Add a treadmill desk, and you've got the ideal setting for a Hollywood superagent, Ari Emanuel.
asserted
you → add → superagent
The TV character Ari Gold from HBO's "Entourage" was based on him.
asserted
character → base → him
Emanuel's rise to the top began at the bottom in – where else? – the mailroom.
asserted
rise → begin → mailroom
"You'd be picking food up in the morning, copying scripts from all the different agents," he said.
asserted
he → pick → agents
And twice a day, he'd drive all over Los Angeles, dropping off scripts to producers, directors and actors.
asserted
he → drive → producers
"You come back, you'd have a morning run and a night run," he said.
asserted
he → come → run
He affirmed that the job sucked.
asserted
job → affirm → ?
They paid off.
asserted
They → pay → ?
He's now the head of WME Group, the mega talent agency whose clients include Denzel Washington, Adele, Matt Damon and Ben Affleck, Bruno Mars, and Adam Sandler.
asserted
clients → include → Washington
Emanuel is also chairman of TKO, which owns UFC and WWE.
asserted
which → own → UFC
"I'm a really hard worker," he said.
asserted
he → say → ?
"I've created a culture, and people that follow me.
asserted
that → create → me
But certain people think I'm actually good at my job.
asserted
I → think → job
At 65, Emanuel is telling his story in a memoir,
(to be published Tuesday by Knopf).
asserted
Emanuel → tell → Knopf
Emanuel said, "Somebody asked me in this process, having read the book, 'Are you happy?'
asserted
you → say → book
Most of the time I say, I'm satisfied-ish, and I'm happy-ish.
asserted
I → say → time
But I don't like to use phrases like, I am more competitive.
asserted
I → like → phrases
I mean, I'm a competitive guy.
asserted
I → mean → ?
Emanuel, raised a few miles north of Chicago, loves to compete, loves to win even more.
asserted
Emanuel → raise → Chicago
"The way we grew up, in my family, and my parents, it was always a life of meaning and self-improvement," he said.
asserted
he → grow → meaning
I think my two brothers are not afraid of conflict.
asserted
brothers → think → conflict
And I don't do well with people that threaten me.
asserted
that → do → me
Plus, two older brothers: Rahm, who served as President Obama's chief of staff, then as mayor of Chicago; and Zeke?
asserted
who → serve → Chicago
He's just a world-renowned bio-ethicist and oncologist.
asserted
He → renowne → ?
"So, Zeke was the smart one, Rahm was the artist, and I was the baby," said Ari.
asserted
Ari → say → ?
"And so, in our family, we'd come in, and your grades would be up.
asserted
grades → come → family
Yes, the Emanuel boys' grades would be posted on the board.
asserted
grades → post → board
If you got a C-?
asserted
you → get → C-
"Oh, you're grounded!
asserted
you → ground → ?
What are you talking?" said Ari.
asserted
Ari → talk → What
You're grounded.
asserted
You → ground → ?
Pissed me off."
There's a hint of the emotion that has followed Emanuel throughout his career: rage.
asserted
that → piss → career
In chapter one of his book, he says one client simply calls him a "ragent."
asserted
client → say → him
It all goes back to his childhood, bullied for being dyslexic, until he changed his dynamic: "So, you know, I'm with special ed, and the football team's downstairs.
asserted
team → go → ed
One of these football players is making fun of this kid in special ed with me, and I just asked him, you know, cut it out.
asserted
you → make → it
It didn't happen.
asserted
It → happen → ?
And I remember taking that lunch tray, and smashing it in his face.
asserted
I → remember → face
"You've got to be protecting yourself, protecting other people that you care about.
asserted
you → get → that
I'm okay defending people and defending myself, and doing what I think is right," he said.
asserted
he → defend → myself
His love of television and movies fueled his ambition to become an agent, which is a bigger job than you might think.
uncertain
you → fuel → ambition
…and 34 more, not listed.
The Aporia
