As first seen on Bankrate.com
| Ted Casablanca is funnier and more entertaining than most of the celebrities he covers, but he says he and the rest of Hollywood would rather talk about dye jobs or body part sizes than money.
Ted Casablanca is based at www.eonline.com, where he pens his weekly gossip column, “The Awful Truth.” From the red carpet, Casablanca hosts E! Online’s popular live Web casts, including world premieres. He also contributes profiles on Hollywood’s celebrities. He has hosted chats with Sarah Michelle Gellar, Ryan Phillipe, Reese Witherspoon and Christian Bale, among others.
Prior to joining E! Online, Casablanca spent nine years at Premiere, the monthly film magazine, where he conceived Ted Casablanca’s “The Awful Truth.” Before Premiere, Casablanca worked for Rolling Stone and Esquire magazines. Casablanca also served as E! Online’s gossip correspondent on E! Entertainment Television’s “The Gossip Show.” He is also a regular contributor to E! Entertainment Television’s flagship series “The E! True Hollywood Story” and numerous E! specials. Casablanca himself has appeared as an interview subject on numerous TV shows and networks, including ABC’s “The View,” “Extra,” CNN.com, Court TV’s “Hollywood & Crime,” “Roseanne,” “Fox & Friends,” as well as many international appearances for the BBC and Australian television programs. Ted Casablanca did a cameo on the WB show, “Grosse Pointe,” as himself. Bankrate: What new projects do you have going? Ted Casablanca:Other than changing my underwear? Nothing that I can really talk about. I’ve got E! and my other TV work. Bankrate: What’s a typical day like for you? Ted Casablanca:I go entirely day by day. In the beginning of the week, I do the column, at the end of the week I work on TV. It’s a very organic schedule. I have very little time off, but it’s the way I like it. There’s always variety. In L.A., often a star is around. I’m always up for a little news, some talk. Bankrate: Your job depends on a smooth relationship with celebrities, but you aren’t afraid to comment on your true feelings, such as with Paris Hilton. How do you know where to draw the line? Ted Casablanca:Basically, I draw the line from my gut. Can I handle it being said about myself? I do think most people know that I have a job to do. As for Paris, I would doubt her ability to discern what I put in the column and my personal feelings. George Clooney’s fine with whatever I say. Bankrate: Has the gossip business changed since the days of Hedda Hopper? Ted Casablanca:Absolutely. Some stars from the ’50s and ’60s are still prickly about what gets published. It’s hilarious, James Mason used to feed stories about his womanizing, because he liked it! Now, it’s become chic to be hyper-concerned about your publicity. Bankrate: It seems that politicians do not welcome the personal scrutiny that stars do. How will the coverage of Arnold Schwarzenegger change? Ted Casablanca:He is incredibly naive. Even Ronald Reagan knew to distance himself from his movies. I liked that. He was self-deprecating. He didn’t take it seriously. I mean, it’s only Hollywood, hello! Arnold just doesn’t get it, with his “Collectinator,” have you heard about that? He doesn’t understand that he didn’t get elected because of his box-office appeal, he got elected because of Gray Davis’ foolishness. He has no idea how inappropriate he is. Did you hear, he was in a meeting, and he asked one of the female staffers, “Do you always speak that loud? You sound like my wife.” Bankrate: Will he have the same fate as Jesse Ventura? Ted Casablanca: That’s an interesting question. I wouldn’t have the hubris to guess. He won’t last long.
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