Kevin Smith, one of the founders of the Splash News photo agency and now boss at The Mega Agency, will feature in a new George Michael documentary called Outed airing in the UK on 6th and 7th March on Channel 4.
This from Ch4 say about Episode 1: ‘In 1998 George Michael was arrested for committing a lewd act in a public toilet. It could have been a career ending, but it became a defining moment of gay liberation. ‘George Michael: Outed’ tells the thrilling inside story of how George turned disaster into a PR coup that changed everything. Featuring never-before broadcast audio of George himself and interviews with his inner circle, then partner, Kenny Goss, and cousin and business partner Andros Georgiou they reveal how George took on the tabloids and won.’
As the media descends on George’s Hollywood home, we meet the journalists who got the first tip-offs that George’s ‘secret’ was about to be revealed. Kevin Smith, founder of Splash News – an agency renowned for breaking celebrity scandals, tells us that ‘the gloves were off, the moment the news was out.’
Splash News was credited with breaking the news to the world that George had been arrested for public indecency in Beverly Hills. It was a huge story, and it ignited a feeding frenzy among the various tabloids that prowled the celebrity enclave. At the time Splash was at the peak of it powers, and boasted some of the best show business journalists and photographers on its staff, all champing at the bit to get onto the biggest story of the year.
Photographer John Chapple also features in the Channel 4 documentary. A recent transplant from the south of England and working for Splash’s rival Online USA, his young fresh face could be seen hustling to get images in the background at the various press conferences being beamed live from Los Angeles to television screens around the world. In the documentary, he reminisces about those heady days chasing George and the story.
Kevin is also interviewed in this week’s TV listings magazine Radio Times – below – pick up copy in all good newsagents!
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