

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Dr Pichello Heintz's avatar

?????

Wut? Figured what out?

Not following you at all. Sorry.

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Cintra Wilson's avatar

I just mean that NYC publishing around that time was a very small community. It's obvious who everyone is if you swam in those circles. If you didn't, you're better off.

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Jonathan Kieran's avatar

Plus, all key Nosferatu (Nosferati?) involved are either dead or Walking Dead. They, at least, can’t hurt nobody no more ‘cept themselves.

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Rainydaypuppets's avatar

Another gem of a story ( although the comparison to agents is a disservice to pets)... Stay subversive, wild and free.

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Bryan Durr's avatar

Kinda like the real estate biz. The bar for entry is set really, really low.

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Jim Earp's avatar

Hilarious. Hideous. What on earth or in hell is the nature of the network that keeps these mindless, malicious fiends employed? I'll never figure it out.

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jjdaddyo's avatar

I am having a vision of your next play: a series of creative types: painter, writer, musician, etc., stand at the edge of the stage, declaring a list of their reps' misdeeds and perversions, while in the background their agent/gallery owner/manager is subjected to the torturer's handbook; Bastinado, strappado, The Iron Maiden, The Comfy Chair- at the hands of mimes, leather daddies and IRS agents. In NYC that could run for months with just the business from unproduced screenwriters enjoying a cathartic evening.

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MonaLott's avatar

Now that I'd attend!

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Cintra Wilson's avatar

You're on to something.

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H. C. Burlingame's avatar

They treated convicts like product, met quite a few disillusioned ex-employee's.

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Devin Dearing's avatar

Is it weird that this gruesome story made me envious? Also, is there such a thing as a “good” agent? <asking for a friend> Seems like a despicable way to make a living... off of others talent. I really love your writing and wouldn’t hesitate to represent you if I hated myself enough to actually work as an agent. Lastly, more proof that ‘agent’ is a role nobody ever actually wanted for themselves... happy well adjusted folks don’t sexually abuse people or drink themselves to death.

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Cintra Wilson's avatar

That is...quite true.

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appleton king's avatar

hmmmm disturbing for sure...and JUST when i was beginning to think NYC might be worth one last visit before i wxit stage left... this makes Train Wreck look like a Hallmark friggin movie

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appleton king's avatar

to flesh that more out in light of day i'd say nyc area is phenomenal for all its energy talent uber-seeking whatever its just this stuff is so crammed together or hmmmm spread out and the vibe seems to be go go go compare compare compare and to fuel all that takes drugs alcohol a shedding of moral values (believe me im no saint) no therein lies the quandry....for me at least.....love/hate that age old dynamic...ok also Boston always been my first city born in Salem so........we kinda despise the yankees

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Jim Blake's avatar

THIS would make a compelling book - an inside look at agentry

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Cintra Wilson's avatar

There have been jokes about WMA agents being deranged drug addicts for a long time.

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Jim Blake's avatar

It's time for a re-fresh on the Harold Robbins, Jaqueline Sussan, Jackie Collins (Sue Mengers?) model. Seems like the most effective agents are mobster-like (Ari emmanuel, Mike Ovitz types). Seems like they're all about to holler: "I'll rip off his head and shit down his throat!"- doesn't being nice work anymore anywhere?

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MonaLott's avatar

Mortifying that you went through this. Yikes.

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Dr Pichello Heintz's avatar

Good Lort. I can’t believe people put up with that kind of harrassment. I owned an important little agency in those years and NEVER #metoo’ed anyone or even suggested it. And none of my staff did as they would have been fired. Discovering how common this was, the question becomes, why were we different? Just makes me so angry even to think about.

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Dr Pichello Heintz's avatar

PS: why didn’t you name names? Just curious.

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Cintra Wilson's avatar

Just because I knew that people would figure it out. I'm not trying to smear anybody, I'm too classy. But those who know will know.

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Sam Ray's avatar

After listening to Cintra's 6 min audio of her William Morris experience, I feel like I just lived through an intense episode of "Entourage." aka NSFW

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David Drury's avatar

Fabuloso! What a tawdry marvel of a tale!

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