Defending the indefensible

Ari Emanuel, founder of the Endeavor Agency and agent for Larry David, Michael Moore, Sacha Baron Cohen, etc., etc. (and brother of Dem big-shot Rahm Emanuel) is ticked off about how the press has treated his friend and now-former head of HBO, Chris Albrecht. He's especially bothered by what turned out to be the smoking gun: HBO's 1991 settlement involving a subordinate and love interest of Albrecht's who alleged that he had shoved and choked her in her office. Emanuel says the press "dug up a 16 year old incident, dusted off the cobwebs covering it, and suddenly created 'a pattern' of behavior that required the delivery of Chris' head on a platter."

How about that for nonsense? Let me get this straight: The guy beats up his girlfriend over the weekend - and judging by the Vegas police report they weren't light slaps - and beats up another woman years earlier in an incident that was covered up by Time Warner - a public company - and the L.A. Times has the nerve to publish it. Where do these people come from? Emanuel blogs on the Huffington Post that Albrecht "is an alcoholic who fell off the wagon and made a terrible mistake. No one is arguing that. What happened outside the MGM Grand is inexcusable -- and Chris has expressed his deep regret about it." Yeah, right. Here's more:

Chris Albrecht, like the rest of us, is not a perfect person. But he is a brilliant executive who helped turn HBO from a place to watch movies, stand-up comedy, and boxing into the home for some of the most creative and challenging original programming in the history of television. He has an amazing eye for talent, the ability to nurture that talent, and the patience to let outside-the-box shows find their audience. Without him, we wouldn't have had The Sopranos, Sex and the City, Six Feet Under, Curb Your Enthusiasm, Entourage, or Everyone Loves Raymond (which HBO produced).