
A story about a nightmare boss has got people cringing.
Quinn Cummings, an author who used to be a Hollywood talent agent, decided to share a particularly horrifying story about a time she was assistant to a famous talent agent.
The story, which she has dubbed the “worst decision” she ever made in the office, begins with a bit of context.
As a talent agent, she worked for a woman called Susan Smith, who ran an agency and who was incredibly good at her job. She was also, Cummings revealed, very difficult to work with.
She shared the story of a particularly stressful ordeal that occurred whilst under her employment.
Cummings had been her assistant for just six months at the time. Smith had a high turnover of staff, with one law graduate going to "move his car" 90 minutes into his first day and "never coming back".
“I'm sure you're thinking, ‘Quinn, it's the entertainment industry, they are all insane,’" she began.
Yes, many are. So consider this; if you told someone you worked for Susan, people who worked for insane people would look and you and whisper, ‘I hear she's insane.’
Gather round, Gentle Readers. It is time I tell the story of the worst decision I ever made in an office. Some of y… https://t.co/edCj5uR4wC— Quinn Cummings (@Quinn Cummings) 1541630932
A long time ago, I was a talent agent. I worked for a woman named Susan Smith, who had her own small boutique agenc… https://t.co/jwUoBA49Jr— Quinn Cummings (@Quinn Cummings) 1541630932
2. She could negotiate a deal like few who have ever trod the earth. Casting would give her all the money they had… https://t.co/9SrhlB2Ca3— Quinn Cummings (@Quinn Cummings) 1541630932
3. She was insane.— Quinn Cummings (@Quinn Cummings) 1541630933
I'm sure you're thinking, "Quinn, it's the entertainment industry, they are all insane." Yes, many are. So consider… https://t.co/tSAkk9HHuo— Quinn Cummings (@Quinn Cummings) 1541630933
Volatile, capable off toggling between rage-screaming and whispered tears in 90 seconds. An unerring instinct at kn… https://t.co/quggAqgcfe— Quinn Cummings (@Quinn Cummings) 1541630933
Quinn said that for all her shortcomings, Smith loved her clients – including actors Kathy Bates and Brian Dennehy.
For years, Brian had wanted to do DEATH OF A SALESMAN on the stage, in Chicago. For years, for a number of reasons,… https://t.co/T0jclavqCh— Quinn Cummings (@Quinn Cummings) 1541630935
Dennehy had been desperate to act in Death of a Salesmen, and after some expert wrangling from Smith, he got to go to Broadway, and ended up winning a Tony for his performance. Cummings thought that Smith would finally, finally be happy.
Except Dennehy forgot to thank her.
The next morning, we walked around with the resigned despair of a tank of sentient lobsters. We were all to be boil… https://t.co/gFyoTfvYWA— Quinn Cummings (@Quinn Cummings) 1541630935
At lunch, her assistant "Chet" slid into my office. He had the look of a man who had been screamed at for five hour… https://t.co/SDPGiE2H7t— Quinn Cummings (@Quinn Cummings) 1541630936
He would put a full-page ad in both VARIETY and HOLLYWOOD REPORTER, the daily trade papers read by everyone, thanki… https://t.co/0Q7ODf3rQn— Quinn Cummings (@Quinn Cummings) 1541630936
It turns out, Cummings had the perfect photo. There was a picture on Smith's side-table in her office. It was perfect.
We got it, Chet slid it out, overnighted it to Brian, we crossed our fingers she wouldn't notice the picture was go… https://t.co/b2iHyKUkbP— Quinn Cummings (@Quinn Cummings) 1541630936
The next day, we all waited breathlessly for her to walk in the back door from the parking lot, down the long hallw… https://t.co/BPHetT8i2I— Quinn Cummings (@Quinn Cummings) 1541630936
So, was Smith happy? Eh... not so much.
The door opened.— Quinn Cummings (@Quinn Cummings) 1541630937
Susan inhaled.— Quinn Cummings (@Quinn Cummings) 1541630937
"Who the fuck," she screamed, "Gave Brian a picture OF MY MOTHER."— Quinn Cummings (@Quinn Cummings) 1541630937
The reaction online was sympathetic...
@quinncy 🙋 I feel this— Kacey Spivey (@Kacey Spivey) 1541658529
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