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On April 22 and 23, 1996, Daily Variety, the Hollywood
Reporter, and the Los Angeles Times published articles regarding
petitioner’s termination.8 UTA’s termination of petitioner was
also reported on KTLA Channel 5 and KNX News Radio.
The front page of the Monday, April 22, 1996, edition of
Daily Variety had the banner headline “UTA ZAPS POLONE”. Beneath
the banner headline was the phrase “Agency cites behavior; agent
denies charge”. The article included the following statements:
United Talent Agency’s Gavin Polone * * * was
abruptly fired from UTA Sunday over what agency
partners referred to as “inappropriate” behavior toward
fellow TV agent Nancy Jones, who resigned Wednesday.
* * * * * * *
“We have terminated his employment,” UTA partner
Jim Berkus told Daily Variety on Sunday. “The decision
was ours. We called today (Sunday) and told him. We
felt the way he accorded himself with colleagues and
employees was inappropriate. His behavior toward
(fellow TV agent) Nancy Jones was of significant
concern to us.”
* * * * * * *
Polone was ordered to attend a counseling session
with an attorney who specialized in behavioral
problems.
8 Daily Variety and the Hollywood Reporter are widely read
each business day by people in the entertainment industry. The
Los Angeles Times is a newspaper of general circulation in
Southern California. In April 1996, the daily paid circulation
of these papers was as follows: (1) Daily Variety, over 25,000
people, (2) the Hollywood Reporter, over 20,000 people, and (3)
the Los Angeles Times, over 1 million people.
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