David Brimm is president of BrimmComm, Inc., a full-service public relations and marketing communications firm. A former president of PCC, he is editor of PCC's newsletter, Dateline.

Advice and Perspective

(Published January, 2009)

By David Brimm

As public relations professionals, we could all use some ego gratification from tine-to-time, so it’s been kind of fun to see an increase in the number of actors or actresses who have taken on the role of a PR or communications person in a film or on TV. Trouble is, most portrayals of PR people are characterized by over active libidos and/or the ethics of a slug. So in light of the scheduled February 22 broadcast of The Oscars, sit back and review my list of the worst of the bunch (with two redeeming portrayals).

Sex and the City

Kim Cattrall portrayed Samantha Jones, a really hot publicist who put a new spin on the word "relations" in the term public relations. She had relations with clients and reporters alike, and her ethical approach to her profession was non existent. Hey, I’m not saying she didn’t get results and added some sizzle to the publicist biz, but she’s’ just another reason for people to call us "flacks." Or in her case, worse.

PR Portrayal grade: F

Phone Booth

In this 2003 movie, Colin Farrell portrays Stu Shepard, an arrogant, selfish, foul-mouthed and dishonest publicist, who contemplates cheating on his wife with Pam, a young actress portrayed by pre-L. Ron Hubbard, Katie Holmes. We see a disdainful Stu lying to clients about work he hasn’t done, and mistreating an eager young assistant who follows him around like a puppy. A real disservice to hardworking publicists. We almost wish that Kiefer Sutherland does shoot Stu.

PR Portrayal grade: F

Sweet Smell of Success

The performances in this 1957 film by Tony Curtis and Burt Lancaster are so terrific, I hate to have to include it on my list. Tony Curtis plays Sidney Falco, a reprehensible press agent who will do anything to get on the good side of Lancaster’s J.J. Hunsecker, the most arrogant and prestigious newspaper columnist in New York (modeled after Walter Winchell). To ensure that Hunsecker continues to include his clients in his column, at the urging of Hunsecker, Falco sets out to ruin the reputation of jazz guitarist Steve Dallas (Martin Milner) who against Hunsecker’s wishes, has begun to date his sister. A great movie, but a horrible depiction of press agents.

PR Portrayal grade: D-

Memphis Belle

In this 1990 war film, the officers and crew of one United States Air Force B-17 bomber, called Memphis Belle, is on its 25th and final mission, a daylight raid over Germany. This successful mission will be a big propaganda coup for the Army since the US was experiencing horrific loss of planes over Germany and now there’s a "feel good" story about the bombing raids. John Lithgow plays Col. Bruce Derringer, an obnoxious and pushy Army public relations man who goes to England to prepare a publicity campaign featuring the Memphis Belle's crew. Lithgow plays such a despicable character that even the NY Times movie reviewer had this to say about his portrayal: "The man is incredibly callous and unfeeling, which seems to be the movie's attitude toward public relations, though the original Memphis Belle was a product of the Army's same public-relations machine."

PR Portrayal grade: D+

China Syndrome

This 1979 classic gave a boost to investigative TV news reporting but cast a jaundiced pall on the nuclear industry and on public relations. James Hampton portrays the head of public relations for the fictional Ventana power plant. While he is giving a routine tour of the plant so that a TV reporter portrayed by Jane Fonda and her cameraman (Michael Douglas) can shoot some "B roll," the plant starts to ominously shake. Fonda and Douglas go into their "save the world mode" while Hampton goes into his "lying, sniveling worm" mode to try and kill a story of what will be recognized as a major plant design deficiency. In the end only Jack Lemmon gets killed. This film may have been the impetus for PR folks everywhere to have a crisis communications plan on hand.

PR Portrayal grade: D+

Dave

This cute little 1993 film featured Kevin Kline portraying Dave, an earnest job counselor who looks like the twin of President William Harrison "Bill" Mitchell. When Mitchell suffers a stroke, at the behest of a sleazy advisor, Dave steps in to impersonate the President. Dave comes to learn that Mitchell was a philanderer and a crook, and that his staff was in on it, including a dishonest Communications Director, Alan Reed, played by Kevin Dunn. Dave saves the day, with some help by Reed, but Reed is not a good guy in this. We again have the lying PR person. Since the PR guy does atone for his sins, we’ll give the movie "Dave" a passing grade.

PR Portrayal grade: C

Thank You For Not Smoking

I can’t believe that Katie Holmes is again in one of these films and again plays a woman having an affair with the male lead. In any case, in this 2005 satire, Aaron Eckhardt portrays a tobacco lobbyist named Nick Naylor. I almost hesitate to add this to the list since Eckhardt is labeled a lobbyist, but seems to be more of a publicist, so there was a blurring of responsibilities. But once again, this publicist/lobbyist has no ethical backbone and represents a client even he hates.

PR Portrayal grade B-

Wag The Dog

OK, I laughed a lot at this 1997 farce about a crew of "crisis managers" who set out to distract the American public from a White House scandal involving an accusation that the President of the US fondled a girl scout during an Oval Office visit just a few weeks before an election. The solution? Robert DeNiro, who plays "Conrad Brean," the ultimate "spin doctor" is brought in by communications director Winifred Ames, played by Anne Heche, to divert news of the scandal. They cook up a fake war, a back story, and manipulate the press to forget about the scandal. The President is reelected and the world is safe. The film was fun, and we only wish we could pull this PR coup off, but Anne Heche portrays her communications director role as a dithering idiot, which really rubbed me the wrong way.

PR Portrayal grade B

OK, to be fair, there probably were at least a few good shows or films that portrayed PR in a positive light. But I can only think of two at the moment:

West Wing

From 1999-2006 this political drama ruled the airways. A standout performance was that of Allison Janney, who portrayed supremely competent press secretary Claudia "C.J" Cregg. CJ was a dynamo, and really gave a positive boost to women in key communications positions (a far cry from Samantha Jones, who was in positions of a different kind). OK, CJ did have a fling with a reporter, but she was ethical, savvy and retained a sense of humor throughout some very stressful events.

PR Portrayal grade: A

Hancock

Even though none of us are married to spouses who can fly and have superhuman strength, Jason Bateman’s portrayal of PR agency exec Ray Embrey in this 2008 film was a refreshing look at a competent, empathetic PR professional. He gave good advice to clients, didn’t compromise his integrity, and was a success in his industry.

PR Portrayal grade: A

Let me know what shows or films I may have missed. I omitted both Broadcast News and Network because these involved media folks and not necessarily PR pros.

Contact Dave Brimm here.

[Return to top.]

(Index to articles about monthly luncheons)