Ari Emanuel Obama Call: Super Agent Takes Presidential Call During 'Fifty Shades' Meeting

Ari Emanuel Takes Call From Obama During Meeting

The bidding for the film rights to "Fifty Shades of Grey" reached hysteric proportions in Hollywood this week, but not even the popular erotic novel could take precedence over a phone call from the President of the United States.

Ari Emanuel -- the living inspiration for Jeremy Piven's "Entourage" character and the co-CEO of talent agency William Morris Endeavor -- left his office to take a meeting with "Fifty Shades" author E L James at SoHo House in Los Angeles.

During the meeting, James instituted a "no phones on the table" rule, a source told The Hollywood Reporter. Unfortunately, that rule didn't last long, as Barack Obama rang up Emanuel -- whose brother is Chicago mayor and former White House chief of staff, Rahm Emanuel.

According to the source, Emanuel and Obama reportedly spoke at length about "Fifty Shades," and Obama revealed that the First Lady, Michelle Obama, had enjoyed the books. Or not: a source close to Obama later said the president was just joking about Michelle's reading choices.

Perhaps that's a good thing: the first book in a planned trilogy, "Fifty Shades Of Grey" is about a steamy S&M relationship between a young woman and her lover. The book -- which has been infamously termed "mommy porn" -- initially began as "Twilight"-inspired fanfic; it features many X-rated passages describing sexual intercourse.

The movie rights to the sensational romance novel were recently sold to Universal Pictures and Focus Features. As yet, no one has been cast in the film.

[via THR]

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