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| A Sony exec cracks jokes about Obama’s race, and eight more bruising revelations from the Sony leak | A Sony exec cracks jokes about Obama’s race, and eight more bruising revelations from the Sony leak |
| (about 20 hours later) | |
| It's becoming increasingly difficult to look away from all the dirt spilling from private e-mails stolen from Sony Pictures Entertainment employees. The documents were taken as part of a massive cyberattack that has revealed what appear to be personal correspondence and other internal documents that detail the inner workings of the major studio. | It's becoming increasingly difficult to look away from all the dirt spilling from private e-mails stolen from Sony Pictures Entertainment employees. The documents were taken as part of a massive cyberattack that has revealed what appear to be personal correspondence and other internal documents that detail the inner workings of the major studio. |
| What's so fascinating about these stolen documents? Everyone knows Hollywood has a dark side, that people are jerks, and that a lot of smiles and hugs are fake. But it's rare for most people to see the glitter peeled away like this. One thing is for sure: If the aim of the hack was to damage Sony Pictures' reputation, then mission accomplished. | What's so fascinating about these stolen documents? Everyone knows Hollywood has a dark side, that people are jerks, and that a lot of smiles and hugs are fake. But it's rare for most people to see the glitter peeled away like this. One thing is for sure: If the aim of the hack was to damage Sony Pictures' reputation, then mission accomplished. |
| Here are some of the craziest things we've seen come out of the attack: | Here are some of the craziest things we've seen come out of the attack: |
| Joking about President Obama's race. There's nothing like a little casual, race-based humor to throw more fuel on a conflagration. In new e-mails published by Buzzfeed, Sony Pictures Entertainment co-chairman Amy Pascal and producer Scott Rudin trade jokes about what movies President Obama might like, as Pascal prepares to meet the president at a fundraiser hosted by DreamWorks Animation head Jeffrey Katzenberg. | Joking about President Obama's race. There's nothing like a little casual, race-based humor to throw more fuel on a conflagration. In new e-mails published by Buzzfeed, Sony Pictures Entertainment co-chairman Amy Pascal and producer Scott Rudin trade jokes about what movies President Obama might like, as Pascal prepares to meet the president at a fundraiser hosted by DreamWorks Animation head Jeffrey Katzenberg. |
| There's definitely a racial theme to their speculation. “Should I ask him if he liked DJANGO?” Pascal reportedly wrote. “12 YEARS,” Rudin replied. Said Pascal: “Or the butler. Or think like a man? [sic].” | There's definitely a racial theme to their speculation. “Should I ask him if he liked DJANGO?” Pascal reportedly wrote. “12 YEARS,” Rudin replied. Said Pascal: “Or the butler. Or think like a man? [sic].” |
| Finally, Rudin writes, “Ride-along. I bet he likes Kevin Hart.” | Finally, Rudin writes, “Ride-along. I bet he likes Kevin Hart.” |
| In a statement Thursday, Pascal apologized for the remarks she made in the stolen e-mails. "The content of my emails to Scott were insensitive and inappropriate but are not an accurate reflection of who I am," she said. "Although this was a private communication that was stolen, I accept full responsibility for what I wrote and apologize to everyone who was offended." | In a statement Thursday, Pascal apologized for the remarks she made in the stolen e-mails. "The content of my emails to Scott were insensitive and inappropriate but are not an accurate reflection of who I am," she said. "Although this was a private communication that was stolen, I accept full responsibility for what I wrote and apologize to everyone who was offended." |
| The mishandling of the Steve Jobs film. What makes the jokes between Pascal and Rudin even more surprising is the fact that other threads seem to indicate that they really hate each other. In e-mails published by Defamer, the two seem to be at each other's throats as they try -- and fail -- to get a biography of the late Apple co-founder Steve Jobs off the ground. After months of back-and-forth, Rudin sends this parting shot to Pascal: | The mishandling of the Steve Jobs film. What makes the jokes between Pascal and Rudin even more surprising is the fact that other threads seem to indicate that they really hate each other. In e-mails published by Defamer, the two seem to be at each other's throats as they try -- and fail -- to get a biography of the late Apple co-founder Steve Jobs off the ground. After months of back-and-forth, Rudin sends this parting shot to Pascal: |
| "You've destroyed your relationships with half the town over how you've behaved on this movie. If you don't think it's true, wait and see. Let's see the next filmmaker WME puts in business at Sony or the next piece of star talent. I'll bet my house I'm right." | "You've destroyed your relationships with half the town over how you've behaved on this movie. If you don't think it's true, wait and see. Let's see the next filmmaker WME puts in business at Sony or the next piece of star talent. I'll bet my house I'm right." |
| "You've destroyed your relationships with half the town over how you've behaved on this movie. If you don't think it's true, wait and see. Let's see the next filmmaker WME puts in business at Sony or the next piece of star talent. I'll bet my house I'm right." | "You've destroyed your relationships with half the town over how you've behaved on this movie. If you don't think it's true, wait and see. Let's see the next filmmaker WME puts in business at Sony or the next piece of star talent. I'll bet my house I'm right." |
| Trashing Angelina Jolie. Lots of people get smeared in the exchange, but many of the strongest words were for Angelina Jolie, who was apparently causing a fuss over the decision to put "The Social Network" director David Fincher on the Jobs biopic rather than on Jolie's own film about Cleopatra. | Trashing Angelina Jolie. Lots of people get smeared in the exchange, but many of the strongest words were for Angelina Jolie, who was apparently causing a fuss over the decision to put "The Social Network" director David Fincher on the Jobs biopic rather than on Jolie's own film about Cleopatra. |
| "I'm not destroying my career over a minimally talented spoiled brat," Rudin wrote, of Jolie. "She’s a camp event and a celebrity and that’s all and the last thing anybody needs is to make a giant bomb with her that any fool could see coming." | "I'm not destroying my career over a minimally talented spoiled brat," Rudin wrote, of Jolie. "She’s a camp event and a celebrity and that’s all and the last thing anybody needs is to make a giant bomb with her that any fool could see coming." |
| And Megan Ellison. Ellison, founder of Annapurna Pictures and the daughter of Oracle co-founder and billionaire Larry Ellison, isn't as high-profile as some of the other notable names on the list. But she gets some harsh words from Rudin, too, who calls her a "bipolar 28 year old lunatic." | And Megan Ellison. Ellison, founder of Annapurna Pictures and the daughter of Oracle co-founder and billionaire Larry Ellison, isn't as high-profile as some of the other notable names on the list. But she gets some harsh words from Rudin, too, who calls her a "bipolar 28 year old lunatic." |
| And Adam Sandler. In other documents also published by Gawker, actor Adam Sandler is the target of widespread criticism from employees who say that the studio is "saddled" with his films, which are "mundane and formulaic" and get a "disproportionate" amount of the studio's resources. | And Adam Sandler. In other documents also published by Gawker, actor Adam Sandler is the target of widespread criticism from employees who say that the studio is "saddled" with his films, which are "mundane and formulaic" and get a "disproportionate" amount of the studio's resources. |
| In Sandler's defense, Netflix certainly doesn't seem to agree with that assessment. | In Sandler's defense, Netflix certainly doesn't seem to agree with that assessment. |
| What people hate about working at Sony Pictures. The Sandler barbs are a part of a longer document that's chock-full of things that employees apparently don't like about working at the studio, Gawker reported. We all complain about work. Now imagine someone recorded all of those complaints, put them in one place and published it online. | What people hate about working at Sony Pictures. The Sandler barbs are a part of a longer document that's chock-full of things that employees apparently don't like about working at the studio, Gawker reported. We all complain about work. Now imagine someone recorded all of those complaints, put them in one place and published it online. |
| The basic complaint from employees is a pretty devastating one: that Sony Pictures doesn't make good films. In the comments published by Gawker, employees complain that the studio's films are stale and that the company is missing out on a lot of opportunities that its rivals are going after. These range from losing out on merchandising options to the assertion that Sony is stuck on making the "same, safe, soul-less movies and TV shows." | The basic complaint from employees is a pretty devastating one: that Sony Pictures doesn't make good films. In the comments published by Gawker, employees complain that the studio's films are stale and that the company is missing out on a lot of opportunities that its rivals are going after. These range from losing out on merchandising options to the assertion that Sony is stuck on making the "same, safe, soul-less movies and TV shows." |
| The private details of Hollywood's biggest celebrities. Aliases, contact info, Social Security numbers -- Tom Hanks, Jessica Alba, Natalie Portman and Sylvester Stallone were among the celebrities whose personal details were leaked as part of the larger release of employee data. | The private details of Hollywood's biggest celebrities. Aliases, contact info, Social Security numbers -- Tom Hanks, Jessica Alba, Natalie Portman and Sylvester Stallone were among the celebrities whose personal details were leaked as part of the larger release of employee data. |
| It may not be quite as salacious at last summer's leak of celebrities' nude pictures, but those details are still intensely private. And some of the leaked information is pretty risky to have out in the world. It's one thing to know what name Tom Hanks uses to check into a hotel -- he can always change that. It's quite another, however, for Sylvester Stallone to have his Social Security number publicized. | It may not be quite as salacious at last summer's leak of celebrities' nude pictures, but those details are still intensely private. And some of the leaked information is pretty risky to have out in the world. It's one thing to know what name Tom Hanks uses to check into a hotel -- he can always change that. It's quite another, however, for Sylvester Stallone to have his Social Security number publicized. |
| Information on who makes the big bucks. Salary information was also leaked -- pay info on Sony executives, as well as the pay of some employees of Deloitte Touche. | Information on who makes the big bucks. Salary information was also leaked -- pay info on Sony executives, as well as the pay of some employees of Deloitte Touche. |
| Another detail, as noted by Bloomberg: Actor Seth Rogen made more than co-star James Franco for "The Interview," which is the upcoming movie that's believed to have motivated hackers to target Sony in the first place. Rogen, who also co-directed the film about a fictional assassination attempt on North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un, was paid $8.4 million. Franco was paid $6.5 million. | Another detail, as noted by Bloomberg: Actor Seth Rogen made more than co-star James Franco for "The Interview," which is the upcoming movie that's believed to have motivated hackers to target Sony in the first place. Rogen, who also co-directed the film about a fictional assassination attempt on North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un, was paid $8.4 million. Franco was paid $6.5 million. |
| As for Sony itself, the leak divulged the salaries of approximately 6,000 employees, revealing that 17 executives make more than $1 million a year. | As for Sony itself, the leak divulged the salaries of approximately 6,000 employees, revealing that 17 executives make more than $1 million a year. |
| And who doesn't. It certainly didn't escape notice that on that list of leaked salaries, only one female executive makes over $1 million in annual salary. And, yep, you guessed it: That woman is Amy Pascal. She, along with Sony Pictures chief executive Michael Lynton, each make $3 million a year. | And who doesn't. It certainly didn't escape notice that on that list of leaked salaries, only one female executive makes over $1 million in annual salary. And, yep, you guessed it: That woman is Amy Pascal. She, along with Sony Pictures chief executive Michael Lynton, each make $3 million a year. |
| Update: We're adding another one to the list. Gawker had also reported Wednesday that Pascal, Lynton and a third studio executive, Clint Culpepper had called comedian Kevin Hart a "whore" for asking the studio for extra money to promote one of his films on his highly followed social media accounts. | Update: We're adding another one to the list. Gawker had also reported Wednesday that Pascal, Lynton and a third studio executive, Clint Culpepper had called comedian Kevin Hart a "whore" for asking the studio for extra money to promote one of his films on his highly followed social media accounts. |
| Hart responded Thursday on his Instagram account -- which has 10 million followers -- saying that's important to know one's self-worth: | Hart responded Thursday on his Instagram account -- which has 10 million followers -- saying that's important to know one's self-worth: |
| #KnowYourselfWorth #HustleHart #MogulMindset A photo posted by kevinhart4real (@kevinhart4real) on Dec 12, 2014 at 10:33am PST | #KnowYourselfWorth #HustleHart #MogulMindset A photo posted by kevinhart4real (@kevinhart4real) on Dec 12, 2014 at 10:33am PST |
| #KnowYourselfWorth #HustleHart #MogulMindset | #KnowYourselfWorth #HustleHart #MogulMindset |
| A photo posted by kevinhart4real (@kevinhart4real) on Dec 12, 2014 at 10:33am PST | A photo posted by kevinhart4real (@kevinhart4real) on Dec 12, 2014 at 10:33am PST |
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