This year, I’m celebrating 18 years in business as a Hollywood celebrity publicist. That’s 18 years of holding handbags, walking red carpets and doling out gum and mints to clients. Just kidding. I wish my job was that easy.
I’m often asked how I broke into the entertainment business. I’ve often wondered how a small-town country girl from the Tarheel state – with big dreams – landed on the red carpets of Hollywood. It certainly wasn’t in my master plan. In 2001, moving from North Carolina to LA was such a culture shock! At times, I felt like Alice in Wonderland, who fell down a rabbit hole and met some interesting people along the way. And believe me, I’ve met some “interesting” people. (But who knows? Like Alice, maybe I’m dreaming.)
Still, what I’ve learned is there is no rhyme or reason as to how anyone breaks into the entertainment industry. It’s so random! I just got lucky. I happened to be at the right place, at the right time, and met the right person. Isn’t that how luck happens? I was “discovered” on the red carpet at the 2003 BET Awards by award-winning actress Victoria Rowell – known for her iconic role as Drucilla Winters on the CBS daytime drama, “The Young and the Restless.” If you want to know more about my lucky break, check out my blog post, “Confessions of a Celebrity Publicist,” on my website at http://www.wyllisabennett.com/diary-of-a-celebrity-publicist/
I spill all the beans.
So, I’ve been asked to share my thoughts on how the practice of public relations has changed in the Digital Age. As a public relations practitioner, I can tell you that a lot has changed since I stepped off a Southwest flight so many years ago, greeted by Hare Krishnas. (Imagine my amazement to see these people in real life after many depictions in TV and film.)
Some of the old school tools of PR are gone. Gone is my fax machine. Thanks to email, gone are the weekly trips to the post office to drop off client press kits. In fact, gone is the use of paper. A ream of paper now lasts me anywhere from four to six months. And more importantly, I no longer have to worry about the number of minutes left on my cell phone when chatting with clients about their publicity campaigns. Thank goodness for unlimited plans!
Technology, Google and social media have certainly changed the way the world communicates. Behind the scenes, my job as a publicist is still to communicate the goals and objectives of my clients to media folks, influencers and industry tastemakers. I’m a salesperson. That hasn’t changed, but the methodology has. It’s important that clients have a website and a social media presence to complement a successful PR campaign.
My days are spent writing and sending pitch letters, press releases and press kits via email. And now with social media, my “elevator pitch” about a client should be in complete harmony with the client’s social media presence. If there’s a discrepancy, we fix it. Today, clients want to share pieces of their lives with fans through photos, videos and comments. And as a publicist, it’s just as important to be active on social media, so that I can be a part of the conversation and engage followers too. We’re all living for likes! But more importantly, it helps me to build my brand identity as an expert in the field.
I’m also reaching out to media and influencers on their social media platforms, and starting non-traditional conversations about clients in a more informal manner, especially with the use of emojis. With social media today, a publicist not only needs to be informed about its latest tricks and trends, but he or she must also be a jack of all trades in executing them on the many popular platforms.
I must admit, it can be a little daunting to keep up with all the notifications and responses to DMs from Instagram or Twitter, messages from Facebook, or snaps from Snapchat on a daily basis. (I finally had to give up on Snapchat.) As people discover new ways to engage, I find time management on social media to be my biggest challenge.
In the Digital Age, the game-changing tech advances have streamlined the way we communicate with each other. Plus, Google gives us knowledge at our fingertips. Tools, such as email, smart phones, Skype and FaceTime, do all the heavy lifting for us, giving PR professionals the luxury of convenience and time.
The game of PR is evolving, and it’s important to keep up with the Zuckerbergs. I’m tasked daily with promoting clients and making meaningful media connections. But woe is me if my computer crashes or I misplace or lose my smart phone. In that case, it’s going to be a very challenging day.
Livin’ La Vida Loca in La La Land – PHOTO GALLERY
For me, I was “discovered” on the red carpet at the 2003 BET Awards. See, I moved from North Carolina to Los Angeles in 2001, not totally aware it was the entertainment capital of the world. For me, the move out West meant leaving the South, and heading to a warm and sunny place year round. It was such a culture shock! At times, I felt like Alice in Wonderland, who fell down a rabbit hole and met some interesting people along the way. And believe me, I’ve met some “interesting” people. (But who knows? Like Alice, maybe I’m dreaming.)
Below are some of my most iconic meetings of famous people, which hold special memories, and represent “full-circle moments” for me in the big picture of life. Photos courtesy of wrb public relations, except where noted.
CAPTIONS (in order of priority)
Award-winning actress Victoria Rowell ~ I was “discovered” on the red carpet at the 2003 BET Awards by award-winning actress Victoria Rowell – known for her iconic role as Drucilla Winters on the CBS daytime drama, “The Young and the Restless.” My whole family was a fan of hers and loved the show. I was encouraged to start my own publicity firm by my mentor, the late Pat Tobin, and Rowell was my very first client. I’m pictured with her during an exhausting book tour in New York City for her first book, “The Women Who Raised Me,” circa 2007.Iconic Political Activist and Author Angela Davis In 2011 ~ I chopped off all of my hair, and decided to go natural. I was a little nervous about the decision since I live and work in Hollywood where big, wavy hair weaves rule. Still, the decision to go natural was inspired by iconic political activist Angela Davis. Two years later, I met her at the Pan African Film Festival, working as the festival’s publicist. She was promoting the film, “Free Angela and All Political Prisoners,” and I was soooo honored and thrilled to meet her. Plus, I felt it was a sign from the universe that I made the right hair decision. Fast forward, now natural hair is all the rage. So grateful to photographer Valerie Goodloe for capturing this image and gifting it to me.Sheryl Lee Ralph, a Real ‘Dreamgirl’ ~ I was exposed to the arts and culture at a young age despite living in a small, North Carolina town. When I was in high school, I desperately wanted to go to New York City to see the Broadway play, “Dreamgirls,” starring the Tony-nominated actress Sheryl Lee Ralph, but I didn’t have the means to go; so I would read about the play and all the fabulousness of SLR (my nickname for her) in magazines. Ralph would make her way to Hollywood, and create several iconic roles, including the character of “Moesha’s” mom, Dee Mitchell. Well, around 2004/2005, my mother and I met her at a charity event, and the meeting was G-L-O-R-I-O-U-S! I mean this woman is a diva in the best way – the clothes, the hair, the voice, the disposition. And did I mention the voice! I was standing in the presence of Broadway and Hollywood royalty. She was so gracious to me and my mom, and I couldn’t contain my excitement. Plus, I was also happy to share this moment with my mom. Years later, I would work with SLR as the publicist for her charity, The Diva Foundation, which promote HIV/AIDS awareness, as well as other projects. I consider her a mentor, role model and constant inspiration. Early on, she empowered me to be myself, embracing all the quirkiness and zaniness of my personality. She also let me know that she “got me,” and accepted me just the way I am. I’m forever grateful to her for letting me know that “I am enough.” Yeah, I love me some SLR. JMy Money Shot With Reality Star NeNe Leakes and TV Personality Ryan Seacrest ~ I met reality star NeNe Leakes after the first season of “Real Housewives of Atlanta,” and began working with her as her personal publicist for several years. In 2009, she was tapped to host the red carpet festivities of the Primetime Emmys on E! with Ryan Seacrest and his team. It was so much fun being behind the scenes and watching good television being made. NeNe and I are still friends to this day. Check out my Instagram to see some recent pics of us hanging out.Dick Gregory and Me ~ I met comic and civil rights activist Dick Gregory at 21 as an English major and senior at North Carolina Central University (NCCU), a historically black college and university. I was editor of the college newspaper, The Campus Echo, and Dick Gregory was my very first celebrity interview. Almost 30 years later, we’re reunited at the 4th Annual Comics Rock! Convention in 2015 in Los Angeles. And this time, I got a picture!Me With an Actor and a Gentleman, Louis Gossett Jr. ~ As the publicist of record for the Leimert Park Village Book Fair, I was thrilled to meet Academy Award® winner Louis Gossett Jr. in 2010 while promoting his new book, “An Actor and a Gentleman.” In 1983, he won an Oscar for his supporting role in the movie “An Officer and a Gentleman.” Anyway, I, along with others, was invited to his home in Malibu, and during the visit, I got a change to hold his Oscar in my hand!Mo’Nique and Me ~ In 2004, I attended the last show taping – that is, the series finale – of “The Parkers,” starring comedienne Mo’Nique and Countess Vaughn in front of a live studio audience. Ten years later, I worked with Isaiah Washington and Mo’Nique as part of the publicity team for their film, “Blackbird,” which premiered at the Pan African Film Festival. By then, she had won an Oscar for her role in “Precious.”Ode to Billy Dee Williams ~ Before there was Denzel Washington, there was Billy. Dee. Williams. My first and only celebrity crush and heartthrob as a teen, growing up in North Carolina. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen “Brian’s Song,” “Lady Sings the Blues” and of course, “Mahogany,” with the last two films, co-starring Diana Ross — who is everything! Mahogany: I thank the film gods for doing a great film with my two favorite movie stars in the whole world. DIANA ROSS and BILLY DEE WILLIAMS. If you’re a person of a certain age, you’ll understand why this pic of me and Williams on a set of an independent film is so dear to me. By the way, I met Diana Ross on my birthday, about 10 years ago; but I was so enamored with her, I didn’t take a picture. Instead, I just wanted to savor the moments with her.Lindsay Wagner, the Bionic Woman ~ Growing up, watching television was not just a past time, but a family activity. My brothers and I would gather around the tv to watch popular ‘70s shows, like “The Six Million Dollar Man,” starring Lee Majors, and its spinoff, “The Bionic Woman,” starring Lindsay Wagner. Well, in 2010, I worked as the publicist for the Stuntwomen’s Awards, presented by the Diamond in the Raw Foundation, and Wagner received the Action Icon award for her groundbreaking role on television. I was tasked with driving her to various press engagements, and had a chance to spend some quality time with her. I have to admit, she was a little nervous about my driving abilities. But, I knew I was in good hands, after all, I was with the “Bionic Woman!”
Wyllisa R. Bennett is the publicist du jour of wrb public relations, based in Los Angeles. She uses her creative and communication skills to help actors, actresses, celebrities, reality stars, TV personalities, filmmakers and authors as well as non-profit organizations and businesses achieve their public relations and marketing goals. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram at @WyllisaBennett
