http://tmz.aol.com/article2/_a/idol-finali...605123209990001

AHHHHHH go Elliott!!!

thanks- this is awesome!

Elliott Yamin has yet to land a record deal, but TMZ has learned Hollywood powerhouse management company The Firm flew the crooner to Vegas last weekend and hooked him up with tickets to back-to-back concerts by Madonna and Prince.

The Firm is a good one to be with... and this looks promising that evilc is not in the picture...

I made two topics because with the first one I could not change the title, but it was not as noticeable.. so im sorry for that. hehe.

This one gets it done better.

Looks like E is in good company :)

IDOL-ING AT THE FIRM: Confirmed sources report that former American Idol winner Kelly Clarkson is now being repped by The Firm, where she joins another alum of the show in Clay Aiken. Could William Hung be next? Just kidding... (1/11p)

http://talk.livedaily.com/showthread.php?t=450617&page=7

Kelly didn't join w/ the firm until she broke off part of her contract with 19.


more info...

Jeff Kwatinetz doesn't head just "any" firm. Kwatinetz (pronounced QUAT-nits) leads The Firm, a talent management company with a client list of music acts including the Kelly Clarkson, Korn, and Limp Bizkit, and actors such as Martin Lawrence, Vin Diesel, and Samuel L. Jackson. Founded in 1997 by Kwatinetz and partner Michael Green (who has since left the company), The Firm also has divisions devoted to beverages, recording, animation, concerts, and TV and film production. In 2002 it purchased Michael Ovitz's failed Artist Management Group for a reported $12.7 million. In 2004 The Firm acquired entertainment consulting company Integrated Entertainment Partners (IEP).

Didn't E's cousin produce some tracks for Limp Bizkit and Korn?...

Does anyone have a link for the firm website? :D

Yes, hunt till you find the best deal, Elliott. Don't be too eager. I'd be hesitant to sign to any label that wants Ace...sorry.

Yeah but they also have Clay- look how he did. And kelly.

this is what I have so far:

http://biz.yahoo.com/ic/106/106232.html

I think the Ace, Chris and Kat thing are seperate from The Firm actually. I have to read the article again, but I think it's two entirely different things.

hunting is definitely good-- there are really only 4 major labels out there-- so it's all a matter of choosing- but the management team will play a huge part in getting the best deal.

as far as I know, Clay is still doing pretty well for himself- so I don't think his management team is doing a bad job...

McKinsey & Co. is a consulting company... no affiliation with the firm..

And yeah the article implies that Chris and Kat are going to be signed to RCA and talks are in the work for Ace.

The other piece says that "the firm" wined and dined our friend E... so yeah, two completely different topics... no mention of E signing with RCA.

Yeah, it sounds like two different things completely. Since it's Idol news they've lumped it all together I think. Because Idol's managment company is 19E right?

Oh! I will edit that link out then.

RCA is interested in Ace, not The Firm.

it seems like two separate things- and McKinsey is consulting so definitely wouldn't have to do with artist management.

Guys I'm confused....please enlighten me! It doesn't say that Elliott has landed a deal...just that he's been hooked up with tickets. Why is this so great? I don't get it.

Elliott CAN NOT land a deal until 90 days after the finale. This is important because one of the largest and best talent management companies is wooing him to sign with them. In fact, there may already be some indirect agreement - because we think the People blurb might be courtesy of a publicist.

Well why would a "Hollywood powerhouse management company" send Elliott free tickets to something? Sounds like they're trying to put themselves in good favor with Elliott. Or maybe they just like him. Who knows, I tend to think the former, because why would they bother?

But management is not a record deal, but management is very important regarding Elliott's career, so this buzz is noteworthy for Elliott fans.

There's a difference between talent management firms and labels. It looks like niether 19E or RCA is interested in Elliott long-term.

The Firm is one of the top-4 management agencies. It just makes me sad that neither 19E or AI-RCA is even interested in "showing potential interest" in Elliott, but they are interested in everyone else, including Ace! The appearance that they are, through Septemeber, would be to his benefit.

Elliott will ultimately be fine, but it is never totally a good thing for other agencies and labels, to see the ones that have dibs on you...NOT want to sign you. In LA it's all about perception of how "wanted you are" that creates several opportunities.

:goodpost: Well said. In addition- a management company will help put the final touches on any potential record contracts out there--- it's usually better to have management in place before you sign on the dotted line- so you can have all the bases covered.

If anything- the fact that contract news has been downplayed is a positive sign that publicists/management is putting E's best interests first at this point in time.

here's more info. on the firm:

About The Firm ]
The Firm, founded in 1997 by Jeff Kwatinetz, is the largest and most diverse entertainment management company in history. Led by Kwatinetz, Chairman Rich Frank, Co-Chairman Rick Yorn, Firm Films Chief Julie Yorn and Company President Dave Baram, the Firm's interests have branched out to film/TV talent management, film/TV production and brand ownership and management, among other ventures. Along with managing an array of clients, the Firm produces movies and television shows under the banner Firm Films, has partial ownership in Pony clothing and distribution rights for Virgin Drinks North America. By purchasing Michael's Ovitz's AMG in 2002, the Firm added such clients as Leonardo DiCaprio, Cameron Diaz, Martin Scorsese, Samuel L. Jackson, Benicio Del Toro and many others to an existing roster that includes Audioslave, Korn, Enrique Iglesias, Ice Cube, Vin Diesel, Linkin Park, Michelle Branch, Kelly Clarkson, Queens of the Stone Age, Jennifer Lopez and Snoop Dogg, among others.


http://www.gdh.co.jp/english/news/20050802.html

thanks !

i don't think the deal is "official" -- yet. but it's definitely possible that The Firm made a deal with Elliott to lightly promote and publicize him until they ARE able to officially sign him, after the contractual obligation is over. after all, if The Firm does want him, they're going to have to start doing stuff NOW so that E doesn't fall off the radar, otherwise, unfortunately, it will be pointless.

Not to confuse threads - but there is so much good news today we can't keep up. There is another post that MMFL entered the Billboard 100 at 73!

exactly... Madonna and Prince played LV 05/27 & 05/28- the infamous weekend everyone freaked out over- so this does sound like positive news.

lol, yeah, i kind of wish the mods would merge these threads. there's about 5, i think, on the same topic.

what was the freakout about?

It looks like it's supposed to be firmentertainment.net, but all I get in trying it as a parked domain indicating a site is under construction.

I think Elliott missing the ET interview... not sure though...

Im sorry I started one, and the title was not informative (someone pointed out) and I did not know how to edit it!!! I really am sorry!

It also says they "flew him" out to Las Vegas, that is more than just sending him some tickets. Obviously they want to be on very friendly terms with E...and why would that be if they weren't very interested in signing him? Also, it does sound to me the kind of thing a publicist would plant.

oh don't worry - i understand! no biggie. :)

Not to worry! At least everyone is seeing it - it's just that there's the TV Guide thing, the People thing, the Firm thing and the #73 on the Billboard charts thing. Soo many things to be excited about at once!

An "Agreement in Principle" can be reached between a managment company and Elliott Yamin at this point. This is not binding just heading in that direction. It is IMPERATIVE that Elliott find a management team and an entretainment lawyer prior to signing any recording contract. Quite frankly, this is bigger news than anything Clive Davis has to say regarding 19E and whether or not they might want Elliott. YOu have to remember that a lot of behind the scenes neogitating has been going on for some time now, even before Elliott's final week. By that time, he already showed that he could had credibility with his audience and could sell music. Elliott is not like any of the other contestants this year. So far, from appearances only, it looks like he is using his head; getting excellent advice (perhaps from his cousin in the biz) and just letting things came to fruition in their own time.

He still has the tour to get through before anything else, after all.

that would be it. I'm only going off my own observations and intuitions- so I'll let you all decide for yourselves.

If this is going on in background, I would feel so much better that E is getting professional entertainment guidance before he agrees to sign with just any record label.

This is smart business, and I don't think a Memorandum of Understanding, (MOU), would violate any AI contract, which allows Elliott to hit the ground running when the AI tour is over.

Sk8888

I guess a few of things are true:

"What happens in Las Vegas, stays in Las Vegas," (unless there's a leak.)

Elliott can still move around incognito. (That's not going to last too much longer.)

Lastly, not a single Elliott sighting to speak of regarding LV until now...which means there are still some people who have not heard of Elliott or the E-Train! That's going to change too!

Sk8888

yay e!

Think about it folks, even though the future is uncertain still, it is very promising. Remember what the article said about 2nd place finishers. The only 2nd place finisher so far with really any moderate success seems to be Bo Bice. Even if Kat gets the deal, which all indicators would say yes, I don't think her chances are that good. I think E has a better chance.

Does anyone else here feel like things are coming together, somewhat as predicted or mentioned by the media or supposedly connected posters? Yes, there is a coincidence that Elliott missed ET and could have been in LV, duet w/ Mary J Blige, his mentions of working on establishing a team and recording after the tour....I'm not sure Mary J Blige or Prince would have appeared in the finale w/o some powerful strings being pulled, or that he would have been excused from the ET spot w/o some connections.

I agree, the fact that things are hush, hush is probably a good sign that there re some good people behind him right now.

Maybe I'm just being really optimistic here because I want him to get what he wants and deserves (plus I want some really good Elliott Yamin CDs to listen to in the future).

I do. Of course we'll have to wait to see how things pan out- but any news is good news in my opinion.