reputation management

The line between what constitutes a fair, though biased, retelling of history and protecting the reputations of those being portrayed is always being tried and tested, both in legal courts and in the court of public opinion. In most cases, the opinions derived by people are a mixture of pop culture “truth” and actual reality, which is often both more visceral and less linear than good storytelling requires. All of these elements are brought into even starker focus when the history being retold is recent history, and the players are still alive and willing to push back against a narrative,... Read More >

Millions love Houston-based megachurch pastor and TV preacher Joel Osteen. Millions more hate him. That’s par for the course in his line of work. Osteen, thanks to his ostentatious displays of wealth – the big house, luxury cars and custom suits – paints a target on his chest for those who believe he’s selling people false hope rather than giving away faith. Others cling to his every encouraging word. They flock to hear him speak, buy his books and pass his messages around on social media as balms for weary and downtrodden souls. So, when Osteen was heavily criticized for... Read More >

Sooner or later, certain institutions will learn that establishing a dress code that is not unilaterally applied will get them into hot water and create a series of headlines which will have them apologizing to millions of strangers. Until they all do make this realization … or until said institutions tell the protesters to get lost, lessons will continue to be learned, and examples will continue to get made. Case in point, the Free University of Brussels. During the most recent graduation season, amid the excitement and anticipation of surpassing this milestone, students at this Belgian university received an email... Read More >

Sometimes things said in jest a relative few years ago could get you in hot water these days. Social media robs comments of context even as it shares them with the world. Then, once someone has given a soundbite the meme treatment, all bets are off. Just ask Texas Governor Greg Abbott, who has been in the news recently after reportedly threatening to shoot journalists. Except, Gov. Abbott wasn’t really threatening anyone. He was clearly joking, and everyone was in on the joke … except for the millions on social media who heard about it secondhand and took it completely... Read More >

In a result that shocked many in a nation trying to deal with addiction in positive ways, Lifeline, one of the United Kingdom’s “leading drug and alcohol treatment” charities abruptly shuttered its doors and closed up shop. This move came on the heels of an announced investigation by the British Charity Commission into claims that the nonprofit was operating with “weak financial controls,” according to The Guardian. The closure not only affects the addicts being helped by the charity but also 1,300 workers who need those jobs. But just how many addicts could be hurt by this closure? According to... Read More >

For a generation of American kids, most who are now adults, the Power Rangers were the ultimate superhero team. The color-coded ninjas with their powerful “zords” wreaked havoc on a universe of evil while their teenage alter egos wrestled with typical adolescent angst. Now, all that adventure is coming to the big screen, and the advertisements are everywhere … but that’s not the only Power Ranger in the headlines. Ricardo Medina, Jr., who played the Red Ranger on Power Rangers Wild Force in 2002 and voiced Deker on Power Rangers Samurai in 2011 and 2012, was recently sentenced to six... Read More >

Has anyone taken more heat in his position than Sean Spicer? The butt of endless jokes and constant barrages of criticism, President Trump’s Press Secretary is looking a little tired around the eyes lately. And there’s good reason. For all the vitriol hurled at his boss, there seems to be plenty left over for Spicer. From social media threads to cable news to Saturday Night Live, has there been a Press Secretary in recent memory to get the treatment as often as Spicer? Tough to recall them? And some are saying he has it coming. Others would remind them that... Read More >

The US Women’s Hockey Team recently announced plans to sit out a popular local tournament in an effort to raise awareness for the cause of fair pay for women, especially in sports. According to CNN, the women will skip the International Ice Hockey Federation World Championship in Michigan… unless they are successful in their attempts to move contract negotiations forward with USA Hockey. If Team USA skips this showdown, it will mean the tournament’s reigning champions will not be there to defend their title, which would be an embarrassment not only to USA Hockey but also to the promoters of... Read More >

The ads are memorable: A daring adventurer scales a cliff and engages in a fight to the death with a massive dragon. He defeats the beast and earns the right to take his place among The Few and The Proud … the Marines. The campaign and others like it emphasized top-shelf heroism and put masculinity front and center. Strength, bravery, and daring were the calling cards of the Marine Corps.But in recent weeks, the Marines have been getting a reputation for other reasons. Photos of nude female Marines were shared thousands of times online, prompting an official investigation and giving... Read More >

Superstar actor Samuel L. Jackson is not known for apologizing for his commentary. The action star has built a reputation for creating nuanced, interesting and hyper-profane characters. From his raging airline passenger intent on getting all these snakes off this !!@@#$ plane, to his internet famous reading of the now huge-selling children’s book parody, “Go the #### to sleep,” Jackson has built a reputation for saying what he pleases and never apologizing for it. Well, until now…During an appearance on a radio program on Hot 97, Jackson was asked his thoughts about producers casting British actors in films about black... Read More >