Jerry Lewis, Rick Saphire, & Newsweek - Let the Truth Be Told

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
(Free-Press-Release.com) September 30, 2008 -- When freelance writer Steve Friess reported in 2007 that Jerry Lewis had "fired" his "publicist" Rick Saphire for trying to charge Newsweek $20,000 for an interview with Lewis, bloggers around the world jumped to the erroneous conclusion that the story was accurate. Many of hem issued derogatory columns about Mr. Saphire and his company. Since it has become apparent that nearly every element of the freelancers accusations were false, the bloggers have pulled down their stories, and some have issued apologies.

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Jerry Lewis, Rick Saphire, & Newsweek - Let the Truth Be Told

The facts are as follows: Rick Saphire never had any discussions with Newsweek regarding any such interview. The freelancer was requesting a story that he would try to sell, and would also publish on his own web site. Additionally, an audio version of the interview was to be aired on Sirius Satellite Radio. Because the freelancer requested that the interview be published within days of the Muscular Dystrophy Telethon, Saphire clearly directed the freelancer to take his request to the MDA. Additionally, Rick Saphire was never Jerry Lewis' publicist, and was never in Jerry Lewis' employ. Conversely, Saphire often secured money for Jerry Lewis to appear on TV, and to give paid interviews in the USA and abroad.

Following the controversy created by Steve Friess' unethical posting photos of portions of Saphire's private business correspondences on his blog, attorneys for Saphire and Lewis agreed, in writing, that Saphire would continue to present the comedy star with business opportunities, as in the past.

Blogger Scott Marks, who ran "a story about the story," has recently published a conciliatory article on his popular Emulsion Compulsion website. Saphire has accepted Mark's apology. A public relations firm removed a derogative story about Saphire, based on the Friess article, when Saphire's attorneys threatened a deformation suit. The publishing of Saphire's business letters in the original article is still undergoing legal scrutiny.

Jerry Lewis     MDA     newsweek     Rick Saphire