Michael Ovitz

He said, their eyes. And it spoke volumes to me. I also have a frame of reference because I've met so many people. I mean, I collect art and people. I love people and I love having relationships. The more you meet, the more benchmark you have. When people ask me, how do I learn how to collect art? Do I read all these books? I said, don't read anything. I told you this on the last podcast.

He said, their eyes. And it spoke volumes to me. I also have a frame of reference because I've met so many people. I mean, I collect art and people. I love people and I love having relationships. The more you meet, the more benchmark you have. When people ask me, how do I learn how to collect art? Do I read all these books? I said, don't read anything. I told you this on the last podcast.

Don't meet a million artists. Just look at pictures. Just look at pictures. When you asked me about going to Brooklyn, We're going out Saturday, Tamara and I, to look at a young artist. She's not in Brooklyn. She's in New Jersey, but same difference. And going to the studio to look around. Went out to Red Hook a couple weeks ago to look at an artist named Nicholas Pardee. Brilliant young guy.

Don't meet a million artists. Just look at pictures. Just look at pictures. When you asked me about going to Brooklyn, We're going out Saturday, Tamara and I, to look at a young artist. She's not in Brooklyn. She's in New Jersey, but same difference. And going to the studio to look around. Went out to Red Hook a couple weeks ago to look at an artist named Nicholas Pardee. Brilliant young guy.

Brilliant. And got to go in his cave, see what he does, how he does it. I'm fascinated by process because I can't do it. So I'm fascinated by the bar I can't get over. It's probably why I was an artist representative for years. Watching Nicholas Party create in his environment is a treat beyond belief.

Brilliant. And got to go in his cave, see what he does, how he does it. I'm fascinated by process because I can't do it. So I'm fascinated by the bar I can't get over. It's probably why I was an artist representative for years. Watching Nicholas Party create in his environment is a treat beyond belief.

Well, it's not questions. It's kind of observation, and it kind of just bubbles out. You know, it's interesting, like he uses pastel and I was fascinated by that because it comes off the paper. And he went over to one of his artworks and banged it on the floor and dust started coming off. And I said to him, Nicholas, that could be like an invisible painting in some ways. No, it sticks.

Well, it's not questions. It's kind of observation, and it kind of just bubbles out. You know, it's interesting, like he uses pastel and I was fascinated by that because it comes off the paper. And he went over to one of his artworks and banged it on the floor and dust started coming off. And I said to him, Nicholas, that could be like an invisible painting in some ways. No, it sticks.

But fascinated me that he would do that because everything about artists was, you know, built for the ages. I mean, we're looking at Art from the 18th, 17th, 16th century, right? And it's 600 years old, right? It's 500 years old. Can you tell me about Larry Gugosian? Larry was my assistant at the William Morris Agency in 1970. And he was really good. And he had a way with people. He was smart.

But fascinated me that he would do that because everything about artists was, you know, built for the ages. I mean, we're looking at Art from the 18th, 17th, 16th century, right? And it's 600 years old, right? It's 500 years old. Can you tell me about Larry Gugosian? Larry was my assistant at the William Morris Agency in 1970. And he was really good. And he had a way with people. He was smart.

He was tempered aggressive. And he showed all the promise in the world. And we worked together for about a year. And he came in to see me and said, I hate this place. And I said, there's nothing to hate or love. This is a tool for you to learn. That's all it is. We're in graduate school, basically. And that's how I looked at it. I was getting a master's in entertainment there when I was 21.

He was tempered aggressive. And he showed all the promise in the world. And we worked together for about a year. And he came in to see me and said, I hate this place. And I said, there's nothing to hate or love. This is a tool for you to learn. That's all it is. We're in graduate school, basically. And that's how I looked at it. I was getting a master's in entertainment there when I was 21.

And he couldn't stand the people. He couldn't stand the backbiting. He couldn't stand the deceit, all the hallmarks of the entertainment business. He couldn't stand people not telling the truth. He didn't like the environment. And I spent a month trying to talk him out of quitting, and he finally quit. And he opened up a little poster shop in Westwood selling $20 posters of fine art.

And he couldn't stand the people. He couldn't stand the backbiting. He couldn't stand the deceit, all the hallmarks of the entertainment business. He couldn't stand people not telling the truth. He didn't like the environment. And I spent a month trying to talk him out of quitting, and he finally quit. And he opened up a little poster shop in Westwood selling $20 posters of fine art.

The rest is history. And he's a brilliant dealer. He's a very loyal guy. He's tough as nails. I mean tough. And he's a great negotiator. He has an amazing eye. His townhouse on the Upper East Side is the epitome of good taste. If you're into period furniture from the Art Deco period and great art, and it's all mixed. There's no period that stands out. He's mixed Richard Prince and Picasso.

The rest is history. And he's a brilliant dealer. He's a very loyal guy. He's tough as nails. I mean tough. And he's a great negotiator. He has an amazing eye. His townhouse on the Upper East Side is the epitome of good taste. If you're into period furniture from the Art Deco period and great art, and it's all mixed. There's no period that stands out. He's mixed Richard Prince and Picasso.

Well, he did something that I did at CA, which was, I thought, really smart to do. He didn't get the idea from me. One of his partners, Stephan Cohn, brilliant young engineer, would take one meeting every 10 minutes with an engineer. And I had an office next to him, so I'd watch this parade of young men and women sitting lined up for 10 minutes with Stephan.

Well, he did something that I did at CA, which was, I thought, really smart to do. He didn't get the idea from me. One of his partners, Stephan Cohn, brilliant young engineer, would take one meeting every 10 minutes with an engineer. And I had an office next to him, so I'd watch this parade of young men and women sitting lined up for 10 minutes with Stephan.

And he'd interview 50 engineers and take one. Wow. And he spent the time. So I asked him one day, we went to lunch, and I said, so what's the first thing? He said, well, before, he said, the first thing is I give him a question, a math question. I said, oh, give me that question. He lost me after the word the. No clue what the question said.

And he'd interview 50 engineers and take one. Wow. And he spent the time. So I asked him one day, we went to lunch, and I said, so what's the first thing? He said, well, before, he said, the first thing is I give him a question, a math question. I said, oh, give me that question. He lost me after the word the. No clue what the question said.