Blockbuster Speakers
GTN’s Hottest Movie Tie-In Programs: Visionary Directors, Authors, Producers and the True Stories that Inspired Them
The TheTuohy TuohyFamily Family TheThe Real LifeHeroes Heros of Real of The The Blind Blind Side Side
The following programs are available together or separately The Father: Sean Tuohy Behind The Blind Side: Overcoming Obstacles in the Face of Adversity Sean invites audiences to go behind-the-scenes of the Tuohy household with a heartwarming message: “In our house, we believe in miracles.” Sharing personal anecdotes with his signature southern charm, Sean brings The Blind Side to life. A dedicated father and inspirational coach, Sean asks us to consider a simple question: why are kids just like Michael Oher are falling through the cracks every day?
The Mother: Leigh Anne Tuohy Every Team is a Family: How to Make an Impact on Your Community At the podium, Leigh Anne inspires audiences to recognize the potential in those around us—and to do something about it. She shares her personal Blind Side observations, from seeing Michael Oher for the first time to how the experience changed her as a person—and the Tuohys as a family. She asks audiences to explore how we can make an impact big enough to change a broken system.
2010 Academy Award Winner for Best Actress
The Tuohy Children: Michael Oher, Collins & Sean Jr. The Difference Trust Makes: Supporting One Another Through Change and Transition
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“Who knows where I’d be?” says Oher, who with the love and support of the Tuohys has become the most sought after player in football. Michael Oher, along with Collins and Sean, Jr., inspire audiences to see their
Best-Seller
greatest challenges as opportunities. “As I look back, it’s crazy how I got here,” he says. “But it didn’t seem tough at the time. I just lived day to day, did the best I could.”
In Conversation: The Tuohy Family “She cried the second she met him, and it was over,” Sean recalls. At the podium, Sean, Leigh Anne and Michael Oher share their intimate, personal story that inspired The Blind Side. As a family, they each share their individual perspectives on the story, and they pose the bigger question: what is the definition of family, and how can we all make a difference to those who need us most?
The Tuohy Family
In Conversation: Subject & Author Author Michael Lewis and Sean Tuohy have known each other since childhoold: they were classmates for 13 years in their hometown of New
Back left to right: Sean & Leigh Anne Tuohy Front left to right: Collins, Michael Oher & Sean Jr. www.greatertalent.com/TheBlindSide
Orleans. Together on stage, Michael and Sean inspire audiences with the humor and insight that only two long-time friends can share. They intimately discuss the evolution of The Blind Side and what it means for the Tuohy family—and the American education system as a whole.
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Michael Lewis & Billy Beane Author & Subjects of Moneyball
Moneyball: The Art of Winning an Unfair Game
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ith Brad Pitt as the leading role, the film version of Michael Lewis’ 2003 New York Times bestseller, Moneyball: The Art of Winning an Unfair Game has taken audiences by storm. Offering an unprecedented behind the scenes look at a Major League Baseball franchise, Moneyball details the effect that an innovative personnel approach has had in allowing the small-budget Oakland Athletics to consistently rank among baseball’s best. Combining baseball and business strategies and offering an unprecedented look inside the inspiring true story, Billy Beane and Michael Lewis discuss the Moneyball philosophy and its lessons for businesses everywhere. Audiences will be inspired and uplifted by this rousing sports-underdog story.
The Real-Life Subject: Billy Beane Considered one of the most progressive and talented baseball executives in the game today, Billy Beane has molded the Oakland Athletics into a perennial postseason contender since assuming the general manager’s duties shortly following the 1997 season.
At the podium, Beane conveys his
innovative, winning style of management and leadership, which involves identifying undervalued assets to create and sustain a competitive advantage. By striking parallels between baseball and business, Beane inspires audiences across industries with his unforgettable winning underdog story.
Billy Beane
Subject of Moneyball www.greatertalent.com/BillyBeane
Behind the Scenes With The Author: Michael Lewis A shrewd observer of sports, politics, finance and the American scene, Michael Lewis combines keen insight with his signature wit, making him one of today’s leading social commentators. In his best-selling book, Moneyball, Lewis draws on his unique knowledge of money, science, entertainment and ego to illustrate the strategies employed by a club gleaning lessons from corporate America. On stage, Lewis discusses the exploration of the nature of talent, the assumptions people hold and how they get in the way of success,
Michael Lewis
Author of Moneyball
and how to identify talent and maintain and edge in a competitive field.
www.greatertalent.com/MichaelLewis
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Michael Uslan
Executive Producer of the Entire BATMAN Series
The Man Behind BATMAN
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ichael Uslan is best known as the originator and Executive Producer of the Batman movie series, starting with Tim Burton’s 1989 film, and continuing to 2008’s box office record-
breaking The Dark Knight. Less well known is that the first Batman film was the culmination of Uslan’s more than two decades of work to bring a serious, dark version of the character to the big screen. Uslan’s start in the world of comics was as unlikely as his success in bringing Batman to the theaters. Born into a blue collar family in New Jersey, Uslan was instilled at an early age to find work to be passionate about. Knowing he loved comics and films, he set about creating a career. In 1979, Uslan secured the film rights to Batman from DC Comics. He was turned down by every studio in Hollywood. The reason he was consistently given: Batman was from the funny pages and wasn’t supposed to be taken “seriously.”
Bringing Batman to the Silver Screen In an inspiring program, Uslan takes audiences along on the journey of creating his career to bringing Batman successfully to the big screen. He shares the principles that allowed him to persevere despite repeated rejection and encourages audiences everywhere to reach for their dreams and believe in themselves. In a separate program, Uslan address the founders of the comic book industry and how, not coincidentally, the majority of them are Jewish immigrants or first generation American Jews. Personally familiar with these legends, Uslan shares their anecdotes. Along with many of these creators, Uslan appears in the documentary The Legends Behind the Comic Books. Uslan also reveals the connection of the superheroes created by these men and women to Jewish lore and traditions—from how “The Golem” spawned “The Hulk” and just how similar “Superman” and “Moses” really are. The highly anticipated next chapter in Uslan’s Batman series, The Dark Knight Rises, will once again star Christian Bale as Bruce Wayne, as he continues his war on crime in the dark depths of Gotham City. Set to premiere in July 2012, The
Michael Uslan
Batman Executive Producer & Comic Book Historian www.greatertalent.com/MichaelUslan
Dark Knight Rises will undoubtedly deliver another Batman masterpiece that will have everyone talking.
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Brett Ratner
Renowned Hollywood Director, Producer & Entrepreneur
More than $1 Billion in Box Office Sales
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ubbed “a born storyteller” by LA Weekly, Brett Ratner first dreamed of making movies as a child growing up in Miami Beach, Florida. Throughout elementary school, Ratner made movies in lieu of traditional
homework—a talent which helped him skip ahead two grades. After graduating high school early, Ratner was determined to attend New York University Film School but was told that his unimpressive GPA would prevent him from getting in. Ratner refused to accept no for an answer, and after barging into the Dean’s office with his application he was accepted into the program. At only 16 years old, Ratner became the department’s youngest film major in history. Now the 16th highest grossing film director in history with more than $1 billion in career box office sales, Ratner is also the quintessential entrepreneur. In addition to his directorial work, he runs Rat Entertainment, a successful film production company in partnership with Paramount Pictures; Rat Press, a book publishing company with international distribution through Perseus Books Group; Rat Records, a record label; and Brett Ratner Brands, the corporate branding company behind Activision’s Guitar Hero Risky Business campaign and Wynn Resorts’ “Encore” campaign.
From Hip Hop to Hollywood At the podium, Ratner’s archetypal journey from Miami dreamer to Hollywood mogul comes to life through his signature charm and action-packed storytelling style. Famous for his effortless comedic timing and humorous perspective on success, Ratner encourages audiences to look beyond obstacles and never take no for an answer. Also a prominent and influential figure in the Jewish community, Ratner shares how his shameless chutzpah propelled him into overwhelming success.
Brett Ratner
Renowned Director, Producer & Entrepreneur www.greatertalent.com/BrettRatner
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Candace Bushnell
Best-Selling Author of Sex and the City & Lipstick Jungle
A Novelist and the City
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andace Bushnell is the critically acclaimed, international best-selling novelist whose first book, Sex and the City, published in 1996, was the basis for the HBO hit series.
Bushnell captured the country’s attention with Sex and the City by breaking down the bedroom doors of New York City’s rich and beautiful to expose true contemporary stories of sex, love and relationships. The book introduced the nation to “modelizers,” “toxic bachelors” and the women who are looking for Mr. Big as they glide in and out of a starstudded social scene. Through her books and television series, Bushnell’s work has influenced and defined two generations of women. She is the winner of the 2006 Matrix award for books (other winners include Joan Didion and Amy Tan), and a recipient of the Albert Einstein Spirit of Achievement Award. Bushnell grew up in Connecticut and attended Rice and New York Universities.
From Characters to Icons From Sex and the City through her four successive novels, Bushnell has revealed a gift for tapping into the zeitgeist of any New York minute. With each book, she has deepened her range, but with a light touch that makes her complex literary accomplishments look easy.
The Carrie Diaries Meet Carrie Bradshaw, in her teenage years. Bushnell teen novel, The Carrie Diaries, “takes readers back to Carrie Bradshaw’s formative years in high school, giving an inside look at Carrie’s friendships, romances and how she realized her dream of becoming a writer.” The second installation in the teen series, Summer in the City: A Carrie Diaries Novel, follows Carrie on her first summer of adventures and mishaps in the city that would become her Sex and the
Candace Bushnell
Best-Selling Author of Sex and the City & Lipstick Jungle www.greatertalent.com/CandaceBushnell
City stage. The Carrie Diaries, has been picked up as a TV series by The CW and is set to premiere in early 2013.
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Danny Glover
Acclaimed Actor & Leading Social Activist
From Lethal Weapon to Dreamgirls...
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ctor, producer and humanitarian Danny Glover has been a commanding presence on screen, stage and television for more than 25 years. As an actor, his film credits range from the blockbuster
Lethal Weapon franchise to smaller independent features, some of which Glover also produced. Most recently, he completed filming the critically acclaimed feature 2012 for director Roland Emmerich, Dreamgirls directed by Bill Condon and Poor Boy’s Game for director Clement Virgo, Shooter for director Antoine Fuqua and Be Kind, Rewind for director Michel Gondry. At the same time, Glover has also gained respect for his wide-reaching community activism and philanthropic efforts, with a particular emphasis on advocacy for economic justice, and access to health care and education programs in the United States and Africa. For these efforts, Glover received a 2006 DGA Honor. Internationally, Glover has served as a Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations Development Program.
The Role of Arts in Community Activism In 2005, Glover co-founded Louverture Films, dedicated to the development of films of historical relevance, social purpose, commercial value and artistic integrity. The New York based company has a slate of progressive features and documentaries including the recently released Bamako, which premiered to superb reviews at the Cannes International Film Festival.
In addition to his individual presentations focusing on the arts,
literacy
and
community
involvement, Glover regularly teams with long-time friend and actor Felix
Danny Glover
Acclaimed Actor & Leading Social Activist www.greatertalent.com/DannyGlover
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Justice in “An Evening with Martin and Langston.”
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Nicholas Sparks
Bestselling Author of The Notebook & Safe Haven
A Cultural Phenomenon With almost 80 million copies of his books in print, literary sensation Nicholas Sparks is the author of 17 New York Times #1 bestselling books and a cultural phenomenon in his own right. In l994, at the age of 28, he wrote The Notebook over a period of six months. In October 1995, rights to The Notebook were sold to Warner Books. It was published in October 1996, and he followed that with 16 novels, including Message in a Bottle (1998), A Walk to Remember (1999), Nights in Rodanthe (2002), Dear John (2006), The Last Song (2009), and The Best of Me (2011) to name a few. All of his books were domestic and international best sellers, with almost 80 million copies sold worldwide, translated into more than 45 languages.
From Best Sellers to Motion Pictures Coupled with the undeniable success of his many books, the movie adaptations of Sparks’s books have become the most iconic romantic feature films for a whole new generation. Beginning with Message in a Bottle in 1999, Sparks’s novels continued to grace the silver screen with adaptations of A Walk to Remember (2002), The Notebook (2004), and Nights in Rodanthe, starring Richard Gere and Diane Lane (2008). Dear John, starring Channing Tatum and Amanda Seyfried, and The Last Song, starring Miley Cyrus and Greg Kinnear, were released in 2010 to great success. Sparks continued to dominate the box office with the release of The Lucky One starring Zac Efron in April 2012. Production is already underway for a February 2013 release of what’s sure to be another blockbuster smash hit, Safe Haven starring Julianne Hough and Josh Duhamel.
A Great Storyteller At the podium, Sparks takes audiences deeper into the sleepy towns and poignant relationships that ignite the pages of his romantic pageturners. Drawing large and appreciative crowds of fans, Sparks in person displays the traits that make his books so beloved: great storytelling, a unique voice, and a charm that connects through the power of words. His relatable talks weave his own personal story of hard work, rejection, anxiety, and triumph for
Nicholas Sparks
Bestselling Author of The Notebook & Safe Haven www.greatertalent.com/NicholasSparks
inspiring authors — and romantics — everywhere.
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Max Brooks
Preeminent Zombie Expert & Best-Selling Author
World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War
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en years after the human victory over the world wide Zombie epidemic, referred to as World War Z, the world’s foremost Zombie preparedness expert, Max Brooks, scoured the world collecting the stories and experiences of those who have survived the conflict that almost eradicated humanity. In the gripping motion picture, based on Brooks’ New York Times Best-Seller, World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War, the incredible tale of the zombie epidemic is brought to life with an all-star cast that includes Brad Pitt in June 2013. The Global Zombie Threat As we all know, the world we live in has become a rather scary place, and the global increase in the number of Zombie attacks isn’t helping matters any. According to the Office of Homeland Security, Brooks is the preeminent authority on dispatching the relentless, flesh-eating armies of Zombies that seem to be everywhere these days. “People have asked me, ‘Did you write this as a metaphor for the paranoia that’s sweeping the nation?’ No. I’m not that smart, I’m just really scared of zombies.” — Max Brooks Inside the Epidemic Brooks’ New York Times best-seller, World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War (2007), tells the story of the world’s desperate battle against the zombie threat with a series of first-person accounts “as told to the author” by various characters around the world. Publishers Weekly called the novel
Max Brooks
Preeminent Zombie Expert & Best-Selling Author www.greatertalent.com/MaxBrooks
The Expert The son of Mel Brooks and Anne Bancroft, Max Brooks is completely dedicated to the cause of raising awareness on the issue of Zombie survival. Brooks is ready to come to your campus or community to help prepare your audience with the latest Zombie survival techniques.
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Emily Giffin
Best-Selling Author of Something Borrowed & Heart of The Matter
A Modern-Day Jane Austin
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mily Giffin has touched the hearts of millions of readers. Populated by emotionally charged and endearingly flawed characters that readers can’t help but root for, her five novels have been translated
into 29 languages, with five million copies in print worldwide, and three have been optioned for the big screen. The film of her first novel, Something Borrowed, came out in summer 2011, released by the production companies of Hilary Swank and Edward Burns, and stars Kate Hudson, Ginnifer Goodwin and John Krasinski.
Turning A Dream Into A Best-Seller Giffin began her fiction writing career at the ripe age of eight, when her first published poem appeared in Cricket Magazine. Despite several rejections of her first manuscript, Giffin persisted, eventually completing Something Borrowed. Hailed as a “heartbreakingly honest debut” with “dead-on dialogue, real-life complexity and genuine warmth,” Something Borrowed became a New York Times best-seller that has sold more than a million copies to date. Since then, she has penned four more New York Times best-sellers: Something Blue (2005), Baby Proof (2006), Love the One You’re With (2008) and Heart of the Matter (2010). Due out in July 2012, Giffin’s next novel Where We Belong, explores the journey that two women embark upon in search for what is missing in their lives.
Speaking to Women Everywhere Giffin brings to life the emotion, humor and relatable issues of her novels in her own insightful and intimate voice. Sharing her personal journey to publishing success, Giffin provides a behindthe-scenes look at turning a dream into a reality. A firm believer in taking risks and following your heart, Giffin speaks to the fears and hopes of anyone pursuing a seemingly unattainable goal — and provides living proof that the future you imagine can actually come true. In a separate program, Giffin candidly and colorfully discusses the struggles that her memorable characters face in her novels – poignant conflicts and choices in friendships, marriage, work and motherhood that define
Emily Giffin
Best-Selling Author of Something Borrowed & Heart of the Matter
every woman’s existence. With a fresh and relatable take on the dilemmas facing the modern woman, Giffin brings to life with clarity and empathy just how complicated our lives can be . . . and how essential family, true friends and forgiveness are in helping us navigate life’s difficult choices.
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Valerie Plame Wilson & Joseph Wilson The Real Inspiration Behind Fair Game
The Politics of Truth: FAIR GAME
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ased on Valerie Plame Wilson’s life as a covert CIA agent, Fair Game, starring Naomi Watts and Sean Penn, takes audiences inside the CIA controversy that exposed Plame’s secret identity. Before her undercover status was compromised, Plame and her husband Ambassador Joseph Wilson were working to protect America from weapons of mass destruction. The political firestorm that followed Plame’s exposure captivated the country and continues to spark heated discussions on national security, foreign policy, free speech and abuse of power. Perspective of a Spy As a covert CIA Operations Officer, Valerie Plame Wilson worked to protect America’s national security from the proliferation of nuclear weapons. At the podium, Wilson draws upon her best-selling book that inspired the movie Fair Game, laying out the CIA leak controversy in an incisive and enlightening presentation. Perspective of a Diplomat Joseph Wilson’s historic career in international relations spans more than three decades, with service under five U.S. presidents. At the podium, Wilson draws upon his best-selling book The Politics of Truth and recounts his work in world political affairs—from facing down Saddam to challenging the source of the White House leaks that exposed Valerie Plame’s covert identity. A Blockbuster at the Podium At the podium, Plame shares her thoughts on what she views as unprecedented abuse of public trust by the Bush administration in its efforts to Valerie Plame & Joseph Wilson silence a critic and subvert the “Outed” Former CIA Agent right of citizens to exercise & Former Senior U.S. Diplomat www.greatertalent.com/ValerieandJoseph free speech. Plame also speaks alongside her husband Joseph Wilson, and together the husband and wife team lay out the CIA leak controversy in an incisive and enlightening presentation. Drawing from the Wilsons’ respective memoirs, Fair Game and The Politics of Truth, they take audiences inside two decades of world politics — from facing down Saddam Hussein to White House leaks.
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Fo un de d w ith th e be lie f th at w or ds ha ve th e ab ilit y to pe op le ’s liv es , G re ch an ge at er Ta le nt Ne tw or k is de vo te d to br m os t in te re st in g an in gi ng th e d in sp iri ng st or ie s to au di en ce s w or ld w id e.
GLOBAL AND NATIONAL PERSPECTIVES: Spencer Abraham • Cory Booker • Wesley Clark • Richard Clarke • Roger Cressey • Monica Crowley & Alan Colmes • Adrian Fenty • Harold Ford, Jr. • Louis Freeh • Brigitte Gabriel • Richard Gephardt • Alberto Gonzales • Zachary Karabell • Bernard Kouchner • Meghan McCain • Judge Andrew Napolitano • Vali Nasr • Ehud Olmert • Reza Pahlavi • George Pataki • Janet Reno • Dan Senor • Jose Antonio Vargas • Valerie Plame Wilson • Joseph Wilson
PRINT AND BROADCAST JOURNALISM: Jonathan Alter • Carl Bernstein • Campbell Brown • Tina Brown • Babara Ehrenreich • Sir Harold Evans • Joshua Foer • Susie Gharib • Sebastian Junger • Steve Kroft • Lara Logan • Kati Marton • Peggy Noonan • Byron Pitts • Bob Simon • Lesley Stahl • Jeffrey Toobin • Ali Velshi • Gideon Yago
ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT: Neal Baer • Bob Balaban • Elizabeth Berkeley • Susie Essman • John Forté • Danny Glover • Lee Hirsch • Carson Kressley • Anthony Rapp • Brett Ratner • Mo Rocca • Peter Sagal • David Steinberg • Ben Vereen • Vanessa Williams • Henry Winkler • Anthony Zuiker • Alan Zweibel
MOTIVATION, INSPIRATION, ADVENTURE: Chaz Bono • Dewey Bozella • Kris Carr • Ntiedo (NT) Etuk • Mia Farrow • Ronan Farrow • Rory Kennedy • Marcus Luttrell • Marlee Matlin • T.K. Mattingly • Luma Mufleh • Petra Nemcova • Michael Oher • Apolo Anton Ohno • Nell Irvin-Painter • Bill and Giuliana Rancic • Capt. Winston Scott • Caroll Spinney • Esera Tuaolo • The Tuohy Family
BUSINESS, ECONOMY, MANAGEMENT: Ben & Jerry • Jared Bernstein • Billy Beane • Mark Burnett • Paul DePodesta • Donald Fehr • Susie Gharib • Seth Godin • Peter Greenberg • Peter Guber • Mitch Joel • Liz Lange • Steven Rattner • Cynthia Rowley • Michael Silverstein • Howard Stringer • James Taylor • Jonathan Tisch • Omar Wasow • Meredith Whitney • Michael Woodford
BEST SELLING AUTHORS: Po Bronson • Max Brooks • Candace Bushnell • Neil Gaiman • Emily Giffin • David Grossman • Pete Hamill • Homer Hickam • Oscar Hijuelos • Michael Lewis • Wendy Mogel • Michael Moore • PJ O’Rourke • Richard Preston • Nicholas Sparks • Jennifer
Weiner • Tom Wolfe 437 Fifth Avenue New York, NY 10016 Phone: 212.645.4200 Fax: 212.627.1471 Toll Free: 800.326.4211 email: info@greatertalent.com
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