Partyhopper

On Friday night I went to a birthday party for one of my favorite people in Hollywood. With all due respect to the late James Brown, this guy gets my vote as the hardest-working man in show business. He’s not an actor, but he’s just as charming and charismatic as any movie star I’ve met. I’m talking about mega-manager Jason Weinberg, founding partner of Untitled Entertainment. (This was actually his second 40th birthday bash—his partner Guy Oseary hosted the first one earlier last week in L.A., and it attracted nearly as many stars as the Golden Globes.)

Jason Weinberg and his dad Fred
Photo by Patrick McMullan

Granted, L.A. power players may not have the best image, but Jason is proof that you don’t have to be a shark to be successful in that town. He loves his job and adores his clients—and the feeling is mutual. When Hilary Swank won her Oscar, she may have forgotten then-husband Chad Lowe in her acceptance speech but she certainly remembered to thank Jason! Here’s a good example from Friday night at the new hotspot Grand (which lives up to its name): As I waited in the coat check line with my enormous North Face parka, I noticed that the guys behind me were toting suitcases—they had flown in all the way from L.A. especially for this party and came straight from the airport. Lucky for them, they arrived just in time to hear rock goddess Debbie Harry lead the crowd in singing “Happy Birthday” to Jason. How cool is that? I can’t sing to save my life, but I was impressed to hear that my boss, Charla Lawhon, has a hidden talent for carrying a tune. No wonder she instantly bonded with American Idol runner-up Katharine McPhee. (Not surprisingly, they also share a love of shopping, and Charla advised Katharine on the best boutiques to hit while she’s in town to host TRL.)

Debbie Harry

Katharine McPhee and Charla Lawhon

I first met Jason at--where else?--a party about a decade ago. I was an aspiring writer fresh out of college who had just landed a job at a fashion magazine. Jason ran his own company, a successful P.R. firm, and he was responsible for one of my earliest brushes with fame: One night after an event, he offered me a ride with him and Molly Ringwald. I knew every line from the Breakfast Club by heart, so I couldn’t believe that I was actually sharing a cab with the Prom Queen! But Jason didn’t think anything of it: He’s not the kind of person who sees the world in terms of Celebrities vs. Nobodies. He makes everyone feel like they’re a V.I.P.--that’s part of his charm. At his birthday celebration, I met one of his old friends from high school, a banker, who told me: “The amazing thing about Jason is that when he talks to you, he makes you feel like you’re the only person in the room.” Katharine seconded that. “We had a meeting and after ten minutes, I knew that I wanted to work with him." Surely this goes without saying, but Jason has an amazing eye for talent; I remember him telling me that In Style should put Naomi Watts on the cover years before she starred in  King Kong; sure enough, I eventually found myself sitting at an outdoor cafe on Sunset Boulevard opposite the actress for a cover story interview. I called Jason as I was on my way to meet her and asked him what people would be surprised to know about Naomi. His response: “She’s an incredible dancer. Ask her to do the robot for you!”

As a pop culture junky who grew up watching MTV as well as John Hughes movies, I appreciate that Jason’s talent roster includes both musicians and actors. He represents the likes of Courtney Love, who is currently focusing on a new album, and Debbie Harry, who was so great in the original version of Hairspray. (Michelle Pfeiffer steps into her shoes--and dons her wild wigs--in the upcoming remake.) Then there are the young phenoms like Lindsay Lohan, who could easily make a good living deejaying if she wasn’t in such demand in front of the camera. And, of course, McPhee, who wants to make movies. “I’d love to do a drama,” she told me, and I have no doubt that I’ll soon be seeing her on the big screen.

Later that night, I also had the pleasure of meeting a V.I.P. who isn’t recording an album or filming a movie--Jason’s dad, Fred. I’m grateful to Patrick McMullan for providing me with a photo of the father and son. I just love seeing the expression on Fred’s face--he’s beaming like one proud papa. Clearly Jason is the biggest star in his eyes.

-- James Patrick Herman