Notes from the Rep Biz - 6-29-2018

At CAA:
 
Comic and satirist Bassem Youssef has signed with Andy Farag, Barry Kotler, Matt Blake, and Rachel Rusch. Youssef is best known for creating and hosting the YouTube web series AlBernameg, a political satire series in the Middle East. He was featured as one Time’s 100 Most Influential People of 2013. He continues to be managed by Matt Sadeghian at Avalon Management.
 
Podcast agent Josh Lindgren has joined CAA. Lindgren has worked with podcasts Stuff You Should Know, Radiotopia Live, FiveThirtyEight Politics, The Flop House, and Radio Ambulante. CAA currently works with other podcasts, but this is a big get because podcast ad revenue is at an all time high.
 
At ICM:
 
Comic, writer, producer, podcaster, and showrunner Marc Maron has signed with a team led by John Burnham, Joanne Wiles, and Ruthanne Secunda. Maron is best known for creating and hosting the interview podcast WTF with Marc Maron. He will next be seen in the second season of Netflix’s GLOW, which premieres today. He remains repped by manager Olivia Wingate at Avalon Management.  
 
English rock group You Me and Six has signed with Mike Hayes. The band has been around since 2004 and have earned four U.K. Gold Records, four top ten albums in the U.K. and a number one album with Cavalier Youth in 2014. They’ve also had fifteen consecutive A-list singles on BBC Radio One. Their latest studio album VI will be released in October.
 
At UTA:
 
Alexa & Katie star Isabel May has signed with Amanda Burnett. May’s first big break is the Netflix series, which premiered this past march. She plays the character of Katie in the comedy/drama. She remains managed by Leanne Coronel at The Coronel Group.
 
The agency is also adding more to its eSports business. Press X, an eSports talent and marketing company, and Everyday Influencers, a management company, are both joining the UTA fold. UTA now plans to launch an eSports group that will include more than 90 gamers and video game streamers. The group will be led by Damon Lau, the co-founder of both Press X and Everyday Influencers. Like podcasting, the move shows that eSports is big business.
 
Other Notes:
 
Diana Madison has signed with Laura McDonald at Gersh. Madison is the creator and executive producer of Lifetime’s Glam Masters.
 
Seven Paradigm staffers have been promoted to agent – Jake Atterman will be a talent agent out of the New York office, while talent agents Joshua Finn, Q’Marth Ghaemi and Mary Izzo will be based in the Los Angeles office. Also in the L.A. office – Jeff Mangialardi (talent and music agent), Hilary Jacobs (content agent) and Ethan Neale (motion picture lit).
 
Management Notes:
 
Actress Chelsea Rendon has signed with manager Alex Czuleger at The Green Room. Rendon is a series regular on Starz’s critically acclaimed drama series Vida. The series was picked up for a second season this month. Rendon has also had roles on The Fosters and Bright. She’s agented by Garry Purdy at Momentum Talent and Literary.
 
Publicity Notes:
 
Earlier this month, The Lede Company was officially launched by publicists Amanda Silverman, Meredith O’Sullivan Wasson, and Sarah Levinson Rothman. Other well-established publicists now joining the new company include Dvora Englefield, Alex Crotin, Marisa Martins and Chelsea Thomas. All Lede Company publicists are coming over from 42 West, and are bringing clients that include Bruno Mars, Chrissy Teigen, Whitney Cummings, Kiernan Shipka and Jennifer Garner.
 
Sources: Variety, Hollywood Reporter, Deadline, Billboard.