Michael Levine does not <3 FB

As a member of the Actor’s Network, I have been able to sit in on a few talks with elite (and sometimes not so elite) TV/Film Industry folks. Casting directors, screenwriters, agents, and even publicists. Yes. Entertainment publicist. Coming from a primarily Hi-Tech and E-commerce PR background, rarely do my worlds of PR and Acting/Music collide, so I jumped at the chance to hear the latest and greatest PR advice from the mysterious breed of Entertainment Publicists. And not just any publicist: Last month, our esteemed guest was none other than Hollywood Celebrity publicist Michael Levine. I just discovered through a quick search that Levine was Michael Jackson’s publicist during the first MJ molestation case. He is also the author of Guerilla PR, published in 1994.

The room was packed. You can see how packed the room was in this photo that was posted on the Levine Communications Blog. See if you can spot my little mouth above the shoulder of the guy in the green coat. Yeah. It was packed…but I digress…

So packed house, the room was buzzing with mild excitement, but not as loud of a buzz as my head as I knew right away what question I was going to ask: it’s the same question I ask many professionals in every field – How has Social Media changed the way you do business? or, more apt for the conversation at hand: Musicians seem to have made the early adoption and use of MySpace as a social tool for promoting their work. How has the rise of social media changed they way you’ve counseled your clients in the past years, both in the music and the film industry?

Michael Levine’s response:

Facebook is emerging as a digital church for sad and lonely people to masturbate a lot of their life away.

So. Found out Levine isn’t a fan of Facebook. He neither thinks it a good use of one’s time, nor is it a great way to market one’s talents.

I was more than shocked. I was almost–almost–offended. Not that I don’t agree with him. Yes. Sometimes a lot of people brag about the church of themselves on Facebook, but that’s a matter of etiquette, taste, and just plain ol’ good manners. Nobody loves a braggart. But as a publicist, especially an Entertainment Publicist, isn’t Show Business about Show and Tell? Showing what you’ve got? Telling your fans what just happened? If anything, I argue Celebrities are the ones who have made for the most interesting, entertaining, and relevant uses of Twitter. They are the least spammy of all the Twitterers, and their Tweets make actual headlines. With the exponential growth of tabloid journalism and blogging (Perez, TMZ, etc.), are there any words of wisdom from the Levine that could speak on this at the very least?

Nope.

What does this mean then? That the most senior of Hollywood publicists could so simply, and eloquently, brush off the effects, the potential, the value of Social Media? It’s quite revealing. Is this why we read so many Celebrity Social Media Faux Pas? Chris Brown’s desperate tweets for example. (Although I would argue he many need other, more important, forms of counseling than media counseling.)

There was a follow up question asked later on where Levine further reveals his lacking knowledge in Social Media. When a member asked what she should be doing to promote her upcoming show, Levine pointed to Social Media avenues like “Facebook and Craigslist“….errrr….Craigslist???! Umm, if you post “Watch my Upcoming Show” on CL, make sure you have a bodyguard and a camera because you’ll probably meet some interesting folks on opening night. Guaranteed.

I understand that there’s a bit of knowledge curve with all of us in Social Media PR. However, with all respect as a publicist and aspiring entertainer, I expected much more industry insight than the one-liner he gave. Although, I have to say, it was one heck of a one-liner. I mean, I could maybe make money off it by selling the line as a bumper sticker…hmm..tempting.

Am I harsh? Or Impatient? Or am I RIGHT? Shouldn’t Publicists in all fields (especially entertainment) know the basics of Social Media? Let me know….and let me know soon in case I’m completely off base…who knows, I may need a good publicist if things pick up, and if Levine was good enough for MJ, who am I to judge?