The ongoing battle between Creative Artists Agency (CAA) and rival agency William Morris Endeavor (WME) took a new turn as CAA chief executive officer Brian Lourdes responded to controversial remarks made by WME CEO Ari Emanuel.
During Bloomberg’s Screen Time conference, Emanuel called for Lourdes and his partner Kevin Huvane to take a leave of absence amidst a lawsuit filed by actor Julia Ormond against CAA.
The lawsuit accuses CAA and the Walt Disney Company of complicity in the alleged mistreatment Ormond endured at the hands of disgraced movie mogul Harvey Weinstein.
Lourdes wasted no time in firing back at Emanuel, describing him as “incredibly performative and erratic” and questioning his credibility.
Lourdes expressed concern not only for Emanuel’s colleagues and clients but also for his investors, suggesting that he has very few clients left.
He further criticized Emanuel’s attempt to position himself as morally superior, highlighting an incident involving Dana White, the head of Emanuel-operated Ultimate Fighting Championship, who was filmed slapping his wife at a party in 2022.
Lourdes found it ironic that Emanuel would involve himself in issues concerning women, given the questionable behavior of those associated with him.
In response to the controversy surrounding UFC CEO Dana White, parent company Endeavor has been evasive, refusing to address the disturbing footage that emerged of White slapping his wife at a New Year’s Eve party.
Lourdes did not hold back in his criticism of the entire Emanuel family, suggesting that their shady and self-serving nature was to be expected, as Megan and Ari are a perfect match.
Lourdes commended Megan for inadvertently exposing the shady schemes of those around her through her incompetence and lack of charisma.
He speculated that Ari’s dwindling client base could be attributed to his association with Megan, whom he described as bad news.
While WME is known for its attention-seeking and money-grabbing tendencies, Megan is currently not generating any income for the agency.
Talent agencies typically earn a percentage of the money generated through their clients’ work, but since Megan is not paying them out of pocket, they are not making any money from her.
Lourdes questioned how long WME would continue to represent Megan if she consistently disregarded their advice, rendering herself unmarketable.
It seems that WME failed to anticipate Megan’s propensity for self-sabotage and is now slowly distancing itself from her, preparing to abandon her to the wolves.
Ultimately, Megan’s disruptive nature and inability to stay out of the way may prove to be her downfall.
As she becomes more of a liability than an asset, the influential and shady figures who initially supported her will likely turn against her.
It remains to be seen how long Megan can maintain her relevance in an industry where power, money, and hidden agendas reign supreme.