Encore Artists Management, Burbank, Calif.
Sadly, the public is so accustomed to outrageous behavior that no one bats an eye at ill behavior anymore. Getting arrested, going to rehab, and having a sex tape seem more and more like prerequisites to solidifying celebrity these days. Bad behavior is glorified and currently lands celebrities second chances with starring roles as superheroes in films and coveted roles for television. Such behavior is so widely accepted that there's nothing to deter artists from misbehaving, unless they already have a strong moral foundation and support team.
I am not a typical talent rep who's a yes man and sycophant; I'm known for keeping it real and speaking my mind. As a manager, my job is to oversee and counsel talent concerning all professional matters and personal decisions that affect their overall career and life. That said, people in general behave badly out of their own unresolved issues. When bad behaviors surface, I deal with it immediately and find it necessary to inform my clients that they have stepped over the line. Next, I put on my counselor's hat in an attempt to identify the cause of the bad behavior in order to resolve and mitigate such future behavior.
My Midwestern roots keep me pretty well grounded, so I'm constantly encouraging my talent to experience the practicality of life and not let their emotions overtake them. Fortunately, I usually don't have to deal with extreme or vociferous behavior issues that we read about in the headlines. The key for me is to impress upon my artists that at the end of the day they are simply ordinary people who have been blessed with extraordinary opportunities. I also remind my clients that ill behaviors are a reflection of their character, and if they want a long shelf life in this town, they should weigh the pros and cons of their actions. I'm a firm believer in the old adage "You can attract more flies with honey than vinegar."
EDB Management, Los Angeles
Well, honestly, the best part about being a manager in business for myself is I don't have to deal with bad behavior. If a client is prone to bad behavior, I just send them packing; it gets filed in the "life's too short" file.
I once had clients who were brother and sister. They were terrifically talented, but the mother was extremely difficult to deal with. Everything was going in the right direction for her kids' careers, but somehow it was just never enough. She would send these berating emails in the middle of the night, which were just insane. I finally had enough and told her to find other representation for her kids. I kept the emails and would periodically look at them as sort of a reminder that people are nutty and sometimes need to be brought down to a respectable size.
OmniPop Talent Group, Toluca Lake, Calif.
Everyone who reps talent knows that dealing with bad behavior is the trickiest part of the job. Show business rarely attracts orderly business types as performers. There is a certain rebellious, even self-destructive, spirit that can often be found in many successful performers. The norm seems to be that bad behavior increases in direct proportion to the level of success and how quickly it's attained, but it really has to already be lying dormant somewhere in their DNA. I can think of only a few times when I've had clients who were obnoxious and impossible before they could actually get away with it. The frustrating thing is that the client rarely understands that they are behaving badly.
If the client is not yet successful, I shoot very straight, telling them exactly how they are being perceived by myself and others. I warn them that their behavior will be an obstacle to success, forcing them to acknowledge that they are being their own worst enemy. If they don't change their stripes, I drop them as clients. The last thing in the world I need is someone who brings no money into my business and makes everyone miserable.
It's much more difficult when the client is successful, since they can psychologically hold their money and success as leverage against people contradicting them. It's my job to manage them, not to enable them. I will usually wait for an event that demonstrates that the problem is with them and not the outside world and that they need to confront it. I will try to broach a conversation about specific famous actors who irreparably damaged their careers. I need for them to fully absorb that they can lose everything they've gained.
But it's not quite that easy. Ask any manager (or agent) how harshly they are willing to speak to someone who is paying the big commissions: The true answer is "not very." Most of the time these relationships just end badly, with the talent in denial and the reps disillusioned about helping talent launch careers. I have plenty of examples of these stories—but, for the sake of my career, I won't be naming any names here.