Legendarily rage-a-holic film and theater producer Scott Rudin has hired Imagine Entertainment’s David Bernardi to be the new president of his production company, according to Variety. After working for the aw-shucks Ron Howard, Bernardi might experience a little culture shock with his, er, more “emotional†boss, so in order to make his transition easier, we sought out some anonymous advice from Rudin alumni in Hollywood who’ve experienced their boss’s rages at close range.
What can trigger his violent paroxysms?
“Anything,†laughs one former Rudinite out West. “So don’t bother trying to figure that out. One night, someone forgot to remind Scott that he had to leave in order to make the curtain for a new Neil LaBute play he wanted to see. Scott overturned his entire desk, swept everything on it onto the floor.â€
Being in Los Angeles while Rudin is based in New York will afford Mr. Bernardi some physical protection, but relying on phone communication provides some perils, as well. Another L.A.-based ex-Rudinite explains, “You can make it worse by doing certain things, like asking if you can call him back on his cell phone.â€
Huh?
“Scott almost never knows his own cell number, because he smashes so many of his BlackBerries into this wall between two assistants. They actually keep one of those U.S. Mail plasti-crates full of new phones at the ready for when he does. Back in the day, Scott would be on the phone with Stephen Daldry. When Daldry would suddenly ask if he could reach him later on his cell, Scott would get so mad, he’d snap a Motorola StarTAC in half like he was shucking oysters.â€
Good luck, Dave! Oh, and Scott Rudin for you on line one. No pressure.