NY: Hot-shot Hollywood agent Ari Emanuel has sent a feisty legal letter to NBC complaining about his treatment in a recent interview for 'Rock Center.'
Ari claims he agreed in 'good faith' to chat with his two high-powered brothers Chicago Mayor Rahm and bioethicist Ezekiel to Williams about Ezekiel's new book 'Brothers Emanuel: A Memoir of an American Family.'
But a source told The New York Post that when the three got to the New York City bar to prerecord the interview earlier this month, the NBC anchor was acting 'like it was for "Meet the Press."'
'Ari was not happy with it,' the source told the newspaper. 'It was very odd, and (the brothers) were caught off guard. They were there to talk about the book and growing up together. They had offers to do this interview with lots of other people.'
According to The Post, Ari's letter, which his agency WME confirmed was sent to NBC, said: 'This was not what we agreed to. He felt like he did the interview in good faith and he was irritated.'
An NBC source told The Post that the story on Friday's episode of 'Rock Center' was 'in no way influenced' by Ari's letter.
A rep for the agent declined to comment to The Post.
A spokesman for NBC told the newspaper: 'We hope viewers will see (the) interview as a lively conversation with three famously colorful brothers who embody a great American story of success.'
Ari's agitation is clear in the 10-minute segment, and Williams even refers to it, after calling his reliance on his cell phone 'tragic'.
'... As we learned (the brothers) don't love being challenged or prodded,' Williams says in a voice over. 'Ari's facial expressions speak volumes when the conversation turned to his scorched Earth reputation in Hollywood.
Ari then seemingly makes a thinly veiled threat at the network.
'If somebody crosses us... they know we are going to be in the trench if its appropriate and I promise you that we are going to be on their side and it's going to be a battle,' he says.
