Let me ask this to any publicists in the house?

If you and a client were getting bent on painkillers and your client became loopy and non-responsive what would you tell the police and paramedics when they arrived?

I'm just asking an innocent question.

 

Well first, I'd call Lefty Driesell and Winston Wolf and get the scene cleaned up before bringing the law in.

 

Damn sure wouldn't say he was trying to kill himself.

 

Seriously, you tell them he took some painkillers but you don't know how many, and he's not responding to questions. Anything else, you say I don't know.

 

That I'm concerned because my client is a man of great statue.

 

I'm not a publicist, but I'm an agent for sports celebs and sportswriters (literary agent, to be specific)--maybe I can answer anyway.

No decent human (or agent) can risk covering up a potential suicide, drug OD, etc. Imagine the fallout if Kim Etheredge had done nothing at all. You have to make that 911 call, and you have to be honest. In a less urgent situation, you might also call someone else in the entourage, someone who is thinking more clearly than you might be at the moment. Hysteria makes people do crazy things.

My personal analogy goes back some years to a client who was rip-roaring drunk, about to attempt to drive about fifty miles to his home. Big star, just sat at the bar too long after a book-signing. We walk outside (I walk, he weaves), and he can barely get into his car. I'm trying not to panic--but if he drives off, do I call the police? Do I let him go and pray for the best? The publicity would have been a disaster--but nothing compared to a worst-case scenario.

I should add that I'm female, and he was somewhat entertained by an impromptu game of 'Wrestle For the Keys!' until the parking valet caught on and went to get a manager, who handled the situation discreetly. Lucky, that time.

I wish Etheredge had presented herself more professionally yesterday, but she clearly acted out of concern, and she'll be blamed for the fallout.

 

Swenk,
Making the call is the right thing. Telling emergency workers that you pulled pills out of his mouth and he was despondent gives them perspective they need in the situation.
Denying it afterward to cover for your client makes both of them look bad.

 

Hold it! You wait one freaking minute!

The JuicyFruit she was smacking on only made it sound like she mispronounced "stature." Cut the young woman some slack. I mean, this is ridiculous. She was very professional and cast TO in a very positive light. She has 25 million reasons to look out for TO's best interest.

 

Absolutely true. I wonder if any of us know exactly what we'd do until we were in the situation.

I don't know anything about Kim Etheredge, so this is not directed at her, but it's not uncommon for an agent to hire someone specifically for that ambiguous role: be nearby, make arrangements, handle the details, talk to the press when necessary, keep a lid on things...and keep your guy out of trouble. A glorified traveling secretary, male or female, paid for by the agent. Very few are equipped to handle a major emergency.

 

Here, apparently, is what Kim does when she's not putting out fires. Ironic, to say the least.

http://www.intermix.org.uk/health/health_mixedchicks.asp

Here's a bio from the web site:

"kim ETHEREDGE (los angeles)
i grew up in los angeles, entertainment capital of the world. sun, water, fun,
convertibles...the west coast is a beautiful place, but it is hard on hair.
participating in all of these everyday activities was a privilege, but try blow-
drying your hair to style — now that
was a nuisance, not to mention bad for
my hair. in a place obsessed with looks,
my life was hell. my hair is naturally
curly, but i could never wear it out
because i had to use too many products
to get the right look. i had to search
from one end of the store to the other
to concoct a combination for my "unruly,
kinky, wild hair." that was not only
a pain, but expensive too! lucky for me
i met wendi."

 

I'm asking this in a legit fashion ... is Etheridge a publicist, or is she a "publicist"? You know, the type of publicist TO might wrestle a couple times a night? Sounds like she's more of a playtoy than a legit PR person.