NBC Cold Shoulder for Hot Book [Read: Right of Center Screed Against Hollywood]

NY DAILY NEWS ^ | 2-23-04 | Lloyd Grove

[andrew]

The publicity campaign for "Hollywood, Interrupted" has apparently been interrupted.

Los Angeles writer Mark Ebner - co-author, with Andrew Breitbart, of the down-and-dirty indictment of the scandals and hypocrisies of Tinseltown celebs - told me NBC's "Today" and MSNBC's "Deborah Norville Tonight" canceled scheduled appearances because the book is just too hot.

Ebner said that within hours of the "Today" cancellation, Norville chimed in on a conference call between her producers and a PR type for his publisher, John Wiley & Sons. "I find this book offensive," she allegedly declared.

Ebner said Norville's producers indicated that publicizing "Hollywood, Interrupted" - which is Wiley's lead title this season, with a press run of 100,000 copies - would harm their ability to book Hollywood stars on the show.

But MSNBC spokesman Jeremy Gaines insisted that an appearance by Ebner and Breitbart was only considered, not scheduled, and that Norville didn't take part in the call.

"That's bull!" Ebner retorted.

"Today" spokeswoman Lauren Kapp, meanwhile, confirmed that the authors had been scheduled months ago for next Wednesday's show, timed to the publication date, but noted that such bookings often fall out at the last minute.

"I don't blame them for being upset," Kapp said. "As everyone knows, the bookings are subject to change and they often do, because first and foremost, we're a news broadcast."

Ebner said he's skeptical of the "Today" show's explanation, and I hear that the "Today" folks were expecting a different book, not an ideologically conservative tome that Publishers Weekly panned as "a sour and joyless read."

But Ebner and his co-author saved most of their fire for Norville.

"She has no problem giving a platform to Enron whistleblowers or investigating the excesses of depravity in the lives of everyday Americans," said Breitbart. "But God forbid someone blew the whistle on her bread and butter - the sick Hollywood celebrity class."

Ebner, meanwhile, said: "She's a classic celebrity enabler. That, to me, is offensive."

[diotima]

[Bob J]

Good to see you again Andrew.

[gatorbait]

ell, guess I have my weekend reading all set, now. Publisher's Weakly hates it(and you) so it must be terrific! .

[confuzed]

I just ordered your book. I'm so tired of people reviewing books and movies they neither read nor seen and telling me what I should or should not do. Fight on Andrew - hit the radio waves. Good Luck.

[an amused spectator]

You might want to give this one a read: Newsweek Denigrates as a “Rant” a Book About Liberal TV Women

...the club of liberal women who run magazines and television shows have an outsize and lock-step affect on what we "know" about the major issues of the day... ...the incestuous relationship between celebrities and media has corrupted journalism...

Looks like Peg Tyre of Newsweak owes Myrna Blyth an apology...

And it also looks like Tyre needs a Freepin'.

[WorkingClassFilth]

Hollywood/political nexus BUMP!

[Lancey Howard]

Sounds like you're getting the Gary Aldrich treatment.
The Hollywood left would never blackball anybody, now would they?

[Lancey Howard]

((ping))

Here's a fellow author.

[GOPJ]

Thanks for the ping.

[Tribune7]

bump. I think I'll buy this book.

[Mr. Thorne]

must...

buy...

book...

bump

[tiki]

bttt

[nopardons]

Okay, I just put it on my " TO BUY " book list.Never fear,your fellow FREEPERS will be buying your book. :-)

[Sloth]

BTTT

[Travis McGee]

Thanks for the ping LH! It'll be interesting to track how the book is promoted.

Andrew, what kind of store placement are you getting? Was store location in your contract? Are you worried about being "buried" by the purple-haired pierced-face crowd at B&N?

One thing FReepers are good at doing is "guerrilla book placement." That is, find the conervative books on the bottom back shelves, and put them up top in front, as much as possible.

Matt

[Hildy]

Sounds like a great read! Would it help to buy it through amazon or a book store or are you selling it through your own website?

[Grampa Dave]

Thanks for the ping, and good luck Andrew.

[The Westerner]

Looking forward to a great read.

[KentTrappedInLiberalSeattle]

Andrew: was in the local B&N today, picking up a copy of An End To Evil. Saw your book while I was there, and snatched it up as well.

One more sale for Andrew! Ka-ching -- ! :)

[andrew]

First of all, I cant thank you all enough, But you are what you are and you know it: good, decent people, the very people who are treatred with contempt by Hollywood. (I am from the place; I know.) As for book placement, you've got to check it out! At Barnes and Noble we are front and center: behind the counter... a separate "Hollywood, Interrupted" display, central placement on yet another central table. This is at the store in Manhattan at 67th and Broadway, the heart of the liberal beast. Wiley, our publisher, even gave us an awesome billboard on Sunset Blvd in Hollywood: "What This Town Needs is An Intervention!' Very in your face. Fun. This very mainstream publisher has been a dream, and the bookstores have not pulled back from what I hear. Thanks, again -- off to do Fox and Friends at 7:45 EST. Haven't even slept today! Did 3 hours of radio starting at 1am with Joey Reynolds on WOR AM. If you see me, keep that in mind -- serious sleep deprivation!!!