Word: geffen
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Dates: during 1990-1999
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...would "take a 60-day pit stop ... to rest and recharge." But for this mighty mover, whose relentless vim is both a legend and a curse, two months of R. and R. would be cruel and unusual punishment -- like having to watch Cabin Boy nonstop for a year. Geffen says Katzenberg called him "the day it hit the fan at Disney," and floated the idea of a partnership with him and Spielberg. "It started with 'Wouldn't it be great?"' says Geffen, "but it became real very quickly...
Last Monday the trio met with MCA-Universal boss Lew Wasserman, at 81 still the Godfather of Show, and his deputy Sid Sheinberg. Wasserman and Sheinberg were rankling under the ownership of Matsushita, the Japanese conglomerate. MCA was home to both Geffen, whose current music company is housed there, and Spielberg, whose Amblin films are distributed mainly through Universal; the director regards Sheinberg as a mentor of nearly 30 years. "Lew and Sid's intentions were to get back control of their company," says Katzenberg, "and they hoped we'd be an ally to them. We assured them we would...
...company was already proving its entertainment value by midwifing many a rumor. West Coast gossip: deposed Warner Bros. music kingpin Mo Ostin would work with Geffen. East Coast gossip: Tina Brown, the editor of the New Yorker, would be coming aboard. A spokeswoman who asked Brown about the rumor received the response...
...Wasserman and Sheinberg wouldn't care to lose their franchise player to unrestricted free agency; they surely hope his new company will decide it's not worth setting up an elaborate distribution apparatus and will instead release its films through Universal. (Spielberg and Katzenberg say they would prefer that; Geffen says Warner Bros. would be a second choice.) But when Matsushita's bosses meet with Wasserman and Sheinberg this week, they may take the long Japanese view and decide they don't want to unload MCA -- least of all to Geffen and Spielberg. "I'm not sure Matsushita...
...Three will be obliged to step out of the p.r. spotlight and into the crucible of creation. But for them, and maybe even for consumers, the future rolls out like a red carpet. Spielberg, after all, redefined the role of movie director; Katzenberg helped redefine the animated film; and Geffen, in many media, kept redefining himself. If these guys don't make entertainment more entertaining, they'll have a lot to answer...