Insiders Talk about
Desperately Seeking ‘Brangelina,’ Rosie, ‘TomKat’ for ‘Chasing
Angelina’ Documentary
Airtimes: Indian Standard Times Sat,
June 3 at 1130am and 1930hrs Sun, June 4 at 1130am The celebrity
hunt is on – and the target: mega movie star, Angelina Jolie. As stargazers
await the birth of the “Brangelina” baby, CNN PRESENTS takes viewers
on a wild ride during a paparazzi pursuit for money-making shots of Jolie. CNN
PRESENTS: CHASING ANGELINA – PAPARAZZI AND CELEBRITY OBSESSION premieres
in June. How far is too far to go for news of the stars’ lives?
For CHASING ANGELINA, CNN talks to all sides of the celebrity media maze so viewers
can decide for themselves. “The personal lives of Hollywood
celebrities these days – it really is the best reality TV show out there,”
multimedia celebrity gossip reporter Ted Casablanca said. But sometimes
the stars write those reality show scripts themselves. In fact, many stars admit
to cooperating with the entertainment press. During the documentary, Mariah Carey
and Ashlee Simpson acknowledge they enjoy posing for celebrity photographer, Kevin
Mazur, and he knows why. Larry Hackett, managing editor for People
magazine, says that People avoid being deliberately “mean” to celebrities
in trouble. Managing editor Peter Castro says People does hold back some stories
out of a commitment to responsibility and fairness. This can translate into the
magazine being rewarded with big scoops when stars do decide to go public. Power
public relations consultants Ken Sunshine, of Ken Sunshine Consultants Inc., and
Cindi Berger, managing director of PMK/HBH Inc., are at the top of the A-listers’
PR agencies. Between the two agencies, they have cultivated celebrity and managed
media minefields for Paula Abdul, Tyra Banks, Tom Cruise, Leonardo DiCaprio and
many more. Berger tells CNN how she helped long-time client, Rosie O’Donnell,
navigate through negative press after being sued by her magazine publisher. People’s
Castro also credits Berger with helping Mariah Carey emerge from whispers of a
mental breakdown to a return to the top of the music charts. But
not all media feel they need to work with a celebrity or publicist for the scoop
on the stars. The sheer abundance of celebrity press and the Internet
have changed the game for publicists. The top celebrity magazines now reach a
combined circulation of at least 8.5 million. Star-studded entertainment television
news programs add even more star watchers. And celebrity gossip blogs have kicked
up the pace – and the sarcastic tone – of celebrity gossip. Defamer.com’s
Mark Lisanti and Jossip.com’s David Hauslaib tell CNN they generally don’t
care about offending stars or publicists to deliver their constant updates –
it’s what their gossip-crazy fans expect. CNN PRESENTS is
CNN International’s award-winning documentary series, showcasing compelling
work of significant impact from esteemed filmmakers. For more CNN International
programming information, please visit our website at www.cnnasiapacific.com.
AIRTIMES ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE | 
