Brandon Cohen started at premiere talent agency William Morris Endeavor (WME) in the mailroom just like every employee--whether straight out of college or equipped with a Harvard MBA. WME is considered the number one firm after traditional William Morris, founded in 1898, merged with Ari Emanuel's (the real life Ari Gold) powerhouse Endeavor this past year. At WME, Brandon has secured a position as an assistant (think: Lloyd) and has moved from the L.A. office back to his native New York City to work in the East Coast headquarters. If you think this business is all glamor and TV-watching, think again. Here's Brandon Cohen, non-scripted:"True Life: I Want to Be an Agent"
What department do you work in at WME?
NY's non-scripted TV.
How did you get involved in the talent agency?
I was looking for a way to parlay my love of television and movies and my hatred of a real job into a career. A talent agency sounded like the best place to make that happen. Unfortunately, my days consist of very little actual TV watching, and a lot of actual work. What a bust.
Describe the reality TV show that you would star in:
None. As an avid reality TV watcher, I've learned that no matter how you actually act on the show, they can edit it to make you look like as big of an idiot as they want. I've heard that in real life Flava Flav is actually quite well spoken and intelligent.
Does HBO's 'Entourage' do the business justice?
Definitely not. Did you see all the women working at the management company E joins? Assistants in real life aren't nearly as hot as the ones on the show. Case in point: see my picture.
Favorite part of your job?
Interoffice emails such as, "Do we have any interest in representing 'Chance' from I Love New York?"
Worst part of your job?
Having to write coverage on a bad script. Think back to high school and remember that kid who took himself really seriously and thought that he was really artsy, but in actuality he just wore tight pants. Now think about if that person wrote a film script and you were forced to read it. It's pretty miserable.
Career goal:
I want to be so successful that people are shocked when I treat others well. It seems like everyone who is really successful in this business has a reputation for being really difficult to work for/with, so I think it'd be a real novelty to be successful and not a huge douche. I also want to have my own mall food court in my office with unlimited free samples.
What you tell yourself when someone is yelling at you:
I usually think about what I'll get for lunch.
Your strategy for keeping names straight:
Dewey decimal system.
Is there a difference between 'Office Brandon' and 'Unscripted Brandon'?
Yes--office Brandon sits in front of a computer all day while on the phone. The real Brandon sits in front of a computer while on the phone AND listening to music/watching TV.
From what you've observed so far, what do you think is the secret to success as an agent?
A good legal background and a good having no soul background. I kid. From what I've seen the people who are the best agents seem to just generally know how to deal with people.
Most talented reality star?
It's a tie between Tommy, who was the star of True Life: I Have a Jersey Shore Time Share, and Tonya from the Real World. Tonya has a true gift....no matter how embarrassing she comes off on every show she's ever been featured, she keeps coming back for more.
#1 celebrity dream girlfriend?
Is Amanda Bynes still considered a celebrity? If yes, then her. If not, then Dakota Fanning before she got all old and gross.
TV character you most identify with:
A mix between Tony Soprano, Vince from Entourage, and Laurence Fishburne on CSI.
Favorite TV show?
Of all time? Definitely The Sopranos. If we're going with reality TV, then I'd have to go with Kid Nation, the ill-fated CBS show about what would happen if you just let a bunch of young kids live in a town all by themselves without any parental supervision. I'll ruin the ending for you: apparently kids are NOT better off without adults.
Favorite LA WME Assistant?
Amanda Krentzman.
NYC or LA? Why?
NYC. An analogy, if you will: I would compare LA to a girl who really wants you to think she's cool, so she's constantly updating her Facebook status about all the cool things she's doing, posting photos to show you how much fun she's having. NYC barely even checks Facebook. She doesn't even care. Sure, she's on it, but she doesn't need to broadcast to the world how cool she is, because she knows in her head that she's the shit. Plus, getting cabs in NYC is way easier.
NY's non-scripted TV.
How did you get involved in the talent agency?
I was looking for a way to parlay my love of television and movies and my hatred of a real job into a career. A talent agency sounded like the best place to make that happen. Unfortunately, my days consist of very little actual TV watching, and a lot of actual work. What a bust.
Describe the reality TV show that you would star in:
None. As an avid reality TV watcher, I've learned that no matter how you actually act on the show, they can edit it to make you look like as big of an idiot as they want. I've heard that in real life Flava Flav is actually quite well spoken and intelligent.
Does HBO's 'Entourage' do the business justice?
Definitely not. Did you see all the women working at the management company E joins? Assistants in real life aren't nearly as hot as the ones on the show. Case in point: see my picture.
Favorite part of your job?
Interoffice emails such as, "Do we have any interest in representing 'Chance' from I Love New York?"
Worst part of your job?
Having to write coverage on a bad script. Think back to high school and remember that kid who took himself really seriously and thought that he was really artsy, but in actuality he just wore tight pants. Now think about if that person wrote a film script and you were forced to read it. It's pretty miserable.
Career goal:
I want to be so successful that people are shocked when I treat others well. It seems like everyone who is really successful in this business has a reputation for being really difficult to work for/with, so I think it'd be a real novelty to be successful and not a huge douche. I also want to have my own mall food court in my office with unlimited free samples.
What you tell yourself when someone is yelling at you:
I usually think about what I'll get for lunch.
Your strategy for keeping names straight:
Dewey decimal system.
Is there a difference between 'Office Brandon' and 'Unscripted Brandon'?
Yes--office Brandon sits in front of a computer all day while on the phone. The real Brandon sits in front of a computer while on the phone AND listening to music/watching TV.
From what you've observed so far, what do you think is the secret to success as an agent?
A good legal background and a good having no soul background. I kid. From what I've seen the people who are the best agents seem to just generally know how to deal with people.
Most talented reality star?
It's a tie between Tommy, who was the star of True Life: I Have a Jersey Shore Time Share, and Tonya from the Real World. Tonya has a true gift....no matter how embarrassing she comes off on every show she's ever been featured, she keeps coming back for more.
#1 celebrity dream girlfriend?
Is Amanda Bynes still considered a celebrity? If yes, then her. If not, then Dakota Fanning before she got all old and gross.
TV character you most identify with:
A mix between Tony Soprano, Vince from Entourage, and Laurence Fishburne on CSI.
Favorite TV show?
Of all time? Definitely The Sopranos. If we're going with reality TV, then I'd have to go with Kid Nation, the ill-fated CBS show about what would happen if you just let a bunch of young kids live in a town all by themselves without any parental supervision. I'll ruin the ending for you: apparently kids are NOT better off without adults.
Favorite LA WME Assistant?
Amanda Krentzman.
NYC or LA? Why?
NYC. An analogy, if you will: I would compare LA to a girl who really wants you to think she's cool, so she's constantly updating her Facebook status about all the cool things she's doing, posting photos to show you how much fun she's having. NYC barely even checks Facebook. She doesn't even care. Sure, she's on it, but she doesn't need to broadcast to the world how cool she is, because she knows in her head that she's the shit. Plus, getting cabs in NYC is way easier.
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