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 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
#1
“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,
Best-Seller
along with Collins and Sean, Jr., inspire audiences to see their 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
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 each 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/TheTuohyFamily
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
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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 bestselling book, Moneyball, Lewis draws on his unique knowledge of money, science, entertainment and ego to illustrate the strategies employed by 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
Michael Lewis Author of Moneyball
of success, and how to identify talent and maintain an 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
M
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 2012’s box office hit,
The Dark Knight Rises. It is 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 addresses 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”
Michael Uslan
really are.
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Batman Executive Producer & Comic Book Historian www.greatertalent.com/MichaelUslan
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Brett Ratner
Renowned Hollywood Director, Producer & Entrepreneur
More than $1 Billion in Box Office Sales
D
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
C
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 star-studded 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’s 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 is now a hit TV series broadcasted on The CW.
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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. He can be seen in the critically acclaimed feature 2012 for director Roland Emmerich, Dreamgirls directed by Bill Condon, 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
presentations arts,
literacy
involvement,
to
his
individual
focusing
on
the
and
community
Glover
regularly
teams with long-time friend and actor Felix Justice in “An Evening with Martin and Langston.”
Danny Glover
Acclaimed Actor & Leading Social Activist www.greatertalent.com/DannyGlover
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Nicholas Sparks
Bestselling Author of The Notebook & Safe Haven
A Cultural Phenomenon
A
cultural phenomenon in his own right, literary sensation Nicholas Sparks is the author of 17 New York Times #1 bestselling books. 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. With another smash hit released February 2013, Safe Haven, starring Julianne Hough and
Josh Duhamel, is a production that promises dramatic suspense and romance.
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 inspiring authors —
Nicholas Sparks
Bestselling Author of The Notebook & Safe Haven
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 any matters. 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 “surprisingly hard to put down.”
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.
Max Brooks
Preeminent Zombie Expert & Best-Selling Author www.greatertalent.com/MaxBrooks
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Emily Giffin
Best-Selling Author of Something Borrowed & Heart of The Matter
A Modern-Day Jane Austin
E
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). Giffin’s newest novel Where We Belong(2012), explores the journey that two women embark upon in search for what is missing
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,
Emily Giffin
Best-Selling Author of Something Borrowed & Heart of the Matter www.greatertalent.com/EmilyGiffin
marriage, work and motherhood that define 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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Marcus Luttrell
Decorated Navy SEAL & Best-Selling Author of Lone Survivor
Portrait of a Patriot
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arcus Luttrell’s 2007 #1 New York Times best-selling book, Lone Survivor, tells the harrowing story of four Navy SEALs who journeyed into the mountainous border of Afghanistan and Pakistan on Operation Redwing. An unparalleled motivational story of survival, the book is also a moving tribute to the friends and teammates who did not make it off the mountain. A powerful testament to the courage, integrity, patriotism and community that forged these American heroes, Lone Survivor is an incredible account of teamwork, fortitude and modern warfare. From Real Life to the Big Screen In November 2013 Luttrell’s amazing story will make the leap to the big screen in what promises to be a blockbuster success. Sharing the same name as his bestselling book, the Lone Survivor movie will be directed by Peter Berg (Battleship, Hancock) and is slated to feature Mark Wahlberg (The Fighter, The Departed) in the starring role. Other high profile actors such as Emile Hirsch, Taylor Kitsch and Eric Bana have signed on to play members of the SEAL team. Inspiring and Moving Audiences At the podium, Luttrell takes us from the rigors of SEAL training and what it takes to join the America’s elite fighting force, to the battle on the mountain, into his family’s experience of community support and generosity, and back to his own incredible story of survival and grace. In a powerful narrative, he weaves a rich account of courage and sacrifice, honor and patriotism, community and destiny that audiences will find both wrenching and Marcus Luttrell Decorated Navy SEAL & Best-Selling Aulife-affirming. thor of Lone Survivor www.greatertalent.com/MarcusLuttrell
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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 • John Avlon • 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 • Margaret Hoover • 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 • Kate White • 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 • Sissy Spacek • 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 • Don Mann • 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 • Dolvett Quince
BUSINESS, ECONOMY, MANAGEMENT: Ben & Jerry • Jared Bernstein • Billy Beane • Jordan Belfort • Mark Burnett • Paul DePodesta • Donald Fehr • Susie Gharib • Seth Godin • Peter Greenberg • Peter Guber • Mitch Joel • Liz Lange • Joe Nocera • 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
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