Meanwhile, though, the skies were darkening over our core business. Reality television, which William Morris dominated, was crowding out our scripted programs. Fewer movies were produced each year, reducing demand for our clients. Prices had slumped for midtier actors and directors, a warning sign for our A-list. It won’t be long, I thought, before the studios begin to squeeze our gross percentages—or to reject our packages altogether. In ten years, did I want to be like an overworked mechanic trying to keep an old car on the road? (While CAA remains a force in entertainment, almost everything
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