Don't Worry About Me; I'll Manage!

I incorporated my talent management firm, Miss Juanita Management, Inc. (named after my beloved, decased mommy) back on October 20th, 2007.  I had such huge expectations for my business.  I had planned to serve as Hollywood's go-to, talent manager for non-white actors.  I wanted to see what I could do to make the thousands of invisible, non-white actors & actresses in this town---visible.  I jumped through all the required hoops to obtain access to audition notices and the such.  I read various industry publications to familiarize myself with who's who in this town.  But it didn't take me long to recognize that the people who truly moved mountains in this town DON'T look like me.  And don't come from similar backgrounds to mine.  What they did possess similar to me was the desire to do something creative in this town.  So, that was our single similarity I clung to for survival as a Hollywood, talent manager.  However, over time, I could see that the battle I had waged against the status quo was consuming me.  Drowning me, actually.  My clients would book a job here and there, but not enough to sustain themselves as working actors.  And most assuredly not enough to sustain me!  I found myself hustling like a mad man during the day with talent management duties and hustling even harder at night with cater-waiter duties!  Yep, you heard me!  I had to resort back to cater-waitering to pay my bills.  And, even with that work, I still got behind financially.  Something had to give!  And that something was my client roster.  I had to accept that if I was going to earn any money as a manager, I was going to have to sign white actors.  So, I did just that.  And, in time, the single, young, white actor I signed was screen-tested to be a lead in a tv pilot.  The show was about identical twins, so his twin brother (who wasn't an actor) flew in and learned his lines (by the skin of his teeth) so that he, too, screen-tested beside his brother.  Neither were members of SAG.  But both were young.  White.  And male.   The Hollywood JACKPOT!!!  The pilot didn't get picked up, so that was that.  Shortly thereafter, I decided to close my business.  I wasn't going to file bankruptcy in order to get non-white actors a job on television and film.  Well, fast-forward to today and I still harbor an itching desire to continue what I started.  Call me crazy, but I still find myself drawn to knowing what's being developed and cast.  And, from time to time, I still make calls to get a few folks into casting offices!  Maybe this work is my destiny.  My calling.  Whatever the heck it is, I hope and pray something jumps off PRONTO!  'Cause this ol' dude ain't broke.  But his cash has been on a much-too-long leave of absence!!!  Haaa!  But don't worry about me.  Somehow.  Some way.  I'll manage.  :)  --- Maybe even till I'm on the same level as the Hollywood, Talent Manager ALL-STARS---PAST & PRESENT!!!!!

Bernie Brillstein (R.I.P.)

Sandy Gallin

Rick Yorn

Geyer Kosinski

Benny Medina

Cynthia Pett-Dante

The most interesting fact about the Hollywood, talent manager moguls pictured above is that I've met each and every one of 'em....So what that our initial meetings were me asking, "Would you like coffee or tea?"  ---  But don't worry about me.  I'll MANAGE!!  'Cause you-know-who AIN'T sung just yet!!!!!