Michael Ovitz

And I called Henry because I was friends with Kissinger because he was on the board of MGM. I said the same thing to him and he thought it was hysterical. He said, what? I can't do his accent, but it was hysterical. He said to me, what do I know about airplanes and this thick, heavy accent? I said, you're flying them, don't you? And he said, yeah. I said, great.

You'll find someone to sell them to. And we used to stand up at the beginning of each meeting and announce what we'd sold. So like- At the board meetings. At the board meetings. So that was the first thing we did. Teddy'd approve the minutes, 100% attendance. Board meetings were always like five o'clock. Then we all went to dinner.

You'll find someone to sell them to. And we used to stand up at the beginning of each meeting and announce what we'd sold. So like- At the board meetings. At the board meetings. So that was the first thing we did. Teddy'd approve the minutes, 100% attendance. Board meetings were always like five o'clock. Then we all went to dinner.

And, you know, Colin would stand up and say, well, I've sold three G4s to the U.S. Air Force. And Kissinger was saying, I've sold five G4s to this royal family. It was like crazy. You know, I got up, I said, I sold a G4 to two actors and I'd give their names, you know. And everybody did that. And the sales went crazy on the company. And at the end of the day,

And, you know, Colin would stand up and say, well, I've sold three G4s to the U.S. Air Force. And Kissinger was saying, I've sold five G4s to this royal family. It was like crazy. You know, I got up, I said, I sold a G4 to two actors and I'd give their names, you know. And everybody did that. And the sales went crazy on the company. And at the end of the day,

You have two issues with a company like that. Great product, which they had in sales. There is nothing else, you know, and they had great product and we provided the sales. Then he took the company from bankruptcy to a huge sale. You know, to general dynamics.

You have two issues with a company like that. Great product, which they had in sales. There is nothing else, you know, and they had great product and we provided the sales. Then he took the company from bankruptcy to a huge sale. You know, to general dynamics.

Well, first of all, you have to see if there's a visceral connection. That's not anything that's on the list. You know, do you feel some kind of rapport with the person? That's a given and a critical. Okay. The list is amorphous. And, you know, I learned...

Well, first of all, you have to see if there's a visceral connection. That's not anything that's on the list. You know, do you feel some kind of rapport with the person? That's a given and a critical. Okay. The list is amorphous. And, you know, I learned...

A longtime client and a good friend, Marty Scorsese, who's a genius, absolute genius at how he looks at life, the prism he looks at it through, and then how he regurgitates it back into a visual image. His frames, if you pull them out of his movies, could stand on their own as artwork. It's insane, his frames. And he said, I said, when you're looking at actors, what are you looking at?

A longtime client and a good friend, Marty Scorsese, who's a genius, absolute genius at how he looks at life, the prism he looks at it through, and then how he regurgitates it back into a visual image. His frames, if you pull them out of his movies, could stand on their own as artwork. It's insane, his frames. And he said, I said, when you're looking at actors, what are you looking at?

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.