EXCLUSIVE
On the eve of the Golden Globe nominations, TheWrap has obtained a letter in which the PR chief for the awards accuses the Hollywood Foreign Press Association of "unsavory business practices."
Michael Russell sent a scathing letter to organization president Philip Berk a month before announcing in March that he was leaving his long-held post as the publicist for the HFPA. In the letter he accused Berk of firing him after Russell took issue with what he described as "questionable business practices."
Not addressing these concerns, Russell had warned Berk, would imperil the lucrative Golden Globes telecast, which airs on NBC, as well as the "legitimacy and integrity" of the organization itself.
The l
etter was sent to TheWrap just days before the HFPA announces the Golden Globe nominations on Dec. 14.
Reached by TheWrap Saturday, Russell described the letter as "private correspondence between myself and a client" and declined to comment further.
He would not further describe the business practices he characterized in his letter as "unsavory" and "questionable."
UPDATED: Berk responded with the following statement on Sunday morning -- "It's clear that these undocumented allegations are false, and no more than the veiled and unfounded threats of a disgruntled former consultant. While we appreciate their service for 17 years, it's unfortunate that they chose to react in such an unprofessional manner. As we wrote Michael Russell 10 months ago, we do not engage in the kind of practices he attributes to the association, and are only reassured of our decision not to continue the relationship."
Having served as the public relations firm for the HFPA and its signature awards show, the Golden Globes, for 17 years, Russell's abrupt depature created a lot of questions when it was announced in March.
At the time Russell said vaguely that the show had become too much work and the group would not remunerate him properly.
But the letter from Russell to Berk (pictured right), dated Feb. 23, and obtained by TheWrap Saturday, Russell wrote that he had earlier brought a number of "questionable business practices of the HFPA" directly to Berk's attention.
Instead of addressing these unspecificed concerns, however, Russell wrote that Berk had HFPA's lawyers "send us the letter severing all ties and hopefully silencing us."
Among a litany of other accusations, Russell also demanded an apology from Berk, noting that HFPA board members had made disparaging remarks about the Michael Russell Group (it's unclear as to whether he ever received that apology).
Beyond unspecified accusations of bad business practices, Russell took wide aim at Berk's tenure as HFPA president.
"Of all people, you know how hard we had to work especially since there was frequent drama as you clashed needlessly and repeatedly with HFPA members, (Globes producer Dick Clark Productions), NBC, Chrysler, and members of the media," he wrote.
Russell added: “This is the fifth year I have handled PR for the HFPA and Golden Globes with you as president, and this year was by far the worst as your conduct climbed to a new outrageous level."
