Ari Emanuel (head honcho at Endeavour Talent Agent) has apparently turned fundraising maven for the "Red to Blue Program"!
Ari Emanuel's brother, Democratic Rep. Rahm Emanuel from Chicago, is part of a group called 'Red to Blue' which is, as its title implies, trying to regain control of the house. Ari is kindly helping his bro with fundraising. Now that's fine, as long as you don't mix work and politics. However, as one of the founders of Endeavour Talent (one of the top Hollywood Talent Agencies) he is calling upon his staff and clients to donate money to the 'cause', and they have..........generously. Most of them, willingly, I'm sure.... considering the political bent of the majority of those Hollywood types, but what about those who might not be so liberal? What happens to them?
So, you get an invitation from your high-powered Hollywood Agent to donate to the Democratic Party but you're a Republican, and no-one knows it, what do you do? Odds are there aren't many, but what if you are just apolitical, or Libertarian, or Socialist or whatever? Is it fair to place people in a position of having to turn down your request? This is just an insidious form of coercion.
This is what would go through my mind: "If I don't give money, will I lose my job?" Or if I was a client: "Will they stop submitting me for projects if I don't donate?" I was asked to make a donation to a theatre once. A place I had not worked in a while and I wondered the same thing. If I don't donate would they ever use me again. I opted not to give them any money and I haven't worked there since. But that's neither here nor there. If Ari is so politically motivated how would he react to a client or employee who was not of his 'political persuasion"?
This is why we keep our mouths shut!
To give credit where due, though, Ari was one of those 84 high profile Hollywood personalities who placed an ad in the L.A. Times denouncing terrorism back in August, 2006. Some of the names listed are those who have had the courage to openly embrace their Republican identity, then again, they are celebrities and can well afford to. The rest are liberals, but it's good to see that at least they have some sense.
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