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While writing today’s column, reports filtered back of a sighting on our shores raising some eyebrows. None other than the man of the hour, Jeff Zucker, the newly deposed most “beloved” leader in the history of media, was holding court al fresco at the Four Seasons patio.
Those who expected media’s most persistent climber to crawl into a hole after his recent still-not-quite-explained debacle were disabused of the notion that Zucker is going anywhere. Four Seasons patio time is the Hollywood equivalent of a political rally, in this case announcing I’m here to stay. Shame, thy name be not Zucker.
Anyway, on to other matters…
It’s that magical time of year in Hollywood — when a big job sits open, the contenders posture, preen, deny interest. And a world of producers, agents, stars and apparatchiks close to the contenders start imagining the deals about to fall their way if their candidate wins the prize.
In this case, the contest is a bit complicated because the electorate — i.e. David Zaslav — doesn’t actually own the place yet and is legally barred from discussing the job, thinking about the job or having opinions about who should fill the job, or even if the job should exist, and in what form.
Nonetheless, with the clock ticking down to the Discovery conquest of WarnerMedia being made official, the Derby is off and running.
There are names in the air, which as likely as not means this is a list of names of people who are telling people that they are being considered for the job; i.e., the names of people who want you to know they are being considered. Or are people whose lunches or meetings have been interpreted to be something more than they are.
At this point, Zaslav appears to be having chats with everyone in town, soliciting thoughts, advice, schmoozing, and heeding the advice of one Skip Brittenham. And the names of just about every person he talks to finds its way somehow into the gossip-starved Hollywood ether as a likely candidate.
Throw into the mix the not-unlikely possibility that the winner of the prize will be…no one! We’ve heard talk that HBO’s Casey Bloys will be reporting direct up to Mr. Z himself…which would mean, minus that, that the head of entertainment will just be there to supervise Ann Sarnoff? Or whoever sits in her chair?
A very hands-on manager, King David (KD) might just prefer to keep tabs on everyone himself, at least at first.
Given all that, I came up with a checklist of the major qualities KD is probably keeping in mind as he pores over resumes.
TV/streaming experience
Movie experience
Management experience
Fluent in MBA’ese
Talent relations
Won’t upstage
Can handle a micromanager boss
Diverse
An ideal candidate would have all of these in enormous measure, but alas no human does. So which qualities matter more to the man on the throne? I would imagine TV/streaming experience would count much more than film experience. ‘Twas a time for a sweepstakes like this when only film execs needed apply.
This has been a sneak preview of today’s edition of The Ankler, the industry’s secret newsletter. To read the rest of this issue, subscribe today for just $17 a month and don’t miss out on who’s in the hot seat next!
Also on The Ankler:
The Transom on the four paths ahead for Netflix win or lose the Oscar, Batman fatigue and that mysterious dog park deal.
Don’t miss The Ankler’s excerpt of Red Carpet, reporter Erich Schwartzel’s look at Hollywood’s disastrous courtship of China. In this excerpt: fresh off Cutthroat Island, Renny Harlin seeks redemption helping the Middle Kingdom master Hollywood moviemaking.
Podcast: Tom Cruise and how the Mission: Impossible franchise was saved over one very awkward dinner. Christine Peters was Sumner Redstone’s girlfriend, Jon Peters’ wife and helped oust Les Moonves with her #MeToo story.
Hollywood Transom on the latest turn in the long-running drama around the actress and the studio titans whose careers came to an end over their associations with her. Now, there’s a $300m lawsuit against Ron Meyer and NBCU by Charlotte Kirk’s ex.
Oscar nom reacts from Ankler Rushfield and producer Michael Shamberg.
Michael Wolff on Jeff Zucker and the Insatiable ‘Will to Power‘
On The Optionist:
Publishing PR legend Paul Bogaards on the future of Joan Didion’s estate.
Unbelievable stories for option: a Korean boy band that won over Howard University in 1896; a young adult romcom; and a dark thriller à la I May Destroy You.
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