Is there any such thing as bad publicity????

[Kirk]

This is a little off the topic of internet marketing, but I've really been facinated with this whole James Frey / "Million Little Pieces" fiasco - it sure smacks of a big publicity stunt to me, but I'm a born skeptic.

I'm just floored by the amount of air-time this guy is getting - Larry King and Oprah? - it's the kind of publicity coverage you dream about. It sure isn't hurting sales - I checked Amazon this morning and found the book has a sales rank of #6 (you read it right, #6 of all books sold on Amazon!)

I rarely watch TV, but I couldn't resist watching the Oprah interview last week. After hearing Oprah say she felt "duped", the first thing I thought was, "It's a sad day when you can't even trust a drug addict anymore..."

I honestly doubt Mr. Frey is too concerned about all this. It reminds me of a line from that Brad Paisley song, "Celebrity" - "The more they run my name down, the more my price goes up..." I think Brad's got it right...

[Lynn Terry]

[Kirk]

[Lynn Terry]

Thanks for the link! What a read!! I especially enjoyed the comments following the story.

You are right - "whatever it takes to get people talking". I dont imagine he set out with all of this in mind, but instead was lead into it by his media publicist, publisher, etc. But like you said - it sure hasnt hurt book sales

[Kirk]

Aside from Frey, I just marvel at Oprah's power and influence in the marketplace - no wonder she's a billionaire and can spend $50,000/month on her eyebrows (I must say though, her eyebrows do look good...)

I am quite naive when it comes to day time television (really any television for that matter), but I got my first glimpse of Oprah's power last Thanksgiving visiting some friends in Indianapolis with family.

I think it was the day before Thanksgiving and we were having lunch at the Cheesecake Factory getting ready to order dessert. Now, the food at CF is great, but the dessert are to die for... In the middle of ordering desserts, one of the women in our group looks at her watch and goes into a panic because Oprah's "My Favorite Things" episode is on in 15 minutes!! The other 5 women cancel their dessert order and start putting on their coats in a mad dash.

Well, I was quite intent to "have" my dessert in the company of my male companions - so the three of us sat alone and enjoyed the most amazing chocolate cake I've ever could have imagined.

Overcome with curiousity, we finished our desserts and hustled back to the house to get a glimpse of what are female companions were so eager to trade for a slice of chocolate heaven.

I sat through the last 40 minutes of Oprah's "Favorite Things" having a hard time discerning where the show stopped and the commercials started.

Oprah is a genius - she converted her entire show to one big product placement episode and people will rush out of a restaurant *before* dessert to see it. She is the most powerful woman on TV...

[Lynn Terry]

[oneiros]

I watch Oprah when I have the chance.

Missed the one with Tom Cruise jumping around,
but have seen other "versions" of it.

Latest was Scary Movie 4.
Best part of that movie whas Dr. Phil.