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tory, with Goldberg reportedly Smooke's dream job earning an unprecedented $5 million upfront. But the show Syndie sales, the 'real TV business,' lit the road to agenthood debuted poorly and lasted just one season. "Sometimes we'll take out

Steve Smooke, a syndication- sales- executive - turned -TV- shows that we think are slam agent at Creative Artists Agency, didn't always hobnob dunks. Sometimes they are, with the likes of Tom Cruise, Tom Hanks or Gwyneth and sometimes they're not," Paltrow-a few of CAA's A -level stars-at big Hollywood Smooke notes. But today, parties. He wasn't always pitching Aaron Spelling's next project to "people would kill for the 2.0 the TV networks. rating we did in 1991." Smooke used to sweat it out in the slightly less glamorous syndi- Moreover, he says, Whoopi cation arena. In 1988, as vice president of Western sales at Genesis raised the profile of its distribu- Entertainment, he was trekking to TV stations around the country tor Genesis Entertainment, giv- to sell reruns of Highway to Heaven, short-lived court entry The ing it better positioning when it Judge and year -long Grudge Match, in which couples got into a box- eventually merged with New ing ring to settle their disputes. World Entertainment. But Smooke insists he would not have attained his dream job as But the "the beauty of coming Steve Smooke from syndication," he says, is that an agent without his syndication background: "You really get the Agent, flavor of the television business when you're in the general manag- Creative Artists Agency it has helped his work in the cur- er's office in Portland or Phoenix or Denver." rent reality-TV trend. Stations, B. Sept. 29, 1961, Los Angeles; he points out, were picking up B.A., social science, University the game shows and alternative of California -Berkeley, 1983; That experience gave him a Currently, Smooke and part- relationship formats long before media buyer, Foote, Cone, & Brett Loncar spend much of the networks got into the act. taste for what Middle America ner Belding, 1984 -88; vice Recently, Smooke linked up savors. Smooke, who initially their time packaging shows for president, Western sales, focused on syndication, cable The WB, handling its two top - Genesis Entertainment, 1988- Cops producer Bert Van and reality projects at CAA rated series, 7th Heaven and 90; vice president, first -run Munster (his client of eight before shifting into prime time Charmed. Smooke is also development, Genesis years) with CAA client Jerry network series in 1995, explains: involved with WB series Roswell, Entertainment, 1990 -91; agent, Bruckheimer (Pearl Harbor) to "I bring a different sensibility to The Steve Harvey Show, Hype, focusing on first -run specials, do The Amazing Race, CBS' network the table. Hollywood is not The Jamie Foxx Show and children's programs, expected Survivor follow -up, in reality, late -night specials and America necessarily" Sabrina, the Teenage Witch. which 11 couples will race cable, Creative Artists Agency, Garth Ancier, Turner On deck for possible rollout around the world in 30 days. 1991 -95; current position, Broadcasting System's execu- next year on The WB, courtesy Smooke tries to dispel the focusing on network prime time tive VP of programming and Smooke and Loncar, are pilots by usual image of agents. "There is packaging since 1995; m. client at comedian Cedric the Entertainer, the old slick -agent stereotype," former producer Marilyn, Oct. 7, 1995; children: he says. "But I think that, in CAA, adds that Smooke's syn- MTV personality Bill Bellamy, Jacob (3), Rachel (2). dication know -how "helps him and country-music act The Clark today's world, everyone just has understand the back -end value Family Experience. Even so, Smooke has had his to cooperate. There's always the of TV, the real business of TV" Susanne Daniels, co -presi- share of missteps. The very first challenge of getting the best And it doesn't hurt that dent of WB Entertainment, con- program that he sold as an agent possible deal for your client, "he's not a slickmeister. He's siders Smooke "a great pal" and was 1991's late -night talk strip without killing someone in the very honorable," adds Ander, even recommended that her The Whoopi Goldberg Show, process. But if you accomplish who executive -produced The brother, comedy writer Warren which at the time was the that, you'll do all right." Ricki Lake Show. Lieberstein, sign with him. biggest deal in syndication his- -Susanne Ault

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