PR disasters continued. Thread 6

[AtIusvue]

For all PR disasters of Meg and Papa Sussex

I think Meghan is very organised in some respects. Eg applying for IP rights over the name "Lillibet" long before the child was born and before her parents supposedly asked permission of the Queen to use it. So it would not surprise me at all if she did this. And it wouldn't surprise me if this is some sort of Hollywood thing, where all relationships seem to be transactional and short-lived. I imagine this is the sort of future-proofing connection a "disaster PR" would do.

He's a paid talking head/rent-a-gob one minute, and sub editor of the Express the next. Very Dan Wooten. One wonders how many such people were talking in support of the Sussexes because they were paid to do so, not because they truly thought they were good people worth supporting. All those people who appeared on Piers Morgan, for example, paid to defend them and ultimately be hectored into submission by him. Humiliating.

Isn’t this the lady whose daughter very sadly passed away and mum went on to set up a charity in her honour? I seem to recall there was an event a couple of years ago Meghan also went to.

I can’t really believe that is likely. For one thing, Would they want to ‘rescue’ Harry and leave the children out there, and for another I can’t see him being grateful for any such attempts.

Personally I hadn't forgotten the account of Meghan's team hawking the possibility of a post-divorce book, and as said back then my main thought was what it would have done to Harry's mindset

Agree, that was also my main concern back then - a horrible story, worse if true.

I came across this earlier today - not yet being reported in the main tabloids, so not sure of the accuracy.

https://archive.is/mWtQz

The sources from Netflix have had to be approved, they have a company ‘transparency’ policy where you cannot criticise anyone or anything secretly, it has to be out in the open. Half of their marketing management team were fired a few years ago for bitching amongst themselves about their bosses and the company’s marketing strategy.

Bela Belara is begining to sound a bit like that Iraqi commander from the war 20 years ago, Comical Ali, Baghdad was burning down around him live on TV and he was still denying it.

This is what she said 13 months ago 🙄, still saying similar this week.

Netflix Chief Content Officer Bela Bajaria said the streaming giant is 'excited' to work with the Sussexes for future projects even after Meghan Markle's cooking show comes out

ENTERTAINMENT
Chiara Fiorillo News Reporter
06:21 ET, 04 Feb 2025

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry have worked on four Netflix projects
Netflix will stand by Meghan Markle and Prince Harry despite criticism over the Duke of Sussex's polo documentary which was largely deemed to have been a flop.

Amid speculation that the streaming giant was planning to part ways with the Sussexes, Netflix Chief Content Officer Bela Bajaria said they are "excited" to work with Harry and Meghan for future projects - and insisted that the Duchess of Sussex's upcoming cooking series will be a hit. Rumors that Netflix might be looking to end their $100million deal with the couple intensified as the couple didn't appear for major promotions recently.

However, Ms Bajaria said Netflix remains committed to the pair's work even beyond the release of Meghan's new series. The show was initially due to come out on January 15 but the premiere date was moved to March 4 following the devastation caused by wildfires in Los Angeles.

Sorry to interrupt!! Sad news. Chuck Norris has died! 86 😢

This is actually the second time I’ve read this story today!! 🤔

I think it was when they were hashing out a book deal, and probably lots of scenarios were put on the table.

VF must have very good sources to be able to print it though!

A totally random thought.

I often wonder if either of them are ever embarrassed by what’s written about them - do they read what’s written and if what’s said is true do they ever feel embarrassed when facing each other later on in the day?

Meg claims she doesn’t. But their team, who will be directed by them, read absolutely EVERYTHING.

Ashley Hansen (their old PR) said so in a podcast.

It’s why there is always clapbacks.

I doubt it, what Harry put in his own book was worse than the media has ever written and any normal person would feel ashamed.

All these negative stories, something is happening somewhere, but I’m not sure what or as others have said, why now?

Sorry, did I miss it in the thread?

(Or double post, which would be even more embarrassing?)

No @bluegreygreen, I meant I had previously read it from a different source on another platform and then read yours, you have not done anything wrong.

Thanks - brain very slow today

I understand Paula Froelich is very well connected in Hollywood gossip circles, and is besties with Tom Sykes of the Daily Beast, with whom she does a royal gossip podcast. She's probably as reliable as our tabloids, tbf. However, I would be pretty amazed that any publisher would not be interested in a divorce book, as the potential revelations would be too juicy to pass up.

Thanks @Indianrollerbird.

I don't often delve into other areas, so have little way to determine their accuracy. A quick google suggested that NewsNation had a chance of being reliable.

PF/Sykes are doing a live in 15 minutes if you want to tune in for the goss!

It's interesting that the article is saying H&M think they are due more royalties from Spare, but are being told there aren't any and the book was a loss maker. Doesn't Harry know that, if your book is the most dumped in AirBnB and the most resold (for pennies) to second hand sellers, not to mention reports of multiple copies being sent out "by mistake" in online orders, then the money is not going to be rolling in from full price market sales? I wonder if the paperback version sold many copies, given it contained nothing new, and Harry did no publicity for it?

From what I’ve read Harry was payed upfront 20mil if we believe the sources because the deal was for more than one book , the remaining 20mil ( it was apparently 40mil for all the books) would have been payed when he actually produced other books, now I’m not an expert in publishing but the original payment I believe is the advance , Harry hasn’t actually completed his side of the deal and Rph didn’t actually make there money back , so if anything Harry actually owes them money because he’s received half for an apparent 4 book deal, it looks particularly stupid of him to think there would be royalties owed to him.

Sorry I realise that I explained that in the most cack handed way possible!! 😳 , it was more clear when I read it!

Thing is the Kardashians are a big clan, so there's plenty of material. I personally despise everything they stand for and have never watched even one minute of their shows, but the fact is (as I understand it) they have put in a fair bit of work to achieve the success they have achieved, and one gets the impression they largely get on as a family, even when petty arguments or whatever are just a bit of drama to inject into the show. Matriarch Kris has steered the whole thing with a hard nose for business.
But H&M have dumped all their families, so any reality show would just be them.
What is there to work with? It's even too late to do a sex tape (isn't that what propelled KK's career into the stratosphere?).
Perhaps they could do a Grand Designs and knock down the house with 16 bathrooms and build a new one with 17 bathrooms and lots of angst as they argue with architects and run out of money.

The sources from Netflix have had to be approved, they have a company ‘transparency’ policy where you cannot criticise anyone or anything secretly, it has to be out in the open. Half of their marketing management team were fired a few years ago for bitching amongst themselves about their bosses and the company’s marketing strategy

I didn't know that, @Thedom, but really like it - as in if you've got something to say then say it openly if it bears scrutiny

As for the Penguin Random House deal, even I realise it's not just a matter of printing books and scooping up the $$$, but how could they possibly have lost money on one which was supposed to be the fastest selling thing ever?

Because they counted the amount that were ordered by bookshops and booksellers as actual sales.