By Chris Lee and John Horn, Los Angeles Times
January 24, 2013, 2:45 p.m.
PARK CITY, Utah — Parties at the Sundance Film Festival typically feature maverick filmmakers, the best in nouvelle cowboy cuisine and plentiful pours of high-end spirits and Utah microbrews.
But the bash thrown by Hollywood’s powerful Creative Artists Agency on Sunday night took festival revelry in an unexpectedly bawdy direction, as Sundance guests mingled with lingerie-clad women pretending to snort prop cocaine, erotic dancers outfitted with sex toys and an Alice in Wonderland look-alike performing a simulated sex act on a man in a rabbit costume.
For decades, CAA has carefully maintained a reputation as Hollywood’s most meticulous talent firm, but CAA’s leave-nothing-to-chance attention to decorum vanished in that Bacchanalian blizzard on the snowy streets of this mountain resort.
Some CAA clients found the party so shocking that they said it made them embarrassed to be associated with the agency.
“I said to my agent, ‘Is this how you want to brand yourself? Pole dancers? Really?’” said Oscar-nominated writer-director Naomi Foner, who was at the festival with her film, “Very Good Girls.”
And Foner, who is the mother of Jake and Maggie Gyllenhaal, said she didn’t see the sex toys.
“I would have been much more verbal if I had seen that,” said the 66-year-old screenwriter of “Running on Empty.”
One attendee said she was particularly put off by the man in a rabbit costume on stilts.
“He was very creepy, walking very slowly,” recalled party-goer Stephanie Cregger. “He was wearing a strap-on sex toy and a woman dressed as Alice in Wonderland was playing with him.”
CAA client and Academy Award-winning screenwriter Nat Faxon said it was hard to talk about his new movie, “The Way, Way Back,” while two women simulated a sex act on a bed nearby.
“It was difficult,” said Faxon, “to have a conversation about my movie while that was going on right next to you.”
chris.lee@latimes.com
john.horn@latimes.com
via A bawdy CAA party at Sundance shocks guests, including clients – latimes.com.
Years ago I was invited to the offices of CAA to meet with agent Sharon C. who had read my novel Borderland and presumably wanted to discuss representation. She kept me waiting in her office while she stood outside (within my earshot) gabbing, laughing with a male someone and making herself sound incredibly important for at least fifteen to twenty minutes. When she came in she looked dismissively at me and informed that when Stephen King came to CAA he was wearing a snake around his shoulders. By this time I had already decided that CAA and I were not a good fit. I proceeded to behave exactly how she treated me, like a bumbling rube without a brain in my hayseed head. My then literary agent was sorely disappointed at the outcome and told me I shouldn’t have been so offended…everyone in Hollywood was rude to writers.
Ah, the agent /talent relationship… It frosts my cookies when I hear accounts like yours. True, screenwriters are kind of like the red headed stepchildren of the film industry — but on the other hand without stories there would be no movies. Here’s the flat out truth, if you want autonomy and control over your words you’re doing exactly the right thing, writing novels.
Vickie, this is a fine example of why I feel we’re going to hell in a hand basket. Yuck! So much of that crowd is utter crap. They are one superficial and egotistical group of people. Too strong?
Hollywood does have a strange aptitude for the grievous misstep – you would think the proper response would have been to apologize to their clients instead of laying blame on the party planners – somebody must have approved of the event. And, the buck most definitely should have stopped at CAA.
That said, some of my favorite people are agents – when they’re behaving you’ll never find better advocates.
Vickie, my husband is a writer and director. Maybe you already knew? I’ve had a mixed bag of experiences with this “industry” for many years now. When all is said and done I might agree that there are some good and decent agents. I wrote a couple of screenplays and had the good fortune of working with two very dear people. I actually got quite far with both scripts but my husband ended up sabotaging my efforts. Oh yes, I really have had a gripping life.
What??? I did not know – but in true girlfriend style I am already sharpening the blade (okay, okay, of my pen). Let me see if I can get this straight; somebody who’s deeply insecure but has a grandiose ego gets involved in the arts where he can control actors and hear constant affirmations as to his brilliance. Meanwhile he sabotages the efforts of his nearest and dearest because he views their creative efforts as a threat to his dominion. He is emotionally cold and on the turn of dime amazingly attentive and dear. He lies as a matter of course – most of all he lies to himself. My angel, I’ve never made a study of it but I think Hollywood attracts plenty of narcissists. I am so sorry. Damn, forgive me for saying so, but what an F—ING TOAD.
Precisely — on all counts. In addition, as a writer, he can give the actors words to say that he’s to cowardly to utter. He can also work out all of his childhood abuse issues by creating characters with no conscience and then he can sit back and watch as the audience squirms. Making people feel uncomfortable was his specialty. Maybe having them hate as much as he does was validating?
I’m going to see about writing a book. Something along the lines of Mia Farrow’s, “What Falls Away.”
One of these days I’ll do a post on narcism. My husband never took an interest in my silly blog but apparently he’s now reading it. Interesting… I need to be careful and stay neutral. I may even stop for awhile. I’m not interested in giving him the relief that comes even in that small amount of contact.
Per usual, I love your words and your razor sharp observations. You’re right on the money.
I’m just about to start preparing dinner for eight but I had to take a break and tell you – don’t let anyone still your voice. Book or blog, do what feels right, maybe adopt a pen name… The character you describe gives me the chills, but yours is a fierce flame, keep it burning.
Someone I loved (who also led a gripping life) used to always say to me, “Living well is the best revenge.” I think he’s right. Hugs, V
Sounds pretty silly and boring to me…but then I live in San Franciso where we let it all hang out on the corner of Market and .Castro….literally !
It sounds like 15 year old boys with an unlimited bank account run amok. I prefer the corner of Market and Castro.
Lol….those are 55 year old boys running naked!