Harry and Megan dubbed "fucking grifters" by Spotify exec and podcaster

[Qbish]

No great surprise there... Would love to hear his story about Zooming Prince Harry, I can only imagine his frustration with the whining ninny!

Leading Spotify figure lashes out at Prince Harry and Meghan Markle after end of podcast deal | The Independent

It raises questions about decision making at Spotify and Netflix if the deals fail.

I said way back when the immediate plan (subsequently scuppered by Covid) was to fleece gullible bankers on the after dinner circuit that stories about Diana were all Harold had to sell and they were wearing thin from too much airing even then.

They were always going to have to up the game considerably to play with the big boys and TBF for a while they managed it but any fool could see it wasn't going to be sustainable.

Even if they 'only' walk away with half of Spotify's dosh they've taken them for a magnificent ride.

The only reason that a denial would be sensible is that it’s very damaging to their future earnings/deal potential. Not producing the content and pitching ridiculous ideas isn’t a good look. Those who backed signing them will suffer repudiational damage in the industry so others will be impacted. If it’s not true they should say so.

William isn’t on a one man mission to correct the press though. Harry is. That’s the difference. Harry was advised not to take on the press as you end up in a situation where you have to refute every claim or they will be assumed to be true.
William has not backed himself into a similar corner.
Harry should have listened to his dad’s advice

I thought one of Harry's criticisms of the Palace was that they didn't deny enough stories about Meghan? Maybe he has realised why denying each and every story can make the situation worse, as you end up having to engage more and more on the media's terms to avoid a lack of respinse being seen as a confirmation the story is true.

That's how people knew there was something behind the Beckham and Loos story. The Beckhams are so litigious. So many stories about him never saw light of day because they sued/threatened to sue over everything. So when they just denied bits and pieces of the Loos story but didn't sue, the press knew that it was definitely true. They really went to town over it and dragged it out asking as they could.

After the grifter comment, I expected Spotify to come out and deny it, accompanied by an apology from Simmons. The fact they've kept very silent over it, makes it look like Spotify shares Simmons' opinion.

I know they’re far from poor but I wonder if H&M ever think about the fact they’ve got years ahead of them and they’re going to have to fund their extravagant lifestyle for a long time to come. They’re burning bridges at a very fast rate but could have decades ahead of them that need very large funding. If I were them I’d be looking at the RF and kicking myself because everything comes to the RF, they don’t have to scrabble around trying to make a buck or ten (million) on an ongoing basis.

I don't think they would have denied it as such. Just quietly let it be known that he was speaking in a personal capacity.

So yes, I'd noticed the silence too.

I think it just makes Simmons sound like a loudmouth.

As for the suggestion of interviewing Trump or Putin, I just don’t see Harry wanting to do that. Both are so vile. A discussion like that might run the risk of humanizing them. Also, obviously neither would ever go for it. They aren’t the introspective types.

Simmons comments should mean that any future contracts the Sussex’s sign will have far more clauses surrounding productivity and far less money up front

I read the WSJ article, interesting stuff

Didn’t we all think the deal was insane in the first place? Responsible companies don’t give that kind of arrangement to anyone, especially someone who never produced anything prior.

Same for Netflix.

I guess after the Oprah interview.ehen the world went into overdrive talking about them, these other companies thought they were a sure deal. The problem is it seems that Harry and Meghan are much better talkers than doers.

@Gracewithoutend

The article mentioned ‘sub par execution’

And nobody said they are. Stop making things up.

I'm speculating that means sub par execution of the contract as in they didn't meet the amount of content agreed. Rather than the content was sub-par. But I don't know. TBF, both culd be true.
I'd love to know how much was expected from them. I'm sure Garry chunnering away about being a father would have been so entertaining. 🥱

Quick, someone get Bill Simmons drunk!! 😄

I don’t know when the deals were signed, but I thought it was before Oprah, during the strange days of Covid while we were all stuck inside and had a much greater need for programming and a lower threshold for quality.

I think anyone who signed off on deals like these at both companies should be fired.

It’s not Meghan and Harry’s fault that they didn’t know their own limitations or how difficult it is to actually produce anything of value. The execs involved should have been more discerning.

Quick, someone get Bill Simmons drunk!! 😄

I know, right?

I think it just makes Simmons sound like a loudmouth.

He is a loudmouth. A loudmouth in the know who tells it like he sees it.

No, they said something about reputable companies sinking so low.

What, so low as to report on bad financial deals made by public companies? That’s their responsibility. Everyone is fine with it until they write anything less than glowing about this particular highly privileged couple.

It sounds as if Simmons is 'speaking his truth'?

Simmons had a negative experience with the Sussexes, in an arena where he knew what good looked like, and decided he’d take advantage of his public platform to share his views. I thought that was exactly what they themselves have been doing?

Also, I think it’s interesting to note that this is one of the first times they have come across someone who has some power of their own and that they can’t gag - like all their staff, who have to sign NDAs and like the Royal family who they know will never publicly get into a war of words with them.

Actually, I think you're right. It was when, he says, Charles cut him off in 2020. Good point.

To be fair, they had 28 people working on the podcast series and they employed an experienced producer. So they should have produced something of value. Multiple somethings of value actually.

And Dawn Ostroff who hired them was fired in January of this year. Which must have been a heads up to Harry that the writing was on the wall. So you'd think when Simmons zoomed him to discuss ideas, Harry would have jumped to get stuff sorted. But no. So maybe Harry wanted out of the contract? Or maybe he is indeed a numpty who'd rather play on his xbox and drink beer, after all.

And as Spotify have leaked no contradiction, not even tutted, you've got to draw the conclusion that it's Spotify's truth as well.

No doubt Harry and Meghan's recollections will vary!

Maybe Bill Simmons recorded the zoom conversation. Come on, Bill. Cough up what you know. 😙