Tag Archive for 'Former Assistants Done Good'

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lloyd gets a last name

Published on September 21, 2009 in Fictional Assistants and Former Assistants Done Good. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , .

I have to admit, I can’t really stand Entourage. I view it as Sex and the City for guys and am totally sick of listening to male friends of mine have inane conversations where they argue about who is the Vince in their circle and who is the Eric. However, I get sucked into watching it mostly for one character, the ever-beleaguered assistant, Lloyd (Rex Lee), and his banter with his evil boss, Ari (Jeremy Piven).

This season, Lloyd got tired of being Ari’s bitch and decided to strike out on his own as a talent agent. Ari, who a) thought Lloyd was the best assistant he ever had, and b) hates to be challenged/threatened in any way, obviously didn’t handle it well. Lloyd went after Johnny Drama, movie star Vince’s less cool brother, as his first client. Ari responded by also trying to woo Drama, even though he’d never expressed interest in Drama or his work before. Luckily for Lloyd, Drama realized that Lloyd actually cared about him as a client and a person, while Ari just wanted to stick it to Lloyd by stealing his client.

So, a mini triumph for Lloyd, but knowing this show it’s obvious Ari is going to try and sabotage Lloyd and make his life miserable. I look forward to seeing how the “Gaysian” does out on his own. In the meantime, though, an incredibly important thing happened – single-monikered Lloyd finally got a last name. (It’s Lee, the same as his portrayer’s.) This is sort of like when your email goes from being assistant@company.com to being yourname@company.com. It may seem like a small change, but it’s actually a huge leap for your self-esteem. Team Lloyd Lee!

charlize theron’s assistant kudos

Published on August 18, 2009 in Celebrity Assistant Soapbox and Former Assistants Done Good. 0 Comments Tags: , , , .

Oscar-winning actress Charlize Theron is on the cover of the September issue of Vogue. Of course, there’s lots of stuff about fashion, but she also talks about her more philanthropic efforts:

“This is the Asian club right here,” she says, introducing the head of her film division and the woman in charge of her Africa Outreach Project. The two Japanese-Americans, Beth Kono and Ashlee Irish, started out as assistants and then took on more and more responsibilities: Kono develops scripts for Denver & Delilah Films (named for two of Theron’s dogs), and Irish keeps track of Theron’s charity work; lately it has focused on equipping trailers with computers and mobile health clinics, which then travel continuously through remote parts of South Africa, where teenagers have a nearly 50 percent chance of contracting HIV during their lifetime.

Charlize is starting to sound like a one-woman Former Assistants Done Good factory. More celebrities should follow her lead.

former assistant done good: betty suarez

Published on August 5, 2009 in Fictional Assistants and Former Assistants Done Good. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , .

Although Ugly Betty’s new season hasn’t started airing yet, it’s not too soon to congratulate the show’s titular heroine on her recent promotion from assistant to features editor at Mode magazine. STA has been following her journey from the start, and it’s going to be interesting to see how the show changes now that Betty is in a position to have an assistant instead of be one. (As previously reported, former Sopranos star Jamie-Lynn Sigler will join the cast as Betty’s replacement working for Daniel.)

And what goes along with Betty’s promotion? A long-awaited makeover, of course. Sources report that focus groups were shown pictures of actress America Ferrera in different outfits, including a Chanel power suit and a black cocktail dress, and asked to say which one they liked the best. I guess it’s good that Betty won’t be so ugly anymore, but I really hope she doesn’t lose her spunk and kind heart. You hear that, show? Don’t let her get promoted to be the boss from hell. Our girl knows better than that.

guest post: tips for your first hollywood assistant job

Published on July 2, 2009 in Former Assistants Done Good, Guest Post and Survival Guide. 0 Comments Tags: , , , .

Heather again. My friend Dan was an assistant in Hollywood and is now a writer and improv comic in New York. He made the most of his assistant job and moved up quickly. Here are some of his tips for your first assistant job in Hollywood.

I wasn’t an assistant for long before I got moved up to the development department where I was a much better fit. But I was for several months an assistant to a fairly well known producer, in Hollywood no less. Here are my tips.

  • Be Lucky. My boss and I never really got along well on a personal level. There was no animosity, he just didn’t like my personality. He was still professional and I did the best work I could, for peanuts. When I moved back to NY and worked for his partner (in development), it was a much better match.
  • Schmooze. I got to hang out with some really cool and somewhat famous people. You’re young. They all want to mentor you. You’re not a threat yet and if they help early on, you’ll love them forever. A well known director shaped my view of what writing should be as we ate lunch at the coffee shop in my boss’s hotel, waiting for him. An aspiring actress who’s now a movie star was happy to talk to me, in part because we were the only ones there under 30 (we were both 19). These are good people and as the assistant, you’re not in competition with them yet. Ask questions. Ask them to try new things and for advice. People love giving advice to young people.
  • Work damn hard. Produce good work. I work slowly and methodically, which wasn’t always right for the task. But I produce damn fine work and I was moved to a department that was a better fit.
  • Presentation matters. I don’t care how good your spreadsheet of my daily activities is, I want it to pop and look nice enough to be in my office. Production values should be as good as can be for everything. Simple is always better.
  • Work for peanuts. This is a chance to learn and jumpstart a career, a glorified internship, not a fat cash job. That’s the difference between a secretary and an assistant. Bring your own laptop.
  • Always say yes. Can you do this? I can figure it out. That’s how I got to write coverage for the first time and got started on the path to being a writer.
  • Flirt. I flirted with a studio head’s female protegé at a premiere and spoke passionately about the project during such time. She put in a good word for our company and they upped our marketing budget. You are a spokesman for your company and should believe in it. As long as you care about the projects, it’s fine to mix it into your personal life.
  • Care about the projects. You may have to work your ass off doing this meaningful thing, but it’s a component of releasing this FUCKING AWESOME MOVIE.

from executive assistant to senior VP

Published on June 23, 2009 in Former Assistants Done Good and Guest Post. 0 Comments Tags: , .

It is always important to put your best foot forward whatever job you have. It doesn’t matter if you are just working for a living or want to move up in your current industry, you should always do your best. If you can make a lasting impression as a helpful employee with something to contribute you might be able to work that to your advantage later on.

Bill McGoldrick has made that transition from executive assistant to VP in just over 10 years. According to the Hollywood Reporter McGoldrick started out as an executive assistant at USA Network in 1998. He advanced as far as he could at USA and then moved to Spike TV where he worked his way up to Senior VP of programming. He is soon returning to USA where he will be senior VP of scripted programming. His former boss at USA always wanted him back on his team.

“Bill is a great friend and a phenomenal creative executive,” said Jeff Wachtel, president, USA original programming, to whom he’ll report. “Bringing him back home to USA is something we’ve been trying to do ever since he left. It’s a move that we feel will make one of the best network development teams in the business even better.”

Showing you have what it takes as an executive assistant can sometimes lead to being an executive. If you are a productive employee that adds value to the team, the job that you hate could turn into the career you’ve always wanted.

- Posted by Heather

john krasinski: former intern done good

Published on June 16, 2009 in Interns. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , .

John Krasinski is best known for playing the Jim on The Office, but it turns out he has a pretty impressive resume. In addition to majoring in playwriting at Brown University, he studied acting at various places including The Royal Shakespeare Company in Stratford-upon-Avon and The Actor’s Center in New York City. Not only does the guy have technique, he also put in time doing less-than-glamorous work before finding TV stardom. He spent some time working as a script intern on Late Night with Conan O’Brien.

Not only is this guy yummy, he is willing to work hard. If I wasn’t already planning to go check out his bearded hipster hotness in the movie Away We Go, learning this information would have totally pushed me over the edge.

the sta interview: jen perkins

Published on May 18, 2009 in Former Assistants Done Good and Interns. 0 Comments Tags: , , , .

Jen Perkins is the founder of one of my favorite jewelry stores, the Naughty Secretary Club. Turns out the name isn’t a coincidence – Perkins was a secretary when she started working on jewelry in her free time. Eventually, the side job became a full time one, and she hasn’t looked back since. We talked about how assistants with creative dreams can make them happen and pay rent in the meantime.

How long were you an assistant, and what kind of work did you do?

I was an administrative assistant for close to 3 years at a telecom company in Austin. I didn’t do much of any work, hence why I was naughty. I had the occasional phone to answer or fax to send but for the most part I made jewelry at my desk, worked on my website and made copies of my husband’s band fliers when no one was looking.

What’s your worst assistant horror story?

While I was an assistant I had two bosses and most of the time not one at all. The first one was very stern and serious and the second, who I am still close friends with, was very laid back and fun. Once when the first boss was sneaking out of the office I jokingly said to her “where do you think you are going” and apparently she was going somewhere she shouldn’t and I had busted her because she tore me a new A-hole when she returned. Needless to say I toned the sarcasm down after that because apparently she could not take a joke.

Continue reading ‘the sta interview: jen perkins’

from assistant to first wives club

Published on April 15, 2009 in Former Assistants Done Good. 0 Comments Tags: , , .

I don’t know Robyn Gibson, but I am on her side. The woman who spent 28 years putting up with the growing nuttiness (or maybe he was nutty to begin with but had a better publicist?) that is Mel Gibson is now filing for divorce. The couple has 7 kids and are devout Roman Catholics – which ought to make this whole divorce situation a little bit tricky.

Robyn was with Mel through all the high points of his career, but they got together before he was anything close to famous. Robyn was a 24 year old dental assistant when she and Mel got married in Australia. There have been rumors about him cheating on her for years, and photos recently surfaced of him “canoodling” (dear tabloids: I hate that word) with another woman. Of course, Mel and Robyn didn’t have a prenup, so of course, Robyn is going to totally clean him out. And I say good for her! Starting out as an assistant, raising seven kids while your husband was off jaunting around the world being a giant movie star, dealing with the fallout from that embarrassing arrest, plus enduring his philandering? I say give the woman what she deserves. Congratulations, Robyn, after you get your $400 million or so settlement, you may in fact be the most successful STA former assistant done good ever!

posh’s ex-assistant talks celebrity life

Published on April 2, 2009 in Celebrity Assistant Soapbox, Former Assistants Done Good and Video. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , , , .

I first “met” Renee Gauthier when she was Victoria Beckham’s assistant – their cute, agreeable relationship was part of the reason Posh’s Coming to America special was so funny. (Like this scene where they tried to bake a pie together.) Now, Renee has left the celebrity assistant life behind her and is working as a comedienne, and in this segment she talks about what it was like getting to meet celebrities like Eva Longoria and Kelly Clarkson when she was a PA. Enjoy:

in memory of a TV star/ex-assistant

Published on April 2, 2009 in Former Assistants Done Good. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , .

Andy Hallett, a singer and actor who played Lorne on the TV show Angel, died yesterday at the age of 33. Hallett died of “a five-year battle with congestive heart disease,” according to his agent.

Hallett got his start in Hollywood as a messenger at a talent agency. Following that, he was hired to be the personal assistant to Kai Cole, better known as Mrs. Joss Whedon. Whedon, who was in the process of casting the Buffy the Vampire Slayer spinoff, asked Hallett to audition and ended up giving him the role of Lorne, a demon who ran a karaoke club.

I’m sorry that I didn’t know about Hallett’s background sooner and was thus not able to do a “Former Assistant Done Good” post about him. It’s always sad to lose one of our own, be it a current or past assistant.