Johnny Manziel Rides Shotgun For LeBron James, Tom Werner, to Promote Starz TV Show

Cleveland’s new superstars share the stage as King James talks setting up TV production in Cleveland. Plus: The week in industry parties with Madonna, Aimee Song, Jeremy Scott, Paul Oakenfold and Diplo

Tom Werner, LeBron James, Johnny Manziel and Maverick Carter on stage together Thursday night. (Phil Long/Invision for Starz Entertainment/AP Images)

On the day that Starz’ “Survivor’s Remorse” met the Television Critics Association this summer, executive producer LeBron James’ only statement was the “nothing is given, everything is earned” LeBron-ifesto when he revealed his Cleveland homecoming to Sports Illustrated.

James’ uber-business partner, Maverick Carter, and TV business partners of the upcoming show faced the press without their starter, saying the MVP was “in the H.R. office filling out his paperwork for his new job.”

Also read: LeBron James’ Absence Demands Explanation During Starz’s ‘Survivor’s Remorse’ Panel

He repaid the debt with interest Thursday night in Cleveland in the form of Johnny Manziel.

James, Carter, producer Tom Werner, actor-writer Mike O’Malley and even the unaffiliated Manziel filled an auditorium to screen the first two episodes of the series about an Atlanta basketball player’s rise to stardom, something both athletes know well.

“It was important to me, to be able to work on a show that created jobs for more than 200 people, from cameramen to craft services,” James told the crowd. “To see my name up there and to know that this helped all those people just really meant a lot.”

The Cavs star added that in the future, he wants to base a production in Ohio and bring that same economic boost to his home state.

Also read: NFL’s Best and Worst Week Ever: Here’s 9 Things You May Have Missed During Ray Rice Scandal

James already boosted one local-economy in Manziel.

Manziel signed with LRMR, James’ marketing agency, to rep the quarterback’s off-field (read: sponsorship and marketing) interests. The partnership kicked in at the inception of Manziel’s pro career, as the former Heisman Trophy winner’s “you’ve been drafted” phone call captured on ESPN in May arrived on the same giant Samsung that James promotes.

(Phil Long/Invision for Starz Entertainment/AP)
LeBron James’ agent Rich Paul, left, Tom Werner, Maverick Carter, Mike O’Malley, LeBron James, and Starz Managing Director Carmi Zlotnik. (Phil Long/Invision for Starz Entertainment/AP Images)

Starz timed “Survivor’s Remorse” to premiere Oct. 4, the night before the Cavs’ preseason begins.

Manziel has less time. He better get back in that tape room, and I’m not talking about the dailies tape room.

He is one Brian Hoyer pummeling away from facing the New Orleans Saints on Sunday.

Madonna Finds the Cool Kids – Again

I usually leave fashion week coverage to the full-time sheep, but if there was one party to go to this week, it was Jeremy Scott’s in New York on Wednesday night.

In England, they call a designer’s work a “range,” not a collection.

Also read: Jimmy Kimmel Catches Fashion Week Wannabes in ‘Lie Witness News’ (Video)

The term also accurately describes Scott’s guest list: Whoopi Goldberg (an early arriver in the VIP), Madonna (who always finds the cool kids) and a slew that were in diapers or unborn when those two could have shared a VIP table at a “Comic Relief” after party in the ’80s: Dascha Polanco (“Orange is the New Black”), it-girl blogger Aimee Song (“Song of Style”) and the model-esque uber-producer Diplo.

Skrillex, Madonna, and Diplo in the booth on Wednesday night. (Jerritt Clark/Wireimage)
Skrillex, Madonna and Diplo in the booth on Wednesday night. (Jerritt Clark/Wireimage)

Diplo and Skrillex, the biggest duo in EDM this summer with their Jack U collaboration, spun “Get In to the Groove” for Madonna, and A-Track joined them as well.

Also read: Justin Bieber Booed at ‘Fashion Rocks,’ Until He Takes His Clothes Off

Winners: Space Ibiza (the new club, enjoying its breakthrough), Madonna and everyone who made the cut for this event. Also Veev, which poured prolifically here and has been aggressively relaunching as a vodka alternative. It’s doing a 300-person, close-listed event in the hills this weekend.

Fashion Week Echoes in L.A.

Oakenfold at Create for Macy's Passport Glamorama. (Getty Images)
Oakenfold at Create for Macy’s Passport Glamorama. (Getty Images)

On the west coast, Macy’s Passport’s Glamorama synched up with Three Lions Entertainment’s “Fashion Rocks” show, as a viewing party at Create led to a new format for the Glamorama fundraiser for Aids Project Los Angeles.

The affair was more subdued than the over-the-top shows of past years, but now in a party format, it’s traveling the country, hitting San Francisco after this week’s L.A. stop.

Also read: Topless Miley Cyrus Twerks at New York Fashion Week After-Party

The scene in deep, deep Hollywood. (Getty Images)
The scene in deep, deep Hollywood. (Getty Images)

The affair between fashion and EDM is as on as ever, with Paul Oakenfold taking over SBE’s event-specific space. Live models served as the curtains blocking off VIP tables. Those shielded included Jason Derulo (who put his hit song “Wiggle” on the back of his jacket) and the Ritter siblings (Jason and Tyler).

‘Hart’ In the Right Place

Jaime King, bake seller. (Michael Simon)
Jaime King, bake seller. (Michael Simon)

Jamie King did a “make good” this week.

Unable to attend last Friday’s “Stand Up to Cancer” because she was shooting on “Hart of Dixie,” she put her husband and whole family to work at the Grove this week for the Cookies for Kids’ Cancer Bake Sale. The King family manned the Brownie Brittle booth in between launching Instagram’s new 3D/real life wallpaper.

War Generals: Might Need Them To Unretire

(Courtesy National Geographic)

Nat. Geo. president Tim Pastore, EP Peter Bergen, Lt. Gen. Herbert R. McMaster, Gen. Wesley Clark (Ret.), Nat Geo CEO Courteney Monroe, Gen. David Petraeus (Ret.), Gen. Barry McCaffrey (Ret.), EP Tresha Mabile, Lt. Gen. Karl Eikenberry (Ret.), and National Geographic Society CEO Gary Knell (Courtesy National Geographic)

Two nights before President Obama reset the conversation to prepare for military action against ISIS in a primetime speech from the White House, a group of retired generals gathered less than two blocks away at the Mellon Auditorium in D.C.

There was no war planning though, just promotion for this weekend’s National Georgraphic special “War Generals,” giving the Behind the Music treatment to 50 years of military conflict.

Let’s hope we don’t need these guys to cut short their TV careers and report to the Situation Room.

Upcoming

This weekend, Vanessa Hudgens and Joey McIntyre perform at the Point Foundation’s fundraiser at the Century Plaza for LGBT youth. Diane Warren is the honoree with the support of Audi, HBO and Viacom.

To the north and east, Fullscreen propels its headliners in to a live show called “The In Tour” at the Pasadena Civic Center all day Saturday. The animal-friendly group of Emily Deschanel, Drew Carey, Pam Anderson and Moby grace the London in West Hollywood for Friday night’s Mercy For Animals gala.

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