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Publicist Bumble Ward was profiled by Tad Friend in the 9/23/02 New Yorker. Most of her peers would never have agreed to a profile. They fear how much one could hurt them. Ward employees 12 people to represent more than 40 directors, including Quentin Tarantino, Paul Thomas Anderson, Jay Roach, and Bobby and Peter Farrelly. "Filmmakers have fantastically interesting stories to tell, and actors don't," she says. (New Yorker) Ward seeks sympathetic journalists who will boost her clients, like Patrick Goldstein of the LA Times, and Frank Rich and Rick Lyman of the New York Times. Tarantino loved how Ward handled his 1997 arrest for punching producer Don Murphy. "She told everyone, 'We can't really comment, but make sure you note that Quentin was the victor.' Best publicity I ever had." Ward: "Everyone began saying 'What's he doing?' and thinking he was a recluse. So to satisfy that curiosity we had him do one of those 'Watching Movies With' pieces in the Friday Times. And then we locked him up again." Ward: "I have this ridiculous need to help people, particularly very difficult, troubled, artistic men." |